How can we cultivate a stable heart and a clear mind? In this episode of The Wise Effort Show, Dr. Diana Hill shares her insights from her recent retreat at Deer Park Monastery, exploring mindfulness practices that help maintain emotional stability and mental clarity. Dr. Hill draws on lessons learned from the monastic community, research studies, and meditation practices. She outlines five key strategies to develop a stable heart and clear mind.

• Practice #1. Stop
• Practice #2: Put Down What You Are Carrying
• Practice #3. Sit at the Back of the Heartz
• Practice #4. Tune Your Mind to Impermanence
• Practice #5: Prioritize Love

Tune in to learn how these practices can help you navigate personal and global challenges with greater ease and bring your deepest wisdom to the forefront.

Episode 78: Slow Down, Resist Busyness, and Other Lessons from My Family Retreat at Plum Village with Dr. Diana Hill

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• Pre-order my upcoming book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special pre-order bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of

Feeling overwhelmed by your addiction or the addiction of a loved one? Discover a creative, non-shaming, and integrative way to understand and address addiction in this episode of the Wise Effort Show. Host Dr. Diana Hill and guest Dr. Carl Fisher delve into the complex nature of addiction, exploring it as a multifaceted issue that affects our energy and life direction. They share personal stories and professional insights, emphasizing compassion and humanity while offering a new perspective that frames addiction as a response to suffering and a call for deeper needs. Learn strategies for managing urges and the importance of a supportive environment in recovery.

• How to view addiction with compassion and without stigma
• Dr. Carl Fisher's personal journey with substance abuse and professional success
• The role of environmental factors in addiction and recovery
• The significance of social support and connection in overcoming addiction

Listen to this episode to learn strategies for managing urges and the importance of a supportive environment in recovery.

Dopamine Nation: The Neuroscience Of Our Everyday Addictions With Dr. Anna Lembke

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• Pre-order my upcoming book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special pre-order bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn,

Can poetry be a form of medicine? Dr. Diana Hill explores this profound question with poet Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer on the Wise Effort Show. They discuss the role of poetry in emotional processing, grief, love, and connection. Diana shares how Rosemerry’s poetry has personally influenced her life and work. Rosemerry reads some of her poems, discusses her daily practice of writing a poem everyday, and offers insights into how poetry can help us be present with our pain and transform it. Drawing from her own experiences, especially the tragic loss of her son, Rosemerry explains how metaphors and a daily writing habit can serve as healing practices.

Join this insightful conversation to discover the therapeutic potential of poetry and how it can guide us through life's most challenging moments.

• The Power of Poetry in Therapy
• Rosemary's Personal Journey with Poetry
• Daily Writing Practice and Its Benefits
• Embracing Imperfection and Truth
• Sharing Personal Grief Publicly

Episode 138: Holding Space for Yourself and Others With Tom Parkes

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Pre-order my upcoming book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special pre-order bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s...

What do you do when the thing you love—your art, your work, your creativity—starts feeling like a product? When the metrics of success get louder than the pulse of your own heart? In this episode, I sit down with Glen Phillips—lead singer of Toad the Wet Sprocket and a longtime Santa Barbara creative—for a conversation that meanders, deepens, and opens up space for something honest and healing. Glen shares how his music career took off at age 16, how he lost his way chasing the industry’s definition of “enough,” and how he found his way back—through community song, spiritual practice, Tuesday night yoga class, and a kind of effort that doesn’t grind, but flows.

Episode 110: In This Moment You Are Enough with Ofosu Jones-Quartey

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• Pre-order my upcoming book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special pre-order bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

Mentioned in this episode:

Get on my Wise Effort workshop waitlist!

 If you are intrigued about Wise Effort or...

Feeling boreout? That restless, understimulated, underinvolved sense that your work—or your life—needs a refresh? Creativity might be the key. In this episode, I’m doing something different: a live episode recorded at Communal Table at Jane Restaurant. We dive into the science of creativity and try out some playful creative tasks (including a collective poem!). In a real play, I work with an audience member to get unstuck using the creative power of psychodrama.

It’s insightful, energizing, and honestly—just fun. Tune in!

• Understanding Creativity and Its Importance
• Exploring Boreout and Its Impact
• The Neuroscience of Creativity
• Real Play Session: Working with Creative Blocks

6 Ways to Boost Your Creativity

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Pre-order my upcoming book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special pre-order bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

Mentioned in this episode:

Get on my Wise Effort workshop waitlist!

 If you are intrigued about Wise Effort

In this episode of The Wise Effort Show, Dr. Diana Hill delves into the complexities of dating after divorce with guest Whitney Cubbison, author of 'Will There Be Wine?' and 'Will There Be Love?' Whitney shares her personal journey through divorce and dating in Paris, touching on challenges like rekindling self-confidence, managing emotional baggage, and navigating the evolving landscape of online dating. The conversation also explores broader themes such as staying true to oneself, embracing life experiences, and the importance of having a supportive village in relationships. Whether you're newly divorced or contemplating jumping back into the dating pool, this episode offers valuable insights and inspiration for forging a fulfilling post-divorce life.

• Worst Nightmare Dating Stories
• Dealing with Anger and Emotional Baggage
• Cultural Differences in Dating
• Navigating Technology and Online Dating
• Real-Life Dating Tips
• Embracing Your True Self in Relationships

• Wise Effort in the Bedroom

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Whitney’s books, Will There Be Wine? & Will There Be Love?

Whitney Instagram

Whitney’s Facebook

• Pre-order my upcoming book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special pre-order bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave

In this touching episode of The Wise Effort Show, Dr. Diana Hill converses with Dr. Jennifer Gregg, a psycho-oncologist with vast experience in behavioral medicine and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Dr. Gregg, who has written notable books like ‘Stop Avoiding Stuff’ and ‘The Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Skills Workbook,’ shares her profoundly personal journey through her husband and son’s battles with cancer. She discusses how these experiences shaped her professionally and personally, highlighting the importance of showing up with love, staying grounded in the present moment, and maintaining psychological flexibility amidst life’s toughest trials.

• Children's Reactions to a Parent’s Diagnosis
• Son's Cancer Diagnosis and Family Impact
• Living in the Present Moment
• Unwise Efforts and Coping Mechanisms
• The Importance of Community Support
• Psychological Flexibility and Values
• 3 Big Takeaways
• Facing New Uncertainties

Tune in to hear an inspiring story about love, pain, vulnerability, and wise effort in relationships, and gain insights from Dr. Gregg's expert strategies for supporting those dealing with cancer.

• Getting Past You and Me to Build a Better Relationship with Terry Real

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Pre-order my upcoming book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special pre-order bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram,

In this heart-opening episode, Dr. Diana Hill invites you to step into big love—the kind of deeply nourishing, energizing relationships that align with your values and genius without compromising your authenticity. Through personal stories, scientific insights, and actionable tools, Diana guides you to explore how you can get the friendships, partnerships, and connections you truly want—without shrinking yourself or playing small.

Get enhanced show notes for this episode

• Pre-order my upcoming book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most, and receive special pre-order bonus gifts.
• Want to become more psychologically flexible? Take Diana's "Foundations of ACT" course.

• Reserve your spot in Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2026!
• See Diana at an upcoming event

• Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple so people like you can find the show.
• Sign up for the free Wise Effort Newsletter.
• Become a Wise Effort member to support the show.
• Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana’s website.

Thanks to the team, Craig and Ashley Hiatt, and Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.

Mentioned in this episode:

Get on my Wise Effort workshop waitlist!

 If you are intrigued about Wise Effort or maybe a retreat wise effort in yoga, how we integrate wise effort into the therapy space, go check out drdianahill.com/workshop and get on my wait list. I have a number of events that are gonna be coming up in this coming year, including wise effort and yoga with Elyse, you get to see where all the magic happens, and I would love, love, love for you to be there. So check out my programming and workshops and collaborations at drdianahill.com/workshop

Wise Effort Workshop...