The Civic Courage Lab™ Podcast

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This is your training ground for courage. To survive and thrive in the gladiator sport of public service, you need all six pillars of empowered leadership — mental, emotional, physical, social, financial, and spiritual health. The Civic Courage Lab™ Podcast brings the world’s leading experts in human development together for the people doing society’s hardest work — public servants, civic innovators, changemakers, and bridge builders. Each conversation explores how to apply these insights directly to your role, helping you strengthen all six pillars of empowered leadership through real stories, practical tools, and wisdom from high-impact leaders who’ve turned their greatest challenges into personal growth and collective success. Success in the ultra-endurance sport of impact demands courage, curiosity, integrity, and love. Here, you’ll cultivate them all — in community. From the creators of The COURAGE METHOD™ — the framework that’s helped councils move from combat to collaboration, nonprofits from floundering to funded, policies from ideas to impact, and activists from unknown to unstoppable. Welcome to COURAGE.

The Imperative of the Soul: How to Live Without Regrets & Build a Life of Courage and Service w/ Parker J. Palmer

Welcome to the Civic Courage Lab Podcast! Join Our Community and Receive Free Tools + How-to Guides: Sign up for "The Leader's Handbook" newsletter (scroll to bottom) https://www.civiccouragelab.com/#newsletter [https://www.civiccouragelab.com/#newsletter] * Always free * Once per month email * Curated selection of tools, techniques, and practices discussed on this podcast * Delivered in simple to follow how-to worksheets, videos, and audio guides * For you and your teams to try and test in your own life JOIN HERE [https://www.civiccouragelab.com/#newsletter] (scroll to bottom) Guest: Parker J. Palmer is the founder of the Center for Courage and Renewal [https://www.couragerenewal.org], a Quaker educator, activist, and author of ten books — including Let Your Life Speak, The Courage to Teach, A Hidden Wholeness, and Healing the Heart of Democracy — which have sold millions of copies and are taught everywhere from university seminars to MBA programs. Named by Teaching Tolerance as one of the nation's most influential voices in education, Parker has advised presidents, spoken at the White House, and shaped movements around leadership and integrity for over five decades — almost entirely without spectacle or self-promotion. At 87, he continues writing and thinking on Substack at Living the Questions with Parker J. Palmer [https://parkerjpalmer.substack.com]. He is a rare and true elder. About the Episode: This is the season one capstone — a little extra treat — of the Civic Courage Lab podcast, and there is no more fitting way to close this first chapter than with Parker J. Palmer. In this episode, I attempt to open-source Parker's prodigious wisdom and experience as an elder and mentor for you. In this wide-ranging conversation, we explore what it means to live without regret, how to hear and trust the inner voice that calls us toward our true work, and why the imperative of the soul — not ambition, not external pressure — is the only reliable compass for a meaningful life in public service. Parker shares the pivotal choices that defined his journey: walking away from a guaranteed academic career at 30 to become a community organizer, spending 11 years living under radical economic equality at Pendle Hill [https://pendlehill.org] Quaker community, navigating multiple serious depressions and ultimately writing openly about them, and now at nearly 87, harnessing anger toward life-giving ends — connection and democracy. This is a conversation about eldership, wholeness, and what it actually costs — and gives back — to lead from the inside out. Key Topics Discussed: * [00:01:50] Introducing Parker J. Palmer & the crisis of eldership * [00:10:18] What real mentorship looks like — a two-way dialogue * [00:15:25] The inner voice: first encounter in the 1960s at Berkeley * [00:18:14] Walking away from tenure to become a community organizer * [00:19:28] "I can't not do this" — following the imperatives of the soul * [00:21:20] Choosing risk over future