"What does it mean to hold space for someone?" In this episode of The Wise Effort Show, host Dr. Diana Hill sits down with therapist and musician Tom Parkes to explore the concept of holding space for yourself and other people. Tom shares his experiences producing his new album, which reflects on the therapeutic process and personal growth. Through an intimate conversation, they discuss themes of vulnerability, the challenges of becoming a parent, and the evolving significance of personal songs over time. Tom also opens up about the importance of self-compassion. The episode highlights the interplay between holding space in therapy, music, and personal life, offering valuable insights for both therapists and non-therapists alike.

• The Art of Holding Space
• How to Let People Be There for You
• What to do when you wake up in the middle of the night
• Ways to Break Therapy Norms

The episode is a heartfelt exploration of the art of presence, weaving together personal narratives with universal themes. It’s a must-listen for those seeking to deepen their understanding of connection, creativity, and 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.

Join Dr. Diana Hill as she explores how to channel feelings of helplessness, overwhelm, and anger with trauma therapist Giulia Preziuso. Delving into personal stories and therapeutic strategies, they discuss turning anger into positive energy, such as assertiveness. They also discuss navigating family relationships and finding physiological cues to manage intense emotions. Learn how to apply dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) skills to understand better and control your reactions to have a more balanced life.

Listen and Learn:

• How to Turn Your Anger Into Positive Energy
• Emotional Regulation Tips
• Ways to Maximize Everyday Moments
• Tips for Understanding and Accepting Our Parents

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.

In this episode of The Wise Effort Show, clinical psychologist Dr. Diana Hill explores how to stop overcommitting and start getting what you yearn for in life. Discussing concepts like the myth of normalcy, holding too tightly to stories, and avoiding feelings, she offers five actionable solutions grounded in ACT, contemplative practice, and her extensive experience with high achievers.

Listen and Learn how to get what you yearn for in life:

• Understanding human yearnings
• Practicing 5 Ways to get what you yearn for
• Discovering your genius energy

Listen as Diana emphasizes the importance of directing one's efforts wisely to avoid burnout and achieve meaningful outcomes.

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.

In this episode of the Wise Effort Show, Dr. Diana Hill explores the paradox of feeling overcommitted yet under involved. She talks about the psychological and contextual reasons behind the paradox, including the myths of normalcy, the craving for more, the impact of our limiting stories, the avoidance of discomfort, and the misalignment with our values. Finally, she encourages listeners to destroy the concept of 'normal' and embrace their unique paths.

LISTEN AND LEARN REASONS WHY YOU’RE OVERCOMMITTED AND UNDER INVOLVED

• Reason 1: The Myth of Normalcy
• Reason 2: Holding On Too Tight
• Reason 3: Stuck in a Story
• Reason 4: Running from Discomfort
• Reason 5: You’re Heading in the Wrong Direction

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 does it mean to love unconditionally? And what does science teach us about letting go? That's what we will explore today in this episode of The Wise Effort Show with Dr. Joe Ciarrochi.

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.

In this episode of The Wise Effort Show, Dr. Diana Hill explores how to 'play big' in your writing life with renowned book coach Jennie Nash. They discuss the evolution of their relationship, including Jennie’s role in guiding Diana’s upcoming book and the challenges of developing authentic writing that leverages 'genius energy.' Jennie shares insights into the emerging field of book coaching and highlights the challenges writers face in translating their vision into impactful literature. Diana reveals the personal journey of crafting her book under Jennie’s guidance. Together, they discuss the complexities of writing and the significance of understanding one's unique voice, concluding with details about their future collaborative projects.

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.

Are you feeling anxious about AI taking over your job? You’re not alone. We will explore that today on The Wise Effort Show with Morra Aarons-Mele in this repost of her episode, in which she interviews me about what to do about AI anxiety on The Anxious Achiever podcast.

• AI and Job Security Concerns
• Distress Tolerance Skills
• Recognizing, Embracing, and Creating Space Your Feelings
• Understanding the Root of Your Anxiety
• Harnessing Emotions for Positive Action
• Using AI with Intention and Purpose
• Adapting to Change and Uncertainty

Listen to Dr. Diana Hill discuss how to use skills related to moving towards what's uncomfortable, practicing compassion, self-compassion, getting curious, opening up, and using your genius wisely.

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.

Can we learn from nature to solve some of life’s most challenging problems? In this episode, Dr. Dayna Baumeister, the co-founder of Biomimicry 3.8, joins us. She is dedicated to applied natural history and passionate about sharing nature’s genius. The Wise Effort Show is all about using your energy wisely, and there’s a lot we can learn from nature about how to do that. Let’s see what we can learn from nature’s genius.

Listen and learn

• Examples of Biomimicry in Action
• Psychological Insights from Nature
• Adapting to Change: Lessons from Nature
• Exploring Trust in Nature and Human Relationships
• Lessons from Nature on Death and Dying
• How to Engage with Biomimicry in Everyday Life

Dr. Baumeister shares insights from her extensive work in the field, providing examples of nature-inspired innovations and touching on deeper themes like trust, stress management, and even perspectives on death.

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.

Is your genius also your problem? In this episode of the Wise Effort Show, Dr. Diana Hill explores the concept of 'genius energy' – the unique, powerful force that propels individuals towards their greatest potential. Diana discusses how to identify and claim this energy, illustrates how it can become problematic when misdirected, and provides specific tasks to help listeners explore and use their genius energy wisely. Diana shares tips for how to make your genius work for you, rather than your genius being your problem.

Listen and Learn

• Why everyone has a genius energy
• How to look for genius energy is others, nature, and yourself
• What’s your struggle?
• How your genius is your problem?

Listen as Diana shares personal anecdotes about how her genius is her problem, to illustrate how genius energy can both empower and hinder personal growth.

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.

In this episode of the Wise Effort Show, Dr. Diana Hill, a clinical psychologist, discusses the challenges of perfectionism and how to practice wise effort at work with Sonya Looney, a world-champion mountain biker. They explore the intersection of high performance and well-being, ways to transform perfectionism into social contribution, and the importance of support during personal and professional transitions.

Listen and Learn

• Ways to handle crossroads at work
• Interactions between perfectionism and social contribution
• The power of impacting just one person
• How to evaluate success based on how you define success

Listen as Diana and Sonya share personal experiences and practical insights to help listeners loosen their grip on perfectionism and focus on meaningful contributions.

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.