Metamorphosis: Why Change Is the Lifeblood of Life | Oren Harman on Transformation & Identity

Is change something to fear — or something to embrace?In this fascinating episode of Strategies for Living, Dr. David McMillian and psychotherapist Lauren Leon McMillian welcome award-winning author and life strategist Oren Harman to explore the profound science and metaphor of metamorphosis.Drawing from his new book Metamorphosis, Harman reveals how three-quarters of animal species undergo dramatic transformation — from caterpillars dissolving into butterflies to axolotls regenerating limbs and even parts of their brains. But this conversation goes far beyond biology.Together, we explore:How metamorphosis shapes identity and memoryWhether butterflies remember being caterpillarsWhat neuroscience teaches us about adolescent brain developmentThe evolutionary “cost” of transformationThe difference between narrative and episodic identityWhy change feels so difficult — and how to embrace itIf you’ve ever looked in the mirror and wondered, “Am I still the same person I used to be?” — this episode is for you.Transformation is not the end of who you are. It may be the return to your truest self.Original Airdate: 3/2/2026