We often confuse intensity with intimacy. In this episode of The Fire That Makes Us, Dr. Shahrzad Jalali unpacks the difference between love that grows steadily and infatuation that consumes us too quickly. Drawing from psychology and real-life stories, she explores why infatuation feels intoxicating, how it’s rooted in unmet needs and childhood dynamics, and what it takes to build love that is stable, reciprocal, and healing. This is an invitation to look deeper: Are we chasing fireworks, or are we cultivating a flame that lasts?

Why do we cling so tightly to control — over ourselves, our relationships, even the people we love? In this episode of The Fire That Makes Us, Dr. Shahrzad Jalali explores how control can feel like safety, yet often becomes a cage. Drawing from her clinical work and personal journey, she unpacks the hidden fears beneath the urge to control: fear of loss, fear of chaos, fear of not being enough. Through story and psychology, she offers listeners a way forward — how loosening control can actually create more stability, connection, and freedom.

The Pressure to Be Perfect unpacks the hidden toll of perfectionism—the late nights, the self-doubt, the fear of never being enough. In each episode, Dr. Shahrzad Jalali blends clinical wisdom with real-world stories to reveal how perfectionism forms, why it’s so hard to shake, and how it keeps us trapped in cycles of burnout and anxiety.

Listeners will learn to spot the inner critic, challenge impossible standards, and build a new relationship with success—one rooted in authenticity, not fear. Whether you identify as a high achiever, a people-pleaser, or someone who simply struggles with self-worth, this podcast offers practical tools and soulful insights to help you step out of perfection and into freedom.

The Loneliness of Trauma explores the silent isolation that often follows painful experiences. Even surrounded by people, survivors can feel unseen, unheard, and disconnected from the world. Each episode blends clinical insight with real-life stories, uncovering why trauma so often creates a sense of aloneness—and how healing begins when we find language, connection, and meaning in our struggles.

Listeners will gain tools for understanding their own journeys, hear reflections that normalize the hidden weight of trauma, and discover pathways back to belonging. Whether you are healing yourself, supporting a loved one, or working in the field, this podcast invites you into a space of compassion, honesty, and hope.

Burden of Self-Blame dives into the silent weight so many carry—the tendency to turn pain inward and hold ourselves responsible for things beyond our control. Through psychological insights, client stories, and compassionate reflections, we explore how self-blame takes root, how it distorts healing, and what it takes to release its grip. Each episode offers both understanding and practical tools, helping listeners transform self-criticism into self-compassion and resilience.

Desire for Revenge explores the hidden psychology of resentment, anger, and the human longing for justice. Through clinical insight and real-life stories, we unpack how revenge takes root in the psyche, the ways it shapes relationships and societies, and how we can transform destructive impulses into healing, meaning, and growth. Each episode bridges research, personal narratives, and therapeutic wisdom to reveal why the desire for revenge is so powerful—and how we can rise beyond it.