You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist

As we discuss often on this podcast, “gender affirming care” can appeal to trauma survivors as an enticing way out of pain. Some of these people go through the entire process of medical intervention only to find themselves pursuing detransition. This week I am joined by Torren Danowski, a detransitioner who found himself in this exact situation. Torren and I discuss his unique story from his struggle with gender dysphoria, and his adventure with psychedelics, to the place of faith, religion, ministry and church in his life. Torren reminds us of the deeper work it takes to truly discover one’s identity, and urges listeners to align your journey first with learning how to suffer well. Torren Danowski is a detransitioned man living in Philadelphia. He attempted transition twice in his early 30s after struggling with gender most of his life. But once he realized that his gender dysphoria was actually the symptom of something deeper, he began addressing that deeper issue, and saw the pain of gender dysphoria begin to subside. Torren was involved in Libertarian politics and ran for Pennsylvania State Representative in 2022. He has since stepped away from politics and is seeking a career change, moving from corporate America to exploring counseling, psychology, and theology. You can follow Torren’s work on substack.In recent months, Torren has indicated that these books have been a great influence on him during his journey."The Body Keeps the Score" by Bessel van der Kolk“The Divine Conspiracy Bible Study Participant’s Guide: Jesus’s Master Class for Life" by Dallas Willard"Try Softer" by Aundi Kolber"Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: It’s Impossible to Be Spiritually Mature, While Remaining Emotionally Immature" by Peter ScazzeroGender Dysphoria Alliancehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bs9lzh9l9wc&t=5s To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!Learn more about Do No Harm.Take $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover with code SOMETHERAPIST at EightSleep.com.Take 20% off all superfood beverages with code SOMETHERAPIST at Organifi.Check out my shop for book recommendations + wellness products.Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at @affirmationgeneration.Have a question for me? Looking to go deeper and discuss these ideas with other listeners? Join my Locals community! Members get to ask questions I will respond to in exclusive, members-only livestreams, post questions for upcoming guests to answer, plus other perks TBD. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Is it possible to fall in love over the internet? Today I welcome two very special guests about to welcome their first baby, whose love story began on Twitter. This was my first time interviewing a couple, and it was utterly delightful. Zach Elliott and Cynthia Breheny of The Paradox Institute join me this week to delight us with their love story, touch us with the personal experiences that directed them to this work, inspire us with methods to assist in healing families, and guide us as to how to protect and consider the long term needs of children while providing comprehensive education and care for them.What has Cynthia learned about the needs of gender dysphoric youth from her own experiences of struggling with, and recovering from, hatred of her female body? How exactly are children impacted by “gender affirming care” in the current culture? Are they perhaps empowered by pitting parents against medical professionals? Are they vulnerable to harm as a result of that support? How exactly do we address the needs of children while acknowledging and recognizing the rightful concerns of parents?Zach Elliott is ​​an author of two books on sex and gender and the producer of 20+ animated videos on sex differences. His fascination with the biology of sex and desire to learn and educate led him to create the Paradox Institute in January 2020. Cynthia Breheny is a digital artist, animator, and author. Her lifelong experience with gender dysphoria and her professional design skills provide her with unique abilities to communicate sex and gender concepts. Together, they developed a pamphlet on the myths of “gender affirming care.” Additionally, Zach has a YouTube channel for the Paradox Institute where he posts audio essays, thoughtful video responses and animated videos. You can follow Zach on Twitter, along with Cynthia to stay up-to-date on their latest works. You can find Zach’s book, “The Gender Paradox: Discrimination and Disparities in the Postmodern Era,” and Alan Gordon’s book which I mentioned in today’s episode, “The Way Out: A Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven Approach to Healing and Chronic Pain” in my bookshop!In my discussion, I mentioned a recent episode of the Some Kind of Therapist podcast: 47. The Scapegoated Body: Transition Regret in Psychotherapy with Bob WithersI also mentioned a substack, Parents with Inconvenient Truths about Trans (PITT) that you can access here.  To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!Learn more about Do No Harm.Take $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover with code SOMETHERAPIST at EightSleep.com.Take 20% off all superfood beverages with code SOMETHERAPIST at Organifi.Check out my shop for book recommendations + wellness products.Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at @affirmationgeneration.Have a question for me? Looking to go deeper and discuss these ideas with other listeners? Join my Locals community! Members get to ask questions I will respond to in exclusive, members-only livestreams, post questions for upcoming guests to answer, plus other perks TBD. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In a recent past episode of this podcast, we discussed issues related to fertility care. But what about maternity care? In this week’s episode, Kallie Fell and I discuss the nuances of informed consent in reference to maternity care along with the in’s and out’s of risk mitigation during pregnancy, physician concerns and pressures, the what may be best for children in the long run. This is an especially sensitive topic for families and Kallie Fell does an amazing job of providing context and understanding for the various decisions that parents are faced with during pregnancy. Kallie began her professional career as a scientist in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center utilizing a Master of Science degree in Animal Sciences with an emphasis on Reproductive Physiology and Molecular Biology from Purdue University. While assisting in the investigation of endometriosis and pre-term birth, Kallie simultaneously pursued a degree in nursing with hopes of working with women as a perinatal nurse. Kallie has worked with the CBC since 2018, first as a volunteer writer, then as a staff Research Associate, and now as the Executive Director. Kallie is, and always has been, passionate about women’s health. She continues to work, as she has for the past 6 years, as a perinatal nurse. In 2021, Kallie co-directed the documentary, Trans Mission: What’s the Rush to Reassign Gender? and in 2022 she co-produced and co-wrote the CBC's newest documentary, Detransition Diaries: Saving Our Sisters. Kallie also hosts the popular podcast Venus Rising and is the Program Director for the Paul Ramsey Institute. She is in the process of co-authoring her first book. You can contact Kallie through her email. You can follow Kallie Fell on her podcast, Venus Rising on all podcasting platforms or follow her work at the Center for Bioethics and Culture.In this episode, I mention a past episode with Jennifer Lahl: 52. Surrogacy: Liberation or Exploitation? with Jennifer Lahl To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!Learn more about Do No Harm.Take $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover with code SOMETHERAPIST at EightSleep.com.Take 20% off all superfood beverages with code SOMETHERAPIST at Organifi.Check out my shop for book recommendations + wellness products.Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at @affirmationgeneration.Have a question for me? Looking to go deeper and discuss these ideas with other listeners? Join my Locals community! Members get to ask questions I will respond to in exclusive, members-only livestreams, post questions for upcoming guests to answer, plus other perks TBD. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Cat Cattinson is a detransitioned woman who was featured in our documentary, Affirmation Generation. Cat shares her experience in reclaiming her singing voice after realizing that medicalizing her gender dysphoria was not the right path. For Cat, the loss of her singing voice became the catalyst that led her to detransition. Now, Cat is thriving as a musician again, while serving as the spokesperson for Transition Justice, an organization that helps detransitioners who have been harmed by “gender affirming care.”Cat Cattinson is an activist, detransitioned woman, and spokesperson for Transition Justice, a nonprofit connecting survivors of experimental gender medicine with legal attorneys. After starting to transition in 2019, Cat realized her singing voice, music career, and health were more important to her than masquerading as a man. It took her 2 years to retrain her voice and begin to perform again. Cat is passionate about dispelling myths about detransition and educating the public about the unique challenges that detransitioners face. You can follow Cat’s work on her Twitter, LinkedIn, or on her YouTube channel. If you need assistance from Transition Justice you can visit the website here.In this episode I mentioned a past episode: 36. Is American Education Broken? with Deb Fillman To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!Learn more about Do No Harm.Take $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover with code SOMETHERAPIST at EightSleep.com.Take 20% off all superfood beverages with code SOMETHERAPIST at Organifi.Check out my shop for book recommendations + wellness products.Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at @affirmationgeneration.Have a question for me? Looking to go deeper and discuss these ideas with other listeners? Join my Locals community! Members get to ask questions I will respond to in exclusive, members-only livestreams, post questions for upcoming guests to answer, plus other perks TBD. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

What happens when we die? Do we go to a great beyond somewhere? Are we punished for what we’ve done wrong? Many religions have tried to tackle this problem for as long as humans have recognized the significance of death. What we know for sure is that someone will have to take care of our remains. This week, Josh Slocum provides a realist vision of what happens when we die, flowers are purchased, caskets are bought and loved ones are faced with the tough task of how to say goodbye. Join us as we discuss perhaps one of the toughest topics with smiles and laughter as a calling to remember death, but maybe not to take it too seriously. Josh Slocum is the host of the weekly show Disaffected, available on YouTube and all usual podcast platforms. Disaffected examines politics and culture through a psychological point of view. Josh's experience coming from an abusive childhood informs the show's working premise that the psychological narcissistic abuse found in families now structures our public life. You can access Josh’s work through his Substack, YouTube channel, or Twitter.In this episode I mention a recent interview with Christin Sefein: 51. Wokeness Versus the Counseling Profession with Christine Sefein To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!Learn more about Do No Harm.Take $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover with code SOMETHERAPIST at EightSleep.com.Take 20% off all superfood beverages with code SOMETHERAPIST at Organifi.Check out my shop for book recommendations + wellness products.Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at @affirmationgeneration.Have a question for me? Looking to go deeper and discuss these ideas with other listeners? Join my Locals community! Members get to ask questions I will respond to in exclusive, members-only livestreams, post questions for upcoming guests to answer, plus other perks TBD. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Has Critical Social Justice completely captured clinical psychology? So many people seek out therapy in hopes of improving their lives and the lives of those around them through traditional therapeutic practice. What happens when those practices are no longer taught and therapists are instead activists seeking to derail the normative behavior of others? In this week’s episode, I am joined by British psychotherapist Dr. Carole Sherwood to get her perspective on how critical therapy has captured psychology by overhauling psychology training courses worldwide. Dr. Sherwood offers her advice to see through the fallacies of Critical Social Justice in hopes that therapists can return to their traditional roles of helping patients cope with mental illness. Dr. Carole Sherwood is a clinical psychologist. She worked for the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK, specializing in sexual health, chronic pain, cancer, palliative care, and trauma. Dr. Sherwood has grown increasingly concerned about the incursion of Critical Social Justice into clinical psychology. In 2022 she co-authored an independent report, The Politicization of Clinical Psychology Training Courses in the UK, with Dr. Kirsty Miller. She also contributed to the book Cynical Therapies: Perspectives on the Antitherapeutic Nature of Critical Social Justice, edited by Dr. Val Thomas. Dr. Sherwood is on the steering committee of Critical Therapy Antidote, an organization that is committed to preserving the healing ethos of therapy. She is also on the Advisory Council of Don’t Divide Us, the UK’s common-sense voice on race. In this episode I mention a recent episode: 51. Wokeness Versus the Counseling Profession with Christine Sefine To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!Learn more about Do No Harm.Take $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover with code SOMETHERAPIST at EightSleep.com.Take 20% off all superfood beverages with code SOMETHERAPIST at Organifi.Check out my shop for book recommendations + wellness products.Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at @affirmationgeneration.Have a question for me? Looking to go deeper and discuss these ideas with other listeners? Join my Locals community! Members get to ask questions I will respond to in exclusive, members-only livestreams, post questions for upcoming guests to answer, plus other perks TBD. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

How does life transform after questioning everything you thought you knew about the world? As we grow into adulthood and consider the axioms we live by, we are sometimes left to adjust to a world we see radically differently than before, and must find new ways of being. In this week’s episode, Meghan Murphy discusses how she came to view the world after confronting her biases, and what she has discovered since launching her podcast, The Same Drugs, in March 2020. Life after Covid is decidedly different for Meghan as she is finding happiness in a foreign country while still dealing with the backlash of her heterodox views online. Join us in this week’s episode as Meghan and I explore a new way of being.Meghan Murphy is a Canadian writer now based in Mexico. She founded Feminist Current, Canada's leading feminist website, in 2012. Meghan testified against Canada's gender identity legislation in 2017, and was one of the first and only women to articulate a feminist challenge to gender identity legislation in Canada. She is the host of the Feminist Current podcast and of The Same Drugs, on YouTube or Rumble and everywhere you listen to podcasts. Meghan was famously banned from Twitter in 2018 for referring to a man as "he" and for saying that "men aren't women." Her Twitter account was restored four years later, in November of 2022. You can follow her @meghanemurphy. Find more of her work at https://meghanmurphy.substack.com.In this episode I mentioned Jonathan Haidt’s Book, The Righteous Mind available in my bookshop. To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!Learn more about Do No Harm.Take $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover with code SOMETHERAPIST at EightSleep.com.Take 20% off all superfood beverages with code SOMETHERAPIST at Organifi.Check out my shop for book recommendations + wellness products.Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at @affirmationgeneration.Have a question for me? Looking to go deeper and discuss these ideas with other listeners? Join my Locals community! Members get to ask questions I will respond to in exclusive, members-only livestreams, post questions for upcoming guests to answer, plus other perks TBD. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

How does discomfort drive the therapeutic process? Is it required to successfully navigate our uniquely difficult stations of life? This week, I am joined by Tessa Jacques, LMFT to discuss how therapeutic solutions are being harshly impacted by the instant gratification of the modern era. Join me as Tessa and I discuss the nuances of how modern culture creates a weakness in patients by discounting the need to face yourself on the quest to heal. Tessa pursued her undergraduate education in child development and spent several years serving underprivileged families and children in the Head Start program. She later decided to obtain her MA in Clinical Psychology specializing in Maternal Mental Health. Tessa has been working in private practice since 2016 helping new moms adjust to motherhood. Recently Tessa has noticed the mental health industry has been progressively leaning left, watching most clinicians follow suit. Tessa founded Motherlode Counseling in Auburn, CA in 2019 where she currently works with individuals and couples as well as supervising pre-licensed therapists and training them to build their own practices. Recently, Tessa has shifted her focus to advocating for clients and clinicians who do not feel served by this new trend on her Instagram @theuncensoredtherapist. To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!Learn more about Do No Harm.Take $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover with code SOMETHERAPIST at EightSleep.com.Take 20% off all superfood beverages with code SOMETHERAPIST at Organifi.Check out my shop for book recommendations + wellness products.Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at @affirmationgeneration.Have a question for me? Looking to go deeper and discuss these ideas with other listeners? Join my Locals community! Members get to ask questions I will respond to in exclusive, members-only livestreams, post questions for upcoming guests to answer, plus other perks TBD. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

I’ve spoken with many guests about the harms of marketing invasive, experimental, life-altering procedures to children in the name of so-called “gender affirmation.” But the cosmetic surgery market’s thirst for young blood doesn’t begin and end with its exploitation of gender dysphoria. Simon Esler exposed the connections between adolescent angst, self-harm, body image, and this sociopathic industry in his new film, “Cut: Daughters of the West,” which examines the rapidly growing manufactured demand for labiaplasties and other surgeries based on the lie that female bodies should be altered in pursuit of the latest trends.Simon Esler is a seasoned actor, writer, filmmaker, unschooling father and longtime truth teller on a mission to win the ongoing war against free thought & human liberty. With over 15 years of experience as a theater maker, 5 years as a professional content creator and a background as a former minister, I uplift hidden truths using deep insight and laughter as weapons. You can follow Simon’s work on Twitter, YouTube, and his website. His podcast, Finding Free Thought, is available anywhere podcasts are found. You can now watch his latest film, Cut: Daughters of the West.In this episode, I mentioned some books available in our bookshop:“The Master and His Emissary” by Iain McGilchrist“This Is Your Brain on Birth Control: The Surprising Science of Women, Hormones, and the Law of Unintended Consequences” by Sarah HillWe also mentioned the Badlands Media Substack and my appearance on the “Dangerous Rhetoric” podcast, which you can find here. To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!Learn more about Do No Harm.Take $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover with code SOMETHERAPIST at EightSleep.com.Take 20% off all superfood beverages with code SOMETHERAPIST at Organifi.Check out my shop for book recommendations + wellness products.Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at @affirmationgeneration.Have a question for me? Looking to go deeper and discuss these ideas with other listeners? Join my Locals community! Members get to ask questions I will respond to in exclusive, members-only livestreams, post questions for upcoming guests to answer, plus other perks TBD. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

What is the overarching perspective of a detransitioner as they move through their awakening journey? This week I am joined by Laura Becker, a detransitioner turned influencer who is featured on the recent documentary Affirmation Generation to talk about her journey through the detransition process and her recent experiences providing a safe space for others to do the same. Laura Becker is an artist and writer known for her funkedelic artist persona, "Funk God,” and her essays and speaking appearances describing her experiences as a detransitioned woman. She has been a notable voice of insight within the detransition movement, exploring ideas of gender, existentialism, spirituality, and psychoeducational concepts based in her personal journey healing from C-PTSD, identity, and mental health struggles. As a self-described "archetype of the eccentric artist", Laura promotes the values of her creative Funk God philosophy across all domains of her life and work: awareness, acceptance, balance, unity, love, and being groovy.You can follow Laura @funkgodartist on Twitter and Instagram. You can find her art on her website and her writing is featured on substack. You can also support her on YouTube or Etsy, and she accepts donations for her work.  To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!Learn more about Do No Harm.Take $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover with code SOMETHERAPIST at EightSleep.com.Take 20% off all superfood beverages with code SOMETHERAPIST at Organifi.Check out my shop for book recommendations + wellness products.Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at @affirmationgeneration.Have a question for me? Looking to go deeper and discuss these ideas with other listeners? Join my Locals community! Members get to ask questions I will respond to in exclusive, members-only livestreams, post questions for upcoming guests to answer, plus other perks TBD. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★