Bridges Between Us

Themes: Psychological Flexibility, Insubordination, Authenticity, and Belonging

Themes: Mindfulness, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Anti-racism, Diversity

Summary: John is a Teacher of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and is an active member of the Greater Richmond community, the primary focus of his work has been on racial equity and reconciliation initiatives, as well as facilitating community dialogues, board service, and teaching mindfulness. He has also been a food security activist who initiated urban farming programs in Newark, New Jersey. He currently serves as Associate Director of Side by Side, an organization that provides supportive communities for Virginia’s LGBTQ+ youth as well as training, education, and awareness programs for adults. John's entire life has been an exploration of the relationship between community activism and intrapersonal mindfulness. In this episode, John shares and explores that story with us.  

Links:

The Innerwork Center: https://innerworkcenter.org/

Matt's IG: @mindfulnesscounselor

Matt's website: www.themindfulnesscounselor.com 

Themes: Addiction, Drug Overdoses, Opiates, Neurobiology, and Grief 

Summary: 

Since losing a son to opioids in 2014, Dr. Abubaker, an oral surgeon, has been fighting to change how we deal with pain and talk about addiction. Matt struggled with opiate addiction when he was younger and as a counselor has worked with clients and families struggling with addiction. In this episode Matt and Dr. Abubakker  talk about opiates, addiction, grief, and why understanding childhood brain development is essential for preventing addiction within our society.

Links: 

Dr. A. Omar Abubaker’s Ted Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/a_omar_abubaker_addiction_begins_younger_than_you_may_think

2 End the Stigma: https://www.2endthestigma.org/

Shatter Proof: https://www.shatterproof.org/

Addiction Policy Forum: https://www.addictionpolicy.org/

SAMHA’s National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)  A confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year support service

Themes: Forgiveness, Flourishing, Forgiveness VS Reconciliation

Summary: Dr. Worthington is a licensed clinical psychologist, an active researcher and speaker, and has published over 40 books and around 500 articles and scholarly chapters, mostly on forgiveness, humility positive psychology, marriage, family, religion and spirituality. Forgiveness is a choice and as Dr. Worthington would say, "it's complicated." In this episode, Matt sits down and asks Dr. Worthington tough questions about forgiveness, how it works,  how it's different than reconciliation, and what happens when we choose "unforgiveness."

Links:

Dr. Worthington's Website: http://www.evworthington-forgiveness.com/

Book: Forgiving and Reconciling: Bridges to Wholeness and Hope

Matt's IG: @mindfulnesscounselor

Matt's website: www.themindfulnesscounselor.com 

Themes: Scarcity, Relationships, Healing within Relationship. 

Summary: 

Matt sits down with his friend and soul sister, Jordan, as they talk about the power of healing through relationship and the vulnerability that relating calls us into. As human beings we are wired to need connection, and yet intimacy can trigger our deepest fears and insecurities. Feeling and healing old patterns that no longer serve us requires courage. In this clip Jordan talks to us about what that looks like in practice. 

Themes: Mindfulness Meditation, Flow, Performance, The Peavey Project, Relationship-Centric Mindfulness, & Grief. 

Summary: Every teacher has a teacher. Jake and Collin sit down with Matt in this episode to talk about how learning about mindfulness from their teacher Alex Peavey radically impacted their life. That impact continues to flow through to today as they have since co-founded The Peavey Project to help spread understanding and application of mindfulness through a research-based & relationship-centric approach. This episode powerfully explore how we can relate with grief, transform organizational culture, face deep pain, and expand joy within our lives! 

Links:

The Peavey Project: https://www.thepeaveyproject.org/ 

Peavey Project IG: @thepeaveyproject 

Matt's IG: @mindfulnesscounselor 

Matt's website: www.themindfulnesscounselor.com 

Click here to meditate with Matt: https://insighttimer.com/mindfulcounselor

Themes: Creativity, Scarcity, Fear of Rejection, Love, & Vulnerability. 

Summary:

Matt shares a thought here around creativity framed as an essential question.

Themes: Mindfulness Meditation, Inspiration, Transformation, Loneliness, & Community.

Summary:

We are lonelier and more disconnected than we have ever been. Philip Davidson, a leader in the mindfulness meditation community in Richmond, Virginia, joins Matt to talk about the relationship between mindfulness, loneliness, community, wellbeing, and inspiration. Philip talks about why he stepped into the work of teaching mindfulness after an accomplished career in finance and leadership development. Philip shares how mindfulness has impacted his relationship with his wife as well as his connection to himself. He and Matt talk about the misconceptions of mindfulness as a solitary stress management practice we only do alone. The truth that Philip highlights is that "this is solitary work that we do not do alone."

Links:

A short solo episode of Matt sharing thoughts about the feeling of financial scarcity. 

Themes: Meditation, Mindfulness, & Conversation. 

Summary:

Matt talks with Ian in Richmond, Virginia about the history and purpose of mindfulness meditation. This episode includes a short practice!