A deeper dive in season 2 In Season 1 of my new podcast, The Off-Ramp Project, I explored ways to step away from the polarization, emotional manipulation, enemy-making, and intentional chaos that reigns in the United States. Each of these things is an intrinsic part of abusive relationships and also of cultic mechanisms of control. This season, I’m delving more deeply into the ways we’re being … Read More
How Do We Celebrate Our Mothers? A real-world poem for Mother’s Day How do we celebrate our mothers — The ones who are here and the ones who aren’t? The ones who gave their lives for us, And the ones who walked away. The ones who lovingly directed our lives as if we were art projects, And the ones who never knew how to welcome us … Read More
In a time when our emotions, our empathy, and our loyalties are being manipulated constantly — and when we’re being pitted against each other for the benefit of the people in power — how do we find our way back to ourselves and each other? How do we reclaim our good minds, our empathy, and our emotional lives so that we can face the serious troubles … Read More
I found out this year that all of my books have been scraped by AI without my permission, and I can’t get away from the offensive brainless nonsense. Every week, another one of my online platforms or programs breathlessly announces that they’re offering AI — except I can’t turn down the offer, so it’s really intrusion without consent. Clearly, it’s time for poetry. Become Unscrapeable They … Read More
The Rapture and the Despair I’ve been thinking — or more honestly, feeling — a great deal about this week’s Rapture, when there will supposedly be huge, planet-wide earthquakes, a rapture into heaven for 200 million true believers, and the beginning of the end of the world. The Apocalypse, Armageddon, Judgment Day. Of course, none of that will happen. It never happens. Hundreds and thousands of … Read More
Welcome to the Off-Ramp! My newest project starts with this question: How do we get out of intense relationships, positions, ideas, and groups? How do we take an off-ramp, and how do we become an off-ramp for others? This project started first with my 2025 book, Missing the Solstice, and continues with my new podcast called The Off-Ramp Project. How do we create (and survive) drastic … Read More
We welcome you to our Empathy Academy Community! For many years, I’ve been fortunate enough to develop a worldwide community of licensed Dynamic Emotional Integration® professionals who have become friends and family. Their presence, empathy, humor, and emotional awareness have helped to grow our knowledge and the depth of our work, and they’ve been with me as I wrote and wrestled with the books I’ve written … Read More
How do people create (and survive) drastic changes? How do they leave unhealthy relationships, groups, belief systems, or entire identities? And how do they leave when these things are essential parts of their lives, their careers, their place in their families … or all three? These questions are crucial in a time when so many people have been drawn into belief systems and conspiracy theories that … Read More
The Myth of Positive Emotions is of course related to The Myth of Negative Emotions In my work with emotions, I don’t treat any emotion as better or worse than any other. Instead, I focus on why each emotion arises, what job it does, and how you can work with each and every emotion you have. When you can see your emotions as important parts of … Read More
The Myth of Negative Emotions is of course related to The Myth of Positive Emotions In my work with emotions, I focus on the intelligence, gifts, and skills that every emotion brings to you. I don’t leave any emotions out, and I don’t treat any emotion as better or worse than any other. This unified approach to emotions treats all emotions as vital, irreplaceable aspects of … Read More