
Mike‘s Search For Meaning
Mike‘s Search For Meaning is the intersection between philosophical and practical. How do leaders organize their inner world? What tools and tactics can we use to enhance our relationships and careers? Join host and life coach Mike Trugman as he seeks to unlock the keys to living a deeply fulfilling life.
Latest episodes

Jan 15, 2023 • 1h 34min
#55 - William Wright on Freeing Yourself from Self-Doubt & the Mind-Body-Spirit Connection
Will is a certified professional coach who is passionate about the personal development of himself and others.
Will spent 20 years as a personal trainer and was growing increasingly frustrated supporting people on the outer work only. Now, as a coach, Will has been able to leverage his ability to connect, with his compassion, in a way that significantly serves others.
Will’s clients have shared that he has been able to create spaces where they can truly get to the bottom of what’s holding them back and ultimately be at the choice to release what’s heavy – whether it’s guilt, obligation, or self-doubt. From there, they take action to step into life feeling driven, confident, and motivated.
On a personal note, he has benefited from the exact processes and experiences he shares and creates for his clients. He is grateful to be able to do the very work with his clients that have provided the learning and growth that has also served him.
Additionally, I’ll be donating to and raising awareness for the charity or organization of my guest’s choice with each episode now. This episode, the organization is called Hearts of Gold. Any and all donations make a difference!
You can connect with William on:
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn
Facebook
To connect with me:
Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.
LinkedIn
Instagram
Website
Subscribe to my weekly newsletter
YouTube
Please leave a review for this podcast on Apple Podcasts!
Resources/People Mentioned:
Dopamine Nation - Dr. Anna Lembke
Daring Greatly - Brené Brown
Big Magic - Elizabeth Gilbert
My Grandmother's Hands - Resmaa Menakem
Conscious Leadership Group
Hearts of Gold
Core Remastered

Jan 8, 2023 • 59min
#54 - Solo Episode: Mike Trugman on 2022 Reflections, Morning Routine and Clean Pain vs. Dirty Pain
This is a very special and vulnerable episode for me! By popular demand, I recorded a solo episode that answers some direct questions from you, the listener, and discusses my 2022 reflections.
You already know who I am, so I’ll skip the bio portion here. In this conversation, I answered some questions like:
>What are your 2022 reflections?
>What do you get most triggered by and how do you process it?
>What is your morning routine?
>What is clean pain, and what is dirty pain?
>What’s on your heart that feels too important not to share?
This was surprisingly a lot of fun, and I’ll be making this a more regular part of my show!
Additionally, I’ll be donating to and raising awareness for the charity or organization of my guest’s choice with each episode now. This episode, the organization is called Internal Creations. Any and all donations make a difference!
To connect with me:
Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.
LinkedIn
Instagram
Website
Subscribe to my weekly newsletter
YouTube
Please leave a review for this podcast on Apple Podcasts!
Resources/People Mentioned:
Foundation Training - Video 1
Foundation Training - Video 2
Wim Hof Breathing Method
Insight Timer and the App
Gay Hendricks
Mike’s Search for Meaning - Episode #2 with Mom and Dad
Mike’s Search for Meaning - Episode #7 with Yotam Schachter
Mike’s Search for Meaning - Episode #8 with Yotam Schachter
Mike’s Search for Meaning - Episode #48 with Sam Lamott
Resmaa Menakem

