Jason starts us off this week checking in with an update about his niece. Jason starts with a little bit of history to catch us up to this point. He discusses the reasons his brother was not a part of his life, why he made the exception when his niece was born, and fills us in with the recent situation. Jason then discusses some of the boundaries he has had to put into place within this situation, as well as the ones he has needed to reinforce. In light of his brother’s victim mentality Jason also shares with us how he has not felt the need to engage on that level.

Holding space for someone is one of the most beautiful, supportive acts we can engage in. The process sounds simple but tends to be more involved than most people realize. Today we discuss the process of holding space, spelling out the steps to provide a truly supportive and safe environment. We also talk about some of the challenges and personal awareness we face while supporting those we care about. By the end we have laid out the basics of holding space and the things to be mindful of.

This week Edward starts us off speaking about medications changes he made in the beginning of the summer and how it has affected him. Edward dropped his antidepressants just before we went on break and has spent the last 4 months taking only a doubled dose of his ADHD medications. During the conversation Jason and Edward discuss the stigma around mental health medications, even for someone who works with them regularly. Edward felt his antidepressants were making it easier to disregard his frustrations Jason then asks Edward to process what that look and feels like for him so he can better understand Edwards motivation. In the end Edward discusses the potential of having treated the wrong neurotransmitter and some of his experiences over the last month to bring him and his doctor to this conclusion.

For our Deep Dive we have a serious conversation about apologies. Having had the recent experience within last week’s episode, Edward delves into the true power of apologizing. Jason and Edward discuss how to make a sincere apology, and what goes into making it effective. During the conversation they discuss misconceptions that most of us learned growing up as they break down the steps of crafting a genuine heartfelt apology. In an effort to be funny Edward brings up a situation from our cohosts shared past, which becomes an enlightening conversation that illustrates some of the principles being discussed.

Our First Episode of Season 4 is a little different. Jason and Ed discuss a conflict that arose between them, and how they navigated it. Jason and Ed have known each other for a long time, but that doesn’t mean everything is always perfect. What do we do when someone’s trauma reaction triggers a trauma response in ourselves. Jason and Ed discuss the emotions, and insights through their conflict, and the way they were able to get back to a healthy space.

This episode is a great illustration of stumbling through our PTSD, Trauma, and how to deal with our reactions to conflict when we are in a relationship. At the end of the Episode Jason and Ed discuss not only, how they got through it, but what they found out afterwards from some research into the subject.

This week’s check in finds Jason having learned more about his employers. He had concerns which he voiced and received back an answer that made him feel like he wasted his time. We discuss how this feels and how he is handling the emotions that this brought up. Edward talks about a serendipitous event that spurs a bout of activity through repotting plants and planting mushrooms. Lorri tells about an event that has not gone according to plan that also resulted in her feeling like she wasted time and how she is feeling about that.

This week’s Deep Dive delves into the world of depression and the changing of the seasons. We discuss how these changes effect those with Seasonal Affective Disorder, generalized depression, and neuro typical people. Sometimes called the winter blues we explain what is really happening in our bodies and minds as well as some tips to combat it in our lives. As someone who suffers from SAD, Edward shares some of his survival tips as well as his experiences with the group.

This week marks the return of the Off The Rails Segment. As we start looking towards the Holiday Season, we find ourselves revisiting some of our favorite holiday movies. We start with Thanksgiving and move our way haphazardly through the calendar to end with Halloween and the scary movies we either love or love to hate.

In this week’s episode Jason and Edward find themselves in a good space. The weather being warm, and spring turning to summer has brightened both Jason’s and Edward’s mental space. Edward starts out talking about his realization that his outside life is starting to be ok, but that he is feeling that a good spring cleaning of his house is needed. Edward and Jason talk about a new project Edward just completed and the relationship dynamic with a long-time friend. We check in with Edward about ADHD and relay some stories about our experiences. Lastly, we talk about changes in perceptions and growing up.

