

CIIS Public Programs
CIIS Public Programs
This is a podcast for people who are curious about the world and themselves featuring talks and conversations presented by the Public Programs department of California Institute of Integral Studies, a non-profit university in San Francisco. Listen here or on your favorite podcast app to a diverse array of visionaries, artists, and scholars sharing compelling experiences, offering new perspectives, and expanding creative horizons.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 18, 2025 • 1h 5min
Rōshi Norma Wong: An Indigenous & Zen Perspective on Living Into a World Beyond Crisis
Some podcast apps may not display links from our show notes properly, so we have included a list of links at the end of this description.
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In this episode, 86th generation Zen master and Indigenous Hawaiian leader Rōshi Norma Wong is joined by CIIS Associate Professor Sonya Shah for an illuminating conversation exploring spiritual activism and how to envision co-creating new worlds from one in crisis.
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They discuss Norma’s latest book, When No Thing Works, in which she inquiries into the ways we can live well and maintain our wholeness in an era of collective acceleration and explores ways we can step out of urgency to tend to our crises with wisdom, intention, and care.
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This episode was recorded during a live online event on January 22nd, 2025. You can also watch it on the CIIS Public Programs YouTube channel. A transcript is available at ciispod.com. To find out more about CIIS and public programs like this one, visit our website ciis.edu and connect with us on social media @ciispubprograms.
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We hope that each episode of our podcast provides opportunities for growth, and that our listeners will use them as a starting point for further introspection. Many of the topics discussed on our podcast have the potential to bring up feelings and emotional responses. If you or someone you know is in need of mental health care and support, here are some resources to find immediate help and future healing:
*
-Visit 988lifeline.org or text, call, or chat with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 from anywhere in the U.S. to be connected immediately with a trained counselor. Please note that 988 staff are required to take all action necessary to secure the safety of a caller and initiate emergency response with or without the caller’s consent if they are unwilling or unable to take action on their own behalf.
*
-Visit thrivelifeline.org or text “THRIVE” to begin a conversation with a THRIVE Lifeline crisis responder 24/7/365, from anywhere: +1.313.662.8209. This confidential text line is available for individuals 18+ and is staffed by people in STEMM with marginalized identities.
*
-Visit translifeline.org or call (877) 565-8860 in the U.S. or (877) 330-6366 in Canada to learn more and contact Trans Lifeline, who provides trans peer support divested from police.
*
-Visit ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics to learn more and schedule counseling sessions at one of our centers.
*
-Find information about additional global helplines at befrienders.org.
*
LINKS
*
Podcast Transcripts: https://www.ciispod.com/
*
California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) Website: https://www.ciis.edu/
*
CIIS Public Programs YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ciispublicprograms
*
CIIS Public Programs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciispubprograms/
*
Mental Health Care and Support Resources:
https://988lifeline.org/
https://thrivelifeline.org/
https://translifeline.org/
https://www.ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics
https://befrienders.org/

Mar 10, 2025 • 1h 1min
Sasha Sagan: For Small Creatures Such As We
Some podcast apps may not display links from our show notes properly, so we have included a list of links at the end of this description.
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As we approach the first season change of the year, we are finding ourselves inclined to revisit this conversation centered on time and ritual featuring author Sasha Sagan and CIIS Interdisciplinary Arts professor Carolyn Cooke.
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Sasha Sagan was raised by secular parents, the astronomer Carl Sagan and the writer and producer Ann Druyan. They taught her that the natural world and vast cosmos are full of profound beauty, that science reveals truths more wondrous than any myth or fable.
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When Sasha herself became a mother, she began her own hunt for the natural phenomena behind our most treasured occasions—from births to deaths, holidays to weddings, anniversaries, and more—growing these roots into a new set of rituals for her young daughter that honor the joy and significance of each experience without relying on religious frameworks.
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Sasha’s first book, For Small Creatures Such As We, is part memoir, part guidebook, and part social history—a luminous exploration of Earth’s marvels that require no faith in order to be believed.
