John R. Miles

But before we step into it, I want to honor the series we just completed last week, The Irreplaceables.

which came to a close with three deeply human conversations.

Last Tuesday, Jane Chen opened her heart about her memoir, and she talked about how her story of identity was breaking apart like the waves that she learned to ride, and then how she discovered the process of reclaiming herself piece by piece.

On Thursday, I was joined by Don Martin, who took us inside the crisis of loneliness.

And then on Friday, James Kimmel Jr.

explored revenge as a neural craving.

Together, those episodes create a perfect bridge from what fractures us to what remakes us.

And that's exactly why today marks the opening chapter of our new Season of Becoming series.

I always find that December is a psychologically powerful month.

People spend December in reflection as we prepare for January and reinvention.

I came up with the name The Season of Becoming because I think it bridges that space.

It asks, before we decide who we want to be,

What do we need to release, reinterpret, or reclaim?

If you're new to the show, welcome.

And if you've been with us for years, thank you for being part of this extraordinary community in which over a third of you returns every week.

As always, if this show sparked something in you, I'd be grateful if you shared it with a friend or family member or left a five-star review on Apple or Spotify.

Both truly helped the show grow.

Now, let's talk about today's episode with a guest that so many of you have asked me to bring back, intuitive medium and grief guide Susan Grau.

Susan's first appearance last year in episode 524 touched something deep in our audience.

And ever since, I've received continued messages saying, when is Susan coming back?