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Safe Space Radio

The show about subjects we'd struggle with less if we could talk about them more.

  • Mental Health
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identity

The Scars of Silence with Nubar Alexanian

April 17, 2016 by ssradmin

This episode features Armenian-American photographer and filmmaker Nubar Alexanian. He discusses making a film with his daughter about their journey to their ancestors’ homeland, the site of the Armenian genocide which began in 1915, the silence that surrounds the genocide and how it has impacted his sense of self and his place in the world. …read more »

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Filed Under: Emotions, Family and Lifecycle, Mental Health, Social Justice Tagged With: Family, geneology, genocide, history, identity, Parenting

Disrupting the Vicious Cycle with Sandy White Hawk

March 2, 2015 by ssradmin

Maine Wabanaki Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner Sandy White Hawk discusses the ways in which centuries of removing native children from their families have created a pattern of trauma and corresponding struggle that has made ongoing removal of children more likely. She talks about alternative approaches that support families in difficulty and expresses her hopes for …read more »

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Filed Under: Conflict, Family and Lifecycle, Social Justice Tagged With: Adoption, childhood trauma, Forced adoption, identity, indigenous, native, Parenting, Restorative Justice, Truth and Reconciliation, Wabanaki

Intergenerational Trauma with Sandy White Hawk

February 22, 2015 by ssradmin

In Safe Space Radio’s second conversation with Maine Wabanaki Truth and Reconcilitation Commissioner Sandy White Hawk, she talks about intergenerational trauma and helping white people better grasp what it means to lose your culture.

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Filed Under: Conflict, Family and Lifecycle, Social Justice Tagged With: childhood trauma, Forced adoption, identity, indigenous, native, Restorative Justice, TRC, Truth and Reconciliation, Wabanaki

Being Out Adopted with Sandy White Hawk

February 16, 2015 by ssradmin

Maine Wabanaki Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner Sandy White Hawk talks about being taken for adoption by a white missionary family who believed they were saving her from the poverty of the reservation. She describes the power of being reunited with her tribe at 35, and the deep feeling of belonging and safety she felt as …read more »

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Filed Under: Conflict, Family and Lifecycle, Social Justice Tagged With: Forced adoption, identity, indigenous, maine, native, Parenting, Restorative Justice, Truth and Reconciliation, Wabanaki

The Work of Healing with Esther Anne and Stephanie Bailey

February 5, 2015 by ssradmin

Maine Wabanaki REACH staff members Esther Anne and Stephanie Bailey discuss the experience of giving statements to the Maine Wabanaki Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the hopes they had about what may come of it, and the anxiety of making painful stories public.

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Filed Under: Conflict, Indigenous Peoples, Mental Health, Social Justice Tagged With: Forced adoption, identity, indigenous, Maine Wabanaki Truth and Reconciliation Commission, native, Restorative Justice, Truth and Reconciliation

Breaking the Silence with Maria Girouard, Esther Anne, and Stephanie Bailey

February 2, 2015 by ssradmin

This episode of Safe Space Radio features Maria Girouard, Esther Anne, and Stephanie Bailey of Maine Wabanaki REACH. They discuss the process of gathering the untold stories of the many people affected by the longstanding practice of removing native children from their families and their tribes.

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Filed Under: Conflict, Family and Lifecycle, Indigenous Peoples, Social Justice Tagged With: Adoption, childhood trauma, Forced adoption, identity, indigenous, maine, Maine Wabanaki Truth and Reconciliation Commission, native, Restorative Justice, Truth and Reconciliation

Wabanaki History in Maine with Maria Girouard and Esther Anne

January 26, 2015 by ssradmin

This episode of Safe Space Radio features Maria Girouard and Esther Anne of Maine Wabanaki REACH. They discuss the history of federal and state policies toward Native Americans here in Maine. We focus on the many attempts throughout the years to erase Wabanaki people and their culture, including the practice of removing native children from …read more »

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Filed Under: Conflict, Indigenous Peoples, Social Justice Tagged With: Adoption, childhood trauma, community, Forced adoption, identity, indigenous, maine, Maine Wabanaki Truth and Reconciliation Commission, native, organization, Truth and Reconciliation

Donor-Assisted Reproduction with Diane Ehrensaft

November 23, 2011 by ssradmin

Psychologist, researcher and author Diane Ehrensaft talks about the psychological experience of parenting children conceived through the assistance of a donor. Diane describes the challenges parents face in coping with “genetic assymetry” between the parents, and fears that disclosing to the child will undermine bonding with the non-biological parent. Diane also speaks of the challenges …read more »

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Filed Under: Family and Lifecycle Tagged With: biological parents, conception, donor, family dynamics, geneological bewilderment, Genetics, identity, Parenting, pregnancy, reproduction

