Pathways to Heart

This podcast is an exploration of the process of healing from spiritual abuse. Dr. Courtney Stratton discusses what actually qualifies as spiritual abuse and why it can be challenging to identify. She shares her research speaking with women about their personal experience of spiritual abuse and their journey to recovery. She describes some of the signs and indicators that someone may be a victim or survivor and discusses the challenges associated with healing from spiritual abuse.

This podcast is an exploration of the increasing presence of spirituality in online platforms. Spiritual mentors, teachers, and gurus are reaching out to share their experiences and teachings and creating spiritual communities along the way. Dr. Olivia Jenkins, Melissa Caicedo-Farbman, and Petra Parvati Meedt conducted a research study on this phenomenon. They share their results here with our listeners.

This podcast is a discussion with Dr. Yon Walls on the importance of recognizing ancestral trauma. Current research into trauma is beginning to identify the transgenerational impact of trauma. These go under the names collective, historical, generational, and ancestral trauma. Dr. Walls is a Somatic and Expressive Arts Psychotherapist, Trauma Specialist and Certified Mindfulness Practitioner in the Japanese Way of Tea. She is also a published poet and novelist. She is a contributor to the upcoming book; Seasons of Grief: Creative Interventions to Support Bereaved People. In addition, her Indie Novella; Seeing Colette (2014) will soon be re-released. Her research in the area of Ancestral Trauma speaks not only to trauma as a human condition of suffering, but also its potential for transformation. She is interviewed by Dr. John Elfers.

This podcast is a discussion with Dr. Fred Luskin on the meaning, purpose and value of forgiveness. Dr Luskin founded and currently serves as Director of the Stanford University Forgiveness Projects.  For 10 years he created and taught the Happiness class based on Positive Psychology class, as well as co-founded the Life Works and Wellness Education programs at Stanford School of Medicine.  He is on faculty for the Stanford School of Business Executive Education program where he teaches a series on Mindfulness and Happiness to business executives from all over the world. He is interviewed by Dr. John Elfers.

This podcast is a discussion with Dr. Robert Frager. Dr. Frager received his doctorate in Social Psychology from Harvard University in 1967. While studying there he conducted research in Japan, studying Aikido with the founder of this martial art. He is the co-author of the textbook Personality and Personal Growth and is the author of many books on Sufi Psychology and Wisdom. In 1975 Dr. Frager co-founded the Institute of Transpersonal psychology (now Sofia University) with Dr. James Fadiman. This was the first institute of higher education devoted exclusively to teaching transpersonal psychology. Here Dr. Frager shares his memories, thoughts, and insights on the evolution of transpersonal psychology as a discipline and the development of the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology. This podcast has been adapted from an interview conducted in May 2023 He is interviewed by Dr. John Elfers.

This podcast is a discussion with Dr. Suzanne Adams who shares her experience working with underserved communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Dr. Adams is a graduate of the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology and is a licensed clinical psychologist, supervisor, trainer and public speaker. She brings her expertise in areas of LGBTIQQ issues and somatic trauma recovery to her work in community mental health, using holistic and transpersonal perspectives. In this interview with host Neal Adams, Dr. Suzanne Adams discusses her experience as a spiritually oriented therapist in addressing the deep cultural awareness that is critical in working with diverse populations in community mental health. Her approach is visionary and inspiring.

Dr. Ann Saffi Biasetti, is a Somatic Psychotherapist, Eating Disorder Specialist, and Yoga Therapist. She is the author of Befriending Your Body: A Self-Compassionate Approach to Freeing Yourself from Disordered Eating (Shambhala Publications, 2018). She is the creator of The Befriending Your Body (BFYB) Program- A Somatic Self-Compassion Program for Making Peace With Your Body, Food and Self. Doctor Saffi Biasetti earned her doctorate through the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in 2015 and now returns to share her wisdom with our listeners. In this podcast episode, host Dr. Patty Hlava invites Dr. Saffi Biasetti to share her personal story of how she came to appreciate the important role of self-compassion to mental health and the value of making it an embodied experience. She shares how an embodied approach can be integrated into a therapeutic setting. She looks to the future with suggestions and resources for creating an embodied life.

Rosemarie Anderson, Ph.D., is professor emerita of psychology at Sofia University, an author, poet, and Episcopal priest. In 2017 she received the Abraham Maslow Heritage Award from the Society of Humanistic Psychology of the American Psychological Association. She is the author of Celtic Oracles (Random House, 1998), The Divine Feminine Tao Te Ching: A New Translation and Commentary (Inner Traditions, 2021), and Celtic Healing Oracle: 64 Cards and Guidebook (Destiny Books, forthcoming in February 2023). She also co-authored Transpersonal Research Methods for the Social Sciences (SAGE, 1998) and Transforming Self and Others Through Research (SUNY Press, 2011) with the late William Braud and co-authored Five Ways of Doing Qualitative Analysis: Phenomenological Psychology, Grounded Theory, Discourse Analysis, Narrative Research, and Intuitive Inquiry with Frederick J. Wertz, Kathy Charmaz, Linda M. McMullen, Ruthellen Josselson, and Emalinda McSpladden (Guilford Press, 2011). Rosemarie lives in southern Oregon surrounded by wilderness and wildlife.  In this episode, host Dr. John Elfers invites Rosemarie Anderson to reflect on her career in transpersonal psychology as a researcher and professor. She shares her thoughts on where we have been and where we are going.

What happens when a young girl doesn’t believe in limitations? What is possible when her dreams resonate at such a frequency, that they force themselves into reality? Practically anything, as proven by Leah Goldstein’s stunning example of an unbounded life. This podcast answers these questions through an interview with Leah Goldstein interviewed by host Tara Pipia. Leah Goldstein was the World Kickboxing Champion at age 17. After a career as an elite Commando in the Israeli military, Leah went on to become a professional cyclist, completing the longest single-stage race in the world, Race Across America. In this podcast, Leah shares her personal story of what motivated her to take on physical challenges and the many challenges along the way. These challenges, rather than barriers, became opportunities for profound transformation.   To learn more about Leah Goldstein and her work, visit her website at leahgoldstein.com.

Jay Jackson began his career as the Assistant Wrestling Coach at Stanford University, helping the team to the program’s first individual NCAA championship. As a high school teacher and assistant principal Jay worked to build character and resilience in high school students through physical training and sports. He became a Spartan Racer and through that relationship created a curriculum to help youth and adults grow into better versions of themselves.   In this podcast episode, Jay shares his insights into the value of motivating youth through physical challenge. His new curriculum is currently being used in many schools, gyms, and after school programs across the country with elementary students through adults to allow individuals to come up with their personal ideas of Spartan mental philosophies like grit, resilience, and getting out of one’s comfort zone so that they may grow into better versions of themselves.

Ginger Charles, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of the Institute for Spirituality and Policing. She served for 27 years as a Police Sergeant in Colorado. In 2005, Dr. Charles received her doctorate from Saybrook University in Health Psychology, focusing on Health Risk Factors in the police community, specifically in the area of health and spirituality. Dr. Charles is currently the chair/faculty of the Criminal Justice program at Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz area of California. She is actively engaged in research, action programs for police officers, and teaching young students about the criminal justice system.  In this podcast episode, Dr. Charles shares her personal story of how she came to appreciate the importance of spirituality to policing. She looks to the future with suggestions and recommendations for true community policing.

In this podcast episode, host Dr. John Elfers, Director for The Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning at Sofia University, explores transpersonal psychology and the 'dark side' of human nature Dr. David Morelos. Dr. Morelos is the co-host, along with Dr. Jessica Micono of the podcast series, Psychology After Dark.  Dr. David Morelos is a self-proclaimed “rogue scholar” with an unorthodox education in literature, philosophy, and transpersonal psychology. He has spent the last 18 years working with criminal populations in both law-enforcement and substance abuse treatment roles. His expertise is in prisonization and men’s psychology. He holds a Ph.D. in Psychology (transpersonal concentration) from Sofia University in Palo Alto, CA. In this episode, he has graciously agreed to share reflections on his work in some of the far reaches of human nature.