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This week, we're revisiting Thomas' conversation with Esther Perel, a renowned psychotherapist, NYT bestselling author, and host of the podcast “Where Should We Begin?” They're also joined by her husband, Jack Saul, an artist, author, and psychologist. It's a deep discussion on working with trauma survivors, the healing power of creativity, and addressing the impacts of intergenerational trauma in therapy.Esther defines the “erotic” as a feeling of aliveness and vibrancy that transcends the context of romance. She shares how embracing this fundamental part of our humanity helps us survive traumatic circumstances and release the constriction and expectation of harm that often accompanies trauma. This is a powerful conversation that highlights how individual healing is deeply intertwined with collective healing, moving our understanding of therapeutic experiences beyond the isolated office into a shared space of transformation. It's one of our favorite conversations that we aired in the early days of Point of Relation, and we're excited to share it with you.✨ Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
Exposure therapy often emerges as the gold standard for ARFID treatment, but for many neurodivergent people it does not address the full picture. In this episode of Dr. Marianne-Land, Dr. Marianne Miller explains why exposure therapy on its own often fails and how sensory-attuned, trauma-informed, and autonomy-honoring care creates a more effective path forward. CONTENT CAUTION This episode discusses food-related trauma, including pressure and force-feeding. Please listen with care and step away if you notice yourself feeling overwhelmed. DIVING DEEPLY INTO THIS PODCAST EPISODE ON ARFID Many autistic and ADHD people experience eating through a sensory lens. The challenge is not only about fear of food, but also about the surrounding environment. A noisy cafeteria, bright lighting, or the stress of being watched while eating can all create overstimulation. In those moments, eating becomes almost impossible. Before trying new foods, individuals often need to regulate, calm their system, or spend time in a sensory safe space. When therapy ignores these realities and relies only on exposure, it can recreate earlier experiences of pressure and shame. That can retraumatize instead of heal. Sensory-attuned care honors nervous system needs, provides autonomy, and includes supports for executive functioning so that real progress becomes possible. ARFID treatment requires more than repetition. Many people searching for ARFID therapy or ARFID treatment options want approaches that are neurodivergent-affirming, sensory-attuned, and trauma-informed. This episode highlights why exposure therapy by itself often fails and what actually works for lasting ARFID recovery. If you are seeking ARFID treatment that respects autonomy and integrates executive functioning supports, this episode will give you the insights you need. If exposure therapy has not worked for you or your child, this episode will help you understand why it is not a personal failure. True recovery requires safety, sensory respect, and trauma-attuned strategies that recognize how neurodivergent brains and bodies experience food. RELATED EPISODES ON ARFID & SENSORY SENSITIVITIES ARFID, PDA, and Autonomy: Why Pressure Makes Eating Harder on Apple & Spotify. Complexities of Treating ARFID: How a Neurodivergent-Affirming, Sensory-Attuned Approach Works on Apple & Spotify. Navigating ADHD, Eating Disorders, & Sensory Sensitivities on Apple & Spotify. LEARN MORE Explore Dr. Marianne's self-paced ARFID and Selective Eating course at https://www.drmariannemiller.com/arfid INTERESTED IN HANGING OUT MORE IN DR. MARIANNE-LAND? Follow me on Instagram @drmariannemiller Look into my self-paced, virtual, anti-diet, subscription-based curriculum. It is called Dr. Marianne-Land's Binge Eating Recovery Membership. Check out my blog. Want more information? Email me at hello@mariannemiller.com
Can we create more richness and harmony in our lives by synthesizing scientific and spiritual ways of knowing?This week, Thomas shares his thoughts on this question and explains how bridging this divide into a unified understanding of reality might be the key to unlocking the full spectrum of human experience and intelligence.Tune in to explore how trauma creates a false sense of separation between these two worlds, and learn how practicing presence and attuning with the wholeness of the information field can create greater intimacy with life and open us to profound revelations and paradigm-shifting innovations.✨ Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
Today, we're sharing an excerpt from Thomas' conversation with acclaimed travel writer, author, and speaker Pico Iyer at the upcoming Collective Trauma Summit. Pico's extensive travels and journeys into the realms of Buddhism and meditation have deeply inspired and informed his creative process. They also brought him into close contact with another artist and meditation practitioner, the legendary musician Leonard Cohen. In this snippet from his Summit talk, Pico shares his experience witnessing Cohen's dedicated Zen practice and how Cohen later brought this sacred, surrendered quality from his meditation practice into his concert performances, transforming them into communal, sacred experiences. Within this experience, there are profound lessons about accepting impermanence and surrendering to something beyond your individual self.If you're moved by this conversation and want to hear the full talk, sign up at the link below, and we'll notify you as soon as details are announced for the 2025 Collective Trauma Summit, taking place online this fall.https://pointofrelationpodcast.com/#email-signup ✨ Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
How does crossing the threshold of grief open the gateway to other potent emotions?In part two of their conversation on grief, healing, and social transformation, Thomas and Francis Weller discuss what it means to become an apprentice to grief, how communal healing leads to individual and social maturity, and why it's so important to lean into our interconnectedness when times are tough.Explore what's lacking in Western cultures' approach to processing grief and what might change if we create collective spaces, led by seasoned elders, to connect through our shared sorrows. Can we reclaim our humanity and remember how to live in harmony with the world? Francis believes that we can, but we must have the courage to look inward, sit in the heat of our own grief, and not turn away.✨ Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
8/17/25 David explores a powerful moment of Jesus' compassion, an example of attunement.
