Shows
Humankind on Public RadioThe Giving CircleRather than merely write checks to charities they don’t really know well, a group of concerned women formed a “giving circle” which identifies social needs and then seeks out worthy recipients.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.2025-03-0629 minHumankind on Public RadioThe Giving CircleRather than merely write checks to charities they don’t really know well, a group of concerned women formed a “giving circle” which identifies social needs and then seeks out worthy recipients.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
2025-03-0629 min
Humankind on Public RadioModern Wisdom -John Heider/Lao TsuA Kansas therapist and author, John Heider, describes how his life has been profoundly affected by studying a renowned 2,500 year old wisdom text from China that teaches the art of inner balance.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.2025-02-2729 minHumankind on Public RadioModern Wisdom -John Heider/Lao TsuA Kansas therapist and author, John Heider, describes how his life has been profoundly affected by studying a renowned 2,500 year old wisdom text from China that teaches the art of inner balance.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
2025-02-2729 min
Humankind on Public RadioIda B. Wells’ Battle to Uncover the Truth, Pt2Ida Wells published the first major study of lynching. A close associate of Frederick Douglass, she helped to found the NAACP and advocated the right to vote for women and black Americans. Her amazing life story is finally gaining recognition, nearly 90 years after her death.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.2025-02-2026 minHumankind on Public RadioIda B. Wells’ Battle to Uncover the Truth, Pt2Ida Wells published the first major study of lynching. A close associate of Frederick Douglass, she helped to found the NAACP and advocated the right to vote for women and black Americans. Her amazing life story is finally gaining recognition, nearly 90 years after her death.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
2025-02-2026 min
Humankind on Public RadioIda B. Wells’ Battle to Uncover the TruthBorn to enslaved parents, Ida B. Wells emerged as a powerful investigative journalist. She overcame death threats and published widely in her quest to document domestic terrorism against African Americans.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
2025-02-1727 minHumankind on Public RadioIda B. Wells’ Battle to Uncover the TruthBorn to enslaved parents, Ida B. Wells emerged as a powerful investigative journalist. She overcame death threats and published widely in her quest to document domestic terrorism against African Americans.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.2025-02-1727 min
Humankind on Public RadioRoom to ReadAfter John Wood trekked through Nepal and saw under-educated children, he quit his job as a Microsoft executive and founded Room to Read, a nonprofit that went on to establish over 16,000 libraries aimed at spreading literacy in poorer nations.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
2025-02-1329 minHumankind on Public RadioRoom to ReadAfter John Wood trekked through Nepal and saw under-educated children, he quit his job as a Microsoft executive and founded Room to Read, a nonprofit that went on to establish over 16,000 libraries aimed at spreading literacy in poorer nations.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.2025-02-1329 min
Humankind on Public RadioThe Green EconomyAs environmental visionaries see it, the future of energy is not in greenhouse gas-emitting fuels like oil and coal—whose supply is running out—but in sustainable, non-global warming sources like wind and sun and waves from the ocean and in the enormous storehouse of heat that naturally occurs deep underground.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
2025-02-0629 minHumankind on Public RadioThe Green EconomyAs environmental visionaries see it, the future of energy is not in greenhouse gas-emitting fuels like oil and coal—whose supply is running out—but in sustainable, non-global warming sources like wind and sun and waves from the ocean and in the enormous storehouse of heat that naturally occurs deep underground.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.2025-02-0629 min
Humankind on Public RadioWaking Up In JailNearly half of criminals released from prison are arrested again within three years. Through that revolving door, they return to a correctional system that is often overcrowded and ridden with violence. Robin Casarjian, a counselor working in prisons, helps to transform houses of correction into houses of healing. She encourages inmates to identify with their highest self.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
2025-01-3029 min
Humankind on Public RadioThe Lost Cause, Pt2We learn how the Reconstruction amendments to the US Constitution, which briefly protected the rights of the freed people, were undone in the following years by the spread of Jim Crow segergation, as upheld by a conservative Supreme Court.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
2025-01-2329 min
Humankind on Public RadioThe Lost Cause, Pt1Are we still living with the racial divide left over from the Civil War? Has it resurfaced today in the rise of white nationalism, election denial and the surge of anti-immigrant sentiment?
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
2025-01-2025 min
Humankind on Public RadioBob Massie’s Survival StoryThe remarkable survival story of Bob Massie, an Episcopal minister who somehow walked through one life-threatening illness after another, and whose many challenges deepened his appreciation for life—and for the suffering of others.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
2025-01-1629 min
Humankind on Public RadioKaren ArmstrongBritish religious historian and best-selling author Karen Armstrong explains why she thinks the West gets it wrong about Islam, and she discusses the Charter of Compassion campaign that she launched worldwide.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
2025-01-0929 min
Humankind on Public RadioReversal of FortuneHaving lost almost everything in the Madoff scam, best-selling author John Robbins tells how, in “an age of less,” he had to step back, reassess what’s important and build a new, more fulfilling life.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
2025-01-0229 min
Humankind on Public RadioJulie GoschalkHow the daughter of two holocaust survivors ventured into formal dialogues with children of Nazi-era Germans and what they learned from each other in a new era.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
2024-12-2628 min
Humankind on Public RadioHospitalityThe stress of having a seriously ill loved one being treated in a hospital in a strange city is lessened by a compassionate army of volunteers in Boston who open their homes to provide lodging and a sympathetic ear.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
2024-12-1929 min
Humankind on Public RadioSelf-fulfilling Prophecies(David Allen)The surprising power of imagining positive outcomes in life is explored by NY Times best-selling author David Allen who finds that when people vividly picture the solutions to problems, it can reset their nervous system and remove self-imposed obstacles.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.2024-12-1229 minHumankind on Public RadioSelf-fulfilling Prophecies(David Allen)The surprising power of imagining positive outcomes in life is explored by NY Times best-selling author David Allen who finds that when people vividly picture the solutions to problems, it can reset their nervous system and remove self-imposed obstacles.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
2024-12-1229 min
Humankind on Public RadioProtecting the Public, Pt 2We ride along in a van of “Crisis Responders”, who are sometimes deployed instead of police by Seattle’s new CARE Dept. Also heard are the deputy police chief and the chief of the CARE Dept, a married couple at the center of public safety efforts there. And we learn about the history of a model pioneered in Seattle of “diverting” people to social services for mental health concerns, rather than involving law enforcement.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX membe...2024-12-0926 min
Humankind on Public RadioProtecting the Public, Pt 1This is the intriguing story of how, in some venues, public safety is being expanded to include not just police and fire services but also social workers and other professionals.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
2024-12-0528 min
Humankind on Public RadioOral Lee BrownWhat happened to a group of 1st graders in Oakland, CA when a local realtor said she’d pay for their college education if they graduated from high school?
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
2024-11-2829 min
Humankind on Public RadioPublic Options, Pt 2Canada’s highly popular healthcare system covers all citizens for a fraction of what Americans spend per person, but it also has some problems. We consider a “public option” for the United States. Experts heard: Toronto physician Danielle Martin and Yale professor Jacob Hacker.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
2024-11-2129 min
Humankind on Public RadioRelaxed Focus, Pt2In this provocative profile of David Allen, we hear the sounds of communications technology coming at us, and later we stroll through the peaceful garden in Ojai, California where for him “time disappears.” We also hear how he brilliantly defines the widespread problem of “overwhelm” along with very practical solutions that can increase relaxation for everyone.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.2024-08-2929 min
Humankind on Public RadioRelaxed Focus, Pt1How can we deal with the modern sense of feeling overloaded? It is emerging as a broad social problem that takes its toll on both work and home life—and can impinge on our ability to function with personal clarity. Best-selling author David Allen discusses new ways we all can learn to focus—in an age of ever-multiplying inputs of information. And he raises the question of what we are focusing on, from routine daily tasks to the big picture of life’s meaning.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanme...2024-08-2229 min
Humankind on Public RadioNonviolent CommunicationIt’s been said that we’ve learned how to speak but not necessarily how to communicate. Rarely are we taught the art of deep listening or how to respond to someone without accusation or blame or the ability to articulate our own needs without putting others on the defensive.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
2024-07-2529 min
Humankind on Public RadioAnthony Burns/Fugitive SlaveIn this documentary we explore how federal courts enforced fugitive slave laws. Historians, actors and legal scholars re-create the famous case of a young escaped slave who was sent back by a Boston judge, provoking America’s largest abolitionist protest.
