Shows
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Introducing: CosmoParenting | A New Podcast from the CMM InstituteIntroducing CosmoParenting! This new podcast from the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution is a continuation of CosmoActivities- our free resources for kids of all ages. In this year-long podcast, host Abbie VanMeter is joined by people who are parenting, educators, therapists, and communicators to explore what it means to parent. CosmoParenting is designed to support all who are parenting in the journey of figuring out what it means to parent by enriching their parenting toolbox, offering one short episode each week that provides opportunities to reflect, listen, connect, practice, and engage in meaningful conversations. Subscribe...
2024-12-3002 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On the Future of Coordinated Management of Meaning with Vernon Cronen and Claire Craddock | Ep. 129Where can you be looking back in order to look forward?...Vernon Cronen is a co-creator of the Coordinated Management of Meaning theory of communication. In 1963, Vernon graduated from Ripon College and served for two years as Lieutenant in the US Army, Intelligence branch. After acquiring his Master and PhD from University of Illinois, Urbana, he went on to teach at University of Massachusetts, Amherst from 1970 to 2011. In 1979, Vernon began working with Barnett Pearce to create CMM and has been evolving the theory ever since. He is now part-time faculty at University of North Carolina at wilmington...
2024-12-161h 00
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Multiculturalism with Paul Porter | Engagement Series | Ep. 125What are the real ways that we can embrace the complexity of our experiences? How can we let go of a scarcity mindset in favor of a mindset of abundance? How can we see the stories of others as adding something important rather than taking something away from us?What does it actually look like to make more space for people and their stories? How can we start to “build a bigger table”? Instead of dismissing our vision as unrealistic or unattainable, how can we learn to use imagination and hope as tools to make our drea...
2024-11-181h 27
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Celebration, Storytelling, Death & Dying with Madison Wood-Gonzalez | Healing Series | Ep. 121What does it look like for you to celebrate?Where in your life can you pursue creation (in any of its many forms) as a way to check in with yourself and reflect?What stories do you have around death and dying?…Madison Wood-Gonzalez is a National Public Speaker, Storyteller of the Year Award-Winner, Best-Selling Author, and Published Poet. She is also the Executive Director for an Indianapolis-based nonprofit, Morning Light, that fosters community programs in Indiana for the terminally ill, seniors, and families. Madison speaks on topics related to storytelling, mental health, wellness, leadership, an...
2024-10-211h 28
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Curiosity, CMM & Cosmopolitan Communication with Barbara McKay | Relationships Series | Ep. 114What is "perceived oughtness"? How does it show up in our lives? How can we reflect on this force and make new choices?How can we embody curiosity to understand ourselves and others well?What is the relationship between “beliefs,” "meaning," "action," and "emotion"? How can we come to understand the complex dynamics that exist to find healing for our past and a new way forward for our future?...Dr. Barbara McKay is a systemic psychotherapist, supervisor, and teacher. She has served on the Board of Trustees for the Association for Family Therapy and the Boar...
2024-09-0251 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Differentiation, Dysregulation & Boundaries with Stephanie Higgs | Education Series | Ep. 112How can we celebrate our own individuality (and the individuality of others) by being honest about our needs, finding unique ways to meet them, and saying out loud the things we appreciate about each other? How can we celebrate children's individuality in school settings and beyond?What happens when we learn, not only how to tell our own story, but to hear the stories of others as well?What does it look like to set boundaries that allow us to say our "Best Yes"?...Stephanie Higgs is, above all else, a passionate educator. Since...
2024-08-191h 31
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Inclusive Excellence in Education with Emily Rutter | Education Series | Ep. 111Where can you find paths to engagement?How can you redefine excellence for yourself?What would it look like for you to embrace curiosity in your own life and stories?...Emily Ruth Rutter is Professor of English, Associate Dean of the Honors College, and affiliate faculty in Women’s, Gender, and African American Studies at Ball State University. She is the author of four monographs, most recently White Lies and Allies in Contemporary Black Media (Routledge, 2023). She is co-editor of Revisiting the Elegy in the Black Lives Matter Era (Routledge, 2020) and the forthcoming Black Saturation: Se...
2024-08-121h 02
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Research, Storytelling & Collective Trauma with Spozhmay Oriya | Education Series | Ep. 110How can research help us change the stories we tell about ourselves, our mental health, and our shared trauma?…Spozhmay Oriya is a PhD candidate in the Educational Psychology program with focus on collective trauma, faculty of Education, Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada. She has BA in psychology and MA in Education. She was assistant professor at faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at Kabul University in Afghanistan since 2007 until 2021. Most of her teaching and research is in psychology. She is learning trauma and collective trauma integration and group facilitation with Pocket Project and Academy of In...
2024-08-0553 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Giftedness and Positive Disintegration with Chris Wells and Emma Nicholson | Ep. 109Please be aware that this conversation contains discussion of suicide, addiction, and mental illness....What resonates with you from the Theory of Positive Disintegration?How can we start to challenge the framework we have about cognition and emotion? How might we use TPD and CMM to equip ourselves to lean into the challenge of deconstructing and reconstructing our values?...Dr. Chris Wells is a writer, social worker, and founder of the Dabrowski Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the Theory of Positive Disintegration (TPD). They are also the co-host of the Positive...
2024-07-291h 20
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Better Indigenous Representation with Jessica Engelking | Unheard Stories Series | Ep. 108What examples of indigenous representation have you encountered?For both indigenous and non-indigenous people, how can you seek out more stories told by indigenous people about indigenous experiences?...Jessica Engelking (she/her) is a descendant of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe. She has a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from the University of Minnesota, Morris and a master’s degree in Philosophy from the University of Iowa. Her research interests included the philosophy of fiction, metaphysics, and logic. While in Iowa, she became involved in the efforts to protect the land and water. She continues to w...
2024-07-2247 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Disability, Storytelling & Collaborative Reimagination with Rebekah Taussig | Ep. 105How can we find the courage to tell our stories, knowing that it matters for us to tell them?What is the story that you want to tell about yourself? How is it different from the story the world is telling you?What is your current understanding of disability? How do you relate to those who are disabled?How can we embrace the experience of having a body in a way that empowers us as we age and our bodies change?...Rebekah Taussig is a Kansas City writer, educator, and parent. Bolstered by academic...
2024-07-011h 36
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Co-constructing Uniquenesses with John Stewart | Showing Up Series | Ep. 104Please be aware that this conversation contains brief references to sexual violence and wrongful imprisonment....What is your “sphere of influence” and how can you change how you show up to it?...John Stewart served on the faculty of the Department of Communication at the University of Washington from 1969 to 2001; was Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Dubuque; and became Special Assistant to the President of UD in 2010, retiring in 2016 to focus his training and consulting efforts on diversity-equity-inclusion (DEI) projects. Between 1973 and 2013, John published 11 editions of the widely-adopted Bridges Not Walls: A Bo...
