Mindfulness Mode

Dr. Laurie Bruce uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to help people learn to manage their emotions and let go of anxiety and trauma issues. Dr. Bruce has provided psychotherapy, consultation and supervision to thousands of clients and students. She is certified in DBT and Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy. Dr. Bruce is the host of the podcast, From Both Sides of the Couch, where she shares the current research on mental health and psychotherapy, from her perspective as both a psychologist and a client in her own psychotherapy. She is passionate about mindfulness, emotion regulation, resilience, radical acceptance and vulnerability. Listen & Subscribe on: iTunes / Stitcher / Podbean / Overcast / Spotify Contact Info Website: www.DrLaurieBruce.com Podcast: From Both Sides of the Couch Most Influential Person My two kids Effect on Emotions I can't change what I'm not aware of, so the very first step is to be more aware of how I feel emotions in my body. Typically one of the corresponding thoughts that I have with certain emotions, I feel anger in my chest or my stomach and usually a corresponding thought is that's not fair. Being able to identify how it feels in my with what the words are going through my head, with what the name of that emotion is, that helps me to regulate it and it helps me to change it if that's an emotion I want to change. Book: The mindful way through depression.  App: calm and insight timer. Thoughts on Breathing Breathing  We teach breathing both in the mindfulness component of just observing our breath is a great mindfulness exercise. We also teach breathing as a tool To help decrease distress. When were very upset, which in DBT we call emotion mind, breathing can be a tool to bring down the intensity of any emotion.  Bullying Story I was bullied during my early childhood. I attribute my bullying experiences as part of the reason that I became a clinical psychologist. I struggled with depression and anxiety and low self-worth. Becoming a clinical psychologist was about me trying to alleviate that pain that stemmed from my childhood bullying. When I started learning about DBT, back in the mid '90s, I recognized that I was learning important skills for the very first time. I believe we should teach DBT in schools so that kids feel more empowered. That would help them regulate their emotions and their distress and learn how to be present.   Suggested Resources Book: The Mindful Way Through Depression by Mark Williams and John Teasdale App: Calm and Insight Timer Related Episodes Physiotherapy With Positive Mindset; Aleksandra Nenadic Heal Faster With Mindfulness and Electromagnetic Field Therapy; Dr. William Pawluk The Ambassador of Happiness, Maura Sweeney

Do you ever feel like you could use a mental detox? Yeah, me too. I meditate every day. I practice mindfulness. I do a walking meditation every day. And still, the idea of a mental detox sounds appealing to me. Now, I have the perfect way to achieve this. About a week ago an amazing thing happened. My wife connected with a friend who was looking for a home for a 2-year-old puppy. Long story short, Lucy, the Golden Retriever is now the newest part of our family. The previous owner died and his niece was looking for a home where she would be loved, cared for and truly appreciated. That describes our home. You might remember that I’ve talked about our previous pets before, but our three pets passed away, one by one, so for the last 3 years, we have been without a pet. Dogs can be incredible companions on the journey to mindfulness and mental well-being. I’ve called today’s episode, Mental Detox With Dog Therapy, because that’s exactly what a dog can bring you - a mental detox. Depending on the dog, of course. Here are 7 ways I believe Lucy can help me become more grounded, more mindful, and even experience a mental detox: 1. Living in the Present Moment Dogs naturally live in the "now." Their focus on what’s happening in the present—whether it’s a walk, a meal, or a belly rub—can remind you to slow down and savor each moment instead of worrying about the past or future. Lucy is spending every moment getting used to the idea that our home is her home. 2. Sensory Awareness Walking a dog encourages you to engage your senses. You notice the breeze, the scent of grass, or the warmth of the sun—helping you become more connected to your environment and fostering mindfulness through sensory grounding. I’ve been doing daily walks for 6 or 7 years at least, and now I’m not walking alone. Lucy is right there by my side. 3. Unconditional Love and Acceptance Lucy’s non-judgmental presence fosters mindfulness and even emotional healing. Her love and acceptance gives me a safe emotional space to let go of negative thoughts and cultivate self-compassion. One of my mantras is, I see God in every one and every thing, with compassion. I know that most dogs offer a non-judgmental form of compassion. It’s certainly built-in to Lucy’s DNA.  4. Routine and Stability Caring for Lucy requires daily structure—walks, feeding times, play— that helps ground me in a healthy rhythm. This routine promotes consistency, reducing mental clutter and promoting mental detox.  5. Movement and Physical Connection Physical activity like playing or walking with a dog releases endorphins and reduces stress. Movement shifts my focus away from mental noise and into my body, fostering a sense of calm and clarity. That’s one of the reasons it feels good to walk Lucy every day. 6. Emotional Regulation and Stress Relief Petting a dog can lower cortisol levels, that’s the stress hormone. It can also increase oxytocin (the "love hormone"). This physical connection helps regulate emotions and promotes a state of mental ease. 7. Joy and Playfulness Lucy has already brought spontaneous moments of joy and laughter. Her playful nature lifts my spirits, disrupts overthinking, and invites a light-hearted perspective—a powerful form of mental detox. Here are 7 mindful activities you can enjoy with your dog to deepen your connection, stay present, and experience a mental reset: 1. Mindful Mealtime How to do it: Before feeding your dog, pause and take a few deep breaths. As you prepare their food, focus on the textures, smells, and your dog’s excitement. Mindful twist: Encourage your dog to “sit” or “stay” before eating. Observe their anticipation and offer the meal with gratitude, reflecting on how caring for them nourishes both of you. 🐾 2. Intention-Setting for Training How to do it: Before each training session, set a simple intention—patience, joy, or connection. Approach training as a shared experience rather than a task. Mindful twist: Stay present by focusing on your

Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek has a career in AI, and we discuss AI For Mindfulness and other purposes. Joan is a serial entrepreneur, AI leader, investor, podcast host, and the CEO of Clarity AI. She lost her job during two large AI layoffs. 50% of Americans are experiencing layoff anxiety, according to Harvard Business Review. Joan has a new book called Your AI Roadmap: Actions to Expand Your Career, Money, and Joy.” The book prepares readers to future-proof their careers and finances. It contains practical templates, research, data, stories, and highlights, including goal setting, personal branding, modern networking, personal finances 101, and steps to build wealth towards financial freedom. Contact Info Website: www.yourairoadmap.com Book: Your AI Roadmap: Actions To Expand Your Career, Money, and Joy by Joan Palmiter Bajorek Most Influential Person My Mom Effect on Emotions Mindfulness helps ground me. I'm an extrovert with a lot of energy and sometimes being too close to reactivity is something I struggle with. When I get outside with my feet in the grass, I can be closer to my best self. Thoughts on Breathing I work on long exhales. When I become present to my breath I really noticed that the duration of my exhales can change. Even 30 seconds of doing those long exhales can be very beneficial.  Bullying Story Being a woman online, especially after my listener count grows, I experience some unpleasant behavior. I don't know if I would call it bullying. I've had two stalkers, which has really not been fun. We have content moderation on some platforms these days. I have a policy called document, mute, and block. On most platforms they don't even know that you've blocked them.   Suggested Resources Book: Financial Feminist by Tori Dunlap Book: Your AI Roadmap: Actions To Expand Your Career, Money, and Joy by Joan Palmiter Bajorek App: Perplexity Related Episodes Staying Mindful In A World Of Technology With Robert Plotkin Mindfulness In A World Of Tech; William A. Adams Escaping Slavery To Modern Technology with Sean Morgan

