Somatic Integration & Emotional Regulation Expert Joshua Kahn on Identidy, Trauma, and the Power of Community
In this deeply honest and wide-ranging conversation, Jeff sits down with Joshua Kahn to explore identity, trauma, purpose, and what it really means to grow when life refuses to follow a straight line.
Joshua’s story is shaped by movement — across states, countries, careers, and inner landscapes. Born in Texas, raised on a farm outside Atlanta, and educated through an unconventional mix of experiential learning and global travel, Joshua’s life has been anything but traditional. From spending his freshman year living on a school bus with the Audubon Expedition Institute, to traveling the world on Semester at Sea, to years of nonstop international exploration, his journey is defined by curiosity, discomfort, and deep reflection.
At the heart of this episode is a powerful exploration of unprocessed trauma. Joshua shares the story of a life-altering accident at 16, how it was buried for years, and how true healing only became possible when he found himself in a safe, emotionally honest community. This conversation dives into the cost of suppressing pain, the importance of vulnerability, and why growth often shows up in places we least expect.
Jeff and Joshua also discuss:
Radical community and consensus-based living
Near-death experiences and the pressure of “having a purpose”
Travel as both seeking and avoidance
Fatherhood as a catalyst for change
Leaving behind success that no longer aligns
Men’s work, emotional leadership, and learning to sit with discomfort
This episode is raw, thoughtful, and deeply human. It’s about identity, resilience, emotional maturity, masculinity, healing, and redefining success — not as achievement, but as presence.
If you’ve ever felt the tension between who you are and who you think you’re supposed to be, this conversation will resonate.
Additional Topics Covered:
Healing trauma through emotional honesty
Experiential education and alternative learning paths
Masculinity, vulnerability, and men’s emotional growth
Travel, purpose, and self-discovery
Fatherhood and identity shifts
Letting go of misaligned success
Community, trust, and inner work
00:00 – Introduction: Identity, Resilience, and Inner Work
01:25 – Growing Up Between Texas, Atlanta, and Two Worlds
03:30 – Rejecting the Traditional College Path
10:26 – Emotional Honesty, Vulnerability, and Deep Community
13:28 – Growing Up on a Farm and Connection to Nature
19:41 – Trauma, Suppressed Emotion, and the Cost of Not Processing Pain
25:52 – Healing Trauma Through Trust and Shared Experience
33:13 – Near-Death Experiences and the Question of Purpose
36:24 – Travel as Searching, Escaping, and Self-Discovery
41:08 – Seeking vs Avoiding: Learning to Sit With Discomfort
49:37 – Leaving the Program and Wanting a Normal College Life
56:06 – Designing an Unconventional Education and Life Path
59:26 – Semester at Sea and Traveling the World in 100 Days
1:02:48 – Years of Nonstop Travel and Life on the Road
1:05:38 – Settling in Northern California and Entering Agriculture
1:12:34 – Family, Fatherhood, and Moving to New York
1:44:10 – Men’s Work, Emotional Leadership, and Redefining Success
If you like, Diary of a CEO you'll love this episode.
Tags: trauma healing, emotional healing, men’s mental health, masculinity and vulnerability, emotional intelligence, personal growth podcast, self discovery journey, identity and purpose, healing childhood trauma, near death experience, life purpose, inner work, men’s work, emotional honesty, vulnerability and healing, alternative education, experiential learning, non traditional education, audubon expedition institute, semester at sea, travel and self discovery, spiritual growth without religion, breaking generational patterns, fatherhood and identity, conscious parenting, redefining success, life transitions, burnout and alignment, sitting with discomfort, resilience and growth, healing through community, emotional leadership, personal development podcast deep life stories, meaning and purpose podcast
