It’s Not Therapy!

As she explains in her new book The Unlocking - An Autism Story, Porscia Lam and her husband had a problem - their toddler, Harry, would not do anything he was asked to do. Yes, that's typical for some children, but Harry's reactions were extreme, with troubling behaviour escalating to the point it endangered Harry and his younger sibling.The Lams discovered Harry has Pathological Demand Avoidance, a little-understood condition in the Autism spectrum. Through much love, frustration, fear and sacrifice, the Lams got Harry the care he needed and, yes, the Hulk played a role.Liana talks to Porscia about her family's journey and how other parents can spot PDA in their child and get much-needed information. Learn more about Porscia's book at https://porscialam.com/

That's the title of trauma therapist Amanda Ann Gregory's new book, and her book's synopsis, "(f)eeling pressured to forgive their offenders is a common reason trauma survivors avoid mental health services and support. Those who force, pressure, or encourage trauma survivors to forgive can unknowingly cause harm and sabotage their recovery" gives Amanda and Liana a lot to unpack as they discuss a re-thinking of the 'divine virtue'.

They aren't cosmically-powered superheroes, but understanding them can give us greater power over ourselves and lead to happier lives. Values, Needs, Boundaries and Manipulations - understanding these four building blocks is key to achieving better mental health, and Liana shares personal experiences to show you how you can do it.

The TV show "Seinfeld" popularized the line, "It's not you, it's me." And while George Costanza wasn't being sincere, the truth is that for a lot of people, it is them! Liana takes us through the top 10 things people do that drives others away from them in romantic relationships, friendships and work situations. 

No, probably not. True narcissists - those with Narcissistic Personality Disorder - are rare. But you don't need to be a narcissist to behave like one; personality traits can be absorbed from others without our realizing it. Liana guides us to understand what true narcissism is and, importantly, what it isn't...and how to effectively deal with one.

Real talk: society trains girls and women to use feminine stereotypes to bully other women - and to use the same stereotypes to get away with it. Liana shines a light on the tactics female bullies use and the cultural attitudes that enable and excuse the behaviour.

Social anxiety is a real and growing phenomenon that deters folks from meeting new people, or being successful when meeting new people, or from even going out to places where there will be new people! Liana offers her personal first-hand experience with social anxiety and offers some tools that helped her and may also help you.

Losing it leading up to the holidays? You're not alone. 
Economic uncertainty, politics turning relationships with friends and family into a pressure cooker, the loneliness this time of year can bring on...it's not surprising if you feel like you're losing it! From her own personal experiences, Liana offers some suggestions on how to calm turbulent waters or just swim to shore!

We're Better Than This...Aren't We? Maybe not right now, but we still can be.
The reaction to the murder of an American health care executive spurs Liana to examine how our current societal distress has led us away from our better angels, using deeply personal revelations as a guide.

The unedited version of episode 112 with Aquila and Jerry. If you're experiencing thoughts of suicide call the national crisis line in North America at 988.