

Proxy with Yowei Shaw
Y3 Productions
It’s the knot you can’t untangle - a problem so unique, it makes you feel alone. But what if you could talk to someone who gets it? On Proxy, we find just the person you were looking for, the person who can help you get a little less stuck. It’s not therapy - it’s emotional investigative journalism™️. Yowei Shaw, former host of Invisibilia, at your service. New cases every other Tuesday. ----------Proxy is an independent podcast and we rely mostly on listeners. To support emotional investigative journalism™️ and help the show keep going, consider joining our Patreon starting at $5 a month. You’ll get exclusive premium episodes, ad-free episodes, and access to the chat. To just get our newsletter, join our Patreon for free 🍏Follow us on Instagram: @proxypodcast @yoweishawGet in touch at proxythepod@gmail.com
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 21, 2025 • 41min
Yaroslava Can't Go Home
Yaroslava’s town in Ukraine was taken by Russians. She's now safe in the US. But how do you make a new life when you feel guilty about not being home?For one week every summer at Dignity Beyond Borders, young people from all over the world who've suffered a traumatic loss due to political violence come together to kayak, make art, and have proxy conversations about topics like this. A special conversation between Yaroslava, a 1st-time camper, and Sariyah Abuzant, a 26-year-old woman from Palestine, sho's been to the camp a few times. From the episode:
Learn more about Dignity Beyond Borders at www.dignitybeyondborders.org and follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @dignitybeyondborders
Follow Yaroslava on Instagram @yasiiaaaa
Watch Sariyah Abuzant's film "FordDat" at https://vimeo.com/1101397354?fl=pl&fe=sh
Help us get to 1000 paying Patreon members by Oct. 31st to cover the costs of making a year two of Proxy! We're so close. We're at 851 right now. Proxy is an independent podcast and we rely mostly on listeners. To support emotional investigative journalism™️ help the show keep going, consider joining our Patreon starting at $5 a month. You’ll get exclusive premium episodes, ad-free episodes, and access to the chat. To just get our newsletter, join our Patreon for free 🍏Get 15% off OneSkin with the code PROXY at https://www.oneskin.co/ Follow us on Instagram: @proxypodcast @yoweishawGet in touch at proxythepod@gmail.com

Oct 14, 2025 • 10min
How This Introvert Ally Gets Along with Introverts (Plus Campaign Update)
How close are we to getting to 1000 paying Patreon members so we can cover the costs of making a year two?!Plus, a conversation with introvert ally (and extrovert) Jennifer Kahnweiler on the changes she's made to get along better with the introverts in her life. To listen to the full exclusive premium episode, consider joining our Patreon starting at $5 a month. You’ll get ad-free episodes, exclusive premium episodes, access to the chat, and other goodies. To just get our newsletter, join our Patreon for free 🍏From the episode: Learn more about Jennifer Kahnweiler, listen to her podcast Introvert Ally, and read her book The Genius of Opposites
Follow us on Instagram: @proxypodcast @yoweishawGet in touch at proxythepod@gmail.com

Oct 7, 2025 • 44min
The First Ever Extrovert-Introvert Cage Match
Join Aparna Nancherla, a witty comedian, Ryan Letts, an extroverted psychedelic coach, and Jennifer Kahnweiler, an expert on introvert dynamics, as they dive into the quirky friendship struggle between extroverts and introverts. Aparna shares her challenges with social overwhelm, while Ryan sheds light on frustrations with flaky communication. Jennifer mediates with insights on differing processing styles and offers practical tools for better communication. The conversation is both enlightening and entertaining as they explore how these two worlds can coexist!

Sep 30, 2025 • 41min
An Estrangement Mystery
At the heart of many family estrangements lies a mystery. Adult kids insist they’ve told their parents why they’re walking away, while parents say they don’t understand. Why is it sometimes so hard for parents to hear their kids? And how to get through?From the episode:
Learn more about Becca Bland and her work with families and people surviving estrangement
Learn more about Joshua Coleman, subscribe to his newsletter Family Troubles, and read his book New Rules of Estrangement
Learn more about reporter Kim Nederveen Pieterse
This is a special membership campaign episode! Help us get to 1500 paying Patreon members by Oct. 9th to cover the costs of making another year of emotional investigative journalism! Proxy is an independent podcast and we rely mostly on listeners. To support emotional investigative journalism™️ and help the show keep going, consider joining our Patreon starting at $5 a month. You’ll get exclusive premium episodes, ad-free episodes, and access to the chat. To just get our newsletter, join our Patreon for free 🍏Follow us on Instagram: @proxypodcast @yoweishawGet in touch at proxythepod@gmail.com

Sep 23, 2025 • 1h
JC's Kids Won't Talk To Her
The case of the mom who doesn’t understand, and the daughter who’s done explaining.From the episode:
Learn more about Chess Dugas, subscribe to her YouTube channel The Scapegoat Club, and follow her on TikTok
Learn more about Joshua Coleman, subscribe to his newsletter Family Troubles, and read his book New Rules of Estrangement
Learn more about reporter Kim Nederveen Pieterse
Help us get to 1500 paying Patreon members by Oct. 9th to cover the costs of making another year of emotional investigative journalism!Proxy is an independent podcast and we rely mostly on listeners. To support emotional investigative journalism™️ and help the show keep going, consider joining our Patreon starting at $5 a month. You’ll get exclusive premium episodes, ad-free episodes, and access to the chat. To just get our newsletter, join our Patreon for free 🍏Follow us on Instagram: @proxypodcast @yoweishawGet in touch at proxythepod@gmail.com

