Hosted by Kevin Young. Produced by J'aime Rothbard.

In this episode, Kevin is joined by James Gordon, MD, founder of the Center for Mind Body Medicine, whose teams have worked in Gaza, Kosovo, Syria, Bosnia, Northern Ireland and beyond, and Diana Garib, a clinical psychologist on the front-line in Beirut, recording live as conflict surrounds her.

Together they explore: - What it looks like to show up for others when your own world is on fire - How humanizing the other can become the first act of healing - Why finding common ground—from shared grief to shared hummus—may be where peace actually begins - What it means to transform helplessness into action

If you've ever wondered what grief sounds like when bombs are falling, drones are overhead and your six-year-old is playing war with his dinosaurs… It might sound like this conversation, which wanders —with warmth, humor, and hard-won wisdom—from grief to survival, from despair to agency, from the deeply personal to the global.

About James S. Gordon, MD

A Harvard-educated psychiatrist, and pioneer of mind-body and integrative medicine, Dr. Gordon is the Founder (1991) and CEO of The Center for Mind-Body Medicine (CMBM) which aims to make self-awareness, self-care, and group support central to all healthcare and education systems. His global faculty of 145 and a US-based staff of 26 have trained over 7,000 clinicians, educators, and community leaders in CMBM's model; spreading its therapeutic and educational programs to hundreds of thousands who are traumatized, stressed and confronting the challenges of anxiety, depression, chronic and life-threatening illnesses. Dr. Gordon believes that we all have great and largely untapped capacities to help and heal ourselves and one another.

Dr Gordon is the former chair of the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy, and a clinical professor at Georgetown Medical School. He's known as a peacemaker, consensus and cross-cultural relationship builder, as well as for his life-changing therapeutic work with individuals, families and groups.

A noted author and essayist on Alternative Medicine, Dr Gordon has authored several books, book chapters, and over 140 articles which have been published in professional journals and the popular press. His latest book, Transforming Trauma, (2021) presents trauma as a human experience, not a pathological anomaly. Drawing on current scientific research and his 50 years of clinical experience, Dr. Gordon demonstrates how, when people can meet the challenges trauma presents, they can discover joy, meaning, and purpose.

About Diana Gharib, Licensed Clinical Psychologist

"When individuals experience trauma or severe life stressors, their sense of stability, identity and safety can be deeply shaken. In moments when [outer] circumstances cannot be changed, the work becomes one of inner transformation."

Deeply committed to supporting this process and helping individuals reconnect with their resilience, dignity, and capacity for healing, Diana creates safe, respectful, and collaborative therapeutic spaces where healing, self-understanding, and lasting change can unfold. Her work with adolescents and adults who have endured traumatic and highly stressful experiences brings healing, supports the development of healthier self-perceptions, strengthens emotional regulation, restores a sense of meaning and agency.

Diana supports survivors of torture and sexual violence, individuals affected by war and displacement, refugees, incarcerated and detained populations. She also works extensively with people experiencing depression, anxiety, and complex personality-related challenges.

As no single therapeutic approach is suitable for everyone, Diana integrates a range of evidence informed modalities, including Compassionate Inquiry (CI), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and principles informed by polyvagal theory. She also conducts therapeutic sessions grounded in both clinical knowledge and compassionate presence. Each therapeutic process she offers is thoughtfully tailored to each individual's unique history, needs, and therapeutic goals.

Promotional Messages:

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Resources:

Websites:

Dr Gordon's Professional Website

https://jamesgordonmd.com/

Diana's Professional Profile