Judith Belmont can help you by providing therapeutic tips for healthier thinking. As the author of 11 mental health books and two therapeutic card decks, she equips counseling professionals, therapy clients, and self-help readers with practical tools for emotional well-being. Her work addresses common challenges such as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and relationship issues. Her latest book, 110 TIPS and Tools for the CBT Toolbox, was released in January 2025 as part of her TIPS series with PESI, which includes 150 More Group Therapy Activities and TIPS and 86 TIPS for the Therapeutic Toolbox. Through worksheets, handouts, activities, and visualizations, she helps individuals improve communication, resilience, and mindfulness. Her approach is rooted in CBT, DBT, ACT, and Positive Psychology, making mental health strategies accessible and effective. Listen & Subscribe on: iTunes / Stitcher / Podbean / Overcast / Spotify Contact Info Website: www.BelmontWellness.com Book: 110 CBT TIPS and Tools by Judith Belmont Most Influential Person My Husband Effect on Emotions Mindfulness is extremely important to help me not look back or too far ahead. It has really been life-changing just to have gratitude in the moment. People who are not grateful tend to count their disappointments more than their blessings. They are generally not happy people. Thoughts on Breathing I find that when people get anxious about something, they have more shallow breathing. Sometimes I have to remind myself to take a deep breath. What I have done with my clients and with myself sometimes is just to imagine as you breathe in, that an energy and life force goes through your whole body. I imagine it being a color. The color goes through the extremities. Then you breathe out and the color goes out to the air. That visual exercise helps me with my breathing. Bullying Story I was doing a webinar on communication skills in the workplace. I told the people in the webinar that assertive communication is using "I" statements. For example, I think, I feel, it's important to me. Aggressive communication is "you" statements. For example, you shouldn't be doing that and blaming. Also being not assertive is keeping things in. Then I did a role-play. I then did a survey of the listeners and everybody got it wrong. They did not realize that all the "you" statements were bullying behavior. Almost everybody identified it as assertive.   Suggested Resources Book: The Feeling Good Handbook by David Burns Book: 110 CBT TIPS and Tools by Judith Belmont App: n/a Related Episodes Move The Body, Heal The Mind; Dr. Jennifer Heisz Physical Intelligence, Crucial To Business Success; Claire Dale and Patricia Peyton Raging Fire of Love; Kelly James Clark

Laura Chandler is a writer, teacher, and award-winning songwriter sharing sacred stream wisdom. She co-founded and directs the Foundation of the Sacred Stream, a consciousness studies school in Berkeley, California. With a background in publishing, music, video production, and alternative therapies, her music has appeared in film and television. She has studied spiritual, therapeutic, and meditative techniques worldwide, learning from master teachers across traditions. She co-authored the newly released book Depth Hypnosis: A Path to Healing, Power and Transformation with Isa Gucciardi, Ph.D. Listen & Subscribe on: iTunes / Stitcher / Podbean / Overcast / Spotify Contact Info Website: www.LauraChandler.org Website: www.sacredstream.org Most Influential Person His Holiness, the Dalai Lama Effect on Emotions Mindfulness lets me take a step back from my emotions.  I can take a beat, take a breath, and see what's arising. Rather than just becoming reactive, it gives me that pause to say where is that coming from.    I'm not always perfect at it, and I don't think humans can be perfect at it, but mindfulness helps me not to become overwhelmed by my emotions. It gives me a tool to work with them.  Thoughts on Breathing I have a breath practice. I like to start my day by focusing on my breathing, which clears my mind. It helps me to be very present and to ground me. Even if you only have 5 minutes, if you can take that 5 minutes and focus on your breath, you can have a better day.  Bullying Story I've experienced bullying quite a lot. I came to identify it. I think the more people practice compassion and mindfulness, the less bullying there will be. Bullies have a wound that they haven't addressed. The thing about a bully is that they are only powerful if they are drawing power from bullying.   Suggested Resources Book: When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodren Book: Depth Hypnosis: A Path to Healing, Power and Transformation by Laura Chandler and Isa Gucciardi Ph.D App: Meditation App called The Way  Related Episodes Whale Watching Wisdom with Anne Gordon de Barrigon The Four Sacred Gifts; Indigenous Wisdom Shared by Author Anita Sanchez 48 Days To Discover Your Calling; Dan Miller

