We Can Do Hard Things

424. Living with Bipolar Disorder: Cameron Esposito Stand-up comedian, actor, writer and friend, Cameron Esposito joins us for a conversation about being diagnosed and living with bipolar disorder. -Cameron takes us inside a manic episode and shares what it really felt like-The beauty and heartbreak of loving someone with a mental illness-What it means to be a witness to your own pain and your life-How comedy changes on and off medication for Cameron Cameron Esposito is a standup comic, actor & writer. A nationally and internationally touring headliner, Cameron has released three specials, including the culture-shifting Rape Jokes, and three albums, the award-winning Same Sex Symbol amongst them. As an actor, Cameron has been seen on Netflix, Max, Prime Video, Hulu & many more, as well as in big budget movies & Sundance indies. Cameron is the author of the bestselling book, Save Yourself, about growing up very religious and very gay and hosted the long-running podcast, Queery.Cameron will be on tour with their next hour of standup in select cities this year before it debuts at Chicago’s famed Steppenwolf Theater in the fall. Cameron Esposito released their newest standup special, Four Pills—about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 40 – on comedy streaming service Dropout to broad acclaim; it was featured in Variety, the LA Times and People. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

416. How Their Friendship Became a Revolution | Leisha Hailey & Kate Moennig of The L Word Leisha Hailey and Kate Moennig, stars of The L Word, discuss their new book, “So Gay for You: Friendship, Found Family, and the Show That Started It All,” an intimate, hilarious memoir of art, friendship and queerness. How Kate and Leisha met; their first impressions of each other and going in for the same role The impact and legacy of The L Word and Glennon’s recent introduction to the show Rainbow capitalism, the pressure to publicly “come out,” and the joys of found family LEISHA HAILEY is an actor, director, executive producer, musician, and podcaster. Hailey is best known for her beloved breakout character Alice Pieszecki in the revolutionary Showtime series The L Word and the reboot, The L Word: Generation Q. Before making her mark on-screen, Hailey cofounded the band The Murmurs in the 1990s, recording three albums for MCA/Universal Records and touring worldwide, including with Lilith Fair. More than a decade later, in 2007, Hailey cofounded the indie pop band Uh Huh Her, which toured internationally and sold albums worldwide. KATE MOENNIG is a critically acclaimed actor and executive producer whose work spans film, television, and theater. She is most known for her iconic role as Shane McCutcheon in the Showtime series The L Word and the reboot, The L Word: Generation Q. Moennig has also starred in Showtime’s hit series Ray Donovan and in Freeform’s breakout series Grown-ish. Moennig’s film credits include the neo-noir legal thriller The Lincoln Lawyer, Lane 1974, and Terry Zwigoff's Art School Confidential. Most recently she can be seen in Liz Feldman's series No Good Deed on Netflix. She currently cohosts the podcast PANTS with Kate and Leisha. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Best Advice We’ve Ever Received Today, Glennon, Abby, and Amanda remember – and share! – the best advice they’ve ever received: How to honor your needs and become the ultimate expert of you; Why we all need a friend who believes in our greatness; How to encourage your kids to live open-hearted; And why Glennon’s truest thing is that she doesn’t know anything. Plus, we hear from two pod treasures – Sara Bareilles and Glennon’s 7th grade government teacher, Mrs. Yalen – on their best advice. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ross Gay teaches us how to notice delight and joy in our everyday lives. We discuss: concrete ways to rediscover and capture joy every day; how to rebuild your “delight muscle”; how to dissolve the myth of disconnection between us; and how to “unknow” our people so we can delight in them. About Ross: Ross Gay is an American poet, essayist, and professor committed to healing the world through observing and articulating joy, delight and gratitude. He won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry and the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award for his 2014 book, Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, which was also a finalist for the National Book Award for Poetry. A devoted community gardener, Ross is a founding board member of the Bloomington Community Orchard, a non-profit, free-fruit-for-all food justice and joy project. A college football player, he is a founding editor of the online sports magazine Some Call it Ballin'. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

415. Are You Addicted to Drama? How to Know & How to Fix it with Dr. Scott Lyons Dr. Scott Lyons, a licensed holistic psychologist and author, discusses the concept of drama addiction. He explains the physiological and psychological mechanisms behind this addiction, how to know if you have one, and how we can begin to break free from these cycles. -The top question to ask to yourself to understand your trauma -Why you may feel unsafe when relaxed -How drama addiction shows up in our own bodies -Why boredom is actually a good sign on the path to healing -Beginner steps to start divesting from drama Dr. Scott Lyons is a licensed holistic psychologist, educator and author of the best selling book Addicted to Drama: Healing Dependency on Crisis and Chaos in Yourself and Others Scott is also the host of The Gently Used Human Podcast, a delightfully depthful and often hilarious exploration of what it is to be human, to have lived life, and come out gently used. As a renowned body-based trauma expert and Mind-Body Medicine specialist, Scott also helps people to break free from cycles of pain, limited beliefs, and trauma. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

