The Intentional Clinician: Psychology, Philosophy, Therapy, & Change

What does success mean? Learning from a high achiever with a traumatic past with Jane Marie Chen [Episode 168]

Paul Krauss MA LPC interviews Jane Marie Chen about her personal life as well as her experience developing a low-cost incubator for prematurely-born babies that has saved more than 1,000,000 babies so far. The conversation addressed how childhood trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) impact high achievers who mask deep emotional wounds beneath professional success, examining Chen's journey from celebrated social entrepreneur to confronting the debilitating rage, self-doubt, and self-loathing that stemmed from growing up in a home marked by domestic violence. Jane Marie Chen opens up about childhood and the impact of trauma on her life and her path to healing. 

Jane Marie Chen is a globally recognized entrepreneur, inventor, and speaker who co-founded Embrace Global, which developed a groundbreaking low-cost, portable infant incubator that has saved more than 1,000,000 premature babies in the developing world. She received her MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and her MPA from Harvard Kennedy School, earning accolades including an audience with President Obama at the White House and a check hand-delivered by Beyoncé. Her latest book, Like A Wave We Break: A Memoir of Falling Apart and Finding Myself (Penguin Random House), is a raw and powerful exploration of how her professional success masked unhealed childhood trauma from growing up as a Taiwanese American survivor of abuse. 

• Get involved with the National Violence Prevention Hotline: 501(c)(3)

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• Preview an Online Video Course for the Parents of Young Adults (Parenting Issues)
• Unique and low cost learning opportunities through Shion Consulting

Paul Krauss MA LPC is a Cofounder of Health for Life Counseling Grand Rapids, home of The Trauma-Informed Counseling Center of Grand Rapids. Paul is also a Private Practice Psychotherapist, an Approved EMDRIA Consultant , host of the Intentional Clinician podcast, Behavioral Health Consultant, Clinical Trainer, Counseling Supervisor, and Meditation Teacher. Paul is now offering consulting for a few individuals and organizations. Paul is the creator of the National Violence Prevention Hotline as well as the Intentional Clinician Training Program for Counselors. Paul has been quoted in the Washington Post, NBC News, Wired Magazine, and Counseling Today. Questions? Call the office at 616-200-4433. 

If you are looking for EMDRIA consulting groups, Paul Krauss MA LPC is now hosting a weekly online group.  For details, click here.

For general behavioral and mental health consulting for you or your organization.

Follow Health for Life Counseling- Grand Rapids:

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Original Music:

”Alright” from the album Mystic by PAWL (Spotify)

“Begin Again” from Four Days in June by Shabason & Krgovich (Spotify)

The prevention of child maltreatment is the single most powerful way to improve the health of our nation with Dr. Frank Putnam [Episode 167]

In Episode 167 of The Intentional Clinician podcast, Paul Krauss MA LPC interviews child psychiatrist Dr. Frank Putnam, MD about his groundbreaking assertion that prevention of child maltreatment is the single most powerful way to improve the mental and physical health of our nation. The conversation likely explores Dr. Putnam's decades of research through the Female Growth and Development Study (FGDS), which has followed sexual abuse survivors for over 35 years and revealed that childhood sexual abuse causes accelerated biological aging, increasing the risk for early onset of physical and mental conditions usually associated with late life. Drawing from his new book *Old Before Their Time*, Dr. Putnam discusses how childhood maltreatment is the largest preventable cause of certain major mental illnesses, interpersonal violence, and much hard drug abuse, while addressing the wide-ranging mental, physical, and social consequences that extend across generations. 

Dr. Frank W. Putnam, MD, is a professor of clinical psychiatry at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and an emeritus professor of pediatrics and child psychiatry at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. He co-founded the pioneering Female Growth and Development Study (FGDS) in 1987 with the late Dr. Penelope K. Trickett, a longitudinal study that has followed female incest victims and comparison groups across three generations for over 35 years. His latest book, Old Before Their Time: A Scientific Life Investigating How Maltreatment Harms Children and the Adults They Become is part memoir and part call to action that provides an inside look at his distinguished career documenting the long-term consequences of childhood maltreatment. 

• Get involved with the National Violence Prevention Hotline: 501(c)(3)

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4. Sign our Petition

• Preview an Online Video Course for the Parents of Young Adults (Parenting Issues)
• Unique and low cost learning opportunities through Shion Consulting

Paul Krauss MA LPC is a Cofounder of Health for Life Counseling Grand Rapids, home of The Trauma-Informed Counseling Center of Grand Rapids. Paul is also a Private Practice Psychotherapist, an Approved EMDRIA Consultant , host of the Intentional Clinician podcast, Behavioral Health Consultant, Clinical Trainer, Counseling Supervisor, and Meditation Teacher. Paul is now offering consulting for a few individuals and organizations. Paul is the creator of the National Violence Prevention Hotline as well as the Intentional Clinician Training Program for Counselors. Paul has been quoted in the Washington Post, NBC News, Wired Magazine, and Counseling Today. Questions? Call the office at 616-200-4433. 

If you are looking for EMDRIA consulting groups, Paul Krauss MA LPC is now hosting a weekly online group.  For details, click here.

For general behavioral and mental health consulting for you or your organization.

