Becoming More Conscious

Dr. Barrens-Alexander -  a longtime educator with strong administrator, Middle and Special Education teaching experience,  is a woman who is always teaching.  As the founder of the Institute for Exceptional Children, she will meet and assess your child to help determine the best academic options for them. Angela believes that each of us is exceptional in our own special way, and truly works to make a difference in the lives of the children with whom she works -- whether they are planning to attend college or not. Enjoy learning about the IEC!

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dinuka Ranasinghe about her work as a certified Emotion and Body Code healer. I left our time together with several unasked questions, and I wanted to learn more. Several of you did too, and you asked if we could share a bit more. So here is "Dinuka Part 2"! Thanks for listening, asking for moe, and tolerating my use of the expression "Wow"!!!

Have you ever heard of The Emotion Code (TEC)? Developed by Dr. Bradley Nelson, TEC "is a powerful method of finding and releasing trapped negative emotions that have been stored in the body through our subconscious minds’ desire to protect us from suffering." Emotions profoundly effect the quality of our life.  Our experience of low-frequency emotions — like fear and anger — feels very different from our experience of high-frequency emotions — like love and gratitude.  The higher we vibe, the better we function and heal.  That’s how energy healing works to potentially improve our physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, & life-related ailments.  Being our best self requires that we shed what holds us back. When we take responsibility for the health of our energetic spirit and pair that with healing intention, we move toward the higher vibrational state that’s required to balance, regulate, heal, and thrive. According to Triad Health Center: "Every emotion has its own energetic frequency.  When emotional energies lodge in the body, the frequency causes an imbalance affecting the organs and tissues, or disturbs your whole energy field, thoughts and mood.  Releasing trapped negative emotions can help remove the imbalances, allowing your body to heal itself, leading to a healthier and happier life as you resonate more positive energy!  It’s possible to let go of negative emotions by allowing ourselves to experience them, but we don’t usually do this so they become trapped.  Luckily, with emotional release therapy, and specifically the Emotion Code technique, we can find and easily release your trapped emotions..." Today, I am talking with Dinuka Ranasinghe, a certified Emotion Code healer who helps people reveal energies trapped within and heal!

Welcome to Season 2 of "Becoming More Conscious" -- we ask the question, "The Universe is always speaking to us....Are you listening?" In late December spoke with Ms. Tyra Simpkins, founder of MSYANA -- MS You Are Not Alone -- an empowerment group for African Americans and young people diagnosed with MS who live in the Washington, DC area.  MSYANA will be celebrating its 20th anniversary with a gala later this year with a gala! Stay tuned for details!!!!

Welcome to Season 2! Thank you so much for joining me for discussions that will cover many areas of your life, including: Consciously living, parenting and friending, how to connect with others in a meaningful way,  and living a healthy and contributory life. Let's have a great season!

Welcome to Season 2 of Becoming More Conscious! Please join me each week starting in January, 2023 for conversations with friends, colleagues-- even cooperative family members! We'll discuss a range of issues - from parenthood, mindfulness, and interesting cultural issues like health, religion, race, gender, and many others!

Thank you for checking out the second season of Becoming More Conscious!  January 2023 we will get started! Join me for warm, thoughtful, perspective-changing coversations about life, parenthood, the challenges of building positive relationships, and creating value each day.  Stay tuned!

NatNat Bedard is an experienced coach and warrior woman, who has helped her clients regulate the energy of their own nervous system, learn the importance of accessing their breath, reveal their curiosity, see pain as a portal to their growth and experience the energy of life.  Through navigating the challenges of parenting 3 sons, and her own trauma response to illness and supporting joy, NatNat shares much of what she has graciously learned through her own experiences. Follow NatNat online through her website, www.Liftoneself.com, via FaceBook or Instagram at Lift Oneself, or on her podcast, Lift Oneself

Kelli Richardson Lawson joins us today for Episode 19, discussing the mission of The Joy Collective, a Black woman-owned, poly-cultural marketing agency headquartered in Washington DC. They represent several major brands across many industries including Dove and Dove Men + Care, and have played a huge role in the passage of the Crown Act, which ensures protection against race-based hair discrimination and has been passed in 12 states. Kelli also discusses her creation of the SonRise Project, a safe online space for parents of young people dealing with mental wellness, and an OWN podcast.   We talk about the range of issues that our children provide for us to expand, learn and grow.  When I asked her to share some advice with our listeners, she shares what she calls “the ABCs of life”, which is a great place to end our chat. Connect with Kelli Richardson Lawson at: I am Kelli Joy (FB, IG, and Linked In) www.Joycollective.com www.TheSonRiseProject.com

Since 2010, Schinnell Leake has coordinated elebrating the birthdays of over 1,000 children living in homeless shelters throughout Washington, DC. Through her not-for-profit Extraordinary Birthdays, Schinnell, her staff, and a team of amazing volunteers develop personalized birthday celebrations  that connect with homeless children from a place of happiness rather than their current circumstances. As a result, this gives them what most children enjoy on their birthday—to feel valued and that they matter. Extra-Ordinary Birthdays is about giving children the experience that reinforces their sense of self-worth, self-esteem and importance. Awarded 2015 L'Oreal Paris Women of Worth, Schinnell became 1 of 10 women L'Oreal Paris honored as a woman of worth in their 10th year of celebrating women making a difference in the community. After almost a month of public voting she then became the Women of Worth National Honoree.  What has this journey been like? Check it out! Enjoy this week's episode -- featuring a very conscious woman on a mission to celebrate the birthday of each child, not focus on their circumstances. www.extraordinarybirthdays.org 

I first met Howard Ross in the 1990s, as a featured speaker for a local program now named Leadership Greater Washington. He was the first white man I had ever met who could speak knowledgeably about diversity/inclusion/equity. I was surprised and impressed then and remain so. In our conversation earlier this year, Howard traced his path of peaceful protest through academia, professional services, and healthcare. In the 80's, his life took another turn to include launching Cook Ross, a consulting firm partnering with clients to co-create solutions that help them advance Inclusion,Diversity, Equity and Accessibility within their organizations. Over time, Ross began studying meditation/spiritual work. This opened him up to consider the impact of things like how our brain is designed and operates -- which facilitates his continued learning about navigating through life calmly and wisely. Please enjoy our discussion as we move through many topics including Diversity, Conscious Parenting, Vipassana meditation, learning from great wisdom teachers and the challenger of navigating adult relationships. Learn more about Howard at www.howardjross.com His current company is Udarata p

Sue DeCaro is the founder of DeCaro Parent Coaching.  She experienced some challenging years raising her children and recognizing the need for resources and support, began studying to decome a parent coach. Having successfully navigated almost every challenge imaginable, she offers her coaching expertise to parents worldwide, as well as compassion, understanding and hope.  Parenting has always been hard work, but is now more challenging than ever as a result of today’s fast-paced, stressed-filled, technology driven society. Add to that the effects from the pandemic of the past two years, and many of us can benefit from guidance from a coach.Sue has been my wonderful parenting coach for the past several years, and I really look forward to sharing her with all of you! Sue's mission is to bring more laughter, love and enjoyment to your home life. Reach her at www.suedecaro.com

After a successful career in sales and marketing in Corporate America, Staci shifted her professional focus to direct sales, where her passion for program development, team-building, and holding space for others combined to develop successful teams around the country.  Eventually, her work shifted to advising others about their individual performance goals and intuitive coaching -- connecting with the universe to reveal its many messages for us. In 2019, Staci and David Sanders worked together to create the Inner Sangha, a six-month intensive program for people seeking to live an authentic and intuitively aligned life. The 4th cohort is starting soon! Take-aways: There is a huge difference between our ego and our essence. The universe speaks to us in many ways. The majority of our mental talking is our ego speaking. There is tremendous learning in turning our spotlight on internally.

In this, our initial conversation (I erroneously posted the second part of the interview first this morning!), Faiza defined mindful living and how important it is for every one of us. In this episode, we also discussed some of the biggest battles we face – as women, employees, and mothers. Remembering that warning, “Check ourselves before we wreck ourselves!” Asking “How can I support you?” is a powerful question that our children and even those with whom we work must be asked to help us come to a real understanding of how to work together. Stay tuned! More episodes with Faiza coming soon! Connect with Faiza at www.faizaliban.com Connect with Linda Burke at www.Becomingmoreconscious.com Thank you to our producer, Peter Manougian

Faiza Liban is a Mindfulness and Conscious Living Facilitator, and a Parenting Mentor. She provides her clients with the tools needed to step into their own unique power and strength through the practice of Presence, Mindful Dialogue, Compassion, Oneness, and Service as they navigate through a Global Pandemic and other challenges. As she shares in her website, www.faizaliban.com, "I have learned that it is not where we come from or how we were raised that determines how we choose to live our lives. It is what we do with those experiences. When we tease apart our generational and collective conditioning, we can determine what serves us and what does not. We can then come home to our true self. The self we are, not the self we were given… albeit unknowingly." Join us for Part 2 of our conversation, where we discuss the importance of words like Belonging, Intention, Expectation, Co-creation, and Service. We also talk about the challenges of living a "check listed life", the weight of culture, generational legacies, and the importance of finding your tribe, no matter how long it may take...  

Dr. Linda McGhee is a mental health expert passionate about People of Color and the impact of racial trauma on their lives.  After earning a MBA and a J.D., she earned her Ph.D in Clinical Psychology, and began seeing adults and children.  She is the current President of the Maryland Psychological Association, and she hosts Good Mental Health on WOLB radio. Take - aways 1. Cultural awareness is important for everyone. 2. What we suffered as children often gets in our way now.  3. It is not just about the child's behavior, but what the behavior is telling us. -- Like an iceberg, there is always much more beneath the surface. 4. The definition of trauma has evolved over the years, and is much broader now. 6. Self-care requires time in the day - be prepared to take it. 7. This achievement culture often weighs us down, and the FaceBook facades of many people have a way of fooling us. Contact Dr. Linda at www.drlinda@drlmcghee.com Many thanks to our Producer, Peter Manougian

Take-aways: 1. There are many ways to recover from your emotional wounds: start by really listening to yourself, how you feel, and go from there. 2. Show up for Yourself: A Guide to Inner Awareness and Growth 3. The Spiral of Healing - model for how we experience change in life 4 parts Feel, Heal, Grow and Love 4. There are many ways to learn about your best path forward -- remain open and flexible. 5. Importance of meeting people where they are - without judgment. 6. General difference between talk therapy and hypnotherapy. 7. Self-care is done from the inside - out. 8. Conscious Parenting -- helps change the way you relate to yourself first, and then your children. 9. Difference between trauma and Trauma. 10. Loves learning and integrating what she has learned. 11. We can't be specialists in everything! Release with love when it is not the best fit... 12. Goal setting vs. intention... "Opportunity only knocks on doors that are open to it." Learn more about Janet and get a sample of the first chapter of her book at www.Janetphilbin.com

Dr. Chanie Messinger is an international author, speaker, Occupational Therapist and mindfulness coach who works with adults and children. She is a teacher and learner who is on a transformational journey helping others learn the difference between “What if” thinking and “What is” thinking. Dr. Chanie shares her personal and professional journey through her university studies, successfully navigating her own anxieties, and her social isolation to ultimately earning her PhD and become a successful researcher creating a new model for empowering her young patients. Ways to reach Dr. Chanie: Email: chaniemess@yahoo.com Facebook: DrChanieMessinger Website: www.DrChanieMessinger.com                                                                                   DR Instagram: DrChanie@instagram.com

Excerpted from Shalini's website: The process of becoming conscious is unearthing the unconsciousness, becoming aware of it in the moment. Consciousness (awareness) is the ability to practice observation. It is witnessing your thoughts, feelings, and reactions in the present moment. This allows you to see and understand yourself in a whole new light. Combining western psychology and eastern philosophy and wisdom, I will coach you to tune into yourself and allow your inner knowing to guide you. You will discern the layers that no longer serve you and lovingly shed them. You will unlearn and relearn who it is you truly are. I am honored to walk this path next to you as you fill your holes to become whole, and uncover your divine essence. HERE IS YOUR INVITATION TO TRANSFORMATION Are you ready to take your first step? Join our discussion about Conscious Parenting, the lessons we all can learn from our childhood, our children, the significance of consciousness, connection, and the many things we all learn from our environment from moment to moment. Please join us! Follow Shalini on Instagram: Shifting with Shalini Check her out on Facebook: Shalini Josen Her website: www.shiftingwithshalini.com

Dara and Dave Feldman, a passionate wife-husband team, founded Virtues Matter to help people lead lives of joy, meaning, and purpose.  Dara is an author, speaker and educator. She was honored as Disney's 2005 Outstanding Elementary Teacher of the Year and Maryland's 2015 Mother of the Year.  Dave is a social entrepreneur, community leader and thought leader on diverse topics such as sustainable development, entrepreneurship and leadership.   They developed the Virtues Cards app, an easy-to-use tool designed to help people cultivate virtues and positive qualities of character like resilience, gratitude, kindness, unity, creativity and justice. They facilitate uplifting and transformational workshops (in-person and online) and customized programs for organizations based on strategies that bring out the best in ourselves. and others. You can get the Virtues Cards app at the Google store, Apple store, or wherever you get your apps! Dave Feldman - dbfeldman11@gmail.com