Sep 9, 2025 • 56min
Alex and the Impossible Ask
Alex used to host a huge podcast (Reply All). He now makes a new independent show called Hyperfixed. He loves making it. Only problem is, Alex now has to ask for money all the time to survive, which he hates doing.From the episode:
Listen to Alex Goldman's new podcast Hyperfixed
Learn more about Haley Bash and Donor Organizer Hub, a support network for people who fundraise for under-resourced causes
The Accidental Fundraiser, Haley's step-by-step guide to raising money for your cause
Proxy is an independent podcast and we rely mostly on listeners. To support emotional investigative journalism™️ and help the show keep going, consider joining our Patreon starting at $5 a month. You’ll get exclusive premium episodes, ad-free episodes, and access to the chat. To just get our newsletter, join our Patreon for free 🍏Help us get to 1500 Patreon members this month, to cover the costs of making another year of emotional investigative journalism! https://www.patreon.com/ProxyPodcastFollow us on Instagram: @proxypodcast @yoweishawGet in touch at proxythepod@gmail.com

Aug 26, 2025 • 32min
Sandy and the Silence
Ever since the election, Sandy Ernest Allen has been clocking a strange silence from cis people about trans rights. So Sandy reached into the void to hear what the silence had to say.From the episode:
Learn more about Sandy Ernest Allen and his work
Sandy's newsletter What's Helping Today
For suggestions on how to support trans people, read"To Cis People Who Feel Despair"
Follow Sandy on Bluesky @sandyernestallen and see the post
Support Sandy's writing with a tip: https://buymeacoffee.com/sandyallen
Proxy is an independent podcast and we rely mostly on listeners. To support emotional investigative journalism™️ and help the show keep going, consider joining our Patreon starting at $5 a month. You’ll get exclusive premium episodes, ad-free episodes, and access to the chat. To just get our newsletter, join our Patreon for free 🍏Follow us on Instagram: @proxypodcast @yoweishawGet in touch at proxythepod@gmail.com

Aug 12, 2025 • 37min
How to Cope with Now
Anya Kamenetz was having trouble coping with the state of the world. So she decided to report on those feelings. In this conversation, Anya shares what she learned from talking to scientists, activists, and thinkers about our collective emotions - why we feel the things we do, the limits of those feelings, and how to move through them to take action. From the episode:
Learn more about Anya Kamenetz and her work
Read Anya's newsletter The Golden Hour
Listen to We Are the Great Turning, a podcast Anya produced with eco-spiritual teacher Joanna Macy about love, courage, and connection in the climate crisis
Proxy is an independent podcast and we rely mostly on listeners. To support emotional investigative journalism™️ and help the show keep going, consider joining our Patreon starting at $5 a month. You’ll get ad-free episodes, access to the chat, and exclusive premium episodes, like this extended conversation with Anya Kamenetz. To just get our newsletter, join our Patreon for free 🍏Follow us on Instagram: @proxypodcast @yoweishawGet in touch at proxythepod@gmail.com

Jul 29, 2025 • 31min
Proxy Conversations with Sexual Offenders?
A conversation with Dr. Alissa Ackerman about her restorative justice work on the frontlines of Me Too, using proxy-like conversations. This is a Patreon exclusive premium episode we're releasing on the main feed. If you want to hear more conversations like this, consider joining our Patreon, starting at $5 a month.Proxy is an independent podcast and we rely mostly on listeners. To support emotional investigative journalism™️ and help the show keep going, consider joining our Patreon starting at $5 a month. You’ll get exclusive premium episodes, ad-free episodes, and access to the chat. To just get our newsletter, join our Patreon for free 🍏From the episode:
Learn more about Dr. Alissa Ackerman and her organization Ampersands Restorative Justice
Read Alissa's book Healing from Sexual Violence: The Case for Vicarious Restorative Justice
Follow us on Instagram: @proxypodcast @yoweishawGet in touch at proxythepod@gmail.com

Jul 15, 2025 • 41min
Zakiya Used to Be So Fun
The case of the people person who fell out of love with people. From the episode:
Learn more about Zakiya Gibbons
Follow Zakiya on Instagram @zak_sauce
Learn more about Dr. William Chopik and his research
Follow Bill on Bluesky @Chops310 or X @Chops310
To hear Zakiya get more help on her conundrum and learn about the science of intuition, check out her Science of Happiness podcast episode coming this Thursday. On Science of Happiness, U.C. Berkeley psychologist Dr. Dacher Keltner invites a guest to try a research-backed practice shown to boost emotional well being, improve relationships, promote compassion or reduce stress. Proxy is an independent podcast and we rely mostly on listeners. To support emotional investigative journalism™️ and help the show keep going, consider joining our Patreon starting at $5 a month. You’ll get exclusive premium episodes, ad-free episodes, and access to the chat. To just get our newsletter, join our Patreon for free 🍏Follow us on Instagram: @proxypodcast @yoweishawGet in touch at proxythepod@gmail.com


