The Nature of Nurture

In this episode of The Nature of Nurture, Leslie sits down with world-renowned forensic psychic medium and full-body channel Carissa Schumacher for a thoughtful and deeply personal conversation about intuition, transformation, and what it means to fully embrace the parts of ourselves we may not understand. After years of experiencing spirit and intuitive abilities without having a framework to explain them, Carissa shares the journey that led her from studying neuroscience at Brown University to publicly embracing her gifts and using them in service of healing and connection.
Together, Leslie and Carissa explore the relationship between intuition, consciousness, and personal transformation, examining how childhood, culture, science, spirituality, and personal experience all shape the way we understand ourselves. Rather than focusing solely on Carissa's abilities as a psychic medium, they broaden the discussion to explore what she believes is happening collectively as more people question traditional systems, seek deeper connection, and become increasingly open to conversations about consciousness and spirituality.
Carissa reflects on growing up as an only child, sensing spirit in nature, and creating private spiritual rituals before realizing that other people did not experience the world the same way she did. She shares memories of learning to hide this part of herself, struggling to reconcile her abilities with her scientific education, and eventually reaching a point where suppressing them was no longer sustainable. She also discusses how the remarkable accuracy of her experiences helped skeptical professors and others in her life recognize that something was happening that they could not easily explain.
Throughout the conversation, Leslie and Carissa examine what Carissa describes as humanity's transition into a "new era," while acknowledging the disruption and uncertainty that can accompany periods of profound change. They discuss the pandemic, the breakdown of collective trust, the growing desire for transparency, and why Carissa believes transformation often requires some form of death, whether that means the ending of an identity, belief system, structure, relationship, or way of living.
The episode also explores the intersection of intuition, healing, and personal agency, touching on topics including intuitive children, social media, nervous system regulation, community, ancient wisdom traditions, trauma, grief, spirituality, and the evolving cultural conversation surrounding consciousness. Carissa also introduces ideas from her newest book, The Alchemy Transmissions: A Pathway to Miracles, and explains how its "alchemy pathway" offers a framework for navigating periods of loss, change, healing, and transformation.
Ultimately, this conversation is an invitation to loosen our grip on fear and become more curious about the parts of ourselves we may have learned to suppress, approaching transformation with openness, personal responsibility, and a willingness to choose possibility even when we cannot yet see what comes next.
Guest
Carissa Schumacher is a world-renowned forensic psychic medium and full-body channel for Yeshua. A former scientist, she attended Brown University, where she studied neuroscience alongside disciplines including theoretical and quantum mechanics, biology, philosophy, psychology, Native American cultural studies, and religious studies. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Marie Claire, and numerous other prominent podcasts, publications, and books. She is the channel for The Freedom Transmissions: A Pathway to Peace and The Alchemy Transmissions: A Pathway to Miracles.
Resources & Links
Carissa Schumacher / The Spirit Transmissions
TheSpiritTransmissions.com
Carissa's Books:
The Freedom Transmissions: A Pathway to Peace
The Alchemy Transmissions: A Pathway to Miracles
If you catch this episode before October 3, 2026, Carissa will be at the 92nd Street Y in New York: https://www.92ny.org/event/carissa-schumacher-the-alchemy-transmissions
(That will be available both in person and live via streaming.)
The Nature of Nurture and Dr. Leslie Carr:
LeslieCarr.com
Previous episodes of this podcast that were mentioned as relevant:
Season 4 Episode 7, where Scott Nathan shares his story of how Carissa helped him find his birth family: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH7h7pUBWyc&t=9s
And Season 4 Episode 8 where Leslie interviews Helen Vonderheide about the Akashic Records: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIHKpq-M0NY&t=198s
(Both of those episodes also exist in all of the podcast apps.)
Watch on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@TheNatureofNurture
This podcast is available on all major podcast platforms.
Credits
Hosted and produced by Leslie Carr
https://www.instagram.com/drlesliecarr/
Guest: Carissa Schumacher
Recorded at SLAP Studios LA
#intuition #spirituality #psychicmedium #mediumship #consciousness #transformation #healing #spiritualawakening #selfdiscovery #mentalhealth #thenatureofnurture
Disclaimer
This episode includes discussion of psychic and mediumship experiences, spirituality, intuition, trauma, grief, mental health, death, the COVID-19 pandemic, and personal experiences of healing and transformation. The conversation reflects the personal experiences, spiritual beliefs, and perspectives of the guest and host and is intended for educational and informational purposes. It should not be considered medical, psychological, scientific, or religious advice.

