The Defenders

Pulling the Thread: On Finding Our Soul's Vocation

This week we're introducing you to Pulling the Thread, hosted by writer Elise Loehnen, who explores life's big questions with today's leading thinking, experts and luminaries: Why do we do what we do? How can we understand and love ourselves better? What would it look like to come together and build a more meaningful world? In today's episode we're joined by James Hollis, PhD is a Jungian analyst who is still in private practice in Washington D.C. Hollis started his career as a professor of humanities before a midlife crisis brought him to his knees—and to the Jung Institute in Zurich. The author of 19 books, Hollis is one of the best interpreters of Carl Jung’s work, making it accessible for all of us who want to understand how complexes, archetypes, synchronicities, and the shadow drive our lives. To hear more episode of Pulling the Thread, follow wherever you get your podcasts or head to: https://lemonada.lnk.to/PullingTheThreadfd MORE FROM JAMES HOLLIS, PhD: Why Good People Do Bad Things: Understanding Our Darker Selves Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life: How to Finally, Really Grow Up A Life of Meaning: Relocating Your Center of Spiritual Gravity The Broken Mirror: Refracted Visions of Ourselves James Hollis’s Website RELATED EPISODES: Connie Zweig, “Embracing the Shadow” Satya Doyle Byock, “Navigating Quarterlife” Terry Real, “Healing Male Depression” Niobe Way, PhD, “The Critical Need for Deep Connection”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Featuring: Julia Gets Wise with Ruth Reichl

Because Thanksgiving is basically Ruth Reichl season (the holy trinity of food, family, and feelings) we’re serving you a special episode of Julia Louis-Dreyfus' lovely conversation with her from Season 1 of Wiser Than Me. On this episode of Wiser Than Me, Julia gets enlightened by 77-year-old food writer, magazine editor, and author Ruth Reichl. From her infamous New York Times review of Le Cirque to greenlighting a controversial David Foster Wallace article in Gourmet, Ruth is as gutsy as they come. Ruth talks to Julia about living with a mom who has bipolar disorder, processing grief through food, and why you should always do things that scare you. Plus, Julia asks her mom Judith for a recommendation on what to cook when Ruth accepts an invitation for dinner. For more episodes, follow Wiser Than Me wherever you get your podcasts or head to https://lemonada.lnk.to/wiserthanmefdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen Now: Keeping Families Together in Oklahoma

Welcome to Bright Spots - a new series from Lemonada that offers bite-sized stories of community impact that will leave you feeling inspired and hopeful about what is possible. Today, we’re turning our attention to the foster care system. In Oklahoma, the Office of Family Representation ensures every parent dealing with a child welfare case has access to a strong legal defense. We talk to executive director Gwendolyn Clegg about how OFR got started and how their work supports families in Oklahoma. This episode is created in partnership with Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies. Special thank you to Gwendolyn Clegg and the Oklahoma Office of Family Representation. Learn more at https://www.oklahomafamilyrepresentation.org/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen Now: Julia Gets Wise with Jane Curtin

Today on the premiere episode of Wiser Than Me’s new season, Julia Louis-Dreyfus sits down with 78-year-old comedy icon and Saturday Night Live original cast member, Jane Curtin. They reminisce about the 50th anniversary celebration of SNL and the enduring friendships Jane formed with the women of that first cast. Jane shares the story of meeting her husband of 50 years, Patrick Lynch, their hands-on parenting, and navigating grief after his recent passing. Plus, Julia’s 91-year-old mom, Judy, recalls Julia landing the SNL job. After you listen, search Wiser Than Me, for more episodes wherever you get your podcasts or you can head to https://lemonada.lnk.to/wiserthanmefdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We Want to Hear From You!

We hope you have been enjoying the incredible guests and stories from this season of The Defenders. Now, we want to hear from you. We’re conducting a survey with three simple questions: Did you learn something, has your opinion changed, and do you feel empowered to put these new ideas into action? You can complete this simple, three question survey at bit.ly/defenderssurvey We appreciate you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.