18. Four Survival Archetypes and the Hidden Roots of Chronic Disease

18. Four Survival Archetypes and the Hidden Roots of Chronic Disease

📺 Watch on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@gregschmaus?sub_confirmation=1] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2bWo7CWS0Lv8oFB4svtar9] “There are no good archetypes, there are no bad archetypes. All archetypes have 50% light and 50% shadow,” says holistic health practitioner Greg Schmaus, who returns to Mental Health in a Modern World for a deep dive into the four survival archetypes and the unconscious contracts that shape our healing journeys. Drawing on teachings from Caroline Myss, Sarah Peyton, and Richard Schwartz, Greg exposes how the child, victim, saboteur, and prostitute archetypes underpin not just our challenges but also our paths to reclaiming inner empowerment and agency. This conversation explores how these primal patterns originate in childhood, the hidden agreements we make to secure safety, and how our light and shadow sides work together beneath the surface. Greg unpacks how these archetypes influence everything from trauma responses and chronic pain, to relationship dynamics and self-sabotage. He shares practical frameworks for identifying your own unconscious contracts—and guides listeners through a meditative exercise to “unblend and befriend” the parts of ourselves that hold us back, transforming internal enemies into allies for growth. Listen in to Mental Health in a Modern World for a revelatory dialogue that challenges how we see our suffering, provides tools for practical self-inquiry, and invites you to a more empowered, integrated path toward healing. 5 KEY TAKEAWAYS Transform your healing journey by bringing awareness and agency to your foundational patterns—here’s how to start: 1. Identify which of the four survival archetypes (child, victim, saboteur, or prostitute) most influences your current patterns and reflect on its impact in your life. 2. Write out an unconscious contract you may hold with one archetype, detailing the agreement, behavior, benefit, and cost involved. 3. Practice the guided meditation to connect with the part of yourself carrying this contract, using curiosity and compassion to understand its fears and history 33:31. 4. Actively observe moments when you compromise your values, self-sabotage, or default to victimhood, and consciously choose a new response aligned with your empowered self. 5. Unblend and befriend your protective parts by expressing gratitude for their role, then reclaim more agency and sovereignty over your choices 43:12. Start today: pick one archetype and take a small step toward compassionate self-awareness and transformation. MEMORABLE QUOTES > "Archetypes are really the language of the psyche. Archetypes become the vehicles that we use to express ourselves and come to know ourselves in relationship to ourselves, others, and the world." > "The saboteur always shows up at moments of expansion, at thresholds or moments of change or transformation. The saboteur is very often trying to protect us from the most empowered version of us." > "You see the saboteur, the prostitute, or the victim are not an enemy. We see them as parts expressing this archetype, trying to protect us from some core wound, some trauma, or some experience from the past that they want to make sure never happens again." RESOURCES MENTIONED Sacred Contracts: Awakening Your Divine Potential by Caroline Myss - https://amzn.to/3VUzSPT [https://amzn.to/3VUzSPT] Your Resonant Self: Guided Meditations and Exercises to Engage Your Brain's Capacity for Healing by Sarah Peyton - https://amzn.to/3zK1g9V [https://amzn.to/3zK1g9V] Internal Family Systems Therapy by Richard C. Schwartz - https://amzn.to/4bZqUE3 [https://amzn.to/4bZqUE3] CONNECT WITH GREG Website - https://www.healing4d.com/ [https://www.healing4d.com/] Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/4d_healing/ [https://www.instagram.com/4d_healing/] YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@gregschmaus [https://www.youtube.com/@gregschmaus] LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-schmaus-22929589/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-schmaus-22929589/] 🎙️🎙️🎙️ Podcast Production & Marketing by FullCast: https://fullcast.co [https://fullcast.co] Discover the best podcast services in the world at The Podosphere: https://www.thepodosphere.com/ [https://www.thepodosphere.com/] Mentioned in this episode: Embark on The HTM Journey MHMW - HTM [https://mental-health-in-a-modern-world.captivate.fm/htm] Embark on The HTM Journey MHMW - HTM [https://mental-health-in-a-modern-world.captivate.fm/htm]

17. Walking Between Worlds: A Doctors Journey Through Birth Death and Plant Medicine with Nathan Riley

📺 Watch on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@gregschmaus?sub_confirmation=1] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2bWo7CWS0Lv8oFB4svtar9] “It's the whole Dionysian Apollo dilemma… We don't value this sort of just oozing with, like, some sort of naturalist phenomenon that maybe came to you through a walk in the woods or standing under a waterfall and picking fresh fruit off of a tree or just trying to eat some flowers or berries from a bush. Like, ugh, who said that was okay to do?” says Nathan Riley, Western-trained OB-GYN, who joins Mental Health in a Modern World to share how a journey through plant medicine—guided in part by legendary shaman Hamilton Souther—upended his traditional medical training and transformed his understanding of birth, death, and our collective crisis of embodiment. A trailblazer at the intersection of holistic health and psychedelic medicine, Nathan Riley recounts his leap from pharmaceutical and surgical protocols to Amazonian wisdom and deep ceremonial work with psilocybin and ayahuasca, where practical and mystical insights now inform everything from postpartum care to the existential crises surrounding parenthood. He delves into the humbling lessons learned as both practitioner and student; the surprising, intuitive healing that emerges from surrendering to these master “allies”; and why reclaiming sovereignty over our bodies may be the most revolutionary act in today’s world. Tune in to his powerful conversation with Greg Schmaus for a candid exploration of how ancient plant teachers—and the simple act of being in our bodies—hold the keys to meaning in the modern human experience. 5 KEY TAKEAWAYS Unlock transformative healing and deeper self-connection by embodying these insights from the conversation: 1. Develop a regular practice of intentional plant medicine or psychedelic ceremonies to foster personal growth, humility, and direct guidance from inner wisdom. 2. Set clear, authentic intentions when entering any ceremony or healing space—ask the plants or your own subconscious specific questions and state your desired focus for maximum clarity and empowerment. 3. Make yourself truly available for spirit, intuition, and deeper insight by cultivating stillness, subtracting distractions, and spending time in nature or silent space. 4. Reconnect with your body’s natural intelligence by tuning into somatic signals, emotional releases, and intuitive guidance, especially during moments of challenge or transition such as birth, parenting, or grief. 5. Trust and honor your unique path—embrace remembering who you are at your core, rather than constantly seeking external validation, gadgets, or additions to fill internal gaps. Take one of these steps today: set aside time for stillness, reflect on your true intentions, or simply listen to your body's wisdom. Transformation begins with one choice. MEMORABLE QUOTES > "I made an agreement with myself that every two to three weeks I would do a deep dive with psilocybin, nourish my own mushrooms, set up an altar, and have a conversation with the mushrooms to set intentions. Initially, it was very hard—months of just going through my own stuff. But at some point, I started the ceremony by talking to the mushrooms out loud and saying, 'I want to see your playful side' or 'I want to know how you want me to comport myself to be able to offer this medicine in a safe environment for others.' And then they show you." > "When you’re in the river, you’re not going to die—not with these medicines. There’s a part of you that might be left behind, but that’s stuff I didn’t need to carry as baggage anyway. There are strange allegories that come through, and it’s a full send—surrender, leaping into the waters and treading for a while, instead of grabbing onto a rock for dear life, just letting the current take me downstream." > "What’s most important is that many Eastern mystics have seemed to be on board with this for centuries. Since the age of enlightenment, if it’s not measurable, it’s not important—that, of all things, is just not useful to me anymore. There’s nothing more than you in this moment. If you want the world or your life to get better, you have to be willing to just be." CONNECT WITH NATHAN Website - www.bornfreemethod.com [www.bornfreemethod.com] Instagram - www.instagram.com/nathanrileyobgyn [www.instagram.com/nathanrileyobgyn] RESOURCES MENTIONED Abundance Archetype (program by Jason Picard) – https://jasonpicard.org/abundance-archetype/ [https://jasonpicard.org/abundance-archetype/] Sanctuary (offerings and teachings by Hamilton Souther) – https://www.bluemorphointernational.com/sanctuary [https://www.bluemorphointernational.com/sanctuary] CONNECT WITH GREG Website - https://www.healing4d.com/ [https://www.healing4d.com/] Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/4d_healing/ [https://www.instagram.com/4d_healing/] YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@gregschmaus [https://www.youtube.com/@gregschmaus] LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-schmaus-22929589/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-schmaus-22929589/] 🎙️🎙️🎙️ Podcast Production & Marketing by FullCast: https://fullcast.co [https://fullcast.co] Discover the best podcast services in the world at The Podosphere: https://www.thepodosphere.com/ [https://www.thepodosphere.com/] Mentioned in this episode: Embark on The HTM Journey MHMW - HTM [https://mental-health-in-a-modern-world.captivate.fm/htm] Embark on The HTM Journey MHMW - HTM [https://mental-health-in-a-modern-world.captivate.fm/htm]

