SuperPsyched with Dr. Adam Dorsay

Dr. Adam Dorsay introduces SuperPsyched and welcomes mythologist and storyteller Dr. Michael Meade for his third appearance to discuss Meade’s book The Heart of Transformation and what ancient wisdom offers amid rapid change and AI. Meade contrasts techne (tools/efficiency) with gnosis (deep knowing), argues AI is soulless, and frames the present as a liminal “betwixt and between” rite-of-passage moment in which old institutions are hollowing out while renewal is possible through awakening the “heart within the heart,” imagination, and authenticity. He emphasizes darkness as the source of creation, recounts the Lascaux cave discovery during WWII as an initiatory image, and shares his own rite-of-passage experience in solitary confinement after refusing Vietnam orders. Meade urges inner connection, communitas beyond politics, and mentoring youth by modeling authenticity and planting seeds.
00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched
00:42 Meet Michael Meade
02:15 Writing in a Frenzy
03:16 Ireland and the Otherworld
06:00 AI Versus Soul
06:36 Techne and Gnosis
08:49 Heart Within Heart
11:39 Liminal Times and Anxiety
13:27 Institutions in Collapse
16:48 Communitas and Genius
20:57 Darkness as Renewal
23:02 Nasruddin and the Lost Key
26:47 Turning Inward for Soul
30:36 Cave of the Heart
31:26 Lascaux in Wartime
34:19 Synchronicity And Reading
36:15 Modern Life Lacks Rites
36:45 Three Steps Of Initiation
38:15 Vietnam Draft And Solitary
42:12 Descent Or Help Needed
43:58 Metamorphosis And Inner Center
46:32 Authenticity And Connection
50:03 Mentoring Youth Genius
56:14 Drumming Storytelling Tradition
59:50 Rhythm Unity And Culture
01:02:15 Closing Gratitude And Farewell
HELPFUL LINKS:
Michael Meade
The Heart of Transformation Book
Michael Meade Facebook
Michael Meade Instagram
Michael Meade YouTube
Michael Meade Substack

Dr. Adam Dorsay introduces SuperPsyched and recounts seeing The Head and the Heart live, highlighting Matty Gervais’s unusual audience connection and post-show conversations that led to this interview. Matty describes growing up in Seattle during the grunge era, starting music young, and developing through practice rather than innate talent, embracing a lifelong “artist becoming” mindset. He discusses joining the band as the “new guy,” eventually feeling more integrated around the making of Aperture, and reframing performance as being in service of others through vulnerability. Matty explains how psychological safety supports creativity and how the band uses regular group therapy tools, including saying “I am not equipped to discuss this right now.” He explores nature and bodily sensation as creative grounding, reciprocal energy with audiences, the meaning of “People Need a Melody,” and challenges of touring and parenting while being married to bandmate Charity. He concludes that not taking yourself so seriously would improve life.
00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched
00:28 Concert Connection Moment
02:29 Meet Matty Gervais
02:52 Seattle Roots and Grunge
04:33 Learning Through Practice
09:30 Everyone Is a Teacher
12:51 Joining the Band
16:16 Finding Your Place Post COVID
19:42 Psychological Safety and Therapy
27:54 Conflict Versus Collaboration
29:46 Feeding Creativity With Awe
31:27 Stage Presence Physics
34:18 Audience Feedback Loop
36:20 Running Into The Crowd
39:49 After Show Conversations
44:49 Bandmates As Spouses
48:27 Fatherhood And Awe
51:23 Coming Down After Shows
53:46 Why People Need Melody
57:54 Not Taking Life Seriously
01:00:43 Closing Thanks And Outro
HELPFUL LINKS:
Head and the Heart Website
Head and the Heart YouTube
The Head and the Heart Instagram
Matty Gervais Instagram

