“I feel that our podcast might be unusual, perhaps even fairly original, in our inclusive attitude and sensibility.

It is easy enough to understand that a painting, a television show, a comedy show, and a record album are works of art, not identical with the reality of daily life: they are, in a most useful word, representational.

Yet at the same time in language about culture we often say there is art to matters or practices which are part of daily, real life, where art has an evaluative and not merely descriptive connotation.

In a phrase we say there is an art to a practice when it is done well, and "artful" is often an adjective of praise.

This particular episode concerns the art of therapy.

Our guest Nancy Loeb is unique in at least a couple of ways. 

One of those ways is that she engages in conversation or talk with another human being, the goal of which is to transform their lives for the better.

The other way she is unique is in her commitment to helping those who have suffered the most harm in our society.

Psychotherapy occupies a most interesting place in society: it addresses itself to our consciousness as human beings in a rather direct manner and regular listeners to our podcast and readers of our blog know that my main criteria for the understanding of art itself is that it is all about consciousness.

Looked at in this way, having a guest on our show who is a most valued and valuable therapist might actually have a spiritual connection to the guests on our show who are the painters and the poets, whether this connection is otherwise acknowledged or not.

I love many things about this particular episode; one thing that stands out to me above all are the stories, the histories of her patients, and also her sharp clarity in articulating those stories in a relatable manner for our listeners as well as honoring each of them as unique human beings.

This is very important: it is one thing to commit yourself to helping those in the kind of troubles discussed on this episode,

That alone seems to me remarkable and worthy of attention and praise.

It is just as valuable that Nancy Loeb can fluently describe them as well as she does, both respecting their privacy, of course, but also their individuality and their truth.

One of my goals as a human being, even more than as host of this podcast, is to always become a better listener.

I certainly appreciate that Loeb shared her experiences with her patients with us; it is a real gift and I feel it is completely in keeping with the spirit of our podcast which is always reflecting upon what it is to be human.”

Links to Nancy’s beautiful work:

Website: https://mapsatlanta.com/our-clinicians

Run for the Rose Foundation

For Nancy's extended resume, visit us here: https://www.facebook.com/journeyofanaesthtepodcast