The Relationships We Live In

Ep. 21 - Tom Schur & Charlie White | Bowen Theory, Mag-Min model, Supervision, and Participation

In this episode with Tom Schur & Charlie White, we discuss Tom's Mag-Min model, the process of systemic supervision, Bowen Theory, and participation as a path to discussing and working on deep change, or second-order change. Tom Schur is a Family Systems Therapist and a Social Worker. He still maintain my private practice, that began over 40 years ago, but now on a limited basis. He has taught in the School of Social Work and in the Marriage and Family Therapy Program as a faculty member at Syracuse University for over 30 years, but have recently retired. Charlie White has been on a “process journey” towards an authentic & grounded practice of “University-Based Student Support & Post-Graduate Program Development – Family Systems Theory-Informed Clinical Supervision, Psychotherapy, & Coaching” is decades in the making. The final stanza of Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” (my high school senior yearbook photo quote) eloquently expresses an important aspect of these journeys: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” Fundamental to these journeys is stepping out beyond what's familiar & comfortable – and regardless if it’s a premeditated choice or a forced choice when faced with few-to-no other options – the management of self in the new unfamiliar & uncomfortable setting is paramount to how much adaptive capacity can be realized & potentially built upon under the stress of that discomfort & unfamiliarity. Links for Tom Schur: https://www.tschur.com/ [https://www.tschur.com/] Links for Charlie White's work: Charles M. White, LCSW, LCADC: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-m-white-02029312/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-m-white-02029312/] LifeFinder SGLT Foundation, Principal: http://sgltelescope.org/ [http://sgltelescope.org/] Rutgers University SSW Continuing Education, Founder & Co-Facilitator: Bowen Family Systems Theory Basic, Advanced, & Parent Hope Project (PHP) Clinical Certificate Programs: https://socialwork-ce.rutgers.edu/index.php?cid=3333&m=catalog [https://socialwork-ce.rutgers.edu/index.php?cid=3333&m=catalog] https://socialwork.rutgers.edu/academics/continuing-education/children-and-families-certificates [https://socialwork.rutgers.edu/academics/continuing-education/children-and-families-certificates] Co-Editor of Bringing Systems Thinking to Life: Expanding the Horizons for Bowen Family Systems Theory https://drive.google.com/file/d/18hwDnsJ_t5DwzCjvtpRWPiKyNE_kqzxZ/view?usp=drive_link [https://drive.google.com/file/d/18hwDnsJ_t5DwzCjvtpRWPiKyNE_kqzxZ/view?usp=drive_link] https://www.routledge.com/Bringing-Systems-Thinking-to-Life-Expanding-the-Horizons-for-Bowen-Family/Bregman-White/p/book/9780415800471%23 [https://www.routledge.com/Bringing-Systems-Thinking-to-Life-Expanding-the-Horizons-for-Bowen-Family/Bregman-White/p/book/9780415800471%23]

Ep. 20 - Patrick Stinson | Psychotherapy, Bowen Theory, and SARF: a research model

In this episode, Patrick Stinson and I explore the state of art in psychotherapy, and how to build research rooted theory. Patrick lays out the model he has been building, called SARF (Symptom, Anxiety, Relationship, Functioning). Patrick is the founder of Alaska Family Systems: an effort by Dr. Patrick Stinson to address limitations in applied psychology as a science. Whether in the clinic, business, or policy, the state of the art is formed with discrepant theories about how people work. This is one attempt to integrate research and practice toward a natural science of the human. Website: https://alaskafamilysystems.com/ [https://alaskafamilysystems.com/] Family Diagram: https://alaskafamilysystems.com/family-diagram/ [https://alaskafamilysystems.com/family-diagram/]

Erik Thompson | The Universal Self, Meditation, and Transcendence

In this episode Erik Thompson and I explore meditation, transcendence, and the idea of the Universal Self. Erik is the founder and president of Thompson Leadership Development [https://thompsonleadership.com/], an executive coaching firm designed to assist high performing teams in becoming exceptional leaders together. Trained as a leadership psychologist, Erik Thompson’s focus is on the DNA of successful teams. He uses this knowledge to challenge high-performing leaders to expand their impact. For 20 years Erik Thompson has brought precision tools from the science of leadership development to his executive clients.. He developed the “Leading by Managing Self” course [https://thompsonleadership.com/executive-leadership-courses/], which has been embraced by over 40 companies across the United States. Through thousands of meaningful conversations with senior leaders, Erik was inspired to launch the LeaderSight [https://thompsonleadership.com/business-coaching-podcast/] interview podcast. LeaderSight explores topics ranging from CEO succession to the art of coaching and the profound lessons we learn from personal loss. Beyond his work in leadership development, Erik Thompson is deeply invested in family health and well-being. He is a co-founder and Executive Director of the Vermont Center for Family Studies [https://vermontcenterforfamilystudies.org/], a nonprofit dedicated to empowering family leaders to cultivate stability, maturity, responsibility, and effective communication within their families. As a 40-year practitioner of Transcendental Meditation, Erik understands the value of presence in leadership. When he’s not immersed in the world of leadership development, you might find him playing pickleball, cheering on his daughter’s high school basketball team, or reading on his porch. The picturesque mountains of Vermont are his home, where he enjoys hiking alongside his wife Sarah, and their daughters, nephews, and nieces.

Ep.18 - Dr. Meredith Elkins | Parenting Anxiety: breaking the cycle of worry and raising resilient kids

In this episode Dr. Meredith Elkins and I discuss the concepts and ideas in her latest book "Parenting Anxiety: breaking the cycle of worry and raising resilient kids. Dr. Meredith Elkins is a clinical psychologist who helps kids, teens, and parents break the cycle of anxiety and build resilience. She co-leads the McLean Anxiety Mastery Program at McLean Hospital and is a faculty member at Harvard Medical School. Some of her most meaningful work comes from supporting families as they navigate big feelings. Her approach blends science-backed strategies with compassion, making it easier for parents to feel confident and for kids to grow braver every day. You can learn more about Dr. Elkins and her work by visiting https://www.meredithelkinsphd.com [https://www.meredithelkinsphd.com]. Her book is available on Amazon, https://a.co/d/08ZyrMtV\ [https://a.co/d/08ZyrMtV\]

Ep. 17 - Michael Long | An Exploration on Taming Dopamine, the "Molecule of More"

In this episode writer, comedian, teacher, and systemic thinker, Michael Long and I discuss his recent books "The Molecule of More" and "Taming the Molecule of More." We explore how dopamine actually works, how that differs from the popular understanding, how it influences human thinking and behavior, and what people can do to gain more control of how they think and behave so they can live more thoughtfully and embodied in the present. Mike Long is the author of “Taming the Molecule of More” and co-author of “The Molecule of More,” the international bestseller that for the first time explained the profound ways dopamine affects love, ambition, commitment, and politics. Trained as a physicist, he’s also a playwright and a DC-based speechwriter who teaches writing at Georgetown University. Personal Website: mikelongonline.com [http://mikelongonline.com] Book Website: tamingthemolecule.com [http://tamingthemolecule.com]