SPARKS IN ACTION Podcast with Donna Sherman

Do you find yourself thinking that your life is filled with too much of the mundane? Listen to this and learn to flip the script.

Listen to the very end; keep listening after I sign off and let me know if you know can identify the sound I recorded.

How we start our day matters. I've got a behavioral tool for you that will lift your spirts and settle your mind.

Let me know what you thinkl.

https://donnalsherman.com

Link for study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nim.gov/36229489

Veterinarians face enormous stress; however we rarely think about the fact that they encounter death, loss and complex medical decisions on a daily, perhaps even hourly, basis. Dr. Sonja Olson worked in emergency veterinary care for many years and has an insiders understanding of the complexity of practicing veterinary medicine. Sonja is part of a dynamic movement to bring therapeutic services to veterinary professionals and is the author of: Creating Wellbeing and Building Resilience in the Veterinary Profession.

For information about Sonja Olson, DVM  https://sonjaolsondvm.com

For information about me: https://donnalsherman.com

Raj Pandya is the Director of the John R. Kirk Planetarium and a lecturer in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the State University of New York in New Paltz, NY. Allyson Sheneman is a student of Astronomy, Biology and Physics and an outstanding presenter of planetarium shows. In our fact-filled, fun and lively conversation they  explore a variety of topics such as the possibility of  intelligent life in the  cosmos, an icy moon of Jupiter that spouts geysers, thoughts about human habitation on Mars, the power of the new Webb telescope and more.  

PLEASE subscribe and support this podcast (which is a labor of love with a team of one (me!)) by giving it a review on Apple, Spotify or Google.

John R. Kirk Planetarium http://www.newpaltz.edu/planetarium

For information about Donna:  https://donnalsherman.com

I want to grow Sparks In Action and to do that I need a minute of your time. Please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify. SIA is an uplifting community service, please help me keep it thriving. Thank you! xoxo

Alaina worked as a science writer and over the years has created a dynamic data-driven, and process- oriented, approach to helping others work and live outside of narrow boxes. She is especially interested in working with people in the sciences( and STEM) who wish to pivot and transfer their knowledge and skills in new directions. Alaina does all of this with humor, color, sincerity and fierce strength. Our lively discussion covers a lot of ground and offers some actionable steps so grab a notebook. Simply listening to Alaina will ignite your inspiration and belief in your capacity to innovate.

For more info: https://alainalevine.com

About me: https://donnalsherman.com

Liz is a medical doctor, a hospitalist,  who is committed to her patients while also being actively engaged in programs aimed at caring for caregivers. Our first conversation on the podcast happened in May of 2021. In this part 2  we continue to peel back the curtain that divides patient and  health professional. We discuss how medical professionals can attune to their patients vulnerabilities, the post Covid shortage of health care professionals,  how patients can attune to their medical professionals strengths and vulnerabilities, some of the technological and architectural changes that are having positive impact on patient care and some of the systemic changes that are making health care difficult to access. We also talk about the role of genuine gratitude and its impact on health care providers and the patients they care for. 

https://donnalsherman.com

Sara is a Professor at  of Psychology at University of California where she directs the Sleep and Cognition Lab.  In this episode Sara lays out a little more about the premise of her book: The Power of the Downstate: Recharge Your Life Using Your Body's Own Restorative Systems and we discuss  steps that will help you  activate more consistent, health-promoting behaviors. Take some notes while you listen  and if you really want to dive deep into how to enhance you innate restorative systems read her book.

Sara's website: https://saramednick.com

For information about me and my work: https://donnalsherman.com

 Lisa is a  licensed psychotherapist, a long-time teacher of meditation, a fiercely intelligent and compassionate woman who has never shied away from speaking her straightforward truth. Lisa also  happens to be a dear friend of mine. This rich conversation between colleagues and friends was prompted by our shared concern that the often popular approach of "optimization" can be misleading and detract from the enduring insights and wisdom that a non-performance based meditation practice offers us.

