Proxy with Yowei Shaw

Proxy with Yowei Shaw

Y3 Productions

It’s the knot you can’t untangle - the problem so unique, it makes you feel alone. But what if someone is out there who gets it? On Proxy, we find that person. The perfect stranger to offer the insight to demystify the feelings that shape us all. Yowei Shaw (formerly of NPR’s Invisibilia) and her team of emotional investigators, at your service. To help this independent show and emotional investigative journalism exist, consider becoming a member of our Patreon: patreon.com/proxypodcast. You'll get exclusive monthly bonus episodes and other goodies. Thank you for our co-conspirator in this e...

Presenting: I felt too seen. Um, dragged. (from Basket Case), Plus an Upade

Presenting: I felt too seen. Um, dragged. (from Basket Case), Plus an Upade

Basket Case is a new show about mental health. In this episode, host Nicole Kelly takes on perfectionism, an issue that Yowei has personally struggled with. Plus, some breaking news about Proxy.   If you’d like to support the making of S1 of Proxy, go to patreon.com/proxypodcast. You’ll get access to our free newsletter and exclusive monthly bonus episodes. This month, Yowei talks to Nicole Kelly about their relationships with perfectionism and how having forced fun and a punk rock attitude have

Feb 6, • 38:44

Presenting: An Evil Man (from Little Devils), Plus a Year-End Recap

Presenting: An Evil Man (from Little Devils), Plus a Year-End Recap

When Yowei heard about the new podcast Little Devils, she was like: finally, someone being honest about a thing we all do. On Little Devils, Jasmin Bauomy interrogates the snap judgments she makes of other people, to find the story behind that annoying thing they do.  In this episode, we share a story from Little Devils and we toast 2024 with a year-end recap.    From the episode:  Listen to the full season of Little Devils on all platforms: https://pod.link/1783097137 Support their Patreon:

Dec 30, 2024 • 46:13

#10 The Group That Gets It

#10 The Group That Gets It

The story of someone who suffered alone in secret for 8 years with a problem he was too afraid to Google -  and then he stumbled into a support group. In this episode, we dive into the emotional dynamics of support groups with Jason Yu. Why did support groups help him, when nothing else did?   From the episode:  Fidget Podcast - Jason Yu's support group in podcast form for people who compulsively pick their skin, pull their hair, bite their nails Follow the Fidget Podcast on Instagram   The

Dec 3, 2024 • 53:49

#9 Is there anything we can actually do about polarization?

#9 Is there anything we can actually do about polarization?

Whoever wins the election, Americans will still want to rip each other's heads off. Social psychologist Jay Van Bavel helps us understand why we should care about polarization, how we got here, and what, if anything, we can do about it.    From the episode:  Jay Van Bavel is a social psychologist at New York University and the author of The Power of Us: Harnessing Our Shared Identities to Improve Performance, Increase Cooperation, and Promote Social Harmony: https://www.powerofus.online/ The pa

Oct 29, 2024 • 43:48

#8 So many tears but what do they say?

#8 So many tears but what do they say?

We all know that moment - when you feel like you need to cry in front of other people, but don't want to cry. In this episode, Yowei talks to Heather Christle, the author of The Crying Book, to parse what’s happening in that moment, what tears are saying and how we should respond to them.      From the episode: Heather Christle is a poet and professor at Emory University. She has a new book coming out in March called In the Rhododendrums: A Memoir with Appearances by Virginia Wolf. It's availa

Sep 26, 2024 • 23:17

Presenting: The Art of Vulnerability and Connection with Mae Martin (from ReThinking)

Presenting: The Art of Vulnerability and Connection with Mae Martin (from ReThinking)

Recently, Yowei noticed a pattern among new friends she's making. These friends all make her feel lighter, more playful, and listened to... and they all have a background in improv comedy.    Today, we're sharing an interview that gets inside the head of an improv comedian to see how they connect with other people.    This episode comes from ReThinking, a podcast where organizational psychologist Adam Grant has lively discussions and debates with people about new thoughts and new ways of thinkin

Sep 20, 2024 • 37:28

Did we make our goal???

Did we make our goal???

Finally, a campaign reveal. Did we get additional funding to hire Kim for more hours? Plus, some updates for what’s in store for Proxy.    Episode credits: Produced by Yowei Shaw and Kim Nederveen Pieterse Mixed by Kyle Pulley   Proxy is a completely independent production. To support the show and get exclusive bonus episodes and other goodies, go to patreon.com/proxypodcast.     Other ways you can support: Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts! That stuff matters apparently. Follow us on Inst

Sep 5, 2024 • 8:06

#7 The Proxy Mystery (Part 4 of 4): Ritual

#7 The Proxy Mystery (Part 4 of 4): Ritual

The final installment of Yowei's quest to solve the mystery of proxy converations.    In this episode, Yowei talks to a ritual expert and tries explaining what she's learned about proxy conversations to her mom.    From the episode: Michael Norton is a behavior scientist, Harvard Business School professor, and the author of The Ritual Effect: From Habit to Ritual, Harness the Surprising Power of Everyday Actions.  Yowei's unhinged grieving ritual for her layoff: Gold Star (The Layoff Song)

