Dr. Andrea Dinardo, Psychology Professor
BELOW THE SURFACE PSYCHOLOGY In psychology class this week we are talking about stigma and drug addiction and why it’s important to lean in, listen, and get curious about why people do what they do. End the stigma. Change lives. https://youtu.be/5BAu7RaMxQA COMMUNICATION CLEAR AND CONCISE The second topic of discussion in psychology class is clarity... Continue Reading →
Transforming our mindset from pain to power and stress to strength is key during uncertain times. And particularly important for students across Ontario as they complete final college and university exams this semester! What mantra or affirmation shifts your mindset from stress to strength? From pain to power? I would love to know. Watch the... Continue Reading →
https://youtu.be/YbMOOGW_A2Y Back on Campus In this psychology video I share one way I engage students at the start of a semester, including this past week when we were back on campus for the first time, in a very long time! Transcript of Psychology Video Read Here Show Them You Care Connecting with students from a... Continue Reading →
The Psychology of Change During this week’s health psychology lecture, we talked about the psychology of change, including the parts of our lives that remain ‘unchanged’ during rapid and unexpected change. What Remains During Change? The Sun Still Rises Coffee Tastes Delicious Trees Greet You on Your Walk Favourite Movie Still Delights Bed is Comfie... Continue Reading →
What helps you adapt to rapid, unpredictable, unexpected change? I asked this question of student leaders at a province wide conference. See student answers on the chalkboard below: My answer on the chalkboard was: GO SMALLER One day at a time. One hour at a time. One class at a time. Microseconds sometimes.. https://youtu.be/rUWGr_GwzhM Your... Continue Reading →
Perception versus Reality I was motivated to write this post and film an accompanying video after witnessing so many students overwrought by thoughts of inadequacy about how they looked. In reality, there was no doubt that they were healthy and whole, but in their minds, they believed the opposite. A phenomenon heightened by imaginary audience and... Continue Reading →
Live Zoom Conference At a recent leadership conference, student leaders from St. Clair College's Student Representative Council SRC had the opportunity to ask questions live during the final portion of the virtual training event. Ask Dr. D The student leaders raised the reflection bar high during this discussion period. One Question Stood Out The Most... Continue Reading →
Never let the things you want make you forget the things you already have. Nothing Lasts Forever. Good or Bad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd9TrYI75o0 Enjoy Every Moment. Embrace it. Be it. See it. Everything you appreciate is you reflecting back. Homework for Today Look Around You. Notice Things Like You Are Seeing Them for the Very First Time.... Continue Reading →
Mental Health Matters Interview with Dr. Kathy Garland Situational Anxiety vs. Clinical Anxiety 1. Video Format of Interview Watch on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7ttX6h_D8o&feature=youtu.be 2. Podcast Format of Interview Available on SoundCloud and Apple Podcasts. https://soundcloud.com/user-240189621/mental-health-matters-dr-dinardo-and-situational-anxiety Reflection Questions What did you learn about situational versus clinical anxiety from our interview? Can you relate to the personal example of heightened... Continue Reading →
I find the perception of time fascinating.Everyone experiences time differently. Because time truly is relative. Changing from situation to situation.For example: Work Week vs. Vacation Week COVID vs. Pre-COVID Bored versus in Flow Time perception also varies from person to person. For example: Teenager vs. Baby Boomer Good Health vs. Poor Health Type A Personality... Continue Reading →
Getting ready for my online summer courses which requires a lot of new psychology videos. Including video discussions on health, wellness, and personal empowerment. Similar to in person college classes, the goal is to stimulate active discussions and open communication. For example: Discussion Topic What happened when I quit drinking? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ejpt6agt1tk Watch this short video... Continue Reading →
A map for transforming stress into strength In my TEDx Talk and in the leadership videos below, I discuss how to THRIVE under pressure using 3 stress resilience tools: 1. Commitment Envisioning a higher purpose above and beyond the immediate stressor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjxCsK2qudw 2. Control Focusing on the things you can change and letting go of the things you can’t. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVEjYGl9c0k... Continue Reading →
PUBLIC SPEAKING TIP How to Turn Fear into Excitement Neuroscience Solutions & Insights Did you know that fear and excitement share the same set of neurotransmitters, including dopamine, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine. Opposite emotions. Identical neurotransmitters. Same neural activity. Different Cognitive Appraisal. And the best way to shift from performance anxiety to excitement is to say... Continue Reading →
Stop saying “Um,” or “Ah,” during speeches with this one simple tip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vpr9HR-Ur2I&feature=youtu.be The next time you have a speech to give, try taking a pause between thoughts. In doing so, you allow your message to sink in. Giving yourself and the audience a much needed break. Allowing time for everyone to digest the information.... Continue Reading →
Why Can't I Remember Anything? One of the most frequent questions I was asked as a practicing psychologist and more recently as a psychology professor is why can't I remember anything. The problem is most likely a focusing issue — not a memory issue. An important distinction between memory and attention that I share in... Continue Reading →
Psychology in Your Life The intention for this post is to introduce you to one aspect of the diagnostic process — specifically: differential diagnosis. And ultimately to help you understand that psychological assessment is a complex, worthwhile process. What’s normal 🆚 clinical? To answer that question, I would like to invite you into my clinical psychology class. ... Continue Reading →
Thriving Under Pressure 