Existential Relish

There are so many things that affect the quality and quantity of our sleep and many ways people go about to try and improve their sleep, from THC and CBD to sleeping pills and aromatherapy. With Dr. Michael Grandner, Director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Clinic, this episode explores some key issues around sleep: how to recognize when the Land of Nod is officially off the map and you've crossed into sleep disorder territory, myths about medication and tips to get this vital, yet elusive thing called sleep back on track.

Show Notes

Support the show and become a Patron on Patreon!

Edited by Heavy Reverb

Dealing with a troubled teenage or adult child can be overwhelming. The kids need help and resist any interference in their lives. Parents feel like the only way to remedy the situation is to be "the enforcer," and make their child comply. Things escalate from there and when parents aren't able to cope, it can make progress seem impossible, and everyone spirals.

There's good news. There's help out there for parents. In this episode two parents talk about one example of a peer support group called HOPE – Helping Other Parents Everywhere.

See the Show Notes for more resources for families and youth.

Editing and music by Heavy Reverb.

What makes more sense? Doing a bit of paperwork or letting your family duke it out with each other for decades, spending ridiculous amounts of money on lawyers fees as they fight over your stuff after you die? On this episode, we learn why getting a will done by lawyer - for your children, for your spouse or partner, for the people you leave behind - is the only way to go.

Got a life? Get a will.

Music journalist and industry veteran Alan Cross talks about the stickiness of the music we attach ourselves to, his own music journey, breakup tunes, the power of soundtracks and how both age and access to so much music may actually be getting in the way of broadening our music experience.

For the episode music playlist, please head over here.

Music and editing of this episode by Heavy Reverb

Going Grey author Anne Kreamer talks about dating, the corporate experience and personal transformation as she embraced and documented the journey of returning to her natural hair colour.

Maria Petrou from Little Bird Salon talks about how to transition to your natural colour.

There's a new anxiety in town. For real? Real enough that the American Psychological Association published a 69 page guide about the effects of climate change on mental health. In this interview, C-A speaks with Adria Vasil, the Managing Digital Editor at Corporate Knights and bestselling author about her experience dealing with this strange state of being as she faces environmental issues head on, different ways to cope and the choices she would make in a game of Would You Rather.

Definitely check out: RiverBlue is a must-see documentary about the effects of the textile industry and fast fashion on the world's water. Four ways to talk to people about plastic without sounding like a jerk

Making Sense with Sam Harris Ep. 150 - The Map of Misunderstanding with Daniel Kahneman, esp. @00:43:41 when they talk climate change.

Alec Baldwin's, Here's the thing - Climate Science Explained.

Music and editing by Dave at Heavy Reverb

In this farmside chat with one of Canada's favourite comedic performers, C-A talks with Sandra Shamas about the application for a waitressing job that changed Sandra's life, the rewards of climbing menopause mountain, her experience as a woman in comedy, teaching moments on stage and so much more.

This is intimate conversation is filled with wisdom, honesty and of course a few laughs along the way.

Please visit Sandrashamas.com to learn more about Sandra and to access her brilliant shows.

This episode to about What to Expect when you're not Expecting to enlighten people about the symptoms of perimenopause, became an eye-opener about the retention of women in senior roles in the workplace.

With 4.3 million women in the UK over the age of 51 in the workplace, corporate UK has recognized that should they neglect the health and well-being of this demographic, they will lose valuable talent who are at the top of their game.

According to my guest Sally Leech, Founder of UK-based The Menopause Club, it's increasingly common for menopause to be on the HR agenda. Policies and guidelines are developed for organizations and implemented to help support women in the workplace during this normal life-stage, while providing tools for both them and their managers.

In a case brought forward to a Tribunal for wrongful dismissal and direct sex discrimination, the Tribunal upheld the employee's claims stating "that the manager would never have adopted 'this bizarre and irrational approach' with other non-female-related conditions." The manager's defence?: "His wife didn't experience any of those symptoms."

25% of women in the UK consider leaving work because of Menopause. What might that number be where you live?

Learn more at The Menopause Club

Music and editing by Dave at Heavy Reverb

The gig economy is defined as part-time or contract work for more than one employer for under 30 hours a week. It is estimated that more than a third of workers in the US are working in the gig economy.

The HBR article, Thriving in the Gig Economy stated that 150 million workers in North America and Europe across demographics are working in the gig economy, also known as freelancing, consulting and precarious employment.

No benefits. No guaranteed hours. No guaranteed nuthin.

Generation X, those sandwiched between the Boomer and the Millennial generations are said to be the most financially unwell in this new work configuration as this is the generation who is supposed to be saving up for "retirement" with financial security feeling elusive to the point of causing high degree of stress.

In this episode, C-A speaks with Inez Genereux who has only known the gig economy and is KILLING IT, to see if there are some lessons to be learned.

Check out Inez on Instagram @inezu. She is unbelievably inspiring, brave and very busy...working.

Please share this episode with a Gen Xer or anyone you think could use some perspective on working in the gig economy.

You can subscribe to the show to make sure you hear all the latest episodes:

Music and editing by Dave at Heavy Reverb

An industry to commoditize or should we pay closer attention? Guest Wendy Lund is one of about three people in North America with a Masters of Science in Mindfulness studies and about one of 100 globally who hold this degree. Wendy has helped pioneer programs for those who engage trauma in their work to help reduce their risk of psychological injury in the line of duty and recently, with her company Wellth Management, she has created programs for the corporate sector - also a place where people experience trauma.

"Mindfulness is a simple yet powerful construct that asks, if you can you pay attention on purpose in a particular way, thoughtfully, without being somewhere else and without judging."

Links:

Wellth Management - Wendy Lund, RN, BScN, MSc and CEO brings mindfulness to the corporate sector.

Jon Kabat-Zinn - Doctor, teacher, thought leader (literally!) and author of many books including Full Catastrophe Living.

Vicktor Frankl - Neurologist, psychiatrist, "Father" of logotherapy - a form of existential analysis - and author of Man's Search for Meaning, the best-selling book and account of his life as an inmate in a concentration camp. It is in this seemingly unbearable arena that he explains how to find meaning in even the most difficult situations in one's life.

"Can you learn to be grateful for the difficult moments in your life?...In hindsight often we can see that great moments of difficulty and tragedy in our lives are actually the template for post-traumatic growth."