Podcasts about Compassion

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions around suicide.  Triggers Aren't the Problem—They're the Clue Co-host Sue Marriott and guest Lisa Firestone examine how attachment wounds, emotional dysregulation, and relational disconnection can quietly escalate into crisis. Together they explore the often-overlooked link between attachment patterns and suicidality, and why understanding your relational blueprint may be one of the most important protective factors you have. Blending research, clinical experience, and practical strategies, this episode offers tools for building emotional resilience, increasing self-awareness, and supporting others through vulnerable moments.  “It is a full-time job to cope with alien elements from both interpersonal sources and societal influences.” – Dr. Lisa Firestone Myths of Attachment Styles: What Real Science Tells Us FREE LIVE Webinar – March 12 Join Ann and Sue as they challenge oversimplified attachment frameworks popularized on social media and explore the dynamic, context-dependent nature of defensive attachment patterns.​​​​​​​ The attachment spectrum includes cultural patterns as well as unconscious scripts and strategies to update your patterns in real time – tune in to hear more! FREE with an option to purchase 1.5 CE. Click Here to Sign Up!! Time Stamps for From Crisis to Connection: Attachment as a Lifeline with Dr. Lisa Firestone (292) 05:23 Understanding suicide and self-regulation 11:09 Therapeutic approaches to suicidality 16:17 Navigating attachment styles 27:11 Understanding attachment and security 29:53 Interactive exercise on attachment 40:22 Recognizing triggers in relationships About our Guest – Dr. Lisa Firestone Lisa Firestone, PhD is a Clinical Psychologist and the Director of Research and Education at the Glendon Association and Senior Editor at PsychAlive.org. She is the author of numerous articles and book chapters and coauthor of the books Self Under Siege, Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice, and Creating a Life of Meaning and Compassion. Dr. Firestone is a national and international trainer and presenter on topics including couple relationships, attachment, suicide and violence prevention assessment and treatment Lisa has been involved in clinical training and research in the areas of suicide and violence which resulted in the development of the assessments Firestone Assessment of Self-destructive Thoughts (FAST) and (FASI) and the Firestone Assessment of Violent Thoughts (FAVT) for adults and adolescents. Lisa Firestone is a clinical psychologist in private practice and consultant on the management of high-risk clients. Resources for From Crisis to Connection: Attachment as a Lifeline with Dr. Lisa Firestone (292) Making Sense of Your Life – eCourse with Dr. Dan Siegel and Dr. Lisa Firestone (4 CEs) Challenging the Fantasy Bond – book by Dr. Robert Firestone Developing Secure Attachment  – Two-Part Online Course (2 CEs) Beyond Attachment Styles course is available NOW!   Learn how your nervous system, your mind, and your relationships work together in a fascinating dance, shaping who you are and how you connect with others. Online, Self-Paced, Asynchronous Learning with Quarterly Live Q&A’s – next one April 13, 2026! Earn 6 Continuing Education Credits – Available at Checkout As a listener of this podcast, use code BAS15 for a limited-time discount. Get your copy of Secure Relating here!! You are invited!  Join our exclusive community to get early access and discounts to things we produce, plus an ad-free, private feed. In addition, receive exclusive episodes recorded just for you. Sign up for our premium Neuronerd plan!! Click here!! Join us again in Washington, DC for the 49th Annual Psychotherapy Networker! March 19-22nd! In person and online options available. Get your discounted seat HERE!

This talk was given by Nikki Mirghafori on 2026.03.02 at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, CA. ******* For more talks like this, visit AudioDharma.org ******* If you have enjoyed this talk, please consider supporting AudioDharma with a donation at https://www.audiodharma.org/donate/. ******* This talk is licensed by a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License

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Send Us Your Prayer Requests --------Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org. Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

Is it possible to age without aches & pains? Are some people just cursed with bad genes?  Eileen Kopsaftis is a physical therapist with a Fellowship in Applied Functional Science & a nutrition educator diploma with decades of hands-on work in acute hospital care, outpatient rehab & nursing homes. She is currently serving as a chronic pain & health conditions consultant with Have life-Long Well Being.In this episode, you'll hear how to identify real & realistic goals while aging, how mindset & community matter more than you realize, how to navigate your next doctor's appointment & why your insurance could be limiting your outcomes. If you like this episode, you'll also like episode 251: FOOD ADDICTION: CHARACTER FLAW OR REAL DEPENDENCE? [REMASTERED]  Guest:https://havelifelongwellbeing.com/https://www.facebook.com/EileenKopsaftisOfficial Host:  https://www.meredithforreal.com/  https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ meredith@meredithforreal.comhttps://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert  Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/  02:05 — Common vs. Normal Aging04:18 — Why Modern Life Accelerates Decline05:05 — “I Might As Well Enjoy Life” Thinking05:55 — Lessons From Home Health Visits07:28 — Habits That Predict Independence08:10 — Compassion vs. Personal Responsibility08:55 — What Healthy 90-Year-Olds Actually Do09:40 — “At My Age I Should Rest”10:45 — The Reality of Nursing Home Dependency11:30 — Independence Is Not Luck12:05 — The Social Side of Healthy Aging13:05 — Finding Friends Who Move13:55 — Pickleball and the Comeback of Activity14:50 — Why Mindset Comes First15:45 — Speaking Aging Into Existence17:05 — When Pain Disappears Instantly18:30 — How to Navigate Doctor Visits23:00 — Lie #1: Tests Equal Answers25:45 — When Shoulder Pain Starts at the Ankle26:30 — Whole-Body Problem Solving27:05 — Why Pain Treatment Often Fails27:45 — Finding the Right Clinician30:20 — Insurance vs. Cash Pay Care32:40 — Why People Think PT “Doesn't Work”33:20 — Lie #2: Stop Moving to Stop Pain34:45 — Shrinking Movement Shrinks Life35:30 — Bone-on-Bone Pain Explained37:50 — The Three Biggest Pain Culprits39:10 — Sitting, Weak Glutes, and Back Pain39:55 — Why Ankles Cause Knee Problems41:25 — Lie #3: You Need a Stair-Free Home42:50 — The Hidden Danger of “Aging in Place” Homes43:30 — Choosing Friends Who Support Vitality44:10 — Resources, Courses, and Online CommunityRequest to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/

Relationships change because people change. In this episode, we explore what it means when someone you love no longer feels like the person you once knew. Using behavioral science, we examine why personality shifts over time, why growth does not always happen in the same direction, and how to decide whether to reconnect, recalibrate, or let go. Topics [0:00] Understanding Relationship Changes [7:07] Relationship Changes Over Time [13:28] Self-Expansion Theory and Michelangelo Phenomenon [22:08] Growth vs. Escape: What's Really Driving the Change? [29:49] How to Navigate Relationship Changes [34:00] Updating the Story of “Us” [43:01] The Importance of Compassion [46:00] Regret, Loss, and What to Do Next ©2026 Behavioral Grooves Links The All-or-Nothing Marriage: How the Best Marriages Work by Eli Finkel Join us on Substack! Join the Behavioral Grooves community Subscribe to Behavioral Grooves on YouTube Support Behavioral Grooves Music Links Gotye - Somebody That I Used to Know Flora Cash - You're Somebody Else

In this episode of The Sacred Speaks, Dr. John Price sits down with Molly Carroll, therapist, writer, and host of the podcast Cracking Open, for a searching conversation about intuition, rupture, and the cost of inner honesty. Molly is the author of Trust Within: Letting Intuition Lead and Cracking Open. Her work grows out of lived dislocation, from moments when the life she was building no longer aligned with what she knew in her body. Together, John and Molly explore intuition not as a slogan or guarantee, but as a capacity that often becomes audible only after something in our lives refuses to continue as planned. The conversation moves through engagement endings, grief, codependency, therapy, and the subtle tension between anxiety and knowing. It considers whether intuition steadies us or unsettles us, and whether following it restores coherence or quietly dismantles the identities we once relied upon. Rather than offering formulaic guidance, this episode invites listeners into a more honest and discerning relationship with their own interior life. Key Takeaways: Molly Carroll describes the first “white picket fence dwindling moment” when she realized the life she planned (including an engagement) wasn't the life she truly wanted. The conversation frames intuition as a lived capacity shaped by rupture, grief, and risk rather than a simple gift or guarantee. The hosts emphasize integration of experiences—personal, spiritual, and professional—rather than retreating from discomfort after rupture. Molly recounts leaving an engagement with a fiancé visa in play, choosing honesty with herself over social expectations. The interview situates therapy and healing arts as pathways to listen to deep truths, even when those truths disrupt established life scripts Time-stamps (00:00) Introduction and Guest Overview (00:41) Housekeeping and Announcements (02:44) Introducing Molly Carroll (04:31) Molly's Journey and Intuition (07:16) Cracking Open Moments (11:28) The Role of Intuition and Personal Growth (22:53) Victimhood and Personal Responsibility (33:01) Connection and Compassion (43:05) Exploring Emotional Expression (43:53) The Healing Power of Tears (46:32) Creating Space for Vulnerability (49:20) Understanding Codependency (52:57) Intuition vs. Codependency (54:41) The Role of Intuition in Decision Making (01:08:56) Money, Worth, and Intuition (01:18:17) Concluding Thoughts and Reflections Connect with Molly Website https://molly-carroll.com/about/ Book https://www.amazon.com/Cracking-Open-2nd-Molly-Carroll/dp/1320934374?keywords=cracking+open&qid=1572021083&sr=8-1 Website for John http://www.drjohnwprice.com WATCH: YouTube for The Sacred Speaks https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOAuksnpfht1udHWUVEO7Rg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesacredspeaks/ @thesacredspeaks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesacredspeaks/ Brought to you by: https://www.thecenterforhas.com Theme music provided by: http://www.modernnationsmusic.com

Pressure culture did not begin in your company.It began somewhere earlier.In this episode, we slow down and trace leadership stress back to attachment patterns, early responsibility, and the emotional climate of home. Not to analyze. Not to diagnose. Simply to notice.Many driven, high-performing leaders assume urgency is part of their personality. But often, urgency is learned. It was adaptive. It reduced chaos. It stabilized rooms. It protected connection. And what protected you early in life can quietly become the atmosphere you transmit at work.This is not a conversation about productivity or performance optimization. It is not a new leadership tactic.This is identity-level recalibration.In this episode, we gently explore questions such as:• Who carried anxiety in your home growing up?• Who held everything together?• What did love feel like — steady, conditional, earned through responsibility?• Where did urgency first feel necessary?For many leaders who have been in long-term committed relationships, these patterns have surfaced again. Marriage and decade-long partnerships often reveal attachment dynamics we did not see in childhood. Not because something is wrong, but because intimacy exposes what leadership can hide.Workplace culture often mirrors attachment patterns at home. If love once felt connected to performance, leadership may feel fused with responsibility. If stability required vigilance, leadership may default to hyper-responsibility. If chaos decreased when you increased, you may still increase automatically.This episode moves from unconscious repetition to conscious presence.Not to rewrite your past.Not to blame your story.But to integrate it.Because what is learned can be unlearned. Not erased. Integrated.Key takeaways:• Urgency is often inherited, not invented.• Leadership stress may be attachment stress resurfacing.• Compassion increases when you recognize adaptation instead of labeling it flaw.• You are not your survival strategy.• Culture at work mirrors nervous system patterns formed at home.We do not rush to resolution here. Recognition precedes repair. Presence precedes change.Micro Recalibration:Pause and ask yourself gently:Where did urgency first feel necessary?Let a memory surface without analysis.Then say quietly:That was then. This isExplore Identity-Level Recalibration → Schedule a conversation with Julie to see if The Recalibration is a fit for you → Learn about The Recalibration Cohort→ Join the next Friday Recalibration Live experience → Take your listening deeper! Subscribe to The Weekly Recalibration Companion to receive reflections and extensions to each week's podcast episodes. → Follow Julie Holly on LinkedIn for more recalibration insights → Download the Misalignment Audit → Subscribe to the weekly newsletter → Books to read (Tidy categories on Amazon- I've read/listened to each recommended title.) → One link to all things...

In this episode, we explore one of the quietest wealth blocks for high achieving women: withdrawing love from yourself when you don't perform. Compassion is not indulgence, it's truth without punishment.    In this episode we unpack how compassion creates the safety required for forgiveness, how forgiveness releases self-punishment, and why mistakes must become data instead of identity.   Listen as we explore: • Why high performers struggle with self-compassion • The nervous system and money connection • How shame contracts your capacity to receive • Why compassion increases resilience and magnetism • The difference between responsibility and self-attack   Join the waitlist for our next FREE live training HERE Download your Wealth Codes HERE  Get the Email Series that Pays HERE 

Can kindness really change the world?In a time where division, stress, and negativity seem louderthan ever, choosing kindness is more than just being nice — it's leadership, influence, and legacy. Next week, we'll explore how small acts of kindness createripple effects in business, relationships, leadership, and community. From workplace culture to personal growth, kindness builds trust, strengthens connections, and inspires real transformation. Kindness isn't weakness. It's influence. It's strategy. It'spower. Join us on Russ Reals Live: Kindness can Change the WorldFebruary 19, Thursday, 4pm PacificFeaturing Andrea Sanchez, Kevin Smith, Michael Ray, MikeAshabraner, Randall McNeely and Russ Johns #Kindness #Compassion #PositiveImpact #MakeADifference #community #RussReals

Click here to receive today's free gift on the Radio Page: Who I Am in Christ – This folded pamphlet outlines truths about your identity as a follower of Christ. This is an encouraging booklet with many Scripture references for further reflections. Be reminded and reassured of the many qualities and characteristics you possess as a believer! Use the coupon code: RADIOGIFT for free shipping!*Limit one copy per person* --------Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org. Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

Episode Summary In this episode of The Jabot Podcast, host Kathryn Rubino sits down with public defender, reform advocate, and author Emily Galvin Almanza to discuss her new book The Price of Mercy: Unfair Trials, a Broken System, and a Public Defender's Search for Justice in America. Emily shares her unexpected path into law, her deep commitment to criminal defense, and the emotional realities of representing clients navigating one of the most consequential systems in American society. Drawing from years in public defense and her work co-founding Partners for Justice, she explains why the criminal legal system often punishes instability rather than crime — and how policy choices, not individual morality, frequently determine who enters the system. The conversation explores burnout among defenders, systemic misconceptions about criminal courts, the role of compassion in policy reform, and the economic and social costs of incarceration. Ultimately, the episode reframes justice not as punishment, but as a question of public safety, community stability, and human dignity. Links & Resources emilygalvinalmanza.com Keywords Public defense Criminal justice reform The Price of Mercy Emily Galvin Almanza Public defender experience Mass incarceration Justice system reform Holistic defense model Legal burnout Court system inequality Compassion in policy Criminal legal system Wrongful convictions Socioeconomic inequality Recidivism data Legal advocacy Community safety policy Justice and economics Legal storytelling Human-centered justice Episode Highlights 00:05–02:17 - Emily's accidental journey into law school and discovering criminal law 02:17–04:19 - Finding purpose through public defense and helping clients "come home" 04:19–05:55 - Why passion for clients sustains lawyers through intense legal work 05:55–08:05 - Burnout in public defense and operating under constant crisis conditions 08:05–10:05 - Institutional change and caseload reform as keys to lawyer wellbeing 10:05–11:13 - Fighting not only for clients but for constitutional rights and communities 11:13–12:39 - Why Emily stepped back from trial work to build systemic solutions 12:39–14:11 - Founding Partners for Justice and expanding holistic defense nationwide 14:11–15:28 - Writing the book to make reform knowledge accessible to everyday voters 15:28–17:28 - Misconception #1: people enter the system because of policy choices, not just crime 17:28–18:44 - Court process realities and why 98% of cases end in guilty pleas 18:44–20:05 - Junk science and myths about forensic evidence 20:05–21:35 - Humanizing defendants and challenging public stereotypes 21:35–22:27 - Success stories after incarceration rarely told in public narratives 22:27–24:15 - Why social services function as public safety strategies 24:15–25:59 - Economic costs of incarceration and long-term societal impact 25:59–26:23 - Using data and storytelling to change public conversations about justice  

This is our second part in a series about the homelessness crisis in Wilmington, recorded over the course of the winter storm in late January and early February. In this episode, we move from Christina Park to Saints Andrew and Matthew (SSAM) Episcopal Church, which has served as another one of the front lines for dealing with homelessness in the city.We speak again to Patrick Burke, rector at SSAM, as well as Brenna, Dawn, and Jax of Food Not Bombs who have been helping staff the kitchens. We discuss the practical matters of feeding people during a winter emergency, preventing death and burnout, and what the issue of homelessness means in a broader spiritual sense.Show Notes:Food Not Bombs LinktreeFood Not Bombs InstagramGet microfic from Jax by donating to FNBFriendship House

Living authentically isn't about perfection it's about self-acceptance, compassion and having the courage to be vulnerable.In this episode of Coaching In Session, Michael Rearden sits down with life coach and author Karin Velická to explore self-love, mindset, and the inner work required for real personal growth. Karin shares her journey from a career in finance to coaching, and how vulnerability, writing and small intentional changes became powerful tools for healing and transformation.This conversation dives into why people struggle with comparison, procrastination, and overwhelm, and how setting attainable goals can create momentum instead of pressure. Karin explains how environment shapes personal development, why authenticity deepens connection, and how inspiration can replace comparison when we learn to honor our own path.If you're navigating change, healing emotional wounds, or learning how to accept yourself while still growing, this episode offers grounded insights, relatable experiences, and mindset shifts that support sustainable personal transformation.What You'll Learn in This Episode• How authenticity supports personal growth and self-acceptance• Why vulnerability is essential for healing and connection• How coaching helps people navigate life transitions• Why small, attainable goals reduce overwhelm• The real reason procrastination often shows up• How writing can be a healing and emotional outlet• The impact of environment on mindset and growth• How to turn comparison into inspiration• Why compassion starts with individual change• When it's healthy to let go of relationshipsKey Takeaways✅ Authentic living creates deeper connections✅ Vulnerability strengthens healing and growth✅ Coaching supports clarity during transitions✅ Small goals build sustainable momentum✅ Overwhelm often causes procrastination✅ Writing helps process emotions and self-reflection✅ Environment influences personal development✅ Inspiration is healthier than comparison✅ Compassion begins with self-acceptance✅ Growth sometimes requires releasing relationships

There's a paradox inside mindfulness practice: When we want to heal something, we move toward what hurts, not away from it. It's not easy to keep our hearts soft or open, and a mindful practice doesn't change the inherent risks in being a human in a world of other humans.  This week, as part of his mini-course Opening Ourselves Up to Compassion, Vinny Ferraro shares a practice to meet our pain and uncertainty, to recognize our inherent connection, and to summon the courage to lower our defenses.  Vinny Ferraro has been a practitioner of insight meditation (vipassanā) since the early 1990s. He is a co-Founder of the Dharma Punx and co-Guiding Teacher of Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society. He is also a nationally recognized leader in designing and implementing interventions for at-risk adolescents and is currently Senior Trainer for Mindful Schools.  The transcription of this guided meditation will be online and in our app at Mindful.org next week.  Stay curious, stay inspired. Sign up for our free newsletter mindful.org/signup or download the app for free at mindful.org/app.  Show Notes Find more from Vinny Ferraro here. Go Deeper For more resources on wise boundaries and how to stay open when you want to shut down, check out these resources from Mindful.org:  How Writing Three Lines of Poetry Can Open Your Heart  Why We're Hardwired to Armor Our Hearts  Fearless Open-Hearted Awareness with Frank Ostaseski (a mini-course) How to Show Up With Your Whole Heart  Compassionate Boundaries: How to Say No with Heart  To try another meditation to help lower defenses and break down armor, try A 12-Minute Meditation to Cultivate an Open Heart.  And more from Mindful here: More episodes of 12 Minute Meditation Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing yourwords@mindful.org.

TRANSCRIPT Gissele: [00:00:00] was Luther King jr. right? Does love have the power to turn an enemy into a friend. We’re creating an inspiring documentary called Courage to Love The Power of Compassion, which explores extraordinary stories of those who have chosen to do the unthinkable, love and forgive even those who are deeply hurtful. Gissele: Through their journeys, we will uncover the profound impact of forgiveness and love, not only on those offering it, but also receiving it. In addition, we’ll hear from experts who will explore where the love and compassion are part of our human nature, and how we can bridge divides with those we disagree with. Gissele: If you’d like to support our film, please go to www M-A-I-T-R-E-C-E-N-T-R e.com/documentary. It’s mitre center.com/documentary Hello and welcome to The Love and Compassion Podcast with Gissele. We believe that love and compassion have the power to heal our lives and our world. [00:01:00] Don’t forget to like and subscribe for more amazing content. Today we’re talking about self-compassion in teenagers. And my guest is Dr. Gissele: Karen Bluth, who’s an associate professor emerita at the University of North Carolina, where she studies how mindful self-compassion improves the mental health of teens and young adults. She’s the author of five books for teens and caregivers, including The Self-Compassion Workbook for Teens and Mindful Self-Compassion for Teens in Schools. Gissele: In addition, she’s a 2022 recipient of the Inaugural Mind and Life Foundation Award for Public Communication of Contemplative Research. Yay. As a mindfulness practitioner for over 45 years, a mindfulness teacher and an educator with over 18 years of classroom teaching experience, Dr. Bluth frequently gives, talks conducts workshops, and teaches classes in self-compassion in educational and community settings and trains [00:02:00] teachers in mindful self-compassion for teens internationally. Gissele: Please join me in welcoming Dr. Karen Bluth. Hi, Karen. Karen: Hi. It’s well. It’s my pleasure to be here. Thank you so much for inviting me. Gissele: Oh, thank you so much for coming. I think this is a topic that it’s definitely needs to be discussed, and as a mother of two teens, I know the need for self-compassion. I was wondering if you could tell the audience a little bit about how you got started in this work. Karen: Sure. Well it really takes me back to my teen years. I was in high school, it, I was a senior in high school. It was 1975 and I needed. A topic for an independent study project that I had to do for my English class. and it was due the next day. I was driving down the road. I didn’t have my topic of course. Karen: I was driving down the road and outta the corner of my eye, I saw a sign that said something about meditation. Tm at that ti at that time it was transcendental meditation. It still [00:03:00] is actually, but I remembered hearing something about meditation in a different class in my social studies class. And there was something about it when we talked about it in that social studies class that resonated with me. Karen: And I remember thinking, Hmm, that makes sense. So when I saw that sign out of the corner of my eye, I thought, oh, well, let me check this out. So I pulled in. It was this old house I remember, and I went in and I picked up some brochures about transcendental meditation. And talked to the people there and they said, well if you want to be initiated, and I think that was the word they used, come back Saturday at 10 o’clock, I think they said, bring flowers and a piece of fruit. Karen: So it sounded very mysterious to me, but I did, I went back and, and was given a mantra at that time, and that was the beginning of my meditation practice. And you know, I practiced for my senior year in high school. I think when I went to college, it kind of fell away [00:04:00] for a couple of years. And then I got back into it after college and have been practicing meditation, mindfulness since you know, probably the mid eighties. Karen: Regularly. It’s been a cornerstone, an anchor throughout my entire adult life. As I’m sure as I’m sure you know, it has been for, for many people. I, I was very lucky to start early on. And then sometime in the nineties I had little kids and so I spent a fair amount of time in my car with them, in their car seats, trying to get them to nap because they wouldn’t nap at home. Karen: Yeah, I imagine there’s a lot of people that, that resonate with this. And so I had a cassette tape at that time. That’s what we used in our cars of poetry of self-compassion read by the British poet, David White. And this cassette tape had been passed around my meditation group [00:05:00] and so I had this copy and I listened to these poems and. Karen: I think I internalized the message a lot because it was in my car stereo for quite some time. And so this message of self-compassion became really integrated into into, you know, how I spoke to myself. And then about a decade later, I decided to go back to school and get my PhD and I wanted to bring together the different threads of my life. Karen: So that was my personal life, my mindfulness practice Gissele: mm-hmm. Karen: And this whole time I was, I was teaching in schools. I was a teacher and middle school and upper elementary school, fifth grade, mostly also younger grades, but mostly fifth grade and middle school. And so youth and, and, and being with youth and. Karen: Wanting to improve the lives of youth was [00:06:00] really very central to me and my mission actually. And so I, when, when I went back to school in 2008, I wanted to bring together these different threats of my life, my personal mindfulness practice, and my interest in helping youth. And at that time, it was just a few years after Kristen Neff was publishing her work. Karen: So her first articles, research articles on self-compassion came out in 2003. And so this was five years later. There wasn’t that much published at that time and nothing with teens. And so that’s when I just started diving into the work at that point. So that’s a long, a long story really, but that’s really how, how I came to where I am now. Gissele: It’s wonderful. I love that as the teen, you, it’s like, okay, well I’m gonna be initiated here. I’ll show up with my stuff. Karen: It was like, why not? You know? It was 1975. I was like, you know, whatever. It sounds a little weird. Fruit and flowers and [00:07:00] a mantra, but whatever, you know? Gissele: Mm. Yeah. That’s lovely. I do Kriya yoga and so there, there is like an initiation part of the, the component too, and there’s like the offering. Gissele: So yeah, that I resonated with that. I’m interested to to know what the receptivity is of young people towards self-compassion. And the reason why I ask that is as, as a mother of two teenagers, I know that when I, you know, I emphasized to them the importance of meditation, the importance of loving yourself. Gissele: They understand it, but they don’t always wanna practice what I’m doing. And so they wanna find their own path to loving themselves and being compassionate to themselves. What has been the reception of young people? When you show up to schools Karen: Yeah, of course, of course. So yeah, it’s interesting. Karen: So I hear from parents a lot that there’s, and this is actually, you know, this is the job of teens, is to resist what comes from parents. Gissele: Yeah. Karen: And find their own way, as you said. So this is not [00:08:00] not only is it not a bad thing, it’s actually a good thing that they’re a little bit resistant, a little bit of, Hmm. Karen: I don’t wanna just like take on what you’re handing me. Gissele: Yeah. Karen: So what is the reception? It depends who it’s coming from. So again, if it’s coming from a parent, of course it varies. It depends on the relationship between the parent and the kid. But usually, and I’m making a generalization here, there is Karen: A little bit of resistance, a little bit too, you know, maybe a little bit more than a little bit of resistance. Generally after the first class teens if we don’t push them and we don’t, you know, we, it’s always an invitation to participate in these classes. we’re not heavy handed about it. Karen: We don’t require them. Not that you could anyway, you can’t require somebody to do these practices, right? Gissele: Yeah. Karen: We just invite them in, but we don’t you know, we’re not heavy handed. We invite them in and if [00:09:00] we approach it that way the resistance decreases a lot. And you know, the teens might be quiet, but they’re taking it in. Karen: And I have to tell you that. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve heard from teens at the end of a class teens will pull me aside and say something like, you know, this was really my mom’s idea to take this class, or, this was my therapist’s idea. I didn’t really wanna do it, but I’m so glad I did. Karen: I frequently hear that. You know, this is the nature of the beast, you know, this is what, this is what teens are supposed to be doing. They’re supposed to be questioning, they’re supposed to be particularly questioning what comes on, you know, what the adults around them are saying to them. Gissele: I agree with you. I think it’s a developmental stage, right? Because we’re constantly trying to improve, what our parents did be better, be different, if we only just accepted the status quo , I don’t think there’d be progress . I’m curious [00:10:00] as to what some of the outcomes you have seen What are some of the things that you have found have helped, maybe some of the things that maybe weren’t as successful? Karen: Yeah. So well first of all, we know from research that teens who are more self-compassionate experience less depression, anxiety, and stress. For example, we know that as teens progress through adolescence, they tend to become more depressed. Karen: And that’s mostly driven by females. And that, that when teens are more self-compassionate, they’re less likely to get depressed as they move through the teen years. So we see that. We also know that stress is linked to depression, but we know that teens who are more self-compassionate, when they’re stressed, they’re less likely to be depressed. Karen: We also know that depression is linked to self-injury non-suicidal self-injury, things like cutting. But teens who are more self-compassionate are less likely to [00:11:00] self-injure when they’re depressed. so we see across many studies in many different places all over the world, we see that self-compassion actually acts as a protective factor or a buffer against. Karen: Some of these difficult challenges in the teen years. And we also know when we actually teach teens self-compassion through these different through our mindful self-compassion for teens course and workshops and things like that, we see that teens at the end experience less depression than they did at the beginning. Karen: Less anxiety, less stress. And in our most recent study with teens who had some suicidal ideation going in, that they had significantly less suicidal ideation at the end of the study. Gissele: That’s really, really powerful. I just wanted to clarify. You said driven by females? Gissele: Does that mean that it’s mostly young girls who are experiencing the [00:12:00] depression? Karen: I. Well, what we see is that as girls move from age 11 or 12 to 18 generally they become of course it’s generalization, but overall teen girls become more depressed and by the time they’re 18 or so, 18 or 19, they are twice as likely to be depressed as males of the same age. Karen: And that statistics stays the same stable through adulthood. So, you know, adult women are generally twice as likely to be depressed as adult men. That doesn’t mean that that boys or men aren’t struggling also they are. It’s just that their way of expressing their discontent, dissatisfaction, unhappiness is not through depression. Karen: It’s through other means. Usually external. Usually things like anger comes [00:13:00] out with anger. Gissele: Yeah. Yeah. Thank you for that. In this world of COVID, we have young people being more isolated and lonely and with all the school shootings that have happened in America in particular not as much in Canada I’m curious as to the impact of self-compassion on improving relationships for young people. Gissele: Does self-compassion work help them in terms of relationships with one another? Karen: Yeah. Well, we do see we do have a study with young adults that shows and these, these were 18 through 30 that shows decrease in loneliness when these young adults were more self-compassionate. I think what we’re seeing it overall is that obviously through COVID, there’s a lot of isolation, loneliness a lot more turning to social media, turning to technology now, AI and, what [00:14:00] social media does unfortunately is exacerbate this sense of comparing oneself with others, right? Mm-hmm. Gissele: Yeah. Karen: And of course, even though we all know, including teens, that what’s posted in social media is not the full picture of somebody’s life. It’s the curated picture of somebody’s life still. Karen: It exacerbates a sense of, I’m not good enough, I’m not worthy. Look at that person there, you know, they have all this great stuff going on in their lives, and I don’t, you know, so self-compassion can be helpful there. And in fact, in our program, we have a social media exercise and what we teach. Karen: Teens is how to be aware of how they’re feeling when they’re engaging with social media. So we don’t tell them social media’s bad, don’t engage in it because first of all, that’s not gonna work. Second of all, as adults, [00:15:00] we engage with social media. You know, it would be hypocritical of us, us to say not to. Karen: So what we do, which I think is a lot more helpful and also empowering to teens, is to teach them to notice what are you feeling when you’re engaging with social media? What’s coming up for you? Are you feeling this sense of, oh, I’m not good enough, or are you feeling lonely or sad? Or maybe you’re feeling excited, maybe you’re feeling connected. Karen: You know, it’s not all bad. So notice what you’re feeling and then make a choice that’s good for you, that’s healthy for you, you know, take care of yourself. So, so, so self-compassion is all about being good to yourself, supporting yourself, standing up for yourself, you know, doing what’s healthy for yourself.[00:16:00] Karen: It’s all of that. So if you’re noticing that, that something is, makes you feel bad, you have the power to limit it or shut it down completely. And whether that’s social media or you know, a toxic relationship with a friend, you know, you can do that also. But so it’s bringing awareness to what you’re feeling when you’re engaging with them. Gissele: I really appreciate that you said this because I think, I don’t wanna underestimate how powerful what you just said is. Because so many of us are so distractible, we have no idea how we’re feeling in our body. And until we’re present in our body, we can’t really understand how we’re treating ourselves. Gissele: And so to allow young people to just notice how they’re feeling about certain things helps them understand, Hey, wait a minute, is this a positive thing for me or a negative thing for me? And makes them more aware about the choices they’re making and therefore they can choose differently, . They might not choose [00:17:00] differently, but it gives them that awareness of like, how am I being impacted by everything? Gissele: And this is really authentically me, Then they can make that choice. They could take their power back. So I think that’s fantastic. Can you share a little bit about some of the other things that you do in your self-compassion program with teens? Like how do you get them to engage? Gissele: ‘Cause I don’t know if I would see a teen just sitting for hours and hours doing meditation. Karen: Sure. Yeah. Well, we don’t ask them to sit for hours and hours, you know, to practice. Karen: First of all, it’s adapted from Kristen Neff and Chris Gerner’s, mindful self-compassion class for adults. The teen class is different in that it does involve it’s much more activity based. it’s developmentally appropriate. So at the beginning of every class and there are eight classes there’s a little bit of art and it could be mindful drawing. Karen: It could be there’s one class which is. My favorite art activity, which involves playing with UBIC, which if you’re not familiar with Ubic, [00:18:00] it’s like the best slime ever. it comes from the Dr. Seuss book, Barnaby and the Ubik. But it’s, it’s just a wonderful substance and it, and it foreshadow something that we do later in the class. Karen: Each art activity foreshadows something that happens in that class. So we have a little bit of art, like 10 minutes of art at the beginning of every class. we emphasize it’s not about creating some beautiful thing that you’re gonna hang on your wall. It’s about just noticing feeling of a pin in your hand or whatever. Karen: You know, so it’s mindful activity. We have a couple of music meditations with the teens, which the teens absolutely love. We play some games. We introduce informal practices. Mostly we introduce some formal practices, but it’s mostly informal practices, which means things that you can do in the moment. Karen: So you’re starting to feel a little stressed. Notice the feeling of your feet on the floor, you know, that point of contact. and that’s because when we [00:19:00] start to feel stressed, we’re generally in our heads, we’re worrying, we’re anxious. Mm-hmm. It’s all going on in our heads. And when we bring attention to something physical, like the sensation of our feet on the floor, it can be very grounding. Karen: So mostly informal practices. So our regular class is an afterschool class, which is eight sessions, 90 minutes. We also have a school version, which is 16 different sessions, which are 45 minutes long each. Karen: And then we also have have what I’m calling drop in sessions. And this is because school counselors have told us that, you know, sometimes they don’t have a big chunk of time with kids. They have only 10 minutes or 15 minutes. So we have these drop in sessions where they could just go ahead into the class, teach this for 10 minutes, and and so they get a little bit of taste of, of what this is about, or, you know, a number of different drop-in sessions. Gissele: Hmm. [00:20:00] Thank you for sharing that. Gissele: I wanted to mention how important art and music and play are in terms of really reconnecting us with ourselves. Gissele: there’s been so much intergenerational trauma in my family and our history that I’ve had to kind of go back to basics and realize how difficult it was for me to play , how difficult it was for me to sit there and be present with myself. Gissele: Even coloring. I tried coloring and I just kind of rushed through it. Like I had an appointment and I’m like, why am I not allowing myself to be in this moment? But those opportunities, art and music, things that in the school system we haven’t always prioritized , I think is really powerful. Karen: yeah. And I think as adults we don’t play enough by any, by any means, you know? And, in fact, when we train teachers in the program we frequently hear from these adult adults that, you know, they wanna do these activities, you know, because they’re fun. [00:21:00] we need to play more, we need to have more fun, just lighthearted, play. Gissele: Yeah. I’m allowing myself to dance more and twirl more, and play more, even though I do it awkwardly. ’cause there’s always this voice in my head that is like, I have to color it perfectly. Gissele: Right? Like, which is weird because I like to think that I’m pretty compassionate with myself. But as I really am stepping up into Being more connected with my inner child, I can see those little tiny things where I’m like, oh, maybe I should have colored this nicer. Maybe this should have been inside the line. Karen: And teens have those voices also, you know, and which is why we emphasize as they’re, as they’re actually doing the art activity, we say at least several times in that 10 minute period, remember, we don’t care what this looks like. This is not about the product. Karen: It’s not about producing some beautiful thing. It’s about simply noticing, noticing what’s [00:22:00] going on. Noticing noticing the sound of the pencil on the paper. You know, is that making a sound? Notice the feeling when your hand is gripping. You know, the, the pencil is, is there a tightness in your hand? You know, so it’s all about that. Karen: It’s all about noticing, feeling, noticing the process, noticing the sensations that are going on as you’re doing the art. So we’re always emphasizing that as as they’re doing the art and even thoughts noticing, you know, you notice any thoughts coming up in your head like, oh, I don’t like this particular part of the drawing, and can you remember? Karen: That’s just a thought. And notice your thought. And as they’re learning more about the mindfulness piece in the class, will, you know, bring in that notice of thought. It’s just a thought. It doesn’t mean it’s a fact. You can let that thought drift away. Gissele: And that is so powerful. Because personally, having done [00:23:00] self-compassion practices is that you’re teaching. Gissele: reconnection . Right. With yourself, with your body, with your being, as a society, we’re so disconnected from ourselves, from other people. And to just even feel like your fingertips in your body and see how tense we are in the thoughts. Gissele: In my own practice, I’m learning to love my fear and focusing on learning to love everything, Even the challenging moments Can I truly love everything in my life or just even if I can’t, can I just accept it? Can I learn to just allow it? Gissele: And it can feel dynamic, right? So I can imagine for teenagers with their hormones that it must be quite the experience. Mm-hmm. Curious as to your perspectives around how teenagers are doing nowadays. Karen: Yeah. What I am seeing is a lot of struggle. It’s a really hard time and that’s what, you know, the statistics that we’re seeing that there’s high levels of [00:24:00] depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Karen: It’s an overwhelming world that we’re living in. I’m working on a book right now with my wonderful colleague, Marissa Knox. And this is a book for young adults and. We haven’t settled on a title yet, but we are bringing in this idea, and this is, you know, throughout the book and it’s about self-compassion for young adults. Karen: But this idea that we are living in an incredibly challenging world right now. Unbelievably challenging in so many ways, on so many levels. And we have to acknowledge that, you know, and we have to acknowledge that, that things are much harder now than they have been in decades past. And, you know, when I was a young adult, it wasn’t easy either. Karen: You know, there was a huge recession. I mean, I graduated from a good university and couldn’t get a job after, and I was waiting tables, you know, it [00:25:00] wasn’t easy then either, but but it’s a lot more difficult now, you know? The economy is, is even harder and rougher now than it was in the eighties when. Karen: Was waiting tables after graduating. And and you know, I have two young adult children and you know, I hear a lot about their lives and their friends’ lives and how hard it’s, I mean, so we have to acknowledge that. I and you know, when I’m teaching young adults and teens I always bring that in, that, you know, this isn’t your fault. Karen: That you feel all all this huge range of difficult emotions. You know, you’re living at a time when, you know things are really hard, politically, economically on the global stage, everything, you know so. To acknowledge that, to put that out there, to have that be the context in which we [00:26:00] then bring in self-compassion and we talk about how, okay, so now knowing that the world is this way, and guess what, for the moment we can’t do anything about it. Karen: We can in the long run, yes. And we’re working towards that, but right now, in the moment, we’re stuck with it. So how can we take care of ourselves? How can we support ourselves knowing that it’s rough right now and it may not be our fault that we can’t get a job or feel safe in our schools or, Gissele: yeah. Karen: All of that. Gissele: Mm-hmm. Yeah. I think acknowledging is sort of the first step towards saying, okay, where is my power in this moment?Because I think it’s one of the conversations I had with my students is like, you know, in the time when you might feel so powerless, where do you have power? Even if it’s just in terms of how you determine how you feel about the situation. Gissele: Are you gonna let the situation sink you [00:27:00] down and lead you to further depression, Or are you going to choose to say. I’m gonna choose to be kind to myself. I’m gonna choose to do the best I can. I’m gonna choose to allow and do in the moment what I can. And then, you know, if I make a mistake or a trip over over the same rock, I’m gonna pick myself up and keep going. Gissele: Like, or if I can’t, I can’t. Right? So how do we practice that ’cause there’s an element of me that believes that part of the reason why we are in the situation we are in terms of the world, is because of a disconnection, because of a lack of self-compassion and self-love. Gissele: There’s a lack of love in the world in general. And we keep thinking that the way that we’re gonna approach it is have more money and be more successful and do all of these things, but it just breeds separation. Which leads to my next question of how can self-compassion help us create community? Karen: Ah, yeah, so that’s a great [00:28:00] question. Karen: Because of course, as we know, community is absolutely vital. Having community is vital. So I think you know, the first thing that comes to mind is that when we’re more self-compassionate we have less fear of failure because we know we’re not gonna beat ourselves up when we fail. If we fail at something, we’re just gonna say, you know, well, you know, it doesn’t mean I’m a bad person. Karen: It just means like, that didn’t work for me in, in that particular moment. How this applies to community is that we’re more likely to reach out to others, right? So if we’re not so afraid that of getting rejected by others, we’re more likely to make an attempt move out of our comfort zone and reach out and engage in a conversation with. Karen: Somebody we don’t know, for example, we’re more likely to join a community group or, you know, in the case [00:29:00] of teens, you know, sign up for some new sport or music class or whatever to engage with others more and develop that community when we’re feeling so unqualified, unworthy not enough, we’re much more likely to isolate. Karen: And so in that way you know, obviously that’s how community develops is, where we’re able to reach out and en engage with others in, you know, all different ways. Gissele: Mm. Yeah. And the other thing I found in, especially in my self-compassion practice has been that it’s led me to be more authentically myself. Gissele: Mm-hmm. And you can’t really, you can’t really allow yourself to be seen and to be loved and to find your people if you are not allowing yourself to be authentically yourself or to be vulnerable . And so I think that’s a really key aspect of self-compassion, ’cause that’s really what primarily young people want. Gissele: They just wanna be authentically themselves. But we hear all these [00:30:00] messages. I know, I heard them growing up. You know, all about how we have to look a certain way. We have to be a certain way. There’s a right answer to everything. Gissele: and so I think that’s the beauty of self-compassion, is the allowing of multiple perspectives is the allowing of differences in the discomfort. Karen: when you were talking about that, what I was thinking about was in our our teen class, we have a session where teens have the opportunity to really reflect on their core values, and we take them through a particular activity to do this so that they’re thinking about what’s really important to me, what do I really value? Karen: You know how do I wanna live my life and what are the things I wanna let go of, you know? Mm-hmm. So it’s not a conclusive activity where they get to the end and they say, okay, this is what I want. You know? But it’s an opportunity for them to really take a few moments to think about and to reflect on, you know, what do I wanna keep [00:31:00] in my life? Karen: What do I want to hold onto? What do I value and what do I, maybe wanna think about letting go of? It’s just the beginning of that conversation with themselves. Gissele: Hmm. And I love that ’cause I’ve had to do this later in my life, realizing that the things I wanted to have were based on somebody else’s perspective of what they thought I should have. Gissele: And I, I went through a really stripping of like, who am I really? And again, I, this is older, right? Like, who am I really, what do I really love? What do I really wanna do? What do I really want my life to look like? And it’s not anything that I would’ve thought would’ve fit the picture, like it’s not. Gissele: Mm-hmm. But it’s so much better . It’s so much greater, it’s so much more me. Karen: Mm-hmm. Gissele: I was curious as to whether in the program there are elements of how to deal with conflict with one another Karen: Yeah. Well we do have a session activity where we talk about conflict with parents. Mm. And, Gissele: mm-hmm. Karen: Why, first of all, [00:32:00] why that occurs. So, you know, why is that happening? And we talk about the developmental stage and the brain changes and we show this video clip actually from the movie Crudes. Karen: Yeah. Yeah. And you know, there’s a teen in there and she’s having a conflict with her dad. And the dad just wants to keep her safe and isolated and in the cave, and she wants to go out and explore. And we talk about how the dad is doing what he’s supposed to be doing, and the teen is doing what she’s supposed to be doing. Karen: Neither one of them is wrong. And yet conflict ensues because they have different objectives and what can you do when conflict ensues when this happens? And so first of all, just having that awareness that, this dad’s not trying to be mean and horrible. Karen: He’s just trying to keep his kids safe. And sort of having that awareness and then how self-compassion can support you because when you’re [00:33:00] supporting yourself in that way, you can add through mindfulness also. You can regulate your emotions and which is the first step, you know? Karen: Well awareness is the first step. That would be the second step. And then get to a place where you can actually. Talk about what’s going on and acknowledge what the other person wants and needs also. Gissele: Hmm. Yeah. I I love that you brought the movie up, the crudes. ’cause what I, remember you know, they both the daughter and the father push each other, right? Gissele: they push each other to grow and learn. And I wanted to emphasize as well for my listeners about something that you just said, which is really important, which is dealing with Gissele: conflict. the first part is always awareness. It’s like awareness of how am I feeling? What am I, what am I thinking? You know, what’s happening in my body. And the second one is being able to hold space for those difficult feelings , right? Validating our feelings, holding space for those difficult feelings, having compassion for ourselves so that then we can have [00:34:00] compassion for other people’s, even if their perspective’s completely different, like differ from our own. Gissele: And so I think that’s the, the beauty of self-compassion is that it helps us have compassion for ourselves and other people. Sometimes the, as they called the disliked person, mm-hmm. But it really does start with the awareness because I feel like we don’t really know how to have conversations with people anymore. Gissele: There’s like this global canceling that happens because I think we are just so overwhelmed by our own emotions and we haven’t really been. At least some generations haven’t really been taught the social emotional part of, regulating our emotions so that we can then do the work of listening. Gissele: And you know, when I think about listening, I think about the work of Valerie Kaur who talks about revolutionary love. And she says, you know, listening, if you’re truly listening, you have to be willing to change Mm-hmm. Karen: Mm-hmm. Gissele: And that that’s can feel difficult. [00:35:00] It can, Karen: yeah. Karen: I think that’s, I I think you hit on a really important and very big issue which is that there isn’t a lot of listening going on. You know, there really isn’t. You know, there might be people sitting there waiting for the other person to finish talking so that they can say their piece. Right? Gissele: Yeah. Karen: But, of course, when you’re really listening, that’s not what’s going on. When you’re really listening, you’re open and willing to change your mind. So yes, that’s certainly part of this whole, you know, the program at the very beginning, in our first class, we have a piece called Community Agreements where we all agree on how the class is going to proceed. Karen: And one of the things is deep listening. Really listening, without that judging voice, you know, put that judging voice aside as much as possible. [00:36:00] Gissele: And that takes practice. Karen: Yes, Gissele: it does. Karen: It absolutely does. Gissele: often we go straight to judgment instead of professing observations. The other thing I wanted to mention was listening to the voices of young people is so important, which is why I think also your work is so phenomenal . Historically, we have not viewed young people’s voices as important as adult voices, or especially the voices of, of young children. Gissele: What are your thoughts about our ability to be able to listen to young people and collaborate with them in a way that makes them feel involved? ’cause I know I, that’s, I didn’t feel that way when I was young. Gissele: Young people were not invited to sit at the table with the adults to talk about adult things and talk about the world, How can we, emphasize more listening to young people? Karen: Yeah. It’s interesting. I too remember being a teen and clearly thinking, you know what, I know what I’m talking about here. Karen: I have ideas. Gissele: Yeah. Karen: You know, [00:37:00] and I actually did have the opportunity as a teen to be on an adult board of, mm-hmm. Of a nonprofit organization. It was a theater organization that we were involved with. and it was a great opportunity, we need to hear teen’s, voices, you know, we need to hear what they have to say. Karen: That doesn’t mean thatwe’re going to make decisions based on everything that they say or, because obviously we’ve been on the planet for longer and we have a certain amount of wisdom coming from our experience, but truly they know what they need and giving them the opportunity to talk about it and to express it and to listen. Karen: You know, I think what teens want more than anything is really to be listened to. Is to be heard. And maybe that’s what we all want more than every [00:38:00] anything is to be heard. Right. Particularly in the teen years, it’s really the first time when they are aware that they have some opinions and values and things to contribute to the conversation. Karen: And as adults I think it’s our responsibility to listen and to hear their input Gissele: Yeah. Karen: As much as we can again, that doesn’t mean we’re gonna make decisions based on, what they suggest. I remember my daughter as a 15-year-old, went through a stage where she just felt like she didn’t need to wear her seatbelt in the car. Karen: And I was like that’s not happening. Like, now I Gissele: got Karen: this. Nope. Gissele: Yeah. Karen: No. Gissele: Mm-hmm. Karen: So it doesn’t, you know, it doesn’t mean we go with everything that they, that they wanna do by any stretch, but, but to listen, I think is important. Gissele: Yeah. And they, that’s a great example. I’m curious as to her perspective as to why she felt in [00:39:00] that moment she didn’t need seat belts anymore. Karen: You know, I can ask her. I don’t remember. I think she was just exercising herperceived right. as an individual, you know? Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Obviously when it comes to safety, you know, we have to, Gissele: there’s a history there as to how we got seat belts. Gissele: Yeah. And so engaging in that conversation as you were talking, I was thinking about the generations and how sometimes it’s difficult for parents to hear the perspectives of their young people. if it, ignites shame and guilt, right. I’ve had conversations with my parents about the impact of my childhood and there’s been lots of like deflecting because it was difficult for them to hold some of these things that I was claiming. Gissele: And I’ve been on the other end as well in terms of like my children when they say stuff and you’re like, I hurt you. And so being able to apologize for me has been really important as a parent to emphasize to my kids that I’m not perfect. You know, we’re, Karen: we’re winging it out here [00:40:00] Gissele: and, and how much forgiveness and how much apologizing needs to happen and how much communication needs to happen when mistakes are made on both sides, right? Gissele: Mm-hmm. And how sometimes those mistakes and those conversations bring us closer together . But I can relate to my parents’ experience ’cause we all wanna be. At least from my perspective, I wanna be a good mom. I wanna be a loving parent. I wanna be the best parent that I can be. Gissele: And sometimes despite your best intense, you make mistakes. you hurt them. you do things like maybe that are based on your own fear. And so I find the practice of self-compassion really helps me be kind to myself and so that I can listen to that feedback and say, you know what? Gissele: I’m gonna sit with this. But it can feel difficult. Gissele: self-compassion really helped me sit with those difficult feelings because I wasn’t judging myself. A bad parent. Karen: yeah. You know, I think being a parent has been so good for my self and compassion practice just because of [00:41:00] everything that you said. Karen: My daughters are now 31 and 33, and you know, of course I made lots and lots of mistakes, I was one of those moms that I prioritized being a good mom. It was so important to me, you know, to be a good mom. And yet I made mistakes. And recently even I, maybe, I don’t know, six, eight months ago I was talking to my older daughter and there was something that I did when she was a teen that I felt, you know, I wish I could have. Karen: Not done what I did. And I felt really bad about what I did. And I, you know, I was talking to her about it and I said, I’m so sorry that I, put my foot down. I know what you really needed was a big hug. I wish I had, you know, done it differently. And she said, you know, mom, don’t worry about it. Karen: You can let that go. You know, I’m fine, But it helped me, first of all to be able to say that. And I think I was able to say that part at least in part, if not, [00:42:00] if not solely because of my self-compassion practice. And I think part of what self-compassion does for us is, is to remind us that we don’t have to be perfect and we’re not going to be any way. Karen: We’re not going to be perfect. We’re gonna make mistakes. So can we forgive ourselves? Gissele: Yeah. Karen: When we make mistakes, you know? And then if we can, and if it’s appropriate or if we want to or whatever, go to that person, you know, like go to our kid and say, look, I am really sorry that I did that and at the time I thought that was best. Karen: And now I see that’s not what you needed. Yeah. And I’m really sorry. Gissele: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. It’s, it’s so interesting, and I think it’s important for us to have this conversation for two reasons. Number one is we think we have to be perfect at being compassionate or none at all. Gissele: none of us are perfect. And I think that’s the problem . We expect ourselves to be truly compassionate, the pinnacle of love [00:43:00] and really just, can you just be a little bit better than yesterday? That’s all that requires. Can you be a little bit more loving? Can you be a little bit more kind? Gissele: That’s all that is really required. And the second thing, which I think you emphasize, which is so important, It’s that we think that being compassionate, it’s gonna be like, well, I’m just gonna, allow my crappy behavior. It is so difficult to be loving and compassionate towards yourself when you don’t feel you deserve it. And what I found in my own practice is it actually enabled me to sit. More. Gissele: With all those aspects that I didn’t like about myself, the more that I was compassionate with myself, I didn’t let myself off the hook, I was able to see how my behavior could have been hurtful , was able to see how there was times when I wasn’t living my values, but if I hadn’t been compassionate, I would’ve deflected. Gissele: I would’ve like invalidated. I would’ve been like, no, no. It’s their problem. It’s not me. And so this is why the practice of compassion is so important, especially starting younger. [00:44:00] So a few more questions. I say youngest that you have done work on it. And are there groups that are helping our, really young people practice compassion? Karen: Yeah, absolutely. So I work with teens and as young as 11 or so. Gissele: Mm. Karen: There are people who work with younger, with younger kids. My colleague Jamie Lynn Tartera works with kids age about seven to 10 or so. And then my colleague Catherine Lovewell in the UK works with kids who are younger and she has a wonderful book out and stuffed animals and and all this really wonderful wonderful stuff for younger kids. Karen: And it’s just adorable. I have some of her things right here. I know you’re not gonna be able to see it over audio, but some of her, so these are her [00:45:00] stuffies that go with her, with her. I like Gissele: the rainbow one. Karen: Yeah. Well, this is actually, so her book is about the inner critic and Yeah, this is Crusher, which is your inner critic, and this is Booster. Karen: Who is your self-compassionate. So the Rainbow Guide is, oh, that’s beautiful, but she just has an unbelievably wonderful program. So yes, there are people working with younger kids and yeah, it’s so important to start early. Gissele: Thanks. Oh yeah, for sure. Yeah. But I absolutely appreciate that you’re working with teens ’cause that can be a difficult population, but definitely, definitely needed. Gissele: I think sometimes we make it more acceptable to do those kinds of things, like self-compassion, self-kindness practices with young kids, and then for some reason it just kind of drops off the face of the earth and we’re not continuing that practice. So I think it’s wonderful that you are doing that work. Gissele: Two more questions. I’m asking all of my, guests what their definition of self-love is. Karen: Definition of [00:46:00] self-love accepting yourself for who you are. Gissele: Mm-hmm. Karen: With all your so-called challenges and securities. Because really that’s, that’s what makes us who we are, is the whole package. Karen: You know, the things we like about ourselves and the things we’re not as comfortable with about ourselves and when we can. And you used this word earlier, which I think is, is really great. Allow the word allow when we can allow those parts of ourselves to be there, to be present and to accept them. Karen: Say, you know what, you know, I’m not the most patient person in the world. I know that about myself. And you know what? It’s okay. It’s okay. I’m not gonna be perfect and I’m not gonna be good at everything. I. And that’s okay. It’s okay not to be good at everything. So I, you know, my definition of self-love would be [00:47:00] just to, you know, be able to allow all those parts of your, of yourself, you know, to be present and to be there and maybe eventually move towards embracing them. Gissele: Hmm. I love that. So last question. Where can people work with you? Where can they find you? Where can they find your books? Please share. Karen: there’s two websites. There’s my website, which is my name http://www.karenbluth.com. And so you’ll find out about me about my work. On that website, we have a new website, which I really would like to promote. Karen: it’s a website, for teens teens, and that’s http://www.self-compassionforteens.org. And self-compassion is hyphenated. And so that is a recent website that we’ve just launched in the last couple of months which has all kinds of resources for teens, videos, short videos about explaining what self-compassion [00:48:00] is, you know, what the inner critic is, how can we deal with the inner critic. Karen: There’s there’s a quiz on there. See how self-compassionate you are. There’s video, there’s some videos that. Teams who have learned taken our courses, have talked about their experience with self-compassion. And then there’s section about taking a deeper dive. Anyway, I really would like teens everywhere to, to know about this website and have access to it. Karen: And it’s a great place to start to learn about how to be nicer to yourself. Gissele: Beautiful. There’ll be a link on our site. So thank you very much, Karen, for coming on the show and sharing your wisdom with us and for the work that you’re doing, which is so, so important and so needed at this time. And thank you for everyone that tuned into another episode of Love and Compassion Podcast with Gissele. Gissele: See you soon.