Bestselling author Cheryl Strayed believes that writing your truth can set you free.Today we're sharing an excerpt from her conversation with Thomas at the upcoming Collective Trauma Summit. In it, she shares about a profound healing act that helped her process deep grief and trauma…writing. More specifically, the way that writing demands raw honesty and vulnerability, revealing our deepest truths about our human experiences.It's also an incredibly effective way to combat the isolation and loneliness that often accompany grief or trauma. In Cheryl's case, sharing her truth in her book, Wild, inspired people to reach out to her with their own stories of loss and pain, creating unexpected, deeply authentic connections. And it's through these connections that we can build much-needed shared spaces for healing individual and collective trauma.If you're moved by this conversation and want to hear the full talk, sign up at the link below and we'll notify you as soon as details are announced for the 2025 Collective Trauma Summit, taking place online this fall.
At Hope Made Strong, we're taking a bit of a summer breather, and bringing back some of our top episodes for you to enjoy again—or maybe for the first time! This week, we're resharing a powerful conversation with Dr. Jackie Perry, a Clinical Mental Health Counselor and founder of The SoulWell Center. As one of our most downloaded episodes, this replay is packed with wisdom on the power of listening in care ministry. You'll also hear how Jackie's heart for ministry shaped our course, The Attuned Listener, launching again this month. It's a perfect sneak peek for anyone looking to deepen their skills in providing care that's supportive, sustainable, and spiritually grounded. Quotes Good clinicians are integrating the “why” into the work they do. We don't know how to do connection very well globally. The brain is good at anticipating…It's not very good at sitting and waiting. It takes some work to get to what's underneath. Resources The Attuned Listener Church Mental Health Summit Connect with Hope Made Strong Website: HopeMadeStrong.org Socials: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – YouTube
Have you ever pulled away from someone you love—not because you didn't care, but because closeness felt too painful?This week, Thomas is joined by renowned couples therapy expert Dr. Terry Real for a conversation on how trauma affects our relationships with ourselves, our intimate partners, and the world at large—and how we can heal those wounds.Intimacy isn't just something you share with other people; it's also an authentic connection with yourself. Thomas and Terry explore how our relationships are impacted by trauma from the past, why we become triggered in the present, and what it takes to establish trust, safety, and understanding.These are essential lessons for anyone who wants to shift from conflict to connection, both in your personal life and in the way that you impact the world around you.✨ Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
To honor the life of beloved poet and beautiful human being Andrea Gibson, we're sharing their episode of the podcast again. Andrea's work, energy, vulnerability, and exceptional passion for life were inspiring for all of us on the Point of Relation team, and we were so sad to hear of their recent passing. In this conversation with Thomas, Andrea speaks from the heart about courageously embracing death and grief, the spiritually transformative power of facing your mortality, the absolute necessity of creative self-expression, and how to face the unknown with curiosity, wonder, and awe. And if you're not familiar with Andrea's work, we highly recommend you track down their books of poetry at your local bookstore, or visit: https://andreagibson.com✨ Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
Can healing yourself really help heal the world?This week, Thomas sits down with Amandine Roche, a human rights and women's empowerment expert with more than 20 years of experience with the United Nations and European Union. Amandine's extensive work in conflict zones worldwide was driven by a deep, personal quest for healing from childhood trauma. But the work itself took a toll on her mental and physical health, leading her on a journey of healing that uncovered an essential core truth that she now works to spread: we must have inner peace if we want to work for outer peace.Amandine shares beautifully honest details from her own personal struggles and offers a unique perspective on embracing femininity in human rights work and all forms of leadership. She and Thomas explore the need for collective spaces and new skills to digest world events and prevent the repetition of painful social and political patterns.It's an empowering conversation that highlights the absolute necessity of self-alignment and inner healing in humanitarian work and any type of effort toward peace and harmony in a world in crisis.✨ Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
Do your words always match your inner truth?In this short teaching, Thomas Hübl shares simple but effective practices to help you tune in to your own energy with presence and clarity so that you can express yourself with genuine intention. This type of energetic alignment is a powerful way to connect with your creative potential and express yourself with full embodiment.It's also a way to transform the communication in your relationships, and discover truths about yourself that previously remained hidden in your unconscious mind. We hope you'll tune in to help unlock your authentic voice and create more coherence in your life.✨ Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
What happens when we see our individual struggles reflected in humanity's collective crises? How does our individual healing create collective healing?This week, Thomas shares why we need to unearth the trauma that's deeply entrenched in our societies and cultures so that it can be processed, integrated, and transformed into growth. We may be familiar with this process in our own healing journey—now it's time to do the work as a collective.Thomas explores a technique that he calls “systemic sensing,” a way of feeling through archaeological and ancestral layers to bring regulation to the collective nervous system as we reckon with global challenges.This episode is an invitation to be a part of a global detox—a difficult but essential process that can generate post-traumatic learning, development, and even flourishing.✨ Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
What happens when we see our individual struggles reflected in humanity's collective crises? How does our individual healing create collective healing? This week, Thomas shares why we need to unearth the trauma that's deeply entrenched in our societies and cultures so that it can be processed, integrated, and transformed into growth. We may be familiar with this process in our own healing journey—now it's time to do the work as a collective. Thomas explores a technique that he calls “systemic sensing,” a way of feeling through archaeological and ancestral layers to bring regulation to the collective nervous system as we reckon with global challenges. This episode is an invitation to be a part of a global detox—a difficult but essential process that can generate post-traumatic learning, development, and even flourishing. ✨ Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
“For complex PTSD, you have to establish a relationship. And only after trust has been established can you do the trauma-focused work.” This week, Thomas sits down with Dr. Judith Lewis Herman, an author and senior lecturer in psychiatry and Harvard Medical School, to explore her groundbreaking work on the psychology and social and cultural aspects of Complex PTSD, or CPTSD. Unlike the better-known diagnosis of PTSD, CPTSD arises from prolonged, repeated trauma that erodes one's sense of self and ability to trust. So, how should we approach healing and therapy for this uniquely challenging diagnosis? Dr. Herman believes there is hope, and it comes from the healing power of relationships…a tough pill to swallow for those whose trauma arose from abusive or coercively controlling relationships. But therein lies the key to healing—a therapeutic bond where the patient's experience is validated, their safety is paramount, and trust is carefully built up through mutuality. But it's not just therapy where healing can occur. Thomas and Dr. Herman discuss the importance of acknowledgment for people who've experienced ongoing trauma and how lifting shame from victims and survivors and transferring it to the perpetrators is an essential shift with powerful healing potential. They also explore social movements, like the women's and civil rights movements, that can lead to helpful reforms and the development of new support systems for trauma survivors. ✨ Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
Are you tired of life feeling heavy, stuck in repetitive patterns dictated by the past? This week, Thomas explores the revolutionary idea that life is a fluid, rewritable process. Discover how awakening to the Kundalini stream connects you to the ever-present flow of creation, allowing you to redefine existence by its pure presence, not a chain of cause and effect. This journey is a continuous path of refining your present experience and embracing movement as the very essence of life, transforming daily challenges into powerful opportunities for deeper insight and presence. Learn spiritual practices and integration tools to help you grapple with the heaviness of the world's karma, realign with divine creation, and experience profound abundance and freedom. ✨ Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
“Nature positive is people positive. Without harmony with nature, there won't be a bright future for people.” This week, Thomas Hübl sits down with Marco Lambertini, the Convener of the Nature Positive Initiative, to explore humanity's deep, inherent connection to nature, what's at stake if climate destruction continues to accelerate, and what we can do to stop it. Marco's Nature Positive movement is working on actionable measures to reverse nature loss by 2030, bringing more forests, fish, and healthy ecosystems back to our planet. Despite the massive challenges we're facing, he believes that we have the understanding, technology, and means to achieve this goal, but we can't do it without both personal and systemic transformation. The future of our planet's ecosystem is intrinsically linked to our own well-being, economy, and future. This discussion is a powerful call to action, reminding us that this generation holds the historic opportunity to put humanity on a completely different, more harmonious course. ✨ Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
Can we approach discomfort and tension as opportunities for growth? Can humanity mature beyond divisive conflict? This week, Thomas is joined by much loved returning guest, NYT bestselling author, and the host of the podcast, Pulling the Thread, Elise Loehnen, to hash out the concerning fragmentation that feels inescapable right now and explore what we can do to combat it. As we face past and current collective traumas, massive information overload, and current events that overwhelm our nervous systems, it's not hard to see how we got here. Thomas and Elise offer hopeful frameworks for navigating these challenges and bolstering our ability to hold tension, engage in mature disagreement, and ultimately, re-humanize each other through deeper understanding and self-regulation. This goes beyond surface-level “wellness” to incorporate psychological, spiritual, and practical approaches that we can adopt to build a stronger foundation for our individual and collective futures. It's an inspiring conversation that we hope you'll tune in for. ✨ Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
Thomas explores the foundational spiritual building blocks of life, with a particular focus on the concept of space. More than just a void that we occupy physically, space is a key element of life that we co-create. And we need space—for reflection, digestion, integration, and nervous system regulation. Get a bigger picture perspective on your spiritual journey and learn essential tools for connecting to your inner wisdom, resilience, compassion, and intelligence. ✨ Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
What is Polyvagal Theory and how does it explain the science of feelings? This week, Thomas sits down with Dr. Stephen Porges, a professor, author, and the originator of Polyvagal Theory. Dr. Porges' theory offers radical yet practical methods for calming our physical (or “biobehavioral”) states so that our mind can follow suit. Traditionally, the opposite approach has been the norm, but research increasingly indicates that the body should lead the charge. In this conversation, it's made clear that safety, connection, and co-regulation are essential for this type of nervous system regulation. Thomas and Dr. Porges explore what's needed to create an environment that supports healing, and how Polyvagal Theory enhances our ability to handle crises and heal trauma, anxiety, and physical ailments linked to nervous system dysregulation. Dr. Porges also shares a cutting-edge acoustic technique for trauma healing that could lead to a real paradigm shift in psychology and therapy. ✨ Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
“The person doesn't have a soul, the soul has a person.” This week, Thomas goes deep in a spiritual teaching that explores the essence of the soul—an energy field that enfolds our consciousness and our life and is fundamentally connected to the collective and the planet. Through embodied spiritual practice, we can become spacious enough to let in divine light, ground it in the physical world, and open ourselves to subtle capacities and deeper sensing. Using these practices, we also become more resilient to challenges, and can face uncertainty with creative energy instead of anxiety. Thomas also shares how embodied presence is essential to healing and helps to repair the fragmentation that trauma creates. ✨ Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
(Gaia House)
Can humanity's ethical and spiritual maturity catch up to our technological progress? Or will this gap in development lead to catastrophe? To explore our collective path forward, Thomas sits down with Dr. Roger Walsh, a Professor of Psychiatry, Philosophy, and Anthropology, and the host of the Deep Transformation podcast. Their conversation mines the depths of our inner worlds, finding hope in the idea that kindness, generosity, and altruism are more inherent and natural to humans than selfishness, separateness, and over-consumption. Our civilization is at risk, but man-made crises can be unmade by deep collective learning, cultivating inner awareness, embracing ethical living, and integrating historical trauma. Thomas and Dr. Walsh draw insights from global wisdom traditions and share contemplative practices and practical steps that we can take to help humanity “level-up” our maturity and spiritual consciousness. ✨ Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
What if there was a practice that helped us collectively witness and digest world events without becoming overwhelmed, indifferent, or numb? What if this practice could lead to new levels of collective healing? Thomas sits down with Kosha Joubert to discuss this revolutionary practice, called Global Social Witnessing. Kosha is the CEO of the Pocket Project, a non-profit organization co-founded by Thomas that's dedicated to growing a culture of trauma-informed care. Global Social Witnessing addresses our current lack of societal rituals for processing traumatic world events. It offers a way to move beyond individual overwhelm to collectively face challenges with greater presence, compassion, and agency for positive change. It joins people across borders and cultures to co-regulate and bring an embodied awareness to our collective nervous system. And you can do it from the comfort of your own home! Kosha also shares details about the Pocket Project's upcoming Global Social Witnessing Facilitator Training, which you can learn more about here: https://pocketproject.org/global-social-witnessing-training/?ref=86 Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
In this teaching, Thomas Hubl focuses on the heart as not just a physical organ but a central hub for emotional maturity, spiritual development, mind-body integration, and connection to universal intelligence. He offers a guided contemplative practice to lead you into the depth of your heart space so that you can listen deeper to your own truths, integrate mind and body, become a deeper listener for others, and better regulate your nervous system. Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
Can we metabolize our pain to create an entry point into liberation? How can spirituality support us in this process? This week, Thomas sits down with Buddhist minister, author, and activist Lama Rod Owens to share visions for collective liberation, the importance of reconnecting with Indigenous worldviews, sacred ecology, and unseen worlds, and strategies to overcome hopelessness and despair as we work to dismantle harmful systems. They explore the intersection of individual and collective trauma, the connection between spiritual awakening and social justice, and the importance of meeting suffering and discomfort with kindness and presence instead of bypassing it for short-term relief. It's a wide-ranging and inspiring conversation that bridges the mystical and the practical, and we hope you'll tune in. Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
Julia Aziz, LCSW and interfaith ceremonialist, explores how ritual and ceremony can support clients through life transitions. This course offers culturally responsive tools for integrating meaning-making and spiritual practice into therapy. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT. Earn CE credit for listening to this episode by joining our low-cost membership for unlimited podcast CE credits for an entire year, with some of the strongest CE approvals in the country (APA, NBCC, ASWB, and more). Learn, grow, and shine with Clearly Clinical Continuing Ed by visiting https://ClearlyClinical.com.