Follow Health for Life Counseling- Grand Rapids:

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Original Music:

”Alright” from the album Mystic by PAWL (Spotify)

“Midday Sun” from Four Days in June by Shabason & Krgovich (Spotify)

The Spiritual Side of Therapy and the Energy of Recovery plus Chi Kung Practices w/ Counselor Doug Hilton [Episode 166]

In this episode, Paul Krauss MA LPC interviews counselor and Chi Kung instructor Doug Hilton about his book The Tao of Addiction and Recovery: Chi Kung Practices for Restoring the Energy Flow in Mind and Body, focusing on how Taoist philosophy and Chi Kung practices supported addiction recovery alongside conventional treatment. In the conversation, Hilton draws on more than thirty years of counseling experience in trauma, addictions, and family systems to explain how Chi Kung and Taoist concepts like "Emotional Recycling" has helped people understand how addictions developed, heal underlying trauma, and prevent relapse. 

Hilton is Registered Clinical Counsellor in Canada and a certified Universal Healing Tao instructor who had integrated Chi Kung into his psychotherapy work for more than two decades, working with trauma, addictions, couples, and families.  His new book: The Tao of Addiction and Recovery (Destiny Books, November 2025), offers simple concepts and Chi Kung exercises, framed as a Taoist guide to recovering from addiction and returning to a state of wholeness.

The Tao of Addiction and Recovery: Chi Kung Practices for Restoring the Energy Flow in Mind and Body By Mantak Chia & Doug Hilton

• Get involved with the National Violence Prevention Hotline: 501(c)(3)

1. Donate
2. Share with your network
3. Write your congressperson
4. Sign our Petition

• Preview an Online Video Course for the Parents of Young Adults (Parenting Issues)
• Unique and low cost learning opportunities through Shion Consulting

Paul Krauss MA LPC is a Cofounder of Health for Life Counseling Grand Rapids, home of The Trauma-Informed Counseling Center of Grand Rapids. Paul is also a Private Practice Psychotherapist, an Approved EMDRIA Consultant , host of the Intentional Clinician podcast, Behavioral Health Consultant, Clinical Trainer, Counseling Supervisor, and Meditation Teacher. Paul is now offering consulting for a few individuals and organizations. Paul is the creator of the National Violence Prevention Hotline as well as the Intentional Clinician Training Program for Counselors. Paul has been quoted in the Washington Post, NBC News, Wired Magazine, and Counseling Today. Questions? Call the office at 616-200-4433. 

If you are looking for EMDRIA consulting groups, Paul Krauss MA LPC is now hosting a weekly online group.  For details, click here.

For general behavioral and mental health consulting for you or your organization.

Follow Health for Life Counseling- Grand Rapids:

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Original Music:

”Alright” from the album Mystic by PAWL (Spotify)

"Not Gone" from the album If You Don't Know Me Buy Now! by Kelley Stoltz (Spotify)

Wellness through Practice: Ecotherapy, Yoga, Breathing, Nature with Carrie Asby [Episode 165]

Paul Krauss MA LPC interviews wellness coach, ecotherapy guide, and author Carrie Asby explore how simple, intentional practices in nature can regulate the nervous system, soften perfectionism, and restore a sense of belonging in everyday life. Drawing from her personal story of burnout and "rock bottom," Carrie describes how yoga, breathwork, and nature-based rituals-like mindful walking outdoors, forest bathing, and sensory awareness practices-helped her move from chronic overwhelm into a steadier, more embodied way of living, and now form the foundation of the coaching work she offers to clients seeking resilience and reconnection.  Paul invites Carrie to translate these experiences into concrete tools for listeners, emphasizing how accessible daily rituals such as conscious breathing in fresh air, feeling the elements on the skin, and bringing mindful attention to the land can function as practical ecotherapy-even for those in urban settings.

 A yoga teacher, nature-healing guide, and founder of Carrie Asby Wellness, Carrie supports individuals and groups through retreats, coaching, and writing that weave together somatic awareness, mindfulness, and nature-based ritual, helping people realign with their values, reduce burnout, and remember their deep connection to the living world. Carrie hosts an online collective called the Rooted Life Collective.

• Get involved with the National Violence Prevention Hotline: 501(c)(3)

1. Donate
2. Share with your network
3. Write your congressperson
4. Sign our Petition

• Preview an Online Video Course for the Parents of Young Adults (Parenting Issues)
• Unique and low cost learning opportunities through Shion Consulting

Paul Krauss MA LPC is a Cofounder of Health for Life Counseling Grand Rapids, home of The Trauma-Informed Counseling Center of Grand Rapids. Paul is also a Private Practice Psychotherapist, an Approved EMDRIA Consultant , host of the Intentional Clinician podcast, Behavioral Health Consultant, Clinical Trainer, Counseling Supervisor, and Meditation Teacher. Paul is now offering consulting for a few individuals and organizations. Paul is the creator of the National Violence Prevention Hotline as well as the Intentional Clinician Training Program for Counselors. Paul has been quoted in the Washington Post, NBC News, Wired Magazine, and Counseling Today. Questions? Call the office at 616-200-4433. 

If you are looking for EMDRIA consulting groups, Paul Krauss MA LPC is now hosting a weekly online group.  For details, click here.

