How do dating apps affect the way we meet, connect, and form romantic relationships?

In this episode, licensed professional counselor Josh Korac speaks with relationship researcher Dr. Liesel Sharabi about online dating, dating app burnout, gender differences, vulnerability, safety, and the future of dating in a digital world.

Dr. Sharabi explains how online dating has changed from a stigmatized way of meeting people into one of the most common ways romantic partners connect. She discusses why the story of how a couple meets can influence how people view their relationship, how dating apps shape expectations, and why approaching online dating with curiosity and realistic expectations may lead to a healthier experience.

Josh and Dr. Sharabi also explore the frustration and exhaustion many people experience while using dating apps. They discuss how motivation, gender, response rates, harassment, rejection, and repeated negative experiences can affect a person’s willingness to continue dating.

The conversation examines both the risks and possibilities of meeting people online, including the role of vulnerability, communication, safety precautions, video features, virtual reality, and balancing dating apps with opportunities to meet people in person.

In this episode, you will learn about:

• How online dating has changed over time
• Why the stigma around meeting online has decreased
• Common reasons people use dating apps
• How expectations can shape the online dating experience
• Ways to reduce or prevent dating app burnout
• Why dating app experiences can differ by gender
• Challenges involving low response rates and harassment
• What research suggests about successful online relationships
• Why endurance and emotional resilience can matter in online dating
• Safety and risk when meeting someone from an app
• How online communication can encourage vulnerability
• The benefits of balancing online and in-person dating
• Virtual reality and other emerging forms of online dating
• How technology may continue changing romantic relationships

Dr. Liesel Sharabi is an associate professor in the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication and the director of the Relationships and Technology Lab at Arizona State University. Her research examines how technology is changing the ways people meet, date, communicate, and fall in love.

She has published numerous academic articles and book chapters on relationships and technology. Her work has also been featured by The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, The Boston Globe, WIRED, and NPR. She writes the “Dating in the Digital Age” blog for Psychology Today.

Learn more about Dr. Sharabi and her research at lieselsharabi.com.

About the host:

Josh Korac is a licensed professional counselor in Colorado who specializes in trauma, family estrangement, loneliness, and complex relationship concerns. He is also the Lead Moderator of Estrangement.com, where he has worked with thousands of adult children and parents affected by family estrangement.

Learn more about Josh and his therapy practice at joshuakorac.com.

This podcast is provided for educational purposes and does not constitute mental health treatment, diagnosis, relationship advice, or an established therapeutic relationship. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis in the United States, call or text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.

How do you maintain a sense of identity when your roles, priorities, and definition of success begin to change?

In this episode, licensed professional counselor Josh Korac reconnects with his former rock-climbing and cross-country coach, Ben Anderson, for a conversation about fatherhood, marriage, teaching, identity, and finding meaning through different stages of life.

Ben reflects on his transition from professional skiing and coaching into teaching, marriage, and raising two daughters. He discusses the challenge of appreciating past accomplishments without allowing them to define who he must continue to be.

Josh and Ben explore how identity changes as people take on new roles and responsibilities. They discuss the pressure to achieve, the fear of losing important parts of yourself, and the importance of building a life around relationships, presence, family, and meaningful contribution.

The conversation also looks at the American Dream, career ambition, affordable housing, homeownership, retirement, and the cultural pressure to feel as though you have finally “made it.” Rather than treating success as a final destination, Ben describes life and marriage as ongoing processes that require attention, flexibility, and deliberate choices.

In this episode, you will learn about:

• How identity can change across different stages of life
• Adjusting when past accomplishments no longer define you
• The challenges and rewards of becoming a parent
• Being emotionally and physically present with your children
• Balancing work, coaching, marriage, and family life
• How meaningful relationships influence teaching and leadership
• Knowing when to step away from a valued role
• The emotional experience of career and life transitions
• Marriage as an ongoing relationship rather than a finished achievement
• The pressure to succeed and feel as though you have “made it”
• Homeownership, financial pressure, and the American Dream
• Facing uncertainty about the future
• Building confidence through action and encouraging words
• Choosing family and relationships alongside ambition

Ben Anderson is a husband, father, teacher, former professional skier, distance runner, and outdoor enthusiast living in Evergreen, Colorado. He teaches geography at Conifer High School and previously coached Josh in rock climbing and cross-country.

