The American Institute of Architects Los Angeles awarded Michael Lehrer the gold medal, their highest award, describing him as "an architect fully engaged with architecture as a means to contribute to society as a whole." Michael has worked for clients across the social spectrum, but a great deal of his focus has been on finding innovative solutions to the crisis of 'houselessness' in LA. He speaks to Drea and Tom about the importance of architecture as a means to restore our dignity and our hum...
Jun 29, 2021•56 min•Ep. 23
There's a lot of talk of burn out right now; swathes of people are quitting their jobs (or seriously thinking about it) in what's being referred to as 'The Great Resignation'. Companies are struggling to fill roles, and it feels that something transformational is happening in society. Are we on the edge of something truly significant or do we just need a summer off before we head back to the workplace in September? Tom asks Drea to articulate what burn out actually is as they discuss the unexpec...
Jun 22, 2021•26 min•Ep. 22
After a 'hyper-accelerated' existence as the NY-based music editor for Vice, covering the underground music and recreational drug scene all over the world, author and journalist Michelle Lhooq moved to LA and a 'California Sober' lifestyle (the now zeitgeist phrase she originally coined in jest). Her outlook ("where optimism meets absurdity") is perhaps more in line with Gen Z than her own 'ironic cool Millenial' gen, and her exploration into the evolving counterculture, the protest scene and th...
Jun 15, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 21
In this episode we return to the concept of 'collective liberation' introduced last week in our conversation with Charlotte James and Undrea Wright of The Ancestor Project. How can this idea help us to create a more equitable future for all? For many of us this concept might be unfamiliar, and taking action to undo historic oppression and systemic injustices may feel overwhelming and can be very uncomfortable. Dr Drea Letemendi talks to Tom Johnstone about "doing the work", what small steps we c...
Jun 08, 2021•20 min•Ep. 20
Charlotte James and Undrea Wright came together to create - or channel - a radical and transformative path to healing through 'sacred plant medicine'. Through their ground-breaking work with The Ancestor Project, the Baltimore-based pair seek to integrate the ancient practice of legal psychedelics and non-psychoactive substances to support therapeutic journeys for the BIPOC community. This week on OIP, these remarkable frontline optimists talk with great consideration about reclaiming “Sacred Ea...
Jun 01, 2021•49 min•Ep. 19
Most of us rush through the endless ‘to do’ list of daily chores feeling distracted and impatient. How often do we really pay attention to the thing that's right in front of us, to the task at hand? In this episode of Optimist in Progress, Dr Drea Letamendi shares her insights on how to create moments of mindfulness as we fold laundry, chop carrots or do the dishes. By tuning in to those repetitive tasks, and connecting to the sensations of everyday activities, she explains, the small moments ta...
May 25, 2021•19 min•Ep. 18
Whilst she may not recognize herself as an optimist (“rainbows and ponies?”), the work that UK based food writer and nutritional coach Lizzie King is doing to educate people about how to 'eat well' in every sense certainly demonstrates an inherent commitment to building a better future for people and planet. Raised in a family of obsessive “foodies”, long summers spent in Tuscany had a huge influence on shaping Lizzie’s understanding of farming, seasonality, ingredients, and the importance of sh...
May 18, 2021•47 min•Ep. 17
It sounds a little like therapy-speak, but finding your authentic self, living authentically is just another way to say we’re ‘keeping it real’. Authenticity has always been highly valued in our societies, particularly for artists and creatives, but what about the rest of us? How do we live an authentic life, and make sure our actions are closely aligned with our values and personal beliefs. Nobody wants to be called a faker. Jung and Gandhi had plenty to say on this, and it was one of Shakespea...
May 11, 2021•29 min•Ep. 16
Singer/songwriter Alice Smith was nominated for a Grammy for best newcomer when she hit the scene with her highly original sound and powerful stage presence. Record label politics though went on to have profound consequences for her on both a professional and a very personal level. She explains how her people, her commitment to her art, and a relentless pursuit of authenticity allowed her to reconnect with herself and gain strength from that traumatic period to become the artist she is today. Fo...
May 04, 2021•59 min•Ep. 15
Much of the past year has been spent in isolation; we've been existing in small 'social bubbles', and relying heavily on technology to feel connected. Though quarantine helped our society to survive this virus, as Dr Drea explains to Tom in this episode, isolation is the opposite of what we need to foster resilience. Rebuilding those connections, even the minor daily interactions with strangers, is the key to healing and reviving our emotional and physical worlds. Just be prepared for some awkwa...
Apr 27, 2021•30 min•Ep. 14
Cameron Hughes is a professional cheer guy. He whips crowds of all sizes into a frenzy of excitement, abandoning self-consciousness to create a shared high - moments of pure elation and connection. In conversation with Drea and Tom, he explains how loss in his childhood led to this unlikely calling, describes the 'cheer sense' that allows him to read a crowd of thousands in an instant, and how, through the pandemic period even the 'King of Cheer' sometimes needs a cheer. For more on Cameron Hugh...
Apr 20, 2021•51 min•Ep. 13
For most of us living with partners or lovers, the past year of lockdown has been testing from a relationship perspective. The intensity of existing in the same space, in such close proximity, has led to a spike in divorce rates, and at the very least, stifled the romance and made our relationships somewhat functional. This week Drea and Tom get personal to discuss how important it is to remember to actively like our partners, and how intimate whistles and acoustic hacks might help keep things o...
