
Episode #34
An Australian Psychologist Walks Into The Studio. with Maria Di Pietro on Life Unscripted with Kevin Shook
What happens when changing your life makes other people uncomfortable? Maria Di Pietro, a psychologist from Melbourne, Australia, joins me on Life Unscripted with Kevin Shook for a conversation that starts with outlet shopping and somehow ends up at boundaries, trauma, and a chimpanzee named Toby. We talk about admitting when something in your life isn’t working, why that honesty can feel like a weight coming off, and how the people around you might react when you start making changes. Maria also brings some perspective to the “Let Them” idea, because letting people make their own choices doesn’t mean giving them permission to walk all over you. From comfort zones and habits to emotional eating, sugar, and giving your brain a break, we explore the things we do on autopilot and what it takes to start choosing differently. The conversation gets deeper as we discuss trauma, EMDR therapy, workplace mental health, and supporting people after a critical incident. Drawing on my years in emergency services, we talk about the human side of responding to a crisis and what people carry long after the scene clears. And then there’s Toby. I share my story of a chimpanzee who became an unexpected source of comfort, and a trip to Florida built around seeing him again. Watch these podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRw9rhdGEz_ussXlC6i0zy0movXyZRz7- Support the show

