The Intense Mind with Imi Lo

Gifted Adults and High-Functioning Depression: Not Waving but Drowning (audio essay)

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:00:00 -0400

Full text: https://eggshelltherapy.com/high-functioning-depression/

(Recorded with human voice)

We can think of the mechanism of high functioning depression this way: At some point in your life, perhaps because the mental burden on you had become overwhelming, your psyche created an internal split to cope.

In high functioning depression, what develops is a division between your "high functioning part" and your "depressed part." The high functioning part is what you use to cope with demands from the world. It is what you carry to work and use to run day-to-day tasks. It appears strong and capable; It maintains the facade of being the person others rely upon, the responsible one who never falters, the good friend who always has time, the loyal worker who exceeds expectations, the loving partner who always meets their loved one’s needs. Meanwhile, running parallel to this competent exterior is your vulnerable and depressed part. It feels like a younger, more raw, unedited version of you. It is the aspect of self that houses all the suffering, all the despair, all the unprocessed grief, and overwhelming pain. It holds memories of the painful experiences you have endured, and because of that, most of the time, you would rather not get in touch with it, so it has been split off and hidden, even from yourself, in the dark corner of your psyche.

Eggshell Therapy and Coaching: eggshelltherapy.com
About Imi Lo: www.imiloimilo.com
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/eggshelltherapy_imilo/
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Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

Trigger Warning: This episode may cover sensitive topics including but not limited to suicide, abuse, violence, severe mental illnesses, relationship challenges, sex, drugs, alcohol addiction, psychedelics, and the use of plant medicines. You are advised to refrain from watching or listening to the YouTube Channel or Podcast if you are likely to be offended or adversely impacted by any of these topics.

Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of the content clinical or professional advice. None of the content can substitute mental health intervention. Opinions and views expressed by the host and the guests are personal views and they reserve the right to change their opinions. We also cannot guarantee that everything mentioned is factual and completely accurate. Any action you take based on the information in this episode is taken at your own risk.

Healing Beyond Intellectualizing and the Body Shadow – with Jungian Analyst Erica Lorentz

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2026/04/22/bodyshadow/

I recently had the immense pleasure of sitting down with Jungian analyst Erica Lorentz to discuss her profound new work, Body is Shadow: Jung’s Method of Embodied Healing. Many intellectually gifted and highly sensitive individuals often live very much “in our heads.” This conversation was a vital reminder of what happens when we bridge that gap between our soaring intellects and our physical, felt experiences.

We concluded with the idea that wholeness requires us to bring the shadow into the light of our physical awareness. It was a reminder that for the highly sensitive person, your greatest vulnerability—your deep receptivity—is also your greatest path to healing. I hope this conversation encourages you to treat your body not as a secondary thought to your mind, but as a wise partner in your journey toward integration.

About Erica

Erica Lorentz, M.Ed., L.P.C. is a Jungian Analyst (IAAP) with forty years of clinical experience. Since 1988, she has lectured and taught classes and workshops throughout the US and in Canada. She has been a training analyst since 1998 (presently at the C. G. Jung Institute of New England). She does individual, couples, and group work. While she has a deep and varied clinical background, she is deeply interested in what dreams, emotions, physical symptoms, and the inner imaginal realms are trying to teach her clients. She believes that anxiety, depression, anger, compulsion, illness, PTSD, etc. are all the body/psyche’s way of drawing our awareness to how we need to grow. Erica’s training and personal experience with verbal and non-verbal/embodied processes enable her to facilitate access to and understanding of the conversation between our conscious and unconscious, and between our body/mind/soul.

Erica’s Website: https://ericalorentz.com/

The book: https://www.amazon.com/Body-Shadow-Method-Embodied-Healing/dp/1800134061

On Productivity Guilt, Play, and the Adults Who Never Learned to Rest – Nadja Rolli

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Time Stamps and more: https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2026/03/29/nadja/

Many of the people I work with are highly intelligent, analytically sharp, and deeply uncomfortable with the idea of play. The word itself can feel faintly embarrassing, associated with self-indulgence. Doing something with no measurable output, no goal, no justification, tends to produce anxiety more than relief.
Nadja Rolli is a child psychotherapist and author who has spent her career working with play as a clinical and developmental tool. She walks through a five-stage model of play development, sensory, attachment, constructive, fantasy, and competitive, and what becomes clear is that many adults, particularly high-functioning ones, were pushed into achievement-oriented, competitive modes long before the earlier stages were properly lived through. The things that follow from that, needing to justify rest, struggling to lose without it feeling like something larger, being uncomfortable with open-ended unproductive time, are not personality quirks. They have a developmental logic.
We also get into how play connects to trauma repair, what attachment play looks like across a lifetime, why some people genuinely do not know what they enjoy anymore and what that points to, the historical reasons play came to be seen as dangerous or morally suspect, and what gets lost developmentally when children are moved too quickly into screens and competitive gaming before the earlier stages are inhabited.
The question underneath all of this is not really about whether you should play more. It is about whether you have ever genuinely felt entitled to exist outside of what you produce, and what it would mean to recover that.
Nadja Rolli is a child and adolescent psychotherapist based in London and the author of Can We Play Now?

Dependency and Denial - with Joe Pawson

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, I speak with integrative psychotherapist Joseph Pawson to explore the territory of his forthcoming book, Dependency and Denial, which examines what happens when our need for others gets exiled from awareness, and what it costs us to keep it there.
We talk about why dependency is not the pathological clinginess most people associate with the word, but something far more universal, the very basis of how we relate to each other and to the world. Joe describes how, when early experiences of not being met are too painful, we can build an identity around self-sufficiency that works so well it becomes its own kind of trap, particularly for people with strong intellects or high emotional capacity, the very people who are most able to survive without letting anyone in.

We get into what denial actually looks like in someone who is functioning well on the surface, the kind of person who can talk about vulnerability with real fluency but cannot let anyone carry anything for them. Joe speaks honestly about writing the book partly as a letter to himself, and about his own difficulty with needing others.

We also get into a fear I hear often: the conviction that if you allow yourself to need someone, you will need too much and overwhelm them entirely.
Joe's book Dependency and Denial is published by Karnac Books. He can be found at jpsychotherapy.co.uk.

About Joe
Joe Pawson is an integrative psychotherapist registered with the UKCP, with over ten years of experience. His approach draws on developmental, humanistic, relational, and transpersonal traditions.

https://www.jppsychotherapy.co.uk
The book: https://www.karnacbooks.com/Author.asp?AID=26116

Gifted and Neurodivergent: Why You Can't Stop Correcting the People You Love (Essay)

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 11:00:00 -0400

Full Transcript: https://eggshelltherapy.com/irritation/

You send articles they never read. You explain things they forget by tomorrow. You correct them even when you know it will start an argument. And you cannot stop, no matter how many times it backfires. This piece is about why.

Read by voice artist Theresa.

Existential Depression in Gifted Adults (Audio Essay)

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 10:00:00 -0500

Full Text: https://eggshelltherapy.com/existential-depression/

Sometimes, you have a lingering, niggling sense that says you are capable of more than your life currently reflects.

Perhaps you wake up with a quiet, persistent hum that whispers you are in the wrong city, the wrong company, the wrong room. You function well on the surface, meeting obligations and appearing competent, but underneath there is a constant awareness that you are hemorrhaging meaning, that something essential remains unlived and unexpressed. You watch peers announce promotions, publications, and prestigious positions, and feel a burning mixture of longing and shame at your own reaction. Does that mean you are somehow a horrible person to be feeling a bit envious?

Existential depression in gifted adults can come from sensing the gap between your capacities and what your circumstances allow. It is the warfare between the part of you that wants to unfurl toward something larger and the part that has learned, through years of correction and dismissal, that your brightness is dangerous.

We shame ourselves for wanting recognition, for caring about prestige, for imagining ourselves in contexts that finally match our internal magnitude. But what if the pain is not pathological? What if it is developmental, a sign of growth, and the seed of your next breakthrough?

Psychoanalyst Heinz Kohut wrote about our human need for mirroring, for having our inner reality reflected back accurately by our environment. For those whose complexity, intensity, and particular cognitive capacities were rarely recognized or understood, the longing for congruence between internal and external reality is not shallow vanity.

Continue reading to understand why your envy is a messenger, how the lack of mirroring created your current distress, and what it means to hold the tension between who you are and who you might become without collapsing into either denial or self-destruction.

Note: Existential depression as discussed here is not a clinical diagnosis in the DSM and can coexist with clinical depression. Please do not hesitate to seek psychiatric input if clinical depression is part of your experience.

(Audio Essay) On Leaving a Toxic Relationship

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 06:00:00 -0500

Full text: https://eggshelltherapy.com/toxic-relationship/

If you have been in a toxic relationship—whether with a partner, a friend, or a parent—with someone who repeatedly hurts you, gaslights you, or manipulates you, you may be familiar with the feeling of being stuck in a loop: betrayal, apology, forgiveness, then betrayal again. They repeatedly violate your trust in ways that leave you questioning reality itself, but then soon beg for your forgiveness with such raw vulnerability that your heart cracks open and guilt floods in. You stay because you think about your shared history, all that you are truly grateful for, and how good it would be if they could change. Then, within days or weeks, they betray your trust again. The shock hits deeper each time because the apology felt so real. The loop just repeats, leaving you increasingly confused, depleted, and emptied from your core.

Most of us are so trapped in cultural stories of unconditional loyalty and forgiveness that we fail to see what truly lies within a toxic relationship loop. Even when you intellectually know that walking away is the right answer, that rightfully protecting yourself is not selfish, every time you try to walk away, you may feel haunted by guilt. We have all been shaped by years of cultural programming that tells us we are abandoning someone if they say they need us and we walk away. We are told that someone who tries their best should be free from blame. We are taught that love means endless second chances, that loyalty requires enduring pain, and that good people never give up on others. But ultimately, relationships without boundaries cannot nourish either side, and love without limits may simply be detrimental to both.

If you have ever felt trapped or is contemplating walking away from something that is not working anymore, I hope this piece can help shift something.

(Audio Essay) Gifted Trauma of Feeling Humiliated

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0500

Full text: https://eggshelltherapy.com/gifted-trauma/

On the Gifted Trauma of Feeling Humiliated

Today's article is on the gifted trauma of feeling chronically humiliated, even when no one is trying to humiliate you.

You know the feeling in your body before your mind can name it. The heat rising when someone begins explaining something you already know. The sickening sensation in your stomach when an authority figure talks down to you, even when they are someone you perceive to have no real authority at all. The strange shame of watching someone else present your insight as their own. The way your body contracts to brace itself.

You may find yourself re-experiencing this sense of humiliation constantly, triggered by what seem like the smallest slights.

And there is almost no socially acceptable way to talk about it. It feels like a taboo to say you feel humiliated when no one intended to offend. You can hardly be honest about the daily abrasion of being too bright and fast for your environment.

But the feeling is real. And it did not come from nowhere.
It was planted when you were trapped in a body too small for your mind, in a world that moved too slowly, explained too much, and understood too little.

You were told in all sorts of obvious and not so obvious ways that your penetrative insights were dangerous, your directness was hurtful, and when you excitedly shared what you passionately knew, you made others feel small.

The first wound was the humiliation itself.
The second wound, perhaps the deeper one, was learning to participate in your own shrinking.

You learned to start sentences with "I might be wrong, but..." and "It is probably nothing..." You shave off the sharp edges from your speech, just in case they hurt anyone.

You have become so skilled at reading micro-expressions, at catching that flash of discomfort across someone's face, that you retreat before you have even fully arrived. What started as survival became something else entirely: a muscular apology you carry in your body, a chronic self-betrayal you barely notice anymore.

But... maybe the second half of your life is asking something different of you. It is asking whether you are willing to finally inhabit your brightness without apology, to stop protecting people from your full self, to risk the possibility that some will turn away when they see

Why We Still Feel Lonely - with Philosopher Lars Svendsen

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 13:00:00 -0500

SHOW NOTES:

https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2025/12/05/why-we-still-feel-lonely-with-philosopher-lars-svendsen/

We can be surrounded by people and still feel completely alone. We can have friends, a partner, a full social calendar, and still feel like something is missing.

I spoke with philosopher Dr. Lars Svendsen about loneliness. His work so brilliantly weaves together philosophy, psychology, and decades of cross-cultural research.

Prior to this conversation, I did not know that...

Norway is one of the most individualistic countries on earth. It also has some of the lowest loneliness rates in the world.

People who see their friends every day report more loneliness than those who do not.

Creating new social spaces and community events does almost nothing to cure loneliness.

In one study, people preferred giving themselves electric shocks over sitting alone with their thoughts for 15 minutes.

Loneliness, it seems, is less about what is missing out there and more about what we are looking for.

I hope you come away from this conversation feeling a little less lonely. Or at least, in my own case, a bit more hopeful.

Dr. Svendsen is a Norwegian philosopher. He is a professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Bergen, Norway. He is the author of several books, including A Philosophy of Boredom (2005), Fashion: a Philosophy (2006), A Philosophy of Fear (2008), Work (2008), and A Philosophy of Freedom (2014). He has a unique ability to communicate difficult contemporary and international topics straightforwardly. Dr. Svendsen has received several prizes for his work, and his books have been translated into more than 35 languages.

Death Anxiety and the Will to Live: Finding Beauty in a Finite Life - with Philosopher Tom Cochrane

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 11:00:00 -0400

SHOW NOTES: https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2025/10/27/deathanxiety/

I sat down with philosopher Tom Cochrane to explore death anxiety, happiness, and how we cope when existential dread surfaces.

We began with the classic philosophical arguments against fearing death.

For Tom, ultimate comfort does not require a cosmic designer. It comes from recognizing the world's intrinsic value. He advocates for what he calls "aestheticism," seeing the universe as beautiful, sublime, dramatic, and worthwhile on its own terms. This perspective is available to both atheists and theists.

On self-sufficiency, Tom's critique is pointed and unique. A fully self-contained life becomes emotionally flat, he likened it to being like a ‘stale lemonade’. Humans are "contingent to the bone" and flourish through embraced interdependence and risk, not through isolation.

The key insight: we have control over our imagination. Even when it runs away from us, we can redirect it and build better habits of attention.

About Tom Cochrane:

Born in the UK, Tom completed his BA (hons) in philosophy at University College London, followed by a MA in music composition at Birmingham Conservatoire, and then a PhD in philosophy at the University of Nottingham. His PhD supervisor was Gregory Currie.

Following his PhD, Tom was a postdoctoral fellow at the Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva (2007-2010). He was then an international visiting fellow at the Sonic Arts Research Center, Queen's University Belfast (2010-2012), before moving to the University of Sheffield as a lecturer (2012-2017). After a brief stint at the University of York in 2017, he joined Flinders in February 2018.

Tom's main areas of expertise are the philosophy of mind (particularly emotions) and philosophy of art/aesthetics (particularly music). He also has interests in metaphysics and ethics.

He is the editor of The Emotional Power of Music (Oxford University Press, 2013) He is also the author of The Emotional Mind: A control theory of affective states (Cambridge University Press, 2018) and The Aesthetic Value of the World (Oxford University Press, 2021).

