What's the F***ing Point episode 04: Annie Diomedes on "Won't You Be My Neighbor?"

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You guys. Last weekend, I watched a movie that left my jaw on. the. FLOOR. Afterwards I said that watching it felt like someone had reached into my chest, ripped out my heart, and gave it a giant hug. So many tears, but not necessarily sad ones.

My friend Annie watched the same film over the weekend, and we both felt so passionate about it that we got together and had a juicy conversation about feelings, unconditional worth, education, mindfulness, yoga, and more. 

The movie was the recently released documentary about Mr. Rogers, "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" directed by Morgan Neville. I urge you to listen to this episode whether you have seen the film yet or not (it's a documentary y'all, spoilers are not a thing), because the topics we get into (and a few clips we listen to) transcend the film itself or even Fred Rogers himself. (Though I do absolutely recommend that you go watch it as soon as you possibly can — and catch trailer embedded at the bottom of this post.) 

"Won't You Be My Neighbor?" is especially poignant right now, because our country really needs to ask ourselves what Fred Rogers (or Ghandi, or Jesus, or Mother Teresa) would do. And I guaran-damn-tee you, right now he'd be doing a LOT to put a stop to the insane separation and detention of immigrant families and children.. And each of us can afford a little time and or cash to do our part, too. 

So let this serve as yet another reminder of the need for your voice and your support right now.

"We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It's easy to say, 'It's not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.' Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes.” -- Fred Rogers

To listen to today's episode, you can stream or download from the embedded player below, or find and subscribe in your fave podcast listening app. (And just a note, Apple is being slow AF with getting my new podcast art updated in iTunes, so if you're finding the pod that way, you'll still see art for WholeYou, a former mini podcast venture I did.)

Thanks for listening, and if you dig, please share it with a friend and review the podcast on iTunes! 

About Annie Diomedes (according to yours truly)

My guest for this episode, Annie Diomedes, is a fellow Nashvillian hailing from the midwest who teaches yoga and piano to kids. She is also an all-around Renaissance woman who can make you a killer playlist, bake you a fluffy loaf of homemade bread, and crochet you a blanket to keep you warm. Annie is also a featured teacher at 2018 Music City International Day of Yoga happening later this week! And she likes Buffy, which gives her instant credibility. You can keep up with her on the gram at @anniediomedes. 

Mentioned on Today's Show:

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Valerie Martin

Valerie Martin, LMSW, is a Primary Therapist at The Ranch residential treatment center, where she works with eating disorders, addiction, trauma, and co-occurring mental health issues. Valerie focuses on a holistic treatment approach of mind + body integration, using Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), somatic and bioenergetic therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), psychodrama, 12-step, and shame resilience. She is also a Certified Sexual Addiction Therapist (CSAT) Candidate. Valerie received her Bachelor of Science degree in Communications and Master of Science degree in Clinical Social Work at the University of Texas in Austin. She is an active member of the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Nashville, and emphasizes spiritual exploration in her work with clients.

What's the F***ing Point episode 03: Laura Long on Radical Authenticity & Not Being an Asshole

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LauraLong-WTFP

If you enjoy that feeling of vacillating between laughing out loud (LOLing? maybe even LOLLERSKATING?** Maybe?) and sinking into profound thoughts like 20 times within a single hour, episode 3 with Laura Long is for you. 

Laura is a therapist for women and couples in the Greenville, SC area, and chief badass (my words, not hers) at Your Badass Therapy Practice, where she helps other therapists shine their lights even brighter. 

On the episode, Laura and I talk about:

  • how she developed a sense of radical authenticity
  • the lens through which she interprets her faith / spirituality
  • why things like tarot and astrology kiiind of frighten her
  • the 'x factor' of what makes feeling tiny/insignificant a positive experience rather than a nihilistic, depressing one
  • her fascination with relationships
  • ...and how we're all still figuring this shit out as we go along
  • why we're both obsessed with the movie "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"
  • how she cultivated the culture and space to step back and watch her tribe thrive 

To listen to today's episode, you can stream or download from the embedded player below, or find and subscribe in your fave podcast listening app. (And just a note, Apple is being slow AF with getting my new podcast art updated in iTunes, so if you're finding the pod that way, you'll still see art for WholeYou, a former mini podcast venture I did.)

Thanks for listening, and if you dig, please share it with a friend and review the podcast on iTunes! 

About Laura Long (LMFT-S)

Laura Long is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist based near Greenville, South Carolina. She specialize in helping couples work through communication issues, sex and intimacy concerns, and those who are dealing with the aftermath of an affair. As the creator of Your Badass Therapy Practice, Laura helps therapists in private practice organize their business systems, streamline their marketing strategies, and fill their practices with the kind of clients they love working with. Laura is best known for her straight-up, no holds barred approach that often includes humor and…colorful language. You can connect with her through her mailing list (sign up at yourbadasstherapypractice.com), where she distills the secrets of successful entrepreneurs in a way that makes practice-building fun.

Mentioned on Today's Show:

**I CAN'T HELP MYSELF OKAY

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Valerie Martin

Valerie Martin, LMSW, is a Primary Therapist at The Ranch residential treatment center, where she works with eating disorders, addiction, trauma, and co-occurring mental health issues. Valerie focuses on a holistic treatment approach of mind + body integration, using Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), somatic and bioenergetic therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), psychodrama, 12-step, and shame resilience. She is also a Certified Sexual Addiction Therapist (CSAT) Candidate. Valerie received her Bachelor of Science degree in Communications and Master of Science degree in Clinical Social Work at the University of Texas in Austin. She is an active member of the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Nashville, and emphasizes spiritual exploration in her work with clients.

