https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/philosophy-on-the-couch--4247332
Philosophy on the Couch brings philosophy, religion, and psychodynamic psychology into conversation. Each episode takes an idea from thinkers and traditions ranging from Stoicism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Taoism to Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Schopenhauer, Sartre, and Camus, and examines it alongside contemporary psychodynamic thought.

Rather than asking which side is right, the podcast explores where these traditions unexpectedly converge, where they fundamentally disagree, and what each can teach us about the hidden forces shaping ordinary human life.

Philosophy has long asked us how we should live. Religion has asked what our lives ultimately mean. Psychodynamic psychology adds another uncomfortable question: Why is it so difficult to become the person we already know we should be?]]>enEducationCopyright Circle Of Insight Productionshttps://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aeadfbd4732b6c94cb1d98373cbb5a03.jpghttps://www.spreaker.com/podcast/philosophy-on-the-couch--4247332Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:17:03 +0000Circle Of Insight ProductionsCircle Of Insight Productionsfeeds@spreaker.comFor thousands of years, philosophers and religious traditions have wrestled with the same questions that eventually entered the consulting room: Why do we suffer? Why do we repeat the same mistakes? What makes us jealous, resentful, anxious, ashamed,...
Philosophy on the Couch brings philosophy, religion, and psychodynamic psychology into conversation. Each episode takes an idea from thinkers and traditions ranging from Stoicism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Taoism to Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Schopenhauer, Sartre, and Camus, and examines it alongside contemporary psychodynamic thought.

Rather than asking which side is right, the podcast explores where these traditions unexpectedly converge, where they fundamentally disagree, and what each can teach us about the hidden forces shaping ordinary human life.

Philosophy has long asked us how we should live. Religion has asked what our lives ultimately mean. Psychodynamic psychology adds another uncomfortable question: Why is it so difficult to become the person we already know we should be?]]>falsea1e967f7-c2be-5e38-a3c0-1ef07bcd5795episodichttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-good-people-do-cruel-things-nietzsche-the-shadow-and-the-traps-of-being-good--75982044https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75982044Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:17:01 +0000Circle Of Insight ProductionsWhy do people who pride themselves on being kind, fair, and decent sometimes treat others with shocking cruelty? Friedrich Nietzsche warned that high-minded principles can easily hide bitterness, jealousy, and an unacknowledged hunger for power....252falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-parent-who-never-existed-kierkegaard-heinz-kohut-and-the-psychology-of-longing--75971735https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75971735Sun, 25 Oct 2026 16:16:01 +0000Circle Of Insight ProductionsWhat happens when we spend our adult lives longing for a parent who never truly existed? Søren Kierkegaard explored how despair emerges from the struggle to reconcile who we are with who we believe we should have become. Through Heinz Kohut’s self...217falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/philosophy-on-the-couch-the-anxiety-of-becoming--75909697https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75909697Thu, 22 Oct 2026 03:25:05 +0000Circle Of Insight ProductionsSøren Kierkegaard called anxiety the "dizziness of freedom," the vertigo that strikes when we realize we are responsible for authoring our own lives. Yet in the consulting room, we discover that what people fear most isn't simply the blank canvas of...208falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-meaning-we-invent-salvador-dali-and-the-philosophy-of-perception--75706030https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75706030Sun, 11 Oct 2026 23:24:48 +0000Circle Of Insight ProductionsWhy can two people look at the same painting and discover entirely different meanings? Using Salvador Dalí’s surrealist art, this episode explores how philosophers have understood perception, interpretation, and the relationship between reality and...267falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-good-people-do-cruel-things-nietzsche-freud-and-the-psychology-of-the-shadow--75569588https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75569588Sun, 04 Oct 2026 18:55:21 +0000Circle Of Insight ProductionsMost of us imagine cruelty as something committed by people fundamentally different from ourselves. But Nietzsche and Freud both suspected that aggression, envy, resentment, and the desire for power exist alongside our better qualities rather than...183falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-we-want-what-we-can-t-have-freud-buddhism-and-the-problem-of-desire--75431900https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75431900Tue, 29 Sep 2026 15:38:36 +0000Circle Of Insight ProductionsWhy does desire sometimes become strongest precisely when something remains beyond our reach? Freud believed wanting was woven into the architecture of the human mind, while Buddhist philosophy warned that craving can become one of the engines of...252falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/stoicism-and-emotional-control-acceptance-or-intellectualization--75333139https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75333139Thu, 24 Sep 2026 15:22:21 +0000Circle Of Insight ProductionsStoicism teaches that much of our suffering comes from trying to control what does not belong to us: other people’s opinions, behavior, judgments, and choices. Psychodynamic psychology largely agrees, but introduces a more uncomfortable question—why...243kernberg,klein,philosophy,psychodynamic,psychology,stoicismfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/sartre-s-bad-faith-vs-the-false-self-the-psychological-cost-of-living-an-inauthentic-life--71818127https://api.spreaker.com/episode/71818127Sun, 03 May 2026 17:58:02 +0000Circle Of Insight ProductionsExamine the striking convergence between Jean-Paul Sartre’s concept of “bad faith” — the self-deception that denies personal freedom and responsibility — and Donald Winnicott’s psychoanalytic “False Self,” the defensive persona constructed to meet...336authenticity,existentialism,philosophy,psychoanalysis,psychology,sartre,winnicottfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/marcus-aurelius-and-the-internal-citadel-a-psychodynamic-look-at-defense-mechanisms-in-meditations--71642151https://api.spreaker.com/episode/71642151Sat, 25 Apr 2026 21:38:50 +0000Circle Of Insight ProductionsIn this episode of Philosophical Psychodynamics, we explore Marcus Aurelius’ concept of the Internal Citadel through a psychodynamic lens, examining how Stoic practices in Meditations function as sophisticated defense mechanisms against psychological...334attachment,aurelius,depth,marcus,philosophy,psychodynamic,psychology,stoicism,theoryfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-ataraxia-analysis-epicureanism-as-affect-regulation--71561863https://api.spreaker.com/episode/71561863Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:39:14 +0000Circle Of Insight ProductionsExplore the intersection of ancient Hellenistic philosophy and modern depth psychology. This episode deconstructs the pursuit of *ataraxia* using psychodynamic personality axes, theories of emotional mastery, and concepts of self-fragmentation....248epicurean,history,narcissism,narcissist,philosophy,psychodynamic,psychology,stoicismfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/heraclitus-and-the-fluid-self-the-unconscious-river-you-re-always-stepping-into--71478612https://api.spreaker.com/episode/71478612Mon, 20 Apr 2026 03:04:48 +0000Circle Of Insight ProductionsA high-level breakdown of Heraclitus’ philosophy applied to modern psychodynamic theory, exploring the fluid self, unconscious processes, and personality development for EPPP exam success. This episode connects classical philosophy with Freud, Jung,...237heraclitus,philosophy,psychology,stoicismfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-prison-of-perception-kant-and-the-psychodynamic-mind--71299683https://api.spreaker.com/episode/71299683Mon, 13 Apr 2026 22:09:36 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions192kant,philosophy,psychologyfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/nietzsche-s-apollonian-dionysian-duality--71135792https://api.spreaker.com/episode/71135792Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:17:20 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions246nietzsche,philosophy,psych,psychologyfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-myth-of-dionysus--67146665https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67146665Sun, 27 Jul 2025 22:33:36 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions462greeks,philosophy,psychologyfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/augustine-and-neuroscience--66960694https://api.spreaker.com/episode/66960694Sun, 13 Jul 2025 18:35:07 +0000Circle Of Insight 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Productions2681philosophy,psychologyfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-do-humans-have-myths--42300585https://api.spreaker.com/episode/42300585Thu, 03 Dec 2020 18:41:10 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions1434myths,philosophy,psychologyfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/existentialism-and-psychology--42247314https://api.spreaker.com/episode/42247314Mon, 30 Nov 2020 22:24:14 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions270existentialism,philosophy,psychologyfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/psychology-of-morality--42188190https://api.spreaker.com/episode/42188190Thu, 26 Nov 2020 21:02:51 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions1380business,ethics,morality,philosophy,psychologyfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-was-henrik-ibsen-controversial--42145181https://api.spreaker.com/episode/42145181Wed, 25 Nov 2020 14:00:14 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions376henrikibsen,philosophy,psychology,sociologyfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/former-green-beret-tu-lam-shares-the-warrior-mindset2--42144529https://api.spreaker.com/episode/42144529Tue, 24 Nov 2020 17:33:32 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions1926buddhism,military,philosophy,taoismfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-hero-s-journey-in-movies--42112195https://api.spreaker.com/episode/42112195Mon, 23 Nov 2020 14:00:09 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions419hero,movies,philosophy,psychologyfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/we-discuss-critical-thinking-with-dr-david-levy-is-it-disappearing1--42060899https://api.spreaker.com/episode/42060899Thu, 19 Nov 2020 17:57:32 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions2865criticalthinking,logic,philosophy,psychologyfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/machiavelli-theory-and-leadership--40221387https://api.spreaker.com/episode/40221387Sun, 09 Aug 2020 00:01:54 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions1481business,history,leadership,military,philosophyfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/professor-and-author-john-kaag-tells-us-how-william-james-can-save-your-life1--31565389


John lives with his partner Kathy and their two lovely children, Becca and Henry. He is currently finishing Love's Conditions, the third in the trilogy after American Philosophy and Hiking with Nietzsche, and he is also working on Think Again: An Introduction to Philosophy for Norton and American Blood for Farrar, Straus and Giroux.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/31565389Wed, 17 Jun 2020 23:13:29 +0000Circle Of Insight ProductionsJohn is Professor and Chair of Philosophy at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and a Miller Scholar at the Santa Fe Institute. He just finished Sick Souls, Healthy Minds: How William James Can Save Your Life, which was published with Princeton...


