Guest: Linda Vanella

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The Hidden Cost of Mindfulness October 1, 2014

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Giullian Gioiello, Linda Vanella
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Personal Growth & Change

Mindfulness has a dark side: when used to suppress negative emotions rather than process them, it breeds disconnection, stuffed anger, and an inability to be honest in close relationships. Armand DiMele and Linda Vanella, LCSW-R, along with co-host Giullian Gioiello, argue that feeling difficult emotions fully is the real path to intimacy and growth.

Smartphones Anxiety and the Need for Connection September 24, 2014

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Ben Starr, Giullian Gioiello, Linda Vanella, Michael Jessen
Category: Anxiety & Fear, Society, Culture & Current Events

Constant connectivity feeds anxiety rather than relieving it: Armand DiMele argues the smartphone is a modern “stick” the nervous mind uses to scan for danger. With co-hosts Linda Vanella, LCSW-R, Giullian Gioiello, and Ben Starr, plus guest Michael Jessen, the group examines phone-checking as compulsion, passive aggression, and a substitute for real presence.

Living with ADHD Across the Lifespan September 17, 2014

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Ben Starr, Giullian Gioiello, Linda Vanella
Category: Personal Growth & Change, The Mind & Neuroscience

ADHD affects far more adults than is recognized, and Armand argues the same traits that make childhood difficult can become creative gifts. Linda Vanella, LCSW-R, draws on clinical and personal experience, while co-host Ben Starr shares his own journey through medication, video games, and self-medication to quiet the mental buzz.

The Obsessive Mind in Love September 10, 2014

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

Why can’t you get someone out of your head? Armand DiMele traces romantic obsession to the brain’s danger-detection system, arguing that the amygdala treats lost love as a survival threat. Linda Vanella, LCSW-R, joins co-hosts Ben Starr and Giullian Gioiello as callers share raw stories of grief, betrayal, and letting go.

Frozen in Time by Childhood Trauma August 13, 2014

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Ben Starr, Linda Vanella, Ori Amini Morrison
Category: Family & Parenting, Trauma & Healing

Childhood trauma leaves children frozen in place, and the cure often lies in the parent-child relationship, not just the child alone. Linda Vanella, LCSW-R, draws on her work with traumatized veterans and young children to explain how creative tools like xylophone play, power cards, and the hero’s journey restore a child’s sense of agency alongside the caregiver’s.

When Love Becomes Need May 22, 2014

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Albert Pesso, Audrey Clark, Barbara Katz Nelson, Giullian Gioiello, John Coltrane, Kevin O'Donoghue, Linda Vanella
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Love & Romantic Relationships

Love is supposed to be the prize, so why is it so painful? Armand DiMele unpacks the psychology of neediness in relationships, arguing that desperation itself can poison a partnership. Drawing on Albert Pesso, Co-founder of Pesso Boyden Therapy, he explores how men and women become needy at different stages, how betrayal trauma differs from fear-based PTSD, and why the drive to make a relationship work can doom it.

Losing Your Temper April 22, 2014

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Giullian Gioiello, Linda Vanella
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Personal Growth & Change

Temper is something you can lose, hold, or redirect, and Armand DiMele argues all three carry consequences. With co-host Giullian Gioiello and Linda Vanella, LCSW-R, the conversation moves from toddler tantrums to explosive adults, asking whether suppressing anger protects us or stores up damage for later.

Climate Change and the Emotional Body April 1, 2014

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Audrey, Dr. Kenneth Christian, Dr. Michael Bader, Giullian Gioiello, Jeannie, Jonathan Raskin, Linda Vanella, Shay
Category: Anxiety & Fear, Emotions & Inner Life

Severe winters and accelerating climate disruption are doing something to us emotionally that seasonal affective disorder alone cannot explain. Armand DiMele, joined by co-host Giullian Gioiello and Linda Vanella, LCSW-R, explores how environmental upheaval drives withdrawal, hormonal disruption, and a search for connection through technology, money, and music.

The Madness of Falling in Love March 26, 2014

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Giullian Gioiello, Linda Vanella
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Love & Romantic Relationships

Falling in love may be less sanity than neurosis. Armand DiMele and co-host Giullian Gioiello, joined by Linda Vanella, LCSW-R, work through why romantic love so often fills a psychological hole, how mirror neurons shape emotional connection, and why couples in trouble can describe what a partner thinks but not what they feel.

Hatred Vengeance and the Hateful Self March 25, 2014

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Giullian Gioiello, Linda Vanella
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Grief & Loss

Hatred is not a demon to be hidden but a feeling to be explored honestly. Armand DiMele and Linda Vanella, LCSW-R, trace hatred from childhood helplessness through jealousy, control, and vengeance, with a moving call from a man who lost his brother on 9/11 and has since been cut off from his nephews and nieces.