Dr. Scott Waltman & Kasey Pierce: Stoicism for the Modern Mind
04/07/25 • 61 min
Comments or feedback? Send us a text!
In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Scott Waltman and Kasey Pierce coauthors, along with Trent Codd, Ed.S of The Stoicism Workbook - to explore how ancient Stoic philosophy can offer powerful tools for managing today’s challenges. From emotional resilience and anxiety to self-compassion and values-driven living, we unpack how timeless Stoic principles can help you navigate stress, uncertainty, and personal growth.
Whether you’re a mental health professional, a fan of philosophy, or just someone looking for practical ways to feel more grounded, this conversation brings Stoicism down to earth—with insights that align closely with many therapeutic frameworks.
We discuss:
- What Stoicism is and why it’s still relevant
- The Stoic approach to emotional resilience and anxiety
- The difference between values and virtues
- How to apply Stoic practices in daily life
- Building tolerance for discomfort and uncertainty
- Transforming self-criticism into self-compassion
- Socratic questioning as a tool for insight and change
- Embracing acceptance without falling into complacency
- Cultivating wisdom and living in alignment with what matters most
Scott Waltman, PsyD, ABPP, is a clinician, international trainer, and practice-based researcher. His interests include evidence-based psychotherapy practice, training, and implementation in systems that provide care to underserved populations. He is president-elect of both the Academy of Cognitive & Behavioral Therapies and the International Association of Cognitive Behavioral Therapies. He is board certified in Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology from the American Board of Professional Psychology. Dr. Waltman, worked as a CBT trainer for one of Dr. Aaron Beck’s CBT implementation teams in the Philadelphia public mental health system. He is a practicing Stoic and the first author of The Stoicism Workbook: How the Wisdom of Socrates Can Help You Build Resilience and Overcome Anything Life Throws at You.
Kasey Pierce is a writer and Stoicism columnist from the metro Detroit area. She has contributed as a freelance content editor for Donald Robertson's “Verissimus” (St. Martin’s Press) and serves as the editor of Tim LeBon's “365 Ways to Be More Stoic” (John Murray Press). Kasey recently coauthored “The Stoicism Workbook” with CBT practitioners Scott Waltman and R. Trent Codd. Additionally, she is the. communications director for Plato’s Academy Centre, a nonprofit in Athens, Greece, dedicated to promoting philosophy as a way of life. Kasey's passion lies in making the intersection of Stoic philosophy and cognitive behavioral therapy accessible to everyday people, using relatable examples and humor to enhance understanding and application.
https://www.instagram.com/socraticmethodcbt/
Comments or feedback? Send us a text!
In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Scott Waltman and Kasey Pierce coauthors, along with Trent Codd, Ed.S of The Stoicism Workbook - to explore how ancient Stoic philosophy can offer powerful tools for managing today’s challenges. From emotional resilience and anxiety to self-compassion and values-driven living, we unpack how timeless Stoic principles can help you navigate stress, uncertainty, and personal growth.
Whether you’re a mental health professional, a fan of philosophy, or just someone looking for practical ways to feel more grounded, this conversation brings Stoicism down to earth—with insights that align closely with many therapeutic frameworks.
We discuss:
- What Stoicism is and why it’s still relevant
- The Stoic approach to emotional resilience and anxiety
- The difference between values and virtues
- How to apply Stoic practices in daily life
- Building tolerance for discomfort and uncertainty
- Transforming self-criticism into self-compassion
- Socratic questioning as a tool for insight and change
- Embracing acceptance without falling into complacency
- Cultivating wisdom and living in alignment with what matters most
Scott Waltman, PsyD, ABPP, is a clinician, international trainer, and practice-based researcher. His interests include evidence-based psychotherapy practice, training, and implementation in systems that provide care to underserved populations. He is president-elect of both the Academy of Cognitive & Behavioral Therapies and the International Association of Cognitive Behavioral Therapies. He is board certified in Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology from the American Board of Professional Psychology. Dr. Waltman, worked as a CBT trainer for one of Dr. Aaron Beck’s CBT implementation teams in the Philadelphia public mental health system. He is a practicing Stoic and the first author of The Stoicism Workbook: How the Wisdom of Socrates Can Help You Build Resilience and Overcome Anything Life Throws at You.
