Dr. Alison Greco is a clinical psychologist who has journeyed from prison wards to community clinics, from UX research labs to founding Parathera. Across those landscapes she kept circling one question: what if ordinary heartbreak, grief and stress weren’t “disorders” at all? In this intimate conversation she unpacks how insurance incentives, cultural “happiness-first” myths and thin social scripts push us to medicalize the normal aches of living. Greco argues that when we banish so-called “negative” feelings we trade clean pain for “dirty pain”; the guilt, shame and anger layered on top of un-felt sorrow. Her stories, from sitting with bereaved friends to guiding young adults beyond parental expectations, invite us to reclaim the full range of emotion as a gateway to connection, growth and meaning. Thank you for listening.   SHOW LINKS: Support the Show on: Patreon Listen to the Podcast on: YouTube | Apple | Spotify Follow us on: X | Reddit | Instagram | LinkedIn   OUTLINE: 00:00 Introduction 01:08 Alison’s Background 08:10 Are We Over-Pathologizing Feelings? 13:17 Grief, Gender & Emotional Expression 22:18 Clean vs Dirty Pain 24:38 Helping Loved Ones in Crisis 33:28 Diagnoses, DSM-5 & Autism 48:01 Parenting, Misdiagnosis & Medication 01:04:51 People-Pleasing & Immature Parents 01:14:09 Psychologist vs Psychoanalyst 01:30:36 Women, Mentorship & Workplace Power 01:45:30 Victimhood, Power & Safety 02:09:36 Men’s Reactions to Female Leaders 02:14:45 Visionary Mentorship & Personal Growth 02:25:13 Final Thoughts & Outro   ALISON GRECO LINKS: Parathera Website Parathera Instagram Alison's LinkedIn   CONTACT LINKS: Click here to come on the podcast, share feedback, ask a question, or reach out for any other reason.   This episode has been co-produced by Kate van Leeuwen.