Being Different Together

Nyssa Hanger
  • 5.0 (14)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT

Being Different Together explores the realms of relationship, entrepreneurship, and personal development through the lens of Real Dialogue, a set of principles, practices, and methods for healthy conflict as a means for growth.  In other words, just because we disagree, doesn’t mean we can’t get along.  Through this series, Nyssa and Kelly will bring their combined experience as holistic health practitioners to the table to share what they’ve learned through the process of integrating these skills in their lives.  This podcast is for all the people who want to make the world a better place and feel a little less alone doing it.

Episodes

  1. 2D AGO

    #7 - How Touch Shapes Our Relationships

    Touch is both essential and complicated. In this episode, Kelly and Nyssa explore touch as a human need—how it can be both deeply healing and highly charged.  The discussion moves through consent, subjectivity, non-sexual touch, and how cultural conditioning has shaped the way bodies relate to one another.  Drawing from bodywork, psychotherapy, Thai massage, and lived experience, the episode names touch as a form of communication that can support healing, connection, and dialogue. Main Topics Covered: Why touch is politicized, sexualized, and often misunderstood, especially in Western cultureThe importance of consent, communication, and clear boundaries in both professional and personal touchHow their work as a psychotherapist, acupuncturist, and massage therapist shapes the way they think about safe, attuned touchThe developmental impact of early touch (and lack of it), including attachment and our capacity for empathyThe philosophy and practice of Thai massage as a form of slow, negotiated, non-sexual touch that can deepen connection between partners, family members, and friendsHow expanding our “touch menu” can make it easier to ask for non-sexual touch and potentially even strengthen or “save” relationshipsLinks: Thai Massage Workshop at Gaze Hot Yoga, Feb. 21, 2026: https://www.nyssahanger.com/workshops Book: Constructing the Sexual Crucible by David Schnarch Stay in Touch: Nyssa Hanger: www.nyssahanger.com | IG: @nyssahanger Kelly Brady: www.kellybrady.me | IG: @drkellybrady

    46 min

  2. JAN 29

    #6 - The Hidden Medicine of Doing Less and Why Retreats Matter

    Kelly and Nyssa dive into the topic of retreat, exploring why stepping back from everyday life—especially through silence and meditation—can be so transformative.  Kelly shares stories from her early Zen retreats, including a hilarious (and humanizing) fart-at-the-final-ceremony moment that shattered her assumptions about belonging, and she explains how intensive practice, noble silence, and communal practice shaped her understanding of presence.  She then contrasts group retreats with her recent largely self-directed, partly solitary retreat in Florida and North Carolina, describing how extended periods of silence help the “posse dust” of a busy life settle, revealing deeper layers of consciousness, health benefits, and a more intentional way of moving through the world.  Together, they reflect on the countercultural nature of retreat in America, the difference between retreat and vacation, and offer accessible first steps for listeners—like carving out small, daily pockets of intentional silence—so that anyone, even without a full week away, can begin to experience the therapeutic and spiritual value of stillness. Main Topics Covered: The fart that broke noble silence: a Zen retreat story you won’t forgetHow Kelly went from “they all hate me” to “I’m part of this warm, funny sangha”Retreat vs. vacation: why they’re not the same thing at allWhat a Zen sesshin actually looks like—from 4:30 a.m. bells to crying-yourself-to-sleep napsHow a marching band inspection taught Kelly the healing power of silence“There is no nothing”: emptiness, relationship, and Buddhist philosophy in plain languageThe “posse dust” metaphor that perfectly explains what happens when you finally stopWhy sitting still is not “doing nothing” (and why our culture gets this so wrong)Kelly’s week-long, mostly solo retreat: Airbnb in the forest + empty Zen center ZendoThe subtle ways retreat shifted Kelly’s daily life—more tears, more openness, more intentionWhy screens make reality feel boring—and one simple grayscale phone hackPractical baby steps: how to start with 10 minutes of silence a day (even with kids)How to create a tiny “retreat space” at home, even without a spare roomWhat to expect when you first try sitting in silence (hint: it may feel worse before it feels better)Why Kelly keeps going back on retreat: not just to feel better, but to understand what’s really going on here Links: Windhorse Zen Center: https://windhorsezen.org/ Stay in Touch: Nyssa Hanger: www.nyssahanger.com | IG: @nyssahanger Kelly Brady: www.kellybrady.me | IG: @drkellybrady

    59 min

  3. JAN 22

    #5 - When Compassion Gets Mobilized: Nyssa’s Journey into Healing Work

    In this companion episode, Kelly uses the skills of Real Dialog to interview Nyssa about her unconventional path into healing work.  Nyssa traces her journey from teen poetry nights and open mics, to aromatizing Manhattan after 9/11 with her mom’s aromatherapy team, to studying religious experience and Sanskrit, and ultimately building a career as a massage therapist, aromatherapist, and coach.  Along the way, she shares how words, scent, and touch became tools for transformation, and why falling “off track” is actually part of the upward spiral. Main Topics Covered: How a teen poetry night at the public library changed Nyssa’s lifeFrom marching band to a performing arts high school: Nyssa’s “vision quest” detourThe open mic mentor who saw Nyssa’s talent and nudged her toward a new pathWhat it was like aromatizing Manhattan after 9/11 with essential oils and chair massageHow witnessing trauma care at Ground Zero redirected Nyssa’s career toward healingWhy Nyssa chose massage and psychology over a traditional creative writing pathFalling in love with religious studies and discovering Sanskrit as an “ancestral” languageThe connection between poetry, mantra, and having a numinous (holy “quaking”) experienceUsing scent, words, and intention as a kind of everyday spellwork for changeWhat Nyssa learned from running her own healing center before and through the pandemicRedefining the “downward spiral” and why falling off track is actually part of the pathHow Nyssa now supports wellness solopreneurs to grow without burning out Links: Partner Thai Massage Workshop, February 21, 2026 at Gaze Hot Yoga: https://www.nyssahanger.com/workshops Stay in Touch: Nyssa Hanger: www.nyssahanger.com | IG: @nyssahanger Kelly Brady: www.kellybrady.me | IG: @drkellybrady

    50 min

  4. JAN 15

    #4 - The Therapist as Secular Shaman: Kelly Brady’s Journey

    Nyssa uses the principles of Real Dialogue to interview her wife and co-host, Kelly, about how she found her way into psychology, chemical dependency work, acupuncture, and Zen Buddhism.  Kelly traces the breadcrumbs from Codependent No More on the back of the toilet and bedtime stories from the psych ward to Virginia Satir, Thich Nhat Hanh, her Zen teacher Lawson, and a whole-person practice that serves “the worried well.”  The conversation lands on embodying the work, experiencing life as art in service of others, and inviting listeners to follow their own signs and symbols toward growth. Main Topics Covered: How a paperback left on the back of a toilet (Codependent No More) quietly redirected a 17-year-old toward a life in mental healthThe moment a music-obsessed teenager ditched a University of Miami scholarship and a possible philharmonic future to study the humanities insteadBedtime stories from a closed psych ward in 1970s Fort Lauderdale and how they sparked a lifelong fascination with consciousnessDiscovering Virginia Satir, family systems, and the radical idea that “the identified patient” is never the only one who needs to changeFrom Maslow and Jung to 12-step work: early influences that shaped Kelly’s view of human and divine potentialHow an Intro to Religion class, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind, and Autobiography of a Yogi reframed spirituality—and even the Jesus storyThe “coming out” moment as a Buddhist on retreat with Thich Nhat Hanh, and what it feels like when a teaching truly “rings the bell” inside youFinding a Zen teacher who felt like a lost child finding their mother—and why that relationship still brings Kelly to tearsWhy Kelly believes therapists are today’s secular shamans, working at the crossroads of body, mind, and spiritWhat happens when you treat the whole person: how mind–body work helps the “worried well” change jobs, relationships, and lives Links: Book: Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki Book: Codependent, No More by Melody Beattie Book: Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda Book: The Practice: Shipping Creative Work by Seth Godin Mozart Clarinet Concerto Episode 3: https://www.nyssahanger.com/podcast/ep3 Episode 1: https://www.nyssahanger.com/podcast/ep1 Stay in Touch: Nyssa Hanger: www.nyssahanger.com | IG: @nyssahanger Kelly Brady: www.kellybrady.me | IG: @drkellybrady

    53 min

  5. JAN 8

    #3 - Happy Together? More Like Conscious Together

    In this episode, Nyssa and Kelly talk about what it means to be together as a companion to their previous conversation on being different.  They share memories of how they met, how Thai massage shaped the early days of their connection, and how each of them first encountered the idea of conscious relationship.  The conversation moves through their personal histories, key teachings from John Welwood, and the role of Real Dialogue in navigating conflict, intimacy, and growth. Main Topics Covered How a Thai massage class, grief, and a post-pandemic hug-fest led to a surprising love storyWhat “conscious relationship” actually means (and why both hosts made it their #1 non‑negotiable)The three dimensions of conscious relationship from John Welwood: evolutionary, personal, and sacredWhy your most intimate relationships might be your deepest spiritual pathHow unresolved childhood wounds show up in partnership—and what to do when they doConscious vs. unconscious relationship: projection, blame, and “cleaning up your side of the street”A middle‑of‑the‑night Advil incident as a perfect example of taking ownership instead of blaming your partnerThe role of dialogue as the core of communication in conscious relationshipsHow to honor “being different” while staying deeply togetherLinks: Episode 2: www.nyssahanger.com/podcast/ep2Ordinary Magic by John WelwoodLove Between Equals by Polly Young-EisendrathBodhi Sangha Thai Massage School (Ariela Grodner)Matlock on CBS / Paramount+Stay in Touch: Nyssa Hanger: www.nyssahanger.com | IG: @nyssahanger Kelly Brady: www.kellybrady.me | IG: @drkellybrady

    51 min

  6. JAN 1

    #2 - What Our “Enemy Button” Gets Wrong About Conflict

    In this episode of Being Different Together, Nyssa and Kelly dive into what it means to be different and why our brains are wired to treat difference as a threat. They share personal stories from childhood, band days, identity, and relationships to highlight how difference can create conflict or become a catalyst for transformation. The conversation moves from instinct to intentionality, showing how Real Dialogue helps turn conflict into a play space for learning and connection. Main Topics Covered Ever felt like the “odd one out”? Discover how embracing your differences could be your superpower.Honest and humorous personal stories about growing up feeling “different”—and why that’s totally normal.Find out why noticing differences is deeply human—and how it can shape our relationships for better or worse.What do pickles, band kids, and list-making reveal about partnership and individuality? Tune in for some relatable surprises!Hear how real dialog and intentional communication turn conflict from a “minefield” into a playground for growth.Learn how dialog therapy helped two people navigate their unique quirks and build a strong relationship.Get inspired to see everyday conflicts—in family, work, or love—not as threats, but as opportunities for discovery and self-improvement. Links: Episode 1 of Being Different Together: www.nyssahanger.com/podcast/ep1 Ani DiFranco’s song “IQ”: Ani DiFranco - My IQYouTube · HybridFalconOct 21, 2013 Cafe Hey (in Tampa): www.cafehey.com Center For Real Dialogue: https://www.realdialogue.org/ Stay in Touch: Nyssa Hanger: www.nyssahanger.com | IG: @nyssahanger Kelly Brady: www.kellybrady.me | IG: @drkellybrady

    44 min

  7. JAN 1

    #1 - Welcome to Being Different Together: How It All Started

    In this episode of Being Different Together, Nyssa and Kelly introduce the practice of Real Dialogue and share the story of how they became a “demo couple” for dialogue therapy training with Dr. Polly Young-Eisendrath and the Center for Real Dialogue.  They talk about why this work matters in a world of divorce, estrangement, and “neurotic polarization,” and lay out the core objectives, conscious contract, and three main skills of Real Dialogue.  The conversation weaves in their backgrounds in psychology, Buddhism, religious studies, and aromatherapy, all in service of learning to stay connected, stay curious, and be different together. Main Topics Covered How we became the demo couple for dialogue therapy training with Dr. Polly Young-Eisendrath in VermontThe lineage of dialogue therapy and the creation of Real DialogueThe mission of the Center for Real Dialogue: “make the secrets for authentic dialogue, healthy conflict, and developing our self-awareness through our differences available to all”Why this work matters: divorce, “an epidemic of estrangement,” and a culture that’s “neurotically polarized”The four objectives of Real Dialogue: know myself, speak and listen responsibly, end dehumanization and war, and learn from failure, defeat, and deathThe Three Cs of a “conscious contract”: committing to being different together, constraining ourselves, and containing the extremes of our emotions and impulsesThe three core skills of Real Dialogue: speaking for yourself, listening mindfully, remaining curious“Why be furious when you can remain curious” as a playful mantra for working with conflict and strong emotions Links: Center For Real Dialogue: https://www.realdialogue.org/ Dialogue Decalogue by Leonard Swindler: https://dialogueinstitute.org/dialogue-principles Stay in Touch: Nyssa Hanger: www.nyssahanger.com | IG: @nyssahanger Kelly Brady: www.kellybrady.me | IG: @drkellybrady

    50 min

  8. 11/19/2025

    Introducing the Being Different Together Podcast

    In this episode, Nyssa and Kelly introduce the heart of Being Different Together and share why conversations matter so deeply to their relationship, their work, and their community.  They talk about Real Dialogue™, what conscious relationship means to them, and how holding difference creates more love, connection, and harmony.  The episode sets the foundation for weekly conversations, future guests, and a shared commitment to relating with more curiosity and compassion. Weekly Episodes coming on Thursdays starting Jan. 1, 2026! Main Topics Covered What this podcast is aboutLearning the skills of Real Dialogue™Exploring conscious relationshipHolding difference in marriage and workWhat to expect in the podcast Links: Center For Real Dialogue: https://www.realdialogue.org/ Stay in Touch: Nyssa Hanger: www.nyssahanger.com | IG: @nyssahanger Kelly Brady: www.kellybrady.me | IG: @drkellybrady

    12 min

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Being Different Together explores the realms of relationship, entrepreneurship, and personal development through the lens of Real Dialogue, a set of principles, practices, and methods for healthy conflict as a means for growth.  In other words, just because we disagree, doesn’t mean we can’t get along.  Through this series, Nyssa and Kelly will bring their combined experience as holistic health practitioners to the table to share what they’ve learned through the process of integrating these skills in their lives.  This podcast is for all the people who want to make the world a better place and feel a little less alone doing it.

Information

  • Creator
    Nyssa Hanger
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Being Different Together
  • Show Website
    Being Different Together