Tom's latest book, The Aesthetic Value of the World: https://academic.oup.com/book/39016

Your AI Therapist Never Misses You (Audio essay)

Sat, 18 Oct 2025 10:00:00 -0400

Full text: https://eggshelltherapy.com/ai-therapist/

Today’s letter is about the elephant in the room for all of us these past few years: the use of the AI therapist, coach, mentor, partner, friend, confidant, and sounding board. You may be someone who has resisted it with full strength, or embraced it with excitement, or maybe both. Whatever your stance, maybe it is time we talk about what happens when we turn to machines for the kind of relational healing or coaching that has always happened between humans.

All in all, I believe there remain irreplaceable aspects of human connection in healing work that have nothing to do with technological limitations and everything to do with what it means to be human, to suffer, and to heal in the presence of another person who has also suffered and healed. Whether we are talking about therapy, coaching, mentoring, or any form of deep relational work, certain elements can only happen between two human beings.

In this piece, we will focus on those irreplaceable human elements. Just because I do not discuss the potential benefits or value of having an AI therapist does not mean they are not there; they are simply not the focus of this discussion.

Beyond Anxious and Avoidant: Can You Actually Heal Your Attachment? - with Jessica Baum

Sat, 18 Oct 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Show Notes: https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2025/10/18/jessica-baum/

Jessica, author of Anxiously Attached, returns to discuss her new book, Safe, which expands beyond her first work to cover all four attachment patterns: secure, anxious, avoidant, and disorganized. Drawing on interpersonal neurobiology, she explores how early attachment wounds live in the body as implicit memory and cannot be healed alone. They require safe, anchoring relationships where nervous systems can co-regulate, whether with therapists, coaches, or trusted others.

She reframes triggers as awakenings, inviting curiosity about what earlier wounds are being touched, and contextualizes people-pleasing as an intelligent adaptation rather than a flaw.

The Fear of Being Unproductive (Audio Essay)

Sun, 28 Sep 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Link to the full text: https://www.pecanphilosophy.com/writing/fear-of-being-unproductive

Read with a human voice!

On Victimhood, Solidarity, and Invisible Suffering - with Dr. Lilie Chouliaraki

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 11:00:00 -0400

https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2025/09/24/drlilie/

Today, we are fortunate to have Dr. Lilie Chouliaraki with us. She is a Professor in Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and has spent her career examining how the media discusses human suffering and our own vulnerability.

We are going to explore her work on how approaches to helping people have evolved over time. She walks us through the concept of "post-humanitarianism," which examines how our sense of solidarity has shifted. It is less about a shared sense of humanity and more about personal benefit, a kind of self-focused, consumer-style activism.

We also explore the highly complex but timely topic of victimhood identity. Dr. Chouliaraki discusses how the language of being a victim has become a powerful political tool. She has examined how this concept of victimhood is sometimes used, or even manipulated, by those who are already privileged to gain more power, a concept she calls the "weaponization of victimhood." This can happen in ways that actually reinforce inequalities rather than challenge them.

About Dr. Lilie Chouliaraki

Professor Lilie Chouliaraki is Chair in Media and Communications at LSE. She holds an MA and PhD from Lancaster University Department of Linguistics and a bachelor's degree from the School of Philosophy, University of Athens.

In the past twenty-five years, her research has been examining how media shape our ethical and political relationships with vulnerable populations globally and how pain intersects with power relations in disaster news, humanitarian communication, migration, and conflict journalism across historical and digital contexts.

Recently, Chouliaraki has focused on histories of victimhood within emotional capitalism, social media, and far-right populism. Her award-winning book "Wronged: The Weaponization of Victimhood" was published by Columbia University Press in 2024.

She has received numerous international distinctions, including the Outstanding Article Award (ICA, 2014), Outstanding Book of the Year award (ICA, 2015), and Best Book Award (ICA, 2025). She is the only two-time recipient of the Outstanding Book of the Year Award and was named an ICA Fellow in 2020 for her distinguished scholarly contributions.

From Just “Fitting In” to Belonging at Work – Imi Lo, Sarabeth Berk Bickerton

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Show notes: https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2025/09/17/sarabeth-2/

In this episode, we explore the shift from simply "fitting in" at work to cultivating true belonging. Dr. Sarabeth Berk Bickerton, author of Seen, Known, Valued, shares insights on redefining career success—from external markers like titles and pay to a more personal journey of meaning, values, and impact. We discuss her Career Belonging Matrix, the challenges faced by hybrid professionals, and practical strategies for communicating your unique value in a world that often prefers tidy labels.

(Seen, Known, Valued will be coming in 2026 due to a publishing delay)
Find Dr. Sarabeth and her work: https://www.morethanmytitle.com/books

Self Sabotaging Stories That Keep Us Stuck (audio essay)

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Full text: https://www.pecanphilosophy.com/writing/mindtraps

"Others Have It Worse, So I Shouldn't Complain.”

Self-sabotaging stories that keep you stuck are rarely obvious villains. They come masked as common sense, as truism, as gratitude or kindness, as protection against future pain. We carry them like sacred truths, hardly seeing how what is designed to self-sabotage is actually leaving us feeling hollow and disconnected.

In this letter, I want us to see if we can expose some of these hidden self-sabotaging beliefs, see them for what they are, and re-examine if we truly want to carry them for the rest of our lives: “Others have it worse, so I should not complain." "My parents did their best, so I cannot be upset." "If I accept love, I will only be disappointed later."

Self-sabotaging beliefs often disguise oppression as morality. They sound rational, even noble, yet they are nothing more than outdated schemas that keep us small.

For the full article:

https://www.pecanphilosophy.com/writing/mindtraps

Imi's Interview on Make Your Mind Podcast - On Neurodiversity, Emotional Intensity and Sensitivity

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 13:00:00 -0400

This is a reshare of my interview with Jess Leondiou, originally featured on Make Your Mind podcast.

I am grateful to Jess for graciously allowing me to repost our conversation from earlier this year.

About Make Your Mind Podcast
How do our minds really work? How different are we from one another? What is the science behind our interactions, and how do we fit into the larger collective of consciousness? Make Your Mind explores these profound questions with curiosity and dedication to expanding our understanding of ourselves and the world. Jess brings together experts from various fields - those who study the science of the mind, experts in self-inquiry, and thought leaders with social and cultural insights - for conversations that unpack these evolving topics.

Our Conversation
In her beautiful introduction, Jess reflects on how diagnosis impacts our sense of self. She explores the complex territory between finding relief and validation in labels, while also noticing how they can shift our self-perception. As research shows (Dweck), what we believe about ourselves profoundly shapes our behavior, and the language we use becomes central to how we operate.

Thank you again, Jess, for this meaningful conversation and for the care you bring to exploring the breadth of human experience!!

Originally featured on Make Your Mind podcast : https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/makeyourmind/episodes/Emotional-Sensitivity--Intensity-For-the-Neurodivergent-and-Gifted-Adult--with-Imi-Lo-e33ak1n

Please do check out her wonderful work as well!

Archley’s: https://www.archleys.com/pages/about-us?srsltid=AfmBOoquQqTW2HRBvOofa--49rkIqDCTLQU6qfcOXnxtuCG8rOmj9k0B

The Psychology Behind Írrational Rage' (short audio essay)

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 07:00:00 -0400

Full text: https://www.pecanphilosophy.com/writing/terror

Unfinished (Short Audio Essay)

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 09:00:00 -0400

Full text: https://www.imiloimilo.com/writing/unfinished

Dream Therapy: What Is Your Dream Telling You? Conversation with Dr. Leslie Ellis

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 10:00:00 -0400

SHOW NOTES: https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2025/08/26/dreams/

In this conversation, explore the significance of dreams in our lives, how they can serve as a window into our unconscious, and their potential to guide us through emotional healing. Dr. Ellis will share insights into the neuroscience of dreaming, the role of Jungian symbolism, and how dreams can help us process emotions, trauma, and even PTSD.

We also discuss practical techniques for understanding and interacting with our dreams, including how to engage with recurring dreams and nightmares in a way that promotes healing and insight.

About Dr. Leslie Ellis

Dr. Leslie Ellis is a leading expert in the use of somatic approaches in psychotherapy, in particular for working with dreams, nightmares and the effects of trauma. She is the author of A Clinician’s Guide to Dream Therapy (Routledge, 2019) and offers many training opportunities in embodied, experiential dreamwork based on her book. She has a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, with a specialization in somatic approaches. Her dissertation on using focusing-oriented therapy to treat PTSD for refugees with recurrent nightmares won the Ernest Hartmann award from the International Association for the Study of Dreams.

Stop Pathologizing Your Intensity - Conversation with Chris Wells, Imi Lo

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 07:00:00 -0400

Show notes:

https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2025/08/19/chriswells/

Today, we have Chris Wells, who is a writer, podcaster, and researcher, with a focus on inner experiences of gifted, complex, and intense people. We discuss:

How Positive Disintegration Theory by Dabrowski highlighting the idea that inner conflict and suffering are signs of growth, not illness.
Chris discusses the complexity and personal impact of discovering Dabrowski’s theory, which challenges traditional psychiatric perspectives by valuing unique personal experiences.
the loaded term “giftedness” and its implications, how we should have a broader understanding beyond just high IQ
Chris’s personal journey of self-acceptance, including experiences with ADHD, autism, and identifying as non-binary
the potential of AI tools like ChatGPT in aiding personal development

About Chris Wells

Chris Wells, PhD (they/them/theirs), is a writer, researcher, and storyteller specializing in positive disintegration, neurodivergence, and personal transformation.

As the founder of the Dąbrowski Center and creator of the Positive Disintegration Network, they are at the forefront of expanding and deepening conversations around Dąbrowski’s theory of positive disintegration. Their work bridges academic research, qualitative inquiry, and public testimony, using autoethnography and lived experience to illuminate the complexities of personality development.

Chris co-hosts the Positive Disintegration, cosmic cheer squad, and PDA: Resistance and Resilience podcasts, and writes on Substack, where they challenge misconceptions, clarify theory, and provide insight into the lived reality of developmental transformation. With a background in qualitative research and autoethnography, they are committed to using personal storytelling as a means of collective healing and self-discovery.

As a thought leader in the gifted and neurodivergentcommunities, Chris actively works to correct misunderstandings about overexcitabilities, giftedness, and the role of trauma in transformation. Their presentations and writings advocate for a broader, more inclusive understanding of positive disintegration, moving beyond existing m

Your Buried Voice - Hermeneutical Injustice and Invisible Childhood Trauma

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Click through to the full article about Hermeneutic Injustice and Invisible Childhood Trauma: https://www.pecanphilosophy.com/writing/hermeneutic-injustice

In case you are wondering, the essay is narrated with the voice of a real human :)

A Danger Which We Do Not Know? Existential Anxiety and Its Philosophical Remedy - Dr. David Rondel, Imi Lo

Thu, 29 May 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Link to more info: https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2025/05/29/drrondel/

A CONVERSATION ON EXISTENTIAL ANXIETY

I am pleased to share with you my recent conversation on a topic that haunts many of us: anxiety.

Today, we dive into the connection between philosophy and anxiety with Dr. David Rondel, a philosophy professor and author of "A Danger, Which We Do Not Know: A Philosophical Journey into Anxiety."

In his work, Dr. Rondel explores his journey through anxiety. From the wisdom of thinkers like Kierkegaard and William James to the challenges of modern anxieties like eco-anxiety and social media stress, Dr. Rondel shows us how embracing anxiety can lead to personal growth and a greater understanding of ourselves.

I would be thrilled for you to join this poignant and perennially relevant discussion!

About Dr. Rondel

David Rondel is Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Nevada. He is the author of Pragmatist Egalitarianism (Oxford University Press, 2018), and editor or co-editor of four additional books: Pessimism of the Intellect, Optimism of the Will: The Political Philosophy of Kai Nielsen (University of Calgary Press, 2012), Pragmatism and Justice (Oxford University Press, 2017), The Cambridge Companion to Rorty (Cambridge University Press, 2021), and The Moral Psychology of Anxiety (Lexington, 2024).

His website: https://www.davidrondel.com/about

The book: https://www.amazon.com/Danger-Which-Not-Know-Philosophical/dp/0197767249

Aging, Dementia, Love, and the Meaning of It All: A Conversation with Dr. Andrew Balfour and Imi Lo

Thu, 22 May 2025 09:00:00 -0400

FULL SUMMARY: https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2025/05/22/andrew_belfour/

Today, we’re joined by Dr. Balfour, a clinical psychologist, couples therapist, and psychoanalytic psychotherapist. He is the author of Life and Death: Our Relationship with Ageing, Dementia, and Other Fates of Time. In this conversation, we delve into the intersection of aging, relationships, and the search for meaning. Dr. Belfour shares his research on fostering emotional connections for couples in which one partner has dementia, and how small, everyday moments can create meaning even in the most challenging circumstances.

Dr. Balfour also reflects on society’s neglect of aging and mortality as crucial topics, attributing this to our collective fear of vulnerability and a cultural obsession with youth. This discussion doesn’t shy away from the realities of aging, such as dependency, increased vulnerability, and existential regrets, but it also offers hope. Dr. Balfour shares valuable insights on navigating the challenges of aging, loneliness, and regret, providing practical ways to foster resilience and connection. I hope this conversation resonates with you and offers a meaningful opportunity to consider these important themes.

About Dr. Andrew Balfour:

Andrew Balfour trained as a clinical psychologist at University College London and then as an adult psychotherapist at the Tavistock & Portman NHS Trust. He subsequently trained as a couple psychotherapist at Tavistock Relationships, where for more than 10 years he was Clinical Director before becoming Chief Executive in 2016.

Dr. Balfour’s book:

Life and Death Our Relationship with Ageing, Dementia, and Other Fates of Time, published by Routledge in 2025

Eggshell Therapy and Coaching: eggshelltherapy.com/
Imi Lo: imiloimilo.com
Sister Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3Zcl8ZUsu4AePugDoWtXcg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations
Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz
Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

Trigger Warning: This episode may cover sensitive topics including but not limited to suicide, abuse, violence, severe mental illnesses, relationship challenges, sex, drugs, alcohol addiction, psychedelics, and the use of plant medicines. You are advised to refrain from watching or listening to the YouTube Channel or Podcast if you are l

Love Languages for the Intense Adult and Gifted Child

Fri, 02 May 2025 07:00:00 -0400

Full text here: https://eggshelltherapy.com/lovelanguages/

"Your preferred love language is what you missed the most in childhood."

The other day, I stumbled across a quote on social media that caught my attention: “Your preferred love language is what you missed most in childhood.” I think that is quite true. Indeed, psychoanalysts and couples' counselors have long observed that many of us unconsciously attempt to fill the gaps of our past in our adult lives—whether through our intimate relationships, friendships, or even at work.

I started wondering if this differs slightly for a gifted person. How does being intense and sensitive change one's love language, or does it? What happens when a child with exceptional emotional depth, intellectual curiosity, and heightened sensitivity grows up in an environment laden with misunderstanding or even emotional abuse? How does intellectual or emotional deprivation affect the ways they express and seek connection in their adult relationships?

Can Love Be Addictive? On Bioethics, AI, and Human Connection - Dr. Brian Earp, Imi Lo

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 10:00:00 -0400

https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2025/04/30/brianearp/

In this episode, we discuss

- Dr. Brian Earp’s prolific academic work in philosophy, psychology, and medical ethics.
- how his conservative religious upbringing sparked his curiosity about morality and ethics.
- his transition from professional theater to academia and his commitment to a PhD at age 30.
- his research on love, obsession, and addiction, and his critique of monogamy as a societal default.
- his book Love Drugs and the ethics of using medical technologies to enhance relationships.
- ethical challenges in AI, his stance on bodily autonomy.
- his current projects on AI, personalized digital tools, and more!

Some Quotes from Dr. Earp

“Whether it’s harmful can be kind of contingent on historical and social attitudes.”

“If you think love is about fundamentally wanting to contribute to the flourishing of another person… then the question of whether you should possess them… might not be conducive to their flourishing.”

“We should advocate for a view of love according to which it’s something that is rooted fundamentally in care and respect.”

“Addiction can be part of one’s identity… if you cure yourself of this addiction, you almost change who you are.”

About Dr. Brian Earp

Associate Professor Brian D. Earp, PhD, is director of the Oxford-NUS Centre for Neuroethics and Society (OCNS) and the EARP Lab (Experimental Bioethics, Artificial Intelligence, and Relational Moral Psychology Lab) within the Centre for Biomedical Ethics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS). Brian is also an Associate Professor of Philosophy and of Psychology at NUS by courtesy.

See www.brianearp.com for more information.

Tired of Toxic Positivity? A Philosophical Discussion Defending Dark Moods- Dr. Marianna Alessandri, Imi Lo (SPECIAL EPISODE)

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 09:00:00 -0500

Summary: https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2025/02/27/darkmoods/

This episode stands out as one of my most special conversations! In this thought-provoking episode, I sat down with Dr. Mariana Alessandri, a modern philosophy professor whose work inspired me. We specifically explored the often misunderstood and undervalued role of "dark moods"—emotions like sadness, anger, anxiety, grief, and depression. In our conversation, we challenged the cultural obsession with happiness and optimism, critiquing "toxic positivity" and the societal tendency to label these emotions as problems to be fixed. Drawing on insights from her book, The Defender of Dark Moods, Dr. Alessandri reframed, rigorously and passionately, that dark moods as meaningful, natural, and even valuable aspects of the human experience.

Our conversation also examined the harm caused by suppressing emotions, the limitations of modern self-help, Stoicism, and the liberating potential of existential philosophy. By reclaiming space for authentic emotional expression—without judgment or shame—we can move toward a richer, more authentic life.

What we discussed:

How society undervalues dark moods like sadness, anger, and anxiety
Why toxic positivity is harmful
Why the binary view of emotions as “positive” or “negative” is limiting
Why modern self-help version of Stoicism can be problematic
Why we need more nuanced language for emotions
Why dark moods are essential to a meaningful life

About Dr. Alessandri:

Website: https://www.marianaalessandri.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/mariana.alessandri/

The book: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691215457/night-vision

**

Loneliness and Finding Connections as a Highly Sensitive Gifted Man- Eric Windhorst, Imi Lo

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 12:00:00 -0500

In this episode, we have a highly sensitive, soulful gifted man as a guest. His name is Eric Windhorst, a registered psychotherapist, educator, mentor, and writer, deeply passionate about personal growth and environmental well-being.

His diverse academic background in social and cultural health studies, human geography, theology, and biology enriches his approach to therapy. Eric's exploration of intuitive and energetic realms, coupled with his commitment to environmental advocacy, offers a unique perspective to his practice.

In this episode, he openly shares his journey of self-discovery, highlighting his work with individuals who feel disconnected from societal norms, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and personal transformation.

We touched on many topics, from Quantum Physics to Ego Consciousness, to the intersections of masculinity, giftedness, sensitivity, and relationships. We delve into the impact of societal conditioning, trauma, and the struggle for authenticity within the constraints of social systems. Eric reflects on his own experiences of loneliness, disconnection, and the journey toward wholeness, acknowledging the complexities of relationships and self-discovery.

Eric shares insights on the profound loneliness experienced by highly sensitive people, especially men, the struggle for authentic connection, and the journey towards self-understanding and acceptance.

The dialogue touches on the complexities of relationships, societal expectations, and the challenges faced by hyper-aware individuals in navigating personal growth and intimacy.

In sharing his journey and insights, Eric emphasizes the need for us to stay true to ourselves, embrace vulnerability, and not lose hope in the journey toward self-discovery and healing.

We Covered:

~ Eric's Background and Work

~ Quantum Physics and Labels

~ Reflection on Labels and Ego Consciousness

~ The Nature of Reality

~ MBTI and Society's Emphasis on Labels

~ Toxic Masculinity, Masculinity and Identity

~ Eric's Personal Journey and Dark Night of the Soul

~ Loneliness and Finding Connection as a Highly Sensitive Gifted Man

Emotional Blackmail: Setting Boundaries with Parents Who Can't Help It (Audio Essay)

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Full text: https://eggshelltherapy.com/emotional-blackmail/

Emotional blackmail takes on a complex dimension when it comes from parents who may not be intentionally malicious but are limited by their trauma, neurodivergence, or psychological limitations. Some manipulative parents may genuinely love their children and try their best, yet still emotionally blackmail their children through guilt, obligation, and fear. Their emotional blackmail often manifests through seemingly innocent phrases that exploit their children's empathy and sense of duty. This creates a confusing dynamic where children must reconcile their parent's genuine love and good intentions with harmful, manipulative behaviors, often leading to complex trauma and self-doubt.

AI Therapist: Research Says AI Does Empathy Better Than Human - Dr. David Burns, Author of 'Feeling Good'

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 08:00:00 -0500

FULL SUMMARY AND LINKS:
https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2025/01/16/ai-therapist/

I have recently released a new podcast episode, where I interviewed Dr. David Burns, the author of 'Feeling Good' and CBT pioneer!

In his latest research, he showed that AI therapist platforms can sometimes outperform human practitioners in providing consistent, empathetic responses to patients.

Here are some quotes from the interview that may surprise you:

"We more or less proved that this idea that depression is due to a deficiency of this neurotransmitter, serotonin, can't possibly be a valid theory."

"Empathy from a computer outperforms by a big margin human empathy."

"Empathy, whoever gives it, sucks in terms of healing power. It's not enough to cure depression or panic attacks or anything else."

"The app, if anything, is just as effective or slightly more effective, the more severe the patient's problems are."

https://youtu.be/QF8GYvlTmfU?si=L_LA0QJItKpjCmii

About Our Guest

Stanford psychiatrist Dr. David Burns, renowned for developing high-speed, effective approaches to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), joins us today. His 1980 book "Feeling Good" is probably the most recommended self-help book by mental health professionals in the United States. His follow-up work "Feeling Great" builds on decades of clinical innovation, introducing his TEAM-CBT methodology that has revolutionized how we approach rapid recovery from depression and anxiety.

In his latest research, Dr. Burns has explored the intersection of AI and psychotherapy, examining how machine learning could transform our understanding of cognitive distortions and therapeutic interventions. His findings suggest that AI therapist platforms can sometimes outperform human practitioners in providing consistent, empathetic responses to patients.

Limerence: Have You Ever Been Obsessively in Love? A Psychoanalytic take with Nicole Matusow

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Today we're joined by Nicole Matusow, a psychoanalyst who's going to take us on a deep dive into the fascinating world of limerence - that overwhelming, obsessive state of romantic infatuation that can completely take over our lives. With her extensive background in psychoanalysis, Nicole will help us understand the unconscious mechanisms driving this intense experience, from the early attachment patterns that set the stage to the role of fantasy and emotional regulation.

We'll explore why some of us are more prone to limerence than others, how early experiences shape our romantic patterns, and most importantly - what we can actually do about it. Whether you're currently experiencing limerence or supporting someone who is, I hope this conversation will be useful to you. Imi

About Nicole:

Nicole Matusow is a New York City psychotherapist practicing in the Flatiron area. She sees both individuals and couples/family members, taking a contemporary psychoanalytic and feelings-based approach. Her practice addresses limerence, judgmental self-talk, people-pleasing, difficulties in conveying thoughts and feelings, and familial ruptures.

She offers both in-person and teletherapy services.

https://www.nicolematusow.com

Limerence and BPD Limerence: "Why Can't I Let Them Go?"

Mon, 30 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

FULL TEXT: https://eggshelltherapy.com/bpd_limerence/

Limerence is an experience unlike any other. It is beyond pure infatuation, but an all-consuming experience that can bring us to the highest ecstasy and the lowest depths of despair. It floods our brains with neurons and turns everything into a breathless roller coaster ride. However much we 'know' it is irrational, and try to shake it off, we cannot seem to escape the constant loop of hope and disappointment, longing and devastation. This state of all-consuming romantic obsession is what Dorothy Tennov termed as limerence in her groundbreaking 1979 work.

Limerence is a complex and often painful experience for most people, as few of us would choose to have our whole sense of being taken over by intrusive thoughts and fantasies. But it is never as simple as a conscious choice. Behind these overwhelming feelings lies a deeper story—one that begins in our earliest experiences of love and loss and speaks to the very heart of how we learn to attach and bond with others.

The picture gets even more complex for those with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) in limerence. When you have BPD, your emotional thermostat is already set at a different level, and with limerence in the mix, it can become truly unbearable chaos.

In this piece, we shall explore the underlying psychological mechanisms of limerence and how these dynamics take on unique dimensions for those with BPD. By understanding these patterns more deeply—from both psychoanalytic and neurobiological perspectives—we can hopefully help you chart a path forward that honors the intensity of your experience and your capacity for healing.

A Love Letter to the Differently Employed

Sun, 15 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Even when no one sees it at all.

Keep going.

The world needs those who dare to work differently.

The ones who create their own definitions of meaning.

The ones who choose authenticity over appearance.

You’re not alone in this journey

We’re here too, working in our own invisible ways.

Defensive Parents- Coping with 'the Slam' (Audio Essay)

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 14:00:00 -0400

Full text: https://eggshelltherapy.com/freearticles/2024/10/28/defensive-parent/

Invisible Loss, The Deadliest, Loneliest Scream (Short Audio)

Sun, 13 Oct 2024 01:00:00 -0400

Text: https://www.imiloimilo.com/writing/invisible-loss

Existential Dread— Not Choosing Is Still a Choice? (Audio Essay)

Sat, 05 Oct 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Original Text/ Transcript: https://www.pecanphilosophy.com/writing/existential-dread

I didn't set out to write an essay about existential dread and freedom. But after a recent post on social media sparked a wave of unexpected discussion, I realized this was a conversation worth having. It quickly became clear that I wasn't alone in wrestling with the complexities of free will—with the way the very thing we crave, the power to choose our path can sometimes feel like the heaviest burden to bear.

Existential Dread.

This today. Life is pushing me towards a change… something I might have asked for but also maybe only half-consciously.

Or I want it to be exactly the way I want it. I wanted EVERYTHING. To give up nothing but to have everything I wanted.

How can I be so enraptured, so intoxicatingly optimistic about the unknown that stretches before me, yet feel this crippling fear, this suffocating grip, this utter inability to let go of the familiar?

I am captivated by the promise of a future I had hoped for. Yet now that the doors have been thrown open, I am so grief-stricken at the thought of losing the life I built, the ground that once felt solid beneath my feet.

I am so grateful to the universe for the necessary violent push, for the chance to begin again, yet I feel powerless in the face of not knowing HOW it’s going to happen.

I crumble, clinging to the wreckage before surrendering to the flow.

This is the existential dread, the dreadful paradox, isn’t it?

To be both terrified and thrilled by the very same force, to mourn what's left behind while dancing on the precipice of something new.

Change-seeking, growth-loving animals like us are perhaps, all on this tightrope, balancing the comfort of the known with the dizzying allure of the unknown.

Why we ask why (short audio essay)

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 14:00:00 -0400

Why we ask why

We hurl the question "why" when we do not like what is happening.
When we don’t want to feel what we have to feel.

Why this injustice? Why this pain?
We plead with anguish.
Why did my mother abuse me?
Why did my father disappear?
Why did my loved one betray me?
Why was I gaslit by my family?
Why is my life a barren wasteland?
Why was my love never reciprocated, by anyone?
But would knowing "why" suture the holes in our souls? Would the answer offer the solace we need....

?

Full text: https://www.imiloimilo.com/writing/why

Gifted & Traumatized: Navigating the Intersection of Intensity - Patty Gently, Imi Lo

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Summary and transcript: https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2024/09/19/patty/

This episode features Patricia "Patty" Gently, an expert on giftedness and trauma, who shares her personal and professional journey. As a twice-exceptional individual herself, Patty discusses her experiences with dyslexia, ADHD, and auditory processing struggles, and how they shaped her path.

Patty’s new book: https://www.amazon.com/Intersection-Intensity-Exploring-Giftedness-Trauma/dp/1953360378

Is Reason Enough? Exploring Logic-Based Therapy- Dr. Elliot Cohen, Imi Lo

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Episode Summary and Transcript: https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2024/09/19/elliotcohen/

In today’s conversation, we welcome Dr. Elliot Cohen, an expert in both academic philosophy and clinical work, to discuss his unique approach to integrating philosophy and psychology. We begin by exploring Dr. Cohen's journey, which started with his observation of widespread conflicts and irrational thinking.

Yearning for a Soulmate (Short Audio Essay)

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 07:00:00 -0400

Full text: https://www.pecanphilosophy.com/writing/the-soulmate-yearning

Growing up with an Unstable Parent (Audio Essay)

Sat, 07 Sep 2024 02:00:00 -0400

Full text: https://www.imiloimilo.com/writing/unstable

Abusive Father, Wounded Son (Audio Essay)

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 01:00:00 -0400

Full text: https://eggshelltherapy.com/abusive-father/

Abusive father - two words heavy with unspoken pain, shaping the lives of sons long after they've left his shadow. This article explores the deep and lasting impact of growing up with a violent, emotionally volatile, abusive narcissistic father. We delve into the inner lives of men who grapple with the impact of such a childhood, men who often develop an aversion to healthy masculinity, fearing they will become the monsters they loathe. This fear can manifest as suppressed emotions, an inability to assert themselves, and a pattern of troubled romantic relationships, where they may overcompensate or unwittingly repeat the unhealthy dynamics of their past. We will also examine the complex and entangled relationships these men have with their mothers, who may have sought solace and support from them during times of crisis. But it is entirely possible to process your trauma, embrace healthy anger, and develop a stronger sense of self-awareness. In the end, you will see that by embracing the divine yin/ yang, you can break free from the shackles of the past and build a life defined by authenticity and wholeness.

Loving The Child They Could Not See (Short Audio Essay)

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 03:00:00 -0400

https://imilo.medium.com/the-child-they-couldnt-see-ef96edec17f5

For more,
Eggshell Therapy and Coaching: eggshelltherapy.com
About Imi Lo: imiloimilo.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations
Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz
Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

Trigger Warning: This episode may cover sensitive topics including but not limited to suicide, abuse, violence, severe mental illnesses, relationship challenges, sex, drugs, alcohol addiction, psychedelics, and the use of plant medicines. You are advised to refrain from watching or listening to the YouTube Channel or Podcast if you are likely to be offended or adversely impacted by any of these topics.

Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of the content clinical or professional advice. None of the content can substitute professional consultation, psychotherapy, diagnosis, or any mental health intervention. Opinions and views expressed by the host and the guests are personal views and they reserve the right to change their opinions. We also cannot guarantee that everything mentioned is factual and completely accurate. Any action you take based on the information in this episode is taken strictly at your own risk. For a full disclaimer, please refer to: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers/

Stop, then Create (Short Audio Essay)

Wed, 22 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Fear of Abandonment: The Child in You is Still Waiting (Audio Essay)

Sun, 19 May 2024 01:00:00 -0400

Full article: https://eggshelltherapy.com/fear-of-abandonment-object-constancy-and-bpd/

An excerpt: The Slot Machine of Love: Inconsistent Parenting and the Fear of Abandonment

If you are struggling with a fear of abandonment and issues with object constancy, you were likely raised by an emotionally unstable or inconsistent primary caregiver.

This kind of upbringing can be both perplexing and traumatizing. Your parent may show empathy, but only fleetingly and inconsistently. They have a hot-and-cold, on-and-off emotional pattern. Instead of receiving the steady, nurturing love and care that every child deserves, you were subjected to a confusing and erratic pattern of attention.

At moments, they might shower you with warmth and affection, yet at the slightest hint of stress or a trigger, they flip into an entirely different person—often childish, unreasonable, aggressive, or even violent.

This Jekyll and Hyde behavior thrusts you into a perpetual state of hypervigilance and fear, uncertain as to which version of your parent will appear next.

Will it be the caring figure, the harsh critic, or perhaps the unpredictable drunk? What might you have done wrong to trigger them? How can you get your ‘good parent’ back?

Perhaps, each time you hear the doorknob turn, you get washed over by waves of anxiety. What awaits on the other side? Is it a threat of violence or an offer of a comforting hug? The uncertainty is constant; you simply never know. Their own trauma and unresolved attachment issues mean they often don't have a handle on what triggers their emotional meltdowns, which means they cannot fix it, even if they want to.

Indeed, your parent might have been a victim of inconsistent parenting or childhood trauma. But right now, we're not justifying their behavior; we are focusing on you and your pain—as few have done before.

Healing Intergenerational Trauma and Bonding with Immigrant Parents- with Amy Yip

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2024/04/29/amy-yip/

Amy Yip was a Mental Fitness Coach and the author of the book: Unfinished Business: Breaking Down the Great Wall between Adult Child and Immigrant Parents.

In this conversation, Amy talked about her life and how it was affected by her immigrant parents' struggles and the sacrifices they made. She shared stories about growing up with cultural expectations and always trying to make her parents proud.

Amy's story, as a child of immigrant parents, highlighted the complex dynamics in these relationships. Growing up, Amy felt the pressure of her parents' sacrifices and expectations, which led to feelings of not being good enough and needing to prove herself.

As Amy explored her own story, she discovered the impact of intergenerational trauma and the importance of empathy and understanding in the healing journey.

Amy also discussed her career changes and how she discovered more about herself. As a mental fitness coach now, she told us how she worked through intergenerational trauma and built self-confidence.

Healing from intergenerational trauma and unresolved grief was not a straightforward process. It required facing difficult emotions, sitting with discomfort, and allowing ourselves to grieve and work through the pain.

Amy believed that the key to navigating intergenerational trauma and healing relationships with immigrant parents was to develop empathy, compassion, and a willingness to have open and honest conversations. By trying to understand the stories, experiences, and perspectives of both ourselves and our parents, we could start to untangle the layers of unfinished business and build deeper connections based on love, acceptance, and mutual respect.

Throughout the conversation, Amy and I explored topics like unresolved grief and the emotional process of self-discovery. Her journey from feeling unworthy to finding empathy and healing showed how personal growth and reconciliation were possible through thoughtful self-reflection and open dialogue.

"Everything was NOT okay" - On Self-directed Anger (Short Audio Essay)

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 15:00:00 -0400

(Audio Essay) High-functioning Autism: Myths and Misunderstanding

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 15:00:00 -0400

Text: https://eggshelltherapy.com/high-functioning-autism/

Torn Between Passions? Embrace Your Many Career Identities - with Dr Sarabeth Berk

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 06:00:00 -0500

Navigating career and purpose is an ongoing journey, not a destination. Many of us feel pulled between passion and practicality - it's natural to wonder how to stay true to yourself while also paying the bills.

My conversation with Dr. Sarabeth touched on these challenges. She reminded us that we all have multiple talents worth exploring. By acknowledging our diverse interests and experiences, new opportunities can emerge.

It takes courage to embrace change and experimentation. But seeing our careers as dynamic, rather than fixed, allows room for growth into our best selves. Dr. Sarabeth encouraged embracing uncertainty through curiosity - an open mind leads to new discoveries.

Money worries can feel restrictive, but reframing our beliefs frees us. Aligning our work with core values like purpose and fulfillment is more important than any title. And small steps toward our passions, taken with patience, can pave the way.

I hope you'll reflect on nurturing the diverse talents within you. Have the courage to chart your own path through exploration and community.

With video on Youtube: https://youtu.be/kcwfskmNndw

***

Themes we covered:

- Sarabeth's Early Career Identity Crisis
- Embracing Giftedness and Hybridity
- Discovering Your Hybrid Title
- Finding Your Unique Professional Identity
- The Importance of Saying Your Hybrid Title Aloud
- Navigating the Interplay of Giftedness and Multi-Potentiality
- Career Belonging and Personal Fulfillment
- Balancing Boredom, Burnout, and Self-Reflection
- Finding Alignment Between Passion, Income, and Authenticity
- Importance of hard work and trust
- Authenticity and trust in personal growth
- Challenges faced by responsible individuals
- Importance of personal work and therapy
- Balancing passion and practicality in career
- Understanding financial needs and mindset
- Crafting a strong elevator pitch
- Building your brand and career capital
- Embracing consistency in self-presentation
- Resources for honing hybrid identity

About Dr. Sarabeth

Dr. Sarabeth Berk is a hybrid professional and expert in personal branding, integrating her diverse identities as an artist, researcher, educator, and designer. With her unique approach, she helps professionals discover their value and build confidence in the workforce. Dr. Berk holds a Ph.D. from the University of Denver and has a background in art educ

High-functioning Autism- Different, Not Less (Audio Essay)

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Full Article on High Functioning Autism:https://eggshelltherapy.com/high-functioning-autism/

For more,

Eggshell Therapy and Coaching: eggshelltherapy.com

About Imi Lo:

https://eggshelltherapy.com/about-imi/

https://www.imiloimilo.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations

Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz

Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

If this topic speaks to you, you may like the books
Emotional Sensitivity and Intensity: https://amzn.to/3Hn7lCF
or,
The Gift of Intensity: https://amzn.to/3BFokP0

"You are too much, or are you?"- 5 mins inspiration

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 08:00:00 -0500

Dear ones! I would love it if you could subscribe to the Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@eggshelltherapy_imilo

Thank you so so much for your support!!

Imi

For More:
Eggshell Therapy and Coaching: eggshelltherapy.com

About Imi Lo:

https://eggshelltherapy.com/about-imi/

https://www.imiloimilo.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations

Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz

Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

If this topic speaks to you, you may like the books
Emotional Sensitivity and Intensity: https://amzn.to/3Hn7lCF
or,
The Gift of Intensity: https://amzn.to/3BFokP0

Understanding Gifted Kids Who Don't Fit In- Fiona Smith, Imi Lo

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Summary:

Fiona Smith is the Director of the Gifted Minds practice. She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree with Honours in Psychology and a Masters Degree of Education, majoring in Gifted Education. She also has full registration with the Psychology Board of Australia and Full Membership of the Australian Psychological Society. Fiona's qualifications make her unique in the field, as she combines degrees in Psychology and Education, while specialising in gifted education.

In this conversation, Fiona and I navigate the challenges faced by neurodivergent and gifted people in traditional education. In this expansive exploration, Fiona provides valuable insights into neurodivergence, giftedness, and the interplay of intensity and empathy. This conversation aims to help in understanding and supporting diverse minds, with a particular emphasis on understanding gifted children in a world that sometimes struggles to grasp the depth and breadth of cognitive and emotional diversity.

For more,

Eggshell Therapy and Coaching: eggshelltherapy.com

About Imi Lo:

https://eggshelltherapy.com/about-imi/

https://www.imiloimilo.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations

Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz

Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

If this topic speaks to you, you may like the books
Emotional Sensitivity and Intensity: https://amzn.to/3Hn7lCF
or,
The Gift of Intensity: https:/

Finding Love When You Have High IQ

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:00:00 -0500

For more,

https://eggshelltherapy.com/relationship-struggles/

About Imi Lo:

https://eggshelltherapy.com/about-imi/

https://www.imiloimilo.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations

Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz

Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

If this topic speaks to you, you may like the books
Emotional Sensitivity and Intensity: https://amzn.to/3Hn7lCF
or,
The Gift of Intensity: https://amzn.to/3BFokP0

Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of the content clinical or professional advice. None of the content can substitute professional consultation, psychotherapy, diagnosis, or any mental health intervention. Opinions and views expressed by the host and the guests are personal views and they reserve the right to change their opinions. We also cannot guarantee that everything mentioned is factual and completely accurate. Any action you take based on the information in

Reasons to be Alive (Short Audio Essay)

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 06:00:00 -0500

https://www.imiloimilo.com/writing/imilo

For more,

Eggshell Therapy and Coaching: eggshelltherapy.com
About Imi Lo: https://www.imiloimilo.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations

Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz

Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

If this topic speaks to you, you may like the books
Emotional Sensitivity and Intensity: https://amzn.to/3Hn7lCF
or,
The Gift of Intensity: https://amzn.to/3BFokP0

Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of the content clinical or professional advice. None of the content can substitute professional consultation, psychotherapy, diagnosis, or any mental health intervention. Opinions and views expressed by the host and the guests are personal views and they reserve the right to change their opinions. We also cannot guarantee that everything mentioned is factual and completely accurate. Any action you take based on the information in this episode is taken st

Structural Dissociation and the Mask of ‘High-functioning’ (Audio Essay)

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

TRANSCRIPT:https://imilo.medium.com/structural-dissociation-and-the-mask-of-high-functioning-0e31810143ad

Written by Imi Lo. More on Structural Dissociation: https://eggshelltherapy.com/a-split-in-our-personality/

About Imi Lo:

https://eggshelltherapy.com/about-imi/

https://www.imiloimilo.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations

Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz

Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

If this topic speaks to you, you may like the books
Emotional Sensitivity and Intensity: https://amzn.to/3Hn7lCF
or,
The Gift of Intensity: https://amzn.to/3BFokP0

Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of the content

(Audio Essay) Loving Someone with BPD

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 06:00:00 -0500

More on this: https://eggshelltherapy.com/partner-with-bpd/

TABLE OF CONTENT (there is more content in the text)

Potential Advantages to Having a Partner with BPD
The Struggles of Having a Partner with BPD
Can Someone with BPD Date Someone with BPD?
What to do When Someone With BPD Pushes You Away?
How to Make it Work When BPD is Between You?
Take very, very good care of yourself

***

Eggshell Therapy and Coaching: eggshelltherapy.com/
Imi Lo: eggshelltherapy.com/about-imi/ imiloimilo.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations
Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz
Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

Trigger Warning: This episode may cover sensitive topics including but not limited to suicide, abuse, violence, severe mental illnesses, relationship challenges, sex, drugs, alcohol addiction, psychedelics, and the use of plant medicines. You are advised to refrain from watching or listening to the YouTube Channel or Podcast if you are likely to be offended or adversely impacted by any of these topics.

Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of the content clinical or professional advice. None of the content can substitute professional consultation, psychotherapy, diagnosis, or any mental health intervention. Opinions and views expressed by the host and the guests are personal views and they reserve the right to change their opinions. We also cannot guarantee that everything mentioned is factual and completely accurate. Any action you take based on the information in this episode is taken strictly at your own risk. For a full disclaimer, please refer to: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers/

Minimalist Lifestyle and Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE) - Gabe Bult, Imi Lo

Sat, 18 Nov 2023 14:00:00 -0500

Article on the subject: https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2023/11/18/minimalist-lifestyle/

Minimalist Life and Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE) for Families— Living an Unconventional Life.

— Based on the podcast conversation between Gabe Bult and Imi Lo

In this podcast episode, I interviewed Gabe Bolt, a Youtuber known for his unique approach to the minimalist life and FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) for families.

We discuss topics such as financial freedom, escaping form the bind of capitalism, the minimalist life, FIRE for families, and personal freedom. Gabe shares his unique approach to finance and personal freedom, including his definition of financial freedom and the concept of "barista fire."

He also talks about how minimalism and essentialism overlap and how they can help optimize one's minimalist life.

In the later part of our discussion, Gabe offers tips and strategies for overcoming procrastination, finding joy without spending money, and surrounding oneself with like-minded individuals. He emphasizes the importance of setting goals, practicing self-discipline, and being true to oneself, even if it means going against societal norms.

Gabe also shares his favorite productivity and mental strategies, such as setting time constraints and using constraints to foster creativity.

Overall, the conversation highlights the benefits of living a non-conventional and authentic life.

For more,

About Imi Lo:

https://eggshelltherapy.com/about-imi/

https://www.imiloimilo.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations

Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz

Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

If this topic speaks to you, you may like the books
Emotional Sensitivity and Intensity:

(Audio Essay) Projective Identification: The Silent Narcissistic Abuse that Haunts you

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Full article: https://imilo.medium.com/parenparental-projective-identification-the-silent-abuse-that-haunts-you-f266e13099c3

For more,

About Imi Lo:

https://eggshelltherapy.com/about-imi/

https://www.imiloimilo.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations

Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz

Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

If this topic speaks to you, you may like the books
Emotional Sensitivity and Intensity: https://amzn.to/3Hn7lCF
or,
The Gift of Intensity: https://amzn.to/3BFokP0

Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of the content clinical or professional advice. None of the content can substitute professional consultation, psychotherapy, diagnosis, or any mental health intervention. Opinions and views expressed by the host and the guests are personal views and they reserve the right to change their opinions. We also cannot guarantee that everything mentioned is factual and completely accurate. Any action you take based on t

(Audio Essay) Childhood Trauma, Splitting, Complex Trauma and Dissociation

Sat, 14 Oct 2023 08:00:00 -0400

Full Transcription- https://eggshelltherapy.com/a-split-in-our-personality/

Childhood Trauma Splitting is a psychological mechanism that allows someone to tolerate difficult and overwhelming feelings. It is often seen in Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs) who suffer from Complex PTSD or childhood trauma. Having Trauma Splitting, or Structural Dissociation, means we are split into different parts, each with a different personality, feelings, and behaviour. As a result, we feel completely different from moment to moment. Since Highly sensitive people(HSP) respond to Complex Trauma more intensely, trauma splitting may create a split in your psyche, causing a myriad of confusing symptoms. Dissociation and Childhood Trauma Splitting may also be why therapy doesn’t seem to work for you.

- Complex Trauma and Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs)
- Childhood Trauma Splitting and the Highly Sensitive Persons
- The Traumatised Part and the Apparently Normal Part in the Split
- Childhood Trauma Splitting Creates a Phobia You Carry
- Complex Trauma (C-PTSD) and Childhood Trauma Splitting Symptoms
- How to Cope with Complex Trauma as a Highly Sensitive Person
- Why Therapy Doesn’t Work When You Have Complex Trauma
- The Power Of Our Memories
- Complex Trauma is a Dissociated and Invisible Trauma
- Frozen Memories Might Be Why Therapy Doesn’t Work For You
- Why Do You Regret What You Say Or Do?
- Why Therapy Doesn’t Work For You
- Healing from Childhood Complex Trauma by Summoning Your Wise Part

If this topic speaks to you, you may like the books
Emotional Sensitivity and Intensity: https://amzn.to/3Hn7lCF
or,
The Gift of Intensity: https://amzn.to/3BFokP0

For more,
Please visit: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations
Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz
Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

Trigger Warning: This episode may cover sensitive topics including but not limited to suicide, abuse, violence, severe mental illnesses, relationship challenges, sex, drugs, alcohol addiction, psychedelics, and the use of plant medicines. You are advised to refrain from watching or listening to the YouTube Channel or Podcast if you are likely to be offended or adversely impacted by any of these topics.