For general behavioral and mental health consulting for you or your organization.

Follow Health for Life Counseling- Grand Rapids:

Instagram   |   Facebook     |     Youtube

Original Music:

”Alright” from the album Mystic by PAWL (Spotify)

“Thirteen Sided Dice” by Cole Pulice (Spotify)

Why Our Mental Health System Is Failing Us and What Should Be Done to Cure It with Dr. Robert Smith, MD [Episode 164]

In this episode of the Intentional Clinician Podcast, Paul Krauss, MA, LPC interviews Robert C. Smith, MD, about his book "Has Medicine Lost Its Mind? Why Our Mental Health System Is Failing Us and What Should Be Done to Cure It," in which Dr. Smith argues that the U.S. mental health crisis stems from the way mainstream medicine (especially primary care doctors) are trained–where most are lacking the depth of education surrounding mental health. And further, that mainstream medicine is mainly organized around a rigid mind-body split that neglects the environmental, social, and emotional dimensions of health and illnesses. Drawing on both research and decades of clinical experience, Dr. Robert Smith explains that mental disorders are now the most common health condition physicians see, surpassing heart disease and cancer, yet roughly three‑quarters of people with mental illness receive no care or inadequate treatment. Paul Krauss and Robert Smith, MD discuss how primary care and other non‑psychiatric physicians now provide the majority of mental health care (over 70-75%), even though they typically receive only about 2-5% of their training in behavioral health and psychiatry, leading to misdiagnosis, one-size-fits-all interventions, under‑treatment, and an over-reliance on purely pharmaceutical and biomedical interventions that fail to treat the whole person, or emphasize prevention through activities that promote emotional health and well-being or even referrals to competent psychotherapists to compliment treatment.

Robert Smith, MD, MACP, is a general internist and University Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry Emeritus at Michigan State University, where he has focused since 1985 on teaching and research in patient‑centered communication and primary care mental health. He and his colleagues defined the patient‑centered interview in concrete behavioral terms, validated it in randomized controlled trials, and authored the widely used textbook "Smith's Patient‑Centered Interviewing: An Evidence‑Based Method," now in its fourth edition and translated into multiple languages. A Master of the American College of Physicians, Dr. Smith has been widely featured in national media for his work on improving the doctor-patient relationship, chronic pain care, and mental health treatment in medical settings, and he continues to write and lecture internationally on the biopsychosocial model of care.

• Get involved with the National Violence Prevention Hotline: 501(c)(3)

1. Donate
2. Share with your network
3. Write your congressperson
4. Sign our Petition

• Preview an Online Video Course for the Parents of Young Adults (Parenting Issues)
• Unique and low cost learning opportunities through Shion Consulting

Paul Krauss MA LPC is a Cofounder of Health for Life Counseling Grand Rapids, home of The Trauma-Informed Counseling Center of Grand Rapids. Paul is also a Private Practice Psychotherapist, an Approved EMDRIA Consultant , host of the Intentional Clinician podcast, Behavioral Health Consultant, Clinical Trainer, Counseling Supervisor, and Meditation Teacher. Paul is now offering consulting for a few individuals and organizations. Paul is the creator of the National Violence Prevention Hotline as well as the Intentional Clinician Training Program for Counselors. Paul has been quoted in the Washington Post, NBC News, Wired Magazine, and Counseling Today. Questions? Call the office at 616-200-4433. 

If you are looking for EMDRIA consulting groups, Paul Krauss MA LPC is now hosting a weekly online group.  For details, click here.

For general behavioral and mental health consulting for you or your organization.

Follow Health for Life Counseling- Grand Rapids:

Instagram   |   Facebook     |     Youtube

Original Music:

”Alright” from the album Mystic by PAWL (Spotify)

”Rice Harvesting Day” from the album soft shakes by Go Kurosawa (Spotify)

Trust, Communication, Safety, Deceit, and predicting behavior with Robin Dreeke (Former FBI) [Episode 163]

In this episode of The Intentional Clinician Podcast Paul Krauss, MA LPC, sits down with former FBI Special Agent and behavioral expert Robin Dreeke to explore how trust, communication, safety, and deceit show up in everyday relationships and high‑stakes situations. Drawing from his years leading the FBI's Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Program, Robin shares practical frameworks for predicting behavior and assessing trustworthiness, while Paul connects these insights to clinical work, trauma, and real-world relational dynamics, including key ideas from Robin's book Sizing People Up: A Veteran FBI Agent's User Manual for Behavior Prediction.

Robin Dreeke is a human behavior expert, author, speaker, and retired FBI Special Agent who spent over two decades in federal service, including as Chief of the Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Program, where he specialized in building trust and recruiting spies through advanced rapport and communication techniques. He is the author of Sizing People Up, which outlines a practical system for evaluating trustworthiness and forecasting how others are likely to act using six core behavioral indicators, and now teaches organizations and individuals worldwide how to build authentic connections, assess risk, and navigate complex interpersonal situations.

