Psyche

In this episode, I speak with Rick Lee James. Rick Lee James is a worship leader, singer and songwriter, speaker, author, and podcast host with over two decades of experience in ministry. In 2021 he enrolled as a graduate student at Loyola University and in 2022 began his clinical pastoral education working for Kettering Health, as an intern hospital chaplain, and as of August 2022, accepted a residency. Over the years Rick has used music to share the gospel in numerous venues from the National Worship Leader Conference to the world famous Ryman Auditorium. As host of the podcast “Voices In My Head” Rick has worked with Jason Gray, Andrew Peterson, Sara Groves, Paul Baloche, All Sons and Daughters, Michael Card, Brian Zahnd, Tripp York, Brothers McClurg, Brett McCracken, Ian Morgan Cron, Steven Tobolowsky, Walter Brueggemann and many more. Rick also created and curates the popular Twitter account @MisterRogersSay where he daily posts quotes from Fred Rogers. As an outgrowth of the popularity of the Twitter account, Rick also created and hosts the podcast Welcome To The Neighborhood: A Mister Rogers Tribute Podcast where he has welcomed guests such as Tom Junod, François (Officer) Clemmons, David Newell (Mr. McFeely), Joe (Handyman) Negri, Jon Secada, Jaci Velasquez, Tom Bergeron, Lee Greenwood, and more. In this episode we explore: Why Mister Rogers is important for us today Mister Rogers and the humanistic psychology of Carl Rogers  The importance of authentic presence and listening  Matthew 25 and its application to chaplaincy  Death Emotionally healthy masculinity  And more! Website: https://www.rickleejames.com

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Niki Kasumi Clements. Niki is the Watt J. and Lilly G. Jackson Associate Professor of Religion at Rice University. Dr. Clements is an ethicist working on how humans can shape their lives through daily practices and come to critique the social, political, cultural, economic, and ecological factors that render humans differentially vulnerable to structural violence. Clements’s first monograph, Sites of the Ascetic Self (2020), approaches these questions through the ethics of John Cassian (c.360-c.435), the late ancient ascetic whose views of human ability contributed to new forms of life in a shifting empire. Between 1977 and 1984, philosopher Michel Foucault became particularly interested in Cassian as part of the genealogy of the desiring subject–and Sites reconsiders these readings through Cassian’s attention to embodied, affective, and inter-relational practices. Clements’s research for her second monograph, Foucault the Confessor, engages Foucault’s fascination with Christianity and ethics through both his published works and the archives at the Bibliothèque nationale de France. The posthumous publication of History of Sexuality, Volume 4, Les Aveux de la chair (2018, translated as Confessions of the Flesh in 2021) confirms the extent of his engagement with early Christianity and ancient sexual ethics as an art of living; it also confirms just how important the study of religion is for engaging Foucault’s work on subjection, alongside the possibilities for self-formation and challenges to structures of domination. Influenced by her mentors at Brown University (Ph.D., 2014), Harvard Divinity School (M.T.S., 2007), and Sarah Lawrence College (B.A., 2003), as well as her students at Rice, Clements’s teaching and service share her research attention to recognizing human ability and critiquing structural disparities. In this episode, we explore a various topics: Michel Foucault (some of the exciting new findings from the archives) Ancient philosophical and spiritual self-care practices Why Christianity (through St. Augustine) routed sexuality and subjectivity so closely together How to think about the cultivation of individual autonomy while also participating in collective spaces of resistance Why modern figures like Jordan Peterson are dangerous (even if they have some useful points to make) How men can think about their complicity in systems of oppression while also listening to themselves and others as a means of self-care and political engagement. Website: http://www.nikiclements.com

In this episode, I am joined by Aaron Inkrott and Amy Galpin. Aaron is the Brew Master at Saint Arnold Brewing Company. Amy is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor in Katy, TX. We have a great conversation about Thich Nhat Hanh's book, "Living Buddha, Living Christ." In this conversation we explore various topics including:  Mindfulness  Peace Discipline  Religion vs a Spiritual Path Psychotherapy Hell  Anger  God as Inter-Being And much more! 

In this episode, I have a conversation with James A. Godley. He is a postdoctoral fellow in the Society of Fellows at Dartmouth College. James's work explores mourning as a process of retroactive invention in literary and philosophical works. His current book project, “Unthinkable Loss: Mourning and the Object of Speculation in Nineteenth Century U.S. Literature,” examines how slavery, the privatization of mortality, and the Civil War brought vast changes to the ritual structure and philosophy of death in the 19th century, impelling American literary authors to find new ways of mapping speculative futures for those who would otherwise have been condemned to a futureless end. Combining literary-historical, philosophical, and psychoanalytic perspectives, the project will constitute the first of a two-volume set devoted to the problem of “infinite grief” in modern and contemporary U.S. literature. Godley’s publications include Inheritance in Psychoanalysis, a co-edited anthology of theoretical interventions into biological, anthropological, aesthetic, and clinical notions of inheritance, and an article on the critique of finitude in Hegel and Lacan in Angelaki. In this episode, we discuss Herman Melville's The Confidence-Man and its implications for modern political engagement. We weave together a variety of ideas including Freud's myth of the primal horde, Jacques Lacan's notion of the phallus and the exception of masculinity as well as William James' pragmatic philosophy. When it comes to political engagement, we can't reduce everything to knowledge. We have to wrestle with the potent reality of enjoyment.  If you want to connect with James: James.A.Godley@dartmouth.edu Here's the article by Jacqueline Rose that we mention: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/nov/15/trump-disaster-modern-masculinity-sexual-nostalgian-oppressive-men-women

