Don't Quit on Me

The Future of Behavioral Science with Steven Hayes: Beyond Bell Curves   In this captivating episode, Dr Steven Hayes returns to discuss the significant developments in the landscape of behavioral science and the ACT model over the past four years. Steven explores the limitations of traditional scientific methods in characterizing individual human behavior and introduces innovative approaches that focus on individualized analysis.   He delves into the concept of idio and nomothetic measurements, emphasizing the importance of personalized processes for improving mental health and well-being. The discussion also touches on self-compassion, emotional flexibility, and the evolving needs of modern society in a rapidly changing world.   Join us for an insightful conversation that bridges the gap between science and practice to empower individuals in leading meaningful lives.   00:00 Welcome Back, Steven!   00:27 Developments in ACT and Behavioral Science   03:46 Challenges in Modern Science and Society   06:11 Personalized Approaches in Behavioral Science   12:41 The Complexity of Values and Self-Compassion   17:59 Practical Advice for Self-Compassion and Emotional Awareness   27:17 Exploring Emotional Flexibility   28:38 The Self-Help Book Journey   30:16 Internet Addiction Insights   33:04 The Future of Self-Empowerment   38:54 The Changing World and Wellbeing   41:08 A Practical Exercise for Alignment   52:21 Final Thoughts on Human Progress  

The Healing Power of Expressive Writing: An Interview with Dr. Jamie Pennebaker In this enlightening episode, we delve into the transformative world of expressive writing with Dr. Jamie Pennebaker, a leading researcher in the field. Dr. Pennebaker recounts the fascinating journey from his initial studies on the impact of journaling on overcoming trauma to the development of the computer program, Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC). Discover how expressive writing can remarkably improve physical and mental health, the significance of language in understanding emotional states, and practical advice for implementing these insights into daily life. Whether it's navigating personal hardships or fostering self-awareness, this conversation uncovers the profound benefits of putting thoughts into words. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:31 Discovering the Power of Expressive Writing 03:09 The First Study and Its Impact 06:02 Methodology and Instructions for Expressive Writing 09:48 Health Benefits and Challenges of Expressive Writing 17:07 Exploring Language and Mental Health 39:30 Case Study: Kathleen Folbigg and Text Analysis 43:16 Reflections and Future Outlook   Mental Health Resources Australia:  * Lifeline Australia: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au  * Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au  * 1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732 or 1800respect.org.au  * Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 or kidshelpline.com.au  * SANE Australia: 1800 187 263 or sane.org   United States:  * National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE or RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) at rainn.org  * National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988  * Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741  * The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or nami.org  * Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or samhsa.gov   United Kingdom:  * National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247 or nationaldahelpline.org.uk  * Rape Crisis England & Wales: 0808 802 9999 or rapecrisis.org.uk  * Samaritans: 116 123 or samaritans.org  * Mind: 0300 123 3393 or mind.org.uk  * Shout Crisis Text Line: Text SHOUT to 85258  * NHS mental health services: via your GP or the NHS website.  

In this insightful conversation, Chris Germer talks about his journey in discovering and co-creating mindful self-compassion with Kristen Neff.   Chris shares his personal struggles with anxiety, shame and public speaking, and how practicing loving-kindness meditation transformed his experiences of fear and shame.   He discusses the complementary roles of self-compassion and mindfulness in managing intense emotions, describing the three key components: mindfulness, common humanity, and self-kindness.   We also explore the application of self-compassion in preventing burnout and enhancing caregiving, and discuss strategies for fostering compassion within organizations.   The conversation concludes with a guided self-compassion practice led by Chris, offering a practical tool for integrating these insights into daily life.     00:00 Introduction and Welcome   00:26 Discovering Self-Compassion   01:44 Overcoming Public Speaking Anxiety   06:55 The Role of Self-Compassion in Mindfulness   09:46 Components of Mindful Self-Compassion   13:59 Applying Self-Compassion in Daily Life   18:12 Self-Compassion for Caregivers and Burnout   22:49 Building a Compassionate Organization   29:04 Practical Advice for Difficult Times   36:46 Future Directions and New Projects   44:38 Guided Self-Compassion Practice   58:26 Closing Remarks  

Dr. Liz Stanley is a renowned expert in resilience, stress, and trauma recovery. As a professor at Georgetown University, she has dedicated her career to understanding the social structures that drive human behaviour, especially during times of stress and conflict. Dr. Stanley is the creator of Mindfulness-based Mind Fitness Training (MMFT®), a groundbreaking program that has been empirically validated to help individuals build resilience and recover from trauma. Recently, Dr. Stanley has been at the forefront of efforts to support the mental health recovery of those affected by the conflict in Ukraine. In collaboration with the Ukrainian Catholic University and Forest Glade Veterans Hospital, she has brought MMFT® to Ukraine, providing vital self-regulation skills to veterans, first responders, healthcare providers, and community leaders. Her work is empowering Ukrainians to support their own mental health amidst the ongoing challenges of war1. Dr. Stanley's compassionate approach and dedication to healing have made a profound impact on countless lives, offering hope and practical tools for recovery in some of the most challenging environments. Liz Stanley Home Page   Building Resilience: MMFIT's Impact and Insights with Liz Stanley   In this episode, the conversation covers substantial ground about personal and community-level actions to support individuals in crisis, focusing on the application of Mindfulness-based Mind Fitness Training (MMFIT) in conflict zones like Ukraine.   Dr Liz Stanley delves into the importance of contemplative traditions, somatic work and nueroscience to navigate challenging emotions. She provides extensive insights into working with veterans and civilians in Ukraine, highlighting the profound impact and necessity of MMFIT in aiding those dealing with PTSD and other trauma-related conditions.   Liz explains the science behind MMFIT and the critical role of self-compassion and attention management in stress regulation. The conversation also touches on the importance of collective regulation and how personal calmness can positively affect societal stress levels.   If listeners are inspired thay can support ongoing MMFIT projects, particularly those aiding Ukrainians in their recovery and resilience-building efforts.   00:00 Introduction to the Theme of the Show 01:01 Deep Work and Wisdom 01:32 Updates on MMFIT in Ukraine 02:11 Challenges Faced by Ukraine 03:34 Training and Translation Efforts 04:32 Impact of the War on Training 05:07 Reflections on the Work 09:15 Overview of MMFIT 12:40 Understanding the Brain's Response to Stress 18:42 The Importance of Self-Compassion 24:43 Allostatic Load and Its Effects 27:09 Internal Gaslighting 32:37 Practical Tools for Reducing Suffering 40:18 The Ripple Effect of Regulation 42:38 How to Support and Engage with the Work 44:33 Conclusion and Final Thoughts    

Transforming Lives with Self-Compassion and Mindfulness: An Interview with Dr. Shauna Shapiro.   In this heartfelt and insightful interview, Dr. Shauna Shapiro, a renowned psychologist and professor, shares her journey into the field of mindfulness and self-compassion, shaped significantly by a life-changing spinal surgery at age 17, Shauna discusses how she overcame pain and anxiety through mindfulness practice and devloping Self Compassion.   The conversation discusses her transformative experiences in Thailand and how these relate to the scientific foundations of self-compassion and neuroplasticity. Shauna explains how resistance to pain exacerbates suffering and the importance of cultivating emotional regulation and grounding techniques.   Through personal stories and practical advice, including the simple yet powerful practice of saying 'Good morning, I love you,' she illustrates the profound impact of these practices on mental and emotional well-being.   The interview also touches on innovative therapies like ketamine-assisted treatment for trauma, emphasizing that it is never too late to rewire our minds for greater happiness and fulfillment.   This conversation is a deep dive into the harmonious alignment of mindfulness, self-compassion, and the transformative effects of utlising these in our daily practice.   Books by Shauna (drshaunashapiro.com)   Articles by Shauna – Shauna Shapiro (drshaunashapiro.com)   Videos – Shauna Shapiro (drshaunashapiro.com)   00:00 Introduction and Welcome   00:45 Shauna Shapiro's Journey into Mindfulness   03:29 The Concept of Units of Suffering   05:34 Exploring Self-Compassion   09:20 The Power of Self-Love: 'Good Morning, I Love You'   13:59 The Practice of Self-Love   15:23 Understanding Negativity Bias   16:47 Managing Intense Emotions   18:42 The Power of Self-Compassion   22:49 Exploring Mind Bloom and Neuroplasticity   24:24 Final Thoughts and Resources  

Finding Meaning Amidst Chaos: A Journey Through Trauma,  Compassion and Healing In this moving episode,  I have a chat with freind of the show Ralph, who is a trauma therapist, meditation teacher and author.   Ralph shares candid details about his recent harrowing experience of facing sudden liver failure. Despite dealing with immense physical and emotional pain, he offers valuable insights on trauma, healing, and finding meaning even in the darkest times. We discuss the critical role of compassion, both self-directed and from others, in the recovery process.   The conversation also touches on the importance of creating something meaningful out of traumatic experiences, the power of community, and the human need to connect and be validated during periods of intense suffering.   This episode is a heartfelt tribute to resilience and the human spirit's capacity to turn pain into growth, and to Ralph's ongoing comitment to lessen suffering on the planet.     00:00 Warm Greetings and Catching Up 00:42 Navigating Emotional Turbulence 01:31 A Rollercoaster Journey 03:45 Facing a Health Crisis 07:52 Living with Illness 18:13 Understanding Trauma 26:58 Resuming Life Post-Isolation 27:19 A Chaotic Relationship and Polyamory 28:14 The Impact of Trauma and Context 30:17 Hospital Experience and Isolation 31:19 Support from Meditation Students 32:54 Therapy and Emotional Support 42:50 Navigating Suicidal Thoughts 45:27 Healing Through Compassion and Creativity 48:24 Forming a Band and Creative Outlets 50:40 Final Reflections and Gratitude  

Nikki Szabo is a dedicated and compassionate professional with over 25 years' experience in community welfare and the education sectors.  Nikki holds a graduate diploma in social science and a degree in Community Welfare from Southern Cross University, and has worked in various roles including program and project management, advocacy, wellbeing support and case management. At the Iris Foundation, Nikki is deeply involved in research, training and development.  She's passionate about delivering resilience based creative programs for children and young people, and she actively contributes to policy writing and evidence based research. Nikki's person centered and strengths-based approach has earned her a reputation for positively engaging individuals of all ages and facilitating meaningful outcomes and sessions.  As an accredited Mental Health First Aid Trainer and Resilience Trainer, Nikki is committed to promoting mental health awareness and resilience in the community. Her work aligns with her dedication to social justice. education and overall mental well being.  Nikki's also the reason that I decided to become a certified resilience coach.  

Dr. Jane Compson is an Associate Professor in Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences at the University of Washington, Tacoma. With a rich background in religious studies and ethics, she passionately applies insights from Buddhist traditions to contemporary contexts, including higher education, environmental education, and healthcare. Dr. Compson is a trained facilitator of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Compassion Cultivation Training, dedicated to enhancing well-being and resilience through her CARE program. Her commitment to community service and ethical engagement shines through her teaching and research, making her a beloved figure in both academic and local communities. Navigating the Intersection of Meditation, Trauma, and Compassion with Dr Jane Compson In this insightful episode, we welcome Jane, who delves into her transformative journey from Christian traditions to Buddhism and her extensive work in meditation and trauma. Jane shares personal experiences that spurred her spiritual inquiries.    She discusses the nuances and challenges of meditation, particularly when influenced by trauma, and the importance of recognizing these experiences rather than ignoring them. Jane introduces the Trauma Resiliency Model, emphasizing the need for somatic awareness and gentle approaches to trauma. She also highlights her development of the CARE model of self-care, which integrates compassion, awareness, resilience, and ethics, offering a balanced approach to personal wellbeing. This episode provides valuable perspectives on how to thoughtfully and compassionately approach meditation practices, especially for those who may be struggling with their mental health.   00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:16 Exploring Meditation and Mental Health 01:04 Jane's Journey into Contemplative Traditions 02:23 Personal Tragedy and Spiritual Questions 03:34 Discovering Buddhism 05:11 Academic Pursuits and Career Path 09:20 Meditation and Trauma 21:32 Understanding Trauma Resiliency 30:08 Understanding Trauma Resiliency 31:05 The Importance of Self-Care 32:14 Compassion and Mindfulness Training 34:09 Critiques and Context of Mindfulness 38:06 Introducing the CARE Model 41:58 Online and Community-Based Teaching 48:58 Final Thoughts and Reflections   Jane's linkedin page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-compson-2b1548162/ Jane's faculty page: https://faculty.washington.edu/jcompson/ Express interest in the CARE program: https://centerforcare.thinkific.com/ The Trauma Resource Institute: https://www.traumaresourceinstitute.com/ A really helpful resource for people how have had adverse meditation experience: https://www.cheetahhouse.org/    

The Transformative Journey of Venerable Robina Courtin: Insights from "Don't Quit On Me" Podcast The latest episode of "Don't Quit On Me," is an  an extraordinary conversation with Venerable Robina Courtin, a Buddhist nun whose life epitomizes the boundless potential of the human heart. Her journey from a rebellious youth in Melbourne, Australia, to becoming a beacon of wisdom and compassion in the Tibetan Gelugpa tradition is nothing short of inspirational. **A Beacon of Compassion and Wisdom** Born into a conventional background, Robina's early life was characterized by a relentless quest for truth and freedom. This journey took her from contemplating a life as a Carmelite nun through the pathways of feminist activism and prisoners' rights to eventually studying martial arts. However, it was the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism, discovered somewhat serendipitously, that resonated with her spirit of service and justice, marking the beginning of a profound transformation. Since her ordination in the late 1970s, Venerable Robina has dedicated her life to teaching and working tirelessly for the Foundation for Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition. Her editorial work and her leadership at the Liberation Prison Project have left an indelible mark on the spread of Buddhist teachings in the West. **The Path to Enlightenment through Adversity** Throughout the podcast, Robina shares her engaging life story, highlighting her transition from a "radical lesbian separatist feminist" to a devoted Buddhist nun. What stands out is her emphasis on using adversity as a path for enlightenment. Robina candidly speaks about her past, filled with exploration and rebellion, tracing her steps towards a life dedicated to the Dharma. Her journey is a testament to the transformative power of Buddhist practice, proving that enlightenment is accessible to all, regardless of their past. Robina's approachable teaching style continues to inspire students around the globe, embodying the essence of turning suffering into a path for spiritual awakening. **Meditation, Compassion, and the Power of Mind** The conversation around the importance of meditation, dealing with 'crazy energy', and understanding the nature of self. Robina eloquently describes the process of becoming aware of one's inherent 'crazy energy', learning to control one's behavior, and eventually harnessing this energy for productive actions. The conversation delves into the concepts of self-hatred and self-cherishing and explores how these seemingly contradictory feelings coexist within us. Robina draws from Buddhism's vast well of knowledge to explain these phenomena, highlighting the Buddha's teachings as a practical guide for transforming our minds. **In Practice: A Lesson from Prison** Perhaps the most moving part of the discussion is Robina's recount of Sunny Jacobs, author of "Stolen Time", a woman wrongly placed on death row, who embodies the principles of Buddhism by mastering the art of controlling her mind under dire circumstances. Sunny's story serves as a powerful illustration of the human capacity for resilience and transformation through the practice of mindfulness and compassion, even in the most challenging situations. Robina's reflections on the importance of compassion, both for oneself and others, and the practice of meditation offer deep insights into the path to liberation. Her life and teachings serve as a vivid reminder that the journey towards enlightenment is within reach for everyone, requiring only the willingness to embrace change and the dedication to pursue truth. **Conclusion** Venerable Robina appearance on "Don't Quit On Me" podcast offers a profound look into the life of a woman who has transformed her every trial into a step towards enlightenment. Her narrative is not just a story of personal triumph but a beacon of hope for anyone seeking to find peace, understanding, and compassion in their lives. Through her experiences, we learn that with mindfulness and determination, the path to spiritual awakening is a journey that all of us can undertake.

Rest and Recovery - the Keys for Long Term Success  Nick Propper is a sought after expert, keynote speaker and facilitator on the topic of building sustainable human performance. Nick works extensively within the senior leadership groups of some of the world's leading organizations, including Yale School of Medicine, Goldman Sachs, Procter & Gamble, Morgan Stanley, DaVita, G100, United States Ski & Snowboard Team, United States Air Force and the United States Federal Intelligence Community. Prior to co-founding Impact Human Performance, Nick was a leader at the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute. In this role Nick was both a performance Coach, leading clients through high impact programming in the fields of Energy Management and Resilience, and the lead for the Professional Service Business Unit. Before specializing in the Human Performance industry Nick held several senior leadership positions in a fifteen-year career at Omnicom, the world's leading holding company of marketing and communications agencies. After running agencies in the UK and Europe, Nick's last role was Global Chief Operating Officer and Chief Client Officer at Porter Novelli, a Global Communications Consultancy. Nick studied at Loughborough University in the UK where he earned a BA in European Business Administration and he remains an avid sportsman, spending his free time on the tennis court, on his road bike or skiing in the mountains with his family. Nick on LinkedIn Impact Human Performance – We help people perform at their best, more often. --- Contact Nick at Don't Quit on Me Podcast

Mark McConville is a seasoned comedian and a respected lecturer in Suicidology. With over two decades of experience in the entertainment industry, he has become one of Australia's most reliable and professional comedians. Mark's academic journey in mental health is equally impressive; he graduated from Griffith University with a Master's Degree in Suicidology and received the Griffith Award for Academic Excellence in 2016. His work now bridges the gap between laughter and serious discussions about mental health, emphasizing the power of humor in suicide prevention. As an Adjunct Lecturer at The Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, Mark continues to enlighten and engage audiences with his unique blend of comedy and compassion.   Mental Health Resources Lifeline 13 11 14 Beyond Blue 1300 22 46 36 - for online chat (3pm-12am AEST) or email responses within 24 hours MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78 Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 13 YARN 13 92 76 - 24/7 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people SANE Australia 1800 18 7263 headspace 1800 650 890 youthbeyondblue 1300 224 636 Veterans Support Service 1800 011 046 PANDA (perinatal anxiety and depression) 1300 726 306 The Eating Disorders Centre (eating disorders) (07) 3844 6055 Butterfly Foundation (eating disorders) 1800 334673 QLife (LGBTI) 1800 184 527 Griefline 1300 845 745 Grow Australia (support through peer groups) 1800 558 268 Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467 24-hour national telephone counselling and online service for people 18 years and over Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 Free confidential 24-hour telephone and online counselling for young people aged 5 to 25 years Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 24-hour telephone support and online chat service with links to local services e-headspace Online counselling for young people 12 to 25 years MindhealthconnectWebsite aggregates mental health resources and content from the leading health Blue Knot Helpline and Redress Support Service Supporting adult survivors of childhood trauma and adult survivors of institutional child sexual abuse around the National Redress Scheme Call 1300 657 380 helpline@blueknot.org.au 1800 Respect Support if you, or someone you know, is experiencing sexual assault or domestic and family violence. 1800 737 732 available 24/7 - Online chat - available 24/7 - 1800respect.org.au

 Maggie O'Shea is a relationship therapist and mental health social worker in private practice with over 30 years of experience in the field.  Maggie lives in Castlemaine in Australia and teaches Masters of Counselling students in Melbourne at Swinburne University and Relationships Australia. Maggie's practice MindfulPresence specializes in group-work and retreats for individuals and couples. She is trained and registered to teach the 8-week mindfulness based stress reduction and mindful self-compassion programs, as well as positive neuroplasticity, yoga, and Brene Brown's Daring Way and Rising Strong. She offers the Mindful Self Compassion program and her own Relationship Renew program live and online most school terms as well as transformative residential retreats for both individuals and couples in Australia and Bali. To find out more about Maggie and MindfulPresence, please go to her website: www.mindfulpresence.com.au     

Amber Lea Starfire is a writer and writing coach who has published two memoirs and several journaling how-to books. She has also developed a series of online classes and workshops that have helped many people journal and deepen their writing practice.  Amber says "Bringing truth and creativity into the world — and empowering others to do the same — is the work of my life. I truly believe that there is power in the story of people's lives. My work here combines what I've learned from a career in teaching and writing, an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from the University of San Francisco and an MA in Education from Stanford University, as well as more than two decades of developing an audience for my own life-writing. I'm fascinated with the unique path each writer takes in finding his or her voice. You can absolutely do this.  I'd love to know what project or inspiring idea has led you here! Let me know what you're working on and how I might support you. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Security does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than exposure. ~Helen Keller https://writingthroughlife.com/

Rick Hanson, Ph.D., is a psychologist, Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, and New York Times best-selling author. His seven books have been published in 31 languages and include Making Great Relationship, Neurodharma, Resilient, Hardwiring Happiness, Just One Thing, Buddha's Brain, and Mother Nurture - with over a million copies in English alone. He's the founder of the Global Compassion Coalition and the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, as well as the co-host of the Being Well podcast - which has been downloaded over 9 million times. His free newsletters have 250,000 subscribers, and his online programs have scholarships available for those with financial needs. He's lectured at NASA, Google, Oxford, and Harvard. An expert on positive neuroplasticity, his work has been featured on CBS, NPR, the BBC, and other major media. He began meditating in 1974 and has taught in meditation centers worldwide. He and his wife live in northern California and have two adult children. He loves the wilderness and taking a break from emails. https://www.rickhanson.net/ https://www.globalcompassioncoalition.org/  

“ … it's really fascinating actually like the human, at the biological level at the psychological level, we are built to tolerate pain, and we're built to grow stronger from enduring difficulty, we're actually made for it. That's like how it works. Joy matters too - don't get me wrong, you know, but the difficult stuff is always there. So, we might as well get good at utilizing that end of the spectrum as well.” Ralph De La Rosa   Music with kind permission from Krishna Das https://www.krishnadas.com/ Gathering in the light-Om-Narayani. Krishna Das. https://krishnadasmusic.com/collections/music/products/gathering-in-the-light   What is this and why read or listen? What follows is an exploration of my journey of living with chronic pain and accompanying mental health challenges. I now understand, the experience of mental ill health has contributed to the degree and severity with which I have felt this pain.   I started collating my thoughts around the idea of exploring chronic physical pain, and how meditation might help as an intervention to assist people living with these conditions, to experience less suffering. As we will discuss in a bit, pain, whether is physical, emotional, or social, is experienced in similar parts of the brain. So is you know someone who experiences any of these challenges, there may be something in here that might help.   So primarily, we will look at how using a meditative practice might help to reduce suffering, reclaim access to moments of joy and openness and foster the ability to be able to pursue a life worth living, in the presence of pain. Someone once sent me a post on social media with a picture and a quote saying “Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.” I was near vomiting with a migraine at the time, so there was no dancing to be done and the message was not received with the love it was sent with.   I think it's important to mention that there is no part of my life that living with chronic pain has not affected. I remember sitting in a psychologist's office on the North Side of Brisbane, and I was quiet for quite a while, trying to curate the thoughts so that I could adequately relay how desperate I felt, but not so much so that I have a short involuntary time in hospital. The words that came out of my mouth spoke to the total sense of loss that I felt as a result of living with chronic pain and the ‘things' that I was not able to do or participate in as a result – “Am I even lovable?” I choked out, in tears. I am not sure what my psychologist answered.   In mental health circles they often talk about the biopsychosocial contributors to understanding mental ill health, and that a clear understanding of these can be the bedrock to solid recovery. It's fair to say and not at all dramatic to say that living with chronic pain for the last 14 years has nearly cost me my life, my marriage, and my grip on sanity. So, the fact that I am writing this, and that this episode is being produced is testament to the fact that recovery is definitely possible.   Recovery as I've come to understand it is a concept which is defined by each person as to how they might like to live despite the challenges they face, be they mental health, chronic physical health or other challenge.   Having a living experience of chronic and persistent pain, has also come with many gifts. This is one of the reasons for this episode - I would like to be able to pass these gifts forward so that hopefully, wherever you are on your journey, whether it's living with chronic pain, mental health or other challenge, that you may find a point of resonance here and maybe a tool that you can add to your toolkit. The second reason is that this forms part of an assessment for an advanced diploma in meditation. Having skin in the game as it were, I feel like I may have a bit of an advantage, by way of lived experience. However this works meets you, may you be well, play be happy may you be safe and may you live at ease of heart with whatever comes to you in life.   “What counts in battle is what you do when the pain sets in.” John Short   The quote above comes from a book that I read about 14 years ago from Dean Karnases called Ultra Marathon Man. In the book Dean talks about nearing the end of one of the ultra marathons, that he ran, with several injuries and nothing left in the tank. Dean's dad offers some advice and empathy, but as he's about to walk away he says “what counts in battle is what you do when the pain sets in”. This has become somewhat of a guidepost for me,  as I explored the terrain chronic physical and emotional pain.   Towards the end, I will include a selection of resources and links. In hosting the Don't Quit on Me podcast, I have spoken with a variety of subject matter experts, in an effort to understand ways to navigate intense stress and pain, in the most intelligently, i.e with the least amount of suffering possible.   A key point from the show comes to mind, talked about by Dr Dan Harvey and Insight Meditation teacher Sebene Selassie, about the experience of emotional, social pain and physical pain being processed in similar parts of the brain. In my very limited understanding, this means that tools that help to reduce suffering for physical pain, may also be useful for the experience of social and emotional pain.   Skin in the Game   “It is indeed a radical act of love just to sit down and be quiet for a time by yourself”. Jon Kabat-Zinn   It's just after 4am and the birds are starting to sing. First one … then another… during the dawn chorus their songs seem louder, livelier and more urgent than during the day. Maybe they seize this space to sing, before the noise of the day can interrupt their beautiful, melodic songs that call each day in to being.   I am awake at this time most mornings. This morning a sequence of experiences; a conjoined blur - pain from a decent tension headache that has been hanging around for days, coupled with pain from fibromyalgia, panic and it's cousin a dense cognitive fog – the residue of a nightmare – I still sense, something dark, very close, too close to see, temporarily I can't move.   As consciousness returns, and with-it, limited movement, I go through the morning ritual, an attempt to ease the pain and fog, and see how much I am able to function and extract from the day. Off to the loo, two bottles of water and then into a portable infrared sauna, to warm up the heaviness living in the muscles and connective tissue, and with any luck subdue the constant companion. Infrared Sauna is also starting to be looked at as a tool for living with chronic pain conditions. (Tsagkaris et al., 2022)   I have a living experience with chronic migraines, tension headaches and fibromyalgia, something that has been around for roughly the last 14 years. Each day is a balancing act between the pain, the anxiety caused by the pain, my energy levels, and as I am beginning to understand and will touch on later, any sense of imminent danger that I may perceive. Each day, an attempt to balance accomplishment without overtaxing a system in survival mode, so much that I pay for it for the coming days.   There are a couple of reasons why the pain may have become such a permanent fixture in my life, and I'll explore them briefly, but one thing I have noticed, is that focusing on why is nowhere near as helpful as what now. If I look back for a point of origin with the physical pain several things happened around the time it started; my mom's passed away, I also trained for a marathon, before which I came down with a respiratory virus. Post race I had blood work done which showed Ross River virus and another virus had been present in my system but were not currently active. I am also a survivor childhood trauma which in and of itself heightens someone's baseline perception of threat and as we'll explore can accentuate and amplify the body's attempt to report pain signals. There is also a strong correlation between trauma survivors and chronic pain sufferers (Asmundson, PTSD and the experience of pain: Research and clinical implications of shared vulnerability and mutual maintenance models).   In 1994 Dr Paul brand wrote the book Pain the Gift That Nobody Wants, describing his work with leprosy patients in India, and the essential role that pain has in keeping us safe. Without , he argues, we would be exposed to an unacceptable level of danger, leaving us devoid of mechanisms to warn us of impending threat.   If I think about my own experience, this is certainly a truism - pain by its very nature, and the way we experience it, is deeply unpleasant, very real, and is designed to get our attention and cause us to recoil. It is a message for us to act, to protect ourselves from the perceived threat. What happens through, when these signals fall out of calibration, when they report pain too loudly or for too long - when there is no longer a present threat that requires us to act, or the message we are receiving is disproportionate to the threat?   This is something I have sat with and worked through for many years, leading to this exploration of how the practice of meditation may be helpful to those, like me, who live with chronic pain.   As I said earlier, through hosting the Don't Quit on Me podcast I have had the opportunity to ask many people for their insights about the nature of pain, and why creating mental space around the experience of pain can reduce suffering. I have also looked at the links between how we experience physical pain and emotional pain, and how they are felt in similar parts of the brain.   Can meditation really help with pain? An article published in May 2023 on Healthline.com, looked at exactly this, Meditation for Chronic Pain Management and, spoiler alert, they found, amongst other things, the following three key points:   “A 2018 study of meditation, mindfulness, and the brain suggested that in the long term, meditation can change the structure of your brain. The resulting change in cortical thickness in some brain areas makes you less pain-sensitive. The neural mechanisms meditation uses to modify pain are different from those used by other techniques. For example, a 2012 studyTrusted Source determined that meditation promoted cognitive disengagement and an increased sensory processing of the actual pain. Meditation also induces the body's own opioid system. A very small, randomized, double-blind study from 2016 used the opioid blocker naloxone or a placebo and studied pain reduction with meditation. The group with the placebo experienced significantly less pain than the group that had the opioid blocker. Research is ongoing to look at the exact physiological mechanisms involved with meditation.” (Hecht, 2020)   That Sounds Painful   What is Pain?   Dr Dan Harvey is a Lecturer in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy and a pain scientist at the University of South Australia.  Along with Dr Lorimer Moseley, Dan is an author of the book 'Pain and The Nature of Perception: A New Way to Look at Pain' which uses visual illusions to describe features of perception that are relevant to understanding and treating pain. Dan holds a Masters of Musculoskeletal and Sports Physiotherapy, a chronic pain focussed PhD, and serves on the education committees for the Australian Pain Society and Pain Revolution. Below is and excerpt from my interview with Dan (Coriat, Dr Daniel Harvey - The path through pain 2022): I asked Dan about his preferred definition for pain. Dan said “ the official definition from the international association for the study of pain, “Pain is an unpleasant, sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage.”” He went on to say: “... I prefer a simpler definition, which is just something that's unpleasant that has a location to it. The location part is what distinguishes pain from other unpleasant experiences. I guess anxiety for example is very unpleasant, but you can't point to it. You know, you could simplify my definition even further … It's (pain) something unpleasant you can point to. Because it's certainly unpleasant, but it's unique from other unpleasant experiences, in that it actually has a location, usually in the body, but obviously the exception to that is something like phantom limb pain. You can still point to the pain, but you are effectively pointing in mid air. Because you're experiencing it in a location of the body which no longer exists.”   The Mental and Psychological Experience of Pain   I asked Dan about the similarities between psychological and physical pain. “There's a lot of overlap. … one of the early discoveries when we started using imaging techniques to see what was happening in the brain of people in pain, was that we discovered that there is no one pain area, but rather it's many different areas that seem to be active. And there's something about that combination of brain areas that gives rise to the experience. Many of those areas that are active overlap with areas associated with anxiety and fear and other unpleasant experiences. And I guess that's one reason why we might see a higher prevalence of persistent pain problems in people who tend to be higher in trait, anxiety and depression, and maybe even have clinical levels of anxiety and depression. We think there's some sense in which brain areas that are active, and resulting in anxiety, facilitate the networks associated with pain and sort of have this facilitating effect.   On this point, when I spoke with much loved Insight Meditation teacher Sebene Selassie, I asked her the following question (Coriat, Dr Daniel Harvey - The path through pain 2022):   Nick: “I've heard you say in an interview. You were talking about the pain you experienced during cancer, and how it started to become a predictive response, you would feel some pain and you would assume that that would continue, and it would be without break. However, when you deepened your practice, you discovered that you could find spaces between the pain. Could you talk about this. And also, I think if there's a link to how many of us are experiencing pain, and when we do feel pain, obviously there's an instinctual response to assume it's going to be ongoing and be to kind of self-medicate...”   Sebene: “I could talk about physical pain, and just to name that this is true for social pain as well, because actually, our brains process them in the same way. So physical pain and social pain are processed in the same parts of the brain. So, you know, our perceptions of them are really similar and so predicated on what's happened in the past. You know, we build kind of our perceptual reality based on what we've seen before. So, you know, I have a mic in front of me, if I've never seen a mic before, you know, but then I learned what it is every time I see something shaped like this, I'm going to assume it's a mic, and I don't have to kind of go through the relearning process to figure it out. Our brain kind of builds up that knowing something, and that's useful for a lot of things, but it's not very useful in kind of a moment-to-moment sensory experience of a sensation or emotion, or, other people's emotions or speech or relationship with us. And so again, whether it's physical pain or social pain, like our interactions with others, we really want to develop, through this capacity of mindfulness, of embodied awareness of what's happening, the capacity to sense what's happening moment to moment. Instead of, you know, I see Nick and the last time Nick and I met, you know, we had a little bit of a misunderstanding, and now I'm going to interpret every different look of his as some kind of critique of me. Rather than meeting you fresh and deciding, you know, Nick has bad days too, and I'm gonna see what today brings rather than the assumption of, you know, what my experience has been in the past.  And that's what I experienced with physical pain that I went through some periods of really, really painful surgeries or treatments or emergency conditions that emerged in my body and even lying in the hospital or at home experiencing this pain, I could kind of predictably assume, oh, there's that sensation in my belly. I know what that's going to lead to. And so, start to kind of almost anticipate and tense and create more tension and pain and not really have a moment to moment kind of intimate experience of what was happening. And when I could slow down, actually connect to this embodied awareness, feel the sensation in my belly, I could see that, Oh yeah, it's this throbbing strong pain, but now it's actually dissipated.  When I breathe really deeply, actually it creates some space there and now my foot's going numb. I actually don't even really feel this pain in my belly right now. So, rather than having kind of this fixated fear, tense attention to things there internally our own physical or emotional experience, or externally what's going on with someone, we kind of create more spaciousness, create kind of more awareness, bring some relaxation and ease to what's happening, and that can often change everything for us.”   The Mechanisms of Pain   Back to the chat with Dan, I asked him if there was a simple way to understand the mechanisms that drive or report the experience of pain. “I'm not sure if there's a simple way, but a way we like to break it down in the physio program is thinking about inputs, processing and outputs. So, what this does is just let you think about the different components that might be happening in the background that lead to an experience of pain. The input is (comprises) the information that arrives at the brain, so some of that information comes through nerves in the body. Some of it also comes through our eyes and ears, because our brain is always gathering data, about what's happening in our bodies and what's happening in the world. So, we can refer to those things as inputs. Of course, information from the body is really important, particularly in acute pain. But the other inputs are also really important. I could give an example there. A paper cut might hurt extraordinarily, but someone could actually fracture a bone in their foot, in a football game and not notice it. So, there's something about the totality of data, not just the information itself from the body, but what it's combined with at a given time. So that's the inputs. The processing is about what's happening in the brain. So, how is the brain interpreting that data, and how's it making sense of it. In order to make sense of it, the brain considers not just the inputs, but also, what those inputs mean with respect to information that's already stored in the brain, from past experience, from knowledge, from what the doctor told you, from what you read on a scan, all of these things are also influential, when the brain is interpreting what's happening in the body. So, all of those things can potentially have an influence as well. So that's inputs and processing. Then we can think about outputs. And these days we actually think about pain as an output because anatomical textbooks used to describe pain as an input from the body in the quote unquote pain nerves, which we now call nociceptors or danger detectors. But the pain isn't pain until we experience it. And so, because of that fact, we tend to think of it as an output. My physio students always say an output to where though? And I think that the best way to phrase that is it's an output from our brains into our conscious awareness -  and that's much more philosophical than it is scientific, but I think we know so little about the brain that sometimes philosophy is the best way to explain and articulate these sort of things. You know, pain exists amongst a range of outputs. So often when you have pain, you also have some level of fear about it. You might have muscle tension associated with it, along with stress responses, go hormonal responses like cortisol, and then that can interact with the immune system. And so what's happening there can then feed back into the system in a sort of circular way.”       Reality leaves a lot to the imagination.   I asked Dan about a quote that iI heard him make in a lecture “Reality leaves a lot to the imagination. ” I think some background to this is that the brain is bombarded with so much sensory information at a given time, that it needs some sort of method to make sense of all that data, because there remember what comes to the brain from our sensors is merely electrical impulses. It's  (the brain's) task is to filter out the irrelevant ones and make sense of the relevant ones. What seems to seems to be happening is the brain uses its past experience and knowledge that it already has stored to determine what's the irrelevant information that it can filter out, and how it might make sense of the relevant information and give us feelings and perceptions that help us make sense of the world and our bodies and help to guide our actions in a way that you know, helps us to flourish and promotes our survival and all that. So again, it's quite, it's quite philosophical … I think there's still a lot to be drawn out of that way of thinking that can help people with pain. I think we are really just at the start of that. I guess it's only fairly recently that we've moved from continuing to look for some ‘Magic bullet' or some specific problem in the body. We've started to open our minds to looking more broadly about what's happening in the immune system and in the brain and our perceptual system more broadly.”   A New Reality? Based on what Dan was saying it's interesting to also note that a study in 2018 at Harvard showed that short daily doses of meditation can literally grow the grey matter in the areas of the brain associated with self-awareness and self-compassion, and can reduce the grey matter in the parts of the brain associated with stress. This to me and, obviously to the researchers is incredibly promising for those who are walking a path accompanied by pain of any kind - that a no/low cost intervention, that is simple to instigate, with little known side effects, can have this profound an effect. (Powell, Harvard researchers study how mindfulness may change the brain in depressed patients 2018) What is Meditation?   Meditation sort of hit me in the face in the late ‘90s. I was working at a bank at the time, as a technical writer, and was experiencing what I have now come to understand as early signs of a severe depression episode. I wondered up the Queen Street mall in Brisbane, and there was a Virgin Music Store off to left. In there they had listening stations with a selection of some of the newest CDs to have a listen to. This lunch break I felt like I was about to break. I made my way in to the classical room which was sectioned off from the rest of the store by a glass wall. On one stand was a CD by a fella called Robert Gass, singing, with his choir, Om. The primordial syllable over and over for about 30 minutes. As I pushed passed the initial boredom, I was transported to a world where things were calm, still and all that was present was this moment. What is meditation? Well, it depends on who you ask. After having asked many people for definitions of what meditation and mindfulness are one definition of Mindfulness shared by Dr Christine Runyan I loved for it's simplicity and humanness. Christine is a clinical health psychologist, Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and the Co-Founder of Tend Health. Christine is also a mindfulness teacher at the University of Massachusetts Centre for Mindfulness. I asked Christine during the show how she defines Mindfulness, and what it meant to her: (Coriat, Dr Christine Runyan - Mental Health and covid - On Forgiveness and Healing 2021) Christine: “So, I define mindfulness both as present moment awareness, but I add the quality of compassion, if you will. You know compassion is often a term we think of around the presence of suffering.  All our present moment experiences don't include suffering, so in moments where there are, I would say present moment with awareness with compassion, and maybe if there's not suffering, present moment awareness with kindness. I think that standard Jon Kabat-Zinn definition is without judgment. I find that whether you're parenting a child or sort of teaching an animal something, offering something to do rather than not to do can be a little more helpful right? So instead of don't do this, rather offer an instruction of something to do, and I've really come to that. And in my work, MBCT is a treatment for people who have recurrent depression and there is amount of judgment and self-judgment that comes alongside recurrent depression and experiencing that phenomenon. And so it can be a hard stop, cause it's sort of like they don't have a frame for how to be in a way that doesn't include self-judgment, so instead kind of an invitation to sort of have that present moment awareness with kindness can be an invitation of something to add rather than something not to do, because as soon as you sort of have that without judgment and people notice that they judge, you know then you start down the rabbit hole of judgment. So that's how I define it.”   Another description about what meditation is, comes from one of my favourite Buddhist teachers Pema Chodron. “Meditation is a process of lightning up, of trusting the basic goodness of what we have and who we are, and of realising that any wisdom that exists, exists in what we already have. We can lead our life so as to become more awake to who we are and what we're doing rather than trying to improve or change or get rid of who we are or what we're doing. The key is to wake up, to become more alert, more inquisitive and curious about ourselves.” There are a couple of points that I particularly like about what Pema said: 1)     We are already wise, despite what our inner monologue may tell us, and the limitations that the experience of being in pain has led us to believe. 2)     Many of us are sort of asleep to what's going on in our lives. This is understandable in the presence of persistent pain. One of the initial ways to deal with the constant onslaught of noxious stimuli is to literally disassociate from what's going on in the body. A critical part of the healing journey Is to become aware of the sensations in our body and learn to meet them with curiosity instead of an inbuilt narrative and catastrophizing. 3)     Curiosity and not self-condemnation is one of the keys to loosening the shackles of self-imposed suffering.   And lastly, I feel that no discussion on a definition of meditation would be complete without a word from one of the founders of insight meditation in the West. Sharon Salzberg is a meditation pioneer, world-renowned teacher, and New York Times bestselling author. She is one of the first to bring mindfulness and lovingkindness meditation to mainstream American culture over 45 years ago, inspiring generations of meditation teachers and wellness influencers. I spoke with Sharon in November of last year and asked her what is the invitation that meditation offers.   “Well, right from the beginning, I am going to introduce the idea of meditation as a skills training.  And the first night of the first retreat, (that Sharon attended) which is 10 days long, he said, the Buddha did not teach Buddhism. The Buddha taught way of life. And that's exactly what I was looking for. You know, he said, this is open to anybody. Maybe you belong to a different faith tradition. Maybe you don't really, feel drawn to faith traditions. Doesn't matter, it's a practice and, and it's like a muscle group. You exercise, you know, So the first skill is really concentration or stabilizing attention somewhat. Most of us would say we're kind of all over the place. You sit down to think something through, and you're gone, you're just gone. And our minds jump to the past, or the future and we're anxious and we're just all over the place. And what we do in concentration training, as we gather our attention, we bring it together and we rest, we settle. So, there's a very different sense of centeredness and settledness and just kind of stability in awareness. And then there's mindfulness training, which is kind of like the word of the hour, which can mean many different things. It does mean many things. And I like to think of mindfulness as a quality of awareness where our attention to what's happening in the present moment, our perception of what's happening in the present moment is not so distorted by bias, like old fears - I should never let myself feel this thing. Or many times something happens, especially let's say, it's discomfort in the body, or we feel a shattered expectation, or we feel disappointment, or heartache. We start projecting it into the future. Like, what's it gonna feel like tomorrow? It'll be even worse. What's gonna feel like next week? What's gonna feel like next month? And before we knew it, we've got like a whole lifetime of anticipated struggle as well as what's actually going on right now - that makes it of course, much harder. So, there are a lot of ways in which we have filters or we have distortions of our perception and what we learn to do is relinquish the hold of those things so we're left with what's actually happening and that's why mindfulness is set to be the vehicle for inside understanding. You know, instead of being all caught up in like fighting our experience or being overwhelmed by our experience, we can take a look at our experience and have a very different view of it and mixed up in there always both as a kind of a constituent element and later as a fruition or a benefit is loving kindness or kindness. I don't think you can actually do these practices well without, in a sneaky way, developing some loving kindness, even if it's never talked about. It's like, the fundamental exercise in many systems. Even if they grow and they change and it becomes a much more elaborate kind of practice. The foundational note, which we keep coming back to again and again, is usually choosing an object of awareness, like I'd say the feeling of the breath, the sensation of the in and out breath, resting our attention on that object, and then when our attention wanders, which it will, learning how to gently let go and come back. That sounds easy. Isn't that easy? You know? Because the great temptation as soon as we realize, oh, I'm not with the breath, is to judge ourselves and be down on ourselves, and berate ourselves and feel like a failure. You know, to actually let go and start over means there's a good degree of self-compassion that's developing also, even if we never name it that, even if we didn't even realize that it's happening, and so, to do any of these things well means that's cooking also. So, it will be there, it has to be there. And then of course it is like a fruition because the more we see, yeah, this is not just me, you know, it's like that sense of isolation was another addon. There was something else I plopped on top of what was going on. I don't need to do that. The more we see this is the human condition we're all trying, we're all kind of a mess, you know? Uh, and we wish ourselves well. We wish others well. That starts to get more and more natural.”   My Journey with Meditation    I first started a meditation practice through attending a yoga class. I was having a chat with the teacher at the end of the class, and I asked her for some tips on navigating the pain and suffering that I was going through, without overdoing it. She asked if I had experienced Kirtan before. I hadn't but heard in her explanation the word meditation, and this was something I wanted to explore more, as my sister had sent me a copy of the Jon Kabbat Zin book Full Catastrophy Living a few years earlier and the promise of stillness or calm inside stressful moments was very appealing. At the time I had an orange VW bus which I drove up to a yoga school just on the outskirts of Eumundi and enjoyed one of the strangest and yet most profound evenings that I've ever had. I was both fearful and intrigued, and at one point was wondering whether it should be experienced closed or eyes open, so as not to miss what was going on. As I closed my eyes, I could see a white light connecting all of our foreheads together. Powerful and strange. Given that this was my first ‘go' at it, I made my excuses and jumped in the van to go home, a little bit freaked out but pleasantly so. In retrospect I wonder what might have happened if I'd stayed. However I listened to a CD that I had bought from the studio at the beginning of the chant, all the way home and was instantly hooked. I bought a couple of yoga magazines and found out that Krishna Das was coming to Australia, immediately booked in for a workshop and Kirtan on two separate days at Palmwoods on the sunshine coast in QLD. Again I started the weekend in a decent amount of pain and experiencing very high levels of anxiety and severe depression, however by the end of the weekend I was beaming and felt such a strong bond to the people who I had been chanting with. It was quite unfathomable. I have a beautiful picture of myself with Krishna Das at the end the weekend. For many years mantra repetition became my default meditation. Something that I could pull out of my back pocket whether I was at work at home or out and about, a non pharmaceutical intervention that helped to center me and bring me out of the tyrany of cascading thoughts and more in to this moment – the only moment in which we have any say about what goes on. Many years later I interviewed KD for a book and he mentioned a quote by the Indian sage Ramana Maharishi; He said ‘“The only freedom we have is in the moment. How we meet each moment, how we meet each experience.” All the practices we do, bring us more into the moment, give us more of a sense of confidence in ourselves, and in just being. And from that deeper place, we can meet all the difficult things that come to us in life and all of the wonderful things that come to us in life, without being totally washed away by them or absorbed in them or lost in them. We can enjoy the beautiful things and we can allow the unhappy things to exist and pass away again.'   Now it's probably imprtant to clarify, mostly for my own understanding as I mix the two up, the difference between Kirtan and bhakti. Kirtan and bhakti are both related to the devotional singing of mantras, sacred names or praises of the divine. However, they are not exactly the same.   Kirtan is a form of call-and-response chanting that involves a leader and a group of participants. The leader sings a line of a mantra, and the group repeats it back. Kirtan is usually accompanied by musical instruments such as harmonium, tabla, mridanga, etc. Kirtan is a way of expressing love and devotion to the divine through sound and music. Kirtan can also help to cut through the illusion of separation and connect to the heart and the present moment.   Bhakti is a Sanskrit word that means “love, devotion, faith, loyalty, attachment”. Bhakti is one of the paths of yoga that focuses on cultivating a personal relationship with the divine through various practices such as kirtan, bhajan, japa, puja, etc. Bhakti is also a philosophical and theological concept that describes the nature of devotion and surrender to the supreme reality.   One of the differences between kirtan and bhakti is that kirtan is a specific practice or technique of bhakti, while bhakti is a broader term that encompasses various forms of devotion. Another difference is that kirtan is usually performed in a group setting, while bhakti can be practiced individually or collectively. A third difference is that kirtan follows a structured format of call-and-response, while bhakti can be more spontaneous and creative in expressing one's feelings and emotions.   KD also says of chant more generally ““It's like an older, deeper, bigger being. It's a space, a presence, a feeling. These names are the names of that place inside of us that is love, pure being, pure awareness, pure joy.” Kirtan—and other forms of mantra practice, such as seated meditation—help us uncover that place inside of us, he says: “our true nature.” (Kripalu Centre for Yoga and Health, 2021)     Over the follwing years I have adopted a fluid approach to meditation, utilising practices from Vedic, Buddhist and some secular Mindfulness traditions, and varying types of breathwork grounding and awareness of sound meditations. The important point to mention here is, I feel that, as a person living with pain, the last thing you probably need in your life is another stick to beat yourself with about what you should be doing. I think if the promise of a clamer mind, less catastrophising and less pain resonates with you, look for and try something that makes sense, or feels good you. Or more eloquently from the Buddha's teachings: “Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumoured by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”     Self Compassion   Before we have a go at a practice to draw this to a close, it's essential to add a point that I touched on very briefly before, and that's the point of self-compassion. The most succinct way I've heard described, was by Liz Stanley: “I would just say it's really important (for listeners) to recognize that one of the ways we actually make things worse for ourselves, is when we let our thinking brains judgments about what might be going on in our mind and body, kind of get stuck because those judgements actually make things worse. So, to give an example, if somebody is experiencing chronic pain, and they're feeling self-judgment, or shame, or impatience, or anger, about the fact that they are feeling chronic pain, that kind of judgment and any narrative that the thinking brain might be kicking up around it ‘it shouldn't be this way', you know it was doing better, I should have done my exercises, any sort of stories that might be there, when the thinking brain does that, the survival brain perceives those thinking brain judgements as threatening. And so, it turns on even more stress arousal. So, if someone's experiencing discomfort and then they're judging it, they're actually making that stress arousal. Likewise, we often have habits to compare what's going on in us with someone else. Like we might experience a wave of anxiety about an upcoming test or something. And then the thinking brain's like, well, I shouldn't be anxious about that, that's not really a big deal. You know, this other person, well, they're dealing with this and this and this and this in comparison, what I'm dealing with is really not a problem. You can hear the judgment in that. And when the thinking brain starts, those kinds of comparing thoughts that devalue what's going on in our body, again, the survival brain finds that challenging, and it will turn on more stress arousal. So as much as possible, if someone is experiencing a wave of emotion or a wave of stress or defaulting to engage in a coping mechanism that they might not want to be engaging in, a habit they wish they could break - as much as possible just meet that experience with some kindness, and see if you can set that judging aside, because the judging is only making it worse. It's only making the, the survival brain that much more amped up.” (Coriat, Dr Christine Runyan - Mental Health and covid - on forgiveness and healing 2021)   That's the last thing I really wanted to say, Nick, because I know it's something I really struggled with”   Practice     References   Music throughout the podcast Das, K. (2007). Gathering in the light-Om-Narayani. Krishna Das. https://krishnadasmusic.com/collections/music/products/gathering-in-the-light   Other References Haggai et al, S. (2016, July). Mindfulness meditation modulates pain through endogenous opioids. The American Journal of Medicine. https://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(16)30302-3/fulltext Zeidan et al., F. (2023, February). Disentangling self from pain: mindfulness meditation–induced pain relief is driven by thalamic–default mode network decoupling. Journal for the International Association for Pain. https://journals.lww.com/pain/Fulltext/2023/02000/Disentangling_self_from_pain__mindfulness.8.aspx Powell, A. (2018, August 27). Harvard researchers study how mindfulness may change the brain in depressed patients. Harvard Gazette. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2018/04/harvard-researchers-study-how-mindfulness-may-change-the-brain-in-depressed-patients/   Tsagkaris, C., Papazoglou, A. S., Eleftheriades, A., Tsakopoulos, S., Alexiou, A., Găman, M.-A., & Moysidis, D. V. (2022, March 14). Infrared radiation in the management of musculoskeletal conditions and chronic pain: A systematic review. European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8946909/   Hecht, M. (2020, September 4). Meditation for pain relief: What to know & how to try it. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/meditation-for-chronic-pain   Asmundson, G. J. (2022, December 2). PTSD and the experience of pain: Research and clinical implications of shared vulnerability and mutual maintenance models. Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12553128/   Coriat, N. (2022, October 20). Dr Daniel Harvey - The path through pain. Don't Quit on Me. https://www.podpage.com/dont-quit-on-me/dr-daniel-harvey-the-path-through-pain/   Coriat, N. (2021, March 11). Sebene Selassie - belonging in an age of disconnect. Don't Quit on Me. https://www.podpage.com/dont-quit-on-me/s1e3   Coriat, N. (2021, December 31). Dr Christine Runyan - Mental Health and covid - on forgiveness and healing. Don't Quit on Me. https://www.dontquiton.me/dr-christine-runyan-mental-health-and-covid-on-forgiveness-and-healing/   Center for Yoga and Health, K. (2021, July 11). The Beginners' Guide to Kirtan and Mantra. Kripalu. https://kripalu.org/resources/beginners-guide-kirtan-and-mantra

