My Radio Show
On my radio show, Relationships 2.0, I interview guests who present their unique perspectives and expertise on topics that cover all aspects of relationships. The authors and experts I chat with offer advice and tips for understanding ourselves and others better.
The show airs Thursdays on:
AM 1520 / 99.5 FM – Las Vegas, NV – 8:00 AM (PT)
101.5 FM – Long Beach, CA – 8:00 AM (PT)
96.3 FM – Boulder, CO – 9:00 AM (MT)
87.9 FM – Colorado Springs, CO – 9:00 AM (MT)
90.3 FM – Milwaukee, WI – 10:00 AM (CT)
AM 810 / 87.9 FM – Macon, GA – 11:00 AM (ET)
94.7 FM – Pittsburgh, PA – 11:00 AM (ET)
AM 1640 / 102.1 FM – Lancaster, PA – 11:00 AM (ET)
AM 1630 / 102.1 FM – Tampa, FL – 11:00 AM (ET)
90.3 FM – Jacksonville, FL – 11:00 AM (ET)
If you missed the radio station broadcasts, you can download my podcasts from iTunes, or go to the podcast archive page. Some past shows are also available on the video archive page.
Or subscribe to my podcast
If you would like to search for a past show using keywords, see my blog.
JULY – SEPTEMBER, 2015
Relationships 2.0 on Tuesday September 22, 2015
This week my guest is David Helvarg author of Saved By The Sea: Hope, Heartbreak and Wonder in the Blue World.
About the book:
Acclaimed as “the premier chronicler of America’s complex relationship with our oceans” (Honolulu Weekly), David Helvarg has also been a war correspondent, investigative journalist, documentary producer, and private investigator. The one constant in his adventurous life has been love for the sea. His personal story of love, loss, and redemption, Saved by the Sea is also a profound, startling, and sometimes funny reflection on the state of our seas and the intimate ways in which our lives are linked to the natural world around us.
About the author:
David Helvarg is President of the Blue Frontier Campaign (www.bluefront.org) and the author of six books, Blue Frontier, The War Against the Greens, 50 Ways to Save the Ocean, Rescue Warriors, Saved by the Sea and The Golden Shore. He’s editor of the Ocean and Coastal Conservation Guide, organizer of ‘Blue Vision’ Summits for ocean activists and the Peter Benchley Ocean Awards, the world’s top marine conservation prize. He’s winner of Coastal Living Magazine‘s 2005 Leadership Award and the 2007 Herman Melville literary Award. Helvarg worked as a war correspondent in Northern Ireland and Central America, covered a range of issues from military science to the AIDS epidemic, and reported from every continent including Antarctica. An award-winning journalist, he produced more than 40 broadcast documentaries for PBS, The Discovery Channel, and others. His print work has appeared in publications including The New York Times, LA Times, Smithsonian, Popular Science, Sierra and Parade. He’s done radio work for Marketplace, AP radio, and Pacifica. He’s led workshops for journalists in Poland, Turkey, Tunisia, Slovakia and Washington DC. He is a licensed Private Investigator, body-surfer and scuba diver.
Relationships 2.0 on Tuesday September 15, 2015
This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Amy J. L. Baker, PhD author of Getting Through My Parents’ Divorce: A Workbook for Children Coping with Divorce, Parental Alienation, and Loyalty Conflicts.
About the book:
Is your child stuck in the middle of a high-conflict divorce? In Getting Through My Parents’ Divorce, two psychologists and experts in parental alienation offer a fun and engaging workbook to help kids work through stressful or confusing emotions and feel safe and loved—no matter what.
Divorce is never easy. But for kids who have parents in conflict with one another, or where one parent is so hostile that he or she is actively trying to undermine the kids’ relationship with the other parent, divorce can be unbearable. This workbook is designed especially for kids, and includes helpful tips and exercises to help them deal with the negative impact of custody disputes, understand and identify their feelings, learn to cope with stress and other complex emotions, and feel secure.
