Best Karen Mathis Podcasts (2025)

1
Ep. 126: For Reals x2 Season Wrap: Our Guests Rock! 33:52

Play Pause

3d ago33:52

33:52

Sorry for the technical difficulties if you listened to two wrong files before we finally got this right one up! But yes, this one starts our weird, too, ha! #practicing. We loved looking back on this past season September-December 2025 and all of the incredible kindreds who came and shared with us. We learned so much together, gathered some resour…

1
Ep. 125: Alongside with Justin Mathis 47:11

11d ago47:11

47:11

Phyllis' son Justin Mathis rocks and we're so thankful that we got to hang out with him for a truly lovely conversation about peer to peer support, mental health, and the beauty and power of being alongside other humans offering presence and connection and receiving it, too. Also, the most simple practices make a big difference in stability and hea…

1
Ep. 124: These Are a Few of Our Favorite Things (That Aren't Stuff) 36:41

18d ago36:41

36:41

In a world (and season) obsessed with material goods, we decided to focus on some of our favorite things that aren't stuff--simple practices, actions, spaces, places that help us regulate our nervous system and feel more solid and connected to our souls in a destabilizing world. They aren't complex--they're simple. And often so underrated. We had f…

1
Ep. 123: The Road to Freedom with Karen Poland 45:34

1M ago45:34

45:34

We love stories of the long road of freedom and how we find themes and gems of truth in others' journeys, too. In this episode we hang out with our friend Karen Poland, who is a therapist in TX with the Christian Closet, which offers therapy, coaching, and spiritual support services for the LGBTQ+ community around the country and beyond. This conve…

1
Ep. 122: Let's Talk About AI with Hannah Wong 51:36

2M ago51:36

51:36

We've been wanting to have this conversation for while, and we finally did it! Our friend Hannah Wong, a college professor and leader who is passionate about learning, human development, and things of the soul helped us engage with the realities of AI and how it's changing our minds and our culture in powerful and scary ways.…

1
Ep. 121: Staying Human in the Hard with John Pavlovitz 48:10

2M ago48:10

48:10

We feel so grateful to get to play with kindreds and gather some extra goodness in the middle of so much hard! We loved hanging out with John Pavlovitz, writer, activist, storyteller, and friend for a little bit this week. He helped us remember how important it is to stay human in a dehumanizing world. It's a gift to be alongside long-term advocate…

1
Ep. 120: Metabolizing Grief 34:51

2M ago34:51

34:51

Oh, grief! It's a part of life, yet most of us have a very complicated relationship with it. This conversation is about metabolizing grief, learning to integrate it into the human experience alongside others who are trying to be honest about it, too.By Erika Chambers

1
Ep. 119: Enneagram Support for Wild Times 44:50

2M ago44:50

44:50

We love the Enneagram, and in this episode we thought it would be fun to process what different Enneagram types might be feeling and experiencing in these wild times and offer some possible practices for support and resourcing. We had fun, and the truth is, no matter our type, there's always something we can learn and draw from.…

1
Ep. 118: Hope in Spite of the Facts with Hugh Hollowell 44:46

2M ago44:46

44:46

We loved our conversation with Hugh Hollowell, writer, advocate, seeker of beauty, and pastor of Open Door Mennonite Church in Jackson Mississippi. It's exactly the kind of reminders we need right now in what he calls "The Circumstances" the US finds itself in. Learn more about his work in the world at hughhollowell.org and gather some beauty and h…

1
Ep. 117: Little Pockets of Love with Rev. Rob Jerger 42:50

3M ago42:50

42:50

By Erika Chambers

1
Ep. 116: Left and Right Brains (and Worlds) 39:03

3M ago39:03

39:03

Beyond all the basic talking about left brain being logical and the right brain being creative is an expansive body of work that can help us also better understand what's happening not only in our own stories and experience but also in the wider one that's imploding right now. In this episode we process some of the ideas in the neuroscience book (6…

1
Ep. 115: Back to Basics 40:44

3M ago40:44

40:44

It's been a rough week in the USA and even though we pretty much say that every week we record, this past week has been extra bad with assassinations, school shootings, and social media awful. This episode we share what we needed most this morning--getting back to basic skills and guiding principles that will help us survive these really rough time…

1
Ep. 114: We’re Back! Season 8! 33:51

4M ago33:51

33:51

We’re back! We always take a break in the Summer and re-group, decide if we’re going to keep on keeping on or not, and in these wild times, the answer is YES! This space helps us and we hope it helps anyone listening in whatever ways are needed. This episode is just a look-back at the Summer and what’s sustaining us right now. Looking forward to th…

1
Ep. 113: So Much Goodness to Practice—Wrap & Reflections on Season 7 32:22

7M ago32:22

32:22

It’s a wrap, friends! We had a great run of guests and topics from February-May centered on resourcing during these extra tumultuous times, and now it’s time for a Summer break! We loved looking back at our conversations and amazing friends who offered their time and wisdom to be part of Soul + Practice. We love having out with you each week and wi…

1
Ep. 112: Nurturing Healing with Ourselves, Others, the Land with Julie-Anne Mauno 50:13

7M ago50:13

50:13

Julie-Anne Malette-Mauno is a French Canadian settler living on Treaty 9 territory in Northeastern Ontario, Canada with her family. She has 7 children. She writes poetry and her love for the boreal forest is reflected in her writing. She is a Registered Social Worker and is working as a therapist and researcher. Her work centers on perinatal mental…

1
Ep. 110: The Gentle Revolution Every Soul Needs 42:37

8M ago42:37

42:37

The Subversive Soul: The Gentle Revolution Every Soul Needs—Phyllis’ new book-- is coming out July 22nd! In this episode we process some of the key ideas in the book and are reminded on why soul and practice go together so well. Published by Quoir Publishing, this book is going to help so many discover, honor, and live into what’s already in us. Mo…

1
Ep. 109: An Unholy Alliance with Fascism with David Artman 50:54

8M ago50:54

50:54

It’s always fun to learn from new friends and realize how connected we all are in different ways. David Artman is a retired minister, author, podcaster, and a leading voice in Christian Universalism over the years. With the rise of this 2.0 administration, he’s sharing more about the dangerous reality we’re living in as we slide toward fascism, wit…

1
Ep. 108: Practices, Engaged Buddhism, and Community with Lisa Pettit 48:54

8M ago48:54

48:54

Oh, we needed this! Spending time with Dr. Lisa Pettit--who has been a student of Thich Nhat Hanh for 20+ years and is a kindred and community leader in the Compassionate Dharma Cloud Monastery in Morrison, Colorado,—is always so good for our souls. There are countless beautiful gems in this episode to draw back on, along with tangible ways to keep…

1
Ep. 107: Staying the Course with Jose Escobar 48:47

8M ago48:47

48:47

In this episode, Kathy’s awesome husband, Jose joins us to share a little bit about his life as a pilot, military lawyer, and pro-bono attorney at a legal aid clinic during these wild times—what helps, what’s hard, and the power of seeking joy (and McDonalds). We had fun in the middle of so much hard. More about the incredible work of the Justice a…

1
Ep. 106: Equity (and Human Connection) is a Practice with Melvin Bray 54:02

9M ago54:02

54:02

We loved our conversation with our friend Melvin Bray—Atlanta-based author, educator, dad, husband, and creator of the 12 Steps Truth and Transformation Model that are modified 12 steps for equity work in community. Melvin’s work in untangling from supremacist logic and the life-long practice of equity has helped us in more ways than we can say, an…

1
Ep. 105: Our Dropperfuls with Angie Fadel 53:21

9M ago53:21

53:21

Weaving webs of community, healing, mutual aid, earth wisdom, and other practices that help us make it in this harsh world are needed now more than ever. Angie Fadel joins us this week, sharing some of what she’s learning and practicing in this season of her story and how small contributions—what can feel like just a drop—matter. Angie’s based in P…

1
Ep. 104: Dumpster Fire Ethics of Flourishing with Amanda Udis-Kessler 43:39

9M ago43:39

43:39

We love making new friends, and Amanda Udis-Kessler, author, former sociology professor, songwriter, and anti-oppression trainer, helped us gain some clarity and hope around living out ethics of flourishing despite the complete lack of ethics at the highest level of our land right now. With practical, honest, and clear ways to stay connected to our…

1
Ep. 103: What the $(!@#&^% is Happening in the Universe with Polly Baker 50:35

9M ago50:35

50:35

There’s so much more going on in the sky than most of us are aware of! In this fun and eye-opening episode our friend Polly Baker, who’s a spiritual director who integrates astrology in an incredibly unique and grounding way, brings some incredible knowledge to the forces at work in the sky right now that we’re feeling collectively while also offer…

1
Ep. 102: Alternative Realities, Lies, and Gaslighting 44:00

9M ago44:00

44:00

In this check-in episode, we process how we can stay grounded and clear when we’re constantly being gaslit with alternate facts and realities. While this is happening on a national level right now, many of us have experienced it in relationship with others, too; yeah, it’s exhausting.By Erika Chambers

1
Ep. 101: Resourcing, Together with Nikki Kennedy 48:16

10M ago48:16

48:16

When we were thinking about this season and what we needed, one of the first people that came to mind was our friend Nikki Kennedy. A trauma-therapist and community builder, she is a wise kindred and leader and we loved this conversation so much. So many gems for how we navigate these wild times, own the reality of this story, and grow in our capac…

1
Ep. 100 - Learning from the Redwoods with Tara Taylor 45:17

10M ago45:17

45:17

100 Episodes of Soul + Practice, what?!? What better way to honor it than with an amazing conversation with our friend Tara Taylor, who is a volunteer docent at Armstrong Woods in Northern California and incredible nature-based facilitator and guide. As we center this season on resourcing, there’s so much we can learn from the redwoods and we hope …

1
Ep. 99 - Turning Over Tables 40:02

10M ago40:02

40:02

Whoa, can you say 2025 and what unhealthy unchecked destructive power looks like in action? What we are experiencing right now in the US is an age-old story but it is illuminated in new and horridly painful ways. In this episode, Kathy shares a little bit about her newest book “Turning Over Tables: A Lenten Call to Disrupting Power” that released a…

1
Ep. 98: Mental Hygiene for these Wild Times 35:48

10M ago35:48

35:48

We need all the help we can get and some consistent, clear practices for our mental health really matter right now. In this episode, Phyllis fleshes out some of what she wrote in a recent substack, and it’s packed with all kinds of tangible and much-needed practices and reminders.By Erika Chambers

1
Ep. 97: Existential Flu (and a new 2025 season) 34:55

11M ago34:55

34:55

Well, we're back. A lot of horrid has happened since we were last together at the end of 2024 and we feel clear we need as much resourcing as we can. In this episode we process something Phyllis wrote on her Substack about the Existential Flu, a reality that can overtake us in these unprecedented, tumultuous, traumatic times. So many gems in there!…

1
Ep. 96: 2024! 34:13

12M ago34:13

34:13

Our last episode of 2024 is about 2024! Remembering, celebrating, grieving, laughing through 6 simple questions we both reflect on and hope that others maybe consider, too! It's good to pause and look back before moving forward.By Erika Chambers

1
Ep. 95: Making it in this Weary World 46:15

1y ago46:15

46:15

The world sure feels weary right now and in this episode we process through some of the main themes in Kathy's book "A Weary World: Reflection for a Blue Christmas"--Honoring Reality, Practicing Honesty, Embracing Paradox, and Borrowing Hope--for 2024. We hope it's nourishing somehow--we realized how much we needed it when we were done recording it…

1
Ep. 94: Islands of Sanity 49:44

1y ago49:44

49:44

Well, folks, here are--a second Trump presidency is coming and so many of us are reeling. In this episode we try to honestly acknowledge what we're up against and how we need to be careful of not feeding the futile that will keep us spinning and weakened and instead consider tangible practices that will help us be as healthy and connected as we can…

1
Ep 93: Pre-November 5th Grounding & Active Hope 46:39

1y ago46:39

46:39

Well, it's been a terrible ride, and here we are--the day before one of the most crucial elections in our lifetimes so far. We are holding everyone close in our hearts and know that no matter the outcome, it's a bumpy ride today. In this episode we process some things to remember as we tend to our souls and embody our values in tangible ways.…

1
Ep. 93: False Equivalencies and Breaking Up with Knowing 40:30

1y ago40:30

40:30

The fallacy of false equivalencies and "whataboutisms" can really mess with us when it comes to not only the US election but so many other areas of our lives. In this episode we explore that a little more (or, um, ramble about it) along with the importance of "breaking up with knowing" and a false sense of control that comes with trying to predict …

1
Ep. 92: Late Summer--The Transition Season We All Need 39:41

1+ y ago39:41

39:41

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, there are 5 seasons, not 4. This fifth season is "Late Summer", which starts in mid-August and goes through Fall Equinox and is a place to pause, ground, celebrate, and honor the energy and fruits of Summer intentionally before just barreling into Fall. In the wild season we're living in right now with US politics a…

1
Ep. 90: Season 6 is Here and We are on a Wild Ride! 39:08

1+ y ago39:08

39:08

Well, we weren't sure what would happen for the Fall but we did think we might come back for some episodes as we navigate this wild political ride we are all on in the USA right now. The election is coming November 5th and so much is on the line. In this episode we basically just catch up on the last few months and the turn of events that have happ…

1
Special Episode 89: It's Been a Rough Week, Peeps! 47:29

1+ y ago47:29

47:29

Well, we definitely had no plans to do any episodes this Summer, but in light of the reality of the mash-up of the presidential debate and terrifying Supreme Court decisions--all just a few days before July 4th--we decided to pop up an episode so we could process and hopefully put a few things out into the universe for ourselves and others as we tr…

1
Ep 88: Season 5 Wrap - Wow, that was a lot of goodness! 29:22

1+ y ago29:22

29:22

Wow, 88 episodes for Soul Practice and this season, which started in November, had so much goodness. We are so grateful for our friends who come play with us, everyone who listens, and a place for us to letting our soul lead us and our practices help change us and the world we live in. Happy Summer. No telling what Fall will bring for Soul + Practi…

1
Ep 87: Soul Practices for Summer 39:31

1+ y ago39:31

39:31

As we begin to wind down Season 5, in this episode we share some simple things to remember for our soul, simple practices to consider, especially as we go into Summer. Now, to use them :)By Erika Chambers

1
Ep. 86: Social Change & Trauma Healing with Holly Roach 47:16

1+ y ago47:16

47:16

There is so much goodness in this episode! We loved our conversation with Holly Roach, who is a social justice educator, contemplative activist, and community organizer dedicated to creating healthier people, systems, movements. Individual, ancestral, and collective trauma work all is linked together and basic practices to heal matter! Based near A…

1
Ep. 85: Compassionate Dementia Care with Peggy Budai 46:26

1+ y ago46:26

46:26

For more information, Peggy recommends Healing Dementia, by Kyrie S. Carpenter: https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Dementia-Kyri%C3%A9-S-Carpenter/dp/1986619923 As well as a couple of websites: https://contenteddementiatrust.org/ and https://teepasnow.com/ Also if people want more information, feel free to contact Peggy at [email protected].…

1
Ep. 84: Enneagram Hacks with Terra Lenihan 47:55

1+ y ago47:55

47:55

We love the Enneagram and our friend Terra Lenihan, Enneagram coach and catalyzer for healthier systems and teams, had so much fun processing some simple hacks that we can draw from as tools, reminders, skills, and reminders for our souls that can help us practice healthier ways of moving in the world. You can connect with Terra at terralenihan.wor…

1
Ep 83: All Roads Lead to Power 35:05

1+ y ago35:05

35:05

All roads do lead to power and in this episode we process power and Kathy's newest book project called...."All Roads Lead to Power: A Redemptive Challenge for Lent" that is releasing January 2025 in an accessible weekly reflection with practices format. Oh, we need more honest reflection about power and practices that help develop a healthier kind.…

1
Ep 82: Faith Is Beyond the Container 44:24

1+ y ago44:24

44:24

In this episode, we process faith deconstruction in some different ways than before-- exploring how language limits, faith is not the same as "faith systems" and how to nurture what supersedes all of the containers to get to the simple truths and practices that help us become healthier humans.By Erika Chambers

1
Ep 81: Systems are Everything with Pam Wilhelms Johnston 47:36

1+ y ago47:36

47:36

Why is the world such a mess and what can we do about it? The answer--we need more healthy living systems and it starts with us. In this episode we learn from the wise and amazing Pam Wilhelms Johnston whose work as an organizational development consultant, executive coach, and healthier systems catalyzer is what we need more of in the world. Healt…

1
Ep. 80: Holy Ghosted with Dr. Tiffany Yecke Brooks 37:54

1+ y ago37:54

37:54

It was so fun to play with our friend Dr. Tiffany Yecke Brooks, author of multiple books including her newest, Holy Ghosted: Spiritual Anxiety, Religious Trauma, and the Language of Abuse. We laughed and swore and shared about finding peace, freedom, and healing after being in a culture that unfortunately doesn't promote any of those things very we…

1
Ep 79: Nature Heals and "Everything is Better Outside" 34:52

2y ago34:52

34:52

Hand in hand with last week on faith beyond beliefs, in this episode we process the power of healing in nature. It opens us in ways our souls need without a lot of effort. In the words of Jared Escobar, "everything is better outside."By Erika Chambers

1
Ep 78: Beyond Beliefs 40:17

2y ago40:17

40:17

In this episode we chat about faith being far beyond belief, and that's why it's so scary and foreign. Practicing this is no small thing but our soul can hold unknowns a heck of a lot better than our heads.By Erika Chambers

1
Ep. 77: When the Solution is the Problem 39:43

2y ago39:43

39:43

While all our efforts for self-improvement and healing can be helpful, we can also become stuck in endless loops of trying to do better, be better, figure things out. In this episode we process how sometimes the solution is the problem. What if nothing is "wrong" with us?By Erika Chambers

1
Ep 76: Death is not a Failure with Eric Jepsen 43:08

2y ago43:08

43:08

In this episode we chat with our friend Eric Jepsen, who is the founder of Beautifully MAID (beautifullyMAID.org) and a passionate advocate for end of life options for people with terminal illnesses. We need to integrate conversations about death into the regular rhythms of our lives and we're grateful for spaces like to learn, listen, and expand o…