John lives with his partner Kathy and their two lovely children, Becca and Henry. He is currently finishing Love's Conditions, the third in the trilogy after American Philosophy and Hiking with Nietzsche, and he is also working on Think Again: An Introduction to Philosophy for Norton and American Blood for Farrar, Straus and Giroux.]]>933brain,health,mind,philosophy,psychology,suicidefalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/audio-fixed-the-hero-s-journey-in-movies--27588172https://api.spreaker.com/episode/27588172Sun, 17 May 2020 18:25:46 +0000Circle Of Insight ProductionsThe Hero's journey425cinema,hero,movies,myth,philosophy,psychology,survivalfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/we-chat-with-professor-edith-hall-about-the-relevance-of-aristotle-in-today-s-world--26876350https://api.spreaker.com/episode/26876350Sun, 10 May 2020 17:10:10 +0000Circle Of Insight ProductionsEdith Hall is a British scholar of classics, specialising in ancient Greek literature and cultural history, and Professor in the Department of Classics and Centre for Hellenic Studies at King's College, London1183aristotle,ethics,philosophy,psychologyfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/we-chat-with-professor-barkman-s-book-on-imitating-saints-and-superheros--26783630https://api.spreaker.com/episode/26783630Thu, 07 May 2020 19:00:07 +0000Circle Of Insight ProductionsAdam Barkman (PhD, Free University of Amsterdam) is the author and editor of eleven books, most recently A Critical Companion to James Cameron (Lexington, 2018) and Making Sense of Islamic Art & Architecture (Thames & Hudson, 2015). Barkman is...1014myths,philosophy,psychology,religion,saints,superherosfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/tolstoy-and-the-three-questions-and-parenting-with-a-touch-of-seneca-wisdom--26730481https://api.spreaker.com/episode/26730481Mon, 04 May 2020 23:58:39 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions480health,mentalhealth,mindfulness,philosophy,psychologyfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-psychological-look-at-the-myth-of-er--26237070https://api.spreaker.com/episode/26237070Tue, 28 Apr 2020 00:10:18 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions594death,philosophy,plato,psychology,socratesfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-psychological-look-at-nietzsche-s-master-and-slave-morality--25920127https://api.spreaker.com/episode/25920127Wed, 22 Apr 2020 21:16:24 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions491philosophy,politics,psychology,religionfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-psychology-of-the-allegory-of-the-cave--25424263https://api.spreaker.com/episode/25424263Mon, 13 Apr 2020 22:03:37 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions396philosophy,plato,psychology,psychopaths,skepticfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/plato-s-three-elements-of-the-psyche-and-freuds-id-ego-and-superego--24898833https://api.spreaker.com/episode/24898833Mon, 06 Apr 2020 21:21:55 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions410freud,mentalhealth,philosophy,plato,psychologyfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/existentialism-and-the-world-of-psychology--24761456https://api.spreaker.com/episode/24761456Fri, 03 Apr 2020 00:25:17 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions270existentialism,freewill,philosophy,psychologyfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-psychological-at-confucius-beliefs--24722782https://api.spreaker.com/episode/24722782Wed, 01 Apr 2020 21:06:48 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions383confucius,family,philosophy,psychologyfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-story-of-demonax-the-cynic--24661171https://api.spreaker.com/episode/24661171Tue, 31 Mar 2020 02:23:04 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions331greekphilosophy,health,philosophy,psychologyfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/can-you-crave-a-lover-and-believe-in-buddhism--24223272https://api.spreaker.com/episode/24223272Mon, 23 Mar 2020 21:09:53 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions415dating,love,philosophy,psychology,relationshipsfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/buddhism-and-detachment-with-psychology--24071963https://api.spreaker.com/episode/24071963Thu, 19 Mar 2020 22:24:07 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions528buddhism,mentalhealth,philosophy,psychologyfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/what-we-control-and-what-we-dont-epictetus-shares-how-to-have-more-control--23982254https://api.spreaker.com/episode/23982254Tue, 17 Mar 2020 15:44:09 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions279control,mentalhealth,philosophy,psychologyfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/augustine-and-locus-of-control-and-neuroscience--23953176https://api.spreaker.com/episode/23953176Mon, 16 Mar 2020 21:20:10 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions273morality,philosophy,psychology,religionfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/xenophanes-the-philosopher-and-his-dislike-of-the-greek-gods--23838936https://api.spreaker.com/episode/23838936Fri, 13 Mar 2020 18:38:12 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions532myths,philosophy,psychology,religionfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-psychological-look-at-soren-kierkegaards-leap-of-faith--23646770https://api.spreaker.com/episode/23646770Sun, 08 Mar 2020 16:41:55 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions388god,philosophy,psychology,religionfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-philosopher-rebel-diogenes--23518006https://api.spreaker.com/episode/23518006Thu, 05 Mar 2020 20:54:49 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions247philosopher,philosophy,plato,psychologyfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/was-aristotle-the-first-marketing-expert--23435552https://api.spreaker.com/episode/23435552Tue, 03 Mar 2020 17:35:38 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions259aristotle,business,marketing,philosophy,psychologyfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/do-you-need-money-or-power-to-be-happy-this-philosopher-says-no--23396417https://api.spreaker.com/episode/23396417Mon, 02 Mar 2020 16:44:29 +0000Circle Of Insight Productions281greekphilosophers,happiness,mentalhealth,philosophy,psychologyfalsefull