Shadow Playground

V10 Life Design
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Personal Journals

Shadow Playground explores what helps us create a life that feels deeply alive, playful and authentically our own. We examine both the sources of vitality and the blockages that constrain it, including fear, shame, conflict, judgment, seriousness, social conditioning and the parts of ourselves we tend to hide. Created by V10 Life Design, the podcast treats playfulness and shadow not as opposites, but as forces that can coexist and even strengthen one another. What becomes possible when we bring curiosity, creativity and a playful spirit to the most meaningful, uncomfortable and challenging parts of being human?

  1. 3d ago

    Why We Laugh at Dark Things? with Dr. Caleb Warren

    Death. Trauma. Social taboos. Awkward situations. Why do humans sometimes laugh at things that don't seem funny at all? In this episode of Shadow Playground, Ez Bridgman sits down with humor researcher Dr. Caleb Warren to explore the psychology of dark humor and why something can feel wrong and funny at exactly the same time. Caleb introduces the idea of the “benign violation”: something becomes funny when we perceive it as a violation of a norm while simultaneously experiencing it as safe, acceptable or harmless. A joke about death might work because we know it isn't real. A socially inappropriate moment can become funny once we realize nobody was actually harmed. But that balance is highly subjective. What feels harmless to one person may feel deeply offensive to another. Our culture, experiences, relationships, values and distance from an event all influence where we draw the line between funny and simply wrong. Ez and Caleb explore the idea of psychological distance and why “too soon” really can be too soon. Time, physical distance, social distance and whether something is real or fictional can change our ability to laugh at difficult subjects. Magic-episode-01 They also discuss humor as a way of coping and communicating. Sometimes laughter tells the people around us that although something went wrong, we're okay. Dark humor can also help us engage with uncomfortable realities without becoming completely overwhelmed by them. The conversation moves into satire, roasting, practical jokes, workplace humor and the risks of trying to be funny in front of diverse audiences. Humor can challenge norms and expose absurdities, but it can also reinforce inequalities, humiliate people or become a tool for bullying. Magic-episode-01 And what do tickling, peekaboo and dark comedy have in common? Caleb explains how even some of our earliest experiences of laughter involve playing with the boundary between threat and safety. IN THIS EPISODE: • Why dark and taboo subjects can make us laugh • The psychology of the “benign violation” • Why the same joke can be hilarious to one person and offensive to another • How psychological distance changes what's funny • Why some jokes are simply “too soon” • How humor can help us cope with difficult experiences • Why trying to be funny at work can be risky • The difference between being funny and being cool • How satire can challenge social norms and power • Why roasts work — and why they sometimes go horribly wrong • What tickling and peekaboo reveal about laughter • How humor can reinforce social inequalities • When dark humor helps and when it causes harm Rather than giving us a simple formula for what's funny, this conversation reveals just how dependent humor is on context. Perhaps the question isn't simply, “Is this funny?” It's: funny to whom, in what context, from what distance — and at whose expense? ABOUT DR. CALEB WARREN Dr. Caleb Warren is a researcher whose work explores the psychology of humor, coolness and how people interpret violations of social norms. His research includes the benign violation theory of humor and the psychology of what makes people, products and ideas seem cool. V10 LIFE DESIGN Interested in designing an enlivening life, with space for both joy and shadow? Visit V10 Life Design to learn more.

