Fractals of Change

In the season's final interview episode, Mary sits down with Alexandra Bowen, founder of the Biophilic Design Community and co-creator of the Learn Biophilic Design course, to explore why the spaces we inhabit shape the people we become. Alexandra traces her path from a childhood immersed in Hawaii's natural world to the disorientation of moving to the mainland — a feeling now recognized...

What does it mean to truly listen — to a child, to grief, to the signs the universe leaves when we're paying attention?   Writer and former biology teacher Katie Rizzo joins Mary for a conversation of rare honesty about loss, addiction, guilt, and the unexpected ways art saves us. Katie's son Nicholas died from opioid addiction, and rather than turn away from the pain, she turned toward...

Energy is the most fundamental pattern running through every living system—and most of us are barely paying attention to it. In this solo episode, Mary Schaub traces the pattern of energy from thermodynamics and cellular biology through psychology, relationships, organizations, and social movements, making the case that energy is not a metaphor or a wellness buzzword—it's a precise, observabl...

What if the polycrisis — climate breakdown, social fragmentation, economic inequality — isn't primarily a failure of strategy, but a failure of love? Systems scientist and organizational philosopher Dr. Louis Klein joins host Mary Schaub to trace the hidden architecture beneath our most visible crises. Drawing on decades of work in organizational development, complexity science, and collabora...

We tend to think of boundaries as restrictions — limits that hold us back. But boundaries are what make anything possible. In this episode, Mary explores boundaries as a universal pattern: the structures that define what is inside and outside a system, regulate what flows in and out, and protect the capacity that makes growth sustainable. From cellular biology to family systems, from organizationa...

What if the most dangerous security breach isn't in your devices — it's in your mind? In this episode, Mary sits down with Corina Pantea, a researcher at the intersection of brain security, cognitive warfare, and digital psychology, to explore how the same techniques used in military psychological operations now run invisibly through marketing, social media, workplace dynamics, and every...

Regression isn't failure—it is a structural response of any system under strain.  When demands exceed capacity, systems—biological, psychological, relational, and organizational—do not innovate; they revert to previously learned, stabilized patterns. This episode reframes regression as a necessary and predictable part of growth, rooted in recursion and polarity. Through examples from neurosci...

Human beings are not wired for productivity or achievement—they are wired for connection. Yet modern life increasingly disrupts that foundation, leaving many navigating stress, trauma, and fragmentation without the relational systems the nervous system depends on. In this conversation, Mary Schaub speaks with psychologist Dr. Megan Schmidt about connection as a biological process—rooted in co-regu...

Recursion is a foundational pattern: systems feeding outputs back into themselves, shaping continuity and change. This episode explores recursion across mind, relationships, organizations, and society—from identity and trauma to culture and systems. We don’t escape the loops we’re in. We change them—iteration by iteration. 💡 Key Takeaways  Recursion drives both stability and change   The present...

We don't have a leadership crisis. We have a nervous system crisis. Executive coach, organizational psychologist and Founder and Managing Partner of Aergon, Dr. Thomas Gartenmann joins Mary Schaub to explore what happens when human biology — designed for a slower, smaller world — collides with the accelerating complexity of the polycrisis, the 24-hour news cycle, and the relentless pressure o...

Disruption feels like destruction. Collapse. Failure. Something breaks, and we panic. But what if disruption isn’t the opposite of order? What if it’s how reality renews itself? In this episode of Fractals of Change , Mary Schaub explores disruption as a universal pattern that appears wherever life, systems, and identities outgrow the forms that once sustained them. From forest fires to burnout, m...

Mary Schaub speaks with Alec Harris about how privacy, security, and personal risk have evolved in a world shaped by data brokers, algorithmic profiling, AI, and digital surveillance. Rather than focusing only on hackers and technical systems, they explore a more fundamental question: what are we protecting—and how visible have we become without fully realizing it? They examine why privacy is not...

Why do individuals, relationships, organizations, and societies keep swinging between extremes—even when we know better? In this solo episode of Fractals of Change , Mary Schaub explores polarity as a foundational pattern of reality: the dynamic tension between opposites that generates movement, meaning, and emergence. Drawing from physics, Jungian psychology, Taoism, systems theory, and lived exp...

