E227: Laura Freberg: Embracing change, big problems, and the intersection of psychology and AI

In this sidebar episode, guest host Jennifer Grewe chats with Garth Neufeld about ACT 2025 in Minneapolis, MN. Register for ACT 2025 at teachpsych.org. 

In this episode Garth interviews Laura Freberg from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in San Luis Obispo, CA. Laura discusses her approach to teaching psychology through big ideas and real-world problems, recounting her journey from a major in political science to becoming a professor of psychology. Laura shares her innovative methods for integrating AI into the classroom, highlighting the importance of humanizing technology in education. Additionally, she shares memorable stories, including an unnerving experience with a dubious transportation service and a fascinating encounter with an AI guardrails engineer. This episode offers a blend of practical teaching advice, personal anecdotes, and forward-thinking perspectives on the role of AI in education. [Note. Portions of the show notes were generated by Descript AI.]

In this episode Eric interviews Nadine Kaslow from Emory University and Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, GA. Nadine discusses her work schedule, including her teaching responsibilities, research, and administrative duties. She also shares her strategies for balancing an extensive workload, highlighting the importance of efficiency, good systems, and collaborative teamwork. The conversation delves into her approach to self-care, the impact of COVID-19 on her professional and personal practices, and her thoughts on the future challenges and opportunities for the field of psychology. She reflects on her experiences growing up with a psychologist mother, her academic journey, and her tenure as President of the American Psychological Association. The discussion concludes with valuable advice for students and professionals on the importance of following one's passions and maintaining a sense of meaning and purpose in their work. [Note. Portions of the show notes were generated by Descript AI.]

In this episode Garth and special guest host Jane Halonen interviewed Todd Rose (in a Part 2 interview), the CEO for Populace from Burlington, MA. They explore the concept of jagged profiles and how flexible, individualized learning can be integrated into higher education. The conversation delves into practical strategies for creating effective, inclusive learning environments, the alarming rise of collective illusions, and the critical role of community involvement in rebuilding social trust. Todd shares insights from his work at Populace and offers hopeful perspectives on the transformative potential of embracing individuality in the face of current societal challenges. [Note. Portions of the show notes were generated by Descript AI.]

Dr. Anthony Isacco is Professor, Program Director, & Training Director in the Graduate Psychology Program at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He has co-authored such books as the Handbook of the Psychology of Fatherhood; Religion, Spirituality, and Masculinity: New Insights for Counselors; and All In: Breaking Barriers to Discerning the Priesthood. Anthony discussed his initial interest in the field was the research demonstrating men’s lower rates of help seeking. He described being intrigued by the “white whale” that was described in this work: the men who did not seek out help for their various mental health and medical problems. Anthony later engaged in a clinical placement with a pediatrician which allowed him to become involved in research on fathers’ involvement with their children’s healthcare. They found that dads from many backgrounds were actually much more engaged than many people expected. His later work included helping define father involvement and the effects of father involvement on outcomes for both dads and families. We discussed the nature of father involvement and specific details regarding the benefits of father involvement for dads as well as their families.     D91

Dr. Andreas Walther is a senior researcher for science and teaching at the Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy of the University of Zurich and clinical psychotherapist with the outpatient clinic for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Behavioral Medicine of the Psychotherapeutic Centre of the University of Zurich. Andreas discussed the journey to his work focused on developing a treatment for men experiencing masculine or masked depression. He mentioned his father’s struggle with depression and a serendipitous meeting with a graduate school advisor who needed a student to conduct research on men. Andreas’ initial work was focused more on the effects of testosterone on mood in men, but increasingly his work led him to also integrate the investigation of masculinities into his research. He is currently conducting a clinical trial that involves the investigation of gendered depression in men. We discussed what this treatment looks like compared to a standard treatment for depression.   D83

Dr. Jennifer Mootz is Assistant Professor of Clinical Medical Psychology at Columbia University and Research Scientist with the Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. Dr. Palmira Fortunado dos Santos is the Mental Health, Trauma and Violence Program Coordinator with the National Institute of Health in Mozambique. We discussed how Drs. Mootz and Furtunado de los Santos met via the UN in New York (pride project 2016) which is how they began their collaboration. They provide some guidance on intimate partner violence (IPV), and the limitations of interventions for IPV that focus on one partner, which is generally the man.The discussion also involved masculinities as well as marital relationship and family dynamics in several regions in Mozambique. While Interpersonal Therapy-Couples (IPT-C) is an established treatment for couples experiencing relationship problems, the research team learned a great deal about how to implement IPT-C in the context of families and social structures of Mozambique. Finally, Drs. Fortunado dos Santos and Mootz shared how what they learned impacted their understanding of engaging men in their work in Mozambique.   D75

In this episode Garth interviews Don Christensen from Shoreline Community College in Shoreline, WA. They discuss the educational and professional journey that led Don from an attempted engineering degree at Stanford to a successful psychology career focusing on teaching and performance enhancement. They discuss Don's early influences, from collegiate golf to motivational psychology, and his transition back to Seattle for graduate studies. Don describes his strategies for integrating authentic assessment and the importance of intrinsic motivation in both academic and athletic settings. The conversation highlights Don's work with aspiring athletes and business leaders, applying mental training principles for peak performance. This episode is packed with insights on education, psychology, sports, and motivational strategies that enhance teaching and learning experiences. [Note. Portions of the show notes were generated by Descript AI.]

In this episode Eric interviews Noland White (Part 2) from Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville, GA. They discuss Noland's approach to teaching and the importance of mental health and work-life balance for both students and educators. Noland shares the evolution of his role as a co-author for an intro psych textbook, detailing his journey from attending a focus group to becoming a co-author with Sandra Ciccarelli. Reflecting on his teaching career, he emphasizes the value of continuous learning, the significance of transparent communication with students, and the role of resilience and confidence-building in education. He also touches upon the future of his textbook series and the joys of maintaining a fulfilling career in academia. [Note. Portions of the show notes were generated by Descript AI.]

In this sidebar, Eric describes the upcoming Biennial International Seminar on the Teaching of Psychological Science (BISTOPS), which will be held July 6-10, 2026, in Paris. The organizer is Doug Bernstein ([email protected]) from the University of South Florida. A PDF accompanies this episode, which contains the key details about this opportunity. The deadline to apply for BISTOPS 2026 is January 15, 2026.