In this special live episode of The Nature of Nurture, Leslie sits down with longtime friend and accomplished entrepreneur Jeff Katz for a conversation about leadership, power, integrity, and what it takes to remain connected to yourself while navigating ambition and success. Jeff's career has included founding Orbitz, serving as CEO of Swissair, holding senior leadership roles at American Airlines and Sabre, and leading LeapFrog, giving him a unique perspective on what separates meaningful leadership from the pursuit of power for its own sake.

Together, Leslie and Jeff examine the state of modern leadership and why honesty, humility, and a willingness to say "I don't know" can be more valuable than charisma or certainty. Jeff reflects on the qualities he believes define strong leaders, including integrity, transparency, listening, and giving people a clear sense of mission. He also explains why one of the most important career decisions a person can make isn't simply what company to work for, but who they choose to work with and for.

The conversation explores Jeff's own evolution as a leader, from chasing power, money, and promotions early in his career to developing a deeper understanding of what success means to him. He shares lessons from building Orbitz, working with investors and entrepreneurs, and learning when standing by his principles was worth the professional consequences. Through these experiences, Jeff reflects on the importance of mentorship, making mistakes, trusting your instincts, and learning to distinguish external success from personal integrity. Leslie and Jeff also explore the formative experiences that shaped his understanding of compassion and perseverance. Jeff discusses being raised by parents who survived the Holocaust and the lasting lessons they passed down to him, including the compassion he learned from his mother and the perseverance he learned from his father.

The conversation becomes especially personal as Jeff reflects on how profound loss changed his relationship with leadership and himself. He shares the experience of leading an airline through a fatal plane crash that killed 240 people and the responsibility of facing thousands of grieving family members without having easy answers. For Jeff, experiences like these stripped away the possibility of hiding behind corporate language and fundamentally transformed the way he thought about truth, responsibility, and humanity.

Ultimately, Leslie and Jeff consider how ambition can coexist with integrity and why the relationship we maintain with ourselves may be one of the most important relationships we have. Jeff encourages people to pursue meaningful work, surround themselves with leaders they respect, remain willing to listen and learn, and resist sacrificing their values for money, status, or proximity to power.

This episodes ends with an audience Q&A that can be found in the Patreon membership community for the show: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheNatureofNurture Thank you to everyone who participated.

Guest Jeff Katz is an entrepreneur and longtime business leader whose career has spanned technology, aviation, travel, and consumer products. Trained as an engineer at MIT, Stanford, and the University of California, Jeff founded Orbitz, served as CEO of Swissair, held senior leadership positions at American Airlines and Sabre, and served as CEO of LeapFrog. He has also been recognized five times as one of the 25 most influential people in the travel industry.

Resources & Links

The Nature of Nurture

TheNatureofNurture.com

Patreon Membership https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheNatureofNurture

Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@TheNatureofNurture

This podcast is available in all podcast apps.

Credits Hosted and produced by Leslie Carr Guest: Jeff Katz Live event hosted at The KINN in Venice (Los Angeles)

#leadership #integrity #entrepreneurship #power #authenticity #careeradvice #selfdevelopment #orbitz #thenatureofnurture

Disclaimer This episode includes discussion of leadership, corporate culture, political and business figures, the Holocaust, grief, loss, and a fatal aviation accident. The views and opinions expressed are those of the host and guest and are intended for educational and informational purposes.

In this episode of The Nature of Nurture, Leslie sits down with nationally recognized trial and jury consultant Tara Trask for a thoughtful and deeply personal conversation about gender identity, authenticity, and what it means to truly know yourself. After decades of feeling different without having the language to explain why, Tara shares the journey that led her to publicly embrace her identity as a genderqueer, non-binary woman and the profound sense of belonging that followed.

Together, Leslie and Tara explore the difference between gender identity, gender expression, and gender roles, examining how culture, family, biology, and personal experience all shape the way we understand ourselves. Rather than focusing on the political debates that often dominate public conversations about transgender people, they broaden the discussion to explore the everyday realities of living authentically and the many ways people relate—or don't relate—to traditional ideas of masculinity and femininity.

Tara reflects on growing up in Texas, losing her mother at a young age, and being raised by a father navigating his own unresolved trauma. She shares memories of feeling disconnected from traditional girlhood from early childhood, finding inspiration in gender-defying role models like Grace Jones, and eventually recognizing herself in the stories of other gender-diverse people decades later. She also discusses how discovering the LGBTQ community—and realizing she belonged within it—became one of the most healing experiences of her life. Throughout the conversation, Leslie and Tara examine the importance of language, representation, and visibility, while acknowledging the complexity of identity and the limitations of labels. They discuss why questioning gender can be valuable for everyone, regardless of where they ultimately land, and how greater self-awareness can foster empathy rather than division.