• Get involved with the National Violence Prevention Hotline: 501(c)(3)

1. Donate
2. Share with your network
3. Write your congressperson
4. Sign our Petition

• Preview an Online Video Course for the Parents of Young Adults (Parenting Issues)
• Unique and low cost learning opportunities through Shion Consulting

Paul Krauss MA LPC is a Cofounder of Health for Life Counseling Grand Rapids, home of The Trauma-Informed Counseling Center of Grand Rapids. Paul is also a Private Practice Psychotherapist, an Approved EMDRIA Consultant , host of the Intentional Clinician podcast, Behavioral Health Consultant, Clinical Trainer, Counseling Supervisor, and Meditation Teacher. Paul is now offering consulting for a few individuals and organizations. Paul is the creator of the National Violence Prevention Hotline as well as the Intentional Clinician Training Program for Counselors. Paul has been quoted in the Washington Post, NBC News, Wired Magazine, and Counseling Today. Questions? Call the office at 616-200-4433. 

If you are looking for EMDRIA consulting groups, Paul Krauss MA LPC is now hosting a weekly online group.  For details, click here.

For general behavioral and mental health consulting for you or your organization.

Follow Health for Life Counseling- Grand Rapids:

Instagram   |   Facebook     |     Youtube

Original Music:

”Alright” from the album Mystic by PAWL (Spotify)

”All that we Perceive” from the album The Richest Man in Babylon by Thievery Corporation (Spotify)

”Sky Blue Sky” from the album Sky Blue Sky by Wilco (Spotify)

A New Somatic Approach to Understanding the Self and Our Cultural Background with Marcia Bonato Warren [Episode 162]

 

Paul Krauss, MA LPC's conversation with Marcia Bonato Warren MA, MA LPC centers on her somatic, cross-cultural approach to understanding identity, belonging, and the body, as developed in her work on Embodied Code-Switching® and her new book on multicultural identity and somatic healing. They explore how culture, ancestry, and trauma live in the nervous system, how the body can become a "cultural home," and how movement, sensation, and body-based awareness help people who navigate multiple cultural worlds reclaim agency and coherence in their sense of self. Throughout the discussion, Marcia weaves her personal story and clinical lens with reflections on social justice, intergenerational trauma, and the role of contemplative, somatic practice in healing within and across communities.

Marcia Bonato Warren, MA, MA LPC (she/her) is a trauma-informed Somatic Counselor/Body Psychotherapist, interculturalist, and author with more than 30 years of cross-cultural experience spanning somatic counseling and education, international educational exchange, Native American policy and advocacy, minority business development, and community-based social justice work. She holds a Master of Arts in Somatic Counseling/Body Psychotherapy from Naropa University, where she now serves as adjunct faculty and guest lecturer in the Buddhist-Informed Contemplative Counseling and Somatic Counseling graduate programs, and she maintains a private practice providing counseling, clinical supervision, training, and consultation in culturally responsive, body-based approaches to trauma, identity, and belonging. Her published work includes her foundational chapter on Embodied Code-Switching® and co-authored scholarly writing on the body as cultural home, and her recent book extends this somatic, culture-centered lens to clinicians and communities seeking liberatory, embodied ways to heal across differences.

• Get involved with the National Violence Prevention Hotline: 501(c)(3)

1. Donate
2. Share with your network
3. Write your congressperson
4. Sign our Petition

• Preview an Online Video Course for the Parents of Young Adults (Parenting Issues)
• Unique and low cost learning opportunities through Shion Consulting

Paul Krauss MA LPC is a Cofounder of Health for Life Counseling Grand Rapids, home of The Trauma-Informed Counseling Center of Grand Rapids. Paul is also a Private Practice Psychotherapist, an Approved EMDRIA Consultant , host of the Intentional Clinician podcast, Behavioral Health Consultant, Clinical Trainer, Counseling Supervisor, and Meditation Teacher. Paul is now offering consulting for a few individuals and organizations. Paul is the creator of the National Violence Prevention Hotline as well as the Intentional Clinician Training Program for Counselors. Paul has been quoted in the Washington Post, NBC News, Wired Magazine, and Counseling Today. Questions? Call the office at 616-200-4433. 

If you are looking for EMDRIA consulting groups, Paul Krauss MA LPC is now hosting a weekly online group.  For details, click here.

For general behavioral and mental health consulting for you or your organization.

Follow Health for Life Counseling- Grand Rapids:

Instagram   |   Facebook     |     Youtube

Original Music:

”Alright” from the album Mystic by PAWL (Spotify)

”Champion” from the album Radiate Like This by Warpaint (Spotify)

 

A New and Proven Approach to ME/CFS, Long Covid, Fibromyalgia, Mold, Lyme, and inflammation with Ashok Gupta [Episode 161]

Paul Krauss MA LPC had the honor of speaking with Ashok Gupta who is offering cost-effective and accessible options for those suffering from chronic conditions as well as those who want to feel more vibrant and reduce symptoms of fatigue and inflammation. Ashok has put years of creativity into the program he offers people around the world and it really is incredible how such a holistic program can have such stunning scientific outcomes. If you are interested, check out this episode. 

Ashok Gupta, MA(Cantab), MSc who is an internationally renowned speaker, filmmaker and chronic illness and neuroplasticity expert. Ashok is the director of the Gupta Program, the original neuroplasticity and holistic health program for chronic conditions such as ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia, Post-Covid Syndrome, and associated conditions. The Program has helped thousands of people regain their lives.  www.guptaprogram.com The program is backed by solid science, including peer-reviewed studies, and it’s gotten the thumbs up from leading health professionals. A recently April 2025 randomized controlled study demonstrates that the Gupta Program is significantly more effective than standard medication in improving symptoms of fibromyalgia.

• Get involved with the National Violence Prevention Hotline: 501(c)(3)

1. Donate
2. Share with your network
3. Write your congressperson
4. Sign our Petition

• Preview an Online Video Course for the Parents of Young Adults (Parenting Issues)
• Unique and low cost learning opportunities through Shion Consulting

Paul Krauss MA LPC is a Cofounder of Health for Life Counseling Grand Rapids, home of The Trauma-Informed Counseling Center of Grand Rapids. Paul is also a Private Practice Psychotherapist, an Approved EMDRIA Consultant , host of the Intentional Clinician podcast, Behavioral Health Consultant, Clinical Trainer, Counseling Supervisor, and Meditation Teacher. Paul is now offering consulting for a few individuals and organizations. Paul is the creator of the National Violence Prevention Hotline as well as the Intentional Clinician Training Program for Counselors. Paul has been quoted in the Washington Post, NBC News, Wired Magazine, and Counseling Today. Questions? Call the office at 616-200-4433. 

If you are looking for EMDRIA consulting groups, Paul Krauss MA LPC is now hosting a weekly online group.  For details, click here.

For general behavioral and mental health consulting for you or your organization.

Follow Health for Life Counseling- Grand Rapids:

Instagram   |   Facebook     |     Youtube

Original Music:

”Alright” from the album Mystic by PAWL (Spotify)

"This Spring" (feat. Veda Hille) from the album This Spring: Songs by Veda Hille by Nicholas Krgovich (Spotify)

"Burst/Neighborhood Song" from the album This Spring: Songs by Veda Hille by Nicholas Krgovich (Spotify)

 

The Therapeutic Benefits of Creative Writing with Nick Kondyles, LLPC [Episode 160]

If you are interested in how writing creatively and reading books may be therapeutic, this is the episode for you. Paul Krauss MA LPC and Nick Kondyles LLPC discuss creative writing and how to integrate the act both into psychotherapy and your personal life. Nick takes a practical approach by emphasizing many different types of learning to write and express one's experience. Many tools for writing as well as books and magazines are mentioned.

Some of the Creative Writing Resources Mentioned:

https://authorspublish.com/17-approachable-literary-journals/https://www.va.gov/WHOLEHEALTHLIBRARY/tools/therapeutic-journaling.asp

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/neuroscience-proven-expressive-writing-protocol-with/id1146941306?i=1000645136217

A Neuroscience-Proven Expressive Writing Protocol with Dr. James Pennebaker 

The Believer Magazine

Nick Kondyles, LLPC MA is a therapist serving the Grand Rapids, MI area in person as well as the entire State of Michigan via teletherapy. Nick accepts most health insurance plans. Nick’s specialties are in anxiety, depression, relational issues and identity exploration. He enjoys working with adolescents, adults, as well as the LGBTQIA+ community. He is also interested in serving those experiencing grief and loss, substance use and career development employing interventions such as legacy life review and visiting issues like work/life balance. Nick endeavors to serve those parenting or dealing with relationship struggles, providing supportive services such as learning different communication skills and others in the interpersonal domain. 

Nick is a proud cat dad to a tuxedoed feline named Obi and loves to read books of any kind. When not in the therapy room, you can find Nick playing the occasional video game, biking or hanging out with friends. Nick hopes to work with you to find meaning in a healing process individualized to you and your needs while honoring your life story in a safe and warm environment.

• Get involved with the National Violence Prevention Hotline: 501(c)(3)

1. Donate
2. Share with your network
3. Write your congressperson
4. Sign our Petition

• Preview an Online Video Course for the Parents of Young Adults (Parenting Issues)
• Unique and low cost learning opportunities through Shion Consulting

Paul Krauss MA LPC is a Cofounder of Health for Life Counseling Grand Rapids, home of The Trauma-Informed Counseling Center of Grand Rapids. Paul is also a Private Practice Psychotherapist, an Approved EMDRIA Consultant , host of the Intentional Clinician podcast, Behavioral Health Consultant, Clinical Trainer, Counseling Supervisor, and Meditation Teacher. Paul is now offering consulting for a few individuals and organizations. Paul is the creator of the National Violence Prevention Hotline as well as the Intentional Clinician Training Program for Counselors. Paul has been quoted in the Washington Post, NBC News, Wired Magazine, and Counseling Today. Questions? Call the office at 616-200-4433. 

If you are looking for EMDRIA consulting groups, Paul Krauss MA LPC is now hosting a weekly online group.  For details, click here.

For general behavioral and mental health consulting for you or your organization.