Sigmar Berg wants to help you find love and peace with the Lovetuner. Sigmar is an entrepreneur, artist, photographer, and fashion designer. Sigmar has spent his life seeking to bring wellness and balance to the world through art, design, and conscious consumerism, which brings him to his most exciting venture yet: the Lovetuner. After years of seeking, learning, researching, and gathering knowledge from all fields of life and worldwide, Sigmar is impassioned to introduce the Lovetuner to the world. We are living in a time of great chaos, division, and instability, but also one which has created an incredible opportunity for change. Listen & Subscribe on: iTunes / Stitcher / Podbean / Overcast / Spotify Contact Info Website: www.lovetuner.com Most Influential Person My Grandmother Effect on Emotions Mindfulness has been key to helping me with my emotions. Nothing is above mindfulness. If you want to change your reaction, mindfulness is the key. Thoughts on Breathing When you play the Lovetuner, you play a long steady tone and inhale through your nose. You do it six times or whatever feels good to you. Then, you stay about 20 to 30 seconds in silence afterward. It is the sound of a high-pitched C at 528 HZ.  Bullying Story Going back in time, we started our foundation programs, and we went into schools. We did it for underprivileged children, and we went into private schools. We took the Lovetuner tool, and we went into the classrooms. We gave Lovetuners to children from ages 7 to 10 years old. At that age, children give you the most blank response of anyone. By the time we did the first tune, everybody was totally focused. It was unbelievable how much the children liked it. In one semester we eliminated bullying in every classroom where the Lovetuner was being used.   Suggested Resources Book: One Journey: The Lovetuner Book by Sigmar Berg App: Get one of the solfeggio frequency apps  Related Episodes 232 Choose Goodness and Meaning With Tommy Breedlove 268 Unlock Self-Love With The Mindfulness Key Suggests Joie Cheng 431 Live Your Deepest Love Says Danielle Mercurio

We share a healing celebration today as Dr. and Master Sha opens a new healing center in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. Previously interviewed, Healing With Dr Sha. Master Sha combines traditional Chinese medicine, the essence of Western medicine, and ancient energy and spiritual secrets from China. A medical doctor in China, Master Sha is also a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture in Canada and China. He is an expert in advanced cellular science and in breakthrough research on the effects of aligning soul, heart, mind, and body. He is an author of over 25 books with 11 New York Times bestsellers. Dr and Master Sha is a grand master of Dong Yi Gong qigong, feng shui, the I Ching, Qigong and Wu Dong tai chi. He is also a National Chinese Calligrapher Master (Shu Fa Jia) and an Honorable Research Professor (Yan Jiu Yuan), appointed by the State Ethnic Academy of Painting (Gui Jia Min Zu Hua Yuan) in Beijing, China. Listen & Subscribe on: iTunes / Stitcher / Podbean / Overcast / Spotify Contact Info Website: www.DrSha.com Website: www.MasterSha.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drandmastersha Podcast: Experience Transformation with Master Sha Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrandMasterSha Book:  Tao Calligraphy Healing Field: An Information System with Six Sacred Tao Techniques to Empower You to Heal and Transform Your Life by Dr. and Master Sha Lau Tsu and Art Tau refers to calligraphy in the teachings of Lao Tzu. Tau is the ultimate creator source. Tau is the way of all life. Tau is the universal principle. Eating and sleeping in daily life is all the Tau.  The Hands For Healing Put your hands together in a prayer position. Keep a small distance between the hands. Relax and feel a little bit of warm tingling. This is cellular vibration. Near hands create high density. Far hands create low density. In physics, high density flows to low density. When someone has a headache, place your hands 4-7 inches from the pain. The hands and the head resonate and create an energy field. Listen for more details. Fire In ancient wisdom, fire is yang and water is yin. Water can be healing and peaceful but can also kill people as in a tsunami. Fire warms people but can also kill people. Love, Peace, Harmony Nineteen years ago Master Sha learned a song in the Bay area, I Love My Heart So, I Love All Humanity. This started the focus on Love, Peace, Harmony. As a result, the Love Peace Harmony Charitable Foundation was born. The Love Peace Harmony Foundation generously pledged to match all donations up to $250,000 USD to support nearly 180,000 residents impacted by the Los Angeles, California wildfires. (Listen to learn more) Suggested Resources Book:  Tao Calligraphy Healing Field: An Information System with Six Sacred Tao Techniques to Empower You to Heal and Transform Your Life by Dr. and Master Sha App: n/a Related Episodes 356 Global Zen Consciousness Conference Founder; Shi DeRu Everyday Crystal Healing; Lauren Blackford Healing A Brain Injury; Laura Renner

You can thrive with creativity, and having more aspects of creativity in your life will help you prosper in surprising ways. When you remember the times in your life when everything was flowing, do you feel like creativity was an active part of your life? As a musician, some of the happiest times of my life were when I was creating and performing music. I’m taking part in a ‘learn to paint’ program this week, and it has really helped me feel connected to a deeper part of myself. The course is with Jed Dorsey of TheLandscapeWorkshop.com. Jed is not an affiliate, I just wanted to tell you about this excellent free course he’s offered. Listen & Subscribe on: iTunes / Stitcher / Podbean / Overcast / Spotify Meditation can help you become more creative. I recently interviewed Jackson Kerchis – he’s passionate about helping people learn meditation and stick to it. The episode is called, How To Stick To Meditation; Jackson Kerchis. Jackson also wrote an excellent book on the topic with the same name, How To Stick To Meditation. I can say from experience that meditation has helped me feel more creative and I have definitely benefited from the increased creativity.There are five benefit to creativity I’d like to talk about today: 1/ Boost Happiness As a kid, I would spend hours playing the piano. I played from sheet music and made songs up. When I thought the song was ready for a performance, I’d play it for my dad, who was always eager to hear me play. He gave me great positive feedback as a result of my creativity. The definition of creativity varies, but most experts agree it has to do with the ability to come up with new ideas, new connections between ideas, and novel solutions to problems. You might be thinking, I’m not a musician, a dancer, or a poet. Experts say creativity lives within all of us, it’s just a matter of allowing it to come forward. In the book called, “The Creativity Cure”, author Dr. Carrie Barron says, “It really has to do with open-mindedness.” She says creativity applies to everything from making a meal to generating a business plan. It doesn’t matter what creativity looks like in your life. It could be cooking, skiing, singing, sketching or something else. Just remember that creativity will feed your soul and just help you feel happy. 2/ Creativity For Problem-Solving Creativity is a skill that can be learned. You don't need to be an artist or musician to be creative, you can use your creativity everyday with things like cooking, cleaning, gardening, or organizing. Creativity can help with problem solving but it’s good to take step by step action. Use Osborn’s Creative Problem Solving technique Brainstorming in between the steps to get the biggest benefit. Here are the 7 steps: Clarify and identify the problem – Pretend that the problem is not that important Research the problem Formulate creative challenges Generate ideas Combine and evaluate the ideas Draw up an action plan Do it! (implement the ideas) I encourage you to combine your creativity with problem-solving to reach a win-win result. 3/ Creativity for Healthy Living Does it make sense to you that creative people live longer? I think creative people are happier, and I believe it makes sense that happier people live longer. I know in my case, I’m a lot happier when I’m doing creative activities compared to when I’m spending my time on what I would consider non-creative activities. The topic of creativity has come up a lot in my interviews on Mindfulness Mode, and just as an observation, I’ve noticed that health and creativity seem to be aligned. There are studies about this topic and a study from 2012 researched veteran men. The researchers, Turiano, Spiro and Mroczek, followed 1,349 veterans for over 10 years . They looked at their intellect and creativity. They rated their creativity based on these five words: creative, imaginative, artistic, innovative, and uncreative.The researchers identified creativity with the following phrase

Dr. Steven Masley motivates people to become healthier, starting with heart and brain health. He's a physician, nutritionist, best-selling author, and the creator of the number one health program for public television called, 'Thirty Days To A Younger Heart.' Dr. Masley's book, 'The Better Brain Solution", is the first book to show how the brain can become insulin resistant through diet and lifestyle. It also clarifies the link between diet, cognitive decline, and memory loss. Contact Info Website: www.DrMasley.com The 30-Day Heart Tune-Up   Most Influential Person My stepfather, Chuck. He had a procedure, and had a massive stroke. I learned what dementia was. It wasn't necessary; he didn't need it. I feel bad to this day that I didn't do more for him earlier on. He said, 'don't let this happen to others'. Effect on Emotions Mindfulness is calming on my emotions. It feels like love and stability in my life when I'm more mindful. When I'm not, I tend to be more anxious and depressed. I'd much rather feel loved and focused than anxious and depressed. That's a lack of mindfulness, is anxiety. Thoughts on Breathing I like taking a deep breath and filling myself with spirit. I even like to, after I stretch and workout in the morning, I like to take a deep breath. I feel like green energy pours into my body when I'm taking a deep breath. When I blow out, I'm just blowing out tension. I use my breath to help me in a kind of meditative, processing way of being more calm and focused. Breath to me is like breathing in spirit. Suggested Resources Book: Eating Mindfully: How to End Mindless Eating and Enjoy a Balanced Relationship with Food by Susan Albers Book: The Better Brain Solution: How to Start Now--at Any Age--to Reverse and Prevent Insulin Resistance of the Brain, Sharpen Cognitive Function, and Avoid Memory Loss by Steven Masley App: Heart Math Bullying Story I got bullied as a kid. I got beaten up. I got kicked around. It was not pleasant. I can completely sympathize with anyone who has been bullied before. Part of it was just being susceptible. I wasn't being mindful; I wasn't being confident. It wasn't moving with purpose. Predators picked on me.

Dara McKinley teaches how to forgive. After studying psychology and spirituality for most of her life, an unlikely turn of events pointed Dara toward the forgiveness path. Upon searching online for a forgiveness how-to, Dara only found information about why one should forgive. Needing directions to follow, she decided to make her own forgiveness step-by-step, which, upon completion, left her feeling peaceful for the first time in three years. Impressed by the effectiveness of forgiveness, she quickly became a devotee and now changes lives by teaching participants about her practical spiritual process that restores inner peace. Listen & Subscribe on: iTunes / Stitcher / Podbean / Overcast / Spotify Contact Info Website: www.howtoforgive.com How To Forgive On-Line Course Most Influential Person Tosha Silver; Spiritual Teacher Effect on Emotions  Mindfulness helped me to see and love my emotional world and see it as a separate system that requires my care.  My emotions now work for me instead of against me. Thoughts on Breathing I am big into movement, and moving in a really organic way.  Moving in an instinctual and intuitive way that allows us to breathe. Bullying Story When people are in emotionally healthy environments, they don't act out on others as much.  When somebody isn't taking care of their emotional side, they often toss it onto somebody else.  Forgiveness is a huge key to emotional health. I look forward to a more emotionally attuned world.  I think people are really seeing the consequences of pathologizing vulnerability.  At the core of Buddhism is the tender heart of sadness. I love the fact that Buddhism names it.   Suggested Resources Book: Outrageous Openness by Tasha Silver App: n/a  Related Episodes Second Sun Insights; Kristof Morrow Learn How To Shift; Amy Scruggs\\ Let Forgiveness Bring You Peace