The John Weeks Show Podcast - Program 74 - 20260727

FEATURE 1

Interview : Tami Lou Castillo, Author of ‘The Mould Maker’

Interview by John Weeks

Simply move to the time of 0:13:41 to hear this in-depth conversation.

Tami Lou Castillo is a global educator and debut memoirist with nearly 30 years of experience teaching literature, English, writing, and curriculum design in secondary classrooms and universities across the US and Australia. tamiloucastillo.com

Her Book: The Mould Maker
She is the author of the memoir The Mould Maker (published by Hembury Books, released June 19, 2026).  instagram.com

The book is a daughter's story of searching for her authentic father (Connie Beavers), who transitioned to become a trans woman at age 63. It explores themes of unconditional love, family secrets, self-destruction, identity, and acceptance. It has reached #1 on Amazon in categories like Transgender Rights & Expression.

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FEATURE 2

Interview : John Cuturillo

Interview by John Weeks

Simply move to the time of 0:49:24 to hear this in-depth conversation.

He is accredited by the Australian Counselling Association, holding a Bachelor of Psychological Sciences and Graduate Diploma of Counselling." 

Topic : Self-Compassion

How important is Self-Compassion?

Self-compassion is highly important — one of the most evidence-based, practical tools for improving mental health, emotional resilience, motivation, and overall well-being. It consistently outperforms or matches alternatives like self-esteem in research, with fewer downsides. 

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FEATURE 3

Interview : Alexander Simons

Interview by John Weeks

Simply move to the time of 1:18:30 to hear this in-depth conversation.

"SURVIVING MENTAL HEALTH: A Story Of Learning To Keep Moving Forward" by Alexander Simons is a autobiographical book focused on personal experiences with mental health challenges.

Deeply personal memoir/reflection. It uses a dual perspective structure — the author revisits different stages of his life while reflecting on his evolving understanding, perception, and coping with mental health issues.
 
Main Themes: Depression, anxiety, the long process of "surviving" and learning to move forward. It emphasizes resilience, self-understanding, and navigating mental illness over time.

“As time went on, I became a little more comfortable around people, forming a small group to grow up alongside. Even then social interactions still made me nervous – it wasn’t avoidance anymore, but a quiet unease’