What if the systems we built to protect us are the very ones causing the most harm? Attorney, restorative justice advocate, and policy advisor at Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS),  Sia Henry joins Mary Schaub for an unflinching examination of the American criminal legal system.  The system doesn't heal harm. It relocates it, multiplies it, and sends it back into co...

There is no Amazon Prime for change. No tracking number. No estimated delivery date. Change arrives quietly, like fog rolling over a coastline or new shoots breaking through ash after a fire. It doesn’t announce itself. It emerges . In this episode, Mary Schaub explores emergence as one of the most fundamental patterns shaping human experience across art, nature, relationships, organizations, and...

What happens when the victims no one talks about begin to speak? In Part 2 of this raw and revealing conversation, Mary Schaub continues her dialogue with Jerome Elam—President and CEO of the Trafficking in America Task Force, U.S. Marine veteran, and child trafficking survivor. This episode turns toward the often-ignored experiences of boys who are trafficked, and the profound silence they’re for...

"They say the truth will set you free. But first, it will break you open." In this deeply moving episode, Mary speaks with Jerome Elam —USMC vet, child trafficking survivor, and CEO of America's Trafficking in America Task Force. From surviving unspeakable abuse to testifying before Congress and training law enforcement across the world, Jerome’s story is a powerful journey of resil...

In this heartfelt follow-up to "The Well-Gardened Self," Mary reads and reflects on powerful listener stories about how nature has supported their personal transformations. From fire escape herb gardens to grief walks through the woods, these stories reveal nature as a quiet but potent ally in healing, connection, and growth.   Topics Covered: 🎯 Nature and grief processing 🎯 Everyday r...

What if the key to navigating chaos isn’t more control—but more connection to nature? In this episode, Mary explores how the natural world—gardening, birdwatching, even groundhogs—can heal us, grow us, and guide us through personal, organizational, and societal transformation. Drawing from Sue Stuart-Smith’s The Well-Gardened Mind , neuroscience, client stories, and her own pandemic experience, Ma...

In this engaging conversation, Mary Schaub speaks with Penny Cottrell and Ria Glenn DeMay about their journey from working in law and education to creating the Rewrite Workshops, a platform designed to help individuals explore their personal narratives and reclaim their power through writing. They discuss the transformative power of storytelling, the importance of community and connection in heali...

In this episode, host Mary Schaub reads listener's experiences by limiting social media, trying Qi Gong, and using psychedelics.    Key Takeaways 💡 Navigating change can lead to greater meaning and purpose. 💡Ancient practices like Taoism and Buddhism can help cope with modern challenges. 💡'The White Lotus' showcases deep themes of identity and authenticity. 💡Personal experiences...

In this episode, host Mary Schaub explores what it means to be a peaceful warrior in chaotic times, drawing on ancient Eastern philosophies—specifically Taoism and Buddhism—to navigate the overwhelming pace and uncertainty of modern life. Mary opens with a personal story from her early twenties, when a rare moment of stillness during a busy New York summer sparked a deep encounter with Buddhist te...

In this conversation, Matt shares his journey of coping with the loss of his son and his mission to help other families facing similar struggles. The discussion covers the signs of addiction, the role of parents, the impact of grief, and the importance of community support in recovery.     Key Takeaways 💡Matt Fischer established the Evan Fischer Foundation after losing his 21-year-old son Evan to...

In this episode, host Mary Schaub shares listeners' strategies for managing overwhelming emotions, from cocooning to grounding techniques, while reflecting on her rejuvenating trip to Lisbon and the importance of kindness in everyday interactions. Takeaways: 💡Mary's trip to Lisbon helped her overcome post-COVID travel hesitation and reconnect with experiences she loves 💡Practicing kind...

In this episode, Mary Schaub discusses the feelings of overwhelm that many experience in today's rapidly changing world. She shares her personal struggles with overwhelm and explores three mindset shifts to cope with these feelings: sublimation, stoicism, and the anthropologist's perspective. Each shift offers practical strategies for redirecting emotions into constructive actions, foste...