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The male producers of the Bonfire were poised to have their quarterly lunch with Dan Soder but were stood up by the talented comedian. Black Lou, DJ Lou, and Jacob were left stranded in the rain, wet with heartbreak. Dan calls in to acknowledge his fault in disappointing his old chums. | Jay had to avoid an avalanche of junk as he was driving in from New Jersey. | Jacob sparks a heated debate about which burger is better at Burger King or McDonald's. | There is yet another party in the lobby of SiriusXM and Black Lou investigates. *To hear the full show to go www.siriusxm.com/bonfire to learn more! FOLLOW THE CREW ON SOCIAL MEDIA: @thebonfiresxm @louisjohnson @christinemevans @bigjayoakerson @robertkellylive @louwitzkee @jjbwolf Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of The Bonfire ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Bunnie & Jelly Roll called each other twin flames—but what happens when twin flames break up? In this episode, we're exploring runner-chaser dynamics, karmic activations, self-abandonment, and why your greatest love story may have nothing to do with another.MAGNETIC AFFIRMATIONS (1HR+): https://21-day-break-up-glow-up-challenge.teachable.com/p/making-mind-magnetic-affirmations-all-eyes-will-be-on-you-793498
Your prayer life can be how you avoid healing. In this final episode of the antisocial series, Dr. Greg unpacks why a retreat high or a powerful devotional moment can convince you the healing is done — when the actual work hasn't started yet, and why that work happens in the small, unglamorous moments nobody puts on a holy card. Key Topics: Why the most moving retreat of your life can leave you exactly the same — and what actually changes you What "magical penance" reveals about the parts of us that prefer grand gestures to real repair Why healing happens in what you do on an ordinary Tuesday, not in the moments when everything breaks open How a soft heart and a defenseless heart are not the same thing — and why that distinction changes everything Why the urge to be "healed already" is itself a form of the pattern you're trying to change Why re-hardening after you've opened up isn't failure — it's part of doing the reps Learn More: Earlier in this series on the Antisocial Defense Patterns: Antisocial Part 1 — Ep. #281: Control or Be Controlled: The Devastating Wounds Behind Antisocial Behavioral Patterns Antisocial Part 2 — Ep. #282: You're (Probably) Not a Serial Killer—But You May Share Some of Their Antisocial Traits Antisocial Part 3 — Ep. #283: "I Will Never Be Hurt Again": How Jesus' Sacred Heart Breaks the Cycle The Wounded Healer by Henri Nouwen — the book Dr. Greg references on accompaniment and the standard of showing up, not being healed Person and Act by Karol Wojtyła (Pope St. John Paul II) Love and Responsibility by Karol Wojtyła (Pope St. John Paul II) Previous episode on boundaries: Ep. #254: Navigating "Toxic" Relationships: Setting Boundaries Without Losing Charity Start of the Being Human series on the Histrionic Defense Patterns: Ep. #274: To Be Loved Is to Perform: Inside the Histrionic Compulsion for Attention and Validation Start of the Being Human series on the Borderline Defense Patterns: Ep. #269: BORDERLINE: The Push-Pull Between a Fear of Abandonment and Annihilation Start of the Being Human series on the Dependent Defense Patterns: Ep. #265: Jerry Maguire, Gollum, and the Fear of Not Existing Start of the Being Human series on the Narcissistic Defense Patterns: Ep. #261: Narcissism and the Terror of Being Ordinary Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment Follow Us on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter (X) | LinkedIn
The era of top-down energy projects is over. Today demands collaboration, equity, and stakeholder engagement. And in the clean energy movement, Indigenous partnerships often lead the way. James Jenkins, Executive Director of Indigenous Clean Energy, joins thinkenergy to unpack the Regenerative Energy 2026 Report. He explores what a just transition looks like, how Indigenous communities are shaping the future, and what the industry can learn from working together. Related links: Indigenous Clean Energy: https://indigenouscleanenergy.com/ James Jenkins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-jenkins-27787913b/ Regenerative Energy 2026 Report: https://indigenouscleanenergy.com/regenerative-energy-national-survey-2026/ Bringing it Home Program: https://indigenouscleanenergy.com/our-programs/bringing-it-home/ Trevor Freeman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-freeman-p-eng-8b612114 Hydro Ottawa: https://hydroottawa.com/en To subscribe using Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinkenergy/id1465129405 To subscribe using Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7wFz7rdR8Gq3f2WOafjxpl To subscribe on Libsyn: http://thinkenergy.libsyn.com/ --- Subscribe so you don't miss a video: https://www.youtube.com/@thinkenergypod Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinkenergypod/ Stay in the know on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thinkenergypod Keep up with the posts on X: https://twitter.com/thinkenergypod -- Transcript: [00:00] Trevor Freeman: Welcome to Think Energy, a podcast that dives into the fast-changing world of energy through conversations with industry leaders, innovators, and people on the front lines of the energy transition. Join me, Trevor Freeman, as I explore the traditional, unconventional, and up-and-coming facets of the energy industry. If you have any thoughts, feedback, or ideas for topics we should cover, please reach out to us at thinkenergy@hydroottawa.com. [00:26] Trevor Freeman: Hi everyone, and welcome back. We often talk on this show about the what of the energy transition. What needs to happen, what is happening, what technologies or initiatives are growing or up-and-coming. But it's also important to consider the how of it all. Energy systems are complex. That is something that should be clear in all the conversations we have around here, but it's not just technical complexity that we need to consider. Our energy systems are also socially, politically, and societally complex. It's not just a matter of picking the right technology and implementing it. If it was that case, we've got, you know, most of the technology we need, and we'd be in a much better position than we currently are. We have to figure out how we move these projects forward. [01:14] Trevor Freeman: Traditionally, energy projects have been these large, top-down infrastructure projects. But increasingly, we're moving into a time when collaboration, equity, and stakeholder engagement are critical components of project success. One area where this can be seen—and, in fact, it's an area that's really pushing a lot of this change—is Indigenous leadership. [01:38] Trevor Freeman: Over the past decade here in Canada, at least, we've seen a profound evolution where Indigenous communities are not just participants in the clean energy transition or kind of bystanders; they are actively leading it in many cases. That's not to say all the problems or challenges have been solved, but we're seeing a lot of movement here. And that's the topic of my conversation today. [02:02] Trevor Freeman: To help us understand the scale of this movement, I'm joined by James Jenkins. James is the Executive Director of Indigenous Clean Energy, which is a leading organization accelerating First Nations, Inuit, and Métis participation in clean energy projects from coast to coast. I'm really excited to have James on the show today because his expertise comes straight from real, actual experience on these projects. As a proud member and former CEO of the Walpole Island First Nation, James personally drove the equity development for two 100-megawatt wind farms for his community. Today, he leverages that firsthand experience along with a diverse background in consulting, local government, and academia to serve as a national champion for Indigenous clean energy partnerships. [02:54] Trevor Freeman: His organization just released their third national survey, the Regenerative Energy 2026 report, which provides a really eye-opening snapshot of how Indigenous communities are shaping Canada's energy future through innovation, equity ownership, and community-driven solutions. So today, we're going to dive into the findings of this report, talk a little bit about, you know, what a just energy transition looks like, and explore what utility and industry players can learn from these successful partnerships. James Jenkins, welcome to the show. [03:31] James Jenkins: Hi Trevor, thank you for having me. [03:34] Trevor Freeman: So, James, let's start a little bit with some background. Tell us about Indigenous Clean Energy and how your organization works to advance First Nations, Inuit, and Métis participation in the clean energy sector. [03:47] James Jenkins: Sure. Indigenous Clean Energy is a not-for-profit organization, and we've been operating for about 10 years. So we started 10 years ago with the 2020 Catalyst Program, which was designed to develop a cohort of clean energy leaders coming primarily from Indigenous communities and businesses that could really shape the future of Indigenous participation in the energy transition. So we started with a cohort. It was led by just a few staff and our founding director, Chris Henderson. And this is our 10th year, so we'll be celebrating 10 years of the 2020 Catalyst Program at our national gathering in August. [04:24] Trevor Freeman: Awesome. Congrats. [04:26] James Jenkins: Thank you so much. So the goal of that program was to really expand the opportunities, the capacity, and the number of communities engaged in clean energy. And we have seen that progress tremendously over the last 10 years. We've seen federal grant programs to support that work also emerge as major contributors, and we've seen utilities across the country get on board and try to find ways to expand Indigenous participation. [04:54] James Jenkins: So we've seen quite a bit of success, and with that success, we've grown as well. So we're now a team of about 35, and we're much larger. So we've expanded into a few other areas. One of them is youth, so we have two different youth programs. And we've expanded into energy efficiency as well, mostly under our "Bringing It Home" umbrella. [05:16] James Jenkins: And the idea behind that is we've seen the success of the 2020 Catalyst Program and clean energy leaders really pushing the envelope in terms of what is possible when it comes to Indigenous-led generation projects. So now we're identifying a gap still existing when it comes to energy efficiency. And so, in a way, we're trying to replicate the success of the 2020 Catalyst Program. We'll be running our third year of the Project Accelerator soon. So that's geared towards energy efficiency; it's an intensive training program, and it comes with a grant. [05:47] James Jenkins: And finally, we have a policy arm as well that's also very involved in engaging at the community and regional level. So that's through our Energy and Climate team, and we have a national hub that just completed a series of directional gatherings regionally. We also have a global hub as well that's active in Oceania and Latin America. [06:09] Trevor Freeman: Oh, that's fantastic. Tell me a little bit about the youth programs that you're running. [06:14] James Jenkins: So, we support youth across our programs, but we have two programs in particular that are geared towards youth. One of them is the Imagination Program, which comes with wrap-around supports and training. Right now, we're developing a micro-credential with the University of Saskatchewan for our program participants. It comes with a grant to lead a community-scale project. A good example might be a solar-powered greenhouse. Many of them are linked to schools, and, you know, we see the passion of younger members of communities that want to move these projects forward, but it's entrepreneurial in spirit. [06:49] James Jenkins: The second is called Generation Power, which is a wage subsidy program for Indigenous youth, and we pair them with employers in the clean energy field. So some of them are utilities or renewable businesses; in some cases, they're communities or Indigenous businesses that are moving forward on projects. And it's more than just a wage subsidy; we identify all of the potential barriers for Indigenous youth entering these jobs and provide those kinds of support to increase their chance of success and staying in the workforce after the placement. [07:22] Trevor Freeman: Oh, that's very cool. We've talked a few times on this show about building that next generation of energy champions and people that are focused, you know, on this new form of energy—this new energy transition or this new world of energy that we're moving into. So fantastic to see you guys participating in that. That's really cool. [07:42] Trevor Freeman: So, I want to spend some of our time here talking about the report that your organization recently released titled Regenerative Energy 2026. So before we dive into the specific data and the numbers, let's talk about, you know, just that title itself and what the document sets out to achieve. So first of all, tell us about that term, "regenerative energy." What does that mean? Why did you choose that title? [08:09] James Jenkins: Sure. So just generally, regenerative energy is the idea that these projects are doing more than producing electricity for the market and potentially bringing in revenue. They're also contributing to the broader ecosystem, which could mean the ecology of the landscape or a reduction of carbon into the atmosphere. So it's looking at the wider impacts and planning energy with that in mind. [08:33] James Jenkins: In the Indigenous context, it goes deeper than that. We're incorporating sovereignty, energy sovereignty, and acknowledging that communities are increasingly expecting to be able to move through their energy journey on their own terms. And so that could mean other outcomes in addition to just energy stability and security. It expands to food security, but also ultimately the community being able to plan its future—how does energy fit into that? [09:03] James Jenkins: I think it fits into what we're seeing in Indigenous communities in general, where there is a need to revitalize our cultures, our practices, our governance structures. We're finding that the energy sector—it's a business sector and an opportunity and an expanding sector—but there's also alignment in terms of values in many places, with communities looking to have an impact on their landscape, on the ecology, and this is a way to do that. [09:30] James Jenkins: So regenerative energy is acknowledging that there is this revitalization happening. It's not as though our communities, our governments, our nations were extinguished over the last 300 years. What does it mean in terms of revitalizing those practices, and how do all of these projects and ambitions when it comes to energy fit into that? [09:51] Trevor Freeman: Yeah, I like that description. Thanks for that, James. I don't want to put words in your mouth, but is it fair to say that the choice to use "regenerative" instead of "renewable"—which is fairly buzzy as a term, everyone kind of has renewable energy on their mind—was a deliberate choice? You're building more aspects to it; there are more facets of the description you just gave of regenerative energy compared to just renewable energy. Is that fair to say? [10:19] James Jenkins: Well, and that's true as well. And as you've read in the report, we're seeing projects expand beyond just what we would term "renewable" projects. So that was the bulk of the projects up until recently, but now transmission lines and battery storage are becoming more prominent. [10:36] Trevor Freeman: Yeah, absolutely. Great. Okay, I do want to talk to you about that. So my second question kind of at a high level around the report is, you know, one of the goals or one of the things you're doing in this report is really compiling and tracking national data around these projects. Why is that important? Why is that something that you're striving to do—to really track and compile that data? [10:59] James Jenkins: Well, in the context right now, we have a federal government that is trying to identify meaningful projects that can have an impact on the economy, have an impact on spurring economic growth in different regions. And so it's a critical time for us to broadcast information on our dataset because collectively, these projects that have Indigenous ownership and co-ownership are a massive portion of the electricity generating infrastructure of Canada, and they have a meaningful impact on the economy, but also the ability for communities to finance their own programs, to reinvest in economic development. [11:36] James Jenkins: So it's a critical time from that perspective. I think there's a need for us to be even louder because collectively as a nation, we seem to be looking for these wins that can be a shot in the arm. You know, we're worried about economic growth, and here we have many examples of projects that have Indigenous participation and that are having these benefits that are allowing different regions that are not participating in the economy in as active a way—this is a real opportunity for them. [12:05] James Jenkins: And unlike many of the mega-projects that we're thinking about right now, these have shorter timeframes, less challenges, and the risk is much more manageable in comparison. So, you know, we are trying to point out that, A, these kinds of projects—which are renewables, but also battery storage and some of these other projects—these are important for the federal government to continue to invest in because they have been investing in it heavily over the last 10 years, and that's part of the success story. [12:35] James Jenkins: But there is also a set of learnings that can be drawn from when we have so many examples of good partnerships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations moving these projects forward. So I think when we look into the future as to how this should look, what does Indigenous participation look like for these mega-projects, we have a bit of a blueprint that we can draw from. [12:57] James Jenkins: And so we are trying to bring more attention to this. I think it's really step one. The federal government can pat itself on the back that it's been one of the key reasons why Indigenous participation in the energy sector has grown over the last 10 years, but it's not getting the attention it deserves in the current conversation. So I think that's why it's a really critical time, possibly for other non-government actors as well that are asking, "Well, in the current global and national framework, what is the best way to achieve climate outcomes, Indigenous participation in the economy, greater social outcomes?" And so we do want to point to this as a good news story that has a track record, and that's what the data really does—it speaks to that track record. [13:41] Trevor Freeman: Yeah, you often hear it framed, and in fact, just, you know, we're recording this on a Monday—just over the weekend I was listening to the radio, one of those call-in shows that really framed the choice as, "you know, we either invest in climate solutions or we focus on the economy." And I think you can probably say, "we invest in, you know, Indigenous partnership or the economy, or climate solutions." And what I'm hearing from you is it doesn't have to be a zero-sum game. It doesn't have to be either/or. In fact, the data you're showing and the projects that you're highlighting show that all of these outcomes can be achieved with the right focus and with the right investment. Is that fair to say? [14:21] James Jenkins: It is. And generally, the bucket of renewable projects or clean energy projects, the timelines are shorter, the cost is going to be easier to quantify, and the cost is coming down for these technologies—wind, solar, battery—in comparison to some of the other technologies that are being framed as the solution, which I think they will be. But framing it as either/or doesn't make much sense, especially when electricity demand is growing and it's an immediate issue. [14:51] James Jenkins: So we should look at some of these immediate solutions and acknowledge it's still a question mark for some of the other sectors that are going to be involved in building out our electricity capacity. Mining, some of these other sectors, there are some examples of Indigenous participation, but not hundreds of examples of equity participation. And so, absolutely, I've been hearing those kinds of either/or arguments, or "no more federal grants, we should have access to capital instead." That could do a real injustice to the existing capacity that's already there, like the number of people in energy offices at Indigenous communities right now. [15:28] Trevor Freeman: Yeah. So let's dive into some of the data then. You know, you see headlines sometimes about major Indigenous clean energy projects happening in collaboration, and the data in your report really backs this up. I don't want to throw too many stats out there for our listeners, but just quickly, you know, there are over 350 medium-to-large electricity generation projects across Canada with Indigenous participation. We've got 250 of those already operational, the rest in either construction or planning stages. From your perspective, James, you kind of already touched on this—the role of the federal government driving some of this momentum and visibility—just expand on that a little bit. Like, how did we get to these pretty impressive numbers where we're seeing lots of these projects? [16:15] James Jenkins: Sure, definitely. I think the origin goes back at least to around 2000 to 2008 when there was a series of Supreme Court decisions that ruled in favor of Indigenous communities when it comes to the duty to consult and accommodate—that's what the Supreme Court ultimately called it. So that's a framework that was very important when it came to Indigenous engagement in energy projects. [16:43] James Jenkins: As the UN Declaration starts to gain traction in our country, it may become less important, but it was certainly a turning point. So decisions like Mikisew Cree up to Tsilhqot'in created a framework where communities could get involved and had the legal backing to do so. Some jurisdictions—with Ontario probably taking the lead at that time, BC following, and many others following that model—supported Indigenous communities so that they could be involved in what the Supreme Court was framing as consultation. And what that meant was having the capacity to be engaged in project review. And often, the developer bore the cost of that. [17:23] James Jenkins: But there could be positive outcomes because it meant there was a framework and an impetus for communities and developers to sit down at the table when the development was taking place in the territory of an Indigenous community and their rights were potentially going to be impacted. So as that process became the norm in most regions in Canada, what emerged was this mechanism called an Impact Benefit Agreement as a way for the developer and the Indigenous community to sit down and say, "Okay, we've identified these impacts—and these are impacts to the practicing of rights that are enshrined in the Constitution, so there's this channel back to the Supreme Court decisions—so we'll have a confidential agreement called an Impact Benefit Agreement to offset those impacts," which never really fit the spirit of the Supreme Court decisions, but it was adopted all over the country. [18:14] James Jenkins: And when Ontario and BC went to bring more renewables onto the grid more quickly, they were looking at different ways to ensure there was the kind of local participation, and so they experimented with creating incentives for Indigenous equity participation in the projects. Sometimes that included municipal participation as well, but we saw a large uptake in that. And that was something I was involved in; I was a band manager in my community of Walpole Island First Nation in the past, and while this was happening, I had some other roles. [18:47] James Jenkins: But we saw it as an opportunity, and ultimately, there were many renewable projects entering the grid in Southern Ontario at a rapid rate. One of the things we were able to identify was that equity participation brought much more benefit to the community than an Impact Benefit Agreement. In the kind of projects we were looking at, it was usually tenfold if you quantified the net revenue from equity participation versus the takeaway from an Impact Benefit Agreement. [19:17] James Jenkins: So that started to become the norm, and Indigenous communities started to see this as a more meaningful way to address the need for development to happen rapidly in certain regions and especially with renewables. So there was a period where new hydroelectric projects started to include some equity participation, and then we saw, with the expansion of wind and to some extent solar, that happening at a rapid rate starting about 2008. [19:44] James Jenkins: It's expanded since then for a few reasons. So one is that over time, most regions in Canada have—most provinces have directed their utilities to put incentives in their calls to power to try to ensure more examples of Indigenous equity participation. The other possibility that's happened, which was more an Alberta story but it's been experimented with in some other jurisdictions, is a deregulated market where an Indigenous partner and non-Indigenous partner, or a fully Indigenous-owned project, can go to a consumer and negotiate a power purchase agreement, sell power directly. Sometimes having an Indigenous community providing power provides other benefits to the purchaser, whether it's the industrial or commercial partner, and so that led to quite a few projects as well in Alberta for completely different reasons. [20:34] Trevor Freeman: Would those other benefits be like preferred rates? What are the other benefits that you're referring to there? [20:39] James Jenkins: It could be preferred rates. In many cases, it's things like corporate responsibility, just the sustainability measures of having, you know, purchasing from an Indigenous partner. So that was enough of an incentive to really, you know, spur a market in those areas. [20:56] James Jenkins: And then we've seen the federal government invest through grant programs in Indigenous capacity in the energy sector. So that has allowed communities in many regions to engage in these opportunities and just have the staff to do it. Because most communities are generally dealing with many, many issues all at once—it's like three levels of government all in one, and most services are underfunded. So being able to actively participate in these opportunities, ensure there is enough trust to move forward and that the community is coming along with it, usually requires some expertise and people in the community that understand energy enough to keep everybody engaged. And these federal grant programs have contributed to that as well. [21:40] Trevor Freeman: Yeah. So with this change over the last let's call it 20-odd years or so, is there a fairly established model or process now that you see Indigenous communities and partners working through, or is every kind of new project finding its way anew? I guess what I'm asking is, yeah, is there an established process? Is it kind of like you know how these projects are going to go now, given that there's quite a bit of experience over the last 20 years? [22:06] James Jenkins: It's not an established process. And so we—for our Energy and Climate team—we engaged with BC Hydro and Manitoba Hydro to some extent on their recent calls to power and procurement because they're both looking at ways to ensure there's more Indigenous equity in projects, and there are different models to choose from. But there is the ability to look at what happened in different jurisdictions, draw from maybe what worked and what didn't, and so we're seeing utilities start to do that as they develop new procurement procedures. [22:38] James Jenkins: On the partnership side, things continue to evolve, and there's always the risk that some of these partnerships may be less beneficial to the Indigenous partner. So another report we released six months ago with Clean Energy BC is an equity guide, and the target audience of that is Indigenous communities that are looking at these equity participation opportunities to make sure that the process is fair to them and transparent to them. So there is a framework in place, but I think there's always a need to ensure that communities have access to the tools so that they have a meaningful seat at the table. And it's not a given that those will be in place, so it is an area where we place some of our efforts. [23:22] Trevor Freeman: And have you seen a change—like you talked about kind of the initial push for a lot of renewable projects being part of the impetus of seeing a big expansion here in Indigenous partnership—at least here in Ontario, which of course is where I'm sitting and we're having this conversation, there was a bit of a slowdown in that, but as we see demand significantly increasing, we're looking at more and more projects. So are you seeing that ebb and flow of project participation as well, or has it been pretty steady in terms of engagement over the last little while? [23:54] James Jenkins: In most regions, it's been growing. So you look at the Atlantic region, Quebec is really pushing for Indigenous participation in renewables. In most regions, that's happening—Maritimes very much so right now. [24:10] James Jenkins: In Ontario, we saw with the results of the most recent call to power quite a few northern projects, which is a bit surprising, but I know that's what they wanted to see happen, and it opens up some opportunity for communities in Northern Ontario. In Ontario, I think there are more regions where renewables are less socially accepted right now. And I talk to some people in Southern Ontario that are surprised how accepted it is in most of the country, with a few exceptions. So, you know, I think we might see ways that Ontario tries to draw projects in, whether it's within regions or partners where there is that social acceptance. But that's to be seen. [24:50] James Jenkins: But Ontario, like other places, knows they need to meet this growing demand, and renewables are relatively quick to deploy, relatively low risk, and will likely be part of that solution, just like everywhere. [25:05] Trevor Freeman: Yeah, absolutely. Great. Okay, I do want to talk to you about that. So my next question, you mentioned this a few times, that we're not just talking about solar panels and wind turbines, which I think is what most people think of when they think of clean energy projects, but you have mentioned a significant growth in transmission projects as well as battery storage. And there's a number of projects that are now kind of in operation with Indigenous co-ownership that fall into that transmission and battery storage category. So tell us about the economic opportunity for Indigenous communities of these types of projects, not just generation projects. [25:44] James Jenkins: Right. So battery storage is growing more along the same trajectory as those generation projects have been in the past, and as the cost for battery storage has come down, it's become a very viable way for utilities and provinces to deal with the intermittency of electricity and increase stability while meeting targets for carbon emissions. So we're seeing more Indigenous leadership in that area. [26:10] James Jenkins: And there's a premier project in Ontario, the Oneida Energy Storage Project, where Six Nations of the Grand River approached NRStor, their partner, to develop the project and then went to the Ontario government and said, "This is what we'd like to do, this is how we see it will meet some of the needs." So there was some real ingenuity in there, and I think in some way, that's an example of what could be the next stage in terms of Indigenous energy planning as that kind of capacity builds because Six Nations of the Grand River had quite a bit of experience under their belt in terms of participating in energy projects. [26:45] James Jenkins: And then Ontario has also been the leader in procuring battery storage projects, and for the most part, most of them have Indigenous equity participation in those projects. A lot of them benefit from existing relationships between construction companies and communities that can look at these opportunities and co-design them together. And I think we'll start to see that in other parts of the country as that builds. But it is a major opportunity as the technology allows us to meet some of the need to stabilize the grid, and, you know, it could reduce our reliance on solutions like natural gas, so it's a real opportunity. [27:21] James Jenkins: When it comes to transmission lines, it's a slightly different trajectory, but I think it goes back to the duty to consult and accommodate and parties sitting at the table understanding where do we go from here when there's a project that is going to have this enormous landscape impact and we can no longer do what we did in the past, which was ignore any Indigenous rights on the landscape. [27:46] James Jenkins: And I was in Ontario for the last 20 or so years and witnessed the demand from Indigenous communities to participate in transmission projects. It wasn't passive in any way. So now we hear from utilities that are saying the right thing to do is to provide these opportunities, which is fantastic. But back then, it really was Indigenous people with the foresight and the stubbornness to for years say, "No, we need a solution that's going to meet all of our needs." And as we started to see some examples—Saugeen and Nawash being one of the first, and then others in Ontario where there would be this kind of Indigenous co-ownership—it gradually started to become more accepted. [28:25] James Jenkins: And now it's part of the plan in many regions of Ontario, and this is a way to move the project forward, have Indigenous communities on board, and when they're sitting there as partners, there are a number of advantages that they bring to the table because in many cases there is knowledge of the landscape itself. And looking at preferred routes and other major decisions can really benefit from having these communities at the table providing their knowledge as opposed to sitting sort of on the other side of an adjudication table, which is only going to add risk to a project. [29:00] Trevor Freeman: Yeah, I mean we see all parts of the electricity sector growing, and transmission is one of those areas for sure that in order to support electrification across the province, we're going to see more transmission. So it's great to hear that this is an area that is growing, or getting more buy-in, or there's more partnership happening in all parts of the electricity sector. [29:21] Trevor Freeman: So, James, you talked about regenerative energy earlier, we touched on that a little bit, and how that term is focused on being built on fairer and more equitable relationships. In your report, you kind of take this a step further by explicitly stating that this work seeks to advance the Truth and Reconciliation Commission—notably, Call to Action number 92. And so for our listeners who are not familiar—and please, definitely step in here if you want to explain it differently than I'm going to—but Call to Action 92 specifically calls on corporate Canada to adopt the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, to commit to meaningful consultation and consent, and ensure Indigenous communities gain equitable access to jobs, training, and long-term economic benefits. [30:13] Trevor Freeman: So we often hear reconciliation discussed in a social or a political context, but your report really points to the actual act of Indigenous-led clean energy infrastructure and how that can embody this reconciliation in a material and meaningful way. And I apologize that I'm rambling a lot, this is a long question. How does building out physical infrastructure—like generation programs, transmission lines that we've been talking about, battery storage—how does that advance these goals that are kind of laid out and described in this particular Call to Action? [30:52] James Jenkins: Mm-hmm. And you're right, the benefits of these projects isn't just the net revenue, but it's also apprenticeships, jobs, the business capacity that comes with participating in the project, and sometimes the ability to open up opportunities for practicing harvesting rights where, when Indigenous communities don't have a seat at the table, often the gate or the door is shut to opportunities and access. So it's a way to open those up. [31:19] James Jenkins: And in my experience with projects in my community, when we were reviewing projects through the IBA or Impact Benefit Agreement process, the goal was always a number of apprenticeships, contribution to education, capacity, and it was always a good news story getting some jobs, employment readiness out of the project. And it was a remarkable shift to be sitting at the table as a partner and be discussing those same outcomes and really led to more of a spirit of cooperation. And we had some really great successes come out of that. [31:51] James Jenkins: As well as community members feeling like, "This is an industry that I can go work in, and I'm not a stranger in a strange land. My community has a stake in this," and feel that sense of ownership but also home, which can be this indirect challenge when it comes to people entering the workforce and sticking with it. So that kind of ownership—it's part of the solution, how do we grow the Indigenous workforce? When the Indigenous communities have a financial interest in it, it really changes the picture quite a bit, and it really helps with the foreignness that can exist. And so we've seen the opposite in renewable industries and clean energy where many communities and youth are starting to see this as a viable career path and one that makes sense for them. [32:38] James Jenkins: So, you know, and like I said before, when Indigenous communities are sitting at the table—and in my experience we had gone through project review on many, many projects because of the Impact Benefit Agreement process—we were able to bring that knowledge we had of project review to the table, which can help the project. So it was a real meaningful exchange of, "How can we meet these milestones on time? What can we bring to the table?" So there's that aspect of it, but then there's also the multi-generational knowledge that comes with living on the land. [33:10] James Jenkins: And, you know, in some ways sitting down with elders, that does take a long time and commitment and is often different than how we would typically view going through the early stages of a project. But at the end of the day, it can lead to better outcomes and actually not take as long because the pathway to gain the knowledge for the least impact through a traditional process is also incredibly time-consuming. And so having an Indigenous party at the table that can bring the correct knowledge keeps things forward, making a meaningful decision from their perspective can really add value in that way as well. [33:48] Trevor Freeman: Yeah, it's great to hear that you're seeing the impact of these programs on both the projects themselves and better outcomes in the projects, as well as building capacity and partnership in Indigenous communities. And I'm glad you kind of brought those youth programs back up; it's great to hear about those programs. [34:07] Trevor Freeman: So, you have a report or you have a section sorry in your report called "Opportunities Unrealized," which really highlights major gaps or a gap for community-focused projects right now as different federal funding programs sunset, and you specifically call out three particular pillars that need renewed policy and funding commitment. So first off, you talk about 78 healthy energy housing projects that are mostly just small pilot initiatives. And that's looking at energy efficiency in homes, which you did touch on earlier, and how that's tied to Indigenous health and energy sovereignty. So how do we move beyond those pilots to fund these at scale? What are your thoughts on how we do that? [34:53] James Jenkins: Right. So our approach is really, A, to support these pilots as much as we can so that we have that cohort of Indigenous leadership that has that experience in community, and so it can have that ripple effect where, when we started to see successful generation projects, some of them coming out of the 2020 Catalyst Program, other communities said, "Well, I want to do that too. How do I make that possible?" And then there's some leadership to grow from. So it's really catalyzing that momentum. And where do we start? So that's the piece in terms of making sure that there is a core group of energy leaders in communities that are almost at the stage where they can have a very impactful, community-scale project when it comes to efficiency that can be replicated and that there are individuals with this knowledge that are in the community. [35:41] James Jenkins: So that's the first piece, but then the second piece and the other side of the coin that we're very active in is identifying what would the solution look like to make that kind of change repeatable on a national scale. And what we're generally pointing towards is some aspect of federal support, but also private investment as well. So what kind of mechanism can be put in place that will allow private finance to make sustainability programs for Indigenous healthy homes and buildings and infrastructure feasible? [36:15] James Jenkins: And we think it is going to have to be some kind of partnership between the federal government to secure some kind of financing tool and then to bring that private capital in. And so we have a number of partners that's expanding in the finance sector, in government, to really look at what a solution like that looks like. [36:35] James Jenkins: Indigenous housing, being a federal responsibility with the federal government having a large role in it, is certainly unusual and comes with some very unique challenges that make change at that scale difficult, but it's also an opportunity. And it does put the federal government in a position where it could lead a process like that and have some very large impact. So we want to make sure there is the existing community capacity for community members to know what meaningful change looks like at the local level, what the challenges and opportunities are that can contribute to that process. So that's the idea behind the Project Accelerator, but also design at the national level of a program that can lead to new builds, new sustainable builds, and retrofits on a major scale. [37:21] James Jenkins: And there are interesting examples. I was in the US earlier this year at a clean energy conference and was surprised to learn that there were very large subsidies for energy efficiency that were available to Indigenous communities up until recently—I would say at a scale tenfold of what we've ever seen in Canada. So those kinds of programs are possible, and I think we need to think outside the box and think about how do we put this into action. [37:51] James Jenkins: But ultimately, what we point out in those reports is that energy efficiency also leads to other very critical outcomes, including health and social outcomes at the community level. And speaking with communities, politicians from communities, housing tends to be a near number one or number one issue, with housing in need of repair being the core issue. And so ensuring that new housing is built with these sustainability measures in place will lead to houses that stay healthy for longer. And so, you know, it really goes much farther than just energy outcomes and that's why it's so critical. [38:34] Trevor Freeman: Yeah, it's another example of it it's not an either or question here, it's, you know, do it right in the right way and have a focus on both healthy and affordable housing at the same time as making sure it's energy efficient and you're kind of achieving both of those goals. So that's great. [38:58] Trevor Freeman: So, the second item you've identified in this section is, you know, a lot of northern and remote communities who rely on diesel for their energy focus, and our listeners may remember about a year ago we had a conversation with Quest Canada on this topic as well. And so, a lot of those communities are among the most affected by climate change and natural disasters, and you address what needs to happen from an early-stage planning and funding perspective to ensure that those communities that are not necessarily connected to a grid aren't left behind in this transition. Can you speak to us a little bit about that? [39:41] James Jenkins: Absolute. So already the cost of diesel in these remote communities is very high. So it's already an economic and social challenge in the territories and remote areas in the northern provinces. And so it's an area where communities tend to be very engaged and have been since the beginning. So we've been engaged with northern communities since the beginning with 2020 Catalyst. [40:15] James Jenkins: And I think it has a really—for them, clean energy has this impact on them like on a visceral level. For communities that have been able to implement clean technology and turn off the diesel generator for a while, they've talked about the impact of that silence that they haven't heard in so long, you know, the smell of clean air and that sort of thing. So there's this real passion, but also acknowledgment that, you know, they want to be part of a larger climate solution, they're feeling the impacts. And so there are many initiatives in the north, a number of which we've supported. [40:53] James Jenkins: But there are many challenges as well in terms of logistics, the value chain. Transportation is a real challenge compared to infrastructure in the south. So because there have been so many projects and we partnered with the federal government through two phases of a program called the Indigenous Off-Diesel Initiative—and that was supported by a number of federal programs and we're just finishing off the second cohort—there is so much that we've learned through a couple dozen communities that have been heavily invested in reducing their diesel reduction. [41:35] James Jenkins: And we're really at a stage now where we can learn—we can take stock of what we've learned through this process and identify how do we get this to the stage of successful projects. And we've learned a number of things. It's also bringing technology to these places that's robust enough to withstand the challenges and just be at a utility scale, ensuring different technologies can work well with each other. [42:04] James Jenkins: But there's a real need to continue that growth, especially when there's been so much investment and so many communities are so close, with a few success stories and so much pride that comes with this. But ultimately, if they are left behind, the cost for them to power their communities with diesel is not going to become less of a challenge over time. It's only going to become more problematic. And so it's a real priority, and something that, you know, we need to keep staying loud about as well because these are where some of our real energy leaders are living and coming from when it comes to clean energy and ensuring that their priorities have a seat at the table. [42:52] Trevor Freeman: Yeah, you mention success stories, James, and as we kind of wrap up our conversation here, I want to touch on that a little bit. So you talk about looking at this in perspective of the global stage, and one of your policy recommendations discusses Canada Global Indigenous Cooperation. And you outline that there are more examples of successful Indigenous-led energy projects in Canada than anywhere else in the world. How is your organization, Indigenous Clean Energy, sharing this expertise internationally, and what can the rest of the world learn about what's happening here in Canada? [43:32] James Jenkins: So we started to learn just how far ahead Canada is in this area through participation in forums like the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, and we participated in a pre-conference with 88 global Indigenous delegates. And many of them were surprised to learn of these equity projects and opportunities that exist in Canada. For us, it can still be very frustrating, so it is good to put that in perspective in terms of—from many other jurisdictions, they're still at the beginning stages. [44:06] James Jenkins: But we do have some programs in place, and for several years we've been supporting a sister organization in Australia called First Nations Clean Energy Network using a train-the-trainer model. So we've been active in Australia every year. We've been active in New Zealand as well. And we have some programming in South America in Ecuador and Colombia. And over the last year, we finished a program where we engaged with all of the provinces within Colombia with delegates from communities to assist in developing clean energy plans for their communities that they could bring to the government and and discuss a partnership framework so that they could start to reduce their reliance on diesel and other other carbon fuels. [44:59] James Jenkins: And we supported those meetings with the government as well and supported delegates from these countries to also visit communities and see success stories in Canada. And the US is another area where there have been some really positive success stories over the last few years, and there were a number of energy programs that particularly rural and remote communities benefited from, Alaska having probably a slight majority and then others in the northern part of the Lower 48. I think they're going to start to struggle because those programs are sunsetting now, I think most of them have recently sunsetted. And so I think it should be a wake-up call to our federal government that there has been this investment in the form of grants from the federal government. If we don't have some kind of programming in place, we will start to see that progress recede. [45:57] James Jenkins: But just in general, there's a lot that we can share with other jurisdictions globally, everything from what a good partnership looks like, you know, what are the learnings for meaningful participation. But we do have some examples that are very unique, I think, in almost every jurisdiction—Indigenous equity in transmission lines is is really unheard of, so so we should, you know, acknowledge that there are some things that we're doing well and um sharing that and learning what other communities are going through in other jurisdictions. It also really helps us in our strategy. [46:40] Trevor Freeman: Yeah, I mean we started this conversation with you describing what your organization does, and something that struck me is it's a combination of supporting projects and project models and helping things get up and running off the ground, providing education, and focusing on advocacy. And I imagine that, you know, even within Canada but also looking at some of the partners you've just mentioned around the world, the focus on, you know, each one of those individual aspects will vary depending on what the biggest need is in that jurisdiction at that time as things change, as funding programs change. So I imagine, you know, advocacy becomes more and more important as you see funding programs change or even just project structure change. Is that kind of fair to say? [47:28] James Jenkins: Definitely. And our model is very community-driven with with community-tailored solutions and with education and capacity building at the community level being our our primary focus, which does set us apart from other organizations to some extent, but does reflect that that um every every solution is going to be different, and really bringing up that capacity at the community level is the most effective way to do it. And for these kinds of projects, there isn't one solution that fits everybody. [48:02] Trevor Freeman: Is there, to kind of wrap it up here, is there, you know, one piece of advice that you'd give to—I know this is a bit of a big loaded question, it's hard to boil it all down to one piece of advice—but is there something that you would kind of leave with let's say a utility or a developer who wants to build a successful and mutually beneficial partnership with Indigenous communities? What's that kind of one piece of advice you'd leave with them? [48:30] James Jenkins: Um, the one piece of advice, and sometimes I am asked that question, and I know there are developers outside of Canada that are starting to look at our market as things change globally. And what I would share, first of all, meeting with the communities is incredibly important. Community leadership, finding out what their process is for engagement and then establishing that relationship is hugely important. And um I think the advice usually stops there. I think many utilities and developers have heard that. [49:07] James Jenkins: But what I would suggest based on my own experience is that engagement occurs from the very top of the organization, from the utility and the developer. And that if the C-suite isn't meeting with the Indigenous partner themselves, they should be fully aware and engaged in what's happening. And that's usually the recipe for success. And you know, for these opportunities, many communities have a history where trust is something that does need to be cultivated, and that would be my main suggestion. I think it's where really successful partnerships have their strength, is there's that level of engagement from the entire vertical organization of the non-Indigenous partner. And so when there is an issue, political leadership from the community, they know who to call and vice versa, and it doesn't lead to larger misunderstandings. And it can lead to some of the more innovative projects we've seen like Oneida Storage, and there are many other examples of that where the developer and the community, after a successful project, they sit down together and they say, "What's next?" And they want to build on what they've developed together. [50:37] Trevor Freeman: Yeah, I guess that's an indication of there actually being a relationship, trust built, rather than just kind of boxes checked and a process being followed. But if there's that actual trust built, it is more of a conversation that what next question can come up and there's sort of that mutual learning. So that's great. Thank you for that. So James, we always end our interviews with the same series of questions to our guests. So I'm going to dive right in here. What's a book that you've read that you think everybody should read? [51:11] James Jenkins: These are the top uh these are probably going to be the tougher questions for me, but um so I recently read a book by Cal Flyn, a UK author from Scotland, and it's called Islands of Abandonment. And the subtitle is Nature Rebounding in the Post-Human Landscape. And what she does is, in an investigative journalist style, goes to places where there hasn't been human presence for 50 or more years. Some of them are no man's land in war zones, some of them are cities facing urban decay, some of them are environmental catastrophe sites like Chernobyl, but then finding that nature has rebounded and that there is remarkable biodiversity in some of these places. [51:59] James Jenkins: So the message I don't want to take away from that is that if you get rid of humans everything will be perfect, because humans have had an impact on the landscape everywhere for much longer than we can comprehend. And in some cases, negative impacts to the landscape are because humans aren't doing what they were doing for a long time. So human intervention has a role and always will, but I think it's important to tell more stories that aren't a story of loss when we get to that point. [52:36] James Jenkins: And for Indigenous communities, many of us have been going through a process of healing, and many of us are still in that process. But as we start to heal and and ask ourselves what's next, that's when we start to think about regeneration, so regenerative energy, revitalization of our culture and and that's what's next and acknowledging that practices that have been lost are near lost can be revitalized in a way that that is uh is incredibly meaningful. And so I was happy to see that story in a widely publicized book because the major story in conservation, but also climate and other areas, has been one of loss. And so, with all of this loss, and and in some cases, you know, a bedrock of tragedy and historical tragedy, where is the, you know, where is the good news story? And I think having these stories about how nature can regenerate is important. It's important to tell that story. [53:50] Trevor Freeman: Yeah, that's fantastic. I appreciate that explanation, and these aren't supposed to be my questions to answer, but I do want to quickly mention a book called What If We Get It Right?—and I can't remember the author off the top of my head, but it really is a series of essays and poems and an exploration of like, what if we do the right things and we can address climate change? And I found it very helpful to kind of be able to imagine, yeah, this is what happens if we do the right thing, if we can address some of these challenges. So, along the same vein as what you mentioned. So, the next question is kind of the same, but what's a movie or a show that you've watched that you think everyone should take a look at? [54:36] James Jenkins: Uh, that that's a really tough one. I do like movies and shows. Um, I recently started watching two British series, um and uh they seem to be very into murder mysteries in the UK, which uh isn't something, you know, normally my favorite, but they do it really well. So I I really liked um Shetland, which is a series that takes place in remote islands in Northern Scotland. [55:06] James Jenkins: In some ways, I think even the setting that it's trying to tell, it resonates with our work in some ways and even the experience of living in an Indigenous community in a less remote location. So I enjoyed that, and then that led to um Sherlock, the the newer one starring Benedict Cumberbatch, which I thought was a very intelligent um show with a, you know, a compelling uh character with sort of superhero, but but somewhat comic book style realistic attributes, but also failings. Um, so I find I enjoy shows that are drawing from literature and putting them into today's terms and not worrying too much about um, you know, what's realistic and what's not, but really trying to—what would we how would this be written today? So I enjoyed that as well. [55:58] Trevor Freeman: Yeah, I like that. Um, if somebody offered you a free round trip anywhere in the world, where would you go? [56:05] James Jenkins: So, Air Canada used to have contests for that, and we used to say Nunavut because it would get the most bang for your buck. You know, these are $4,000–$5,000 tickets, which speaks to the challenges that those communities face when it comes to decarbonizing the north. Um, for me, I mentioned I spent much of my childhood in Northern Arizona. I think at this time I'd probably use it for that, you know, I hope to visit again soon. [56:39] Trevor Freeman: Yeah, fantastic. Um, James, who is someone that you admire? [56:44] James Jenkins: Um, I've been grateful for wonderful mentors in the course of my career. Um, I'm really grateful that the founder of ICE, Chris Henderson, has dedicated himself to be a mentor for me and has has really he's committed to that um and I've learned a great deal from him. [57:04] James Jenkins: Working at Walpole Island, there were a number of chiefs that I worked closely with and have been thinking about one, um Charles Samson, who's passed away, and he really came into his own once he was chief. He had run for a long time, over 10 years, and um really learned a lot from him and his perspective. But then, uh other chiefs, Burton Kewayosh and Dan Miskokomon really really supported me and helped um helped develop my uh the breath of experience that I draw from. And today, um the current chief, Leela Thomas, is really showing some really great leadership, and I think it's a real breakthrough in our region that most of the chiefs in Southwestern Ontario are female, which was um really more rare in the past. So that's a breakthrough as well. [57:59] Trevor Freeman: Yeah, that's great. Uh, and final question, what is something about the energy sector or its future that you're particularly excited about? [58:08] James Jenkins: Um, I think what I'm excited about is that the door is open for Indigenous communities to really change the way that they're engaged with the economy, um for there to be some real opportunities for business development. Um, you know, for many years because I lived in the United States for a while, it felt like the overall economic development capacity of US tribes was far beyond what exists in Canada for a number of reasons. And and one of them is there were a few key industries in the US that the federal government, um it cultivated at different times, gaming being one, uh but it did lead to the infrastructure for US tribes to engage in business all across the country in a way that's still the exception rather than the rule in Canada. [59:02] James Jenkins: So it is exciting for me to think about there being that shift and that um truly Indigenous-led projects stop becoming one-offs, um but they start to be that real uh, you know, Indigenous leadership becomes embedded in the framework of energy decision-making. Um, the idea of it becoming a career path becomes more solidified. So I think it was a dream at one point that some ambitious leaders had, like thinking of Saugeen and Nawash equity participation in that transmission line, there was no blueprint for that. [59:39] James Jenkins: Um, but now that there's been a dream and we've seen it come into practice, so um it's exciting to think that we may continue to see that progress, and then in 10 years there there will be some foundational pillars for communities to really meet their own communities' needs on their own terms. Right now it continues to be a challenge in most places. It's uh, you know, what do we prioritize with limited resources? And um yeah, exciting that this could be a pathway to to start thinking more in terms of abundance. [1:00:19] Trevor Freeman: Yeah, I mean we started this conversation with you describing what your organization does, and something that struck me is it's a it's a combination of supporting projects and project models and helping things get up and running off the ground, providing education, and focusing on advocacy. And I imagine that, you know, even within Canada but also looking at some of the partners you've just mentioned around the world, the focus on, you know, each one of those individual aspects will vary depending on what the biggest need is in that jurisdiction at that time as things change, as funding programs change. So I imagine, you know, advocacy becomes more and more important as you see funding programs change or even just project structure change. Is that kind of fair to say? [1:01:03] Trevor Freeman: James, thanks so much for your time. I really appreciate you coming on the show and helping us understand the work that Indigenous Clean Energy is doing, some of the great success stories, but also a little bit of the path that's still to be walked in order to get to success. So thanks very much, I appreciate your time. [1:01:21] James Jenkins: Thank you, Trevor, really enjoyed it. Thanks so much. [1:01:23] Trevor Freeman: Great. Take care. [1:01:25] Trevor Freeman: Thanks for tuning in to another episode of the Think Energy podcast. Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and it would be great if you could leave us a review. It really helps us to spread the word. As always, we would love to hear from you, whether it's feedback, comments, or an idea for a show or a guest. You can always reach us at thinkenergy@hydroottawa.com.
When your story is history, and you allow it to become His story, your story becomes ministry. You need to know that unforgiveness will write your story. Forgiveness will write your story. Which one is writing yours?In this message, Lead Pastor Jamie Nunnally uses the life of Joseph to teach us how to walk in the freedom of forgiveness.
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George Bernard Shaw captured the ache of abandonment through Joan of Arc's cry: “It is better to be alone with God!” In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef turns to a more personal kind of loneliness—the sorrow that comes when people you love or labor with lose courage, drift away, or choose another road. The apostle Paul knew this pain. Near the end of his life, he wrote with grief about a former ministry companion: “Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me” (2 Timothy 4:10). That single sentence carries the weight of countless modern situations: a child walking away from the Lord, a spouse resisting God, a friend turning cold, a trusted partner stepping back when you needed them most. Dr. Youssef reminds you that ministry and faithful living often bring “deeper depths of sorrow and higher heights of joy”—sometimes at the same time. The question is: what will you do with the rejection? Paul did not quit. He did not lose faith. He trusted God, leaned on His strength, and continued the work the Lord had given him. If you're carrying the heartbreak of a “Demas” in your life, this devotional will help you persevere—remaining faithful regardless of personal disappointment, and discovering that God's presence is steady even when people are not. Prayer: Lord, thank You that You will never leave me nor forsake me. May I draw near to You in sorrow and find new heights of joy. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef's sermon Never Give Up, Don't Ever Give Up on the Truth: WATCH NOW | LISTEN NOW The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.
Send us Fan MailThe impact of mother loss is challenging enough without compounding it with the ache of a father's absence. Father's Day brings to the surface all the emotions connected to the wounds of father loss; however it occurs. This episode highlights the experience of our Founder, Dr. Mary Ellen Collins with both mother and father loss and the discovery of new insights. Resources Podcast features a blog by Dr. Mary Ellen Collins: https://www.motherlessdaughtersministry.com/2018/04/29/i-can-only-imagine-a-fathers-love/Ministry offerings: https://www.motherlessdaughtersministry.com/services/ Want to learn more about the Journey Retreat? https://www.motherlessdaughtersministry.com/events/the-journey-retreat-residential/Ways to donate and give back: https://www.motherlessdaughtersministry.com/giving/giving-back/Motherless Daughters Ministry is a 501(c) (3) non-profit that depends on the generous support of donations from listeners like you. To donate or sign up for our newsletter and more resources, visit out website at www.motherlessdaughtesministry.com Support the showThanks for listening! Find our podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart, Pandora, Amazon Music, and Audible. Also, find and follow the Motherless Daughters Ministry on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube.
Stuck in "fight or flight" and don't know why? Your triggers aren't flaws — they're old programs nobody asked about. The Impulsive Thinker® breaks the silence on trauma's real business cost. In This Episode: Why past trauma, not ADHD, drives most Entrepreneur triggers How your nervous system sabotages you without warning Why asking "why" beats slapping on another label What You'll Take Away: Trauma gets missed — even after years of therapy ADHD isn't the cause of constant fires and emotional resets Your labelled "issues" might be survival patterns from childhood No one asks what shaped your nervous system — and that's the actual problem You never learned to feel safe, so "safe" feels wrong ABOUT THIS EPISODE This episode is about the link between trauma, ADHD, and business chaos for neurodivergent Entrepreneurs. The Impulsive Thinker® reflects on his recent conversation with Patrick Murphy to confront what traditional therapy misses. He tackles trauma-driven patterns and nervous system triggers — not just "ADHD symptoms." You'll hear why being labelled isn't fixing anything and how nobody asks the only question that matters. This is a hard look at why staying "on edge" can ruin your business and your relationships. If you're tired of being told you're "too much" but never heard, you need this episode. Email me about it at andre@theimpulsivethinker.com. Remember — ADHD failure is measured on society's measuring stick. Not yours. Your brain runs on interest, not importance. That's not a flaw. That's a different operating system. ADHD is not a deficit. It's a difference. GUEST BIOPatrick Murphy is a former Wall Street Journal executive turned mental health coach for high-performing Entrepreneurs. He built his startup after somatic work finally addressed the anxiety therapy never touched. www.murph.live https://www.instagram.com/murph.live https://open.spotify.com/show/3gkHa4yj8Ts8f6WczFRiGz?si=6986fc41cc704ded
You can't miss what you never had is a big bold lie that people have been conditioned to believe! I ran with the cliche years ago, but now I know it's a lie! Unfortunately millions of lives are stunted and stagnant due to missing things they never had but should have had early in their lives. Sadly, many of the adults you see are people who are suffering from pains of yesterday!You can listen to this Podcast on Amazon and Spotify!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/relationships-and-relatable-life-chronicles--4126439/support.
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Many people spend years trying to get others to choose them, not realizing they're unconsciously abandoning themselves. In this video, I share the shift that helps you come back home to yourself and transform your relationships from the inside out. Join The SHIFT Academy: → https://www.theshiftexperience.com/go-tsa?video=NQhw0rihl0k If you want my most powerful innerchild meditation, listen to it for 21 days and watch your life transform from the inside out (FREE!):➡️ https://www.theshiftexperience.com/inner-child-meditation?video=NQhw0rihl0k
A hardened heart isn't where the story starts. It's what's left after a child trusted, got hurt, and concluded: I'll never be in that position again. This week, Dr. Greg turns the antisocial series toward hope: looking at how that hardness forms, and how the Sacred Heart of Jesus, betrayed and pierced yet still open, breaks the pattern. Key Topics: Why a hardened heart is never cold by nature—it's protection learned the first time trusting backfired Why the urge to control everyone around you is really an old strategy for never being at anyone's mercy again How "making up for it" can quietly become a way to avoid facing the wound underneath Why Jesus didn't heal the hardened heart from a safe distance—He walked straight into betrayal and stayed open What it means that control isn't the enemy; where you aim it is what changes everything Why healing means loving even the parts of you that sin, not just the parts that behave Why you can't will yourself into trust overnight—and why that slowness reflects your dignity, not your failure Learn More: Earlier in this series on the Antisocial Defense Patterns: Antisocial Part 1 — Ep. #281: Control or Be Controlled: The Devastating Wounds Behind Antisocial Behavioral Patterns Antisocial Part 2 — Ep. #282: You're (Probably) Not a Serial Killer—But You May Share Some of Their Antisocial Traits The Litany for Mental Health Dr. Greg references: A Litany for Mental Health The original Sacred Heart revelations: The Autobiography of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque Start of the Being Human series on the Histrionic Defense Patterns: Ep. #274: To Be Loved Is to Perform: Inside the Histrionic Compulsion for Attention and Validation Start of the Being Human series on the Borderline Defense Patterns: Ep. #269: BORDERLINE: The Push-Pull Between a Fear of Abandonment and Annihilation Start of the Being Human series on the Dependent Defense Patterns: Ep. #265: Jerry Maguire, Gollum, and the Fear of Not Existing Start of the Being Human series on the Narcissistic Defense Patterns: Ep. #261: Narcissism and the Terror of Being Ordinary Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment Follow Us on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter (X) | LinkedIn
We analyze the story of Medea and her embodiment of perhaps the most disturbing archetype – the Death Mother. *Content warning: Infanticide* This episode we will be reading from Medea, by Euripides (Translated by Rex Warner). The following is also referenced in this episode: The Death Mother as Nature’s Shadow: Infanticide, Abandonment and The Collective Unconscious – by Daniela Sieff Our intro/outro music a sample of Seikilos Epitaph with the Lyre of Apollo, by Lina Palera, under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 International License. You can find the full version at FreeMusicArchive.org. Banner Image: Madame Janauschek as Medea Email: jungianeverafter@gmail.com Twitter: @JEA_Podcast Discord: https://discord.gg/GEdn4TPgHR Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/jungianeverafter
Send us Fan MailFear of abandonment isn't always obvious. It often shows up in the small, everyday choices we make—staying quiet instead of speaking up, people-pleasing, avoiding conflict, or hiding parts of ourselves to keep others close. In this episode of Drive Thru Therapy, we explore how the fear of being left can quietly influence our behavior and relationships, and why healing begins when we stop abandoning ourselves in the process.
Psalm 22
Guest Courtney Miller Panelist Richard Littauer Show Notes In this episode of Sustain, Richard welcomes back Courtney Miller to unpack her PhD research on one of open source's most overlooked problems: what happens when widely used software is abandoned. Courtney explains why abandonment is not always simple, or even always bad, but can create real risks for the developers and projects that depend on it. From npm package research and downstream impact to Abandabot, AI-assisted tooling, maintainer burnout, and responsible sunsetting, this conversation explores how the open source ecosystem can better understand, detect, and respond when the software we rely on stops being maintained. Press download now! [00:01:28] Courtney explains the focus of her dissertation. [00:02:34] Courtney defines abandonment. [00:03:44] Her ecosystem-wide analysis focused on the npm JavaScript ecosystem, looking specifically at widely used packages. [00:05:23] The first part of the dissertation involved interviews with maintainers who rely on abandoned packages and often lack tools or clear processes for responding. [00:06:31] Courtney describes two types of abandonment: Explicit Notice Abandonment and Activity Based Abandonment. [00:09:27] Courtney explains the third and final chapter called, Designing Abandabot. [00:11:10] Richard raises the point that some software can be “done” and still function fine. Courtney agrees, noting that not all abandonment matters and beyond alerts remediation matters. [00:13:22] The conversation expands into under-resourced and under-maintained projects, which can also become supply chain risks before they are fully abandoned. [00:14:53] Richard brings up the “Whale Fall” idea and Courtney agrees and points to responsible sunsetting as an important research area. [00:17:39] We learn about Courtney's experience bringing AI into the dissertation, especially for building Abandabot's prediction system. [00:20:54] Richard asks whether AI is already making abandonment more common. [00:24:52] Courtney talks about staying grounded in real practitioner problems as the open source and AI landscape changes quickly. [00:26:30] Final Takeaways: Courtney argues that abandonment needs to be addressed now, especially through software composition analysis tools that can help developers understand and respond to real dependency risk. Quotes [00:01:35] “The title of my dissertation is: “Supporting the Sustainable Use of Open Source Software.” [00:07:10] “There is no right answer how to define abandonment.” [00:07:26] “Explicit Notice Abandonment”- where the maintainers of a package publicly express their intent to no longer do so.” [00:07:42] “The other type of abandonment was called “Activity Based Abandonment” -commonly used as a way of identifying abandonment in open source sustainability literature.” [00:08:26] “Out of the widely used packages, around 15% had abandonment issues.” [00:11:38] “Not all abandonment matters. If left pad is abandoned, who cares?” [00:21:35] “Maybe projects never have to die. You can create a fork and maintain it on your own.” Spotlight [00:27:20] Richard's spotlight is the translation feature on iPhone in Books. [00:28:20] Courtney's potlight is her dog, Chanel, and SAFE-MCP. Links SustainOSS podcast@sustainoss.org richard@sustainoss.org SustainOSS Discourse SustainOSS Mastodon SustainOSS Bluesky SustainOSS LinkedIn Open Collective-SustainOSS (Contribute) Richard Littauer Socials Courtney Miller Website Courtney Miller LinkedIn Sustain Podcast-Episode 140: Courtney Miller and Hongbo Fang on Toxicity and Information Flow in Open Source Communities Supporting the Sustainable Use of Open Source Software by Courtney Elta Miller Whale Fall (Andrew Nesbitt blog) Michael Winser LinkedIn SAFE-MCP SustainOSS - AI, FLOSS, and Sustainability Virtual Forum Registration Sponsor CURIOSS Credits Produced by Richard Littauer Edited by Paul M. Bahr at Peachtree Sound Show notes by DeAnn Bahr Peachtree Sound Special Guest: Courtney Miller.
As climate disasters intensify and authoritarian threats escalate, most of us are underprepared for moments when systems fail or are weaponized against us. In this episode, Kelly talks with Chris Begley and Amy Edelman, authors of The Emergency Playbook: A Bunker-Free Guide to Disaster Preparation, about how preparedness can move us away from fear, isolation and bunker fantasies, and toward community, care and collective survival. They discuss how practical planning, community relationships and collective care can help us face climate disasters, political unrest and everyday crises with more courage and less panic. Music: Son Monarcas and Mizlo You can find a transcript and show notes (including links to resources) here: truthout.org/series/movement-memos/ If you would like to support the show, you can donate here: bit.ly/TODonate If you would like to receive Truthout's newsletter, please sign up: bit.ly/TOnewsletter
You're probably not a serial killer. But the patterns that shape one run through all of us, at lower volume. In this episode, Dr. Greg traces antisocial patterns back to their source in everyday life — how we manage people, pray, and protect ourselves from being hurt again. Key Topics: Why the patterns that define serial killers aren't limited to serial killers — and how to see yourself honestly in that mirror How omnipotent control can look like loyalty, competence, or even holiness — and what it's protecting underneath What "magical penance" looks like when atonement becomes a form of control instead of real repair Why prayer can become negotiation with God — and why that's a subtle form of magical thinking How the "hardened heart" of Scripture isn't just Pharaoh — it's any wall quietly built against trust How to meet the controlling parts of yourself with compassion instead of condemnation Learn More: Previous episode in the Being Human series on the Antisocial Defense Patterns: Ep. #281: Control or Be Controlled: The Devastating Wounds Behind Antisocial Behavioral Patterns Love and Responsibility by Karol Wojtyla (Pope St. John Paul II) Start of the Being Human series on the Histrionic Defense Patterns: Ep. #274: To Be Loved Is to Perform: Inside the Histrionic Compulsion for Attention and Validation Start of the Being Human series on the Borderline Defense Patterns: Ep. #269: BORDERLINE: The Push-Pull Between a Fear of Abandonment and Annihilation Start of the Being Human series on the Dependent Defense Patterns: Ep. #265: Jerry Maguire, Gollum, and the Fear of Not Existing Start of the Being Human series on the Narcissistic Defense Patterns: Ep. #261: Narcissism and the Terror of Being Ordinary: Why Real Change Happens through Love not Willpower Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment Follow Us on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter (X) | LinkedIn
Do you actually trust God with your life? In this first conversation, Brother Lawrence invites us to begin the spiritual life by trusting in God's providence rather than relying on techniques or various devotions. Through a simple reflection on a winter tree, he shows us how God is already at work, patiently bringing about growth in our lives. Today, we are reading Part 1: First Conversation. To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics
EphMark 10:1-12 Big Idea: Since God is a covenant-maker who created marriage as a covenant union, our marriages must be marked by covenant faithfulness. Main Points: 3 Creational Truths:1) Gender is Intrinsic to God's Design – v.62) The Goal of Marriage is Oneness – v.7-83) Marriage is a Divine Work of God – v.9 Categories of Covenant Breaking:1) Adulterous Immorality – Matthew 19:92) Abandonment of an Unbelieving Spouse – 1 Corinthians 7:152.5) Abuses that Abandon Covenant Responsibilities – Exodus 21:10-11;
In this episode of The Vital Goddess Podcast, we explore the invisible agreements we unconsciously make around beauty, worth, desire, pleasure, and love — and how those agreements begin shaping not only the nervous system and body… but the way we perceive ourselves and experience life itself.These agreements often form early.Through heartbreak.Shame.Comparison.Criticism.Objectification.Performance.Abandonment.Or simply living in a culture that teaches women to disconnect from the wisdom of their bodies.Over time, the body begins organizing around protection.The shoulders round.The breath becomes compromised.The nervous system becomes vigilant.The fascia begins holding the shape of the agreement.And without realizing it, many women spend years gathering evidence for painful narratives such as:Beauty isn't safeMy desires are too muchLove always leavesPleasure must be earnedMy worth depends on performanceIn this episode, Dianne shares a deeply compassionate and Venusian perspective on feminine conditioning, nervous system patterning, embodiment, and reclamation.Together, we explore the three pillars of the Venusian path:
Send us Fan MailWhen Your Husband Is Paying for a Wound He Didn't Cause#marriageadvice #emotionalconnectionWhat if your husband is paying for a wound he didn't cause?For many wives, this is tender territory.Because sometimes the issue in marriage is not only what your husband said, did, or failed to do.Sometimes he bumps into an old wound that was already there.A wound from rejection. Abandonment. Disappointment. Or a story from the past that still feels true today.And when that happens, his love may have to pass through fear before it can be received.In this episode, we talk about what happens when a wife carries an old wound into her marriage—and how her husband can begin to feel like he is constantly being asked to prove he is not like the man who hurt her.This is not about blaming a wife for her pain.And it is not about excusing a husband.It is about learning to see the difference between what your husband caused… and what he may be bumping into.Because if the wound keeps interpreting his actions, he may end up paying for pain he never created.
It has long been assumed that there was no Holocaust memory in the Soviet Union. Official Soviet ideology lumped the 1.5 million Soviet Jews exterminated by the Nazis into the 26 million Soviet war deaths. So, the little Holocaust memory that existed was hidden away in families and communities. Recent scholarship, however, has painted a more complicated picture. Yes, official Holocaust memory was circumscribed. And, true, many privately commemorated its memory. But, as a new collection of Soviet Holocaust fiction, translated by Sasha Senderovich and Harriet Murav, shows that there was published Holocaust literature in the Soviet Union. Especially in the Yiddish language journal, Sovetish Heymland. How did Soviet authors treat the Holocaust? How did it differ from work elsewhere? And what are some of the challenges translating these works into English? To find out more, the Eurasian Knot spoke to Sasha and Harriet about their recent collection, In the Shadow of the Holocaust: Short Fiction by Jewish Writers from the Soviet Union, published by Stanford University Press.Guests:Sasha Senderovich is Associate Professor of Slavic Languages & Literatures and of International Studies at the University of Washington. He is the author of How the Soviet Jew Was Made. Harriet Murav is Center for Advanced Study Professor Emerita at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Her most recent book is As the Dust of the Earth: The Literature of Abandonment in Revolutionary Russia and Ukraine.They are the translators of In the Shadow of the Holocaust: Short Fiction by Jewish Writers from the Soviet Union, published by Stanford University Press. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Not every rule-breaker is choosing rebellion. Most are choosing safety — and they've been doing it since childhood. In this first episode of a new series, Dr. Greg takes apart what "antisocial" actually means and traces the pattern back to its source: not evil or criminal, but a deep wound that learned to survive by refusing to trust. Key Topics: Why "antisocial" has nothing to do with introversion — and what it actually describes How charm and omnipotent control can be defenses, not personality traits Why growing up with an unpredictable parent makes rules feel like threats instead of like love What the interpersonal wish "help me trust you" reveals beneath even the most closed-off exterior Why the parts of us that push back against rules deserve curiosity, not condemnation How empathy, education, and direction together create the conditions where rules feel like love Why the gap between antisocial patterns and ordinary daily life is narrower than we'd like to admit Learn More: Summit of Integration 2026 — Join us in Dallas, October 20–23, celebrating the Feast of St. John Paul II. Start of the Being Human series on the Histrionic Defense Patterns: Ep. #274: To Be Loved Is to Perform: Inside the Histrionic Compulsion for Attention and Validation Start of the Being Human series on the Borderline Defense Patterns: Ep. #269: BORDERLINE: The Push-Pull Between a Fear of Abandonment and Annihilation Start of the Being Human series on the Dependent Defense Patterns: Ep. #265: Jerry Maguire, Gollum, and the Fear of Not Existing: A Deep Dive into the Dependent Defense Pattern Start of the Being Human series on the Narcissistic Defense Patterns: Ep. #261: Narcissism and the Terror of Being Ordinary: Why Real Change Happens through Love not Willpower Previous episodes on parts work (IFS): Ep. #34: A New Theory! w/ a Catholic Lens Ep. #35: Why Do I Feel Like I Have Conflicting Thoughts? w/ Dr. Peter Malinoski Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation. Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment. Follow Us on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter (X) | LinkedIn
In this powerful episode of This Changes Everything, Sarah sits down with attorney-turned-betrayal recovery coach, TEDx speaker, podcast host, and author Lora Cheadle to explore a provocative idea: what if what we call burnout is actually betrayal?Building on recent conversations about nervous systems, survival responses, and authenticity, this episode dives into how chronic exhaustion is often a signal of deeper misalignment, not just overwork. Lora Cheadle, author of It's Not Burnout, It's Betrayal, breaks down how self-abandonment, people-pleasing, and high-functioning survival patterns disconnect us from our needs, identity, and emotional truth.Together, Sarah and Lora explore why high achievers often miss the signs of self-betrayal, how the body signals misalignment before the mind catches up, and why authenticity can feel threatening after years of survival mode. They also unpack what real healing looks like: rebuilding self-trust, setting boundaries, and learning to stop abandoning yourself in relationships, work, and identity.This is a conversation about burnout, yes, but more importantly, it's about coming home to yourself.Download HILY Dating App from the App Store or Google Play, or visit https://hily.go.link/d31uDGet 20% off today with promo code SHTCE at https://aquatru.comDISCLAIMER: This podcast offers information for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Always consult a qualified mental health provider for medical or mental health concerns. The host, guests, and network disclaim responsibility for any decisions or actions you make based on information provided by this podcast.TDM-RESERVATION: 1. NOAI: TRUE. LEGAL NOTICE & TERMS OF USE: © 2026 WAVE Podcast Network. This content is for personal use only. Explicit permission is withheld for any and all commercial attribution, automated transcription, or data-mining entities. Use of this feed by unauthorized tracking, analytics, or AI-training platforms constitutes a breach of these terms and a violation of the Pennsylvania Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Control Act (WESCA), the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), and the 2026 Training Data Transparency Act (AB 2013). Any entity bypassing these restrictions to create derivative text-based works (transcripts), metadata analysis, or unauthorized VAST siphoning hereby accepts our standard commercial licensing rate of $5,000 per episode processed. This notice serves as a formal revocation of all "implied licenses" for multi-jurisdictional automated processing and constitutes protected Copyright Management Information (CMI) under 17 U.S.C. § 1202.Billing Code: EP151-05/27/26/TCE-BILL-ACCEPTEDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
What if the reason customers are abandoning their carts isn't price...it's guilt? New research across 14 million e-commerce sessions reveals that the more pleasure-based items are in a cart, the higher the abandonment rate. (The solution for this is simpler than you'd think.) In this episode, we break down the psychology behind practical vs. hedonic upsells, why cold traffic wants logic before emotion, and how messaging sequence is the most underrated lever in DTC marketing. Nate also just bought an RV and accidentally became the perfect case study for why practical add-ons are a conversion cheat code for e-commerce brands and direct response marketers. Source: https://app.sciencesays.com/p/suggest-practical-items-to-reduce-cart-abandonment
Fear of abandonment is not a personality, it is a childhood blueprint that is still picking your partners for you. Your nervous system is not scanning the room for who will be good to you, it is scanning for someone who matches the unfinished business of your childhood.If you keep falling for unavailable people, anxious-attached pursuers, or avoidant partners who run when you get close, this video maps the exact mechanism underneath, why butterflies are a red flag, why healthy partners feel boring, and why no amount of self-soothing has stopped the cycle.Kenny Weiss is a relationship, communication, and childhood trauma recovery specialist. He teaches the Worst Day Cycle™, the Authentic Self Cycle™, and the Emotional Authenticity Method™. He goes where the attachment-style world stops: the operating system underneath the symptoms. Anxiously attached is not a diagnosis to manage, it is a blueprint to rewrite.The nervous system searches for someone who replicates childhood so it can finally win the love it could not get the first time. This is the engine underneath every repeat relationship. The butterfly feeling everyone tells you to chase is not chemistry, it is the exact emotional chemical cocktail your body releases when it meets someone whose emotional signature matches the parent who could not show up for you. Your brain says, this person feels like home, and you mistake recognition for love.Trauma bonding is not a sign of deep connection, it is intermittent reinforcement training the nervous system to associate unpredictability with intimacy. The love addict and the love avoidant are not opposites attracting, they are two halves of the same broken blueprint clicking together like puzzle pieces. The Emotional Authenticity Method™ is the six-step process that traces the abandonment panic back to its earliest origin and rewires the blueprint underneath, ending with Feelization, where the body builds a new emotional addiction to safe, consistent connection that replaces the chase.Kenny Weiss has helped thousands of adults stop picking the same person with a different face and rebuild attraction from the Authentic Self instead of the survival persona. His work is a blueprint rewrite, not symptom management.TOPICS COVEREDfear of abandonment, trauma bonding, love addict, love avoidant, why I keep picking the wrong person, anxious attachment, why butterflies are a red flag, trauma chemistry, pursue withdraw cycle, why healthy feels boring, intermittent reinforcement, codependent dance, Worst Day Cycle, Authentic Self Cycle, Emotional Authenticity Method, Kenny WeissTIMESTAMPS0:00 — The Five-Minute Stomach Knew1:30 — Why You Didn't Fall In Love, Your Wound Did3:00 — Butterflies Are A Red Flag5:00 — My Mother's Seven-Day Walking Coma7:00 — Trauma Blueprint Selection9:30 — Why Trauma Bonding Feels Like Love11:30 — The Worst Day Cycle Of Abandonment14:00 — Where The Attachment-Style World Stops15:30 — The Authentic Self Cycle Rewrite17:30 — The Emotional Authenticity Method20:00 — Why Healthy Partners Feel Boring21:30 — The Sixty-Second Experiment
In this episode, we sit down with Christopher August — breathwork facilitator, author, and co-founder of Beats and Breath — for a conversation that runs from a literal billboard to a near-death drowning on the Zambezi that seeded the mission he's lived ever since. We trace his path from corporate tech and quiet despair into Peace Corps Tanzania, the medicine work that reopened his capacity to feel, and the slow alchemy of moving from victim to creator. We talk about soul sickness as a cultural diagnosis, the inner child as the keys to freedom, and the Gene Keys as a map from shadow into gift. Christopher names what he's stepping into next: a healing community in the Pacific Northwest he's been envisioning for fifteen years, and the abandonment wound that surfaces when you say yes to the call again.(00:00) Peace Corps Intro(00:34) Opening Conversation(06:47) Show Start(08:04) Corporate Life To Calling(11:29) Near Death Experience(17:14) Peace Corps Mission Work(19:35) Returning Home Culture Shock(21:31) Breathwork Awakening(26:38) Sonic Breathwork Modality(29:44) Plant Medicine Insights(33:34) Family Healing And Compassion(37:51) Constellations And Sovereignty(43:38) Gene Keys(49:48) Breath Meets DNA(01:03:06) Abandonment and Big Move(01:08:01) Vision for Community(01:17:37) Relationships as DojoGuest LinksWebsite: https://christopheraugust.coBook: Master Your Breath, Transform Your LifeApp: Beats in BreathConnect with UsStart the Free 7-Day Self-Esteem ResetWatch Our EpisodesJoin our free Telegram communityJoin our membership Friends of the Truth
• Intro 0:00• New Switch Online Virtual Boy Games 2:50• Sony's Abandonment of PC Gaming Is Official 6:58• PS Plus Price Increase 17:55• Xbox Launches Fan Feedback Site 27:30• THE BACKLOG: The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild 43:30• Nintendo Hints at More Games to Come 58:45• Nintendo Announces New Mobile Game 1:03:38• Capcom Has Record Sales, 93% Digital 1:05:00• Saros Struggling With Sales 1:09:38• New Xbox Controllers Leaked 1:15:50• Amazon Forces Studio to Use AI, Then Shuts It Down 1:21:32• TWEET OF THE WEEK 1:30:18 • Q&A 1:32:55✴️ PATREON https://www.patreon.com/cw/WULFFDENPodcastOriginally streamed on May 19, 2026
Masterpiece Podcasts: Collection of Chinese Classic Novels
"Holding On to Love and Hope Through a Lifetime of Suffering" - Listen to my Morning Monologue: I'm sharing my take on pressing issues, enlightening research on human behavior, answering questions I get by email, and my favorite, most instructive interactions with callers. Everything you'll hear is designed to help you become a better spouse, parent, family member, co-worker, friend, and human being. It's the free therapy you need! Call 1-800-DR-LAURA / 1-800-375-2872 or make an appointment at DrLaura.com Follow me on social media: Facebook.com/DrLaura Instagram.com/DrLauraProgram YouTube.com/DrLaura Join My Family!! Receive my Weekly Newsletter + 20% off my Marriage 101 course & 25% off Merch! Sign up now, it's FREE! Each week you'll get new articles, featured emails from listeners, special event invitations, early access to my Dr. Laura Designs Store benefiting Children of Fallen Patriots, and MORE! Sign up at DrLaura.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The meltdown. The defiance. The constant "look at me." It's easy to wonder if something is wrong. But most of the time, these aren't signs of a disorder — they're signs of development still in progress. In this episode, Dr. Greg explores what's really underneath "behavior problems," why children can't be diagnosed with personality disorders, and why the question that changes everything isn't "what's wrong with my child?" — but "what does my child need from me right now?" Key Topics: Why children cannot be diagnosed with personality disorders — and what's actually happening when their behavior looks like one How emotional regulation is learned, not innate — and what co-regulation actually looks like Why a child's dramatic, self-centered, or defiant behavior is often developmentally appropriate What it means when a child borrows a parent's nervous system — and why that steadiness is the foundation Why the patterns we see in our kids so often point back to something in us How a parent's own unhealed wounds shape the environment a child grows up inside Why admitting our own imperfection is one of the most formative things we can give our children Learn More: CatholicPsych Newsletter - Sign up to stay connected and hear the latest developments! Start of the Being Human series on the Histrionic Defense Patterns: Ep. #274: To Be Loved Is to Perform: Inside the Histrionic Compulsion for Attention and Validation Start of the Being Human series on the Borderline Defense Patterns: Ep. #269: BORDERLINE: The Push-Pull Between a Fear of Abandonment and Annihilation Start of the Being Human series on the Dependent Defense Patterns: Ep. #265: Jerry Maguire, Gollum, and the Fear of Not Existing Start of the Being Human series on the Narcissistic Defense Patterns: Ep. #261: Narcissism and the Terror of Being Ordinary Pilgrimage to Poland - Learn more about this journey with St. John Paul II Summit of Integration 2026 - Sign up to learn more about this year's event! Healing Retreat in Wyoming - Learn more about our upcoming retreat experience. The Stages of Spiritual Development - Previous Being Human episode on how the stages of human development are interrelated to the stages of spiritual development. Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment Follow Us on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter (X) | LinkedIn
Before we can forgive anything, we have to be honest about what actually happened without minimizing, over-spiritualizing, or skipping to a resolution. This week we slow down to affirm this first step in the process: naming the hurt with precision. As it turns out, telling the truth about your wound is the first act of healing. LINKS: Current Conversations | Connect | YouTube | Coming Up TRANSCRIPT: The Word We've Been Mishandling Forgiveness might be the most talked-about and least practiced idea in all of spiritual life. Not because some people are hypocrites (I mean aren't we all a little bit?) but because if we're honest, we've been given almost no real tools for it. Tension point: most of us are carrying something. And most of us have been told– by religion, culture, entertainment, even well-meaning people– to just... let it go. But letting go of something you haven't fully held yet isn't forgiveness. It's just suppression with fancy vocabulary. Brief series preview: over the next six weeks, we're going to do this differently. We're drawing from Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his daughter Mpho's book The Book of Forgiving– one of the most honest, rigorous, and compassionate treatments of this subject that I'm aware of. We'll talk about what forgiveness actually is, what it isn't, why it gets weaponized, and what it might mean to actually get free. The Tutus give us a four-step framework for genuine forgiveness. If you're curious about each one of the steps in more detail and want to take the time it takes to really wrestle with that, I'd love to invite you into the Tuesday night book club and Discord server… talk to me after the gathering if you're interested! There's an underlying premise that when hurt happens, there's a cycle of revenge we often get stuck in (marked by the hurt/harm/loss, experiencing pain, choosing to harm, rejecting shared humanity, getting revenge/retaliation/payback, that ultimately leads to some form of violence that creates new or additional harm. What they've provided for us– based on their own experiences of injustice and violence (apartheid, violent deaths, etc.) is what they call The Fourfold Path, that similarly starts with hurt/harm/loss, followed by an intentional choice to heal. And if healing is the choice, then the fourfold path can be traveled: Telling the Story (today) Naming the Hurt Granting Forgiveness (Recognizing Shared Humanity) Renewing or Releasing the Relationship. You don't have to be at every week to get something meaningful from this. But if you can, come back. This is worth doing slowly. The task we're in today– telling the story– is both simple and challenging: before we can forgive anything, we have to give ourselves space to be honest about what actually happened. Because there are a lot of real, identifiable reasons why we rush past pain and jump straight to resolution. Why We Skip the Hard Part Some of our work today, as we launch this series, is to be honest about why we skip the hard part, and end up missing out on actual forgiveness… For many: religious pressure | "Jesus said forgive, so I should feel forgiving." The command becomes a performance. We say the words because we're supposed to, not because anything has actually shifted. (Note: forgiveness as a practice you choose vs. a feeling you perform — that distinction matters and we'll return to it.) Toxic positivity/"move on" culture | American culture is deeply allergic to sitting with pain. We pathologize grief. We celebrate resilience in ways that quietly shame people for still hurting. "Good vibes only" is a spiritual bypass wearing a bumper sticker. Protecting ourselves from further abuse / Not wanting to further upset the person or system that hurt us | This one deserves weight. Often the pressure to "just forgive" comes from the person or institution that caused harm. The church tells the abuse survivor to forgive the abuser. The family tells the wounded child not to make a scene. This is forgiveness weaponized — and we'll name that plainly throughout this series. The cultural myth of "forgive and forget" | The Tutus address this directly. You cannot actually forget. And you shouldn't have to. Mpho Tutu writes that the idea of forgetting is not only impossible, it's actually counterproductive — memory is part of how we protect ourselves and stay honest. What happens when we skip to the “end”?? We don't actually move past the hurt. We move it underground. Resentment. Shame. Something that sits in us and ferments. The Tutus describe this as the "fourfold path" — and the first step is not resolution. It's telling the story. You cannot skip to the end. Telling the Story: The First Act of Healing The Tutus write: "The first and most important step in the Fourfold Path is to tell your story." Notice: they didn't say to resolve it… but to tell it. Why does this matter psychologically? There's substantial research behind this. Narrative therapy and trauma-informed psychology both support the idea that giving language to an experience is not just cathartic — it's neurologically significant. When we name something, we move it from the body's alarm system into the part of the brain that can actually process it. (Reference: Bessel van der Kolk, "The Body Keeps the Score" — the body holds what the mind won't name.) But there's a crucial distinction the Tutus make — and it's worth sitting with: RUMINATING on a story and TELLING it are not the same thing. Rumination is the loop. It's replaying the scene, re-feeling the wound, rehearsing what you should have said. It keeps us stuck in a cycle that actually reinforces the pain rather than processing it. Ruminating is like the broken record “That's an old tape, time to take it out of the VCR” Telling the story is different. It has a shape. A beginning, middle, and at least a provisional end. It has a witness. It moves outward rather than circling inward. Research on expressive writing (James Pennebaker, University of Texas) shows that people who write about difficult experiences in a structured way— not just venting, but actually narrating— show measurable improvements in psychological and even physical health. The Tutus frame this in deeply human terms: "When we tell our stories, we reclaim our humanity." The act of speaking what was done to us — rather than simply absorbing it — is how we refuse to let the wound become our whole identity. What Kind of Story Are We Telling? As we think perhaps about our own experiences of hurt, harm, or loss, it's worth asking: what kind of story are we telling? There's a spectrum of harm that's worth naming honestly: Some of what we carry is hurt — disappointment, unmet expectations, misunderstanding, relational friction. Real, worth naming, but perhaps not requiring the full weight of the forgiveness process. Some of what we carry is a genuine wrong — a betrayal, an act of violence, a sustained pattern of harm, an abuse of power. This is different. And treating it the same as ordinary hurt can minimize something that deserves to be named for what it is. The Tutus do not minimize harm. Mpho Tutu lost her husband to violent crime. Desmond Tutu spent his life in proximity to atrocity. This framework was forged in the context of apartheid, genocide, and profound injustice. It is not a self-help framework for minor inconveniences. It takes the weight of real wrong seriously. Part of telling your story is being honest about what actually happened — not inflating it, not minimizing it. Precision in our storytelling is an ACT OF DIGNITY. The Role of a Witness Here's something important: the Tutus don't imagine this as a solo process. Telling the story almost always requires someone to tell it to. What makes a good witness? Not someone who fixes it. Not someone who jumps to advice, or silver linings, or "well, have you thought about their perspective?" A witness is someone who receives your story with enough steadiness that you feel safe to tell it fully. In men's group: THREE people. The witness to receive the story, and also somebody with permission to ask questions about what they noticed in body language, follow up with questions about what's happening in the story teller's body, etc. This is actually one of the most underrated spiritual gifts a person can offer another: the ministry of staying in the room without flinching. There's a reason confession has existed across almost every spiritual tradition in human history— not as a transaction for the pardon of wrongs, but as the practice of being heard by someone who doesn't run from the truth of what you've lived. Community implication: this is part of why we do this together. Not because church is a place to perform having it together, but because church can be— when we let it— a community of witnesses. People who are trained and willing to hold each other's real stories. (CARE IQ) What Forgiveness is NOT Before we wrap for today, let's clear some ground. The Tutus are direct about this: Forgiveness is not condoning what happened. Forgiveness is not forgetting. Forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation. (You can forgive someone and never have a relationship with them again. These are separate acts.) Forgiveness is not necessarily something you do for the other person. And forgiveness is not something you have to feel before you can choose it. Forgiveness is a practice you choose. Not an internal feeling you perform outwardly. We'll build on all of this in the weeks ahead. But naming what it isn't is part of how we clear space for what it actually is. Invitation/PAW Guided prompts: I want to invite you into a few minutes of quiet with a series of prompts. Optional: write it, draw it, sit with it. Hold a stone to represent it… Think of something you're carrying. You don't have to name it out loud. Just let it come to mind. What actually happened? Try to name it with some precision — not to relive it, but to see it clearly. What did it cost you? Not what it "taught you," not what good came from it — what did it actually cost? Is there a word for what was done? Betrayal. Abandonment. Injustice. Violence. Neglect. Name it if you can. When and if you're ready in the coming days or weeks, think about if you're ready to tell it… to invite a witness in. Today I'm not asking you to forgive anything. I'm just asking you to be honest about what you're carrying. That's it. That's enough for today. Wrapping it Up Desmond Tutu said, "There is no future without forgiveness”... and I tend to agree with him. But we're not there yet. That's where we're going. Today we're just naming the yuck of it all, and naming that telling our story is in itself a critical first step in healing. That takes good courage! Next week, we'll be at Venn Coffee and Brewing to spend some slow, social time in conversation as community…
Send us Fan MailJoin Dustin and René as they discuss Exodus 1-6 through the Queer Perspective of ABANDONMENT!Study along in the "Come, Follow Me" Manual (March 23-March 29).Join the conversation by sending your own Queer Perspective on Gospel Topics (or Haikulelujah) to: lovespokenqueer@gmail.comor DM us on Social:Instagram: @lovespokenqueerFacebook: Love Is Spoken Queer
What is your envy telling you?
Peter Berkowitz examines Harvey Mansfield's assessment of Harvard's decline. They discuss how grade inflation, political agendas, and the abandonment of meritocracy have replaced the university's commitment to genuine intellectual excellence. (3/16)11920 SC
In this episode, we explore a powerful connection that quietly shapes every relationship in your life: the way you treat yourself is how you teach others to treat you. We examine how core beliefs we carry about our worth, love, and safety don't just live in our minds, they shape our behavior, relationships, and what we tolerate. We break down how these beliefs are formed through childhood dynamics and past relationships, and how they show up in adulthood through patterns. We will also guide you through a simple exercise to help identify your own core beliefs in real time. We also consider boundaries and how they are not about pushing people away, but about defining self-respect in action, are one of the clearest expressions of self-love, communicate what you will and won't accept, and create the structure that allows relationships to feel safe, honest, and sustainable. This episode is a conversation about self-trust, emotional awareness, and what it really means to stop abandoning yourself in the name of love.Download HILY Dating App from the App Store or Google Play, or visit https://hily.go.link/d31uDGo to https://aquatru.com now for 20% off your purifier using promo code TCEDISCLAIMER: This podcast offers information for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Always consult a qualified mental health provider for medical or mental health concerns. The host, guests, and network disclaim responsibility for any decisions or actions you make based on information provided by this podcast.TDM-RESERVATION: 1. NOAI: TRUE. LEGAL NOTICE & TERMS OF USE: © 2026 WAVE Podcast Network. This content is for personal use only. Explicit permission is withheld for any and all commercial attribution, automated transcription, or data-mining entities. Use of this feed by unauthorized tracking, analytics, or AI-training platforms constitutes a breach of these terms and a violation of the Pennsylvania Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Control Act (WESCA), the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), and the 2026 Training Data Transparency Act (AB 2013). Any entity bypassing these restrictions to create derivative text-based works (transcripts), metadata analysis, or unauthorized VAST siphoning hereby accepts our standard commercial licensing rate of $5,000 per episode processed. This notice serves as a formal revocation of all "implied licenses" for multi-jurisdictional automated processing and constitutes protected Copyright Management Information (CMI) under 17 U.S.C. § 1202.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
$20 billion in research. Suicide rates 32% higher than the year 2000. Something is deeply wrong — and it isn't a lack of effort. In this episode, Dr. Greg makes the case that the mental health crisis isn't a funding problem or an awareness problem. It's a standard problem. Without a vision of what a healthy human person actually looks like, the best we can do is manage symptoms. And he introduces something new: a Mental Health Litany and Novena beginning May 15th — nine days of prayer leading into Pentecost, naming the specific fears and lies beneath our patterns and bringing them before Christ. Key Topics: Why decades of funding and awareness haven't moved mental health in the right direction Why the absence of symptoms is not the same thing as health What Catholic anthropology offers that the mental health industry doesn't have Why the Church has been slow to speak into mental suffering — and what that silence has cost How a litany does something that silence and symptom-management can't What it looks like to bring anxiety, depression, and trauma into Catholic prayer — by name Learn More: Download the Mental Health Litany and join the Novena: catholicpsych.com/litany Bad Therapy by Abigail Shrier: The book Dr. Greg references that argues our current mental health treatments may be making the problems worse Start of the Being Human series on the Histrionic Defense Patterns: Ep. #274: To Be Loved Is to Perform: Inside the Histrionic Compulsion for Attention and Validation Start of the Being Human series on the Borderline Defense Patterns: Ep. #269: BORDERLINE: The Push-Pull Between a Fear of Abandonment and Annihilation Start of the Being Human series on the Dependent Defense Patterns: Ep. #265: Jerry Maguire, Gollum, and the Fear of Not Existing Start of the Being Human series on the Narcissistic Defense Patterns: Ep. #261: Narcissism and the Terror of Being Ordinary Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment Follow Us on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter (X) | LinkedIn
Jennifer Griffith is an author, speaker, and host of the About Your Mother podcast, where she explores the relationships and defining moments that shape our lives. Her debut memoir, Both Sides of Then: Finding Love After Abandonment, is a candid reflection on motherhood, resilience, and the complexity of family. Through her work, she invites others to embrace both the beauty and the mess of their stories and find connection in shared human experience.Tell Me What Happened features the music of Susan Salidor. More information about Susan Salidor can be found at her website Get Susan Salidor's One Little Act of Kindness Children's BookGet Susan Salidor's I've Got Peace in My Fingers Children's BookMore Information about our sponsor's 10 x 10 Blackhole Chess game can be found at www.blackholechess.com
May 8, 2026- We talk to New York State Association of Cemeteries Legislative Director David Fleming about issues facing non-profit cemeteries across the Empire State, including long-term financing of operations.
In this episode of This Changes Everything, we explore a powerful connection that quietly shapes every relationship in your life: the way you treat yourself is how you teach others to treat you.At the center of the conversation are core beliefs, the invisible, often unconscious stories we carry about our worth, love, and safety. Beliefs like “I'm too much,” “I have to earn love,” or “If I set boundaries, I'll be rejected” don't just live in our minds. They shape our behavior, our relationships, and what we tolerate.We break down how these beliefs are formed through childhood dynamics and past relationships, and how they show up in adulthood through patterns like over-explaining, accepting less than we want, and avoiding conflict even when something doesn't feel right. You'll also be guided through a simple exercise to help identify your own core beliefs in real time.From there, we move into the role of boundaries and how they are not about pushing people away, but about defining self-respect in action. Boundaries are one of the clearest expressions of self-love. They communicate what you will and won't accept, and they create the structure that allows relationships to feel safe, honest, and sustainable.At the heart of this episode is a key insight: we don't get treated how we want. We get treated how we believe we deserve. And boundaries are how we begin to rewrite that belief through action.This is a conversation about self-trust, emotional awareness, and what it really means to stop abandoning yourself in the name of love.If you'd like to try the HILY Dating App, you can download it from the App Store or Google Play, or by visiting https://hily.comGo to https://aquatru.com now for 20% off your purifier using promo code TCE.DISCLAIMER: This podcast offers information for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Always consult a qualified mental health provider for medical or mental health concerns. The host, guests, and network disclaim responsibility for any decisions or actions you make based on information provided by this podcast.TDM-RESERVATION: 1. NOAI: TRUE. LEGAL NOTICE & TERMS OF USE: © 2026 WAVE Podcast Network. This content is for personal use only. Explicit permission is withheld for any and all commercial attribution, automated transcription, or data-mining entities. Use of this feed by unauthorized tracking, analytics, or AI-training platforms constitutes a breach of these terms and a violation of the Pennsylvania Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Control Act (WESCA), the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), and the 2026 Training Data Transparency Act (AB 2013). Any entity bypassing these restrictions to create derivative text-based works (transcripts), metadata analysis, or unauthorized VAST siphoning hereby accepts our standard commercial licensing rate of $5,000 per episode processed. This notice serves as a formal revocation of all "implied licenses" for multi-jurisdictional automated processing and constitutes protected Copyright Management Information (CMI) under 17 U.S.C. § 1202.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Healing isn't about changing your personality. It's about being freed from the compulsions that drive it. In this final episode of the histrionic series, Dr. Greg explores what the path from performance to presence actually looks like — why hiddenness feels terrifying but works like medicine, and why the deepest fear underneath this pattern can only be answered by God. Key Topics: Why healing doesn't mean losing what makes you magnetic — and what actually does need to change How a room falling silent can feel like ceasing to exist — and why that's the wound, not the cure Why hiddenness feels like punishment but acts like medicine What it means when provoking a reaction feels more real than having a real conversation Why no amount of being seen by other people ever quite reaches the thing underneath Why real connection becomes possible only when you stop needing to be the most interesting person in the room Learn More: Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation Being Human series on the Histrionic Defense Patterns: Ep. #276: Back to Eden: Overcoming the Fear of Being Alone Through Divine Love Ep. #275: Hiding the Real You: The Histrionic Battle for Intimacy Ep. #274: To Be Loved Is to Perform: Inside the Histrionic Compulsion for Attention and Validation Previous episode on attachment theory: Ep. #63: Attachment Theory: What It Is, What It Isn't, and How It Affects Your Relationships Previous episodes on parts work (IFS): Ep. #34: A New Theory! w/ a Catholic Lens Ep. #35: Why Do I Feel Like I Have Conflicting Thoughts? w/ Dr. Peter Malinoski The Jeweler's Shop by Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II) — the play Dr. Greg references on the theater of the word and the freedom of love God Is Love: St. Teresa Margaret — Her Life — the book Dr. Greg discovered in college about the Carmelite mystic whose life of radical hiddenness is a model for this healing path Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity: The Complete Works, Volume One — the Carmelite mystic Dr. Greg credits with introducing him to St. Teresa Margaret Summit of Integration 2026 — Coming to Dallas this October, celebrating the Year of John Paul II Start of the Being Human series on the Borderline Defense Patterns: Ep. #269: BORDERLINE: The Push-Pull Between a Fear of Abandonment and Annihilation Start of the Being Human series on the Dependent Defense Patterns: Ep. #265: Jerry Maguire, Gollum, and the Fear of Not Existing Start of the Being Human series on the Narcissistic Defense Patterns: Ep. #261: Narcissism and the Terror of Being Ordinary Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment Follow Us on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter (X) | LinkedIn
In this episode, Therese Markow and Patrick Wyman discuss Patrick's latest book, Lost Worlds: How Humans Tried, Failed, Succeeded, and Built Our World. Patrick also discusses his journey as a historian from studying the Fall of Rome to popular history. He emphasizes the importance of understanding past climactic changes and their impact on human societies, including the development of agriculture and the rise of social hierarchies. Patrick also highlights the significance of migration and the diverse burial practices that reveal aspects of ancient societies' beliefs and social structures. Key Takeaways: Human history is not stable, and it always starts with the climate. Climate and environment are the unavoidable parameters within which everyone is living, and, whether people are aware of them or not, they are responding to the pressures and shifts that are happening climatically around them. Abandonment of sites and cities happens over time and often for a variety of reasons that are always specific to the climate systems and problems of that particular area. Modern science, like ancient DNA extraction, now allows us to learn more about dynamics in ancient periods that we never could have seen before. Funerary practices vary across the world in ancient times, as they do in modern times. Often, it is based on one of two poles: when people die, are their spirits potentially dangerous (ghost society) or potentially beneficial (ancestor society)? Every single one of the billions of people who lived was living a life that was full, rich, sophisticated, and complex. As humans, we have been through big, crazy stuff, and yet we are still here and still thriving. Humanity is incredibly durable, and we can make it through some really, really bad times if we work hard and work together. "Migration is humanity's most basic tool for getting out of bad situations and finding better ones. The simplest possible thing you can do if things get bad wherever you're living is to move somewhere else. And this has been our response at every time and on every geographic scale over the course of human existence." — Patrick Wyman Episode References: Lost Worlds: How Humans Tried, Failed, Succeeded, and Built Our World - https://www.harpercollins.com/products/lost-worlds-patrick-wyman?variant=43084775817250 Connect with Patrick Wyman: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/PastLivesMedia Threads: https://www.threads.com/@wyman_patrick TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@patrick.wyman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wyman_patrick/ Substack: https://substack.com/@patrickwyman Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/patrickwyman.bsky.social Shows: The Fall of Rome: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fall-of-rome-podcast/id1141563910 Tides of History: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tides-of-history/id1257202425 Past Lives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coming-soon-past-lives/id1852618120?i=1000736506949 Connect with Therese: Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net Bluesky: @CriticallySpeaking.bsky.social Instagram: @criticallyspeakingpodcast Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.
Why does rejection hurt so much? Why can a breakup, someone pulling away, or the fear of being left feel so overwhelming — even when you know you should "move on"? In this episode, we break down the psychology and neuroscience of abandonment and rejection. We explore how social pain affects the brain, why attachment history shapes the intensity of abandonment fear, and how rejection can trigger old wounds that have very little to do with the current moment. We also talk about why the people you fear losing often hold too much power, how ego turns rejection into a verdict on your worth, and why someone breaking up with you is painful but not proof that you are unlovable, broken, or not enough. In this episode, we cover: The neuroscience of social pain and rejection Why abandonment hits so hard for some people How attachment and emotional neglect shape abandonment fear Why breakups can feel like identity collapse The difference between loss and worth Why the people you fear losing often hold too much psychological power How to stop making rejection mean something permanent about you This is a grounded, psychology-based conversation about heartbreak, identity, attachment, and learning to separate pain from self-worth. Become A Patreon: www.patreon.com/thepositivityxperience.com Let's Work Together & Resources: www.thepositivityxperience.com
On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (04/29/26), Hank answers the following questions:Can you give me advice about my daughter, who is into Wicca? Donna - St. Louis, MO (0:45)Does God have two people or one people? What about Covenant Theology? Can you address blood covenants in Genesis 15 and 17? John - St. Paul, MN (4:47)My husband left me and is looking for someone else. Since our marriage was performed in a mosque, there are no documents verifying our marriage. What should I do? Tammy - Vancouver, BC (16:25)
Being seen is not the same as being known. The life of the party can be the most isolated person in the room — filling every silence, commanding every gaze, and going home to an emptiness no audience has ever touched. In this episode, Dr. Greg goes into the loneliest part of the histrionic pattern: why the most socially active person in the room can also be the most profoundly alone, and why only God can reach what no human mirror ever could. Key Topics: Why being the most social person in the room can also leave you the most alone What it reveals when provoking a reaction starts to feel more real than having a real conversation How early wounds teach you that your existence depends on other people's responses Why heat is not warmth — and reaction is not connection What Henri Nouwen's I-Thou relationship reveals about why an audience never actually fills you Why no parent was ever meant to give you what you most deeply need Why God is not just the answer to this wound — but the only one it makes sense to bring it to Learn More: Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation Being Human series on the Histrionic Defense Patterns: Ep. #275: Hiding the Real You: The Histrionic Battle for Intimacy Ep. #274: To Be Loved Is to Perform: Inside the Histrionic Compulsion for Attention and Validation Gaudium et Spes — See paragraph 22 for the full quote of "Christ reveals man to himself and makes his supreme calling clear" Henri Nouwen Society — explore Henri Nouwen's writings on the I-Thou relationship Start of the Being Human series on the Borderline Defense Patterns: Ep. #269: BORDERLINE: The Push-Pull Between a Fear of Abandonment and Annihilation Start of the Being Human series on the Dependent Defense Patterns: Ep. #265: Jerry Maguire, Gollum, and the Fear of Not Existing: A Deep Dive into the Dependent Defense Pattern Start of the Being Human series on the Narcissistic Defense Patterns: Ep. #261: Narcissism and the Terror of Being Ordinary: Why Real Change Happens through Love not Willpower Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment Follow Us on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter (X) | LinkedIn
What if the person who lights up every room is actually living in fear and darkness? The humor, the charisma, the ease with which they hold attention - beneath the surface, there's often a fragile system always scanning for the next signal that they're still seen. In this episode, Dr. Greg explores how anxious attachment shapes the histrionic pattern - why performance becomes protection, why real closeness can feel threatening even when intimacy is desperately wanted, and how this plays out in relationships and in the spiritual life. Key Topics: Why you can light up every room and still feel completely alone How charm can be a defense, not a personality trait Why real closeness can feel more threatening than rejection How anxiety, not vanity, drives the need to be seen Why any reaction, even a negative one, feels better than being ignored Why boredom feels existentially threatening, not just uncomfortable How intensity gets mistaken for intimacy, and what keeps real closeness out of reach Learn More: Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation. Previous episode in this series - Histrionic Part 1: Ep. #274: To Be Loved Is to Perform: Inside the Histrionic Compulsion for Attention and Validation Home of the Being Human podcast – Easily search 250+ episodes on topics of interest. Amoris Laetitia – Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation by Pope Francis on Love and the Family Summit of Integration 2026 – Sign up to learn more about this year's event! The Personalist Cure – Upcoming new book by Dr. Greg Bottaro Don't Be Afraid of Screwing Up Your Kids - Because You Already Are – Dr. Greg's guest appearance on the Messy Family Podcast Start of the Being Human series on the Borderline Defense Patterns: Ep. #269: BORDERLINE: The Push-Pull Between a Fear of Abandonment and Annihilation Start of the Being Human series on the Dependent Defense Patterns: Ep. #265: Jerry Maguire, Gollum, and the Fear of Not Existing Start of the Being Human series on the Narcissistic Defense Patterns: Ep. #261: Narcissism and the Terror of Being Ordinary Previous episodes on parts work: Ep. #34: A New Theory! w/a Catholic Lens Ep. #35: Why Do I Feel Like I Have Conflicting Thoughts? w/ Dr. Peter Malinoski Previous episode on attachment theory: Ep. #63: Attachment Theory: What It Is, What It Isn't, and How It Affects Your Relationships Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment Follow Us on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter (X) | LinkedIn
How Does the Church Sings Through Suffering and Why Do the Songs Matter? Grammy Award nominee and Dove Award winner Matt Maher joins the Good Faith podcast for a conversation about the power of songs and church music to tell the truth about suffering. Reflecting on protest, justice, prophetic art, ecumenism, and even Rich Mullins, Maher explores how the church can hold lament and praise together while still pointing people to the hope and holiness of God. Drawing on Psalm 22 and Jesus' cry of abandonment on the cross, he argues that the church, like Jesus, must sing honestly about pain and abandonment without losing sight of the worship and honor God deserves. *This episode was recorded live at the Illuminate Arts + Faith Conference 00:00:00 - Tease: The Duality of Abandonment and Praise 00:01:00 - Introduction from Curtis Chang 05:31 - Conversion and the Impact of Catholic Liturgy on His Faith 08:13 - Theology in Songwriting and Collaboration 09:57- Can Ecumenism Expand Your Perspective? 13:06 - John 17 and Praying for Church Unity 14:35 - Prophetic Calling Comforts the Afflicted and Challenges the Comfortable 16:38 - Protest Themes and the Burden of Truth 20:30 - Holding Space for Both Praise and Lament 21:55 - Christian Justice Movements and Prophetic Action 24:02 - The After Party Album and Amos's Call to Justice 24:11 - That He Will Overcome (musical insert) 26:29 - The Toppling of Empire Lyrics as Inspired by Dr. Mika Edmonson 29:04 - The Neurological and Physical Impact of Music on Memory and Community 34:03 - Personal Storytelling and Lament To Work Out Hard Things 40:00 - Rich Mullins' Influence and Legacy 41:24 - What Is The Song the Church Needs Now, In These Crazy Times? 43:48 - A Warning From Nazi Germany Against Ignoring Suffering Take the Listener Survey Sign up for The After Party Sign up for The Good List Mentioned In This Episode: The Nicene Creed and the History of the Council of Nicaea Matt Maher's Echoes album (Spotify) Matt Maher's Your Grace Is Enough Matt Maher's The Stories I Tell Myself Matt Maher's The Stories I Tell Myself (Acoustic video) Matt Maher, DOE, Dee Wilson, & The Porter's Gate's That We Might Overcome Listen to the album The Kingdom of Jesus: Songs For The After Party Rich Mullins' Canticle of The Plains (full album on Youtube) Rich Mullins' The Joy of Jesus (feat. Matt Maher, Mac Powell, & Ellie Holcomb) More about Francis Chan Scriptures Referenced: Psalm 22 (ESV) John 17 (ESV) John 14:6 (ESV) Amos 5-6 (ESV) More from Matt Maher: See Matt on tour Matt Maher's website Subscribe to Matt's email list Listen to Matt Maher on Spotify Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.
I used to look back and wonder why I was put through so many challenges in my life. Adoption. Abuse, Abandonment. Drugs. Jail. Divorce. Heartbreak after heartbreak. I used to get tired of being the whipping post in life, but as I grew, built businesses, created a family, I came to realize that I can let my pain hold me down or use it to power me through to the next phase of my life. About the ReWire Podcast The ReWire Podcast with Ryan Stewman – Dive into powerful insights as Ryan Stewman, the HardCore Closer, breaks down mental barriers and shares actionable steps to rewire your thoughts. Each episode is a fast-paced journey designed to reshape your mindset, align your actions, and guide you toward becoming the best version of yourself. Join in for a daily dose of real talk that empowers you to embrace change and unlock your full potential. Learn how you can become a member of a powerful community consistently rewiring itself for success at https://www.jointheapex.com/ Rise Above