It's Not Just In Your Head

"A manifesto for belonging" We chat with author and activist Graham Jones about the significance of religion & spirituality to any successful socialist movement... 'Socialism is necessary but not sufficient'. We discuss the idea of why humans tend towards religion, the popularity of the 'meaning of life' question, ontological security, rationalizing someone out of the...

"My self awareness threatens your denial" We continue the conversation around the importance of self-narrative and play. Meghann details how shes uses theater performance to help people make sense of challenges they have faced in their lives, and how through play we can create new meaning and identities that we've been locked into by ourselves or others. Meghann offers some insights...

We are joined by Meghann Perry from 'REVOLUTION Recovery' to discuss the  the fundamental issue with viewing a patient as a subject / object / recipient / commodity and the victim blaming mentality that is helping no one. We explore the repeated trauma of 'In-take', how substances don't always cause addiction and the obvious - but often unsaid truth - that the desire for substa...

We speak with psychoanalyst and veteran Mike Kim about his military experiences. We cover numerous veteran issues and topics including: veterans being used as mascots for capitalism, the veteran profiteer complex and the under appreciated social cohesion that the military provides (if some what temporarily). We discuss social issues inside the military, the issues of accountability & commander...

We are joined by the Director of the 'Social Change Lab' to discuss their fascinating report 'What makes a protest movement successful?'. We dig into all the different factors such as violence vs. nonviolence, size of the movement, diversity of protestors and ask some tough questions about 'elite stakeholders' and philanthropy-funded social change. References: What makes a...

We are joined by Daniel Maté, co-author of the phenomenal book 'The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness & Healing in a Toxic Culture'. We discuss the process of collaborating with his father Gabor Maté, Daniels perspectives, his professional life and the power of walking, talking and music! References: The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture: https://www.goodrea...

"We’ve stopped dreaming" What can psychoanalysis reveal to us about ideology, society and politics? Duane Rousselle is a Canadian sociological theorist, Lacanian psychoanalyst and Professor of Sociology. We discuss various issues addressed in his latest book 'Post-anarchism and Psychoanalysis'. We explore revolutionary desires & impulses and how attempts to take down power st...

"The pandemic within the pandemic" A pulmonologist (respiratory physician) joins Ikoi and Liam to discuss Long Covid. After catching Covid on the frontline Dr. Asad Khan has endured numerous health issues which has opened his eyes to a level of suffering amongst patients dealing with chronic health issues. From not being believed by fellow professionals ("it's just psychological...

Our guest discusses the horror show that current drug policy is having on American lives, how access to vital medication has been removed from people who need it in order to work, or function, or have any semblance of quality of life. As such, huge numbers of people are turning to street supply or ultimately taking their own lives to escape their chronic pain. This episode highlights a variety of...

The conversation continues covering why men's support groups work, reason vs. persuasion, the power of listening, why organized religion isn't going anywhere anytime soon, Credentialism vs. Egalitarianism and how the masculine ideal disconnects men from the best part of being human. We also cover support groups discussing debt as a source for revolutionary change, class as a barrier to int...

Returning guest William Dawley (#113: Immortality and Cyborg Anthropology) joins us to discuss his work around issues of Masculinity/Machismo and the positive image of masculinity that's possible with male support groups. Focusing on his work in Costa Rica we explore the link between machismo and right-wing politics, the Neo-Patriarchal bargain and the Churches attempts at effective behavior chang...

Our guests talk about their experiences outside of mainstream recovery programs. The discussion covers personal stories and topics such as the opioid crisis, pain management, the morality of pleasure, the need for community and the mental health benefits of political organizing, rock climbing, writing and poetry. References: Solitary: Unbroken by Four Decades in Solitary Confinement: https://www.g...

Michael Stretton, a Social Security Disability Claimant Representative, provides a highly detailed description of the labyrinthine process of claiming disability benefits in the USA. A general audience might find this episode a little overwhelming - we did! - but this discussion contains A LOT of insightful information and we hope it is of use. References: How to win a claim (PDF attached to this...

