Why in the World

PETER CAPPON - Existential Psychotherapy: Exploring the Four Ultimate Concerns In this episode, psychotherapist Peter Cappon and I dive into the deep end of the pool exploring the realm Existential Psychotherapy and discuss how looking closely at one’s own fears of death, meaninglessness, isolation, and the need for freedom can lead to a more authentic, empowered, and integrated expression of one’s true self in the world. Peter is a wise and compassionate soul. Enjoy! If you are in West Michigan, in search of a therapist, and this episode resonated with you, you can reach out for an appointment with Peter by going to www.mindfulcounselinggr.com or by sending an email to: contact@mindfulcounselinggr.com Follow Why in the World on Instagram: @wiwpodcast COVID-19 Support: The wonderful team of therapists at Mindful Counseling GR are able to accept new clients for Video Counseling during this time for Michigan residents. If you are not in Michigan and could use some additional support during this season, please locate a therapist in your area by doing a simple Google search. Most therapists across the country are now able to conduct therapy via video and telehealth options.   Bryan Nixon is a psychotherapist and the founder and clinical director of Mindful Counseling GR in Grand Rapids, MI. He is also a teacher and facilitator in Relationally Focused Psychodynamic Therapy, a post-grad continuing education program for therapists. 

JOE HULL - Connection In this episode I sit down with fellow therapist, Joe Hull to discuss the human longing and need for authentic connection. We touch on the Enneagram a bit as well as practicing a form of therapy that maintains a deep sense of curiosity about what is emerging in the relational space between the client and therapist as a way of making unconscious patterns conscious so that they can be mutually worked through. This is a good episode for any of you psychology or therapy nerds (like us) out there.  Joe has been in private practice for the past couple of years and I have had the privilege of getting to know him as a deeply compassionate, curious, and thoughtful person who offers himself wholeheartedly to his clients for the sake of transformative connection. If you are in West Michigan, in search of a therapist, and this episode resonated with you, you can reach out for an appointment with Joe by going to www.mindfulcounselinggr.com or by sending an email to: contact@mindfulcounselinggr.com. Follow Why in the World on Instagram: @wiwpodcast COVID-19 Support: The wonderful team of therapists at Mindful Counseling GR are able to accept new clients for Video Counseling during this time for Michigan residents. If you are not in Michigan and could use some additional support during this season, please locate a therapist in your area by doing a simple Google search. Most therapists across the country are now able to conduct therapy via video and telehealth options. Bryan Nixon is a psychotherapist and the founder and clinical director of Mindful Counseling GR in Grand Rapids, MI. He is also a teacher and facilitator in Relationally Focused Psychodynamic Therapy, a post-grad continuing education program for therapists. 

BILLY LANDFORD - Instagram Live Recording - Flip the Script In this episode we go a bit unorthodox. My friend Billy Lanford from Eremos Performance reached out and asked if I would be interested in being interviewed by him on his Instagram Live feed. Neither one of us had done Instagram Live before so this was a shared experiment. Billy has a strong passion for helping others find where they are stuck in life and helping them tap into their own inner resources to go beyond where they are stuck to a more vibrant life. While the audio quality was slightly less than what we had hoped for, we both agreed that the content was definitely worth putting out into the world. I hope you enjoy the conversation as we cover topics of coffee, COVID19 (of course), trauma, growth mindset, and dreamwork.    Useful Links: Roast Umber - delicious coffee consciously crafted in Grand Rapids, MI. They deliver!   Connect with Billy - he is continuing to do really great interviews on his Insta feed. Web: Eremos Performance Instagram   Connect with Mindful Counseling GR Web: Mindful Counseling GR Instagram Facebook   Why in the World Podcast Instagram   COVID-19 Support: The wonderful team of therapists at Mindful Counseling GR are able to accept new clients for Video Counseling during this time for Michigan residents. If you are not in Michigan and could use some additional support during this season, please locate a therapist in your area by doing a simple Google search. Most therapists across the country are now able to conduct therapy via video and telehealth options. Bryan Nixon is a psychotherapist and the founder and clinical director of Mindful Counseling GR in Grand Rapids, MI. He is also a teacher and facilitator in Relationally Focused Psychodynamic Therapy, a post-grad continuing education program for therapists. 

