Fault Lines

Richard sits down with Holly Morphew, accredited financial counselor and founder of Financial Impact, to explore the powerful connection between self-trust, money mindset, and long-term financial freedom.
Holly shares the personal story behind her work, including how a health crisis, $67,000 in credit card debt, and years of financial anxiety shaped the coaching philosophy she uses to help others today.
Together, they unpack why so many high-achieving professionals still feel unsafe around money, how our earliest money scripts influence adult behavior, and why financial education should be treated as a public good.
Holly also explains the difference between financial advising and financial coaching, why she sees money as an infinite game, and how her simple but effective system helps people build assets, increase income, and create sustainable habits.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by your finances, struggled with debt, or wanted a healthier relationship with money, this conversation offers practical wisdom and a human perspective on what it really takes to build wealth.
Learn more about Holly’s work at financialimpact.com.

In this episode, host Richard Roman explores a powerful idea: trust in organizations is not built by certainty, but by imagination.
Building on insights from a prior conversation with Rae Greiner, he attempts to illustrate why the best leaders don’t just verify behavior: they develop the judgment to understand people in context.
Richard breaks down the difference between rule thinking and case thinking explains the “certainty trap” that causes organizations to over-rely on process and data, and makes the case for a more human approach to leadership, one grounded in empathy, humility, and the willingness to revise your judgment when new information appears.
If you lead teams, shape culture, or want a more compelling framework for understanding why trust breaks and how it can be rebuilt, this episode offers a sharp, thought-provoking lens on the real work of leadership.Core themes: 
Why trust is an act of imagination
Rule thinking vs. case thinking
How certainty can weaken organizational trust
The role of empathy and perspective-taking in leadership
Why the best leaders stay open to revision
Listen now to rethink what trust really requires and how to build organizations that are sturdier under pressure.

Host Richard Roman welcomes Rae Greiner, associate professor and editor of Victorian Studies, to explore how 18th- and 19th-century novels trained readers to think beyond simple rules and certainty, and why trust, sympathy, and moral judgment are far more complicated than they first appear.
The conversation traces the rise of the sentimental and Gothic novel, the shifting relationship between reason and feeling, and how writers like Jane Austen, Dickens, Emily Brontë, and Henry James use narrative to test our assumptions about truth, morality, and human behavior.
Dr. Greiner also breaks down Adam Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments and explains why sympathy is not just a feeling, but a process of imagination, interpretation, and case-by-case judgment.
Along the way, we discuss unreliable narrators, the ethics of withholding judgment, and how literature reflects the messiness of real life.
If you’ve ever wondered why stories can make us cry, laugh, distrust, or rethink what we believe, this episode offers a fascinating look at how fiction shapes the way we understand ourselves and others.

In this episode, Dr. Richard Roman explores a powerful question: what happens when boys grow up without healthy initiation, mentorship, and emotional permission?
Building on a prior conversation with Dan Doty, Richard examines the science behind masculine identity formation, the “boy code,” and the developmental cost of emotional suppression in men.
Using research from psychology, anthropology, and public health, this episode breaks down why rites of passage, intergenerational mentorship, wilderness experiences, and structured vulnerability matter so much for boys and men.
Richard connects these findings to urgent real-world issues including male loneliness, depression, suicide risk, help-seeking avoidance, and the collapse of male mentorship networks.
You’ll learn:
What initiation actually does for adolescent boys
How masculine norms can contribute to emotional suppression
Why male mentorship is a public health issue
How wilderness and group-based experiences create growth
What healthy masculine identity can look like today
If you care about men’s mental health, fatherhood, mentorship, youth development, or the future of healthy masculinity, this conversation offers a grounded, evidence-based perspective on one of the most important social issues of our time.
Listen now to hear why the initiation gap matters, and what it will take to build stronger boys, healthier men, and more connected communities.

In this important conversation, Dan Doty shares how wilderness therapy, men’s groups, and rites of passage shaped his life’s work helping boys and men grow into healthier, more emotionally connected adults.
He opens up about the difference between conditional and unconditional confidence, the role of vulnerability in building trust, and why so many modern men are missing the support systems they need to thrive.
Dan also reflects on the limitations of “depth cosplay” in men’s work, the importance of staying grounded in everyday life, and why true transformation often begins with simple human connection.
From fatherhood and leadership to emotional literacy and male friendship, this episode explores what it really takes to help men move through life’s threshold moments with integrity and care.
If you’re interested in masculinity, fatherhood, men’s work, personal growth, emotional resilience, or the power of community, this conversation offers insight, honesty, and a hopeful path forward.
Learn more at DanDoty.com.

Most organizational trust strategies overlook the deep structural harm embedded in our systems, until now. What if rebuilding trust requires more than transparency and good behavior?
What if it starts by recognizing the invisible forces shaping our organizations, and ourselves?
In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Richard Roman uncovers how liberation psychology offers a radical new lens on trust that goes beyond surface-level fixes.
You’ll discover how oppressive structures distort self-trust, undermine team safety, and breed systemic distrust at every level, from individual identities to civic institutions. He reveals how leaders can identify these harmful patterns, redistribute power, and design collective infrastructures that foster genuine trust and belonging.
We break down concrete concepts like naming structural harm, reshaping power dynamics, and embedding collective spaces, principles proven to reshape trust in organizations and communities alike.
Plus, hear stories from diverse fields, from healthcare to military veteran groups, illustrating how these ideas translate into real change.
You’ll learn why slow, deliberate cultural shifts beat quick fixes, and how skeptical leaders can still embrace groundbreaking frameworks without feeling accused or overwhelmed.
If you believe trust is the foundation of every thriving organization, but feel stuck in outdated approaches, this episode is your invitation to see beyond behaviors and into the systemic roots of distrust. It’s essential listening for leaders committed to authentic change, and for anyone striving to rebuild trust at every level of their work and community.
Are you ready to see your organization (and the patterns shaping it) through a new, liberating lens?
Tune in now, and discover how to translate this powerful psychology into tangible action that transforms trust from the ground up.

