You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist
You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist is a podcast for seekers, dreamers, and questioners that intimately explores the human experience. Your host, Stephanie Winn, distills years of wisdom gained from her practice as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She invites guests from a broad variety of disciplines and many walks of life, including researchers, writers, artists, healers, advocates, inventive outliers, and creative geniuses. Together, they investigate, illuminate, and inspire transformation - in the self, relationships, and society. Curious about many things, Stephanie’s uniquely interdisciplinary psychological lens tackles challenging social issues while encouraging personal and relational wellness. Join this journey through the inner wilderness.
Episodes
Mia Hughes, author of the recently released WPATH Files report, joins me today to discuss the medical scandal of our era. Together, we uncover the shocking revelations from the leaked files, exposing the mistreatment of vulnerable individuals seeking gender transition.
We explore how the official-sounding “World Professional Association for Transgender Health” got its name, and whether that title is deserved or mislead...
This Earth Day, I’d like to honor the importance of our connection to the natural world by welcoming the insightful Derrick Jensen, an author and environmental activist whose work has profoundly influenced me from an early age. We explore the stark contrast between our knowledge of commercial jingles and movie stars versus our understanding of the stars in the sky and the edible plants in our own backyards. How has our rel...
Today I welcome the esteemed Dr. Joseph Burgo to discuss the psychological crisis of males who find refuge in a trans identity. Along the way, we explore myriad contributing factors, from shame, narcissism, and autogynephilia; to rising rates of autism and unlimited access to increasingly obscene internet pornography; as well as gender roles, norms, expectations, and recent cultural shifts.
As we unravel the narratives ...
In this rare solo episode, I delve into personal decisions that have recently shaped my career path, shedding light on the challenges and triumphs that have led me to where I am today, including the impact of stress on chronic illness, and the difficult choice to step back from therapy to prioritize my well-being. But why did I choose consulting over therapy? What drove me to specialize in helping parents Rapid Onset Gende...
Is shame always destructive, or can it foster growth? Does being compassionate require that we affirm every belief or validate every emotion? When are psychiatric diagnoses helpful or harmful? Is it better to strive for race-awareness or a color-blind society? Should social norms be challenged or reinforced? What is the role of hope in fostering change? I’ve brought together several interesting guests from previous episode...
In what ways is gender ideology cult-like? What are its core foundational myths, and how can concerned citizens challenge them?
Today’s guest, Justine Deterling, founded the LGB watchdog organization Gender Health Query to create resources for parents and educators to address these concerns. In this episode, we discuss the cult-like dynamics of gender activism influencing young people's beliefs and behaviors, and debunk co...
Wise decision-making often requires that we grapple with notions of good and evil. Fields such as history, spirituality, philosophy, and psychology all help orient our moral compass. Yet despite so much access to information, today’s youth seem to lack the grounding principles needed to navigate life's challenges.
How is the modern world's existential crisis impacting today's youth? Today, returning guests and I unravel...
Gabrielle helped her daughter escape the cult. Now, as a Desistance Coach, she helps other parents find ways to reach their ideologically captured children too. Meanwhile, my career has taken a similar direction, as I’ve devoted a significant portion of my energy toward helping parents of youth with Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria (ROGD) as a communication skills consultant.
Today, we discuss the challenges parents face in...
In my second returning guests group chat, I delve into the complex world of therapy with colleagues David Teachout and Christine Sefein. We explore the concept of therapeutic neutrality and its relevance in today's therapy landscape. Is therapy dead? How are therapists able to maintain neutrality in an age of biases and cultural influences? And what are the limits to neutrality?
We discuss the ethical obligation of ther...
98. Trans to Detrans: A Graphic Novel Journey from Self-Hate to Self-Compassion, with Nicolas Blooms
In this episode, I sit down with Nicholas Blooms, a detransitioner, artist, and creator of a unique graphic novel. Nicholas shares his profound journey of detransitioning, delving into the spiritual and emotional aspects of reclaiming his sense of self and finding a sustainable, embodied way of living. I explain my current model of how gender dysphoria changes over time along the spectrum between ego-syntonic and ego-dysto...
