Dr. Mark Baker

Here is the link to my recent conversation with Darron Brown on his podcast Philosophy for Life. I hope you find it helpful.

Why Do We Need God? | Dr. Mark Baker | Philosophy for Life DescriptionGet ready for a transformative conversation with Dr. Mark Baker, a clinical psychologist who uses the Bible as a therapeutic tool to help people n...

Watch for me this Sunday evening as I am a guest on Bring It Up with Cindy Fahy on KKLA Radio 99.5 FM in Los Angeles.

https://youtu.be/j5g06z5ydBs

The vicious Cycle of Animosity: Why There is so much Hatred in Politics The vicious Cycle of Animosity: Why There is so much Hatred in Politics

Managing the anxiety and stress in life has never been more difficult than it is right now, Fortunately, my new book on how to manage your emotions is now available wherever good books are sold. You can get one from Amazon by clicking here:
https://www.amazon.com/Managing-Your-Emotions-Healthier-Life-ebook/dp/B087RHZ59J/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=managing+your+emotions+mark+baker&qid=1605403330&sr=8-2

Managing Your Emotions for a Healthier Life Managing Your Emotions for a Healthier Life

Anxiety, Depression and Emotional Problems are skyrocketing due to the COVID crisis. To help, my publisher is offering my book "Overcoming Shame" for only $1.99 for the next few weeks. Unhealed shame is at the core of most of our emotional problems, here is a way to get help when you can't leave your home.
ttps://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Shame-Expectations-Embrace-Acceptance-ebook/dp/B078Z7B1SN/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=overcoming+shame&qid=1603291816&sr=8-2

Overcoming Shame: Let Go of Others’ Expectations and Embrace God’s Acceptance Overcoming Shame: Let Go of Others’ Expectations and Embrace God’s Acceptance

To help people during these difficult times, my publisher is offering my latest book "Overcoming Shame" for the amazing price of $1.99.This COVID lockdown has been psychologically destructive to millions of people, here is a chance to get help easily. Click here to get yours now:

https://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Shame-Expectations-Embrace-Acceptance/dp/0736971300/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3I9QZDYFZRBHR&dchild=1&keywords=overcoming+shame+mark+baker&qid=1601391034&sprefix=overcoming+shame%2Caps%2C204&sr=8-1

Overcoming Shame: Let Go of Others’ Expectations and Embrace God’s Acceptance Overcoming Shame: Let Go of Others’ Expectations and Embrace God’s Acceptance

Join a Psychologist and a Rabbi as we take a good look at Narcissism and what causes it.

Dr Mark Baker & Rabbi Walker discuss Narcissism Shame & The New Testament Dr Baker and Rabbi Walker discuss Narcissism from a Psychological and Spiritual Perspective

Join me and Cindy Fahy as we talk about how to heal the toxic effects of shame in your life
https://www.bringitupmedia.com/radio-shows/bringitup05-17-20-snhs3-6m5g9-ln3ah-r8e8k-rwlam-g4pyr-r2rgr

Bring It Up! Radio Show 7-05-20 — Bring It Up! What we are talking about this week: Dr. Mark Baker: Embracing Freedom from shame and self-doubt Socialism vs Individual Freedom: Why we need to know the difference now! Celebrating Independence Day: Understanding our History, Preserving our Freedom Resources this week:

Is there a war on masculinity? Join me and Cindy Fahy as we address this topic on the "Bring It Up" radio show:
https://www.bringitupmedia.com/radio-shows/bringitup05-17-20-snhs3-6m5g9-ln3ah-r8e8k-rwlam

Bring It Up! Radio Show 6-21-20 — Bring It Up! What we are talking about this week: Dr. Mark Baker: Is there a war on men? Celebrating Dad's Unique and Essential Role Dr. Meg Meeker: Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters Lessons I Learned from My Dad This weeks’s resources: Find Dr. Mark Baker's books and articles HERE Dr. Me

Join me as I discuss with Marriage Bootcamp Director Elizabeth Carroll how trauma causes shame, and why it is so hard to heal

TRAUMA AND SHAME Elizabeth Carroll with Dr Mark Baker How trauma causes shame, and why its so hard to heal.

For more information go to www.LaVieCounseling.org

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff, they comfort me”, Psalm 23:4
We have never needed the comfort of the twenty-third Psalm more than we do now in the midst of this global pandemic crisis. People are huddled at home, hording paper goods, and panic stricken by having to go to the grocery store. So as Believers, what is our response supposed to be to all of this?

First, let’s get something clear about what the Psalmist is saying. He doesn’t say that God will take you out of the valley; he says God will go with you when you are in it. As a Christian Psychologist, I have counseled with deeply committed believers for well over twenty-five years and I have come to the conclusion that God’s comfort has very little to do with taking things away from us, but more to do with giving us what we need most during difficult times. The word comfort consists of two parts: “com” which means “with”; and “fort” which means “strength”, as in fortify. So, the word comfort actually means “with strength”, and doesn’t imply removing anything at all. God’s comfort during the global crisis we are facing today is the same as it has always been throughout history; He offers us His presence to give us strength.

