Quiet Waters Podcast

Communication is the bedrock of all good relationships. It is one of the most important life skills to learn. It will help you understand others and be understood, and builds a common ground of respectfully relating to one another. In this podcast you will learn the basic tenants of Mindfulness Communication.

Conversations about LBGTQ+ individuals and the LBGTQ+ community have swept the nation. Taking center stage are political and societal conversations about the rights of LBGTQ+ individuals to be who they are without scrutiny, to be free to express their true nature without judgment and have the right to live an equitable life like all citizens.Parents have their unique experiences when their children courageously come out to them as identifying as LBGTQ+, and intimate conversations about gender identity/sexual orientation. In this episode, we get up close and personal with Netta Chirello, who will frankly share her experience/story about her young adult son coming out as non-binary. 

Who likes to gain weight? Most of us don't. We physically don't feel well, our  mood state may sink, our negative self-talk may increase and our self-image may tank….on top of the fact that our cloth es may not fit.  Motivated to “finally lose the extra pounds”, we sift through the myriad of weight loss programs out there, only to ask ourselves, “Which one this time?”.  Nan Jenkins knows that script well until she found the weight loss program that changed her life personally and professionally. Nan, the Founder of the BreakthroughM2 Weight Loss Program and Alula Wellness shares her story and her nutritious weight loss program in this informative and inspiring conversation.

As we search for connection and places of belonging, we often forget to resource our  deepest place of belonging – nature. Welcome this truth in this nature-based mindfulness meditation. 

Therapeutic art modalities offer us a way to explore the realms of our inner life, deepen our understanding of ourselves, heal and transform our suffering and awaken us to a new way of being present and alive.  Join me as I interview Jody Tompros, a licensed clinical social worker, who pivoted from her “traditional psychotherapy” practice to create “The Mindfulness Painting Experience”, a therapeutic modality weaving psychotherapy, mindfulness and art.. 

After 21 years as a practicing physician with Mid-Atlantic Kaiser Permanent Health Care, Dr. Elliott Dacher, a board-certified internal medicine physician, left his medical position in 1996 and embarked on a journey to India to study consciousness, health and meditation. In this inspiring episode, Dr. Dasher, author of “Aware, Awake, Alive” and “”Meditation and Beyond”, shares his personal story, the fruits of his travels and how they shaped his becoming as well as his perspective and approach to healthcare.  

Weight gain, weight loss and weight maintenance are topics of conversation women can't get enough of.  They want to know why their weight can fluctuate so much, month to month or year to year, even though they have good lifestyle habits and behaviors. Hormones play a significant role in weight gain/loss as well as our overall physical, mental and emotional health. Join us as Melinda Rhoads, Nurse Practitioner, Certified Nurse Midwife and Founder of Rho Wellness informs us about hormones, weight and overall well-being.

Parenting with a mindset of positivity and with behaviors of positivity, significantly impact your teen's neurological, emotional, and social development, as well as their physical health. In this episode, Dr. Nixon introduces the merits of this approach and 4 simple ways to begin.

Anyone seeking therapy wants to find a good therapist. Someone who is qualified, experienced and can help with your particular concern, mental health condition or relationship situation. Yet, what makes a good therapist? Listen in as Dr. Suzanne shares the 5 Heart-Centered traits of a good therapist.

When you notice stress accumulating in your mind or in your body, it is a signal to you to stop, pay attention, and seek relief. Having a brief go-to practice to relieve stress, helps regulate your autonomic nervous system into a state of calm.

How do you embrace a life of joy, love, and gratitude when your life as a child was a steady flow of abuse, neglect, addiction, and trauma? How do you heal from the pain, misery, and memories held tightly within the body-mind to become whole and resilient? Join me for this conversational interview with Heidi Henyon, Transformational Coach, Master NLP Practitioner, Certified Massage Therapist, and Movement Teacher as she shares her journey of healing from abuse and addiction. Understand how working with the “body” in recovery is essential in healing and sets the trajectory for reclaiming your joy, self-love, and life.

Your middle school teen wishes you knew them better, understood them more, and listened more. They are going through an explosive developmental period with their brains changing, their bodies growing and their mental, emotional and social needs shifting. It is confounding to them as much as it is to you and,  they are trying to navigate the unique challenges of being in middle school. Better your relationship with your teen by understanding this developmental period and learn what they want you to know.

When someone is kind to you it feels good, and when you extend a gesture of kindness to another, it feels good. Research studies show the health benefits of kind acts, for the receiver, the giver, and the larger community.  Join Dr. Suzanne as she shares a few personal stories on kindness and invites you to reflect on times in your own life when kindness crossed your path.

Each of the seven chakras represents an aspect of our physical, psychological and spiritual essence. We receive, assimilate and transmit all of life's energies through these centers of spinning light. In this guided meditation, you will focus on each chakra and welcome in the positive light and affirmation. 

Nowadays the need to manage our everyday stress is essential.  Over time, stress unmanaged or stress prolonged will negatively affect our physical, mental, and emotional health and overall well-being.  The holidays are a time of good cheer, however, they are also a time of high stress. In this episode, you will learn skills and strategies for managing your holiday stress with Dianna Carr, a health and nutrition coach.

The range of differences in how our individual brains are wired and function is called neurodiversity. Our brain wiring affects the way we think, process information, behave, interact with others and experience the world around us.  Neurodivergent people, a born identity, have brains that are different from people whose brains are neurotypical.  Learn more about the characteristics, traits, strengths and challenges of neurodivergent people as I journey with Claudia Matteo, who identifies as being neurodivergent, in our conversational interview. 

Each and every day is a new opportunity to intentionally connect within, become aware of your inner experiences, and welcome presence. Embrace what is arising in you, moment to moment, and with a tender heart receive you in this 15- minute guided meditation.

You are a divine being made up of pure energy. The ancient Hindu text, The Vedas, elaborate on the Chakra System, the template for understanding our human energy field. The 7 Primary Chakras, spinning wheels of energy, offer a body of knowledge about your spiritual development and current state of existence.. Tune in to learn more and enjoy a guided Chakra meditation. 

When you picture a gifted child, do you have an image in your mind of a precocious, straight-A student who is the teacher's pet? You may be surprised to learn that not all gifted children do well in school, and if gifted children do not have the parental and educational supports they need, they will likely struggle throughout their lives.  What does it really mean to be gifted? And what do parents of gifted children wish other people understood? Join me for a deep dive conversation with Chris Croll, founder of Loudoun County Parents of Gifted Students and mom to two gifted children. 

Are you prepared for the challenges of caring for your aging parents or family members? Have you had the difficult conversations with your loved ones about their declining health, eldercare and end of life affairs?  If you minimize or deny the importance of these conversations or avoid preparing for this life cycle, when the time comes you will likely experience an insurmountable amount of mental, emotional and physical stress. Join me as I interview Pam Reynolds, author of Caregiving with Confidence, as she offers you a roadmap for preparing for your aging parents end of life affairs and caring for you. 

Calm energy is always present even when we think otherwise. In this ten-minute guided meditation sit, settle in, and allow calm to come in.

Go ahead, laugh out loud!  Laughter is a feel-good “medicine”, which has proven to have a positive effect on our physical, mental and emotional health.   Laughter has the power to uplift our spirits, lessen our stress load, lighten our hearts and joyfully connect us with one  Wendy Cooke, co-founder and co-owner of Start Within, is a transformational facilitator, life coach, mindfulness teacher, and certified laughter yoga leader. Join us in this episode as she shares more about this this joyful, healing modality and leads us in a laughing yoga practice! 

When you are experiencing difficulty, a challenge, or wrestling with uncomfortable thoughts and feelings, stopping to pause and engaging in a brief RAIN practice may be what you need.  This meditative self-inquiry process guides you to move inward, to be with what is arising within, and tap into your innate wisdom. Engage with this 15-minute guided practice at home or at your place of work. 

Horses have a healing effect on our minds and bodies.  They teach us how to be aware in the moment, to pay attention to what is, and deepen our listening skills. Their soulful presence has the capacity to ease our anxieties, calm our mind and bring us reassurance that all is good and well. As Winston Churchill once said, “There's something about the outside of a horse that's good for the inside of a man.”, a quote Queen Elizabeth was very fond of. Join me as I interview Kathy Baine, Program Director at Loudoun Therapeutic Riding Foundation, Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor, and Equine Specialist as she educates us about therapeutic riding, the soulful presence of horses, and shares stories of “healing with horses”. 

You've heard it many times before, “the answers are within”. How though, do we launch this inner journey? Join Dr. Suzanne as she guides you on this inner journey with an age-old mindfulness self-inquiry practice RAIN.  Wondering what to inquire about? Tune into Episode 40, and listen to Dr. Suzanne walk herself through this process.

RAIN, a mindfulness self-inquiry practice, is a tool for consciously attending to one's self with awareness and compassion when experiencing difficult emotions, negative thoughts, physical discomfort or pain, or simply feeling out of whack or stuck. The meditative practice is a process for attending to your inner experience, listening and discovering the voice within and freeing yourself from painful constricting beliefs, emotions and physical sensations. Join Dr. Suzanne as she explains the 4-step process and shares a recent example from her own life.  In Episode 41, Dr. Suzanne will give you the opportunity to experience the RAIN process.

Join Dr. Suzanne as she shares with you a Mindful Sleep Sleep is often referred to as “the Gold from the Gods”. Who doesn't long for a restful and restorative night of sleep?  Join Dr. Suzanne as she guides you in developing a mindful sleep practice and meditation to support you in “experiencing” a night of gold. 

More catastrophic events have swept our nation these past several years than many of us can remember.  COVID-19 and the prolonged pandemic, gun violence and mass shootings, the increase in discrimination and violence against marginalized populations and the wide political divide. These shocking events gave rise to an intensity of thoughts and feelings. The word trauma became commonplace and the feeling of being traumatized became real for many. Join me in a conversational interview with Laurie Tasharski, M.Ed., a seasoned trauma expert, and learn about the cutting-edge trend for community organizations, educational institutions and places of business to become “trauma informed”.

A women's hormonal health plays a vital role in her mental well-being. Symptoms of depression or anxiety may be a reflection of a hormonal imbalance.  Join us as Courtney Hasseman, NP, CNM, shares her expert knowledge on women's hormonal health and how it interfaces with her mental health. 

Treatment for a mental health condition begins with the correct diagnosis.  At age 9, Emily's mental health issues surfaced. Acutely aware of her physical/mental/ emotional symptoms, her parents sought professional help for their daughter. Emily's condition was complex, and some of the medical experts were helpful and others not. Carol shares her heart-wrenching nine-year journey to find the right medical professionals to help Emily and finally provide a correct diagnosis and course of treatment for their daughter. Carol Hancock is a wife, a mother of two beautiful young women, and the grandmother of two young boys.  In addition to her devotion “mothering” and “grand-mothering”, she has had a life-long career as a professional hair stylist in Loudoun County, Virginia.

Embrace the serenity, grace, and radiance of the new dawn and bring your experience forward as you greet the new day. 

Combining her direct observation of nature with creative imagination, award winning author Karen Schaufeld, masterfully weaves timeless stories of friendship and love that bring universal messages spanning a lifetime.   Personifying animals and trees as main characters, the meanings of her fables, “seep into you” and her children's books are a delight for all ages. Beautifully illustrated by master artist, Kurt Schwartz, each page of her storybooks is a colorful tapestry of exquisite images. Tune in and enjoy learning about Karen's stories, the messages embedded within, and the process of writing. 

The recent mass murders rocking our country have brought a cascade of watershed moments.  As our minds and hearts try to grasp “this type of extreme violence and killing” and “how to stop the continual loss of innocent lives”, our conversations have turned to mental health, guns, policies and politics.  These conversations, are imperative and unite us in our common outcry for right action.  As a mental health professional, I am relieved conversations about mental health are up front and center for they are long overdue. Yet to begin conversations about mental health and mental illness, we need to begin with foundational knowledge.  In this episode, I share the main components of mental health, focus on 10 foundational principles of mental well-being and give pause for reflection.  The recent cascade of horrifying events sweeping our country have brought a cascade of watershed moments.

During meditation, our thoughts can easily distract and deter us from coming into full awareness and presence. Thoughts may nudge at you, for it is their way of saying, “pay attention to me”. Your thoughts have purpose and in attending to them, are more easily released. In this meditation, you will focus on befriending your thoughts, getting to know and accept them, so they may be released in due time. 

 You are yearning to know the basic steps for beginning a mediation practice. Rest your mind, for Dr. Suzanne breaks it down into easy – to – follow steps. Enjoy! 

Take a moment to pause from the busyness of your day and reconnect to the ground beneath your feet.   Grounding is an earth-based practice for fortifying inner alignment, stability, and safety. When we are rooted to the earth, we can strengthen our sense of centeredness and sure-footedness. 

How we parent changes over the decades. It is typically influenced by scientific research, contemporary educational information, generational trends and our own individual experiences being parented.  In this podcast, Kristi Torrenzano, shares her story of choosing to leave her successful career in corporate and become a full-time stay-at-home mom. Kristi shares with us the parenting values and parenting style she and her husband, along with their friends, are implementing, “Gentle Parenting”. It is an evidence-based approach to raising happy, confident children, based on emotional intelligence, positive discipline, and age-appropriate boundaries. She also elaborates on the challenges parents face today in raising their children given the pandemic and access to technology. 

Join Dr. Suzanne in a guided body – centered meditation on grounding, which is a concept based on ancient healing traditions, the martial arts, and somatic psychology. When we “ground” ourselves, we bring conscious attention to where and how we are in our body and set the intention to connect to the earth as a way of gaining stability.  Grounding practices bring us more into a state of centeredness, alignment, and balance within. 

In this, the first episode of Quiet Waters Podcast, Dr. Suzanne reveals the power of stillness to cultivate calm and peace in a time of crisis and change.

If you are unhappy in your relationship, it may be because you are in an unhealthy relationship.  In a healthy relationship, your basic relationship needs and wants are met. You feel respected, valued, and experience loving and caring behaviors from your partner. If you feel you are the only one “showing up”, listening, valuing, and tending to your partner's needs, you may be “codependent”.  Listen in as Maura shares her story of living in a dysfunctional, codependent marriage and how she awakened to the truth,  courageously made the decision to leave her marriage and find her true, authentic self. 

Dr. Suzanne leads you in a brief meditation and reflection on being kind to yourself. 12 minutes.

In times of turmoil, our minds race, and our hearts swell with emotion. We get overwhelmed with thoughts and feelings and lose our footing and sense of stability. Right now, as we witness the war in Ukraine, a country being violently destroyed and innocent people being killed we can go into overwhelm. In this talk and guided practice, experience a 3- part mindfulness meditation for “steadying in” during turbulent times and includes a loving kindness meditation for the Ukrainians.

Awareness of teen mental health and suicide increased during the pandemic due to the alarming rise in teen depression, anxiety, and suicide. However, teen mental health has been a significant health issue for decades – it just wasn't talked about. After losing her son to suicide in 2014, Suzie Bartel, has been passionate about raising awareness of teen mental health and suicide prevention. Join me as Suzie shares her knowledge, story and her work with the Ryan Bartel Foundation she co-founded soon after Ryan's passing.

Spiritual seekers are those who follow a path of self-discovery. They embark on a journey searching for experiences of connection and meaning with the two-fold intention of discovery the authentic self and developing a philosophy of how to live life. Greg White, Ph.D., clinical psychologist, university professor, and student of Thich Nhat Hahn, began his spiritual journey as a teenager and now a ripe senior, shares his experiences, wisdom, and the practical path of living a mindful, awakened life. 

Give yourself a few minutes, to stop and pause from the activity of your day.  In this brief guided meditation, I invite you to welcome rest and discover the calm within. 

Functional Medicine is a medical/healthcare approach that investigates the roots of illness and disease. This includes our mental health, for our biology effects our mood states, just as our psychology effects our physical well-being.  Join me as Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner Nazaneen  Nassiry explains this mind-body connection and offers ways you can support your mental well-being.

We yearn to feel relaxed, to be at ease, and to flow more and stress less in our day-to-day living. Cultivating a state of relaxation begins by tuning into our bodies and simply becoming aware of sensations, vibrations, tensions, and movements alive within.  Join Dr. Suzanne as she guides you in a gentle, soothing body scan meditation to help you become more aware, present, and relaxed.

When feeling stressed out, distraught or in need of healing, people often take refuge in nature.  They leave the confines of their homes and seek walking paths, gardens, hiking trails, river banks or head to a favorite destination - the beach, the lake or the mountains. That is because nature is restorative and, nature is our home.  Cathy Norman, a Virginia Master Naturalist, mindfulness meditation teacher, registered yoga teacher and steward of the earth, shares her wisdom about the healing aspects of nature and restorative practices to help us reconnect to ourselves. 

Teens want you to understand them, their experiences, and the roller coaster ride of adolescence.  Their journey is one of separating from parents and finding themselves. Experiences and connections with peers are critical and serve as the foundation for self-discovery and individualization. In 2020 their natural journey of exploration was thwarted. The COVID-19 pandemic struck them like a lightning bolt and rocked their world.  Fourteen-year-old, Mahsa Riar, a young, accomplished woman beyond her years, shares with us her experiences living through the pandemic and the impact it has had on her generation.  Teen's well-being is dependent on adults listening, understanding, accepting, and loving them. Tune in today.

Meditation and poetry are natural dance partners. They invite us to go within and come into awareness with what is in the present moment.  Join Suzanne for a brief meditation and two soulful poetry readings, one by Mary Oliver and one by Vera Agnes.  Rest in the silent, still dance.

The greatest worry of expecting parents is the health of their newborn. Will the birthing process be free of complications and will she or he, be healthy and well? At Jaclyn's 20-week routine checkup, her obstetrician looked at the sonogram and told her “Baby”, the given name of their fetus, had a serious heart defect.  That defining moment set off a whirlwind of emotions, thoughts, and difficult decisions. Parents Jaclyn and Kenny set out on an unexpected journey to save “Baby”, and dug deep to stay strong and centered as they prayed for a miracle.