Episodes

  • Evolutionary Pressure, Synchronized Swimming, and Belonging with Dr. Amanda Blake

    Evolutionary Pressure, Synchronized Swimming, and Belonging with Dr. Amanda Blake
    Apr 25 2024
    By popular demand, Dr. Amanda Blake is back as a guest on Untrained! We are so excited to continue our conversation from January and cover new ground.

    We have something in common with Amanda – all three of us have backgrounds as elite athletes. Iris was a fencer, Whitney was a rower, and Mandy was a synchronized swimmer.

    In this episode, we talk about the relationship between our bodies, our performance (both athletic and at work), and belonging. As former athletes, we discuss how our training at a young age influenced our sense of belonging throughout our lives. Mandy brings human evolution to the topic – we are wired to seek safety, connection, and dignity.

    But at what cost? Oftentimes, in a sports setting or a work setting, striving for perfection is what’s rewarded, making mistakes is punished, and the cycle of overwork is reinforced. Join us for this episode of Untrained as we examine our behavioral patterns, how they manifest in the body, and what we can learn from children exploring tide pools.

    Untraining: The invisible pathways and behaviors to achieve belonging.

    Training: A wider variety of options for creating a sense of belonging. What we will explore in this episode:
    • How we train our bodies (or our bodies train us) around performance and belonging.
    • Being present to combat anxiety and overwhelm.
    • The cost of high performance.
    • Performing from a place of relaxed readiness.
    • How intense sports training can show up in other parts of your life.
    • Why it’s important to “love your typos” and feel safe making mistakes.
    • Taking care of yourself and getting the outcome.
    • Our brains are on autopilot to find safety, belonging, and respect.
    • How do we get our sense of belonging at work? Is it by neglecting our own needs?
    Guest Bio: Dr. Amanda Blake is the author of the award-winning book Your Body Is Your Brain, and creator of the Body = Brain(TM) course on the neurobiology of experiential leadership learning. In addition to teaching about the art and science of embodiment, she works with leaders worldwide to help them become their best self, enjoy life more, and make a bigger contribution.

    Once an internationally competitive athlete, Mandy is skilled at cultivating high performance in herself and others. As a Master Somatic Leadership Coach, she is known for supporting pragmatic yet profound transformations in her clients. She holds a degree in Human Biology from Stanford University and a doctorate in Management from Case Western Reserve University.

    She’s also a longtime yoga enthusiast, mountaineer, and musician.

    You can find her here:
    Website: https://embright.org/
    Book: https://www.amazon.com/Your-Body-Brain-Intelligence-Relationships/dp/0999368117
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    50 mins
  • A New Approach to Mental Health: The Anatomy of Anxiety with Ellen Vora (P2)

    A New Approach to Mental Health: The Anatomy of Anxiety with Ellen Vora (P2)
    Apr 3 2024
    PART 2 of 2

    We are thrilled to invite Dr. Ellen Vora to the show today. Ellen is the author of, The Anatomy of Anxiety: Understanding and Overcoming the Body's Fear Response. Anxiety is often regarded as a “neck up” problem, but Ellen debunks this in her book and in our conversation.


    Guest Bio: Ellen Vora, MD is a board-certified psychiatrist, acupuncturist, and yoga teacher, and she is the author of The Anatomy of Anxiety. She takes a functional medicine approach to mental health—considering the whole person and addressing imbalance at the root. Dr. Vora received her B.A. from Yale University and her M.D. from Columbia University.

    Ellen approaches anxiety and mental health from a holistic perspective, acknowledging that talk therapy and meds can be helpful, but they’re not the only solution. Small, incremental lifestyle changes can make a huge difference for some people in dealing with false anxiety, thereby clearing the way to treat true anxiety. Ellen breaks anxiety into two categories, true anxiety vs. false anxiety, and we explore how to manage both of them. Join us as we broaden the conversation around anxiety and talk about the other paths up the mountain of healing with Dr. Ellen Vora.


    Untraining: The mindset that the presence of anxiety means there is something wrong with us that needs to be fixed and that our only two options are psychotherapy or medication.

    Training: The idea that some anxiety is rooted in the body, and that through teaching, experimentation and listening to ourselves, we have more options when it comes to resourcing ourselves and alleviating anxiety.
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    32 mins
  • A New Approach to Mental Health: The Anatomy of Anxiety with Ellen Vora (P1)

    A New Approach to Mental Health: The Anatomy of Anxiety with Ellen Vora (P1)
    Apr 1 2024
    PART 1 of 2

    We are thrilled to invite Dr. Ellen Vora to the show today. Ellen is the author of, The Anatomy of Anxiety: Understanding and Overcoming the Body's Fear Response. Anxiety is often regarded as a “neck up” problem, but Ellen debunks this in her book and in our conversation.


    Guest Bio: Ellen Vora, MD is a board-certified psychiatrist, acupuncturist, and yoga teacher, and she is the author of The Anatomy of Anxiety. She takes a functional medicine approach to mental health—considering the whole person and addressing imbalance at the root. Dr. Vora received her B.A. from Yale University and her M.D. from Columbia University.

    Ellen approaches anxiety and mental health from a holistic perspective, acknowledging that talk therapy and meds can be helpful, but they’re not the only solution. Small, incremental lifestyle changes can make a huge difference for some people in dealing with false anxiety, thereby clearing the way to treat true anxiety. Ellen breaks anxiety into two categories, true anxiety vs. false anxiety, and we explore how to manage both of them. Join us as we broaden the conversation around anxiety and talk about the other paths up the mountain of healing with Dr. Ellen Vora.


    Untraining: The mindset that the presence of anxiety means there is something wrong with us that needs to be fixed and that our only two options are psychotherapy or medication.

    Training: The idea that some anxiety is rooted in the body, and that through teaching, experimentation and listening to ourselves, we have more options when it comes to resourcing ourselves and alleviating anxiety.
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    22 mins
  • Navigating Midlife Career Transitions with Dr. Jim Hall

    Navigating Midlife Career Transitions with Dr. Jim Hall
    Mar 21 2024
    Dr. Jim Hall has worked in continuing education for 20 years. He’s worked with students from ages 17 to 70 and every life stage in between. There have been countless changes in education innovation throughout his career, especially with the advent of EdTech, but one thing remains the same: you can make a change in your career, and there are plenty of resources to help.The key to navigating these big changes is knowing yourself and what you’re looking for. Do you need a new credential for what you’re trying to achieve? What kind of learning environment will you thrive in? Why do you want to make a change in the first place? These questions can be daunting, but you have people in your network and beyond who can help you find the clarity to answer them.Iris and Whitney discuss all of this and more with Dr. Hall in this informative, thought-provoking, and inspiring episode of Untrained. Guest Bio: Jim Hall currently serves as the Dean and Executive Director at Rochester Institute of Technology. He is passionate about innovating education for all kinds of students in any type of learning environment. Over the past two decades, Jim has worked with educational trailblazers to create opportunities for students to earn credentials, utilizing a wide range of hands-on experiences and educational tools. Collaborating with educators, government officials, and businesses, Jim’s work focuses on promoting student-driven and student-centered change.Untrain: The idea that our career pathways are linear and we cannot shift or pivot later in our careers.Retrain: We can pivot in our careers and survive.What we will explore in this episode:
    • How AI and EdTech are impacting education and career paths.
    • What kinds of continuing education options are available and how to choose the best one for you.
    • How to determine if you need a credential to make a change.
    • The people you can turn to when considering a career change.
    • What to be conscious of when choosing a career coach.
    • One simple question that can lead to determining exactly what you’re looking for.
    • Navigating “conventional” retirement age if you feel like you’re just getting started.
    • Making big career changes vs. a consistent career path.
    • Recognizing that career transitions are a team sport (you’re not alone!)
    Jim Hall’s LinkedIn
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    39 mins
  • Understanding Imposter Syndrome and DEI with Dr. Richard Orbé-Austin

