Future Tripping
Laura van Dernoot Lipsky
Do you know anyone who doesn’t feel overwhelmed right now? Laura van Dernoot Lipsky is an internationally renowned trauma expert and bestselling author of Trauma Stewardship and The Age of Overwhelm. She has helped people and systems, for over three decades, find their way through really hard times. In this podcast, we will have conversations about what to do in the face of our overwhelm and how to do it, and we will be guided by listeners’ questions. Each week, Laura and a guest will discuss concrete strategies we can use to mitigate harm, cultivate our ability to bring our A-game to whatever we’re doing (or as close as we can get), and move beyond what can feel like permanent survival mode. Some weeks will be geared more towards adults, and others towards adolescents and anyone who loves, lives, or works with them. Together, we’ll focus on the merits of staying present, not missing out on today, and trying to avoid future tripping. We hope that Future Tripping will offer listeners insight into what is currently overwhelming them and tactical skills for both sustaining themselves and contributing, however much they’d like, to larger systemic and structural change.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Apr 28, 2022 • 1h 9min
Dr. Alexa Albert: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Narcissism [or at least what we could cover in an hour!]
In this episode Laura is in conversation with Dr. Alexa Albert, an expert on narcissism. They do a deep dive into what narcissism is, where it most often comes from, and how it manifests in a variety of relationships. Alexa shares her belief in the importance of “Getting a PhD in knowing yourself,” as navigating narcissism can be confusing, painful, and even - at times - dangerous. Listeners will leave with tangible and concrete strategies, and we hope this episode sheds some meaningful light on what so many of us have been - at one point or another - impacted by. To learn more about this podcast, Laura’s work, and The Trauma Stewardship Institute, or to email a question you'd like Laura and her guests to respond to, please click here, or call 360-228-5804 and leave us a voicemail.
Apr 21, 2022 • 1h 7min
Libby Ludlow: What Being An Olympian, Author & Mom Have In Common
Having meaningful goals and high expectations of ourselves - while remaining realistic and compassionate - is a delicate balance. This week Laura talks with Olympian and U.S. National Ski Team Champion, author, and mom, Libby Ludlow. They discuss her tremendous achievements, range of regrets, the merit in having a failure resume, and how living according to one’s personal values [as opposed to as if every day is your last] can help mitigate overwhelm. No need to have ever even seen snow for this conversation to resonate deeply.
Apr 14, 2022 • 1h 9min
6-year-old Casey and Mom Abigail: Challenges and Joys of Being Gender Expansive
In this not to be missed episode, we are joined by a very special guest. Laura talks with 6-year-old Casey and their mom, Abigail, about being non-binary and gender expansive. Casey generously shares with us their insights, experiences and advice for other children and adults. We even get some book recommendations! Abigail then offers us a window into their family’s journey and what it means to her to be a fierce advocate for creating a world where all children see themselves. To learn more about this podcast, Laura’s work, and The Trauma Stewardship Institute, or to email a question you'd like Laura and her guests to respond to, please click here, or call 360-228-5804 and leave us a voicemail.
Apr 7, 2022 • 1h 7min
Mallory: From the Air Force to the Airlines. For Anyone Who Travels on Planes, This Is for You.
In this episode Laura speaks with Mallory, a US Air Force veteran, flight attendant/trainer, and PhD candidate. They discuss the onslaught of new and overwhelming challenges that those in the aviation industry are facing, and the lack of systemic support. Mallory describes how isolating and dehumanizing the job can feel and she offers us all a checklist of things we can do to make everyone’s travel a little bit better.To learn more about this podcast, Laura’s work, and The Trauma Stewardship Institute, or to email a question you'd like Laura and her guests to respond to, please click here, or call 360-228-5804 and leave us a voicemail.
Mar 31, 2022 • 1h 4min
Tatum Dahl: Why Humor, Honesty & Empathy Matter
Tatum Dahl is a Social Media Maven and Influencer with hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram and millions of likes on Tik Tok. A recent college graduate, she has years of experience navigating public opinion and public scrutiny. In the often-overwhelming landscape of young adulthood, navigating one’s life privately can be daunting enough. In this episode Tatum and Laura talk about both the privilege and challenges of being in the spotlight on social media for millions to relate to, learn from, and - not infrequently - judge. She shares strategies for balancing the highlight reel nature of social media with being one’s authentic self, and for finding oneself after losing oneself in little, or big, ways.To learn more about this podcast, Laura’s work, and The Trauma Stewardship Institute, or to email a question you'd like Laura and her guests to respond to, please click here, or call 360-228-5804 and leave us a voicemail.
Mar 24, 2022 • 60min
Michele Storms: How to Future Plan [Instead of Trip]
How do we stay fully present, find joy in the moment and future plan, but not trip? Michele Storms, the Executive Director of ACLU WA, balances these coexisting necessities for progress with her tremendous leadership and wisdom. In this episode, Laura and Michele talk about how to keep colleagues hopeful and sustained through a commitment to a workplace culture that honors recharging, restoring, resourcing, and leading by example. The two social justice activists share how honoring their full range of feelings - including despair, anger and exhaustion - is critical. And, we are reminded to notice what’s good around us, really notice, whenever and however we can.To learn more about this podcast, Laura’s work, and The Trauma Stewardship Institute, or to email a question you'd like Laura and her guests to respond to, please click here, or call 360-228-5804 and leave us a voicemail.
Mar 17, 2022 • 1h 1min
Welela Solomon: Balancing Two Cultures and Becoming One Self
For most teenagers, standing at the threshold of adulthood is both exciting and overwhelming - especially right now with so much uncertainty in the future. In this episode, Laura talks with Welela, a high school senior and first-generation Ethiopian- American, about the fraught landscape of young adulthood. She shares with Laura the impact family, friends, traditional Ethiopian values, reflection and prayer have on her life. And how with humor she’s able to mitigate the overwhelm that feels ever-present, whether due to social media, being over-scheduled, or the push towards perfectionism.To learn more about this podcast, Laura’s work, and The Trauma Stewardship Institute, or to email a question you'd like Laura and her guests to respond to, please click here, or call 360-228-5804 and leave us a voicemail.
Mar 10, 2022 • 58min
Dr. Vance Vredenburg: Frogs, Fear, and Finding Hope Amid Despair
Remaining optimistic in the face of our current climate crisis can seem like an impossibility. In this episode Laura talks with world-renowned scientist Dr. Vance Vredenburg about everything from the origins of his love of nature as a child in Mexico, to his fight to save a species, to becoming one of the first scientists to recognize the sixth mass extinction. Together they discuss the importance of using scientific knowledge for positive impact and change, and how small accomplishments can keep overwhelm at bay. To learn more about this podcast, Laura’s work, and The Trauma Stewardship Institute, or to email a question you'd like Laura and her guests to respond to, please click here, or call 360-228-5804 and leave us a voicemail.
Mar 3, 2022 • 1h 9min
Flynn David Resnick: Redefining What It Means To Be a Survivor
Transitions are often overwhelming. In this episode, Laura and Flynn dive in, covering grief to growth, pandemic isolation to reconnection, and adolescence to young adulthood. Flynn, a college student in NYC, shares about being the only trans person in his high school, surviving sexual assault, losing his beloved mother, and moving across the country to start film school. Together they reflect on how small strategies can have big impacts on mitigating overwhelm and bringing new perspectives. To learn more about this podcast, Laura’s work, and The Trauma Stewardship Institute, or to email a question you'd like Laura and her guests to respond to, please click here, or call 360-228-5804 and leave a voicemail.
Feb 24, 2022 • 1h 21min
Elizabeth, a Trauma ICU Nurse: How We Harm Our Healthcare Workers & What We Can All Do Differently
This week Laura talks to Elizabeth, a trauma ICU nurse, about the extreme lack of support for healthcare workers who are exposed to trauma, grief and loss day after day - for years - as they care for patients. Elizabeth shares the challenges of working within this trauma while also navigating her daily life and the world around her. Whether living with Post Traumatic Stress, a heightened startle reflex, panic attacks, or intentionally distancing from their own loved ones for the benefit of public health, she describes the fracturing impact of all that is unfolding. Laura shares about her own years working in a level one Trauma Center and emphasizes how reconciling daily workplace exposure cannot be about self care, but instead must come from changes in healthcare systems and structures.Through their conversation, they offer us strategies to sustain ourselves during our own challenges, with humor and an abiding sense of humanity.
