Psyche

In this episode, I interview my 8 and 12 year-old sons. They asked to be on the podcast and share their experience of being in a blended family. These boys highlight some of the common struggles like adjusting to a step-parent and getting new siblings. They also highlight some of the benefits of having new people and experiences in their life. This was a fun and light hearted conversation. If you know anyone in this situation or someone who is considering taking this step, please share! 

This episode is a bit different than previous ones. I interview a young man diagnosed with Autism. For various reasons, it's important to keep his identity and specific details of his story confidential. In this episode, we explore his diagnosis, early bullying, his time in prison, his experience with different therapies, and how he's seeking to defy the odds. He was told by people in his past that he would not amount to shit. This Autistic man is seeking to prove them wrong. 

In this episode, I interview Lewis Dene. Lewis has worked in the music industry for over 25 years and has club music in his veins. He's a former dance producer at Radio 1, music journalist, broadcaster, remixer and recording artist. With a background in dance promotion and A&R, he has previously worked for Slip N Slide/Kickin Music, and run such seminal brands as the DeepBeats and Mastercuts labels. As a producer he has worked under many guises most notably Pump Friction and Solitaire. His discography includes the chart topping singles ‘I Like Love (I Love Love)’ and ‘You Got The Love’, as well as acclaimed restylings for a wide and varied array of artists from Rihanna, Donna Summer and Jocelyn Brown through to Mick Jagger and Paramore. In this episode we explore childhood trauma, the feminine side of men, the importance of finding your passion, and starting to really live when you accept that you can't control that bad shit will happen to you. Lewis tells us about his 100,000 record collection, his favorite swear word and how he survived cancer. This is one of my favorite episodes. It's raw, vulnerable and funny. I hope you enjoy!  Connect with Lewis: www.Discogs.com/user/lewisdene 

In this episode, I have a conversation with Matt Cardin. We discuss Alan Watts’s book Beyond Theology: The Art of Godmanship. We explore various themes including: the Creator/creature distinction, the philosophy of nonduality, "scientism", and spiritual disciplines that help us become more "accident prone" to receiving divine grace.  Matt Cardin is a writer and freelance editor living in North Central Arkansas. With a Ph.D. in leadership and a master’s degree in religious studies, he writes frequently about the intersection of religion, horror, art, and creativity. He is also Vice President of Academic Affairs at North Arkansas College. His books include the weird and cosmic horror fiction collection “To Rouse Leviathan” and the nonfiction collection “What the Daemon Said: Essays on Horror Fiction, Film, and Philosophy.” He has been a panelist, panel chair, and reader at The World Fantasy Convention, The World Horror Convention, MythosCon, and more. In 2014 he was an invited panelist at Baylor University’s Faith and Film symposium. He has been a guest on Expanding Mind, Weird Studies, Darkness Radio, the Mancow Muller Show, This Is Horror, and many other radio shows and podcasts. He is also a longtime pianist with an especially extensive background in church music. Former careers include professor of English and religion, dissertation editor for doctoral students, high school teacher, piano salesman, college writing center instructor, corporate communications specialist, media producer for a large state university, and video director for country and pop music legend Glen Campbell. Website: https://mattcardin.com Blog: https://www.teemingbrain.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/_MattCardin

In this episode, I speak with J. (Jeremy) Strives. J is a professional barber and author living in Houston, Texas. This is a wild conversation! We talk about J's time in prison, his struggle with addiction, becoming a father and the harmful messages men internalize growing up. We even talk about makeup, John Wayne and the "performance" known as masculinity. If you're a guy who's wondering about the value of therapy, you should definitely listen to this episode!  Check out the website: https://www.jstrives.com.

In this episode, I speak with Angi Lewis. Angi is a professional photographer serving the Houston Market since 2013. These are Angi's words from her website:  Photography has always been my passion. I am a member of PPA (Professional Photographers of America) and serve as an Ambassador with both Partnership Lake Houston  and In The Pink of Health, a non-profit organization for cancer awareness. Giving back to my community is incredibly important to me. Life is both precious and short… another reason why photographs are so important. My work has received multiple awards for The Portrait Masters.  I have also been published in several Houston magazines including: The Crown, Voyage Houston, The Houston Chronicle and am proudly recognized as Houston’s Premiere Portrait Photographer. I have photographed politicians, doctors, artists, entrepreneurs, parents and children. But my real passion is simply capturing the true essence of anyone who steps in front of my camera. In this conversation, we discuss why every professional man should get branding photos. We talk about the difference between headshots and a branding shoot, fashion tips for men going into a branding shoot and much much more.  If you'd like to connect with Angi please check out her website: https://angilewis.com

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Joel Vos. Dr. Vos is a psychologist, philosopher, researcher, lecturer, existential therapist, author, speaker, artist and chair of IMEC International Meaning Events & Communities. In this conversation, we discuss his book The Economics of Meaning In Life: Capitalist Life Syndrome to Meaning-Oriented Economy. We discuss the current mental health crisis caused by our sick society. We also explore the capitalist life syndrome, functionalism, the difference between self-help and self-care and the importance of a meaning-oriented life. Although Dr. Vos' research has not explicitly addressed masculinity, we talk about some of the implications of his research for modern conceptions of masculinity.  If you'd like to connect with Dr. Vos check out his website: https://joelvos.com To buy the book we discuss: https://www.amazon.com/Economics-Meaning-Life-Capitalist-Meaning-Oriented/dp/1939686571

In this episode, I talk with Barry Taylor. Barry is a theologian-philosopher, musician, artist, academic and writer who has spent more than thirty years challenging traditional notions of religion and church and creating alternative communities built on the idea that life is uncertain, the future is unwritten and that none of us has the answer. Barry's work collapses the boundaries between the sacred and the profane, blurs the lines between theism and atheism and raises new questions about life, death and everything in between. Barry also writes books, makes music with his friends, produces daily art works and spends a lot of time in coffee shops reading. Born in the U.K. he recently returned to London after living in Los Angeles for many years. This is a conversation about his latest book “Sex, God, and Rock N’ Roll: Catastrophies, Epiphanies, and Sacred Anarchies.” The book is a theological memoir about life. It is organized around Freud’s four palliatives; art, sexual love, intoxicants and religion, from his book Civilization and its Discontents, as a way of dividing up the essays- these sections focus on the biological, aesthetic, experiential and spiritual aspects of life. Barry has lived an interesting life, from a sound technician for AC/DC to a professor at a marketing school and beyond. Barry and I are both bricoleurs, piecing together a philosophical life out of a multitude of sources. ukbloke.com  https://www.amazon.com/Sex-God-Rock-Roll-Catastrophes/dp/1506409067

In this episode, I speak with Tierra Ortiz-Rodriguez on Ecotherapy, Ecopoetry & Mindfulness in Nature. I love learning about new approaches to therapy! Tierra works with diverse populations of clients and communities to actualize ambitious health and wellness goals. Her approach is compassionate, collaborative, strengths-based, and trauma-informed. She integrates nature, mindfulness, and expressive arts into therapy.  If you'd like to connect with her you can check out her website: https://www.pathwaystomindbodysoul.com

In this episode, I speak with J.F. Martel. J.F. is a writer on art, culture, religion, and philosophy. We discuss James Hillman's book "A Terrible Love of War." His essays have appeared in online journals such as Canadian Notes & Queries, Reality Sandwich, The Finch, and Metapsychosis, as well as in print anthologies from Penguin-Tarcher, North Atlantic Books, and Intellect Books. He is the author of Reclaiming Art in the Age of Artifice, published in 2015 by Evolver Editions. Ediciones Atalanta released a Spanish translation of the work in 2017. His long-form essay, “Reality is Analog: Philosophizing with Stranger Things,” is available in e-book format from Untimely Books. http://www.reclaimingart.com With Prof. Phil Ford of Indiana University Bloomington, J.F. co-hosts the Weird Studies podcast, a series of conversations on the intersections of philosophy, the arts, and the weird. https://www.weirdstudies.com