Episode Description

In this episode of The Nature of Nurture, Leslie sits down with Caroline Heldman—political scientist, professor, and chair of Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies at Occidental College—for a powerful and necessary conversation about the legacy of Jeffrey Epstein and the broader systems that enable abuse at the highest levels of power.

Together, Leslie and Caroline unpack the historical timeline of the Epstein case, tracing how allegations spanning decades were repeatedly overlooked or minimized by institutions meant to protect survivors. They explore how this moment fits into a larger cultural reckoning around sexual violence, situating it within the broader arc of the #MeToo movement and earlier waves of anti–sexual violence activism.

Caroline provides critical context by outlining the long history of this work—from early organizing led by Black women like Ida B. Wells to activism by figures like Rosa Parks—highlighting how these contributions have often been erased or overlooked. The conversation also examines how public awareness evolves, why survivors were historically not believed, and what has shifted in recent years to allow more voices to come forward.

Leslie and Caroline discuss the relationship between awareness and accountability, emphasizing that while movements like MeToo have transformed public discourse, systemic change remains incomplete. They also explore the cyclical nature of social progress—how movements often face backlash—and why sustained effort is required to create lasting change.

This episode offers both a sobering look at institutional failure and a broader reflection on cultural transformation, power, and the ongoing fight for justice.

Guest

Caroline Heldman is a political scientist, professor, and chair of the Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies program at Occidental College. She is a political commentator featured on major media outlets and the author of multiple books on gender, politics, and power. Her work focuses on systems of inequality, media representation, and social movements.

Resources & Links

Occidental College
https://www.oxy.edu/

The Nature of Nurture

Patreon Membership
https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheNatureofNurture

Watch on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@TheNatureofNurture

Listen on Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nature-of-nurture/id1561379347

Credits

Hosted by Dr. Leslie Carr

Disclaimer

This episode includes discussion of sexual violence, abuse, and trauma. Listener discretion is advised. This content is intended for educational and conversational purposes and is not a substitute for professional advice or support.

In this episode of The Nature of Nurture, Leslie sits down with Yeshaia Blakeney (aka Shai), co-founder and co-CEO of Recovery Integrity and Antedote Lab—dual diagnosis treatment programs in Los Angeles. With more than twenty years of experience in addiction and mental health treatment, Shai brings both clinical and personal insight into recovery, spirituality, and the limits of conventional treatment models.

Together, Leslie and Shai explore the therapeutic use of psychedelics in addiction treatment, the role of empathy and self-compassion in recovery, and forward-facing models focused on growth and integration. The conversation moves beyond clinical frameworks into deeper questions about consciousness, spirituality, and the nature of reality itself, touching on how mystical or transformative experiences can reshape identity, loosen rigid patterns, and open new pathways for healing.

Through discussions of guilt, shame, connection, and the importance of community, the episode examines what it means for someone to be “stuck” in recovery and how connection, flexibility, and meaning-making may support lasting change. Leslie and Shai also reflect on cultural attitudes toward suffering, effort, and healing, and why fear and risk assessment often shape how new therapeutic approaches are received.

The conversation concludes with a personal story from Shai about what he calls an “empirical miracle,” a deeply meaningful experience that shaped his relationship to spirituality, recovery, and the unknown — inviting listeners to consider how moments of coincidence, meaning, and connection can transform the way we understand our lives.

Guest

Yeshaia Blakeney is the co-founder and co-CEO of Recovery Integrity and Antedote Lab, addiction and dual diagnosis treatment programs in Los Angeles. He is an addiction specialist with more than two decades of experience working in substance abuse and mental health treatment.

Resources & Links

Recovery Integrity Website

https://www.recoverintegrity.com/

Antidote Lab Website

https://antedotelab.com/

The Nature of Nurture

TheNatureofNurture.com

Patreon Membership

https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheNatureofNurture

Watch on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@TheNatureofNurture

This podcast is available in all podcast apps but here’s the Apple link:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nature-of-nurture/id1561379347

Credits

Hosted by Dr. Leslie Carr

Guest: Yeshaia Blakeney

Produced by Dr. Leslie Carr and Bri Coorey

Recorded at SLAP Studios LA

Disclaimer

This episode includes discussion of psychedelics and mental health treatment. Psychedelics are illegal in many jurisdictions and are not appropriate for everyone. This content is for education and conversation only and is not medical advice.

Host Leslie is joined by Orly Israel, founder of The Listening Table, which offers judgment-free spaces where people can sit down and be heard without interruption, advice, or fixing. Orly shares how his listening practice began through a prison communication workshop, how “just listening” can build trust faster than we think, and what he’s learned from years of hearing strangers’ real stories in public.

The conversation also turns deeply personal as Orly reflects on losing his home in the Palisades Fire, and the long tail of trauma that followed: displacement, instability, guilt, and the challenge of rebuilding a grounded life while trying to stay mission-driven. Together, Leslie and Orly explore the loneliness epidemic, the role of connection in preventing crisis, why men struggle to form emotionally supportive friendships—as well as what it looks like to show up for people in the aftermath of disaster.

Guest

Orly Israel is the founder of The Listening Table, an initiative offering neutral, judgment-free spaces where people can be heard without interruption or advice. Since 2020, the project has been viewed online by millions and has inspired dozens of listening tables worldwide.

Resources & Links

The Listening Table

OrlyIsrael.com

The Nature of Nurture

TheNatureofNurture.com

Patreon Membership

https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheNatureofNurture

Watch on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@TheNatureofNurture

Credits

Hosted by Dr. Leslie Carr

Guest: Orly Israel

Produced by Dr. Leslie Carr and Bri Coorey

Recorded at SLAP Studios LA

Dr. Leslie Carr sits down with her friend Dr. Radhika Dirks, an AI technologist and global advisor, for a wide-ranging conversation about how artificial intelligence is reshaping mental health, attention, intimacy, parenting, work, and the planet. Dr. Dirks breaks down why AI can feel so compelling, how “AI psychosis” and attachment can emerge for vulnerable users, and what it means to be intentional with tools designed to keep us engaged. Together, Leslie and Radhika explore the ethical stakes of building addictive systems, the difference between human connection and AI companionship, and practical ways to protect your nervous system and your family in a world where AI is already everywhere.

About the Guest

Dr. Radhika Dirks is a global AI advisor and founder/CEO known for building ambitious AI companies and advising organizations on the future of intelligence (radhikadirks.com).

Resources & Links

Dr. Radhika Dirks website

https://www.radhikadirks.com

Dr. Radhika Dirks’ book

https://www.radhikadirks.com/book

The Nature of Nurture

TheNatureofNurture.com

Patreon Membership

https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheNatureofNurture

Watch on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@TheNatureofNurture

This podcast is available in all podcast apps but here’s the Apple link:

Credits

Hosted by Dr. Leslie Carr

Guest: Dr. Radhika Dirks

Produced by Dr. Leslie Carr and Bri Coorey

Recorded at SLAP Studios LA

Nature of Nurture is a space for real talk, big questions, and grounded hope. In a time when climate anxiety, uncertainty, and burnout are shaping how we think about the future, this show invites you to pause, tune into your intuition, and reconnect with what actually gives you agency.

Each episode blends science, storytelling, and soul—exploring how personal action, community care, and small daily practices can create meaningful change without requiring perfection or overwhelm. From climate grief to purpose, from policy to personal legacy, this is about learning the rules, breaking the ones that don’t serve us, and finding sustainable ways to show up for the planet and the next generation.

If you’re looking to feel informed, empowered, and surprisingly energized about the future, you’re in the right place.

Come along—we’ve got paradigms to shift.

Season Five starts now.

In this Season Five opener of The Nature of Nurture, Dr. Leslie Carr sits down with her friend and collaborator Julia de’Caneva for a candid, expansive conversation about mortality, meaning, and what it actually takes to live fully.

