Doctors told Dr. Jonathan Locus Jr. he’d be on medication for life and on paper his career was thriving, but internally he was spiraling. That collision of success, depression, and a terrifying diagnosis sends him in the opposite direction of quick fixes: deep research into holistic healing, meditation, and the mind body spirit connection. What follows is one of the most intense stories we’ve hosted, a 24-day water fast guided by intention, reflection, and a willingness to face the hidden roots of pain.

We get specific about what fasting looked like in real life while working as a university vice president, how he built up to longer fasts, and why he now practices intermittent fasting as a steady baseline. Dr. J also shares the spiritual and psychological side: what surfaced during meditation, why forgiveness became non-negotiable, and how “find the lesson” reframed his entire healing journey. If you’re curious about autophagy, trauma-informed self-inquiry, or using stillness to hear your inner voice, this conversation delivers both meaning and mechanics.

Then we name a harder truth: the spiritual marketplace can be unsafe. We talk scams, why vulnerable seekers get targeted, and what real discernment looks like when there’s no universal accreditation for healers. That gap is exactly why he built Conscirise, a platform that vets practitioners and connects people to hypnosis, breathwork, sound therapy, meditation, fasting groups, and other supportive modalities. We also bridge science and spirituality through his work in psychometric research and behavior modeling, including a fascinating example of how bias can shape legal outcomes.

If you’ve been looking for grounded spiritual growth with practical tools, listen through the dream interpretation and active imagination segment and try it for yourself. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s navigating healing, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What part of your own journey needs a clearer lesson right now?

https://www.conscirise.com/

Send us Fan Mail

HELP contribute to this growing community. Email topic ideas, suggestions for interviews, and feedback to venessa@squatsandseances.com.

FIND new episodes of Squats & Séances on all major podcast platforms and the vlogcast on our YouTube channel - Squats & Séances.

SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode.

VISIT us at www.squatsandseances.com to subscribe to our newsletter.

FOLLOW us on social media @squatsandseances (IG, FB, TT, LinkedIn).

Until the next time - stay gritty you badass!