Dysfunctional

In this solo episode of Dysfunctional, Josh asks a raw question:Is the world actually worse, or are we just being fed constant content that keeps us triggered?As a highly sensitive person, Josh reflects on how algorithms exploit empathy, why stress has become a hidden addiction, and how our compassion is being stretched to breaking point. He dives into the danger of compassion fatigue, the blurred line between activism and doomscrolling, and why protecting your nervous system matters more than ever.This is a conversation for anyone who feels overwhelmed by the state of the world — and who needs reminding that caring doesn’t mean carrying everything.#highlysensitiveperson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Old friends. Real talk. A mini 115 Miles reunion.Hasan Khair joins me to unpack why work feels like a moving target and what to do when the ladder you were climbing gets ripped from the wall. We get into how school trained us for compliance, how hyper capitalism rewards harm, and why AI is speeding up a reckoning in every industry.This is not doom. It is a plan. We get practical about midlife pivots, redundancy, belief, and the tiny actions that rebuild confidence. If you feel stuck, dehumanised by job boards, or scared to start again, this one will help.In this episodeThe real shift in work since 2008 and why restructures never stopAI and automation. Why senior roles are getting cut firstSchool as a factory model. How it kills agency and creativityConfidence and class. The advantage of environmentHasan’s story. Failing A-levels, Blockbuster, Virgin, executive roles, redundancy, reinventionPanic vs purpose. How to pause and design a different pathIkigai without the fluff. What you love. What you’re good at. What the world needsNano steps. Not grand gesturesWhy community multiplies beliefHasan - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hasankhair/Tyllr - https://tyllr.co Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lauren Smallcomb grew up the “golden child” at home and in church. When compassion widened and questions came, the role cracked. We get into:Golden child vs scapegoat dynamics and why families swap those seatsConditional love, estrangement, and the pressure to “get back in line”High control religion, missions in Thailand, and leaving the systemThe body keeping the score: hives, chronic symptoms, and slow repairRebuilding through mind body work, movement, breath, and safe loveHer new book and who it’s forWork with Lauren and Luke: Flourish Therapy (mind body practice, global)Instagram & Facebook: @flourishtherapyWebsite: flourishtherapy.co Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Josh sits down with Theresa and her son Cody for one of the rawest and most hopeful conversations yet.Cody shares what it was like to grow up with an alcoholic mother, the emotional estrangement that followed, and how he once decided, “I don’t have a mom anymore.” Theresa opens up about her alcoholism, early recovery, the shame of realizing she had become the toxic parent she swore she wouldn’t be, and the painful accountability required to begin repairing.Together, they talk honestly about the darkest years of their relationship, the role of recovery and IFS (Internal Family Systems) in healing, and how they slowly rebuilt trust—not through excuses, but through deep accountability, boundaries, and a willingness to really listen.What emerges is a story of hope: proof that repair is possible, even after estrangement and years of hurt.Whether you’re an adult child of a toxic parent or a parent carrying shame for the harm you’ve caused, this conversation offers both validation and possibility.Teresa is now a a Somatic Wellness Practitioner who uses the Triad of Healing which is Parts Work, Breathwork, and Somatic Release to gain the full spectrum of emotional healing. Teresa says she does this as a profession because of the healing it brought her in her life. She works with anyone overcoming any kind of trauma. Teresa can be found here - www.energiesinmotion.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if everything you’ve been told about mental illness… isn’t true?In this raw and uncompromising episode of Dysfunctional, I sit down with psychologist and best-selling author Dr. Jessica Taylor to tear apart the myths and corruption within psychiatry and the wider mental health industry.We talk about:👉Why so many psychiatric “truths” are based on weak science (or none at all)👉How labels and diagnoses can keep people trapped instead of free👉The profit-driven systems that benefit from keeping people sick👉 true healing might look like outside of psychiatry👉Why being human has been pathologised — and how we can reclaim itThis conversation is not comfortable, and it’s not supposed to be. Some of you will feel liberated. Some of you might feel defensive or upset. Wherever you land, I invite you to sit with it, question it, and decide for yourself.🔗 Connect with Dr. Jessica Taylor:Website: https://www.drjessicataylor.