Follow Health for Life Counseling- Grand Rapids:

Instagram   |   Facebook     |     Youtube

Original Music:

”Alright” from the album Mystic by PAWL (Spotify)

”Pink Tiger” from the album Pink Tiger by Apollo Ghosts (Spotify)

”But I'll Be Around (Electric Version) ” from the album Pink Tiger by Apollo Ghosts (Spotify)

 

 

Why are Humans seemingly both incredibly Smart and completely Stupid? with Cezary Pietrasik [Episode 159]

In episode 159 of The Intentional Clinician Podcast, Paul Krauss, MA LPC, interviews Cezary Pietrasik, author of Homo Idioticus: Why We Are Stupid and What to Do About It to unravel the paradox of human intelligence and folly. Through engaging dialogue, they explore why, despite our vast cognitive abilities, humans repeatedly make irrational and self-sabotaging decisions. Pietrasik discusses psychological, evolutionary, and cultural factors that explain recurring lapses in judgment, and offers practical frameworks for recognizing and overcoming our mental blind spots. Listeners are challenged to reflect on their own thinking patterns and are encouraged to adopt new strategies for greater self-awareness and wiser decision-making.

Cezary Pietrasik is an economist, entrepreneur, and investor with a diverse background spanning investment banking, private equity, digital health, and behavioral AI. He is the president and co-owner of Synerise, a leading behavioral AI company, and the founder of The Butterfly Effect Foundation, which supports education for underprivileged children. Pietrasik is also the author of several books, including Homo idioticus, and is committed to making a positive difference through both business innovation and charitable work.

• Get involved with the National Violence Prevention Hotline: 501(c)(3)

1. Donate
2. Share with your network
3. Write your congressperson
4. Sign our Petition

• Preview an Online Video Course for the Parents of Young Adults (Parenting Issues)
• Unique and low cost learning opportunities through Shion Consulting

Paul Krauss MA LPC is the Clinical Director of Health for Life Counseling Grand Rapids, home of The Trauma-Informed Counseling Center of Grand Rapids. Paul is also a Private Practice Psychotherapist, an Approved EMDRIA Consultant , host of the Intentional Clinician podcast, Behavioral Health Consultant, Clinical Trainer, Counseling Supervisor, and Meditation Teacher. Paul is now offering consulting for a few individuals and organizations. Paul is the creator of the National Violence Prevention Hotline as well as the Intentional Clinician Training Program for Counselors. Paul has been quoted in the Washington Post, NBC News, Wired Magazine, and Counseling Today. Questions? Call the office at 616-200-4433. 

If you are looking for EMDRIA consulting groups, Paul Krauss MA LPC is now hosting a weekly online group.  For details, click here.

For general behavioral and mental health consulting for you or your organization.

Follow Health for Life Counseling- Grand Rapids:

Instagram   |   Facebook     |     Youtube

Original Music:

”Alright” from the album Mystic by PAWL (Spotify)

“Sandy Legs” from Sandy Legs by Kolumbo (Spotify)

What We Don’t Do: The Power of Inaction, Ethics, and Change with Nick Cooney [Episode 158]

In this episode, Paul Krauss, MA LPC, interviews author and philanthropist Nick Cooney about his new book, "What We Don't Do: Inaction in the Face of Suffering and the Drive to Do More." Together, they examine how Cooney challenges listeners to confront the hidden consequences of their inaction, arguing that today, failing to act in the face of suffering can have even greater repercussions than direct harm. The conversation delves into psychological barriers that keep people from responding to global and local crises, while highlighting practical, empowering steps to transform awareness into meaningful intervention. Through accessible dialogue and Cooney's research-driven insights, Krauss guides listeners to reflect on how cultivating an attitude toward considering what they don't do and what they do-- can translate everyday choices into powerful, positive change.

Nick Cooney is the founder and Managing Partner of Lever VC, a venture capital fund focused on alternative protein startups with a global investment reach. He has spent nearly two decades advancing the alternative protein sector, including founding the Lever Foundation and Good Food Institute, and has written extensively on food innovation and philanthropy. Cooney is an influential industry leader, recognized for his investments, writings, and global speaking engagements on plant-based and clean meat industries.

• Get involved with the National Violence Prevention Hotline: 501(c)(3)

1. Donate
2. Share with your network
3. Write your congressperson
4. Sign our Petition

• Preview an Online Video Course for the Parents of Young Adults (Parenting Issues)
• Unique and low cost learning opportunities through Shion Consulting

Paul Krauss MA LPC is the Clinical Director of Health for Life Counseling Grand Rapids, home of The Trauma-Informed Counseling Center of Grand Rapids. Paul is also a Private Practice Psychotherapist, an Approved EMDRIA Consultant , host of the Intentional Clinician podcast, Behavioral Health Consultant, Clinical Trainer, Counseling Supervisor, and Meditation Teacher. Paul is now offering consulting for a few individuals and organizations. Paul is the creator of the National Violence Prevention Hotline as well as the Intentional Clinician Training Program for Counselors. Paul has been quoted in the Washington Post, NBC News, Wired Magazine, and Counseling Today. Questions? Call the office at 616-200-4433. 

If you are looking for EMDRIA consulting groups, Paul Krauss MA LPC is now hosting a weekly online group.  For details, click here.

For general behavioral and mental health consulting for you or your organization.

