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PODCAST

Proxy with Yowei Shaw

It’s the knot you can’t untangle - a problem so unique, it makes you feel alone. But what if you could talk to someone who gets it? On Proxy, we find just the person you were looking for, the person who can help you get a little less stuck. It’s not therapy - it’s emotional investigative journalism™️. Yowei Shaw, former co-host of Invisibilia, at your service. The team is hard at work investigating another batch of cases to publish in early 2026 🚀Proxy is an independent podcast and we rely

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All Episodes

55:30

Is it time to break up the band?

Proxy with Yowei Shaw ·

2025/06/03

The case of Evan and Chris, best friends who love playing music together. But after the band suffers a terrible tragedy, they find themselves unable to regain their momentum. We pair them up with another musician who’s all too familiar with the neverending drama that comes with being in a band with friends. From the episode: Listen to The Superweaks and the single "Blindside" from their new record The Superweaks Superweekly Supercast episode where Yowei stumbles into the case Follow them

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43:16

Aparna and the Self-Loathing Introvert

Proxy with Yowei Shaw ·

2025/05/20

For a long time, Yowei saw her introversion as a character flaw to fix. She gets advice from comedian (and fellow introvert) Aparna Nancherla about how to stop wishing for personality puberty to hit.From the episode: Read Aparna's book Unreliable Narrator: Me, Myself, and Imposter Syndrome Learn more about Aparna Follow her on Instagram @aparnapkin Upcoming shows: Amphibian Theater in Fort Worth, TX on May 22-23 and French Broad River Brewery in Asheville, NC on June 14 Quiet: The

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48:08

Mic Chooses the Wrong Life

Proxy with Yowei Shaw ·

2025/05/06

The case of Mic, who feels like he defied his fate and now has no purpose in life. We find someone uniquely able to help him break out of his regret loop. From the episode: Follow Mic Nguyen on Instagram @nicepantsbro and subscribe to his podcast Asian Not Asian Read Amy Summerville's paper, one of the most cited articles on regret ----------Proxy is an independent podcast and we rely on listeners. To support emotional investigative journalism™️ and help the show keep going, consider

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53:13

Bisexual Wife Guy

Proxy with Yowei Shaw ·

2025/04/22

The case of the bisexual wife guy who got dumped. In this episode, we find a proxy to stand in for a listener's ex - another queer woman who left her straight relationship. From the episode: Hanna Rosin is a journalist and the host of many podcasts, including Radio Atlantic (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/radio-atlantic/id1258635512) and chutzpod! (www.chutzpod.com) Follow Hanna on X @hannarosin and Instagram @hannarosin Proxy is an independent podcast and we rely on listeners. To

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17:59

The Utility of Self-Delusion (and Big Show Update)

Proxy with Yowei Shaw ·

2025/03/19

Yowei shares exciting show news and goes on a self-delusion bender with the team at Proxy HQ. Is she being delusional? Or is delusion just necessary for starting any new project?From the episode: Useful Delusions: The Power & Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain, by Shankar Vedantam: www.hiddenbrain.org/books Radiotopia from PRX: www.radiotopia.fm Episode credits: Produced by Yowei Shaw Edited by John DeLore Mixed by Kyle Pulley To help this independent show exist, consider joining

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35:47

Presenting: Alternate Realities (from NPR's Embedded)

Proxy with Yowei Shaw ·

2025/03/06

Conspiracy theories have been gaining traction all the way to the highest seats of power. So, are there emotional dynamics at play that we could understand to be able to do something about it? Last year, Zach Mack’s dad sent him a strange email, asking to bet $10,000 to settle once and for all who was correct and who was the brainwashed one. From NPR’s Embedded podcast, this is episode 2 of the Alternate Realities series: Down the Rabbit Hole. From the episode: Listen to the rest of the

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01:06:57

Presenting: "Stings for Our Enemies. Honey for Our...

Proxy with Yowei Shaw ·

2025/02/26

For as long as she can remember, Nichole Hill has had a complicated relationship with Black history. Then in 2020, she stumbled on a digital archive of pre Civil Rights era Black newspapers and got obsessed with the scandalous stories she found. Our Ancestors Were Messy is her new podcast that explores Black history through the lens of gossip and drama. In this episode, Nichole tells the story of a Victorian era love triangle that rocked the elites of DC. From the episode: Nichole Hill is an

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38:44

Presenting: I felt too seen. Um, dragged. (from...

Proxy with Yowei Shaw ·

2025/02/06

Basket Case is a new show about mental health. In this episode, host Nicole Kelly (NK) takes on perfectionism, an issue that Yowei has personally struggled with. Plus, some breaking news about Proxy. If you'd like to help this independent show exist, consider becoming a member of our Patreon: patreon.com/proxypodcast. You’ll get access to our newsletter and exclusive monthly bonus episodes. This month, Yowei talks to NK about their relationships with perfectionism and how having forced fun and a

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46:13

Presenting: An Evil Man (from Little Devils), Plus a...

Proxy with Yowei Shaw ·

2024/12/30

When Yowei heard about the new podcast Little Devils, she was like: finally, someone being honest about a thing we all do. On Little Devils, Jasmin Bauomy interrogates the snap judgments she makes of other people, to find the story behind that annoying thing they do. In this episode, we share a story from Little Devils and we toast 2024 with a year-end recap. From the episode: Listen to the full season of Little Devils on all platforms: https://pod.link/1783097137 Support their

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53:49

#10 The Group That Gets It

Proxy with Yowei Shaw ·

2024/12/03

The story of someone who suffered alone in secret for 8 years with a problem he was too afraid to Google - and then he stumbled into a support group. In this episode, we dive into the emotional dynamics of support groups with Jason Yu. Why did support groups help him, when nothing else did? From the episode: Fidget Podcast - Jason Yu's support group in podcast form for people who compulsively pick their skin, pull their hair, bite their nails Follow the Fidget Podcast on Instagram The TLC

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43:48

#9 Is there anything we can actually do about...

Proxy with Yowei Shaw ·

2024/10/29

Whoever wins the election, Americans will still want to rip each other's heads off. Social psychologist Jay Van Bavel helps us understand why we should care about polarization, how we got here, and what, if anything, we can do about it. From the episode: Jay Van Bavel is a social psychologist at New York University and the author of The Power of Us: Harnessing Our Shared Identities to Improve Performance, Increase Cooperation, and Promote Social Harmony: https://www.powerofus.online/ The paper

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23:17

#8 So Many Tears, But What Do They Say?

Proxy with Yowei Shaw ·

2024/09/26

We all know that moment - when you feel like you need to cry in front of other people, but don't want to cry. In this episode, Yowei talks to Heather Christle, the author of The Crying Book, to parse what’s happening in that moment, what tears are saying and how we should respond to them. From the episode: Heather Christle is a poet and professor at Emory University. She has a new book coming out in March called In the Rhododendrums: A Memoir with Appearances by Virginia Wolf. It's available

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37:28

Presenting: The Art of Vulnerability and Connection...

Proxy with Yowei Shaw ·

2024/09/20

Recently, Yowei noticed a pattern among new friends she's making. These friends all make her feel lighter, more playful, and listened to... and they all have a background in improv comedy. Today, we're sharing an interview that gets inside the head of an improv comedian to see how they connect with other people. This episode comes from ReThinking, a podcast where organizational psychologist Adam Grant has lively discussions and debates with people about new thoughts and new ways of thinking.

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08:06

Did we make our goal???

Proxy with Yowei Shaw ·

2024/09/05

Finally, a campaign reveal. Did we get additional funding to hire Kim for more hours? Plus, some updates for what’s in store for Proxy. Episode credits: Produced by Yowei Shaw and Kim Nederveen Pieterse Mixed by Kyle Pulley Proxy is a completely independent production. To support the show and get exclusive bonus episodes and other goodies, go to patreon.com/proxypodcast. Other ways you can support: Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts! That stuff matters apparently. Follow us

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25:11

#7 The Proxy Mystery (Part 4 of 4): Ritual

Proxy with Yowei Shaw ·

2024/08/21

The final installment of Yowei's quest to solve the mystery of proxy converations. In this episode, Yowei talks to a ritual expert and tries explaining what she's learned about proxy conversations to her mom. From the episode: Michael Norton is a behavior scientist, Harvard Business School professor, and the author of The Ritual Effect: From Habit to Ritual, Harness the Surprising Power of Everyday Actions. Yowei's unhinged grieving ritual for her layoff: Gold Star (The Layoff Song)

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40:13

#6 The Proxy Mystery (Part 3 of 4): Psychodrama

Proxy with Yowei Shaw ·

2024/08/15

Part 3 of Yowei's extremely meta quest to solve the mystery of proxy conversations. In this episode, Yowei learns about psychodrama, a psychotherapy that has similarities to proxy conversations and used to be a dominant modality in the U.S. and then died. Dr. Scott Giacomucci breaks down the mechanics of proxy conversations and tries his psychodrama techniques on Yowei. From the episode: Dr. Scott Giacomucci is an expert in psychodrama and the director of the Phoenix Center for Experiential

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36:30

#5 The Proxy Mystery (Part 2 of 4): Connor Ratliff's...

Proxy with Yowei Shaw ·

2024/08/06

Part 2 of Yowei's quest to solve the mystery of proxy conversations. Why do they work? How? Can Yowei figure out how to explain the show to people who don't get it? In this episode, Yowei gets advice from actor, comedian, and proxy conversation expert Connor Ratliff. Over 20 years ago, Tom Hanks fired Connor from a small role in the HBO mini-series Band of Brothers - apparently for having "dead eyes." But is that really what happened? Connor made a podcast called Dead Eyes to investigate,

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01:01:30

#4: The Proxy Mystery (part 1 of 4): Restorative Justice

Proxy with Yowei Shaw ·

2024/07/24

Yowei has a problem. She's having trouble explaining the show to people who don't get it. She knows proxy conversations work. But why? How? Part 1 of a 4-part quest to solve the mystery of proxy conversations. Yowei learns about a proxy conversation happening in a completely different context: restorative justice with proxy survivors and offenders. From the episode: Alissa Ackerman is a criminal justice professor at California State University and the co-founder of Ampersands Restorative

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9:16

Patreon Bonus Teaser: Exploding the Myth of...

Proxy with Yowei Shaw ·

2024/06/07

Teaser for full-length exclusive bonus episode. An in-depth interview with UMass Amherst sociologist and professor Ofer Sharone about the stigma trap that laid off workers can fall into and how the myth of meritocracy impacts even people who don't think they believe in it. For the full bonus episode, go to patreon.com/proxypodcast.From the episode:Ofer Sharone's book The Stigma TrapProxy is a completely independent production. To support the show and get exclusive bonus episodes and other goodies,

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50:03

#3 The Layoff Trilogy, Part 3: HR by Proxy

Proxy with Yowei Shaw ·

2024/05/23

With every layoff, there's the blackbox of what's really going on behind the scenes. Why did it go down the way it did? Was it really not about your performance, like they told you? How does the layoff list get made anyway?In our inaugural proxy conversation, we connect Miles and Elliot with a proxy HR professional to answer their layoff questions.From the episode:You can listen to original layoff song Gold Star on Tidal and Spotify, and watch the ridiculous layoff interpretive pole dance music

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