202: Phyllis Leavitt asks Can Therapy Save America?

When Personal Healing Meets National Crisis

What if the skills we use to heal fractured families could mend our fractured nation? Author and psychotherapist Phyllis Leavitt spent over 30 years treating trauma, abuse, and dysfunctional family dynamics—and she sees those same patterns playing out on a national scale.

In episode 202 of Gratitude Geek Podcast, we explore how the tools of psychology and therapy offer a roadmap for bridging divides, building genuine connections, and creating the kind of society where we can disagree without going to war with each other.

This isn’t your typical political commentary. This is about the deep work of listening, understanding, and choosing peace over the easier path of division.

Meet Phyllis Leavitt

Phyllis Leavitt is an author and psychotherapist with over three decades of experience treating children, families, and couples who’ve experienced abuse and trauma. She holds a master’s degree in psychology and counseling from Antioch University and has dedicated her career to understanding how early conditioning shapes our lives—and how we can break destructive cycles.

After retiring from her psychotherapy practice, Phyllis turned her attention to writing. She’s authored three books: A Light in the Darkness, Into the Fire, and her latest work, America in Therapy: A New Approach to Hope and Healing for a Nation in Crisis. Her unique lens reveals how family therapy principles can be applied to heal societal divisions and create lasting change.

What You’ll Learn

• Why trauma creates cycles of abuse that get passed down through generations—and how to break them
• The surprising connection between dysfunctional family dynamics and our current political climate
• Why listening to understand (instead of listening to respond) is the most powerful relationship tool you have
• How volunteerism and philanthropy reveal the inherent goodness in Americans
• What it really takes to stay in difficult relationships—with partners, communities, and even our country
• Simple acts of kindness that cost nothing but change everything
• Why getting help for your own healing isn’t weakness—it’s the path to a life you never knew was possible

Episode Breakdown

00:00 The Therapist’s Lens
02:42 From Trauma to Transformation
08:29 The Authenticity Problem
22:08 Bullying, Power, and the Need to Belong
29:51 The Dynamics of Abuse on a National Scale
35:46 Waging Peace in a Divided World
44:38 The Author’s Journey
47:41 Gratitude and Hope

Connect with Phyllis Leavitt

• Website: https://www.phyllisleavitt.com
• Books: https://amzn.to/4nBQPoc

Disclaimer: Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase. This helps support the podcast at no extra cost to you.

Also Mentioned

• Abraham Hicks – Teacher and author (note: I appreciate the advice but remain skeptical about the source)
• Ashley Mansour (LA Writing Coach) – Phyllis’s writing coach and editor who helped transform her manuscript
• The Better Angels Society – Nonprofit organization bringing people from different political parties together to listen to each other
• Paige Arnof-Fenn – Marketing maven featured in Episode 196, discussing focus group dynamics
• Letters to an Atheist – Book mentioned in discussion about cross-belief dialogue

Gratitude Geek Podcast is made possible by

I earn commission at no extra cost to you.

If you found value in this conversation, please consider helping finance the show: