Guest: Ben Starr

↕

Living With Physical and Emotional Pain June 9, 2015

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Ben Starr, Giullian Gioiello
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Grief & Loss

Physical pain and emotional pain feel utterly different, yet both demand surrender rather than resistance. Armand DiMele, joined by co-hosts Ben Starr and Giullian Gioiello, takes calls from listeners navigating broken bones, chronic back pain, heroin withdrawal, and the grief of losing parents, exploring how we sometimes choose painful patterns and what it takes to move through them.

Cultural Differences and Human Connection April 28, 2015

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Ben Starr, Eliana Banagudo, Giullian Gioiello
Category: Identity & The Self, Society, Culture & Current Events

Cultural differences shape how people experience intimacy, personal space, and even anxiety disorders. Armand DiMele, co-hosts Ben Starr and Giullian Gioiello, and therapist Eliana Banagudo examine culture-bound syndromes, racial profiling in the wake of Baltimore unrest, family secrets, and what fairness actually requires across cultures.

Millennials Blazing Their Own Path March 17, 2015

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Annie Q, Ben Starr, Giullian Gioiello, Srijan Munir
Category: Identity & The Self, Personal Growth & Change

What happens when the old formula of school, degree, and stable job stops working? Co-hosts Giullian Gioiello and Ben Starr fill in for Armand DiMele and talk with actress Annie Q and Muay Thai fighter and trainer Srijan Munir about forging unconventional careers, immigrant family expectations, and finding meaning over security in a post-recession world.

Self-Actualization and the Hierarchy of Needs March 11, 2015

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Ben Starr, Charlie Schwinkert, Giullian Gioiello
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Personal Growth & Change

Armand DiMele walks through Maslow’s full hierarchy of needs, from biological survival to self-actualization, with co-hosts Giullian Gioiello and Ben Starr and jazz drummer Charlie Schwinkert. The group explores what drives creative satisfaction, how appreciation vanishes in low moods, and how to move through fear by feeling it fully rather than suppressing it.

Never Stand on Your Side During an Argument January 28, 2015

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Ben Starr, Giullian Gioiello
Category: Communication & Conflict, Emotions & Inner Life

Arguments fail not because people disagree but because each side stays locked in its own perspective. Armand DiMele, with co-hosts Ben Starr and Giullian Gioiello, examines what people really want from arguments (to be understood, not just to win), the difference between constructive and destructive conflict, and why buried anger corrodes intimacy. Callers share stories of dog walks, debt collection, and distant partners.

Fear and Trust in Relationships January 21, 2015

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Ben Starr
Category: Anxiety & Fear, Love & Romantic Relationships

Fear is not just a threat but a force that shapes love, loyalty, and the urge to protect. Armand DiMele and co-host Ben Starr examine when caution is wisdom and when it keeps people frozen, drawing on callers who wrestle with drama, boredom, overprotection, and the craving for just enough fire in their lives.

Pain as a Social Glue January 14, 2015

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Andrea Katz, Ben Starr, Diane, Giullian Gioiello, Oh Sui, Seth
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Identity & The Self

Shared pain may be the most powerful force for human bonding, from civil rights marches to losing sports teams to AA meetings. Armand DiMele and co-hosts Giullian Gioiello and Ben Starr examine why people unconsciously seek painful situations to feel connection, and what happens when calm replaces conflict.

The Rhythm of Your Own Timing January 7, 2015

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Ben Starr, Giullian Gioiello
Category: Aging & Mortality, Identity & The Self

Personal timing, the inner rhythm that governs how we move through life, is more powerful and more invisible than most people realize. Armand DiMele, with co-hosts Giullian Gioiello and Ben Starr, explores how timing shapes acting, romance, aging, and even why grandparents push for grandchildren.

Who You Love at Year’s End December 31, 2014

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Ben Starr, Giullian Gioiello
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Love & Romantic Relationships

New Year’s Eve amplifies the ache of who is or isn’t in your life. Armand DiMele, joined by co-hosts Giullian Gioiello and Ben Starr, examines a Yale study showing people often date out of guilt rather than desire, then unpacks how childhood obligations to a parent or grandparent quietly shape adult romantic choices.

Building Mental Toughness December 30, 2014

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Ben Starr, Giullian Gioiello
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Personal Growth & Change

Five habits that quietly drain your strength, from offloading blame to living in the future or the past. Armand DiMele, joined by co-hosts Giullian Gioiello and Ben Starr, frames year-end reflection as muscle-building, arguing that awareness of these patterns, repeated often enough, is how real change finally takes hold.