Jan 1, 2023 • 1h 47min
#53 - Matthew Helt on Mindfulness, Introversion in Entrepreneurship, & Mental Health First Aid
Matthew Helt is a growth and development coach for startup founders and CEOs under his coaching practice, Prairiesattva, based in Omaha, NE. Prior to starting his business in 2020, Matthew spent a little over 6 years with Techstars as the Global Director of Startup Week, a week-long event to catalyze and celebrate startup communities, and then joined the Ecosystem Development team where he served as the Senior Implementation Consultant, working with cities around the world to help them grow their entrepreneurial ecosystems.
As a former startup founder, he's intimately aware of the stress and anxiety that comes with business ownership. It's for this reason that he created his coaching practice to help entrepreneurs navigate the highs and lows of business ownership, and ultimately come home to themselves to fully understand who they are as human beings.
Additionally, I’ll be donating to and raising awareness for the charity or organization of my guest’s choice with each episode now. This episode, the organization is called Mental Health First Aid. Any and all donations make a difference!
You can connect with Matthew on:
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn
Twitter
To connect with me:
Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.
LinkedIn
Instagram
Website
Subscribe to my weekly newsletter
YouTube
Please leave a review for this podcast on Apple Podcasts!
Resources/People Mentioned:
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind - Shunryu Suzuki
The Coaching Habit - Michael Bungay Stanier
The Joy of Living - Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
The Body Keeps the Score - Bessel van der Kolk M.D.
Ravi Rothenberg
Jerry Colona
Ram Dass
Prairiesattva

Dec 25, 2022 • 1h 34min
#52 - Noelle Janka on Social Impact & Justice, The Importance of Mental, Spiritual and Emotional Healing Work, and The Dangers of Dogma & Binaries
Noëlle Janka, PCC is a white, queer, disabled career and healing coach for social impact leaders, a yoga teacher, Gateless Writing Teacher, and mentor coach at the Academy for Coaching Excellence.
She especially loves supporting individuals to more fully inhabit their bodies, trust their intuition, and live well within systems of oppression and domination. She is a self-described "healing junkie," a dog lover, a student of herbal medicine, and a funk and soul enthusiast residing on unceded Pocumtuck land in so-called Western Massachusetts.
Additionally, I’ll be donating to and raising awareness for the charity or organization of my guest’s choice with each episode now. This episode, the organization is called Political Healers. Any and all donations make a difference!
You can connect with Noelle on:
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn
YouTube
Facebook
To connect with me:
Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.
LinkedIn
Instagram
Website
Subscribe to my weekly newsletter
YouTube
Please leave a review for this podcast on Apple Podcasts!
Resources/People Mentioned:
adrienne maree brown
American Detox - Kerri Kelly
Inflamed - Rupa Marya
The Myth of Normal - Gabor Maté
Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve - Stanley Rosenberg
My Grandmother's Hands - Resmaa Menakem
The Sum of Us - Heather McGhee
Anchored - Deb Dana
Pleasure Activism - adrienne maree brown
Emergent Strategy - adrienne maree brown
Ishita Sharma
LaTosha Brown
Academy for Coaching Excellence
Jeremy Blanchard Coaching
Thomas Hubl and his Workshop on NPI
Katina Macris
Wim Hof Breathing
Authentic Movement
Prochaska and DiClemente's Stages of Change Model for Social Workers
Deepa Iyer and her article What's your social change role?
Suzanne Kingsbury on Gateless writing
Afro Flow Yoga
Hidden Brain Podcast
Nick Shrewsbury
Andy Cahill
Political Healers

