Medicine for the Mind: Donald Robertson on Ancient Therapies for Modern Stressors

Interview with Larry Weeks for the Bounce Podcast

A while back I was interviewed by Larry Weeks for his Bounce podcast. You can listen to the episode on his website, on Spotify, or Apple podcasts.

Larry says…

We explore many of the tools and exercises Stoicism offers for emotional regulation and resilience, and examine the idea that the early Stoics were the first psychotherapists. Donald explains Stoicism contained a clear system of therapy in ancient Greek and Roman thought.

The episode covers a ton of ground, including:

• How shifting definitions shape our understanding of mental illness

• On the paradox of growth through adversity

• Struggle and transformation

• Experiential wisdom

• Fortune and the bitch goddess of success

• Stoicism as an ancient psychotherapy

• The philosophical roots of cognitive therapy

• On anger, and the art of self-mastery (Seneca, Galen)

• Worry and rumination

• How Marcus Aurelius aggregated tools for resilience

• Stoicism’s broader vision

• On the “view from above” and the liberation of perspective

• How time expansion mitigates worry

• The complex relationship of thoughts and emotions

• The core proposition

• Why unproductive complaining signals resistance to reality

• Acceptance and the dichotomy of control

• How to reconnect with what’s essential in a noisy world

This is deeply practical. This isn’t motivational fluff; it’s a toolkit for anyone who’s ever gotten tangled in their own head.