regret * [00:23:32] How to help others listen to their own leadings * [00:24:39] The discipline of honest, open questions * [00:27:01] A Hidden Wholeness and evocative community * [00:29:02] Burning out and arriving at Pendle Hill * [00:30:34] 11 years of radical economic equality — and what it taught * [00:35:52] Circle learning, egalitarian education, and the evoking of inner gifts * [00:38:21] Mental health, burnout, and the definition of wellbeing * [00:40:25] Practices that amplify the inner voice — honesty, trusted community, nature * [00:44:32] Diet, sleep, exercise, and the woods of Minnesota * [00:47:34] The choice to stay at Pendle Hill — and why strategic withdrawal isn't retreat * [00:50:02] On living the imperatives of your soul vs. scuttling your convictions * [00:52:32] "I can't imagine a sadder way to die" — on showing up fully * [00:53:28] Has this path made you less afraid of death? * [00:58:03] Depression as a character in the movie of your life * [01:02:36] The person following you down the street — and what they want * [01:05:59] The hand of an enemy vs. the hand of a friend pressing you to ground * [01:09:40] Wholeness is not perfection — it's "all of the above" * [01:10:59] Why Parker chose to write publicly about his depression * [01:13:15] What Parker most hopes current leaders will experience * [01:16:59] Holding compassion and prophetic challenge at the same time * [01:18:22] Living the Questions Substack — and why Parker started it at 87 * [01:19:20] What's an angry old Quaker to do? Harnessing anger toward life-giving ends * [01:21:44] Speaking truth to power — and what democracy needs from us now * [01:23:22] Keeping your heart open to people who've fallen into MAGA * [01:27:02] Final gift: Terry Tempest Williams and the human heart as democracy's first home Key References and Resources Mentioned: * [00:03:55] Center for Courage and Renewal [https://www.couragerenewal.org] — founded by Parker; has supported hundreds of thousands of leaders in education, healthcare, public life, and beyond * [00:04:30] Let Your Life Speak [https://www.amazon.com/Let-Your-Life-Speak-Listening/dp/0787947350] by Parker J. Palmer * [00:04:30] The Courage to Teach [https://www.amazon.com/Courage-Teach-Inner-Landscape-Teachers/dp/0787996629] by Parker J. Palmer * [00:04:30] A Hidden Wholeness [https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Wholeness-Journey-Toward-Undivided/dp/0787971441] by Parker J. Palmer — his guide to the practice of circles, evocative questions, and listening for inner truth * [00:04:30] Healing the Heart of Democracy [https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Heart-Democracy-Courage-Politics/dp/1118094948] by Parker J. Palmer * [00:11:38] Jerry Colonna [https://www.reboot.io/team/jerry-colonna/] — executive coach, CEO of Reboot.io, mutual friend of Skippy and Parker whose praise first led Skippy to Parker's work * [00:15:25] UC Berkeley [https://www.berkeley.edu] — where Parker completed his PhD in sociology in 1969, and where his inner calling first diverged from the academic path * [00:24:39] Quaker Testimonies (SPICES) [https://www.friendsjournal.org/s-p-i-c-e-s-quaker-testimonies/] — the core values of Quaker life: Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship; the ethical framework underlying Pendle Hill and Parker's approach to leadership * [00:24:39] Clearness Committee / Circles of Trust — the Quaker-rooted practice of gathering a small group to ask honest, open questions that help someone listen more deeply to their own inner truth; described extensively in A Hidden Wholeness [https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Wholeness-Journey-Toward-Undivided/dp/0787971441] * [00:29:02] Pendle Hill [https://pendlehill.org] — the Quaker study, retreat, and community center near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where Parker spent 11 transformative years; founded in 1930, open to all seekers * [00:38:21] The Courage Method — Skippy's leadership development framework, referenced throughout the conversation as a parallel to Parker's work; more at civiccouragelab.com [https://www.civiccouragelab.com] * [00:44:32] Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderne... [https://www.fs.usda.gov/visit/destination/boundary-waters-canoe-area-wilderness]

7 de may de 2026 - 1 h 34 min

The Long Game: An Epic Journey for Psychedelic Assisted Therapy w/ Rick Doblin

Welcome to the Healing Our Politics Podcast! Join Our Community and Receive Free Tools + How to Guides: Join “The Leader’s Handbook” newsletter [https://leadershandbook.substack.com/about] https://leadershandbook.substack.com/about · Always free · Once per month email · Curated selection of tools, techniques, and practices discussed on this podcast · Delivered in simple to follow how-to-guides · To try and test in your life, and teach your teams. JOIN HERE [https://leadershandbook.substack.com/about] https://leadershandbook.substack.com/about [https://leadershandbook.substack.com/about] Guest: Rick Doblin is a man who saw a future no one else believed in: to restore and reimagine the role of psychedelics in society as tools for healing. Today, after nearly four decades of joyful persistence, legal battles, and spiritual grit, that dream is a global movement. Rick is the founder and president of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, or MAPS, a nonprofit that’s been at the absolute forefront of psychedelic research since 1986: If you’ve ever had a serious conversation about psychedelic medicine, chances are, you’ve encountered his work — directly or indirectly. Rick holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School, where he wrote his dissertation on the regulation of the medical uses of psychedelics and marijuana and his Master’s thesis on a survey of oncologists about smoked marijuana vs. the oral THC pill in nausea control for cancer patients. His undergraduate thesis at New College of Florida was a 25-year follow-up to the classic Good Friday Experiment, which evaluated the potential of psychedelic drugs to catalyze religious experiences. He also conducted a thirty-four year follow-up study to Timothy Leary’s Concord Prison Experiment. Rick studied with Dr. Stanislav Grof and was among the first to be certified as a Holotropic Breathwork practitioner. His professional goal is to help develop legal contexts for the beneficial uses of psychedelics and marijuana, primarily as prescription medicines but also for personal growth for otherwise healthy people, and eventually to become a legally licensed psychedelic therapist. Rick has been a featured guest for TED Talks, and the Students for Sensible Drug Policy ,SSPD, and just last year was recognized as one of the most influential people in global health, 2024 TIME 100 Health Honoree. He’s part philosopher, part policy strategist, part spiritual truth seeker, and CONTINUES to be one of the most persistent, thoughtful, and — frankly — courageous advocates for psychedelics as tools for healing. About the Episode: I first sat down with Rick months ago, but in light of the FDA’s decision against MDA assisted psychotherapy, dropping just before the original episode release, I HAD to check in with Rick again for the whole picture. In this exciting two-parter you get Rick’s perspective PRE and POST the FDA’s decision. In the first half, we dig into Rick's 40 year journey, including never before told stories about his early life, the founding of MAPS, what it's like to stay true to a vision no one else believed was possible, and Rick’s decades-long chess game with the FDA. We talk about making bipartisan coalitions last, unconventional approaches to management, how to discern grit from stubbornness, and how to reframe fundraising asked to truly connect with lasting mission aligned support, structuring your organization - for profit, non-profit, or something else- how to turn enemies to allies, and how to fight major institutions and win. In the second half, we discuss how MAPS is paving the way for global psychedelic healing, as well as Rick’s personal approaches for staying committed through uncertainty, how to build systems and practices to sustain yourself over time, how to remain warm, open, and connected in the face of mass public criticism, and what it takes to scale a movement from a single believer to a global institution. We touch on MAPS's new push to measure gross national trauma with a goal of net zero trauma by 2070 and how you as a public servant, leader, or active citizen can help us get there. This episode takes us deep inside Rick’s toolkit so that you are resourced to do what others can’t yet imagine. Key Topics Discussed: · [00:02:40] Guest/Episode Intro · [00:04:45] This is a 2-Part Episode! · [00:08:12] PART ONE · [00:08:12] Moses was high, Dad! · [00:13:30] An Exemplary Pathway for Leaders · [00:14:30] “Then they take you for granted…” · [00:15:50] “Winning” isn’t forever · [00:15:57] Magister Ludi: The Glass Bead Game [https://ia600302.us.archive.org/21/items/MagisterLudi-TheGlassBeadGame-HermanHesse/hesseludi.pdf] (*Spoiler Alert*) · [00:20:45] Predicting Civil War · [00:22:05] The Success of Preposterous Lies · [00:25:11] The Beginning of the Mission · [00:27:43] MAPS [https://maps.org/]’ 38th Anniversary · [00:29:27] Core of Darkness Wrapped in Privilege · [00:34:33] What My Bar Mitzvah Should Have Been · [00:38:00] Becoming Political via Landline Propaganda · [00:42:20] Study and Practice of Non Violent Resistance · [00:42:43] Side Note About Getting Sucked Into Systems (Don’t volunteer yourself) · [00:44:33] Oasis of Sanity: Exploring Psychedelics · [00:46:22] From Counter Culture to Culture (“Criminal” to Psychotherapist) · [00:47:30] 1960s Culture of Silence · [00:49:57] The Political Exaggeration of Psychedelics · [00:52:50] Understanding Commonality, Backed by Experience · [00:55:50 Wanting to Quit? · [00:58:20] Science Blocked by Politics: Rick’s Shift to Harvard · [00:59:08] Winning the Lawsuit but Losing the Job · [01:00:00] 14 Years Into MAPS: the STRUGGLE to begin Research · [01:01:54] Independent Institutional Review Boards [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4631034/#:~:text=IRBs%20are%20charged%20with%20providing,designed%20to%20protect%20human%20subjects.] · [01:02:01] Western IRB [https://www.wcgclinical.com/solutions/study-planning-review/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=15065334907&gbraid=0AAAAADE3xW3C5nHCR9XdUFJhpxxOd4tOP&gclid=Cj0KCQjwuvrBBhDcARIsAKRrkjeEjagPf1hIIKPpHPBm42OZyWc7erebSQJ719n04U49O6t31Z9rOVMaAlktEALw_wcB], now part of the WCG (WIRB-Copernicus Group) · [01:02:04] 17 Years In: Approved to BEGIN · [01:03:37] Training Inner Work, Renewal of Convictions, and the Measure of Happiness · [01:07:09] Success in Small Victories and Just Showing Up · [01:11:06] Back to the Story!: Approval Rescinded · [01:12:10] Politics Blocked Science, Again · [01:14:07] Finding Copernicus [https://www.wcgclinical.com/solutions/study-planning-review/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=15065334907&gbraid=0AAAAADE3xW3C5nHCR9XdUFJhpxxOd4tOP&gclid=Cj0KCQjwuvrBBhDcARIsAKRrkjeEjagPf1hIIKPpHPBm42OZyWc7erebSQJ719n04U49O6t31Z9rOVMaAlktEALw_wcB]: Approval Finally Granted

5 de jun de 2025 - 2 h 42 min