Glenda Augustine is co-host of the podcast Two Black Moms With a Mic. Along with co-host Lisa Edwards, they discuss the range of experiences of motherhood "...from diapers to diplomas", and beyond!  These two have 6 kids between them, and share the ups and downs of successfully raising Black children in today's world. Glenda talks with me about many things: Conscious Parenting, her own early interest in science and how unexpected it was for a Black girl in the 1970's, her experiences throughout school, including college, the challenges of becoming an entrepreneur, and how all of this led to her current interest in helping Black children pursue their interest in science. Check out the Two Black Moms with a Mic podcast on Audible! 

Vicki shares her journey from senior attorney with the EPA, to becoming a talented African drummer, a Reiki master, an experienced herbologist and current entrepreneur. Connect with Linda: www.becomingmoreconscious.com Facebook: A Conscious Moment THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO CONNECT WITH VICKI: Facebook: Send w private message to Vicki Anderson Simons (Due to excessive hacking and imposters, she's not accepting new friend requests) If you are on Facebook and want to see her Soul Hobby Posts, pics, and live shows use the following hashtags: #soulhobby #soulhobbyherbals #soulhobbydesigns #soulhobbyhealingwhileblack #healingwhileblack #backyardmedicine #neckedthing #neckedthingbysoulhobby #neckedthingbysoulhobbydesigns Instagram- Vicki has two accounts: Soul Hobby Herbals Soul Hobby Designs -  (this is where I feature Necked Thing scarves. They are listed under this account as Neckedthing_by SoulHobby PLEASE REMEMBER TO SUBSCRIBE!

Andrea Gonzalez is a Clinical Psychologist in Guatemala. For more than 20 years, Andrea has been working with adults and children.  After earning multiple Master's degrees, her passion has been to find the answers to children’s problems through working with them in her private practice, always knowing that the work had to go beyond the child.  This is how she started studying and following the work of Dr. Dan Siegel, Laura Markham, and Dr. Gabor Mate, and others for years. She is also a certified Conscious Parenting Coach. Check her out on FaceBook at The Helper's Tent.

Holly Hall is an author, life coach, astropsychologist, clairvoyant, spiritual therapist, astrologer and teacher. She defines her mission as "...to grow and help others advance through their understanding of their evolutionary process to ascend."  She has married Science with Spirituality and has  studied many things, including Psychology, Hypnotherapy, and NLP developing a unique approach to reading your life experiences in your future. Check her out at www.Askhollyhall.com, FaceBook ,Linked in, YouTube, and Instagram. Thank you to our Producers, Peter Manougian and Lindsey Burke Learn more about living consciously at bit.ly/3ij9lmn

Learn about Conscious Parenting and a range of tools that are available to help you parent through this interview with Dinuka Ranasinghe - Mother of two, certified Conscious Parenting coach with Dr. Shefali Tsabary, Emotion Code practitioner through Dr. Bradley Nelson, and owner of Kid Works Children Center, a play-based, nature-inspired, connection-based pre-school located in Long Beach, California. (www.kidworkschildrenscenter.org) Reach Dinuka Ranasinghe via her Facebook page, or through www.theparentingevolution.com Interested in learning more about Conscious Parenting? Check out my website at bit.ly/3ij9lmn Many thanks to our producer, Peter Manougian

David is known as an Intuitive Leadership Coach, a teacher, learning and education innovator, dad-preneur, and podcast host. He is also the Founder and former CEO of GPS - Growth Public School, in Sacramento, CA, a diverse, connected community of curious problem solvers, caring innovators and creative change makers that challenges students to take ownership of their learning and find their calling. Connect directly with David at www.davidkrichards.com Interested in more ways to become more Conscious? Check it out on my website here: bit.ly/3ij9lmn Thank you to our Producer, Peter Manougian

- Linda is a Conscious Parenting coach trained by Dr. Shefali Tsabary. Check her out at www.drshefali.com - "Conscious" is defined by Dr. Shefali as "...being awake and aware of the energy of the present moment..." - Learn more about Linda at www.Becomingmoreconscious.com