Written by two leading experts in child psychology, this easy-to-use workbook includes a number of helpful suggestions to guide children though a number of possible scenarios, such as what to do if one parent says mean and untrue things about the other parent; what to do if a parent asks them to keep secrets from another parent; or what to do if one parent attempts to replace the other parent with a new spouse.
If you have or know a child that is dealing with a difficult divorce, this workbook will give them the tools needed to move past loyalty conflicts and the difficult emotions that can arise when parents don’t get along.
About the author:
Amy J. L. Baker PhD is a national expert on parental alienation and author of Adult Children of Parental Alienation Syndome. Baker has a PhD in human development from Teachers College, Columbia University.
Relationships 2.0 on Tuesday September 8, 2015
This week my guest is Stephanie Sarkis, PhD author of Natural Relief for Adult ADHD: Complementary Strategies for Increasing Focus, Attention, and Motivation With and Without Medication.
About the book:
For some people with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), medication may not be the right answer, and for others, medication alone may not be enough. Natural Relief for Adult ADHD offers an accessible, research-based guide on the most effective non-medication treatments for ADHD.
If you have ADHD, you may find it hard to stay focused on one thing and have trouble with time management and organization. You may also act on impulse—often with negative results. Whether you’re in treatment, on medication, or are looking for alternative ways to get your symptoms under control, this book will provide you with sound, complementary strategies to increase your focus, get organized, and stay motivated.
In the book, you’ll find a ton of information on how to manage your ADHD, such as body awareness techniques to prevent sensory overstimulation common in ADHD; working memory training; massage, acupuncture, acupressure, chiropractic treatment; how food additives can affect ADHD symptoms, particularly certain pesticides; how to incorporate organic food into the diet while on a budget; and much, much more.
If you are looking for proven-effective alternative treatments to get your ADHD under control and take back your life, this book will be your go-to guide.
About the author:
Stephanie Moulton Sarkis, PhD, is an adjunct assistant professor and a clinical trials subinvestigator at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL. She is author of 10 Simple Solutions to Adult ADD, Adult ADD: A Guide for the Newly Diagnosed, Making the Grade with ADD, and ADD and Your Money, as well as a blogger for The Huffington Post and Psychology Today. She is a nationally certified counselor and a licensed mental health counselor, and has a private counseling practice where she specializes in ADHD counseling and coaching. She won the American Psychological Association Outstanding Dissertation Award in 2001 for her research on ADHD and executive functions. Sarkis received her PhD from the University of Florida in 2002. She has been published in the Journal of Attention Disorders, The ADHD Report, and numerous other publications. She lectures internationally on ADHD, and has been featured on many media networks. She is the founder of the Moulton-Farnsworth Scholarship for college students with ADHD. She can be contacted at www.stephaniesarkis.com.
Relationships 2.0 on Tuesday September 1, 2015
This week my guest is Dr. Victoria Dunckley author of Reset Your Child’s Brain: A Four-Week Plan to End Meltdowns, Raise Grades, and Boost Social Skills by Reversing the Effects of Electronic Screen-Time.
About the book:
A no-cost, nonpharmaceutical treatment plan for children with behavioral and mental health challenges.
Increasing numbers of parents grapple with children who are acting out without obvious reason. Revved up and irritable, many of these children are diagnosed with ADHD, bipolar illness, autism, or other disorders but don’t respond well to treatment. They are then medicated, often with poor results and unwanted side effects. Based on emerging scientific research and extensive clinical experience, integrative child psychiatrist Dr. Victoria Dunckley has pioneered a four-week program to treat the frequent underlying cause, Electronic Screen Syndrome (ESS).
Dr. Dunckley has found that everyday use of interactive screen devices — such as computers, video games, smartphones, and tablets — can easily overstimulate a child’s nervous system, triggering a variety of stubborn symptoms. In contrast, she’s discovered that a strict electronic fast single-handedly improves mood, focus, sleep, and behavior, regardless of the child’s diagnosis.
