Call Summary: Ex-Girlfriend's Mental Health Observations and Life Updates

Overview

A deeply caring conversation where McKenna expresses concern about potential hypomanic patterns in Gary's behavior while sharing her own significant life transitions including dominatrix work, artistic projects, and planned relocation to Brooklyn. The call demonstrates continued mutual care despite their ended romantic relationship.

Key Topics Discussed

Gary's Rome Conference Context

• Catholic Church Affiliation: Attending conference organized by friend, affiliated with Catholic Church
• Duration: 2.5 day conference, staying until Tuesday
• Justification: "I didn't have any conflicts and sometimes you need just the right person at the right time"
• Social Context: Just came from big conference dinner

McKenna's Mental Health Observations

• Pattern Recognition: McKenna noticed similarities between Gary's behavior and hypomanic episodes
• Email Concerns: His recent email triggered her awareness of potential manic patterns
• Sleep Patterns: Noted his ability to "go off of very little sleep for a long period of time"
• Passionate Waves: Observed his pattern of depressive episodes followed by intense passionate pursuits
• Finding God Context: Connected his religious awakening to "wave of a depressive episode or after a depressive experience"
• Energy Levels: Recognized his "level of passion and drive and energy that you have access to tap into"

McKenna's Careful Approach

• Non-Offensive Intent: "I really, really, really, really don't want to offend you. But I love and care about you a lot"
• Not Diagnosing: "I'm not saying that I'm diagnosing you"
• Validation: "I fully believe your experience... your really beautiful and deep relationship with God"
• Multiple Truths: "I think multiple things can exist at the same time"
• Protective Nature: "You know me, I'm just such a doberman and I'm very protective"

Gary's Response to Concerns

• Appreciation: "I appreciate that. Thank you for sharing"
• No Offense Taken: Confirmed he wasn't offended by her observations
• Application Strategy: "Having healthier separation of work and passion"
• Self-Awareness: "Knowing how to apply the superpower... versus being caught up in it"

McKenna's Life Updates - Work Transformation

• Dominatrix Work: Currently "domming" with C-suite executive clients
• Client Selection: "The clients that I'm picking are essentially they're all C suite executives and really high prices"
• Mentorship Through Work: "I'm essentially getting mentored by a lot of really amazing people"
• Anonymous Success: Can't show accomplishments publicly - "I can't have any of these things be a part of my portfolio"
• Financial Improvement: "Making more and working way less hours"

McKenna's Burnout and Recovery

• Extreme Overwork: "Worked 238 consecutive days without a single day off"
• Sushi Restaurant: Left job that was "by far and hands down the most laborious job I've ever had"
• Survival Mode: Work streak was "totally survival" combined with "workaholic tendencies"
• Current Slowdown: "This last month, I have been slowing down a lot"

McKenna's Project Realizations

• Long-Term Challenge: "I have never been in a long-term project in my life"
• Educational Background: Self-taught from second grade through high school, always cramming curriculum
• Sprint Mentality: "I would accomplish what most people accomplish in a year in three months or under"
• Exhibition Humbling: Art exhibition expanded from 4 months to likely 2 years
• Podcast Success: Running successful podcast (anonymous) as first long-term commitment

Pablo and Oros Update

• Funding Finally Arrived: After 1.5 years, Oros secured funding
• Meeting Scheduled: Pablo wants to meet with McKenna next week
• Contract Wisdom: "I would structure my contract to really make sure that I'm financially safe and not receive against promises"
• Different Approach: Would handle involvement differently than when with Gary

Living Situation Changes

• Lease Ending: Current Denver lease up end of February
• Brooklyn Plans: "I'll be moving part-time to Brooklyn" with room in NYC
• Not Full-Time NYC: "I don't want to live in New York full-time at all, whatsoever"
• Travel Clients: Mix of clients who travel to her and those she travels to meet

Mutual Connections Updates

• Raz/Razz: Currently in New York, trying to move to US, business "doing okay" but struggling to rekindle 2022 success
• Ken: Got engaged, hired bunch of people for his company
• Danielle: Getting married, McKenna missing bachelorette due to illness

McKenna's Health Issues

• Current Illness: "Been really sick for the last month"
• Wedding Obligations: Bridesmaid in 5 weddings in one year
• Guilt About Canceling: Having to make calls to cancel bachelorette participation

McKenna's Protective Advice

• Energy Management: "I want to make sure that wherever you decide to channel that energy towards is mutually beneficial"
• Awareness During Highs: "Apply even more critical thinking than I usually would" during high energy periods
• Superpower Recognition: Acknowledged his energy as gift but urged conscious direction of it
• Work-Passion Balance: Encouraged "healthier separation of work and passion"

Key Quotes

• McKenna on Concern: "The verbiage and the way that you communicated in the email did remind me of the same way that I communicated during certain times"

• McKenna on Gary's Pattern: "The ebb and the flow of a depressive experience... being at a loss and not knowing the direction and then finding the next thing that you're passionate about"

• McKenna on Protection: "You're so generous in every sense of that word. And generosity and passion that I just want to make sure that you know where you're channeling that energy"

• McKenna on Her Work: "I'm essentially getting mentored by a lot of really amazing people" (through dominatrix clients)

• McKenna on Sprint vs Marathon: "I've been always really good at short term projects... I have never been in a long-term project in my life"

• Gary on Application: "Knowing how to apply the superpower... versus being caught up in it"

• McKenna on Gary's Magic: "You have the energy of a thousand suns inside of you"

• McKenna on Relationship: "I love you and I just want you to be safe"

Action Items / Takeaways

• Mental Health Awareness: Gary to consider McKenna's observations about potential hypomanic patterns
• Work-Passion Separation: Gary working on healthier boundaries between work and passionate pursuits
• Reconnection Plans: Will reconnect after current obligations
• Pablo Meeting: McKenna to meet with Pablo about Oros opportunity with better contract structure
• Living Transition: McKenna planning Brooklyn move while maintaining flexibility

Relationship Dynamics

Continued Care Despite Separation

• Both maintain genuine concern for each other's wellbeing
• McKenna demonstrates protective instincts ("doberman" metaphor)
• Gary shows openness to difficult feedback
• Mutual respect and love explicitly expressed

Power of Observation

McKenna's intimate knowledge of Gary's patterns from their 8-month relationship provides unique insight into his behavioral cycles, demonstrating the lasting impact of close relationships even after romantic separation.

Professional Evolution

Both have significantly evolved professionally since their relationship:

• Gary: Pursuing religious/conference work
• McKenna: Building successful (if unconventional) business model with high-profile clients

Mental Health Framework

McKenna's observations create a framework for understanding potential bipolar/hypomanic patterns:

1. Depression Phase: Loss of faith, darkness, disconnection
2. Trigger Event: Finding new cause or spiritual awakening
3. Manic/Hypomanic Phase: Little sleep, intense energy, passionate pursuit
4. Cycle Repeat: Pattern continues with different focuses

Her advice emphasizes conscious management rather than suppression of these patterns, treating them as "superpowers" requiring direction rather than elimination.