In this episode, I sit down with Lawrence Susskind—city planner, mediator, and MIT professor—to unpack how consensus actually gets built in complex, high-stakes settings. From urban planning to Arctic governance, Larry shares what it takes to bring the right people to the table—especially those with less formal power—and how they can meaningfully influence decision-makers.

We explore what it means to be a “pracademic,” blending theory with real-world practice, and dive into the often-misunderstood concept of stakeholder assessments. Larry outlines ground rules for productive negotiation, the critical role of a neutral facilitator that everyone trusts, and how to ensure agreements don’t fall apart after the deal is signed. We discuss the importance of cross-cultural communication, power dynamics in global negotiations, and why trauma-sensitive mediation is essential when communities carry historical and lived harm into the room.

Larry Susskind is Ford Professor of Urban and Environmental Planning in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at MIT. He currently teaches undergraduate and graduate courses at MIT, including Cybersecurity for Critical Urban Infrastructure, Renewable Energy Facility Siting, Theory and Practice of Environmental Planning, Negotiation and Dispute Resolution in the Public Sector and Entrepreneurial Negotiation. He co-founded the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School with Roger Fisher 40 years go and is Vice-Chair for Pedagogy and Head of the Teaching Negotiation Resource Center. He is founder of the Consensus Building Institute, a not-for-profit that provides mediation services in resource management disputes around the world.

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Intro & Outro Music by Daniel Zaitchik

What happens when politics begins to tear families—and communities—apart?

In the wake of the murder of Charlie Kirk, I spoke with Bill Doherty—family therapist, author, and co-founder of Braver Angels—about how political polarization is straining relationships and what it takes to begin repair. Drawing on family and couples therapy, Bill explores how the dynamics of divided households mirror our national divide, and how structured dialogue can help people see beyond labels and into one another’s humanity.

Bill shares what actually happens inside Braver Angels workshops, how this work has changed him personally, and what each of us can do—right now—to ease political tension in our own families and communities.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why political conflict so often breaks families apart
• How therapy principles apply to healing political divides
• What makes Braver Angels conversations work
• How to lower defensiveness without giving up your values
• Practical steps for bridging political tension in everyday life

Bill Doherty is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota, where he taught marriage and family therapy for 38 years. Following the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, he cofounded Braver Angels, a citizen initiative bringing conservatives and liberals together to counteract political polarization and restore the fraying social fabric in American society. Braver Angels now has volunteers working in all 50 states. Among his awards is the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Family Therapy Academy.

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Intro & Outro Music by Daniel Zaitchik

In this re-aired episode, I’m joined by Greg Nardi (E-RYT 500, C-IAYT) for a nuanced conversation about what trauma-informed yoga actually means — particularly when viewed through the lens of yoga therapy.

Greg shares how yoga supported his own healing from childhood illness, anxiety, and depression, and how decades of study — including extensive training in yoga therapy, long-term study in Mysore, India, and leadership within trauma-informed programs — shaped his commitment to consent-driven, person-centered, and trauma-responsive practice.

Together, we explore:

• How trauma-informed yoga differs from — and overlaps with — yoga therapy
• Why choice, agency, and nervous system awareness are central to healing
• What ethical, trauma-responsive teaching actually looks like in real classrooms
• How yoga therapy supports both individual healing and broader social change
• Why trauma-informed approaches matter not only for survivors, but for all students

Greg brings clarity to common misconceptions about trauma-informed yoga, offering grounded insight for yoga teachers, therapists, educators, and practitioners seeking approaches that are clinically informed, accessible, and rooted in respect for lived experience.

✨ This episode is being re-released in anticipation of our upcoming Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training on January 24–25, where Greg and I will be teaching together. This training is designed for yoga teachers, therapists, and educators who want to deepen their understanding of trauma-responsive practice, consent, and embodied safety.