In our Deep Dive this week, we look at the working theories around co-regulation and self-regulation. We discuss the science and psychology of these two related states of being, as well as how they relate to trauma, maturity, and our own personal lives. Within the discussion there are some tips on identifying deep routed issues and challenges, as well as some resources on how to overcome deficiencies in these areas.

In this Episode we start out talking about enjoying the sunny weather. Jason talks about a Family adventure and a hidden gem of a destination. Lorri has exciting news about her shop and purging the old to make way for the new things in her life. Edward talks about the emotional purge that he has been going through and what that looks like.

In our Deep Dive Segment, we continue speaking about Edward’s emotional purge and dig deeper to subjects like growing up trying to get love from two different parents with vastly different views of what a man should be and opposing expectations.

We finish off our Episode with an Off the Rails Segment about the seemingly crazy world of Urine Therapy. What is it, how does it work, and what are the proposed benefits?

In this short episode Jason and Edward give some overview of their summer activities. Edward discusses some changes in his life and some growing experiences, plus some fun things he did. Jason speaks with us about an extreme life changing event that will put the podcast on Hold for another couple of months.

We will be back on October 12th, with all new episodes and special guests.

This week finds Jason still working with his garden, but also dealing with escalation at work. Edward speaks about his continuing experience being on medication for the first time in long time. We discuss how to live with the absence of background anxiety that has been present for so long. Edward also brings up his current work with setting boundaries with friends and family. Lorri adds to the conversation from her life experiences as we also discuss self-worth.

This week’s Deep Dive was inspired by our check in. We take a deeper look into setting boundaries. We discuss how to do it in a healthy manner, how to stay true to them, and how it feels to do so. Setting boundaries is rarely easy, but for our own mental health it is necessary. We discuss the importance of setting boundaries at work, in personal relationships, and with family. We also discuss the behavior of people we set boundaries with, and what work we need to do before we set the boundaries we want in our lives.

Our Off the Rails this week comes courtesy of JP Spears as we look at and react to “How Spiritual People Fight”. https://youtu.be/bQgRBnqpoQw Setting boundaries can be a very spiritual experience as can being self-aware, but sometimes we take it a bit too far. This is one of the ways we learn to laugh at ourselves.

This week’s episode finds Jason dealing with a situation that leads to a full-on panic attack. Jason has been preparing himself for an inevitable situation that has caused him stress due to his past traumas. Now he is confronting the real-life situation with his wife and learning how to cope as well as being gentle with himself. We talk about strategies and our learning experiences as Edward draws a few correlations to his life. We finish off talk about dealing with multiple situations at once, and the importance of having a good support network, especially a good therapist.

Jason starts this week’s Deep Dive with a question about the possible mental health benefits of BDSM and kink to a trauma survivor. We explore this topic from a theoretical point of view. The discussion covers some basics about the Kink community and our discoveries from looking into the lifestyle. We talk about our personal views on the subject as well as a few studies and anecdotal evidence for pros and cons, as well as precautions for looking into this form of relationship.

This week we check in with Edward about life after COVID. Edward tells us that he did not lose his taste or smell but has lingering fatigue. To make it worse Edward is now experiencing true insomnia. Edward updates us on his decision not to go to work when asked, and we find out the reason why testing for COVID is not considered necessary by many organizations. Edward also shares with us the chaos to which he returned in the house and how that has led him to set up a different set of boundaries where he is no longer doing everything alone.

In our Deep Dive segment, we are visiting the world of sleep. Jason has a long history of insomnia tied to trauma and other issues which we have spoken about on this podcast. Edward has experience with Revenge Sleep Procrastination and is currently going through a period of true insomnia. What better time to talk about sleep habits to get us to sleep and to keep us in a restful place through the night. Jason and Edward discuss tips and tricks that they have had work for them in the past, as well as some newer tips that they each have found, while investigating the subject.