026: Toxic Positivity & Extreme Positive Thinking with Dr. Lara Owen

Jodie Gale · Leave a Comment

Returning guest, Dr. Lara Owen, talks about the perils of extreme positive thinking, toxic positivity, and how to be your true self in a world dominated by social media and consumerism.

Dr. Lara Owen is a writer and researcher whose interests circulate around the everyday and our potential for living more intelligently, compassionately and sustainably. She has written on spirituality and on women’s wellbeing, and is best known for her ground breaking book on menstruation, Her Blood Is Gold, which was first published in 1993 and has been updated twice, most recently in 2008. The book investigates the impact that cultural constructions of the menstrual cycle have on women, society and the environment, how women are traumatised and minimised through menstrual stigma, and what happens when normative behaviours change. Lara holds a PhD from Monash Business School on innovations in the organisation of menstruation. Listen to Lara talking about her work on episode 015: Her Blood is Gold.

In Toxic Positivity & Extreme Positive Thinking, Dr Lara Owen also talks about:

Positive thinking – what’s the problem with positive thinking?
Be careful what you wish for – gather our will and force something
Buddhism and Daoism – timing is really important
Sustainability in behaviour and psyche, as well as materially
The earth is a precious resource
Living through a pandemic, collective break and staycations
Fertility, economics and age
The Dying Rooms
Medicalised treatment – there is no space for women to make a healthy choice
The soul is not interested in success as much as it is in truth
The importance of role models and social media
Influencers, money makers and consumerism
Follow someone who mirrors your sense of wholeness
Fame is not a useful measure about whether you should follow someone or not
Tune out to take time in to be creative
How do we know ourselves?
Contemporary education and contemporary culture takes us away from ourselves
What is toxic positivity?
Grief is a part of life
The energy it takes to remain positive is exhausting
The truth will out
Existential and spiritual crisis – what is there to learn throughout this time?
‘Being with’ someone versus ‘think positive’
Society wants us to want things
Marketing colonizes our mind
Buy less and buy locally
What are women buying throughout COVID?
Positive thinking and the body
Weight loss is not sustainable
When is positive thinking useful?
Surrendering to the soul

Connect with Lara:

Dr Lara Owen’s website

Dr Lara Owen on Facebook

Dr Lara Owen on LinkedIn

Connect Online with Jodie

Trauma Warriors™ Facebook page

Trauma Warriors™ Facebook Group

The Psychosynthesis Centre Facebook page

Opening the Door on Private Practice for Counsellors & Psychotherapists

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CATEGORIES: Mind, Podcast

About Jodie Gale

Jodie Gale is the founder of TraumaWarriors.Online, host of the Trauma Warriors with Jodie Gale podcast, an Eco-Psycho-Spiritual Psychotherapist, Complex Trauma Expert, Mind Body Eating + Plant-Based Nutrition Coach. She is a leading specialist in women’s emotional, psychological and spiritual health and well-being. Over the last 20 years, Jodie has helped women to transform and heal their lives from complex trauma, disordered eating and the trance of unworthiness. She has a private psychotherapy, counselling and life-coaching practice in Manly, Frenchs Forest and Allambie on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, Australia. Jodie is passionate about helping women befriend, connect and nourish their whole selves: body, feelings, mind and SOUL!

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