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
Apr 20, 2021 • 56min
Matt Cox Is The Only One Writing True Crime Stories From Inside Prison Episode 83
Imagine being a conman doing a lengthy prison sentence for a variety of bank fraud charges and finding that instead of the yard or the track, you feel drawn to the library.Matt Cox, former conman and true crime author, spent years in prison writing stories, starting with his own and then going on to write the stories of his fellow inmates.But what would you do if you realized that once you were released the only legal ways you knew how to earn money were now off the table? Would you go back to a life of crime or would you embark on a new career and become a legit true crime author?More From Matt Cox:Youtube channels:Mathew Cox & Inside True CrimeCox Pop ArtWebsite: https://insidetruecrime.comSpecial thanks to our Sponsor Betterhelp:Start living a happier life today! As an Only On In The Room listener, you’ll get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at Betterhelp.com/One. Join the over one million people who have taken charge of their mental health with the help of experienced Better Help professionals.Be 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
Apr 18, 2021 • 38min
SUNDAY EDITION: Hari Ziyad Is The Only One Challenging Us To Evolve
Hari says this about gender language: “I stopped forcing myself into the category of ‘male’ which never seemed to fit me long ago, and though ‘maleness’ is the language that most tongues wrap easiest around when I am seen, it is not the language that makes room for my existence in this world.”Hari Ziyad is a cultural critic, a screenwriter, and the editor-in-chief of RaceBaitr. They are a 2021 Lambda Literary Fellow, and their writing has been featured in BuzzFeed, Out, the Guardian, Paste magazine, and the academic journal Critical Ethnic Studies, among other publications. Previously they were the managing editor of the Black Youth Project and a script consultant on the television series David Makes Man. Hari spends their all-too-rare free time trying to get their friends to give the latest generation of R & B starlets a chance and attempting to entertain their always very unbothered pit bull mix, Khione.For more information about Hari, visit www.hariziyad.com.Instagram: @hariziyadSpecial thanks to our Sponsor Betterhelp:Start living a happier life today! As an Only On In The Room listener, you’ll get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at Betterhelp.com/One. Join the over one million people who have taken charge of their mental health with the help of experienced Better Help professionals.Be 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
Apr 16, 2021 • 18min
On My Nightstand: “I Was The Only Black Person At Elizabeth Gilbert and Cheryl Strayed’s Brave Magic Retreat” By Laura Cathcart Robbins
To celebrate the two-year anniversary of The Only One In The Room, today’s On My Nightstand reading is the essay that started it all. After this 2018 Huffpo article I authored went viral, I received five hundred and sixty-eight direct messages, all from people who connected with the feeling of being othered. Many of those messages were accompanied by this hashtag #theonlyoneintheroom and so we decided to create a podcast that would tell those stories.More from LauraRead the article featured in this episodeLaura Cathcart Robbins is an author, freelance culture writer, and host of the popular podcast, The Only One In The Room, living in Studio City, California. 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, and Inclusion. Her recent articles in Huffpo and The Temper on the subjects of race, recovery, and divorce have garnered her worldwide acclaim. She is a 2018 LA Moth StorySlam winner and currently sits on the advisory board for the San Diego Writer’s Festival and the Outliers HQ podcast Festival. Laura is also a founding member of Moving Forewords, the first national memoirist collective of its kind. Find out more about her on her website, or you can look for her on Facebook, on Instagram, and follow her on Twitter.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
Apr 14, 2021 • 15min
Scott Talks To Kristin Casey
Scott Slaughter co-host and producer of The Only One In The Room has a short and casual, yet deep conversation with our guest Kristin Casey right after the show.Special thanks to our Sponsor Betterhelp:Start living a happier life today! As an Only On In The Room listener, you’ll get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at Betterhelp.com/One. Join the over one million people who have taken charge of their mental health with the help of experienced Better Help professionals.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
Apr 13, 2021 • 55min
Kristin Casey Is The Only Sex Surrogate In The Room Episode 82
From the beginning, she was someone who viewed sex differently from her peers. Sexual desire wasn’t something to be ashamed of or hidden away. It was something to be openly explored and cherished.Intimacy coach Kristin Casey, was a sex worker for years before she discovered that she had abilities to help people, men who were victims of sexual trauma, experiencing performance anxiety or things like pleasure avoidance, dissociation, and inexperience.So what would you do, if there was an opportunity to expand your practice and become a sex surrogate? Would you decide that talk therapy was enough? Or would you choose to engage with your clients in a physical, intimate way?More from Kristin Casey:Visit the website: https://kristincasey.comExplore her coaching optionsFinding Kristin Casey:Instagram: @kristin_casey_writerTwitter: @MsKristinCaseySpecial thanks to our Sponsor Betterhelp:Start living a happier life today! As an Only On In The Room listener, you’ll get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at Betterhelp.com/One. Join the over one million people who have taken charge of their mental health with the help of experienced Better Help professionals.Be 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
Apr 9, 2021 • 15min
On My Nightstand: Under The Wave At Waimea By Paul Theroux
Today’s On My Nightstand Reading is from chapter four, Drunk On The Road from Under The Wave At Waimea. Timed to Theroux's eightieth birthday, UNDER THE WAVE AT WAIMEA is the story of aging big-wave champion surfer, Joe Sharkey. Joe’s struggling to come to terms with the fast-approaching end of his career when he accidentally kills a stranger near Waimea, Hawaii after a night of drinking. As Joe and his girlfriend, Olive, deal with the repercussions of the accident she throws herself into uncovering the dead man’s identity and helping Joe find vitality and refuge in the waves again. Paul Theroux has written over fifty books (this will be his 54th) both fiction and nonfiction, making him one of the most prolific authors of our time. Some of his best-known works include The Great Railway Bazaar, Dark Star Safari, and Mosquito Coast, which has been adapted by Apple as a series that is set to be released on April 30 and stars Theroux's nephew, actor Justin Theroux. Instagram: @paul.therouxhttps://www.paultheroux.com/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
Apr 8, 2021 • 10min
Presenting: Good Words with Kirk Franklin
The Only One In The Room presents: Good Words with Kirk Franklin.Kirk Franklin welcomes people from every cross section of life seeking inspiration and empowerment and through intimate conversations they explore faith, redemption and the realities of today’s world. Kirk invites us to see ourselves in the shared moments between himself and his guests.The show provides a fun and energetic outlet to lift people up and share trials and tribulations that guests have overcome along the way. His star-studded guests include familiar names like Chance the Rapper, Pharrell, H.E.R., Kelly Rowland, Glennon Doyle and more.New episodes every Tuesday starting February 9th. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 7, 2021 • 20min
Richard Robles Is The Only Good Samaritan At The Scene
Yesterday you heard the first-ever podcast interview with Robert Chelsea, the first African-American and oldest full-face transplant recipient. Today we’re offering you a rare Only One In The Room follow-up with the man who saved his life. Richard Robles, 49-year-old General Superintendent, husband and father of six, lost his way while returning home one night after work and stumbled upon a fiery crash - what he did next will take your breath away.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
Apr 6, 2021 • 45min
Robert Chelsea Is The Only And First African-American To Receive A Full Face Transplant Episode 81
Imagine, a drunk driver slams into your car at such a high rate of speed that it explodes before you can get out.Robert Chelsea, seventy-year-old father, and salesman, was pulled from the wreckage of a burning car in August of 2013, but not before over 75% of his body was burned, leaving his hands, arms, and face unrecognizable.But what would you do if no one had ever successfully completed a full-face transplant on someone your age or your race? Would you decide that the surgery wasn’t worth the risk? Or would you volunteer to become the first African-American and oldest American ever to receive a full-face transplant?More from Robert Chelsea:Visit the website: https://www.robertchelsea.orgFinding Robert Chelsea:Instagram: @robertlchelsea88Be 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
Apr 4, 2021 • 39min
SUNDAY EDITION: Hugo Vrsalovic Is The Only Grateful Compulsive Gambler In The Room
Usually, people start out gambling for fun, and they end up chasing their losses until all their money is gone. And in many cases, people are gambling because they have faced emotional and financial losses and they are trying to console themselves. Most people don’t realize that problem gambling is a real disorder, just like alcohol or drug addiction. The good news is that most people who get treatment are able to successfully stop gambling. Here to dive into this with us today we have Life Is Wonderful founder, Hugo Vrsalovic. Hugo has over 20 years in recovery from gambling and alcohol.www.lifeiswonderful.loveBe 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