I will “fear no evil”, not because it will never happen to me, but because I am not alone when I have to face it. Psychologists have discovered that going through a crisis like this will psychologically injure many people, and even leave some traumatized. Psychological injury comes from having to experience overwhelming emotions, and people injured in this way will need help to find the strength to deal with them. But, psychological trauma results when people are not only psychologically injured, but then forced to deal with that injury on their own. It seems we are not made to face the valleys of this life alone; there is no true comfort there.

Many people will die as a result of this Coronavirus, which means we are in a valley of the shadow of death. The medical experts tell us we need to isolate for the good of our physical health. I believe they are correct about this advice. Physically we need to separate, but spiritually and emotionally, we need to connect. Psychologists know that emotionally difficult times are made tolerable when we do not have to go through them alone. So, what is our best response to this global crisis? Don’t try to go it alone.

Everyone around you is probably having some pretty big feelings right now, and it is not a lack of faith on your part if you do as well. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the presence of faith in it. Having a lot of feelings right now is not necessarily a problem, it’s what you do next that is important. First, reach out to God and ask Him to strengthen you as we go through this valley. Next, reach out to those around you (with your phone or over the Internet to keep your social distance) to offer them that same form of comfort. Even reach out to those you have not talked to in a while. But don’t offer them the kind of comfort that pretends to take away evil in this life, give them the kind of comfort that God offers us: the strength that comes from knowing we are not alone.

Is the coronavirus crisis making you anxious? Then listen in this Saturday evening to Real Life with Gina and Dave on KKLA 99.5 in Los Angeles as we discuss how to deal with the emotions going on in all of us. I think we can help. 

It’s Okay to be Sad
I live in Los Angeles. We all lost Kobe Bryant last week. His helicopter went down about half way between my house and my son’s apartment. That makes it pretty real. Almost everyone I have talked to has been terribly sad about it, and as a psychologist I’m here to say, it’s okay to be sad.

Some people have felt guilty about how strong their reactions were to the loss of Kobe. Some have said, “Maybe it’s wrong to feel this way, like I’m making him into an idol, or something”. Well, as a Christian I’m also here to say, it’s okay to be sad. Because we are all made in the image of God, we automatically respect the God given talents and abilities we see in others. Kobe wasn’t a god, we all know he had faults, but he was gifted by God in an amazingly unique way that made him special. Many looked up to him exactly because he overcame his faults, and displayed a unique talent that only the most gifted among us could ever do. Did you see his last professional game? It was like watching the Mona Lisa (if you like basketball).

It is not wrong to look up to those who are so gifted by God that they fill you with emotion, it is not wrong to have heroes that inspire us to be all that God intended us to be, and most importantly right now, it’s not wrong to be terribly said because we lost Kobe.

One year ago this week my 19-year-old son decided not to go to the Borderline Bar and Grill on student night to line dance with his friends as he had done every Wednesday for the past six months. I thank God he didn’t go. Because that evening, a mentally ill young man walked into the Borderline and began a horrific shooting spree that left 12 people dead. I’m not going to mention his name because I don’t believe it should be remembered. But I am going to mention the name of another young man who was there that evening that I think we should never forget. Twenty-year-old Matt Wennerstrom was also at the Borderline that evening spending time with his friend as he had done, just like my son, every Wednesday evening for the past several months. As soon as Matt realized what was happening, he pushed as many of his friends (mostly women) as he could behind a pool table and covered them with his body. When he heard the shooter pause to reload, he grabbed a barstool and threw it through a window. Along with a couple of other young men, Matt helped 30 to 35 people escape with their lives. When asked later how he could do such a thing he simply said “I wasn’t worried, I know where I’m going if I die”.

Matt is a good example of the kind of traditional masculinity we should celebrate. In the risk of extreme threat, he responded with courage, he put the lives of others first, and he has the kind of faith in God that allowed him to stare straight into the face of death and say “I was not worried to sacrifice” if need be. On this anniversary of the Borderline tragedy I thank God that my son wasn’t there that evening, and I am also grateful to God that a few young men like Matt were. We should all be grateful that this type of young man still exists

Join me and Rabbi Eric Walker as we discussed the impact of su***de on the church and our society. https://studio.youtube.com/video/nMfL3-LBFQo/edit

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Dr. Mark Baker & Rabbi Walker discussed the effects of shame on society

Sadly, a major cause for the horrible things people do is their unhealed shame. Guilt is the bad feeling for what you do, and shame is the bad feeling for who you are. Both can be healed. It's just that unhealed guilt mostly hurts yourself, but unhealed shame mostly hurts everyone else. We all have shame to some degree, but some need to find the help to overcome it more than others.

I am excited to announce you can now pre-order my new book:https://www.amazon.com/You-Can-Change-Psychology-Transformation/dp/1506455646/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=mark+baker+you+can+change&qid=1563543670&s=gateway&sr=8-1

It is the story of how the bloodiest prison in America was changed into the safest one, and how if inmates in the largest maximum security prison can change, so can you.

You Can Change: Stories from Angola Prison and the Psychology of Personal Transformation Can people make positive changes in their lives that really last? Dr. Mark W. Baker has been trying to answer this question for the past twenty-five years as a clinical psychologist. To discover the answer, he went on a quest to find people who have changed their lives in the most dramatic ways, ...