Name: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Problems: Jess Stuart on the Plant Yourself Podcast @plantyourself
Uploaded: 2026-09-25T08:17:00-05:00
Duration: 8 min 17 s
Description: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Problems: Jess Stuart on the Plant Yourself Podcast

Ancient Wisdom for Modern Problems: Jess Stuart on the Plant Yourself Podcast

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2026-09-25 | Ancient Wisdom for Modern Problems: Jess Stuart on the Plant Yourself Podcast

No Problem Too Big: Closing the Knowledge/Execution Gap: Richard Hodge, PhD - Plant Yourself Podcast

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-06-03 | ...

nava atlas rs

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-06-03 | ...

Transform Problems into Opportunities with This Magic Question: Dr Howie Jacobson on PYP 585

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-05-28 | A "Walk and Talk" episode about the question that can help us go from fixating on problems to creating the future we want.

I take you on a sonic tour of Sitges, my home in Spain, from the high suburbs to the beachfront promenade to the old city, as we talk about the neurobiology of a problem-focus.

We'll see that the mind treats problems as threats, which diminishes our capacity to respond to them creatively and effectively.

We'll listen to busking street musicians, couples strolling by while scuffing their sandals on the stone walkway, and wind and surf.

And we'll explore the "magic question" that you can ask yourself and others, that transforms problems into opportunities to create the future you want.

Do you enjoy this kind of episode? Let me know, and I'll either do more or fewer of them based on your feedback.

Whats the Deal with Burnout? Mark Butler on PYP 584

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-05-15 | Mark Butler was blindsided by burnout in the middle of a successful career in sales, marketing, and management.

He lost the ability to focus. He had trouble remembering the names of his team members. He missed deadlines and starting producing subpar work.

It got to the point where he was asked to step away from the work.

It hit so hard, he needed to know what happened. So he embarked on a second career in mental health, learning everything he could about what makes humans tick, and what can derail us.

His key insight: burnout is essentially what happens when we suppress an emotional response for long enough. It's one way that, in the words of Gabor Maté, the "body says no."

After years in clinical settings, working with clients one-on-one and in small groups, Mark realized that he wanted to work "upstream" -- i.e. in prevention.

And prevention, for Mark, meant working within the settings and systems that produce burnout and other mental health problems.

His work now spans helping individuals practice radical self-care, physically and psychologically; and working with organizations to create anti-burnout cultures and policies.

In our conversation, we look at the nature of burnout, why it's so prevalent, and what we can do -- individually and collectively -- to create workplaces that prioritize human wellbeing over profit-at-any-cost.

Sound Bites

• "Burnout in its essence is actually suppressing an emotional response or emotional needs."
• "The brain doesn't know shit. The brain is locked in a dark box."
• "It's more important that we get to say the words we need to say than it is for the other person to hear it."
• "Working out should be about mental health, feeling better about ourselves, and feeling good."
• "Our bodies are like cars that need to last the journey, and how we treat them determines how they carry us."
• "The future is human, and organizations need to recognize the importance of looking after their people."

Links

MarkButler.com.au
(http://MarkButler.com.au)

Emotional Intelligence 2.0 (amzn.to/4aj8R73) , by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves

When the Body Says No (amzn.to/3wDePlC) , by Gabor Maté, MD

The Body Keeps the Score (amzn.to/4arzNBv) , by Bessel van der Kolk, MD

Whats the Deal with Workplace Burnout?: Mark Butler on the Plant Yourself Podcast

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-05-15 | Mark Butler was blindsided by burnout in the middle of a successful career in sales, marketing, and management.

He lost the ability to focus. He had trouble remembering the names of his team members. He missed deadlines and starting producing subpar work.

It got to the point where he was asked to step away from the work.

It hit so hard, he needed to know what happened. So he embarked on a second career in mental health, learning everything he could about what makes humans tick, and what can derail us.

His key insight: burnout is essentially what happens when we suppress an emotional response for long enough. It's one way that, in the words of Gabor Mate, the "body says no."

After years in clinical settings, working with clients one-on-one and in small groups, Mark realized that he wanted to work "upstream" -- i.e. in prevention.

And prevention, for Mark, meant working within the settings and systems that produce burnout and other mental health problems.

His work now spans helping individuals practice radical self-care, physically and psychologically; and working with organizations to create anti-burnout cultures and policies.

In our conversation, we look at the nature of burnout, why it's so prevalent, and what we can do -- individually and collectively -- to create workplaces that prioritize human wellbeing over profit-at-any-cost.

Sound Bites

"Burnout in its essence is actually suppressing an emotional response or emotional needs."
"The brain doesn't know shit. The brain is locked in a dark box."
"It's more important that we get to say the words we need to say than it is for the other person to hear it."
"Working out should be about mental health, feeling better about ourselves, and feeling good."
"Our bodies are like cars that need to last the journey, and how we treat them determines how they carry us."
"The future is human, and organizations need to recognize the importance of looking after their people."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background
03:07 Understanding Burnout and Emotional Needs
09:46 The Power of Gestalt Therapy and Unfinished Business
25:03 Addressing Emotional Needs for Healing
29:03 Applying Knowledge for Preventive Impact
35:30 Challenges in Prioritizing Employee Well-being
46:30 The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership
57:05 Understanding Burnout and Frustration in the Workplace
01:02:18 The Impact of Promoting Individuals Who Prioritize Numbers

Uprooting Resistance to Change: A Memory Reconsolidation Demo with Glenn Livingston, PhD

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-05-08 | I share with Glenn my admiration for the book Immunity to Change, by Kegan and Lahey. It shows how resistance to (seemingly) desired change is often rooted in deep-seated beliefs and identities, which are typically unconscious.

Now we know the neurological details of that phenomenon, as well as the precise experiences necessary to overcome it. The science of memory reconsolidation has given us tools that we can use to rewrite old beliefs that keep us from achieving what we want.

That's not a new concept, especially in the touchy-feeling self-help world. What's new, and incredibly useful, is the understand of the conditions under which neural patterns in the brain can become "labile" -- that is, open to change.

This gives coaches and therapists -- and anyone who wants to help other people grow into their best selves -- a powerful protocol for creating transformational change.

We now have an alternative to "counteractive" strategies, such as willpower, external constraints, and repeated exposure, to keep bad old habits at bay.

Glenn asked me to demonstrate the process with an issue he'd been struggling with.

He needed to restart his YouTube channel (about defeating food cravings and regaining control over one's eating), but he hadn't done so. Despite his clear knowing that it was an important step in building his business.

He was aware that part of the issue was his appearance; he had put on a few pounds since the last time he made lots of YouTube videos, and felt uncomfortable showing himself on screen to people who would turn to him for, among other things, weight loss.

Rather than coach him to "make a plan" and "put it on his calendar" and ask him lots of motivational interviewing questions about why this was important, I sought to help Glenn discover the emotional necessity of not putting his slightly heavier self on display.

What we got to first was a recognition of why his reluctance to make videos made perfect sense. Once he "owned" his agency in producing that symptom, he was able to disconfirm the core belief behind it.

And he reconnected with an essential part of his mission: to act with kindness and abolish shame in everyone he comes in contact with.

Enjoy!

Uprooting Resistance to Change: A Memory Reconsolidation Demo with Glenn Livingston, PhD: PYP 583

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-05-01 | I share with Glenn my admiration for the book Immunity to Change (amzn.to/3UeN22A) , by Kegan and Lahey. It shows how resistance to (seemingly) desired change is often rooted in deep-seated beliefs and identities, which are typically unconscious.

Now we know the neurological details of that phenomenon, as well as the precise experiences necessary to overcome it. The science of memory reconsolidation has given us tools that we can use to rewrite old beliefs that keep us from achieving what we want.

That's not a new concept, especially in the touchy-feeling self-help world. What's new, and incredibly useful, is the understand of the conditions under which neural patterns in the brain can become "labile" -- that is, open to change.

This gives coaches and therapists -- and anyone who wants to help other people grow into their best selves -- a powerful protocol for creating transformational change.

We now have an alternative to "counteractive" strategies, such as willpower, external constraints, and repeated exposure, to keep bad old habits at bay.

Glenn asked me to demonstrate the process with an issue he'd been struggling with.

He needed to restart his YouTube channel (about defeating food cravings and regaining control over one's eating), but he hadn't done so. Despite his clear knowing that it was an important step in building his business.

He was aware that part of the issue was his appearance; he had put on a few pounds since the last time he made lots of YouTube videos, and felt uncomfortable showing himself on screen to people who would turn to him for, among other things, weight loss.

Rather than coach him to "make a plan" and "put it on his calendar" and ask him lots of motivational interviewing questions about why this was important, I sought to help Glenn discover the emotional necessity of not putting his slightly heavier self on display.

What we got to first was a recognition of why his reluctance to make videos made perfect sense. Once he "owned" his agency in producing that symptom, he was able to disconfirm the core belief behind it.

And he reconnected with an essential part of his mission: to act with kindness and abolish shame in everyone he comes in contact with.

Enjoy!

Links
Immunity to Change (amzn.to/3UeN22A) , by Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey

Unlocking the Emotional Brain (amzn.to/3wg5UpX) , by Bruce Ecker, Robin Ticic, and Laurel Hulley

How to Remove Trauma Response (amzn.to/4bgvvxV) , by Alun Parry

The Art and Neuroscience of Transformational Change: Dr Tori Olds on PYP 553
(plantyourself.com/tori-olds-pyp-553)

Removing Trauma Response with Yes/And Healing: Alun Parry and Yael Zivan on PYP 572
(plantyourself.com/removing-trauma-response-with-yes-and-healing-alun-parry-and-yael-zivan-on-pyp-572)

Fake It Til You Make It?: How Action Can Trigger Transformation

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-04-10 | ...

Fake It Til You Make It?: How Action Can Trigger Transformation: Matt Nagler on PYP 582

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-04-10 | Behavioral economist Matt Nagler returns to the podcast to discuss the urgent question of whether acting "as if" can lead to genuine transformation.

Standard economic theory holds that we have innate preferences, and that life is more or less about going around getting those preferences met. People who like chocolate go to work and make money so they can buy chocolate. People who are into danger and thrills take up skydiving. And so on.

But that's not the way we actually work. We can acquire tastes, not just for lima beans and beer, but for activities as well.

If you want to become a runner but the thought of breaking a sweat leaves you cold (I hear the approaching sirens of the "bad writing" police), you don't have to wait until you magically change your mind. Instead, you can just start running. According to Daryl Bem's Self-Perception Theory, seeing yourself running, day in and day out, will signal to your mind that you do like running. Because, it reasons, why the hell would you be doing it every day if you didn't?

And that mind hack is the key to behavior change. As God is reported to have said to the children of Israel at Mount Sinai, "Na'aseh v'nishma." That is, "You will do and you will listen." The "DO" part comes first.

In our conversation, we cover lots of ancillary behavioral economics topics and follow Matt's roller coaster mind as it ranges from Mel Brooks to Japanese art films to Bayesian Updating (which blew me away and totally put my work on Memory Reconsolidation into a very cool theoretical framework).

Enjoy, and let us know what you think in the comments.

Links

Matt's "Zen and Economics" Substack (matthewgnagler.substack.com) (free)

To Be Or Not to Be (Mel Brooks movie) trailer
(youtube.com/watch?v=YgNW4Pl4L2g)

Shall We Dance? (Masayuki Suo movie) trailer
(youtube.com/watch?v=zQWEhPYwuY4)

Daryl Bem's Self-Perception Theory
(thedecisionlab.com/reference-guide/psychology/self-perception-theory)

Jon Connelly's Rapid Resolution Therapy
(http://rapidresolutiontherapy.com)

Bayesian Updating explained (towardsdatascience.com/bayesian-updating-simply-explained-c2ed3e563588)

The Joy of Cooking as an Earth Citizen: Lois Ellen Frank on the Plant Yourself Podcast

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-04-03 | Lois Ellen Frank's most recent cookbook, "Seed to Plate, Soil to Sky," offers delicious recipes and shows how embracing Native American food practices and philosophies can help heal our planet

Feeling overwhelmed or hopeless about the environment and our role in its degradation. Frank explains how our shopping habits can support sustainable farming and make a difference. She offers insights in how we might each embrace Traditional Ecological Knowledge, no matter who we are or where we come from. After all, as she reminds us, we're all earth citizens, and as such, earth stewards.

The cookbook covers 8 food groups significant (and sacred) to Indigenous peoples in the Americas: corn, squash, tomatoes, beans, potatoes, chilies, cacao, and vanilla. These simple plant foods can serve as the basis of a healthy cuisine -- indeed, many cultures around the world have incorporated these "Old World" gifts into their staple dishes.

In a world where every choice counts, Frank invites us to take steps towards better health and respecting the planet, urging us to cut down on waste and cherish the wisdom of our ancestors.

So, if you're curious about making a positive impact through what you eat and keen on delicious, earth-friendly recipes, watch to discover how you can contribute to a healthier, more sustainable world -- one meal at a time.

An Autobiography of Trauma and Healing: Peter Levine, PhD, on the Plant Yourself Podcast

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-04-03 | “Trauma is perhaps the most avoided, ignored, belittled, denied, misunderstood, and untreated cause of human suffering.” - Peter A. Levine

Drawing upon healing traditions that go back thousands of years, Peter Levine, PhD has created a method of healing trauma that has the power to revolutionize the mental health field. His modality, Somatic Experiencing (SE), takes the client on an inward journey to where they can access their own body's wisdom and instinct toward wholeness.

His books Waking the Tiger and In an Unspoken Voice share his methodology. One of the most stunning demonstrations of SES can be found on YouTube. In the video, Peter helps an Iraq War vet overcome a persistent facial tic by guiding his body to complete a movement sequence that had been abruptly interrupted by the explosion of an IED.

His new book, An Autobiography of Trauma: A Healing Journey, is a deeply personal, courageous, and clear-eyed look at the events, forces, and people who shaped Peter's life, worldview, and work. It's not for the faint of heart. Peter recounts a brutal rape that was perpetrated upon him at the age of 12, as well as deeply unsettling family scenes from his childhood.

He also talks about the dreams and synchronicities that have guided his path -- and the ones that he ignored to his detriment.

One chapter pays homage to the women who influenced his professional and personal development, including body and breathwork pioneers Charlotte Selver, Magda Proskauer, Ida Rolf, and Mira Rothenberg. Another chapter explores his relationships with brilliant men of science, including Ilya Progogine, René Thom, Leon Harmon, and T. Berry Brazelton. Much of Peter's life and work has been to integrate the archetypically masculine world of measurement and replication and the archetypically feminine domain of spirit and intuition -- a synthesis that lends SE much of its power.

In our conversation, we talked about dreams. I asked Peter why meaningful dreams come to him, and how others (me!) might go about inviting dream insights. He responded with many stories and suggestions that I'm already incorporating into my evening and morning rituals.

At one point, Peter referred to the unconscious as "she," and spoke of it as a source of great wisdom. Given my familiarity with the neurological basis of his work, I had thought of the unconscious as a more or less infantile part that was concerned solely with survival. I thought all it could do was fight, flight, freeze, fold, or socially engage (based on Stephen Porges' Polyvagal Theory).

Peter shared his understanding, following Jung, that the unconscious contains drives and impulses beyond those of physical survival. He cited the drive for wholeness, referenced in the subtitle of In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness.

We talked about his year-long "active imagination" mentoring by Albert Einstein in a California restaurant, and his later discovery that Einstein had saved his parents' lives when his mother was 8 months pregnant with Peter.

We also spoke about the Dine (Navajo) ceremony to reintegrate returning warriors from battle to community, and his encounters with healing and wisdom teachers from a variety of ancient lineages.

The mic drop lines, for me:

"Given the right tools, trauma won't rule."

"We can stop reliving and start living."

Enjoy!

An Autobiography of Trauma and Healing: Peter Levine, PhD, on PYP 581

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-04-03 | “Trauma is perhaps the most avoided, ignored, belittled, denied, misunderstood, and untreated cause of human suffering.” - Peter A. Levine

Drawing upon healing traditions that go back thousands of years, Peter Levine, PhD has created a method of healing trauma that has the power to revolutionize the mental health field. His modality, Somatic Experiencing (SE), takes the client on an inward journey to where they can access their own body's wisdom and instinct toward wholeness.

His books Waking the Tiger (amzn.to/49lZQJV) and In an Unspoken Voice (amzn.to/49m53kQ) share his methodology. One of the most stunning demonstrations of SES can be found on YouTube. In the video, (youtube.com/watch?v=nmJDkzDMllc&t=314s) Peter helps an Iraq War vet overcome a persistent facial tic by guiding his body to complete a movement sequence that had been abruptly interrupted by the explosion of an IED.

His new book, An Autobiography of Trauma: A Healing Journey (amzn.to/43LuY4p) , is a deeply personal, courageous, and clear-eyed look at the events, forces, and people who shaped Peter's life, worldview, and work. It's not for the faint of heart. Peter recounts a brutal rape that was perpetrated upon him at the age of 12, as well as deeply unsettling family scenes from his childhood.

He also talks about the dreams and synchronicities that have guided his path -- and the ones that he ignored to his detriment.

One chapter pays homage to the women who influenced his professional and personal development, including body and breathwork pioneers Charlotte Selver, Magda Proskauer, Ida Rolf, and Mira Rothenberg. Another chapter explores his relationships with brilliant men of science, including Ilya Progogine, René Thom, Leon Harmon, and T. Berry Brazelton. Much of Peter's life and work has been to integrate the archetypically masculine world of measurement and replication and the archetypically feminine domain of spirit and intuition -- a synthesis that lends SE much of its power.

In our conversation, we talked about dreams. I asked Peter why meaningful dreams come to him, and how others (me!) might go about inviting dream insights. He responded with many stories and suggestions that I'm already incorporating into my evening and morning rituals.

At one point, Peter referred to the unconscious as "she," and spoke of it as a source of great wisdom. Given my familiarity with the neurological basis of his work, I had thought of the unconscious as a more or less infantile part that was concerned solely with survival. I thought all it could do was fight, flight, freeze, fold, or socially engage (based on Stephen Porges' Polyvagal Theory (plantyourself.com/stephen-porges-pyp-340) ).

Peter shared his understanding, following Jung, that the unconscious contains drives and impulses beyond those of physical survival. He cited the drive for wholeness, referenced in the subtitle of In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness (amzn.to/49m53kQ) .

We talked about his year-long "active imagination" mentoring by Albert Einstein in a California restaurant, and his later discovery that Einstein had saved his parents' lives when his mother was 8 months pregnant with Peter.

