Thomas is joined by PhD trauma researcher, life coach, and the author of "Unbroken", MaryCatherine McDonald. They discuss Dr. McDonald’s work to redefine our understanding of trauma and eliminate the stigma surrounding it. Using scientific research, and through the lens of her own experiences with trauma and grief, Dr. McDonald has developed a definition of trauma that describes it as “an unbearable emotional experience that lacks a relational home.” She and Thomas explore how symptoms of...

Thomas answers questions from Point of Relation listeners about activism, presencing, and staying grounded and open to joy amidst global suffering and uncertainty. He explores the mutually resourcing relationship between contemplative, internal practices, and collective actions that aim to affect social and political change. He also offers tools and practices to help us maintain emotional and spiritual regulation while being deeply affected by current events. ✨ Thomas’ Art of Attunement...

In this short bonus episode, Tibetan Buddhist teacher, author, and co-founder of the Namchak Foundation, Lama Tsomo shares a Tonglen Meditation practice. In Tibetan, Tonglen means “sending and receiving.” Lama Tsomo guides us through a compassion practice focused on the pain of being misunderstood. She invites us to first send compassion to ourselves, then to someone we know, and finally to all of humanity. In this 10-minute meditation, the empathetic part of our brain is activated,...

Thomas is joined by Tibetan Buddhist teacher, author, and co-founder of the Namchak Foundation, Lama Tsomo. They discuss Tibetan Buddhist teachings and practices that illuminate our fundamental interconnectedness and enable us to approach our relationships and our reality with greater compassion and empathy. Lama Tsomo explains how Compassion Meditation can help loosen the grip of the ego, and make us less reactive in conflict. They also explore the different levels of depth in meditation...

On this episode of Point of Relation, Thomas is joined by author, poet, ordained Zen Buddhist priest, teacher, and artist, Zenju Earthlyn Manuel. They discuss the gateways in Zenju’s life that put her on her spiritual path. Zenju beautifully describes the joyful curiosity of spiritual inquiry, and the power of ritual and ceremony to create sacred spaces where collective pain and trauma can be expressed, witnessed, and healed. She explores the rhythmic quality of ritual and meditative...

Thomas is joined by filmmaker and founder of the Identity Development Institute, Stephen Gyllenhaal. They discuss the pain of living during these uncertain and tumultuous times, and how having the courage to face our collective trauma can help us navigate this unprecedented era. In an interconnected world, things like violence, war, and mental illness are undeniable. And sometimes the institutions that are meant to address these problems fall short. Stephen and Thomas explore the importance...

In part two of this special Q&A series, Thomas answers more of the thoughtful questions submitted by listeners during his recent live event with Dr. Gabor Maté. This Q&A centers on topics explored in Thomas’ recently released book - Attuned. In this episode, Thomas discusses the impact of individual healing and attunement on larger social systems, and what is needed to create more grounded, attuned, and trauma-informed workplaces. ✨ Registration is open for Thomas’ all-new, live...

Thomas is joined by cultural anthropologist, social entrepreneur, and author, Joana Breidenbach. They discuss the ecosystem of disinformation that is fragmenting society and the systemic factors that contribute to it. Joana explains the role that technology plays in how we obtain and interpret information, exploring the motives of those who spread disinformation, and the historical trends that have made it increasingly difficult for people to understand unfamiliar perspectives. She and...

Thomas is interviewed by distinguished Irish poet, theologian and mediator, and the host of the Poetry Unbound podcast, Pádraig Ó Tuama. They discuss the relationship between spirituality, religion, and trauma, and the importance of incorporating art - including writing, poetry, and visual art - into social healing rituals. Pádraig emphasizes that “Art speaks to our being in a different way than rational words.” Their conversation also focuses on the need for structured spaces in society...

On this episode of Point of Relation, Thomas Hübl is joined by author, Jungian psychotherapist, and renowned Jewish scholar, Rabbi Dr. Tirzah Firestone. They discuss the centuries of trauma that have yet to be metabolized in our collective unconscious, and what we can do, both individually and collectively, to integrate and heal from this painful shared history. She and Thomas explore how trauma lives in our nervous systems, and is transmitted across generations via epigenetics. They agree...

In this special Q&A episode, Thomas answers some insightful questions submitted by listeners during his recent live event with Dr. Gabor Maté, which focused on topics explored in Thomas’ recently released book - Attuned: Practicing Interdependence to Heal Our Trauma–And Our World. The questions covered by Thomas explore how to practice attunement in an environment of harsh political polarization, why it’s difficult - but possible - to feel attuned to collective issues even when there is...

Thomas is joined by contemplative social scientist, consultant, and educator in leadership, social justice, and mindfulness, Dr. Angel Acosta. They discuss Artificial Intelligence, or AI, and the radical shifts it is generating in our lives, our work, and our collective consciousness.  While AI holds incredible potential for the evolution of humanity, its creation and implementation also raise a number of serious ethical concerns. Thomas and Dr. Acosta explore how this cutting-edge...

