The Deepening

In this episode I speak with Cecily Mak — author of Undimmed: The Eight Awarenesses for Freedom from Unwanted Habits — about the habits and behaviors we reach for to soften the edges of our lives, and what becomes possible when we loosen their grip.Cecily introduces the concept of "dimmers" — not just substances like alcohol, but anything we use to take the edge off: overworking, scrolling, people-pleasing, even wellness practices. Her argument is that while these habits help us avoid discomfort, they also mute our sense of aliveness, silence our intuition, and keep us in what she calls "the softer middle of human experience."We talk about:What it means to be dimmed and what it means to live undimmedHow the eight awarenesses form a map for living more self-connected and presentHow intuition becomes clearer as we un-dimThe difference between genuine service and dimming through people-pleasingWhat gets revealed when one dimmer loosens and why that layering mattersWhy our dimming behaviors aren't failuresThis is a warm, honest, and surprisingly wide-ranging conversation about clarity, agency, and the return to ourselves.Guest: Cecily Mak is an attorney, investor, advocate, founder and author of Undimmed: The Eight Awarenesses for Freedom from Unwanted Habits, published by Flatiron Books. Find her at cecilymak.com.Resources mentioned:Undimmed: The Eight Awarenesses for Freedom from Unwanted Habits — Cecily MakThe Five Invitations — Frank Ostaseski This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit divingdeepwithsuzanne.substack.com

In this episode, I’m joined by mythologist Maria Souza for a deep and beautiful conversation about the power of myth to illuminate our inner lives.We explore why myth still matters, how ancient stories mirror our psychological patterns, and how women can use stories to reconnect with intuition, creativity, and inner authority. Maria shares how myth can guide us during personal transitions and how a repertoire of stories can help us navigate motherhood, midlife, and other life thresholds.We take a close look at the Russian story of Vasilisa and Baba Yaga — a tale of intuition, fierceness, and the journey from innocence to sovereignty. We also discuss people-pleasing, perfectionism, and the ways midlife calls women to stop abandoning themselves and begin living from a deeper truth.If you’re navigating a transition, longing for clarity, or looking for inspiration, this conversation will help illuminate your path.Stories and Myths MentionedVasilisa the Beautiful (Russian folktale)Psyche and Eros (Greek myth)Demeter and Persephone (Greek myth)Inanna’s Descent (Sumerian myth)Sealskin/Soulskin (Selkie tale)The Crescent Moon Bear (Japanese tale)Manawi (African/African-American tale)La Llorona (Mexican tale) Connect with Maria Souza Website: womenandmythology.comInstagram: @womenandmythology Connect with Suzanne Website: divingdeepcoaching.comShadow Pattern Quiz: ⁠https://www.divingdeepcoaching.com/quiz⁠1:1 Coaching & Clarity Sessions: ⁠https://www.divingdeepcoaching.com/clarity-session⁠ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit divingdeepwithsuzanne.substack.com

In this episode, I speak with Lisa Marchiano, Jungian analyst, author, and co-host of This Jungian Life, about her book Dream Wise: Unlocking the Meaning of Your Dreams (co-authored with Deborah Stewart and Joseph Lee).We explore how dreams can serve as a compass for meaning and purpose, guiding us toward our fullest expression of self. Through the Jungian lens, Lisa explains how dreams act as messages from the unconscious—offering gentle course-corrections, creative insight, and wisdom for the lifelong process of individuation, or becoming who we’re truly meant to be.Together we discuss:Why dreams matter and how they guide psychological and spiritual growthThe “inner companion” or Self as a source of support and directionHow to work with dream images using associations, amplification, and active imaginationDream incubation—how to ask your dreams for guidanceWhy dreamwork is a creative dialogue that connects us to the depths of psyche and to the collective unconsciousWhether you’re in a life transition, seeking clarity about your next chapter, or simply curious about the mystery of dreams, this conversation offers both inspiration and practical tools for deepening your relationship with your inner life—and living in greater alignment with who you’re meant to become. SHOW NOTESGuestLisa Marchiano, LCSW — Jungian analyst, author (Motherhood, The Vital Spark, Dream Wise), and co-host of the popular podcast This Jungian Life. She teaches on the faculty of the C.G. Jung Institute of Philadelphia.RESOURCES MENTIONEDDream Wise: Unlocking the Meaning of Your Dreams — by Lisa Marchiano, Deborah Stewart & Joseph LeeDream School by This Jungian Life — an online learning community for dreamworkDream Guidance by Machiel Klerk (on dream incubation)Key Jungian ideas: individuation, the Self, amplification, active imagination, symbolic dialogueGUEST & HOST LinksGuest → Lisa MarchianoHost → Suzanne L'Heureux | @divingdeepcoaching | www.divingdeepcoaching.comIf this conversation resonates, follow the show, leave a review, and share it with someone curious about dreams and the inner life.Download my free Midlife Reconnection Guide—for a gentle invitation to reflect and reconnect with your own inner wisdom. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit divingdeepwithsuzanne.substack.com

In this rich conversation, Jungian analyst and internationally acclaimed author Dr. James Hollis joins me to explore the deep psychological and spiritual tasks of midlife—and how this threshold can open us to greater authenticity, meaning, and vitality.We talk about reclaiming personal authority, questioning inherited beliefs, and listening to the deeper promptings of the psyche. Hollis shares why he considers himself in the “richest phase” of his life, and how curiosity, courage, and service to life itself keep our journey far from over.Dr. Hollis is the author of more than 20 books, including The Middle Passage: From Misery to Meaning in Midlife and A Life of Meaning. His work has touched countless lives, inviting us to ask bigger questions, live more consciously, and align our lives with what is truly ours to express.Whether you’re navigating a midlife transition, seeking clarity on your path, or simply curious about the inner journey, this episode offers wisdom, encouragement, and a deeper lens on what it means to live a life of meaning. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit divingdeepwithsuzanne.substack.com

How do we begin to heal the damage that addiction can cause in our relationships? In this episode, I speak with Janice Johnson Dowd — a Licensed Master Social Worker, recovering alcoholic, mother of four, and author of Rebuilding Relationships in Recovery.Together we explore the challenges of rebuilding trust, making amends, and navigating grief, guilt, and the deep longing for connection. Janice offers compassionate, practical insights — not just for people in recovery, but for anyone seeking to repair and strengthen important relationships.Whether you’re on a recovery path yourself or supporting someone who is, may this conversation offer reflection, hope, and encouragement for your own journey. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit divingdeepwithsuzanne.substack.com

In this episode I speak with author and Dharma teacher Valerie Mason-John (Vimalasara) about her groundbreaking book Eight Step Recovery: Using the Buddha’s Teachings to Overcome Addiction, coauthored with psychiatrist Dr. Paramabandhu Groves.This conversation offers a rich and powerful exploration of addiction—not only in its traditional forms, but in the everyday ways we avoid pain and disconnect from ourselves.We talk about the Buddhist path of recovery, the role of the body in healing, and how habitual behaviors like overthinking can be just as binding as substances. Valerie’s perspective is both practical and compassionate, offering tools and teachings that are relevant whether you’re in recovery, walking alongside someone who is, or simply navigating your own inner challenges.We also touch on the importance of service, somatic awareness, and the very human task of turning toward what we most want to avoid.Resources Mentioned:Eight Step Recovery by Valerie Mason-John & Dr. Paramabandhu GrovesA First Aid Kit for the Mind by Valerie Mason-JohnValerie’s WebsiteMay these teachings and practices support you in turning toward yourself—and in finding peace and freedom. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit divingdeepwithsuzanne.substack.com

Journalist Maggie Jones has spent her career exploring the tender, often taboo experiences that define us—from grief and death to sex, aging, and desire. In this deeply personal conversation, we talk about the home funeral my family held for my mother in 2019, which Maggie witnessed and later wrote about in her powerful feature, The Movement to Bring Death Closer.Together, we explore what it means to stay present with the dying, what we gain from tending to the bodies of our loved ones, and the deeper questions her work continues to raise: How do we reclaim what our culture tells us to turn away from? What does it mean to be fully alive—even in the face of loss?Maggie Jones is a journalist and longtime writer for The New York Times Magazine. Her work has also appeared in The Washington Post, Mother Jones, and The Guardian. She has been a Nieman Fellow at Harvard and a senior Ochberg Fellow at Columbia’s Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma. She currently teaches writing at the University of Pittsburgh. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit divingdeepwithsuzanne.substack.com

In this episode, I talk with Lisa Marchiano about her powerful book The Vital Spark: Reclaim Your Outlaw Energies and Find Your Feminine Fire. It's a rich and inspiring resource—especially for women in midlife—offering a path to reconnect with lost parts of ourselves and reclaim our wholeness.Lisa is a Jungian analyst, author, and co-host of the popular podcast This Jungian Life. Her books include Motherhood: Facing and Finding Yourself, The Vital Spark, and Dream Wise, co-authored with her podcast collaborators Deborah Stewart and Joseph Lee. She teaches widely and is on the faculty of the C. G. Jung Institute of Philadelphia. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit divingdeepwithsuzanne.substack.com

Introduction to The Deepening: Conversations that lead you deeper into Self and Soul. If you're drawn to deeper conversations, I invite you to subscribe, tune in, and take the next step on your own unfolding journey. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit divingdeepwithsuzanne.substack.com