16. The Archetype Wheel: Discover Your Soul Blueprint

📺 Watch on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@gregschmaus?sub_confirmation=1] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2bWo7CWS0Lv8oFB4svtar9] “I love talking about rewiring your belief systems because, you know, your beliefs create your choices and your choices, you create your actions, and your actions create your reality,” says Kirsty Pratt—holistic coach, Ninja Warrior, and former Catholic schoolgirl—on this episode of Mental Health in a Modern World. Kirsty’s journey from being shaped by the rigid expectations of her upbringing to consciously liberating herself from inherited patterns is just the beginning. A longtime collaborator with Paul Chek, Kirsty unpacks how her intuition flourishes in nature, why the “visionary” archetype defines her approach to life, and how struggles with people-pleasing and burnout became springboards for authentic growth. She reveals what it takes to honor boundaries, live from intuition, and shed the limiting beliefs we rarely realize we carry. Tune in for an inspiring deep dive into self-mastery, archetypes, and the powerful intersection of creativity, discipline, and spiritual liberation—a roadmap for anyone seeking sovereignty in a modern world. 5 KEY TAKEAWAYS Unlock your self-mastery and growth by exploring your archetypes and bringing conscious awareness to your patterns—here are five actionable takeaways to start your journey: 1. Identify and work with one archetype each month, using the archetype wheel as a blueprint for personal growth and self-reflection 2. Pay special attention to your “survival archetypes” (prostitute, victim, saboteur, and child archetypes), as these reveal areas with the greatest potential for healing and transformation. 3. Practice saying “no” and setting clear boundaries in your communication and relationships to honor your authentic needs and avoid people-pleasing patterns. 4. Balance active seeking and productivity with rest and integration, especially when you notice signs of burnout—use nature as a tool to recenter and restore yourself. 5. Open yourself to receiving support—from others and the universe—instead of trying to do everything alone; asking for help is a strength, not a weakness. Take action today: Choose one takeaway, implement it for a week, and notice what shifts in your mindset and life. MEMORABLE QUOTES > "I love talking about rewiring your belief systems because your beliefs create your choices, your choices create your actions, and your actions create your reality." > "When I went through my quarter life crisis and really started spending time with myself and learning to love aspects of myself that I really hated, I realized how needed alone time is in my world, because without it, I am just out of balance." > "I've gotten really familiar with what is a healthy balance between doing the seeking, the learning, and the experiencing versus the resting. It's about enjoying the journey, reminding myself that there's not just a destination." CONNECT WITH KIRSTI Website - https://www.nextgenerationsfitness.com/ [https://www.nextgenerationsfitness.com/] Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kirsti.pratt.coaching/ [https://www.instagram.com/kirsti.pratt.coaching/] RESOURCES MENTIONED The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle - https://amzn.to/3QHbCeB [https://amzn.to/3QHbCeB] The Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu - https://amzn.to/43XhJ1w [https://amzn.to/43XhJ1w] CONNECT WITH GREG Website - https://www.healing4d.com/ [https://www.healing4d.com/] Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/4d_healing/ [https://www.instagram.com/4d_healing/] YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@gregschmaus [https://www.youtube.com/@gregschmaus] LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-schmaus-22929589/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-schmaus-22929589/] 🎙️🎙️🎙️ Podcast Production & Marketing by FullCast: https://fullcast.co [https://fullcast.co] Discover the best podcast services in the world at The Podosphere: https://www.thepodosphere.com/ [https://www.thepodosphere.com/] Mentioned in this episode: Embark on The HTM Journey MHMW - HTM [https://mental-health-in-a-modern-world.captivate.fm/htm] Embark on The HTM Journey MHMW - HTM [https://mental-health-in-a-modern-world.captivate.fm/htm]

