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Defiance can look like disrespect, but what if it is really stress, shame, and a nervous system that cannot downshift? We pick up our series on oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) with a clear, parent-friendly breakdown of what ODD is, how common it is, and why it is most often diagnosed in kids and teens. We also talk through why the label gets missed or brushed off, even though it has been in the DSM for decades.

From there, we dig into the risk factors that show up again and again: ADHD and emotional dysregulation, trauma and adverse childhood experiences, high-conflict homes, and inconsistent discipline that turns rules into a moving target. We also cover how autism spectrum traits, learning disabilities, sensory processing challenges, and executive functioning deficits can lower frustration tolerance and make everyday demands feel impossible. If you have ever wondered why a child seems to argue everything, explode fast, or blame others, we connect those behaviors to what may be happening underneath without excusing harm.

We get practical about what helps: structure, predictability, fewer power struggles, and stronger positive reinforcement so the only attention is not tied to the worst moments. We talk therapy tools like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), why family therapy can change the whole household dynamic, and how repairing trust often starts with adults regulating themselves and owning mistakes. We also answer the medication question plainly: no medication is specifically approved for ODD, but treatment can include meds for co-occurring ADHD, depression, or severe mood instability under psychiatric guidance.

You will also hear our “winner of the week” rescue dog story plus a shelter spotlight on May, who needs a home. If this helped you, subscribe, share it with a parent or teacher, and leave us a review. What part of ODD feels the most familiar in your world right now?

Recorded May 11, 2026

FIND ME:
My Website: https://motorcityhypnotist.com/podcast
My social media links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/motorcityhypnotist/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCjjLNcNvSYzfeX0uHqe3gA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/motorcityhypno
Instagram: motorcityhypno
FREE HYPNOSIS GUIDE
https://detroithypnotist.convertri.com/podcast-free-hypnosis-guide
Please also subscribe to the show and leave a review.
(Stay with me as later in the podcast, I’ll be giving away a free gift to all listeners!)

Change your thinking, change your life!
Laugh hard, run fast, be kind.
David R. Wright MA, LPC, CHT
The Motor City Hypnotist

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Defiance gets blamed on attitude, laziness, or “bad parenting,” but what if the real issue is a nervous system that can’t calm down fast enough? We dig into oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) in a clear, practical way, breaking down what the diagnosis actually means and why it’s so often misunderstood. If you’ve ever watched a child or teen go from fine to furious in seconds, this conversation helps you see what may be happening beneath the surface.

We walk through the DSM-5 framework for ODD, including the three big clusters clinicians look for: angry or irritable mood, argumentative or defiant behavior, and vindictiveness. We also talk about everyday signs people notice, like frequent tantrums, constant arguing, refusing rules, blaming others, and being easily annoyed, then explain the key point that separates ODD from typical boundary pushing: intensity, consistency, and real impairment across home, school, and social life.

We also place ODD in context, including how it first appeared in the DSM in 1980 and why it differs from conduct disorder, which involves more serious, planned violations. From there, we get into what research and lived experience often point to: emotional dysregulation, executive functioning challenges, stress, trauma, ADHD, anxiety, depression, and other neurodevelopment factors that can combine into a perfect storm. We close with why families can miss the deeper issue at first and preview a Part Two with more support and next steps.

If this helped you rethink what “defiance” can mean, subscribe, share this with a parent or educator, and leave a review so more people can find it.

Recorded May 11, 2026

FIND ME:
My Website: https://motorcityhypnotist.com/podcast
My social media links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/motorcityhypnotist/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCjjLNcNvSYzfeX0uHqe3gA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/motorcityhypno
Instagram: motorcityhypno
FREE HYPNOSIS GUIDE
https://detroithypnotist.convertri.com/podcast-free-hypnosis-guide
Please also subscribe to the show and leave a review.
(Stay with me as later in the podcast, I’ll be giving away a free gift to all listeners!)

Change your thinking, change your life!
Laugh hard, run fast, be kind.
David R. Wright MA, LPC, CHT
The Motor City Hypnotist

Send us Fan Mail

Star Wars is fun, but the Force hits harder when you treat it like a map of your own mind. On May the Fourth, we go beyond fandom and use the Jedi and Sith as two competing philosophies of how to live with emotion, power, fear, and desire. If you have ever tried to “stay positive” while feeling something darker underneath, this conversation gives you a clearer way to think about what’s actually happening inside you.

We explore why the Sith can feel weirdly relatable: passion, ambition, individuality, and self determination. Then we connect that to existentialism and the warning baked into the saga: freedom without ethical grounding turns destructive fast. From there we tackle the biggest question behind the entire Star Wars arc, what does “balance” even mean? We argue it’s not about wiping out the dark side, it’s about integration, self awareness, and choosing responsibility over impulse.

That leads us straight into Carl Jung and the shadow, the parts of ourselves we try to hide or suppress. We talk about how growth comes from acknowledging the shadow instead of pretending it doesn’t exist, and how that idea lines up with the Force as a metaphor for the human condition. We also nerd out a bit with lightsaber talk to close things out.

If you enjoy psychology, philosophy, mental health conversations, or you just want Star Wars to feel useful in real life, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who lives in the gray area, and leave us a review wherever you listen.

FIND ME:
My Website: https://motorcityhypnotist.com/podcast
My social media links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/motorcityhypnotist/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCjjLNcNvSYzfeX0uHqe3gA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/motorcityhypno
Instagram: motorcityhypno
FREE HYPNOSIS GUIDE
https://detroithypnotist.convertri.com/podcast-free-hypnosis-guide
Please also subscribe to the show and leave a review.
(Stay with me as later in the podcast, I’ll be giving away a free gift to all listeners!)

Change your thinking, change your life!
Laugh hard, run fast, be kind.
David R. Wright MA, LPC, CHT
The Motor City Hypnotist

Send us Fan Mail

May the Fourth is a fun excuse to talk Star Wars, but we take a sharper turn: what if “the Force” is really a map of the human mind? We use the language of Jedi and Sith to explore themes we see every day in therapy and hypnosis work: emotional regulation, inner conflict, fear, connection, and the constant push to feel in control while still staying human.

We unpack the Force as an “energy that binds all living things” and connect it to real philosophical traditions like qi and prana, plus Western ideas like Stoicism and the search for inner peace. From there, we get into the part most people live in: the gray area. Light side vs dark side sounds like good vs evil, but yin and yang points to something more useful. Opposing forces can be interconnected, and the real problem is often imbalance, not emotion itself.

Then we look at the Jedi code through a modern mental health lens. Discipline can be a superpower, but detachment can slide into shutdown when it turns into constant suppression. Anakin’s story becomes a cautionary tale about unprocessed fear of loss and what happens when a mentor or a system tells you to “let go” without teaching you how. If you have ever tried to keep it together while something you love feels at risk, this conversation will hit close to home.

If you like thoughtful psychology with a pop culture hook, subscribe for part two, share the episode with a friend, and leave us a review so more people can find the show.

FIND ME:
My Website: https://motorcityhypnotist.com/podcast
My social media links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/motorcityhypnotist/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCjjLNcNvSYzfeX0uHqe3gA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/motorcityhypno
Instagram: motorcityhypno
FREE HYPNOSIS GUIDE
https://detroithypnotist.convertri.com/podcast-free-hypnosis-guide
Please also subscribe to the show and leave a review.
(Stay with me as later in the podcast, I’ll be giving away a free gift to all listeners!)

Change your thinking, change your life!
Laugh hard, run fast, be kind.
David R. Wright MA, LPC, CHT
The Motor City Hypnotist

Send us Fan Mail

Autism is one of those words that everyone thinks they understand until you start talking about how it actually feels day to day. We get into the lived reality of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including why sensory overload can turn ordinary sounds, lights, and textures into a wall of stress, and why that constant friction can feed anxiety, depression, and even OCD-like patterns as people try to create order in a noisy world.

We also tackle a question we hear all the time: “How do I get tested for autism?” The frustrating truth is there’s no single definitive blood test or simple checkbox that confirms it. Diagnosis often comes down to patterns, history, and honest conversation about symptoms and functioning. That subjectivity is exactly why stereotypes and TV portrayals can do damage. Autism can present in subtle ways, especially in adults who have spent years masking, compensating, and wondering why certain situations feel impossible.

From there, we focus on what actually helps: respect for boundaries, clear communication, predictable structure, and support that adapts to the person instead of forcing the person to adapt to everyone else. We talk about why autism is not “curable,” what therapy can realistically improve, when medication might be considered for related symptoms, and how important it is to find a therapist you truly connect with.

If this conversation helps you rethink autism, share it with someone who needs it, subscribe for more mental health talk with real humor, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What’s one autism myth you want to see disappear?

FIND ME:
My Website: https://motorcityhypnotist.com/podcast
My social media links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/motorcityhypnotist/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCjjLNcNvSYzfeX0uHqe3gA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/motorcityhypno
Instagram: motorcityhypno
FREE HYPNOSIS GUIDE
https://detroithypnotist.convertri.com/podcast-free-hypnosis-guide
Please also subscribe to the show and leave a review.
(Stay with me as later in the podcast, I’ll be giving away a free gift to all listeners!)

Change your thinking, change your life!
Laugh hard, run fast, be kind.
David R. Wright MA, LPC, CHT
The Motor City Hypnotist

Send us Fan Mail

A lot of adults walk around with the same quiet question: why do certain sounds, textures, routines, or social moments hit me so much harder than everyone else? We get that question constantly, so we finally sat down to talk about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in plain language and with real-life examples, including the stuff people rarely say out loud like how one small change in routine can knock you off balance for the whole day.

