Unshaming
Unshaming is a podcast hosted by journalist Jordan Gonsalves that invites listeners to an open and judgment-free space. The show features raw conversations with experts and storytellers about how shame influences relationships, culture, and self-perception. It encourages embracing authenticity and exploring topics without limits. The podcast also promotes its community on social media and offers a Substack newsletter for additional content.
Episodes
#1 Divorce Lawyer: After 1,000 Cases, 1 Technique Actually Saves Relationships
James Sexton has facilitated over 1,000 divorces as an attorney based in NYC. He is a best selling author, having made recent blockbuster appearances on Diary of a CEO and The Mel Robbins Podcast. In this episode, he discusses the #1 technique you can use TODAY to strengthen and revive your relationship: “Hit Send Now.” He talks about how shame can sabotage this framework and how shame ha
"Squeeze the Sh*t Out of Life": 9/11 Son's Guide to Grief
David Ferrugio’s father was one of the nearly 3,000 victims in the September 11th attacks. He was working on the 105th floor of the first tower that fell. The plane struck floors 93-99. 25 years after the attacks, his son tells his story in detail and what his grief can teach you. David is the host of the “Dead Talks” podcast, which you can listen to on YouTube. His new book is called "Yo
Young, Successful Men are Hiring Escorts. Here’s Why.
1 in 7 American have paid for s*x work, according to the National Institute of Justice. If the oldest profession in the world is still so popular, why is it so stigmatized? Former escort Thea Rose dishes why. Thea is the host of one of the most popular sexuality podcasts in America called “Seggs Talk Radio.” She recently came out publicly as a former escort, and you can watch that YouTube
The Evolutionary Reason You’re So Sensitive w/ Dr. Sasha Hamdani
Have you ever felt too much? Or like your feelings are so big compared to others? Board certified psychiatrist and an ADHD clinical specialist Dr. Sasha Hamdani joins Unshaming to discuss the science behind it. She recently published a book on the understudied area of ADHD called Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria or RSD. And she’s going to share everything she learned.We cover:The evolution
How to Have the Best Anal Sex Ever w/ Dr. Goldstein
Subscribe so you never miss an episode.Groundbreaking proctocologist Dr. Evan Goldstein has changed thousands of lives. His mission is to destigmatize or “unshame” butts and “everything that goes in them and out of them.” He has definitive information on how to have the best poops and how to have the best bottoming experiences.We cover:Why most people should having “no wipe” poops in 30 s
Why You Need Shame To Find Your Purpose w/ Melissa Petro
Subscribe so you never miss an episode.Shame journalist Melissa Petro thinks almost all your problems are because of shame. She’s no stranger to it. She was once earning money as a call girl. Years later, she embarked on a healing journey that ended in her becoming a public school teacher. But the NY Post found out about her past, and embarked on a public shaming campaign against her 
Is OnlyFans Brainwashing Men to Quit Romance? w/ Gracie Canaan & Leon Neyfakh
Subscribe so you never miss an episode.Men are burning their cash to pay for OF. But why? I sat down with OF creator Gracie Canaan and legendary journalist Leon Neyfakh to find out. They just released an explosive podcast called “OnlyFantasy” exploring the psychology of OF and all the sides of it they don’t want you to know about. What they found is that OF is using shame to rewrite the r
America Doesn’t Value Family w/ Suzy Welch
I sat down with America’s #1 career expert Suzy Welch. Her approach to careers isn’t about resumes though; it’s about values. She has the best data set on human values in the world. I wanted to understand what her research could tell us about shame. We cover:Why only 7% of people know their valuesHow you can become part of the 7%America’s #1 value isn’t what you think it isWhy Only 2
How to Heal From Shame w/ Tim Fletcher
I sat down with Tim Fletcher, a counselor and researcher specializing in Complex Trauma recovery with over 30 years of experience. The goal: how do we heal our shame and reclaim our lives?We cover:Why 100% of the Population Struggles with ShameThe #1 thing to heal from shameHow Shame Shows Up in Dating: Fawning and Self-AbandonmentWhy We Subconsciously Date People Like Our ParentsHow to R
How to Talk to Strangers w/ Markian B
Subscribe so you never miss an episode.I sat down with legendary YouTuber Markian B about how to talk to strangers. His entire brand and life story has been built on understanding what belonging is and how to find it. His biggest tip: talk to strangers more. Talking to strangers is our best chance at finding our people and finding ourselves.We cover:Why talking to strangers in person is a
Gen Z’s Church Revival w/ Lauren Jackson
Subscribe so you never miss an episode.I sat down with New York Times spirituality journalist and host of the Believing newsletter Lauren Jackson. We talked about what's really driving the cultural movement back to church. Headlines like "Gen Z’s Catholic Revival" and "Young Adults Packing the Pews" have flooded our feeds. I myself decided to go back to church? But what's driving it?We co
The Anxious-Avoidant Trap w/ Kati Morton
Subscribe so you never miss an episode!Do you feel either anxious or suffocated in your relationship? Then this episode is for you. I sat down with licensed marriage and family therapist Kati Morton to discuss attachment styles. She explains why we are constantly chasing emotionally unavailable partners, how we can finally break that cycle, the biggest dating green & red flags in
The Predatory Forces Behind Credit Card Debt w/ Debt Heads
Subscribe so you never miss an episode!Are you or a loved one in credit card debt? Then this episode is for you. I sat down with debt journalists Jamie Feldman and Rachel Gayle Webster to discuss the biggest finding from their year-long investigation into America’s $2.27T credit card debt crisis. They host the award winning podcast Debt Heads, which chronicles their investigation in
Sexless Relationships w/ Ian Kerner
Subscribe so you never miss an episode!Do you have sex/intimacy issues? Then this episode is for you. I was in a sexless relationship with my dream man. For years, I couldn’t understand what I did wrong, until this conversation. I sat down with Ian Kerner, sex expert and licensed psychotherapist specializing in sex. He’s the author of the New York Times best-selling book She Comes First (
Homophobia in the Catholic Church w/ Father James Martin
If religion ever made you feel like you didn't belong, this episode is for you.I grew up gay, Catholic, and deeply ashamed. And most of my shame points back to the church. For the very first episode of Unshaming, I sat down with the one person who started to change that for me — Father Jim Martin, one of the most outspoken advocates for LGBT people in the Catholic Church today.He is also
Unshaming Trailer
If you’ve ever felt judged or like you’ve had to hide who you are, you’re invited to the Unshaming dinner party. A place where you are safe to be your authentic self and where your curiosity knows no limits. Hosted by journalist Jordan Gonsalves, we’ll have raw conversations with experts and storytellers to explore how shame is quietly shaping our relationships, our culture, our sense of
Sex & Dating Advice, Unshaming Style
Send us Fan MailAnswering your sex & dating questions! Don't get too excited... you're getting #unshaming advice.
Letter 1 — 3:56
Letter 2 — 31:30
Letter 3 — 47:21
Shenny De Los Angeles returns to the pod this episode. She is an actress, activist, and poet. Engage with her here.
