Advertise on podcast: A Podcast with Charlie Swenson - To Hell and Back

Charlie interviews Michaela Swales and Alec Miller, the co-hosts of the DBT World Summit that takes place October 28-30. Learn all that you need to know about this amazing first-ever global event. View video version of this podcast

In this podcast Charlie recalls a piece of biological research he did 57 years ago, at college. He pursued the question: how is it that the 2 billion cells of the human heart, each of which has on its own the capacity to contract, beat in synchrony from birth to death every second or so? What are the biological structures that make that possible? And what does it teach us about cooperation, community, interdependency, and synchrony? View video version of this podcast

In the wake of the recent killing by federal agents of two adults in Minneapolis, this podcast represents an attempt to deepen my perspective on these events, on Donald Trump, and on the forces in our country that have supported him. I close with some thoughts about how to counter him in the coming days. View video version of this podcast

DBT’s emphasis on behavioral specificity, validation, and dialectical thinking, while effective for therapy, must be sufficiently grounded in deep moral convictions and motivational forces if it is to be used to address a fascist takeover of our society. View video version of this podcast

In this podcast Charlie reviews the six categories of people in the United States insofar as they are actors in the drama between democracy and authoritarianism, highlighting where it might be possible to change the momentum. He then discusses the role of “bystanders” and the psychology of bystanders, with a plea to convert bystanders to more active participants View video version of this podcast

In this podcast, Charlie reflects on a recent consultation as a window into the way in which memory is tethered to certain moments, as an example of Linehan’s metaphor for validation as finding a nugget of gold in a pile of sand, and as a segue into the integration of DBT and depth psychology in therapy. View video version of this podcast

The perspective within this podcast is that our current political process is seriously dysfunctional, having been taken over by decision-makers who seem disconnected from normal human morality. After noticing the resemblance of that process to what goes on in mob organizations and families, and in some families where incest occurs, we will identify the various roles in this ugly process and consider what can be done to improve things. View video version of this podcast

This podcast focuses on the fact that we spend most of our lives living in the stories we tell ourselves about reality, but not in reality itself. Hear how DBT helps us to find our way back to reality, and how doing so increases the quality of our lives and the lives of those around us View video version of this podcast

In this podcast, I explore what is meant by dialectics in general, dialectics in the practice of DBT, and especially what it takes to “do dialectics-in-action.” It’s way more common and profound than simply applying dialectical strategies to certain situations. View video version of this podcast

In this podcast, the third in a series, I clarify the place of dialectics in DBT as an antidote to polarization. Using some case examples, I detail how one might use dialectics. Then I bring the same lessons into finding a way to deal with political polarization and what appears to be a fascist takeover. By the end of my search, I find a way. View video version of this podcast

To say NO to the forces and practices of fascism in the U.S., effectively enough to stop it, can be frightening. We will borrow from the DBT skills training model, explaining ways to acquire, strengthen, and generalize the skill of saying NO in hopes that each of us can find our voice and make a difference. View video version of this podcast

In this podcast, Charlie draws from DBT in search of ways to understand the current assault on democracy in the United States, and to become more effective at taking care of oneself and acting more effectively. View video version of this podcast

In this episode, the fourth in a series on autism and DBT, Charlie is again joined by Amara Brooke and Rachel Kraus, two DBT therapists who are autistic and who have subspecialties in working with autistic clients. Our focus here is entirely on the application and adaptation of DBT skills in the work with autistic individuals. Which skills work well as they are? Which skills require adaptation in order to work well with this population? Which skills can actually make things worse if you aren’t mindful of autistic features? Please rate, review, and write to me with comments and questions. View video version of this podcast

In this episode, Charlie explains, and gives lots of examples of, being irreverent in therapy. What is the essence? What is the point? Why is it important to do? Why is it hard to do? What are the forms irreverence can take? What are some tips for becoming irreverent? View video version of this podcast

Charlie moderates a discussion between Amara Brook and Rachel Kraus, both of whom are DBT-informed therapists with subspecialties treating autistic and ADHD individuals, as they come of with ten things to consider when adapting DBT to autism. In the next episode after this one, the same guests will specifically address how to modify DBT skills in working with autistic clients. View video version of this podcast