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This episode was recorded during a live online event on October 10th, 2019. You can also watch it on the CIIS Public Programs YouTube channel. To find out more about CIIS and public programs like this one, visit our website ciis.edu and connect with us on social media @ciispubprograms.
*
We hope that each episode of our podcast provides opportunities for growth, and that our listeners will use them as a starting point for further introspection. Many of the topics discussed on our podcast have the potential to bring up feelings and emotional responses. If you or someone you know is in need of mental health care and support, here are some resources to find immediate help and future healing:
*
-Visit 988lifeline.org or text, call, or chat with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 from anywhere in the U.S. to be connected immediately with a trained counselor. Please note that 988 staff are required to take all action necessary to secure the safety of a caller and initiate emergency response with or without the caller’s consent if they are unwilling or unable to take action on their own behalf.
*
-Visit thrivelifeline.org or text “THRIVE” to begin a conversation with a THRIVE Lifeline crisis responder 24/7/365, from anywhere: +1.313.662.8209. This confidential text line is available for individuals 18+ and is staffed by people in STEMM with marginalized identities.
*
-Visit translifeline.org or call (877) 565-8860 in the U.S. or (877) 330-6366 in Canada to learn more and contact Trans Lifeline, who provides trans peer support divested from police.
*
-Visit ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics to learn more and schedule counseling sessions at one of our centers.
*
-Find information about additional global helplines at befrienders.org.
*
LINKS
*
Podcast Transcripts: https://www.ciispod.com/
*
California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) Website: https://www.ciis.edu/
*
CIIS Public Programs YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ciispublicprograms
*
CIIS Public Programs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciispubprograms/
*
Mental Health Care and Support Resources:
https://988lifeline.org/
https://thrivelifeline.org/
https://translifeline.org/
https://www.ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics
https://befrienders.org/

Mar 4, 2025 • 1h 2min
Michelle Tea: On Modern Magic
Some podcast apps may not display links from our show notes properly, so we have included a list of links at the end of this description.
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Michelle Tea is best known for her book, Modern Tarot, which is now a cult classic. Her latest book, Modern Magic, explores her magical roots. Sharing how she crafted her own magical practice, Michelle offers a framework to tap into the distinctive magic that lies within each of us, a framework that incorporates queer, feminist, anti-racist, and intersectional values.
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In this episode, self-described DIY witch, professional tarot reader, author, and feminist icon Michelle Tea is joined by arts-based, psychedelic-assisted ancestral psychotherapist Camara Meri Rajaberi for an illuminating conversation that explores modern magic.
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This episode was recorded during a live online event on November 6th, 2024. You can also watch it on the CIIS Public Programs YouTube channel. A transcript is available at ciispod.com. To find out more about CIIS and public programs like this one, visit our website ciis.edu and connect with us on social media @ciispubprograms.
*
We hope that each episode of our podcast provides opportunities for growth, and that our listeners will use them as a starting point for further introspection. Many of the topics discussed on our podcast have the potential to bring up feelings and emotional responses. If you or someone you know is in need of mental health care and support, here are some resources to find immediate help and future healing:
*
-Visit 988lifeline.org or text, call, or chat with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 from anywhere in the U.S. to be connected immediately with a trained counselor. Please note that 988 staff are required to take all action necessary to secure the safety of a caller and initiate emergency response with or without the caller’s consent if they are unwilling or unable to take action on their own behalf.
*
-Visit thrivelifeline.org or text “THRIVE” to begin a conversation with a THRIVE Lifeline crisis responder 24/7/365, from anywhere: +1.313.662.8209. This confidential text line is available for individuals 18+ and is staffed by people in STEMM with marginalized identities.
*
-Visit translifeline.org or call (877) 565-8860 in the U.S. or (877) 330-6366 in Canada to learn more and contact Trans Lifeline, who provides trans peer support divested from police.
*
-Visit ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics to learn more and schedule counseling sessions at one of our centers.
*
-Find information about additional global helplines at befrienders.org.
*
LINKS
*
Podcast Transcripts: https://www.ciispod.com/
*
California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) Website: https://www.ciis.edu/
*
CIIS Public Programs YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ciispublicprograms
*
CIIS Public Programs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciispubprograms/
*
Mental Health Care and Support Resources:
https://988lifeline.org/
https://thrivelifeline.org/
https://translifeline.org/
https://www.ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics
https://befrienders.org/

Feb 26, 2025 • 58min
Dr. Betty Martin: On the Wheel of Consent
Some podcast apps may not display links from our show notes properly, so we have included a list of links at the end of this description.
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For over 40 years somatic sex educator Dr. Betty Martin has explored the nuances of consent. In her framework and book, The Wheel of Consent, Dr. Martin traces the fundamental roots of consent back to our childhood conditioning. As children, many are taught that to be “good” we must ignore our body’s discomfort and be compliant. As adults, this conditioning remains with us until we unlearn it. The implications of this approach to consent education extends beyond touch and intimate relationships. When we forget how to notice what we really want, we lose our inner compass. When we continue to go along with things we don’t feel are right, we lose our ability to speak up against injustice.
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In this episode, Dr. Martin is joined by Poarch Creek Two-Spirit Indigiqueer soma-cultural sex therapist, sexuality educator, writer, activist, and musician Dr. Roger Kuhn for an empowering conversation on the psychology of consent. Drawing upon her life’s work and The Wheel of Consent, Dr. Martin shares deeply nuanced ways to practice consent as an agreement that brings integrity, responsibility, and empowerment into human interaction—starting with touch and relationships—and further expanding our understanding of consent to social issues of equality and justice.
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This episode was recorded during a live online event on October 30th, 2024. You can also watch it on the CIIS Public Programs YouTube channel. A transcript is available at ciispod.com. To find out more about CIIS and public programs like this one, visit our website ciis.edu and connect with us on social media @ciispubprograms.
*
We hope that each episode of our podcast provides opportunities for growth, and that our listeners will use them as a starting point for further introspection. Many of the topics discussed on our podcast have the potential to bring up feelings and emotional responses. If you or someone you know is in need of mental health care and support, here are some resources to find immediate help and future healing:
*
-Visit 988lifeline.org or text, call, or chat with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 from anywhere in the U.S. to be connected immediately with a trained counselor. Please note that 988 staff are required to take all action necessary to secure the safety of a caller and initiate emergency response with or without the caller’s consent if they are unwilling or unable to take action on their own behalf.
*
-Visit thrivelifeline.org or text “THRIVE” to begin a conversation with a THRIVE Lifeline crisis responder 24/7/365, from anywhere: +1.313.662.8209. This confidential text line is available for individuals 18+ and is staffed by people in STEMM with marginalized identities.
*
-Visit translifeline.org or call (877) 565-8860 in the U.S. or (877) 330-6366 in Canada to learn more and contact Trans Lifeline, who provides trans peer support divested from police.
*
-Visit ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics to learn more and schedule counseling sessions at one of our centers.
*
-Find information about additional global helplines at befrienders.org.
*
LINKS
*
Podcast Transcripts: https://www.ciispod.com/
*
California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) Website: https://www.ciis.edu/
*
CIIS Public Programs YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ciispublicprograms
*
CIIS Public Programs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciispubprograms/
*
Mental Health Care and Support Resources:
https://988lifeline.org/
https://thrivelifeline.org/
https://translifeline.org/
https://www.ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics
https://befrienders.org/

Feb 20, 2025 • 1h 3min
Joanna Ebenstein: On Befriending Death
Some podcast apps may not display links from our show notes properly, so we have included a list of links at the end of this description.
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Talking about death is often deemed morbid or taboo, but to fully embrace life, scientists, psychologists, and spiritual leaders all agree—contemplating death is the key to living a life with meaning. In this episode, Joanna Ebenstein, author and founder of Morbid Anatomy—an organization exploring the spaces between art and medicine, death and culture—is joined in conversation with CIIS faculty and Chicane philosopher Saraliza Anzaldúa exploring how to befriend death.
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Sharing insights from her latest book, Memento Mori: The Art of Contemplating Death to Live a Better Life, Joanna discusses what it means to be mortal and shares how to both come to terms with what death means and live alongside it without fear. In doing so, you can see your own life in a new light and discover what makes life worth living.
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This episode was recorded during a live online event on October 17th, 2024. You can also watch it on the CIIS Public Programs YouTube channel. A transcript is available at ciispod.com. To find out more about CIIS and public programs like this one, visit our website ciis.edu and connect with us on social media @ciispubprograms.
*
We hope that each episode of our podcast provides opportunities for growth, and that our listeners will use them as a starting point for further introspection. Many of the topics discussed on our podcast have the potential to bring up feelings and emotional responses. If you or someone you know is in need of mental health care and support, here are some resources to find immediate help and future healing:
*
-Visit 988lifeline.org or text, call, or chat with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 from anywhere in the U.S. to be connected immediately with a trained counselor. Please note that 988 staff are required to take all action necessary to secure the safety of a caller and initiate emergency response with or without the caller’s consent if they are unwilling or unable to take action on their own behalf.
*
-Visit thrivelifeline.org or text “THRIVE” to begin a conversation with a THRIVE Lifeline crisis responder 24/7/365, from anywhere: +1.313.662.8209. This confidential text line is available for individuals 18+ and is staffed by people in STEMM with marginalized identities.
*
-Visit translifeline.org or call (877) 565-8860 in the U.S. or (877) 330-6366 in Canada to learn more and contact Trans Lifeline, who provides trans peer support divested from police.
*
-Visit ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics to learn more and schedule counseling sessions at one of our centers.
*
-Find information about additional global helplines at befrienders.org.
*
LINKS
*
Podcast Transcripts: https://www.ciispod.com/
*
California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) Website: https://www.ciis.edu/
*
CIIS Public Programs YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ciispublicprograms
*
CIIS Public Programs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciispubprograms/
*
Mental Health Care and Support Resources:
https://988lifeline.org/
https://thrivelifeline.org/
https://translifeline.org/
https://www.ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics
https://befrienders.org/

Feb 13, 2025 • 53min
Lorraine Besser: On the Art of The Interesting
Some podcast apps may not display links from our show notes properly, so we have included a list of links at the end of this description.
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Emerging research in psychological and philosophical circles is showing us that there is more to the good life than past or current conversations suggest. Psychological richness is the missing piece to the good life, and, Lorraine Besser, a founding investigator in these studies, shows how we can add it to our lives by making them full of what she calls the Interesting—experiences that captivate and engage our minds, stimulate new thoughts and emotions, and impact our perspectives.
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In this episode, author and professor of philosophy Lorraine Besser is joined by CIIS Expressive Arts Therapy professor Shoshanna Simons for an inspiring conversation exploring how we can make our lives more interesting without having to make dramatic changes. Lorraine shares ideas from her research and latest book, The Art of the Interesting. They discuss how everyone can obtain and strengthen the skills necessary to access The Interesting. The Interesting is within everyone’s reach, once we know how to go for it.
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This episode was recorded during a live online event on September 19th, 2024. You can also watch it on the CIIS Public Programs YouTube channel. A transcript is available at ciispod.com. To find out more about CIIS and public programs like this one, visit our website ciis.edu and connect with us on social media @ciispubprograms.
*
We hope that each episode of our podcast provides opportunities for growth, and that our listeners will use them as a starting point for further introspection. Many of the topics discussed on our podcast have the potential to bring up feelings and emotional responses. If you or someone you know is in need of mental health care and support, here are some resources to find immediate help and future healing:
*
-Visit 988lifeline.org or text, call, or chat with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 from anywhere in the U.S. to be connected immediately with a trained counselor. Please note that 988 staff are required to take all action necessary to secure the safety of a caller and initiate emergency response with or without the caller’s consent if they are unwilling or unable to take action on their own behalf.
*
-Visit thrivelifeline.org or text “THRIVE” to begin a conversation with a THRIVE Lifeline crisis responder 24/7/365, from anywhere: +1.313.662.8209. This confidential text line is available for individuals 18+ and is staffed by people in STEMM with marginalized identities.
*
-Visit translifeline.org or call (877) 565-8860 in the U.S. or (877) 330-6366 in Canada to learn more and contact Trans Lifeline, who provides trans peer support divested from police.
*
-Visit ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics to learn more and schedule counseling sessions at one of our centers.
*
-Find information about additional global helplines at befrienders.org.
*
LINKS
*
Podcast Transcripts: https://www.ciispod.com/
*
California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) Website: https://www.ciis.edu/
*
CIIS Public Programs YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ciispublicprograms
*
CIIS Public Programs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciispubprograms/
*
Mental Health Care and Support Resources:
https://988lifeline.org/
https://thrivelifeline.org/
https://translifeline.org/
https://www.ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics
https://befrienders.org/

Feb 6, 2025 • 1h
Kari Grain: Critical Hope
Some podcast apps may not display links from our show notes properly, so we have included a list of links at the end of this description.
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Each person has a unique, ever-changing relationship to hope. Hope alone can be transformational—but in moments of despair, or when you’re up against profound injustice—it isn’t enough on its own. As we enter a new year full of complicated hopeful feelings, we are finding this episode from our archives to be timely.
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In this episode, CIIS Chief Diversity Officer Rachel Bryant has a conversation with transformative learning and social justice educator Kari Grain introducing Dr. Grain’s concept of critical hope. This is hope in action: a vibrant, engaged practice and a commitment to honoring transformative potential across a vast spectrum of experience.
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This episode was recorded during a live online event on March 5th, 2022. You can also watch it on the CIIS Public Programs YouTube channel. A transcript is available at ciispod.com. To find out more about CIIS and public programs like this one, visit our website ciis.edu and connect with us on social media @ciispubprograms.
*
We hope that each episode of our podcast provides opportunities for growth, and that our listeners will use them as a starting point for further introspection. Many of the topics discussed on our podcast have the potential to bring up feelings and emotional responses. If you or someone you know is in need of mental health care and support, here are some resources to find immediate help and future healing:
*
-Visit 988lifeline.org or text, call, or chat with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 from anywhere in the U.S. to be connected immediately with a trained counselor. Please note that 988 staff are required to take all action necessary to secure the safety of a caller and initiate emergency response with or without the caller’s consent if they are unwilling or unable to take action on their own behalf.
*
-Visit thrivelifeline.org or text “THRIVE” to begin a conversation with a THRIVE Lifeline crisis responder 24/7/365, from anywhere: +1.313.662.8209. This confidential text line is available for individuals 18+ and is staffed by people in STEMM with marginalized identities.
*
-Visit translifeline.org or call (877) 565-8860 in the U.S. or (877) 330-6366 in Canada to learn more and contact Trans Lifeline, who provides trans peer support divested from police.
*
-Visit ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics to learn more and schedule counseling sessions at one of our centers.
*
-Find information about additional global helplines at befrienders.org.
*
LINKS
*
Podcast Transcripts: https://www.ciispod.com/
*
California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) Website: https://www.ciis.edu/
*
CIIS Public Programs YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ciispublicprograms
*
CIIS Public Programs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciispubprograms/
*
Mental Health Care and Support Resources:
https://988lifeline.org/
https://thrivelifeline.org/
https://translifeline.org/
https://www.ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics
https://befrienders.org/

Jan 30, 2025 • 57min
Emily Marinelli: On Our Love of Movie Sequels from the ‘80s and ‘90s
Some podcast apps may not display links from our show notes properly, so we have included a list of links at the end of this description.
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When a film touches us, makes us laugh, and has that feel-good spirit, we want more of it. We want a sequel! In this episode, psychotherapist and CIIS Assistant Professor in the Integral Counseling Psychology program Emily Marinelli is joined by therapist and activist DDS Dobson-Smith for a conversation exploring the psychology of movie sequels from the 1980s and 1990s.
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Sharing personal stories and insights from their latest book Comfort Sequels, Emily dives deep into the psychology behind what makes certain movie sequels memorable, safe, predictable, and comforting. These sequels are more of the universe we love—exploring something new while maintaining something familiar. Emily interprets characters, story arcs, and major themes while sharing fun and random behind-the-scenes facts about sequels including Grease 2, Gremlins 2, My Girl 2, Ghostbusters II, Batman Returns and more.
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This episode was recorded during an in-person and live streamed event at California Institute of Integral Studies on August 21st, 2024. You can also watch it on the CIIS Public Programs YouTube channel. A transcript is available at ciispod.com. To find out more about CIIS and public programs like this one, visit our website ciis.edu and connect with us on social media @ciispubprograms.
*
We hope that each episode of our podcast provides opportunities for growth, and that our listeners will use them as a starting point for further introspection. Many of the topics discussed on our podcast have the potential to bring up feelings and emotional responses. If you or someone you know is in need of mental health care and support, here are some resources to find immediate help and future healing:
*
-Visit 988lifeline.org or text, call, or chat with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 from anywhere in the U.S. to be connected immediately with a trained counselor. Please note that 988 staff are required to take all action necessary to secure the safety of a caller and initiate emergency response with or without the caller’s consent if they are unwilling or unable to take action on their own behalf.
*
-Visit thrivelifeline.org or text “THRIVE” to begin a conversation with a THRIVE Lifeline crisis responder 24/7/365, from anywhere: +1.313.662.8209. This confidential text line is available for individuals 18+ and is staffed by people in STEMM with marginalized identities.
*
-Visit translifeline.org or call (877) 565-8860 in the U.S. or (877) 330-6366 in Canada to learn more and contact Trans Lifeline, who provides trans peer support divested from police.
*
-Visit ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics to learn more and schedule counseling sessions at one of our centers.
*
-Find information about additional global helplines at befrienders.org.
*
LINKS
*
Podcast Transcripts: https://www.ciispod.com/
*
California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) Website: https://www.ciis.edu/
*
CIIS Public Programs YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ciispublicprograms
*
CIIS Public Programs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciispubprograms/
*
Mental Health Care and Support Resources:
https://988lifeline.org/
https://thrivelifeline.org/
https://translifeline.org/
https://www.ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics
https://befrienders.org/

Jan 23, 2025 • 59min
Dr. Marie Thouin: On the Power of Positive Empathy in Consensual Non-Monogamy
Some podcast apps may not display links from our show notes properly, so we have included a list of links at the end of this description.
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In the context of non-monogamy, compersion or the emotion of positive empathy is understood as sharing our partner’s joy regarding their other intimate relationship or relationships. Drawing upon her seminal research with consensually non-monogamous individuals, author and mindful dating and relationship coach, Dr. Marie (two-un) Thouin, unravels the complexity of compersion in her recent book, What is Compersion?, the first ever book to offer a comprehensive model of compersion and a practical roadmap to cultivating it.
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In this episode, Dr. (two-un) Thouin is joined by Poarch Creek Two-Spirit Indigequeer activist, artist, sex therapist, and somacultural theorist Dr. Roger Kuhn in a conversation exploring compersion as a roadmap for radical love in monogamous and non-monogamous consensual relationships.
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This episode was recorded during a live online event on August 8th, 2024. You can also watch it on the CIIS Public Programs YouTube channel. A transcript is available at ciispod.com. To find out more about CIIS and public programs like this one, visit our website ciis.edu and connect with us on social media @ciispubprograms.
*
We hope that each episode of our podcast provides opportunities for growth, and that our listeners will use them as a starting point for further introspection. Many of the topics discussed on our podcast have the potential to bring up feelings and emotional responses. If you or someone you know is in need of mental health care and support, here are some resources to find immediate help and future healing:
*
-Visit 988lifeline.org or text, call, or chat with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 from anywhere in the U.S. to be connected immediately with a trained counselor. Please note that 988 staff are required to take all action necessary to secure the safety of a caller and initiate emergency response with or without the caller’s consent if they are unwilling or unable to take action on their own behalf.
*
-Visit thrivelifeline.org or text “THRIVE” to begin a conversation with a THRIVE Lifeline crisis responder 24/7/365, from anywhere: +1.313.662.8209. This confidential text line is available for individuals 18+ and is staffed by people in STEMM with marginalized identities.
*
-Visit translifeline.org or call (877) 565-8860 in the U.S. or (877) 330-6366 in Canada to learn more and contact Trans Lifeline, who provides trans peer support divested from police.
*
-Visit ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics to learn more and schedule counseling sessions at one of our centers.
*
-Find information about additional global helplines at befrienders.org.
*
LINKS
*
Podcast Transcripts: https://www.ciispod.com/
*
California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) Website: https://www.ciis.edu/
*
CIIS Public Programs YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ciispublicprograms
*
CIIS Public Programs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciispubprograms/
*
Mental Health Care and Support Resources:
https://988lifeline.org/
https://thrivelifeline.org/
https://translifeline.org/
https://www.ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics
https://befrienders.org/

Jan 16, 2025 • 1h 4min
Camille Sapara Barton: On Tending Grief
Some podcast apps may not display links from our show notes properly, so we have included a list of links at the end of this description.
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Majority cultural norms in the United States suppress our ability to truly feel our grief and each person’s experience with grief is as unique as the grief itself. Writer, somatic practitioner, and artist Camille Sapara Barton’s take on grief speaks directly to the ways that BIPOC and queer communities and individuals disproportionately experience unique constellations of loss. In their work, Camille honors every experience: The loss of displacement from homelands, severed lineages and ancestral ways of knowing. The grief of colonization and theft. The deep heaviness that burrows into our bodies when society tells us our bodies are wrong.
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In this conversation with author, educator, activist, and intuitive healer Michelle Cassandra Johnson, Camille shares ways we can tend to our grief both alone and in community, drawing upon their new book Tending Grief, written specifically to center and hold the grief of BIPOC communities.
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This episode was recorded during a live online event on August 2nd 2024. You can also watch it on the CIIS Public Programs YouTube channel. A transcript is available at ciispod.com. To find out more about CIIS and public programs like this one, visit our website ciis.edu and connect with us on social media @ciispubprograms.
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We hope that each episode of our podcast provides opportunities for growth, and that our listeners will use them as a starting point for further introspection. Many of the topics discussed on our podcast have the potential to bring up feelings and emotional responses. If you or someone you know is in need of mental health care and support, here are some resources to find immediate help and future healing:
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-Visit 988lifeline.org or text, call, or chat with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 from anywhere in the U.S. to be connected immediately with a trained counselor. Please note that 988 staff are required to take all action necessary to secure the safety of a caller and initiate emergency response with or without the caller’s consent if they are unwilling or unable to take action on their own behalf.
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-Visit thrivelifeline.org or text “THRIVE” to begin a conversation with a THRIVE Lifeline crisis responder 24/7/365, from anywhere: +1.313.662.8209. This confidential text line is available for individuals 18+ and is staffed by people in STEMM with marginalized identities.
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-Visit translifeline.org or call (877) 565-8860 in the U.S. or (877) 330-6366 in Canada to learn more and contact Trans Lifeline, who provides trans peer support divested from police.
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-Visit ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics to learn more and schedule counseling sessions at one of our centers.
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-Find information about additional global helplines at befrienders.org.
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LINKS
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Podcast Transcripts: https://www.ciispod.com/
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California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) Website: https://www.ciis.edu/
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CIIS Public Programs YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ciispublicprograms
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CIIS Public Programs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciispubprograms/
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Mental Health Care and Support Resources:
https://988lifeline.org/
https://thrivelifeline.org/
https://translifeline.org/
https://www.ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics
https://befrienders.org/