Conversations between a therapist and artist about the good flow of life. Good to Talk is a podcast produced by Jeremiah Simmons and E Ward. The hope of these Good to Talks is to build community around shared interests and helpful conversations.
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss some of Epictetus's philosophy of control from his handbook, the Enchiridion. Here Epictetus clarifies what's ours to manage, recommends acceptance of our responsibilities and limitations, and points us towards responding with purpose. Our actions become an opportunity to investigate our own authenticity and ultimately help us find meaning and purpose. As always, thank you to everyone who listens along with us.If you'd like more information about Good to Talk or its hosts, please visit: https://goodtotalk.co
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss the importance of consistency in our pursuits. Quick results and life hacks don't bring the deep and meaningful growth that time, energy, and effort yield. Even though it isn't always fun or flashy, quiet persistence is the secret to success.As always, thank you to everyone who listens along with us.If you'd like more information about Good to Talk or its hosts, please visit: https://goodtotalk.co
In this episode, Jeremiah and E meander through a conversation about creativity. Our belief is that creativity is essential to living a whole existence, fostering insights into self awareness, healing, hope.As always, thank you to everyone who listens along with us.If you'd like more information about Good to Talk or its hosts, please visit: https://goodtotalk.co
In this episode, Jeremiah and E continue a three part series about burnout, finding balance, and making space for self. Here we discuss some practical ways to fight burnout and create space for self, applying Aristotle's Golden Mean and pondering three questions we can ask ourselves throughout our days that will hopefully point us back towards balance and away from burnout. As always, thank you to everyone who listens along with us.If you'd like more information about Good to Talk or its hosts, please visit: https://goodtotalk.co
In this episode, Jeremiah and E continue a three part series about burnout, finding balance, and making space for self. Here we discuss balance through the concept of eudaimonia, living a good and harmonious life along the middle path. As always, thank you to everyone who listens along with us.If you'd like more information about Good to Talk or its hosts, please visit: https://goodtotalk.co
In this episode, Jeremiah and E start a three part series about burnout, finding balance, and making space for self. Here we discuss what burnout is, what it feels like and how to recognize it, and where it usually appears in our lives.As always, thank you to everyone who listens along with us.If you'd like more information about Good to Talk or its hosts, please visit: https://goodtotalk.co
Happy New Year 2025 from Jeremiah and E! In this episode, we discuss how setting goals can be an opportunity to intentionally grow and evolve and actualize into the people we want to become.Thank you to everyone who listens along with us. We wish everyone a happy New Year and hope you can move into this year being the whole person, you choose to be.If you'd like more information about Good to Talk or its hosts, please visit: https://goodtotalk.co
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss what it means to find moments of intentional introspection amidst the busyness of the holiday season. Thank you to everyone who listens along with us. We wish everyone a happy holiday and hope you can find time to reflect on the things in your life that bring you joy.If you'd like more information about Good to Talk or its hosts, please visit: https://goodtotalk.co
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss thankfulness. Gratitude is a quiet rebellion in a world that often calls us to face and feel the stress that surrounds us. We can foster thankfulness through awareness, intentionality, and acts of expression.Thank you to everyone who listens along with us. We wish everyone a happy thanksgiving holiday and hope you can find time to reflect on the things in your life that bring you a sense of gratitude.If you'd like more information about Good to Talk or its hosts, please visit: https://goodtotalk.co
In this episode, Jeremiah and E are exploring our default behaviors and stress responses and how they don't always serve us well in our everyday lives. Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn can be helpful automatic responses for emergencies, but sometimes they aren't well suited for our more casual everyday interactions with friends, family, coworkers, etc. When feeling threatened, often it can be helpful to instead pause and think, then speak or act, rather than letting autopilot take control and leaping into a stress response headfirst. Here we combine these ideas with Shane Parrish's social, ego, emotional, and inertia defaults. (Part 2)As always, thank you to everyone who listens along with us.If you'd like more information about Good to Talk or its hosts, please visit: https://goodtotalk.co
In this episode, Jeremiah and E are exploring our default behaviors and stress responses and how they don't always serve us well in our everyday lives. Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn can be helpful automatic responses for emergencies, but sometimes they aren't well suited for our more casual everyday interactions with friends, family, coworkers, etc. When feeling threatened, often it can be helpful to instead pause and think, then speak or act, rather than letting autopilot take control and leaping into a stress response headfirst. Here we combine these ideas with Shane Parrish's social, ego, emotional, and inertia defaults.As always, thank you to everyone who listens along with us.If you'd like more information about Good to Talk or its hosts, please visit: https://goodtotalk.co
In this episode, Jeremiah and E are exploring making friends as an adult. Jeremiah has pinpointed ten aspects of how friendship forms. For another podcast focused on friendship, check out Episode 29 from Season 2.As always, thank you to everyone who listens along with us. If you'd like more information about Good to Talk or its hosts, please visit: https://goodtotalk.co
In celebration of pride month, this episode features Jeremiah and E discussing a brief history of the LGBTQ community through the lens of film history. We cover themes of societal acceptance, community, identity, and the importance of queer representation. A special note is that we forgot to talk about 2022's Heartstopper, which E loves immensely. The Birdcage (1996) and Heartstopper (2022) are our staff picks.Rock Hudson (1925-1985)The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)The World According to Garp (1982)DSM-III-R (1987)Orlando (1992)Philadelphia (1993)To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything Julie Newmar (1995)Birdcage (1996)Queer Coding: Disney villains LeFou, Jafar, ScarMulan (1998)Boys Don't Cry (1999)Brokeback Mountain (2005)Kinky Boots (2005)Milk (2008)A Single Man (2009)Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)DSM-V (2013)Dallas Buyers Club (2013)Orange is the New Black (2013)The Danish Girl (2015)Moonlight (2016)Call Me By Your Name (2017)A Fantastic Woman (2017)Love Simon (2018)Boy Erased (2018)Pose (2018)Disclosure (2020)Heartstopper (2022)As always, thank you for listening along with us!
In this episode, Jeremiah and E share their reflections for the eleventh and final installment of our season four series, Engaging the Enneagram. For an overview primer about the Enneagram, please listen to our first episode of this series, Engaging the Enneagram, or check out our season one, four-part series Understanding the Enneagram, where we explore the triads of the Enneagram.For more information, please visit our website's dedicated section for all things Enneagram: https://goodtotalk.co/enneagram As always, thank you for listening along with us!
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss personality Type 1, "the Reformer," for the tenth installment of our season four series, Engaging the Enneagram. For an overview primer about the Enneagram, please listen to our first episode of this series, Engaging the Enneagram, or check out our season one, four-part series Understanding the Enneagram, where we explore the triads of the Enneagram.For more information, please visit our website's dedicated section for all things Enneagram: https://goodtotalk.co/enneagram As always, thank you for listening along with us!
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss personality Type 9, "the Peacemaker," for the ninth installment of our season four series, Engaging the Enneagram. For an overview primer about the Enneagram, please listen to our first episode of this series, Engaging the Enneagram, or check out our season one, four-part series Understanding the Enneagram, where we explore the triads of the Enneagram.For more information, please visit our website's dedicated section for all things Enneagram: https://goodtotalk.co/enneagram As always, thank you for listening along with us!
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss personality Type 8, "the Challenger," for the eighth installment of our season four series, Engaging the Enneagram. For an overview primer about the Enneagram, please listen to our first episode of this series, Engaging the Enneagram, or check out our season one, four-part series Understanding the Enneagram, where we explore the triads of the Enneagram.For more information, please visit our website's dedicated section for all things Enneagram: https://goodtotalk.co/enneagram As always, thank you for listening along with us!
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss personality Type 7, "the Enthusiast," for the seventh installment of our season four series, Engaging the Enneagram. For an overview primer about the Enneagram, please listen to our first episode of this series, Engaging the Enneagram, or check out our season one, four-part series Understanding the Enneagram, where we explore the triads of the Enneagram.For more information, please visit our website's dedicated section for all things Enneagram: https://goodtotalk.co/enneagram As always, thank you for listening along with us!
