Let's Think On It

Got a case of the yips? Hitch in your golf swing, tennis stroke? Can't throw a strike anymore or hit first base from short stop? Can't sink a free throw? Getting the gymnastic twisties? All of these experiences happen to the most well trained professional athletes. What is going on? Listen as Dr. Westfall and the Lochamy brothers explore this bizarre physical phenomenon.

Join Dr. Westfall and the Lochamy Brothers as they discuss infectious disease with expert Stephen Threlkeld MD. He calls us form the front lines of the hospital, as these days that is the only place to reach him while awake. Get updated about the Delta variant of the 2019 Coronavirus and vaccination effectiveness from an expert. Leave the story telling to your storytelling uncle (although we're sure he's a real nice guy). Get your facts from an expert.

Join us as we tackle the topic of social media and the human brain. What is the effect of the face-off between computer intelligence and human behavior? Become more aware of the effect the social media explosion is having on society and individuals. Learn about the human "want" circuit and how it can make us susceptible to computer algorithms. Psychiatrist, Mark Westfall, leads the conversation with the Lochamy Brothers and intern Noah.

Psychiatrist and host Dr. Mark Westfall interviews Dr. Morissa Ladinsky. She is a pediatrician who specializes in treating transgender youth at UAB in Birmingham AL. The process has caught a lot of attention lately in the context of various state legislature bills that aim to make this treatment a crime. Drop in and listen to what actually occurs at these medical clinics. Stay tuned till the end as we also hear from a transgender teen and his mom, who share their family's journey through this process.

We cover the intriguing groups of cults, extremists, and conspiracy theory followers. Are you curious about how these groups emerge? Do you have a friend or family member that concerns you? Have you been pulled away from those you love because of your ideologies? These concepts are moving from the fringes to the mainstream of society and effect us all. We explore the definition of these various groups. Come learn what they have in common and how they differ. Educate yourself and equip your mind. You have an influence on how society evolves, get busy learning !

Wondering whether or not to get vaccinated? What are the risks if I do vs. if I don't? Are the vaccinations safe? Are they tested? Join us as we answer these and other questions you have about the newly released vaccines in our fight against the Coronavirus pandemic. Infectious disease expert, Steve Threlkeld MD, is our guest for this episode. Steve has a brilliant intellect and humorous style that helps us to easily digest some complex scientific information. This podcast is great for anyone who wants or needs more information as they evaluate the decision to get vaccinated.

Peter Harms PhD, world renowned expert in the scientific study of Personality and Leadership, talks with us about Narcissism. He explains the surprising effect that narcissistic traits have on leadership emergence and on leadership effectiveness. He has studied the subject for over 20 years, publishing over 100 papers. Listen in and gain some knowledge that may assist you in your personal, business, and political endeavors.

We all have a personality, so what constitutes a disorder? Dr. Westfall helps provide clarity into what is a personality, what is a trait, and when is a trait a disorder. We then focus specifically on Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Narcissism has been the talk of the airwaves, but do you really understand what it even is? Listen, educate yourself, then pass it along to others. You don't have to be a psychiatrist to utilize this information in your everyday life. Understanding the brain and why we behave the way we do as humans, can improve anyone's personal life journey.

Join Dr. Westfall and the Lochamy Brothers as we host an expert on Diversity training. Rupert Nacoste PhD joins us from NC State to help educate listeners about the Social Psychology approach to Neo-Diversity. Nacoste is a a professor and author with years of personal and professional experience on mediating the race discussion. His path toward racial resolution began in in his 20's while in the Navy, negotiating peace during a race riot onboard a Nuclear vessel at sea. Listeners will love his rational, logical, and caring approach. His personality beams through the airwaves and the subject matter could not be more timely.

