Pure Curiosity with Iris McAlpin

In this episode I speak with Amanda E. White, therapist, retired party girl, and author of the new book Not Drinking Tonight about alcohol culture. This is a nuanced conversation about how we collectively relate to alcohol and sobriety, how alcohol misuse and eating disorders are intimately connected, the difference between alcohol addiction and "food addiction" and so much more. Whether you're struggling with your relationship with alcohol, interested in reflecting on your relationship with alcohol, or wanting to support someone in your life who is struggling with substance use, this conversation offers insight as well as practical guidance for navigating these issues. About Our Guest:Amanda E. White is a licensed therapist and the creator of the popular instagram account @therapyforwomen. She is the author of the book “Not Drinking Tonight: A Guide to Creating A Sober Life You Love.” She is the founder and owner of the group therapy practice, Therapy for Women Center, based in Philadelphia serving clients across the country. In her clinical work, she specializes in working with individuals with substance use disorders and eating disorders.People are drawn to Amanda’s unique expertise, accessible approach to healing and mental health. She has been featured in notable publications such as Forbes, Washington Post, Shape, Women’s Health Magazine, and more.  Follow Amanda on Instagram.Purchase Amanda's Book.  

In this episode I speak with Dr. Jen Douglas, a licensed psychologist, Stanford professor and mom about all things perfectionism. We talk about how it shows up (in sometimes sneaky ways) across multiple dimensions, including body image, parenting and productivity. Perfectionism also has an intergenerational component to it, and Dr. Jen offers some tangible insight into how we can shift these patterns within our families and raise children who aren't burdened by the weight of perfectionism. We also discuss the importance of pleasure, play and humor in healing, and how learning to laugh at ourselves can help us manage the inevitable messiness of life. Dr. Jen is a delight, and I hope you will enjoy this perfectly imperfect episode! About Our Guest:Jen Douglas, PhD is a licensed psychologist, Stanford clinical assistant professor, executive coach, consultant, partner and mother. Dr. Jen specializes in helping high-achieving individuals overcome their own perfectionism to reach their fullest potential, both in their professional worlds and in their personal relationships. Dr. Jen turns her unique approach to mental health towards women and non-binary individuals at the intersection of identity, professional goals, and parenting. In her academic role, Dr. Jen trains graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and medical residents in empirically-based mental health treatment, and has published in international peer-reviewed psychology journals. Dr. Jen’s clinical interests span the intersection of high-functioning anxiety, emotional regulation, and societal influences on mental health.  As a mission-driven mental health expert intent on improving access to education about life-changing psychological tools, Dr. Jen facilitates anti-burnout workshops and provides speaking engagements for such companies as Facebook Inc. and Vox Media. The center of Dr. Jen’s passion is marrying academic psychological theory with real-life societal pressures and intersectional identities. It is harder to overcome perfectionism, anxiety, and imposter syndrome when these patterns are rooted in societal expectations and pressures. Dr. Jen brings a holistic approach to overcoming these issues from an empowerment lens.Dr. Jen’s more than 13 years in the mental health field and academic medicine have given her the tools to help others find that sweet spot in the fusion of self-acceptance, humility, and stepping into power by showing up as our true selves.  Dr. Jen and her work have been featured across news outlets including Newsweek, NBC News, Glamour, and NPR. She currently lives in the Bay Area with her family, who humor her feeble attempts at being a “cool mom.”Learn more about Dr. Jen's Online Course.Follow Dr. Jen on Instagram. 

In this episode of Pure Curiosity I speak with licensed therapist Yolanda Renteria about how our childhood experiences impact our wellbeing as adults, sleep training, child development, trauma-informed parenting, and so much more. Yolanda shares from both her personal experience as a mother and her professional experience as a therapist, and addresses some really delicate and potentially very sensitive issues that come up for parents. As an expecting mother, I was grateful to learn from her, and believe her insights would be helpful for anyone regardless of their parenting status. We've all been children, so we've all been impacted by the cultural norms around parenting in one way or another. About Our Guest:Yolanda is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Arizona with a certification in trauma and training in somatic approaches. She works in a community setting in an agricultural community serving predominantly Hispanic clients. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and a Masters degree in Counseling. She is also adjunct faculty Professor for the Social Sciences Department at Northern Arizona University. In her free time she enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family.Follow Yolanda's work on Instagram

