Point of Relation with Thomas Huebl

On this episode of Point of Relation, Thomas is joined by author, consultant, and advocate for post-trauma awareness, Bob Delaney. They discuss the profound impact of Bob’s time doing undercover work to infiltrate mafia crime families. He experienced intense shame and guilt from deceiving the people he was investigating, despite believing that the work was necessary.  He and Thomas discuss how Bob...

Thomas answers questions submitted by listeners. He explores how post-traumatic learning and growth can occur both individually and collectively. Collective healing is a powerful force that can help our societies evolve by surfacing past wounds that need to be addressed, giving us the opportunity to restore our social ethics, and helping to prevent similar traumatic events from occurring in the fu...

On this episode of Point of Relation, Thomas is joined by humanitarian, writer, and social entrepreneur Zainab Salbi. They discuss the difficult nature of working in the humanitarian space to address the many injustices that people, particularly women, face worldwide. Zainab explains how being open and vulnerable about her own traumatic experiences gave her the compassion and inspiration needed to...

On this episode of Point of Relation, Thomas is joined by poet, author, speaker, and leadership consultant, David Whyte. They discuss the deep benefits of learning to hold both happiness and difficulty at the same time. David shares some of his poetry and the personal experiences that helped him to directly observe the interconnectedness of all living beings. He and Thomas explore our individual a...

Thomas is joined by PhD trauma researcher, life coach, and the author of " Unbroken ", MaryCatherine McDonald. They discuss Dr. McDonald’s work to redefine our understanding of trauma and eliminate the stigma surrounding it. Using scientific research, and through the lens of her own experiences with trauma and grief, Dr. McDonald has developed a definition of trauma that describes it as “an unbear...

Thomas answers questions from Point of Relation listeners about activism, presencing, and staying grounded and open to joy amidst global suffering and uncertainty. He explores the mutually resourcing relationship between contemplative, internal practices, and collective actions that aim to affect social and political change. He also offers tools and practices to help us maintain emotional and spir...

In this short bonus episode, Tibetan Buddhist teacher, author, and co-founder of the Namchak Foundation, Lama Tsomo shares a Tonglen Meditation practice. In Tibetan, Tonglen means “sending and receiving.” Lama Tsomo guides us through a compassion practice focused on the pain of being misunderstood. She invites us to first send compassion to ourselves, then to someone we know, and finally to a...

Thomas is joined by Tibetan Buddhist teacher, author, and co-founder of the Namchak Foundation, Lama Tsomo. They discuss Tibetan Buddhist teachings and practices that illuminate our fundamental interconnectedness and enable us to approach our relationships and our reality with greater compassion and empathy. Lama Tsomo explains how Compassion Meditation can help loosen the grip of the ego, and mak...

On this episode of Point of Relation, Thomas is joined by author, poet, ordained Zen Buddhist priest, teacher, and artist, Zenju Earthlyn Manuel. They discuss the gateways in Zenju’s life that put her on her spiritual path. Zenju beautifully describes the joyful curiosity of spiritual inquiry, and the power of ritual and ceremony to create sacred spaces where collective pain and trauma can be expr...

Thomas is joined by filmmaker and founder of the Identity Development Institute, Stephen Gyllenhaal. They discuss the pain of living during these uncertain and tumultuous times, and how having the courage to face our collective trauma can help us navigate this unprecedented era. In an interconnected world, things like violence, war, and mental illness are undeniable. And sometimes the institutions...

In part two of this special Q&A series, Thomas answers more of the thoughtful questions submitted by listeners during his recent live event with Dr. Gabor Maté. This Q&A centers on topics explored in Thomas’ recently released book - Attuned . In this episode, Thomas discusses the impact of individual healing and attunement on larger social systems, and what is needed to create more grounded, attun...

Thomas is joined by cultural anthropologist, social entrepreneur, and author, Joana Breidenbach. They discuss the ecosystem of disinformation that is fragmenting society and the systemic factors that contribute to it. Joana explains the role that technology plays in how we obtain and interpret information, exploring the motives of those who spread disinformation, and the historical trends that hav...

Thomas is interviewed by distinguished Irish poet, theologian and mediator, and the host of the Poetry Unbound podcast, Pádraig Ó Tuama. They discuss the relationship between spirituality, religion, and trauma, and the importance of incorporating art - including writing, poetry, and visual art - into social healing rituals. Pádraig emphasizes that “Art speaks to our being in a different way than r...

On this episode of Point of Relation, Thomas Hübl is joined by author, Jungian psychotherapist, and renowned Jewish scholar, Rabbi Dr. Tirzah Firestone. They discuss the centuries of trauma that have yet to be metabolized in our collective unconscious, and what we can do, both individually and collectively, to integrate and heal from this painful shared history. She and Thomas explore how trauma l...

In this special Q&A episode, Thomas answers some insightful questions submitted by listeners during his recent live event with Dr. Gabor Maté, which focused on topics explored in Thomas’ recently released book - Attuned: Practicing Interdependence to Heal Our Trauma–And Our World. The questions covered by Thomas explore how to practice attunement in an environment of harsh political polarizati...

Thomas is joined by contemplative social scientist, consultant, and educator in leadership, social justice, and mindfulness, Dr. Angel Acosta. They discuss Artificial Intelligence, or AI, and the radical shifts it is generating in our lives, our work, and our collective consciousness.  While AI holds incredible potential for the evolution of humanity, its creation and implementation also rais...

Thomas Hübl is joined by writer, trained Buddhist monk, and meditation teacher, Jack Kornfield. They discuss how Buddhist meditation and mindfulness practices, in combination with more traditional forms of therapy, can help to heal individual and collective trauma. Jack explores how his own traumatic experiences led him to Buddhism. Early in his spiritual journey, he spent extensive time in h...

Thomas is joined by internationally recognized change agent and Professor at Johns Hopkins University, Christina Bethell. They discuss her research and work to transform children’s healthcare systems and promote relational well-being for families and communities.  Christina has created what she calls the Positive Childhood Experiences Scale, a measurement of beneficial relational experiences...

Thomas Hübl shares his perspective on the fundamentals of collective trauma. He describes it as an ecosystem that we all inhabit, and all affect. He explores what societies can do to foster growth and healing while enduring repeated traumatic events, both large-scale and personal. According to Thomas, therein lies the key - healing on both the individual and collective levels. He discusses what ma...

Thomas is joined by Senior Lecturer in the MIT Management Sloan School, and the Founding Chair of the Presencing Institute, Otto Scharmer, and facilitator, systems change leader, intrapreneur, and strategist, Antoinette Klatzky. They discuss what Otto calls the “architectures of connection”-- the social systems and structures that can either be extractive and perpetuate violence and trauma, or be...

Thomas speaks with internationally renowned performer, writer of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, and 23rd Poet Laureate of the United States, Joy Harjo. They discuss the power of poetry to open our awareness, allow access to greater knowledge, and connect with other humans throughout history. Joy shares what drew her to poetry, and how her work is deeply rooted in her ancestral lineage. She and Thoma...

Thomas is joined by Mallika Dutt, a longtime advocate for equity and well-being for people and the planet, and the founder of the non-profit organizations INTER-CONNECTED, Breakthrough, and Sakhi. They discuss the pivotal moments in Mallika’s life that brought the concepts of sacredness, interdependence, and interconnectedness into her activism. Mallika shares her commitment to the collective libe...

Thomas Hübl further expands on Attunement– a relational mindfulness practice that allows our nervous systems to feel one another and transmit many layers of information. He explains that each of us contains a rich inner world that we must get to know in order to attune with others. When we create inner calm, we also create a safe space where we can be fully present with people in their authentic e...

According to filmmaker and founder of the Identity Development Institute, Stephen Gyllenhaal, “ The best instrument in the world is another human being .” In this episode, he and Thomas discuss the importance of resonance to trauma healing. Similar to attunement, resonance involves communication between nervous systems wherein our bodies transmit our pain to others within a safe and open environme...

Thomas is joined by Peabody Award-winning broadcaster, New York Times bestselling author, and the host of On Being, Krista Tippett.  They discuss the virtues of hospitality, humility, and creativity in spirituality, and in creating spaces where deep subjects and emotions can safely emerge. Krista explains how her upbringing and work as a journalist have shown her the need for human civilizati...