Life Weavings

12/03/2025

Highly recommend this book. Stewart-Williams is a great writer and I’ve deeply appreciated following and reading his material on Substack. Want to nerd out on evolutionary role in cultural development, this will be sure to make you uncomfortable in a good way.

The Ape that Understood the Universe is the story of the strangest animal in the world: the human animal. It opens with a question: How would an alien scientist view our species? What would it make of our s*x differences, our s*xual behavior, our altruistic tendencies, and our culture? The book t...

11/28/2025

Let’s kick of my first Substack live Q/A this Sunday the 30th. I’ve always enjoyed hanging out with people after online presentations answering questions on all things related to psychology, religion, and philosophy, or if I’m looking to get into trouble, politics. So here we go. Open to all subscribers.

https://open.substack.com/live-stream/83077?r=v5x29&utm_medium=ios

11/12/2025

In this conversation, SC Nealy and I discuss the impact of beliefs and oppressive systems on the creation of trauma, emphasizing the need for healthier approaches to spirituality and community involvement. We discuss their work in the LGBTQ+ community, with their dedication to the intersection of mental health and social involvement, where the role of the therapist doesn’t just exist in the therapeutic space, but extends into advocacy for civil rights and support for minorities. Rather than promoting a binary choice of religious or secularism, we discuss the need for resources that support individuals who choose to remain within religious and/or spiritual communities while avoiding harmful ideologies.

https://open.substack.com/pub/lifeweavings/p/navigating-spirituality-without-harm?r=v5x29&utm_medium=ios

11/11/2025

"Embrace the new relationship. That starts with acknowledging that the only person you have to answer to is you. This doesn’t mean morality doesn’t exist, as the old canard concerning atheists and what’s keeping them from murdering people ridiculously attempts to show. No, what centering ethics within the human does is highlight our responsibility in service of values like integrity, self-reflection, and skepticism, among so many others."

A human beginning to ethics rather than a divine

11/10/2025

To help people in the midst of insurance price absurdities, I'm now offering my online classes for only $10. Currently there's a class for working through anger and another on humanistic principles to explore when leaving authoritarian religion. The first of a set of classes on communication principles will be coming shortly.

These are fully online, with presentations, worksheets and behavioral change principles for your personal development.

https://life-weavings.thinkific.com/

10/29/2025

We discuss the importance of allowing children to express themselves through costumes, the need for curiosity in parenting, and the value of setting boundaries in relationships. We also touch on the evolution of family traditions and the necessity of reevaluating what works for families as they grow and change. Ultimately, we encourage people to embrace change, explore new experiences, and prioritize authenticity in their lives.

https://open.substack.com/pub/lifeweavings/p/exploring-identity-in-the-spirit?r=v5x29&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Evolving parenting traditions

10/25/2025

Psychotherapy: any psychological service provided by a trained professional that primarily uses forms of communication and interaction to assess, diagnose, and treat dysfunctional emotional reactions, ways of thinking, and behavior patterns.
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DT: A reminder that whether the therapy you're receiving is good or not, it's still considered therapy by the APA, merely if it's being done by a licensed/trained person. This is why it's so important to be critically aware of the ideological framework that the "professional" is bringing to the relationship. If a therapist spouts some nonsense that they don't bring their worldview to sessions and simply meet the client where they're at, run away. The person is either poorly informed to near malpractice levels, or they're lying to you.

A trusted reference in the field of psychology, offering more than 25,000 clear and authoritative entries.

10/24/2025

Writing for "The Humanist" about the great work being done by Recovering from Religion and their Secular Therapy Project, helping connect people to therapists who will focus on the person not the religious indoctrination.

https://thehumanist.com/news/secularism/the-secular-therapy-project-a-celebration-of-humanity-instead-of-dogma

Learn more about Recovering from Religion's new project.

10/21/2025

There are many questions that come up when leaving a fundamentalist religious background. Concerns about how to think about others, ethics, and one's identity. Without getting into the weeds of dogma, this class offers principles based in humanism and psychology to address those difficulties and move forward with a greatera appreciation of your humanity.

https://life-weavings.thinkific.com/products/courses/reclaim-your-life

Join our course designed for former religious believers struggling with trauma, seeking to rebuild their lives, ethics, and relationships. Start your transforma

10/08/2025

In this conversation, I talk with Casey Kiracofe, who shares his transformative journey from being deeply involved in conspiracy theories to embracing humanism. He discusses the impact of online communities on belief systems, the challenges of rationality and groupthink, and the importance of humility and critical thinking in the pursuit of truth. We explore the psychological aspects of belief formation, the role of religion, and the ongoing process of self-discovery and learning in a world filled with misinformation.

https://www.humanitysvalues.com/p/desiring-a-heros-journey

An interview with Casey Kiracofe

09/14/2025

A small preview of my chat with Heather Hester, author of "Parenting with Pride: Unlearn Bias and Embrace, Empower, and Love Your LGBTQ+ Teen." Here we had a brief exchange concerning a version of the christian god that promotes eternal punishment. She reflects how that, as a parent, didn't make any sense to her when relating to her son who had told her he was gay.

The whole interview is coming out Tuesday, so subscribe at www.humanitysvalues.com to get notified and listen/watch.

09/09/2025

“To be wrong is not something to be afraid of, and yet we run away from it at virtually every opportunity we can. The oft-used vehicle of escaping from recognizing our limitations is that of a societal structure binding us to a group. It’s really difficult to admit that one is wrong in a group that is saying otherwise or whose identity is tied to a belief/protestation...”

https://open.substack.com/pub/lifeweavings/p/fleeing-to-authority-to-escape-being?r=v5x29&utm_medium=ios