In this episode, I dig into the public school question. We all know public education in America is chronically underfunded, and that an important way to support that system is to enroll our own kids in it. But: always? without exception? or else we're terrible progressives with no value system?I deal in facts/data a bit here, but I spend much more time offering a framework for tackling these questions as both a values-driven progressive person and a parent. Let me know what you think about the conclusions I draw.For coaching resources, check me out on Instagram and get details here.To work with me one-on-one, book a free consultation call.To take a writing workshop with me, peruse the options here. Spring workshops begin this month!To read my publications, visit me here.

In this episode, I introduce the idea of the "tellable" and the "untellable" story. What are they, why do they matter, and how can they help us tell the story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in a way that is both truthful and useful?Additional topics that intersect, in strange ways, with this theme:*tobacco farming*ginseng and Venus flytrap harvesting*the stigma surrounding addictionIf you're looking for ways to talk to your KIDS about Dr. King, feel free to skip to the final 4 minutes of this episode. But it will make more sense if you listen all the way through.At the start of the episode, I mentioned *two* upcoming ways to work with me. Here is the link to our Building Diverse Community workshops at Clapping Hands Farm in Pittsboro, North Carolina. And here you'll find my online Dreamtelling workshop which kicks off in early February!For coaching resources, check me out on Instagram and get details here.To work with me one-on-one, book a free consultation call.To read my publications, visit me here.

In this powerful interview, Lauren Stern tells us how the sudden incarceration of a loved one led her to interrogate her own codependencies, cultivate empathy, build community, and fight for justice for incarcerated people. This conversation is deeply personal and an appeal to humans everywhere to tell our stories, speak our truths, and free ourselves from the burdens of shame and silence.Content warning: mentions of domestic violenceConnect with Lauren on Instagram.Learn more about One Love Prison Meditation, run by Tim Bryant, at this website and on Instagram.For coaching resources, check me out on Instagram and get details here.To work with me one-on-one, book a free consultation call.

In this episode, I talk about going to the dentist recently, and how my lifelong pattern of feeling shamed, blamed, and misunderstood about my teeth changed in a second, with one dental hygienist who reframed everything for me.What does this have to do with connection? Why should we keep it in mind, as community-seekers, anti-racism advocates, and human beings hoping to make the world a better place? Find out in this episode. For coaching resources, check me out on Instagram and get details here.To work with me one-on-one, book a free consultation call.To take a writing workshop with me, peruse the options here. Spring workshops begin this month!To read my publications, visit me here.

In this episode, I talk about:*the deep joys and deep challenges of leading a life that looks less "familiar" or immediately recognizable to broader society*why doubt, fear, and shame can creep in *even* when you're super happy with your life*two self-coaching techniques I use frequently in treating those doubts, so I can keep on loving the life I've created for myself*two social strategies I highly recommend for both maintaining friendships and building new community to support the life you've chosenFor coaching resources, check me out on Instagram and get details here.To work with me one-on-one, book a free consultation call.To take a writing workshop with me, peruse the options here. Spring workshops begin in January!To read my publications, visit me here.

Connect More is back for its second season! In this episode, I talk about:*the "all-or-nothing" thinking that can make holiday celebration choices feel impossible*an alternate approach to getting in good holiday family time, while teaching our kids the nuances of problematic holidays*how to de-commercialize Christmas and use it as a springboard into meaningful service year-round*why celebrating ADDITIONAL holidays can be as meaningful as  choosing NOT to celebrate a familiar oneFor coaching resources, check me out on Instagram and get details here.To work with me one-on-one, book a free consultation call.To take a writing workshop with me, peruse the options here. Spring workshops begin in January!To read my publications, visit me here.

In this episode, I talk about:*why I'm capping Season 1 at 15 episodes, and when to expect Season 2!*those sneaky blurred lines between honoring your intuition versus caving to anxiety, and why it matters when we show up because we WANT to, versus showing up out of white guilt*the kind of CONDITIONS we must cultivate in order to grow new connection in our lives, and a few examples of someone who does it really well*why questions can be more useful than answers, and why 9 times out of 10, we have everything it takes to solve our own problemsFor coaching resources, check me out on Instagram and get details here.To work with me one-on-one, book a free consultation call.To take a writing workshop with me, peruse the options here. Classes start on August 23!To read my publications, visit me here.

In this episode, I talk about:*how I chose my son's daycare by adding "diversity" to the non-negotiable list*how to tell when an organization is TRULY committed to diversity, or whether they just wrote a diversity statement and called it a day*how to think about "sacrifice" when prioritizing diverse spaces: what kind of sacrifice is legitimate, what kind of sacrifice is an illusion, when to push yourself toward growth and when to respect your mama instincts*how my son and I turned out to BENEFIT from our daycare's commitment to diversity in a way we never expectedFor coaching resources, check me out on Instagram and get details here.To work with me one-on-one, book a free consultation call.To take a writing workshop with me, peruse the options here. Registration is open!To read my publications, visit me here.

In this episode, I talk about:*my upcoming writing workshops: that's the first 5 mins or so, so if you follow me elsewhere and have already heard about this, feel free to skip over! (Registration ends on August 15, so make sure to register if you haven't already--because these workshops will be AWESOME.)*why I am *adamant* about steering clear of mom-guilt when I talk about experiences we owe our kids during childhood...*...and how to balance that with the fact that I DO believe there are childhood experiences that can shape our kids' emotional investment in issues like anti-racism for the rest of their lives.*what are these experiences? how do they shape us? why is childhood such a critical time for them? I dive into all these questions and more, here.For coaching resources, check me out on Instagram and get details here.To work with me one-on-one, book a free consultation call.To take a writing workshop with me, peruse the options here. Registration is open!To read my publications, visit me here.

In this episode, I talk about:*the 4 Big Reasons why I see writing as a fundamentally connective force, and why I believe *everyone* can access these sources of connectivity through writing, no matter your background*why I used to be SUPER suspicious of the term "manifestation" and how I've made my peace with it (through writing!) *the online writing workshops I'm teaching this fall, and why I hope you sign up for one! also, a reminder that August is a big enrollment month for me: if you're looking to do connection or writing coaching with me 1:1, now is a great time to sign up for a chat and get on my radar.Find my phenomenal women's spirituality and witchcraft teacher here.For coaching resources, check me out on Instagram and get details here.To work with me one-on-one, book a free consultation call.To take a writing workshop with me, peruse the options here. Registration is open!To read my publications, visit me here.