Best Rebecca Ching Lmft Podcasts (2025)

1
EP 129: Beyond the List: Building Communities of Generosity and Mutual Care with Charles Vogl 1:26:08

1d ago1:26:08

1:26:08

We often hear the advice, “You just need to find your community.” It sounds simple. Hopeful, even. But it can ring hollow for anyone who has tried to do it, and for those in leadership roles where they carry the additional burdens of responsibility and visibility. And it’s especially fraught advice for anyone who has experienced relational trauma. …

1
EP 128: The Humanity Behind the Science: Challenging Misinformation with Empathy featuring Dr. Jess Steier 1:15:19

18d ago1:15:19

1:15:19

Many things we once widely accepted as true and considered non-controversial galvanize intense debates. Leaders are often advised to stay neutral, to not get political when these issues come up in their organizations. Of course leaders should be mindful of what they discuss, how, and with whom. But that isn’t the same as being apolitical or neutral…

1
EP 127: Hard on Ideas, Not People: Fighting Fiction with Facts (and a Little Humor) with Dr. Jonathan N. Stea 1:06:13

1M ago1:06:13

1:06:13

The issues at stake—our health, our rights, how we educate our kids—demand a lot from us. Yet, in today’s attention economy, leaders don’t always earn influence through integrity and truth. Instead, they master the art of capturing emotions, feeding fears, and speaking to lived experiences, often amplifying misinformation rather than challenging it…

1
EP 126: Authenticity in Action: Speaking Up, Holding Nuance, and Leading with Courage with Dr. Jamie Marich 1:04:43

2M ago1:04:43

1:04:43

Given our political situation in the United States, you may be hearing a lot of people–myself included–talk about living your values. Not just professing them, but really living them, even when it’s uncomfortable. It’s hard work that requires a lot of internal fortitude. But we so often default to acting against our values in order to protect ourse…

1
EP 125: Power, Regulation, and Leadership: Connecting to Your Personal Power with Dr. Amanda Aguilera 1:15:11

2M ago1:15:11

1:15:11

In Twelve Step programs, the first step, as I understand it, is recognizing that we are powerless to heal alone. We cannot overcome addiction, trauma, or systemic oppression through sheer willpower or individual effort. Healing, recovery, and meaningful change require connection, support, and systems that foster growth. All true! But we should not …

1
EP 124: Doing the Work: Internal Family Systems and Creativity with Sacha Mardou 1:10:23

2M ago1:10:23

1:10:23

Toxic leadership stems from the burdens of unresolved trauma and difficult life experiences. When you don’t do the work to regulate your nervous system, the parts of you that protect you through mico-managing, shaming, blaming, not trusting anyone, or worse will eventually wreak havoc on your career, those you lead, and your own capacity for discom…

1
EP 123: Befriending Your Nervous System: Building Capacity for Regulation with Deb Dana 1:12:00

3M ago1:12:00

1:12:00

These days, the call for leaders to be adaptable, agile, flexible, clear, focused, and calm could lead many to think it's not okay to feel or that you need to be a robot. We minimize our feelings and put on a brave face until we can no longer fake it, sometimes in the name of being “regulated.” When there's a trend in language or an approach to hea…

1
EP 122: 2024 Debrief: Rhythms, Reps, and Metabolizing Loss 53:03

4M ago53:03

53:03

I know I’m not alone in feeling like 2024 was a year. So many of us are still working through everything that happened as we wonder exactly what lies ahead. As part of that reflection on the year past and preparing for the year ahead, long-time listeners may know that I am a big believer in debriefing. I debrief weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annu…

1
EP 121: Loving the Other Side: Leadership That Bridges Divides with Frank Anderson 1:16:52

5M ago1:16:52

1:16:52

As I’ve been reflecting on the past year, themes of relational trauma, betrayal trauma, and shame have come up again and again in our culture at large and in the work I do with leaders. Relational and betrayal traumas disrupt our ability to trust—ourselves, others, and even the world around us. These wounds often linger in ways we don’t fully see. …

1
EP 120: Permission to Pause: How Glimmers Fuel Creativity and Leadership with Amanda Jones 1:05:34

5M ago1:05:34

1:05:34

When was the last time you felt truly moved by something you saw or heard? It could be a piece of art or music, a line from a book or poem, being with someone you love, or even a perfect bite of food, but those moments that stop us in our tracks are more than fleeting pleasures. These “glimmers” create space for our bodies to exhale so that we can …

1
EP 119: Choosing Health Over Hustle: A Radical Reimagining of Success and Survival with Kirsten Powers 56:54

5M ago56:54

56:54

Have you ever looked around and felt that the way you live and work isn’t sustainable? It’s hard to find anyone who hasn’t felt the weight of this relentless pace and the intense pressure to keep up as if this is just how modern life has to be. But what if it doesn’t have to be this way? Our culture in the U.S. is burdened by pressures to keep up, …

1
EP 118: Leading Through Uncertainty: The Power of Compassionate Presence 18:10

6M ago18:10

18:10

Humans tend to crave certainty. In the face of the unknown, we rely on prescriptions and narratives to help us feel better and make sense of what we can’t yet see coming. For many, sitting with uncertainty like what we are facing now, post-election in the United States, is deeply unsettling and even destabilizing. They brace for what might come nex…

1
EP 117: Rethinking Resilience: Moving from Bouncing Back to Relational Resilience with Soraya Chemaly 1:06:39

6M ago1:06:39

1:06:39

When you think about resilience, what comes to mind? Our culture loves narratives about triumphing over hardship. And overcoming pain, heartbreak, and even abuse can make us stronger. However, uplifting “overcoming” too often comes at the expense of actually examining and addressing the lack of care, protection, and support people had to navigate o…

1
EP 116: Leading through Anger, Hope, and Healing with House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst 1:07:04

6M ago1:07:04

1:07:04

As the United States approaches one of the most important elections, many people I know are expressing how the current state of affairs is affecting their work, home life, and overall well-being. With the stress and the chaos, it would be easy to shut down and ask, “Why bother?” This is why it feels especially timely to bring back my long-time frie…

1
EP 115: Permission to Speak: Reclaiming Your Voice Beyond Relational Trauma with Samara Bay 1:23:46

7M ago1:23:46

1:23:46

What prevents you from speaking up? When you were younger, what was your experience when you spoke up? Were you heard, or were you silenced, ignored, or punished? The echoes of earlier wounds often shape our ability to speak up. Our ability to speak up is often influenced by the burden of past experiences, whether it's in meetings, public forums, o…

1
EP 114: Why Bother? Navigating Burnout and Rediscovering Purpose with Jennifer Louden 1:07:33

7M ago1:07:33

1:07:33

When was the last time you said, “Why bother?” When overwhelm, exhaustion, burnout, and the weight of responsibility set in, it's easy to become cynical and ask, "What's the point?" Cynicism can be a defense mechanism, shielding us from difficult emotions or experiences, but it also traps us in survival mode, limiting our ability to see new possibi…

1
EP 113: Curiosity as a Bridge: Uncovering Fears and Building Connections with Scott Shigeoka 1:23:57

8M ago1:23:57

1:23:57

How does curiosity show up in your life, work, and relationships? Does your curiosity influence your strategy or planning? Or do you follow your curiosity to gain more knowledge or deepen your understanding of topics or viewpoints? Do you lean on curiosity to help you get to know someone better in ways that satisfy your interests or deepen your con…

1
EP 112: How Dreamwork Can Shape Better Leaders with Dee Kelley 1:15:47

8M ago1:15:47

1:15:47

What is your relationship with your dreams? Not your goals or visions for the future, but the actual dreams that appear when you sleep? Deepening our understanding of our dreams is not just a trailhead, but a transformative journey to better understanding ourselves, what drives us, what limits us, and what impacts our choices and behaviors. Today’s…

1
EP 111: Imagining New Possibilities of Inclusion with Meg Raby Klinghoffer 1:20:53

9M ago1:20:53

1:20:53

When you are excited about something, how do you show up? Do you wear excitement and passion on your sleeve for all to see? Maybe your personality is more low-key and strategic, and it is less obvious when you're really excited about an idea, a vision, or being a part of something. Or maybe you adapt and edit yourself, muting your responses to play…

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EP 110: Intro to Fall 2024 Series: The Generative Power of the Imagination 22:56