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss personality Type 6, "the Loyalist," for the sixth installment of our season four series, Engaging the Enneagram. For an overview primer about the Enneagram, please listen to our first episode of this series, Engaging the Enneagram, or check out our season one, four-part series Understanding the Enneagram, where we explore the triads of the Enneagram.For more information, please visit our website's dedicated section for all things Enneagram: https://goodtotalk.co/enneagram As always, thank you for listening along with us!
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss personality Type 5, "the Investigator," for the fifth installment of our season four series, Engaging the Enneagram. For an overview primer about the Enneagram, please listen to our first episode of this series, Engaging the Enneagram, or check out our season one, four-part series Understanding the Enneagram, where we explore the triads of the Enneagram.For more information, please visit our website's dedicated section for all things Enneagram: https://goodtotalk.co/enneagram As always, thank you for listening along with us!
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss personality Type 4 for the fourth installment of our season four series, Engaging the Enneagram. For an overview primer about the Enneagram, please listen to our first episode of this series, Engaging the Enneagram, or check out our season one four-part series Understanding the Enneagram, where we explore the triads of the Enneagram.For more information, please visit our website's dedicated section for all things Enneagram: https://goodtotalk.co/enneagram As always, thank you for listening along with us!
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss personality Type 3 for the third installment of our season four series, Engaging the Enneagram. For an overview primer about the Enneagram, please listen to our first episode of this series, Engaging the Enneagram, or check out our season one four-part series Understanding the Enneagram, where we explore the triads of the Enneagram.For more information, please visit our website's dedicated section for all things Enneagram: https://goodtotalk.co/enneagram As always, thank you for listening along with us!
In this episode, Jeremiah and E move into the second installment of our Season 4 Enneagram series: Engaging the Enneagram. The initial "Engaging the Enneagram" episode serves as a primer for the series, but here we are starting with our first number, Type 2 or "The Helper." In case you're wondering what happened, we are waiting to visit Type 1 or "The Reformer" until our 10th episode of the series. If you'd like further overview context for the Enneagram, we have already released a four part series on the triads of the Enneagram back in our first season. So, please have a listen to those episodes as well, if that sounds interesting. All of our Enneagram related content also exists on the dedicated Enneagram page of our website: https://goodtotalk.co/enneagramAs always, thank you for listening along with us! We are very excited for this series!
In this episode, Jeremiah and E are starting a new series about the Enneagram. Here, we aim to give a bit of historical context for the Enneagram, examine why it can be helpful, think about how to approach it with self awareness, and then give a brief overview of the nine types. In the coming weeks we will be devoting whole episodes to each of the individual numbers in order to thoroughly explore each type in depth. Our hope is to empower the listener with a framework and vocabulary to better understand themselves and their relationships with others. Because the Enneagram can be a bit confusing at first if you're unfamiliar with it, we highly recommend checking out the resources on our website to supplement your listening journey.As always, thank you for listening along with us! We are very much looking forward to this series!https://goodtotalk.co/enneagram
In this episode, Jeremiah and E explore setting ourselves up for intentional living so we can achieve our goals more easily and hold patience for our efforts to bloom. From both of us, we wish everyone a happy new year full of kindness, connection, and contentment. Here's to 2024!As always, thank you to everyone who listens along with us. If you'd like more information about Good to Talk or its hosts, please visit: https://goodtotalk.co
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss the complicated relationships that many of us have with the holiday season. As we gather with loved ones and hopefully have a bit of extra time on our hands, we might find ourselves attempting to make sense of the year past, including its obstacles, while looking toward our larger stories. In spite of the often numerous stressors, here we unpack ways to create meaning for ourselves and our loved ones this holiday season.Thank you to everyone who listens along with us. We wish everyone a happy holiday and hope you can find time to reflect on the things in your life that bring you joy.If you'd like more information about Good to Talk or its hosts, please visit: https://goodtotalk.co
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss the benefits of living a thankful life. Examining our expectations and staying mindful of our values allows us to live consciously and place context around minor frustrations and even major losses. Though choosing an orientation of thankfulness will not shield us from hard emotions, it will help us move through our difficult feelings more healthily.Thank you to everyone who listens along with us. We wish everyone a happy thanksgiving holiday and hope you can find time to reflect on the things in your life that bring you a sense of gratitude. If you'd like more information about Good to Talk or its hosts, please visit: https://goodtotalk.co
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss what it means to have a growth oriented frame of consciousness. So much of our existence and experience in life is determined by how we interpret the events that are consistently happening around us. Whether consciously or subconsciously, we are always taking in these stimuli and filtering them through our personal internal operating system in our minds, choosing how to adapt and respond to each and every situation. Our hope for this episode is to illuminate the two paths of a Growth Mindset and a Fixed Mindset and by the end, hopefully embolden all of us to find more personal agency, healthy resilience, and an optimistic anticipation of our future selves.
