If you’ve listened to this podcast for a while, you’ll know that I hold a belief that there’s still someone out there who I haven’t met yet, that will change my life in profound ways. This episode is an attempt to honor someone who left a lasting impact on my life. In April 2019 during my lengthy stay in the hospital, I was privileged to have a very special person care for me. Her name was Rachel Petersen. Rachel was a nurse at the Anschutz Medical Center, in Aurora, Colorado. Sadly, Rachel passed away recently. The news was devastating to read about, and my wife and I are still trying to process her sudden loss. To learn more about Rachel, and the first annual 5K Scrub Run honoring her visit, https://5kscrubrun.org/.  . Looking to further your mindfulness practice? Check out the Mental Events mindfulness journal. It’s dedicated to examining the workability of the mind’s proposed solutions to problems, and offers an opportunity to step back from giving over your life to negative thoughts. . Wanting to integrate mindfulness into your life? Sign up to receive my free Mindfulness Framework video. . Watch this video to learn more about Mental Events Therapy.  . Watch this video to learn more about the benefits of online therapy with Mental Events. . As always, we’d like to hear from you. Send your questions via email - hello@mentalevents.com. . Connect with Mental Events on social media: Instagram @mentalevents Facebook @mentaleventstherapy.

Mental Events

In Memoriam | Honoring Rachel

We all have to do things. Some things we are excited about. Other things, not as much. Rarely do we consider what we get to do in our lives, taking it for granted. In this episode I offer a quick mindfulness reframe to help you shift your perspective to living with more presence and gratitude. Because when we get to do something versus have to do something, we show up more completely and openly. . Looking to further your mindfulness practice? Check out the Mental Events mindfulness journal. It’s dedicated to examining the workability of the mind’s proposed solutions to problems, and offers an opportunity to step back from giving over your life to negative thoughts. . Wanting to integrate mindfulness into your life? Sign up to receive my free Mindfulness Framework video. . Watch this video to learn more about Mental Events Therapy.  . Watch this video to learn more about the benefits of online therapy with Mental Events. . As always, we’d like to hear from you. Send your questions via email - hello@mentalevents.com. . Connect with Mental Events on social media: Instagram @mentalevents Facebook @mentaleventstherapy.

Getting to Live | A Mindful Reframe

Should self-care always mean you get to feel calm? Should self-care be limited to feeling good? Let’s reimagine self-care for a moment. Instead of adding things to your life in the name of self-care, consider what you could subtract in order to practice better self-care. Continually adding activities of self-care could become exhausting, and may make you feel worse. What could you let go of today to make room for your health and well-being? . Looking to further your mindfulness practice? Check out the Mental Events mindfulness journal. It’s dedicated to examining the workability of the mind’s proposed solutions to problems, and offers an opportunity to step back from giving over your life to negative thoughts. . Wanting to integrate mindfulness into your life? Sign up to receive my free Mindfulness Framework video. . Watch this video to learn more about Mental Events Therapy.  . Watch this video to learn more about the benefits of online therapy with Mental Events. . As always, we’d like to hear from you. Send your questions via email - hello@mentalevents.com. . Connect with Mental Events on social media: Instagram @mentalevents Facebook @mentaleventstherapy.

Subtracting Self-Care | Moving Toward What Matters

What doesn't kill us, can make us stronger! On the two-year anniversary of a near death experience, I invite a friend of the podcast, John Evans to sit down for an extended conversation about post-traumatic growth. Post-traumatic growth refers to the positive psychological changes that a person can experience as a result of adversity. John and I cover a lot of ground in this episode, referencing Stephen Joseph's book, What Doesn't Kill Us, Judith Herman's book, Trauma and Recovery, and Stephen Pressfield's book, The War of Art. . If you're wondering how to move through feeling stuck, and hitting plateau's in day-to-day life, John gives some helpful insights from his 13 year recovery. We also talk about the importance of finding a survivor mission, and transforming the meaning of personal tragedy by making it the basis for social action. . Looking to further your mindfulness practice? Check out the Mental Events mindfulness journal. It’s dedicated to examining the workability of the mind’s proposed solutions to problems, and offers an opportunity to step back from giving over your life to negative thoughts. . Wanting to integrate mindfulness into your life? Sign up to receive my free Mindfulness Framework video. . Watch this video to learn more about Mental Events Therapy.  . Watch this video to learn more about the benefits of online therapy with Mental Events. . As always, we’d like to hear from you. Send your questions via email - hello@mentalevents.com. . Connect with Mental Events on social media: Instagram @mentalevents Facebook @mentaleventstherapy.

Post-traumatic Growth: Celebrating Year Two with Gratitude and Joy

So often we feel hopeless and powerless after tragedy and trauma. I know I've felt that way recently with the tragedies in Atlanta and Boulder. Both events serve as reminders of how violence can devastate community, trust, and desecrate the ideals, values, and freedoms we hold as sacred. In this week's episode, I discuss what moral injurious events are, and offer a mindful approach to touch feelings of hopelessness and powerlessness. . Looking to further your mindfulness practice? Check out the Mental Events mindfulness journal. It’s dedicated to examining the workability of the mind’s proposed solutions to problems, and offers an opportunity to step back from giving over your life to negative thoughts. . Wanting to integrate mindfulness into your life? Sign up to receive my free Mindfulness Framework video. . Watch this video to learn more about Mental Events Therapy.  . Watch this video to learn more about the benefits of online therapy with Mental Events. . As always, we’d like to hear from you. Send your questions via email - hello@mentalevents.com. . Connect with Mental Events on social media: Instagram @mentalevents Facebook @mentaleventstherapy.

After Violence: Reflections on Boulder

Life serves up discomfort to us in many ways. At times we've all avoided challenges in order to escape the stress that goes with feeling uncomfortable. This week's episode examines how our struggle against discomfort can cause additional suffering in our lives.  . Think of unhealthy discomfort as something you do to avoid coming into contact with what doesn't feel good. Healthy discomfort on the other hand tends to be a more open, willing, and engaging way of managing what is already present. . Looking to further your mindfulness practice? Check out the Mental Events mindfulness journal. It’s dedicated to examining the workability of the mind’s proposed solutions to problems, and offers an opportunity to step back from giving over your life to negative thoughts. . Wanting to integrate mindfulness into your life? Sign up to receive my free Mindfulness Framework video. . Watch this video to learn more about Mental Events Therapy.  . Watch this video to learn more about the benefits of online therapy with Mental Events. . As always, we’d like to hear from you. Send your questions via email - hello@mentalevents.com. . Connect with Mental Events on social media: Instagram @mentalevents Facebook @mentaleventstherapy.

Healthy and Unhealthy Discomfort

“Just breathe.” Depending on how stressed you might be, hearing those words may not be well received. Enter box breathing! It's a proactive breathing exercise aimed to help you regulate your nervous system. . Box breathing is a common breathing technique used by Navy Seals, mindfulness practitioners, and recovery programs. During my time as the lead facilitator of the mindfulness group at the Veterans Administration, I would lead the group through box breathing.  . If you can envision drawing a box in your mind, and follow your breath to the count of four, then you can do box breathing. . This week's podcast episode outlines what box breathing is, and I'll walk you through a brief box breathing exercise toward the end of the episode. . Looking to further your mindfulness practice? Check out the Mental Events mindfulness journal. It’s dedicated to examining the workability of the mind’s proposed solutions to problems, and offers an opportunity to step back from giving over your life to negative thoughts. . Wanting to integrate mindfulness into your life? Sign up to receive my free Mindfulness Framework video. . Watch this video to learn more about Mental Events Therapy.  . Watch this video to learn more about the benefits of online therapy with Mental Events. . As always, we’d like to hear from you. Send your questions via email - hello@mentalevents.com. . Connect with Mental Events on social media: Instagram @mentalevents Facebook @mentaleventstherapy.

Box Breathing

Do good things only happen to good people? Do bad things only happen to bad people? And are all honorable actions eventually rewarded? The Just World Belief states that your actions are inclined to bring morally fair and just consequences to you, or others. But what happens when something unexpected and traumatic happens to you? . To be honest, I'm not so sure where I fall with this belief/hypothesis? Nonetheless, in this episode I try and make sense of the Just World hypothesis, while leaving you with a few thoughts to ponder. . Looking to further your mindfulness practice? Check out the Mental Events mindfulness journal. It’s dedicated to examining the workability of the mind’s proposed solutions to problems, and offers an opportunity to step back from giving over your life to negative thoughts. . Wanting to integrate mindfulness into your life? Sign up to receive my free Mindfulness Framework video. . Watch this video to learn more about Mental Events Therapy.  . Watch this video to learn more about the benefits of online therapy with Mental Events. . As always, we’d like to hear from you. Send your questions via email - hello@mentalevents.com. . Connect with Mental Events on social media: Instagram @mentalevents Facebook @mentaleventstherapy.

The Just World Belief

There are two kinds of emotions. The first kind of emotions are those that happen naturally. We often experience natural emotions as they unfold after something happens. The second kind of emotions are the manufactured type. They're not based on the facts of an event, but on your interpretations of it. . Push play to learn more about how you might be manufacturing emotions, and how to stop adding kindling to the fire! . Looking to further your mindfulness practice? Check out the Mental Events mindfulness journal. It’s dedicated to examining the workability of the mind’s proposed solutions to problems, and offers an opportunity to step back from giving over your life to negative thoughts. . Wanting to integrate mindfulness into your life? Sign up to receive my free Mindfulness Framework video. . Watch this video to learn more about Mental Events Therapy.  . Watch this video to learn more about the benefits of online therapy with Mental Events. . As always, we’d like to hear from you. Send your questions via email - hello@mentalevents.com. . Connect with Mental Events on social media: Instagram @mentalevents Facebook @mentaleventstherapy.

Natural and Manufactured Emotion

Our human lives are inundated with the needs of the Self. The self (I/me/my) has many preferences, needs, biases, desires, and conditioned habits. While we're often unaware of how we are being controlled by the causes and conditions of our needs and wants, remembering mindfulness offers a path to greater awareness and choice. When remembering mindfulness we remember to come back to our present state. In this space of awareness we can be present-minded participants and live with more mindful action. . This week, learn how to become more aware of yourself, and how to practice mindfulness - even when life appears to be too overwhelming and confusing. . Looking to further your mindfulness practice? Check out the Mental Events mindfulness journal. It’s dedicated to examining the workability of the mind’s proposed solutions to problems, and offers an opportunity to step back from giving over your life to negative thoughts. . Wanting to integrate mindfulness into your life? Sign up to receive my free Mindfulness Framework video. . Watch this video to learn more about Mental Events Therapy.  . Watch this video to learn more about the benefits of online therapy with Mental Events. . As always, we’d like to hear from you. Send your questions via email - hello@mentalevents.com. . Connect with Mental Events on social media: Instagram @mentalevents Facebook @mentaleventstherapy.

Being with Less Self | Remembering Mindfulness

New Year’s tends to bring about a newfound motivation for change. After a taxing 2020, I think we're all ready to turn the page! When making New Years resolutions we tend to hope for the best. Behind our desire for change there's a hope for the quick fix. Unfortunately, (myself included) we set ourselves up for disappointment, forgetting to update our expectations. With mindful living, we realize there are no quick fixes, only ways to simplify the over-complicated.  . I mention several reflection questions and a worksheet during the podcast. Click here for the Reflect on your Year worksheet to reflect on where you've come, and what a life well-lived looks like in 2021! . I offer a guided meditation/visualization exercise @15:40 mark. . BTW - If you haven't listened to the most recent podcast, 2020 in a word, I would recommend giving that a listen before pushing play on this episode! . Looking to further your mindfulness practice? Check out the Mental Events mindfulness journal. It’s dedicated to examining the workability of the mind’s proposed solutions to problems, and offers an opportunity to step back from giving over your life to negative thoughts. . Wanting to integrate mindfulness into your life? Sign up to receive my free Mindfulness Framework video. . Watch this video to learn more about Mental Events Therapy.   Watch this video to learn more about the benefits of online therapy with Mental Events. . As always, we’d like to hear from you. Send your questions via email - hello@mentalevents.com. . Connect with Mental Events on social media: Instagram @mentalevents Facebook @mentaleventstherapy.

Setting Expectations for the New Year

What word would you use to describe the past year? I asked 70 people that very question and received many different responses. But I also asked a second question. What did you learn to value about the experience from the pandemic? Tune in to hear how the two questions elicited different responses, and why it's vital to reflect on difficult experiences. After all, you may not realize how the things you're saying to yourself could be impacting your mood and behavior!  . Looking to further your mindfulness practice? Check out the Mental Events mindfulness journal. It’s dedicated to examining the workability of the mind’s proposed solutions to problems, and offers an opportunity to step back from giving over your life to negative thoughts. . Wanting to integrate mindfulness into your life? Sign up to receive my six-day At Ease: Mobilizing Mindfulness mini-course for FREE . Watch this video to learn more about Mental Events Therapy. Watch this video to learn more about the benefits of online therapy with Mental Events. . As always, we’d like to hear from you. Send your questions via email - hello@mentalevents.com. Connect with Mental Events on social media and share your comments about the show on Instagram @mentalevents, and on Facebook @mentaleventstherapy.

2020 in a word

You have the ability to focus your attention on just about anything! Yet sometimes we become so close to our worries that we struggle to see what’s beyond the thinking mind. This week I talk about our ready-to-experience mind, and three simple ways to pay attention more mindfully.    . Looking to further your mindfulness practice? Check out the Mental Events mindfulness journal. It’s dedicated to examining the workability of the mind’s proposed solutions to problems, and offers an opportunity to step back from giving over your life to negative thoughts. . Wanting to integrate mindfulness into your life? Sign up to receive my six-day At Ease: Mobilizing Mindfulness mini-course for FREE . Watch this video to learn more about Mental Events Therapy. Watch this video to learn more about the benefits of online therapy with Mental Events. . As always, we’d like to hear from you. Send your questions via email - hello@mentalevents.com. Connect with Mental Events on social media and share your comments about the show on Instagram @mentalevents, and on Facebook @mentaleventstherapy.

The Ready-to-Experience Mind | Paying Attention with Perspective

One of the greatest gifts we can offer anyone is our true presence. Unfortunately this year, many of us won't be able to congregate for the holidays. Does this mean we won't be able to be present or thankful in other ways? Of course not. Tune in for this week's episode and learn how to practice presence whether you're congregating with others or not. . Looking to further your mindfulness practice? Check out the Mental Events mindfulness journal. It’s dedicated to examining the workability of the mind’s proposed solutions to problems, and offers an opportunity to step back from giving over your life to negative thoughts. . Wanting to integrate mindfulness into your life? Sign up to receive my six-day At Ease: Mobilizing Mindfulness mini-course for FREE . Watch this video to learn more about Mental Events Therapy. Watch this video to learn more about the benefits of online therapy with Mental Events. . As always, we’d like to hear from you. Send your questions via email - hello@mentalevents.com. Connect with Mental Events on social media and share your comments about the show on Instagram @mentalevents, and on Facebook @mentaleventstherapy.

Giving Presence

“Don’t talk. Don’t trust. Don’t feel.” Rules that were taught early and often to my guest in this week’s episode. In this special interview, I connect with friend and colleague, John Evans, peer support specialist, musician, and Army Veteran. Looking inward and breaking the patterns of suffering was a path John fully committed to in July of 2007. John experienced many adverse events in his childhood, including the loss of his mother, and addiction in his family. After joining the Army in high school, John worked diligently to reintegrate back into civilian life when he returned home from two tours in Iraq as a medic. Thirteen years into his recovery, John intimately shares how his best days have come since committing to sobriety and working on his trauma. John explains, “Recovery means fearlessly attempting to unlock my potential, and being willing to reach for the life that my trauma would say, ‘don’t do that.’” An introduction to John – 3:09 What’s a hero? – 5:03 Quoting the book, “A Year to Live” by Steven Levine – 15:29 Recognizing resistance – 18:38 The pain of losing a parent – 22:46 Experience as a combat medic – 34:05 Impermanence and healing – 38:07 Waking up to thought forms during deployment – 42:10 Identity formation w/ trauma – 44:41 Victim role and attachment to pain – 48:00 Every day is a gift – 57:25 Trauma comparison – 1:01:21 Accepting wounds leads to empowerment – 1:07:45 What does recovery mean? – 1:11:20 Life after substance, 13 years into recovery – 1:15:02 Cultivating gratitude – 1:23:50 Adhering to a spiritual practice – 1:29:12   Looking to further your mindfulness practice? Check out the Mental Events mindfulness journal. It’s dedicated to examining the workability of the mind’s proposed solutions to problems, and offers an opportunity to step back from giving over your life to negative thoughts. . Wanting to integrate mindfulness into your life? Sign up to receive my six-day At Ease: Mobilizing Mindfulness mini-course for FREE . Watch this video to learn more about Mental Events Therapy. Watch this video to learn more about the benefits of online therapy with Mental Events. . As always, we’d like to hear from you. Send your questions via email - hello@mentalevents.com. Connect with Mental Events on social media and share your comments about the show on Instagram @mentalevents, and on Facebook @mentaleventstherapy.

Committing to a Mindful Recovery and Breaking Patterns of Suffering |A Conversation with John Evans

Untangling from the harmful words in your head, and turning your attention toward doing what matters is no easy feat. The Mental Events podcast explores how giving up trying to control your thoughts and emotions is a trustworthy way to gain control of your life. Let's reign in the mind together!

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Mental Events

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