15. Healing In Community. Going Beyond Individual Therapy with IFS.

📺 Watch on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@gregschmaus?sub_confirmation=1] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2bWo7CWS0Lv8oFB4svtar9] “We can't take people places we haven't gone ourselves,” says trauma therapist Chris Burris, who joins Mental Health in a Modern World to reveal why most of what we call ‘mental illness’ is actually the psyche’s adaptive strategy for survival—and why only true self-healing can allow us to guide others. Over his 35 years of clinical experience, Chris has witnessed the rise of “multiplicity of mind” as a liberating paradigm: understanding that our psyche is made of parts working both for and against us, many born from trauma and shaped by the need to protect. In this episode, Chris demystifies the Internal Family Systems (IFS) approach, explains how our internal critics often adopt the voices of past authorities and perpetrators, and explores why befriending—rather than battling—these wounded parts is the key to freedom. He shares stories of transformation, the importance of community healing, and how elders and true initiation are missing medicines in our fractured world. Chris also opens up about his journey with plant medicine, shamanic studies, and the necessity for both humility and holistic teamwork in therapy. Tune in to learn why healing is not a solo mission, how therapists must examine their own wounds, and what it really means to reclaim mental health in a world that desperately needs reconnection—to self, to others, and to something greater than ourselves. 5 KEY TAKEAWAYS Unlock deeper healing in your life with these actionable insights from the episode: 1. Befriend all your parts, even the critical or self-sabotaging ones, by approaching them with curiosity and compassion rather than resistance or judgment. 2. Prioritize holistic health—address both mind and body imbalances and collaborate with a supportive, multidisciplinary team when seeking mental health support. 3. Regularly engage in self-reflection and personal healing work, especially if you are a healer or helper, as you cannot guide others beyond where you’ve gone yourself. 4. Actively seek out or create intentional healing communities or circles to experience support, belonging, and collective transformation. 5. Clarify your gifts and purpose, and find ways to serve your community, transitioning from “me” focus to “we” focus through acts of service and connection. Take one bold step today: Choose a takeaway above and bring it into your own life or healing journey. MEMORABLE QUOTES > "We can't take people places we haven't gone ourselves. If we haven’t rescued or unburdened our own parents that we're disconnected with, it's really hard to know how to help others do that themselves." > "Being healthy in a messed up world isn't the most ideal circumstance. There's a quote I love: it's no sign of health to be adapted to a sick world." > "A true elder is asking: How am I serving my community? What are my deliverables to that? If you don't have people who mirror that and actually live it, then there's no example of what we’re supposed to mature into." CONNECT WITH CHRIS Website - http://burriscounseling.com [http://burriscounseling.com] Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/burris.counseling/ [https://www.instagram.com/burris.counseling/] RESOURCES MENTIONED Creating Healing Circles: Using the Internal Family Systems Model in Facilitating Groups - https://amzn.to/4vOVYwA [https://amzn.to/4vOVYwA] IFS (Internal Family Systems) - https://ifs-institute.com/ [https://ifs-institute.com/] MAPS: Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies - https://maps.org/ [https://maps.org/] CONNECT WITH GREG Website - https://www.healing4d.com/ [https://www.healing4d.com/] Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/4d_healing/ [https://www.instagram.com/4d_healing/] YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@gregschmaus [https://www.youtube.com/@gregschmaus] LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-schmaus-22929589/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-schmaus-22929589/] 🎙️🎙️🎙️ Podcast Production & Marketing by FullCast: https://fullcast.co [https://fullcast.co] Discover the best podcast services in the world at The Podosphere: https://www.thepodosphere.com/ [https://www.thepodosphere.com/] Mentioned in this episode: Embark on The HTM Journey MHMW - HTM [https://mental-health-in-a-modern-world.captivate.fm/htm] Embark on The HTM Journey MHMW - HTM [https://mental-health-in-a-modern-world.captivate.fm/htm]

