Hosts: Armand DiMele

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The Hidden Forces Behind Every Decision June 24, 2014

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Giullian Gioiello, Lisa Arnone
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Personal Growth & Change

Emotions quietly hijack our choices before we even know it. Armand DiMele, joined by Lisa Arnone, LCSW, and co-host Giullian Gioiello, walks through a catalog of cognitive and emotional biases, from anchoring and the bandwagon effect to choice-supportive thinking, showing how pausing to reflect remains the most practical corrective.

The Roots of Human Violence June 18, 2014

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Amy, Dr. Carol Dweck, Giullian Gioiello, Jaime, John Pelletieri, Rinaldo, Terry Jones
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Society, Culture & Current Events

Why do human beings turn violent, against themselves or others? Armand DiMele and co-host Giullian Gioiello survey the scope of violence, from suicide and child firearms deaths to intimate partner abuse and collective atrocities like the Cambodian killing fields, urging listeners to look inward rather than only outward at the problem.

The Roots of Human Violence June 17, 2014

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Trauma & Healing

Violence lives inside everyone, and Armand DiMele traces its origins from brain chemistry (serotonin, testosterone, adrenaline) to childhood trauma to personality type. Callers share firsthand accounts of growing up with domestic violence, and Armand examines how givers, perfectionists, and competitors each carry hidden aggression.

Feelings Underneath the Surface June 11, 2014

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Personal Growth & Change

Feelings are the real work of therapy, Armand argues, and this episode shows that live. After a frank rant about WBAI’s chronic mismanagement, a caller named Donna breaks down on air, revealing a life spent pleasing others at the cost of her own passions. Armand coaxes her into singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow, and the moment lands with unexpected power.

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.

When the Real Self Breaks Through April 23, 2014

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Family & Parenting

What happens when the pressures of life crack the composed self wide open? Armand DiMele examines how rage, passive aggression, and emotional numbness ripple outward and damage others, while callers share raw stories of unloving mothers, inherited trauma, and the long work of grieving what was never given.

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.

How Birth Order Shapes Your Personality with Stephanie Ross April 15, 2014

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Giullian Gioiello, Stephanie Ross
Category: Family & Parenting, Identity & The Self

Birth order predicts more about your personality and relationships than most people realize. Armand DiMele and researcher Stephanie Ross break down how being an only child, firstborn, or later-born shapes anger triggers, confidence, and compatibility, while noting that adoption, remarriage, and loss can shift everything.

Anger, Merging and the Search for Safety April 8, 2014

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Love & Romantic Relationships

Anger hides in workaholism, control, and even the urge to merge completely with a partner. Armand DiMele traces how unmet childhood needs shape adult love, from fusion relationships to the search for safety in families where it was never found. Callers bring raw examples of both.

Breaking Bad Habits April 2, 2014

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Personal Growth & Change

We think we knew it all along, but hindsight bias distorts judgment and fuels overconfidence. Armand DiMele and co-hosts Linda and Julian explore the psychology of bad habits, including why elimination is harder than replacement, and how scheduling, rewards, and physical interruption techniques can help.