Ben helped introduce Josh to outdoor climbing through formative trips to places such as Moab, Vedauwoo, and Cañon City. In this conversation, they reflect on how their relationship has changed over time and the lasting impact that teachers and coaches can have on young people.

About the host:

Josh Korac is a licensed professional counselor in Colorado who specializes in trauma, family estrangement, loneliness, and complex relationship concerns. He is also the Lead Moderator of Estrangement.com, where he has worked with thousands of adult children and parents affected by family estrangement.

Learn more about Josh and his therapy practice at joshuakorac.com.

This podcast is provided for educational purposes and does not constitute mental health treatment, diagnosis, career counseling, or an established therapeutic relationship. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis in the United States, call or text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Why can shame feel safer than grace, and what does it take to accept yourself without giving up on growth?

In this episode, licensed professional counselor Josh Korac speaks with psychologist, professor, and author Dr. Raymond Mitsch about shame, grace, self-acceptance, perfectionism, emotional safety, and the risk involved in allowing yourself to be fully known.

Josh and Dr. Mitsch explore how shame can shape the way people understand themselves, relate to others, and respond to mistakes or limitations. Although shame is painful, it can also feel familiar and predictable. Grace, by contrast, asks people to risk receiving acceptance, compassion, and love without first proving that they deserve it.

The conversation examines how grace can support healing without removing responsibility. Josh and Dr. Mitsch discuss the difference between perfectionism and healthy excellence, the importance of accepting personal limitations, and why meaningful growth often happens within safe and honest relationships.

They also explore what it means to offer grace to yourself and others, engage in self-reflection without self-condemnation, and focus on the ongoing process of relationship rather than trying to control every outcome.

In this episode, you will learn about:

• How shame can influence identity, relationships, and personal growth
• The role of shame in trauma-informed care
• Why shame can sometimes feel familiar or protective
• What grace means within emotional and relational healing
• Why receiving grace can feel vulnerable or risky
• The importance of becoming a safe person and recognizing safe relationships
• How self-acceptance differs from complacency
• The difference between perfectionism and healthy excellence
• Accepting limitations while continuing to grow
• Developing self-worth that is not based only on achievement
• Giving yourself permission to rest and care for your needs
• Offering grace within marriage, friendship, family, and community
• Reflecting on your life without falling into harsh self-judgment
• Focusing on the process of relationship rather than controlling the outcome

Dr. Raymond Mitsch is a licensed psychologist, professor, author, and educator with extensive experience in counseling, grief, trauma-informed care, men’s ministry, and church-based recovery work.

He has written several books, including Grieving the Loss of Someone You Love and Nurturing Your Child’s Potential. His professional work has included private practice, university teaching, ministry leadership, clinical training, and the development of support programs for people experiencing grief and emotional pain.

About the host:

Josh Korac is a licensed professional counselor in Colorado who specializes in trauma, family estrangement, loneliness, and complex relationship concerns. He is also the Lead Moderator of Estrangement.com, where he has worked with thousands of adult children and parents affected by family estrangement.

Learn more about Josh and his therapy practice at joshuakorac.com.

This podcast is provided for educational purposes and does not constitute mental health treatment, diagnosis, spiritual direction, or an established therapeutic relationship. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis in the United States, call or text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.

How can you recognize a toxic relationship, and why can it feel so difficult to leave one?

In this episode, licensed professional counselor Josh Korac speaks with psychotherapist and bestselling author Dr. Stephanie Sarkis about emotional abuse, gaslighting, love bombing, trauma bonding, and the patterns that can keep people attached to unhealthy relationships.

Dr. Sarkis explains the common cycle of idealization, devaluing, and discard. She discusses how intense affection and grand gestures can sometimes be used to create trust quickly, how intermittent reinforcement can strengthen emotional attachment, and how manipulation may gradually affect a person’s confidence, relationships, finances, and sense of reality.

Josh and Dr. Sarkis also explore why leaving a toxic relationship can be so complicated. They discuss insecure attachment, isolation, fear, the sunk cost fallacy, family-of-origin experiences, codependency, and the emotional impact of caring for an abusive or harmful parent.

In this episode, you will learn about:

• Common signs of a toxic or emotionally abusive relationship
• Gaslighting and how it can affect trust in your own perceptions
• Love bombing and how it differs from healthy romantic interest
• The cycle of idealization, devaluing, and discard
• Trauma bonding and intermittent reinforcement
• Financial and economic abuse
• Red flags involving control, isolation, threats, and lack of accountability
• Why insecure attachment can make leaving more difficult
• The sunk cost fallacy in unhealthy relationships
• No contact, low contact, and setting protective boundaries
• Codependency and the influence of family and culture
• Healing after the end of a toxic relationship
• Reconnecting with supportive people and healthy activities
• The role of therapy, rest, self-care, and emotional processing

Dr. Stephanie Sarkis is a psychotherapist with more than 20 years of experience specializing in ADHD, anxiety, narcissistic abuse, and toxic relationships. She is a licensed mental health counselor, national certified counselor, bestselling author, mediator, and contributor to Forbes and Psychology Today. She holds a PhD, EdS, and MEd in Mental Health Counseling from the University of Florida.

About the host:

Josh Korac is a licensed professional counselor in Colorado who specializes in trauma, family estrangement, loneliness, and complex relationship concerns. He is also the Lead Moderator of Estrangement.com, where he has worked with thousands of adult children and parents affected by family estrangement.

Learn more about Josh and his therapy practice at joshuakorac.com.

This podcast is provided for educational purposes and does not constitute mental health treatment, diagnosis, or an established therapeutic relationship. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis in the United States, call or text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.

How do your past experiences shape the way you think, feel, and relate to others today?

In this episode, licensed professional counselor Josh Korac speaks with therapist Clinton Nunnally about making sense of your personal story, developing a healthier relationship with yourself, and recognizing the patterns that influence your emotions, decisions, and relationships.

Josh and Clinton explore how the need for safety, security, and predictability can lead people toward avoidance or control. They discuss why these responses may have once been protective, how they can become limiting over time, and how greater self-awareness can create room for curiosity, flexibility, connection, and growth.

The conversation also examines the tension between safety and adventure. Feeling secure can give us a stable foundation from which to explore, take meaningful risks, question old beliefs, and become more open to new experiences. Without that sense of security, fear may narrow our choices and make change feel threatening.

In this episode, you will learn about:

• How earlier experiences can shape present-day thoughts, emotions, and behaviors
• Recognizing recurring patterns in your life and relationships
• Developing a stronger and more compassionate relationship with yourself
• Why some people respond to uncertainty through avoidance or control
• The human need for safety, security, and predictability
• Balancing emotional safety with exploration, risk, and adventure
• How secure relationships can support personal growth
• Questioning beliefs and values that may no longer fit
• The process of order, disorder, and reordering your life
• Differentiation, enmeshment, and maintaining a sense of self
• Living from openness, curiosity, and creativity rather than fear
• Using self-reflection and body awareness to guide decisions

Clinton Nunnally is a licensed professional counselor who works with adolescents, adults, couples, parents, and families. His clinical interests include anxiety, trauma, grief and loss, relationships, life transitions, family life, spirituality, and sexuality. He also helps couples understand conflict, identify their needs, build greater awareness, and create healthier relationships.

Clinton is the co-owner of Foundations Family Counseling and Caring Heart Counseling and the host of the podcast It Can Be Better Than That.

About the host:

Josh Korac is a licensed professional counselor in Colorado who specializes in trauma, family estrangement, loneliness, and complex relationship concerns. He is also the Lead Moderator of Estrangement.com, where he has worked with thousands of adult children and parents affected by family estrangement.

Learn more about Josh and his therapy practice at joshuakorac.com.

This podcast is provided for educational purposes and does not constitute mental health treatment, diagnosis, or an established therapeutic relationship. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis in the United States, call or text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.

How can religious trauma, church hurt, and purity culture affect your relationship with yourself, your body, your sexuality, and your beliefs?

In this episode, licensed professional counselor Josh Korac speaks with therapists Kendra Hill and Casey Bain about religious trauma, spiritual abuse, faith deconstruction, purity culture, and healing from harmful experiences within religious communities.

Kendra and Casey explain how trauma can develop when an experience overwhelms a person’s ability to cope, especially when the harm occurs in a setting that was expected to provide safety, belonging, meaning, or spiritual guidance. They discuss why people affected by religious harm may struggle to name what happened, trust their own experiences, or seek support because of shame, fear, stigma, and pressure from their community.

The conversation also explores how purity culture can shape a person’s relationship with their body, sexuality, identity, and sense of worth. Josh, Kendra, and Casey discuss the importance of compassionate listening, emotional validation, vulnerability, and supportive relationships throughout the healing process.

In this episode, you will learn about:

• What religious trauma is and how it can develop
• The difference between church hurt and religious trauma
• How high-control religious environments can affect emotional well-being
• Why shame and stigma can make religious harm difficult to discuss
• Faith deconstruction and the process of questioning old beliefs
• How purity culture can affect sexuality, body image, and relationships
• The impact of fear-based messages about identity and belonging
• Why people may struggle to trust themselves after religious harm
• The importance of validation and compassionate listening
• How vulnerability can support safety in therapy
• The role of connection and supportive relationships in healing
• Developing self-compassion after shame-based experiences
• Self-care and support for therapists working with trauma

Kendra Hill and Casey Bain created Unraveling Free, a therapy and coaching practice for adults affected by church hurt, religious trauma, high-control environments, faith deconstruction, purity culture, sexual identity concerns, and changing values or beliefs.

Both are trauma-informed therapists who understand the complexity of questioning or leaving deeply held religious systems. Their work emphasizes compassionate witnessing, emotional safety, personal freedom, and creating space for people to explore their experiences without judgment or pressure.

About the host:

Josh Korac is a licensed professional counselor in Colorado who specializes in trauma, family estrangement, loneliness, and complex relationship concerns. He is also the Lead Moderator of Estrangement.com, where he has worked with thousands of adult children and parents affected by family estrangement.

Learn more about Josh and his therapy practice at joshuakorac.com.

This podcast is provided for educational purposes and does not constitute mental health treatment, diagnosis, spiritual direction, or an established therapeutic relationship. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis in the United States, call or text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.

How can someone survive severe childhood abuse and build a meaningful life after trauma?

In this episode, licensed professional counselor Josh Korac speaks with bestselling author Dave Pelzer about childhood trauma, resilience, human connection, personal responsibility, and finding purpose after adversity.

Dave is the author of A Child Called “It,” a memoir describing the severe abuse he experienced during childhood. In this conversation, he reflects on how those experiences shaped his life, the people and small acts of kindness that helped him survive, and the ongoing process of moving forward after trauma.

Josh and Dave explore resilience not as the absence of pain, but as the ability to adapt, continue growing, and make meaningful choices despite difficult circumstances. Dave discusses the importance of accepting the realities of your life, taking responsibility for what you can control, and remaining focused on the person you want to become.

They also discuss how authentic relationships, service to others, humor, creativity, and purposeful action can help people reconnect with hope and build lives that are larger than what happened to them.

In this episode, you will learn about:

• The long-term effects of childhood abuse and trauma
• How human connection can support trauma recovery
• Why small acts of kindness can have a lasting impact
• Resilience as an ongoing process rather than a fixed trait
• Adapting to major changes and difficult circumstances
• Taking responsibility without blaming yourself for what happened
• Finding meaning and purpose after adversity
• The importance of persistence, focus, and hard work
• How authenticity can support connection and well-being
• Using humor and storytelling to make sense of painful experiences
• Living in service to others
• Creating a life that is not defined only by trauma

Dave Pelzer is the author of nine books, including the internationally bestselling memoir A Child Called “It.” His writing focuses on childhood abuse, survival, resilience, personal responsibility, and overcoming adversity.

Dave has also served in the United States Air Force and as a fire captain. Throughout his career, he has spoken publicly about resilience, service, and helping people recognize their capacity to move forward through difficult circumstances.

About the host:

Josh Korac is a licensed professional counselor in Colorado who specializes in trauma, family estrangement, loneliness, and complex relationship concerns. He is also the Lead Moderator of Estrangement.com, where he has worked with thousands of adult children and parents affected by family estrangement.

Learn more about Josh and his therapy practice at joshuakorac.com.

Content note: This episode includes discussion of severe childhood abuse and trauma. Please consider your well-being before listening.

This podcast is provided for educational purposes and does not constitute mental health treatment, diagnosis, or an established therapeutic relationship. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis in the United States, call or text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Can anxiety ever be a meaningful part of being human rather than something we must completely eliminate?

In this episode, licensed professional counselor Josh Korac speaks with philosophical counselor and professor emeritus Samir Chopra about existential anxiety, personal responsibility, agency, meaning, and the relationship between philosophy and psychotherapy.

Samir explains how anxiety can arise from the freedom and responsibility involved in making choices. Rather than viewing all anxiety as a sign that something is wrong, he invites listeners to consider what anxiety may reveal about their values, fears, commitments, and way of living.

Josh and Samir explore what it means to become a more fully realized person, take ownership of your decisions, and accept the uncertainty that comes with being human. They also discuss how philosophical reflection can help people examine the beliefs, assumptions, and values shaping their lives.

The conversation examines the philosophical foundations of several therapeutic approaches and the balance between recognizing our shared humanity and honoring each person’s unique experiences.

In this episode, you will learn about:

• What philosophical counseling is
• The meaning of existential anxiety
• Why freedom and responsibility can create anxiety
• How anxiety may point toward important values or concerns
• Accepting uncertainty rather than trying to control everything
• Developing a stronger sense of personal agency
• Taking responsibility without falling into shame or self-blame
• Examining the beliefs and assumptions guiding your life
• The relationship between philosophy and psychotherapy
• How philosophical ideas influence different therapy approaches
• Balancing individual experience with our shared humanity
• The role of compassion in understanding another person
• Living more intentionally in the presence of anxiety

Samir Chopra is a philosophical counselor and professor emeritus of philosophy at Brooklyn College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. His work explores philosophy, technology, artificial intelligence, politics, law, culture, and the ways philosophical reflection can help people understand their lives.

He has written and coauthored several books, including A Legal Theory for Autonomous Artificial Agents, Shyam Benegal: Philosopher and Filmmaker, and Eye on Cricket: Reflections on the Great Game. His writing has appeared in Aeon, The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Nation, Jacobin, and other publications.

Learn more about Samir and his work at samirchopra.com.

About the host:

Josh Korac is a licensed professional counselor in Colorado who specializes in trauma, family estrangement, loneliness, and complex relationship concerns. He is also the Lead Moderator of Estrangement.com, where he has worked with thousands of adult children and parents affected by family estrangement.

Learn more about Josh and his therapy practice at joshuakorac.com.

This podcast is provided for educational purposes and does not constitute mental health treatment, diagnosis, philosophical counseling, or an established therapeutic relationship. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis in the United States, call or text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Can psychedelic-assisted therapy help people living with trauma, depression, anxiety, or chronic pain?

In this episode, licensed professional counselor Josh Korac speaks with clinical psychologist Dr. Peter Addy about psychedelic therapy, altered states of consciousness, chronic pain, harm reduction, and the potential benefits and risks of substances such as psilocybin, MDMA, and ketamine.

Dr. Addy explains how psychedelic-assisted therapy differs from simply taking a psychedelic substance. These experiences may bring difficult emotions, memories, beliefs, and patterns into greater awareness, which is why preparation, therapeutic support, and integration can be important parts of the process.

Josh and Dr. Addy discuss emerging research on psychedelic treatments for post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, substance use, and chronic pain. They explore how psychedelic therapy may help some people change their relationship with pain, distress, or difficult experiences, even when it does not remove symptoms entirely.

