Episode 234: Why America Needs Therapy with Phyllis Leavitt Artwork

The Other Side of Potential

Over time, the conversations we choose to have begin to reflect what matters most.

If you’ve been part of this podcast, you’ve heard me speak about human development, systems thinking, and the ways we make meaning of our lives and work. That work continues—and remains at the core of my coaching and professional practice.

What has changed is the space where I am choosing to have a different kind of conversation.

After the death of my son, Michael, I felt called to create a more personal place—one that speaks directly to the experience of loss, and to the questions that emerge when life no longer looks the way it once did.

That space is now Beyond the Loss.

This podcast is for parents who have lost a child, and for those who support them. It is not about fixing grief or finding closure, but about understanding how we continue to live, to make meaning, and to become—after loss.

If you are looking for my current podcast,
you will now find me there.

I invite you to join me on Beyond the Loss.

You are welcome.

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The Other Side of Potential

Episode 234: Why America Needs Therapy with Phyllis Leavitt

March 22, 2023 • Sharon Spano • Episode 234

0:00 | 50:15

The dynamics of the macro family of America are imitated by the micro family units within. There is a rippling effect of abuse from the top down, and our guest today joins us to share her unique perspective on why America needs therapy. Please take note that this episode touches on topics of sexual abuse and gun violence.

Phyllis Leavitt is a psychotherapist and author who, through working through her own trauma, has come to understand the importance of education and of understanding the power of projection. In this episode, she opens up about her childhood trauma and explains the purpose and effectiveness of psychotherapy.

We delve into the ways in which the micro and the macro mirror each other, and how individual criminals are symptom bearers for the family of America. Phyllis is currently working on her third book, America in Therapy, and shares insight into what readers can expect.

Tune in to learn the two main outcomes of unaddressed abuse and how the patterns are perpetuated in the US. Phyllis breaks down the concept of a trauma bond and explains how psychotherapy can help to dismantle the negative belief structures that result from trauma. Phyllis graciously (and courageously) serves to remind us that we are not our trauma and that no matter what happens to us, there’s a part of us that can never be touched.

What you’ll learn about in this episode: