Donald J. Robertson talks philosophy and uncertainty on The Daily Stoic Podcast

The Daily Stoic Podcast by Ryan Holiday

Donald Robertson is someone whose work I’m just discovering. He’s a cognitive-behavioral therapist and trainer, a public speaker, and has written several books on history, philosophy, and psychology.

Donald appeared on a two-episode arc of The Daily Stoic podcast ( Episode 1 | Episode 2 ) to talk about Socrates, Stoicism, and how ancient philosophers knew a thing or two about managing our approach to uncertainty.

Listening to Donald connect ancient ideas to our modern concerns and approaches is enjoyable. I also enjoyed hearing how Ryan’s books, which have made Stoicism quite popular, have caused some modern therapists to look at Stoic philosophy again or, in some cases, for the first time, even if just so they know what their clients are talking about when it comes up.

I did CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy) nearly a decade ago, and it was really effective for me. My therapist taught me how to understand not just how to relax my body but also how to understand what my thoughts were and the effect they had on me. She helped me know that I had far more control over what came into my head than I realized. In fact, sometimes those thoughts are all we have control over.

A year or two later, I walked into a bookstore and saw a hardcover edition of The Daily Stoic sitting on a table. It’s like the book was waiting for me.


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