Compassiviste Dialogues

The Pattern That Keeps You in Toxic Relationships w/Anette Nilsson

Welcome to Compassiviste Dialogues. I'm Ali, your host, and my mission with this podcast is to shed light on critical social and environmental issues worldwide, exploring avenues for positive change. In this conversation, Anette Nilsson shares her journey of self-discovery, healing, and resilience. She discusses the early signs of toxic love, the impact of illness on her life, and the importance of connecting with oneself. Through her experiences, she emphasizes the significance of acceptance, compassion, and the distinction between belonging and merely staying in a place. Annette also explores the role of spirituality and nature in her healing process, ultimately defining home as an internal state of being connected to one's true self. In this conversation, the speakers explore the themes of compassion, spirituality, and personal transformation. They discuss the importance of understanding one's connection to the universe and the feminine force of compassion that guides us. The concept of 'soul happy' is introduced as a state of authentic living, emphasizing the need for individuals to reclaim their joy and connection to themselves. The dialogue also touches on the role of education in fostering compassion and the necessity of personal accountability in creating a better world. The speakers reflect on their journeys of finding God and the impact of privilege on the path to soul happiness, ultimately advocating for a compassionate approach to life and society. ABOUT GUEST: Anette Nilsson is a self-led entrepreneur and former tech consultant turned full-time writer, the guest has walked a hard-won healing path. After confronting severe Crohn’s disease and the fallout of an unhealthy lifestyle, they discovered the deep link between physical recovery and what they call “soul happiness”—and the role that soul unhappiness can play in illness. Drawing on nutritional, spiritual, and self-development practices, they now share practical tools, resources, and grounded wisdom to help others move from depletion to wholeness. Writing has long been their metier and compass, carrying them through setbacks to become an empowered author and soulful storyteller committed to helping people live more authentic, happier, and balanced lives. KEY NOTES: • What Anette wishes she knew before marrying a toxic/narcissistic partner: how they spot “easy prey” and how they hook you (and switch when they sense you pulling away). • How shame can keep someone stuck and isolated and why reclaiming power matters. • “Don’t blame the narcissist” (not to protect them to take your power back and stop repeating the pattern). • Why social media can normalize narcissistic behaviors and amplify narcissistic tendencies. • Illness as a wake-up call: Crohn’s, autoimmune symptoms, and how Anita links healing to truth, trauma, and emotional roots. • “Home” as an internal state: the difference between belonging vs. staying somewhere. • “Viking resilience,” acceptance, and why self-compassion matters more than numb stoicism. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 The Journey Begins: Leaving Denmark for Canada 07:06 Recognizing the Signs of Toxic Love 13:57 The Impact of Illness on Healing and Family Secrets 25:54 Viking Resilience: Embracing Acceptance and Compassion 39:01 Defining Home: Belonging vs. Staying 50:55 Spiritual Awakening: Connecting to the Self 01:09:57 The Feminine Force of Compassion 01:12:02 Understanding Soul Happy 01:17:36 Faith vs. Knowing God 01:24:02 The Journey to Finding God 01:32:37 The Power of Personal Transformation 01:39:29 The Role of Catastrophe in Connection 01:49:56 Privilege and the Path to Soul Happy 01:56:55 Revamping Education for Compassion 02:05:32 The Future of Humanity and Connection THINGS MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST: Anette Nilsson's Memoir: https://www.anettenilssonauthor.com/ TO LEARN MORE AND STAY CONNECTED: 🌐 Visit our website: https://compassivistedialogues.com/ 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6qt8cYHeIcDmDV8zPKNxMw 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/compassiviste-dialogues/id1735926709 CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Compassiviste/61555898333856/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/compassiviste/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@compassiviste Twitter: https://twitter.com/compassiviste LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/compassiviste/ Tune in, follow, and embark on this insightful journey with us. Your vision's transformation begins now. 🚀🌟

Gen Z is Screaming for Help Are We Listening? w/ Dr. Zee (Dr. Zabina Bhasin)

