The Constructed Awareness Podcast

Episode 6: CA and Nonviolence

tyler@tylerorr.com (Jandira Zaki, Tyler Orr) — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0000

00:00 – Welcome and introduction to Jandita Zaki
02:40 – Overview of CA and its first principle: awareness brings change
04:55 – Ron Kurtz’s influence and the concept of “violence” in therapy
07:20 – Jandita’s personal experience discovering nonviolence in CA training
12:05 – Filling vs holding space: therapist discomfort and the urge to help
19:10 – Sitting with silence vs holding silence in session
23:30 – Resistance, duality, and how advice-giving creates tension
25:50 – Helping interns move from fixing to presence
28:10 – Mindfulness as repression vs mindfulness as presence
32:40 – Sitting with emotions without promising outcomes
37:05 – Nonviolent language: “I want you to” vs invitational phrasing
41:40 – Co-regulation, childhood experiences, and emotions as involuntary
46:10 – Cultural perspectives on emotions like anger
50:40 – Eurocentric therapy vs CA’s flexible building blocks of experience
55:40 – How CA helps clients discover their own inner wisdom
58:00 – How to connect with Jandita and resources on Constructed Awareness

Episode 5: Constructing Emotions

tyler@tylerorr.com (Phil Stillman, Tyler Orr) — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 04:00:00 +0000

00:00 — Introduction to the episode and guest
02:00 — Phil’s academic and clinical background
05:00 — Tyler explains the three core principles of CA
08:30 — Mental, sensation, and external orientations explained
12:00 — What is an emotion? Constructed vs classical views
15:00 — The Schachter–Singer experiment and the two-factor theory
18:00 — How CA’s third building block emerged from clinical work
21:00 — Cultural differences in emotion (e.g., awe, loneliness)
24:00 — Snake story: a real-world example of building block activation
28:30 — CA’s nonviolence: not trying to change clients' emotions
31:45 — The “noise gate” metaphor and sensory cutoff
34:45 — Social, historical, and political forces that shape orientation
36:45 — Orientation and empathy: what we can and can’t control
39:55 — Emotions as concepts: storm and spaghetti metaphors
43:30 — Emotion history: Shakespeare, grief, and evolving language
47:00 — Fear vs curiosity and how breaking emotion into parts helps
50:00 — CA’s contribution: naming the building blocks, not just the concept
53:00 — Limitations of existing theories of emotion
55:30 — Final reflections on the evolving language of emotion
1:02:45 — Closing thoughts: There’s more to emotion than a word
1:04:00 — Where to learn more about CA and connect with the guests

Episode 4: The CA Orientations

tyler@tylerorr.com (Christina Kantzavelos, Jamie Morehart) — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Key Moments & Timestamps: 00:00–02:00 – Intro and guest introductions Tyler introduces Jamie and Christina and sets up the conversation as a three-way dialogue among different orientation styles. 02:00–04:30 – Overview of Constructed Awareness theory Tyler explains the three building blocks (thoughts, sensations, external senses) and the CA principles. 06:08–09:03 – Orientation patterns in clients The group discusses which orientations are most common and how these patterns show up in their practices. 09:03–13:05 – Jamie on sensation orientation and being a highly sensitive person Jamie shares how CA helped her trust her embodied experience and manage empathic overwhelm. 17:52–20:31 – Jamie on how she regulates through physical comfort She describes using weighted blankets, ice water, and sensory tuning to stay grounded. 21:38–24:10 – Jamie on movement and nonverbal expression Jamie talks about how shaking, vocal vibration, and physical release help regulate emotion. 25:02–27:00 – Tyler on the contrast between mental and sensation orientation Tyler shares how moving out of his mind and into his body during CA practices changed his perspective on regulation. 27:17–30:36 – Christina on external orientation and people-pleasing Christina discusses how being externally oriented led to disconnection from her inner world and how CA helped her return to it. 30:36–33:52 – Christina on disembodiment and reclaiming her body She explains how being present with sensations helped her heal from chronic illness and reconnect with herself. 35:42–37:44 – Tyler’s story of becoming aware of his environment for the first time He recounts a powerful moment of shifting from mental to external orientation. 38:22–43:04 – Attachment patterns and how orientation styles develop The group reflects on how childhood experiences shape which building blocks we cling to. 44:06–46:35 – Chronic illness and orientation Jamie and Christina describe how CA has helped clients reduce pain and Jamie shares her own story of resolving chronic migraines. 46:35–53:44 – “Talking With Your Hands” and building a sensation vocabulary Jamie and Christina explain how describing internal sensations using tactile language supports regulation and clarity. 55:17–57:15 – Jamie and Tyler on the difference between drowning in sensation and observing it Jamie reflects on how the building blocks support each other and allow for true emotional presence. 57:15–58:57 – Wrapping up: CA, tuning, and how awareness leads to change Tyler shares a powerful story of how CA helped him break a conflict pattern and respond differently through awareness. 01:01:07–01:03:12 – Where to learn more and closing remarks The guests share how to contact them, and Tyler announces upcoming CA trainings and CE offerings.

Episode 3: CA and EMDR

tyler@tylerorr.com (Tyler Orr) — Tue, 20 May 2025 16:50:16 +0000

00:00 - 02:00: Introduction to the episode with Tyler Orr and Ann Simmons. Ann shares her background as a dual-certified therapist in Constructed Awareness (CA) and EMDR.

02:00 - 05:00: Ann discusses her journey to becoming certified in EMDR and CA, including how she met Tyler and her experience with CA Level 1 training.

06:00 - 09:00: Tyler shares his journey with EMDR, including his training and experience as an EMDR trainer. He discusses how his work with phases one and two led to developing CA.

10:00 - 14:00: Explanation of the foundational principles of CA:

Awareness brings change.

Experiences are constructed from thoughts, sensations, and external perceptions.

Individuals naturally orient to one building block more than the others.

15:00 - 20:00: Discussion of how CA integrates with EMDR, including how tuning techniques from CA complement EMDR’s structured approach.

21:00 - 25:00: Ann shares practical applications of CA in her EMDR practice, highlighting how CA enhances awareness and helps clients process more fully.

26:00 - 30:00: Tyler explains how CA focuses on awareness rather than changing thoughts directly, contrasting it with CBT’s cognitive restructuring.

31:00 - 35:00: The concept of "tuning" in CA, where therapists help clients switch awareness between thoughts, sensations, and external perceptions.

36:00 - 40:00: Comparison between CA and EMDR processing, with Ann discussing how CA feels more interactive and client-centered.

41:00 - 45:00: Discussion of how CA principles help therapists stay engaged and adaptive, while also being flexible with clients' needs.

46:00 - 50:00: Insights on how CA training enriches personal awareness and therapeutic practice.

51:00 - 55:00: Tyler discusses upcoming CA and EMDR integrated training sessions, designed for EMDR therapists interested in incorporating CA techniques.

56:00 - 58:30: Closing remarks, information on how to connect with Ann and Tyler, and where to learn more about Constructed Awareness.

Episode 2: CA and Chronic Pain

tyler@tylerorr.com (Tyler Orr) — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 12:28:21 +0000

- Pain is real, even when not linked to tissue damage. It’s a brain-based protective response, not a something originating in the body.
- CA is a mindfulness-based, trauma-informed model that helps clients reconnect with disowned or underdeveloped parts of their experience.
- Tuning helps clients avoid overwhelm by shifting attention across different types of awareness, rather than diving straight into distressing material.
- The hosts suggest that chronic pain often arises from repressed emotional experiences, especially feelings of powerlessness.
- Many clients come to therapy expecting to accept a life with chronic pain, but end up experiencing transformation and relief.
- CA research has already shown early results in reducing symptoms of trauma and chronic pain.

Episode 1: The Origin Story of CA

tyler@tylerorr.com (Stephanie Levin, Tyler Orr) — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 13:44:17 +0000

Guest: Stephanie Levin, LCHMC
Host: Tyler Orr

Timestamps & Topics:

00:00 – 05:00 | Introduction

Tyler welcomes listeners to the first episode.
Introduction to the podcast’s purpose: exploring Constructed Awareness (CA).
Tyler introduces guest Stephanie Levin.

05:01 – 09:00 | What is Constructed Awareness (CA)?

Overview of CA as a model of therapy.
Explanation of CA’s three core principles.

09:01 – 18:00 | The First Principle: Awareness Brings Change

Tyler shares how he discovered that bringing awareness to experience creates transformation.
Discussion on how CA differs from willpower-driven approaches.

18:01 – 22:00 | The Second Principle: Three Building Blocks of Experience

Exploration of thoughts, sensations, and external perceptions.
Connection to Schachter and Singer’s two-factor theory of emotion.

22:01 – 28:00 | CA’s Evolution from EMDR Therapy

Tyler’s early experiences as an EMDR therapist.
The development of CA’s orientation theory within EMDR resourcing.

28:01 – 33:00 | The Shift from an EMDR Technique to a New Model

How CA started as an advanced EMDR training but became its own therapy model.
The role of phases one and two in EMDR and how CA structured them differently.

33:01 – 40:00 | Orientation Styles: A More Dynamic Understanding of Personality

How CA shifted from categorizing people into types to recognizing fluid orientation patterns.
Real-life examples of orientation shifts in different contexts.

40:01 – 45:00 | CA in Personal and Professional Growth

Stephanie shares how CA helped her navigate grief and loss.
Discussion on how CA allows therapists to access fuller awareness of their own experiences.

45:01 – 50:00 | The Role of Nonviolence in CA Therapy

Shifting from directive therapy to an invitation-based approach.
Recognizing therapist biases and letting clients guide their own process.

50:01 – 55:00 | CA’s Impact on Clients and Therapy Sessions

How CA helps clients deconstruct emotions into their building blocks.
The shift from labeling emotions to experiencing them fully.

55:01 – 60:00 | Challenges in Establishing CA as a Model

The struggle of gaining recognition and research validation.
Early research efforts comparing CA with EMDR.

60:01 – End | Closing Thoughts

Future directions for CA and research.
Teasers for upcoming podcast episodes.
Encouragement for therapists to explore CA in their own practices.