Ashanti Branch is the Founder and Executive Director of the Ever Forward Club, a nonprofit committed to supporting young men of color in middle and high school by providing them with save, brave communities that build character and transform lives.  
The Ever Forward Club’s work was featured in the documentary titled ‘The Masks We Live In” which follows boys and young men as they struggle to stay true to themselves while negotiating America’s narrow definition of masculinity. 
Ashanti is a sought after speaker and leads workshops for all youth of all ages and from a broad range of communities. He is on a mission to change the way that students interact with their education and the way schools interact with students. 
You can learn more about Ashanti’s work here.

019 The Masks We Live In: A Conversation with Ashanti Branch

Expanded States is a podcast dedicated to a deep exploration in expanding awareness, opening the heart, and journeying beyond the boundaries of the mind. Listen in for illuminating storytelling and mind-expanding topics like psychedelics, mindfulness, breathwork, nature immersion, sound healing and so much more.

Remember, exploring expanded states of consciousness requires respect, preparation, and integration. Always prioritize safety, set appropriate intentions, and approach these practices with an open and curious mind. It can be a powerful and transformative journey, but it’s essential to proceed mindfully and responsibly.

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The Mindful Parenting in a Messy World podcast with Michelle Gale is for parents who long to be meaningfully connected to themselves and their children, even as the demands and complexities of modern life are accelerated. 
Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication, is a step-by-step guide for meaningful conversations that bring people together. It is the first book to integrate mindfulness with the modern discipline of Nonviolent Communication and somatic healing. Whether it's managing conflict at work, navigating a political divide with a friend or relative or strengthening bonds at home—communicating effectively is what makes or breaks our relationships. Rich with simple yet powerful exercises, Say What You Mean offers a clear method and concrete practices for healthier, more effective conversations.
Oren Jay Sofer teaches meditation and communication retreats and workshops nationally. A member of the Spirit Rock Teachers Council, he is a Certified Trainer of Nonviolent Communication, a Course Trainer at Mindful Schools, and a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner for healing trauma. Oren also holds a degree in Comparative Religion from Columbia University and is the author of Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication.

068 Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication with Oren Jay Sofer

The Mindful Parenting in a Messy World podcast with Michelle Gale is for parents who long to be meaningfully connected to themselves and their children, even as the demands and complexities of modern life are accelerated. 
As a former Buddhist monk of two years, Certified Instructor for Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute (the mindfulness program born at Google), and Certified Integral Coach (from New Ventures West), Sean blends a combination of depth and practicality to his mindfulness and meditation teachings. 
He started Mindfulness Exercises with the aim of helping 100 million people live with more understanding, love and compassion for themselves and for others.
He currently runs an online Mindfulness Teacher Certification Program, training people to teach mindfulness with integrity, confidence and certified credibility.
 
Specialties include: 
- stress reduction 
- peak performance
- chronic pain 
- anxiety and depression
- insomnia and enhanced sleep
- corporate culture
- healthcare and hospitals
- psychology and mental health
 
Something Sean put together just for our community! https://mindfulnessexercises.com/mindful-parenting/

067 Emotional Regulation and Supporting our Partner, with Sean Fargo

The Mindful Parenting in a Messy World podcast with Michelle Gale is for parents who long to be meaningfully connected to themselves and their children, even as the demands and complexities of modern life are accelerated. 
As founder and Chief Storyteller at GoZen!, Renee is recognized as a pioneer in marrying technology and child psychology in a unique approach that nurtures the hearts and minds of kids. Through her writing, product invention and development, masterclasses for parents, and children’s advocacy, she works to build the emotional intelligence of kids, including resilience, empathy, kindness, and critical thinking. Tens of thousands of families and professionals testify to the unparalleled success of GoZen!'s programs. Originally a tech entrepreneur who’s suffered with her own anxiety, Renee founded GoZen! to help a new generation of kids, parents and therapists.

066 Go Zen: Transform The Way Your Child Manages Stress And Anxiety with Renee Jain

Join Michelle as she explores early care and education from the perspective of a parent advocate. 
Autumn McFarland, founder of Family Factor and mother of two earned her Masters Degree from the University of Colorado at Denver in Educational Psychology with an emphasis on Human Development and Child Psychology. 
Autumn brings more than a decade of experience working with both academic settings and families. She has taught children both here in America and abroad and has a rich understanding of what different family units can look like. Autumn found most of her passion for Family Factor in the meditation and learned patience of what it means to be a mother and a partner to her husband Shane. Autumn’s passion for child advocacy drives her work to ensure that every child feels safe and supported in their academic environment and that every parent feels supported and in partnership with those caring for their children. 
Learn more about Autumn at www.Familyfactor.org

065 An Exploration of Early Care and Education: Parent as Advocate, with Autumn McFarland

This conversation, rooted in how to bring more equanimity to our lives–finding our center of calm in the storm– Michelle draws on that training today as an advisor to organizations like Wisdom 2.0, in trainings with corporations like Disney and Google, for summits and workshops for parents that she organizes, and as a parent with her own two boys at home. 
An awareness of our impact in the day to day, through being a mindful parent, is something that Michelle embodies in her own parenting, in the appreciation she describes for her own mother, a single parent who adopted Michelle at the age of four months old, and in the ways that she makes mindfulness relatable and accessible to those she teaches. 
As you listen to this episode, I invite you to slow down by taking your own three breaths with us, tap into Michelle’s intention for finding “equanimity,” your center in the midst of chaos, and open yourself to Michelle’s wisdom. If you do, I’m certain you’ll find more of your calm in the storm and connect more fully to your own mindful parenting in a messy world.  
You can learn more about Julie Neale and Mother’s Quest HERE.

019 The Masks We Live In: A Conversation with Ashanti Branch

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