Relationships 2.0 With Dr. Michelle Skeen

Latest Episodes:

Guest: Alex Korb author of The Upward Spiral Workbook: A Practical Neuroscience Program for Reversing the Course of Depression Apr 25, 2019

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Alex Korb PhD author of The Upward Spiral Workbook: A Practical Neuroscience Program for Reversing the Course of Depression About the book: Positive life changes lead to positive brain changes. Drawing on the huge success of his groundbreaking book, The Upward Spiral, neuroscientist Alex Korb offers actionable, step-by-step skills to help you reshape your brain and create an upward spiral towards a happier, healthier life. Depression is defined by a collection of symptoms. You feel crappy most of the time. Nothing seems interesting, and everything seems overwhelming. You have trouble with sleep. You feel guilty and anxious and have thoughts that life isn’t worth living. Each symptom reinforces and inspires new symptoms, and this is a sign that your brain circuits are caught in the downward spiral of depression. So, how can you reverse it? In his first book, The Upward Spiral, neuroscientist Alex Korb demystified the intricate brain processes that cause depression and outlined a practical and effective approach for getting better. Based on the latest research, this evidence-based workbook takes the theory behind Korb’s breakthrough book and distills it into concrete, actionable exercises and skills. Just as one small trigger can drag you down, an effective intervention can start enough momentum to carry you back up. Exercise, attention to breathing, gratitude, sleep hygiene, and positive social interactions are just some of the offerings in this workbook that can help alter activity in specific neural circuits, setting you on the path toward an upward spiral to happiness and well-being. About the author: Alex Korb, PhD, is a neuroscientist who has studied the brain and mental health for over fifteen years, starting with an undergraduate degree in neuroscience from Brown University. He received his PhD in neuroscience from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he wrote his dissertation and numerous scientific articles on depression. He is author of The Upward Spiral, and is currently adjunct assistant professor at UCLA in the department of psychiatry. Outside of the lab, he is a scientific consultant for the biotech industry, and is head coach of the UCLA Women’s Ultimate Frisbee team. He has a wealth of experience in yoga and mindfulness, physical fitness, and even stand-up comedy.

Guest: Marc Bekoff and Jessica Pierce authors of Unleashing Your Dog Apr 11, 2019

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guests are Marc Bekoff and Jessica Pierce authors of Unleashing Your Dog: A Field Guide to Giving Your Canine Companion the Best Life Possible About the book: No matter how cushy their lives, dogs live on our terms. They compromise their freedom and instinctual pleasure, as well as their innate strategies for coping with stress and anxiety, in exchange for the love, comfort, and care they get from us. But it is possible to let dogs be dogs without wreaking havoc on our lives, as biologist Marc Bekoff and bioethicist Jessica Pierce show in this fascinating book. They begin by illuminating the true nature of dogs and helping us “walk in their paws.” They reveal what smell, taste, touch, sight, and hearing mean to dogs and then guide readers through everyday ways of enhancing dogs’ freedom in safe, mutually happy ways. The rewards, they show, are great for dog and human alike. About the authors: The author or editor of thirty books, Marc Bekoff, PhD, is professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a former Guggenheim fellow. The author of ten books and hundreds of articles, Jessica Pierce, PhD, is faculty affiliate at the University of Colorado Center for Bioethics and Humanities.

Guest: Rachel Howard author of The Risk of Us Apr 08, 2019

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Rachel Howard author of The Risk of Us About the book: A poignant, dazzling debut novel about a woman who longs to be a mother and the captivating yet troubled child she and her husband take in. What is the cost of motherhood? When The Risk of Us opens, we meet a forty-something woman who deeply wants to become a mother. The path that opens up to her and her husband takes them through the foster care system, with the goal of adoption. And when seven-year-old Maresa—with inch-deep dimples and a voice that can beam to the moon--comes into their lives, their hearts fill with love. But her rages and troubles threaten to crack open their marriage. Over the course of a year, as Maresa approaches the age at which children become nearly impossible to place, the couple must decide if they can be the parents this child needs, and finalize the adoption—or, almost unthinkably, give her up. For fans of Jenny Offill and Rachel Cusk, The Risk of Us deftly explores the inevitable tests children bring to a marriage, the uncertainties of family life, and the ways true empathy obliterates our defenses. About the author: RACHEL HOWARD earned her MFA in fiction from Warren Wilson College and is the author of a memoir, The Lost Night. She is the recipient of a MacDowell Colony fellowship, and her fiction, essays, and dance criticism have appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and elsewhere.

Guest: Lee Harris author of Energy Speaks: Messages from Spirit on Living, Loving and Awakening Apr 08, 2019

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Lee Harris author of Energy Speaks: Messages from Spirit on Living, Loving and Awakening About the book: A powerful new voice providing clear and direct guidance for personal transformation Energy Speaks gives us a clear blueprint for growth and change. It provides practical guidance and inspiration on the things that matter most to us — including love, sex, money, personal power, self-expression and purpose, emotional healing and well-being, and how to have peace with our families — as well as more esoteric topics, such as how to invoke the help of our spirit guides and angels. This empowering book is the work of a great emerging spiritual teacher. It is filled with tools that you can use to break free of limitations and transform your life. About the author: Lee Harris is an internationally acclaimed speaker, transformational leader, intuitive medium, musician, and visual artist. In 2004, he began holding channeling sessions and readings in his home, and today his work and videos reach hundreds of thousands every month. A native of England, he is now based in California.

Guest: Thomas Roberts author of The Mindfulness Workbook: A Beginner's Guide to Overcoming Fear and Embracing Compassion Apr 08, 2019

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Thomas Roberts author of The Mindfulness Workbook: A Beginner's Guide to Overcoming Fear and Embracing Compassion About the book: Mindfulness is a powerful antidote to stress, anxiety and panic, chronic pain, depression, obsessive thinking, out-of-control emotions, and many other physical and mental health conditions. This ancient Buddhist technique can help anyone who struggles with fears, worries, and distractions refocus on the present moment and live happily, here and now. The Mindfulness Workbook is a step-by-step instruction book that guides you through simple practices that enable you to experience mindfulness not as a distant experience or concept, but as an attainable state of being in the world. You will discover the effectiveness of breath work, mindful eating, and thought-watching, and begin reaping the benefits of mindfulness right away. Over time, you will begin to notice that these small changes can bring about a bigger transformation, enhancing your sense of fulfillment and calm. About the author (in his words): I have a clinical psychotherapy practice in Onalaska, Wisconsin. I work with people who are determined to embrace their healing journey. I embrace and respect the mind-body connection and use mind-body therapies such as imagery, hypnotherapy, sounds, music and the like. I enjoy being in the presence of people on their healing journey! The people who have shared their journey with me have been my greatest teachers! > I also have a passion for teaching and conducting retreats. At this time in my life, I have come to realize that it is time to give back. All that I have been taught, learned, and come to understand, is now to be shared with others. Being able to share the mindfulness and healing journey with people is part of my own journey. I have taught hundreds of workshops and retreats around the country and have been enriched by the people I have had the privilege of meeting along the way. They too have been my teachers. > I am a practicing Buddhist and have been for 30+ years. Many teachers have helped me along the way. Yet at this point I have returned to my cushion and local Sangha as the true journey is the one to be embraced as you move through the flow of your own personal experience. I spent many years following teachers only to return to the true teacher: my life as it unfolds. This teacher has always been there, and I have realized there is really nowhere else to look. My book reflects this. So, i hope you enjoy. Visit my web site: www.thomasrobertsllc.com

Guest: Diane Kirschner author of Love in 90 Days: The Essential Guide to Finding Your Own True Love Mar 14, 2019

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Diane Kirschner author of Love in 90 Days: The Essential Guide to Finding Your Own True Love About the book: Bestseller Love in 90 Days is even better in this expanded, updated version. It’s fun, savvy and based on the latest research as well as renowned psychologist Dr. Diana’s experience coaching tens of thousands of single women all over the world through her coaching team. Loaded with easy step-by-step instructions and assignments, this revolutionary love book has been called the dating coach’s secret weapon. Most singles unconsciously make the same mistakes over and over again in love, regardless of age, work success, or the type of man they are dating. Using her unique approach, Dr. Diana pulls no punches. She outlines a program that gets women on the path to smash through their self-sabotage and forge a healthy love relationship. About the author: Psychologist Dr. Diana Kirschner appeared regularly on the Today Show and starred in a PBS Special on finding love, based on her bestseller, Love in 90 Days. Dr. Diana successfully ran the 90 Day Love Challenge on the Fox Morning Show and her work has been featured in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. Through her books and acclaimed Love Mentor® Coaching team, Dr. Diana has helped tens of thousands of women all over the world to create greater self-love and lasting passionate soulmate relationships. Her website is Lovein90Days.com, a leading source of dating and relationship advice. Dr. Diana has been happily married and in love with her husband for over 35 years.

Guest: Bill Philipps author of Signs from the Other Side: Opening to the Spirit World Mar 14, 2019

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Bill Philipps author of Signs from the Other Side: Opening to the Spirit World About the book: With stories and insightful suggestions, beloved psychic medium Bill Philipps demonstrates that our loved ones on the other side are available to us. He promises that, with an open heart and mind ready to receive, anyone can recognize the signs that spirits of the departed may be trying to send. Signs from the Other Side offers an in-depth explanation of how Bill does what he does, as well as practical advice on how to receive and interpret signs when they appear. By tapping into our intuition, we can experience deep connections that lead to forgiveness, reassurance, or simply one last moment with a loved one. The book also includes more than twenty inspiring examples of how others experienced comfort through such communications. About the author: Bill Philipps is a psychic medium who offers individual, small-group, and large-audience readings throughout the United States and the world. Bill’s fresh, upbeat, and direct approach perfectly reflects his warm and relatable demeanor, captivating audiences in person and as a guest on popular television and radio broadcasts. He lives in Southern California.

Guest: Marc Lesser author of Seven Practices of a Mindful Leader Feb 28, 2019

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Marc Lesser author of Seven Practices of a Mindful Leader: Lessons from Google and a Zen Monastery Kitchen About the book: Today’s leaders are grappling with the pace and complexity of change, the challenge of supporting healthy collaboration and alignment among teams, and the resulting stress and burnout. The practice of mindful leadership may be one of the most important competencies in business today if leaders are to move beyond fear, anxiety, nagging self-doubt, and the feeling of constant overwhelm. Marc Lesser has taught his proven seven-step method to leaders at Google, Genentech, SAP, Facebook, and dozens of other Fortune 500 companies for over twenty years and has distilled a lifetime of mindfulness and business experience into these chapters. This incredibly practical yet accessible book draws on Marc’s experience as a CEO of three companies, as cofounder of the world-renowned Search Inside Yourself (SIY) program within Google, and as a longtime Zen practitioner. The principles in this book can be applied to leadership at any level, providing readers with the tools they need to shift awareness, enhance communication, build trust, eliminate fear and self-doubt, and minimize unnecessary workplace drama. Embracing any one of the seven practices alone can be life-changing. When used together, they support a path of well-being, productivity, and positive influence. Practicing mindful leadership will allow you to achieve results — with more energy, clarity, meaning, and connection. Your intentions and actions will be more aligned. You will accomplish more with less wasted effort. After reading this book, you’ll understand why some of the world’s most successful companies routinely incorporate the Seven Practices of a Mindful Leader, integrating mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and business savvy to create great corporate cultures, and even a better world. About the author: Marc Lesser is a CEO, Zen teacher, and author who offers trainings and talks worldwide. He has led mindfulness and emotional intelligence programs at many of the world’s leading businesses and organizations, including Google, SAP, Genentech, and Twitter.

Guest: Melissa Glaser author of Healing A Community: Lessons for Recovery After a Large Scale Trauma Feb 22, 2019

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Melissa Glaser author of Healing a Community: Lessons for Recovery After A Large Scale Trauma About the book: After the horrific tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, local caregivers, civic leaders, and first responders had the daunting task of navigating emotional and physical trauma as they stitched their community back together. The recovery process takes years, and as the coordinator of the Newtown Recovery and Resiliency Team, Melissa Glaser managed the town’s response. She developed a unique set of therapeutic and transferable best practices that other communities can learn from. The impact of an intense media presence and the long-term financial needs of recovery work are also included in Healing a Community. Through heartbreaking insights, Glaser conveys the importance of meeting traumatized individuals where they are at in the process. Lessons learned in Newtown can be used to create a universal community mental health disaster plan so leaders, therapists, and families know what to do the next time tragedy occurs. About the author: Melissa Glaser, MS, LPC is a licensed professional counselor and community response leader who ran the Newtown Recovery and Resiliency Team after the Sandy Hook School shooting. Previous to that, she served as clinical and behavioral health director for several non-profit institutions. Currently, she is in private practice delivering outcome-oriented psychotherapy to individuals, families, and couples, and actively consults organizations and communities on mental health services.

Guest: Carly Pollack author of Feed Your Soul: Nutritional Wisdom To Lose Weight Permanently and Live Fulfilled Feb 22, 2019

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Carly Pollack author of Feed Your Soul: Nutritional Wisdom To Lose Weight Permanently and Live Fulfilled About the book: Countless diets, cleanses, and thirty-day challenges are geared to help people lose weight, heal their digestion, and have more energy. Yet these temporary protocols fall short when it comes to true transformation. Nutritionist Carly Pollack lived a vicious cycle of weight ups and downs until trial and error, and over a decade of formal study in health and healing, led her to the insights she has since shared with thousands. In Feed Your Soul, she presents her unique understanding of body science, brain wiring, and spiritual principles to facilitate real, lasting change. Carly helps you reframe your thinking to, for example, see comfort foods as the numbing toxins they truly are and focus on long-term goals rather than immediate gratification. This no-nonsense guide will show you how feeding your soul can change your life, your health, and your body. About the author: Carly Pollack is the founder of Nutritional Wisdom, a thriving private practice based in Austin, Texas. A certified clinical nutritionist with a master’s degree in holistic nutrition, Carly has been awarded Best Nutritionist in Austin five years running and has helped more than fifteen thousand people achieve their health and happiness goals

Guest: James Creighton PhD author of Loving Through Your Differences: Building Strong Relationships From Separate Realities Feb 22, 2019

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is James Creighton PhD author of Loving Through Your Differences: Building Strong Relationships From Separate Realities About the book: Dr. James Creighton has worked with couples for decades, facilitating communication and conflict resolution and teaching them the tools to build healthy, happy relationships. He has found that many couples start out believing they like the same things, see people the same way, and share a united take on the world. But inevitably differences crop up, and it can be profoundly discouraging to find that one’s partner sees a person, situation, or decision completely differently. Although many relationships flounder at this point, Creighton shows that this can actually be an opportunity to forge stronger ties. In Loving through Your Differences, he draws on the latest research in cognitive science and developmental psychology to show how we invent our realities with our perceptual minds. He then provides clear, concrete tools for shifting our perceptions and reframing our responses. The result moves couples out of the fear and alienation of “your way or my way” and into a deep understanding of the other that allows for an “our way.” As Creighton shows, this way of being together, based on the reality of individuality rather than the illusion of sameness, sets the stage for long-term excitement, discovery, and fulfillment. About the author: In addition to working with couples, James L. Creighton, PhD, has conducted communication trainings, mediations, and conflict-resolution processes for universities, public schools, the Job Corps, Fortune 500 corporations, and government entities. He lives in Kihei, Hawaii.

Guest: Eva Hagberg Fisher author of How To Be Loved: A Memoir of Lifesaving Friendship Feb 22, 2019

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Eva Hagberg Fisher author of How To Be Loved: A Memoir of Lifesaving Friendship About the book: A luminous memoir about how friendship saved one woman’s life, for anyone who has loved a friend who was sick, grieving, or lost—and for anyone who has struggled to seek or accept help Eva Hagberg Fisher spent her lonely youth looking everywhere for connection: drugs, alcohol, therapists, boyfriends, girlfriends. Sometimes she found it, but always temporarily. Then, at age thirty, an undiscovered mass in her brain ruptured. So did her life. A brain surgery marked only the beginning of a long journey, and when her illness hit a critical stage, it forced her to finally admit the long‑suppressed truth: she was vulnerable, she needed help, and she longed to grow. She needed true friendship for the first time. How to Be Loved is the story of how an isolated person’s life was ripped apart only to be gently stitched back together through friendship, and the recovery—of many stripes—that came along the way. It explores the isolation so many of us feel despite living in an age of constant connectivity; how our ambitions sometimes pull us apart more than bring us together; and how a simple doughnut, delivered by a caring soul, can become the essence of what makes a life valuable. With gorgeous prose shot through with empathy, pain, fear, and the secret truths inside all of us, Eva writes about the friends who taught her to grow up and open her heart—and how the relentlessness of suffering can give rise to the greatest joy. About the author: Eva Hagberg Fisher's writing has appeared in the New York Times, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Tin House, Wallpaper*, Wired, Guernica, and Dwell, among other places. She lives in California and New York City.

Guest: Cheryl Fraser, PhD author of Buddha's Bedroom: The Mindful Loving Path to Sexual Passion & Lifelong Intimacy Jan 24, 2019

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Cheryl Fraser, PhD author of Buddha's Bedroom: The Mindful Loving Path to Sexual Passion & Lifelong Intimacy About the book: In this playful and sexually savvy guide, “Dr. Cheryl” Fraser presents enlivening mindfulness exercises, techniques from couples and sex therapy, and the wisdom of Buddhist teachings to help you spark the passion and thrill you’ve been seeking in your relationship. With this book, couples can break free from the monotony of familiar routines and bring a little nirvana back to the bedroom for a more exciting, loving, and fulfilling connection. The beginning of a relationship is always thrilling—butterflies in the stomach; that sense that someone really gets you; that “love drunk,” “walking on air” feeling. But as time goes by, and the tedium of daily life intervenes, you may find yourself too busy, tired, or just unmotivated to devote quality time and attention to the connection you crave. So, how do you uncover the passion and thrill you’re longing for, and how can you make it last? Inside Buddha’s Bedroom, you’ll discover how the essential Buddhist teachings of mindfulness and awakening can be applied to your love life—showing that true passion absolutely is sustainable, if you’re willing to shift your perspective. By exploring your deepest desires and expectations, and also learning to see your partner as they really are, without the need for them to change, you’ll be able to create a deep and mindfully loving connection for a fabulous relationship. And with these spiritually scintillating tips and techniques, you’ll have the keys to igniting and sustaining all the thrill, intimacy, and sensuality you seek. About the author: Sharp, frank, and fearless, Cheryl Fraser, PhD, is a Buddhist psychologist and sought-after relationship expert. She has helped thousands of couples jump-start their love life and create passion that lasts a lifetime. A highly successful and awarded Fulbright scholar, she has conducted extensive research on sexual behavior and what causes love relationships to succeed or fail. With her groundwork, she created the Become Passion online workshop for couples. She has a thriving private practice in sex and couples therapy. A former talk radio host, Cheryl is a dynamic guest expert for television and radio, appearing on multiple programs, including The Experts, CBC Marketplace, Air America, the Loving Well podcast, and many more. As a columnist for Mindful and Best Health magazines, Cheryl explores love, sex, relationships, and the human experience. Her approach to life and to helping others is based in her practice of meditation and Buddhism, which she has studied for twenty-five years in both the Tibetan and Theravaden traditions. She was given permission to teach by her root teacher Namgyal Rinpoche, and she is resident meditation teacher for Island Dharma. Her work is encapsulated in the teaching of Mindful Loving, where she brings the Buddha’s teachings into the bedroom. When Cheryl is not in India, Tibet, or at a three-month silent Buddhist meditation retreat, she lives on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada, with her man and their menagerie, practicing the passion she preaches. www.drcherylfraser.com

Guest: Judith Belmont author of Embrace Your Greatness: 50 Ways to Build Unshakable Self-Esteem Jan 17, 2019

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Judith Belmont, MS author of Embrace Your Greatness: 50 Ways to Build Unshakable Self-Esteem About the book: It’s time to start feeling good about yourself! In this go-to guide, a licensed professional counselor offers 50 quick tips and tools to help you overcome self-doubt, silence your inner critic, be assertive, boost your self-esteem, and embrace your greatness. In our image-obsessed world, it’s easy to compare yourself to friends, celebrities, and models. Social media has skewed our perception of reality by only offering images of people at their best. But the truth is that most people struggle with self-criticism and self-doubt—at least some of the time. So, how can you stop paying attention to your inner critic and start focusing on what makes you truly great? In Embrace Your Greatness, you’ll find powerful—yet incredibly simple—tools grounded in mindfulness, acceptance, self-compassion, and positive psychology to help you start feeling good about yourself. The book includes unique and engaging activities and exercises to help you put a stop to that nagging inner critic, overcome perfectionism, and develop lasting self-confidence. You’ll also discover ways to be more assertive, develop healthy relationships that support a healthy you, and cultivate an unshakable sense of optimism about yourself and your life. If you need a quick confidence boost, this fun guide offers 50 ways to nix your nagging inner critic and start loving who you are. About the author: Judith Belmont, MS, LPC, has been a psychotherapist, motivational speaker, workplace wellness consultant, and mental health coach. Her message of positivity, healthy communication, stress resilience, and self-empowerment has reached thousands nationwide through her books, consulting, and interactive presentations. She is author of seven mental health and wellness books that offer therapists and their clients, as well as self-help readers, practical solutions to deal with common problems such as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and relationship issues. In her books, she offers practical skill-building resources using experiential activities, visualizations, handouts, and worksheets. Belmont is founder of Belmont Wellness (www.belmontwellness.com) where she offers a variety of mental health and wellness presentations, as well as personal and professional coaching. Her mission to share important life skills and promote self-empowerment and positivity is followed by a wide audience due to her active social media presence on various sites, such as Facebook and Pinterest.

Guest: Kate Gustin, PhD author of The No-Self Help Book Jan 10, 2019

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Kate Gustin, PhD author of The No-Self Help Book: 40 Reasons to Get Over Your Self & Find Peace of Mind About the book: It’s time to get over your self! Written by a clinical psychologist and student of Eastern philosophy, this handy little guide offers a radical solution to anyone struggling with self-doubt, self-esteem, and self-defeating thoughts: “no-self help.” By breaking free of your own self-limiting beliefs, you’ll discover your infinite potential. There is an insidious, global identity theft occurring that has robbed people of their very recognition of their true selves. The culprit—indeed the mastermind of this crisis—has committed the inside job of creating and promoting the idea that we are all a separate self, which is the chief source of our daily distress and dissatisfaction. No more than a narrative of personhood pieced together from disparate neural activations, the self we believe ourselves to be in our own minds—although quite capable of being affirming, inspiring, and constructive—often spews forth a distressing flow of worry and second-guessing, blaming and shaming, regret and guilt. This book offers an antidote to this epidemic of stolen identity, isolation, and self-deprecation: no-self (a concept known in Buddhist philosophy as anatta or anatman). The No-Self Help Book turns the idea of self-improvement on its head, arguing that the key to well-being lies not in the relentless pursuit of bettering one’s self but in the recognition of the self as a false identity born in the mind. Rather than identifying with a small, relative sense of self, this book encourages you to embrace a liberating alternative—an expansive awareness that is flexible and open to experiencing life as an ongoing and ever-changing process, without attachment to personal outcomes or storylines. To help you make this leap from self to no-self, the book provides forty bite-sized chapters full of clever and inspiring insights based in positive psychology and non-duality—a philosophy that asserts there is no real separation between any of us. So, if you’re tired of “self-help” and you’re ready to explore who you are beyond the self, let The No-Self Help Book be your guide. About the author: Kate Gustin, PhD, is a clinical psychologist practicing in the San Francisco Bay Area. She received her education from Princeton University and the University of California, Berkeley; and has worked in a variety of settings over the past twenty-five years as a mental health practitioner: outpatient psychiatry, community mental health clinics, VA Hospital, college counseling services, and currently in private practice. Gustin integrates the science of positive psychology into her psychotherapy, teaching, and consultation, and leads classes and trainings for students, patients, and health care professionals.

Guest: Evan M. Forman, PhD author of Effective Weight Loss: An Acceptance-Based Behavioral Approach Dec 13, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Evan M. Forman PhD co-editor/author of Mindfulness and Acceptance for Treating Eating Disorders & Weight Concerns: Evidence-based Interventions About the book: Disordered eating, negative body image, and problems with weight have become an epidemic—and research shows that traditional treatments are not always effective. This professional resource offers proven-effective interventions using mindfulness and acceptance for treating clients with disordered eating, body image, or weight issues—and for whom other treatments have failed. Millions of people in the United States suffer from eating disorders, and dissatisfaction with weight and body type—even in individuals whose weight is considered normal—is similarly widespread. In addition, more than half of Americans could benefit from healthy weight loss. Unfortunately, not all people with eating disorders or weight concerns respond to traditional therapeutic interventions; many continue to suffer significant symptoms even after treatment. What these clients need is an integrated therapeutic approach that will prove effective in the long run—like the scientifically backed methods in this much-needed clinical guide. Edited by Ann F. Haynos, Jason Lillis, Evan M. Forman, and Meghan L. Butryn; and with contributors including Kay Segal, Debra Safer, and Hugo Alberts; Mindfulness and Acceptance for Treating Eating Disorders and Weight Concerns is the first professional resource to incorporate a variety of proven-effective acceptance- and mindfulness-based approaches—such as acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT)—into the treatment of persistent disordered eating, body image issues, and weight problems. With these evidence-based interventions, you’ll be ready to help your clients move beyond their problems with disordered eating, body dissatisfaction, and weight management once and for all. About the editor/author: Evan M. Forman, PhD, is professor and director of graduate studies for the department of psychology at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA, as well codirector of the Laboratory for Innovations in Health-Related Behavior Change. His research, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Obesity Society, focuses on using technology and new behavioral frameworks to enhance interventions for health behavior change, especially obesity.

Guest: Ellen Grace O'Brian author of The Jewel of Abundance: Finding Prosperity through the Ancient Wisdom of Yoga Dec 06, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Ellen Grace O'Brian author of The Jewel of Abundance: Finding Prosperity through the Ancient Wisdom of Yoga About the book: Although millions of Westerners practice yoga simply for its health benefits, the philosophy and wisdom behind the multifaceted discipline have far more to offer. In The Jewel of Abundance, award-winning author and Kriya Yoga teacher Ellen Grace O’Brian reveals an overlooked aspect of yoga: its powerful teachings on prosperity. She draws upon the ancient Vedic tradition of yoga philosophy and practice and shows how spirituality and earthly success can complement each other, leading to realization of the higher Self. O’Brian presents a clear explanation of both the philosophy of yoga and the nuts and bolts of practice, such as setting up a daily meditation routine, incorporating mantras, discerning how to cooperate with universal principles for complete well-being, and cultivating mindfulness in action. Along the way, she illustrates her lessons with personal stories and timeless sayings from great sages, both Eastern and Western. With O’Brian’s insightful guidance, readers will discover an inexhaustible source of abundance that is available to them whenever they look within. About the author: Ellen Grace O’Brian is a teacher, writer, poet, and the spiritual director of the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment in San Jose, California. Ordained by a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda, she has been teaching Kriya Yoga philosophy and practice for over three decades.

Guest: Cindy Goodman Stulberg author of Feeling Better: Beat Depression & Improve Your Relationships with Interpersonal Psychotherapy Dec 06, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Cindy Stulberg author of Feeling Better: Beat Depression and Improve Your Relationships with Interpersonal Psychotherapy About the book: When it comes to treatment for depression, we have been getting it all wrong. Instead of focusing on just the biochemistry, we need to focus on the importance of relationships. Feeling Better offers a step-by-step guide using a research-proven approach called interpersonal psychotherapy, or IPT, which can help you deal with the issues that may be contributing to your unhappiness. Therapists Cindy Stulberg and Ron Frey have used IPT with clients for more than twenty years and achieved dramatic, lasting results after only eight to twelve weeks. They have now created this accessible, first-of-its kind guide. Feeling Better teaches skills and tools that will allow you to set and achieve goals, articulate feelings, and make constructive decisions. You’ll learn to identify and engage with allies and supporters, deal with difficult people, and, if need be, walk away from harmful relationships. Cindy and Ron have taught clients — diagnosed with depression or not — to use these skills in virtually every life situation, from preventing divorce to “consciously uncoupling,” raising healthy children, coping with loss, and dealing with addiction. Writing with wisdom, warmth, and humor, they are savvy coaches and inspiring cheerleaders who can offer a lifeline to the depressed and life enrichment to anyone. About the author: Cindy Goodman Stulberg, DCS, CPsych, is a psychologist, teacher, wife, mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother. With Dr. Ronald Frey, Cindy cofounded the Institute for Interpersonal Psychotherapy, which trains, supervises, and certifies mental health clinicians in interpersonal psychotherapy. She lives in Ontario.

Guest: Linda Glassel VP of Operations for Back on My Feet Dec 06, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Linda Glassel VP of Operations for Back on My Feet About this organization: Back on My Feet seeks to revolutionize the way society approaches homelessness. Our unique model demonstrates that if you first restore confidence, strength and self-esteem, individuals are better equipped to tackle the road ahead. For all in need, we aim to provide: practical training and employment resources for achieving independence; an environment that promotes accountability; and a community that offers compassion and hope. For all with the capacity to serve – volunteers, donors, community and corporate partners – we seek to engage you in the profound experience of empowering individuals to achieve what once seemed impossible through the seemingly simple act of putting one foot in front of the other. Operating in 12 major cities coast-to-coast, Back on My Feet uses running and community to motivate and support individuals every step of the way from homelessness to independence. Our success is measured not only by the health impact of miles run, but also by how many individuals obtain education, employment and housing. Our National Leadership team manages the local chapter affiliates, providing overall strategic direction, program, marketing and operational guidelines and allowing local teams to focus on delivering their local program, meeting their local financial and programmatic goals and building local relationships. This business model seeks to build a consistent and successful program, brand and experience in each chapter as well as benefiting from shared services and economies of scale. Back on My Feet has one National Board of Directors, which is the legal governing body of Back on My Feet. Each chapter also has an independent Advisory Board to provide fundraising guidance and support. Back on My Feet is privately funded, and it’s 2017 operating budget was $7.8 million. The organization was originally founded in Philadelphia in 2007 by Anne Mahlum.

Guest: Mitch Abblett PhD (PART 2) author of The Five Hurdles to Happiness Nov 15, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Mitch Abblett PhD (PART 2) author of The Five Hurdles to Happiness and the Mindful Path to Overcoming Them About the book: A practical approach to becoming aware of the “five hindrances”–the negative qualities that inhibit living the awakened life–and to breaking free of them in order to live more mindfully, effectively, compassionately. Five obstacles stand in between you and true happiness. What are they and how can you overcome them? Buddhist traditions teach that there are five negative qualities, or hindrances, that inhibit people from living an awakened life. Here, Mitch Abblett gives this teaching a modern, secular interpretation and helps you identify the hurdles that are blocking your contentment—desire, hostility, sluggishness, worry, and doubt—and how you can take your first steps to overcoming them. Combining traditional wisdom with contemporary psychology and using examples from his psychotherapy practice, Abblett uses the hurdles as a frame for engaging you in a process of contemplating your own life and learning to lean into your experience rather than merely repeating bad habits. By doing this, you can break free from the hurdles and live more mindfully, effectively, and compassionately. About the author: Dr. Mitch Abblett is a clinical psychologist, author, consultant and speaker. As a clinician, his services focus on work with children, teens, parents, families and adults with whom he creates solutions for a range of concerns or desired growth areas. A clinician in the Boston area for over 15 years, he brings a wealth of clinical experience from various settings (hospitals, outpatient clinics, residential facilities and therapeutic schools) to his practice. For 11 years he served as the Clinical Director of the Manville School at Judge Baker Children’s Center in Boston – a Harvard-affiliated therapeutic school program for children and adolescents with emotional, behavioral and learning difficulties. He has also served as the Executive Director of the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy. As a consultant and speaker, Dr. Abblett empowers changes clients through collaborative, tailored interventions. His consultative and training work focuses on mindfulness, compassion and value-driven action and empowering clients to communicate skillfully and authentically. He improves clients’ school and work effectiveness, reduces the effects of stress, and increases skills for health self-management and daily productivity. Dr. Abblett’s writing includes a mindfulness-based book for clinicians (The Heat of the Moment: Mindful Management of Difficult Clients; WW Norton & Co.), Mindfulness for Teen Depression and Helping Your Angry Teen (both with New Harbinger), five decks of mindfulness practice cards such as Growing Mindful: A Deck of Mindfulness Practices for All Ages: PESI Publishing). His upcoming book, The Five Hurdles to Happiness-and the Mindful Path to Overcoming Them will be released by Shambhala Publications in August 2018. He also blogs regarding mindfulness applications in family and relationships on Mindful.org.

Guest: Margaret Winslow author of Smart Ass: How a Donkey Challenged Me to Accept His True Nature & Rediscover My Own Nov 08, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Margaret Winslow author of Smart Ass: How a Donkey Challenged Me to Accept His True Nature & Rediscover My Own About the book: How do you resolve a midlife crisis? Margaret Winslow, an overworked college professor in New York City, answered a for-sale ad for a “Large White Saddle Donkey.” Hilarity ensued, along with life-threatening injuries and spirit-enriching insight. Walk with Winslow and Caleb the donkey through training traumas, expert-baffling antics, and humiliating races, and share in Winslow’s gradual understanding of Caleb’s true, undeniable gifts: a willingness to be true to himself no matter the circumstances, to trust, and to forgive. As she and Caleb learn to thrive, you’ll learn the importance of being true to your own pure and powerful self. About the author: In addition to an unwitting wrangler of a rambunctious donkey named Caleb, Margaret Winslow is a field geologist with over thirty years of wilderness experience in Tierra del Fuego, Patagonia, Antarctica, Alaska, and the Caribbean. Her award-winning travel memoirs have been featured on interviews on NPR's "West Coast Live," Bonnie D. Graham's "Read My Lips" on blogtalkradio, and the Tony Kilgallin Show on NapaTV. She has published over thirty papers in international scientific journals. Her fieldwork on earthquake hazards and archaeological settlement patterns in Alaska and Chile is featured in the PBS series “Fire on the Rim.” She is Professor Emerita of Earth Sciences at the City College of New York. She lives in the lower Hudson valley of New York with her husband, Joe Stennett, a retired oceanographer. Her hobbies include continuing attempts to train her donkey, memoir and mystery writing, singing, and hiking.

Guest: Michelle Skeen PsyD author of Love Me Don't Leave Me: Overcoming the Fear of Abandonment & Building Lasting, Loving Relationships Nov 01, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest host is Shawn T. Smith PsyD who interviewed me about my book Love Me Don't Leave Me: Overcoming the Fear of Abandonment & Building Lasting, Loving Relationships About the book: Everyone thrives on love, comfort, and the safety of family, friends, and community. But if you are denied these basic comforts early in life, whether through a lack of physical affection or emotional bonding, you may develop intense fears of abandonment that can last well into adulthood―fears so powerful that they can actually cause you to push people away. If you suffer from fears of abandonment, you may have underlying feelings of anger, shame, fear, anxiety, depression, and grief. These emotions are intense and painful, and when they surface they can lead to a number of negative behaviors, such as jealousy, clinging, and emotional blackmail. In Love Me, Don’t Leave Me, therapist Michelle Skeen combines acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), schema therapy, and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) to help you identify the root of your fears. In this book you’ll learn how schema coping behaviors―deeply entrenched and automatic behaviors rooted in childhood experiences and fears―can take over and cause you to inadvertently sabotage your relationships. By recognizing these coping behaviors and understanding their cause, you will not only gain powerful insights into your own mind, but also into the minds of those around you. If you are ready to break the self-fulfilling cycle of mistrust, clinginess, and heartbreak and start building lasting, trusting relationships, this book will be your guide. About the author: Michelle Skeen, PsyD, has a doctorate in clinical psychology. She is author of seven books, all designed to enhance relationships by emphasizing the importance of identifying core values and valued intentions, limited thinking, mindfulness, self-compassion, empathy, and effective communication and conflict resolution skills. Her passion is coaching individuals in creating and maintaining healthy relationships by bringing awareness to obstacles (fears and beliefs), which often work unconsciously to limit connections with others. Michelle believes that an early introduction and education in core values and healthy communication are essential life skills for success. To that end, Michelle and her daughter, Kelly, coauthored Communication Skills for Teens and Just As You Are. Skeen completed her postdoctoral work at the University of California, San Francisco. She codeveloped an empirically validated protocol for the treatment of interpersonal problems that resulted in two books: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Interpersonal Problems and The Interpersonal Problems Workbook. Michelle’s work has appeared in more than thirty publications around the world. She hosts a weekly radio show called Relationships 2.0 with Dr. Michelle Skeen that airs nationally. To find out more, visit her website at www.michelleskeen.com.

Guest: Allie Rowbottom author of The Jell-O Girls: A Family History Nov 01, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Allie Rowbottom author of The Jell-O Girls: A Family History About the book: In 1899, Allie Rowbottom's great-great-great-uncle bought the patent to Jell-O from its inventor for $450. The sale would turn out to be one of the most profitable business deals in American history, and the generations that followed enjoyed immense privilege - but they were also haunted by suicides, cancer, alcoholism, and mysterious ailments. More than 100 years after that deal was struck, Allie's mother Mary was diagnosed with the same incurable cancer, a disease that had also claimed her own mother's life. Determined to combat what she had come to consider the "Jell-O curse" and her looming mortality, Mary began obsessively researching her family's past, determined to understand the origins of her illness and the impact on her life of Jell-O and the traditional American values the company championed. Before she died in 2015, Mary began to send Allie boxes of her research and notes, in the hope that her daughter might write what she could not. JELL-O GIRLS is the liberation of that story. A gripping examination of the dark side of an iconic American product and a moving portrait of the women who lived in the shadow of its fractured fortune, JELL-O GIRLS is a family history, a feminist history, and a story of motherhood, love and loss. In crystalline prose Rowbottom considers the roots of trauma not only in her own family, but in the American psyche as well, ultimately weaving a story that is deeply personal, as well as deeply connected to the collective female experience. A "gorgeous" (New York Times) memoir that braids the evolution of one of America's most iconic branding campaigns with the stirring tales of the women who lived behind its facade - told by the inheritor of their stories. A New York Times Editors' Choice One of People Magazine's Best Books of Summer An Amazon Best Book of the Month An Indie Next Pick A Real Simple Best Book of 2018 About the author: Allie Rowbottom received her BA from New York University, her MFA from the California Institute of the Arts and her PhD in Creative Writing and Literature from the University of Houston. Her work has received scholarships, essay prizes and honorable mentions from Tin House, Inprint, the Best American Essays series, the Florida Review, The Bellingham Review, the Black Warrior Review, The Southampton Review, and Hunger Mountain. She lives in Los Angeles.

Guest: Alexia Vernon author of Step Into Your Moxie: Amplify Your Voice, Visibility, and Influence in the World Oct 18, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Alexia Vernon author of Step Into Your Moxie: Amplify Your Voice, Visibility, and Influence in the World About the book: Step into Your Moxie is a soul-stirring call to action to speak up for yourself and the ideas and issues that matter most to you. Dubbed a “Moxie Maven” by President Obama’s White House Office of Public Engagement for her potent approach to women’s empowerment, Alexia Vernon has helped thousands of women (and men) slay diminishing self-talk and cultivate confidence. She has created a timely, refreshingly playful guide for women to communicate with candor, clarity, compassion, and ease every time they open their mouths to speak — in their careers, communities, and homes. Step into Your Moxie is the book women want by their side as they have that daring conversation, give an important presentation, run for office, or simply tell the people closest to them to step back from the boundaries they’ve trespassed. About the author: Alexia Vernon is a sought-after speaking and leadership coach to executives, entrepreneurs, media personalities, and changemakers. The creator of the Spotlight Speakers Collective and Spotlight Speaker Accelerator coaching programs, she has delivered transformational keynotes and corporate training for Fortune 500 companies and professional associations, spoken at the United Nations, and delivered a TEDx talk.

Guest: William Powers author of Dispatches from the Sweet Life Oct 11, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is William Powers author of Dispatches from the Sweet Life: One Family, Five Acres, and a Community’s Quest to Reinvent the World About the book: Many fantasize about dramatically changing their lives — living in accordance with their ideals rather than the exigencies of job, bills, and possessions. William Powers actually does it. In his book Twelve by Twelve, Powers lived in an off-grid tiny house in rural North Carolina. In New Slow City, he and his wife, Melissa, inhabited a Manhattan micro-apartment in search of slow in the fastest city in the world. Here, the couple, with baby in tow, search for balance, community, and happiness in a small town in Bolivia. They build an adobe house, plant a prolific orchard and organic garden, and weave their life into a community of permaculturists, bio-builders, artists, and creative businesspeople. Can this Transition Town succeed in the face of encroaching North American capitalism, and can Powers and the other settlers find the balance they’re seeking? Dispatches from the Sweet Life is compelling, sobering, thought-provoking, and, no matter the outcome, inspiring. About the author: An author, speaker, and expert on sustainable development, William Powers is a senior fellow at the World Policy Institute and an adjunct faculty member at New York University.

Guest: Ann E. Grant JD author of The Divorce Hacker's Guide to Untying the Knot Oct 04, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Ann E. Grant, JD author of The Divorce Hacker’s Guide to Untying the Knot: What Every Woman Needs to Know about Finances, Child Custody, Lawyers, and Planning Ahead About the book: Family law attorney Ann Grant presents the practical information every woman needs to protect herself as she navigates through a divorce. Feelings of loss, grief, and rage are common during divorce. But one of the most debilitating feelings experienced by women going through divorce is paralyzing impotence. Grant will help you take back your power and rights concerning finances, home, children, and work life. With compassion, insight, and tough-minded realism, she breaks down the process and provides step-by-step assessments, checklists, and inspiring stories of successful lives post-divorce. Her goal is to give you insider information that will not only make your divorce “successful” but also establish your life firmly and confidently on a positive, fresh new standing. About the author: Ann E. Grant, JD, began her career as a corporate litigator specializing in unfair business practices and consumer fraud. After her divorce, she created her own firm, focusing on family law and a holistic approach to this life transition. She lives and practices in Manhattan Beach, California.

Guest: Jennifer Skiff author of Rescuing Ladybugs: Inspirational Encounters with Animals That Changed the World Sep 27, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Jennifer Skiff author of Rescuing Ladybugs: Inspirational Encounters with Animals That Changed the World About the book: Countless times throughout our lives, we’re presented with a choice to help another soul. Rescuing Ladybugs highlights the true stories of remarkable people who didn’t look away from seemingly impossible-to-change situations and instead worked to save animals. Prepare to be transported to Borneo to release orangutans, Brazil to protect jaguars, Africa to connect with chimpanzees and elephants, the Maldives to free mantas, and Indonesia, the only place where dragons still exist in the wild. About the author: Jennifer Skiff is an award-winning journalist who traveled the globe as a correspondent for CNN for more than a decade. Passionate about animals and their welfare, she serves as a trustee, adviser, and spokesperson for charities around the world while working with lawmakers to create positive change.

Guest: Linda Graham author of Resilience: Powerful Practices for Bouncing Back from Disappointment, Difficulty and Even Disaster Sep 20, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Linda Graham author of Resilience: Powerful Practices for Bouncing Back from Disappointment, Difficulty, and Even Disaster About the book: Whether it’s a critical comment from the boss or a full-blown catastrophe, life continually dishes out challenges. Resilience is the learned capacity to cope with any level of adversity, from the small annoyances of daily life to the struggles and sorrows that break our hearts. Resilience is essential for surviving and thriving in a world full of troubles and tragedies, and it is completely trainable and recoverable — when we know how. In Resilience, Linda Graham offers clear guidance to help you develop somatic, emotional, relational, and reflective intelligence — the skills you need to confidently and effectively cope with life’s inevitable challenges and crises. About the author: Linda Graham, MFT, is a licensed marriage and family therapist and mindful self-compassion teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area. She integrates neuroscience, mindfulness, and relational psychology in her international trainings, conferences, workshops, and webinars.

Guest: Jonice Webb, PhD author of Running on Empty No More Sep 13, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Jonice Webb, PhD author of Running On Empty No More: Transform Your Relationships With Your Partner, Your Parents & Your Children About the book: Since the publication of Running on Empty: Overcome Your Childhood Emotional Neglect, many thousands of people have learned that invisible Childhood Emotional Neglect, or CEN, has been weighing on them their entire lives, and are now in the process of recovery. Running on Empty No More: Transform Your Relationships will offer even more solutions for the effects of CEN on people’s lives: how to talk about CEN, and heal it, in relationships with partners, parents, and children. About the author: Jonice Webb, PhD is a licensed psychologist, and author of the groundbreaking bestseller, Running on Empty: Overcome your Childhood Emotional Neglect. Dr. Webb has been interviewed by NPR and the Chicago Tribune, and featured in Psychology Today and Elephant Journal. She writes the Childhood Emotional Neglect blog on psychcentral.com. Dr. Webb has an outpatient psychotherapy practice in Lexington, Massachusetts.

Guest: Lindsey Stanberry author of Money Diaries: Everything You've Ever Wanted to Know About Your Finances...and Everyone Else's Sep 06, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Lindsey Stanberry author of Money Diaries: Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know About Your Finances…and Everyone Else’s About the book: Does it feel like you’re NEVER going to finish paying back your student loans? Do you spend more on coffee per month than you put into your 401(k)? Do you avoid looking at your bank balance because it’s easier to live in denial? The first step to getting your financial life in order is tracking what you spend. Money Diaries, the breakout series from Refinery29, offers readers a revealing and often surprising look at the personal finances of others: what they spend, how they save, and even the purchases they hide from their partners and friends. Featuring all-new Money Diaries, valuable advice on how to get rich (and afford life in the meantime) from a handpicked team of female financial advisers, and money challenges that will save you up to $500, Refinery29 Money Diaries will empower you to take immediate control of your own money, including: • Why budgets are bulls&!t and what to do instead • How to make repaying your loans as painless as possible • How to start an emergency fund even if you’re living paycheck to paycheck • How to effectively ask for a raise and make sure you’re being paid fairly • How to have fun without going broke • The joy of saving for future you With a vision of what your dream bank account balance looks like, some expert advice to help you achieve it, and the support of a powerful community with the same goal, you’ll be a step closer to taking control of not just your wallet, but your life. About the author: As Work & Money Director at Refinery29, Lindsey Stanberry provides millennial women with the smart, entertaining, financial and career advice they deserve. She developed her passion for these topics after her story “How I Saved $100,000 To Buy an Apartment” received a massive response from R29 readers. In 2015, she launched Refinery29’s first Work & Money vertical, covering everything from retirement funds and paid family leave to the inspiring female entrepreneurs she met in Haiti while interviewing Chelsea Clinton. She recently appeared on CBS This Morning as part of the Refinery29 series on the financial lives of millennials. She lives in Brooklyn with her frugal husband and one-year-old son. Refinery29 Money Diaries is her first book. Refinery29 is the leading digital media and entertainment company focused on women with a global audience footprint of 550 million across all platforms. Through a variety of lifestyle stories, original video programming, social, shareable content, and live experiences, Refinery29 provides its audience with the inspiration and tools to discover and pursue a more independent, stylish, and informed life. Money Diaries has been featured on CBS This Morning and in The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch, and more.

Guest: Mitch Abblett PhD author of The Five Hurdles to Happiness Aug 30, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Mitch Abblett PhD author of The Five Hurdles to Happiness and the Mindful Path to Overcoming Them About the book: A practical approach to becoming aware of the “five hindrances”–the negative qualities that inhibit living the awakened life–and to breaking free of them in order to live more mindfully, effectively, compassionately. Five obstacles stand in between you and true happiness. What are they and how can you overcome them? Buddhist traditions teach that there are five negative qualities, or hindrances, that inhibit people from living an awakened life. Here, Mitch Abblett gives this teaching a modern, secular interpretation and helps you identify the hurdles that are blocking your contentment—desire, hostility, sluggishness, worry, and doubt—and how you can take your first steps to overcoming them. Combining traditional wisdom with contemporary psychology and using examples from his psychotherapy practice, Abblett uses the hurdles as a frame for engaging you in a process of contemplating your own life and learning to lean into your experience rather than merely repeating bad habits. By doing this, you can break free from the hurdles and live more mindfully, effectively, and compassionately. About the author: Dr. Mitch Abblett is a clinical psychologist, author, consultant and speaker. As a clinician, his services focus on work with children, teens, parents, families and adults with whom he creates solutions for a range of concerns or desired growth areas. A clinician in the Boston area for over 15 years, he brings a wealth of clinical experience from various settings (hospitals, outpatient clinics, residential facilities and therapeutic schools) to his practice. For 11 years he served as the Clinical Director of the Manville School at Judge Baker Children’s Center in Boston – a Harvard-affiliated therapeutic school program for children and adolescents with emotional, behavioral and learning difficulties. He has also served as the Executive Director of the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy. As a consultant and speaker, Dr. Abblett empowers changes clients through collaborative, tailored interventions. His consultative and training work focuses on mindfulness, compassion and value-driven action and empowering clients to communicate skillfully and authentically. He improves clients’ school and work effectiveness, reduces the effects of stress, and increases skills for health self-management and daily productivity. Dr. Abblett’s writing includes a mindfulness-based book for clinicians (The Heat of the Moment: Mindful Management of Difficult Clients; WW Norton & Co.), Mindfulness for Teen Depression and Helping Your Angry Teen (both with New Harbinger), five decks of mindfulness practice cards such as Growing Mindful: A Deck of Mindfulness Practices for All Ages: PESI Publishing). His upcoming book, The Five Hurdles to Happiness-and the Mindful Path to Overcoming Them will be released by Shambhala Publications in August 2018. He also blogs regarding mindfulness applications in family and relationships on Mindful.org.

Guest: Dan Millman author of The Life You Were Born to Live: A Guide to Finding Your Life Purpose Aug 23, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Dan Millman author of The Life You Were Born to Live: A Guide to Finding Your Life Purpose Revised 25th Anniversary Edition About the book: Dan Millman presents an entirely new way of understanding life and the forces that shape it. The Life-Purpose System, a modern method of personal growth based on ancient wisdom, has helped thousands of people find new meaning, purpose, and direction in their lives. The Life You Were Born to Livefeatures: the thirty-seven paths of life how to determine your life path and the life paths of others core issues, inborn talents, and special needs of each path, including health, money, and sexuality guidelines for finding a career consistent with your innate drives and abilities the hidden dynamics of your relationships how to live in harmony with the cycles of life The Life-Purpose System explores key spiritual laws — universal principles specific to each life path — that help you clarify the past, understand the present, and shape the future. It can generate a quantum leap in self-understanding and may even change the course of your life. About the author: Most people who’ve read Way of the Peaceful Warrior (or seen the movie) already know a few aspects of my life. And you may have seen the following bio at my website: “Dan Millman, a former world champion athlete, gymnastics coach, martial arts instructor, and college professor, is author of Way of the Peaceful Warrior (adapted to film in 2006), and 16 other books read by millions of people in 29 languages. Dan teaches worldwide and has influenced people from all walks of life. The author and his wife, Joy, live in Brooklyn, NY. His most recent work includes The Hidden School, completing the ‘peaceful warrior saga,’ as well as an audio program, “The Complete Peaceful Warrior’s Way,” available through Audible.com.

Guest: Kelly Skeen (PART 2) author of Just As You Are: A Teen's Guide to Self-Acceptance & Lasting Self-Esteem Aug 16, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Kelly Skeen co-author of Just As You Are: A Teen’s Guide to Self-Acceptance & Lasting Self-Esteem. Carolyn Twersky with Seventeen.com and her mother Laura Twersky join us to discuss some of the challenges faced by teens. About the book: Stop comparing yourself to others—you’re special just as you are! In this fun, practical guide, you’ll learn how to silence your nit-picky inner critic, cultivate self-compassion, and discover what really matters to you. If you’re like many teens, you probably feel pressured to live up to the impossible standards set by our culture, the media, and even by your peers. After all, everyone wants perfect hair, a perfect body, cool friends, and good grades. But while it’s okay to strive to be your best, it’s also easy to get caught up in a never-ending comparison game that can feed your inner critic and rob you of your happiness. So, how can you break free from negative self-criticism and learn to appreciate your strengths? In Just As You Are, psychologist Michelle Skeen and her daughter, Kelly Skeen, offer simple tips to help you overcome feelings of inadequacy and unworthiness, stop comparing yourself to others, and be more open and accepting of all aspects of who you are. You’ll also learn how to be more aware of your thoughts and feelings in the moment using powerful mindfulness tools, and build a plan of action for the future based on your values. Sometimes it’s hard to see yourself with clarity and kindness. With this important guide, you’ll learn to move past your faults, celebrate your true strengths, and discover what really matters in your life. What are you waiting for? About the author: Kelly Skeen is a recent graduate of Georgetown University in Washington, DC. As an American studies major, she concentrated in art and museum studies, and plans to pursue a career expanding access to the visual arts. She is also coauthor of Communication Skills for Teens with her mother, Michelle Skeen. Skeen strives every day for greater self-acceptance and to embrace who she really is! To learn more, visit her website at www.kellyskeen.com.

Guest: David A. Carbonell PhD author of The Worry Trick: How Your Brain Tricks You into Expecting the Worst and What You Can Do About It Aug 09, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 I'm replaying a previous episode with David A. Carbonell, PhD author of The Worry Trick: How Your Brain Tricks You into Expecting the Worst and What You Can Do About It About the book: Are you truly in danger or has your brain simply “tricked” you into thinking you are? In The Worry Trick, psychologist and anxiety expert David Carbonell shows how anxiety hijacks the brain and offers effective techniques to help you break the cycle of worry, once and for all. Anxiety is a powerful force. It makes us question ourselves and our decisions, causes us to worry about the future, and fills our days with dread and emotional turbulence. Based in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), this book is designed to help you break the cycle of worry. Worry convinces us there’s danger, and then tricks us into getting into fight, flight, or freeze mode—even when there is no danger. The techniques in this book, rather than encouraging you to avoid or try to resist anxiety, shows you how to see the trick that underlies your anxious thoughts, and how avoidance can backfire and make anxiety worse. If you’re ready to start observing your anxious feelings with distance and clarity—rather than getting tricked once again—this book will show you how. About the author: David Carbonell, Ph.D., is a Clinical Psychologist who specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders. He is the founder and director of the Anxiety Treatment Center, Ltd., a small group of psychologists which offers treatment of all manner of fears and phobias at several locations in and around Chicago, and the “coach” at www.anxietycoach.com, a self help web site for people troubled by fears and phobias. Dr. Carbonell is a recognized expert in this field, and has conducted training and seminars for a variety of professional groups, including the Anxiety Disorders Association of America; the International Association of Cognitive Psychotherapy; the United Airlines Employee Assistance Program; the Rockland County and Suffolk County Psychological Associations in New York; the Illinois Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Professional Certification Association; the Illinois Employee Assistance Professionals Association; the Illinois Psychological Association, the New York Psychological Association; and Northwestern University Medical School, among others. He regularly offers a day-long workshop for professional therapists on the treatment of anxiety disorders at locations around the country, sponsored by Pesi Healthcare, Inc. Dr. Carbonell is the author of Panic Attacks Workbook (Ulysses Press, 2004) and The Worry Trick (New Harbinger, 2016). He is a member of the American Psychological Association; the Anxiety Disorders Association of America; the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies; the Association for Contextual and Behavioral Science; the International Association for Cognitive Psychotherapy; the Illinois Psychological Association; and the Obsessive Compulsive Foundation. He is licensed as a clinical psychologist by the States of Illinois and New York.

Guest: Kelly Skeen author of Just As You Are: A Teen's Guide to Self-Acceptance & Lasting Self-Esteem Aug 02, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Kelly Skeen co-author of Just As You Are: A Teen’s Guide to Self-Acceptance & Lasting Self-Esteem About the book: Stop comparing yourself to others—you’re special just as you are! In this fun, practical guide, you’ll learn how to silence your nit-picky inner critic, cultivate self-compassion, and discover what really matters to you. If you’re like many teens, you probably feel pressured to live up to the impossible standards set by our culture, the media, and even by your peers. After all, everyone wants perfect hair, a perfect body, cool friends, and good grades. But while it’s okay to strive to be your best, it’s also easy to get caught up in a never-ending comparison game that can feed your inner critic and rob you of your happiness. So, how can you break free from negative self-criticism and learn to appreciate your strengths? In Just As You Are, psychologist Michelle Skeen and her daughter, Kelly Skeen, offer simple tips to help you overcome feelings of inadequacy and unworthiness, stop comparing yourself to others, and be more open and accepting of all aspects of who you are. You’ll also learn how to be more aware of your thoughts and feelings in the moment using powerful mindfulness tools, and build a plan of action for the future based on your values. Sometimes it’s hard to see yourself with clarity and kindness. With this important guide, you’ll learn to move past your faults, celebrate your true strengths, and discover what really matters in your life. What are you waiting for? About the author: Kelly Skeen is a recent graduate of Georgetown University in Washington, DC. As an American studies major, she concentrated in art and museum studies, and plans to pursue a career expanding access to the visual arts. She is also coauthor of Communication Skills for Teens with her mother, Michelle Skeen. Skeen strives every day for greater self-acceptance and to embrace who she really is! To learn more, visit her website at www.kellyskeen.com.

Guest: Dean Sluyter author of Fear Less: Living Beyond Fear, Anxiety, Anger and Addiction Jul 26, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Dean Sluyter author of Fear Less: Living Beyond Fear, Anxiety, Anger, and Addiction About the book: These days there’s so much fear in the air, you can almost taste it—along with all the varieties of anxiety, anger, and addiction that grow out of it. How can you navigate your way through the fear and confusion, and find your way to peace? In Fear Less, acclaimed teacher and award-winning author Dean Sluyter shows how to use simple meditative techniques and subtle tweaks of body, mind, and breath to open your life to deep, relaxed confidence. Drawing on ancient enlightenment teachings as well as contemporary research, he lays out practical, easy-to-follow steps for addressing such issues as: • letting go of compulsive overthinking • loosening the bonds of addiction (including smartphone addiction) • overcoming the fear of death • finding meditative stillness in the thick of activity About the author: Dean Sluyter (pronounced “slighter”) has taught natural methods of meditation and awakening throughout the U.S. and beyond since 1970, from colleges and yoga studios to corporate offices and maximum-security prisons. Dean is known for his warm, funny, down-to-earth style, and for making authentic, life-transforming teachings accessible and easy. His previous books include The Zen Commandments and Natural Meditation. Dean lives in Southern California.

Guest: Matthew Dicks author of Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling Jul 19, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Matthew Dick author of Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling About the book: Whether we realize it or not, we are always telling stories. On a first date or job interview, at a sales presentation or therapy appointment, with family or friends, we are constantly narrating events and interpreting emotions and actions. In this compelling book, storyteller extraordinaire Matthew Dicks presents wonderfully straightforward and engaging tips and techniques for constructing, telling, and polishing stories that will hold the attention of your audience (no matter how big or small). He shows that anyone can learn to be an appealing storyteller, that everyone has something “storyworthy” to express, and, perhaps most important, that the act of creating and telling a tale is a powerful way of understanding and enhancing your own life. About the author: Matthew Dicks is a bestselling novelist, thirty-six-time Moth StorySLAM champion, and five-time GrandSLAM champion. In addition to his widespread teaching, writing, and performing, he cofounded (with his wife) Speak Up, which produces sold-out storytelling performances throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York at least once a month. He lives in Newington, Connecticut.

Guest: Karen Bluth PhD author of The Self-Compassion Workbook for Teens Jul 12, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Karen Bluth, PhD author of The Self-Compassion Workbook for Teens: Mindfulness & Compassion Skills to Overcome Self-Criticism & Embrace Who You Are About the book: Your teen years are a time of change, growth, and—all too often—psychological struggle. To make matters worse, you are often your own worst critic. The Self-Compassion Workbook for Teens offers valuable tools based in mindfulness and self-compassion to help you overcome self-judgment and self-criticism, cultivate compassion toward yourself and others, and embrace who you really are. As a teen, you’re going through major changes—both physically and mentally. These changes can have a dramatic effect on how you perceive, understand, and interpret the world around you, leaving you feeling stressed and anxious. Additionally, you may also find yourself comparing yourself to others—whether its friends, classmates, or celebrities and models. And all of this comparison can leave you feeling like you just aren’t enough. So, how can you move past feelings of stress and insecurity and start living the life you really want? Written by psychologist Karen Bluth and based on practices adapted from Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer’s Mindful Self-Compassion program, this workbook offers fun and tactile exercises grounded in mindfulness and self-compassion to help you cope more effectively with the ongoing challenges of day-to-day life. You’ll learn how to be present with difficult emotions, and respond to these emotions with greater kindness and self-care. By practicing these activities and meditations, you’ll learn specific tools to help you navigate the emotional ups and downs of the teen years with greater ease. Life is imperfect—and so are we. But if you’re ready to move past self-criticism and self-judgment and embrace your unique self, this compassionate guide will light the way. About the author: Karen Bluth, PhD, earned her doctoral degree in child and family studies at the University of Tennessee. She is currently research faculty in the Program on Integrative Medicine in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Her work focuses on the roles that mindfulness and self-compassion play in promoting well-being in teens. Bluth was awarded a Francisco J. Varela research award from the Mind and Life Institute in 2012, which allowed her to explore the effects of a mindfulness intervention on adolescents’ well-being through examining stress biomarkers. In spring 2015, she received internal University of North Carolina funding to explore relationships among mindfulness, self-compassion, and emotional well-being in teens in grades 7–12. With current NIH funding, she is part of a research team at the University of North Carolina that is studying the teen adaptation of Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer’s Mindful Self-Compassion program. In addition to her research, Bluth regularly teaches mindfulness and mindful self-compassion courses to both adults and teens in the Chapel Hill, NC, area and regularly gives talks and leads workshops at schools and universities. In collaboration with Lorraine Hobbs, Bluth has adapted Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer’s Mindful Self-Compassion program for an adolescent population. A former educator with eighteen years classroom experience, Bluth is currently associate editor of the academic journal Mindfulness.

Guest: Sarah Anne Shockley author of The Pain Companion Jun 28, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Sarah Anne Shockley author of The Pain Companion: Everyday Wisdom for Living With and Moving Beyond Chronic Pain About the book: Where do you turn when medication and medical treatments do not relieve persistent, debilitating pain? What can you do when pain interferes with work, family, and social life and you no longer feel like the person you used to be? Relying on firsthand experience with severe nerve pain, author Sarah Anne Shockley accompanies you on your journey through pain and offers compassionate, practical advice to ease difficult emotions and address lifestyle challenges. Her approach helps reduce the toll that living in pain takes on relationships, self-image, and well-being while cultivating greater ease and resilience on a daily basis. Dozens of accessible, uplifting practices guide you every step of the way from a life overcome by pain to a life of greater comfort and peace. The Pain Companion also offers profound insights for medical practitioners and invaluable guidance for anyone who loves or cares for others in pain. About the author: Sarah Anne Shockley is an award-winning filmmaker and former university instructor who has lived with debilitating neuralgia from thoracic outlet syndrome for more than ten years. Because her condition was unresponsive to existing traditional or alternative therapies, she developed a unique method of pain management and pain reduction not reliant on pharmaceuticals or medical intervention. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Guest: Mary DeMocker author of The Parents' Guide to Climate Revolution Jun 21, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Mary DeMocker author of The Parents' Guide to Climate Revolution: 100 Ways to Build a Fossil-Free Future, Raise Empowered Kids, and Still Get a Good Night’s Sleep About the book: “Relax,” writes author Mary DeMocker, “this isn’t another light bulb list. It’s not another overwhelming pile of parental ‘to dos’ designed to shrink your family’s carbon footprint through eco-superheroism.” Instead, DeMocker lays out a lively, empowering, and doable blueprint for engaging families in the urgent endeavor of climate revolution. In this book’s brief, action-packed chapters, you’ll learn hundreds of wide-ranging ideas for being part of the revolution — from embracing simplicity parenting, to freeing yourself from dead-end science debates, to teaching kids about the power of creative protest, to changing your lifestyle in ways that deepen family bonds, improve moods, and reduce your impact on the Earth. Engaging and creative, this vital resource is for everyone who wants to act effectively — and empower children to do the same. About the author: Mary has reveled in an artistic life, performing the harp, dressing sets for NYC films, and now using the arts to mobilize for climate justice. Mary is the co-founder of 350 Eugene, where she leads interactive art projects and rallies, including one featured in a PBS NewsHour broadcast about children suing the government for their right to a livable planet. In conjunction with Paris climate talks, Mary led the Climate March & Public Art Project featured in the London-based global art festival ArtCOP21 and included in the Avaaz video shown to world leaders entering UN talks. A National Endowment for the Arts grant recipient and winner of the 2008 Kay Snow Award for Nonfiction, Mary lives with her family in Oregon. She is available for workshops and lectures and can be reached through her website at www.marydemocker.com.

Guests: Linda & Charlie Bloom authors of That Which Doesn't Kill Us Jun 14, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guests are Charlie and Linda Bloom authors of That Which Doesn’t Kill Us: How One Couple Became Stronger at the Broken Places About the book: That Which Doesn’t Kill Us is the story of a couple’s ten-year journey that took them through a series of ordeals that crippled their family and nearly destroyed their marriage. Trained as psychotherapists and practicing relationship counselors, both Charlie and Linda found that their professional training wasn’t enough to liberate them from the challenges they encountered. Alternating chapters, the authors illuminate the experiences they endured as well as the process that allowed them to finally heal from the damage caused by their prolonged period of stress and conflict. In the end, they were able to not only salvage their marriage; they also managed to establish a connection that brought their relationship a depth of intimacy, trust, and integrity far beyond what they had ever experienced before. The process of their miraculous recovery is presented in vivid detail and reads like a riveting novel. The Blooms’ unfolding story provides the essential steps necessary to breathe life back into a failing marriage and move into a deep, loving connection that surpasses even the dreams that each partner had dared to hope to fulfill. About the authors: Linda Bloom LCSW and Charlie Bloom MSW are considered experts in the field of relationships. They have been married since 1972. They have both been trained as seminar leaders, therapists and relationships counselors and have been working with individuals, couples, and groups since 1975. They have been featured presenters at numerous conferences, universities, and institutions of learning throughout the country and overseas as well. They are regular faculty members at the Esalen Institute, the Kripalu Center, the California Institute for Integral Studies, and many other learning facilities. They have appeared on over two hundred radio and TV programs and are co-authors of their latest book, “Happily Ever After…and 39 Other Myths about Love: Breaking Through to the Relationship of Your Dreams”

Guest: Matthew McKay PhD co-author of The CBT Anxiety Solution Workbook: A Breakthrough Treatment for Overcoming Fear, Worry & Panic Jun 07, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Matthew McKay, PhD co-author of The CBT Anxiety Solution Workbook: A Breakthrough Treatment for Overcoming Fear, Worry & Panic About the book: You are stronger than your anxiety! In this important workbook, best-selling authors Matthew McKay, Patrick Fanning, and Michelle Skeen offer a breakthrough anxiety solution based in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you understand and overcome your fears and worries, rather than try to avoid them. If you suffer from an anxiety disorder, you may try to avoid situations that cause you to feel worry, fear, or panic. You may even believe that terrible things will happen to you if you face the things that make you anxious. But avoidance isn’t a long-term solution, and in the end it may result in more anxiety. This book shows you how the simple belief that you can endure your worries and fears—both mentally and physically—can be an extremely powerful treatment. Using a breakthrough approach combining proven-effective CBT and exposure therapy, this workbook helps you understand how worry and rumination drive anxiety, and offers practical exercises to help you adopt new habits of observing your thoughts, rather than accepting them as the “ultimate truth.” You’ll also develop mindfulness and self-soothing coping skills to help you manage anxiety in the moment, rather than avoid it. Over time these practices will show you that you are more powerful than your anxiety. If you’ve been stuck in a cycle of anxiety and avoidance, this workbook will help you make the changes you need to get your life back. About the author: Matthew McKay, PhD, is a professor at the Wright Institute in Berkeley, CA. He has authored and coauthored numerous books, including The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook, Self-Esteem, Thoughts and Feelings, When Anger Hurts, and ACT on Life Not on Anger. McKay received his PhD in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology, and specializes in the cognitive behavioral treatment of anxiety and depression. He lives and works in the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

Guest: Michael Tompkins, PhD author of The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook for Teens: CBT Skills to Help You Deal With Worry & Anxiety May 31, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Michael A. Tompkins, PhD author of The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook for Teens: CBT Skills to Help You Deal With Worry and Anxiety About the book: Today’s teens are totally stressed. Based on the self-help classic, The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook, this evidence-based guide will help you develop a game plan for reducing stress so you can focus on reaching your goals. Are you feeling stressed out? You aren’t alone. Between school, tests, friendships, dating, the latest drama on social media, college applications, and a bunch of confusing physical changes, it’s no wonder that stress is a major mental health issue for many of today’s teens. The good news is that there are simple ways you can reduce your stress and reach your goals. This workbook will show you how. With The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook for Teens, you’ll learn to understand the underlying causes of your stress. You’ll discover practical mindfulness and breathing techniques to help you calm your mind and body in moments of worry and anxiety. You’ll also find tips for moving past “what ifs” and “shoulds,” strategies for managing negative thoughts and emotions, and tools to help you develop your own personalized plan for dealing with stress. If you’re ready to move past stress and worry and start focusing on your bright future, this workbook has everything you need to get started today. Teens need mental health resources more than ever. With over 1.2 million copies sold worldwide, Instant Help Books for teens are engaging, proven-effective, and recommended by therapists. About the author: Michael A. Tompkins, PhD, ABPP, is codirector of the San Francisco Bay Area Center for Cognitive Therapy; assistant clinical professor at the University of California, Berkeley; and a diplomate and founding fellow of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy. Tompkins specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders in adults, adolescents, and children. He is author or coauthor of numerous articles on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and related topics, as well as seven books, including three books published by New Harbinger Publications: Digging Out, OCD: A Guide for the Newly Diagnosed, and Anxiety and Avoidance. Tompkins serves on the advisory board of Magination Press, the children’s press of the American Psychological Association. He is a certified supervisor and trainer for the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy and the Academy of Cognitive Therapy. Tompkins has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, on NPR, and has presented over 250 workshops, lectures, and keynote addresses on CBT and related topics.

Guest: Michelle Fondin author of Chakra Healing for Vibrant Energy: Exploring Your 7 Energy Centers with Mindfulness, Yoga and Ayurveda May 24, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Michelle Fondin author of Chakra Healing for Vibrant Energy: Exploring Your 7 Energy Centers with Mindfulness, Yoga and Ayurveda About the book: Tap into your body’s vital source of energy and wellness Positioned along the spinal axis, from the tailbone to the crown of the head, the seven main energy centers of the body are called chakras. Author Michelle Fondin explores and explains each one in the seven chapters of this book, demystifying their role in facilitating healing, balance, personal power, and everyday well-being. She offers meditations and visualizations, yoga postures, breathing exercises, and Ayurvedic dietary practices to learn about and work with the chakras. You may choose to follow the healing practices for seven days, devoting one day to each chakra; for seven weeks, focusing on each chakra for a week at a time; or at your own pace, spending as long as you need on each chakra. Whether you are experiencing an illness brought on by imbalance, feeling sluggish because of seasonal changes, or simply wishing to deepen your study of the subtle body, you will find healing and rejuvenation while discovering the power of these vibrant energy vortices, your chakras. About the author: Author of The Wheel of Healing: An Easy Guide to an Ayurvedic Lifestyle, Help! I Think My Loved One Is an Alcoholic: A Survival Guide for Lovers, Family, & Friends and owner Fondin Wellness, Michelle Fondin practices as an Ayurvedic Lifestyle Counselor, yoga and meditation teacher. She holds a Vedic Master certificate from the Chopra Center and has worked with Drs. Deepak Chopra and David Simon at Chopra Center events teaching yoga and meditation. Michelle also writes for Chopra.com. Michelle regularly sees clients in Herndon, Virginia, teaching them how to live an Ayurvedic Lifestyle and achieve optimal wellness. She’s a member of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association, The Association of Ayurvedic Professionals of North America and Yoga Alliance. Check out all of Michelle Fondin’s videos on YouTube on Ayurveda, Yoga, Loving an Alcoholic, and Healthy Living: https://www.youtube.com/user/MichelleFondinAuthor.

Guest: Gail Straub author of The Ashokan Way: Landscape's Path into Consciousness May 17, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Gail Straub author of The Ashokan Way: Landscape’s Path into Consciousness About the book: The natural world has the power to awaken, restore, and transform us, and nowhere are these capacities more evident than in the thirty-six luminous essays that make up The Ashokan Way. Written in the form of journal entries that take place over the course of a year, the essays explore both the outer landscapes of the awe-inspiring Ashokan Reservoir, a vast open space surrounded by the ancient bluestone peaks of the Catskill Mountain Watershed, and the equally awe-inspiring inner landscapes of our own most personal terrains. Each of the book’s evocative entries describes a walk along the ever-changing reservoir, illuminating the natural world as a portal to self-understanding, restoration, and meaning. Some walks take us deep inside to trek the hills and valleys of our aspirations and sorrows, our joys and confusions. Others offer a profound antidote to an interior landscape that has become crowded with distraction and overstimulation. Still others seem to seem usher us into the realm of the mystical. As surely as we would perish without the water and air that the earth provides, we are at risk of perishing without the spiritual sustenance that the natural world provides through its ability to stir and astonish us. In a world that is ever faster, noisier, and busier, The Ashokan Way is a balm, an inspiration, and an invitation to discover greater intimacy with inner and outer landscapes alike. About the author: Gail Straub is the Executive Director of the Empowerment Institute, which she co-founded in 1981. As one of the world’s leading authorities on women’s empowerment, she co-directs the Empowerment Institute’s School for Transformative Social Change empowering change agents from around the world to design and implement cutting-edge social innovations. As part of this focus, she co-founded IMAGINE: A Global Initiative for the Empowerment of Women to help women heal from violence, build strong lives, and contribute to their community. IMAGINE initiatives are currently under way throughout Africa, Afghanistan, India, and the Middle East. Gail has consulted to many organizations furthering women’s empowerment including the Chinese Women’s Federation, Women for Women International, World Pulse, and the Omega Women’s Leadership Center. Gail is the author of five books including, with her husband David Gershon, the best-selling Empowerment: The Art of Creating Your Life As You Want It which has been translated into over 14 languages, the critically acclaimed The Rhythm of Compassion, and the award-winning feminist memoir Returning to My Mother’s House. She lives in the Hudson River Valley in New York.

Guest: Shawn T. Smith PsyD author of The Tactical Guide to Women: How Men Can Manage Risk in Dating and Marriage May 10, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Shawn T. Smith, PsyD author of The Tactical Guide to Women: How Men Can Manage Risk in Dating and Marriage. About the book: For men, love is a high-stakes gamble. The right woman can be the best part of a man’s life, and the wrong one can lead to personal and financial ruin. In today’s climate, no man should venture into romance without a reliable risk-management strategy. The Tactical Guide to Women delivers a solid plan for allowing the right women into your life, and keeping the wrong ones at a safe distance. You’ll discover how to: Identify good women of low drama and high character Reduce your vulnerability to women who seem perfect for you—but aren’t Spot the early warning signs of emotional instability You’ll also learn: Critical techniques for seeing women clearly The most common mistakes that lead men into disastrous relationships How to reduce the odds of a good relationship going bad Impeccably researched and backed by the author’s decade of clinical experience, The Tactical Guide to Women provides men with desperately needed, rarely discussed strategies for finding sanity, joy, and companionship. This is not another book about getting laid. This book is about not getting screwed. About the author: Shawn Smith is a clinical psychologist in Denver, Colorado and the author of five psychology books. He also writes a blog at docsmith.co, where he has answered important questions such as: Can dogs learn to read? Why do I feel amorous when I have a cold? Is my ex possessed? Shawn’s writing is light-hearted, impeccably researched, and always useful.

Guest: Yvonne Tally author of Breaking Up With Busy: Real-life Solutions for Overscheduled Women May 03, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Yvonne Tally author of Breaking Up With Busy: Real-life Solutions for Overscheduled Women About the book: Make the time for what matters most by breaking up with busy Overbooking and undersleeping have almost become status symbols, and having it all seems to be synonymous with doing it all, yet what do we really accomplish with so much busyness? Yvonne Tally wants to give you back your life by helping you break the busyness habit. She offers realistic, step-by-step, and even fun ways to get off the busyness hamster wheel and reclaim your time. Yvonne shows how the benefits of living a more balanced life can improve your longevity and spiritual well-being. She outlines ways to shift and calm your mind, learn how to say no, and create your own “busy-busting solutions.” With fifty-two refreshers and reminders, Breaking Up with Busy provides incremental ways to change habits, transform thinking, and reconnect with your unique, personal sense of play and pleasure. About the author: Yvonne Tally leads meditation and mindfulness programs for corporations, private groups, and individuals in Silicon Valley and throughout the United States. She is an NLP Master Practitioner and cofounded Poised Inc., a fitness and lifestyle company. She lives in Northern California.

Guest: Julie M. Simon (PART 2) author of When Food Is Comfort: Nurture Yourself Mindfully, Rewire Your Brain, and End Emotional Eating Apr 26, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Julie M. Simon (PART 2) author of When Food Is Comfort: Nurture Yourself Mindfully, Rewire Your Brain, and End Emotional Eating About the book: If you regularly eat when you’re not truly hungry, choose unhealthy comfort foods, or eat beyond fullness, something is out of balance. Recent advances in brain science have uncovered the crucial role that our early social and emotional environment plays in the development of imbalanced eating patterns. When we do not receive consistent and sufficient emotional nurturance during our early years, we are at greater risk of seeking it from external sources, such as food. Despite logical arguments, we have difficulty modifying our behavior because we are under the influence of an emotionally dominant part of the brain. The good news is that the brain can be rewired for optimal emotional health. When Food Is Comfort presents a breakthrough mindfulness practice called Inner Nurturing, a comprehensive, step-by-step program developed by an author who was herself an emotional eater. You’ll learn how to nurture yourself with the loving-kindness you crave and handle stressors more easily so that you can stop turning to food for comfort. Improved health and self-esteem, more energy, and weight loss will naturally follow. About the author: Julie M. Simon, MA, MBA, LMFT, is a licensed psychotherapist and life coach with more than twenty-seven years of experience helping overeaters stop dieting, heal their relationships with themselves and their bodies, lose excess weight, and keep it off. She is the author of The Emotional Eater’s Repair Manual and the founder of the popular Twelve-Week Emotional Eating Recovery Program. She lives in Los Angeles.

Guests: Rebecca Williams PhD and Julie Kraft MA, LMFT (PART 2) authors of The Gift of Recovery: 52 Mindful Ways to Live Joyfully Beyond Addiction Apr 23, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guests are Rebecca Williams PhD and Julie Kraft MA, LMFT (part 2 of a 2 part interview) authors of The Gift of Recovery: 52 Mindful Ways to Live Joyfully Beyond Addiction About the book: If you’re recovering from addiction, The Gift of Recovery offers quick, in-the-moment tips and tricks to help you cope with daily stress and stay firmly on the path to wellness. With this gentle, easy-to-use guide, you’ll learn how to navigate relationships, take time for self-care, and build a mindful, sustainable, and joyful recovery. Deciding to get help for addiction is the first step toward recovery. But addiction recovery doesn’t happen all at once—it’s something that must be worked for, every day. Sometimes, it will be easy. When things are going well, you may not be tempted to give in to your cravings. But when life is stressful, you’ll need strategies to help you cope. Written by the authors of The Mindfulness Workbook for Addiction, this on-the-go mindfulness guide offers fifty-two powerful and effective meditations to help you manage the stress, depression, and strong emotions that can get in the way of a full and lasting recovery. You’ll also find skills based in cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help you stay grounded, as well as links to online resources. Deciding to overcome an addiction can feel like leaving a relationship. It’s hard and sometimes lonely—but it is truly an act of courage. This book will help guide you as you continue making courageous steps toward peace, joy, and fulfillment. About the authors: Rebecca E. Williams, PhD, is an award-winning author, consultant, and clinical psychologist specializing in healthy recovery from mental illness and addiction. Her work focuses on building resilience and embracing well-being. She is associate clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego, and program director at the Veterans Affairs San Diego Health Care System. Julie S. Kraft, MA, LMFT, is a licensed marriage and family therapist. She has been working in the fields of addiction and mental health since 2008. Julie is an adjunct faculty member at the University of San Diego, where she teaches systemic treatment of substance abuse. Julie has a private practice in San Diego, CA, where she works to help her clients find all the gifts that they deserve. Williams and Kraft are coauthors of The Mindfulness Workbook for Addiction, which won the San Diego Book Award. Their workbook has been translated into Korean.

Guests: Rebecca Williams PhD and Julie Kraft MA, LMFT authors of The Gift of Recovery: 52 Mindful Ways to Live Joyfully Beyond Addiction Apr 12, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guests are Rebecca Williams PhD and Julie Kraft MA, LMFT authors of The Gift of Recovery: 52 Mindful Ways to Live Joyfully Beyond Addiction About the book: If you’re recovering from addiction, The Gift of Recovery offers quick, in-the-moment tips and tricks to help you cope with daily stress and stay firmly on the path to wellness. With this gentle, easy-to-use guide, you’ll learn how to navigate relationships, take time for self-care, and build a mindful, sustainable, and joyful recovery. Deciding to get help for addiction is the first step toward recovery. But addiction recovery doesn’t happen all at once—it’s something that must be worked for, every day. Sometimes, it will be easy. When things are going well, you may not be tempted to give in to your cravings. But when life is stressful, you’ll need strategies to help you cope. Written by the authors of The Mindfulness Workbook for Addiction, this on-the-go mindfulness guide offers fifty-two powerful and effective meditations to help you manage the stress, depression, and strong emotions that can get in the way of a full and lasting recovery. You’ll also find skills based in cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help you stay grounded, as well as links to online resources. Deciding to overcome an addiction can feel like leaving a relationship. It’s hard and sometimes lonely—but it is truly an act of courage. This book will help guide you as you continue making courageous steps toward peace, joy, and fulfillment. About the authors: Rebecca E. Williams, PhD, is an award-winning author, consultant, and clinical psychologist specializing in healthy recovery from mental illness and addiction. Her work focuses on building resilience and embracing well-being. She is associate clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego, and program director at the Veterans Affairs San Diego Health Care System. Julie S. Kraft, MA, LMFT, is a licensed marriage and family therapist. She has been working in the fields of addiction and mental health since 2008. Julie is an adjunct faculty member at the University of San Diego, where she teaches systemic treatment of substance abuse. Julie has a private practice in San Diego, CA, where she works to help her clients find all the gifts that they deserve. Williams and Kraft are coauthors of The Mindfulness Workbook for Addiction, which won the San Diego Book Award. Their workbook has been translated into Korean.

Guest: Rachel Hershenberg, PhD author of Activating Happiness: A Jump-Start to Overcoming Low Motivation, Depression, or Just Feeling Stuck Apr 05, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Rachel Hershenberg, PhD author of Activating Happiness: A Jump-Start Guide to Overcoming Low Motivation, Depression, or Just Feeling Stuck. About the book: It’s not just big choices that can radically change our lives—sometimes it’s the small ones. Activating Happiness offers powerful, evidence-based strategies to help you conquer low motivation, nix negative moods, and defeat depression by actively making positive choices in small, everyday moments. If you have depression or just suffer from low mood and lack of motivation, you know that your life isn’t going to change with one grand, sweeping gesture. But you can make important decisions every day—whether it’s getting off the couch and going for a walk, signing up for a course in pottery or screenwriting, or just setting aside some time to meet and chat with a good friend over coffee. These little things won’t change your life all at once. But over time, they will shape the way you live and see the world and keep you on a path to wellness. In Activating Happiness, you’ll find solid strategies based in behavioral activation and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help you break the cycle of avoidance, guilt, shame, and hopelessness that can take hold when you’re feeling your lowest. Using this guide, you’ll find little, doable ways to “show up” to your life, get the ball rolling, and start really feeling better, instead of just reassuring others. You’ll learn to set healthy goals for your body like eating and sleeping well, as well as healthy goals for your mind. Most importantly, you’ll discover how to view your life through the lens of your own deepest values, which will spark a commitment to real, lasting change. The best thing about change is that you can start anywhere. By building a life—moment by moment—of rewarding behaviors that correspond to your values, you have the recipe for getting and staying well at your fingertips. This book will guide your way. About the author: Rachel Hershenberg, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the research and treatment of depression. She is assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University, and director of psychotherapy in Emory’s Treatment Resistant Depression program. She has published over twenty-five peer-reviewed publications and has appeared as a guest specialist on local radio.

Guest: F. Diane Barth author of I Know How You Feel: The Joy and Heartbreak of Friendship in Women's Lives Mar 29, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is F. Diane Barth author of I Know How You Feel: The Joy and Heartbreak of Friendship in Women’s Lives About the book: “Do I have enough friends?” “Why did my friendship end?” and “What makes a good friendship work?” These are questions that F. Diane Barth, a psychotherapist widely recognized for her expertise in women’s relationships, fields all the time. In I Know How You Feel, she draws out engaging stories from a lively and diverse cast of women, many of whom speak about feelings they haven’t shared before. She explores how life changes affect women’s friendships in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. Interweaving examples from classic women’s literature to chick flicks, she provides grounded advice on how to manage betrayal and rejection, how to deal with a narcissistic or bossy friend, what to do when your best friend and your family don’t get along, how to let go of a friendship that has stopped working, and much more. A timely, empathetic guide for women in their twenties to their sixties and beyond. About the author: F. Diane Barth, L.C.S.W., is a psychotherapist and psychoanalyst in private practice in New York City where she works with adults and adolescents, individuals and families and runs private study groups. She has a B.A. and an M.S.W. from Columbia University and graduated as a certified psychoanalyst from the Postgraduate Center. Her articles have been published in the Clinical Social Work Journal, Psychoanalytic Dialogues, Psychoanalytic Psychology, and other professional journals, and as chapters in numerous books. Her Psychology Today blog has a current count of over 7.5 million.

Guest: Larry Ruhl author of Breaking the Ruhls: A Memoir Mar 22, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Larry Ruhl author of Breaking the Ruhls: A Memoir About the book: A profoundly personal account of the impact of complex trauma on a man’s life.Larry Ruhl’s father sought comfort from his only son, smothering him not only with his affection, but his sexuality―blurring critical boundaries that would prove deeply debilitating. Larry’s mother, with her spiraling, ever-changing mental illness kept the family in a constant state of anxiety. By the time Larry graduated from high school, overwhelming sadness and suicidal thoughts took root, plaguing him for decades.Breaking the Ruhls will resonate deeply with many who have experienced similar trauma, boundary violations, and abuse within the family. Ruhl mines his own experiences with sexual confusion, addiction and recovery, relationships, career struggles, and therapeutic breakthroughs, while demonstrating it is possible to heal and thrive. Ninety-three percent of juvenile sexual assault victims knew their perpetrators. For 80 percent of those, that perpetrator was a parent Shines a spotlight on complex trauma involving sexual abuse and help others shed the shame that sexual abuse survivors unfairly carry. About the author: Larry Ruhl serves as a board member for Taking Back Ourselves, which facilitates weekends of recovery for survivors of sexual abuse, and is a registered speaker with RAINN (Rape Abuse Incest National Network). He previously served as a board member at Male Survivor, a leading organization in the fight to improve the resources and support available to male survivors of all forms of sexual abuse. Today he takes meetings into addiction treatment centers as a way to shed shame and draw the parallels between addiction and sexual abuse.

Guest: Mark Coleman author of Awake in the Wild: Mindfulness in Nature as a Path of Self-Discovery Mar 15, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Mark Coleman author of Awake in the Wild: Mindfulness in Nature as a Path to Self-Discovery About the book: “Nature deficit disorder” has become an increasingly challenging problem in our hyper modern world. In Awake in the Wild, Mark Coleman shows seekers how to remedy this widespread malady by reconnecting with nature through Buddhism. Each short (two to three pages) chapter includes a concrete nature meditation relating to such topics as Attuning to the Natural World, Reflecting the Rhythms of Nature, Walking with Compassion, Releasing the Inner Noise, Freeing the Animal Within, Coming into the Peace of Wild Things, Weathering the Storms of Life, and more. Incorporating anecdotes from the author’s many nature retreats, Buddhist wisdom and teachings, important nature writings by others, and nature itself, the book invites readers to participate in, not just observe, nature; develop a loving connection with the earth as a form of environmental activism; decrease urban alienation through experiencing nature; embody nature’s peaceful presence; and connect with ancient spiritual wisdom through nature meditations. About the author: Mark is an inner and outer explorer, who has devotedly studied mindfulness meditation practices for three decades. He is passionate about sharing the power of meditation and has been teaching mindfulness workshops and meditation retreats in six continents for the past fifteen years. Mark holds a MA in Clinical Psychology and works individually with people as an executive coach and consultant, drawing on his extensive experience in working with people as a therapist. Mark is a senior meditation teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, a renowned leader in the mindfulness field, and teaches regularly with pioneering teachers such as Jack Kornfield and Sharon Salzberg. Mark has always been keen to share the fruits of meditation to wider audiences and founded The Mindfulness Institute, where he has brought mindfulness trainings to Fortune 500 companies and the non profit sector across North America and Europe. Through the Mindfulness Training Institute Mark leads Professional Mindfulness Teacher Trainings in the US and UK annually. Mark is a trainer for Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute, developed at Google and leads their mindfulness and emotional intelligence leadership programs worldwide. Mark is writer and author of Make Peace with Your Mind: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Help Free You from the Inner Critic, and Awake in the Wild: Mindfulness in Nature as a Path of Self-Discovery. He is an unabashed nature lover and through his organization Awake in the Wild, Mark likes nothing more than sharing his passion for integrating meditation and nature. He has led wilderness meditation retreats from Alaska to Peru, taking people on inner and outdoor adventures.

Guest: Julie M. Simon author of When Food Is Comfort: Nurture Yourself Mindfully, Rewire Your Brain, and End Emotional Eating Mar 08, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Julie M. Simon author of When Food Is Comfort: Nurture Yourself Mindfully, Rewire Your Brain, and End Emotional Eating About the book: If you regularly eat when you’re not truly hungry, choose unhealthy comfort foods, or eat beyond fullness, something is out of balance. Recent advances in brain science have uncovered the crucial role that our early social and emotional environment plays in the development of imbalanced eating patterns. When we do not receive consistent and sufficient emotional nurturance during our early years, we are at greater risk of seeking it from external sources, such as food. Despite logical arguments, we have difficulty modifying our behavior because we are under the influence of an emotionally dominant part of the brain. The good news is that the brain can be rewired for optimal emotional health. When Food Is Comfort presents a breakthrough mindfulness practice called Inner Nurturing, a comprehensive, step-by-step program developed by an author who was herself an emotional eater. You’ll learn how to nurture yourself with the loving-kindness you crave and handle stressors more easily so that you can stop turning to food for comfort. Improved health and self-esteem, more energy, and weight loss will naturally follow. About the author: Julie M. Simon, MA, MBA, LMFT, is a licensed psychotherapist and life coach with more than twenty-seven years of experience helping overeaters stop dieting, heal their relationships with themselves and their bodies, lose excess weight, and keep it off. She is the author of The Emotional Eater’s Repair Manual and the founder of the popular Twelve-Week Emotional Eating Recovery Program. She lives in Los Angeles.

Guest: Meriflor Toneatto author of Money, Manifestation and Miracles: A Guide to Transforming Women's Relationships With Money Mar 01, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Meriflor Toneatto author of Money, Manifestation and Miracles: A Guide to Transforming Women’s Relationships With Money About the book: When women are empowered with money, they become “difference makers.” They transform not only their own lives but also those of their children, their families, and their communities at large. Author Meriflor Toneatto, an award-winning leadership and coaching executive, shows you how to extend your limits and create the life of your dreams, one that is rich and fulfilling in every way — financially, spiritually, and emotionally. This powerful book explains how money is “emotional currency” and prescribes eight Holistic Principles that help you overcome deep-seated blocks, “pay forward” your own successes, and live the life of your dreams. About the author: Meriflor Toneatto is a professional coach, speaker, and entrepreneur. She is the CEO and founder of Power With Soul and creator of the Millionaire Difference Makers™ Path, specializing in helping ambitious women entrepreneurs, professionals, and leaders reach financial prosperity and success while fulfilling their social promise in the world. She lives in Toronto, Canada.

Guest: Victoria Price author of The Way of Being Lost: A Road Trip to My Truest Self Feb 22, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Victoria Price author of The Way Of Being Lost: A Road Trip to My Truest Self About the book: After a tumultuous period of crisis, Victoria Price rebuilt her life by embracing a daily practice of joy, healing childhood wounds and reconnecting to the example set by her father Vincent, the famed actor. Her journey involved stepping away from externalities and into her father’s legacy — his love for people and compassion for others, his generosity of spirit and simple kindnesses, his enthusiasm for new experiences, and his love of life. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to understand that every day, in everything we do, we have a choice — between expanding into our lives or contracting into our fears, into saying Yes! to life … or saying No,” Victoria observes. This intimate and inspiring book shares the lessons learned from a powerful family heritage of remaining curious, giving back, and saying Yes. Join her as she shares the stories, experiences, and lessons that led her back to her truest self, including her lifesaving daily practice of joy. About the author: Victoria Price is the author of the critically acclaimed Vincent Price: A Daughter’s Biography. A popular inspirational speaker on topics ranging from art collecting and design to creativity and spirituality, as well as the life of her famous father, Price has appeared on Good Morning America, A&E’s Biography, and NPR’s Fresh Air and Morning Edition. Her work has been featured in USA Today, People, Travel & Leisure, Art & Auction, and The New York Times.

Guest: Corinne Zupko author of From Anxiety to Love: A Radical New Approach For Letting Go of Fear and Finding Lasting Peace Feb 15, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Corinne Zupko author of From Anxiety to Love: A Radical New Approach For Letting Go of Fear and Finding Lasting Peace About the book: Author Corinne Zupko undertook her study of psychology out of necessity when debilitating anxiety threatened to derail her life. Seeking ways to do more than temporarily alleviate her symptoms, Corinne began to study A Course in Miracles (ACIM), mindfulness meditation, and the latest therapeutic approaches for treating anxiety. In From Anxiety to Love, she shares what she learned and gently guides you through the process, helping you undo anxiety-based thinking and fostering mindful shifts in your thoughts and actions. Whether struggling with everyday stress or near-crippling discomfort, you will find that Corinne’s approach offers a new way of healing from — rather than just coping with — fear and anxiety. About the author: Corinne Zupko, EdS, LPC, has coached, counseled, and educated thousands of individuals at national conferences, in the classroom, in workshops, and in the therapy chair. She teaches weekly meditation classes for corporate clients and cohosts the largest virtual conference of ACIM in the world through the organization Miracle Share International, which she cofounded.

Guest: Pankaj Vij, MD, FACP author of Turbo Metabolism: 8 Weeks to a New You Feb 08, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Pankaj Vij, MD, FACP author of Turbo Metabolism: 8 Weeks to a New You About the book: As the modern Western lifestyle spreads around the globe, so too does metabolic syndrome — a cluster of symptoms that increases the risk of developing heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other conditions. The good news: metabolic syndrome can be tamed by a sensible program of exercise, natural foods, stress management, and quality sleep. In this concise and lively book, Dr. Vij distills a mass of medical research into a simple, effective program for vibrant health. Avoiding fads and gimmicks, he provides practical advice, case studies of ordinary people, and brief sections that debunk common medical myths. By following Dr. Vij’s evidence-based methods, you can manage diabetes, avoid related metabolic conditions, lose weight, and live a healthier, happier life with energy to spare. About the author: Pankaj Vij, MD, FACP, has helped thousands of patients lose weight, manage chronic health conditions, and improve their physical fitness. Board certified in internal medicine and obesity medicine, Dr. Vij has been practicing medicine since 1997. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Guest: Beth Ann Mulligan author of The Dharma of Modern Mindfulness: Discovering the Buddhist Teachings at the Heart of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Feb 01, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Beth Ann Mulligan author of The Dharma of Modern Mindfulness: Discovering the Buddhist Teachings at the Heart of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction About the book: Deeply embedded in the practice of contemporary mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) are concepts drawn from the ancient wisdom of meditative traditions. The Dharma of Modern Mindfulness uncovers the essential Buddhist teachings at the heart of this powerful anti-stress program, enabling you to deepen your historical and spiritual understanding of MBSR and nourish your practice. Meditation and mindfulness are everywhere: in hospitals, clinics, and schools; in major medical, psychological, and scientific journals; on TV; and in popular publications—even on the cover of Timemagazine. And thankfully so—since Jon Kabat-Zinn developed MBSR, a treatment blending meditation and yoga, it has been proven effective in treating conditions like chronic pain, stress, anxiety, and depression for sufferers around the world. Lesser known, however, are the deep philosophical roots of MBSR known as the Buddhist dharma, translated as “the teachings of the Buddha.” Although they form the very foundation underlying MBSR and other mindfulness-based interventions, they often remain hidden within modern mindfulness practices. The Dharma of Modern Mindfulness illuminates these cornerstones, communicating previously esoteric teachings with language that makes them easily accessible and applicable to your complex daily life. The book follows the structure of an eight-week MBSR class, paralleling the participant’s journey with that of the Buddha for the alleviation of suffering. With real-life examples, guided reflections, and practices throughout, this book will show you the connections between the ancient wisdom of Buddhism and contemporary MBSR. Regardless of your background, status, or education, and whether you’re a practitioner, teacher, or trainer, this invitation to explore the essential Buddhist teachings at the heart of modern mindfulness—such as the four noble truths, the noble eightfold path, and the four brahmaviharas: loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity—will expand your understanding and enhance your practice, and, in doing so, connect you with your inner wisdom and deepest humanity. About the author: Beth Ann Mulligan, PA-C, graduated magna cum laude from the Duke University School of Medicine physician assistant program in 1982, and has practiced primary care medicine with diverse populations for the past thirty years. She is a certified mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) teacher and international teacher trainer for the University of Massachusetts Medical School Center for Mindfulness, as well as a certified mindful self-compassion (MSC) teacher and international teacher trainer. She teaches MBSR, MSC, and mindful eating at the Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine and at InsightLA, and has been a presenter at the International Scientific Conference on Mindfulness. The Guiding Dharma teacher at Insight Community of the Desert, and a longtime senior student at Yokoji Zen Mountain Center, she leads meditation retreats across the country.

Guest: Daniel S. Lobel PhD author of When Your Daughter Has BPD Jan 25, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Daniel S. Lobel, PhD author of When Your Daughter Has BPD: Essential Skills to Help Families Manage Borderline Personality Disorder About the book: In this groundbreaking book, psychologist Daniel Lobel offers essential skills based in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you understand your daughter’s disorder, define appropriate boundaries, put an end to daily emergencies, and rebuild the family’s structure from the ground up. If you have a daughter with borderline personality disorder (BPD), you may feel frustration, shame, and your family may be at the breaking point dealing with angry outbursts, threats, and constant emergencies. You may even feel guilty for not enjoying spending time with your child—but how can you when her behavior is abusive toward you and the rest of your family? You need solid skills you can use now to help your daughter and hold your family together. In this important guide, you’ll learn real solutions and strategies based in proven-effective DBT and CBT to help you weather the storm of BPD and restore a sense of normalcy and balance in your life. You’ll find an overview of BPD so you can better understand the driving forces behind your daughter’s difficult behavior. You’ll discover how you can help your daughter get the help she needs while also setting boundaries that foster respect and self-care for you and others in your family. And, most importantly, you’ll learn “emergency parenting techniques” to help you put a stop to abusive patterns and restore peace. If your daughter has BPD and your family is struggling to make it through each day, this book offers essential skills to help you cope and recover a sense of stability. About the author: Daniel S. Lobel, PhD, is assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and has given classes at both State University of New York (SUNY) at Purchase and the State University of New York College of Optometry. He has written chapters in many textbooks and contributes frequently as a guest blogger on the Psychology Today website. Lobel is a psychologist with a private practice. He resides in Katonah, NY.

Guest: Jeffrey Bernstein, PhD author of Mindfulness for Teen Worry: Quick & Easy Strategies to Let Go of Anxiety, Worry & Stress Jan 18, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Jeffrey Bernstein, PhD author of Mindfulness for Teen Worry: Quick & Easy Strategies to Let Go of Anxiety, Worry & Stress About the book: Is your worrying keeping you from reaching your goals? In Mindfulness for Teen Worry, a clinical psychologist offers quick, easy-to-learn mindfulness skills teens can use anytime, anywhere to stop worries from growing and taking over. Let’s face it—being a teen isn’t easy. And if you’re like a lot of other teens, you probably worry about getting good grades, fitting in with a certain crowd, or what the future will bring after high school. These are all completely normal worries, and signs that you are tuned in to your life and thinking about your goals. But what about chronic worrying—the kind that keeps you up at night, ruminating about that paper you just turned in, or that thing your friend said to you at lunch (what did she mean by that?), and so on. Sometimes worrying isn’t helpful. In fact, it can get in the way of living your life! So, how can you start putting worry in its place before it takes up too much head space? Mindfulness for Teen Worry will show you how living in the moment will dissolve worry and help you stay grounded in the here and now. You’ll learn powerful and easy-to-use mindfulness skills to manage the four most common worry struggles teens face: school pressure, coping with friendship and relationship problems, improving body image, and handling family conflicts. You’ll discover why you worry and the long-term destructive impacts worry can have on your life. And most importantly, you’ll be introduced to simple, effective techniques to help you become more mindful—like harnessing the power of the breath and how to relax your body in times of stress. If you struggle with worry or anxiety that gets in the way of being your best, this fun and friendly guide will help you maintain a mindful life in a frenzied world. About the author: Jeffrey Bernstein, PhD, is a psychologist with over thirty years’ experience specializing in child, adolescent, couples, and family therapy. He holds a PhD in counseling psychology from the University at Albany, State University of New York, and completed his postdoctoral internship at the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services at the University of Pennsylvania. He has served as an expert advisor for The Today Show, Court TV, CBS Eyewitness News, NBC 10 – Philadelphia, and appeared on National Public Radio. He has authored five books, including 10 Days to a Less Defiant Child, 10 Days to Less Distracted Child, Liking the Child You Love, Why Can’t You Read My Mind?, and Letting Go of Anger, a card deck for teens.

Guest: Martin Antony PhD author of The Shyness & Social Anxiety Workbook: Proven Step-by-Step Techniques for Overcoming Your Fear Jan 11, 2018

There’s nothing wrong with being shy. But if shyness or social anxiety keeps you from building meaningful relationships with others, advancing in your education or career, or simply living your best life, The Shyness and Social Anxiety Workbook offers a comprehensive program to help you confront your fears and become actively involved in the world. If you are shy or socially anxious, you may dread going to parties, speaking in front of crowds or people you don’t know, going to job interviews, and other critical life situations. You aren’t alone. In fact, studies show that millions of people suffer from a social anxiety disorder. Unfortunately, you can’t hide from some social situations—no matter how much you wish you could. But you don’t have to go on suffering silently. The good news is there are proven-effective techniques you can start using right away to help ease your anxiety or shyness and start living the life you were meant to live: a life where fear doesn’t get in the way of reaching your goals. This fully revised and updated third edition incorporates breakthrough new research and techniques for overcoming social phobia, including a new chapter on mindfulness-based treatments, updated information on medications, and an overview of treatment-enhancing technological advances. As you complete the activities in this workbook, you'll learn to find your strengths and weaknesses using self-evaluation, explore and examine your fears, create a personalized plan for change, and put your plan into action through gentle and gradual exposure to the very social situations that cause you to feel uneasy. After completing this program, you'll be well-equipped to make connections with the people around you. Soon, you'll be on your way to enjoying all the benefits of being actively involved in the social world. If you’re ready to confront your fears to live an enjoyable, satisfying life, this new edition of The Shyness and Social Anxiety Workbook offers a comprehensive program to help you get started. What are you waiting for? This book has been awarded The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Seal of Merit—an award bestowed on outstanding self-help books that are consistent with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles and that incorporate scientifically tested strategies for overcoming mental health difficulties. Used alone or in conjunction with therapy, our books offer powerful tools readers can use to jump-start changes in their lives. About the author: Martin M. Antony, PhD, is professor and chair in the department of psychology at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada. He is also director of research at the Anxiety Treatment and Research Centre at St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, and a past president of the Canadian Psychological Association. An award-winning researcher, Antony is coauthor of When Perfect Isn't Good Enough, and more than 25 other books. His research, writing, and clinical practice focus is on cognitive behavioral therapy and the treatment of anxiety disorders. He has been widely quoted in the American and Canadian media.

Guest: Mark Coleman author of Make Peace With Your Mind: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Free You From Your Inner Critic Jan 04, 2018

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Mark Coleman author of Make Peace With Your Mind: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Free You From Your Inner Critic About the book: The inner critic is the voice inside our heads reminding us that we are never “good enough.” It’s behind the insidious thoughts that can make us second-guess our every action and doubt our own value. The inner critic might feel overpowering, but it can be managed effectively. Meditation teacher and therapist Mark Coleman helps readers understand and free themselves from the inner critic using the tools of mindfulness and compassion. Each chapter offers constructive insights into what creates, drives, and disarms the critic; real people’s journeys to inspire and guide readers; and simple practices anyone can use to live a free, happy, and flourishing life. About the author: Mark Coleman is a senior meditation teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, an executive coach, and the founder of the Mindfulness Institute, which brings mindfulness training to organizations worldwide.

Guest: Linda Kohanov author of The Five Roles of a Master Herder: A Revolutionary Model for Socially Intelligent Leadership Dec 14, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Linda Kohanov author of The Five Roles of a Master Herder: A Revolutionary Model for Socially Intelligent Leadership About the book: In The Five Roles of a Master Herder, Linda Kohanov adapts horse-inspired insights into powerful tools for developing collaborative leadership and managing change. Over thousands of years, Kohanov writes, “master herders” of nomadic herding cultures developed a multi-faceted, socially intelligent form of leadership combining the five roles of Dominant, Leader, Sentinel, Nurturer/Companion, and Predator. The fluid interplay of these roles allowed interspecies communities to move across vast landscapes, dealing with predators and changing climates, protecting and nurturing the herd while keeping massive, gregarious, often aggressive animals together — without the benefit of fences and with very little reliance on restraints. She includes an innovative assessment tool to help you determine which roles you currently overemphasize and which roles you may be ignoring — or even actively avoiding. Through this powerful and surprising book, Kohanov will show you how to recognize, cultivate, and utilize all five roles in the modern tribes of your workplace, family, and other social organizations. About the author: Through her Eponaquest Worldwide, established to explore the healing potential of working with horses, Linda Kohanov teaches internationally on subjects including leadership, social intelligence, and stress reduction. She lives near Tucson, Arizona.

Guest: Ira Israel author of How to Survive Your Childhood Now That You're An Adult: A Path to Authenticity and Awakening Dec 07, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Ira Israel author of How To Survive Your Childhood Now That You’re An Adult: A Path to Authenticity and Awakening About the book: As children, we learned to get approval by creating facades to help us get our emotional and psychological needs met, but we also rebelled against authority as a way of individuating. As adults, these conflicting desires leave many of us feeling anxious or depressed because our authentic selves are buried deep beneath glitzy or rebellious exteriors or some combination thereof. In this provocative book, eclectic teacher and therapist Ira Israel offers a powerful, comprehensive, step-by-step path to recognizing the ways of being that we created as children and transcending them with compassion and acceptance. By doing so, we discover our true callings and cultivate the authentic love we were born deserving. About the author: Psychotherapist Ira Israel graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and has graduate degrees in philosophy, religious studies, and psychology. He leads workshops at the Esalen Institute and throughout the United States and has a private practice in Santa Monica, California.

Guest: Brian Boxer Wachler, MD author of Perceptual Intelligence: The Brain's Secret to Seeing Past Illusion, Misperception and Self-Deception Nov 30, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Brian Boxer Wachler, MD author of Perceptual Intelligence: The Brain’s Secret to Seeing Past Illusion, Misperception, and Self-Deception About the book: Is it okay to fantasize during sex? When should you follow your intuition and gut feelings? Why do we gravitate to products endorsed by celebrities? Why does time seem to go by faster as we get older? Why are some athletes perpetual winners and others losers? Why do some people see Jesus on a Cheeto? Exploring the brain’s ability to interpret and make sense of the world, Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler describes how your perception can be reality or fantasy and how to separate the two, which is the basis of improving your Perceptual Intelligence (PI). With concrete examples and case studies, Dr. Brian (as he’s known to his patients) explains why our senses do not always match reality and how we can influence the world around us through perceptions, inward and outward. Fine-tuning your PI elevates your game so you can have what you want in life: better job, better relationships, better sex, more success, more happiness. Without this book you will have a hard time achieving these things because you will keep repeating the same patterns. By reading Perceptual Intelligence you elevate potential success in every area in your life. And there is an amazing chapter on sex! Do get it now! About the author: An expert on human perception, Brian Boxer Wachler, MD, has pioneered treatments in vision correction and Keratoconus, has published 84 medical articles, and has delivered 276 scientific presentations. He is the medical director of the Boxer Wachler Vision Institute in Beverly Hills and a staff physician at Los Angeles’s famed Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He has been featured on all major news stations including CNN as well as on NBC Nightly News, Good Morning America, Today Show, and is a regular on Dr. Phil’s The Doctors daytime TV show.

Guest: Armin Zadeh MD, PhD author of The Forgotten Art of Love: What Love Means and Why It Matters Nov 09, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Armin A. Zadeh, MD, PhD author of The Forgotten Art of Love: What Love Means and Why It Matters About the book: Cardiologist and professor Armin Zadeh revisits psychologist Erich Fromm’s The Art of Loving, a book that has fascinated him for decades. The Forgotten Art of Love examines love in its complex entirety — through the lenses of biology, philosophy, history, religion, sociology, and economics — to fill in critical voids in Fromm’s classic work and to provide a contemporary understanding of love. This unique and wide-ranging book looks at love’s crucial role in every aspect of human existence, exploring what love has to do with sex, spirituality, society, and the meaning of life; different kinds of love (for our children, for our neighbors); and whether love is a matter of luck or an art that can be mastered. Dr. Zadeh provides a fascinating, empowering guide to enhancing relationships and happiness — concluding with a provocative vision for firmly anchoring love in our society. About the author: Armin Zadeh, MD, PhD, MPH, is a professor at Johns Hopkins University. He has authored more than one hundred scientific articles and is an editor of scholarly books in medicine. He is a regular speaker at national and international scientific meetings and directs educational events around the world. As a cardiologist and scientist, Dr. Zadeh experiences the relationship between the mind and the matter on a daily basis. The loss of love can literally cause a broken heart — a form of severe heart disease. Love is the central force of life and its influence on human wellbeing and happiness is not adequately considered. The art of medicine requires insights from various disciplines, including biology, psychology, physics, chemistry, and also philosophy. Drawing from his background and experience, Dr. Zadeh has used his skills in the analysis and synthesis of complex data to formulate new concepts and hypotheses on love and to develop a framework to understand—and master—love. Dr. Zadeh was born and educated in Düsseldorf, Germany, where he attended medical school. After initial postgraduate training in Germany and the United Kingdom, he came to the United States in 1995 to complete his education and training in medicine, public health, and research. He is married and lives with his family in the United States.

Guest: Brad Warner author of It Came From Beyond Zen: More Practical Advice from Dogen, Japan's Greatest Zen Master Nov 02, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Brad Warner author of It Came From Beyond Zen: More Practical Advice from Dogen, Japan's Greatest Zen Master About the book: Vol. 2 of Brad Warner’s Radical but Reverent Paraphrasing of Dogen’s Treasury of the True Dharma Eye In Japan in 1253, one of the great thinkers of his time died — and the world barely noticed. That man was the Zen monk Eihei Dogen. For centuries his main work, Shobogenzo, languished in obscurity, locked away in remote monasteries until scholars rediscovered it in the twentieth century. What took so long? In Brad Warner’s view, Dogen was too ahead of his time to find an appreciative audience. To bring Dogen’s work to a bigger readership, Warner began paraphrasing Shobogenzo, recasting it in simple, everyday language. The first part of this project resulted in Don’t Be a Jerk, and now Warner presents this second volume, It Came from Beyond Zen! Once again, Warner uses wry humor and incisive commentary to bridge the gap between past and present, making Dogen’s words clearer and more relevant than ever before. About the author: Ordained as a Soto Zen priest, Brad Warner is also a punk bassist, filmmaker, and blogger. He is the founder of Angel City Zen Center in Los Angeles and the author of Hardcore Zen, Sit Down and Shut Up, and several other books about Zen Buddhism. His writing appears on SuicideGirls.com and in Lion’s Roar, Tricycle, Buddhadharma, and Alternative Press. He lives in Los Angeles.

Guest: Kieran Setiya author of Midlife: A Philosophical Guide Oct 26, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Kieran Setiya author of Midlife: A Philosophical Guide. About the book: Philosophical wisdom and practical advice for overcoming the problems of middle age How can you reconcile yourself with the lives you will never lead, with possibilities foreclosed, and with nostalgia for lost youth? How can you accept the failings of the past, the sense of futility in the tasks that consume the present, and the prospect of death that blights the future? In this self-help book with a difference, Kieran Setiya confronts the inevitable challenges of adulthood and middle age, showing how philosophy can help you thrive. You will learn why missing out might be a good thing, how options are overrated, and when you should be glad you made a mistake. You will be introduced to philosophical consolations for mortality. And you will learn what it would mean to live in the present, how it could solve your midlife crisis, and why meditation helps. Ranging from Aristotle, Schopenhauer, and John Stuart Mill to Virginia Woolf and Simone de Beauvoir, as well as drawing on Setiya’s own experience, Midlife combines imaginative ideas, surprising insights, and practical advice. Writing with wisdom and wit, Setiya makes a wry but passionate case for philosophy as a guide to life. About the author: MIT philosopher; would-be self-help guru; master of the semi-colon. www.ksetiya.net @KieranSetiya

Guest: Natalie Sisson author of The Suitcase Entrepreneur: Create Freedom in Business and Adventure in Life Oct 19, 2017

About the book: Now in its third edition, The Suitcase Entrepreneur teaches readers how to package and sell their skills to earn enough money to be able to work and live anywhere, build a profitable online business, and live life on their own terms. With new material pertinent to today’s business world, readers will receive the blueprint to create their ideal lifestyle and become their own digital nomad. After eight years of working in the soul-crushing bureaucracy of the corporate world, Natalie Sisson quit her high-paying job and moved to Canada, started a blog, and cofounded a technology company. In just eighteen months she learned how to build an online platform from scratch, and then left to start her own business—which involved visiting Argentina to eat empanadas, play Ultimate Frisbee, and launch her first digital product. After five years, she now runs a six-figure business from her laptop, while living out of a suitcase and teaching entrepreneurs worldwide how to build a business and lifestyle they love. In The Suitcase Entrepreneur you’ll learn how to establish your business online, reach a global audience, and build a virtual team to give you more free time, money, and independence. With a new introduction, as well as updated resources and information, this practical guide uncovers the three key stages of creating a self-sufficient business and how to become a successful digital nomad and live life on your own terms. About the author: Natalie Sisson is a global adventurer and digital nomad who is on a mission to create freedom in business and adventure in life for herself and other entrepreneurs. She has worked with thousands of clients to design a profitable lifestyle business they love. She has inspired millions of people through her popular blog, podcast, and lifestyle video series, as well as through events, retreats, and speaking engagements. Originally from New Zealand, Natalie has citizenship in the United Kingdom and permanent residences in Canada and Los Angeles. She has travelled to sixty-nine countries and has lived on five continents. After mastering her marketing and business development skills for eight years in the corporate world, Natalie went on to cofound a technology start-up in Vancouver in 2008, which is now the number one fundraising application on Facebook. She’s been featured in Yahoo Finance, The Guardian, The Age, New Zealand Herald, Huffington Post, Forbes, American Express Open Forum, Mashable, Visa Business Network, and Social Media Today. She is the author of The Suitcase Entrepreneur.

Guest: Danya Ruttenberg author of Nurture the WOW: Finding Spirituality in the Frustration, Boredom, Tears, Poop, Desperation, Wonder, and Radical Amazement of Parenting Oct 12, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Danya Ruttenberg author of Nurture the Wow: Finding Spirituality in the Frustration, Boredom, Tears, Poop, Desperation, Wonder, and Radical Amazement of Parenting About the book: A deeply affecting, funny, insightful meditation that challenges readers to find the spiritual meaning of parenting. Every day, parents are bombarded by demands. The pressures of work and life are relentless; our children’s needs are often impossible to meet; and we rarely, if ever, allow ourselves the time and attention necessary to satisfy our own inner longings. Parenthood is difficult, demanding, and draining. And yet, argues Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, if we can approach it from a different mindset, perhaps the work of parenting itself can offer the solace we seek. Rooted in Judaism but incorporating a wide-range of religious and literary traditions, Nurture the Wowasks, Can ancient ideas about relationships, drudgery, pain, devotion, and purpose help make the hard parts of a parent’s job easier and the magical stuff even more so? Ruttenberg shows how parenting can be considered a spiritual practice—and how seeing it that way can lead to transformation. This is a parenthood book, not a parenting book; it shows how the experiences we have as parents can change us for the better. Enlightening, uplifting, and laugh-out-loud funny, Nurture the Wow reveals how parenthood—in all its crazy-making, rage-inducing, awe and joy-filled moments—can actually be the path to living fully, authentically, and soulfully. About the author: Danya Ruttenberg was named one of ten “rabbis to watch” by Newsweek and one of the “50 most influential women rabbis” by The Forward. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Salon, and elsewhere. Her first book, Surprised by God,was nominated for a Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish literature and was a Hadassah Book Club selection. She lives in the Chicago area with her husband and children.

Guest: Michael Gelb author of The Art of Connection: Seven Relationships-Building Skills Every Leader Needs Now Oct 05, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Michael Gelb author of The Art of Connection: Seven Relationship-Building Skills Every Leader Needs Now About the book: These days, it’s often easier to avoid face-to-face contact in favor of technological shortcuts. But as Michael Gelb argues in this compelling, entertaining book, the meaningful relationships that come from real interaction are the key to creating innovative ideas and solving our most intractable problems. In The Art of Connection, Gelb offers readers seven methods of developing this essential rapport in their professional and personal lives. Each chapter covers specific techniques and illustrates them with memorable stories, relevant scientific research, and hands-on exercises that allow readers to apply their new skills. Most important, Gelb reminds us that developing rapport with others is not just a business tool to enhance productivity but a valuable end in itself. He guides us to cultivate the skills we all need to deepen our relationships, broaden About the author: Michael J. Gelb has pioneered the fields of creative thinking, embodied learning, and innovative leadership. He leads seminars for organizations such as DuPont, Merck, Microsoft, Nike, YPO, and the London Business School. He is the author of fifteen books, including How to Think like Leonardo da Vinci, Brain Power, and Innovate like Edison.

Guest: Scott Stabile author of Big Love: The Power of Living with a Wide-Open Heart Sep 28, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 by guest is Scott Stabile author of Big Love: The Power of Living with a Wide-Open Heart About the book: What happens when you fully commit yourself to love? Endless good, insists Scott Stabile, who found that out by overcoming plenty of bad. His parents were murdered when he was fourteen. Nine years later, his brother died of a heroin overdose. Soon after that, Scott joined a cult that dominated his life for thirteen years before he summoned the courage to walk away. In Big Love, his insightful and refreshingly honest collection of personal essays, Scott relates these profound experiences as well as everyday struggles and triumphs in ways that are universally applicable, uplifting, and laugh-out-loud funny. Whether silencing shame, rebounding after failure, or moving forward despite fears, Scott shares hard-won insights that consistently return readers to love, both of themselves and others. About the author: Scott Stabile’s inspirational posts and videos have attracted a huge and devoted social media following. His previous works include Just Love, Iris, and the Li’l Pet Hospital series. Scott also wrote the feature film The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure, an eye-opening experience he writes about in his new book, Big Love. A passionate speaker and love advocate, Scott runs daylong empowerment workshops nationally and internationally. He lives in his home state of Michigan with his partner. Learn more about how Scott spreads BIG LOVE at scottstabile.com or fb.com/scottfrankstabile.

Guest: Rebekah Freedom McClaskey author of Breakup Rehab: Creating the Love You Want Sep 21, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Rebekah Freedom McClaskey author of Breakup Rehab: Creating the Love You Want About the book: Turn Your Pain from Breakup into an Opportunity to Grow toward True Love After her devastating breakup, counselor Rebekah Freedom McClaskey became inspired by her work in the field of addiction recovery to craft a safe, step-by-step path to forging healthy relationships based on honesty, love, integrity, and trust. Breakup Rehab addresses post-breakup chaos, providing clarity and direction so that your next relationship will be your best relationship. This wise, real-world, and often humorous guide acknowledges the state of grief or resignation that comes with a breakup and then walks you through the stages of forgiveness and letting go. Along the way, you’ll experience a more compassionate self-awareness as you rebuild self-confidence and learn how to be loved for who you truly are. These steps will propel you forward on your unique path, as you recognize your life’s purpose and then travel toward well-being and a love that will set you free. About the author: Rebekah Freedom McClaskey is a breakup specialist whose private practice focuses on helping clients get what they want out of life and love. She lives in Southern California.

Guest: Andrea Lieberstein author of Well Nourished: Mindful Practices to Heal Your Relationship with Food, Feed Your Whole Self, and End Overeating Sep 14, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Andrea Lieberstein author of Well Nourished: Mindful Practices to Heal Your Relationship with Food, Feed Your Whole Self, and End Overeating About the book: Many people use food to nourish themselves when what they are really hungry for is other forms of nourishment. What if we were living a life where we felt well-nourished emotionally, intellectually, physically, psychologically, spiritually, socially, and creatively? What if we were mindfully present to receive, experience, plan for, and engage in nourishing activities, moments, and practices regularly that fed us on many levels. What if we were able to maintain an inner sense of balance and nourishment even when things are not perfectly in balance, and have the tools and practices to do so rather than turn to food at those times? This book will show readers how to develop a mindful relationship to food and craft a well-nourished life with step-by-step examples, tools, and mindful practices that can be individualized to their unique needs. About the author: Andrea Lieberstein, MPH, RDN, RYT, is a registered dietitian nutritionist, mindful eating and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) instructor, and coach. Andrea was a leader in developing and implementing mindfulness and mind-body programs at Kaiser Permanente Northern California for over 20 years and is a contributing author to the chapter on meditation in The Stress Reduction and Relaxation Training Workbook(5th edition), New Harbinger Press. Andrea incorporates mindfulness-based eating awareness training (MB-EAT), MBSR, and other mindful eating and mindfulness-based mind-body practices in her private practice working with individuals on a wide range of nutritional challenges: nutrition for optimal well-being, disordered eating, overeating, weight management, body image, and stress-related issues and health concerns. Andrea holds degrees from Stanford University and the University of California at Berkeley.

Guest: Paul J. Christo author of Aches and Gains: A Comprehensive Guide to Overcoming Your Pain Sep 07, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Paul J. Christo, M.D. author of Aches and Gains: A Comprehensive Guide to Overcoming Your Pain About the book: Pain is often treatable but doctors, medical professionals, and patients don’t understand the intricacies of chronic pain. Millions who suffer from pain become hopeless. With Aches and Gains, Dr. Paul Christo, a Johns Hopkins physician and leading pain specialist sheds new light on what it means to live with and overcome chronic pain. Dr. Christo shares celebrity interviews, including Naomi Judd, Lisa Swayze, Montel Williams, Ally Hilfiger, and Clay Walker, from his Sirius XM radio show Aches and Gains®, and stories from patients who have found a way to overcome the pain that once controlled their lives. Offering traditional, integrative, and innovative methods of easing pain, the book is a life-changing tool for anyone associated with pain including pain sufferers themselves, doctors, nurses, medical professionals, and caregivers. Features a foreword by renowned talk show host Montel Williams. About the author: Dr. Paul Christo is one of America’s leading pain experts and hosts Aches and Gains®, the first national radio talk show dedicated to overcoming pain, stress reduction, and healthy living. Listed as a Top Doctor and in the top 1% for Pain Management by U.S. News & World Report, Dr. Christo is widely consulted by the media for his expertise in pain diagnosis and treatment.

Guest: Eliza Factor author of Strange Beauty: A Portrait of My Son Aug 24, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Eliza Factor author of Strange Beauty: A Portrait of My Son About the book: A unique and hopeful story of how one woman and her family were transformed by her child's multiple disabilities and inability to talk and how she, in turn, transformed a community. This intimate, no-holds barred memoir shares one family's experiences with a child who is both autistic and physically disabled. It is a story of infectious laughter, blood on the floor, intense physical conflict, and of two little girls growing up in the shadow of their charming and fitful brother. And it is the story of a mother and writer and the illuminating effect of imagining the world through the eyes of her beautiful, charismatic, and nonverbal son, Felix. Felix and his sisters inspire Eliza to start Extreme Kids, a community center that connects families with children with disabilities through the arts and play, and transform how she saw herself and the world. She writes of the joy this project brings her, as well as the disconnect of being lauded for helping others at the same time that she cannot help her own son. As Felix grows bigger and stronger, his assaults against himself grow more destructive. When his bruised limbs and face prompt Child Services to investigate the Factors for abuse, Eliza realizes how dangerous her home has become. Strange Beauty is a personal story, but it shines a light on the combustible conditions many families are living in at this moment. The United States offers parents whose children are prone to violence very little help. That Eliza's story ends happily, with Felix thriving at Crotched Mountain School, is due more to luck than policy. There are few such schools and many such children. When children are violent, we fail to account for the internal and external pressures that lead to violence. This is both cruel and counterproductive, for people with disabilities have much to teach us, if we will only listen. About the author: Eliza Factor is author of the acclaimed novels The Mercury Fountain and Love Maps. Eliza and her husband have three children, the eldest of whom is multiply disabled. She is founder and President of the Board of Extreme Kids & Crew, a non profit community center that connects families with children with disabilities through the arts, music and play in Brooklyn. Factor was named New Yorker of the Week by NY1 in 2012 for creating the city's first drop in sensory playspace for children with disabilities. Eliza Factor lives in Brooklyn with her family.

Guest: Erin Leyba, PhD author of Joy Fixes for Weary Parents: 101 Quick Research-based Ideas for Overcoming Stress and Building a Life You Love Aug 17, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Erin Leyba, PhD author of Joy Fixes for Weary Parents: 101 Quick, Research-Based Ideas for Overcoming Stress and Building a Life You Love About the book: Modern parenting presents fresh challenges, including unrelenting time pressures, lack of support systems, and work demands, that often leave parents drained and worn-out. Erin Leyba, the mother of three young children, has been counseling parents on these issues for almost twenty years. She has developed techniques that help parents not only cope but also feel joy — in their parenting and in their relationships with their partners. Leyba draws from the latest research about child development, attachment, successful marriages, and mindfulness to create effective, doable solutions for balancing, simplifying, and communicating. She presents powerful tools that parents can use right away to de-stress, stay energized, and create more warmth and passion with loved ones. Whether new, veteran, overwhelmed, exhausted, or just interested in doing better than they are, parents will find proven help here. About the author: Erin Leyba, PhD, an individual and marriage counselor, specializes in helping parents of young children. In addition to her popular blogs, she speaks often to parenting and childcare groups. Leyba lives in the Chicago area.

