Noble Mind

In this episode, Beth Kurland returns to share about her new book, You Don’t Have To Change to Change Everything. Beth teaches us how we can walk ourselves out of survival mode into a state of thriving. She describes six practical strategies to help learn to engage challenges constructively. Beth Kurland, PhD, is a clinical psychologist in Massachusetts with three decades of experience. She is also a TEDx and public speaker, a mind-body coach, and an author of three award-winning books: Dancing on The Tightrope; The Transformative Power of Ten Minutes; and Gifts of the Rain Puddle. Her newest book, published by Health Communications Inc., is You Don't Have to Change to Change Everything: Six Ways to Shift Your Vantage Point, Stop Striving for Happy, and Find True Well-Being. Beth blogs for Psychology Today and is the creator of the Well-Being Toolkit online program. She lives in the Boston area. For more, visit BethKurland.com. If you are a fan of Noble Mind, subscribe to our YouTube channel! You can also follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter, and join our free Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/noblemind. Learn about upcoming events, get our show notes, and join our email list at noblemindpodcast.com.

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Akeem Sule about his work with people experiencing psychosis and other severe mental health symptoms in an inpatient setting. He discusses the potential pitfalls of a purely biological view of mental illness and describes therapeutic interventions that he’s found useful with his patients. We also explore the pros and cons of mindfulness and discuss his passion for exploring the mental health themes in hip hop music, film, and television. Dr. Akeem Sule is the Co-founder of HIP HOP PSYCH and a Consultant Psychiatrist in General Adult Psychiatry, Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, and an Honorary Visiting Research Associate at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge. He is also a Research Associate at Wolfson College, Cambridge University. Dr Sule has taught Psychiatry trainees/resident doctors in United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Singapore, Egypt, Nigeria, Ireland and India. He is a member of the Association of University Teachers in Psychiatry. His medical degree was at the Ogun State University Teaching hospital, Nigeria. His Specialist Psychiatry training was with the Oxford Rotational Scheme. He also worked at the department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford and Hammersmith PET centre as a Clinical research worker where he did Neuroimaging Research. Dr Sule is an International member of the American Psychiatric Association. In 2009, he was the winner of the Consultant Teacher of the Year award for Bedfordshire and Luton Partnership Trust and joint winner of the Consultant Teacher for Exams award. He is a massive HipHop fan and a diehard Tupac Amaru Shakur fan. Dr Sule has been giving lectures on Public mental health themes in Films and TV shows particularly as it relates to Racism. He has helped to develop a model on the Psychiatry teaching programmes in a US medical school which uses ‘The Wire TV show to teach on mental health themes. If you are a fan of Noble Mind, subscribe to our YouTube channel! You can also follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter, and join our free Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/noblemind. Learn about upcoming events, get our show notes, and join our email list at noblemindpodcast.com.

In this episode, Dr. Sara Lazar shares about the neuroscience of meditation. Dr. Lazar has been doing research on the effects of meditation for over twenty years and discusses what she’s learned about how our emotional processing, executive functioning, memory, and even sense of self can all be impacted by meditation. We also talk about aging and cognition, as well as the potential benefits of yoga practice. Sara W. Lazar, PhD, is an Associate Researcher in the Psychiatry Department at Massachusetts General Hospital and an Assistant Professor in Psychology at Harvard Medical School. The focus of her research is to elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of yoga and meditation, both in clinical settings and in healthy individuals. She is a contributing author to Meditation and Psychotherapy (Guilford Press). She has been practicing yoga and mindfulness meditation since 1994. Her research has been covered by numerous news outlets including The New York Times, USA Today, CNN and WebMD, and her work has been featured in a display at the Boston Museum of Science. If you are a fan of Noble Mind, subscribe to our YouTube channel! You can also follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter, and join our free Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/noblemind. Learn about upcoming events, get our show notes, and join our email list at noblemindpodcast.com.

In this episode, we talk to Shaun Glossop about his work building a mindfulness group outside of the usual religious or medical contexts in which it is often taught. We discuss what he has done to reduce barriers to engaging with mindfulness by finding ways to make practice more accessible and relatable to people in his community. He also discusses the problem of social alienation and isolation in postindustrial society and the importance of creating a space where people can build meaningful connections with each other. Shaun Glossop is the co-founder and director of the Nottingham Mindfulness Center in central England, and has been a meditation practitioner for over 25 years. If you are a fan of Noble Mind, subscribe to our YouTube channel! You can also follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter, and join our free Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/noblemind. Learn about upcoming events, get our show notes, and join our email list at noblemindpodcast.com.

In this episode, hosts Alex and Kate finish their exploration of the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism by exploring the Fourth Noble Truth. This Truth describes the Eightfold Path which can lead us towards relief from suffering in this lifetime. The Eightfold Path describes the importance of right speech, action, livelihood, mindfulness, and more. Listen in as Alex and Kate reflect on each of these methods and their applications in daily life. If you are a fan of Noble Mind, subscribe to our YouTube channel! You can also follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter, and join our free Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/noblemind. Learn about upcoming events, get our show notes, and join our email list at noblemindpodcast.com.

In this episode, Kate and Alex talk to Kris Sutton about healing from chronic pain. She shares her lived experience with pain from multiple medical issues including migraine, endometriosis, and cancer. She describes her work as a pain coach and the power of leveraging the effects of neuroplasticity to help the brain learn to make new meaning of the experience of pain. Kris also describes pain reprocessing therapy, mindfulness, and her work as an Alexander Technique teacher. Listen in to learn about the importance of a self-compassionate approach to pain management and finding common humanity with others who have shared experience. Kris Sutton, MPS, NBC-HWC, CPMC, is a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach and a Certified Pain Management Coach. She is also a Certified Alexander Technique teacher, a Pain Reprocessing Therapy Practitioner, and a Certified Mindfulness-Based Pain Practitioner. Kris understands chronic pain. She has experienced several forms of chronic pain starting as a young child, including migraine, fibromyalgia, spinal fusion, endometriosis, and thyroid cancer. She brings this deeply felt, hard-won experience to her work with her clients. Kris has been able to deal with these challenges with the help of many healing modalities, which inform her work with clients. Learn more at https://yourpainguide.com/. If you are a fan of Noble Mind, subscribe to our YouTube channel! You can also follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter, and join our free Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/noblemind. Learn about upcoming events, get our show notes, and join our email list at noblemindpodcast.com.

In this episode, hosts Alex and Kate continue their exploration of the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism, this time focusing their attention the Third Noble Truth which tells us that the end of our suffering is possible. Listen to how Kate and Alex interpret the meaning of this truth, including traditional Buddhist understandings as well as everyday applications. They explore the small ways we can release our desires our longings in daily life, and how our stress response and perfectionism tend to make it harder to do so.

In this episode, Alex and Lesley Huff sat down for a second, in-depth conversation exploring a range of themes. They discuss how importance it is to paying attention to how we use the tools of mindfulness and compassion so that we can be sure to use them in supportive and healing ways rather than to manipulate our experience or express self-aggression. They also chatted about being with stress during hard times, stopping habits of avoidance, and reclaiming our agency and power. Lesley Huff, PsyD, is a licensed psychologist and Certified Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher. She started the Change Through Compassion Program, and has practiced mindfulness personally for many years. If you are a fan of Noble Mind, subscribe to our YouTube channel! Or, follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter, and join our free Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/noblemind. You can learn about upcoming events, get our show notes, and join our email list at noblemindpodcast.com.

