In this new incarnation of the podcast, I interview the same guest from the final episode of Gatherings, psychiatrist Dr. Sumit Anand. We explore why modern mental health must address soul, meaning, and a recognition of the human spirit.

Is there space for the notion of a "soul" in contemporary psychiatric practice? Dr. Anand makes a compelling case for why there should be.

In this episode, Béa speaks with forensic psychiatrist Dr. Sumit Anand about his journey from medical school in England to decades of work with the “criminally insane,” adolescents, and today’s so-called “worried well.” He traces how a love of story led him toward psychiatry and then back toward narrative, arguing that a patient’s story is data, not decoration. Sumit reflects on the limits of purely biological models, the crisis of meaning in younger generations, the distortions of tech culture, and why real change needs time, presence, and a willingness to sit in the “messy middle” of life. Along the way he shares practical insights from the consulting room: building trust in a system people no longer believe in, creating a genuine container for chaos and grief, reconnecting mind and body, and valuing growth over quick fixes.

You can find Sumit's short videos on YouTube here:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sumit+anand+md

This episode is a wide-ranging conversation on creativity, Jungian psychology, and what it takes to write from the depths. Béa reflects on her novel Invocation as a psychological culmination of years of work, one that braided together cognitive science, mythology, and inner development and ultimately prompted her to step away from her long-running group. From there, the discussion moves into the disruptive symbolism of the goddess Eris and why storytelling remains essential for both personal integration and the wider cultural humanities. Looking ahead, Béa shares early insights into her next project, a historical fantasy shaped by celestial maps and the myth of Parsifal. Throughout the episode, the creative act emerges as a form of inner healing and a living bridge between the rational and irrational dimensions of the psyche.

Link to information about Invocation: Bea Gonzalez Sophiacycles