The Stoic Question: Philosophy and Psychology

By Donald J. Robertson

Donald Robertson, author of How to Think Like a Roman Emperor and How to Think Like Socrates, explores the meeting point of Stoicism, philosophy, psychology, psychotherapy, and the art of living throu... more

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The podcast currently has 80 episodes available.

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Number 1: The Rivalry of Athens and Sparta
In this episode, I talk to award-winning historian, and novelist, Dr. Adrian Goldsworthy. He is the author of numerous books on ancient history, especially the Romans, and we’ll be discussing his latest one, which came out in May, Athens and Sparta: The Rivalry that Shaped Ancient Greece. Highlights * Do you think readers will perceive any parallels between ancient Athenian politics and recent history? * What are our sources like for this period? How biased are they? What’s missing? * How Athenian were the Spartans and how Spartan were the Athenians? * How did Athens and Sparta become rival powers? What set the stage for the Peloponnesian War? * What can we learn about the strengths and weaknesses of democracy from the Athenians? * What was the status of slaves and women in Athens and Sparta? * What can we learn about how alliances work, or don’t work? * What role did ancient “technological” advantage play in the outcome of the war? * What would have happened if the Athenians had stuck to the military policies of Pericles? * Was Sparta a bit of a myth? How distorted is the popular image of the Spartans today? * If the Athenians had conquered Sicily and defeated Sparta, would they have invaded Persia? (What caused the Sicilian disaster?) Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Links * Adrian Goldsworthy’s Amazon author profile * Athens and Sparta on Amazon Thanks for reading Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life! This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life at donaldrobertson.substack.com/subscribe
June 25, 20261h 25min
Number 2: The Rescuer Trap: The Schema Trap featuring Dr. Jeff Perron
This episode features guest hosts Dr. Scott Waltman and Kasey Pierce, authors of the forthcoming book The Rescuer Trap. Dr. Jeff Perron joins us to explore the deep-seated schemas (like Self-Sacrifice and Subjugation) that create the “Rescuer Trap.” We discuss how these unconscious, childhood-rooted patterns conflict with your adult values, and provide insight on using a schema-informed approach to establish boundaries and finally break free from the cycle of people-pleasing. Follow Dr. Perron on Substack: Are you the fixer, the over-giver, the emotional first responder for everyone but yourself? Welcome to The Rescuer Trap. We playfully own the labels “Parentified and Codependent” to make a point: these are not identities, but learned behaviors. And what can be learned can be unlearned. Hosts Dr. Scott Waltman and Kasey Pierce use Stoic philosophy and CBT to give you the tools to break the cycle and reclaim your autonomy. Your escape from the trap starts here. Based on the forthcoming book, The Rescuer Trap (New Harbinger). Thanks for reading Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life! This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life at donaldrobertson.substack.com/subscribe
November 05, 20251h 4min
Number 3: Massimo Pigliucci on Socrates, Stoicism and Leadership
In this episode, I chat with Massimo Pigliucci, Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York, part of the team responsible for the Modern Stoicism organization, and author of several books on philosophy, including How to be a Stoic and, more recently, The Quest for Character: What the Story of Socrates and Alcibiades Teaches us about Our Search for Good Leaders. Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Topics covered include… * How Massimo first got into philosophy, and into Stoicism * What he learned from writing How to be a Stoic * How he has changed his mind about aspects of Stoicism * The Modern Stoicism org and the modern resurgence of interest in Stoicism? * Why doesn’t there seem to be as much interest in Epicureanism or other ancient schools of philosophy among the general public? * What's The Quest for Character about? * Why write about Socrates and Alcibiades? * What potential do you think Socrates saw in Alcibiades? * What do you think Alcibiades’ biggest flaws were and what was his biggest mistake in life? * Would it have turned out differently if a Stoic like Epictetus had been Alcibiades’ tutor? * To what extent good character, or virtue, can be taught * How we could be doing a better job of teaching virtue today Thank you for reading Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life. This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life at donaldrobertson.substack.com/subscribe
December 22, 202258min
Number 4: Tim LeBon on Stoicism and Psychology
In this episode, I chat with Tim LeBon, cognitive-behavioural psychotherapist, research director for the Modern Stoicism organization, and author of Wise Therapy: Philosophy for Counsellors, Teach Yourself Positive Psychology, and more recently, 365 Ways to be More Stoic, edited by my wife Kasey Pierce. Topics covered include… * How Tim first got into philosophical practice and Stoicism * The relationship between Stoicism and CBT in general * Stoicism and third-wave CBT — recent advances * What Tim has learned about Stoicism from his experience as research director with Modern Stoicism * What's 365 Ways like? How it differs from other Stoicism books Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Tim’s new book, edited by my wife, Kasey Pierce, is now available from all good bookstores. Thank you for reading Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life. This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life at donaldrobertson.substack.com/subscribe
December 15, 20221h 2min
Number 5: Podcast: Experimental Technique
This is an audio recording of me explaining, and demonstrating, how to use a very simple but powerful psychological technique, which I call imaginal aphasia. It derives from an old hypnotic technique called hypnotic aphasia, and involves speaking (e.g., counting) aloud while gradually fading your voice to silence, and imagining that it’s becoming more and more of an effort to pronounce the syllables. You’re doing this both externally and internally, i.e., in your outward behaviour but also in your imagination, in order to relax and silence your mind. This technique is pretty easy for most people to learn and because it’s a physical behaviour, it seems to exhibit a standard practice curve effect, i.e., it becomes quicker and easier to do with practice. However, I would advise against individuals with diagnosable psychiatric conditions using it, except perhaps under the supervision of a qualified mental health clinician. For ordinary (subclinical) anxiety and insomnia, though, I think this may be helpful as a coping strategy. Let me know your feedback in the comments, and if you think of any other ways in which it could be useful. Thank you for reading Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life. This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life at donaldrobertson.substack.com/subscribe
December 08, 202211min