When I pitched my guest, Shawn, about coming onto the show, my original idea was just talking to her about her career change from being a lawyer to becoming a psychotherapist. She counter-pitched me a story that I couldn’t resist.

She said, and I’m paraphrasing, “Let me tell you about that time I drank from a lucky fountain.” And from here our story departs. This conversation is about several consequential events in Shawn’s life. The subjects are emotionally heavy, but there is so much joy and levity and emotional wisdom that Shawn brings to her story. This conversation just glows. 

Main themes:
psychology, therapy, mental health, spirituality, travel, family, queer families, parenting, pregnancy, abortion, grief, adoption, adoptee experience, career path, queer, lgbt, lgbtqqia, Bay Area, Hawaii, Spain, relationships.

References:
The fountain at Covadonga
https://bit.ly/fountain7

Shawn’s Your Fellow Traveler page:
https://bit.ly/round1part1

Psychology and spiritual frameworks referenced in the episode: 

attachment theory
cognitive behavioral therapy
psychodynamic approach
Wilhelm Reich/Reichian psychotherapy
core shamanism
Diamond Approach
Judith Blackstone

* * * * *
We are And The Next Thing You Know. 

Thank you to ALL my patrons, and especially my Failure & Redemption level patrons: Bonita, Barry, Liz, Jen, Melissa, Noah, Elyse, Amy, Jeannie, and Heather, and my Serendipity level patrons: Dorian, Emily and Brittany.

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Banana peel by Max Ronnersjö.
http://maxronnersjo.tumblr.com

Theme and interstitial music by Jon Schwartz.
http://twitter.com/schwartstack.