Jun 17, 2026

Loneliness isn’t something we usually associate with successful people. When the career ends, where do purpose, connection, and belonging come from next?

My guest today is Carl Nassar. He’s an engineer, teacher, businessman, and eventually, psychotherapist. After achieving everything his parents had hoped for Carl realized the one thing he was still searching for was a sense of belonging.

So he walked away from a tenured professorship, started over, and spent the next twenty-five years helping people find their way back to each other.

In this episode, we covered:

• Why Carl walked away from a tenured professorship to start over
• The childhood lesson that fueled his drive to achieve
  
• What thousands of therapy sessions taught him about loneliness
  
• Why consumer culture promises belonging but rarely delivers it
  
• How becoming a “lingerer” can lead to deeper relationships
  
• Practical ways to build community in the next chapter of life

 

Resources
Website: https://carlnassar.com

About Carl:
Carl R. Nassar, Ph.D., LPC, CIIPTS, is a former university professor, a licensed professional counselor, and a clinical trainer and supervisor. He is a regular contributor to Psychology Today and the author of the upcoming book The Village Solution.