Kasey Pierce is a writer and Stoicism columnist from the metro Detroit area. She has contributed as a freelance content editor for Donald Robertson's “Verissimus” (St. Martin’s Press) and serves as the editor of Tim LeBon's “365 Ways to Be More Stoic” (John Murray Press). Kasey recently coauthored “The Stoicism Workbook” with CBT practitioners Scott Waltman and R. Trent Codd. Additionally, she is the. communications director for Plato’s Academy Centre, a nonprofit in Athens, Greece, dedicated to promoting philosophy as a way of life. Kasey's passion lies in making the intersection of Stoic philosophy and cognitive behavioral therapy accessible to everyday people, using relatable examples and humor to enhance understanding and application.
https://www.instagram.com/socraticmethodcbt/
Previous Episode
Dr. Betsy Chung - Building Emotional Security Within Relationships
Comments or feedback? Send us a text!
Building emotional security and navigating conflict with intention often defines the success of our closest relationships. Join us for an in-depth discussion with psychologist Dr. Betsy Chung to explore these and other topics explored in her new book The Couple Skills Workbook: Manage Conflict, Increase Trust & Intimacy, and Build a Better Relationship. In this conversation we cover:
- how a lack of emotional security in one’s childhood impact their romantic relationships as an adult
- how old defenses from childhood can still affect us in adult relationships as well as common signs that someone is still relying on these childhood defenses
- what emotional attunement looks like in a healthy relationship and how couples can improve their emotional attunement
- what effective acknowledgment looks like in everyday interactions between partners
- the importance of unconditional acceptance and how to accept each other’s flaws and differences without feeling resentment
- tools for repairing relationship ruptures. What are the first steps a couple should take when trying to reconcile after a heated argument?
Bio: Dr. Betsy Chung, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and relationship expert with a passion for helping individuals cultivate healthier, more fulfilling relationships. She began her academic journey at the University of California, Irvine, where she earned a degree in Psychology and a minor in Education. In 2010, Dr. Chung completed her doctoral degree in clinical psychology at Alliant University and became a licensed psychologist in California in 2013.
Dr. Chung’s diverse career includes experience in various mental health settings, from in-patient and partial hospitalization to outpatient substance abuse rehabilitation and community mental health clinics for children. Since 2015, she has focused on private practice, where she discovered her true passion for guiding individuals and couples toward stronger relationships.
Her latest book, The Couple Skills Workbook: Manage Conflict, Increase Trust & Intimacy, and Build a Better Relationship, provides a hands-on approach to building trust, communication, and emotional intimacy. Through her work, Dr. Chung continues to empower people to develop greater self-awareness and relational intelligence.
Next Episode
Dr. Joe Pierre - Why We Believe What Isn’t True
Comments or feedback? Send us a text!
In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Joe Pierre, psychiatrist and author of False, to explore why people believe things that aren’t true—and why challenging those beliefs is rarely as simple as presenting the facts. Drawing from research in psychiatry, cognitive science, and social psychology, Dr. Pierre unpacks the emotional, identity-based, and relational roots of misinformation and conspiratorial thinking. Whether you’re a clinician, educator, or simply someone trying to make sense of our “post-truth” era, this conversation offers an evidence-based look at the psychology behind false beliefs. In this conversation we discuss:
- Why smart people believe irrational things
- The emotional and identity functions of conspiracy theories
- How misinformation spreads—and why it's so sticky
- The limits of fact-checking and logic-based persuasion
- The "prognosis" for someone who believes in conspiracy theories
- The role of mental illness in extreme beliefs (and where the line is)
- Online echo chambers, tribalism, and distrust in institutions
- The psychological appeal of certainty in uncertain times
- Strategies for promoting critical thinking and intellectual humility
Bio: Joe Pierre, MD, is a clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. With a background in both molecular biology and psychology from MIT and medical training at UCLA, Dr. Pierre’s career has focused on severe mental illness, particularly psychotic disorders. In addition to his clinical work, he’s a prolific writer and commentator on the psychology of belief, delusion, and misinformation. His Psych Unseen column for Psychology Today explores the intersection of psychiatry, media, and culture. False is his definitive exploration of why we believe things that aren’t true, and what that means for our mental health and collective future.
psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psych-unseen
@psychunseen
If you like this episode you’ll love
Episode Comments
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/thoughts-on-record-podcast-of-the-ottawa-institute-of-cognitive-behavi-52378/dr-scott-waltman-and-kasey-pierce-stoicism-for-the-modern-mind-89025892"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to dr. scott waltman & kasey pierce: stoicism for the modern mind on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy