Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw

In this brief but very helpful episode, Dr. Shaw gives us some solid guidance on dealing with the ups and downs of our emotions and feelings.  She begins by acknowledging that we all have ever-changing feelings based on the news that we receive or the experiences that we have.  That conversation then leads into her discussion about responding to children who are not in a good state of mind based o...

In this episode, Dr. Shaw shares an illustrative example of how she and a friend separately and for different reasons changed their personal stories about certain situations and that change of story change the outcome of the situation.  She begins by relating some perspective on her podcast series and what each week's audio is about, and then the discussion evolves into some real world examples of...

In this episode, Dr. Shaw continues her look at the way in which we teach and use certain words with our children, but this time around the focus is primarily on the difference between "trying" and "doing."  Dr. Shaw explains her misgivings about the use of the word "trying" and she provides a number of illustrative examples of why that word can be not just confusing but damaging to a child's own...

In this episode, Dr. Shaw continues to examine the ways in which we trap ourselves into a layer of negativity because the feeling we may be having is labeled as negative.  She examines words like "disappointment" or "melancholy" and explains that while we all have feelings that come from negatively stimuli, we need to transform ourselves out of that negativity through self-examination and the moti...

In this week's episode, Dr. Shaw picks up where she left off in the last episode by continuing to discuss how to release the negativity in many of our interactions.  Specifically, she looks at how we use certain words and hold their definitions as inherently negative... words like punishment or mistake or disappointment.   She also discusses how when we praise someone, particularly our children, a...

In this brief but direct episode, Dr. Shaw reiterates one of her favorite themes and that is to not be the cause of your own suffering.  Often when we are disappointed, we accept the outcome.  Instead, she recommends that when you encounter a response to something that runs counter to the result you want, look at the situation as an invitation to let go of your attachments and explore another aven...

In this episode Dr. Shaw takes a look at our lives that are filled with excuses, and those excuses are born out of our preferences.  She admits that she is always assigning meaning to things, and she wonders aloud what life would be like without our preferences.  She uses a friend and her daughter as an illustrative example... the friend's daughter says she has a condition that makes her behave in...

In this episode, Dr. Shaw begins by describing a scenario in which a teen or an adolescent is being provocative and looking to bait you into a fight.  When you are baited in this manner, the way you stop yourself from over-reacting or reacting too quickly, she recommends that you pause and ask yourself, "Does this serve me?"   The answer is probably not because you don't want to answer confrontati...

In this personal episode, Dr. Shaw shares the tale of a recent family vacation that taught here a lesson or two.  One of the key things learned from this experience was that a family dynamic is infinitely better when everyone is on board so to speak.  If someone doesn't want to be there or doesn't pull their weight whatever that happens to be, it upsets the entire dynamic and forces others to do a...

In this brief episode, Dr. Shaw explores what it really means to ask for what we want in life.  She begins with some clear and simple examples of what it's like to ask for what we need, and more importantly, she points out that we need to be prepared for the consequence of not getting what we ask for.  She shares that personally, she didn't ask her family for anything growing up because she was to...

In this brief but fascinating episode, Dr. Shaw examines what happens when we experience fear in a social situation.   She begins by sharing that when she personally feels the most amount of fear, that's when she needs to have the most control... and when she's not afraid she needs the least control.  She feels that it's a natural tendency for all of us, and she shares some real life examples of h...

In this somewhat pointed podcast, Dr. Shaw addresses the questions she's been receiving lately about allowing children an abundance or an over-abundance of "screen time."   Our kids are on iPads and cell phones and computers and other gadgets, and precisely because they are provided these devices, they are taught by us rely on them... we must teach our children what we want them to learn.

In this episode, Dr. Shaw takes a quick look at how it plays out when a relationship is perhaps coming to an end.  She begins by sharing some advice that she had shared with friends of hers who were struggling in their relationship.  She leans of personal experience in order to lay the ground work for recognizing that sometimes relationships simply have an expiration date, and when we force a rela...

Dr. Shaw begins by outlining her motivation for creating this particular podcast, and that rationale is to examine how we are when we feel our feelings.  It begins with the fact that we are taught from a very early age that we should have only happy feelings and that life is filled with happy endings.  Dr. Shaw feels that it's wrong action to think that way, and that what we need to strive for is...

In this brief episode, Dr. Shaw examines the emotional rollercoaster that can occur when we respond negatively to a situation.   Her world view incorporates the notion that nothing is simply one way... there are (at least) two sides to everything... and that it's important that we teach that approach to our children.   Our children can often face disappointments, but they need to understand, even...

In this very brief but energized episode, Dr. Shaw uses a personal story and experience to once again illustrate that our children are listening to us, even when we think they are not. Her story is a cute one revealing her passion for saving 5-dollar bills.  As it happens, a youngster around age 7 heard her talk about her strong belief in saving 5's, and he is now doing the same thing.  Why?  Beca...

In this very personal episode, Dr. Shaw examines what happens when we have a negative reaction.  She shares a situation when she experienced a moment of internal panic.  She points out that the moment passed quickly, and that occurred because she let the emotions flow.  The negativity was discharged by simply letting it go.  A major strategy that allowed the moment to pass was that she allowed her...

In this important episode, Dr. Shaw tackles the feeling of FEAR and how it can impact our reactions and take us down a road that's not in our best interest.   She begins with her own personal point of view by saying, "Everything that limits me comes from fear."   People have all sorts of fears, and those fears only promote negativity.  Dr. Shaw goes on to describe a fear-filled reaction and then s...

In this episode, Dr. Shaw passionately examines the concept and the saying that TIMING IS EVERYTHING.   She begins by pointing that this is a concept that might be difficult for children to wrap their heads around.  She then continues by sharing examples of how sometimes adults express regret or a sense of missed opportunity when reviewing certain incidents in their lives.  Meanwhile, the reality...

In this brief but insightful episode, Dr. Shaw examines the ways in which we can create more stress than necessary with those who are the closest to us, especially when we live with someone.  What happens is that rather than take a deep breath and let it pass when something stressful happens, we can often have a tendency to bring our own baggage to the relationship and elevate the stress of the si...

In this episode, Dr. Shaw re-visits one of her favorite topics and that is how to avoid being the cause of your own suffering.  At first, one might think "how am I the cause of my own suffering?" but Dr. Shaw walks us through some clear and simple examples of how our own quick over-reactions can lead us down a path where we meet failure instead of success.  It's really another sign that how we sho...

In this brief but insightful podcast, Dr. Shaw examines some simple ways to improve communication with others, especially others that have a different point of view.  She offers clear advice to ways to communicate that avoid bullying or accusations.  When we make each other wrong, that doesn't create peace, it creates a battle.  When we have respect for other opinions than our own, that makes peac...

In this brief but insightful episode, Dr. Shaw discusses how to be energy efficient when it comes to speaking with others.  We are not going to speak the same with long-time close friends as we would with casual acquaintances.  If you're observing a situation and knowing your audience, you will end up behaving and reacting the way the situation dictates... and that's not being insincere... it's ju...

In this brief but fascinating episode, Dr. Shaw shares a checklist of things you can do to feel good about yourself on a daily basis.  Her list includes: - Volunteer your time for a cause - Connect with nature - Compliment somebody - Express your creativity .....and more.    Show yourself that you matter, and the rest shall follow.

Dr. Shaw often uses the expression, "We are what we pay attention to," and in this brief episode, Dr. Shaw cites examples of how that actually works.  Whether you are trying to sell your home or keep calm in a challenging situation or whatever it is, the power of thought can truly sway or influence the outcome.  As a result, it is important that we model for our children that it can be helpful to...