Julia is a cancer survivor, holistic health coach, writer, and death care educator whose work centers on integrating wellness with an honest relationship to death. Together, Leslie and Julia explore why modern culture avoids conversations about dying, how mortality awareness can deepen our appreciation for life, and how nervous system regulation helps us stay present with fear, grief, and uncertainty.

This episode weaves together themes of healing, burnout, capitalism, nature, spirituality, embodiment, and curiosity, offering listeners an invitation to stop avoiding the inevitable and instead use it as a guide for living more intentionally.

About the Guest
Julia de’Caneva is a cancer survivor, holistic health coach, writer, and death care educator. She is the creator of If It’s the Last Thing I Do and the co-founder of Elemental, a wellness company devoted to reshaping the human relationship with nature, embodiment, and mortality.

Julia and Leslie also co-lead in-person workshops focused on nervous system regulation and embodiment.

Resources & Links

If It’s the Last Thing I Do — Julia de’Caneva

https://www.ifitsthelastthingido.com/

Elemental

https://www.experienceelemental.com/

The Nature of Nurture

https://lesliecarr.com/podcast/

Patreon Membership

https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheNatureofNurture

Watch on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@TheNatureofNurture

Credits
Hosted by Dr. Leslie Carr
Guest: Julia de’Caneva
Produced by Dr. Leslie Carr & Bri Coorey
Recorded at SLAP Studios LA

Season 5 is on the way! In this announcement, Leslie shares exciting updates about the upcoming launch in January, the new Patreon community with early episode access, bonus content, and monthly live calls with Julia De’Caneva. After a season of growth behind the scenes, the show is ready for its next chapter.

The Nature of Nurture Patreon link

Host Leslie sits down with certified breathwork practitioner Robert Bahedry to explore the transformative power of breathwork. Rooted in ancient yoga pranayama practices, breathwork serves as a potent form of energy medicine that promotes holistic healing across physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual dimensions. Robert shares his personal journey from yoga student to instructor, emphasizing how mastering breathwork reduced his cravings for substances like alcohol, and enhanced his overall wellbeing.

Leslie and Robert discuss the concept of how trauma is stored in our tissues, and how breathwork releases that trauma at the cellular level. They also address societal programming around masculinity and how it limits emotional expression. Roberts offers valuable insights into balancing masculine and feminine energies to reconcile internal conflicts and foster a more holistic self.

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Watch this episode on YouTube
• Robert’s website
• Follow Robert on Instagram

Show Credits:

• Show created and produced by Leslie Carr with the help of:
  • Dawn Forrester, episode co-producer
  • Raphaello, post-production supervisor
  • Sarah Carefoot, media manager
• Recorded by Danesha Brown at WTF Studios, Los Angeles

Host Leslie is joined by Rachel Hardy, intuitive coach and mentor, to explore the profound impact our nervous systems have on mental health and overall wellbeing. Rachel shares how her journey to becoming a nervous system regulation expert was influenced by both her professional experience in injury recovery and chronic pain management, and her personal health struggles with autoimmune conditions and  depression.

Rachel explains how our bodies store trauma, and how our nervous systems evolve through social engagement, particularly during infancy. Leslie and Rachel also discuss the often-overlooked connection between nervous system dysregulation and common mental health challenges, such as anxiety and depression. 

They challenge traditional cognitive-only approaches to healing, advocating for a more holistic method that incorporates body awareness and physical manifestations of emotions. Rachel also emphasizes the significance of how understanding and regulating our nervous systems can transform our lives and enable us to live on our own terms.

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Watch this episode on YouTube
• Rachel’s website
• Join The Resilient Goddess, Rachel’s Facebook group
• Follow Rachel on Instagram
• Learn more about Dr. Peter Levine and Somatic Experiencing
• “When Did Everyone Get So ‘Dysregulated’? How managing our mental health became a matter of monitoring our nervous systems” via The Cut

Show Credits:

• Show created and produced by Leslie Carr with the help of:
  • Raphaello, Post-production supervisor
  • Sarah Carefoot, Media Manager
• Recorded in part at WTF Studios, Los Angeles