Podcast appearances and mentions of Richard Schwartz

This week, Thomas sits down with award-winning researcher, author, and science communicator Britt Wray to discuss the need for collective care, systemic action, and spiritual introspection in addressing the climate crisis and its psychological effects.Britt offers an approach to climate anxiety, called “Transformational Resilience,” that focuses on channeling emotional distress into meaningful action and care, rather than resorting to denial or returning to an unhelpful baseline.She and Thomas also explore how climate action is like a relay race, where action is sustained over time by passing the baton, and how acting in alignment with environmental values reduces cognitive dissonance and fosters emotional well-being.✨ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:

This week, Thomas shares a teaching on what fuels your life energy and how this connects to your spiritual health and sense of purpose.Thomas focuses in on the idea of interdependence, or interconnectedness, and how your vitality is dependent on relational dynamics, co-regulation, and collective wellness.He explores healing modalities and spiritual practices that can recharge your energetic battery, with wisdom on how to shift from repetitive, stagnant patterns to emergent, authentic movements.✨ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:

Most of us were taught to treat emotions like distress, numbness, and burnout as private failings to manage and move past, rather than normal responses to living within a world full of crises. The unintended result is a distrust in our own bodies and mind, further leading to more confusion about what is 'normal.' One framework offers a potential path to living in harmony with all of the mind's distinct parts, breaking the defensive and counterproductive loops we tend to get stuck in. What sort of systemic ripples might become possible if we stop trying to smother uncomfortable parts of ourselves, and begin embracing them as critical pieces of our own mental ecologies? In this episode, Nate is joined by Dr. Richard C. Schwartz, the therapist who developed Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Steffi Bednarek, a climate psychologist applying that same model to organizations, governments, and culture at large. Dick walks through the origins of IFS, which describes the mind as naturally made up of "parts" – protectors and exiles – with their own histories, fears, and roles, which are all held by an underlying "Self." Steffi extends the model outward to show how institutions and even entire countries can be read as systems of exiles and protectors, and shares how she uses IFS with governments, financial institutions, and wealth holders to defuse shame and effectively guide toward pro-social behavioral change. Together, they explore why healing our relationship to our own most despised parts may be inseparable from healing our relationship to the rest of the living world. How can looking inward to our own thought processes and patterns help us better understand and relate to others, especially those whose behavior we find hardest to accept? As we continue through challenging times, how can we balance critical physical and policy work with the internal work of healing our relationship to the mental parts we shy away from? And would our decisions and actions change if more and more humans began to lead from curiosity and compassion, instead of fear, and could that be enough to shift the larger system? (Conversation recorded on August 5th, 2026)   About Richard C. Schwartz: Richard C. Schwartz, PhD, is the creator of Internal Family Systems, a highly effective, therapeutic model with a growing evidence base, that de-pathologizes the multi-part personality. Richard is also the Founder of the IFS Institute that primarily offers training for professionals. He is currently a Teaching Associate in Psychiatry, at Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard Medical School teaching affiliate. Richard has authored or co-authored more than ten books on Internal Family Systems and related topics, including No Bad Parts and Internal Family Systems Therapy. He lives near Chicago with his wife Jeanne, Vice President of the IFS Institute, close to his three daughters and six grandchildren.   About Steffi Bednarek: Steffi Bednarek is a gestalt psychotherapist, trauma therapist, and climate psychologist. Her work explores the interface between climate change and mental health. With twenty-five years of experience in depth psychology, complexity thinking, climate psychology, and grief tending, Bednarek has worked for national governments and global institutions to prepare leaders and organizations for the psychological dimension of climate change in decision-making processes. Her work has been featured in the Huffington Post, BBC, David Milliband's "Reasons to be cheerful" podcast and numerous international publications. She is the co-founder of "Explorations into Climate Psychology" journal and an associate member of the American Psychological Association's climate change group.   Show Notes and More   Watch this video episode on YouTube   Want to learn the broad overview of The Great Simplification in 30 minutes? Watch our Animated Movie.   ---   Support The Institute for the Study of Energy and Our Future   Join our Substack newsletter   Join our Hylo channel and connect with other listeners  

This week, Thomas shares a teaching on becoming grounded to integrate ancestral wisdom and initiate yourself into the digital age in a spiritually centered and holistic way.He explores the perspective shifts that occur in both healing and spiritual awakening, and how we can harness this transformative power to heal collectively and evolve technologically without abandoning spiritual connection.Thomas also discusses the importance of embracing uncertainty to expand your consciousness, what it means to truly process the past, and how to open yourself to your unique, higher calling.✨ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:

8/9/2026 - John 15:18-16:4a - The Persecution from the World by Richard Schwartz

This week, Thomas sits down with Ashanti Kunene, an activist, slam poet, writer, and the founder of Learning 2 Unlearn, for a conversation about spiritual alignment and integrity in leadership and the connection between individual healing and systems change.In a time when we're all faced with the repercussions of intergenerational trauma, oppressive systems, and unethical leadership, those of us who feel called to facilitate change must first confront our personal narratives, ethics, and shadow-self so that our actions align with our inner spiritual and moral compass.Ashanti and Thomas explore what that really looks like, what people in positions of power are truly responsible and accountable for, and what we can learn from the good AND the bad deeds of those who came before us.✨ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:

128. Ancestral Trauma & Psychedelic IntegrationA 45-year psychedelic guide on ancestral trauma, Internal Family Systems, and why integration, not the ceremony, is the real medicine.Episode SummaryMost conversations about psychedelics stay at the level of the ceremony: the dose, the visions, the breakthrough. This episode goes somewhere else. Sand Symes has spent 45 years supporting women, first as a social worker, then as what she calls a modern medicine woman, and she doesn't talk about psychedelics as a fix. She talks about them as a way back to parts of yourself that got buried decades ago and never fully addressed. In this live recording from Psychedelic Salon at Town Hall Seattle, Sand walks through Internal Family Systems, the neuroscience of fear memory, the "trauma of overdoing" that hides inside high-functioning women, and why psychedelic integration for women is the part almost everyone underestimates. If you've ever wondered what actually happens after the journey ends, this is that conversation.

8/2/2026 - John 15:1-17 - The Vine and the Branches by Richard Schwartz

This week, Thomas sits down with mythologist Michael Meade for a conversation about initiations, awakenings, and how to access your innate gifts to be a transformative force in a world in crisis.Michael shares about his formative experience as a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War, and how the confinement, isolation, and trauma that he endured informed his spiritual development and life philosophy.He and Thomas look at the current uncertain state of the world where old structures are collapsing as a liminal space where the new world has not yet been born. Michael argues that healing and evolving into a better world requires us to be present with conflict, sustain soulful connections, maintain creative and contemplative practices, and find the courage from our heart to lean into our authentic, imperfect selves.✨ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:

Ep. 238 | In this brilliantly articulated and illuminating conversation, renowned international facilitator Thomas Hübl shares his deep understanding of the dynamics of collective trauma as well as practical wisdom about how we can heal the large, often inherited, wounds we carry. Thomas conveys the magnitude of problems created by shoving our collective wounds out of sight and mind, perhaps the worst consequence of which is when we do this, we are destined to repeat the same horrors over again. What we need, Thomas explains, is to develop an architecture that would provide a healing space to deal with our wounds (racism, genocide, and immigration, to name a few). Meeting our collective pain in this way would allow us to mature to a level of forgiveness where we could collaborate globally on urgent issues like AI and climate change. Without this healing, Thomas says, the energy that can forgive remains frozen in the wound.The dialogue becomes profoundly hopeful as Thomas describes someone who has met their pain and healed themselves of individual and collective trauma. Listening is like receiving a transmission—for a moment we feel ourselves to be this person: integrated, authentic, vulnerable, fully attuned to our reality, at peace with both the beauty and the difficulties, free of false hopes and unrealistic dreams. If we could embrace the power of collective healing that Thomas has witnessed again and again in his work, and “melt the permafrost of our collective trauma,” we could step out of the never-ending cycle of violence, cruelty, and misunderstanding that will otherwise continue to haunt us. This conversation goes right to the heart of things: if we recognize our interrelatedness and find a way to practice interdependence, we can grow beyond our individual and collective pain into a tremendously more hopeful future. Recorded October 30, 2025.“Unconscious information is destiny. Conscious information has a choice, has a future.”Topics & Time StampsIntroducing teacher, author & facilitator Thomas Hübl, who offers a deep understanding of collective trauma—and collective healing (00:49)How is Thomas able to stay attuned and hold this large field he works with? (02:43)Attunement is another way to say interdependence (05:56)A grounded spiritual practice helps to hold the space & learn from the process, rather than direct the process (06:57)How does Thomas understand the healing process? (10:51)Bringing awareness to a collective wound allows it to give its gift (14:03)Has Thomas found a way of working with the Israel/Gaza situation? (16:03)Hot trauma is different from historical or ancestral trauma (21:55)Without processes to deal with large wounds, the repetition compulsion will keep happening (23:00)How to deal with authoritarian regimes whitewashing history? (25:47)Huge trauma wounds in the U.S.: racism, genocide, and now immigration (27:07)We need a collective healing space; everybody who is alive has been born into this legacy and it has become normalized (28:22)In this global village, there is no “them” anymore (30:25) Cultural amnesia allows us to live with violence; nonviolence is a natural consequence of realizing interdependence (32:06)Ethics and health are inherently interrelated (34:17)You cannot erase history; it's a felt experience in our bodies (36:14) The exaggeration of separation & self-righteousness by social media (37:11)The reality we create with each other is painful; hope lies in a sense of agency (40:16) How can we forgive horrific violations of life? Melting the permafrost of our collective trauma (42:58) What does a person look like who has faced these deep issues and healed? (49:08) The power of healing collectives is very hopeful for accelerating social transformation (55:58)Resources & ReferencesThomas Hübl's website: https://thomashuebl.com/Thomas Hübl's podcast: Point of RelationThomas Hübl, Healing Collective TraumaThomas Hübl, Attuned: Practicing Interdependence to Heal Our Trauma—and Our WorldThomas Hübl & Richard Schwartz (founder of Internal Family Systems), Releasing Our Burdens: A Guide to Healing Individual, Ancestral, and Collective TraumaGlobal Restoration Institute, promoting global interconnectivity & long-term peace through integrating innovative trauma-informed practices with conflict resolution & prevention methods---Thomas Hübl, PhD, is a renowned teacher, author, and international facilitator who works within the complexity of systems and cultural change, integrating the core insights of the great wisdom traditions and mysticism with the discoveries of science. Since the early 2000s, he has led large-scale events and courses on the healing of collective trauma.Thomas is the author of Attuned: Practicing Interdependence to Heal Our Trauma—and Our World, Healing Collective Trauma: A Process for Integrating Our Intergenerational and Cultural Wounds, and most recently, co-author of Releasing Our Burdens: A Guide to Healing Individual, Ancestral, and Collective Trauma, with Richard Schwartz. Hübl has served as an advisor and guest faculty for universities and organizations, as a coach for CEOs and organizational leaders, and is currently a visiting scholar at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University.---Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

This week, Thomas sits down with Dharma teacher and author Kaira Jewel Lingo to explore how we can heal our deeply fractured relationship with the Earth and break out of the modern digital trance.Kaira shares her unique experience of transitioning out of monastic life as a nun and back into a fast-paced digital world. This experience gave her a unique perspective on how technology consumes our attention, and what's needed to reconnect to our relationships, ourselves, our spirituality, and the earth.She and Thomas discuss how face-to-face connection can help us reclaim our presence, why our global crises stem from our disconnection with nature, and what's needed for a collective re-awakening into an interconnected and embodied life that's defined by care and curiosity instead of an isolated existence fueled by exploitation and inattention.✨ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:

