The Face of the Deep

The Face of the Deep is a podcast that is rooted in psychology but unbound by any single theory. We explore what makes us who we are—from the genes and stories we inherit to the ones we struggle to rewrite. Expect conversations that weave together clinical insight, Jungian thought, behavioral science, and a bit of political and cultural critique. Whether we're talking about trauma, personality, midlife, or the politics of mental health, this show asks deeper questions about the self, the soul, and the systems we live in.

The Face of the Deep is a society podcast hosted by Jen Howk, with 16 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Jen Howk hosts The Face of the Deep, a society show with 16 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #23

  Episode 23: The "Dry Drunk" Phenomenon and Reflections on 13 Years of Sobriety

  Aug 18, 2026—

  For 1:1 coaching or to join my zoom groups, visit www.jenhowk.com In this episode I share a little bit about my history with alcohol abuse, and some reflections and lessons from 13 years of sobriety. I talk about the difference (as I see it) between sobriety and true recovery, and how for most of those 13 years I have been a "dry drunk"—not drinking, but also not working through the emotional reasons I developed an addiction to alcohol to begin with. I also discuss the idea that alcoholism (and really all addiction) is a slow motion destruction of the true self, and that the heart of recovery is embracing our darkness and all the pain we have tried to suppress. (If you listen extra carefully there is some Peachy snoring on this one)

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  Episode #22

  Episode 22: The Shadow Never Sleeps - How Shame Sabotages Relationships

  Aug 11, 202633 min

  For 1:1 sessions and to join my zoom groups, visit www.jenhowk.com. In this episode, I discuss in a bit more depth how our inability to reckon with our own childhood wounds and the shame we feel from them results in our unchecked projections and sabotaging behaviors in our intimate relationships. There's a reason we keep picking "the wrong" person—our shame needs to be fully met and processed, and the "wrong" person is the fastest way to have that encounter. It's just a matter of what we choose to do with it.

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  Episode #21

  Episode 21: Why Doesn't Anyone Feel "Safe?"

  Aug 4, 202627 min

  This week's discussion is about how a feeling of interpersonal safety emerges from authentic connection with others, and that such a connection requires that the relationship can accommodate and sustain a high level of truth telling and transparency. (Apologies for the delightful cacophony of bug noise in the background….I didn't realize the mic was picking all that up. Late summer in West Virginia!)

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  Episode #20

  Episode 20: Why I'll Never "Date" Again (and You Probably Shouldn't Either)

  Jul 28, 202631 min

  This one might be a bit controversial....but I feel strongly that dating for the express purpose of finding romance is an upside-down way to build a long term partnership with someone. We should be seeking friends first, and truth in our connections, and discovering from there what kind of relationship it is—not imposing a limited structure on it before we even really know the person. To book a consultation, be part of my membership group and weekly zoom calls, and access more info, visit https://www.jenhowk.com

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  Episode #19

  Episode 19: To Tell the Truth: Cracking the Code of Food Addiction and Self-Suppression

  Jul 20, 202645 min

  This episode is an unscripted discussion about how I believe I've cracked the binge eating code—or at least my own personal binge eating code, if not necessarily a universal one. I believe it begins in attachment wounds in early childhood, which train us to suppress truth in order to preserve the peace in our caregiver relationships. Later in life, having been alienated from a secure sense of self because of that process, we seek relationships where the other person (a friend, a colleague, or a romantic partner) regards us in an idealizing way, because that is what feels best to us. An idealizing relationship, however, cannot tolerate truth, and in order to preserve the other's fantasy projection of us, we repeat the same suppression from our early life. Food is, for many of us, a way to manage the discomfort and dissonance of that. I do a little story time about my childhood and discuss how this pattern has shown up for me, as well as how it might look for you. As I mention at the end, I realize my pacing is a bit slow because I'm choosing my words more carefully these days; if it's too annoying in this TL;DR world, you're certainly welcome to speed it up. For info about my groups or to reach out, everything lives at https://www.jenhowk.com.

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