Follow Health for Life Counseling- Grand Rapids:

Instagram   |   Facebook     |     Youtube

Original Music:

”Alright” from the album Mystic by PAWL (Spotify)

“Easy Rider” from You Become the Mountain by Jeffrey Silverstein (Spotify)

Finding Joy in the Darkness with MaryCatherine McDonald, PhD [Episode 157]

In this episode, MaryCatherine McDonald PhD and Paul Krauss MA LPC discuss the concept and emotion of Joy. During dark times, it is difficult for most to "think of joy," however, Dr. McDonald has completed some compelling research and investigation into the benefits of "exercising Joy" along with expressing the troubles in our lives. MaryCatherine McDonald, PhD has authored a book entitled "The Joy Reset" --which helps readers identify barriers that prevent them from accessing joy—hypervigilance, emotional numbing, fear of loss, conditioning, guilt, and shame—and then redefines positive emotions as those tenacious, gritty, often tiny experiences that appear within the darkest moments and form the very foundation of psychological resilience.

MaryCatherine McDonald is a research professor and life coach who specializes in the psychology and philosophy of trauma. Her work focuses on thinking critically about how we understand, define, and heal from traumatic experiences. She has published several research articles and book chapters, as well as three books on trauma. In addition to her academic work, Dr. McDonald coaches individuals and corporations and creates trauma-based curriculum for non-profit organizations and schools.

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Paul Krauss MA LPC is the Clinical Director of Health for Life Counseling Grand Rapids, home of The Trauma-Informed Counseling Center of Grand Rapids. Paul is also a Private Practice Psychotherapist, an Approved EMDRIA Consultant , host of the Intentional Clinician podcast, Behavioral Health Consultant, Clinical Trainer, Counseling Supervisor, and Meditation Teacher. Paul is now offering consulting for a few individuals and organizations. Paul is the creator of the National Violence Prevention Hotline as well as the Intentional Clinician Training Program for Counselors. Paul has been quoted in the Washington Post, NBC News, Wired Magazine, and Counseling Today. Questions? Call the office at 616-200-4433. 

If you are looking for EMDRIA consulting groups, Paul Krauss MA LPC is now hosting a weekly online group.  For details, click here.

For general behavioral and mental health consulting for you or your organization.

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Original Music:

”Alright” from the album Mystic by PAWL (Spotify)

“Minute Papilion” from Open Source by World Brain (Spotify)

“hEARTSPACE” from Open Source by World Brain (Spotify)

"Joy does not exist only in the moments that are free of pain. In fact, the brightest, tiniest, most important pieces can only be found in the dark. I want to teach you how to harness and amplify the power of that glinting magic–because this sustainable, endless light source will do more than help you get through your darkest, scariest, loneliest times."- Dr. Mary McDonald

Uncovering Subversive Child Abuse found in Muchausen by Proxy with Detective Mike Weber [Episode 156]

Detective Mike Weber is interviewed on the Intentional Clinician podcast with Paul Krauss MA LPC. Mike draws on his deep experience investigating Munchausen by Proxy(MBP)—a rare but harrowing form of child abuse where caregivers fabricate or induce illness in children for attention or other psychological gain. Weber has investigated more cases of medical child abuse than almost any other detective in the U.S., with over a dozen arrests and several convictions to his name. His work, often in partnership with medical experts, highlights the severe systemic challenges faced in prosecuting MBP crimes: cases are difficult to prove, victims are vulnerable, and the legal system is often hesitant to accept the reality that a mother could deliberately harm her child.

Weber recounts intensely complex casework involving detailed deception, manipulation of medical professionals, and lasting trauma for victims. He describes cases where mothers made up or caused symptoms—one involving hundreds of falsified doctor visits over years, which ultimately was dismissed before reaching trial due to prosecutorial reluctance. Weber is outspoken about systemic shortcomings, emphasizing that many cases never see a courtroom and that awareness, better training, and stronger advocacy are urgently needed.

Weber’s book, The Mother Next Door, co-authored with Andrea Dunlop, combines true crime storytelling and psychological analysis to explore MBP through the lens of three chilling real cases: Hope Ybarra, Brittany Phillips, and Mary Welch. The book not only exposes the devastation of MBP but also examines the emotional consequences for families and the formidable difficulties in holding perpetrators accountable. Weber and Dunlop offer both expert insights and personal perspectives to illuminate the hidden epidemic of medical child abuse and the often-overlooked complexity of prosecuting MBP cases.

 

Through his interviews, book, and advocacy, Detective Mike Weber is helping reshape public understanding and institutional response to subversive child abuse in the form of Munchausen by Proxy, pushing for a future where these children are better protected and perpetrators are held truly accountable.

 

• Get involved with the National Violence Prevention Hotline: 501(c)(3)

1. Donate
2. Share with your network
3. Write your congressperson
4. Sign our Petition

• Preview an Online Video Course for the Parents of Young Adults (Parenting Issues)
• Unique and low cost learning opportunities through Shion Consulting

Paul Krauss MA LPC is the Clinical Director of Health for Life Counseling Grand Rapids, home of The Trauma-Informed Counseling Center of Grand Rapids. Paul is also a Private Practice Psychotherapist, an Approved EMDRIA Consultant , host of the Intentional Clinician podcast, Behavioral Health Consultant, Clinical Trainer, Counseling Supervisor, and Meditation Teacher. Paul is now offering consulting for a few individuals and organizations. Paul is the creator of the National Violence Prevention Hotline as well as the Intentional Clinician Training Program for Counselors. Paul has been quoted in the Washington Post, NBC News, Wired Magazine, and Counseling Today. Questions? Call the office at 616-200-4433. 

