Category: Family & Parenting

The Need to Be Held with Jean Liedloff Undated

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Jean Liedloff

What happens to people who were never held as babies? Jean Liedloff, author of “The Continuum Concept,” argues that the unmet need for physical contact in infancy drives lifelong restlessness, rage, and self-rejection. Armand and callers trace the thread from Columbine to loneliness to addiction.

Maternal Depression with Tracy Thompson Undated

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Tracy Thompson

Maternal depression affects millions of mothers yet remains largely hidden behind the stigma of admitting struggle. Tracy Thompson, author of “The Ghost in the House,” joins Armand to discuss how depression intersects with motherhood, the genetics of vulnerability, what a mother’s typical day actually looks like, and why men need to understand this too.

Finding Someone Strong Enough to Hold You Undated

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Barbara Jessen, Carolee, Dr. Scott Baum, Keith, Leora, Sippy

Why do so many people seek partners or authority figures who can overpower their worst impulses? Armand DiMele builds on earlier research by Scott Baum about fathers and invisible male roles to explore how unresolved inner rage drives partner choice, avoidance of intimacy, and the surprising relief some people find in external discipline.

The Sibling Bond Undated

Host: Armand DiMele

Siblings shape us more than we realize. Armand DiMele traces how sibling bonds affect happiness and brain chemistry, explains the Westermarck effect and genetic sexual attraction, and connects the serotonin boost of sister-talk to why women need groups, gossip, and nail salons. Callers share their own sibling stories.

Consistency in Parenting and Love Undated

Host: Armand DiMele

Research showing that withholding love produces more resentment in children than direct punishment opens a wide conversation about how parental inconsistency shapes romantic life. Armand DiMele takes calls from listeners wrestling with cold mothers, oversharing on dates, and the surprising urge to sabotage genuine love once you finally find it.