    Why We Laugh at Dark Things? with Dr. Caleb Warren

  2. 4d ago

    The Pervasiveness of Disordered Eating with Dr. Charlotte Markey

    From cutting out sugar to exercising more, many behaviors around food and fitness are praised as “healthy.” But when can healthy intentions become harmful? In this episode of Shadow Playground, Ez Bridgman sits down with body image researcher and psychologist Dr. Charlotte Markey to explore eating disorders, disordered eating and our complicated relationships with food and our bodies. Charlotte explains how our relationship with food changes throughout life. Babies largely respond to hunger and fullness, but as we grow, schedules, social expectations, appearance pressures and countless rules about what we “should” and “shouldn't” eat begin influencing our choices. Together, Ez and Charlotte explore what a healthy relationship with food might actually look like: eating regularly, enjoying a variety of foods, responding to our bodies and maintaining flexibility rather than following rigid rules. They unpack the difference between disordered eating and eating disorders, and why eating disorders don't have one particular look. They can affect people across ages, genders and backgrounds, with behaviors ranging from restriction and dieting to excessive exercise and concerns around muscularity. Dr. & Ez The conversation also explores how seemingly “healthy” behaviors can gradually become harmful. Going to the gym can become compulsive exercise. Cutting out one food can become eliminating more and more foods. What begins as an attempt to improve health or appearance can eventually consume significant mental space and interfere with living a full life. Charlotte discusses the many factors that can contribute to eating disorders, including genetics, personality, family socialization, cultural beauty standards and the desire for acceptance and belonging. They also examine the changing conversation around body size and weight-loss medications, including the tension between their legitimate medical uses and cultural pressure to treat certain bodies as problems that need fixing. Finally, Charlotte discusses recovery, why professional support is often essential, and how friends, parents and educators can respond when they're concerned about someone's relationship with food. IN THIS EPISODE: • What a healthy and flexible relationship with food can look like • The difference between disordered eating and eating disorders • When “healthy” habits can become harmful • Why eating disorders can affect anyone • How genetics, personality and socialization influence risk • How cultural beauty standards shape our relationship with food • Weight-loss medications and changing attitudes toward body size • Why nourishment matters for physical and mental health • What eating disorder recovery can involve • How to support someone you're concerned about • How parents can encourage healthier relationships with food and bodies • Why education and media literacy matter Rather than giving us another set of rules about what we should or shouldn't eat, this conversation returns to one central idea: flexibility. Can we listen to our bodies, question the messages surrounding us and create relationships with food that leave space for a full and meaningful life? ABOUT DR. CHARLOTTE MARKEY Dr. Charlotte Markey is a psychologist, body image researcher and author who leads the Healthy Development Lab. Her work explores body image, eating and health across different stages of life. V10 LIFE DESIGN Interested in designing an enlivening life, with space for both joy and shadow? Visit V10 Life Design to learn more.

    The Pervasiveness of Disordered Eating with Dr. Charlotte Markey

  3. Sep 24

    Swimming in the Depths of Jealousy with Dr. Joli Hamilton

    Jealousy is an emotion many of us would rather not feel. We hide it, judge it, suppress it or expect our partners to make it disappear. But what if jealousy has something to tell us? In this episode of Shadow Playground, Ez Bridgman sits down with relationship researcher and depth psychologist Dr. Joli Hamilton to explore jealousy, compersion and the shadowy emotional territory that relationships can bring to the surface. Joli explains why jealousy isn't simply a “negative” emotion to overcome. It can point toward attachment wounds, unmet needs, perceived threats, desires and parts of ourselves that we haven't yet fully understood. Together, Ez and Joli explore jealousy through the lens of Jungian psychology and individuation, the lifelong process of becoming more aware of the complexity within ourselves. They discuss why taking responsibility for our unconscious patterns matters and how relationships can become powerful spaces for self-discovery. They also unpack the difference between jealousy and envy. Jealousy involves a triangle: ourselves, someone we value and a real or imagined interrupter. Envy involves comparison, wanting something another person has or represents. When the two collide, relationships can become emotionally overwhelming. Magic-episode-01 The conversation explores jealousy in both monogamous and non-monogamous relationships, including what these different relationship structures might teach us about communication, agreements, boundaries and emotional responsibility. Joli also offers a practical roadmap for working with jealousy: noticing how it appears in the body, naming it without shame, becoming curious about the story underneath it, and only then deciding what needs to be communicated or negotiated with a partner. IN THIS EPISODE: Why jealousy can become obsessive and overwhelmingWhat erotic jealousy is and why jealousy can sometimes increase desireWhy suppressing jealousy doesn't necessarily make it disappearThe difference between jealousy and envyHow attachment, threat and comparison can shape jealousyWhat Jungian shadow work can teach us about relationshipsWhy unconscious patterns still require responsibilityWhat individuation means within a relationshipJealousy in monogamous and non-monogamous relationshipsA practical roadmap for working with jealousyWhy immediately asking a partner to change can miss what's underneathWhat compersion means and why it shouldn't be forcedThe shadow side of performative compersionHow boundaries and differentiation can support deeper relationshipsRather than trying to eliminate jealousy, Joli invites us to become curious about it. What is this feeling protecting? What story are we telling ourselves? What does it reveal about our needs, fears, desires and relationships? Jealousy may be uncomfortable, but learning to meet it consciously can turn it into an opportunity for deeper self-understanding. ABOUT DR. JOLI HAMILTON Dr. Joli Hamilton is a relationship researcher and depth psychologist whose work explores jealousy, individuation, non-monogamy and relationships. She hosts the Playing With Fire podcast and works with individuals and groups through programs including Year of Opening and Individuation Alchemy. V10 LIFE DESIGN Interested in designing an enlivening life, with space for both joy and shadow? Visit V10 Life Design to learn more.

    Swimming in the Depths of Jealousy with Dr. Joli Hamilton

  4. Sep 23

    Celebrating All Bodies with Molly Forbes

    From a young age, many of us begin absorbing messages about what a “good” body is supposed to look like. Thin. Strong. Smooth. Young. Controlled. But what if our bodies were never the problem? In this episode of Shadow Playground, Ez Bridgman sits down with author, body image advocate and Body Happy Org founder Molly Forbes to explore body shame, body respect and how the cultures surrounding us shape the way we experience our bodies. Molly shares what she has learned from working with children, young people and schools. Poor body image can affect far more than appearance, influencing whether a child feels comfortable raising their hand in class, participating in sport, spending time with friends or even going to school. Together, Ez and Molly explore the invisible ecosystem of messages we absorb about bodies, from family conversations and school environments to cartoons, gender stereotypes, advertising, social media and increasingly AI-generated images. They discuss how ordinary human experiences such as body hair, sweat, ageing, changing bodies and bodily functions can become sources of shame, and how consumer culture can turn normal parts of being human into “problems” that need fixing. Molly also introduces a different possibility: body happiness. Rather than making appearance the centre of how we value ourselves, what if we experienced our bodies as the way we move through and experience the world? The conversation also explores practical ways to interrupt body-shaming messages through curiosity, boundaries and conversations that encourage young people to question the assumptions they have absorbed. IN THIS EPISODE: • How body image struggles can show up in children and teenagers • Why body shame is bigger than social media • How schools, families and culture influence body image • Why children can absorb anti-fat bias from a young age • How gender stereotypes shape ideas about “good” bodies • The relationship between consumer culture and body shame • What AI-generated “perfect” bodies could mean for us • Why appearance doesn't have to be the most important thing about us • What “body happy” actually means • How curiosity can interrupt body-shaming language • Why commenting on changes in someone’s body can be complicated • How social media can sometimes support positive body image Body respect isn't only about how we feel about ourselves. It's also about how we speak about, treat and make space for other people's bodies, particularly bodies that look or function differently from our own. Perhaps part of designing a more enlivening life is remembering that our bodies aren't static objects to perfect. They're living, breathing and changing parts of the human experience. ABOUT MOLLY FORBES Molly Forbes is an author, body image advocate and founder of Body Happy Org, a nonprofit working to create environments where children and young people can celebrate, respect and accept all bodies, especially their own. She is the author of Body Happy Kids and Every Body. V10 LIFE DESIGN Interested in designing an enlivening life, with space for both joy and shadow? Visit V10 Life Design to learn more.

