SuperPsyched with Dr. Adam Dorsay

Dr. Adam Dorsay, host of the SuperPsyched podcast, shares a solo story about an April father–son trip to Death Valley with his 17-year-old, Bren. Driving home, they off-roaded onto what looked like the dry bed of Owens Lake and got their four-wheel-drive vehicle stuck in mud amid 40–50 mph winds and flying debris. AAA wouldn’t help because they were more than 100 feet off the road, so they hired an expensive private tow that kept delaying and increasing the price. He highlights lessons learned: stress impairs logical thinking, regret and catastrophizing don’t help, and focusing on solutions, laughter, support from loved ones, and distraction helped them cope; being prepared with water, snacks, and warm clothes mattered. After six hours, a driver in a small Ford Fiesta used shoveling, boards, ropes, and a winch to free them, and they arrived home after 1 AM with a lasting bonding story.00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched00:28 Why This Solo Story00:48 Father Son Death Valley Trip01:23 Off Roading at Owens Lake02:22 Stuck in the Mud02:45 Six Hour Survival Mode03:20 Mindset Lessons Under Stress05:18 Calling for a Private Tow06:16 The Ford Fiesta Rescue07:31 Worth It and Takeaways08:24 Travel Wisdom and Goodbye

Host Dr. Adam Dorsay introduces SuperPsyched and discusses grief as a personal, normal response to loss, then interviews Dr. Adam Kimowitz, a New Jersey dentist whose younger brother David was murdered in 2019. Kimowitz describes their close, laughter-filled bond, David’s work in comedy and real estate, and the traumatic aftermath of the murder, including shock, hypervigilance, and struggling with basic tasks. He explains what helped: not being alone, relying on therapy and safe people, focusing on “micro wins,” learning from grief and resilience thinkers, and using humor appropriately to break tension. He shares guidance on supporting the bereaved—saying “I have no words, but I’m here,” offering presence and hugs, avoiding comparisons, and inviting stories about the person. He also covers parenting through grief with honesty, communication, professional help, and modeling that it’s okay not to be okay, plus how his marriage provided mutual support. Kimowitz keeps David’s memory alive through journaling, music, traditions with David’s daughters, and living by a “Dave test,” and emphasizes empathy, self-grace, and asking for help to reconnect.
00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched
00:29 Grief Is Personal
00:50 Meet Adam and David
03:57 From Corporate to Dentistry
05:55 The Night Everything Changed
08:05 Goldfish and Micro Wins
10:54 Learning Through Trauma
13:03 What Helped in Shock
15:20 David and the Power of Laughter
18:59 Humor as Support
24:58 What to Say to Grievers
28:50 Humor Inside Grief
30:00 Why Death Feels Taboo
31:52 Talking to Kids About Loss
36:24 Self Care for High Achievers
41:41 Marriage as an Anchor
47:53 Keeping Dave Alive
51:30 Resilience and Asking Help
52:46 Empathy Over Judgment
55:25 Music Montage Farewell

Helpful Links:
Dr. Adam Kimowitz

Some of the greatest lessons in psychology, communication, leadership, and business don’t come from textbooks—they come from world-class performers.

The very best entertainers understand something profound: how to capture attention, build trust, create connection, and leave people transformed. Those skills matter just as much in our relationships, our work, and our everyday lives.

After seeing the most extraordinary live performance I’ve experienced, I knew I had to invite magician and mentalist Jay Alexander onto the SuperPsyched podcast.

Jay doesn’t just amaze audiences—he brings people together. Regardless of age, background, nationality, or beliefs, he creates moments of shared wonder and genuine human connection. It’s a masterclass in psychology as much as it is entertainment.

Over the course of his remarkable career, Jay has worked with the NBA, The Rolling Stones, and countless other world-class organizations and performers. In this conversation, he shares the principles behind creating unforgettable experiences, connecting across differences, and earning the trust of any audience.

If you’re interested in psychology, communication, leadership, influence, or simply want to hear from someone at the absolute top of his craft, I think you’ll really enjoy this episode.

Helpful Links:
The San Francisco Magic Theater
Jay Alexander
Jay Alexander Facebook
Jay Alexander LinkedIn
Jay Alexander YouTube

Dr. Adam Dorsay introduces SuperPsyched and interviews keynote speaker and author Elaine Lin Hering about her book Unlearning Silence and the harms of feeling silenced, including resentment, depression, quiet quitting, and group catastrophes when crucial information is ignored, especially for minorities. Hering argues leadership advice to simply “speak up” misses that voice also depends on whether others honor it, and she defines silence as withholding self for others’ comfort. They discuss authenticity, the “low power double bind,” and how silence erodes a sense of self and agency. Hering distinguishes strategic silence from oppressive silence based on choice, describes self-, social-, and system-based silencing, and offers practical tools like saying “From where I sit” and clarifying decision roles (decider, consulted, informed). Both emphasize agency as the key skill that creates healthier norms and inspires voice in others.
00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched
00:28 Why Silence Hurts
01:06 Meet Elaine Lin Hering
01:49 Finding Your Real Voice
06:29 Authenticity and Becoming
10:08 The Business Case for Voice
12:32 Low Power Double Bind
16:30 Emotional Costs and Agency
22:59 Strategic Silence vs Oppression
25:16 Practical Tools to Speak Up
33:09 Self Social and System Silence
36:12 Agency as the Insider Skill
38:37 Final Thanks and Subscribe

Helpful Links:
Elaine Lin Hering, JD Website
Elaine Lin Hering, JD LinkedIn
Elaine Lin Hering, JD Instagram
Elaine Lin Hering, JD YouTube
Unlearning Silence Book

Dr. Adam Dorsay, Silicon Valley psychologist and host of the SuperPsyched podcast, reflects on watching the World Cup final with his father and draws psychological lessons from the match’s global scale. He contrasts the goalie’s prevention-focused role with the striker’s acquisition-focused role, linking this to positive psychology’s avoid goals versus approach goals and noting that approach mindsets are more enjoyable and effective; he describes a long conversation with Dr. Leidy Klotz about goalie psychology. He also shares Annie Duke’s distinction between resulting and decision-making, arguing that good decisions can be overlooked when only final outcomes are remembered. Upset by an announcer saying “the king is dead” about Lionel Messi after a loss, he criticizes win-or-nothing thinking, urges cognitive flexibility, and advocates celebrating multiple “GOATs” rather than diminishing others, emphasizing integrity, effort, and appreciating human potential in sport.00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched00:28 World Cup Awe02:01 Goalie Psychology04:15 Approach vs Avoid Goals05:24 Results vs Decisions07:07 Legacy and Forgetting07:51 The King Is Dead09:53 Beyond One GOAT11:38 Closing Reflections