We also spoke about the Dine (Navajo) ceremony to reintegrate returning warriors from battle to community, and his encounters with healing and wisdom teachers from a variety of ancient lineages.

The mic drop lines, for me:

"Given the right tools, trauma won't rule."

"We can stop reliving and start living."

Enjoy!

Links

An Autobiography of Trauma: A Healing Journey (amzn.to/43LuY4p) , by Peter A Levine, PhD

In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness, (amzn.to/49m53kQ) by Peter A Levine, PhD

Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma (amzn.to/3U3hWMD) , by Peter A Levine, PhD

The Somatic Experiencing website
(http://somaticexperiencing.com)

Trauma and Recovery (amzn.to/4azowzy) , by Judith Herman

Children with Emerald Eyes: Histories of Extraordinary Boys and Girls (amzn.to/4aemSDQ) , by Mira Rothenberg

Let There Be Light (youtube.com/watch?v=uiD6bnqpJDE) -- John Huston's movie about healing trauma in US servicemen following WWII

My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies (amzn.to/3TMfIQj) , by Resmaa Menakem, MSW

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma (amzn.to/3U2O4zK) , by Bessel van der Kolk, MD

The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe (amzn.to/4aen1XU) , by Stephen Porges, PhD

How to Prepare for a Journey of Transformation: Jacquelyn Lane and Scott Osman on PYP 580

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-03-19 | Scott Osman and Jacquelyn Lane have written a very valuable book: Becoming Coachable. It's a blueprint not just for individual, not just organizational, but sustainable planetary success and well being. And if you're thinking of raising your game by enlisting the help of an executive or life coach, it will save you lots of time and frustration.

In our conversation, we cover:

the importance of being open to change and receiving feedback
the difference between setting goals and limiting oneself
the need for action and accountability
the difference between hoarding value or creating more value for all
the uses of reflection and intention to set a path and follow it
the highest purpose of leadership
the importance of optimizing organizations for all stakeholders -- including the most vulnerable humans, and the planet itself
and much more...

Enjoy, and let me know what you think.

How to Prepare for a Journey of Transformation: Jacquelyn Lane and Scott Osman on PYP 580

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-03-19 | Scott Osman and Jacquelyn Lane have written a very valuable book: Becoming Coachable. It's a blueprint not just for individual, not just organizational, but sustainable planetary success and well being. And if you're thinking of raising your game by enlisting the help of an executive or life coach, it will save you lots of time and frustration.

In our conversation, we cover:

• the importance of being open to change and receiving feedback
• the difference between setting goals and limiting oneself
• the need for action and accountability
• the difference between hoarding value or creating more value for all
• the uses of reflection and intention to set a path and follow it
• the highest purpose of leadership
• the importance of optimizing organizations for all stakeholders -- including the most vulnerable humans, and the planet itself
• and much more...
Enjoy, and let me know what you think.

Links

BecomingCoachable.com
(http://BecomingCoachable.com)

Becoming Coachable
(amzn.to/3x0GrB3)

100 Coaches Agency
(100coaches.com)

The Joy of Cooking as an Earth Citizen: Lois Ellen Frank, PhD on PYP 579

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-02-20 | Lois Ellen Frank's most recent cookbook, Seed to Plate, Soil to Sky: Modern Plant-Based Recipes using Native American Ingredients (amzn.to/3wr5QDx) , offers delicious recipes and shows how embracing Native American food practices and philosophies can help heal our planet.

Feeling overwhelmed or hopeless about the environment and our role in its degradation. Frank explains how our shopping habits can support sustainable farming and make a difference. She offers insights in how we might each embrace Traditional Ecological Knowledge, no matter who we are or where we come from. After all, as she reminds us, we're all earth citizens, and as such, earth stewards.

The cookbook covers 8 food groups significant (and sacred) to Indigenous peoples in the Americas: corn, squash, tomatoes, beans, potatoes, chilies, cacao, and vanilla. These simple plant foods can serve as the basis of a healthy cuisine -- indeed, many cultures around the world have incorporated these "Old World" gifts into their staple dishes.

In a world where every choice counts, Frank invites us to take steps towards better health and respecting the planet, urging us to cut down on waste and cherish the wisdom of our ancestors.

So, if you're curious about making a positive impact through what you eat and keen on delicious, earth-friendly recipes, watch to discover how you can contribute to a healthier, more sustainable world -- one meal at a time.

Links

Seed to Plate, Soil to Sky: Modern Plant-Based Recipes using Native American Ingredients
(amzn.to/3wr5QDx)

RedMesaCuisine.com (http://redmesacuisine.com)

Diversity & Inclusion: Wokeness Run Amok or Simply Good Business?: Sally Helgesen on Plant Yourself

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-02-09 | DEI - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - has been under attack for a while, but the issue came to a head over the recent public kerfuffle regarding the resignations of the presidents of Penn and Harvard Universities. Both women, one Black - they were portrayed on social and right-wing media as tokens, unqualified, and examples of affirmative action run amok.

Companies that have embraced DEI initiatives are being ridiculed and boycotted, their troubles blamed on hiring employees based on race, gender, and sexual orientation rather than competence. For example, Boeing's "door blowing out of the airplane" disaster has been portrayed as a company abandoning its mission in favor of a quest to redress historic inequality - with deadly consequences.

I reached out to my friend and teacher Sally Helgesen - author of Rising Together (amzn.to/3HV9zf4) , How Women Rise (amzn.to/3w8nJqG) , and The Web of Inclusion (amzn.to/3Uzlpms) , among other titles - to ask her about the current backlash against DEI, and whether there's merit to any of its claims.

She came armed with facts, not theories. Turns out that Boeing was gutted decades ago - by rich white men, as it happens - and the manufacturing problems that are turning up now have everything to do with their desire to prioritize short-term profits over long-term excellence.

She spoke about her experience fostering diversity and inclusion in the corporate world, and explained that companies are seeking to expand their employee and leadership pools not in the service of "wokeness" but good business.

Enjoy this provocative and enlightening conversation!

Links

SallyHelgesen.com
(http://sallyhelgesen.com)

Rising Together
(amzn.to/3HV9zf4)

How Women Rise
(amzn.to/3w8nJqG)

The Web of Inclusion (amzn.to/3Uzlpms)

Diversity & Inclusion: Wokeness Run Amok or Simply Good Business?: Sally Helgesen on Plant Yourself

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-02-09 | DEI - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - has been under attack for a while, but the issue came to a head over the recent public kerfuffle regarding the resignations of the presidents of Penn and Harvard Universities. Both women, one Black - they were portrayed on social and right-wing media as tokens, unqualified, and examples of affirmative action run amok.

Companies that have embraced DEI initiatives are being ridiculed and boycotted, their troubles blamed on hiring employees based on race, gender, and sexual orientation rather than competence. For example, Boeing's "door blowing out of the airplane" disaster has been portrayed as a company abandoning its mission in favor of a quest to redress historic inequality - with deadly consequences.

I reached out to my friend and teacher Sally Helgesen - author of "Rising Together," "How Women Rise," and "The Web of Inclusion," among other titles - to ask her about the current backlash against DEI, and whether there's merit to any of its claims.

She came armed with facts, not theories. Turns out that Boeing was gutted decades ago - by rich white men, as it happens - and the manufacturing problems that are turning up now have everything to do with their desire to prioritize short-term profits over long-term excellence.

She spoke about her experience fostering diversity and inclusion in the corporate world, and explained that companies are seeking to expand their employee and leadership pools not in the service of "wokeness" but good business.

Enjoy this provocative and enlightening conversation!

How to Make Healthy Vegan Bread: Ed and Natasha Tatton on PYP 577

How to Make Healthy Vegan Bread: Ed and Natasha Tatton on the Plant Yourself Podcast

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-01-24 | Ed and Natasha Tatton are co-owners of a vegan bread bakery called BReD in Whistler, British Columbia. They're also co-authors of BReD: Sourdough Loaves, Small Breads, and Other Plant-Based Baking, a cookbook that capitalized on the pandemic sourdough craze and actually got me measuring and mixing my own starter.

It's weird that I never thought about the fact that all bread was sourdough until about a hundred years ago, when commercial yeast was first mass produced.

The Wonder Bread of my youth (not that I got any -- thanks, Mom!) has very little to do with the long human tradition of breadmaking using the natural yeasts that float in the air all around us, and that sourdough bakers have been cultivating and using for millennia.

In our conversation, we talk about a bunch of things:

entrepreneurship, and the challenges of starting a running a bakery
why the Tattons opted to create a B-Corp
the differences between sourdough and commercial bread
what natural fermentation is and does
a slow and mindful approach to breadmaking
how making our own bread can change food culture (and perhaps culture in general)
how to get started making sourdough bread
and a lot more...

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Naming the Bakery
03:05 Learning from Experience and Work Ethic
06:03 Journey to Plant-Based Baking
09:00 Transitioning to Veganism
12:39 Identity Shift as a Chef
16:24 Discovering Gourmet Vegan Food
20:05 Taking Risks and Opening a Bakery
25:27 Considering Expansion and Future Plans
31:08 Difference Between Sourdough and Commercial Bread
40:40 The Impact of Microbes on Bread
42:20 The Importance of Variability in Bread
44:04 The Slow and Mindful Approach to Breadmaking
46:34 Honoring Tradition and Nourishment
49:21 Reconnecting with Traditional Food
50:29 The Pleasure of Making Bread
51:25 The Shift from Flavorful to Convenient Foods
53:09 The Importance of Introducing Healthy Foods to Children
54:02 The Need for Slowing Down and Prioritizing Quality
56:17 Building Community and Changing Food Culture
57:47 Promoting Breadmaking and Providing Resources
58:16 The Potential Impact of the Book

The Sneak Attack that Makes Cravings Irresistible - and How to Resist Anyway: Glenn Livingston, P...

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-01-17 | Glenn Livingston, PhD, joins Howie to talk about his new book, Defeat Your Cravings, and shares insights gleaned from coaching thousands of clients on overcoming food addiction and developing a healthy relationship with food.

His previous book emphasized the importance of fixing one's thinking about food and intervening in behavioral automation loops. His latest work includes this approach, while highlighting the role of self-regulation and self-care in overcoming overeating.

We also talk about the concept of the extinction curve and the importance of identifying and extinguishing food signals that trigger cravings. We explore the concept of cravings as signals and the importance of recognizing and understanding these signals.

Glenn channels Thag the caveman to illuminate how the brain as a prediction engine, and what this has to do with cravings. The conversation touches on the language used to describe food addiction and the formation of new habits.

Takeaways

• Fixing your thinking about food is essential for overcoming overeating and developing a healthy relationship with food.
• Self-regulation and self-care play a crucial role in managing cravings and maintaining a balanced approach to eating.
• Techniques such as pausing, parasympathetic breathing, and cognitive refutation can help manage cravings and make healthier food choices.
• Understanding the extinction curve and identifying food signals that trigger cravings can support long-term success in overcoming overeating.

Links

Defeat Your Cravings (defeatyourcravings.com) - website and free book

Glenn's past appearances on Plant Yourself:
My Coaching Evolution: Glenn Livingston interviews Howie Jacobson: PYP 567 (plantyourself.com/my-coaching-evolution-glenn-livingston-interviews-howie-jacobson-pyp-567)
Addicted to Spontaneous Decision-Making: Glenn Livingston, PhD on PYP 459 (plantyourself.com/addicted-to-spontaneous-decision-making-glenn-livingston-phd-on-pyp-459)
PYP 125: (Bonus) Glenn Livingston and Howard Jacobson on Proteinaholic and Suspect Science (plantyourself.com/pyp-125-bonus-glenn-livingston-and-howard-jacobson-on-proteinaholic-and-suspect-science)
PYP 117: Glenn Livingston on Never Bingeing Again (plantyourself.com/pyp-117-glenn-livingston-never-binge-again)

The Sneak Attack that Makes Cravings Irresistible - and How to Resist Anyway: Glenn Livingston, PhD

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-01-16 | Glenn Livingston, PhD, joins Howie to talk about his new book, "Defeat Your Cravings," and shares insights gleaned from coaching thousands of clients on overcoming food addiction and developing a healthy relationship with food.

His previous book emphasized the importance of fixing one's thinking about food and intervening in behavioral automation loops. His latest work includes this approach, while highlighting the role of self-regulation and self-care in overcoming overeating.

We also talk about the concept of the extinction curve and the importance of identifying and extinguishing food signals that trigger cravings. We explore the concept of cravings as signals and the importance of recognizing and understanding these signals.

Glenn channels Thag the caveman to illuminate how the brain as a prediction engine, and what this has to do with cravings. The conversation touches on the language used to describe food addiction and the formation of new habits.

===Takeaways===
Fixing your thinking about food is essential for overcoming overeating and developing a healthy relationship with food.
Self-regulation and self-care play a crucial role in managing cravings and maintaining a balanced approach to eating.
Techniques such as pausing, parasympathetic breathing, and cognitive refutation can help manage cravings and make healthier food choices.
Understanding the extinction curve and identifying food signals that trigger cravings can support long-term success in overcoming overeating.

Chapters
00:00 A New Book
01:00 Reflecting on the Past
02:37 Fixing Your Thinking About Food
04:06 Intervening in Behavioral Automation Loops
05:05 Cognitive Refutation and Eliminating Excuses
06:31 Importance of Self-Regulation and Self-Care
08:19 The 'Screw It, Just Do It' Rule
10:16 Organismic Distress and the Brain-Body Connection
11:45 Pausing and Parasympathetic Breathing
13:27 Using Cognitive Refutation and Separating Thoughts
14:25 Importance of Nutrition and Eating Regularly
15:19 Using Breathing and Writing to Reduce Distress
17:45 Managing Decision-Making and Dopamine Release
20:31 Developing the Pause Muscle
22:27 Understanding the Extinction Burst
43:43 Cravings as Signals
45:37 The Brain as a Prediction Engine
46:34 Taking Responsibility for Food Choices
47:23 Language and Food Addiction
48:24 Forming New Habits
49:51 Stimulating Pleasure Response with Food
50:49 Rotating Food Repertoire
52:14 The Down-regulation of Pleasure
53:05 The Negative Effects of Sugary Treats
54:48 Preparing for Extinction Curves
55:46 Speeding Up Extinction with Flooding
57:43 Counting Exposures in Extinction
59:57 Dealing with Infrequent Experiences
01:01:56 Alternative Love Gift
01:06:10 Groups vs Aggregates

Why Rational People Believe Irrational Things: Dan Ariely on the Plant Yourself Podcast

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-01-08 | Here's this week's guest introducing himself, and sharing a bit of what happened to him over the past couple of years.

"My name is Dan Ariely. I'm a social scientist... I work on behavioral change. And when COVID started, I became very popular.

"I got lots of questions from lots of governments...

Should we do fines?
What about distant education?
Working remotely?
How should we compensate people?
How do we reduce domestic violence?
What do we do with prisoners?

"There were a lot of them, and they were amazing. And I kind of felt I was at the top of my career.

"I had two phones. I was trying to answer as many things as possible, and this was going on every day... I stopped everything else. I was doing nothing by answering questions from around the world about how do we create these behavioral changes that we wanted to create, and how do we not create bad ones like domestic violence?

"This is happening for a few months, and then all of a sudden I get an email from somebody I once knew. And she said, 'Dan, what happened to you?'

"And very quickly I said, 'What do you mean what happened to me?'

"And she sent me a long list of links, and I'll just describe one of them. That link, it showed pictures of me in hospital when I was young.

"I was badly burned. Most of my body is covered with scars, including this side of my face. That's why I don't have hair on this side.

"Anyway, it shows pictures of me in hospital. True.

"It says I was in hospital for three years. True.

"70% of my body burned. True.

"But then it said that because of that, I started hating healthy people. Not true.

"And I joined Bill Gates and the Illuminati, trying to kill as many healthy people as possible. And that's what COVID is about, and that'swhat the vaccine will be about anyway.

"There were many links, with not all the same story, but all portraying me as a villain. And my first reaction was to correct them.

"But then I thought better of it, and I decided to consult some friends who are experts in PR... Everybody said the same thing: "Don't talk to them. Don't touch it. Let it go."

"But even though I'm very proud that I went to get advice, I couldn't take that advice. There was something in me that cried for the injustice. Like, here I was,waking up every day trying to do good, and these people were thinking I was doing evil.

"And it was impossible for me to accept that they will not be convinced if I only prove things to them...

"I called some of them. One of them came to my house. I met with a few other people. I joined online groups. I joined discussion groups, Telegram.

"And I failed miserably."

To find out what happened, and why it turned into a book on the personal and social psychology of conspiratorial thinking - well, that's what we talk about next.

Trigger Warning: The interview was conducted on October 19, 2023, less than two weeks after Hamas massacred and tortured thousands of Israelis, and captured many more. At that point, student protests at many US colleges and universities were expressing support for Hamas's actions - another example of misbelief, given that the Hamas ideology is diametrically opposed to just about every value expressed by the progressive Left. Dan shares some of the gruesome details of that attack. Use your own judgment about whether you are OK with hearing this.

Why Rational People Believe Irrational Things: Dan Ariely on PYP 575

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-01-08 | Here's this week's guest introducing himself, and sharing a bit of what happened to him over the past couple of years.

"My name is Dan Ariely. I'm a social scientist... I work on behavioral change. And when COVID started, I became very popular.

"I got lots of questions from lots of governments...

• Should we do fines?
• What about distant education?
• Working remotely?
• How should we compensate people?
• How do we reduce domestic violence?
• What do we do with prisoners?
"There were a lot of them, and they were amazing. And I kind of felt I was at the top of my career.

"I had two phones. I was trying to answer as many things as possible, and this was going on every day... I stopped everything else. I was doing nothing by answering questions from around the world about how do we create these behavioral changes that we wanted to create, and how do we not create bad ones like domestic violence?

"This is happening for a few months, and then all of a sudden I get an email from somebody I once knew. And she said, 'Dan, what happened to you?'

"And very quickly I said, 'What do you mean what happened to me?'

"And she sent me a long list of links, and I'll just describe one of them. That link, it showed pictures of me in hospital when I was young.

"I was badly burned. Most of my body is covered with scars, including this side of my face. That's why I don't have hair on this side.

"Anyway, it shows pictures of me in hospital. True.

"It says I was in hospital for three years. True.

"70% of my body burned. True.

"But then it said that because of that, I started hating healthy people. Not true.

"And I joined Bill Gates and the Illuminati, trying to kill as many healthy people as possible. And that's what COVID is about, and that'swhat the vaccine will be about anyway.

"There were many links, with not all the same story, but all portraying me as a villain. And my first reaction was to correct them.

"But then I thought better of it, and I decided to consult some friends who are experts in PR... Everybody said the same thing: "Don't talk to them. Don't touch it. Let it go."

"But even though I'm very proud that I went to get advice, I couldn't take that advice. There was something in me that cried for the injustice. Like, here I was,waking up every day trying to do good, and these people were thinking I was doing evil.

"And it was impossible for me to accept that they will not be convinced if I only prove things to them...

"I called some of them. One of them came to my house. I met with a few other people. I joined online groups. I joined discussion groups, Telegram.

"And I failed miserably."

To find out what happened, and why it turned into a book on the personal and social psychology of conspiratorial thinking - well, that's what we talk about next.

Trigger Warning: The interview was conducted on October 19, 2023, less than two weeks after Hamas massacred and tortured thousands of Israelis, and captured many more. At that point, student protests at many US colleges and universities were expressing support for Hamas's actions - another example of misbelief, given that the Hamas ideology is diametrically opposed to just about every value expressed by the progressive Left. Dan shares some of the gruesome details of that attack. Use your own judgment about whether you are OK with hearing this.

Links

Misbelief (amzn.to/3vkzXvK) , by Dan Ariely

Misbelief website
(misbeliefbook.com)

DanAriely.com (http://danariely.com)

Can Economic Theory Help You Have a Good Life? Matthew Nagler on the Plant Yourself Podcast

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-01-03 | Matt Nagler is a professor of Economics at The Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

He’s also one of my oldest friends - and since he was the first person in our friend group to get Intellivision (look it up), we spent a lot of time at his house playing tank battles and other advanced video games.

We’ve been talking for a few months about the book he’s writing, titled “Capital, Actually.” It aims to enlist economic theory, not to predict or explain global economic trends or suggest hot new investment strategies (sorry, we’re not going to give you the inside scoop on when to buy GameStop or dump Dogecoin), but rather to live a happier, more meaningful life.

We spend some of the conversation exploring Matthew’s roller coaster career trajectory, from consulting to regulatory agency to startup to academia. Then we move on to the concepts in the book, including the fundamental distinction between two types of capital: stocks and flows. Matt explains why a flow orientation is important in crafting a fulfilling life.

We discuss the distinction between the experiencing self and the remembering self, with Matt coming down firmly on the side of Team Experiencing.

We also look at the endowment effect, altruism, and the impact of a scarcity mindset on individuals and society at large. And we finish up by considering practical applications and policy considerations for achieving a balanced and meaningful life.

Can Economic Theory Help You Have a Good Life? Matthew Nagler on PYP 574

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2024-01-03 | Matt Nagler is a professor of Economics at The Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

He’s also one of my oldest friends - and since he was the first person in our friend group to get Intellivision (look it up), we spent a lot of time at his house playing tank battles and other advanced video games.

We’ve been talking for a few months about the book he’s writing, titled Capital, Actually. It aims to enlist economic theory, not to predict or explain global economic trends or suggest hot new investment strategies (sorry, we’re not going to give you the inside scoop on when to buy GameStop or dump Dogecoin), but rather to live a happier, more meaningful life.

We spend some of the conversation exploring Matthew’s roller coaster career trajectory, from antitrust consulting to Federal Communications Commission to startup to academia. Then we move on to the concepts in the book, including the fundamental distinction between two types of capital: stocks and flows. Matt explains why a flow orientation is important in crafting a fulfilling life.

We discuss the distinction between the experiencing self and the remembering self, with Matt coming down firmly on Team Experiencing.

We also look at the endowment effect, altruism, and the impact of a scarcity mindset on individuals and society at large. And we finish up by considering practical applications and policy considerations for achieving a balanced and meaningful life.

Links

Matthew Nagler's Faculty Profile
(https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/profiles/matthew-nagler)

Ishmael (amzn.to/3NN9wW1) and My Ishmael (amzn.to/48DJ7BR) , by Daniel Quinn

Capital in the 21st Century (amzn.to/48guHIn) , by Thomas Piketty

A Theory of Moral Sentiments (amzn.to/3TLr5JG) , by Adam Smith

Flow (amzn.to/3S3aL5M) , by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Atlas Shrugged (amzn.to/3vgc20q) , by Ayn Rand

Tropical Nature: (amzn.to/48H1dmr) Life and Death in the Rain Forests of Central and South America, by Adrian Forsyth and Ken Miyata

A Journey of Healing and Service: Tracy Garrigan on the Plant Yourself Podcast

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2023-12-05 | plantyourself.com/pbcc to find out more about the coaching certification we refer to in this conversation.

Tracy Garrigan has been on one wild ride in this life!

From being vaccine-injured as a toddler (and no, this isn't an anti-vaxxer episode) to experiencing a miracle healing as a teen to abusing her health as an up-and-comer in the fashion industry in New York City to extreme chronic fatigue and medication dependency to suicidal ideation that she was just too tired to carry out - and then fast-forwarding to her current role as a leading health coach and program manager of the Food Revolution Network's coaching certification.

Whew!

Tracy suffered not just from MMR-triggered juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, but also from chronic misdiagnosis, and an experience with a poorly trained and unskilled "health coach" that led her to the pits of despair.

That last experience fueled, in large part, her commitment to upgrade the field of health coaching.

Once she regained her health through EFT (tapping), lifestyle changes, and mindset shifts, Tracy changed her career to one that aligned with her new values, and became a holistic health coach.

In our conversation, we cover the many ups and downs of Tracy's life so far, and explore how they all led her to build the health coach training and certification program that she's now running.

Full disclosure: I'm a co-lead faculty member in the program, focusing on coaching skills (the other two pillars are plant-based nutrition (science and practice) and impact (making a living while making a difference).

If you're interested in finding out more about the program, here's a link to a masterclass that explores the world of health coaching from practice and financial perspectives.

A Journey of Healing and Service: Tracy Garrigan on PYP 573

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2023-12-05 | Tracy Garrigan has been on one wild ride in this life! From being vaccine-injured as a toddler (and no, this isn't an anti-vaxxer episode) to experiencing a miracle healing as a teen to abusing her health as an up-and-comer in the fashion industry in New York City to extreme chronic fatigue and medication dependency to suicidal ideation that she was just too tired to carry out - and then fast-forwarding to her current role as a leading health coach and program manager of the Food Revolution Network's coaching certification. Whew!

Tracy suffered not just from MMR-triggered juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, but also from chronic misdiagnosis, and an experience with a poorly trained and unskilled "health coach" that led her to the pits of despair.

That last experience fueled, in large part, her commitment to upgrade the field of health coaching.

Once she regained her health through EFT (tapping), lifestyle changes, and mindset shifts, Tracy changed her career to one that aligned with her new values, and became a holistic health coach.

In our conversation, we cover the many ups and downs of Tracy's life so far, and explore how they all led her to build the health coach training and certification program that she's now running.

Full disclosure: I'm a co-lead faculty member in the program, focusing on coaching skills (the other two pillars are plant-based nutrition (science and practice) and impact (making a living while making a difference).

If you're interested in finding out more about the program, here's a link to a masterclass (certification.foodrevolution.org/masterclass/?uid=21&oid=4&affid=431) that explores the world of health coaching from practice and financial perspectives.

Links

The Plant-Based Coaching Certification Program (certification.foodrevolution.org/?uid=21&oid=4&affid=431)

Find an FRN-certified plant-based health coach (plantrician.org/places/category/health-coach)

Removing Trauma Response with Yes/And Healing: Alun Parry and Yael Zivan on PYP 572

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2023-11-21 | When Alun Parry stumbled upon the neuroscience of memory reconsolidation, he read everything he could get his hands on that was relevant to therapy, which wasn't much. With the exception of Unlocking the Emotional Brain, by Bruce Ecker, Robin Ticic, and Laurel Hulley, no other therapists had shared their understandings or experiences about using this powerful property of the brain to remove trauma responses.

Without triggering memory reconsolidation, the best that therapy can aim for is trauma management; dealing with symptoms and strengthening competing responses. With memory reconsolidation, on the other hand, there is a pathway to erasing the traumatic content of memories and replacing them with neutral or even empowering interpretations.

So once Alun understood the principles, he began looking for techniques that reliably bring about memory reconsolidation, testing them out in his own clinical practice. As he did so, he achieved results that he would have called nothing short of miraculous before encountering memory reconsolidation.

Looking over the therapeutic landscape, Alan realized that he had come across memory reconsolidation more or less by accident, and the chances that other therapists and helping professionals (like coaches) would similarly stumble upon this still-largely-unknown finding of neuroscience were slim to none.

So he has taken it upon himself to popularize the concept, writing books, making videos, and creating an online community for helpers to learn and master the techniques.

That's how I found Alun: searching the Amazon catalog for books on memory reconsolidation. Then I joined his community, and quickly found several techniques that I immediately incorporated into my coaching, to great effect.

I'm thrilled to present this conversation with Alun, and, as an added bonus, my daughter Yael Zivan, who asks great questions (making this podcasting papa very proud) and offers a bunch of valuable insights of her own. I think she's going to be a regular on the show from now on!