The episode also explores the intersection of authenticity, freedom, and self-acceptance, touching on topics including childhood development, gender socialization, menopause, sexuality, family dynamics, and the evolving cultural conversation surrounding gender. Together, Leslie and Tara make the case that understanding ourselves more honestly allows us to better understand one another. Ultimately, this conversation is an invitation to move beyond stereotypes and assumptions, approaching gender with curiosity, compassion, and a willingness to listen to experiences that may differ from our own.

Guest

Tara Trask is the founder of Trask Consulting and has spent nearly three decades as a nationally recognized trial and jury consultant. In recent years, she has become an advocate for greater understanding of gender diversity, sharing her personal journey as a genderqueer, non-binary woman in hopes of fostering empathy, education, and more nuanced conversations about identity and authenticity.

Resources & Links

UCLA Research cited during the discussion: https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/trans-adults-united-states/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

The Nature of Nurture TheNatureofNurture.com

Patreon Membership https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheNatureofNurture

Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@TheNatureofNurture

This podcast is available on all major podcast platforms.

Credits Hosted and produced by Leslie Carr https://www.instagram.com/drlesliecarr/

Guest: Tara Trask https://www.instagram.com/tara_trask/

Recorded at SLAP Studios LA

#genderidentity #nonbinary #genderqueer #authenticity #lgbtq #transally #selfdiscovery #mentalhealth #identity #thenatureofnurture

 Disclaimer

 This episode includes discussion of gender identity, transgender and non-binary experiences, sexuality, grief, childhood trauma, mental health, and personal identity. The conversation reflects the personal experiences and perspectives of the guest and host and is intended for educational and informational purposes. It should not be considered medical, psychological, or legal advice.

I'm hosting a live podcast recording on Thursday July 30, 2026 at The KINN in Venice (Los Angeles). Just wanted to make sure you know.

 

Here's the ticketing link: https://luma.com/TheNatureOfNurture

 

Use the code Nurture for 10% off at checkout.

 

And here's the Patreon link if you want to check it out:

 

https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheNatureofNurture

In this episode of The Nature of Nurture, Leslie sits down with Emmy-nominated writer, producer, and showrunner Curtis Gwinn, whose credits include Stranger Things, The Walking Dead, The Leftovers, and Narcos. Friends from high school, Leslie and Curtis reflect on the formative experiences that shaped Curtis's life and career, from a childhood marked by housing insecurity and family instability to becoming one of television's most accomplished storytellers.

Together, Leslie and Curtis explore how early adversity, mentorship, and the search for belonging influenced Curtis's creative path. They discuss the role of humor as both a coping mechanism and a form of self-protection, the transition from comedy to dramatic storytelling, and how therapy transformed not only Curtis's personal life but also his approach to writing, creativity, and emotional honesty.

The conversation moves beyond Hollywood into deeper questions about meaning, synchronicity, and the relationship between storytelling and the human psyche. Drawing on Jungian psychology, Curtis shares profound personal experiences involving dreams, intuition, and symbolic moments that challenged his understanding of reality and reshaped the way he thinks about creativity, spirituality, and the stories we tell ourselves about our lives.

Through discussions of resilience, mentorship, vulnerability, and artistic risk, the episode examines how identity is formed through both hardship and connection. Leslie and Curtis also reflect on the changing entertainment industry, the importance of authentic storytelling, and why the next generation of creators has more opportunity than ever to surprise audiences by telling deeply personal stories.

The conversation concludes with Curtis's reflections on hope, creativity, and the future of filmmaking, encouraging aspiring artists to embrace uncertainty, continue making meaningful work, and trust that genuine human connection will always remain at the heart of great storytelling.

Guest

Curtis Gwinn is an Emmy-nominated writer, producer, and showrunner whose television credits include Stranger Things, The Walking Dead, The Leftovers, and Narcos. He began his career performing and writing with the Upright Citizens Brigade before transitioning into dramatic television, where he has become known for emotionally grounded, character-driven storytelling.

Resources & Links

The Nature of Nurture

TheNatureofNurture.com

Patreon Membership

https://www.patreon.com/thenatureofnurture

Watch on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@thenatureofnurture

This podcast is available in all podcast apps.

Credits

Hosted and produced by Leslie Carr

Guest: Curtis Gwinn

Recorded at SLAP Studios LA

Disclaimer

This episode includes discussion of trauma, homelessness, mental health, dreams, spirituality, and personal transformation. The content is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered psychological or medical advice.