Disclaimer: The content provided is for inform

(Audio Essay) The Unexpected Gifts Inside Borderline Personality

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 13:00:00 -0400

Original Text: https://eggshelltherapy.com/bpdgifts/

For more,
About Eggshell Therapy and Coaching: eggshelltherapy.com
About Imi Lo: imiloimilo.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations
Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz
Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

Trigger Warning: This episode may cover sensitive topics including but not limited to suicide, abuse, violence, severe mental illnesses, relationship challenges, sex, drugs, alcohol addiction, psychedelics, and the use of plant medicines. You are advised to refrain from watching or listening to the YouTube Channel or Podcast if you are likely to be offended or adversely impacted by any of these topics.

Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of the content clinical or professional advice. None of the content can substitute professional consultation, psychotherapy, diagnosis, or any mental health intervention. Opinions and views expressed by the host and the guests are personal views and they reserve the right to change their opinions. We also cannot guarantee that everything mentioned is factual and completely accurate. Any action you take based on the information in this episode is taken strictly at your own risk. For a full disclaimer, please refer to: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers/

When Things Fall Apart (Short Audio)

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 06:00:00 -0400

https://www.imiloimilo.com/writing/imilo

For more,

Eggshell Therapy and Coaching: eggshelltherapy.com
About Imi Lo: https://www.imiloimilo.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations

Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz

Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

If this topic speaks to you, you may like the books
Emotional Sensitivity and Intensity: https://amzn.to/3Hn7lCF
or,
The Gift of Intensity: https://amzn.to/3BFokP0

Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of the content clinical or professional advice. None of the content can substitute professional consultation, psychotherapy, diagnosis, or any mental health intervention. Opinions and views expressed by the host and the guests are personal views and they reserve the right to change their opinions. We also cannot guarantee that everything mentioned is factual and completely accurate. Any action you take based on the information in this episode is taken st

INFJ/ INFP: Unlock Your Potential and Overcome Shame- Lauren Sapala and Imi Lo

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2023/09/17/infj-infp-lauren/

Lauren is a writer, writing coach, and teacher. She specializes in assisting intuitive writers, particularly those with INFJ and INFP personality types.

In today's interview, we explore:
- The idea of intuitive writing.
- The challenges intuitive feeling personalities face in marketing and how to overcome them so we don't hold ourselves back.
- Lauren's guidance in dealing with guilt and fear when going after our own desires and values, as opposed to society and our family's expectations.

Lauren's core message centers on taking gradual steps toward self-expression and personal fulfillment, all while staying aligned with long-term goals and values.

Whether you or someone you care about is the intuitive-feeling type, I hope you will get a lot from this.

***

Lauren is an author, a teacher, a speaker, and an intuitive writing coach. She also wrote the book The INFJ Writer, a writing guide for intuitive introverts, HSPs, empaths, and all other sensitive, struggling artists.

Lauren’s site: https://laurensapala.com/home/

Youtube version of this episode: https://youtu.be/ZaBsJFTktUI

For more,

Eggshell Therapy and Coaching: eggshelltherapy.com
About Imi Lo: https://www.imiloimilo.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations

Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz

Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

If this topic speaks to you, you may like the books
Emotional Sensitivity and Intensity:

Toxic Family: 5 Toxic Family Dynamics (Audio Essay)

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Original Essay on Eggshell Therapy and Coaching: https://eggshelltherapy.com/sensitivity-and-childhood-trauma/

Table of Contents

A Mother with BPD: What can you do now? (Audio Essay)

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 23:00:00 -0400

THE ORIGINAL FULL ESSAY: https://eggshelltherapy.com/mother-with-bpd/
More on Eggshell therapy and Coaching website: eggshelltherapy.com

TABLE OF CONTENT:
- Why the Focus on ‘Mothers With BPD’?
- The Pendulum of a Mother With BPD: Swinging Between Love and Cruelty
- Aftermath of the Tempest: Having Grown Up With a Mother With BPD
Codependency and identity confusion
Insecure attachment
The shame of being “too much.”
Pseudo-dependency
Difficulties with boundaries
Fear of becoming like her

- Charting Your Path Forward After Having Grown Up With a Mother With BPD

- The Big Question: Do You Cut Contact With a Mother With BPD?

- If You Choose to Stay in Touch with a Mother with BPD
Physical vs. Energetic Boundaries
Keep reminding yourself that “It will blow over.”
When they flip: Empathy Vs. Confrontation with a mother with BPD
Letting go of the need to fix your mother with BPD
Reconcile with the fact that life is not fair
Reclaiming your right to anger

-Rising Above the Chaos of Having a Mother with BPD

For more,
About my work: eggshelltherapy.com
About me: imiloimilo.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations
Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz
Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

Trigger Warning: This episode may cover sensitive topics including but not limited to suicide, abuse, violence, severe mental illnesses, relationship challenges, sex, drugs, alcohol addiction, psychedelics, and the use of plant medicines. You are advised to refrain from watching or listening to the YouTube Channel or Podcast if you are likely to be offended or adversely impacted by any of these topics.

Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of the content clinical or professional advice. None of the content can substitute professional consultation, psychotherapy, diagnosis, or any mental health intervention. Opinions and views expressed by the host and the guests are personal views and they reserve the right to change their opinions. We also cannot guarantee that everything mentioned is factual and completely accurate. Any action you take based on the information in this episode is taken strictly at your own risk. For a full disclaimer, please refer to: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers/

Neurodivergent traits, giftedness, sensory sensitivities, sharing our personal experiences- Dr. Nicole A. Tetreault and Imi Lo

Thu, 18 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Dr. Nicole A. Tetreault is a psychologist and researcher specializing in the field of neurodiversity. She has conducted extensive research on topics such as giftedness, neurodiversity, and the brain differences associated with these conditions. She is also the author of "Insights into a Bright Mind," a book that delves into the intersection of neurodivergent traits, giftedness, and sensory sensitivities.

During the interview, we discussed the concept of neurodiversity and explored various ways of processing and experiencing the world. Nicole shared that she personally identified as dyslexic later in life,We also touched upon my own personal experiences with sensitivities and health conditions. Additionally, we briefly discussed the term "emotional giftedness," which refers to heightened emotional experiences often observed in gifted individuals.

Our conversation also veered into a casual discussion, including the impact of AI on the world.

Nicole Tetreault, Ph.D., is a compassionate neuroscientist, author, meditation teacher, and international speaker on topics of neurodiversity, neurodevelopment, creativity, mental health, and wellness. Her book, Insight into a Bright Mind, explores groundbreaking research examining the experiences of unique, creative, and intense brains through interviews, storytelling, and literary science, while advocating for new directions of human diversity and neurodiversity.

Reference mentioned: the scientific article Hyper-brain Hyper-body that Nicole co-authored: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160289616303324

Nicole’s website: www.nicoletetreault.com

About my work: eggshelltherapy.com
About me: https://www.imiloimilo.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations

Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz

Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

If this topic speaks to you, you may like the books
Emotional Sensitivity and Intensity:

You are not your parent (Short Audio Essay)

Thu, 18 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Original Article: https://imilo.medium.com/you-are-not-your-parent-98895d471f8b

In this piece, we delve into the societal pressures that often prevent us from acknowledging the darker aspects of family dynamics. The expectation to present a picture-perfect facade of happy families can lead to the suppression of painful truths.

The taboo surrounding parental toxicity is brought to light as we challenge the notion that all parents are inherently loving and selfless. We ought to shed light on the manipulative and narcissistic behaviors some parents exhibit, even when they have good intentions.

You are not defined by your past or trauma. With resilience and self-love, you can emerge stronger, create new legacies, and become the person you are meant to be.

(Audio Essay) Haters Gonna Hate’- Rising Above Attacks as an Intense, Gifted, Highly Sensitive Person

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400

FULL ARTICLE: https://eggshelltherapy.com/haters-gonna-hate/

Table of Contents

Saying ‘Haters Gonna Hate’ by understanding the true face of hate
Not Saying ‘Haters Gonna Hate’- Are You Hiding?
Why you need to learn to say ‘Haters Gonna Hate’
One person’s medicine is another person’s poison
A note on passive-aggressive hate
Love, service, honor: Embodying ‘Haters Gonna Hate’ as a creative

For more,

About my work: eggshelltherapy.com
About me: https://www.imiloimilo.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations

Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz

Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

If this topic speaks to you, you may like the books
Emotional Sensitivity and Intensity: https://amzn.to/3Hn7lCF
or,
The Gift of Intensity: https://amzn.to/3BFokP0

Highly sensitive, Intense and Gifted: Dating, Working, Thriving in a Neurotypical World - Abel Abelson and Imi Lo

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 22:00:00 -0400

FULL TRANSCRIPT: https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2023/04/19/abel_neurotypical/

At forty years of age, Abel Abelson discovers that he is intellectually gifted. Suddenly his eternal “otherness” is no longer a flaw. It is being called an asset, a plus, a gift … But is it really?

In the light of this discovery Abel revisits his past, unravels the present and reconstructs a future. Being intellectually gifted is just the tip of the iceberg. True meaning turns out to be hiding somewhere else, far beyond the “giftedness” concept.

Today, we talked about:

- The nuanced experience of being neuro-divergent

- The experience of dating, schooling, working, thriving… as a neuro-divergent, gifted, highly sensitive person in a neurotypical world.

- Why Abel wrote the book and titled it “How to Handle Neurotypicals”

Overcontrol: Can Perfectionism Ruin Your Sex Life? - With Dr. Tom Murray

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 03:00:00 -0400

FULL TRANSCRIPT: https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2023/04/10/tommurray/

About Dr Tom:

Thomas L. Murray, Jr., Ph.D., forensic sexologist, international trainer, educator, and couples and sex therapist is a widely sought-after expert in sexuality and intimate relationships.For 20+ years, Murray has worked with everyday folks to embrace their weirdness, shed labels and shame, lean into anxiety, and build better and stronger relationships.Murray's doctorate is in marriage and family counseling from the University of Florida. Clinically, he combines a pull-no-punches, no-beating-around-the-bush style. This integrated style has helped folks quiet the mind-chatter that interferes with happiness, intimacy, and quality sexual relationships.Dr. Murray has appeared in numerous venues, including the Huffington Post and The Daily Mail, as well as radio, television and podcasts, including the Practice of Being Seen and Shrink Rap Radio. He's a highly acclaimed presenter at local, regional, and national conferences on various mental health and relationship topics. Dr. Murray has published numerous articles in professional journals and has faculty affiliations with UNC Greensboro, Walden University, and Lindsey Wilson College. He currently teaches at Northwestern University's Family Institute. -

The Book: https://www.amazon.com/Making-Nice-Naughty-Color-Within-Line-ebook/dp/B0BBDDFKNC

Gifted Adults, Gifted Trauma: When Pain & Brilliance Collide. Jennifer Harvey Sallin, Intergifted, Imi Lo

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 07:00:00 -0500

- Why all resources are for children and what can gifted adults do?

- What is gifted trauma; what are some ‘classic’ family roles gifted eople ended up playing in their families?

- Different ways of being gifted and why IQ isn’t everything

- The family roles gifted female and sensitive men tend to take on the caretaker role in the family.

- How can a gifted person find safety in te social world and in the community?

- How to balance being you and being safe in groups?

- Healing from Gifted Trauma

For more,

About my work: eggshelltherapy.com
About me: https://www.imiloimilo.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations

Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz

Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

If this topic speaks to you, you may like the books
Emotional Sensitivity and Intensity: https://amzn.to/3Hn7lCF
or,
The Gift of Intensity: https://amzn.to/3BFokP0

Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of t

'I didn't know my father had autism' - an Unexpected Bliss Road with Martha Engber, Imi Lo

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 07:00:00 -0500

https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2023/02/06/i-didnt-know-my-father-had-autism-an-unexpected-bliss-road-with-martha-engber-imi-lo/

BLISS ROAD is the memoir of a neurotypical daughter of an undiagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder parent. Martha Engber’s honest and moving memoir illuminates the parent-child challenge presented by a neurological condition that affects over 75 million people worldwide.

A hybrid of poetry and essays, Ms. Engber uses personal anecdotes, coupled with historical research and current statistics, to explain the emergence of autism over the last hundred years.

After describing the psychological, emotional and social challenges she faced as a child, then as an adult and parent, she explains the method by which she changed her thinking and behavior to both celebrate her parents and heal.

In this interview, we describe what it was like for Martha to have a father who had undiagnosed autism as a child, what you should do to deal with the loss and trauma if this was your background.

For more,

About my work: eggshelltherapy.com
About me: https://www.imiloimilo.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations

Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz

Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

If this topic speaks to you, you may like the books
Emotional Sensitivity and Intensity: https://amzn.to/3Hn7lCF
or,
The Gift of Intensity:

What is Quiet BPD? BPD Empathy: Do People with BPD have high or low Empathy? Imi Lo and Kayla from On the Line

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 06:00:00 -0500

Transcript: https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2022/12/14/bpdempathy/

I love, love, love this conversation

Kayla is a Youtuber and psychotherapist in training and has a beautiful channel called On the Line on YouTube. After receiving her own diagnosis, she set out to educate others about this often misunderstood mental disorder

There are many psychologists and experts who talk about BPD, but I was drawn to Kayla and wanted to talk to her because she is so open and clear in how she presents the information, and because she has had a unique journey of having BPD and is now on her way to becoming a therapist!!!!

We talked about many topics that are not often discussed publicly, such as

- What is quiet BPD? What are the subtypes of BPD?

- Is Borderline Personlaity Disorder a diagnosis or an identity?

- Can you become a therapist if you have had BPD?

- BPD empathy paradox - I think it's a misconception that people with BPD lack empathy, why is that? Do people with BPD have high or low empathy?

You can tell I was really engaged throughout the whole conversation, I feel blessed to be able to share Kayla’s journey with you. I hope you will get something from this!!

Thank you.

Imi

Kayla’s Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ontheline8561

About my work: eggshelltherapy.com
About me: https://www.imiloimilo.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations

Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz

Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

If this topic speaks to you, you may like the books
Emotional Sensitivity and Intensity: https://amzn.to/3Hn7lCF
or,
The Gift of Intensity:

(Audio Essay) Parentification Trauma as a Highly Sensitive and Empathic Person

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 04:00:00 -0500

Original Article: https://eggshelltherapy.com/parentification/

What is Parentification? What does it mean to be parentified? Parentification is a form of invisible childhood trauma. Parentification occurs when the roles between a child and a parent are reversed. You know you were parentified if as a child you have to step up as the caretaker, mediator, or protector of the family. Parentification is a form of mental abuse and boundary violation.

About my work: eggshelltherapy.com
About me: https://www.imiloimilo.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations

Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz

Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

Trigger Warning: This episode may cover sensitive topics including but not limited to suicide, abuse, violence, severe mental illnesses, relationship challenges, sex, drugs, alcohol addiction, psychedelics, and the use of plant medicines. You are advised to refrain from watching or listening to the YouTube Channel or Podcast if you are likely to be offended or adversely impacted by any of these topics.

Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of the content clinical or professional advice. None of the content can substitute professional consultation, psychotherapy, diagnosis, or any mental health intervention. Opinions and views expressed by the host and the guests are personal views and they reserve the right to change their opinions. We also cannot guarantee that everything mentioned is factual and completely accurate. Any action you take based on the information in this episode is taken strictly at your own risk. For a full disclaimer, please refer to: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/discl...

(Audio Essay) Emotional Intensity: 5 Signs You May Be an Intense, Sensitive, Neuro-atypical Person

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 23:00:00 -0500

What Is Emotional Intensity?

1. Emotional depth and passion
2. Deep empathy and sensitivity
3. Being highly perceptive
4. A rich inner world, with vivid imagination
5. Creative potential and existential angst

For more,

Please visit: eggshelltherapy.com

About Imi:imiloimilo.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations

Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz

Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of the content clinical or professional advice. None of the content can substitute professional consultation, psychotherapy, diagnosis, or any mental health intervention. Opinions and views expressed by the host and the guests are personal views and they reserve the right to change their opinions. We also cannot guarantee that everything mentioned is factual and completely accurate. Any action you take based on the information in this episode is taken strictly at your own risk. For a full disclaimer, please refer to: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers/

Quick Announcement about the Audio Essays :)

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 23:00:00 -0500

For more,

Please visit: eggshelltherapy.com

About Imi:imiloimilo.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations

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Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of the content clinical or professional advice. None of the content can substitute professional consultation, psychotherapy, diagnosis, or any mental health intervention. Opinions and views expressed by the host and the guests are personal views and they reserve the right to change their opinions. We also cannot guarantee that everything mentioned is factual and completely accurate. Any action you take based on the information in this episode is taken strictly at your own risk. For a full disclaimer, please refer to: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers/

‘Will my therapist hurt me, too?’ On Relational Anxiety and Fragile Clients- Dr. Jon Frederickson is back!!

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 23:00:00 -0500

Our last conversation with Dr. Jon Frederickson, A Deep Dive Into The Psychology of BPD, Splitting, Projection, Anxiety and Therapy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jgzjoVtDts

I am sooo glad I invited him back! Today we will be talking about Dr. Frederickson's book Co-Creating Safety: Healing the Fragile Patient
When we have been treated poorly in our past lives, it's only natural to assume - consciously or unconsciously - that it will happen again. It used to be a protective strategy, but today it keeps us from relationships. In this conversation, we will talk from a therapist's perspective about how to work with clients with deep relational anxiety

Other topics we touched on are: Why we project our feelings and even our "will" onto others, how anxiety is stored in our bodies, our fear of dependency, why we blame ourselves, attachment styles, and much more!

The book "Co-Creating Safety: Healing the Fragile Patient": https://www.amazon.com/Co-Creating-Safety-Healing-Fragile-Patient/dp/0988378809

*

If this topic speaks to you, you may like the books
Emotional Sensitivity and Intensity: https://amzn.to/3Hn7lCF
or,
The Gift of Intensity: https://amzn.to/3BFokP0

For more,
Please visit: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations
Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz
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Trigger Warning: This episode may cover sensitive topics including but not limited to suicide, abuse, violence, severe mental illnesses, relationship challenges, sex, drugs, alcohol addiction, psychedelics, and the use of plant medicines. You are advised to refrain from watching or listening to the YouTube Channel or Podcast if you are likely to be offended or adversely impacted by any of these topics.

Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of the content clinical or professional advice. None of the content can substitute professional consultation, psychotherapy, diagnosis, or any mental health intervention. Opinions and views expressed by the host and the guests are personal views and they reserve the right to change their opinions. We also cannot guarantee that everything mentioned is factual and completely accurate. Any action you take based on the information in this episode is taken strictly at your own risk. For a full disclaimer, please ref

Anxious Attachment and the Anxious x Avoidant Pair- Jessica Baum and Imi Lo

Sat, 20 Aug 2022 11:00:00 -0400

Anxious Attachment and the Anxious x Avoidant Pair

Today, we talk to Jessica Baum, the author of the book Anxiously Attached. We will discuss:

- What is anxious attachment?

- Why are people with an anxious attachment pattern attracted to people with an avoidant attachment style?

- Are there cultures that are more anxious or more avoidant?

- What is relationship co-regulation and how can it help?

Jessica's website: https://www.beselffull.com

Can we have a ‘too good’ parent? The unconscious guilt that holds us back and various Object Relations topics- Dr. Susan Kavaler-Adler and Imi Lo

Sat, 13 Aug 2022 22:00:00 -0400

Today, we have the honour to host Dr. Susan Kavaler-Adler. Dr Susan has been practicing psychoanalysis and psychotherapy in NYC for over 40 years. She is the Founding Director of the Objects Relations Institute for Psychotherapy and the author of numerous deep and insightful books,

We talked about a lot of very complex but important and topical issues, including:

- Why we might be holding ourselves back from success because of an unconscious fear of retaliation

- How parents who are 'too good' prevent us from growing up

- What actually makes a good childhood?

- Why do we need therapy at all, and can we heal our attachment wounds through other relationships?

- Can we be 'emotionally anorexic/bulimic'? Why do some people reject love?

- The difference between projection and projective identification (finally someone explains this!)

Check out Dr. Susan Kavaler-Adler's work:
www.kavaleradler.com

Dr. Susan Kavaler-Adler

On Transgenerational Trauma and, Defense Mechanisms and Inherited Pain- With Dr. Atlas Galit

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 04:00:00 -0400

Galit Atlas is an experienced psychoanalyst who is particularly interested in how we inherit the pain of our parents, grandparents, and ancestors.

In this highly insightful conversation, we discussed the following.
- What emotional inheritance and transgenerational trauma are, and how can we inherit pain and trauma from our parents without knowing it
- The role of defence mechanisms in our lives, such as dissociation and splitting off
- Why do we carry our parents' pain?
- Why does trauma cause shame, even if it does not make sense on the surface?

And much more!

Galit's session
https://www.galitatlas.com

For more,

Please visit: eggshelltherapy.com

About Imi:imiloimilo.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations

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Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of the content clinical or professional advice. None of the content can substitute professional consultation, psychotherapy, diagnosis, or any mental health intervention. Opinions and views expressed by the host and the guests are personal views and they reserve the right to change their opinions. We also cannot guarantee that everything mentioned is factual and completely accurate. Any action you take based on the information in this episode is taken strictly at your own risk. For a full disclaimer, please refer to: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers/

Getting Over Grief... Or Not. -Dr. Mary Lamia and Imi Lo

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 02:00:00 -0400

Today, we welcome Dr Mary Lamia, a clinical psychologist and a prolific author of many subjects. Our subject will be grief and Dr Lamia’s new book, Grief Isn't Something to Get Over: Finding a Home for Memories and Emotions After Losing a Loved One.

With a heavy but curious heart, we will discuss:

— What is grief

— What is prolonged and complicated grief?

— Can we grieve something we never had?

— How grief is tied to memory

— And most importantly, How we can turn grief into something lifegiving

Dr Mary Lamia is a clinical psychologist in Marin County, California and a professor at the Wright Institute in Berkeley, California. Teaching the public about the psychology of human behaviour has been her endeavour throughout her career. Please visit her website: www.marylamia.com

The book Grief Isn't Something to Get Over: Finding a Home for Memories and Emotions After Losing a Loved One: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09VKG7LGR/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

For more,

Please visit: eggshelltherapy.com

About Imi:imiloimilo.com

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Deep Knowing: Trusting in Something Bigger - Kim Hermanson and Imi Lo

Fri, 27 May 2022 15:00:00 -0400

Today I have the honour to speak with Kim Hermanson. We talked about how to place our trust in something invisible and bigger than ourselves, and tap into divine wisdom. I hope it helps you during such uncertain times we are living in!

Imi

Kim Hermanson, Ph.D. is a pioneering educator and shaman. During a series of 3 shamanic initiations, she was spiritually gifted with the ability to quickly shift a person out of his or her thinking mind into an intelligent field of profound beauty that lies beyond thought. Her seminars attract visionaries, pioneers, and trailblazers who are 'pushing the wall' with her to bring forth a new world. She is on the faculty at Pacifica Graduate Institute and has taught at several other graduate schools of psychology, including UC Berkeley, and the Esalen Institute. Kim worked as a computer scientist in the field of artificial intelligence before a series of mystical experiences instructed her to show others how to access the realm of intelligence beyond our thinking mind. Her PhD in Education is from the University of Chicago. She has co-authored articles and book chapters with Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the bestselling author of Flow and founder of the field of positive psychology.

Kim's website: https://www.kimhermanson.com

Kim's books: https://www.amazon.com/Kim-Hermanson/e/B0041BECD0/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk

For more,

Please visit: eggshelltherapy.com

About Imi:imiloimilo.com

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Disclaimer: The content provi

Giftedness, Existential Depression and Advice for the Gifted - Lisa Van Gamert, the Gifted Guru.

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 13:00:00 -0400

Transcript: https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2022/04/12/giftedguru/

Today we talk to a real expert on the subject of giftedness, Lisa Van Gamert

In this conversation we talked about:

Lisa's definition of giftedness.

What existential depression actually is.

Lisa's nuanced definition of perfectionism and why there can be a healthy, functioning form of perfectionism.

The existential problem of loneliness when you can not find your people and do not feel like you have anyone to lean on.

Career advice for the gifted and why autonomy is key.

In the last part of the conversation, Lisa gave us some really good, concrete advice that you can work on if you are struggling with the label, your identity, or your self-esteem.

I really appreciate Lisa sharing her expertise with us. She is a true expert in this field and it shows! This conversation helped me refine my thinking and learn.

Whether you identify with the label "gifted" or not, I think you could learn something from this.

About Lisa: Lisa grew up in California where she was a real, live gifted student. She’s been a teacher, a school administrator, a homeschooling mom, a paralegal, an Army Intelligence Analyst, and a cheerleader. Not in that order. She’s married to a software developer and has become very used to having her own IT department on call at all times. She lives in Texas, where she plays with Brody, her golden retriever, when she’s not writing about gifted ed at giftedguru.com or creating online courses for teachers at giftedguild.com. Even though she literally wrote the book on perfectionism, she loves the flawed beauty of education and is excited to share with us today.

Lisa's website

For more,

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Trigger Warning: This episode may cover sensitive topics including but not limited to suicide, abuse, violence, severe mental illnesses, relationship challenges, se

Highly Sensitive Children, Highly Sensitive Parents? - with Author Melissa Schwartz

Sun, 20 Mar 2022 07:00:00 -0400

Full transcript: https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2022/03/20/melissa/

In this episode, we talk to Melissa Schwartz, who was actually our first podcast guest !! Melissa has just published an amazing book about highly sensitive children!! As we know, this really is an underserved population.

Today, we discuss- how would we know if our kids are highly sensitive? How do we deal if we are also highly sensitive?

What do we do when we see them struggling, when we see really extreme reactions, or when we see them struggling in school with their peers?

How you can set boundaries with your highly sensitive children without hurting their feelings?

Melissa's new book Rico the Race Car

For more,

Please visit: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com

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Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of the content clinical or professional advice. None of the content can substitute professional consultation, psychotherapy, diagnosis, or any mental health intervention. Opinions and views expressed by the host and the guests are personal views and they reserve the right to change their opinions. We also cannot guarantee that everything mentioned is factual and completely accurate. Any action you take based on the information in this episode is taken strictly at your own risk. For a full disclaime

The Enneagram: Nine Ways of Surviving in the World- Beatrice Chestnut and Imi Lo

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 01:00:00 -0500

FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE

This is absolutely one of my favourite episodes of all time!

Enneagram is a knowledge system that is very close to my heart and has been for years. I was pretty star-struck and beyond delighted to be able to talk with Beatrice Chestnut, one of my favourite authors on the Enneagram. We went really deep on this one on all the character structures, their core fears, dominant features, relationship patterns, etc.

It may be more suited to people who already know about the Enneagram and have some basic knowledge of their own Types, but equally, if you have never heard of it, this may spark your interest!

We actually went through the nine types one by one, and I feel incredibly blessed to be able to pick Beatrice’s brain.

Please do give this a listen. This conversation is intellectually stimulating and deeply insightful.

For more,

Please visit: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations

Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz

Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of the content clinical or professional advice. None of the content can substitute professional consultation, psychotherapy, diagnosis, or any mental health intervention. Opinions and views expressed by the host and the guests are personal views and they reserve the right to change their opinions. We also cannot guarantee that everything mentioned is factual and completely accurate. Any action you take based

A Clinician’s Unique View to Feeling Down- With Dr. Pete Kelly

Sun, 16 Jan 2022 23:00:00 -0500

Full Episode and Transcript Here.

In this very detailed conversation with the most passionate, wonderful Dr. Pete Kelly, we discussed a wide variety to subjects that has to do with mental health and some of the latest research in the field.

In this conversation, we discussed

— Pete’s unique persepctive on depression based on his experience

— His observation of people who are attracted to the mental health profession, and what they tend to do

— How he works with depression and what he has found to be effective

—What has our souls got to do with depression

— The relationship between repressed anger, perfectionism and depression.

Dr. Pete Kelly is one of the most passionate clinicians I have ever met. I hope you enjoy this one!

For more,

Please visit: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations

Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz

Disclaimers: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers

Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of the content clinical or professional advice. None of the content can substitute professional consultation, psychotherapy, diagnosis, or any mental health intervention. Opinions and views expressed by the host and the guests are personal views and they reserve the right to change their opinions. We also cannot guarantee that everything mentioned is factual and completely accurate. Any action you take based on the information in this episode is taken strictly at your own risk. For a full disclaimer, please refer to: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/disclaimers/

How To Amend Your Sibling Relationship Before It’s Too Late — Dr. Avidan Milevsky and Imi Lo

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Full Transcript: https://eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2021/10/29/siblings/

Today we talk to an expert in sibling relationships, Dr. Avidan Milevsky. In this conversation, we managed to squeeze in a lot of topics. Dr. Avidan is clearly very passionate and knowledgeable.

We started by him sharing his personal story of being one of five.

Then we explored:

Why you and your sibling could grow up in the same house but turn out so radically different.

How to tell normal sibling fighting from sibling abuse

When to set boundaries with toxic siblings and how

Is it ever okay to cut off from a sibling?

Why sibling relationships are a gift for life.

His answers to these questions are far from generic, and actually gave us practical actionable advice we can use to heal from or improve sibling relationships. I hope you learn as much as I did from this conversation!

Dr. Avidan Milevsky's website

For more on the topic of Toxic Sibling Relationships and Sibling Abuse

OCPD, the Driven Personality and the Healthy Compulsive — Jungian Analyst Gary Trosclair and Imi Lo

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 01:00:00 -0400

FULL CONVERSATION:

https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2021/09/08/healthycompulsive/

Today we have Jungian Analyst Gary Trosclair, talking about what he calls the Driven Personality, and what we clinically call Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder.

I absolutely how Gary highlights the positive aspect of the driven personality. In his words, a healthily compulsive person can use their natural disposition in service of love, compassion, and the greater good. Even if we struggle with tendencies of being overly driven and perfectionistic, we can transform this trait and use it for the best.

We discussed many things, including the differences between OCD and OCPD, how drivenness fits into the Jungian Hero’s Journey, and what many therapy models may be missing when it comes to overcontrol.

ABOUT GARY

Gary Trosclair, DMA, LCSW is a Jungian analyst and psychotherapist practicing in New York City and Westchester County, New York. His first book, I'm Working on it in Therapy: How to Get the Most Out of Psychotherapy was described by PsychCentral as "a fascinating look at self-growth, and one that's useful whether or not you go to therapy." His blog, The Healthy Compulsive Project, and the companion book, The Healthy Compulsive: Healing Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder and Taking the Wheel of the Driven Personality, lead the way toward a new and more positive perspective on one of the most prevalent personality disorders in our culture.

For more,

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Sensitive on the Inside and Tough on the Outside? Everything you need to know about ‘Overcontrol’ — Hope Arnold with Imi Lo

Fri, 16 Jul 2021 08:00:00 -0400

FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

This is the probably most comprehensive and informative conversation we can have about overcontrol. All credits go to Hope Arnold, a brilliant RO-DBT therapist who specializes in this trait.

We cover everything about over-control— its definition, presentation, origins, and treatment methods. It is very much relevant to highly sensitive people as Overcontrol is often developed out of an innate underlying sensitivity towards perceived threats.

If you find yourself having issues with perfectionism, rigidity, emotional loneliness, and that traditional psychotherapies don’t seem to work for you, this episode may help you

Hope pretty much covered everything there is about this topic!

You can tell how excited I was in the conversation by how many questions I asked. Whether or not you have the tendency, I am sure you can learn a lot from this!

Hope's RO-DBT Page

Hope's Psychology Today Page;

RO-DBT

Loving-kindness meditation (As mentioned)

Eggshell's page on Overcontrol

***

For more,

Please visit: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com

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Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of the content clinical or pro

Childfree Living: On Choosing Different and Grieving the Life We Had Left Behind - Eric and Melissa Jones

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 07:00:00 -0400

SHOW NOTES:
https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2021/07/05/childfreeerikmelissa/

What happens when you choose a life that is unconventional, counter-cultural? What if your story becomes increasingly strange to your family and friends? What can you do to hold your head high even when the others don’t get you? How can you get over attacks or condescending comments?

In today’s episode, we are doing something different. Usually, I interview experts in psychology and intensity. Today, the theme is about being different, choosing the alternative life path, and standing up for your authenticity.

We will be talking to Erik and Melissa, a 40-something, interracial, childfree couple who hosts the Childfree Living podcast. After many heart-wrenching years battling infertility, they made the decision to stop pursuing parenthood and instead, re-envision their future.

The reason I have them on is that I want us to think about what it means to be different, or choosing something that is counter-cultural and unconventional. We went pretty deep as we talked about the grief of feeling left behind, the power of identity shifts, and how we can hold our heads high when other people don’t get us.

Whether or not childfree is your life choice, you may find something useful and resonating!

For more,

Please visit: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com

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Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of the content clinical or professional advic

Sex Unshackled! Sapiosexual, Demisexual, Asexual, Kinks, BDSM

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 02:00:00 -0400

FULL TRANSCRIPT: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2021/06/08/becky/

As you know, many intense and sensitive people have felt different and on the fringe of society all their lives. For this reason, I have started to make episodes that are all about being different— different meaning being non-mainstream in terms of lifestyle, life choices, and the way you are. Consider this episode as a first step, and I hope there will be more to come!

Today, we are talking to Becky Crepsley-Fox. Becky is a registered sexologist and relationship therapist, and the host of a podcast called Sex Unshackled. We will talk about non-mainstream sexual orientations such as Sapiosexuality, Demisexuality, Asexuality, kink… and how to negotiate to get your needs met in relationships. We have really just skimmed the surface with regards to these complex topics. If you are interested, I would refer you to Becky’s work or even reach out to her!

For more,

Please visit: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com

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This episode contains explicit material.

Trigger Warning: This episode may cover sensitive topics including but not limited to suicide, abuse, violence, severe mental illnesses, sex, drugs, alcohol addiction, psychedelics, and the use of plant medicines. You are advised to refrain from watching or listening to the YouTube Channel or Podcast if you are likely to be offended or adversely impacted by any of these topics.

Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of the content clinical or professional advice. None of the content can substitute professional consultation, psychotherapy, diagnosis, or any mental health intervention. Opinions and views expressed by the host and the guests are personal views and they reserve the right to change their opinions. We also cannot guarantee that everything mentioned is factual and completely accurate. Any action you take based on the information in this episode is taken strictly at your own risk

SPECIAL EPISODE A Deep Dive Into BPD, Splitting, Projection, Anxiety and Therapy - Jon Frederickson and Imi Lo

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 01:00:00 -0400

FULL TRANSCRIPT: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2021/04/02/jonf-2/

Today, we are talking to Dr. Jon Frederickson. He is a therapist with over 25 years of experience, especially specializing in working with people with personality disorders. Jon is also the founder of Intensive Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy. It is based on psychoanalytic ideas such as transference and defense mechanisms but is renewed into a much more active and pragmatic format than traditional psychoanalysis.

In this conversation, we dived deep— deeper than ever, into topics such as: Borderline Personality Disorder, complex trauma, defense mechanisms such as splitting and projections, and how relational therapy works to heal your childhood.

Honestly, it was like I was receiving the most insightful supervision from a wise sage! There were also moments in the conversation where I felt quite vulnerable, as I shared my frustrations as a therapist.

You will basically hear two therapists having a frank and in-depth dialogue about the following questions:

— Why your therapist’s blank screen approach does not work?

— What happens if you don’t know what to talk about in therapy?

— Should you or your therapist be in the driver’s seat?

— Why a ‘diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder may not be what you think

— Do most therapists underestimate how much anxiety you have?

— What is projection? What is splitting?

— How personality differences with your parents can hurt you

— Why some of us are afraid of dependency, including dependency on our therapist.

I could talk to Jon about these complex dynamic topics forever, I think I may have to invite him back for a second round!

But for now, I hope you enjoy this deep dive and learn something from it!

For more,

Please visit: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com

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Trigger Warning: This episode may cover sensitive topi

Five Ways of Being Intense— A fun chat about overexcitabilities, giftedness, and more

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 08:00:00 -0500

In this episode, we have Jessie L. Mannisto, the Editor in Chief of the Third Factor magazine, a thought-provoking magazine that helps the creative, the quirky, and the gifted understand themselves. It is a magazine for those who experience life intensely, those who are teeming with complexity, complex feelings, and abundant mental activities. In this episode we cover:

— A deep, detailed dive into exactly what the five excitabilities may look like

— How Jessie meanders a world where people, including her parents, can be overwhelmed by her intensity

— The importance of being yourself even when the world finds you ‘too much’.

— We both shared a lot of our personal experience of living with these intensities

Instead of an interview, this is very much a lively conversation with a friend. I got very excited and there were lots of back and forth between us, I didn’t realise this then but I interrupted Jessie a lot! (Sorry, Jessie! )

Now, I hope you get something from it too.

LINKS:

Third Factor Magazine

Books: Living with Intensity, Children of the Star

Imi’s Interview with Third Factor: From HSP to Gifted Leaders

FOR THE FULL TRANSCRIPT AND SHOW NOTES:
https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2021/02/27/overexcitabilities/

For more,

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Do you Have Thin Skin? What Does That Mean for Your Health, Relationships and Spirituality?

Fri, 27 Nov 2020 10:00:00 -0500

***Click to access FULL SHOW NOTES AND TRANSCRIPT***

Today we have Michael Jawer, a writer and researcher whose works explore emotion as the foundation for personality, health, and spirituality.

I knew of Mike’s work from the beginning of my career a decade ago. In his newest work, Sensitive Soul, he continues his exploration of why different people process their feelings differently. He talks about how ‘thin boundary people’ differ from ‘thick boundary people, and what the upshot is for health and illness.

In today’s extremely thorough and fun episode, we will discuss:

— The concept of energetic boundaries; What it means to have thick/ thin skin

— What is Alexithymia— when people cant name their feelings

— How having thick/ thin skin affects your physical symptoms; e.g migraines, allergies

— The relationship between boundaries and MBTI Personality types

— Who are the Orchids and the dandelions

We shared our personal experiences and how we find our ways in the world. I have thoroughly enjoyed this chat and I hope you will too.

ABOUT MIKE JAWER

Michael Jawer is a Washington, DC-based writer, speaker and researcher. His expertise is the nexus of personality development, body/mind, emotion, and spirituality.

Jawer is the author (with Marc Micozzi, MD, PhD) of two previous books: The Spiritual Anatomy of Emotion (Park Street Press, 2009) and Your Emotional Type (Healing Arts Press, 2011).

His papers have appearedhttps://michaeljawer.com in Frontiers in Psychology-Consciousness Research, Journal of Interpersonal Neurobiology Studies, Science & Consciousness Review, Explore, Seminars in Integrative Medicine, and the Journal of the Society for Psychical Research, while his feature articles and interviews have run in Psychology Today, Spirituality & Health, Aeon, Nautilus, Minding Nature, Advances in Mind-Body Medicine, Edge Science, Noetic Now, Epoch Times, PsychCentral, and Scientific American.

Michael Jawer also blogs for Psychology Today (“Feeling Too Much”).

Deconstructing Anxiety: What is Your Core Fear That Underlies Everything?

Sat, 12 Sep 2020 01:00:00 -0400

FULL SHOW NOTES:
https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2020/09/21/toddpressman/

In this wonderfully unique and useful conversation, we are speaking with Dr. Todd Pressman about deconstructing anxiety. Dr. Pressman’s work first caught my attention for he has some rather radical ideas about anxiety: Firstly, he proposes any negative experience we have is really a fear in disguise; so all our emotions, from anger to guilt, all find their roots in fear.

Then, he suggests we can all reveal one core fear at the root of all the other emotional difficulties we have, and that core fear is going to be the same every time. Just to give you a clue, these five core fears are: abandonment, loss of identity, loss of meaning, loss of purpose and death.

These are not just theories, Dr. Todd also offers some effective and practical exercises we can do right now to unpeeled layers of our fears and achieve more freedom and calm. We will walk through some of these exercises in the episode.

I can’t wait to share his knowledge, creativity and wisdom with you!

The Eggshell Transformations podcast: www.eggshelltherapy.com/podcast

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Listen to The Words of Your Soul: a Poet’s Guide to the Artist’s Block - with Julia Fehrenbacher

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 12:00:00 -0400

FULL TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2020/08/03/julia-fehrenbacher/

Today’s episode is very special and a little different than usual.

If you are someone who is sensitive, emotionally intense,

If you have a desire to express yourself through any art form,

If you have creativity blockages,

If you believe in the power of words and poetry, this conversation is for you.

Today we are talking with artist and poet Julia Fehrenbacher.

I was introduced to her by our previous guest Steven Hayes, who used one of Julia’s poems in his book The Liberated Mind. You may remember her poem ‘Hold Out Your Hand’, beautifully read out by Steven in a past episode. If you haven’t already, I strongly encourage you to check that out.

This time, we covered many topics; such as ways to work through creative stuckness, how to turn pain into art, what we can learn from parenting sensitive children, and the role of spirituality in an artist’s life. I also invited Julia to read out a few of her poems, one about forgiveness and the other about letting go.

If you really slow down and let Julia’s poetic work sink it, I believe you will feel very nourished.

The Eggshell Transformations podcast: www.eggshelltherapy.com/podcast

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SPECIAL EPISODE Existential Crisis, Dreams and Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life - with James Hollis and Imi Lo

Sat, 27 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0400

FULL TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2020/06/27/james-hollis/

Today’s episode is, on a personal level, deeply meaningful to me. Some time ago, I went through what I now know was a crisis of the Soul. As always, I went and search for answers in books and philosophies. That was when I found Dr James Hollis’s work on Jungian Psychology. Dr Hollis is a Jungian psychoanalyst and the author of sixteen books, his work is incredibly extensive and accessible.

In today’s long conversation, we honed in the meaning of what Jung calls ‘the second half of life’. According to Jung, the first half of our lives is very much about fitting in, adapting to social norms and conventions, but as we enter the second half of our lives, what has worked all these years no longer do. This is when we start to ask questions like, “Who am I apart from my roles? Who am I apart from my history? Who am I apart from my obligations?

I specifically asked about things that I see again and again in emotionally sensitive and intense people, such as the conflicts we face for being a natural non- conformist, the fear of being ostracised by the crowd, and the guilt we feel for breaking away from home. We also discussed the burden of our parents’ unlived lives. I directly asked James the question: Are we responsible for our parents’ happiness and wellbeing?

Finally, we discussed how Jungian/ Depth Psychology offers us unique ways to understand our psychological symptoms and how we can listen to our dreams.

The materials in today’s episode are denser than usual; but if you are a fellow seeker, I think you will benefit tremendously from what’s coming.

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Trigger Warning: This episode may cover sensitive topics including but not limited to suicide, abuse, violence, severe mental illnesses, sex, drugs, alcohol addiction,

All About Fear, Anxiety and Panic - Karla McLaren with Imi Lo

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 10:00:00 -0400

FULL SHOW NOTES AND TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2020/06/09/all-about-fear-anxiety-and-panic/

I am very excited to bring back a past guest, pioneer in the field of studying empath, empathy and emotional intelligence Karla McLaren. In the last episode with Karla, we discussed hyper empathy and she offered us some great tips on setting emotional boundaries.

Today we will talk to Karla about her new book Embracing Anxiety, which feels like what we all need to learn in this trying time. We will cover the differences between fear, anxiety and panic, and why understanding them helps us deal with them. We also talked about how depression can be our mentor. Most importantly, you will hear some useful, practical strategies we can start using, such as burning our unconscious contracts and something she calls ‘conscious complaining’!

The New Book Embracing Anxiety: https://amzn.to/2zi8TAP

ABOUT THE GUEST

Empathy pioneer and researcher Karla McLaren. M.Ed. is the author of The Art of Empathy: A Complete Guide to Life's Most Essential Skill (2013), The Language of Emotions: What Your Feelings Are Trying to Tell You (2010), The Dynamic Emotional Integration Workbook® (2018), and the upcoming Embracing Anxiety: How to Access the Genius Inside This Vital Emotion (June, 2020).

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Trigger Warning: This episode may cover sensitive topics including but not limite

On Emotional Eating, Perfectionism, Nice Boys/ Gals Syndrome- Karen Koenig with Imi Lo

Fri, 13 Mar 2020 23:00:00 -0400

SHOW NOTES: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2020/03/14/karen_koenig/

Do you sometimes eat even when you are not hungry, but just feel bored, angry or empty?

Are you chronically stressed because you try to be perfect all the time?

My conversation with emotional eating expert Karen Koenig ends up being not just about eating, but our deeply unconscious patterns and personality tendencies that hold us back, such as perfectionism and what she calls nice boys and girls syndrome.

This conversation was both intimate and practical. We shared some of our journeys, and Karen offered great tips you can immediately use to get off the emotional roller coaster.

Whether or not you think you struggle with emotional eating, I think you will learn a lot from this.

ABOUT KAREN

Karen R. Koenig, is a licensed psychotherapist, motivational speaker and international author who has specialised in the field of compulsive, emotional and restrictive eating for more than 30 years.

She is a co-founder of the Greater Boston Collaborative for Body Image and Eating Disorders and a former member of the Professional Advisory Committee of the Multi-service Eating Disorder Association of Massachusetts.

