The Meaningful Life with Andrew G. Marshall

There are people in our lives who mesmerise but at the same time diminish and damage us. They excite us about the possibilities life holds, while teaching us that we are not worthy of achieving them. Their impact can be so great that for years after we continue trying to replicate the intensity of our time with them, seeing everything through our monster’s lens.  Psychotherapist and author Charlotte Fox Weber joins me this week to discuss SACRED MONSTERS - the people we encounter in love, friendship or work whose devastating charisma may shape us for years after they depart.  We cover: Charlotte’s personal experiences with sacred monsters Scapegoats in family and society, and how they can also be understood as sacred monsters The trickster archetype as sacred monster The “perverse imp” inside us that can render us vulnerable to monsters.  Charlotte Fox Weber is a psychotherapist, author and the founding head of The School of Life Psychotherapy. Her latest book, Sacred Monsters will be available in 2026.  If You’re Looking for More…. You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests  and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50 This week supporters will hear: Maternal Monsters Three Things Charlotte Fox Weber knows to be true.  AND subscribers also access all of our previous bonus content - a rich trove of insight on love, life and meaning created by Andrew and his interviewees. Follow Up Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin  Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things  Learn more about Charlotte Fox Weber’s book Sacred Monsters, available 2026  Read Charlotte Fox Weber’s book, Tell Me What You Want: A Therapist and Her Clients Explore Our 12 Deepest Desires.  Follow Charlotte Fox Weber on Instagram @charlottefoxweberpsychotherapy Take a look at Andrew’s new online relationship course: My Best Relationship Tools  Join our Supporters Club to access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50. Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall   

Throw away your FitBit, stop counting your daily steps, and instead learn to run mindfully. If you can find the three key elements of space, silence and patience, you’ll be far more able to tackle big problems at work and at home. William Pullen is a psychotherapist who helps clients using his revolutionary method of Dynamic Running Therapy. His work combines movement and talk therapy to harness the synergy of mind, body and spirit. In this classic reissued episode Andrew and William discuss 🏃🏾‍♂️How a good walk is different from a good run 🏃🏽‍♀️The practice of “asking your run/walk a question” 🏃🏻What the way someone walks can tell us about them.  William also tackles a particularly thorny reader’s letter about what to do if you find that your smartphone use is taking over your life and spoiling your relationships. Subscriber Content This Week If you’re a subscriber to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Patreon), this week you’ll be hearing: ⭐ Running to improve your anger management ⭐ Three things William Pullen knows to be true. ⭐️AND subscribers also access all of our previous bonus content - a rich trove of insight on love, life and meaning created by Andrew and his interviewees. Follow Up Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin  Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things  Buy William Pullen’s book Run for Your Life: Mindful Running for a Happy Life Visit William Pullen’s website  Watch William Pullen’s TEDx talk “Movement is Medicine” Follow William Pullen on Instagram @dynamicrunningtherapy and on Twitter @pullentherapy Take a look at Andrew’s new online relationship course: My Best Relationship Tools Join our Supporters Club to access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50  Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall 

There’s no one set of rules that will see us through. Psychologist and author PROFESSOR ROSS G. WHITE works instead on the concept of psychological flexibility. If we have flexible habits and mindset, we can navigate life’s inevitable storms with at least a degree of strength and grace.  Ross believes that just as martial arts like jiu-jitsu train students to be grounded and focused, we can also train the mind to be agile and flexible; able to roll with the punches whilst staying true to core values.  Andrew and Ross discuss: How to embrace emotional turbulence, and turn fear, frustration or anxiety into opportunities for growth and learning. Facing uncertainty with confidence and purpose.  Why we are easily defeated by rigid routines, and how to embrace flexibility in habits and mindset instead.  Practical techniques to build mental agility.  Professor Ross G. White is an award-winning clinical psychologist who specializes in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of adults working in high-performance environments. This includes elite-level athletes in rugby, football, athletics and tennis. He is also an expert in global mental health and has conducted research in collaborations with the World Health Organization and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees on interventions for reducing distress experienced by refugees in the aftermath of humanitarian crises. He is currently Professor of Clinical Psychology at Queen's University Belfast, and is a director of Strive2Thrive, a training and consultancy. If You’re Looking for More…. You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests  and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.  This week supporters will hear: Don’t Burden Your Children with your Unlived Life.  Three Things Ross G. White knows to be true.  AND subscribers also access all of our previous bonus content - a rich trove of insight on love, life and meaning created by Andrew and his interviewees. Follow Up Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin.  Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things  Read Ross G. White’s new book, The Tree That Bends: How a Flexible Mind Can Help You Thrive  Visit Ross G. White’s website  In the bonus episode this week Andrew reads from James Hollis’ book, Living an Examined Life: Wisdom for the Second Half of the Journey. You can buy the book HERE.  Take a look at Andrew’s new online relationship course: My Best Relationship Tools  Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall   

Have you ever experienced a strange, inexplicable coincidence that left you feeling “like a grand, mysterious character in a story?” One that seemed to suggest a particular relationship was “meant to be”, or, on the flipside, that it was time to let go? In this week’s classic episode, Andrew talks to Jungian analyst ROBERT HOPCKE about synchronicity: the strange coincidences that make us feel like the universe is sending us a message, or trying to turn our lives around.  These coincidences have the potential to help us find the meaning we’re seeking. Synchronistic events can offer a sense of underlying wholeness in our lives. They often happen in times of transition, and help us move to the place we need to be. They offer us the opportunity to recognise the symbolic quality of everyday life, and to be alive to the symbolism that everyday objects, events and people present to us. Robert Hopcke is a Jungian analyst, author and a licensed marital therapist in private practice in Berkeley, California. He is the author of two books on Jung’s concept of synchronicity - There Are No Accidents and There Are No Accidents in Love and Relationships - and a number of other books about Jung.  If You’re Looking for More…. You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests  and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.  This week supporters will hear: Three Things Robert Hopcke knows to be true.  AND subscribers also access all of our previous bonus content - a rich trove of insight on love, life and meaning created by Andrew and his interviewees. Follow Up Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin  Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things  Read Robert Hopcke’s book There Are No Accidents: Synchronicity and the Stories of Our Lives Visit Robert Hopcke’s website  Take a look at Andrew’s new online relationship course: My Best Relationship Tools  Join our Supporters Club to access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.  Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall 

Meet Richard Blake, a psychologist and breathwork expert known as The Breath Geek. He illuminates how conscious breathing can drastically enhance mental clarity and emotional healing. Richard shares a simple breathing exercise to alleviate anxiety and explores the importance of connecting the body and mind for overall wellbeing. He also discusses the unique ways men and women experience somatic therapies, and the power of community in managing stress. Tune in for transformative insights that may lead to profound personal breakthroughs.

Venus O’Hara plans to change the world, one orgasm at a time. She believes women are equally as sexual as men, and should have the time and space to embrace their multi-orgasmic potential. Venus is a British orgasm activist, author and feminist based in Barcelona. She has a hugely popular YouTube channel on which she discusses the female orgasm and leading a healthy and authentic orgasmic lifestyle. In this classic reissued episode, Venus and Andrew discuss many aspects of Venus’ journey, including her expertise in fetishism (which Venus sees as an intelligent, imaginative approach to sex, fascinating in its eroticisation of the non-sexual), and her career change from real estate sales to online businesswoman, writer and activist.  If You’re Looking for More…. You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests  and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.  This week supporters will hear: Three Things Venus O’Hara knows to be true.  AND subscribers also access all of our previous bonus content - a rich trove of insight on love, life and meaning created by Andrew and his interviewees. Follow Up Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin.  Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things Watch videos on Venus O’Hara’s YouTube channel Take a look at Venus O’Hara’s website. Follow Venus on Instagram @venusohara  Read Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.  Read Andrew’s book Have the Sex You Want: A Couple’s Guide to Getting Back the Spark Take a look at Andrew’s new online relationship course: My Best Relationship Tools  Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall   

Can you criticise your partner without starting a flaming row, or causing them to retreat into a wounded silence? If not, you’re not alone. Many of us struggle for years to find a way to manage relationship conflict in an honest, constructive spirit.  This week, Andrew discusses the secrets of better conflict with relationship coach JACK BOHANNON. Andrew and Jack cover: Attachment theory and how it influences our capacity for constructive conflict.  Better strategies for giving and receiving feedback. The healing power of men’s work.  AND, Andrew participates in a role play exercise designed by Jack.  Jack Bohannan is a certified Somatica relationship coach. He helps clients overcome stuck relationship patterns, insecure attachment, and self-worth issues using somatic techniques. His work is experiential and involves role play, self-disclosure, and genuine conversation. If You’re Looking for More…. You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests  and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.  This week supporters will hear: How attachment theory can transform your relationship.  Three Things Jack Bohannan knows to be true.  AND subscribers also access all of our previous bonus content - a rich trove of insight on love, life and meaning created by Andrew and his interviewees. Follow Up Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin  Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things  Visit Jack Bohannan’s website  Read Jack Bohannan’s writing on Medium Follow Jack Bohannan on Instagram  Take a look at Andrew’s new online relationship course: My Best Relationship Tools  Join our Supporters Club to access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.  Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall   

In a candid conversation, Kate Lucey, an author and mental health advocate, shares her six-year journey with depression. She dives into the complex nature of the illness and its effects on relationships. Kate discusses the importance of therapy and open communication while also emphasizing mindfulness techniques to combat negative thoughts. She highlights the value of self-advocacy and finding joy in small moments, along with the healing power of connection and the potential for personal growth through shared experiences.

Most of us dislike or even fear conflict with loved ones. Without it, however, you won't achieve sustained intimacy with your partner.  This week, Andrew talks to writer, psychologist and Jungian analyst Polly Young-Eisendrath, the author of Love Between Equals: Relationship as a Spiritual Path. They explore the challenges and possibilities of building partnerships based on respect, freedom and real dialogue.  Andrew and Polly discuss: What “real dialogue” means—and how to practice mindful curiosity with your partner. How and why to stop avoiding conflict with your partner. Projective identification in relationships.  What to do if you’re feeling defeated or distant in your relationship.  Polly Young-Eisendrath, Ph.D., is the founder of the Center for Real Dialogue in Vermont and the author of 19 books. Her work combines psychoanalytic thinking, mindfulness, and Buddhism to illuminate the inner work required to love with both strength and humility. She is also the host of the popular podcasts Enemies: From War to Wisdom and Waking Up is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space. If You’re Looking for More… You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50: Join here This week, supporters will hear: ⭐ The Benefits of a Conversation Between the Spiritual and Psychological ⭐ Three Things Polly Young-Eisendrath Knows to Be True ⭐️AND access to all our previous bonus content—a rich archive of insight and inspiration Follow Up Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin: Learn more here Read Polly Young-Eisendrath’s book Love Between Equals: Relationship as a Spiritual Path  Visit Polly Young-Eisendrath’s website  Listen to Polly Young-Eisendrath’s podcasts: ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom  Waking Up is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space  Follow Polly Young-Eisendrath on Facebook, Instagram and X/Twitter. Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things Take a look at Andrew’s new online relationship course: My Best Relationship Tools Join our Supporters Club to access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50: patreon.com/andrewgmarshall  Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall

Are you one of the many people who end up shocked by the ultimate similarity of romantic relationships that felt very different starting out? Why is it that we find the same patterns repeating, the same problems coming up over and over? In this classic episode, Andrew talks to author and attachment theory specialist Tara Blair-Ball. Tara explains how attachment theory - which is grounded in analysis of how we bonded to our mother as infants - can explain these patterns. Andrew and Tara emphasise that rather than dwelling on the particular faults of partner A and partner B, we can try to understand how our earliest relationships in life have determined later ones. This will help us make the changes that can lead to more meaningful and more fulfilling relationships.  Tara Blair Ball is a Certified Relationship Coach, as well as the author of several books on love and relationships. Her content on relationship and dating has been viewed more than 6 million times.  If You’re Looking for More…. You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests  and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.  This week supporters will hear: Three Things Tara Blair Ball knows to be true.  AND subscribers also access all of our previous bonus content - a rich trove of insight on love, life and meaning created by Andrew and his interviewees. Follow Up Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin.  Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things Take a look at Tara Blair Ball’s website Read Emerson Eggerichs’ book Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs   Read Gary Chapman’s book The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts  Take a look at Andrew’s new online relationship course: My Best Relationship Tools  Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall