The Inner Well Podcast

Healing the Healers: Who Takes Care of the Caretakers?

This week we continue our dive into the powerful work that the David Lynch Foundation is doing with Kelly Malloy, Director of Heal the Healers Now initiative in New York City. Kelly Malloy learned TM as a child, and after rediscovering TM in college and completing teacher training in 2015, she moved to New York to teach with the David Lynch Foundation. When the pandemic hit in 2020, she pivoted to serve healthcare workers — and hasn't stopped since. In this conversation, Kelly shares what that work looks like, why it matters, and what she's witnessed on hospital floors across the country. In this episode: * How the Heal the Healers Now initiative was born during the 2020 pandemic and has grown to 100+ hospitals across 17 states * The very real toll of burnout, compassion fatigue, and chronic stress on nurses, doctors, and other healthcare workers * Stories of transformation — including a night-shift nurse who used TM to ease the transition between work and home life * Why hospitals are starting to invest in TM * Research from Duke, Harvard, and Georgetown documenting TM's impact on burnout, anxiety, depression, and insomnia * Why meditating isn't selfish — especially for caregivers who give everything to others at work and at home * The case for ancient practices in modern life, and why the need for stillness is greater than ever Dive in each week for real talk on meditation, meaning and modern life. And let us know what resonates with you. After all, this podcast was created with you in mind –  to support the human condition by optimizing the human experience. David Lynch Foundation: davidlynchfoundation.org [http://davidlynchfoundation.org] Heal the Healers Now: healthehealersnow.com [http://healthehealersnow.com] Watch, listen, and connect here: tm.org/theinnerwellpodcast [http://tm.org/theinnerwellpodcast] We'd love to hear your thoughts. Email: theinnerwellpodcast@gmail.com [theinnerwellpodcast@gmail.com] Find your local TM Teacher: www.tm.org [http://www.tm.org] Original Music Composition by Jessica Sharman Bennett ----------------------------------------

Can You Really Meditate In A Fire Truck?

When it comes to our first responders, few of us truly understand the toll it can take on not only their physical health, but their mental health and quality of life as well. Having to consistently respond to that level of disaster is a big ask for any nervous system. James Colford is no different. Having been born into a family of first responders, the job seemed like second skin to him at first. His journey through the recovery and recalibration of that level of chronic stress management is worthy of admiration and Transcendental Meditation has been foundational in his journey. James Colford is a former Fire Lieutenant and Paramedic with 16 years of service in the fire service. As a Transcendental Meditation practitioner, he experienced firsthand the impact the practice can have on the stress, trauma, and cumulative toll associated with first responder work. That experience evolved into action, leading him to partner with the David Lynch Foundation to help bring Transcendental Meditation programs to fire departments and public safety agencies across California. In this episode: * What does chronic stress look like for first responders and their families? * Why mental health was long considered taboo in first responder culture. * The mind-body connection — and how TM supports it on the job * Does TM work even if you're a skeptic? * Is there a noticeable difference on the days you do meditate versus the days you don’t? * How can TM strengthen connection in first responder families? * Fight-or-flight vs. parasympathetic state — and why it matters. * How does TM compare to other meditations for chronic stress management? * What does it look like to be able to meditate effortlessly and anywhere? And how can that support your day-to-day life in the first responder world? * Meditating effortlessly, anywhere — even in the truck on the way back from a call * How TM can help with anxiety, sleep, and communication under pressure * Why James believes every firefighter and first responder should learn TM Dive in each week for real talk on meditation, meaning and modern life. And let us know what resonates with you. After all, this podcast was created with you in mind –  to support the human condition by optimizing the human experience. Watch, listen, and connect here: tm.org/theinnerwellpodcast [http://tm.org/theinnerwellpodcast] We'd love to hear your thoughts. Email: theinnerwellpodcast@gmail.com [theinnerwellpodcast@gmail.com] Find your local TM Teacher: www.tm.org [http://www.tm.org] Original Music Composition by Jessica Sharman Bennett

Inner Stillness for Outer Strength: Inside the David Lynch Foundation's Mission

The David Lynch Foundation is one of the most proactive organizations when it comes to supporting some of the most high-stress, underserved population, and the work they do is truly inspiring. Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with Vice President of West Coast, First Responder, and Veteran Programs, Vin DeCrescenzo. Vin talks in detail with Emily about some of his most inspiring experiences working with the David Lynch Foundation, as well as what created the catalyst in his life to learn the technique and bring it to so many in need. In this episode: * What is the David Lynch Foundation and who do they serve? * How does TM support those suffering with PTSD? * Does the technique work even if you’re skeptical? * What makes TM a catalyst tool for your life toolkit? * What is the Heal the Healers program? * How can you learn TM through the David Lynch Foundation? * What makes this technique so beneficial for those suffering with chronic stress? Vin DeCrescenzo is the Vice President of West Coast, First Responder, and Veterans Programs at the David Lynch Foundation (DLF), where he leads initiatives bringing Transcendental Meditation to high-stress populations. He oversees programs for veterans, New York Police Dpt /Fire Dpt of NY, and disaster relief and has been involved with expanding the foundation’s partnerships and outreach since 2016 ---------------------------------------- Dive in each week for real talk on meditation, meaning and modern life. And let us know what resonates with you. After all, this podcast was created with you in mind –  to support the human condition by optimizing the human experience. Watch, listen, and connect here: tm.org/theinnerwellpodcast [http://tm.org/theinnerwellpodcast] Learn more about the David Lynch Foundation: www.thedavidlynchfoundation.org [http://www.davidlynchfoundation.org] We'd love to hear your thoughts. Email: theinnerwellpodcast@gmail.com [theinnerwellpodcast@gmail.com] Find your local TM Teacher: www.tm.org [http://www.tm.org] Original Music Composition by Jessica Sharman Bennett

The Quiet Revolution: Bob Roth on How TM Transforms the Mind From Within

Infinite creativity. Infinite intelligence. Infinite love. Infinite happiness. Just a few things on the table today. Host Emily sits down with world-renowned TM teacher Bob Roth to explore his personal journey to Transcendental Meditation, how it transformed his life (much to his own surprise), and how he's brought the practice to everyone from the most privileged to the most stressed populations. Bob Roth is a renowned Transcendental Meditation (TM) teacher, CEO of the https://www.davidlynchfoundation.org/component/content/category/12-about.htmlDavid Lynch Foundation [https://www.davidlynchfoundation.org/], and author of the bestseller Strength in Stillness: The Power of Transcendental Meditation. With 50 years of experience, he has taught meditation to thousands, including celebrities, veterans, and at-risk youth. In this episode: * What's behind 90% of disease and illness — and how TM addresses the root cause * How the Beatles put TM on the map * Inner peace vs. the "gotta gotta gotta" mind * The vertical dimension of the human mind — and how to access it * Why restful alertness goes deeper than relaxation * Manipulation vs. transformation in meditation * TM for the incredibly stressed, and for autism and neurodivergent conditions * How TM unlocks the brain's full creative potential * How Tom Hanks found TM through Jerry Seinfeld * Is there any philosophy behind TM? ---------------------------------------- Watch, listen, and connect here: tm.org/theinnerwellpodcast [http://tm.org/theinnerwellpodcast] We'd love to hear your thoughts. Email: theinnerwellpodcast@gmail.com [theinnerwellpodcast@gmail.com] Find your local TM Teacher: www.tm.org [http://www.tm.org] Original Music Composition by Jessica Sharman Bennett

From Averse to All-In: How TM Became Non-Negotiable

This week, Donielle sits down for a conversation with one of her Transcendental Meditation students in Nashville. Luke Ford brings over 20 years of experience in the beverage industry and currently serves as Market Specialist for Diageo's non-alcoholic portfolio in Tennessee and Missouri — a role that feels like a natural extension of his own sobriety journey. Beyond his career, Luke is a fun uncle, world traveler, animal lover, actor, musician, and loyal friend. Episode Overview TM found Luke at a pivotal moment in his life. Though it took time to stabilize the practice, what emerged on the other side has been nothing short of remarkable — a story shaped by synchronicity, serendipity, and genuine discipline. In This Episode * How TM supported Luke before and after sobriety * The synchronistic chain of events that led him to learn TM * How those synchronicities have only deepened as his practice has grown * Why two weeks may be the sweet spot for making meditation non-negotiable * How someone who was once averse to meditation found his way in * Spirituality without shame — what that looks like coming from a religious background * Life beyond the monkey mind * The boundless peace that emerges when life becomes a moving meditation Connect & Learn More Dive in each week for real talk on meditation, meaning, and modern life. This podcast exists for you — to support the human condition by optimizing the human experience. We'd love to hear what resonates. * Watch, listen & connect: tm.org/theinnerwellpodcast [http://tm.org/theinnerwellpodcast] * Email us: theinnerwellpodcast@gmail.com [theinnerwellpodcast@gmail.com] * Find your local TM teacher: tm.org [http://tm.org] * Original music by Jessica Sharman Bennett