The Meaningful Life with Andrew G. Marshall

Are you “world-weary”? Exhausted by life to the point where a day on the couch, a mini-break or a night out with friends won’t even touch the tip of your fatigue? This week’s guest, Dr Libby Nugent, is here to help. Libby discusses with Andrew the powerful healing properties of the fairytale. If you’ve experienced: Strains in relationships with your children or parents Anxiety about reaching goals you’ve defined for yourself A nagging sense that you’re missing out on other ways to approach life Then this week’s episode is for you.  Andrew and Libby touch on the resonances of Cinderella and Hansel and Gretel, and then dive deeper into the story of Frau Holle, the tough, nurturing underworld mother who rewards one daughter with a stream of gold, and the other with a coating of tar. They talk about accommodating the “splits” we find within ourselves and finding the capacity for self-love. Dr Libby Nugent is a clinical psychologist and groupwork practitioner with expertise in fairytales, Greek myths, reflective spaces and Jungian psychoanalysis.   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: ⭐️Libby and Andrew discuss the myths and symbols associated with queens, with reference to the death of Queen Elizabeth II. ⭐️3 things Libby 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 Read Andrew’s new Substack newsletter The Meaningful Life, and join the community there. Visit Dr Libby Nugent’s blog, where you’ll find more interpretation of fairytales. Or visit Dr Libby Nugent’s website to learn about the reflective spaces she runs. Dr Libby Nugent recommends World Weary Woman by Cara Barker if you’d like to go deeper into the Frau Holle story and the “world-weary woman” archetype. Follow Dr Libby Nugent on Twitter @becomingethical, on Facebook @drlibbynugent and on Instagram @libby.nugent. If you’re fascinated by some of the Jungian ideas discussed here, listen to some of Andrew’s other interviews with Jungian analysts: James Hollis on Resilience, Lisa Marchiano on Motherhood, Susan Schwartz on Fathers and Daughters and Robert Hopcke on Meaningful Coincidence. 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: https://www.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   

What happens if you ignore the voices in your head urging you to change your life? Most likely they will make themselves heard in some way, be it positive or negative. Dawn Kohler was an award-winning entrepreneur in the computer industry when she was abruptly summoned to take a life-altering course. She began to receive “messages”, which launched her on an extraordinary healing process. In this episode Dawn and Andrew talk about Dawn’s journey through anxiety, depression and a relentless pull towards the unknown (all while also trying to meet the needs of a young family). Dawn Kohler is an author and sought-after executive coach, working with leaders at companies including Sony Pictures, Lionsgate, DreamWorks, Fox, Snapchat, Disney, and Amazon. She serves on the Board of Step-Up, a non-profit organisation to help mentor teen girls in low-income areas. Dawn has written 3 books, including her recent memoir, The Messages, the story of her journey to wholeness and fulfillment. 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: ⭐️Five ways for successful women to stop feeling the need to prove themselves. ⭐️Three things Dawn 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 Read Andrew’s new Substack newsletter The Meaningful Life, and join the community there. You can purchase or read a sample of Dawn’s new book The Messages here You can find more information about Dawn Kohler’s workshops, books and coaching on her website You can also follow Dawn on Facebook  You might also enjoy listening to Andrew’s interviews with Kay Hutchison on Navigating Midlife Crisis or with Philip Carr-Gomm on Building an Authentic Life.  You may also like to read  Andrew’s book Wake Up and Change Your Life: How to Survive a Crisis and be Stronger, Wiser and Happier 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: https://www.patreon.com/andrewgmarshall   

If you’re feeling stuck in your life, could the way forward be found in your dreams? Your dreams are direct messages from your subconscious, and can tell you a huge amount if you pay them a little attention. This week’s guest, Machiel Klerk, is a Jungian analyst and the founder of the Jung Platform. He is also the author of Dream Guidance, a guide to connecting with and finding guidance from the soul through your dreams. Andrew and Machiel discuss Machiel’s dream incubation techniques: Machiel provides guidance on how to ask your subconscious a question relating to a specific situation in your life, and have the answer offered by your dreams.    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: ⭐️Four techniques to better interpret your dreams. ⭐️3 things Machiel 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 Read Andrew’s new Substack newsletter The Meaningful Life, and join the community there. Read Machiel Klerk’s book Dream Guidance  Visit Machiel Klerk’s website  Visit the Jung Platform Follow Machiel Klerk on Facebook and Instagram Listen to some of our other episodes featuring Jungian analysts, including James Hollis on Resilience, Lisa Marchiano on Motherhood, Susan Schwartz on Fathers and Daughters and Robert Hopcke on Meaningful Coincidence. 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.

If we know anything for sure about love, it’s that our beloved will change as time passes. They will look different, believe new things and feel new sorrows and joys. Psychologist and author Dr Matthew McKay has written a new book on how we can keep love alive in an age of impermanence. He talks with Andrew about five ways to keep loving in the face of change, loss or disappointment: ⭐️Truly knowing the people we love ⭐️Actively caring for loved ones ⭐️Cultivating compassion ⭐️Setting a daily intention to act with love ⭐️Turning toward the pain of impermanence, not away from it. Matthew has a strong belief that the power of love continues after life is over, and he and Andrew also discuss how to keep loving and communicating with those who are gone. 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: ⭐️Matthew discussing his “navigation principle” - a way to see more clearly how we approach life’s big decisions. ⭐️Matthew’s gratitude meditation to help you clean out the wounds of life. ⭐️3 things Matthew 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 Read Andrew’s new Substack newsletter The Meaningful Life, and join the community there.  Buy Dr Matthew McKay’s new book Love in the Time of Impermanence  Read Dr Matthew McKay’s book on the transition to the afterlife: The Luminous Landscape of the Afterlife  Take a look at Dr Matthew McKay’s author page on the Inner Traditions website. Read some of Dr Matthew McKay’s other books  You might also enjoy Andrew’s interviews with Paul Gilbert on Compassion and Self-Acceptance and with Terry Real on the Five Traps that Undermine Your Love.  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: https://www.patreon.com/andrewgmarshall 

How can we cope when life turns very dark? The culture tends to suggest we fix ourselves, work through the grief, and get back to normal as quickly as possible. If we accept the challenge to go deeper, though, getting up close with the darkness of life can be enriching and freeing.  Ancient and non-Western cultures tend to offer more routes into the “underworld”. Jungian psychotherapist Dr Joanna LaPrade is the author of a new book called Forged In Darkness, in which she explores how myth and stories can help us navigate our way through the shadows. In this episode Joanna shares stories and real-life examples to help you understand your own darkness. She and Andrew discuss: Creating your own rituals to deal with darkness Generational darkness: millennials and failure, babyboomers and shame. The transformative experience of suffering Dr Joanna LaPrade is an author, educator and Jungian psychotherapist. She has a private practice in Colorado U.S.A. 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: ⭐️The mythical gods and heroes who can best help us understand suffering. ⭐️3 things Joanna 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 Read Andrew’s new Substack newsletter The Meaningful Life, and join the community there. Read Dr Joanna LaPrade’s book Forged In Darkness  Visit Dr Joanna LaPrade’s website  Read Andrew’s memoir about the loss of his partner, My Mourning Year.  Listen to some of our other episodes on grief, such as David Kessler on the Sixth Stage of Grief, or to other Jungian guests such as James Hollis on Resilience. 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.  

Is it possible to fall in love with your partner over and over again? Can you hope to hold onto passionate sex as you grow older together? This week Andrew is joined by Dr Cheryl Fraser, an author, Buddhist teacher, psychologist and sex therapist. They explore the nature and longevity of passion, including: ⭐️Libido and why it can wane over time ⭐️How mindfulness works in the bedroom ⭐️The “passion triangle” - intimacy, thrill, sensuality. Dr Cheryl Fraser is the author of Buddha’s Bedroom, and the host of the Sex, Love and Elephants podcast. She also runs an online programme for couples, Become Passion. Dr Cheryl has helped thousands of couples jump-start their love life and create passion that lasts a lifetime. She lives in Vancouver, where she has a thriving private practice in sex and couples therapy. She is regularly featured in Mindful and Best Health magazines. Dr Cheryl was also a Fulbright scholar, and has studied meditation and Buddhism for twenty-five years, in both the Tibetan and Theravaden traditions. 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: ⭐️Cheryl & Andrew on 3 big relationship myths ⭐️How Buddhism’s 4 Noble Truths can lead to a more loving, connected relationships.  ⭐️3 things Cheryl 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 Read Andrew’s new Substack publication, The Meaningful Life Learn more about Dr Cheryl’s online immersion program for couples, Become Passion. It will be offered only once in 2022, in October. Join the waitlist here.  Sign up to receive Lovebytes, Dr Cheryl’s tips and techniques to help you create love that lasts a lifetime. Read Dr Cheryl’s book, Buddha’s Bedroom  Listen to Dr Cheryl’s podcast Sex, Love and Elephants  Follow Dr Cheryl on Facebook and YouTube  Read Andrew’s book I Love You But I’m Not In Love With You  Read Andrew’s blog Seven Secrets for Making Marriage Last  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.

This week we are celebrating our 100th episode. To mark the occasion, we have a very special guest: Julia Samuel MBE, who is one of the UK’s foremost psychotherapists, as well as an author and an expert on grief.  Julia and Andrew discuss: ⭐️How grief and loss pass from generation to generation ⭐️How you can protect your own children from generational trauma ⭐️Using boundaries, rituals and positive conflict techniques to help your family heal. 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: ⭐️Julia’s 12 touchstones for the wellbeing of a family. ⭐️3 things Julia 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 Read Andrew’s new Substack newsletter and join the community there Read Julia Samuel’s book Every Family has a Story: How We Inherit Love and Loss Read Julia Samuel’s other books This Too Shall Pass : Stories of Change, Crisis and Hopeful Beginnings and Grief Works : Stories of Life, Death and Surviving Take a look at Julia Samuel’s website   Follow Julia Samuel on Facebook and Instagram @JuliaSamuelMBE Listen to other episodes dealing with generational inheritances: Terry Real on Five Traps that Undermine Your Love, Jed Diamond on Your Personal Creation Story and Philippa Perry on What You Wish Your Parents Knew. 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  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.  

Some of us spend years having the same arguments with our partner, on repeat. Others drift into a state of lonely togetherness where we don’t bother to talk about discontents, because it just feels pointless. Joanna Harrison is a marital therapist who has identified five arguments that all couples need to have. If you can work through these issues, your chances of building a healthy, happy relationship are much stronger. In this week’s episode, Andrew and Joanna discuss basic skills for productive conflict, why we try to avoid arguments, and how therapy can help. 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: ⭐️Joanna’s examples of practical strategies that have worked best for the couples she sees.  ⭐️Andrew and Joanna’s best piece of advice for couples struggling to disagree productively. ⭐️3 things Joanna KNOWS to be true. ⭐️AND subscribers can also explore a rich trove of bonus material on love, life and meaning created by Andrew and all his previous guests.   Follow Up Read Andrew’s new Substack newsletter and join the community there  Get Joanna Harrison’s book Five Arguments All Couples (Need to) Have and Why the Washing-Up Matters  Take a look at Joanna Harrison’s website https://joannaharrison.co.uk  Follow Joanna Harrison on Twitter @JoCoupleTherapy and on Instagram @joannaharrisoncoupletherapist  Listen to other The Meaningful Life episodes on marriage and relationships: Dr Terry Real on Five Traps that Undermine Your Love and Matthew Fray on How Good People Mess Up Their Marriages  Read Andrew’s book I Love You But I’m Not In Love With You: Seven Steps to Saving Your Relationship  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.   

Society encourages us to focus hard on “doing, achieving and having”. According to Professor Paul Gilbert, though, we would likely be much happier if we instead worked on being more compassionate to ourselves and others. In this episode Andrew and Paul discuss: ⭐️Why being compassionate ISN’T being weak ⭐️Three key pillars of compassion: assertiveness, forgiveness & apology ⭐️Why compassion increases feelings of contentment and wellbeing.  ⭐️Exercises you can do to become more compassionate ⭐️The vagus nerve and its role in regulating anxiety and moods. Professor Paul Gilbert Paul Gilbert FBPsS, PhD, OBE is the Founder and President of The Compassionate Mind Foundation. He is also Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Derby and honorary visiting Prof at the University of Queensland. Paul was made a Fellow of the British Psychological Society in 1993, president of the BABCP for 2002-2004, and was a member of the first British Government’s NICE guidelines for depression. He has written/edited 23 books and over 300 papers and book chapters. He was awarded an OBE by the Queen in March 2011 for services to mental health.   Follow Up Read Andrew’s new Substack newsletter and join the community there.  Read Paul Gilbert’s book The Compassionate Mind See Paul Gilbert’s other books   Paul Gilbert is the Founder and President of The Compassionate Mind Foundation  Follow the Compassionate Mind Foundation on Facebook @CompMindFound, on Twitter @CompMindFound, on Instagram @compassionatemind_foundation and on LinkedIn.  Learn more about the vagus nerve - “Everything you need to know about the vagus nerve” in Medical News Today and “This Nerve Influences Nearly Every Internal Organ. Can It Improve Our Mental State, Too?” in The New York Times. 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  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.  

What if divorce were not the end? This week’s podcast guests, Tommy and Gina Mulligan, share their journey from acrimonious divorce back to happy coupledom. Tommy and Gina started out as high school sweethearts and grew up together to create a happy life and family. As Tommy’s career accelerated, however, they encountered problems with work/life balance, gendered relationship stereotypes and a problematic dynamic that sometimes felt more like a parent and child than a married couple.  Later, however, they were able to rediscover their spark and develop their own unique approach to starting over. This involved working on communication skills, but also agreeing to parcel away the bad times and start again from the point where there had been harmony.   Follow Up Read Andrew’s new Substack newsletter and join the community there Follow Tommy and Gina on Twitter @2ndtimearound22 Read Andrew’s book The Happy Couple’s Handbook – Powerful Life Hacks for a Successful Relationship Listen to some of our other episodes on marriage and relationships - including Irene Fehr on Why Desire Disappears in Committed Relationships and Terry Real on The Five Traps that Undermine Your Love . 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  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.