In this episode, Jeremiah and E continue exploring what it means to exist with a communal mindset. Here we discuss Cosmopolitanism, Oikeiôsis, and Sympatheia and how these philosophies can be internalized and applied to our lives. With active empathy, mindful reflection, and the ability to find places of purpose, we can better exist, "In It Together."As always, thank you for listening along with us. If you'd like to find out more about our podcast, please visit our website at https://goodtotalk.co .
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss what it means to come together in a world that often feels fractured and distant. Though we are not experts on politics or international relations, we believe we are in a particularly difficult time where seeking understanding and empathy can be profoundly challenging for all of us, especially when so many of us believe that those around us are ill-intentioned. Here we introduce the well established concepts of cosmopolitanism, oikeiôsis, and sympatheia.As always, thank you for listening along with us. If you'd like to find out more about our podcast, please visit our website at https://goodtotalk.co .
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss what it means to really intentionally connect to our selves. It begins with the practice of slowing down and taking inventory of what we notice and experience in our bodies and senses. From there we can start to analyze what is most important about our experiences and release what isn't ours to carry forward. From this awareness comes the work of consciously examining our beliefs and choosing what parts of ourselves to bring into the future.As always. thank you for listening along with us. If you'd like to find out more about our podcast, please visit our website at https://goodtotalk.co
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss how to process well. As we discussed in our last episode, we are all going through a lot in this day and age, and it can feel a bit like swimming in too deep of water for too long without being able to make it back to the shallows. That has led us all to feel a bit more on edge, a bit more tired and exhausted, with a little less to give and a lot more to make sense of…Finding a way to process the ever mounting and increasing difficulties of life is something that can at times prove difficult. The term “process” is often a term Jeremiah uses many times throughout the day as a therapist, but it can be easy to forget that some people might benefit from a bit of an explanation as to what those in the mental health industry mean when using it. Here we unpack what it means to process.As always, thank you for listening along with us. If you'd like to contact us, please visit our website at https://goodtotalk.co .