To see additional resources and our other programs, please visit humanmedia.org . Humankind specials are heard on NPR and PRX member-stations, in association with GBH Boston.
2024-02-2129 min
Humankind on Public RadioSteps to Recovery, Pt2In the second half of our documentary on the history of Alcoholics Anonymous, we examine the AA recovery principles that have promoted sobriety for millions of recovering alcoholics and have created a template to help people worldwide who struggle with many forms of addiction.
To view additional resources for this episode please visit our website at humanmedia.org.
Human Media produces public broadcasting productions and distribution activities in association with WGBH/Boston, NPR, and PRX.
2023-12-0729 min
Humankind on Public RadioThe Medicine Garden, Pt 1Herbal remedies: Do they work? Are they safe? In The Medicine Garden, a special series drawn from our archives, you’ll take a fascinating tour of this relatively low-cost form of health care. It’s an approach to healing that has become enormously popular among Americans dissatisfied with conventional medicine.
2023-01-0229 min
Humankind on Public RadioPracticing Prevention with Ralph SnydermanIn this episode, we hear from physician Ralph Snyderman, MD, a proponent of preventive medicine, who believes that our health care system should place greater emphasis on preventive practices (such as healthy diet and stress management), because it is more humane to avoid disease than to cope with it, and because it is a far cheaper mode of health care.
2022-12-0829 min
Humankind on Public RadioConstant Emergency Pt1Have we entered an age of unrelenting chaos? As we grope for a “new normal”, has humanity reached a kind of turning point? In this timely audio documentary, you’ll hear inspiring stories of survivors. We also listen to health care providers, clergy and others who offer specific guidance to help people navigate these choppy waters. They conclude that new, hope-giving possibilities are emerging.
2022-07-2128 min
Humankind on Public RadioSeeds of PeaceTake a trip to a pristine spot in Maine for an afternoon spent with Palestinian and Israeli youth as they come together to play, connect, and discuss the imperiled region they struggle in eleven months out of the year. Despite the hardened conditions in which they were raised, the teenagers here reveal an innocence and delightful hopefulness that makes these kids, this camp, and this program a practical way forward that many politicians have never glimpsed.
2022-07-2129 min
Humankind on Public RadioConstant Emergency, Pt2As we grope for a “new normal”, has humanity reached a kind of turning point? It feels that way — in the wake of the Covid pandemic, intensifying impacts of climate change, the war in Ukraine, mounting threats to our democracy, repeated mass shootings and so much more. In this second part of our documentary, we learn about the simple self-care techniques that can help relieve the tensions now being felt by so many.
2022-06-2327 min
Humankind on Public RadioHealing the Trauma of War, Pt1After war, our veterans face a new battle: emotional and spiritual conflict that is normal to human beings who’ve experienced intense brutality. In this documentary, we examine the effects of military violence and how people begin the journey of healing from it. We hear deeply moving stories of veterans who served in Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam. In trying to put their lives back together, some now participate in counseling and attend support groups with other vets. They may practice relaxation techniques, like meditation. Some have become antiwar activists. Others join volunteer activities to help refugees from war zones....2022-06-2329 min
Humankind on Public RadioBooks to PrisonersThe Prisoners Literature Project, an all-volunteer service based in Berkeley, California, packages and ships books to people who are incarcerated, as a humanitarian gesture and one that helps inmates prepare for re-entry into society.
2022-06-0929 min
Humankind on Public RadioUncommon Ground, Pt1In the wake of shocking violence at abortion clinics, two apparent enemies — women representing pro-choice and pro-life factions in the Boston area, where shootings had occurred — were forced to communicate, for the sake of everyone’s safety. What unfolded over many months was one of the most mysterious and moving conversations among people of sharply differing ideologies. A remarkable encounter with continuing relevance.
2022-05-3027 min
Humankind on Public RadioAfter-Effects of War with Christal PresleyChristal Presley, an English teacher in Virginia who experienced “secondary trauma” in response to the extreme behavior of her father, a Vietnam-era veteran with PTSD, tells how the family began a journey of recovery.
2021-12-1630 min
Humankind on Public RadioSteps to Recovery, Pt 2Today over two million people partake of the storytelling, the good humor, the words of wisdom and the gallons and gallons of free coffee made available to attenders of Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. AA’s basic text has been translated into more than 60 languages and has sold over 35 million English copies. We consider the history of the “12 Steps” of recovery, how this free-of-charge fellowship spread worldwide, as well as recent scientific confirmation of AA’s effectiveness.
2021-11-2530 min
Humankind on Public RadioSteps to Recovery, Pt 1Alcoholics Anonymous marks its beginning when one hopelessly addicted drunk realized that connecting with a fellow-sufferer would create a safe zone in which both could stop their downward spiral. In the second half, we examine the AA recovery principles that have promoted sobriety for millions of recovering alcoholics and have created a template to help people worldwide who struggle with many forms of addiction.
2021-11-1830 min
Humankind on Public RadioThe Way of Tao, Pt 2“At the end of the day,” says Jonathan Star about his English translation of Tao te Ching from the original Chinese, “it’s not about attaining anything. The Tao keeps saying ‘it’s everywhere!’ It’s to notice another part of yourself that’s just overlooked. You know, we see what the mind shows us, but there’s another dimension to our being that’s constantly being overlooked.” For Star, his translation project for this slender, stunning volume, which took over a decade, was a spiritual practice. Includes further readings from Star’s translation.
2021-11-1130 min
Humankind on Public RadioThe Way of Tao, Pt 1Jonathan Star took twelve years to master the nuances of ancient Chinese in his quest to produce a remarkably lucid and evocative English translation of Lao Tsu’s brilliant masterpiece of wisdom. Guidance in the subtle art of attaining mental and emotional balance pervades Star’s brilliant translation of Lao Tsu’s timeless poetic volume of Taoist philosophy on how to lead a centered life.
2021-11-0430 min
Humankind on Public RadioThe Practice of Forgiveness, Pt 2When we nurse grudges, the person clinging to a resentment often pays a high price in anxiety, hostility, perhaps depression. What follows from that for many people, says Robin Casarjian of the Lionheart Foundation, are health-related symptoms. “And it stops you,” she says, ‘from really being able to be fully present to yourself, and to other relationships. So forgiving frees you. Forgiveness frees the forgiver.” This insight informs her fascinating work with inmates in prison, at-risk youth and others.
2021-10-2830 min
Humankind on Public RadioAging in Community, pt. 2: ParticipantsWithin a decade, America will be looking different. In addition to other demographic changes, 70 million Baby Boomers are now entering their retirement years. For the first time in our history, there will be more older adults than children.
This huge societal change will affect how families provide eldercare, how older Americans access transportation, and whether people can age in their own homes among neighbors they know — and avoid nursing facilities, where about 30% of Covid-19 deaths occurred.
These shifts will accelerate a trend that began three decades ago with passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act: lo...2021-10-2823 min
Humankind on Public RadioThe Practice of Forgiveness, Pt 1Author and prison therapist Robin Casarjian reframes the act of forgiveness not to condone hurtful behavior, but as a shift in perception that allows us not to take someone’s else’s misconduct so personally. Casarjian has spent decades teaching forgiveness. Drawing on her own experience of having been abused — and learning how to move on — she noticed that some people don’t regard forgiveness as an option for themselves. The implication, she says, is “I’m not going to do a favor” to someone who was hurtful. In fact, she says, forgiveness is a favor we do for ourselves. “We d...2021-10-2130 minHumankind on Public RadioAging in Community, pt. 1: Connecting to CommunityWithin a decade, America will be looking different. In addition to other demographic changes, 70 million Baby Boomers are now entering their retirement years. For the first time in our history, there will be more older adults than children.
This huge societal change will affect how families provide eldercare, how older Americans access transportation, and whether people can age in their own homes among neighbors they know — and avoid nursing facilities, where about 30% of Covid-19 deaths occurred.