Our guests discuss their fascinating paper 'Right-Wing Psychedelia' and why psychedelic substances have been mistakenly considered a substance that fosters socially progressive politics. Instead Brian & Neşe show that these substances are 'non-specific amplifiers of consciousness' and make the case that psychedelics can just as equally be used to rarefy hierarchy and authoritarian ideologies....

Our guest Dr Dan Goyal outlines what the deliberate under funding of the NHS has done to working conditions, the relentless stress nurses face, the impact of covid and the false economics of private health care. We also discuss the recent news that the UK government are trying to make striking illegal for healthcare workers and the efforts to fightback. References: Dr Dan Goyal: https://twitter.co...

“Prison walls don’t separate the good people from the bad people” In this second part of the conversation we cover Covid and the other health issues prisoners face, how long a prisoner should prep for a successful transition, the feeling of not belonging and the fear of having the rug pulled from you once outside. We also discuss how prisoners become societies boogieman, American Exceptionalism vs...

We take a deep dive into the world of prison life and the challenging transition back into society, with Joshua Bryant and Jeremy Williams. We discuss popular misconceptions about crime and the role of punishment, what locking people up does to their mental and physical health, policies that need to change and many other topics. The second part of this discussion will be out next week or if you ar...

Joel Stern, a well-read acquaintance of Harriet's, brings some perspectives and critiques of the psych field - though by his own admission he has no professional background in Psychiatry, Psychotherapy etc - he nevertheless instigates a very lively discussion regarding the conception of mental health/illness and an extended debate around the anti-psychiatry position (and the stigma that that can a...

Max makes a welcome return to discuss the fine details of running Catalyst Co-Operative Healing, with Marina Kantarovich Rodríguez. Whilst this episode is aimed more towards other therapists - rather than a general audience - there are plenty of valuable insights and information from both Marina and Max around the many quality of life benefits that come from setting up and working in a co-operativ...

As we approach the end of 2022 we decided to briefly discuss some of the notable episodes & guests we've been lucky enough to talk with, we also chat about the rise of remote mental health treatment and the latest AI 'ChatGPT', we discuss the chronic rise in loneliness and the cruel side effects of isolation, and we finish up by addressing a discord members sense of being overwhelmed by all th...

“We are socialized to believe that schooling is synonymous with education, and that if you don't conform the problem is you". Today we are joined by Dr Naomi Fisher, an independent clinical psychologist and EMDR consultant and author of ‘Changing our Minds: How Children Can Take Control of their Own Learning’. We discuss how the school system often fails to meet peoples needs; the children, the te...

"This polemic dismantles the presumption that social media could be an  instrument of radical change and contends that the networks and platforms of transnational corporations are intrinsically incompatible with a habitable earth or with the human interdependence needed to build egalitarian post-capitalist forms of life." This week we are joined by Jonathan Crary author of 'Scorched Earth: Be...

Who benefits from a cashless society and who gets left behind? We talk with economic anthropologist and former financial broker Brett Scott about his excellent book 'Cloudmoney - Cash, Cards, Crypto and the War for our Wallets'. "Cloudmoney tells a revelatory story about the fusion of big finance and tech, which requires physical cash to be replaced by digital money or 'cloudmoney'. Diving beneath...

We may think of emotions as universal responses, felt inside, but acclaimed psychologist Batja Mesquita argues that emotions are not innate, but relational acts between people, both one-on-one and within larger social networks. Dr Harriet Fraad and Ikoi discuss the MINE vs OURS models and how, if emotions are not essences but situated, that this complicates the therapists and client relationship,...

Ikoi and Liam chat with author Mike Watson about the late great Mark Fisher, the addictive pace of the internet, slow meme movements and the need for reflection, spirituality, mortality, Qanon and Pizzagate, a fair society vs archetypal heroic stories, leftist well-being, selling dirty bath water, being a digital flaneur, the dialectical image, acid communism, helping other people for the sake of...