How to Stop Avoidance & Heal Your Inner Child w/Michelle P. Maidenberg

Welcome to Compassiviste Dialogues. I'm Ali, your host, and my mission with this podcast is to shed light on critical social and environmental issues worldwide, exploring avenues for positive change.  Today we’re joined by Dr. Michelle P. Maidenberg — a psychotherapist, author, NYU professor, and co-founder of the nonprofit Through My Eyes. Michelle has dedicated her life to helping others confront emotional avoidance, embrace mindfulness, and live in greater alignment. ABOUT GUEST: Michelle P. Maidenberg, Ph.D., MPH, LCSW-R maintains a private practice in Harrison, NY where she works with individuals, families, and couples. She works with children age 8 and above, adolescents, teens, and adults. Michelle is the Co-Founder and Clinical Director of “Thru My Eyes”, a nonprofit 501c3 organization that offers free clinically-guided videotaping to chronically medically ill individuals who want to leave video legacies for their children and loved ones. She is also adjunct faculty at New York University (NYU) teaching a graduate course in Mindfulness Practice. Michelle is a Board of Directors member at The Boys & Girls in Mount Vernon. She is a member of the American Red Cross Crisis Team and serves on the Board of Directors of the Westchester Trauma Network (WTN) in Westchester NY. Children First, an institute at Fordham University whose mission is to support mental health professionals in delivering excellent care for children and families, presented Michelle with an Award of Appreciation of Service. Michelle received her Ph.D. from Yeshiva University, her Master’s in Clinical Social Work from NYU, her Master’s in Public Health from Hunter College, and attended a two-year training program in Marital and Family Therapy at SUNY Health Science Center. She is a Certified Group Therapist through the American Group Psychotherapy Association and a Diplomate and certified member of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy. Michelle has advanced training in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Structural Family Therapy, Mindfulness, and Polyvagal Theory. She is also a Level II trained Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) therapist. Michelle is the author of the books Free Your Child From Overeating: 53 Mind-Body Strategies For Lifelong Health and ACE Your Life: Unleash Your Best Self and Live the Life You Want. Her books guide individuals to develop life-long healthful behaviors to enhance personal growth and general well-being. Michelle is a blogger for Psychology Today. She is a contributing editor of GROUP, the journal of the Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society. She has also published in varied professional journals and was quoted in The New York Times, the Daily News, Fitness, Woman’s Day, Parents, and many other publications. Michelle is a consultant and trainer on a variety of mental health and health related topics. Michelle is dedicated and invested in health and mental health advocacy. KEY NOTES: The Wake-Up Call: When personal pain becomes the path to purpose.  When History Gets Personal: The emotional cost of inherited narratives.  Avoidance in Disguise: How modern life keeps us emotionally numb.  The ACE Model: Acceptance, Compassion & Empowerment as tools for freedom. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Episode Trailer   01:40 - Intro 03:10 - Michelle’s Awakening Moment   08:43 - What Happens When History Becomes Personal?   16:45 - How Modern Life Disguises Emotional Avoidance   25:23 - Why Do We Stay When We Know We Should Leave?   31:37 - If We All Want to Be Better, Why Aren’t We?   37:07 - Acceptance, Compassion, Empowerment: The ACE Model   46:25 - Teaching Mindfulness Beyond the Buzzword   53:10 - How Do We Fix The Misunderstanding of Mindfulness?   59:20 - If You Could Change The World   01:03:10 - Outro   THINGS MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST: Website: https://michellemaidenberg.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michellemaidenberg X.com : https://x.com/DrMaidenberg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmichellemaidenberg TO LEARN MORE AND STAY CONNECTED: 🌐 Visit our website: https://compassivistedialogues.com/ 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6qt8cYHeIcDmDV8zPKNxMw 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/compassiviste-dialogues/id1735926709 CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Compassiviste/61555898333856/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/compassiviste/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@compassiviste Twitter: https://twitter.com/compassiviste LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/compassiviste/ Tune in, follow, and embark on this insightful journey with us. Your vision's transformation begins now. 🚀🌟