In this gripping episode I speak with executive coach and leadership consultant Daniel Stover about his near-death experience while traveling abroad. His story is vulnerable, captivating and ultimately very inspiring. We explore what happens when we're pushed to our limits, how we may not react the way we think we're going to in crisis, and the potential for trauma to lead to profound shifts in understanding about what it means to be alive. About Our Guest:Dan grew up in rural Northwest Ohio, where his journey of self discovery began. While volunteering for Suicide Prevention Services in college, Dan found his passion for helping others get unstuck and find hope. It was there he became a coach, advisor, trainer and board member for the first time.Dan received two degrees from The Ohio State University, and his master’s degree in organizational psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. In 2012, Dan began his formal training in leadership psychology with an established midwest leadership development firm. He thrived in the consulting profession and held several board positions in Columbus, Ohio. In 2015, Dan pioneered West to Los Angeles, where he expanded his career and passion for leadership development.Today, Dan owns and manages Ensight Partners. He has helped hundreds of teams create culture, resolve conflict and lead more effectively across industries, internationally. In 2017, he received the Excellency Award from Geneva Group International.In his free time, Dan is an avid reader, traveler, nature photographer and hiker. He is a member of The American Psychological Association, The Society of Consulting Psychology, and The Nature Conservancy. Dan is also member of the Diversity and Inclusion Initiative for the Society of Consulting Psychology, The International Coaching Federation and the ICF Foundation Society.Visit Dan's company websiteFollow Dan on Instagram

Healthy boundaries are a critical aspect of mental and relational health, but they're something most people struggle with. Burn out is rampant. Many of us have felt overwhelmed by at least one relationship in our lives. Almost all of us have something we feel challenged to set limits around. This is our guest Nedra Tawwab's area of expertise. She helps people around the world set healthier boundaries with her online content and new book, Set Boundaries Find Peace. In this episode we discuss setting limits around social media use, how to deal with guilt around setting boundaries, why so many of us struggle with boundaries and much more. About Our Guest:Nedra Glover Tawwab is a licensed therapist and sought-after relationship expert. She has practiced relationship therapy for 12 years and is the founder and owner of the group therapy practice, Kaleidoscope Counseling. Every day she helps people create healthy relationships by teaching them how to implement boundaries. Her philosophy is that a lack of boundaries and assertiveness underlie most relationship issues, and her gift is helping people create healthy relationships with themselves and others. Follow Nedra on InstagramCheck out Nedra's Book Set Boundaries Find PeaceVisit Nedra's Wesbite

In this episode of Pure Curiosity I speak with speaker, writer and therapist-in-training Mimi Cole about her experience with Orthorexia, a less commonly known eating disorder, as well as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD. Orthorexia is an obsession with healthy eating, which ironically gets to a point of being unhealthy and disruptive for people's lives. Unfortunately it is becoming more widespread with the popularity of the "clean eating" movement. Mimi shares her story of recovery from both of these disorders as well discussing the overlap between the two. I know you will find Mimi as likable and delightful as I do!About Our Guest:Mimi Cole is a second year graduate student in the Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling program at The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She has worked in the outpatient and residential levels of care as a Resident Patient Associate for individuals with eating disorders. Mimi is the host of The Lovely Becoming podcast and you can find her on Instagram: @the.lovelybecoming. Outside of therapy, Mimi loves to explore new coffee shops, read, and write.Check out Mimi's PodcastFollow Mimi on Instagram  