2024-06-241h 02
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Critical Thinking with John Chetro Szivos | Showing Up Series | Ep. 103Where in your life can you practice critical thinking?How can you think critically about your communication?…John Chetro Szivos is a semi-retired professor but still an active author who recently published On Becoming a Critical Thinker: Awakening Your Business Superpower. A student of Vern Cronen’s at UMass, Amherst and a dedicated CMM researcher and follower of the philosophy of John Dewey, he offered this manuscript to help others improve their thinking to make better social worlds.Today, John and Abbie discuss communication and critical thinking, not as skill sets, but as embodied ways...
2024-06-1758 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Pressure, Performance & Polyvagal Theory with Michael Allison | Showing Up Series | Ep. 102What is going on with your physiological self right now? What do you need to do to slow down and get quiet enough to pay attention to this? How might your interactions and relationships change if you show up using what you learned about Polyvagal Theory today?…Michael Allison is the developer of The Play Zone; a contributing author for Psychology Today with his platform, The Pressure Paradox; an educational partner with Polyvagal Institute; and a Polyvagal Performance Consultant for high profile organizations, executives, coaches, teams, athletes & creatives.Today, Michael and Abbie make connections be...
2024-06-101h 13
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Holding Space with Aminata Cairo | Showing Up Series | Ep. 101How are you showing up?Where can you learn to “hold space”?…Aminata Cairo is an anthropologist, psychologist, educator, storyteller, and “love-worker." She is an independent consultant “who works with people." She is the former lector of Inclusive Education at The Hague University of Applied Sciences and the former lector of Social Justice and Diversity in the Arts at the Amsterdam University of the Arts. She is particularly interested in using her academic, artistic and community skills to support, honor and celebrate the voices and stories unheard, overlooked, silenced and marginalized. Her work is exemplified in her 2021 b...
2024-06-031h 04
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Refugee Community Kitchen & Serving Displaced People with Janie Mac | Migration Series | Ep. 100How do you show up for your community? For people outside your community?What could we do together if we were all committed to protecting the human dignity of all people?…Janie Mac is a co-founder of Refugee Community Kitchen, a volunteer-run organization that has been serving hot, nourishing meals to displaced people in Northern France and the UK since 2015. Today, Janie explains her work with the Refugee Community Kitchen, exploring why she and her co-founders were motivated to create RCK, how RCK supports displaced people by providing nourishing meals, and what communication looks li...
2024-05-2759 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Mobilizing Communities with Sandy Ovalle Martínez | Migration Series | Ep. 99What communities are you a part of?How can you engage in action around immigration?..Sandy Ovalle Martínez is a table-setter and space-curator, rooting her work in the deep faith and strength of Chicane and Latine spiritual teachers. She is a native of Mexico City. A mujerista theologian and an organizer, she currently directs campaigns and mobilizing for a faith-based non-profit in Washington, D.C., where she oversees mobilization and activist engagement around different justice areas including climate and environmental justice, immigration, women and girls, and peace and nonviolence. Before this, she worked with immigrant and...
2024-05-2052 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Complicating Migration Narratives with Karen Gonzalez | Migration Series | Ep. 98What stories have you been told about migration?…Karen Gonzalez is a speaker, writer, storyteller, and immigrant advocate, who herself immigrated from Guatemala as a child. Karen is a former public school teacher and attended Fuller Theological Seminary, where she studied theology and missiology. For the last 15 years, she has been a non-profit professional, currently working for an organization that serves refugees and other immigrants. She wrote a book about her own immigration story and some of the immigrants found in the Bible: The God Who Sees: Immigrants, The Bible, and the Journey to Belong (Herald Press, Ma...
2024-05-1354 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Humanizing Immigration with Dora Rodriguez | Migration Series | Ep. 97How does hearing Dora’s story shape your perception of immigration? How can you seek out more stories that humanize those who migrate? …Dora Rodriguez, an unwavering advocate for migrant rights, survived the 1980 tragedy in Organ Pipe National Monument, AZ, where Salvadorans fled civil war, resulting in 13 deaths, including 3 minors. This experience propelled her into the forefront of the sanctuary movement in Tucson, AZ. Residing in Tucson, AZ, with her husband and five children, Dora is also a proud grandmother. She serves as the Director of Salvavision, a nonprofit offering aid and support to migrants and...
2024-05-0650 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Regenerative Design and Social Permaculture with Abrah Dresdale | Sustainability Series | Ep. 96What changes when we go beyond sustainability and strive for “regeneration” instead?…Abrah Dresdale, MA, is a bold and visionary social designer of cultural change at the intersection of land and justice. She consults through the national organization she co-founded, Regenerate Change, serves as faculty at UMass-Amherst and Omega Institute, and is the author of Regenerative Design for Changemakers: A Social Permaculture Guide.Today, Abrah and Abbie discuss what it means to be a social designer using systems thinking; to tell “new stories” that expand our imagination of what is possible; and to embrace our personal p...
2024-04-291h 11
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Decolonizing, Re-Indigenizing & Rematriating with Sikowis Nobiss | Sustainability Series | Ep. 95Please be aware this conversation contains descriptions of violence perpetrated by white colonizers against indigenous people. (46:04-49:11)...How can we “decolonize” our ways of thinking and being?What does it look like to “re-indigenize”?What does it mean to “rematriate”?…Sikowis Nobiss (she/her) is Nêhiyaw/Saulteaux of the George Gordon First Nation in Saskatchewan, Canada and grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. She has been living in Iowa for 19 years and is the founder and Executive Director of Great Plains Action Society and is an organizer, speaker, writer and an artist. She fights for...
2024-04-221h 03
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Climate Action with Miriam Kashia | Sustainability Series | Ep. 94Why does it matter how we talk about climate action?How does better language inspire better action?...Miriam Kashia is a self-proclaimed “climate action warrior.” Based in Iowa, she is involved with 100 Grannies for a Livable Future. In 2014, at the age of 71, she participated in the Great March for Climate Action, where she walked 3,100 miles over 8 months across the United States. She was named a “Climate Hero” by the Guardian’s Down to Earth Environmental Newsletter in 2022. You can hear more about her story in “The Race to Save the World” Documentary.In this conv...
2024-04-151h 05
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Combating Food Waste with Yolanda Soto | Sustainability Series | Ep. 93What can you change today about the way you relate to food that would minimize your food waste?What is the “highest level context” that is guiding you when it comes to how your actions affect the planet?...Yolanda Soto has been the CEO President of Borderlands Produce Rescue for 30 years. Borderlands Produce Rescue is located in the border community of Nogales, Arizona and goes beyond the limits of traditional Food Banks by addressing the issue of food waste at the intersection of hunger. Today, Yoli introduces herself and the Borderlands Produce Rescue. Abbie...