414. Candace Parker: WHAT’S THE COST OF GREATNESS? Basketball legend, Candace Parker, joins Abby and Amanda to discuss her illustrious career, her new book, The Can Do Mindset, and explore themes of ambition, sacrifice, and the cost of greatness. -The surprising reason Candace doesn’t like fame, and what she wants instead -Candace’s distinction between a boss and a leader that rocked Abby’s world -How to call someone you love to a higher version of themselves -Candace’s definition of “enough” and how she works to reach it Candace Parker has already solidified herself as one of the most influential athletes of this generation. After being selected as the No 1. overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks, following a champion career at Tennessee, Parker went on to become the first player to earn WNBA MVP and Rookie of the Year honors in the same season, win three WNBA championship titles, and take home two Olympic gold medals. Off the court, and since retired, she serves as a public speaker, activist, entrepreneur, studio broadcaster for NBA on TNT, and a wife and mother of three. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1. The one question to ask yourself when deciding whether it’s time to quit something. 2. Why Glennon actually believes that quitting each day is necessary for her survival. 3. The big quits that led Abby to Glennon. 4. Amanda’s unexpected great relief—and hope for your relief—in learning about how we’re all just as happy as we’re ever going to be. (And how, as expected, Glennon disagrees.) 5. Rethinking the ending of a marriage as a positive quit and how to talk to friends going through it. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1. The question Carson’s sister asked that made him radically reimagine his life. 2. Why Carson is having the best sex of his life. 3. How Carson received sign-off from his Mormon Bishop for his first queer date. 4. The accident that left Carson paralyzed from the chest down at 23. 5. How ableism hurts us all. About Carson: Carson Tueller is a coach, speaker and activist whose work provides people with the tools they need to live authentic, fulfilling, and powerful lives. He identifies as queer and disabled. Carson grew up as a Mormon in a military family moving around a lot before settling in Utah. His own journey into powerful living began in 2013 when, in the same year, he came out, and was then injured in an accident that paralyzed him from the chest down. Since then, Carson has brought his work to international nonprofits and presidential campaigns – and when he isn’t coaching or speaking, Carson can be found at the gym, reading non-fiction, or playing Pokemon with his niece and nephews. TW: ⁠@carson_tueller⁠ IG: ⁠@carson_tueller⁠ #disabilitypride #disabilitypridemonth To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

413. 7 Questions To Reclaim Yourself with Dr. Thema Bryant Psychologist, author, professor, and minister, Dr. Thema Bryant, joins us to explore how to rebuild a relationship with yourself and why healing that relationship is the foundation for real connection with others. -The essential shift to stop believing your wounded self is your whole self -Why you are worthy of grieving—and why recognizing that changes everything -How to end the hunger for safety—and what to trust instead -How to stop constantly running and finally learn to stand still -The question Abby asked that made Amanda nauseous. Dr. Thema Bryant is a psychologist, professor, sacred artist, minister and author of the new book Matters of the Heart, who teaches how to create healthy relationships, heal trauma, and overcome stress and oppression. She is a professor of psychology at Pepperdine University, where she directs the Culture and Trauma Research Laboratory. Dr. Tayma is an ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and leads the mental health ministry at First A.M.E. Church in Los Angeles. She was the 2023 president of the American Psychological Association (APA) and is the host of The Homecoming Podcast. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

