Too Light Too Dark

Too Light Too Dark
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Biweekly

Too Light Too Dark exists because recovery, identity, and healing are rarely linear. This show was created to explore what happens when lived experience meets clinical insight, and when personal stories collide with systems, culture, and power. Sometimes we speak with clinicians, researchers, and frontline practitioners. Sometimes with people carrying hard-earned wisdom from lived experience and creatives working through the light and dark of life in the realm of story telling. The aim stays the same: to tell the honest version, not the easy one. This show is for those navigating addiction, trauma, identity, leadership, belief, and the quiet aftermath of survival. Expect conversations that challenge dominant narratives, examine power and policy, and stay grounded in human experience. The goal is not certainty. It is understanding, steadiness, and the courage to sit with complexity.

  1. 5d ago ·  Bonus

    Maxim Langstaff on the Beatles, John Denver, Why Stories Shape Everything | Too Light Too Dark Bonus

    This is a bonus episode, stepping out of our usual sweet spot and into the world of creativity, music and culture. Maxim Langstaff has spent a lifetime close to some of the biggest cultural moments of the last half century. He has worked with Sir George Martin and John Denver, and produced films that are now part of the popular music canon, earning Grammy and Emmy nominations along the way. His curiosity began with anthropology and has taken him from Hollywood to rivers and mountain trails. His first novel, Susket, is out now. In this conversation, Leon and Maxim explore: Why human beings operate from belief rather than facts, and why the stories we tell ourselves matter so muchHow George Martin saw the Beatles myth versus the truth, and why Sgt. Pepper's four-track limits may have made it betterWhy there are only twelve notes, yet music still feels endlessWhat John Denver taught him about writing a song that becomes yours, and how "Take Me Home, Country Roads" turns a place into an emotional homeCarl Jung's hero's journey and why every great story is really one storyWhy change is the one thing we can't negotiate withWhy art is about connection, not entertainment, and the argument that AI and creativity are incompatibleThe story of "Yesterday", originally titled "Scrambled Eggs", and "Leaving on a Jet Plane", originally "Babe, I Hate to Go"Why, as an artist, you give your story away and it becomes someone else'sWhether you're a creative, a leader, or someone rebuilding meaning after a hard season, this conversation is a reminder that we're less alone than we think. Guest: Maxim Langstaff, producer, author and storyteller Too Light Too Dark: stay gold, stay curious, stay connected. KeywordsPrimary: Maxim Langstaff, Too Light Too Dark, storytelling, Beatles, John Denver, George Martin, Carl Jung, hero's journey Secondary: Sgt. Pepper, Take Me Home Country Roads, Leaving on a Jet Plane, Paul McCartney, Let It Be, Yesterday, Here Comes the Sun, music and meaning, power of story, belief vs facts, creativity and curiosity, universal themes, art and connection, change and transformation, Susket novel Long-tail / search phrases: why storytelling matterswhat George Martin taught about creativitySgt. Pepper four-track recording storyJohn Denver wildlife concerthow music connects peopleAI and creativityJungian hero's journey in musicmusic producer interviewBeatles myths vs truthcuriosity and creative success

  2. Sep 14

    Silicon Valley CEO to Spinal Injury & Opioid Recovery | Too Light Too Dark #40

    Nancy Deyo spent years leading in the high-stakes world of Silicon Valley then a climb up Kilimanjaro left her with a spinal injury that changed the course of her life. In this episode of Too Light Too Dark, Nancy walks us through the full arc: the identity of a CEO built on control and performance, the injury that took that control away, the opioid addiction that followed in its wake, and the long, unglamorous work of finding a new normal on the other side. This is a conversation about what happens when the body forces a reckoning the mind isn't ready for and how identity, purpose, and recovery get rebuilt from the ground up, piece by piece. If you've ever had to become someone new after everything familiar was taken from you, this one's for you. Keywordsopioid addiction recoveryspinal injury recovery storyKilimanjaro accidentex-CEO addiction storychronic pain and opioidsidentity after injurySilicon Valley burnoutwomen in recoveryrebuilding after traumaaddiction recovery podcastchronic pain managementreinvention after crisis Website: https://nancydeyo.com Substack LIFE INSIDE PAIN: https://nancydeyo.substack.com

  3. Aug 31

    When the System Gives Up: Rethinking Alcohol Dependency with Mike Ward | Too Light Too Dark #39

    The conversation delves into the barriers to change for individuals with alcohol problems, highlighting the physiological, psychological, and systemic challenges they face. It explores the impact of physiological barriers such as cognitive impairment and liver disease, emphasizing the importance of harm reduction and positive risk management in supporting individuals through their recovery journey. The conversation delves into the complexities of alcohol dependency, exploring positive risk-taking, male vulnerability, the role of alcohol as a coping mechanism, gender and age dynamics in alcohol dependency, the impact of alcohol dependency, self-care and motivation, housing and recovery models, and the potential for change and recovery. Takeaways Engagement is a form of harm reductionPhysical health insights can be motivationalPositive risk management is important for practitioners Positive risk-takingMale vulnerabilityAlcohol as a coping mechanismGender and age in alcohol dependencyImpact of alcohol dependencySelf-care and motivationHousing and recoveryChange and recovery Chapters 00:00 Understanding the Barriers to Change03:06 The Impact of Physiological Barriers22:12 Harm Reduction and Positive Risk Management34:26 Positive Risk-Taking and Language36:13 Male Vulnerability and Alcohol Use38:09 Gender and Age in Alcohol Dependency41:04 Self-Care and Motivation46:15 Housing and Recovery Models53:38 Change and Recovery

  4. Aug 17

    From Trauma to Purpose: Autism, C-PTSD & Finding Your Voice | Too Light Too Dark #38

    What happens when the parts of yourself you once saw as weaknesses become the source of your purpose? In Episode 38 of Too Light Too Dark, I sit down with Lawrence C Harris —youth mental health advocate, keynote speaker, author and youth empowerment voice for a deeply personal conversation about autism, C-PTSD, childhood trauma, identity, self-worth and finding your voice. Lawrence doesn't simply talk about what happened to him. He talks about what he has done with it. Living with autism and drawing from his own experience of childhood trauma and C-PTSD, Lawrence has turned lived experience into a mission to help young people challenge limiting beliefs, build resilience and take ownership of their futures. We explore: 🧠 Living with autism and seeing the world differently 🩸 Childhood trauma and the lasting impact of C-PTSD 🪞 The struggle between “too much” and “not enough” 🔥 Turning pain into purpose 🗣️ Finding your voice after feeling unheard ❤️ Self-worth, self-love and identity 👥 Why young people need connection rather than judgement 🌱 What happens when we stop allowing our past to define our future ⚫⚪ And the question at the heart of Too Light Too Dark: Can we integrate the parts of ourselves we've spent years trying to hide? This isn't a conversation about being defined by trauma. It's about what becomes possible when we start telling a different story about ourselves. Lawrence C Harris Youth Mental Health Advocate | Keynote Speaker | Author | Youth Empowerment Speaker 🌐 Lawrence: www.lawrencecharris.com 📱 Socials: @LawrenceCEmpowers 🎙️ Too Light Too Dark Recovery, identity, trauma, meaning and the messy business of becoming whole. If this conversation speaks to you, subscribe, share it with someone who needs to hear it, and leave a review. #TooLightTooDark #LawrenceCHarris #MentalHealth #Autism #CPTSD #TraumaRecovery #YouthMentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #Resilience #SelfWorth #YouthEmpowerment #TraumaHealing #Identity #Purpose #Neurodiversity

  5. Aug 3

    Dr Carl Nassar: Why We Need the Village Again | Trauma, Belonging & Healing | Too Light Too Dark #37