Dec 18, 2022 • 1h 48min
#51 - Clint Davis & Sam Syed on Capsll: The Impact of Sharing Our Stories, Dictating History, and Leaving a Legacy
Clint Davis is the CEO and Cofounder of Capsll Inc. My company is all about first-person storytelling, so here’s my bio... in first person.
There was a time when I would have wanted to start my bio with a list of accomplishments. However, I believe that to know me, or anyone for that matter, we must know their story, albeit in part.
I’ve lived a full life to this point, with many hard-fought opportunities, and some fortunate ones. I was born in South Africa and lived through the end of the Apartheid era. As a young adult, I pursued a career in radio broadcasting. With no broadcasting education and not much more than self-taught skill and instinct, I managed to develop a craft that served me a 15 year career as an on-air host to over 5 million global listeners, without syndication, while living in four different countries.
Relocating from South Africa to Dubai in 2008 afforded me the opportunity to live among a multitude of nationalities, learning about people, cultures, and myself. Six years later, with zero budget, which was true for all our relocations, my wife and I left the UAE for Australia to help some friends in need for two years.
With no idea of what would happen at the end of our Australian visa period, and a 0.73% chance of “winning” the American Green Card Lottery (yes, that’s a real thing), we received a call from the U.S State Department to inform us that we had “won” the Green Card Lottery and would receive an expedited green card process. We stepped into a dream my wife and I had since childhood, to live in the U.S.A., where we became citizens in 2021.
What followed our move to the USA was the toughest season of our lives. More learning, but harder. Years later we emerged, having survived the onslaught of hopelessness, depression, and desertion, with much healing to do in the discovery of who we now were, ready to pursue purpose once more.
My radio career had afforded me many opportunities, and stories. From a reality tv show, to passengering in a Formula 1 car, I wanted a place to save these memories. But more than that, I wanted my future kids to know how we became the people we now are. I considered how much I would love to hear my grandfather's thoughts, now that I was mature enough to appreciate them. We were close, but he passed many years prior, all that wisdom passing with him.
I learned that we find value in each other through authentic connection. One way for us to connect is to know each other’s stories. Today's, and yesteryear's stories, remind us of who we are, that we have value, both individually and collectively.
From this place, Capsll was born, giving people digital time capsules to save their stories and pass them generationally.
I like to think of myself as some sort of commentator of the human condition, and every being’s value, both individually and collectively. I’m a thinker, a learner, a cancer survivor, a visionary. Peace is my guide, empathy my pursuit.
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sam Syed is the COO and cofounder at Capsll App. With a lifelong passion for history and philosophy, Sam is excited to be making a difference in people’s lives by utilizing the Capsll App and helping them preserve memories of their legacy. In joining the Capsll team, Sam is “coming home” and excited to be working for the purpose-driven company, a place where users can gather their once-scattered memories into digital time capsules that can be shared privately with full user control.
He joined Capsll with almost two decades of experience in the financial industry. He started his career as an equity broker in London, United Kingdom, advising clients on Commodities, Equities, and FX, eventually rising to the role of Derivatives Trader.
He moved to Dubai in 2012, helping clients achieve their financial goals through all areas of wealth management, including retirement planning and estate planning, where he managed millions in assets. He then moved to the United States and began working as a financial advisor at Northwestern Mutual, where he helped families secure the future they desired.
Now at Capsll, he is excited to continue working to help families safeguard their legacies in a different way. He joins Capsll’s CEO Clint Davis and CPO Anton Devenish, and is excited to be on this adventure to build something meaningful and impactful with two close friends.
He splits his time between Denver, Colorado and Austin, Texas with his wife, Lauren. He and Lauren have one daughter, with another on the way. In his free time, Sam enjoys traveling, mountain climbing, and has an appreciation for opera and art.
Additionally, I’ll be donating to and raising awareness for the charity or organization of my guest’s choice with each episode now. This episode, the organization is called HopeKids. Any and all donations make a difference!
You can connect with Sam & Clint on:
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn
To connect with me:
Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.
LinkedIn
Instagram
Website
Subscribe to my weekly newsletter
YouTube
Please leave a review for this podcast on Apple Podcasts!
Resources/People Mentioned:
Hope Kids
Hope for the Fatherless
Andrew Huberman
Joe Rogan

Dec 11, 2022 • 1h 23min
#50 - Kat Teller on Counseling for Addiction, Recovery and Personal Growth
Kat is the founder of Kat Teller I Health & Wellness Services, a sought after Certified Addictions Counsellor, Certified Personal and Professional Coach, Yoga + Meditation Teacher, and Podcaster.
Kat is certified with the Canadian Addictions Counselors Certification Federation (CACCF) and the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Working globally with individuals, families and groups, Kat has a strong passion for helping others align and thrive from the inside out, using a compassionate and holistic approach to health and wellness.
Additionally, I’ll be donating to and raising awareness for the charity or organization of my guest’s choice with each episode now. This episode, the organization is called Dans La Rue. Any and all donations make a difference!
You can connect with Kat on:
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn
Podcast - Conversations with Kat
Insight Timer - Meditations
To connect with me:
Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.
LinkedIn
Instagram
Website
Subscribe to my weekly newsletter
YouTube
Please leave a review for this podcast on Apple Podcasts!
Resources/People Mentioned:
Atomic Habits - James Clear
The Highly Sensitive Person - Elaine N. Aron
The Full Body Yes - Scott Shute
Brené Brown's Books
The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
Loving What Is - Byron Katie
Man's Search for Meaning - Viktor E. Frankl
The Secret - Bob Proctor
Melanie Richards

Dec 4, 2022 • 1h 45min
#49 - Jeanine Cerundolo on Parts Work, Playing the Music of Life, and Learned Hopefulness
Jeanine Cerundolo is a holistic life coach whose mission is to help people reconnect with their inner wisdom and creativity so they can experience greater love, freer self-expression, and clarity of direction.
Over the past decade, Jeanine has worked with thousands of clients to support their personal and professional growth through individual coaching and group facilitation. She holds a master's degree in Clinical Psychology from Columbia University, a group coaching facilitation certification, and a yoga teacher certification.
Through her writing, Jeanine offers her experiential toolkit to help readers activate the authentic joy, confidence, and serenity of coming home to their true selves. Learn more at: https://jeaninecerundolo.com
Additionally, I’ll be donating to and raising awareness for the charity or organization of my guest’s choice with each episode now. This episode, the organization is Lift. Any and all donations make a difference!
You can connect with Jeanine on:
Website
Her Book, Team You
Instagram
LinkedIn
Insight Timer - Meditations
To connect with me:
Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.
LinkedIn
Instagram
Website
Subscribe to my weekly newsletter
YouTube
Please leave a review for this podcast on Apple Podcasts!
Resources/People Mentioned:
The Artist's Way - Julia Cameron
Confessions of a Former Child - Daniel Tomasulo
Devotions - Mary Oliver
Learned Hopefulness - Dan Tomasulo
The Prophet - Kahlil Gibran
Bird by Bird - Anne Lamott
The Writing Life - Annie Dillard
The Abundance - Annie Dillard
Love Poems from God
Alan Watts
Walt Whitman
Buddhism Without Beliefs - Stephen Batchelor
Nonviolent Communication - Marshall Rosenberg
Richard Schwartz
Internal Family Systems
List of Needs - Nonviolent Communication
Drama Therapy
Katie Asmus
No Bad Parts - Richard Schwartz
Ecstatic Dance
The Love Inside - Video
Lost - David Wagoner

Nov 27, 2022 • 54min
#48 - Sam Lamott on How to Human
Sam is an artist, writer, creator, and single father living in the Bay Area in California. He is a college drop-out and ex-meth head, who came out of a ten-year bender at the age of twenty-two with severe clinical depression, a two-year-old son, and zero life skills. Simply put, there is nobody more genuinely curious about how to be a human being.
He’s now the founder of Hello Humans, a platform for storytellers who capture the truth of what it means to be human. His site is chock full of stories from regular folks, like you and me, who share their experiences dealing with the trials and tribulations of real life. Life isn’t what we show the world on social media; it’s often a lot messier than that.
His podcast, How to Human, is:
Featured in Itunes New and Noteworthy 2018.
Featured in Apple top 200 podcasts in Health 2018.
Featured in Apple top 200 podcasts in Self-Help 2018.
Additionally, I’ll be donating to and raising awareness for the charity or organization of my guest’s choice with each episode now. This episode, the organization is Human Made. Any and all donations make a difference!
You can connect with Sam on:
Website
How to Human - Podcast
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube
To connect with me:
Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.
LinkedIn
Instagram
Website
Subscribe to my weekly newsletter
YouTube
Please leave a review for this podcast on Apple Podcasts!
Resources/People Mentioned:
How to Human - Paul Williams
Seth Godin
Brene Brown
Susan Cain
The Road Less Traveled - M. Scott Peck
The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
Man's Search for Meaning - Viktor E. Frankl
The Drama of the Gifted Child - Alice Miller
Iron John: A Book about Men - Robert Bly

Nov 20, 2022 • 1h 48min
#47 - Anne van der Giessen on Men’s Mental Health & What It Means to “Be a Man”
Anne leads a growing coaching business that supports people to reconnect to their personal freedom (whatever that means to them).
With more than six years of corporate advisory experience across two continents behind her, Anne decided to shift gears, re-train and redirect her financial due diligence and corporate strategy skills toward helping people identify and shift the constraints that hold them back from accessing more of their potential and to generally live well.
Her main products are peace, power, and possibility, which are what she believes are the essential ingredients to create one’s sense of personal freedom. These products naturally emerge through the reflective process of deep transformational coaching that guides the client toward integration of all of their parts.
Anne's clients include founders, entrepreneurs, company directors, project managers, expert consultants and creatives. Most of her clients are men, who are often naturally drawn to the intellectual and practical nature of the work she does. Anne stands firmly as an advocate and ally for men, and is inspired to be part of the change that is needed to improve mental health outcomes for men across the west.
Born in rural South Australia, Anne has lived in two countries, worked in more than 10 and today serves and connects with growth-minded people across the globe from her home base in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Additionally, I’ll be donating to and raising awareness for the charity or organization of my guest’s choice with each episode now. This episode, the organization is E.P.I.C - Everyday People Initiating Change. Any and all donations make a difference!
You can connect with Anne on:
Website
LinkedIn
Instagram
YouTube
Subscribe to her newsletter
To connect with me:
Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.
LinkedIn
Instagram
Website
Subscribe to my weekly newsletter
YouTube
Please leave a review for this podcast on Apple Podcasts!
Resources/People Mentioned:
The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett
Iron John: A Book about Men - Robert Bly
Albert Camus
The 7 Hermetic Principles
Institute for Integrative Nutrition
Brene Brown

Nov 13, 2022 • 1h 28min
#46 - Cat Tweedie on Sleepawake Camp & Radically Shifting the Way We Be
Cat Tweedie holds a fire for honoring this one life. She is committed to the inner work needed to live in harmony with each other and the Earth. She brings twelve years of facilitation experience and twenty years of meditation practice. She supports individual healing and growth through relational group work, attention practices, and movement.
Cat was an All-American pole vaulter in college, earned her Ph.D. at MIT in Materials Science and Engineering, and traveled the world managing and facilitating transformational change projects in private companies and public organizations.
For most of Cat’s life, she thought she was happy and healthy. But at 37 a physical breakdown left her bedridden for 9 months, dependent on her family and community. This experience let her see how deeply her sense of contentment had been dependent on her achievements and ability to please others. Her body’s vitality returned as she began honoring the needs she had learned to dismiss.
At home in Oregon, Cat facilitates women’s circles exploring life experiences through meditation and movement in community. Cat’s sculpture work can be found at cattweedieball.com.
Additionally, I’ll be donating to and raising awareness for the charity or organization of my guest’s choice with each episode now. This episode, the organization is P:ear Mentor. Any and all donations make a difference!
You can connect with Cat on:
Website
Sleepawake Camp - Website
LinkedIn
To connect with me:
Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.
LinkedIn
Instagram
Website
Subscribe to my weekly newsletter
YouTube
Please leave a review for this podcast on Apple Podcasts!
Resources/People Mentioned:
Amy Elizabeth Fox