The Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness Podcast

Grounding In Nature Guided Meditation • Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness by David Treleaven

A guided meditation by David Treleaven on appreciating the body.

In this solo episode, David speaks about the reasons he's stepping back from TSM and three of the most important lessons he learned over the years: the importance of practicality, the inability to meet everyone's needs, and the pros and cons of focusing on safety in trauma-sensitive work. David also shares his gratitude for the community and his visions for the future.

In this episode David speaks with Meena Srinivasan, an expert in the field of mindful education and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). They discuss the relationship between SEL and mindful education, the mental-health crisis of Covid and the particular forms of stress that educators are facing in school systems, the difference between mindfulness as a path versus mindfulness as a tool in education, and the relationship between identity, SEL, and traumatic stress.

In this episode, David speaks with Joe Flanders and Andrew Rose, two leaders in the field of psychedelic-assisted treatment. They discuss the current movement around psychedelic treatment, conditions that support healing and transformation in psychedelic therapy (including mindfulness), working with “stuckness” in psychedelic treatments, and the relationship between mindful awareness, traumatic activation, and psychedelics.

In this episode David speaks with Katherine Metzelaar about the relationship between mindfulness, trauma, and disordered eating. They discuss the prevalence of eating disorders, the ways undernourishment can impact our capacity to be mindful, how the spectrum of eating disorders connects to trauma, cultural assumptions around thinness and fatness, and why a trauma-informed lens is so powerful in any work around nutrition.

In this episode, David speaks with Simon Whitesman about mindfulness and trauma in the context of South Africa. They discuss how mindfulness practice can increase the capacity to face historical trauma, the importance of elderhood in contemplative and trauma-healing spaces, the power of non-judgemental awareness in clinical work, and the reason trauma-sensitive mindfulness is so important in a South African context.

In this episode David speaks with Willoughby Britton and Jared Lindahl, co-authors of the Varieties of Contemplative Experience (VCE) study—a landmark investigation into the nature of meditation-related difficulties, including trauma. They are two of the world's experts in studying the difficulties people can encounter in meditation, as well as the factors that contribute to these experiences.

In this episode, David speaks with Anjuli Sherin, author of the book Joyous Resilience: A Path to Individual Healing and Collective Thriving in an Inequitable World. They discuss the relationship between trauma and resilience in clinical and contemplative practice, the way resilience can be a counter-balance to over-focusing on traumatic stimuli in meditation, and cultural aspects of resilience.

In this episode David speaks with mindfulness author, speaker, and educator Diana Winston. Diana is Director of Mindfulness Education at UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center, founding board member of the International Mindfulness Teachers Association, and teaches meditation worldwide. They discuss the relationship between mindfulness research and practice, the professionalisation and standardization of mindfulness teaching (and how this relates to trauma), and Diana's advice for aspiring mindfulness teachers.

In this episode, David speaks with writer and educator Dan Siegel. Dan is Professor of Psychiatry at the UCLA Medical School, founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA, and author of a number of books including The Developing Mind and The Mindful Brain. They discuss mindfulness practices for COVID-19, the relationship between “monitoring” and “modifying” in meditation (including how this relates to trauma), and the three empirical pillars of mindfulness practice.

In this episode, David speaks with Kai Cheng Thom, an award winning writer, social worker, and meditation teacher who teaches about trauma and conflict resolution. They discuss the impact of trauma on groups, the role of mindfulness in conflict resolution, and a meditation practice for working with contradictions.

In this episode David speaks with Thomas Hübl—teacher, facilitator, and author of the book "Healing Collective Trauma." They discuss the ways that mindful attention and attunement can support groups in a trauma healing process, the connection between personal and social change, and what Thomas refers to as the human rights of being, becoming, and belonging.

In this episode, David speaks with Oren Jay Sofer, a meditation instructor and trauma professional who also teachers Nonviolent Communication—a process of interpersonal communication designed to help navigate conflict. In their conversation, Oren and David discuss the philosophical roots of nonviolent communication and how they apply to mindfulness and trauma; ways that an understanding of trauma and the nervous system can help people navigate conflict; and the unique challenges social media poses to mindful communication.

In this episode, David speaks with renowned meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg. They discuss Sharon's conceptualization of trauma and how this informs her meditation teaching, the role lovingkindness can play in trauma recovery, how to help people find agency in the face of distress, and the trauma-informed work Sharon has been doing with survivors of gun violence. Sharon Salzberg is a central figure in the field of mindfulness and meditation and New York Times bestselling author. As one of the first to bring meditation and mindfulness into mainstream American culture over 45 years ago, her relatable, demystifying approach has inspired generations of meditation teachers and students. Sharon is co-founder of The Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, and the author of eleven books, including the New York Times bestseller, "Real Happiness," her seminal work, "Lovingkindness," and her most recent book, "Real Change: Mindfulness To Heal Ourselves and the World."

In this episode, David interviews Mushim Patricia Ikeda—a poet, Buddhist teacher, and social change activist. Mushim teaches at the East Bay Meditation Center (EBMC) in Oakland, California, where she leads an award-winning yearlong mindfulness program called Practice in Transformative Action. In their conversation, David and Mushim talk about her inclusivity work at EBMC, the pandemic, and the relevance of trauma-informed practice within mindfulness and social change work.

This episode's guest is Elizabeth Stanley, a professor at Georgetown University and author of the book "Widen the Window: Training Your Brain and Body to Thrive During Stress and Recover from Trauma." Liz is a U.S. Army veteran who came to practice (in part) to help her with PTSD. In their conversation, David and Liz discuss contemporary definitions of trauma and how this relates to the current moment; the neurophysiology of trauma, including the relationship between what Liz terms the “thinking brain” and “survival brain”; and their current assessments of the impacts of COVID-19, it’s impact on social windows of tolerance, and their hopes for the path ahead.

This episode features Sydney Spears, a trauma-sensitive mindfulness and yoga teacher, clinical social work, and trauma-sensitive care. Sydney teaches Mindful Self-Compassion with a particular focus on diversity, oppression, and trauma. In their conversation, David and Sydney discuss the role of mindfulness and compassion can play in helping heal trauma and oppression; the relationship between trauma and social oppression; and how to skillfully navigate multiracial spaces as a leader in contemplative settings.

This episode's guest is Staci Haines, is co-founder of generative somatics, a multiracial organization that offers somatics, embodied leadership and trauma healing to social and environmental justice organizers. She is also the founder of generationFIVE, an organization whose mission is to end the sexual abuse of children within five generations. David and Staci's conversation centers around her writing and work, her assessment of the impact COVID-19, and also the role embodiment and resilience can play at this time.

This episode's guest is Rick Hanson, a psychologist, a Senior Fellow of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, and a New York Times best-selling author. In their conversation, David and Rick talk about what resilience means and its connection to mindfulness; the distinction between “working with” and “being with” when it comes to meditation; and the practices Rick depends on in his life to cope well with stress and adversity.

Zabie Yamasaki is the Program Director of Trauma-Informed Yoga Programs at UCLA, and created a trauma-informed yoga program that’s being used at over 20 college campuses in the US. In this episode, David and Zabie discuss the difference between observing and absorbing adversity and stress in a leadership role; strategies to support self-regulation to best support others; and how the physiological triggers of trauma can be worked with skillfully in body-based contemplative practices.

This episode's guest is Shelly Tygielski, a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction teacher, who's also deeply involved in offering trauma-informed mindfulness programs to communities who have been affected by gun violence and mass shootings in the US. In their conversation, David and Shelly discuss what Shelly’s learned in creating trauma-sensitive environments for those impacted by gun violence; What it means to be a “mindful first responder” and how to responsibly promote self-care; And the connection between mindfulness and social justice, specifically anti-gun violence organizing.

This episode's guest is Rebecca Crane, a teacher passionate about mindfulness teacher competencies—particularly "who" we need to become in order to offer mindfulness to others. In the episode, David and Rebecca delve into the questions: What makes a mindfulness program a mindfulness program? Where does trauma fit into all this? And where is the field going? Rebecca Crane PhD directs the Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice at Bangor University and has played a leading role in developing its training and research programme since it was founded in 2001. She teaches and trains internationally in both Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). Her research and publications focus on how the evidence on mindfulness-based interventions can be implemented with integrity into practice settings. She has written Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Distinctive Features 2017, co-authored Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy with People at Risk of Suicide, 2017 and is a Principle Fellow with the Higher Education Academy.

In this special podcast, as opposed to interviewing a particular leader in the field, David interviews, well... himself! After a brief opening practice he discusses: The way our own healing needs to be at the center of TSM; the reason David thinks of trauma as Winter in the seasonal cycle; and how mindfulness (and particular supplemental practices) can help us turn towards suffering with a greater capacity to heal it.

In this episode, David interviews Paula Ramírez, a mindfulness teacher currently working with humanitarian workers and trauma survivors at the United Nations. Paula and David discuss her adaptations of mindful body scans when working with differently abled people, cultural adaptations Paula has made in offering mindfulness to displaced and traumatized communities, and self-care practices she engages in when offering Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness work.

In this episode, David interviews Daniel Rechtshaffen, mindfulness educator and author of the book The Way of Mindful Education. They discuss the connection between mindfulness and ecology, being in right relationship with our natural environment, and the ethics of bringing mindfulness into different community settings.

In this episode of the TSM podcast, David interviews Jessica Morey and Charisse Minerva, Guiding Teachers at Inward Bound Mindfulness Education (iBme), a nonprofit organization that offers trauma-informed mindfulness programs to youth and their families. They discuss how mindfulness providers can embody principles of trauma-sensitive practice, the difference between secularization and secularity in mindfulness practice, and the role of nature and resilience in trauma-sensitive practice. Charisse Minerva is a Board member at iBme, and has also worked with the Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP) and is Mindfulness Coordinator at Friends School of Virginia Beach. She has offered mindfulness in schools, festivals, at corporate offices, and in detention & treatment centers. Jessica Morey is the Executive Director of iBme and a founding board member. She began practicing meditation at age 14 on teen retreats offered by the Insight Meditation Society (IMS), and before joining iBme worked in clean energy and climate policy and finance.

In this episode of the TSM podcast, David interviews Sam Himelstein — a psychologist, educator, and author of the book Trauma-Informed Mindfulness with Teens (Norton, 2019). Sam details how he builds trust with youth when teaching mindfulness, and the most effective trauma-informed principles and practices he’s learned over the years. Dr. Sam Himelstein is a licensed Psychologist who worked in the Alameda County Juvenile Hall. He founded the Center for Adolescent Studies and has written extensively on clinical work using mindfulness with young people. He’s author of A Mindfulness-Based Approach to Working with High-Risk Adolescents (Routledge, 2013) and Mindfulness-Based Substance Abuse Treatment for Adolescents: A 12-Session Curriculum (Routledge, 2015). His forthcoming book, Trauma-Informed Mindfulness with Teens (Norton, 2019) will be available this fall.

This month's guest is Rhonda Magee, a powerful teacher and thought-leader focused on integrating mindfulness into higher education, law, and social justice. Rhonda discusses racial justice as an aspect of living mindfully, and how to bring, in her words, "compassion together with truth telling." Rhonda is also author of the forthcoming book, "The Inner Work of Racial Justice" (Norton, 2019).

In this inaugural podcast, David sits down with meditation teacher Will Kabat-Zinn to discuss his thoughts and insights about trauma-sensitive mindfulness. Will Kabat-Zinn has practiced Insight Meditation for over 15 years. He has taught mindfulness and meditation to diverse populations--neuroscientists at the Mind and Life Institute, incarcerated youth in NYC and Oakland, and business and technology leaders in Silicon Valley. He leads retreats regularly at Spirit Rock and at meditation centers around the country and is a member of the Spirit Rock Teacher's Council.