We break down what “spectrum” really means, why autism looks different in every person, and why the popular media image of autism (think savants and extreme stereotypes) leaves most autistic adults unseen. We talk sensory processing differences like bright lights, loud rooms, itchy clothing tags, and food texture issues, plus the deep-focus interests that can swallow time when you get locked in. We also challenge the empathy myth and explain how autistic people can feel intensely while still expressing emotions in their own way.

Then we connect the dots to mental health: masking, burnout, anxiety, depression, and the relationship stress that can happen when someone is labeled rigid or difficult instead of supported. We tee up Autism Part 2 for practical ways to support autistic individuals, and we also share a quick Winner Of The Week story plus a Detroit Dog Rescue spotlight for Rip, who needs a home. If this helped you rethink autism or recognize traits in yourself, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave us a review so more people can find the show.

FIND ME:
My Website: https://motorcityhypnotist.com/podcast
My social media links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/motorcityhypnotist/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCjjLNcNvSYzfeX0uHqe3gA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/motorcityhypno
Instagram: motorcityhypno
FREE HYPNOSIS GUIDE
https://detroithypnotist.convertri.com/podcast-free-hypnosis-guide
Please also subscribe to the show and leave a review.
(Stay with me as later in the podcast, I’ll be giving away a free gift to all listeners!)

Change your thinking, change your life!
Laugh hard, run fast, be kind.
David R. Wright MA, LPC, CHT
The Motor City Hypnotist

Send us Fan Mail

A mental health label can be a lifeline, or it can quietly become a cage. We get real about what mental health trends and statistics actually mean once they hit the therapy room, especially when someone walks in convinced a diagnosis from 20 years ago still defines them today. Matt Fox joins me as we talk about why diagnoses should be based on symptom patterns, duration, and daily functioning and why they can legitimately change as new details emerge.

We also pull back the curtain on the system itself: insurance billing often requires a diagnosis code tied to session codes, which can pressure clinicians to name something before the full story is clear. From there we zoom out to comorbidity, because mental health rarely arrives one symptom at a time. Anxiety and depression commonly overlap, PTSD and substance abuse often pair up, and ADHD can fuel anxiety when life feels unmanageable.

Then we dig into disparities that shape who gets help and who doesn’t: women seek treatment more often, men avoid it and face higher suicide rates, and stigma still blocks care. We talk income, disability, rural access, and the complicated promise of telehealth therapy and mental health apps, including what makes online sessions work and what can make them pointless.

If you want a grounded, practical take on diagnosis, therapy effectiveness, and how to advocate for yourself, hit play, share it with someone who needs it, and subscribe. After you listen, leave us a review and tell us what topic you want next.

Recorded 4-20-26

FIND ME:
My Website: https://motorcityhypnotist.com/podcast
My social media links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/motorcityhypnotist/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCjjLNcNvSYzfeX0uHqe3gA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/motorcityhypno
Instagram: motorcityhypno
FREE HYPNOSIS GUIDE
https://detroithypnotist.convertri.com/podcast-free-hypnosis-guide
Please also subscribe to the show and leave a review.
(Stay with me as later in the podcast, I’ll be giving away a free gift to all listeners!)

Change your thinking, change your life!
Laugh hard, run fast, be kind.
David R. Wright MA, LPC, CHT
The Motor City Hypnotist

Send us Fan Mail

One in five US adults is living with a mental illness, and the odds are high that someone in your family, workplace, or friend group is quietly carrying it. We take a hard look at mental health trends in 2026, including what the latest stats say about anxiety disorders, depression, PTSD, ADHD, bipolar disorder, and more, plus the gut-punch reality that depression rates have surged over the last decade.

We also talk about the part nobody wants to admit out loud: access. Mental health may be the leading driver of disability claims, but treatment is still out of reach for a lot of people. We unpack why only about half of those diagnosed actually receive treatment, why so few people make it to therapy in a given year, and how cost, stigma, rural provider shortages, and high-deductible insurance plans keep people stuck. Along the way, we highlight demographic patterns, including why young adults are hit so hard, why women seek help more often, and why men are less likely to ask for support even when the stakes are life and death.

Finally, we get practical and hopeful. Most mental health conditions are treatable and manageable, and progress starts when you stop treating symptoms like a personal failure and start treating them like a health issue you can work on. We also share why we’re cautious about diagnoses becoming identities and how changing your thinking can change your life. Subscribe for part two, share this with someone who needs it, and leave us a review on your podcast platform so more people can find the help conversation sooner.

Recorded 4-13-26

FIND ME:
My Website: https://motorcityhypnotist.com/podcast
My social media links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/motorcityhypnotist/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCjjLNcNvSYzfeX0uHqe3gA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/motorcityhypno
Instagram: motorcityhypno
FREE HYPNOSIS GUIDE
https://detroithypnotist.convertri.com/podcast-free-hypnosis-guide
Please also subscribe to the show and leave a review.
(Stay with me as later in the podcast, I’ll be giving away a free gift to all listeners!)

Change your thinking, change your life!
Laugh hard, run fast, be kind.
David R. Wright MA, LPC, CHT
The Motor City Hypnotist