    What if the mental health crisis isn't simply about individuals—but about the communities we've lost? In Episode 37 of Too Light Too Dark, Leon Eckford sits down with Dr Carl Nassar therapist, author of The Village Solution, and Psychology Today columnist, to explore one of the most compelling ideas in modern psychology: that healing doesn't happen in isolation; it happens in connection. Together they unpack: Why loneliness has become one of the defining challenges of our timeThe hidden impact of consumer culture on our relationshipsTrauma, attachment and the need for belongingWhat we've lost by moving away from village lifeHow genuine community can become a powerful form of healingWhy purpose isn't something we find alone Drawing on psychology, anthropology and years of therapeutic practice, Dr Nassar argues that many of the struggles we experience today are not simply personal, they're cultural. This conversation explores what it means to rediscover connection in a world increasingly built around individualism. Whether you're interested in psychology, trauma recovery, mental health, addiction, philosophy or simply understanding what makes us human, this episode offers a thought-provoking perspective on why we all need each other more than we realise. About Dr Carl Nassar Dr Carl Nassar is a psychotherapist, researcher and author of The Village Solution. He writes the Born for a Better World column for Psychology Today, where he explores belonging, loneliness, trauma and the impact of modern culture on wellbeing. His work bridges psychology and anthropology to understand how communities can foster healing and resilience. (carlnassar.com) Learn more about Dr Carl Nassar: 📖 Website: CarlNassar.com 📰 Psychology Today – Born for a Better World: Psychology Today column Listen to more Too Light Too Dark: 🌐 Website: https://toolighttoodark.com 🎧 Subscribe for new episodes every week exploring psychology, recovery, addiction, trauma, leadership and the stories that shape us. If this conversation resonated with you, please like, subscribe and share it with someone who might benefit. Questions or feedback? 📩 contact@toolighttoodark.com Stay gold. Stay curious. Stay connected. Namaste x

  6. Jul 25

    Who Are We Without Our Work? Workplace Culture, Leadership & Identity | Too Light Too Dark #36

    Why do we spend so much of our lives at work, yet so rarely stop to ask how work shapes our identity? In Episode 36 of Too Light Too Dark, Leon Eckford is joined once again by Simon Bennett, organisational coach and founder of Challenge Yourself, Kindly, for a thought-provoking exploration of workplace culture, leadership, identity, belonging and organisational psychology. Together, they examine why culture is far more than policies or values written on a wall. Organisational culture is created through relationships, trust, healthy conflict and the everyday behaviours that either encourage people to flourish or slowly disengage. Drawing on psychology, coaching and lived experience, Leon and Simon explore how identity at work, psychological safety, positive dissent, healthy leadership, emotional intelligence and belonging influence both individual wellbeing and organisational performance. They discuss why leaders must move beyond command-and-control thinking, embrace curiosity over certainty and create environments where difficult conversations become opportunities for growth rather than sources of fear. This conversation sits firmly within the Identity & Transformation pillar of Too Light Too Dark, exploring how our relationship with work shapes our sense of self, purpose and meaning, and how healthier organisations begin with more self-aware leaders. Whether you're a leader, manager, HR professional, coach or someone navigating your own career, this episode offers practical insights into creating healthier workplaces while challenging how we think about success, identity and human connection. Key topics include:Workplace cultureLeadership developmentIdentity at workOrganisational psychologyPsychological safetyPositive dissentEmotional intelligenceBelonging and inclusionHealthy workplace cultureOrganisational coachingTeam dynamicsHigh-performing teamsLeadership mindsetSelf-awarenessOrganisational changeEmployee wellbeingTrust and accountabilitySystems thinkingReflective leadership🌐 Too Light Too Dark https://www.toolighttoodark.com Learn more about the podcast, browse every episode and subscribe to the newsletter for updates and exclusive content. 🤝 Challenge Yourself, Kindly – Simon Bennett Discover Simon's coaching, leadership development and organisational consultancy through Challenge Yourself, Kindly, supporting individuals and organisations to build healthier workplace cultures through reflection, compassion and courageous conversations. https://challengeyourselfkindly.com 📧 Feedback & enquiries contact@toolighttoodark.com If this conversation resonated with you, we'd love to hear your thoughts. Subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with someone passionate about leadership, psychology or creating better workplaces. Stay gold, stay curious and stay connected.

