Keyword: control

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Crazy Making and How It Works April 21, 2015

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Communication & Conflict, Emotions & Inner Life

Why do people deliberately destabilize those they love, and how does it work on different personality types? Armand DiMele walks through the psychology of crazy-making, using the Enneagram to show exactly which pressure points unravel each type, while callers share their own experiences of being worn down by the people closest to them.

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.

Disarming the Narcissist with Wendy Behary January 6, 2015

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Wendy Behary
Category: Identity & The Self, Love & Romantic Relationships

What does a narcissist actually look like up close, and can you change the dynamic without leaving? Wendy Behary, LCSW, Author of “Disarming the Narcissist,” joins Armand to map the traits (entitlement, demeaning behavior, emotional detachment) and offer real strategies for partners who feel invisible.

Strategies for Getting Through Life November 12, 2014

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

Everyone develops a strategy for getting through life, and most of them form in childhood. Armand DiMele, joined by co-hosts Ben Starr and Giullian Gioiello, maps out the recurring patterns: the beauty-seeker, the easygoing half-asleep type, the controller who trusts no one, the dramatic emotional type. Understanding someone’s strategy, rather than judging it, is the path to genuine connection.

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.

Dominance and Submission in Relationships December 4, 2013

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

Why do people who fight passionately for others surrender control at home? Armand DiMele argues that submission carries hidden rewards, chiefly freedom from decision-making and a longing for parental nurturing, while dominance often masks deep feelings of powerlessness. Callers share their own struggles with unequal partnerships.

Fear and the Compulsive Advice Giver November 6, 2013

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Anxiety & Fear, Emotions & Inner Life

Childhood entrapment quietly drives adult fears, including fear of flying. Armand DiMele traces a caller’s claustrophobia to her violent, alcoholic home and explores why some people compulsively give advice, linking it to feelings of inadequacy and a need to feel powerful.

The Pleasure of Moving Other People’s Emotions August 15, 2012

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

Why do people enjoy provoking reactions in others? Armand DiMele argues that our repressed emotions make us easy targets for manipulation, and that triggering someone else’s feelings is often a bid for power or a way to stay hidden. Music, trolling, lap dancing, and jealousy all illustrate the same dynamic.

Signs of a Toxic Relationship July 24, 2012

Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Love & Romantic Relationships

Armand DiMele and co-host Lisa work through 25 warning signs of a toxic relationship, from verbal put-downs and jealous isolation to emotional dependency and manipulation. A story about a mentor’s muscle-pressure test frames how people differ in their tolerance for pain, and why some stay far too long.

The Feeling of Powerlessness March 21, 2012

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

Power is largely an illusion, and fighting that truth is a recipe for depression, rigidity, and exhaustion. Armand DiMele and Linda Vanella, LCSW-R, trace powerlessness from its biological roots through addiction, codependency, grief, and disability, arguing that accepting what we cannot control is itself a form of strength.