7/19/2026 - John 14:25-31 - The Peace of Christ by Richard Schwartz

Turning 40 inspired me to stop and reflect in a deeper way. In that reflection, I asked a question I hadn't asked in a while: which ideas have actually changed the way I live? Four rose above the rest (convenient since it was my 40th!), and one thing that surprised me is how they build on each other, almost like a manual for how to live. In this solo reflection, I walk through all four, along with the single thread that connects them: awareness/mindfulness comes before change, every time. Key insights include: Why alignment, not achievement, has been the biggest unlock for me, and ways to know when something is truly aligned.  How meditation became less about reaching some blissful end state and more about being still enough to hear what's actually true (with a nod to "self vs. parts" from Internal Family Systems). Why identity is built through repetition, and how treating life as an ongoing experiment turns results into feedback instead of judgment. How your standards, what you're willing to tolerate on your lowest day, quietly shape your health, relationships, business, and even the standards your team accepts. The balancing act of not postponing your life for a "someday" that may never come, and why success should expand your life rather than delay it. Tune in for an honest look at how a decade of small shifts, and one big birthday, changed the way I make decisions - plus a simple one-question challenge to carry into your week.   TRANSCRIPT: Garrett Salpeter (00:00.974) Hello, New Fit Nation. Welcome back to the Undercurrent Podcast. This is the first episode that I am recording in my 40s. I just turned 40, and that is actually the theme of today's episode because it certainly feels like a milestone. It has caused me to stop and reflect, and I'm going to share some of those reflections with you here today. In the recent years of Gone through periods of transition in business, in life, my kids have hit new milestones. This year, my daughter, older daughter started high school. I've also gone through some personal transitions with a separation and divorce. And all of this has caused me, especially in combination with with a significant birthday like this, caused me to look up from the day to day and ask some bigger questions and wonder if I'm living my life in the way that I wish to be living my life. I I look at and I think about. How I'm responsible for what has happened and is happening in my life. The one that immediately led to this episode, I also thought about and asked myself what ideas and principles have influenced me and actually changed the way that I live? And when I sat with that question, there's four principles that rose above the rest. So I was, as you can imagine, I was very excited to see that having four corresponds well with a 40th birthday. I'm glad the numbers work out. I also saw a common thread and realized that they're not necessarily four separate lessons, but that they build on each other. And there's almost a sequence that for me is like a manual for how to live. And that is what I want to share with you today. And before I get into that, a couple notes. One is that if you're familiar with me, with our work at Newfit, you know that for nearly 20 years now, for me it's it's all come back to one thing, which is the nervous system. And when we're Talking about the new fit method and the newbie, it all comes down to helping people retrain their nervous system. It's the operating system of the body. We want the whole system to be running better. And I, in reflection on these, I see how I've been doing the same type of thing with myself, trying to get my operating system to work better. And one of the biggest things that, as you know, the nervous system does it's to make us aware, aware of our internal and external. Garrett Salpeter (02:22.486) environments and so awareness is a thread that also ties together these four lessons that I'm going to share with you because each one of them is preceded by or begins with awareness with noticing noticing where I am where I'm not in alignment noticing what my habits are and how they're influencing my life noticing what I'm accepting or tolerating in my life and also noticing for me areas in which I've been postponing my life and waiting for something to happen so I could achieve something and then feel a certain way, things like that that that I'll get into here. So these are the four, I don't necessarily want to say lessons, but I'd say the four biggest shifts in how I've lived that really stand out to me as being very impactful. And my intention here and sharing them with you is that they'll also be worthwhile to you in some way. So on to the first shift. For me, it's all about alignment. This is number one, I'm choosing this first because choosing to share this first because I feel like alignment has been the biggest unlock for me in the sense that finding where I feel aligned or where I haven't felt aligned and how the decisions I made from that, I can see how things play out. And one of the first times where I really realized the the dark side of this of acting out of alignment was an issue with a a person I had worked with and I knew deep down inside that there wasn't alignment. It wasn't a good cultural fit. And I overrided or overrode that in part because of people pleasing tendencies, because it was difficult for me to have hard conversations and and let this person know what was problematic, what was not working, what needed to change, difficulty for me setting boundaries. And I also had this, this was very early on in my career, also had this sort of scarcity mindset as opposed to abundance mindset of like, gosh, can I ever find anyone else to work with me? You know, so there's this feeling of not being worthy, not being good enough, noticing these things certainly all influenced it. But in overriding that, I allowed to continue Garrett Salpeter (04:49.91) situations and dynamics that ended up costing far more in the long run, emotionally and monetarily, costing a lot more than the initial pain and cost or the immediate pain and cost would have been having a hard conversation up front or getting rid of a person, you know, who wasn't a good fit years ahead of when I finally found the courage and clarity to do it. And when I Look at at other times where I've made decisions that have come out of alignment. Like, for example, coming out of college, I had a physics undergraduate degree, and I was set to go to engineering graduate school at the University of Texas here in Austin, which is how I got down here. And it was a fabulous experience, and I'm so glad I did it. And I had options to take jobs. I had a job offer with a big consulting firm out of college. I had an opportunity to interview with a large, very well-known investment bank, which I may or may not have gotten a job, but I decided that I wanted to pursue this because it felt more aligned with who I was and what I was interested in doing. And that ended up being a great decision. And that engineering background ultimately gave me the the experience and the perspective to be able to lead the team that ultimately created the newbie device and do the things that I'm doing now. It was a big part of that journey. So I'm I'm so glad that I did it. Also early on in my career back when I was working in a clinic and I had this hundred and twenty square foot office in the chiropractic office, chiropractic clinic of the guy who was the U T Longhorns chiropractor, his private practice. I was using older versions of electrical stimulation. That's part of what led me to ultimately creating the newbie. And I you know, very young doing this, it wasn't sure no one was really sure where this was gonna go. Me l me most of all. but I I knew that I really want to do it. And there was a moment there when when Brianna and I, my former wife, got pregnant with our first daughter. And I was still in my early twenties and I was honestly scared. And there were some suggestions, like my father, for example, very reasonably and lovingly encouraged me to take my master's degree in engineering and go get a stable. Garrett Salpeter (07:13.814) job so I can provide for my family. And I understand and appreciate why he said that. And for me, I sat with that and realized that what I really wanted to do was to follow my heart and pursue this work, doing this clinic and this type of work that led to new fit and everything that that we're doing now. And I'm so glad I did it. And it came from alignment. So those are some examples of acting from alignment or overriding the internal knowing. and acting from a place of misalignment. So that to me, that really is the f foundational framework. And a big catalyst for me understanding this has been my experience in meditation over the last couple years. I probably first got interested in meditation From listening to and reading Sam Harris's work and conversations with my friend Wesley Cress, who's been on this podcast, and hearing his experiences and his his explanations of meditation really helped it resonate with me in a way that it got me interested in pursuing it. And I've done more formal work both with Shauna Shapiro and Corey Muscara. Shauna's been on the podcast as well. And I highly recommend both of their books and their online work and courses or in-person work and courses because For me, meditation has been the way to really clarify and crystallize this concept or operationalize this and bring it into my daily life, where a lot of times we think that meditation is about sitting still until we get to a place of bliss or happiness where nothing bothers us. But what it's really about, as I've learned from people like Corey and Shauna, what it's really about is Have being still enough so that we can be aware enough or mindfulness, right? Mindful enough to be aware of what's going on in our own experience. So that I can actually feel when something I'm contemplating doing is aligned or is not aligned. And the the framework that I really love here that I have started using w whenever I can is understanding when I'm making a decision. Garrett Salpeter (09:28.44) From a place of self or parts, using the language of internal family systems. Another great book recommendation is No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz, Dick Schwartz, that describes this concept of internal family systems. When I'm making decisions from my true self, which you have a true self, I have a true self. We all have this true self, this place within us that is our deepest truth, where we feel clear and calm and confident and courageous and creative. And connected. There's these different C words that describe this state. Even just hearing those, you may feel some energy resonating. And the the parts are the different different patterns within ourselves that I alluded to earlier in my own experience, where I learned to act a certain way, you know, in people pleasing, difficulty setting boundaries. I had also learned that I felt like I had to achieve something in order to be worthy of love. And so these are the patterns. These patterns are parts. Of me and different parts can be online at different times and they can interact in certain ways, and I can be acting from certain parts or acting from self, those different places. And so meditation for me allows me to have the opportunity to slow down enough to drop in deeply enough to get clearer on what is my true motivation for doing something and making a decision. Is it aligned? Is it coming from a place of self or is it coming from a place of parts? And so the the question I really love to ask myself, which I got from Corey Muscara and his teaching is am I doing this? Am I considering doing this thing because I already feel complete as a person and it's aligned with my true desires? Or am I feeling empty inside and I'm choosing this thing as an attempt to grasp at something that might fill me up? Because we all know that that you know, getting past a certain point at least getting more money or getting a nicer house or a nicer watch or a nicer car, you know, we feel like that's gonna that's gonna be the thing that finally gets us happy. And we know that it doesn't work that way. But there's these patterns that I even will notice sometimes that I fall into. And it's the kind of underlying awareness of this alignment dynamic that helps me navigate this. And there's a few examples where I've seen my ego that Garrett Salpeter (11:50.307) that that part many many examples where I've seen that you know I was I was just reflecting in preparation for this like one for example doing what I do for work I I admittedly take a lot of pride in helping people get get results in sports medicine and rehabilitation and things like that and and with myself I put off for many years getting a hip surgery that I likely should have gotten earlier, and that I finally did get, and that was helpful. I got bone shaved down, bone spurs shaved down off the neck of my femur where I had a femoral acetabular impingement FAI. And I you know, I'm so glad I did it. But I put it off for a long time. I also noticed really interesting, after my first meditation retreat. I, as you likely can tell, you know, I read a ton of books, and I think a lot of the the where I am and what I've learned and who I've become is positively influenced by the books that I've read. And so I think that's wonderful. And I also at the same time observed that a lot of that came from a place of feeling somewhat empty or incomplete and thinking that if I was just a little bit smarter, If I knew a little bit more, then I'd be better, then I'd finally be worthy of some sort of status or love or belonging, some sort of internal drive like that. And I learned that some of that consumption of you know books, podcasts, etc., was some of that grasping trying to fill me up inside. And it was so interesting that after my first meditation retreat with Corey Muscara for a couple months. I I noticed that desire was significantly diminished. Where I you know, instead of always wanting to listen to a podcast or a book on tape audio book when I'm in the car, book on tape, they're not on tape anymore, but when I noticed that I would actually just enjoy sort of doing a breathing exercise or sitting and listening to music, things like that. It was it was an interesting shift. And so now I still read. Garrett Salpeter (13:59.679) And I ask myself if I'm doing it from some sort of compulsive desire to fill a perceived void, or if I'm doing it from a place of true interest and alignment. And it often is from a place of interest and alignment, but I really like that framework, and I felt compelled to share that with you. So I think the big, the big question that I would ask, and that I encourage everyone listening to this to ask, is It's not necessarily about following your passion, but following your alignments. I would ask you if what you're contemplating doing is truly aligned. And one exercise that that I have done in the past is actually close my eyes and consider a path A, consider a path B, and see how they feel in my nervous system. Because that often will give us a clue. It'll, you know, sometimes it's as dramatic as one path. will feel very constricting energetically and one will feel expansive, like it's giving us energy. And I've that's one thing that I've found is that if I'm doing things that could be objectively hard, even if it even if it is hard, it feels somewhat easier to me because that sense of alignment gives me energy and and it doesn't feel as hard. It makes makes having a going through difficult times in business or having a a a workout program sustainable. So I would ask myself and encourage you to ask yourself, where in my life am I choosing from emptiness rather than from fullness? Whatever, whatever that means to you. So that's the first the first one is is understanding alignment. And we really have to understand our identity, our true selves, who we are, what is most important to us, what we value, what what is in alignment with us at that deepest level. And then This second shift principle that I want to wanna share is how our identity is built through repetitions, how we are a culmination of our habits. And I think a lot about my life as an ongoing experiment. I think about my inputs that I do