Dr. Adam Dorsay introduces SuperPsyched and interviews Dr. Stan Tatkin, founder of The PACT Institute, about how nonverbal cues and stress shape communication in love relationships. Tatkin explains that subcortical threat detection, negativity bias, and pattern recognition rapidly interpret faces, tone, posture, and proximity, often creating “threat loops” that make partners pro-self rather than pro-relationship. He argues people are poor lie detectors, narratives are biased, and misunderstandings are common because most behavior is automatic and memory is unreliable and state-dependent. Tatkin discusses controversies around Paul Ekman’s universality claims and misuse in forensics, while noting that studying faces can increase empathy. His practical guidance emphasizes fast repair and apology to prevent negative events entering long-term memory, giving partners permission to cue each other’s automatic behaviors, planning for stress, working the problem rather than each other, and building shared purpose and principles so purpose—not feelings—protects the relationship.
00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched
00:28 Why Body Signals Matter
00:55 Meet Stan Tatkin
02:54 Threat Brain in Love
08:22 Negative Memory Loops
10:32 Myths About Lie Detection
15:59 Truth in Therapy Sessions
18:26 Misunderstanding and Memory
21:17 Reading Faces and Bodies
23:00 Resting Face Misfires
23:32 Mirroring Misreads
24:07 Resting Face Signals
25:58 Stress Makes It Personal
27:51 Cueing Your Partner
30:03 Plan For The Devils
31:21 Strategize As Romance
33:56 Ekman Controversy Check
36:01 Curiosity Under Stress
37:18 Repair Fast Apologize
39:30 Purpose Over Feelings
41:17 Closing Thanks

Helpful Links:
Dr. Stan Tatkin LinkedIn
Dr. Stan Tatkin YouTube
Dr. Stan Tatkin Instagram
Pact Institute

Dr. Adam Dorsay introduces SuperPsyched and interviews New York Times bestselling author Nir Eyal about his book Beyond Belief, co-written with Julie Li, on how beliefs—distinct from facts—shape behavior and outcomes. Eyal explains the book’s origin in reader calls about Indistractable and argues motivation is a triangle of behavior, benefit, and belief, with belief as the keystone. They discuss changing beliefs through evidence, how attention can amplify pain, and research on pain reprocessing, placebo/nocebo effects, and hypnos-sedation, including case studies of surgery without anesthesia and a placebo “overdose.” Eyal warns that labels can become limits, shares how reframing his ADHD-related beliefs reduced shame and anxiety, contrasts Dorsay’s experience of diagnosis as empowering, and highlights internal locus of control as beneficial. Eyal’s “insider skill” is intellectual humility and distinguishing faith, fact, and belief.
00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched
00:28 Beliefs Shape Outcomes
02:21 Why Nir Wrote It
04:53 Motivation Needs Belief07:35 Beliefs Are Tools
10:34 Science That Feels Magic

13:16 Pain Without Suffering
16:48 Nocebo and Labels
20:48 ADHD and Identity
25:56 Internal Locus Control
28:04 Final Skill Humility
31:16 Closing Thanks

HELPFUL LINKS:
Nir Eyal
Nir Eyal LinkedIn
Nir Eyal YouTube
Nir Eyal Instagram
Beyond Belief Book
Indistractable Book

Host Dr. Adam Dorsay introduces SuperPsyched and longtime guest Jungian analyst Dr. James “Jim” Hollis for a personal conversation about Hollis’s life and lessons. Hollis says he’d reassure his younger self that an inner compass can guide one’s path, and that denying inner truth shows up externally. He reflects that others’ approval, especially parents’, mattered less than self-trust and leaving “home” psychologically to live one’s own journey. He describes a major mistake of intellectualizing emotions, leading to depression at 35 and retraining in Zurich as a Jungian analyst. He emphasizes permission to own one’s life, discernment amid internal and external “traffic,” and courage in the face of fear and risk. Hollis discusses love as enduring mutual support, parenting without imposing unlived agendas, friendship built on shared values and trust, happiness now and at his children’s births, grieving his son Timothy while continuing relationship through memory and values, and gratitude for taking big risks and for supportive people.
00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched
00:28 Meeting James Hollis
02:28 What I Wish I Knew
07:23 Leaving Home and Approval
11:46 Self Trust and Permission
18:03 Mistakes and Depression
24:26 Purpose in Hard Times
25:57 Relationships That Matter
29:12 Love Beyond Romance
38:48 Fear Risk and Courage
40:55 Happiness and Mortality
43:14 Grief and Losing a Child
51:39 Wisdom Friendship and Gratitude
57:57 Final Thanks and Farewell

Helpful Links:
Dr. James HollisT
he Middle Passage Book
Other Books