14. Healing the Inner Critic: Why Positive Thinking Isn’t Enough

📺 Watch on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@gregschmaus?sub_confirmation=1] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2bWo7CWS0Lv8oFB4svtar9] “The inner critic is not an enemy. The inner critic has good intentions. The inner critic is a benevolent protector,” says Greg Schmaus, holistic health practitioner and integrative mental health coach, on this episode of Mental Health in a Modern World. After personally overcoming severe anxiety and OCD, Greg Schmaus has dedicated the last decade to guiding thousands through healing by combining lifestyle coaching, psycho-emotional work, mindfulness, and archetypal practices. Today, Greg Schmaus breaks down the origins of the inner critic, revealing how this often-misunderstood internal voice is not something we’re born with, but a protector part we inherit in response to early criticism or shame—usually from parents or authority figures. He exposes the limitations and potential harm of common self-help advice that urges us to “eliminate” or “replace” the inner critic with positive thinking, arguing instead for a revolutionary approach: befriending and understanding the inner critic’s protective role. In this episode, Greg Schmaus shares a powerful meditative practice to relate to your inner critic with compassion, explains the neuroscience and psychology behind parts work, and explores how modern life’s overwhelming flow of information fuels cycles of not-enoughness and self-sabotage. You'll walk away with concrete tools to begin unblending from your inner critic and forging a healthier, more spacious relationship with yourself. Tune in to Mental Health in a Modern World for a transformative perspective on the root cause of your inner dialogue—and discover how true healing begins by turning toward, not away from, your most critical parts. 5 KEY TAKEAWAYS Unlock new freedom from your inner critic—here are five powerful steps you can use starting today: 1. Recognize that your inner critic is a protector, not an enemy—approach it with curiosity instead of resistance. 2. Pause and practice "unblend and befriend": create space between yourself and the critical voice, then get to know its positive intentions. 3. Identify the core wound or belief your inner critic is trying to protect (such as shame, humiliation, or not-enoughness). 4. Write out your self-critical contract: clearly state the agreement, behavior, benefit, and cost driving your inner dialogue. 5. Balance your information consumption with mindful integration to prevent your inner critic from growing louder—apply what you learn rather than just accumulating more knowledge. Start implementing one step today and witness the shift inside yourself—your healing begins with action. MEMORABLE QUOTES > "The inner critic is not an enemy. The inner critic has good intentions. The inner critic is a benevolent protector." > "No child is ever born with an inner critic. All judgments and all criticisms are borrowed and inherited." > "In parts work, what's called unblend and befriend. Unblend means we separate ourselves from the part; befriending means it's not the enemy—it's a part that we see in a benevolent way." RESOURCES MENTIONED Family Constellation Work (as taught by Sarah Peyton) - https://sarahpeyton.com/ [https://sarahpeyton.com/] CONNECT WITH GREG Website - https://www.healing4d.com/ [https://www.healing4d.com/] Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/4d_healing/ [https://www.instagram.com/4d_healing/] YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@gregschmaus [https://www.youtube.com/@gregschmaus] LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-schmaus-22929589/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-schmaus-22929589/] 🎙️🎙️🎙️ Podcast Production & Marketing by FullCast: https://fullcast.co [https://fullcast.co] Discover the best podcast services in the world at The Podosphere: https://www.thepodosphere.com/ [https://www.thepodosphere.com/] Mentioned in this episode: Embark on The HTM Journey MHMW - HTM [https://mental-health-in-a-modern-world.captivate.fm/htm] Embark on The HTM Journey MHMW - HTM [https://mental-health-in-a-modern-world.captivate.fm/htm]