In this episode, Jeremiah and E explore existential dread. Jeremiah has increasingly noticed folks in therapy with him feeling an overarching sense that things aren't okay and the that they're only going to get worse. Not quite the same as depression, anxiety, or ennui, this uncertainty and insecurity is more in the camp of dread and despair that is focused on everything and nothing all at once. Living in this, it is more and more difficult to feel secure in our world and find meaningfulness in our lives. Simply put, there is a whole lot going on and it is scary, difficult, and sometimes feels unrelenting. Here, we turn our attention to what we can do and how we can find a path forward when Facing Existential Dread.As always, thank you for listening along with us. If you'd like to know more about the podcast or if you'd like to connect with us, please visit our website at https://goodtotalk.co
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss the ways in which our strengths and weaknesses can often be two sides of the same coin. This paradox of our gifts and curses can often be so ingrained in our behaviors that we don't always see the ways we become stuck. Understanding our strengths will hopefully help us better see that our weaknesses often come from choosing (or defaulting) to our usual approaches , and then missing or neglecting other parts of our personalities and potential. Here, we examine the ways in which we can become enmeshed in the strengths of self, grow awareness in the less used parts of our personalities, and talk through some of the paths to finding balance that bring out the best of ourselves.As always, thank you for listening along with us!If you'd like more information about our podcast, please visit our website at https://goodtotalk.co
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss what it means to approach ourselves and others with grace and dignity, and find some reframes that empower us all as we live in our bodies, care for our bodies, and share them with others. Because it is such a complex topic, we tried to keep containment around broad ideas of body image and won't be diving deeply into specifics on nutrition, exercise, issues with eating, differences between male and female body image issues, which are many, cultural expectations, body dysmorphia, self harm, or medical interventions and issues with aging. Instead, we chose to focus our conversation on broader concepts like the illusion of arrival in regards to self image, the power of acceptance, and how our desires can help fuel a sense of discipline. As always, thank you for joining us and listening along.If you would like to offer any feedback or request for us to cover a new topic, please email us at thegoodtotalks@gmail.com
In this episode, Jeremiah and E revisit what healthy friendship looks like. Healthy friendship revels in shared experiences, joys and troubles. Healthy friendships find balance and allow space for curiosity, celebration, vulnerability, and companionship.As always, thank you for listening along with us!If you'd like to message us or find more content, please visit our website at goodtotalk.co
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss the process of building habits. As Will Durant says, "We are what we repeatedly do." Success, then, is not so much an act of will, as it is a series of smaller choices. Our habits ultimately determine our longterm progress. Celebrating daily milestones, rather than destinations, understanding the cost of saying yes or no, and framing our actions as an extension of identity can all help us in forming better habits.
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss what it means to be conscious of our patterns and make changes as the demands on our time shift. Most of us would say that we are currently carrying something in our lives that we should probably just let go, though humans are at the same time a notoriously sentimental group who don't do well with change. At our base level, saying goodbye and moving on is not our strong suit as a species. As always, thank you for listening along with us. If you'd like to contact us or find out more about our podcast, you can visit our website at: goodtotalk.co
In this episode, Jeremiah and E explore the importance of apologies along with some strategies for better relational communication. No matter how great your relationships are or how much you love and care for your loved ones, friends and family, at some point in time, you will have conflict and need to apologize. One of the most common topics in therapy, and not just in couples counseling, is how to repair. Many of us struggle to say sorry. There is profound strength and freedom in an apology that lets the person you care about know you both care and understand. If you go back and listen to our Romantic Communication episode, you will know just how much the need to feel understood is at the heart of most disruption and how letting go of right and wrong and refocusing on understanding can wonderfully shift communication.
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss the often unexplored space in between that we too frequently pass over for productivity or purpose. Letting ourselves stop to smell the proverbial roses can actually be a profoundly important part of our mental and emotional well being. If we can create the space and mindfulness in our everyday lives to curate curiosity, we might find that wonder and joy still very much exist in our worlds. We just need to offer ourselves a little bit of space to seek it. As always, thank you for listening along with us. Please visit us on our website at goodtotalk.co to find extra content or listen to our episodes available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, and Stitcher.
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss the path to and value of simplifying our lives amidst all our ever-present complications and distractions. While there are profound needs that continue to exist around the globe, we also live in a time of overwhelming abundance. Not just abundance of goods and services, but a glut of access to information and entertainment. This overabundance creates a fascinating paradox for most humans, as we don't do well with excess. Our brains and bodies are not engineered to handle such a surplus and it makes us profoundly vulnerable to advertising, marketing, and social media, which in turn makes it more and more difficult to try and figure out both personal questions of identity (who am I, what do I actually like, how do I feel, etc.) and societal perspectives (how do I really feel about blank, what is the right or ethical view for this issue, etc.). To put it simply, We are given so much that we don't notice what we have lost. As always, thank you for listening along with us!
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss how to define a good life and then what it means to make daily choices to move us in a direction of growth and health. Enter virtue ethics. Thankfully, we are not the first to contemplate what a good life looks like or how to pursue an integrated self that lives out our personal virtues with authenticity and dignity. Humans have been exploring this topic throughout recorded history. Ethics, as a philosophical category, deals with the overarching concepts of what is right, wrong, and/or neutral and how those ideas apply to human behavior and morality. Through virtue ethics, deontology, and consequentialism, we examine our core values, how they shape our actions, and ultimately move us into growth and flourishing. As always, thank you for joining us.
In this episode, Jeremiah and E explore how to make progress. Feeling stuck or struggling to make progress can be a point of frustration for many of us. In this episode, we unpack some of the meta-narratives standing in our way and highlight some of the important ideas to make sense of in moving forward. Planning long-term, acting short-term, and taking radical ownership of our stories all help us grow towards our goals.
In this episode, Jeremiah and E continue discussing the benefits of open-mindedness. If you haven't already, check out Episode 45, part one of this topic. In part two, we discuss some of the ways in which we can become more self aware, keep an open mind, and not stand in the way of our own rational thinking and growth. Open-mindedness offers us a freedom to be helped by the strengths and perspectives of those around us. It also frees us for greater growth, recognizing that no decision is set in stone and we always have the freedom to change. Last, and perhaps most importantly, open-mindedness facilitates understanding. An open mindset creates opportunity for discussion, disagreement, and ultimately learning. As always, thank you for listening along with us!
In this episode, we are interrupting our two part series on open mindedness to discuss Romantic Communication in honor of Valentine's Day. Though Valentine's day can feel a bit like a marketing scheme, it is also an excellent opportunity to purposely focus on gratitude and celebration of the ones we love and hold dearest. In this episode, we explore the importance of good communication strategies, intentionality, and empathy in our relationships.
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss the difficulties and dangers of being close minded. It can be difficult to remain open minded when we derive much of our relational security from being right. Our egos tell us that being right means gaining power, having autonomy, and ultimately finding acceptance. Our sense of emotional security and even our own physiology can work against us making maintaining an open mind incredibly difficult. Here we consider some of the reasons it can be profoundly difficult to live openly. In part two, we discuss some of the ways in which we can become more self aware, keep an open mind, and not stand in the way of our own rational thinking and growth.
Jeremiah and E are kicking off Season 3 with an episode about the importance of Creativity. From our earliest ancestors, creativity has played a massive role in finding fulfillment in existence. Invention, abstract thinking, imagination can help us serve others and expand our worlds in positive ways and be a place of much purpose across the human lifespan. As always, thank you for joining us!Visit our website at:https://goodtotalk.coFollow us on Instagram at:https://instagram.com/goodtotalk.co
Happy New Year! The first episode of 2023 is also the final episode of Season 2. In this episode, Jeremiah and E consider what it means to name goals and keep ourselves motivated while achieving them. As we often begin, doing the work of reflection is an important first step in accomplishment. Understanding the deeper threads running through our desires will ultimately help us set appropriately tailored goals and also facilitate our ability to stay motivated. Dreaming and establishing vision will help insulate us from failures and setbacks by better focusing our efforts. Lastly, inspiration and willful commitment will ultimately carry us forward towards a more fulfilling flow of life. As always, thank you for joining us!
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss the challenges of living and giving generously. Because the holidays can often represent a season of stress for many of us, we wanted to examine how we can make this time of year less about obligations and frantic plan-making and more of a chance to slow down, reflect, celebrate, and enjoy our time with friends and family. We wish you a very happy holiday and hope that you can enjoy the good flow of life to its fullest!
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss the impact movies can have on our lives. A good film can expose us to new ideas and opportunities and offer us a glimpse of a life we may never otherwise see. Inspiring our imaginations and broadening our perspectives, this is a lighthearted episode about appreciating cinema.
In this episode, Jeremiah and E discuss why counting our blessings works. Gratitude is desire fulfilled. It's the culmination of what we want and what now get to enjoy. Sadly, few of us actively engage our desires in this way and thus miss out on our full potential for feeling fulfilled and to be at peace. Gratitude takes awareness and practice, but it gives joy and brings peace.
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