Shenny’s instagram:
Shenny’s email where you can write to her: shennyangeles@gmail.com
#StayUnshaming wit
The Unshaming Journey: Forgiveness, Anger, and Safeness
Send us Fan MailWtf does unshaming even mean?! We dive into it all in this episode. Nikila Cranage, host of Bad Behavior Podcast, joins the show.In this episode, we reference Jor's unshaming journey. You can listen to his episode on the shame of being gay here. We also reference an episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show about forgiveness — watch that here.TW: this episode briefly touches on se
Shame of Being Gay & Royal (With Prince Manvendra)
Send us Fan MailA glimpse into the royal life of a prince...Prince Manvendra's family is part of a 600 year dynasty in India. Learn more about him below:
NY Times article
Prince Manvendra on the Oprah Show
#StayUnshaming with us at instagram.com/unshaming and unshamingpodcast.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#d
Season 2 Finale: The Lessons of Adventure
Send us Fan MailUnshaming returns in Fall 2021! You can #StayUnshaming with us instagram.com/unshaming and unshamingpodcast.com. Join us for this powerful conversation with host Jordan Gonsalves on grief, intuition, validation from social media, and following your dreams.Thank you for a fabulous Season 2. You can support Unshaming at patreon.com/unshaming. See Privacy Policy at https://a
Shame of Serious Mental Illness
Send us Fan MailThis episode contains discussion around sexual abuse and suicide.Victoria Lee is a fiction author, PhD Psychologist, and neuroscientist. She also lives with Psychotic Depression. Her work centers around representing people with mental illnesses as folks who have the same hopes and dreams as everyone else. Her new novel, A Lesson in Vengeance. does just that.If you or some
Hair Transplant Surgery
Send us Fan MailWhat's it like losing a core piece of your identity? Losing a core sense of belonging? Hair. In this episode, we explore these questions through the hair loss journey of Ronald Hinton, who documented his experience in the new documentary My Hair, My Rules.You can stream My Hair, My Rules, here. You can support Unshaming at patreon.com/unshaming. #StayUnshaming with us at i
Shame of LGBTQ+ Persecution in Russia/Chechnya
Send us Fan MailThis episode contains candid descriptions of human rights violations against LGBTQ+ people in Chechnya. Listener discretion is advised. Tanya Lokshima is the associate director for Human Rights Watch’s Europe and Central Asia division, based in Moscow. She has extensively covered and exposed the human-rights abuses against LGBTQ+ people in Russia/Chechnya throughout her ca
Shame of Surviving Sexual Abuse (with Shaun T)
Send us Fan MailThis episode contains candid descriptions of sexual abuse and child molestation — listener discretion is advised. In this episode, Shaun T tells his story of surviving child molestation by his mother’s boyfriend. He discusses how he forgave his abuser and ultimately learned to forgive himself. He also shares how his experiences made him a better partner, father, and person
Shame of Stroke Survival (with Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor)
Send us Fan MailWhat’s it like recovering from a stroke where you lost everything? Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor shares her journey of how experiencing a near-death brain hemorrhage helped her achieve inner peace. Her new book “Whole Brain Living” describes how we can all achieve connectedness, love, and healing by training our brains.Get connected with Dr. Jill below.
watch her TED talk here
wat
Shame of Cancer
Send us Fan MailWhy do we fear death and dying so much? What is it like to stare it in the face with a diagnosis of Cancer?In this episode, children's author Sharon Frances and her partner Matthew Rodriguez openly discuss their personal experiences with Cancer. Sharon is a Breast Cancer survivor while Matthew lost his last wife to Throat Cancer. They are the co-founders of the Well Beings
Shame of Dieting
Send us Fan MailMentalhealth.org reports that 1 in 5 adults feels "disgusting" about their bodies. How do we break free from the toxic cycle of body shaming ourselves? How do we create peace with our body image? Allison Ross, eating and body image therapist and author of "Non-Dieting: How to Love your Body and Be Healthy in Diet Culture" discusses:
the origins of body image issues
body n
Shame of Anti-Asian Violence
Send us Fan MailThis episode contains explicit language around experiences with racial slurs. Tony Lee is a 27-year-old Asian-American journalist for NBC News. He has reported on COVID-19 and the rise in Anti-Asian hate attacks in depth. In this episode, he discusses his experiences growing up Asian-American in the United States, being fetishized as a gay Asian man, and the complexities o
Shame of Leaving Religion
Send us Fan MailWhat is it like dismantling everything you believe in for your authentic self? In this episode, we explore the freedom and devastation that comes with relinquishing your former life. A letter from an Unshaming listener, this touching story about choosing yourself surrounds Anna Mouchref's decision to leave Islam. #StayUnshaming with us at instagram.com/unshaming and unsham
Shame of Murder
