We talk with Sruti Swaminathan, a staff attorney at the ACLU, about what it means to live with truth and fullness as a trans and non-binary person. Sruti shares the personal and political journey of becoming, from reclaiming their name and navigating top surgery to fighting for gender-affirming care in court. We explore what it’s like to litigate your own identity, how joy becomes a form of resistance, and the clarity that comes from swimming laps (a.k.a. meeting “Pool Sruti”).

Please consider donating to support trans rights through the ACLU.

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PS: Each episode of Giving In is a personal interview; the opinions or perspectives shared in this episode are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or positions of any organization, employer, or affiliated group.

Episode credits:

• Original music by Leslie Allison
• Sound editing by Erin Ozmat
• Logo and cover art by Kira Weiss, photography by Kendall Tichner
• Produced by Patty Carnevale and Erin Ozmat
• All rights reserved in podcast content and the Giving In™ trademark

We delve into the mysterious world of dreams with Kristen Oberly, an artist and dream analyst inspired by over a decade of studying Jungian psychology and the Enneagram. Kristen guides us through the creative power of dreams, exploring how they invite us to uncover hidden realms within ourselves and see past the limitations of our personalities. We discuss themes like working with dreams as a creative practice, instinctual anger, and the archetypes that emerge from the subconscious. Erin and Patty also share their recent dreams with Kristen, and she helps them unpack their hidden meanings and reach deeper insights.

Some linkable treats from the episode:

• The Big Hormone Enneagram Podcast which was started Kristen on her enneagram journey
• Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés, a classic.
• Kristen’s website where you can contact her to learn more about her courses and work 1:1, and her podcast Sinsomnia

Subscribe to our newsletter with episode highlights and more at givingin.substack.com.

Have feedback? Leave us a rating or review on your podcast platform of choice, or email us at givingin@substack.com.

Episode credits:

• Original music by Leslie Allison
• Sound editing by Erin Ozmat
• Logo and cover art by Kira Weiss, photography by Kendall Tichner
• Produced by Patty Carnevale and Erin Ozmat
• All rights reserved in podcast content and the Giving In™ trademark

In this episode, we sit down with Lauren Ducrey, a French-American poet, speaker, and mindfulness facilitator, to explore her journey of leaving behind a full-time career in tech to devote her life to poetry and art. Lauren shares insights on belonging across cultures, the power of poetic leadership, and how listening is central to both art and life. We also enjoy an exclusive reading of her poem "When They Say Be Like Water" and discuss the simple invitations that come from trusting intuition.

Links and extras from this episode:

1. Lauren’s book Tongues Tied! Also, check out her website for her fantastic workshops, to reach out for speaking opportunities, and more.
2. Lauren’s French spoken poetry album Cordes Sensibles, with her soothing riffs and Hadrien Remy’s guitar accompaniment. It’s about finding freedom in adulthood, befriending the mind, coming back to the body’s intelligence, and being so completely curious about another human that you want to get under their skin.
3. Brooklyn Poets offers excellent and beginner-accessible in-person and online workshops and was an important playground and community for Lauren to begin her poetry journey in/with, and, funnily enough, for me too!
4. Erin and I learned about maladaptive vs. adaptive perfectionism for the first time from Lauren’s experience with Katherine Morgan Schafler’s book, The Perfectionist's Guide to Losing Control: A Path to Peace and Power.
5. Lauren’s favorite place to find new poems is the bite-sized podcast Poetry Unbound, an “immersive exploration of a single poem, hosted by Pádraig Ó Tuama.” Each episode is only 10 minutes long, and Lauren calls them a “shot of presence” that makes her cry 9/10 times.

Subscribe to our newsletter with episode highlights and more at givingin.substack.com.

Have feedback? Leave us a rating or review on your podcast platform of choice, or email us at givingin@substack.com.

Episode credits:

• Original music by Leslie Allison
• Sound editing by Erin Ozmat
• Logo and cover art by Kira Weiss, photography by Kendall Tichner
• Produced by Patty Carnevale and Erin Ozmat
• All rights reserved in podcast content and the Giving In™ trademark

We speak with Kelly Ziemer, an assistant professor and researcher, about her journey to Amsterdam and her work exploring emotions, including her PhD dissertation on #self-love. Wading into the unknown and attuning to her emotions, Kelly began to align her life with her desires and shares with us the lessons learned, and magic met along the way.

Links and extras from this episode:

1. We talk about Brene Brown’s Braving the Wilderness, and I also have to shout out Atlas of the Heart, which I just listened to via Libby on a road trip, and wheeeeewwwwww, three cheers for emotional literacy and brave, open hearts!
2. Kelly references Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights whilst fantasizing about a gorgeous breakfast in the English countryside. Yum.
3. We talk about The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer and his chapter about the roommate in our heads.
4. Highly recommend Kelly’s website for insightful research articles and terrific resources on “the emotions that drive us, that hold us back, and that set us free.

Subscribe to our newsletter with episode highlights and more at givingin.substack.com.

Have feedback? Leave us a rating or review on your podcast platform of choice, or email us at givingin@substack.com.

Episode credits:

• Original music by Leslie Allison
• Sound editing by Erin Ozmat
• Logo and cover art by Kira Weiss, photography by Kendall Tichner
• Produced by Patty Carnevale and Erin Ozmat
• All rights reserved in podcast content and the Giving In™ trademark

We talk to Céline Semaan, the visionary behind Slow Factory, an organization at the intersection of climate justice and social equity. We explore Céline's powerful personal growth journey, from struggling with Good Girl Syndrome to discovering her Bad Girl Era and its impact on her leadership and the care she shows herself, her organization, and the world.

Links and extras from this episode:

1. Learn more about Slow Factory
2. Slow Factory’s amazing Cards for Collective Care deck
3. Céline’s IG
4. Syntyché Francella’s Open Edu course on Spiritual Capacity

Subscribe to our newsletter with episode highlights and more at givingin.substack.com. 

Have feedback? Leave us a rating or review on your podcast platform of choice, or email us at givingin@substack.com.

Episode credits:

• Original music and sound editing by Leslie Allison
• Logo and cover art by Kira Weiss, photography by Kendall Tichner
• Produced by Patty Carnevale and Erin Ozmat
• All rights reserved in podcast content and the Giving In™ trademark

We dive into Lily's life as an artist, filmmaker, and dancer, exploring how her world turned upside down when she experienced sudden paralysis. Join us as we discuss surrendering to her body, the discovery of stillness, and the profound impact on her art and relationships.

Links and extras from this episode:

1. Lily's Peabody award-nominated podcast, Stories of the Stalked
2. Lily's non-profit, Stop Stalking Us
3. Trailer for Lily’s forthcoming documentary Chronicle of Hip!
4. Video of Lily’s solo performance while on tour with David Byrne
5. Lilith’s Brood by Ursula K. Leguin (we also recommend The Dispossessed

Subscribe to our newsletter with episode highlights and more at givingin.substack.com. 

Have feedback? Leave us a rating or review on your podcast platform of choice, or email us at givingin@substack.com.

Episode credits:

• Original music and sound editing by Leslie Allison
• Logo and cover art by Kira Weiss, photography by Kendall Tichner
• Produced by Patty Carnevale and Erin Ozmat
• All rights reserved in podcast content and the Giving In™ trademark

While preparing for motherhood, Ambika learned that she is a carrier for the gene linked to ovarian cancer. Now a mother of two, she speaks with Patty and Erin while caring for her infant son on maternity leave about the connection between grief and love.

Links and extras from this episode:

1. Ambika's newsletter and podcast, Corner Office Breakdowns
2. Our breathwork therapist Alice Wells
3. Rainer Maria Rilke's quote on living the questions from his book Letters to a Young Poet
4. All the great books Ambika recommends:
   1. Letting Go, The Pathway to Surrender by David Hawkins
   2. The Death of the Author by Roland Barthes
   3. Essential Labor: Mothering as Social Change by Angela Garbes

Subscribe to our newsletter with episode highlights and more at givingin.substack.com. 

Have feedback? Leave us a rating or review on your podcast platform of choice, or email us at givingin@substack.com.

Episode credits:

• Original music and sound editing by Leslie Allison
• Logo and cover art by Kira Weiss, photography by Kendall Tichner
• Produced by Patty Carnevale and Erin Ozmat
• All rights reserved in podcast content and the Giving In™ trademark

Patty and Arlene met at a writer’s retreat with Roxane Gay this past summer and immediately hit it off. The week Patty called Arlene about being on the show, Arlene had just left her role as the director of a women’s shelter in Louisville, KY. Arlene generously shares her real-time processing of leaving a full-time job of service, strengthening her connection with her body, and stepping into the unknown.

Links and extras from this episode:

1. Greenland by David Santos Donaldson

Subscribe to our newsletter with episode highlights and more at givingin.substack.com. 

Have feedback? Leave us a rating or review on your podcast platform of choice, or email us at givingin@substack.com.

Episode credits:

• Original music and sound editing by Leslie Allison
• Logo and cover art by Kira Weiss, photography by Kendall Tichner
• Produced by Patty Carnevale and Erin Ozmat
• All rights reserved in podcast content and the Giving In™ trademark