9M ago22:56

22:56

What sparks your imagination? What shuts down your capacity to imagine? Where does your mind go when the stakes are high, and the pressure feels too great? Do you find yourself mentally preparing for the worst possible outcomes, as if you were rehearsing a play? Do you shut down or numb out to manage your fears and anxieties? Our brains naturally s…

1
EP 109: Navigating Regrets and Embracing Inner Clarity with Molly Mahar 1:11:34

10M ago1:11:34

1:11:34

What does it mean to you to live a life with no regrets? Is that even possible? What if it’s less about avoiding regrets entirely and more about being clear on your values, dreams, and desires and combining that with intentional practices to build a life focused on things that matter to you and the world around you? Of course, this takes work becau…

1
EP 108: Speaking Truth to Power: Taking a Stand Guided by Faith and Love with Dee Kelley 1:16:14

10M ago1:16:14

1:16:14

What do you want to be known for? And what actions do you take to be seen in that light? What lengths do you go to to avoid being misunderstood and viewed differently than what you want to be known for? What drives what you want to be known for, and what are your choices to uphold your desired image or reputation? Most of us have multiple internal …

1
EP 107: The Seasons of Entrepreneurship: Leading a Deliberate Life with Laura Roeder 1:08:13

11M ago1:08:13

1:08:13

What are you deliberate about in your life? What does living deliberately mean to you? Would you say that you’re a deliberate person? Would those who know you say that you are deliberate in how you live your life and lead? Living deliberately can be a real challenge, especially when we’re constantly dealing with unexpected issues and navigating thr…

1
EP 106: Trauma, Leadership, and Healing: A Colleague Conversation with Sarah Buino 1:03:37

11M ago1:03:37

1:03:37

Do you have thoughts about how the word “trauma” and other therapy-speak terms have bled into our day-to-day conversations in person, at work, and on social media? Do you feel pressure to perform being “okay,” even when you’re anything but? Have you ever pursued a project or career milestone only to realize, once you achieved it, that it no longer …

1
EP 105: Dr. Frank Anderson: A Loving and Kind Approach to Healing and Leadership 1:14:05

12M ago1:14:05

1:14:05

What does healing mean to you? What expectations do you hold around how we heal and how quickly we heal? Meeting our basic human need to be loved and experience belonging can be the root of many things we do, say, and want–for better or for worse. Many of us have experienced relationships that shape how we pursue love and belonging, how we respond …

1
EP 104: The Intersection of How We Lead, Love, and Grieve with J.S. Park 1:22:19

12M ago1:22:19

1:22:19

If you love, you experience loss. Looking back over the last few years, who or what have you lost? A loved one, a friendship, a relationship, a pet, a job, your health, your community? Something else? Have you had time to reflect on and grieve your losses and find meaning and sense in all you experienced? And how do you talk about your losses with …

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EP 103: The Burden of Shoulds and Moving Towards Self-Compassion with Alison Cook, PhD 1:03:34

1y ago1:03:34

1:03:34

Are you aware of all the expectations you hold yourself to? The day-to-day buzzing of our inner life can feel relentless, can't it? We're all too familiar with the bombardment of 'shoulds' about how we should act, dress, talk, move, etc. It's a struggle that resonates with each one of us, making us feel understood in our shared experiences. We carr…

1
EP 102: Toxic Leadership: The True Cost of Workplace Trauma with Mita Mallick 53:05

1y ago53:05

53:05

Many of us are familiar with the kind of person who easily earns the moniker ‘toxic’ and instills fear, rage, and frustration in those around them. What do you do when you work with a toxic leader? How do you feel when toxic leaders continue to get promoted and receive accolades? And what do you do when others make excuses for these toxic leaders, …

1
EP 101: Transforming the Legacy Burdens from Relational Trauma with Deran Young 59:00

1y ago59:00

59:00

Do you feel frustrated by recurring struggles with self-doubt, hypervigilance, and overwhelm? Behind many of your inner doubts, self-judgements, fears, and insecurities lie echoes from old betrayals or relational hurts. These breaches of trust in important relationships don’t necessarily lose their impact on how you lead and work just because they …

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EP 100: Celebrating 100 Episodes: Behind the Scenes of the Unburdened Leader 22:57

1y ago22:57

22:57

Have you ever done something steadily, week in and week out, for a period of time? What did you learn about yourself and the world around you in the process? Was there anything that came up that surprised you? Putting in consistent reps and hundreds of hours towards something inevitably shapes and changes you, and producing this show has been no di…

