Support Helping Services for NE Iowa Domestic Abuse Resource Center to honor my niece Sena's memory and raise awareness of intimate partner violence

Register for the 2nd Annual Sena Hanson Memorial Walk/Run/Bike 5k on 10/1/16 or make a donation (every dollar counts)

My fundraising page for Helping Services

Thank you for your support!

Today's guest is licensed therapist, professional speaker and fellow podcaster, Robert Cox. His podcast, Mindful Recovery is an amazing resource for anyone on the journey through recovery from trauma or addictions. Listening to some of his guided meditations on healing have brought tears to my eyes and touched my heart. He is truly passionate about helping people and I know you'll enjoy our interview today!

Visit Robert's website for valuable information and to check out his podcast, Mindful Recovery

http://liferecoveryconsulting.com/

More on healing our broken spaces

http://mindfulrecoverypodcast.libsyn.com/

For the month of September the JOY Factor will be dedicated to the topic of exploring the reality of intimate partner violence, ways to help survivors heal and what communities can do to prevent this epidemic. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 20 people per minute are physically abused by their partner. That adds up to more than 10 million women and men per year. In the United States 3 women are murdered by their current or former male partners every day. On September 8, 2009, my niece Sena became one of them. Those who knew and loved her would all agree that she would be the first one to help someone who was struggling. Sadly we were not able to help her when she needed it the most.

As only those who’ve lost loved ones to violence can understand, the depth of despair is unspeakable and the path to healing is a long hard one. Giving a voice to those who have been lost, as well as those who have survived helps. It is a way to find meaning in something so senseless. Whether you are currently in an abusive relationship or ready to take a stand on behalf of those needing support thank you. I believe everyone deserves to enjoy their life and the more we draw attention to those who suffer silently the more light we can bring to the darkness.

This year marks the 2nd annual Sena Hanson Memorial 5k Walk/Run/Bike which will be held on October 1 in Decorah Iowa. This event is a way to represent hope for other victims and inspire courage in us all to stand up against domestic violence All of the proceeds will be used to benefit the Domestic Abuse Resource Center at Helping Services for NE Iowa. These donations will be used to provide advocacy services as well as needed supplies, gas, food, and other necessities client's may have.  If you’re in northeast Iowa or nearby please consider taking part in the 5k. If not, will you make a donation in Sena’s honor? No amount is too small. Every dollar raised will go directly to helping someone escape a dangerous situation. You can find my fundraising page on thejoyfactorpodcast.com or by finding The JOY Factor on Facebook

Today's guest is Kim Dow, founder of Sass Magazine and Kalico Design in Frederick Maryland. Kim shares her perspective on joy and offers a great example to other entrepreneurs. 

Contact Kim

http://www.sassmagazine.com https://www.facebook.com/sassfrederick

More about Kim

Kimberly Dow is the owner and creative director of Kalico Design, a graphic design studio in the Frederick, MD region that works with associations, publications and companies in the health & wellness, women-oriented, and pet-related industries. She is an award-winning graphic designer who earned a BA, Summa Cum Laude, from Salisbury University in Maryland.

An entrepreneur at heart, Kim also just recently launched Sass Magazine, a women’s lifestyle and professional magazine in the Frederick MD and surrounding regions. Kim serves as the owner, publisher, and creative director for this new venture. Kim also finds creative outlets outside the design studio. A dancer since the age of 4, she is the co-founder and past artistic director of Equinox Dance Company, an all-adult modern dance troupe in western Maryland. Kim is also active in her design community. She has served as the President for the AAF Greater Frederick, her local chapter of the national American Advertising Federation and continues to be involved with the club as a committee member or through volunteer efforts. Recently, Kim was awarded The Patricia Martin Crystal Prism Award, an AAF honor presented by each local chapter to a member who has demonstrated outstanding commitment and leadership to their club. When not at work, Kim can be found hanging out at home with her husband and high school sweetheart, Jimmy, who is a Montgomery County high school math teacher by day and motocross rider by weekend. They share their Frederick home with their rescued animals, two pitbulls and a cat, as well as a pet snake and saltwater fish tank. In her spare time, Kim enjoys reading, traveling, hiking, mountain biking and gardening.

Today’s guest is Jacqueline Lawson from Joyful on Purpose. In May  of 2012 Jackie’s husband Brian lost his battle with cancer and died 112 days after his diagnosis. From the start Jackie made a conscious decision to find joy in the midst of pain no matter what. Unless you’ve been through the loss of a loved on, it’s hard to know how you would respond. Talking to Jackie was a privilege because she wholeheartedly admits to the intensity of her loss but at the same time she does exactly what the JOY Factor is all about- she rises toward the light even when seemingly surrounded by darkness. She reaches in deep and manages to find her own voice in the process. This is a special episode that will leave you feeling hopeful and inspired.

Such a wonderful story of hope and possibility. Talking to Jackie reminded me how kind and thoughtful people can be. Despite losing the love of her life Jackie made a conscious decision to be joyful on purpose. We can all learn from her example. She made a conscious decision to seek out joy in her day no matter what the circumstances. You can do that too. Be sure to check out thejoyfactorpodcast.com for all the show notes. You can also go there to leave a review! If you have been listening and are enjoying the show it would mean a lot to me if you left me your feedback and if you share the joy with your friends. Thanks for listening and I hope you have a joyful day.

About Jacqueline

What began as an online journal and a way of coping with the impending death of a husband and father turned into a mission to share joy with others. Jacqueline Lawson lost her husband, Brian, to stage 4 melanoma in 2012. During the 112 days from his diagnosis to his death, she discovered that it is within each of us to face our days actively seeking joy. Joyful on Purpose was born just a month before her husband died, and Jacqueline continues to live a life centered on joy. She is an ordinary mom, sister, daughter, and friend. Joy is her middle name and she is embarking on a journey to live up to that name by “moving through life and finding joy along the way.” Jacqueline shares her personal stories of joyful grief on her blog, Joyful on Purpose. She turned the journals written during Brian’s illness into their story, “112 Days: A Story of Holding On and Letting Go.” Jacqueline is a writer, speaker, do-gooder, and spreader of joy!

Resources

www.joyfulonpurpose.com

[email protected]

Other books on grief and loss

On today's episode, Boulder's own Cat Pantaleo joins me to discuss the power of connecting with nature and the ancient wisdom that's waiting for all of us to remember.  Cat generously shared her time and wisdom and her words will remind you of the power of nature and the impact of stopping to listen to it. She gave pointers on simple, yet inspiring practices  to connect with the wild life all around us and discussed the amazing work of Feet on the Earth, a non-profit organization committed to helping youth connect with nature. 

Resources discussed on the show:

Feet On The Earth- Growing community from the ground up.

Wilderness Awareness School- So many great resources on this site!

Books to check out

About Cat

Catherine Pantaleo CN CCH has a Bachelors Degree in Biology from the University of Miami, and is a Certified Clinical Nutritionist and Herbalist. For the past 12 years, she has taught a variety of holistic health and life science subjects at several Boulder/Denver area schools, including: Rocky Mountain Center for Botanical Studies, Seven Bowls School of Nutrition, North American Institute of Medical Herbalism, Healing Spirits Massage Training Program, and Nutrition Therapy Institute. Recently she has shifted her focus from adult to youth education and in May 2012 completed the Women's Apprenticeship program at Feet on the Earth, which focused on nature-connection mentoring, primitive/survival skills, children's development, and Rites of Passage. Catherine also is a Naturalist in training; she is enrolled in the Kamana Naturalist Training Program, a correspondence program through the Wilderness Awareness School. Using Nature as a classroom, her goal is to co-create a community whose members are confident in who they are, have knowledge of self and place, and have compassion and respect for all life.

Today’s guest is Kelly Darke. Kelly is a Michigan based art therapist who has been using art as a portal to joyful living since she was a child. Lately she’s been collaborating with the organization Stand with Trans to lead art therapy groups for transgender kids. Creating a safe, creative space for these kids and their families has allowed her to learn from their wisdom and increase her understanding of the unique concerns the transgender community. Her authenticity shines through and I loved talking to her, not only about the work she does but also because of her powerful reminder that unconditional love is the key to raising healthy children. If you have an interest in adding more art or creativity into your own life you’ll love this episode. I can’t wait to share Kelly’s amazing perspective on art, parenting and personal growth and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

After the interview Kelly sent me a sample of her Daily Visual Journaling program. I already had art supplies but went ahead and picked up journals for myself and my kids. Having the structure and techniques demonstrated in short videos is so cool! It’s like having a mini art workshop at your fingertips and it’s such a powerful way to practice mindfulness in an expansive and creative way. Like Kelly says, it can be hard to implement a habit even if we know it’s good for us. If you are looking for a mindfulness practice that includes a bit of creativity I highly recommend you check this out.  I have to say that just this morning I had to pull one of my kids away from her visual journal. I’m loving it too! I will share some of our journal pages on the Joy Factor Facebook Page page and I hope you’ll join me there and share your own. The really cool news I want to share now is that Kelly has generously offered a discount on her year long Daily Visual Journal program. She’s offering 100 listeners 40% off the price of this course! Make that 99 listeners because I grabbed mine already! Use the code JOYFactor. Make sure the word JOY is in all caps and join me! I really do consider it an investment in me but it’s also going to be a great activity to do with my kids. If you’re not sure if you want to invest in the whole program, do yourself a favor and check out her free sample. Like I said before that’s what drew me in and I think you’ll love it too.

More about Kelly

Kelly Darke, ATR, M.Ed., BFA is an art therapist, certified art teacher, and professional artist. Darke works from her private practice studio, Mindful Art Center, in Livonia Michigan where she provides individual art therapy sessions, group workshops, and creates online self-care workshops. 

Darke graduated from Wayne State University with a Masters in Education for art therapy and has worked with adults with traumatic brain injuries, children and adolescents with developmental and emotional disorders, and transgender youth and their parents. In 2013, Darke had the honor of presenting with colleagues at the Expressive Art Therapies Summit on the topic of digital art therapy

Resources:

[email protected]

http://www.MindfulArtCenter.com

Daily Visual Journal Course There's a nice free preview of the class. When you invest in the full year program take advantage of a sweet 40% deal by adding the coupon code JOYFactor when you register. This is for the first 100 listeners only (make that 99 because I'm grabbing the deal too!). 

Daily Visual Journal Supplies Here are the journals we're using along with a few different art supplies (water colors, pens, markers etc.) to get you started. 

To learn more about organizations helping the transgender community...

Stand with Trans

"The mission of Stand with Trans is to provide the tools needed by transgender youth so they will be empowered, supported and validated as they transition to their authentic life."

Human Rights Campaign

Trans Youth Family Allies

For fun....

Jimmy Fallon Lip Sync Battle

In today’s episode, I’m talking to Gloria Martin, a Dallas TX based marriage and family therapist in private practice. Gloria’s thoughtful approach to seeking joy offers us the opportunity to dive a little deeper into practice of creating space for reflection. 

I hope you’ll take a moment and reflect on how you can listen to your soul. What questions need to be asked in order to mindfully check in with yourself?

More about Gloria:

Gloria Martin is in private practice in Dallas, Texas and works with individuals, couples, and families. She is licensed by the Texas Board of Examiners of Licensed Professional Counselors and the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists and is an AAMFT Approved Supervisor and is Texas Board Supervisor. Based on her belief that systems theory can have a broader appeal than the therapy room, Gloria has provided team-building services for Head Start of Greater Dallas and Region 10 Educational Service Center and also conducts ecumenical process groups for female clergy serving in congregations in Dallas.  Gloria has a particular interest in women’s issues, and the mind-body connection. She enjoys traveling, dinner with friends, casual bike riding, and spending time with her family. Gloria has been married to her husband Phill for 43 years. Gloria has two married daughters and a grandson that live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Contact Gloria

http://www.discoveringgrowth.com/wp/

[email protected]

Resources 

Parker Palmer Let Your Life Speak

Creating a refuge in your home

Journals

http://www.gratefulness.org/

http://www.louisehay.com/affirmations/

Today's guest is all about helping people reclaim their joy around food. Amy Goldsmith is a nutritionist who talks about the importance of finding someone you can trust to help you forge healthier habits with food. She shares what brings her joy, what steals it, and how she gets it back. 

