312 - No Wellness Without Justice with Frank Gruba-McCallister
“It's not that being wounded that makes you a healer. It's what you do with your woundedness that makes you a healer.” ~Frank Gruba-McCallister
Frank Gruba-McCallister on why therapy is political, compassion is nonnegotiable, and healing must include social change.
If I had to choose one episode to light my way through the collapse of capitalism, it would be this conversation with Frank Gruba-McCallister. Truth is, there’s no escaping the darkness of our current timeline. That said, there are dozens of reasons to remain hopeful, and thousands of people (like Frank) fanning the flames of optimism.
There’s also hella work to do individually and collectively. Spoiler alert: Frank is very, well, frank about what we’re up against. “It’s going to require a decline,” he says, noting the rise and fall of empires throughout history. But this downward shift offers an opportunity for profound social change to take root in therapeutic spaces and the world at large.
“If you don't live your principles, people see through that,” says Frank, a teacher, author, and self-described reluctant psychologist. Retired from practice, Frank’s current focus is on critical psychology, radical therapy, and advancing social justice. His latest book, Radical Healing: No Wellness Without Justice, argues that “true well-being requires addressing systemic injustices, particularly those rooted in capitalist and fascist ideologies (ahem!) which cause suffering and disproportionately affect marginalized groups.”
The end of capitalism will come whether we act or not. Frank offers several tips to therapists who want to operationalize hope and shape a more equitable future:
Embody your values - “Not everyone who is awake stays awake.” Our inner work is the journey, not the destination. Remain open or awake to new ways of thinking and be transparent about what has shifted for you.
Make space for spiritual wisdom - “How can you be whole, which is what health is, by omitting what is the most essential aspect of who you are?” Don’t mistake your antipathy for organized religion as rejection of your spiritual curiosity
Mindfully engage with liberatory psychology - “We have to empower people to challenge economic and political systems. But that doesn't negate the importance of them doing work with respect to their own development and growth.” Ditto for therapists!
“There’s a way of coming out of this that brings you to a better place,” observes Frank. If he can remain hopeful, then so can you and I.
GUEST BIO
Frank Gruba-McCallister is a retired clinical psychologist who worked in health psychology and as a faculty member and academic administrator at three Chicago area professional psychology schools. His current focus is in the areas of critical psychology, radical therapy, and advancement of social justice. His latest book, Radical Healing: No Wellness Without Justice is available now.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
The Leap: The Psychology of Spiritual Awakening
The Fourth Turning - What the Cycles of History Tell Us About America's Next Rendezvous with Destiny
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Deborah Ooten - How to Make Sense of These Tenuous Times Using the Enneagram and Spiral Dynamics
Trace Bell Part 1 - Examining the Beauty and Shadow of Spiritual Work Through Spiral Dynamics
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