Being Human with Steve Cuss

In this episode, Steve Cuss explores the nature of reactivity and its impact on human connection. He shares personal tools for managing reactivity and emphasizes the importance of self-care as a chaplain. The podcast also discusses the role of family of origin in shaping relationships, the Enneagram's impact on spirituality, and upcoming interviews on bridging Christian beliefs and experiences.

The Friendly Neighborhood Therapist joins Steve on this annual wrap up. They chat about lessons learned this year, giving yourself the gift of wellbeing in 2024 and what is coming down the pike for next year. Plus, Steve shares his favorite advent poem.   We also announce the podcast's new name. NOTE: next year our podcast name is changing as we move onto a new partnership, but you don't need to do anything - you can access it through your existing podcast subscription.  Click here to learn more about our intensives To make a difference in the lives of aged out foster youth visit Dream Makers Project Visit Seminary Now to engage an amazing library of courses for your faith. Use CUSS30 coupon code for 30% off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

J.S. Park, hospital chaplain and author of The Voices We Carry, shares his powerful experiences in chaplaincy, coping with emotional toll of healthcare work, benefits of seminary and online courses, healing power of writing, and reflecting on grief and memory.

Brad Lomenick is the former president of Catalyst and the author of several books including the H3 Leader. Brad is a gifted connector and developer of people. For two decades he has met with thousands of Christian leaders. In this interview, Steve gets into Brad's early leadership experience when he was 8 and what wrangling horses taught him about leadership. Like others before him, he gleefully endured the Gauntlet.  To make a difference in the lives of aged out foster youth visit Dream Makers ProjectVisit Seminary Now to engage an amazing library of courses for your faith. Use CUSS30 coupon code for 30% off.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Julie Mavis is the Founder of Dream Makers Project, an organization dedicated to helping youth as they age out of foster care. Because of Dream Makers, these kids do not have to face the world, their future and their decisions alone.  Julie is joined in this interview by Annika Marek-Barta, herself a former foster youth and on the Dream Makers team.  In this powerful interview, we get into Julie's journey with foster care and why she launched Dream Makers. Annika also shares about her journey through foster care, the meaning she made of her experiences.  This was an incredible conversation with two power leaders.   Please support our wonderful sponsors:  To make a difference in the lives of aged out foster youth visit Dream Makers Project Visit Seminary Now to engage an amazing library of courses for your faith. Use CUSS30 coupon code for 30% off.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve LOVED interviewing William Vanderbloemen on this week's episode. He brought so much needed wisdom for leaders today. William is the founder of Vanderbloemen Search Group. Since their founding they have placed 2500+ employees into churches and non profits and they have done 30,000 job interviews. It is out of this unique experience as well as being a former pastor that William writes his latest book, Be The Unicorn: 12 Data-Driven Habits that Separate the Best Leaders from the Rest. William brings a unique combination of deep understanding of local church and theology with the very best knowledge and practices of professional executive search. Please support our wonderful sponsors:  To make a difference in the lives of aged out foster youth visit Dream Makers Project Visit Seminary Now to engage an amazing library of courses for your faith. Use CUSS30 coupon code for 30% off.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Managing Leadership Anxiety turns five! This episode has four parts:1) Why Steve launched MLA, early concepts and lessons. 2) Why Systems Theory, other practitioners, Steve's unique contribution to the field. 3) What Steve has learned from doing 'public' work. 4) Exciting announcements and updates for 2024.  The free 'Four Spaces Of Anxiety' video. (Note, Steve may have said 'you can download' this video on the pod, but in fact you can watch it online.)  Seminary Now Custom MLA Page.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many leaders and people in care giving vocations are notorious for focusing on others to the detriment of wellbeing. In this episode Steve is joined by his wife Lisa as they discuss core tools of self care as we approach the holiday season. Self care, in our field, is fundamentally about relaxing into God's presence, not about self nurture or self improvement. To download a free Life Giving List, click here. To learn more about the Calm, Aware, Present Journal as a Christmas gift, click here. To join Seminary Now click here. (CUSS30 gets you 30% off, it does not freely permit you to cuss 30% more often.)  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr Kathleen Smith wrote one of my all time favorite Systems books called Everything Isn't Terrible. The book is brilliant, clear and witty and a great reflection of Kathleen herself.  Kathleen is a therapist in the DC area and her book gets us right into her therapy room as we follow along with her clients' journeys of healing and wellbeing. Kathleen also happens to write my favorite newsletter which you can access here.  In this episode, we dig into Bowen theory, the world of dating and why taking responsibility for yourself can be so helpful and also an occasional drag/ Thanks to Seminary Now for sponsoring this episode. To receive 30% off access, visit the MLA Seminary Now page and use coupon code CUSS30 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Steve and Jimmy look beyond problems to 'attempted solutions.' Jay Haley famously said, 'I do not address problems, I address attempted solutions.' So often we get stuck in 'more of the same' and 'try harder' because we do not see our own complicity in the situation. Steve and Jimmy look at how we get stuck and then how to get unstuck when faced with recurring problems.  Thanks to Seminary Now for sponsoring this episode. To receive 30% off access, visit the MLA Seminary Now page and use coupon code CUSS30 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices