The Hoffman Podcast

Wait till you hear this conversation with Drew and Elle Newlands, actor, voice-over artist, musician, and Hoffman graduate. This is both a deep and delightful episode. Elle offers a vulnerability that is a gift to all who hear her story. Elle’s past trauma made it difficult to surrender to the Process. She was anxious in the beginning so her teacher worked with her to do specific exercises to release what was in the way. The Process is like this. Student and teacher work together to ensure that as the week progresses, the student’s Process holds the best outcome for their transformation. Elle and her Process mates experienced a flood during their Process. They were asked to evacuate by the fire department and did so, ending up at a hotel. If you’ve done the Process, you can imagine how disruptive this was, considering the very open state students are experiencing during the Process. With skillful organization and care, the students continued their Process work at the hotel. When Elle did the Q2 – the graduate intensive weekend, there was a wildfire close to White Sulphur Springs. The winds were so strong that the area needed to be evacuated, so Elle and everyone left to go home early. After returning home to the Los Angeles area after her Q2, she was evacuated again. There was a wildfire in that area, too. Listen in to hear how Elle, after realizing what life was showing her, was able to listen and learn from these experiences. More about Elle Newlands: Elle Newlands is a hybrid, which makes her complicated, but she is okay with that. An actress, photographer, and writer, she spends her days juggling characters, words, and pictures. Originally from Scotland, she is currently enjoying the sunshine of California. In her new home, she hikes with her dog, rides her horse in the mountains, and talks to nature. Elle moved from Scotland to Los Angeles to pursue a career in music and acting. She began her voice career as a classically trained vocalist, before moving into the voiceover booth. In addition to working in commercials, animation, performance capture, narration, and audiobooks, Elle has voiced various roles in video games. She is currently the voice of Horizon in the award-winning battle royale game Apex Legends and has multiple characters in World of Warcraft, DOOM Eternal, Hearthstone, and Skylanders. Other game titles include Star Wars, The Old Republic, Lego Star Wars, Halo 4, Assassins Creed, Skyrim, Call of Duty, Asgard’s Wrath, Counterstrike – Global Offensive, Bioshock, and Darksiders 2 and 3. Animated shows include Looney Tunes, Adventure Time, Regular Show, Lego Friends, Curious George, Hot Streets, and The Adventures of Puss in Boots. In addition to acting, Elle is also going through certification to become an equine-assisted life coach.  “Notes from the Ether,” her soon-to-be-released podcast, connects to the many ways in which the universe sends clear messages that we are all connected. Elle enjoys learning and speaking about the various paths to healing. You’ll find more about Elle on TikTok,Instagram, and Twitter. As mentioned in this episode: Edinburgh, Scotland Video Gaming Voice-over Casting Equine Coaching

Beloved Hoffman Process teacher and coach, Maria Cámara, is our guest this week. A pivotal moment in Maria’s Process was when she realized that whatever she had never gotten from her Mom and Dad, she would never get. A moment of true acceptance like this can be life-changing. Maria shares how liberating this moment was. The Process helped her realize that her life is her own and that she is the one responsible for it. Maria became interested in and a practitioner of Buddhism at the age of fifteen after meeting a Tibetan Buddhist lama for the first time when she was seven. She says Buddhism is “a medicine for today’s crazy world.” Being a Buddhist practitioner has supported Maria in many ways. One way has been her practice to contemplate death and to be able to be with those who are dying. Listen in as Maria shares a tender story of a loved one’s passing. More about Maria Cámara: Maria holds a Ph.D. in Family and Health Psychology from the University of Deusto, Spain. She also has a Master’s in Health Psychology from the University of Middlesex, UK, and a B.A. in Psychology from UPV, Spain. Maria is a Certified Gestalt Psychotherapist. Additionally, Maria has trained in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Emotion-focused Therapy. Maria is co-director of Hoffman International and co-director of the Hoffman Institute in Spain. She is also a Supervising Teacher of the Hoffman Process. A founding member of Bodhi Salud, a health and meditation retreat in Valencia, Spain, Maria is in private practice both in-person and virtually. As part of her spiritual path, Maria has studied extensively with renowned Buddhist meditation masters for more than 20 years in Europe, North America, and India, She has a personal daily practice on that path. As mentioned in this episode: Tibetan Buddhism Tibetan Lama: Lama is a title for a teacher of the Dharma in Tibetan Buddhism. The name is similar to the Sanskrit term guru. Maraṇasati: Contemplating Death as a Buddhist practice  

Beloved Hoffman teacher, Barbara Comstock, has been teaching the Hoffman Process for 34 years. Teaching an average of ten Processes per year means Barbara has taught well over 300 Processes. Two and a half years ago, Barbara’s husband, Jimmy, died, just three months after his diagnosis. Her journey has been rough. And yet, as you’ll hear in this conversation, Barbara’s depth of presence and ability to let go into life continue to support her through this journey of both life and death. Barbara shares that “teaching the Hoffman Process is a practice of love.” Barbara shares what this practice is to her and how it guides her both personally and professionally. As you’ll hear at the end, Drew and Barbara will meet up again for part two of this conversation. Watch for it in Season Four. If you have any questions you’d like Drew to ask Barbara when they next sit down together to record, let us know at podcasts@hoffmaninstitute.org! More about Barbara Comstock: Barbara holds a B.A. in East Asian Studies, an M.S. in Textile Arts, and an MFA in Sculpture & Textiles. She is a Hoffman teacher and supervisor, a life coach, an art teacher, an author, and a dancer. Barbara believes, “The act of teaching the Process is a practice of love and presence. I love working with individuals in this environment. Human beings are fascinating and I am lucky to be able to support individuals to grow, to know themselves, and forgive and love themselves.” When Barbara did the Process, she found radical self-acceptance and acceptance of life and others. “I like myself and I can acknowledge mistakes (sometimes).” Barbara lives in Ashland, Oregon. As mentioned in this episode: Barbara’s Sister and fellow Hoffman teacher, Kani Comstock. City of Hope Cancer Treatment Center Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act Self-compassion break (from Kristin Neff): This is a moment of suffering. All human beings suffer. May I be kind to myself.  

Through her company, LSTN, Bridget Hilton has helped over 50,000 people hear for the first time! Listen in to hear how following what you naturally love can serve the world in amazing ways. In this illuminating episode, Bridget and Liz converse about the power of listening, the dance between music and Spirit, and healing the pain of the past through the Hoffman Process. From childhood, two things have captivated Bridget Hilton: music and the idea of starting her own company. Amazingly, these two things have guided her life of social entrepreneurship. Music is central to Bridget’s experience in many ways. One of her pivotal moments at the Process was during the exercise where the song, In the Living Years, is played. In hearing those lyrics, everything broke open for Bridget. More about Bridget Hilton: Bridget Hilton is a social entrepreneur who creates purpose-driven brands. In 2012, she started LSTN as the world’s first social-good electronics company. Since its inception, LSTN has sold millions of eco-friendly headphones and speakers. Through their partnership with Starkey Hearing Foundation, LSTN has helped over 50,000 people hear for the first time. Working on the ground in places such as Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Peru, Sri Lanka, Mexico, China, Indonesia, and the U.S. Access to hearing aids has improved the lives of these individuals, their families, and communities. This, in turn, has since created a positive ripple effect with millions of people around the world. Bridget is the author of Experiential Billionaire: Build a Life Rich in Experiences and Die With No Regrets. She has received both Forbes and Inc. Magazine’s 30 Under 30 awards. Bridget has been interviewed on the Today Show, Good Morning America, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and more. She sits on advisory boards at UCLA and UCSB. Bridget grew up in Flint, MI. She now lives in Malibu, CA, and is an avid reader, home chef, and adventure junkie. Bridget and a Goldendoodle named Taco are best friends. You can find out more about Bridget here and on Instagram. As mentioned in this episode: Hoffman Essentials: The Hoffman Essentials is a 2-day virtual intensive, experiential program where students are immersed in the essential concepts of the Hoffman Process. Conscious Capitalism: Whole Foods co-founder John Mackey and marketing professor and speaker Raj Sisodia conceived of and popularized the concept of conscious capitalism in their book, Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business. The nonprofit organization, Conscious Capitalism, has chapters in more than two dozen U.S. cities and 10 other countries. Social Enterprise: “A social enterprise or social business is defined as a business with specific social objectives that serve its primary purpose.” – definition from Investopedia.   Sloan Churman hears herself for the first time. In the Living Years by Mike and the Mechanics    

Andy Tennant, screenwriter, actor, and film and television director, experienced a profound rebirth during his week at the Hoffman Process. Listen in as Andy speaks with Drew about his Process and working in Hollywood as a director and writer. Everyone who does the Process works with their relationship with their parents. From the start of his Process, it was clear that a part of Andy’s Process would also be to work with his relationship with his sister. Andy calls his week at the Process “revelatory.” He shares with us the power of the expressive, cathartic work of the Process. For Andy, the opportunity to express what had long been stored in his body was a great gift. He felt so much relief from releasing the grief, shame, anger, and more. Andy was able to forgive his father – something he never thought he would be able to do. Andy offers that the Process is like “going back into the womb.” He shares that his healing wasn’t like a lightning bolt but rather more like a soufflé in its lightness. As Andy talks about his life post-Process, he says he is more open to embracing his mortality and feels lucky and lighter. More about Andy Tennant: A native of Chicago, Andy studied theatre at USC. His first job in the business was as a dancer named Artie in the blockbuster musical, “Grease.” He followed that by directing hit television shows, “The Wonder Years” and “Sliders.” Andy has directed some of the most successful romantic comedies of all time. These include “Hitch,” starring Will Smith and Kevin James; “Sweet Home Alabama,” starring Reese Witherspoon and Josh Lucas. Prior to that, he co-wrote and directed the romantic fable “Ever After,” with Drew Barrymore and Anjelica Huston. He then directed the epic drama “Anna and the King,” starring Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-Fat. Andy’s last two action comedies, “Fool’s Gold,” starring Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson, which he co-wrote, and “The Bounty Hunter,” starring Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler, brought his total worldwide box office to over a billion dollars. His latest feature, ‘The Secret,’ based on Rhonda Byrne’s international best-seller, starring Katie Holmes and Josh Lucas, began streaming on Amazon Prime in July 2020. For the last three years, Tennant has been directing and producing Chuck Lorre’s hit Netflix comedy, ‘The Kominsky Method,’ starring Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin. Andy lives in Los Angeles with his wife and four children, three of whom are triplets. As mentioned in this episode: The Uses of Enchantment: Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales, by Bruno Bettelheim Preston Sturges: American playwright, screenwriter, and film director who wrote Sullivan’s Travels and other Great Depression Comedies. Joseph Campbell and the Hero’s Journey The Berlin Film Festival & Hitch Daily Gratitude and Appreciation Practice at 6:00 pm PT on Instagram The death of Andy’s friend, Bob Saget  

Jess Rona, dog groomer extraordinaire, star of Haute Dog on HBOMax, comedienne, and new Process graduate talks with Drew about self-compassion, vindictiveness toward self, and something Jess calls the Hoffman Flip. When Jess first came to the Process, she heard only whispers from her Spiritual Self. Now, her Dark Side is only a whisper while her Spiritual Self guides her life. Jess calls this flip between the Spiritual Self and the Dark Side, The Hoffman Flip. One of the most valuable things Jess took away from the Process is her ability to be compassionate with herself. Jess shares with Drew how she softened into her own humanity. When she came to understand where her patterns came from, she realized that of course, she’s like this. This realization opened the door even wider to deep self-compassion. Enjoy this vulnerable, engaging, and funny conversation with Drew and Jess. More about Jess Rona: Jess Rona is