Adoption and Parenting with Joyce Maguire Pavao

November 16, 2011 by ssradmin

This episode of Safe Space Radio features author, adoptee and clinician Joyce Maguire Pavao as she talks about parenting an adopted child. Joyce describes the changing demographics of adopted children, and how adopted children are increasingly older and may have experienced trauma as well as the loss of their birth family. Joyce asserts that “adoption …read more »

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Filed Under: Emotions, Family and Lifecycle Tagged With: Adoption, biological parents, birth family, birth parents, childhood trauma, children, family dynamics, identity, loss, Parenting, parenting adopted children, youth

Parenting and Cancer with Susan Conley

September 7, 2011 by ssradmin

Susan Conley is author of The Foremost Good Fortune and co-founder of The Telling Room in Portland, Maine. In this interview she talks about coping with breast cancer in China while parenting two young boys, and how writing helped her survive. Susan describes her decision to write as honestly as possible, exposing less-than-ideal parenting or …read more »

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Filed Under: Emotions, Family and Lifecycle Tagged With: art, body, breast cancer, cancer, china, coping techniques, difficult conversations, health, identity, illness, isolation, journaling, living abroad, Parenting, physical health, relationships, Sickness, storytelling, teenagers, Teens, Therapy, treatment, writing, youth

Transition and Sexual Reassignment Surgery with Jean Vermette

April 27, 2011 by ssradmin

Jean Vermette talks about recognizing that she was female, and taking the risk to share it with the people she loved. She ultimately chose to undergo sexual reassignment surgery and wrote a book, Je Me Souviens (“I Will Remember”) about her experience of MTF genital surgery. Jean describes the process as an example of the …read more »

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Filed Under: Mental Health, Sexuality Tagged With: bottom surgery, coming out, community, female, Gender, identity, LGBTQ, male, male to female, memoir, mtf, sexual reassignment, trans, Transgender, transition, writing

TransParenting, or Parenting Trans Kids with Sandy Lovell

April 13, 2011 by ssradmin

Sexuality educator and mother Sandy Lovell talks about parenting her trans son. As a feminist mother she celebrated his early gender non-conformism, but it never occurred to her that he might be trans. Sandy named parental concerns for her child’s safety, his ability to find love, her grief over losing the daughter, and her struggle …read more »

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Filed Under: Family and Lifecycle, Mental Health, Sexuality Tagged With: ambiguous loss, daughter, family dynamics, feminism, FTM, Gender, gender non-conformity, gender variant, identity, LGBTQ, loss, motherhood, mothering, mothers, nonbinary, Parenting, puberty, queer, son, tomboy, Transgender

Genderqueer with Liam Bechen

April 6, 2011 by ssradmin

Social worker Liam Bechen talks with Safe Space Radio about his identity as a genderfluid trans man. Liam describes the daily challenge of coping with people’s responses to his visible inbetween-ness. He describes moments of fear of violence, but also of his determination to live without shame, and to celebrate the many manifestations of gender …read more »

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Filed Under: Mental Health, Sexuality Tagged With: discrimination, fear, Gender, Gender Fluid, Gender Roles, genderfluid, genderqueer, identity, LGBTQ, nonbinary, pronouns, queer, trans, Transgender

Thinking Through Lesbian and Trans Community with Jem Hodsdon

March 30, 2011 by ssradmin

Social worker, writer, and queer activist Jem Hodsdon talks about the relationship between the lesbian community and the trans community. Jem speaks about how delicate the relationship can be between two oppressed and marginalized groups, and her intention to speak only about her particular experience. A focus on marriage equality can be divisive because it …read more »

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Filed Under: Conflict, Sexuality Tagged With: community, discrimination, division, dyke, feminism, Gender, Homophobia, identity, inclusion, Lesbian, LGBTQ, marriage equality, pride, queer, same sex marriage, trans, trans exclusionary, Transgender, transphobia

Trans Couples with Helen Boyd

March 23, 2011 by ssradmin

Author and gender studies professor Helen Boyd is married to a trans woman. She remembers her early courtship with a man who “occasionally cross-dressed” and how this evolved into loving her partner through her transition. Helen explores what it is like to be perceived now as a lesbian because she is married to a woman, …read more »

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Filed Under: Emotions, Family and Lifecycle, Sexuality Tagged With: cross dressing, Gender, gender reassignment, husbands, identity, intimacy, Lesbian, LGBTQ, long term relationships, love, male to female transition, marraige, marriage, mtf, relationships, same sex marriage, sex, sex in marriage, trans, Transgender, transition, transwoman, transwomen, wife, wives, women, writer

Male to Female Transition with Lisa Bunker

March 2, 2011 by ssradmin

This episode of Safe Space Radio features radio program director Lisa Bunker talking about her experience of becoming aware that she identified as a woman. Lisa describes feeling like a failure at trying to be a man, and the deep relief of embracing her female identity. She remembers experiences of telling her friends, her workplace …read more »

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Filed Under: Mental Health, Sexuality Tagged With: coming out, family dynamics, femininity, Gender, identity, LGBTQ, male to female transition, masculinity, mtf, trans, Transgender, transition, woman, workplace

Trauma and EMDR Therapy with Celia Grand

November 17, 2010 by ssradmin

Therapist Celia Grand is an EMDR facilitator and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy trainer with trauma survivors and their partners. Celia blends her expertise in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy (EMDR) with her extensive experience working with the body in trauma.  She describes three phases of trauma recovery and how EMDR in particular can change the way …read more »

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Filed Under: Emotions, Mental Health Tagged With: EMDR therapy, healing, identity, internal family systems, patient experience, psychotherapy, Recovery, relationships, Therapy, Trauma, trauma in the body

The Care of Eating Disorders with Patrice Lockhart

September 8, 2010 by ssradmin

Dr. Patrice Lockhart describes her work at the New England Eating Disorders Center at Mercy Hospital. She emphasizes how she tries to help her patients distance their sense of self from the eating disorder, she also describes the key role of family support.

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Filed Under: Emotions, Mental Health, Waiting Room Project - Psychiatry Tagged With: anorexia, bulemia, bulimia, diet culture, Eating Disorders, family dynamics, food, identity, mental illness, psychiatric care, psychiatric treatment, Recovery, Therapy

The Legacy of a Mother’s Suicide with Nancy Rappaport

April 7, 2010 by ssradmin

Child psychiatrist Dr. Nancy Rappaport discusses her mother’s suicide, which happened when Nancy was four. Nancy undertakes a detective-like 18 year journey to discover who her mother was, and to understand what she was going through. Nancy describes the terrible consequences when a distorted belief that ones life is expendable, is combined with impulsivity. She …read more »

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Filed Under: Family and Lifecycle, Mental Health Tagged With: childhood trauma, daughters, death and dying, Hidden Emotions, identity, loss of a parent, mothers, Suicide

Dream Work with Chris Beach

February 3, 2010 by ssradmin

This episode of Safe Space Radio features Chris Beach discussing the nuts and bolts of remembering and working with your dreams. Chris describes the power of exploring your first childhood dream, and the possibility of using active imagination with a therapist to have a dialogue with a key figure from your dream.

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Filed Under: Emotions Tagged With: dream work, Dreams, identity, imagination, subconscious, Therapy

Nightmares and Recurring Dreams with Jeanne Safer

January 27, 2010 by ssradmin

Jeanne Safer, Ph.D talks about nightmares and recurring dreams. Jeanne describes the 40 year long relationship she has with a recurring, intensely anxiety-provoking dream. She talks about how disturbing dreams can be a gift, demanding we pay attention to an unknown part of our selves.

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Filed Under: Emotions Tagged With: Anxiety & Fear, dream work, Dreams, dreamwork, identity, nightmares, recurring dreams, subconscious, Therapy

Creating a Relationship with Dreams with Bob Childs

January 13, 2010 by ssradmin

Psychologist Bob Childs talks about developing a relationship with your dreams. Bob describes a pivotal dream and how it shaped his understanding of himself and his professional direction.

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Filed Under: Emotions, Family and Lifecycle, Waiting Room Project - Psychiatry Tagged With: Adoption, birth family, dream work, Dreams, identity, subconscious

The Limits of Therapy with Jeanne Safer

October 14, 2009 by ssradmin

Psychotherapist Dr. Jeanne Safer about her experience struggling with her own wounds that did not heal in therapy. She discusses the impact this had on her sense of self as a therapist.

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Filed Under: Emotions, Mental Health Tagged With: difficult conversations, doubt, feelings of failure, healing, identity, psychotherapy, Therapy, Trauma

Failure and Performance Anxiety with Sinead Rushe

September 9, 2009 by ssradmin

Actor Sinead Rushe talks about performance anxiety and feelings of failure. Sinead describes how deeply her confidence in her own creative instincts was shaken when a play that she had written got a bad review and almost nobody came. She talks about how difficult it was to go out each night to a crowd of …read more »

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Filed Under: Mental Health Tagged With: acting, Anxiety & Fear, confidence, feelings of failure, identity, performance, self esteem, theater

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Generously supported by:

  • The Annie E. Casey Foundation
  • The Lucy R. Sprague Charisma Fund
  • The Equity Fund
  • The Fleming Family Foundation
  • The Hope and Grace Fund
  • Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation
  • The Lerner Foundation
  • The Matthewson Foundation
  • The Pinkerton Foundation
  • The Pink House Foundation
  • The Rines Thompson Fund
  • The Sam L. Cohen Foundation

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