In this episode, we talk to Dr. Akeem Sule about his work with people experiencing psychosis and other severe mental health symptoms in an inpatient setting. He discusses the potential pitfalls of a purely biological view of mental illness and describes therapeutic interventions that he’s found useful with his patients. We also explore the pros and cons of mindfulness and discuss his passion for exploring the mental health themes in hip hop music, film, and television. Dr. Akeem Sule is the...

In this episode, Dr. Sara Lazar shares about the neuroscience of meditation. Dr. Lazar has been doing research on the effects of meditation for over twenty years and discusses what she’s learned about how our emotional processing, executive functioning, memory, and even sense of self can all be impacted by meditation. We also talk about aging and cognition, as well as the potential benefits of yoga practice. Sara W. Lazar, PhD, is an Associate Researcher in the Psychiatry Department at...

In this episode, we talk to Shaun Glossop about his work building a mindfulness group outside of the usual religious or medical contexts in which it is often taught. We discuss what he has done to reduce barriers to engaging with mindfulness by  finding ways to make practice more accessible and relatable to people in his community. He also discusses the problem of social alienation and isolation in postindustrial society and the importance of creating a space where people can build meaningful...

In this episode, hosts Alex and Kate finish their exploration of the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism by exploring the Fourth Noble Truth. This Truth describes the Eightfold Path which can lead us towards relief from suffering in this lifetime. The Eightfold Path describes the importance of right speech, action, livelihood, mindfulness, and more. Listen in as Alex and Kate reflect on each of these methods and their applications in daily life. If you are a fan of Noble Mind, subscribe to our...

In this episode, Kate and Alex talk to Kris Sutton about healing from chronic pain. She shares her lived experience with pain from multiple medical issues including migraine, endometriosis, and cancer. She describes her work as a pain coach and the power of leveraging the effects of neuroplasticity to help the brain learn to make new meaning of the experience of pain. Kris also describes pain reprocessing therapy, mindfulness, and her work as an Alexander Technique teacher. Listen in to learn...

In this episode, hosts Alex and Kate continue their exploration of the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism, this time focusing their attention the Third Noble Truth which tells us that the end of our suffering is possible. Listen to how Kate and Alex interpret the meaning of this truth, including traditional Buddhist understandings as well as everyday applications. They explore the small ways we can release our desires our longings in daily life, and how our stress response and perfectionism tend...

In this episode, Alex and Lesley Huff sat down for a second, in-depth conversation exploring a range of themes. They discuss how importance it is to paying attention to how we use the tools of mindfulness and compassion so that we can be sure to use them in supportive and healing ways rather than to manipulate our experience or express self-aggression. They also chatted about being with stress during hard times, stopping habits of avoidance, and reclaiming our agency and power.   Lesley...

In this episode, Judith Hill-Weld talks about how trying to control our emotions can interfere with being present in our lives. She discusses the importance of not postponing joy, and describes her passion for working with individuals who have developmental and intellectual disabilities. Judith Hill-Weld, M.S., is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, a Self Compassion Informed Therapist, and a Mindful Self Compassion teacher in training.  She has studied with MSC originators...

In this episode, Lesley Huff talks about the human need for certainty and how this creates challenges in relating to the many unknowns in life. We discuss the paradox that mindfulness practices can help us to make changes in life, but also allow us to be more accepting of who we are in the moment. We explore the potential pitfalls of self-improvement, including its impact on parenting and family life, and the problem of approaching change from a place of self-criticism. Lesley Huff, PsyD, is...

In this episode, Catherine Coinçon talks about methods of relaxation and visualization to support and enhance our health and well-being. She describes the importance of staying connected to a sense of joy and vitality, and leads a practice to help us connect with our deeper self. Listen in as she shares the history and practice of Sophrology, which is a wellness promoting set of practices developed in the mid 20th Century. Catherine Coinçon studied Modern Literature at the Sorbonne and holds...

In this episode, Patricia Isis shares about the healing potential of engaging in artistic and creative pursuits. She discusses her work as a registered art therapist and what art therapy might look like for different clients, as well as the importance of self-compassion and sharing one's artwork with a supportive and encouraging community. Listen in for her insights and ideas about how to use doodling and other easy and accessible creative activities in a mindful way to bring presence and...

