John Abate is a returning guest from Episode 13. In Episode 13 John discussed how he integrated his mindfulness based stress reduction practice as a large part of his recovery from a horrible hit and run incident on his bicycle. He not only recovered but got back up stronger than ever and went on to win and crush cycling events.  He also became committed to providing hope and support to other accident survivors. This year John took his mindfulness practice next level and became a MBSR certified instructor. In this conversation we discuss his journey to be more connected to the earth and to teach Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). We both agreed that this is a crucial time to spread awareness of the benefits of mindfulness. Being able to use our mindfulness tools as we emerge and sift through the dust and debris of 2020 will be more important than ever on so many levels! Thank you @johnjabate for shining your bright light, sharing your warm grounding energy, the amazing conversation and the generosity of your time. ?Follow -> @mindfulfoundations101 to learn more and visit mindful foundations.org for more details about MBSR and an 8 week course with John. ----- Music credits: Chris Zabriskie - Everybody's Got Problems That Aren't MineCC BY 4.0http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Chris_Zabriskie/Thoughtless/Chris_Zabriskie_- _Thoughtless_-_01_-_Everybodys_Got_Problems_That_Arent_Mine

Grey Matters Now

Episode 31: Mindful Foundations - Cultivating Mindfulness as Part of Your Daily Routine with John Abate, MBSR Certified Instructor

Welcome to Grey Matters Now Episode 30! My last episode with Mary Judd, the director of SongwritingWith:Soldiers (SW:S), left such an huge impact on me that I have not been able to stop thinking about it  really felt like I needed to know more - more about the ripple affects, collective and community healing and collaborations. I became really interested in the perspectives of the songwriters and what the experience and process is like for them. I have had numerous conversations with my friend Will Kimbrough, who is a musician and part of the SongwritingWith:Soldiers team after returning from retreats. Our conversations are SO interesting and are kind of like de-briefs of his fresh experience. I soon realized this program has such a profound affect on the songwriters and that they also leave with new tools to take out into the world and that they too experience healing. I decided there is so much to this, and since the songwriter experience is not publicly discussed much, I wanted to do a whole episode about it. This episode is kind of like the B side of a record. It is not the single, the hit or the name of the album but it is part of the same album.…the same story. The B-side (or "flip-side") is a secondary recording that typically receives less attention, although some B-sides have been as successful as their A-sides. I asked Will how he would like me to introduce him re: his bio. and many projects Instead of listing his accolades, awards, albums, productions or famous people he has worked with, Will simply said "I have had a long and eclectic career, from punk rock bars to bluegrass festivals. Everything has always revolved around the song. I’m a songwriter." Will Kimbrough has spent a lifetime writing songs and performing them, and along the way becoming a respected recording artist, producer and musician. Will has made MANY records - solo and collaborative. His latest album is I Like It Down Here and his next release is Spring Break, a solo acoustic record in the tradition of Folkways and Vanguard folk records. Will's songs have been recorded by Jimmy Buffett, Little Feat, Todd Snider, Jack Ingram, Gretchen Peters and many many others. His production credits include Buffett, Doug Seegers, Todd Snider, Radney Foster and Steve Poltz. Will is a prolific writer and recording artist, a member of Willie Sugarcapps, DADDY and Emmylou Harris' Red Dirt Boys. NPR's Sound Opinions co-host Jim DeRogatis just named Shemekia Copeland's Uncivil War Best Album of 2020 - www.soundopinions.org/show/785 Jim says - "Uncivil War is both angry and empathetic, and that is a rare combination". He does a lot of work for SongwritingWith:Soldiers and has resumed a few, COVID-safe SW:S retreats and recently worked with combat veterans in Northern Virginia and Southern Arizona. SW:S is also partnered with the Warrior PATHH Program Will explains, "I have worked with Combat Veterans and other First Responders dealing with the affects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) quite a bit since the program resumed this past Summer. Most gratifying and deep work." To learn more about Will and be in the loop with all sorts of cool stuff he is doing, visit: www.willkimbrough.com www.songwritingwithsoldiers.org Please check out Will's Patreon - if you're a fan of Will's music, you will love it! 

Episode 30: A Songwriter With Soldiers: Behind The Music with Will Kimbrough: Songwriter, Singer, Producer, and Instrumentalist

For years I have been a huge fan of the organization SongwritingWith:Soldiers / SW:S and the depth, power and beauty of what they produce. SongwritingWith:Soldiers holds weekend retreats across the U.S. for veterans from all conflicts. Since 2012, we have connected with hundreds of veterans and military families, creating a safe and inspiring environment to share their experiences and write songs with professional songwriters. These songs have been recorded and streamed across the internet, reaching and connecting more veterans and raising civilian awareness of the challenges the military community faces. So… you can only imagine how BEYOND thrilled and honored to have the opportunity to have a conversation with the program director and co-founder Mary Judd. She is a brilliant and down to earth woman, visionary, and trailblazer. Mary is a master at creating collaborative programs that inspire connections and highlight individual and community strengths. When witnessing Darden Smith write a song with a veteran, she was compelled to put her skills to work in creating the SongwritingWith:Soldiers program. With vast experience in Positive Psychology, educational programming and organizational communications, Mary helps SW:S create the most effective and meaningful experiences for everyone involved. Her creative reach is reflected in her client list which includes New York State Department of Economic Development (I LOVE NY); MentorCoach training programs; VIA Institute on Character; Indian Ladder Farms: The Mayerson Academy, The HAPPY Movie; Discovery Retreats, and more. She has studied Positive Psychology with leading researchers from around the world, is an international workshop presenter on the subject and was a discussion facilitator at a United Nations meeting on Happiness and Well-Being. She serves on the editorial board for the India Journal of Positive Psychology and PsyInsight magazine. Mary co-founded The Barn School, an award-winning sustainable agriculture camp that raises funds for family farms and Heifer International®. She earned coaching certifications from Dr. Martin Seligman of the University of Pennsylvania, MentorCoach and others. She has a B.S. in Organizational Communications from the University of Texas at Austin and teaching certifications in Speech, English and Spanish. MARY JUDD Co-Founder/Program Director Mary joined me from her home in New York and, as you can imagine, is incredibly busy. I am super grateful for her generosity of time to discuss this treasure of a program that she has poured her heart and soul into. I want to whole world to know about the power and beauty of this program and that post traumatic healing does exist Make sure you listen to the song at the end of this episode to get a full understanding of the results of this program. It is one of Mary’s favorite’s. The song Strumming hand was written by Maia Sharp and Veteran John Cameron at a performed by Maia Sharp. If you are inspired by this story, want to learn more about or support SW/S please visit www.songwritingwithsoldiers.org www.songwritingwithsoldiers.org/learn/press/ www.songwritingwithsoldiers.org/listen/pbs-concert/ www.songwritingwithsoldiers.org/listen/song-search/

Episode 29: SongwritingWith:Soldiers / Behind The Scenes with Mary Judd, Co-Founder/Program Director of SongwritingWith:Soldiers

When former collegiate athlete and competitive skydiver, Sydney Williams, unexpectedly found herself on the receiving end of a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis, while grappling with unresolved trauma from a decades-old sexual assault, she set out on a mission: turn her pain into power. Two hikes across Catalina Island and 80 miles later, she founded Hiking My Feelings to help others tap into the mind-body connection and healing power of nature that helped kick her self-limiting beliefs and disease into remission. Having more than 12 years of marketing experience with Fortune 500 companies and emerging brands, Sydney serves up her “truth juice” style of storytelling to break wide open tough conversations with practical, powerful content and experiences. Over the years, she’s been featured on the SXSW stage, as well as in Health Magazine, Diabetic Living Magazine, San Diego Union-Tribune, Psychology Today, US News & World Report, and numerous other publications. Today, she is the author of Hiking My Feelings: Stepping into the Healing Power of Nature, an instructor at the Desert Institute at Joshua Tree National Park, and travels across the country empowering others to summit their personal mountains on their way to becoming Well Beings. https://family.hikingmyfeelings.org/

Episode 28: Hiking My Feelings/Healing Happens One Step at a Time with Sydney Williams - author and director of Hiking My Feelings/ wilderness wellness, education, & advocacy

Gabaccia Moreno is a first-generation Mexican-American multi-disciplinary creator, consultant, and passionate outdoor advocate #exploringresponsibly wherever life takes her. She holds a B.A. in Theater and Anthropology from SUNY College at Buffalo and an M.A. in Performance Studies from New York University.     Growing up in Veracruz, Mexico to a family of hunters and ranchers gave her an appreciation for the land and its wildlife at an early age, one that prevails today. Her works, whether artistic, creative, or entrepreneurial, have always intersected with the social and environmental issues that surround her.   She is most recently serving as a Director of Social Responsibility on the board of Hiking My Feelings, hosting and curating the Joshua Tree National Park Association's virtual series Desert Live, and has also launched her own Live conversation series named Exploring Responsibly on Instagram.     Today you’ll find her writing, advising businesses and non-profits, or adventuring outside, probably taking photos, fishing, or hiking.  Through written, recorded, photographed storytelling and documentation, she works alongside brands - publications - organizations towards inspiring others to take care of our natural resources, as well as empower them to become the land and people stewards we need in the world.   Check out all beautiful, proactive things Gabaccia : gabbacia.com Connections: https://www.joshuatree.org/ https://hikingmyfeelings.org/ https://www.platformmagazine.me/ Instagram: @gabaccia   

Episode 27: Exploring Responsibly Wherever Life Takes Her with Gabaccia Moreno - environmental, human rights & diversity advocate

Chef Mic True is an award winning international chef that has committed himself to feeding and introducing his community to healthy food rooted from the earth. He is an incredibly humble and holistic chef and peace warrior that feeds the mind body and soul of his community. As a Violence interrupter with Gideon's Army, he nurtures and protects the roots of his community and helps to fuel the powerful movement and mission of this extremely comprehensive and effective endeavor. Chef True feeds and nurtures a community starving for representation, protection, tools, mentors and trauma first response - a community zip code 37208 in Nashville, TN with the highest incarceration rate in the nation! The Mission of Gideon’s Army is to act collectively, boldly and strategically as a unified force for all children and to dismantle the school to prison pipeline. I love one of their latest posts that reads: Stop blaming systematic failures on individuals trapped in that system. Fight for people to have better choices. On March 3, a devastating tornado ripped through North Nashville leveling hundreds of homes and businesses. Now in the midst of a global pandemic and civil unrest, Gideon's Army is STILL working non-stop on the front lines every day assisting and supporting North Nashville. As a matter of fact, Mic True is so busy in the field, that we recorded the whole podcast in his truck via zoom while he juggled his community work with the construction of a new vegan restaurant, market and resource center in the center of 37208 an area considered a food desert. We even get to go through the building with him in the podcast and I’m introduced to Rasheedat Fetuga the founder and CEO of Gideon's Army when she pops her head in the truck. Rasheedat is an absolute genius and a goddess BTW. I encourage you to visit and learn more about this impressive and comprehensive organization as I am just barely able to highlight the surface of all they do. There is SO much to learn and it WORKS!!! I am personally learning SO much and have been so inspired that I have gone down a rabbit hole of reading and watching documentaries about other inner-city programs that implement violence interruption. I hope you are inspired to do the same – the more we know the more connections we can make to fill the gaps of a disconnected broken system. Thank you Chef True for your truth and for your passion that lights the high road for us all with hope and shines a light on the deep roots of a community sometimes overlooked. To learn more about Chef Mic True, his mouth watering recipes, and his live interactions with his healing communities, follow him on IG @chefmictrue or @mictrue. To learn more about Gideon's Army visit gideonsarmyunited.org, follow Gideon's Army United on IG and rebuildnorthnashville.com. As they say #weallwegot The end of the podcast / the altro was created as a very special production. Tanee Osborne is a female West African Drummer from LA . Through a mutual friend I contacted Tanee about her thoughts and potentially playing the drums for this episode. She expressed that she felt this to be a divine vibrational connection to Chef True, she too is a black Vegan and she would love to play. Tanee is a very special woman - she is joined by fellow drummer and African dancer Daunte for this gift of vibrational percussion. Chef True loved it! You can follow Tanee and Daunte on IG @taneetheto, @daansekou, @iamkingtae https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/interrupters/ https://www.amazon.com/Interrupters-Ameena-Matthews/dp/B007TWBW7M https://www.violenceinterrupters.org/ https://www.nashvillescene.com/news/cover-story/article/21074753/how-gideons-army-is-making-peace-in-north-nashville Producing and delivering this passion project and show to you has become an actual job. The show places large demands on my time and finances. In order to continue providing the very best content and quality, I could really use your help. 100% of all funds contributed through Patreon will be used to cover my production, equipment and growth expenses so I can focus on creating great content with one goal -- to facilitate conversations for REAL healing! So… if it feels right to you, anything you're comfortable contributing is most appreciated. HUGE LOVE AND LIGHT FOR THE SUPPORT! Photo credits: www.croyraplens.net & Eric England.

