Merry Christmas! No interview today. No monologue either. Just a simple, short and sweet song I wanted to give as a gift to anyone whose heart is hurting this holiday.
Why I'm sharing this song with you:Since Christmas has fallen on a Monday this year, and I always release new episodes on Monday, I faced a dilemma. I thought it would be a disservice to any guest to ask them to do an episode that would air on a day that the average listener can be expected to have other priorities, and I didn't want to interrupt anyone's holiday with a silly request to listen to an interview instead of celebrating traditions with their loved ones. At the same time, I didn't want to lose the consistency of releasing one episode per week, which I've been doing since the podcast launched in May of 2022. A few weeks before Christmas, this beloved song came to me and said, "hey! Share me with your listeners for Christmas! I'm the perfect gift for your audience!" And I thought, that's perfect. So I reached out to the artist, got in touch with his licensing company, and shelled out the dollars for the rights to share this song with you as my way of saying thank you for supporting the show.
As you may have noticed, one of the things I like to do on this podcast is to highlight people of exceptional character and virtue. Ryan O'Neal, who goes by the artist name Sleeping at Last, is one such individual, and I simply adore him.
His thoughtfully composed, exquisite music has gotten me through hard times, inspired and soothed me. Beyond mere auditory pleasure, though, his virtuous character shines through everything he touches. For example,
this series he did on the Enneagram shows the tremendous amount of effort he puts in to empathizing with the human experience, taking perspectives and telling stories through sound. As an
Enneagram One myself - as I discussed with
Kim O in episode 80 - it's crucial to my own mental health that I surround myself with examples of virtuous character, good deeds, exquisitely crafted art, and things just generally being done really well. It helps me feel less alone in the universe, less uniquely burdened with the impossible task of bringing out the best in everyone and everything. Ryan is one of those people who seems to be well along his path of self-actualization, who strives to manifest his character and virtue through everything he touches. It seems clear that he is a well-rounded person, a loving husband, father, and friend to many. His music is heartfelt, therapeutic, soulful, and deeply empathic. May this song touch your heart as it touches mine, and bring comfort to the darkness of the winter season.
Lyrics to Snow, by Sleeping at Lastthe branches have traded their leaves for white sleeves
all warm-blooded creatures make ghosts as they breathe
scarves are wrapped tightly like gifts under trees
christmas lights tangle in knots annually
our families huddle closely
betting warmth against the cold
but our bruises seem to surface
like mud beneath the snow
so we sing carols softly, as sweet as we know
a prayer that our burdens will lift as we go
like young love still waiting under mistletoe
we’ll welcome december with tireless hope
let our bells keep on ringing
making angels in the snow
may the melody disarm us
when the cracks begin to show
like the petals in our pockets
may we remember who we are
unconditionally cared for
by those who share our broken hearts
the table is set and our glasses are full
though pieces go missing, may we still feel whole
we’ll build new traditions in place of the old
‘cause life without revision will silence our souls
so let the bells keep on ringing
making angels in the snow
may the melody surround us
when the cracks begin to show
like the petals in our pockets
may we remember who we are
unconditionally cared for
by those who share our broken hearts
as gentle as feathers, the snow piles high
our world gets rewritten and retraced every time
like fresh plates and clean slates, our future is white
new year’s resolutions will reset tonight
“Snow”
Written by Ryan O’Neal
Published by Asteroid B-612 (BMI) / Wine And Song Music (BMI)
Performed by Sleeping At Last
Courtesy of Asteroid B-612
By arrangement with Music Alternatives, LLC
Learn about how the artist was inspired to create this song. Read what he wrote in 2011, or listen to
episode 8 of The Sleeping at Last Podcast, which Ryan recorded in 2017, in which he elaborates on his songwriting process for Snow.
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What is You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist?
A podcast at the intersection of psychology and culture that intimately explores the human experience and critiques the counseling profession. Your host, Stephanie Winn, distills wisdom gained from her practice as a family therapist and coach while pivoting towards questions of how to apply a practical understanding of psychology to the novel dilemmas of the 21st century, from political polarization to medical malpractice.
What does ethical mental health care look like in a normless age, as our moral compasses spin in search of true north? How can therapists treat patients under pressure to affirm everything from the notion of "gender identity" to assisted suicide?
Primarily a long-form interview podcast, Stephanie invites unorthodox, free-thinking guests from many walks of life, including counselors, social workers, medical professionals, writers, researchers, and people with unique lived experience, such as detransitioners.
Curious about many things, Stephanie’s interdisciplinary psychological lens investigates challenging social issues and inspires transformation in the self, relationships, and society. She is known for bringing calm warmth to painful subjects, and astute perceptiveness to ethically complex issues. Pick up a torch to illuminate the dark night and join us on this journey through the inner wilderness.
You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist ranks in the top 1% globally according to ListenNotes. New episodes are released every Monday. Three and a half years after the show's inception in May of 2022, Stephanie became a Christian, representing the crystallization of moral, spiritual, and existential views she had been openly grappling with along with her audience and guests. Newer episodes (#188 forward) may sometimes reflect a Christian understanding, interwoven with and applied to the same issues the podcast has always addressed. The podcast remains diverse and continues to feature guests from all viewpoints.