The Nature of Nurture

Leslie sits down with producer, dancer, and choreographer Just Jet (simply known as Jet) for a raw and honest discussion of mental health, suicidal thoughts, and the impact of public scrutiny on personal wellbeing. Jet shares his remarkable journey from busking on the streets to winning MTV’s America's Best Dance Crew and eventually working with icons like Bruno Mars and Taylor Swift. While this might sound like a dream come true, Jet also discusses the less often talked about, yet significant personal mental health battles and public downfall he dealt with as a result of that fame.

He shares his experience of being canceled during the COVID pandemic — a time already ripe with emotional upheaval and how it amplified his feelings of isolation and disconnection, leading to thoughts of suicide. Jet now focuses his creative energy on music production and is an active advocate in mental health who works to help people understand the significance of connection, gratitude, and finding your purpose.

Warning that this discussion includes a conversation about suicide so if you think you shouldn’t hang out for that, take care of yourself.

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Watch this episode on YouTube. Because this conversation includes political speech in the form of references to Israel and Gaza, the original version of the video on YouTube had to be edited in order to meet their policy guidelines. The version of the conversation that exists here in your podcast app remains unedited.
• You can find Jet @JustJet across all social media platforms, or you can follow him on Instagram here.
• If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, in the U.S., call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Or use the Lifeline Chat at 988lifeline.org/chat. Services are free and confidential.

Host Leslie is joined by multidisciplinary artist and author Scott Nathan who shares some incredible and wild stories from his life. He discusses his unexpected journey to TikTok fame and the success of his book, "The Big Book of Bad Decisions." Scott also recounts the fascinating story of how a medium helped him find his birth family, providing concrete and actionable information that led him to connect with his half-sisters.

The conversation dives into the complexities of mental health, family dynamics, and the impact of past traumas while also exploring how Scott's own experiences and upbringing shaped his perspective on life and relationships. Scott's reflections on meeting his biological mother shed light on the complex interplay between genetics and environment in shaping our lives, highlighting the importance of understanding the factors that influence our mental health and well-being. Scott and Leslie also discuss the importance of understanding and accepting one's past while embracing the journey of self-discovery and growth.

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Watch this episode on YouTube
• Scott’s website
• Follow Scott on TikTok
• Buy a copy of Scott’s book, “The Big Book of Bad Decisions”
• Connect with medium, Carissa Schumacher
• Listen to The Nature of Reality with physicist Radhika Dirks, from season two of The Nature of Nurture

Show Credits:

• Show created and produced by Leslie Carr with the help of:
  • Carly Quellman, Production assistant
  • Raphaello, Post-production supervisor
  • Sarah Carefoot, Media Manager
• Recorded at WTF Studios, Los Angeles

Host Leslie is joined by Dr. Jennifer Ellice, founder of the Golden Afternoon Ketamine Clinic and emergency room physician, to discuss psychedelic therapy and how ketamine specifically can help with depression, addiction, PTSD, and more. Dr. Jenn shares her journey from working in a methadone clinic to discovering the healing powers of ketamine in the ER. She shares compelling stories from her practice, highlighting the profound changes in perspective, emotional insights, and healing possible with this approach. Their discussion also touches on the broader implications for mental health care within a capitalist system. Finally, Dr. Jenn provides advice for individuals who are curious about exploring psychedelic therapy, emphasizing the importance of guided, respectful journeys.

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Watch this episode on YouTube
• Learn more about Golden Afternoon, Dr. Jenn’s Ketamine Clinic
• What is neuroplasticity?
• Listen to The Nature of Reality, Rhadika Dirks’ Nature of Nurture episode

Show credits:

• Show created and produced by Leslie Carr with the help of:
  • Carly Quellman, Production assistant
  • Raphaello, Post-production supervisor
  • Sarah Carefoot, Media Manager
• Recorded at WTF Studios, Los Angeles

Helen Vonderheide joins Leslie for a fascinating discussion about the world of the Akashic Records. Helen provides a clear and concise explanation of what the Akashic Records are, describing them as an archive of our soul's journey stored in an etheric field. She also shares her personal journey of discovering the Akashic Records, starting with a transformative reading in 2012 that inspired her to learn how to access them for herself.

Helen reflects on her upbringing in Chicago, where she felt a calling to connect with something greater than herself from a young age. Raised in a Catholic environment, she later explored Buddhism, finding resonance in its universal and inclusive teachings. This spiritual exploration eventually led her to the Akashic Records, where she discovered a profound connection to her soul's journey.

She shares the challenges and breakthroughs she encountered in her journey of learning to access the Akashic Records, from struggling with the traditional prayer to accessing the records to finding her unique invocation method. Evidence for this methodology is also discussed.

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Watch this episode on YouTube
• Helen’s website
• Follow Hellen on Instagram
• Books that can help you learn more:
  • "How to Read the Akashic Records: Accessing the Archive of the Soul and Its Journey" by Linda Howe
  • “Science and the Akashic Field An Integral Theory of Everything” by Ervin Laszlo

Show Credits:

• Show created and produced by Leslie Carr with the help of:
  • Raphaello, Post-production supervisor
  • Sarah Carefoot, Media Manager
• Recorded in part at WTF Studios, Los Angeles

Host Leslie is joined by Rachel Hardy, intuitive coach and mentor, to explore the profound impact our nervous systems have on mental health and overall wellbeing. Rachel shares how her journey to becoming a nervous system regulation expert was influenced by both her professional experience in injury recovery and chronic pain management, and her personal health struggles with autoimmune conditions and depression.

Rachel explains how our bodies store trauma, and how our nervous systems evolve through social engagement, particularly during infancy. Leslie and Rachel also discuss the often-overlooked connection between nervous system dysregulation and common mental health challenges, such as anxiety and depression.

They challenge traditional cognitive-only approaches to healing, advocating for a more holistic method that incorporates body awareness and physical manifestations of emotions. Rachel also emphasizes the significance of how understanding and regulating our nervous systems can transform our lives and enable us to live on our own terms.

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Watch this episode on YouTube
• Rachel’s website
• Join The Resilient Goddess, Rachel’s Facebook group
• Follow Rachel on Instagram
• Learn more about Dr. Peter Levine and Somatic Experiencing
• “When Did Everyone Get So ‘Dysregulated’? How managing our mental health became a matter of monitoring our nervous systems” via The Cut

Show Credits:

• Show created and produced by Leslie Carr with the help of:
  • Raphaello, Post-production supervisor
  • Sarah Carefoot, Media Manager
• Recorded in part at WTF Studios, Los Angeles