Links

How To Remove Trauma Response: A Memory Reconsolidation Guidebook for Therapists and Coaches (amzn.to/3uq51tJ) , by Alun Parry

FreshTherapists.com (freshtherapists.com) - Alun's website

Unlocking the Emotional Brain (amzn.to/40L3xpS) , by Bruce Ecker, Robin Ticic, and Laurel Hulley

Removing Trauma Response with Yes/And Healing: Alun Parry & Yael Zivan on the Plant Yourself Podcast

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2023-11-20 | When Alun Parry stumbled upon the neuroscience of memory reconsolidation, he read everything he could get his hands on that was relevant to therapy, which wasn't much. With the exception of Unlocking the Emotional Brain, by Bruce Ecker, Robin Ticic, and Laurel Hulley, no other therapists had shared their understandings or experiences about using this powerful property of the brain to remove trauma responses.

Without triggering memory reconsolidation, the best that therapy can aim for is trauma management; dealing with symptoms and strengthening competing responses. With memory reconsolidation, on the other hand, there is a pathway to erasing the traumatic content of memories and replacing them with neutral or even empowering interpretations.

So once Alun understood the principles, he began looking for techniques that reliably bring about memory reconsolidation, testing them out in his own clinical practice. As he did so, he achieved results that he would have called nothing short of miraculous before encountering memory reconsolidation.

Looking over the therapeutic landscape, Alan realized that he had come across memory reconsolidation more or less by accident, and the chances that other therapists and helping professionals (like coaches) would similarly stumble upon this still-largely-unknown finding of neuroscience were slim to none.

So he has taken it upon himself to popularize the concept, writing books, making videos, and creating an online community for helpers to learn and master the techniques.

That's how I found Alun: searching the Amazon catalog for books on memory reconsolidation. Then I joined his community, and quickly found several techniques that I immediately incorporated into my coaching, to great effect.

I'm thrilled to present this conversation with Alun, and, as an added bonus, my daughter Yael Zivan, who asks great questions (making this podcasting papa very proud) and offers a bunch of valuable insights of her own. I think she's going to be a regular on the show from now on!

The Anatomy of Life Changing Conversations: Jon Connelly on Plant Yourself Podcast 571

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2023-11-15 | Jon Connelly developed Rapid Resolution Therapy after trying to help his clients with just about every other approach he had been taught.

Cognitive understanding brought insight, sometimes, but not relief from suffering.

Reliving the trauma again and again, as a form of clumsy exposure therapy, just made people feel worse without leading to improvement in mood or function.

And why did therapy have to take years, if not decades, to show results?

Questioning the assumptions behind clinical best practices led Connelly to start experimenting with the exact opposite of what he had been taught.

Why not try to clear trauma in a single conversation?

Why not make the therapeutic meeting fun and light rather than so agonizing that many vets with PTSD said that they'd rather face war than therapy?

Listeners to this podcast will know of my passionate interest in healing modalities that take advantage of the brain's natural mode for updating and transforming traumatic memories: Memory Reconsolidation (MR).

Rapid Resolution Therapy (RRT) fits the bill for this process, and adds some twists - including multi-level communication and a rigorous philosophical stance - that just might allow coaches to take advantage of MR without having to delve deeply into their client's worst, most vulnerable moments.

The Anatomy of Life-Changing Conversations: Jon Connelly on PYP 571

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2023-11-13 | Jon Connelly developed Rapid Resolution Therapy after trying to help his clients with just about every other approach he had been taught.

Cognitive understanding brought insight, sometimes, but not relief from suffering.

Reliving the trauma again and again, as a form of clumsy exposure therapy, just made people feel worse without leading to improvement in mood or function.

And why did therapy have to take years, if not decades, to show results?

Questioning the assumptions behind clinical best practices led Connelly to start experimenting with the exact opposite of what he had been taught.

Why not try to clear trauma in a single conversation?

Why not make the therapeutic meeting fun and light rather than so agonizing that many vets with PTSD said that they'd rather face war than therapy?

Listeners to this podcast will know of my passionate interest in healing modalities that take advantage of the brain's natural mode for updating and transforming traumatic memories: Memory Reconsolidation (MR).

Rapid Resolution Therapy (RRT) fits the bill for this process, and adds some twists - including multi-level communication and a rigorous philosophical stance - that just might allow coaches to take advantage of MR without having to delve deeply into their client's worst, most vulnerable moments.

Take a listen and see what you think. I'm so impressed, I'm signing up for RRT's Clinical Hypnosis and Rapid Resolution Therapy Course to help me become a better, more effective coach. If you'd like to join me, visit rapidresolutiontherapy.com/clinical-hypnosis-rrt (and use coupon code HOWIE25 for a 25% discount).

Links

Rapid Resolution Therapy (http://rapidresolutiontherapy.com)
Life Changing Conversations (amzn.to/40Dgwda) book
Grief is Not Sacred (amzn.to/40DNSbP) book

Overcoming OCD and Anxiety: Robert James on PYP 570

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2023-10-24 | Robert James is a coach who specializes in helping people overcome debilitating anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

I've thrown the term "OCD" around without really knowing what it is. Like a lot of people, I pictured compulsive hand-washing or counting steps or touching banisters - stuff you see on TV and in movies - but didn't really understand the variety of OCD symptoms nor the thinking that underlies their necessity.

Robert shared his own journey and how he found relief and ultimately healing through acceptance, mindfulness, and exposure. And how he offers these simple yet powerful tools to his clients to allow them to escape from the clutches of a mind that's so focused on avoidance that its world contracts to unbearability.

We also talked about how OCD is an extreme form of one of modern civilization's obsessions - comfort at all times and under all conditions - and how we can learn from those who have danced with that obsession to the very edge of their being, and returned with lessons and gifts for the rest of us.

Links

RobertJamesCoaching.com (http://RobertJamesCoaching.com)

Scott Carney on the Plant Yourself Podcast (plantyourself.com/197) - talking about Wim Hof

Does Business Have to Be Icky? Mark Silver on PYP 569

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2023-10-18 | Mark Silver is the founder of HeartofBusiness.com (http://HeartofBusiness.com) . For almost 25 years, he's been helping people-who-want-to-make-a-positive-difference-in-the-world-but-still-have-to-earn-a-living to set up, run, and love their small businesses.

He's just written a book: Heart-Centered Business: Healing from Toxic Business Culture So Your Small Business Can Thrive (amzn.to/48Y2M0f) .

It's a great book. Full of counter-intuitive wisdom (for example, "neediness" is a good thing in the right context) and depth, it challenges both the "win at all costs" narrative of modern capitalism and the "manifest oodles of wealth" faux spiritualism embraced by too many "Law of Attraction" influencers.

In our conversation, we talk about the myths and misconceptions about business that prevent good small businesses from thriving, and how to go about building a business that serves the world and you simultaneously.

Links

Heart-Centered Business: Healing from Toxic Business Culture So Your Small Business Can Thrive
(amzn.to/48Y2M0f)

HeartofBusiness.com (http://HeartofBusiness.com)

Does Business Have to Be Icky? Mark Silver on Plant Yourself Podcast 569

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2023-10-18 | Mark Silver is the founder of "Heart of Business." For almost 25 years, he's been helping people-who-want-to-make-a-positive-difference-in-the-world-but-still-have-to-earn-a-living to set up, run, and love their small businesses.

He's just written a book: "Heart-Centered Business: Healing from Toxic Business Culture So Your Small Business Can Thrive."

It's a great book. Full of counter-intuitive wisdom (for example, "neediness" is a good thing in the right context) and depth, it challenges both the "win at all costs" narrative of modern capitalism and the "manifest oodles of wealth" faux spiritualism embraced by too many Law of Attraction influencers.

In our conversation, we talk about the myths and misconceptions about business that prevent good small businesses from thriving, and how to go about building a business that serves the world and you simultaneously.

Is Your Garden Fertilizer an Animal Graveyard? Erin Riley on PYP 568

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2023-10-11 | Today’s episode is for anyone who wants to grow a more self-reliant, earth-friendly home garden.

Even as a vegan, I routinely used garden fertilizers containing animal byproducts like blood meal and bone meal, as well as chicken and cow manures. It honestly didn’t occur to me that there was an issue, which in hindsight is ridiculous.

Erin Riley had the same experience and the same epiphany. The difference is, she took it upon herself to research where these products came from.

Erin discovered that the ingredients in almost all commercially available fertilizers, even the highest quality “organic” ones, are sourced from industrial animal agriculture, via rendering plants.

Aside from the ethical concerns (not just for vegans, but for anyone horrified by the industrial livestock industry), this supply chain poses incomprehensibly serious potential health risks to consumers of the produce grown in these products. Between the pathogens that could easily start another (and much worse) pandemic, and the forever chemicals accumulating in animal tissue (and don’t forget, we’re animals too), the modern fertilizer industry is a ticking time bomb.

We don’t just talk doom and gloom, though. Erin shares with us how to stop using industrial fertilizers, and what you can do instead as a home gardener or small time farmer. We talk about the importance of micronutrients and soil microbes for plant and soil health, and how we can make our own compost and fertilizer teas.

Erin has started a company called Cabbage Hill Fertilizer to create vegan, organic soil amendments and fertilizers using natural plant and mineral ingredients. She’s got a kickstarter coming up on 11 November, 2023, and hopes to have products in garden centers around the US by 2024.