The conversation also takes a careful look at risk. Psychedelic use can involve medication interactions, physical health concerns, overwhelming psychological experiences, unknown drug purity, legal consequences, and the possibility of worsening certain mental health conditions. Dr. Addy emphasizes that these treatments are not appropriate for everyone and should not be approached casually.

In this episode, you will learn about:

• What psychedelic-assisted therapy is
• Psilocybin, MDMA, ketamine, and other psychedelic substances
• The difference between psychedelic-informed and psychedelic-assisted therapy
• Psychedelic therapy for trauma, depression, anxiety, substance use, and chronic pain
• How altered states may affect emotions, memories, beliefs, and perception
• Why preparation, support, and integration matter
• Psychological and physical risks of psychedelic use
• Medication interactions and other health considerations
• When psychedelic treatment may not be appropriate
• Legal risks and changing psychedelic laws
• Harm-reduction practices involving dosage, setting, trusted support, and substance testing
• The importance of slowing down, resting, and listening to the body

Dr. Peter Addy is a licensed therapist and clinical psychologist who specializes in nonordinary states of consciousness, mindfulness-based therapies, psychedelic education, preparation, harm reduction, and integration. He previously served on the faculty at Yale School of Medicine, where his work included mindfulness-based treatment and research involving psychoactive substances. His clinical work often supports people living with chronic pain and those seeking to understand or integrate psychedelic experiences.

Learn more about Dr. Addy at peterhaddy.com and psychedelicaffirmingeducation.com.

About the host:

Josh Korac is a licensed professional counselor in Colorado who specializes in trauma, family estrangement, loneliness, and complex relationship concerns. He is also the Lead Moderator of Estrangement.com, where he has worked with thousands of adult children and parents affected by family estrangement.

Learn more about Josh and his therapy practice at joshuakorac.com.

Content note: This episode discusses psychedelic substances, trauma, chronic pain, mental health conditions, and substance-related risks.

This podcast is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, mental health treatment, diagnosis, or a recommendation to use psychedelic substances. Psychedelic laws vary by location, and these substances may carry significant medical, psychological, and legal risks. Consult qualified medical and mental health professionals before making treatment decisions.

What is EMDR therapy, and how can it help people heal from trauma?

In this episode, licensed professional counselor Josh Korac speaks with trauma-informed therapist Cari Stubbs about Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, commonly known as EMDR. Cari explains what happens during EMDR therapy, how clients prepare for trauma processing, and why developing trust, safety, and emotional resources is an important part of treatment.

Josh and Cari explore how distressing memories and negative beliefs can continue to shape a person’s emotions, relationships, and sense of self. They discuss the reprocessing phase of EMDR, the role of bilateral stimulation, and some of the limitations and considerations therapists should keep in mind before beginning trauma work.

They also discuss:

• What EMDR therapy is and how the process works
• The preparation and stabilization phases of EMDR
• How trauma can affect the body, emotions, and core beliefs
• When someone may or may not be ready for trauma processing
• EMDR therapy with children and adolescents
• The difference between experiencing trauma and developing PTSD
• How privilege, safety, and outside support can affect trauma recovery
• How to support someone who has experienced trauma
• Compassion fatigue and self-care for trauma therapists
• Radical self-compassion and developing a kinder inner voice

Cari Stubbs is a trauma-informed therapist with a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She works with individuals and couples experiencing trauma, anxiety, depression, major life changes, and other emotional difficulties. Her approach integrates trauma-informed, person-centered, and strengths-based therapy. She is trained in EMDR and Exposure and Response Prevention [ERP] therapy.

About the host:

Josh Korac is a licensed professional counselor in Colorado who specializes in trauma, family estrangement, loneliness, and complex relationship concerns. He is also the Lead Moderator of Estrangement.com, where he has worked with thousands of adult children and parents affected by family estrangement.

Learn more about Josh and his therapy practice at joshuakorac.com.

This podcast is provided for educational purposes and is not a substitute for mental health treatment, diagnosis, or emergency care. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis in the United States, call or text 988 or go to your nearest emergency room.