Cathy and Todd talk with Former New York Times reporter KJ Dell’Antonio about her book How to be a Happier Parent. They discuss some common issues that challenge parents, and explore how to decrease the stress and find more joy.
Todd and Cathy discuss how people and organizations are both light and dark, and why it’s important to recognize this in ourselves. They discuss the You Tube Original Show Cobra Kai, specifically the nostalgia and surprises, and how all the characters are multidimensional and imperfect. They also share Carol Cadwalladr’s TED Talk where she calls out the Titans of Tech and Ricky Henderson’s Baseball Hall of Fame speech.
Cathy and Todd discuss a sports psychologist Dr. Michael Gervais interview on Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard. They discuss the difference between being the best and being your best.
Cathy and Todd discuss how to give ourselves permission to change or try something new. They share some wisdom from Oprah’s new book The Path Made Clear, and discuss why trusting and honoring ourselves can strengthen our relationships.
Todd and Cathy discuss Greg McKeown’s book Essentialism about how we can do less, but better. They discuss how to figure out what’s essential, how to let go of what we no longer need, and how essentialism relates to KonMari and the movie City Slickers.
Cathy and Todd discuss how parenting experts can appear to contradict each other (even when their information is valid), and why we need to know our family and trust our instincts when making parenting decisions. They discuss Gabor Matè’s interview on the Goop podcast, Lori Gottlieb’s interview on NPR’s Fresh Air, and they share MILCK’s #ICANTKEEPQUIET project.
Todd and Cathy discuss the lessons from the longest study about happiness from the Harvard Study on Adult Development. They discuss Steven Pinker’s data about the world getting better, and what Bill Gates and Warren Buffet both recommend for a happy life.
Cathy and Todd discuss public shaming and why responsibility, humility, and reflection need to be a part of the process. They discuss John Oliver’s interview with Monica Lewinsky and the college admission scandal.
Cathy and Todd speak about the most impactful moments of this year's conference.
Todd and Cathy discuss Dax Shepard’s interview with Dr. John Gottman, and discuss his research around marriage, parenting, sex, and the key to longevity.
Todd and Cathy discuss why parental self-awareness is essential when our kids are making their life decisions. They discuss how our history plays a role in what we think is best for our kids, and why we need to be clear about what “success” means. They discuss why what worked for us may not work for them, and why staying connected is dependent on honest and vulnerable communication.
Cathy and Todd discuss the difference between a punitive (inflicting punishment) and restorative perspective (seeking to understand and address what happened to all involved), and why it’s important to recognize how we parent and why. They discuss why a restorative approach necessitates self-awareness and mindfulness, and why our willingness to effectively communicate with our kids about choices will help them with their decision-making as adults.
Todd and Cathy discuss why focusing on simple allows other things to flow more easily, and why aligning with what feels right allows determination, grit, and curiosity to show up naturally. They discuss why equifinalityv(the fact that there are many different pathways to the same outcome) is important to acknowledge when we are making choices for ourselves or for our children.
Cathy and Todd discuss the Superbowl and the most impactful commercials, specifically The Washington Post commercial titled Democracy Dies in Darkness. They discuss how the Justice Department minimized the description of domestic violence and why less information can create more problems. They process Lady Gaga’s deposition for Kesha, the Dirty John Podcast, and why connection and listening are the keys to every life relationship.
Todd and Cathy discuss the shadow parts of themselves that they pretend aren’t there, and Todd shares an activity where he had to act out the parts he tries hardest to repress. They share why the people who annoy us tend to display traits in ourselves that we don’t want to look at, and why accepting all of our parts keeps us whole and develops our compassion.
Todd and Cathy discuss the new American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines for men and boys, and why a Gillette ad about healthy masculinity has drawn so much criticism.
Todd and Cathy discuss why instead of looking for truth, we can begin to notice the lies that we consistently tell ourselves. They discuss failure, and why Cody Parkey’s kick during the Bears game became a teachable moment. They talk about extended family, noticing our ego, and what we can learn from the movie Cocktail.
Cathy shares an essay by Mark Nepo about partners who are willing to take turns exploring the outer and the inner. They discuss why equality is like an unwinding onion with limitless new things to explore, while focusing on Glenn Close in The Wife and Amy Adams in Vice. They also talk about what “unlikability” means for female candidates, and why it’s important to discuss specifically what makes us like, believe, or pay attention to person in front of us.
Todd and Cathy share different questions asked by Team Zen members during Zen Talks. Team Zen was created based on feedback from listeners – they wished they could ask Cathy+Todd a question, get resources for a specific challenge, and find a supportive and interactive community. Team Zen does all of this, and more. It includes two live ZenTalks a month, a private Facebook page with resources and Q&A, a premium podcast, and an opportunity to connect with a community of Zen Parents, just like ...
Cathy and Todd discuss why light and dark are part of the holidays, and why every season has a purpose. They discuss Barbara Brown Taylor’s book, Learning to Walk in the Dark, and why embracing dark can make us more compassionate and integrated people. They discuss the challenges of spiritual bypassing and what Wayne Dyer meant when he said, “Learn to die while you are living”.
Todd and Cathy discuss Jonathan Haidt’s book The Coddling of the American Mind, specifically focusing on the interview with Sam Harris on the Waking Up podcast. They discuss why universities struggle with controversial speakers, why safe spaces were created, and why some people have a hard time viewing emotional pain as valid pain. They process why there are no simple answers, and how each situation carries unique challenges and dynamics that need to be considered.
Cathy and Todd introduce four more speakers and four special organizations who will be at the 2019 Zen Parenting Conference. They discuss a podcast featuring Tony Robbins and the author of The Untethered Soul, Michael Singer, and they play a clip from Will Smith about why love is help.
Cathy and Todd discuss Brandi Carlisle’s song The Joke, and why it was written for people who feel “under-represented, unloved or illegal”. They talk about the newest sexual assault allegations, and what needs to be done to create change. The discuss the dignity of George HW Bush, and why his agenda while in office was surprising.
Our friend Josh St. Pierre returns to the show to give us an update on his recent kidney transplant (click here to listen to Josh’s first podcast where he shares his story). He shares what it felt like to get the phone call about the potential match, how he’s reflecting and recovering, and why he’s grateful for the people and lessons learned along the way. Click here to learn more about organ donation.
Todd and Cathy discuss how we tell our story, and how we can frame it in a way that serves us rather than depletes us. They discuss why mindfulness and sharing our story are essential when dealing with trauma, and also when we are parenting and relating to our children. They discuss Mark Epstein’s books, Sharon Salzberg’s path to compassionate teaching, and why Michelle Obama says we need to own our story.
Cathy and Todd discuss Michelle Obama’s new book Becoming, focusing in on some of the best pieces of advice for parents and kids. They discuss why we are always evolving, why growth never ends, and why we should allow our kids (and ourselves) to fail, pivot, and change.
Cathy and Todd discuss anger and how it can be productive, but also be destructive if not monitored. They discuss Pete Davidson’s apology and Lt. Com. Dan Crenshaw’s willingness to accept it on SNL this weekend. They discuss how Bridesmaids and Pitch Perfect allowed the women to be the complex characters, and why Bohemian Rhapsody is so fun to watch.
Cathy and Todd discuss how fear can be helpful if we are willing to listen and look at what’s it’s trying to say, but destructive if we live from constant state of fear by blaming and dehumanizing. They discuss Dr. Bessel van de Kolk’s book, The Body Keeps Score, and his interview with Krista Tippet on the Being Wise podcast, and how trauma becomes lodged in our bodies and what we can do to move it through. Cathy and Todd share examples of trauma and disconnection from Million Little Things, 8th...
Cathy and Todd discuss why blame and the belief that we are superior to another causes pain in our family, community and country. They discuss how dehumanization is a weapon to oppress and harm, and why we need to be thoughtful about words we say and write. They also discuss why intimacy coordinators are being used at HBO, why Todd can continue to express himself authentically, and Dax Shepard’s interview with Brenè Brown.
Cathy and Todd discuss some great quotes and wisdom gained from Cathy’s weekend with Glennon and Abby at Omega Institute. They discuss why being a “cool girl” is no longer necessary or healthy, why pleasing everyone will exhaust you, and how our wounds can become our greatest source of strength and inspiration. Glennon and Abby are the keynotes at the Zen Parenting Conference on March 8&9, 2019 – get your tickets at zenpopparenting.com.