In this episode, Judith Hill-Weld talks about how trying to control our emotions can interfere with being present in our lives. She discusses the importance of not postponing joy, and describes her passion for working with individuals who have developmental and intellectual disabilities. Judith Hill-Weld, M.S., is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, a Self Compassion Informed Therapist, and a Mindful Self Compassion teacher in training. She has studied with MSC originators Christopher Germer and Kristin Neff. In addition to her private practice, Judith’s writing on psychotherapy and developmental and intellectual disability has been published by NADD, and she has provided consultation and education to clinicians and nonprofits on a variety of topics. Her approach to therapy is rooted in psychodynamic concepts, as well as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. In addition to being a psychotherapist and MSC teacher, Judith is a lover of dogs and poems, and aspires to be a self compassionate mess. If you are a fan of Noble Mind, you can follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter, and join our free Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/noblemind. You can learn about upcoming events, get our show notes, and join our email list at noblemindpodcast.com.

In this episode, Lesley Huff talks about the human need for certainty and how this creates challenges in relating to the many unknowns in life. We discuss the paradox that mindfulness practices can help us to make changes in life, but also allow us to be more accepting of who we are in the moment. We explore the potential pitfalls of self-improvement, including its impact on parenting and family life, and the problem of approaching change from a place of self-criticism. Lesley Huff, PsyD, is a licensed psychologist and a Certified Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher. She started the Change Through Compassion Program, and has practiced mindfulness personally for many years.

In this episode, Catherine Coinçon talks about methods of relaxation and visualization to support and enhance our health and well-being. She describes the importance of staying connected to a sense of joy and vitality, and leads a practice to help us connect with our deeper self. Listen in as she shares the history and practice of Sophrology, which is a wellness promoting set of practices developed in the mid 20 Century. Catherine Coinçon studied Modern Literature at the Sorbonne and holds a Master's degree in Caycedian Sophrology. She has been practicing sophrology for more than 20 years. In 2018, she created Sophro-Mobile, a business where she practices Sophrology with clients on the Telephone. She helps her clients understand their stress and emotions, and teaches relaxation and visualization practices to enhance their well-being. She works with clientele of all ages, from childhood through adulthood, as well as business leaders, managers, and people with ADHD or highly sensitive persons. In 2005, an ependymoma surgery left Catherine with disabling symptoms. She was able to use sophrology to aid her healing, and is passionate about sharing this process with others. She also integrates positive psychology and mindful self-compassion into her work. Noble Mind explores the intersections of mindfulness, meditation, self-compassion, and spiritual practice. Join our free Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/noblemind. For past episodes, show details, and to join our email list, visit www.noblemindpodcast.com.

In this episode, Patricia Isis shares about the healing potential of engaging in artistic and creative pursuits. She discusses her work as a registered art therapist and what art therapy might look like for different clients, as well as the importance of self-compassion and sharing one's artwork with a supportive and encouraging community. Listen in for her insights and ideas about how to use doodling and other easy and accessible creative activities in a mindful way to bring presence and self-awareness into your everyday life. Patricia Isis, PhD, LMHC, ATR-BC, ATCS holds a Ph.D in the expressive therapies with an emphasis on art therapy. Dr. Isis is a licensed mental health counselor in Florida and a registered board certified art therapist, credentialed supervisor and has trained in Mindful Self-Compassion with the originators of that program, Dr. Chris Germer and Dr. Kristin Neff. Patricia is certified in Mindful Self-Compassion from UCSD, Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute. Since 1980, Patricia has practiced art psychotherapy in South Florida and taught Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) meditation at South Miami Hospital in the Behavioral and Collaborative Medicine Department from 2000 to 2013 and served on the Arts in Healthcare Advisory Committee. In 2014-2015, Dr. Isis authored two chapters respectively, “Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction and the Expressive Therapies in a Hospital-based Community” in Mindfulness and the Arts Therapies: Theory and Practice edited by Dr. Laury Rappaport, and “Positive Art Therapy” in The Handbook of Art Therapy edited by Dr. David Gussack and Dr. Marcia Rosal. In the summer of 2016, her first book, The Mindful Doodle Book: 75 creative exercises to help you live in the moment was published integrating mindfulness practices with doodling. Currently, Patricia provides art therapy services full time in the public schools, maintains a part-time private practice, and facilitates mindful self-compassion programs and mindfulness trainings. Patricia is a popular presenter locally, nationally and internationally. Join our free Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/noblemind. For past episodes, show details, and to join our email list, visit www.noblemindpodcast.com.

In this episode, hosts Kate and Alex continue their exploration of the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism, with particular emphasis on the Second Noble Truth. This Truth is "the truth of the cause of suffering." Listen in as Kate and Alex unpack the ways that our suffering is caused by desire or longing, wanting things to be other than they are, and in particular the "Three Poisons" of greed, hatred, and delusion. Katherine (Kate) King, PsyD is a clinical psychologist and assistant professor of psychology at William James College. She has a private psychotherapy practice where she works primarily with older adults and individuals experiencing trauma, anxiety, and chronic medical conditions. She also has a special interest in supporting the well-being of helping professionals. She is involved in research exploring topics such as death anxiety, narrative medicine, and clinical training. Kate is a longtime vajrayana student of Tibetan Buddhism, and has practiced meditation for over 20 years. Learn more at www.drkateking.com. Alex Gokce, MSW has a master’s degree in social work from Salem State University and an undergraduate degree in Comparative Government from Harvard University. He has led psychotherapy groups on topics including mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and mind-body approaches to pain management. He has co-led programs at the Boston Shambhala Center on the topics of trauma and self-compassion. His personal and professional interests center around the individual, societal and intergenerational impacts of trauma, as well as the sociocultural roots of interpersonal harm.

In this episode, we talk to Marisa Mazzo about dealing with avoidance and ways we can face our fears. She explains key principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and discusses her inspiring work helping people heal from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. We dig into the broader problems of fear and avoidance, and discuss skills that anyone can use to get curious, restore safety, and take values-based action in our lives. Marisa T. Mazza, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist, supervisor and founder of choicetherapy, a group practice specializing in evidenced-based treatments for OCD and Anxiety. Dr. Mazza is passionate about providing evidence-based therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Exposure and Response Prevention, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Mindful Self-Compassion, to teens and adults struggling with OCD or Anxiety. She provides supervision and consultation to other professionals as faculty at the International OCD Foundation’s Behavioral Therapy Training Institute and at the University of San Francisco. Dr. Mazza published The ACT Workbook for OCD. Noble Mind explores the intersections of mindfulness, meditation, self-compassion, and spiritual practice. Join our free Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/noblemind. For past episodes, show details, and to join our email list, visit www.noblemindpodcast.com.

Happy Autumn! In this episode, hosts Alex and Kate explore the challenges of constant distraction. They discuss ways of managing overwhelming incoming news, information, emails, texts, and more, the emotional toll of such a way of life, and the importance of finding moments of rest, silence, and solitude even during busy times. Listen in for ways to create meaningful moments of pause, and to find insights about the helpful and unhelpful impulses that might be driving you to distraction. Alex Gokce, MSW has a master’s degree in social work from Salem State University and an undergraduate degree in Comparative Government from Harvard University. He has led psychotherapy groups on topics including mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and mind-body approaches to pain management. He has co-led programs at the Boston Shambhala Center on the topics of trauma and self-compassion. His personal and professional interests center around the individual, societal and intergenerational impacts of trauma, as well as the sociocultural roots of interpersonal harm. Katherine (Kate) King, PsyD is a clinical psychologist and assistant professor of psychology at William James College. She has a private psychotherapy practice where she works primarily with older adults and individuals experiencing trauma, anxiety, and chronic medical conditions. She also has a special interest in supporting the well-being of helping professionals. She is involved in research exploring topics such as death anxiety, narrative medicine, and clinical training. Kate is a longtime vajrayana student of Tibetan Buddhism, and has practiced meditation for over 20 years. Learn more at www.drkateking.com. Join our free Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/noblemind. For past episodes, show details, and to join our email list, visit www.noblemindpodcast.com.

In this episode, we talk to Caroline Hoffman about embodiment, mindfulness, and explore the ways that our lives can be improved by learning to be more connected to the experiences of the body. We also discuss her background in yoga, nursing, and massage therapy, and her work using mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) with people impacted by cancer. Caroline Hoffman is a certified Mindful Self-Compassion and MBSR teacher living in the UK. Caroline completed an undergraduate degree in social work at the University of Melbourne and later became a specialist Intensive Care Nurse. She has been a pioneer in the field of integrated medicine since the 1980s, with many professional trainings including Chinese Acupuncture and Shiatsu. She holds a PhD from University of Southampton and has published research on the psychological and physical benefits of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for people impacted by cancer. Caroline is also a longtime Iyengar yoga practitioner. If you are a fan of Noble Mind, don't forget to hit subscribe! We'd also love for you to come join our free Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/noblemind. You can also learn about upcoming events, get our show notes, and join our email list at noblemindpodcast.com. Enjoy the show!

In this episode, hosts Kate and Alex take a deep dive into the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism, with particular emphasis on the First Noble Truth commonly translated as “life is characterized by suffering.” They unpack some of the linguistic and cultural misunderstandings that can get in the way of the deeper message of this teaching. They connect the four existential givens of death, meaning, isolation, and freedom, to Buddhism and discuss ways of working with these unavoidable challenges in everyday life. Alex Gokce, MSW has a master’s degree in social work from Salem State University and an undergraduate degree in Comparative Government from Harvard University. He has led psychotherapy groups on topics including mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and mind-body approaches to pain management. He has co-led programs at the Boston Shambhala Center on the topics of trauma and self-compassion. His personal and professional interests center around the individual, societal and intergenerational impacts of trauma, as well as the sociocultural roots of interpersonal harm. Katherine (Kate) King, PsyD is a clinical psychologist and assistant professor of psychology at William James College. She has a private psychotherapy practice where she works primarily with older adults and individuals experiencing trauma, anxiety, and chronic medical conditions. She also has a special interest in supporting the well-being of helping professionals. She is involved in research exploring topics such as death anxiety, narrative medicine, and clinical training. Kate is a longtime vajrayana student of Tibetan Buddhism, and has practiced meditation for over 20 years. Learn more at www.drkateking.com. Join our free Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/noblemind. For past episodes, show details, and to join our email list, visit www.noblemindpodcast.com.

In this episode, Ruth Williamson shares about how we can activate a sense of purpose that brings us more fully alive, as well as how to participate in the world with greater compassion. She shares her insights as a Buddhist chaplain-in-training and what she has learned through social justice ministry work with individuals experiencing houselessness. Ruth Williamson is a trained teacher of Mindfulness and Self Compassion as well as a life and leadership coach. She trained at the Hudson Institute of Coaching and teaches the leadership curricula of Dr. Brené Brown. She has worked deeply in community, non-profit, government and business sectors for over 25 years. Ruth is currently a chaplain-in-training with the Upaya Zen Institute and engaged in social justice ministry addressing houselessness.

In this episode we chatted with Alfie Wishart about addiction recovery, compassion, shame, and the role of spirituality in healing. He shares about his personal recovery journey and also discusses how he works with therapy clients. He explains codependency and how he helps people heal from narcissistic relationships. Listen in for his perspective on the connections between shame and addiction, and his thoughts on learning to distinguish between the ‘true self’ and ‘false self. Alfie is a therapist in private practice in Dallas, Texas, a long-time meditator, a licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. He is also a Trained Teacher in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and Mindful Self-compassion, and a member of the International Mindfulness Teachers Association.

In this episode, we speak with Rochelle Jaffe about working with self-criticism, emotional and physical pain, overwhelm, and anger. Rochelle Jaffe, M.S. is a mindfulness and self-compassion practitioner and psychotherapist in Ashland, Oregon. She works with individuals and groups online and in person.