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White Indoctrination with Kimberly Palermo | July 2, 2026Race is a HUMAN CONSTRUCT. Racism is REAL. And it's a whiter person problem.What truths are hiding in plain sight because we've been taught not to see them?Today we're diving into a conversation that asks us to look closely at the stories we've been taught about history, race, identity, and ourselves.We are #LIVEINTHEHIVE with Kimberly Palermo, author of Indoctri-NATION 365, a book that challenges us to examine the ways we have been shaped by cultural narratives and omissions of historical facts - AND - to consider what it means to take responsibility for creating a more truthful future.In this episode we discuss…Kim’s childhood awakening to racism – a story most white people can relate to – the intuitive tug that all was not right or fair, but witnessing no one speaking out.At 17, Kim discovered Jane Elliot, the American diversity educator who debunks “the rightness of whiteness”, famous for her Blue Eyes, Brown Eyes experiment, created to teach students about discrimination and racial stereotyping.Denial + racism as identity.“If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you." – Lyndon B. JohnsonKim lays out examples of unexamined systemic racism ex: redlining, Jim Crow laws, Mass incarceration as modern enslavement, slave patrols as the origin story of our present day police force.What is the difference between indoctrination and education?The remembrance we’ve inherited a racist culture.Resource: [email protected] with Regina Jackson + Saira RaoResource: Ote Benga – a Congolese human who became an attraction in the Bronx Zoo in 1906.The most powerful myth Americans have been taught about race.Kim shares the story of adopting a child from Ethopia.How to respond to the statement: “I don’t see color”.All this and so much more.Kimberly Palermo holds an undergraduate degree in Applied Behavioral Sciences from UC Davis, with a focus on multiculturalism, and a master’s degree in special education, with extensive training in group behavior and learning.Kim began her teaching career as an elementary school teacher in Compton Unified School District during the Rodney King civil unrest, where she witnessed firsthand how historical erasure, systemic inequality, and trauma shape communities, and how education can either reinforce myths or interrupt them. That experience profoundly shaped her approach to teaching truth with clarity, empathy, and accountability.For over twenty years, Kim has worked with people at the earliest stages of learning, including those who have received incomplete or oversimplified versions of history, helping guide them from uncertainty toward deeper understanding and personal responsibility.She is the author of Indoctri-NATION 365 which reflects Kim's lifelong work at the intersection of education, behavioral science, and history, designed not to shame readers, but to give them the tools they were never taught.Find Kim:https://indoctrination365.com/abouthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/synergyunlimited/Mentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

Every journey begins with a moment that asks us to trust something we cannot yet explain.In this inaugural episode of Bending the Light, Vish shares the unexpected story behind the podcast itself. As he reflects on turning fifty, an encounter with a stranger in a mountain café becomes the catalyst for exploring intuition, synchronicity, and the quiet ways life invites us toward our next chapter. Drawing from the Desiderata, Vedic astrology, yoga, and decades of spiritual practice, he considers how slowing down allows us to recognize meaning where we might otherwise see coincidence.Rather than asking us to believe in signs, Vish offers a gentler invitation. What changes when we become more attentive to the patterns, people, and experiences already surrounding us? Ancient wisdom is presented not as an escape from modern life, but as a way of seeing it more clearly.At its heart, this opening conversation reminds us that life may be speaking far more often than we realize. The question is not whether the signs are there. The question is whether we have slowed down enough to notice them.Points of Light:Awareness Comes Before Understanding — We often search for certainty while overlooking the subtle moments that invite greater clarity and self-awareness.Meaning Is Created Through Attention — A simple encounter becomes transformative, not because it proves anything, but because it invites deeper observation and reflection.Aging Invites Wisdom, Not Resistance — Growing older becomes an opportunity to embrace perspective and purpose rather than resist the natural rhythm of life.Ancient Practices Sharpen Modern Awareness — Meditation, breathwork, and Vedic wisdom are explored not as escapes from reality, but as practices that help us experience everyday life more fully.Intuition Is Strengthened Through Presence — The more we slow down and notice what surrounds us, the more confidently we can respond to life's unexpected invitations.Get your Personal Karmic Blueprint Reading - https://www.vishchatterji.com/karmic-snapshotAbout the Host: Vish Chatterji is an executive coach, Vedic teacher, author, and former business executive who helps people bridge ancient wisdom with modern life. After a career spanning engineering, entrepreneurship, and corporate leadership, he now guides leaders, founders, and seekers toward greater clarity through the traditions of Yoga, Meditation, Ayurveda, Vedic Philosophy, and Jyotish, the ancient science of light.Through his coaching practice, Head & Heart Insights, Vish combines practical business experience with timeless spiritual teachings, inviting people to lead and live with greater awareness, purpose, and presence. He is the author of The Business Casual Yogi and Astrology Decoded, and serves as a Faculty Coach and Educator with the Berkeley Executive Coaching Institute at UC Berkeley.https://www.vishchatterji.com/Thanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.Mentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

What happens when the most important moment of your day isn't the one you planned for? In a culture driven by speed, efficiency, and endless demands on our attention, it's easy to move through life treating people, conversations, and experiences as transactions. But some of the most meaningful moments arrive when we're forced to slow down and truly see the person in front of us.Through a series of unforgettable stories, Dr. Mark reflects on encounters that challenged his assumptions about success, leadership, and what it means to live with intention. From an unexpected friendship with an airport employee to stories of redemption, forgiveness, and extraordinary acts of humanity, a common thread emerges: the moments that change us most often happen when we choose heart and meaning over urgency and routine.The pressure to keep moving is constant. There is always another meeting, another deadline, another reason to hurry. Yet the stories shared here point in a different direction. They suggest that some of life's most meaningful opportunities arrive disguised as interruptions, and that the people who leave the deepest mark on us are often the ones we never expected to become our teachers.The Choreography Of A Connection:When Urgency Meets Humanity – A rushed airport encounter reveals how easily efficiency can blind us to the wisdom standing directly in front of us.Paying Attention to What Has Heart and Meaning – Leadership begins to change when we learn to recognize the moments that deserve our full presence.The Rules That Need Breaking – Sometimes the right thing to do requires stepping beyond policy, procedure, and convention.Redefining Success Through Service – The most meaningful measure of a life may be the difference it makes in the life of another person.Escaping Transactional Living – Freedom emerges when relationships stop being exchanges and start becoming opportunities for meaning.About the Host: Dr. Mark Rittenberg is a Distinguished Teaching Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business, specializing in leadership communication and interpersonal dynamics. He is known for helping individuals and organizations develop authentic leadership presence through human connection and dialogue.With over three decades of global experience, he has worked with Fortune 100 companies, government institutions, and international organizations. He is also the founder of the Berkeley Executive Coaching Institute, where he trains leaders and executive coaches from around the world.At the heart of his work is a simple but powerful belief: leadership is rooted in love, expressed through presence, dialogue, and the courage to remain in human connection.https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-rittenberg-bb90214/ Thanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Mentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

What happens when walking into a room means absorbing every ounce of tension, distress, and unsaid emotion inside it?Many of us are taught that great leadership requires carrying the emotional weight of our teams. We step in to smooth things over, fix conflicts that aren't ours to solve, and mistake constant rescue missions for true connection. The result isn't better leadership, it is exhaustion.In this episode, Amy sits down with global emotional intelligence and empathy expert Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller to map out a clear blueprint for protecting your energy without shutting out your humanity. Drawing from her raw pivot point out of a toxic workplace environment and later experiencing those same broken patterns in other work spaces, Dr. Melissa shares the definitive distinction between reading a room and taking responsibility for it.This conversation is a radical reframe on human connection. You will discover how to stand in your own power, deploy data-backed perspective-taking, and implement the boundaries necessary to stop treating everyone else's distress as your circus to fix.Moments That Create Momentum:The "Not My Circus" Rule: Why walking into a room and feeling everyone else's tension isn't a gift, it’s a boundary failure that is secretly draining you.The Revenue Shield: The deeply unsettling reason why elite organizations intentionally protect toxic high-performers and narcissists.The Empathy Illusion: Dr. Melissa shares why empathy is passive, and how jumping straight into "fixing" things actually triggers misplaced, destructive compassion.The Danger of Being "Nice": Why standard corporate manners are often just a mask for insincerity, and the reason true kindness requires telling the ugly truth.The Self-Rescue Mandate: Why launching into service for others before mastering self-empathy is a fast track to destroying your own career.About the Guest:As professional musician, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller worked with major talent such as Ray Charles, David Ogden Stiers, and Mannheim Steamroller. But cold and toxic leadership eventually robbed her of a career that was 30+ years in the making. However, that incident inspired Dr. Melissa to transform leadership as we know it by redefining the one element that most leaders miss: empathy. Today, she’s an international bestselling author, Editor’s Pick TEDx speaker, EQ and empathy coach, and leading voice on emotional intelligence and empathy. She’s known for blending lived experience, academic depth, and a sharp, data-driven approach that not only makes sense but demystifies how empathy translates to better productivity, innovation, and profit. Her mission is to invite everyone to approach empathy as a strategic skill for every human-centric action, not only for others but also for ourselves, and to step up in the way the future of leadership demands.https://eqviaempathy.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-melissa-a-robinson-winemiller-author-speaker-trainerhttps://www.instagram.com/empathyqueen.eqhttps://www.youtube.com/@TheEmpathicLeaderhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaoXSEWeILo&t=63shttps://geni.us/TheEmpathicLeaderAbout Amy:Amy Lynn Durham, known by her clients as the Corporate Mystic, is the founder of the Executive Coaching Firm, Create Magic At Work®, where they help leaders build workplaces rooted in creativity, collaboration, and fulfillment. A former corporate executive turned Executive Coach, Amy blends practical leadership strategies with spiritual intelligence to unlock human potential at work.She’s a certified Executive Coach through UC Berkeley & the International Coaching Federation (ICF) In addition, Amy holds coaching certifications in Spiritual Intelligence (SQ21), the Edgewalker Profile, and the Archetypes of Change . In addition to being the host of the Create Magic At Work® podcast, Amy is the author of Create Magic At Work®, Creating Career Magic: A Daily Prompt Journal and the founder of Magic Thread Media™. Through her work, she inspires intentional leadership for thriving workplaces and lives where “magic” becomes reality.Connect with Amy:https://createmagicatwork.net/https://www.linkedin.com/company/create-magic-at-workhttps://www.facebook.com/112951637095427https://www.instagram.com/createmagicatworkhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnEm4h3fUgaq8qgvZpz6dGgThanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.Mentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

Bending the Light explores the timeless wisdom of the Indian spiritual tradition through a modern lens. Hosted by Vish Chatterji, a former engineer turned "karma mechanic," this podcast blends karma, dharma, meditation, Ayurveda, Vedic philosophy, and Jyotish with practical insights for everyday life. Through stories, conversations, and bite-sized spiritual teachings, you'll discover how ancient wisdom can help you navigate life's challenges, understand the forces shaping your path, and bring more clarity, purpose, and light into your world.

"As long as you're still harming yourself, how much kindness can you put out there? How much compassion can you put out there?" — James RosserWhat happens when the life you built no longer feels like your life?For James Rosser, the question arrived through an unimaginable moment.In his late twenties, during the height of the AIDS epidemic, James was mistakenly diagnosed with a terminal illness and told he likely had eight months to live. Then, after repeated testing, he learned the diagnosis was wrong.But something had already shifted.What began as a confrontation with mortality became something more surprising: a confrontation with exhaustion. Exhaustion from carrying a life that looked successful from the outside but no longer felt true on the inside. Exhaustion from perfection. Performance. Hiding. Becoming someone instead of being someone.In this deeply personal conversation, Cari and James explore the unexpected ways suffering can become a doorway—not because pain is inherently noble, but because turning toward suffering instead of reacting against it can reveal who we are and what matters most.Together they unpack the difference between mindfulness and meditation, the hidden aggression inside self-improvement, the origins of the inner critic, and why compassion is not softness—it is courage.James shares how Buddhist practice, self-compassion, and years of learning to stay with difficult experience transformed his relationship with himself and ultimately changed the direction of his life—from finance to therapy, teaching, healing, and service.This episode is an invitation to pause long enough to ask:What if your pain isn’t asking you to become someone else?What if it’s asking you to become more fully yourself?The Treasures in the Trash:Suffering can become a doorway — Sometimes the moments we would never choose reveal the values and truths that quietly shape the rest of our lives.Reactivity and response are not the same thing — The space between what we feel and how we respond may be where freedom begins.Self-improvement can hide self-rejection — The drive to become better can sometimes be fueled by the painful belief that we are not enough as we are.Compassion changes everything — When we stop treating suffering as failure and begin meeting it with care, healing becomes possible.The inner critic often began as protection — What feels harsh today may once have been trying to keep us safe.Looking for the good is a practice — Our minds naturally scan for danger, but kindness and awareness help us remember what else is here.Your heart already knows something — Sometimes the most important question isn’t “What should I do?” but “What does my heart need to hear?”Learn more about the Sacred Pause Retreat at https://www.bravedirections.com/a-sacred-pauseAbout the Guest:James Rosser has been meditating since 1987, beginning his journey with Spirit Rock co-founder James Baraz. Today, he serves as a Dharma teacher and Board Member at InsightLA, and co-leads retreats at the Big Bear Retreat Center. His extensive training includes graduations from InsightLA’s Facilitator and Dedicated to the Dharma programs, Spirit Rock's Dedicated Practitioner Program, and the inaugural class of the Kornfield-Brach Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program (MMTCP).James integrates deep spiritual practice with clinical expertise. He is a Mentor at Kristin Neff’s Self-Compassion Institute, a Trained Teacher for the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion, and an intensively trained Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) clinician. Currently, he works as an LCSW at UCLA’s Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital, designing and growing intensive outpatient programs. He holds a Master’s in Social Welfare from UCLA and a Bachelor’s in Finance from the University of Tennessee.https://www.instagram.com/bluesuitbuddha/About Cari:Cari Jacobs-Crovetto is an executive and leadership coach and the founder of Brave Directions, where she works with senior leaders and C-suite executives to strengthen interpersonal and team relationships, navigate conflict skillfully, and deepen self-awareness, influence, and confidence.Before becoming a coach, Cari spent three decades in marketing and product leadership roles across Fortune 100 companies, media networks, consulting firms, and venture-backed startups. In 2019, she was named one of Forbes’ Top 50 Chief Marketing Officers.Cari brings together decades of operating experience with more than 45 years of Buddhist meditation study and practice, integrating deep inner work with practical leadership development.She facilitates the renowned Interpersonal Dynamics (“Touchy Feely”) course at Stanford Graduate School of Business where she also coaches grad school students, leads meditation classes and leadership workshops, and hosts the podcast Finding Treasures in the Trash.Her mantra: Fierce Heart — where compassion meets bold, badass leadership.https://www.bravedirections.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/carisf/https://www.instagram.com/cari_bravedirections/Thanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.Mentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

