Kindness & Compassion Podcast

Are you looking for a fresh perspective on healthcare and healing? In this episode, we delve into the historical shift in medicine's focus from healing as the primary goal to the modern emphasis on diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and billing. Dr. Cohen argues that true healing is a biological phenomenon inherent in all living organisms, emphasizing the importance of supporting individuals in enhancing their overall well-being. The distinction between healing and curing is a central theme, highlighting the transformative power of embracing life's journey, scars, challenges, and all. Dr. Cohen challenges the traditional definition of healing and discusses the limitations of the current healthcare system, particularly regarding access to care and the financial burdens it imposes. Tune in and discover a new way of approaching your own well-being. About Ed Cohen At thirteen, Ed Cohen was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease—a chronic, incurable condition that nearly killed him in his early twenties. At his diagnosis, his doctors told him that the best he could hope for was periods of remission. Unfortunately, they did not mention healing as a possibility. In his book, On Learning to Heal, Cohen draws on fifty years of living with Crohn's to consider how Western medical practices turn from an “art of healing” toward a “science of medicine” deeply affects both medical practitioners and their patients. He demonstrates that although medical sciences provide many seemingly miraculous therapies, it is not solely the way to enhance healing. Exploring his own path to healing, he argues that learning to heal requires us to desire and value healing as a vital possibility. As a therapeutic process, Ed's practice, Healing Counsel, encourages us to embrace the potential for healing embedded in even our most traumatic experiences. From his sessions, people can expect to gain clearer insights about the intelligence that illnesses often reveal and to develop strategies for cultivating more healing relations to their “self” and to the world. Healing Counsel seeks to reframe illnesses and other challenges that are thrown our way as invitations for healing, thereby broadening our repertoire for living unconstrained and with greater grace. His practice emerges from the skills and resources that he has developed while living and thriving with Crohn's disease. Over the last 40 years or so, this experience has challenged him not just to desire to heal, but also to recognize that healing is a value. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Kindness & Compassion Become a Patreon Kindness & Compassion on Instagram Ed's Website Ed on Instagram Ed on LinkedIn Ed on Twitter

In this episode Gordon is joined by a fellow therapist,  Blake Roberts, LMFT,  as he shares his insights on mental health, overcoming fear, and cultivating curiosity and compassion. Blake shares his vision of building a community for men struggling with internal issues. He emphasizes the importance of creating a safe space where men can share their experiences and support each other. Plus, we chat about discovering the power of compassion and curiosity in healing past wounds. This episode reminds us that we all need a community to lean on during difficult times. One of the main themes in this podcast is the importance of approaching oneself and others with curiosity and compassion. He emphasizes that to be kind and compassionate towards others, one must first learn to be kind and compassionate to oneself. This means being aware of one's own inner dialogue and being able to extend kindness and compassion towards the parts of oneself that are despised or ashamed of.  Read more... Find out more about Blake and his work here: Website: https://www.blakerobertscounseling.com Newsletter: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/61bfc41a14ec6db2d2b5341b Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blake.the.counselor/   KindnessandCompassion.com Follow Us On: Instagram: @kindnessandcompassionpodcast Facebook

In this episode, host Gordon has a conversation with Pavel Ythjall as he tells his story about the miraculous survival of a tragic car accident with his wife. Pavel shares the challenges he and his wife have faced in the seven years since the accident, including his recovery from a broken neck and his wife's paralysis from the neck down. Pavel's story is both inspiring and heartbreaking as he discusses the trials and tribulations of their life after the accident. Gordon and Pavel talk about the healing and power that comes from simply being present with people through their pain.  Read More... True Love and Suffering; A Caretaker's Memoir of Trauma, Despair, and Other Blessings TrueLovetheBook.com KindnessandCompassion.com Follow Us on Instagram @kindnessandcompassionpodcast Follow Us on Facebook

Author and songwriter Ann Purcell joins Gordon  in this episode to discuss how vulnerability and kindness can give us strength.  Ann shares her experience of being alone as an 18-year-old in a new environment and her song "Be Kind" that it inspired.  Gordon and Ann explore how the power of kindness and strength can be a powerful combination, and this is something Ann has experienced firsthand. Ann believes that true vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness. We don't normally share what's going on in our internal world with people, but it's through vulnerability that we are able to truly connect with other people.  Read more...  TM-Women Organization   Enlightenment For Everyone  KindnessandCompassion.com Follow Us on Instagram @kindnessandcompassionpodcast Follow us on Facebook  

Love and compassion in divorce is an often misunderstood concept. Divorce is often seen as a negative thing, and there is a stigma attached to it that can be hard to overcome.  In this episode, Gordon has a conversation with Teresa Williams, MA, MS, LPC about how love and compassion can be found even in the midst of a divorce.  When Teresa Williams, a licensed professional counselor in Huntsville, Alabama, went through her own divorce, she experienced the pain and loneliness that comes with it. She felt abandoned by family, friends, and even her church. This experience led her to start the Confident and Courageous Woman website, a coaching program designed to help women going through divorce.  Read more... Confident and Courageous Woman KindnessandCompassion.com Follow us on Instagram @kindnessandcompassionpodcast Follow us on Facebook 

In this episode, Gordon has a conversation with The Rev. Caroline Vogel and The Rev. Dr. Billy Daniel about how we can practice kindness and compassion by reaching out to those around us, offering a helping hand, and showing understanding and empathy. They also talk about ways to build bridges between different communities, cultures, and beliefs by listening to each other and trying to understand one another's perspectives.  One of the most important practices to foster kindness and compassion is self-compassion. Self-compassion is the practice of being kind to oneself and recognizing that we all make mistakes and have flaws. It is important to recognize that we all have our own unique set of experiences and that we can learn from our mistakes.  Read more... The Rev. Dr. Billy Daniel is a priest, poet, theologian and the rector at Church of the Ascension and author of Christ in the Liturgy and Inhabited By Grace; The Incarnate Way of Love.  Billy works with congregations and individuals to help deepen their spiritual lives.  He has a podcast, Fr. Billy Daniel which features sermons, homilies and spiritual reflections. The Rev. Caroline Vogel serves as The Director for Spiritus Knox a center for spiritual learning and practice in Knoxville, Tennessee. Spiritus Knox is a gathering place for anyone and everyone who is looking for some sacred space to find some ease and spiritual wellness and connect with others seeking to do the same. We offer weekly gatherings on Sunday Evenings in addition to retreats throughout the year. On occasion we have the good fortune to host authors to share about their books, passion and connect with us who seek to explore with them. You can learn more about Spiritus Knox at our website: www.spiritusknox.com. Caroline also has a podcast, Mindful Christians; living embodied faith. Website: kindnessandcompassion.com Follow us on Instagram @kindnessandcompassionpodcast Follow us on Facebook Become a Patron

In this episode, Gordon has a conversation with Gregg Behr and Ryan Rydzewski about their book, "When You Wonder You're Learning: Mr. Rogers Enduring Lessons for Raising Creative, Curious, Caring Kids". They discuss unconventional wisdom of Fred Rogers and what he taught in his PBS program for children (and adults),  "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood".   They discuss the importance of teaching children emotional intelligence and how to live into more kindness and compassion. If you grew up watching "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood," you may remember Fred Rogers as the kind, gentle man who sang songs and told stories about his beloved puppets. But what you may not know is that Mr. Rogers was also a learning scientist who had a deep understanding of how children learn and grow.  Read more... Get the book on Amazon: When You Wonder, You're Learning: Mister Rogers' Enduring Lessons for Raising Creative, Curious, Caring Kids WhenYouWonder.org Gregg Behr's Website: www.greggbehr.com Ryan Rydzewski's Website: ryanrydzewski.com KindnessandCompassion.com Follow us on Instagram: @kindnessandcompassionpodcast Follow us on Facebook Support us through Patreon

In this episode Gordon talks with The Rev. Jay Mills about his life journey of transformation and how he has changed his mind and values over the years. Jay shares how his life changed through his involvement in a 12-step program and his reconciliation with his past.  Gordon has known Jay for close to 20 years. Jay was originally one of Gordon's priests. Gordon is currently a clergy person in the Episcopal church and Jay is retired. As Jay tells his story you will find his life is an example of kindness and compassion.  Read more... The Rev. Jay Mills was raised in a middle-class home with parents that were reasonably good parents. And I ended up getting sexually assaulted when I was 12 years old, and my life very quickly unraveled. Jay started doing drugs and alcohol heavily. He ended up being addicted very young. He was also a really angry kid with a lot of violence. He lived that way until he was about 21, where he went through a conversion through the ministries of Campus Crusade for Christ. While he does not agree with their theology now, he says “I owe them my life cause as I've often said, if I waited for the Episcopal Church to evangelize me, I've died in a drug house. He was a camp counselor not long after that. He had an experience that where he oversaw several kids. They were in the back of his car, and they flipped off a local guy. And the guy followed him into Burger King. He wanted to fight. “I just looked at him and I said, “I can fight you. I'm a Christian.” Jay says at that moment he understood exactly what Jesus was talking about. Bless your enemies. Jesus was calling me to be a person of peace. Connect with Jay at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church  kindnessandcompassion.com Follow us on Instagram @kindnesscompassionpodcast Follow on Facebook Support us on Patreon

In this episode Wendy Posillico joins Gordon in a conversation about how it is important to sometimes challenge our beliefs about ourselves and the world around us. Our mindset has everything to do with how well we can tap into our talents and unique gifts as people. Hear Wendy's story of transformation and how she changed her mindset about herself and the direction she was going in her life. Also learn the questions you should ask yourself to begin your own transformation.  Read more... Wendy's website: LiveYourJune Wendy on Instagram: @liveyourjune kindnessandcompassion.com Follow Us on Instagram: @kindnessandcompassionpodcast Follow Us on Facebook

Where am I being kind and compassionate in my everyday life? Daniel Fava, a web-designer and online marketing strategist, is confronted by this very relatable question as he joins Gordon for the next conversation on the podcast. In this episode, Daniel explores with Gordon what he learned about kindness and compassion 13 years ago on a trip to India and how he is still applying it today. Listen in for an encouraging reminder that a small act, when done with love, can be the most powerful act of all.  Read More... kindnessandcompassion.com Follow Us On Instagram Follow Us On Facebook Become A Patron Links & Resources Mentioned Private Practice Elevation – https://privatepracticeelevation.com/ Daniel Fava on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/DanielFava/ Youth With A Mission (YWAM) – https://ywam.org/ Book Discernment: Reading the Signs of Daily Life, by Henri J. M. Nouwen L'ARCHE – https://www.larche.org/  

Sometimes the people we are in close relationships with are the hardest to show kindness and compassion to. In this episode Gordon shares some of the research and science behind relationships.  It turns out that the key to healthy relationships is tied to recognizing interaction patterns, self-regulation, and curiosity. We can learn how to heal broken relationships and be more kind and compassionate in our key relationships. Listen in as Gordon draws from research and his years of experience in working with hundreds of couples as licensed marriage and family therapist.   Read more... KindnessandCompassion.com Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Become A Patron Resources Mentioned Attachment Theory - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attachment_theory The Gottman Institute- https://www.gottman.com/ Sound Relationship House - https://www.gottman.com/blog/what-is-the-sound-relationship-house/ “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” - https://www.gottman.com/blog/the-four-horsemen-recognizing-criticism-contempt-defensiveness-and-stonewalling/ Dr. Susan Johnson - https://drsuejohnson.com/

In this episode Dawn Gabriel, LPC joins Gordon for a deep dive into redemption and finding your soul through spirituality, the divine, or the universe. Dawn, a licensed professional counselor and the person behind the Faith Fringes Podcast, opens the show by being vulnerable and speaking about the divorce she experienced at the age of twenty-five. Then, she explains how the divorce changed her relationship with faith and God. Tune in as we chat about the importance of finding a sense of purpose on your journey, the problem with short-term pleasure, and how to express meaning within our lives.  Read more here... Free Giveaway – Spiritual Reflections Course – https://faithfringes.com/spiritual-reflections-course/ FREE 8 week email course to engage more of your own faith journey from a different perspective. Included is a journaling workbook to guide you through exercises that will help you explore what you were brought up to believe, including disillusion and hurt, while also cultivating a deeper and authentic connection with God. Visit us: kindnessandcompassion.com Become a Patron of the podcast Follow Us on Instagram @kindnessandcompassionpodcast Follow Us on Facebook 

In this episode, Gordon has a conversation with Whitney Owens about being a caregiver and living into kindness and compassion through those challenges.  Whitney opens the show by talking about the book, Discernment: Reading the Signs of Daily Life by Henri J. M. Nouwen. Whitney reveals the most significant lesson she learned from that book and how it has informed her life as a mother. Then, Whitney dives straight into the importance of self-care and how it's an essential piece of kindness and compassion. Tune in as we chat about savoring the moment, mindfulness, and creating consistent daily habits around self-care.  Read more... WhitneyOwens.com Waters Edge Counseling kindnessandcompassion.com Follow us on Instagram @kindnessandcompassionpodcast Follow us on Facebook

In this episode, Gordon talks with Jessica Tappana, LCSW about what we can do when faced with hard and heavy things in life. Jessica opens the show by speaking about how spring can be a heavy time for many of us. In general, the world needs more kindness and compassion; however, we only have so much energy in the day. We can choose to be upset about something or find ways to be compassionate about them. Then, Jessica dives into her passion for DBT and how it has helped Jessica learn more about mindfulness. Tune in as we chat about texting gratitude to others, avoiding negativity bias, and teaching our children about kindness.  Read more... Find out more about Jessica: aspirecounselingmo.com/jessica-tappana-msw-lcsw Follow us on Instagram: @kindnessandcompassionpodcast Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kindnessandcompassionpodcast

In this episode, Katlyn Printz joins us to talk about the process she went through in changing her mind about some things. Katelyn shares her story about growing up with some fairly narrow conservative Christian views.  As an undergraduate in college, Katlyn's eyes were opened up to various ways of thinking, allowing her to reconsider some of the opinions she had as a child. Katlyn speaks about the importance of allowing your faith to be a continuous process as you grow and learn. Tune in as we chat about the many ways to love and worship and why it's critical to have kindness and compassion for yourself and others as they make changes to their faith and beliefs.  Read more... kindnessandcompassion.com Follow on Instagram @kindnessandcompassionpodcast Follow on Facebook Become a Patron

In this episode Gordon talks with Uriah Guilford, MFT, a marriage and family therapist from Northern California, about how kindness and compassion has impacted his life inside the therapy room and outside.  They talk about ways  in which we can all experience "compassion fatigue" and the need to shift to be more other focused on a bigger scale.  Uriah shares a personal story about a mission trip to Mexico with his oldest daughter and what realizations came through serving others. We also talk about how acknowledgement andmore... validation is very profound and healing and how that takes place in therapy.   Read more... Uriah's Websites: Guilford Family Counseling Poductive Therapist kindnessandcompassion.com Become a Patron Follow us on Instagram Find us on Facebook

In this episode Gordon talks with Jane Carter, LPC a therapist and private practice business coach about how we handle anger in the context of kindness and compassion. We explore how being “polite” does not always equate to being kind. In fact, sometimes politeness can be a form of anger turned inward. We also explore how expressing our anger in healthy ways can lead to greater emotional intimacy and be an act of kindness and compassion. We also look at how we can confront injustices as an act of kindness and compassion.  Read more... Meet Jane Carter, LPC https://janecartercoaching.com/ Follow Us On Instagram  @kindnessandcompassionpodcast Follow Us On Facebook Become A Patron kindnessandcompassion.com/patreon Kindnessandcompassion.com    

In this episode Gordon talks with Jenn Fredette, LPC, MA, MDiv, about being vulnerable, being human and coping with people we just don't agree with.  Jenn shares her experience of having come from a very conservative religious background (“cult”) and the ways in which she has grown and healed since then.  Jenn and Gordon also talk about how being present with and for people is an act of kindness and compassion.  Read more... Jenn's journey with others is to develop a deep understanding of themselves and the world around them.  She is passionate about connecting the curious and brave with therapeutic guides who can lead the way into the wild adventure of self-knowledge. Meet Jenn Fredette, LPC, MA, MDiv As a former minister, practicing psychotherapist, adjunct graduate professor, and host of “A Thinker's Guide to…Podcast”, Jenn brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in translating the profound into everyday language. Learn more at therapyforthinkers.com or follow her on Instagram at @athinkersguide. kindnessandcompassion.com Follow us in Instagram @kindnessandcompassionpodcast Follow us on Facebook

In this episode Gordon talks with Jody and Gracie Davis about the influence of camp experiences for children and youth along with meeting challenging situations in life. Summer camp experiences have, and continue to be, extremely important to helping young people form meaningful relationships. These camp experiences model what it means to live in community and gives space for vulnerability. And when young people get outside their comfort zone and are treated with kindness and compassion, it is truly a life changing experience.  Read More... Find out more about Duncan Park Follow Duncan Park on Facebook kindnessandcompassion.com Follow Us: On Instagram: @kindnessandcompassionpodcast On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kindnessandcompassionpodcast

In this episode, Gordon talks with The Right Rev. Brian Cole, the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee, about reconciliation and how we can mend broken relationships. We explore what it takes to be able to use the act of reconciliation to create greater kindness and compassion through our interactions with each other in our world.  Read more... Meet Bishop Brian Cole kindnessandcompassion.com Support us on Patreon Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook

Death is a subject most of us tend to avoid.  In particular, thinking about our own death or the death of loved ones.  But as most of us know, death is a reality of life and it touches us all at some point.  In this episode we tackle this topic with Dr. Mallory McDuff a professor of environmental studies  and author of Our Last Best Act; Planning for the end of our lives to protect people and places we love. We explore how kindness and compassion can be practiced even in death and with our end of life issues.  Read more... mallorymcduff.com Book:  Our Last Best Act; Planning for the end of our lives to protect the people and places we love Support this Podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kindnessandcompassion Follow Us: kindnessandcompassion.com Instagram: @kindnessandcompassionpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kindnessandcompassionpodcast

As counterintuitive as it sounds, does embracing our fear help us to show more kindness and compassion?  In this episode of the podcast I am joined by The Rev. Claire Brown as we discuss her thoughts on befriending and being curious about our fear as a way to show self-compassion and empower ourselves. Read more... Resources revclairebrown.com kindnessandcompassion.com Instagram Facebook Patreon Page

In this episode Gordon explores the concept and practices of mindfulness.  We look at the body brain connection and how practicing mindfulness helps us show kindness and compassion not only to others but to ourselves.  It is the first step in being able to better manage our emotions.  It is all about learning how to be present focused and in the moment.   Read more... Website: kindnessandcompassion.com Instagram: @kindnessandcompassionpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kindnessandcompassionpodcast

In this episode Kayla Tapia joins the podcast, who is a colleague of Gordon's in the mental health field.  Gordon and Kayla talk about using gratitude as a practice to show kindness and compassion in the world.  They also talk about how there are parts of our brains that have a way of looking for danger. But when we practice gratitude it helps calm those fears and help to use the higher parts of our brains.Kayla also talks about ways she has incorporated gratitude practices in her life to be more grounded and less anxious about the world.  Read here for more resources and info... About Kayla Website: kindnessandcompassion.com Haka Dance:  https://youtu.be/MW3BMJFe2pY  

In this first episode of the Kindness and Compassion Podcast, Gordon talks about his “why” behind the podcast and why he is passionate about the topic of Kindness and Compassion.  He tells his story about an encounter in the grocery store that made a lasting impact in his life.  He also talks about his own journey and struggles through the COVID pandemic and the losses he has faced over the past few years. Read the full show notes and summary here. Visit our webisite: KindnessandCompassion.com

New Podcast Coming in 2022! In a world that often feels disconnected and anxious, is there a way to find connection and greater meaning in life? The Kindness and Compassion Podcast is a podcast about helping people find emotional and spiritual intelligence for greater meaning and peace in their lives. Drawing from the science of psychology, psychotherapy, along with the voices of spirituality and religion, this podcast explores how people can, and have, transformed their lives by finding deeper meaning in knowing themselves more fully. In this podcast, you will hear stories of hope and reconciliation. You will learn how people practice kindness and compassion in their lives. This podcast brings people together in a busy world that too often feels disconnected and polarized. Paying it forward and the power of empathy are practices that can heal and bring meaningful change in people's lives. Hosted by Gordon Brewer, LMFT a licensed psychotherapist and clergy person, and produced by the PsychCraft network,  we explore the science and practices of mindfulness, gratitude, compassion, and forgiveness.