Inefficiency Podcast

Adding Value to Our Time How a double lung transplant makes you rethink life. On this episode, Matt sits down with the resilient Rueben Samuels to talk about life with a chronic illness (Cystic Fibrosis), adding value to our time and life after a double lung transplant. This is a conversation about life and death and how to make room and meaning for both. instagram: @reubenshighlights

Virginia Cumberbatch is Director at Community Engagement Center & Social Justice Institute at The University of Texas at Austin. She works within the city of Austin to help make UT a community anchor opposed to an ivory tower. She sat down with us to talk about the importance of not only cultural identity but also the importance of place and it’s history. We use Austin as an example that can better help you think more critically and lovingly about your own life and city. twitter: @vacumberbatchinsta: @vacumberbatch

Austin Psychotherapist Jeremy Ezell sits down with Inefficiency host Matt Inman to talk about how emotional intelligence plays into the quality of our relationships.

Sorry, I ghosted you. On this shorter episode, Matt talks about ghosting the podcast for way too long in order to create the first issue of Inefficiency Magazine. We all are trying to juggle life and sometimes we drop certain aspects. But there is something we gain in the dropping and picking back up that is helpful for us in the long run.

Friends and fellow psychotherapists Matt Inman and Jeremy Ezell sit down to have a conversation about wisdom and faithfulness. Jeremy was asked to write a letter to his 14 year old nephew on the two topics and rather than writing a letter decided it would be better to talk it out.

https://www.amazon.com/Mapping-Terrain-Heart-Capacities-Journey/dp/0201608650

yoga + therapy Abi Robins brings talks about being present in our bodies long enough to work through pain and get down to the root issues.

Matt explores his process of expanding Inefficiency with conversations from friends and family. Inefficiency Magazine is a quarterly publication tailored for the therapeutic space made by helpers and artists. If you have listened to Inefficiency for awhile or are trying to hold the tensions of caring for your career convictions and also caring for your family, you will want to check this episode out.

Micah Bournes is a spoken word poet, rapper and blues musician. Born and raised in Long Beach, California, Micah grew up heavily influenced by hip hop. He is a brave artist who wrestles with important topics such as racism, sexism and faith. His courage extends to the modes of art itself, unafraid to try new paths in the hopes of finding something new and beautiful.He sat down to talk with Matt about the massive influence the book Art and Fear has had on his life. Micah talks about how quantity is better than quality in some aspects and the necessity of making bad art. Enjoy!http://micahbournes.com @micahbournes

Huberta Jackson-Lowman is a psychologist and psychology professor at Florida A&M University. She has degrees from Wichita State University and the University of Pittsburgh. She is currently the President of the Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi). As she works alongside clients and students, she also forms groups called Emotional Emancipation Circles, groups that exist to help "black people, work together to overcome, heal from, and overturn lies of white superiority and black inferiority: the root cause of devaluing black lives." She joins a rich line of ABPsi presidents and has a great deal of insight and wisdom in a world overwhelmed with noise.

Joe Pug is originally from Maryland and came to Austin, Texas years ago to be in and around the storied Texas songwriting tradition. He has two studio EP’s, most notable being Nation of Heat in 2009. He also has three albums, Messenger in 2010, The Great Despiser in 2012 and Windfall in 2015. Paste Magazine said this of Pug, "In lesser hands, songs of this nature could take on the tone of self-help books, maxims of dubious value. But Pug's honesty and wordplay combine to levitate the songs over those empty, cliched realms."He credits not only musicians like Dillon, Beck and M. Ward as his influences but also literary giants like Fredrick Beekner and Walt Whitman.

For the 3rd in a row, Inefficiency is providing a set of thoughtful questions to help you look back at the previous year. But for the rest of us, setting aside some inefficient time to be thoughtful can really give some clarity and motivation for your coming year. Enjoy! 

Nikki McClure is an artist who specializes in paper cutting. Her art has a simple but very challenging frame, to sketch an image on a black piece of paper, cut it with an X-Acto knife and make sure it all connects. Each image you see of her work is one single pice of paper! Her artwork invites us to feel something personal and communal. She makes a yearly calendar and children's books. She resides with her family in Olympia, Washington. www.nikkimcclure.com

On this episode, Matt talks about contentment as he travels back to Kansas City, Mo to see family. This shortened episode has a bit of everything, from ideas around contentment to mama guilt to good jokes and even better karaoke. Matt Inman is the host of the Inefficiency Podcast and a psychotherapist in private practice. He and his family reside in Austin, Texas.

Andre Henry is a musician, theologian and activist who has pursued music and education in New York City and Los Angeles. His music is electronic anthems with reggae and rock influences and have the overarching message "it doesn't have to be this way."Andre moved into activism after feeling moved by the many police shootings, wanting to get his body more into the struggle against racism. His own deep conviction is to be be a part of some type of truth and reconciliation commission in America so that we can be entirely done with our traditions of racial injustice and live into the beauty and equality of this experiment of a society.

James Alison (b. 1959) is a Catholic theologian, priest and author. He has studied, lived and worked all over the world.In addition to being known for bringing Rene Girard's work to the wider public, he is also known for his firm but patient insistence on truthfulness in matters gay as an ordinary part of basic Christianity, and for his pastoral outreach in the same sphere.He has authored many books including Faith Beyond Resentment: Fragments Catholic and Gay, The Joy of Being Wrong, Undergoing God and Jesus the Forgiving Victim. He resides currently in Madrid, Spain and has a speaking schedule that has him in many different corners of the world.

Una Mulale is a pediatric doctor in Botswana, working in life and death scenarios each day. She was formerly the Director of Pediatric Critical Care at Woodhull Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. She recently completed a fellowship at Harvard Medical School in Pediatric Global Health. She is the co-founder of Barona, an organization promoting the value of all human beings and aims to create Botswana’s first Children’s Hospital. Twitter: @unamulale

John Richmond and Victor Boutros are co-founding directors of The Human Trafficking Institute, an organization set on decimating slavery worldwide by getting at the root, traffickers. Both are former prosecutors of the U.S. Department of Justice Human Trafficking Unit. Their impressive pedigree is only outmatched by their massive hearts, friendship and desire for justice as a means to peace. www.traffickinginstitute.orgtwitter: @JohnRichmond1 @boutrosvictor   

Sleeping At Last is the moniker of Chicago-based singer-songwriter, producer and composer, Ryan O’Neal.You may know Sleeping At Last from various Films and TV Shows such as The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn- Part 1, The Fault in Our Stars, Grey's Anatomy, So You Think You Can Dance, Criminal Minds, Bones, Believe, Vampire Diaries and many more. He has collaborated or sang with many artists including Jon Foreman, Billy Corgan, Van Dyke Parks, Paul Von Merens, John Goodmanson, Alanis Morissette and many more. Ryan recently scored the upcoming feature documentary film, “Many Beautiful Things” which will release in 2015, along with an official motion picture soundtrack.Web: www.sleepingatlast.com Twitter: @sleepingatlast Instagram: sleepingatlast

Doug Pagitt is the pastor of a faith community in Minneapolis, MN called Solomon's Porch. He is also an author of several books, most recently Flipped, The Provocative Truth That Changes Everything We Know About God. He is also the host of the podcast, Tick, Talk, Take. He is a novice ultra-runner and lives in Edina, MN with his wife. He has 4 young adult children and one grandchild. Twitter: @Pagitt Instagram: @DougPagitt Website: www.dougpagitt.com

Two first generation Americans from vastly different backgrounds found love and have done (and are doing) the difficult work of allowing their love to change each other and now, us. Sharifa Stevens is a communicator (writer, speaker and singer) and emphasizes the intersection of culture and theology. Jonathan started a coffee business off of a Ural Motorcycle with a built in espresso machine. He is a natural connector, teacher and builder. Together the two live in Dallas, Texas with their two children.

Brian D. McLaren is an author, speaker, activist, and public theologian. A former college English teacher and pastor, he is a passionate advocate for "a new kind of Christianity" - just, generous, and working with people of all faiths for the common good. Brian has served on a number of boards, including Emergent Villiage, Sojourners, International Teams and, The Seattle School, and his a founding member of Red Letter Christians. He has appeared on All Things Considered, Larry King Live, Nightline and On Being. Brian's work has been covered by other news outlets such as Time, The Washington Post, Huffington Post and Christianity Today.Brian resides in Florida with his wife Grace. He has four grown children and five grandchildren.

Kristen is a friend of the podcast, on a journey of articulating her identity, and doing so through the medium of her hair. Up until 2 years ago, she had always chemically straightened her hair, and has recently gone through the (long) process of growing out her natural curls. This inefficient process has allowed her to connect w her self and feel a greater sense of connection to her roots! (No pun intended although Kristen loves bad puns.) She lives in Austin, TX w her husband who has cheered her on, inspired her, and held her up in this rough period of hair growth and personal growth. If you see her around town, do not use the word "cool" to describe her hair.

Matt Inman is host of Inefficiency Podcast and a psychotherapist in private practice in Austin, Texas. He normally serves as the question maker for the podcast but this episode, the tables are turned and Dallas based psychologist Michael Leach asks the questions while Matt appreciates them and possibly answers a couple of them. This swap is timely in helping Matt work through his decision making process and creativity in expanding Inefficiency from just a podcast and into an organization. This is the type of conversation that moves us out of our fearful positions and into the spaces where we can jump into the unknown.

Mom's are strong and creative in the most tangible ways possible. Today is a celebration of them and a look into the various stages of motherhood. Six mothers have been interviewed, all representing different stages of the motherhood process to give us a look into what is tough, good and unseen. Happy Mother's Day!!!!

I have been waiting for this big moment for over two years and it has finally happened! I worked diligently to get a good episode together with some dear friends of mine on burnout and with one push of a button (and yes, one additional button push confirming) I erased the interview, all my edits and the intro and outro. GONE! So here is me verbally processing this sad, sad event and working through out. Inefficiency.

Benjamin Mathes has been an actor for the past 20 years and works with artists and leaders in an executive coaching role. He leads Urban Confessional, a free listening movement made of up of volunteers who believe everyone needs to be heard. Benjamin resides in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles and can be seen on street corners listening to people.

David Salinas curates The Department of Brewology. He is an illustrator by trade and works a great deal with typography, prints and murals. David was on the podcast during the early episodes to talk about the good but difficult inefficiency of combining his two loves together, both art and coffee. David does his art centered around coffee all over the world and most recently, crafted a phrase that has impact for many, WE FILTER COFFEE, NOT PEOPLE. He stopped by to talk about what was behind the phrase for him and the vast reactions as well. You can check out David's work at the following sites... www.departmentofbrewology.com @departmentofbrewology

Year two of Inefficiency is in the books and this episode is a look back through the many different conversations this past year. You will hear from a host of different guests that show off inefficiency in some of its greatest forms. Enjoy some memorable moments from this second year of Inefficiency.

We have done 52 shows in the past two years and we are celebrating! Friends joined us at Stouthaus Coffee Pub for a talk on birthdays getting down to inherent value, storytelling of inefficiency, pies in the face and an almost dance party. So much fun!

Brian Mulder is a wood worker, barber and musician. He quit formal Christian ministry at the age of 30 to live and think differently. Brian embodies a creative, connected inefficiency that is rare and infectious. Mulder just finished up a European house show tour for his new album, Holotropic and stopped by Austin, Texas for a live conversation and house show for us. Brian resides in Holland, Michigan. instagram: bmuldsterwebsite: www.muldermakes.com

Shawn Hofer is a psychologist in private practice in Minneapolis, MN. He has a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Rosemead Schoo of Psychology and is an advanced candidate at the Minnesota Psychoanalytic Institute. He is also a faculty member at BIPACT. He takes a psychoanalytic approach to depression, anxiety, grief, eating disorders and spirituality.

This 49th episode is about practicing the importance of listening. Much of communication relies on listening well but it's so easy to fall into the trap of only considering what we should say next. To practice listening we have three storytellers from around the country who are sharing a story of beauty that will help us practice and enjoy the singular activity of listening well. Enjoy! Sharifa Stevens, a Bronx native living in Dallas, TX, earned a BA from Columbia University in New York and a ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary. She writes, sings, and prefers to spend her time giggling, noshing or traveling. Sharifa is married to Jonathan. They have two children.  Michael Padden is a New York based director who develops new plays with many artists and companies throughout the city. Some of the companies that he’s had the pleasure of working with include: Samuel French Short Play Festival, Rising Phoenix Repertory, MCC’s Youth Company, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, The New Group and Barrow Street Theatre. He was a member of the 2014-2015 Playwright Directors Unit and the 2015-2016 Director’s Unit at The Actor’s Studio. Jason Mitchell is a California native who has spent some quality time in Dallas too. He has worked for companies like The Pursuant Group, Operation Smile and is now the president of Makau Sports. Jason is married to Cheryl and lives in the San Francisco area.

"It's really difficult to write a short biography, but especially difficult in a post-truth era." Jason Ikpatt is a 23 year old Nigerian man-boy who grew up in the South. His life draws inspiration from the disenfranchised, the rejected, the solemn, the absurdists, the outrageous, the Wu Tang Clan, and his lovely gem of a mother. His poetry draws inspiration from Kahlil Gibran, Warsan Shire, Sylvia Plath, Walt Whitman, the Wu Tang Clan, and his lovely gem of a mother. At the present moment, he is a friend, a son, a brother, an armchair intellectual, an above average pickup basketball choice, fiercely independent to the point of loner-ism, somehow also fiercely dependent on everything to the brink of uninhibited universal love, a sub-par bike mechanic, a jazz club stank face head-nodder, a road-trip instrumental freestyler, a decidedly naive optimist, an actual former desert mystic, and an early tax filer. He resides in Austin, Texas with his bamboo plant and three succulents.

Erin Inman is an artist and stay at home mom to her two children. She is also the wife of Inefficiency host Matt Inman. She was on the podcast in 2015 to talk about her long term grief which ended up being one of the most listened to episodes of Inefficiency. She is back to talk about her year alongside her husband Matt Inman.

Brian D. McLaren is an author, speaker, activist, and public theologian. A former college English teacher and pastor, he is a passionate advocate for "a new kind of Christianity" - just, generous, and working with people of all faiths for the common good. Brian has served on a number of boards, including Emergent Villiage, Sojourners, International Teams and, The Seattle School, and his a founding member of Red Letter Christians. He has appeared on All Things Considered, Larry King Live, Nightline and On Being. Brian's work has been covered by other news outlets such as Time, The Washington Post, Huffington Post and Christianity Today. Brian resides in Florida with his wife Grace. He has four grown children and five grandchildren.

Dr. Kevin Washington is a licensed psychologist and assistant professor at Howard University, who has served as a behavioral consultant for Essence Magazine and BET, Black Entertainment Television. He is the President of the Association of Black Psychologists. He has degrees from Grambling State and Texas A&M. His work centers around rites of passage, ubuntu and ubuntu psychotherapy. Through his research and writing he seeks to assist people to live with power, purpose and passion.

photo cred to twloha.com Jamie Tworkowski is the founder of the non-profit To Write Love On Her Arms, an organization that presents hope and finds help for those struggling with depression, addiction, self-harm and suicide. For 10 years, Jamie has given his time providing hope for those hurting all over the country. He speaks dynamic hope and help through college campus conversations, book tours, music concerts, writing and even fashion. The honesty that Jamie has about his own experience with depression and pain opens up spaces and gives permission for others to give value to their own experiences. www.twloha.com@jamietworkowski (twitter and instagram) Show Notes:00 Mary Oliver poem, Wild Geese6:30 Start of JT interview6:45 Explanation of Inefficiency13:10 Permission as invitation14:55 Importance of counseling and mental health18:20 Dreams vs. Fears ( www.dreamsvsfears.com )21:22 Rehoping ( www.venture.org )23:45 We all break in this life26:35 Need for beauty and the arts32:30 Holding space for us33:45 Self-care36:23 Sense of purpose39:00 Story of Jamie's friend David47:20 Crisis Text Line ( www.crisistextline.org )48:50 Outrowww.lostgoldmedia.com  

Shelly Prosko is a Physical Therapist, Professional Yoga Therapist & Pilates Instructor, she is a highly respected pioneer in the area of Physio Yoga Therapy, a combination of Physical Therapy & Medical Therapeutic Yoga. Her mission is to educate, inspire & empower people to create health by authentically sharing her knowledge, expertise & experience as she travels across Canada & the U.S. offering specialty PhysioYoga Therapy workshops, presenting at international yoga therapy conferences, lecturing at medical college programs, instructing at numerous yoga therapy schools and actively promotes the integration of yoga therapy into our current healthcare system. Michael Solberg is classically trained in the Rolf Method of Structural Integration and has studied extensively in Boulder, Co and Kauai, Hawaii. Alongside his wife, Virginia Solberg, they own the Solberg Center for Structural Integration in Dallas, Texas. Michael has also founded Pause Hawaii, a transformational immersion process in Hawaii for his clients, which combines structural integration, yoga, nutrition, meditation and personal discovery alongside adventure and the tranquility of the islands. Michael and his family reside in Plano, Texas.

He is a clinical psychologist who received his training at Rosemead School of Psychology in La Mirada, California. He is the founder of the non-profit community mental health and teaching clinic, Richland Oaks Counseling Center, and has taught at the Texas School of Professional Counseling for 10 years. He is fiercely inept (his words) at administrative responsibilities and passionately in love with clinical work, and spiritually curious about a broad many things. He resides in Dallas, Texas with his wife and three kids.

Shannon Neffendorf calls the neighborhood of Oak Cliff in South Dallas home. His family has rooted themselves in Oak Cliff and are an integral facet of life in that neighborhood. Shannon and Jenni own and operate Oak Cliff Coffee Roasters and also Davis Street Espresso and they were named D Magazine's First Family of Dallas Coffee. Shannon's approach to his personal and professional life displays wonderful inefficiencies that get to the heart of family, community and the stewardship of wonderful coffee beans. https://www.oakcliffcoffee.com/http://davisstreetespresso.com/

Matt Inman is a psychotherapist in private practice and host of Inefficiency Podcast. Matt believes a truly efficient life makes plenty of room for the inefficiencies of life, namely relationships, following our convictions and maturing into spirituality. Matt leads group experiences for organizations such as Pause Hawaii and Venture Expeditions. His work revolves around helping people grow in love and find connection in creative and bold ways. Matt resides in Austin, Texas with his family.

Connor Jay is an undergraduate student studying the art and politics of story and is working towards going for his masters in counseling. He lives in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. He's trying to spend his days reminding people that they are so worth loving. He reads and rides bikes a lot. You can find him online on most platforms at @connorrejay.

Ryan O'Leary is a producer for Bleacher Report and lives in New York City. A 2004 graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, he also received his masters in sports management from West Virginia University. Over the past 10 years, Ryan has worked for NBC Sports covering the Olympics and the NHL while frequently contributing to the International Ice Hockey Federation. Outside of work he's passionate about useless information, iced coffee, traveling and mental health issues.

Bart Tittle is a teacher in early education who has degrees from The University of Missouri- Kansas City and Erikson Inititute in Chicago, Ill. Bart is a long time friend who has developed a voice worth paying attention to in both progressive education and child development.   Ira Inman is my 4 year old son. He is the leading co-sleeping expert in the country, has consumed 150 lbs of cheerios in the past two years and has constructed over 100 lego ships by hand. He teaches me patience, presence and the sacredness of silliness.

Joe Pug is originally from Maryland and came to Austin, Texas years ago to be in and around the storied Texas songwriting tradition. He has two studio EP’s, most notable being Nation of Heat in 2009. He also has three albums, Messenger in 2010, The Great Despiser in 2012 and Windfall in 2015. Paste Magazine said this of Pug, "In lesser hands, songs of this nature could take on the tone of self-help books, maxims of dubious value. But Pug's honesty and wordplay combine to levitate the songs over those empty, cliched realms."He credits not only musicians like Dillon, Beck and M. Ward as his influences but also literary giants like Fredrick Beekner and Walt Whitman.  

Alex Guevara has a Master's Degree in Education and has worked for Teach For America in Watts, Los Angeles. He has taught teachers at Arizona State University, recruited teachers in Camden, New Jersey and most recently taught high school in West, Philadelphia. Alex has spent his entire career connecting with students and teachers from all over the country in urban settings.

Gideon Tsang heads up vision and teaching at Vox Veniae, a multi-ethnic church community in Austin, Texas. Originally from Canada, Gideon has made a home for the last decade in East Austin with his family. He is a speaker, pastor, photographer, cyclist and overall great thinker.

Erin Lane is a thirty-something writer and facilitator who schemes ideas for better belonging. She wants to live in Seattle when she grows up, but these days she is putting down roots in Durham, NC. She calls herself a Jesus follower, and a feminist too.She works remotely for the Center for Courage & Renewal to develop programs that deepen the leadership formation of people of faith and support healthy congregational life. She is the author of Lessons In Belonging From A Church Going Commitment Phobe. She also has a blog at erinslane.com

Erin Lane is a thirty-something writer and facilitator who schemes ideas for better belonging. She wants to live in Seattle when she grows up, but these days she is putting down roots in Durham, NC. She calls herself a Jesus follower, and a feminist too.She works remotely for the Center for Courage & Renewal to develop programs that deepen the leadership formation of people of faith and support healthy congregational life. She is the author of Lessons In Belonging From A Church Going Commitment Phobe. She also has a blog at erinslane.com

Dr. Allender earned his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Michigan State University. In 1997, Dan and a cadre of others founded The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology, in order to train therapists, pastors, artists, and leaders to more effectively serve in the context of the 21st century. Dan served as President of The Seattle School from 2002-2009.Dr. Dan Allender has pioneered a unique and innovative approach to trauma and abuse therapy over the past 30 years. Central to Dr. Allender’s theory and approach are the categories of Faith, Hope and Love, and their converses betrayal, ambivalence, and powerlessness. Through identifying and engaging these categories in one’s personal narrative, healing and transformation can occur by bridging the story of the gospel and the stories of trauma and abuse that mark so many.Dan continues to serve as Professor of Counseling Psychology at The Seattle School. He travels and speaks extensively to present his unique perspective on sexual abuse recovery, love and forgiveness, intimacy and marriage, worship, and other related topics. Dan is the author of The Wounded Heart, The Healing Path, To Be Told, and God Loves Sex, and he has co-authored several books with Dr. Tremper Longman, including Intimate Allies, The Cry of the Soul, Bold Love, and Bold Purpose.