The Podcast is Pausing!
The podcast is taking an indefinite break, because the world is hard and weird and I need to hermit. I love you each. Listen for an explanation. I'll be back!
Dec 16, 2020•17 min
Conversations That Don't Suck
In a world that is collectively starved for connection, why does it feel so hard to cultivate? Join Kyla Sokoll-Ward, millennial loneliness thought leader, in truth-telling conversations with community builders, professional empaths, and communication experts as we build a world where expressing your emotions is normal, having meaningful community is non-negotiable, and empathic communication is practiced on the daily. If you’re tired of the “What do you do?” and otherwise shitty conversations you keep finding yourself trapped in, you’ll love these deep-dive discussions around topics including connection, communication, community, and how to bring more realness to the world in a way that creates more belonging, not separation.
Last refreshed: ⓘ
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
Episodes
Exploring Mental Health in Community with Sasha Raskin
Sasha Raskin is on the podcast this week! Sasha and I met through the magic of Facebook (mild sarcasm, but also, amazing). In this episode, we discuss: - How she started her community A Beautiful Mess, her mental health journey, her experience checking herself into a mental hospital, paradoxes in emotions, the impact of vulnerability, the difference between real vulnerability and oversharing in leadership, and “safe spaces”. Sasha Raskin is the Founder of A BEAUTIFUL MESS (ABM), a mental health ...
Oct 12, 2020•51 min
Friendcast! with Jordan
My roommate, dear friend, and fellow connection lover Jordan is on the podcast this week. And we’re using Convers(ate) cards! Convers(ate) Conversation Cards spark conversation about an interesting and universal topic using a unique set of question prompts. I LOVE these cards and highly recommend checking them out. Shout out to Taylor at Convers(ate) for reaching out and for enlightening me to these amazing cards! In this episode, we discuss: tattoos, relishing change vs resisting it, death and ...
Oct 05, 2020•50 min
Solocast: In Defense of Sensitivity
Episode 5 of 5 in the series on under-felt, under-appreciated, under-processed emotions. Sensitivity is a big one, y'all. It's one that most people think is bad, too much, too unpleasant... but I think it's a huge gift (like all five of the emotions I've talked about these last episodes!) In this episode, I get into what sensitivity is, why it's challenging, and how we can become more attuned and discerning sensitive beings. Enjoy! As always, I love to hear your thoughts on these things. You can...
Sep 28, 2020•37 min
Solocast: In Defense of Heartbreak
This is episode 4/5 of under-felt, under-appreciated, under-processed emotions. Heartbreak is my favorite thing to talk about, second to loneliness ;) and in this episode I dive into a few of the toughest experiences I've had with heartbreak, why I think it's so important to fully feel heartbreak, and how it expands our capacity for more love. This is a juicy one, and I hope y'all love it. You can also listen to episode 11 where I share some poetry on an experience of heartbreak I had had at tha...
Sep 21, 2020•42 min
Solocast: In Defense of Rage
This is episode 3 of 5 in a series on emotions that are often under-felt, under-appreciated, and under-processed. RAGE is a big one!! If you're not feeling rage this year, I'm not sure where you're living, but if you're anything like me, rage is a feeling that has followed you for more than a year. Especially for people socialized as women, rage is something we're rarely permissioned to experience, let alone actually embody or express. But there is SO MUCH WISDOM in rage, and in this episode I d...
Sep 14, 2020•33 min
Solocast: In Defense of Neediness
NEEDINESS - Does this word make your skin crawl the way that mine does?! This is part 2 of 5 in a series on difficult or under-processed emotions, and neediness is one of the most rejected feelings I've ever known, both in myself and others. I dive into what neediness is, the many ways it gets experienced, and what you can do to get more in touch with your neediness (and... dare I say... make friends with it?!) I hope y'all love this one. It's fun to deep-dive into some tough emotions with you. ...
Sep 07, 2020•38 min
Solocast: In Defense of Loneliness
I'm lonely, you're lonely, we're all lonely. I'm back with another solocast. For the next 5 weeks, I'll speak to 5 different challenging emotions/emotional experiences, my thoughts on them through my research with loneliness and connection, and a few vulnerable shares of my own experiences with them. Y'all have been loving the solocasts, and I'd love to hear more of your feedback, thoughts, ideas, musings, questions. Much love!
Aug 31, 2020•39 min
Love, Sex, and Loneliness with Simone Humphrey and Signe Simon
Simone Humphrey and Signe Simon, the co-founders of LOVELINK, are on the pod this week! LOVELINK is a podcast, workshop series, and hosts other resources to help people connect more deeply to themselves and others. Simone Humphrey, PsyD, currently works at Therapists of New York, a private practice in midtown, Manhattan. She has a passion for developing creative and unconventional ways to promote mental health and wellbeing. Signe Simon, PhD, teaches graduate students and works with individuals,...
Aug 24, 2020•54 min
Infusing Our Lives with Play with Gary Ware
Gary Ware is on the podcast this week! Gary Ware, the Founder of Breakthrough Play, is a sought-after Corporate Facilitator and Keynote Speaker with nearly a decade of experience as a performer in improv theatre. He assists teams with unlocking creativity, confidence, and sparks collaboration with experiential methods proven to drive peak performance. Gary spent over a decade in the corporate world and originally pursued improv to master public speaking. He quickly discovered that combining impr...
Aug 17, 2020•52 min
Belonging Through Ritual & Spirituality with Casper ter Kuile
Casper ter Kuile is on the podcast this week, and this episode is just beautiful. Casper has been such a huge inspiration for me and I think is one of the most important current voices in the conversation around community and belonging. In this conversation, we discuss: ritual and meaning outside of religion, how ritual creates reminders of interconnectedness, Shabbat and Abraham Joshua Heschel, creating our own blessings for sacred moments, how individualizing our spirituality creates more lone...
Aug 10, 2020•49 min
Social Wellbeing During a Pandemic with Kasley Killam
Kasley is on the pod this week! Kasley was introduced to me by a mutual friend and let's just say it was intellectual love at first sight. Kasley specializes in the science of and strategies for social well-being: the dimension of health that comes from connection and community. She holds a master's in public health from Harvard University and is a writer, speaker, consultant, and member of local, state, and national coalitions working to address the loneliness epidemic. Based in San Francisco, ...
Aug 03, 2020•52 min
Solocast: This Pandemic Sucks
The second solocast is here, and it's been a long time comin'. The first one that I released back in March (the heartbreak episode) is the most downloaded episode I've ever released. I've hesitated to reveal more of myself in this highly personal way but then I sat down and read you a journal entry so... oops. I think there are many more to come, because uh, I haven't been around enough people lately and I have a lot of thoughts and feelings. Enjoy! PS - like these solocasts? What else do you wa...
Jul 27, 2020•15 min
Celebration as Connection with Jacques Martiquet
We've got Jacques Martiquet on the pod this week! Jacques is an international party scientist who has facilitated ecstatic celebrations at Envision Festival, Shambhala Festival, LUSH Cosmetics, and Lululemon. Jacques has been interviewed by VICE media about his mission to bridge public health and party culture. Jacques' current focus is working within the events industry to address the loneliness epidemic, by offering new entertainment experiences founded on fun and social connection. In this co...
Jul 20, 2020•48 min
Accessing Vulnerability Through Poetry with Alisha Yi & David Xiang
Alisha Yi and David Xiang are on the podcast this week - the first DOUBLE GUEST episode in the podcast's short history. Alisha and David are the creators of the Hope Storytelling Project, a virtual series of poetry workshops designed to discuss themes of hope and vulnerability. Alisha M. Yi is a rising junior at Harvard University, studying History and Science and is a 2018 U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts for Writing. David Xiang graduated this year magna cum laude from Harvard University ...
Jul 13, 2020•54 min
Culture, Society, and Loneliness with Melanie Aronson
Melanie Aronson is on the podcast this week, and we get into a super juicy conversation about the ways that our culture and societal norms affect the loneliness of its inhabitants. Melanie is US-born but currently living in Sweden and we get into all the nuances of what is considered "normal" in connection and our own experiences with loneliness. In this conversation, we discuss: Melanie’s research on middle eastern integration in Sweden, her app Pinion aimed to connect people with similar inter...
Jul 06, 2020•50 min
Asking Deep Questions with Jan Keck
Jan Keck is on the podcast this week, and it was such a joy to speak with someone who has an equal love for deep questions and deeper conversation. I hope you enjoy it! Jan Keck is a community addict. He is the creator of ASK DEEP QUESTIONS, which started out as a deck of cards to help his friends connect on a camping trip and is now being used to facilitate meaningful conversations through sharing personal and vulnerable stories on every continent around the globe. Jan’s mission is to help peop...
Jun 29, 2020•50 min
Friendcast! with Georgia
The Friendcast is back! This week I'm sitting down with my sassy, gorgeous, divine feminine friend Georgia and we talk about allll the things. We get into: the story of how Georgia and I met in Tel Aviv, our bond over shared experiences with food and body image, the ritual of women gathering under the moon, the grey area of healing, the beautiful, healing, catalytic power of women, and dealing with body image during a pandemic. It was truly so beautiful and refreshing to sit down (virtually, acr...
Jun 01, 2020•59 min
Getting intimate with shame with A.J. Bond
A.J. Bond is on the podcast this week, and it's an eddddggyyyy oneee! A.J. is a writer, filmmaker, and shame educator based in Toronto. He is the host of the podcast Discomfortable and is currently completing his certification with the Center for Healing Shame in Berkeley. In this episode, we discuss: A.J.’s journey with discovering his own shame, the process of learning to work with shame, how to differentiate between our own shame and that of others, how my shame presents itself around arrogan...
May 25, 2020•57 min
The Healing of Hearing and Being Heard with Kyle Zamcheck
Kyle Zamcheck, my sister from another mister, is on the podcast this week! Kyle is truly a remarkable human being and I'm so super duper grateful for this epic, raw conversation we had. In this episode, we discuss: the death of Toni Lane Casserly, how to make an impact, femininity in intellectual spaces, the humanity in Zoom calls, intimate communication in everyday life, the ego in altruistic work, the dark side of caregiving and “showing up” for others, healing our wounds through our work, my ...
May 18, 2020•1 hr 10 min
Making the world more human with Jason Digges
Jason Digges is on the podcast today! Jason is the co-founder of ART International, which offers life-changing courses that empower you to be more alive, awake and aware in all your relationships – with self, other, and the world. Jason leads ART’s sales, marketing, and business development efforts, manages enrollment, and is a senior course leader. He also makes major contributions to the curriculum based on his unique background and expertise. Jason is a modern renaissance man: Equal parts art...
May 11, 2020•48 min
Getting Vulnerable AF with Veronica Kaulinis
Veronica Kaulinis is on the pod this week, and we're getting vulnerable ... I mean... maybe not any more than usual ;) In this episode, we discuss: How Veronica’s relationship patterns led her to wanting to have more vulnerable conversations, her past fears around being seen as ‘too nice’, how vulnerable shares permission others to be themselves, the yearning of vulnerability, how she creates safe spaces for vulnerability, the importance of grounding after a vulnerable experience, and our differ...
May 04, 2020•49 min
Loving Thy Enemy with Adar Weinreb
Adar Weinreb is on the podcast today! Adar Weinreb is a social activist currently residing in Tel Aviv, Israel. He dedicates his free time to building bridges between Israelis and Palestinians and has a podcast of his own called Standing Up where he interviews activists from around the world. In this episode, we discuss: How Adar learned to see himself in Hamas terrorists as an Israeli soldier, how lifetimes of fear-based teachings become hate, my own shameful experiences of “othering” people in...