1
EP 99: Lead & Love Beyond Differences: The Work of Building Bridges with Jonathan Merritt 1:20:59

1y ago1:20:59

1:20:59

Have you ended a relationship to get relief from tension and conflict? Do you struggle with developing a clear sense of boundaries around what’s your responsibility and what’s not, especially when feeling responsible for how others think and feel? When relationships are toxic, abusive, and oppressive and the other person does not have the interest …

1
EP 98: Ecosystems for Change: Embracing Generative Conflict in a World on Fire with Deepa Iyer 1:07:20

1y ago1:07:20

1:07:20

What is your relationship with conflict and disagreement? Do you see conflict as bad or dangerous or simply a natural part of relationships and being in a group or on a team? What helps you move through conflict and differences of opinion when things are heavy and charged? Do you avoid it at all costs? Or do you try to be a peacemaker and help ever…

1
EP 97: Releasing the Need to Prove: Arielle Estoria's Journey to Authentic Leadership 1:10:50

1+ y ago1:10:50

1:10:50

Do you find yourself in a constant state of proving? Proving that you are a good enough leader, parent, partner, fill in the blank? Do you know what drives your need to prove to others and yourself? When does the need to prove you are good enough and worthy enough show up the most? At work, in your relationships with others, or maybe in your relati…

1
EP 96: Rage to Action: The Leading Power of Women's Anger with Soraya Chemaly 1:13:06

1+ y ago1:13:06

1:13:06

What is your relationship with your anger? How much of your stress and exhaustion is fueled by repressed anger and rage? And how do you respond when those around you express anger? Our experiences early in life, experiences at our places of work and education, and our conditioning from culture all play significant roles in how we view and respond t…

1
EP 95: Good Trouble: A Personal Account of January 6th with Officer Harry Dunn 1:04:47

1+ y ago1:04:47

1:04:47

When you experience injustice, how do you respond? Do you immediately speak up and fight back? Maybe you get introspective and go deep into reflection, weighing out different options and scenarios before deciding how or whether to take action. Or do you suppress your authentic emotions and maintain a facade until you have figured out your next move…

1
EP 94: 2023 Debrief of Space and Pace 42:42

1+ y ago42:42

42:42

What worked for you in 2023? What did not work this year? What data did you collect about yourself, your work, and your relationships? What do you want to take into 2024, and what do you want to leave behind? Yes, it’s that time of year when I share one of my favorite and most fruitful practices of looking back and looking forward - my annual debri…

1
EP 93: Beyond Words: Unveiling the Layers of Storytelling Leadership with Ali Edwards 1:09:28

1+ y ago1:09:28

1:09:28

As you approach the new year, do you focus on results-oriented New Year’s resolutions, or do you prefer to set broader intentions for the year? In a time where we are overbooked, over-committed, and weighed down by all that is going on in the world, messages promising the results we crave can make us vulnerable to feeling like we are doing somethin…

1
EP 92: Leadership in Transition: Navigating Life Shifts with Brigitte Lyons 1:13:07

1+ y ago1:13:07

1:13:07

Have you ever felt like what you are known for does not fit you anymore? Or maybe you feel like it is time to change your professional focus, but you question whether you have the credentials or whether people will take seriously the shifts you want to make. So many of us experience angst when we want to change things up in our work and life. We ch…

1
EP 91: Decolonizing Wealth: Confronting Exploitation and Healing Wounds with Edgar Villanueva 1:15:38

1+ y ago1:15:38

1:15:38

What is your relationship with money? Do you have a healthy or neutral relationship with money? Or do you fall into the common extremes of worrying about it, constantly thinking about acquiring more money, or avoiding knowing what is happening with your finances or checking out on your responsibilities around money? And what is your relationship wi…

1
EP 90: Engaged and Consistent Leadership: with Moms Demand Action Founder, Shannon Watts 1:06:06

1+ y ago1:06:06

1:06:06

When you see a need, what do you do? Do you jump in and try to solve the problem? Or do you think about it for a while and workshop all the options and scenarios in your head before deciding whether to take action or not? Both ways can be valid, needed, and valuable. And both have their pitfalls. When we jump in to solve a need or problem, we can e…