(We suggest as a foundation for this topic that you listen to the re-release of our podcast on "Race Relations - Brain Bias".) In this segment, please join Dr. Westfall and OH Brother Radio for three intriguing interviews and open, frank conversation about being black in America. We are joined by individuals from Birmingham Alabama who share their unique experiences. Alva Toney, Brandon Waller, and Annie Allen help demonstrate how Individual conversations help us to break down the group barriers that naturally occur in society. Raw and moving, this segment is a must listen to anyone who is trying to wrap their head around the racial tensions and discord that exists in our country. It is one small step toward healing, but an example of how to listen and learn about others' experiences. If each of us were to exchange thoughts with someone outside of our natural group, we would slowly lower the unhealthy walls that exist due to race, ethnicity, gender, and class. Please join us in this pursuit by listening to th

This is a re-release of a 2016 podcast on race relations that is very pertinent for 2020's Black Lives Movement. We think this is a foundational podcast episode for those beginning to tackle this topic. In this segment we discuss the TED talk by Verna Myers, and learn about her perspective on our natural racial biases as exemplified by the Implicit Association Test. You can take the test online and join the thought process for yourself.

With degrees in literature and biology, Steven Austad relays scientific information in a manner that all can follow. He is the Biology Department Chair at UAB and a regular on the Oh Brother Radio Show. He is joined by Let's Think On It host, psychiatrist Mark Westfall, for a broad conversation about aspects of the Novel Coronavirus and its effects on society.

This is a recording of an interview taken from an Oh Brother Radio segment on Birmingham Mountain Radio. It is being released as a podcast on Let's Think On It as a public service to provide factual accounts of what the governmental responses to the Coronavirus are as of March 19th 2020.

Host Mark Westfall MD interviews Virus researcher Landon Westfall PhD about the novel coronavirus. Landon is a researcher at Southern Research in Birmingham AL and is charged with trying to create a vaccine for this novel coronavirus among other viruses he studies. Landon has a wealth of knowledge and is an entertaining educator. Listen in to expand your understanding and lower your anxiety about this new virus.

Psychiatrist and host Mark Westfall MD interviews Infectious Disease specialist Stephen Threlkeld MD about the novel coronavirus that is causing such public chaos. Dr. Threlkeld is a clinical infectious disease expert in Memphis TN and diagnosed the first case of Novel coronavirus in Memphis. As usual, you will hear an educational and entertaining episode without all the sensationalistic hype. Listen in and get your knowledge expanded, your questions answered, and your anxiety calmed.

Homelessness takes many forms. We catch up with Anne Rygiel, Director of the Firehouse Ministries Shelter in Birmingham AL, to hear her take on the problem.  Listen in on what they are doing to improve the plight of the homeless in Birmingham. The problem is more complex than it sounds, join us as we begin to unravel the underlying causes and look for solutions. This is a primer for a topic that deserves its' own series of podcast episodes.

Guns, human behavior and mental illness are explored in this conversation with Psychiatrist Mark Westfall and The Lochamy Brothers. An FBI study of "Active Shooters" is the springboard for discussion. At LTOI, we hope to leave you in a more knowledgeable, less-inflamed state via thoughtful discussion about topics that matter. Leave behind the angry media rhetoric. Join us and pass it on by sharing our series with others, followed by your own group discussion. Thanks for listening.

Addiction is seen through a new scientific lens. The behavior of "Liking" and "Wanting" is explored. This theory will relate to everyone. It explains how a basic animal behavior can be the basis of addiction. Listen in as The Lochamy Brothers host Dr. Westfall for an entertaining discussion of basic animal research and the light it sheds on human behavior. Dr. Westfall states that when he first heard this theory, he felt he finally understood what patients had been describing to him for 30 years about their addiction.

Mass media constantly bombards us with the latest "killer virus". But what is really going on when there is a viral scare? We have a microbiologist with us on the show to lend a better understanding to the process of infectious disease. We cover the biggest epidemics ever and the most common virus of them all, influenza. Join Dr. Westfall and the Lochamy Brothers with special guest Landon Westfall as we delve a little deeper into the science of Infectious Disease.

Manipulation of DNA and what it can mean for society is discussed with expert Heather Tinsley PhD. As a molecular biologist at the University of Montevallo, Dr. Tinsley enlightens us about the advances in DNA exploration. The Lochamy Brothers and Dr. Westfall broaden the discussion to the non-scientific listener with some analogies and banter. Keep on learning throughout life with LTOI.