On June 7, 1998, a 49 year-old African-American man was brutally killed in one of the most horrific hate crimes the country has ever seen. His death brought to the surface racial and cultural tensions that had been simmering just under the nation’s collective consciousness. What makes people intolerant of people from different, ethnic, racial, or cultural backgrounds? Why do we tend to focus on what makes of different instead of what binds us together?

This week Drs. Micono and Morelos use the murder of James Byrd Jr. as starting point to look at racism, white supremacy and why we as Americans often find ourselves fall into the trap of “us versus them” absolutist-type thinking.

Episode 9 - The Murder of James Byrd Jr.

Two professionals in the field of psychology from wildly different theoretical and practical orientations getting together to take a look at the dark side of the human condition.

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The story of the life of Jesus Christ is one of the most quintessential in all of humanity, and is celebrated across many cultures. And yet, many argue that parts of his life are still shrouded in mystery. His complicated relationship with the enigmatic Mary Magdalene, for instance, is one such mystery. Some scholars argue that Mary Magdalene was more than just a follower of Jesus, but a spiritually realized partner who would continue to teach after his death and resurrection. What are the teachings of Mary Magdalene? How was her role in the life of Jesus Christ marginalized in history? How does an acknowledgment of a divine feminine side of the Jesus mythology change-and potentially enrich-the understanding of his teachings? Join Dr. Morelos as he interviews author and fellow transpersonal scholar Lauri Ann Lumby about the secret teachings of Mary Magdalene. This special bonus episode drops Wednesday, January 12th!!!
SPOILER ALERT: David and Lauri discuss plot lines from the The Matrix Resurrections movie in this episode! Hopefully we don’t give away too much!

Bonus Episode - The Secret Teachings of Mary Magdalene

In January of 2002 the Spotlight investigative team for the Boston Globe dropped a bombshell when they revealed a story about sexual abuse within the local archdiocese of the Catholic Church. Boston, a heavily Catholic city, was left reeling as it learned of a total of 87 priests who had been accused of child sexual assault but were never brought to justice. Instead, the church leadership at the time opted to treat the offenders within the church or to simply move them to a different parish. The most egregious perpetrator of these crimes was one Father John Geoghan, who, over the course of his career, was accused of raping over 130 minors. The Boston Globe expose would be a catalyst for the church to finally confront the issue of child sexual abuse within its ranks, and would lead to a number of oversight improvements and operational changes. It would also help put child sexual abuse within religious institutions front and center in an American conversation on spirituality, politics, and power. What was the true scope of these Catholic priests’ crimes against children? What created these men and why did they choose to abuse children? How do we reconcile our deepest held spiritual beliefs in the face of crimes like these? Join Drs. Micono and Morelos this week as they discuss sexual abuse and the Catholic Church.

Episode 46 - Sexual Abuse and the Catholic Church

After his death, Vincent van Gogh’s work became some of the most instantly recognizable paintings ever laid to canvas. While he was alive he was relatively unknown, broke, in poor health, and suffering from what was most likely a severe mental illness. Van Gogh would help create the story of the “tortured artist,” or one whose mental illness blessed his art but destroyed his life. This concept has become so common place in western culture that many have referred to it as a cliché, with countless other famous artists being diagnosed with mental illnesses posthumously. What is the connection between mental illness and creativity? Why does it seem that the most creative artists can also be the most mentally unstable? Can talented artists harness some of this so-called creative madness to create art without losing themselves to it completely? Join Drs. Micono and Morelos as they explore the connection between artistic expression and mental illness.

Episode 45 - Artistic Expression and Mental Illness

1980 would change the lives of Robert Shafran, Edward Galland, and David Kellman forever. Each had been living separate lives as young men growing up in New York during the 1970s. When a case of mistaken identity led Shafran to Galland, a beautiful story started to emerge of long-lost twins, each adopted to different parents in their infancy. As news of the remarkable story spread, the mother of David Kellman also noticed. Could it be that the story of long-lost twins was actually one of long-lost triplets? The story was an instant success, and the young brothers enjoyed their new found fame . . . for a while. But secrets, buried for years, threatened their joyful reunion. To date, nothing has captured the imagination of psychological researchers quite like identical siblings. Are we products of our genetics or of our environments and life experiences? How does our DNA and our environment interact together to make up who we are? What are some of the unethical and horrifying ways identical siblings have been used in the name of research? Join Drs. Micono and Morelos as they discuss twin studies.

Episode 44 - Twin Studies

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode describes extreme acts of sexual violence and murder. Listener discretion is advised.
Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka met on a balmy summer night in Toronto, Canada, in 1987. They had an instant attraction, as each seemed to indulge the dark psychological longings of the other. Paul, who had already begun building a career as a prolific serial rapist, seemed to find his perfect mate: a dependent, sexually extreme and emotionally unaffected woman who catered and indulged his every twisted whim. Together their relationship created an incredibly toxic and dark collaboration that would see at least three young women brutally sexually assaulted and murdered. How do paraphilias like sexual sadism manifest in people and how does this differ from psychopathy? How does the darkness of two sick personalities come together in a destructive kind of synergy that amplifies the other and creates something horrifically new? Join Drs. Micono and Morelos as they discuss the case of the Ken and Barbie Killers.

Episode 9 - The Murder of James Byrd Jr.

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