    Celebrating All Bodies with Molly Forbes

  5. Sep 17

    Relational heat with Marisa Cohen

    Relationships are often imagined as places of calm, safety and connection. But what about tension? In this episode of Shadow Playground, Ez Bridgman sits down with relationship scientist, marriage and family therapist, and sex therapist Marisa Cohen to explore the role tension plays in our relationships from the butterflies and obsession of new attraction to the differences, conflicts and desires that emerge over time. Marisa explains what happens during limerence, when we can become intensely focused on another person and begin viewing both them and the relationship through rose-tinted glasses. They explore why this initial spark can sometimes cause us to explain away red flags, and why long-term couples may find themselves chasing the intensity they experienced at the beginning. Together, Ez and Marisa explore what happens when someone seems perfect “on paper” but there is no spark, why compatibility can’t be reduced to a checklist, and how relationships can become spaces for learning, growth and discovering more about ourselves. They also look at the tension between the “I” and the “us”: why maintaining individual interests and experiences can actually bring new energy into a relationship, and how differences between partners can become strengths rather than problems. The conversation moves into the more difficult forms of tension too conflict, anger, transgressions, unhealthy patterns and the point at which tension stops serving a relationship. Marisa shares how she helps couples slow down, hear one another and distinguish productive discomfort from dynamics that require firmer boundaries or attention to safety. And, naturally, they explore play from trying something new together to conversations about sexuality, desire and what play actually means for each couple. IN THIS EPISODE: • What limerence and “new relationship energy” can do to our perception • Why an initial spark doesn't necessarily predict a successful relationship • How attraction can sometimes lead us to explain away red flags • What to do when someone seems perfect on paper but there’s no chemistry • Why there is no magic number of dates for deciding whether something could grow • How differences between partners can strengthen a relationship • Why maintaining an individual life can bring energy back into the “us” • How play, novelty and discovery can help couples reconnect • What happens when healthy tension turns into destructive conflict • The emotions that may exist underneath anger • How couples can navigate different needs, boundaries and desires • Why enthusiastic and ongoing consent matters when exploring play • How to know whether tension is serving your relationship or breaking it down What feels like playful bickering to one couple may feel like disrespect to another. Rather than comparing our relationships to other couples or to the relationships we see online, Marisa invites us to get curious about what is actually happening between us. Is this tension bringing us closer, helping us grow and keeping something alive? Or is it pulling us apart? ABOUT MARISA COHEN Marisa Cohen is a relationship scientist, marriage and family therapist, sex therapist, and attachment-based researcher. Her work explores relationships, compatibility and the dynamics that help couples strengthen their connection, navigate change and better understand one another. You can learn more about Marisa and her work through Embracing Change Marriage and Family Therapy and her personal research website. V10 LIFE DESIGN Interested in designing an enlivening life, with space for both joy and shadow? Visit V10 Life Design to learn more.

    Relational heat with Marisa Cohen

  6. Sep 15

    Developing a Nuanced Relationship to Technology with Dr. Dean Burnett

    Technology is everywhere. It entertains us, connects us, helps us create and gives us access to communities that may once have been impossible to find. But what is it actually doing to our brains? In this episode of Shadow Playground, Ez Bridgman sits down with neuroscientist and author Dr. Dean Burnett to explore our increasingly complicated relationship with screens, social media, smartphones and AI. Rather than treating technology as entirely good or bad, Dean brings a more nuanced perspective to the conversation. He explores why our brains find screens so compelling, how social media can provide genuine connection and creativity, and why the same technology can also pull us into doomscrolling, comparison and endless feeds. Ez and Dean unpack what happens when you open an app for a few minutes and emerge 45 minutes later, why the brain prefers immediate rewards and dislikes unfinished experiences, and how social media can make it unusually easy to enter a state of cognitive flow. They also explore one of the most emotionally charged questions surrounding technology: children and screens. Dean discusses the differences between digital natives and digital immigrants, why parents and teenagers may perceive technology so differently, and why the quality of the parent-child relationship may matter more than imposing simplistic rules around screen time. The conversation then turns toward AI, online echo chambers and the ways our brains can become vulnerable to information that confirms what we already want to believe. IN THIS EPISODE: • Why our brains find screens and digital experiences so compelling • The benefits technology can provide for connection, creativity and community • What happens in the brain when we lose ourselves in an endless social media feed • Why doomscrolling can be so difficult to stop • The difference between having an online community and having an audience • How social comparison can affect our experience of social media • What parents may misunderstand about children and smartphones • Why teenagers and parents often perceive digital risks differently • Practical ways to create more intentional boundaries around technology • How confirmation bias can pull us deeper into online rabbit holes • Why AI chatbots can feel surprisingly human to our brains • What a healthier future relationship with technology might look like Rather than asking whether technology is simply good or bad, this conversation invites us to consider a more useful question: How do we want technology to fit into the lives we are designing? ABOUT DR. DEAN BURNETT Dr. Dean Burnett is a neuroscientist, author and science communicator whose work explores the human brain and the ways it shapes our everyday experiences. His work includes examining how modern technology interacts with our brains and why debates around screens, smartphones and young people require more nuance than they often receive. V10 LIFE DESIGN Interested in designing an enlivening life, with space for both joy and shadow? Visit V10 Life Design to learn more.