During the past three decades, she has taught and made presentations to many venues from adult education centres to the Business Women's Association.

Among other publications, her essays and articles have appeared in numerous journals and magazines. Among three of her books, there are ten foreign-language translations.

LINKS:

Website: https://www.karenrkoenig.com

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Karen-R.-Koenig/e/B001JS3E28

Facebook App:https://apps.facebook.com/274238316993

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SPECIAL EPISODE What if Normal Therapy Doesn't Work? Should You Try to Control Your Emotions? Steven Hayes with Imi Lo

Sat, 04 Jan 2020 06:00:00 -0500

This is an incredibly rich conversation, in which you will hear:

What you can do if conventional therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) don’t work for you;

Why panic is what you feel when you are trying not to feel anxious, and depression is what happens when you refuse to feel sad;

How you can gain ‘real control’ over your emotions; and

Why psychedelics help some people but not all.

Finally, Steven leads us through a guided exercise that you can do right now.

I am sure you will enjoy Steven’s generosity and intelligence as much as I do.

FOR THE FULL EPISODE SUMMARY:

https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2020/01/04/stevenhayes/

ABOUT STEVEN

Steven C. Hayes, Ph.D., is the developer of “Acceptance and Commitment Therapy" (ACT), a popular evidence-based psychotherapy that uses mindfulness, acceptance, and values-based methods.

He is Nevada Foundation Professor at the Department of Psychology, University of Nevada. An author of 46 books and over 600 scientific articles, his popular book Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life was featured in Time Magazine.

Dr Hayes has been the President of several scientific societies and has received many national awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy.

In 1992 he was listed by the Institute for Scientific Information as the 30th “highest impact” psychologist in the world and Google Scholar lists him as among the most cited scholars in the world (www.webometrics.info/en/node/58).

Check out Stephen’s TEDx talks: http://bit.ly/StevesFirstTED or http://bit.ly/StevesSecondTED

Google Scholar high impact researcher: http://www.webometrics.info/en/node/58

Blogs: Psychology Today http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/get-out-your-mind

Twitter

Facebook

Trainings go to www.praxiscet.com

Stephen’s newest books (2015

‘Too Much and not Enough’— Embracing Intensity, ADHD and Giftedness with Aurora Holtzman

Wed, 18 Dec 2019 07:00:00 -0500

Today we will talk to Aurora Holtzman, she came on my radar as one of the very few people out there who talks about ‘intensity’. In fact she has a podcast called ‘Embracing Intensity’! After years of feeling “too much,” Aurora finally realized that intensity, in the form of excitability, is the source of her greatest power. Now instead of beating herself up about not measuring up to her own self-imposed standards, she is on a mission to help outside-the-box thinkers befriend their brains and use their fire without getting burned. In this conversation she shared her journey, what she has learned through interviewing intense people, how to manage ADHD, and a bunch of useful resources!

On social media, you can find Aurora at auroraremember on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and embracingintensity on Facebook & Instagram.

Here are Aurora's main websites:

Main: http://www.auroraremember.com

Community: https://www.embracingintensity.com/

For more,

Please visit: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com

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Disclaimer: The content provided is for informational purposes only. Please do not consider any of the content clinical or professional advice. None of the content can substitute professional consultation, psychotherapy, diagnosis, or any mental health intervention. Opinions and views expressed by the host and the guests are personal views and they reserve the right to change their opinions. We also cannot guarantee that everything mentioned is factual and completely accurate. Any action you take based on the info

Processing Intense Emotions with Arts - Conversation With Artist Alessia Camoirano Bruges

Mon, 02 Dec 2019 10:00:00 -0500

Today, we will talk to Alessia, a gifted artist and creator. In this podcast, I interview not only subject experts and psychologists but also emotionally intense people from all walks of lives, those who have been through unthinkable trauma and have turned their pain into art and meaningful work.

To Alessia, each of her painting is an intense emotional reaction to experiences. Through her abstract paintings, she explores identity, existence and anxiety.

In this conversation, we talked about how her chaotic childhood has affected her relationships today, the fear of abandonment, love addiction, how we can release anger and resentment towards our family, and also, her creative process.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2019/12/03/alessia/

To join our tribe,

Please visit: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com

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Sound Editing: Sam Lehmert: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-austin-lehmert-87043759/

ABOUT THE GUEST

Born in 1994, Alessia is a half Italian half Colombian artist based in London. Being the daughter of an immigrant and coming from an abusive household, deeply influenced her work and her sense of justice, especially towards women. Since she was a child, Alessia cared deeply about social issues as well as understanding the constant passing of time in a finite life. What does it mean being a woman? What is the essence of her being? Therefore, she started to explore identity and existence in her art. Alessia’s paintings and poetry are intense emotional reactions to the current world and increased anxiety. They are a way to let go, let go of everything.

In 2016, she went back to Colombia and spent time in the jungle with a tribe that hosted her and she connected with nature, her biggest inspiration. Her paintings are a representation of her subconscious through trauma, resilience

What If You Are An Empath? What Are Your Emotions Telling You? Imi Lo with Karla McLaren

Sat, 02 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0400

What does being an Empath mean?

Are some people born more empathic than others?

How can we manage emotions overwhelm?

How can we set better boundaries?

What is anger there to teach us?

How do we work with shame?

In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Karla McLaren, and to download her wisdom regarding Empaths, empathy and emotions.

I am amazed by how much I have learned from this short conversation and I think you will too!

I have created a transcript and organised our conversation and highlighted some key points. Please be sure to check it out:

https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2019/10/23/karla/

If you are new to the word ‘Empath’, or if you would like to know more about the science/ social science behind it, here is a thorough article that might answer your questions about what it means to be an Empath: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/empath/

ABOUT THE GUEST

Empathy pioneer and researcher Karla McLaren. M.Ed. is the author of The Art of Empathy: A Complete Guide to Life's Most Essential Skill (2013), The Language of Emotions: What Your Feelings Are Trying to Tell You (2010), and the new Dynamic Emotional Integration Workbook® (2018).

For more,

Please visit: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/eggshelltransformations

Newsletters: https://eepurl.com/bykHRz

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Being Uncommon: How Your MBTI Personality Type Changes The Experience of Giftedness- with Willem Kuipers

Thu, 03 Oct 2019 13:00:00 -0400

In today’s conversation, we talk to Willem Kuipers. Willem is the author of the book Enjoying the Gift of Being Uncommon, where he explores the gifts and challenges of being a highly intelligent, highly intense and sensitive person, and introduces three practices to become more effective in work and private life.

Recently, Willem has published an article about how extra intelligent people with different MBTI personality types experience their intensity. We will hear Willem tell us about his taxing childhood experience, how he later learned to see new possibilities in the way he is. We will go through clusters of MBTI personality types, and how different people relate to their giftedness. We will talk about dealing with impatience and typical mistakes.

ABOUT THE GUEST

Willem has coined the concept of extra intelligence (Xi) 17 years ago, founded the Ximension.com website, and published his book Enjoying the Gift of Being Uncommon in 2010.

He has written extensively on the topic of giftedness and intensity in his website, presentations, articles and books in Dutch and English. He recently published in the journal “Advanced Development, a Journal on Adult Giftedness” an article "Being Gifted, being me".
His vision is to stimulate extra intense and intelligent people to welcome their unique possibilities and increase their personal effectiveness in the process.

Full Shownotes and Transcript: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2019/10/03/willem/

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Trigger Warning: This episode may cover sensitive topics including but not limited to suicide, abuse, violence, severe mental illnesses, sex, drugs, alco

ADHD And How to Thrive When You Are Out-Of-Sync With The World- with Rebecca Champ

Thu, 12 Sep 2019 18:00:00 -0400

FULL SHOW NOTES/ TRANSCRIPT: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2019/09/12/adhd-rebecca-champ/

Today’s episode is special. Usually, I talk to guests who I have never met in person before. Today, we will interview Rebecca Champ, one of my most important friends. I have known Becca for 8 years now, I would like to share with you her energy, intelligence, compassion and humility.

In the first part of the show, Rebecca teaches us everything we need to know about ADHD. But this episode is not just for ADHD-ers! In our conversation, we addressed issues such as shame and guilt, perfectionism and procrastination. Rebecca also shared with us how the biggest set back of her life changed her, and how pain teaches us to set boundaries.

ABOUT THE GUEST

Rebecca Champ is a Clinical Psychotherapist and Coach, and the Executive Director of ADDapt Ability.

Following her partner's diagnosis of inattentive ADHD in 2007, Rebecca trained as a professional Coach, and in 2009 launched ADDventure Within.

Rebecca works as a mentor for students with disabilities for the DRC at the University of Cambridge, and has designed and presented training for mentors in Understanding and Working with ADHD for the University of Cambridge and the Disability Support Service at Kings College London. She has also facilitated the redesign of a group ADHD programme for the Sutton Adult ADHD/ASD Assessment Service at Southwest London and St. George's NHS Trust. Since 2014, Rebecca has been a member of the Advisory Board for the UK Adult ADHD Network (UKAAN). Rebecca also provides courses and workshops for professionals working with ADHD.

In December 2010, Rebecca initiated the Adult ADHD Action Campaign for Cambridgeshire, highlighting the need for support and services for an existing community of adults with ADHD. This resulted in the establishment of a pathway within the NHS for adults with ADHD, and the official opening of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Adult ADHD Clinic in November 2013. She continues to support the clinic, and works to establish an appropriate support service for Adult ADHD to be implemented by relevant authorities in the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area. She also facilitates the active Cambridge Adult ADHD Support Group.

For more,

Have You Been Harmed By Cruel Parenting? Conversation with Eric Maisel

Sun, 28 Jul 2019 07:00:00 -0400

I have the honour of talking to Eric Maisel. Eric is the author of more than 50 books and is widely regarded as America's foremost creativity coach. His most famous books include Fearless Creating (1995), The Van Gogh's Blues (2002), Coaching the Artist Within (2005), and The Atheist's Way (2009). In this episode, we talked about the wounds of being children of authoritarian people, how we can liberate ourselves, and Eric's advice on parenting. We also address what it means to live an authentic life, and why depression, anxiety and mania are not mental illnesses.

http://www.ericmaisel.com

Because the content is so rich, I have created two separate articles out of this conversation. Please check them out!

Articles that came from this conversation:
HAVE YOU BEEN HARMED BY AUTHORITARIAN PARENTING?
www.eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2019/7/28/have-you-been-harmed-by-cruel-parenting-conversation-with-eric-maisel

DOES DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND MANIA EXIST? https://www.eggshelltherapy.com/podcast-blog/2019/7/28/does-depression-anxiety-and-mania-exist-conversation-with-eric-maisel

Please note that some of the content may trigger strong emotions, and what was said is not meant as medical or professional advice.
*

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Disclaimer: The content provid

How To Thrive As A Creative Introvert? Conversation with Cat Rose

Thu, 18 Jul 2019 08:00:00 -0400

In today’s conversation, we discussed why introversion does not equal shyness, the importance of fun in building a career and life. We will hear Cat Rose’s advice to a sensitive and creative person who wants to make it as a successful entrepreneur. She told us how she managed to do things that terrify her, the importance of personal connection and why ’Introvert needs people too’.

Full Shownotes and Transcript: www.eggshelltherapy.com/podcast

Resources:

Susan Cain: Quiet Power

Jess Lively: jesslively.com/

Insight Timer: https://insighttimer.com/

Meditation.live: https://www.meditation.live/

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

About Cat Rose:

Cat Rose helps creative introverts show their work and get the exposure they deserve. She does this through the League of Creative Introverts online community, as well as one-to-one coaching and her podcast, the Creative Introvert.

Her aim in life is to help all her clients do what they love and realise their dreams, whilst honouring their personality type and preferences.

*

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Please visit: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com

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Why Do Sensitive and Creative People Get Depressed? Conversation with Douglas Eby

Thu, 18 Jul 2019 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we discussed what Douglas Eby did when years ago he could not find any information on high sensitivity and intensity. We see what we can learn from actors who are emotionally intense. We will answer the question: Why sensitive people are more prone to depression and it might not be a bad thing. Finally, we explore what constitutes exceptional creativity and why gifted women have a hard time accepting their talents.

Full Shownotes and Transcript: www.eggshelltherapy.com/podcast

Resources mentioned:

- Elaine Aron- The Highly Sensitive Person https://hsperson.com/

- Julie A. Bjelland: https://www.juliebjelland.com/

- Sharon Barnes: https://therapistforsensitiveandgifted.com/giftedness/

- Susan Cain- Quiet Revolution: https://www.quietrev.com/

- Tara Brach: https://www.tarabrach.com/

- Wired to Create: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wired-Create-Unraveling-Mysteries-Creative/dp/0399175660

Douglas Eby:

Douglas Eby (M.A./Psychology) is author of The Creative Mind series of sites including Talent Development Resources, High Ability, Highly Sensitive and Creative, and others providing information and inspiration to help enhance your inner growth and artistic expression as a creative person.

Main site (with links to other sites) The Creative Mind http://thecreativemind.net

Facebook profile http://www.facebook.com/douglas.eby

Twitter https://twitter.com/DouglasEby

For more,

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Trigg

I Was Born Intense and Sensitive. Now What? Conversation with Melissa Schwartz

Wed, 17 Jul 2019 18:00:00 -0400

In this conversation, we will come to hear why Melissa thinks sometimes having a diffused vision is a relief. We will learn how to ourselves even amongst busy travel schedule, crowds and bright light. We talked about what sensitive children need to hear. She shared how she turned her relationship with her mother around and helped her to understand and accept who she is. Finally, we touched on the power of EMDR therapy.

Resources mentioned

Far From the Trees by Andrew Soloman

The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine Aron

About Melissa

Melissa Schwartz was born an intense, sensitive, empathic, power seeker. Her intuitive ability to decode misbehavior and her passion for giving a voice to the legitimate needs of children naturally evolved into becoming the co-creator of Leading Edge Parenting, co-author of Authentic Parenting Power and author of soon to be released, Under the Hood: A Manual to Understand the Inner Workings of Children. She is an internationally acclaimed author, coach and public speaker bringing new perspective based on current research and personal experience to transform the field of child development.

Full Shownotes and Transcript: www.eggshelltherapy.com/podcast

For more,

Please visit: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com

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Disclaimer: The content provided is for inf

Welcome to Eggshell Transformations! - A Teaser

Mon, 15 Jul 2019 12:00:00 -0400

In this teaser, you will hear snippets from the upcoming three episodes, where we talk to intense people and experts around the world.

We will hear their stories and lean life strategies from:

Melissa Schwartz, the co-creator of Leading Edge Parenting, co-author of Authentic Parenting Power and author of soon to be released, Under the Hood: A Manual to Understand the Inner Workings of Children. She is an internationally acclaimed author, coach and public speaker bringing a new perspective based on current research and personal experience to transform the field of child development.

Douglas Eby, the author of The Creative Mind series of sites including Talent Development Resources, High Ability, Highly Sensitive and Creative, and many others. His resources provide information and inspiration to help enhance your inner growth and artistic expression as a creative person.

Cat Rose, a creative entrepreneur who helps introverts show their work and get the exposure they deserve. Her aim in life is to help all her clients do what they love and realise their dreams, whilst honouring their personality type and preferences

Eggshell Transformations is a podcast dedicated to people who are exceptionally intense, sensitive, and intuitive. Together, we go from healing to thriving.

Please visit: https://www.eggshelltherapy.com

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