Strangers You Know

Every week we pass by hundreds of people we don't know. Complete strangers. Some of them. We barely notice the guy at the ATM or the woman driving the BMW. Some we may see on a more regular basis. The clerk at the local convenience store, that one ref that shows up at every lacrosse game. Some people really catch our attention like that saxophone player in the park last Saturday. What would it take to turn a casual acquaintance into a friend, a mentor, or even a new best friend? Another conversation, maybe a series of conversations. Maybe just one vulnerable conversation about something that truly matters. A shared moment that touches us once and changes us forever. Each episode of "Strangers, You Know" is a conversation with a wonderful human you've never met. On the surface, some of them may really stand out. Others you may not even notice as you pass on the street. Each of them is unique and very real. They may have radically different opinions, religions, or lifestyles than you. But I promise you, if you're willing to spend the time with them, their honesty, vulnerability and bold conversations will convince you we all have more in common than we might expect. Our conversations will bring you to tears, challenge your current worldviews, and occasionally make you laugh your a** off. But I promise you, if you are willing to spend time with them, their honesty, vulnerability and bold conversations will convince you we all have more in common than we might expect. So follow, like, subscribe, support, contribute and enjoy as I proudly introduce you to "Strangers, You Know."Support the showLoved this episode? Leave us a 5-Star review and rating here!Financial contributions greatly appreciated!Join the conversation online at our Facebook Community Page with many of our listeners and guests.Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In, or TikTok.Email us at Brian@StrangersYouKnowPodcast.com

(CW: SI, SA) Join our conversation with Jaxon and his experience growing up in a traditional LDS family and attending BYU before coming out as transgender. (Topics include: transgender,  LGBTQ+, trans panic, deconstructing religion, LDS (Mormon) church, BYU, patriarchal blessing, suicidal ideation, body dysmorphia, sexual abuse, depression, anxiety, and lacrosse.)Support the showLoved this episode? Leave us a 5-Star review and rating here!Financial contributions greatly appreciated!Join the conversation online at our Facebook Community Page with many of our listeners and guests.Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In, or TikTok.Email us at Brian@StrangersYouKnowPodcast.com

(Join the Conversation on our Facebook Community)Originally intended to be only a test of sound equipment, my friend Neil got a jumpstart on the podcast by turning the tables and interviewing me. There will be a follow-up interview with Neil where I return the favor but I wanted to share this conversation with you as we discuss what it means to be vulnerable and the risk of belonging vs. the reward of being true to yourself. Other topics include: the origins of this podcast, tattoos, culture and community, pandemic, swearing, learning about privilege, and the challenge of changing, learning, and being a better person.CW - Foul LanguageSupport the showLoved this episode? Leave us a 5-Star review and rating here!Financial contributions greatly appreciated!Join the conversation online at our Facebook Community Page with many of our listeners and guests.Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In, or TikTok.Email us at Brian@StrangersYouKnowPodcast.com

(CW: SI) Leaving the LDS church can cost people many valuable relationships, including family. Today's guest was actually "excommunicated from her family," which then led to a faith crisis, deconstruction, and her leaving the church, all within a very short period of time. She prefers to remain anonymous but has bravely and beautifully shared her story with others on her Instagram account, Her.Truth.Be.Told and I encourage all listeners to follow her there. (Today's Topics include: Enmeshed family, narcissism, abusive relationships, indoctrination, gaslighting, purity culture, suicide, tattoos, community, love bombing, and deconstruction.)Support the showLoved this episode? Leave us a 5-Star review and rating here!Financial contributions greatly appreciated!Join the conversation online at our Facebook Community Page with many of our listeners and guests.Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In, or TikTok.Email us at Brian@StrangersYouKnowPodcast.com

Amanda joins our conversation from her new home in Argentina. Originally from a small town in Utah, she grew up driven to be the "perfect girl." Devout Mormon, straight A's, and a self-proclaimed tomboy. She tells how a single question changed her life forever, opening her eyes to a world of possibilities, and instilling a strong desire to live and work abroad. After a decade of working for  United Nations with UNICEF and the World Food Programme, her work has taken her to dozens of countries. Her story includes topics of: certainty, self-doubt, poverty, open-mindedness, critical thinking, education, colonialization, life, death, news, social media, culture, communication, politics, international relations, the importance of cursing, and finding beauty in your daily life.Support the showLoved this episode? Leave us a 5-Star review and rating here!Financial contributions greatly appreciated!Join the conversation online at our Facebook Community Page with many of our listeners and guests.Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In, or TikTok.Email us at Brian@StrangersYouKnowPodcast.com

How did you discover who you really are and who you really want to be? Or maybe the jury is still out and you are still exploring with an open mind. It's one thing to talk about one's journey from the perspective of the finish line - quite another to share your struggles, fears, and failures when you're still in the thick of things. Join my conversation with Keegan, a former hockey player as he talks about his experiences with ice hockey, meditation, personal change, hydration, gratitude, and psychedelics.Support the showLoved this episode? Leave us a 5-Star review and rating here!Financial contributions greatly appreciated!Join the conversation online at our Facebook Community Page with many of our listeners and guests.Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In, or TikTok.Email us at Brian@StrangersYouKnowPodcast.com

Charlie is an accomplished actor with an impressive list of accomplishments. He currently plays the role of Roger Davies in "Tina" on Broadway and his previous credits include: The Bridges of Madison County (Original Broadway Cast), Parade (Lincoln Center). TV credits include Shades of Blue, The Loudest Voice. But I wanted to talk with him about the time he spent in his Broadway role in The Book of Mormon (Broadway).I had a blast with this conversation and we talked about religion, acting, fears and our inner critic, banned books, taking offense and being offensive, self reflection, and the importance of theater and the arts. This is one you're going to love!Support the showLoved this episode? Leave us a 5-Star review and rating here!Financial contributions greatly appreciated!Join the conversation online at our Facebook Community Page with many of our listeners and guests.Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In, or TikTok.Email us at Brian@StrangersYouKnowPodcast.com

(Join the Conversation on our Facebook Community Group)Today, Strangers You Know goes International with my conversation with Santiago García. I spoke with him from the small city of Pergamino, Argentina, where he was raised (about two hours from Buenos Aires). Santiago attended a progressive Catholic school that, although not in favor of abortion rights, the main bishop still believed that “Abortion is a way of controlling the birth rate from poorer countries”. Join us as we discuss philosophy, politics, existential crisis, religion, expressions of God, worldviews, power, friends, family, and machismo. Support the showLoved this episode? Leave us a 5-Star review and rating here!Financial contributions greatly appreciated!Join the conversation online at our Facebook Community Page with many of our listeners and guests.Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In, or TikTok.Email us at Brian@StrangersYouKnowPodcast.com

DeLaney is a native Utahn who has spent the past eight years acting in NYC. (Check out the show notes for a summary of her accolades.) Our conversation covers topics from the personal to the philosophical to the mundane of composting in Manhatten. Each topic uncovers another wonderful, emotional, personal layer of our amazing guest. Topics include: Orthodox Mormonism, composting in Manhattan, board games, babysitting, the importance of supportive parents, and The Marvelous Mrs. Masel. (Join the Conversation on our Facebook Community Group)Support the showLoved this episode? Leave us a 5-Star review and rating here!Financial contributions greatly appreciated!Join the conversation online at our Facebook Community Page with many of our listeners and guests.Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In, or TikTok.Email us at Brian@StrangersYouKnowPodcast.com

Outside of our recorded conversations, I ask each of my guests to recommend someone who they think would be a good person to have on the show. Today's guest, Meg, comes from one of those blind referrals. Before recording today's conversation, I had only spent ten minutes with her on a phone call. Almost complete strangers, she and I recorded the longest conversation to date. I am thrilled with being able to get to know her during this episode, and I'm so happy we had the opportunity to connect, talk about personally meaningful topics and of course share the entire experience with you. Meg is a warm, wonderful human who is living her best life. Her happiness and her open, genuine nature immediately make her a Stranger You want to Know. CW: Reference to self harmTOPICS: Anxiety, Mental Health, polygamy, temple garments, visiting teaching, guilt, prayer, indoctrination, dishonesty, womanhood, motherhood, being a follower, conditional love, love languages, being authentic, beauty and happiness in the world.Support the showLoved this episode? Leave us a 5-Star review and rating here!Financial contributions greatly appreciated!Join the conversation online at our Facebook Community Page with many of our listeners and guests.Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In, or TikTok.Email us at Brian@StrangersYouKnowPodcast.com

