GenX Adulting Podcast - Episode 61 - GenX Speaks Series: Ryan The Therapist

Name: GenX Adulting Podcast - Episode 61 - GenX Speaks Series: Ryan The Therapist
Uploaded: 2026-03-29T00:00:00-04:00
Duration: 3 h 46 min 8 s

Episode Summary

In Episode 61 of the GenX Adulting Podcast, Ryan Kemp-Pippan, known as Ryan the Therapist, shares his personal journey as a member of Generation X, discussing his upbringing, family history, and the impact of trauma on his life. He reflects on his experiences with addiction, recovery, and the importance of mental health, while also highlighting the generational differences in addressing these issues.

Key Takeaways

Ryan identifies as a late-blooming Gen Xer, having found stability later in life.
He shares his family's complex history, including his indigenous heritage and the impact of residential schools.
Ryan discusses the trauma experienced in his childhood, including violence and emotional abuse from family members.
He emphasizes the importance of breaking generational trauma cycles for the sake of his children.
Ryan's journey into therapy was motivated by a desire to help others heal from their trauma.
He reflects on the normalization of violence in his upbringing and its long-lasting effects.
Ryan advocates for the need for systemic change in mental health care.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Ryan mean by being a late-blooming Gen Xer?

Ryan refers to himself as a late-blooming Gen Xer because he didn't feel he got his life together until he was 25, which he attributes to his struggles with addiction and trauma.

How did Ryan's family history influence his career as a therapist?

Ryan's experiences with trauma and addiction in his family motivated him to become a therapist, as he wanted to help others navigate their own healing journeys.

What kind of trauma did Ryan experience in his childhood?

Ryan experienced various forms of trauma, including emotional and physical abuse from family members, as well as the effects of poverty and instability during his upbringing.

How does Ryan view the impact of generational trauma?

Ryan believes that generational trauma can be broken and emphasizes the importance of creating a safe and loving environment for his children, contrasting it with his own experiences.

What systemic issues does Ryan highlight in mental health care?

Ryan points out that mental health care is often underfunded and stigmatized, which leads to inadequate support for those in need, particularly in marginalized communities.

Part of these Topics: Addiction & Recovery, Trauma & Breaking Cycles, Coaches, Therapists & Healers

Featured guests: Ryan The Therapist

Read the full transcript →

Description

In this episode we welcome Ryan Kemp-Pappan, also known as Ryan The Therapist. Ryan shares about his diverse cultural upbringing being raised within his indigenous family while being white-presenting. Ryan reflects on the experiences of his indigenous family as well as his parent’s marriage and subsequent divorce. Ryan candidly shares about the domestic abuse he suffered that included parental alienation from his mother. We learn about Ryan’s time as a child actor in Hollywood where he shares a memorable moment with actor Michael Landon. We discuss the efforts many GenX parents have made to break the cycle of generational trauma, and how raising healthy and well-adjusted children can be triggering to our own trauma at times. Ryan shares his 11 year journey to get his college degree, and the clever ways he dealt with having dyslexia. We discuss the impact purity culture can have on intimacy and relationships, and how much effort it takes to choose a healing journey vs staying on the path of trauma. We learn about Ryan’s time in the church where he served as an Outreach Missions Pastor in the gay community, and his journey into therapy and becoming a therapist that followed. Ryan shares about the absolute joy that is his marriage and being a father and what a healing experience both have been. Ryan’s story is one of survival and triumph in the face of immense adversity. He is truly an inspiration and uses his experience and expertise to help men in particular along their healing journey. We were honored to be a witness to Ryan’s amazing life, and we look forward to having him as a return guest to discuss more on what he focuses on when helping his male patients.

Check Out Ryan Here:

Website: https://ryanthetherapist.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryan_the_therapist/

Chapters

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

01:16 Family Background

06:10 The Impact of Residential Schools on Indigenous Lives

12:10 Storytelling and Family Dynamics

16:55 Family's Early Beginnings In Los Angeles

23:10 True Crime Story of Maternal Grandfather

30:30 Upheaval in Parent's Marriage

36:12 Childhood Memories and Early Experiences

44:22 Navigating Divorce and Family Changes

50:19 Loss and Resilience in Childhood

55:15 Understanding Male Toxicity and Its Impact

01:00:32 Custody Battles and Family Dynamics

01:06:23 Cultural Identity and Misrepresentation

01:12:32 Understanding Family Trauma

01:18:40 The Normalization of Violence

01:25:13 Finding Healing and Hope

01:33:49 30th Birthday in Kenya

01:38:14 Navigating Adolescence

01:46:02 Step-Mom Entering Life

01:49:07 Playing Sports in High School

01:53:48 Father's Heart Attack

02:00:19 The Concept of Going to College

02:06:53 Processing Confrontation

02:17:45 Using Alcohol As a Coping Mechanism

02:22:57 Be The Healthy Adult That Your Inner Child Needed

02:29:20 Returning to Los Angeles from Upstate New York

02:33:38 Growing Up In Purity Culture

02:42:33 Becoming Sober

02:46:11 Returning to College - California State University, Northridge

02:53:28 Missionary Work in Kenya

02:58:09 Attending Seminary in Texas and Meeting Wife

03:05:28 Toxic Masculinity

03:11:49 Becoming an Outreach Missions Pastor to the Gay Community

03:19:58 Therapy Journey and Becoming a Therapist

03:34:07 Diabetes Diagnosis

03:34:39 Becoming a Dad

03:39:28 Music

03:42:20 5 Year Vision

Check Us Out Here:

https://genxadultingpodcast.com/