Things That Will Help

Buffy spins stories of self-generated fires - why they matter, how they’re useful, and what's possible when the ashes settle. Expect tales of forest fires, the deep South, and grannies to support themes of growth, bravery and freedom. In this episode, Buffy references Mizuta Masahide, Paulo Coelho , John Lewis , and Frederick Douglass . 🌱 Find this week's playlist Part 1 and Part 2. 🌱...

Every person has a rich story of paradox, and we don’t always get the privilege of hearing someone else’s story. Buffy tells stories of masks, the kindness of strangers, and feeling “pale at the pool,” all in service to the lesson of how empathy and building bridges can support more connection and kindness. In this episode, Buffy references Lisa Foote. The poem she reads is "Once the World Wa...

When you stand still as a practice, you create space for solutions, clarity, and opportunity to rise. This week’s stories include gaslighting, prophetic dreams, and sticky-sap essential oil as Buffy illuminates the invaluable role stillness plays in our lives to become clear and aligned. In this episode, Buffy references Anne Lamott , Tere O'Connor , and Michael Singer. 🌱Find this week'...

One of Buffy’s long-time teachings addresses "fairness" and leaning into the balance of our own unique gifts in partnership - both in love and like. The stories she spins includes those about contact improv classes, podcasting, snow-driving, and more. In this episode, Buffy references Cheryl Strayed , Lauren Myracle , and Yanara Friedland . 🌱 Become a supporter of the podcast on Patreon...

Rituals are like sandbags that deliver a sense of safety, comfort, and wellness. They help us remember that our being alive is significant. Buffy’s stories of ritual, from supper rituals to priests’ blessings to book smelling (really!) will have you considering how you weave ceremony and tradition into your own life. In this episode, Buffy references StarHawk , Elizabeth Gilbert , and Wind Hughes...

Buffy weaves the theme of trust and surrender through tales of dance, social media, childhood, grief, and practice. How do you weather the dark? Where do you go in the face of fear, rage, and uncertainty? See yourself in these stories of softness and suppleness and surrender to the battleground of being human. In this episode, Buffy references Anne Lamott and Dan Rather . 🌱 Find this week's...

We need conscious boundaries in our life - it’s a potent practice of deep self-care. In this episode, Buffy talks about how we can bring more consciousness into our lives through reimagining boundaries, the role of feedback, and the role our people play in this conversation. Your sense of boundary whispers its needs - and when you tend to them, the results reveal themselves in all corners of your...

Buffy speaks up about racial justice and talks about making her way uncomfortably through allyship. If you’ve been struggling with how to be an effective ally, how to have hard conversations, or how to use your platform, this episode will help. 🌱 The articles Buffy referred to are “I Need White Mamas to Come Running” by Christy Oglesby and “Stop Doing Warrior Pose If You Are Not Going to Fight” b...

Buffy brings on her long-time friend Jada Dixon, who discusses things that will help during these rapidly changing times. Jada shares her experience as a black artist and how social and racial justice informs her work. 🌱 There are many resources to educate yourself on white supremacy, racism, and ways to become an effective ally. This doc serves as a resource to white people/parents to deepen ant...

There is a season for everything, and in this episode, Buffy discusses the magic that happens when we recognize and name the season of life we are in. You have seasons where ideas and priorities live and die, where you focus on many things all at once, and times where you’re balanced and smooth. You have detailed times, and times of sweeping strokes. Times where you focus on other people, and time...

Buffy talks about legacy and what becomes available when we shed layers of old stories.  Language that bypasses the reality of how hard things can be or feel is not helpful, and it can even be destructive. But if we can allow the grief of the darker times like this to be felt, and eventually turn our language and stories towards something hopeful, the stories we tell can become ones of hope and re...

In this episode, Buffy distinguishes permission as something that doesn’t necessarily have to come from outside, and the potency of giving oneself permission. We tend to think that other people aren’t as messy as we are in their own process - and of course, that makes us feel more alone and like we’re a bigger mess. She talks about the courage required to create a deep and felt allowance of being...

Buffy teases apart “The Ground Truth” from “The Official Truth,” and why it’s so important to get clear on our personal Ground Truth. She discusses the idea of a Whole Body Yes, how your inner circle can support and hold your truth, and how to distinguish when to share your Ground Truth and when to hold it close. In this episode, Buffy mentions Martha Graham . 🌱 Find the accompanying Spotify play...

Buffy discusses releasing the podcast in the midst of a pandemic, and how taking life - and its problems - bite by bite can be just what we need to move forward. Bite-sized pieces are one of the simplest ideas we can stand on. And, while this soul medicine of bite-sized pieces is ideologically simple, Buffy grounds the practice in a variety of stories. Plus, she discusses the birth story of Things...

Welcome to Things That Will Help with Buffy Barfoot. TTWH is a podcast that explores what it’s like to be human. Buffy and her guests discuss how to find tools to feel clear, grounded, and happier. Each week, expect two episodes full of rich story-telling and embodied practices that bring the themes Buffy discusses to real life. These stories ahead do not negate the hard or the darkness, but rathe...