Guest: Jonathan K. DeYoe author of Mindful Money: Simple Practices for Reaching Your Financial Goals and Increasing Your Happiness Dividend Aug 10, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Jonathan K. DeYoe author of Mindful Money: Simple Practices for Reaching Your Financial Goals and Increasing Your Happiness Dividend About the book: Is it possible to be a conscientious citizen of the world and grow wealth? The author, a Buddhist and a financial planner, says yes and explains exactly how. Money drives many of our decisions. We all worry about earning it, spending it, and saving it — regardless of our income level or spiritual perspective. Yet few of us understand money’s true nature. Jonathan K. DeYoe helps you create a unique financial plan that is guided by your deepest beliefs, and shows you how to save, invest, pay off debt, and fund your retirement and dreams by building a lifetime income stream. With a foreword by Pulitzer Prize–winner Alice Walker, Mindful Money does all this while emphasizing that money is a tool you can use to support your lifestyle, reach your goals, and earn the “happiness dividend” everyone deserves. About the author: Jonathan K. DeYoe, CPWA, AIF, is a California-based financial adviser with twenty years’ experience and a longtime Buddhist. In 2001 he founded DeYoe Wealth Management, which works with families and institutions. He lives in Berkeley, California.

Guest: Dan Millman author of The Hidden School: Return of the Peaceful Warrior Aug 03, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Dan Millman author of The Hidden School: Return of the Peaceful Warrior About the book: The Hidden School reveals a book within a book, a quest within a quest, and a bridge between worlds. In the long-awaited conclusion to the international bestselling Peaceful Warrior saga, Dan Millman takes readers on an epic spiritual quest across the world as he searches for the link between everyday life and transcendent possibility. Continuing his journey from Way of the Peaceful Warrior, Dan moves from Honolulu to the Mojave Desert, and from a bustling Asian city to a secluded forest, until he uncovers the mystery of The Hidden School. While traversing continents, he uncovers lessons of life hidden in plain sight—insights pointing the way to an inspired life in the eternal present. Along the way, you’ll encounter remarkable characters and brushes with mortality as you explore the nature of reality, the self, death, and finally, a secret as ancient as the roots of this world. Awaken to the hidden powers of paradox, humor, and change. Discover a vision that may forever change your perspectives about life’s promise and potential. About the author: Most people who’ve read Way of the Peaceful Warrior (or seen the movie) already know a few aspects of my life. And you may have seen my summary bio at my website, as follows: “Dan Millman, a former world champion athlete, coach, martial arts instructor, and college professor, is author of Way of the Peaceful Warrior (adapted to film in 2006), and numerous other books read by millions of people in 29 languages. Dan teaches worldwide and has influenced people from all walks of life, including leaders in the fields of health, psychology, education, business, politics, sports, entertainment and the arts. Dan and his wife, Joy, live in Northern California. His most recent book is The Four Purposes of Life. Dan’s website – peacefulwarrior.com — features a link to the “Life Purpose Calculator,”and to my online courses and other resources.”

Guest: Ilona Ciunaite author of Liberation Unleashed: A Guide to Breaking Free from the Illusion of a Separate Self Jul 27, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Ilona Ciunaite author of Liberation Unleashed: A Guide to Breaking Free from the Illusion of a Separate Self About the book: Liberation Unleashed introduces you to the process of unraveling the false sense of a separate self at the center of your existence. With insightful metaphors, personal stories, and guided dialogues, this book points directly to our lack of separation and helps you move toward a new, more open reality of selfless bliss. Using the seven clear and focused steps presented, you’ll find liberation in realizing there is no individuated “I” and marvel at the true nature of things. Author Ilona Ciunaite’s search for the truth began when she first “experienced silence of the thinking mind, a sweet sense of being, contentment, peace,” and “feeling at home.” Driven by a desire to reach that state of oneness once more, her path led her through spiritual writings to the process of deconstruction and non-dual self-inquiry and finally to a peaceful emptiness of not knowing, but of simply being. It’s from that place that Ciunaite cocreated the popular Liberation Unleashed forum—a global Internet-based community helping people see through the illusion of a separate self—and it’s just that sense of unknowing peace she wishes to impart with this book. Liberation Unleashed is a lively, fresh, and moving account of the author’s own searching, liberation, and transformation, woven together with the stories of fellow seekers and a clear exposition of the simple, focused tools you can use to go through the “gateless gate.” With its conversational tone, provocative questions, and the presentation of the seven steps—“Clearing the path—meeting the fear,” “Strip away ALL expectations,” “Get in touch with the real,” “‘I’ is a thought,” “There is no separate self,” “How does it feel to see this?” and “Falling”—this book serves as an introductory how-to guide, demonstrating how to use the process of self-inquiry to get free from the falseness of the separate self and realize a blissful oneness. So many of us go through life feeling isolated, searching for ourselves, or seeking a more authentic reality through religion, spirituality, or other, more unconventional means of expanding consciousness. Now, with this book and its guiding principles, you’ll learn how to look deeply into the nature of self and existence; combat the anxieties, fears, mental blocks, and reservations that can arise in self-inquiry; and see the simple beauty of the everyday moment. About the author: Ilona Ciunaite was born in Lithuania. Always interested in the mind and how it works, she has a degree in psychology and a mind-set to focus on freedom for herself and those who find her. Ciunaite lived in the UK for twenty years. Together, she and her husband Narimantas, a tattoo artist from whom she learned the art of tattooing, ran a custom tattoo studio in West Sussex (http://www.mantas-tattoo.com). They currently live in Mexico. Ciunaite’s search for truth started in 2002, when for the first time she “experienced silence of the thinking mind, a sweet sense of being, contentment, peace,” and “feeling at home.” In 2010, she discovered Jed McKenna’s books, which were a shock to her belief system and catapulted her “out of hypnosis” and toward the realization that all she believed was not truth. It wasn’t until the initial deconstruction was done, after months of painful self-inquiry, that Ciunaite felt at peace: there was an emptiness, a not knowing, a not believing anything about anything. Then the last step was taken and the separate self was seen to be an illusion. She started writing a blog, Marked, Eternal, where she shared thoughts about this newfound freedom and invited readers to look for themselves in their own experience. Later, Ciunaite and her friend Elena Nezhinsky helped develop a process called Direct Pointing, which consists of a dialogue between a guide and a seeker. In September 2011, the Liberation Unleashed website and forum was launched. Together Ciunaite and Nezhinsky published a book, Gateless Gatecrashers, that consists of conversations leading to self-realization, and which can be downloaded for free from the Liberation Unleashed website. Liberation Unleashed is a global movement of people helping others to see through the illusion of self. Ciunaite has had hundreds of conversations with people from all around the globe. Her main focus and work is helping people end their seeking by inviting them to question their fundamental assumptions and look at their own experience. She does not give answers, only questions. In this way a seeker may see what is going on for themselves and free their minds from conditioned patterns to explore whatever comes next. Ciunaite holds live meetings and group sessions in the UK. All of her work can be found on her blog Marked, Eternal at http://markedeternal.blogspot.com and on The Gate forum at http://liberationunleashed.com.

Guest: Mike Whitaker author of The Decision Makeover: An Intentional Approach to Living the Life You Want Jul 20, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Mike Whitaker author of The Decision Makeover: An Intentional Approach to Living the Life You Want About the book: Mike's book is available for pre-order on Amazon.com (publication date: September 2017) The secret of happy and successful people? Their ability to make good decisions. Changing careers, launching a business, starting a family, buying a home, moving to a new city? How do you know whether you're making the right decision? In The Decision Makeover, Mike Whitaker offers a thoughtful and strategic approach for choosing wisely in all aspects of your life whether it's about money, career, education, health, friends, or family. With his background in both business and psychology, he lays out a decision-making process that gives you the power to achieve your dreams. He even explains what to do if you've made some poor decisions along the way, so that you can move ahead without regret. Whitaker emphasizes the importance of understanding the difference between small and big decisions, and shows why defining your essential goals is the key to overcoming the roadblocks that can derail your progress. He reveals: why your next decision could change your life forever why you make bad decisions how to avoid self-destructive decision-making how to proceed confidently toward future decisions Filled with engaging anecdotes and interactive exercises, The Decision Makeovergives you the tools to finally achieve all that you want. For young people just beginning to make important life decisions, or those who have seen it all and are ready for a ''reset,'' this timeless book is a must-have for anyone wanting to achieve the maximum success possible through purposeful decision making. About the author: A lifelong and successful entrepreneur, Mike Whitaker is an expert on personal and professional decision-making, turnarounds, and strategic planning. He is a no-nonsense business coach as well as speaker on topics that involve critical thinking about the future, offering unique perspectives and world-class solutions to help people achieve their goals. Whitaker is the founder of Idea Gateway, a company that specializes in launching new businesses, providing expertise and capital for entrepreneurs. He is also a founder and board member for RevTech, a Dallas-based technology accelerator, and serves as Chairman of Lucas Color Card, a data product manufacturer he founded in 1995. These endeavors put Whitaker on the front lines of what is changing in business, technology, and for the American worker. As part of his desire to offer helpful tools for motivated people, he has launched two new platforms: The Idea Filter®—an online idea assessment to help entrepreneurs separate the worthy concepts from the rest—and The Institute for Self Reliance—an online source for American workers who want to take control of their futures and their careers in an uncertain economy. Whitaker received his bachelor's degree in Cognitive Psychology from the University of Kansas and earned his MBA from the Price College of Business at the University of Oklahoma. He is married and has three children who are also on the journey of discovering their passions, goals, and paths toward success. While his passions include family balance, entrepreneurship, and helping people achieve their dreams, Mike eagerly participates in competitive trapshooting as his sport of choice.

Guest: Stephanie Sarkis, PhD The Sociopaths Among Us: Protecting Yourself Jul 13, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Stephanie Sarkis, PhD an author and psychologist specializing in sociopathy. About the show: Sociopaths are all around us – and they blend well with general society. In fact, even trained professionals have been manipulated by sociopaths – they are that good at hiding pathological behavior. Sociopaths thrive off of gaining control of others – and get pleasure from seeing others suffer. People can unknowingly connect with sociopaths through online dating. The online dating atmosphere is ripe for anonymity and creating a persona – something sociopaths use to get into your heart and home. In this segment, Dr. Stephanie Sarkis discusses how to indentify a sociopath – and what to do if you find yourself in a relationship with one. About the author: Stephanie Moulton Sarkis, Ph.D., NCC, DCMHS, LMHC, is a bestselling author and psychotherapist. She is an American Mental Health Counselors Association Diplomate and Clinical Mental Health Specialist in Child and Adolescent Counseling – one of 20 in the U.S.. She is also a National Certified Counselor and Licensed Mental Health Counselor. Her Psychology Today and Huffington Post articles on gaslighting behaviors have received international praise for drawing attention to hidden abuse in relationships. www.stephaniesarkis.com

Guest: Eric Maisel PhD author of Overcoming Your Difficult Family Jul 06, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Eric Maisel PhD author of Overcoming Your Difficult Family: 8 Skills for Thriving in Any Family Situation About the book: Many of the difficult people you encounter in daily life can be avoided, but what if they’re family members? What if the difficult person is a parent, a sibling, one of your children, or your mate? In Overcoming Your Difficult Family, life coach and retired family therapist Eric Maisel offers useful strategies for dealing with the people you’re connected to for life, even when they are not cooperative. Dr. Maisel tackles the problematic aspects of families, describing eight vital skills to help you cope with challenging relationships. The book also serves as a unique “field guide” to common types of dysfunctional families — authoritarian families, anxious families, addicted families, and more — and how to thrive despite those dynamics. By following Dr. Maisel’s battle-tested advice, you’ll learn to maintain inner peace in the midst of family chaos and create a better life for your whole family. About the author: Eric Maisel, PhD, is a retired family therapist, a creativity and life coach, and the author of more than fifty books. He writes the “Rethinking Mental Health” blog for Psychology Today and the “Coaching the Artist Within” column for Professional Artist magazine and lectures throughout the world. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Guest: Linda Carrol author of Love Cycle: The Five Essential Stages of Lasting Love Jun 29, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Linda Carroll author of Love Cycles: The Five Essential Stages of Lasting Love About the book: In Love Cycles, veteran couples therapist Linda Carroll presents a groundbreaking model of the five natural stages of romantic relationships — the Merge, Doubt and Denial, Disillusionment, Decision, and Wholehearted Love — and a guide for navigating through them toward lasting love. Love Cycles helps readers understand where they are in the cycle of their relationship and provides a clear strategy for how to stay happy and committed, even in difficult times. About the author: Linda Carroll, MS, has worked as a couple’s therapist for more than 30 years. In addition to being a licensed psychotherapist, she is certified in Transpersonal Psychology and Imago Therapy, the highly successful form of couple’s therapy developed by Dr. Harville Hendrix and Dr. Helen LaKelly Hunt. She is also a master teacher in the Pairs Psychoeducation Process, a nationally-recognized relationship education program for couples. Linda has studied many modalities of psychological and spiritual work, including Voice Dialogue with Drs. Hal and Sidra Stone, Holotropic Breathwork with Dr. Stan Grof, the Four-Fold With Angeles Arrien, the Diamond Heart Work of A.H. Almaas, and training with The Couples Institute of Drs. Ellyn Bader and Peter Pearson. She is also certified in the Hot Monogamy program, which helps couples create or re-create a passionate connection between them. Linda works with a limited number of couples regularly in a new style of “concierge therapy,” in which she travels to their home or office for 2-6 days per year for private, all-day sessions, offering ongoing Skype and phone sessions in between. She teaches workshops and delivers keynote addresses throughout the United States and is a frequent speaker at Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico. Linda lives in Corvallis, Oregon, with her veterinarian husband, Tim Barraud, and their dog, a Jack Russell Terrier. She has five children and nine grandchildren. In 2006, her memoir, Her Mother’s Daughter, was published by Doubleday. In 2008, Remember Who You Are was published by Conari Press in San Francisco Her recent book, Love Cycles:The Five Essential Stages of Lasting Love was released in the fall of 2014 by New World Library. Find her on the web at lindaacarroll.com or lovecycles.org

Guest: Marc Allen author of The Magical Path: Creating the Life of Your Dreams and a World That Works for All Jun 22, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Marc Allen author of The Magical Path: Creating the Life of Your Dreams and a World That Works for All About the book: At the start of his career, Marc Allen never took a business course; he simply made what he calls “a sloppy, disorganized, lazy, and intuitive search through the books of Western magic.” There he found the tools that took him from being a poverty case to a multimillionaire and helped him create one of the most successful independent publishers in the country. In The Magical Path, he presents these tools — effective, easy-to-apply practices, including affirmation, visualization, and guided meditation — that can change the course of readers’ lives in miraculous ways, as they did his. Because these tools are so simple and powerful, Allen calls them magic. But far from esoteric, they are tools anyone can use to achieve their dreams and goals. About the author: Marc Allen is an internationally renowned author and speaker, the president and publisher of New World Library, and an accomplished musician and composer. His most recent book, The Magical Path — Creating the Life of Your Dreams and a World that Works for All — is filled with short, simple practices that have proven to help thousands of people make wonderful changes in their lives. Bestselling author Dr. Bernie Siegel put it this way: “Marc Allen is sharing the wisdom of the ages in a way that can guide and coach us to choose and create the life we desire.”

Guest: Suzanne Scurlock-Durana author of Reclaiming Your Body: Healing From Trauma and Awakening Your Body's Wisdom Jun 22, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Suzanne Scurlock-Durana author of Reclaiming Your Body: Healing From Trauma and Awakening to Your Body’s Wisdom About the book: A guided tour through the body’s innate healing powers Many of us have learned to ignore, deny, or even mistrust the wise messages our bodies give us. The result is that when trauma strikes, a time when we need every aspect of our beings to master the challenge, we may find ourselves disconnected from our greatest strengths. Suzanne Scurlock-Durana, who has spent thirty years studying the gifts of the body and teaching thousands how to reclaim them, began to recognize this strength, which she likens to a GPS, when she herself experienced a life-threatening trauma. Here she walks readers through different areas of the body, revealing the wisdom they hold and how to reconnect with that wisdom. As she shows in this warm, compassionate book, the body’s abilities are always available; we must simply reconnect with them. About the author: Suzanne Scurlock-Durana’s Healing from the Core curriculum, combined with CranioSacral therapy and other bodywork modalities, creates a complete, body-centered guide to awareness, healing, and joy. She is also the author of Full Body Presence. She teaches around the world and lives in Reston, Virginia.

Guest: Alexandra Solomon PhD author of Loving Bravely: 20 Lessons of Self-Discovery to Help You Get the Love You Want Jun 08, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Alexandra Solomon, PhD author of Loving Bravely: 20 Lessons of Self-Discovery to Help You Get the Love You Want About the book: Real love starts with you. In order to attract a life partner and build a healthy intimate relationship, you must first become a good partner to yourself. This book offers twenty invaluable lessons that will help you explore and commit to your own emotional and psychological well-being so you can be ready, resilient, and confident in love. Many of us enter into romantic relationships full of expectation and hope, only to be sorely disappointed by the realization that the partner we’ve selected is a flawed human being with their own neuroses, history, and desires. Most relationships end because one or both people haven’t done the internal work necessary to develop self-awareness and take responsibility for their own experiences. We’ve all heard “You can’t love anyone unless you love yourself,” but amid life’s distractions and the myth of perfect, romantic love, how exactly do you do that? In Loving Bravely, psychologist, professor and relationship expert Alexandra H. Solomon introduces the idea of relational self-awareness, encouraging you to explore your personal history to gain an understanding of your own relational patterns, as well as your strengths and weaknesses in relationships. By doing so, you’ll learn what relationships actually require, beyond the fairytale notions of romance. And by maintaining a steady but gentle focus on yourself, you’ll build the best possible foundation for making a loving connection. By understanding your past relationship experiences, cultivating a strong sense of self-awareness, and determining what it is you really want in a romantic partner—you’ll be ready to find the healthy, lasting love your heart desires. About the author: Alexandra H. Solomon, PhD, is staff clinical psychologist, member of the teaching faculty in the marriage and family therapy graduate program, and clinical assistant professor of psychology at The Family Institute at Northwestern University. In addition to her clinical work with couples and individuals, Solomon teaches graduate and undergraduate students. One of her courses is Northwestern University’s internationally renowned “Building Loving and Lasting Relationships: Marriage 101,” which combines traditional and experiential learning to educate students about key relational issues like intimacy, sex, conflict, acceptance, and forgiveness. Solomon’s work has been widely cited, and her articles on love and marriage have appeared in The Handbook of Clinical Psychology, The Handbook of Couple Therapy, Family Process, Psychotherapy Networker, and other top publications in psychology. Her work also appears in O Magazine and The Huffington Post, and she is a frequent interviewee and contributor for the Oprah Winfrey Network, Yahoo! Health, The Atlantic, CBS Early Show, NPR, Psychology Today, and WGN Morning News. She is a sought-after speaker for corporate, collegiate, and professional audiences on topics related to modern love. Solomon lives in Highland Park, IL, with her husband, Todd, and their two children, Brian and Courtney.

Guest: Mark Coleman author of Awake in the Wild: Mindfulness in Nature as a Path of Self-Discovery Jun 01, 2017

My radio show on Thursday June 1, 2017 This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Mark Coleman author of Awake in the Wild: Mindfulness in Nature as a Path of Self-Discovery About the book: “Nature deficit disorder” has become an increasingly challenging problem in our hyper modern world. In Awake in the Wild, Mark Coleman shows seekers how to remedy this widespread malady by reconnecting with nature through Buddhism. Each short (two to three pages) chapter includes a concrete nature meditation relating to such topics as Attuning to the Natural World, Reflecting the Rhythms of Nature, Walking with Compassion, Releasing the Inner Noise, Freeing the Animal Within, Coming into the Peace of Wild Things, Weathering the Storms of Life, and more. Incorporating anecdotes from the author’s many nature retreats, Buddhist wisdom and teachings, important nature writings by others, and nature itself, the book invites readers to participate in, not just observe, nature; develop a loving connection with the earth as a form of environmental activism; decrease urban alienation through experiencing nature; embody nature’s peaceful presence; and connect with ancient spiritual wisdom through nature meditations. About the author: Mark Coleman has been meditating for more than twenty-five years. He teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and conducts nature meditation retreats all over the world. He lives in Mill Valley, California. www.awakeinthewild.com

Guest: Steve Taylor PhD author of The Leap: The Psychology of Spiritual Awakening May 18, 2017

My radio show on Thursday May 18, 2017 This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Steve Taylor PhD author of The Leap: They Psychology of Spiritual Awakening. About the book: What does it mean to be enlightened or spiritually awakened? In The Leap, Steve Taylor shows that this state is much more common than is generally believed. He shows that ordinary people — from all walks of life — can and do regularly “wake up” to a more intense reality, even if they know nothing about spiritual practices and paths. Wakefulness is a more expansive and harmonious state of being that can be cultivated or that can arise accidentally. It may also be a process we are undergoing collectively. Drawing on his years of research as a psychologist and on his own experiences, Taylor provides what is perhaps the clearest psychological study of the state of wakefulness ever published. Above all, he reminds us that it is our most natural state — accessible to us all, anytime, anyplace. About the author: Steve Taylor, PhD, is the author of several books on spirituality and psychology, including The Fall and Waking from Sleep. He has also published two books of poetic spiritual reflections, including The Calm Center. He is a senior lecturer in psychology at Leeds Beckett University in the United Kingdom. Since 2011, he has appeared annually in Mind, Body, Spirit magazine’s list of the world’s “100 most spiritually influential living people.”

Guest: Ben Sedley author of Stuff That Sucks: A Teen's Guide to Accepting What You Can't Change and Committing to What You Can May 11, 2017

My radio show on Thursday May 11, 2017 This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Ben Sedley author of Stuff That Sucks: A Teen’s Guide to Accepting What You Can’t Change and Committing to What You Can About the book: Sometimes everything sucks. This unique, illustrated guide will help you move past negative thoughts and feelings and discover what truly matters to you. If you struggle with negative thoughts and emotions, you should know that your pain is real. No one should try to diminish it. Sometimes stuff really does suck and we have to acknowledge it. Worry, sadness, loneliness, anger, and shame are big and important, but they can also get in the way of what really matters. What if, instead of fighting your pain, you realized what really matters to you—and put those things first in life? If you did that, maybe your pain wouldn’t feel so big anymore. Isn’t it worth a try? Stuff That Sucks offers a compassionate and validating guide to accepting emotions, rather than struggling against them. With this book as your guide, you’ll learn to prioritize your thoughts, feelings, and values. You’ll figure out what you care about the most, and then start caring some more! The skills you’ll learn are based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Yes, there are a few written exercises, but this isn’t a workbook. It’s a journey into the stuff that sucks, what makes that sucky stuff suck even more, and how just a few moments each day with the stuff that matters will ultimately transform the stuff that sucks into stuff that is just stuff. Make sense? Maybe you want to be more creative? Or maybe you simply want to do better in school or be a better friend? This book will show you how to focus on what you really care about, so that all that other sucky stuff doesn’t seem so, well, sucky anymore. About the author: Ben Sedley is a clinical psychologist and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) practitioner with over fifteen years of experience working with kids, adolescents, and families facing mental health difficulties. He is also the father of three wonderful noisy kids and loves The Ramones and The Clash

Guest: Linda Lehrhaupt PhD author of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: The MBSR Program for Enhancing Health and Vitality May 04, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Linda Lehrhaupt, PhD author of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: The MBSR Program for Enhancing Health and Vitality About the book: Practicing mindfulness helps us meet life’s challenges with gentleness and clarity. By fully engaging in the present moment as best we can, we nurture our capacity to approach difficulties with less judgment and water the seeds of wisdom and openheartedness in ourselves. This book offers a concise and thorough immersion in the eight-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course developed by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn. It features straightforward instruction in the main exercises of MBSR ― sitting meditation, walking meditation, eating meditation, yoga, body scan, and informal, everyday practices. MBSR has been shown to help alleviate symptoms associated with chronic illness, anxiety, pain, burnout, cancer, and other stress-related conditions. The authors, two leading MBSR teacher trainers, provide step-by-step instructions as well as illustrative real-life examples. Readers embarking on a course in MBSR will find clear guidance, trainers will gain a valuable tool for their teaching, and anyone experiencing or receiving treatment for challenges of mind, body, or spirit will find practical, inspirational help. About the author: Linda Lehrhaupt, PhD, is the founder and executive director of the Institute for Mindfulness-Based Approaches and one of Europe’s most senior MBSR teachers.

Guest: Sally Winston PsyD co-author of Overcoming Unwanted Intrustive Thoughts: A CBT-based Guide to Getting Over Frightening, Obsessive, or Disturbing Thoughts Apr 27, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Sally M. Winston, PsyD co-author of Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts: A CBT-based Guide to Getting Over Frightening, Obsessive, or Disturbing Thoughts About the book: You are not your thoughts! In this powerful book, two anxiety experts offer proven-effective cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) skills to help you get unstuck from disturbing thoughts, overcome the shame these thoughts can bring, and reduce your anxiety. If you suffer from unwanted, intrusive, frightening, or even disturbing thoughts, you might worry about what these thoughts mean about you. Thoughts can seem like messages—are they trying to tell you something? But the truth is that they are just thoughts, and don’t necessarily mean anything. Sane and good people have them. If you are someone who is plagued by thoughts you don’t want—thoughts that scare you, or thoughts you can’t tell anyone about—this book may change your life. In this compassionate guide, you’ll discover the different kinds of disturbing thoughts, myths that surround your thoughts, and how your brain has a tendency to get “stuck” in a cycle of unwanted rumination. You’ll also learn why common techniques to get rid of these thoughts can backfire. And finally, you’ll learn powerful cognitive behavioral skills to help you cope with and move beyond your thoughts, so you can focus on living the life you want. Your thoughts will still occur, but you will be better able to cope with them—without dread, guilt, or shame. If you have unwanted thoughts, you should remember that you aren’t alone. In fact, there are millions of people just like you—good people who have awful thoughts, gentle people with violent thoughts, and sane people with “crazy” thoughts. This book will show you how to move past your thoughts so you can reclaim your life! About the author: Sally M. Winston, PsyD, founded and codirects the Anxiety and Stress Disorders Institute of Maryland in Towson, MD. She served as the first chair of the Clinical Advisory Board of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), and received their prestigious Jerilyn Ross Clinician Advocate Award. She is a master clinician who has given sought-after workshops for therapists for decades. She is coauthor of What Every Therapist Needs to Know About Anxiety Disorders.

Guest: Maria Felipe author of Live Your Happy: Get Out of Your Own Way And Find The Love Within Apr 20, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Maria Felipe author of Live Your Happy: Get Out of Your Own Way and Find the Love Within About the book: Banish Fear, Encounter Love! Inspired, lively, and fun, Maria Felipe’s real-world approach to living based on A Course in Miracles will guide you toward a life released from fear and doubt and filled with joy and power. In nine crystal-clear chapters, Maria shows you how to banish the “cuckoo voice of the ego” and connect with your internal teacher, accessing unlimited love and strength. Her stories, shared from her own life and from her students’ experiences, demonstrate that with a willing attitude and an open heart, true happiness isn’t just possible — it’s inevitable! About the author: Rev. Maria Felipe, a Cuban American born in Miami, found success as a model and actress before following a spiritual path that led her to study A Course in Miracles. She became an ordained minister at Pathways of Light and now leads monthly services in both Spanish and English at Unity Church in Burbank, California.

Guest: Laura Doyle author of The Empowered Wife: Six Surprising Secrets for Attracting Your Husband's Time, Attention and Affection Apr 13, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Laura Doyle author of The Empowered Wife: Six Surprising Secrets for Attracting Your Husband’s Time, Attention, and Affection About the book: Can a wife single-handedly bring a boring or broken marriage back to life? This improved and expanded edition of Laura Doyle’s acclaimed First, Kill All the Marriage Counselors features real-life success stories from empowered wives who have done just that–and provides a step-by-step guide to revitalizing your own marriage. Laura Doyle’s marriage was in trouble, and couples counseling wasn’t helping. On the brink of divorce, she decided to talk to women who’d been happily married for over a decade, and their advice stunned her. From it, she distilled Six Intimacy Skills–woman-centric practices that ended her overwhelm and resentment, restoring the playfulness and passion in her marriage. Now an internationally-recognized relationship expert, Doyle has shared her secrets with women around the globe, saving thousands of marriages with her fresh, revolutionary approach. Practical and counter-intuitive, the Six Intimacy Skills are about focusing on your own desires and transforming your own life–not bending over backwards to transform your husband. Incorporating these skills will empower you to: Attract his attention like a magnet when you relax more and do less Receive affection not because you told him to make more of an effort, but because he naturally seeks you out Feel more like yourself–and like yourself moreIf you’ve been trying to “fix” your relationship and it’s not working, maybe the problem was never you, or your husband, or even the two of you as a couple. Maybe the problem is that nobody ever taught you the skills you need to foster respect, tenderness, and consideration.With humor and heart, The Empowered Wife shows you how to improve your relationship in ways you hadn’t thought possible. You’ll join a worldwide community of over 150,000 empowered wives who finally have the marriages they dreamed of when they said “I do.” About the author: Laura Doyle is a New York Times Best Selling Author of The Surrendered Wife, The Surrendered Single and First, Kill All the Marriage Counselors. Over 150,000 women credit her with helping them revitalize the intimacy in their relationships using the system in her Surrendered Wife, Empowered Woman Program for wives and girlfriends. To watch her free training program on how to become desired, cherished and adored for life, visit http://lauradoyle.org/ Laura has appeared on CBS Evening News, Dateline NBC, The Today Show and The View. She has been written about in The Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The London Telegraph and The New Yorker. She is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post and the founder of Laura Doyle Connect, a multi-national company that provides relationship coaching for single women, girlfriends and wives all over the world. Her books have been translated into 16 languages and published in 27 countries.

Guest: Steven Stosny PhD author of Soar Above: How to Use the Most Profound Part of Your Brain Under Any Kind of Stress Mar 30, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Steven Stosny PhD author of Soar Above: How to Use the Most Profound Part of Your Brain Under Any Kind of Stress About the book: Success in work, love, and life depends on developing habits that activate the powerful prefrontal cortex when we need it most. Unfortunately, under stress, the human brain tends to revert to emotional habits we forged in toddlerhood: blame, denial, avoidance, reacting to a jerk like a jerk, and turning our connections into cold shoulders—or worse. In Soar Above, renowned relationship expert Dr. Steven Stosny offers a ground-breaking formula for building new, pressure-resistant habits. Based on research in psychology, neurobiology, and anthropology, Stosny will show anyone how to switch to the adult brain automatically when things get tough and to soar above the impulse to make things worse. Filled with engaging examples from his lectures and therapeutic work with more than 6,000 clients, he explains how to use two potent laws of emotion interaction--reciprocity and contagion-- to inspire those around you, creating collaboration and community instead of chaos and confusion. Most importantly, readers will learn how, through practice, they can get off the treadmill of repeating past mistakes to become their best selves at home, at work, and in the world. Stress is inevitable in life, but this illuminating book gives anyone the practical tools to rise above. About the author: Steven Stosny, Ph.D., has treated more than 6,000 people through CompassionPower, the organization he founded and has directed for more than 21 years. He is the author of Living & Loving after Betrayal, Love without Hurt: Turn Your Resentful, Angry, or Emotionally Abusive Relationship into a Compassionate, Loving One, and, with Pat Love, How to Improve Your Marriage Without Talking about It. His textbook, Treating Attachment Abuse: A Compassionate Approach, set a new standard for understanding and treating family abuse and was a Behavioral Science Book Selection. His blog Psychology Today blog on relationships is one of the most popular, with nearly four million views.

Guest: Lisa Smartt author of Words at the Threshold: What We Say When We're Nearing Death Mar 23, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Lisa Smartt author of Words at the Threshold: What We Say When We’re Nearing Death About the book: What Our Last Words Reveal About Life, Death, and the Afterlife A person’s end-of-life words often take on an eerie significance, giving tantalizing clues about the ultimate fate of the human soul. Until now, however, no author has systematically studied end-of-life communication by using examples from ordinary people. When her father became terminally ill with cancer, author Lisa Smartt began transcribing his conversations and noticed that his personality underwent inexplicable changes. Smartt’s father, once a skeptical man with a secular worldview, developed a deeply spiritual outlook in his final days ― a change reflected in his language. Baffled and intrigued, Smartt began to investigate what other people have said while nearing death, collecting more than one hundred case studies through interviews and transcripts. In this groundbreaking and insightful book, Smartt shows how the language of the dying can point the way to a transcendent world beyond our own. About the author: Lisa Smartt, MA, is a linguist, educator, and poet. She is the author of Words at the Threshold: What We Say When We’re Nearing Death (New World Library 2017). The book is based on data collected through The Final Words Project, wwwfinalwordsproject.org, an ongoing study devoted to gathering and interpreting the mysterious language at end of life. She has worked closely with Raymond Moody, guided by his research into language, particularly unintelligible speech. They have co-facilitated presentations about language and consciousness at universities, hospices and conferences.

Guest: Marc Allen to discuss Shakti Gawain's Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life Mar 16, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Marc Allen. Marc is joining me to discuss the 40th anniversary of Shakti Gawain’s book Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life About the book: As introduced by Shakti Gawain to more than seven million readers worldwide, creative visualization is the art of using mental imagery and affirmation to produce positive changes in your life. Gawain’s clear writing style and vivid examples make Creative Visualization easy to read and apply to your personal needs and wants. This groundbreaking work has found enthusiastic followers in every country and language in which it has been published, and Gawain’s simple yet powerful techniques are now used successfully in many diverse fields, including health, education, business, sports, and the creative arts. Whether you read it for general inspiration and empowerment or to achieve specific goals (financial, creative, medical, career, relationship), Creative Visualization remains a profoundly powerful resource from a uniquely warm and wise teacher. About my guest: Marc Allen is an internationally renowned author and speaker, the president and publisher of New World Library, and an accomplished musician and composer. His most recent book, The Magical Path — Creating the Life of Your Dreams and a World that Works for All — is filled with short, simple practices that have proven to help thousands of people make wonderful changes in their lives. Bestselling author Dr. Bernie Siegel put it this way: “Marc Allen is sharing the wisdom of the ages in a way that can guide and coach us to choose and create the life we desire.” His previous book, The Greatest Secret of All, guides the reader in unraveling the secrets of happiness, inner peace, ease, and fulfillment. Bestselling author Gay Hendricks says of The Greatest Secret of All: “It is a wonderful contribution to humanity. It gives us the key to a life well lived.” Marc’s most popular book is The Millionaire Course: A Visionary Plan for Creating the Life of Your Dreams. It is an entire course, filled with keys to success. Over the years, he has written and published several other books, including Visionary Business: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Success, which brought his principles to those in the business world, and A Visionary Life, which remains one of the best books ever written on personal fulfillment. He has also published The Type-Z Guide to Success — A Lazy Person’s Manifesto for Wealth and Fufillment — which is loved by lazy people all over the world, and The Ten Percent Solution: Simple Steps to Improve Our Lives and the World. He produced a popular audio CD (over 100,000 copies sold), Stress Reduction and Creative Meditations. In recent years he has expanded his reach to deliver his message through a variety of digital formats. He has produced The Success With Ease Audio Course, a 12-audio download available through his website, MarcAllen.com. The 11th audio of the series is available as a separate download; it’s titled The Spiritual Path to Success. Marc co-founded New World Library with Shakti Gawain in 1977 and has guided the company from a small start-up with no capital to its current position as one of the leading independent publishers in the country. Along the way, he has published many books that have changed lives, including Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now, Deepak Chopra’s The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, and Shakti Gawain’s Creative Visualization.

Guest: Stephanie Sarkis, PhD discusses Gaslighting Mar 09, 2017

My radio show on Thursday March 9, 2017 This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Stephanie Sarkis, PhD. She explains Gaslighting, a manipulation technique used by abusers, sociopaths and narcissists. About the show: Gaslighting: Know it, Identify It and Protect Yourself Gaslighting is a tactic in which a person or entity, in order to gain more power, makes a victim question their reality. It works much better than you may think. Anyone is susceptible to gaslighting, and it is a common technique of abusers, dictators, narcissists, and cult leaders. It is done slowly, so the victim doesn’t realize how much they’ve been brainwashed. For example, in the movie Gaslight (1944), a man manipulates his wife to the point where she thinks she is losing her mind. People who gaslight typically use the following techniques: 1. They tell blatant lies. You know it’s an outright lie. Yet they are telling you this lie with a straight face. Why are they so blatant? Because they’re setting up a precedent. Once they tell you a huge lie, you’re not sure if anything they say is true. Keeping you unsteady and off-kilter is the goal. 2. They deny they ever said something, even though you have proof. You know they said they would do something; you know you heard it. But they out and out deny it. It makes you start questioning your reality—maybe they never said that thing. And the more they do this, the more you question your reality and start accepting theirs. 3. They use what is near and dear to you as ammunition. They know how important your kids are to you, and they know how important your identity is to you. So those may be one of the first things they attack. If you have kids, they tell you that you should not have had those children. They will tell you’d be a worthy person if only you didn’t have a long list of negative traits. They attack the foundation of your being. 4. They wear you down over time. This is one of the insidious things about gaslighting—it is done gradually, over time. A lie here, a lie there, a snide comment every so often…and then it starts ramping up. Even the brightest, most self-aware people can be sucked into gaslighting—it is that effective. It’s the “frog in the frying pan” analogy: The heat is turned up slowly, so the frog never realizes what’s happening to it. 5. Their actions do not match their words. When dealing with a person or entity that gaslights, look at what they are doing rather than what they are saying. What they are saying means nothing; it is just talk. What they are doing is the issue. 6. They throw in positive reinforcement to confuse you. This person or entity that is cutting you down, telling you that you don’t have value, is now praising you for something you did. This adds an additional sense of uneasiness. You think, “Well maybe they aren’t so bad.” Yes, they are. This is a calculated attempt to keep you off-kilter—and again, to question your reality. Also look at what you were praised for; it is probably something that served the gaslighter. 7. They know confusion weakens people. Gaslighters know that people like having a sense of stability and normalcy. Their goal is to uproot this and make you constantly question everything. And humans’ natural tendency is to look to the person or entity that will help you feel more stable—and that happens to be the gaslighter. 8. They project. They are a drug user or a cheater, yet they are constantly accusing you of that. This is done so often that you start trying to defend yourself, and are distracted from the gaslighter’s own behavior. 9. They try to align people against you. Gaslighters are masters at manipulating and finding the people they know will stand by them no matter what—and they use these people against you. They will make comments such as, “This person knows that you’re not right,” or “This person knows you’re useless too.” Keep in mind it does not mean that these people actually said these things. A gaslighter is a constant liar. When the gaslighter uses this tactic it makes you feel like you don’t know who to trust or turn to—and that leads you right back to the gaslighter. And that’s exactly what they want: Isolation gives them more control. 10. They tell you or others that you are crazy. This is one of the most effective tools of the gaslighter, because it’s dismissive. The gaslighter knows if they question your sanity, people will not believe you when you tell them the gaslighter is abusive or out-of-control. It’s a master technique. 11. They tell you everyone else is a liar. By telling you that everyone else (your family, the media) is a liar, it again makes you question your reality. You’ve never known someone with the audacity to do this, so they must be telling the truth, right? No. It’s a manipulation technique. It makes people turn to the gaslighter for the “correct” information—which isn’t correct information at all. The more you are aware of these techniques, the quicker you can identify them and avoid falling into the gaslighter’s trap. Original Post on Psychology Today: Gaslighting: Know It and Identify It to Protect Yourself About the author: Dr. Stephanie Sarkis is a National Certified Counselor (NCC), Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), and AMHCA Diplomate and Clinical Specialist in Child and Adolescent Counseling based in Tampa Bay, Florida, where she specializes in the treatment of ADD/ADHD. Dr. Sarkis conducts evaluations, testing, diagnosis, and counseling services. She also is a public speaker, consultant, coach, and is a facilitator in collaborative law.

Guest: Evan M. Forman, PhD author of Effective Weight Loss: An Acceptance-Based Behavioral Approach Mar 02, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Evan M. Forman PhD author of Effective Weight Loss: An Acceptance-Based Behavioral Approach About the book: The obesity epidemic is one of the most serious public health threats confronting the nation and the world. The majority of overweight individuals want to lose weight, but the overall success of self-administered diets and commercial weight loss programs is very poor. Scientific findings suggest that the problem boils down to adherence. The dietary and physical activity recommendations that weight loss programs promote are effective; however, people have difficulty initiating and maintaining changes. Effective Weight Loss presents 25 detailed sessions of an empirically supported, cognitive-behavioral treatment package called Acceptance-Based Behavioral Treatment (ABT). The foundation of this approach is comprised of the nutritional, physical activity, and behavioral components of the most successful, gold-standard behavioral weight loss programs. These components are synthesized with acceptance, willingness, behavioral commitment, motivation, and relapse prevention strategies drawn from a range of therapies. ABT is based on the idea that specialized self-control skills are necessary for weight control, given our innate desire to consume delicious foods and to conserve energy by avoiding physical activity. These self-control skills revolve around a willingness to choose behaviors that may be perceived as uncomfortable, for the sake of a more valuable objective. The Clinician Guide is geared towards helping administer treatment, and the companion Workbook provides summaries of session content, exercises, worksheets, handouts, and assignments for patients and clients receiving the treatment. The books will appeal to psychologists, primary care physicians, nutritionists, dieticians, and other clinicians who counsel the overweight. About the author: Evan Forman, PhD, is a Professor of Psychology at Drexel University and Co-Director of the Laboratory for Innovations in Health-Related Behavior Change. He also serves as Director of Graduate Studies and Chair of the Society for Clinical Psychology’s Committee on Science and Practice and is Past-President of the Philadelphia Behavior Therapy Association. He has been the lead investigator of several National Institute of Health-sponsored trials, including two comparing the effectiveness and processes of traditional cognitive therapy to newer acceptance-based behavior therapies. He also has been funded to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of smartphone and computerized neurocognitive training interventions for weight control.

Guest: Evan M. Forman, PhD co-author of Mindfulness & Acceptance for Treating Eating Disorders and Weight Concerns Feb 23, 2017

Guests: W. Brad Johnson PhD & David Smith PhD authors of Athena Rising: How and Why Men Should Mentor Women Feb 16, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guests are W. Brad Johnson, PhD & David Smith, PhD authors of Athena Rising: How and Why Men Should Mentor Women About the book: Increasingly, new employees and junior members of any profession are encouraged-sometimes stridently-to “find a mentor!” Four decades of research reveals that the effects of mentorship can be profound and enduring; strong mentoring relationships have the capacity to transform individuals and entire organizations. Organizations that retain and promote top talent-both female and male-are more likely to thrive. But the mentoring landscape is unequal. Evidence consistently shows that women face more barriers in securing mentorships than men, and when they do find a mentor, they may reap a narrower range of both career and psychological benefits. Athena Rising is a book for men about how to mentor women deliberately and effectively. It is a straightforward, no-nonsense manual for helping men of all institutions, organizations, and businesses to become excellent mentors to women. Co-authors W. Brad Johnson, PhD and David Smith, PhD draw from extensive research and years of experience as experts in mentoring relationships and gender workplace issues. When a man mentors a woman, they explain, the relationship is often complicated by conventional gender roles and at times hostile external perceptions. Traditional notions of mentoring are often modeled on male-to-male relationships-the sort that begin on the golf course, involve a nearly exclusive focus on career achievement, and include more than a few slaps on the back over drinks after work. But women often report a desire for mentoring that integrates career and interpersonal needs. Women want a mentor who not only “gets” this, but truly honors it. Men need to fully appreciate just how crucial their support of promising junior women can be in helping them to persist, promote, and thrive in their vocations and organizations. As women succeed, lean in, and assume leading roles in any organization or work context, that culture will become more egalitarian, effective, and prone to retaining top talent. About the authors: W. Brad Johnson, PhD is professor of psychology in the Department of Leadership, Ethics, and Law at the United States Naval Academy, and a faculty associate in the Graduate School of Education at Johns Hopkins University. A clinical psychologist and former Lieutenant Commander in the Navy’s Medical Service Corps, Dr. Johnson served as a psychologist at Bethesda Naval Hospital and the Medical Clinic at Pearl Harbor where he was the division head for psychology. He is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and recipient of the Johns Hopkins University Teaching Excellence Award. He has served as chair of the American Psychological Association’s Ethics Committee and as president of the Society for Military Psychology. Dr. Johnson is the author of more than 100 journal articles and book chapters—many on the topic of mentoring—and 12 books, in the areas of mentoring, professional ethics, and counseling. Books of related interest include: On Being a Mentor: A Guide for Higher Education Faculty (2nd Ed.) (2015), The Elements of Mentoring (Revised Ed.) (2008, with Charles Ridley), The Elements of Ethics for Professionals (2008, with Charles Ridley), and Becoming a Leader the Annapolis Way (2006, with Greg Harper). David Smith, PhD is an active duty U.S. Navy Captain and permanent military professor in the Department of Leadership, Ethics, and Law at the United States Naval Academy having served four years as the chair. A former Navy Pilot, Dr. Smith led diverse organizations of women and men culminating in command of a squadron in combat and flew more than 3,000 hours over 19 years including combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. As a sociologist trained in military sociology and social psychology, he focuses his research in gender, work, and family issues including dual career families, military families, women in the military, and retention of women. Dr. Smith is the author of numerous journal articles and book chapters—many on the topic of gender and the workplace. His most recent publications include: “On the Fast Track: Dual Military Couples Navigating Institutional Structures” in Contemporary Perspectives in Family Research (2013), “Dual Military Families: Confronting a Stubborn Military Institution” in Military Families and War in the 21st Century, Comparative Perspectives (2015), “Leadership and Peer Behaviors: Women in Combat” in Military Medicine (2016) and “Gender and the Military Profession: Early Career Influences, Attitudes and Intentions.” in Armed Forces & Society.

Guest: Jeremy Cage author of All Dreams on Deck: Charting the Course for Your Life and Work Feb 09, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Jeremy Cage author of All Dreams on Deck: Charting the Course for Your Life and Work About the book: Set sail for the adventure of your life and work! As Katie Couric, journalist, author and Yahoo Global News Anchor attests, ”Jeremy Cage has written a great book that everyone who thinks about how to better balance work-life issues would benefit from reading….he’s also shown us how to better navigate life’s personal and professional challenges.” All Dreams on Deck will help you articulate your most important dreams in work and life and will then give you a practical approach for realizing those dreams. Through engaging, real-life examples, you will be inspired to live life to your full potential. Author Jeremy Cage, President of the Cage Group, begins with the premise that there is no such thing as work-life balance. There is only life balance–of which work is an important part. With this as the foundation, he will guide you through a simple and actionable approach to determining the most important components of your life–the Grab Bags in your LifeBoat–then chart the course to making all the dreams in that LifeBoat a reality. Jeremy, who has lived and worked in nine countries, has used this approach to help thousands of executives, managers, and their teams unleash their potential. He has also realized his own dreams by taking a sixteen-month sabbatical to sail around the world with his family before returning to the US to launch several exciting new companies. So rather than theoretical mumbo jumbo, Jeremy presents compelling, real-life examples of how to dream specifically, get highly intentional about those dreams, plan and prepare well–then summon the courage to set sail. About the author: Jeremy Cage’s life mission is to help unleash the full potential of as many businesses and as many people as he possibly can. His business experience spans three decades of delivering strong, profitable business growth for Procter & Gamble, Schering-Plough Healthcare, PepsiCo, The Lighting Science Group, and his own firm, The Cage Group. He is a truly global citizen, having lived and worked in Germany, France, Belgium, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Venezuela, Brazil, Mexico, and the United States. Jeremy believes that most businesses and most people regardless of how successful they have been to date do not actually achieve their full potential ”as defined by them.” Committed to not letting that happen in his own life, he embarked on a sixteen-month voyage to sail the world, with his wife, Pat, and their kids, Bradley and Elena. This stretched his leadership skills, built his courage, pushed him beyond his comfort zone, and stimulated his creativity through interactions with new cultures and people. Jeremy’s unique combination of business adventures and life adventures forms the foundation of the tools he uses to create breakthrough strategy, marketing, innovation, and people solutions for a diverse range of Fortune 500 companies.

Guest: Ann Haynos PhD co-author/editor of Mindfulness & Acceptance for Treating Eating Disorders & Weight Concerns Feb 02, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Ann Haynos PhD co-editor/author of Mindfulness and Acceptance for Treating Eating Disorders & Weight Concerns: Evidence-based Interventions About the book: Disordered eating, negative body image, and problems with weight have become an epidemic—and research shows that traditional treatments are not always effective. This professional resource offers proven-effective interventions using mindfulness and acceptance for treating clients with disordered eating, body image, or weight issues—and for whom other treatments have failed. Millions of people in the United States suffer from eating disorders, and dissatisfaction with weight and body type—even in individuals whose weight is considered normal—is similarly widespread. In addition, more than half of Americans could benefit from healthy weight loss. Unfortunately, not all people with eating disorders or weight concerns respond to traditional therapeutic interventions; many continue to suffer significant symptoms even after treatment. What these clients need is an integrated therapeutic approach that will prove effective in the long run—like the scientifically backed methods in this much-needed clinical guide. Edited by Ann F. Haynos, Jason Lillis, Evan M. Forman, and Meghan L. Butryn; and with contributors including Kay Segal, Debra Safer, and Hugo Alberts; Mindfulness and Acceptance for Treating Eating Disorders and Weight Concerns is the first professional resource to incorporate a variety of proven-effective acceptance- and mindfulness-based approaches—such as acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT)—into the treatment of persistent disordered eating, body image issues, and weight problems. With these evidence-based interventions, you’ll be ready to help your clients move beyond their problems with disordered eating, body dissatisfaction, and weight management once and for all. About the editor/author: Editor Ann F. Haynos, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and T32 postdoctoral research fellow funded by the National Institute of Mental Health through the department of psychiatry at the University of Minnesota Medical Center. Haynos’s research interests pertain to identifying the underlying mechanisms associated with the development and maintenance of disordered eating, and developing and evaluating treatments for eating disorders and weight concerns. In a clinical capacity, Haynos has worked primarily with individuals with eating disorders using dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) models.

Michelle Skeen & Arthur Ciaramicoli (Episode 1) Feb 02, 2017

This podcast is the first in a series of chats that Arthur and I will be having about relationships. If you have questions that you would like us to answer you can email me at michelle@michelleskeen.com To find out more about Arthur go to www.balanceyoursuccess.com

Guest: Carol Lambert MSW author of Women with Controlling Partners: Jan 26, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Carol Lambert MSW author of Women with Controlling Partners: Taking Back Your Life from a Manipulative or Abusive Partner About the book: A controlling or abusive partner can break even the strongest person—unless you know what to look for. Written by an expert in intimate partner abuse and based on her highly successful recovery program for women with controlling partners, this book will give you the strength, courage, and strategies you need to acknowledge the problem and stand up for yourself once and for all—whether you stay or leave the relationship. If you have a controlling partner, you aren’t alone. Millions of women suffer psychological abuse at the hands of a spouse or intimate partner during some point in their lives, not fully seeing or knowing what is happening to them. Research shows that psychological abuse affects women’s overall well-being more than physical abuse, is a bigger contributor to inducing fear, and can be a precursor to violence. To make matters worse, having a controlling partner often results in hidden injuries like anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, trauma, and low self-efficacy—feeling like you can’t make a difference in your life. So, where can you turn for help? Based on over a decade of clinical and domestic abuse research, Women with Controlling Partners will help you identify the coercive constraints that can be predictive of intimate partner abuse, recognize the harmful effects of psychological abuse on your mental and physical health, and gain the personal strength and power to break free. Using the author’s three-stage recovery model, you’ll be empowered to move out of denial, deconstruct what holds you psychologically captive, and take back your life. Abuse can be devastating, and having a controlling partner can make you feel crazy—and as if you’re the one responsible. But you’re not crazy, and you’re not to blame! With this important, one-of-a-kind recovery process, you’ll finally find the clarity of mind, courage, and strength to protect yourself from the hurtful control that damages your mental and physical health, and move toward a safer and happier life. About the author: Carol A. Lambert, MSW, is a psychotherapist and domestic violence expert with three decades of clinical experience helping individuals and groups, and a career-long commitment to women’s psychological health. Since 1993, she developed a unique approach and cofounded the Recovery Groups for Women with Controlling Partners that bring together insights from mental health, trauma recovery, and domestic violence. At McLean Hospital, a psychiatric hospital affiliated with Harvard Medical School, she provides domestic violence training and consultation. Over the years, her expertise took her from educating volunteers in a domestic violence program affiliated with local police to providing training and consultation to the National Football League. In all her endeavors, she brings critical attention to psychological abuse and the major losses to women’s mental and physical health. She’s currently in private clinical practice in Belmont and Concord, MA.

Guest: Arthur P. Ciaramicoli PhD (Part 4) author of The Stress Solution: Using Empathy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Reduce Anxiety and Develop Resilience Jan 19, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Arthur Ciaramicoli PhD author of The Stress Solution. We discuss the stressful period we all endured during the Presidential campaign and election, as well as the challenges we continue to face individually and collectively. Many relationships are strained and need to be healed. So, I thought it would be a good time to discuss the importance of compassion, character and values. We need to find ways to come together rather than grow further apart. My guest: Arthur P. Ciaramicoli, Ed.D., Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist who has been treating clients for more than 35 years. He is the Chief Medical Officer of Soundmindz.org a popular mental health site. He is also a member of the American Psychological Association and the Massachusetts Psycho-logical Association. Currently in private practice, Dr. Ciaramicoli has been on the faculty of Harvard Medical School for several years, lecturer for the American Cancer Society, Chief Psychologist at Metrowest Medical Center, and director of the Metrowest Counseling Center and of the Alternative Medicine division of Metrowest Wellness Center in Framingham, Massachusetts. In addition to treating patients, Dr. Ciaramicoli has lectured at Harvard Health Services, Boston College Counseling Center, the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore as well as being a consultant to several major corporations in the Boston area. Dr. Ciaramicoli is also a seasoned media expert. He has appeared on CNN, CNNfn, Fox News Boston, Comcast TV, New England Cable News, Good Morning America Weekend, The O’Reilly Report, and other shows. He has been a weekly radio guest on Your Healthy Family on Sirius Satellite Radio and Holistic Health Today, and has been interviewed on The People’s Pharmacy, The Gary Null Show, and more than two dozen other radio programs airing on NPR, XM Radio, and numerous AM and FM stations. Dr. Ciaramicoli is the author of The Stress Solution: How Using Empathy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy decreases Anxiety and increases Resilience (New World Library, 2016), The Curse of the Capable: The Hidden Challenges to a Balanced, Healthy, High Achieving Life (Wiley, 2010), Performance Addiction: The Dangerous New Syndrome and How to Stop It from Ruining Your Life (Wiley 2004) and The Power of Empathy: A Practical Guide to Creating Intimacy, Self-Understanding, and Lasting Love (Dutton 2000), which is now published in 7 languages. His first book, Treatment of Abuse and Addiction, A Holistic Approach (Jason Aronson, 1997) was selected as Book of the Month by The Psychotherapy Book News. He is also the coauthor of Beyond the Influence: Understanding and Defeating Alcoholism (Bantam 2000).

Guest: Helene Segura (part 2) author of The Inefficiency Assassin: Time Management Tactics for Working Smarter, Not Longer Jan 12, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 Helene Segura, author of The Inefficiency Assassin: Time Management Tactics for Working Smarter Not Longer is back to give us a New Year’s reboot to help us create and maintain new habits. About the book: Slay procrastination, distraction, and overwhelm! The Inefficiency Assassin™ presents a revolution in time management books – a way to improve productivity and Kick Chaos to the Curb™ once and for all! You will learn how to: Create productive calendars, yet morph time when you need to put out fires (or chase the opportunity of lifetime) Slay lost time and beat back overwhelm from procrastination, interruptions and distractions Implement productivity hacks so you can excel professionally and have a life outside of work This book is exactly what professionals-on-the-go and entrepreneurs need! This time management book addresses and solves every known productivity road block known to man…and woman. Readers who implement the strategies and tactics in this guide will never have an issue with time management again. Period. Ever. The end. About the author: Do you want to wake up 10 years from now and lament, “I wish I’d lived a little more instead of work around the clock”? Helene Segura doesn’t want to either. That’s why she tells her time what to do – and teaches busy professionals how to do the same by slaying lost time. The author of two Amazon best-selling books, Helene has been the featured productivity expert in more than 100 media interviews. During her time management keynotes and workshops, she shares her mind-bending framework for decreasing interruptions, distractions and procrastination so that companies can spend more time generating revenue. On weekends, Helene can be found experimenting with recipes or sneaking adult beverages onto the lawn bowling court. To connect with Helene or for details about her third book, The Inefficiency Assassin: Time Management Tactics for Working Smarter, Not Longer (New World Library 2016), visit www.HeleneSegura.com.

Guest: Holly B. Rogers, MD author of The Mindful Twenty-Something Jan 05, 2017

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Holly B. Rogers, MD author of The Mindful Twenty-Something: Life Skills to Handle Stress…& Everything Else While my daughter (and co-author of Communication Skills for Teens) was home from college, we had the opportunity to chat with Holly about her new book. About the book: In The Mindful Twenty-Something, the cofounder of the extremely popular Koru Mindfulness program developed at Duke University presents a unique, evidence-based approach to help you make important life decisions with clarity and confidence. As a twenty-something, you may feel like you are being pulled in dozen different directions. With the daily tumult, busyness, and major life changes you experience as a young adult, you may also be particularly vulnerable to stress and its negative effects. Emerging adulthood, which occurs between the ages of 18 and 29, is a developmental stage of life when you’re faced with important decisions about school, relationships, sex, your career, and more. With so much going on, you need a guide to help you navigate with less stress and more ease. The Koru Mindfulness program, developed at Duke University and already in use on numerous college campuses—including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT, Dartmouth, and several others—and in treatment centers across the country, is the only evidence-based mindfulness training program for young adults that has been empirically proven to have significant benefits for sleep, perceived stress, and self-compassion. Now, with The Mindful Twenty-Something, this popular program is accessible to all young adults struggling with stress. With Koru Mindfulness and the practical tools you’ll learn from this acceptance-based, proven-effective approach, you’ll be able to cultivate the compassion and mindfulness skills you need to manage life’s challenges from a calm, balanced center, regardless of what comes your way. About the author: Holly Rogers, M.D. is one of the developers of Koru, an evidence-based program for teaching mindfulness and meditation to college-age adults. Holly works as a psychiatrist at the student counseling center at Duke University where she helps students integrate the practice of mindfulness into their lives in a meaningful way. She is a clinical associate in the department of psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center. She is the co-author with Margaret Mayan of Mindfulness for the Next Generation: Helping Emerging Adults Manage Stress and Lead Healthier Lives. Her latest book, The Mindful Twenty-Something, is a guide for young adults who wish to learn about using mindfulness and meditation to enhance their journey through emerging adulthood.

Guest: Colleen Ehrnstrom, PhD author of End the Insomnia Struggle Dec 29, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Colleen Ehrnstrom, Phd, ABPP author of End the Insomnia Struggle: A Step-by-Step Guide to Help You Get to Sleep and Stay Asleep About the book: Insomnia is all too common in our modern culture, and can be devastating to your mental and physical health. Packed with research-based strategies and practical tools, this fully customizable book will show anyone who suffers with insomnia how to get a good night’s sleep—night after night—for a better life. Everyone struggles with sleep from time to time, but when sleepless nights and overtired days become the norm, your well-being is compromised, and frustration and worry increase—including concerns about what’s stopping you from getting the sleep you need, and what can be done about it. So, how do you stop the cycle of relentless worries and restless nights? End the Insomnia Struggle offers a comprehensive, medication-free program that can be individually tailored for anyone who struggles with insomnia. Integrating the physiology of sleep, and proven-effective approaches from cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), this book provides step-by-step guidance for developing your own treatment plan according to your particular challenges with insomnia. With this book, you’ll have everything you need to overcome the relentless thoughts, ruminations, and stress of insomnia. Utilizing these evidence-based strategies and easy-to-use tools, you’ll finally get to sleep, stay asleep, and wake up rested and ready to face the world as your best self, day after day. About the author: Colleen Ehrnstrom, PhD, ABPP, is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). She is board certified in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and works in the family program at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Denver, CO. Alisha L. Brosse, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in behavioral therapies for a wide range of presenting problems, especially sleep, mood, and anxiety disorders. She operates a private practice in Boulder, CO, and directs a bipolar specialty clinic at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Guest: Mark Coleman author of Make Peace With Your Mind: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Free You From Your Inner Critic Dec 22, 2016

Guest: Chetan Parkyn author of The Book of Destinies: Discover the Life You Were Born To Live Dec 15, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Chetan Parkyn author of The Book of Destinies: Discover the Life You Were Born To Live About the book: Have you ever wondered about your life’s purpose? The next step in the life-changing Human Design system, The Book of Destinies presents in-depth profiles of the 192 Life Themes that encompass humanity. Based on the place, date, and time of your birth, your Life Theme reveals a remarkably detailed portrait of your true nature, allowing you the peace of knowing who you really are so you can live your life with clarity and fulfillment. Instead of struggling to achieve unsuitable goals, you can align yourself with a deeper plan for your relationships, career, and decision making. Many passages include a list of noted people who share that Life Theme. The culmination of the authors’ twenty years of research, practice, meditation, and readings, The Book of Destinies is for anyone who has ever stopped to wonder, “What is my life purpose, and how do I realize it?” About the author: Chetan Parkyn has been reading for people for nearly 30 years. Born in England, Chetan initially obtained a mechanical engineering degree and apprenticeship and traveled the world troubleshooting various engineering projects. An entrepreneur’s son by upbringing and an engineer by training, Chetan has fully explored both the mystical and the technological worlds. Among other things, he’s been a deep-sea dive engineer and a devoted student of meditation. He traveled extensively through the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Africa in the late 1970’s. Travels in India and studies with the enlightened mystic, Osho, finally opened Chetan to his own gifts — helping people develop self-knowledge. In 1979 in India, Chetan was guided by a savant to notice his own intuitive skills, and was encouraged to practice for a system that would be revealed to him. He started studying esoteric systems and became adept at reading hands (palmistry) and tarot cards. He also studied the IChing, Astrology and other systems in depth. In 1993, he was one of the first people in the USA to be introduced to the Human Design System, a system that was first discovered in 1987. He has spent the past 18 years mastering and teaching Human Design. As the author of the first major book on the subject, he has made it his mission to bring Human Design to the whole planet. To date he has read for thousands of people worldwide and given classes to many hundreds of others. In 2009 Harper Collins UK published Chetan’s book : Human Design : Discover the Person You Were Born to Be. Combined with powerful free software, this makes it easy for everyone to learn about this remarkable new system. New World Library, USA published an American version, and presently there are Japanese, Chinese, Turkish and Greek language versions too. Thanks to Chetan Parkyn, Human Design is now becoming available to the whole planet. Chetan’s second book was released in June 2012. The Book of Lines, A 21st Century View of the IChing, the Chinese Book of Changes, has been written particularly for Human Design but also for all lovers of the IChing who seek a view of each aspect of that amazing body of knowledge presented in remarkable clarity. The Human Design System is an extraordinary self-knowledge system, and Chetan’s methods of describing how it works practically within a person’s life are remarkably insightful and gifted. His readings help others to have a clear viewing of themselves and their relationships and to have increased effectiveness in all aspects of their lives. Chetan resides in Palm Desert, California, USA and gives sessions over the phone, by Skype or in person, worldwide. He reads for individuals, couples and businesses including people of all ages and backgrounds. His counseling for individuals, couples and businesses is world renowned and his guidance to parents concerning the Designs of their children is always acknowledged as extremely helpful, potentially circumventing years of misunderstanding for both parent and child! Together with his wife and partner, Carola Eastwood, Chetan offers classes in Human Design for those who wish to study it at any level. It can be clearly said that his readings are life-transforming, and his classes are both entertaining and thoroughly informative.

Guest: Sam Bennett author of Start Right Where You Are Dec 08, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Sam Bennett author of Start Right Where You Are: How Little Changes Can Make a Big Difference for Overwhelmed Procrastinators, Frustrated Overachievers, and Recovering Perfectionists About the book: What Are You Waiting For? An overwhelmed procrastinator, frustrated overachiever, and recovering perfectionist herself, Sam Bennett knows all the ways we avoid pursuing our dreams and reaching our goals. She also knows how to “get it done.” Start Right Where You Are is an easy-to-read, easy-to-do guidebook for anyone who wants to change their life but doesn’t know where or how to begin. Of course, the process of getting out of your own way, raising your self-esteem, improving your relationships, and making better choices can be a bumpy road. But Bennett’s fun, original voice lets you know that you’ve got a friend along the way, a friend who offers a comforting cup of tea — or a bracing shot of whiskey, depending. Her gentle-kiss-on-the-cheek and loving-thwack-upside-the-head attitude gives us what we all need: inspiration, shortcuts, and breathing room. About the author: Sam Bennett is the creator of http://www.TheOrganizedArtistCompany.com, dedicated to helping creative people get unstuck from whatever way they’re stuck, especially by helping them focus and move forward on their goals. Originally from Chicago, Bennett is a writer, actor, teacher and creativity/productivity specialist who has counseled thousands of artists on their way to success. She is the bestselling author of, “Get It Done: From Procrastination to Creative Genius in 15 Minutes a Day,” which Seth Godin called, “an instant classic, essential reading for anyone who wants to make a ruckus.” Her latest book is, “Start Right Where You Are: How Little Changes Can Make a Big Difference for Overwhelmed Procrastinators, Frustrated Overachievers and Recovering Perfectionists” (New World Library).

Guest: Andrea Wachter author of Getting Over Overeating for Teens: A Workbook to Transform Your Relationship with Food Using CBT, Mindfulness, and Intuitive Eating Dec 01, 2016

My radio show on Thursday December 1, 2016 This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Andrea Wachter LMFT author of Getting Over Overeating for Teens: A Workbook to Transform Your Relationship with Food Using CBT, Mindfulness and Intuitive Eating. About the book: Transform your relationship with food, once and for all. Written by a family therapist and eating disorder specialist, this skills-based workbook will give you the tools you need to manage your emotions and find the comfort and sweetness you truly seek in life–without overeating! If you struggle with overeating, you are not alone. Studies show that millions of teens face problems with emotional eating and negative body image. Getting Over Overeating for Teens, written by an eating disorders specialist who struggled with her own issues as a teen, provides a wealth of tools to help you change your relationship with food. Using an integrated approach that includes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and intuitive eating, this book will focus on the emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual factors that are essential to overcoming overeating. With the powerful exercises in this book, you’ll come to a better understanding of your urges to overeat, and learn skills such as emotion regulation, assertive communication, moderate eating, and working with cravings. Most importantly, you’ll find healthy ways to fill up and apply what you’ve learned to living a healthier, happier life. About the author: Andrea Wachter, LMFT is co-author of The Don’t Diet, Live-It! Workbook and Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Breaking the “I Feel Fat” Spell. She has over twenty-five years of experience working with children, teens, adults, families and groups. Wachter is passionate about helping people who are struggling with eating disorders, body image, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, grief and relationships. She is an inspirational counselor, author, and speaker who uses professional expertise, humor and personal recovery to help others. Check out her Huffington Post blogs at andreawachter.com.

Guest: Matthew Skinta, PhD ASPP co-author of Mindfulness & Acceptance for Gender & Sexual Minorities: A Clinician's Guide to Fostering Compassion, Connection & Equality Using Contextual Strategies Nov 24, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Matthew Skinta, PhD, ABPP co-author of Mindfulness & Acceptance for Gender & Sexual Minorities: A Clinician’s Guide to Fostering Compassion, Connection & Equality Using Contextual Strategies While this book was written for clinicians, it is a great resource for understanding the challenges that gender and sexual minorities face. It was a great springboard for an illuminating conversation with Matthew. About the book: As more clinicians train in mindfulness and acceptance-based therapies, the demand for skills specifically for treating diverse clients grows. In this much-needed edited volume, you’ll find evidence-based strategies for treating gender and sexual minorities with acceptance and compassion for better treatment outcomes. Gender and sexual minorities face unique concerns and, according to research, are actually more likely to want and seek therapeutic help due to greater levels of psychological distress. But research also shows that many psychologists and therapists do not feel adequately educated or efficacious discussing topics related to sexuality and gender in clinical practice. This book will address this significant gap with evidence-based and best-practice interventions and applications. Mindfulness and Acceptance for Gender and Sexual Minorities offers a number of practical strategies within a contextual behavioral science framework, including mindfulness and acceptance-based interventions, compassion-focused therapy (CFT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), relational frame theory (RFT), and more. With chapters on stigma, shame, relationships, and parenting, this book will be a valuable resource for all therapists. If you’re a clinician, you understand the ongoing need for cutting-edge, effective approaches for treating a variety of clients. With this guide, you’ll learn about the unique application of contextual behavioral approaches as they relate specifically to the experiences of gender and sexual minorities, and feel better equipped to help all of your clients work toward happiness and health. About the authors: Editor Matthew D. Skinta, PhD, ABPP, is a board-certified clinical health psychologist who lives with his husband in San Francisco, CA. In addition to having a private practice, he is core clinical faculty at Palo Alto University, where he directs the Sexual and Gender Identities Clinic. Skinta’s past research has focused on the impact of stigma and shame on health behaviors of sexual minority men, particularly as it relates to sexual health and HIV-related care. He is a peer-reviewed acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) trainer, and is certified as both a compassion cultivation training (CCT) teacher, and as a trainer of functional analytic psychotherapy (FAP). Editor Aisling Curtin, MSc, is a registered counseling psychologist at the Psychological Society of Ireland who lives with her partner in Dublin, Ireland. She is director of ACT Now Ireland, has a small private practice, and consults with a number of organizations to deliver acceptance and mindfulness workshops. Aisling teaches in many university training programs, and regularly gives workshops internationally on sexuality from a mindfulness and acceptance vantage point. She is a peer-reviewed ACT and FAP trainer.

Guest: Amelia Kinkade author of Whispers From the Wild: Listening to Voices from the Animal Kingdom Nov 17, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Amelia Kinkade author of Whispers From the Wild: Listening to Voices from the Animal Kingdom About the book: One of the world’s most renowned animal communicators, Amelia Kinkade has brought thousands into closer contact with their beloved dogs, cats, birds, and horses. Now she shares the wonders of her recent work communicating with wild, and in some cases endangered, animals. Amelia takes readers on a rollicking ride as she visits with tigers, elephants, lions, great white sharks, black mamba snakes, whales, and bees. Traveling all over the world, Amelia reveals the inner thoughts and feelings of these extraordinary animals and shares the advice she has gleaned — words about tenderness, reconnection with nature, life after death, and the possibilities of magical awakenings inside the brains of an ever-evolving human race. Anyone with a heart, mind, and funny bone will delight in this invitation to understand and appreciate our fellow inhabitants of planet Earth. About the author: Amelia Kinkade is the author of Straight From the Horse’s Mouth: How to Talk to Animals and Get Answers (Crown Books),The Language of Miracles: A Celebrated Psychic Teaches You to Talk to Animals (New World Library), Soulmates with Paws, Hooves, and Wings, Aurora’s Secret, and The Winged One. (CreateSpace) She is the founder of The Language of Miracle’s Institute in Southern California. Amelia is an international speaker who lectures in the United States, Canada, England, Scotland, Sweden, Germany, Norway, Switzerland, Austria, and South Africa where she trains animal lovers from all walks of life including doctors and vets. Amelia was featured in The 100 Top Psychics in America. (Simon and Schuster) Her unique abilities have been the focus of hundreds of magazines and newspaper articles world-wide including The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, ABC News, The Boston North Shore Sunday, The London Sunday News of The World, Good Housekeeping, Cat Fancy, Dog Fancy, New Woman in England, Bilt de Frau in Germany, Annabelle in Switzerland, and the cover of the Freitseit Kurier in Vienna. Miss Kinkade has appeared on television programs such as The View, The Other Half, The Ellen Degeneres Show, Extra, VH1, Jenny Jones, The BBC News, Carte Blanche in South Africa, and numerous news broadcasts in the US, Europe, and Australia. She has been heard on over 300 radio programs in the last few years from Memphis to Cape Town, South Africa. A BBC documentary was created around her work with the elephants in the Kruger National Park and a BBC children’s programming tour was created for her youngest most open-minded fans. Amelia’s true passion is assisting organizations in Africa who rescue elephants, cheetah, penguins, sharks, lions, and rhinos and trouble-shooting problems worldwide for tigers, primates, Asian elephants and countless breeds of exotic as well as domestic animals. In 2002, she was honored to accept invitations to Buckingham Palace to work with the household cavalry of Queen Elizabeth II and to “whisper” with the hunting horses of Prince Charles. Amelia is also privileged to work with Olympic show horses who competed in the Olympics in 2013. The Winged One is Amelia’s first illustrated book that features her own artwork and she is utterly delighted to share her drawings with the world. Please visit: www.Ameliakinkade.com.

Guest: Ann Marie Dobosz author of The Perfectionism Workbook for Teens Nov 10, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Ann Marie Dobosz author of The Perfectionism Workbook for Teens About the book: Unhealthy perfectionism can result in low self-esteem, severe anxiety, and self-destructive behavior—and teens are especially vulnerable. Based in proven-effective cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), this workbook will help you develop the self-compassion and mindfulness tools you need to counteract the negative effects of perfectionism and develop new, healthy skills for boosting your self-confidence. In our high-pressure society, it’s easy to hold ourselves (and others) to impossibly high standards. And when we fail to meet those standards—as we inevitably do—we may become overly critical of ourselves, or lash out toward others. While perfectionism is often associated with positive traits, such as conscientiousness, ambition, and pride in good work, dysfunctional perfectionism is destructive and can lead to anxiety, low self-esteem, relationship problems, and a number of mental health concerns, like depression, procrastination, and self-harm. With The Perfectionism Workbook for Teens, you’ll gain a clear understanding of what perfectionism is and learn to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy perfectionism so you’ll be better able to manage your own and others’ expectations. Using powerful tools drawn from cognitive behavioral and mindfulness-based therapies, you’ll learn to identify your perfectionist thoughts, discover new ways of responding to your critical inner voice, and build the skills you need to combat negative behaviors based in perfectionism, like chronic procrastination. If perfectionism is causing trouble in your life, the techniques and exercises in this book will help you develop non-perfectionist skills and habits, leading to reduced fear, anxiety, and shame, and increased self-compassion and confidence in getting things done and handling daily pressures. About the author: Ann Marie Dobosz, MA, MFT, is a psychotherapist in private practice in San Francisco, CA, and mental health specialist for ReachOut USA. She has been passionate about youth health and well-being from her days as an editor at Ms. Magazine, where she focused on issues affecting teens and young adults. In her current work as a mental health professional, she specializes in helping people of all ages change unhealthy perfectionist patterns.

Guest: Candace V. Love PhD (PART 3) author of No More Narcissists!: How to Stop Choosing Self-Absorbed Men and Find the Love You Deserve Nov 03, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Candace V. Love (Part 3) author of No More Narcissists: How to Stop Choosing Self-Absorbed Men and Find the Love You Deserve. In part 3 of my chat with Candace we discuss her book in the context of current events. About the book: Why do some women date, or even marry, narcissistic men—over and over? In this provocative book, a clinical psychologist and expert in narcissism offers 7 secrets to help women finally break free from their attraction to narcissistic men. Do you keep finding yourself in relationships with narcissistic men? Is your boyfriend or husband solely focused on fulfilling their own needs and unable to see things from your perspective? If you’re tired of dealing with a self-absorbed partner and are ready to be treated with kindness, respect, and sensitivity, this book is for you. In No More Narcissists!, psychologist Candace Love provides a road map for women to finally get the love they deserve. Using skills based in cognitive behavioral and schema therapy, you’ll gain an understanding of why you’re attracted to narcissistic men, how you can avoid being drawn in by a narcissist’s initial charm and magnetism, and how to heal so you can finally move on to healthy relationships. You’ll find out how the basic principles of schema theory—core beliefs about ourselves and our environment that we acquire in childhood and adolescence—can play an important role in why you’re attracted to narcissists and seek them out. Also included are targeted exercises and techniques that will encourage you to examine your past relationships and take meaningful steps to promote self-care and healing. Isn’t it time you broke the cycle of hurt, frustration, and pain that comes with loving a narcissist? This book will show you how to let go of these destructive relationships once and for all, love yourself unconditionally, and find the love you deserve. About the author: As a licensed clinical psychologist, Candace V. Love, PhD, is passionate about helping women avoid narcissistic relationships. As founder and president of North Shore Behavioral Medicine, which has offices in downtown Chicago and Grayslake, IL, Love uses evidence-based techniques derived from cognitive behavioral therapies, including mindfulness and schema therapy. Much of her spare time is divided between the least narcissistic of creatures—namely animals. She enjoys riding horses and rehabilitating feral cats in the woods behind her home, and indulging in the next foodie find—whether it be a gourmet meal, vintage wine, or craft beer.

Guest: Jonice Webb, PhD author of Running on Empty: Overcome Your Childhood Emotional Neglect Oct 27, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Jonice Webb, PhD author of Running on Empty: Overcome Your Childhood Emotional Neglect. About the book: Running on Empty is the first self-help book about Emotional Neglect: an invisible force from your childhood which you can’t see, but may be affecting you profoundly to this day. It is about what didn’t happen in your childhood, what wasn’t said, and what cannot be remembered. Do you sometimes feel as if you’re just going through the motions in life? Are you good at looking and acting as if you’re fine, but secretly feel lonely and disconnected? Perhaps you have a fine life and are good at your work, but somehow it’s just not enough to make you happy. If so, you are not alone. The world is full of people who have an innate sense that something is wrong with them. Who feel they live on the outside looking in, but have no explanation for their feeling and no way to put it into words. Who blame themselves for not being happier. If you are one of these people, you may fear that you are not connected enough to your spouse, or that you don’t feel pleasure or love as profoundly as others do. Perhaps when you do experience strong emotions, you have difficulty understanding or tolerating them. You may drink too much, or eat too much, or risk too much, in an attempt to feel something good. In over twenty years of practicing psychology, many people have arrived in Jonice Webb’s office, driven by the threat of divorce or the onset of depression, or by loneliness, and said, “”Something is missing in me.”" Running on Empty will give you clear strategies for how to heal, and offers a special chapter for mental health professionals. In the world of human suffering, this book is an Emotional Smart Bomb meant to eradicate the effects of an invisible enemy. About the author: Jonice Webb has a PhD in clinical psychology, and has been licensed to practice since 1991. She has a strong background in research, psychological testing and psychotherapy. Webb has been the Director of three large outpatient clinics over the course of her career. She currently has a private psychotherapy practice in Lexington, MA, where she specializes in the treatment of couples and adolescents. Webb currently resides in the Boston area with her husband and two children.

Guest: Thomas M. Sterner author of Fully Engaged: Using the Practicing Mind in Daily Life Oct 20, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Thomas M. Sterner author of Fully Engaged: Using the Practicing Mind in Daily Life. About the book: To be fully engaged in life means that we have clear goals as well as the focus and skills to accomplish those goals with ease and a sense of calm awareness. In his first book, The Practicing Mind, which remains a bestseller in its category, Thomas Sterner set out clear guidelines for developing focus and discipline to achieve any life goal. As Tom traveled and spoke about the book, he kept track of the questions readers and participants at his seminars asked. The answers to those questions — or more accurately, the exploration of those questions — became the basis of Fully Engaged. This new book explores specific techniques, such as thought awareness training and setting goals with accurate data, and demonstrates how using these techniques will not only help you reach your objectives, but will keep you engaged in each moment of your life, throughout the process of accomplishing those goals. Being thus engaged will result in less stress and more satisfaction in every aspect of life. About the author: Thomas M. Sterner is the founder and CEO of the Practicing Mind Institute. As a successful entrepreneur, he is considered an expert in Present Moment Functioning, or PMF™. He is a popular and in-demand speaker and coach who works with high-performance industry groups and individuals, including athletes, helping them to operate effectively in high-stress situations so that they can break through to new levels of mastery. Prior to writing the bestseller The Practicing Mind, he served as chief concert piano technician for a major performing arts center, preparing instruments for the most demanding performances. An accomplished musician and composer, he has also worked in the visual arts and as a recording studio engineer. In his downtime Tom is a private pilot, avid sailor, and proficient golfer. He lives in Wilmington, Delaware, and enjoys spending time with his two daughters and in his recording studio.

Guest: Candace V. Love PhD (PART 2) author of No More Narcissists!: How to Stop Choosing Self-Absorbed Men and Find the Love You Deserve Oct 13, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Candace V. Love PhD (PART 2) author of No More Narcissists!: How to Stop Choosing Self-Absorbed Men and Find the Love You Deserve About the book: Why do some women date, or even marry, narcissistic men—over and over? In this provocative book, a clinical psychologist and expert in narcissism offers 7 secrets to help women finally break free from their attraction to narcissistic men. Do you keep finding yourself in relationships with narcissistic men? Is your boyfriend or husband solely focused on fulfilling their own needs and unable to see things from your perspective? If you’re tired of dealing with a self-absorbed partner and are ready to be treated with kindness, respect, and sensitivity, this book is for you. In No More Narcissists!, psychologist Candace Love provides a road map for women to finally get the love they deserve. Using skills based in cognitive behavioral and schema therapy, you’ll gain an understanding of why you’re attracted to narcissistic men, how you can avoid being drawn in by a narcissist’s initial charm and magnetism, and how to heal so you can finally move on to healthy relationships. You’ll find out how the basic principles of schema theory—core beliefs about ourselves and our environment that we acquire in childhood and adolescence—can play an important role in why you’re attracted to narcissists and seek them out. Also included are targeted exercises and techniques that will encourage you to examine your past relationships and take meaningful steps to promote self-care and healing. Isn’t it time you broke the cycle of hurt, frustration, and pain that comes with loving a narcissist? This book will show you how to let go of these destructive relationships once and for all, love yourself unconditionally, and find the love you deserve. About the author: As a licensed clinical psychologist, Candace V. Love, PhD, is passionate about helping women avoid narcissistic relationships. As founder and president of North Shore Behavioral Medicine, which has offices in downtown Chicago and Grayslake, IL, Love uses evidence-based techniques derived from cognitive behavioral therapies, including mindfulness and schema therapy. Much of her spare time is divided between the least narcissistic of creatures—namely animals. She enjoys riding horses and rehabilitating feral cats in the woods behind her home, and indulging in the next foodie find—whether it be a gourmet meal, vintage wine, or craft beer.

Guest: Bruce Weinstein, PhD (PART 2) author of The Good Ones: Ten Crucial Qualities of High-Character Employees Oct 06, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Bruce Weinstein PhD (PART 2) author of The Good Ones: Ten Crucial Qualities of High-Character Employees Our chat will include a discussion about how to evaluate the Presidential candidates using the information in The Good Ones. Does character matter? About the book: Employers look for two things when hiring or promoting people: knowledge and skill. They rarely, if ever, consider character. Yet character is the key to extraordinary business success. The Good Ones presents ten crucial qualities of high-character employees, qualities that enhance employee satisfaction, client relationships, and the bottom line. You’ll read stories from managers and employees across the U.S. and beyond who reveal how honesty, courage, loyalty, and patience have helped their organizations maintain an edge over the competition. Each chapter is devoted to a single quality of character and ends with questions employers can use to hire and promote the Good Ones — people who are consistently honest, accountable, fair, and grateful. Whether you’re looking to bring new people into your organization or seeking a job or promotion yourself, The Good Ones will help you appreciate in practical terms why character is the missing link to excellence. About the author: Dr. Bruce Weinstein, helps organizations hire and promote high-character people. Known as The Ethics Guy, Bruce is the author of Ethical Intelligence and Is It Still Cheating If I Don’t Get Caught? An in-demand speaker, his business clients have included the Home Depot, Northrop Grumman, and the National Football League, as well as nonprofit organizations, universities, and the military. He lives in New York City.

Guest: Arthur P. Ciaramicoli PhD (PART 3) author of The Stress Solution: Using Empathy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Reduce Anxiety and Develop Resilience Sep 29, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Arthur Ciaramicoli, EdD, PhD (part 3) author of The Stress Solution: Using Empathy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Reduce Anxiety and Develop Resilience. Our conversation is specifically focused on prejudice and bias and the link to increased stress. About the book: Therapeutic tools for fighting the anxiety, fear, and depression caused by stress “We work too much, sleep too little, love with half a heart, and wonder why we are unhappy and unhealthy,” writes clinical psychologist Arthur Ciaramicoli. In The Stress Solution, Ciaramicoli provides readers with simple, realistic, powerful techniques for using empathy and cognitive behavioral therapy to perceive situations accurately, correct distorted thinking, and trigger our own neurochemistry to produce calm, focused energy. He developed this approach over thirty-five years of working with clients struggling with depression, anxiety, and addictions. Over and over again, he has helped sufferers overcome old hurts and combat performance anxiety, fears, and excessive worry. Ciaramicoli’s pioneering approach offers new promise to readers facing a variety of stress-based concerns. About the author: Arthur P. Ciaramicoli, Ed.D., Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist who has been treating clients for more than 35 years. He is the Chief Medical Officer of Soundmindz.org a popular mental health site. He is also a member of the American Psychological Association and the Massachusetts Psycho-logical Association. Currently in private practice, Dr. Ciaramicoli has been on the faculty of Harvard Medical School for several years, lecturer for the American Cancer Society, Chief Psychologist at Metrowest Medical Center, and director of the Metrowest Counseling Center and of the Alternative Medicine division of Metrowest Wellness Center in Framingham, Massachusetts. Dr. Ciaramicoli is the author of The Stress Solution: How Using Empathy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy decreases Anxiety and increases Resilience (New World Library, 2016),The Curse of the Capable: The Hidden Challenges to a Balanced, Healthy, High Achieving Life(Wiley, 2010), Performance Addiction: The Dangerous New Syndrome and How to Stop It from Ruining Your Life (Wiley 2004) and The Power of Empathy: A Practical Guide to Creating Intimacy, Self-Understanding, and Lasting Love (Dutton 2000), which is now published in 7 languages. His first book, Treatment of Abuse and Addiction, A Holistic Approach (Jason Aronson, 1997) was selected as Book of the Month by The Psychotherapy Book News. He is also the coauthor of Beyond the Influence: Understanding and Defeating Alcoholism(Bantam 2000). Dr. Ciaramicoli lives in a suburb of Boston with his wife of 37 years. His newsletter, blog comments and contact information are available at his web site,www.BalanceYourSuccess.com. You can follow his daily insights at www.twitter.com/docapc.

Guest: Gracie X author of Wide Open: My Adventures in Polyamory, Open Marriage & Loving on My Own Terms Sep 22, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Gracie X author of Wide Open: My Adventures in Polyamory, Open Marriage & Loving on My Own Terms About the book: At a time when society no longer imposes many sexual taboos, why is open marriage still considered beyond the pale? Written by Gracie X, Wide Open is an enthusiastic, honest, and sometimes raw account of one woman’s experience living polyamorously within the context of her average American family. Gracie X—a suburban mother of two—has been married to her loving husband, Hank, for 25 years. The problem is that their once-vibrant sex life has shriveled to nothing. Meanwhile, she has fallen in love with another man, for whom she has an overwhelming physical yearning. Frustrated and conflicted but determined not to give up her hard-won home life and wonderful husband, she is desperate for a creative solution. Can she somehow keep both men in her life without resorting to divorce or dishonesty? A friend introduces Gracie to polyamory: loving and being faithful to more than one person at a time. “Poly,” it turns out, is a whole new world, with dedicated counselors, parties, and dating sites. Convincing Hank ended up being the easy part: he quickly found a girlfriend and accepted Gracie’s terms. Their children, although upset at first, adjusted to having their parents’ “special friends” around, and having Hank and his girlfriend in one duplex, with Gracie and her new boyfriend, Oz, next-door, seemed like an inspired solution. But would trying to go poly create as many problems as it was trying to solve? In her candid and provocative memoir, Wide Open, Gracie details the years she has spent exploring the poly lifestyle and creating her “chosen family.” A fiercely intelligent feminist, she challenges traditional ideas about monogamy, fidelity, and sexuality. From swinger parties and strip clubs to sex toys and pornography, this is an edgy and thought-provoking read. Yet erotica and tenderness share space here, with Gracie’s true love for both Hank and Oz—as well as her two children—coming through very clearly. Wide Open reveals—with humor, integrity and heart—how one woman blended love, sex and marriage in unconventional ways and found the fulfillment she was looking for. About the author: Gracie X is a writer, actress, and director. She lives in Northern California. Find out more about Gracie at http://GracieX.com, and connect with her online: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GracieXauthor Twitter: https://twitter.com/GracieXauthor YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrpUKF87ojhzmV4uVNNyGAA

Guest: Randy J. Paterson PhD (PART 2), author of How To Be Miserable: 40 Strategies You Already Use Sep 15, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Randy J. Paterson (PART 2) author of How to Be Miserable: 40 Strategies You Already Use About the book: In How to Be Miserable, psychologist Randy Paterson outlines 40 specific behaviors and habits, which—if followed—are sure to lead to a lifetime of unhappiness. On the other hand, if you do the opposite, you may yet join the ranks of happy people everywhere! There are stacks upon stacks of self-help books that will promise you love, happiness, and a fabulous life. But how can you pinpoint the exact behaviors that cause you to be miserable in the first place? Sometimes when we’re depressed, or just sad or unhappy, our instincts tell us to do the opposite of what we should—such as focusing on the negative, dwelling on what we can’t change, isolating ourselves from friends and loved ones, eating junk food, or overindulging in alcohol. Sound familiar? This tongue-in-cheek guide will help you identify the behaviors that make you unhappy and discover how you—and only you—are holding yourself back from a life of contentment. You’ll learn to spot the tried-and-true traps that increase feelings of dissatisfaction, foster a lack of motivation, and detract from our quality of life—as well as ways to avoid them. So, get ready to live the life you want (or not?) This fun, irreverent guide will light the way. About the author: Randy J. Paterson, PhD, is director of Changeways Clinic, a private psychotherapy practice in Vancouver, BC, Canada. He is author of The Assertiveness Workbook and Your Depression Map, and he conducts training programs for professionals on evidence-based treatment. Through Changeways Clinic, Paterson presents lectures and workshops internationally on topics including mental health policy, cognitive behavioral therapy, the nature and treatment of depression and anxiety disorders, and strategies for private practice management. He is the 2008 recipient of the Canadian Psychological Association’s Distinguished Practitioner Award. For more information on Paterson, his presentations and workshops, or Changeways Clinic, visit www.changeways.com. To view Paterson’s blog on psychological and practice issues, please visit www.psychologysalon.com.

Guest: Candace V. Love PhD author of No More Narcissists!: How to Stop Choosing Self-Absorbed Men and Find the Love You Deserve Sep 01, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Candace V. Love author of No More Narcissists!: How to Stop Choosing Self-Absorbed Men and Find the Love You Deserve About the book: Why do some women date, or even marry, narcissistic men—over and over? In this provocative book, a clinical psychologist and expert in narcissism offers 7 secrets to help women finally break free from their attraction to narcissistic men. Do you keep finding yourself in relationships with narcissistic men? Is your boyfriend or husband solely focused on fulfilling their own needs and unable to see things from your perspective? If you’re tired of dealing with a self-absorbed partner and are ready to be treated with kindness, respect, and sensitivity, this book is for you. In No More Narcissists!, psychologist Candace Love provides a road map for women to finally get the love they deserve. Using skills based in cognitive behavioral and schema therapy, you’ll gain an understanding of why you’re attracted to narcissistic men, how you can avoid being drawn in by a narcissist’s initial charm and magnetism, and how to heal so you can finally move on to healthy relationships. You’ll find out how the basic principles of schema theory—core beliefs about ourselves and our environment that we acquire in childhood and adolescence—can play an important role in why you’re attracted to narcissists and seek them out. Also included are targeted exercises and techniques that will encourage you to examine your past relationships and take meaningful steps to promote self-care and healing. Isn’t it time you broke the cycle of hurt, frustration, and pain that comes with loving a narcissist? This book will show you how to let go of these destructive relationships once and for all, love yourself unconditionally, and find the love you deserve. About the author: As a licensed clinical psychologist, Candace V. Love, PhD, is passionate about helping women avoid narcissistic relationships. As founder and president of North Shore Behavioral Medicine, which has offices in downtown Chicago and Grayslake, IL, Love uses evidence-based techniques derived from cognitive behavioral therapies, including mindfulness and schema therapy. Much of her spare time is divided between the least narcissistic of creatures—namely animals. She enjoys riding horses and rehabilitating feral cats in the woods behind her home, and indulging in the next foodie find—whether it be a gourmet meal, vintage wine, or craft beer.

Guest: Arthur P. Ciaramicoli PhD (PART 2) author of The Stress Solution: Using Empathy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Reduce Anxiety and Develop Resilience Aug 25, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Arthur P. Ciaramicoli, EdD, PhD author of The Stress Solution: Using Empathy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Reduce Anxiety and Develop Resilience. This is part 2 of our chat about his book. About the book: Therapeutic tools for fighting the anxiety, fear, and depression caused by stress “We work too much, sleep too little, love with half a heart, and wonder why we are unhappy and unhealthy,” writes clinical psychologist Arthur Ciaramicoli. In The Stress Solution, Ciaramicoli provides readers with simple, realistic, powerful techniques for using empathy and cognitive behavioral therapy to perceive situations accurately, correct distorted thinking, and trigger our own neurochemistry to produce calm, focused energy. He developed this approach over thirty-five years of working with clients struggling with depression, anxiety, and addictions. Over and over again, he has helped sufferers overcome old hurts and combat performance anxiety, fears, and excessive worry. Ciaramicoli’s pioneering approach offers new promise to readers facing a variety of stress-based concerns. About the author: Arthur P. Ciaramicoli, Ed.D., Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist who has been treating clients for more than 35 years. He is the Chief Medical Officer of Soundmindz.org a popular mental health site. He is also a member of the American Psychological Association and the Massachusetts Psycho-logical Association. Currently in private practice, Dr. Ciaramicoli has been on the faculty of Harvard Medical School for several years, lecturer for the American Cancer Society, Chief Psychologist at Metrowest Medical Center, and director of the Metrowest Counseling Center and of the Alternative Medicine division of Metrowest Wellness Center in Framingham, Massachusetts. Dr. Ciaramicoli is the author of The Stress Solution: How Using Empathy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy decreases Anxiety and increases Resilience (New World Library, 2016), The Curse of the Capable: The Hidden Challenges to a Balanced, Healthy, High Achieving Life (Wiley, 2010), Performance Addiction: The Dangerous New Syndrome and How to Stop It from Ruining Your Life (Wiley 2004) and The Power of Empathy: A Practical Guide to Creating Intimacy, Self-Understanding, and Lasting Love (Dutton 2000), which is now published in 7 languages. His first book, Treatment of Abuse and Addiction, A Holistic Approach (Jason Aronson, 1997) was selected as Book of the Month by The Psychotherapy Book News. He is also the coauthor of Beyond the Influence: Understanding and Defeating Alcoholism (Bantam 2000). Dr. Ciaramicoli lives in a suburb of Boston with his wife of 37 years. His newsletter, blog comments and contact information are available at his web site, www.BalanceYourSuccess.com. You can follow his daily insights at www.twitter.com/docapc.

Guest: Kelly Skeen author of Communication Skills for Teens: How to Listen, Express and Connect for Success Aug 18, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Kelly Skeen co-author of Communication Skills for Teens: How to Listen, Express and Connect for Success. As teens head back to school, we think it’s a good time to revisit and reinforce healthy communication skills. The framed needlepoint in the photo was a birthday gift to Kelly from her amazingly thoughtful and creative friend, Ari, who ordered it on Etsy. It was made by a woman in Belgium! About the book: Communication is an essential life skill that every teen must learn. Based on the New Harbinger classic, Messages, this book will teach you the necessary skills—such as assertiveness, active listening, and compassion—to become an effective communicator for life. In an age of social media, texting, and ever-evolving technology, it’s easy to forget how to engage in real, face-to-face communication, a critical skill for your future success! As you become more connected to your smartphone and the internet, your ability to connect in person may diminish. But technology doesn’t replace the need for effective communication skills. In fact, successful personal and professional relationships are dependent upon connecting with people face-to-face. Communication Skills for Teens provides the guidance you need to become a better communicator and succeed in all areas of life. You’ll also learn tons of essential life skills, including active listening, assertiveness, clarifying language, the art of an apology, compassion, interviewing skills, family communication, and more. Each chapter focuses on one key aspect of communication, offers a real teen’s perspective, and includes practical exercises to help you apply what you’ve learned in the real world—away from your computer and smartphone screens. By following the practical, skills-based tips in each chapter of this book, you’ll learn powerful communication techniques to last a lifetime. About the co-author: Kelly Skeen is an undergraduate student at Georgetown University, majoring in American Studies and minoring in Spanish and Education, Inquiry & Justice. To find out more go to www.kellyskeen.com

Guest: David A. Carbonell PhD author of The Worry Trick: How Your Brain Tricks You into Expecting the Worst and What You Can Do About It Aug 02, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is David A. Carbonell, PhD author of The Worry Trick: How Your Brain Tricks You into Expecting the Worst and What You Can Do About It About the book: Are you truly in danger or has your brain simply “tricked” you into thinking you are? In The Worry Trick, psychologist and anxiety expert David Carbonell shows how anxiety hijacks the brain and offers effective techniques to help you break the cycle of worry, once and for all. Anxiety is a powerful force. It makes us question ourselves and our decisions, causes us to worry about the future, and fills our days with dread and emotional turbulence. Based in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), this book is designed to help you break the cycle of worry. Worry convinces us there’s danger, and then tricks us into getting into fight, flight, or freeze mode—even when there is no danger. The techniques in this book, rather than encouraging you to avoid or try to resist anxiety, shows you how to see the trick that underlies your anxious thoughts, and how avoidance can backfire and make anxiety worse. If you’re ready to start observing your anxious feelings with distance and clarity—rather than getting tricked once again—this book will show you how. About the author: David Carbonell, Ph.D., is a Clinical Psychologist who specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders. He is the founder and director of the Anxiety Treatment Center, Ltd., a small group of psychologists which offers treatment of all manner of fears and phobias at several locations in and around Chicago, and the “coach” at www.anxietycoach.com, a self help web site for people troubled by fears and phobias. Dr. Carbonell is a recognized expert in this field, and has conducted training and seminars for a variety of professional groups, including the Anxiety Disorders Association of America; the International Association of Cognitive Psychotherapy; the United Airlines Employee Assistance Program; the Rockland County and Suffolk County Psychological Associations in New York; the Illinois Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Professional Certification Association; the Illinois Employee Assistance Professionals Association; the Illinois Psychological Association, the New York Psychological Association; and Northwestern University Medical School, among others. He regularly offers a day-long workshop for professional therapists on the treatment of anxiety disorders at locations around the country, sponsored by Pesi Healthcare, Inc. Dr. Carbonell is the author of Panic Attacks Workbook (Ulysses Press, 2004) and The Worry Trick (New Harbinger, 2016). He is a member of the American Psychological Association; the Anxiety Disorders Association of America; the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies; the Association for Contextual and Behavioral Science; the International Association for Cognitive Psychotherapy; the Illinois Psychological Association; and the Obsessive Compulsive Foundation. He is licensed as a clinical psychologist by the States of Illinois and New York.

Guest: Cheryl M. Bradshaw author of How To Like Yourself: A Teen's Guide to Quieting Your Inner Critic & Building Lasting Self-Esteem Jul 25, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Cheryl M. Bradshaw, MA author of How to Like Yourself: A Teen’s Guide to Quieting Your Inner Critic and Building Lasting Self-Esteem About the book: Don’t let your inner critic get in the way of being confident! How to Like Yourself offers a quirky, inspiring, and practical guide to help you overcome feelings of self-criticism, improve self-esteem, and be the true star in your life. With all the pressures of school, friends, and dating, you’re especially vulnerable to low self-esteem in your teen years. But often, the biggest threat to your confidence is your own inner critic—whose unrelenting negativity can result in feelings of inadequacy, depression, and anxiety. This must-have guide offers real ways to help you fight back, be kind to yourself, and move forward with confidence. Inside, you’ll learn the importance of self-forgiveness, accepting your faults, and how to focus on the things that make you awesome! You’ll also learn strategies for defeating the dreaded ICK—the inner critic know-it-all who keeps knocking you down—and how to escape the common thought traps that hold you back from feeling good about yourself. This book unlocks the mystery of the most important relationship you will ever have—the one with yourself! So, get ready to find your true inner voice. A kinder, gentler one that will support you as you reach for your goals and create the fabulous life you were meant to live! About the author: Cheryl has worked as a counsellor at Sheridan College and currently works at the University of Guelph as a counsellor/therapist for registered students, and currently also has a private practice in counseling, psychotherapy, and life coaching in the heart of Waterdown, Ontario. With a Bachelor’s of Education and a background in teaching, as well as a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology, she specializes in working with young people, anyone experiencing depression, anxiety, stress, grief, loss of direction, or other life concerns, and enjoys working with anyone who feels a connection and fit with her.

Guest: Randy J. Paterson, PhD author of How To Be Miserable: 40 Strategies You Already Use Jul 19, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Randy J. Paterson, PhD author of How To Be Miserable: 40 Strategies You Already Use About the book: In How to Be Miserable, psychologist Randy Paterson outlines 40 specific behaviors and habits, which—if followed—are sure to lead to a lifetime of unhappiness. On the other hand, if you do the opposite, you may yet join the ranks of happy people everywhere! There are stacks upon stacks of self-help books that will promise you love, happiness, and a fabulous life. But how can you pinpoint the exact behaviors that cause you to be miserable in the first place? Sometimes when we’re depressed, or just sad or unhappy, our instincts tell us to do the opposite of what we should—such as focusing on the negative, dwelling on what we can’t change, isolating ourselves from friends and loved ones, eating junk food, or overindulging in alcohol. Sound familiar? This tongue-in-cheek guide will help you identify the behaviors that make you unhappy and discover how you—and only you—are holding yourself back from a life of contentment. You’ll learn to spot the tried-and-true traps that increase feelings of dissatisfaction, foster a lack of motivation, and detract from our quality of life—as well as ways to avoid them. So, get ready to live the life you want (or not?) This fun, irreverent guide will light the way. About the author: Randy J. Paterson, PhD, is director of Changeways Clinic, a private psychotherapy practice in Vancouver, BC, Canada. He is author of The Assertiveness Workbook and Your Depression Map, and he conducts training programs for professionals on evidence-based treatment. Through Changeways Clinic, Paterson presents lectures and workshops internationally on topics including mental health policy, cognitive behavioral therapy, the nature and treatment of depression and anxiety disorders, and strategies for private practice management. He is the 2008 recipient of the Canadian Psychological Association’s Distinguished Practitioner Award. For more information on Paterson, his presentations and workshops, or Changeways Clinic, visit www.changeways.com. To view Paterson’s blog on psychological and practice issues, please visit www.psychologysalon.com.

Guest: Anese Cavanaugh author of Contagious Culture: Show Up, Set The Tone & Intentionally Create An Organization That Thrives Jul 12, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Anese Cavanaugh author of Contagious Culture: Show Up, Set The Tone & Intentionally Create An Organization That Thrives About the book: GET INSPIRED. GET EXCITED. GET RESULTS. A proven approach to corporate culture that’s positively contagious You are about to enter a new era of leadership. With more competiton, more connectedness, and more opportunities than ever before, this exciting new era demands a workplace culture that is collaborative, productive, energized, and contagious. A culture that encourages extraordinary growth and innovation. A culture that starts with you―showing up, setting the tone, and lighting the fire… This book is about answering that call and setting yourself up for success. It’s about improving your leadership presence and your impact, not just on others but yourself. It’s about creating the space you need to share your vision, state your intention, and jump-start your team. It’s about working yourself over―from the inside out―so you can become the strong, effective, inspiring leader you know you can be. This is Contagious Culture, a game-changing guide to transforming corporate culture from within, developed by the award-winning creator of The IEP Method to strengthen your “Intentional Energetic Presence.” This is more than a leadership book―this is your future calling. Award-winning organizational advisor Anese Cavanaugh reveals the secrets of IEP―Intentional Energetic Presence―for transforming your workplace and your life. The key to any company’s success lies in its culture. This game-changing guide shows you how to shape and revitalize this culture―by setting the tone, engaging the team, and creating a dynamic working environment that encourages growth, productivity, and innovation. It all starts with you… Using the book’s unique IEP Method, you can: Be the kind of leader people want to follow―not have to follow Craft your intention―and make a real impact Unleash your energy―and watch it spread like wildfire Unlock greater collaboration in your teams―and greater leadership in your people Show up for Others―by setting yourself up for success Bring out the best in everyone―including yourself Create a contagious work culture that people want to catch! With these proven step-by-step techniques, you can take control of the culture you work in and build a healthier, more functional environment―from the inside out. You’ll find helpful transformative tools and exercises for improving collaborations, opening communications, and implementing changes. You’ll discover the best methods for handling the toughest challenges, whether it’s hiring and firing, strategizing and organizing, busyness or burnout. Best of all, you’ll learn how to enhance your “Intentional Energetic Presence” (IEP) so you’ll always be fully present, purposeful, and prepared to share your vision with infectious energy and enthusiasm. Contagious Culture is so much more than a leadership guide. It’s a complete cultural mind-shift that’s not only exciting for you and your team―it’s absolutely, positively contagious. About the author: Anese Cavanaugh is the creator of the IEP Method (Intentional Energetic Presence) as well as a leadership and collaboration advisor, strategist, and thinking partner for business leaders in the design, service and innovation spaces. Through her speaking, writing and creative leadership programs, people learn how to optimize their leadership and presence, bringing their best selves to the table for greater collaboration, impact, and cultural success. Follow her on Twitter @anesecavanaugh. Anese Cavanaugh is a dynamic, highly sought after speaker who has been called “transformational.” Anese has appeared on stages across the country—Stanford University, the Inc. Women’s Summit, the Education Equals Partnership Annual Conference, and many others—all in service of Showing Up well and creating positive impact in the world. In addition to appearing in publications like The Huffington Post, CEO.com, and the NY Times, Anese writes regularly for Inc.com in her column “Showing Up”, has just released The IEP Survival Guide: First Aid for Your Presence”, and has a book due to release in late 2015 with McGraw-Hill.

Guest: Sam Chase author of Yoga and the Pursuit of Happiness: A Guide to Finding Joy in Unexpected Places Jul 06, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Sam Chase author of Yoga and the Pursuit of Happiness: A Guide to Finding Joy in Unexpected Places About the book: Enlightenment isn’t a strange, mystical, or faraway place. It’s a fundamental human experience available to us all in different ways and in different moments. Learn how the ancient philosophy of yoga, modern neuroscience, and positive psychology can help you discover your life’s meaning and purpose, rewire your brain, and uncover lasting happiness and joy. Everyone is looking for happiness, but very few really know where to find it. Maybe it’s that house you’ve been dreaming of buying, or a new car, or the perfect relationship? Or maybe it’s a grand, epic revelation about the meaning of life? But when will that revelation come to you, and how long should you wait? And what if happiness isn’t something you achieve or obtain, but how you respond to the conditions of your life? After all, yogis can find peace and joy even when life is painful and unpleasant. In Yoga and the Pursuit of Happiness, you’ll discover that lasting happiness is already at your fingertips—in the small, everyday moments inherently infused with purpose and meaning. The philosophy of yoga—rather than the poses and postures—boils down to one fundamental process: overcoming suffering by coming to know ourselves and aligning our actions with our own intrinsic sense of spiritual purpose. And yoga gives us the tools to address two basic existential questions: Who am I? What should I do? Meanwhile, positive psychology and neuroscience show us how our actions are constantly rewiring our brain in helpful ways—which points to happiness as something we must practice and carry out each day. Happiness is, simply put, something we do. In this unique, lighthearted guide, celebrated yoga instructor Sam Chase blends ancient wisdom from the Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Sutras with his own personal journey of enlightenment to show you how to deepen your understanding of yourself and the world around you, end the cycle of materialism and greed that can get in the way of cultivating stillness of mind, and achieve lasting well-being. About the author: Sam Chase is co-owner of a Yoga to the People studio in New York City, where he leads weekly yoga programs for everyday people and diverse organizations, including New York University and the United Nations. He received his master’s degree at Harvard’s A.R.T. Institute, and certificates in yoga and positive psychology from the Kripalu Center. Chase resides in Brooklyn, NY.

Guest: Arthur P. Ciaramicoli PhD author of The Stress Solution: Using Empathy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Reduce Anxiety and Develop Resilience Jun 30, 2016

About the book: Therapeutic tools for fighting the anxiety, fear, and depression caused by stress “We work too much, sleep too little, love with half a heart, and wonder why we are unhappy and unhealthy,” writes clinical psychologist Arthur Ciaramicoli. In The Stress Solution, Ciaramicoli provides readers with simple, realistic, powerful techniques for using empathy and cognitive behavioral therapy to perceive situations accurately, correct distorted thinking, and trigger our own neurochemistry to produce calm, focused energy. He developed this approach over thirty-five years of working with clients struggling with depression, anxiety, and addictions. Over and over again, he has helped sufferers overcome old hurts and combat performance anxiety, fears, and excessive worry. Ciaramicoli’s pioneering approach offers new promise to readers facing a variety of stress-based concerns. About the author: Arthur P. Ciaramicoli, Ed.D., Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist who has been treating clients for more than 35 years. He is the Chief Medical Officer of Soundmindz.org a popular mental health site. He is also a member of the American Psychological Association and the Massachusetts Psycho-logical Association. Currently in private practice, Dr. Ciaramicoli has been on the faculty of Harvard Medical School for several years, lecturer for the American Cancer Society, Chief Psychologist at Metrowest Medical Center, and director of the Metrowest Counseling Center and of the Alternative Medicine division of Metrowest Wellness Center in Framingham, Massachusetts. In addition to treating patients, Dr. Ciaramicoli has lectured at Harvard Health Services, Boston College Counseling Center, the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore as well as being a consultant to several major corporations in the Boston area. Dr. Ciaramicoli is also a seasoned media expert.

Guests: Linda & Charlie Bloom authors of Happily Ever After...and 39 Other Myths about Love Jun 13, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guests are Linda and Charlie Bloom authors of Happily Ever After…and 39 Other Myths about Love: Breaking Through to the Relationship of Your Dreams. About the book: Bust the Myths to Build a Great Relationship According to bestselling authors and relationship counselors Linda and Charlie Bloom, accepting common myths such as “couples with great relationships don’t fight” or “little things aren’t worth getting upset over” can prevent you from building the strong relationship you hope for. This book offers compelling stories and valuable suggestions for replacing myths with realistic expectations, equipping you with behavior and communication guidelines that will enhance and strengthen your intimate relationship. With the Blooms’ strong yet flexible approach to love, you’ll discover a new openness in which mutual understanding can thrive. About the authors: Linda Bloom, LCSW, and Charlie Bloom, MSW, are bestselling authors and the founders and codirectors of Bloomwork. They have lectured and taught seminars on relationships throughout the United States and the world. They have been married since 1972.

Guest: Hugh G. Byrne, PhD (part 2) author of The Here and Now Habit: How Mindfulness Can Help You Break Unhealthy Habits Once and for All Jun 08, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Hugh G. Byrne, PhD author of The Here and Now Habit: How Mindfulness Can Help You Break Unhealthy Habits Once and for All. He is returning for a second time to discuss part 2 of his book, putting wisdom into practice. About the book: Bad habits can take a hefty toll on your health and happiness. In The Here-and-Now Habit, mindfulness expert Hugh Byrne provides powerful practices based in mindfulness and neuroscience to help you rewire your brain and finally break the habits that are holding you back from a meaningful life. Have you found yourself doing something and thinking, Why do I keep doing this? We all have an unhealthy habit—or two, or three. Yours may be as simple as wasting time on the Internet, constantly checking your e-mail, or spending too much time in front of the TV. Or, it may be more serious, like habitual drinking, emotional overeating, constant self-criticism, or chronic worrying. Whatever your harmful habit is—you have the power to break it. The Here-and-Now-Habit provides proven-effective techniques to help you stop existing on autopilot and start living in the here and now. You’ll learn how to cultivate mindfulness to calm and focus your mind, be aware of thoughts without identifying with them or believing they are true, deal with difficult emotions, and clarify your own intentions regarding unhealthy habits by asking yourself, What do I want? How important is it to me to make this change? By learning to pay attention to your thoughts and actions in the moment, you’ll discover how to let go of old patterns and create healthier habits and ways of living that will make you feel good about yourself. And when you feel good about you, you can do just about anything. About the author: Hugh G. Byrne, PhD, is a guiding teacher with the Insight Meditation Community of Washington (IMCW), and cofounder of the Mindfulness Training Institute of Washington. He has worked extensively in the fields of human rights and social justice, and is committed to advocating the benefits of mindfulness and other contemplative practices to help relieve the suffering of the world. He teaches classes, retreats, and workshops in the United States and internationally. Byrne resides in Silver Spring, MD.

Guest: Christine Hassler author of Expectation Hangover: Free Yourself from Your Past, Change Your Present & Get What You Really Want May 19, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Christine Hassler author of Expectation Hangover: Free Yourself from Your Past, Change Your Present & Get What You Really Want About the book: We all face setbacks we cannot control, yet we often forget that we have a choice about how to handle those setbacks. The Expectation Hangovers we feel in the wake of disappointment, failure, or loss can become doorways to tremendous opportunities and life-changing gifts. Managing your expectations is not about lowering your standards. Master coach Christine Hassler explains how to pursue the right goals for the right reasons and also what to do when things don’t work out as expected. By the time you finish this book, you’ll understand why setbacks happen and have a clear course of action to pursue your dreams. About the author: Christine Hassler left her successful job as a Hollywood agent at 25 to pursue a life she could be passionate about . . . but it did not come easily. After being inspired by her own unexpected challenges and experiences, she realized her journey was indeed her destination. In 2005, she wrote the first guidebook written exclusively for young women, entitled 20 Something 20 Everything. Christine’s second book, The 20 Something Manifesto written for men and women stems from her experience coaching twenty-something’s. Her newest book Expectation Hangover: Overcoming Disappointment in Work, Love and Life is the guidebook for how to treat disappointment on the emotional, mental, behavioral and spiritual levels. Today, she supports individuals in discovering the answers to the questions: “Who Am I, What do I want, and How do I get it?” Christine is a Life Coach with a counseling emphasis known for catalyzing radical self-reflection while offering practical direction. She is passionate about busting the myth that life is about living by a checklist and having it all figured out. Christine believes we all deserve and are capable of discovering our passion, pursuing our dreams, and making an impact on the world. Christine began her evolution as a Gen Y expert with a discussion group for quarter-lifers in Los Angeles struggling with questions about themselves and their lives. As she continued her investigation of herself and others, she began to craft a roadmap for life for people of all ages which includes discovery, self-acceptance, self-forgiveness and clarity.

Guest: Dr. Daniel Shapiro author of Negotiating the Nonnegotiable: How to Resolve Your Most Emotionally Charged Conflicts May 12, 2016

About the book: In this landmark book, world-renowned Harvard negotiation expert Daniel Shapiro introduces a groundbreaking, step-by-step method to resolve your most difficult conflicts. Find out how to successfully resolve your most emotionally charged conflicts. This indispensable guide reveals the five hidden emotional forces that strain your relations and block agreement: vertigo, repetition compulsion, taboos, assault on the sacred, and identity politics. The moment you feel attacked, these forces transform your conflict into an adversarial battle, turning even a straightforward disagreement into an emotional uproar. In Negotiating the Nonnegotiable, you will learn a powerful, proven approach to overcome these forces, reconcile your relations, and reach agreement in even your most challenging personal and professional disputes. About the author: Dr. Daniel Shapiro is world-renowned for his work in the field of negotiation and conflict resolution. He founded and directs the Harvard International Negotiation Program, which pioneers innovative strategies and teaching methodologies to address the human dimensions of conflict resolution. His advice is regularly sought by everyone from heads of state and corporate executives to struggling families and couples. Dr. Shapiro believes that we are all negotiating every day, whether in business, government, or at home with our families. He has developed new methods to deal with the heart of conflict: the emotional dimension. His strategies have helped thousands of people deal more effectively with the most important negotiations in their lives, allowing them to reach higher levels of success.

Guest: Kelly Skeen author of Communication Skills for Teens: How to Listen, Express and Connect for Success May 04, 2016

Last Friday, I had the privilege of speaking to students in Ms. Rhynes’ English class from Oakland Tech High School for the 3rd Annual Literacy Field Trip hosted at Barnes and Noble in Emeryville, California. Barbara Tavres, the Community Business Development Manager at B&N, and Ms. Rhynes partnered together several years ago because they both believe in the power of reading and the written word. Each student is given a $75 gift card to purchase books. Their preference was to have my co-author and daughter, Kelly Skeen, speak to the students about our book Communication Skills for Teens: How to Listen, Express and Connect for Success. But she was in Washington DC studying for final exams, so they got stuck with me. Kelly and I decided that I should present the foundational chapter of our book, “How to Really Listen,” since listening well is the key component for successful relationships in all areas of our lives. The students got really involved when we discussed common blocks to listening. In honor of this event, this week on Relationships 2.0 I will re-broadcast my chat with my co-author and daughter, Kelly Skeen, about Communication Skills for Teens: How to Listen, Express and Connect for Success. About the book: Communication is an essential life skill that every teen must learn. Based on the New Harbinger classic, Messages, this book will teach you the necessary skills—such as assertiveness, active listening, and compassion—to become an effective communicator for life. In an age of social media, texting, and ever-evolving technology, it’s easy to forget how to engage in real, face-to-face communication, a critical skill for your future success! As you become more connected to your smartphone and the internet, your ability to connect in person may diminish. But technology doesn’t replace the need for effective communication skills. In fact, successful personal and professional relationships are dependent upon connecting with people face-to-face. Communication Skills for Teens provides the guidance you need to become a better communicator and succeed in all areas of life. You’ll also learn tons of essential life skills, including active listening, assertiveness, clarifying language, the art of an apology, compassion, interviewing skills, family communication, and more. Each chapter focuses on one key aspect of communication, offers a real teen’s perspective, and includes practical exercises to help you apply what you’ve learned in the real world—away from your computer and smartphone screens. By following the practical, skills-based tips in each chapter of this book, you’ll learn powerful communication techniques to last a lifetime. For more information about the book, www.kellyskeen.com

Guest: Helene Segura author of The Inefficiency Assassin: Time Management Tactics for Working Smarter, Not Longer Apr 26, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Helene Segura author of The Inefficiency Assassin: Time Management Tactics for Working Smarter, Not Longer About the book: Slay Procrastination, Distraction, and Overwhelm! Who doesn’t want more time and energy for family, friends, and personal passions? Author Helene Segura coaches real people in the real world to operate more efficiently during the workday, so they can have a life outside it. Her engaging time management program caters to diverse learning styles, offering case studies that allow readers to self-diagnose and zero in on the strategies most appropriate for them. Anyone wanting to streamline workflow and improve productivity can employ her wonderfully doable techniques — for clearing task lists, handling reminder systems, scheduling a variety of priorities, and even managing emails and phone calls. Thanks to Segura’s astute attention to personality, The Inefficiency Assassin meets readers where they are struggling and details quick and easy-to-implement strategies to, as Segura promises, “kick chaos to the curb.” About the author: Do you want to wake up 10 years from now and lament, “I wish I’d lived a little more instead of work around the clock”? Helene Segura doesn’t want to either. That’s why she tells her time what to do – and teaches busy professionals how to do the same by slaying lost time. The author of two Amazon best-selling books, Helene has been the featured productivity expert in more than 100 media interviews. During her time management keynotes and workshops, she shares her mind-bending framework for decreasing interruptions, distractions and procrastination so that companies can spend more time generating revenue. On weekends, Helene can be found experimenting with recipes or sneaking adult beverages onto the lawn bowling court. To connect with Helene or for details about her third book, The Inefficiency Assassin: Time Management Tactics for Working Smarter, Not Longer (New World Library 2016), visit www.HeleneSegura.com.

Guest: Cara Bradley author of On The Verge: Wake Up, Show Up, and Shine Apr 21, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Cara Bradley author of On The Verge: Wake Up, Show Up and Shine About the book: In the final race of her college track career, Cara Bradley beat her personal best by a remarkable six seconds. Until then Bradley had been a so-so athlete hampered by pre-race jitters and self-doubt. But on this day Bradley was buoyed by a sense of calm confidence. She set about understanding how she could replicate this experience in every area of life. She has distilled what she found into four practices, four shift strategies, and a series of gut-check reminders for moving out of over-thinking and over-doing and into being fully awake and alive– clear, bright, confident. These techniques for settling busy mind, putting body and mind in sync, and cultivating awareness and strength are simple but require practice and attention, which Bradley coaches readers to apply daily. The reward is what she calls “high definition, high voltage living,” the ability to experience what Bradley did on the track not by accident, or in only a few memorable moments but on purpose, every day. About the author: Cara Bradley, a native New Yorker and former pro-skater for Team Rollerblade®, is a lifelong teacher, mental strength coach, and entrepreneur. She is passionate about feeling awake and alive and experiencing her life fully. As the founder of Verge Yoga, Cara has been in the trenches of personal transformation and mindfulness as a teacher to thousands including CEOs and professional athletes for over three decades. She is also the founder of Mindfulness Through Movement, a non-profit offering full year programs to schools in urban Philadelphia.

Guest: Emma Seppala author of The Happiness Track: How to Apply the Science of Happiness to Accelerate Your Success Apr 11, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Emma Seppälä PhD author of The Happiness Track: How to Apply the Science of Happiness to Accelerate Your Success About the book: A leading expert on health psychology, well-being, and resilience argues that happiness is the key to fast tracking our professional and personal success. Everyone wants to be happy and successful. And yet the pursuit of both has never been more elusive. As work and personal demands rise, we try to keep up by juggling everything better, moving faster, and doing more. While we might succeed in the short term, it comes at a cost to our well-being, relationships, and, paradoxically, our productivity. In The Happiness Track, Emma Seppala, the science director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University, explains that our inability to achieve sustainable fulfillment is tied to common but outdated notions about success. We are taught that getting ahead means doing everything that’s thrown at us (and then some) with razor-sharp focus and iron discipline; that success depends on our drive and talents; and that achievement cannot happen without stress. The Happiness Track demolishes these counter-productive theories. Drawing on the latest findings from the fields of cognitive psychology and neuroscience—research on happiness, resilience, willpower, compassion, positive stress, creativity, mindfulness—Seppala shows that finding happiness and fulfillment may, in fact, be the most productive thing we can do to thrive professionally. Filled with practical advice on how to apply these scientific findings to our daily lives, The Happiness Track is a life-changing guide to fast tracking our success and creating the anxiety-free life we want. About the author: EMMA SEPPÄLÄ is Science Director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University and a leading expert on health psychology, well-being, and resilience. Her research has been featured in the New York Times, ABC News, Forbes, the Boston Globe, U.S. News & World Report, the Huffington Post, INC, and Fast Company. She is founder of the popular online magazine Fulfillment Daily and a frequent contributor to Psychology Today, Harvard Business Review, and the Huffington Post. Her writing has also appeared in the Washington Post, Scientific American Mind, and Spirituality & Health. Seppälä consults for Fortune 500 leaders on building positive organizations. A sought-after speaker, she has addressed academic, corporate, and governmental institutions, including Google, the National Science Foundation, and the World Bank. Dedicated to applying the science of happiness to people’s lives, she taught happiness and service classes to hundreds of students, for which she was awarded Stanford University’s Lyons Award for service. Touched by the selfless dedication of veterans and the profound trauma so many bring back from war, she conducted groundbreaking research on mind-body practices for combat veterans. This research was highlighted in the documentary film Free the Mind. She holds an undergraduate degree in comparative literature from Yale University, a master’s degree in East Asian languages and cultures from Columbia University, and a PhD in psychology from Stanford University. Originally from Paris, France, she is a native speaker of French, English, and German. She also speaks Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.

Guest: Donald Altman author of Clearing Emotional Clutter: Mindfulness Practices for Letting Go of What's Blocking Your Fulfillment and Transformation Apr 04, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Donald Altman author of Clearing Emotional Clutter: Mindfulness Practices for Letting Go of What’s Blocking Your Fulfillment and Transformation About the book: A Fresh Start to a Healthy Emotional Life Is emotional clutter blocking success in your personal and professional life? You’ve likely heard about the psychological benefits of clearing out the clutter in your surroundings, but how do you handle your emotional clutter — the psychological version of the jam-packed closet or impenetrable garage? Shutting away and trying to hide old pains and traumas creates toxic patterns that can keep you from having the life of your dreams. Integrating mindfulness and cutting-edge neuroscience, international mindfulness expert Donald Altman teaches how to modify entrenched habits and patterns with only a few minutes of attention daily. Altman first helps you realize what your baggage consists of and how to transform or jettison it. He then shows how to avoid the daily danger of accumulating new emotional clutter. No matter how fraught your life or relationships may be, you can cleanse, heal, or accept the old wounds, mistakes, and disappointments. With Altman’s lifestyle tools, you’ll discover how to address your past, better deal with the present, and cultivate the best possible future. Start fresh with Clearing Emotional Clutter. About the author: Donald Altman, MA, LPC, is a psychotherapist, a former Buddhist monk, and the award-winning author of several books, including One-Minute Mindfulness, The Mindfulness Toolbox, and The Mindfulness Code. He conducts mindful living and mindful eating workshops and retreats and trains mental health therapists and businesspeople to use mindfulness as a tool for optimizing health and fulfillment. He lives in Portland, Oregon.

Guest: Hugh G. Byrne, PhD author of The Here and Now Habit: How Mindfulness Can Help You Break Unhealthy Habits Once and for All Mar 31, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Hugh Byrne PhD author of The Here and Now Habit: How Mindfulness Can Help You Break Unhealthy Habits Once and For All About the book: Bad habits can take a hefty toll on your health and happiness. In The Here-and-Now Habit, mindfulness expert Hugh Byrne provides powerful practices based in mindfulness and neuroscience to help you rewire your brain and finally break the habits that are holding you back from a meaningful life. Have you found yourself doing something and thinking, Why do I keep doing this? We all have an unhealthy habit—or two, or three. Yours may be as simple as wasting time on the Internet, constantly checking your e-mail, or spending too much time in front of the TV. Or, it may be more serious, like habitual drinking, emotional overeating, constant self-criticism, or chronic worrying. Whatever your harmful habit is—you have the power to break it. The Here-and-Now-Habit provides proven-effective techniques to help you stop existing on autopilot and start living in the here and now. You’ll learn how to cultivate mindfulness to calm and focus your mind, be aware of thoughts without identifying with them or believing they are true, deal with difficult emotions, and clarify your own intentions regarding unhealthy habits by asking yourself, What do I want? How important is it to me to make this change? By learning to pay attention to your thoughts and actions in the moment, you’ll discover how to let go of old patterns and create healthier habits and ways of living that will make you feel good about yourself. And when you feel good about you, you can do just about anything. About the author: Hugh G. Byrne, PhD, is a guiding teacher with the Insight Meditation Community of Washington (IMCW), and cofounder of the Mindfulness Training Institute of Washington. He has worked extensively in the fields of human rights and social justice, and is committed to advocating the benefits of mindfulness and other contemplative practices to help relieve the suffering of the world. He teaches classes, retreats, and workshops in the United States and internationally. Byrne resides in Silver Spring, MD.

Guest: Matt McKay PhD author of Seeking Jordan: How I Learned the Truth about Death and the Invisible Universe Mar 24, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Matt McKay PhD author of Seeking Jordan: How I Learned the Truth about Death and the Invisible Universe. About the book: If you have lost someone you deeply love, or have become strongly aware of your mortality, it’s hard to avoid wondering about life after death, the existence of God, notions of heaven and hell, and why we are here in the first place. The murder of Matthew McKay’s son, Jordan, sent him on a journey in search of ways to communicate with his son despite fears and uncertainty. Here he recounts his efforts — including past-life and between-lives hypnotic regressions, a technique called induced after-death communication, channeled writing, and more. McKay, a psychologist and researcher, ultimately learned how to reach his son. In this book he provides extraordinary revelations — direct from Jordan — about the soul’s life after death, how karma works, why we incarnate, why there is so much pain in the world, the single force that connects us, and our future as souls. Unlike many books about after-death communication, near-death experiences, and past-life memories, this is a book for those who do not believe yet yearn to know what happens after death. In addition to being riveting reading, Seeking Jordan is a unique heart-, soul-, and mind-stirring reflection on the issues each of us will ultimately face. About the author: Matthew McKay is a clinical psychologist and a professor at the Wright Institute in Berkeley, California. He cofounded Haight Ashbury Psychological Services in San Francisco in 1979 and served as its clinical director for twenty-five years. Currently he serves as the director of the Berkeley Cognitive Behavior Therapy Clinic. Books he has coauthored on professional and self-help psychology have sold more than 3 million copies.

Guest: Bruce Weinstein PhD author of Is It Still Cheating If I Don't Get Caught Mar 17, 2016

About the book: My teacher gave me an A… by mistake. What do I do? Teens face tough choices like this one every day. Help’s arrived! Whether it’s about the use of the internet (downloading music? copying homework papers?) or sports (steroids?), friendship, family, school, or affairs of the heart, kids often find themselves asking: What’s the right thing to do? With five simple and clear ethical principles as a foundation, and plenty of out-of-real-life dilemmas as examples, Dr. Bruce Weinstein offers answers and an approach to things that teens will find useful, reliable, and commonsensical. About the author: Dr. Bruce Weinstein, The Ethics Guy, believes that the key to success in business is having not just emotional intelligence, but ethical intelligence, too. He shows how to improve your ethics IQ and leadership skills, which will strengthen the relationships you have with colleagues, clients, family, friends, and folks in the community.He is a contributor to Bloomberg Businessweek’s Management Blog. His latest book, “Ethical Intelligence: Five Principles for Untangling Your Toughest Problems at Work and Beyond,” was a Silver Winner from ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year Awards. An in-demand speaker, Dr. Weinstein’s clients have included the National Football League, Northrop Grumman, the Investment Management Consultants Association, the National Business Aviation Association, the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, the colleges of business of Eastern Michigan University and the University of North Dakota, and over three hundred other leading groups. You have seen Dr. Weinstein on a wide range of CNN programs, NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, Fox News Channel’s O’Reilly Factor and Fox and Friends, Fox Business Network’s Cavuto, MSNBC Live, and CNBC’s Fast Money. His work was recently featured in the Sunday New York Times, and his ethics quiz will appear in the October issue of American Airlines’ in-flight magazine serving Latin America, Spain and Portugal. He received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Swarthmore College, a PhD in philosophy and bioethics from Georgetown University, and a National Fellowship in Leadership Development from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek, Michigan. He lives in New York with his wife, Kristen Bancroft.

Guest: James R. Doty, MD author of Into The Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon's Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart Feb 25, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my special guest is James R. Doty, MD author of Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart. About the book: Extraordinary things happen when we harness the power of both the brain and the heart. Growing up in the high desert of California, Jim Doty was poor, with an alcoholic father and a mother chronically depressed and paralyzed by a stroke. Today he is the director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) at Stanford University, of which the Dalai Lama is a founding benefactor. But back then his life was at a dead end until at twelve he wandered into a magic shop looking for a plastic thumb. Instead he met Ruth, a woman who taught him a series of exercises to ease his own suffering and manifest his greatest desires. Her final mandate was that he keep his heart open and teach these techniques to others. She gave him his first glimpse of the unique relationship between the brain and the heart. Doty would go on to put Ruth’s practices to work with extraordinary results—power and wealth that he could only imagine as a twelve-year-old, riding his orange Sting-Ray bike. But he neglects Ruth’s most important lesson, to keep his heart open, with disastrous results—until he has the opportunity to make a spectacular charitable contribution that will virtually ruin him. Part memoir, part science, part inspiration, and part practical instruction, Into the Magic Shop shows us how we can fundamentally change our lives by first changing our brains and our hearts. About the author: James R. Doty, M.D., is a professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at Stanford University and the director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE), where he researches the neuroscience of compassion and altruism. He is also a philanthropist funding health clinics throughout the world and has endowed scholarships and chairs at multiple universities. He serves on the board of a number of nonprofits, including the Charter for Compassion International and the Dalai Lama Foundation.

Kira Asatryan author of Stop Being Lonely: Three Simple Steps to Developing Close Friendships and Deep Relationships Feb 18, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Kira Asatryan author of Stop Being Lonely: Three Simple Steps to Developing Close Friendships and Deep Relationships About the book: Loneliness isn’t something that happens only when we are physically alone. It can also happen when we are with people. Online friends, followers, or “likers” don’t necessarily add up to much when you crave fulfilling interaction, and satisfying, long-term relationships are not a mystery to be left up to chance (or technology). The good news is that, according to relationship coach Kira Asatryan, loneliness has a reliable antidote: the feeling of closeness. We can and should cultivate closeness in our relationships using the steps outlined in this book: knowing, caring, and mastering closeness. Whether with romantic partners, friends, family members, or business colleagues, these techniques will help you establish true closeness with others. The simple and straightforward actions Asatryan presents in this wonderfully practical book will guide you toward better relationships and less loneliness in all social contexts. About the author: Kira Asatryan is a couples coach and a team coach who trains Silicon Valley startups to work cohesively. She is also a popular blogger on Psychology Today and other sites. Prior to becoming a full-time relationship coach and writer, she ran marketing campaigns across major platforms including Facebook, Twitter, and Google Search. She lives in San Francisco, CA.

Guest: Linda Carroll author of Love Cycles: The Five Essential Stages of Lasting Love Feb 11, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Linda Carroll author of Love Cycles: The Five Essential Stages of Lasting Love. Whether you are in a new relationship or you’ve been partnered for years, you will benefit from Linda’s relationship expertise. About the book: In Love Cycles, veteran couples therapist Linda Carroll presents a groundbreaking model of the five natural stages of romantic relationships — the Merge, Doubt and Denial, Disillusionment, Decision, and Wholehearted Love — and a guide for navigating through them toward lasting love. Love Cycles helps readers understand where they are in the cycle of their relationship and provides a clear strategy for how to stay happy and committed, even in difficult times. About the author: Linda Carroll, MS, has worked as a couple’s therapist for more than 30 years. In addition to being a licensed psychotherapist, she is certified in Transpersonal Psychology and Imago Therapy, the highly successful form of couple’s therapy developed by Dr. Harville Hendrix and Dr. Helen LaKelly Hunt. She is also a master teacher in the Pairs Psychoeducation Process, a nationally-recognized relationship education program for couples. Linda has studied many modalities of psychological and spiritual work, including Voice Dialogue with Drs. Hal and Sidra Stone, Holotropic Breathwork with Dr. Stan Grof, the Four-Fold With Angeles Arrien, the Diamond Heart Work of A.H. Almaas, and training with The Couples Institute of Drs. Ellyn Bader and Peter Pearson. She is also certified in the Hot Monogamy program, which helps couples create or re-create a passionate connection between them. Linda works with a limited number of couples regularly in a new style of “concierge therapy,” in which she travels to their home or office for 2-6 days per year for private, all-day sessions, offering ongoing Skype and phone sessions in between. She teaches workshops and delivers keynote addresses throughout the United States and is a frequent speaker at Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico. Find her on the web at lindaacarroll.com or lovecycles.org.

Guest: Dan Millman author of The Four Purposes of Life Feb 04, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Dan Millman, author of The Four Purposes of Life: Finding Meaning and Direction in a Changing World About the book: The literal millions who have read Dan Millman’s books know that he approaches the complex topic of life’s meaning with a unique and exceedingly appealing blend of wisdom, wit, and practicality. His insights connect with people where they are — and then move them forward. Those at a crossroads, facing a challenge, or simply seeking a deeper understanding of themselves and the workings of the world will find realistic, doable action steps. These practices amount to the kind of “Humanity Curriculum” many of us never studied. As readers Learn Life’s Lessons, Find Career and Calling, Discover Life’s Path, Attend to the Arising Moment, and for “extra credit,” Explore Spiritual Purpose, insights accumulate. Direction is clarified and the authentic and unique life purpose each of us is meant to live illuminated. About the author: Most people who’ve read Way of the Peaceful Warrior (or seen the movie) already know a few aspects of my life. And you may have seen my summary bio at my website, as follows:”Dan Millman, a former world champion athlete, coach, martial arts instructor, and college professor, is author of Way of the Peaceful Warrior (adapted to film in 2006), and numerous other books read by millions of people in 29 languages. Dan teaches worldwide and has influenced people from all walks of life, including leaders in the fields of health, psychology, education, business, politics, sports, entertainment and the arts. Dan and his wife, Joy, live in Northern California. His most recent book is The Four Purposes of Life.

Guest: Shawn T. Smith, author of Is He Worth It? How To Spot the Hidden Traits of Good Men Jan 28, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Shawn T. Smith, author of Is He Worth It? How to Spot the Hidden Traits of Good Men. About the book: Where are the good men? Good men are everywhere, and they are looking for terrific women. So why are they hard to find? And why do so many women make life-altering mistakes by choosing the wrong men? The answer is distressingly simple. Good men don’t always know how to attract women, and women don’t always recognize good men. It’s as if there is a wall between the most compatible people. But don’t despair! Is He Worth It? holds time-tested wisdom for spotting good men who are searching for great relationships. You’ll learn… The three pillars of a good man. Great relationships begin with the best raw material. Men of character possess these basic traits. The twelve-point man inspection. Men who succeed in relationships have the right tools for lasting romance. This quiz will help you evaluate his relationship readiness. Ten self-deceptions that lead to costly relationship errors. Life is too short to suffer through bad relationships. Find out how to avoid common mistakes women make when choosing men. Written by a happily married man who is also a clinical psychologist, Is He Worth It? is a sweet celebration of romance, and it’s the perfect guide to finding love in these complex times. About the author: Shawn Smith is a clinical psychologist in Denver, Colorado and the author of four psychology books. He also writes a blog at ironshrink.com, where he answers important questions such as: Can dogs learn to read? Why do I feel amorous when I have a cold? Is my ex possessed? Shawn’s writing is light-hearted, impeccably researched, and always useful.

Guest: SARK & Dr. John Waddell authors of Succulent Wild Love: Six Powerful Habits For Feeling More Love More Often Jan 19, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guests are SARK and Dr. John Waddell authors of Succulent Wild Love: Six Poweful Habits For Feeling More Love More Often About the book: A new philosophy of love and relationships for everyone Relationships do not require compromise or sacrifice You can create joyful solutions instead SARK has made a career out of sharing her personal, journal-like writings and art, and inspiring others with her vulnerable and honest journeys toward self-acceptance. She has helped her legions of fans craft lives filled with joy, creativity, and self-love — and she even married herself in a “statement of self-liberation” described in Succulent Wild Woman. And yet SARK had one big secret wish: overcoming her fears to commit to an intimate life partnership. So she embarked on a “Covert Love Operation,” and, after much soul-shaping, it culminated in her meeting psychologist and spiritual teacher Dr. John Waddell — and discovering Succulent Wild Love. They now teach and mentor together using the principles in this book — six powerful habits that can transform any relationship or open you to create the partnership you want. Over 175 pieces of SARK original art included About the authors: SARK (Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy) is a bestselling author, artist, and teacher. She comes from a background of creative expression and inspires others through her teachings in her 16 bestselling books, products, and programs to support empowered living. SARK’s purpose is to be an uplifter, a transformer, and a laser beam of love. She does that through her art, words, and spirit. For over 30 years, Dr. John Waddell’s work has focused on helping individuals and couples lead happier lives. Whether in his clinical psychology practice or in his teaching of metaphysics, his approach has been to provide concrete tools and practices that help people create the lives they want.

Guest: Ruth Danner author of Making a World of Difference One Quilt at a Time: Inspiring Stories about Quilters and How They Have Touched Lives Jan 14, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Ruth Danner author of Making a World of Difference One Quilt at a Time: Inspiring Stories about Quilters and How They Have Touched Lives About the book: Quilts exemplify precious things: comfort through the warmth they provide; community, since they are often created by groups; and love, given the time and effort they require. With this in mind, legions of kindhearted quilters all over the world choose to donate their labors of love to people in need. Ruth McHaney Danner has gathered fifty-four heartwarming stories of quilters who make their compassion tangible one stitch, square, and quilt at a time. Each story introduces a quilter or group of quilters, ranging from a blind woman in Texas to preschoolers in Australia. Their gifts have the power to make recipients feel cherished and supported, even though they may never meet face-to-face. These wonderfully inspiring stories show that every quilter who has ever wondered, “But what can I do?” can do something that will help someone. About the author: Ruth McHaney Danner, the author of What I Learned from God While Quilting, has written extensively for various publications. She has made dozens of quilts for charitable organizations and for individuals in need, and many of her projects have won awards. Her sewing room in Spokane, Washington, overflows with stacks of fabric, bags of scraps, and an endless supply of UFOs (unfinished objects).

Guest: Kelly Skeen co-author of Communication Skills for Teens: How To Listen, Express & Connect for Success. Jan 07, 2016

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Kelly Skeen co-author of Communication Skills for Teens: How To Listen, Express & Connect for Success. About the book: If you’re like most teens, a ton of your communication is done through texting and social media. But when you spend so much time looking at a screen, it’s easy to forget how to engage in real-life, face-to-face communication — a critical skill for your future success! As you become more dependent on your phone and the Internet, your ability to connect in person may diminish. Communication Skills for Teens is a must-have guide for keeping your communication truly real. With advice from teen coauthor Kelly Skeen, you’ll have everything you need to communicate more effectively in every area of your life — with friends, family, dates, and on job interviews. Packed with practical tips and exercises, this book offers powerful communication techniques and shows you how to apply them in the real world — without technology. If you’re ready to be the best communicator you can be, this book is your go-to guide! From Kelly: I’m a college student living in Washington, D.C. I love to ski, read, and spend time outside, whether it’s exploring nature or wandering around the city. I’m passionate about education and its transformative power. Working with kids is a very important part of my life. My two big dogs look more like mops than animals. Mac & cheese is a staple in my diet. I order it any chance I get and dream of keeping track of it all in a food journal.

Guest: Laura T. Coffey author of My Old Dog: Rescued Pets with Remarkable Second Acts. Dec 31, 2015

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Laura T. Coffey author of My Old Dog: Rescued Pets with Remarkable Second Acts. About the book: “No Dog Should Die Alone” was the attention-grabbing — and heart-stirring — headline of journalist Laura T. Coffey’s TODAY show website story about photographer Lori Fusaro’s work with senior shelter pets. While generally calm, easy, and already house-trained, these animals often represent the highest-risk population at shelters. With gorgeous, joyful photographs and sweet, funny, true tales of “old dogs learning new tricks,” Coffey and Fusaro show that adopting a senior can be even more rewarding than choosing a younger dog. You’ll meet endearing elders like Marnie, the irresistible shih tzu who has posed for selfies with Tina Fey, James Franco, and Betty White; Remy, a soulful nine-year-old dog adopted by elderly nuns; George Clooney’s cocker spaniel, Einstein; and Bretagne, the last known surviving search dog from Ground Zero. They may be slower moving and a tad less exuberant than puppies, but these pooches prove that adopting a senior brings immeasurable joy, earnest devotion, and unconditional love. About the author: Laura T. Coffey is a self-avowed dog nut and a longtime writer, editor, and producer for TODAY.com, the website of NBC’s TODAY Show. An award-winning journalist with more than two decades of experience, Laura has written and edited hundreds of high-profile human-interest stories over the years. She loves dogs and she loves people — and it shows in her writing. Laura lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, Michael, their son, Tyler, their two senior dogs, Frida and Manny, and their giant 14-year-old cat, Diego. Connect with Laura at www.myolddogbook.com.

Guest: Margaret Floyd, author of Eat Naked Now and The Naked Foods Cookbook Dec 29, 2015

It is to be loved, celebrated, anticipated, and welcomed as a gift of love and nurturance to you. Can you envision pleasure with food with this much potency? So, how to get out of the stressed-state (the battle) and in the pro-active pleasure state of eating? Let’s get practical: 1. Slow way, way down. Relaxation and slowness are key to increasing attentiveness, sensuality, and pleasure. This then optimizes your ability to truly taste, digest, and set up the proper hormonal cues for pleasurable satiation (in contrast to feeling bloated and engorged from unaware-hurried eating). 2. Notice fearful thoughts and/or body sensations. Pause and send some thanks to these thoughts and feelings. They are your cues for you to get on track to joy, peace, and pleasure again. But, in no way are the fears going to drive and determine your actions this season. Instead, breathe into them instead of fighting them. Then try some gentle challenges to shift the energy…”Is this really true?”, “What is that I do want?”, “How do I want to feel?” 3. Eat food with increased sensuality. Pick up one holiday treat, find a beautiful plate, sit down, and look at it for awhile. What is happening in your mind and body? Smell the treat, take one bite, set the treat down, and chew it as sensuously and slowly as you can. How does it really taste? What is happening in your body? Breathe deeply and chew some more. Pause and look at the treat again. Notice how enticing it is. Take another bite. 4. Trust. Your body was designed for pleasure around food. This is a primal mechanism designed to help you find that which your body needs. The cues get distorted with all the food and lifestyle chaos around us. But the internal cues of pleasure are still there and can be fine-tuned the more we slow down and heed them. About Margaret: My name is Margaret and I eat naked. That’s really all you need to know about me, but if you’re curious to know more… I love food and everything about it: growing it, cooking it, eating it, healing with it, talking about it, understanding it, relating to it. Food is such an integral part of our life. We have to eat it multiple times a day just to survive and, as one of my teachers said, “We are, at our most basic level, walking food.” True that. I had my first powerful experience with the fundamental importance of food in my mid-20s when a change to my diet resolved a chronic skin condition I’d struggled with for years. At the time I was deeply immersed in the world of social ventures and business consulting, first with the boutique consultancy Spark Strategies and then as VP Member Development withCanadian Business for Social Responsibility. Fast forward a few years and I realized my true calling was food and health, and, more specifically, using the former to achieve the latter. I became a Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) and Certified Nutritional Therapy Consultant (NTC) at the Nutritional Therapy Association (a school I recommend highly if you’re considering a career in nutrition) and then drew inspiration from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition where I learned from some of the top minds in the field (personal favorites were Sally Fallon of the Weston A Price Foundation, Dr. Mark Hyman, and Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way). Since then, I’ve become a Certified GAPS Practitioner, a Certified Healing Foods Specialist and also studied with the incredible Mark David at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating. www.eatnakednow.com

Guest: Robert James author of Next: The Search for My Last First Date Dec 29, 2015

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Robert James author of Next: The Search for My Last First Date. About the book: Bob's book is a chronicle of his dating adventures as a "normal" middle-aged man living in Florida. Here is Bob's description of his situation following his divorce: In my forties, with a few extra pounds, I had concerns—I hadn’t dated in well over twenty years. Could I get the mojo back? Were all the good girls already taken? Holy crap! What was I going to do? I had to get back into shape! If I did find women who had potential, would they find me interesting? Attractive? Sexy? I’m a pretty confident guy, have a good job, know lots of people. But what did I know about women and dating? I thought about dating the same way I did in college. But I was going to soon find out things had changed—a lot. Where was I supposed to start? Bob found himself navigating a new (for him) online dating world. Besides the few time he was fixed up by well-meaning friends, he had no shortage of first dates from Match.com. His book chronicles, in short form, his experiences--funny, sad, cringe-worthy, crazy, and alarming. Tune in and find out his current relationship status! About the author: "Robert James is a lifelong resident of Florida, and is a businessman who loves wine, cooking, travel and enjoying outdoor activities. He has run with the bulls in Pamploma Spain, raced cars, and loves having new experiences in which to write about. Prior to writing his debut book, NEXT! The Search for My Last First Date, his writing was limited to business proposals."

Guest: Judy Reeves author of Wild Women, Wild Voices: Writing from Your Authentic Wildness Dec 10, 2015

About the book: Write to celebrate, heal, and free the wild woman within. In her years as a writing coach, Judy Reeves has found twin urges in women: they yearn to reclaim a true nature that resides below the surface of daily life and to give it voice. The longing to express this wild, authentic nature is what informs Reeves’s most popular workshop and now this workshop in a book. Here, you will explore the stages that make up your life, from wild child, daughter/sister/mother, and loves and lovers, to creative work, friendships, and how the wise woman encounters death. Both intuitive and practical, Wild Women, Wild Voices responds to women’s deep need for expression with specific and inspiring activities, exercises, and writing prompts. With true empathy, Reeves invites, instructs, and celebrates the authentic expression — even the howl — of the wild in every woman. About the author: Judy Reeves is a writer, teacher and writing practice provocateur whose books include A Writer’s Book of Days, which was named a “hottest books for writers” and won the 2010 San Diego Books Award for Best Nonfiction. Other books include Writing Alone, Writing Together; A Creative Writer’s Kit and The Writer’s Retreat Kit. In addition to leading private writing and creativity workshops, Judy teaches writing at University of California, San Diego Extension and in private workshops, and speaks at writing conferences internationally. She is a cofounder of San Diego Writers, Ink where she served as Executive Director. Her website is judyreeveswriter.com and she blogs at livelymuse.com.

Guest: Tobin Blake author of The Healing of Jordan Young: A 21st Century Spiritual Guide to Health and Healing. Dec 03, 2015

About the book: Mind over matter. We’ve all heard the stories: A guy is diagnosed with incurable cancer and his doctors give him only months to live. The family gathers, praying for a miracle while bracing for the worst, yet despite the odds, the guy survives. In June, 2012, mere days before he was set to graduate from high school, Jordan Young faced just such a scenario when an aggressive, stage IV lymphoma spread through his body, choking his lungs with tumors. Every treatment option had failed, and he was spiraling toward death. The thing is, Jordan did not die. You remember that story you probably heard about “the guy who survived” a terminal diagnosis? Jordan is that guy. Helping him fight and heal was an experience that changed my life forever, and the results convinced me more deeply than ever that all true healing, on every level—whether physical, circumstantial, or psychological—derives from love and spiritual awakening. When the patient is ready, the right medication will be found; the perfect healer will show up at the perfect moment; a medication that had not worked before will suddenly begin working; or the patient may spontaneously heal. Whether you are ill or know someone who is, or just want to live the happiest, healthiest life possible, this book is your guide. It is as much about the power of love as it’s about healing, for with love, all things are possible—no matter what the doctors tell you. About the author: Tobin Blake is the author of three nonfiction books, The Healing of Jordan Young: A Remarkable True Story and a 21st Century Spiritual Guide to Healing; Everyday Meditation;and The Power of Stillness. He received training in meditation and Kriya Yoga through Self-Realization Fellowship, but has studied many forms of dharma. He is also long-time disciple of A Course in Miracles.

Relationships 2.0 - Dr. Bernie Siegel MD, author of Love, Animals & Miracles: Inspiring True Stories Celebrating the Healing Bond. Nov 24, 2015

Dr. Bernie Siegel has long observed how relationships with animals have helped his patients, alleviating their suffering and heartbreak. Now, he’s gathered many inspiring true stories, including delightful tales from the “Siegel Family Zoo” where “squawks, purrs, chirrups, squeaks, barks, and so on” fill the house. Other stories reveal animals as teachers and messengers, doctors and nurses, healers and miracle workers, and often as guileless clowns. Bernie writes that animals are here to show us how to be nonjudgmental and live better, healthier lives. Let these stories teach you, and apply their lessons to your daily life. If you have an animal, an appreciation for the inspirational, or simply the need for a smile, you’ll treasure this celebration of animals as a source of love, wisdom, and miracles. A portion of the publisher’s proceeds from this book will aid Ark Angel Society.

Rick Heller - Secular Meditation: 32 Practices for Cultivating Inner Peace Compassion and Joy Nov 19, 2015

Meditation is a form of mental exercise with numerous scientifically verified physical and psychological benefits. As meditation teacher Rick Heller shows, meditation’s benefits extend beyond the personal to enrich relationships with others, with one’s community, and with the world. In Secular Meditation, step-by-step instructions, personal stories, and provocative questions teach empathy for others, stress reduction, and the kind of in-the-moment living that fosters appreciation for life and resilience in the face of adversity. Heller simplifies what is often found mysterious, describing and providing detailed instructions for 32 different practices, ensuring that anyone can find the right one. Heller simplifies what is often found mysterious — “If you have ever loved or even liked another person, you have the prerequisites for learning kindness meditation” — and invites all to partake in “awe and wonder at the rich experience of being alive.”

Aleya Dao author of Seven Cups of Consciousness: Change Your Life by Connecting to the Higher Realms Nov 19, 2015

Knowing that you are “a spiritual being having a human experience” is eye-opening and inspiring, but can it tangibly transform your life? Pioneering healer Aleya Dao does more than say yes to this question — she shows you how, with stories and practices that are as potent and fresh as a morning cup of coffee or tea. By turning to your inner world, you can work with the limitless energies that create your outer world, making strides you never thought possible. With the help of your Higher Self, your angelic support Team, and the challenges you encounter every day, you will discover a whole new experience of empowerment, purpose, and joy.

Guest: Bill Philipps author of Expect the Unexpected: Bringing Peace, Healing, and Hope from the Other Side. Oct 28, 2015

About the book: Part memoir, part spiritual exploration, part inspiring stories, Expect the Unexpected provides knowledge and support for tapping into spiritual realms we do not fully understand. Bill Philipps had the kind of childhood that seems too tragic to be true — drug-addicted parents, parental kidnapping, homelessness. At fourteen, he watched his mother die. Two days later she appeared to him, letting him know she was spiritually alive. From then on, spirits “knocked on his door.” He tried to ignore them. He wanted to be “normal.” But as he pursued his singing gift at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, his psychic gift pressed for a hearing. As Philipps gave readings as a psychic medium, witnessing the comfort the spirits offered, he came to accept and honor his abilities. With testimonies from many people, Expect the Unexpected is an honest firsthand account of how spirits communicate with Philipps, why he believes they chose him to do this, and how he works with them to ultimately convey their messages. He offers insight and suggestions to help ask for and receive signs with or without a medium and shows why he is convinced that readings always contain the possibility for love, peace, healing, and hope. About the author: Bill Philipps is a psychic medium who helps the deceased communicate with their loved ones on earth. He conducts individual readings in person, by phone, or via Skype, as well as small- and large-group readings throughout the United States. He has established a reputation for offering compelling psychic communications and has a way with large audiences. He lives in Orange County, California.

Guest: Relationships 2.0 my guest is Robert Moss author of Sidewalk Oracles: Playing with Signs, Symbols, and Synchronicity in Everyday Life. Oct 21, 2015

About the book: Become a Kairomancer: Synchronicity is when the universe gets personal. Through this book of games and enchanting stories, you’ll learn how to monitor the play of coincidence and the symbolic resonance of incidents in daily life in order to tap into the deeper logic of events, receive extraordinary counsel, and have wonderful fun. You will be invited to become a kairomancer: someone who is poised to catch the messages in special moments when synchronicity is in play — and to take action to seize the opportunities those moments present. To be a kairomancer, you need to trust your feelings as you walk the roads of this world, to develop your personal science of shivers, and to recognize in your gut and your skin that you know far more than you hold on the surface of consciousness. This is a way of real magic, which is the art of bringing gifts from a deeper world into this one. Follow it, and you will put a champagne fizz of enchantment into your everyday life. About the author: Robert Moss is the pioneer of Active Dreaming, an original synthesis of shamanism and modern dreamwork. Born in Australia, he survived three near-death experiences in childhood. He leads popular seminars all over the world, including a three-year training for teachers of Active Dreaming and a lively online dream school. A former lecturer in ancient history at the Australian National University, he is a best-selling novelist, journalist and independent scholar. His nine books on dreaming, shamanism and imagination include Conscious Dreaming, Dreamways of the Iroquois, The Three “Only” Things: Tapping the Power of Dreams, Coincidence and Imagination, The Secret History of Dreaming, Dreamgates, Active Dreaming and Dreaming the Soul Back Home. “The Boy Who Died and Came Back: Adventures of a Dream Archaeologist in the Multiverse,” Moss’ personal narrative of his experiences of dying and coming back and seeking to live consciously in the multidimensional universe, will be published in March 2014. Moss is also the author of Here, Everything Is Dreaming: Poems and Stories (Excelsion Editions, 2013). Moss describes himself as “a dream teacher, on a path for which there has been no career track in our culture.” He identifies the great watershed in his adult life as a sequence of visionary events that unfolded in 1987-1988, after he decided to leave the world of big cities and the fast-track life of a popular novelist (already the author of four New York Times bestsellers, including Moscow Rules) and put down roots on a farm in the upper Hudson Valley of New York. Moss started dreaming in a language he did not know that proved to be an archaic form of the Mohawk language. Helped by native speakers to interpret his dreams, Moss came to believe that they had put him in touch with an ancient healer – a woman of power – and that they were calling him to a different life. Out of these experiences he wrote a series of historical novels (The Firekeeper, Fire Along the Sky, The Interpreter) and developed the practice he calls Active Dreaming, an original synthesis of contemporary dreamwork and shamanic methods of journeying and healing. A central premise of Moss’s approach is that dreaming isn’t just what happens during sleep; dreaming is waking up to sources of guidance, healing and creativity beyond the reach of the everyday mind.He introduced his method to an international audience as an invited presenter at the conference of the Association for the Study of Dreams at the University of Leiden in 1994. Core techniques of Active Dreaming include: The “lightning dreamwork” process, designed to facilitate quick dream-sharing that results in helpful action; the use of the “if it were my dream” protocol encourages the understanding that the dreamer is always the final authority on his or her dream. Dream reentry: the practice of making a conscious journey back inside a dream in order to clarify information, dialogue with a dream character, or move beyond nightmare terrors into healing and resolution. Tracking and group dreaming: conscious dream travel on an agreed itinerary by two or more partners, often supported by shamanic drumming. Navigating by synchronicity: reading coincidence and “symbolic pop-ups” in ordinary life as “everyday oracles”. Dream archaeology: melding the arts of shamanic dreaming with scholarship and detective work to access other times and cultures and bring back fresh and authentic knowledge that can be tested and verified. Exploring the multiverse and the multidimensional self.

Guest: Sara Avant Stover, author of The Book of She: Your Heroine’s Journey into the Heart of Feminine Power. Oct 14, 2015

About the book: Women face many challenging transitions on the pilgrimage from girlhood through womanhood: menses, love and heartbreak, motherhood, menopause. Devoid of a central narrative, these rites of passage too often happen in shame and secrecy, leaving women doubting their personal power and self-worth. Bestselling author and founder of The Way of the Happy Woman®, Sara Avant Stover saw how women erroneously viewed these initiations as “curses” and sought to present a new model that reflected the power and wisdom unique to the feminine path. The Book of SHE celebrates all that it means to be a woman, from mythological underpinnings to the cycles of our day-to-day lives. Drawing on archetypes including Mary Magdalene, the Dark Goddess, and Green Tara, Stover will guide you on a journey home to psychological wholeness, personal empowerment, and, ultimately, full feminine spiritual Awakening. Brimming with mystery and magic, this provocative book makes ancient wisdom and healing practices accessible to every woman who is ready to revel in her full femininity — the dark and the light — through joyfully becoming the heroine of her own life. About the author: Sara Avant Stover, a yoga and meditation instructor, bestselling author, and inspirational speaker, has taught tens of thousands of women worldwide and has been featured in Yoga Journal, the Huffington Post, Newsweek, and Natural Health and on ABC, NBC, and CBS. She lives in Boulder, Colorado.

Guest: Bruce Weinstein, author of The Good Ones: Ten Crucial Qualities of High-Character Employees. Oct 08, 2015

About the book: Employers look for two things when hiring or promoting people: knowledge and skill. They rarely, if ever, consider character. Yet character is the key to extraordinary business success. The Good Ones presents ten crucial qualities of high-character employees, qualities that enhance employee satisfaction, client relationships, and the bottom line. You’ll read stories from managers and employees across the U.S. and beyond who reveal how honesty, courage, loyalty, and patience have helped their organizations maintain an edge over the competition. Each chapter is devoted to a single quality of character and ends with questions employers can use to hire and promote the Good Ones — people who are consistently honest, accountable, fair, and grateful. Whether you’re looking to bring new people into your organization or seeking a job or promotion yourself,The Good Ones will help you appreciate in practical terms why character is the missing link to excellence. About the author: He received a BA in philosophy from Swarthmore College and an MA and PhD in philosophy with a concentration in bioethics from Georgetown University and the Kennedy Institute of Ethics. The W. K. Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek, Michigan awarded Bruce a National Fellowship in leadership development. As The Ethics Guy®, Bruce has discussed ethical issues in business and the news on NBC’s Today, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNBC’s Fast Money and Power Lunch, Fox News Channel’s The O’Reilly Factor, and a wide range of programs on CNN. His writings on ethics and character have appeared in The New York Times, Bloomberg Business, Investor’s Business Daily, Huffington Post Business, USA Today, and the in-flight magazines of many airlines.

Guest: David Helvarg author of Saved By The Sea: Hope, Heartbreak and Wonder in the Blue World Sep 23, 2015

About the book: Acclaimed as “the premier chronicler of America’s complex relationship with our oceans” (Honolulu Weekly), David Helvarg has also been a war correspondent, investigative journalist, documentary producer, and private investigator. The one constant in his adventurous life has been love for the sea. His personal story of love, loss, and redemption, Saved by the Sea is also a profound, startling, and sometimes funny reflection on the state of our seas and the intimate ways in which our lives are linked to the natural world around us. About the author: David Helvarg is President of the Blue Frontier Campaign (www.bluefront.org) and the author of six books, Blue Frontier, The War Against the Greens, 50 Ways to Save the Ocean, Rescue Warriors, Saved by the Sea and The Golden Shore. He’s editor of the Ocean and Coastal Conservation Guide, organizer of ‘Blue Vision’ Summits for ocean activists and the Peter Benchley Ocean Awards, the world’s top marine conservation prize. He’s winner of Coastal Living Magazine’s 2005 Leadership Award and the 2007 Herman Melville literary Award. Helvarg worked as a war correspondent in Northern Ireland and Central America, covered a range of issues from military science to the AIDS epidemic, and reported from every continent including Antarctica. An award-winning journalist, he produced more than 40 broadcast documentaries for PBS, The Discovery Channel, and others. His print work has appeared in publications including The New York Times, LA Times, Smithsonian, Popular Science, Sierra and Parade. He’s done radio work for Marketplace, AP radio, and Pacifica. He’s led workshops for journalists in Poland, Turkey, Tunisia, Slovakia and Washington DC. He is a licensed Private Investigator, body-surfer and scuba diver.

Guest: Amy J. L. Baker, PhD author of Getting Through My Parents’ Divorce: A Workbook for Children Coping with Divorce, Parental Alienation, and Loyalty Conflicts. Sep 16, 2015

About the book: Is your child stuck in the middle of a high-conflict divorce? In Getting Through My Parents’ Divorce, two psychologists and experts in parental alienation offer a fun and engaging workbook to help kids work through stressful or confusing emotions and feel safe and loved—no matter what. Divorce is never easy. But for kids who have parents in conflict with one another, or where one parent is so hostile that he or she is actively trying to undermine the kids’ relationship with the other parent, divorce can be unbearable. This workbook is designed especially for kids, and includes helpful tips and exercises to help them deal with the negative impact of custody disputes, understand and identify their feelings, learn to cope with stress and other complex emotions, and feel secure. Written by two leading experts in child psychology, this easy-to-use workbook includes a number of helpful suggestions to guide children though a number of possible scenarios, such as what to do if one parent says mean and untrue things about the other parent; what to do if a parent asks them to keep secrets from another parent; or what to do if one parent attempts to replace the other parent with a new spouse. If you have or know a child that is dealing with a difficult divorce, this workbook will give them the tools needed to move past loyalty conflicts and the difficult emotions that can arise when parents don’t get along. About the author: Amy J. L. Baker PhD is a national expert on parental alienation and author of Adult Children of Parental Alienation Syndome. Baker has a PhD in human development from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Guests: Emily Roberts author of Express Yourself: A Teen Girl’s Guide to Speaking Up and Being Who You Are; and my daughter, Kelly Skeen, co-author of the forthcoming book Communication Skills for Teens: How to Listen, Express and Connect for Success. Sep 09, 2015

he three of us will be discussing: What your communication style says about you. How you express yourself when you communicate in person and via technology. What mistakes you may be making that are tarnishing your reputation and straining your relationships with others. We will also discuss how to keep relationships with (friends, family, romantic partners & colleagues) strong with technology. How can we use technology appropriately. About Emily’s book: Being a teen girl isn’t easy—so learning skills to feel confident is key! In Express Yourself, psychotherapist Emily Roberts will teach you how to communicate effectively and feel assertive in any situation. Whether it’s online or at school, with friends, parents, bullies, cliques or crushes—any tricky situation life throws yours way. Many teen girls feel pressured to be nice, rather than assert their opinions. They may fear being called bossy or pushy when speaking their mind or offering a different point of view. If you have ever stopped yourself from expressing your opinion, you know how bad it can feel afterward. Don’t let yourself fall into that same trap over and over. Your thoughts and feelings matter just as much as everyone else’s—you just need to find your voice. Express Yourself offers skills based in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you create positive interactions with others and deal with difficult emotions that can arise from bullying or dealing with mean girls. The book also provides easy-to-use strategies that will boost your self-esteem and confidence, and you’ll discover tons of assertive communication skills you can use every day, including how to speak up when you are upset, asking for what you want in a clear assertive manner, and coping when intense emotions threaten to take over and sabotage your relationships. In our modern world of social media and texting, strong communication skills are needed more than ever. This book will not only give you the tools needed to speak up in everyday or difficult situations, but it will also provide powerful advice for effectively communicating in the digital world. About Michelle and Kelly’s book: Communication is an essential life skill that every teen must learn. Based on the New Harbinger classic, Messages, this book will teach you the necessary skills—such as assertiveness, active listening, and compassion—to become an effective communicator for life. In an age of social media, texting, and ever-evolving technology, it’s easy to forget how to engage in real, face-to-face communication, a critical skill for your future success! As you become more connected to your smartphone and the internet, your ability to connect in person may diminish. But technology doesn’t replace the need for effective communication skills. In fact, successful personal and professional relationships are dependent upon connecting with people face-to-face. Communication Skills for Teens provides the guidance you need to become a better communicator and succeed in all areas of life. You’ll also learn tons of essential life skills, including active listening, assertiveness, clarifying language, the art of an apology, compassion, interviewing skills, family communication, and more. Each chapter focuses on one key aspect of communication, offers a real teen’s perspective, and includes practical exercises to help you apply what you’ve learned in the real world—away from your computer and smartphone screens. By following the practical, skills-based tips in each chapter of this book, you’ll learn powerful communication techniques to last a lifetime.

Guest: Dr. Victoria Dunckley author of Reset Your Child’s Brain: A Four-Week Plan to End Meltdowns, Raise Grades, and Boost Social Skills by Reversing the Effects of Electronic Screen-Time. Sep 09, 2015

About the book: A no-cost, nonpharmaceutical treatment plan for children with behavioral and mental health challenges. Increasing numbers of parents grapple with children who are acting out without obvious reason. Revved up and irritable, many of these children are diagnosed with ADHD, bipolar illness, autism, or other disorders but don’t respond well to treatment. They are then medicated, often with poor results and unwanted side effects. Based on emerging scientific research and extensive clinical experience, integrative child psychiatrist Dr. Victoria Dunckley has pioneered a four-week program to treat the frequent underlying cause, Electronic Screen Syndrome (ESS). Dr. Dunckley has found that everyday use of interactive screen devices — such as computers, video games, smartphones, and tablets — can easily overstimulate a child’s nervous system, triggering a variety of stubborn symptoms. In contrast, she’s discovered that a strict electronic fast single-handedly improves mood, focus, sleep, and behavior, regardless of the child’s diagnosis. Offered now in this book, this simple intervention can produce a life-changing shift in brain function — all without cost or medication. Dr. Dunckley provides hope for parents who feel that their child has been misdiagnosed or inappropriately medicated, by presenting an alternative explanation for their child’s difficulties and a concrete plan for treating them. About the author: Victoria L. Dunckley, M.D., author of “Reset Your Child’s Brain,” is an award-winning integrative child psychiatrist who specializes in children with complex or treatment-resistant mental health conditions. By combining conventional and complementary methods with lifestyle interventions, she aims to optimize treatment while minimizing the need for psychotropic medication. She consults regularly with schools, multi-disciplinary treatment teams, and the courts, and is a sought-after expert regarding the physiological impact of screen-time on the developing nervous system. A regular speaker for parents’ groups and health clinicians, she is also a frequent media contributor for outlets such as the Today show, NBC National News, and the Investigation Discovery channel. Clinically, she divides her practice between the private and public sectors in Los Angeles. After studying biology at the University of California San Diego, Dr. Dunckley pursued her medical training at Albany Medical College in New York, then returned to the west coast for her psychiatric residency and child & adolescent psychiatry fellowship at U.C. Irvine’s Neuropsychiatric Center. She’s since worked in a variety of community mental health settings including residential treatment centers, clinics catering to adoptive, foster, and transitional age youths, and Regional Centers serving clients with neurodevelopmental disabilities. In her private practice she has extensive experience treating tics & Tourette Syndrome, ADHD, bipolar disorder, attachment disorder, and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). Whether in the private or public setting, she’s known for going the extra mile to help each patient achieve his or her maximum potential. Out of an overwhelming need, Dr. Dunckley developed the Save Your Child’s Brain program in 2010 to offer the general public the pioneering program she was using with her patients to address overstimulation from screen-time, a phenomenon she coined “Electronic Screen Syndrome.” Now called the Reset Program, she has utilized this program to help more than 500 children, teens, and young adults who weren’t responding to conventional treatment alone. In recent years Dr. Dunckley began studying the interface between integrative medicine and psychiatry more formally, and in 2012 became board-certified by the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine. She has been a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry for more than thirteen years. The winner of numerous awards from Vitals.com, she was also named one of America’s Top Psychiatrists by the Consumer’s Research Council of America.

Guest: Stephanie Sarkis, PhD author of Natural Relief for Adult ADHD: Complementary Strategies for Increasing Focus, Attention, and Motivation With and Without Medication Sep 09, 2015

About the book: For some people with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), medication may not be the right answer, and for others, medication alone may not be enough. Natural Relief for Adult ADHD offers an accessible, research-based guide on the most effective non-medication treatments for ADHD. If you have ADHD, you may find it hard to stay focused on one thing and have trouble with time management and organization. You may also act on impulse—often with negative results. Whether you’re in treatment, on medication, or are looking for alternative ways to get your symptoms under control, this book will provide you with sound, complementary strategies to increase your focus, get organized, and stay motivated. In the book, you’ll find a ton of information on how to manage your ADHD, such as body awareness techniques to prevent sensory overstimulation common in ADHD; working memory training; massage, acupuncture, acupressure, chiropractic treatment; how food additives can affect ADHD symptoms, particularly certain pesticides; how to incorporate organic food into the diet while on a budget; and much, much more. If you are looking for proven-effective alternative treatments to get your ADHD under control and take back your life, this book will be your go-to guide. About the author: Stephanie Moulton Sarkis, PhD, is an adjunct assistant professor and a clinical trials subinvestigator at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL. She is author of 10 Simple Solutions to Adult ADD, Adult ADD: A Guide for the Newly Diagnosed, Making the Grade with ADD, and ADD and Your Money, as well as a blogger for The Huffington Post and Psychology Today. She is a nationally certified counselor and a licensed mental health counselor, and has a private counseling practice where she specializes in ADHD counseling and coaching. She won the American Psychological Association Outstanding Dissertation Award in 2001 for her research on ADHD and executive functions. Sarkis received her PhD from the University of Florida in 2002. She has been published in the Journal of Attention Disorders, The ADHD Report, and numerous other publications. She lectures internationally on ADHD, and has been featured on many media networks. She is the founder of the Moulton-Farnsworth Scholarship for college students with ADHD. She can be contacted at www.stephaniesarkis.com.

Guest: Lara Honos-Webb, PhD author of The Gift of Adult ADD: How To Transform Your Challenges & Build on Your Strengths Aug 19, 2015

About the book: If you have attention deficit disorder (ADD), you may act impulsively, daydream, and have trouble focusing, but clinical studies suggest that these same symptoms may make you exceptionally creative, intuitive, and energetic. In fact, many people with ADD claim to have become successful because of their ADD, not in spite of it. In The Gift of Adult ADD, Lara Honos-Webb adapts the revolutionary approach first introduced in the parenting book The Gift of ADHD to the lives of adults with ADD. Instead of focusing on your weaknesses, this book shows you how to transform symptoms into strengths to improve your relationships, job performance, parenting skills, and overall quality of life. You’ll also read inspiring stories of real people with ADD who have become successful in part because of their ability to meet the challenges of ADD and make the most of its gifts. From the author: I’m a psychologist, author, speaker, mother and wife. My areas of expertise are ADHD, Depression, Balance in Motherhood and mind-body connection in physical illness. The Gift of ADHD was featured in Newsweek, Wall Street Journal, Publisher’s weekly as well as newspapers, radio and tv across the country. I have a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and did my postdoc at the University of California San Francisco. Learn more about my work at www.visionarysoul.com

Guest: Arnie Kozak, PhD author of The Awakened Introvert: Practical Mindfulness Skills to Help You Maximize Your Strengths & Thrive in a Loud & Crazy World Aug 12, 2015

About the book: Introverts are powerful observers and creators. If you are an introvert, this book will show you how to tap into your inherent introvert strengths and “awaken” your potential using mindfulness meditations and cognitive behavioral techniques. In a world that favors the outgoing, gregarious extrovert, being an introvert can be difficult. But the truth is that introverts have distinct advantages—as long as they know how to use them. Unlike extroverts, who draw their energy from social interaction, your energy comes from quiet reflection. Is it any wonder then, that mindfulness can help you hone your natural talents? In The Awakened Introvert, mindfulness expert and card-carrying introvert Arnie Kozak provides a comprehensive set of mindfulness and cognitive behavioral tools to help you maximize your introvert strengths (such as rich access to your interior) while minimizing your introvert weaknesses (such as a tendency toward worry and rumination). In the book, you’ll learn powerful strategies to help you monitor your energy; recharge after social interactions; improve social and communication skills; and take advantage of your capacity for quiet reflection, and sweet, sweet solitude. If you’re looking to unlock the full potential of your unique introvert brain, this book provides a fun, practical, and authentic “user’s manual.” About the author: Long before mindfulness was fashionable, Arnie Kozak, was studying, practicing, and teaching mindfulness and Buddhist psychology. Beginning with a journey to India in the 80′s, Arnie began his lifelong practice in mindfulness meditation. Intent on finding a way to bring the practical healing attributes of mindfulness he began incorporating these techniques in his private practice. In 2002 Dr. Kozak created Exquisite Mind in Burlington, Vermont as a vehicle that could expand the value of mindfulness to larger audiences including professionals and corporations, health care providers, public groups and, most recently with Exquisite Mind Golf, amateur and professional golfers. His first book, Wild Chickens and Petty Tyrants: 108 Metaphors for Mindfulness (Wisdom Publications, 2009) is a thoughtful, funny, and inspiring translation of mindfulness practice through the inventive use of metaphor applicable to our daily lives. It has been translated into three languages. His second book, The Everything Buddhism Book, is an accessible introduction to the Buddha’s wisdom and the Buddhist traditions. The Everything Guide to the Introvert Edge and Mindfulness A-Z: 108 Insights for Awakening Now are forthcoming books. Arnie’s ability to translate ancient healing traditions into pragmatic applications suitable for modern lifestyles through the use of metaphors have made him a contributing voice in the Mindfulness Revolution.

Guest: Alan Fox, author of People Tools for Love and Relationships: The Journey from Me to Us Aug 05, 2015

About the book: Alan C. Fox has inspired thousands of readers with the invaluable advice and engaging stories in his two bestselling books People Tools and People Tools for Business. Now he is back with the ultimate guide to a better life: People Tools for Love and Relationships: The Journey from Me to Us. Alan is a master at building relationships. In People Tools for Love and Relationships he reveals time-proven techniques that you can use to enhance your connection with your partner, your family, your friends and everyone who is important to you. Each chapter of the book illustrates a different “People Tool” using insightful stories and amusing anecdotes from Alan’s life. From learning how to talk about money with your partner, how and when to apologize, to increasing trust and intimacy, each tool addresses a specific relationship issue and provides a simple, straightforward approach that you can adopt to create a positive result. Some of the useful People Tools in the book include: How to be the right person. To build a successful life partnership, it’s more important to learn to be the right person than it is to find the right person. The Best Defense is No Defense. While having a strong defense is helpful on the battlefield, being defensive in your relationships can cause serious problems. With All Faults. No one is perfect. In any relationship it is important to accept your partner as they are, including their faults. Catch Them Being Better. Rather than criticizing your partner for the qualities you might not like, try complimenting them for what you appreciate. These easy-to-use tools will help you form deeper connections and grow closer to the people in your life. Let Alan Fox expertly guide you on the journey from me to us. People Tools for Love and Relationships is the ultimate guide to better, more fulfilling relationships. About the author: Entrepreneur, philanthropist, mentor and relationship expert Alan C. Fox has graduate degrees in counseling, law, and professional writing. His first book People Tools: 54 Strategies for Building Relationships, Creating Joy, and Embracing Prosperity, became a New York Times bestseller, followed by his next bestselling book People Tools for Business: 50 Strategies for Building Success, Creating Wealth, and Finding Happiness. Alan’s tools, crafted over decades, have helped him achieve success in all aspects of life – from business to marriage to parenting six children, two stepchildren, and one foster child. Alan and his wife are based in Los Angeles. To learn more about Alan and People Tools, visit www.peopletoolsbook.com.

Guest: Dzung X. Vo, MD, FAAP, author of The Mindful Teen: Powerful Skills to Help You Handle Stress One Moment at a Time Jul 29, 2015

About the book: In this powerful book, a pediatrician specializing in teen and adolescent medicine offers a breakthrough mindfulness program to help you deal with stress in healthy ways, improve communication, and reduce conflicts with family and friends. Being a teen is stressful! Whether it’s school, friends, or dating, the teen years are full of difficult changes—both mentally and physically. If you’re like many teens, you may have difficulty dealing with stress in effective ways. You aren’t alone, and there are things you can do to stay calm, no matter how stressful life becomes. All you need to do is stop, breathe, and be mindful and aware in the present moment. The Mindful Teen offers a unique program based in mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) to help you deal with stress. The simple, practical, and easy-to-remember tips in this book can be used every day to help you handle any difficult situation more effectively—whether it’s taking a test at school, having a disagreement with your parents, or a problem you are having with friends. If you’re ready to uncover your own inner strength and resilience through mindful awareness and take charge of your life, this book will show you how. About the author: Dzung X. Vo, MD, FAAP, is a pediatrician specializing in adolescent medicine at British Columbia Children’s Hospital, and clinical assistant professor at the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine, Vancouver, Canada. His medical practice, teaching, and research emphasize promoting resilience in young people to help them thrive in the face of complex stress and adversity. He has helped to develop and teach mindfulness training programs for youth with chronic stress, chronic pain, depression, and anxiety. You can find him online at www.mindfulnessforteens.com.

Guest: Emily Roberts MA LPD, author of Express Yourself: A Teen Girl’s Guide to Speaking Up and Being Who You Are Jul 22, 2015

About the book: Being a teen girl isn’t easy—so learning skills to feel confident is key! In Express Yourself, psychotherapist Emily Roberts will teach you how to communicate effectively and feel assertive in any situation. Whether it’s online or at school, with friends, parents, bullies, cliques or crushes—any tricky situation life throws yours way. Many teen girls feel pressured to be nice, rather than assert their opinions. They may fear being called bossy or pushy when speaking their mind or offering a different point of view. If you have ever stopped yourself from expressing your opinion, you know how bad it can feel afterward. Don’t let yourself fall into that same trap over and over. Your thoughts and feelings matter just as much as everyone else’s—you just need to find your voice. Express Yourself offers skills based in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you create positive interactions with others and deal with difficult emotions that can arise from bullying or dealing with mean girls. The book also provides easy-to-use strategies that will boost your self-esteem and confidence, and you’ll discover tons of assertive communication skills you can use every day, including how to speak up when you are upset, asking for what you want in a clear assertive manner, and coping when intense emotions threaten to take over and sabotage your relationships. In our modern world of social media and texting, strong communication skills are needed more than ever. This book will not only give you the tools needed to speak up in everyday or difficult situations, but it will also provide powerful advice for effectively communicating in the digital world. About the author: Emily Roberts, MA, LPC, is not your average psychotherapist. She splits her time between working in New York City and Austin, Texas. She has positioned herself as both a mental health expert and liaison between girls and their parents, with an emphasis on healthy and effective communication skills. She created The Guidance Girl as a brand to help girls, women, and parents feel confident and gain the skills they need to live happy and healthy lives. Emily is aware of the challenges faced by both teens and women, and has built a practice by positioning herself as therapeutic mentor and consultant. Emily is a media contributor and is a regular guest on HLN’s Dr. Drew on Call, educational speaker, author of several blogs and articles including HealthyPlace.com’s Building Self-Esteem Neurogistics Corporation. You will find Emily leading groups for girls as young as young as five and as old as 40, as well as parents and educators on topics including: technology, self-esteem, trauma, dialectical behavior therapy skills (DBT), confidence, leadership, friendship skills, and stress reduction activities with an emphasis on creating healthy boundaries with technology.

Guest: Kim Schneiderman, author of Step Out of Your Story: Writing Exercises to Reframe and Transform Your Life Jul 15, 2015

About the book: Every day we relate stories about our highs and lows, relationships and jobs, heartaches and joys. But do we ever consider the choices we make about how to tell our story? In this groundbreaking book, Kim Schneiderman shows us that by choosing a different version we can redirect our energy and narrative toward our desires and goals. She presents character development workouts and life-affirming, liberating exercises for retelling our stories to find redemptive silver linings and reshape our lives. As both a therapist and a writer, Schneiderman knows the power of story. By employing the storytelling techniques she offers, you’ll learn to view your life as a work in progress and understand big-picture story lines in ways that allow you to easily steer your actions and relationships toward redefined — and realistic — “happy endings.” About the author: Kim Schneiderman, LCSW, MSW, is a psychotherapist, workshop facilitator, former journalist, and spiritual essayist who lives and works in New York City. She writes a psychological advice column for the New York, Boston, and Philadelphia Metro daily newspapers metro.us/newyork, which have an aggregate circulation of roughly 4,000,000 readers. She counsels adults through her private psychotherapy practice and has facilitated therapeutic writing groups at the 92nd Street Y, the JCC in Manhattan, FEGS Health and Human Services, the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services (JBFCS), the Association of Spirituality and Psychotherapy (ASP), Art Studio NY, Limmud New York, and various other venues. She has worked as an adjunct professor for the Long Island University’s School of Social Work and served as a Guest Lecturer for NYU’s Post-Graduate Social Work and Spiritual Care certificate program, a program she also completed. Ms. Schneiderman has written dozens of freelance articles, including cover stories, for major Jewish newspapers, including The Jewish Week, the Baltimore Jewish Times, the Northern California Jewish Bulletin, and Aish.com. Her blog, “The Novel Perspective,” is popular on the Psychology Today website. For more information, visit her website at stepoutofyourstory.com

Guest: Tim Link, author of Talking with Dogs and Cats: Joining the Conversation to Improve Behavior and Bond with Your Animals. Jul 01, 2015

About the book: If you’ve ever wondered what your animal was trying to tell you with a bark, meow, or tweet, this is the book for you. Animal communicator Tim Link’s approach respects the personality and feelings of animals, and his simple, accessible methods can facilitate the understanding and communication that all animal lovers crave. About the author: Tim Link is the host of the nationally syndicated radio show Animal Writes and a regular contributing writer for Victoria Stilwell’s Positively pet expert blog and Dogster and Catster magazines. He lives with his wife and their many pets outside Atlanta, Georgia.

Guest: Alex Korb, PhD author of The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time Jun 24, 2015

This week my guest is Alex Korb, PhD author of The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time. Alex first discussed his book, specifically how we can get stuck in the downward spiral, on my radio show on Tuesday April 28, 2015 (you can find it on the podcast archive page). He is returning for a second time to discuss how we can create an upward spiral. About the book: Depression can feel like a downward spiral, pulling you into a vortex of sadness, fatigue, and apathy. In The Upward Spiral, neuroscientist Alex Korb demystifies the intricate brain processes that cause depression and offers a practical and effective approach to getting better. Based on the latest research in neuroscience, this book provides dozens of straightforward tips you can do every day to rewire your brain and create an upward spiral towards a happier, healthier life. Whether you suffer from depression or just want a better understanding of the brain, this book offers an engaging and informative look at the neuroscience behind our emotions, thoughts, and actions. The truth is that there isn’t one big solution to depression, but there are numerous simple steps you can take to alter brain activity and chemistry. Some are as easy as relaxing certain muscles to reduce anxiety, or getting more sunlight to improve your mood. Small steps in the right direction can have profound effects—giving you the power to become your best self as you literally reshape your brain, one small change at a time. About the author: Alex Korb, PhD, has studied the brain for over a decade. He earned an undergraduate degree in neuroscience from Brown University, and received his PhD in neuroscience from the University of California, Los Angeles. He wrote his dissertation on depression, and has published numerous scientific articles on depression. He is currently a postdoctoral neuroscience researcher at UCLA in the department of psychiatry, and is also a scientific consultant for several biotech companies. He has a wealth of experience in yoga and mindfulness, physical fitness, and even stand-up comedy.

Guest: Karen Maezen Miller, author of Momma Zen: Walking the Crooked Path of Motherhood. Jun 17, 2015

About the book: Combining humor, honesty, and plainspoken advice, Momma Zen distills the doubts and frustrations of parenting into vignettes of Zen wisdom. Drawing on her experience as a first-time mother, and on her years of Zen meditation and study, Miller explores how the daily challenges of parenthood can become the most profound spiritual journey of our lives. This compelling and wise memoir follows the timeline of early motherhood from pregnancy through toddlerhood. Momma Zen takes readers on a transformative journey, charting a mother’s growth beyond naive expectations and disorientation to finding fulfillment in ordinary tasks, developing greater self-awareness and acceptance—to the gradual discovery of “maternal bliss,” a state of abiding happiness and ease that is available to us all. In her gentle and reassuring voice, Karen Miller convinces us that ancient and authentic spiritual lessons can be as familiar as a lullaby, as ordinary as pureed peas, and as frequent as a sleepless night. She offers encouragement for the hard days, consolation for the long haul, and the lightheartedness every new mom needs to face the crooked path of motherhood straight on. About the author: Karen Maezen Miller is a wife and mother as well as a Zen Buddhist priest at the Hazy Moon Zen Center in Los Angeles. She and her family live in Sierra Madre, California, with a century-old Japanese garden in their backyard. She writes about spirituality in everyday life. She is the author of Paradise in Plain Sight: Lessons from a Zen Garden, Hand Wash Cold: Care Instructions for an Ordinary Life, Momma Zen: Walking the Crooked Path of Motherhood, and her writing is included in numerous anthologies.

Guest: Kimber Simpkins, author of Full: How I Learned to Satisfy My Insatiable Hunger and Feed My Soul Jun 10, 2015

About the book: Full is the true, poignant story of one woman’s spiritual journey as she recovers from anorexia, eases the emotional pain of her hunger through yoga and Buddhism, and finally becomes full. In this inspiring and captivating memoir, Kimber Simpkins captures vividly—with piercing insight, raw emotion, and often humor—the all-consuming hunger she felt on a daily basis as a result of an eating disorder. Sick of dieting and hating her body, Simpkins decides to get to the bottom of her unhappy relationship with her body. That’s when she discovers the healing power of yoga and Buddhism. Along the way, Simpkins realizes her hunger isn’t simply physical, but that it comes from a place deep inside her. Through the wise teachings of yoga and meditation, Simpkins discovers she doesn’t have to live in a prison of self-dissatisfaction. In fact, by understanding the root of her pain and learning to love herself in body, mind, and spirit, Simpkins is able to truly set herself free. As she wrestles with her inner demons of hunger and perfectionism and learns how self-acceptance can soften even her toughest inner critic, Simpkins takes us along on her voyage of self-discovery. At its core, this book is a journey to find true self-fulfillment that will inspire readers in their own search to create a full and meaningful life. From the author: Hi, I’m Kimber Simpkins. As long as I could remember, hunger followed me like an annoying little brother from the elementary school tetherball court, around the middle school track, into the spotlight of my high school’s production of “Once Upon a Mattress,” even tracked me into my college dormitory with its multi-table buffet, and all the way past long days spent in the dark law school library cubicles. As a lawyer and a new mother, I thought I would never be rid of it. It took years of practicing the gentle awareness that my yoga and meditation teachers urged me to offer myself before I figured out how to turn hunger into a friend instead of a problem. This is the story of Full. I’m also working on a second book, 52 Ways to Love Your Body (New Harbinger, Jan 2016), which is full of simple practices you can use daily to treat your body with more love. When I’m not balancing on my wobbly indoor standup paddleboard yoga mat, I might be outside in the garden meditating on our flock of backyard chickens while getting ready to go teach a yoga class or workshop. I am a big fan of the Health At Every Size (HAES) movement and community, and welcome students of all sizes and levels in class. I’m grateful to be a long-time Bay Area resident, enjoying the California weather with the love of my life, son, dog, cat, and chickens in Oakland.

