Mind The Gaps

#18 Travel as Our Greatest Teacher

Welcome to Episode 18: Travel as Our Greatest Teacher, where Kirsten is joined by Melanie Caines, an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (ERYT-500), Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist, and Neurogenic Yoga & TRE provider. As a lover of travel, Melanie has been leading vibrant international yoga retreats in Costa Rica (where Kirsten first met her), Cuba, Mexico, Indonesia, Morocco, and across Europe for over a decade. On retreat and in this episode, Melanie and Kirsten shared laughter, tears, and a deep appreciation for the beauty of journeys not just destinations. Join them as they ‘unpack’ how travel can serve as our greatest teacher.

#17 Therapist Remix

Welcome to Episode 17: Therapist Remix. In this exclusive episode, Kirsten switches things up by interviewing her Psychotherapist, Daniel Farb, who also writes and records rap music under the stage name, MC FÜBB. Merging his musical talent with his expertise in mental health, Daniel brings us behind the scenes of his song lyrics and personal experiences related to addiction, perfectionism, and the limitations of traditional mental healthcare. As a trained professional in one of Kirsten’s favourite therapeutic interventions: Internal Family Systems (IFS), Daniel reveals how we can unburden ourselves from the past by facing multiple ‘parts’ of ourselves, leading to a more integrated and fulfilling existence.
 
All musical rights of Daniel Farb's songs included in this episode belong to MC FÜBB / Daniel Farb: "Dear Doctor", "Perfect", & "Opioid Crisis", Wounded Healer, 2019, 705205 Records DK. MC FÜBB / Daniel Farb, has granted Kirsten Davidson consent to include his original audio tracks into this podcast episode.

#16 When Psychology Meets Philosophy

Welcome to Episode 16: When Psychology Meets Philosophy, where Kirsten is joined by philosopher and bestselling author, Jonny Thomson. Well known for his books Mini Philosophy, Mini Big Ideas, and Mini Psychology, Jonny also runs the Mini Philosophy instagram account @philosophyminis. In this episode, Jonny shares his philosophical insights on meaning, free will, ethics, consciousness, and how not to be boring. As Kirsten and Jonny fuse their expertise of psychology and philosophy, they reveal how anyone can enrich their life by exploring it more deeply.

#15 Long for Nothing

Welcome to Episode #15: Long for Nothing. In this episode, Kirsten brings us on a journey into the gap between ‘longing’ and ‘looking forward’ to things in life. As we learn how to overcome pain from the past, feel grateful for the present, and excitedly anticipate the future, we’ll find ourselves longing for nothing. Kirsten endorses that when we feel whole, we get to look forward to life instead of longing for a better one.

#14 Word To The Wise

Welcome to Episode 14: Word To The Wise, where Kirsten is joined by retired Registered Psychotherapist and Registered Marriage and Family Therapist, Dr. Susan Dafoe. Susan specialized in gerontology, health education, relationships, parenting, neurofeedback, and continues to lead classes on yoga and mindfulness. In this episode, Susan’s shares her wisdom on wisdom itself through her professional and personal experiences as a mother of three, grandmother to six, daughter to her 99-year-old mother, sister to two brothers, and friend to many. Together, Susan and Kirsten explore the roots relationships, resilience, confidence, story-telling, and timeless life lessons.

#13 Taking Back The Morning

Welcome to Episode #13: Taking Back The Morning. In this episode, Kirsten delves into the whole-body benefits of slowing down our mornings to engage in self-care practices. As we get up close and personal with our host, Kirsten shares the 6 habits that make up her ‘slow morning’ routine. By minding the gap between rushing and re-charging in the morning, we’ll discover how the latter can lead to a happier and healthier life.

#12 Olympic State of Mind

Welcome to Episode 12: Olympic State of Mind, where Kirsten is joined by Professional Athlete, Austin Smeenk. Austin has represented Team Canada in wheelchair racing at the two most recent Paralympic Games and in 5 World Championships. In this episode, we’ll get a look inside the mind of an elite athlete during peak performance whilst training for the 2024 Paralympic Games held in Paris, France. With gratitude, Austin shares his wisdom on transforming obstacles into opportunities by prioritizing his mental and physical well-being.

#11 Love vs. Fear

Welcome to Episode 11: Love vs. Fear. In this episode, Kirsten reveals how everything we think, feel, and do is rooted in one of two states: love or fear. On this deep dive into into the roles of our emotions, Kirsten uses a variety of metaphors to explain why acceptance equals love and resistance equals fear. As we mind this gap between love and fear, we’ll discover our potential for limitless growth, and limitless love.

#10 Ever-Evolving

Welcome to Episode 10: Ever-Evolving, where Kirsten is joined by Professor of Psychology, Dr. Pat Barclay. Dr. Barclay is cross-appointed to the Department of Psychology and the Bachelor of Arts & Science program at the University of Guelph, where he conducts research on the evolution of human cooperation. In this episode, we’ll learn the ins and outs of evolutionary psychology; discovering how human psychological adaptations have developed in response to ancestral challenges. Together, Kirsten and Dr. Barclay cover topics ranging from cooperation, taboos, altruism, casual dating and long-term dating, and how nice guys can finish first, all through an evolutionary lens.

#9 DiagNOsis

Welcome to Episode 9: DiagNOsis. In this episode, Kirsten challenges traditional medical models of mental health by revealing the limitations of mental disorder diagnostics and inspiring us to transcend these labels. Embracing a holistic approach to wellness, Kirsten invites us to think of one another’s emotional states in the context of our unique life journeys, rather than simply categorizing them as 'disordered'. Get ready to unlock your power to rise above suffering, by viewing your emotions as sensations you ‘experience’, not as traits you ‘possess’.