New Dimensions

The death of someone close to us can trigger questions such as: What is death? Why do people die? Why did this happen to me? Allen Klein has experienced such a loss and the deeply personal inquiry triggered by his grieving process lead him to see anew the preciousness of life and the therapeutic power of humor. Allen Klein is the former Director of Life and Death Transitions in San Francisco. He's a recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor. He's the author of many books including The Healing Power of Humor (Tarcher/Putnam 1989), The Courage to Laugh, Change Your Life: A Little Book of Big Ideas (Tarcher 1998), Learning to Laugh When You Feel Like Crying: Embracing Life After Loss (Goodman Beck Publishing 2011)

 Interview Date: 12/17/2011     Tags: Allen Klein, forgiveness, grief, grieving, hospice, humor, isolation, laughter, letting go, loss, smile, smiling, Death & Dying, Health & Healing, Personal Transformation, Self Help

Terry teaches the practice of relational mindfulness. He advises us to shift our view of relationship from a zero-sum situation where one person wins and the other loses, one is right and the other is wrong, he gives us examples of how to conduct skillful and effective communication in order to get off the treadmill of repetitive fights with our partners. Terry Real is a family therapist and author. He’s the founder of the Relational Life Institute, which offers Relational Life Therapy (RLT) courses online and in-person workshops for couples, individuals, parents, and professionals. He is the author of I Don’t Want to Talk About It: Overcoming the Secret Legacy of Male Depression (Scribner 1998), How Can I Get Through to You? Closing the Gap Between Men and Women (Simon & Schuster 2002), The New Rules of Marriage: What You Need to Know to Make Love Work (Ballantine Books 2008), Us: Getting Past You and Me to Build a More Loving Relationship (Rodale Books 2022)

 Interview Date: 2/14/2024    Tags: Terry Real, hyper-individualism, toxic individualism, relational mindfulness, Relational Life Therapy, RLT, disharmony, repair, James Framo, marriage, patriarchy, non-binary, false binary, Thomas Hubl, wounded child, brain, interconnectedness, Relationship, Personal Transformation, Psychology

Orloff suggests that empathy is a bedrock of healing in difficult situations and needs to be a daily priority to become a habit. Beyond transforming difficult Interactions studies have shown that an act of empathy can have a positive effect on our immune response. Empathy is imperative for our happiness, our intimacy, and our connection with others and the earth. Judith Orloff, M.D. is a member of the UCLA Psychiatric Clinical Staff and specializes in treating empaths and sensitive people in her private practice. She offers Empathy Training Programs to businesses and organizations and teaches empathic tools to doctors, corporate teams, leaders, managers, customer service and trainers, as well as individuals. She’s been called the “godmother of the empath movement” and has written several books about intuition, life strategies for sensitive people, and empathy. 

Interview Date: 2/19/2024  Tags: Judith Orloff, narcissist, compassion, suffering, heart meditation, caregiving, caregivers, caretaking, Kristi Nelson, gratefulness, Personal Transformation, Psychology

In these times of intense political polarization, civic despair is rampant. How does this affect our democracy and how can we counteract this apathy? Daley-Harris has been working tirelessly to provide trainings for ordinary citizens to empower effective political action and to help citizens be most effective in reshaping the issues they most care about. Sam Daley-Harris is the author of Reclaiming Our Democracy: Healing the Break Between People and Government, the 20th Anniversary Edition.

Tags: Sam Daley-Harris, grassroots activism, Francis Moore Lappe, Lawrence Lessig, Citizen’s Untied, democracy, R. Buckminster Fuller, campaign financing, Citizen’s Climate Lobby, AUMF, Pat Swindall, MicroCredit legislation, Micro Credit, Grameen Bank, Social change/Politics, Media, Self Help

Here Williams shares that the size of the action isn’t the point. What matters is taking regular action. Small actions have a cumulative effect that is disproportionate to the individual effort they require. Together these millions of incremental steps lead to a tipping point. Indeed, over and over history has shown this to be true. Omkari L. Williams has devoted her life to change-making. She leads activism workshops and trainings and is the host of the podcast Stepping into Truth, where she interviews activists from all walks of life. She is the author of Micro Activism: How You Can Make a Difference in the World (without a Bullhorn): Small Actions Equal Big Results. (Storey publishing 2023)

Interview Date: 12/15/2023   Tags: Omkari L Williams, collaboration, March on Washington, William McDonough, Personal Transformation, Social Change/Politics, Community

What is of utmost importance to Fuller are the questions we bring to our life process. He says, “Once you’ve formed a question, it almost guarantees you will find the answer.” In this far-ranging conversation, he shares some provocative thoughts on the coming inevitability of robots becoming a more dominant species than homo sapiens and why we must befriend them. Robert Fuller is the author of The Theory of Everybody.

Tags: Robert Fuller, questions, Isidor Isaac Rabi, cloud of possibility, polarization, mal-recognition, recognition, the dignity movement, rankism, socialism, communism, capitalism, competition, collaboration, interconnectedness, robots, AI, artificial intelligence, quantum physics, entanglement, spooky action at a distance, mind, Elon Musk, Social change/Politics, Personal Transformation, Philosophy, Education

Skillful leadership is needed in all aspects of our everyday lives even if we’re not employed full-time. These skills can be applied in our households and the many other groups in which we participate. We all need to be lifelong learners in developing strong and effective leadership and problem-solving skills as we continue to engage with others. Marguerite Callaway is the founder and CEO of the Callaway Leadership Institute, an international leadership development and strategy company whose mission is to help current and aspiring leaders reach their full potential.  She is the author of The Energetics of Business: A Practical Guide for Bringing Your Business to Life (Lincoln Park Productions 2006)

Interview Date: 12/20/2023.   Tags: Marguerite Callaway, leadership, authenticity, extraversion, introversion, extrovert, introvert, delegation, delegate, fixed mindset, growth mindset, Rick Hanson, neuroplasticity, mirror neurons, empathy, emotional intelligence, sympathy, constructive conflict, quick fixes, deep listening. Personal Transformation, Psychology, Business

Leider and Shapiro suggest there is a difference between growing old and merely getting old. They write: “We’re not denying time advances, but we are advocating to reimagine old age and the earlier we begin, the better.” Join Leider and Shapiro as they guide us in aging into the fullness of life.  Richard J. Leider is the founder of Inventure -The Purpose Company, whose mission is to help people “unlock the power of purpose.” He is the author of many books including: The Power of Purpose: Find Meaning, Live Longer, Better (Berrett-Koehler Publishing 2016). David A Shapiro is a philosopher, educator, and tenured philosophy professor at Cascadia College in Seattle.  Leider and Shapiro are the co-authors of many books considered classics in the personal growth field. They include: Repacking Your Bags and The Power of Purpose (Mjf Books 1996) and Who Do You Want to Be When You Grow Old? The Path of Purposeful Aging. (Berrett-Koehler Publishing 2021)

Interview Date: 12/8/2023    Tags: Richard Leider, David Shapiro, Viktor Frankl, aging, eldership, eldering, Hersch Wilson, storytelling, legacy, purpose, Richard Bolles, poet Jack Gilbert, life purpose, Personal Transformation, Psychology, Aging

In our deep desire to be of help, Sofer provides clarity in how to increase our resilience and engage more effectively with the infinite complexities of the 21st century. He sheds light on how such qualities as integrity, concentration, gratitude, and generosity lead us to become more skillful in positive activism in the world. Oren Jay Sofer teaches meditation, mindfulness, and nonviolent communication in secular and Buddhist contexts. He received his degree in comparative religion from Columbia University and is a Certified Trainer of Nonviolent Communication as well as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner for the healing of trauma. He serves as a member of the Teachers Council of the Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Northern California. He is the author of Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication (Shambala Publications 2018) and Your Heart Was Made for This: Contemplative Practice for Meeting a World in Crisis with Courage, Integrity & Love (Shambala Publications 2023)

Interview Date: 10/24/2023       Tags: Oren Jay Sofer, inner life, aspiration, nonviolent communication, mindfulness, resilient, resilience, privilege, entitlement, empathy, isolation, rescuing hug, Martin Luther King Jr, Harry Dunn, curiosity, resolve, self-discipline, willpower, willingness, attention, Howard Thurman, Buddhism, Personal Transformation, Social Change/Politics

As a stage IV cancer survivor, Nelson knows living with gratefulness is more than just another task to perform, it’s an orientation to life. She counsels us to avoid getting caught in the hamster wheel of life, forgetting again and again that the present moment is truly all we have, and it’s both precious and fleeting. It adds to the stamina we need for our journey. Kristi Nelson is an ambassador for the nonprofit organization Grateful Living which is founded by the internationally beloved “Grandfather of Gratitude, and former guest of New Dimensions, Brother David Steindl-Rast. From 2014 to 2022 Nelson served as its Executive Director. Kristi Nelson has spent more than 30 years in nonprofit leadership, development, and consulting, working at the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, and the Soul of Money Institute. Nelson is a stage IV cancer survivor. She is the author of Wake up Grateful: The Practice of Taking Nothing for Granted. (Storey Publishing 2020)

Interview Date: 1/31/2024  Tags: Kristi Nelson, grateful, gratitude, gratefulness, Brother David Steindl-Rast, poignancy, poignant, not knowing, curiosity, Personal Transformation, Psychology