From Music Business to Desert Retreats: Blending Eastern Wisdom with Western Therapy | Ben McKie | A Bunch of Therapists Podcast | Episode 21

This episode contains discussion around nomadic childhood experiences, career transitions, therapy training, and alternative therapeutic approaches.

Join us for an inspiring and wide-ranging conversation with psychotherapist, executive coach and businessman Ben McKie as he shares his remarkable journey from the music business to founding innovative therapeutic projects that blend Eastern wisdom with Western psychological practice. This thought-provoking discussion explores how following your calling can lead to unexpected paths, and why stepping outside traditional frameworks can create profound opportunities for healing and growth.

Hosted by: Michaela McCarthy (Founder of The Awareness Centre, The Awareness Centre Training School, and Creator and Host of A Bunch of Therapists Podcast. Senior BACP Accredited Psychotherapist and Influential Leader) and Dipti Solanki (Therapist, Coach and Consultant, Mental Health Trainer and Founder of Grief Matters 4 All CIC).

In this compelling episode, Ben openly shares: • How his nomadic childhood shaped his worldview and approach to life • His journey into therapy as a young father working in the music business • The pivotal moment of turning down a lucrative job to follow his therapeutic calling • Building and running a successful private practice for several years • Growing frustrated with traditional therapeutic approaches and seeking alternatives • Founding innovative projects that integrate Eastern wisdom with Western psychology • Juggling private client work with desert retreats in Egypt • Developing social impact projects across the UK • The lies we tell ourselves and how to recognise them • What really happens when we courageously leave our comfort zone • Why doubt can actually become our greatest ally in personal growth

This essential conversation offers profound insights for anyone questioning conventional paths, seeking deeper meaning in their work, or curious about innovative approaches to healing and personal development.

Key Topics Discussed: • The impact of nomadic childhood experiences on adult perspectives • Career transitions and following your authentic calling • Integrating Eastern wisdom with Western therapeutic practice • Building alternative therapeutic frameworks outside traditional models • The role of doubt in personal and professional growth • Creating meaningful work that aligns with your values • Desert retreats and experiential therapeutic approaches • Social impact projects and community healing • Recognising and challenging the lies we tell ourselves • The transformative power of leaving your comfort zone

Chapters: 00:00 Intro 01:40 Why Ben went into therapy 05:00 Believing fabricated stories about yourself that are different from the truth 06:45 Growing up in different countries 08:03 Ben’s Dad who was a monk 10:44 Setting up desert retreats 14:45 Sitting in an Oasis 15:36 The beginning of the desert retreats 19:35 The transformation that happens in the desert 20:43 Therapy alone isn’t enough 21:55 Eastern philosophy, medicine and wisdom 23:00 Returning from the desert and working online 27:20 Working in the music industry 28:38 Ben’s career change 30:00 Pushing against authority 31:25 The newer generation coming to therapy 32:54 Ben’s values as a therapist and being brave 33:51 The Greater Good Consultancy 38:00 Exposing ourselves to other ways of seeing and being 39:28 Ben’s final message 39:54 Outro

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