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Dysfunctional, Josh sits down with Debra Paynter — business manager, single parent, and advocate — for a raw conversation about raising her son, Teddy, who is autistic and has a learning disability.They explore:Why SEND families are so often failed by schools, local authorities, and societyThe difference between a tantrum and a meltdown, and what public judgement really feels likeHow lockdown became a turning point in Teddy’s developmentThe exhausting fight to secure the right school place and legal protectionsWhat society could do — right now — to better support SEND parentsThe unexpected joy, connection, and resilience Debra has found in her journeyThis is a conversation about courage, love, and truth-telling — and it will make you think differently about SEND parenting.Follow Debra:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debs.does.asana/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Josh sits down with Dr. Sherrie Campbell — psychologist, author, and unapologetic disruptor in the toxic family space — ahead of their joint Come Home to Yourself event in Los Angeles on October 4th.What starts as an excited chat about the event quickly dives deep into some of the most taboo and misunderstood truths about healing from family abuse:Why forgiveness can become a weapon that keeps you trapped.How anger is an emotion of justice — and why you need it to set real boundaries.The myth that boundaries can “fix” toxic people.How bypassing, “love and light” culture, and the obsession with being nice can actually harm survivors.The danger of therapists colluding with abusers (often unintentionally).The reality of parental sadism and why you may never get a satisfying “why.”Dr. Sherrie shares the most vulnerable moment of her healing journey — the day she realised her mother had no respect for her because she kept forgiving her — and how that moment became a turning point toward freedom.This is not a conversation for those looking for sugar-coated healing. It’s for those ready to face the truth, drop the audition for love, and come home to themselves.🎟 Come Home to Yourself — Los Angeles, October 4thA full-day interactive experience with Josh & Dr. Sherrie featuring deep teaching, inner child work, live Q&A, and a powerful breathwork session for emotional release.Spaces are limited: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/come-home-to-you-tickets-1461867257319?aff=oddtdtcreator Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Dysfunctional, I’m joined by therapist and childhood trauma expert Patrick Teahan for a raw and powerful conversation about healing from toxic family systems.We explore:Why estrangement can be necessary for healing — and the grief that followsHow toxic parents keep control through subtle emotional tacticsThe long-term impact of growing up in dysfunctional family systemsThe limits of 12-step recovery when it comes to childhood traumaWhy grieving the parent you never had is a turning point in recoveryHow society mirrors toxic family dynamics — and what it takes to break the cyclePatrick also shares insights from his group therapy model, the Relationship Recovery Process, and reflects on his journey from early therapy to becoming a leading voice in the trauma recovery space.If you're healing from family dysfunction, this one will land deeply.Find Patrick here - https://linktr.ee/patrickteahan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the same coercive control you grew up with in your family is playing out on a societal scale—and no one’s supposed to name it?In this unapologetically raw episode, I’m joined by political punk artist Hyphen to call out the hidden systems most people are too afraid to touch. We unpack classism, manufactured consent, and how we’ve all been programmed to blame individuals instead of broken structures.Hyphen shares how losing a close friend, burning out in finance, and growing up as the child of Indian immigrants shaped his activism—and how political punk gave him a voice loud enough to be heard.We get into:Why being angry is the only sane response to injusticeThe truth about “freedom” under capitalismHow systems mirror abusive family dynamicsWhy 3.5% of people are all it takes to ignite changeAnd how slogans like “Hate Yachts, Not Dinghies” can become rallying cries for a generationThis one is for the misfits, the scapegoats, the question-askers.This is Dysfunctional. And we’re not here to behave. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this raw and emotional episode, I sit down with Lulu and Georgina—two sisters who grew up in the chaos of having a father in prison. What starts as a conversation about parental imprisonment unfolds into a powerful exploration of shame, silence, systemic failure, and the unbreakable bond between siblings who carried each other through the storm.We talk about what it’s really like for the children left behind:The raids.The media frenzy.Being judged by teachers, friends, and strangers.And the complete absence of support.Georgina was arrested at 17—just for being related to the man who committed the crime. Lulu was a child being searched at prison visits, isolated by her peers, and silently carrying the burden of a family under siege.Together, they’ve turned pain into purpose—becoming advocates for Children Heard and Seen, a charity supporting children affected by parental imprisonment.This conversation is a call to action. It’s about seeing the invisible victims of crime, breaking the cycle of silence, and reminding every child out there who’s been impacted: It’s not your fault.Key Topics Covered:Living with media stigma when a parent goes to prisonThe trauma of police raids and prison visits as a childThe emotional toll of secrecy, shame, and being judgedAttachment wounds and survival responsesHow families hold each other together in chaosThe desperate need for better support and resources for children of prisonersWhy advocacy matters and what needs to changeTrigger Warning: This episode contains emotional conversations around childhood trauma, imprisonment, police raids, and systemic neglect. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.