ARCHITECTING Podcast - Career + Lifestyle Mentoring for Architects looking to move beyond overwhelm and make a difference through design

It’s easy to forget who we’re really designing for—especially in behavioral health, where the stakes are high and the people we serve are too often left out of the process. In this episode, Parker LaCombe and Sydney Harris of Mind Care Connect reveal how co-design that engages those with lived experience is rewriting the rules of behavioral health architecture. Co-design isn’t just a process—it’s...

What if the setback you’re cursing right now is the exact detour you needed? In this episode of Architecting, I flip the script on failure. When the universe pulls the rug out, it’s not rejection—it’s redirection. Learn how to take the opportunity to rebrand, define success on your own terms, and stop tolerating what never served you. This is your permission slip to rethink what you’ve been settli...

If you don’t ask, the answer’s always no. If you don’t knock, the door never opens. Opportunity doesn’t wait around—it rewards bold action. In part two of a special "double feature" podcast episode, you'll hear from Caitlin Brady, creator of the Architectette podcast (where part one lives) about chasing the chances that can change everything. We talk about what it really means to pursue opportunit...

When we say being an architect is magic, it's not because we want to disappear. Yet our profession is slowly losing its influence. Worse, it's an inside job. My guest, architect Beau Dromiack, calls it like it is. He exposes how the profession traded influence for efficiency, and why surrendering our accountability and craft has left us sidelined. More importantly, he shows us how to take it back....

ICYMI, the world, and every system in it, is in a state of upheaval. That can feel scary...or like an opportunity. In this episode, I talk about how a strong personal identity is clutch in navigating change- making the world a better place on aligned action at a time. Change is the state in which disruption of what isn't working can occur.  Your identity influences what you can accomplish Find a m...

Oh yeah it's that time of year when conferences get scheduled in veritable clusters. What should you attend? How do you get the most out of the experience? It can be a cluster.  Fear not- in this episode I answer some of your most burning questions about conferences. Get my tips and tricks for attending on a tight budget Learn how to manage clients who normally would have no interest in this confe...

The people who make real impact don’t wait for permission, they trust their gut, take the risks others are afraid of, and pivot fast when things change. In this episode, you'll hear from one of them. Doug King shares his template for identifying as the expert you want to be. Bet on your intuition to take the right risks. Double down by adapting and changing with circumstances as they unfold. Cross...

What pretzel are you twisting yourself into just to look successful? And what’s that “success” really costing you? For so many of us, the chase isn’t about achievement — it’s about negotiating for acceptance. Let’s be real: if you’re chasing someone else’s version of success, you’re not building a life — you’re auditioning for one. Forever the Pick Me. ✨ In this episode, I unpack: Why chasing the...

As an architect, nothing feels better than knowing a space you designed brought someone joy, or peace. But it's not easy to tap into that zone when you aren't making space for any of that in your own life.  In this episode, you'll hear from architect Peter Sandiford how he stopped going against the grain and started working with his instincts, energy levels and the environment to uplevel his pract...

It's all about energy, and if you're an introvert, you aren't getting it by peopling. Not that you're misanthropic.  You just need to be very discerning about what and who gets your precious energy and build in recovery time. Deep dive with me into this topic Introverts are not incompetent extroverts, you have a whole different style of interfacing with the world that gets corrupted when you are e...

Tired of tiptoeing around tough personalities at work? Whether it's the micromanaging boss, the passive-aggressive peer, or the coworker who just rubs you the wrong way, this episode gives you the mindset and tools to navigate workplace personalities with emotional intelligence and influence. Learn how to decode personality types in the workplace and embrace differences instead of avoiding them—an...

Having one of those days? Where you slog through, struggling to focus and not send the intern searching for a different career path because you had no tolerance for truly dumb questions? Before you actually start breathing fire or day drinking, take a listen to this episode.  I talk about a biological cycle called ultradian rhythm, a pattern of performance peaks and valleys that oscillates its way...

