Episode 30: Where are my minds? On the Left Brain / Right Brain Divide

In this episode we go on a journey into the two hemispheres of the brain.

An episode of the Altered Mates podcast, hosted by Altered Mates, titled "Episode 30: Where are my minds? On the Left Brain / Right Brain Divide" was published on November 4, 2025 and runs 149 minutes.

November 4, 2025 ·149m · Altered Mates

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Summary

In this episode we go on a journey into the two hemispheres of the brain. Using a recent Substack post—an interview Ana Lund conducted with Dr. Pascal Vrticka—as a framing device we explore the ongoing debate concerning hemispheric lateralisation, or in other language: the left brain and the right brain. Wanting to dispel a few myths about the left brain / right brain divide, we each expected, when we began our research, to maintain our existing position that hemispheric lateralisation is largely oversimplified. And to a certain extent we do maintain this position. But we both ended up curiously compelled by the complexities we found. Alejandro brings in research from Ian McGilchrist and speculation from Philip K. Dick after following a curious synchronicity that emerged via his studies. And Tobias brings in research from a psychotherapeutic context from Allan Schore. The result is a fascinating discussion that ends up in territory neither of us predicted. References Ana Lund & Dr. Pascal Vrticka: So Happy Together: Deconstructing The Right Brain/Left Brain Myth (2025) Allan Schore: Right brain-to-right brain psychotherapy: recent scientific and clinical advances (2022) Dr Iain McGilchrist: Can the divided brain tell us anything about the ultimate nature of reality? (2011) Philip K. Dick: Man, Android and Machine (1975) Sander L. Koole and Wolfgang Tschacher: Synchrony in Psychotherapy: A Review and an Integrative Framework for the Therapeutic Alliance (2016) Altered Mates — Episode 2 — “Take it easy, dude…” & Episode 3 — ...but take it! Pixies — Where is My Mind? Metallica — Master of Puppets Links Altered Mates Website Altered Mates Instagram Altered Mates Substack Altered Mates Patreon Music for the show by Si Mulumby A Glimpse of Eternity by Alejandro Tuama Purchase the novel here (hard copy, ebook and audiobook). Listen to the free serialised audiobook here.

Episode Description

Wanting to dispel a few myths about the left brain / right brain divide, we each expected, when we began our research, to maintain our existing position that hemispheric lateralisation is largely oversimplified. And to a certain extent we do maintain this position. But we both ended up curiously compelled by the complexities we found.

Alejandro brings in research from Ian McGilchrist and speculation from Philip K. Dick after following a curious synchronicity that emerged via his studies. And Tobias brings in research from a psychotherapeutic context from Allan Schore. The result is a fascinating discussion that ends up in territory neither of us predicted.

References