in my in my training and lifestyle, in my business, how I show up with my family and what you know what I do with my kids. And I look at the results that that come out of that. Think about it as as sort of one big ongoing experiment. There's also this great quote. Garrett Salpeter (16:25.578) Of attributed to Aristotle of we are what we repeatedly do. He talks about excellence is not an act, but it's a habit, because what we repeatedly do adds up to who we are. And so I think also in this sort of scientific ongoing experiment, results are feedback. They're not necessarily judgment. We don't fail, we gather information. I think that's a good mindset shift. I also think a lot about this in terms of Fitness and and health, which I think is a great metaphor for anything, because in fitness there is this balance of of work and and recovery and rest and regeneration. There's this this balance of delayed gratification of having to work for a period of time to see a result that comes later, of having to have faith in the process of of getting help and support and coaching and learning and and finding the most effective way, not the shortcut, but the most effective and direct path to your goal. So there's all these different lessons that I think extrapolate beautifully to all areas of life. And I I think a lot about the the way that what how what I do every day, how to have a daily routine. That helps me get to the levels of health and fitness and physical and mental performance and vitality that I wish to achieve for myself. So one thing that I'm working on is I'm generally very stiff. I have a background of ice hockey. As Greg Cook says, I was was one of these examples of someone building fitness on top of dysfunction. I didn't have my core movement fundamentals down, and yet I built a fair amount of size and strength and speed on top of that. And so couple that with playing ice hockey and being locked in that kind of half squat position with hips and external rotation, very little foot and ankle movement because the feet are locked in a in boots, you know, ice hockey boots, the skates, and all that leads to significant mobility restrictions that now I want to work on. And so I think about how my habits influence that. And there's things that I do to work on hip internal rotation. Garrett Salpeter (18:38.638) And I do those six or seven days a week. I work it into my plan. And over time, it's been so cool to see my hip internal rotation go from generously zero degrees to you know 15, 20 degrees. It's still not, you know, anatomically ideal, but it's gotten a lot better. And it's cool to see the progress, even in something that's as slow to change as structural remodeling of joint capsules. And I think this is a great. prompt for us all to look at our habits. You know, if someone all also going back to fitness, there's a great a great quote that the body you have is the body you've earned. So how if we're if we're not as strong in a certain area or we're several pounds overweight or you know, there's there's likely some reason for it. And it's sometimes not the individual's fault. Sometimes there's there's toxic exposure or things like that that's out of their control that's causing more inflammation that That throws things off or some disease state. And oftentimes once once we know about it, then there's things that we can do about it. So there's certainly the I think a lot of value in understanding that our life now is the culmination of our habits and really examining and evaluating those and making sure that yes, they are aligned. So we have number one being alignment, number two being habits, repetition, how that how that builds upon and cements our identity. And then related is number three, which is the standards. There's this great saying that we get what we tolerate. There's there's our our standards really shape our lives. And so for me right now, I actually just keeping on the fitness metaphor, one of my standards is being able to to sprint all out. And I'm dealing with an Achilles injury that is very frustrating to me because I'm currently not able to meet my own standard. And because I take that standard seriously, it creates within me a sense of urgency where I'm rehabbing my Achilles very diligently. And it's difficult for me to be patient and understand that it can take, you know, several months for tendon tissue to remodel. And that's actually the subject of what will probably be the next podcast we release. a little bit of a foreshadowing there. Garrett Salpeter (21:02.536) on on Achilles tendon injuries and recovery from surgery and that whole topic. That's something that I'm diving into, trying to l really learn as much about as I can, both out of interest and a desire to share it and this personal desire to get back to my standard, where by the end of this summer, I intend to be able to get back to at least my weekly sprinting. So that's something that I I I think a lot about and that is is very important to me in terms of what we tolerate there that's both within ourselves and it's with you know the people that work within our businesses. It's fit within family members and friends and things like that. It's sort of this not just what we do on our best day or when we hit our stretch goal, but it's what do we tolerate on the the floor on our the lowest day. And it's important in in business. You know, we're not going to hit our stretch goal every every week, every month, every quarter, every year, but if there's a minimum number of calls that we're going to make or if there's a minimum number of some effort that we're going to make. If we hold ourselves to that, chances are we're going to better over time. Same thing in the gym. If you you're not going to set a PR every day, but if you're going to continue working and getting better and following the program, that often leads to a great place in the long term. for me, one one standard is my bedtime. I will occasionally occasionally stay out late for a special event or something like that. If I really feel like and this plays into number four where I I'm I'm focusing on yes, delayed gratification is important, but I don't want to delay everything for a someday that may never come. So every once in a while I'll do this. But generally speaking, I'm very diligent about my bedtime because I know that if I if I don't go to bed on time, I'm not gonna be as effective the next day. It's gonna throw off different aspects of my vitality and energy and and mental and physical ability. And so if I have something to do, one, having a being more strict with my bedtime, it forces me to prioritize getting shit done during the day, pardon my language. And it also, you know, it makes it clear for me if I have something that I need to work on, I I will choose to to go to bed earlier and then work get up earlier and work on it in the morning rather than stay up and and do it that night. Garrett Salpeter (23:25.196) because that will I know that the outcome is gonna be better if I go to bed now and get up and do it in the morning in in in many ways. So there's a lot a lot of ways that That affects me. And that's one that's important for me. You know, for some people, it's a minimum number of pages that they're going to read in a book per day or whatever it might be. People have a devotional or they just want to read different different things. Or meditation. For me, I think about the minimum number of minutes per day or days per year that I'm going to meditate. But the standards that we hold ourselves to apply everywhere in health and recovery, in relationships, in our self-talk, in our environment and our finances and our businesses and the standards that I as a leader accept from myself become the standards that our team accepts too. So especially for those of you who are leading teams and businesses or leading leading within your family and home life, this is this is very important as well. So I think it's best summed up in that the the quote that I've heard many places, I don't know where it originally came from, but we don't get what we want, we get what we tolerate. So I encourage you to ask what what you and I will ask myself, what have I quietly or not so quietly started to tolerate that I never used to or that is not in alignment with who I wish to be and how I wish to live my life and how I wish my business to be and how I wish my family to be, et cetera. And that segues into the fourth shift. And this is, you know, if we talk about alignment with our identity, we talk about reinforcing that identity and number two, through our habits. We talk about preserving that through the standards and what we're willing to accept. Number four is about rounding out that identity because I know that I was, especially in the early New Fit years, I was very much in this trap of optimizing everything for later. Garrett Salpeter (25:23.31) Putting off most of everything now, thinking that once this business grows, once I achieve a certain level of success, then I'll be able to enjoy my life, then I'll be happy, then this, then that. So it's this notion of journey over destination, process over outcome, or something like that. So I I just I want to also frame this up as a continuum, because on one hand, there's what I just described, there's putting off entirely putting off the future, d entirely delayed gratification, and not enjoying anything right now. And then on the other end, there's like total nihilism or or not caring about later and just wanting just enjoying today and not planning for the future at all. And so what I'm proposing where I've settled on this balance for myself and it can be personal for everybody, where I've settled on this is is somewhere in between. Where I do I do work hard now for where That will bring our business and and my family in the future. I work hard now for where my that will bring my health in the future, right? I want to be healthy and vital in my next decade, in the decade after that, and the decade after that, which God willing I will live to see. And I I so I wanna I want to strike that balancing act. But there's there's a great book that I highly recommend called The Happiness Advantage by sh I believe it's Sean Acor. and it it talks about how many of us fall into this same trap of thinking that if I if I achieve this now, this promotion or make this amount of money or have this or that, then I'll be happy. And it's so amazing that he shifts that on his head. He talks about the r how the research says quite the opposite. How if if we're happy now, we're actually more likely to achieve the thing that we wish to achieve. Because Generally speaking, happiness makes people healthier, more resistant to getting sick, more effective, more creative, gives them more energy, more health and vitality. And that, of course, makes it more likely that they will achieve the thing that they're setting out to achieve, assuming it is back to number one, assuming it is aligned with their true selves and deepest desires and and all that. And so for me, this has really Garrett Salpeter (27:50.669) manifested in a couple of ways. It's something that I I read about and I I I was aware of this notion and it just sort of gradually hit me that I was putting off so much of my life for later. And so I I finally just somehow, some way crossed over that threshold where I realized that I do need to make time to enjoy life now. along the way, even as I'm practicing delayed gratification in certain important areas. And so taking my kids several years ago on a trip to Spain over the summer for a week and a half was an amazing memory. Taking them this year to Disney World, you know, creating these memories while my kids are still young enough to to make these memories, there's a great concept of memory dividends. I forget the I think I first heard about this from the guy who wrote Die with Zero. I've gosh, I can see his face. I forget his name now. He's here in Austin. Cool, really cool guy. And he talks about this notion of Die with Zero being that if we accumulate all this money, we should actually enjoy it in this life. You should give it away because that will create joy. We should also invest in experiences because it creates these memory dividends. You know, having the memories from these different trips with my kids is worth is worth so much more. I'm getting a return on that investment, more than if it was sitting an account earning interest somewhere. Also for me, I joined EO and and a forum. EO is an entrepreneurs organization, similar to YPO if you're familiar that. And it's all all founders, all business owners. And so I'm in this forum with anywhere from seven to nine other guys. And we do these adventure trips every year. And that was something that I sort of I realized along the way that I just wasn't I was putting off for later the idea of having you know friendships and social relationships. And I finally realized, you know what, I I would like to have more of that in my life now. I would like to prioritize and make some time for that. And we've done these amazing adventure trips. We've gone hiking twenty miles through the narrows in Zion National Park and kayaking and fishing in the San Juan Islands between Seattle and Vancouver. And just this year, camping and fishing and Garrett Salpeter (30:05.624) Hiking in Colorado along the Gunnison River. You know, my first time I was kind of a city kid. these trips allowed me to go camping for the first time in my life, which was amazing. And so I I encourage you to consider what this right balance is for you. Again, it's very individual. Consider where this where this where you fall along that spectrum. And if if it falls into wanting to play more golf now rather than waiting until you're retired, give me a call and play a r play around of golf. So again, it's not not about like being anti discipline or being reckless. There are areas where we still have to sacrifice. It is it is a balancing act. And I think there's there's this sense that success should expand our lives, not necessarily postpone it. So I will Ask you, what are you postponing in your life that you actually could start living now? And as we wrap this up here, I will end where I started with talking about turning 40. And when I was younger, I was so focused on on life and on focusing my life on becoming successful, whatever that meant at the time. And I really believe that if I just worked hard enough, sacrificed enough, delayed enough that Everything else, the happiness, relationships with life, would it would all sort itself out later. Now I I I'm grateful that that younger version of me put so much time and effort into learning and and beginning, building the early stages of new fit and all that. And now I I am grateful for the added perspective and experience too, where I realize that it's not it's not just about becoming more. accomplished and achieving more, it's also about alignment. And when I think about alignment, that actually helps produce more success than than some of the other tactics and strategies and and mindsets too. So it's interesting how these four can also interact as well. And again, this was Garrett Salpeter (32:28.576) not necessarily a a dramatic overhaul, but it came from noticing from awareness. And so I I hope that you can have some sort of practice, and perhaps you already do, that has been as meaningful to me as this meditation practice in in becoming aware of these different dynamics in my own life. And in closing, I'd like to leave you with one small challenge. Pick one of these four that hit you the hardest, whether it be focusing on alignment, your habits, your standards, and what you tolerate, and or balancing. work now sacrificing now for something later figure out which of those four hit you the hardest and this week ask yourself the question where are you choosing from act from empty instead of full? What are your daily inputs building you into? What have you started to tolerate that you no longer intend to tolerate? Or finally, what are you putting off? that you feel like deep inside you really would be better served by doing now. So I I really appreciate you spending this time with me. If this one resonated, I'd love to hear your comments on the social media or direct message, anything like that. And I look forward to seeing you on the next episode of the Undercurrent podcast.  

