Emi Nietfeld (@EmiNietfeld) is a writer and the author of the book Acceptance, a memoir of her journey through foster care, homelessness, and, eventually, to Harvard. She opens up about a childhood where she was often neglected and heavily medicated. She talks about her several stays in psychiatric wards and how she’s continuing to process her troubled childhood.
Kristine Kimmel is a writer and a host of the How To Survive (@PodHowToSurvive) podcast. She opens up about how therapy saved her marriage and what it’s like parenting teenage twins. She also shares some unbelievable moments from her violent and unpredictable childhood and talks about how she’s working to manage her own rage.
A tribute/re-airing for Paul’s friend Charlie who passed away last week after years of battling his demons. Charlie led an astoundingly painful life especially in regard to his mother (schizophrenia, depression), father (workaholic, hoarder), and sister (drug addict). He describes his descent into drugs (crack), emotionally damaged women and violence before finding the key to understanding his behavior.
Michelle E. is the daughter of Paul’s best childhood friend. Michelle opens up about her struggles with self-worth, her desire to feel seen and appreciated, her time working as an escort, and how she’s dealt with the fact that, as a child, she didn’t have contact with her father and was raised by a single mom with deep trust issues and possibly BPD.
Dr. Scott Lyons (@DrScottLyons) is a holistic psychologist, educator, author, and a renowned body-based trauma expert. Scott is the creator of The Embody Lab—the largest online learning platform for body-based trauma therapies—and developer of Somatic Stress Release, a holistic process of restoring biological resilience. He sits down with Paul to discuss the topic of his newest book, Addicted to Drama.
Ashley Stahl (@AshleyStahl) is a counterterrorism professional turned career coach, the author of the bestselling book, You Turn: Get Unstuck, Discover Your Direction, Design Your Dream Career, and the host of the You Turn Podcast. Her work has a great deal of overlap with mental health because it’s all about self-reflection and discovering who you are. We spend much of our lives working and Ashley aims to help people find a career that aligns with their skills and their values.
Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross join Paul to discuss their new book Your Brain on Art. They share the science behind how our brains and bodies transform when we participate in the arts. This episode will remind you why creativity should be a priority in your life, even if (maybe especially if) you don’t think of yourself as a creative person.
Dr. Will Cole (@DrWillCole) joins Paul to discuss the gut-brain connection and the impact that inflammation can have on all areas of our health. Dr. Cole specializes in clinically investigating underlying factors of chronic disease and customizing a functional medicine approach for thyroid issues, autoimmune conditions, hormonal imbalances, digestive disorders, and brain problems. Be sure to check out his podcast The Art of Being Well and his book Gut Feelings.
Dr. Carolyn Kurle is a Biology Professor at UC San Diego. When she noticed that her students were coming to her for guidance about their mental and emotional struggles, she decided to write a book with her advice–which offers thoughts on finding your authenticity and connecting to your spark. Be sure to check out her book, The Guidance Groove.