To learn more about Lisa's work and her book visit: https:// lisadalemiller.com

To learn more about me and my work visit: https://donnalsherman.com

Ethan has been involved in progressive international and domestic drug policy along with innovative harm reduction policies for decades. Our lively conversation includes many aspects of all things drug policy such as how justice intersects with drug policy and the human desire to alter our consciousness. We reveal some personal information about our marriage, the dissolution of our marriage and our transition from being married to being supportive co-parents, and good life-long friends.

https://donnalsherman.com

Sara, in her down to earth style, shares her vast scientific knowledge about how we can listen to, and utilize, our body's innate rhythmic cycles to increase our overall health. Sara has a vast and deep knowledge of our body's fascinating rhythmic nature and, more than that, she is devoted to bring her knowledge out into the wider world so we can all understand and work with our body's cyclic nature. This is part 1 of a 2 part conversation.For more information about her work: https://saramednick.com

How we start our day matters. Chirps are like sonic hits of gratitude and joy. Listen to this 3 minute episode, try my suggestion and let me know how it works for you. More info and tools: https://donnalsherman.com

This episode falls into the "tools for better living" category of the podcast. This new 25 minute episode moves right into a guided practice that is designed to mitigate mental agitation and physical exhaustion so you can resume your day with a clear mind and settled body. For more info and tools: https://donnalsherman.com

Sy Montgomerys' love for our natural world, and all the creatures in it, has taken her on soul enlarging adventures to distant areas of the earth where she takes readers on deep dives  into the mystery and wonder of the minds and behaviors of fascinating- and wildly intelligent- creatures such as pacific octopuses, hawks, pigs, dogs, amazonian pink river dolphins, tigers, tarantulas and more. Sy's prose is gorgeous with detail and fierce with truth.  She explores the sacred in the natural world and from it, learns to"love like a God.' Listen and be inspired. Read her books and embark on an adventure that will enlarge your heart, feed your mind and light up your wonder and curiosity.

https://donnalsherman.com

I wrote this one way back in 2000.

"Wild life, life lived wild..."  Let's celebrate it!

 This is designed for mid -day or anytime you begin to feel brain fog, eye strain, mind overdrive or simply want a guided reset.

Do not listen while operating a car or any sort of machinery.

 You can follow this while seated at your desk or lying on the floor. As always, if you have questions or want to reach out visit my site at https://donnalsherman.com

After a few of us created a story that involved time travel, George Washington, a blue flying horse and a run in with a T Rex I asked Lisa this question this question:

 " What's the best thing about being a child?" Here is her response.

Lori Wynters interviewed me and here's the conversation. When you hear some pauses don't  think anything is off with your audio,  we allow for a few seconds of silence when silence was the honest space between questions or responses. 

 I interviewed Lori on an earlier episode of SIA so check it out.

The early Sparks In Action videos (before it became a podcast) I mention in the interview can be found by searching for Sparks In Action on You Tube. You will find three videos titled:

Women Who Walk Their Talk

Stellar Wonder

Take Me to the River

Allen Taylor, PHD and Kim Kronenberg, MPH have created an inspiring and uplifting program called STEP-GTP: Science Training Encouraging Peace- Graduate Training Program. This visionary program pairs Palestinian and Israeli Graduate Students so they can do scientific work and research together with the  aim of "reintroducing Israelis and Palestinians to each other" and cultivating enduring professional relationships built on respect and trust. 

For information visit https://STEP-GTP.org. You can contact Kim or Allen at stepgtp@gmail.com

https://donnalsherman.com

Jimmy shares his rich history in the world of radio and how his path led him to where he is now at the the vibrant, non- commercial Radio Kingston in Kingston, NY.  Radio Kingston (WKNY 1490 AM /107.9 FM) breaks the boundaries of commercial radio and creates a vital and diverse platform for the exchange of information, ideas, inspiration, story telling and community actions with the goal of creating a more  "just and equitable Kingston". To learn more:  https://radiokingston.org

The wisdom of non-reactivity and patience in 12 seconds.

Out of the mouths of kiddos...

Listen and hear a pearl of wisdom about accepting the goodness and the difficult. All I asked was: "What do you think we grown ups need to know?" This is what he said.

If your tank feels empty and you need some juice, here is a stream of good sparks from me to you.

Whoever you are, wherever you are in this world, this is for you. I've received requests that I create a guided relaxation episode on this podcast so here it is. There is a lot I can say about the profoundly restorative guided relaxation that is Yoga Nidra but it's better for you to directly experience the therapeutic value. If you have listened to the introduction before you can  forward/skip to roughly 3 minutes 40. seconds into the episode to bypass my intro and go straight into the practice.

 If you want more information about Yoga Nidra in general, or my recordings from 2017 in particular, you can visit my website http://donnalsherman.com where you will find a "Guided Relaxation Recording" option on the menu bar. There are direct links for downloading my digital recordings from Amazon and the iTunes store.  If you like CDs, I can get one to you. If you have questions or want to contact me there is a contact page on my website: https://donnalsherman.com

I wish you ever deepening peace and vibrant health.