2024-04-0848 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Embracing Rewilding in Nature and Ourselves with Mark Edwards | Sustainability Series | Ep. 92How can you embrace wildness in yourself?What opportunities do you have to experience nature, beauty, and wilderness in your own backyard?...Mark Edwards is a 76-year-old naturalist, is a leader in BeWildReWild and its Big River Connectivity project, and is retired from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, where he lead restoration efforts for 30 years. You can join the "Rewilding Iowa and Beyond" Facebook Group and check out this podcast with Mark from the Iowa Nature Summit. In this conversation, Mark shares his story, including how moving throughout his childhood and being exposed...
2024-04-011h 13
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Redefining Gender Narratives with Burton Patterson | Women's Stories Series | Ep. 91Please be aware this conversation contains references to sexual assault and gender-based violence. …What ideas about gender have you learned from your culture, peers, and family? How can you find ways to call people in instead of calling them out? How can you practice approaching defensiveness with curiosity in yourself and others?How can we begin to embrace our full humanity by allowing ourselves to engage in all ways of being, not just the ones that were assigned to us based on our sex?What is a small thing you can do this we...
2024-03-251h 18
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Women, Leadership & Collaboration with Sarah Urech | Women's Stories Series | Ep. 90Where do we start?How do we bring an awareness of systems and structures and also redefine power within our own selves?...Sarah Urech is senior strategist and a founding staff member of the Omega Women's Leadership Center (OWLC), where she designs, coordinates, and leads innovative, holistic education programs, including workshops, conferences, and online courses. Sarah holds a Bachelor’s in Drama from Duke University and studied theater in Berlin, Paris, and London, where she first saw Playback Theatre—improvisational theatre that honors audience members’ true stories through spontaneous enactment. 30 years ago, she moved to New Yo...
2024-03-1858 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Women, Power & Negotiation with Beth Fisher-Yoshida | Women's Stories Series | Ep. 88What do you negotiate in your life?What is your relationship to belonging? What is your identity? How do these things affect the way you show up in the world?What is something new you can try to better advocate for yourself or negotiate with others?How can we rewire our ways of thinking and being to better celebrate the ways we show up?What does it look like to empower ourselves in our storytelling?...Beth Fisher-Yoshida (PhD, CCS) is a facilitator, educator, and executive coach. She is President and CEO of Fisher Yo...
2024-03-041h 20
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Imagination, World-Building & Writing with Riley Carroll | Art Series | Ep. 87What can you imagine for yourself and your social world?What stories make you think: “that’s what I want for myself”? How can you make it so?...Riley Carroll is a 26-year old cat mom, thinker, and author from Chicago. Since completing her master’s in Communication in 2022, Riley has strived to live authentically, imagine new ways of being, and make space for joy which helped lead to the release of her debut novel, What the Blood Sings.Today, Riley talks about the stories, people, and experiences that led her to become a writer...
2024-02-261h 03
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Investing In Art with Sharon Cadja | Art Series | Ep. 86How can an investment in Art (any and all kinds) translate into an investment in ourselves, our wellbeing, and our communities?...Sharon Cadja (she/they) is an Artist and Property Manager with a Bachelor’s in Business Marketing from Ball State University. She works full time, but dedicates her free time to her art business in hopes to invest in her ideal lifestyle. Sharing insight of her journey to aspiring creatives is what she believes is imperative to a building a more encouraging art community. You can check out Sharon's work at her website and on Instagram.
2024-02-1952 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Feeling & Making with Caitlin Metz | Art Series | Ep. 85Where can you find (or better yet, create) a soft space for yourself?What can you learn when you stop making assumptions and start asking ‘why’?...Caitlin Metz (they/them) is an accidental author, wayward adjunct faculty, chronic project starter, designer and illustrator, parent, Mary Oliver evangelist, cloud watcher, and big feeler. Caitlin is the co-author of My Body, My Home and the author of Feel Something, Make Something. They run Saturday Morning Carton with their partner and host "brain orgies". You can find their work on Patreon, Instagram, and Etsy.Today, Abbie is join...
2024-02-1258 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Creativity, Capitalism & Comic Books with hesitantdoodle | Art Series | Ep. 84What would you create if you weren’t worried about producing? How can you embrace “regret” and acknowledge the things you would do differently as a sign of your own growth instead of failure?…hesitantdoodle (Sidney McLeod) is a non-binary illustrator and comic artist based just outside of Glasgow, Scotland. Their work combines the action of sports, the drama of romance novels, and the whimsy of magical girls to produce effervescent, queer, and colourful comics. They are the creator and co-producer of the web series Creating Comics UK and judged the LDComics Awards in 2021. Their goal is to en...
2024-02-051h 04
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Overcoming Helplessness with Tumelo Victoria Eikaas | CosmoTeenz Series | Ep. 83How do we create space for ALL the emotions we experience?How can we find creative and constructive ways to engage with the world?…Tumelo Victoria is one of five CosmoTeenz Fellows, sponsored by the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. The Fellows have created a comic book on mental health that will be available soon. She is 19 years old, lives in Norway, and is currently working and taking a gap year after completing her last year of high school.Today, Abbie and Tumelo Victoria discuss her involvement with, not on...
2024-01-2925 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Sharing as Caring with MableAlexis Jackson | CosmoTeenz Series | Ep. 82How do we demonstrate our caring (for others) through sharing (our stories)?…MableAlexis is one of five CosmoTeenz Fellows, sponsored by the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. The Fellows have created a comic book on mental health that will be available soon. MableAlexis is 23 years old and lives in Louisiana.Today, Abbie is joined by CosmoTeenz Fellow MableAlexis Jackson to discuss what it has meant to her to take the opportunity to share her experience with mental health in the hopes that it could help someone else. Also, MableAlexis shares what it...
2024-01-2225 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Change Making with Johanna Bach Dall | CosmoTeenz Series | Ep. 81What change do you hope to see in your social worlds? And how can you be a part of making it happen?...Johanna is one of five CosmoTeenz Fellows, sponsored by the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. The Fellows have created a comic book on mental health that will be available soon. She lives in Denmark and is interested in a career in politics. Today, Abbie and Johanna explore the desire to make change happen and finding opportunities to do so. Johanna shares the most rewarding (as well as the most c...
2024-01-1525 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Community with Haruka Suwabe | CosmoTeenz Series | Ep. 80Where in your life are there opportunities to find community and create connection by talking about experiences that have not been talked about?...Haruka Suwabe is one of five CosmoTeenz Fellows, sponsored by the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. The Fellows have created a comic book on mental health that will be available soon. She is interested in working in the STEM field.Today, Abbie is joined by Haruka Suwabe to discuss becoming a part of the CMM community, using collaboration and imagination, and learning to have conversations about mental health.