    Understanding Imposter Syndrome and DEI with Dr. Richard Orbé-Austin
    Mar 7 2024
    Guest bio:

    Dr. Richard Orbé-Austin is a psychologist and a founding partner of Dynamic Transitions Psychological Consulting LLP, a career and executive coaching consultancy. Dr. Orbé-Austin has worked in the field of diversity, equity, & inclusion and executive coaching for over 15 years.

    He was the Founding Director of NYU’s Graduate Student Career Development Center. Prior to his tenure at NYU, Dr. Orbé-Austin served in a variety of leadership roles, including as the Chief Diversity Officer at Baruch College-City University of New York and as President of the NY Association of Black Psychologists.

    In his practice, Dr. Orbé-Austin works with executives, senior leaders, and mid-career professionals to identify their best-fit career options, advance their career goals, and strengthen their leadership skills. He also regularly consults to academic institutions, corporations, and nonprofit organizations on issues related to leadership, career development & transitions, diversity, equity, & inclusion, anti-racist practice, burnout, impostor syndrome, communication, and conflict.

    We cover a range of topics in today’s episode with Dr. Richard Orbé-Austin. Does that name ring a bell? We chatted with his wife and business partner, Dr. Lisa Orbé-Austin, last season (part 1 and part 2!)

    There are many factors at the intersection of toxic workplaces, imposter syndrome, and DEI. For example, do I have imposter syndrome or does my boss? Or rather, is my discomfort due to the fact that this is a toxic workplace?

    And further, how does my identity play into all of this? No matter the answer to these questions, at the end of the day, work should not be hazardous to our health. Dr. Orbé-Austin shares the US Surgeon General’s formal definition of a toxic workplace, tools for overcoming your imposter syndrome, and what DEI actually means in this illuminating conversation.

    What we will explore in this episode:
    • How the pandemic allowed us to have more expansive conversations about toxic workplaces and burnout.
    • What your imposter syndrome can tell you about your environment.
    • The signs that your boss might have imposter syndrome.
    • Managing up and modeling boundaries.
    • How does a remote work environment impact imposter syndrome?
    • What is double impact imposter syndrome?
    • Masking (or “covering”) pieces of your identity at work.
    • The first step that leaders need to take to shift company culture.
    Where to find Dr. Richard Orbé-Austin and his work: Website and LinkedIn Profile Books: Own Your Greatness & Your Unstoppable Greatness
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    45 mins
  • Untraining the "Not Enough" Mindset

    Untraining the "Not Enough" Mindset
    Feb 22 2024
    Dr. Tanya Raquel is a self-described “recovering joyful workaholic.” In this episode, Tanya discusses how she’s undone (and is currently undoing!) her scarcity mindset. The scarcity mindset can be tricky to identify. Oftentimes, it comes in pretty packaging and can look like success. The key difference is, this mindset results in burnout or chronically feeling a sense of, “not enough”. You rarely get to enjoy the fruits of your labor.Whitney, Iris, and Tanya engage in a vulnerable and enlightening conversation about living with a scarcity mindset: Where does this mindset originate? How are these scarcity thoughts trying to protect us? And most importantly, how can we slowly shift to a more abundance mindset.Join our hosts along with Dr. Tanya Prewitt-White as they discuss normalizing ambivalence, healing through coaching, and what we can learn about rest from tigers.Guest Bio: Dr. Tanya Raquel is a performance and executive coach and trained survivor advocate. She spent 12 years working as a professor, researcher, author, and certified mental performance consultant (CMPC) working with individual athletes, sports and corporate teams. For two decades, she has been intimately invested in social justice research and embodied advocacy work in both society and the field of sport psychology and serves as the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Co-Chair for the American Psychological Association Society for Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology.What we will explore in this episode:
    • What behaviors are present when the scarcity mindset is at play.
    • Exploring your “Yeah, but…” thoughts and what they mean on your journey.
    • Deciding how you want to feel and taking immediate action toward it.
    • The value of normalizing ambivalence in making decisions.
    • How to address self-sacrifice, people pleasing, and jealousy while in the scarcity mindset.
    • The importance of adding “yet” to your thoughts to achieve an abundance mindset.
    • Getting unstuck in your body can help you feel unstuck in your mind.
    • Showing up with vulnerability to get the support you need for your growth.
    • Surrounding yourself with the right people (hint: they have an abundance mindset and think highly of you!)
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    39 mins
  • Career Transitions: A conversation with Career Coach Brenda Mariah

    Career Transitions: A conversation with Career Coach Brenda Mariah
    Feb 8 2024
    Brenda Mariah is the president for the National Resume Writers’ Association, the past president of the Resume Writers & Coaches Association, and is certified in Interview Coaching, Compensation Negotiation, Job Search Strategy, Resume Writing, Career Management, LinkedIn Profile Development, and Employment Law. She works with major brands to provide corporate outplacement services during layoffs and her prior engineering and project management background uniquely qualifies her to help even the most technical professionals.Untraining: The idea that you need to hang on to the job you have because the unknown is too scaryTraining: How to break down the career transition process and not go it alone What we will explore in this episode:
    • What are the first steps to making a big change in your career?
    • The value of intentional daydreaming.
    • Why feeling stuck can actually feel comfortable.
    • What it looks like to reinvent yourself.
    • Why it’s important to let yourself be scared during your career transition.
    • How to make networking work for you, especially on LinkedIn. *
    • How to find and leverage your “Army of Advocates.”
    • Why you should stop writing your own resume.
    *Check out Brenda’s free ebook How to Use LinkedIn in 15 Minutes Per Day.Website:https://www.pushcareermanagement.com/interview-course
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    44 mins
  • What If Your Body Is Your Brain: A conversation with Dr. Amanda Blake

    What If Your Body Is Your Brain: A conversation with Dr. Amanda Blake
    Jan 25 2024
    Guest Bio: Dr. Amanda Blake is the author of the award-winning book Your Body Is Your Brain, and creator of the Body = Brain(TM) course on the neurobiology of experiential leadership learning. In addition to teaching about the art and science of embodiment, she works with leaders worldwide to help them become their best self, enjoy life more, and make a bigger contribution. Once an internationally competitive athlete, Mandy is skilled at cultivating high performance in herself and others. As a Master Somatic Leadership Coach, she is known for supporting pragmatic yet profound transformations in her clients. She holds a degree in Human Biology from Stanford University and a doctorate in Management from Case Western Reserve University. She’s also a longtime yoga enthusiast, mountaineer, and musician.Untraining: The idea that our mental intelligence is our greatest asset. Training: There are ways to tap into our embodied intelligence that we haven’t been taught to access or value. Dr Blake will share with us her strategies for retraining from a body centered approach. What we will explore in this episode:
    • Everyday we leave money on the table by underestimating our bodies intelligence - how can we change this?
    • Greater understanding of how the body is involved in perceiving information and broadcasting information. The body is a lens of perception working 24/7.
    • We don’t tend to train our embodied intelligence. Luckily the part of our brain that helps make sense of our embodied experience is as trainable as the intellectual parts.
    • A lot of tapping our embodied intelligence is about coming to embody new behaviors that are more resourceful and better meet the moment.
    • Embodiment practices can help widen our window of tolerance.
    • It can be life altering to learn to listen to your body.
    • Good news Dr. Blake is working on a book helps people learn HOW to put this work into practice.
    You can find her here: Website: https://embright.org/Book: https://www.amazon.com/Your-Body-Brain-Intelligence-Relationships/dp/0999368117
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    46 mins