Showing Up

In which the discovery of cool is understood via the form of a Farfisa keyboard and the musical company of two preteen rock musicians. Guest interviewee is Marc Blam, the first guitarist welcomed to the finished basement of my suburban Long Island home in 1967. Spoiler alert: two old guys reminiscing. 

A playlist of relevant music is here:https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2yLgS45YaWhVXz0IC18jTM3qA0oTm5jt

Further discussion with Dr. Craig Heacock, adolescent and adult psychiatrist and addiction specialist in Colorado, and host of the psychiatric storytelling podcast, "Back From the Abyss."

We discuss the uses and abuses of a range of substances -- some of which seem to hold promise for controlled use in the therapy process, and some of which seem particularly designed for recreational use. 

What is being seen in states that have already legalized recreational use of marijuana? What can be expected in states that have legalized recreational use of some psychedelic substances? 

And what, if any, are links to depression, anxiety, and/or suicide? 

What can be gained, and lost, from our interactions with medicines/substances/drugs?

In which I speak with Colorado psychiatrist Dr. Craig Heacock about psychedelic drugs and their potential use as healing agents in therapy. Topics range from the prejudice against these previously-banned drugs, their link to the 1960's and ancient healing techniques. We explore uses and misuses of mood-altering substances, talk some about Timothy Leary, Ram Dass and what Dr. Heacock sees as a potential future for psychedelic drugs legalization.

Dr. Heacock is the host of the psychedelic podcast "Back From the Abyss"
https://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Outro music is by Mitch Sumner; "Jealous of Everyone," from his album "Current" (2020).
Hear my interview with him here: https://www.podpage.com/showing-up/current-mitch-sumner/

Mitch Sumner, a young Hudson Valley musician, multi-instrumentalist and singer, is featured, along with his new album, CURRENT.  Mitch's music defies easy categorization; it cuts across the decades in its use of sounds, layered harmonies, swooping Hammond organ, hot percussion and dreamlike vocal melodies. Mitch spoke to me about his influences, his formative years and how he puts it all together.
 https://www.youtube.com/mitchsumner
https://www.instagram.com/mitchsumnermusic
https://www.facebook.com/mitchsumnermusic

To buy his album: https://songwhip.com/mitchsumner/current
                                                                     or
https://mitchsumner.bandcamp.com

Nationwide coverage, featuring correspondents Joe Nolan (New Jersey), Lillian MacKenzie  (Virginia), Maureen Gomeringer (North Carolina), prognostic/numbers guy Donnie Illinois (Chicago), Santo Ciccarello  (Long Island), Mrs. Kinda Needamap (upstate New York), Jeremy Pouffe (Europe), Anita Fix (Seattle), Vidar Hageman (Virginia), Jill Schramm (from the Minot Daily News, North Dakota), and Marina Upintheskya Hatchaplotnik, Russian political scientist reporting from Moscow on behalf of the America Only-Friendship Studies Dept. (Non-social Media Division).

Utah couples therapist Kristy Gaisford, LCSW and I will be leading a Relationship Boot Camp on November 14th and 15th. We interview each other about what drew us to work with couples, the blessings and the challenges of the work and the how we integrate it  into our personal lives.

Go to http://www.thesandsoftime.net/workshop-events for detailed info re: the Boot Camp. Or register, directly, at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0lc--hqDIrGNdNhPl_74R1seaoCGpWbVJg

The end of spring and the beginning of summer 2020 seem like a long time ago. It was when we -- a group of white, suburban people, at the suggestion of a black friend -- began to talk about racism: how we knew about it, how we experienced being in the racial majority growing up and what we thought should be done about it now. I interviewed two members of that biweekly Saturday morning group, during the summer of 2020, along with a 20-year old Brooklyn College student (my son) who provides a younger (fresher?) perspective on the same issues.

I interview children's book author Anastasia Higgenbotham -- a brave soul who doesn't flinch from topics adults would rather not discuss -- about the necessary differences between how children and adults process divorce.

More about Anastasia can be found here: https://anastasiahigginbotham.com/

A most hopeful discussion with the recently graduated senior class President of Warwick High School, in which experiences around racism, the intersection of conservative, libertarian and liberal democratic values and this country's history are factored in. (Oh yes; country music, too.) Vidar Hageman is a strongly positive voice for a generation of pandemic-graduating high schoolers. As he heads off to college, hear his thoughts re: a honest reckoning with American history, patriotism and the benefits of cutting across political divisions by finding what to respect -- and remind people of -- in all of us.