Today's conversation with Aliyah is the Tenth Episode of the "Strangers You Know" podcast and I am so excited to share her story with you. In this episode, we talk about doubts, cognitive dissonance and deconstruction of her faith as well as the difficulty and cost of vocalizing her process and why that is so important for herself and others. Aliyah shares her concerns on parenting her daughter, managing mixed-faith relationships with friends and family, and the importance of positivity.Other Topics Include: Doubts, cognitive dissonance, deconstruction, racism, prayer, feeling the spirit, parenting, positivity, motherhood, and her new love of tapping. See her show notes for more details and learn how she uses tapping to improve her life and the lives of those around her.Support the showLoved this episode? Leave us a 5-Star review and rating here!Financial contributions greatly appreciated!Join the conversation online at our Facebook Community Page with many of our listeners and guests.Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In, or TikTok.Email us at Brian@StrangersYouKnowPodcast.com

How tightly do we grip our core beliefs and values, and why do we provide any room for intellectual curiosity? How often do we seek to understand individuals and viewpoints that are radically different from our own? How did we come to our version of certain knowledge, and what does it really cost us to consider different perspectives and opinions? These questions make up the backbone of this podcast, and I hope today's conversation pushes us all out of our comfort zone and foregone conclusions. Kacee was born in a country that no longer exists. She came to the United States at eight years old when her mother became a mail-order bride. She has a unique perspective on mental health as she has been arrested and held in prison and mental institutions in multiple countries. Kacee also runs a nonprofit called Nomad Alliance that works closely with the homeless population. A talented writer, she talks about the book she is writing, discusses declining empires, and leads us in a brief meditation. Also, beginning with this episode, Kacee and I both invite you to join our conversation by posting questions and comments on the new Facebook community page of Strangers You Know. Support the showLoved this episode? Leave us a 5-Star review and rating here!Financial contributions greatly appreciated!Join the conversation online at our Facebook Community Page with many of our listeners and guests.Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In, or TikTok.Email us at Brian@StrangersYouKnowPodcast.com

In today's conversation, Jed and I talk about the painful, wonderful, lonely, scary journey of deconstruction. Jed was in his fourth of six years serving as bishop of his ward when his faith crisis began. Beginning with his deconstruction of God before he began deconstructing the church, both while serving as Bishop and without being able to talk with anyone about it, including his wife. For a period of time, Jed talks of his many years of sacrifice and his immediate rejection by what he once considered to be very close friends and neighbors. Our conversation covers LGBTQ issues beards in the bishopric and many triggers that still set us on high alert. I hope that still practicing members of the church who hear this conversation can gain a better understanding of how difficult and tortuous the decision to leave is for many people. It is often a long and very painful process that is done with agonizing, deliberate consideration and a great personal cost. TOPICS: Deconstruction, Post-Mormonism, Beards & Bishoprics, False Relationships, Triggers, Sacrifice, LGBTQ+, Agency, and Being RejectedComplete show notes, including photos, full bio on Jed, and much more can be found at https://www.strangersyouknowpodcast.com/jed Support the showLoved this episode? Leave us a 5-Star review and rating here!Financial contributions greatly appreciated!Join the conversation online at our Facebook Community Page with many of our listeners and guests.Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In, or TikTok.Email us at Brian@StrangersYouKnowPodcast.com

