Elisabet Lahti wants you to learn how to harness your power differently with embodied fortitude, gentleness, and determination. Sisu is a Finnish concept that refers to a unique blend of courage and tenacity, especially in the face of adversity. It’s an inner strength that helps you keep going under extreme pressure. In this episode, Elisabet shares her journey of Sisu, her 1500-mile run across New Zealand, and strategies you can use to build more Gentle Power in your life.

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Order my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

What is it like to be a child of war? How can we transform suffering with the power of compassion? In this episode, ACT psychologist Diana Hill interviews social worker and war refugee Dalya Sarkees about her experience growing up in 3 Iraqi wars, the trauma of finding a new identity in the US, and the inner and ancestral resources she leaned on to make the impossible possible. Many of us feel powerless over the world’s wars that are happening right now, one place to start is to listen to the voices of those who have suffered and who are suffering. It’s through listening that we can contact what is painful, and be motivated to act with compassion.

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Order my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

Mentioned in this episode:

Are you a therapist or coach wanting to play bigger and have more impact?

Sign up for the Business of Therapy and Coaching program. A new cohort begins February 9th.

Wise Effort: The Business of Therapy

One of our biggest challenges in life is adapting to change. Brad Stulberg, author of the book Master of Change, believes we need to “Be in conversation with change instead of it happening to you. Set appropriate expectations and adjust them when necessary. Cultivate a rugged yet flexible sense of self.” In this episode, Diana and Brad explore how we can thrive amidst change by developing a more fluid sense of self and a stronger connection to our core values. 

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Order my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

Mentioned in this episode:

Are you a therapist or coach wanting to play bigger and have more impact?

Sign up for the Business of Therapy and Coaching program. A new cohort begins February 9th.

Wise Effort: The Business of Therapy

Everything you do and feel occurs in a context. You are shaped by your learning history, your environment, other people, and you are continuously shaping the world around you. In this episode, Emily Sandoz shares how you can apply the ACT concepts of functional contextualism and interbehaviorism to build a juicier, richer, values-based life. Learn to resource yourself and thrive in whatever context you are in.

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Order my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

Many of us feel overwhelmed with current events, the tragedies in our world, and the business of our lives. In this episode, Diana offers two simple, evidence-based skills to practice when you are overwhelmed. 

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Order my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

What do you want to do with this one wild and precious life? In this Wise Effort Together sneak peek, hear highlights from the upcoming 3-day event. What does it mean to you to care for your well-being, relationships, and the planet in ways that are wise, effective, and flexible? 

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Order my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

Mentioned in this episode:

Are you a therapist or coach wanting to play bigger and have more impact?

Sign up for the Business of Therapy and Coaching program. A new cohort begins February 9th.

Wise Effort: The Business of Therapy

If there’s one skill we all need to be practicing right now, it is acceptance. Acceptance is central to maintaining healthy relationships, making a behavior change, pursuing meaningful goals, and being at peace with yourself. But how do you do it? What does it look like? In this solo episode, Diana sits down with you to explore what acceptance means and what gets in the way of accepting. Diana shares practices you can do with your mind, body, and behavior to cultivate a greater willingness to experience uncertainty and discomfort.

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Order my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

Mentioned in this episode:

Are you a therapist or coach wanting to play bigger and have more impact?

Sign up for the Business of Therapy and Coaching program. A new cohort begins February 9th.

Wise Effort: The Business of Therapy

We think a lot about changing our eating habits, drinking habits, and exercise habits. But what about our mental habits? If you are stuck in habits of self-criticism, avoidance, worrying, or resisting what is, you won’t get very far. In this replay of a favorite episode, Dr. Diana Hill takes a fresh perspective on habit change by exploring 5 science-backed mental habits that will make your life better. Listen in for strategies you can apply to your life right now.

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Order my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

Mentioned in this episode:

Are you a therapist or coach wanting to play bigger and have more impact?

Sign up for the Business of Therapy and Coaching program. A new cohort begins February 9th.

Wise Effort: The Business of Therapy

Diana’s cleaning out her episode closet and sharing the best nuggets of wisdom from her favorite guests. Tune in to learn creative ways to apply principles of curiosity, flexibility, and wise action to your nervous system, your relationships, and beyond.

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Order my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

Mentioned in this episode:

Are you a therapist or coach wanting to play bigger and have more impact?

Sign up for the Business of Therapy and Coaching program. A new cohort begins February 9th.

Wise Effort: The Business of Therapy

Anxiety is a double-edged sword. Anxious achievers are rewarded for their accomplishments and drive, but they can also get stuck in stress, worry, and impulsive doing. In this episode, Morra Aarons-Mele explores anxious achievement at work and parenting and offers tangible strategies to transform your anxiety into a superpower.

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Order my book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.