Send us Fan MailQuan Huynh murdered another human being in gang related violence and was charged with second degree murder in 1999. He entered prison without remorse and left prison, a changed man. His story is not about his crime though — it's about his transformation during his 22 years in prison: humanizing himself as a person with grief, ambitions, and potential. He is the bestsellin
Shame of Physical Disability
Send us Fan MailBarb Zablotney was crowned Miss Wheelchair Pennsylvania in 2018. After a tragic car accident in 2007 that left her paralyzed from the waste down, she became a fierce advocate for women with disabilities. Although 61 million Americans live with a disability, why is that we know so little about this community? In this episode, Barb candidly shares how she navigates her daily
Shame of Failure
Send us Fan MailWhat exactly is failure and why are we so afraid to admit that we've experienced it? Even harder to admit, is that we're currently experiencing some kind of failure. But can our failures teach us something about who we are and what we need? In this episode, Jasper Soloff, a high profile Hollywood photographer opens up about how successes in one area of his life inevitably
Shame of Borderline Personality Disorder
Send us Fan MailThis episode contains frank discussion about mental and sexual trauma. The Brain and Behavior Research institute estimates that up to 1/20 Americans have Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). If a person experiences 5/9 BPD symptoms, they can be diagnosed. In this episode Megan Brogdon speaks candidly about her BPD experience in an effort to end the stigma around living w
Shame of Growing Up Low Income
Send us Fan Mail34 million Americans are low-income according to the US Census Bureau. What’s life like for them? In this episode, Xiomara Contreras shares her memories of growing up on food stamps and living in a home where she shared a twin bed. When she became a teenager, she was selected to attend a prestigious boarding school on scholarship and later graduated from Northwestern and a
Shame of Sex Work (The Life of a Dominatrix)
Send us Fan MailThis episode contains explicit language about sex and sex work. Host Jor Gonsalves interviews New York City Dominatrix Godess Talia. In what she describes as a career, she defines what a dominatrix is and discusses her business model, her clientele, and of course — her wildest stories. The mission of #Unshaming is to shine a light on communities that are otherwise silenced
Being Medicated for Mental Illness
Send us Fan MailA deeply underrepresented community: the people who take medication for their mental Illnesses. In this episode, we hear from health coach Claudia Canabal about her depression and decision to medicate for it. Claudia details her internal work to undo the "I'm not crazy" narrative and touches on fears of being medicated for life. #StayUnshaming with us at instagram.com/unsh
Shame of Regret
Send us Fan MailCan regret actually be productive? Why get stuck on things you can never change? Won't it lead to unhappiness? In this episode with poet/actress/activist Shenny De Los Angeles, we dive into all of these questions and debunk the idea that regret is negative. We explore the importance of regret and how it can be a tool to hold ourselves accountable.See Privacy Policy at http
Shame of Colorism in the Black Community
Send us Fan MailSadasia McCutchen discusses how she overcame her shame of being a darker skinned black woman. She also explains her belief that your struggle is part of your ultimate path to finding and fulfilling your greatest purpose. #StayUnshaming with us at instagram.com/unshaming and unshamingpodcast.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice
Being a Black Trans Woman
Send us Fan MailTrans entertainer Ivana Black tells the story of finding and unshaming her womanhood in a time when America's transphobia was rampant. She openly discusses her experiences with the black market and what womanhood means to her. #StayUnshaming with us at instagram.com/unshaming and unshamingpodcast.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy No
Shame of Eating Disorder
Send us Fan MailHaley Johnston shares her story of unshaming body image. During her time at UT Austin, she struggled with disordered eating and over-exercising which resulted in her missing her period for two years. Her journey to body love has included regaining her period but also a passion for women’s health and self-love. #StayUnshaming with us at instagram.com/unshaming and unshaming
Starter Episode: Shame of Being Gay
Send us Fan MailHost Jor Gonsalves takes us on his unshaming journey of being gay. Jor discusses the pain, the shame, the freedom, and the joy of his coming out story. #StayUnshaming with us at instagram.com/unshaming and unshamingpodcast.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Shame of HIV Status
Send us Fan MailAIDS activist and health educator Jahlove Serano discusses his journey to unshame his HIV positive status: from being diagnosed at 15, running away from home, and dropping out of school in fear of others finding out to becoming the face of several global "end HIV" campaigns. #StayUnshaming with us at instagram.com/unshaming and unshamingpodcast.com.See Privacy Policy at h
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