These shifts will accelerate a trend that began three decades ago with passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act: lo...2021-10-2131 min
Humankind on Public RadioJudicial Independence, pt. 4: Term LimitsThe Constitution specifies that once federal judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, they can hold their office “during good behavior,” in other words for life — unless they’ve misbehaved, that is. But the average American today lives a lot longer today than in 1789, when President George Washington signed the Judiciary Act, establishing America’s court system. In a time when justices may live into their eighties and even nineties, sometimes facing ill-health, advocates of Supreme Court reform maintain there may be constitutional ways to institute term limits.
In part four of our look at the...2021-02-0426 minHumankind on Public RadioJudicial Independence, pt. 3: Expanding the CourtThe Republican party has not won the majority of votes in six of the last seven presidential elections. And yet vacancies on the Supreme Court have allowed Republican presidents to appoint six of the last ten justices. Does this skew the Court in a way that’s out of step with public opinion? Here we explore the history of “court-packing” as well as a range of other proposals intended to bring greater fairness and political independence to America’s judiciary.
2021-01-2828 min
Humankind on Public RadioJudicial Independence, pt. 2: Politicians In Robes?Have our courts – intended by America’s founders to be an independent arbiter of justice – turned into another political battlefield? Are today’s judges mere “politicians in robes”? This public radio documentary series looks at crucial flashpoints in recent decades.
In this divisive climate, will the frequency of 5-4 decisions by the Supreme Court increase, as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg suggested in June 2019? Will rulings follow the predictable blocs of liberal and conservative justices, strongly associated with the party of the president who appointed them?
2020-08-2027 min
Humankind on Public RadioJudicial Independence, pt. 1: Our Divided CourtHave our courts – intended by America’s founders to be an independent arbiter of justice – turned into another political battlefield? Are today’s judges mere “politicians in robes”? This public radio documentary series looks at crucial flashpoints in recent decades.
Because federal judges are nominated by the president and confirmed the U.S. Senate, inevitably the process is somewhat politicized. But as hyper-partisanship has corrosively swept across American life, we’ll explore whether our judiciary has been infected.
2020-08-1327 minHumankind on Public RadioThe Worry Solution with Martin RossmanBay Area physician and Univ. of California medical professor Martin Rossman, author of “The Worry Solution”, describes ways to distinguish between what we can change and what we must learn to accept.
2020-03-1230 min
The Spiritual Care PodcastListeners (Part 2)This episode considers the need to carve out an experience of silence in our own lives – as a basis for attentively listening to others. But actually setting aside quiet time can be hard can be hard for many of us. It may feel uncomfortable at times and we’re susceptible to distractions, especially amid all […]2019-01-2900 minThe Spiritual Care PodcastListeners (Part 1)There’s a kind of mystery in sitting calmly, patiently, attentively and tuning into someone else’s personal story – their experience and life journey. In this segment, we hear the insights of people who, in a sense, listen for a living: physicians, counselors, clergy and others. What does it mean to set aside one’s own agenda […]2019-01-2200 minThe Spiritual Care PodcastWhat the Research ShowsHealth care chaplaincy has increasingly been a subject of evidence-based research in recent years: What do spiritual care providers do? How do patients and their families respond to a chaplain’s services? Does chaplain care affect levels of anxiety and other forms of distress? To what extent do people facing illness also experience spiritual struggle (e.g. […]2018-12-0600 minThe Spiritual Care PodcastFirst RespondersFrom firefighters to police officers to the Red Cross and many others, First Responders play an essential role in protecting public safety and helping people cope with emergencies. In this segment, we consider the work of providers of disaster spiritual care. These folks look after both survivors of tragedies and the responders, who are sometimes reeling […]2018-10-2500 minThe Spiritual Care PodcastCompassionate PresencePerhaps more than any other trait in a spiritual caregiver, the recipients of care yearn for the attention of an open-hearted person who can bear witness to their challenges. But what does it mean to bring that presence into an encounter with someone who may be up against adversity? We explore this powerful realm in […]2018-09-0400 minThe Spiritual Care PodcastConnections That HealAt the typical nursing station of today’s hospitals, it can sometimes seem like high-tech medical machinery supersedes a personal connection formed between the patient and nurse or other health care professional. But for many caregivers, that one-to-one relationship forms the essence of their service. This episode considers how connections can uplift the patient being cared […]2018-07-2600 minHumankind on Public RadioSafe Place in a War ZoneThis episode of ‘Humankind on Public Radio’ is part of a special series, ‘The Spiritual Care Podcast’. For more episodes exploring the role of spiritual caregivers helping those in need, look for ‘The Spiritual Care Podcast’ on your preferred podcast platform.
Rev. Chris Antal, a Unitarian Universalist minister in the town of Rock Tavern, New York, was drawn to service in response to the attacks of 9/11. He entered military chaplaincy partially as a way to help soldiers who are prone to harming themselves in the wake of war. He also wanted to bring a “liberal voice into a very conserv...2018-06-1933 minThe Spiritual Care PodcastPastoral Services for Members of the MilitaryWe explore the duties and challenges of military chaplains from two nations: Britain and Canada. Ian Wheatley, recorded at the Defence Ministry in Westminster, London, serves as Chaplain of the Fleet of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. Sailors bring to chaplains concerns regarding family back home, as well as moral questions about warfare. […]2018-06-1400 min
Humankind on Public RadioInterfaith Understanding on CampusThis episode of ‘Humankind on Public Radio’ is part of a special series, ‘The Spiritual Care Podcast’. For more episodes exploring the role of spiritual caregivers helping those in need, look for ‘The Spiritual Care Podcast’ on your preferred podcast platform.
We hear from chaplains and students on a college campus (Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennesee) with a long tradition of promoting dialogue among various groups. How can chaplains act as bridges between people of different traditions? What are the teachings of love for neighbor found within all great religious philosophies? What can we learn from potentially rich exchang...2018-06-1232 min
Humankind on Public RadioJailhouse ChaplainsThis episode of ‘Humankind on Public Radio’ is part of a special series, ‘The Spiritual Care Podcast’. For more episodes exploring the role of spiritual caregivers helping those in need, look for ‘The Spiritual Care Podcast’ on your preferred podcast platform.
The United States incarcerates more people than any other nation in the world. Federal and state prisons and county jails hold around two million prisoners. Another five or so million people are on probation or parole. Some in this diverse population are dangerous and apparently don’t seek rehabilitation to a more productive life. For many others, though...2018-06-0534 minHumankind on Public RadioWelcoming the StrangerThis episode of ‘Humankind on Public Radio’ is part of a special series, ‘The Spiritual Care Podcast’. For more episodes exploring the role of spiritual caregivers helping those in need, look for ‘The Spiritual Care Podcast’ on your preferred podcast platform.
We visit a shelter at Seattle’s Mission for a rich exchange with a formerly homeless man who feels the spiritual care he received from mental health workers helped him develop the ability to transition into housing. We hear from a social worker, Larry Clum, who explores what it means to companion homeless people without an intent to “fix...2018-05-2933 minThe Spiritual Care PodcastJailhouse ChaplainsThe United States incarcerates more people than any other nation in the world. Federal and state prisons and county jails hold around two million prisoners. In this segment, we explore in-depth the experiences of two prison chaplains. We also hear from two prisoners about their faith journeys while behind bars.2018-05-0200 minThe Spiritual Care PodcastServing the Whole PatientIn this segment, we hear the stories of two contemporary hospital social workers as they describe encounters with patients who are looking for a way to explore important life questions that can arise in times of challenge.2018-04-1100 min
The Plural of YouDocumenting the "Wounded Healers" – David Freudberg (POY 47)David Freudberg made his career documenting America's caregivers for public radio. Josh talks with him about why and asks how he copes with negativity. Show notes: https://pluralofyou.org/047. Leave a voice message: https://pluralofyou.org.2018-03-1523 minThe Spiritual Care PodcastWelcoming the StrangerWe visit a shelter at Seattle’s Mission for a rich exchange with a formerly homeless man who feels the spiritual care he received from mental health workers helped him develop the ability to transition into housing.2018-03-0700 minThe Spiritual Care PodcastBONUS: Hospice Doc Joel BaumanJoel Bauman, MD, a geriatrician now working in a hospice, describes ways that physicians are called to provide compassionate support and sometimes spiritual care of dying patients.2018-03-0100 min
Humankind on Public RadioIntroducing the Spiritual Care PodcastDavid Freudberg, host of Humankind public radio, announces a new podcast on the fascinating practice of “spiritual care”: stories of caregivers (chaplains, nurses, social workers, etc.) who provide nonsectarian support for people in need and sometimes in distress.