If you are looking for EMDRIA consulting groups, Paul Krauss MA LPC is now hosting a weekly online group.  For details, click here.

For general behavioral and mental health consulting for you or your organization.

Follow Health for Life Counseling- Grand Rapids:

Instagram   |   Facebook     |     Youtube

Original Music:

”Alright” from the album Mystic by PAWL (Spotify)

“Who Removed the Cellar Door?” from Interior Live Oak by Cass McCombs (Spotify)

The Most Entertaining Science Book about the Brain? And will AI take your job? with Dr. Jorge Cham & Dr. Dwayne Godwin [Episode 155]

Paul Krauss MA LPC interviews the authors of Out of Your Mind: The Biggest Mysteries of the Human Brain ---  Dr. Dwayne Godwin  and Dr. Jorge Cham.

The interview dives into why the human brain remains one of science’s greatest puzzles, exploring themes such as consciousness, memory, free will, and what truly makes us human. Cham and Godwin discuss how their book stands out as one of the most entertaining and accessible science books about the brain, blending humor, cartoons, and cutting-edge neuroscience to engage readers of all backgrounds.

In addition to these topics, Paul Krauss MA LPC and the authors also explore the fascinating question of what makes humans happy, discussing the neuroscience behind happiness and the age-old debate about whether money can actually buy it. The conversation ventures further into timely questions about technology, including an insightful discussion on whether artificial intelligence will take over human jobs, with both authors providing perspective on the implications and myths surrounding AI and employment.

• Get involved with the National Violence Prevention Hotline: 501(c)(3)

1. Donate
2. Share with your network
3. Write your congressperson
4. Sign our Petition

• Preview an Online Video Course for the Parents of Young Adults (Parenting Issues)
• Unique and low cost learning opportunities through Shion Consulting

Paul Krauss MA LPC is the Clinical Director of Health for Life Counseling Grand Rapids, home of The Trauma-Informed Counseling Center of Grand Rapids. Paul is also a Private Practice Psychotherapist, an Approved EMDRIA Consultant , host of the Intentional Clinician podcast, Behavioral Health Consultant, Clinical Trainer, Counseling Supervisor, and Meditation Teacher. Paul is now offering consulting for a few individuals and organizations. Paul is the creator of the National Violence Prevention Hotline as well as the Intentional Clinician Training Program for Counselors. Paul has been quoted in the Washington Post, NBC News, Wired Magazine, and Counseling Today. Questions? Call the office at 616-200-4433. 

If you are looking for EMDRIA consulting groups, Paul Krauss MA LPC is now hosting a weekly online group.  For details, click here.

For general behavioral and mental health consulting for you or your organization.

Follow Health for Life Counseling- Grand Rapids:

Instagram   |   Facebook     |     Youtube

Original Music:

”Alright” from the album Mystic by PAWL (Spotify)

“Lie in the Gutter” from Rose Main Reading Room by Peel Dream Magazine (Spotify)

“Oblast” from Rose Main Reading Room by Peel Dream Magazine (Spotify)

Learning to Focus on Our Identity and Purpose and not just Your Current Role w. Dr. Haley Perlus [Episode 154]

Paul Krauss MA LPC interviews Dr. Haley Perlus about her life and careers--as they discuss how Dr. Haley approaches helping people. Dr. Haley Perlus is an accomplished sport and performance psychologist, keynote speaker, author, and consultant who specializes in optimizing mental performance for athletes, business leaders, and high achievers. Her expertise draws from both her decorated athletic background and advanced academic training—she holds a Ph.D. in Sport Psychology, a Master’s degree in Coaching Behavior, and is certified in both fitness and nutrition.

Dr. Haley Perlus's website.

• Get involved with the National Violence Prevention Hotline: 501(c)(3)

1. Donate
2. Share with your network
3. Write your congressperson
4. Sign our Petition

• Preview an Online Video Course for the Parents of Young Adults (Parenting Issues)
• Unique and low cost learning opportunities through Shion Consulting

Paul Krauss MA LPC is the Clinical Director of Health for Life Counseling Grand Rapids, home of The Trauma-Informed Counseling Center of Grand Rapids. Paul is also a Private Practice Psychotherapist, an Approved EMDRIA Consultant , host of the Intentional Clinician podcast, Behavioral Health Consultant, Clinical Trainer, Counseling Supervisor, and Meditation Teacher. Paul is now offering consulting for a few individuals and organizations. Paul is the creator of the National Violence Prevention Hotline as well as the Intentional Clinician Training Program for Counselors. Paul has been quoted in the Washington Post, NBC News, Wired Magazine, and Counseling Today. Questions? Call the office at 616-200-4433. 

If you are looking for EMDRIA consulting groups, Paul Krauss MA LPC is now hosting a weekly online group.  For details, click here.

For general behavioral and mental health consulting for you or your organization.

Follow Health for Life Counseling- Grand Rapids:

Instagram   |   Facebook     |     Youtube

Original Music:

”Alright” from the album Mystic by PAWL (Spotify)

“Ferndell Shade” from A Host For All Kinds Of Life by Green-House (Spotify)

“Desire Path” from A Host For All Kinds Of Life by Green-House (Spotify)