Grey Matters Now

Bridgit Corbin Fried had a successful career in public relations and marketing before taking time to raise her four children. Bridgit recently combined her passion for travel and adventure with her sales and marketing skills and joined Epic Private Journeys. An experienced mountaineer, Bridgit has climbed to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Whitney, several 14,000 ft peaks in Colorado as well as Everest Base Camp. She believes the best travel experiences have purpose, through authentic and conscious first hand local encounters, personal challenge and seeking new perspectives. Epic Private Journeys has been a great fit for Bridgit as she can apply her experience as a socially and environmentally conscious traveler with others. Epic Private Journeys designs trips by passionate and experienced professional guides. Having “lived” the product, they have a profound understanding of what makes the ultimate trip. They want their travelers to feel the same passion, awe and respect for the places that they love. This

Does what we consume for our beloved pets really have an impact on not only their comprehensive wellness but the planet as well? The answer is yes! I found this out first hand after desperately figuring out how to keep my sweet dog Daisy Mae well in her advanced years. I dug deep, read everything and integrated eastern and western medicine. I basically started cooking for her and learned everything about pet nutrition from a local small business pet supply store called Pupologie. She lived to be 18. This is where I met the heart center of this business Denise and Brendon Clifton. Yes - Denise and Brendon are trailblazers in the holistic pet food arena but their passion for what they do lights and blazes that trail. Brendon even helped me save Daisy’s life at one time – it was a pure and profound experience I will NEVER forget – NEVER! Denise and I even share the experience in this episode. They are champions of TRUTH and empowering pet parents for a world free of toxic pet brands. They fill the shelves with

Dr. Shiva Ghaed is a California-licensed Clinical Psychologist, currently working for the Department of Mental Health in the Naval Medical Center San Diego healthcare system (Marine Corps Recruit Depot). Dr. Ghaed provides group and individual therapy to active duty patients in the catchment area, maintains ongoing involvement in academia and research, and has served as a voting member on the Institutional Review Board for NMCSD. Dr. Ghaed’s clinical experience includes several years of training and specialization in the Veterans Affairs Healthcare Systems of San Diego and Los Angeles. She completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the San Diego VA, specializing in anxiety disorders, non-combat trauma, and combat Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans. Dr. Ghaed is a member of the American Psychological Association, and strives to maintain competency and excellence as a therapist and professional in her field. In 2015, she was presented with the As

Brittany Catton Kirk is the Founder and Executive Director of the Social Enterprise Sunlight Retreats for Survivors, an accelerator for healing for survivors of rape. After being attacked overseas in 2012, she struggled in her career, relationships and gained 60 pounds as she tried to recover from her attack and Post Traumatic Stress. She looked for a safe place to go and heal but found nothing so she created Sunlight Retreats for Survivors. Drawing on her ten years’ experience creating award-winning programming for military families and wounded warriors at the San Diego Armed Services YMCA, she set out to create a tangible in-person program to empower survivors with tools, trauma education, resilience training and peer support. Sunlight Retreats is a change-making program that gives survivors a better way to heal, so that they can rebuild and empower others. 100 percent of the forty participants from the first two retreats reported via anonymous survey that they would recommend Sunlight Retreats to a fellow

Every individual is unique. Every organizational ecosystem is unique. Building trust and mutual understanding through the understanding of our unique temperaments: Ayurveda is one of the world’s oldest medical systems, originating in India over 3,000 years ago. The term Ayurveda translates to “wisdom of life,” combining the Sanskrit words ayur (life) and veda (science or knowledge). As a medical tradition, the practice of Ayurveda brings the body in balance to heal itself. However, its holistic principles can also be applied to the unique psychological and physiological elements of individuals as well as to the collective ecosystems of organizations. Cultivating a conscious balance of these elements brings greater vitality, well-being, creativity, and happiness. The elements of Fire, Water, Earth, Air, and Space offer accessible metaphors for learning how our personal qualities, motivations, and behaviors shape how we relate and engage with others. Designed and developed from decades of applied learning, obse

Ian Barry, better known as Poods to his friends, was an extremely gifted athlete that found meditation in movement, an unconditionally kind and creative soul that lived by his words “keep doing your thing and keep being who you are”. On September 27 2012, Ian passed away at 22 years old when he accidentally fell from a bluff. Although it is important to know that his death was an accident and that he was in his element being one with nature (adhering to another one of his mantras – less technology and more nature), Ian’s death is not the focus of this conversation and podcast episode. This is a discussion about living….about how Ian lived so fully and how his parents John and Ali and younger sister Kiva continue to live while they process the grief of losing their only son and brother. Ian was VERY special and made people that he came to know feel like their “best friend”. He had a quiet, humble, disarming charm combined with an attitude of accepting everyone for exactly who they were without judgment. He tru

Ocean photo of Keane by Ellie Hayes Portrait photo of Ellie and Keane by Corey Vilicana. Keane Webre-Hayes sustained traumatic wounds to his upper body, lost half his blood, underwent at least five hours of surgery, and received 1,000 stitches to repair his torn upper back, shoulder, torso and face, after he was attacked by a shark on Sept. 29 while diving for lobsters. His mother Ellie was on the bluff as the incident was happening. There happened to be several other divers in the water that day that calmly went straight into action and kept Keane alive and got him back to shore safely. Keane was diving for lobsters with a friend just off the coast of Encinitas, a popular beach city in San Diego County, California, when an eleven-foot Great White shark attacked. Since he woke up after his first surgery Keane has been adamant about getting back in the water to dive and surf again. “I definitely want to get back out there,” He told his 8th grade classmates, a few weeks after the attack, and he hopes to get bac

I love that this episode coincides with the release of my friend and fellow Hospice Social Worker, Cheryl Dienes’ book The Final Dance / What The Dying Teach Us About…EMBRACING LIFE!! Join Cheryl, Kenn and I for a conversation about the dynamics of death and dying. It is interesting that we are taught, as soon as we are born, to navigate through all general passages of life and development. The one passage that is not part of our developmental education and, that we are all going to experience, is death. If we explore our own experiences and feelings about end of life ahead of time, the conversations are not that uncomfortable and are actually quite liberating. When we process our feelings and beliefs ahead of time, we create a clear open space for being present for processing our raw emotions and or being present for our loved ones for their sacred transition. It is the one thing we will experience that is half physical and half metaphysical. I have had many personal and professional experiences with end of

Happy New Year everyone! Meet John Abate a true beacon of light and hope. John is also a huge advocate for safer roads, believes and practices wellness through nutrition and MSBR (UCSD trained) and….if that is not enough…is the Co-Founder and CEO of JoJe Bars. If you have not tried JoJe Bars, you are missing out – they are SO delicious that it is hard to believe they are packed with all the nutrients your body needs to perform at its best! He is an avid cyclist, outdoorsman and all around super cool and positive guy. He generously took time out of his busy Holiday schedule to record a podcast episode for Grey Matters Now on the first day of Winter Solstice. Winter Solstice is the beginning of new and more light every day and the Holidays we celebrate during this season are all about light and hope. We both felt an urgency to record this ASAP so that John can spread his message of hope through his first hand experiences! A living breathing, walking, cycling, stronger than ever, example of how to manifest hope

The ocean has really inspired me — it's always moving and changing; going and flowing. I just think that's so awesome. It's always different than it was the day before. – Jaysea Devoe Individually, we are one drop but together, we are an ocean… Two years later, to the date, I sat down and recorded a second part to Jaysea’s story. A LOT changes, grows, and evolves for teenagers in a year or two and she is no exception. In the last 2 years Jaysea has pioneered extreme expeditions, been in two movies, has been seeking out and surrounding herself with strong females that she refers to as mentors and fearless females and, after being home schooled most of her life, decided to enroll herself in public school for her senior year to, in her words, “feel like a regular teenager”. She decided she wanted to discuss HER stories that only others and the media have presented so far. She has been through so much I just let her jump in and start talking and let her take whichever direction felt most important and natural to

Two years ago I recorded this Episode with Jaysea Devoe who had just turned 15 years old. Jaysea at 12 years old became the youngest certified yoga instructor, youngest S.U.P. yoga instructor, an entrepreneur, a clothing designer and a business owner. These titles are not what are important to her – they just happened to grow from a strong organic passion that happened to come to her at an early age. The most beautiful and impressive thing about her though, in my opinion, is her old soul mixed with the ability to still see the world through the eyes of a child. Jaysea also holds a special beacon of light, a strong connection to the ocean and tool box full of balancing and coping tools. Her personal mission is to use these tools to maintain balance for herself so that she can share her gifts and tools so that others can find and maintain balance and a healthy, fun and full life. She stated she just wants to spread her love of yoga and being in nature and she would like kids her age to follow their dreams and e

According to Psychology Today, the definition of mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. When you're mindful, you carefully observe your thoughts and feelings without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to your current experience, rather than dwelling on the past or anticipating the future. Although this is a simple definition, achieving this state is not always as easy. Join me, Andy Laub, and Kenn Orphan MSW as we explore doorways, tools and journeys to mindfulness and learn how one’s mindfulness can reverberate and ripple into amazing manifestations. Andy holds several tools and is actively involved in the education of mindfulness, getting there and being there. He also has damn interesting stories! I met Andy at Bishwa Seva Foundation’s Sound Meditation where he has been playing the Native American Flute and volunteering for five years. Andy has been involved in sound meditations for eight years,

Episode 10: We’re All One or None! All One! With Dr. Bronner’s CEO David Bronner 150 years and 5 generations of family soapmaking Dr. Bronner’s was founded in 1948 by Emanuel Bronner, a third- generation master soapmaker from a German-Jewish soapmaking family. He used the labels on his superb ecological soaps to spread his message that we must realize our unity across religious & ethnic divides or perish: “We are All-One or None!” Still family-owned and run, Dr. Bronner’s honors its founder’s vision by continuing to make socially & environmentally responsible products of the highest quality, and by dedicating our profits to help make a better world. All-One! David Bronner is Cosmic Engagement Officer (CEO) of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, the top-selling brand of natural soaps in North America. He is a grandson of company founder, Emanuel Bronner, and a fifth-generation soapmaker. David and his brother Michael established Dr. Bronner’s as a trendsetter in the organic body care industry by becoming one of

Grey Matters Now Episode 9 : Ingredients to fuel our wellness with Erica Fowler Are we really what we eat? Does what we consume really have an impact on not only us but the planet and society? The answer is yes - what we consume becomes the ingredients that create overall and comprehensive wellness. This is one person’s story of self-discovery and a holistic health journey. Everyone has their unique path they are on but it may help to hear what is in someone else’s tool box. “I am passionate about conscious living through simple practices that eliminate stress and help create a balanced lifestyle. I want you to find more energy, feel comfortable in your skin, and enjoy life!” -Erica Fowler Erica began a career in modeling while she was in college and she realized quickly how certain people treated their bodies to look a certain way. She enjoyed the experiences of runways in LA but also had other dreams to pursue. It was not until life threw her a few curve balls in her early twenties, that she re-aligned with

Emma’s View of Her Journey/ Coping with Emotional and Physical Pain This is a follow up to Episode 8 Part 1: Am I The Only One? My Child Is Self-Harming. Make sure you listen to part 1 before part 2 Listen to mom- Jessica’s journey in episode one and Daughter Emma’s perspective of their journey and coping mechanisms in part 2. Listen and learn about her journey to self-discovery. Emma, like her musician father, is able to express herself best through her artistry. This has become a big ingredient in her healing and coping. Both she and her dad Will are so gifted in their personal story telling through their individual creative outlets and through this conduit they beautifully channel raw emotion and gift us with visual art and song. Emma is now 22 and has since graduated from college. I caught up with her last week and we recorded her unique perspective and story. I had her listen to her mom’s episode and she really liked it and, in her words, expressed that her mom did a good job explaining her perspective.