1
EP 89: Navigating Gender Bias: Leadership Steps for Workplace Equality with Amy Diehl, PhD 1:04:27

1+ y ago1:04:27

1:04:27

When people talk about gender bias and sexism, what comes to mind? Are you clear about when gender bias happens to you and around you? Or does it feel so common it’s hard to discern? The mixed messages about how to respond to gender bias and sexism keep us flailing, even when there are efforts to make meaningful change. We need to make these change…

1
EP 88: Right-Use-of-Power: Navigating Leadership Dynamics with Dr. Cedar Barstow 59:17

1+ y ago59:17

59:17

Would you call yourself a powerful person? Do you trust yourself with power? Does owning your power feel a bit like holding a hot potato? The many ways we learn about power–often by having it taken away from us, seeing it taken away from others, or seeing people go to great lengths to take and keep power, no matter the cost or casualties–understand…

1
EP 87: Authoritarianism in Cultish and High-Demand Communities with Bradley Onishi 1:10:41

1+ y ago1:10:41

1:10:41

Do you know if you have ever been a part of a cultish or high-demand community? Do you know what qualities to look for in a high-demand community? High-demand communities may bring images of cults with extreme behaviors, demands, and rituals to your mind. But when you examine the communities you love, some fall on the spectrum of cultish or high-de…

1
Ep 86: Humaning Together: Integrating Grief and Lived Experience with Kathy Escobar 1:08:21

1+ y ago1:08:21

1:08:21

Your relationship with grief impacts all your relationships - whether you know it or not. While the experience of grief is universal, we still react to grief in ways that often stigmatize and alienate our grief or the grief of others in the name of professionalism, boundaries, and self-protection. And when we face a loss from suicide and all the la…

1
EP 85: Team Habits: Redefining Workplace Dynamics with Charlie Gilkey 1:12:23

1+ y ago1:12:23

1:12:23

Groups are a microcosm of life and the greater systems in which we live and work. We learn so much about ourselves and others in groups. They refine our leadership and communication skills. They highlight our growth edges and our capacity for conflict. And they can bring out the best - and the worst - in us, sometimes at lightning speed. So many of…

1
EP 84: Recalibrating Success and Accomplishment with Martha Bitar 1:03:15

2y ago1:03:15

1:03:15

When you look back on your career trajectory, what do you notice? Do you see an even trajectory in your career path? Or has your career taken some hard curves outside of the expected norms? What can seem like a setback in our planned career path can sometimes lead us to experiences that we would never have pursued - opening us up to ideas and possi…

1
EP 83: Cultivating a Practice of True Play with Gary Ware 1:07:44

2y ago1:07:44

1:07:44

Do you have a relationship with play? Do you integrate time to play into your life around work and rest? Or does play feel elusive or like a luxury? If it does, you’re not alone. So many of us are weary and weighed down, trying to stay afloat while keeping up with life, work, and being engaged citizens. And we live in a culture that continues to pr…

1
EP 82: Beyond the Stigma: Prioritizing Needs Without Judgement with Mara Glatzel 1:02:25

2y ago1:02:25

1:02:25

Have you ever wondered if you are too much or too needy? We carry a lot of baggage around our needs, others’ needs, and the many mixed messages about having needs but doing everything possible to not be seen as ‘being needy’. The result? A relentless pursuit to keep our needs hidden, fueling feelings of scarcity, shame, and worry. But needs are an …

1
EP 81: Beyond Optics: Leadership and Meaningful Inclusion with Sand Chang, PhD 1:03:34

2y ago1:03:34

1:03:34

Inclusion. It’s a word that evokes strong emotions and reactions for many people. Some see it as a polarizing issue that elicits extreme rhetoric, while others recognize the need for us to confront discomfort and take responsibility for the impact of our leadership. We have to consider what inclusion means to us, what it feels like, and how it show…

1
EP 80: The Safety Spectrum: Navigating Discomfort and Cultivating Safe Spaces with Tasha Hunter, MSW, LCSW 1:11:45

2y ago1:11:45

1:11:45

Are you a safe person? Do you cultivate and lead spaces that are safe? And how do you know the difference between lack of safety and discomfort? The hard truth is that we can never declare a person or a space “safe.” We can do all we can to cultivate safety within ourselves and we can be intentional about doing our best to be safe but we cannot nam…

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