Today I welcome back former guests Jennifer Lahl, Karen King, and Jake Wiskerchen for a collegial group chat. We catch up on their latest projects, including Jennifer’s new documentary on detrans men, The Lost Boys: Searching for Manhood, and Karen’s Ideological Oasis group for counseling graduates and interns.
We dive into the topics of distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and parenting. We also touch on the latest ...
In part two of my conversation with Layton, she continues to share her journey of navigating the trauma of leaving a cult, bad therapy, the harmful effects of the trans medical industrial complex, and how she finally found wholeness.
Missed part 1? Listen to episode 95 here.
Layton opens up about her experience of undergoing synthetic testosterone as a female and the traumatic impact it had on her body and mind. We delve...
Today I’m excited to bring you part 1 of a fascinating conversation with Layton, a detransitioner who shares her journey of leaving a religious cult and the subsequent challenges she faced. We delve into her experiences with actual gay conversion therapy, where she was told that her homosexuality was a form of cannibalism and a result of trauma. Layton opens up about the psychological manipulation and shame she endured dur...
In this episode, I dive into the fascinating world of OCD and addiction with psychologist and podcast host, Dr. Johann D'Souza. We explore the concept of OCD as a form of behavioral addiction. Dr. D'Souza shares his expertise on the different types of obsessions and compulsions, shedding light on the lesser-known aspects of OCD beyond the common stereotypes, as well as exploring the role of genetics and trauma in the devel...
Sara Stockton is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, lecturer, researcher, and clinical supervisor of a psychotherapy practice in New York who has done a complete 180 on the subject of youth gender transition. Ms. Stockton spent the first part of her career advocating for “gender affirming care” in the treatment of trans-identified youth. Starting in 2008, her work with this population included traveling to teach and...
92. A Male Detransitioner Rediscovers His Faith: Austin Unbridled on Transformation and Spirituality
In this episode, I delve into the raw and revealing journey of Austin Unbridled, a 41-year-old who has navigated the turbulent waters of gender identity and spirituality. Austin's candid recount of transitioning from male to female, and then detransitioning twice, sheds light on the complexities of trans ideology and the often unspoken struggles that accompany it. We explore the allure of transformation, the promises of ge...
We’re kicking off the new year by welcoming back the guest featured on my most popular episode for a long overdue part two!
Following up on our prior conversation about the impact of conversion therapy legislation, Helen Joyce, a former journalist and advocate for Sex Matters, sheds light on misconceptions surrounding gender, biology, belief, and human rights.
Helen emphasizes the importance of acknowledging sex in v...
In this episode, I take a moment to reflect on the past year and a half of podcasting and share some valuable insights and lessons I've learned along the way. With my fiancé by my side for moral support, I dive into the challenges and successes of being a public figure and the unexpected journey that podcasting has taken me on.
I discuss the moderate success of my podcast and its typical listenership. I open up about the tr...
Merry Christmas!
No interview today. No monologue either. Just a simple, short and sweet song I wanted to give as a gift to anyone whose heart is hurting this holiday.
Why I'm sharing this song with you:
Since Christmas has fallen on a Monday this year, and I always release new episodes on Monday, I faced a dilemma. I thought it would be a disservice to any guest to ask them to do an episode that would air on a day t...
88. Puberty is a Human Right: Disorders of Sexual Development vs Puberty Blockers with James Linehan
“Intersex” is often considered part of the “LGBTQIA+” community. But how do people with this condition feel about their inclusion that category?
The more accurate and respectful term, “disorders of sexual development,” encompasses more than 40 different medical diagnoses. Today’s guest, James Linehan, has one such DSD. Undiagnosed until age 16, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism prevented James from experiencing normal puber...
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