Facing Anxious Times Together, Part 5 (#393)

Facing Anxious Times Together, Part 5 (#393)

From Religion on the Mind by Dan Koch

April 9, 2026 · 45 min

About this episode

The episode explores existential psychology's insights on community and belonging, featuring discussions on personal anxiety and connection.

This is the fifth and final installment of the Anxious Times series, and we're bringing it home by exploring what existential psychology has to say about community, belonging, and civic engagement. I’m joined by returning guest Kristen Tideman and Brian Adoff, founder of Join Philly, a directory and events platform helping Philadelphians connect with each other. In the Patreon-only second half, we dig into how Kristen's own anxiety triple crown — MS, new motherhood, and ongoing religious change — has been shaped by her distance from the Philly community she helped build, and what it looks like to find connection in a new chapter of life. Join or Die Film Anxious Times Episode Part 1⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Anxious Times Episode Part 2⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Anxious Times Episode Part 3 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Anxious Times Episode Part 4 Highlights: Collective effervescence, good and bad Bowling alone and belonging Tech, phones, and the dopamine trap Participation gaps and on-ramps ___________________________________________ Follow Dan on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/dancoke/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Or Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitter.com/DanKoch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Faith deconstruction resources…

People in this episode

Host: Dan Koch

Guests: Kristen Tideman, Brian Adoff

Topics covered

  • existential psychology
  • community
  • belonging
  • civic engagement
  • anxiety
  • connection

Keywords

  • anxiety
  • community
  • belonging
  • civic engagement
  • existential psychology
  • connection
  • new motherhood
  • religious change

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Join Philly

Books & works: Join or Die Film

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