Our emotions are God-given signals designed to guide us toward greater self-reflection, self-awareness, and spiritual growth. But how do we learn to manage our feelings instead of letting them control us?In this episode, you'll learn:How to maintain emotional health, whether you tend to suppress your emotions or feel them intensely.Practical strategies for staying emotionally regulated as a parent.How relationships contribute to our emotional well-being — for better or worse — and how to improve this.Links and Resources We Mention in This Episode:We're grateful to the American Association of Christian Counselors for being a yearlong sponsor of Therapy & Theology. Click here to apply for their Youth Mental Health Coach program — a biblically grounded, clinically excellent training to help you support youth facing today's most common mental health challenges. Go to Compassion.com/Lysa to join us in sponsoring a child through Compassion International today.Subscribe here to receive new Therapy & Theology episodes straight to your inbox.Want a chance to be featured on Listener Mail? Leave Lysa, Jim, or Joel a message or a question right here.If you'd like to give a gift today so Therapy & Theology can reach even more women in their desperate moments, go to proverbs31.org/givenow.Click here to download a transcript of this episode.

In today's episode, we welcome Steven Puri, founder of The Sukha Company — a mission-driven wellness and productivity platform helping millions find focus, achieve more, and cultivate a healthy work-life rhythm.“Sukha” is Sanskrit for happiness born from self-fulfillment, and Steven brings that intention beautifully into this guided meditation.Drawing from a career that spans newscasting, award-winning film production (including Independence Day), major studio leadership at 20th Century Fox and DreamWorks, and now the tech and wellness space, Steven's work centers on elevating the human experience. Today, he leads listeners through a meditation on compassion and interconnectedness—an invitation to soften, expand, and remember our shared humanity.What You'll ExperienceIn this gentle five-minute meditation, Steven guides you to:Settle into stillness with a relaxed breathVisualize a small, warm light of compassion glowing at the heart centerAllow that compassionate light to expand through the body and beyondOffer radiance and ease to those around you—and to those you may never meetRemember the profound truth that we belong to one anotherReturn to your day carrying a quieter, steadier presence of kindnessThis meditation reminds us that unity isn't something we must create—it's something we awaken, breath by breath.About our GuestSteven Puri is the Founder and CEO of The Sukha Company, home of The Sukha focus app—designed to help individuals achieve clarity, productivity, and emotional balance.A former Emmy-level visual effects producer, film studio executive, tech entrepreneur, and longtime meditation practitioner, Steven brings a unique blend of creativity, neuroscience, and spiritual grounding to his work.Learn more at: https://www.thesukha.coThank you for taking Five Minutes of Peace with us.May the compassion you cultivate ripple far beyond this moment.This podcast is created by The Peace Room in Boise, Idaho.Explore Reiki treatments, trainings, meditations, and upcoming workshops at:

If taking accountability scares you, you're doing it wrong! In this episode of Troubleshooting Agile, Squirrel and Jeffrey talk about the background of the final chapter of their book, Agile Conversations, including Jeffrey's “Aha” moment watching a Kent Beck speech, why the idea of accountability teaches us to lie as kids, and what really happens when we ditch the fear and hold ourselves to account. SHOW LINKS: - XP Explained book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/67833.Extreme_Programming_Explained - Rapid Development book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/93892.Rapid_Development - Dynamics of Software Development ("don't flip the bozo bit"): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1416996.Dynamics_of_Software_Development - Nurtureshock: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6496815-nurtureshock - Greenshifting: https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile/greenshifting - Kent Beck Ease at Work: https://www.infoq.com/news/2007/04/beck-ease-at-work/ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeA4CBInqKo - The Art of Action: https://www.stephenbungay.com/Books.ink - Radiating Intent: https://medium.com/@ElizAyer/dont-ask-forgiveness-radiate-intent-d36fd22393a3 - Accountability and Compassion: https://soundcloud.com/troubleshootingagile/mutual-learning-model-accountability-and-compassion -------------------------------------------------- You'll find free videos and practice material, plus our book Agile Conversations, at agileconversations.com And we'd love to hear any thoughts, ideas, or feedback you have about the show: email us at info@agileconversations.com -------------------------------------------------- About Your Hosts Douglas Squirrel and Jeffrey Fredrick joined forces at TIM Group in 2013, where they studied and practised the art of management through difficult conversations. Over a decade later, they remain united in their passion for growing profitable organisations through better communication. Squirrel is an advisor, author, keynote speaker, coach, and consultant, and he's helped over 300 companies of all sizes make huge, profitable improvements in their culture, skills, and processes. You can find out more about his work here: douglassquirrel.com/index.html Jeffrey is Vice President of Engineering at ION Analytics, Organiser at CITCON, the Continuous Integration and Testing Conference, and is an accomplished author and speaker. You can connect with him here: www.linkedin.com/in/jfredrick/

In this message, Ps. Chris Donald challenges us with a powerful truth: what we encounter with God in private must overflow into public action. Compassion is not just a feeling. Empathy feels with someone—but compassion moves for someone. Compassion serves. Compassion heals. Compassion saves. If we encounter God in the secret place but never allow it to shape how we live, love, and serve in public, we've only received half the meal. We sat at the table. We were filled. But we did nothing with what we were given. Private encounters are meant to produce public compassion!

Feeling lonely in your homeschool journey because co-ops just don't fit? You are NOT failing—neither are your kiddos. In this episode, Colleen shares why neurodivergent kids often struggle with traditional group settings and how you can help your child build real, interest-led friendships that honor who they are. Tune in for encouragement, practical steps, and a permission slip to stop chasing "normal" and start creating meaningful connections in your own way. Key Takeaways: You can re-define social success for YOUR family There are easy ways to find connection outside the co-op A simple 3-step plan to build interest-led community Show yourself compassion for the tough days You've got this. You're the perfect parent for your perfect child.   Links and Resources from Today's Episode Thank you to our sponsors: CTC Math – Flexible, affordable math for the whole family! Curiosity Post – A Snail Mail Club for kids – Real mail; Real life! The Learner's Lab – Online community for families homeschooling gifted/2e & neurodivergent kiddos! The Lab: An Online Community for Families Homeschooling Neurodivergent Kiddos The Homeschool Advantage: A Child-Focused Approach to Raising Lifelong Learners Raising Resilient Sons: A Boy Mom's Guide to Building a Strong, Confident, and Emotionally Intelligent Family The Anxiety Toolkit Sensory Strategy Toolkit | Quick Regulation Activities for Home Affirmation Cards for Anxious Kids Nurturing Neurodivergent Friendships: Practical Tips for Parents and Kids RLL #42: What It's Like to be Homeschooled with Best Friends Molly and Ella Teaching Kids About Being a Good Friend with Help From Great Books and Netflix Teaching Kids to Befriend Others 5 Tips for Helping Gifted Children Make Friends Navigating Sensory Overload: Actionable Strategies for Kids in Loud Environments The Not-So Friendly Friend: How to Set Boundaries for Healthy Friendships Social Skills Activities for Kids Growing Friendships: A Kids' Guide to Making and Keeping Friends Have You Filled a Bucket Today?: A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids One Big Heart: A Celebration of Being More Alike than Different Life Skills for Kids: Unlocking a World of Possibilities through Friendship, Decision-Making, Cooking, Achieving a Success Mindset, Time-Management, Budgeting, and More  Empathy Workbook for Kids: 50 Activities to Learn About Kindness, Compassion, and Other People's Feelings  

In this episode of the You Can Call Me “Bossy" podcast. I sit down with the ever inspiring Amanda Gore, a renowned keynote speaker and author whose transformative presence has left an indelible mark on women's conferences and audiences around the world. The conversation takes us on a journey from my first meeting with her back in 2019 to deep personal philosophies on joy, overcoming fear, and the evolution of self confidence especially for women who've been called “bossy,” “intimidating,” or “controlling.” Amanda opens up about her own path of self awareness, why women uplifting each other is so crucial, and how labels and judgments often say more about the person using them than those they're aimed at. We explore practical strategies and soulful insights for moving from fear to love, embracing surrender, and the power of self love and acceptance especially for high performing women ready to step more fully into their purpose. Whether you're grappling with imposter syndrome, looking to align more deeply with your heart, or simply in need of a dose of inspiration, this episode is a must listen. Get ready for stories, actionable advice, and a beautiful reminder that joy and leadership starts on the inside. Key Takeaways: Working on self reflection, self awareness, and evolving past labels. The importance of validating and supporting each other. Embracing self love, grace, and working through learned stories. Key Timestamps [2:00] – Growth, Compassion, and Support [13:20] – Confidence, Criticism, and Reflection [18:57] – From Head to Heart [27:50] – From Fear to Love [38:36] – Life's Complexity and Honor [51:46] – Exhale to Overcome Anxiety Episode Quote “Every decision you make, you gotta look really hard at it, and every choice you make, to see what fear, if there's any, lurking in the background that's influencing your fear influencing your decision." - Amanda Gore Episode Resources Official Website: https://amandagore.com/ YouTube: @AmandagoreTV If you enjoyed this episode and are excited for more, please be sure to SUBSCRIBE and write a review to help build momentum and support the show (5-stars would be AWESOME!)_____________________________________________ JOIN US IN - THE CLUB - An annual membership where high-achieving women come together to unapologetically OWN THEIR “BOSSY” in order to rise to the top, make massive impact, and not burn out while doing it. Join TODAY to get access to all past workshop replays and past group coaching calls - always incredible takeaways and AHA moments from reviewing these sessions! Grab your spot in THE CLUB today by CLICKING HERE! _____________________________________________ LET'S FREAKING GO! GRAB THIS FREE DOWNLOAD: GRAB 100 FREE JOURNAL PROMPTS TO OWN YOUR BOSSY BY CLICKING HERE LET'S CONNECT: Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, or join my STAND IN YOUR POWER FACEBOOK GROUP Grab a signed copy of my bestselling book STAND IN YOUR POWER HEREWatch my TEDx Talk “The Wisdom of Your Ancestors Should Be Ignored” HERE

A grounded and science-backed episode of the Magic of Manifestation.The work of neurosurgeon and author Dr. James Doty "Into the Magic Shop" holds depth, intention, and self-compassion. Simple and fascinating insights into the neuroscience of visualization, how the brain literally rewires itself when we imagine with emotion and why "Compassion" is the missing ingredient in most manifestation practices. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wondering what a neuropsychological evaluation actually tells you – and what to do with the results?In this episode, CHC experts, Joaquin Burciaga, PhD, and Whitney Geller, PhD, break down how neuropsych testing helps clarify a child's learning, attention, memory, language, and emotional regulation – so families can move from questions to a clear plan.You'll discover what a neuropsych evaluation for kids really is (and what it isn't), how it differs from the psychoeducational testing done through schools for IEP or 504 support, and the signs that suggest it might be time to consider one – whether you're navigating ADHD, autism, learning differences, or anxiety. Our experts also share practical guidance on how to cut through the jargon, focus on the summary and recommendations section, and turn that thick report into actionable next steps that actually help your child.Whether you're just starting to wonder if testing might provide answers or you've got a report sitting on your desk that feels overwhelming, this conversation will help you understand what these evaluations reveal and how to use them to advocate effectively for your child.CHC offers free 30-minute consultations to help families decide their next steps.Resources:CHC OnlineCHC's Catherine T. Harvey Center for Clinical ServicesCHC's Resource LibrarySign up for our Virtual Village email list to receive our latest episodes and recent CHC updates. Visit Voices of Compassion online for full show notes including additional resources. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn and visit our YouTube channel for videos. Subscribe and leave us a review wherever you listen! We love to hear from you - email us at podcast@chconline.org.Santo Rico by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/

Communication with God is the root than enables effective communication among ministry leaders and to keep the ministry focused on Christ. Listen to Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C share more in this segment of the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio, about how we can communicate well within our ministries and ensure that God is leading the efforts. "At the same time, in the life of the Church, mission is closely linked to communion. While the mystery of Christmas celebrates the mission of the Son of God among us, it also contemplates its purpose, namely that God has reconciled the world to himself through Christ (cf. 2 Cor 5:19) and in him made us his children. Christmas reminds us that Jesus came to reveal the true face of God as Father, so that we might all become his children and therefore brothers and sisters to one another. The Father's love, embodied and revealed by Jesus in his liberating actions and preaching, enables us, in the Holy Spirit, to be a sign of a new humanity — no longer founded on selfishness and individualism, but on mutual love and solidarity. This task is urgent both ad intra and ad extra. It is urgent ad intra, because communion in the Church always remains a challenge that calls us to conversion. At times, beneath an apparent calm, forces of division may be at play. We can fall into the temptation of swinging between two opposite extremes: uniformity that fails to value differences, or the exacerbation of differences and viewpoints instead of seeking communion. Thus, in interpersonal relationships, in internal office dynamics, or in addressing questions of faith, liturgy, morality and more besides, there is a risk of falling into rigidity or ideology, with their consequent conflicts. Yet we are the Church of Christ, his members, his body. We are brothers and sisters in him. And in Christ, though many and diverse, we are one: In Illo uno unum. We are called, especially here in the Curia, to be builders of Christ's communion, which is to take shape in a synodal Church where all cooperate in the same mission, each according to his or her charism and role. This communion is built not so much through words and documents as through concrete gestures and attitudes that ought to appear in our daily lives, including in our work." ~ quote from Pope Leo XIV: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2025/december/documents/20251222-curia-romana.html   There are seven keys to effective Christ-centered collaboration in the Church: 1) Christ—we must recognize that Christ is the center of all that we do, 2) Cenacle—referring to how the Apostles and the Blessed Mother Mary gathered in prayer, discernment, and action, 3) Communio—communion is the core of collaboration and provides the sense of togetherness, 4) Cooperation—we must work together to understand perspectives and care for those in need, 5) Communication—effective communication ensures that collaboration moves efficiently and effectively to achieve the ministerial goals, 6) Compassion—when things don't go according to plan, ensure that those involved in the work of the ministry are cared for with charity as well, 7) Co-responsibility—we all share in the mission of Christ and his church, it is each of our roles to preach the Gospel.   Notes: Access Collaboration in Ministry resources On Mission: Collaboration and Co-Responsibility More episodes about Living as Missionary Disciples   From the Ad Infinitum blog: Laborers in the Vineyard Collaboration and Co-Responsibility More blogs about Collaboration Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

We would love to hear from you! Please send us your comments here. --------Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org. Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

What are the leadership qualities that inspire people to follow you? There is no shortage today of people in power leading through force and intimidation. This frightening reality should serve to remind us how essential it is that the people we choose to follow lead with empathy and compassion, not coercion.  Tamra Ryan is a nationally recognized speaker, author, and leadership expert who redefines what it means to lead with purpose and care. In this episode, she and I discuss how leaders can inspire a following through courage and conviction, as well as compassion. Tamra has a long history of empowering others to lead, and her perspectives and recommendations for what that requires are what we need to keep pushing for a better world, right now. Build your own “followship” with the virtues that really make an impact: Why it's just as important to give grace as it is to speak your mind; The four elements of leadership that capture hearts and minds; And how to stick to your convictions as a leader, even in today's delicate climate. Related Links: Learn more about Tamra - https://www.tamraryan.com/about Connect with Tamra on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamraryan/ Learn more about Women's Bean Project - https://www.womensbeanproject.com/ Learn more about the Common Sense Institute - https://www.commonsenseinstituteus.org/colorado/about/fellows/tamra---ryan Episode 352, “Self-Advocacy Hacks for a Toxic Workplace” - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode532 Episode 536, “Strategic Detachment: A Trend for Surviving and Thriving” - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode536 Episode 525, “Resisting Despair: Coping Tools For A Declining Democracy” - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode525 SPEAK UP: A Live Assertive Communication Course -  https://www.bossedup.org/speakup Bossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/ Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Leadership pressure can quietly shape culture long before burnout shows up. If you feel exhaustion beneath competence, this may not be failure — but identity-level misalignment. Today we release shame and soften the grip.Leadership pressure rarely announces itself.It often looks like competence.Responsibility.High standards.And over time, it becomes culture.In this episode, we explore how pressure can move from personal strategy to collective atmosphere — and why releasing it requires compassion, not shame.This conversation sits inside burnout and pressure, while layering identity shift and leadership relationships. Because pressure is rarely just about workload. It is often about identity — who you believe you must be in order for things to stay stable.Many high-performing leaders learned early that safety meant vigilance. That love meant competence. That stability meant holding everything together. That strategy built excellence. It built trust. It built companies.But what once stabilized can eventually constrict.When urgency becomes default, teams feel it — even if they cannot name it. Culture absorbs nervous system patterns long before it absorbs strategy.Pressure culture does not begin with ego. It begins with protection.And when you begin to see that your urgency might be shaping the room, shame often follows.This episode gently interrupts that shame.You did not create pressure culture because you are broken.You created it because you learned it.Clear Takeaways:• Pressure once created stability — and acknowledging that matters.• You are not your coping strategy. Responsibility is something you learned, not who you are.• Pressure can keep you competent — but it can quietly keep you alone.• Releasing urgency does not lower standards; it removes fear from the room.• Compassion, not criticism, is what allows pressure patterns to soften.This is not about dismantling excellence.It is about releasing unnecessary tension.Recognition allowed you to see the pattern.Release allows you to soften it.Today's Micro Recalibration:When you feel the impulse to step in quickly, exhale.Let your shoulders drop slightly.Ask gently: “Is this mine to carry?”If yes, respond steadily.If no, let it stay where it belongs.Release is rarely dramatic.It is the quieExplore Identity-Level Recalibration → Schedule a conversation with Julie to see if The Recalibration is a fit for you → Learn about The Recalibration Cohort→ Join the next Friday Recalibration Live experience → Take your listening deeper! Subscribe to The Weekly Recalibration Companion to receive reflections and extensions to each week's podcast episodes. → Follow Julie Holly on LinkedIn for more recalibration insights → Download the Misalignment Audit → Subscribe to the weekly newsletter → Books to read (Tidy categories on Amazon- I've read/listened to each recommended title.) → One link to all things...

What did it mean to be a good person in the ancient world, and what did ancient cultures say about how we should treat one another? Today, Dr. Bart Ehrman joins me to discuss Jesus' teachings, the cultural norms of his time, and how early Christians changed his message.

The word Samadhi is usually translated as concentration, but it's also thought of as collectedness of mind and steadiness. This important teaching - the 8th factor on the Eightfold Path is necessary for awakening and liberation. Mary discusses what Samadhi is and isn't and how we cultivate this important quality.Recorded Feb. 21, 2022 in the virtual worldSend me a text with any questions or comments! Include your name and email if you would like a response - it's not included automatically. Thanks.Visit Mary's website for more info on classes and teachings.

Recently, Theologian Dr. Darrell Bock gave a seminar to church leaders and pastors on engaging the culture and cultural intelligence. Slides from his presentation were posted on social media and, at face value, the verbiage is... problematic. Dr. Tim Stratton and Josh Klein are joined by Reverend Dr. Tom Barnes to discuss why this is concerning and to break down what we can and should do about it.   Full Disclosure: None of the three were at the event, so this commentary is meant to be directed towards the public-facing verbiage that could either a) be easily misconstrued, b) be misremembered in our current culture moment by people in attendance and applied using definitions based on critical theory rather than a biblical worldview, and/or c) were taught poorly in the first place and no explanation or nuance would make it better.   Join our team - https://www.freethinkingministries.com/donate Questions? Remarks? Contact us: https://www.freethinkingministries.com/contact The Theology of Voting Article referenced: https://www.freethinkingministries.com/post/theology-and-voting-loving-our-neighbors-at-the-ballot-box ➡️ CHAPTERS ⬅️ 00:00 Introduction 05:11 Breaking Down the Slides 07:06 Embrace Empathy and Compassion? 20:31 Embrace Listening and Another's Story? 28:50 Avoid Zero-Sum Tribal Thinking? 36:23 The Gospel Offers Hope, Of course... AND 39:53 Are People REALLY the goal? 44:45 Satan's Goal is to Divide Us However He Can? 47:46 People as Image Bearers VERSUS What They Do? 54:30 The Race Conversation Been Hijacked by Sexuality? 1:01:10 Focus on Commonalities VERSUS Differences? 1:07:37 Tone MATTERS?!? 1:17:30 Satan's Goal Isn't Division, It's Destruction 1:21:11 Talk Less, Show More? 1:27:00 Why Biblical Definitions Matter When Talking About Flourishing 1:32:00 Truth and Love are Linked and Concluding Thoughts ➡️ SOCIALS ⬅️ Website: https://freethinkingministries.com acebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreeThinkInc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freethinkinc X: https://x.com/freethinkmin TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@freethinkinc #Apologetics #FreeThinking #Christianity

PETA International President Poorva Joshipura unpacks Survival at Stake, linking animal cruelty to pandemics, antibiotic resistance, climate change, and pollution. Abhay and Poorva chat about her journey—from a "chicken burger" awakening to driving global change—and practical roadmaps for vegan living that protect humanity. They discuss the role of empathy, cultural heritage, and the impact of technology in advancing animal rights. Poorva shares insights on the compassion economy and how businesses can align with ethical practices. The conversation also touches on the challenges and controversies faced by PETA, emphasizing the need for awareness and action in the fight against animal cruelty.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Abhay and Poorva02:30 Poorva's Journey into Animal Rights06:54 The Importance of Empathy and Awareness10:50 Strategies for Animal Advocacy14:07 Sponsor Break - Travelopod15:27 Unlearning and Building Compassion19:46 The Accessibility of Veganism Today21:33 Channeling Anger into Positive Change25:13 Cultural Practices and Animal Rights in India28:48 Sponsor Break - Timberdog30:03 The Role of the Compassion Economy32:36 Leveraging Technology for Animal Advocacy35:41 Understanding PETA's Controversial Tactics39:53 Euthanized Animals and Ethical Considerations43:53 Staying Optimistic in Animal Activism45:58 Conclusion and Shout OutsBig shout out this week to previous guest, Neal Katyal for always bringing his constitutional A game, to Paul McCartney for being one of my favorite vegans of all time and for starting Meat Free Mondays and to Kashi, the inspiration behind RuffRest by Timber Dog.TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING is brought to you by TRAVELOPOD, with personalized travel support to help you explore the wonders of the world.  Start your next journey at vacation.travelopod.comThis episode is also sponsored by RuffRest® , the only dog bed you'll ever need.  Go to www.timberdog.com to learn more

Compassion and accountability are often seen as opposites in Organizational Behavior Management, but we believe they work best together. We break down how OBM, at its core, is simply ABA applied to organizations and how it can be implemented in ways that feel supportive rather than cold or purely data-driven.We discuss how assessments, data analysis, and feedback can prioritize clarity, honesty, and relationships. From pairing with reinforcement when entering an organization to involving staff in problem-solving and aligning expectations with real-world barriers, we share practical ways to move performance management away from compliance and toward collaboration.We also highlight the importance of values, authentic reinforcement, and listening as foundations of compassionate leadership. When staff are viewed as humans and not just performers, it becomes possible to reduce burnout, increase job satisfaction, and build systems that truly support long-term success.What's Inside:Why compassion and accountability are not opposites in OBMHow to apply core ABA principles to organizations at multiple levelsPractical strategies for compassionate performance managementUsing values, relationships, and authentic reinforcement to drive changeMentioned in This Episode:Compassionate ABA: Enhancing Social Skills, Tolerance, and Trauma-Informed CareEpisode 224: Beyond Compliance: Why Relationships Are the Heart of Compassionate ABAHowToABA.com/joinHow to ABA on YouTubeFind us on FacebookFollow us on Instagram

Chris and Shaun welcome Sean Harvey, an advisor, consultant, author, and ordained interfaith minister. Sean has dedicated his life to helping men in hyper-masculine systems--ranging from Wall Street to police departments and the military--reconnect with their humanity. The trio discusses Sean's journey growing up as a gay man in Southwest Ohio, his transition from a high-stakes Wall Street consultant to an interfaith minister, and how to find common ground with those on the opposite end of the ideological spectrum. Sean explains the "Masculinity Imprint" on our organizations and how the term "Warrior" can help men embrace compassion.Notable Quotes"Compassionate Warrior is an identity that you can claim. Warrior Compassion is an energy within that men, when they're courageous enough, can access." — Sean Harvey"I am never going to tell you what you should be as a man. I'm never going to tell you that you need to embrace healthy masculinity...I'm going to talk about some of the realities on the journey." — Sean Harvey"When we humanize and give officers more capacity, it actually makes them stronger. It's not about softening; it's about strengthening." — Sean HarveyResources MentionedSean's Org and Book: Warrior Compassion: Unleashing the Healing Power of MenMenLiving Website: menliving.orgHere's the bluegrass song detailing the devastating 1974 tornado that struck Xenia, Ohio: Oh! What a StormThanks to our sponsor, Mental. Mental is a wellness app built specifically for men, offering a sanctuary from "toxic positivity" and generic advice. It provides personalized, affordable, and science-backed support through real-life coaching designed to help you navigate life's messiest challenges. If you've been thinking about doing something for your mental health, visit https://app.getmental.com/subscribe to get started.

⚔️ Notre Programme Rox Evolution : https://bit.ly/roxevolution-podcast

Compassion makes everything sweet, rich, meaningful, worthwhile, and the cause of enlightenment. -Lama Zopa Rinpoche This month on the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive podcast, Lama Zopa Rinpoche discusses the all-pervasive importance of compassion. These teachings were given by Rinpoche at Deer Park Buddhist Center in Madison, Wisconsin, July, 1999. You can also listen along with the transcript on our website.