Guest: Molli Sullivan, a transformation coach and SoulCycle instructor. Jun 03, 2015

About the show: From Molli: Have you ever wondered why you’re here, what your purpose is, and where you’re going next? Ya know, the big, existential, down-the-rabbit-hole kinda questions that can be scary as hell? My mom says I’ve been asking those question since I was 5 years old (yes, I know, an existential crisis at 5 — don’t worry, I’ve had about 3 more since then, we’ll get to those later). Whether you were a spiritually inquisitive 5 year old, or are 30 and have yet to ask, living our most awesome lives begins when we start getting curious. What is our purpose? What brings us joy? How can we access it and share more of it? We all have unique gifts and talents, and I believe they’re designed for two things: 1. To bring us joy and fulfillment 2. To positively impact the world around us Whether you’re a nurse or a teacher; a florist or baker; an animal shelter owner or an artist, each of us have qualities and talents, and the way in which we access and share them is unique to our personality. From my dancing career to launching a magazine to sharing my passion for wellness with family, friends and colleagues, my gifts have taken many forms over the years. As we evolve, so do our opportunities — but first, we need to check in with ourselves. What comes naturally? What brings you joy? What makes you feel alive? What’s something you’ve always wanted to try but have perhaps felt too scared to do it? If money wasn’t an issue, what would you spend your time doing? Asking the above is the first step in helping the answers bubble up to the surface — then it’s ALL ABOUT THE ACTION! About Molli: Molli is a Transformation Coach and SoulCycle Instructor living in San Francisco, California. A former professional dancer, Molli helps others connect with music, their body and their life passions to help them feel strong, vibrant and alive. Currently a SoulCycle instructor the Bay Area, Molli previously spent 6 years working in SF’s tech industry — spending time at both large companies and building startups — before she received some very strong signs — it was time to return to her rhythmic roots, share her passion for wellness, and help others discover the joy we all deserve to feel. Molli aims to inspire others to connect with their purpose, to embrace the ride — on and off the bike! — and to truly discover what it means to LIVE YOUR MOST AWESOME LIFE. www.mollisullivan.com

Guest: Michelle Fondin author of The Wheel of Healing with Ayruveda: An Easy Guide to a Healthy Lifestyle. May 27, 2015

About the book: Ever wondered why you’re feeling out of balance, stressed-out, sick, and exhausted but still can’t sleep? Western medicine often ignores the underlying issues that can lead to fatigue, illness, and disease, but there is a way to revitalize your body and mind without drugs or dangerous side effects. Ayurveda, the “science of life,” is a complete wellness system that includes all that we associate with medical care — prevention of disease, observation, diagnosis, and treatment — as well as self-care practices that are generally absent from Western medicine. This truly holistic approach considers not just diet, exercise, and genetics but also relationships, life purpose, finances, environment, and past experiences. In this thorough and practical book, Michelle Fondin guides you gently through self-assessment questions designed to zero in on your needs and the best practices for addressing them, such as eating plans, addiction treatment, detoxification, and techniques for improving relationships. She outlines steps you can take, with minimal cost, to heal common ailments such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, excess weight, anxiety, and depression. These time-tested methods for body, mind, and spirit wellness offer benefits to anyone at any age. About the author: Author of The Wheel of Healing: An Easy Guide to an Ayurvedic Lifestyle and owner of The Ayurvedic Path Yoga and Wellness Studio since 2008, Michelle Fondin practices as an Ayurvedic Lifestyle Counselor, yoga and meditation teacher. She holds a Vedic Master certificate from the Chopra Center and has worked with Drs. Deepak Chopra and David Simon at Chopra Center events teaching yoga and meditation. Michelle also writes for Chopra.com. Michelle regularly sees clients in Herndon, Virginia, teaching them how to live an Ayurvedic Lifestyle and achieve optimal wellness. She’s a member of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association, The Association of Ayurvedic Professionals of North America and Yoga Alliance.

Guest: Karen R. Koenig, author of Starting Monday: Seven Keys to a Permanent, Positive Relationship with Food May 20, 2015

About the book: Starting Monday is based on the simple premise that when our behaviors don’t align with our expressed intentions, we’ve got a conflict going on, often outside of our awareness. The book helps readers dig deeply into their psyches to figure out what mistaken beliefs and needless fears are holding them back from achieving their health and fitness goals. The polarized feelings for disregulated eaters to identify and resolve fall within these 7 key areas: 1) create lasting change, 2) making conscious choices, 3) feel deserving, 4) how to comfort themselves, 5) know what’s enough, 6) manage intimacy, and 7) developing a healthy identity. Starting Monday first helps readers unearth their mixed feelings in these seven areas, then teaches them how to change their beliefs and behaviors to resolve them. Using humor, plain talk, examples from her clinical experience, reflection exercises, case studies, and homework, Koenig lets troubled eaters know that their yo-yo patterns of eating and self care are due to conflicts. She shies away from easy answers and, instead, provides hope and concrete actions to developing a permanent, positive relationship with food. From the author: I am a psychotherapist, national educator, international author, and an expert on the psychology of eating—the how and why, not the what, of it. For more than three decades, my mission has been to help people with eating and weight problems learn to eat “normally” and maintain a healthy, stable weight for life without dieting and deprivation. My therapy practice is in Sarasota, FL, where I do tele-coaching and Skype consultation worldwide. As a recovered chronic dieter and binge-eater, I meld my personal recovery wisdom with my professional knowledge and experience to resolve eating problems. My books are Nice Girls Finish Fat, The Rules of “Normal” Eating, The Food and Feelings Workbook, and What Every Therapist Needs to Know About Treating Eating and Weight Issues.

Guest: Susan Glaser PhD and Peter Glaser PhD, authors of Be Quiet, Be Heard: The Paradox of Persuasion May 13, 2015

About the book: Learn the secrets instinctively known to charismatic, persuasive communicators and reap the rewards of stronger relationships and increased influence in every area of life. Communicating effectively is a learned behavior. Virtually anyone can become a more influential and persuasive communicator. This ground-breaking book reveals concrete methods proven over 35 years of research, teaching, and consulting to address a wide range of communication challenges that organizations and individuals face. Readers learn to raise delicate issues, convince without being overbearing, and to constructively resolve conflict and criticism. Based on international award-winning research, Be Quiet, Be Heard rejects canned formulas that leave little room for adaptability. When people attempt to speak using pre-packaged sound bytes, others see right through the one-size-fits-all technique. In lieu of staid formulas, this book offers models that provide flexible guidelines and progressive steps that can be easily adapted to specific communication challenges. About the authors: Peter A. Glaser, Ph.D. and Susan R. Glaser, Ph.D. received their doctorates in communication from the Pennsylvania State University. Authors of the internationally acclaimed book, Be Quiet, Be Heard: The Paradox of Persuasion, they have been married business partners and co-presenters for thirty-nine years. Drs. Glaser have published three books and more than forty research articles. Their research on transforming organizational culture has received the International Association of Business Communication Research Foundation Award for bridging communication theory and practice. Feature stories have been written about them in periodicals and newspapers. The Glasers joined the faculty of the University of Oregon in 1975, and their consulting work has taken them around the world working with leaders from Fortune 500 companies such as Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, Weyerhaeuser, and others. They spend February in New Zealand working with leaders from both the private and public sectors. They have worked with federal, state, and local government leaders throughout the US, Canada, and the UK, including their ongoing work with the US Congress.

Guest: Susan Glaser PhD and Peter Glaser PhD, authors of Be Quiet, Be Heard: The Paradox of Persuasion May 13, 2015

Guest: Janet Lynn Roseman PhD, author of If Joan of Arc Had Cancer: Finding Courage, Faith, and Healing from History’s Most Inspirational Woman Warrior May 06, 2015

About the book: Reclaim Inner Strength, Courage, and Faith Joan of Arc, the fourteenth-century teenager who led the armies of France before facing the Inquisition, stands as the quintessential icon of feminine courage and faith. These are the attributes most needed by women facing a diagnosis of cancer or any life-threatening disease. Drawing directly from the words Joan spoke at her trial, author Janet Lynn Roseman presents thirty-one Flames of Courage and thirty-one Gateways to be used over the course of a month or a year to resurrect inner fortitude and create an environment for healing. Her approach encompasses body, mind, and spirit and will help you access and reclaim your personal power to find healing and peace in your journey. About the author: Janet Lynn Roseman Ph.D. is an author,teacher and intuitive healer. She was the David Larson Fellow in Spirituality and Medicine at the Kluge Center for Scholars at the Library of Congress and the author of several books. Dr. Roseman specializes in spirituality and medicine and compassionate care and currently is a Clinical Assistant Professor in Family Medicine at Nova Southeastern University’s School of Osteopathic Medicine. She also worked as a Clinical Instructor in Family Medicine at Brown University’s Medical School. Dr. Roseman is a skilled medium and intuitive healer and works with clients in-person and long distance. She teaches workshops in Illuminated Dream Healing™ and Illuminated Reiki™ across the country as well as workshops for women with cancer. She is currently working on several books on spirituality and healing and death and dying.

Guest: Alex Korb, PhD author of The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time. Apr 29, 2015

About the book: Depression can feel like a downward spiral, pulling you into a vortex of sadness, fatigue, and apathy. In The Upward Spiral, neuroscientist Alex Korb demystifies the intricate brain processes that cause depression and offers a practical and effective approach to getting better. Based on the latest research in neuroscience, this book provides dozens of straightforward tips you can do every day to rewire your brain and create an upward spiral towards a happier, healthier life. Whether you suffer from depression or just want a better understanding of the brain, this book offers an engaging and informative look at the neuroscience behind our emotions, thoughts, and actions. The truth is that there isn’t one big solution to depression, but there are numerous simple steps you can take to alter brain activity and chemistry. Some are as easy as relaxing certain muscles to reduce anxiety, or getting more sunlight to improve your mood. Small steps in the right direction can have profound effects—giving you the power to become your best self as you literally reshape your brain, one small change at a time. About the author: Alex Korb, PhD, has studied the brain for over a decade. He earned an undergraduate degree in neuroscience from Brown University, and received his PhD in neuroscience from the University of California, Los Angeles. He wrote his dissertation on depression, and has published numerous scientific articles on depression. He is currently a postdoctoral neuroscience researcher at UCLA in the department of psychiatry, and is also a scientific consultant for several biotech companies. He has a wealth of experience in yoga and mindfulness, physical fitness, and even stand-up comedy.

Guest: Susan Campbell Ph.D, co-author of Five Minute Relationship Repair: Quickly Heal Upsets, Deepen Intimacy, and Use Differences to Strengthen Love. Apr 22, 2015

About the book: Long-term happiness in love depends on a couple’s ability to repair the inevitable rifts and differences, large and small, that occur in any relationship. Neuroscience suggests that relationship upsets are best mended quickly, or they accumulate in long-term memory, increase reactive communication, and become harder to repair successfully. And good repair takes five minutes or less! This book offers practical tools and suggested scripts for resolving problems and having your needs met. Following its guidance, you can turn difficulties into opportunities to foster love, trust, and thriving intimacy. About the author: Susan Campbell has long worked as a relationship coach and teamwork consultant to Fortune 500 companies and has authored six books.

Guest: Terry Matlen MSW, author of The Queen of Distraction: How Women with ADHD Can Conquer Chaos, Find Focus, and Get More Done Apr 15, 2015

This week my guest is Terry Matlen MSW, author of The Queen of Distraction: How Women with ADHD Can Conquer Chaos, Find Focus, and Get More Done. About the book: Do you rule the realm of disorganization, clutter, and chaos? Are you constantly battling to get things done? Are you ready to give up and toss your day planner into the dungeon (otherwise known as your closet)? If so, you might just be The Queen of Distraction. And whether or not you’ve been formally diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), you probably already know that something’s got to give. The Queen of Distraction presents practical skills to help women with ADHD achieve focus and balance in all areas of life, whether it’s at home, at work, or in relationships. Psychotherapist Terry Matlen delves into the feminine side of ADHD—the elements of this condition that are particular to women, such as: relationships, skin sensitivities, meal-planning, parenting, and dealing with out-of-control hormones. In addition, the book offers helpful tips and strategies to get your symptoms under control, and outlines a number of effective treatment options for you to pursue. From getting dressed in the morning, to making it to a job interview, to planning dinner—sometimes just getting through the day can be an ordeal for a woman with ADHD. If you’ve been accused of getting lost in your own world, maybe it’s time to make a change. If you’re ready to start getting organized and stop leaving your groceries in the car, this book can help. It’s more than just a survival guide; it’s an ADHD how-to to help you thrive! About the author: Terry Matlen, MSW, is a psychotherapist, consultant, writer, and coach. She is the author of Survival Tips for Women with ADHD and founder of addconsults.com. Matlen has been interviewed by National Public Radio, the Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, the New York Times, US News and World Report, Newsday, Today, CBS This Morning, The Jane Pauley Show, Ladies’ Home Journal, Glamour, and others.

Guest: Irvin D. Yalom author of Creatures of A Day: And Other Tales of Psychotherapy Apr 08, 2015

This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is renowned psychiatrist Irvin D. Yalom author of Creatures of A Day: And Other Tales of Psychotherapy. About the book: “All of us are creatures of a day,” wrote Marcus Aurelius, “rememberer and remembered alike.” In his long-awaited new collection of stories, renowned psychiatrist Irvin D. Yalom describes his patients’ struggles—as well as his own—to come to terms with the two great challenges of existence: how to have a meaningful life, and how to reckon with its inevitable end. In these pages, we meet a nurse, angry and adrift in a morass of misery where she has lost a son to a world of drugs and crime, and yet who must comfort the more privileged through their own pain; a successful businessman who, in the wake of a suicide, despairs about the gaps and secrets that infect every relationship; a newly minted psychologist whose study of the human condition damages her treasured memories of a lost friend; and a man whose rejection of philosophy forces even Yalom himself into a crisis of confidence. Their names and stories will linger long after the book’s last page is turned. Like Love’s Executioner, which established Yalom’s preeminence as a storyteller illuminating the drama of existential therapy, Creatures of a Day is funny, earthy, and often shocking; it is a radically honest statement about the difficulties of human life, but also a celebration of some of the finest fruits—love, family, friendship—that life can bear. We are all creatures of a day. With Yalom as a guide, we can find in this book the means not just to make our own day bearable, but meaningful—and perhaps even joyful. About the author: Irvin D. Yalom is an emeritus professor of psychiatry at Stanford University and a psychiatrist in private practice in San Francisco. He is the author of many books, including Love’s Executioner, Theory and Practice in Group Psychotherapy, and When Nietzsche Wept.

Guest: Linda Carroll, author and therapist Apr 02, 2015

This week my guest is Linda Carroll, author and therapist. We will be discussing how to deal with the whiners in our lives, and how to differentiate them from people who are struggling with depression. How can you be a supportive, compassionate friend? About Linda: Linda Carroll , MS, has worked as a couples therapist for over thirty years. She teaches workshops throughout the United States and also at Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico, several times a year. Linda lives in Corvallis, Oregon, with her veterinarian husband and their Jack Russell terrier. She has five children and ten grandchildren.

Guest: Anthony Biglan, PhD author of The Nurture Effect: How the Science of Human Behavior Can Improve Our Lives and Our World. Mar 26, 2015

This week my guest is Anthony Biglan, PhD author of The Nurture Effect: How the Science of Human Behavior Can Improve Our Lives and Our World. About the book: A fascinating look at the evolution of behavioral science, the revolutionary way it’s changing the way we live, and how nurturing environments can increase people’s well-being in virtually every aspect of our society, from early childhood education to corporate practices. If you want to know how you can help create a better world, read this book. What if there were a way to prevent criminal behavior, mental illness, drug abuse, poverty, and violence? Written by behavioral scientist Tony Biglan, and based on his ongoing research at the Oregon Research Institute, The Nurture Effect offers evidence-based interventions that can prevent many of the psychological and behavioral problems that plague our society. For decades, behavioral scientists have investigated the role our environment plays in shaping who we are, and their research shows that we now have the power within our own hands to reduce violence, improve cognitive development in our children, increase levels of education and income, and even prevent future criminal behaviors. By cultivating a positive environment in all aspects of society—from the home, to the classroom, and beyond—we can ensure that young people arrive at adulthood with the skills, interests, assets, and habits needed to live healthy, happy, and productive lives. The Nurture Effect details over forty years of research in the behavioral sciences, as well as the author’s own research. Biglan illustrates how his findings lay the framework for a model of societal change that has the potential to reverberate through all environments within society. About the author: Anthony Biglan, PhD, is a senior scientist at Oregon Research Institute and a leading figure in the development of prevention science. His research over the past thirty years has helped to identify effective family, school, and community interventions to prevent all of the most common and costly problems of childhood and adolescence. He is a leader in efforts to use prevention science to build more nurturing families, schools, and communities throughout the world. Biglan lives in Eugene, Oregon. In recent years, his work has shifted to more comprehensive interventions that have the potential to prevent the entire range of child and adolescent problems. He and colleagues at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences published a book summarizing the epidemiology, cost, etiology, prevention, and treatment of youth with multiple problems. He is a former president of the Society for Prevention Research. He was a member of the Institute of Medicine Committee on Prevention, which released its report in 2009 documenting numerous evidence-based interventions that can prevent multiple problems.

Guest: Karen Koenig, author of Nice Girls Finish Fat: Put Yourself First and Change Your Eating Forever. Mar 18, 2015

About the book: From a therapist and expert in emotional eating, the first book to explore the link between weight gain and women who do too much, complete with proven techniques for dropping pounds. Many women put too much on their plates, both literally and figuratively. In Nice Girls Finish Fat, psychotherapist Karen R. Koenig explains the link between the two and gives overweight women detailed advice on how to lose their extra baggage—both emotional and physical—by becoming more assertive in every aspect of life. For the millions of overweight women in America, diet and exercise just aren’t cutting it. That’s because many of these women have emotional issues buried deep beneath those stubborn pounds, issues that must be dealt with first if weight loss plans are to succeed. In this illuminating book, based on decades of professional experience, Karen Koenig offers on-the-page psychotherapy to help readers attack the roots of their food problems. With her engaging personal style, she teaches women about the biological connections between repressed emotions and eating, revealing the ways many women use food to stuff their anger, control their aggression, and assuage their feelings of guilt—all in the pursuit of being “nice.” Giving “good girls” permission to love themselves first, Koenig offers thought-provoking quizzes and questions to help readers identify and overcome the habits that have been holding them back. Empowering readers to gain the confidence they need to lose weight, Nice Girls Finish Fat not only shows women how to stop obsessing about food and develop healthy eating habits, it teaches readers skills to improve every aspect of their lives. From the author: I am a psychotherapist, national educator, international author, and an expert on the psychology of eating—the how and why, not the what, of it. For more than three decades, my mission has been to help people with eating and weight problems learn to eat “normally” and maintain a healthy, stable weight for life without dieting and deprivation. My therapy practice is in Sarasota, FL, where I do tele-coaching and Skype consultation worldwide. As a recovered chronic dieter and binge-eater, I meld my personal recovery wisdom with my professional knowledge and experience to resolve eating problems.

Guest: blogger “Lucy” of DatewithLucy.com, who writes hilarious posts about dating in middle age Mar 04, 2015

From Lucy about her blog: I’m a 52 year old divorced woman dating online in Vancouver aka “the most beautiful city in the world”. As Lucy, I’m physically anonymous but my blog is completely revealing. Is it easy? No. Is it rewarding? So yes. I have Boo, the greatest kid known to mankind who is never ever EVER allowed to read this, and my friends who support me like human Spanx. Seriously. I am one lucky gal in many respects. In love however, I am still searching for the one who will stick around. I’ve met some nice guys and also some guys that I could have fallen in love with and I’ve gone from seeking a long term relationship to considering a new tattoo: “Date # 6. Anyone? Anyone?” I’ve cried so hard I felt like I was coughing up a lung. I’ve laughed so hard I almost peed my panties. I’ve loved. I’ve learned. I have actually lived my life this year instead of watching from the sidelines and I wouldn’t change any of it for anything. To follow my dating misadventures, read my blog “You’re Still Doable.” Then scroll down to the very bottom to begin at the very beginning when I was a pof. com virgin for the second time and don’t miss a single misstep, eureka moment or handy “do as I say…” touchstone that I sprinkle liberally throughout, just because I can. And yeah…I actually slip in some advice along the way as well. Huh. Take it as you will or not. We’re all grown ups here. Ish. And if you heart Lucy? Comment! and share me freely with friends/ family/ facebook/ every other social media thing out there then subscribe. I’ll be posting a lot as I have a LOT to say. Of course. ! There’s humor. There’s pathos. There’s whining…I mean wining. Ok. I mean a lot of both. Really…why date alone when you can Date with Lucy? xo See DatewithLucy.com and Lucy’s review of my book, Love Me Don’t Leave Me

Guest: Karen Maezen Miller, author of Paradise in Plain Sight: Lessons from a Zen Garden Feb 25, 2015

About the book: When Zen teacher Karen Maezen Miller and her family land in a house with a hundred-year-old Japanese garden, she uses the paradise in her backyard to glean the living wisdom of our natural world. Through her eyes, rocks convey faith, ponds preach stillness, flowers give love, and leaves express the effortless ease of letting go. The book welcomes readers into the garden for Zen lessons in fearlessness, forgiveness, presence, acceptance, and contentment. Miller gathers inspiration from the ground beneath her feet to remind us that paradise is always here and now. About the author: Karen Maezen Miller is a wife and mother as well as a Zen Buddhist priest at the Hazy Moon Zen Center in Los Angeles. She and her family live in Sierra Madre, California, with a century-old Japanese garden in their backyard. She writes about spirituality in everyday life. She is the author of Paradise in Plain Sight: Lessons from a Zen Garden, Hand Wash Cold: Care Instructions for an Ordinary Life, Momma Zen: Walking the Crooked Path of Motherhood, and her writing is included in numerous anthologies.

Guest: Susan Anderson author of Taming Your Outer Child: Overcoming Self-Sabotage and Healing from Abandonment. Feb 11, 2015

About the book: Chances are, you’ve already had run-ins with your Outer Child — the self-sabotaging, bungling, and impulsive part of your personality. This misguided, hidden nemesis blows your diet, overspends, and ruins your love life. Your Outer Child acts out and fulfills your legitimate childlike needs and wants in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and in counterproductive ways: It goes for immediate gratification and the quick fix in spite of your best-laid plans. Now, in a revolutionary rethinking of the link between emotion and behavior, veteran psychotherapist Susan Anderson offers a three-step program to tame your Outer Child’s destructive behavior. This dynamic, transformational set of strategies — action steps that act like physical therapy for the brain — calms your Inner Child, strengthens your Adult Self, releases you from the self-blame and shame at the root of Outer Child issues, and paves new neural pathways that can lead to more productive behavior. The result is happiness, fulfillment, self-mastery, and self-love. About the author: Susan Anderson has devoted more than 30 years of clinical experience and research to helping people overcome abandonment trauma and its aftermath of self sabotaging patterns. Founder of the abandonment recovery movement, she reaches out through her websites, workshops, and media to share her methods of abandonment recovery with abandonment survivors from around the world. Anderson is author of four trailblazing books including Journey from Abandonment to Healing and Taming Your Outer Child which guide people through a protocol specific to healing abandonment, heartbreak, and loss. People can contribute to Susan’s ongoing research project by submitting (confidentially) your personal stories to her website www.abandonment.net/submit-your-personal-abandonment-story. The websites www.abandonment.net and www.outerchild.net reach out with help and information. You are welcome to contact the author directly.

Guest: Jamie Beckman, our discussion will focus on our shared passion for The Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise. Feb 04, 2015

About the show: The Bachelor franchise is an empire that TV viewers either love, love to hate, or love to live-tweet. Or all three! Jamie Beckman has been a Bachelor live-tweeter (she is hilarious!) going on five years now, much to the chagrin of her more serious followers, and loves trading observations and quips with fellow fans. She has no words for what a disappointment Ben Flajnik was as a Bachelor and quite frankly still isn’t over that season. She still holds out hope for Chris Soules, bless his heart. About my guest: Jamie Beckman is a writer, editor, and the author of the book The Frisky 30-Day Breakup Guide. Jamie has written about health, nutrition, fitness, relationships, sex, travel, beauty, and style for print publications and web properties including Redbook, USA TODAY, the L.A. Times, Health, Men’s Journal, Men’s Health, Best Life, Better Homes and Gardens, First for Women, Publishers Weekly, Cheer Professional, The Frisky, SheKnows.com, BudgetTravel.com, CNN.com, MensFitness.com, Bethenny.com, Lifestyle Mirror, The Good Men Project, CMJ.com, and Crushable.com. Her favorite interview was Animal House‘s Flounder — very nice guy.

Guest: Margaret Floyd, a nutritional therapist, writer, and real food advocate. She is also my favorite go-to expert about all food and nutrition related advice. Jan 28, 2015

About the topic: If you have a chronic health issue that won’t go away no matter how much you do everything “right”, then this interview is a must for you. Margaret will share some of the clinical insights she’s been finding with her clients to get at the root of even the most stubborn chronic issues. It could be hidden in what you’re eating and, more importantly, how your body is (or isn’t) digesting it. About the guest: Margaret Floyd is a nutritional therapist, writer, and real food advocate. She’s has been on the pursuit of the ideal, nutritious, and delicious way of eating for the better part of her adult life. Margaret received her Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) certification from the Nutritional Therapy Association and was certified as a Holistic Health Counselor by the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She is also a Certified GAPS Practitioner, a Certified Healing Foods Specialist, is certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners, and has a thriving private practice in Los Angeles, California through which she supports clients throughout North America and Europe to achieve true health and vitality through diet and lifestyle changes. Margaret is the author of Eat Naked: Unprocessed, Unpolluted, and Undressed Eating for a Healthier, Sexier You published by New Harbinger Publications in 2011. She is also the coauthor with Chef James Barry of the follow-up cookbook, The Naked Foods Cookbook, released May, 2012. She currently blogs at www.eatnakednow.com as well as several other health-related websites. You can connect with her at www.facebook.com/takeitalloff, www.twitter.com/margaretfloyd, or www.pinterest.com/margaretfloyd/

Guest: Raychelle Cassada Lohmann author of Teen Anxiety: A CBT and ACT Activity Resource Book for Helping Anxious Adolescents. Jan 21, 2015

About the book: Today’s teens are faced with all sorts of decisions, dilemmas and difficulties, from exam worries to friendship and relationship problems. The result is that anxiety is an increasingly common problem, and professionals need practical ways of helping these anxious teens. Teen Anxiety is a practical manual to use with teenagers to help them cope with anxious feelings. With 60 easy-to-do activities based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), teenagers can be helped to understand what triggers their anxiety; the importance of taking care of themselves; how to work through anxious feelings, fear, stress, and panic; and how to accept and manage thoughts and emotions. Part 1 of the book provides a guide to CBT, ACT and what anxiety is, and the manual also includes scaling questions for assessment and graphs to track progress. This ready-to-use manual, packed with information and activities, will be invaluable to professionals working with anxious teenagers. About the author: Raychelle Cassada Lohmann, MS, LPC, is the author of The Anger Workbook for Teens (New Harbinger Publications), Staying Cool…When You’re Steaming Mad (Marco Products), The Bullying Workbook for Teens (New Harbinger Publications), Teen Anxiety (Jessica Kingsley) and Blogger of Teen Angst for Psychology Today. The Anger Workbook for Teens has been translated into four different languages (Dutch, English, French, and Korean.) Her second book, Staying Cool…When You’re Steaming Mad is a comprehensive anger management curriculum for educators and counseling professionals working with troubled youth. Raychelle’s third book co-authored with Julia V. Taylor, The Bullying Workbook for Teens: Activities to help you deal with Social Aggression and Cyberbullying is a guide to help youth cope with bullying. Raychelle ‘s new book Teen Anxiety is set to be released January, 2015. Raychelle is an active member of the American Counseling Association, American School Counseling Association, and National Career Development Association. Additionally, she is a National Board Certified Counselor and a Licensed Professional Counselor in the states of NC and SC as well as a Global Career Development Facilitator.

Guest: Karen Koenig, author of Outsmarting Overeating: Boost Your Life Skills, End Your Food Problems. Jan 20, 2015

About the book: The reason you turn to food when you’re stressed or distressed is that you don’t have better ways of managing life’s ups and downs. According to Karen R. Koenig, an expert on the psychology of eating, you can transform your eating habits—and your life—by developing effective life skills. When you have enhanced skills, you won’t need to turn to mindless eating to make it through the day and will get the best out of life rather than letting life get the best of you. With Koenig’s guidance, you’ll learn how to establish and maintain functional relationships, take care of yourself physically and emotionally, think rationally, and create a passionate, joyful, and meaningful life. When these behaviors take root and become automatic, food becomes what it is meant to be: nourishment and one of life’s many pleasures. About the author: I am a psychotherapist, national educator, international author, and an expert on the psychology of eating—the how and why, not the what, of it. For more than three decades, my mission has been to help people with eating and weight problems learn to eat “normally” and maintain a healthy, stable weight for life without dieting and deprivation. My therapy practice is in Sarasota, FL, where I do tele-coaching and Skype consultation worldwide. As a recovered chronic dieter and binge-eater, I meld my personal recovery wisdom with my professional knowledge and experience to resolve eating problems. My books are Nice Girls Finish Fat, The Rules of “Normal” Eating, The Food and Feelings Workbook, and What Every Therapist Needs to Know About Treating Eating and Weight Issues.

Guest: William Powers, author of New Slow City: Living Simply in the World’s Fastest City. Jan 07, 2015

About the book: Burned-out after years of doing development work around the world, William Powers spent a season in a 12-foot-by-12-foot cabin off the grid in North Carolina, as recounted in his award-winning memoir Twelve by Twelve. Could he live a similarly minimalist life in the heart of New York City? To find out, Powers and his wife jettisoned 80 percent of their stuff, left their 2,000-square-foot Queens townhouse, and moved into a 350-square-foot “micro-apartment” in Greenwich Village. Downshifting to a two-day workweek, Powers explores the viability of Slow Food and Slow Money, technology fasts and urban sanctuaries. Discovering a colorful cast of New Yorkers attempting to resist the culture of Total Work, Powers offers an inspiring exploration for anyone trying to make urban life more people- and planet-friendly. About the author: Powers new book New Slow City offers an inspiring exploration for anyone trying to make urban life more people- and planet-friendly. Born and raised on Long Island, William Powers has worked for over a decade in development aid and conservation in Latin America, Africa, Native North America, and Washington, DC. He is a senior fellow at the World Policy Institute and is on the adjunct faculty of New York University. A third generation New Yorker, Powers has also spent two decades exploring the American culture-of-speed and its alternatives in some fifty countries around the world. He has covered the subject in his four books and written about it in the Washington Post and the Atlantic. An expert on sustainable development, he is a freelance writer and speaker. More information on his work can be found here: www.williampowersbooks.com. Contact William directly: bill@williampowersbooks.com.

Guest: Karen Maezen Miller author of Paradise in Plain Sight, Hand Wash Cold, and Momma Zen Dec 31, 2014

My special guest for the last show of the year is the author who influenced me the most in 2014, Karen Maezen Miller author of Paradise in Plain Sight, Hand Wash Cold, and Momma Zen About the book: When Zen teacher Karen Maezen Miller and her family land in a house with a hundred-year-old Japanese garden, she uses the paradise in her backyard to glean the living wisdom of our natural world. Through her eyes, rocks convey faith, ponds preach stillness, flowers give love, and leaves express the effortless ease of letting go. The book welcomes readers into the garden for Zen lessons in fearlessness, forgiveness, presence, acceptance, and contentment. Miller gathers inspiration from the ground beneath her feet to remind us that paradise is always here and now. About the author: Karen Maezen Miller is a wife and mother as well as a Zen Buddhist priest at the Hazy Moon Zen Center in Los Angeles. She and her family live in Sierra Madre, California, with a century-old Japanese garden in their backyard. She writes about spirituality in everyday life. She is the author of Paradise in Plain Sight: Lessons from a Zen Garden, Hand Wash Cold: Care Instructions for an Ordinary Life, Momma Zen: Walking the Crooked Path of Motherhood, and her writing is included in numerous anthologies.

Guest: Amy Alkon, author of Good Manners for Nice People Who Sometimes Say F*ck Dec 24, 2014

About the book: We live in a world that’s very different from the one in which Emily Post came of age. Many of us who are nice (but who also sometimes say “f*ck”) are frequently at a loss for guidelines about how to be a good person who deals effectively with the increasing onslaught of rudeness we all encounter. To lead us out of the miasma of modern mannerlessness, science-based and bitingly funny syndicated advice columnist Amy Alkon rips the doily off the manners genre and gives us a new set of rules for our twenty-first century lives. With wit, style, and a dash of snark, Alkon explains that we now live in societies too big for our brains, lacking the constraints on bad behavior that we had in the small bands we evolved in. Alkon shows us how we can reimpose those constraints, how we can avoid being one of the rude, and how to stand up to those who are. Foregoing prissy advice on which utensil to use, Alkon answers the twenty-first century’s most burning questions about manners, including: Why do many people, especially those under forty, now find spontaneous phone calls rude? What can you tape to your mailbox to stop dog walkers from letting their pooch violate your lawn? How do you shut up the guy in the pharmacy line with his cellphone on speaker? What small gift to your new neighbors might make them think twice about playing Metallica at 3 a.m.? Combining science with more than a touch of humor, Good Manners for Nice People Who Sometimes Say F*ck is destined to give good old Emily a shove off the etiquette shelf (if that’s not too rude to say). About the author: Amy Alkon writes The Advice Goddess, an award-winning, syndicated column that runs in more than one hundred newspapers across the United States and Canada. She is also the author of I See Rude People. She has been on Good Morning America, The Today Show, NPR, CNN, MTV, and Entertainment Tonight and has a weekly radio show called Advice Goddess Radio. She has also written for Psychology Today, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times Magazine, Daily News (New York), and Pravda, among others. She lives in Venice, California.

Guest: Julia V. Taylor MA, author of The Body Image Workbook for Teens: Activities to Help Girls Develop a Healthy Body Image in an Image-Obsessed World. Dec 17, 2014

About the book: Like most teens, you want to feel good about the way you look. But what happens when the way you look just doesn’t feel good enough? Whether it’s online, on TV, or in magazines, images of impossibly perfect—and mostly Photoshopped—young women are everywhere. As a result, you may feel an intense pressure to look a certain way. Your friends feel the pressure too, which often creates a secret comparison competition that can make you feel worse about yourself. So how can you start feeling good about who you are, as is? In The Body Image Workbook for Teens, you’ll find practical exercises and tips that address the most common factors that can lead to negative body image, including: comparison, negative self-talk, unrealistic media images, societal and family pressures, perfectionism, toxic friendships, and a fear of disappointing others. You’ll also learn powerful coping strategies to deal with the daily, intense pressures of being a teenage girl. Being a teen girl in today’s world is hard, and no one knows that more than you. But if you are ready to stop comparing yourself to others, silence your inner critic, and build authentic, lasting self-confidence—this book is your go-to guide. About the author: Julia V. Taylor, MA, is author of Salvaging Sisterhood and Perfectly You, and is coauthor of G.I.R.L.S. (Girls in Real Life Situations) and The Bullying Workbook for Teens. Taylor has worked as a middle and high school counselor and has a passion for empowering girls to stand up to unrealistic media expectations, take healthy risks, and cultivate meaningful relationships. Visit her online at www.juliavtaylor.com.

Guest: Shawn T. Smith, author of Surviving Aggressive People: Practical Violence Prevention Skills for the Workplace and the Street Dec 10, 2014

About the book: Whether an aggressor is a seasoned predator or an irate individual, hostility is almost always preceded by warning signs—if we know what to look for. Surviving Aggressive People dissects the psychology of aggression. It exposes the subtle cues of impending violence and offers timeless methods for transforming a potential disaster into a peaceful victory. Using time-tested methods for conflict management and crisis intervention, this book offers persuasion and peacemaking skills that historically have been reserved for law enforcement, psychologists, and other professionals working the front lines of emotionally charged situations. In today’s world, these skills are a must for everyone. Newly updated, with a special appendix for healthcare workers, the enduring knowledge in Surviving Aggressive People can help deter hostility before it spins out of control. It might even save your life. About the author: Shawn Smith is a clinical psychologist in Denver, Colorado and the author of three psychology books. He also writes a blog at www.ironshrink.com, where he answers important questions such as: Can dogs learn to read? Why do I feel amorous when I have a cold? Is my ex possessed? Shawn’s writing is light-hearted, impeccably researched, and always useful.

Guest: Marc Bekoff, PhD, author of Rewilding Our Hearts: Building Pathways of Compassion and Coexistence. Dec 03, 2014

About the book: In wildlife conservation, rewilding refers to restoring habitats and creating corridors between preserved lands to allow declining populations to rebound. Marc Bekoff, one of the world’s leading animal experts and activists, here applies rewilding to human attitudes. Rewilding Our Hearts invites readers to do the essential work of becoming reenchanted with the world, acting from the inside out, and dissolving false boundaries to truly connect with both nature and themselves. About the author: Marc Bekoff is professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He is author of The Emotional Lives of Animals and Wild Justice, among many other titles. www.marcbekoff.com

Guest: Alan Fox, author of People Tools for Business: 54 Strategies for Building Relationships, Creating Joy and Embracing Prosperity. Nov 26, 2014

About the book: Getting along well with others is the real secret to success and happiness. In tens of thousands of classrooms we teach reading, writing, and arithmetic and yet we leave solutions to the universal problems of human relationships to be discovered, if at all, by trial and error. The trial is painful and the error is costly. People Tools: 54 Strategies for Building Relationships, Creating Joy, and Embracing Prosperity, provides time-proven techniques that you can use to build a better, happier, more successful life. It is the perfect resource for busy people looking for fast and effective solutions to the challenges we face every day. PRACTICAL WISDOM ON EVERY PAGE People Tools are practical and easy to understand. From developing self-confidence, to improving communication skills, to finding constructive ways to resolve conflict, each People Tool addresses a specific issue and provides a simple, straightforward strategy that you can adopt to bring about a positive result. Some of the useful People Tools in the book include: The Belt Buckle. When words are different than action (The Belt Buckle), trust the Belt Buckle, not the words. Buy a Ticket. To make something good happen in your life you have to participate. Catching a Feather. An alternative to the endless chase, this Tool reveals how to attract people you want to be closer to. Patterns Persist. Prior actions are predictive of future behaviors. Catch Them Being Good. Rewards are more effective than punishments. TIME-TESTED TOOLS TO ENHANCE YOUR WELLBEING Although you may recognize the more intuitive techniques in People Tools, this sourcebook provides explanations and helpful examples from a vast collection of different tools designed to help you further expand your own existing repertoire of skills. Open the book to any page and you will find a useful solution. Each tool is illustrated with insightful stories and amusing anecdotes that are relevant and relatable. The stories will reel you in but the advice will change your life. About the author: Alan Fox has enjoyed a number of lifetimes during the past seventy-two years. He has university degrees in accounting, law, education, and professional writing. He has been employed as a Tax Supervisor for a national CPA firm, established his own law firm, and founded a commercial real estate company in 1968 that now owns and manages more than seventy major income-producing properties in eleven states. Fox is the founder, editor, and publisher of Rattle, one of the most respected literary magazines in the United States, and he sits on the board of directors of several non-profit foundations. People Tools is the distillation of his experience in accounting, law, real estate, poetry, three marriages, and raising six children, two step children, and one foster child.

Guest: Gina Vucci, co-author of The Relationship Handbook: A Path to Consciousness, Healing and Growth. Nov 19, 2014

About the book: Using knowledge and skills honed over a lifetime of teaching and learning, personal development pioneer Shakti Gawain presents a powerful, life-changing work on a subject she has always been passionate about: our relationships. In her popular workshops and in her personal life, she has tested and refined the insights and exercises in this book, which she cowrote with her longtime collaborator Gina Vucci. Their approach reflects the fact that each of us is in relationships not only with romantic partners, family, coworkers, and children, but also with internal core beliefs and a variety of selves, including primary, disowned, and shadow selves. These revelatory teachings incorporate strategies for becoming aware of hidden beliefs, applying the Voice Dialogue process developed by Drs. Hal and Sidra Stone, and learning to experience every relationship as a path to self-knowledge. Through her gentle guidance, Shakti shows us how every relationship we have at every moment can be seen as a path toward greater consciousness, healing, and growth. There is no other book on relationships like this. Give this powerful book even a short amount of time and prepare yourself for some truly remarkable results! About the co-author: Gina has worked with Shakti Gawain, a pioneer in the field for personal growth, for more than 15 years. Gina co-leads workshops, facilitates groups and has contributed to Shakti’s best selling products including Developing Intuition, and revised editions of Creative Visualization and Living In The Light. Gina has been trained and certified in a number of counseling fields. She brings a deep level of experience, wisdom and joy to her work with others teaching, speaking, and writing. Here is a snapshot of Gina: Gina is a “Soccer Mom.” She is a single mom raising three inspired children, a survivor of domestic violence, a sober alcoholic for over twenty six years, a mentor, a friend, an advocate, a seeker. Her journey has brought her to a place of knowing that life holds something extraordinary for each of us. Her faith and hope has brought insight and inspiration to many. Her passion is to support people in recognizing their true potential for joy, freedom and empowerment.

Guest: Marney Makridakis author of Hop, Skip, Jump: 75 Ways to Playfully Manifest a Meaningful Life. Nov 12, 2014

About the book: Most of us view work and play as mutually exclusive opposites, but now you can blend them together in your new route to joy-filled success. The 75 techniques in this book will guide you to be more playful and productive as you move through three vital phases of the manifestation process: dreaming (Hop), experimenting (Skip), and taking action (Jump). Discover your Play Personality and learn how to use it to create more experiences in which work feels like play, and struggle gives way to momentum, ease, and joy. About the author: Marney K. Makridakis is the bestselling author of Creating Time and founder of ArtellaLand.com, the groundbreaking online community for creators of all kinds. She has trained hundreds of coaches and practitioners through the ARTbundance Certification Training program.

Guest: Linda Carroll, author of Love Cycles: The Five Essential Stages of Love. Nov 05, 2014

About the book: In Love Cycles, veteran couples therapist Linda Carroll presents a groundbreaking model of the five natural stages of romantic relationships — the Merge, Doubt and Denial, Disillusionment, Decision, and Wholehearted Love — and a guide for navigating through them toward lasting love. Love Cycles helps readers understand where they are in the cycle of their relationship and provides a clear strategy for how to stay happy and committed, even in difficult times. About the author: Linda Carroll, MS, has worked as a couple’s therapist for more than 30 years. In addition to being a licensed psychotherapist, she is certified in Transpersonal Psychology and Imago Therapy, the highly successful form of couple’s therapy developed by Dr. Harville Hendrix and Dr. Helen LaKelly Hunt. She is also a master teacher in the Pairs Psychoeducation Process, a nationally-recognized relationship education program for couples. Linda has studied many modalities of psychological and spiritual work, including Voice Dialogue with Drs. Hal and Sidra Stone, Holotropic Breathwork with Dr. Stan Grof, the Four-Fold With Angeles Arrien, the Diamond Heart Work of A.H. Almaas, and training with The Couples Institute of Drs. Ellyn Bader and Peter Pearson. She is also certified in the Hot Monogamy program, which helps couples create or re-create a passionate connection between them. Linda works with a limited number of couples regularly in a new style of “concierge therapy,” in which she travels to their home or office for 2-6 days per year for private, all-day sessions, offering ongoing Skype and phone sessions in between. She teaches workshops and delivers keynote addresses throughout the United States and is a frequent speaker at Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico. Linda lives in Corvallis, Oregon, with her veterinarian husband, Tim Barraud, and their dog, a Jack Russell Terrier. She has five children and nine grandchildren. In 2006, her memoir, Her Mother’s Daughter, was published by Doubleday. In 2008, Remember Who You Are was published by Conari Press in San Francisco Her recent book, Love Cycles:The Five Essential Stages of Lasting Love was released in the fall of 2014 by New World Library. Find her on the web at lindaacarroll.com or lovecycles.org

Guest: Eric Maisel, PhD author of Life Purpose Boot Camp: The 8-week Breakthrough Plan for Creating a Meaningful Life Oct 29, 2014

About the book: As life gets busier and more complicated we crave something larger and more meaningful than just ticking another item off our to-do list. In the past, we’ve looked to religion or outside guidance for that sense of purpose, but today fewer people are fulfilled by traditional approaches to meaning. Bestselling author, psychotherapist, and creativity coach Eric Maisel offers an alternative: an eight-week intensive that breaks through barriers and offers insights for living each day with purpose. Once you understand how meaning operates, how meaning and life purpose are related, and what concrete steps you can take toward fulfilling your purpose, you will never run out of meaning again. This program will develop self-awareness and self-confidence and give you what you need to fully live the best possible life. About the author: Eric Maisel, Ph.D., widely regarded as America’s foremost creativity coach, is the author of more than 40 books. His titles include Secrets of a Creativity Coach, Why Smart People Hurt, Making Your Creative Mark, Coaching the Artist Within, The Van Gogh Blues, Fearless Creating, Mastering Creative Anxiety, Creativity for Life, A Writer’s Paris, A Writer’s San Francisco, and many others. In addition to training creativity coaches, leading workshops nationally and internationally, and maintaining an individual creativity coaching practice, Dr. Maisel is in the forefront of the movement to rethink mental health. He writes the Rethinking Psychology blog for Psychology Today and among his books in this area are Rethinking Depression and Natural Psychology: the New Psychology of Meaning. Dr. Maisel leads Deep Writing workshops at workshop centers like Esalen, Kripalu, Omega, Hollyhock and Rowe and in locales like San Francisco, New York, London, Paris, Prague and Rome. His books have been translated into more than a dozen languages, he has conducted hundreds of interviews, and his print column “Coaching the Artist Within” appears monthly in Professional Artist Magazine. Dr. Maisel’s websites are ericmaisel.com and naturalpsychology.net. He can be contacted at ericmaisel@hotmail.com.

Guest: Shoshana Bennett, PhD author of Children of the Depressed: Healing the Childhood Wounds That Come From Growing Up With A Depressed Parent. Oct 22, 2014

About the book: Have you ever wondered, Why am I so negative? or Why is my life so chaotic? Whether or not your parent was ever formally diagnosed with depression, you’ve probably always known there was something different about your upbringing. And even though you’ve grown up and moved on, you may still feel the after-effects of living with your parent’s illness. In Children of the Depressed, a depression expert helps adult children understand and overcome common problems that stem from growing up with a depressed parent, such as poor communication skills and negative self-talk. Using skills and practices rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), you will learn to shed the old dynamics and ways of thinking that have been weighing you down and keeping you from enjoying healthy relationships and the life you deserve. Most books on depression only focus on getting help for the depressed person. This book is written for you, the adult child of parents with who have struggled with depression. You need emotional healing after a dysfunctional childhood, and most importantly—you need an opportunity for your voice to be heard. You don’t have to become stuck in the past. By identifying and recognizing the feelings you experienced at a young age, you will start laying the groundwork for a happier and healthier life—socially, physically, emotionally, and psychologically. About the author: Shoshana Bennett, Ph.D. (“Dr. Shosh”) from the popular DrShosh.com Radio Show is the author of Pregnant on Prozac, Postpartum Depression For Dummies, and co-author of Beyond the Blues: Understanding and Treating Prenatal and Postpartum Depression & Anxiety. She is also the creator of the new mobile app PPD Gone. National TV shows including “20/20,” “Discovery Channel,” “The Doctors” and “The Ricki Lake Show” feature Dr. Shosh as the pregnancy and postpartum mood expert and news stations such as CNN consult her. Several publications including the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Jose Mercury News have written articles on Dr. Shosh’s work. She’s interviewed regularly on national radio and has been quoted in dozens of newspapers and magazines such as The Wall Street Journal, WebMD, Boston Globe, Fit Pregnancy, Glamour, Parenting, Psychology Today, New York Post, Self, Cosmopolitan, and the Chicago Tribune. Dr. Shosh is a pioneer in the field. She is a survivor of two life-threatening postpartum depressions. She founded Postpartum Assistance for Mothers in 1987, and is a former president of Postpartum Support International. Dr. Shosh helped develop the official Postpartum Support International training curriculum for professionals which is now considered the gold standard in the field. She has helped over 19,000 women worldwide through individual consultations, support groups and wellness seminars. As a noted guest lecturer and keynote speaker, she travels throughout the US and abroad, training medical and mental health professionals to assess and treat postpartum depression and related mood and anxiety disorders. She earned three teaching credentials, two masters degrees, a Ph.D. and is licensed as a clinical psychologist.

Guest: Brian Leaf author of Misadventures of a Garden State Yogi: My Humble Quest to Heal My Colitis, Calm my ADD, and Find the Key to Happiness. Oct 15, 2014

About the book: As a college freshman business major suffering from a variety of anxiety-related maladies, Brian Leaf stumbled into an elective: yoga. It was 1989. All his classmates were female. And men did not yet generally “cry, hug, or do yoga.” But yoga soothed and calmed Leaf as nothing else had. As his hilarious and wise tale shows, Leaf embarked on a quest for health and happiness — visiting yoga studios around the country and consulting Ayurvedic physicians, swamis, and even (accidentally) a prostitute. Twenty-one years later, he teaches yoga and meditation and is the beloved founder of a holistic tutoring center that helps students whose ailments he once shared. About the author: Brian Leaf, M.A., is the author of eleven books, including Misadventures of a Garden State Yogi, Name That Movie!, Defining Twilight, and McGraw-Hill’sTop 50 Skills for a Top Score. He is the only man alive to have written both a yoga memoir and multiple test-prep guides. He is not sure if this is a noble or dubious distinction. Brian is Director of the New Leaf Learning Center in Massachusetts, where he has helped thousands of students from throughout the United States manage ADD and overcome test and math phobias. Brian graduated from Georgetown University in 1993 with a B.A. in Business, English, and Theology. In 1999, he completed a Masters through Lesley College specializing in yoga and ayurveda for Attention Deficit Disorder. Brian is certified as a Yoga Instructor, Ayurvedic Practitioner, Massage Therapist, Energyworker, and Holistic Educator, and he is an avid meditator. He has also dabbled with Bach Flower Essences, Cranio-Sacral Therapy, Reiki, Shiatsu, and Tai Chi. Can you top that? So what’s the connection between yoga and test-prep? Let’s just say that one of Brian’s first yoga teaching gigs was at the ETS corporation (Educational Testing Service) in Princeton, NJ. They’re the folks who make the SAT. So now Brian gets paid hundreds of dollars per hour to share what he learned while the test-makers were half asleep in relaxation pose.

Mindfulness Focusing Exercise Oct 10, 2014

Guest: Ruth White, PhD author of Preventing Bipolar Relapse: A Lifestyle Program to Help You Maintain a Balanced Mood and Live Well. Oct 08, 2014

About the book: If you buy just one book on bipolar disorder, let this be it. There’s an old saying: “Prevention is better than cure.” If you have bipolar disorder, this is especially true. For you, it’s incredibly important to read the warning signs of a possible episode. For instance, you may find you are not sleeping as well as usual, or you might be sleeping too much. You may stop doing things that you normally enjoy, or you may start acting out your impulses in ways that alienate those around you or get you into trouble. While the path to wellness for those with bipolar may involve psychiatric visits and medication adjustments, preventing manic and depressive episodes is the true key to staying healthy and happy. So how do you do it? And most importantly, how can you keep yourself motivated In this powerful, breakthrough book, bipolar expert Ruth C. White shares her own personal approach to relapse prevention using the innovative program SNAP (Sleep, Nutrition, Activity, and People). White also offers practical tips and tracking tools you can use anytime, anywhere. By making necessary lifestyle adjustments, you can maintain balanced moods, recognize the warning signs of an oncoming episode, and make the necessary changes to reduce or prevent it. This is the first and only book on bipolar disorder that focuses exclusively on prevention. To help you stay well, White includes links to helpful online tracking tools so that you can manage your symptoms, anytime, anywhere. If you are ready to stop living in fear of your next episode, this life-changing book can help you take charge of your diagnosis—and your life. About the author: Dr. Ruth C. White is Clinical Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Southern California. Prior to USC, Dr. White received tenure at Seattle University where she taught since graduating with a PhD in social welfare from the University of California, Berkeley (2002-2013). She has masters degrees in social work (McGill) and public health (UC Berkeley) and has spent many years working in psycho-social treatment programs, correctional programs, and child welfare in the USA, Canada and the UK. She was inspired to write Bipolar 101 as a result of successfully dealing with her own challenges with bipolar disorder. Her latest book, Preventing Bipolar Relapse, is the first book on bipolar disorder to focus on prevention and details her SNAP (sleep, nutrition, activity, people) approach to prevention that is based on the latest scientific research on bipolar disorder. She is available for public speaking on mental health stigma and preventing bipolar disorder using the holistic, science-based approach found in Preventing Bipolar Relapse. Her blog, bipolar-101.blogspot.com, summarizes some of the latest scientific research on bipolar disorder using language anyone can understand. For more information see her website: ruthcwhite.com Follow her on Twitter: @ruthcwhite

Guest: Linda Carroll, author of Love Cycles: The Five Essential Stages of Love Oct 01, 2014

About the book: In Love Cycles, veteran couples therapist Linda Carroll presents a groundbreaking model of the five natural stages of romantic relationships — the Merge, Doubt and Denial, Disillusionment, Decision, and Wholehearted Love — and a guide for navigating through them toward lasting love.Love Cycles helps readers understand where they are in the cycle of their relationship and provides a clear strategy for how to stay happy and committed, even in difficult times. About the author: Linda Carroll, MS, has worked as a couple's therapist for more than 30 years. In addition to being a licensed psychotherapist, she is certified in Transpersonal Psychology and Imago Therapy, the highly successful form of couple's therapy developed by Dr. Harville Hendrix and Dr. Helen LaKelly Hunt. She is also a master teacher in the Pairs Psychoeducation Process, a nationally-recognized relationship education program for couples. Linda has studied many modalities of psychological and spiritual work, including Voice Dialogue with Drs. Hal and Sidra Stone, Holotropic Breathwork with Dr. Stan Grof, the Four-Fold With Angeles Arrien, the Diamond Heart Work of A.H. Almaas, and training with The Couples Institute of Drs. Ellyn Bader and Peter Pearson. She is also certified in the Hot Monogamy program, which helps couples create or re-create a passionate connection between them. Linda works with a limited number of couples regularly in a new style of "concierge therapy," in which she travels to their home or office for 2-6 days per year for private, all-day sessions, offering ongoing Skype and phone sessions in between. She teaches workshops and delivers keynote addresses throughout the United States and is a frequent speaker at Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico. Linda lives in Corvallis, Oregon, with her veterinarian husband, Tim Barraud, and their dog, a Jack Russell Terrier. She has five children and nine grandchildren. In 2006, her memoir, Her Mother's Daughter, was published by Doubleday. In 2008, Remember Who You Are was published by Conari Press in San Francisco Her recent book, Love Cycles:The Five Essential Stages of Lasting Love was released in the fall of 2014 by New World Library. Find her on the web at lindaacarroll.com or lovecycles.org

Guest: Marie Williams, author of Green Vanilla Tea: One Family’s Extraordinary Journey of Love, Hope and Remembering. Sep 24, 2014

About the book: Green Vanilla Tea is a true story of love and courage in the face of a deadly and little understood illness. With literary finesse, compassion, and a powerful gift of storytelling, Marie Williams writes poignantly of her husband Dominic’s struggles with early onset dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at the age of 40, and how their family found hope amidst the wreckage of a mysterious neurological condition. As the condition develops and progresses, the normally devoted family man and loving partner seems to disappear beneath an expressionless facade, erratic behavior, and a relentless desire to wander that often leaves him lost. The road to diagnosis is long and confusing, and what starts off as perplexing for the family then becomes frightening. The man they love is changing, and no one seems to know why. He no longer turns up to his sons’ high school events. He falls and bumps into things. He becomes verbally disinhibited, emotionally disengaged, and, at times, belligerent. He doesn’t seem to be able to read the social cues of other people. He gets lost in familiar places, as well as on obsessive work trips overseas. He recklessly spends the family money, leaving them in near financial ruin. Despite this, Williams and her children strive to find new ways to keep him safe and to connect with the husband and father they love so dearly. While the family learns to cope with Dominic’s illness—which they call the Green Goblin—Williams is determined that her children reclaim the dad of their memories. She finds creative ways to make visible the stories of the man beyond the illness, and helps them remember him as the engaged, healthy, and loving man she fell in love with. She humanizes the experience through storytelling and assembling a quilt made up of transferred photographs, painted artwork, family footprints, and personal inscriptions from family and friends. This, along with tea rituals, music, and stories of fatherhood, love and value, support them as fierce advocates for Dominic’s dignity and give the family new ways to be together as they journey through his decline. Spanning between moments of intense joy and incredible sadness, this book is a passionate testament to one family’s unconditional love for one another. It is, “a tale of a strange place—the real world— in which green goblins and hope find a way to live together.” Above all, it is a love story. About the author: Marie Williams has worked as a clinical social worker in health settings, nonprofit sectors, clinical education, and private practice. She is also an artist and believes in the power of creativity and story to transform. The Australian edition of Williams’ book, Green Vanilla Tea won the national Finch Memoir Prize in 2013. Williams lives in Brisbane, Australia.

Guest: Robert Moss, author of The Boy Who Died and Came Back: Adventures of a Dream Archaeologist in the Multiverse. Sep 17, 2014

About the book: Join Robert Moss for an unforgettable journey that will expand your sense of reality and confirm that there is life beyond death and in other dimensions of the multiverse. Moss describes how he lived a whole life in another world when he died at age nine in a Melbourne hospital and how he died and came back again, in another sense, in a crisis of spiritual emergence during midlife. As he shares his adventures in walking between the worlds, we begin to understand that all times — past, future, and parallel — may be accessible now. Moss presents nine keys for living consciously at the center of the multidimensional universe, embracing synchronicity, entertaining our creative spirits, and communicating with a higher Self. About the author: Robert Moss is the pioneer of Active Dreaming, an original synthesis of shamanism and modern dreamwork. Born in Australia, he survived three near-death experiences in childhood. He leads popular seminars all over the world, including a three-year training for teachers of Active Dreaming and a lively online dream school. A former lecturer in ancient history at the Australian National University, he is a best-selling novelist, journalist and independent scholar. His nine books on dreaming, shamanism and imagination includeConscious Dreaming, Dreamways of the Iroquois, The Three “Only” Things: Tapping the Power of Dreams, Coincidence and Imagination, The Secret History of Dreaming, Dreamgates, Active Dreaming and Dreaming the Soul Back Home. The Boy Who Died and Came Back: Adventures of a Dream Archaeologist in gthe Multiverse, Moss’ personal narrative of his experiences of dying and coming back and seeking to live consciously in the multidimensional universe, will be published in March 2014. Moss is also the author of Here, Everything Is Dreaming: Poems and Stories(Excelsion Editions, 2013). Moss describes himself as “a dream teacher, on a path for which there has been no career track in our culture.” He identifies the great watershed in his adult life as a sequence of visionary events that unfolded in 1987-1988, after he decided to leave the world of big cities and the fast-track life of a popular novelist (already the author of four New York Times bestsellers, includingMoscow Rules) and put down roots on a farm in the upper Hudson Valley of New York. Moss started dreaming in a language he did not know that proved to be an archaic form of the Mohawk language. Helped by native speakers to interpret his dreams, Moss came to believe that they had put him in touch with an ancient healer – a woman of power – and that they were calling him to a different life. Out of these experiences he wrote a series of historical novels (The Firekeeper, Fire Along the Sky, The Interpreter) and developed the practice he calls Active Dreaming, an original synthesis of contemporary dreamwork and shamanic methods of journeying and healing. A central premise of Moss’s approach is that dreaming isn’t just what happens during sleep; dreaming is waking up to sources of guidance, healing and creativity beyond the reach of the everyday mind.He introduced his method to an international audience as an invited presenter at the conference of the Association for the Study of Dreams at the University of Leiden in 1994. Core techniques of Active Dreaming include: The “lightning dreamwork” process, designed to facilitate quick dream-sharing that results in helpful action; the use of the “if it were my dream” protocol encourages the understanding that the dreamer is always the final authority on his or her dream Dream reentry: the practice of making a conscious journey back inside a dream in order to clarify information, dialogue with a dream character, or move beyond nightmare terrors into healing and resolution Tracking and group dreaming: conscious dream travel on an agreed itinerary by two or more partners, often supported by shamanic drumming Navigating by synchronicity: reading coincidence and “symbolic pop-ups” in ordinary life as “everyday oracles” Dream archaeology: melding the arts of shamanic dreaming with scholarship and detective work to access other times and cultures and bring back fresh and authentic knowledge that can be tested and verified. Exploring the multiverse and the multidimensional self.

Guest: Alexandra Kennedy, MA author of Honoring Grief: Creating a Space to Let Yourself Heal. Sep 10, 2014

About the book: If you know someone who has suffered loss and is experiencing grief, simply sending a card or flowers may seem insufficient. Many people are unsure how to comfort a friend or loved-one in times of loss. This special book is filled with inspirational wisdom, practical self-help for healing, and makes a meaningful and comforting gift. Written by psychotherapist and grief expert Alexandra Kennedy, Honoring Griefprovides powerful and compassionate advice for dealing with loss. Compatible with any religious or spiritual orientation, this book aims to help readers create a sanctuary—a special space where they are free to work through the difficult emotions that accompany grief. The act of grieving can be overwhelming. That’s why the self-help tips in this book are simple, brief, and effective—ideal for anyone suffering the emotionally and physically exhausting effects of grief. About the author: Alexandra Kennedy, MA is a psychotherapist in private practice since 1976 and author of Losing a Parent (HarperCollins, 1991) and The Infinite Thread: Healing Relationships Beyond Loss (Beyond Words, April 2001), Offerings at the Edge (iUniverse 2007), and How Did I Miss All This Before? Waking Up to the Magic of Our Ordinary Lives (iUniverse, 2010). She was stunned by the power of her grief when her father was diagnosed with cancer in November 1988—even though she had been a psychotherapist for fourteen years and had attended death and dying workshops with Stephen Levine. Her father died three months later. She wrote Losing a Parent in the year following his death, sharing not only the story of her father’s dying and her grieving but also the resources and strategies that helped her move through her grief while raising a family. Since then, she has devoted much of her therapy practice, teaching, and writing to grief. In 2001 The Infinite Thread was published, with an emphasis on healing relationships beyond loss, along with issues not commonly explored, such as the grief handed down through generations. Her most recent book How Did I Miss All This Before?, an intimate account of courageous spiritual transformation in the midst of life’s common challenges, is written for everyone wishing to find greater openness to life in each precious moment. Alexandra lectures at universities, professional organizations and major conferences. Weaving together inspiring case histories, practical advice, and experiential exercises, she provides a unique perspective to grieving through her work with the imagination. She also offers lectures, workshops and seminars on facing loss as an opening to the sacred, the loss of a parent, healing relationships beyond loss, dreams as messengers of the night, women’s spirituality, mid-life renewal, the power of the imagination, the empty nest, and related issues.

Guest: Antonio Sausys, MA, CMT, RYT author of Yoga for Grief Relief: Simple practices for transforming your grieving mind & body. Sep 05, 2014

About the book: If you’ve experienced loss, you may feel intense emotional or even physical pain. In fact, it’s not uncommon for grieving people to experience depression, anxiety, fatigue, and a variety of other physical, mental, and spiritual symptoms. If you’ve tried other ways to move beyond your loss but have yet to find relief, you may be surprised to discover the transformative effects of yoga. Yoga for Grief Relief combines over 100 illustrations of gentle yogic poses and the power of psychophysiology and neuroscience to help you recapture a true sense of well-being. You’ll also find breathing exercises, cleansing techniques, and self-relaxation tips to help you work through your loss and begin on the journey to self-knowledge and re-identification. At its core, yoga is about accepting change. If you are open to viewing your loss as an opportunity for growth, this book will help transform your grief with gentle clarity and awareness. To find out more, visit yogaforgriefrelief.com About the author: Antonio Sausys, MA, CMT, RYT, is a somatic psychotherapist and yoga instructor specializing in one-on-one yoga therapy for people with chronic and acute medical conditions, as well as emotional imbalance. He studied with yoga masters and teachers such as Indra Devi, Swami Maitreyananda, and Larry Payne. He has continued his professional development with training in integrative grief therapy with Lyn Prashant, foot reflexology, Swedish therapeutic massage, and Reiki. Antonio teaches and lectures periodically at the University of California, Berkeley; at the California Institute of Integral Studies, Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. He is a member of the World Yoga Council, the International Association of Yoga Therapists, and the Association for Death Education and Counseling. He is the founder and executive director of Yoga for Health—the International Yoga Therapy Conference, and television host for YogiViews.

This week on Relationships 2.0 I will be interviewed by my colleague and friend Shawn T. Smith, PsyD about my new book, Love Me Don’t Leave Me: Overcoming Fear of Abandonment and Building Lasting, Loving Relationships. Aug 27, 2014

About the book: Everyone thrives on love, comfort, and the safety of family, friends, and community. But if you are denied these basic comforts early in life, whether through a lack of physical affection or emotional bonding, you may develop intense fears of abandonment that can last well into adulthood—fears so powerful that they can actually cause you to push people away If you suffer from fears of abandonment, you may have underlying feelings of anger, shame, fear, anxiety, depression, and grief. These emotions are intense and painful, and when they surface they can lead to a number of negative behaviors, such as jealousy, clinging, and emotional blackmail. In Love Me, Don’t Leave Me,therapist Michelle Skeen combines acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), schema therapy, and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) to help you identify the root of your fears. In this book you’ll learn how schema coping behaviors—deeply entrenched and automatic behaviors rooted in childhood experiences and fears—can take over and cause you to inadvertently sabotage your relationships. By recognizing these coping behaviors and understanding their cause, you will not only gain powerful insights into your own mind, but also into the minds of those around you. If you are ready to break the self-fulfilling cycle of mistrust, clinginess, and heartbreak and start building lasting, trusting relationships, this book will be your guide. About the Author: Michelle Skeen, PsyD, is a therapist who lives and works in San Francisco. She has provided brief and long-term therapy for individuals and couples utilizing schema, cognitive, behavioral and mindfulness-based therapies to address interpersonal issues, weight management, anger, depression, anxiety, disabilities, and trauma. Skeen has studied schema therapy under Jeffrey Young PhD and Wendy Behary and completed her postdoctoral work at the University of California, San Francisco. She is the author of Love Me Don’t Leave Me: Overcoming Fear of Abandonment and Building Lasting, Loving Relationships and The Critical Partner: How to End the Cycle of Criticism and Get the Love You Want. Michelle is coauthor of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Interpersonal Problems: Using Mindfulness, Acceptance and Schema Awareness to Change Interpersonal Behaviors and The Interpersonal Problems Workbook: ACT to End Painful Relationship Patterns. She is currently working on her fifth book for New Harbinger Publications. Michelle is part-time faculty at Notre Dame de Namur University. She hosts a weekly radio show called Relationships 2.0 with Dr. Michelle Skeen on KCAA-1050AM. To find out more about Michelle Skeen, PsyD visit her website at:michelleskeen.com, “like” her on Facebook MichelleSkeenPsyD, and follow her on twitter @michelle_skeen.

Guest: Christopher Willard PsyD, author of Mindfulness for Teen Anxiety: A Workbook for Overcoming Anxiety at Home, at School, and Everywhere Else. Aug 20, 2014

About the book:Being a teen is hard enough without anxiety getting in the way. You are changing more than ever before, not just physically, but mentally. And if you suffer from panic attacks, chronic worry, and feelings of isolation, it can be very difficult to meet your goals and succeed. The good news is that there are real, powerful ways that you can take control of your anxiety—and your life! In Mindfulness for Teen Anxiety, psychologist and learning specialist Christopher Willard offers teens like you proven-effective, mindfulness-based practices to help you cope with your anxiety, identify common triggers (such as dating or school performance), learn valuable time-management skills, and feel more calm at home, at school, and with friends. You’ll learn tips for dealing with specific situations that cause anxiety, such as public speaking, social anxiety, test anxiety, and more. You’ll also learn special breathing exercises to help calm you in moments of panic, and guided visualization exercises to help you stay cool and collected, even in the tensest situations. If you are ready to move past your anxiety, panic, and worry and start living the life you were meant to live, this book will be your guide—every step of the way. About the author: Christopher Willard received his Bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University, where he first became interested in meditation. Over the past ten years, he has attended workshops and retreats with a number of Buddhist teachers including Thich Nhat Hanh, Jack Kornfield, Pema Chodron, Noah Levine, and others in both the U.S. and in Asia. In the past few years, he has taught meditation to a wide range of people, from young children to recently paroled murderers, to psychotherapists. He completed his postdoctoral training in clinical psychology at Tufts University where he now works as a psychotherapist. He has consulted to and been quoted in a number of print and online publications. Christopher lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts and when not working he enjoys traveling, cooking, hiking, reading and any combination of these he can manage.

Guest: Jamie Beckman author of The Frisky 30-Day Breakup Guide. Aug 13, 2014

About the book: Bad breakup? You’re in good company! Women everywhere know that those first days after the end of a relationship can be the hardest. The Frisky 30-Day Breakup Guide takes the focus off of your ex and puts it back on you. Each day offers fun activities to help you move on, including: • Going on an exciting road trip – Day 5 • Buying a sexy new dress – Day 8 • Planning a fabulous, girls-only party – Day 15• Donating your time to a worthy cause – Day 21 Plus advice and wisdom from celebrities like Audrina Patridge, Colbie Caillat and Vivica A. Fox. Hey, this is your sexy, vibrant, exciting life. So go ahead: get back to the real, fabulous you! About the author: Jamie Beckman is a freelance magazine writer, columnist for the women’s website SheKnows.com and its Sexcerpts relationships-news blog, and the author of the book The Frisky 30-Day Breakup Guide. She has worked as a writer and editor since she graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism. Jamie has written about health, nutrition, fitness, relationships, sex, and style for publications and websites including Redbook, USA TODAY, the L.A. Times, Health, Men’s Journal, Men’s Health, Best Life, Better Homes and Gardens, First for Women, Publishers Weekly, The Frisky, BudgetTravel.com, CNN.com, The Good Men Project, CMJ.com, and Crushable.com. Her favorite interview was Animal House’s Flounder — very nice guy. Jamie has been quoted as a relationships expert in media outlets includingSeventeen magazine, the Orange County Register, FoxNews.com, the Seattle Times, the Sacramento Bee, CondéNastTraveler.com, and BlogHer.com and contributed a personal essay to the 2012 anthology Madonna and Me: Women Writers on the Queen of Pop. She judged the 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel awards. She lives in New York City.

Guest: Mark Purcell PsyD, author of Mindfulness for Teen Anger: A Workbook to Overcome Anger and Aggression Using MBSR and DBT Skills. Aug 06, 2014

About the book: Do you ever feel so frustrated with school, friends, parents, and life in general that you lose control of your emotions and lash out? You shouldn’t feel ashamed. Being a teen in today’s world is hard, but it’s even harder when you’re unable to keep your cool in stressful situations. Fortunately, there are things you can do to make positive changes in your life. Using proven effective mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), Mindfulness for Teen Anger will teach you the difference between healthy and unhealthy forms of anger. Inside, you’ll learn how to make better choices, how to stop overreacting, find emotional balance, and be more aware of your thoughts and feelings in the moment. You’ll also learn skills for building positive relationships with peers, friends, and family. As a teen, the relationship skills you learn now can help you thrive in the future. With a little help, and by cultivating compassion and understanding for yourself and others, you will be able to transform your fear and anger into confidence and kindness. About the author: Mark Purcell is a clinical psychologist, professor, and author. He has been working with youth and families for over twenty years. His professional experience has ranged from providing psychotherapy to youth to developing specialized treatment programs and teaching professionals and graduate students. Mark has particular interests in Mindfulness based therapeutic approaches, such as DBT and MBSR, as well as treating trauma and substance abuse.

Guest: Nicola P. Wright PhD CPsych co-author of Treating Psychosis: A Clinician’s Guide to Integrating Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Compassion-Focused Therapy, and Mindfulness Approaches within the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Tradition Jul 30, 2014

About the book: Psychosis can be associated with a variety of mental health problems, including schizophrenia, severe depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorders. While traditional treatments for psychosis have emphasized medication-based strategies, evidence now suggests that individuals affected by psychosis can greatly benefit from psychotherapy. Treating Psychosis is an evidence-based treatment guide for mental health professionals working with individuals affected by psychosis. Using a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach that incorporates acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), compassion-focused therapy (CFT) and mindfulness approaches, this book is invaluable in helping clinicians develop effective treatment for clients affected by psychosis. The guide provides session-by-session clinical interventions for use in individual or group treatment on an inpatient, outpatient, or community basis. The book features 40 reproducible clinical practice forms and a companion website with additional downloadable clinical forms and tools, guided exercises, case examples, and resources. The therapeutic approaches presented are rooted in theory and research, and informed by extensive clinical experience working with client populations affected by psychosis. The approaches outlined in this book offer clinicians and clients the opportunity to partner in developing therapeutic strategies for problematic symptoms to enable those affected by psychosis to work toward valued goals and ultimately live more meaningful lives. This guide emphasizes a compassionate, de-stigmatizing approach that integrates empowering and strengths-oriented methods that place the client’s values and goals at the center of any therapeutic intervention. About the author: Nicola P. Wright, PhD, CPsych, is a clinical psychologist in the schizophrenia program of the Royal Ottawa Health Care Group (The Royal). She also held the roles of chief of psychology and director of training for the Royal’s Psychology Residency Program and served as president of the Canadian Council of Professional Psychology Programs. Wright provides individual and group therapy, as well as professional training workshops, integrating acceptance and commitment; mindfulness; and compassion-focused approaches in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for people who experience psychosis. Wright is an active researcher and clinical professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa and a lecturer with the department of psychiatry, University of Ottawa. In addition, she is a founding member of the Canadian Association of CBT and a staff supervisor with the Beck Institute of CBT. Wright lives in Ottawa, Canada.

Guest: Amy J. L. Baker, PhD, author of Co-parenting with a Toxic Ex: What to Do When Your Ex-Spouse Tries to Turn the Kids Against You Jul 23, 2014

About the book: There’s no question about it: your children are the most important thing in your life. But if you have gone through a messy divorce, your relationship with your children may become strained if you have to deal with a toxic ex. Your ex may bad-mouth you in front of the kids, accuse you of being a bad parent, and even attempt to replace you in the children’s lives with a new partner. As a result, your children may become confused, conflicted, angry, anxious, or depressed—and you may feel powerless. In Co-parenting with a Toxic Ex, a nationally recognized parenting expert offers you a positive parenting approach to dealing with a hostile ex-spouse. You’ll learn to avoid the most common mistakes of coparenting, how to avoid “parental alienation syndrome,” and effective techniques for talking to your children in a way that fosters open and honest response. In addition, you’ll learn how to protect your children from painful loyalty conflicts between you and your ex-spouse. Divorce is often painful, especially if your ex habitually tries to undermine your relationship with your children. But with the right tools you can protect your kids and make your relationship with them stronger than ever. This book can show you how. About the author: Amy J. L. Baker, PhD, is a national expert on children caught in loyalty conflicts and has written a seminal book on the topic, Adult Children of Parental Alienation Syndrome, published by W.W. Norton and Company. In addition to conducting trainings around the country for parents as well as legal and mental health professionals, Baker has written dozens of scholarly articles on topics related to parent-child relationships and has appeared on national TV, including Good Morning America, CNN, and the Joy Behar Show. She has been quoted in the New York Times and US News and World Report, among other print media outlets. Baker graduated from Barnard College, summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. She has a PhD in human development from Teachers College, Columbia University. More information is available on her website at www.amyjlbaker.com.

Guest: Karen Maezen Miller author of Hand Wash Cold: Care Instructions for an Ordinary Life. Jul 17, 2014

It’s easy to think that meaning, fulfillment, and bliss are “out there,” somewhere outside of our daily routine. But in this playful yet profound reflection on awareness, the compelling voice of a contemporary woman reveals the happiness at the bottom of the laundry basket, the love in the kitchen sink, and the peace possible in one’s own backyard. Follow Karen Maezen Miller through youthful ambition and self-absorption, beyond a broken marriage, and into the steady calm of a so-called ordinary life. In her hands, household chores and caregiving tasks become opportunities for self-examination, lessons in relationship, and liberating moments of selflessness. With attention, it’s the little things — even the unexpected, unpleasant, and unwanted things — that count. About the author: Karen Maezen Miller is a wife and mother as well as a Zen Buddhist priest at the Hazy Moon Zen Center in Los Angeles. She and her family live in Sierra Madre, California, with a century-old Japanese garden in their backyard. She writes about spirituality in everyday life. She is the author of Paradise in Plain Sight: Lessons from a Zen Garden, Hand Wash Cold: Care Instructions for an Ordinary Life, Momma Zen: Walking the Crooked Path of Motherhood, and her writing is included in numerous anthologies. www.karenmaezenmiller.com

Guest: Thomas Roberts, LCSW, LMFT, author of Beginner’s Eye: Contemplative Photography for the Soul Jul 09, 2014

About the book: Explore how photography can allow you to see things in ways that you may have otherwise missed. Beginner’s Eye is a unique contemplative/meditation experience that utilizes photography to slow things down and enhance the way we see our world in novel and original ways. This allows us to uncover the color, texture and beauty that is normally hidden from view. Beginner’s Eye is based on the Zen notion of “beginner’s mind; ” that open and spacious place when we are completely receptive, fearless, totally present and connected to the wonder of each moment. A pure clear contemplative seeing awareness where everything is fresh and new. Cultivating Beginner’s Eye deepens our connection with our true selves and our world around us; ultimately emphasizing our “being serene in the oneness of things.” You do not need to be a photographer in order to become a comtemplative photographer through the experience of Beginner’s Eye. It is not about what you see; rather how you see it. The meditative/contemplative approach of Beginner’s Eye will help you notice things in the world as if seeing them for the first time. Let the photograph find you! From the author: I have a clinical psychotherapy practice in Onalaska, Wisconsin. I work with people who are determined to embrace their healing journey. I embrace and respect the mind-body connection and use mind-body therapies such as imagery, hypnotherapy, sounds, music and the like. I enjoy being in the presence of people on their healing journey! The people who have shared their journey with me have been my greatest teachers!I also have a passion for teaching and conducting retreats. At this time in my life, I have come to realize that it is time to give back. All that I have been taught, learned, and come to understand, is now to be shared with others. Being able to share the mindfulness and healing journey with people is part of my own journey. I have taught hundreds of workshops and retreats around the country and have been enriched by the people I have had the privilege of meeting along the way. They too have been my teachers. I am a practicing Buddhist and have been for 30+ years. Many teachers have helped me along the way. Yet at this point I have returned to my cushion and local Sangha as the true journey is the one to be embraced as you move through the flow of your own personal experience. I spent many years following teachers only to return to the true teacher: my life as it unfolds. This teacher has always been there, and I have realized there is really nowhere else to look. My book reflects this. So, I hope you enjoy. Visit my web site: thomasrobertsllc.com

Guest: Rona Renner RN author of Is That Me Yelling?: A Parent’s Guide to Getting Your Kids to Cooperate Without Losing Your Cool. Jul 02, 2014

About the book: Being a parent is hard work! And when your child refuses to do even the little things—like picking up their toys, taking a bath, or getting in the car to go to school—it’s easy to become frustrated. But what if there was a gentle, effective way for you to improve your kid’s behavior without losing your cool or raising your voice? In Is That Me Yelling? leading authority on parenting, Rona Renner outlines effective communication strategies that focus on your child’s unique temperament. While most books on discipline are “one size fits all,” this book offers a tailored parenting approach. Inside, you will learn powerful mindfulness techniques based in cognitive behavioral theory (CBT) and temperament theory to help reduce conflict and foster cooperation, respect, and understanding in your family. You will also learn the real reasons behind your frustration, how your unique temperament, as well as your child’s, can contribute to you losing your temper, and how you can start feeling calm and connecting with your child in a positive way, right away. As a parent, you are often under a great deal of stress. Between helping your child with their homework, running a household, and working, it’s only natural to feel overwhelmed at times. But that’s why you need real, practical solutions to help you communicate effectively and compassionately with your children in a way that will benefit you both. This book will show you how. To learn more, visit www.nurserona.com. About the author: Rona Renner, RN, graduated from Brooklyn College School of Nursing in 1966, and she has since been dedicated to solving problems and helping people reduce their suffering. Her extensive experience includes working in medical hospitals and mental health programs in New York City and California; training women in childbirth preparation in Zaire, Africa (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo); helping to start a learning disabilities program in Pune, India; and providing parent education and ADHD and temperament counseling at Kaiser Permanente in Northern California. Renner was the founder of the Childhood Matters and Nuestros Niños call-in parenting radio shows, and hosted the Childhood Matters radio show for ten years. She currently consults and teaches classes for mental health professionals, teachers, and parents throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Her greatest teachers have been her four children, two grandsons, and her husband Mick. She lives in Berkeley, CA.

Brian Leaf, author of Misadventures of a Parenting Yogi: Cloth Diapers, Cosleeping, and My (Sometimes Successful) Quest for Conscious Parenting. Jun 25, 2014

About the book: In this hilarious, heartfelt book, Brian Leaf tackles parenting with a unique blend of research and humor. He explores Attachment Parenting, as well as Playful, Unconditional, Simplicity, and good old Dr. Spock parenting. He tries cloth diapers, no diapers, cosleeping, and no sleeping. Join him on his rollicking journey in this one-of-a-kind parenting guide. About the author: Brian Leaf, M.A., is the author of eleven books, including Misadventures of a Garden State Yogi, Name That Movie!, Defining Twilight, and McGraw-Hill’s Top 50 Skills for a Top Score. He is the only man alive to have written both a yoga memoir and multiple test-prep guides. He is not sure if this is a noble or dubious distinction. Brian is Director of the New Leaf Learning Center in Massachusetts, where he has helped thousands of students from throughout the United States manage ADD and overcome test and math phobias. Brian graduated from Georgetown University in 1993 with a B.A. in Business, English, and Theology. In 1999, he completed a Masters through Lesley College specializing in yoga and ayurveda for Attention Deficit Disorder. Brian is certified as a Yoga Instructor, Ayurvedic Practitioner, Massage Therapist, Energyworker, and Holistic Educator, and he is an avid meditator. He has also dabbled with Bach Flower Essences, Cranio-Sacral Therapy, Reiki, Shiatsu, and Tai Chi. Can you top that? So what’s the connection between yoga and test-prep? Let’s just say that one of Brian’s first yoga teaching gigs was at the ETS corporation (Educational Testing Service) in Princeton, NJ. They’re the folks who make the SAT. So now Brian gets paid hundreds of dollars per hour to share what he learned while the test-makers were half asleep in relaxation pose.

Guest: Sarah Cimperman ND, author of The Prediabetes Detox: A Whole-Body Program to Balance Your Blood Sugar, Increase Energy, and Reduce Sugar Cravings. Jun 18, 2014

About the book: If you’ve been diagnosed with prediabetes, you are by no means alone. 79 million Americans share this diagnosis, and the numbers only seem to be rising. And while we’ve all heard that a healthy diet and exercise can help reverse this disorder, there may be other factors at play in your prediabetes—namely, toxins. Numerous studies have shown that there is a direct link between toxins in our food and type 2 diabetes. In The Prediabetes Detox, primary care physician and naturopathic doctor Sarah Cimperman will show you how to reverse prediabetes by eliminating unwanted toxins from your diet and home. You will learn to balance your blood sugar levels, increase your energy, and end your unhealthy cravings once and for all using a safe, effective at-home cleansing program that is both practical and manageable. By disrupting hormones, altering cells in the pancreas, and interfering with energy production, toxins can cause insulin resistance, fat accumulation, and high blood sugar associated with pre-diabetes. Using the detox regimen and recipes outlined in this book, you will start feeling healthier, have more energy, and stay firmly on the path to conquering this ubiquitous disease. About the author: Sarah Cimperman, ND, is a naturopathic physician and an expert in natural medicine. She received her degree in 2002 from the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. NCNM is the oldest accredited college of naturopathic medicine in the United States and trains holistic primary care physicians as practitioners of the most comprehensive of alternative medicine disciplines. Dr. Cimperman is the author of The Prediabetes Detox: A Whole-Body Program to Balance Your Blood Sugar, Increase Energy, and Reduce Sugar Cravings. Her articles and expertise have also been featured on Fox News and Huffington Post and in Natural Health magazine, Whole Living magazine, and the Well Being Journal. Dr. Cimperman also writes two blogs: A Different Kind of Doctor, where she weighs in on current topics in health and wellness, and The Naturopathic Gourmet, where she posts healthy, original recipes. In her private practice in New York City Dr. Cimperman focuses on nutrition, detoxification, women’s health, and chronic illnesses including prediabetes. For more information, visit www.drsarahcimperman.com. For more information about detoxification and prediabetes, visitwww.prediabetesdetox.com.

Guest: Karen Maezen Miller, author of Paradise in Plain Sight: Lessons from a Zen Garden Jun 11, 2014

Guest: Simone Wright, author of First Intelligence: Using the Science and Spirit of Intuition. Jun 04, 2014

About the book: Each day, we are bombarded with data and opinions, and each day we must make choices that steer us toward our own best approach to life. And, according to Simone Wright, we often forget or don’t understand how to use the best tool available: our intuition, which is our “first intelligence” that can cut through the chatter to inherent wisdom. She explains that intuition is an innate and universal biological and energetic function that can be used like a human GPS system to guide us toward effective action and peak performance. Riveting examples and powerful exercises demonstrate how we can use this “sixth sense” as naturally as any, in all areas of our lives. About the author: Simone Wright is a highly respected intuitive consultant, award-winning entrepreneur, and globally collected artist. She teaches and consults internationally, working with clients ranging from elite athletes, law enforcement personnel, and health care providers to entertainers, CEOs, and entrepreneurs. She lives in Los Angeles.

Guest: Leslie Becker-Phelps PhD author of Insecure in Love: How Anxious Attachment Can Make You Feel Jealous, Needy and Worried and What You Can Do About It. May 28, 2014

Has your romantic partner called you clingy, insecure, desperate, or jealous? No one wants to admit that they possess these qualities; but if you find yourself constantly on the alert, anxious, or worried when it comes to your significant other, you may suffer from anxious attachment, a fear of abandonment that is often rooted in early childhood experiences. In Insecure in Love, you’ll learn how to overcome attachment anxiety using compassionate self-awareness, a technique that can help you recognize your negative thoughts or unhealthy behavior patterns and respond to them in a nurturing way—rather than beating yourself up. You’ll also learn how insecurity can negatively affect healthy dialog between you and your partner (or potential partners) and develop the skills needed to stop you from reverting back to old patterns of neediness and possessiveness. If you suffer from anxious attachment, you probably know that you need to change, and yet you have remained stuck. With compassionate self-awareness, you can successfully explore old anxiety-perpetuating perceptions and habits without being overwhelmed or paralyzed by them. By understanding the psychological factors at the root of your attachment anxiety, you will learn to cultivate secure, healthy relationships to last a lifetime. If you’re ready to stop getting stuck in the same hurtful relationship patterns and finally break the cycle of heartache, this book can show you how to get the love you deserve—and keep it! About the author: Leslie Becker-Phelps, PhD, is a licensed psychologist, author, and speaker. She writes The Art of Relationships blog for WebMD and is the relationship expert for WebMD’s relationships and coping community. She also writes the blog Making Change for Psychology Today. Becker-Phelps previously served at Somerset Medical Center in Somerville, NJ, as director of women’s psychological services and chief of psychology in the department of psychiatry. She lives with her husband and two sons in Basking Ridge, NJ. Find out more about her at www.drbecker-phelps.com.

Guest: Janetti Marotta PhD, author of 50 Mindful Steps to Self-Esteem: Everyday Practices for Cultivating Self-Acceptance and Self-Compassion. May 21, 2014

Sometimes we all need a little lift—something to put the bounce back in our step. If you are like many, you may struggle with self-confidence. You may also compare your successes and failures with those of others. If everything is going well in your life, this tactic may temporarily bolster your sense of self-worth. But what happens when things aren’t going so well? Based on the idea that true self-esteem is grounded in internal, rather than external factors, this book offers 50 easy-to-use mindfulness practices that will help you improve inner awareness and live a more fulfilled life without harsh self-judgment. Mindfulness can help you battle feelings of low self-worth by encouraging you to pay attention to your negative thoughts as they occur, accept them, and ultimately control of how you react to them. The exercises in this pocket-sized book are intended to be simple, brief, and powerful. These are practices to settle into each morning, perhaps before your cup of tea or coffee, and which can be sprinkled throughout the day when you are at work, play, or home. To help you keep track of your thoughts, the book also includes journaling exercises that will help you discover what actions may have led to feelings of positivity or negativity. By focusing on your own awareness and thought processes, you will begin to understand what factors cause you to feel bad about yourself, and honestly assess those factors without giving in to feelings of hopelessness. You will discover that true self-esteem has less to do with what the world is telling you, and has everything to do with what you tell yourself. About the author: Janetti Marotta, Ph.D. is the author of 50 Mindful Steps to Self-Esteem: Everyday Practices for Cultivating Self-Acceptance and Self-Compassion. She has been a psychologist in private practice since 1987 and is Coordinator of the Mind-Body Program at Palo Alto Medical Foundation Fertility Physicians where she founded the Fertility Support and Mindfulness Programs. Since completing her B.A. from Yale University and Ph.D. from University of Nevada, Reno she has served on the Medical Staff of Stanford University Medical Center and has treated issues of self-worth as it relates to the broad spectrum of life challenges. Since 1971, she has practiced transcendental meditation, zen meditation, kriya yoga, kundalini yoga, and vipassana meditation (mindfulness); traveled on pilgrimage to India, and co-led Vision Quests in the Native American tradition. Under the direction of Drs. Jon Kabat-Zinn, Saki Santorelli, and Bob Stahl, she participated in a professional training program in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). From her extensive clinical experience and long-term personal mindfulness practice, she brings the timeless teachings of the Buddha to discover that the person you yearn to be has been here all along. For more information visit janettimarotta.com

Guest: Jennifer Louden author of The Life Organizer: A Woman’s Guide to a Mindful Year May 14, 2014

About the book: We all yearn to have time for personal needs and creative dreams — after all, this is our life to make the most of. And we all know how hard it is to remember what really matters. With distractions from jobs, aging parents, and children — not to mention women’s perennial fear of being labeled “selfish” — following our own desires and dreams can become ever more elusive. The Life Organizer aims to help you shift your focus, augmenting traditional goal setting with the ease that comes from steady inner listening and mindfulness. It will become your trusted companion — and maybe the most important book you’ll ever own. About the author: Jen Louden is a personal growth pioneer who helped launch the self-care movement with her first book The Woman’s Comfort Book. She’s the author of 5 additional books on well-being and whole living, including The Life Organizer, that have inspired more than a million women in 9 languages. Jen has spoken around the world on self-care, written a national magazine column, and even sat on Oprah’s couch talking about the power of retreats. She believes self-love + world-love = wholeness for all. VisitJenniferLouden.com for fab free goodies and upcoming retreat schedule.

Guest: Nick Turner MSW, Phil Welches PhD author of Mindfulness-Based Sobriety: A Clinician’s Treatment Guide for Addiction Recovery Using Relapse Prevention Therapy, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy & Motivational Interviewing. May 07, 2014

About the book: Too often, clients with substance abuse and addiction problems achieve sobriety only to relapse shortly after. As a clinician in the addiction treatment field, you are undoubtedly familiar with this common scenario, and it can be a source of extreme frustration. To make matters worse, clients may see their relapse as evidence of personal failure and inadequacy, and as a result, they may resist more treatment. What if you could break this cycle and help clients maintain their progress Mindfulness-Based Sobriety presents a breakthrough, integrative approach to addiction recovery to help you treat clients recovering from substance abuse and addiction using mindfulness-based therapy, motivational interviewing, and relapse prevention therapy. Research has indicated that mindfulness-based therapy is highly effective in treating emotion dysregulation, stress, depression, and grief—all emotions that lie at the root of addiction. Motivational interviewing is helpful in treating addiction because it helps clients learn to change the behaviors that cause addiction. And finally, relapse prevention therapy teaches individuals with addiction to anticipate and cope with potential relapse. This book combines all three of these highly effective treatments. This powerful manual was developed by Gateway Foundation clinicians in order to better fulfill the mission of reducing substance abuse and co-occurring mental health problems. The book provides two curricula: an outpatient treatment curriculum and a residential treatment curriculum. Both are user-friendly and can be implemented in an open group format, which means that you can say goodbye to the days of tailoring one-on-one treatment to fit a group setting. The integrative approach outlined in this book will help your clients conquer substance abuse by identifying their own values, strengthening their motivation, and tackling other mental health problems that may lie at the root of their addiction. Furthermore, the book’s strong emphasis on relapse prevention means that you can help clients stay on the path to sobriety. About the author: Nick Turner, MSW, received his master of arts degree in social work from the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration. Turner is currently the clinical supervisor at Gateway Foundation in Chicago, IL, where he specializes in providing staff supervision and individual and group counseling for substance abuse and mental health needs. He is a licensed clinical social worker (Illinois), certified alcohol and drug counselor (Illinois IAODAPCA), and a member of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science and the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers.

Guest: Jason Lillis, PhD co-author of The Diet Trap: Feed Your Psychological Needs & End the Weight Loss Struggle Using Acceptance & Commitment Therapy Apr 30, 2014

About the book: Have you tried every diet or weight loss plan under the sun, but still can’t manage to lose weight and keep it off? You aren’t alone. Each year, Americans spend billions of dollars on weight-loss products, yet we continue to have the highest obesity rate in the world. After trying and failing countless times, you have to begin to wonder, “What am I doing wrong?” The problem with most fad diets is that they only attack the symptom of the problem, not the cause. No matter how much you try to deny yourself the food you crave, you always end up reverting back to bad habits. You might even lose weight initially, but more often than not you’ll gain it back—with a couple extra pounds to boot! In order to make real change in your life, you need to change the way you think about food, weight, and what’s most important to you. The Diet Trap offers proven-effective methods based in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help you develop mindful eating habits, self-compassion, and a greater understanding of what it means to live a valued life. ACT is a values-based therapy that has been proven effective for the treatment of weight loss. Because ACT encourages you to accept and experience uncomfortable emotions—rather than succumb to emotional eating—it helps you to stay on your path to lose weight, while also helping you develop compassion toward yourself, no matter how much you weigh. Written by two researchers in the field of ACT, this book offers evidence-based solutions to help you fundamentally change the way you think about food, so that you can successfully lose weight, get healthy, and live a happy, fulfilling life without costly and frustrating fad diets. About the author: Jason Lillis, PhD, is assistant professor of research at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University and a clinical psychologist at the Miriam Hospital in Providence, RI. He is coauthor of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and a leading ACT-for-weight-loss research scientist.

Guest: Aphrodite T. Matsakis, PhD author of Loving Someone with PTDS: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Connecting with Your Partner after Trauma. Apr 23, 2014

About the book: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can present with a number of symptoms, including anxiety, depression, flashbacks, and trouble sleeping. If your partner has PTSD, you may want to help, but find yourself at a loss. The simple truth is that PTSD can be extremely debilitating—not just for the person who has experienced trauma first-hand, but for their partners as well. And while there are many books written for those suffering from PTSD, there are few written for the people who love them. In Loving Someone with PTSD, renowned trauma expert and author of I Can’t Get Over It!, Aphrodite Matsakis, presents concrete skills and strategies for the partners of those with PTSD. With this informative and practical book, you will increase your understanding of the signs and symptoms of PTSD, improve your communication skills with your loved one, set realistic expectations, and work to create a healthy environment for the both of you. In addition, you will learn to manage your own grief, helplessness, and fear regarding your partner’s condition. PTSD is a manageable disability. While it isn’t your responsibility to rescue your partner or act as his or her therapist, this book will help you be supportive and implement strategies for lessening the negative impact of PTSD—not just for your partner, but for your relationship, and, importantly, for yourself. About the author: Aphrodite T. Matsakis, PhD, is an internationally recognized expert in trauma and relationships. Her books include: I Can’t Get Over It!, Trust After Trauma, The Rape Recovery Handbook, Back From the Front: Combat Trauma, Love & Family, and most recently Loving Someone with PTSD. Other specialities: communication skills, relationships, stress management, and women’s and minority issues. She has counseled others for over 35 years, taught at several major universities; and has conducted numerous seminars. Visitwww.matsakis.com for further information.

Guest: Jim Donovan, author of Happy@Work: 60 Simple Ways to Stay Engaged and Be Successful. Apr 16, 2014

About the book: Even in a tight economy, job satisfaction isn’t a luxury; fulfilled, happy employees are productive, innovative, and loyal. And workplace fulfillment spills over into happier families and better communities. Jim Donovan, a small-business owner, consultant, and speaker, has worked with employees and employers for twenty-five years. In that time he has tested and honed these shift-producing strategies on everything from managing time, making decisions, and marking milestones to breaking patterns, bouncing back, and becoming exceptional. Each tip’s method and rationale are clearly explained. Real workplace vignettes demonstrate the benefits and results that can be gleaned from simple shifts and actions. These tools will empower you with the knowledge that no matter the circumstance, you can think, act, and feel in ways that create purpose, success, and, yes, happiness. About the author: Jim Donovan speaks regularly to employees and executives at small business and large corporations. He is a frequent media guest and expert source on personal development, business success, and the spiritual laws that develop both. Jim delivers a message of hope and possibility to everyone he comes in contact with. He is able to see the potential in others even when they themselves cannot and his absolute refusal to accept limits, either in himself or others enables him to bring out the best in those who he encounters. Several of Jim’s books have been proclaimed self-help classics and have inspired people of all ages and from all walks of life. His seminars have motivated audiences from single parents trying to get off welfare to company managers and business owners who want to achieve greater results. Beyond simple inspiration and motivation, Jim provides people with workable strategies that enable them to take charge of their own destiny and reach their full potential. Jim’s driving principle is that “Within you is the power to change your life” and that we are, in fact, capable of creating the life we’ve always wanted. He lives in Buckingham, PA.

Guest: Emily K. Sandoz PhD, co-author of Living with Your Body and Other Things You Hate: How to Let Go of Your Struggle with Body Image Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Apr 09, 2014

Let’s be honest: most people are unhappy with at least some aspect of their physical appearance. Just think of all the money we spend each year trying to improve our looks! But if worrying about your appearance is getting in the way of living, maybe it’s time to start thinking about body image in a completely new way. Based in proven-effective acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), Living with Your Body and Other Things You Hateoffers a unique approach to addressing your struggle with body image. In this book, you will not be told that your self-perceptions are wrong, that your thoughts are irrational, or that your feelings are misguided. Instead, you will learn to live with the reality that these often painful thoughts and beliefs about yourself will arise from time to time, and that what is really important is accepting these distressing thoughts without allowing them to dominate your life. You know what it’s like to constantly be checking the mirror, to avoid certain social situations where your body may be exposed, or to gaze longingly at a fashion model in a magazine and think, “Why can’t I be her?” But what you may not know is that people who struggle with negative body image are at an increased risk for depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and low self-esteem. Body image problems can even lead to major financial issues. By focusing on your appearance and little else, you are hurting yourself in more ways than one. If you are ready to find a purpose in life that is more important than the pain you feel about your appearance, this book provides a truthful, powerful resource. About the author: Emily K. Sandoz, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at University of Louisiana at Lafayette and director of the Louisiana Contextual Science Research Group. She is also a licensed psychologist who specializes in treating clients who struggle to live with peace and purpose in their bodies, including those suffering with body image disturbance, eating difficulties, medical issues, pain or sexual trauma. Emily is coauthor of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Eating Disorders, Mindfulness and Acceptance for Bulimia.

Guest: Josh Turknett, MD author of The Migraine Miracle: A Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free Ancestral Diet to Reduce Inflammation and Relieve Your Headaches for Good. Apr 02, 2014

If you suffer from migraines, you know from experience that prescription medication can only do so much to help relieve your suffering. You also know that your next headache could still strike at any time, and as a result, you may lead a life of fear and trepidation, never knowing when the responsibilities of work and family will once again fall victim to your throbbing skull. Unfortunately, despite the many advances in medicine, there is still no real cure for the migraine headache. In The Migraine Miracle, a neurologist with a personal history of migraines offers readers the revolutionary dietary cure that has worked for him and continues to work for his patients: a diet low in wheat, sugar, and processed foods, and high in organic, protein-rich animal products. The book also explores the link between inflammation, diet, and migraines, and contains a 21-day meal plan to help readers change the way they eat. By following this easy meal plan, millions of sufferers will discover a life free from symptoms—once and for all. The book includes comprehensive, research-based information that explains what the brain goes through during a migraine headache, the phases of the migraine, and how a diagnosis is made. It also explores the risks and benefits of migraine medication, natural remedies for migraines, dietary migraine triggers, and detailed, specific instructions for a migraine-free eating plan If you have tried migraine medicine but have not found real relief, it’s time to try something new. By changing the way you eat, and understanding what foods can trigger your migraine, you can start feeling better longer, without the threat of a migraine always looming over everything you do. About the author: Josh Turknett, MD, is a 2001 graduate of the Emory School of Medicine, a board-certified neurologist, and a clinical researcher in the areas of migraine, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. Turknett maintains a busy neurology practice in Atlanta, GA, and has been recognized twice by www.vitals.com as one of America’s most compassionate doctors. He lives in the metro Atlanta area with his wife Jenny, their two children, and an ever-expanding collection of banjos.

Guest: Sam Bennett, author of Get It Done: From Procrastination to Creative Genius in 15 Minutes a Day Mar 26, 2014

About the book: Creative people tend to see the world a little differently than everyone else. But that doesn’t mean they can’t zero in on their goals, get focused, get organized, and not only accomplish what they want to achieve but earn money doing it. In Get It Done, a beloved teacher and successful writer, actor, and comedian helps you get a handle on your own particular — even peculiar — creative process and harness your energies in positive, productive, and income-generating ways. Sam Bennett’s innovative exercises, inspiring true success stories, and bonus online components will shift your thinking and prompt the kind of insights that turn underperforming geniuses into accomplished artists. About the author: Sam Bennett is the creator of the Organized Artist Company. In addition to her multifaceted writing and performance work, she specializes in personal branding, career strategies, and small-business marketing. She grew up in Chicago and now lives in a tiny beach town outside Los Angeles.

Guest: Richard Saul, MD author of ADHD Does Not Exist: The Truth About Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder. Mar 19, 2014

About the book: In this groundbreaking and controversial book, behavioral neurologist Dr. Richard Saul draws on five decades of experience treating thousands of patients labeled with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder—one of the fastest growing and widely diagnosed conditions today—to argue that ADHD is actually a cluster of symptoms stemming from over 20 other conditions and disorders. According to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 6.4 million children between the ages of four and seventeen have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. While many skeptics believe that ADHD is a fabrication of drug companies and the medical establishment, the symptoms of attention-deficit and hyperactivity are all too real for millions of individuals who often cannot function without treatment. If ADHD does not exist, then what is causing these debilitating symptoms? Over the course of half a century, physician Richard Saul has worked with thousands of patients demonstrating symptoms of ADHD. Based on his experience, he offers a shocking conclusion: ADHD is not a condition on its own, but rather a symptom complex caused by over twenty separate conditions—from poor eyesight and giftedness to bipolar disorder and depression—each requiring its own specific treatment. Drawing on in-depth scientific research and real-life stories from his numerous patients, ADHD Does not Exist synthesizes Dr. Saul’s findings, and offers and clear advice for everyone seeking answers. About the author: Dr. Richard Saul is a professor, clinician, researcher, and radio personality. For more than fifty years Dr. Saul has incorporated his clinical and academic experience into the practice of behavioral neurology and development. He served as the chairman of the department of pediatrics at Highland Park Hospital, and the medical director of an HMO in North Suburban Chicago. While working with the Health Systems Agency, a federal program, he was responsible for containing healthcare costs in Illinois. Dr. Saul has been a Castle and Connolly Best Doctor in Chicago for the past ten years. His work has been applauded in US News & World Report. He is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Neurology, and the Society for Behavior and Development. He earned his M.D. at Chicago Medical School. He lives with his wife outside of Chicago.

Guest: Alan C. Fox author of People Tools: 54 Strategies for Building Relationships, Creating Joy, and Embracing Prosperity. Mar 12, 2014

About the book: Getting along well with others is the real secret to success and happiness. In tens of thousands of classrooms we teach reading, writing, and arithmetic and yet we leave solutions to the universal problems of human relationships to be discovered, if at all, by trial and error. The trial is painful and the error is costly. People Tools: 54 Strategies for Building Relationships, Creating Joy, and Embracing Prosperity, provides time-proven techniques that you can use to build a better, happier, more successful life. It is the perfect resource for busy people looking for fast and effective solutions to the challenges we face every day. “People Tools” are practical and easy to understand. From developing self-confidence, to improving communication skills, to finding constructive ways to resolve conflict, each “People Tool” addresses a specific issue and provides a simple, straightforward strategy that you can adopt to bring about a positive result. Open the book to any page and you will find a useful solution. Each tool is illustrated with insightful stories and amusing anecdotes that are relevant and relatable. The stories will reel you in but the advice will change your life. Although you may recognize the more intuitive techniques in People Tools, this sourcebook provides explanations and helpful examples from a vast collection of different tools designed to help you further expand your own existing repertoire of skills. Some of the useful “People Tools” in the book include: The Belt Buckle. When words are different than action (The Belt Buckle), trust the Belt Buckle, not the words. Buy a Ticket. To make something good happen in your life you have to participate. Catching a Feather. An alternative to the endless chase, this Tool reveals how to attract people you want to be closer to. Patterns Persist. Prior actions are predictive of future behaviors. Catch Them Being Good. Rewards are more effective than punishments. About the author: Alan Fox has enjoyed a number of lifetimes during the past seventy-two years. He has university degrees in accounting, law, education, and professional writing. He has been employed as a Tax Supervisor for a national CPA firm, established his own law firm, and founded a commercial real estate company in 1968 that now owns and manages more than seventy major income-producing properties in eleven states. Fox is the founder, editor, and publisher of Rattle, one of the most respected literary magazines in the United States, and he sits on the board of directors of several non-profit foundations. People Tools is the distillation of his experience in accounting, law, real estate, poetry, three marriages, and raising six children, two step children, and one foster child.

Guest: Michael A. Tompkins, PhD author of OCD: A Guide for The Newly Diagnosed. Mar 08, 2014

About the book: When someone is diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), chances are they’ve been living with the symptoms for a long time. People with OCD may have long felt embarrassed by their thoughts and behaviors, which may include fear of contamination, the need for symmetry, pathological doubt, aggressive thoughts, repeating behaviors, and obsessive cleaning. OCD: A Guide for the Newly Diagnosed helps readers understand how OCD works so they can develop better strategies for coping with their symptoms. This pocket guide offers guidance for coping with the diagnosis itself, discusses stigmas related to OCD, and includes help for readers unsure of who they should tell about the diagnosis. Readers also learn about the most effective treatment approaches and easy ways to begin to manage their OCD symptoms. An OCD diagnosis can be a devastating event, or it can be a catalyst for positive change. Books in the Guides for the Newly Diagnosed series provide readers with all the tools they need to process a diagnosis in the healthiest way possible, and then move forward to manage their symptoms so that the disorder doesn’t get in the way of living a fulfilling life. This book is a part of New Harbinger Publications’ Guides for the Newly Diagnosed series.The series was created to help people who have recently been diagnosed with a mental health condition. Our goal is to offer user-friendly resources that provide answers to common questions readers may have after receiving a diagnosis, as well as evidence-based strategies to help them cope with and manage their condition, so that they can get back to living a more balanced life. About the author: Dr. Michael A. Tompkins is the author of six books. His latest book for anxious adults is Anxiety and Avoidance: A Universal Treatment for Anxiety, Panic, and Fear. He is co-director of the San Francisco Bay Area Center for Cognitive Therapy, a diplomate of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy, a trainer for the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Research, and assistant clinical professor, University of California, Berkeley. His book for anxious teenagers, My Anxious Mind: A Teen’s Guide to Managing Anxiety and Panic is a Magination Press/American Psychological Association bestseller and received the 2011 Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Seal of Merit Award.

Guest: Mark Weinstein, a privacy expert and CEO of Sgrouples. Mar 01, 2014

This week my guest is Mark Weinstein, a privacy expert and CEO of Sgrouples. Many of our relationships are started and maintained online. Whether you are using match.com (or another dating service), Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, or other ways to connect you need to know what you can do to protect your privacy. Mark will address issues about our privacy and provide tips for what we can do to protect ourselves. About my guest: Mark Weinstein is a leading privacy expert and CEO of Sgrouples.com, a privacy-centric social network that is positioned to lead the privacy revolution. Sgrouples has an unprecedented “Privacy Bill of Rights,” which prevents Sgrouples from inserting tracking cookies, data mining, or stalking its users. Mark Weinstein has been featured in Forbes and USA Today, as well as on Fox News. Honored as “Privacy By Design Ambassador” by the Canadian Government, Mark is also the author of the award winning book series,Habitually Great and a privacy blogger for USA Today and the Huffington Post.

Guest: Betsy Prioleau. Feb 22, 2014

This week my guest is Betsy Prioleau. We will discuss her specialty subject: sex and love from a post-feminist perspective. Betsy is the author of Swoon: Great Seducers and Why Women Love Them (W. W. Norton, 2013), Circle of Eros (Duke University Press) and Seductress: Women Who Ravished the World and Their Lost Art of Love (Penguin/Viking). She has a Ph.D. in literature from Duke University, was an associate professor at Manhattan College, and taught cultural history at New York University. She lives in New York City. Visit her website at www.BetsyPrioleau.com.

What Is Love? Feb 13, 2014

This week on Relationships 2.0 the topic is What is Love? In recognition of Valentine’s Day, New Harbinger asked me to answer, along with some of their other relationships authors, the question What Is Love? Sounds easy? Well, considering that shelves are filled with countless books on this topic, and they requested one or two paragraphs, I felt a bit challenged. So, I decided to treat L.O.V.E. as an acronym. And, rather than focusing on romantic, couple love I decided to highlight features that I consider important in “big” love. Obviously, I’m not able to capture all of the essential ingredients that make for a loving relationship, but here are four…

Guest: Shawn T. Smith, PsyD author of The Woman’s Guide to How Men Think: Love, Commitment, and the Male Mind. Feb 06, 2014

About the book: Comedian George Carlin once said, “Women are from earth. Men are from earth. Just deal with it.” Though witty, this sentiment fails to recognize one of the real truths in life: that both genders are completely mystified by one another, and often have a mile-long list of complaints for the opposite sex. Yet, generally speaking, both men and women want to get along—especially if there’s romance involved. A Woman’s Guide to How Men Think offers a practical, humorous, yet compassionate guide for women who want to learn the secrets of the elusive male mind. With author Shawn Smith’s trademark humor, you’ll come to understand why men think and see the world the way they do, and how to work with men to cultivate understanding and communication in relationships, without expecting men to be creatures that they are not. This isn’t a male-bashing book about how men should be more like women, but a book about how men actually are, and how women can use this understanding to get what they need from their relationships. You’ll also learn why men often feel frustrated and criticized, how to deal with lack of communication in ways that don’t put men on the defensive, and how being curious and compassionate (while not accepting disrespectful or abusive behavior) instead of dismissing men for their inherently male traits can lead to greater understanding between the sexes. The plain truth is that both men and women are from planet earth. But that doesn’t mean we are the same. If you are looking for an insider’s guide to the ever-elusive male mind, this is the book for you. About the author: Shawn Smith is a clinical psychologist in Denver, Colorado and the author of two books. His first book, Surviving Aggressive People, is a highly-respected book of verbal de-escalation and violence prevention skills. His second book,The User’s Guide to the Human Mind offers a quirky but practical look at the difficulties that the typical human mind dishes out to its owner. Shawn also writes a blog at ironshrink.com, where he answers important questions such as: Can dogs learn to read? What is relational frame theory? Is my ex possessed? His writing is light-hearted, impeccably researched, and always useful.

Guest: Stephanie Moulton Sarkis, PhD, author of ADD and Your Money: A Guide to Personal Finance for Adults With Attention Deficit Disorder Jan 31, 2014

About the book: When you have attention-deficit disorder (ADD), you don’t spend money like most other people. Past-due bills and impulsive spending can throw your finances into turmoil, and because these financial pitfalls are directly related to your ADD symptoms, they can seem impossible to overcome. The good news is that it is possible to get ADD-related financial disorganization under control and begin to enjoy a more stable relationship to your money. ADD and Your Money will show you how. This friendly guide, written with your ADD in mind, includes information on everything you need to know about managing your finances and staying in control. With this book as your guide, you will learn to: • Keep track of your bills• Create a budget that works• Get debt under control• Find ADD-friendly bank services• Plan around your splurges• Make time-management a priority If you’re ready to start focusing on your future financial success, this book can help you start making lasting changes today. About the author: Dr. Sarkis is a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) based in Boca Raton, Florida. She provides counseling and coaching to children and adults with ADHD/ADD. She is also an adjunct assistant professor in Counselor Education at Florida Atlantic University. She is internationally recognized for her work in treating ADHD/ADD, Autism, Aspergers, and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Dr. Sarkis has won national awards for her research on ADHD and brain function. Dr. Sarkis has been published in the Journal of Attention Disorders and she has been featured on CNN’s “Health Minute,” Fox News, ABC News, Sirius Satellite Radio, First Business Television, and numerous other networks and stations. She is featured in the book The Gift of Adult ADD by Lara Honos-Webb Ph.D.

Guest: Heather Tick, MD author of Holistic Pain Relief: Dr. Tick’s Breakthrough Strategies To Manage and Eliminate Pain. Jan 24, 2014

About the book: Chronic pain has become an epidemic in North America, yet our current health care system is ill equipped for treating sufferers. An expert in both conventional and holistic medicine, Dr. Heather Tick has spent twenty-five years treating patients for whom “all else has failed.” Based on her experience, Holistic Pain Relief offers practical guidance to anyone with pain. It includes easy-to-implement solutions for effective and permanent pain relief and also offers help to those with chronic conditions who feel confused, worried, or hopeless. Dr. Tick presents a new way of looking at pain with a focus on health. By helping you make informed choices about physical, emotional, and spiritual living, Holistic Pain Relief offers possibilities for recovery and information on a wide range of treatment and prevention options, including acupuncture, chiropractic techniques, intramuscular stimulation, dietary supplements, medication, nutrition, and exercise. The result is a realistic — and inspiring — prescription for pain-free living. About the author: Dr. Tick is an integrative medical practitioner, has directed pain clinics in the United States and Canada and is a consultant to corporations on ergonomics, health, and safety. She has also taught at numerous medical schools and is currently involved in medical research. A sought-after speaker, she lives in Seattle and works at the University of Washington, where she is the first Gunn-Loke Endowed Professor for Integrative Pain Medicine.

Guest: Echo Bodine author of What Happens When We Die: A Psychic’s Exploration of Death, Heaven, and the Soul’s Journey After Death. Jan 16, 2014

About the book: With her signature wit and fearlessness, beloved psychic and healer Echo Bodine offers answers to life’s biggest questions: Is there a heaven? Are there people who have been there and come back? Do we have souls? Can we communicate with deceased loved ones? Based on Echo’s personal experience of observing the souls of people nearing death and communicating with souls who have died, this comforting book shines light on the dying process and the afterlife. Her clear and fascinating stories demystify this universal experience and demonstrate that death is nothing to fear. You’ll learn about: • the stages the body goes through preceding death• the white light and the tunnel that lead to the other side• how to make sense of the death of children• what happens to those who commit suicide• the nature of heaven Echo offers practical tools for being with dying loved ones (including what not to do), for grieving (through the poignant experience of her mother’s passing as Echo was writing this book), and for cultivating clear communication with the deceased. Learning what happens when we die can be inspiring, reassuring, and profoundly life changing. About the author: Echo Bodine is a renowned spiritual healer, psychic, and teacher. Her previous books include The Gift, Echoes of the Soul, and A Still, Small Voice. She lectures widely on intuition, spiritual healing, and life after death; cohosts the bimonthly online show Sisters for the Soul; and has a popular blog. She lives in Minneapolis.

Guest: Margaret Floyd, author of Eat Naked and The Naked Foods Cookbook Jan 08, 2014

If one of your goals this year is to get healthier and/or lose weight you will want to tune in for my chat with Margaret. She will talk about her sugar detox program and why it is so important to be aware of and eliminate (or minimize) the sugar in our diets. We’ll look at how it’s hurting us, how it makes us gain weight, why it’s ubiquitous, and where it’s hiding in our diets in all its many forms. And most importantly, we’ll look at how to profoundly change our relationship with it so that we don’t remain in its grip. Her next sugar detox program starts Monday January 6th. www.eatnakednow.com www.sugarcontroldetox.com

Guest: Marc Bekoff, Ph.D., author of Why Dogs Hump and Bees Get Depressed: The Fascinating Science of Animal Intelligence, Emotions, Friendship and Conservation. Dec 19, 2013

About the book: In 2009, Marc Bekoff was asked to write on animal emotions for Psychology Today. Some 500 popular, jargon-free essays later, the field of anthrozoology — the study of human-animal relationships — has grown exponentially, as have scientific data showing how smart and emotional nonhuman animals are. Here Bekoff offers selected essays that showcase the fascinating cognitive abilities of other animals as well as their empathy, compassion, grief, humor, joy, and love. Humpback whales protect gray whales from orca attacks, combat dogs and other animals suffer from PTSD, and chickens, rats, and mice display empathy. This collection is both an updated sequel to Bekoff’s popular book The Emotional Lives of Animals and a call to begin the important work of “rewilding” ourselves and changing the way we treat other animals. About the author: Marc Bekoff is professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He is author of The Emotional Lives of Animals and Wild Justice, among many other titles. www.marcbekoff.com

Guest: Zoe Kessler, author of ADHD According to Zoe. Dec 13, 2013

Like many women with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), journalist and popular blogger Zoë Kessler was diagnosed late in life—well into adulthood, in fact. But instead of seeing this label as a burden to bear, Kessler decided to use it to gain a better understanding of herself, and to connect with others through her writing. In this unique and engaging memoir, Kessler shares her own stories of living with ADHD in a way that is relatable, but never predictable. Inside, she describes how her impulsive behavior has affected her love life; how being disorganized once stood in the way of landing a job; and how inattentiveness has caused certain challenges in her relationships. Kessler also offers key coping skills based on her experience; skills that you can use to focus your energy, become more organized, and boost your self-esteem while tapping into creativity and humor. Kessler’s story illustrates how being diagnosed with ADHD late into adulthood can be bewildering, but it also shows what a great opportunity it can be to take stock of your life and make real, lasting changes. Whether you share her diagnosis of ADHD, or just like a good story, ADHD According to Zoë will inspire you and encourage you to embrace your quirks. About the author: Zoë Kessler is an award-winning author, freelance writer, and speaker internationally recognized for her work with women and ADHD. She lives near Toronto, Canada and writes the popular blog ADHD from A to Zoë forpsychcentral.com. Her first book, Adoption Reunions, celebrates its twentieth year in print in 2013. For more information about Kessler and her work, please visit zoekessler.com.

Guest: Thomas Roberts, LCSW, LMFT, author of The Mindfulness Workbook: A Beginner’s Guide to Overcoming Fear and Embracing Compassion. Dec 05, 2013

About the book: Mindfulness is a powerful antidote to stress, anxiety and panic, chronic pain, depression, obsessive thinking, out-of-control emotions, and many other physical and mental health conditions. This ancient Buddhist technique can help anyone who struggles with fears, worries, and distractions refocus on the present moment and live happily, here and now. The Mindfulness Workbook is a step-by-step instruction book that guides you through simple practices that enable you to experience mindfulness not as a distant experience or concept, but as an attainable state of being in the world. You will discover the effectiveness of breath work, mindful eating, and thought-watching, and begin reaping the benefits of mindfulness right away. Over time, you will begin to notice that these small changes can bring about a bigger transformation, enhancing your sense of fulfillment and calm. From the author: I have a clinical psychotherapy practice in Onalaska, Wisconsin. I work with people who are determined to embrace their healing journey. I embrace and respect the mind-body connection and use mind-body therapies such as imagery, hypnotherapy, sounds, music and the like. I enjoy being in the presence of people on their healing journey! The people who have shared their journey with me have been my greatest teachers!I also have a passion for teaching and conducting retreats. At this time in my life, I have come to realize that it is time to give back. All that I have been taught, learned, and come to understand, is now to be shared with others. Being able to share the mindfulness and healing journey with people is part of my own journey. I have taught hundreds of workshops and retreats around the country and have been enriched by the people I have had the privledge of meeting along the way. They too have been my teachers. I am a practicing Buddhist and have been for 30+ years. Many teachers have helped me along the way. Yet at this point I have returned to my cushion and local Sangha as the true journey is the one to be embraced as you move through the flow of your own personal experience. I spent many years following teachers only to return to the true teacher: my life as it unfolds. This teacher has always been there, and I have realized there is really nowhere else to look. My book reflects this. So, I hope you enjoy. Visit my web site: thomasrobertsllc.com

Guest: Colleen Carney, PhD co-author of Goodnight Mind: Turn Off Your Noisy Thoughts and Get A Good Night’s Sleep Nov 21, 2013

About the book: Do you find yourself lying awake at night, ruminating about the events of the day? Do you toss and turn, worrying about what you have to do in the morning or what you did earlier in the day? If so, you are not alone. In fact, insomnia is the most common sleep disorder faced by the general population today. The most common complaint in those who have trouble sleeping is having a “noisy mind.” Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, it seems like you cannot silence all the internal dialogue. So what do you do when your mind is spinning and your thoughts just won’t stop? Accessible, enjoyable, and grounded in evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Goodnight Mind directly addresses the effects of rumination—or having an overactive brain—on your ability to sleep well. Written by two psychologists who specialize in sleep disorders, the book contains helpful exercises and insights into how you can better manage your thoughts at bedtime, and finally get some sleep. Traditional treatment for insomnia is usually focused on medications that promote sedation rather than on the behavioral causes of insomnia. Unfortunately, medication can often lead to addiction, and a host of other side effects. This is a great book for anyone who is looking for effective therapy to treat insomnia without the use of medication. This informative, small-format book is easy-to-read and lightweight, making it perfect for late-night reading. About the author: Colleen E. Carney, PhD, is associate professor and director of the Sleep and Depression Laboratory at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada. She was a National Sleep Foundation Pickwick Fellow at Duke University Medical Center, where she was on faculty, and she founded the Comorbid Insomnia Clinic at the Duke Insomnia and Sleep Research Program. Carney is well-known for her publications in the area of insomnia and its relation to other disorders, most notably, depression, anxiety, and pain. She has made numerous presentations at national research conferences, including the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) and the Association for Professional Sleep Societies (APSS). She is the current president of the ABCT’s Special Interest Group for insomnia and other sleep disorders. Currently, Carney is conducting research, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, on treating insomnia in people with depression.

Guest: Carol Krucoff, author of Yoga Sparks: 108 Easy Practices for Stress Relief in an Minute or Less Nov 14, 2013

About the book: Given the popularity of yoga in this day and age, you probably know about the benefits it can have on both the mind and body. An increase in positive mood, a decrease in stress, better sleep, and fewer aches and pains are just a few. Maybe you’ve been busy, and have been meaning to try it—or maybe you have tried it but still find it difficult to fit into your schedule. The most common excuse people give for not exercising is that they have no time. Between work, family, school, and social obligations, many of us are overbooked and scrambling to get things done in our daily lives. But what if there were quick, easy yoga exercises that could be integrated into your daily routine? Yoga Sparks offers 108 quick, practical, and accessible yoga exercises that you can practice anytime, anywhere—no matter how busy or stressful your schedule. In this book, you will learn how yoga in “bite-size” pieces can become a healthy habit that can relieve emotional stress, increase your physical strength and flexibility, and help you to lead a happier, healthier life. Whether practicing relaxed breathing while in traffic, sitting with proper alignment while working at your computer, or even balancing on one leg while waiting in line, the step-by-step, breath-by-breath practices in this book will help you bring the physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits of yoga practice into your daily life. About the author: Carol Krucoff, E-RYT, is a yoga therapist, fitness expert and author. As a yoga therapist at Duke Integrative Medicine – part of the Duke University Health System in Durham, North Carolina — she creates individualized yoga practices for people with health challenges. She also co-directs the Therapeutic Yoga for Seniors teacher training, designed to help yoga instructors work safely and effectively with older adults. Carol’s newest book is Yoga Sparks: 108 Easy Practices for Stress Relief in a Minute or Less. She is also author of Healing Yoga for Neck and Shoulder Pain and co-author, with her Duke University cardiologist husband, Mitchell Krucoff, MD, of Healing Moves: How to Cure, Relieve and Prevent Common Ailments with Exercise. She is creator of the audio home practice CD, Healing Moves Yoga and co-creator of the DVD Relax into Yoga. An award-winning journalist, Carol served as founding editor of the Health Section of The Washington Post, where her syndicated column, Bodyworks, ran for 12 years. She is a frequent contributor to Yoga Journal, and her articles have appeared in numerous national publications including The New York Times, Reader’s Digest, The Los Angeles Times, SELF, and Glamour. Carol is an experienced registered yoga teacher with the Yoga Alliance and is certified as a personal trainer by the American Council on Exercise. She is a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists and serves on the peer review board for the International Journal of Yoga Therapy. In addition to practicing yoga for more than 30 years, Carol spent a decade studying martial arts. As a second-degree black belt in karate and Sensei, she taught martial arts for four years. Visit her online at www.healingmoves.com.

Guest: Gabrielle Glaser, author of Her Best Kept Secret: Why Women Drink and How They Can Regain Control Nov 06, 2013

About the book: What’s the first thing many women do when they go home? Make a dash for the white wine in the refrigerator. In Her Best-Kept Secret, journalist Gabrielle Glaser uncovers this hidden-in-plain-sight drinking epidemic—but doesn’t cause you to recoil in alarm. She is the first to document that American women are drinking more often than ever and in ever larger quantities. And she is the first to show that contrary to the impression fostered by reality shows and Gossip Girl,young women alone are not driving these statistics—their moms and grandmothers are, too. But Glaser doesn’t wag a finger. Instead, in a funny and tender voice, Glaser looks at the roots of the problem, explores the strange history of women and alcohol in America, drills into the emerging and counterintuitive science about that relationship, and asks: Are women really getting the help they need? Is it possible to come back from beyond the sipping point and develop a healthy relationship with the bottle? Glaser reveals that, for many women, joining Alcoholics Anonymous is not the answer—it is part of the problem. She shows that as scientists and health professionals learn more about women’s particular reactions to alcohol, they are coming up with new and more effective approaches to excessive drinking. In that sense, Glaser offers modern solutions to a very modern problem. About the author: Gabrielle Glaser grew up in Tangent, Oregon, the Grass Seed Capital of the World (pop. 440). She spent her teenage summers driving John Deere combines on her family farm, listening to an unusual mix of local radio programming: the BeeGees, Marvin Gaye, Johnny Cash, and NPR. She was an indifferent member of her local 4-H sewing club, and her nearest neighbors were her grandparents. After high school, she attended Stanford University, where she received a bachelor’s and master’s degree in history. She started her journalistic career as a news assistant at The New York Times in Washington, D.C.. She worked as a reporter at the Associated Press in Baltimore, Maryland, and Warsaw, Poland. From Eastern Europe, she also reported for The Economist, The Dallas Morning News, The Village Voice, and National Public Radio. Since the late 1990s, Glaser has examined social, cultural, and national health trends for The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, andThe Oregonian in Portland, where she was a staff writer. She worked as a “County Lines” columnist at The New York Times, and her work has appeared in many publications, including The New York Times Magazine, Glamour, Mademoiselle, and ScientificAmerican.com. She taught feature writing at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, and won the Missouri Lifestyle Journalism award for her groundbreaking work exploring international and interracial adoption, “Sending Black Babies North.” BeforeHer Best-Kept Secret, she wrote Strangers to the Tribe: Portraits of Interfaith Marriage, and The Nose: A Profile of Sex, Beauty, and Survival. She appears frequently as a commentator and a guest on local and national television and radio.

