Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
We live in a cultural trance, lulled into chasing mirages of fulfillment that only reinforce our sense of emptiness.
From obsessive ambition to self-sabotaging thought loops, these self-imposed constraints stem from attachment to narratives propagated by societal forces profiting from mass discontentment.
My guest today is Phil Stutz, a renowned psychiatrist whose innovative “Tools” methodology upended conventional psychotherapy norms. His approach uncovers the illusion that external results alone define success. Instead, Phil reframes true accomplishment as the ability to connect with the creative energy of the universe and consistently engage in the process of creation through present action.
Phil’s work doesn’t just expose self-help tropes peddled by opportunists—it forges tangible connections to higher forces, empowering you to arrest destructive patterns distorting your perception of reality.
His philosophy balances individual growth with collective responsibility, emphasizing spiritual interconnectedness as the ultimate path to wholeness.
“The secret to life is accepting that you will never figure it out.”
– PHIL STUTZ
Today, we discuss personal growth and spirituality’s profound role in enriching the human experience. Phil critiques therapy’s neutrality, advocating for disciplined action and tangible tools that drive transformative progress. Although no life is devoid of adversity and pain, cultivating gratitude connects us to universal forces, allowing us to regain control and view challenges as opportunities for growth through “radical acceptance.”
We also explore the illusion of security offered by modern institutions and safety nets, underscoring the importance of acceptance over resistance to life’s difficulties. Phil highlights the complexities of self-worth, relationships, and maintaining emotional openness amid success.
He emphasizes that no amount of money, success, power, or status will absolve you from life’s inherent challenges. Instead, welcoming supportive relationships and groups can help connect you with a higher purpose, positing that authentically embracing difficulties, rather than avoiding them, propels true personal evolution.
From processing anger to breaking addictions, delaying gratification to confident decision-making, Phil’s methodologies extend beyond self-help platitudes into an integrated praxis of hard-earned psychological mastery.
For those who prefer a visual experience, the conversation is available on YouTube. As always, the audio version streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
This conversation transcends traditional therapy, merging tough love with ancient wisdom and modern rigor. It’s a call to demolish the ego, extinguish self-obsession, and show up for the world as a conscious, co-creative force.
Peace + Plants,
![](https://www.richroll.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/RR_sign_green.png)
Listen, Watch, & Subscribe
For 1000s of delicious, customized plant-based recipes & so much more, check out our Plantpower Meal Planner.
Momentous: High-caliber human performance products for sleep, focus, longevity, and more. Go to livemomentous.com/richroll to save up to 36% OFF your first subscription order of Protein or Creatine, along with 20% OFF all of my favorite products.
Bon Charge: The world’s widest range of wellness products designed to help you sleep better, recover faster, and boost your overall well-being. My favorite is their Red Light Face Mask—check out all of their premium offerings at boncharge.com and use code RICHROLL to save 15% OFF.
Waking Up: A new operating system for your mind, Waking Up offers an extraordinary library of mindfulness resources—meditations, courses on Stoicism, time management practices, and more. Visit wakingup.com/RICHROLL to get a FREE month, plus $30 OFF
Brain.fm: Discover the ultimate productivity hack with Brain.fm focus music. Unleash your full potential and conquer your tasks with science-backed sound. Listeners of the show can get 30 days FREE. Try it now at brain.fm/richroll.
BetterHelp: This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp, the world’s largest therapy service, 100% online. Designed to be convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a professional, licensed, and vetted therapist who you can trust. Listeners get 10% off their first month by visiting BetterHelp.com/RICHROLL.
SriMu: Artisanally crafted plant-rich cheeses made with pure ingredients; a delicious new take on the cheeses you adore. Creamy, cheesy, delicious and impactful, each bite of SriMu nourishes your body, honors animals, and transforms Mother Earth. This May, get 22% OFF all orders when you visit SriMu.comand enter code RRP at checkout.
- Connect with Phil Stutz: Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook
- Book: The Tools: 5 Tools to Help You Find Courage, Creativity, and Willpower–and Inspire You to Live Life in Forward Motion
- Book: Lessons for Living: What Only Adversity Can Teach You
- Book: Coming Alive: 4 Tools to Defeat Your Inner Enemy, Ignite Creative Expression & Unleash Your Soul’s Potential
- Netflix: Stutz
- The New York Times: ‘Stutz’ Review: An Actor’s Tribute to a Therapist
- Los Angeles Times: Commentary: A critic does therapy with Phil Stutz, go-to shrink for Jonah Hill and other stars
- The Times: Meet the A-list shrink (because Oscar winners get depressed too)
- Esquire: Anyone With a Brain Should See Stutz Right Now
- Forbes: Stutz: Actionable Tools For Everyone To Think And Feel Better
There are a few simple ways you can support the show and the content we strive to craft and share every single week
Subscribe & Review: Please make sure to review, share comments and subscribe to the show on the various platforms (Apple Podcasts, YouTube & Spotify). This helps tremendously!
Patronize Our Sponsors: Supporting the companies that support the show! For a complete list of all RRP sponsors and their respective vanity URLs and discount codes, click the ‘Sponsors’ tab in the ‘Shop’ menu.
Spread The Word: Help grow our reach by sharing your enthusiasm for the podcast and/or your favorite episodes by posting about it on social media.
Thank The Team: I do not do this alone. Send your love to Jason Camiolo for audio engineering, production, show notes and interstitial music; with additional audio engineering by Cale Curtis and additional music by Moby; Blake Curtis & Dan Drake for video, & editing; graphics by Jessica Miranda & Daniel Solis; portraits by Davy Greenberg, Grayson Wilder & Gizelle Peters; copywriting by Ben Pryor; and theme music by Tyler Piatt, Trapper Piatt & Hari Mathis.
Amazon Disclosure: Third-party books and products denoted on this page and website may be hyperlinked to the Amazon affiliate program. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.