What's the F***ing Point episode 02: Sarah Rodgers on Drama Therapy, Everything, and Nothing

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For episode 2 of the podcast, I had a wonderful free-flowing conversation with fellow Nashville psychotherapist, Sarah Rodgers. 

I'm lucky to call Sarah a friend, and she's a kindred spirit in that she's unapologetically into all kinds of holistic (is "new age" still a thing?) stuff, with plenty of science and healthy skepticism to balance it out.

In this episode, Sarah and I chat about:

  • why our companion animals can be our best spiritual guides
  • how we each think of and approach tarot and divination
  • what drama therapy is and the relationship to psychodrama and other expressive therapies
  • the magic of intuition, tele, and neuroception — how we know things to be true

To listen to today's episode, you can stream or download from the embedded player below, or find and subscribe in your fave podcast listening app. (And just a note, Apple is being slow AF with getting my new podcast art updated in iTunes, so if you're finding the pod that way, you'll still see art for WholeYou, a former mini podcast venture I did.)

Thanks for listening, and if you dig, please share it with a friend and review the podcast on iTunes! 

About Sarah Rodgers (MA, LMFT, RDT)

Sarah holds a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Drama Therapy from California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. She received her Bachelor's in Theatre and Community Outreach from Skidmore College.

Sarah has a background as an actor and theater educator. It was her passion for the cathartic power of self-expression that led her to psychology and to studying the application of creative forms for therapeutic means. We could all use little more fun and playfulness in our lives, and healing is only enhanced by creative thinking and a touch of humor.

When not attending to her clients or furthering her clinical education, Sarah enjoys hikes and yoga, cooking, taking acting classes, making crafty things, and quality time with her friends and family. Sarah has called both New York City and San Francisco home, and she is now at home in Nashville with her husband, stepdaughter, and their dog Dennis.

You can learn more about Sarah and her work at www.creativecounselingnashville and follow her on Instagram @creativecounselingnashville.

Mentioned in Today's Show:

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Valerie Martin

Valerie Martin, LMSW, is a Primary Therapist at The Ranch residential treatment center, where she works with eating disorders, addiction, trauma, and co-occurring mental health issues. Valerie focuses on a holistic treatment approach of mind + body integration, using Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), somatic and bioenergetic therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), psychodrama, 12-step, and shame resilience. She is also a Certified Sexual Addiction Therapist (CSAT) Candidate. Valerie received her Bachelor of Science degree in Communications and Master of Science degree in Clinical Social Work at the University of Texas in Austin. She is an active member of the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Nashville, and emphasizes spiritual exploration in her work with clients.

introducing my new podcast: What's the F***ing Point?

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“The meaning of life is just to be alive. It is so plain and so obvious and so simple. And yet, everybody rushes around in a great panic as if it were necessary to achieve something beyond themselves.”  Alan W. Watts

YOU GUYS. Welcome to episode ONE of What’s the F***ing Point!

I already know that you’re kind of a badass if you’re taking a gamble on a show with such a ridiculous name. 

In this short episode, I introduce the podcast, tell you a little about what to expect in future weekly episodes, and share some little life lessons I’ve taken away from my recent experiences of barefoot hiking. So grab a cup of tea (or beer or scotch or whatever you’re into) and let’s dive in!    

You can listen to or download the episode from the embedded player below, or search for it in your favorite podcast listening app. 

Like the concept of the show? Be awesome and share it with a friend or two. Have ideas for future episodes? Holler at me here in a comment, via email, or Instagram. 

Also — archived episodes of the WholeYou Podcast, my prior collaboration with Lauren Fowler, will be available under the same feed as the new podcast... hence why it looks like there are 12 episodes prior to episode 1. Not perfect, but my workaround to avoid paying for two separate hosting accounts just to keep those 12 episodes archived and available.

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Valerie Martin

Valerie Martin, LMSW, is a Primary Therapist at The Ranch residential treatment center, where she works with eating disorders, addiction, trauma, and co-occurring mental health issues. Valerie focuses on a holistic treatment approach of mind + body integration, using Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), somatic and bioenergetic therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), psychodrama, 12-step, and shame resilience. She is also a Certified Sexual Addiction Therapist (CSAT) Candidate. Valerie received her Bachelor of Science degree in Communications and Master of Science degree in Clinical Social Work at the University of Texas in Austin. She is an active member of the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Nashville, and emphasizes spiritual exploration in her work with clients.

check out my interview on the HeartSpace podcast!

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A little while back, I got to have a juicy conversation with the sweet, smart, and multi-talented Corinne Dobbas (a dietitian + dating coach) on her podcast, HeartSpace.

The episode with my interview went live today, and it was fun to listen back and remember all the good stuff we got into! We cover a broad range of stuff, from Buffy (yuuuup) to trauma to body+self acceptance. 

Head over to your favorite podcast app and check it out! <3

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Valerie Martin

Valerie Martin, LMSW, is a Primary Therapist at The Ranch residential treatment center, where she works with eating disorders, addiction, trauma, and co-occurring mental health issues. Valerie focuses on a holistic treatment approach of mind + body integration, using Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), somatic and bioenergetic therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), psychodrama, 12-step, and shame resilience. She is also a Certified Sexual Addiction Therapist (CSAT) Candidate. Valerie received her Bachelor of Science degree in Communications and Master of Science degree in Clinical Social Work at the University of Texas in Austin. She is an active member of the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Nashville, and emphasizes spiritual exploration in her work with clients.