Welcome to Compassiviste Dialogues. I'm Ali, your host, and my mission with this podcast is to shed light on critical social and environmental issues worldwide, exploring avenues for positive change. Today I’m joined by Dr. Zabina Bhasin (Dr. Zee) a Cornell-trained child & adolescent psychiatrist, global youth advocate, and Forbes Next 1000 entrepreneur. She’s the founder of Listen to the Kidz, and she argues that listening isn’t a “soft skill”; it’s infrastructure and that every school should teach it as core curriculum. In this episode, we dive into why kids don’t trust adults (and how to earn that trust back), what it means to teach listening like math, and why Dr. Zee doesn’t chase virality she chases durability in her work with young people and systems change. ABOUT GUEST: Dr. Zabina “Dr. Zee” Bhasin is a Cornell-educated child psychiatrist and founder of In KidZ, an edtech advancing multicultural education and children’s emotional wellness. A Forbes NEXT 1000 honoree featured by Good Morning America and Today Parents, she’s been recognized as Champion of Diversity & Inclusion at the Toy of the Year Awards and was a 2023 Women in Toys Social Impact nominee. Dr. Zee serves on the boards of The Toy Association and United Sikhs and advises Concordia. She leads Listen to the KidZ and KidZ for Democracy; her book Listen to the Kids is forthcoming. KEY NOTES: Why Kids Don’t Trust Adults: What’s driving the breakdown and why it matters now. Raising vs. Guiding: The mindset shift that changes how adults show up for kids. Durability > Virality: Staying focused on impact instead of noise, branding, and trends. The “Listening Class” Solution: Why communication skills should be a core school subject. Listening as Infrastructure: Making trust, dialogue, and social harmony teachable at scale. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Episode trailer 01:27 - Intro 03:12 Meet Dr. Zee + her mission 04:22 Childhood: moving from India to California 05:43 Identity, belonging, and becoming “American” 08:59 Community, culture, and early leadership lessons 11:04 Dyslexia, shame, and finding her voice 14:03 Why she chose medicine + child psychiatry 17:40 The start of Listen to the KidZ 22:58 Who society ignores (and why that matters) 24:27 Impact vs noise: “durability, not virality” 28:10 The “communicative conversation” (how to really listen) 30:17 What changes when adults listen (anxiety → collaboration) 31:14 Listening without an agenda (and the social media trap) 33:34 “Kids don’t trust adults” + generational blame 35:58 Showing kids democracy at home (rules + digital contracts) 38:32 Adult kids: staying connected without control 48:57 Stop raising kids, start guiding 51:04 ADHD, passions, and parenting for adaptability 56:13 Language as a compass (the “right turn” analogy) 57:47 Kidz for Democracy: youth voice + civic engagement 01:01:27 The ABC Dialog: bridging gun-control polarization 01:04:55 The ROI of listening (why systems don’t change) 01:07:09 First action: a listening class in every school 01:10:03 How to support Dr. Zee + Outro THINGS MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST: - Listen to the KidZ: https://listentothekidz.com/ - Dr. Zee (official): https://www.dr-zee.com/ - In KidZ: https://www.inkidzco.com/ - Kidz for Democracy event page: https://kidzfordemocracy.rsvpify.com/ - Concordia profile (Dr. Zee): https://concordia.net/community/dr-zabina-bhasin/ Organizations referenced: - The Toy Association: https://www.toyassociation.org/ - UNITED SIKHS: https://unitedsikhs.org/ - NRA: https://home.nra.org/ - Jubilee Media: https://www.jubileemedia.com/ Schools/education referenced: - ABC Unified School District: https://www.abcusd.us/ - Whitney High School: https://www.whitneyhs.us/ - CSULB (Long Beach): https://www.csulb.edu/ - Cornell University: https://www.cornell.edu/ Pop-culture reference: - Billy Joel – “We Didn’t Start the Fire” (official): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFTLKWw542g - Fall Out Boy – “We Didn’t Start the Fire” (lyric video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LkVKCWL0U4 TO LEARN MORE AND STAY CONNECTED: 🌐 Visit our website: https://compassivistedialogues.com/ 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6qt8cYHeIcDmDV8zPKNxMw 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/compassiviste-dialogues/id1735926709 CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Compassiviste/61555898333856/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/compassiviste/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@compassiviste Twitter: https://twitter.com/compassiviste LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/compassiviste/ Tune in, follow, and embark on this insightful journey with us. Your vision's transformation begins now. 🚀🌟

The Biggest Mistake Modern Activists Make w/Kumi Naidoo

Welcome to Compassiviste Dialogues. I'm Ali, your host, and my mission with this podcast is to shed light on critical social and environmental issues worldwide, exploring avenues for positive change. What is the real legacy of activism? In this powerful conversation with Kumi Naidoo, one of the world’s most influential voices on climate justice and human rights, we explore why activism wins battles but rarely wins the war and what must change for movements to create lasting systemic equity. This interview uncovers the deeper truth behind activism’s failures, its victories, and its future. In this dialogue, Kumi explains why climate activism has kept humanity alive “by a thread” and reveals how ordinary people not political leaders have always been the real drivers of justice. He also shares the emotional story of his friend Lenny, whose philosophy reshaped his understanding of sacrifice and lifelong dedication to justice. ABOUT GUEST: For over 40 years, Kumi Naidoo has been a voice amongst many for social, economic and environmental justice. From his humble township upbringing in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, to his work as an anti-Apartheid activist, to his leadership of international NGOs, Kumi has remained rooted in Martin Luther King’s Creative Maladjustment principles - refusing to normalize inequality and devoting himself to exposing injustice. Kumi was International Executive Director of Greenpeace International, from 2009-2015, and Secretary General of Amnesty International, from 2018-2020. As of June 2020, he is Global Ambassador for Africans Rising for Justice, Peace & Dignity. He has served as the Secretary-General of Civicus, an international alliance for citizen participation, from 1998 to 2008. Kumi has also served the Global Call to Action Against Poverty and the Global Call for Climate Action (Tcktcktck.org), which brings together environmental aid, religious and human rights groups, labour unions, scientists and others and has organised mass demonstrations around climate negotiations. In this next chapter of his activism journey, Kumi is dedicating himself to getting back to his 'roots', with a focus on contributing more to the growth of activism movements and organisations, academia, as well as paving the way forward for a new generation of activists.  KEY NOTES: Why activism rises and falls like tides and why that’s normal Why ending apartheid did not end inequality The brutal truth about climate negotiations and COP failures The dangers activists face worldwide (4 environmental defenders killed weekly) Why leadership “is not the problem our dependence on leaders is” Why activism must shift from charismatic leaders to people-powered movements TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Intro 02:30 - What Is the True Legacy of Activism? 09:43 - When Activism Outlives the Activist 13:35 - Is Activism Becoming an Industry? 18:45 - Do Movements Without Laws Fail? 29:33 - What’s the Point of a Protest With No Endgame? 44:46 - Can You Change a System? 01:07:13 - Activism Through Compassion 01:10:28 - Letters to My Mother 01:11:55 - If You Had The Power… 01:13:20 - Outro THINGS MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST: Website: https://www.kuminaidoo.net/ [https://www.kuminaidoo.net/] X: https://x.com/kuminaidoo [https://x.com/kuminaidoo] Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kumi-naidoo-073ab723/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kumi-naidoo-073ab723/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kuminaidoo [https://www.instagram.com/kuminaidoo] Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kuminaidoo804 [https://www.youtube.com/@kuminaidoo804] Medium: https://medium.com/@kuminaidoo [https://medium.com/@kuminaidoo] Kumi's Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Letters-My-Mother-Making-Troublemaker/dp/1431432881 [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Letters-My-Mother-Making-Troublemaker/dp/1431432881]   TO LEARN MORE AND STAY CONNECTED: 🌐 Visit our website: https://compassivistedialogues.com/ 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6qt8cYHeIcDmDV8zPKNxMw 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/compassiviste-dialogues/id1735926709 CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Compassiviste/61555898333856/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/compassiviste/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@compassiviste Twitter: https://twitter.com/compassiviste LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/compassiviste/ Tune in, follow, and embark on this insightful journey with us. Your vision's transformation begins now. 🚀🌟 #podcast #environmentalism #socialchange #civilrights #sustainability #technology #compassiviste #humanitarian #charity #nonprofit #compassivistedialogues #alihorriyat #compassion #greenpeace #fossilfuels #humanrights #worldeconomicforum #news #inequality #environment #africa #globalwarming #southafrica #poverty #worldnews #heatwaves #democracynow #mentalhealth #kumi #kuminaidoo #naidoo #interviewkumiwaidoo

