Keyword: grief

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Sobriety as Being Present December 29, 2009

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

Armand DiMele reframes sobriety not as abstinence but as full presence in the moment, arguing that most of us are “drunk” on distraction, worry, and longing nearly all the time. Drawing on a candid conversation with a group of men, he explores why being truly present is so rare and so difficult, and how tears, non-judgment, and even the word “yes” can open a doorway to it.

The Nature of Pain and Addiction July 8, 2009

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Kent Robertshaw, Sherri Siegel
Category: Addiction & Compulsion, The Mind & Neuroscience

What separates pain threshold from pain tolerance, and when does prescribed medication become addiction? Armand DiMele and guests Dr. Sherry Siegel, M.D. (neurologist and pain specialist) and Dr. Kent Robertshaw, MD, Psychiatrist, trace physical pain through the nervous system, examine malingering, and use Michael Jackson’s death as a lens on narcotic dependency, withdrawal, and the emotional dimensions of chronic suffering.

Fear and Depression in Hard Economic Times March 24, 2009

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Anxiety & Fear, Depression & Mood

When financial security collapses, the brain shifts from optimism to panic, and people tumble between regret about the past and dread of the future. Armand DiMele traces how economic hardship drives depression, hedonism, and isolation, then takes calls from listeners dealing with fresh grief, cancer, loneliness, and the sting of plans that never paid off.

How Memory Shapes the Love We Seek March 5, 2009

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Love & Romantic Relationships, The Mind & Neuroscience

Every time we recall a memory, we alter it slightly, building love lives on reconstructed rather than real experiences. Armand DiMele traces the neuroscience of memory from protein synthesis at the synapse to the ways callers mourn lost parents, idealize childhood, and search for love modeled on images that may never have existed.

Surviving Crisis and Finding Strength with Mark Matusik June 25, 2008

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Mark Matusik
Category: Grief & Loss, Personal Growth & Change

What do you discover about yourself when crisis strips everything away? Author Mark Matusik discusses his book drawing on interviews with Joan Didion, Ram Dass, and others who survived profound loss, illness, and trauma. The recurring insight: real strength only emerges when the fictional version collapses.

Depression in the Elderly with Dr. Kent Robertshaw January 30, 2008

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Kent Robertshaw
Category: Aging & Mortality, Depression & Mood

Depression in older adults is chronically misdiagnosed because its symptoms show up as physical complaints, and society writes off low mood as a natural part of aging. Armand DiMele and Dr. Kent Robertshaw, MD, Psychiatrist, discuss suicide risk in the elderly, the concept of pseudodementia, medication sensitivity, and the power of empathic listening in treatment.

The Pursuit of Happiness with Nicholas Vreeland October 4, 2007

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Alexandra Beller, Nicholas Vreeland
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Meaning, Spirituality & Philosophy

True happiness cannot be captured in a memory, a possession, or another person. Armand DiMele explores that argument with Nicholas Vreeland of the Tibet Center, previewing the Dalai Lama’s Radio City teachings on emptiness, and choreographer Alexandra Beller, whose new dance piece stages the futile human habit of chasing happiness outside ourselves.

What Post-Traumatic Stress Really Means August 29, 2007

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Anxiety & Fear, Trauma & Healing

The PTSD diagnosis has been stretched so far that almost anyone can qualify. Armand DiMele traces the term from Civil War battle fatigue to 9/11 relief clinics, unpacking the three core symptoms and arguing that real trauma is rarer, and more specific, than the culture now assumes.

The Psychology of Activism with Dr. Suzanne Ross March 29, 2007

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Dr. Suzanne Ross
Category: Identity & The Self, Meaning, Spirituality & Philosophy

What drives a person to spend a lifetime fighting for others, and what does it cost them? Dr. Suzanne Ross, clinical psychologist and lifelong activist, traces her path from wartime refugee to courtroom advocate, exploring how identity, love, and community sustain activists through fear, loss, and exhaustion.