LAURA BURKETT - Healing the Split “Life wants us to get on the beam, meaning that life wants us to live the life we are meant to live.” - Laura Burkett This episode, while recorded prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic, offers a lot of helpful insights that can serve us well during this crazy season. Laura Burkett is a deep well. She is a holistic nutrition counselor and certified eating psychology coach, these titles are her what in the world, but do not aptly capture the depth of her why in the world. While editing this episode I did a quick Google search for “nutrition coaching,” which produced just under 100,000,000 results! That is a staggering number! Laura, however, stands apart from the crowd in her ability to help people connect with the depths of their own souls, discover parts of themselves that have been split off, and begin to heal. What she offers her clients is so much more than just a modification of behavior and eating habits. You don’t want to miss this episode!  Connect with Laura in the following ways: WEB: www.realfoodwellness.com IG: @realfoodwellness FB: https://www.facebook.com/RealFoodWellness   COVID-19 Support: The wonderful team of therapists at Mindful Counseling GR are able to accept new clients for Video Counseling during this time for Michigan residents. If you are not in Michigan and could use some additional support during this season, please locate a therapist in your area by doing a simple Google search. Most therapists across the country are now able to conduct therapy via video and telehealth options.   Bryan Nixon is a psychotherapist and the founder and clinical director of Mindful Counseling GR in Grand Rapids, MI. He is also a teacher and facilitator in Relationally Focused Psychodynamic Therapy, a post-grad continuing education program for therapists. 

In this episode I chat with my life-long friend, Dr. Scott Graves to discuss action, hope, empowerment, and love in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic that currently has us all huddled up in a much more isolated way than we are typically used to. We explore how to care for ourselves physically, emotionally, and spiritually in such an unprecedented time. Dr. Scott is an acupuncture physician and holds a master's in counseling and theology. He is the founder of Triune Wellness Center in Orlando, FL and is the creator of the online course entitled Total Gut Transformation (www.TotalGutTransformation.com). If you are finding yourself overwhelmed by the stress, anxiety, and isolation that is currently coursing through all of humanity right now, consider the following options: 1. Schedule a confidential online therapy session with one of our amazing therapists at Mindful Counseling GR (if you are a Michigan resident). For those of you who are out of state, you can find local therapists in your area who are also able to do video sessions during this time. Most insurance carriers are covering online sessions presently. If you have questions about what online therapy is like, check out this one minute video that helps to demystify the experience. 2. Reach out to Dr. Scott for an online appointment from anywhere in the US and get a FREE copy of his Complete Cold and Flu Guide. Additionally, you can pick up a copy of The Sedona Method on Amazon mentioned in the episode. 3. Download the Metafi App for free. It is a wonderful tool for tracking, and journaling your emotional experiences as they arise as bodily sensations in order to help to soothe and learn from them. Metafi was created by Mindful Counseling GR therapist, Benjamin Reisterer. Additionally, many great yoga studios are putting their classes online for free. Moving your body is a great way to deal with stress. Use Google to search for free online yoga classes.   Bryan Nixon is a psychotherapist and the founder and clinical director of Mindful Counseling GR in Grand Rapids, MI. He is also a teacher and facilitator in Relationally Focused Psychodynamic Therapy, a post-grad continuing education program for therapists. 

Join psychologist Roy Barsness, a pioneer in Relationally Focused Psychodynamic Therapy, and psychotherapist Bryan Nixon as they dive deep into the transformative power of relationships. They discuss how authentic connections in therapy lead to genuine emotional breakthroughs. The duo explores the significance of unconscious processes in shaping interactions and the vital role of emotions over reasoning in therapy. They also reflect on the challenges of early therapy practice and the importance of continuing education for professional growth.

In this episode I sit down with my friend and fellow psychotherapist, April Kaiserlian. April is a Licensed Master of Social Work in private practice in Grand Rapids, MI and is a Mindfulness teacher and co-founder of the Grand Rapids Center for Mindfulness. We discuss themes of turning towards suffering rather than numbing or avoiding. April references the poem Birdwings by Rumi that I wanted to post here for you to read. Let these words in:   Birdwings Your grief for what you've lost lifts a mirror up to where you're bravely working.   Expecting the worst, you look, and instead, here's the joyful face you've been wanting to see.   Your hand opens and closes and opens and closes. If it were always a fist or always stretched open, you would be paralyzed.   Your deepest presence is in every small contracting and expanding the two as beautifully balanced and coordinated as birdwings. --Rumi   Connect with April Web:  https://www.aprilkaiserlian.com/  https://www.grandrapidscenterformindfulness.com/   IG: https://www.instagram.com/aprilkaiserlian/   Bryan Nixon is a psychotherapist and the founder and clinical director of Mindful Counseling GR in Grand Rapids, MI. He is also a teacher and facilitator in Relationally Focused Psychodynamic Therapy, a post-grad continuing education program for therapists. 

In this episode I sit down with my friend Jenny Bremer just days before she packed up her life in Grand Rapids, MI, jumped into her car with her dog and drove to Santa Fe. It was such a rich conversation exploring themes of self-awareness, unconscious patterns, suffering, freedom, and truth.  Connect with Jenny: Web:  Remembered Practice I’m Just Curious Podcast IG:  https://www.instagram.com/rememberedpractice/  https://www.instagram.com/theimjustcuriouspodcast/   Bryan Nixon is a psychotherapist and the founder and clinical director of Mindful Counseling GR in Grand Rapids, MI. He is also a teacher and facilitator in Relationally Focused Psychodynamic Therapy, a post-grad continuing education program for therapists.