Rainn Wilson’s Interview of Dr. Sara Kuburic
I discovered Rainn Wilson’s Soul Boom podcast through another podcast (endorsed by a listener). I’ve been a fan or Rainn Wilson’s acting since Six Feet Under, but I know nothing about him, and with a name of Soul Boom I wasn’t sure what to expect from his podcast. Could go either way: intelligent conversations about spirituality or eyeroll-inducing mumbo jumbo. My first episode was last week’s conversation with millenial.therapist Dr. Sara Kuburic.
Verdict: I really enjoyed it! I didn’t agree with everything Kuburic said. I cringe at the use of the term “embodiment” which is a little too “therapist” for me. At one point I bristled when she said something about how a relationship between two people is doomed if one person is growing and the other isn’t because that sounds like one of those extreme black-and-white statements that fails to account for all of the shades of gray. For example, what does “growth” mean? Some people would see a 20-something who plays video games all day as being stagnant, but I would argue that there is growth to be found even in video games. I also think her statement assumes that anyone who is “not growing” (again, possibly subjective terminology) would be resentful of their partner’s growth, but I have seen partners who appear to be treading water also being very supportive of their partner’s growth and maybe just happy to be towed along on their journey. And for that “growing” partner, perhaps having that support (social, esteem) makes all the difference and helps them flourish.
However, when I agreed with Kuburic, I really agreed with her. One of my favorite moments was when she said that she helps her clients “realize that [they] have some responsibility in most things that happen, but that also means [they] have agency” (autonomy). Best quote:
What I see is grown-ass adults still blaming their “inner child” for the way that they’re behaving…. You are an adult now. You have, I believe, free will, and you can make decisions that maybe your inner child couldn’t.
Dr. Kuburic says that her goal is to inspire reflection, and, at least in her conversation with Wilson, I think she succeeds. It doesn’t bother me that I disagree with her on some statements because the discourse helps me understand my own position better (growth!).
As far as Rainn Wilson is concerned, he didn’t really stand out for me, which I think makes him a great host and interviewer. He didn’t say anything that made me think poorly of him, and he moved the conversation along without talking over his guest. So far, so good. I’ll keep listening.
Are you a fan of Soul Boom? If so, why? Is there a standout episode I should check out?