    Developing a Nuanced Relationship to Technology with Dr. Dean Burnett

  7. Sep 14

    How Gossip can be Good with Frank McAndrew

    How Gossip can be Good with Frank McAndrewGossip has a bad reputation. We associate it with judgment, rumors, betrayal and talking behind someone’s back. But what if gossip is actually a fundamental part of being human? In this episode of Shadow Playground, Ez Bridgman sits down with social psychologist and gossip researcher Frank McAndrew to explore why humans are so fascinated by other people’s lives, and why our instinct to gossip may have played an important role in our survival. Frank shares an evolutionary perspective on gossip, explaining how our ancestors relied on social information to understand who could be trusted, who might pose a threat and how to navigate the unwritten rules of their communities. Together, Ez and Frank explore the difference between good gossip and bad gossip, why sharing information can create intimacy and trust, how gossip helps groups enforce social norms, and why knowing that others may talk about us can actually influence us to behave differently. They also discuss our fascination with celebrity gossip, schadenfreude, social competition, gossip in the age of social media, and the point at which talking about someone should become talking to them. In this episode, they explore:Why gossip may be an evolutionary social skillThe difference between good gossip and harmful gossipWhy gossip can create connection and trustHow gossip helps groups establish and enforce social normsWhy we sometimes enjoy hearing about another person’s downfallWhy celebrity gossip is so compellingHow social media has amplified ancient gossip instinctsThe difference between a “gossipphile” and a “gossiphobe”When gossip should turn into a direct conversationHow becoming more conscious of gossip can change the way we share information Rather than asking whether we should gossip at all, this conversation invites a different question: How can we become more conscious of why, when and how we gossip? About Frank McAndrewFrank McAndrew is a social psychologist whose research explores gossip, evolutionary psychology and human social behavior. He has spent decades studying why we care so deeply about what other people are doing and the role social information plays in relationships, communities and group life. Discover V10 Life DesignInterested in designing an enlivening life, with space for both joy and shadow? Visit V10 Life Design to learn more. Visit V10 Life Design

    How Gossip can be Good with Frank McAndrew

  8. Jul 21

    What Comes Up When You Step Into Your Brilliance with Emily Hinks

    What happens when success, visibility, and leadership bring up fear, self-doubt, and the pressure to make yourself smaller? In this episode, Ez speaks with Emily Hinks about building Mischief Makers into a global facilitation agency, redefining success, and navigating the shadows that can emerge as we step into our brilliance. They explore female leadership, neurodivergence, resilience, community, and why the fear of being disliked cannot guide our biggest decisions. About EmilyEmily Hinks is the founder of Mischief Makers, a global facilitation agency helping teams collaborate in more creative, human, and effective ways. She is also the co-founder of Routes In, a nonprofit helping young people from underrepresented backgrounds enter the creative industries. In this episodeRedefining success beyond growth and revenueThe “mirror ceiling” faced by women in leadershipMoving through imposter syndrome and fear of visibilityBuilding resilience as a founderStarting ambitious ideas through small experimentsWorking with ADHD and dyslexia as strengthsCreating systems and communities that support your brilliance Simple practices Turn up the confidence dial: Name your accomplishments without minimizing them.Create secret KPIs: Define success using the experiences and impact that truly matter to you.Notice the hesitation: Catch the moment when you make yourself smaller before speaking clearly.Start lightly: Explore an idea through one conversation, gathering, or experiment.Design for your brain: Build structures that make it easier to use your natural strengths.Borrow a better mirror: Stay close to people who can reflect your brilliance back to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    What Comes Up When You Step Into Your Brilliance with Emily Hinks
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Shadow Playground explores what helps us create a life that feels deeply alive, playful and authentically our own. We examine both the sources of vitality and the blockages that constrain it, including fear, shame, conflict, judgment, seriousness, social conditioning and the parts of ourselves we tend to hide. Created by V10 Life Design, the podcast treats playfulness and shadow not as opposites, but as forces that can coexist and even strengthen one another. What becomes possible when we bring curiosity, creativity and a playful spirit to the most meaningful, uncomfortable and challenging parts of being human?

Information

  • Creator
    V10 Life Design
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    34
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 V10 Life Design

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