autonomy |

The Roots of Betrayal and Self-Betrayal January 22, 2014

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Giullian Gioiello

Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Identity & The Self

Why do we betray ourselves before others ever get the chance? Armand DiMele traces betrayal to the childhood choice between love and power, arguing that submitting your authentic self to win approval sets up every relationship for eventual breakdown. Co-host Giullian Gioiello adds a younger generational lens on peer groups and digital belonging. Callers bring the theory to life.

Nagging and the Pressure to Change with Dr. Doe Lang May 1, 2013

Host: Armand DiMele

Category: Communication & Conflict, Love & Romantic Relationships

Constant pressure to change a partner is a guaranteed formula for resentment, and possibly hatred. Armand DiMele unpacks why nagging backfires whether or not it works, and Dr. Doe Lang joins to discuss charisma, breathing, and the inner resources that give people real influence over their lives.

Dependency and Autonomy July 5, 2011

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Linda Vanella

Category: Addiction & Compulsion, Identity & The Self

What is the real opposite of dependency? Armand DiMele argues it is autonomy, not independence, then unpacks the dependent personality with Linda Vanella, LCSW-R. The episode covers how dependency forms, how it fuels serial relationships and narcissistic dynamics, and why genuine autonomy must be a conscious choice rather than a reaction to fear.

When the Mind Surrenders December 30, 2008

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Ensorara, Sarah

Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Identity & The Self

Why do people willingly give up control of their own minds? Armand DiMele argues that boredom, peer pressure, and the pleasure principle all prime us to surrender our mental autonomy, whether to love, obsession, cults, or hormones. A caller shares her near-recruitment by the Moonies as a vivid case study.

The Me and the We in Love April 1, 2008

Category: Identity & The Self, Love & Romantic Relationships

Every relationship requires a balance between individual identity and couplehood. Armand DiMele argues that losing the “me” inside the “we” drives compulsive behaviors from internet pornography to over-exercising, and that preserving a private self is not a threat to love but its foundation.

The Psychology of Chronic Doubt January 4, 2006

Host: Armand DiMele

Category: Anxiety & Fear, Identity & The Self

Chronic doubters are not simply paranoid but deeply afraid of being left alone and unprotected. Armand DiMele traces this pattern to early childhood, specifically to absent or undermining father figures, and explains why doubters simultaneously crave loyalty and resist intimacy.