Guest: Steven Stosny, PhD author of Living and Loving After Betrayal: How to Heal from Emotional Abuse, Deceit, Infidelity, and Chronic Resentment Oct 31, 2013

Betrayal has many faces, including anger, abuse, deceit, and infidelity. These feel like betrayal because they violate the implicit promise of emotional bonds, that your loved one will care about your well being and never intentionally hurt you. If you’ve recently left a relationship where you felt betrayed by your partner—or if you want to repair one—it can seem impossible to view the world without the shadow of past betrayal hovering over you. As a result, you may struggle to create meaning in your life, find the strength to forgive, or build new, loving relationships. In Living and Loving after Betrayal, therapist and relationship expert Steven Stosny offers effective tools for healing, based on his highly successful CompassionPower program. He founded the CompassionPower agency on the belief that we are more powerful when compassionate than when angry or aggressive, and that true strength comes from relating compassionately to others and remaining true to your deeper values. In this book, you’ll learn practical strategies for overcoming betrayal-induced trauma and the chronic resentment and depression that result, using this innovative compassion-empowerment approach. Most books on betrayal only focus on the obvious issues, such as infidelity, abuse, or sex addiction. This book explores the effects of those kinds of betrayal, as well as less-talked-about types, such as emotional manipulation, dishonesty, deceit, and financial cheating. In addition, the book helps you regain a sense of trust in others so that you can eventually find another compassionate person to share your life with or, if you choose, to rebuild a relationship with your reformed betrayer. Recovering from the betrayal of partner isn’t easy, but Living and Loving after Betrayal offers potent ways to heal, grow, and love again. About the author: Steven Stosny, Ph.D., is the founder of CompassionPower in suburban Washington, DC. Dr. Steven Stosny’s most recent books are, Love without Hurt: Turn Your Resentful, Angry, or Emotionally Abusive Relationship into a Compassionate, Loving One and How to Improve Your Marriage without Talking about It: Finding Love beyond Words. He has appeared on ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show,’ ‘CBS Sunday Morning,’ and CNN’s ‘Talkback Live’ and ‘Anderson Cooper 360′ and has been the subject of articles in, The New York Times, The Washington Post, U.S. News & World Report, The Wall Street Journal, Esquire, Cosmopolitan, O, Psychology Today, AP, Reuters, and USA Today. He has offered hundreds of workshops all over the world and has presented at most of the leading professional conferences. A consultant in family violence for the Prince George’s County Circuit and District courts, as well as for several mental health agencies in Maryland and Virginia, he has treated over 4,500 clients for various forms of resentment, anger, abuse, and violence. He has taught at the University of Maryland and at St. Mary’s College of Maryland.

Guest: Micki Fine, author of The Need to Please: Mindfulness Skills to Gain Freedom from People Pleasing and Approval Seeking Oct 24, 2013

Do you have a hard time saying no to others, no matter how outrageous their requests? If so, you might be a chronic people-pleaser. Unfortunately, because we live in a society that praises putting the needs of others before ourselves, it can be difficult to break this bad habit. And while thinking of others is always commendable, there is a fine line between sacrifice and senseless approval seeking. In The Need to Please, a leading mindfulness expert and psychotherapist provides compassionate, mindfulness-based techniques that will help chronic people-pleasers like you address and overcome your fears of failure, inappropriate self-sacrificing, loss of personal identity, and voracious need of approval. In addition, you will learn to put an end to the codependent behaviors that lie at the heart of being a people-pleaser. Change is hard—especially when it means going against years of social conditioning. But if you’re ready to “Just Say No,” to others’ demands and start saying, “Yes” to your own needs, this book can help. You can find out more about these mindfulness techniques atlivingmindfully.org. About the author: Micki Fine, MEd, LPC, is the founder of Mindful Living in Houston, TX and a certified mindfulness teacher. She was awarded this credential from the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, where Jon Kabat-Zinn founded the renowned Center for Mindfulness. She holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology and is licensed as a professional counselor. She has been in private psychotherapy practice since 1990, and currently teaches mindfulness in her private practice, The Jung Center, and Rice University. To find out more about Fine, visit livingmindfully.org.

Guest: Michael A. Tompkins PhD, author of Anxiety and Avoidance: A Universal Treatment for Anxiety, Panic and Fear Oct 17, 2013

Do you suffer from panic, anxiety, and fear in your day-to-day life? Do you often avoid social situations, activities like driving, or even going to the store because of a fear of being overwhelmed or triggering a panic attack? You might be interested to know that anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorders in the United States. In Anxiety and Avoidance, psychologist and anxiety disorder expert Michael Tompkins presents a universal protocol to help you cope with anxiety, panic, and fear, regardless of your particular mental health diagnosis. This universal protocol is based on David H. Barlow’s “unified protocol,” and is a cognitive behavioral approach. Tompkins also draws on mindfulness-based therapies such as acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) that have been used successfully in the treatment of anxiety disorders for years. The book includes present-moment awareness (mindfulness) techniques, motivational tools for overcoming experiential avoidance, and cognitive tools for reframing anxiety and fear. In addition, you will learn how to use your personal values as a vehicle for lasting change. While most anxiety treatments have focused on symptom reduction, this book teaches you the skills needed to better handle the underlying emotional reactions that lead to anxiety and panic in the first place. If you are ready to stop avoiding situations that cause you to panic and get back to living a full life, this book is a powerful resource that can help you make a lasting change using an innovative, transdiagnostic approach. About the author: Dr. Michael A. Tompkins is the author of six books. His latest book for anxious adults is Anxiety and Avoidance: A Universal Treatment for Anxiety, Panic, and Fear available in September 2013. He is a founding partner of the San Francisco Bay Area Center for Cognitive Therapy and a Diplomate of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy. His book for anxious teenagers, My Anxious Mind: A Teen’s Guide to Managing Anxiety and Panic is a Magination Press/American Psychological Association bestseller and received the 2011 Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Seal of Merit Award. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, two daughters, and two cats.

Guest: Stephanie Moulton Sarkis, PhD author of Making the Grade with ADD: A Student’s Guide to Succeeding in College with Attention Deficit Disorder. Oct 09, 2013

In college, independence, fun activities, and new friendships abound. But if you have attention deficit disorder (ADD), these new opportunities also present new challenges. To adjust to college life, you’ll need to learn to harness your disorder in new ways in order to plan your time effectively, become a successful student, make friends, and take advantage of everything campus life has to offer. This easy-to-use guide will help you create study habits that work with your ADD in productive and positive ways. You’ll learn how to: • Set up a class schedule with your ADD in mind • Get along with roommates and establish a comfortable living situation • Stay focused, take notes, and study when surrounded by distractions • Get help at your campus health center when you need it • Make time for socializing and extracurricular activities Written by a licensed mental health counselor who has ADD herself, this guide will be a valuable resource through your college years and beyond. Visit the author at her web site: www.stephaniesarkis.com. About the author: Dr. Sarkis is a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) based in Boca Raton, Florida. She provides counseling and coaching to children and adults with ADHD/ADD. She is also an adjunct assistant professor in Counselor Education at Florida Atlantic University. She is internationally recognized for her work in treating ADHD/ADD, Autism, Aspergers, and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Dr. Sarkis has won national awards for her research on ADHD and brain function. Dr. Sarkis has been published in the Journal of Attention Disorders and she has been featured on CNN’s “Health Minute,” Fox News, ABC News, Sirius Satellite Radio, First Business Television, and numerous other networks and stations. She is featured in the book The Gift of Adult ADD by Lara Honos-Webb Ph.D.

Guest: Jason B. Fischer, MA, LPC author of The Two Truths About Love: The Art & Wisdom of Extraordinary Relationships. Oct 02, 2013

Some relationships last, others fall apart, and still others seem to thrive and grow as the years go on. The Two Truths About Love is a guide to creating this third type of relationship—an extraordinary partnership wherein each partner feels fully accepted and loved as they are. Designed over the course of thousands of hours conducting face-to-face counseling sessions with clients, psychotherapist and former Buddhist monk Jason B. Fischer’s unique approach has already improved the lives of countless individuals and couples. The two secrets to creating extraordinary relationships are simple: partners must 1. Give permission for the other person to be who they truly are while also 2. Taking responsibility for their own reactions, behaviors, assumptions, and expectations of their partner and the relationship. This book gives readers the tools to start giving permission and taking responsibility in their own relationships and offers strategies for letting go of dissatisfaction and habitual conflicts. In short, accessible chapters, readers learn how to put these seemingly simple rules into practice to regain balance and peace in their partnerships. About the author: Jason B. Fischer, MA, LPC, is a licensed psychotherapist who has a thriving counseling practice in Austin, TX. He is the clinical director and owner of Plumeria Counseling Center, which he founded with the underlying mission of providing quality, affordable counseling to all those who desire it. His innovative approach to therapy has helped countless individuals and couples learn how to gain command of their lives and relationships. His self-designed philosophy—The Art of Giving Permission or The Permission Principle—is a graceful blend of Western psychology and Eastern thought which teaches how all human beings have the ability to transform personal and interpersonal suffering through practicing “the art of giving permission”. His teachings articulate exactly what this skill entails and explains why it is so essential for achieving lasting harmony and intimacy, not just with others, but within ourselves and in relationship to each aspect of the ever-changing world in which we seek fulfillment. He additionally spent time as a fully ordained Theravadin Buddhist monk, before reentering conventional society to “walk the middle path.” His lifelong ambition is to help foster a global community free from suffering and interpersonal disharmony. “I’m a therapist. There, I said it. No single word comes closer to encompassing the entirety of my being than this one word. At various points in my past I would have relied upon others: student, teacher, writer, seeker, cab driver, acupuncturist, Buddhist monk. It took some time to discover that which I had been all along. In retrospect each step of the journey makes sense, for I would not be the therapist I am today without each contributing experience that has brought me to this moment–the many hours of meditation, my collegiate studies in Buddhism and Taoism, my visits to temples and monasteries in India, Thailand, China, Tibet, and the United States. Nothing I have ever experienced has been without its relevance.” — Jason B. Fischer

Guest: Deesha Philyaw, co-author of Co-Parenting 101: Helping Your Kids Thrive in Two Households After Divorce. Sep 25, 2013

A successful co-parenting relationship is as vital to your child’s well-being and health as nutritious food or proper exercise. Research, anecdotal evidence, and plain common sense all point to the fact that children are happier, healthier, and better adjusted when both of their parents play an active role in their lives. Studies also show that the trauma children experience in the wake of a divorce or separation can be lessened when they see their parents getting along. Kids whose parents successfully co-parent feel more secure than those who have limited or no connection to one of their parents post divorce. Co-Parenting 101 is based on the premise that co-parenting is a must, not an option. The involvement of both parents—not just the primary guardian—is the cornerstone of successful co-parenting. This is the first book written by a formerly married couple for whom co parenting is central to their day to day lives, and it offers a comprehensive, personal, and upfront look at how to effectively raise kids with an ex-spouse. Authors Deesha Philyaw and Michael D. Thomas, the creators of the popular co-parenting website, co-parenting101.org, share their own experiences raising their children together, as well as provide professional advice from co-parenting experts. Through practical tips combined with expert parental strategies, this book a great resource for divorced parents with children. For parents, less time stressed out about legal wrangling means more time to be fully present and engaged with the children. By learning to put their animosity aside, parents can focus on putting their kids first. About the co-author: Deesha Philyaw is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in Essence and Bitch magazines, as well as The Washington Post. Her writing has been anthologized in several collections including Literary Mama: Reading for the Maternally Inclined; When We Were Free to Be: Looking Back at a Children’s Classic and the Difference It Made; and The Cassoulet Saved Our Marriage: True Tales of Food, Family, and How We Learn to Eat. She is the co-founder of Co-Parenting101.org

Guest: Dr. Bernie Siegel, author of The Art of Healing: Uncovering Your Inner Wisdom and Potential for Self-Healing Sep 19, 2013

In these pages, renowned medical doctor and spiritual teacher Bernie Siegel demonstrates how science and spirituality interact — and how you can tap your body’s potential to heal. After studying the use of crayon drawings by patients facing life-threatening disease, Bernie founded Exceptional Cancer Patients to facilitate self-induced healings, which were often called miraculous. Bernie realized our bodies actually want to heal, and we can aid this innate propensity through what are currently seen as unconventional practices, including drawing, visualization, dreams, love, and laughter. You’ll learn how to use these practices to help with everything from diagnosing and understanding your illness to making the correct treatment decisions to sharing your experience with loved ones and caregivers. Filled with inspiring true stories and suggestions for traveling your own healing journey, this book offers hands-on, patient-proven techniques that can create miracles.

Guest: Dr. Ricki Pollycove, OB-GYN and an expert on women’s health. Dr. Pollycove will talk about the latest research and news on women’s health and sexual well-being–information that will assist you in improving your relationship with your body. Sep 13, 2013

About my guest, in her words: My career is focused on healthy aging in women, including hormone replacement therapy using primarily bio-identical hormones, and reducing risks for functional loss and dependency. I specialize in the endocrinology of menopause and disease risk reduction as reflected in individual patient care options and clinical management decision-making, with an emphasis on breast cancer early detection, diagnosis, treatment options and ongoing cancer survivor care. Further insight into the depth of our need to nurture ourselves throughout a woman’s life is fueled by having delivered over 1,500 babies in addition to being a mother myself. From babyhood to adulthood, we all deserve compassionate, kind and patient attention to our individual needs. I have committed to becoming more active in the politics of medicine, hoping to preserve the very special nature of the physician patient relationship as well as promoting greater collegiality through all sectors of health care. I am a member of the following professional organizations: American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG). Fellow, 1984 to present. American Society for Reproductive Medicine, 1983 to present North American Menopause Society, 1992 to present American Society of Breast Disease, 1994 to present California Medical Association: San Francisco Medical Society, 1981 to present. Editorial Board, 1998-present. Editor in Chief, 1999- 2001. The American Medical Writers Association, 1994-2000. My academic appointments include: Volunteer Clinical faculty at UC San Francisco (Women’s health, gynecology and female sexuality courses) former faculty at the University of Arizona School of Medicine (associate professor for the “Current issues in women and children’s health” course) and adjunct teaching in the Integral Health Studies Program of the California Institute of Integral Studies (see www.CIIS.edu master’s program in Integral Health). As part of community outreach, I enjoy appearing on television, as a regular women’s health guest expert on local and national television and radio programs as well as public lectures. Professional continuing education seminars for doctors, nurses, physician assistants and psychologists continue to be a regular part of my professional activities I serve on the non-profit Sophia Project Board of trustees, devoted to caring for near-homeless mothers and children in West Oakland and the larger Bay Area. I also serve on the Board of the California Institute of Integral Studies, a University offering bachelor’s degree completion, Masters and PhDs (see www.CIIS.edu). For 15 years I served on the board of the Patient Assistance Foundation whose job it is to raise money for health education, social services and financial counseling for those in need. My hobbies include savory cooking and baking, having held a job as pastry chef assistant during college and never losing my enthusiasm for good organic home cooking. I also enjoy music (when I can practice, I play viola in chamber music groups and sing soprano), reading a diversity of philosophical and historical writers, bike riding and hiking to explore nature and the world. My books include The Pocket Guide to Bioidentical Hormones, Alpha Press 2010, and Mother Nurture, with Rick and Jan Hanson, Penguin, 2002.

Guest: Margaret Floyd, author of Eat Naked and co-author of The Naked Foods Cookbook. Sep 07, 2013

This will be her fourth time on my show. I love having Margaret on regularly to keep us on track (or get us back on track) with making healthy food choices. Our relationship with our body is one of our most important relationships and Margaret is an invaluable resource. Eat Naked is the genesis of years of learning, reading, seeking, and teaching about nutrition, cooking, and health. No matter your dietary preference—vegetarian or omnivore, raw or cooked, macrobiotic, traditional, or modern—eating naked will only enhance the health benefits, simplify the process, and help you look great, even without your clothes on! It’s time to enjoy “naked” foods—whole foods that are fresh and organically grown, prepared in ways that allow each food’s naturally delicious flavors to shine through. Margaret Floyd shows you how to choose the nutrient-dense foods that will make you look and feel so gorgeous, you’ll want to take it all off. Why go out to eat? Cooking at home is easy, healthy, delicious, and affordable—and with the right techniques and ingredients, preparing a home-cooked meal can be quicker than picking up take-out. The Naked Foods Cookbook, the anticipated follow-up cookbook to Margaret Floyd’s Eat Naked, shows readers how they can create whole, organic, and fresh “naked” meals that maximize the natural nutritional value of food. Unlike commercially available prepared foods and restaurant dishes, naked meals contain no harmful additives, preservatives, or empty-calorie fillers. Readers who seek to control the quality of ingredients and nutrients in their food will turn to this cookbook time and time again for affordable, naturally delicious meals they can feel good about eating and serving to others. About the author: My name is Margaret and I eat naked. That’s really all you need to know about me, but if you’re curious to know more… I love food and everything about it: growing it, cooking it, eating it, healing with it, talking about it, understanding it, relating to it. Food is such an integral part of our life. We have to eat it multiple times a day just to survive and, as one of my teachers said, “We are, at our most basic level, walking food.” True that. I had my first powerful experience with the fundamental importance of food in my mid-20s when a change to my diet resolved a chronic skin condition I’d struggled with for years. At the time I was deeply immersed in the world of social ventures and business consulting, first with the boutique consultancy Spark Strategies and then as VP Member Development with Canadian Business for Social Responsibility. Fast forward a few years and I realized my true calling was food and health, and, more specifically, using the former to achieve the latter. I became a Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) at the Nutritional Therapy Association (a school I recommend highly if you’re considering a career in nutrition) and then drew inspiration from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition where I learned from some of the top minds in the field (personal favorites were Sally Fallon of the Weston A Price Foundation, Dr. Mark Hyman, and Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way). Since then, I’ve become a Certified GAPS Practitioner, a Certified Healing Foods Specialist and also studied with the incredible Mark David at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating. I now work with clients all over North America and Europe, helping them resolve health issues, learn how to eat for their body to thrive, and heal their relationship with food. It’s juicy stuff, and so rewarding. In June 2011 my first book, Eat Naked: Unprocessed, Unpolluted and Undressed Eating for a Healthier, Sexier You, was released with New Harbinger Publications, and in May 2012 we launched its recipe follow-up, The Naked Foods Cookbook: The Whole-Foods, Healthy-Fats, Gluten-Free Guide to Losing Weight and Feeling Great, with the amazing Chef Barry James.

Guest: Scott Barry Kaufman author of Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined (The Truth About Talent, Practice, Creativity, and the Many Paths to Greatness). Aug 29, 2013

Child prodigies. Gifted and Talented Programs. Perfect 2400s on the SAT. Sometimes it feels like the world is conspiring to make the rest of us feel inadequate. Those children tapped as possessing special abilities will go on to achieve great things, while the rest of us have little chance of realizing our dreams. Right? In Ungifted, cognitive psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman—who was relegated to special education as a child—sets out to show that the way we interpret traditional metrics of intelligence is misguided. Kaufman explores the latest research in genetics and neuroscience, as well as evolutionary, developmental, social, positive, and cognitive psychology, to challenge the conventional wisdom about the childhood predictors of adult success. He reveals that there are many paths to greatness, and argues for a more holistic approach to achievement that takes into account each young person’s personal goals, individual psychology, and developmental trajectory. In so doing, he increases our appreciation for the intelligence and diverse strengths of prodigies, savants, and late bloomers, as well as those with dyslexia, autism, schizophrenia, and ADHD. Combining original research, anecdotes, and a singular compassion, Ungifted proves that anyone—even those without readily observable gifts at any single moment in time—can become great. About the author: Scott Barry Kaufman, Ph.D. is a cognitive scientist interested in the development of intelligence, creativity, and personality. He applies a variety of perspectives to come to a richer understanding and appreciation of all kinds of minds and ways of achieving greatness. Scott is adjunct assistant professor of psychology at NYU. He completed his doctorate at Yale, received an M.Phil from the University of Cambridge under a Gates Cambridge Scholarship, and completed his undergraduate degree at Carnegie Mellon University. He is cofounder of The Creativity Post, and writes the blog Beautiful Minds for Scientific American Mind. Kaufman lives in New York City.

Guest: Matt McKay, PhD co-author of Why?: What Your Life Is Telling You About Who You Are and Why You’re Here. Aug 21, 2013

Do you wonder what your true path in life is? We each have a purpose and a mission. However, uncovering this purpose can be challenging, and often daunting. If you are like most, you have probably asked yourself, “Why am I here?” But where do you turn for answers? Religion? Psychology? Spirituality? Written by psychologist and bestselling author Matthew McKay, charismatic Silicon Valley spiritual leader Seán ÓLaoire, and bestselling author Ralph Metzner, Why? will help you see what your past and present experiences are telling you about the spiritual theme in your life; one that is visible when you know how to read the signs. Your experiences may be that of a Healer/Peacemaker, an Explorer/Scientist, a Warrior/Guardian, an Artist/Designer, a Teacher/Communicator, or a Builder/Organizer. By showing you how to uncover your unique path, this book will help you discover your life’s true meaning. This book will help you dismantle tired, old traditions that tell us that we should avoid pain and seek pleasure or pursue power, and shows us that even pain can play an important part in how we choose to live. The book also helps you to create your own cosmology that unites your beliefs with your life’s mission, helps you recognize that individual mission, and outline exercises to bring you into alignment with this mission via personal practices. Despite these heady topics, the book is written in an accessible, inspiring, and entertaining tone. We are here to see, to know, to gather whatever wisdom our life offers, and to make use of that wisdom as our soul matures. A seamless blending of deep spirituality, good psychology and practical living, Why? offers the tools that you need to gain knowledge and awareness of yourself at the deepest level. So get ready to reveal your personal path in life, and begin living life to its fullest. About the author: Matthew McKay, PhD, is a professor at the Wright Institute in Berkeley, CA. He has authored and coauthored numerous books, including The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook, Self-Esteem, Thoughts and Feelings, When Anger Hurts, and ACT on Life Not on Anger. He has also penned two fiction novels, Us and The Wawona Hotel. McKay received his PhD in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology, and specializes in the cognitive behavioral treatment of anxiety and depression. He lives and works in the Bay Area.

Guest: Keith Armstrong, co-author of Courage After Fire for Parents of Service Members: Strategies for Coping When Your Son or Daughter Returns from Deployment Aug 15, 2013

Parents of returning service members may sometimes feel that their voices are not heard. The media is saturated with stories about troops returning from deployment with mental health problems like post-traumatic stress, depression, and substance abuse. Some also return home with physical problems including traumatic brain injury, physical pain or more severe injuries like amputations. Almost all returning service members experience reintegration challenges such as readjusting to family and community, finding employment or attending school. But rarely do we hear how parents are taking on the role of supporting their sons and daughters who have served our country. In countless ways these parents provide help—and when their military child suffers significant physical or psychological injuries, they may once again become their primary caretaker. For mothers and fathers and others in a parenting role, it can be overwhelming at times, and resources are limited. Courage after Fire for Parents of Service Members provides a compassionate and accessible guide for the parents or guardians of returning troops. This groundbreaking book acknowledges the significant contribution and sacrifice parents have made for their military children, provides strategies and resources that will assist them in understanding and supporting their son or daughter, and will validate their own personal experiences. Recommendations for helping them care for their returning service member are woven throughout the book, as well as education about the importance of taking care of themselves to help prevent caregiver burnout. Vignettes and reflections from parents who have had a child deploy offer a sense of hope and community. Even in the best of circumstances, parents play an instrumental role in helping their sons and daughters successfully reintegrate after deployment. This book is a valuable resource for any parent who is seeking to better understand and support a returning military child while caring for themselves.

Guests: Michelle Skeen (yes, I will be host and guest) and Avigail Lev discussing our book The Interpersonal Problems Workbook: ACT to End Painful Relationships Patterns (co-authored with Matt McKay and Patrick Fanning). Aug 08, 2013

Do you often lash out at people? Do you let your emotions rule your interactions with others? Do you find it difficult to see things from others’ point of view? You are not alone. Despite the fact that we all have to deal with other people our daily lives, many of us have difficulties with interpersonal relationships. Written by psychologist and bestselling author Matthew McKay, The Interpersonal Problems Workbook combines research and evidence-based techniques for strengthening relationships in all areas in life—whether it’s at home, at work, with a significant other, a parent, or a child. The skills in this workbook are based in both schema therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and are designed to help you connect and communicate effectively with those around them. ACT has been proven effective in helping people improve their relationships with others. The ACT skills detailed in this book include present moment awareness, diffusion, and flexibility—all of which will help you to improve your relationships with others. In this book you will learn what your schema is, and how to act on your values to communicate and get along with others. If you are ready to stop building walls and start connecting with those around you, this book presents powerful, effective tools for change. About the coauthor: Avigail Lev, PsyD, maintains a private practice in Berkeley, CA. She specializes in couples’ therapy and also treats individuals who struggle with interpersonal problems, anxiety, trauma, chronic pain, and mood disorders. She has provided supervision, trainings, and workshops utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and is the coauthor of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Interpersonal Problems.

Guest: Randi Kreger author of The Essential Family Guide to Borderline Personality Disorder: New Tools and Techniques to Stop Walking on Eggshells. Jul 31, 2013

For family members of people with borderline personality disorder (BPD), home life is routinely unpredictable and frequently unbearable. Extreme mood swings, impulsive behaviors, and suicidal tendencies—common conduct among those who suffer from the disorder—leave family members feeling confused, hurt, and helpless. In her pioneering first book Stop Walking on Eggshells, co-authored with Paul T. Mason, Randi Kreger outlined the fundamental differences in the way that people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) relate to the world. Now, with The Essential Family Guide to Borderline Personality Disorder, she takes readers to the next level, giving them straightforward tools to get off the emotional roller coaster and repair relationships with loved ones with BPD. Kreger answers the questions family members most want to ask about: the symptoms and treatment of BPD, including why BPD is so misdiagnosed; how symptoms can differ by age and gender; and how addiction and other disorders complicate BPD. She then outlines how families can set boundaries and communicate differently in order to help themselves and their loved ones cope with this bewildering form of mental illness.

Guest: Sheri Van Dijk author of Don’t Let Your Emotions Run Your Life for Teens Jul 25, 2013

Let’s face it: life gives you plenty of reasons to get angry, sad, scared, and frustrated-and those feelings are okay. But sometimes it can feel like your emotions are taking over, spinning out of control with a mind of their own. To make matters worse, these overwhelming emotions might be interfering with school, causing trouble in your relationships, and preventing you from living a happier life. Don’t Let Your Emotions Run Your Life for Teens is a workbook that can help. In this book, you’ll find new ways of managing your feelings so that you’ll be ready to handle anything life sends your way. Based in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), a type of therapy designed to help people who have a hard time handling their intense emotions, this workbook helps you learn the skills you need to ride the ups and downs of life with grace and confidence.

Guest: Wendy Behary author of Disarming the Narcissist: Surviving and Thriving with the Self-Absorbed. Jul 18, 2013

Do you know someone who is overly arrogant, shows an extreme lack of empathy, or exhibits an inflated sense of entitlement? Do they exploit others, or engage in magical thinking? These are all traits of narcissistic personality disorder, and when it comes to dealing with narcissists, it can be difficult to get your point across. So how do you handle the narcissistic people in your life? You might interact with them in social or professional settings, and you might even love one—so ignoring them isn’t really a practical solution. They’re frustrating, and maybe even intimidating, but ultimately, you need to find a way of communicating effectively with them. Disarming the Narcissist, Second Edition, will show you how to move past the narcissist’s defenses using compassionate, empathetic communication. You’ll learn how narcissists view the world, how to navigate their coping styles, and why, oftentimes, it’s sad and lonely being a narcissist. By learning to anticipate and avoid certain hot-button issues, you’ll be able to relate to narcissists without triggering aggression. By validating some common narcissistic concerns, you’ll also find out how to be heard in conversation with a narcissist.

Guest: Betsy Prioleau, author of Seductress: Women Who Ravished the World and Their Lost Art of Love. Jul 11, 2013

In this road map to restoring feminine sexual power, Betsy Prioleau introduces and analyzes the stories and stratagems of history’s greatest seductresses. These are the women who ravished the world, from such classic figures as Cleopatra and Mae West to such lesser-known women as the infamous Violet Gordon Woodhouse, who lived in a ménage with four men. Smarts, imagination, courage, and killer charm helped these love maestras claim the men of their choice and keep them fascinated for life. Through an exposé of their secrets, Seductress provides an authoritative, empowering guide to erotic sovereignty

Guest: Marta Williams, author of My Animal, My Self: A Breakthrough Way to Understand How You and Your Animal Reflect Each Other. Jul 03, 2013

In this groundbreaking book, animal communicator Marta Williams brings into focus an unexamined dynamic in our relationships with our animals: the idea that our animals are often our mirrors. Deeply and inextricably connected to us on the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels, they can pick up and reflect back to us the issues and events of our lives. Through stories, exercises, and an extensive questionnaire, you will gain unique insight into the healing and teaching roles of your companion animals, both past and current, and the profound gifts they offer.

Guest: Raychelle Cassada Lohmann and Julia Taylor, authors of The Bullying Workbook for Teens Jun 26, 2013

Being a teenager is difficult enough without having to worry about bullying. If you have experienced bullying or cyberbullying, you aren’t alone. Bullying and cyberbullying are at an all-time high, and the effects of both can be tremendous for a young person who is already dealing with major school, life, and home stressors. The Bullying Workbook for Teens incorporates cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help ease anxiety, fear, stress, and other emotions associated with being bullied. The workbook is made up of 42 step-by-step self-help activities designed to help you learn anti-bullying tips and strategies, manage emotions such as anxiety, fear, anger, and depression, and learn constructive communication skills to help you express your feelings.

Holly Hazlett-Stevens author of Women Who Worry Too Much: How to Stop Worry & Anxiety from Ruining Relationships, Work & Fun. Jun 20, 2013

Women are more likely than men to develop anxiety disorders, a fact which researchers have attributed to a range of biological, psychological, and cultural factors. This predisposition inclines women to worry more than men about things like social problems, work, finances-even about worry itself, a phenomenon psychologists call meta-worry. The goal of this book is to help readers control excessive worry by learning to perceive threats more accurately and to stop focusing on things that are unlikely to happen.

Guest: Thomas G. Plante PhD ABPP, author of Do the Right Thing: Living Ethically in an Unethical World. Jun 13, 2013

How should you live your life? Our actions and choices dramatically affect our thoughts and feelings about ourselves and the world around us. Few things promote good mental health better than a clear conscience and the peace of mind that come from knowing you’ve done the right thing. But, in our ever more complicated world, what are the right choices? How can we make decisions that are at the same time good for us, good for our community—and just plain good?

Guest: Linda Graham author of Bouncing Back: Rewiring Your Brain for Maximum Resilience and Well-Being. Jun 05, 2013

Resilience is the ability to face and handle life’s challenges, whether everyday disappointments or extraordinary disasters. While resilience is innate in the brain, over time we learn unhelpful patterns, which then become fixed in our neural circuitry. But science is now revealing that what previously seemed hardwired can be rewired, and Bouncing Back shows us how. With powerful, time-tested exercises, Linda Graham guides us in rebuilding our core well-being and disaster-proofing our brains. About the author: Linda Graham, MFT, is an experienced psychotherapist in private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area. She integrates modern neuroscience, mindfulness practices, and relational psychology into her nationwide trainings. Her monthly Healing and Awakening into Aliveness and Wholeness e-newsletters are archived on www.lindagraham-mft.net

Guest: Steve Flowers author of The Mindful Path Through Shyness: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Help Free You From Social Anxiety, Fear, and Avoidance. May 29, 2013

Shyness often helps protect us from the judgments and resentments of others, but once you get in the habit of avoiding social situations, you can become stuck in a cycle of avoidance that can be difficult to escape. Ready to let go of shyness and make stronger connections with others? The Mindful Path Through Shyness shows you how. This guide uses techniques from mindfulness-based stress reduction and cognitive behavioral therapy to help you cultivate awareness of your own thoughts so that you can act with more wisdom and compassion toward yourself. Over time, you will be able to free yourself of the old mental habits of self-consciousness and self-blame, and replace them with new habits that foster confidence and joy.

Guest: Margaret Floyd, author of Eat Naked and The Naked Foods Cookbook May 22, 2013

She will talk about the “devil in white”: sugar. We’ll look at how it’s hurting us, why it’s ubiquitous, and where it’s hiding in our diets in all its many forms. And most importantly, we’ll look at how to profoundly change our relationship with it so that we do not remain in its grip.

Guest: Fred Lundgren May 16, 2013

Fred Lundgren, CEO of KCAA 1050 AM

Guest: Carolyn Daitch, PhD and Lissah Lorberbaum, MA co-authors of Anxious in Love: How to Manage Your Anxiety, Reduce Conflict, and Reconnect with Your Partner May 09, 2013

Healthy relationships require trust, intimacy, effective communication, and understanding. However, if you suffer from chronic anxiety you may have trouble dealing with everyday conflicts and tensions that can arise in relationships. No matter how committed you are, anxiety can leave you feeling distanced from your partner. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to overcome the anxiety-fueled reactions that keep you from achieving true closeness in your relationship.

Guest: Tammy Nelson, PhD author of The New Monogamy: Redefining Your Relationships After Infidelity May 01, 2013

Everyone has their own concept of what “monogamy” means—and most people assume their partners and spouses are on the same page. Couples may assume that they are monogamous, but never discuss exactly what the monogamy agreement means to them. What happens when this implicit agreement is broken? After infidelity, relationships can become strained as both partners lose trust and faith in each other. The New Monogamy offers a way out of these difficulties for couples struggling to stay together after infidelity. Couples make these implicit assumptions and agreements explicit so that each partner knows exactly what is expected of them in the future and what they can expect from their partner.

Guest: Martin Antony, PhD author of When Perfect Isn’t Good Enough: Strategies for Coping with Perfectionism Apr 25, 2013

It’s only natural to want to avoid making mistakes, but imperfection is a part of being human. And while perfectionists are often praised for their abilities, being constantly anxious about details can hold you back and keep you from reaching your full potential. In this fully revised and updated second edition of When Perfect Isn’t Good Enough, you’ll discover the root cause of your perfectionism, explore the impact of perfectionism on your life, and find new, proven-effective coping skills to help you overcome your anxiety about making mistakes. This guide also includes tips for dealing with other perfectionists and discussions about how perfectionism is linked to worry, depression, anger, social anxiety, and body image. As you complete the exercises in this book, you’ll find it easier and easier to keep worries at bay and enjoy life — imperfections and all. This book has been awarded The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Seal of Merit — an award bestowed on outstanding self-help books that are consistent with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles and that incorporate scientifically tested strategies for overcoming mental health difficulties. Used alone or in conjunction with therapy, our books offer powerful tools readers can use to jump-start changes in their lives.

Guest: Betsy Prioleau, author of Swoon: Great Seducers and Why Women Love Them Apr 18, 2013

This week is Betsy Prioleau author of Swoon: Great Seducers and Why Women Love Them. Swoon is a glittering pageant of charismatic ladies’ men from Casanova to Lord Byron to Camus to Ashton Kutcher. It challenges every preconceived idea about great lovers and answers one of history’s most vexing questions: what do women want?

Guest: Sheri Van Dijk, author of DBT Made Simple: A Step-by-Step Guide to Dialectical Behavior Therapy Apr 11, 2013

My guest this week is Sheri Van Dijk, author of DBT Made Simple: A Step-by-Step Guide to Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Originally developed for the treatment of borderline personality disorder, dialectical behavior therapy, or DBT, has rapidly become one of the most popular and most effective treatments for all mental health conditions rooted in out-of-control emotions. However, there are limited resources for psychologists seeking to use DBT skills with individual clients. In the tradition of ACT Made Simple, DBT Made Simple provides clinicians with everything they need to know to start using DBT in the therapy room.

Guest: Rebecca Williams and Julie Kraft, authors of The Mindfulness Workbook for Addiction: A Guide to Coping with the Grief, Stress and Anger that Trigger Addictive Behaviors Apr 03, 2013

This week are Rebecca Williams and Julie Kraft, authors of The Mindfulness Workbook for Addiction: A Guide to Coping with the Grief, Stress and Anger that Trigger Addictive Behaviors. Most addictive behavior is rooted in some type of loss, be it the death of a loved one, coming to terms with limitations set by chronic health problems, or the end of a relationship. By turning to drugs and alcohol, people who have suffered a loss can numb their grief. In the process, they postpone their healing and can drive themselves further into addiction.

Guest: Margaret Floyd, author of The Naked Foods Cookbook: The Whole Foods, Healthy Fats, Gluten-Free Guide to Losing Weight and Feeling Great Mar 28, 2013

My guest this week is Margaret Floyd, author of The Naked Foods Cookbook: The Whole Foods, Healthy Fats, Gluten-Free Guide to Losing Weight and Feeling Great. There’s nothing better than taking a bite of a delicious meal you have prepared, knowing that each ingredient is helping create a more gorgeous you! Eating “naked” foods—nutrient-dense, additive-free whole foods— helps you lose weight and vastly improves the way you look and feel. And with this book, it’s easier than ever to make naturally tasty naked meals you can feel good about eating and serving to others. Written by Margaret Floyd, author of Eat Naked, and chef to the stars James Barry, The Naked Foods Cookbook includes over 150 gluten-free recipes for simple dishes that bring out the natural flavors and nutrients of fresh, whole foods. The benefits of eating naked are lifelong, and you can start seeing results within the week. So what are you waiting for? It’s time to enjoy the naked foods your body craves. Your body will love you for it, and you will love your body!

Guest: Randi Gunther author of Relationship Saboteurs Mar 22, 2013

Occasionally there is an author who I would love to have on Relationships 2.0 but their schedule prevents them from being on my show live. Randi is one of those people. I didn't want to miss an opportunity to hear her words of wisdom and bring them to you. She is an important voice on the topic of relationships. Here is the special recording of our conversation. Dr. Randi Gunther is a clinical psychologist and marriage counselor practicing in Southern California. In her forty year career, she has accumulated over 100,000 face-to-face hours with individuals and couples. She has inspired hundreds of people in her workshops and lectures to go beyond their limitations and create successful relationships. A practical idealist, she encourages her patients to break the bonds of repeated negative patterns and to pursue new options.

Guest: Ellen Kanner, author of Feeding the Hungry Ghost: Life, Faith, and What to Eat for Dinner—A Satisfying Diet for Unsatisfying Times Mar 22, 2013

My guest this week is Ellen Kanner, author of Feeding the Hungry Ghost: Life, Faith, and What to Eat for Dinner—A Satisfying Diet for Unsatisfying Times. What do we turn to for both everyday sustenance and seasonal celebration? Food. Often, though, we’re like the hungry ghosts of Taoist lore, eating mindlessly, wandering aimlessly, and wanting more—more than food itself can provide. Ellen Kanner believes that if we put in a little thought and preparation, every meal can feed not only our bodies but our souls and our communities as well. Warm, wicked, and one-of-a-kind, Ellen offers an irreverent approach to bringing reverence into daily living—and eating. She presents global vegan recipes that call you to the table, stories that make you stand up and cheer, and gentle nudges that aim to serve up what we’re hungry for: a more vital self, more loving and meaningful connections, a nourished and nourishing world, and great food, too. Feeding the Hungry Ghost will challenge you to decide: keep reading or start cooking?

Guest: Julie Fast, author of Getting It Done When You’re Depressed Mar 15, 2013

My guest this week is Julie Fast, author of Getting It Done When You’re Depressed. Everyone knows that depression can lead to guilt, sadness, frustration, and in the case of 15-20% of people with depression, suicide. Because we live in a culture that rewards (and often worships) productivity, when a depressed person can’t meet the expectations of society, the depression becomes worse and a vicious cycle begins. The goal of Getting Things Done When You’re Depressed is to break this cycle. Readers will learn: •How to prepare yourself mentally for working while depressed •How to structure your environment so you can work more easily •How to work with others •How to prevent depression

Guest: Marc Lesser, author of Know Yourself, Forget Yourself: Five Truths to Transform Your Work, Relationships, and Everyday Life Mar 06, 2013

My guest this week is Marc Lesser, author of Know Yourself, Forget Yourself: Five Truths to Transform Your Work, Relationships, and Everyday Life. We all yearn for clear-cut answers to life’s problems, yet we rarely get them. Formulas fail and contradictions mount. In Know Yourself, Forget Yourself, executive coach and mindfulness teacher Marc Lesser shows that understanding and embracing the points where life feels most confusing, most contradictory can lead us to more satisfaction and joy.

Guest: Sherrie Mansfield Vavrichek, author of The Guide to Compassionate Assertiveness: How to Express Your Feelings and Deal With Conflict While Keeping a Kind Heart Feb 27, 2013

My guest this week is Sherrie Mansfield Vavrichek, author of The Guide to Compassionate Assertiveness: How to Express Your Feelings and Deal With Conflict While Keeping a Kind Heart. Speaking up for yourself has benefits, but it has costs, too. Many people who struggle with assertiveness are paralyzed by worries that they’ll seem mean, petty, or that they will hurt the other person’s feelings. Even though they want to speak up, they may keep their true needs and opinions to themselves because of these fears—eventually building stress, resentment, and alienation. The Guide to Compassionate Assertiveness does not require that readers ignore the needs of others and focus solely on their own desires. Rather, this unique blend of cognitive behavioral therapy-based assertiveness training and Buddhist psychology helps readers practice assertiveness skills while caring deeply about the welfare of others.

Guests: Scott Barry Kaufman and Glenn Geher, authors of Mating Intelligence Unleashed: The Role of the Mind in Sex, Dating and Love Feb 20, 2013

My guests this week are Scott Barry Kaufman and Glenn Geher, authors of Mating Intelligence Unleashed: The Role of the Mind in Sex, Dating and Love. Psychologists often paint a picture of human mating as visceral, instinctual. But that’s not the whole story. In courtship and display, sexual competition and rivalry, we are also guided by what Glenn Geher and Scott Barry Kaufman call Mating Intelligence—a range of mental abilities that have evolved to help us find the right partner. Mating Intelligence is at work in our efforts to form, maintain, and end relationships. It guides us in flirtation, foreplay, copulation, finding and choosing a mate, and many other behaviors.

Guest: Stanley H. Block, MD, author of Mind-Body Workbook for Stress: Effective Tools for Lifelong Stress Reduction & Crisis Management Feb 13, 2013

My guest this week on Relationships 2.0 is Stanley H. Block, MD, author of Mind-Body Workbook for Stress: Effective Tools for Lifelong Stress Reduction & Crisis Management. Chronic stress is a huge problem that has only gotten worse in recent years. The good news is that new research is emerging to help treat stress in more effective ways than ever before. Mind-body bridging is one of these new modalities. Shown to be effective in both clinical and research settings, the easy-to-use mind-body bridging system helps readers dramatically reduce their stress in one to three weeks. Mind-Body Workbook for Stress helps readers learn and practice exercises for detaching from painful thoughts and feelings and helping their bodies relax and let go of unconscious tension. In this resting state, body and mind can let go of stress and heal naturally. Readers also learn fast-acting mindfulness skills for dissolving stress whenever desired without needing to maintain a long-term meditative practice. The one-page assessments, worksheets, and activities in this book make it easy for anyone to develop their capacity to withstand and relax under stress.

Guest: Nick Savoy, author of It’s Your Move: How to Play the Game and Win the Man You Want Feb 07, 2013

My guest this week is Nick Savoy, author of It’s Your Move: How to Play the Game and Win the Man You Want. MEN HAVE A GAME PLAN FOR PICKING UP WOMEN. NOW IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO MAKE YOUR MOVE. In his popular Love Systems dating bootcamps, famed pickup artist and dating coach Nick Savoy has taught tens of thousands of men how to attract and seduce the women they desire. Now, after watching countless interactions between the sexes—and hearing what men really think about women, dating, and playing the game—Savoy is sharing his best-kept secrets and proven pickup tips with today’s single women.

Guest: Judith Ruskay Rabinor PhD, author of Befriending Your Ex After Divorce: Making Life Better For You, Your Kids and, Yes, Your Ex Jan 30, 2013

My guest this week is Judith Ruskay Rabinor PhD, author of Befriending Your Ex After Divorce: Making Life Better For You, Your Kids and, Yes, Your Ex. If you are divorced, or are contemplating divorce, you’ve probably heard the diatribe: Divorce is messy. Divorce is a tragedy. Divorce will scar your children for life. Befriending Your Ex challenges many of these destructive myths about divorce, and sets out to change the way we think about the process of divorce and its ultimate outcome. While divorce certainly can have negative effects upon children, when they occur, these effects are likely to result from a hostile and combative relationship between ex-spouses. This uplifting book reminds the reader that all divorces need not follow this unhappy script, and that ex-spouses can collaboratively co-parent and be a source of support, not only to their children, but to one another as well.

Guest: Alex Spence, Director of Financial Aid at Stevenson School, will be addressing the issue of our relationship with money Jan 23, 2013

My guest for this week is Alex Spence. He will be addressing the issue of our relationship with money. What is the difference between our money “story” and our financial reality. Each of us have a template for our beliefs about money. Is this working for us? What messages do we receive about money? What are our emotional reactions to information we receive.

Guest: Tammy Strobel author of You Can Buy Happiness (and It’s Cheap): How One Woman Radically Simplified Her Life and How You Can Too Jan 18, 2013

My guest for this week is Tammy Strobel author of You Can Buy Happiness (and It’s Cheap): How One Woman Radically Simplified Her Life and How You Can Too. Once, Tammy Strobel and her husband were living a normal middle-class lifestyle: driving two cars, commuting long distances, and living well beyond their means. Now they are living the voluntary downsizing — or smart-sizing — dream. In this book Strobel combines research on well-being with numerous real-world examples to offer practical inspiration. Her fresh take on our things, our work, and our relationships spells out micro-actions that anyone can take to step into a life that’s more conscious and connected, sustainable and sustaining, heartfelt and happy.

Guest: Sophia Dembling, author of The Introvert’s Way: Living a Quiet Life in a Noisy World Jan 09, 2013

My guest for this week on Relationships 2.0 is Sophia Dembling, author of The Introvert’s Way: Living a Quiet Life in a Noisy World. This clever and pithy book challenges introverts to take ownership of their personalities…with quiet strength. Sophia Dembling asserts that the introvert’s lifestyle is not “wrong” or lacking, as society or extroverts would have us believe. Through a combination of personal insights and psychology, The Introvert’s Way helps and encourages introverts to embrace their nature, to respect traits they may have been ashamed of and reframe them as assets.

Guest: Julie M. Simon, author of The Emotional Eater’s Repair Manual: A Practical Mind-Body-Spirit Guide for Putting an End to Overeating and Dieting Dec 19, 2012

My guest for this week is Julie M. Simon author of The Emotional Eater’s Repair Manual: A Practical Mind-Body-Spirit Guide for Putting an End to Overeating and Dieting. Despite our best intentions, many of us find ourselves routinely overeating at meals, snacking mindlessly, or bingeing regularly. As emotional eaters, we turn to food for comfort, soothing, distraction, and excitement. There’s a disconnection fueling our eating, robbing years from our lives, and we know it. We’re tired of restrictive diets that lead back to overeating, and we’re ready to try something different.

Guest: Kelly C. Allison, PhD, author of Overcoming Night Eating Syndrome: A Step-by-Step Guide to Breaking the Cycle Dec 12, 2012

This week my guest is Kelly C. Allison, PhD, author of Overcoming Night Eating Syndrome: A Step-by-Step Guide to Breaking the Cycle. The statistics are powerful and alarming: perhaps as many as 6 million Americans suffer from night eating syndrome, or NES, an eating disorder which describes behavior patterns in which an individual obsessively consumes more than half of his or her daily caloric intake after eight o’clock in the evening. More significant is the further finding that more than 33 percent of morbidly obese individuals, persons who are 100 or more pounds overweight, are affected by this disorder.

Guest: Margaret Floyd, author of Eat Naked: Unprocessed, Unpolluted and Undressed Eating for A Healthier, Sexier You Dec 05, 2012

This week my guest is Margaret Floyd, author of Eat Naked: Unprocessed, Unpolluted and Undressed Eating for A Healthier, Sexier You. Are you fed up with counting calories? Confused by all the diet hype? Want to eat delicious, real food and look and feel great? Leading nutritional therapist Margaret Floyd’s Eat Naked will help you strip away the overprocessed, overpackaged, and overdressed junk food from your diet.

Guest: Sheri Van Dijk MSW, author of Calming the Emotional Storm: Using Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skill to Manage Your Emotions and Balance Your Life Nov 28, 2012

This week my guest on Relationships 2.0 is Sheri Van Dijk MSW, author of Calming the Emotional Storm: Using Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skill to Manage Your Emotions and Balance Your Life.

Guest: Gary Kowalski, author of Blessings of the Animals: Celebrating Our Kinship with All Creation Nov 21, 2012

My guest on Relationships 2.0 this week is Gary Kowalski. He will help us understand our relationship with animals as we discuss his new book Blessings of the Animals: Celebrating Our Kinship with All Creation.

Guest: Deborah Price, author of The Heart of Money: A Couple’s Guide to Creating True Financial Intimacy Nov 14, 2012

This week my guest on Relationships 2.0 is Deborah Price author of The Heart of Money: A Couple’s Guide to Creating True Financial Intimacy. Money issues have long been the number one cause of relationship disharmony and divorce, yet when it comes to identifying and changing unhealthy money patterns and behaviors, many couples feel helpless. Money coach Deborah Price has taught thousands of people how to work together to resolve money conflicts and create a financially empowered future.

Guest: Brooks Palmer, author of Clutter Busting Your Life: Clearing Physical and Emotional Clutter to Reconnect with Yourself and Others Oct 31, 2012

My guest this week is Brooks Palmer, author of Clutter Busting Your Life: Clearing Physical and Emotional Clutter to Reconnect with Yourself and Others Over the course of his career helping people let go of things they no longer need, Brooks Palmer has been struck by the many ways that clutter affects relationships. In these pages, he shows how we use clutter to protect ourselves, control others, and cling to the past, and how it keeps us from experiencing the joy of connection. With insight-prompting questions, exercises, client examples, and even whimsical line drawings, Palmer will take you from overwhelmed to empowered. His gentle guidance will help you to not only clear clutter from your home but also enjoy deeper, more authentic, and clutter-free relationships of all kinds.

Guest: Joe Messina, political radio talk show host Oct 24, 2012

My guest this week is Joe Messina. He is a political radio talk show host. We are going to discuss how to have productive conversations with friends and family about politics. With less than three weeks until the Presidential election it’s time to learn some healthy communication skills for these heated topics.

Guest: Julie Fast, co-author of Loving Someone With Bipolar Disorder: Understanding and Helping Your Partner Oct 17, 2012

My guest is Julie Fast, co-author of Loving Someone With Bipolar Disorder: Understanding and Helping Your Partner. Fast's book, Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder, is a first of its kind book—written specifically for the partner of a person with bipolar disorder. If you have a loved one with bipolar, you know how disruptive and straining this disorder can be to your relationship. You may experience feelings of fear, loss, and anxiety as well as a constant uncertainly about your loved one’s ever-changing moods. This book is designed to help you overcome the unique challenges of loving someone with bipolar disorder. With the supportive and helpful information, strategies, and real-life examples contained here, you’ll have all the tools you need to create a loving, healthy, and close relationship.

Guest: Leslie Sokol, PhD, co-author of Think Confident, Be Confident for Teens Oct 10, 2012

My guest this week is Leslie Sokol, PhD co-author of Think Confident, Be Confident for Teens. Confidence is like a magnet that attracts people to you and helps you get closer to reaching your goals. When you believe in yourself, you send the message that you have the brains, ability, and talent to handle whatever life sends your way. And the truth is, you do! Leslie's book, Think Confident, Be Confident for Teens shows you how to tap into your self-esteem so you can be yourself in every situation, no matter how awkward you feel or scary that may sound. The fun exercises and tips in this confidence-coaching workbook will guide you past feelings of self-doubt and encourage you to believe in yourself, strengthen your friendships, and meet every challenge head-on.

Guest: Cindy Ariel, author of Loving Someone With Asperger’s Syndrome Oct 03, 2012

If you’re in a relationship with someone who has Asperger’s syndrome, it’s likely that your partner sometimes seems cold and insensitive. Other times, he or she may have emotional outbursts for no apparent reason. And in those moments when you can’t understand each other at all, you both feel fed up, frustrated, and confused. The behavior of people with Asperger’s can be hard to understand and easy to misinterpret, which is why it’s so important to learn more about your partner’s condition. The tools presented in Loving Someone with Asperger’s Syndrome will help you build intimacy and improve the way you and your partner communicate. Filled with assessments and exercises for both you and your partner, this book will help you forge a deeper, more fulfilling relationship.

Discussion of the book ACT for Interpersonal Problems: Using Mindfulness, Acceptance, and Schema Awareness to Change Interpersonal Behaviors. Sep 26, 2012

This week on my radio show I will be discussing the book that I co-authored with Matthew McKay, PhD and Avigail Lev, PsyD, ACT for Interpersonal Problems: Using Mindfulness, Acceptance, and Schema Awareness to Change Interpersonal Behaviors. I will be discussing the book with Maarten Aalberse PsyD, a clinical psychologist and ACT therapist in Lyon, France. The book presents a complete treatment protocol for therapists working with clients who repeatedly fall into unhealthy patterns in their relationships with friends, family members, coworkers, and romantic partners. These clients may blame others, withdraw when feeling threatened, react defensively in conflicts, or have a deep-seated sense of distrust—all interpersonal problems that damage relationships and cause enormous suffering.

Guest: Steve Flowers, author of Living with Your Heart Wide Open: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Free You from Unworthiness, Inadequacy, and Shame. Sep 19, 2012

My guest is Steve Flowers, author of Living with Your Heart Wide Open: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Free You from Unworthiness, Inadequacy, and Shame. Everyone is subject to feelings of unworthiness and inadequacy and sometimes these feelings can become your very sense of self and dominate everything you do. Living with Your Heart Wide Open offers a way to free yourself from this prison of shame though gentle and wise guidance in mindfulness and self-compassion practices as embodied within Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) training.

Guest: Susan Kuchinskas, author of The Chemistry of Connection: How the Oxytocin Response Can Help You Find Trust, Intimacy, and Love Sep 12, 2012

The guest for my radio show on September 11th is Susan Kuchinskas, author of The Chemistry of Connection: How the Oxytocin Response Can Help You Find Trust, Intimacy, and Love. When you make love, cuddle with a partner, or have coffee with close friends, a powerful brain chemical called oxytocin floods your body with feelings of contentment and trust. This natural love drug, produced by the hypothalamus, is responsible for human bonding in both platonic and intimate relationships, and is the key to many of the psychological differences between men and women. In The Chemistry of Connection, you’ll learn easy ways to increase your natural supply of oxytocin to establish deeper connections with family, friends, and romantic partners. You’ll discover: • The power of the cuddle hormone in relationships • How sex and love are deeply entwined for both women and men • The chemical differences between lust, romance, and love • How to raise children who trust and love in a healthy way

Guest: Lucie Hemmen, author of Parenting a Teen Girl Sep 06, 2012

My guest for Tuesday September 4th is Lucie Hemmen. I am really excited about our chat because we will be discussing a subject that is very close to my heart–parenting a teen girl. It is a joy and a challenge to raise a teen girl. Lucie’s book, Parenting a Teen Girl: A Crash Course on Conflict, Communication, and Connection with Your Teen Daughter, is a great contribution to this important topic. It’s not easy to be a teen girl, and it’s definitely not easy parenting one. Parents everywhere struggle to respond appropriately to challenging behavior, hit-or-miss communication, and fluctuating moods commonly exhibited by teenage girls. More than previous generations, today’s teen girls face a daunting range of stressors that put them at risk for a range of serious issues, including self-harming behaviors, substance abuse, eating disorders, anxiety, and depression. Is it any wonder that parents are overwhelmed?

Guest: Stan Tatkin, author of Wired for Love Aug 30, 2012

Is it possible to maintain or re-ignite an exciting sexual relationship with your long-term partner? My guest this week is Stan Tatkin. Stan Tatkin, PsyD, MFT, is a clinician, researcher, teacher, and developer of A Psychobiological Approach To Couples Therapy® (PACT) which integrates neuroscience, infant attachment, arousal regulation, and therapeutic enactment applied to adult primary attachment relationships. He maintains a practice in Calabasas, California, and runs a bi-weekly clinical study group for medical and mental health professionals and training programs in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boulder, Seattle, Austin, and New Jersey.

Guest: Gary Kowalski, author of Goodbye, Friend: Healing Wisdom for Anyone Who Has Ever Lost a Pet Aug 22, 2012

The loss of an animal companion can be a painful, wrenching experience. In Goodbye, Friend, Gary Kowalski takes you on a journey of healing, offering warmth and sound advice on how to cope with the death of your pet. Filled with heartwarming stories and practical guidance on such matters as taking care of yourself while mourning, creating rituals to honor your pet’s memory, and talking to children about death, Goodbye, Friend is a beautiful and comforting book for anyone grieving the loss of a beloved animal. This week’s show is in memory of our beloved dog Mac who died on May 3rd, a month after his diagnosis with inoperable pancreatic cancer. His life ended too soon and our family experienced tremendous sadness and loss. It is this sadness and loss that inspired me to seek out someone who could discuss the important role that pets play in our lives and why their loss is so painful. This show is also dedicated to our dog Lucy (Mac’s constant companion for over 8 years) and our cat Eddy. And the newest member of our family, Doug. I am pleased to have author and Reverend Gary Kowalski on my show to discuss his book, Goodbye, Friend: Healing Wisdom for Anyone Who Has Ever Lost a Pet.

Guest: Anjali Sastry, author of Parenting Your Child With Autism: Practical Solutions, Strategies, and Advice for Helping Your Family Aug 15, 2012

I am pleased to have as my guest this week Anjali Sastry, author of Parenting Your Child With Autism: Practical Solutions, Strategies, and Advice for Helping Your Family

Guest: Ken Solin, author of Act Like a Man: Really There’s Hope Men Can Change Aug 09, 2012

Men can—and do—change. And Act Like a Man invites you to eavesdrop as eight guys help each other identify, examine, and move beyond their dysfunctional behavior as partners, fathers, and friends. I am excited to have as my guest Ken Solin, author of Act Like a Man: Really There’s Hope Men Can Change.

Guest: Raychelle Cassada Lohmann author of The Anger Workbook for Teens Aug 01, 2012

I am pleased that I will have as my guest Raychelle Cassada Lohmann, the author of The Anger Workbook for Teens, and a National Board Certified Counselor and a Licensed Professional Counselor in the states of NC and SC. In The Anger Workbook for Teens, an anger management counselor offers forty-two activities and exercises adolescents can do to examine what makes them angry and learn to communicate their feelings more effectively. The activities also teach coping skills that help young readers handle anger-provoking situations in healthy ways.

Guest: Michelle Skeen and Art Libera discuss Michelle’s book The Critical Partner Jul 25, 2012

My guest for this week is Michelle Skeen… yes, I will be host and guest! I will also have a close friend of mine on my show (I will reveal his name at the beginning of the show). Over the last month, I have been having frequent conversations with people about the subject of my book The Critical Partner. It has become clear to me that there are many people who feel trapped in the role of the “critical” partner and they truly want to end the toxic role that they play in their relationship. So, I will be discussing the primary schemas that trigger this behavior as well as the alternative coping strategies that can help them move on from their maladaptive behavior. More about The Critical Partner

Guest: Charlee Ziegler, matchmaker for Tawkify.com Jul 18, 2012

Tawkify is the newest way to meet someone . . . using the oldest method in the world. Tell us your interests and what you’re looking for, and we (actual human beings) will personally match you. (We know! So old-school!) Then at 10pm (EST) / 7pm (PST) – we’ll let you know – when your phone will ring. Answer it. It will be the person we hand-picked for you. It’s thrilling! It’s scary! It’s provocative! It’s audacious! It’s brilliant! It’s archaic! It’s romantic!

Guest: Kaitlin Bell Barnett author of Dosed: The Medication Generation Grows Up Jul 11, 2012

I am happy to announce my guest will be Kaitlin Bell Barnett, journalist, blogger and author of Dosed: The Medication Generation Grows Up, which examines what it’s like for young people to come of age taking psychiatric drugs that alter emotions, behavior and identity in a society that at once encourages and criticizes the use of psychopharmaceuticals. Kaitlin writes about mental health at The Huffington Post and about young people’s experiences of medication at My Meds, My Self, a blog at the psychology website Psych Central. I also review books for several psychology and mainstream outlets.

Guest: Karen Kropf author of Raising Teens With Sexual Self-Control Jul 06, 2012

My guest will be Karen Kropf, who is the author of Raising Teens With Sexual Self-Control: A Parent’s Survival Guide Karen discusses her book: Mom… Dad… Can We Talk? There is an abundance of evidence which proves the strategies of well-meaning people trying PREVENT teens from being sexually active has produced exactly the opposite result. That’s why this book was originally titled “Did You MEAN to Raise a Sexually Active Teen?” But very few people seem to be aware of the proof, or that the methods educators and parents have been using since the 1960s DON’T WORK. I’ve spoken to hundreds of parents who were completely unprepared for the anarchy of adolescence. They usually sought me out when things were on fire. Navigating an unexpected pregnancy, reeling from an abortion decision, dealing with sexual infections, or obsessive behavior. In every single case, those parents had put off the training THEY needed to guide their child through the minefield of adolescence. “Hoping for the best” is not a strategy. These weren’t bad parents. They just kept thinking they had more time. If what you were looking for was a book that would guide you through “The Talk” – the one where you sweat bullets for months, finally arrange that special weekend, Mom takes the girls, Dad takes the boys, you lay it all out, pray they don’t ask any tough questions and then hope to God you never have to discuss it again – this is NOT that book. If you were looking for a book that explains how to convince a teen to use protection consistently and correctly, this is NOT that book. That book does not exist. Teens use condoms the way they clean their rooms. Always have and always will. You are fooling yourself if you think otherwise. I wrote Raising Teens With Sexual Self-Control: A Parent’s Survival Guide because I didn’t want to watch another generation of teens fall for the same misconceptions and outright lies their parents had. It’s written so that each chapter can stand alone – in case you’re not the kind of person to read a book cover-to-cover, although I hope you will. I invite you to dive in somewhere and let me earn the right to coach you. About Karen: Karen Kropf is both the program developer and one of the founders of the organization Positively Waiting! She began exposing sex, love and relationship MYTHS in 1998, while volunteering at a local pregnancy center. In 2003, she and a team of enthusiastic adults began offering free public school presentations promoting delayed sexual activity.

Guest: Susan Tschudi author of Loving Someone With Attention Deficit Disorder Jun 27, 2012

Susan Tschudi is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and adjunct professor at Pepperdine University and the author of Loving Someone with Attention Deficit Disorder. After counseling many couples where one partner has Attention Deficit Disorder, she realized that there were many resources available for the partner with ADD but very few existed that directly addressed the frustrations and needs of the non-ADD partner. Drawing upon her clinical experience and personal experience (her husband has ADD), Loving Someone with Attention Deficit Disorder fills the gap for the non-ADD partner by normalizing feelings, acknowledging the specific challenges involved and offering hope for the future.

Guest: Christine Kniffen author of The Art of Relating: A Primer for Love Jun 21, 2012

Christine Kniffen, LCSW, who is the author of The Art of Relating: A Primer for Love. Christine offers answers and solutions to your relationship dilemmas to help you move forward and achieve a great relationship.

Guest: Shawn T. Smith author of User’s Guide to the Human Mind Jun 13, 2012

Shawn’s book is about living with our minds when our minds are driving us crazy. It’s about understanding what the mind is doing, why it is doing it, and how we can live our lives anyway. It is about honestly appreciating what our minds give us? even the thoughts and feelings that we do not want? and gently taking the reins when our minds are blocking our way.

Guest: Stan Tatkin author of Wired for Love Jun 06, 2012

I’m excited to announce that Dr. Stan Tatkin will be joining me to discuss his book Wired for Love: How Understanding Your Partner’s Brain Can Help You Defuse Conflict and Spark Intimacy.

Guest: Joe Messina host of The Real Side with Joe Messina Jun 05, 2012

Michelle's first show, she interviews radio talk show host Joe Messina, host of The Real Side.

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