 Deon Bird is a husband, a father of four, an ex professional rugby league player, a mental health advocate, a proud Aboriginal man, a trainer, a coach, and one of the wellbeing and education officers at the Redcliffe Dolphins for both the NRL team and the state league. Deon says that he once thought that he was put on this earth to play rugby league, but through becoming a mentor for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, Deon realized his true purpose, assisting people to develop self awareness and build skills to navigate challenging times, in particular, Indigenous youth. Deon's professional rugby league career spanned 11 years, starting with the Brisbane Broncos in 1994, before travelling to England and France to play there. Now three of Deon's kids are playing rugby, and he's working hard to assist in creating a pathway NRLW.

James N. Kirby, Ph.D., is a Senior Lecturer, Clinical Psychologist, and the Co-Director of the Compassionate Mind Research Group at the University of Queensland. He has broad research interests in compassion, but specifically examines factors that facilitate and inhibit compassionate responding. He also examines the clinical effectiveness of compassion focused interventions, specifically in how they help with self-criticism and shame that underpin many depression and anxiety disorders. James also holds a Visiting Fellowship at the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University and is an Honorary Member of the Compassionate Mind Foundation UK. In 2022 he authored Choose Compassion, and in 2020 he co-edited Making an Impact on Mental Health. He serves as an Associate Editor for two international journals Mindfulness and Psychology & Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice.

 Edwina Kempe lives and works on Turrbal, Jajera and Jinibarra Country in Meanjin, also known as Brisbane. Edwina is an accredited mental health social worker and a qualified yoga teacher. Edwina's, also qualified in trauma center, trauma sensitive yoga as a facilitator, trainer, and mentor. Her framework is trauma informed and committed to social justice issues that underpin her work. Having worked in the community sector in a range of service environments, including homelessness, refugee health, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, and Women's Services, Edwina currently offers canceling trauma sensitive yoga. Supervision and training online and in Red Hill in Brisbane. Edwina believes connection to self and others through the body can provide a pathway to healing and feels privileged to support individuals. Through a safer integrated approach to treatment. This treatment facilitates connection with themselves, their bodies, and also with others as they guide their own personal healing journey or professional development.   https://www.edwinakempe.com.au/

Kelly Boys is a mindfulness trainer and author of The Blind Spot Effect. She has created mindfulness programs for UN humanitarians and veterans with PTSD, and directed a teacher training for Google. She has worked with the United Nations Foundation, Search Inside Yourself Institute, and the Integrative Restoration Institute, and is the founding advisor for the Simple Habit meditation app. She currently works with the Foundation for a Mindful Society helping to grow their Mindful Cities program. Kelly is a warm & insightful human, with a huge amount of experience in utilising and sharing meditation and compassion based tools in the most intense arenas. I hope you enjoy the chat. If you feel moved to provide support to the show, please get in touch on Instagram at dontquiton.me Find Kelly at: https://www.kellyboys.org/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnTQCQQSelxQnJ7XrI32UyA https://www.instagram.com/kelly.boys/  

Dr Jakqui Barnfield FACMHN, MACN - Director of Clinical Services   As a registered nurse, focusing her career in the area of mental health, Jakqui has held various roles in the tertiary public health sector and is a passionate advocate for mental health and suicide prevention. She is committed to holistic care, ensuring services strive to meet the needs of consumers, their families and our community. With over ten years' experience as a Director of Nursing and Operations, she specialises in innovation, strategy implementation and supervision with a strong focus on quality and safety. She is an avid reader of texts that blend scholarship and praxis with content and context that ranges from leadership to clinical practice to research and innovation. Her PhD study focused on experiences of both nurses and consumers when faced with caring for or being the recipient of hospital admission following a suicide attempt. Jakqui has been involved in the education and curricula content development of undergraduate and postgraduate nurses and delivered workplace and community education and training. As the Director of Clinical Services at On the Line Australia, Jakqui is responsible for the clinical delivery of national mental health helplines, Mensline Australia and Suicide Call Back Service, as well as counselling services for state-based programs and Primary Health Networks in Victoria, NSW and SA. She is a Fellow of the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses and a Member of the Australian College of Nursing.   Resources Suicide Call Back Service - Call 1300 659 467 Suicide Call Back Service - https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/  Suicide Call Back Service FB - https://www.facebook.com/suicidecallbackservice Suicide Call Back Service Twitter - https://twitter.com/SuicideCallBack Safety Plan - https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/feeling-suicidal/making-a-safety-plan/   RUOK - Australia  - https://www.ruok.org.au/findhelp Lifeline Australia - https://www.lifeline.org.au/ Brene Brown International Resouces Page - https://brenebrown.com/international-crisis-resources/ Mentioned in the Conversation Making Space for You - Ralph De La Rosa - https://traffic.libsyn.com/forcedn/cb7ca6e9-5515-4037-9e8d-12d394520589/11928713-ralph-de-la-rosa-making-space-for-you.mp3 The Heart of Compassion - https://traffic.libsyn.com/forcedn/cb7ca6e9-5515-4037-9e8d-12d394520589/9313016-ralph-de-la-rosa-the-heart-of-compassion.mp3   The Third Space - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2rdMjnhAgM The Forever Decision Dr Paul Quinett - https://qprinstitute.com/pdfs/Forever_Decision.pdf    

Brett Lee is the Founder of Internet Safe Education,Brett is a former detective who took his 20+ years of working and training in cyber crime to helping parents, educators, and the general public to understand how to protect themselves and, most importantly, their children online. Brett has  worked on some of the most high-profile crimes for the likes of the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, and as a detective in  Australian Police. Brett's experience in cyber crime is unparalleled and has led him to be a sought-after speaker, media commentator and thought leader in Australia and internationally. Brett believes that by empowering the community with the right knowledge at the right time, every person can be safe online. In fact, he feels so strongly about this that he's dedicated the last 12 years to developing easy to understand content that anyone can apply to their lives. During his speaking career, Brett has spoken to over 1 million audience members. And whilst the topic can sometimes feel overwhelming, Brett's engaging approach leaves his audiences with a sense of safety and empowered to make the right choices at the right time. https://www.internetsafeeducation.com/ https://www.podpage.com/dont-quit-on-me/   Resources Suicide Call Back Service - Call 1300 659 467 Suicide Call Back Service - https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/  Suicide Call Back Service FB - https://www.facebook.com/suicidecallbackservice Suicide Call Back Service Twitter - https://twitter.com/SuicideCallBack Safety Plan - https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/feeling-suicidal/making-a-safety-plan/   RUOK - Australia  - https://www.ruok.org.au/findhelp Lifeline Australia - https://www.lifeline.org.au/ Brene Brown International Resouces Page - https://brenebrown.com/international-crisis-resources/ Mentioned in the Conversation Making Space for You - Ralph De La Rosa - https://traffic.libsyn.com/forcedn/cb7ca6e9-5515-4037-9e8d-12d394520589/11928713-ralph-de-la-rosa-making-space-for-you.mp3 The Heart of Compassion - https://traffic.libsyn.com/forcedn/cb7ca6e9-5515-4037-9e8d-12d394520589/9313016-ralph-de-la-rosa-the-heart-of-compassion.mp3    

Celia Roberts introduces us to deeper dimensions of Yoga, Meditation & Lifestyle Medicine. Celia runs the BioMedical Institute of Yoga & Meditation in the foothills of Brisbane, Australia, and reaches a global online audience with Yoga and Meditation Teacher Training. She invites people from all walks of life to merge science and spirituality for betterment of their health and well-being, to ultimately have deeper insight and know true compassion within. Celia Roberts Home https://celiaroberts.com.au/ Biomedical Institute of Yoga and Meditation https://biyome.com.au/about/   Support Resources Suicide Callback Service - Australia https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/ RUOK - Australia https://www.ruok.org.au/findhelp Lifeline Australia https://www.lifeline.org.au/ Brene Brown International Resouces Page https://brenebrown.com/international-crisis-resources/  

Piotr Nabielec is the author of the 4 Step Productivity concept and courses. Piotr has a background in Engineering and Music, and  loves connecting the world of logic and science with the world of emotions and intuition. Piotr has spent over 10 years in IT, first as a software developer and then a manager, and started programming as a teenager and started his professional career at Motorola in 2005.  As a manager Piotr hired and developed his own team and found his love of training and knowledge sharing. Piotr has also led offline and online courses for thousands of students. His Udemy course has over 20.000 students and 10.000 reviews. Piotr is also a musician. 4 Step Productivity was born during 6 years of productivity training sessions - based on research, experience, experiments and feedback from people, Piotr wanted to create a system that would help people be more productive, but make it human-centered, not goal-centered or pressure-centered. https://www.4stepproductivity.com/  

Festive Season Special on working through holiday times with a heavy or tired heart. Ralph De La Rosa, LCSW, (he/they) is the author of two internationally published books. He is a psychotherapist in private practice and seasoned meditation teacher known for his radically open and humorous teaching style. His new book, Don't Tell Me to Relax: Emotional Resilience in the Age of Rage, Feels, and Freak Outs was named one of the “Best Books of 2020” by Mindful Magazine.  As a meditation teacher, Ralph's work has been featured in The New York Post, CNN, Tricycle, GQ, SELF, Women's Health, and many other publications and podcasts. He's was named one of Sonima's "Next Generation of Meditation Teachers to Watch,” and regularly offers retreats at venues such as Kripalu, Spirit Rock, and Omega Institute. Ralph began practicing meditation in 1996 and has taught meditation since 2008. He was a student of Amma's for 16 years and began studying Buddhism in 2005. Today, he identifies simply as a practitioner and teacher of human spirituality. Most recently, he completed an invite-only advanced meditation teacher training with Jack Kornfield.   Twitter Close Support the show

Sharon Salzberg is a meditation pioneer, world-renowned teacher, and New York Times bestselling author. She is one of the first to bring mindfulness and lovingkindness meditation to mainstream American culture over 45 years ago, inspiring generations of meditation teachers and wellness influencers. Sharon is co-founder of The Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, and the author of twelve books, including the New York Times bestseller, Real Happiness, now in its second edition, and her seminal work, Lovingkindness. Her forthcoming release, Real Life: The Journey from Isolation to Openness and Freedom, is set for release in April of 2023 from Flatiron Books. Her podcast, The Metta Hour, has amassed five million downloads and features interviews with thought leaders from the mindfulness movement and beyond. www.sharonsalzberg.com Twitter Close Support the show

Daniel is a Lecturer in musculoskeletal physiotherapy and a pain scientist at the University of South Australia. His research focuses on new approaches to chronic pain that leverage new technologies and modern understandings of body-related perceptual processes. Along with Lorimer Moseley, Daniel is an author of the book 'Pain and The Nature of Perception: A New Way to Look at Pain' which uses visual illusions to describe features of perception that are relevant to understanding and treating pain. Daniel holds a Master of Musculoskeletal and Sports Physiotherapy, a chronic-pain focused PhD, and serves on the education committees for the Australian Pain Society and Pain Revolution. https://www.noigroup.com/product/pain-and-perception/ Twitter Close Support the show

Dr Stan Steindl is a Clinical Psychologist in private practice at Psychology Consultants Pty Ltd, and an Adjunct Associate Professor at School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. He is also co-director of the UQ Compassionate Mind Research Group, and convenor of the annual UQ Compassion Symposium. Stan has over 25 years experience as a therapist, supervisor, trainer and researcher, and works with clients from motivational interviewing and compassion focused therapy perspectives. His PhD examined combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder and comorbid alcohol dependency, and he continues to work clinically in the areas of trauma and addiction, as well as having a general clinical practice. Stan's research interests are in the areas of motivation, behaviour change, compassion and compassion-based interventions, and especially the role of cultivating compassion and self-compassion in the context of trauma, shame, self-criticism and clinical disorders, as well as promoting psychological well-being. He is the author of three books and several book chapters and research publications. His books include: Compassion in a T-Shirt: The First 35 Scripts (2020), The Gifts of Compassion: How to Understand and Overcome Suffering (2020), and The Gifts of Compassion: Personal Practice Workbook (2021). The Gifts of Compassion: https://www.amazon.com.au/Gifts-Compassion-understand-overcome-suffering/dp/1925644480 Website: https://www.stansteindl.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drstansteindl Twitter: @StanSteindl Instagram: dr_stan_steindl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stan-steindl-150a5264/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCujCvGkc_TFF7KmA0Sk4E7A Private Practice Website: https://psychologyconsultants.com.au/ Professor Paul Gilbert and the Compassionate Mind Foundation: https://www.compassionatemind.co.uk/ Twitter Close Support the show

Matt Cowdroy is a Productivity Ninja and the owner of Think Productive Australia. Having spent the first 20 years of working life in the corporate world, Matt has first hand knowledge and experience to understand the pressures faced in todays fast-paced environment. Matt's formal qualifications are in Business and Marketing. He is passionate about people - understanding what motivates them, their wants and their needs. He also has qualifications in Yogic Studies and Meditation. This provides a broad perspective when discussing productivity, stress management, mindfulness and working life. Matt's style has been described as “Engaging and present”, “Professional yet relaxed”, “Confident but not cocky”. In 2014 Matt was managing the North Asia region for a market leading Australian Health and Wellness business. At Sydney Airport, enroute to Hong Kong, he bought a copy of “How to Be a Productivity Ninja” by Graham Allcott. In Matt's words, “I found the book insightful, down to earth and relevant to todays intense work pressures. My Inbox is now Zero and I enjoy the workflow approach to achieving more and stressing less.” After reading the book and having discussions with Graham, Matt launched Think Productive Australia. Matt's passions are productivity and mindfulness, his family, his dog, yoga, mountain biking and nature. More information on the business can be found at: www.thinkproductive.com.au (Think Productive Australia) www.thinkproductive.com (Think Productive Global) Twitter Close Support the show

Liz Stanley is a Georgetown University professor and the creator of Mindfulness-based Mind Fitness Training (MMFT)®, referred to as MMFT® for short.  Elizabeth A. Stanley, Ph.D., is a professor of security studies at Georgetown University. She speaks, teaches, and writes about resilience, political psychology civil-military relations, and international security. She is the award-winning author of Paths to Peace (2009), about the domestic politics of war termination, and the international bestseller Widen the Window (2019), about the neurobiology of stress, trauma, and resilience. Earlier in her career, she served as a U.S. Army intelligence officer in Asia, Europe, and on two peacekeeping deployments in the Balkans. MMFT  has been tested through four neuroscience studies with the U.S. military and taught to many thousands in civilian and military high-stress environments, to help people build their resilience. Liz is a longstanding mindfulness practitioner and a certified practitioner of Somatic Experiencing, a body-based trauma therapy. About Liz's newest book Widen the Window “I don't think I have ever read a book that paints such a complex and accurate landscape of what it is like to live with the legacy of trauma as this book does, while offering a comprehensive approach to healing that is simultaneously based on both on the author's own personal experiences and journey into health, as well as on a thorough scientific understanding of the underlying issues about the ways that mind, brain, and body are affected by traumatic stress.” Bessel van der Kolk, MD, author of The Body Keeps the Score https://elizabeth-stanley.com/ Music by Tim Moor - https://pixabay.com/users/18879564-18879564/ Support the show

ROB BUYEA taught third and fourth graders in Connecticut for six years before moving t Massachusetts, where he taught high school biology for seven years at Northfield Mount Hermon.  In addition to teaching, Rob was also a high school wrestling coach. He is best known for his Mr. Terupt series, which has won numerous awards and has been translated into a dozen languages. He is also the author of the very popular Perfect Score series and What Comes Next and coming this summer—The Daredevils.  Rob's books continue to reach classrooms near and far and have given him the opportunity to visit with students all over the world—something he loves to do.  You can visit Rob at robbuyea.com. Twitter Close Support the show

KD has been described by the New York Times as "the chant master of American yoga" - Krishna Das is an American vocalist known for his performances of Hindu devotional music known as kirtan. He has released seventeen albums since 1996. He performed at the 2013 Grammy Awards, where his album Live Ananda was nominated for the 2013 Grammy Award for Best New Age Album.  He's taken the call-and-response chanting out of yoga centers and  into concert halls, is a Grammy-nominee and has become a worldwide icon. He continues to travel and to share online his chanting and stories of his guru Neem Karoli Baba. and the best- selling western chant artist of all time. Krishna Das has released over 15 albums, authored 2 books, has his own podcast and is the subject of the documentary – One Track Heart: The Story of Krishna Das. More information on KrishnaDas.com  Music by Tim Moor - https://pixabay.com/users/18879564-18879564/ Twitter Close Support the show

Piotrek Nabielec is a huge fan of human-centered productivity and the founder of the 4 Step Productivity system. For the last 6 years Piotrek has created courses that help people organize chaos, stop procrastinating and find the time for hobbies and dreams. Before this he spent 10 years as a software developer and IT manager.  Piotrek loves creativity and is a part time musician. 4stepproductivity.com Piotr@4stepproductivity.com  Music by Tim Moor - https://pixabay.com/users/18879564-18879564/ Twitter Close Support the show

Matthew received Australia's National Mental Health Advocate award by the Mental Health Foundation of Australia in 2020. Matthew is the Founder/CEO of The Australian Centre for Lived Experience, a peer run centre for lived experience persons seeking alternative peer approaches. They live with Bipolar Affective Disorder and Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ( 'as defined' by DSM/Psychiatry), is a sibling caregiver to their younger brother and sister who live with enduring psychosocial diverse abilities, and has lost their mother to suicide, and consequently grandparents due to stigma.  Matthew's experiences of distress and service use drive their passion for global social change in mental health. They are a global mental health activist promoting human rights, social justice and lived experience from public health and MAD STUDIES disciplinary basis  https://www.tacfle.com/ Music by Tim Moor - https://pixabay.com/users/18879564-18879564/ Twitter Close Support the show

Lisa Jones is the Director of Recovery for Metro North Mental Health. This is a lived experience role that sits within the Metro North Mental Health Executive Leadership Team and provides leadership to the Metro North Mental Health lived experience workforce.  Lisa has experienced acute mental health challenges in her life and now uses her passion for mental health and recovery to ensure the lived experience voice is included at all levels of service planning, development, and improvement. Lisa is also a passionate holistic health ambassador. This passion has led her to study various complementary modalities, and she is also a practicing yoga teacher. Lisa passionately believes that everyone can lead a meaningful life. Lisa mentions MYROLE in the show: My ROLE stands for My Registry of Lived Experience. If you have a lived experience as either a consumer or carer and would like to be involved in improving services, you can register as a member of My ROLE and get offered paid opportunities to participate in committees, projects or other things that can lead to service improvement. My ROLE is specific to Metro North Mental Health and to date we have involved members in some exciting opportunities. So, if you are passionate about mental health and wanting to improve services contact myrole@health.qld.gov.au for more information.  Music by Tim Moor - https://pixabay.com/users/18879564-18879564/ Twitter Close Support the show

Michelle Mitchell is an award-winning speaker, and bestselling parenting author. She has been termed ‘the teenage expert' by the media and is sought after for her compassionate and grounded advice for parenting tweens and teens. Michelle started her career as a teacher, but soon discovered a special interest in wellbeing. She left teaching in 2000 and founded Youth Excel, a ‘boutique' health promotion charity which delivered tailor made life skills programs and psychological services to thousands of young people and their families each year.  Today she uses her experience to write and speak in schools, community events and through media.    Music by Tim Moor - https://pixabay.com/users/18879564-18879564/ Twitter Close Support the show

Christine Runyan, PhD, ABPP  Christine Runyan is a clinical health psychologist, Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and the Co-Founder of Tend Health. After starting her career as a psychologist in the US Air Force, she focused her research, clinical service, and teaching on behavioral science in family medicine as well as promoting models of integrated primary care. Dr. Runyan is also a mindfulness teacher at the University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness. At the height of the pandemic, recognizing the undeniable need for expert mental health services for healthcare professionals, she launched Tend Health. Tend Health provides specialized, private, and accessible mental health care and education to healthcare professionals and consultation to healthcare organizations willing to invest in their most precious resource.  You can read and hear more about her perspective on COVID and mental health here: ● https://onbeing.org/programs/christine-runyan  ● https://www.cnn.com/videos  ● https://www.youtube.com  ● https://hbr.org/podcast/2021/05/back-to-work-calm-body-calm-mind ● https://blog.dropbox.com/topics/work-culture/advice-to-the-anxious-for-e ventually-meeting-in-person-again  ● https://www.pri-med.com/online-education/Podcast/frankly-speaking-cme 223  Music by Tim Moor - https://pixabay.com/users/18879564-18879564/ Twitter Close Support the show

Ralph De La Rosa (he/they) is an internationally published author, trauma-focused psychotherapist, and seasoned meditation teacher. Ralph began practicing meditation in 1996 and has taught since 2008. His new book, Don't Tell Me to Relax: Emotional Resilience in the Age of Rage, Feels, and Freak Outs (Shambhala Publications) was celebrated as one of the "Top 10 Books of 2020" by Mindful Magazine.  https://ralphdelarosa.com/ Music by Tim Moor - https://pixabay.com/users/18879564-18879564/ Twitter Close Support the show

Dr Amanda L Rebar is an associate professor at Central Queensland University, an NHMRC Early Career Fellow, and the founding director of the Motivation of Health Behaviours (MoHB) Lab. She obtained her PhD from The Pennsylvania State University in 2013. Dr Rebar is a health psychology and public health researcher with interests in the motivation of health behaviours, specifically the non-conscious elements of motivation (e.g., habits, automatic evaluations). She is currently working on developing physical activity interventions that build automatic biases toward physical activity through evaluative conditioning. Also, Dr Rebar is a huge stats nerd and R enthusiast. Music by Tim Moor - https://pixabay.com/users/18879564-18879564/ Twitter Close Support the show

Dr. Cathy Kezelman AM is President of Blue Knot Foundation – National Centre of Excellence for Complex Trauma, a medical practitioner by training, and has a lived experience of childhood sexual and emotional abuse. She is committed to supporting people who have experienced violence, abuse and neglect to find pathways to healing and a trauma-informed approach to care which puts the humanity back into services. Blue Knot web address www.blueknot.org.au and Blue Knot Helpline and Redress Support Service 1300 657 380 Mon-Sun 9-5 AEST The show website: dontquiton.me Music by Tim Moor - https://pixabay.com/users/18879564-18879564/ Twitter Close Support the show

Chony Bowden is an experienced and qualified educator who began witnessing the positive inner healing work that a regular arts based practice has on people's mental health and well being. She is a  big hearted adventurer and truth seeker, who throughout her life chose to find answers to the 'deeper' questions in life by taking risks. Her journey's took her to places such as; Papua New Guinea, some indigenous communities in NT, United Kingdom, Scotland, Amsterdam, Asia and America. Having come back 'home' to the Sunshine Coast in QLD where she was born, Chony has created her own Visual Arts teaching business called 'Chony's Art Room'. Through her business she facilitates 'art as therapy workshops' for NDIS funded adults, together with regular art workshops for people with various disabilities, also early learning centres, boutique art workshops for adults and children. Each providing diverse experiences for people to mindfully create, calm their mind and open their hearts. Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=JEW47CPB599L2) Music by Tim Moor - https://pixabay.com/users/18879564-18879564/ Twitter Close Support the show

Dr Chapman completed his doctorate in measuring and positively influencing the physical activity patterns of adults with mental illness in 2016.  His work spans research, mental health service and community sectors. He leads a multi-centre randomised controlled trial of interventions to promote physical activity in adults with mental illness, a health service improvement initiative to improve the focus on health and wellbeing of consumers, and implementation of state-wide healthy lifestyle intervention programs for youth and adults recovering from mental illness across Queensland. In acknowledgement of this program of work, he received the 2018 Mental Health Week Achievement Individual Award for improving the quality of life of Queenslanders with mental illness, and the 2020 Australian Rotary Health award for Mental Health Impact. Please contact Justin directly, to discuss your success using diet and physical activity intervention, or to offer support to his research at  justin.chapman@qimrberghofer.edu.au. Music by Tim Moor - https://pixabay.com/users/18879564-18879564/ Twitter Close Support the show

Dr. Jud Brewer is an internationally renowned addiction psychiatrist and neuroscientist. His TED Talk ”A Simple Way to Break a Bad Habit” has over 16 million views on YouTube. Dr. Jud is an associate professor at Brown University and executive medical director at Sharecare. His new book is called Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your MindDr. Jud Brewer's website Follow Dr. Jud Brewer on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter Unwinding Anxiety (app) Eat Right Now (app) Craving To Quit! (app) Music by Tim Moor - https://pixabay.com/users/18879564-18879564/ Twitter Close Support the show

Janet Reich Elsbach writes about how all the numerous things going on in the average life collide with making dinner on her blog, A Raisin & a Porpoise. She is also an editor and writing teacher who loves to make space for people to get their point across. Her book, Extra Helping: Recipes for Caring, Connecting, and Building Community One Dish at a Time, was recently published by Roost. araisinandaporpoise.com instagram: @raisinporpoise fb: https://www.facebook.com/araisinandaporpoise Music by Tim Moor - https://pixabay.com/users/18879564-18879564/ Twitter Close Support the show

Sebene Selassie is a teacher & author who guides people to remember and trust their belonging. Born in Ethiopia and raised in Washington DC, she began studying Buddhism 30 years ago as an undergraduate at McGill University where she majored in Comparative Religious Studies. She has an MA from the New School where she focused on race and cultural studies.  For over 20 years, she worked with children, youth, and families nationally and internationally for small and large not-for-profit organizations.  She teaches classes, workshops and retreats regularly and is one of the most popular teachers on the Ten Percent Happier app. Sebene is a three-time cancer survivor of Stage III and IV breast cancer. Her first book "You Belong: A Call for Connection" is published by HarperOne. Music by Tim Moor - https://pixabay.com/users/18879564-18879564/ Twitter Close Support the show

Lama Christopher is a Lineage Holder in the Dzogchen tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. For more than 20 years he has studied and practiced intensively under the guidance of his root teacher, Lama Kunzang Tenzin, as well as many other accomplished masters, both Himalayan and Western.  Besides being committed to the authentic and accessible transmission of this timeless wisdom tradition, he is also a joyful parent and has enjoyed a professional career of four decades as a trusted legal and financial counsel.  Lama Christopher teaches and guides meditation throughout the USA and abroad) obviously you know, Covid permitting) and online.  And on a personal level, we are related as distant cousins, which I discovered roughly 20 years ago. A little bit over 20 years ago when I first came out to Australia, and so we've been in touch since then. But this conversation that you're about to hear is the first time that we have actually spoken, so I hope you enjoy it nearly as much as I did and that you get something useful from it. Music by Tim Moor - https://pixabay.com/users/18879564-18879564/ Twitter Close Support the show

Listed by the Institute for Scientific Information as the 30th “highest impact” psychologist in the world, Dr. Steven Hayes  is a Nevada Foundation Professor of Psychology in the Behavior Analysis Program at the University of Nevada. An author of 46 books and nearly 650 scientific articles, he is especially known for his work on "Acceptance and Commitment Therapy" or “ACT”  which is one of the most widely used and researched new methods of psychological intervention over the last 20 years. Dr. Hayes has received several national awards, such as the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy. His popular book Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life for a time was the best-selling self-help book in the United States, and his new book A Liberated Mind has been recently released to wide acclaim. His TEDx talks have been viewed by over 600,000 people, and he is ranked among the most cited psychologists in the word.  Music by Tim Moor - https://pixabay.com/users/18879564-18879564/ Twitter Close Support the show