Ruthless Compassion with Dr. Marcia Sirota

DR. JEREMY THOMPSON is a medical practitioner working on the northern beaches of Sydney, Australia. He has a counseling background in Cognitive, Narrative, and Solution-Based Therapies and for two years was the president of the Australian Society for Psychological Medicine. He spent 10 years practicing hypnosis, during which time he developed the positive-centered model. This resulted from the nee...

I. Michael Kaufmann MD Medical Director Emeritus, Physician Health Program, Ontario Medical Association Physician Health Consultant Author Dr. Kaufmann, a Fellow and life member of the College of Family Physicians of Canada, practised family and addiction medicine in rural Ontario for 14 years before becoming the founding Director of the Physician Health Program of the Ontario Medical Association...

Tony Beadle grew up in a household full of music and pursued a career as a professional musician for sixteen years after which he enjoyed a career in performing arts administration for 30 years. He served in several positions at major US orchestras, including the Boston Pops, where he had previously performed. His upbringing was one that included a loving family life, but also was one of duplicity...

Jowita Bydlowska is the author of Unshaming (March 2026). She is also the author of Monster (September 2024), Possessed , the best-selling memoir Drunk Mom , and the best-selling novel GUY . She's also a prolific short-story writer, journalist and a mentor. Her favourite review on Goodreads is a review of Possessed, which reads, "Jesus Christ." Her other favourite review is a one-star review of Mo...

Mark A. Michaels identifies as an uncontrolled experiment. He belongs to the first generation of test tube babies, as so-called sperm donor offspring were known in the 1950s. He has published in a variety of fields, from law to ornithology to self-help, and has written for theater and film. He came of age at CBGB and Max's Kansas City in the 1970s. He is coming of age again at 66. Recent work has...

Doug Noll, JD, MA is a Distinguished Fellow of the International Academy of Mediators, the world's most prestigious mediation organization, and recipient of IAM's Syd Leezak Award of Excellence. Named California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (2012) and Best Lawyers in America Lawyer of the Year (2013), he was as a Purpose Prize Fellow for pioneering the Prison of Peace program, teaching emotional li...

MATT YOUNG: For the past 15+ years, I have earnestly studied the peak performers of both mind and body and been fortunate enough to have been coached by some of the worlds leading coaches. My background spans from having been a professional footballer for 8 years, playing with full England internationals, Premier League superstars and International managers to running 17 x Ultra Marathons (5 of wh...

Florence Ann Romano is a highly sought-after keynote speaker and author, known for her ability to cultivate meaningful connections. She is passionate about helping others create their own community to be seen, heard, and understood. As an acclaimed author, Florence Ann's insights are captured in her book, Build Your Village: A Guide to Finding Joy and Community in Every Stage of Life (Beyond Words...

Gayle Kirschenbaum is an Emmy-winning filmmaker, photographer, writer, and coach. Her film LOOK AT US NOW, MOTHER! premiered on Netflix and has been credited with transforming lives. Her TED talk is " No More Drama with Mama ." Gayle co-authored MILDRED'S MINDSET: WISDOM FROM A WOMAN CENTENARIAN with her mother, centenarian influencer Mildred Kirschenbaum. Gayle's memoir, BULLIED TO BESTIES: A DAU...

ROBERT J. COPLAN, PhD, is a psychology, researcher, teacher, and author who has been studying solitude for more than thirty years. He is a Chancellor's Professor in the Department of Psychology at Carleton University. Over the course of his career, he has extensively explored the costs and benefits of spending time alone among children, adolescents, and adults. He is the author of the recently pub...

Diane Dreher, PhD, is the author of eight nonfiction books including the best-selling Tao of Inner Peace and her new book, Pathways to Inner Peace . She is an award-winning university professor and positive psychology researcher whose work on hope has been recognized internationally. Her books, workshops, and webinars blend the wisdom of the past with powerful strategies from contemporary psycholo...

Stephen Marche is a novelist and essayist, and the author of, among other works, On Writing and Failure and The Next Civil War . He has written features and essays for The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Atlantic, Esquire, The Walrus and many others. He has collaborated with artificial intelligence on the first AI-generated novel reviewed in The New York Times, Death of an Author . His most re...

Todd Smith is the creator of one of the most popular podcasts for Highly Sensitive People. He's helped hundreds of HSPs break free from chronic stress and emotional overload using a powerful inquiry-based process that brings lasting peace—without needing the world around you to change. Website: https://trueinnerfreedom.com/  Instagram: hspcoachtodd ( https://www.instagram.com/hspcoachtodd/ )  Face...

We've reached an amazing milestone: our 200th episode of the Ruthless Compassion podcast!  Dr. Robert A. Neimeyer is a luminary in the field of psychology, particularly in the areas of death, grief, and loss. As Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Memphis, Dr. Neimeyer's contributions to research and practice have been nothing short of transformative. With 37 books and over 600 a...

Ira Chaleff (Chay-leff) is an author, speaker and executive coach in the greater Washington, DC area. • His extensive experience with government includes directing the non-partisan Congressional Management Foundation, where he is now Chair Emeritus. • Ira co-authored the original handbook for new Members of Congress, now in its nineteenth edition, and facilitated over a hundred congressional offic...

Dr. Eugene Lipov is a leading expert in treating posttraumatic stress and the pioneer of using Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB) to alleviate PTSD symptoms. Inspired by his own family’s struggles with trauma, he has dedicated his career to restoring hope for those affected. In 2006, he adapted SGB—an FDA-approved procedure since the 1970's for pain and circulation disorders—as a breakthrough PTSD trea...

NICK BRANCATO is a seasoned personal development coach and educator with over 25 years of experience helping individuals and couples connect, communicate, and thrive. With a master's degree in education and a background as a Microsoft systems engineer, Nick blends practical tools with data-driven frameworks to guide clients through life's challenges, including career shifts, financial pressures, a...

JONATHAN KEMP is a mental health advocate, entrepreneur, and creator of SmartWisdom, a scientifically validated note-taking technique. Born into privilege as the future 3rd Viscount Rochdale, he built careers in law enforcement and entrepreneurship and undertook postgraduate study, unaware that bipolar disorder, depression, and dyslexia were shaping his life. His mental illnesses were diagnosed ag...

Chelene Knight is the author of five books including Safekeeping: A Writer's Guided Journal For Launching a Book With Love (Anansi 2025), and Let It Go: Free Yourself From Old Beliefs and Find a New Path To Joy (HarperCollins Canada 2024). She is founder of her own holistic creative studio, Breathing Space Creative through which she's launched the BSC Bespoke Writing Mentorships which are thoughtf...

Dr. Ashley Potvin was drawn to the Crown Institute by the mission, approach to research, and the dedicated and amazing faculty and staff. She was eager to work in a community that strives to live out its commitments to collaboration, inclusiveness, and equity. She was also excited to collaborate with educators to think deeply about compassion and wellness in schools. Ashley has a PhD in Curriculum...

David W. Brown's career reflects resilience and service. He began in 1980 at the Naval Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois, earning the Navy League award and later graduating as honor student from Radarman School. He completed BUD/S training with class 115 and earned Army Airborne wings before serving in UDT-21 and SEAL Team 4 across multiple continents. After 1985, he taught Naval Aviation W...

Dr. MaryCatherine McDonald is a researcher, author, and trauma expert who's been studying the mind's response to overwhelming experiences for 15 years. She holds a PhD, has written four books and over a dozen research articles, and specializes in reframing trauma through the lens of neurobiology, resilience, and empowerment. Her latest book, The Joy Reset , explores six barriers that block us from...

**Thank you to this episode's guest, Benny of Muted Circus, for permission to use a clip of his song (" Wait for What ") in this podcast episode. ** In the latest episode of the Ruthless Compassion podcast I speak with Benny, who makes music under the name Muted Circus .  Benny is a trained musician (violin, viola, electric bass, guitar, etc.) and a graduate of the Berklee College of Music. After...

A sociologist, psychotherapist and social worker, Ross Ellenhorn's work focuses on the importance of social worth and connections in psychiatric recovery. In 2002, he founded Ellenhorn, the robust program in the country serving individual experience extreme events of mind and mood outside of residential and hospital settings. In 2022, Ross co-founded CARDEA, a groundbreaking practice centered arou...

Julie Wignall received international acclaim for her trailblazing accomplishments in environmental practices, animal care, and leadership working with Mirage Resorts, a Fortune 500 company. Her unconventional career path has given her first-hand experience working with innovators in national politics, conservation, international business, television, and the arts. Along her unconventional journey,...