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Jonathan Tran. Originally from Southern California, Jonathan joined Baylor University’s Religion Department in 2006 after completing his graduate studies in theology and ethics at Duke University. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses and his research examines the theological and political implications of human life in language.  Jonathan is the author of several books, which we discuss in this episode. His latest book is entitled, "Asian Americans and The Spirit of Racial Capitalism." This episode covers a lot of ground. We start by exploring how the traumatic death of his brother shaped the trajectory of his life story. From there we explore his encounter with religion, the influence of Stanley Hauerwas on his thinking during his time at Duke, the contemporary relevance of Michel Foucault's philosophy, the difficulty with gender and sex and how the overturning of Roe v. Wade highlights the problematic state of our collective existence.  If you'd like to connect with Jonathan, please visit his website: https://jonathantran.blog

In this episode, I interview my 8 and 12 year-old sons. They asked to be on the podcast and share their experience of being in a blended family. These boys highlight some of the common struggles like adjusting to a step-parent and getting new siblings. They also highlight some of the benefits of having new people and experiences in their life. This was a fun and light hearted conversation. If you know anyone in this situation or someone who is considering taking this step, please share! 

This episode is a bit different than previous ones. I interview a young man diagnosed with Autism. For various reasons, it's important to keep his identity and specific details of his story confidential. In this episode, we explore his diagnosis, early bullying, his time in prison, his experience with different therapies, and how he's seeking to defy the odds. He was told by people in his past that he would not amount to shit. This Autistic man is seeking to prove them wrong. 

In this episode, I interview Lewis Dene. Lewis has worked in the music industry for over 25 years and has club music in his veins. He's a former dance producer at Radio 1, music journalist, broadcaster, remixer and recording artist. With a background in dance promotion and A&R, he has previously worked for Slip N Slide/Kickin Music, and run such seminal brands as the DeepBeats and Mastercuts labels. As a producer he has worked under many guises most notably Pump Friction and Solitaire. His discography includes the chart topping singles ‘I Like Love (I Love Love)’ and ‘You Got The Love’, as well as acclaimed restylings for a wide and varied array of artists from Rihanna, Donna Summer and Jocelyn Brown through to Mick Jagger and Paramore. In this episode we explore childhood trauma, the feminine side of men, the importance of finding your passion, and starting to really live when you accept that you can't control that bad shit will happen to you. Lewis tells us about his 100,000 record collection, his favorite swear word and how he survived cancer. This is one of my favorite episodes. It's raw, vulnerable and funny. I hope you enjoy!  Connect with Lewis: www.Discogs.com/user/lewisdene 

In this episode, I have a conversation with Matt Cardin. We discuss Alan Watts’s book Beyond Theology: The Art of Godmanship. We explore various themes including: the Creator/creature distinction, the philosophy of nonduality, "scientism", and spiritual disciplines that help us become more "accident prone" to receiving divine grace.  Matt Cardin is a writer and freelance editor living in North Central Arkansas. With a Ph.D. in leadership and a master’s degree in religious studies, he writes frequently about the intersection of religion, horror, art, and creativity. He is also Vice President of Academic Affairs at North Arkansas College. His books include the weird and cosmic horror fiction collection “To Rouse Leviathan” and the nonfiction collection “What the Daemon Said: Essays on Horror Fiction, Film, and Philosophy.” He has been a panelist, panel chair, and reader at The World Fantasy Convention, The World Horror Convention, MythosCon, and more. In 2014 he was an invited panelist at Baylor University’s Faith and Film symposium. He has been a guest on Expanding Mind, Weird Studies, Darkness Radio, the Mancow Muller Show, This Is Horror, and many other radio shows and podcasts. He is also a longtime pianist with an especially extensive background in church music. Former careers include professor of English and religion, dissertation editor for doctoral students, high school teacher, piano salesman, college writing center instructor, corporate communications specialist, media producer for a large state university, and video director for country and pop music legend Glen Campbell. Website: https://mattcardin.com Blog: https://www.teemingbrain.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/_MattCardin

In this episode, I speak with J. (Jeremy) Strives. J is a professional barber and author living in Houston, Texas. This is a wild conversation! We talk about J's time in prison, his struggle with addiction, becoming a father and the harmful messages men internalize growing up. We even talk about makeup, John Wayne and the "performance" known as masculinity. If you're a guy who's wondering about the value of therapy, you should definitely listen to this episode!  Check out the website: https://www.jstrives.com.