The Radical Therapist

In this episode of The Radical Therapist, Chris sits down with narrative therapist and poet Tobin Kriwel for a conversation at the intersection of poetry, therapy, metaphor, and human attention. Together we explore what poetry can teach therapists, not as a technique, but as a way of being with people. We talk about why poetry refuses efficiency, how metaphor opens new possibilities for living, an...

What does it actually mean to practice from a decentred position? Has narrative therapy's commitment to being non-expert unintentionally softened its political edge? And what might we have misunderstood about Michael White's work over the past three decades? In this episode, Chris sits down with narrative therapist and researcher Dr. Kelsi Semeschuk to discuss her important new work examining Mich...

In this episode of The Radical Therapist, Chris sits down with artist and former narrative therapist Cath Duncan to explore what happens when a professional identity no longer feels large enough to hold who we are becoming. After years of therapeutic practice, Cath made the transition into full-time art-making, a move that was less a departure from narrative ideas than a re-authoring of them in a...

In this episode of The Radical Therapist, Chris sits down with philosophical therapist and scholar Joanna Polley to explore what philosophy can offer in an age increasingly dominated by diagnosis, optimization, and self-help solutions. What happens when we stop asking, “What’s wrong with me?” and begin asking deeper questions about meaning, freedom, ethics, identity, and how we ought to live? Draw...

In this episode of The Radical Therapist, Chris sits down with designer, writer, and researcher Amber Winick to explore how environments, objects, and systems quietly shape our emotional, relational, and developmental lives. Drawing from her work on Designing Motherhood, as well as her recent contributions to An Encyclopedia of Radical Helping, Amber invites us into a conversation about caregiving...

In this episode of The Radical Therapist, Chris sits down with youth organizers Chloe Yates and Rosie Williams of Mad Youth Organise to explore a radically different approach to the so-called “mental health crisis.” What happens when we stop treating distress as an individual pathology and start understanding it as a rational response to social, political, and economic conditions? Drawing on their...

In this episode of The Radical Therapist, Chris sits down with developmental psychologist, social therapist, and longtime cultural provocateur Lois Holzman to explore what a developmentalist approach to mental health offers in a time when therapy often collapses growth into diagnosis, insight, or symptom management. Drawing from her latest book A Developmentalist’s Guide to Better Mental Health, L...

What if “emotion regulation” isn’t just a clinical skill, but a cultural demand? In this episode of The Radical Therapist, Chris sits down with therapist and professor David Nylund for a rigorous and timely conversation about the near-hegemonic status of emotion regulation in contemporary therapy. Together, they explore how practices often framed as neutral, helpful, or evidence-based can quietly...

In this episode Chris launches Dangerous Stories Studio, a new constellation of offerings for people navigating transitions and building futures that don't fit existing maps. The work continues in new forms: • A new podcast exploring how stories shape what becomes possible (launching February 2026) • Quarterly Futuring Sprints, intensive workshops for people in liminal space (first sprint March 20...

In this episode of The Radical Therapist, Chris sits down with systemic therapists and thinkers Christopher Loh and Federico Albertini to explore how New Materialisms are reshaping the foundations of therapeutic practice. What happens when therapy loosens its grip on language as the primary site of meaning-making, and begins listening to the material, the more-than-human, the in-between? Drawing o...

In this episode of The Radical Therapist, Chris sits down with narrative therapist and educator Todd Disney, Psy. D., to explore his work on Narrative Poetic Inquiry (NPI), the art of drawing out the poetic sensibility of clients rather than performing it as therapists. Building on the ideas of Foucault, Bachelard, Michael White, Lefebvre, and others, Disney invites us to rethink therapy as an aes...

In episode #138 of The Radical Therapist Podcast, Chris sits down with long-time narrative therapist Gene Combs for a conversation on the past, present, and future of narrative therapy. Gene shares his journey into narrative therapy, his thoughts on neoliberalism’s impact on mental health, and why honoring people as the first authors of their lives remains a central commitment in his work. We also...

What if the act of reading could help rewrite the stories we live by? In this episode of The Radical Therapist, Dr. Chris Hoff sits down with bibliotherapist and narrative practitioner Mariana Casale to explore her new article, “ Bibliotherapy as Narrative Practice: Reader Empowerment Through Re-Authoring Conversations. ” Drawing on the work of Michael White, Alejandra Pizarnik, Foucault, and othe...