First of two parts. It is impossible to summarize any of these amazing conversations into a few, simple paragraphs. My meeting with Meg ran so long that I had to break it into two episodes. And I still feel that we were just scratching the surface. Part two will air next week.In the meantime, I could tell you that our topics included: butchering chickens, long-term illness, sexuality, trauma dumping, feminism, and trying to fit in. But that leaves dozens of topics unmentioned and still doesn’t describe our conversation.Meg graciously shares how she came to an understanding of her family system, religion of origin, and many other topics that once defined her worldview. Her story of deconstructing eighty different things has helped her learn to hold things loosely. Her knowledge, beliefs, even values are constantly changing and she has learned to embrace the unknown, be open to new everythings, and she has given herself permission to rock the boat in her advocacy on important issues. Meg is wise, insightful, warm, caring, and a truly remarkable woman. I really appreciate getting to know her and have learned a lot from her perspective. I know you will too. Enjoy part one!Topics Include: Deconstruction, hard work, top values, the comfort of holding things loosely, tone-police, feminism under the guise of patriarchy, embracing the unknown, and the importance of preventative care in relationships. Support the showLoved this episode? Leave us a 5-Star review and rating here!Financial contributions greatly appreciated!Join the conversation online at our Facebook Community Page with many of our listeners and guests.Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In, or TikTok.Email us at Brian@StrangersYouKnowPodcast.com

Welcome back. In part two of my conversation with Meg, we dove a little deeper into her area of expertise, namely relationships, preventative care of relationships, and high-risk factors that challenge relationships. We also talk about awakening, especially to privilege as well as the importance of exploring self, including sexual identity. Other topics include self-care, intersectionality,  our relationship with anger, and how our feelings lead us to action, both for better and for worse. Oh, and Meg almost tells us another joke. Thanks for joining us on Strangers You Know.TOPICS: Relationships (high-risk and low-risk factors); Interpreting Data (What we should have learned from the marshmallow study), Awakening, Privilege, Feminist rage, Self-Care, Self-Love, Exploring Self, Exploring sexuality, Intersectionality, Anger, How feelings lead to good and bad actions, non-hetero, non-monogamous relationships, Preventative care for relationshipsSupport the showLoved this episode? Leave us a 5-Star review and rating here!Financial contributions greatly appreciated!Join the conversation online at our Facebook Community Page with many of our listeners and guests.Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In, or TikTok.Email us at Brian@StrangersYouKnowPodcast.com

Is life, the universe and everything calling out to you. And are you too anxious or too busy working on your daily to do list to hear it? How would you react if you had spent the last 15 years of your life meticulously achieving one goal after another until you finally reached the pinnacle of success? Then you heard the message You need to quit. This is no longer for you. Would you trust the inner voice you'd been cultivating for years, or would your reptilian fear based brain talk you out of it? In today's conversation with Hardy, he explains how he left the toxic, unsustainable path of a highly successful Broadway career to force a pattern interrupt in his own life. We discuss how a recovering perfectionist practiced non-attachment through Vedic meditation and developed a change of consciousness through reflective curiosity, relinquishing the false concept of control by paying attention to his high level feeling. Hardy's story reflects the complete overhaul of his operating system. It is fascinating, inspiring and full of opportunities for self-reflection. I took a lot from this conversation myself, and I hope you appreciate it as much as I did. Support the showLoved this episode? Leave us a 5-Star review and rating here!Financial contributions greatly appreciated!Join the conversation online at our Facebook Community Page with many of our listeners and guests.Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In, or TikTok.Email us at Brian@StrangersYouKnowPodcast.com

This episode is a testament to the human spirit. Today’s guest talks about overcoming darkness, rejection, and multiple traumatic events. Kauri bravely shares her experiences with racism, sexual abuse, incarceration of a loved one, and even death. At times, she felt very alone as she struggled to make sense of her world with little or no support. Sometimes not being believed by those around her. Sometimes the trauma being caused by those who professed to support her. Kauri’s story is dark, gut-wrenching, hopeful, beautiful, and inspiring. Her ability to heal herself, find her footing, and become an advocate for others, gives us a brief insight into the beautiful, caring, loving person she is and I am so grateful to her for allowing me to share her journey on Strangers You Know.CW: Sexual AbuseTOPICS: adoption, intentional and unintentional racism, stereotypes, death, sexual abuse, healing, self love, rejection, acceptance, deconstruction, faith crisis, incarceration, excommunication, worthiness, car accident, advocation.Support the showLoved this episode? Leave us a 5-Star review and rating here!Financial contributions greatly appreciated!Join the conversation online at our Facebook Community Page with many of our listeners and guests.Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In, or TikTok.Email us at Brian@StrangersYouKnowPodcast.com

