Podcasts about communicating

Have you ever wondered why you keep finding yourself in the same relationship patterns, no matter how hard you try to change? It's almost as if, despite our best intentions and awareness, we're drawn to the familiar—even if it's painful. The fear of uncertainty trumps the discomfort of what we know, leaving many stuck in cycles of repeated conflict, unmet needs, and unclear intentions. In this episode, listeners are guided through the origins of these repeating patterns, from early attachment experiences to later life trauma, and how they shape the template for adult relationships. The conversation explores the power of both individual and relational healing, offering practical strategies to update old habits, develop emotional intelligence, and communicate needs in ways that foster clarity and connection. If you're ready to step out of old cycles and into more intentional, empowered relationships, this episode breaks down the tools and insights you need to begin that journey. Dr. Molly is a licensed clinical psychologist based in Los Angeles with 16 years of experience in psychotherapy, research, and teaching at both undergraduate and graduate levels. She specializes in couples therapy and reproductive mental health, with a particular passion for supporting high-achieving women, non-traditional couples, LGBTQ+ individuals, BIPOC, and Veterans. Dr. Burrets also serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Marriage and Family Therapy Department at USC and has been featured as a relationship expert in TIME, Vogue, CBS, HuffPost, and more.   Episode Highlights 05:47 Why we repeat relationship patterns and the power of the familiar. 09:18 How early childhood attachment and trauma shape our relationships. 11:49 The dual paths of healing: Individual and relational growth. 16:35 Practicing healthy responses to triggers in relationships. 18:16 Developing self-regulation skills and navigating relationship conflict. 21:34 The value of vulnerability and facing uncomfortable outcomes. 26:50 Communicating intentions and building trust when trying new behaviors. 30:14 Navigating needs, fears, and the importance of reasonableness in relationships. 33:34 Finding and expressing your voice: Moving from silence or aggression to assertiveness. 35:42 The role of resentment and envy in recognizing your needs. 39:50 Balancing individual responsibility with relational needs and self-care. 44:00 The importance of emotional intelligence and practicing self-connection.   Your Checklist of Actions to Take Reflect on recurring relationship patterns and notice any familiar dynamics, rather than judging or shaming yourself for them. Acknowledge how your early-life experiences and attachments shape your current relationship behaviors—awareness is the first step toward change. If you notice unmet needs or frustration, pause and bring curiosity to your reactions instead of defaulting to blame or criticism. Practice pausing when triggered; take a deep breath, notice sensations in your body, and consider a more thoughtful response. Communicate vulnerably and clearly with your partner, directly sharing your feelings and needs rather than masking them with anger or withdrawal. Invite support—let loved ones or professionals know you're working on new habits and ask for feedback or guidance as you practice. Cultivate self-care rituals (like morning journaling or meditation) that help you regulate your emotions and connect with yourself. Remind yourself that you don't have to be "fully healed" to be in a relationship; embrace growth as a continual, relational process.   Mentioned Shifting Criticism For Connected Communication (free guide)   Connect with Dr. Molly Burrets Website: drmollyburrets.com Instagram: instagram.com/drmollyburrets  

Forrest is joined by associate therapist and his fiancée Elizabeth Ferreira for an honest, personal conversation about what it's actually like to be in a relationship when one partner is living with trauma, complex PTSD, or another ongoing mental health challenge. Drawing on their experience together, they discuss supporting without enabling, avoiding power imbalances, managing resentment, dealing with moments of frustration, and the importance of reciprocity. Elizabeth has some thoughts about the DSM. Forrest shares about how Elizabeth has supported him. It's a good one. Key Topics:  0:00: Intro and Elizabeth's overview 5:50: How trauma shapes you 9:05: How Elizabeth found safety in her relationship with Forrest 11:12: How the relationship helped Forrest grow 15:44: Self-discovery through relationship 21:19: How to effectively support a partner with mental illness 33:42: Being ‘sturdy' 39:18: Navigating criticism 43:30: Communicating without resentment or shame 54:57: Avoiding stigma, and why Elizabeth wants to throw the DSM out the window 59:52: Not buying in to the smallest version of your partner 1:04:27: Recap Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Sponsors Grab Huel today with my exclusive offer of 15% OFF online with my code BEINGWELL at huel.com/beingwell. New customers only. Thank you to Huel for partnering and supporting our show!Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/beingwell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See more here: https://karenswain.com/preston-and-dolly/ We are talking the expansion of consciousness with Preston Dennett and Dolly Safran today on ATP Media. OBE's, NDE's, Astral adventures, telepathy, remote viewing, communicating with other dimensions, Aliens, Angels, Space ships, UAP's UFO's, dead people, and much more. Together Preston and Dolly host The Light Gate Podcast show on UPRN Syndicated radio, talking with some of todays most fascinating minds on the topic of UAP's, Experiences with ET & NHI and the expansion of Consciousness. ENOY! LIVE Show Dates & Times: Sundays 2026- 6:30 - 8 pm EDT. 5:30 - 7 pm CST : 4:30 - 6 pm MST : 3:30 - 5pm PST Monday 2026 @ 9:30 - 11 pm AEST - Sydney 11:30 am EU .. Sunday 10:30 pm GMT UK Appreciate KAren's work Awakening Consciousness? THANK YOU for your Support for the content. Share your appreciation on this link ; https://www.paypal.me/KArenASwain Host: KAren Swain https://karenswain.com FaceBook: / accentuatethepositive See our links https://linktr.ee/KArenSwain More shows here: https://karenswain.com/listen/ THANK YOU so much for your Support, we really Appreciate it #uap #ufo #galactic #ascension #consciousness #5dconnection #elevate

Unlocking the Power of Data in Education: Insights from the EdTech Podcast Explore how innovative data collection and analysis are transforming school leadership, student engagement, and outcomes. This episode highlights practical examples of how schools worldwide harness data to improve decision-making, boost engagement, and personalize learning experiences. Discover the future of data-driven education and key strategies for maximizing its impact. Key Topics The evolution of educational data over the last decade How engagement surveys like TEP provide granular, trustworthy insights The role of benchmark data in guiding school improvement efforts Using data for real-time decision making versus post-event analysis The impact of mobility and diversity on school data interpretation Encouraging a school culture of curiosity and continuous improvement through data The ethical use of data as a tool for enhancement, not judgment Future trends: AI, interoperability, and proactive data strategies Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction to the episode and guest insights 00:32 - The importance of trustworthy and granular engagement data 01:20 - How the Engagement Platform (TEP) measures staff, student, and parent voice 02:42 - Linking engagement data to school outcomes like attendance and academic results 03:29 - The significance of benchmarking and comparability across schools and regions 04:55 - Overcoming challenges of data collection in high-mobility environments 06:19 - The power of data to inform targeted strategies and reduce emotional bias 07:23 - The three broad domains of TEP: cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement 09:00 - How data supports understanding student agency and decision-making 11:51 - Use cases of data in Australian and Middle Eastern school contexts 13:45 - Addressing regional differences and school strategies informed by data 15:23 - Linking engagement measures to academic achievement and school retention 16:52 - Managing disruptions due to mobility and diverse student populations 22:12 - Communicating data insights to families for transparency and trust 25:27 - The importance of tracking trends through frequent surveys vs single snapshots 30:32 - Identifying critical points of engagement decline and school transition data 33:02 - Benchmarking confidently: timing, comparability, and contextual factors 37:10 - The role of technological ease and usability in data success 42:46 - The future of data: proactive, forward-looking, and AI-enhanced analysis 46:07 - Building a data culture for continuous improvement rather than judgment 48:08 - The potential of AI to deepen school data insights and efficiency 49:14 - Final thoughts on the strategic use of data to support school growth Resources & Links Engagement Platform (TEP) — Official website https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-jerrim-65499382/ — Professor John Jermain's profile Dan O'Riley https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-o-reilly-50061441/ Dr Chris Wilson https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-wilson-45538017b/ School Engagement and Wellbeing Research — Publications and papers linked to the insights discussed Connect with the Guests: Dr. Chris Wilson — LinkedIn | Twitter Dan O'Reilly — LinkedIn Professor John Jermain — UCL Profile

https://teachhoops.com/ Communicating with officials is one of the most misunderstood aspects of coaching. Most coaches view the relationship as adversarial, but the most successful programs treat the officiating crew as "The Third Team" on the floor. To win this interaction, you must move from "emotional reaction" to "Strategic Inquiry." Instead of shouting "Call it both ways!", ask a specific, technical question during a dead ball: "Ref, on that last drive, did my defender not have verticality, or did he reach?" This forces the official to engage their "analytical brain" rather than their "defensive brain." When you speak the language of the rulebook, you build "Professional Credibility," which often results in more thoughtful whistles during the high-stakes moments of the fourth quarter. A key pillar of official management is the "Art of the Positive Bank Account." You cannot expect to "withdraw" a favor or a close call in the final minute if you have spent the previous three quarters "depositing" nothing but criticism. Make it a point to acknowledge a good "out-of-bounds" call or a difficult block/charge decision that went against you but was technically correct. This "Psychological Reciprocity" creates a rapport that makes the official more likely to listen when you actually have a legitimate grievance. In the mid-season January grind, when officials are as tired as the players, being the "sane voice" in the gym is a significant tactical advantage. Finally, you must master the "Pre-Game Protocol." The game doesn't start at tip-off; it starts during the captain's meeting. Use this time to introduce yourself and your staff, and briefly mention your "program identity"—for example, "We try to play high-intensity 'denial' defense, so let us know if we are getting too 'handy' early on." This sets a collaborative tone. Utilize your TeachHoops member calls to "audit" your bench demeanor: are your assistant coaches or players chirping at the refs and draining your "Trust Equity"? By maintaining "Bench Poise," you ensure that when you finally do stand up to challenge a call, your voice carries the weight of authority rather than just another layer of background noise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, host J.J. Mowder-Tinney sits down with Dr. Elizabeth Skidmore, PhD, OTR/L, FACRM, FAOTA, to challenge how we view the "silent epidemic" of cognitive impairments in rehabilitation. They explore moving from traditional "drill and repeat" exercises to Strategy Training. This metacognitive approach helps clients lead their recovery through active learning. You'll discover how the START framework uncovers subtle executive function deficits, supporting greater independence for even complex patients. Learn how slowing down your clinical approach can accelerate patients' return to meaningful community participation.Addendum:This episode discusses Strategy Training for individuals who can learn new skills and generalize them, such as people with acquired brain injury. Dr. Skidmore notes that Strategy Training is not suitable for individuals with moderate to severe dementia or significant clinical apathy. For these populations, clinicians should instead focus on errorless learning and habit training to help maintain structured routines.Learning OutcomesAnalyze the evidence around attention and executive function after acquired brain injuryApply evidence-based, practical strategies to actionably improve rehabilitation outcomes for this populationSolve patient case scenarios focused on achieving community independence and participation after acquired brain injuryTimestamps(00:00:00) Welcome(00:00:05) Introduction to cognitive rehabilitation(00:02:48) Understanding cognitive impairments(00:06:00) Screening and assessment tools(00:08:50) Communicating cognitive changes(00:11:53) Interventions for cognitive impairments(00:15:10) Metacognitive strategies in therapy(00:18:00) Guided discovery in practice(00:20:59) Addressing attention and executive function(00:23:45) Real-life application of strategies(00:28:00) Building client independence(00:33:50) Engaging family in therapy(00:45:30) Impactful takeaways for therapists(00:55:18) Conclusion and reflectionsNeuro Navigators is brought to you by Medbridge. If you'd like to earn continuing education credit for listening to this episode and access bonus takeaway handouts, log in to your Medbridge account and navigate to the course where you'll find accreditation details. If applicable, complete the post-course assessment and survey to be eligible for credit. The takeaway handout on Medbridge gives you the key points mentioned in this episode, along with additional resources you can implement into your practice right away.To hear more episodes of Neuro Naviagators, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.medbridge.com/neuro-navigators⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you'd like to subscribe to Medbridge, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.medbridge.com/pricing/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/medbridgeteam/

Austin Gravley of the What Would Jesus Tech podcast helps update us on how AI is being used where it intersects with our children:  some school counselors using AI to track a student's mental health, as well as how some toys are embedding chatbots in their toys in spite of AI companies not wanting it.  Pastor Robert Castro returns to continue talking about "narraphor": teaching the next generation, which is less literate than older generations, using more narrative metaphors.  In reality, it's a return in many ways to what learning was like before the printing press.  We can trust that the living water can still do its work regardless of the container it's in.   The Reconnect with Carmen and all Faith Radio are made possible by your support. Give now: Click here

Melissa and Amy discuss Karen Huger's appearance on the final part of RHOP reunion. Melissa notes red flags based on Karen's behaviors and discusses her incongruent statements. Amy and Melissa also discuss controversy about Craig's behaviors and paralells between he and Karen. Leading to discussion about parasocial relationships, addiction and recovery.At the end, Melissa shares 12 core psychological characteristics shared by Olympic champions. Discussion of addiction, recovery, and mental health throughout.Disclaimer: Posts are not intended to diagnose, treat or provide medical advice. Your Bish Therapist (YBT) is for entertainment and informational purposes only. The podcast, my opinions, and posts, are my own and are not associated with past or present employers, any organizations, Bravo TV, Grey Heart productions or any other television network. The information in YBT podcast and on its social media is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat. Please do not act or refrain from acting based on anything you read, see, or hear on YBT, podcast or associated social media. Communicating with YBT via email, and/or social media does not form a therapeutic alliance. Melissa, operator of YBT, is unable to provide any therapeutic advice, treatment or feedback.ONE SKIN Get 15% off OneSkin, go to: https://www.oneskin.co/Code: DRAMA HONEYLOVE Get 20% OFF Honeylove by going to https://www.honeylove.com/DRAMACode: DRAMAHERS puts your health and goals first. http://forhers.com/dramaLUMI GUMMIESLumi Gummies are available nationwide! For 30% off your order go to:https://lumigummies.com/Code: DRAMAFor more Drama, Darling, and exclusive content, subscribe to: http://Patreon.com/dramadarling (http://patreon.com/dramadarling) Follow Drama, Darling on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dramadarlingshow/   Email Drama, Darling with YOUR comments, questions and drama:  DramaDarlingz@gmail.com Follow Amy Phillips on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dramadarlingshow/   MERCH Drama Darling Shop https://drama-darling-shop.printify.me/

Sam Juarez: Communicating Tech Risk to ExecutivesHead of IT Sam Juarez has risen from the help desk to the boardroom, leading technology strategy for more than 3,600 employees. He has more than 15 years of experience scaling operations, driving digital transformation, and delivering measurable cost savings. In this episode, we explore the communication gaps between technical professionals and business leaders, the risks of getting it wrong, and the practical steps organizations can take to ensure technology conversations lead to smarter executive decisions.To learn more about Sam, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/juaresam/.__TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com) Prefer video? Visit http://youtube.teachthegeek.comGet Public Speaking Tips for STEM Professionals at http://teachthegeek.com/tips

SLO City Together: Conversations on everyday life and the way of Jesus.Welcome to episode 168 of the SLO City Together Podcast! In this episode, Brent and Luke discuss how marriage changes daily rhythms, communicating expectations, what Brent did between 8:30am and 10am this past Monday, and why bear attacks have risen in Japan. You know, the essentials.

Erin McGoff is an award-winning filmmaker, content creator, and career advice expert known online as the internet's “big sister.” Through her Advice With Erin platform, she has built a massive audience of Gen Z and millennial professionals by sharing practical, no-nonsense guidance on careers, communication, and navigating the workplace. A Pulitzer Fellowship recipient and Forbes 30 Under 30 (2025) honoree, Erin's work has been featured in major publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, and Business Insider. In this episode, Erin shares how she turned filmmaking skills into a thriving creator career, what professionals misunderstand about salary negotiations, and how mastering communication can dramatically increase your earning potential. On this episode we talk about: How Erin transitioned from filmmaking into becoming a viral career advice creator Why authenticity and simplicity helped her build millions of followers online The mindset shift that turns your salary into a “floor” instead of a ceiling Practical strategies for negotiating raises and increasing compensation Why written communication is one of the most valuable workplace skills today Top 3 Takeaways Your salary is the floor, not the ceiling. In today's economy, professionals should think beyond their paycheck and look for ways to build additional income streams or leverage their skills in new ways. Value drives compensation. Raises don't come from personal circumstances—they come from demonstrating measurable value to your organization and clearly communicating it. Visibility matters in your career. Many talented professionals go unnoticed because they don't communicate their impact. Making your contributions visible to leadership can significantly improve career growth. Notable Quotes “Your salary is not the ceiling of what you can earn in a year—it's the floor.” “Close mouths don't get fed. If you want something in your career, you have to ask for it.” “The biggest mistake people make when asking for a raise is talking about themselves instead of the value they bring.” Connect with Erin McGoff: Book: The Secret Language of Work  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/advicewitherin Other: https://advicewitherin.com  Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency.  Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform.  Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Melissa and Amy discuss Karen Huger's appearance on the final part of RHOP reunion. Melissa notes red flags based on Karen's behaviors and discusses her incongruent statements. Amy and Melissa also discuss controversy about Craig's behaviors, leading to discussion about parasocial relationships, addiction and recoveryAt the end, Melissa shares 12 core psychological characteristics shared by Olympic champions. Discussion of addiction, recovery, and mental health throughout.THANK YOU FOR LISTENING and for all the support!Please follow YBT podcast and give a 5-star comment & rating (it really helps!)Please follow @yourbishtherapist on Instagram, Patreon, YouTube, FB, and TTFor full video (ad free, bonus content & early releases) visit YBT Patreon, Spreaker Supporters Club or YouTubePatreon: https://patreon.com/YourBishTherapist?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLinkAPPLE PODCAST https://apple.co/3MfskzeSpreaker Supporters club:  https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/your-bish-therapist--6065109/support YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu8bmVPTlWANg5v7rGRJjow?subconfirmation=1To find links to all YBT content: https://linktr.ee/yourbishtherapistBrand Ambassador: www.Iamhumanthebrand.com for clothing with a purpose. Code BISH20 for 20% off purchaseDisclaimer: Posts are not intended to diagnose, treat or provide medical advice. Your Bish Therapist (YBT) is for entertainment and informational purposes only. The podcast, my opinions, and posts, are my own and are not associated with past or present employers, any organizations, Bravo TV, Grey Heart productions or any other television network. The information in YBT podcast and on its its social media is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat. Please do not act or refrain from acting based on anything you read, see, or hear on YBT, podcast or associated social media. Communicating with YBT via email, and/or social media does not form a therapeutic alliance. Melissa, operator of YBT, is unable to provide any therapeutic advice, treatment or feedback.

Dr. Timothy Gilligan and Dr. Calvin Chou discuss the updated guideline on patient-clinician communication in oncology. They highlight clinical recommendations and strategies on topics such as communication skills and practices that apply at every visit, principles for telehealth interactions, cross-disciplinary communication, facilitating involvement of the patient's support network, discussing prognosis, goals of care, treatment selection – including clinical trials, end-of-life discussions, overcoming barriers to communication, facilitating discussions of cost of care and financial toxicity, mitigating stigma, and setting boundaries with patients. Dr. Gilligan and Dr. Chou also share how clinicians can enhance their communication skills through skills practice opportunities and experiential learning. They discuss how fundamental communication is to optimal patient care and look to the future on how generative AI may impact healthcare communication. Read the full guideline, "Patient-Clinician Communication: ASCO Guideline Update"  TRANSCRIPT This guideline, clinical tools and resources are available at www.asco.org/supportive-care-guidelines. Read the full text of the guideline and review authors' disclosures of potential conflicts of interest in the Journal of Clinical Oncology,  https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO-26-00118       Brittany Harvey: Hello and welcome to the ASCO Guidelines podcast, one of ASCO's podcasts delivering timely information to keep you up to date on the latest changes, challenges, and advances in oncology. You can find all the shows, including this one, at asco.org/podcasts. My name is Brittany Harvey, and today I am interviewing Dr. Timothy Gilligan from Taussig Cancer Institute and the Center for Excellence in Healthcare Communication at Cleveland Clinic, and Dr. Calvin Chou from the University of California and Veterans Affairs Health Care System in San Francisco, co-chairs on "Patient-Clinician Communication: ASCO Guideline Update." Thank you for being here today, Dr. Gilligan and Dr. Chou. Dr. Timothy Gilligan: Thank you for having us. Dr. Calvin Chou: Delighted to be here. Brittany Harvey: And then just before we discuss this guideline, I would like to note that ASCO takes great care in the development of its guidelines and ensuring that the ASCO Conflict of Interest Policy is followed for each guideline. The disclosures of potential conflicts of interest for the guideline panel, including Dr. Gilligan and Dr. Chou who have joined us here today, are available online with the publication of the guideline in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, which is linked in the show notes. So then I would like to dive into what we are here really today to talk about. So Dr. Gilligan, this guideline updates the patient-clinician communication guideline that was first published in 2017. What prompted this update and what is the scope of this updated guideline? Dr. Timothy Gilligan: So I think with the first guideline, that was the first draft of it that we published five or six, seven years ago, really we were focused on getting the content right, what was the state of the knowledge at that time, and I was very happy with what came out of that. But when I looked back on it, I thought there were ways we could make it more accessible and more practical. Because what we really would like would be for people to apply what we know and then communicate more effectively with patients and colleagues. And one of the reasons I was really excited on the membership of the panel we had this time was I thought they were very well selected to help us do that, is to really think about what are practical guidelines, practical steps we can tell people to take that will improve their own experience and the experience of patients and the quality of care. Brittany Harvey: Absolutely, thinking about operationalizing that guideline really improves the dissemination and the uptake of these recommendations. So then, Dr. Chou, I would like to review the key recommendations and strategies across the clinical questions that the guideline addressed. I realize today with our limited time we may not be able to go through every recommendation and strategy, so we will start with some of the highlights. First, let's address the highlights of the process of communication with patients and their support networks. This includes the questions that address what communication skills and practices apply at every visit across the continuum of care, principles for telehealth interactions, cross-disciplinary communication, and facilitating involvement of the patient's support network. In your view, what are the most important recommendations across these clinical questions? Dr. Calvin Chou: I think the thing that all clinicians know in their bones that they want to be able to do effectively with patients is to communicate information clearly, as well as to communicate in a way that really deepens the relationship, demonstrates empathy, and also demonstrates understanding bilaterally between the various parties. So the communication guidelines that we established in this group, they are fundamental to communication in all conversations throughout healthcare. And the first guideline talks about how clinicians and their team can communicate effectively with the patient and the patient's support network. And those include things like preparing ahead of time; getting a list of the topics that are important to the patient support network so that we can consider them in the visit; making certain that we are hearing what the patients' and the patients' support networks are saying very, very closely; responding to those empathically; and being able to have conversations about care throughout the visit that demonstrate respect and deepen the trust; and then finally, to have some kind of bidirectional understanding, usually through teach-back, that allow both sides to know that communication has occurred as opposed to just been downloaded. The guidelines also talk about applying these same communication skills throughout telehealth communication - that is both in terms of synchronous communication, audio or video, as well as asynchronous communication, i.e., through secure messaging. We also talk about how we can use these same communication skills to communicate effectively with members of our own team. Interprofessional communication is an important part of all the work that we do, and how we can use these very, very same skills in communication with colleagues, with nursing staff, with social workers, and other allied health professionals. These are all very, very important, crucial members of our healthcare team in the delivery of care to our patients. And that is something that we really need to emphasize throughout to try to bring the best of communication in every conversation that we have. Dr. Timothy Gilligan: I totally agree with that. Those are really important points. When I was looking over it in preparation for this podcast, it struck me that we have a lot of recommendations and a lot of small things that we can do either well or not well. And it reminded me of a quotation from a famous chef, Marco Pierre White, who said that perfection is a lot of little things done well. This guideline has a lot of little things that if you do them well, you get better outcomes. And I think the chef's point was that if you want a really delicious dish, you have to pay attention to all those little details. And I think if people go through the guidelines carefully and apply the skills that are along the lines of what Dr. Chou was talking about, we get better results. And those results are really important results. It is not only patient satisfaction, which is really important, but it is also quality of care and outcomes for patients. It is better medical care. It is a better day for us, we have a better day if we have better conversations. Poor communication creates endless headaches for everybody. What I see in the guidelines is it is a lot of little best practices and it requires discipline to learn those. The good news is none of them I don't think are all that hard. The bad news is doing it consistently well every day requires discipline and practice. And what I would hope for these guidelines is that people will read them carefully and think about what they can do to apply what we know more consistently. And I think the interprofessional communication piece, that was something we added this year, is really critical. Medicine has a bad history of really disrespectful behavior. It was almost normalized that different specialties would make fun of each other, that different professions would talk disrespectfully of each other. And we know now that uncivil behavior results in more healthcare errors. And it is not only bad for our teams and our culture, but it is bad for our patients if we are not communicating well with each other. So I thought it was really critical that we added that piece to the update. Brittany Harvey: Absolutely. Those fundamental principles that Dr. Chou outlined are really key across every healthcare interaction, including those interdisciplinary interactions. And as you alluded to, Dr. Gilligan, I think it will really serve clinicians well to review the details and go through every table to read the recommendations and each individual strategy to help them improve their communication in day-to-day interactions. Moving to some of those day-to-day clinical communication scenarios, Dr. Gilligan, I'd like to think through some of those key points. So what is recommended for discussion of prognosis, goals of care, treatment selection, including discussion of clinical trials, and end-of-life discussions? Dr. Timothy Gilligan: So my perspective is that there is a broad theme of flattening the hierarchy that runs through these recommendations and this part of the guideline - that the sections that Dr. Chou just talked about really have a lot to do with the details. What does good communication look like? What are best practices that we can adopt? And I think these other sections are a little bit more, they also have a lot of specific guidelines, but there is a philosophical point that we do better when we talk to the patient at their own level. And we sometimes fail to do that. I remember from about 10 years ago I was in a room with a patient and one of the other doctors said to the patient, "We're going to bronch you tomorrow." And I was trying to think, like, what do they think the patient hears when we use language like that? Like they don't understand what the word means. We are just expecting them to step up to our level. We are not accommodating them, and I think that really interferes with our ability to form effective relationships with patients and communicate clearly. So if we are going to talk about prognosis, goals of care, treatment selection, clinical trials, end of life, the first step for me is that we have to get down to the patient's level, which means listening. We have to ask them what they know, we have to get their perspective. We have to understand what their health literacy level is so that we can have a conversation that takes into account the patient's perspective. And we need to be humble and remember that the patient often has information that we do not have yet unless we ask them and listen to what they say. That is going to change what we think is the best plan of care. And so shared decision-making is really a critical piece of that. One of my favorite trainers who I follow online says, "I make suggestions, you make decisions." And I like to bring that attitude into the room when I talk to patients. It is their life, it is their body, it is their health, it is their decision. It is not my decision. I don't get to tell them what to do. I want to make sure that they make a decision that is based on the best available evidence, but also a decision that is based on who they are and what their values are. And we try to give pointers to how we can have these conversations in a way that is really fully respectful of the patient's autonomy and the importance of the patient's expertise in their own body, their own lived experience. Because there is a risk that we come in with our white coat and we overpower them with our authority, our medical authority, our medical knowledge, and no one likes to be overpowered. And I think we all have a better day if we go in and have a conversation as human beings with each other. Dr. Calvin Chou: I want to underscore this point of having the patient and their support network make the ultimate decisions. Reviewing the evidence from more general literature, it is clear that across demographics that only 10% of patients want us to make decisions for them. 90% of patients want to have at least some say, if not full say, in the decisions that they make, and this is true across age, across gender, educational status, socioeconomic status, veteran status. This is a very, very important point. I think oftentimes we go in thinking we know what's going to happen and we need to make them do that. Thinking about this as a conversation as opposed to a download is an important point. Dr. Timothy Gilligan: And one thing that I think that the guidelines are relevant for here, which is I think one way to achieve honoring the patient autonomy, is to really make a commitment to having a good process, to not be committed to an outcome. So that when we start the conversation, we're not going to say it's a good conversation based on whether it ends up where I wanted it to end up. It's a good conversation based on whether we have a good process, a fair process. And the steps of good communication that are outlined in this guideline help us to establish a good process. And I think if we have a good process, we can trust it will take us to the appropriate outcome, which may be different than the outcome we thought was going to be the appropriate outcome when we started the conversation. Brittany Harvey: Definitely. I think, as you mentioned, tailoring discussions to each individual patient and situation is really critical. And I think in every other podcast episode across guidelines we've really emphasized the importance of shared decision-making. And so talking through the process of it in this guideline will really have impacts across all of ASCO's guidelines. Moving on to the next section of the guideline, this guideline also addresses barriers in the communication process. So Dr. Gilligan, what highlights are there for overcoming barriers to communication, facilitating discussions of cost of care and financial toxicity, mitigating stigma, and setting boundaries with patients? Dr. Timothy Gilligan: Yeah, it's interesting. I want to hear Dr. Chou's perspective on this too. I thought that the communication skills are really important for these conversations, but less powerful or less effective, potentially. For instance, barriers to communication, the big one that comes to mind is language differences. If the patient and the clinician do not share the same language, that results in less good care unfortunately. It results in less good communication. Having skilled translators or interpreters there is essential, and using them with skill is essential, but it does not get us to equality. I mean the best thing for a patient is to have a clinician who speaks their language. Unfortunately, that's not possible. So the second best thing we can do is to have good interpreters or translators to help us work. And then for us to use those people effectively, because oftentimes we cut corners when working with interpreters and shortchange the patient. So it is important to do the best we can. I think it is also important to acknowledge that it's a challenge and no matter how good your communication skills are, it's not going to be the same conversation if you're talking through another person versus directly to the patient. Similarly, with financial toxicity, it is important to talk about it. We need to be open about it. We need to talk to patients about it, but financial stress from healthcare is a real problem, and however well you communicate it, it doesn't make that problem go away. You know, in oncology, our drugs are obscenely expensive, and I can't communicate my way to lower prices. So I can talk about it and legitimize it and empathize, but I feel like I have more power in the other sections to really change the outcome by communicating well than I do with these. But it is important to talk about it. Patients are hugely affected by the cost of care and we need to talk about it with them. I do think for mitigating stigma and setting boundaries, then our communication skills become more powerful. We see everyone in the healthcare system, and when working with individuals who have been subject to stigma because of aspects of their identity, we can help lessen their vulnerability and fear by proactively letting them know that we will strive to avoid perpetuating that stigma, that we will treat them with respect and address them as they wish to be addressed, that we will care for them as dignified and valued human beings. That is not always their experience in the system, but we can choose to be different. We can choose to do better. And our communication skills are important because listening and curiosity are super important in that space. Because if we are talking to people who may be different from us, we need to learn about them by listening and being open and being curious, and replacing, if we have any tendency towards judgment, to replace judgment with curiosity. With setting boundaries, I think it is also really important. I don't think you can show up and be fully present with patients the way I want to, the way we want other people to, if we don't know that there are boundaries. And we know this in other aspects of our care, right? I go into the room and I do intimate physical exams and I ask about intimate aspects of the patient's life. And I'm allowed to do that because there is a non-negotiable barrier to any kind of sexual or romantic contact between me and my patients. We know there's a hard wall there that we don't cross that line, so that when I am doing an intimate exam, we know where that stops and that we're not going to cross boundaries there. But the same thing applies verbally, and I think doctors sometimes and other healthcare professionals sometimes feel like they need to accommodate the patient no matter what. I was hoping the guidelines would send a strong message that, you know, we don't need to put up with disrespectful behavior. That when you go into the room, as a clinician or as a patient, you should be treated with respect. You should feel safe, you should feel like you belong, and if patients are behaving in a way that violates that, then clinicians have a right to speak up and to set limits and to set boundaries. And if we know those boundaries are there, then I think we can lean in closer. If we don't know those boundaries are there, then we kind of have to hold back to protect ourselves. And just to give one of like a million examples you can give, I don't know a woman in healthcare who hasn't had a patient say something sexually inappropriate to them at some point. And that's not okay. I want my colleagues to know that's not okay, and it's okay to set boundaries and they don't have to put up with that. And my hope is that if we know where the boundaries are, then we can step in closer. That's my perspective on these, but Calvin, please, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Dr. Calvin Chou: I want to double-click on everything that you said, Tim. It is so important that we recognize what we have control over and what we don't have control over. And what we don't have control over, for example, language discordance or financial woes of a patient, I have no possible way of controlling that. And so the best I can do in those situations is to sit with them, empathize, and do what I can, whatever power I might have in advocacy or I often refer folks to a social worker that I work very, very closely with, because I have no agency over any of that. At the same time, when we talk about mitigating stigma in healthcare encounters, we have full control over the biases that we have. We may not be aware of them, but we do have control over them ultimately. And so it is up to us really to examine our practices, to see where we have maybe been steered in the wrong direction, where we double down on internal implicit biases that we have carried for our entire lives. And that requires that we approach all of our encounters with everybody in healthcare, with humility, and with an extra eye toward understanding how we are coming across to them, and whether or not at least some of those interactions are infused with bias that we can decrease. And then finally, with the idea of boundaries, there are boundaries in two directions, as Tim was saying a moment ago, that there are boundaries that we must place in between ourselves and patients during examinations and also during interactions. And there's also boundaries that we have to set up that require that we uphold the standards ethically of clinical medicine. And that is, there are certain things- I would never ask a patient out, for example, on a date. And that's an important proscription; that's an important boundary that we must set up between ourselves and patients. Those are clear barriers that we must not breach. There are some barriers that are a little bit less clear. For example, there are some instances where physicians are asking patients who have means to perhaps contribute to a foundation or contribute to the university or to make a large donation to an institution. In some instances, that's a much less clear boundary. For myself, I feel uncomfortable making those kinds of requests, and there are other instances where those requests are actually not just okay to do, but the patient is willing to do those kinds of things. So I think we need to consider that these boundaries are not always set in stone. Sometimes the boundaries move, sometimes the boundaries are different. Brittany Harvey: Absolutely. I think this latest question covered a lot of ground, and I think some key points here are that treating everyone with dignity is really paramount to this guideline. Recognizing the challenges even when they're not solvable is really important, such as thinking about financial issues or perhaps not speaking the same language as a patient. And then building trust and mutual respect between patients and clinicians to establish clear boundaries is really important as well. So, I want to thank you both for reviewing at a high level the recommendations and the strategies from this guideline, and I encourage listeners to review the full guideline and tables for all of the recommendations and strategies to implement these clinical recommendations. So, Dr. Chou, this guideline panel also addressed one education question. So, what are the recommendations for effective ways for clinicians to enhance their communication skills? Dr. Calvin Chou: Thanks for asking, Brittany. When we talk about all of these communication skills, Dr. Gilligan and I have talked for a long time about all these individual communication skills. These are not skills that are necessarily naturally formed within us and that we just roll out without any practice. And that's why we both feel, if I can speak for you, Tim, that we both feel that communication skills training, and high-quality communication skills training, is deeply important. This is training that is less about I'm listening to this podcast and therefore I can communicate better, it's more about skills practice opportunities, experiential learning, oftentimes using that horrifying word 'roleplay' that people don't like to think about roleplay before they're in it, but then once they've done those skills exercises they realize how important it is to actually have practiced some of these skills so that when you get into the real situation, you have an approach to it as opposed to trying to just improvise or make it up on the fly. The other aspect of communication skills training that is deeply important is not just forming the words and speaking to somebody else, it also needs to incorporate practitioner self-awareness and situational awareness that allows us to understand what's going on within us emotionally and attitudinally so that we are interacting moment by moment with patients and their support networks in a way that's authentic, that brings the appropriate amount of vulnerability and expertise to deepen trust between all of those relationships. And finally, when we talk about communication skills training, there are ways to do this kind of training that, I've used ChatGPT, for example, when I'm having some difficulty wondering how to navigate a particular situation, sometimes you can use ChatGPT to give you some suggestions on how to approach that interaction. But at the same time, the most important thing is to be able to have really meaningful practice with other people, with other human beings. Because as much as I might interact with a computer, that computer is not a human being. And what we are talking about is interpersonal communication with emphasis on 'person'. And us as human beings, we understand, in a way that ChatGPT probably will never fully understand, the nuances of the emotional reactions and the importance of human connection between people when we talk to each other. And so therefore, if we can't depend on computers to do this communication skills training, we need institutions to emphasize and invest in all of our continuing ability to communicate effectively with everybody in healthcare. This is probably one of the most important outcomes of this guideline, is not just that communication skills are important, and not just that communication skills training is important, it's that we need everybody to invest in everybody's ability to communicate with each other on the highest possible level that we can bring. Brittany Harvey: Yes, I think it's really important that the panel addressed this question, to emphasize that it's not just individual clinicians, but institutions that really need to value communication and this training to make sure that clinicians are being the most effective communicators that they can be. So, I'd like to move on to the next question, and Dr. Gilligan, ask, in your view, what is the importance of this guideline and how will it impact both clinicians and people with cancer? Dr. Timothy Gilligan: So I would build off of what Dr. Chou was just talking about, which is what we're hoping is that it will serve as a resource that will give people interested in communicating better guidance on where to go, what to do, what are the best practices, what do we know at this time. if you want to get better, what are the methods that are going to help you get better. And ideally I hope it will inspire people to want to get better. Communicating is such a fundamental part of our day-to-day work in healthcare that it needs to be something that we're very, very good at. And as professionals we should aspire to be as good as possible. A lot of this stuff is pretty basic, but we forget to do it. When I had young kids and was teaching them to ski, one of the ski instructors said to me once that there were Olympic skiers who trained at the same mountain where my kids were learning. And he said they would go down easy slopes and just practice basic techniques still. They were good enough to ski in the Olympics going at crazy speeds, but they kept going back to their fundamentals. And my son is a serious soccer player and they do role plays in soccer. They practice drills. They have scenarios they know are going to come up and they artificially recreate that scenario and they practice it over and over again. There's a famous line from a college football coach that you don't practice it until you get it right, you practice it until you can't get it wrong. And I think if people would bring that sense of professionalism to communication, it's a lifelong journey. I'm still trying to get better. It requires practice, it requires discipline. There's a lot that we know, but it doesn't happen without practice. And as Dr. Chou was saying, it's a motor skill. You don't learn it by reading about it. You don't learn it by listening to us talk about it. You learn it by practicing it. And I practice with patients. Not in the sense that I'm doing an experiment, but I work on my skills with patients. And I see how it goes. And when things don't go well, I think of what I could have done differently. And when things do go well, I think of what did I do that helped it go well that I need to make sure I do again next time. And I think I'd love to see people adopt an attitude that they want to be fantastic communicators and they want to get better. And I think the guidelines provide a lot of clues and steps to take for all of us to get better. Dr. Calvin Chou: I heard Tim, you talk about communication being a procedure and that we would never think about going into a room and sticking a central line into a patient without having practiced that over and over and over again to get it right. Not to get it right, to never get it wrong, like you were just saying. And so if we think about communication as the most common procedure in healthcare, then it behooves us all to do the best we can with it. It is a frame shift because we are communicating with each other all the time, oftentimes without thinking. And what we're advocating right now is for everyone to really bring it in terms of communication skills in all settings, because the effect of ineffective communication is not necessarily just making people feel bad. As Tim said at the top of the program, it also impinges on quality of care. It's not just the right thing to do, it's the safe thing to do. Brittany Harvey: Absolutely. And highlighting the fundamentals here and practicing them as clinicians will improve each healthcare interaction. So then, finally, to wrap us up, Dr. Chou, earlier you mentioned ChatGPT and thinking about maybe some technological advances and how those will impact in the future. What are the outstanding questions and priorities for future research for optimal patient-clinician communication? Dr. Calvin Chou: I think there's a lot we still need to learn about in this very, very nascent time of interacting with generative artificial intelligence. We won't know what things are going to be like probably even tomorrow given the vast advances that AI is allowing us to do. And also, as I was mentioning earlier, what AI can never do is to bring the human element into these interactions. And I think that's part of what, maybe that's a lot of what brings people to healthcare, is if they're in need and they have some physical issue that we need to help them solve, it's not just a physical issue, it also is a deep emotional experience. And we have heard many times now cautionary tales of when AI has led people astray to then, for example, allow them to die by suicide. And that is the last thing that we can allow to happen in healthcare. That is the ultimate low-quality item. We need to make certain that everybody is cared for with high quality and high safety. And we're definitely not there yet with AI. We hope that at some point we'll be able to work with AI in order to bring even better healthcare than we have right now, and I think that has been demonstrated to be possible. That is one major outstanding question that we're all going to have to wrestle with. Brittany Harvey: I think that's absolutely a key point. With generative AI quickly evolving, there need to be guardrails in place. And like any intervention, thinking about how to maximize the benefits of it and reduce the harms to make sure that you're preserving that human interaction and communicating effectively, and that patients can receive their health information in an appropriate way. So I want to thank you both so much for your work to update this guideline, to draft all of these recommendations and the strategies, and work with the entire panel to create this excellent product. So thank you for all that work and thank you for your time today, Dr. Chou and Dr. Gilligan. Dr. Timothy Gilligan: Thank you. Dr. Calvin Chou: Thank you, Brittany, so much. Brittany Harvey: And finally, thank you to all of our listeners for tuning in to the ASCO Guidelines podcast. To read the full guideline, go to www.asco.org/supportive-care-guidelines. You can also find many of our guidelines and interactive resources in the free ASCO Guidelines app available in the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. If you have enjoyed what you have heard today, please rate and review the podcast and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. This is not a substitute for professional medical care and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions. Guests on this podcast express their own opinions, experience, and conclusions. Guest statements on the podcast do not express the opinions of ASCO. The mention of any product, service, organization, activity, or therapy should not be construed as an ASCO endorsement.

In this episode, Donna Kendrick hosts Jeremy Zizmore to discuss how daily money management and financial caregiving can ease the lives of families navigating widowhood, divorce, aging parents, or other transitions. Jeremy shares insights into establishing financial organization, protecting assets, and leveraging professional teams to provide clarity during challenging times.   Key Topics:   The role of daily money managers in supporting families through life transitions How to organize and streamline financial documents and insurance policies Importance of establishing trusted contacts and clear family communication Building a professional team: financial planners, estate attorneys, care managers, and accountants Proactive planning vs. reactionary approaches to money management crises Tools like the Financial Caregiving Toolkit for assessing and managing finances Confidentiality and trust considerations when working with families Tips for educating young adults on financial basics with practical tools How to find qualified daily money management professionals in your area     Chapters:   00:00 - Introduction and overview of Jeremy Zizmore's background and mission 02:23 - Jeremy's personal story of caring for his grandmother and founding Assurance Family Partners 04:08 - The core services of daily money management and financial caregiving 07:16 - How financial organization helps families in crisis and prevents costly oversights 09:41 - Macro and immediate planning strategies for transitional families 11:32 - Communicating with family members and safeguarding confidentiality 13:26 - Building a trusted professional team for ongoing support 15:40 - Handling family dynamics and legal considerations in financial management 17:24 - The role of care managers and the sandwich generation's unique needs 19:05 - Additional services like insurance management, household payroll, and document organization 22:33 - Common challenges and the importance of proactive planning 24:44 - Learning from reactive crises and the value of early intervention 25:23 - The Financial Caregiving Toolkit: resources for families starting their journey 27:19 - Educating young adults on finances and the benefits of self-guided or professional support 28:24 - How to find a qualified daily money manager; Jeremy's recommended resources 29:22 - Jeremy's location and contact info for Assurance Family Partners     Resources & Links Connect with Jeremy Zizmore and discover resources: Website: https://assurancefamilypartners.com/ Assessment for an interested person or family to continue the conversation: https://assessment.assurancefamilypartners.com/ Financial Caregiving Toolkit 6 Biggest Hurdles to Overcome when Managing a Loved One's Finances: https://6hurdles.assurancefamilypartners.com/register Find a Daily Money Manager in your area: https://secure.aadmm.com/find-a-dmm/   This episode offers practical advice for families wishing to prevent financial crises and build resilient support systems during times of transition, emphasizing the importance of organization, trust, and proactive planning.   Citations for the aging in place percentages mentioned in this episode: 75% https://www.aarp.org/home-living/home-community-preferences-survey-2024/?utm_source=chatgpt.com 84% https://point.com/blog/aging-in-place-2025?utm_source=chatgpt.com 88% https://www.retirementliving.com/aging-in-place/aging-in-place-statistics?utm_source=chatgpt.com 87% https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-06-poll-wide-variation-older-adults.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com     ______________________________ CONNECT

I sit down with Oliver Henry, a full-time employee who is generating hundreds of dollars in monthly recurring revenue from mobile apps he barely touches, thanks to an AI marketing agent he built on OpenClaw called Larry. We walk through how Larry autonomously creates TikTok slideshow content, reads analytics, iterates on hooks and CTAs, and feeds performance data back into the content loop. Oliver also shares how he packaged the entire system as a free, downloadable skill on Larry Brain so anyone can replicate it. By the end of the episode, you will understand the full “Larry Loop”—from content creation to conversion optimization and why skills are poised to reshape how we think about SaaS altogether. I'm hosting a free workshop so you can build your business in the age of AI. Sign up here: https://startup-ideas-pod.link/build-with-ai-2026 Links Mentioned: Larry Brain: https://startup-ideas-pod.link/Larry-brain QMD Skill: https://startup-ideas-pod.link/qmd-skill Timestamps 00:00 – Intro 01:25 – Background on Marketing IOS app with OpenClaw 06:43 – Larry's first posts and iterating 03:55 – Posting Strategy and First viral hit: 137K views 12:01 – Communicating with Larry via WhatsApp 12:53 – Mission control vs. single-agent workflow 14:36 – The CTA problem: views without conversions 17:07 – The Larry Loop explained: analytics → content → metrics → iterate 18:15 – Boomers, engagement bait, and the algorithm boost 20:33 – The importance of iteration 23:36 – How Larry brainstorms and validates new hooks 27:57 – The power of OpenClaw 30:04 – The vision for Larry 31:49 – Model choices: Claude vs. OpenAI and over-optimization 34:38 – OpenClaw vs. cloud alternatives (Manus, Cowork) 37:39 – Getting started: Larry Brain onboarding and 80+ skills 40:13 – Ernesto Lopez: $70K MRR using the Larry Loop 41:27 – Doing all of this with a full-time job 42:28 – QMD Skill for cutting token usage and closing thoughts Key Points An AI agent (Larry) built on OpenClaw autonomously creates TikTok slideshows, reads analytics, and iterates on content—driving hundreds of dollars in MRR with almost zero manual effort. The “Larry Loop” is a full-funnel feedback cycle: TikTok analytics feed into content creation, and app metrics feed back into the top of the funnel so the agent continuously improves. Posting TikTok content as a draft (rather than directly via API) lets you add trending sounds and avoids the algorithm penalty for bot-posted content. Hooks drive views; CTAs drive conversions. Diagnosing which is underperforming is the key to scaling. OpenClaw skills are locally owned, fully editable, and free from hosting or subscription costs—Oliver argues they will change how we think about SaaS. Picking a model (Claude or OpenAI) matters far less than learning how to work with it; 98% of users will see little difference between incremental model upgrades. The #1 tool to find startup ideas/trends - https://www.ideabrowser.com LCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/ The Vibe Marketer - Resources for people into vibe marketing/marketing with AI: https://www.thevibemarketer.com/ FIND ME ON SOCIAL X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenberg Instagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/ FIND OLIVER ON SOCIAL X: https://x.com/oliverhenry Larry Brain: https://www.larrybrain.com

There is a storm coming with the challenges of navigating the TRUSTEE CRISIS. It is one of the biggest blind spots in the “GREAT WEALTH TRANSFER” and will be the source of mountains of litigation for the unwary, https://youtu.be/hwQev88A03M Summary In this conversation, Frazer Rice and Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey discuss the current crisis in trusteeship, highlighting the shortage of qualified trustees amidst a significant wealth transfer. They explore the importance of modern trust planning, the challenges faced by individual trustees, and the need for better education and training in the field. The discussion also covers the emotional and interpersonal aspects of trusteeship, the functions and responsibilities of trustees, and the necessity of managing risk effectively. They emphasize the importance of building a pipeline for future trustees and improving the perception of the profession, while also identifying opportunities within the trust industry. https://open.spotify.com/episode/4qpkrVdaUa2AfDxgl7j3yN?si=XVgG3jE_Qpqq2JTqi8XLXQ Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠) Takeaways The coming crisis in trusteeship is already here. There is a significant shortage of qualified trustees. Trusteeship requires strong interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence. Managing risk is a fundamental aspect of trusteeship. Trustees critically need education and training. The role of a trustee is evolving with increasing complexity. Beneficiaries need to understand their rights and the trustee’s role. Custodial responsibilities are essential for asset protection. There are many opportunities for growth in the trust industry. Trust law and investment management are distinct fields. This Episode is for . . . Anyone that has an estate plan with a trust in it and doesn't know what a trustee does Any advisor who works w/ multi-generational situations (that’s everybody in wealth management) Any RIA looking to sell Financial types worried about compliance world Fiduciary litigators Chapters of “THE TRUSTEE CRISIS: Navigating the Challenges” 00:00 The Coming Crisis in Trusteeship 02:06 Importance of Modern Trust Planning 04:11 Challenges with Individual Trustees 08:03 The Dwindling Pool of Qualified Trustees 10:06 Functions and Responsibilities of a Trustee 12:20 The Emotional and Interpersonal Aspects of Trusteeship 16:05 Managing Risk in Trusteeship 19:07 Building a Pipeline for Future Trustees 22:10 The Role of Education in Trusteeship 25:07 Improving the Perception of Trusteeship 28:19 The Need for Better Trust Education 30:39 Bifurcation of Trustee Functions 33:26 Distribution Functions and Beneficiary Relations 36:52 Custodial Responsibilities in Trusteeship 40:19 Consequences of Poor Asset Management 46:41 Curriculum for Trustee Education 52:13 Opportunities in the Trust Industry Transcript of “THE TRUSTEE CRISIS: Navigating the Challenges” Frazer Rice (00:01.068)Welcome aboard, Jennifer. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (00:02.723)Thanks Frazer, how are you today? Frazer Rice (00:04.782)I am doing great. We’re going to dive into a topic that is near and dear to both of our hearts. And that is what I’m describing as the coming crisis in trusteeship, but I think it’s already here. Which is the concept of qualified trustees being in short supply, right in the face of a gigantic wealth transfer. And first of all, before we get into that, just describe what you do on a day to day basis first. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (00:33.445)Sure, I actually wear a bunch of hats. Day to day, right now, I’m a full-time practicing trust and estate attorney. I’m also an individual trustee for a variety of trusts that need either somebody here physically located in Delaware for a short period of time or even a successor trustee. But I’ve also spent many, many years building programs in trust management and trust administration. Because there is this crisis of human capital that just does not exist. I built multiple programs. They’re housed out of the University of Delaware. So I act as a trust and estate attorney, do planning, administration, I teach in the area, I build programs in the area, and I serve as a trustee. PEAK TRUST MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATE Frazer Rice (01:23.182)A full plate to be sure. To me, I came out of Wilmington Trust and another trust company served an individual trustee too. I’ve seen all these different flavors of trusteeship. My general sort of bon mot around that is that the individual trustees. I’d say 95 % or higher don’t really have an appreciation of the risk and responsibility that they’re taking on. And then the corporates have their own issues, which we’ll get into in a little bit. If we pull back even further, modern trust planning in wealth management, why is this so important? Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (02:06.275)That’s massively important. It’s not just for the mass affluent or the ultra high net worth. It’s for everybody. We have all of these assets that we have this hyperfocus on building and increasing our wealth. Making sure that we have the ability to sustain ourselves throughout our entire lives. But if we don’t do this type of planning, if we don’t have structures and implementation for when we die, then our assets that we’ve planned so diligently for will fall off of a cliff. We lose the ability to control ultimately what happens to those assets. Layered on top of that, of course, is the tax component for ultra high net worth folks who are trying to really focus and direct their assets to make and create generational wealth transfers. Without this type of functionality and wealth planning and estate planning long-term, people lose control of what they’ve spent so much time building. Frazer Rice (03:13.338)One of the things I tell people as far as trusts are concerned is that, you know, we’re putting these structures together. They’re durable enough to withstand taxation or creditors or other asset protection features, create some guidelines around distributing the assets to the next generation or other constituencies. But also have some flexibility to be able to deal with the things we can’t look into the crystal ball and figure out over time. And that those three things just putting a document together that tries to do all that is hard enough, but then to put it in the hands of somebody or something to administer and to exercise discretion around it. That’s where the real art and science kind of stitched together and create this issue. You know, as we think about that too, the idea, the history of these types of scenarios kind of goes back to, you know, you’d put a structure in place and then you’d go hire a bank and they’d take care of everything. How do you look at that and say, all right, we’ve gone well past banks to individuals and then to dedicated institutions. What is the problem there? Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (04:22.956)Now the problem, there’s two problems. In my opinion, what I see is that, you know, your individual trustee by and large is Uncle Joe, right? He’s the guy that everybody goes to in the family. The responsible one. He’s the smart one. The wealthy one who, great, doesn’t know what the fiduciary duties are. He doesn’t know that he has a duty of impartiality. He doesn’t know that… Frazer Rice (04:32.419)Right. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (04:48.475)He can’t self deal unless the instrument says so. Doesn’t understand how the instrument works. He doesn’t understand the nuance and the legalese written into the instrument. But he’s flying by the seat of his pants and everybody looks to him as the respected one in the family. No one knows that they have the ability to challenge him. So with your individual run of the mill trustee named in the instrument, they just don’t have the expertise, they don’t have the technical knowledge. Don’t know what they don’t know. They can get into trouble in that way. The other problem that you have with professional individual trustees oftentimes is that they are not formally trained. They may be an attorney who is working in that area, who’s doing plans for people who may or may not know what the full scope of being a trustee is. They may not realize, I have to get a special insurance policy because my malpractice insurance policy doesn’t actually cover this type of fiduciary engagement. There’s a lot of landmines that individuals can run into when they’re doing this type of work. On the corporate side, the problems that we run into is that there’s just a complete and utter lack. Frazer Rice (05:50.061)Hmm. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (06:12.059)Of available educational programs to teach people the proper way to be able to understand trusteeship. It has always been, and it just has developed over time through, you know, oh, we’ll give it to the bank, the bank will do it. This apprenticeship model, and that just does not scale well because if you learn improperly at the edge of a desk from somebody that learned improperly at the edge of the desk. Then the person that you’re teaching now at the edge of the desk is learning what you learned improperly. So anecdotally, I did karate for a long, long time. And the man who taught me karate, I’m almost a secondary black belt to like, was serious in karate. And the man who taught me karate said, you practice, it makes permanent. Don’t practice wrong. Because when you’re practicing wrong, you’re making permanent wrong things. And that’s what the apprenticeship model has the risk of lending itself to. It’s not that every trustee that learns at the edge of the desk learns wrong, but the risk is too high because the fiduciary responsibilities and the duties are too high to run that risk. The other problem is that we have a dwindling pool of really qualified senior trust officers because of just the nature of the job. You’re a human being, you’re an individual, you age, you retire. And it’s not something that people go to school and say, when I grow up, I want to be a trustee. They fall into it sideways. And unless there are academic programs that are out there that people are aware of and that they can get some formal training, some formal education to enter into the field. Frazer Rice (07:49.742)Yeah Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (08:03.82)Separate and distinct from, I’m in the field and now I want to get a CTFA. I want to earn my certification to really show that I have the chops in this area. We have this shrinking pool of expertise. We have a lack of knowledge, a lack of formal education, and an apprenticeship model that doesn’t scale. On top of, with the individual side and the corporate side, this massive wealth transfer and an explosion of trust complexity that’s all taking place at the same time. Frazer Rice (08:31.918)One of the issues at the corporate level too is that as you say that the impregnance model is not necessarily the best way to do it. They’re cutting back on training programs. The business model around being a trustee or even a specific trustee does not make the big money. And so the ability for those types of institutions to develop the people.who ultimately are now in a very sort of pro-employee environment where there’s such a demand for trustees that they can kind of switch around and get a 10 or 20 % bump each time they go because people are desperate to have them. There’s a real cavern there to try to create the permanence that you’re looking for in a structure that really rewards consistency over time, especially as it relates to discretion and process of decision-making. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (09:23.15)Yeah, that’s exactly right. And that leads to this revolving door in the industry, because people are just trying to make more money and they’re going and bouncing to different trust companies. And there isn’t that backfill. Just because it’s a trust company and there’s policies and procedures, trusteeship is about relationships that you make with your beneficiaries, the relationships that you develop with multiple generations in a family. And when you have somebody that’s acting and serving in that and they move, they leave, they’re no longer acting and serving in that capacity, a new personality comes into the mix and it can really be disruptive. So having that consistency and minimizing the attrition is so valuable. Frazer Rice (10:06.766)The other thing I try to bring up, especially to individual trustees, is that the thing that you’re signing up for is probably going to look a lot different in five or 10 or 15 years when people are aged on, they remarry, they have kids, etc. That the conditions are a lot different than what they were before. And it’s going to be difficult to take on a structure that has eight people when before there were two. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (10:37.517)Yes, and that’s that complexity, that increased sophistication and complexity of trust structures that are available now to people. With the increase in the exemption, these trust structures, they’re not necessarily changed. For example, qualified personal residence trust, if people really need that anymore, but there’s a ton of them sitting around there. Are trustees properly administering it? Did you actually transfer the real estate into the trust at the time? So there’s all kinds of sophisticated structures that the trustees may or may not have the right skills. But they’re saddled with having to do it. Frazer Rice (11:19.47)Let’s take a step back and just talk about the functions of a trustee for a second. I break them down basically into three. Which is the first one. You have to administer the trust, meaning you have to dot the I’s, cross the T’s, make sure things get executed, tax returns are filed, statements get sent out to the extent that that happens, and that the administration of a structure like that occurs. Then I talk about the concept that the investments have to be made monitored moved around decided and that they’re appropriate for all classes of beneficiary that are in there and then the distribution function which is The assets have to be distributed according to the law. First the trust then maybe the intent or the law if everything is silent and that those three things are very different components and that it’s tough to find somebody who’s great at all three housed within one brain. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (12:20.217)Yeah, I agree with that 100%. It is a three legged stool. It’s the investments, the administration and the distributions. And in that administration umbrella in and of itself, there’s a tremendous amount of work that sort of goes unsung. know, it’s not the sexy stuff where you’re investing and making a bunch of money for your income beneficiaries and managing to preserve the corpus for your principal or your remainder beneficiaries. And it’s certainly not the personal interaction that you’re doing with your beneficiary day to day. Making distributions, helping them, seeing the product of that help. It’s the making sure you file ax returns are properly. Understanding how to read that tax return. Even if you’re not preparing it, making a proper selection on the accountant that you’re using to prepare those tax returns if you’re not preparing it. Make sure to set up statements properly, make sure that in this world of silent trust documents that you’re not sending a statement to somebody who’s not supposed to have it. Communicating with beneficiaries on an even keel. Making sure that you’re not inadvertently violating your duty of impartiality because it’s more than just a substantive duty, there’s a procedural duty as well. That’s really, really challenging to find within one human being, let alone add on top of it somebody who’s financially savvy enough to understand investments and all of the different complex investment tools that are out there, as well as having the personality and the interpersonal skills to keep beneficiaries engaged and happy. Frazer Rice (13:56.426)Just on top of that, the EQ, the bedside manner, and the ability to simplify the complex, et cetera. At the same time, that dedicated note taker that is able to document everything that happens within a decision. Whether distribution or investment or otherwise, that it’s just two different people most times. I find that something falls apart as time goes on. Ultimately if things aren’t laid out correctly, that’s when conflict starts to simmer. Then you know if there is something that’s wrong. That’s allowed to compound that’s where you get into a huge problem later on. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (14:36.922)It’s all that feeling. People are behaving in ways that they may or may not be able to articulate their emotional proximity to. When you’re talking with beneficiaries. There’s something simmering under the surface that you inherited because you’re a trustee. You may not even be aware of it because the beneficiaries may not even be able to articulate it. You have to have a certain sense. A gut check of feelings of rntuitively being able to read what’s going on under the surface. To pull it out of people in a very balanced and even keel way. It’s not an easy job by any stretch of the imagination. On top of financial literacy and personal liability and executive functioning skills, being detail oriented, making sure your documentation is not overly explicit. isn’t, you know, scarce. You’re now wondering how and why did you make those decisions? People don’t think about the decisions that they make on a day to day basis. We don’t think in a way to articulate why I made this decision. Why I exercised this type of judgment. And that’s what we’re being asked to do as trustees is to document what is my decision making process? Why am I making the decision? What are my factors involved in making that decision in a way that’s defensible. If we ever need to defend it. Frazer Rice (16:05.292)Well, in favoring one class of people over another is usually where the rubber hits the road on this. People who are used to seeing the income from a trust and don’t want that touched come hell or high water. Then future beneficiaries who’d like to see the trust go from X to 2X to 5X. So that they have something larger to enjoy. You have a natural tension that you have to manage. It’s just not easy. If you don’t document the hows and whys of what you’re doing, you set yourself up for a problem. From one class or another looking at you saying, you you should have done it differently. To go back to that liability component. You’re the only one who sits in the chair of having made that decision. You’re the one with the bullseye on your back when it’s called to account. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (16:53.093)That’s right, that is exactly right. And now add on top of it, you’re just named because you’re Uncle Joe and everybody goes to Uncle Joe. You have no technical background and you just don’t know the landmines that are there. You don’t know what you don’t know. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we were able to create a pipeline of really sophisticated entry level employees or folks that are, you know sophisticated in financial literacy that now want to take the job to become trustees, that we were able to give them this technical roadmap for what the job actually is and then have them get the ability to apprentice on all of those policies and procedures. What does this corporation do? How do we document things? When you’re trying to learn it all at one time, it’s like drinking from a fire hose. Let’s give people the ability to really have a chance at doing it successfully. Frazer Rice (17:53.048)So let’s dive into that pipeline issue for a second. We already diagnosed that the, let’s call it the trust companies or the banks are, they’re just not resourced enough. They can’t run people through an internal school to do it quote unquote correctly. The apprentice model really kicks in. Which means you’re at the sort of mercy of what people are good at, not good at, et cetera. People turn over quickly so that apprenticeship doesn’t even work anymore. The RIAs I think are the worst place to learn about this type of thing. They have a completely different modus operandi as far as keeping clients happy. The word fiduciary means something so different to them than it does to an actual trustee. I wouldn’t feel good about the training on that front to sort of create trustees And then so law schools. They’re they’re just trying to create people the trust in the states vertical as a general matter. Let alone trying to delineate into a trustee situation. You’re putting the pipeline together and you put these programs together. How do you stitch together the needs and what does that manifest itself into? Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (19:07.642)So that’s a really, really good question. I think that the very first place that we start with answering that question is advising on a trust as an attorney. It’s different from the administration of a trust and the skills that you need for that. So when you create a program like this where you’re trying to teach about trust management. You have to start with the technical skill. The legal side of what is it that we’re even doing? What is a trust? What are the fiduciary duties? Where do they come from? Then we have to, after we teach or create a structure or foundation on what the legality is. Now we go into how does this translate into administration? So when I created the programs, I looked at what’s the law they need to know? What is the level of sophistication of the student? And what do I need to, from a foundational perspective, teach first? What are the building blocks? And then how do I translate that into administration? The one thing that I have found is trust law does not equal investment management. So if people are coming along… Frazer Rice (20:26.254)No question. I’m nodding audibly at that comment. I like that. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (20:31.226)Your fiduciary duties as a trustee are fundamentally different than those of an RIA, where some RIAs are not even fiduciaries by law. They’re not. So being able to delineate and explain where that line is, what makes you a fiduciary, what are those duties, after you know the legal basics. And taught to you at a level that you can understand. I don’t expect everybody to be a lawyer. And people have asked me time and time again, do I need to be a lawyer to know this? No, you don’t need to be a lawyer because you’re not advising on the law. You’re advising on the administration of a legal structure and how that administration affects the fiduciary duties that are inherent in the relationship. Then how those fiduciary duties are translated out to the beneficiary. That’s the way that I’ve always built these programs. Where do I start? Start with the law. Where do I go from there? Start with how the administration translates the law. And then how does that administration get heard by the beneficiary? Where does the RIA come into the mix? The RIA should not be dabbling in advising on trusts. They should know that they need to bring in somebody who has this particular skill. And if they’re not doing that, they’re doing the client a disservice by trying to give one-stop shop advice. Frazer Rice (22:06.85)Yep, no question about it. One of the things that…we delve into the world of trusts and their function, et cetera, is that you’re dealing with an ecosystem from client to outside advisor, whether RIA or even accountant, et cetera, that they’re looking for certainty and airtight. quality to these structures that you put them in place and then everything runs like a clock going forward. When in actuality, I think there is a bandwidth of risk around everything. And so it’s the poor trust officer or individual trustee who sometimes has to be the bearer of bad news to say, yeah, you know, I think this is going to work 98 % of the time, but there’s a 2 % problem here or we’ve got this to fix or something like that and everybody else sort of sighs with disappointment and gets mad at the administrative function when in actuality they’re really doing their job and trying to, you know, keep a lot of things that are spinning out of control kind of within view. How do you get a trust officer or that administrative function or even the full trustee function to be comfortable with that risk and everything that’s involved with that? Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (23:20.504)You have to start with explaining that there is risk and we’re not our job is not as a trustee to eliminate risk. Our job is to manage and identify risk. It is inherent in the job. There is going to be risk. No matter what you do, you cannot divorce risk from trusteeship. It’s a matter of identifying perceived risk and actual risk. And if you can teach that, if you can teach These are the things that are going to trigger a likely outcome. They’re gonna trigger a likely risk. Then you can essentially, you can’t foresee everything. I mean, there are things that are just gonna happen. But in a trust instrument, you’ve got contingency plan upon contingency plan upon contingency plan. That’s what the flexibility of those structures are building. We need to, as trustees, be able to recognize What is the risk with contingency plan A? The risk with B? What is the risk with C? How can we minimize the risk? And how can we make sure that we’re managing perception of risk versus actual risk? Frazer Rice (24:29.31)as someone who’s been in trust companies, advised trust companies, advised trustees, and advised clients, the lack of appreciation for the management of that risk and that that as the intersection of the business model of trusteeship and risk management and use of discretion and making hard decisions and even kind of an insurance quality around these structures, how do you fix that, where people place a level of respect on the job that I think is completely lacking in the wealth management ecosystem? Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (25:09.089)Absolutely. It’s a tough one to answer. How do you fix it? First and foremost, I think that it’s a top-down fix, especially at a corporate trust company, a bank, and even an independent trust company that’s not affiliated with a bank. The management has to… really understand the function of the trust company. For so long, it’s been just an extra service that we provide and and we’ll do this, the back office trust company. It’s really, really important that the management recognizes what the functionality of the trust company is and stops treating it as sort of a back office stepchild. From the corporate level, I think that’s the very first place we start. Frazer Rice (25:38.478)Mm-hmm. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (25:57.818)The second place we start is investing in our trust officers, investing in the team, giving them the education that they need, continuing to give them education, providing training programs, whether they be in-house, external, bring in trainers. None of this is set it and forget it. At the individual level, I think it’s really, really important to have functions like the Individual Trustee Alliance, groups like that, where you have an ability to talk to other professionals that are doing what you’re doing. That’s another way to impress upon people that we have to manage the risk and we can’t do it all alone. Nobody knows everything. You really have to, you have to talk to other people. You have to engage. have to, what is it called when we were practicing law and we’re a little bit outside of our comfort zone, we have to consult with other people who know more than we do. It’s our obligation as lawyers. It’s the same thing with a trust company, with a trustee, whether you’re an individual or you’re not. Widen that circle. Frazer Rice (27:08.474)I think this is my idea for the day that there’s got to be a bit of a public relations campaign sort of describing what’s going on here because I think especially when we go into the family members that sort of occupy these roles, they have no earthly idea what they’re doing. They’re usually doing it for free. Everything’s hunky dory up until a point and everyone hopes that everyone is not going to sue each other if something goes wrong. But the level of wealth that’s being transferred now is now so significant that everyone sort of talks about, AI is going to get rid of lawyers. Nope, not in fiduciary litigation. I think that’s a medium term growth industry, especially around insurance, around ILITs, around revocable trusts, around elder care. But this is my advertisement for people who are in law school looking for a productive way to go. I think that one is going to be, I think that one’s recession proof, at least for a while until I retire anyway. So my thought is that awareness over these things, and it’s probably going to take a very difficult case or a class action suit, something like that, where somebody really gets hurt in order for that awareness to come up. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (28:24.922)Yeah, I would agree. think that some of the solutions would include better trust education, you know, whether it be for RIAs, lawyers. Trust in the states is a throwaway class in law school. And there are so many law schools that are essentially rolling it back because bar exams aren’t testing it anymore in a variety of states. And ACTEC is definitely working with the law schools to try and increase trust in the states being taught and certainly being tested. So education for lawyers coming out of law school, education for RIAs that are advising on trusts, education for trust officers, for trust administrators, trust professionals in general, clear role delineation. What is the role of the RIA? The role of the trust officer? What is the role of the trustee if they’re an individual trustee? And then creating a culture of collaboration on what we’re doing as a team for the beneficiary, not substitution, but collaboration with the advisors and the trustees. Frazer Rice (29:32.59)Let’s go into the role delineation for a second. About 20 or 30 years ago, the concept of bifurcating or sort of cordoning off the different functions I described before the investment, the administration and the distribution has come into vogue. I think that came out of frustration with bank trust companies where you got one set of advice for every trust that they had as far as investments and distributions and administration and a lot of modern larger families wanted something a little bit more specific to their needs. And that’s really turned, it’s exploded as an industry for increasing sophistication and size of wealth. Along those different functions, where maybe the administration goes to a professional trust company or a trust officer in the state that you want, Then there’s some intersection maybe in the distribution committee. And then the investment side of it is a bit of a free for all, think, depending on what you’re, dealing with. How do you educate the, that continued the delineation, but the coordination within those types of structures. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (30:41.275)Yeah, I think it’s really important. And I’m a Delaware lawyer. I’m licensed in multiple states, but Delaware is my home. It’s where I learned how to be a lawyer. It’s where I grew up as a lawyer. So this directed trust model that you’re describing, where you’re bifurcating, truly bifurcating these particular functionalities of a trustee, it originated in Delaware. sort of, we didn’t, I mean, we invented it, right? We codified it. It was being done, but we codified it. The idea of making sure that everybody understands what their function is and knowing that there’s a limit of liability that’s built into the instrument and communicating what that means to the RIA that is named in the document. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard companies, heard trust companies say, we’re advisor friendly. And I’m like, not unless you’re directed, you’re not. Frazer Rice (31:37.528) “THE TRUSTEE CRISIS: Navigating the Challenges”Yeah. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (31:40.439)If you are directed, you are 100 % advisor friendly because there’s no chance that that trustee is going to try and take the investment management. They’re not a portfolio manager. Not a clerical administrator. They’re not a passive rule follower. We need to identify what does that trustee actually do when they are an administrative or directed trustee. Clarify that role so that people who are engaged in this bifurcation, this structure where we’ve got a distribution committee, maybe it’s individuals who are close to the family, close to the beneficiaries, where you don’t have somebody who’s objectively uninvolved with the family members making decisions as to whether or not there’s a distribution that should be made. But also advising those rolls those advisors that your administrative trustee is not just a pencil put a paper pusher. Not just checking boxes. They really do add value to the role that they provide and making sure that everybody understands what each other are doing, having regular meetings amongst the team instead of operating in a vacuum or operating in a silo. And taking the approach of it’s not my job, misunderstanding trustee powers and the advisor’s authority. So when that’s delineated, when that’s really understood, not just by the advisors, but also by the beneficiaries, there are so many beneficiaries out there, Frazer, that have absolutely no idea that they actually hold all the cards. They don’t know. Frazer Rice (33:25.87)Along that line, so in the administrative, we just walked through pretty nicely. The distribution function is one that, let’s talk a little bit for a second about what it means to ask a trustee for a distribution and maybe the difference between income and principal and why having a steady hand at the wheel within that function, whether it’s a corporate trust company of qualified individual or family input in that function, why real good thought needs to go into how that’s staffed. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (34:04.73)Yeah, absolutely. 100%. In a corporate trustee ship or a corporate trust company structure, there’s always going to be distribution committees, right? So if you are the trustee, you’re going to have to go through a committee that’s looking at what your reasoning is for making that distribution. They’re asking questions about what have been the prior distributions? Have they come from principal? Have they come from income? What is the spend rate on that trust? How is this going to affect long-term spend rate? Is this an aberration? Is this something that’s gonna become a habit? Really understanding what the distribution, the guidelines are in the trust. What is the distribution standard? Making that decision? What are our factors? And how many people are at the table? Who’s communicating that to the beneficiary? Does the beneficiary know that the trust officer alone does not have the ability to say yes or no? That when they’re in this ecosystem of a corporate trust company, they have their checks and balances to make sure that that risk is being managed. So when you’re looking at corporate trust companies, are a lot of layers behind understanding what the distribution standard is, whether it’s hems or if it’s purely discretionary. The other thing that you need to look at when it’s not a corporate trustee and it’s an individual trustee is, how is that individual trustee making that decision? Are they doing it in a vacuum? Alone? Are they favoring one beneficiary over another because they like them more, you need to have some communication to the beneficiaries so that they understand what they are, what their interest is, what they are entitled to, if anything, and why the trustee stands in that position as the gatekeeper. And I really think in my heart of hearts, we need to make a shift from a gatekeeper trustee Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (36:16.708)to a beneficiary enhancement trustee, where the beneficiary is really taking on the understanding that the trustee is there to facilitate enhancing the beneficiary’s life. That even though the trust may have started at the outset as a tax strategy or something that the grantor decided they needed to do with the advice of counsel. At the end of the day, you wouldn’t have been named as the beneficiary if there wasn’t some sense of love or obligation even, that it’s for your benefit. It’s in the name. Beneficiary. Trustees need to understand that and beneficiaries need to be taught. Frazer Rice (36:54.958)Right. Frazer Rice (37:00.646)And it goes to the circle back to the notion of making sure that you write down the whys of the decision because ultimately if the concepts of favoritism or you didn’t communicate this or anything, the idea of having the beneficiary submit a budget but having them understand why they are submitting a budget and then if there is some discretion that’s happening around that decision that the data points that are informing that discretion, that’s gonna keep everybody safe a lot later on. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (37:32.666)Absolutely. I break it down into a couple of different factors. It’s fiduciary decision making. How is that fiduciary making the decisions they’re making? Why are they making those decisions? And who is being affected by the decisions? Document interpretation. Do you understand the document that you’re administering? If you don’t understand the document you’re administering, hopefully best case scenario, you know what you don’t know and you ask. But if you don’t understand the document and you don’t even have the wherewithal to say, hey, I need help to understand the document, it’s really problematic. The third part, balancing beneficiary interests. Really taking on board this idea of the principal income problem that all the assets in the trust are not the same. That some of it doesn’t at all in any way affect a certain class of beneficiaries. And at the same time, it’s inextricably intertwined in the way that it affects another class of beneficiaries. And then risk management and governance. How is this being governed? How are we managing perceived and actual risk as a trustee? Frazer Rice (38:40.13)The investment function, which I alluded to before, I see storm clouds on that horizon, not really at the RIA level, because I think there’s sort of a default mode that investment policy statements are in place. Diversification is a true commodity at this point. And I never really worry about an RIA sort of understanding how to invest to get to a certain expected return and deal with the risks and drawdown and all that stuff. The storm cloud I see is when individuals sit in that role and they are being tasked with, let’s call it quote unquote, overseeing concentration, meaning that trust is holding a building, farmland, a nuclear reactor, crypto, all of these different things that sometimes can be, A, they have their own different maintenance responsibilities that are not just looking at a fidelity statement, but that they also have their own volatility And, you know, in the case of a building, you got to make sure it’s managed correctly. are they going to get sued or the windows kept up, all of that stuff, and that there’s a whole different component there. And I’m waiting for the shoe to drop on some fact pattern there where somebody is sitting in the role of an investment advisor. It doesn’t say trustee in the document, so they don’t really think that they have trustee liability. But. they sit in that role and all of a sudden somebody finds 10 55 gallon drums of green fluid in the basement of a building and all of a sudden the trust has a big set of red brackets that say minus $100 million that you owe to the federal government and the EPA. How do you think about that? Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (40:21.454)Hmm. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (40:25.242)That’s a heavy question. so the Delaware stock answer, obviously, direct it, right? It’s just to get the trust, cut off the liability. At the first, at the inception of your hypothetical is bad drafting, right? So if there’s no statement as to whether or not your investment advisor is acting as a fiduciary or not, Frazer Rice (40:35.042)Right. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (40:52.836)What does your statute say? Does your statute impose that they are as a default a fiduciary or not? So that’s the very first step. That’s bad drafting. We need to know. But if it’s silent, let’s say it’s just a lousy document, there’s, God knows. Anybody who’s seen trust documents knows that, you’ve seen them all, right? And everything in between. Some are good, some are bad. If this is a bad one. Frazer Rice (41:13.08)Seen good and you’ve seen bad. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (41:20.079)Then we need to document the statute. If we can correct it, modify the document, let’s modify it. But if all of that can’t happen, then I would say the best way to handle it, make sure you have adequate insurance. mean, over-insure that, over-insure it. Make sure that there’s regular checks on the actual… Assets that are in the trust, if you have a concentration and that concentration is real estate, get the advice of counsel, put that bad boy into an LLC, get yourself some distance from the actual asset itself being held in the trust, hold an interest, hold a financial interest, push it down to the corporate level. But if you can’t do all of that and you’ve got those 500 gallon drums of green fluid and now you’re… Frazer Rice (42:14.286)You Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (42:15.371)You you’ve got a super fun site. What do you do? You don’t shy away from it. Have to address it head on. You got to take the accountability. You got to communicate and document, communicate and document some more. Talk to your beneficiaries. Make sure that they’re aware of where it went wrong, why it went wrong. Because I have found in my exposure in the industry over time and in reading case law, it’s when you’re trying to cover stuff up. Frazer Rice (42:43.913)Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (42:44.027)You’re just making more problems. Bad news doesn’t age well. It doesn’t get better over time. You have to approach it head on and make sure that there’s communication and documentation. Meet with your beneficiaries. If there’s a trusteeship where you are appointed as a trustee individually and you’re not having at least quarterly meetings with your beneficiaries, If you’re not going out and seeing the asset, if you’re not going out and making sure that the asset is properly custodyed, you’re not, you’re violating your fiduciary duty. You are not doing what you’re supposed to do. Frazer Rice (43:21.804)You brought up an interesting word there, custody, which is the administrative function, whether held corporately or individually, one of the major things you have to do is to safeguard the assets. And that’s a big two syllable word that carries a lot of weight with it. That custodial function, how do you teach the trust officers or the individual trustees where that starts and stops? Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (43:48.579)Yeah, mean, custody is super, it’s a really touchy, touchy subject, especially with the dynamic way that trusts have developed in the current climate from tangibles. You know, I’ve got artwork and my beneficiary wants to hang the artwork in their house. Well, do you have custody? Has it been assigned to the trustee and how do you maintain that asset? Make sure nothing’s happening to it. Do make an appointment, go over to the, visit your artwork? What if it’s prize horses, you know? What if it’s, you know, a stud that, you know, we’re gonna need to breed and it’s gonna be the next Triple Crown winner? How do you make sure that the barn is properly safeguarded? It’s a really touchy subject, especially with things like tangibles and things like assets held away when you technically custody the asset, but you don’t have control over the asset. I think in the education part for custodying, what I do in my programs and when I teach this is I make sure that we talk about different types of asset classes. And what the risks, again, what are the risks that you run with these asset classes? How can we manage the actual and the perceived risk of holding that asset? Even if you have custody and name only, but you don’t have physical custody, how do you maintain your control over that asset? Because it’s really the C’s, right? The custody and control. Just because you don’t have custody doesn’t mean you don’t have control. So we have to make sure that there’s an education that’s provided about the different asset classes, whether it’s tangibles, intangibles, assets held away, if it’s a concentration of stock, if it’s crypto, and most trust companies are not taking crypto. I think that there’s like a circuitous way that they’re getting in right now, but it all boils down to education, isolating what the issue is and educating people on it. Frazer Rice (45:59.586)I’ll give you a third C, it’s consequences, which is what happens when you don’t understand these functions. on the crypto side of things, Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (46:01.786)Uhhh Frazer Rice (46:11.544)Holds the key to get to the crypto. What happens if that trust officer quits and walks away with the key and they’re like, well, multi-sigil figure this out. I’m like, okay, that’s not that. That doesn’t make me feel great at the moment. And now there have been some advances, which is good, but traps for the unwary to be sure. the good news too for crypto is for people who want exposure, the spot ETFs take away 90 % of the problems with that. But as we start to think about winding down here, because I have a feeling we could probably talk for four or five hours on this subject, when putting your programs together, what does a curriculum look like? And we don’t have to go through it bit by bit, but how does that work when someone comes to your program? How much time does it take? What’s the commitment? Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (46:47.172)Yeah, I think so. Frazer Rice (46:54.851)Mm-hmm. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (47:06.33)So the program that I created that’s really available anywhere across the country is called the Peak Trust Management Certificate Program. Peak Trust Company, may be familiar with it. They have name rights because they gave the donation to the University of Delaware for me to build the program. So it’s housed at the Lerner College at the University of Delaware, but bears the name of Peak Trust Company. I look at five different things. The first thing is trust law and administration. So like I said previously when we were talking, you lay that foundation of what is the legal component of this? What is the baseline that people have to know? And then what is the administration? The second component is, and it’s inextricably intertwined as taxation. What is the income tax? What are the deductions? And now let’s take all of that income tax knowledge, individual income tax knowledge, and build on it with fiduciary income tax. What is DNI? What is FAI? How does it go out to the beneficiary? What’s the character of the distribution? How do we manage that? What are we deducting in the trust? So teaching taxation and not because trustees necessarily are tax preparers, but because the trustees obligation is to be able to understand and read that tax return, they need to know how to spot problems. So from my perspective, teaching fiduciary income tax is a critical component. It also helps. Yeah. Frazer Rice (48:38.828)No, no, I was gonna say no question about that. And there are elections to make, just because it doesn’t just go on autopilot, there are choices to be made so that if you’re the trustee, you may not have to prepare the tax return, but you may have to make a choice on the tax return and you’ve got to be informed because that can be an issue. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (48:58.651)65 day elections, perfect example, right? You just, you need to understand what your role is and how it overlaps with that of the CPA. The third part, of course, investments. Investments are inextricably intertwined, whether you’re doing it yourself as the trustee or you’re directed or even delegated, which is like the hairy scaries of every trusteeship known to man, because you’re not actually in control, but you’re responsible. So it’s the gray. When I build a program, because of the, you know, the directed trusteeship being so popular in today’s day and age, we have to talk about not just investments of, you know, marketable securities, not just the custody of tangibles, but also subscription documents, because so many alternatives are held in trust right now. unique assets, need to know how the trustee is actually carrying out their fiduciary duty when it comes to engaging in an investment that is an alternative investment. The fourth component is of course compliance. We cannot ever get away from compliance and I think we could do a whole nother podcast on compliance in trusteeship but. You know, it’s a regulated entity. And even if you’re an individual trustee and you’re not using what those compliance frameworks are, what the guidelines are by OCC, Reg 9, FDIC, if you’re not looking at that and using that as a guideline, don’t do the job. understanding KYC, BSA, AML, all of those compliance components that have tentacles. That’s the fourth part. And then for the fifth part of this program, because it’s specifically geared toward trustee education in trust companies, although it can be applicable, very applicable to individuals, is operations. I was very fortunate that I was able to partner with SCI on building the operations component. So we license their platform called Plato. It’s essentially their training platform. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (51:12.888)so that trustees can see how fees are set up, fees, that’s a whole other podcast, fees, statements, distributions, how are we doing this? How are we documenting everything? What are the logistics of the day-to-day operations? So that’s how I built the program and it’s available anywhere in the country. It’s 10 weeks, how long does it take? I would say from three to five hours a week of an investment that you’re making at a bare minimum. Obviously there’s a whole lot more of depth that you can go into. The resources are built in. But I would say 10 weeks, about 50 hours of time where you’re actually engaging with the material. And then I bring in guest lecturers on each different area of expertise for lack of a better description. And they get a certificate at the end, they get a digital badge, and now they really have something where they can add value day one in a trust company or as a trustee. Frazer Rice (52:17.902)With Delaware being, you one of the real gold standards as far as trust jurisdiction, I assume that everything that comes out of this program is pretty transportable to the other useful jurisdictions, let’s call it, within the country. know, the Tennessee’s, the South Dakota’s, the Nevada’s, the Alaska’s, Wyoming’s, New Hampshire’s, et cetera. Obviously, there are hairs to split with different foibles in their law, but everything that you’re describing sounds like works everywhere else. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (52:47.928)And I’ve always taken the approach, you’re 100 % correct, I’ve always taken the approach of UTC. I base everything off of UTC and if there’s something different or unique based upon the jurisdiction that you’re in, I always encourage people you have to look at your statute, you have to look at the jurisdiction that you’re actually practicing this in and administering in. I use Delaware, South Dakota, Alaska as examples quite often when we’re talking about the directed stuff, but By and large, it’s UTC. Frazer Rice (53:20.966)It just a weird subset. So special needs trusts and islets, which are two types of trusts, very specific. One holds life insurance. The other is designed to really take care of people who can’t take care of themselves. And they are types of trusts that a lot of trust companies don’t like to take on because the liability is harder or the profit margin is less. For those individuals who get the opportunity to participate in those and I put that in air quotes. How would you advise people to get ready for those types of situations? Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (53:58.308)People who are in need of those types of trusts. Frazer Rice (54:02.122)Well, maybe both. The people who need those trusts, you know, they’re going to, they, you know, it’s almost like they get set up and then the staffing gets kind of figured out later, barely. And then, you know, the, for the people who end up taking on that role, they really have no idea of what they’re in for in a sense. Is there sort of like a mini, I’m not going to say a full course like you’re describing, but a crash course in, in what’s going on here and what can I do to keep myself safe? Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (54:30.271)Unfortunately, no, I don’t know of one. and there isn’t much built in. there’s, we talk about a little bit in the program that I built, but, those are specialized and eyelets we talk about a little bit more there, you eyelets had their day and sort of they has done ish. but special needs trust. It’s a whole other ball game because It really incorporates state law and social security and Medicaid, all of those government benefits that I think you would need something more specialized than my program that I developed. And I don’t have a great answer for that, I’m sorry. Frazer Rice (55:12.482)No, there’s not a great answer for it because it’s tough. it’s a, all of which is to say for someone who’s involved with those things and feels confused by what’s going on, that’s one where it’s worth it to spend the money to lean on a dedicated Medicaid elder care, special needs type of lawyer on that front because there are traps for the unwary. Okay, now we’re starting to butt up against an hour here of. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (55:29.764)Yes . . . Frazer Rice (55:38.827)Four hours. No, I’m kidding listeners. We’re not going to talk for four hours, but How do people find your program and and then I’ll ask a bonus question at the end Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (55:49.339)So the program is on the University of Delaware’s website. You just type in peak trust management certificate and it’ll pop up. My name will be there. I think my picture might be there. It’s all over my LinkedIn. So if you look me up, you’re going to see the peak trust management certificate program. You can always email me, jennifer at zeldenlaw.com. Happy to push people into it. start, I’m in the new cohort right now. We’re two weeks into a 10 week program. But we have a new cohort starting in May. I think it’s May 4th. So may the fourth be with you. Frazer Rice (56:24.622)Terrific. So the final question here is really more of a crystal ball question. In this trust industry, trustee industry, what are the real, I’m going to say opportunities out there, and we’ve sort of painted a picture of doom and gloom and its low profit margin and things like that. Where can someone who is thinking from a business perspective about this find something? Once they’re properly educated about it and being able to participate in it. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (56:57.582)There are so many opportunities. There is an absolute need for good trustees everywhere. Trust companies from coast to coast, individual trustee alliance. People really, really need trustees. There’s tremendous opportunity with Heritage Institute, not the Heritage Foundation, but the Heritage Institute. There’s opportunities with…various family offices and various trust companies for education, for beneficiary education. So many opportunities out there. Trust companies are just clamoring for people. So if people are interested in becoming a trustee, getting that education, you will not have a hard time finding a job. Like you said, it’s basically recession proof. This wealth is going to transfer. We need sophisticated, knowledgeable trustees. on the receiving end of that transfer so that it happens correctly. Frazer Rice (57:56.578)I’d go so far as to say financial advisors. I just gotta say, a CFP is useful, CFA is on your investment side, but something like this, you know so much more about how intergenerational wealth works than what’s happening in those particular situations that I think it helps people stand out when I see something like that on a resume. Jennifer Zelvin McCloskey (58:00.302) “THE TRUSTEE CRISIS: Navigating the Challenges”That’s all the podcast. I hear you. I hear you. Frazer Rice (58:24.386) “THE TRUSTEE CRISIS: Navigating the Challenges”All right, with that, Jennifer, it’s great to catch up and I will have all of your information on the show notes and I will either see you at the ITA conference in Dallas or what I’m down in Delaware next. More Around “THE TRUSTEE CRISIS: Navigating the Challenges” BUILDING A TRUST COMPANY TENNESSEE AS A JURISDICTION DIRECTED TRUSTEES DELAWARE WELL BEING TRUST THE TRUSTEE CRISIS: Navigating the Challenges https://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Actually-Intelligent-Decision-Making-1-ebook/dp/B07FPQJJQT/ Keywords for THE TRUSTEE CRISIS: Navigating the Challenges trusteeship, wealth transfer, trust management, fiduciary duties, trust education, estate planning, risk management, trust administration, individual trustees, trust companies, the trustee crisis, navigating the challenges, the great wealth transfer,

Struggling to fit SEL into an already packed school day? OR Struggling to come up with ideas that actually engage kids? In this week’s episode of the This Teacher Life podcast I will show you how you can spark powerful conversations, build trust, and get every student participating—using something they already love: music. In this episode, I'm sharing my simplest SEL strategy that requires zero prep, works for any grade level, and instantly boosts student engagement. You'll learn how to use song lyrics to open the door to meaningful discussions around emotions, relationships, perspective-taking, and communication—all without awkward worksheets or long lessons. We'll talk about: How to choose the right songs for quick SEL moments Easy lyric-based questions that get even quiet students talking Why music helps students feel seen, heard, and understood How this strategy strengthens relationships with kids in minutes If you're looking for an easy, low-stress SEL routine that actually connects with students and fits into real classroom life, this episode is for you! Episode Notes:  Get 180 FULL SEL Lessons to Engage Your Students Here: monicagenta.com/180SEL Get a free PDF copy of Monica's Book Crushing It For Kids Here: monicagenta.com/freebook Needing Some Awesome PD for Your School? Let's Connect:  monicagenta.com/PD Connect with Monica on social media: Instagram: instagram.com/monicagentaed/ TikTok: tiktok.com/@monicagentaed Facebook: facebook.com/MonicaGentaEd

Praying in The Spirit- Num 23:19; Jn 4:24; 1Cor 14:2, 14-15, Eph 6:18-19,Jam 5:13; Jud 1:20; Rom 8:26-28Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/what-jesus-says--4116133/support.

“Honesty doesn't have to be brutal. Honesty can be compassionate. Honesty can be respectful.” -Dr. Cory NewmanEpisode OverviewIn this episode, host Dr. Jennifer Reid sits down with Dr. Cory Newman, PhD to explore how the core principles of cognitive behavioral therapy can be woven into our everyday communication with partners, friends, family, coworkers, and even ourselves. What begins as a conversation about therapy technique quickly becomes a practical guide to navigating disagreements, setting boundaries, and showing up more compassionately in all our relationships.Throughout the conversation, Dr. Reid draws connections to her book Guilt Free: Reclaiming Your Life from Unreasonable Expectations (Penguin Life, 2026), which examines how guilt—particularly for women—shapes our communication patterns, our willingness to set boundaries, and our capacity for self-compassion.15 Key Takeaways (Dr. Newman had so many life-changing recommendations, we wanted to make sure you could read about them even if you didn't have time to listen!)1. The Three Pillars of CBTDr. Newman describes CBT as resting on three foundational principles: * A supportive therapeutic alliance* A deep understanding of the patient's lived experience (including cultural and sociological factors)* The development of practical coping skills. These skills promote agency and problem-solving rather than hopelessness and helplessness.CBT Connection: The cognitive behavioral model emphasizes that thoughts, behaviors, and emotions are interconnected. By shifting how we think and what we do, we can change how we feel (Beck, 1979).2. Communication Is Both Internal and ExternalWe tend to think of communication as what we say to others, but Dr. Newman emphasizes that internal dialogue matters just as much. CBT helps people talk to themselves more compassionately, constructively, and hopefully. That same skill then translates outward into better interpersonal communication.He also distinguishes between expressive communication (how we speak) and receptive communication (how we listen), both of which are essential to healthy relationships.Guilt Free Connection: In Guilt Free, Dr. Reid explores how harsh internal dialogue, especially the relentless voice of “I should be doing more,” fuels excessive guilt. Learning to communicate with yourself compassionately is the first step toward breaking free from unreasonable expectations.3. Start with IntentEvery meaningful conversation benefits from a clear, positive intent: to boost morale, to connect, to offer something useful, to communicate understanding. Dr. Newman suggests that even outside of therapy, we can adopt the mindset that our goal in any interaction is to leave the other person, and the relationship, in a better state than when we started.CBT Connection: Intentional communication is a behavioral intervention. By deliberately choosing our communicative goals before speaking, we interrupt automatic patterns that often lead to conflict (Beck, 1995).4. Validity + Utility: The Two-Part Test for What We SayDr. Newman introduces a powerful filter: before speaking, ask whether your comment has both validity (is it truthful?) and utility (is it useful?). Truth alone can be harsh. He pushes back on the idea of “brutal honesty.”Guilt Free Connection: The validity-utility framework directly parallels the guilt equation in Guilt Free, where guilt = our expectations (whether fair or not) minus our perceived reality. Often, guilt-driven communication passes the validity test but fails the utility test. For example, we may say things out of obligation that don't help ourselves or others.5. Intent vs. Impact: Naming the MismatchSometimes people don't mean to cause harm, but their words land that way. Dr. Newman recommends naming the gap directly: “I don't think you're trying to put me down, but the message you're sending sounds like a put-down.” This approach acknowledges the other person's good faith while still making room for your experience.CBT Connection: Distinguishing between intent and impact is central to cognitive restructuring. Cognitive distortions like mind-reading and personalization often cause us to assume malicious intent where there is none (Burns, 1980).6. Seek to Understand Before Problem-SolvingWhen someone is in distress, the instinct is often to jump straight to fixing. Dr. Newman advises leading with empathy instead: “If I were thinking the way you're describing, I'd be a nervous wreck too.” Validate first, then gently offer alternative perspectives. Problem-solving is more effective once the person feels heard.Guilt Free Connection: Dr. Reid describes a pattern she sees frequently, which is people, especially women, catastrophizing about situations and layering guilt on top. The compassionate validation Dr. Newman describes is exactly the antidote: honor the feeling, question the expectation.7. Turn Complaints into RequestsAlmost any complaint can be reframed as a request, and requests are far easier to hear. Instead of “You never reply to my voicemail messages,” try: “I'd really appreciate hearing from you, even briefly. It's hard for me when I don't hear from you.”CBT Connection: This reframing technique is a classic behavioral strategy in CBT. Converting complaints into constructive requests shifts the dynamic from blame to collaboration (Gottman & Silver, 1999).Guilt Free Connection: Dr. Reid explores how maladaptive guilt can be manipulative, such as when guilt-tripping replaces genuine requests, and relationships can suffer. Assertive communication (making requests without guilting) is key to breaking that cycle.8. Silence Fills Vacuums with AssumptionsWhen we avoid communication to spare someone's feelings—say, not RSVPing to avoid disappointing a friend—we leave a vacuum that the other person fills with their own assumptions, which are usually worse than reality. Dr. Newman advises speaking the reality, even when it's uncomfortable, because silence invites personalization and catastrophizing.Guilt Free Connection: In Guilt Free, Dr. Reid identifies avoidance as a common guilt-driven behavior: we don't say no because we don't want to disappoint, but the silence itself creates a bigger problem. Communicating honestly, even imperfectly, is almost always better than disappearing.9. Beware All-or-Nothing Thinking in CommunicationDr. Newman applies one of CBT's most foundational concepts, challenging black-and-white thinking, to our communication habits. You don't have to choose between long silences and a 90-minute heart-to-heart. A quick text saying “Thinking of you” is a powerful middle ground. He calls these “random acts of kindness through text,” which are small gestures that send a meta-message of care.CBT Connection: All-or-nothing thinking is one of the most common cognitive distortions identified in CBT. Recognizing and challenging it opens up a range of behavioral options we might not have considered (Beck, 1976).10. Match the Medium to the MessageText messaging is ideal for quick logistics and small kindnesses, but it strips away tone of voice and body language. Dr. Newman shares a vivid example of a patient whose text “I don't care” (meaning “I don't mind”) sparked a major argument with his girlfriend. For emotional or complicated conversations, choose a medium with more cues, such as phone, video, or in person.His rule of thumb: The more emotional and the more complicated the topic, the more cues are needed.11. The Gottman 20-Minute RuleDrawing on research by John and Julie Gottman, Dr. Newman describes how physiological arousal (elevated heart rate, fight-or-flight activation) makes productive conversation impossible. The Gottmans recommend taking a break during heated arguments and not resuming until at least 20 minutes after your heart rate returns to baseline.Dr. Newman applies this to everyday life: if you receive a message that makes you angry, wait until you've calmed down before responding. Otherwise, frustration will leak through even your most careful words.CBT Connection: Self-monitoring of physiological arousal is a core CBT skill. The Gottman research demonstrates that behavioral interventions (taking a break) must precede cognitive interventions (discussing the issue) when the body is in a threat state.12. Resolve to Resolve—Not to WinDr. Newman highlights one of the most destructive communication patterns: trying to win an argument rather than resolve it. He references the devastating scene in the film Marriage Story where two characters escalate insults in an attempt to out-hurt each other. When the goal shifts from understanding to victory, everyone loses.CBT Connection: The belief “I must convince the other person I'm right” is a cognitive distortion that fuels conflict. CBT teaches that making your point respectfully is already a success. Change in the other person may come later, or not at all, and that's okay (Newman, 2014).13. Never Go to Bed Angry? Not So Fast.Both Dr. Reid and Dr. Newman agree that while the spirit of this advice is sound (don't harbor resentment) the literal application can be harmful. Insisting on resolving a conflict when one partner is exhausted is destructive. The person who needs to sleep should be honored. The meta-message is: don't stonewall, but do respect each other's limits. Use a placeholder: “I want to talk this through, but right now I can't yet.”Guilt Free Connection: This scenario is a guilt trap in action. The pressure to resolve everything immediately often comes from guilt (“A good partner wouldn't go to bed angry”). Dr. Reid's framework encourages questioning whether that expectation is fair and giving yourself permission to rest.14. Setting Boundaries Without GuiltWhen repeated attempts at respectful communication are met with resistance, such as the same pressure, the same guilt trips, it's appropriate to set a firm boundary. Dr. Newman advises doing so with care: “I'd like to talk to you, but not under these conditions. When you can show some respect for what I've said, let me know.” You can walk away from that interaction knowing you handled it with integrity.Guilt Free Connection: Dr. Reid identifies “hyper-accountability,”the belief that we can and should control other people's emotional experience, as a major driver of excessive guilt, especially for women. Letting go of the need to make everyone feel okay is essential to healthy boundary-setting.15. Say the Positive Things Out LoudDr. Newman closes with a deceptively simple but powerful reminder: don't keep positive thoughts to yourself. If you have a compliment, give it. If you feel affection, express it. And one of his favorite tips: talk positively about people behind their back. It often gets back to them and can shift the entire tone of your relationships.CBT Connection: Behavioral activation, which involves increasing positive interactions and reinforcement, is a foundational CBT technique for improving mood and strengthening relationships (Lewinsohn, 1974).Thanks for reading A Mind of Her Own! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.About the GuestDr. Cory Newman, PhD is a professor of psychology in psychiatry and director of the Center for Cognitive Therapy at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also honorary faculty at the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, where he completed his postdoctoral training under the mentorship of Dr. Aaron Beck, a founding father of CBT. A founding fellow of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy, Dr. Newman has presented approximately 300 CBT workshops and seminars internationally and published over 100 articles and chapters. He is the author or co-author of six books. Fun connection: Dr. Newman is a highly accomplished pianist and has accompanied Dr. Reid for several of her vocal performances.References & Further ReadingCBT Foundations1. Beck, A. T. (1976). Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders. International Universities Press.2. Beck, J. S. (1995). Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basics and Beyond. Guilford Press.3. Burns, D. D. (1980). Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy. William Morrow.Communication & Relationships4. Gottman, J. M. & Silver, N. (1999). The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work. Crown.From the Guest6. Newman, C. F. (2014). Core Competencies in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. Routledge.From the Host7. Reid, J. (2026). Guilt Free: Reclaiming Your Life from Unreasonable Expectations. Penguin Life.(*Notes created from transcript with assistance from Claude AI and edited by author for clarity and accuracy.)A Mind of Her OwnHosted by Dr. Jennifer Reid, MDBoard-certified psychiatrist, author, and award-winning medical educatorjenniferreidmd.com | A Mind of Her Own on Substack@jenreidmd on Instagram and LinkedIn Also check out Dr. Reid's regular contributions to Psychology Today: Think Like a ShrinkSeeking a mental health provider? Try Psychology TodayNational Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255Dial 988 for mental health crisis supportSAMHSA's National Helpline - 1-800-662-HELP (4357)-a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.Disclaimer:The views expressed on this podcast reflect those of the host and guests, and are not associated with any organization or academic site. Also, AI may have been used to create the transcript and notes, based only on the specific discussion of the host and guest and reviewed for accuracy.The information and other content provided on this podcast or in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this website is for general information purposes only.If you or any other person has a medical concern, you should consult with your health care provider or seek other professional medical treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something that have read on this website, blog or in any linked materials. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services (911) immediately. You can also access the National Suicide Help Line at 1-800-273-8255 or call 988 for mental health emergencies. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amindofherown.substack.com

At Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego, authorities have shut down an underground channel that detainees used to communicate with the outside world. Reporter: Aisha Wallace-Palomares, LA Taco At a contentious Senate hearing on Capitol Hill Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the Trump administration's immigration policies. In Southern California, ICE has released a Cambodian genocide survivor from immigration detention following a court order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this powerful Marriage Moment, we're diving into what it really means to create emotional safety in your marriage. Rooted in First Epistle of John 4:18 — “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear” — we unpack how fear causes withdrawal, while love creates the space for honesty, healing, and deep intimacy.We share vulnerably from our own journey about trust, triggers, and learning how to become a safe place for one another. If you've ever felt like you're walking on eggshells, shutting down, or struggling to be fully honest with your spouse, this episode is for you.Because when safety is present, love has room to breathe.Small moments. Big impact.

Burnout isn't just for corporate jobs and overbooked moms — it's very real in prison relationships too. And if you've ever felt emotionally exhausted, short-tempered, disconnected, or quietly resentful… this episode is for you.In this raw and honest conversation, Paige and Gigi unpack the reality of prison wife burnout — what it actually looks like, why it happens, and the specific trigger points that can push you over the edge. From financial pressure and constant emotional labor to unmet expectations, difficult visits, canceled calls, and carrying the entire household alone — we're naming it all.We talk about how burnout can slowly turn into resentment if it's not addressed, and how to recognize the early warning signs before it damages your relationship. Most importantly, we share practical and emotional tools to cope:• Identifying your personal burnout triggers• Setting boundaries without guilt• Communicating needs in a healthy way• Rebuilding emotional balance• Letting go of the “strong one” identity• Creating space for yourself without feeling selfishThis episode isn't about shaming anyone for feeling tired. It's about validating that loving someone incarcerated can be heavy — and you deserve support too.If you've been feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, or like you're running on empty, take a deep breath. You are not alone. And you are not failing.We're talking about it — honestly.This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Being a prison wife — and honestly, just being human — can be heavy, and having someone to talk to can make all the difference. BetterHelp offers convenient, affordable online therapy that connects you with a licensed therapist from the comfort of your own space. If you've been thinking about prioritizing your mental health, now's a great time to start. Visit betterhelp.com/prisonwife for exclusive deals on your first month and get the support you deserve.

Send Us a Message (include your contact info if you'd like a reply)We dig into how clear, consistent messaging helps divorce coaches cut through noise, educate the market, and build real authority without slipping into self‑promotion. Jason Harper joins us to share a practical playbook for clarity of purpose, audience fit, and sustainable cadence.• messaging as a professional competency, not an optional add‑on• clarity of purpose across layers: educate, validate, and seed ideas• defining your audience and where they actually listen• choosing platforms that match your strengths and voice• building a breadcrumb trail that validates credibility• service‑first content vs personal narrative as the lead• practical examples that show outcomes, not hype• consistency, cadence, and durability over vanity metrics• differentiating divorce coaching for the wider public• ethics, boundaries, and professionalization of the fieldIf this conversation resonated with you, please share it with a colleague or continue these discussions within your professional community Learn more about DCA® or any of the classes or events mentioned in this episode at the links below:Website: www.divorcecoachesacademy.comInstagram: @divorcecoachesacademyLinkedIn: divorce-coaches-academyEmail: DCA@divorcecoachesacademy.com

TW: Suicide & DVAt the top of the episode, Melissa discusses the recent loss of Robert Cosby Jr, Katherine Short and Robert Carradine. Through this MH, addiction, and suicide are discussed. Melissa shares personal experiences with depression and gives a MH pep talk sharing helpful tips and insights.Melissa then discusses Southern Charm specifically Craig and Venita. Melissa discusses the roles of racism, misogyny and the patriarchy. YBT also talks Craig's addictive behaviors and Leva Bonaparte weighing in on YBT's Instagram.Melissa then talks RHOBH, including an interaction with Denise on YBT's Instagram. Melissa talks Denise and Erika's DV and Erika's therapy session with Dr. Mann.  THANK YOU FOR LISTENING and for all the support!Please follow YBT podcast and give a 5-star comment & rating (it really helps!)Please follow @yourbishtherapist on Instagram, Patreon, YouTube, FB, and TTFor full video (ad free, bonus content & early releases) visit YBT Patreon, Spreaker Supporters Club or YouTubePatreon: https://patreon.com/YourBishTherapist?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLinkAPPLE PODCAST https://apple.co/3MfskzeSpreaker Supporters club:  https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/your-bish-therapist--6065109/supportYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu8bmVPTlWANg5v7rGRJjow?subconfirmation=1 To find links to all YBT content: https://linktr.ee/yourbishtherapistBrand Ambassador: www.Iamhumanthebrand.com for clothing with a purpose. Code BISH20 for 20% off purchaseDisclaimer: Posts are not intended to diagnose, treat or provide medical advice. Your Bish Therapist (YBT) is for entertainment and informational purposes only. The podcast, my opinions, and posts, are my own and are not associated with past or present employers, any organizations, Bravo TV, Grey Heart productions or any other television network. The information in YBT podcast and on its its social media is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat. Please do not act or refrain from acting based on anything you read, see, or hear on YBT, podcast or associated social media. Communicating with YBT via email, and/or social media does not form a therapeutic alliance. Melissa, operator of YBT, is unable to provide any therapeutic advice, treatment or feedback.

Start healing your Attachment Style with personalized courses taught by Thais Gibson. Free for 7 Days [enough time to complete a full course]. Limited-time offer: https://attachment.personaldevelopmentschool.com/dream-life?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=7-day-trial&utm_medium=organic&utm_content=pod-03-02-26el=podcast Are You Becoming More Secure? 5 Pillars to Track Your Progress Have you ever wondered how Securely Attached you're actually showing up in your relationships? Healing your Attachment Style isn't just about “feeling better.” It's about measurable shifts in how you think, react, communicate, and relate to others. Episode Summary In this episode, Thais Gibson walks you through the 5 Major Pillars of Becoming Securely Attached and how to track whether you're truly progressing in your healing journey. If you've been doing the work, this video will help you see exactly where you stand. In this breakdown, you'll learn the five foundational ingredients required to move from insecure to Secure Attachment: ✔️ Rewiring your core wounds ✔️ Understanding your subconscious needs ✔️ Regulating your nervous system ✔️ Setting honest, healthy boundaries ✔️ Communicating clearly and consistently Thais also shares insights from her own journey as a former Fearful Avoidant, explaining how frequency and intensity of triggers begin to diminish and what secure functioning actually feels like in daily life. Secure Attachment isn't perfection. It's regulation, self-awareness, authenticity, and the ability to repair. Key Takeaways • How to tell if your triggers are decreasing in frequency and intensity • Why rewiring core wounds is the foundation of lasting change • The role subconscious needs play in fulfillment and alignment • How nervous system regulation creates emotional stability • Why boundaries increase authenticity and connection • How proper communication empties your “resentment tank” • What Secure Attachment actually looks like in real relationships Timestamps 00:00 – Are You Becoming More Secure? 01:14 – Pillar 1: Rewiring Your Core Wounds 04:04 – Thais' Rewiring Experience 05:28 – Pillar 2: Learning About Your Own Needs 07:55 – Pillar 3: Learning How to Regulate Your Nervous System 08:57 – Pillar 4: Setting Your Honest Boundaries With People 11:02 – 7-Day Trial Promo 11:51 – Pillar 5: Learning to Communicate Properly Meet the Host Thais Gibson is the founder of The Personal Development School and a world leader in attachment theory. With a Ph.D. and over a dozen certifications, she's helped more than 70,000 people reprogram their subconscious and build thriving relationships. Helpful Resources:

What is your church known for in your community? In this episode, Phil Cooke https://philcooke.com sits down with church branding strategist Mark MacDonald to uncover the real reason many churches don't grow and what church leaders can do to fix it. Discover how churches can stop being known for what they're against and start becoming known for what they're for—using practical branding and communication strategies that actually help people find and understand your church. If your church wants to grow, stand out, and truly matter in your community, this conversation will challenge the way you think about church branding, messaging, and outreach. Includes insight on using listening groups and AI to elevate your branding strategy, plus tips on developing your online presence through keywords and Google search.

In this episode, Noah Herrin shares what has sustained him as a communicator over the years—especially with young people. From the power of consistency and authenticity to navigating affirmation with humility, Noah offers practical wisdom for anyone who speaks to others. He unpacks the differences between preaching to students and adults, how launching a podcast has sharpened his voice, and why balancing storytelling with Scripture matters more than ever in a biblically illiterate culture.

This one is a grounding exhale.Today, we're bringing you a powerful conversation from the We Are For Good Summit with our friend Seth Godin — it's for anyone carrying the weight of leadership in uncertain times.Because here's the truth: uncertainty isn't a season anymore. It's the environment. And if you're feeling the pressure, the risk, the emotional toll of caring deeply about work that matters… you are not alone.Seth challenges us to rethink what risk really is (hint: it's the feeling of risk that trips us up), why attachment fuels burnout, and how trust is built — and burned — through small, consistent actions. We talk about belonging and leadership, and about the courage it takes to stay in the arena when the outcomes aren't guaranteed.We also dig into:How to innovate when nothing feels stableRebuilding trust through behavior, not brandingUsing AI as a tool (without losing our humanity)Communicating experimentation and risk to donorsLetting go of entanglements that keep us stuckAnd why agency — not compliance — is the futureSeth reminds us that we didn't sign up for perfect — we signed up to keep moving toward better. To feel the fear and move forward anyway, tell the truth, bring people together, and stay responsible to the work we care about. If you're tired but still called, questioning but still committed, this conversation is for you.

Stop the small talk. Chip shares how to move beyond logistics to have genuine heart-to-heart conversations with your spouse starting today.How to effectively communicate:I. The command – Put on the proper attire -Colossians 3:12COMPASSION – Empathy to action vs. cynical -Matthew 9:36KINDNESS – Whatever is helpful, beneficial vs. critical -Jeremiah 9:23-24, John 4HUMILITY – Their needs first, posture of a servant -Philippians 2:5-11GENTLENESS – Strength under control, your emotions -Matthew 11:28-30PATIENCE – Endure with a good attitude -2 Peter 3:8-9II. Why the “clothing” metaphor is crucial to biblical communication“Old clothes” must be taken off. -Colossians 3:8-9The new self requires “new clothes”. -Colossians 3:10-11The Principle: Who we are determines how we “dress” (communicate from the heart)III. The problem:We have settled for techniques and self-help tools to change how we speak, and to modify our emotions and behaviors to improve compatibility; rather than focusing on the deep-rooted transformation of our hearts which empowers us to give the life-giving love of Christ to our mates.IV. The solution is threefold:1. Don't buy the old lies*I am what I have: PossessionsI am what I accomplish: PerformanceI am what others think of me: Popularity2. Dress appropriately for your mateA – AFFIRMATIONW – WARMTHE – ENCOURAGEMENT3. Have at least 2 “couples conferences” per week**What are you concerned about?What do you wish?What are you willing to do?*Discover Your True Self book and Affirmation Cards by Chip Ingram and Theresa Ingram.**Marriage that Works by Chip Ingram.Broadcast ResourceDownload MP3Message NotesAdditional Resource MentionsI Choose Love Book"The Five Love Languages" Book by Gary ChapmanConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookTwitterPartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003

Today, I'm joined by the remarkable Cathy Eason, whose work in the nitric oxide and vascular health space is changing the conversation around resilience and heart health for midlife women. Cathy dives into why cardiovascular disease is still the number one threat to women globally, and how the drop in estrogen during menopause impacts nitric oxide production—an overlooked factor that quietly influences everything from energy to cognition. Visit https://berkeleylife.pxf.io/NIDDBL and use code NAT20 for 20% off.   Episode Timestamps: Podcast welcome and cardiovascular focus ... 00:00:00 Introducing Cathy Eason, nitric oxide updates ... 00:03:26 Menopause as a vascular event ... 00:08:50 Everyday signs of cardiovascular decline ... 00:11:19 Body awareness and tracking health metrics ... 00:14:15 Healthy labs but low resilience ... 00:16:56 Defining and understanding menopause ... 00:22:48 Systems affected during menopause ... 00:25:26 Nitric oxide's critical role ... 00:44:24 Testing and optimizing blood flow ... 00:48:14 Value of health patterns over labs ... 00:55:09 Communicating health trends to providers ... 00:56:32 Berkeley Life supplement recommendation ... 00:59:02 Prioritizing basic health habits ... 01:01:58 Longevity reframe: thriving with age ... 01:06:46 Advice for early action ... 01:07:09   Our Amazing Sponsors: Primeadine by Oxford Healthspan — A food-derived spermidine supplement that supports autophagy and cellular renewal without fasting, made from Japanese wheat germ with clean, rigorously tested ingredients (including a gluten-free option); visit oxfordhealthspan.com/BIONAT20 and use code BIONAT20 at checkout. Magnesium Breakthrough by BIOptimizers — A full-spectrum magnesium supplement combining seven highly absorbable forms to support sleep, stress, muscle recovery, and nervous system balance in one nightly habit. Save 15% at bioptimizers.com/bionat with code BIONAT Nature's Marvels Bioregulators - provide gentle, organ-specific support — and the Liver Bioregulator is a favorite this season for supporting detox pathways and metabolic flow. Head to profound-health.com and use code NAT15 for 15% off your first order.   Nat's Links:  YouTube Channel Join My Membership Community Sign up for My Newsletter  Instagram  Dr. Bill Lawrence Episode

Stop the small talk. Chip shares how to move beyond logistics to have genuine heart-to-heart conversations with your spouse starting today.How to effectively communicate:I. The command – Put on the proper attire -Colossians 3:12COMPASSION – Empathy to action vs. cynical -Matthew 9:36KINDNESS – Whatever is helpful, beneficial vs. critical -Jeremiah 9:23-24, John 4HUMILITY – Their needs first, posture of a servant -Philippians 2:5-11GENTLENESS – Strength under control, your emotions -Matthew 11:28-30PATIENCE – Endure with a good attitude -2 Peter 3:8-9II. Why the “clothing” metaphor is crucial to biblical communication“Old clothes” must be taken off. -Colossians 3:8-9The new self requires “new clothes”. -Colossians 3:10-11The Principle: Who we are determines how we “dress” (communicate from the heart)III. The problem:We have settled for techniques and self-help tools to change how we speak, and to modify our emotions and behaviors to improve compatibility; rather than focusing on the deep-rooted transformation of our hearts which empowers us to give the life-giving love of Christ to our mates.IV. The solution is threefold:1. Don't buy the old lies*I am what I have: PossessionsI am what I accomplish: PerformanceI am what others think of me: Popularity2. Dress appropriately for your mateA – AFFIRMATIONW – WARMTHE – ENCOURAGEMENT3. Have at least 2 “couples conferences” per week**What are you concerned about?What do you wish?What are you willing to do?*Discover Your True Self book and Affirmation Cards by Chip Ingram and Theresa Ingram.**Marriage that Works by Chip Ingram.Broadcast ResourceDownload MP3Message NotesAdditional Resource MentionsI Choose Love Book"The Five Love Languages" Book by Gary ChapmanConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookTwitterPartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003

Why being true to yourself enables you to show up better for others.From the way you communicate, to the way you build your life and career, Graham Weaver, MBA '99, says it's about “giving yourself permission to fully be yourself. You can never go wrong when you're saying your truth.”Weaver is a lecturer in management, a GSB alum, and the founder and a partner of Alpine Investors. He stresses the importance of direct communication, highlighting how avoiding it can lead to wasted time, energy, and even financial losses. Reflecting on his own experiences in private equity, Weaver admits to struggling with being conflict-averse and not speaking his truth directly, which resulted in getting into bad deals and big losses for his company. “People think that by being indirect, they're being kind, but all they're doing is creating confusion,” he says. “Clarity is compassionate. Even if it's not what they want to hear, the more direct and clear you can be, the more compassionate that is for the other person.”In this Rethinks episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Weaver and host Matt Abrahams explore how being true to oneself not only fosters personal fulfillment but also enables us to show up better for others. Authenticity and self-belief lay the foundation for effective communication, leadership, and ultimately, success.Episode Reference Links:Graham WeaverConnect:Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart PremiumEmail Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.ioEpisode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteNewsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.ioThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTubeMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedInChapters:(00:00) - Introduction (03:56) - Direct Communication & Limiting Beliefs (07:06) - The Internal Game (08:11) - An Asymmetrical Life (13:23) - Taylor Swift & Grit (16:17) - Pursuing Enlightenment (20:31) - The Final Three Questions (27:28) - Conclusion   ********Thank you to our sponsors.  These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.This episode is brought to you by Babbel. Think Fast Talk Smart listeners can get started on your language learning journey today- visit Babbel.com/Thinkfast and get up to 55% off your Babbel subscription.Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be. 

Love isn't just chemistry—it's communication, polarity, self-worth, and the courage to show up authentically. In this deeply insightful and empowering conversation, Dr. Anna Cabeca sits down with world-renowned dating and relationship expert Mat Boggs, bestselling author of Project Everlasting and his newest book, Cracking the Man Code, to uncover the real dynamics behind attraction, commitment, and lasting intimacy. Together, they explore what truly makes a man fall in love—and what makes love last. Whether you're navigating midlife dating, healing after heartbreak, or rekindling passion in a long-term relationship, this episode will transform how you understand masculine and feminine energy, emotional connection, and your own magnetic power. Dr. Anna brings her expertise in hormones, oxytocin, and female physiology to the conversation—revealing how our biology, nervous system, and self-worth shape our relationships more than we realize. You'll learn how to communicate your needs without losing your independence, stop over-functioning in masculine energy, and step into your feminine strength in a way that inspires devotion, partnership, and emotional safety. This is a must-listen episode for any woman ready to attract—or reignite—a passionate, deeply connected relationship. What You'll Learn in This Episode ● Why masculine and feminine polarity drives attraction—and how to use it consciously ● How over-functioning in masculine energy can unintentionally repel the partner you desire ● The surprising hormonal and emotional effects of intimacy before commitment ● How oxytocin, dopamine, and bonding hormones shape attachment ● The difference between chasing and inviting pursuit ● Why friendship and shared adventure are essential for lifelong passion ● How to communicate your needs in a way that deepens connection instead of creating conflict ● The foundational role of self-love in becoming magnetic ● Daily practices to increase self-worth, confidence, and relational success Why This Matters—Especially in Midlife As women step into midlife, many have spent decades leading—in careers, families, and businesses. But this leadership strength can sometimes make it difficult to shift into receptive feminine energy in relationships. Dr. Anna and Mat explore how to create balance without sacrificing independence—and how understanding your biology, nervous system, and emotional patterns can help you attract the love you truly deserve. Because thriving relationships aren't about losing power. They're about aligning with your authentic energy. Memorable Quotes "Femininity is not passive, submissive, or weak. It is proactive, powerful, and magnetic." — Mat Boggs "Half of manifesting your partner faster is getting rid of the wrong partners sooner." — Mat Boggs "Partnership doesn't start outside of you. It starts with loving yourself first." — Dr. Anna Cabeca Key Timestamps [00:00:00] Introduction. [00:03:09] Lifelong love and relationships. [00:06:00] Ego and love in relationships. [00:08:42] Communicating needs in relationships. [00:12:57] Compromise in relationships. [00:14:51] Masculine and feminine energy dynamics. [00:19:02] Masculine vs. feminine energy in dating. [00:21:34] Masculine vs. feminine attributes. [00:29:13] Attraction and pursuit dynamics. [00:32:29] Commitment and sexual interaction. [00:36:18] Friendship and adventure in relationships. [00:40:16] Self-worth in relationships. [00:44:08] The journey to self-love. [00:46:16] Daily practices on self-love. [00:51:06] Partnership starts from within. Connect with Mat Boggs Website: https://www.bravethinkinginstitute.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mathewboggs/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/matboggs Pre-order his new book: Cracking the Man Code Connect with Dr. Anna Cabeca Website: https://drannacabeca.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegirlfrienddoctor YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thegirlfrienddoctor Call to Action If this episode spoke to you, share it with a girlfriend, daughter, or partner who needs to hear it. Because the most powerful relationships don't happen by accident. They happen when you understand yourself first.

Many churches want to reach first-time guests yet unintentionally confuse them. In this episode, Mark Clifton, Mark Hallock, and Dan Hurst discuss practical ways churches can communicate clearly and remove barriers for unchurched visitors. Discover how signage, printed programs, parking, announcements, and simple language choices can dramatically improve guest experience and help people feel comfortable attending church for the first time. This episode is perfect for pastors, church planters, greeter teams, and hospitality volunteers who want to make their services accessible and welcoming. Key Topics Covered Making first-time guests feel comfortable Church signage and parking best practices Communicating clearly during worship gatherings Avoiding insider church language Effective — not overwhelming — announcements

How do you scale AI in a regulated enterprise without risking trust, compliance, or credibility? In this episode of Technovation, Nick Colisto, CIO of Avery Dennison, and Sathish Muthukrishnan, Chief Information, Data & Digital Officer at Ally Financial, share how they are moving from AI pilots to measurable enterprise impact. From governance-first implementation inside a federally regulated bank to CFO-grade ROI tracking across a global manufacturing enterprise, this conversation focuses on the discipline required to operationalize AI at scale. Key highlights include: Why one AI misstep can set a regulated enterprise back years How to win over risk, audit, and compliance before scaling Embedding “human-in-the-loop” safeguards from day one Measuring AI-enabled initiatives using EBIT and IRR Taking credit for AI embedded in SaaS platforms If you’re leading AI in a regulated or board-visible environment, this episode offers a pragmatic blueprint for scaling responsibly. 🎧 Listen to learn how CIOs are turning AI experimentation into enterprise value.

Tired of misunderstandings? Chip shares how to move past hurt feelings and start having genuine heart-to-heart conversations with your spouse today.How to effectively communicate:I. The command – Put on the proper attire -Colossians 3:12COMPASSION – Empathy to action vs. cynical -Matthew 9:36KINDNESS – Whatever is helpful, beneficial vs. critical -Jeremiah 9:23-24, John 4HUMILITY – Their needs first, posture of a servant -Philippians 2:5-11GENTLENESS – Strength under control, your emotions -Matthew 11:28-30PATIENCE – Endure with a good attitude -2 Peter 3:8-9II. Why the “clothing” metaphor is crucial to biblical communication“Old clothes” must be taken off. -Colossians 3:8-9The new self requires “new clothes”. -Colossians 3:10-11The Principle: Who we are determines how we “dress” (communicate from the heart)III. The problem:We have settled for techniques and self-help tools to change how we speak, and to modify our emotions and behaviors to improve compatibility; rather than focusing on the deep-rooted transformation of our hearts which empowers us to give the life-giving love of Christ to our mates.IV. The solution is threefold:1. Don't buy the old lies*I am what I have: PossessionsI am what I accomplish: PerformanceI am what others think of me: Popularity2. Dress appropriately for your mateA – AFFIRMATIONW – WARMTHE – ENCOURAGEMENT3. Have at least 2 “couples conferences” per week**What are you concerned about?What do you wish?What are you willing to do?*Discover Your True Self book and Affirmation Cards by Chip Ingram and Theresa Ingram.**Marriage that Works by Chip Ingram.Broadcast ResourceDownload MP3Message NotesAdditional Resource MentionsI Choose Love Book"The Five Love Languages" Book by Gary ChapmanConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookTwitterPartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003

Struggling to connect with your spouse? Join Chip to learn how communication skills can resolve frustration and reflect God's love in your marriage.How to effectively communicate:I. The command – Put on the proper attire -Colossians 3:12COMPASSION – Empathy to action vs. cynical -Matthew 9:36KINDNESS – Whatever is helpful, beneficial vs. critical -Jeremiah 9:23-24, John 4HUMILITY – Their needs first, posture of a servant -Philippians 2:5-11GENTLENESS – Strength under control, your emotions -Matthew 11:28-30PATIENCE – Endure with a good attitude -2 Peter 3:8-9II. Why the “clothing” metaphor is crucial to biblical communication“Old clothes” must be taken off. -Colossians 3:8-9The new self requires “new clothes”. -Colossians 3:10-11The Principle: Who we are determines how we “dress” (communicate from the heart)III. The problem:We have settled for techniques and self-help tools to change how we speak, and to modify our emotions and behaviors to improve compatibility; rather than focusing on the deep-rooted transformation of our hearts which empowers us to give the life-giving love of Christ to our mates.IV. The solution is threefold:1. Don't buy the old lies*I am what I have: PossessionsI am what I accomplish: PerformanceI am what others think of me: Popularity2. Dress appropriately for your mateA – AFFIRMATIONW – WARMTHE – ENCOURAGEMENT3. Have at least 2 “couples conferences” per week**What are you concerned about?What do you wish?What are you willing to do?*Discover Your True Self book and Affirmation Cards by Chip Ingram and Theresa Ingram.**Marriage that Works by Chip Ingram.Broadcast ResourceDownload MP3Message NotesAdditional Resource MentionsI Choose Love Book"The Five Love Languages" Book by Gary ChapmanConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookTwitterPartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003

Melissa and Nyemade talk Summer House; breaking down the disintegration of Amanda and Kyle's marriage. They also discuss the newbies and the overall focus of mental health. Melissa shares clinical information about underpinnings of Kyle's behaviors.The pair then discuss RHOP reunion part one, weighing in on the fandoms split on Stacey. They also discuss Karen Huger and she is about to return for the reunion, leading to a discussion about addiction, recovery and accountability.At the end, Melissa and Nyemade briefly discuss Venita versus Craig, examining the role race and gender play in the conflict.THANK YOU FOR LISTENING and for all the support!Please follow YBT podcast and give a 5-star comment & rating (it really helps!)Please follow @yourbishtherapist on Instagram, Patreon, YouTube, FB, and TTFor full video (ad free, bonus content & early releases) visit YBT Patreon, Spreaker Supporters Club or YouTubePatreon:https://patreon.com/YourBishTherapist?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLinkAPPLE PODCAST https://apple.co/3MfskzeSpreaker Supporters club:https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/your-bish-therapist--6065109/supportYouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu8bmVPTlWANg5v7rGRJjow?subconfirmation=1To find links to all YBT content:https://linktr.ee/yourbishtherapistBrand Ambassador: www.Iamhumanthebrand.com for clothing with a purpose. Code BISH20 for 20% off purchaseDisclaimer: Posts are not intended to diagnose, treat or provide medical advice. Your Bish Therapist (YBT) is for entertainment and informational purposes only. The podcast, my opinions, and posts, are my own and are not associated with past or present employers, any organizations, Bravo TV, Grey Heart productions or any other television network. The information in YBT podcast and on its its social media is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat. Please do not act or refrain from acting based on anything you read, see, or hear on YBT, podcast or associated social media. Communicating with YBT via email, and/or social media does not form a therapeutic alliance. Melissa, operator of YBT, is unable to provide any therapeutic advice, treatment or feedback.

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 2915: Dr. Lisa Firestone explores how collaborative communication can transform romantic relationships by fostering empathy, shared understanding, and emotional safety. She breaks down practical tools, like attuned listening, separating past triggers from present conflicts, and repairing after ruptures, that help couples feel truly known and supported. Learning to communicate with vulnerability and calm creates a stronger, more resilient bond built on trust and teamwork. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.psychalive.org/want-a-better-relationship-work-on-collaborative-communication/ Quotes to ponder: "Collaborative communication does not just refer to the words that come out of our mouths. Rather, it encompasses all the intricate ways we communicate through tone, expression, body signals, etc." "Communicating collaboratively means taking actions that draw our partner out and trying to understand an interaction from their perspective." "Our communication will always (and pretty much only) go more smoothly when we learn tools to calm down within ourselves."

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 2915: Dr. Lisa Firestone explores how collaborative communication can transform romantic relationships by fostering empathy, shared understanding, and emotional safety. She breaks down practical tools, like attuned listening, separating past triggers from present conflicts, and repairing after ruptures, that help couples feel truly known and supported. Learning to communicate with vulnerability and calm creates a stronger, more resilient bond built on trust and teamwork. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.psychalive.org/want-a-better-relationship-work-on-collaborative-communication/ Quotes to ponder: "Collaborative communication does not just refer to the words that come out of our mouths. Rather, it encompasses all the intricate ways we communicate through tone, expression, body signals, etc." "Communicating collaboratively means taking actions that draw our partner out and trying to understand an interaction from their perspective." "Our communication will always (and pretty much only) go more smoothly when we learn tools to calm down within ourselves."

In the second episode of this two-part series, Tails from the Lab cohosts Dr. Brad Ryan and Dr. Holly Brown welcome back Jason Coe (DVM, PhD), a leading expert in veterinary clinical communication and professor at the Ontario Veterinary College back to the podcast. Preventive care diagnostics — including infectious disease screening, fecal testing, and comprehensive wellness panels like CBC, chemistry profiles, and urinalysis — are vital tools for early disease detection. But how do veterinary teams effectively communicate the value of these tests to pet owners in a way that resonates and motivates action? The conversation about relationship-centered preventive care continues as Dr. Coe delves into the art and science of communicating preventive care diagnostics and wellness testing in veterinary practice. Hosts: Holly Brown (DVM, PhD, DAVCP) and Brad Ryan (MSc, DVM, MPH)This episode includes a guest appearance. Our guest was compensated for their participation. Tails from the Lab is a production of Antech Diagnostics™️. The intent of this podcast is to provide education and guidance with the understanding that any diagnostic testing and treatment decisions are ultimately at the discretion of the attending veterinarian within the established veterinarian-patient-client relationship.

There is a focus driving your strategy, reason behind every change to your benefits program, and a story. It's how...[…]

On a freezing morning, it feels smart to let your car idle and warm up before driving off. But is it? Modern engines aren't built the way they used to be. In fact, letting your car sit and idle too long may not be doing what you think it is. This episode begins with what actually happens under the hood — and how long you really should wait before you hit the gas and go. https://www.mensjournal.com/gear/stop-idling-like-its-1985-warm-up-your-car-right There are few communication situations more intense than when a Secret Service agent speaks with someone who has threatened the President of the United States. In those moments, connection, trust, and careful listening aren't just helpful — they're critical. Brad Beeler developed his communication skills in those exact circumstances and shares how anyone can apply those same techniques to everyday conversations. Brad served in many roles at the Secret Service including on the protection detail for President George H.W. Bush. He is author of Tell Me Everything: A Secret Service Agent's Proven Strategies for Earning Trust, Revealing the Truth, and Communicating with Anyone (https://amzn.to/3M5YlKy). Designing a meaningful life may not be about discovering your one true calling or waiting for passion to strike. What if finding meaning is something you build through experimentation — by testing ideas, adjusting course, and learning from experience? Bill Burnett explains how “design thinking” can be applied to life itself. He is executive director of the Stanford Life Design Lab, founder of the Designing Your Life Institute, and co-author of How to Live a Meaningful Life: Using Design Thinking to Unlock Purpose, Joy, and Flow Every Day. (https://amzn.to/4ataW2i) And finally, when a company doesn't honor its promise, most people either complain or give up. But there's another tool that can quickly get a retailer's attention: the chargeback. We wrap up with how chargebacks actually work — and why businesses take them very seriously. https://www.mastercard.com/us/en/news-and-trends/Insights/2025/what-s-the-true-cost-of-a-chargeback-in-2025.html PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS QUINCE: Refresh your wardrobe with Quince! Go to ⁠⁠https://Quince.dom/sysk ⁠⁠for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! HIMS: For simple, online access to personalized and affordable care for Hair Loss, ED, Weight Loss, and more, visit ⁠⁠https://Hims.com/SOMETHING⁠⁠ for your free online visit!  SHOPIFY: Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠ DELL: Dell Tech Days are here. Enjoy huge deals on PCs like the Dell 14 Plus with Intel® Core™ Ultra processors. Visit ⁠⁠https://Dell.com/deals⁠⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES: We love the Planet Visionaries podcast, so listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you're listening to this podcast! In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this deeply honest conversation, Shani opens up about the origins of her love for Torah, a genuine religious crisis she experienced in college, and how wrestling with philosophy ultimately widened her faith. We talk about Jewish womanhood, halacha, and why Shani wants women to stop being afraid of their own bodies and their own questions. With remarkable vulnerability, Shani reflects on the cost of a life given to community, the nights she wasn't home, and the conversation with her daughter that taught her a powerful lesson about accepting the hidden costs of our most idealistic choices. Rabbanit Shani Taragin directs and teaches in Israel and worldwide. She currently serves on the advisory committee for the Mizrachi Olami Shalhevet program, as Rosh Beit Midrash for the women in Yeshiva University's new academic program in Israel, and together with her husband, Reuven, as Educational Director for Mizrachi Olami.Join our new virtual Tanya class! We will be hosting a live, three part series on the divine soul, through Chapter 2 of the Tanya, a space to explore the text through shared study, poetry, curated illustrations, songs, and guided reflection. Link to join us here: https://humanandholy.mykajabi.com/tanyaclass* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at info@humanandholy.comTo support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.* * * * * * *TIMESTAMPS:[00:00] — Intro [00:03] — Host's intro[00:06] — Online Tanya Class Launch[00:09] — Welcome Rabbanit Shani [00:12] — How My Love of Torah Developed[00:15] — The Merging of Study and Teaching [00:18] — Torah Changes Who I Am[00:21] — Bible Criticism in the Beit Medrash[00:24] — Have You Ever Experienced Religious Doubt?[00:27] — A Personal Faith Crisis[00:30] — What is the Foundation of Faith?[00:33] — Judaism Where We Can Question While We Study [00:36] — Not Just an Ethical System, A Relationship with God[00:39] — A Love Letter to the Torah [00:42] — Ideals Put Into Daily Practice[00:45] — Women's Torah Study[00:48] — Torah and Daily Life Are Naturally Intertwined for Jewish Women[00:51] — I Want Women to Feel More Comfortable in Their Bodies[00:54] — What I'd Like to See Changed[00:57] — The Human Dimension of My Role [01:00] — The Hidden Costs of Our Choices[01:03] — A Conversation with My Daughter About Balance in Motherhood[01:06] — Communicating the Why Behind Your Choices[01:09] — Evolving in the Balance Between Family and Public Work [01:12] — Rapid Fire [01:19] — Outro

(00:00) Felger, Mazz, and Murray start hour No. 2 by reacting to Tony Clark's fallout with the MLBPA. (6:45) We discuss whether MLB needs a salary cap.(16:46) We take your lovely phone calls about everything we've talked about so far. (23:55) We play an audio recording of what it's like to negotiate with the Red Sox. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.