Thrive: The Christian Bjerre Show

Dr. Stephen Parker (Stoma) was initiated in the Himalayan Yoga tradition by Swami Veda Bharati and was given the initiate name Stoma in 1971. Stoma has been a licensed psychologist in private practice in St. Paul, MN since 1985. He also serves as Adjunct Assistant School Professor of Counseling and Psychological Services at Saint Mary’s … Continue reading Steven Parker, PsyD (Stoma) →

Meet Gustavo Plaza (Arjuna), an experimented Yoga teacher and orientalist who has dedicated more than 30 years of his life to teaching yoga to students around the world. We talk about his journey towards self-realization, and his advice to find masters, holy places, and maintain a daily spiritual practice. Relevant Links: https://yogarahasya.com/en/ https://www.instagram.com/gustavoplaza_yoga/

Meet Hussam Alsarraf, chief resident elect at Duke University’s department of psychiatry. We talk about his transition from Wallstreet stock trader to a psychiatrist, the importance of finding meaning in life, and free will.   Relevant links: https://psychiatry.duke.edu/education/residency-programs/psychiatry/about-our-residents/hussam-alsarraf-md-ms

Meet Tim Ibrahim, MD, General Practitioner in Australia. He talks about the importance of finding “stressors” that lead towards self-improvement. Among them, we dive into fasting, meditation, and discuss behavioral “tricks” towards feeling better. Relevant Links: @timothy.ibrahim

Meet Jeff Vockrodt, a top US patent attorney based in NYC. He describes the history of patent law, argues that being excellent at performing a specific skill is not enough to achieve financial success, and discusses the risks and benefits of brewing beer at home. Relevant Links: Website: https://www.culhanemeadows.com/attorney/jeff-vockrodt/ IG: @jefevcafe

Radiation Oncologist, Anabela Miranda talks about her journey back to Ecuador. Unlike most physicians who study abroad, she decided to go back to her home country with the goal of improving its medical system. She talks about how her adventure is going so far.   Relevant links: IG: @badnarima

Graphic designer and professional photographer, Vicente talks about his life in Ecuador, his encounter with photography through trying to capture the perfect landscape image, and his current passion for taking analog pictures. Relevant links: Ig: @vicer_

Please welcome Olga Khomenko! She is an entrepreneur, model, and chicken breeder based in North Carolina. She tells us the story of overcoming financial and educational hardships in Ukraine while during the dissolution of the USSR, and how despite all of this, she was able to find a path towards success at age 15 by … Continue reading Olga Khomenko →

Thrive Thanksgiving Edition! Please Welcome Luke Smith and Jose Antonio Ribas to the “Thrive Team”. Luke is a Child and adolescent psychiatrist and founder of “El Futuro” – a psychiatry practice aimed exclusively towards the Latino population in Durham, North Carolina. Jose Antonio is a Psychiatrist leading the Consultation-Liaison service at Baylor. Jose Antonio and … Continue reading Luke Smith, M.D and Jose Antonio Rivas, M.D. →

William (Bill) Breitbart M.D., Chair of Psychiatry at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, tells us his life story. He begins telling us the life of his parents (A Jewish family who endured and eventually escaped the holocaust). He later explains how this background served as a significant trigger to finding purpose in a career dedicated … Continue reading William Breitbart M.D →

Ben Malkin, Psy.D, a pediatric neuropsychologist and Rabbi, talks about Jewish philosophy, mysticism, and good psychological practices for life. Together, we compare how Jewish and Yoga philosophies talk about the evolution of the spiritual seeker, and notice how similar they are in the topic. Relevant Links: https://neuropsychdoctor.com/

Thrive Haloween edition! Romina Icaza, Alchemist, Witch, Tarotist, Hermetist, Photographer, Journalist, and writer tells us her story. She talks about her wild childhood where she was raised surrounded by Lions and Tigers. Later in life, she became a crime photographer, and eventually moving to Spain to continue her studies in photography. Currently, she’s writing a … Continue reading Romina Icaza →

Ecuadorian attorney specialized in arbitration law, Soledad talks about the nuances of her specialty, the benefits and risks of engaging in disputes through arbitration, and Ecuador’s toxic relationship with the system. Relevant Links: Ig: @soledadpenap

Finishing her pre-doctoral clinical internship in Clinical Psychology at New York-Presbyterian Cornell Campus, Kibby talks about her clinical work with personality disorders, her research on empathy, her thoughts about psychedelics, psychoanalysis, cognitive behavioral therapy, her thoughts on love, and how we should listen to our bodies. Relevant links: http://www.littlehelpforourfriends.com/ http://www.kibby-mcmahon.com/ IG:@kibbymcm

Entrepreneur, podcaster, and network creator, Greg gets vulnerable, talks about his difficult childhood, and how it led him to become the person he is now, Relevant links: @gregsant0s

Computer science engineer and cybersecurity liaison for the Ecuadorian congress, Alejandro talks about how you are at risk of losing your digital identity, and how short term emotions can be the enemies of your long term goals. Relevant Links: IG: @alejandrovaras

William “Bill” Richards is a renowned psychologist working in the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research. He has been doing psychedelic research since 1963. He tells us the story of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy research, the reason behind his personal passion for this topic, and his wishes for the future of … Continue reading William Richards, PhD. →

Gymnast, circus acrobat, and heavy metal music producer, Carlos talks about his nomadic life in a neverending moving circus, and the pleasure he takes in making his shows a gift to a singular person. Relevant links: IG: @amin_aki

Edison Cano, Assistant Professor of infectious diseases at Mayo Clinic, talks about Covid-19, deep truths about fever, and the future of individualized medicine. Relevant Links: @ecanocevallos

Serial entrepreneur Will Neder talks about productivity, and mental habits to achieve financial success. Relevant Links: IG: @willneder, @lowkeyemtnl

Isabelle talks about the challenges of being a professional ballet dancer, the thrill of becoming location free, and the fun in teaching health to others through personal training. Relevant links: IG: @isabelle_fra7, @isabelleframefit Website: www.belleframefit.com