2018-01-2602 minThe Spiritual Care PodcastCaring for People at the End of LifeWe hear from remarkable hospice professionals who accompany — and learn from — people in their their final chapter of life.2018-01-2500 minThe Spiritual Care PodcastSafe Place in a War ZoneWe profile a military chaplain who served in Afghanistan and who has been absorbed by questions of war and peace. He ultimately resigned from his role as an army chaplain over American drone policy.2018-01-2500 minThe Spiritual Care PodcastInterfaith Understanding on CampusWe hear from Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN) campus chaplains and students, representing different traditions, on the challenge of fostering interfaith understanding in a complicated and diverse world.2018-01-2500 minThe Spiritual Care PodcastIntroducing the Spiritual Care PodcastDavid Freudberg, host of Humankind public radio, announces a new podcast on the fascinating practice of “spiritual care”: stories of caregivers (chaplains, nurses, social workers, etc) who provide nonsectarian support for people in need and sometimes in distress.2018-01-1800 minHumankind on Public RadioSimple Relaxation ExerciseA 15-minute stress reduction session to calm the body and mind.
2016-12-2014 minHumankind on Public RadioPassengers, pt. 4: Taxation for TransportationGas taxes you pay at the pump go into a huge pool of federal transportation funds. How should the money be divided up? Plus high-speed rail, pro and con.
2016-12-1330 minHumankind on Public RadioPassengers, pt. 3: Cars and CarbonWhat is the global warming footprint of cars vs. public transit? Story of a family seeking a low-carbon lifestyle. Also, hear the views of transportation experts, the president of AAA, and others.
2016-12-0630 minHumankind on Public RadioPassengers, pt. 2: The Business of Public TransitBusiness people and environmentalists come together: improved public transportation helps to grow the economy, for lots of reasons. Bankers and the Sierra Club on the same side.
2016-11-2930 minHumankind on Public RadioPassengers, pt. 1: Going Car-FreeThe story of a Virginia man who accepted his county’s “challenge” to go car-free for a month; plus voices of motorists filling up at the pump; bus riders in a low-income neighborhood and others.
2016-11-2230 minHumankind on Public RadioThe Search for Well-Being, pt. 4: Maintaining Compassion for PatientsProfessors of medicine and nursing describe ways to treat the whole patient. And a look at medical use of acupuncture and meditation, for which evidence of effectiveness continues to grow.
2016-11-1530 minHumankind on Public RadioThe Search for Well-Being, pt. 3: Doctors of the FutureWith diet a factor in ailments from diabetes to obesity, medical students at the country’s third largest campus attend cooking classes to learn how to help patients. And future MDs tell how they would heal our health system.
2016-11-0830 minHumankind on Public RadioThe Search for Well-Being, pt. 2: When a Doctor Has Time to ListenThe problem of rushed medical visits, now standard nationwide, can strain both doctors and patients. The story of a Calif. woman who was misdiagnosed with MS, until a different doctor had the time to listen and discovered the error.
2016-11-0130 minHumankind on Public RadioThe Search for Well-Being, pt. 1: Treating the Whole PersonThis look at the emergence of “integrative medicine” begins with a visit to America’s busiest trauma center, in Baltimore, where patients receive both emergency care and natural treatments to soothe the challenges of serious illness.
2016-10-2529 minHumankind on Public RadioCatching Up with Granny D, pt. 2A lively profile of “Granny D,” (Mrs. Doris Haddock of Dublin, New Hampshire) famous for her 14-month walk across the United States to promote campaign finance reform. (Part 2)
2016-10-1830 minHumankind on Public RadioCatching Up with Granny D, pt. 1A lively profile of “Granny D,” (Mrs. Doris Haddock of Dublin, New Hampshire) famous for her 14-month walk across the United States to promote campaign finance reform. (Part 1)
2016-10-1130 min
Humankind on Public RadioThe Right to Vote, pt. 2Hear a diversity of voices and views on today’s debates over whether voters should be required to show ID at the polls. Some Americans believe that ensures honest elections; while others see it as an unnecessary obstacle to minority voters. And we consider whether people who’ve committed felonies should be allowed to vote, after serving their time.
2016-09-3030 minHumankind on Public RadioThe Right to Vote, pt. 1A fascinating history of the much-contested right to vote in America: from slaves freed after the Civil War, to women’s suffrage, to the civil rights movement. Included is the moving first-person story of a young woman who participated in the 1964 Mississippi Freedom Summer project for voter registration of African Americans.
2016-09-3030 minHumankind on Public RadioThe Power of Nonviolence, pt. 8: Moral InjuryWe hear from veterans who wrestle with healing from “moral injury” which occurs after a violation of conscience, based on events they witnessed or participated in while on military duty.
2016-09-2230 minHumankind on Public RadioThe Power of Nonviolence, pt. 7: Healing the Trauma of WarWe hear profiles of American soldiers who, after military duty, returned home to face another battle—the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
2016-09-2130 minHumankind on Public RadioThe Power of Nonviolence, pt. 6: Deep ListeningWhen we’re in a disagreement, it’s sometimes hard simply to listen to the other person. But skillful listening is a core practice of conflict resolution and, potentially, a doorway to improved relations and greater self-understanding.
2016-09-2030 minHumankind on Public RadioThe Power of Nonviolence, pt. 5: Seeds of PeaceA return visit to the Seeds of Peace summer camp, when teenagers from opposing sides of conflict regions, including the Middle East, arrive for amazing encounters of dialogue and fun.
2016-09-1330 minHumankind on Public RadioThe Power of Nonviolence, pt. 4: Unblocking our Natural EmpathyHow can we avoid reacting furiously when someone provokes us? Hear a fascinating array of answers from theologian Frank Rogers, Rabbi Michael Lerner, Rev. Betty Stookey and legendary folksinger Noel Paul Stookey, who performs.
2016-02-0430 minHumankind on Public RadioThe Power of Nonviolence, pt. 3: Compassion PracticeIn a world given to so much brutality, it would be easy to underestimate the impact of basic human compassion in actually resolving strife, yet even in tense environments, people are transformed by gestures of understanding.
2016-01-2830 minHumankind on Public RadioThe Power of Nonviolence, pt. 2: The Spirituality of NonviolenceWe hear stories of peacemakers who draw from their diverse lives and religious traditions as a basis for breaking down barriers and promoting conflict resolution.
2016-01-2130 minHumankind on Public RadioThe Power of Nonviolence, pt. 1: Soul ForceWe look back on the stunning display of forgiveness and nonviolence by the grieving families and congregants of Mother Emanuel church, where a gunman murdered black worshipers. Roof was sentenced to death today by a federal jury.
2016-01-1428 minHumankind on Public RadioRadioactive, pt. 1In this episode of Humankind, hear nuclear experts pro and con, an emergency room physician, and a variety of voices telling the story of a controversial reactor in Vermont. Part 1 of 2.
2015-04-0930 minHumankind on Public RadioResilient Nurses, pt. 4: Compassion FatigueThis episode explores the very human level at which some nurses interact with patients at their most vulnerable moments. What spiritual questions about life and death arise in such encounters? We do nurses turn for their own support? And we look at the concept of “compassion fatigue” and ways nurses can maintain open-hearted care.
2015-03-1430 minHumankind on Public RadioResilient Nurses, pt. 3: The Art of ListeningHow do nurses, who are exposed to continual suffering by patients, manage to keep their hearts open and maintain compassion? Nurses describe the centrality of communication with patients and the skills of “active listening.” Nurses are regenerated by the bond of caring they build with patients in need.
2015-03-1330 minHumankind on Public RadioResilient Nurses, pt. 2: Regaining Your CenterInspiring stories of how active nurses use self-care techniques that help them manage, and transcend, the stresses of their essential work life, both on the job and after hours.
2015-03-1230 minHumankind on Public RadioResilient Nurses, pt. 1: Facing Challenge and ChangeA no-holds-barred look at the stressful conditions in which many nurses work: the long hours, the emotional toll, the rapid pace, and the way that technology and institutional practices can make it hard to form a caring bond with patients.
2015-03-0530 min