What if joy isn’t a reward for success, but the secret to achieving it? In this episode, I give you the cheat code for prioritizing your life around the happy. Dive into The Joy Experiment—an exploration of how choosing joy over stress transforms your brain, boosts resilience, and unlocks long-term creativity and fulfillment. Learn about the neuroscience of joy: dopamine, oxytocin, seratonin, and...

Tired of people-pleasing and constantly chasing approval? It’s draining your energy, eroding your confidence, and keeping you stuck in self-doubt. The truth? You’ll never feel fulfilled trying to meet everyone else’s expectations. In this episode, learn how self-authorization helps you stop seeking validation and start living on your own terms—with clarity, confidence, and freedom.   In this episo...

Think you need to wait until you're "perfect" to go for that promotion? Think again. In this episode, we walk through a powerful Promotion Readiness Checklist tailored specifically for women in architecture. From project wins to mindset shifts, you’ll learn how to assess your leadership potential—and make your next move with confidence. Whether you're eyeing senior designer, project manager, or pr...

Sick of marketing that feels fake? Robert Bean of IMPACT shares how ethical persuasion and purpose-driven storytelling attract dream clients - no selling out necessary. Discover how your unique purpose, not the usual list of qualifications, is your most valuable marketing tool. Design has a unique power to heal, but we don't spend enough time talking about how the spaces we create will make someon...

During my vacation in Australia, I’e had some incredible opportunities to connect with the landscape, geology and culture. In this episode hear about the Aboriginal concept of the songline and its use as a ritual connecting place, mythology, and the human journey through life.

We can all use a little brand therapy. Realigning what we do and why we do it with the people who want and need our services.  In this interview, Jaime Schwarz shares the secret sauce to authentic and resonant branding. When you heal your business identity, you reconnect with your audience Brand therapy is more than a rebrand or a logo refresh. It's a strategic and emotional deep dive into the sou...

What we want to do isn't always the stuff we give ourselves permission to do. If you're noticing that the compulsories of life are crowding out everything else, take a listen to this episode and get neuroscience based strategies to flip that script. Task lists are elastic. Since you'll never cross everything off they distort your sense of accomplishment and efficacy. It doesn't take courage to plo...

The smartest people aren't trying to convince you of that.  Instead, they're willing to be dumb...asking questions or trying things that others would dismiss. David Carson a creative CEO and visionary shares his insights on what it really takes to drive innovation and the story behind his Dumbify project and book. You have more fun when you can let go of the need to know everything and take time t...

Getting rest isn't reckless, it's trying to push through that is. That constant drive to demonstrate productivity is virtue signaling of the toxic kind.  Root cause: perfectionism. Tap into this episode to learn about the hidden traits of perfectionism that are making it so hard to calm down. You might think perfectionists are tightly wound OCD types. Not true. If you have any of these traits - co...

What's considered sustainable from a public health perspective? Not necessarily the same things that we might otherwise uphold. We celebrate the 2025 Earth Day theme of Our Power, Our Planet with architect and integrative environmental specialist Molly Scanlon who shares insights on a new model for architecture practice. Adjacent industries hold the key to practice innovation. Seeing the issues th...

When are determination, loyalty, persistence not virtues? When you're deploying them in a no-win situation. There are more landmines like this than you might think in your career landscape.  In today's episode, you'll learn how behavioral economics is keeping you stuck in situations that are aging like milk. Know when having grit is worth the payoff and when it's wasting your time. The more time,...

In this crossover episode, you'll hear the conversation we had on Architects as Healers: Buildings as Medicine with Martin Prince-Parrott about his new book Urban Healthonomics. You'll learn practical strategies to build for health, well being and economic vitality. The economics of sustainable healthy cities in an interconnected web of downstream (consumer) and upstream (policies/incentives). Loo...

The story of non-profit MakeGood was forged in architect Noam Platt's desire to help people with disabilities. Whether you also have a passion for assistive technology or some other cause lights you up, you don't have to wait for a project to have an impact. Learn why he thinks architects are uniquely qualified (and called) to lead positive change in the community and how to get started. Assistive...