What's The F*%@ing Point?

This episode I am joined by my ex, Paul, to share about the relationship we had that both healed some wounds and also poked at our core wounds still left to be worked on. Turns out, staying friends is possible when you've created a safe foundation, but it is not without difficulty, sadness, and grief. Join us as we explore our beginnings and how we had to end so that we could both find a deeper, more expansive love in the future.

I took a break!

But I am back for some more discussion around leadership! This episode is about the differences, challenges, and hope that comes from being a healthy and intentional leader despite the lack of good representation of those types of leaders in our modern society.

I offer personal, vulnerable experiences as well as tips for bringing your own healthy leadership qualities to the surface so that healthy and intentional leadership grows and reaches communities where it is highly needed!

The time is now to own our gifts of being a good leader and not shy away from embodying and owning these gifts.

In episode 4, I sit down with a dear friend and coworker, Spencer Jensen, MFT-C (They/Them). We explore hope in a desperate and dangerous time to be queer and proud. Spencer offers insight into what brings them hope and inspires them to resist. I share personal insights into power dynamics and how to fight against the urge to give in. One thing is always true, the past is queer, the present is queer, and the future is queer!

Point of Pride:

If you have any capacity or means to support this wonderful organization, please do so! You can help provide life saving access to care for our queer community!

https://www.pointofpride.org/

Today our host, Alyssa Wright, talks to the white bodied listeners as she begins a Leadership Series this Season. This episode is about how white bodied individuals can lead in the social justice space differently. She offers tangible ways to make changes, big or small. Alyssa wants to challenge the listeners to making small changes in their own lives to support the survival and success of all human kind.

Alyssa used components of the book, What White People Can Do Next: From Allyship to Coalition by Emma Dabiri to form speaking points in this episode. Thank you to all of those who offer their voices to educate others.

In Episode 2, we are joined by Abby Esquivel who is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a group practice owner at Be and Belong Counseling in Westminster CO. She is also a poet, international trainer on Interpersonal Neurobiology and Play Therapy, an amazing mother to 4 beautiful humans, and a life long friend. We sit down for a conversation around hope and it's presence since the beginning of time and how we can access and practice accessing the wisdom of our ancestors including the people, fauna, and flora before us. We hope you leave lighter and more willing to dive into your own ancestral hope journey; to strengthen your capacity to weather the times we are in now.

Abby Esquivel & Marshall Lyle's Work

• 9 Month Program: Rebody the Self of the Healer: https://www.marshalllyles.com/event-details/rebodying-the-self-of-the-healer-9-month-program
• South Africa Retreat: https://www.globaltherapyconnect.com/march-retreat-2027-south-africa
• Substack, The Poetics of Belonging: https://thepoeticsofbelonging.substack.com/

Abby's Podcast- The Whole Therapist Podcast

• https://wholetherapistinstitute.com/the-whole-therapist-podcast-episodes/

Abby's Group Practice

• https://beandbelongcounseling.com/

Show References:

Bonnie Badenoch

• https://www.nurturingtheheart.com/
• The Heart of Trauma: https://wwnorton.com/books/The-Heart-of-Trauma

Brian Swimme Cosmologist

• https://storyoftheuniverse.org/

Zoë Schlanger, Light Eaters book

• https://www.zoeschlanger.com/the-light-eatersLight Eaters book

Robin Wall Kimmerer

• https://www.robinwallkimmerer.com/

Adrienne Maree Brown Solstice Spell:

• https://www.yesmagazine.org/opinion/2021/12/20/adrienne-maree-brown-winter-solstice-spell

In this episode of What's the Fucking Point, we begin the journey of unpacking ways to sustain action when the world feels overwhelming, scary, and uncertain. This season 2 opener brings up topics around community building, making action a necessary part of living in this world, and turning inward when uncertainty is so loud.

Some reflection questions for this episode:

• What counts as meaningful action for me in this season?
• What does the "next best step" look like for me?
• Who helps me feel less alone and do I need to seek more belonging?

Disclaimer: The content in this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized mental health treatment. Although I am a licensed mental health professional, I am not your therapist, and this podcast does not establish a therapeutic relationship. If you are in need of mental health support, please seek the care of a qualified therapist in your area. If you are in crisis, please call your local emergency number or the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.

In this episode, we stare directly into the existential dread of modern dating and then dare to find hope inside it. If you’ve ever wondered why you’re still putting on real pants for strangers, downloading to just undownload another dating app, or trying to stay calm as all your triggers get magnified, this conversation is for you.

Drawing from a grounded, therapeutic lens, we explore why dating feels so exhausting, how we all burnout, and what it actually means to show up with integrity, self-compassion, and curiosity. We talk about reframing connection, finding your unique flow of energy, and how to take a new perspective with modern dating.

Because despite the chaos, the ghosting, and the emotional rollercoaster of hoping you will finally find someone who gives you those lasting butterflies, there is a point. There is growth. And there is a way to date that doesn’t require abandoning yourself.

This episode is both a reality check and a love letter to anyone who’s still trying. Hope isn’t naive or silly, it’s a practice. And dating, believe it or not, can still be a place where that practice actually matters.

Divorce can feel like the end of everything you thought you knew: your relationship, your identity, your plans for the future. But what if it’s also the beginning of something more honest, more grounded, and more you? In this episode of What’s the Fucking Point, we dive into the messy, painful, and sometimes liberating process of finding hope after divorce.

We talk about the grief that comes with loss, the support found in the chosen family, and the quiet power of rebuilding when the dust settles. This isn’t about pretending it’s all okay. It’s about learning to hold both the heartbreak and the possibility. Whether you’re in the middle of a breakup, years past it, or supporting someone through theirs, this conversation is about reclaiming your story, your worth, and your hope — even when life doesn’t look like you thought it would.

Because sometimes the fucking point... is starting over and finally finding yourself.

Our guest today is Jess Grant and she is a therapist who specializes in helping individuals navigate many life transitions and struggles such as trauma, perinatal care, and women transitioning in relationships and with their bodies. She is a trained EMDR therapist and also hosts many trainings for other therapists. Drawing from both professional expertise and lived experience, Jess offers a grounded, compassionate perspective on healing, growth, and rediscovering self-trust after major life transitions. She is growing her practice and will be starting a group practice, Cultivate & Connect, so if you are in need of a therapist and are located in Colorado, please reach out to Jess!

In this episode of What’s the Fucking Point, we dive into the transformative practice of reparenting through the lens of Internal Family Systems (IFS) or "parts work". We explore what it means to tend to the younger, wounded parts of ourselves with compassion, curiosity, and care—and how this process can unlock a deeper sense of wholeness and hope. Whether you’re a therapist, healer, or simply someone navigating your own inner world, this conversation shines a light on how honoring our parts and building an inner secure base can lead to profound healing and self-trust.

Places you can find therapists!

In the United States and other Countries you can go to Psychology Today and place your criteria that you would want in a therapist and the site will give you options of providers in your area: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us

If you are in Colorado, my practice Integrated Counseling and Wellness is taking new clients, accepts insurance and can see anyone in the state of Colorado virtually and in person. Go to our website to learn more! www.integratedwellnessfc.com

In this episode of What’s the Fucking Point, we dive into the ancient yet deeply relevant practice of Circle Work and the transformative power of community when navigating life’s hardest moments. Circles remind us that hope is not built in isolation, it’s sustained through witness, connection, and shared humanity. Together, we explore how intentional gathering can soften despair, hold complexity, and ignite a collective sense of possibility.

About Our Guest:

Carrie Haynes, LPC, is a psychotherapist, educator, and facilitator with more than two decades of experience guiding individuals and groups. Her career has included private practice, directing group services at Colorado State University’s Counseling Center, and teaching counseling and psychology at CSU and the University of Northern Colorado.

Carrie has spent much of her career mentoring therapists and healing professionals in the art of group facilitation, blending her clinical background with a deep respect for the human need for connection and belonging.

Today, she leads retreats, trainings, and mentorship programs that integrate psychology with soulful, embodied group experiences. Her work helps professionals cultivate confidence and presence while offering participants the chance to experience the profound healing that emerges in community.

She can be found at: https://carriehayneslpc.com/ and see all of her offers to learn and experience Circles with her and others!