This week, Thomas shares a teaching on creating conscious inner spaciousness to process life's challenges and use them as engines for personal and spiritual growth.By opening up space for a larger “cup” to hold our wounds and traumas, we can address and understand them without being defined by them. Having this space also allows us to shift from a state of habitual, past-focused attention to one of conscious presence.Thomas shares how integrating the past in this way brings in new light and new possibilities, enables us to mature and grow (both personally and collectively), and disrupts patterns of intergenerational trauma.✨ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:

7/12/2026 - John 14:15-24 - The Promise of the Holy Spirit by Richard Schwartz

Have you ever felt like you've done all the inner work... yet one fear refuses to leave? In this compassionate and eye-opening coaching session, Christine works with Ilaria, who has spent years in therapy, practicing breathwork, nervous system regulation, and inner child healing. Yet one fear continues to consume her: the overwhelming fear of losing her parents. As she approaches her mid-thirties and begins thinking about creating a life of her own—finding a partner, becoming more independent, and stepping into her future—the fear grows even stronger. Why? Because underneath the anxiety isn't simply a fear of loss. It's a younger part of her that believes worrying is the only way to protect the people she loves. Christine introduces Ilaria to the powerful framework of Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Parts Work, helping her recognize that this fear isn't all of who she is—it's one protective part that's been trying to keep her safe since childhood. Together they explore acceptance, self-compassion, nervous system healing, and why sometimes the greatest breakthrough comes not from trying harder to fix ourselves, but from changing how we relate to the parts of us that are hurting. If you've ever felt trapped by anxiety, worried constantly about the people you love, or wondered why years of healing haven't made a particular fear disappear, this episode offers a deeply hopeful new perspective. Press play to discover how accepting your fear—rather than fighting it—may be the very thing that finally brings you peace. Consider / Ask Yourself Is there a fear you've been trying to eliminate for years without success? Do you constantly worry about losing the people you love? Have you confused your anxiety with your identity? Could one protective part of you be trying to keep you safe in the only way it knows how? Key Insights and A-Ha's Anxiety doesn't define you—it may simply be one protective part of your inner world. Healing isn't always about eliminating fear; sometimes it's about changing your relationship to it. Love and fear often become intertwined, making it difficult to experience one without the other. Parts Work (IFS) helps create compassion for protective patterns instead of fighting against them. Nothing truly heals through judgment—acceptance creates space for transformation. How to Deepen the Work Notice when fear shows up, and gently ask yourself, "Which part of me is speaking right now?" Practice separating your identity from your anxious thoughts: "This is a part of me, not all of me." Explore Parts Work or Internal Family Systems with a trained practitioner if this approach resonates. Allow yourself to fully experience love without assuming fear must always accompany it. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Featured Sponsor: Peluva Barefoot Shoes Christine shares why she loves Peluva, a minimalist five-toe shoe designed to strengthen the feet, encourage natural movement, and improve overall foot health. Use code CHRISTINE for 10% off your first pair. Visit: peluva.com Internal Family Systems (IFS) Christine recommends learning more about Parts Work (Internal Family Systems) and references her previous podcast conversation with Richard Schwartz, the founder of IFS, along with his book: No Bad Parts These resources offer a deeper understanding of how protective parts shape our emotional lives and how compassion can create lasting healing. Social Media + Resources:  Christine Hassler — Take a Coaching Assessment Christine Hassler Podcasts Including Coaches Corner Christine on Facebook Expectation Hangover by Christine Hassler @ChristineHassler on Twitter @ChristineHassler on Instagram @SacredUnionCouples on Instagram Email: jill@christinehassler.com — For information on any of my services! Get on the waitlist to be coached on the show! Get on the list to be notified about the upcoming certification program for coaches!

This week, Thomas sits down with the CEO of the Grameen Foundation, Zubaida Bai, for an inspiring conversation about amplifying oppressed voices, economically empowering women, and creating cultural and systemic changes to end poverty.Zubaida has spent decades working within impoverished communities across the globe to create adaptive, localized strategies to change outdated attitudes, make childbirth safer, and get women much-needed access to capital to ensure their long-term financial viability. Her holistic approach to poverty alleviation combines empathetic, culturally sensitive relationship building with a deep understanding of climate change, technology, and financial access. She and Thomas discuss how to create sustainable interventions and innovations for those in impoverished areas, and why it's so important to uplift the voices and struggles of women and mothers in the fight against poverty.✨ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:

7/5/2026 - Psalm 34 - The Fear That Frees Us from Fear by Richard Schwartz

This week, Thomas explores how to connect with your deepest purpose and uncover your ‘karmic blueprint' through embodied presence and contemplative practices.He shares how purpose is not an external object to be found, but an internal truth that's revealed by working through life's challenges, healing your individual wounds, and integrating the wounds of those who came before you.When we learn to see challenges not as obstacles, but as opportunities to encounter our core creativity and break unhealthy patterns, our path forward becomes much clearer. Thomas also explores the importance of finding community on this journey, and how our personal transformations have ecosystemic impact.There's still time to join Thomas this month for a new 7-Day Journey: ✨ Unlocking Your Purpose: Deepen Your Connection to your Innermost Calling ✨Through 7 days of teachings, meditations, and practices led by Thomas, you'll discover your life's purpose as a mystical, emergent, and ongoing dialogue between your inner creative spark and the needs of the world.It all takes place in our membership community, The Mystic Café. Join now, and you'll get your first month of membership for just $1! Learn more and start your journey here

This episode didn't go as planned, and I'm grateful it didn't. I invited Liz Brenner on the podcast to talk about the Family Process article on the family systems roots of IFS she co-authored with Dick Schwartz and Carol Becker in 2023. Instead, we found ourselves talking about grief. A month before we recorded, my dad died unexpectedly. Liz lost her partner, Dan, in 2018, just six weeks after his cancer diagnosis. We both came into the conversation still processing our losses, and grief was the conversation we needed to have.  Takeaways Grief can break you, and it can also heal you. Both can be true at once A felt connection to someone who has died can be a real and ongoing relationship When the spiritual dimension of Self gets left out, the Self-to-part relationship can feel smaller than it actually is Constraint release, an idea from family systems therapy, asks what pattern isn't working rather than what's broken Meaning-making is an often-overlooked stage of grief A part that's afraid of losing connection to someone you love can be asked to step back (Liz learned that during a session with Dick Schwartz) Family systems theory shaped IFS more than we realize We'll have Liz back on to finish the conversation about the family systems article.  About Liz Brenner Liz Brenner, LICSW, is the director of Therapy Training Boston, the continuing legacy of the Family Institute of Cambridge. She is the primary instructor of their Intensive Certification Program in Couples and Family Therapy and co-author, with Richard Schwartz and Carol Becker, of the 2023 Family Process article on the development of the IFS model (email Liz for access to the article). Follow Therapy Training Boston on Facebook or Instagram. Links: Therapy Training Boston Courses and Workshops Episode Sponsor This episode is sponsored by Souliology. Souliology offers retreats and immersive learning experiences for IFS professionals, many led by IFS Senior Lead Trainers and eligible for continuing education credits. Their programs support deep professional and personal growth, offering space to step away from the demands of daily life so you can return to your practice more present and resourced for the clients you serve. Souliology: Where growth meets depth. Learn more at souliology.com About The One Inside I started this podcast to help spread IFS out into the world and make the model more accessible to everyone. Seven years later, that's still at the heart of all we do.  Join The One Inside Substack community for bonus conversations, extended interviews, meditations, and more. Find Self-Led merch at The One Inside store. Listen to episodes and watch clips on YouTube. Follow me on Instagram @ifstammy or on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger. I co-create The One Inside with Jeff Schrum, a Level 2 IFS practitioner and coach. Resources New to IFS? My book, The One Inside: Thirty Days to Your Authentic Self, is a great place to start. Want a free meditation? Sign up for my email list and get "Get to Know a Should Part" right away. Sponsorship Want to sponsor an episode of The One Inside? Email Tammy. 

This week, we're releasing our 200TH EPISODE! To celebrate this milestone, we're sharing a compilation of some of our favorite segments from previous episodes on spirituality and mysticism.You'll hear from Thomas and acclaimed guests with backgrounds in meditation, Buddhism, neuroscience, philosophy, poetry, and Indigenous African spirituality, including: Andrea Gibson, Bayo Akomolafe, Dr. Lisa Miller, and Jack Kornfield.Tune in for embodied wisdom, deep expertise, and powerful personal insights on the spiritual experience of mortality, the mystical traditions of the Igbo and Yoruba people, how spirituality functions in the brain, and the transformative power of collective experiences and rituals.01:24 - Andrea Gibson on Befriending Mortality 06:53 - Jack Kornfield on Finding Your Self on the Spiritual Path 19:20 - Thomas on Embodying Our Soul's Capacity 25:47 - Bayo Akomolafe on Bold Frontiers of Spiritual Healing 38:41 - Dr. Lisa Miller on The Science of Spiritual Awakening✨ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:

6/21/2026 - John 14 - The Deep Cure for the Troubled Heart by Richard Schwartz

This week, Thomas sits down with journalist Matthew Green to explore the hidden effects of “shadow trauma” and what it takes to heal and repair after acting against your own ethics.From personal missteps to moral injury to ancestral and historical trauma, we all carry the weight of transgression. But often, the shame that accompanies this holds us back from integration and healing.Thomas and Matthew discuss how to move beyond isolation and repression to bring our vulnerabilities into safe, healing environments where we can reintegrate these fragmented shadow parts, repair relationships, and restore our connection to our true selves.✨ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:

We sit down with psychotherapist Kirsten Davidson to unpack why couples drift into disconnection and how Internal Family Systems therapy can help us lead ourselves with more clarity, compassion, and courage. We challenge the stories we tell ourselves in conflict, practice speaking from “parts” instead of blame, and lay out simple shifts that rebuild real connection. • assumptions driving communication breakdowns and unnecessary hurt • avoiding hard talks out of fear of the truth and discomfort • using IFS “parts” language to create space and reduce shame • defining self-energy and what “self-led” looks like at home • turning fights into dialogue instead of debate • choosing radical honesty about our limits and patterns • why couples counseling works better when we go earlier • tips for newlyweds and engaged couples to benchmark what works • resources to learn IFS, including Richard Schwartz's No Bad Parts • how we build hope when couples feel exhausted and stuck Coming June 23: Happy Hacks: 101 Science-Backed Ways to Boost Happiness, Reduce Stress, and Build a More Meaningful Life.Available now for Kindle Pre-Order for 99¢Written by Dr. Dave Schramm, this practical and uplifting new book offers simple, research-based strategies to help you build greater happiness, strengthen resilience, reduce stress, and create a more meaningful life—one small habit at a time.Available June 23 wherever books are sold.The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of the Utah Marriage Commission.Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways: Strongermarriage.org  Podcast.stongermarriage.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@StrongerMarriageLifeTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@strongermarriagelifeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/strongermarriagelife/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strongermarriage/Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579Dr. Dave Schramm: http://drdaveschramm.comhttp://drdavespeaks.com Dr. Liz Hale: http://www.drlizhale.com/ 

6/14/2026 - John 13 - A Life of Dependence by Richard Schwartz

Have you ever felt like you are carrying something heavy that you cannot quite explain, something that does not even feel like it started with you? A few years ago I traced my own anxious drive back to grandparents I never met, people who were, in a real sense, being chased by wolves. It turns out a lot of what we call “my issues” was handed to us. And that makes it far more workable than it feels. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Thomas Hübl, the teacher and trauma-integration facilitator who co-wrote the new book Releasing Our Burdens with Dr. Richard Schwartz, the creator of Internal Family Systems. Thomas studies healing as one continuum that runs from the individual to the ancestral to the collective, and he joined me to explain why the thing you keep trying to fix about yourself may not have started with you, and what becomes possible when you stop fighting it and start to thaw it. In This Episode Why the thing you keep trying to fix about yourself may not have started with you, and what that changes The freezer metaphor that explains what trauma quietly costs you every single day Why Thomas calls trauma “a loan from the future,” and how the bill comes due What is really happening when your partner says one thing and your whole body locks up How intergenerational trauma gets passed down, in your nervous system and even in your cells The difference between the resilience you inherited and the burden you inherited Why a whole country can feel stuck and reactive, and what that has to do with your own healing A different definition of healing: not fixing what is broken, but releasing what is frozen This episode is for anyone who has ever looked at their own anxiety, or their drivenness, or that low hum of feeling empty for no reason they can name, and thought, where is this even coming from? If you have done the personal work and still feel like there is a layer underneath you cannot reach, this conversation opens a door. Some of what you carry is not a personal failing. It is inherited. And it can be set down. Episode Breakdown 00:00 Trauma That Didn't Start With You 10:42 Why You're Driven by People You Never Met 13:24 When a Whole Country Can't Calm Down 18:52 The Tension She Carried for Decades 31:41 Trauma Is a Loan From the Future 35:21 Who Pays the Electricity Bill? 39:30 Your Partner Doesn't Have the Remote Control for Your Heart 53:31 Cleaning Up the Living Room We Were Born Into Resources Full episode page (everything in one place, including Thomas's books and where to find him) Free “What's Holding You Back?” Quiz Personal growth coaching and therapy at Growing Self Talk to someone (free consultation) If you take one thing from today, let it be this: some of what you are carrying did not start with you, and it can be released. If something in here landed, the What's Holding You Back quiz is a quick, free place to begin, and if you want to talk it through with a real person, a free consultation with one of our coaches or therapists is just a conversation, no pressure. We work with people across a whole range of experience levels and price points, including newer coaches in our practicum, so there is usually a fit for almost any budget. Come find all of it at GrowingSelf.com. xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby Special thanks to this month's sponsors of the podcast: Upwork — When you need specialized talent fast, Upwork gives you access to vetted professionals across 125+ categories, from marketing to web development to operations support. No long recruiting cycles. No guesswork. Just the right person, when you need them. Check it out at upwork.com — posting a job is free. Shopify — The all-in-one platform for building and growing your online business. Visit shopify.com/lhs to explore their tools and access exclusive listener discounts. OSEA — Amazing, clean, science-backed skincare made with the power of the sea. Use code LHS at oseamalibu.com for 10% off your first order. LNutra Prolon — A science-backed, plant-based nutrition program that supports fat loss, metabolism, cellular rejuvenation, and overall longevity. Head to ProlonLife.com/LHS for 15% off your first order + a bonus gift.

This week, Thomas explores how the phenomenon of emergence occurs when we stop trying to escape into a "better" future and instead drop deeply into the present moment.He posits that growth occurs when we stop treating the world as an external object and instead recognize our inherent oneness with the global ecosystem… and that this perception shift is fundamental to all forms of healing.As Thomas says, “You are not in nature, you ARE nature.”This teaching also touches on the trap of “spiritual superiority,” focusing on how true wisdom arises not by shunning anyone who seems less in tune, but by maturing beyond ego-driven divisions and leading, with empathy, by example.✨ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:

This week, Thomas sits down with historical trauma specialist Iya Affo for a deep conversation on how to navigate a dysregulated world and the cyclical nature of trauma healing.They share wisdom on how to tread the non-linear path of both individual and collective healing, exploring how to peel back the layers in the healing process, how to find healing modalities that work for you, and the nuances of nervous system regulation in a divisive and propaganda-heavy political climate.Iya also shares how grief and hardship can expand our capacity to love and offers profound hope for transforming our wounds into sources of empathy and service for others.✨ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:

We are excited to celebrate the launch of IFS Collected Wisdom: Conversations with Experienced Voices in Internal Family Systems a book that brings together voices, reflections, and lived experience from across the IFS community. This book was created from a desire to honor those voices, and to acknowledge that wisdom in IFS doesn't live in one place or one person. It lives in relationship, in experience, and in the field as it evolves. Thank you for being a listener, for being part of this community,  and for continuing to explore what becomes possible when Self leads. We hope that IFS Collected Wisdom can become a companion in your IFS journey. Here is a link to the IFS Collected Wisdom book contents. The Role of Uncertainty in Mental Health with Sarah Bergenfeld and Martha SweezyIn this episode, we welcome two leading voices in Internal Family Systems therapy for a conversation that bridges neuroscience, sensory experience, and healing. Sarah Bergenfield is a certified Level 3 IFS practitioner, writer, and educator specializing in autistic individuals and couples. Autistic herself, Sarah weaves together IFS, polyvagal theory, predictive processing, and sensory science in her clinical and consultation work. She teaches internationally for clinicians working with neurodiverse clients, and her work reframes autism not as a deficit, but as a condition of sensory surplus. Martha Sweezy is an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, program consultant and supervisor at the Center for Mindfulness and Compassion at Cambridge Health Alliance, and a psychotherapist in private practice in Northampton, Massachusetts. She teaches IFS nationally and internationally and has authored and co-edited numerous books on the model, including Internal Family Systems Therapy, Second Edition (with Richard Schwartz), Intimacy from the Inside Out (with Toni Herbine-Blank), and Internal Family Systems Therapy for Shame and Guilt.Together, Sarah and Martha are co-authors of Wired to Feel: Autism as a Condition of Sensory Surplus.In this episode, we explore the role of uncertainty in mental health: how it can quietly drive distress and shame, and how IFS offers a path toward resolution. While the conversation has special relevance for autistic systems, the insights apply across all neurologies.