Thomas Hübl is joined by writer, trained Buddhist monk, and meditation teacher, Jack Kornfield. They discuss how Buddhist meditation and mindfulness practices, in combination with more traditional forms of therapy, can help to heal individual and collective trauma. Jack explores how his own traumatic experiences led him to Buddhism. Early in his spiritual journey, he spent extensive time in highly traumatized environments. There, he learned the importance of creating safe, ritual containers...

Thomas is joined by internationally recognized change agent and Professor at Johns Hopkins University, Christina Bethell. They discuss her research and work to transform children’s healthcare systems and promote relational well-being for families and communities.  Christina has created what she calls the Positive Childhood Experiences Scale, a measurement of beneficial relational experiences that can help to offset the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs. She and Thomas explore...

Thomas Hübl shares his perspective on the fundamentals of collective trauma. He describes it as an ecosystem that we all inhabit, and all affect. He explores what societies can do to foster growth and healing while enduring repeated traumatic events, both large-scale and personal. According to Thomas, therein lies the key - healing on both the individual and collective levels. He discusses what makes an effective community healing space, and how such spaces allow us to integrate our...

Thomas is joined by Senior Lecturer in the MIT Management Sloan School, and the Founding Chair of the Presencing Institute, Otto Scharmer, and facilitator, systems change leader, intrapreneur, and strategist, Antoinette Klatzky. They discuss what Otto calls the “architectures of connection”-- the social systems and structures that can either be extractive and perpetuate violence and trauma, or be open and regenerative and enable healing. Thomas, Antionette, and Otto also explore how they’ve...

Thomas speaks with internationally renowned performer, writer of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, and 23rd Poet Laureate of the United States, Joy Harjo. They discuss the power of poetry to open our awareness, allow access to greater knowledge, and connect with other humans throughout history. Joy shares what drew her to poetry, and how her work is deeply rooted in her ancestral lineage. She and Thomas explore how to attune to the living ancestral field that we inhabit, and how to reckon with...

Thomas is joined by Mallika Dutt, a longtime advocate for equity and well-being for people and the planet, and the founder of the non-profit organizations INTER-CONNECTED, Breakthrough, and Sakhi. They discuss the pivotal moments in Mallika’s life that brought the concepts of sacredness, interdependence, and interconnectedness into her activism. Mallika shares her commitment to the collective liberation of all beings on this planet, and how anchoring ourselves to that commitment can move us...

Thomas Hübl further expands on Attunement– a relational mindfulness practice that allows our nervous systems to feel one another and transmit many layers of information. He explains that each of us contains a rich inner world that we must get to know in order to attune with others. When we create inner calm, we also create a safe space where we can be fully present with people in their authentic entirety. These attuned environments can lead to entire ecosystems of Attunement where deep...

According to filmmaker and founder of the Identity Development Institute, Stephen Gyllenhaal, “The best instrument in the world is another human being.” In this episode, he and Thomas discuss the importance of resonance to trauma healing. Similar to attunement, resonance involves communication between nervous systems wherein our bodies transmit our pain to others within a safe and open environment. This is also the basis for the Intention Method (IoPT) sessions that changed Stephen’s life...

Award-winning director Stephen Gyllenhaal joins Thomas Hübl to talk about the power of film in visualizing the human experience and the effort in refining our current approach to trauma. After a dissociative identity disorder diagnosis, he discovers the root of his pain, leading him to a journey of healing and forgiveness. He believes that attunement is the key to trauma healing. Instead of pushing for healing to happen, we need to act as resonators, to sit down with the other person’s...

Thomas is joined by Peabody Award-winning broadcaster, New York Times bestselling author, and the host of On Being, Krista Tippett.  They discuss the virtues of hospitality, humility, and creativity in spirituality, and in creating spaces where deep subjects and emotions can safely emerge. Krista explains how her upbringing and work as a journalist have shown her the need for human civilization to outgrow our binary ways of thinking and have the courage to hold contradictions and...

Thomas is joined by Rhonda V. Magee, a leading mindfulness teacher, practice innovator, author, and Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco. They discuss how mindfulness has evolved from its roots in traditional Buddhism to an increasingly popular modern practice. Rhonda stresses the need for us to look at the deeper traditional teachings of mindfulness in their original contexts so that their depth and core essence aren’t lost.  She and Thomas also explore what Rhonda calls...

Thomas Hübl explores the concepts of Inner and Outer Coherence and the role they play in relationships and communication. He describes inner coherence as the capacity to understand our own inner experience, resonate with others, and feel whole. It’s a function of our nervous system that combines external sensory information with our internal thoughts and emotions.  He explains that inner coherence leads to outer coherence- it creates a space for us to be present, empathetic, and share openly...

Thomas shares practices, theories, and more from his new book "Attuned: Practicing Interdependence to Heal Our Trauma―and Our World". Pre-order now at attunedbook.com to receive a new guided meditation, book excerpt, and help alert booksellers to the strong interest in the book to ensure that it's stocked widely and accessible for people to find. Amy Elizabeth Fox of Mobius Executive Leadership was kind enough to conduct this interview with Thomas. According to Thomas, “Resonance is the...