Aug 21, 2024 • 25:08

#6 The Proxy Mystery (Part 3 of 4): Psychodrama

#6 The Proxy Mystery (Part 3 of 4): Psychodrama

Part 3 of Yowei's extremely meta quest to solve the mystery of proxy conversations.    In this episode, Yowei learns about psychodrama, a psychotherapy that has similarities to proxy conversations and used to be a dominant modality in the U.S. and then died. Dr. Scott Giacomucci breaks down the mechanics of proxy conversations and tries his psychodrama techniques on Yowei.    From the episode:  Dr. Scott Giacomucci is an expert in psychodrama and the director of the Phoenix Center for Experient

Aug 15, 2024 • 40:13

#5 The Proxy Mystery (Part 2 of 4): Connor Ratliff's Dead Eyes

#5 The Proxy Mystery (Part 2 of 4): Connor Ratliff's Dead Eyes

Part 2 of Yowei's quest to solve the mystery of proxy conversations. Why do they work?  How? Can Yowei figure out how to explain the show to people who don't get it?   In this episode, Yowei gets advice from actor, comedian, and proxy conversation expert Connor Ratliff.    Over 20 years ago, Tom Hanks fired Connor from a small role in the HBO mini-series Band of Brothers - apparently for having "dead eyes." But is that really what happened? Connor made a podcast called Dead Eyes to investigat

Aug 6, 2024 • 36:30

#4 The Proxy Mystery (Part 1 of 4): Restorative Justice

#4 The Proxy Mystery (Part 1 of 4): Restorative Justice

Yowei has a problem. She's having trouble explaining the show to people who don't get it. She knows proxy conversations work. But why? How?   Part 1 of a 4-part quest to solve the mystery of proxy conversations. Yowei learns about a proxy conversation happening in a completely different context: restorative justice with proxy survivors and offenders.    From the episode: Alissa Ackerman is a criminal justice professor at California State University and the co-founder of Ampersands Restorativ

Jul 24, 2024 • 1:01:30

Exploding the Myth of Meritocracy with Ofer Sharone [BONUS TEASER]

Exploding the Myth of Meritocracy with Ofer Sharone [BONUS TEASER]

Teaser for full-length exclusive bonus episode on Patreon. An in-depth interview with UMass Amherst sociologist and professor Ofer Sharone about the stigma trap that laid off workers can fall into and how the myth of meritocracy impacts even people who don't think they believe in it. For the full bonus episode, go to patreon.com/proxypodcast. From the episode: Ofer Sharone's book The Stigma Trap   Proxy is a completely independent production. To support the show and get exclusive bonus episode

Jun 7, 2024 • 9:17

#3 The Layoff Trilogy, Part 3: HR by Proxy

#3 The Layoff Trilogy, Part 3: HR by Proxy

With every layoff, there's the blackbox of what's really going on behind the scenes. Why did it go down the way it did? Was it really not about your performance, like they told you? How does the layoff list get made anyway? In our inaugural proxy conversation, we connect Miles and Elliot with a proxy HR professional to answer their layoff questions. From the episode: You can listen to original layoff song Gold Star on Tidal and Spotify, and watch the ridiculous layoff interpretive pole dance mu

May 23, 2024 • 50:04

#2 The Layoff Trilogy, Part 2: Danger Day

#2 The Layoff Trilogy, Part 2: Danger Day

Please note: This story contains brief mention of suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 9-8-8, or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741. Elliot and Miles loved working at the same company, until the spectre of layoffs came to haunt them. From the episode: Ofer Sharone's book The Stigma Trap Episode credits: Produced by Yowei Shaw Edited by John DeLore Mixed by Kyle Pulley Research and reporting su

May 23, 2024 • 42:52

#1 The Layoff Trilogy, Part 1: Layoff Girl

#1 The Layoff Trilogy, Part 1: Layoff Girl

When Yowei Shaw got laid off from NPR, she didn't just feel bad. She was confused by how bad she felt and how long the bad lasted. So Yowei does what she usually does in a situation like this - she reported on her feelings. Then things go left. From the episode: Ofer Sharone's book The Stigma Trap Episode credits: Produced by Yowei Shaw. Edited by John DeLore. Mixed by Kyle Pulley. Research and reporting support by Kim Nederveen Pieterse.   Proxy is a completely independent production. To supp

May 22, 2024 • 42:14

Welcome to Proxy

Welcome to Proxy

Sometimes in life, you have an emotional question that no one in your life can relate to. Maybe you’re an introvert who wants to stop feeling resentful of the extroverts in your life? Maybe you’ve survived prostate cancer and have questions around sex? That’s where Proxy comes in. Host Yowei Shaw (formerly of NPR's Invisibilia) connects you for a frank conversation with experts and strangers who have shared experience. In other words, the "proxies" you need. The show launches on May 22 with a 3-

May 15, 2024 • 4:07

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