Trauma makes it difficult to feel joy, but you CAN experience it again, even if you're in the early stages of your healing journey. This week, Thomas sits down with trauma researcher, life coach, and the author of Unbroken and The Joy Reset, Dr. MaryCatherine McDonald, to redefine joy, examine how trauma steals it from us, and explore how we can learn to let it into our lives again. Dr. McDonald has identified six “thieves of joy”—coping mechanisms that helped us to survive trauma and hardship, but now make it difficult to relax, let go, and feel the full spectrum of emotions. She shares strategies to release guilt, shame, and hypervigilance and allow good things to happen without bracing for the worst. Dr. McDonald's newest book, The Joy Reset: Six Ways Trauma Steals Happiness and How to Win it Back, is out now wherever books are sold. Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
Thomas explores a holistic, interdependent approach to well-being to help us navigate uncertainty, manage stress, and become a source of stability for ourselves and those around us. In times of global uncertainty, it's essential that we come together—to pause, reflect, and reconnect. Thomas shares insights and practices to support us in cultivating the inner resilience needed to meet life's challenges with greater presence, clarity, and care. Now more than ever, we need resilience to remain grounded in stressful moments. Thomas explores how we can strengthen our ability to heal, adapt, and support others, creating a ripple effect that is felt by our friends, loved ones, and ultimately, the whole collective. Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
Thomas is joined by Terry Real, an acclaimed family therapist, bestselling author, and the founder of The Relational Life Institute. Terry shares insights from his years of work with couples and families struggling to repair their relationships, and how practicing what he calls “Relational Mindfulness” is a game-changer for anyone whose past traumas are negatively impacting their current connections. As Terry explains, the work of relationships is not day-by-day; it's moment-to-moment. And in each challenging moment, we have a choice: give in to our knee-jerk reactions and maladaptive trauma responses, or take a step back so that a more mature part of ourselves can emerge. When we choose presence, collaboration, and interdependence over reactivity, conflict, and toxic individualism, we don't just heal ourselves and our relationships—we stop the flow of intergenerational trauma in its tracks, and this dynamic shift becomes a part of our legacy. Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
Thomas is joined by Debbie Levin, CEO of the Environmental Media Association, to discuss the role of media in shaping sustainability consciousness and how to effectively communicate about environmental issues. Debbie shares the importance of being gracious and non-judgmental when sharing knowledge on how to live a healthy, clean, and sustainable life. She explains how her organization has successfully leveraged celebrities' platforms to spread awareness on crucial environmental issues and how the “Emma Green Seal” has influenced TV and movie productions to operate more sustainably. She and Thomas also explore the impact of the LA fires on both the entertainment industry and the larger climate change dialogue. This conversation covers a range of pressing environmental issues, but ultimately concludes on a note of hopefulness–that we all want our families and loved ones to be safe and healthy, and we can make a difference by starting from that common ground. Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
Dr Kirk Honda explains the fundamentals of sleep training and parenting in general.This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/KIRK to get 10% off your first month.00:00 Introduction to sleep training5:10 Cry-it-out method09:01 Ferber method12:34 Fading method19:38 Am I harming my child?27:24 Overly permissive training35:12 Overly harsh training39:26 "It just happened"40:08 Attuned sleep training49:31 Dr. Kirk's fundamentals of sleep training1:17:40 When can I leave my child overnight? 1:25:36 How can I avoid causing attachment injury?Become a member: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOUZWV1DRtHtpP2H48S7iiw/joinBecome a patron: https://www.patreon.com/PsychologyInSeattleEmail: https://www.psychologyinseattle.com/contactWebsite: https://www.psychologyinseattle.comMerch: https://psychologyinseattle-shop.fourthwall.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psychologyinseattle/Facebook Official Page: https://www.facebook.com/PsychologyInSeattle/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kirk.hondaApril 21, 2025The Psychology In Seattle Podcast ®Trigger Warning: This episode may include topics such as assault, trauma, and discrimination. If necessary, listeners are encouraged to refrain from listening and care for their safety and well-being.Disclaimer: The content provided is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. Nothing here constitutes personal or professional consultation, therapy, diagnosis, or creates a counselor-client relationship. Topics discussed may generate differing points of view. If you participate (by being a guest, submitting a question, or commenting) you must do so with the knowledge that we cannot control reactions or responses from others, which may not agree with you or feel unfair. Your participation on this site is at your own risk, accepting full responsibility for any liability or harm that may result. Anything you write here may be used for discussion or endorsement of the podcast. Opinions and views expressed by the host and guest hosts are personal views. Although, we take precautions and fact check, they should not be considered facts and the opinions may change. Opinions posted by participants (such as comments) are not those of the hosts. Readers should not rely on any information found here and should perform due diligence before taking any action. For a more extensive description of factors for you to consider, please see www.psychologyinseattle.com
Thomas explores the qualities of leadership and collaboration that are needed to heal collective trauma. He shares how each of us plays a unique role—like musicians in an orchestra—contributing our distinct talents to a larger symphony of healing and transformation. Thomas addresses the impact of fear-based systems rooted in hierarchical power and advocates for shifting toward creative, relational models of leadership. He stresses the importance of self-reflection, community, and attuning to the self-healing mechanism of life as pathways to building a collective healing movement. Watch the video version of the episode on YouTube:
Thomas Hübl sits down with celebrated speaker, posthumanist thinker, poet, teacher, and author Bayo Akomolafe to explore the leading edges of spiritual thinking and human identity. Bayo is a deeply experimental thinker, informed by the African cosmologies of the Yoruba and Igbo traditions. He leads an exploration into a new paradigm of healing that de-centers the individual to focus on the village, on the communal. He and Thomas discuss how modernity, especially in Western cultures, creates a false dichotomy between spirituality and science, pathologizes behavior that should instead be integrated, and offers a reductive, motionless view of the self. Bayo offers a different perspective, one in which the self or the psyche is always moving in an interconnected dance with our lineages, with evolution, and with the mysteries of the material realm. Bayo also explores how modern spiritual models contribute to systems of oppression, stressing the importance of spaciousness, non-conformity, and relationality in spiritual thinking and practice. Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
Why do so many traditional ARFID treatments feel like they're missing the mark? (Spoiler: they kind of are.) In this solo episode, Dr. Marianne breaks down the real-life complexities of treating ARFID—especially when neurodivergence, sensory overwhelm, and nervous system shutdown are part of the picture. If you've ever felt like “just try a bite” isn't cutting it, you're not imagining things. We're talking about a different way forward: one that's neurodivergent-affirming, sensory-attuned, and rooted in regulation—not pressure. You'll hear how honoring someone's body, brain, and boundaries leads to more sustainable, shame-free support—and what progress actually looks like when we stop trying to force it. This one's for therapists, caregivers, and anyone who's tired of cookie-cutter advice that doesn't reflect the lived reality of ARFID. Tune in to explore how we can meet people where they are—and build safety from the inside out.
Dedicated to the memory of both his father Achille and his son Alexander, Andrew J. Viterbi's memoir reconstructs the course of his academic career at a time in which technology played a major role in a radical reshaping of the world's economy and society. Attuned to the post-war growing technological needs of government and population, Viterbi and his colleagues began to work in an area where scientific research and capitalistic enterprise could support one another. His main contribution to science, the Viterbi Algorithm, found application in different fields, ultimately leading up to the co-founding of Qualcomm, which became one of the most important communication companies worldwide. His father came from an intellectual but impoverished youth, and imbued family life with the principles of education and social responsibility. Family politics in America were very much in tune with the Democratic party of Franklin Roosevelt, who had favored the poor over the wealthy in raising the nation out of the Depression. Considering his embrace of capitalism, which he sees as a force that incentivizes people to strive to achieve the best of their ability, Viterbi holds firmly to the values of social equality and reform, advocating for equitable taxation, universal education and affordable healthcare. He discussed the importance of public support of basic research in the sciences arguing that the development of knowledge for the benefit of all humanity cannot be entrusted to the private sector. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies
Thomas explores the relationship between inner space and outer space, examining the ecosystemic impacts of nervous system regulation, presence, and maturity. He shares how contemplative practices, such as meditation, help develop the parts of our brain that promote regulation, the importance of developing a daily practice, and the maturity in knowing when to slow down and take a step back from stressful situations, news, and social media. Tune in to learn how our individual regulation and presence can “go viral”—creating a detoxifying effect that can help end harmful systemic patterns and promote healing on the individual, ancestral, and collective levels. Watch the video version of the episode on YouTube:
Dedicated to the memory of both his father Achille and his son Alexander, Andrew J. Viterbi's memoir reconstructs the course of his academic career at a time in which technology played a major role in a radical reshaping of the world's economy and society. Attuned to the post-war growing technological needs of government and population, Viterbi and his colleagues began to work in an area where scientific research and capitalistic enterprise could support one another. His main contribution to science, the Viterbi Algorithm, found application in different fields, ultimately leading up to the co-founding of Qualcomm, which became one of the most important communication companies worldwide. His father came from an intellectual but impoverished youth, and imbued family life with the principles of education and social responsibility. Family politics in America were very much in tune with the Democratic party of Franklin Roosevelt, who had favored the poor over the wealthy in raising the nation out of the Depression. Considering his embrace of capitalism, which he sees as a force that incentivizes people to strive to achieve the best of their ability, Viterbi holds firmly to the values of social equality and reform, advocating for equitable taxation, universal education and affordable healthcare. He discussed the importance of public support of basic research in the sciences arguing that the development of knowledge for the benefit of all humanity cannot be entrusted to the private sector. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
In this conversation, Laura welcomes Lauren Dike to explore the importance of attuning to one's body wisdom, particularly for Black women. Lauren shares her journey from corporate America to becoming a nervous system resilience expert They discuss the significance of understanding one's nervous system, the impact of societal expectations on Black women, and practical steps for self-regulation. The conversation highlights the importance of professional support in the healing process and the need to reconnect with our body's sensations, while emphasizing the need for self-awareness and emotional processing. With regard to workplace experiences, they explore the themes of fawning and people-pleasing, particularly among Black women in the workplace. They discuss the historical context of these behaviors, the impact on mental health, and the importance of self-awareness and self-advocacy. The dialogue emphasizes the need for healing, understanding one's body, and the significance of self-care in navigating personal and professional challenges. About Lauren Lauren Dike is a certified somatic practitioner, nervous system resilience expert, and DEI consultant dedicated to fostering safety, openness, and connection within organizations and individuals. Her work helps organizations evolve by witnessing behaviors rather than shaming them, understanding that behaviors incongruent with compassion, openness, and connection often stem from stress, trauma, or a lack of capacity. By addressing these root causes, Lauren enables transformative behavior change, making authentic connection and collaboration more accessible. She specializes in working with Black women, focusing on the disproportionate workplace and racial trauma they face. Lauren partners with collectives like IKONI Collective, CRIADO Studios, and the Center for Black Women's Wellness to create spaces for healing and empowerment through somatic practices, workshops, and speaking engagements. Connect with Lauren Website: www.harmonna.org Instagram @harmonnawellbeing LinkedIn Resources: Event: Join us for the 2025 Black Woman Leading LIVE! Conference +Retreat, May 27-30, 2025 in Virginia Beach! Learn more at bwlretreat.com Full podcast episodes are now on Youtube. Subscribe to the BWL channel today! Credits: Learn about all Black Woman Leading® programs, resources, and events at www.blackwomanleading.com Learn more about our consulting work with organizations at https://knightsconsultinggroup.com/ Email Laura: info@knightsconsultinggroup.com Connect with Laura on LinkedIn Follow BWL on LinkedIn Instagram: @blackwomanleading Facebook: @blackwomanleading Youtube: @blackwomanleading Podcast Music & Production: Marshall Knights Graphics: Téa Campbell Listen and follow the podcast on all major platforms: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher iHeartRadio Audible Podbay
Thomas and Zen teacher, mediator, and author Diane Musho Hamilton explore two key spiritual concepts—waking up and growing up— and why they're so crucial in our rapidly changing world. Diane shares personal stories of loss, challenge, and resilience, and how contemplative practice and emotional development became essential tools for navigating adversity. They discuss spiritual practice, recognizing interconnectedness, and conflict resolution as necessary pathways for individual and collective growth. They also touch on the impact of technology, the importance of community, the role of ritual, and how healing personal trauma can scale up to have a larger social impact. Diane offers deep insights into consciousness and integration, the benefits and limits of meditation, and the vulnerability of spiritual communities when they lack tools to navigate conflict and manipulation. Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
In this guided meditation, Thomas invites you to explore the current state of your mind. Explore your attachment to your thoughts and welcome a greater sense of presence and curiosity. Watch the video version of the episode on YouTube:
Thomas and award-winning reproductive justice and human rights leader Loretta J. Ross explore how we can address inequality, oppression, and hate in an atmosphere of political division and fast-paced technological progress. Loretta shares experiences that helped her form more effective strategies to solve social problems collectively and build inclusive movements that fight oppression with love, hope, and community instead of hate, anger, and vengeance. She and Thomas discuss the concept of “Calling In” – an accountability process that focuses on respect, engagement, and equal partnership, and how this is more effective than the adversarial “calling out” that we're used to. Loretta explains how this practice can help social justice movements embrace diversity of thought and stop destructive in-fighting. Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