2024-01-0823 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.On Empathy with Fatima Razvi | CosmoTeenz Series | Ep. 79What kinds of conversations about mental health are you having with the young people in your life? How can you better take care of yourself (and others) when talking about mental health? …At the time of recording this episode, Fatima was completing her senior of high school. Now, she is 19 and attending university. Fatima is studying psychology, as well as counseling and human services, with the goal of pursuing a career in school counseling. Fatima is one of five CosmoTeenz Fellows, sponsored by the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. The Fellows have...
2024-01-0127 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Season 3 Hopes | Abbie VanMeter & Marit Eikaas Haavimb | Part 2Listen to Part 1 with Abbie and Marit here.Abbie and Marit continue their conversation about the way we create better things in relationship with each other, change the moment in the moment, and embracing improvisation and practice in communication. Abbie and Marit discuss mystery, hope, and looking ahead to Season 3!…Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter.Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution....Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spa...
2023-12-1137 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Season 2 Reflections | Abbie VanMeter & Marit Eikaas Haavimb | Part 1In this very special conversation, host Abbie VanMeter is interviewed by CMM Institute Steward (and friend) Marit Eikaas Haavimb. Together, they reflect on what Abbie has learned in 2023.…Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter.Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution....Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on YouTube. Listen to our conversation with Rik in Ep. 8....Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told.Email me! storieslived.storiestold@gmail.comFollow me on Instagram.Subscribe on YouTube.Check...
2023-12-0436 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Transformational Change | Romi Boucher | Part 1What is possible? (And what else is possible when we start to ask ourselves this question?)…Romi Boucher has been an executive coach, strategic change consultant, and designer of leadership programs and organizational development change initiatives for over 30 years. She has helped leaders and their organizations cause breakthrough change and results in business sectors ranging from established Fortune 100 organizations, governmental agencies, and educational organizations to professional firms characterized by intense competition.As an executive coach, she has worked with senior leaders, directors, and managers in financial, administrative, sales, design and engineering fields in For...
2023-11-2040 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Veterans, Connection & Our Shared Humanity | Terry Strauss & Bart Buechner | Part 1How can we better support veterans and make space to hear their stories?What are the stories we have around war and those who serve? How do these stories keep us isolated and disconnected?How do we overcome the impulse to “look away” from painful realities and instead create opportunities for connection to our own (and others’ humanity)?...Terry Strauss is a producer, writer, director. Her documentaries include, AS IF THEY WERE ANGELS, ULTIMATE RESTORATIONS, as well as documentary programs for DISNEY, DISNEY CHANNEL, LIFETIME, I WISH I WERE A PRINCESS, and he...
2023-10-3039 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.New Stories for Empowerment | Beth Fisher-Yoshida | Part 2How can we build awareness of ourselves, others, and all the stories we all have?How can we rewire our ways of thinking and being to better celebrate the ways we show up?What does it look like to empower ourselves in our storytelling?...Beth Fisher-Yoshida (PhD, CCS) is a facilitator, educator, and executive coach. She is President and CEO of Fisher Yoshida International, LLC. Beth is Professor of Professional Practice, Program Director of the MS in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution program, Vice-Chair of Faculty at School of Professional Studies, Chair of...
2023-10-2340 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Everything is Negotiation | Beth Fisher-Yoshida | Part 1What do you negotiate in your life?What is your relationship to belonging? What is your identity? How do these things affect the way you show up in the world?What is something new you can try to better advocate for yourself or negotiate with others?...Beth Fisher-Yoshida (PhD, CCS) is a facilitator, educator, and executive coach. She is President and CEO of Fisher Yoshida International, LLC. Beth is Professor of Professional Practice, Program Director of the MS in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution program, Vice-Chair of Faculty at School of Professional...
2023-10-1643 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Unpacking Racialized Imagery | Liz Cooney & Diane Grimes | Part 2What is the intent? What is the impact?Where do we start? What story is being told here? What stories are not being told here?...Diane Grimes is an associate professor of Communication and Rhetorical Studies at Syracuse University. She works to encourage the mindful and critical interrogation of unexamined assumptions around issues of race.Liz Cooney is a queer writer, facilitator, and speaker from Des Moines, Iowa. Her work focuses on helping people communicate more effectively through valuing differences and navigating difficult conversations. Together, they are the co...
2023-10-0938 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Building Awareness Around Whiteness | Liz Cooney & Diane Grimes | Part 1What does it look like to meet people where they are and at the same time ask people to move forward with you even when (especially when) it feels uncomfortable?What is your background or story of your experience with race?How can we, not only build awareness but also, generate curiosity, and experience exposure to diverse ways of being and making meaning?...Diane Grimes is an associate professor of Communication and Rhetorical Studies at Syracuse University. She works to encourage the mindful and critical interrogation of unexamined assumptions around issues of...
2023-10-0241 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Creating Third Culture | Don Waisanen | Part 2How can we become more conscious of the “third culture” we create with others?What new perspective and understanding can we gain when we zoom in and zoom out in our interactions with others?What can we learn about the way we show up to ourselves in the way we show up to others?…Don Waisanen is a professor of strategic and leadership communication in the Baruch College, City University of New York Marxe School of Public and International Affairs. All of his research, teaching, and consulting projects seek to understand how com...
2023-09-2540 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Observe, Connect, Respond | Don Waisanen | Part 1What in life can you “yes, and”? How can our understanding and practice of communication evolve to match the other advancements we have made as a community?What does it look like to use improv in our everyday lives (which is not the same as “winging it”)?…Don Waisanen is a professor of strategic and leadership communication in the Baruch College, City University of New York Marxe School of Public and International Affairs. All of his research, teaching, and consulting projects seek to understand how communication works to promote or hinder democracy. D...
2023-09-1840 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Progress is Messy | Kaya Hill | Part 2How do we lean into the mess of progress?How do our actions and stories communicate our values?…Kaya Hill graduated from Ball State University in 2022 with a Bachelor’s in Communication Studies and two minors in history and African American studies. Since then, Kaya moved to Florida to work in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and continue studying various aspects of African-American History and Critical Race Theory. Listen to Part One with Kaya here. Kaya and Abbie continue their conversation about questioning whether or not “curiosity kills the cat.” Kaya talks about the...
2023-09-1140 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Being Honest About Our History | Kaya Hill | Part 1Why?…Kaya Hill graduated from Ball State University in 2022 with a Bachelor’s in Communication Studies and two minors in history and African American studies. Since then, Kaya moved to Florida to work in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and continue studying various aspects of African-American History and Critical Race Theory.Kaya shares her story, including the impact of finding “more” in her college experience (despite not planning on going to college) and the importance of understanding the many stories of our history so we can do better in the future. Kaya and Abbie discuss K...