  7. Jul 6

    From Suicidal Ideation to Laughter: Mental Health, Trauma & Hope | Too Light Too Dark #35

    What happens when someone living with mental illness, trauma, and suicidal ideation discovers that laughter can become a powerful tool for healing? In Episode 35 of Too Light Too Dark, we sit down with Dave Mowry, author of OMG That's Me, to explore his remarkable journey through mental health challenges, trauma recovery, depression, and finding hope in life's darkest moments. Dave speaks openly about living with an enduring mental health condition, learning to integrate it into everyday life rather than allowing it to define him, and how his experiences have shaped his purpose. Today, he gives back by working in peer-supported, recovery-focused mental health settings, helping others navigate their own journeys with compassion, lived experience, and understanding. Together, we discuss: Mental health and recoverySuicidal ideation and finding hopeTrauma and resilienceDepression and emotional wellbeingThe healing power of humour and laughterLiving with a long-term mental health conditionPeer support and recovery-focused careWhy sharing lived experience mattersTurning pain into purposeWhether you're living with a mental health condition yourself, supporting someone who is, or simply interested in authentic conversations around mental health awareness, recovery, and resilience, this episode offers honesty, hope, and practical insight. 📖 Dave's book – OMG That's Me explores his personal story in greater depth and offers an inspiring account of resilience, recovery, and self-discovery. If this conversation resonates with you: 👍 Like the video 💬 Share your thoughts in the comments 🔔 Subscribe to Too Light Too Dark for more honest conversations about mental health, trauma, recovery, resilience, and hope. #MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #SuicidalIdeation #SuicidePrevention #Depression #Trauma #TraumaRecovery #Recovery #Resilience #Hope #Laughter #Comedy #Healing #PeerSupport #LivedExperience #MentalIllness #Wellbeing #Podcast #TooLightTooDark #DaveMowry

  8. Jun 22 ·  Bonus

    1 Year Anniversary Special | Rhett Nicholl on Healing, Purpose & Identity

    🎙️ Too Light Too Dark celebrates its 1-year anniversary with guest Rhett Nicholl in a deep, reflective conversation on healing, purpose, and identity. 🧭 Pillar: Identity & Transformation This episode is part of our Five Pillars framework - exploring personal change, rebuilding identity, and what it means to transform through lived experience. In this anniversary episode, we reflect on a year of Too Light Too Dark and explore the inner process of growth, resilience, and becoming someone new through life’s challenges. Rhett Nicholl shares grounded insight on emotional healing, self-understanding, and finding direction when life feels uncertain or fragmented. 🔑 In this episode:• Healing and emotional transformation • Purpose and identity • Personal change and resilience • Reflections on 1 year of Too Light Too Dark • Living authentically through life transitions 🧠 About the Five PillarsThis episode belongs to: Identity & Transformation Life after addiction • Reinvention • Personal change • Recovery • Becoming someone new Explore the full series through our Five Pillars system - designed to help you find episodes that match where you are in your life. 🌐 Official Website: https://www.toolighttoodark.com 🎧 Listen to previous episodes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL-wGWNul8iEfBvXmdlrB3g 📸 Instagram: @toolighttoodark Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@toolighttoodark Subscribe to the newsletter - contact@toolighttoodark.com 🔍 Keywordshealing podcast, identity podcast, personal growth, transformation stories, emotional healing, purpose and meaning, self development podcast, mental health conversations, resilience stories, deep conversations podcast, shadow work, life transition, authentic living #TooLightTooDark #RhettNicholl #Podcast #Identity #Healing #Purpose #Transformation #PersonalGrowth #MentalHealth #SelfDevelopment #Resilience #ShadowWork #Authenticity

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About

Too Light Too Dark exists because recovery, identity, and healing are rarely linear. This show was created to explore what happens when lived experience meets clinical insight, and when personal stories collide with systems, culture, and power. Sometimes we speak with clinicians, researchers, and frontline practitioners. Sometimes with people carrying hard-earned wisdom from lived experience and creatives working through the light and dark of life in the realm of story telling. The aim stays the same: to tell the honest version, not the easy one. This show is for those navigating addiction, trauma, identity, leadership, belief, and the quiet aftermath of survival. Expect conversations that challenge dominant narratives, examine power and policy, and stay grounded in human experience. The goal is not certainty. It is understanding, steadiness, and the courage to sit with complexity.

Information

  • Creator
    Too Light Too Dark
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    47
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Too Light Too Dark
  • Show Website
    Too Light Too Dark