September 20, 2023 | interview by Nada Jones

Elise Loehnen is a writer, editor, and podcast host of Pulling the Thread. Ultimately, Elise is a seeker and synthesizer, braiding together wisdom traditions, cultural history, and a deep knowledge of healing modalities to unlock new ways to contextualize who we are and why we're here. She's also the author of the instant New York Times bestseller On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to Be Good. The book explores the ways patriarchy embeds itself in our consciousness. The Seven Deadly Sins—Sloth, Envy, Pride, Gluttony, Greed, Lust, Anger—reads like a checklist of what it means to be a "good" woman and offers a path forward, moving ourselves and each other toward freedom and balance. 

Elise is a frequent contributor to Oprah and has written for The New York Times, Elle Decor, Stylist, and more. She has co-written 12 books, including five New York Times Best Sellers. Previously, she was the chief content officer of goop, and co-hosted The goop Podcast and The goop Lab on Netflix. Before goop, Elise was the editorial projects director of Condé Nast Traveler. Before Traveler, she was the editor at large and ultimately deputy editor of Lucky Magazine, appearing regularly on Today, E!, Good Morning America, and The Early Show. She has a B.A. from Yale. 

In this episode, Nada sits down with Elise to learn what prompted her to write On Our Best Behavior and to unpack how women have contorted themselves to find a place in history. Elise shares anecdotes about how modesty was prioritized and impacted her life. She discusses the importance of women showing up together and gives us context for why collectivism is essential. This cultural therapist (recently coined at a conference and an appropriate title for Elise) is at once a researcher, teacher, student, and friend. Her ability to clearly articulate our cultural condition gives wings to our unnamed inklings and fragmented thoughts.  

Listen on Apple Podcast | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcast | Or right here!

Elise is currently reading The Origin of Satan by Elaine Pagels, Morality by Jonathon Sack, and Integral Psychology by Ken Wilber. You can find additional recommendations at Bookshop, or Goodreads. Check out Elise's website, book, and podcast.

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