About this episode

The episode discusses the importance of disagreement in healthy communication with insights from Dr. Chloe Carmichael.

On this episode of The Secrets of Being Podcast, I’m honored to welcome Dr. Chloe Carmichael, a clinical psychologist, media contributor, and best-selling author of Nervous Energy: Harness the Power of Your Anxiety and Can I Say That? Why Freedom of Speech Matters and How to Use it Fearlessly. From the beginning, I knew this conversation could go in so many directions because it touches on two things I care deeply about, which are speaking your truth and learning how to work with anxiety instead of feeling ruled by it. I open with a Dr. Seuss quote that feels just as relevant for adults as it does for children, because we are living in a time where so many people feel divided, afraid to speak, or unsure how to disagree without losing connection. Dr. Chloe shares how her book Can I Say That? came from her own experiences of self-censorship, beginning in college and continuing through her doctoral training and career. She explains how often she felt pressured to smile and nod, even when something did not feel fully scientific or fully honest, because speaking up could cost her opportunities, professional relationships, or public approval. Then COVID became the turning point. Dr…

People in this episode

Host: Dawn Airhart Witte

Guest: Dr. Chloe Carmichael

Topics covered

• disagreement
• healthy communication
• anxiety
• self-censorship
• freedom of speech

Keywords

• disagreement
• communication
• anxiety
• self-censorship
• freedom of speech
• mental health

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Nervous Energy: Harness the Power of Your Anxiety, Can I Say That? Why Freedom of Speech Matters and How to Use it Fearlessly

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