Episode 4 of an exclusive 6-episode series.

Have you ever been toward the end of a relationship and wondered "How did I not see this?"

Denial is a little gift from our brain and comes in various styles, all meant to keep us and our fragile egos feel intact. Notice it's about feeling intact. It's not about growing.

In fact, denial and growth are contra-indicated and we have a whole host of denial styles to keep us nice and shielded from the incoming pains of the world.  On today's episode, Renie talks with Dr. Gary Pearle, her mentor and psych hero who originally taught her about styles of denial and all their magnificent glory.

About: Dr. Gary Pearle has been a therapist for 26 years.  Before that, he co-authored and directed the Broadway musical Tintypes and was the recipient of Helen Hayes and Joseph Jefferson awards for his work as a director in the American regional theatre.

“In both of these careers I’ve been drawn by the very same thing: the sense of meaning and purpose that arises when we're animated by something that matters. What that is, of course, is very personal to each of us—and it can change. More than anything, therapy is a way of laying out the welcome mat for unexpected possibilities. That can take patience. But the secrets that unfold there are worth the wait.”

Mentioned in this episode:

Too Much and Never Enough