This week, Thomas sits down with Dr. Ruth Lanius, a renowned clinical researcher and psychiatry professor, for a fascinating discussion on the neuroscience of trauma healing and the critical link between the brain's physical balance system and our emotional safety and stability.Dr. Lanius shares groundbreaking brain-imaging research revealing how trauma creates a profound brain-body disconnect, and explains how her "Finding Solid Ground" therapy helps highly dissociative individuals restore internal synchrony, embodiment, and self-compassion.It's an inspiring exploration into the science of individual and collective healing, the importance of attunement in healing relationships, and the hopeful reality that our brains and bodies can recover from trauma.How do you find your purpose in times of turmoil, upheaval, and change? Join Thomas on Wednesday, June 3rd, to explore this topic in a free, live event: ✨ Your Karmic Blueprint:The Key to Building a Purposeful Life. ✨Uncover the hidden architecture shaping your life and get inspired to forge your path forward with greater clarity, groundedness, and confidence.Sign up for free here

5/24/2026 - 1 Corinthians 15:17-22, 51-58 - The Importance of the Resurrection by Richard Schwartz

Aycee Brown is a psychic channel, medium, spiritual guide, and teacher dedicated to helping people unlock their most magical lives. Known as the "Voice of Truth" for her ability to connect individuals with their divine source, Aycee works with those at life's crossroads, guiding them to find clarity, meaning, and a path forward. Her expertise on the role human design, spirituality, and astrology play in relationships has been featured in major outlets like Cosmopolitan, Brides, and Bustle. In February 2026, she shared her profound insights with a wider audience through the release of her debut book, Embody Your Magic, a powerful blueprint for breaking free from conditioning and embracing one's most authentic self. Rooted in a lifetime of spiritual discovery — including gifts she traces back to childhood — Aycee has also explored her healing gifts through the podcast Is My Aura On Straight?. In this episode, host Shay Beider and Aycee Brown explore the profound tools and teachings Aycee has gathered across a lifetime of spiritual work — insights now woven throughout Embody Your Magic. Aycee shares her concept of "The Canyon," a framework for shadow work that isn't a one-time destination but a place we return to throughout life's biggest transitions, and she explains why knowing your story — including what was happening in your family long before you arrived — is the most powerful starting point for any healing journey. The duo discuss psychic channeling, mediumship, and the idea that we all have access to our higher selves and passed loved ones, as well as practical tools like human design, astrology, life path numbers, automatic writing, and Internal Family Systems therapy. Together, Shay and Aycee reflect on how healing asks us first to tell the truth, how our "I am" shapes our destiny, and how embracing our full selves — every part, every lineage, every wound — is not the end of the journey, but the beginning of living our magic. Listen to the complete episode by clicking the player above. Transcripts for this episode are available at: https://www.integrativetouch.org/conversations-on-healing  Show Notes: Learn more about Aycee Brown here Read Aycee's debut book Embody Your Magic Read Aycee's book Your Soul Map: Liberation, Human Design, and the BIPOC Experience Listen to Aycee's podcast Is My Aura On Straight? Learn about The International Association of Near Death Studies Listen to the James Doty's podcast  here Read Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon's Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart by James Doty Read Mind Magic: The Neuroscience of Manifestation and How It Changes Everything by James Doty Read You Are the One You've Been Waiting For (Internal Family Systems) by Richard Schwartz  Read No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model by Richard Schwartz  Read It Begins with You: The 9 Hard Truths About Love That Will Change Your Life Download the My Human App here This podcast was created by Integrative Touch (InTouch), which is changing healthcare through human connectivity. A leader in the field of integrative medicine, InTouch exists to alleviate pain and isolation for anyone affected by illness, disability or trauma. This includes kids and adults with cancers, genetic conditions, autism, cerebral palsy, traumatic stress, and other serious health issues. The founder, Shay Beider, pioneered a new therapy called Integrative Touch™Therapy that supports healing from trauma and serious illness. The organization provides proven integrative medicine therapies, education and support that fill critical healthcare gaps. Their success is driven by deep compassion, community and integrity.  Each year, InTouch reaches thousands of people at the Integrative Touch Healing Center, both in person and through Telehealth. Thanks to the incredible support of volunteers and contributors, InTouch created a unique scholarship model called Heal it Forward that brings services to people in need at little or no cost to them. To learn more or donate to Heal it Forward, please visit IntegrativeTouch.org  

This week, Thomas explores how true health and healing come from an alignment across the full spectrum of your being: body, mind, emotions, relationships, environment, and spirit.He shares the importance of embracing an integrated and holistic approach to health so we can be more regulated as we deal with the stresses of modern life and recognize our relational wellbeing as an extension of our immune system.Tune in to understand the interdependence of our physical, emotional, and spiritual health, and why it's important to shift from individualized focus to collective healing.✨ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:

5/17/2026 - Acts 13:13-43 - The Gospel Story by Richard Schwartz

In this episode, we explore the reality that many people experience on a plant-based or vegan journey: imperfection. From cravings and convenience to social situations, family dynamics, and emotional ties to food, living in alignment with your values isn't always linear—or simple. Inspired by the book No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz, this episode introduces a powerful shift in perspective: instead of battling the parts of yourself that struggle, what if you listened to them? In this episode you'll learn: Why inner conflict is a natural part of behavior change How to navigate cravings and contradictions without guilt The role of compassion in creating lasting change How to stop all-or-nothing thinking in veganism A new way to relate to yourself through this journey An understanding of the different parts within us, stemming from the Internal Family Systems Framework This episode is an invitation to move from perfection to awareness, and from self-judgment to self-understanding. For all the links mentioned in today's episode, click here or visit brownble.com

This week, Thomas sits down with Kosha Joubert, a longtime collaborator and the CEO of the Pocket Project, for a conversation exploring the global architecture of collective healing and how we can expand beyond the lens of individual therapy to address deeply rooted collective and ancestral trauma.With their combined years of experience working in trauma-informed care, leadership, and global healing, they share their thoughts on the next steps for humanity to address the invisible, frozen structures of trauma that inhibit our evolution and contribute to systems of harm and oppression.By integrating top-down governance with bottom-up grassroots initiatives, Thomas and Kosha believe that communities can melt the "permafrost" of the past to liberate creative energy and agency, overcome widespread disengagement, and co-create a more integrated and resilient world.✨ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:

5/10/2026 - Mark 8:22-38 - The Essentials of the Message by Richard Schwartz

This week, Thomas shares a teaching on awareness and perception, exploring how we can shift the way we understand our healing journey, spiritual practices, and each other.It starts with recognizing the lenses that filter the information we receive and how they're shaped by personal and collective trauma. Thomas shares spiritual and meditative practices that can help open these lenses, allowing us to integrate difficult but necessary elements into our consciousness.By expanding our perception and breaking free of limiting frameworks, we can step into a more expansive, intimate, and deeply connected reality.✨ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:

5/3/2026 - 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 - Evangelism: The Biblical Foundation by Richard Schwartz

This week, Thomas sits down with Pat McCabe (Woman Stands Shining), an Indigenous leader, speaker, teacher, and global ceremonialist, for a conversation exploring Indigenous perspectives on gender through the concepts of the Men's Nation and Women's Nation.Pat shares Diné and Lakota wisdom on the spiritual aspect of gender roles and biology, and how the specific process of what some cultures refer to as “moon time” is actually an important and unique capacity that creates a deeper connection to the spirit world.She and Thomas also discuss the spiritual implications of our tech-obsessed world and critique the modern “power-over” paradigm that isolates men and forces them into destructive competition. By contrast, Pat envisions a thriving life paradigm where the sacred masculine acts as a protective and supportive force instead of a dominating one, and we return to an “earth economy” rooted in radical abundance and fearless generosity.✨ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:

4/26/2026 - Ephesians 2:11-22 - Church Membership: a Shared Mutuality by Richard Schwartz

Once again, I am talking about Internal Family Systems, a therapy created by Dr. Richard Schwartz, and its connection to ecosystem health. Our minds are organized much like an ecosystem, and heal and defend themselves in similar ways, too. I also reference the book The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis, whose description of the afterlife realms has mirrored the explorations of the depths of my mind. Reach out to Eryn! Support the show

What if the pain you've carried your whole life didn't begin with you? Tami Simon speaks with Richard Schwartz—founder of Internal Family Systems—and psychotherapist and IFS lead trainer Tamala Floyd, author of Listening: When Parts Speak, about the intersection of IFS and ancestral wisdom, and how healing legacy burdens can liberate not only ourselves, but the generations that come after us.This conversation offers genuine transmission—not just concepts about awakening, but the palpable presence of realized teachers exploring the growing edge of spiritual understanding together. Originally aired on Sounds True One.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Niall speaks with Robert Falconer, a writer, consultant, and teacher who has spent nearly two decades working with complex psychological experiences that sit outside conventional therapeutic frameworks. Robert is the author of ten books and specialises in working with people experiencing what Internal Family Systems calls “unattached burdens” — intrusive psychological patterns that seem to originate outside a person's own history. His most recent book, “Spirit”, documents a decade of written dialogues on consciousness and healing. In this conversation, they explore: — Why the belief that minds are isolated and impermeable may contribute to psychological distress — How intergenerational trauma can be passed down through epigenetic mechanisms — The difference between parts of ourselves and external psychological influences — Why fear is the main way intrusive patterns maintain their influence — The role of interoception in mental health, and how Internal Family Systems approaches these cases And more. You can learn more about Robert's work at http://robertfalconer.us. --- In 2023, Bob published his book about IFS and unattached burdens – The Others Within Us: Internal Family Systems, Porous Mind, and Spirit Possession, and it quickly became a best-seller in its category. Prior to that he co-authored Many Minds, One Self (2017) with Richard Schwartz and since then he has published When You're Going Through Hell …Keep Going (2024), and his latest book, Spirit (2025), a summary of many of the journals of his daily dialogues with Spirit. For the past 20 years or so Bob has devoted himself full-time to IFS work (Internal Family Systems Therapy). In that time he has completed all levels of IFS training offered, and has been a program assistant more than 18 times. Bob has been at many workshops and events with Richard Schwartz both as assistant and participant. In addition to studying with many of the other senior IFS trainers, For all of his therapeutic work, both professional and personal, Bob now uses IFS almost exclusively. Before this Bob used and explored many forms of therapy, starting with Ericksonian hypnotherapy which he studied with Carol Erickson. He received his master's degree and hypnotherapist certificate under her tutelage. Then he met and began studying with Jack and Helen Watkins, the creators of Ego State Therapy. Before beginning his graduate work, starting in 1971, Bob was a regular at with the Esalen Institute where he has attended more than 120 events and workshops. At Esalen Bob met and worked with many of the leaders of the human potential movement and focused on Gestalt Therapy mainly with Mariah Fenton Gladys and Christine Price. In the 80s and 90s Bob also studied codependency and addictions with Pia Mellody. --- Interview Links: — Robert's website: https://robertfalconer.us/ — Robert's books: https://amzn.to/4t2AuLX

This week, Thomas sits down for a touching conversation on navigating the complex dynamics of parent-child relationships with father-and-son duo, Rick and Forrest Hanson.In this intimate interview, Rick, a renowned psychologist and author, and Forrest, author and host of the “Being Well” podcast, share their unique and personal perspectives on healthy power dynamics, children's autonomy, identity development, the inevitability of parental mistakes, and what's needed for repair and forgiveness.Thomas brings his own experiences as a parent forward in a dialogue that offers a loving and healthy vision of fatherhood and masculinity. They also discuss family relationships from a bigger-picture perspective, and explore how individual family dynamics reflect broader societal wounds and forge paths for collective healing and generational pattern breaking.✨ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:

This week, Thomas sits down with trauma researcher, life coach, and author Dr. MaryCatherine McDonald, for a conversation on the importance of curiosity in trauma healing, the difficult necessity of turning towards pain, and how to “compost” our wounds into fertile soil for inner growth.They discuss how to shift away from the isolation that trauma creates and lean into connection, empathy, and shared responsibility as part of the healing process. They frame our conscious inquiry into our suffering as a sort of real-world alchemy that transforms the stagnant energy of the past into an integrated future.Ultimately, a special kind of courage is required to investigate trauma with openness and curiosity, and we hope this dialogue inspires some of that courage in anyone watching or listening.✨ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:

This week, Thomas sits down with meditation instructors Susanne Ahlendorf and Martin Bruders for a deep exploration of heart-centered meditation, moving beyond the physical heart to uncover its emotional, energetic, and spiritual layers. Discover why your emotional defenses, aka the "guardians of the heart", are an intelligent part of your healing journey, and how vulnerability leads to deeper connection and a more embodied meditation practice.We also explore a path toward entering the “cave of the heart,” which may sound like traveling to a distant and ethereal place, but is actually an awakening to the reality of your authentic self.✨ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:

On today's episode I welcome psychotherapist and author Meg Josephson to the podcast. Her book Are You Mad at Me? names something so many of us feel but rarely say out loud: Did I do something wrong? Are you mad at me? Meg and I talk about the fawn response, people-pleasing, and the parts of us that learned early on to stay ahead of conflict. We explore how "being nice" can disconnect us from ourselves, why grief and anger are essential to healing, and how mindfulness helps us slow down enough to notice what's really happening inside. If you've ever swallowed your needs to keep the peace, felt resentful after saying yes, or worried that one mistake could cost you connection, our conversation will resonate. We Explore: • Why "Are you mad at me?" isn't really a question, but a feeling. • The difference between being nice and being compassionate. • How grief challenges the hope that if we try harder, we'll finally be seen. • Small corrective experiences that help our parts learn we're actually safe. Here's a link to the workshop she mentioned in the episode. About Meg Josephson Meg Josephson, LCSW, is a licensed psychotherapist and the author of the New York Times bestselling book Are You Mad at Me?, which has been translated into over 20 languages. In her private practice, she specializes in trauma-informed care through a mindfulness-based, compassion-focused lens. She holds a Master of Social Work from Columbia University. Episode Sponsor: Cape Cod Institute Deepen your IFS practice at the Cape Cod Institute this summer, now in its 46th year. Choose from 38 half-day courses, either in person on Cape Cod or live online. Spend your mornings learning, and your afternoons applying insights, connecting with colleagues, or exploring the Cape. If you use IFS, this is a rare opportunity to learn directly from the people shaping the model. A dedicated IFS Week features Richard Schwartz and IFS practitioners teaching couples work, addictive processes, leadership, disordered eating, and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Learn more and register at cape.org, and use code theoneinside2026 for $50 off. About The One Inside I started this podcast to help spread IFS out into the world and make the model more accessible to everyone. Seven years later, that's still at the heart of all we do.  Join The One Inside Substack community for bonus conversations, extended interviews, meditations, and more. Find Self-Led merch at The One Inside store. Listen to episodes and watch clips on YouTube. Follow me on Instagram @ifstammy or on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger. I co-create The One Inside with Jeff Schrum, a Level 2 IFS practitioner and coach. Resources New to IFS? My book, The One Inside: Thirty Days to Your Authentic Self, is a great place to start. Want a free meditation? Sign up for my email list and get "Get to Know a Should Part" right away. Sponsorship Want to sponsor an episode of The One Inside? Email Tammy. 

Daphne Fatter, PhD, is a licensed psychologist, author, and international speaker known for her work integrating EMDR and Internal Family Systems therapy. She wrote Integrating EMDR and Internal Family Systems Therapy 3and has over 20 years of EMDR experience.Daphne has completed more than 460 hours of IFS training, including work with IFS founder Dr. Richard Schwartz, and also practices ancestral healing.She earned her master's from Naropa University and her doctorate from Penn State, then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at The Trauma Center under Dr. Bessel van der Kolk.Daphne previously served as Military Sexual Trauma Coordinator at the Fort Worth VA, has published on trauma and IFS, and now teaches clinicians worldwide while maintaining a private practice in Dallas.In This EpisodeDaphne's websiteDaphne's trainingsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-trauma-therapist--5739761/support.You can learn more about what I do here:The Trauma Therapist Newsletter: celebrates the people and voices in the mental health profession. And it's free! Check it out here: https://bit.ly/4jGBeSa———If you'd like to support The Trauma Therapist Podcast and the work I do you can do that here with a monthly donation of $5, $7, or $10: Donate to The Trauma Therapist Podcast.Click here to join my email list and receive podcast updates and other news.Thank you to our Sponsors:Jane App - use code GUY1MO at https://jane.appArizona Trauma Institute at https://aztrauma.org/