Mind the Force

Ep. XXVII - Shmi Skywalker: A Mother's Quiet Power

In this Mother’s Day episode of Mind the Force, we reflect on the quiet power of Shmi Skywalker. Too often remembered only as Anakin’s mother, Shmi deserves to be seen on her own terms: as a woman of dignity, tenderness, and extraordinary strength. We explore what Shmi represents in the Star Wars saga, from motherhood under oppression to the sacred and mythic echoes surrounding her character. This episode is a tribute to the kind of maternal love that is selfless, enduring, and too often overlooked. Hosts: Kristine Smith & James Abbate Produced by: Press Record Studios www.pressrecordstudios.com [http://www.pressrecordstudios.com/] Mind the Force Website: ⁠https://mindtheforce.com/ [https://mindtheforce.com/]⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mindtheforce/ [https://www.instagram.com/mindtheforce/]⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/mindtheforce [https://www.facebook.com/mindtheforce] BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mindtheforce.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/mindtheforce.bsky.social] Substack: https://substack.com/@mindtheforce [https://substack.com/@mindtheforce] Mental Health Disclaimer We are not medical or mental health professionals. Mind the Force podcast is intended for inspirational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. Nowhere in this podcast do we diagnose or treat listeners with any kind of psychological, mental, emotional or physical disorder as might be diagnosed and treated by a personal psychologist or other professional advisor. The content is not intended to be a substitute for working with a therapist or licensed mental health professional.

Ep XXVI - The Clones: Personhood in the War Machine

In Ep. XXVI of Mind the Force, Kristine and James explore the clones not as individual fan-favorite characters but as a collective military body shaped by obedience, war, and disposability. They are joined by LCSW Stacy Pellettieri for a thoughtful conversation about identity, depersonalization, brotherhood, and what it means to be treated as function first and person second. Together, they examine how the clones were designed for sameness, yet still fought to assert individuality through names, bonds, and personal choice. They touch on thoughtful comparisons to our real-life military, reflecting on how soldiers can become abstractions during conflict and how support after service does not always match the sacrifices made. Through the lens of Star Wars, the conversation opens onto larger questions about personhood in war and what society owes the people it asks to serve. Hosts: Kristine Smith & James Abbate Produced by: Press Record Studios www.pressrecordstudios.com [http://www.pressrecordstudios.com/] Mind the Force Website: ⁠https://mindtheforce.com/ [https://mindtheforce.com/]⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mindtheforce/ [https://www.instagram.com/mindtheforce/]⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/mindtheforce [https://www.facebook.com/mindtheforce] BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mindtheforce.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/mindtheforce.bsky.social] Substack: https://substack.com/@mindtheforce [https://substack.com/@mindtheforce] Mental Health Disclaimer We are not medical or mental health professionals. Mind the Force podcast is intended for inspirational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. Nowhere in this podcast do we diagnose or treat listeners with any kind of psychological, mental, emotional or physical disorder as might be diagnosed and treated by a personal psychologist or other professional advisor. The content is not intended to be a substitute for working with a therapist or licensed mental health professional.

Ep. XXV - Dooku: The Clone Wars and the Downfall (Part II)

In Ep XXV of Mind the Force, Kristine and James follow Count Dooku into the Clone Wars. They unpack how Dooku’s need for control turns into strategy, how “necessary” choices become routine, and what it costs when people become pieces on a galactic board. From his role as the calm face of the separatist cause to the brutal irony of how his story ends, this episode traces Dooku’s downfall—and the moment he learns he was never the one in control. Hosts: Kristine Smith & James Abbate Produced by: Press Record Studios www.pressrecordstudios.com [http://www.pressrecordstudios.com/] Mind the Force Website: ⁠https://mindtheforce.com/ [https://mindtheforce.com/]⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mindtheforce/ [https://www.instagram.com/mindtheforce/]⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/mindtheforce [https://www.facebook.com/mindtheforce] BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mindtheforce.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/mindtheforce.bsky.social] Substack: https://substack.com/@mindtheforce [https://substack.com/@mindtheforce] Mental Health Disclaimer We are not medical or mental health professionals. Mind the Force podcast is intended for inspirational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. Nowhere in this Podcast do we diagnose or treat listeners with any kind of psychological, mental, emotional or physical disorder as might be diagnosed and treated by a personal psychologist or other professional advisor. The content is not intended to be a substitute for working with a therapist or licensed mental health professional.

Ep. XXIV - Dooku: How Good Intentions Make a Sith Lord (Part I)

In Ep XXIV of Mind the Force, Kristine and James explore Count Dooku’s life before the Clone Wars—starting with his childhood and tracing how he grows from a promising Jedi into someone convinced the system is beyond saving. They unpack the disillusionment that shapes him, the way moral clarity can harden into certainty, and how “necessary” choices quietly become a doorway to control. Hosts: Kristine Smith & James Abbate Produced by: Press Record Studios: www.pressrecordstudios.com [http://www.pressrecordstudios.com/] Mind the Force Website: ⁠https://mindtheforce.com/ [https://mindtheforce.com/]⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mindtheforce/ [https://www.instagram.com/mindtheforce/]⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/mindtheforce [https://www.facebook.com/mindtheforce] Mental Health Disclaimer We are not medical or mental health professionals. Mind the Force podcast is intended for inspirational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. Nowhere in this podcast do we diagnose or treat listeners with any kind of psychological, mental, emotional or physical disorder as might be diagnosed and treated by a personal psychologist or other professional advisor. The content is not intended to be a substitute for working with a therapist or licensed mental health professional.

Ep. XXIII - Mon Mothma: The Emotional Cost of Doing the Right Thing

Mon Mothma doesn’t carry a lightsaber; she carries the Rebellion. In Ep XXIII of Mind the Force, Kristine and James take a close look at what Mon’s kind of leadership actually demands: restraint under pressure, conviction without applause, and the quiet endurance of choices that can’t be clean. We trace how her public composure becomes a survival skill, how sacrifice shows up in her personal life, and why “doing the right thing” can leave a person isolated, exhausted, and forever changed. Hosts: Kristine Smith & James Abbate Produced by: Press Record Studios www.pressrecordstudios.com [http://www.pressrecordstudios.com/] Mind the Force Website: ⁠https://mindtheforce.com/ [https://mindtheforce.com/]⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mindtheforce/ [https://www.instagram.com/mindtheforce/]⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/mindtheforce [https://www.facebook.com/mindtheforce] Mental Health Disclaimer We are not medical or mental health professionals. The Mind the Force podcast is intended for inspirational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. Nowhere in this podcast do we diagnose or treat listeners with any kind of psychological, mental, emotional, or physical disorder as might be diagnosed and treated by a personal psychologist or other professional advisor. The content is not intended to be a substitute for working with a therapist or licensed mental health professional.