Category: Identity & The Self

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Staring at the Sun with Dr. Irvin Yalom March 5, 2008

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Dr. Irvin Yalom
Category: Aging & Mortality, Identity & The Self

Psychiatrist and author Dr. Irvin Yalom joins Armand DiMele to argue that confronting death directly, rather than avoiding it, is essential to living fully. They discuss erotic transference, the therapist’s need for ongoing personal therapy, and Yalom’s existential view that therapist and patient are fellow travelers facing the same mortality.

The Rhythm of Life January 29, 2008

Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Identity & The Self

Rhythm is not just musical but biological, psychological, and relational. Armand DiMele argues that feeling out of rhythm underlies loneliness, anxiety, and even psychosis, weaving together a baby’s in-utero heartbeat, a case study of a schizophrenic patient, and caller stories about grief and disconnection.

The Habit of Making Excuses January 24, 2008

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Identity & The Self, Personal Growth & Change

Excuses block growth by turning avoidance into belief. Armand DiMele traces the impulse to dodge responsibility from the Garden of Eden to the modern workplace, arguing that owning your mistakes builds confidence and integrity far more than clever deflection ever could. Callers explore criticism, fear, and defensiveness in real time.

Love as an Antidote to Fear January 23, 2008

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Bob, Chris, Jake, Michael Heddo, Rohini Samwaru
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Identity & The Self

Is love genuinely a cure for hatred, or just a way to smother fear? Armand DiMele and studio walk-in Rohini Samwaru, along with callers, wrestle with who gets to define love, whether self-love is a prerequisite, and how fear underlies anger. A caller’s impromptu Spanish love song closes the hour.

The Roots of Human Hatred January 22, 2008

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Identity & The Self

Hatred is not anger but a consuming state of being, and most people carry far more of it than they admit. Armand replays a remastered lecture to distinguish hatred from anger, trace its origins in childhood suppression, and argue that the desperate human search for love is really an attempt to escape inner hatred.

How Close Is Close Enough January 17, 2008

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Identity & The Self, Love & Romantic Relationships

Fear of intimacy comes down to three wounds: abandonment, betrayal, and rejection learned in childhood. Armand DiMele argues that most people want the right things from the wrong people, that parents trained us to hide our true feelings, and that real closeness begins with releasing judgment rather than demanding honesty.

The Invisible Outhouse We Carry December 27, 2007

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Identity & The Self, Personal Growth & Change

We all carry invisible psychological shields, shaped in childhood, that distort how we see ourselves and others. Armand uses the Mr. Bean outhouse gag as a running metaphor for these blind spots, then takes calls from listeners who recognize their own, from chronic tension to conflict avoidance to a lifelong pattern of addiction.

Finding Yourself Through Film with Dr. Maria Grace December 12, 2007

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Dr. Maria Grace
Category: Identity & The Self, Personal Growth & Change

Movies are not escape but a mirror. Psychologist Dr. Maria Grace explains how film characters trigger projections that reveal hidden fears, unmet needs, and suppressed desires. Armand DiMele explores her 12-step method, from decoding a client’s George Clooney obsession to prescribing specific films that inspire real life change.

Knowing What You Don’t Know November 29, 2007

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Identity & The Self, Personal Growth & Change

Most people fake what they don’t know rather than admitting the gaps. Armand DiMele argues that genuine curiosity about yourself, your body, your desires, and your patterns is the foundation of real success. A caller named George, 77 and lifelong isolationist, becomes the episode’s most revealing example.

What Your Clothing Says About You November 14, 2007

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Identity & The Self, Society, Culture & Current Events

Fashion is never just fashion. Armand DiMele traces clothing choices from 7,500-year-old figurines to sagging jeans, arguing that what we wear signals identity, power, and rebellion, and that our snap judgments about others’ dress reveal uncomfortable truths about ourselves. Callers share their own stories.