What if the biggest barrier to your company's growth isn't a lack of good ideas, but how you setup the room before innovation even begins?Amy sits down with Michael Brian Lee, founder of the Innotivity Institute, to decode the high-stakes reality of modern corporate survival. In an era where 80% of a company’s value is driven entirely by intellectual property and average business lifespans have plummeted to just five years, innovation is no longer a luxury, it is a mandatory action.As quantum leaders, we often demand innovative solutions from our teams without realizing we are skipping the energetic prep work required to get them. Michael breaks down Innotivity, the ultimate cycle of adapting who you are being, shifting your identity, and then taking action to drive measurable business results.Together, they unpack the exact 3-step checklist leaders must complete before a brainstorming meeting ever starts. If you are ready to stop forcing stagnant ideas into the world and start orchestrating true innovation that ripple outward to your team and beyond, this episode is your blueprint.Moments That Create MomentumThe Brutal Math of Modern Business Survival: Discover why collapsing business lifespans mean your current innovation strategy is already outdated.Innovation is the Action: Understand why trying to innovate with old, default thinking is a recipe for failure, and why implementation requires an identity shift first.The 3-Step Pre-Brainstorm Checklist: A breakdown of Safe Space, Integrity, and Identity—the foundational SQ pillars required before your team steps into the room.Solving the Wrong Problem with Integrity: How rushing to a quick answer causes organizations to waste massive energy executing the wrong questions.The Live Innovation Experiment: Watch quantum leadership in real-time as Michael pushes Amy through a mind-bending exercise to expand past default, logical boundaries into pure potential.About the Guest:Michael Brian Lee excels as a transformational coach, trainer, teacher, speaker, writer, and an expert in the mindsets of Creativity, Innovation, and Adaptability.With over two decades of experience in the film and TV industry across the US, Europe, and Africa, Michael is a seasoned creative professional. His TV productions have earned him 5 South African Film & TV Awards (SAFTAs), showcasing his exceptional talent.Founding both the Innotivity Institute and the Academy of Television and Screen Arts in Johannesburg, Michael demonstrates his commitment to fostering creativity and excellence.He has taken the TEDx stage twice, delivering impactful speeches that have reshaped the perspectives of his audiences. His keynotes and workshops are widely recognized for dismantling barriers and empowering individuals to effectively change their mindsets and achieve their goals.https://www.michaelbrianlee.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelleecreativityBook - World Innovator’s Cup: History’s Greatest Minds Take the Field - https://worldinnovatorscup.com/About Amy:Amy Lynn Durham, known by her clients as the Corporate Mystic, is the founder of the Executive Coaching Firm, Create Magic At Work®, where they help leaders build workplaces rooted in creativity, collaboration, and fulfillment. A former corporate executive turned Executive Coach, Amy blends practical leadership strategies with spiritual intelligence to unlock human potential at work.She’s a certified Executive Coach through UC Berkeley & the International Coaching Federation (ICF) In addition, Amy holds coaching certifications in Spiritual Intelligence (SQ21), the Edgewalker Profile, and the Archetypes of Change . In addition to being the host of the Create Magic At Work® podcast, Amy is the author of Create Magic At Work®, Creating Career Magic: A Daily Prompt Journal and the founder of Magic Thread Media™. Through her work, she inspires intentional leadership for thriving workplaces and lives where “magic” becomes reality.Connect with Amy:https://createmagicatwork.net/https://www.linkedin.com/company/create-magic-at-workhttps://www.facebook.com/112951637095427https://www.instagram.com/createmagicatworkhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnEm4h3fUgaq8qgvZpz6dGgThanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.Mentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

Asherah, Anat, and the Recovery of Goddess Traditions with Trista Hendren of Girl God Books | June 16, 2026Who – and what – is The Goddess?"The Great Goddess Asherah, the sacred tree, Mother-Goddess of all of the gods..."— Miriam Robbins Dexter, Preface to Asherah: Roots of the Mother TreeWe can all agree that we are living through a time of immense grief, polarization, and moral exhaustion.And beneath our political events we find deeper stories about power, sacredness, domination, and what we believe about human life.Today’s conversation explores one of those forgotten stories through the figure of Asherah and the recovery of goddess traditions.Today we are #LiveintheHIve with Trista Hendren, author, speaker, visionary founder of Girl God Books and ONE POWERFUL voice and leader in the dismantling of the patriarchal mindset and the remembrance and return to the wisdom and mystery of the Divine feminine, and to the ancient truth of kinship, reciprocity, and inter-being. I’ve had Trista on before for the episode What Will It Take to Know The Girl God – listen HERE for that episode.I wanted to have her back to speak about her anthology, Asherah: Roots of the Mother Tree, to expand on reclaiming the Goddess traditions, and share what is alive in her work today.We touch on…I met Trista at The Goddess Conference: The Crone (2023) in Glastonbury. The information got a bit lost in some technical glitches in our conversation. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLI6PGa6n4Gg6l77LkruIJGXwpoT8LzQHiSpoiler alert: We talk about Dr Lynne Sedgemore and her upcoming book, "The Goddess Enneagram", endorsed by Trista, and to be published by ChangeMakers Books. Dr Lynne will be guesting in the fall.Whether a novice or a well-seasoned Goddess lover, this book, Asherah: Roots of the Mother Tree is for you, with academic research, creative writing, poetry and art.Trista shares who – and what – is the goddess, and how she discovered the goddess coming from a very devout Christian upbringing.Resource: author Burleigh Muten and her well-known book about the divine feminine, The Return of The Great Goddess.The story behind the creation of Girl God Books.Trista converted to Islam – the extraordinary story as to why?The power of art! Trista has a HUGE statue of the Venus of Willendorf on her property: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_of_WillendorfGirl God Books has produced over 50 books and anthologies, primarily by female authors.Spirituality and politics? Trista weighs in on abortion, female sensuality and Female RAGE (and who is the Goddess Anat).Resources: Women Who Run with The Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes and The Cosmic Mother by Monica Sjoo, Barbara Mor.Resource: Wizard Bisan | https://www.instagram.com/wizard_bisan1/?hl=enThe call to The Mother from the Palestinians.The Goddess Anat: The primal rage of the Mother. An upcoming anthology on ANAT, stay tuned.I LOVE THIS! Trista asks: Before Patriarchy did we NEED warrior goddesses?Trista is a PRO-Palestine activist. Her family is in Lebanon. The failings of our news.In honor of Father’s Day, Trista weighs in on Sacred Masculinity.Resource: Upcoming Girl God Book on Healing Spells and Rituals : https://www.facebook.com/thegirlgod/Perhaps Asherah's greatest gift is not simply that she was remembered, but that her roots remained alive beneath the surface all along waiting for us to remember that we, too, belong to the Mother Tree.Enjoy this episode.#TheEdgeofEverydayPodcast #TheEdgeofEveryday #ThePowerofStorytelling #Solstice #Juneteenth #FathersDay #TheGoddessMovesMe #AsherahFind Trista:ww.TheGirlGod.comFind Sandra:www.SandraBargman.com@SandraBargmanReview us in Apple Podcasts@ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-edge-of-everyday-with-sandra-bargman/id1740861679Mentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

Today’s reflection explores how preparation is often less about proving yourself and more about trusting that the version of you meant for what’s next is willing to keep learning, growing, and becoming.Bring the wisdom of the Edgewalker mindset into your daily life with your own copy of the Edgewalker Card Deck: https://createmagicatwork.net/shop/ols/products/the-edgewalker-card-deckStart your own journey of reflection, creativity, and intentional growth with the Create Magic at Work Journal: https://a.co/d/06N0Hypc

Today’s Edgewalker card explores how genuine connection begins when we move beyond difference and become willing to recognize ourselves in people whose experiences, cultures, and worldviews may not mirror our own.Bring the wisdom of the Edgewalker mindset into your daily life with your own copy of the Edgewalker Card Deck: https://createmagicatwork.net/shop/ols/products/the-edgewalker-card-deckStart your own journey of reflection, creativity, and intentional growth with the Create Magic at Work Journal: https://a.co/d/06N0HypcMentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

There are moments in life that seem to disappear as quickly as they arrive. A conversation, a season, a feeling, the weight of a child asleep on your chest. We experience them as fleeting because we experience time as a line. But what if time is something more expansive than that? In this special Circles | Edges episode, Aaron shares a conversation from his appearance on the Create Magic At Work Podcast with Amy Lynn Durham, exploring the idea of quantum presence and our relationship with time, memory, healing, and possibility. Together they consider whether presence extends beyond the narrow space we call "now," how emotional experiences create lasting anchors within us, and what it might mean to revisit the past with compassion or draw comfort from a future self that has already survived what we're facing today. Moving between neuroscience, spirituality, emotional intelligence, and lived experience, this conversation invites listeners to reflect on the limits of perception, the stories we tell about time, and the possibility that healing may be less about letting go and more about learning how to remain connected differently. This is an exploration of presence not as a point, but as a sphere, and of what becomes possible when we begin to trust that we are larger than the timeline we inhabit.Invitations to Consider:Aaron's theory of quantum presence and why he believes humans experience time as more than a linear progression.How emotional intensity creates what Aaron calls "quantum anchors" that connect us across time.The relationship between PTSD, memory, emotional activation, and recurring experiences.Why our future selves may have something valuable to offer our present struggles.How expanding our understanding of presence can deepen healing, compassion, and personal growth.About the Guest: Amy Lynn Durham, known by her clients as the Corporate Mystic, is the founder of the Executive Coaching Firm, Create Magic At Work®, where they help leaders build workplaces rooted in creativity, collaboration, and fulfillment. A former corporate executive turned Executive Coach, Amy blends practical leadership strategies with spiritual intelligence to unlock human potential at work.She’s a certified Executive Coach through UC Berkeley & the International Coaching Federation (ICF) In addition, Amy holds coaching certifications in Spiritual Intelligence (SQ21), the Edgewalker Profile, and the Archetypes of Change . In addition to being the host of the Create Magic At Work® podcast, Amy is the author of Create Magic At Work®, Creating Career Magic: A Daily Prompt Journal and the founder of Magic Thread Media™. Through her work, she inspires intentional leadership for thriving workplaces and lives where “magic” becomes reality.Connect with Amy:https://createmagicatwork.net/https://www.linkedin.com/company/create-magic-at-work https://www.facebook.com/112951637095427 https://www.instagram.com/createmagicatwork https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnEm4h3fUgaq8qgvZpz6dGg About Aaron:Aaron Tabacco, PhD, has spent more than thirty years guiding people through growth and change, often in complex and high-stakes environments. He currently serves as the Director of Staff Experience at a major academic health sciences university. With a background spanning nursing, neuroscience, education, coaching, and mediation, his work centers on helping individuals and organizations navigate identity, connection, and transformation with greater clarity and care. Known for his grounded presence and compassionate communication, Aaron works with students, clinicians, faculty, executives, and senior leaders across healthcare and other industries. His approach integrates relational depth, reflective practice, and a commitment to creating more humane, integrated ways of working and living. He works in San Francisco, California, and lives in Vancouver, Washington, where he continues a lifelong engagement with writing, music, and the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest alongside his husband and three adult sons.https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-tabacco-phd-83359b9/https://lucusgroup.com/home https://substack.com/@aarontabacco?r=b5ap9&utm_medium=ios https://www.youtube.com/@CirclesEdges Email: [email protected] Thanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Mentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

What happens when the advice meant to help us succeed teaches us to distrust our own voice?In this conversation, Amy sits down with Create Magic At Work’s Resident Voice and Presence coach Sandra Bargman to explore a question that reaches far beyond communication skills. Are women being supported in finding their voice, or are they being taught to reshape themselves to fit environments that were never designed for them?Together, they unpack the hidden assumptions behind executive presence, the double standards that shape how authority is perceived, and the subtle ways women are encouraged to soften, edit, or second-guess themselves. From phrases like "Does that make sense?" to the criticism of vocal fry, filler words, and emotional language, the conversation challenges who gets to decide what credibility sounds like.Amy and Sandra also share what they are seeing inside the voice and presence coaching at Create Magic At Work with clients, where storytelling, breath, intention, and self-awareness often create deeper transformation than any communication technique.At its core, this episode is an invitation to stop asking how to sound more powerful and start asking whether we trust ourselves enough to be heard.Moments That Create Momentum:1. Fixing Women or Fixing the Room — Explore why communication advice often focuses on changing women instead of challenging the environments where leadership is evaluated.2. When Authenticity Gets Mistaken for Weakness — Understand how collaboration, emotional intelligence, and relational language are often judged differently depending on who is speaking.3. Silence as a Leadership Skill — Discover why presence and confidence are often found in thoughtful pauses rather than faster responses.4. The Stories We Are Most Afraid to Tell — Learn how the experiences we hide or dismiss often become our most powerful leadership lessons.5. Presence Beyond Performance — See how breath, intention, and genuineness create trust and influence without requiring people to become someone they are not.Schedule a Voice & Presence Coaching Intro session - complimentaryThis 20-minute session with Amy Lynn Durham is the required first step for all Voice & Presence coaching at Magic Thread Media.We’ll walk through your vision/goals and then transition you directly into your 1:1 sessions with Sandra Bargman.Link to schedule - https://amylynndurham.as.me/voicepresenceintroLearn more - https://magicthreadmedia.com/servicesAbout the Guest:Sandra Bargman helps leaders unlock truthful presence with a blend of vocal mastery, storytelling skill, and deep emotional intelligence. Drawing from decades as an actor, singer, director, and life counselor, she teaches people to express themselves with clarity, authenticity, and intention. Her signature framework The B.I.G. Approach brings together breath and body work, vocal strength, diction, silence, mindfulness, and story craft, giving clients the tools to communicate with confidence and purpose. Whether she’s coaching one-on-one or leading groups, Sandra guides people of all ages and professions to access their inner truth, sharpen their message, and step into bolder, more grounded communication.Listen to Sandra’s podcast - The Edge of EverydayAbout Amy:Amy Lynn Durham, known by her clients as the Corporate Mystic, is the founder of the Executive Coaching Firm, Create Magic At Work®, where they help leaders build workplaces rooted in creativity, collaboration, and fulfillment. A former corporate executive turned Executive Coach, Amy blends practical leadership strategies with spiritual intelligence to unlock human potential at work.She’s a certified Executive Coach through UC Berkeley & the International Coaching Federation (ICF) In addition, Amy holds coaching certifications in Spiritual Intelligence (SQ21), the Edgewalker Profile, and the Archetypes of Change . In addition to being the host of the Create Magic At Work® podcast, Amy is the author of Create Magic At Work®, Creating Career Magic: A Daily Prompt Journal and the founder of Magic Thread Media™. Through her work, she inspires intentional leadership for thriving workplaces and lives where “magic” becomes reality.Connect with Amy:https://createmagicatwork.net/https://www.linkedin.com/company/create-magic-at-workhttps://www.facebook.com/112951637095427https://www.instagram.com/createmagicatworkhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnEm4h3fUgaq8qgvZpz6dGgThanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.Mentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

There is a subtle tension that lives beneath our desire to help. Most of us have felt it. Someone we care about is hurting, struggling, or overwhelmed, and something inside us immediately moves toward fixing, soothing, or carrying what they are experiencing. But what if that impulse is not always about compassion? What if, sometimes, it begins with our own discomfort? In this special Circles | Edges episode, Aaron shares a conversation from his appearance on the Create Magic At Work Podcast with Amy Lynn Durham, exploring empathic distress, leaky identity, and the hidden ways our sense of self can become intertwined with the suffering of others. Together, they examine the difference between empathy and compassion, the social conditioning that shapes caretaking behaviors, and why presence often asks more of us than intervention. This is a thoughtful exploration of emotional responsibility, identity, and the possibility of showing up for others without losing ourselves in the process. As the conversation unfolds, you are invited to notice where helping becomes fixing, where compassion becomes exhaustion, and where a deeper, more sustainable form of connection might be waiting.Invitations to Consider:Why the urge to help can sometimes be driven by our own need for relief rather than another person's needs.Aaron's concept of "leaky identity" and how identity can become dependent on helping others.The hidden ways empathic distress can create exhaustion, overwhelm, and unhealthy relationship patterns.The difference between empathy, empathic response, and compassionate action.How presence and witnessing may be more healing than fixing.About the Guest Host:Amy Lynn Durham, known by her clients as the Corporate Mystic, is the founder of the Executive Coaching Firm, Create Magic At Work®, where they help leaders build workplaces rooted in creativity, collaboration, and fulfillment. A former corporate executive turned Executive Coach, Amy blends practical leadership strategies with spiritual intelligence to unlock human potential at work.She’s a certified Executive Coach through UC Berkeley & the International Coaching Federation (ICF) In addition, Amy holds coaching certifications in Spiritual Intelligence (SQ21), the Edgewalker Profile, and the Archetypes of Change . In addition to being the host of the Create Magic At Work® podcast, Amy is the author of Create Magic At Work®, Creating Career Magic: A Daily Prompt Journal and the founder of Magic Thread Media™. Through her work, she inspires intentional leadership for thriving workplaces and lives where “magic” becomes reality.Connect with Amy:https://createmagicatwork.net/https://www.linkedin.com/company/create-magic-at-workhttps://www.facebook.com/112951637095427https://www.instagram.com/createmagicatworkhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnEm4h3fUgaq8qgvZpz6dGgAbout Aaron:Aaron Tabacco, PhD, has spent more than thirty years guiding people through growth and change, often in complex and high-stakes environments. He currently serves as the Director of Staff Experience at a major academic health sciences university. With a background spanning nursing, neuroscience, education, coaching, and mediation, his work centers on helping individuals and organizations navigate identity, connection, and transformation with greater clarity and care.Known for his grounded presence and compassionate communication, Aaron works with students, clinicians, faculty, executives, and senior leaders across healthcare and other industries. His approach integrates relational depth, reflective practice, and a commitment to creating more humane, integrated ways of working and living. He works in San Francisco, California, and lives in Vancouver, Washington, where he continues a lifelong engagement with writing, music, and the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest alongside his husband and three adult sons.https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-tabacco-phd-83359b9/https://lucusgroup.com/homehttps://substack.com/@aarontabacco?r=b5ap9&utm_medium=ioshttps://www.youtube.com/@CirclesEdgesEmail: [email protected] for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.Mentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

After a 60-day hiatus, Samm Smeltzer returns to share an honest, unfiltered recap of her slow but meaningful journey through Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine by Harriet Beinfield and Efrem Korngold. In this episode, Samm reflects on why pacing matters more than progress, and walks through the passages that stopped her in her tracks — from the Taoist concept of the Tao as an unbroken wholeness, to the gardener vs. mechanic metaphor, to the five phases and what they reveal about personality, disease, and balance. She also draws powerful connections between Chinese medical theory and her work in HR, organizational development, and energetic healing at the HRart Center. A candid, rich conversation about learning, grace, and tending your own inner garden.---Join the conversation in our Energy Studies Book Club Portal — you'll find the highlighted passages from this episode waiting for you there. Share your thoughts, connect with fellow readers, and dive deeper into what we're exploring together.👉 Join the Book Club Portal

"To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded." - Bessie SchmidtSome fractures happen slowly and throughout time. A canceled lunch. A missed call. A leader staring at another wave of layoffs wondering whether staying emotionally present is still worth the cost. What emerges here is not a conversation about fixing the world, but about refusing to disappear from it. Through stories spanning Berkeley protests, the Middle East peace process, healthcare, business leadership, and simple acts of kindness left on doorsteps, Dr. Mark Rittenberg explores how human connection survives even in exhausted times. Beneath the heartbreak sits a deeper invitation: hope is not something people wait for — it is something they practice through presence, dialogue, forgiveness, and the courage to remain involved when everything says to withdraw.The Choreography Of A Connection:Exploring The Cost Of Opting Out – Dr. Mark reflects on why exhaustion, fear, and cultural fragmentation are causing people and leaders to emotionally disengage from one another.Unpacking Hope Through Small Acts Of Care – A simple deli care package becomes a powerful reminder that human connection often begins with noticing someone’s silent pain.Revealing The Leadership Power Of Vulnerability – Stories from healthcare and global business illuminate how empathy and humanity reshape trust inside organizations.Examining Dialogue In Moments Of Deep Conflict – A volatile Middle East peace gathering transforms through courage, emotional honesty, and the refusal to abandon conversation.Understanding Why Human Connection Requires Action – The episode challenges the idea that hope is passive and instead frames it as something created through involvement and presence.About the Host: Dr. Mark Rittenberg is a Distinguished Teaching Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business, specializing in leadership communication and interpersonal dynamics. He is known for helping individuals and organizations develop authentic leadership presence through human connection and dialogue.With over three decades of global experience, he has worked with Fortune 100 companies, government institutions, and international organizations. He is also the founder of the Berkeley Executive Coaching Institute, where he trains leaders and executive coaches from around the world.At the heart of his work is a simple but powerful belief: leadership is rooted in love, expressed through presence, dialogue, and the courage to remain in human connection.https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-rittenberg-bb90214/ Thanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Mentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

This week Aaron explores the teachers, mentors, parents, guides, and unexpected strangers who leave emotional imprints on the architecture of our lives. Moving through stories of nursing school, fatherhood, rideshare conversations, and the subtle transfer of wisdom across generations, the episode gently asks what it means to truly shape another human being without trying to possess or control them. Along the way, Aaron reflects on discernment, legacy, apprenticeship, and the growing tension between authentic guidance and performative influence in modern life. This conversation unfolds as an invitation to slow down, notice whose voices live inside you, and consider the quiet responsibility we all carry as teachers to one another, whether we realize it or not.Invitations to Consider:How certain voices remain with us for decades, quietly shaping the way we move through the world and understand ourselves.The transformative experience of being recognized by another person in a way that awakens something previously unseen within us.What apprenticeship truly asks of us beyond knowledge: integrity, discernment, emotional maturity, and the embodiment of wisdom.The growing tension between authentic teachers who cultivate freedom and modern forms of influence that seek certainty, dependency, and followership.Why openness to outcome may be one of the deepest expressions of love, mentorship, parenting, and human connection.About Aaron:Aaron Tabacco, PhD, has spent more than thirty years guiding people through growth and change, often in complex and high-stakes environments. He currently serves as the Director of Staff Experience at a major academic health sciences university. With a background spanning nursing, neuroscience, education, coaching, and mediation, his work centers on helping individuals and organizations navigate identity, connection, and transformation with greater clarity and care.Known for his grounded presence and compassionate communication, Aaron works with students, clinicians, faculty, executives, and senior leaders across healthcare and other industries. His approach integrates relational depth, reflective practice, and a commitment to creating more humane, integrated ways of working and living. He works in San Francisco, California, and lives in Vancouver, Washington, where he continues a lifelong engagement with writing, music, and the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest alongside his husband and three adult sons.https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-tabacco-phd-83359b9/https://lucusgroup.com/homehttps://substack.com/@aarontabacco?r=b5ap9&utm_medium=ioshttps://www.youtube.com/@CirclesEdgesEmail: [email protected] for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

The way we love, fight, withdraw, and reconnect at home shapes how we lead everywhere else. Dr. Pavini Moray joins Amy to explore relational mindfulness, conflict patterns, leadership boundaries, shame, power dynamics, and the unconscious survival strategies that follow us from childhood into work, intimacy, and community. Together they unpack what happens when leaders overextend, when relationships become competitive instead of collaborative, and why healing relational patterns may be the deepest leadership work we ever do. The conversation moves through vulnerability, compassion, emotional accountability, mentorship, and the possibility of becoming more grounded, relational humans both at home and at work. By the end, what emerges is a hopeful truth: awareness creates choice, and choice creates the possibility for transformation.Moments That Create Momentum:Why Home Relationships Shape Leadership – Explore how unresolved conflict and emotional patterns at home ripple directly into workplace leadership and culture.The Professional Paradox: Why is it that you can lead a team with total composure during an executive crisis, yet find yourself "acting like an asshole" the moment you walk through your front door?The "Juicy Energy" Drain: Are you accidentally starving your personal relationships by giving all your best, life-affirming energy to your company, leaving only the "leftover" conflict and divisiveness for your partner?The Corporate Affair Trap: Discover why high-pressure workplaces often become a "safe haven" while the home becomes a combat zone—and how this "reversal" is a leading driver of workplace infidelity.Understanding the Pursuer-Withdrawer Dynamic – See how common relationship cycles form and why interrupting even one small part of the pattern can begin healing.Conflict as a Pathway to Self-Awareness – Discover how shame around conflict can become an invitation toward growth instead of something to avoid.Holding Power Without Losing Humanity – Hear how conscious leaders balance compassion, boundaries, accountability, and healthy authority.About the Guest:Dr. Pavini Moray is the author of How to Hold Power: Becoming a Leader People Love and Respect and the Tending the Bones: Reclaiming Pleasure after Transgenerational Sexual Trauma. With over 30 years of experience as an educator, activist, and somatic coach, they help leaders and couples do the inner work that changes how they show up in every relationship they're in.Dr. Moray holds an M.Ed. in Montessori Curriculum Design and a Ph.D. in Somatic Psychology, and works at the intersection of the body, relational patterns, and conscious leadership. They use Relational Life Therapy and somatic approaches to help people move from adaptive survival strategies into the kind of grounded, boundaried presence that actually leads well.A queer, trans, nonbinary human walking the path of old magick and ridiculous delight, Pavini writes the Substack "Glitter Joyride" and believes that learning to be truly relational with the people we love most is the first step to learning how to do it everywhere.https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-pavini-morayhttps://www.instagram.com/pavinicoakwellmoraySubstack: Glitter Joyride - https://pavinimoray.substack.com/About Amy:Amy Lynn Durham, known by her clients as the Corporate Mystic, is the founder of the Executive Coaching Firm, Create Magic At Work®, where they help leaders build workplaces rooted in creativity, collaboration, and fulfillment. A former corporate executive turned Executive Coach, Amy blends practical leadership strategies with spiritual intelligence to unlock human potential at work.She’s a certified Executive Coach through UC Berkeley & the International Coaching Federation (ICF) In addition, Amy holds coaching certifications in Spiritual Intelligence (SQ21), the Edgewalker Profile, and the Archetypes of Change . In addition to being the host of the Create Magic At Work® podcast, Amy is the author of Create Magic At Work®, Creating Career Magic: A Daily Prompt Journal and the founder of Magic Thread Media™. Through her work, she inspires intentional leadership for thriving workplaces and lives where “magic” becomes reality.Connect with Amy:https://createmagicatwork.net/https://www.linkedin.com/company/create-magic-at-workhttps://www.facebook.com/112951637095427https://www.instagram.com/createmagicatworkhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnEm4h3fUgaq8qgvZpz6dGgThanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.Mentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

Have you ever felt a flicker of something greater inside you, just waiting for the right moment to ignite? In a world that often asks us to dim our lights or follow someone else's blueprint, it is time to stop apologizing for your power and start leading from your soul. In this electrifying episode of Create Magic at Work, Amy Lynn Durham sits down with Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and transformational leader Glenda Benevides. Glenda shares her "Soul on Fire" philosophy, a movement designed to help you break through limitations and rise into the bold, unapologetic life you were meant to live. Through stories of resilience, rejection, reinvention, and artistic courage, Glenda offers a grounded invitation to become more unapologetic in the way we live, lead, and create. From journaling and reflection to music, storytelling, and community, this conversation becomes less about fixing ourselves and more about returning to ourselves and finding our soul's fire.Moments That Create Momentum:Burnout Often Signals Disconnection – Explore why depletion is frequently tied to resisting your deeper purpose instead of simply doing too much.The Courage To Be Unapologetic – Glenda reframes confidence as the willingness to stop seeking permission and approval from the outside world.Why Creativity Is Essential for Leadership – Discover how creativity reconnects people to meaning, energy, and emotional resilience in work and life.The Story Behind the Grammy Journey – Hear how rejection from the Recording Academy became a lesson in persistence, clarity, and authentic self-worth.Soul on Fire as an Immersive Experience – Learn how music, journaling, reflection, and storytelling create transformative experiences that reconnect people to themselves.Honoring Hidden Stories Through Songwriting – Glenda shares how uncovering forgotten historical figures inspires empowerment, courage, and artistic purpose.About the Guest:Glenda Benevides is a GRAMMY®-nominated singer-songwriter, award-winning artist, author, and transformational leader known for her powerful voice and electrifying presence. Through her music, books, and immersive live experiences like Soul On Fire, she inspires audiences to step into their courage, confidence, and full self-expression.Blending soulful storytelling, raw authenticity, and a deep commitment to personal transformation, Glenda’s work goes beyond entertainment. It’s a movement. Her mission is to awaken courage and the fire within, helping people break through limitations and rise into the bold, unapologetic life they were meant to live.YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/c/glendabenevidesW: https://glendabenevides.com or https://glendamusic.comIG: @glendabenevidesmusicLINKED IN: https://linkedin.com/in/glendabenevides/BUY MUSIC: https://glendabenevides.bandcamp.comAbout Amy:Amy Lynn Durham, known by her clients as the Corporate Mystic, is the founder of the Executive Coaching Firm, Create Magic At Work®, where they help leaders build workplaces rooted in creativity, collaboration, and fulfillment. A former corporate executive turned Executive Coach, Amy blends practical leadership strategies with spiritual intelligence to unlock human potential at work.She’s a certified Executive Coach through UC Berkeley & the International Coaching Federation (ICF) In addition, Amy holds coaching certifications in Spiritual Intelligence (SQ21), the Edgewalker Profile, and the Archetypes of Change . In addition to being the host of the Create Magic At Work® podcast, Amy is the author of Create Magic At Work®, Creating Career Magic: A Daily Prompt Journal and the founder of Magic Thread Media™. Through her work, she inspires intentional leadership for thriving workplaces and lives where “magic” becomes reality.Connect with Amy:https://createmagicatwork.net/https://www.linkedin.com/company/create-magic-at-workhttps://www.facebook.com/112951637095427https://www.instagram.com/createmagicatworkhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnEm4h3fUgaq8qgvZpz6dGgThanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.Mentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

Ep 56 | Past Life Regression and Spirit Guides: Insight, Illusion or Something Else? with Certified Hypnotist and Author Karen KubickoWhat if some of your strongest fears, habits, or even relationships didn’t start in this lifetime?Today we are #LiveintheHive with Karen Kubicko, a past life regressionist who helps clients access deeply immersive experiences that feel like memories from another time. For some, it’s healing. For others, it raises big questions about consciousness and identity.Karen is a psychic intuitive, Reiki Master, past life regression expert, certified hypnotist, instructor, and author of Life Is Just Another Class—One Soul’s Journey through Past Life Regression, an account of 16 of her own past lives and Making True Love—Healing Relationship Patterns Through Past Life Regression which explores common root causes of relationship issues, and provides insight on how to heal these patterns. Today’s spirited conversation invites curiosity more than conclusions - we’re leaning right into the edge of what we think we know about ourselves. Whether you’re curious, skeptical, or somewhere in between, this conversation lives right on that edge. Takeaways and lessons:How does your soul incarnate?Karen gives an overview of the vastness of the soul as it incarnates and becomes grounded in the earth experience/consciousness.Karen shares her childhood connections across the veil and interaction with spirit guides. She tells the story of one of her Near-Death Experiences (NDE) – an emergency C-section birth of her second child.She was compelled to explore metaphysics more deeply and discovered the work of Dr. Brian Weiss, with whom she went on to study.How is the power of forgiveness crucial to this work?Karen breaks down your spiritual “team” – spirit guides and passed-over loved ones.For those who experience themselves as non-binary, may there be a deeper understanding of being both male + female?The quantum healing experienced through this work heals not only yourself, but it ripples out to ancestors.Her first book explores how to access your own past lives. Her second book explores healing relationship patterns and root causes through past life regression.All this and SO much more…Find Karen:https://www.karenkubicko.com/https://www.youtube.com/@KarenKubickoFind Sandra:www.SandraBargman.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@sandraamazon@SandraBargman#TheEdgeofEveryday #TheEdgeofEverydayPodcast #PastLives #PastLifeRegression #SpiritGuides #NDE #NearDeathExperienceMentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

In a quiet room lit by candlelight and softened by rain, this episode invites you to settle into the living rhythm of friendship as something more than connection, something closer to a shared becoming. Drawing from moments of reunion, long-held bonds, and a story that didn’t last, the conversation gently explores how the circles of fellowship shape us over time. There is a sense of returning here, to people who have known us across seasons, and also a quiet reckoning with the edges they reveal in us. What does it mean to truly tend a friendship, not just name it? What do we learn when a relationship asks more of us than we can give, or reflects something we are not yet ready to face? Moving between memory, story, and reflection, this episode becomes a space to notice who walks beside you, who has fallen away, and how each connection has quietly shaped your path. It is an invitation to sit with gratitude, to feel the weight and warmth of belonging, and to consider how friendship, when deeply lived, becomes one of the most powerful forces in who we are becoming.Invitations to Consider:The idea that friendship is not just connection but “tending what we tame,” requiring care, presence, and reciprocityHow friends act as companions of emergence, shaping who we become beyond our family of originThe evolving nature of friendship circles, including growth, distance, repair, and renewalA deeply personal story illustrating how friendships can expose moral boundaries and identity edgesThe concept of fellowship as shared investment, drawn from both personal reflection and literary influenceAbout Aaron:Aaron Tabacco, PhD, has spent more than thirty years guiding people through growth and change, often in complex and high-stakes environments. He currently serves as the Director of Staff Experience at a major academic health sciences university. With a background spanning nursing, neuroscience, education, coaching, and mediation, his work centers on helping individuals and organizations navigate identity, connection, and transformation with greater clarity and care.Known for his grounded presence and compassionate communication, Aaron works with students, clinicians, faculty, executives, and senior leaders across healthcare and other industries. His approach integrates relational depth, reflective practice, and a commitment to creating more humane, integrated ways of working and living. He works in San Francisco, California, and lives in Vancouver, Washington, where he continues a lifelong engagement with writing, music, and the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest alongside his husband and three adult sons.https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-tabacco-phd-83359b9/https://lucusgroup.com/homehttps://substack.com/@aarontabacco?r=b5ap9&utm_medium=ioshttps://www.youtube.com/@CirclesEdgesEmail: [email protected] for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

There are parts of us that learn to survive before they ever get the chance to live.In this conversation, Wai Poc invites us into the quiet, complex terrain of identity—where visibility and invisibility coexist, where inherited fear shapes connection, and where the longing to belong meets the courage to be fully seen. From growing up as one of the only Asian students in his school, to navigating life as an “invisibly gay” man, his story is not linear—it’s layered, tender, and deeply human.What unfolds is not just a story about identity, but about the masks we wear to feel safe… and the moment we realize we can no longer live inside them. Through friendship, self-love, and a willingness to stay curious about others, Wai Poc shows us that connection is not something we find—it’s something we allow.And maybe the invitation here is simple, but not easy:to take off the mask… and trust that who we are is enough to be met.The Treasures in the Trash:Survival isn’t the same as living - What helped you navigate early environments, whether inherited fear, silence, or self-protection, can quietly limit your ability to fully connect, express, and thrive. At some point, survival patterns need to be reexamined so life can actually be lived.The mask that protects you can also confine you - We learn to shape ourselves in ways that feel safe or acceptable, but over time that version of ourselves can become the very thing that keeps us from being fully known and expressed.Self-love expands your capacity to connect - As you begin to accept the parts of yourself you once hid or rejected, your ability to understand, relate to, and genuinely connect with others deepens.Needing people is part of being human - The belief that we should be completely independent can keep us isolated, when in reality connection, support, and understanding are essential to a full and meaningful life.There is more space for you than you think - The idea that you need to shrink to belong is often internalized, and while not everyone will understand you, there is far more room for your full self than you’ve been led to believe.About the Guest:Wai Poc is an Executive Coach in the high-tech, biotech, and finance sectors, including for VPs at companies like Google, Facebook, Genentech, Gilead as well as for C-levels in pre and post IPO Series A to D companies where he is based in Silicon Valley. His expertise includes strategic influence, leadership development, and organizational dynamics. Many moons ago, Wai studied cultural anthropology at Stanford University before moving onto a MBA and into business. He is part of the teaching and coaching team on EQ at Stanford's Graduate School of Business. A sabbatical field expedition to Madagascar led Wai to meet Patricia Wright, with whom he is now writing a book on power and politics in the workplace. Their goal is to decode the primate roots of human competition and collaboration with Unleashed: A Field Guide to Power and Politics at Work.About Cari:Cari Jacobs-Crovetto is an executive and leadership coach and the founder of Brave Directions, where she works with senior leaders and C-suite executives to strengthen interpersonal and team relationships, navigate conflict skillfully, and deepen self-awareness, influence, and confidence.Before becoming a coach, Cari spent three decades in marketing and product leadership roles across Fortune 100 companies, media networks, consulting firms, and venture-backed startups. In 2019, she was named one of Forbes’ Top 50 Chief Marketing Officers.Cari brings together decades of operating experience with more than 45 years of Buddhist meditation study and practice, integrating deep inner work with practical leadership development.She facilitates the renowned Interpersonal Dynamics (“Touchy Feely”) course at Stanford Graduate School of Business where she also coaches grad school students, leads meditation classes and leadership workshops, and hosts the podcast Finding Treasures in the Trash.Her mantra: Fierce Heart — where compassion meets bold, badass leadership.https://www.bravedirections.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/carisf/https://www.instagram.com/cari_bravedirections/Thanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.Mentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

Hello Hive!Happy birthday to me!It’s April 15th, Income Tax Day, and my mother always told me I was a great return on my birthday. It’s also World Art Day! Art nurtures creativity, innovation and cultural diversity for humans around the globe, playing an important role in sharing knowledge and encouraging curiosity and courageous conversations. And ART is RESISTANCE! What better day to release my next episode, one that celebrates creativity, identity, and the power of artistic expression and storytelling.Today we are #LIVEintheHIVE with former Silicon Valley Tech CEO, musician, and non-binary trans advocate, Michele Bettencourt - for a courageous conversation on the evolution of IDENTITY.Easily one of my most favorite conversations. Michele’s willingness to share her provocative story openly, along with her articulate, salty and, intriguing story-telling, kept me rapt, laughing heartily, and deeply moved. I know you will be, too.With over a thirty-five-year career in Silicon Valley, Michele Bettencourt served as CEO and Director of multiple private and public companies, including Imperva and Coverity. She is the founder of the Michele Bettencourt Foundation which promotes fair employment for transgender individuals.Michele is a singer/songwriter/musician who, in 2018, dropped her debut album, Vampire Time, which features such esteemed collaborators as Carmine Rojas (David Bowie, Rod Stewart), Steve Ferrone (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), and Russ McKinnon (Barry Manilow, Tower of Power).Vampire Time examines the paradoxes of contemporary life—how people can feel both connected and distant, certain yet uncertain, and visible yet misunderstood, real human experiences on the edge between ordinary life and moments of transformation. Life Lessons through these stories:It’s okay to evolve. Understanding yourself is a journey, not a one-time decision.Be kind. Respecting and accepting others helps create a more compassionate and inclusive world.Creative expression can be a powerful way to share truth and process identity.In Vampire Time, the White House is upside down. In real time, too.Live by the personal mantra, “My Life. My rules.”You can usually tell when people are being kind.Cross dressing is the gateway drug to transitioning.Be an ambassador.Believe in accidental journeys.Become a “meanderthal.”Parental passing grants permission and release.What makes a transition “successful” is how you’re treated.Trans people in bathrooms. Women say the nicest things in bathrooms. Make someone’s day and call them she if that’s what they want. The ripple effect will change humanity.It’s hard to hate someone up close.Thank you, Michele.Remember, the edge is where you come alive.Find Michele + Vampire Time:https://music.apple.com/us/artist/michele-bettencourt-and-vampire-time/1831583691https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd9ZrZBQw3QAmC2k1SjKdsghttps://www.samdevorah.org/boardFind Sandra:SandraBargman.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrabargman/https://createmagicatwork.net/meet-the-teamMentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

Happy April Fools Day!April 1st is a day for surprises. Far more than a prank day— The Day of the Fool is a ritual threshold.What better day to launch The Edge of Everyday podcast on Magic Thread Media?April Fools’ Day belongs to the archetype of The Fool—the one who steps forward without a map, who trusts curiosity over certainty, and who begins the journey before knowing where it leads. TThe "truth" of the fool is a paradox...A step into uncertaintyA break from rigid thinkingPermission to see the world differentlyThe Fool is the only archetype who can move freely between worlds —logic and intuition, ordinary and extraordinary. The Fool is an Edgewalker.And THAT is exactly what a conversation exploring “the edge of everyday” promises to do. Walk between worlds. It's what we've been doing for over 120 episodes.I started #TheEdgeofEverydayPodcast in October 2021 at TalkRadio.NYC. I then moved to Buzzsprout in 2024. Shows from TalkRadio.NYC are on my YouTube Channel. All the shows from Buzzsprout are now here on Magic Thread Media.Hosting this podcast has changed my life immeasurably. It is through hosting that I met Amy Lynn Durham, and because of our spectacular relationship, I've (and The Edge of Everyday) landed at Magic Thread Media.And I'm so grateful.So pour a drink with me and let's have toast to creating magic, exploring edges, holding courageous conversations, and celebrating my joy in becoming a part of the Magic Thread Media Team!Remember...the Edge is where YOU come alive.Find me:www.SandraBargman.com@SandraBargmanhttps://www.youtube.com/@sandraamazon#TheEdgeofEveryday #TheEdgeofEverydayPodcast #MagicThreadMedia #LiveInTheHiveMentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

"What are you waiting for? We’re all in the departure lounge." — Dr. Mark RittenbergHow do we lead in a world that feels broken? In this pilot episode of The Ballet of Empathy, Dr. Mark Rittenberg invites us to step out of our "comfort zone" and into the "stretch zone" to reclaim what it means to be a human being in leadership.What unfolds is a reflection on the beauty and rupture of human connection, where love becomes both the foundation and the test of leadership. Through moments of vulnerability, conflict, forgiveness, and truth telling, a deeper invitation emerges to repair what is breaking, to speak when silence feels safer, and to lead through presence, dialogue, and the courage to remain in relationship.Recorded live at the Berkeley Executive Coaching Institute, this conversation launches a 12-month series exploring the heart of Mark’s life’s work and his upcoming book, Leadership is Love. Mark challenges the "culture of silence" and the "ridiculous" disconnect of our modern era, offering instead a "healing salve" for the workplace.Facilitated by Amy Lynn Durham, Executive Producer of Magic Thread Media, this episode is a roadmap for those ready to commit the radical act of love in service of something larger than themselves.The Choreography Of A Connection:Uncover The Origin Of Leadership As Love – A defining moment reveals how a simple phrase became a lifelong philosophy rooted in human connection.Explore The Duality Of Connection And Heartbreak – The conversation examines how the same relationships that uplift can also fracture through silence and avoidance.Reveal The Cost Of Avoiding Difficult Dialogue – A growing pattern of ghosting and disengagement exposes a deeper cultural fear of confrontation.Examine Courage Within The Danger Zone – Moments of truth-telling illuminate the emotional risk required to move beyond comfort into real transformation.Illuminate The Healing Power Of Forgiveness And Apology – Leadership is reframed through acts of repair, where dialogue restores what disconnection erodes.About the Host: Dr. Mark Rittenberg is a Distinguished Teaching Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business, specializing in leadership communication and interpersonal dynamics. He is known for helping individuals and organizations develop authentic leadership presence through human connection and dialogue.With over three decades of global experience, he has worked with Fortune 100 companies, government institutions, and international organizations. He is also the founder of the Berkeley Executive Coaching Institute, where he trains leaders and executive coaches from around the world.At the heart of his work is a simple but powerful belief: leadership is rooted in love, expressed through presence, dialogue, and the courage to remain in human connection.https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-rittenberg-bb90214/ Thanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Mentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

There are moments when a stranger’s story feels like a mirror, quietly revealing something we’ve carried for years without naming. In this episode, Aaron invites us into the layered terrain of family origin stories, where identity, belonging, and inherited narratives begin to take shape long before we have language for them. Through a deeply human encounter and a series of gentle questions, the conversation settles into the quiet realization that much of who we believe ourselves to be may not have been chosen at all. As the night unfolds, listeners are asked to sit with the stories they’ve lived, the roles they’ve carried, and the subtle edges where those inherited patterns begin to soften, shift, or ask for release.Invitations to Consider:A powerful real-life encounter that opens the doorway into reflecting on human resilience and chosen identityHow family origin stories shape identity, often before we are aware of itThe role of belonging, attachment, and emotional conditioning in early developmentThe hidden influence of family roles, myths, and power structures on adult lifeThe possibility of rewriting inherited narratives and choosing new ways of beingAbout Aaron:Aaron Tabacco, PhD, has spent more than thirty years guiding people through growth and change, often in complex and high-stakes environments. He currently serves as the Director of Staff Experience at a major academic health sciences university. With a background spanning nursing, neuroscience, education, coaching, and mediation, his work centers on helping individuals and organizations navigate identity, connection, and transformation with greater clarity and care.Known for his grounded presence and compassionate communication, Aaron works with students, clinicians, faculty, executives, and senior leaders across healthcare and other industries. His approach integrates relational depth, reflective practice, and a commitment to creating more humane, integrated ways of working and living. He works in San Francisco, California, and lives in Vancouver, Washington, where he continues a lifelong engagement with writing, music, and the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest alongside his husband and three adult sons.https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-tabacco-phd-83359b9/https://lucusgroup.com/homehttps://substack.com/@aarontabacco?r=b5ap9&utm_medium=ioshttps://www.youtube.com/@CirclesEdgesEmail: [email protected] for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

There are moments in life when everything you built collapses. A car accident rewires your future. A company sale that looks like a dream turns into a financial freefall. A market crash. A divorce. A season where the identity you wore like armor falls apart.In this conversation, Scott Duffy does not offer the highlight reel. He tells of the collapse. The pawn shop. The last $200. The parking lot tears. The phone call that helped him stand back up. And underneath his story is a truth that feels both confronting and liberating.In this episode of Treasures in the Trash, Cari sits down with entrepreneur and investor Scott Duffy to explore a reality that every leader—and every human being—eventually faces: what happens when the very strengths that once made us successful stop working.Scott’s career has included remarkable highs—building companies, selling a business to Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, and working at the forefront of entrepreneurship. It has also included difficult setbacks, including financial collapse and divorce. Those experiences became the backdrop for a deeper conversation about resilience, reinvention, and what it really takes to begin again.During the conversation, Scott offers a striking observation about the current moment in the age of artificial intelligence: the very skills that once defined our expertise may quickly become outdated. As he puts it, “Your superpowers before ChatGPT may now be your baggage.”But the deeper insight in this conversation isn’t really about technology.It’s about what happens when life disrupts us—when the identities we’ve built begin to loosen and the strategies that once worked no longer carry us forward.Those moments can feel like collapse. But they can also become powerful turning points.Finding Treasures in the Trash is about taking the muck of life—the uncertainty, the failures, the parts of ourselves we’d rather hide—and discovering that it can become the very gold that opens the next chapter of our lives. Or of our planet.The Treasures in the Trash:Beginner’s mind opens possibility - When we become experts, our thinking can quietly harden. Scott and Cari explore the power of returning to beginner’s mind—what the Zen tradition calls shoshin. Experts see limits; beginners see options. In times of disruption, curiosity becomes a strategic advantage.Your superpower can become your baggage - The skills that once made us exceptional can eventually trap us in outdated patterns. In the age of AI—and in life more broadly—growth requires the willingness to release certainty and evolve beyond what once defined us.Resourcefulness matters more than resources - Scott draws a powerful distinction: success rarely comes from having the most resources. It comes from how creatively and courageously we meet reality. Resourcefulness, not abundance, is what moves people forward.When the wave comes, you move through it - Disruption is inevitable. Whether it’s AI, a market shift, or a personal collapse, the question isn’t whether the wave arrives—it’s how we respond. We can run, freeze, or learn to move through it.The people around you shape what feels possible - Our environments matter. Scott reflects on the idea that we often become the average of the people closest to us. The relationships we choose can either expand our sense of possibility or quietly shrink it.Transformation begins after the fall - Some of Scott’s most powerful insights come from the hardest chapters of his life. His recovery framework—accountability, forgiveness, learning, and gratitude—reveals how moments that feel like collapse can become the foundation for growth.If you’re ready to start reclaiming the parts of yourself you’ve pushed aside, head to https://bravedirections.myflodesk.com/5daystotruth to sign up for ”Five Days to Truth”—a free guided meditation series to help you begin that process with clarity and care. It’s a powerful companion to this work, and Cari’s gift to you.About the Guest: Scott Duffy is an entrepreneur and AI business strategist. He is the Founder of AI Mavericks and several other AI-focused businesses. Prior to AI ventures, he founded a company acquired by Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, held leadership roles at FOX Sports, NBC Internet, & CBS Sportsline, and started his career working for Tony Robbins. He is the author of four influential books, including "Shoshin," "The Ultimate Prompting Guide," "Breakthrough," & "Launch"; has been recognized as a “Top 10 Speaker” by Entrepreneur; has appeared on CNBC; has spoken at the NY Stock Exchange; and was Co-Host of a popular podcast for Microsoft.https://scottduffy.com/https://www.facebook.com/realscottduffy/About Cari:Cari Jacobs-Crovetto is an executive and leadership coach and the founder of Brave Directions, where she works with senior leaders and C-suite executives to strengthen interpersonal and team relationships, navigate conflict skillfully, and deepen self-awareness, influence, and confidence.Before becoming a coach, Cari spent three decades in marketing and product leadership roles across Fortune 100 companies, media networks, consulting firms, and venture-backed startups. In 2019, she was named one of Forbes’ Top 50 Chief Marketing Officers.Cari brings together decades of operating experience with more than 45 years of Buddhist meditation study and practice, integrating deep inner work with practical leadership development.She facilitates the renowned Interpersonal Dynamics (“Touchy Feely”) course at Stanford Graduate School of Business where she also coaches grad school students, leads meditation classes and leadership workshops, and hosts the podcast Finding Treasures in the Trash.Her mantra: Fierce Heart — where compassion meets bold, badass leadership.https://www.bravedirections.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/carisf/https://www.instagram.com/cari_bravedirections/Thanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.Mentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

A quiet question sits beneath the noise of modern life. When did inspiration give way to exhaustion? When did courage soften into silence?In this opening invitation, Dr. Mark Rittenberg reflects on the moment people stop singing, stop gathering, and stop standing up for one another. The Ballet of Empathy begins as a call back to human connection and a reminder that leadership lives in presence, dialogue, forgiveness, and the courage to repair what has been broken. Through stories of heartbreak, community, and renewal, this podcast explores a rising movement of people choosing love, communication, and responsibility for the world they share.

I have some FANTASTIC NEWS to share with you and this news centers around my guest today. The Edge of Everyday Podcast is MOVING to a new platform! As of APRIL 15th – my birthday – The Edge of Everyday will broadcast on a new platform, Magic Thread Media, founded by Amy Lynn Durham, host of Create Magic at Work Podcast – which is now in the top 5% of the podcasting world. And today we are #LiveInTheHive with Amy, herself, to talk all about it! Magic Thread Media, founded in December 2025, is a media and publishing studio producing podcasts, companion works, and original creative IP through a curated network of voices.On The Edge of Everyday, I blend soulful inquiry with grounded real-world insight, inviting listeners to embrace complexity, expand perspective, and engage life’s uncertainties with greater presence, compassion, and authenticity. I am thrilled and honored to add my voice to the Magic Thread Media network and be amongst the powerful leaders and voices Amy has curated.In my excitement, I also thank you Sal and Laura Celly and MaximizeU.Life you for hosting #TheEdgeofEverydayPodcast. I maintain my collaboration with them in all our other work.In this conversation we celebrate, we sing, we laugh a lot, and, as always, we go deep. Key Takeaways:The power of being MESSY. There is no such thing as the perfect time to start building your dream. Simply begin where you are and embrace imperfection. Mistakes are a crucial part of your success story.What and who is an Edgewalker?Amy shares her rich podcasting journey, from honing her message while being a frequent guest, to building Create Magic at Work podcast how it’s all led to the creation of Magic Thread Media. Turning 50: Women stepping into their power as they age, sharing their voice and vision OUT LOUD, and not caring what others think.Love vs High Self Orientation. Getting out of your own way and choosing to be in service to others.Amy shares the work and vision of the publishing arm of the network.The relationship of her Executive Coaching firm and Magic Thread Media. I am a proud member of the Executive Coaching Team as a Voice and Presence Teacher. (Thank you for the kind plug, Amy!) Clients come to MTM to hone their message and raise their voice. Then they work with Amy to decide how they share, and in what media format.Amy shares her phenomenal vision AND her vision beyond her vision.Uprising of women clients looking to stop holding themselves back and to find the courage to amplify their voice, their message, their vision.All this and so much more.Amy Lynn Durham is the founder of the Executive Coaching Firm, Create Magic at Work and is host of the globally recognized Create Magic At Work® podcast. She is the author of both the prompt journal Creating Career Magic & the activity book Create Magic At Work. Amy is the Founder and Executive Producer at Magic Thread Media, a media and publishing studio producing podcasts, companion works, and original creative IP through a curated network of voices. This platform extends conversations about leadership, culture, and the human experience into long-form media, publishing, and live experiences.www.CreateMagicatWork.comwww.MagicThreadMedia.comConnect with your host Sandra Bargman:WebsiteYouTubeInstagramLinkedInCaptivate Feed

Email: [email protected] are moments when the world feels heavy with brokenness, when problems gather around us and something inside wants to move quickly toward repair. Aaron gently lingers in that space, exploring the quiet pull to become the fixer in every room. With steady presence and thoughtful questioning, he invites us to notice the subtle line between compassionate presence and identity built on being needed. What happens when helping becomes who we are? What tightens inside us when conflict appears, and what softens when we choose to sit with discomfort instead of controlling it? Through reflections on burnout, empathic distress, and relational tension, Aaron opens a path toward deeper self-awareness and spiritual growth. Rather than rejecting service, he encourages a more spacious way of showing up, one rooted in wholeness instead of fear. The conversation settles into a simple but profound question: who are you if you are not fixing?Invitations to Consider:The difference between fixing as control and presence as companionship in service.How empathic distress can drive reactive helping behaviors.The emotional cost of attaching identity and self-worth to being needed.Why sitting with discomfort can deepen relationships and reveal truth.The societal consequences of collective “fixing” rooted in fear rather than awareness.About Aaron:Aaron Tabacco, PhD, has spent more than thirty years guiding people through growth and change, often in complex and high-stakes environments. He currently serves as the Director of Staff Experience at a major academic health sciences university. With a background spanning nursing, neuroscience, education, coaching, and mediation, his work centers on helping individuals and organizations navigate identity, connection, and transformation with greater clarity and care.Known for his grounded presence and compassionate communication, Aaron works with students, clinicians, faculty, executives, and senior leaders across healthcare and other industries. His approach integrates relational depth, reflective practice, and a commitment to creating more humane, integrated ways of working and living. He works in San Francisco, California, and lives in Vancouver, Washington, where he continues a lifelong engagement with writing, music, and the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest alongside his husband and three adult sons.https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-tabacco-phd-83359b9/https://lucusgroup.com/homehttps://substack.com/@aarontabacco?r=b5ap9&utm_medium=ioshttps://www.youtube.com/@CirclesEdgesEmail: [email protected] for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

Content Note: This episode includes a brief first-person account of physical and sexual assault. Listener discretion is advised.This episode is about Radical Acceptance and Radical — and I mean radical — Self Love. Acceptance of uncharacteristic looks. Acceptance of our race. Acceptance of real physical pain. Acceptance of aging. But ultimately, it is about accepting the shadow all the way through — every part and every way it can show up, from childhood through the crone. Radical Acceptance without flinching. Mandy Ingber has lived her entire life finding treasures in the trash. She has lived this work like no one I have met yet. “When you push away the shadow, you get rid of your own power.” So she has done the opposite. Nothing gets cut out, nothing gets pushed down or away — everything is there to be experienced in this life. To have transformation, you have to have the difficulty — it doesn’t feel good, and that’s why we don’t want to be in it. But that’s the doorway. Like the yoga she’s taught to celebs like Jennifer Aniston and Kate Hudson, we dig deep to make it through the pose to find the true gold in the challenges of life.Key Takeaways:Pouring yourself into what’s labeled a “negative.” Because of Mandy’s looks, she was cast early as a villain—asked to embody exaggerated shadow parts by playing those roles.Being cast as your shadow. Moving toward the scary parts of yourself in a conscious, safe way. For Mandy, this meant facing deep fear connected to her father by eventually becoming that fear herself when cast as a villain.Our relationship to appearance. Being “cast” by the world based on how we look can be debilitating—or it can become a portal into radical acceptance, especially when our appearance is intertwined with race.Nose jobs and fixing the outside. Changing our exterior doesn’t resolve the complexity of what we feel inside or how we accept ourselves. The old self doesn’t disappear—it waits in the shadow to be transformed into treasure.Our looks as a proxy for conditioning we don’t talk about nearly enough.Insecurity as a doorway. How feeling insecure can open us to experiencing life more fully and honestly as human beings—without fear.Going through physical pain to find freedom. We find joy, resilience and more when we can lean into the entirety of our experience.Jiminy Cricket and wishing upon a star as consciousness and focused attentionIf you’re ready to start reclaiming the parts of yourself you’ve pushed aside, head to https://bravedirections.myflodesk.com/5daystotruth to sign up for ”Five Days to Truth”—a free guided meditation series to help you begin that process with clarity and care. It’s a powerful companion to this work, and Cari’s gift to you.About the Guest:Mandy Ingber is a Los Angeles based New York Times best selling author, wellness expert, and astrologer who has spent more than 30 years guiding clients to understand their life’s purpose through their birth charts and embodiment practices. She is the creator of the YOGALOSOPHY method and the author of Yogalosophy: 28 Days to the Ultimate Mind Body Makeover and Yogalosophy for Inner Strength: 12 Weeks to Heal Your Heart and Embrace Joy. Her work has earned awards from Los Angeles Magazine and LA Weekly, and she has been featured in major publications including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, People, and The Oprah Magazine, with television appearances on Good Morning America and the TODAY show. Her private client list has included Jennifer Aniston, Kate Beckinsale, Helen Hunt, and Brooke Shields.In addition to her wellness work, Mandy is deeply committed to supporting people through life’s transitions. She is a certified Death Doula who guides individuals and families through advance medical directives, living trusts, and final wishes, and she serves as a minister for both end of life celebrations and weddings. She is also a sought after speaker and spokesperson for wellness brands, serves on the advisory committee for the Cancer Prevention Clinic at Providence Saint John’s Health Center, and brings a unique creative background from her earlier career on Broadway, television, and film.https://mandyingber.com/https://www.instagram.com/mandyingberAbout Cari:Cari Jacobs-Crovetto is an executive and leadership coach and the founder of Brave Directions, where she works with senior leaders and C-suite executives to strengthen interpersonal and team relationships, navigate conflict skillfully, and deepen self-awareness, influence, and confidence.Before becoming a coach, Cari spent three decades in marketing and product leadership roles across Fortune 100 companies, media networks, consulting firms, and venture-backed startups. In 2019, she was named one of Forbes’ Top 50 Chief Marketing Officers.Cari brings together decades of operating experience with more than 45 years of Buddhist meditation study and practice, integrating deep inner work with practical leadership development.She facilitates the renowned Interpersonal Dynamics (“Touchy Feely”) course at Stanford Graduate School of Business where she also coaches grad school students, leads meditation classes and leadership workshops, and hosts the podcast Finding Treasures in the Trash.Her mantra: Fierce Heart — where compassion meets bold, badass leadership.https://www.bravedirections.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/carisf/https://www.instagram.com/cari_bravedirections/Thanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.Mentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

“Ferocious Compassion requires that I find the courage to speak my truth, to find the courage to be disliked, to find the courage to turn and face confrontation.  Ferocious Compassion guides me to choose authenticity over approval. It allows me the freedom to assert myself, to be vulnerable, to express, not suppress my true emotions and intentions.”    - Author, Sandra BargmanToday we are #LiveInTheHive with award-winning author, book mentor, editor, leadership coach, and my friend, Cynthia Gregory. The above quote is from, FEROCIOUS COMPASSION, my chapter in the newly released and much anticipated book, LOVE NOTES from the Soul 2.0: Stories of Compassion and Healing, curated and edited by Cynthia. We had Cynthia on as a guest last October to celebrate the release of Love Notes 2.0 (Ep 42) and we’re thrilled to welcome her back to dig in a bit deeper. Cynthia’s motto is: “Allow your story to take up space in the world.” And I’m thrilled that my thought concept, Ferocious Compassion, is taking up space in the world!The power of storytelling and the power of finding and sharing your VOICE in the world is at the heart of every aspect of Cynthias work. Sound familiar? No surprise that from the moment I met her, I was completely drawn to Cynthia and her soulful and creative work. Which is why I gave her a resounding YES when she asked me to become a contributing author to LOVE NOTES 2.0. There is a total of 27 stories in this book, an exquisitely curated and edited collection by Cynthia, each one a LOVE NOTE. And what could be better than sharing and celebrating love notes today, as we start Valentines Day weekend?We touch on…The power of sharing your VOICE and reconnecting to the courage of storytelling.Is Ferocious Compassion controversial? Is political? The politicization of human rights.The genesis of the phrase, “ferocious compassion.”The radical act of telling your truth. Truth-telling = More stories.People-pleasing is a trauma response.In these challenging times, stories become MORE important in our lives.The conflicting stories of the USA – we have 2 distinctly different narratives of “who” is an American.The inspiration for the creation of the Love Notes Anthologies. Following your creative instincts and trusting the process!Work on Love Notes 3.0 has begunRISE + WRITE, A SOULFUL SUMMER WRITERS RETREAT | HUDSON VALLEY, NEW YORKLed by Cynthia Gregory and Sandra Bargman | Create, mine, write, speak, and craft your story.Friday, July 31 - Sunday, August 2 | For more details and registration: www.coachcynthiagregory.comLove Notes 2.0 Book Signing Event | The Olive Free Library in West Shokan, New YorkThursday, July 30th @ 5:30 pmJoin Editor Cynthia Gregory and Contributing Authors Sandra Bargman + Sarah Olivieri for readings, discussion and Q&A.   https://www.olivefreelibrary.org/Cynthia Gregory is an award-winning writer and author of Journaling as Sacred Practice: an Act Of Extreme Bravery, What Is Possible From Here, and the LOVE NOTES Anthologies. She was also editor of the California Writers Club, Redwood Writers’ Annual Anthology: ON FIRE (2023).Full bio, resources, coaching and events:www,CoachCynthiaGregory.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorycynthia/Connect with your host Sandra Bargman:WebsiteYouTubeInstagramLinkedIn

Aaron invites listeners into a quiet inner space where uncertainty is no longer something to overcome, but something to notice and meet with care. Through personal reflection and thoughtful inquiry, the episode explores how uncertainty shapes our sense of self, revealing the ways we cling to certainty for safety and how that grip can quietly limit us. Rather than offering guidance or resolution, the reflection lingers with questions of identity, creativity, and courage, suggesting that uncertainty may be the very condition that allows us to choose who we are becoming. This is an invitation to pause at the edge of what cannot be known, to soften our resistance, and to consider how we show up when the future offers no guarantees.Key Takeaways:An exploration of uncertainty as a constant condition of human life rather than an interruption.A personal story of standing at a life crossroads and the paralysis that certainty-seeking can create.The idea that creativity depends on uncertainty and cannot exist without it.A reframing of courage as curiosity applied in moments of resistance.An invitation to define identity not by outcomes, but by character and presence in uncertain times.About Aaron:Aaron Tabacco, PhD, has spent more than thirty years guiding people through growth and change, often in complex and high-stakes environments. He currently serves as the Director of Staff Experience at a major academic health sciences university. With a background spanning nursing, neuroscience, education, coaching, and mediation, his work centers on helping individuals and organizations navigate identity, connection, and transformation with greater clarity and care.Known for his grounded presence and compassionate communication, Aaron works with students, clinicians, faculty, executives, and senior leaders across healthcare and other industries. His approach integrates relational depth, reflective practice, and a commitment to creating more humane, integrated ways of working and living. He works in San Francisco, California, and lives in Vancouver, Washington, where he continues a lifelong engagement with writing, music, and the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest alongside his husband and three adult sons.https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-tabacco-phd-83359b9/https://lucusgroup.com/homehttps://substack.com/@aarontabacco?r=b5ap9&utm_medium=ioshttps://www.youtube.com/@CirclesEdgesEmail: [email protected] for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

What if the parts of you you’ve learned to doubt are actually the ones trying to guide you home?In this conversation, Cari sits with Trudy Goodman to explore the quiet but profound cost of not trusting ourselves—and the long, compassionate path of returning to that trust. Not as a concept, but as a lived, embodied relationship with intuition, vulnerability, and truth.Trudy shares how a lifelong pattern of overriding her intuition led to painful consequences, including moments of deep denial in relationships. What emerges is not regret, but a reframing: those experiences became the very doorway into rebuilding trust from the ground up. Not through force, but through small, consistent acts of listening.The conversation gently unravels the tension between spiritual teachings that ask us to “drop the self” and the very real, human work of tending to it. Rather than rejecting the self, Trudy invites a different approach—one rooted in compassion, awareness, and the willingness to stay present with what’s difficult without turning away.There is no bypassing here. No perfection to reach.Only a deepening devotion to what is true—again and again.And the realization that even the parts we’ve pushed away are not problems to solve… but places asking to be loved.The Treasures in the Trash:When Intuition Gets Overridden – Trudy shares how ignoring her inner knowing led to painful consequences and long-standing patterns of self-doubt.Rebuilding Trust From the Inside – A practice of listening to even the smallest impulses becomes a way to retrain intuition and restore self-trust.The Myth of Dropping the Self – Spiritual teachings are reframed to include, rather than reject, the human self and its lived experience.Compassion for the “Unwanted Parts” – What we often label as shadow is revealed as parts of ourselves asking for attention, care, and love.Self-Devotion as a Practice – The path forward becomes one of steady, compassionate commitment to knowing and trusting oneself over time.About the Guest:Trudy Goodman is a psychotherapist and internationally recognized meditation teacher who has been teaching mindfulness for decades. She is the founding teacher of InsightLA, a leading meditation community in Los Angeles, and was among the earliest teachers of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, working alongside Jon Kabat-Zinn. Trudy holds a graduate degree in psychotherapy from Harvard and has dedicated her life to helping people cultivate awareness, compassion, and emotional healing through meditation. Known for her warmth, accessibility, and depth of wisdom, she has guided thousands of students in integrating mindfulness into everyday life.https://www.trudygoodman.com/https://www.instagram.com/trudy_goodman/https://www.facebook.com/therealtrudygoodmanAbout Cari:Cari Jacobs-Crovetto is an executive and leadership coach and the founder of Brave Directions, where she works with senior leaders and C-suite executives to strengthen interpersonal and team relationships, navigate conflict skillfully, and deepen self-awareness, influence, and confidence.Before becoming a coach, Cari spent three decades in marketing and product leadership roles across Fortune 100 companies, media networks, consulting firms, and venture-backed startups. In 2019, she was named one of Forbes’ Top 50 Chief Marketing Officers.Cari brings together decades of operating experience with more than 45 years of Buddhist meditation study and practice, integrating deep inner work with practical leadership development.She facilitates the renowned Interpersonal Dynamics (“Touchy Feely”) course at Stanford Graduate School of Business where she also coaches grad school students, leads meditation classes and leadership workshops, and hosts the podcast Finding Treasures in the Trash.Her mantra: Fierce Heart — where compassion meets bold, badass leadership.https://www.bravedirections.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/carisf/https://www.instagram.com/cari_jacobs_sfThanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.Mentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

What if the ways you’ve learned to cope… are also the ways you’ve learned to stay away from yourself?Cari sits down with Lisa Danylchuk to explore what it actually means to lean into pain—not forcefully, not all at once, but with enough support to stay present to what’s real. Together, they unpack the many forms avoidance can take—overworking, overgiving, numbing, performing—and how easy it is to normalize those patterns, especially in high-functioning lives.Lisa brings both personal experience and clinical depth, sharing how grief became a doorway rather than something to bypass. Not because it was easy, but because there was enough safety to stay with it. That distinction becomes central: this work isn’t about pushing harder—it’s about knowing how to approach gently, and when.What emerges is a more compassionate understanding of trauma, shadow, and healing. Not as something reserved for extreme experiences, but as something woven into everyday life—into relationships, leadership, identity, and the quiet ways we disconnect from ourselves.The invitation isn’t to dive in recklessly.It’s to begin, wherever you are, with honesty… and support.The Treasures in the Trash:The Many Faces of Avoidance – How avoidance shows up in everyday behaviors like overworking, caregiving, and numbing habits.Grief as a Gateway – Lisa’s experience of losing her brother becomes a turning point that led her to lean into, rather than bypass, pain.Safety Before Depth – Healing depends on having enough internal and external support to approach difficult emotions without overwhelm.Trauma Doesn’t Discriminate – Hard experiences shape people across all environments, including high-achieving and professional spaces.Gentle Is Powerful – Sustainable transformation comes not from force, but from slowly and compassionately meeting what’s been avoided.About the Guest:Lisa Danylchuk, LMFT, E-RYT is an author, licensed psychotherapist, and yoga teacher trainer specializing in bringing yoga into trauma treatment. A graduate of UCLA and Harvard University, Lisa is the founder of the Center for Yoga and Trauma Recovery in Oakland, CA, and creator the Yoga for Trauma (Y4T) Online Training Program. She has authored three books: Yoga for Trauma Recovery: Theory, Philosophy, and Practice (2019), Embodied Healing: Using Yoga to Recover from Trauma and Extreme Stress (2015), and How You Can Heal: A Strength Based Guide to Trauma Recovery (2017), and is a contributing editor for Best Practices for Yoga for Veterans, published by the Yoga Service Council. She also serves on the Board of Directors and the UN Task Force for the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation, and was recently elected to serve as Secretary for the organization. A leader in the movement to incorporate yoga into trauma treatment, she has trained yoga and mental health professionals around the world, and presents her work internationally.https://lisadanylchuk.com/https://www.instagram.com/howwecanheal/https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisadanylchukmft/About Cari:Cari Jacobs-Crovetto is an executive and leadership coach and the founder of Brave Directions, where she works with senior leaders and C-suite executives to strengthen interpersonal and team relationships, navigate conflict skillfully, and deepen self-awareness, influence, and confidence.Before becoming a coach, Cari spent three decades in marketing and product leadership roles across Fortune 100 companies, media networks, consulting firms, and venture-backed startups. In 2019, she was named one of Forbes’ Top 50 Chief Marketing Officers.Cari brings together decades of operating experience with more than 45 years of Buddhist meditation study and practice, integrating deep inner work with practical leadership development.She facilitates the renowned Interpersonal Dynamics (“Touchy Feely”) course at Stanford Graduate School of Business where she also coaches grad school students, leads meditation classes and leadership workshops, and hosts the podcast Finding Treasures in the Trash.Her mantra: Fierce Heart — where compassion meets bold, badass leadership.https://www.bravedirections.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/carisf/https://www.instagram.com/cari_jacobs_sfThanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.Mentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

What if the life you’ve built—your strengths, your identity, even your success—is only half the story?In this conversation, Cari sits with Henry Most to explore what happens after we’ve learned how to “be someone” in the world. The ways we adapt, achieve, and belong aren’t random—they’re shaped early, often in response to what was welcomed and what wasn’t. Over time, those adaptive strategies become who we think we are.But eventually, something begins to shift.Henry introduces a Jungian lens that maps this process: a first phase of becoming—building identity, learning how to function—and a second phase that asks something much harder. Not how to succeed, but how to return. How to meet the parts that were set aside. How to listen when the body starts speaking louder than the story.Through his own experience, he shares what it feels like when that shift begins—not as clarity, but as collapse. A loss of self. A dismantling of certainty. And then, slowly, a different kind of knowing emerging. One that isn’t driven by performance or proving, but by something deeper, quieter, and more honest.What becomes clear is that this work doesn’t require a dramatic turning point. It can begin in much smaller moments—in the pause, in the breath, in the willingness to feel what’s underneath the reaction.The movement toward wholeness isn’t about becoming more.It’s about reclaiming what was never lost—just left behind.The Treasures in the Trash:The Two Halves of Becoming – Henry introduces a Jungian framework that separates identity-building from the deeper work of integration.How the Ego Gets Built – Early experiences shape what parts of us are welcomed and what gets pushed into the shadow.When the System Starts to Shake – Anxiety and internal tension emerge as suppressed parts begin pushing back into awareness.Collapse as a Turning Point – A personal loss of self becomes the doorway into deeper emotional and somatic exploration.Returning Through the Body – The path toward wholeness is revealed as a practice of pausing, feeling, and integrating what arises.About the Guest:Henry Most brings a unique blend of experience across psychotherapy, coaching, group facilitation, and data analytics. He is a Lecturer in Management and Leadership Coach at Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he also facilitates interpersonal dynamics (“T-group”) work, and has taught at the California Institute of Integral Studies.After a successful career in market research and analytics, Henry shifted his focus toward self-exploration and human development, drawing from psychology, Buddhism, somatics, and group dynamics. He now works with individuals and teams to deepen self-awareness, strengthen connection, and support more effective leadership.He holds a BA from Cornell University and a master’s in Marriage & Family Therapy from CIIS, and has trained in Stanford’s Interpersonal Dynamics Facilitator Training Program and Co-Active Coaching.https://www.linkedin.com/in/henry-most-99783a4/About Cari:Cari Jacobs-Crovetto is an executive and leadership coach and the founder of Brave Directions, where she works with senior leaders and C-suite executives to strengthen interpersonal and team relationships, navigate conflict skillfully, and deepen self-awareness, influence, and confidence.Before becoming a coach, Cari spent three decades in marketing and product leadership roles across Fortune 100 companies, media networks, consulting firms, and venture-backed startups. In 2019, she was named one of Forbes’ Top 50 Chief Marketing Officers.Cari brings together decades of operating experience with more than 45 years of Buddhist meditation study and practice, integrating deep inner work with practical leadership development.She facilitates the renowned Interpersonal Dynamics (“Touchy Feely”) course at Stanford Graduate School of Business where she also coaches grad school students, leads meditation classes and leadership workshops, and hosts the podcast Finding Treasures in the Trash.Her mantra: Fierce Heart — where compassion meets bold, badass leadership.https://www.bravedirections.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/carisf/https://www.instagram.com/cari_jacobs_sfThanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.Mentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

What if the reason this work feels unclear… is because you’ve been trying to approach it from your mind instead of your body?Cari takes the conversation out of theory and into practice, answering the question so many people quietly carry: how do I actually do this? Not conceptually, not intellectually—but in a way that creates real movement.Using the metaphor of Ruth Asawa’s wire sculptures, she reframes the work as something whole—where what’s visible and what’s hidden, what’s formed and what’s shadowed, all belong to the same structure. Nothing is separate. Nothing is extra. The shadow isn’t a problem—it’s part of the art.From there, she offers a grounded, repeatable five-step process—not as a rigid method, but as a way of learning how to come back into relationship with yourself. Safety. Listening. Staying. Expanding. Integrating. Each step gently interrupts the habit of living outside of the body and invites a different kind of attention—one that’s slower, more honest, and less controlled.What emerges isn’t about fixing anything.It’s about learning how to be with what’s already there—long enough for it to reveal something true.And trusting that what’s been buried isn’t random… it’s waiting.The Treasures in the Trash:Making the Work Tangible – Cari shifts from concept to application, offering a grounded way to begin engaging with inner truth work.The Shadow as Part of the Whole – Using Ruth Asawa’s sculptures, she reframes shadow not as separate, but as essential to the full expression of self.Why Look If Life Feels Fine – Even in stable or happy lives, unseen patterns continue to live in the body and shape experience.A Five-Step Path Inward – Safety, listening, allowing, expanding, and integrating form a repeatable practice for engaging the body’s truth.The Body as the Entry Point – Real transformation happens not through thinking, but through sensing, feeling, and staying present with what arises.About Cari:Cari Jacobs-Crovetto is an executive and leadership coach and the founder of Brave Directions, where she works with senior leaders and C-suite executives to strengthen interpersonal and team relationships, navigate conflict skillfully, and deepen self-awareness, influence, and confidence.Before becoming a coach, Cari spent three decades in marketing and product leadership roles across Fortune 100 companies, media networks, consulting firms, and venture-backed startups. In 2019, she was named one of Forbes’ Top 50 Chief Marketing Officers.Cari brings together decades of operating experience with more than 45 years of Buddhist meditation study and practice, integrating deep inner work with practical leadership development.She facilitates the renowned Interpersonal Dynamics (“Touchy Feely”) course at Stanford Graduate School of Business where she also coaches grad school students, leads meditation classes and leadership workshops, and hosts the podcast Finding Treasures in the Trash.Her mantra: Fierce Heart — where compassion meets bold, badass leadership.https://www.bravedirections.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/carisf/https://www.instagram.com/cari_bravedirections/Thanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.Mentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

What if the parts of you you’ve worked hardest to hide are the ones quietly shaping everything?Cari opens a deeper layer of the work by naming what most of us instinctively avoid—the emotions, patterns, and experiences we’ve tucked away in order to function, belong, or feel in control. She calls it “trash,” not to diminish it, but to make it approachable enough to finally turn toward.Because what we push down doesn’t disappear. It lives in the body, in the nervous system, in the subtle ways we react, connect, withdraw, or overcompensate. Even when we don’t see it, others can feel it. And often, we’re living inside stories about ourselves that were built to protect us—but no longer tell the truth.Through her own experience, Cari shares how panic interrupted the version of reality she had been holding onto. What felt like something breaking was actually something surfacing. Beneath the anxiety was a deeper recognition—about fear, about love, about the gap between who she believed herself to be and what was actually there.From that moment, the work became clear: not fixing, not avoiding, but learning how to look. Learning how to stay. Learning how to tell the truth without turning away.This isn’t a one-time excavation. It’s a relationship.And what we find, if we’re willing to keep going, has the potential to change everything.The Treasures in the Trash:Naming What We Avoid – Cari defines “trash” as the parts of ourselves we hide, suppress, or feel shame around.The Shadow Is Already Seen – Even when we don’t acknowledge our shadow, others can feel it through subtle, unconscious signals.Panic as Truth Rising – Her early panic attacks weren’t random, but a breaking point where buried truth demanded to be felt.The Lie We Learn to Live In – She uncovers how the story of a “perfect life” protected her from facing deeper pain.Turning Toward Instead of Away – The episode invites a lifelong practice of meeting ourselves fully and using what we find as fuel for growth.About Cari:Cari Jacobs-Crovetto is an executive and leadership coach and the founder of Brave Directions, where she works with senior leaders and C-suite executives to strengthen interpersonal and team relationships, navigate conflict skillfully, and deepen self-awareness, influence, and confidence.Before becoming a coach, Cari spent three decades in marketing and product leadership roles across Fortune 100 companies, media networks, consulting firms, and venture-backed startups. In 2019, she was named one of Forbes’ Top 50 Chief Marketing Officers.Cari brings together decades of operating experience with more than 45 years of Buddhist meditation study and practice, integrating deep inner work with practical leadership development.She facilitates the renowned Interpersonal Dynamics (“Touchy Feely”) course at Stanford Graduate School of Business where she also coaches grad school students, leads meditation classes and leadership workshops, and hosts the podcast Finding Treasures in the Trash.Her mantra: Fierce Heart — where compassion meets bold, badass leadership.https://www.bravedirections.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/carisf/https://www.instagram.com/cari_bravedirections/Thanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.Mentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

There’s a moment in every life where something cracks open—quietly or violently—and asks us to look closer. Not at what’s polished or presentable, but at what we’ve hidden, avoided, or quietly abandoned within ourselves.This opening episode is an invitation into that space.Cari Jacobs-Crovetto shares a life shaped by both deep sensitivity and profound disruption—early vision loss, emotional instability at home, panic attacks, and the relentless pull toward understanding herself more fully. What emerges is not a story of overcoming, but of turning toward. Again and again.This isn’t about fixing what’s broken. It’s about reclaiming what was never meant to be thrown away.And maybe, just maybe, the parts of you that feel like “too much” are the very places where your life begins again.The Treasures in the Trash:An Invitation to Turn Toward What We Avoid – Cari reframes shadow and discomfort as the starting point for real, lasting transformation.A Childhood Shaped by Unseen Reality – Growing up without clear vision deepens her connection to intuition and inner awareness.Living Without Emotional Safety – Early exposure to addiction, instability, and fear creates patterns that later demand healing.Panic as a Catalyst for Awakening – Debilitating anxiety becomes the doorway into embodiment, presence, and inner exploration.Choosing Courage Over Avoidance – The episode closes by naming resistance as the entry point into truth, integration, and self-reclamation.About Cari:Cari Jacobs-Crovetto is an executive and leadership coach and the founder of Brave Directions, where she works with senior leaders and C-suite executives to strengthen interpersonal and team relationships, navigate conflict skillfully, and deepen self-awareness, influence, and confidence.Before becoming a coach, Cari spent three decades in marketing and product leadership roles across Fortune 100 companies, media networks, consulting firms, and venture-backed startups. In 2019, she was named one of Forbes’ Top 50 Chief Marketing Officers.Cari brings together decades of operating experience with more than 45 years of Buddhist meditation study and practice, integrating deep inner work with practical leadership development.She facilitates the renowned Interpersonal Dynamics (“Touchy Feely”) course at Stanford Graduate School of Business where she also coaches grad school students, leads meditation classes and leadership workshops, and hosts the podcast Finding Treasures in the Trash.Her mantra: Fierce Heart — where compassion meets bold, badass leadership.https://www.bravedirections.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/carisf/https://www.instagram.com/cari_bravedirections/Thanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.Mentioned in this episode:This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

Today we are #LIVEInTheHIVE with Brian Gorman, maverick leadership coach and author of Leading into the Age of Wisdom: Reimagining the Future of Work. Brian writes: “When hierarchies falter, networks and circles emerge. When loyalty contracts dissolve, people seek belonging and purpose. When change accelerates, organizations must cultivate adaptability and rhythm. When technology grows powerful, the human role shifts from doing the work of machines to bringing discernment, empathy, and wisdom into the system.”What are the implications for corporations and organizations? And from a larger perspective, democracy and patriarchy?As Klaus Schwab writes in The Fourth Industrial Evolution, “The changes are so profound that, from the perspective of human history, there has never been a time of greater promise or greater peril.” Is our dystopian view that AI is replacing human-kind true or false?Which beliefs, habits, or assumptions about leadership may need to be unlearned or reframed for me to become an Age of Wisdom leader? We touch on….We are at a tipping point with AI that requires making clear decisive decisions to choose the ultimate path upon which humanity will embark, recognizing that we’re on the verge of the equivalent of the Industrial Revolution.AI has made human intelligence obsolete, but humans possess WISDOM, Wisdom guides our decisions in how we utilize AI.Hierarchy assumes wisdom rests in the top tier, when in fact everyone has wisdom or the potential for wisdom. Brian shares 2 stories of well-known corporations discovering that wisdom from the C-suite is no longer sufficient.Democracy itself (and all patriarchal systems) requires the overlay of these same skill sets as leaders moving into The Age of Wisdom.Decentralizing decision making from the top doesn’t slow systems down.What are wisdom circles? How do we respond to crisis? And what will be the impact of our decisions over the next 7 generations?Work is not done through time, it’s done through energy. How do we build physical, mental, emotional and spiritual energy?Circle, rather than linear, philosophy>>> Interconnectedness.All this and so much more.Full bio, book, wisdom circle events, and resources: https://transforminglives.coach/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briangorman07030/Connect with your host Sandra Bargman:WebsiteYouTubeInstagramLinkedIn

If your life hasn’t been a neat, white picket fence…If you’ve learned how to function, succeed, even thrive—while something inside still feels tight, unfinished, or quietly aching—this podcast is for you.Finding Treasures in the Trash is an invitation to turn toward what you’ve avoided: the anxiety, the unease, the stories you were taught to disown. Through intimate conversations with teachers, leaders, and everyday humans, we explore what happens when pain isn’t something to fix—but something to listen to.This isn’t a lifelong healing marathon.It’s about courage, honesty, and curiosity.So grab your gloves.Let’s go dumpster diving—because in the muck lives the gold.

Our lives move in patterns long before we notice them. We learn what keeps us safe, what helps us belong, and what allows us to move through the world with less risk and less pain. In this first quiet gathering of Circles | Edges, Aaron invites listeners into a candlelit, late night space to reflect on those familiar cycles and the masks we wear to survive them. Beginning with a story from his nursing education and expanding outward into the ways we protect ourselves emotionally and socially, the episode lingers at the moment when awareness begins to stir. This is not a search for answers or solutions, but a place of arrival. A pause at the edge of what feels familiar, and an invitation to consider, together, what it costs to stay protected and what becomes possible when we start to notice.Key Takeaways:A reflection on why late night talk radio once mattered and why that intimate, solitary voice still feels necessary todayThe origin of Circles | Edges and its intention to explore shared human patterns without chasing solutions or certaintyA nursing school story that becomes a metaphor for how emotional and social masks interfere with real connectionAn exploration of how masks form, why they feel necessary, and how they quietly create cycles of disconnectionA gentle invitation to consider what it might mean to pause at the edge of a familiar pattern rather than rushing past itAbout Aaron:Aaron Tabacco, PhD, has spent more than thirty years guiding people through growth and change, often in complex and high-stakes environments. He currently serves as the Director of Staff Experience at a major academic health sciences university. With a background spanning nursing, neuroscience, education, coaching, and mediation, his work centers on helping individuals and organizations navigate identity, connection, and transformation with greater clarity and care.Known for his grounded presence and compassionate communication, Aaron works with students, clinicians, faculty, executives, and senior leaders across healthcare and other industries. His approach integrates relational depth, reflective practice, and a commitment to creating more humane, integrated ways of working and living. He works in San Francisco, California, and lives in Vancouver, Washington, where he continues a lifelong engagement with writing, music, and the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest alongside his husband and three adult sons.https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-tabacco-phd-83359b9/https://lucusgroup.com/homehttps://substack.com/@aarontabacco?r=b5ap9&utm_medium=ioshttps://www.youtube.com/@CirclesEdgesEmail: [email protected] for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.Leave us an Apple Podcasts reviewRatings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you are enjoying the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.This show was brought to you in part by the Magic Thread Media Network. To learn more visit: https://magicthreadmedia.com/

"Young   People Are Acts of Nature, But Beautiful Old People Are Works of Art"   - Dr. MarionToday we are #LiveInTheHive in Dr. Marion Somers, award-winning and nationally recognized Geriatric Care Specialist, professor, and author of the book, Eldercare Made Easier: Ten Steps to Help You Care for an Aging Loved One.From the moment I met Dr. Marion, I’ve been captivated by her passion for the elderly, for the death and dying process, and for LIFE! We’ve had many poignant conversations about her life and work, and I’m thrilled to share this extraordinary 85-year-old force-of-nature on #TheEdgeofEverydayPodcast. (Full disclosure: As you know, we don’t edit on #TheEdgeofEverydayPodcast – we prefer the adventure of being #LiveInTheHive! However, we had some technical problems with our recording, and a bit of editing was necessary on this one.)In this episode, we touch on…What type of person is drawn to stay present to the aging, death, and dying process?Marion shares the story of growing up in Harlem, gravitating to the elders in her community and discovering her love of storytelling.The power of deep listening.How has eldercare changed over the years?Technology has separated and isolated all of us, but particularly the aging.Discover ways to engage in eldercare, both as an elder and as a caregiver.What is important to those who are transitioning.The power of planning a funeral with the person who is in transition.What does it mean to grieve well?A brief review of her exhaustive and resource rich book on eldercare.For over four decades, Doctor Marion has provided care for more than 2,000 elderly clients while she owned and operated a thriving Geriatric Care Management practice. As a leading expert on elder care issues, topics, and solutions, she’s been featured on The Today Show, Eyewitness News, in The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, and on a host of national radio programs. Contact Dr. Marion HERE.Buy Book HERE.Connect with your host Sandra Bargman:WebsiteYouTubeInstagramLinkedIn

