Ep. 101 Cultivating Love in a Burning World featuring Activist Dean Spade
Release Date: 06/17/2025
The Body Keeps the Score but the Church Keeps the Secrets with Margaret Bronson
LaidOPEN Podcast
Join host Charna Cassell for a raw and eye opening conversation with Margaret Bronson, founder of Deconstruction Doulas. Margaret grew up inside a high control Christian cult and survived domestic violence, child abuse, excommunication, and the long psychological fallout of authoritarian religion. Now she guides others through the same dismantling of belief systems that once owned them. In this episode, Margaret unpacks how she and her husband developed somatic practices to help survivors heal the trauma stored in the body after years of purity culture, spiritual coercion, and obedience...
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How to Raise Kids Without Losing Your Mind (or Yourself) with Dr. Chelsey Hauge-Zaveleta
LaidOPEN Podcast
In this episode of LaidOPEN Podcast, Charna talks with Dr. Chelsey Hague-Zavaleta, an expert in applied educational neuroscience and social–emotional learning. Together, they explore what it really means to raise calm, connected kids — and how to do it without losing your mind (or yourself) in the process. They unpack the science of co-regulation, discuss the difference between gentle and authoritative parenting, and share practical tools for managing stress behaviors and creating family balance. Dr. Chelsey offers compassionate insights for parents, teachers, and caregivers looking to...
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Ep. 109 The Unstoppable Ann Randolph: Presence, Play, and the Power to Transform
LaidOPEN Podcast
In this episode of LaidOPEN Podcast, host Charna Cassell sits down with award-winning playwright, performer, and teacher , whose autobiographical solo shows blend comedy, storytelling, and profound transformation. Together they explore their long-held desire to collaborate — a journey guided by synchronicity, presence, and creative courage. Ann shares how her early days working the graveyard shift at a homeless shelter evolved into a celebrated career sharing the stage with icons like Mel Brooks and Alanis Morissette. She opens up about using comedy to approach trauma, the healing power...
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Ep 108 The Secret Life of Dreams with Bonnie Buckner
LaidOPEN Podcast
This season, dreams are really on my mind. I’ve been thinking about how they shape our creativity, our healing, and the subtle ways our bodies speak through them. In this episode, I sit down with dreamwork expert Bonnie Buckner, author of and founder and CEO of the International Institute for Dreaming and Imagery. Bonnie teaches that dreams aren’t just stories from the night—they’re a living intelligence, guiding us through symbol, sensation, and emotion. Together, we explore how dreams can open pathways to creativity, empathy, and collective consciousness. We talk about the...
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Ep 107 Psilocybin and the Future of Healing with Tania de Jong
LaidOPEN Podcast
Welcome back to LaidOPEN Podcast. In this week's episode, we explore altered states of consciousness, sound, healing, and the legacy of ancestral trauma. My guest is . She's a singer, sound healer, and social entrepreneur who co-founded , leading efforts to make psilocybin and MDMA legally available for treatment-resistant mental health conditions. Tania shares her own healing journey as a descendant of Holocaust survivors and the profound impact of psychedelic-assisted therapy in her life. We discuss the importance of set and setting, the benefits of group work, and how finding one’s...
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Ep. 106 Dreaming Your Life Into Beeing: Healing, Intuition and Animism (Part 2) with Ariella Daly
LaidOPEN Podcast
Trigger warning: this episode contains discussions of sexual assault. In part 2 of this powerful conversation, Charna sits down again with : dream worker, animist, and beekeeper — to continue exploring how dreams can become profound guides for healing, recovery, and transformation. Ariella shares more of her personal path, weaving together the wisdom of dreams, ritual, and the natural world to show how the subconscious can support deep repair after trauma. Together, we discuss practical tools for reclaiming your body, rebuilding your relationship with eros and creativity, and...