Here's a little more information on Amy and how to find her:

Amy Goldsmith graduated Cum Laude from Virginia Tech with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Human Nutrition Foods and Exercise.  She has 17 years of experience in the clinical inpatient, outpatient, consulting, and corporate world and specializes  in Eating Disorders, Sports Nutrition, and Thyroid health.  As a sports nutritionist she assists with getting the client to peak performance by incorporating the best nutrition before, during training, race time, and recovery.  She is co-founder of the HOPE Consortium, helping people with Eating Disorders, and works intensely and independently with clients suffering from an Eating Disorder. Amy has been featured in multiple media outlets and has presented to area running groups and clubs, the Frederick County and Montgomery County MD School Systems, and high school and college athletic departments as a topic expert.  She believes in an individual approach to assist with attaining personal goals by meeting each individual where they are.  In her spare time she trains and competes in triathlons and running races as well as works out at Odin Crossfit in Frederick MD. She has been married for 11 years and is a mom of two children ages 8 and 7, her most favorite, most challenging, but most rewarding job.

http://www.kindrednutrition.com/

301-580-0008 [email protected]

Here are a few resources on nutrition and mindful eating.

Today's guest is Jason Doorish and we're talking about remembering the basics when it comes to joy. Jason is a Licensed Professional Counselor and he's an expert on bringing mindfulness into the day every day. He reminds us that often the best things in life are the simplest and we all could benefit from chilling out a bit more and taking life less seriously wherever possible. When it comes to intentional joy he recommends starting where you are and operating from the understanding that we all have more power than we think over the situations life throws at us.

A few tips to remember:

1. When you start on this path. It’s ok to fail.  Know that you won’t have a perfect plan but be on the look out for things you can commit to.
2. Build a life step by step that promotes joy. Get enough sleep, eat breakfast and take naps!
3. It’s not just one thing but each practice strung to the next that helps to create a sense of expansion and joy.
4. Accept that you’re going to have bad days. Good emotions and bad emotions come and go.
5. Be open to figuring out what your small joys are and then pursue them. 
6. Remember to be Self-Full

  RESOURCES

Contact Jason at www.doorishcounseling.com

The Mindfulness Solution

Today’s guest is Beth Boatman. Beth is a sex therapist and sexuality educator with the insight and expertise to inspire all of us to create more joy in our lives by embracing a sense of healthy sexuality.

She shared the story of how she came to be known as Beth the Sex Consultant and offered her thoughts on comprehensive sex education, balancing different sex drives and keeping desire alive across the lifespan.

One of the key points she makes is the importance of the c word……communication! Whether it’s talking to your child about sex or trying to increase your level of desire with your partner, the key is to become more comfortable expressing yourself.

If you’re struggling (or maybe avoiding?) having a chat with someone you care about, this interview might be just the thing you need to spark up a conversation. Enjoy!

Beth Boatman received a Masters Degree in Human Sexuality Education atWidener University and is a Certified Sexuality Educator (AASECT) and aBoard Certified Sexologist (ACS). She is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Family Therapy at Texas Woman’s University where she specializes in psychotherapy for individuals and couples facing issues related to sexual dysfunction, intimacy issues, chronic illness, and medical family therapy. Beth is a lifelong resident of the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area and provides counseling services, education, speaker presentations, and professional trainings on sexuality related topics.

Resources:

Find Beth at

 http://www.beththesexconsultant.com/home.html

Book Suggestions:

IF you enjoyed today's episode please take a moment to download, rate, review and/or share!

Today's guest is an expert on holding her own in the face of