412. Trusting Yourself Again with Dr. Hillary McBride Psychologist and researcher, Dr. Hillary McBride, joins us to discuss healing spiritual wounds and learning to trust yourself again. -Why every family is a religion—and every adult is healing from it-How we lose touch with our own needs and desires—and the steps to reconnect and trust ourselves again.-Why having a rescuer fantasy takes us away from critical thinking and our own autonomy-The two main reasons why you might fall into a high-control group Dr. Hillary McBride is a Registered Psychologist, researcher, podcaster, author, and speaker, - She has lived experience and clinical expertise in the areas of trauma, embodiment, eating disorders, and the intersection of spirituality and mental health. Her research has focused on women's relationships with their bodies across the lifespan, and her books include: Mothers, Daughters, and Body Image; Embodiment and Eating Disorders; The Wisdom of Your Body; and Practices for Embodied Living. Her latest book Holy Hurt: Understanding Spiritual Trauma and the Process of Healing is available now. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Recently, Glennon and Abby had the pleasure of being guests on a new podcast from our dear friend Michelle Obama, called IMO. You know on WCDHT, we have insightful conversations that give fresh perspectives, uplift you and leave you feeling more fulfilled. And on IMO, Michelle and her big brother Craig Robinson bring candid perspectives to the everyday questions shaping our lives, relationships and the world around us. Each week, they’re joined by a guest to tackle real questions from real folks just like you offering practical advice, personal storytelling, and plenty of laughs. In this episode, Abby and Glennon join to help an IMO listener figure out priorities when deciding where to move her young family. Glennon discusses why she moved her family seven times, and, as the “bonus parent,” Abby shares what she thinks is most important to their kids’ happiness (hint: It’s not unlimited cake-pops, though she’s tried). Plus, Michelle and Craig share their own stories of uprooting families for careers—including a very strange move to a big house in Washington, DC. You can find more episodes of IMO at https://lnk.to/imomichellecraigGD To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trauma therapist (and survivor of marriage to a narcissist) Caroline Strawson joins us to discuss: how to know if someone’s really a narcissist; how to know if you’re more likely to get into a relationship with a narcissist (and avoid it); strategies for parallel parenting with a narcissist; how the brain and body respond to narcissists; and how to rebuild after ending a relationship with a narcissist. CW: Abusive relationships, self harm For more related episodes, check out: ⁠Episode 170 The Most Radical Way to Heal: Internal Family Systems with Dr. Becky Kennedy⁠, ⁠Episode 169 Why We Love the Way We Love: Attachment Styles with Dr. Becky Kennedy⁠, and ⁠Episode 142 Codependence: How to Stop Controlling Others with Melody Beattie⁠ About Caroline: Caroline Strawson is a Trauma Therapist and Coach specializing in helping others heal from the trauma and shame of narcissistic abuse. She hosts the Narcissistic Abuse & Trauma Recovery Podcast and is the #1 best selling author of Divorce Became My Superpower. Having been married to a covert narcissist herself, Caroline was in debt, lost her family home, and was at rock bottom with PTSD, depression, anxiety, and self-harm. Caroline integrates Internal Family Systems, Somatic Experiencing, Brainspotting and breath work with positive psychology, to help others move from post traumatic stress to post traumatic growth. TW: ⁠@cstrawson11⁠ IG: ⁠@carolinestrawson To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Imagine if you could ask someone anything you wanted about their finances. On What We Spend, people from across the country and across the financial spectrum are opening their wallets—and their lives—to tell you everything: what they make, what they want, and—for one week—what they spend. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

411. Inside Trump’s Personal Profits: His Abuse of Power for Private Deals & Who is Paying the Price | Jessica Yellin & Amanda Award-winning journalist Jessica Yellin joins Amanda to expose how Trump’s personal profit, political power grabs, and selective immigration policies are reshaping American democracy—and what we can do about it. From the scandal behind Trump’s “free” plane to the foreign “investments” flooding his businesses, Jessica and Amanda connect the dots between foreign entanglements, mass deportations, and economic cruelty disguised as policy. -How Trump is using public office for private gain—and what it signals about self-enrichment at the highest levels;-The alarming surge in ICE raids and what your local law enforcement may have to do with it;-The Afrikaner refugee scam—and what it reveals about race, privilege, and the weaponization of asylum; -How cuts to Medicaid are funding tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy;-And the concrete actions you can take—locally and federally—to disrupt the dangerous normalization of these policies. Jessica Yellin is the founder of News Not Noise, a pioneering Webby award-winning independent news brand -- dedicated to helping you manage your “information overload.” She is the former chief White House correspondent for CNN and an Emmy, Peabody and Gracie Award-winning political correspondent. You can follow her on Instagram at Jessica Yellin. And also, to get real time, clear and brilliant reporting, go to substack.com and search for her page newsnotnoise and subscribe there. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

410. Are You a Cynic, Optimist, or Skeptic? Dr. Jamil Zaki Shares Which Way is Happiest Dr. Jamil Zaki–a Stanford psychologist and director of their Social Neuroscience Lab–discusses how worldviews like optimism, cynicism, and skepticism shape our lives, health, and relationships. -The three lies we tell ourselves about cynicism -Why we need to stop putting faith in people who don’t put faith in people -The quiz you need to know if you’re a cynic -Why hope could very well save your life Dr. Jamil Zaki is a professor of psychology at Stanford University and the director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab. He trained at Columbia and Harvard, studying empathy and kindness in the human brain. He is interested in how we can learn to connect better. Dr. Zaki is the author of The War For Kindness and, most recently, Hope for Cynics. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Glennon’s son, Chase, joins Glennon for a special conversation with his hero, author Ocean Vuong, to discuss: 1. Chase shares with Ocean the impact his work has had in his life–and Glennon thanks Ocean for helping mother her son. 2. What Ocean learned from his mother about how to navigate being an Asian boy in America–and Glennon’s recognition that she did not prepare Chase for the same realities. 3. Ocean’s new book, Time is a Mother, and why watching his own mother die gave Ocean a deep empathy and connection to every person. 4. His relationship to maleness–and why Ocean is interested in “staying and complicating” masculinity. About Ocean: Ocean Vuong, author of the critically acclaimed poetry collection Night Sky with Exit Wounds, and the New York Times bestselling novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous is a recipient of the 2019 MacArthur "Genius Grant" and the winner of the Whiting Award and the T. S. Eliot Prize. In Time Is a Mother, Ocean's newest poetry collection available now, he reckons with his mother’s death, embodying the paradox of sitting within grief while being determined to survive beyond it. His writings have been featured in The Atlantic, Harper's Magazine, The Nation, The New Republic, The New Yorker, and The New York Times. Born in Saigon, Vietnam, he currently lives in Northampton, Massachusetts. IG: ⁠ocean_vuong To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1. Content warning: Discussion of suicide. 2. Jenny puts words to her experience of ADD – "being a kitten on cocaine" – and her anxiety – seeing "rainbow fire.” 3. How Jenny felt guilty for years about a way her mental illness impacted her mothering – only to later learn it was her child’s favorite memory. 4. The moment she decided to be honest about her struggles – and how sharing our awkwardness can save the world and cure our loneliness. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255 About Jenny: Jenny Lawson is an award-winning humorist known for her great candor in sharing her struggle with mental illness. She's written four NYT bestsellers, including Let's Pretend This Never Happened (a mostly true memoir), Furiously Happy (A funny book about terrible things), You Are Here (An owner's manual for dangerous minds) and Broken (in the best possible way), which recently won the Goodreads Choice award for Best Humor of 2021. One of those books is a coloring book but she insists it still counts. She lives in Texas with her husband and child and would like to be your friend unless you're a real asshole. TW: ⁠@TheBloggess⁠ IG: ⁠@thebloggess To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

409. The Woman Who Spoke Truth To Trump: Bishop Budde Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, during President Trump's inauguration service, delivered a powerful sermon on unity and directly appealed to the President for mercy on behalf of vulnerable communities. Today, she joins us to discuss her courageous stand and explore how we can embody both strength and compassion in our own lives.​ -How to carry your despair and cynicism instead of handing it to others -Exposing the lies of partisanship and how to fight for dignity for all​ -The “sin of empathy”? The chilling rise of this idea in Christian Nationalist circles -Why not knowing what to do in this political moment is part of the preparation​ Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde serves as spiritual leader for the Episcopal congregations and schools in the District of Columbia and four Maryland counties that comprise the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. The first woman elected to this position, she also serves as the chair of the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation which oversees the ministries of the Washington National Cathedral and Cathedral schools. She is an advocate and organizer in support of justice, including racial equity, gun violence prevention, immigration reform, the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons, and the care of creation. She is the author of three books; the most recent, How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith, was published in 2023. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

408. What Abby Learned On Tour with Tish Last year, Tish went on her very first international music tour. Today Abby, Glennon, and Amanda reflect on what it was like to watch Tish step toward her dream and how they, especially Abby, supported her through her journey. -How this tour changed and solidified Abby and Tish’s relationship forever -What this tour taught Glennon and Abby about the power of community -How it felt to Abby and Glennon to watch Tish on stage every night alone with her guitar To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1. Sam’s life-changing strategies for (reluctantly) interacting with humans. 2. How we use humor to hide the lava of rage churning beneath our surface. 3. Sam’s friendship theory and why she doesn’t need a deep soul connection with every “lowercase f friend.” 4. Sam’s embrace of JOMO (Joy of Missing Out)–and why she genuinely believes no one else is having a better time (except maybe Abby). 5. The behind-the-scenes story of the “Fat Babe Pool Party” Shrill show–and why that episode was one of the most important things she’s ever written. About Samantha: Samantha Irby writes the "Bitches Gotta Eat" blog, and is the author of WOW, NO THANK YOU; WE ARE NEVER MEETING IN REAL LIFE; and MEATY. She has been a writer and/or co-producer for TV shows including And Just Like That, Work in Progress, Shrill, and Tuca & Bertie. IG: ⁠@bitchesgottaeat To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices