You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist

Growing up without a father can leave voids to fill. Like so many other disadvantaged young people, Adam and I both struggled in our searches for meaning, safety, wisdom, and a healthy understanding of masculinity. In this interview, we exchange hard-won perspectives from our process of striving, confronting the problems with identity politics in the process. How does the victim mentality fail eve...

We evolved to take time-saving mental shortcuts. Split-second snap judgments can even save lives. But what are the pitfalls and drawbacks of such heuristics? Can we really see things as they are, or do we see them only through the filters our modern-day tribes have taught us to look through? If a concept is popular, does that mean it’s correct—or could it be merely contagious? What makes an idea v...

Lisa K Swallow is the co-founder and Executive Director of Crossing Party Lines , Inc., a national nonprofit dedicated to reducing toxic polarization by creating open dialogue between Americans with dissimilar political views. In this interview, she shares a wealth of wisdom derived from helping hundreds of people heal the political divide in their families and communities, exploring insights and...

A lifelong learner, heterodox thinker, and self-taught dabbler in many disciplines, Michael D. C. Bowen brings a wealth of wisdom on the many worlds he has traveled through. After building his career in data engineering and raising his family, he decided to undertake a “martial education” by joining the citizens’ police academy and being trained as a first-responder. What have his life experiences...

During his career working in acute mental health facilities, Benjamin helped people in psychotic states. His professional and personal curiosities led him to developing a unique passion for interpreting and exploring dreams. Benjamin is one of those rare gems who’s calm and collected in a crisis, and comfortable exploring the edges of sanity. He believes his autism has aided him in developing his...

Michelle always knew she was different. As a child, she was socially awkward, and got picked on. She never felt comfortable dressing or acting like other girls. Receiving a professional diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder was an important step in her process of coming home to herself with acceptance and understanding. But the explanation didn’t come soon enough to prevent her from getting lost d...

As two quirky, strong-minded women who have built our careers on the edges of consciousness, Jessie and I compare notes on our personal and professional experiences with giftedness and sensitivity. What are the unique challenges neurodivergent youth must overcome? How do “abstract-intense” people learn to own our eccentricities while building on our strengths? And how can an over-excitable nervous...

Many people are curious about psilocybin assisted therapy, but the illegal status of all hallucinogens in the United States makes it difficult to find accurate information. Enter Jonas: a former social worker who now facilitates healing retreats in Jamaica, where psychedelics are legal.  In this episode, Jonas shares his wealth of wisdom, derived from research and experience, on this intriguing ye...

I recently emerged victorious from a harrowing battle and successfully defended myself against false allegations of “conversion therapy.” Part of how I got through the stress of it all was envisioning that some day I would be able to use my story to encourage and inspire others. But what I couldn’t have imagined was that I’d share it with the illustrious Helen Joyce. Under any other circumstances...

Jane is a treasure trove of wisdom who I initially discovered through the transformational, participatory, experiential Systemic Constellations workshops she facilitates locally at her farm in Oregon. In this interview, she shares her insights into the wisdom of the body, the social brain, personal agency, roles and relationships, and systemic change. Jane Peterson, PhD is the founder of the Human...

When we are fully present in our bodies and know how to trust our inner guidance, we gain the confidence to navigate any of life’s ups and downs. In this interview, Amy and I explore values and virtues, boundaries versus barriers, the wisdom in our sense perceptions, the concept of inner authority — and why you might want to shift your focus from feeling better to being a better feeler. Amy Sousa,...

As an adolescent, Helena identified as trans. But high doses of testosterone led to such extreme mood swings that she was hospitalized twice — yet none of the professionals on her team ever questioned what she was doing to her body, or why.  In this powerful and courageous interview, detransitioned woman Helena Kerschner shares her inside view on the fantasy versus reality of trans — the hopes and...

Cindy caught my attention when she appeared as a contestant on Netflix’s Baking Impossible. With the help of her engineer teammate Taylor, they dreamed up delightfully decorated, edible, functional machines and landscapes — and then brought them to life. The team had an infectiously positive energy and sky’s-the-limit attitude that inspired viewers around the world. It’s not every day you come acr...

Dirk was raised in a scholarly family, but become curious about the inner worlds of people with 300-word vocabularies. A former special education teacher now working in tech, he remains a lifelong learner, and has become curious in recent years about the subject of intelligence. How did it become so fraught, and why is it necessary to discuss anyway? What can IQ accurately measure and predict — an...

Dr. Rhoberta Shaler has spent her career helping the partners, exes, adult children and siblings of relentlessly difficult people. In this episode, she shares a lifetime’s worth of wisdom on what she calls "hijackals" — people who hijack relationships for their own purposes and then relentlessly scavenge them for power, status and control. What distinguishes emotional abuse from normal communicati...

How did a mild-mannered academic scientist find himself a target of vitriol amidst unexpected controversy? In this episode, Colin Wright tells us what he learned from ants and spiders about human social behavior, personality and groupthink. What compelled this fair-minded researcher to dedicate his career to debunking ideological myths? In a world at war over the question of how we should define s...

When her impressionable 10-year-old daughter claimed to be transgender, Jennifer recognized it as a cry for help, and did everything in her power to understand the issue. With the help of her therapist, family, and community, Jennifer was able to identify and provide the type of support her daughter truly needed. Today, Jennifer’s daughter accepts herself just as she is, and doesn’t want the medic...

Jake and I are therapists from wildly different backgrounds. When I’m hiking waterfalls in the lush Pacific Northwest, Jake is shooting guns in the Nevada desert. Yet, as it turns out, we see eye-to-eye on a surprising number of things. Why is it important for therapists to check for cultural biases in the least likely places we might think to look? When does “supportive” therapy become counterpro...

I couldn’t think of a better way to kick off my new podcast than with a guest who embodies two of my favorite traits: self-compassion and courage. Author and educator Sarah Peyton is a gentle guide and a wise woman who has walked into the belly of the beast, taking her mindfulness practice into the prison systems. Together, we explore: how do we engage in earnest self-reflection without wallowing...