In this episode, hosts Kate and Alex continue their exploration of the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism, with particular emphasis on the Second Noble Truth. This Truth is "the truth of the cause of suffering." Listen in as Kate and Alex unpack the ways that our suffering is caused by desire or longing, wanting things to be other than they are, and in particular the "Three Poisons" of greed, hatred, and delusion. Katherine (Kate) King, PsyD is a clinical psychologist and assistant professor of...

In this episode, we talk to Marisa Mazzo about dealing with avoidance and ways we can face our fears. She explains key principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and discusses her inspiring work helping people heal from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. We dig into the broader problems of fear and avoidance, and discuss skills that anyone can use to get curious, restore safety, and take values-based action in our lives. Marisa T. Mazza, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist, supervisor and...

Happy Autumn! In this episode, hosts Alex and Kate explore the challenges of constant distraction. They discuss ways of managing overwhelming incoming news, information, emails, texts, and more, the emotional toll of such a way of life, and the importance of finding moments of rest, silence, and solitude even during busy times. Listen in for ways to create meaningful moments of pause, and to find insights about the helpful and unhelpful impulses that might be driving you to distraction. Alex...

In this episode, we talk to Caroline Hoffman about embodiment, mindfulness, and explore the ways that our lives can be improved by learning to be more connected to the experiences of the body. We also discuss her background in yoga, nursing, and massage therapy, and her work using mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) with people impacted by cancer. Caroline Hoffman is a certified Mindful Self-Compassion and MBSR teacher living in the UK. Caroline completed an undergraduate degree in...

In this episode, hosts Kate and Alex take a deep dive into the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism, with particular emphasis on the First Noble Truth commonly translated as “life is characterized by suffering.” They unpack some of the linguistic and cultural misunderstandings that can get in the way of the deeper message of this teaching. They connect the four existential givens of death, meaning, isolation, and freedom, to Buddhism and discuss ways of working with these unavoidable challenges in...

In this episode, Ruth Williamson shares about how we can activate a sense of purpose that brings us more fully alive, as well as how to participate in the world with greater compassion. She shares her insights as a Buddhist chaplain-in-training and what she has learned through social justice ministry work with individuals experiencing houselessness. Ruth Williamson is a trained teacher of Mindfulness and Self Compassion as well as a life and leadership coach. She trained at the Hudson...

In this episode we chatted with Alfie Wishart about addiction recovery, compassion, shame, and the role of spirituality in healing. He shares about his personal recovery journey and also discusses how he works with therapy clients. He explains codependency and how he helps people heal from narcissistic relationships. Listen in for his perspective on the connections between shame and addiction, and his thoughts on learning to distinguish between the ‘true self’ and ‘false self. Alfie is a...

In this episode, we speak with Rochelle Jaffe about working with self-criticism, emotional and physical pain, overwhelm, and anger. Rochelle Jaffe, M.S. is a mindfulness and self-compassion practitioner and psychotherapist in Ashland, Oregon. She works with individuals and groups online and in person.

In this episode we talk to Marc Lesser about how mindfulness and emotional intelligence can be integrated into our work lives- including the ‘work’ of being a human, a parent, a spouse, or other meaningful roles we inhabit. He shares essential elements of mindful leadership and discusses how he has brought this insight into corporate settings. Marc Lesser is an author, speaker, workshop leader, executive coach, and Zen teacher. He is the CEO of ZBA Associates, an executive development and...

In this episode, we talk to Jon Walker about similarities and differences between relaxation and mindfulness as well as how expectations can interfere with mindfulness practice. He also describes practices that can improve our coping in a practical way in daily life, and reflects on some of the challenges of a driven and productivity-focused life. Jon Walker is a retired physician and professor of medicine and is now a teacher of mindfulness and self-compassion. He completed the two-year...

In this episode, David Teitelman discusses how mindfulness and self-compassion have helped him navigate chronic health conditions, body image issues, and old emotional wounds. David studied classical dance, rose in the corporate world, and cultivated self-criticism as a way of life. After being diagnosed with a progressive neuromuscular condition and finding his old approach unsustainable, he discovered that mindfulness and self-compassion provided a radical new way of looking at the world....

In this episode, Kristy Arbon discusses her experiences with self-compassion and her work developing somatic self-compassion to integrate body awareness more fully into these practices. Listen in for Kristy's insights on the connections between Buddhism and self-compassion and how to reconnect with your internal experience and build stress resilience. Kristy Arbon is Founder and CEO of HeartWorks, a training platform designed to teach the skills of trauma-informed mindfulness and...