Unlock the transformative power of trust in healing, especially when navigating trauma, race, and systemic harm. Dr. Ayli Carrero Pinedo shares a compelling, never-before-told journey from immigrant beginnings to leading conversations on racial trauma, mental health, and social justice, revealing the subtle yet profound ways trust shapes recovery and resilience.
Most of us underestimate how trust (both in ourselves and institutions) affects healing from racial and systemic trauma.
Dr. Pinedo explores how trust breaches occur, why they persist, and how communities and individuals can rebuild a sense of safety and agency. Her story from a critical overnight in a hospital to groundbreaking research in liberation psychology highlights resilience in the face of systemic harm.
This episode drops powerful insights into how trusting relationships, cultural safety, and collective action accelerate healing and restore hope where it’s needed most.
You’ll discover:
the significance of trust in trauma recovery, especially within marginalized communities;
practical strategies for building psychological safety in vulnerable populations;
how transformative, culturally-centered approaches challenge oppressive systems and promote collective healing;
the critical role of community, leadership, and vulnerability in restoring faith in systems that have historically failed us.
We break down: the impact of systemic betrayals on mental health; the importance of cultural humility and authentic connection in therapy; and innovative practices that leverage community resilience, veteran trust, and social justice principles.
Dr. Pinedo shares how racial trauma intertwines with mental health, and the crucial shifts needed in both therapy and societal structures to foster trust and equity. This isn’t just a conversation about healing; it's a call to action.
If you're committed to transforming systemic harm and empowering marginalized voices, this episode offers concrete steps to foster trust in yourself, your community, and institutions.
Whether you're a mental health practitioner, community leader, or someone seeking personal healing, understanding how trust bridges individual and collective liberation is essential for meaningful change.
Join us and learn how to turn trauma into collective strength, rebuild trust against all odds, and advocate for silenced communities.
This episode is essential listening if you believe healing and social justice go hand in hand, and that trust is the most powerful tool we have to move forward.
 

In this episode, Richard Roman examines one of the defining questions of the AI era: when does technology actually serve people, and when does it quietly extract from them? Using the example of AI-powered leadership coaching, Richard expands the conversation into a broader framework for understanding trust in organizations, higher education, and public institutions.
At the center of the discussion is a powerful distinction between “design service” and “design extraction.”
Richard explains how the same AI system can either strengthen trust or erode it depending on who owns the data, who benefits from the analysis, and whether the person being observed has real agency.
From manager feedback and student proctoring to government decision-making, the episode shows how design choices shape trust outcomes in every domain.
Richard also explores why trust in institutions is contracting, why employees and students are increasingly wary of surveillance disguised as support, and what it would take to rebuild confidence in AI systems. He closes with a practical lens for evaluating any AI tool: does it serve the person first, or someone else?
If you care about AI ethics, leadership development, higher education technology, public trust, or the future of work, this episode offers a timely and thought-provoking framework for navigating the next decade.
Keywords: AI trust, leadership coaching, institutional trust, AI ethics, higher education, student surveillance, government AI, workplace AI, data privacy, organizational leadership

Richard Roman speaks with Ben Perreau about how AI and cognitive science are reshaping leadership development, manager feedback, and employee engagement in the modern workplace. They explore why frontline managers are often the real lever for organizational change, how real-time feedback can improve self-awareness, and why trust and psychological safety must remain at the center of workplace technology.
Ben shares the story behind Parafoil, an AI-powered leadership tool designed to help managers improve through day-to-day behavioral insights rather than slow, outdated performance reviews.
The conversation also dives into the challenges of building ethical AI, the importance of human empathy in leadership, and why self-awareness is becoming a critical skill for leaders in 2025 and beyond.
If you’re interested in AI for leadership, manager development, workplace culture, or the future of work, this episode offers practical insights and a thoughtful look at how better feedback can help people lead with more clarity, confidence, and humanity.
Listen to learn:
Why frontline managers are key to organizational change
How AI can support, not replace, human leadership
The role of self-awareness in effective management
How trust is built through small, consistent interactions
Why ethical design matters in AI-powered workplace tools
Join the conversation on the future of leadership, and discover how better feedback can help create stronger teams and healthier organizations.

In this follow-up to the conversation with Andrew McNeill of LX Leaders, Richard Roman explores what happens when awareness, trust, and accountability break down at every level, from the nervous system of a leader to the culture of an organization.
Using recent news around Purdue Pharma, the UAE’s exit from OPEC, and Google’s classified AI contract, he shows how the gap between what institutions say and what they do erodes trust, weakens teams, and makes real accountability harder to achieve.
Richard then connects those examples to the science of mindfulness and leadership, explaining how stress response, psychological safety, and vulnerability shape decision-making, communication, and team performance.
Drawing on research from neuroscience, Harvard, Google’s Project Aristotle, and organizational studies, he makes the case that well-being is not a side project; it is infrastructure.
He also offers practical steps listeners can apply right away:
Start a mindfulness practice;
Create a short reset before meetings;
Notice who isn’t speaking;
Revisit your team charter;
Assess whether your organization is investing in lasting development or temporary energy.
If you care about leadership, team culture, and building organizations people can actually trust, this conversation offers a powerful, research-backed roadmap.