Apr 27, 2020•50 min
Building Community and Conversation Through Art with Yuko Kudo
Yuko Kudo is on the pod today! Yuko Kudo is native Japanese and immigrated to the United States in June 2003, landing in Los Angles, California, and settling there for 10 years until moving to New York City in 2013. Yuko is a multi-dimensional artist and creator. She uses art and storytelling to create community, while reminding people they are not alone. Yuko is the Founder and Artistic Director of the "I AM" Series Global, which showcases artists' talent within themes focusing on claiming one'...
Apr 20, 2020•48 min
Creating systems change through community with Chelsea Simpson
Chelsea Simpson is on the podcast today! Chelsea is an educator, facilitator, and coach with more than 10 years experience at the intersection of transformational leadership, innovation, somatics, and diversity and inclusion. Chelsea has worked internationally, in English and Spanish, with a wide range of organizations, including Microsoft, the Smithsonian Institute, the NYC Mayor’s Office, the Centre for Social Innovation, Bloomberg Industries, Make the Road NY, and various organizations in El ...
Apr 13, 2020•48 min
Creating thriving adult friendships with Kat Vellos
Kat Vellos is on the podcast today, and we're talking about creating and maintaining thriving adult friendships. I'm so grateful that I met Kat through a mutual friend - I actually fangirled prettyyyy hard when I met her because I had heard about her work and book and knew who she was. Kat Vellos is a user experience designer, speaker, and facilitator with a passion for helping people connect authentically. She’s researched, designed, and advised on the user experience of countless flows in digi...
Apr 06, 2020•55 min
Solocast: HEARTBREAK EPISODE (+ poetry share!)
THE HEARTBREAK EPISODE IS HERE! (and I'm sharing some poetry!) Alright y'all, this one's been in the making for a while. Today I'm doing a solocast - no guest, just yours truly - and I'm talking about one of my favorite topics: heartbreak. Heartbreak is one of the most all-encompassing forms of grief. It's painful, inconvenient, and universal. It's something that has brought me profound insights and changes in my life and has truly deepened my relationship to myself. In this episode, I'm sharing...
Mar 30, 2020•23 min
Connecting to our body and heart with Libby Crow
Libby Crow is in today. Libby is a former coach of mine, fellow lover of personal development, and all around glorious woman. It was so lovely to catch up with her and get some of her sparkle and wisdom in this conversation. In this episode, we chat about: burnout and flow, the difference between emotional and physical shut-down, how social media makes us project our ideas onto other people, Libby’s relationship with her husband Scott, dating/love/heartbreak, and what people get wrong about us. ...
Mar 23, 2020•49 min
Connecting through Storytelling with Yochai Maital
Today we have Yochai Maital on the podcast! Yochai Maital is the Co-creator Editor and Senior producer of Israel Story - a Hebrew and English storytelling podcast that is sometimes dubbed 'the Israeli This American Life'. Born in Haifa, he served eight years as an officer in the Israeli army before embarking on a new trajectory, studying creative writing at Tel Aviv’s Minshar College for Arts. Yochai has built multiple eco-houses, co-founded Tel Aviv’s first organic food co-op, worked at a hoste...
Mar 16, 2020•56 min
Reimagining Conversations About Death with Brad Wolfe
In this episode, Brad Wolfe is joining me to talk about our most feared topic: Death. This was a super special conversation that came at an extremely timely moment in my life as death was consuming my life. This is a good one, folks. Listen up. In this episode, we discuss: Brad’s work with Reimagine End of Life, how Brad’s experiences with death have influenced his work and the way he relates to the world, how to remember our mortality and also seize the day, why breakups are their own form of d...
Mar 09, 2020•57 min
Hosted on Spotify for Creators (Anchor)
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android