In this archival episode of The Soul of Life, Keith Miller sits down with award-winning science fiction writer Ken Liu for a wide-ranging conversation about identity, storytelling, technology, and what it means to be human in a rapidly changing world.

Liu explores the illusion of a single, stable self, drawing from philosophy, psychology, and his own writing to examine how identity continuously evolves over time. He challenges the modern obsession with "pure rationality," arguing that emotion quietly underpins every value system we claim is objective.

✨ And if you enjoyed this archive episode, check out Keith's new podcast Tripping Over Love, now on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, and Substack.

LISTEN TO TRIPPING OVER LOVE: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tripping-over-love/id1850974406

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6yl3TNTfBM1TutbETEKYNC

In this episode, Keith speaks with Lou Lucas, Chief of Palliative Medicine at the Nebraska and Western Iowa Veterans Health Care Systems, about the deep connections between mind, body, and spirit in healing.

They explore what palliative medicine actually is, why communication and meaning matter as much as treatment, and how stress, trauma, and emotional suppression can shape physical illness. Lou explains how our immune systems respond to chronic stress, why autoimmune conditions often reflect deeper internal conflict, and how healing begins when we stop fighting parts of ourselves.

The conversation also dives into Internal Family Systems (IFS), the concept of Self or soul, and how working with inner parts can restore balance and resilience. Lou introduces her concept of "pallia-delic" medicine—relieving suffering by revealing the mind—and explains how psychedelic-assisted therapy differs fundamentally from recreational drug use.

✨ And if you enjoyed this archive episode, check out Keith's new podcast Tripping Over Love, now on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, and Substack.

LISTEN TO TRIPPING OVER LOVE: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tripping-over-love/id1850974406

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6yl3TNTfBM1TutbETEKYNC

Substack: https://trippingoverlove.substack.com/

📱 Follow us Instagram: @trippingoverlovepodcast

TikTok: @trippingoverlove
Facebook: Tripping Over Love Podcast

In this in-depth archival conversation from The Soul of Life, Keith Miller speaks with Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score, about how the modern mental-health system misunderstands trauma—and why that misunderstanding matters.

Van der Kolk reflects on the original creation of the PTSD diagnosis, why the term "trauma" has become dangerously imprecise, and how psychiatric labels like narcissism or borderline personality disorder can interfere with genuine human connection.

He shares his sharp critique of the DSM, the insurance-driven logic behind diagnosis, and why clinicians must learn to see the whole person—not just symptoms.

The conversation also explores emerging and often misunderstood treatments, including MDMA-assisted therapy, psychedelics, and neurofeedback, along with a powerful reflection on the late Rich Simon and the limits of any single "miracle cure."

✨ If you enjoyed this archive episode, check out Keith's new podcast Tripping Over Love, now on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, and Substack.

LISTEN TO TRIPPING OVER LOVE: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tripping-over-love/id1850974406

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6yl3TNTfBM1TutbETEKYNC

Substack: https://trippingoverlove.substack.com/

📱 Follow us Instagram: @trippingoverlovepodcast

TikTok: @trippingoverlove
Facebook: Tripping Over Love Podcast