Conflict, Shame, and the Practice of Return with Wendy Elisheva Somerson (Wes)

Conflict, Shame, and the Practice of Return with Wendy Elisheva Somerson (Wes)

What does it mean to stay connected, to ourselves, to each other, and to our deepest values, when conflict, shame, and polarization threaten to pull us apart? In this conversation, I sit down with Wendy Elisheva Somerson (Wes), somatic healer, writer, organizer, and author of An Anti-Zionist Path to Embodied Jewish Healing. Together they explore how our responses to conflict are shaped by family histories, collective trauma, and systems of power and why returning to the body can be a profoundly political act. Wes unpacks the somatic practices of "returning to center" and "mutual connection," offering a framework for staying present during conflict without abandoning ourselves or others. The conversation dives into the role of shame in both personal and political life, the difference between over- and under-accountability, and how healing shame creates the possibility for genuine repair. Drawing on Jewish teachings around teshuva (return, transformation, and accountability), Wes offers a vision of conflict that is neither punitive nor avoidant, but rooted in dignity, relationship, and collective responsibility. The episode concludes with a reflection on Israel/Palestine, collective accountability, and what it means to hold onto visions of repair even when they feel painfully distant. This is a conversation about conflict not as something to escape, but as a doorway into deeper connection, integrity, and transformation.

The long walk towards liberation: conflict, community and belonging with Susan Raffo

In this deep and wide-ranging conversation, I speak with Susan Raffo, writer, community organizer . She invites us to reimagine conflict as a natural part of being in relationship rather than something to be feared or eliminated. Raffo argues that difference, tension, and change are essential features of life, but that systems of oppression, historical wounds, and our growing discomfort with uncertainty often prevent us from engaging conflict in healthy ways. We explore what kinds of cultural “protocols” or practices might help communities hold tension without escalating into harm, and how reconnecting with land, ancestry, and interdependence can offer alternative ways of relating. Drawing on her walk across the United States, Raffo reflects on conversations with strangers that revealed common fears, longings, and desires for connection beneath political divides. She shares how the journey deepened her sense of belonging, not only to other people, but to the land itself, and reinforced her belief that community resilience depends on remembering our interconnectedness. The conversation ultimately offers a hopeful meditation on conflict, curiosity, and what it means to live together with dignity, difference, and care.

Conflict and Somatic Liberation: Rethinking Power, Trauma, and Resistance with Dr. Resmaa Menakem

In this episode of Stay, I am joined by renowned trauma specialist, writer, and somatic abolitionist Dr. Resmaa Menakem for a deeply expansive conversation on conflict, embodiment, and liberation in a time of escalating social and political tension. Drawing from his groundbreaking work in My Grandmother’s Hands and The Quaking of America, Resmaa reframes conflict not as a breakdown of communication, but as something rooted in ancestral trauma, systems of racial violence, and the body itself. Together, we explore how white body supremacy shapes our sense of safety and threat, and why so many interpersonal and societal conflicts are echoes of much older collective wounds. The conversation moves through somatic liberation, the limits of “hope,” the seduction of systems that offer inclusion without transformation, and the difference between accommodation and true liberation. Resmaa also shares powerful stories—from a spontaneous moment of collective dance in Brazil to reflections on James Baldwin illuminating his core teaching: liberation is not something to be captured or scaled, but something to be lived, embodied, and transmitted across generations. Resmaa lovingly challenges us to examine conventional ideas of progress, urging listeners to rethink what it means to engage in conflict, resist systems of harm, and remain connected to creation itself.

Where Shall We Go Next? The Emotions and Ethics of Travel with Dr. Anu Taranath

I sit down with Dr. Anu Taranath, author of the book Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World and explore the complex ethics, emotions, and systemic issues of travel. We delve into how travel shapes identity, empathy, and responsibility in an unequal world and get into the inherent conflicts that are built into traveling. In this conversation, we discuss how travel can evoke feelings of guilt and the importance of navigating these emotions mindfully. Dr. Taranath shares her personal journey of cultural dislocation and how it has shaped her understanding of belonging and empathy. The discussion also delves into the significance of literature in fostering connections and understanding across cultures, as well as the need to embrace discomfort as a natural part of the travel experience. Book-Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World Website: https://www.anutaranath.com/

Voices in Conflict: Art, Identity, and AI with Christine Rose Schemerhorn

From Midwestern conflict-avoidance to speaking up in a high-stakes creative industry, this episode follows one voice actor’s journey of finding her voice, while questioning what happens when voices can be replicated, controlled, or replaced. We explore hidden conflicts within the voice acting industry, where art, identity, and business collide. Actor Christine Rose Schermerhorn shares her experiences navigating typecasting, power dynamics, and the growing impact of AI, raising urgent questions about ownership, authenticity, and what it means to truly have a voice.