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Ep. 105 Dreaming Your Life Into Beeing: Healing, Intuition and Animism with Ariella Daly (Part 1)
LaidOPEN Podcast
Trigger warning: discussion of seggsual assault near the end In this episode, Charna interviews , a seasoned dream worker, animist, and beekeeper with over 15 years of experience. Ariella shares her fascinating journey into beekeeping and dream work, influenced by a blend of naturalism from her mother and mysticism from her father. She recounts a significant experience where wild bees moved into her home, deeply intertwining her dream work with her beekeeping practice. Ariella and Charna discuss the profound healing and intuitive lessons bees can impart, the importance of intentional...
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Ep. 104 Medical Misogyny and the Medical Me Too Reckoning with Micah Larsen
LaidOPEN Podcast
In this powerful episode of LaidOPEN Podcast, I sit down with medical researcher, writer, and host of Modern Hysteria, , to dive deep into her deeply personal and courageous journey through PMDD, menopause, and preeclampsia. With warmth and unflinching honesty, Micah illuminates the painful gaps in our healthcare system and the persistence of medical misogyny—and, more importantly, how we can begin to dismantle those barriers. We explore: The courage it takes to speak openly about taboo topics like incontinence, childbirth, postpartum challenges, and menopause. How narrative and advocacy...
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Ep. 103 The Pleasure Process: Keys To Cultivating Embodied Desire with Susan Morgan Taylor
LaidOPEN Podcast
What do you really want—and how do you even begin to ask for it? In this episode of laidOPEN, I’m joined by somatic sex therapist , a healer and teacher who guides people through the often-overlooked terrain of embodied desire. With over 25 years in somatic healing, Susan brings a grounded, intuitive approach to what she calls the Pleasure Keys Process—a set of practices designed to help individuals and couples reconnect with their sensuality, emotional truth, and authentic connection. We dive into how early wounding, stress, and disembodiment can short-circuit intimacy—and what it...
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Ep. 102 Strategies For Being A Better Partner In Love, Life and Everything In Between with Nick Brancato
LaidOPEN Podcast
Welcome to the first episode of July 2025, where I have a fascinating conversation with , a relationship systems architect and author of Nick shares his unique journey from being a professional poker player to stepping into the world of personal development and relationship coaching. We talk about the significance of aligning priorities within relationships, enhancing communication, and strategies to maintain focus under stress. Nick also introduces his 'Prioritize Us' test, a powerful framework designed to help couples (and friends and anyone else you want to build a more connected...
info_outlineIn this episode of LaidOPEN Podcast, I have an insightful conversation with activist and author Dean Spade about his extensive work in movements for queer and trans liberation, anti-militarism, and the abolition of police and prisons.
Dean and I discuss his new book titled 'Love in a Fucked Up World: How to Build Relationships, Hook Up, and Raise Hell Together,' covering topics such as mindful practices for managing stress, the evolution of his book over nine years, and personal growth in relationships.
We also delve into the romance myth, decentralizing romantic relationships, and the importance of community support. Dean shares valuable insights and practices for generating internal safety and the importance of collective care in social movements.
This episode is an enriching dialogue aimed at anyone interested in social justice, personal growth, and transformative community practices.
Show Notes:
00:00 Introduction and Course Announcement
00:55 Introducing Dean Spade
02:01 Dean Spade's Book Journey
02:28 Healing Modalities and Personal Growth
03:05 Non-Monogamous Relationships
03:34 Challenges in Writing the Book
05:15 Self-Help Literature Critique
06:45 Emotional Awareness in Movements
15:27 Decentralizing Romantic Relationships
23:49 Self-Generated Safety and Belonging
31:40 Therapy Misconceptions and Realities
32:38 The Overuse of Pathologizing Language
33:23 Forgiveness and Self-Inquiry in Relationships
36:05 The Impact of Alcoholism on Relationships
37:28 The Process of Forgiveness and Healing
41:34 Sexual Trauma and Cultural Narratives
44:18 Transformative Justice and Community Response
49:52 Decentralizing Romantic Relationships
You can watch this episode on my YouTube channel, just search LaidOPEN. Plus, I have free guided visualizations and a host of other tools and resources available to you there and on my website at CharnaCassell.com.