Finally, today is part two of the conversation I had with Neal over three months ago. In this episode, we talk about waking up, putting off the pretender within each of us and the necessity and cost of advocating for others. We consider the importance of love as an overall part of health and fitness. Pulling no punches, we may even rattle a few emotions on today's episode of Strangers You Know. Other Topics: LGBTQ+, Love, Advocate, Support, Alienation, Deconstruction, open conversations, waking up, fitness, health, mental healthSupport the showLoved this episode? Leave us a 5-Star review and rating here!Financial contributions greatly appreciated!Join the conversation online at our Facebook Community Page with many of our listeners and guests.Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In, or TikTok.Email us at Brian@StrangersYouKnowPodcast.com

What do you do when a traumatic brain injury takes away your health, your personality, and your sense of life's purpose?I first met Pierre in Japan when we were both serving LDS missions. We were companions in the Mission Home for quite a while and we both thought we would be close friends forever. He came to my wedding shortly after he returned, and then we simply drifted apart with no interaction whatsoever. Life happened to both of us. A few weeks ago, Pierre found my podcast and reached out. We spoke for a few minutes and then I forced us both to wait to catch up until I could record it for my podcast. So here we are more than three decades later. Pierre is on my podcast for far more than nostalgia. For some time, I'd been trying to talk with someone who had deconstructed life due to health reasons, and unfortunately, my former companion had that experience. After witnessing 911. Pierre found his lifelong calling and he became a police officer in South Tahoe Police Department for over 15 years before he experienced a traumatic brain injury in the line of duty. That accident not only cost Pierre his career, his help, his identity, and his sense of purpose. It changed his personality and completely wiped out his fluent ability to speak and understand Japanese for long years of medical treatment, endless prescriptions, and every therapy he could manage couldn't wipe out his anxiety, agoraphobia, vertigo, migraines, or his thoughts of suicide. Then, one day, as a last-ditch effort, his wife suggested he try hypnosis. That treatment saved his life. Hypnosis fixes medical conditions, gave him a new sense of purpose, and completely restored his Japanese. During our conversation, I felt like I had been talking with the same old Pierre I had known and loved. Half a lifetime ago in Fukuoka, Japan. I missed my friend Pierre and I am very excited for him to share his story with you and introduce him as another Stranger You Know. CW: SIOther Topics Include: sense of purpose, deconstruction, advocacy, integrity, core beliefs, changing world views, emotional hijacking, subconscious, hypnosis, training, experience, fear, comfort, anxiety, traumatic injury, healing.Support the showLoved this episode? Leave us a 5-Star review and rating here!Financial contributions greatly appreciated!Join the conversation online at our Facebook Community Page with many of our listeners and guests.Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In, or TikTok.Email us at Brian@StrangersYouKnowPodcast.com

This interview breaks one of my early, probably unnecessarily arbitrary rules. Keyan is an architect who works in New York City. He is an immersive hobbyist who loves motocross. A deep thinker who loves deep, meaningful conversations. He's also my son in law, and I've told myself I wouldn't interview family. So much for rules.In our conversation, we talk about gripping things too tightly versus just being present. We talk about discovering slash, creating your best self, and how Keyan changed his dissertation for his master's thesis in architecture to an artistic self-exploration that revamped his core being. We also talk about the limitation of words, the beauty of art and creativity, what makes a conversation truly great, and the stifling deterrence of traditional masculinity in meaningful relationships. In the end, I think that breaking my rule was the right decision. TOPICS: conversations, honesty, transparency, life formulas, success, being present, masculinity, hobbies, deconstruction.Support the showLoved this episode? Leave us a 5-Star review and rating here!Financial contributions greatly appreciated!Join the conversation online at our Facebook Community Page with many of our listeners and guests.Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In, or TikTok.Email us at Brian@StrangersYouKnowPodcast.com