Offered now in this book, this simple intervention can produce a life-changing shift in brain function — all without cost or medication. Dr. Dunckley provides hope for parents who feel that their child has been misdiagnosed or inappropriately medicated, by presenting an alternative explanation for their child’s difficulties and a concrete plan for treating them.
About the author:
Victoria L. Dunckley, M.D., author of “Reset Your Child’s Brain,” is an award-winning integrative child psychiatrist who specializes in children with complex or treatment-resistant mental health conditions. By combining conventional and complementary methods with lifestyle interventions, she aims to optimize treatment while minimizing the need for psychotropic medication. She consults regularly with schools, multi-disciplinary treatment teams, and the courts, and is a sought-after expert regarding the physiological impact of screen-time on the developing nervous system.
A regular speaker for parents’ groups and health clinicians, she is also a frequent media contributor for outlets such as the Today show, NBC National News, and the Investigation Discovery channel. Clinically, she divides her practice between the private and public sectors in Los Angeles.
After studying biology at the University of California San Diego, Dr. Dunckley pursued her medical training at Albany Medical College in New York, then returned to the west coast for her psychiatric residency and child & adolescent psychiatry fellowship at U.C. Irvine’s Neuropsychiatric Center. She’s since worked in a variety of community mental health settings including residential treatment centers, clinics catering to adoptive, foster, and transitional age youths, and Regional Centers serving clients with neurodevelopmental disabilities. In her private practice she has extensive experience treating tics & Tourette Syndrome, ADHD, bipolar disorder, attachment disorder, and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). Whether in the private or public setting, she’s known for going the extra mile to help each patient achieve his or her maximum potential.
Out of an overwhelming need, Dr. Dunckley developed the Save Your Child’s Brain program in 2010 to offer the general public the pioneering program she was using with her patients to address overstimulation from screen-time, a phenomenon she coined “Electronic Screen Syndrome.” Now called the Reset Program, she has utilized this program to help more than 500 children, teens, and young adults who weren’t responding to conventional treatment alone.
In recent years Dr. Dunckley began studying the interface between integrative medicine and psychiatry more formally, and in 2012 became board-certified by the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine. She has been a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry for more than thirteen years. The winner of numerous awards from Vitals.com, she was also named one of America’s Top Psychiatrists by the Consumer’s Research Council of America.
Relationships 2.0 on Tuesday August 25, 2015
This week I have two special guests, Emily Roberts author of Express Yourself: A Teen Girl’s Guide to Speaking Up and Being Who You Are; and my daughter, Kelly Skeen, co-author of the forthcoming book Communication Skills for Teens: How to Listen, Express and Connect for Success.
The three of us will be discussing: What your communication style says about you. How you express yourself when you communicate in person and via technology. What mistakes you may be making that are tarnishing your reputation and straining your relationships with others. We will also discuss how to keep relationships with (friends, family, romantic partners & colleagues) strong with technology. How can we use technology appropriately.
About Emily’s book:
Being a teen girl isn’t easy—so learning skills to feel confident is key! In Express Yourself, psychotherapist Emily Roberts will teach you how to communicate effectively and feel assertive in any situation. Whether it’s online or at school, with friends, parents, bullies, cliques or crushes—any tricky situation life throws yours way.
Many teen girls feel pressured to be nice, rather than assert their opinions. They may fear being called bossy or pushy when speaking their mind or offering a different point of view. If you have ever stopped yourself from expressing your opinion, you know how bad it can feel afterward. Don’t let yourself fall into that same trap over and over. Your thoughts and feelings matter just as much as everyone else’s—you just need to find your voice.
Express Yourself offers skills based in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you create positive interactions with others and deal with difficult emotions that can arise from bullying or dealing with mean girls. The book also provides easy-to-use strategies that will boost your self-esteem and confidence, and you’ll discover tons of assertive communication skills you can use every day, including how to speak up when you are upset, asking for what you want in a clear assertive manner, and coping when intense emotions threaten to take over and sabotage your relationships.
In our modern world of social media and texting, strong communication skills are needed more than ever. This book will not only give you the tools needed to speak up in everyday or difficult situations, but it will also provide powerful advice for effectively communicating in the digital world.
About Michelle and Kelly’s book:
Communication is an essential life skill that every teen must learn. Based on the New Harbinger classic, Messages, this book will teach you the necessary skills—such as assertiveness, active listening, and compassion—to become an effective communicator for life.
In an age of social media, texting, and ever-evolving technology, it’s easy to forget how to engage in real, face-to-face communication, a critical skill for your future success! As you become more connected to your smartphone and the internet, your ability to connect in person may diminish. But technology doesn’t replace the need for effective communication skills. In fact, successful personal and professional relationships are dependent upon connecting with people face-to-face.
Communication Skills for Teens provides the guidance you need to become a better communicator and succeed in all areas of life. You’ll also learn tons of essential life skills, including active listening, assertiveness, clarifying language, the art of an apology, compassion, interviewing skills, family communication, and more. Each chapter focuses on one key aspect of communication, offers a real teen’s perspective, and includes practical exercises to help you apply what you’ve learned in the real world—away from your computer and smartphone screens.
By following the practical, skills-based tips in each chapter of this book, you’ll learn powerful communication techniques to last a lifetime.
Relationships 2.0 on Tuesday August 18, 2015
This week my guest is Lara Honos-Webb, PhD author of The Gift of Adult ADD: How To Transform Your Challenges & Build on Your Strengths.
About the book:
If you have attention deficit disorder (ADD), you may act impulsively, daydream, and have trouble focusing, but clinical studies suggest that these same symptoms may make you exceptionally creative, intuitive, and energetic. In fact, many people with ADD claim to have become successful because of their ADD, not in spite of it.
In The Gift of Adult ADD, Lara Honos-Webb adapts the revolutionary approach first introduced in the parenting book The Gift of ADHD to the lives of adults with ADD. Instead of focusing on your weaknesses, this book shows you how to transform symptoms into strengths to improve your relationships, job performance, parenting skills, and overall quality of life. You’ll also read inspiring stories of real people with ADD who have become successful in part because of their ability to meet the challenges of ADD and make the most of its gifts.
From the author:
I’m a psychologist, author, speaker, mother and wife. My areas of expertise are ADHD, Depression, Balance in Motherhood and mind-body connection in physical illness. The Gift of ADHD was featured in Newsweek, Wall Street Journal, Publisher’s weekly as well as newspapers, radio and tv across the country.
I have a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and did my postdoc at the University of California San Francisco.
Learn more about my work at www.visionarysoul.com
Relationships 2.0 on Tuesday August 11, 2015
This week my guest is Arnie Kozak, PhD author of The Awakened Introvert: Practical Mindfulness Skills to Help You Maximize Your Strengths & Thrive in a Loud & Crazy World.
About the book:
Introverts are powerful observers and creators. If you are an introvert, this book will show you how to tap into your inherent introvert strengths and “awaken” your potential using mindfulness meditations and cognitive behavioral techniques.
In a world that favors the outgoing, gregarious extrovert, being an introvert can be difficult. But the truth is that introverts have distinct advantages—as long as they know how to use them. Unlike extroverts, who draw their energy from social interaction, your energy comes from quiet reflection. Is it any wonder then, that mindfulness can help you hone your natural talents?
In The Awakened Introvert, mindfulness expert and card-carrying introvert Arnie Kozak provides a comprehensive set of mindfulness and cognitive behavioral tools to help you maximize your introvert strengths (such as rich access to your interior) while minimizing your introvert weaknesses (such as a tendency toward worry and rumination). In the book, you’ll learn powerful strategies to help you monitor your energy; recharge after social interactions; improve social and communication skills; and take advantage of your capacity for quiet reflection, and sweet, sweet solitude.
If you’re looking to unlock the full potential of your unique introvert brain, this book provides a fun, practical, and authentic “user’s manual.”
