“All Real Living Is Meeting”: Brent Robbins on Love,Death,and the Possibilities of Psychology

Abstract

This interview with psychologist and scholar Brent Dean Robbins explores the philosophical and ethical foundations of his life’s work in existential and humanistic psychology. Conducted by Justin Karter for Mad in America, the conversation traces Robbins’ intellectual trajectory from early exposure to phenomenology through his academic leadership, critical engagement with psychiatric diagnosis, and ongoing reflections on death, meaning, and the limits of contemporary psychological discourse. Robbins reflects candidly on his own cancer diagnosis, offering insights on mortality, intimacy, and the role of agapic love in psychological practice. This dialogue provides a compelling introduction to Robbins’ intellectual legacy and advocates for a psychology grounded in care, complexity, and human dignity.