From Digital Distraction to Human Connection

In this 2025 interview with Justine Willis Toms, Shannon Algeo, an American and Irish writer, psychotherapist, researcher, poet, and Yoga teacher based in California sheds new light on our relationship with technology and offers compassionate practices for reclaiming our attention, creativity, and human connection.
Shannon is on the faculty of the Esalen Institute and the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, where he leads digital liberation workshops and offline retreats that help participants reclaim their attention, creativity, and relationships in an increasingly digitized world. Named one of Wanderlust's "35 Under 35 in Wellness to Watch," Shannon has spoken at the United Nations and the Museum of Contemporary Art. His work integrates attachment theory, neuroscience, mindfulness, poetry, and depth psychology to help people cultivate greater presence, resilience, and authentic human connection in the digital age. He is the author of:
Trust Your Truth: Heal Self-Doubt, Awaken to Your Soul’s Purpose, and Live Your Badass Life ( New Harbinger Publications 2021)The Power in Your Hands: Liberate Yourself from Attachment to Technology (Broadleaf  Books, 2026)
Interview Date: 6/5/2026   Tags: Shannon Algeo, technology addiction, smartphone addiction, attachment theory, digital wellbeing, digital liberation, attention, creativity, neuroscience, relationships, secure attachment, parenting, nature, mindfulness, social media, presence, inner child, Mary Main, Dr. Daniel Siegel, Anne Lamott, Mark Coleman, David J. Wallin, Paul Hewson, Mary Oliver, Nikki Myers, Marianne Williamson, Seane Corn, Victor Ochen, John Bowlby, Psychology, Personal Transformation, Technology, Relationships, Parenting, Community