2023-09-0442 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Searching for Community | Steven Fuller | Part 2What is keeping us from really getting to know people?How can empathy save us?…Steven Fuller is a Communication professor at the University of Cincinnati. He hosts the Communication Junkie podcast, wrote The Church Experiment, and co-created Good vs Gooder. But, most importantly, he's spent the past three years assembling over 100,000 pieces of LEGO. Listen to Part One of this conversation with Steven here.Today, Steven shares his curiosity about and experience with religion and how it led him to write The Church Experiment. Abbie talks about the value of hearing more storie...
2023-08-2844 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Understanding Interpersonal Relationships | Steven Fuller | Part 1Why do people do what they do?How can better communication practices help you in your work life? In your personal relationships?How can you help make your community one where people feel empowered to share their stories?…Steven Fuller is a Communication professor at the University of Cincinnati. He hosts the Communication Junkie podcast, wrote The Church Experiment, and co-created Good vs Gooder. But, most importantly, he's spent the past three years assembling over 100,000 pieces of LEGO.Today, Steven shares his story, including how his childhood created in him a d...
2023-08-2145 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Order, Disorder, Reorder | Ilene Wasserman & Arthur Jensen | Bonus Episode ReflectionWhat are you still thinking about from our conversation with Zev Burton?What are you still thinking about from our conversation with Paul Porter?…Dr. Ilene Wasserman is the Founder and President of ICW Consulting. Ilene is on the Board of Stewards for the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. She has been on the cutting edge of practice and research in strength-based methodologies, capacity building, and relational leadership, that engage diversity, create equity, and fosters inclusive cultures.Arthur Jensen (PhD, University of Massachusetts) is Emeritus Professor of Communication and Rhetor...
2023-08-1846 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Reclaiming Our Full Humanity | Rebekah Taussig | Part 3What does it mean to live in a body?What is keeping you from reclaiming your full humanity?How can we embrace the experience of having a body in a way that empowers us as we age and our bodies change?...Rebekah Taussig is a Kansas City writer, educator, and parent. Bolstered by academic knowledge and personal experience, she strives to tell stories that enhance and complicate the way we think about disability. You can find her writing on Instagram, in her memoir, or on her website. Listen to Part One...
2023-08-1426 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Change Society, Not Us | Rebekah Taussig | Part 2What is your current understanding of disability? How do you relate to those who are disabled?How can we move away from the medical model and closer to the social model when it comes to understanding disability?How can we continue to show up and be curious about conversations surrounding disability, language, and accessibility even when we mess up or feel discouraged?...Rebekah Taussig is a Kansas City writer, educator, and parent. Bolstered by academic knowledge and personal experience, she strives to tell stories that enhance and complicate the way we...
2023-08-0739 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.The Power of Seeing Yourself Represented in Stories | Rebekah Taussig | Part 1What does it mean to you to see yourself represented in stories?How can we find the courage to tell our stories, knowing that it matters for us to tell them?What is the story that you want to tell about yourself? How is it different from the story the world is telling you?...Rebekah Taussig is a Kansas City writer, educator, and parent. Bolstered by academic knowledge and personal experience, she strives to tell stories that enhance and complicate the way we think about disability. You can find her writing...
2023-07-3140 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Healthy Masculinity | Burton Patterson | Part 2Please be aware this conversation contains references to sexual assault and gender-based violence. …How can you practice approaching defensiveness with curiosity in yourself and others?How can we begin to embrace our full humanity by allowing ourselves to engage in all ways of being, not just the ones that were assigned to us based on our sex?What is a small thing you can do this week to create a next turn/ ripple from this conversation? …Burton Patterson is a social worker by trade with experience in the fie...
2023-07-2439 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Gender, Socialization & Calling In | Burton Patterson | Part 1Please be aware this conversation contains references to sexual assault and gender-based violence. …What ideas about gender have you learned from your culture, peers, and family? How can you find ways to call people in instead of calling them out? …Burton Patterson is a social worker by trade with experience in the fields of Harm Reduction and Mental Health and Addiction, Sexual Violence Prevention, and Healthy Sexual Education. He specializes working with male-identifying folks in gender-based violence prevention. Watch this Ted Talk from Tony Porter for more context on toda...
2023-07-1737 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.The Journey is the Destination | Mike Hemphill | Part 2Whether or not we consider ourselves "creative" or "leaders," how can we still find ways to create and lead?How do we make decisions? How can we let go of thinking we could possibly know which decision is 'right' before making the decision?What does it look like to "communicate for communication's own sake"?...Mike is the Director of Leadership Development for the Clinton Foundation and co-directs the Presidential Leadership Scholars program. He is also a Professor of Practice at the Clinton School of Public Service where he teaches courses on communication and t...
2023-07-1044 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Invitations & Possibilities | Ilene Wasserman & Jeff Branch | Part 2How can we use our individual relationships to make a difference in our larger social worlds?How can we promote healing and growth in our relationships?How can we learn to be agile and lead with emergence in our lives?...Listen to Part One with Ilene and Jeff here....Dr. Ilene Wasserman is the Founder and President of ICW Consulting. Ilene is on the Board of Stewards for the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. She has been on the cutting edge of practice and research in s...
2023-06-2641 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Sparking Community | Ilene Wasserman & Jeff Branch | Part 1How do we create spaces where people feel, not just safe enough but also, brave enough to share their most vulnerable stories and selves?How can we learn to manage the tension that arises when we start having new and challenging conversations?...Dr. Ilene Wasserman is the Founder and President of ICW Consulting. Ilene is on the Board of Stewards for the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. She has been on the cutting edge of practice and research in strength-based methodologies, capacity building, and relational leadership, that engage diversity, create equity...
2023-06-1941 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Strategies for Changing Interpretation | Karen & Sonja Foss | Part 3How can we be asking ourselves, "Is this a world in which I want to be living?" What do we do when the answer is "no"?...Karen A. Foss is Regents’ Professor Emeritus of Communication at the University of New Mexico. Her work expands the boundaries of communication to incorporate and legitimatize feminist perspectives. She is the author of COLOR Up to Create the Life You Want to Live.Sonja K. Foss is Professor Emeritx of Communication at the University of Colorado Denver. She has been on the forefront of scholarship on agency, change, and communication...
2023-06-1232 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Invitational Rhetoric | Karen & Sonja Foss | Part 2How can we communicate in a way that acts as an invitation for others?...Karen A. Foss is Regents’ Professor Emeritus of Communication at the University of New Mexico. Her work expands the boundaries of communication to incorporate and legitimatize feminist perspectives. She is the author of COLOR Up to Create the Life You Want to Live.Sonja K. Foss is Professor Emeritx of Communication at the University of Colorado Denver. She has been on the forefront of scholarship on agency, change, and communication from feminist perspectives. Her books include Inviting Transformation.Together, Karen an...
2023-06-0529 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Plan for Emergence | Sergej van Middendorp | Bonus Episode ReflectionWhat are you still thinking about from our conversation with Stephanie Higgs?What questions do you still have after our conversation with Chris Wells and Emma Nicholson?...Today, Abbie is joined by Sergej van Middendorp, a member of the CMM Institute's Board of Stewards, to reflect on the conversations Abbie previously had with Stephanie Higgs (Part 1 & Part 2) and Chris Wells and Emma Nicholson (Part 1 & Part 2). In this conversation, Sergej shares his own experience with learning about the label of "giftedness." Abbie and Sergej discuss the relationship between difference and sameness, and the ways...
2023-05-2646 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Perspective, Paying Attention & The Platinum Rule | Jennifer Furlong | Part 2Who are you inviting to your table? Who or what do you need to disinvite? What changes if we really start to believe that communication is not just about talking? How can we create change simply by listening and paying attention?How can we find a balance between advocating for our own stories and making space for the very different stories of others? How can we learn to collaborate with others rather than over-accommodating or over-dominating in relationships? … Jennifer Arvin Furlong is a highly rated communication/media specialist with 30 years of experie...
2023-05-1536 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Communicating to Understand & be Understood | Jennifer Furlong | Part 1What are the possibilities of communication? What are the limits? How does understanding both bring us peace about what is outside of our control?How can we seek to “respond” instead of “reacting”? What is the difference between “responding” and “reacting”?What if we let go of the idea of trying to control the way that others communicate and instead focus on controlling our own communication in the hopes that it might be what sets the example for others?…Jennifer Arvin Furlong is a highly rated communication/media specialist with 30 years of experience in t...
2023-05-0844 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Authenticity, Accessibility & Staircases | Chris Wells & Emma Nicholson | Part 2Please be aware that this conversation contains discussion of suicide, addiction, and mental illness.…How might we use the Theory of Positive Disintegration and CMM to equip ourselves to lean into the challenge of deconstructing and reconstructing our values?What makes you feel empowered to take control of your own narrative? How can you seek out language, tools, and community that encourages that? How can you yourself empower others to do the same?…Dr. Chris Wells is a writer, social worker, and founder of the Dabrowski Center, a nonprofit organiza...
2023-05-0142 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Defining Diversity, Equity & Inclusion | Paul Porter | Part 2Why is language so important? How does language empower us in our creation of social worlds?How can we let go of a scarcity mindset in favor of a mindset of abundance? How can we see the stories of others as adding something important rather than taking something away from us?What does it actually look like to make more space for people and their stories? How can we start to recognize the systemic ways that certain stories have been left out? How can we start to “build a bigger table”? Instead of dismi...
2023-04-1742 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Multicultural Competence in Complex Social Worlds | Paul Porter | Part 1What is “multicultural competence”? And why do we need it?What are the real ways that we can embrace the complexity of our experiences? How do we manage an ever-evolving social world?…Dr. Paul Porter is the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA). Like Abbie, Paul graduated from Ball State University and was a member of the Ball State Speech Team. Paul went on to earn his Master’s in Communication and Rhetorical Studies at Eastern Michigan University and his Ph.D. in Education...
2023-04-1045 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Absurdity, Anti-Semitism & Shared Humanity | Zev Burton | Part 2How can we recognize the complexity of our social worlds by understanding the role of humor in moments of pain, suffering, and oppression?How might we make space for stories that are different than our own? And how might we begin to see all stories as contributing to the never-ending story of what it means to be human?What does it mean for people to "have the necessities they need for the opportunity to thrive"? How can we create a better social world that accomplishes this?...Zev Burton is a student...
2023-03-2737 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Data Storytelling & The Power in Responding to Oppression with Humor | Zev Burton | Part 1What is the role of data in our lives? How does data tell a story? How can we better understand it and use it ethically to create a better social world?How does humor allow us to subvert expectations in a way that is empowering? What can we change when we begin to believe this?How can we deepen our understanding of political events by using a communication perspective to consider meaning-making, context, and storytelling?...Zev Burton is a student, author, and all-around curious person. Zev graduated with a Bachelor’s in...
2023-03-2041 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Surviving Child Loss One Turn at a Time | Michelle Colpean | Part 2How do we do ourselves a disservice by oversimplifying grief and limiting what we consider to be "appropriate" responses and "acceptable" expressions of it? Instead of saying, "let me know what I can do to help," how can we answer our own question by using our empathy and creativity to show up for the people we love in the depths of grief? What does it do for us to see moments of pain and suffering as an opportunity for connection rather than disconnection?...Dr. Michelle Colpean is a communication professor at th...
2023-03-1344 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Complex Grief, Child Loss & Finding Peace Even Without Answers | Michelle Colpean | Part 1How do we find peace when there is no sense to be made of our pain? What can we do to lean into a more complex understanding of loss and grief? How can we trade platitudes like "everything happens for a reason" for a deeper understanding of the way pain and joy can coexist in our lives?...Dr. Michelle Colpean is a communication professor at the University of Cincinnati. She received her Bachelor's in Psychology and Master's in Communication Studies from Ball State University and her Ph.D. in Communication Studies (Rh...
2023-03-0643 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.How Can We Create a New Story About Death and Dying? | Madison Gonzalez | Part 2Why does a fear of the unknown keep us from leaning into the hard conversations and experiences around death and dying? How can we hold onto the things we can control so that we can feel steady enough to keep leaning into this big thing that we can't?How can we let go of unhelpful stories and write new ones for ourselves by learning better ways to recognize the deeply human pain we feel around death and better ways to support and show up for those in our life who are dying?Why do we...
2023-02-2743 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Postpartum, Celebration & Creating Connection | Madison Gonzalez | Part 1How can we embrace celebrating every part of ourselves (even the parts we don't feel like celebrating) as a way to recognize our full humanity?What connection happens when we share our most vulnerable parts with others, especially when we are still in the middle of figuring them out? How can we make time to pursue creation (in any of its many forms) as a way to "check-in" with ourselves and reflect?...Madison Gonzalez is a poet and the author of Dear Mirror; the Executive Director of Morning Light Inc., a n...
2023-02-2046 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Teaching Openmindedness, Cultivating Relationships & Setting Boundaries | Stephanie Higgs | Part 2How do we create meaning through shared language in every space?Why is it helpful to ask ourselves if what we know is being "Confirmed," "Challenged," or "Changed"?What does it look like to set boundaries that allow us to say our "Best Yes"?...Stephanie Higgs is, above all else, a passionate educator. Since graduating with her Master's Degree in Education she has taught pre-K, second grade, and fourth grade; she now works as a gifted educator and differentiation coach, where she supports both students and her fellow teachers in accommodating...
2023-02-1347 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Unexpected Paths, "Story-Hearing" & Feeling Known | Stephanie Higgs | Part 1How can we celebrate our own individuality (and the individuality of others) by being honest about our needs, finding unique ways to meet them, and saying out loud the things we appreciate about each other? How can we celebrate children's individuality in school settings and beyond?What happens when we learn, not only how to tell our own story, but to hear the stories of others as well?Why does it matter for us to be honest about the things we are struggling with, uncertain of, or just don't know? ...Stephanie H...
2023-02-0645 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Looking for Untold Stories, Finding the Meaning & Being the Author of Your Own StoryHow do we balance looking back, looking forward, and staying present in our stories?How do the stories we tell shape us? But more importantly, how do the stories that we DO NOT tell also shape us?How can we have more empathy and compassion for others by reminding ourselves that we all have Untold Stories?...In this final Minisode of Season 1, Abbie talks about the complex place that she (and many of us) are in of reflecting on our pasts, asking ourselves "what is next?", and still trying to stay...
2022-12-2326 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Challenging Systems, Empowering Youth & Creating a Secure Society | Aline Mugisho | Part 2How does fulfilling basic needs through sustainable agriculture also create space for economic freedom, social justice, and personal dignity in Africa?How is Aline’s work building bridges—for the future and for right now?What does it do for a society to nurture young people, open itself up to innovation, and reject the idea of a “single story”?...Aline Mugisho is the Executive Manager of the Innovative Youth in Agriculture Project at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). She has a bachelor's in Journalism and Communication, a master's in Forced M...
2022-12-0846 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Finding Peace in Our Internal Worlds | Aline Mugisho | Part 1***Content Warning: Mentions of Sexual Violence***...How do we understand the parts of our story that we didn't have control over? How do we heal our communities and ourselves by empowering others? How do we create the space for innovation when our society is built on injustice and inequality?...Aline Mugisho is the Executive Manager of the Innovative Youth in Agriculture Project at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). She has a bachelor's in Journalism and Communication, a master's in Forced Migration Studies, and is currently wo...
2022-12-0248 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Turning Off Autopilot, Bringing Awareness & Getting Present to CommunicationWhat does it mean to be aware of our communication? How do we become actively engaged?Can we learn to recognize, acknowledge, note, and be present to our communication in a gentle and neutral way?How do we control our patterns instead of the other way around? What are we swimming in?...Abbie discusses how it might be easier to go on autopilot when it comes to how we communicate, but the way to create a better social world is through awareness; when we start to bring awareness to...
2022-11-0417 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Unbecoming, Not Knowing & Welcoming In The Unexpected | John Burnham | Part 1Why are the hardest stories to tell the ones we most need to hear?How do we balance the stories that others tell about us vs. the stories we tell about ourselves?When is blame a resource? When is hope a problem?What does it mean to take a "not knowing position?" ...Today, John shares when he first became a storyteller and why it is important to take the risk of sharing your real, not-so-perfect story so that others feel safe to do the same. Abbie and John discuss l...
2022-10-281h 04
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Where Do We Start With Climate Action? | Miriam KashiaWhy does it matter how we talk about climate action?How does better language inspire better action?...Today, Miriam shares her story, including all the challenges that led her to be where (and who) she is now. Abbie and Miriam discuss the lessons, people, and experiences that transformed Miriam from a concerned citizen to a "climate action warrior" and how Miriam is using her platform to educate and empower us with both. Miriam shares the quote, "We will not give into the fear because it is fear that fuels the darkness" and how...
2022-09-301h 04
Stories Lived. Stories Told.How To Change Your PatternsWhat are we creating? What do we want to create?How can we learn to become resilient and flexible, physically, mentally, and emotionally?... Today, Abbie discusses our CMM Roadmap, considering what else we need to get where we are going. Abbie explores the challenge of beginning to embody CMM and change your patterns, shining light into the darkness of both our healthy and unhealthy patterns, and learning to be gentle with yourself when changing patterns....Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter.Stories L...
2022-09-1612 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Communicate Better with Genuine CuriosityWhy does it matter that our curiosity is genuine?How can you look for moments where others approach you with Genuine Curiosity and find opportunities for you to do the same?...Abbie discusses Genuine Curiosity (and how it fits in the process of moving from Imagination to Embodied Realism); Genuine Curiosity as an approach to our relationships, emotions, experiences, and ideas; and using the LUUUUTT model to understand the role of Genuine Curiosity in the practice of CMM....Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter.Stories Lived. Stories Told. is...
2022-09-0912 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.How Do We See People Through Their Patterns? | Alex JagielloWhy is it important to seek out spaces that encourage learning and critical thinking?What are imagination, genuine inquiry, and embodied realism? And why do we need them?How can you cultivate interactions that are meaningful, intelligent, loving, and connected?...Today, Alex Jagiello shares the story that she is currently telling about herself. Abbie and Alex discuss the relationship between technology, education, and communication as a potential force for good. Alex shares her experience as a CMM Institute Fellow, including the impact of ideas like "felt trust" and the development of...
2022-08-2642 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Imagining a Future Society with Cosmopolis 2045What is the Cosmopolis 2045 project? And how did it start?How can we pay attention to the "invisible in-between" by re-evaluating whether or not our language is achieving our goals?What does it mean to engage and both personal and social evolution?...Today, Abbie discusses the importance of "cosmopolitan communication" and how we can be profoundly open to and respectful of others without giving up our own beliefs. Abbie explains how before we can embody CMM, we first have to imagine what that looks like....Check out t...
2022-08-1919 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Deconstructing and Reconstructing | Sara Hayden | Part 2What does it mean for us to be invited into sacred spaces? What do we believe? And what kind of life do we live as a result?How can we ask thoughtful questions that give people the space to think more deeply and connect them back to themselves?How can we lean into the discomfort of deconstructing and reconstructing what we think that we know and believe? How can we acknowledge our ever changing contexts and become more conscious of the way we live?...Sara shares her story of becoming a...
2022-07-2939 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Peace And Safety In Our Communities | Sara Hayden | Part 1How do we define ourselves in our communities? How does this build empathy? How do we work together to create a pool of shared meaning?How do the little moments shape us just as much as the big moments? How can we better engage with bifurcation points and be intentional about how we show up in the little moments?...Today, Reverend Sara Hayden shares the story she tells about herself and the story that others tell about her. Abbie and Sara discuss the overcorrection that happened between telling women that they can't do t...
2022-07-2851 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Moving From Theory To Practice And Beyond: The Evolution Of CMMWhat is CMM to you? What does your "better social world" look like? How does CMM help you get there?...In this episode Abbie explores one way of understanding how CMM has evolved over the years from an Interpretive Theory, to a Critical Theory, to a Practical Theory, and beyond. Abbie talks about CMM now in our lives as something that can transform us and something we can embody in our own lives. Abbie offers a potential "next phase" for CMM as a Connective Practice because it connects to others and...
2022-07-2218 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Creating Better Social Worlds Through Perspective, Practices & GoalsWhat is the perspective Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM) offers us?What are the practices that we can use to embody CMM?What are the goals of CMM that influence our choices?...Today, Abbie discusses three facets of Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM): perspective, practices, and goals. Abbie explores what changes when we focus on the journey instead of the destination, how we can embrace what it means to be "curious participants," and why it matters that we ask ourselves: "what should we do to make a better social world?"
2022-07-0811 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.How Do We Set The Next Generation Up For Success? | CosmoKidz Teachers Amy, Nicole & KatrinaWhat does it look like to make that which is "unseen" into that which is "seen"?How can we teach kids that what they say and how they feel matters? How do we center kids' voices?...In this conversation, Abbie is joined by CosmoKidz teachers Amy, Nicole, and Katrina to discuss the ways that using CMM in the classroom has transformed their experiences and thinking. Amy, Nicole, and Katrina share their stories and how they define themselves by their roles as teachers and mothers. Abbie, Katrina, Nicole, and Amy explore what it is...
2022-07-0147 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Social Emotional Learning for Kids Using CosmoKidzWhat is CosmoKidz? And what is the goal?...Today, Abbie explores CosmoKidz-- a social-emotional learning program created by the CMM Insitute, designed to teach children empathy and healthy communication skills. Abbie talks about how CosmoKidz was developed through a collaborative co-construction process involving kids; the value in making the implicit explicit by teaching kids "soft skills" like empathy and communication; and why it is important for kids to learn these skills, language, and tools while they are young (because kids with emotional intelligence grow into adults with emotional intelligence)....Stories Lived...
2022-06-2312 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Reflecting On Conversations And Why Context MattersWhat do you need from this podcast? What adds value to your life? Why?How do we change how we relate to storytelling and story"hearing"?...Today, Abbie explores how building an understanding of CMM takes time (thanks for coming back!); why she desires to create a space for authenticity and vulnerability that allows you to be a part of the conversation, rather than just listening in on it; and what it does when we compare our story to others'. Abbie reflects on the conversation she had with her family, how...
2022-06-1613 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.The Power of Telling and Hearing Stories | Grandpa JP & Grammie & Mom | Part 2How are our stories shaped by the presence of love?...In part two of this conversation, Abbie's Grandpa shares the story he tells about himself. Abbie and Grandpa JP discuss the many roles he has had in his life and how he has found fulfillment in each one, his experience witnessing the power of creating a safe space to share and hear stories, and what storytelling means in their family. Grammie and Grandpa JP share travel advice and life lessons. Abbie's Mom, Grammie, and Grandpa JP all share what a "better social world" looks like...
2022-06-061h 00
Stories Lived. Stories Told.How Do We Navigate Family Relationships With Compassion? | Abbie's Mom & Grammie | Part 1How do we define ourselves by our relationships?How can we learn to coordinate within our families using grace and compassion?...Today, Abbie has a very special conversation with her mom (Ann) and grandma (Jeanie). Ann and Jeanie share who they are and some of the stories of their lives. Abbie, Mom, and Grammie discuss what it is like to be part of a storytelling family and where that comes from. Finally, Abbie, Mom, and Grammie look at the ways that CMM shows up in families....Stories Lived. Stories...
2022-06-0347 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Coherence, Coordination & Mystery | Collaborating In Communication To Make MeaningWhat is Coherence? What is Coordination? What is Mystery? And how can we embody these processes to improve our communication?How can we become friends with Mystery?...Today. Abbie explores the importance of learning to meta-communicate in our relationships. Abbie discusses three key elements of the Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM) theory that can guide us in our interactions-- Coherence (the process of making meaning through storytelling), Coordination (the process of collaborating with others to create better social worlds), and Mystery (the process of embracing the unknown and uncontrollable). Finally, Abbie emphasizes that...
2022-05-2711 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Revealing Patterns In Our Communication Using The Serpentine ModelWhat is the Serpentine Model?What are Unwanted Repetitive Patterns (URPs)? And how can we acknowledge and avoid them?...Today, Abbie explores CMM's Serpentine Model, including what it means to be in conversation with others, to be in collaboration with others, and to create patterns (wanted or unwanted) with others. Abbie discusses an example of using the Serpentine Model. Dr. Barbara McKay shares some thoughts on the Serpentine Model. Finally, Abbie offers two ways to put the Serpentine Model to use in our own lives, both as a tool for reflection after a...
2022-05-2016 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Improvisation, Expectations, & Leaving Room For Spontaneity | Rik SpannHow can we leave ourselves open to more spontaneity by letting go of some of our expectations?How do we suffer when we try to fit ourselves into the mold of "should"? Why do we need personal AND social evolution to create a more welcoming and curious culture?...Rik Spann is an organizational consultant, applied musicologist, artist, and jazz musician. In his work, he is interested in exploring what happens at the crossroads of various disciplinary fields, including science, art, design, music, theatre, dance, film, and beyond. He also loves to play with...
2022-05-051h 03
Stories Lived. Stories Told.Finding Your Highest Level Context With The Hierarchy ModelWhat is the Hierarchy Model?What does it mean to exist in "multiple contexts"?How can understanding the various contexts that shape us help us in our interactions?...In this episode, Abbie explores the Hierarchy Model, another of the models presented by the Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM) communication theory. Dr. Barbara McKay explains her understanding of the Hierarchy Model and how she uses it in her work with couples therapy. Abbie considers the concepts that we are never only telling one story at a time, that we get to choose...
2022-04-2813 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.How Can We Create New Stories & Patterns In Our Relationships? | Dr. Barbara McKayWhat is "perceived oughtness"? How does it show up in our lives? How can we reflect on this force and make new choices?How can we embody curiosity to understand ourselves and others well?What is the relationship between "meaning," "action," and "emotion"? How can we come to understand the complex dynamics that exist to find healing for our past and a new way forward for our future?...Dr. Barbara McKay is a systemic psychotherapist, supervisor, and teacher. She has served on the Board of Trustees for the Association for Family...
2022-04-0645 min
Stories Lived. Stories Told.An Introduction To The Coordinated Management Of Meaning Communication TheoryWhat is Coordinated Management of Meaning?What does it mean to be "persons-in-conversation"?...In this first episode, Abbie gives an overview and introduction to the Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM) Communication Theory. Abbie explores the way stories coexist in CMM and walks through the 4 central claims of the theory...Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter.Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution....Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is...
2022-03-0112 min