About the author:
Long before mindfulness was fashionable, Arnie Kozak, was studying, practicing, and teaching mindfulness and Buddhist psychology. Beginning with a journey to India in the 80’s, Arnie began his lifelong practice in mindfulness meditation. Intent on finding a way to bring the practical healing attributes of mindfulness he began incorporating these techniques in his private practice. In 2002 Dr. Kozak created Exquisite Mind in Burlington, Vermont as a vehicle that could expand the value of mindfulness to larger audiences including professionals and corporations, health care providers, public groups and, most recently with Exquisite Mind Golf, amateur and professional golfers. His first book, Wild Chickens and Petty Tyrants: 108 Metaphors for Mindfulness (Wisdom Publications, 2009) is a thoughtful, funny, and inspiring translation of mindfulness practice through the inventive use of metaphor applicable to our daily lives. It has been translated into three languages. His second book, The Everything Buddhism Book, is an accessible introduction to the Buddha’s wisdom and the Buddhist traditions. The Everything Guide to the Introvert Edge and Mindfulness A-Z: 108 Insights for Awakening Now are forthcoming books. Arnie’s ability to translate ancient healing traditions into pragmatic applications suitable for modern lifestyles through the use of metaphors have made him a contributing voice in the Mindfulness Revolution.
Relationships 2.0 on Tuesday August 4, 2015
This week on Relationships 2.0 my guest is Alan Fox, author of People Tools for Love and Relationships: The Journey from Me to Us.
About the book:
Alan C. Fox has inspired thousands of readers with the invaluable advice and engaging stories in his two bestselling books People Tools and People Tools for Business. Now he is back with the ultimate guide to a better life: People Tools for Love and Relationships: The Journey from Me to Us.
Alan is a master at building relationships. In People Tools for Love and Relationships he reveals time-proven techniques that you can use to enhance your connection with your partner, your family, your friends and everyone who is important to you.
Each chapter of the book illustrates a different “People Tool” using insightful stories and amusing anecdotes from Alan’s life. From learning how to talk about money with your partner, how and when to apologize, to increasing trust and intimacy, each tool addresses a specific relationship issue and provides a simple, straightforward approach that you can adopt to create a positive result.
Some of the useful People Tools in the book include:
- How to be the right person. To build a successful life partnership, it’s more important to learn to be the right person than it is to find the right person.
- The Best Defense is No Defense. While having a strong defense is helpful on the battlefield, being defensive in your relationships can cause serious problems.
- With All Faults. No one is perfect. In any relationship it is important to accept your partner as they are, including their faults.
- Catch Them Being Better. Rather than criticizing your partner for the qualities you might not like, try complimenting them for what you appreciate.
These easy-to-use tools will help you form deeper connections and grow closer to the people in your life. Let Alan Fox expertly guide you on the journey from me to us. People Tools for Love and Relationships is the ultimate guide to better, more fulfilling relationships.
About the author:
Entrepreneur, philanthropist, mentor and relationship expert Alan C. Fox has graduate degrees in counseling, law, and professional writing. His first book People Tools: 54 Strategies for Building Relationships, Creating Joy, and Embracing Prosperity, became a New York Times bestseller, followed by his next bestselling book People Tools for Business: 50 Strategies for Building Success, Creating Wealth, and Finding Happiness. Alan’s tools, crafted over decades, have helped him achieve success in all aspects of life – from business to marriage to parenting six children, two stepchildren, and one foster child. Alan and his wife are based in Los Angeles. To learn more about Alan and People Tools, visit www.peopletoolsbook.com.
Relationships 2.0 on Tuesday July 28, 2015
This week my guest is Dzung X. Vo, MD, FAAP, author of The Mindful Teen: Powerful Skills to Help You Handle Stress One Moment at a Time.
About the book:
In this powerful book, a pediatrician specializing in teen and adolescent medicine offers a breakthrough mindfulness program to help you deal with stress in healthy ways, improve communication, and reduce conflicts with family and friends.
Being a teen is stressful! Whether it’s school, friends, or dating, the teen years are full of difficult changes—both mentally and physically. If you’re like many teens, you may have difficulty dealing with stress in effective ways. You aren’t alone, and there are things you can do to stay calm, no matter how stressful life becomes. All you need to do is stop, breathe, and be mindful and aware in the present moment.
The Mindful Teen offers a unique program based in mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) to help you deal with stress. The simple, practical, and easy-to-remember tips in this book can be used every day to help you handle any difficult situation more effectively—whether it’s taking a test at school, having a disagreement with your parents, or a problem you are having with friends.
If you’re ready to uncover your own inner strength and resilience through mindful awareness and take charge of your life, this book will show you how.
About the author:
Dzung X. Vo, MD, FAAP, is a pediatrician specializing in adolescent medicine at British Columbia Children’s Hospital, and clinical assistant professor at the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine, Vancouver, Canada. His medical practice, teaching, and research emphasize promoting resilience in young people to help them thrive in the face of complex stress and adversity. He has helped to develop and teach mindfulness training programs for youth with chronic stress, chronic pain, depression, and anxiety. You can find him online at www.mindfulnessforteens.com.
Relationships 2.0 on Tuesday July 21, 2015
This week my guest is Emily Roberts MA LPD, author of Express Yourself: A Teen Girl’s Guide to Speaking Up and Being Who You Are.
About the book:
Being a teen girl isn’t easy—so learning skills to feel confident is key! In Express Yourself, psychotherapist Emily Roberts will teach you how to communicate effectively and feel assertive in any situation. Whether it’s online or at school, with friends, parents, bullies, cliques or crushes—any tricky situation life throws yours way.
Many teen girls feel pressured to be nice, rather than assert their opinions. They may fear being called bossy or pushy when speaking their mind or offering a different point of view. If you have ever stopped yourself from expressing your opinion, you know how bad it can feel afterward. Don’t let yourself fall into that same trap over and over. Your thoughts and feelings matter just as much as everyone else’s—you just need to find your voice.
Express Yourself offers skills based in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you create positive interactions with others and deal with difficult emotions that can arise from bullying or dealing with mean girls. The book also provides easy-to-use strategies that will boost your self-esteem and confidence, and you’ll discover tons of assertive communication skills you can use every day, including how to speak up when you are upset, asking for what you want in a clear assertive manner, and coping when intense emotions threaten to take over and sabotage your relationships.
In our modern world of social media and texting, strong communication skills are needed more than ever. This book will not only give you the tools needed to speak up in everyday or difficult situations, but it will also provide powerful advice for effectively communicating in the digital world.
About the author:
Emily Roberts, MA, LPC, is not your average psychotherapist. She splits her time between working in New York City and Austin, Texas. She has positioned herself as both a mental health expert and liaison between girls and their parents, with an emphasis on healthy and effective communication skills. She created The Guidance Girl as a brand to help girls, women, and parents feel confident and gain the skills they need to live happy and healthy lives.
Emily is aware of the challenges faced by both teens and women, and has built a practice by positioning herself as therapeutic mentor and consultant. Emily is a media contributor and is a regular guest on HLN’s Dr. Drew on Call, educational speaker, author of several blogs and articles including HealthyPlace.com‘s Building Self-Esteem Neurogistics Corporation. You will find Emily leading groups for girls as young as young as five and as old as 40, as well as parents and educators on topics including: technology, self-esteem, trauma, dialectical behavior therapy skills (DBT), confidence, leadership, friendship skills, and stress reduction activities with an emphasis on creating healthy boundaries with technology.
Relationships 2.0 on Tuesday July 14, 2015
This week my guest is Kim Schneiderman, author of Step Out of Your Story: Writing Exercises to Reframe and Transform Your Life.
About the book:
Every day we relate stories about our highs and lows, relationships and jobs, heartaches and joys. But do we ever consider the choices we make about how to tell our story? In this groundbreaking book, Kim Schneiderman shows us that by choosing a different version we can redirect our energy and narrative toward our desires and goals. She presents character development workouts and life-affirming, liberating exercises for retelling our stories to find redemptive silver linings and reshape our lives.
As both a therapist and a writer, Schneiderman knows the power of story. By employing the storytelling techniques she offers, you’ll learn to view your life as a work in progress and understand big-picture story lines in ways that allow you to easily steer your actions and relationships toward redefined — and realistic — “happy endings.”
About the author:
Kim Schneiderman, LCSW, MSW, is a psychotherapist, workshop facilitator, former journalist, and spiritual essayist who lives and works in New York City. She writes a psychological advice column for the New York, Boston, and Philadelphia Metro daily newspapers metro.us/newyork, which have an aggregate circulation of roughly 4,000,000 readers. She counsels adults through her private psychotherapy practice and has facilitated therapeutic writing groups at the 92nd Street Y, the JCC in Manhattan, FEGS Health and Human Services, the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services (JBFCS), the Association of Spirituality and Psychotherapy (ASP), Art Studio NY, Limmud New York, and various other venues. She has worked as an adjunct professor for the Long Island University’s School of Social Work and served as a Guest Lecturer for NYU’s Post-Graduate Social Work and Spiritual Care certificate program, a program she also completed. Ms. Schneiderman has written dozens of freelance articles, including cover stories, for major Jewish newspapers, including The Jewish Week, the Baltimore Jewish Times, the Northern California Jewish Bulletin, and Aish.com. Her blog, “The Novel Perspective,” is popular on the Psychology Today website. For more information, visit her website at stepoutofyourstory.com
Relationships 2.0 on Tuesday July 7, 2015
This week I will be playing a “best of…” because I will be at a meditation retreat all week. In honor of my Zen Buddhist teacher, Karen Maezen Miller, who I will be sitting with, I am replaying my interview with her about her book Paradise in Plain Sight: Lessons from a Zen Garden.
From my heart hugs post:
I’ve met some amazing people who are engaged in life changing work as a result of my radio show. One of them is Karen Maezen Miller. Her publishing company, New World Library, sent me a copy of her most recent book, Paradise in Plain Sight, to see if I would be interested in having her on my radio show. At first glance, I felt neutral about interviewing someone about gardening. Lesson one, don’t judge a book by its cover! When I started reading the book I felt almost immediately connected to her and the message in her book. I couldn’t put it down. I cried at various parts in the book and I cried when I finished reading it. Then I interviewed Maezen about her book for my radio show (6/10/14). Her voice was familiar and comforting to me. I felt a deep connection. We communicated by email after our on-air chat. I booked her for another radio show to discuss one of her other books, Hand Wash Cold (7/15/14). I was deeply touched again by her writing. She told me that my heart was calling me to go see her. She was right, so I signed up for a beginner’s mind retreat at Hazy Moon Zen Center hazymoon.com in Los Angeles. Connecting with Maezen in person and meditating with her was (and is) a powerful experience. It led me to a longer meditation retreat with her at Black Scorpion Zen Center blackscorpiontemple.com in Tepoztlan, Mexico. And, another retreat with her a Copper Beech Institute copperbeechinstitute.org in Hartford, Connecticut. I continue to schedule retreats with her. Maezen and meditation have changed my life!
About the book:
When Zen teacher Karen Maezen Miller and her family land in a house with a hundred-year-old Japanese garden, she uses the paradise in her backyard to glean the living wisdom of our natural world. Through her eyes, rocks convey faith, ponds preach stillness, flowers give love, and leaves express the effortless ease of letting go. The book welcomes readers into the garden for Zen lessons in fearlessness, forgiveness, presence, acceptance, and contentment. Miller gathers inspiration from the ground beneath her feet to remind us that paradise is always here and now.
About the author:
Karen Maezen Miller is a wife and mother as well as a Zen Buddhist priest at the Hazy Moon Zen Center in Los Angeles. She and her family live in Sierra Madre, California, with a century-old Japanese garden in their backyard. She writes about spirituality in everyday life. She is the author of Paradise in Plain Sight: Lessons from a Zen Garden, Hand Wash Cold: Care Instructions for an Ordinary Life, Momma Zen: Walking the Crooked Path of Motherhood, and her writing is included in numerous anthologies.
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