In this episode of The Radical Therapist, Chris sits down with Dr. Makungu Akinyela, scholar, therapist, and community organizer to discuss his new book Culture, Politics, Spirituality and Practice: A Book of Resistance and Critical Theory for Disturbing Times. We explore how therapy can be an act of resistance, how spirituality is political, and how Dr. Akinyela’s groundbreaking practice of Testi...

In episode #135, host Chris Hoff sits down with contemplative scholar Brooke Lavelle and philosopher and activist Katrine Bregengaard to explore the emerging field of pluriversal practice—a response to the limitations of "one-world-worlding" that dominate our movements, institutions, and inner lives. Drawing on their co-authored essay (with Maha El-Sheikh) in The Arrow Journal and their work with...

In episode #134, host Chris Hoff sits down with therapist Brian Dean Williams to explore the complexities of masculinity, mental health, and contemporary dilemmas facing men. Drawing from multiple perspectives on patriarchy, Chris and Brian discuss: 🔹 The emotional and relational costs of traditional masculinity 🔹 Why men struggle with vulnerability, connection, and purpose 🔹 How therapists can...

In episode #133 Chris sits down with Sanni Paljakka and Tom Stone Carlson, authors of So You Want to Do Narrative Therapy? Letters to an Aspiring Narrative Therapist. Together, they discuss the inspiration behind their innovative book, which blends real client transcripts, personal reflections, and practical guidance into a heartfelt conversation for therapists in training. Sanni and Tom explore t...

In episode #132, host Chris Hoff sits down with Loretta Pederson, author of Honouring resistance and building solidarity: Feminism and Narrative Practice. Together, they explore how feminist principles intersect with narrative therapy to honor clients' resistance to oppression and build solidarity in the therapeutic process. Loretta shares insights from her book, discussing the importance of addre...

In episode #131, host Chris Hoff sits down with Jon Tatelman, founder of the Scribble Community, a vibrant hub offering low-fee therapy, creative programming, and live music. Together, they explore the intersections of mental health, creativity, and community, uncovering how Scribble is reimagining access to care and connection. Adding to the dynamic energy of the evening, musician Nathan Lucas (a...

In episode #130, Chris sits down with Dr. Catherine Liu, a renowned cultural critic and professor, to unpack the complexities of trauma culture. They explore how trauma has become a dominant framework for understanding personal and societal challenges, and the potential consequences of this trend in both therapeutic and cultural spaces. Dr. Liu offers a sharp critique of how trauma is commodified,...

In episode #129 Chris sits down with Dr. Eija-Liisa Rautiainen, PhD, an experienced trainer and practitioner of Open Dialogue. They explore the transformative potential of this approach in mental health care, its emphasis on dialogue, collaboration, and relational understanding, and how it offers a radical alternative to conventional psychiatric practices. Whether you're a therapist, social worker...

In episode #128 Chris engages in a wide ranging conversation with Celiane Camargo-Borges, an expert in design thinking and collaborative dialogues. Together, they explore how design thinking can be integrated into therapeutic practices to foster more innovative and inclusive conversations. This episode explores the intersection of design and therapy, emphasizing the importance of creativity, co-cr...

In episode #127 Chris meets with Erin Segel & Julie Cho of Thick Press and they discuss the two-year project they have been working with over 200 collaborators in social work and family therapy; art and design; body work and witchery; organizing and education, and more, to create An Encyclopedia of Radical Helping, now on press and available for pre-order from Thick Press’s website. Thick Pres...

In episode #126 Chris meets with Whistler based narrative therapist Christine Dennstedt and they discuss journey’s through liminal space in therapy and the integration of psychedelics in psychotherapy.   Christine's Website Pre-Order An Encyclopedia of Radical Helping HERE     Chris Hoff PhD, LMFT We want to hear from you! Youtube: http://bit.ly/2i0DmaT Website:  http://www.theradicaltherapist.com...

In episode #125 Chris meets with Dr. Stephen Bacon and they discuss his work based on the research findings that therapy techniques have no inherent power. We explore his radical and provocative new direction, the insights of constructionism, and new ways of understanding therapeutic rituals, therapist charisma, and client-centered therapy. https://www.drstephenbacon.com/   CFI Fundraiser: cfi.cbo...