Three (deceptively) simple- and easy to integrate- practices I gleaned from listening to Dr. Andrew Huberman, Neurobiologist at Stanford University School of Medicine. The information I mention is discussed in great scientific detail in episode #28 of the "Huberman Lab" podcast. I do not know, nor have I ever met, Dr. Huberman. I listen to many science-based podcasts and simply want to share good information, that could add to your health and overall well-being, with you.

A wise elder, bereaved yet grateful husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, father-in-law, uncle and friend spontaneously speaks into my phone on Fathers Day.

 We love you Dad.

Marc, a world renown, composer/lyricist/arranger and performer who works in films, musical theater and television ( along with his co-lyricist Scott Wittman) has received a Tony, a Grammy, an Emmy and seven Oscar nominations. We cover a range of subjects from how the language of music and lyric can evoke deep emotions in both adults and children and how humor, and joy, create bridges between us. Marc, in his honest and unassuming way, reflects on his many years in the world of theater and the process of giving  air to the essential creative flow of composing/writing while also honoring the necessary progressions that the world of musical theater is undergoing. 

Listen to the very end and you might just hear a some piano improv....

https://donnalsherman.com

Listen and meet someone who speaks candidly about living a rich and full life with a brain that works differently. Lisa had a long career in the public school system as a musical educator, singer and choral director while being a mother, an ultra runner and outdoor enthusiast. During our conversation Lisa shares her truth with remarkable honesty while also sharing how she made a deliberate choice to drop her fear of being judged and misunderstood so she could live with unapologetic bold passion. 

Liz Levine, MD, is an internist and hospitalist at Northern Dutchess Hospital in Rhinebeck, NY. We talk about how she brings her medical expertise, her humanity and her wisdom to both her patients and her fellow health care providers. Liz is devoted to supporting fellow medical professionals in their process of drawing on their humanity while helping them resource tools that will help them negotiate the tricky territory of being a health care provider. We talk how both patients and medical professionals can be in their respective roles while also sharing their essential humanity (I share a bit about my cancer experience) and Liz offers some specific tools as examples of how she brings her desire to help "heal the healers" into her everyday work.

The recorded night noise that accompanies the first two minutes of this recording drops off by the 3rd minute. 

I wish you restorative sleep. ~~ Donna

In 2010 artists and health care professionals joined forces to create an innovate, joyful and effective way of offering health care to uninsured or underinsured artists. Through the exchange of art, music and health care the wildly successful O Positive (O+) Festival was born in Kingston, NY.  The model of the 0+ Festival has been recreated across the country. Listen to Joe speak passionately about the vision and generosity that went into creating this festival and how the festival not only provides an exchange of arts and health care but also nourishes communities by empowering them to take control of their collective well being. 

The next O Positive Festival will take place on October 8,9 & 10 of 2020. For information visit opositivefestival.org

Lori is a psychologist, university professor and rabbinically trained chaplain. In this lively episode we talk about grieving as a natural and necessary part of a full life, how we can allow ourselves to experience loss and vulnerability without shame and ways in which we can purposefully create connection with others. We also talk about how joy, love and wonder are part of the same life- affirming experience as loss and sadness and we address  how we can be with ourselves and others in their joys, sorrows and the overall bigness of experience that is life is.

Meet Karen who literally fights dangerous sparks while serving her community with fierce and loving devotion. Karen, the manger of a busy Inn in Woodstock NY, joined the Woodstock fire department at the age of 52 and since then, has become an interior firefighter, an EMT and a lieutenant. We talk about the interesting path that led Karen to join the fire department, what the training entails, why she does what she does and what the world of volunteer fire fighting looks like. Approximately 70 % of all fire fighters serve their community on a volunteer basis! 

https://donnalsherman.com

My short take and how to lessen the divide between us and have respectful conversations.

What do you get when you mix the field of medical pathology with the love of, and care for, our natural world? You get Charlie Gadol! Charlie is an engaged and generous citizen who walks his talk with sincere humility and positive actions. Full disclosure: Charlie is my husband.Click play and join our conversation.

https://donnalsherman.com

I'm not selling anything. My goal is to restore your faith in humanity and ignite your inspiration. Quite the deal!

Sparks In Action is an uplifting antidote to your daily news feed. This podcast will inspire you by introducing you to ordinary, unassuming citizens who are doing great things to add to our collective well-being.   Join us in celebrating each other and our wondrous world. Full length episodes will begin in mid April 2021.