Apr 13, 2021•24 min•Ep. 12
Some people are born with a proclivity for optimism. Actor and performer Karen David is one of those fortunate individuals, but as she acknowledges, that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have to work constantly at honing her skill. As the daughter of immigrants, she was often treated like an interloper, but her eight year old self found solace in singing Whitney Houston loud, dancing around in her basement and creating vision boards that inspire her still today. She talks to Dr Drea and Tom about the im...
Apr 06, 2021•55 min•Ep. 11
Wondering why so many of us were nurturing sourdough starter, planting seeds and signing up for an online language course this past year? Dr Drea mines the field of positive psychology and introduces the theory of 'broaden-and-build', something as humans we are hardwired for. Regardless of our circumstances, we can all access positive benefits simply by ensuring we embrace novel experiences. Just walking a new route home can significantly improve our physical state, our creativity and mental fun...
Mar 30, 2021•28 min•Ep. 10
Travel & food writer, and Los Angeles native, Krista Simmons spent her pre-COVID career exploring food cultures around the world. She talks candidly to Tom and Dr Drea about the impact of lockdown on her mental health, her work, and the food & hospitality industries across the globe. Despite the destruction wrought by the virus, she identifies seeds of hope, and an opportunity to rebuild the food industry in a way that could create a more equitable society, heal cultural wounds and rever...
Mar 23, 2021•53 min•Ep. 9
We have just passed the year mark, things are beginning to open up after an extraordinary, challenging and for some, tragic twelve months. Dr Drea Letamendi talks to Tom about ways to process the past year in order to move forwards and thrive. More information on the Kubler-Ross model (5 stages of grief) This podcast was recorded at the Britely , a new private social club opening this spring on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. or follow @thebritely Director of Programming and Partnerships is ...
Mar 16, 2021•28 min•Ep. 8
Play seems like the last thing any of us are prioritizing right now, but a conversation between Dr Drea and Tom highlights the importance of play for all of us - as a way of coping, connecting, surviving and even thriving through these late pandemic days. What actually constitutes play though is a fascinating thing to consider... Alan Watts Quotes: “This is the real secret of life — to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it i...
Mar 09, 2021•25 min•Ep. 7
Actor and improv artist Todd Stashwick, self confessed purveyor of all things geeky, and Tiki aficionado, firmly believes that practical optimism, or as he refers to it, intentional positivity, can solve most of the problems we face in our lives. In this episode Todd discusses his 'optimism operating system' with co-hosts Dr Drea and Tom, a system rooted in a very practical Mid-Western Lutheran upbringing, shaped by a life of repeated rejections in the acting world, and illuminated by the insigh...
Mar 02, 2021•45 min•Ep. 6
It can be hard to recognise when you need to stop what you're doing and take rest, especially when people are relying on you; and particularly during these times. Ours is a society which celebrates overt displays of productivity; 'doing nothing' is seen as being lazy, work-shy or anti-social. Dr Drea and Tom explore the notion of active rest, and rest as resistance. Follow Christine Adams @officialchristineadams Her non-profit is @weareweseeyou Her School is morganoliverschool.org To get in touc...
Feb 23, 2021•15 min•Ep. 5
Christine Adams is an actor, currently playing a lead role in CW's television series 'Black Lightning'. It's clear that working as an actor takes resilience, but it's her other life, that of a political activist and founder of a non-profit, set up to get the vote out in Georgia, that best demonstrates the depths of her gritty optimism. Her belief that if we take action, we can make meaningful change happen. A beautiful take on seizing small moments of joy amidst all the madness, and not turning ...
Feb 16, 2021•56 min•Ep. 4
It is easy to lose sight of the progress we are making as we work towards goals, whatever they may be; to lose heart because aren’t happening as quickly or as radically as we might have hoped. In this microcast, Dr Drea suggests that we pay more attention to what we are actually achieving, taking time to celebrate the small wins as a way to set ourselves up for long term success. To get in touch with us, email: podcast@optimistdrinks.com For more about the show visit optimistdrinks.com and click...
Feb 09, 2021•5 min•Ep. 3
Most of us make resolutions for the year ahead, and this year many of us doubled down, only to be find that by the end of January they lay in tatters by the empty pizza boxes and bottles; meditation apps floating untouched in the Cloud. In this practical micro-cast, Dr Drea Letamendi ask us to consider setting goals and intentions instead, as a way to bring about meaningful, long-term positive changes and a sense of achievement. To get in touch with us, email: podcast@optimistdrinks.com For more...
Feb 04, 2021•6 min•Ep. 2
In this first episode of Optimist in Progress, host, and co-founder of Optimist Drinks, Tom Johnstone, interviews his co-host, Dr Drea Letamendi, clinical psychologist and superhero fan, about her mission to bring conversations around mental health to a broader audience. The shared intentions of Optimist in Progress fit neatly into her masterplan, and 2021 could well prove to be the Year of the Optimist. To get in touch with us, email: podcast@optimistdrinks.com For more about the show visit opt...
Feb 02, 2021•28 min•Ep. 1
Optimism isn’t something most of us are born with. It takes practice to truly be an optimist. We aren’t talking the rose-tinted, 'it will all be fine’ kind of optimism. True optimists are those who envision a better future, and who fight to make it happen. In this podcast, co-hosts Tom Johnstone and Dr Drea Letamendi interview frontline optimists and offer insights into the practice of optimism and practicable advice on the how to develop your resilience. To get in touch with us, email: podcast@...
Jan 28, 2021•37 sec
