13. CIVILITY "Unleashing the Power of Respect" with Dr. Joseph Shrand
In the second episode of our series on "The State of Civility in America," we talk with Dr. Joseph Shrand, whose just-released book "Unleashing the Power of Respect" may just be the first step in a cure for the rampant incivility that is plaguing our country.
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It may be hard to imagine treating people we loathe with respect, but in this remarkable conversation, Dr. Shrand explains his method of re-training our brains to learn how to defuse the anger and acrimony that so many of us have experienced in our own reactions.
There is little doubt that America is becoming a meaner, nastier place to live. Surveys – including the one we're conducting on our website – make it painfully clear that civility is on the decline. Dr. Shrand believes that if we don't learn how to turn things around, we are headed for a very dark place in this country, and the world. We've all seen it.
Trust -- between individuals, and for our Institutions -- is at an all-time low. But he shows us a way out of this dangerous downward spiral...
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Dr. Joseph Shrand
Dr. Joseph Shrand is Chief Medical Officer of Riverside Community Care headquartered in Dedham MA. He is a Lecturer of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and triple Board certified in adult psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, and a diplomate of the American Board of Addiction Medicine.
Dr. Shrand has just released his latest book, "Unleashing the Power of Respect: The I-M Approach." The book provides a model for breaking the cycle of anger, rudeness, disrespect and conflict that is currently plaguing the nation.
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Dr. Shrand has developed a strength based model called The I-M Approach that suggests a fundamental paradigm shift, moving away from pathology to viewing a patient at a current maximum potential.
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Dr Shrand is founder of Drug Story Theater, Inc., a non-profit organization that takes teenagers in the early stages of recovery from drugs and alcohol and teaches them improvisational theater techniques. The teenagers then create their own shows which they perform in middle and high schools, so the treatment of one becomes the prevention of many.
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Dr Shrand has a weekly radio show on WATD 95.9 FM, The Dr. Joe Show: Exploring who We Are and Why We Do What We Do. Invited experts discuss a range of topics in addiction, mental health, and the state of the world! The Dr. Joe Show is now available as a podcast.
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Dr. Shrand is the author of Manage Your Stress: Overcoming Stress in the Modern World, and Outsmarting Anger: Seven Strategies to Defuse our most Dangerous Emotion, the winner of the 2013 Books for a Better Life Awards, 2013 Psychology self help category, and recently released as a second printing, The Fear Reflex: Five Ways to Overcome it and Trust your Imperfect Self, and Do You Really Get me? Finding Value in Yourself through Empathy and Connection published by Hazelden Press.
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Among colleagues and staff, he is affectionately known “Doctor Joe."
He also achieved childhood stardom in the 1970's as “Joe” in the original cast of the hit PBS children's' series ZOOM, now celebrating its fiftieth anniversary in 2022!
You can listen on any of the major podcast platforms -- just enter "OURGENPOD" to find us. You can find links to those on our "Pick Your Platform" page. or just use our player on the website.