New Episodes!

A Podcast with Charlie Swenson 

To Hell and Back

This podcast series, “To Hell and Back,” is focused on the nature of hellish experiences in life, how people get into them, and to present and discuss tools for coping with hell and getting out. The various podcasts will move back and forth between different varieties of hell in life, and different tools for coping. The tools will be drawn from dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), from other treatments, and from other life experiences.

A Brother and a Best Friend Lost to Suicide (Part 3) – Episode 99

In the 3rd of our 4 Part Series on coping with suicide in the family, we speak with Beth’s son, and Ross’ brother, Teddy. Teddy shares his perspective on growing up as an older sibling to a brother who struggled with painful emotions throughout his lifetime, on the close friendship they developed as they got older, and his inexhaustible capacity to access compassion and warmth.

Teddy talks about being the person to find Ross after he took his life, navigating the mind-numbing administrative tasks that were required of him whilst being overwhelmed with emotion, and his instinct to surround himself with friends from the beginning to help him cope with a loss so great that, at times, it still doesn’t feel real.

Skillful Coping with Cancer (Part 3): Friendship is Good Medicine – Episode 98

In this episode, the third of four on how Andrea has coped with Cancer throughout 2022, her best friend Amy joins the conversation and they talk about what has happened in their friendship as a result of Cancer.  How they have dealt with Cancer has enriched their friendship and their friendship has been key in helping Andrea to reduce her suffering and preserve her love of life.  Totally sweet and inspiring!  Check out the first two in the series, podcasts #87 and #93, where you get the detailed story of how Andrea has used DBT skills, dialectics, and mindfulness to navigate the myriad challenges that Cancer brings.

Death by Suicide of a Charismatic Young Man in a Loving Family (part 2) – Episode 97

In this episode (part 2), Charlie and Nicole speak with Beth about her son Ross who ended his life two years ago. We hear about Beth, the family, and Ross leading up to his death. In future episodes we learn how Beth and other family members have coped with the tragic loss.

Death by Suicide of a Charismatic Young Man in a Loving Family – Episode 96

In this episode, Charlie and Nicole speak with Beth about her son Ross who ended his life two years ago. We hear about Beth, the family, and Ross leading up to his death. In future episodes we learn how Beth and other family members have coped with the tragic loss.

Principles in Practice – The Narcissist in DBT Therapy- Episode 95

In this episode, Charlie and Nicole role play and then discuss a therapy session in which Charlie patiently sifts through the layers of defensive grandiosity and wounded pride that provoked his Narcissistic patient Taylor (played by Nicole) into a violent outburst at a recent wedding.

Narcissistic Behavior Patterns Through a DBT Lens – Episode 94

In this podcast, Charlie and Nicole contrast DBT versus psychodynamic models for narcissistic patients. Charlie demonstrates how to talk with these patients about the diagnosis with compassion and clarity. Charlie demonstrates how to talk with these patients about the diagnosis with clarity and compassion, using a DBT model.

Skillful Coping with Cancer-Interview 2 with Andrea Gold – Episode 93

This is the second installment of Charlie’s interview with Andrea Gold, PhD, DBT expert, faculty member of Brown University Department of Psychiatry. See podcast #87 for the first hour. Andrea was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in January of this year and is here reporting on how she has coped for the past six months with Cancer and its treatments, including managing her friendships and her family life with her husband and two young children. She is an inspiring human being and a master of using DBT skills to cope with her emotions and the challenges she faces.

No Narcissist is an Island – Episode 92

In episode 3 of the series on Narcissism Charlie and Nicole illustrate the relational nature of Narcissism. Through role play and discussion, listeners hear an intimate portrait of complex interpersonal dynamics playing out between the Narcissist and his counterpart, fueling and reinforcing Narcissistic behavior and belief.

Stay tuned for the final episode in the series where Charlie and Nicole share practical tools for preserving dignity and self esteem when interacting with a Narcissist.

Narcissism: It’s More Nuanced Then You Think – Episode 91

In this episode, the second in our series on narcissism, Charlie and Nicole dissect clinical models and cultural assumptions to illuminate the nature of narcissistic behavior, distinguishing between adaptive traits and the destructive conduct that may meet the criteria for a Narcissistic Personality Disorder diagnosis.

Narcissism and Narcissistic Personality – Episode 90

In this podcast, Charlie and Nicole talk about narcissism, how it plays a part in all of our lives, how there is a range from healthy to pathological, and how it can present in two different types, the grandiose and/or the vulnerable types. This will be the first of three or four podcasts on this topic.

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