Global South, Greenwashing, and Why Local Wins Aren't Enough w/Claire Bartlett

Welcome to Compassiviste Dialogues. I’m Ali, your host, and my mission with this podcast is to shed light on critical social and environmental issues worldwide, exploring avenues for positive change. Today I’m joined by Claire Bartlett—award-winning author, archaeology nerd, and my coauthor on The Hollow Age to separate real progress from sustainability theater and ask the tough question: how do we act ethically inside systems built for convenience and profit? Drawing on Claire’s archaeology background and lived view from Denmark, we unpack election promises vs. follow-through, pilot programs (like free public transit), and why local wins still need global coordination. We also get practical about publishing, platforms, fast fashion, and the “no ethical consumption under capitalism” dilemma without shame, with solutions where they exist. What began as a philosophical question became a story world readers can feel—then a wider conversation about accountability, culture, and the costs we push onto the Global South. Stay to the end for a dramatic reading from Chapter One of The Hollow Age. ABOUT GUEST Claire Bartlett lives in Copenhagen, Denmark, where we try to defeat climate change with our bicycles. When Ali contacted her about a collaboration with Compassiviste she was excited to work on a novel that doesn't try to sugarcoat the trouble our world is in, but doesn't try to convince us it's hopeless, either. No matter how bad things get, helping each other is the best and only way to make them better again. KEY NOTES Sustainability Theater vs. Progress: Promises, power, and follow-through. Pilot vs. Planet: Why free transit pilots can’t solve a global problem alone. Platforms & Publishing: Amazon’s gravity, “hybrid” authorship, and real constraints. Hidden Costs: Fast fashion, “buying local” illusions, and dropshipping realities. Culture & Morality: Why preserving history shapes our ethics now. Capacity Mindset: Direct your money, align compassion with action. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Episode Trailer 01:20 Intro 06:07 How The Hollow Age turns ideas into a felt world (archaeology to story) 11:53 Pilots, coalitions, and Denmark’s reality check on free transit 16:21 Promises vs. proof: politics, scale, and accountability 20:25 Fast fashion, “local” myths, and solutions without shaming 20:52 Books, Amazon, and authors inside platform capitalism 57:18 Protest with your money: aligning values with spend 58:13 Culture under threat: Baghdad, Ramses II & why preservation matters 1:21:21 Capacity mindset & practical compassion 1:24:03 Reading: The Hollow Age — Chapter One (Bologna, bad-air dawn) THINGS MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST The Hollow Age  - https://www.amazon.com/Hollow-Age-Ali-Horriyat-ebook/dp/B0FK7KY3GG TO LEARN MORE AND STAY CONNECTED 🌐 Website: https://compassivistedialogues.com/ 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6qt8cYHeIcDmDV8zPKNxMw 🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/compassiviste-dialogues/id1735926709 CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Compassiviste/61555898333856/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/compassiviste/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@compassiviste Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/compassiviste LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/compassiviste/ Tune in, follow, and embark on this insightful journey with us. Your vision’s transformation begins now. 🚀🌟

The Surprising Way This Platform is Helping Women REBUILD After Cancer w/Inna Shchepanska

Welcome to Compassiviste Dialogues. I'm Ali, your host, and my mission with this podcast is to shed light on critical social and environmental issues worldwide, exploring avenues for positive change. Today I’m joined by Inna Shchepanska young breast cancer survivor, healthtech founder, and the visionary behind Spark and Heal, a platform helping women navigate life after treatment with science-backed tools, community, and compassion. After 11 years in strategy roles at Google, Ina turned her insight and empathy toward survivorship, creating a structured space for what the system too often overlooks: chemo brain, treatment-induced menopause, intimacy, identity, work, and the fear of recurrence no shame, no stigma, just practical support and honest conversation. What began as a personal need became a movement to rebuild confidence, relationships, and daily life one small, sustainable habit at a time. In this episode, we explore how honesty, structure, and community can transform recovery after cancer and how Spark and Heal is helping survivors vent, focus, reconnect, and grow without fear of judgment. ABOUT GUEST: Inna is dedicated to improving the quality of life for women after breast cancer by addressing the often-overlooked gaps in post-treatment care. While survival rates in Western countries reach 90 - 93%,  many women still face profound challenges: high rates of PTSD, body-image struggles, treatment-induced menopause, reduced work capacity, mental-health declines, and even financial discrimination. Inna’s work brings these hidden realities to light and advocates for a broader definition of survivorship—one that includes identity, wellbeing, and long-term support. As a speaker and facilitator, she focuses on survivorship, women’s health and FemTech innovation, and resilience in the aftermath of illness. KEY NOTES: The Cliff After Treatment: Why survivorship needs its own medicine. Focus & Memory: How to navigate chemo brain with micro-habits that stick. Intimacy & Identity: Reclaiming libido, body image, and communication. Work as a Hidden Disability: Practical ways to rebuild confidence at the job. Tiny Habits, Big Impact: Journaling, 1-minute calm, and community done right. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Episode Trailer 01:20 Intro 15:25 Ina's Journey: From Survivor to Advocate 32:04 The Need for Holistic Healing 42:30 Transforming Survival into Thriving 44:57 The Burden of Silence: Mental Health Awareness 51:23 Invisible Disabilities: The Unseen Struggles 56:11 Advocacy in Action: The Right to Be Forgotten 01:00:54 From City Life to Countryside: Redefining Success 01:08:33 Spirituality and Survival: The Journey of Healing 01:15:05 Compassion as a Catalyst for Global Harmony THINGS MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST: Spark and Heal (platform) www.sparkandheal.com/ Inna's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/innashchepanska%E2%9C%A8/ Inna's Youtube:  @mytasteoflife   TO LEARN MORE AND STAY CONNECTED: 🌐 Visit our website: https://compassivistedialogues.com/ 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6qt8cYHeIcDmDV8zPKNxMw 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/compassiviste-dialogues/id1735926709 CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Compassiviste/61555898333856/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/compassiviste/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@compassiviste Twitter: https://twitter.com/compassiviste LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/compassiviste/ Tune in, follow, and embark on this insightful journey with us. Your vision's transformation begins now. 🚀🌟