Ruptures and Roots

In this eleventh episode of Ruptures and Roots , Joshua sits down with Daniel Thorson — podcaster, writer, coach, former Occupy Wall Street organizer, and author of The Intimate Mirror on Substack. Daniel spent five years at the Monastic Academy in Vermont, accumulated over two years of silent retreat experience, and hosted the Emerge podcast for over a decade. His life has been a long apprentices...

In this tenth episode of Ruptures and Roots, Joshua sits down with Katie Hamaker — adjunct instructor, PhD candidate at the California Institute of Integral Studies, and a teacher of courses on critical thinking, academic writing, and learning from plants. Katie's research weaves together Christianity, psychedelics, and social justice through feminist and process-philosophical lenses, asking what...

In this ninth episode of Ruptures and Root s, Joshua sits down with Anu Peter Brandt — ordained sacred ceremony minister, shamanic practitioner, breathwork facilitator, energy healer, and lifelong musician. Together, they trace the thread of healing that ran quietly through Anu's life long before he recognized it: from childhood performances to Broadway stages and the jungles of Peru, where his fi...

In this eighth episode of Ruptures and Roots , I sit down with Steven Schrembeck —a software engineer by trade and by calling a dedicated explorer of meaning. Stephen’s journey is a profound study in how a strictly logical, structured life can be cracked open by curiosity and a relentless accountability to the truth. We delve into the “ruptures” that shattered Stephen’s materialist worldview, begi...

In this seventh episode of Ruptures and Roots , Joshua sits in conversation with a deeply devoted guide and facilitator of plant medicine ceremonies, exploring the terrain of rupture, truth, and radical integrity. Together, they navigate stories of ancestral connection, encounters with spirits and guides, and the ways psychedelic and somatic practices illuminate the unseen dimensions of our lives....

In this sixth episode of Ruptures and Roots, Joshua is joined by Andrew Belinsky — musician, facilitator, community builder, and musical mentor. In this conversation, they explore the intersections of rupture, masculinity, and transformation. Andrew shares about the role of community in healing, the importance of initiation and elderhood, and how men’s work offers a pathway toward vulnerability an...

In this episode of Ruptures and Roots , Joshua sits down with Erin Carper, an eco-somatic guide and wilderness rites of passage facilitator. Together they explore Erin’s transformative journey from a professional ballet dancer to a somatic healer deeply connected to the land. Through personal stories and reflections, they discuss the power of nature, the importance of rites of passage, and the hea...

In this fourth episode of Ruptures and Roots, Joshua sits in the circle with Adam Tutor — men’s coach, wilderness guide, and founder of Wild Discipline. Together they trace Adam’s journey from boyhood ruptures and spiritual questioning to his life’s work guiding men through rites of passage that restore connection between fathers and sons. They explore themes of masculinity, faith, vulnerability,...

In this third episode of Ruptures and Roots , Joshua sits down with Leah Clements to explore the tender terrain of rupture, ceremony, and transformation. Leah shares her story of undergoing a profound ceremonial experience through her vision fast that reshaped her relationship to self, community, and the living world. Their conversation moves through themes of instability and surrender, the dance...

In this second conversation of Ruptures and Roots, Joshua sits down with “soul friend” Josh Harper to explore themes of masculinity, healing, and transformation. Together they reflect on the wounds of anemic masculinity and the possibilities that open when men integrate feminine energy into their lives. Josh shares the Flowering Wand , from the book by Sophie Strand, as a new archetype for masculi...

In this first conversation for Ruptures and Roots , Joshua sits down with Sungil Fleischman to explore the ongoing nature of rupture and transformation. Together they reflect on Sungil’s journey of healing from a high-control religious background and the practices that have helped him root deeper into his authentic self. The conversation touches on parts work and Internal Family Systems (IFS), the...

In this trailer, host Joshua Swenson introduces Ruptures and Roots — a podcast born from his own journey of healing and awakening. Along the way, he’s met companions with powerful stories of rupture and renewal, and this podcast is a circle for those voices. Subscribe now to hear their stories in upcoming episodes. Get full access to Gospels of Rupture at gospelsofrupture.substack.com/subscribe