Send us a Positive Review!Join us for this one-time-only recording of our FIRST Latter Day Struggles "Live Fellowship"!  What is this, you ask?  Valerie has decided to offer a gathering place for those on the LDS and surrounding faith expansion journey wanting consistent (2x/month!) connection with her to go deeper into the mind & heart expanding content on both the Monday and Friday tracks of the Latter Day Struggles podcast.  In this opening gathering, Valerie explored with those in attendance how both The Family Proclamation to the World and the call of Clark Gilbert to the Q12 are reflections of a historical moment and a choice point that all organizations confront as they grow.  The question?   Do we adapt to a more connected and pluralistic world that is experiencing an awakening of light and truth? Or do we double down in fear-based conformity? This amazing interactive Fellowship Live episode gives you a taste of how your faith journey can move beyond a passive listening experience and towards active healing and connection with other seekers like yourself.   Jump in now and you can become a founding shaper of the first cohesive and intentional community of individuals whose LDS faith journey was an entry point into their greatest spiritual growth and evolution.  If you listened and this is for you, jump into the Latter Day Struggles LIVE FELLOWSHIP by clicking on the link below and enroll.  Timestamps:00:00 Welcome: Why Seeing Faces Matters 00:51 Building a Faith-Expansion Community 02:33 What a "Sangha" Is 04:14 How the Fellowship Works 05:23 What This Space Is (and Isn't) 07:43 Ground Rules: Staying with Growth 09:28 Why Context Heals 10:48 The Family Proclamation & Clark Gilbert 13:57 America and the LDS Church as Parallel Institutions 15:52 Master Narratives & Threatened Identity 19:38 Retrench or Adapt: The Choice Point 27:00 Discussion: Authoritarian Systems vs. Healthy Communities 32:54 Pocket Communities Over Polarization 34:08 Seeing the System with Compassion 37:50 Why Narrative Change Feels Threatening 40:00 High-Level Language vs. Real-Life Details 42:42 Moving Beyond Fixed Rules 46:45 Transcend & Include 51:37 Rethinking Prophecy 56:13 Our Role in the Larger Awakening 01:00:16 Closing: Breakout Groups & What's NextSupport the showSupport the show Listen, Share, Rate & Review EPISODES Friday Episodes Annual Access $89 Friday Episodes Monthly Access $10 Valerie's Support & Processing Groups Gift a Scholarship Download Free Resources Visit our Website

Send us a text message if you have a question you want answered on the podcast.When you're the one everyone depends on, it can feel like there's no space left for you to fall apart. This episode is for the quiet kind of exhaustion that comes from loving people through hard things while trying to hold your own life together.Niki answers listener questions about caring for a medically fragile child without losing your marriage, supporting a teen who speaks harshly about themselves, walking beside a spouse with depression, and coping with the heartbreak of an adult child creating distance.Instead of quick fixes, this episode offers small ways to stay connected when life feels heavy. Gentle ways to respond when words hurt. Compassion that doesn't require you to abandon your boundaries. And hope that even when relationships shift or strain, healing and direction are still possible.If you're tired, stretched thin, or quietly grieving something no one else fully sees, this episode will remind you that you are not alone, not broken, and not without support._______________________________Links mentioned in this episode:The LDS Mental Health Podcast Episode 222: Handling Boundaries Set for Youwww.ldsmentalhealthco.com/blog/222 _______________________________Stick around for more Mental Health support & resources:

Sarene B. Arias is the author of Discovering Diamonds: A Story of Compassionate Divorce and the founder of Compassionate Divorce. Sarene's work is rooted in one powerful belief: divorce does not have to be a tragedy—it can be a transition handled with care, dignity, and compassion. A Certified Integral Therapist, Sarene works internationally with individuals and couples, helping them feel vitally alive while navigating life's most difficult endings. Her approach to Compassionate Divorce challenges traditional models by centering kindness, respect, and emotional responsibility—especially when children and long-term family dynamics are involved. Discovering Diamonds is part memoir, part guide, where Sarene openly shares the realities of her own divorce, how she found her way to Compassionate Divorce, and why she believes learning to treat those we once loved with compassion is essential—not only for families, but for peace in the world. On The Rewrite, we explore: • What Compassionate Divorce really means • How it differs from traditional divorce • Who it's right for • Navigating financial and emotional endings with integrity Discovering Diamonds: A Story of Compassionate Divorce www.compassionate-divorce.com Follow @Compassionate_Divorce Subscribe & follow @therewrite 

Dress yourself up in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. This “clothing” will draw attention to God in a good way. -------- Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible.     Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org   Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

Sanctified Compassion That Doesn't Cost You Your Peace!Hello, beloved! Our study has been pretty eye-opening, right? Today, Pastor Carina discusses the importance of compassion, setting healthy boundaries, and how compassion leads to personal growth so you can keep your peace.Pastor Carina is a Christian life coach, Keynote Speaker, and Mentor who God has uniquely gifted to activate others in the body of Christ. She carries an anointing to stir dormant callings, awaken spiritual gifts, and ignite Kingdom assignments,  empowering believers to step boldly into their God-given identity, walk in divine purpose, and bear lasting fruit for His glory. She's the Founder of Trumpets of Tirzah, an international apostolic center for women that facilitates purpose discovery, Kingdom lifestyle practices, and biblical leadership disciplines so that women can live, and lead, a "new creation" life that reflects Jesus. Her personal coaching, group mentoring, and Tirzah University courses provide keys of radical transformation that launch women into spheres of influence around the world.Tirzah University is the only educational institution in the world that focuses on the Apostolic role of women in the body of Christ while educating, equipping and empowering women to walk confidently in their God-given role. Come study with us: www.TirzahUniversity.com Your support plants seeds and grows the Kingdom of God! We are a 501c3 - www.trumpetsoftirzah.com/donateLuxury anointing oils and anointing lotions: https://www.trumpetsoftirzah.com/category/anointingAnd take a look at how we are sharing the gospel through film:https://www.trumpetsoftirzah.com/mastersmedia******************************************************** Awaken. Arise. Advance.https://www.trumpetsoftirzah.comDo you want your Christian product advertised on our podcast? Book your ad on Fiver.https://www.fiverr.com/s/NNLl8pN Get your Amplified Bible: https://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFF&p=1223731&item_no=0446538We host in-person and virtual events. Check out our website events page to join in the fun. We are a community of women leaders with creative hearts desiring to follow the examples of Jesus above all else. We are located in the heart of Temecula, CA.Let's connect and journey through life together! We are a mature community of Kingdom believers standing bolding in God's truth and partnering with the Holy Spirit.Shopping for Christian gifts? Here's a link to discounted quality gifts: https://www.christianbook.com/page/gifts?event=AFF&p=1223731Engage daily with us! Instagram https://www.instagram.com/trumpetsoftirzah/ TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@trumpetsoftirzahLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/trumpetsoftirzah iHeart Radio  ⁠https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-trumpets-of-tirzah-120477377/⁠ Amazon Music. ⁠https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c0203ed1-9b85-426a-85f5-5350e82ab730/trumpets-of-tirzah⁠ Apple Podcasts. ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trumpets-of-tirzah/id1551900025⁠ Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4DCT4KBVsmzfnqyobR4ZwF Apple Podcasts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trumpets-of-tirzah/id1551900025YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TrumpetsofTirzahRumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-5936184spiritual authority,holy spirit power,spiritual growth,authority in christ,faith over fear,christian motivation,grow your faith,kingdom builders live,kingdom message,apostolic preaching,apostolic faith church,live wednesday,christian live stream,digital discipleship,digital disciple ministries,bible study,faith,jesus,prayer,sermon,trust god,christian virtual fellowship,faith journey,holy spirit understanding,glory of love,believe in miracles,inspire, Disciple makers podcast,Female Christian speakers YouTube, kingdom faith coach, grow your faith today, living as a christian in todays world, inner healing podcast

In this episode, we explore how we can learn to be present with our own pain.Thoughts or questions you'd like to share? Email me anytime at dailydharmapodcast@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you.

Radiant Life Church Podcast

For the complete track-list checkout the website www.djroyski.comwww.djroyski.comwww.patreon.com/royskiwww.mixcloud.com/djroyskiwww.facebook.com/djroyskiwww.x.com/djroyski

In this episode of the Decoding TV podcast, David and Patrick discuss what's going on in the world of TV, then dive into the latest episode of The Pitt.Why would Apple buy the rights to Severance? Will Paramount's latest gambit to buy WBD succeed? And what the heck is going on with Stephen Colbert over at Late Night and his interview with James Talarico? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more.Homework for next week:The Pitt Season 2 Episode 8 (HBO Max)Shownotes (All timestamps are approximate):02:30 - TV NewsApple Buys Severance for $70MMNetflix reopens Paramount talksStephen Colbert's FCC FiascoCBS Denies blocking interviewSpider-Noir gets May 27 Release DateBW Corner:Anderson Cooper leaves 60 MinutesPeter Attia not being firedHOTD Season 3 Teaser Trailer50:00 - The Pitt Season 2Episode 7 - 2:00 P.M.Links:Listen to Patrick's videogame podcast, Remap RadioSubscribe to Patrick's newsletter, CrossplaySubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to David's free newsletter, Decoding EverythingFollow David on InstagramFollow David on Tiktok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Check out Mirabai's archived podcast series on the Be Here Now Network.In this episode, Raghu and Mirabai chat about:Mirabai's leap of faith: leaving her PhD program, going to India, and becoming a devotee of Maharaj-jiThe mystery of timing and how a single moment can quietly change the course of a lifeA silent meditation retreat that unexpectedly prepared Mirabai to meet Maharaj-jiHow one moment with Maharaj-ji expanded Mirabai's sense of being alive and transformed her inner worldSurrendering control: how Maharaj-ji taught Ram Dass to release the need to manage realityThe sacred symbolism and devotional practice of touching a guru's feetThe miracle of childbirth and Mirabai's profound experiences with home birthAbout Mirabai Bush:In addition to being one of Love Serve Remember Foundation's respected board members, Mirabai Bush is a devotee of Neem Karoli Baba and spent time with him in India from 1971 to 1972. Along with Ram Dass, she is the co-author of Compassion in Action: Setting Out on the Path of Service and Walking Each Other Home. Mirabai is Senior Fellow and founder of the Center on Contemplative Mind in Society, which encourages contemplative practice and perspective in American life in order to create a more just, compassionate and reflective society. Mirabai has also worked with Google on a workplace course called ‘Search Inside Yourself' and with the US Army on a program for chaplains and medics. She is editor of Contemplation Nation: How Ancient Practices are Changing the Way We Live, co-author of Contemplative Practices in Higher Education: Powerful Methods To Transform Teaching and Learning, and author of Working with Mindfulness. Keep up with Mirabai on her website and don't forget to grab her latest book, Almost Home. “I just fell down at his feet. I never thought I would bow to a guru, but it wasn't a decision; I was just there. In those first moments, he just expanded my sense of what it could mean to be human, to be on this planet. There is so much more to it than I had thought.” –Mirabai BushSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's world, it can feel like stress is unavoidable. Is constant pressure and burnout just part of life now? How can we protect our mental health with so much pulling at us?In this episode, you'll learn:How to identify stressors in our life and assess how you're really doing.What to do when you feel overwhelmed by shame.Practical scripts you can borrow to reach out to someone when you need help.Four essential questions to ask your loved ones as you support their mental health journey.Links and Resources We Mention in This Episode:We're grateful to the American Association of Christian Counselors for being a yearlong sponsor of Therapy & Theology. Click here to apply for their Youth Mental Health Coach program — a biblically grounded, clinically excellent training to help you support youth facing today's most common mental health challenges. Go to Compassion.com/Lysa to join us in sponsoring a child through Compassion International today.Subscribe here to receive new Therapy & Theology episodes straight to your inbox.Want a chance to be featured on Listener Mail? Leave Lysa, Jim, or Joel a message or a question right here.If you'd like to give a gift today so Therapy & Theology can reach even more women in their desperate moments, go to proverbs31.org/givenow.Click here to download a transcript of this episode.