Thomas dives deep into the relationship between spirituality and healing, exploring how maturing our relationship with the divine provides incredible resources on our journey of self-discovery and ethical development. This teaching expands on the core spiritual principle of grace, its relationship to forgiveness, and the importance of owning your choices and transgressions as you expand your consciousness and connection to spirit. Thomas explores how to regain connection to our spiritual essence after pain and trauma disrupt it. When crises put us out of synch, those broken parts allow light to come in, and new opportunities to emerge…if we're open to them. Life wants to heal, and a strong spiritual practice can activate healing that ripples out into the collective. Watch the video version of the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/talGozg6_Ps ✨ Sign up for updates by visiting our website:
Thomas and Dr. Lisa Miller, a clinical psychologist, professor, and NYT bestselling author, explore humans' innate capacity for spirituality. Dr. Lisa explains how neuroscience and cutting-edge research help us understand our hard-wired drive for spiritual awareness and what these discoveries mean for the way we approach our spiritual journeys…and our entire lives. According to Dr. Miller, we're all receptive to transcendent relationships, we are all emanations of the same source, and there is hard science to back this up. She and Thomas discuss how connection with others can deepen our spiritual experiences and how important it is to align with life's natural rhythms. They also explore how trauma can be a pathway to spiritual growth and awakening, and Dr. Miller offers a guided practice for experiencing transcendence and awakening to our spiritual awareness. Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
Thomas is joined by Mathieu Lefevre, co-founder of More In Common, to explore the growing polarization in society and the surprising ways in which we are actually more united than we think. Mathieu discusses his extensive research on social divisions in the U.S. and Europe, revealing how social media and news media create a distorted mirror of reality that exaggerates our differences. He explains the concept of perception gaps, where people overestimate how extreme their opponents' views are, and offers insights on how to bridge these divides. Thomas and Mathieu examine the critical role of listening, intergroup contact, and shared spaces in fostering social cohesion. As climate change and other global challenges put increasing pressure on our collective resilience, we need new forms of collaboration and understanding so that we can move beyond toxic division and build a healthier, more connected society. Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
How can we stop repeating patterns from the past? Thomas Hübl explores what it will take for individuals and societies to respond maturely to the current atmosphere of collective stress and not give in to polarizing and fragmenting forces. In our lives and in our histories, we see repeating patterns and often react in unhealthy ways. To address these collective issues, we need to look inside—check in with ourselves when we're triggered, and develop a more fluid and integrated perspective. Thomas shares how integrating our wounds, practicing embodiment, and developing a more mature inner world can lead to greater clarity, compassion, and capacity to handle stress. Our inner experience has an ecosystemic effect, so we must create spaces, practices, and rituals—a healing architecture to process our past. Only then can we move fluidly into the future and become the wise elders that the world so needs. Want to watch the video version of the episode on YouTube? Follow this link: https://youtu.be/QuEtyzTfr5w ✨ Sign up for updates by visiting our website:
Thomas explores three dimensions of time that shape our spiritual practice, and our healing journeys: the flowing 'river of time,' the frozen pockets of trauma that disrupt its movement, and the profound stillness of timelessness. Through deep introspection and integration, uncover how to transform stuck patterns into a liberated flow, embracing the wisdom of both modern psychology and ancient traditions. This bonus podcast episode is dropping on the two-year anniversary of Point of Relation! Stay tuned at the end of the episode for a special greeting from our podcast team (and their pets). And thank you so much for being a part of our community. ✨ Sign up for updates by visiting our website:
Thomas is joined by author, artist, and founder and CEO of Adaptive Leadership, Zander Grashow, for a conversation on the type of leadership that's needed as humanity faces an unprecedented acceleration of social and technological change. In order for us to meet this moment, we need to dismantle broken and corrupted systems, develop new social and relational skills, and collectively re-imagine the future that we want to work towards. This requires us to stay engaged despite the difficulty, and find our passion instead of leaning into despair. Zander offers his take on the most important elements of leading our societies into that better future—learning to feel into our bodies and our emotions, identifying what we must let go of, understanding the structures of power, creating safe spaces to digest events, and building more resilient social fabrics in community. Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube: