Only One In The Room

Laura Cathcart Robbins

Hosted by Laura Cathcart Robbins, a writer and a recovery thriver and survivor, Laura found herself in an all too familiar position. In September 2018, she was the only black woman in the room at Brave Magic, a famed writer’s retreat. After it was over, she wrote about her “only one” experience in The Huffington Post and comments started flooding into her DM. These comments were from people from all races, ethnicities, creeds, and nationalities who had felt “othered”. Laura beautifully interviews a person about their Only One story each episode and addresses as many of those DM’s as possible in the process. In this podcast, you’ll hear raw, vulnerable accounts from people who are, like most of us, just eager to connect. Our hope is that The Only One In The Room will inspire a change of perspective in how we all see and hear each other’s stories. We want you to think twice before judging the person standing next to you at a party, in the pick-up line at school, or in a crowded subway car. This is a podcast for anyone who has ever felt alone in a room full of people – which is to say, that this podcast is for everyone.

Episodes

Mentioned books

Jun 12, 2022 • 37min

SUNDAY EDITION: Alyea Pierce Is The Only National Geographic Researcher Telling Her Ancestors Stories Through Spoken Word Poetry

National Geographic Explorer Alyea Pierce is a spoken word poet and researcher who recently contributed to National Geographic’s podcast series Into the Depths, funded by the National Geographic Society. Alyea also uses her creative work with poetry, spoken word performance, audio, and photography to examine oral storytelling and folklore traditions in Carnival celebrations across the African diaspora. She has performed her spoken word poetry internationally from the UK and Trinidad and Tobago to South Africa, as well as at numerous TEDx events. Her poetry has been published online and in print, including the Guardian, New York Daily News, and the Caribbean Writer to name a few. Website: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/find-explorers/alyea-pierce LinkedIn: @Alyea PierceTwitter: @AlyeaSpeaksInstagram: @alyeaspierceSpecial thanks to our sponsors:BetterHelp:BetterHelp is a great, affordable option for professional counseling done securely online. As a listener, you'll get 10% off your first month by visiting betterhelp.com/one PATREON SHOUT OUTS:Mercedes Cusick LMFT, Website: www.mercedescusick.com, IG: @recoverhealbloomCheck Out How To Do The PotThanks to Kathleen HahnCute Booty Lounge is made right here in the USA, by women and for women. The company is incredible, female, and minority-owned and all of their leggings make makes your booty look amazing. Go to https://cutebooty.com/ today! Embrace your body, love your booty!Join our Patreon:Become an Only One In The Room patron by joining us on Patreon! Starting at only $5.00 per month, you’ll get bonus content, access to outtakes that the general public will NEVER see, extremely cool merch, and depending on what tier you get, monthly hang time with Scott and Laura. Join our Patreon today at https://www.patreon.com/theonlyonepodcastBe sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays and our brand new series On My Nightstand on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series. Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more.We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show!All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 10, 2022 • 11min

On My Nightstand: True Calm from The Moment by Laura Cathcart Robbins

Ten years ago I was lucky enough to be a part of a project called The Moment, which is described as wild, poignant, life changing stories from 125 writers and artists, famous and obscure (I was definitely one of the more obscure ones). My editor, Larry Smith was wonderful – inspiring, supportive and unflinching. I look back on this experience now with gratitude as Atria/Simon & Schuster is preparing to launch my memoir, Stash, into the world (March, 2023). As Scottie says, that moment, has led me to this moment.Laura Cathcart Robbins is the host of the popular podcast, The Only One In The Room, and author of the forthcoming Atria/Simon & Schuster memoir, STASH (due out in spring of 2023). She has been active for many years as a speaker and school trustee and is credited for creating The Buckley School’s nationally recognized committee on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice. Her recent articles in Huffpo and The Temper on the subjects of race, recovery, and divorce have garnered her worldwide acclaim. She is a LA Moth StorySlam winner and currently sits on the advisory boards of the San Diego Writer’s Festival and the Outliers HQ podcast Festival. Find out more about her on her website, or you can look for her on Facebook, on Instagram @lauracathcartrobbins, and follow her on Twitter @lauraCrobbinsFind out more about The Moment here: Amazon - The Moment: Wild, Poignant, Life-Changing Stories from 125 Writers and Artists Famous & Obscure: Smith, Larry: 9780061719653Special thanks to our sponsors:Betterhelp:BetterHelp is a great, affordable option for professional counseling done securely online. As a listener, you'll get 10% off your first month by visiting betterhelp.com/one PATREON SHOUT OUTS:Mercedes Cusick LMFT, Website: www.mercedescusick.com, IG: @recoverhealbloomCheck Out How To Do The PotThanks to Kathleen HahnCute Booty Lounge is made right here in the USA, by women and for women. The company is incredible, female, and minority-owned and all of their leggings make makes your booty look amazing. Go to https://cutebooty.com/ today! Embrace your body, love your booty!Join our Patreon:Become an Only One In The Room patron by joining us on Patreon! Starting at only $5.00 per month, you’ll get bonus content, access to outtakes that the general public will NEVER see, extremely cool merch, and depending on what tier you get, monthly hang time with Scott and Laura. Join our Patreon today at https://www.patreon.com/theonlyonepodcast Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays & Sunday Edition every Sunday by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show!All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 8, 2022 • 18min

Scott Talks to Bill Mitchell

Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Bill Mitchell right after the show.Special thanks to our sponsors:BetterHelp:BetterHelp is a great, affordable option for professional counseling done securely online. As a listener, you'll get 10% off your first month by visiting betterhelp.com/one PATREON SHOUT OUTS:Mercedes Cusick LMFT, Website: www.mercedescusick.com, IG: @recoverhealbloomCheck Out How To Do The PotThanks to Kathleen HahnCute Booty Lounge is made right here in the USA, by women and for women. The company is incredible, female, and minority-owned and all of their leggings make makes your booty look amazing. Go to https://cutebooty.com/ today! Embrace your body, love your booty!Join our Patreon:Become an Only One In The Room patron by joining us on Patreon! Starting at only $5.00 per month, you’ll get bonus content, access to outtakes that the general public will NEVER see, extremely cool merch, and depending on what tier you get, monthly hang time with Scott and Laura. Join our Patreon today at https://www.patreon.com/theonlyonepodcast Don't miss our new Friday series On My Nightstand.Be sure to join our Facebook Group for the most up-to-date info on guests, episodes and more.You can also DM us on Instagram @theonlyoneintheroom or email us via the website at www.theonlyonepod.comAlso visit the website for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like live events, appearances, featured articles and more.We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 7, 2022 • 49min

Bill Mitchell Is The Only One In The Room Who Lost His Daughter To Dating Violence Episode 130

What if twenty days after your daughter graduated from college you got a call from a detective, asking if they could meet with you?Author, speaker, and activist, Bill Mitchell, met with that detective and got the news that every parent dreads, that his twenty-two-year-old daughter, Kristin, had been murdered by her ex-boyfriend.But what would you do if after you’d written her eulogy, after the funeral, after her killer was sentenced and imprisoned, the agony of her absence was still the most present thing in your life? Would shut the world out and do everything you could to keep the rest of your family safe? Or would you and your wife hit the road and go to high schools and colleges everywhere, alerting others to the warning signs of dating violence?More From Bill Mitchell:Visit: www.whendatinghurts.comListen: WHEN DATING HURTS PodcastRead: WHEN DATING HURTSFinding Bill Mitchell:Twitter & Instagram: @WhenDatingHurtsSpecial thanks to our sponsors:BetterHelp:BetterHelp is a great, affordable option for professional counseling done securely online. As a listener, you'll get 10% off your first month by visiting betterhelp.com/one PATREON SHOUT OUTS:Mercedes Cusick LMFT, Website: www.mercedescusick.com, IG: @recoverhealbloomCheck Out How To Do The PotThanks to Kathleen HahnCute Booty Lounge is made right here in the USA, by women and for women. The company is incredible, female, and minority-owned and all of their leggings make makes your booty look amazing. Go to https://cutebooty.com/ today! Embrace your body, love your booty!Join our Patreon:Become an Only One In The Room patron by joining us on Patreon! Starting at only $5.00 per month, you’ll get bonus content, access to outtakes that the general public will NEVER see, extremely cool merch, and depending on what tier you get, monthly hang time with Scott and Laura. Join our Patreon today at https://www.patreon.com/theonlyonepodcastBe sure not to miss Scott Talks on Wednesdays, our Sunday release called Sunday Edition & our brand new series On My Nightstand releasing on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series. Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more.We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show!All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 5, 2022 • 38min

Charlie Cifarelli Is The Only One Who Adopted A Dog And Became A Citizen Of The World Episode 129

Imagine reading the paper and seeing a horrific story about a dog who died after being shot by the police, and inexplicably feeling that the public was being misled, that the dog was not dead, but alive.Businessman and former correctional officer, Charlie Cifarelli, was living in Nebraska when we read the story of Star The Dog getting shot in the head by a New York City police officer while she was trying to protect her unhoused guardian.So what would you do if everyone you contacted said that Star was dead, but you just KNEW that she was still alive? Would you decide to let the notion go and get back to your life? Or would you follow your intuition and go on a journey that would change your life forever?More From Charlie Cifarelli:Read: 14th & 2ndRead: I'm A StarFinding Charlie Cifarelli:LinkedIn: Charlie CifarelliTwitter: @CharlieCifarellFacebook: Star - The New York Pit BullInstagram: @starthenypitbull & @charlie_cifarelli_Special thanks to our sponsors:Year & Day:Year & Day is giving The Only One in the Room listeners a special offer. Visit yearandday.com/one and use code: ONE to get $25 off your first order of $150 or more. Also, receive Free shipping on orders of $150 or more. So drop whatever you’re doing and go visit yearandday.com/one and use the code: ONE to get $25 off your first order of $150 or more!PATREON SHOUT OUTS:Mercedes Cusick LMFT, Website: www.mercedescusick.com, IG: @recoverhealbloomCheck Out How To Do The PotThanks to Kathleen HahnCute Booty Lounge is made right here in the USA, by women and for women. The company is incredible, female, and minority-owned and all of their leggings make makes your booty look amazing. Go to https://cutebooty.com/ today! Embrace your body, love your booty!Join our Patreon:Become an Only One In The Room patron by joining us on Patreon! Starting at only $5.00 per month, you’ll get bonus content, access to outtakes that the general public will NEVER see, extremely cool merch, and depending on what tier you get, monthly hang time with Scott and Laura. Join our Patreon today at https://www.patreon.com/theonlyonepodcastBe sure not to miss Scott Talks on Wednesdays, our Sunday release called Sunday Edition & our brand new series On My Nightstand releasing on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series. Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more.We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show!All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 29, 2022 • 40min

SUNDAY EDITION: Jessica Nordell Is The Only One In The Room Talking About How To End Bias

Jessica Nordell is an award-winning author, science writer, and speaker known for blending rigorous science with compassionate humanity and will be speaking at SXSW in March. After ten years of investigating unconscious bias, she has written her first book, The End of Bias: A Beginning (paperback 9/22,) a solutions journalism guide to answering the question: What do we do about this problem? It has been shortlisted for the Lukas Prize from Columbia Journalism and is the product of hundreds of interviews, an exhaustive review of the studies, and immersive reporting from a vast and diverse range of institutions and environments and examines biased behavior as a historical, cultural, psychological, and scientific phenomenon.Visit: jessicanordell.comTwitter: @jessnordellInstagram: @jessnordellSpecial thanks to our sponsors:BetterHelp:BetterHelp is a great, affordable option for professional counseling done securely online. As a listener, you'll get 10% off your first month by visiting betterhelp.com/one Away:We love our new sponsor AWAY, the modern lifestyle brand that creates thoughtful products for every traveler and every kind of trip. Start YOUR 100-day trial and shop the entire Away line-up of travel essentials, including their best-selling suitcases, at AWAYTravel.com/theonlyone.PATREON SHOUT OUTS:Mercedes Cusick LMFT, Website: www.mercedescusick.com, IG: @recoverhealbloomCheck Out How To Do The PotThanks to Kathleen HahnCute Booty Lounge is made right here in the USA, by women and for women. The company is incredible, female, and minority-owned and all of their leggings make makes your booty look amazing. Go to https://cutebooty.com/ today! Embrace your body, love your booty!Storytime J aka Jason Williams: Check out his YouTube channel hereThanks to Tameeka BrownJoin our Patreon:Become an Only One In The Room patron by joining us on Patreon! Starting at only $5.00 per month, you’ll get bonus content, access to outtakes that the general public will NEVER see, extremely cool merch, and depending on what tier you get, monthly hang time with Scott and Laura. Join our Patreon today at https://www.patreon.com/theonlyonepodcastBe sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays and our brand new series On My Nightstand on Fridays by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Join our Only One In The Room Facebook Group if you'd like to ask a question of any of our upcoming guests for this series. Also visit the website www.theonlyonepod.com for the latest from our host Laura Cathcart Robbins like featured articles and more.We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show!All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 27, 2022 • 21min

On My Nightstand: Third Anniversary Essay Contest Winner: est by Mia Idrissi

We held a writing contest to celebrate our third year anniversary, and it is our pleasure to present our essay contest winner, est, by Mia Idrissi to you today. Mia Idrissi grew up in Seattle, WA in a home filled with gifted artists, musicians, and other emotionally challenged people. In her early twenties, she moved to New York determined to be the next Bette Midler. After 10 years at large on the streets of 1980s NY, a couple of trips to rehab, and a few years spent back in Seattle long enough to get married and divorced, she finally met her “person”, her husband Phil. Together they've spent the past 15 years having a blast working in divergent parts of the entertainment industry here in Los Angeles. With a litany of ridiculous, sometimes glamorous, sometimes dangerous adventures, her stories are winding their way into a memoir that is currently incubating. Being the only 16-year-old in an Est training weekend in 1980 full of hundreds of adults is but one of her curious life experiences.Instagram: @miaaliciaidrissiwritingabookTwitter: @mialoveslenny LinkedIn: Mia Idrissi Special thanks to our sponsors:BetterHelp:BetterHelp is a great, affordable option for professional counseling done securely online. As a listener, you'll get 10% off your first month by visiting betterhelp.com/one Away:We love our new sponsor AWAY, the modern lifestyle brand that creates thoughtful products for every traveler and every kind of trip. Start YOUR 100-day trial and shop the entire Away line-up of travel essentials, including their best-selling suitcases, at AWAYTravel.com/theonlyone.PATREON SHOUT OUTS:Mercedes Cusick LMFT, Website: www.mercedescusick.com, IG: @recoverhealbloomCheck Out How To Do The PotThanks to Kathleen HahnCute Booty Lounge is made right here in the USA, by women and for women. The company is incredible, female, and minority-owned and all of their leggings make makes your booty look amazing. Go to https://cutebooty.com/ today! Embrace your body, love your booty!Join our Patreon:Become an Only One In The Room patron by joining us on Patreon! Starting at only $5.00 per month, you’ll get bonus content, access to outtakes that the general public will NEVER see, extremely cool merch, and depending on what tier you get, monthly hang time with Scott and Laura. Join our Patreon today at https://www.patreon.com/theonlyonepodcast Be sure not to miss our weekly full episodes on Tuesdays, Scott Talks on Wednesdays & Sunday Edition every Sunday by subscribing to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. We love hearing from you in the comments on iTunes and while you're there don't forget to rate us, subscribe and share the show!All of us at The Only One In The Room wish you safety and wellness during this challenging time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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