The Radical Therapist

The Radical Therapist #140 – New Materialisms, Systemic Therapy, and the More-Than-Human Turn w/ Christopher Loh & Federico Albertini

In this episode of The Radical Therapist, Chris sits down with systemic therapists and thinkers Christopher Loh and Federico Albertini to explore how New Materialisms are reshaping the foundations of therapeutic practice. What happens when therapy loosens its grip on language as the primary site of meaning-making, and begins listening to the material, the more-than-human, the in-between? Drawing on philosophy, anthropology, physics, and the emerging edges of systemic psychotherapy, Christopher and Federico guide us through a relational world where matter is active, contexts are dynamic, and change emerges from constellations of forces, not just conversations. Together we explore how New Materialisms challenge the limits of the linguistic turn, illuminate the agency of bodies, environments, and objects, and invite therapists to rethink what “systemic” really means. A conversation for anyone curious about what emerges when we let therapy become a practice of attention to the material conditions of suffering, care, and transformation, and when we recognize that the future of the field may lie in the spaces, relations, and rhythms we’ve long overlooked.

The Radical Therapist #139 – Poetics, Politics, and the Art of Therapy w/ Todd Disney, Psy.D.

In this episode of The Radical Therapist, Chris sits down with narrative therapist and educator Todd Disney, Psy.D., to explore his work on Narrative Poetic Inquiry (NPI), the art of drawing out the poetic sensibility of clients rather than performing it as therapists. Building on the ideas of Foucault, Bachelard, Michael White, Lefebvre, and others, Disney invites us to rethink therapy as an aesthetic and political act: a practice of “making the ordinary strange,” of discovering the sacred in the everyday, and of restoring beauty to lives flattened by productivity and pathology. Together, Chris and Todd explore poetic memory, the ethics of the therapist-as-artist, and how questions can become openings into resonance, imagination, and renewal. A conversation for anyone wondering how language itself might help us re-enchant the world.

The Art of Listening & The Past, Present and Future of Narrative Therapy w/ Gene Combs

In episode #138 of The Radical Therapist Podcast, Chris sits down with long-time narrative therapist Gene Combs for a conversation on the past, present, and future of narrative therapy. Gene shares his journey into narrative therapy, his thoughts on neoliberalism’s impact on mental health, and why honoring people as the first authors of their lives remains a central commitment in his work. We also dive into Gene’s recent writing/thinking on listening, what he calls “experiencing the storyteller’s experience” and explore how therapists can cultivate resonant presence in their conversations.   Chris Hoff PhD, LMFT We want to hear from you! YouTube: http://bit.ly/2i0DmaT [http://bit.ly/2i0DmaT] Instagram: https://instagram.com/theradicaltherapist/ [https://instagram.com/theradicaltherapist/] Email: theradicaltherapist@gmail.com

The Radical Therapist #137 – Bibliotherapy as Narrative Practice w/ Mariana Casale, PhD

What if the act of reading could help rewrite the stories we live by? In this episode of The Radical Therapist, Dr. Chris Hoff sits down with bibliotherapist and narrative practitioner Mariana Casale to explore her new article, “Bibliotherapy as Narrative Practice: Reader Empowerment Through Re-Authoring Conversations. [https://poetrytherapy.eu/ejbpt/article/view/1/5]” Drawing on the work of Michael White, Alejandra Pizarnik, Foucault, and others, Casale makes a compelling case for reading literature not as passive consumption but as a co-authored, transformative act that can decenter dominant discourses, uncover “sparkling moments,” and help people reclaim agency over their life narratives. MarianaCasale.com [https://marianacasale.com/]   Chris Hoff PhD, LMFT We want to hear from you! YouTube: http://bit.ly/2i0DmaT [http://bit.ly/2i0DmaT] Instagram: https://instagram.com/theradicaltherapist/ [https://instagram.com/theradicaltherapist/] Email: theradicaltherapist@gmail.com

The Radical Therapist #136 - Therapy as Resistance: Culture, Politics, and Spirit w/ Dr. Makungu Akinyela

In this episode of The Radical Therapist, Chris sits down with Dr. Makungu Akinyela, scholar, therapist, and community organizer to discuss his new book Culture, Politics, Spirituality and Practice: A Book of Resistance and Critical Theory for Disturbing Times. We explore how therapy can be an act of resistance, how spirituality is political, and how Dr. Akinyela’s groundbreaking practice of Testimony Therapy reclaims healing as a collective, culturally-rooted, and justice-oriented process. From the failures of Western psychology to the power of African-centered healing, this conversation is a call to action for therapists, healers, and anyone committed to liberation work in disturbing times. https://makunguakinyelaauthor.com/ [https://makunguakinyelaauthor.com/] https://www.sankofatestimonies.com/ [https://www.sankofatestimonies.com/] Chris Hoff PhD, LMFT We want to hear from you! YouTube: http://bit.ly/2i0DmaT [http://bit.ly/2i0DmaT] Instagram: https://instagram.com/theradicaltherapist/ [https://instagram.com/theradicaltherapist/] Email: theradicaltherapist@gmail.com