the Hunger for Connection

People Have Flavors

I thought it would be clever to ask you what flavor of person you liked best, but running through the potential answers in my head made it abundantly clear that it would likely turn problematic real quick, so let’s forget I even suggested it, shall we? Flavor is the way our bodies interpret the signals they receive from food, and it’s a helpful tool in figuring out what to eat and what to reject. In a similar way, we process information about the people around us to determine who to draw near and who to push away. That can feel really personal — especially when you’re being rejected by a child you’ve brought into your home. In today’s episode of the Hunger for Connection, we take the idea of flavor and apply it to relationships. When we discover how much of our interpersonal struggles are based in autonomic responses to sensory information, we begin to have more compassion for ourselves and others and learn that healing comes when we recognize the role flavor is having on our hearts and minds. I hope you are served by this episode. If so, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend. — Connect with me — Visit my website [/home] Book me to speak at your event [/speaking] Follow me on Instagram [https://instagram.com/chefkibby] Email me [podcast@chefkibby.com]

Interoception is Reality

Is it rude of me to start with such a fancy word? I apologize. What I meant to say was this: You feel what you feel, and you’re feelings are real. Truer words are rarely said - especially by a cartoon reindeer. Believe it or not, he’s speaking solid scientific truth. Your feelings are a very real thing, and they will lead to very real attitudes and behaviors. Your child’s feelings are also very real, and they often motivate them to act in ways that bring about some very, very real feelings inside you as their caregiver. Am I right? How do we care for children with big feelings that cause them even big, baffling behaviors? In this episode of the Hunger for Connection, we dive into the neuroscience of feelings and see how understanding hunger can help us show up with love and compassion for those who need it most in our lives. I hope you are served by this episode. If so, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend. — Connect with me — Visit my website [/home] Book me to speak at your event [/speaking] Follow me on Instagram [https://instagram.com/chefkibby] Email me [podcast@chefkibby.com]

Asking Better Questions

Yes, I have kids. No, they haven’t always eaten everything I’ve put in front of them. In spite of all this, I stand by my statement: there is no such thing as a “picky eater.” This is not an argument over semantics but an attempt to understand attitudes and behaviors - both around food and otherwise - in a way that seeks to recognize the Hunger for Connection that is behind them. In today’s episode, we’ll look at the neuroscience of fear and safety and how something really good can make things really difficult - especially when it comes to getting children to eat their blue vegetables (see what I did there?). I hope you are served by this episode. If so, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend. — Connect with me — Visit my website [/home] Book me to speak at your event [/speaking] Follow me on Instagram [https://instagram.com/chefkibby] Email me [podcast@chefkibby.com]

Thinking Outside the Box

Sometimes people get stuck in a certain way of thinking. We see it all the way from international geopolitics down to kiddos refusing to eat their vegetables. It can be challenging to challenge someone else’s worldview - even in seemingly simple, small, harmless ways - in order to help them see the potential for joy and connection can be found when they step outside their box. This is certainly the case when caring for disconnected children. Why is outside-the-box so difficult for them, and how can we care for them in a way that expands their ability to receive compassion? In this episode of the Hunger for Connection, we dive into the neuroscience of small-box thinking and seek ways to help them stretch their boxes bigger. I hope you are served by this episode. If so, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend. — Connect with me — Visit my website [/home] Book me to speak at your event [/speaking] Follow me on Instagram [https://instagram.com/chefkibby] Email me [podcast@chefkibby.com]

No Such Thing as a Picky Eater?!

Yes, I have kids. No, they haven’t always eaten everything I’ve put in front of them. In spite of all this, I stand by my statement: there is no such thing as a “picky eater.” This is not an argument over semantics but an attempt to understand attitudes and behaviors - both around food and otherwise - in a way that seeks to recognize the Hunger for Connection that is behind them. In today’s episode, we’ll look at the neuroscience of fear and safety and how something really good can make things really difficult - especially when it comes to getting children to eat their blue vegetables (see what I did there?). I hope you are served by this episode. If so, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend. — Connect with me — Visit my website [/home] Book me to speak at your event [/speaking] Follow me on Instagram [https://instagram.com/chefkibby] Email me [podcast@chefkibby.com]