In this episode of Pure Curiosity I speak with trauma coach and survivor Nate Postlethwait on his experience with religious trauma, and his recovery from the abuses he experienced in childhood. After disclosing his experiences of sexual abuse, Nate was told he needed to repent and was pushed into conversion therapy, where he was forbidden to discuss important aspects of his trauma and identity for many years. Over time, Nate realized he needed a very different kind of support for his recovery, and eventually found his way to inner child work. This is a very candid and powerful conversation about the traumatic underbelly of religious fundamentalism, and finding healing on your own terms.About Our Guest:A few years ago Nate Postlethwait walked away from a highly successful career in real estate in order to give himself a reset and find more understanding in his life. He sold his home and everything with it and traveled throughout the world for several months. During his travels, he began publicly sharing his journey of healing from childhood trauma and the battles with his mental health. Quickly, a community began to form. Other survivors began sharing their stories in the comments section. That community has quickly grown to over 120k and continues to have thousands of new friends join weekly.Nate has lead sold out webinars on inner child work and most recently, written a four week course on this work and offers multiple weekly q & a's that help share stories from within this survivor community. On the weekends, he posts the funniest memes sent in from those who follow along and does a segment on "My worst possible advice" where others write in what they want advice on. He describes himself as a loud introvert, but also incredibly tender hearted to those who are hurting and need help. His life mission is to help those who need trauma informed therapy find it in a way that is accessible and affordable. He is an avid traveler, but proudly calls Denver, CO home.Visit Nate's WebsiteFollow Nate on Instagram 

In this episode of Pure Curiosity I speak with Steven Kessler, a licensed therapist of over 30 years, and author of the bestselling book The 5 Personality Patterns. I first picked up his book in 2019, and found it to be one of the most accessible book on character analysis/personality formation I've found. This is a topic that is often reserved for dense clinical literature, and Steven does a wonderful job translating it for a broader audience. His book breaks down universal patterns of behavior that we adopt in order to feel safe in our early lives. These patterns become woven into the fabric of our identities, and shape much of what we consider to be our personalities. In this conversation we discuss these patterns, and how they relate to sensitivity, narcissism, attraction, and much more. About Our Guest:Steven Kessler has been a psychotherapist in the San Francisco Bay Area for almost 30 years, teaching both locally and internationally. He is a certified EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) Expert and Trainer, and is the bestselling author of The 5 Personality Patterns, a simple, clear, true-to-life map of personality that gives you the key to understanding people and communicating with them effectively. More information and descriptions of the patterns are available at www.The5PersonalityPatterns.com. Steven loves teaching and helping people grow. He can be reached at [email protected]. 

In this episode of Pure Curiosity, I speak with James Onwuachi, a modern day philosopher, theologian and upper school dean. When James and I met in Houston 10 years ago we immediately had a good rapport, and managed to stay in touch despite multiple major moves around the country. Earlier this year, he reached out and shared an article he had written in Newsweek about the cancelling of Dr. Seuss, and I immediately asked him to join me on the podcast. This is a conversation about what sacredness means beyond the confines of traditional religion, and the role it plays in Cancel Culture. I really appreciated the thoughtfulness and depth James brings to these topics. I left our conversation feeling touched and inspired, and I have a feeling you will too.About Our Guest:After getting his masters in divinity at Vanderbilt University (where he's currently pursuing a doctorate) James Onwuachi went into academia. He is the Upper School Dean at Kinkaid Preparatory School in Houston Texas, and is the former Associate Dean at Vanderbilt University, Oberlin College, Grinnell College, and University of California-Santa Cruz. James is also an op-ed columnist for Newsweek magazine, where he discusses culture, race and theology.James' Newsweek Articles:As a Black Child in Houston, my Dr. Seuss Moment Was About Thomas JeffersonBlack Men Are a Rorschach Test That America Keeps FailingThe Real Source of Cancel Culture: We're Seeking Justice for Old Wounds  

In this episode of Pure Curiosity, Neuroscientist Dr. Don Vaughn weighs in on The Social Dilemma, and answers a very important question: can technology help us overcome tech addiction? It might sound counterintuitive, but he offers a very compelling argument. We also discuss his research on empathy, and address the age old question of free will. Lastly we review the findings of his latest polling technology, which predicted a much closer race than any other national poll. Dr. Vaughn is, in my opinion, one of the brightest minds out there. I'm always interested in and impressed by his analysis of complex issues, and I believe you will be as well.  About Our Guest: Dr. Don Vaughn is a neuroscientist, futurist, and international public speaker. His foci include human perception, augmented performance, empathic bias, and machine learning. Since graduating from Stanford, Dr. Vaughn’s research has been featured on ABC, ESPN, TIME magazine, and the X-Games. Over a million people have viewed his TEDx talk “neurohacking: rewiring your brain”. He has been an opinion leader for a range of news outlets including The Wall Street Journal and NBC News. To learn more about his company and research on the election, visit https://www.invisibly.com/research.