Am I the only one, am I a bad parent, should I have seen this coming, who can I share this with, who can I talk to that won’t judge us, how do I handle this, where can we go for help…? These seem to be a common theme of questions parents ask when they discover their child is self-harming and or struggling with mental health issues. Although every family, family dynamic, and mental health struggle is completely unique, it may help to listen to others that have or are going through similar issues and difficulties. It may help to know that this can happen to anyone and that you are not alone. It may also be beneficial to listen to the resources and coping strategies that worked and did not work for them and provide you with some hope. This is a complex issue and there is no quick fix. Hopefully you will hear something that resonates with you and that you and your family may be able to implement into your recipe for healing and balance through this journey. It really is all about finding the right balance for you

Last year I had the honor of speaking with Nilima Bhat about her new book, workshop and lecture series Shakti Leadership : Embracing Feminine and Masculine Power in Business. Nilima is a world renowned author, speaker, facilitator and visionary and may be one of the most insightful, bright, and balanced souls I have ever met. The principles of Shakti leadership are applicable and can be integrated not only to big businesses but to any system or organization. I think we all are aware that inequality, sexual misconduct, and the abuse of power and control to mistreat others exists and most know it is wrong. Nilima believes we should have “how to” books to get us through life’s most challenging times -so she writes them! There actually is a formula within us all to restore male and feminine balance. This book is just one of the products of her evolution through her life’s journey. We also discuss her fascinating and colorful life that led to this point and this endeavor. Besides being one of the most remarkable p

At Risk Youth – Who are they really? William’s Story Join me, David Magee, Michael Julian, and Katy Bray for an open and honest round table discussion connected in 3 parts of the country and a variety of perspectives. This topic about the dangers of substance abuse is SO big it was difficult for me personally to start facilitating the conversation. I awkwardly just looked up at this mountain and took the first shaky step and the rest of the conversation just flowed with these brave, candid and beautiful individuals. This episode is intended to brainstorm by sharing personal issues and stories. I want to be very clear; this is NOT a platform for blame, shame or finger pointing. This is intended to be a safe place to share openly in order to problem solve. When I stumbled across a newspaper article spreading through my social media circles written by a fellow college classmate, it felt like a force had taken ahold of me and shook me to my core. I knew this force would not let me go until I contacted the author,

How and why Grey Matters Now? The birth and journey to Grey Matters Now.  This is the story of the birth of Grey Matters Now and the journey that shaped who I am today and my evolving life purpose and mission.   About Katy: Katy Bray is the Owner and Founder of Lead With The Lights On. I met Katy at a certification class I was attending.  She was a speaker and I was immediately drawn to her energy and her work. I felt like she was speaking just to me – ha!  I looked her up, we connected, and she became my endeavor birth doula. She is a genius and believes integrating the various aspects of leadership such as self, team, and higher purpose is key to the success of our emerging leaders. She is also an amazing, intuitive and genuinely kind human!  She and her husband and business partner Zebulon have been above and beyond comprehensively supportive and resourceful both professionally and personally.   About Me - a two part episode I am a Social Worker by title that’s been working in social services at some capac

Have the latest massacres and disasters left you feeling stunned, fearful, angry, saddened, or polarized? This free-flowing conversation with my friend, colleague and fellow Social worker Kenn just happened to be a month after The Pulse Night Club shooting and the day of the massacre in the South of France – Bastille Day. Are you ready to explore the ever-changing tone of the world and the emotional climate change that comes with it? After a tragedy, shock and horror start to manifest into fear. Navigating through everyday life changes as our perception and new emotions make moving forward in a healing direction challenging. Do you find it hard to figure out how to move from reaction to action and to not be consumed by negativity? Humanity, community, courage, good and beauty exist in a huge way. Oh my goodness – the world has been on quite the roller coaster since this podcast! Join us for a broad open discussion about moving through our world with an open heart and mind.