the most influential dog groomer today. She’s built a devoted following on social media with her signature musical slow-mo blowout videos and impressive celebrity pet clientele. A skilled groomer, content creator, and comedian Jess has created a multi-dimensional grooming empire. After releasing her digital grooming courses, she has solidified her position as a leader and expert in the grooming industry. Jess is the executive producer and star of the most adorable competition series of all time: Haute Dog on HBOMax inspired by her life and brand. When she’s not creating poodle content you, can find her at her unique flagship brick-and-mortar in Larchmont Village in Los Angeles. Or you might find her snuggling with her husband, actor Eric Edelstein, and their rescue mutts, Meemu and Chupie.  You’ll find more about Jess and her products and services here and on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. As mentioned in this episode: Kristen Neff: The three steps of self-compassion. Listen to Kristen Neff on the Hoffman Podcast. Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor & 90 seconds: When we feel and witness the physiological sensations in our body without reacting, the emotion dissipates within 90 seconds. If we continue to feel it after 90 seconds, we’re choosing to ruminate on and stay connected to the thoughts. Listen to Dr. Taylor on the Hoffman Podcast. Hoffman Process Terminology: Awareness Hell: In awareness hell, we are aware of our patterns and the things we wish we didn’t do, but we are still unable to change. We understand but feel stuck in this place of hell even though our awareness keeps expanding.  Our work must include three additional steps: Expression, Compassion, and New Ways of Being. All four make up the Cycle of Transformation. Right Road, Left Road & the awkward feeling of your new path: Those first steps onto the right road can feel awkward like learning to ride a bike.  Even so, we have to keep stepping forward onto the Right Road as we navigate this new unfamiliar place of connecting and living from our Spiritual Self.  Too often we stay on the Left Road, hanging onto the known familiarity of it despite its cost in our lives. Be. Do. Have.: We live in a world that puts the BE at the end. Our parent’s patterns and the patterns and messages we get from society tell us that we must always be doing something.  Generally, that means working: working to make money or working on ourselves. “Don’t just sit there, do something!” Then, if we DO those things, we will HAVE the right job, enough money, the right relationship, the right group of friends, live in the right neighborhood, etc. When those first two are in place we will BE happy and content. Well, that messaging is a pattern.  And it’s not the truth. We have to put BE first and focus and feed our being. We need to engage in the tools and practices that support our being. When we are not in our patterns and are more connected to our Spiritual Selves with an integrated Quadrinity, the action of DO comes much more naturally and authentically. Doing from a grounded place of being will yield far better results. Then, as a final step, the HAVE – the intimate partnership, the house, the community, the job – will fall into place naturally through the first two steps.  BE DO HAVE is the way to go!    

There are so many possible titles for this amazing conversation with best-selling author and internationally-known thought leader, Ken Druck. Grief Literacy; The Harm in Superficial Positive Thinking; Hope Loves Company. Ken ties all of this brilliant wisdom he shares with us into, “Leaving a Legacy of Love.” The Hoffman Process heals us so that love can flow and flourish within us and through us. Healing such as this is possible in the Process when we surrender to the Process. Listen in as Ken shares a pivotal moment from his Process when he deeply surrendered. That moment was a point of transformation for Ken and is a profoundly moving experience to witness. A Hoffman grad of many years and a member of Hoffman’s Advisory Council, Ken’s life and his work of service in the world are a testament to how one’s challenges can alchemize into a blossoming legacy of love. More about Ken Druck: Dr. Ken Druck is a best-selling author, Executive Coach/Consultant, and internationally known thought leader. He has helped countless individuals, families, organizations, and communities turn their greatest losses and challenges into opportunities for becoming the best version of themselves. Ken has inspired and guided his clients, readers, audiences, and the general public for over 45 years. This inspiring work with people all over has earned him the prestigious Distinguished Contribution to Psychology and Visionary Leadership award. His work in healing after loss, parenting, civility, relationships, and aging has helped shape our worldviews. Ken’s groundbreaking books and CDs are The Real Rules of Life, Secrets Men Keep, Healing Your Life After the Loss of a Loved One, Courageous Aging, Raising an Aging Parent, and The Self-Care Handbook. Ken founded the Jenna Druck Center in 1996 to honor his daughter, Jenna. The Center’s award-winning Families Helping Families program provided free grief support services to those who lost loved ones at 9-11, Sandy Hook, and Columbine, to name a few. Ken speaks and conducts training and classes for distinguished audiences worldwide. These include The United Nations, Harvard School of Public Health, Young Presidents Organization, and the University of California, San Diego, Medical School. His work is featured regularly on CNN, PBS specials, top newspapers, and social media sites. Ken lives, is a community leader, and maintains a coaching/consulting practice in San Diego, California. You can find out more about Ken and his many programs here. Also, listen in on a conversation with Ken on YouTube where he speaks of leaving a legacy of love rather than a legacy of chaos. As mentioned in this episode: How we go on after a loss: The Six Honorings    

Today’s episode with Barbara Arrowsmith-Young and Drew will open your mind to new possibilities in how to change your brain. Barbara is an innovator and author in the field of neuroeducation. Used worldwide, her work utilizing the principles of neuroplasticity to enhance cognitive functioning was begun in 1978. Barbara’s vision is to put the brain into the education equation. She is passionate about enhancing “the learner’s ability to engage with what is out there in the external world.” To support herself in bringing this gift she’d created into the world, Barbara came to the Hoffman Process in 1996. In other words, she had a vision but needed to clear the negative behaviors, moods, and ways of thinking standing in her way. As a result, Barbara has made and continues to make her vision a reality. Looking forward, she sees promise in her work to help addicts rewire their brains, as well as helping those with the cognitive impact of long-haul COVID-19. Through fierce dedication, Barbara has transformed the considerable challenges she was born with into the gift she now shares with the world. She says she won’t ever retire; and that she’ll continue to work in this area until she is “no longer here.“ More about Barbara Arrowsmith-Young: As the Director of the Arrowsmith Program, others have recognized Barbara’s work as one of the first examples of the practical application of neuroplasticity to address learning difficulties. Barbara continues to engage in research to understand how we can drive neuroplastic change in the brain to benefit learners worldwide. Born with severe learning disabilities, Barbara received the diagnosis of having a mental block in grade one. Another way of saying this in today’s world would be multiple learning disabilities. Barbara read and wrote everything backward. In addition, processing concepts in language was difficult for her, she continuously got lost and was physically uncoordinated. Through heroic effort, Barbara eventually learned to read and write from left to right and mask a number of the symptoms of her learning disabilities. Relying on her formidable memory and iron will, she attended graduate school. There she chanced upon research that inspired her to invent cognitive exercises to “fix” her own brain. Barbara’s book, The Woman Who Changed Her Brain, interweaves her own tale with riveting case histories from her more than thirty years of working with both children and adults. You can learn more about Barbara here and at the links below. Links to learn more about Barbara Arrowsmith-Young:   TEDx talk: The Woman Who Changed Her Brain: Barbara Arrowsmith-Young at TEDxToronto   Presentation: Changing Brains, Exploring a New Reality: Neuroplasticity and Learning. Research Overview (downloadable PDF) Free Webinar Series:  Shaping Our Brain: How Neuroplasticity Can Enrich Our Lives Free Book Downloads: The Brain Pioneer, by Howard Eaton (a children’s book) Brain School, by Howard Eaton As mentioned in this episode: Barbara Burke, beloved Hoffman Process teacher, and coach. Alexander Romanovich Luria: Neuropsychologist, often said to be the father of modern neuropsychology. It was Luria’s book, The Man with the Shattered World, that changed Barbara’s world. Mark Richard Rosenzweig: Research psychologist at Berkeley.    

Katie and Liz engage in this insightful conversation about the intersection of sobriety and the Hoffman Process. How can the Process support the journey of sobriety? And, how can the journey of sobriety deepen one’s engagement in the Process itself and one’s post-Process experience? After getting sober in 2014, Katie did the Process in the Spring of 2016. After completing the Process, Katie found a way to integrate her Hoffman work into her program of sobriety. Katie came to the Process to help heal her relationship with her mother whom Katie was caring for. Her mother was facing end-stage liver failure due to alcoholism. As an alcoholic herself, Katie was deeply compassionate toward others who were working a program of sobriety. But, it was different with her mother. She resented her drinking and other behaviors. Through the Process, Katie was able to heal her relationship with her mother as well as her resentment toward her mother’s drinking by exploring what her mother’s life was like before Katie being born. This helped Katie see her mother as a person whole unto herself and see her mother’s pain separate from her own.  One of the big things Katie gained from the Process is a sense of neutrality – that people aren’t doing things to her and she doesn’t have to assume bad intent. Katie calls herself a liberal atheist, and as such, she found the ‘God concept’ hard. During the Process, it wasn’t hard for her to tap into her Spiritual Self. She realizes now that her Spiritual Self brought her to that first Twelve Step meeting, guided her to ask for a sponsor, and ultimately brought her to the Process. On a happy note, Katie’s mother’s health is much better. More about Katie: Katie is a Jane of all trades who embodies self-awareness and conscientiousness in everything she does. Her background in art led her to a career in the design tech space where she gets to combine her hunger for business and creativity in San Francisco. As an ex-gymnast, the Hoffman Process helped her separate her perfectionism from her innate love for movement. As a result, she now does acrobatics at a local circus gym. When she’s not working or doing backflips, Katie is working on her latest woodworking project, training her deaf dog Ruby, cooking up her favorite vegetarian dishes, and enjoying the city’s best coffee. As mentioned in this episode: The Twelve Steps and A.A. The Dark Side: Katie and Liz talk about the Dark Side (the aggregate of one’s negative patterns). Katie had related her alcoholism to something like the Dark Side, but when she learned about the Dark Side at the Process and was no longer drinking, she came to see that the Dark Side wasn’t just her alcoholism. It was also her anxiety and all the ways she tries to soothe herself in moments when life gets difficult. H.A.L.T.: is an acronym used within the recovery community. Am I hungry, angry, lonely, or tired? As Katie says, it’s like a mini-quad check.    

We begin Season four with a powerful conversation with Liz Severin, Hoffman teacher and coach, and our newest podcast co-host. Welcome to the Show, Liz! Liz completed the Hoffman Process about five years ago. Living in a small town in Texas, she’d never heard of the Process but found it through a Google search. Feeling a deep sense of loss of Self and hearing a question inside, “Who am I?” that she didn’t know how to answer, she enrolled. Liz says she truly had no idea what she was getting into. Liz shares how working with our Negative Love patterns helps us know ourselves better. She specifically mentions a pattern of being fiercely independent and feeling like she had to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders. After doing the Process, she now sees that fierce independence is a quality of her Spiritual Self. Liz honors her resilience and openness, chooses independence, and knows when to ask for help. She explains this as the difference between being pattern-led and Spirit-led. The Process can heal so much within us if we are committed to doing the work. Liz shares a very tender experience highlighting how deep the healing can go. As a Hoffman teacher, Liz has dedicated her life to helping others navigate the darkness within in service of finding themselves and their inner light. Liz often says, “I don’t know how we’re going to get through this, but I know we’re going to get through this.” More about Liz Severin: With a master’s degree in Communication Disorders, Liz works as a hospital-based speech-language pathologist supporting neurological patients to recover their cognitive and language skills and swallowing abilities after various traumas. As a Hoffman teacher, her loving presence guides students to rediscover their own inner-knowing, cultivate self-love, and rediscover their purpose. Born in Norway, Liz lived all over the world before moving to the US for high school. Growing up overseas opened Liz’s eyes to a diversity of languages and cultures. It also gave her a deep sense of curiosity about life and people. When she is not teaching the Process, seeing patients, or hosting guests on the podcast, Liz leads a busy life. She runs a small embroidery business, moonlights at a venture capital firm, coaches clients, explores outside, and loves chatting up strangers. Liz enjoys the cold beaches and quiet foggy mornings of her home away from home, the San Francisco Bay Area. As mentioned in this episode: Spirit-led: Liz describes her sense of being spirit-led as surrender to life – “tapping into the deepest layers of my inner being, and trusting and allowing that to take form.” Patterns: Negative Love patterns form the Dark Side and keep us from living our lives in a place of love. Dark Side: The collection of all of our Negative Love Patterns.