Episode 26: Feeding a Community's Body, Mind and Soul With Chef Mic True: Professional Chef, Violence Interrupter, and Holistic Healer

Natalie Small is a LMFT and the founder and CEO of a unique surf therapy program called Groundswell Community Project. Groundswell Community Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that offers surf therapy for self-identifying women overcoming various forms of trauma and it’s effects. With their home roots in San Diego, California and branches that extend across the globe, they are a transformational community of surfsisters who provide intersectional, brave, and safe spaces for all self-identifying women to find their unique healing, community, and power in the waves of Mother Ocean. Groundswell’s surf therapy curriculum is grounded in positive psychology, somatic and arts-based therapy modalities and mindfulness practices. They are proud members of International Surf Therapy Org, supporting the advancement of surf therapy research and best practices. Their Surf Therapy sessions are unique in that they are facilitated and supervised by licensed trauma-informed therapists and surf coaches that hold intentional, safe and brave space to invite your body, mind, and heart to join you in the healing process and adventure of surfing. Their hope is that every surfsister who opts into the programs creates their own sustainable surf practice held and supported by a community of surfsisters. We recorded this episode at the end of May which is mental health awareness month. Natalie is currently in Peru due to the Covid virus quarantine and closed borders and was generous enough to drop in to a conversation with GMN to address new and old traumas we are experiencing during this global pandemic. Natalie also connected me to Leanne Tibiatowski so that she could join the conversation as well. Leanne attended the groundswell community project to help process and heal from complicated trauma. She found it to be so healing that she bravely decided to share her story to validate and provide light and hope to others. Leanne is proof of the strong ripple effect of this program and has developed support and advocacy groups of her own that also reach women all over the world. Leanne is a local San Diegan committed to creating healthy community experiences that ignite authentic communication, self-discovery, friendship, and professional connections. She is a facilitator, speaker, and writer. Leanne is known for her ability to create safe spaces for small and large groups where truth, transformation, and connection happen. Her knowledge base includes emotional literacy, communication, leadership, mindfulness, grief, trauma, bereavement, surf therapy, PTSD, community, conflict resolution, and personal development. she is The Founder of Together We Rise: https://together-we-rise.com and In 2 Clarity: https://in2clarity.com/ TOGETHER WE RISE IS… Leanne’s passion project… our solution to the pain and suffering we see in the world around us. We create safe spaces where women feel free to be themselves. We recorded this in May to highlight Mental Health Awareness Month. It is apparent now, more than ever that every month and every day should be about mental health awareness. Since recording this episode, the world’s waves have kept shifting and traumatic events have compiled as we have been slowly phasing out of quarantine. This pandemic has us perfectly positioned to sit with and process images, first person stories and social viruses. The tipping point for a perfect storm. The waves may be new but the undercurrent is always there. Again… new trauma, old trauma, intergenerational trauma and cumulative trauma. Thank you Rachel Mauricio from Groundswell Community Project for recording our intro and your poignant and powerful perspective as a black woman and a surfer!!!!! Sister Circles. Educational Workshops. Retreats. Community + Team Building Events. Support Groups.  Research-based surf therapy that builds safe & Brave community for those on their healing journey. http://www.groundswellcommunity.org/ You can find a variety, integrative and comprehensive list of mental health resources: http://www.groundswellcommunity.org/resources Instagram: @groundswellcommunityproject @captsmall @onelovesister 

Episode 25: Healing Trauma Through Surf Therapy and Waves of Love With Natalie Small LMFT and Leanne Tibiatowski

Captain Liz Clark traveled over 20,000 miles Sailing to Surf and explore and wrote a book called Swell – a sailing surfer’s voyage of awakening. She is an incredibly gifted writer, a legit waterwoman, her first mate was a rescued Cat Amelia the Tropicat, and she absolutely rips as a surfer! She also has the most sweet and gentle energy and is a genuinely kind human committed to Loving our planet & animals completely. I discuss her book a lot amongst my friends and on this podcast because she illustrates so well through her writing the parallels of wellness maintenance of her vessel (her boat) and her human vessel and spirit. We recorded this episode in February 2020 with Liz live from the Island of Tahiti in French Polynesia. We had a bit of sound quality issues but I think it makes the recording sound so exotic!!! Today is April 1 2020 and I am referencing the date because a lot has happened and escalated in the world since our recording in February. We are globally and collectively experiencing a health pandemic so surreal it feels like an awful sci fi movie or an April fool’s joke! The Corona Virus – something that has us on lock down, quarantined and practicing something called social distancing. This virus is not only affecting our physical health – it is seriously affecting the mental health of so many. This podcast episode is SO timely!!!! This is Liz’s post on Instagram regarding our current situation: "Stormy times we’re in, my friends. Ironically, our Oneness is more evident than ever, even though the most compassionate action we can take right now is to stay separated from others. Self-quarantine reminds me a lot of a sea passage. Time slows down, you become very present. Simple daily tasks take on more meaning. Resources are limited. You deal with the gusts and squalls as they come, because there is too much uncertainty to plan a week or a month out. You just have to appreciate what’s good right now. The angst of hurry is gone, and what a luxury that is in our modern world ... time to stop and reflect on who we are, as individuals, as a society... what would we like to improve on, should we hold this course? Or alter it a few degrees ... or more? Time is a gift these days. May we slow down and enjoy the subtleties that we miss in our constant hurry. And do what we can from our confinement, to help those being severely affected by the virus and its widespread impacts. Beaming love to all, especially the world’s most vulnerable, and our healthcare workers. You are all heroes! " -Liz SO I hope you find inspiration, validation and comfort from this special podcast episode. If you are looking for a great book that you won’t be able to put down read Swell – you will not be disappointed. Make sure you listen to the song at the end of the episode. It is the song Liz chose as her life theme song right now.  Bob Marley’s Coming In From The Cold written by Bob Marley and performed by the uber-talented musician Will Kimbrough…..Thanks Will for cranking this out for me – what an incredible gift! To learn more about Will you can follow him on Instagram, Facebook or www.willkimbrough.com . Captain Liz Clark’s book may have an ending but her story does not!!!! Living on the Island of Tahiti in French Polynesia she is currently spearheading and a part of new organizations that will make the world a better, healthier, more beautiful place. Keep following her journey through the following links. Thanks, Liz, for all you do for planet earth and those that inhabit it. You are a genuinely kind and epic human!! Learn about and keep up with Captain Liz Clark : http://www.swellvoyage.com, Liz shares her journey with the world in an effort of inspire people to live out their passions, spend more time in nature, engage in self-awareness and personal growth, and develop a consciousness of their everyday planetary impact. https://www.amazon.com/Swell-Sailing-Surfers-Voyage-Awakening/dp/B07PLLNPZT/ref=sr_1_2?crid=II2SS7F5L58M&dchild=1&keywords=swell+a+sailing+surfer%27s+voyage+of+awakening&qid=1585868952&sprefix=swell+voy%2Caps%2C341&sr=8-2 www.changingtidesfoundation.org https://www.patagonia.com/ambassadors/surfing/liz-clark.html https://www.patagonia.com/product/swell-a-sailing-surfers-voyage-of-awakening-by-captain-liz-clark-hardcover-book/BK754.html https://www.atmislandprotectors.org/ https://swellvoyage.com/   Instagram: @captainlizclark Thanks for all the comments from your listening platforms – I read them all! If you would like to be a part of keeping the platform of GMN strong and growing consider donating to my Patreon account – I have some kick ass rewards! Photo credit –JODY MACDONALD

EPISODE 24: The never-ending journey and adventures of an earth lover and captain with Captain Liz Clark - author, surfer, animal lover, eco-activist, and kind human

Inocente the documentary won an Academy Award in 2013, among many other awards, and should be a required watch for everyone! It is an incredibly important film and just as relevant now as it was when it was filmed as we are still struggling with a serious homeless crisis and lack of funding for after school programs and the arts. At 15 years old, Inocente the human courageously and vulnerably told her whole story to the world in hopes of putting a face with homelessness (among other huge challenges), bring attention to the importance of what works and to validate others going through similar situations.⁣ Her story did not start with the film nor did it end when the cameras stopped rolling . She stated that one of the most common misconceptions is that she became wealthy after the film won an Oscar. As the subject of a documentary she was not paid. As a matter of fact, The film was financed by Kickstarter and was the first crowdfunded film to win an Oscar. New doors and opportunities did open for her but getting through those doors and utilizing her opportunities on her own were challenging. She did it though and used her platform to become an advocate to end homelessness, keep the arts in schools and facilitate immigration education. Now 26, she opened up for the first time about the challenges and passages she has been experiencing now along with the details of her life story before any film documentation began. She is still willing to open up and be completely vulnerable in hopes of creating a greater good. Our very organic and candid conversation involved a lot of courage and processing.  Through this processing of childhood events that come up as we become young adults, she came to an understanding that self-care is the path to her newly evolving passions. Let me tell you when this young lady is inspired to do something- there’s absolutely nothing that’s going to get in her way she will push through anything to a higher order of thinking.  After recording an emotional conversation, we went outside into the sunshine and the energy felt light, hopeful and inspiring. At the beginning of the documentary when she was 15 she begins with dear people of the world …. so I asked her present self how she would begin her address… She said it is time to take care of herself before she can take care of anyone else. So… she said “Dear Me…” To Contact Inocente and or set up a screening facilitated by her: https://www.originalinocenteart.com/ @inocenteart @moreinocente “Three Is The Magic Number” – performed by Canela Rose McCoubrey Recorded and sound wizardry – Arden Rock Records www.ardenrockrecords.com For more information about homelessness and domestic violence resources: Find your local Community Resource Center! https://endhomelessness.org/resources/ https://www.thehotline.org/   (domestic violence hotline) https://humantraffickinghotline.org/ Grey Matters Now Patreon - www.patreon.com/greymattersnow

EPISODE 23: The Art of Exploring New Passages and Choosing Self Love with Inocente

Becky Mendoza was born and raised in Miami, Florida to parents who emigrated from Cuba, it wasn’t until she graduated from the University of Florida and backpacked through Europe, that her desire for an education through travel and adventure, was born. With a Law Degree and Masters in Sports Administration in-hand, she moved to Encinitas, CA and began her career as an action sports and entertainment lawyer, opening up her own firm, Action Sports Law Group (ASLG), in 2009. Through ASLG, Becky works with top companies, artists and athletes in action sports helping them with general contract matters and visas to the US. As she became more well-traveled, she began to seek more from her adventures. In 2014, she did her first Clean Water Courier trip through Waves for Water to Nicaragua, where she raised funds to purchase and distribute 54 Sawyer water filters on a surf trip. After that, she decided the following year to bring filters to Mainland Mexico, to the remote coastal areas of Jalisco, south of Puerto Vallarta, launching “Clean Mexi-Agua” with fellow CTF board member, Sam Bennett. After a successful first trip, their intent was to return to provide more filters for the surrounding communities. Unfortunately, Hurricane Patricia hit the Clean Mexi-Agua communities head-on just 6 months later and she returned for some very impactful disaster relief work. Through her work in Nicaragua and Mexico, Becky has realized her calling to help others around the world, which is where the idea for Changing Tides Foundation was born. Her goals are to inspire others to help while they’re on their adventures, because there is no better way to show your appreciation to the places you visit than to give back to its people. Changing Tides Foundation was born from the simple idea that the world would be a better place if we were all given the opportunity to give back. Established in 2016, by a group of water women and adventurers, they feel it is their calling to help others. They do this by teaming up with local organizations globally to raise awareness and address social, environmental, health and safety concerns in the places they visit, because TOGETHER WE ARE BETTER. Their mission is to bridge the gap between you, the traveler, and the causes on the ground. They are paving a way for you to SERVE NATURALLY, adding life-changing experiences to your journey. By collaborating with eco-minded brands,  ADVENTURE CONSCIOUSLY, leaving behind the smallest footprint possible, in an effort to preserve the beauty of the places we travel to. INSTAGRAM @changingidesfoundation @actionsprtslaw Links: Every link discussed can be found on The Changing Tides Foundation website www.changingtidesfoundation.org Instagram links discussed Ed Lewis: @enjoyhandplanes and @enjoy_the_farm Captain Liz Clark: @captainlizclark Kimi Warner: @kimi_swimmy

EPISODE 22: Together We Are Better: Adventure Consciously with the Changing Tides Foundation with Becky Mendoza

Bridgit Corbin Fried had a successful career in public relations and marketing before taking time to raise her four children. Bridgit recently combined her passion for travel and adventure with her sales and marketing skills and joined Epic Private Journeys. An experienced mountaineer, Bridgit has climbed to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Whitney, several 14,000 ft peaks in Colorado as well as Everest Base Camp. She believes the best travel experiences have purpose, through authentic and conscious first hand local encounters, personal challenge and seeking new perspectives. Epic Private Journeys has been a great fit for Bridgit as she can apply her experience as a socially and environmentally conscious traveler with others. Epic Private Journeys designs trips by passionate and experienced professional guides. Having “lived” the product, they have a profound understanding of what makes the ultimate trip. They want their travelers to feel the same passion, awe and respect for the places that they love. This intimate and direct experience is fundamental to their ongoing success. Bridgit and I have known each other since we were teens and we have indeed been on our own epic private and collective journeys. It was so cool to be able to share a 41 year journey with my guest and have a conversation about the importance of our roots, our foundations, and our navigation tools. Bridgit – you are a badass! We want others to know that it is NEVER to late to enrich your journey with endeavors, adventure, nature, new cultural experiences and travel!!! More about Epic Private Journeys: https://epicprivatejourneys.com To follow Bridgit and Epic Private Journeys: Instagram @epicprivatejourneysbridgit and @epicprivatejourneys Facebook: Epic Private Journeys Other epic things mentioned: www.4x4surftours.com  Instagram: @4x4surftours Swell A Sailing Surfers Voyage of Awakening by Captain Liz Clark Instagram: @captainlizclark Contact me or Bridgit for our favorite books – we have SO MANY!!!!!!!!!

Episode 21: Creating an Epic Private Journey Through Conscious Living, Travel, and Growth with Bridgit Corbin Fried of Epic Private Journeys

Does what we consume for our beloved pets really have an impact on not only their comprehensive wellness but the planet as well? The answer is yes! I found this out first hand after desperately figuring out how to keep my sweet dog Daisy Mae well in her advanced years. I dug deep, read everything and integrated eastern and western medicine. I basically started cooking for her and learned everything about pet nutrition from a local small business pet supply store called Pupologie. She lived to be 18. This is where I met the heart center of this business Denise and Brendon Clifton. Yes - Denise and Brendon are trailblazers in the holistic pet food arena but their passion for what they do lights and blazes that trail. Brendon even helped me save Daisy’s life at one time – it was a pure and profound experience I will NEVER forget – NEVER! Denise and I even share the experience in this episode. They are champions of TRUTH and empowering pet parents for a world free of toxic pet brands. They fill the shelves with products that prioritize pet-livelihood over profits. They value transparency and love sharing as much information about their offerings as you care to know. They do the investigating so you don’t have to. Join me, Denise, Sigmund The Seamonster, Big Lucy and ChaKa the cat for our first home recording. I did not edit out ANY of the pet noise – it is all part of the experience!!! This Episode is in memory of Daisy Mae who led me to these resources and to all the other animal soulmates that have crossed the rainbow bridge. Instagram: @pupologie and @denisecliftonofficial Facebook: Pupologie Web: www.pupologie.com Other links: http://sdvoyager.com/interview/meet-denise-clifton-pupologie-north-county/ http://www.na-sd.com/SAND/February-2013/Denise-and-Brendon-Clifton-owners-of-Pupologie-in-Encinitas/

Episode 20: Making Mindful Decisions For Your Pets - Ingredients to Fuel Critter Wellness with Denise Clifton - Owner/Director/Animal Wellness Specialist, Pupologie

Dr. Shiva Ghaed is a California-licensed Clinical Psychologist, currently working for the Department of Mental Health in the Naval Medical Center San Diego healthcare system (Marine Corps Recruit Depot). Dr. Ghaed provides group and individual therapy to active duty patients in the catchment area, maintains ongoing involvement in academia and research, and has served as a voting member on the Institutional Review Board for NMCSD. Dr. Ghaed’s clinical experience includes several years of training and specialization in the Veterans Affairs Healthcare Systems of San Diego and Los Angeles. She completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the San Diego VA, specializing in anxiety disorders, non-combat trauma, and combat Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans. Dr. Ghaed is a member of the American Psychological Association, and strives to maintain competency and excellence as a therapist and professional in her field. In 2015, she was presented with the Associate Master Clinician Award. Oct 1, 2017, Dr. Ghaed’s love of country music took her to Route 91 on the night of the shooting in Las Vegas and she, along with many others, witnessed the horror of that night as people around her were shot and killed. She found purpose and meaning in surviving the massacre, and made it her mission to give back to her community and help guide other Route 91 survivors in their healing. One week following the shooting, Dr. Ghaed launched a free weekly support group for survivors and their family and friends. She posted weekly therapy-based articles specifically catered to and witnessing the Route 91 community recovery process. Her goal is to help people better cope with the traumatic aftermath through education and support, and with the hope of preventing the development of PTSD. A website was created, www.route91therapy.com, to allow public access to these documents, and this information has been disseminated to the Route 91 community across the United States and Canada. In April, 2018, Dr. Ghaed was honored with the Citizens of Courage Award by the San Diego District Attorney’s Office, and the National Hero Award by the American Red Cross (Metro New York). There are still many people who have not connected to care or who do not have adequate social support or healthcare. Dr. Ghaed’s strong belief that healthcare is a basic human right, her faith in the resiliency of the human spirit, and her sense of obligation to serving others fuels a mission of destigmatizing mental illness through knowledge and awareness. In honor of the 1-year anniversary of the Las Vegas massacre (on Oct 1, 2018), Dr. Ghaed released her book, Route 91: Healing from Mass Violence and Trauma for free download https://route91therapy.com/route-91-book . The book documents her experience surviving the massacre, as well as the journey of recovery since then, for her and her Route 91 community. She hopes that her book will provide insight into the process of recovering from mass violence, expected reactions, barriers to recovery, and tools to heal. Furthermore, her teachings are applicable to a broader audience who may suffer from anxiety, depression, or other types of trauma. For anyone that has survived a traumatic event, you can find MANY resources on Dr. Shiva’s site: https://route91therapy.com/ If you need help finding resources contact Dr Shiva through her website: https://route91therapy.com/contact-us To find a Therapist in your area: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists To find an online counselor: www.talkspace.com https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.    

Episode 19: Healing from Mass Violence and Trauma with Dr Shiva Ghaed Clinical Psychologist, Trauma Specialist & Route 91 Las Vegas Mass Shooting Survivor

Brittany Catton Kirk is the Founder and Executive Director of the Social Enterprise Sunlight Retreats for Survivors, an accelerator for healing for survivors of rape. After being attacked overseas in 2012, she struggled in her career, relationships and gained 60 pounds as she tried to recover from her attack and Post Traumatic Stress. She looked for a safe place to go and heal but found nothing so she created Sunlight Retreats for Survivors. Drawing on her ten years’ experience creating award-winning programming for military families and wounded warriors at the San Diego Armed Services YMCA, she set out to create a tangible in-person program to empower survivors with tools, trauma education, resilience training and peer support. Sunlight Retreats is a change-making program that gives survivors a better way to heal, so that they can rebuild and empower others. 100 percent of the forty participants from the first two retreats reported via anonymous survey that they would recommend Sunlight Retreats to a fellow survivor, 100 percent said it aided them in their healing, and 100 percent said Sunlight Retreats made them stronger. To learn more about Sunlight Retreats For Survivors of Rape visit https://www.sunlightretreats.org. If you are a survivor of rape, please do not think you have to suffer in silence or alone!!! You can get resources straight from the website above or send an email through the contact portion of their site. You can also contact: The National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673 RAINN25: 1-800-656-HOPE For individual therapy - resources can be found through Psychology Today: www.psychologytoday.com For on line therapy Talk Space: https://www.talkspace.com/ Please do not think you have to do this alone!!!! Instagram: @sunlightretreatsforsurvivors Facebook: Sunlight Retreats For Survivors Epic recording and sound engineering from Bram Kaprow owner of Arden Rock Studio www.ardenrockrecords.com.

Episode 18 : Spreading Sunlight to Survivors of Rape/How to Take Care of Ourselves and Others With Brittany Catton Kirk, Founder of Sunlight Retreat For Survivors

Every individual is unique. Every organizational ecosystem is unique. Building trust and mutual understanding through the understanding of our unique temperaments: Ayurveda is one of the world’s oldest medical systems, originating in India over 3,000 years ago. The term Ayurveda translates to “wisdom of life,” combining the Sanskrit words ayur (life) and veda (science or knowledge). As a medical tradition, the practice of Ayurveda brings the body in balance to heal itself. However, its holistic principles can also be applied to the unique psychological and physiological elements of individuals as well as to the collective ecosystems of organizations. Cultivating a conscious balance of these elements brings greater vitality, well-being, creativity, and happiness. The elements of Fire, Water, Earth, Air, and Space offer accessible metaphors for learning how our personal qualities, motivations, and behaviors shape how we relate and engage with others. Designed and developed from decades of applied learning, observation, and client feedback, Katy Bray and Zeb Severson have created an efficient and effective system that integrates the wisdom of Ayurveda with transformational coaching and skill-based practices that increase self-awareness and drive performance, innovation, and success. They have also created many other resources in the form of published books, workshops, videos, webinars and more. With this understanding of the temperaments of Ayurveda, we can better understand ourselves and others, creating a more harmonious dynamic for the workplace, family, friends….any dynamic! It is so cool to realize our parallels to nature – once we have this simple understanding, it makes life on this planet earth so much more enjoyable! Ahhhhh harmony… Connect to their websites below to learn about all of Katy and Zeb’s resources and products : www.leadwiththelightson.com www.livewiththelightson.com

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Grey Matters Now

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