Happy New Year Everyone! Goodbye 2025 and hello 2026.  I have high hopes for 2026. We can all agree 2025 has been quite an insane roller coaster of a ride, to put it mildly.A Universal 1 Year (2026) is a threshold. It begins a new nine-year story not only for the world, but for each of us. If you imagine the past nine years as a chapter – from 2017 to 2025 – the 1 Year is the moment the next chapter title appears.The page is blank. The pen is in your hand. The themes of a 1 Year revolve around emergence: new beginnings, self-leadership, instinct and courage.And in Chinese Lunar tradition, 2026 is The Year of the Crimson Fire Horse. This year is celebrated for its dynamic energy, symbolizing passion, change, and transformation. Horses represent strength, freedom, and spirited perseverance, and the element of fire magnifies these qualities.The theme for 2026 is CLEAR.  It’s about acceleration. breakthrough and integration.It is time to step forward with COURAGE!I share a reading of ‘We Were Made for These Times’ by Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes.“My Esteemed Ones – Do not lose heart. We were made for these times. I have heard from so many recently who are deeply and properly bewildered. They are concerned about the state of affairs in our world now. Ours is a time of almost daily astonishment and often righteous rage over the latest degradations of what matters most to civilized, visionary people. You are right in your assessments. The luster and hubris some have aspired to while endorsing acts so heinous against children, elders, everyday people, the poor, the unguarded, the helpless, is breathtaking. Yet, I urge you, ask you, gentle you, to please not spend your spirit dry by bewailing these difficult times. Especially do not lose hope. Most particularly because, the fact is that we were made for these times.” Wishing our listeners, guests, and everyone who contributes to and uplifts #TheEdgeofEverydayPodcast a very Happy New Year!#TheEdgeofEveryday #TheEdgeofEverydayPodcast #HappyNewYear2026 #WeWereMadeforTheseTimesConnect with your host Sandra Bargman:WebsiteYouTubeInstagramLinkedIn

In this trailer, Aaron Tabacco introduces the heart of the show and the two forces that shape our human experience. The circles are the patterns, rituals, relationships, and rhythms we move through every day. The edges are the moments of choice, the boundaries we meet or create, and the thresholds where growth quietly begins.This podcast is a space for reflection, attention, and connection. A place to notice what often goes unseen and to listen inward during moments of transition. Circles | Edges is not about fixing or forcing change. It is about awareness, presence, and understanding who we are becoming.Intro music "Unraveling the Night" composed by Miriam Milewska provided under license through Pond5

What is the relationship between theatre, storytelling, and community?In a larger sense, what is the role of art in times of resistance and unrest politically?Today we are #LiveInTheHive with Seth Gordon, author of the new book, Crossroads in the American Theatre: New Leaders in a New Age.This book is a must read for theatre geeks, theatre lovers and for those who understand the importance of art and the communal experience of live theatre in these dark and challenging times. The American theatre is at a crossroads. After a worldwide pandemic and the social reckonings that took place just before and around the pandemic, the way non-profit theatres lead their institutions and produce their plays is being reexamined almost from scratch.As we witness the collapse of institutions and systems nationally in real time, media, financial, education, religion, etc. the American theatre, too, has been called to evolve, and to re-connect with the greater community it serves. Seth Gordon, and the artistic leaders he interviews for this book, reflect deeply on the future of American theatre and it’s supporting structures. And they offer hope for emerging theatre-making.In this illuminating episode…Seth offers a brief history of theatre in the USA, in particular the emergence of our national non-profit theatre institutions – the move from a strictly business model into a model that served the creation of art and it’s relationship to community, rather than the creation of profit. The ideal of non-profit theatre vs commercial theatre.Theatre is an instrumental element of a thriving TOWN SQUARE that supports and enriches the community it serves.How did the pandemic affect the faltering existence of non-profit industrial complex? Did it cause it, or simply illuminate it? How have streaming services contributed to the disconnect from live theatre? We must reinvigorate the loyalty of the theatre to its community AND vice versa.Theatre is an “essential form of democracy” and the massive IRONY of the attack on and erosion of democracy ushered in by 47 and his regime and the pulling of federal funding coinciding with reevaluation of live theatre institutions (artistic institutions in general). Art is RESISTANCE.A social message vs. entertainment While the classics are relevant, is it time for brand new voices and different play structures?Does the Board of Directors’ role need reimagined?Theatre will always survive, but it may not be structured in the same way.All this and so much more…Full bio/resources:https://www.ou.edu/finearts/drama/about/peoplehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-gordon-619b165/Buy HERE. Also available at The Drama Bookstore, NYC.Connect with your host Sandra Bargman:WebsiteYouTubeInstagramLinkedIn

What is Gratitude? How do we connect with Gratitude in challenging times?Today we are #LiveInTheHive with your host, Sandra Bargman, to share her thoughts on Gratitude and what the Thanksgiving holiday means to her. Hint: It’s her wedding anniversary!In this solo special episode, Sandra…Talks about the inherent paradoxes of Thanksgiving Day. The emotional nostalgia that edges up to the myth upon which the holiday is based.Reads a story written a few years back about her Thanksgiving wedding.Shares her understanding of gratitude and the practices she uses to ground herself in gratitude.Science and bioresearch of the frequency of gratitude.Power vs Force by Daniel R. Hawkins Gratitude is good for your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health.Concise summary: Focus on what you have, not what you lack.Closing prayer: This Land Belongs to No One by Hila Ratzabi Connect with your host Sandra Bargman:WebsiteYouTubeInstagramLinkedIn

Today we are #LiveInTheHive with Transformational Guide, Medium, and Author, Deborah Hanlon.What can our connections to death, loss, and grief teach us about living more fully?Deborah is committed, in all of her work, to the understanding that Intuition is not a mystical gift reserved for only a few -  it is our human birthright AND, by learning to tap into it intentionally, it becomes an extremely helpful tool in addressing our current levels of societal and cultural polarization, as well as contributing to the expansion of our global consciousness.In this juicy conversation, we touch on…What is fake humility and the power of sharing your talents with joy.How we can raise our consciousness on what “dead people” really means. Who and what they become when they pass…Deborah shares her story of the discovery and growth of her abilities.Intuition and mediumship is a natural skill for everyone.Her upcoming book: Reassembling Yourself: The Alchemy of Grief. Deborah shares her relationship with grief and how it informs her work – and – her 9-step process of turning grief into gold and growth.The science of mediumship – consciousness exists after death and mediumship to coming into resonance with that energy.Can someone experience fractured energy?How we must look inward to find strength and clarity in these challenging times.Deborah Hanlon is an intuitive, author, and teacher with a master’s degree in psychology and multiple mindfulness-based certifications. She is based in New York's Hudson Valley and holds workshops online for people all over the globe. For over 2 decades, she has guided thousands through grief, transformation, and personal awakening using her unique style of authenticity and intuitive knowing. She offers one-on-one intuitive coaching, live events, and international retreats. Her books include In the Presence of Proof and The Little Girl Who Asked Why. Her third book, ReAssembling Yourself, explores grief as a catalyst for healing and growth. [email protected]/DeborahHanlonIntuitivewww.tiktok.com/@deborahhanlonConnect with your host Sandra Bargman:WebsiteYouTubeInstagramLinkedIn

Happy Anniversary to #TheEdgeofEverydayPodcast!This month marks the 4th ANNIVERSARY of when I started this podcast at TalkRadio.NYC and the 2nd year Anniversary of moving the podcast to MaximizeU.Life. Of course, also streaming on all your favorite podcast platforms.Happy Halloween – Happy Samhain - Happy Witches New Year!On this night, in the place between the old and the new, all is possible. It is in this place of paradox where transformation lives. And that place is the edge, the edge of everyday.Today’s episode is a replay of one of my MOST favorite episodes, my special Halloween and Anniversary episode from last year, featuring my dear friend, Leslie Ellis, grammy award winning singer/songwriter and actor. I share a bit about the history of Samhein, and about my own spiritual journey and pagan leanings. This episode was recorded right before the 2024 presidential elections - so it’s fascinating to revisit that headspace now that we are a year into this new regime.And my conversation with my uber talented friend, Leslie, is absolutely divine. Let’s dive in.Again, thanks for listening.What is Halloween based on? What is witchcraft? What is the witch archetype? My own spiritual journey and pagan leanings... AND our special GUEST - Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter - and one of my best friends - LESLIE ELLIS! Her journey playing Grizabella on Broadway in CATS, arguably a witch archetype in her own right.We share Leslie’s song, We ARE WARRIORS. What does it mean to be a warrior for truth, for freedom?https://music.apple.com/ca/album/we-are-warriors/1631590513?i=1631590514All this and SO much more...#TheEdgeofEveryday #TheEdgeofEverydayPodcast #TheFeminineRises #WitchesAreTheVeil #HalloweenGrammy® Award winning vocalist Leslie Ellis performs live across the USA and Europe with hit songwriter Casey Kelly in duo Kelly&Ellis. Leslie has sung with many artists including Celine Dion on “My Heart will Go On” – from the movie “Titanic” (for which Leslie won the Grammy) and Thomas Dolby on his latest album “Forty” (featured on “Hyperactive”). She sang the original soundtrack song, “Six Times Around the Sun” for the CBS mini-series, "Perfect Murder, Perfect Town" and she’s done countless TV/radio jingles and song demos for SONY Music.In 2007 her self-penned “Flyer Song” was adopted by the US Navy and made into a video as a tribute to the troops and their families. She’s also written songs, dozens of which have been cut by artists including The Bellamy Brothers and NYC based recording artist David Ippolito.Leslie has appeared on television and the Broadway stage - CATS, LA CAGE AUX FOLLES and CITY OF ANGELS, among others - and in the films "The New True Charlie Wu" , "Happy New Year Mr. Kates" and the feature film "Unconditional" In 2007 she starred in an independent film called, “My Name Is Wallace” which was invited to the Cannes Film Festival.Leslie also has a successful career as a voice over artist and a book narrator.Watch on YouTube: https://app.maximizeu.life/podcast/edgeofeverydayFind Leslie:www.LeslieEllis.com | @asongliveshereConnect with your host Sandra Bargman:WebsiteYouTubeInstagramLinkedIn

Today we are #LiveInTheHive with award-winning author, book mentor, editor and leadership coach, Cynthia Gregory.“Allow your story to take up space in the world.”  - Cynthia GregoryThe power of storytelling and the power of finding and sharing your VOICE in the world is at the heart of every aspect of Cynthias work. Sound familiar? No surprise that from the instant I met her, I was completely drawn to Cynthia and her soulful and creative work.I’m thrilled to announce that I am a contributing author to Cynthia’s next book project, LOVE NOTES ANTHOLOGY 2.0 – Stories of Healing and Hope launching on November 1st.My chapter is titled Ferocious Compassion. What is ferocious compassion?  And how does compassion relate to finding your voice and sharing your story? Quite a lot, as it turns out.I absolutely loved this conversation. We touch on…Cynthia’s life-long love of stories and writing and the neuroscience behind storytelling.Do NOT wait to tell/write your story. When your voice is gone, your stories are gone.The 2 types of storytelling: Our vulnerable presence filled stories that empower VS. the negative self-narratives, the stories we tell ourselves that disempower.Her first foray out of fiction into writing non-fiction, sharing her love of journaling in Journaling As a Sacred Practice.What was her inspiration for Love Notes from the Soul Anthologies.I share how I joined with Cynthia, choosing to be a part of Love Notes in writing my chapter, Ferocious Compassion, based on the incident with a friend that inspired the phrase.Making Nice VS Being Kind.I read the opening of Ferocious Compassion.What is the highest expression of compassion? How does it support finding and sharing one’s voice. The repercussions of the phenomena of reality tv on our political and cultural landscape.LOVE NOTES ANTHOLOGY 2.0 launches on November 1st.  To register for the virtual launch, go to https://bit.ly/4nuVichCynthia Gregory is an award-winning writer and author of Journaling as Sacred Practice: An Act Of Extreme Bravery, What Is Possible From Here, and LOVE NOTES Anthology. She was also editor of the California Writers Club, Redwood Writers’ Annual Anthology: ON FIRE (2023).With a bachelor's degree in journalism from Gonzaga University and a master's degree in literature from Mills College, Cynthia’s mission is to expand the body of modern literature. When she’s not helping execs and entrepreneurs write their professional memoirs, she helps business leaders use digital media to easily and strategically expand their brand to new audiences. Cynthia’s enigmatic short stories have appeared in a range of publications, including The Sun, Glimmer Train and The Briar Cliff Review, among many others. She took second place in the Writer's Digest Fiction Contest and first place in the Glimmer Train family matters competition for “Melting at Both Ends,” and first place in the Mark Twain Short Fiction Prize for her story, “Baby Blood.” She is a member of the California Writer’s Club, Redwood Writers Chapter, and the International Coaching Federation.CoachCynthiaGregory.com, https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorycynthia/Connect with your host Sandra Bargman:WebsiteYouTubeInstagramLinkedIn

I’m very happy to be back in front of my mic, having been away from #TheEdgeofEverydayPodcast for 6 weeks. I didn’t plan to take a break. But because of a slew of unforeseen conflicts and guest scheduling issues, and because I was off doing a play…it just happened.Happy Fall!Today we are #LIVEintheHIVE with two special guests, multi-award-winning guitarist and singer/songwriter, Sean Harkness - and Liz Picolli, SDC director/choreographer, and founder/artistic director of Queen of Rogues Arts Space in Woodstock, NY.Sean is returning to The Plum at Traver Hollow House (www.ThePlumTH2.com) on Saturday October 18 th with his SOLO show, Just Me: Solos, Songs, and Stories. He will also be performing at Queen of Rogues Arts Space in Woodstock on Friday, October 17 th .Today’s episode is of course, about plugging these upcoming shows, but more importantly, it’s a conversation about the power of ART – theatre, music, visual art, storytelling– to uplift and inspire – not only an audience, but also the performers themselves – in these challenging times.It’s a conversation about building new performance and gathering spaces, creating and sharing safe, supportive and inclusive communities, and about RESISTANCE to authoritarianism through art, music, truth-telling, and storytelling.We touch on…As you know, I always ask my guests, “What identity do you lead with”? And Sean and Liz have unexpected and wonderful answers to kick off this delicious and rich conversation.What inspired Liz to create and run Queen of Rogues Art Space.The importance of building community and being a part of many communities.Sean is most known for being a collaborator with other musicians and singers. What inspired him to create a solo show? And why now? Sean shares his goals, and the obstacles he overcame in sharing his own voice in a solo show.How creating/performing/artistry is keeping us sane and connected to joy in these challenging times.All this and SO MUCH MORE.Sean Harkness in Just Me: Solos, Songs and StoriesFriday, October 17 | 7pm | Queen of Rogues | Woodstock NYFor more info and tickets: www.QueenofRogues.comSaturday, October 18 | 4pm Doors Open | 5pm Show | The Plum @ TH2For more information + receive an invitation to the Salon:www.ThePlumTH2.comFull bios, schedules, events, etc.:[email protected]@queen.of.roguesConnect with your host Sandra Bargman:WebsiteYouTubeInstagramLinkedIn