Connected with Jen and Shannon

We all need to belong. But what happens when belonging starts dividing us? We communicate to connect. We connect to relate. And we relate so that we can belong. But in this conversation, Jen and Shannon explore the other side of belonging: how our need for community can create in-groups and out-groups, reinforce echo chambers, and shape the meaning we make together. So how do we build communities...

One year. Two seasons. Almost 5,000 of you. So much gratitude! Jen and Shannon are back together for an end-of-summer catch-up, looking back at what we’ve learned in our first year of Connected and ahead to what we’re curious about as Season 3 begins. What does it actually take to HumanWell in complicated times? We talk about rewriting the stories we tell about the future, embodiment, Zazen, self-...

What if the experiences we've been taught to dismiss are actually invitations to expand how we understand consciousness? In this episode of Connected with Jen and Shannon, we sit down with Kelly Chase, Writer, Researcher, creator of "Cosmosis" and host of the new podcast "Inquiry" for a conversation about anomalous experiences, consciousness, transformation, and the stories we tell ourselves about...

What if the most important thing science can't measure is the very thing that makes us human? In this episode, we sit down with Matthew Segall— philosopher and associate professor at the California Institute of Integral Studies — to explore one of the most urgent questions of our time: how do we bring science and soul back together? Matt bridges the gap between the objective, measurable world of m...

What Happens When We Remove Art from Healing? In this episode, Shannon and Jen sit down with Nishi Joshi —Global Arts in Medicine Fellow, movement psychotherapist, social emotional learning educator, and president of the Indian Association of Dance Movement Therapy — to explore what’s lost when healthcare systems strip away the arts in favor of outcomes, productivity, and certainty. Nishi makes a...

In a world facing rising loneliness, burnout, and disconnection, what if healing requires more than medicine alone? In this episode of Connected with Jen & Shannon , we sit down with interdisciplinary researcher and artist Alex Rodriguez to explore the emerging world of social prescribing — a growing movement where doctors and healthcare systems are beginning to prescribe art, creativity, natu...

Most people think authenticity is something you either have… or you don’t. But what if it’s something you build? In this episode, we explore authenticity through the lens of communication, presence, and awareness—and challenge the idea that it starts from within. Is authenticity shaped by our inner world… or built through how we show up, act, and connect with others? Featuring a powerful mother-da...

What if the most important signals in your life… aren’t logical? In this episode of Connected with Jen and Shannon , we sit down with Dr. Ginny Whitelaw—a former NASA scientist, Zen master, and leadership expert—to explore the space between logic and intuition… science and soul —and what becomes possible when we learn to listen beyond words. Because what if your body isn’t just reacting to the wor...

Most people think they’re stuck because they don’t know what to do. But what if that’s not the problem? In this episode, we explore a deeper truth: you don’t lack intuition… you just don’t trust it. We’re joined by leadership coach Karen Sigalas to unpack what self-trust really is—and why it’s the foundation for how we lead, decide, and show up in uncertain moments. Together, we dive into: Why sel...

What happens when an FBI-trained mind starts trusting intuition? For most of us, logic has always been the gold standard. Analyze it. Prove it. Get it right. But what if the answers you’re looking for… aren’t just in your thoughts? In this episode of Connected with Jen and Shannon, we sit down with Adam Dickinson, a former FBI analyst who now helps people integrate logic and intuition to navigate...

Why is it so hard to make friends as adults? In this episode of Connected with Jen and Shannon , we sit down with Rob Lawless , the creator of Rob’s 10K Friends - a decade-long journey to meet 10,000 people, one hour at a time. So far, Rob has connected with more than 7,000 people from over 90 countries , simply by sitting down with strangers and having real conversations. What began as curiosity...

If you’ve ever thought… “I care about climate change… but I’m not doing enough.” This conversation is for you. According to climate communication expert Ali Wines, one of the biggest reasons people stay silent about climate change is shame. We think we have to be perfect before we can speak up. Perfect lifestyle. Perfect choices. Perfect solutions. But that mindset is exactly what keeps people stu...

What if the “coincidences” in your life aren’t random? In this episode of Connected with Jen & Shannon , we sit down with Dr. Butterfly Williams — cultural alchemist, transformative psychologist, and instructor at the California Institute of Integral Studies — to explore synchronicity, Ubuntu, and what it really means to live in alignment. Dr. Butterfly reframes alchemy as something far deeper...

What if the anxiety, division, and disconnection we’re feeling isn’t personal failure — but the result of a worldview that taught us we are separate? In this powerful conversation, Oxford physicist and cosmologist Dr. Jude Currivan shares an evidence-based perspective that consciousness isn’t something we have — it’s what we are. And when we begin to see through a lens of wholeness instead of sepa...

Feeling off lately? Like you’re trying harder than ever… and still out of sync? In this conversation with systems thinker Alexander Laszlo, we unpack what it actually means to live in flow — and why you can’t force it. You’ll learn: •⁠ ⁠Why trying harder isn’t the answer •⁠ ⁠What “being aligned” really means •⁠ ⁠How to stay grounded in chaotic times •⁠ ⁠The difference between surrendering and givi...

Join us in a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. John Vervaeke as we delve into the "Meaning Crisis" and explore the intricate connections between wisdom, community, and personal growth. Discover how modern society's search for meaning impacts our sense of belonging and trust, and learn about the practices that can help us reconnect with deeper truths. This episode is a journey into understand...

What the heck is embodiment anyway? In this episode, we delve into the concept of embodiment with Dr. Nick Walker - faculty and scholar of psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies, and 7th - degree black belt in Aikido. Challenging popular notions, we explore how embodiment is not just about being mindful of the body, but about what we are embodying in every moment. Join us as we...

What if leadership felt more like music? In this episode, we sit down with Greg Thomas and Jewel Kinch-Thomas , founders of the Jazz Leadership Project , to explore how the principles of jazz can transform the way we lead, listen, and collaborate. Greg and Jewel reveal how jazz serves as a cultural technology for connection. We explore how empathy, attunement, and psychological safety become the r...

Join us in this special episode as Sloat Shaw guides us through a transformative meditation designed to unlock creativity. This meditation not only refreshes the mind but also inspires artistic expression, as co-hosts Jen and Shannon discover their own creative sparks. Whether you're an artist or simply seeking inspiration, this episode offers a unique journey into the heart of creativity.

In this episode, we sit down with a contemporary artist with an international presence: painter, printmaker, and teacher Sloat Shaw, whose work weaves together neurobiology, myth, and the living intelligence of nature. Through her story of illness, healing, and creative awakening, Sloat reminds us that art is more than expression - it’s energy in motion. From her early meditations on light and the...

In this must-listen episode we sit down with Cherise Adjodha - a gifted writer and former UN program developer and World Bank consultant who has spent a lifetime catalyzing human connection and reimagining what it means to be human. Cherise brings the kind of wisdom born from witnessing the world’s suffering yet choosing to radiate joy. She invites us to explore three powerful ideas: Being before...

In this luminous conversation, Dr. Roger Walsh -MD, PhD, psychiatrist, longtime meditation teacher and one of the wisest voices of our time -joins Jen and Shannon to explore what it truly means to live in relationship. Far beyond “getting along,” Roger invites us to see relationship as the very fabric of reality. He offers practical, heart-centered pathways for meeting our moment: wisdom practice,...

When the world moves at a million miles an hour, what do our bodies know that our minds miss? Joining us from Patagonia, professor of economics and social entrepreneur Donnie MacLurcan (Post-Growth Institute) shows how our gut feelings, stress responses, and simple embodied practices reveal powerful truths about how we might live differently. From his practice of stop and drop to a drawing exercis...

In this episode of Connected with Jen and Shannon , we sit down with Ginny Whitelaw , biophysicist, Zen master, and leadership expert, to explore the power of resonance —how leaders, teams, and entire organizations can tune into coherence to create real transformation. Ginny introduces us to the idea of “islands of coherence” —spaces where harmony, clarity, and aligned purpose emerge, even in turb...

Beena Sharma reminds us that growth is always possible, no matter our age. In this conversation, Beena, a pioneer in adult development, shares how life’s barriers can transform into portals, inviting us into deeper self-understanding and compassion. From the birth of her daughter to her decades of work guiding leaders worldwide, Beena’s story is a living example of how challenges become invitation...