Links

Cabbage Hill Instagram Account (instagram.com/cabbagehillfertilizer)

Pastoral Song (amzn.to/46sM9bI) , by James Rebanks

The Yes Men impersonate McDonalds and the World Trade Organization - Post Consumer W
(youtube.com/watch?v=ZP_nNemsNT8)

And here's the video that I keep coming back to this week when I'm scared and angry and outraged and shocked and horrified:

Don't Give Up on Me (youtube.com/watch?v=ehFfuG6LXzA)

(youtube.com/watch?v=ZP_nNemsNT8)

Is Your Garden Fertilizer an Animal Graveyard? Erin Riley on the Plant Yourself Podcast

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2023-10-10 | Today’s episode is for anyone who wants to grow a more self-reliant, earth-friendly home garden.

Even as a vegan, I routinely used garden fertilizers containing animal byproducts like blood meal and bone meal, as well as chicken and cow manures. It honestly didn’t occur to me that there was an issue, which in hindsight is ridiculous.

Erin Riley had the same experience and the same epiphany. The difference is, she took it upon herself to research where these products came from.

Erin discovered that the ingredients in almost all commercially available fertilizers, even the highest quality “organic” ones, are sourced from industrial animal agriculture, via rendering plants.

Aside from the ethical concerns (not just for vegans, but for anyone horrified by the industrial livestock industry), this supply chain poses incomprehensibly serious potential health risks to consumers of the produce grown in these products. Between the pathogens that could easily start another (and much worse) pandemic, and the forever chemicals accumulating in animal tissue (and don’t forget, we’re animals too), the modern fertilizer industry is a ticking time bomb.

We don’t just talk doom and gloom, though. Erin shares with us how to stop using industrial fertilizers, and what you can do instead as a home gardener or small time farmer. We talk about the importance of micronutrients and soil microbes for plant and soil health, and how we can make our own compost and fertilizer teas.

Erin has started a company called Cabbage Hill Fertilizer to create vegan, organic soil amendments and fertilizers using natural plant and mineral ingredients. She’s got a kickstarter coming up on 11 November, 2023, and hopes to have products in garden centers around the US by 2024.

My Coaching Evolution: Glenn Livingston interviews Howie Jacobson: PYP 567

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2023-09-13 | My good buddy The Very Good Doctor Glenn Livingston interviews me about the evolution of my coaching over the past 20+ years. We talk about my origins in very conventional approaches to behavior change, and some of the refinements and changes I've made along the way.

We look at the impact of my work with Josh LaJaunie, who helped me shift from making everything as easy as possible to looking for opportunities to build my clients' "struggle muscles" in pursuit of goals.

We cover the influence of Glenn's own approach to conquering binge eating, and how I folded it into the ACT framework.

And we explore my recent pivot into memory reconsolidation and the relentless search for symptom coherence as a way to shift clients from helplessness to agency. Based on relatively recent brain science, this approach seeks complete and permanent and effortless transformation rather than focusing on strengthening the "competing" impulses and setting up supportive environments.

All the approaches I've ever learned and used are still part of my toolkit, and I continue to grow and learn as a coach.

Links

If you'd like to work with me, visit PlantYourself.com/coaching (plantyourself.com/coaching) to find out more and schedule a conversation.

Find out more about Glenn at DefeatYourCravings.com (defeatyourcravings.com) .

My interview with ACT co-developer, Steven C Hayes
(plantyourself.com/steven-c-hayes-on-pyp-425-how-to-liberate-our-minds)

Another ACT interview (plantyourself.com/how-to-live-based-on-values-not-impulses-russ-harris-on-pyp-547) with Russ Harris, author of The Happiness Trap
(amzn.to/3ZLyDwH)

Memory Reconsolidation interview with Tori Olds, PhD (plantyourself.com/tori-olds-pyp-553)

My Coaching Evolution: Glenn Livingston interviews Howie Jacobson: PYP 567

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2023-09-13 | My good buddy The Very Good Doctor Glenn Livingston interviews me about the evolution of my coaching over the past 20+ years. We talk about my origins in very conventional approaches to behavior change, and some of the refinements and changes I've made along the way.
We look at the impact of my work with Josh LaJaunie, who helped me shift from making everything as easy as possible to looking for opportunities to build my clients' "struggle muscles" in pursuit of their goals.
We cover the influence of Glenn's own approach to conquering binge eating, and how I folded it into the ACT framework.
And we explore my recent pivot into memory reconsolidation and the relentless search for symptom coherence as a way to shift clients from helplessness to agency. Based on relatively recent brain science, this approach seeks complete and permanent and effortless transformation rather than focusing on strengthening the "competing" impulses and setting up supportive environments.
All the approaches I've ever learned and used are still part of my toolkit, and I continue to grow and learn as a coach.
If you'd like to work with me, visit plantyourself.com/coaching to find out more and schedule a conversation.
Find out more about Glenn at defeatyourcravings.com

True Privilege is Growing Up in a Low-Trauma Environment: Momma Kai on PYP 566

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2023-09-05 | In this episode, Momma Kai shares how to eliminate homelessness and poverty by creating homesteads and affordable housing solutions.

While incredibly passionate and optimistic, Momma Kai is also well aware of the many obstacles - social, economic, psychological, legal, and regulatory - in the way of realizing her vision.

She shares her experiences attending city council meetings, exploring properties, and partnering with landowners.

Ending homelessness is not just about housing. Momma Kai also emphasizes the importance of community building, gardening, and connecting with nature.

And as a single mother of a 7 year old who has been living out of her car, Momma Kai brings practical knowledge and emotional urgency to what is too often a dry policy debate.

Links

Momma Kai's online business card
(hihello.me/p/c122ff4c-6a81-4a8c-986a-e62da2d2d740)

Momma Kai on Instagram
(instagram.com/l.u.v.enterprisespresentsllc)

The Need to Grow documentary
(grow.foodrevolution.org/?uid=10&oid=3&affid=472)

The work of Dr Bruce Perry: The Neurosequential Network
(neurosequential.com)

My Ishmael (amzn.to/3R8qeBz) , by Daniel Quinn

True Privilege is Growing Up in a Low-Trauma Environment: Momma Kai on PYP 566

Kindness as a Strategy for Revolutionary Change: Teju Ravilochan on PYP 565

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2023-08-29 | Teju Ravilochan, the founder of GatherFor, returns to the podcast -- and in a big way!

GatherFor is an organization that fosters community support and mutual aid among neighbors as a means of improving their lives and coming together for massive cultural, political, and social change. Their work challenges our culture's individualistic mindset by promoting a culture of reciprocity and mutual support.

Teju's belief in the inherent social nature of humans and the power of community is not just theoretical. He has put these principles into action, allowing neighbors to transform a neglected public housing development in New York City.

Here's a link to the story, from GatherFor's Medium account.

TLDR:

Faced with residents' frustrations over the lack of repairs and support from the housing authority, Teju and his team used a unique approach to bridge the divide between the residents and the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA).

Instead of fostering an adversarial dynamic, their approach was rooted in appreciation and acknowledgement. The neighbors announced a "kindness party" to celebrate the timely completion of repairs -- some of which had been ignored for almost three decades!

This shift in tone led to a collaborative and productive environment, resulting in faster response to repair requests and improved communication between residents and NYCHA. And the promised party was a celebration of that success, complete with media presence and good food and drink.

I loved the story, and I had a problem with it: it smacked of fawning, at best a manipulative technique and at worst an expression and reifier of a traumatic lack of agency. I put that to Teju, and his response blew my mind.

True power comes from being seen and valued for who we are, rather than amassing wealth or military force. The ability to reject your opponent's narrative, to choose to play a different game, is a fundamental expression of power rather than a capitulation.

Teju also discussed the resilience that can be found in experiences of oppression and marginalization, and how all of us can benefit when we open the doors of power to those who have until now been denied its use.

Upon reflection, the theme of power is central to the conversation. Reju emphasized the importance of reconnecting to oneself, community, and the Earth, given how the dominator structures work to disconnect people from these sources of power.

In the face of environmental issues and social injustices, Teju advocates for the power of community and collective care. He encourages kindness and forgiveness as acts of power and resistance, and emphasizes the need for imagination and creativity in finding sustainable solutions and healing connections to self, community, and the Earth.

Teju's perspective is essential for anyone interested in community building, social justice, and transformative narratives. His work serves as an inspiration and a call to action to harness the power of community - and kindness and compassion - in addressing the challenges we face.

Kindness as a Strategy for Revolutionary Change: Teju Ravilochan on PYP 565

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2023-08-29 | Teju Ravilochan, the founder of GatherFor (http://GatherFor.org) , returns to the podcast -- and in a big way!

GatherFor is an organization that fosters community support and mutual aid among neighbors as a means of improving their lives and coming together for massive cultural, political, and social change. Their work challenges our culture's individualistic mindset by promoting a culture of reciprocity and mutual support.

Teju's belief in the inherent social nature of humans and the power of community is not just theoretical. He has put these principles into action, allowing neighbors to transform a neglected public housing development in New York City.

Here's a link to the story (gatherfor.medium.com/accountability-through-celebration-c5bc57e5d13b) , from GatherFor's Medium account.

TLDR:

Faced with residents' frustrations over the lack of repairs and support from the housing authority, Teju and his team used a unique approach to bridge the divide between the residents and the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA).

Instead of fostering an adversarial dynamic, their approach was rooted in appreciation and acknowledgement. The neighbors announced a "kindness party" to celebrate the timely completion of repairs -- some of which had been ignored for almost three decades!

This shift in tone led to a collaborative and productive environment, resulting in faster response to repair requests and improved communication between residents and NYCHA. And the promised party was a celebration of that success, complete with media presence and good food and drink.

I loved the story, and I had a problem with it: it smacked of fawning, at best a manipulative technique and at worst an expression and reifier of a traumatic lack of agency. I put that to Teju, and his response blew my mind.

True power comes from being seen and valued for who we are, rather than amassing wealth or military force. The ability to reject your opponent's narrative, to choose to play a different game, is a fundamental expression of power rather than a capitulation.

Teju also discussed the resilience that can be found in experiences of oppression and marginalization, and how all of us can benefit when we open the doors of power to those who have until now been denied its use.

Upon reflection, the theme of power is central to the conversation. Reju emphasized the importance of reconnecting to oneself, community, and the Earth, given how the dominator structures work to disconnect people from these sources of power.

In the face of environmental issues and social injustices, Teju advocates for the power of community and collective care. He encourages kindness and forgiveness as acts of power and resistance, and emphasizes the need for imagination and creativity in finding sustainable solutions and healing connections to self, community, and the Earth.

Teju's perspective is essential for anyone interested in community building, social justice, and transformative narratives. His work serves as an inspiration and a call to action to harness the power of community - and kindness and compassion - in addressing the challenges we face.

Links

GatherFor.org (http://GatherFor.org)
GatherFor.medium.org (gatherfor.medium.com)
Teju's first appearance on Plant Yourself (plantyourself.com/a-world-in-which-we-all-belong-teju-ravilochan-on-pyp-467)
Pedagogy of the Oppressed (amzn.to/3EnF7Z3) , by Paolo Freire

Deepening Compassion and Connection with Ourselves: Veronica Monet on PYP 564

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2023-08-23 | Veronica Monet returns to the podcast to talk about one of her favorite coaching tools, Internal Family Systems (IFS).

We began with a brief recapitulation of her story, which we covered in detail in an earlier episode ( plantyourself.com/556 ). From growing up in a cult, to the sexual abuse she suffered, to the spiritual guidance she received telling her to heal herself and others as a participant in the sex industry.

The central theme of her narrative has been one of healing from shame and the secrecy it engenders. In her words, shame is "where perpetration festers and grows."

The intention for this conversation was to talk about IFS, and how Monet uses it for her own healing and development, and to help her clients.

We defined terms - parts, managers, firefighters, and exiles - and explored how the parts form, what their purpose is, and how we can begin to integrate them into our Selves.

We talked about "updating files" - that is, reinterpreting our experiences in light of our adult agency and understanding so that we are no longer running unhelpful old scripts.

And we spoke about accepting and loving all our parts, even the ones that are polarized and powerless and hateful and judgmental.

Enjoy!

Deepening Compassion and Connection with Ourselves: Veronica Monet on PYP 564

Fitness as a Deeply Embodied Practice: Philip Shepherd on PYP 563

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2023-08-17 | In this episode of the Plant Yourself Podcast, I talk with Philip Shepherd about his new book, Deep Fitness.

We discuss the concept of embodiment, which Philip defines as a state in which "the whole of your intelligence comes into coherence with the present."

From Philip's perspective, the loss of embodiment is at the core of every human problem, from racism to environmental destruction to political discord to inter- and intrapersonal suffering. We can't treat the world, or each other, any better than we treat our own bodies.

It's only through embodiment that we can heal our traumas and create a society in which all belong and are cared for.

So what's the connection between embodiment and working out?

According to Philip, fitness can be the perfect place to practice, experience, and refine embodiment. In an industry that lionizes domination of the body by the mind, he offers an alternate vision: experiencing physical challenges as a body, without the internal struggle that comes from forcing the body to bend to the mind's will.

Not just for spiritual enlightenment; Philip points out that weight training is a huge missing piece in maintaining health as we age, with sacropenia (muscle loss) underpinning just about every chronic disease and loss of vigor.

We also explore Shepherd's workout routine, the benefits of slow and controlled movements, and the potential connection between trembling during workouts and David Berceli's Trauma Release Exercises (TRE).

Enjoy!

Fitness as a Deeply Embodied Practice: Philip Shepherd on PYP 563

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2023-08-17 | In this episode of the Plant Yourself Podcast, I talk with Philip Shepherd about his new book, Deep Fitness (amzn.to/3DXvgJB) .

We discuss the concept of embodiment, which Philip defines as a state in which "the whole of your intelligence comes into coherence with the present."

From Philip's perspective, the loss of embodiment is at the core of every human problem, from racism to environmental destruction to political discord to inter- and intrapersonal suffering. We can't treat the world, or each other, any better than we treat our own bodies.

It's only through embodiment that we can heal our traumas and create a society in which all belong and are cared for.

So what's the connection between embodiment and working out?

According to Philip, fitness can be the perfect place to practice, experience, and refine embodiment. In an industry that lionizes domination of the body by the mind, he offers an alternate vision: experiencing physical challenges as a body, without the internal struggle that comes from forcing the body to bend to the mind's will.

Not just for spiritual enlightenment; Philip points out that weight training is a huge missing piece in maintaining health as we age, with sacropenia (muscle loss) underpinning just about every chronic disease and loss of vigor.

We also explore Shepherd's workout routine, the benefits of slow and controlled movements, and the potential connection between trembling during workouts and David Berceli's Trauma Release Exercises (TRE).

Enjoy!

Links

Deep Fitness (amzn.to/3DXvgJB) , by Philip Shepherd and Andrei Yakovenko

NewElementTraining.com (http://NewElementTraining.com) (Andrei Yakovenko's website and membership site with resources for practicing Deep Fitness)

Radical Wholeness (amzn.to/3sfe5k2) , by Philip Shepherd

New Self, New World (amzn.to/3sgR9kr) , by Philip Shepherd

The Embodied Present (embodiedpresent.com) (Philip's website)

David Berceli's Trauma Release Exercises (traumaprevention.com) website

The Genius of Flexibility (amzn.to/3YHtZzF) , by Bob Cooley (about resistance stretching)

My New Life in Spain: Howie Jacobson on PYP 561

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2023-08-11 | Many of you have expressed curiosity about this new chapter in my life, having just moved to a small but vibrant Spanish beach town.

So today, I'm taking you along with me for a walk around my neighborhood to give you some insight into what I've been experiencing and thinking about since arriving and beginning to get settled:

My experiences and reflections on moving from rural North Carolina to Sitges
New food habits: shopping and cooking
Dealing with inconveniences and not viewing them as deal breakers
Experiencing feelings of incompetence living in a foreign country where I don’t speak the language fluently and don't understand the cultural rules and expectations
Thinking about strategies for making big changes when those changes make us feel awkward and uncomfortable because we no long know what we're doing

In short, I'm discovering in real time how to Plant Myself in a new environment while still holding fast to the things that are most important to me.

Helping the Unhoused - and Homeless - Move From Poverty to Prosperity: Momma Kai Sanders on PYP 562

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2023-08-09 | In today's episode, Momma Kai speaks passionately about her mission to eliminate the outer and inner causes of homelessness. Momma Kai (aka Kara Lynn Sanders) is Chief Bushel Blaster and Chief Emancipation Officer at L.U.V. Enterprises Presents, LLC.

This isn't a theoretical conversation; Momma Kai and her 7 and a half year old son are currently unhoused, living out of their car in North Carolina.

The conversation starts with me asking about what that's like. Momma Kai shares her personal experiences, both sublime and infuriating, and explains how the system is set up to make those who need its services feel "less than," of lower worth than others for lacking secure housing.

We spoke both about policy solutions and the resources needed by the unhoused to deal with their own past and ongoing traumas. We talked about how behaviors that are often criticized -- drinking, doing drugs, being "promiscuous," and engaging in violence -- are all attempts to regulate a nervous system that is pushed to the brink by the trials of housing and food insecurity.

Momma Kai emphasized the need for empathy and understanding, and the importance of providing tools and mental models to the unhoused so they can "weed" the dysfunctional patterns of thought and emotion that are choking the gardens of of their brains.

And she reminded us that in order to solve the crises of poverty and housing insecurity, we have to be willing to view every person as having been born with infinite worth, a value that does not diminish one bit no matter what happens to them or who they become as a result.

Finally, we spoke about Momma Kai's vision of a network of off-grid homesteads where the unhoused can be sheltered safely, be free of monthly utility bills, learn to garden to achieve food security, and receive paychecks for their work so they can more easily enter the job market.

I hope you're as inspired as I am by Momma Kai's grit, love, vision, and heart.

Helping the Unhoused - and Homeless - Move From Poverty to Prosperity: Momma Kai Sanders on PYP 562

Introduction to My New Life in Spain

The Plant Yourself Podcast 2023-08-02 | Many of you have expressed curiosity about this new chapter in my life, having just moved to a small but vibrant Spanish beach town.

So today, I'm taking you along with me for a walk around my neighborhood to give you some insight into what I've been experiencing and thinking about since arriving and beginning to get settled:

• My experiences and reflections on moving from rural North Carolina to Sitges
• New food habits: shopping and cooking
• Dealing with inconveniences and not viewing them as deal breakers
• Experiencing feelings of incompetence living in a foreign country where I don’t speak the language fluently and don't understand the cultural rules and expectations
• Thinking about strategies for making big changes when those changes make us feel awkward and uncomfortable because we no long know what we're doing
In short, I'm discovering in real time how to Plant Myself in a new environment while still holding fast to the things that are most important to me.