Shows
Words of Love with Dr DwayneThe Power of Reflection: Charting Your Course to WellnessIn this enlightening episode, we delve into the intricate dance between coaching, mentorship, therapy, and personal growth. Reflecting on personal experiences as an athlete, our host navigates the complex roles of motivation and external guidance in achieving self-awareness and growth. The discussion highlights the transformative impact of recovery and professional mentorship on one's perspective towards wellness, emphasizing health as a cornerstone of adult life.Key Themes:Navigating Wellness and Self-Exploration:Explore the balance between personal motivation and the need for external guidance in wellness....2024-11-2442 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneBridging Worlds: Empowering Neuroinclusion and Authentic AdvocacyJulia Armet, PCC, ELI-MP is the Founder of Higher Playbook, a people and culture consultancy with a mission to re-humanize our workplaces. With a professional trajectory that spans industries including media, technology, coaching, and leadership consulting, Julia believes meaningful professional relationships are the source of business sustainability.As a neurodivergent leader, workplace facilitator, and Linkedin’s Top Large Group Facilitation Voice, Julia is passionate about creating spaces within our professional lives for individuals to deepen their connection to themselves, each other, their work, and the world. Through workshops and impact initiatives, Julia partners with socially-conscious groups and te...2024-10-1755 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneBURNOUT: Finding Balance Through Honesty, Simplicity, and Willingness.Burnout: Finding Balance Through Honesty, Simplicity, and WillingnessThis podcast episode introduces a new series focusing on burnout, exploring how executives and surgeons alike can manage stress through principles of honesty, simplicity, and willingness. The discussion contrasts external solutions, like executive coaching by RxFaith, with personal responsibility strategies guided by the 12-step approach. It emphasizes that tackling burnout requires both external support and internal readiness, while highlighting the holistic methods of addressing not just work, but all life aspects, such as environment. Listeners are encouraged to explore new avenues and connections to improve well-being, emphasizing that acknowledging...2024-10-0809 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneNavigating Change as We Age: A Coaching Conversation with Dr. AnnikaIn this conversation, Dr. Dwayne engages with stress expert Dr. Annika (https://askdrannika.com) as she reflects on her life experiences, aspirations, and the challenges of navigating the second half of her life. They discuss the importance of embracing things outside of our control, being honest about what truly brings joy, and celebrating one's proven ability to effect change in both personal and professional realms. Dr. Annika shares her past struggles and the lessons learned, emphasizing the significance of planning for the future while balancing her desires and responsibilities. The session culminates in actionable steps for Dr. Annika to...2024-09-2248 min
Words of Love with Dr Dwayneđź”’ The Power of Being Over Doing: Embracing Effortless ExistenceSubscriber-only episodeIn this episode, Dr. Dwayne delves into the profound difference between 'doing' and 'being.' He emphasizes that 'doing' involves effort, recognizes limits, and seeks permission, while 'being' is effortless, requires no permission, and encompasses a state of presence and awareness. Dr. Dwayne discusses how 'being' leads to a fulfilling life, driven by joy and purpose, unlike the constrained life of 'doing.' He highlights that embracing 'being' aligns with the natural order and transformative power of the present moment, fostering a mindset of abundance and self-acceptance. Dr. Dwayne shares personal insights and invites viewers...2024-09-1525 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneThe Difference Between Coaching and Therapy: Leveraging Talents and Abilities Through CoachingDr. Dwayne discusses the difference between coaching and therapy. Coaching is focused on raising awareness and making conscious choices, while therapy is focused on seeking answers from an expert. Coaching helps individuals leverage their talents and abilities to overcome roadblocks and achieve higher levels of performance. The coaching relationship is co-creative and provides support and guidance for personal growth and transformation. Dr. Dwayne emphasizes the importance of self-reflection, reevaluating beliefs, and making powerful choices to create the life one desires.Keywordscoaching, therapy, awareness, conscious choices, talents, abilities, roadblocks, performance, co-creative, support, guidance, personal growth...2024-09-0718 min
Words of Love with Dr Dwayneđź”’ ALL IN: GROW or DIE.Subscriber-only episodeEmbracing Growth and Letting Go: The Journey to Being 'All In'This episode explores the profound principle that 'we either grow or we die,' illustrating how growth necessitates letting go of what no longer serves us. Dr. Dwayne delves into the concept of apoptosis or programmed cell death, paralleling it with emotional and personal growth. The discussion underscores the importance of presence, moving beyond past attachments, and embracing present opportunities. Through personal anecdotes and exercises, the speaker emphasizes that pain is an inevitable part of growth, yet suffering is...2024-08-3026 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneALL ABOUT EVE: Overcoming Introvert Tendencies. A Coaching Conversation with Julie Barlow RN BSNIn this episode, Julie Barlow RN BSN and her transformation coach Dr. Dwayne discuss her challenges connecting emotionally with patients due to her introverted nature. She reflects on a protective persona she developed following a major personal loss and discusses her ambition to grow empathy and improve emotional connections with others. Listen how to how coaching helps Julie recognize her achievements, challenges, and potential for personal growth, ultimately guiding her to set goals for improving emotional engagement. When you're ready, I'M HERE...TEXT ME! BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL ---->https://go.thryv.com/site/wrzcmhxweqnapu7e...2024-08-2350 min
Words of Love with Dr Dwayneđź”’ You CANNOT Make a Mistake: Words of Life episode 1Subscriber-only episodeEmbracing the CAPITAL-T Truth: You Cannot Make a MistakeThis episode explores the profound realization that there are no mistakes, through personal stories and philosophical reflections. The speaker, a gay, black, sober woman's cancer surgeon from the rural South, shares their journey toward embodying the truth that every experience has a purpose and contributes to personal growth. The episode offers a transformative worldview, emphasizing personal choice in interpreting and responding to life events. Viewers are encouraged to reflect on how adopting the belief 'I cannot make a mistake' can impact...2024-08-1618 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneSpunky Specs and A Young Physician's Personal Growth: A Coaching Session with Dr. Kimberly GillensSummaryDr. Kimberly Gillens, a recently graduated OB-GYN resident, discusses her struggles with temperament and finding the right words to express herself. She recognizes the need to change and align how she shows up with how she wants to show up. Dr. Dwayne encourages her to give herself grace and acknowledges her growth and achievements. They discuss the importance of perception and how others see her, but also emphasize the importance of how she perceives herself. Dr. Gillens realizes that she cannot control others' perceptions but can focus on being authentic and true to herself. She sets...2024-08-0941 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneFinding the Right Support to Rejuvenate New Mothers with Tessia WatsonMoms can find all kinds of information and recommendations on how to care for their newborns. But there’s something about new motherhood that not many sources are talking about, and my guest Tessia Watson is trying to bridge the gap.Tessia is an author, spiritual teacher, and devoted mom of two boys with wisdom infused from her multicultural upbringing. Her life’s work is advocating for and facilitating rejuvenating self-care for new moms to help make parenting an enjoyable, sustainable experience.In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll learn about the im...2024-07-3039 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneWhy We Must Be Trauma-Informed with Dr. Helen SairanyThink that veterans, refugees, and abuse victims are the only ones who experience trauma with far-reaching, ongoing effects on their lives?Trauma isn’t just for those who have experienced things like PTSD or domestic violence. Trauma-related experiences exist for the majority of us–70% of the masses, according to my guest Dr. Helen Sairany. She’s a coach, speaker, author, and war survivor who’s working to educate institutions about trauma, its effects, and even its mere existence within their workforces.In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll learn how trauma lies at th...2024-07-2340 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneA Doula’s View on Internal Healing and Peaceful Life Transition with Brittanie Van ZantHealers aren’t without their own wounds to work through. But even in the process of doing so, they can actively work to assist and guide others in healing themselves...as long as they’re willing to offer it.My guest Brittanie Van Zant has something to offer people in search of something more in their healing journey. She’s a trained historian, holistic healer, and student of the metaphysical sciences who believes that healing and well-being belong to everyone and should be accessible and affordable to all. And she’s also had to go through some internal...2024-07-1638 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneWhat It Really Means to Love and Embody Love with Troy HadeedWhile individual spiritual paths might have similarities to each other, everyone still walks on a spiritual path that’s uniquely their own. My guest Troy Hadeed has traveled the world in his. As a yoga teacher and spiritualist, he sees the way for humanity’s conscious evolution through the lens of love. He embodies this himself by trying to live up to the name of love (which is also the title of his book) in every moment possible.In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll learn what it means to embody love consciously (and ev...2024-07-0944 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneWhy We Need a New Approach to Healing Societal Abuse with Phyllis LeavittWhen you see or hear of a child being abused, your instinctive reaction is one of condemnation, right? We see abusive dynamics play out and hurt untold numbers of people on a national scale. Yet unlike with an abused child, too many in this country not only tolerate it but condone it.Highlighting this issue is long overdue and my guest Phillis Leavitt is bravely taking it on. She’s an author and psychotherapist with over 34 years of experience working extensively with abuse and dysfunctional family dynamics. Her latest book, America in Therapy, explores the roots of di...2024-07-0241 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneVisibility and Safe Spaces for Tulsa’s Creative Queer Community with Chris VanndyMost people living outside places like Tulsa, OK have a certain assumption about the visibility of queer people here…and not a flattering one. So it might surprise you to know that it’s teeming with artists in the queer community. And as someone who grew up here, my guest Chris Vanndy is leading the charge as a creative and community leader to make their work visible.In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll hear about how he’s helping to create safe spaces for queer artists and their art in Tulsa. He’ll also em...2024-06-2530 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneGain More Freedom and Fulfillment Through Relationship Transformations with Sanal Bhanu RajanWhat do you think when you hear the word “guru”? For many people, nothing flattering comes to mind.Sanal Bhanu Rajan used to get hung up on the term, recognizing that people don’t like those who proclaim themselves as such. Regardless of the descriptive term anyone wants to use to describe what he does, he’s a spiritual teacher and thought leader who prefers to focus on helping people make changes in their lives and create a life they love. To do so, he emphasizes the importance of adaptability and the ability to handle change to live a h...2024-06-1850 min
Words of Love with Dr DwaynePowerful Energy Techniques for Self-Healing and Daily Protection with Gabrielle PimstoneDo you feel trapped in a cycle of anxiety, trepidation, and always feeling like you’re just waiting for the next shoe to drop? You’re inside an invisible spiritual prison--energetically stuck, burned out, and unfulfilled.After 20 years of working in an organizational psychology career, Gabrielle Pimstone found herself desperately unhappy in the job. She knew she had to be changed, so she got back on the spiritual path she’d put on the back burner to renew her sense of purpose and passion. Now, she’s an energy coach who teaches how to tap into your energeti...2024-06-1140 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneFaith As the Substance of Your Energetic Growth and EvolutionIf your two-years-ago self could see you now, how surprised would they be? I’ve come a long way in two years, and now I couldn’t imagine my life now back then. But the substance of my growth and evolution–the foundation, if you will–is faith, and how people tend to misuse or misunderstand it, either.In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll learn why faith is the foundation of getting where you're supposed to be in life. You’ll also discover what you’ll find on the journey and the gifts that mak...2024-06-0419 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneHow Neglected History Is Key to Reconciliation for Systemic Change with Dr. Amy Aldridge SanfordYou won’t find the devastation of Black Wall Street in history textbooks. Most of the country didn’t know about it until a few years ago. Like the district itself, it was erased, and it’s only one example of such historical neglect.It’s why my guest Dr. Amy Aldridge Sanford was so adamant about including chapters on history and activism within her book From Thought to Action because knowing that history is essential to facilitating systemic change. She’s well-versed in the areas of social justice and activism with workshops, books, and dozens of book chapt...2024-05-2841 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneThe Source of Your Value, Safety, and Truth: A Conversation with Coach Jessica MatchettLast week, you heard about how my alter ego Nagasaki was about to go off on someone over the phone...until I decided to just hang up. This week, I’m letting you in on a session with my peer coach Jessica Matchett, that ties into a repeating theme I want all listeners of this podcast to embrace for themselves.In this episode of Words of Love, you’ll hear about showing up unapologetically and doing the work of getting to the source of truth for you. You’ll also learn why some of us might shy away f...2024-05-2145 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneNagasaki Rants: The Failure of Some People to See the Humanity of OthersThis episode is quite a departure from what I'm used to delivering to you and what you're used to seeing from me. This episode, though, is so essential. It has stimulated so much growth for me because it was the necessary work that I needed to learn how to make space for all of my humanity. Sometimes, shit happens that threatens to bring your alter ego out hopping mad. One early morning in April, I picked up the phone and my alter ego Nagasaki got triggered.So what ticked me off, and why do you n...2024-05-1428 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneHow John Giordano Revolutionized Addiction and Mental Health With Holistic TreatmentYou can do much to greatly impact people with just a few hundred dollars...or a high school education.John Giordano has contributed profoundly to the wellness industry. He’s an addiction expert and specialist in holistic mental health and trauma recovery. He’s appeared on many TV and radio stations and written 80 scientific peer-reviewed research papers. And he did it all with a 9th-grade education and a holistic treatment center he started with only $300!In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll learn more about John’s contributions, how they were fueled b...2024-05-0756 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneHow Tattoos Symbolize Freedom and Autonomy Throughout History with Friday JonesTattoos used to be taboo (except among the bikers and rock stars). Back in the day, you wouldn’t dare show them in the professional workplace.But we’ve come quite a way since then. From neighbors to high society celebrities, we see people from all stripes of life with body art in the form of tiny tattoos, sleeves, and even the full body.My special guest Friday Jones has seen firsthand how society’s view on tattooing has changed since she entered the industry in the early 1990s. She’s a trailblazing tattoo artist who’s wo...2024-04-3041 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneHow to Fight Your Way Back From Your Lowest Point with Jeremy MurphyFrom mythology to Godzilla’s King Ghidorah to that funny meme online, the three-headed dragon is such a popular motif. Yet, those heads can also represent the shadows you need to fight to get out of the low points of your life.What if, for example, the three dragon heads represented divorce, death or a loved one, and depression? My guest Jeremy Murphy had to fight back against those three Ds to emerge from the lowest point of his life. Now, he combines his mixed martial arts and fitness background with his coaching education to help others sl...2024-04-2347 minWords of Love with Dr DwayneHow Embracing Spirituality Can Help With Mental Health with Mark WeismanWithin all of us are spiritual and universal truths we recognize before we’re born. Some of us remember those truths while we’re still here in physical form. And while these journeys can share similarities, we also have unique attributes we bring to the table.Take Mark Weisman, for instance. He went from being a minister to a modern-day Shaman and sworn Ulfhednar to his ancestral Norse gods. His spiritual studies and academic degrees helped him develop methods of dealing with psychological trauma so that people can get back to fulfilled and joyful lives.In t...2024-04-161h 02
Words of Love with Dr DwayneImprove Your Mental Health and Bring Soul to Your Healthcare Role with Dr. Joe ShermanIs there a disconnect between what you do and the results you want to get? Do you feel like you’re not making the difference you want in the world?My guest Dr. Joe Sherman has always enjoyed helping out and getting to know other people beyond superficial levels. They were the seeds that put him on the road to becoming a pediatrician.At some point, though, he realized he was burned out and teetering between who he felt he truly was and the career label he chose. It brought him to the edge of a...2024-04-0951 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneWords of Wisdom on Big Life Changes and Perspective Shifts with Dr. Swati KumariHave you ever heard someone with such a powerful and inspiring story that you just had to know what happened next in their journey?Well, it's time to celebrate and welcome back Dr. Swati Kumari to be part of the conversation again. She is a Nepali-trained physician and fertility specialist who practiced in Nepal and is doing her OBGYN residency in the U.S. Now training for the third time, her life is very different from when she was last on the show.In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll hear ab...2024-04-0215 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneHow Everything Is Interconnected With Your Health with Dr. Lynn CareyHave you ever had (or do you currently have) a health issue you’ve tried to solve, but nothing seems to work?For years, Dr. Lynn Carey suffered from chronic pain and illness after having scoliosis surgery as a teenager. Nobody knew how to help her beyond the painkillers and antibiotics…until someone introduced her to something that helped her not only heal her pain but reduce her fear of it as well. That healing journey propelled her to attend school and start her own practice. Now retired from that practice, Dr. Carey uses the gifts...2024-03-2632 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneHow Different Sides of Yourself Show Through Everything You Do with Johnny NeangYou’re not just what you do to earn a paycheck. What you do to fulfill your passion, engage in your creative ability, and so much more helps make up the kaleidoscope of different colors and angles that is you. And ancient and modern tools are available to help you discover these different sides of yourself.My guest, Johnny Neang, who participated in the same Vipassana retreat I attended, comes from a Buddhist family that immigrated to the U.S., so meditation and a focus on financial stability have always been expectations in his life. But...2024-03-191h 04
Words of Love with Dr DwayneWhy Meditation and Religion Are Perfect Partners with Alberto Chagolla & Fernando SantillanIf you were to Google images of meditation right now, what would you see? Chances are you’ll see many people of color; for much of the world, the face of meditation is brown.During my recent 10-day Vipassana retreat, I met Alberto Chagolla and Fernando Santillan and bonded over meditation. We also bonded over our shared experience as people of color and sons of religious families—I, a Southern Baptist-raised African-American, and they, Mexican-Americans from Catholic families.Lots of people in our communities in the U.S. don’t often get to hear about an exp...2024-03-121h 12
Words of Love with Dr DwayneShow Up With Resonance That Reflects Who You Choose to Be Now with Cleveland P. JonesWe all walk down that road of struggling with the self and accepting, embracing, and expressing who we really are. You’ve probably felt compelled to hide something about yourself that was considered “out of the norm” by your family, culture, religion, etc. But it’s still authentically you and always waiting to shine through.Many times on this show, you’ve heard me talk about my struggle. But I’m not the only one in the family who’s spreading love and truth from lessons learned through experience. And while I choose this podcast as my muse, today’s...2024-03-0553 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneHow to Break the Bonds of Labels, Norms, and Conditioning with Dr. Asha RaniFeeling a bit trapped by your circumstances, even if you look like you’re living the dream? No matter, you can always choose to break out of your conditioning to discover who you really are.At 40 years old, Dr. Asha Rani looked like she was living her best life. She had the marriage, the kids, the degrees, and the successful dental career. What she didn’t have was a sense of who she was or the direction she wanted her life to go in.So Dr. Rani embraced the idea of no longer doing the expe...2024-02-2746 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneHow My 10-Day Meditation Retreat Affected My SobrietyWhen you experience Vipassana, it affects various aspects of your identity. During my recent retreat, I discovered (to my surprise) that my sobriety story was one of them.There was a surface-level impact. But there was also another effect that required effort to receive the beautiful gift that awaits anyone who takes the journey.In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll learn what it was like to be in silence for 10 days as a sober person. I’ll talk about the objective of Vipassana, the challenges you must confront to receive its...2024-02-2030 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneThe Power of Vipassana Meditation: Sitting In Silence for 10 DaysCan you sit in silence for 10 days?Many people can’t fathom being quiet for more than a few minutes, much less that long. Six months ago, I couldn’t imagine doing it!But recently, I went on a silent retreat at the California Vipassana Center. For 10 days, I and 50 other men and women had a sacred experience that bore fruit for the mind, body, spirit...and life.In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll hear about what we went through during this Vipassana retreat. I’ll talk about the powe...2024-02-1332 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneSymphonic Role of a Surgeon & How to Prolong Your Role as CaretakerWe all play a role in fulfilling the creation of something whole and wonderful. Whether you’re an instrumentalist in an orchestra or a member of a surgical team, not one single person can complete the task alone.In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, we’ll explore the parallel between the operating room and the orchestra hall and how the role of surgeons brings the chaos together into beautiful music. You’ll also learn the holiest work you can do to extend your ability as a caretaker and where you can start right now.2...2024-02-0625 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneHow the Simple 4-I Framework Helps You Learn From Your FearWhat is fear doing for you? What is it trying to teach you? How is it serving you?Fear has always been part of our human evolution. It’s what helped us survive the dangerous wild in our neanderthal days.But now we no longer (as a general rule) have to depend on it to prevent ourselves from being eaten due to wandering into the wrong cave. So instead of letting it control us, we can turn that destructive energy into a constructive one that powers our way forward.In this episode of th...2024-01-3035 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneThe Call That You’re Being Encouraged to Answer and an Ode to k.d. langToday, I offer you a challenge. In fact, it’s really more than a challenge; it’s the divine assignment you’ve been given.In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll learn what that divine assignment is and how music encapsulates it. I’ll also briefly discuss how k.d. lang took on the challenge in her special way long before other popular musicians.5:30 - What the Virgin Mary really embodies in all of our holy texts10:08 - The call of the event horizon: the seed you’re encourage...2024-01-2326 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneWhy Now Is the Greatest Time of All to Decide and Share Our Simple GiftsIn the beginning, there was the word. And we depended on the word to be passed down to us through the ages of Moses, the printing press, and beyond to move us on our voyage through time and space.But no longer. In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll learn why the most powerful time for us humans to decide and express our simple gifts is now and how doing so can impact our future.8:52 - How Moses’ encounter with God symbolizes moments that have persisted through the ages2024-01-1626 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneBlessed Be the Peacemakers: The Key to Peace, Justice, and CooperationToo often, we suppress the child-like qualities within us. We’re told to leave childish things behind now that we’re adults.But we can always choose to champion some part of our inner child. Musicality has that special quality, and it’s also something we’re all born with that plays a role within us as we move through the world.In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll hear about how we contribute to the symphony of human society and embrace our innate musical and child-like elements as the key to...2024-01-0916 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneWhy I Am the Standing Bass of the Orchestra: Face the Mirror ChallengeThere comes a time when everything that came before culminates into an a-ha moment that transforms you. As I sat down to record this episode, I realized that I was resonating in a space that the previous version of me would have never thought possible.Today on the Words of Love podcast, you’ll hear about getting one step closer to full awareness and embodiment of the truth that can set you free. I’ll discuss the conversation that sparked the mindset that allowed me to step into being more cognizant of who I am.2024-01-0223 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneHow Whole Brain Living Can Increase Your Emotional Wellness with Dr. Jill Bolte TaylorWhat if, one day, you suddenly couldn’t do basic things or recall a single thing about your life?At the age of 37, Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor had a hemorrhage in the left side of her brain that left her without the ability to walk, speak, read, write, or remember anything about herself. It took her eight years to recover.Now, she’s an author and advocate for teaching us that we can all recover from neurological and emotional trauma like she did. And she’s here today to discuss how you can increa...2023-12-261h 14
Words of Love with Dr DwayneBody, Mind, and Spirit: The Health Framework for the Doctor of the FutureWe consistently deal with illness and disease, whether we’re doing so as physicians or patients. But what really lies at the heart of what ails us?After spending so many years with cancer patients, I learned that the needs of the mind and spirit are just as important to me as the needs of the body. It brings us closer to Thomas Edison’s vision of doctors in the future who’d give no medicines but would instead focus on prevention.In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll hear abo...2023-12-1923 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneWhy This Is Uniquely Our Time As Human BeingsWe have the chance to do something more important and impactful than the Jeff Bezos or Elon Musks of the world. But will we take it or let the moment pass us by?In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll hear about the unique opportunity we have right now to do the most important work we’ll ever do. I’ll also talk about the contract I made nearly a year ago that has been preparing and guiding me to cease sitting on the sidelines any longer.4:40 - The gift I...2023-12-1220 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneA Conversation to Help Us Dig Past Our Tribalism Tendency with Dr. Jim SmayYou’re more than likely guilty of concluding something about someone or something based on what you immediately see.At some point, most are guilty of judging a book by its cover instead of digging in further. For example, if you were to see my friend and colleague, Dr. Jim Smay, you’d immediately think, “middle-aged White man.” And while he is a native Oklahoman with a Ph.D. in engineering, an educator, and an entrepreneur with clients worldwide, he’s also Native American.In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll hea...2023-12-051h 13
Words of Love with Dr DwayneWhy History Is Key to Middle East Conflict Resolution with Dr. Israel ZighelboimThis world can be a difficult place to live in, and some people have felt it more acutely than others.We know of the history of African Americans in the U.S. during slavery and the Civil Rights era. We sometimes hear about massacres of people over culture, religion, and ethnicity in places like Sudan or Turkey.The current situation in Israel and Palestine also illustrates this perfectly. And while this ongoing conflict stretches back to the creation of Israel for both sides, the struggle for safety and survival goes back millennia for...2023-11-2853 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneThe Deep Work of Being a Speaker and Influential Voice with Tricia BroukToday has been a long time coming!I consider Tricia Brouk my mentor, coach, and friend. And after a year of working with her, she’s finally a special guest on my podcast.Who is Tricia? She’s an award-winning director, author, producer, and podcaster. With over 30 years of theatrical performance experience, she mentors speakers and has helped put thousands of global thought leaders on big stages.In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, she’ll teach you about the power and responsibility of being an influential voice...2023-11-2138 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneLife Interrupted: A Brother’s Legacy Left Behind with Dr. Parul Dua MakkarHave you had to cope with grief with no friends or family nearby?Dr. Parul Dua Makkar has a powerful story of her own. She practices dentistry in Long Island but has global roots in India, the Middle East, and Canada.But these days, she spends much of her time sharing the story of her younger brother (and only sibling), Dr. Manu Dua. Her life took a turn in 2021 when he succumbed to oral cancer in Canada while she was in the U.S. during pandemic travel restrictions.While...2023-11-1453 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneEmotional Intelligence, Mental Toughness, and Mindfulness with Christopher SalemMindfulness is the foundation of everything we do. But the road to developing that mindfulness can be quite traumatizing.Chris Salem spent 30 years battling inner demons that originally stemmed from his relationship with his father. But now, he’s a professional keynote speaker, podcaster, and trusted advisor who motivates people and tells them how to unlock the value in their businesses.In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll hear about living true to who you are through mindfulness and the potential consequences of living in untruth. Chris reveals how he d...2023-11-0756 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneLeading by Example In the World of Medicine with Dr. Tisha BostonIn life, you meet people who just seem to have a profound impact on everyone around them. Thirty-something years ago, I met someone like that in South Carolina: Dr. Tisha BostonDr. Boston grew up in the projects of South Carolina. Now, she’s a board-certified family medicine physician practicing in Columbia, SC who has spent her career educating young physicians and medical students. And it’s taken her to the positions of Vice Chair of Operations and Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at Prisma Health.In this...2023-10-3153 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneTaking the Leap Into a Life You Love with Asabi GoodmanHappiness comes in many forms. Many of us have been told that the path to it is to graduate from school, get a job, get married, buy a house, have kids, etc.But what if you wanted to leap into something else--something that doesn’t look like the traditional 9-5, white picket fence existence? So many are afraid to follow their own path.Not my guest, Asabi Goodman, though! When I heard her story at a recent All Souls event, I just had to have her on the show!In...2023-10-2451 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneThe Power and Promise of Transitioning Into Who You Really Are with JC ReaOn some level, we’ve all feared being judged for who we are. It can be subtle in some cases and very apparent in others.Today, I’m joined by a new friend I met in Provincetown, Massachusetts. I went to JC Rea’s salon, and during my visit, she not only got me out of my shell, but we also connected over some profound truths in our conversation...especially about how we look at people on the surface. And I can’t wait to unpack some of those for you on the show!In thi...2023-10-1755 min
HeartSpeak with Naomi HoriiHeartSpeak with Naomi Horii: Meditation and Self-Acceptance with Dr. DwayneJoin us for a conversation with Dr. Dwayne, a cancer surgeon on a mission to teach a generation the power of meditation and self acceptance. See https://drdwaynemd.substack.com/. See www.holdinglightproductions.com for show information or to schedule a session with Naomi.2023-10-1358 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneEducational and Animal Rescue Advocacy in Rural South Carolina with Beverly StromanToday’s show features another blast from my past! I spoke with Miss Beverly (a.k.a. Beverly Stroman), my elementary school teacher who still lives in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, where I grew up.In addition to being a teacher, she’s also been an assistant principal, principal, and district volunteer coordinator. Now happily retired, she devotes her time to church, mentorship, and animal rescue.In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll hear about the lack of opportunities and equality that kids and their families face in rur...2023-10-1054 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneSelf Care and the Oath We Took to First Do No Harm with Dr. Nicole WashingtonAre you constantly under pressure at work and find that it affects your mindset and your life at home?As a professional, you deal with a certain work ethic culture that makes you feel like you must do certain things to succeed. And that can lead to mental health issues that have you just trying to make it through the day, every day.So, how do you allow yourself to stop, take a breath, and turn this stressful ship around? My guest, Dr. Nicole Washington, is an author, speaker, consultant, and certified psychiatrist...2023-10-0355 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneYoga Therapy and Remembering Who We Really Are with Dr. Lois RamondettaAs you acquire more educational degrees and higher levels of career achievement, you can gradually forget yourself. Having a mindfulness practice, however, can help you remember.Dr. Lois Ramondetta knows how easy it can be to lose your sense of identity in pursuit of academia and career ladder climbing. She’s a University of Texas professor, a trainer of residents and fellows in GYN cancer care, and a researcher of HPV cancer prevention and gynecologic cancer management. And through becoming a certified yoga therapist, she has taken a journey back to herself.In th...2023-09-2655 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneYour Touchstone of Pain Can Weigh You Down or Make You StrongerMore than likely, you have a tangible representation of certain moments in your life. Perhaps you have a keepsake from the best vacation you’ve ever had or a ring on your finger that reminds you of your wedding day.But a touchstone can (even unwittingly) serve as a reminder of more painful moments. You might even carry it around with you, literally.In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll learn about the touchstone of pain I carried around for a while. I’ll also teach you how these tangible reminders can be...2023-09-1910 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneLearning to Serve Yourself FIRST So You Can Serve Others with Dr. Jewel SmaySometimes, you make an instant connection with someone who becomes a dear friend. And other times, you’re surprised at the connection with someone you didn’t even pay attention to initially.On the day Dr. Jewel Smay and I met, we barely acknowledged each other in the surgeon’s lounge. Since then, though, she’s become a colleague and a friend, and now we have so many points of connection in our lives.In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll hear her amazing story and how she’s learned to s...2023-09-1252 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneThe Lesson That the Death of a Loved One Can Teach Us AllYou’ve probably gotten a phone call from someone informing you that so-and-so has passed away. And all the while, you were unaware they were even sick!It happened to me recently. If you’ve listened to this show from the very beginning, you’re familiar with Grand #1, who has now transitioned on. But something about the way he lived his life provides a lesson for all of us.In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, I briefly discuss why Grand #1 felt he couldn’t show his fullness in life. Then, you’ll hear my sh...2023-09-0519 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneFood is Medicine and Food is Love with Angelique SantanaWhat if you lost 25 pounds in 28 days? How would that change your life?That’s where Angelique Santana found herself in 2012 when she switched to a vegan diet halfway through her health coach certification. That experience, along with her passion for preparing and cooking raw vegan meals, put her on the path of transforming lives as a personal chef.Now, her book and her business guide others toward a healthy lifestyle starting with the food they eat. And she’s here to discuss how and talk about her journey from the world of fitness to food...2023-08-2946 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneThe Power of the Mentor-Mentee Relationship with Dr. Bhuwan P OjhaHave you ever wondered how people in rural areas of developing countries access emergency medical care? It isn’t as easy as calling for an ambulance to whisk you away to a hospital.My guest today, Dr. Bhuwan P. Ojha, is from Nepal and knows this firsthand (as both patient and practitioner). I met him a few months back and have learned things from him that I couldn’t have learned from anyone else.In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll get Dr. Ojha’s perspective on medical care in a cou...2023-08-2240 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneWhy Vulnerability As a Way of Living Leads to GrowthIt’s very easy to think that the world is dangerous.You turn on the news and, as the saying goes, “Whatever bleeds, leads.” There are very real dangers out there. But is most of what makes you afraid to move forward less about actual danger and more the fear of being vulnerable?In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll learn about what’s really underneath that fear of vulnerability and how you can benefit yourself (and others) by embracing it in the here and now. I’ll also share why now is the g...2023-08-1513 min
Words of Love with Dr DwaynePractical Lessons From the Operating Room You Can Apply to LifeSome things are universal. For instance, you can learn lessons from one area (even a very technical one) that apply to other areas of your life (or life, in general).Let’s take the operating room. I recently led a young trainee through a surgical skill and believe some things you do as a surgeon can translate to everyday living, despite the very scientific nature of the job.So in this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll go inside the mind of a surgeon as I share with you the recording of that...2023-08-0839 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneHow Meditation Helps You Reduce Stress Long-Term with Dr. Annika SörensenSometimes, a tragic event can cause you to contemplate your humanity (or even mortality) and bring on an inflection point in your life.That was the case for my guest today, Dr. Annika Sörensen. Dr. Annika is a medical doctor from Sweden who is also another member of the tribe. And she’s on the show to share her story and how the black hole she found herself in led her to focus her practice on stress reduction and management.In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll learn how to begin...2023-08-0147 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneThe Mantra Behind Throwing a Perfect StitchCertain phrases really encapsulate a point of view, life lesson, or way of doing things. I often say phrases (or mantras, if you will) in the operating room to help students and residents incorporate surgical techniques.Today’s episode begins a series of conversations around these mantras, beginning with a term I picked up from Dr. Fred Kipley that epitomizes throwing a perfect stitch. And I’m joined by fourth-year resident Dr. Daniel Bond to talk about how it’s helped him in the last six weeks since he’s been in my rotation.In this epi...2023-07-2545 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneHow Pleasure & Pain Help You Find Your MotivationWhy do you do what you do?Doing the Words of Love podcast has not only helped me grow the substack community but has also helped me grow as a communicator, clinician, healer, and educator. I like to think of today as the beginning of the podcast’s second season. It’s also what I hope will be the first installment of one-on-one coaching conversations as a monthly feature. So I’ve invited medical student Christian Hemmerich onto the show. He is a The Art of No Conversations substack member, who not only was one...2023-07-1855 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneThe Impact of Acceptance on Our Brains with Dr. Tommy WoodDespite practicing medicine for 20 years, I’ve never met a pediatric neuroscientist... until now.Dr. Tommy Wood teaches pediatrics and neuroscience at the University of Washington. He’s researching early determinants of brain injury and their impact on brain health, in addition to developing accessible and equitable methods of tracking health performance and longevity in pro athletes and the general population.In this episode of the Words of Love podcast, you’ll find out some of the impact of his research on the brain (and the body). You’ll hear about how environmental factors, others’ behavior...2023-07-111h 01
Words of Love with Dr DwayneDwayne Jenkins of Nashville CARESToday, you get a double dose of Dwayne Jenkins! I’ve known Nashville CARES and Brothers United executive director Dwayne Jenkins for over 20 years. He’s run Tennessee’s premier HIV/AIDS service organization for more than 26 years and founded Nashville’s annual Black gay pride celebration.And in this episode of Words of Love, you’ll learn about the work he does for the Black gay community through his organizations and how conversations affecting the community have evolved during his time in Tennessee’s capital city. You’ll also get a glimpse into Dwayne’s personal story with his t...2023-07-041h 06
Words of Love with Dr DwayneMilk Money MondaysYou can run into what is probably best described as conscious and unconscious denial. We all have that fight on our hands to different degrees. As a gay, black man growing up in rural South Carolina, I certainly had mine. And it’s taken a lot of hard-fought, painful work for me to emerge out of it.Since the last podcast episode, though, I’ve come to recognize something about myself that’s really true for all of us, and I want to share that today on Milk Money Monday. In this episode of Words of Lov...2023-06-2715 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneComing Out: How We Did It - A Conversation with Mike RyanMichael Ryan was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In this episode, he shares his journey from petroleum engineer to financial advisor as well as his personal journey and coming out story."I view my lift as a series of transitions that came about as a result of increasing self understanding and reflection. This includes coming out and choosing to make a major career change at age 50, My husband is much younger than me so we are an inter-generational couple. Johnathon and I have been together almost 10 years. We are in the process of remodeling a home...2023-06-2635 min
Words of Love with Dr DwayneWords of Love Marcus RossWith his talent, passion, and commitment to authenticity, Marcus Ross is a true trailblazer in the entertainment industry and a powerful voice for the black and LGBTQ+ communities. Â Marcus can be reached at: www.GoodJudysTV.com Instagram: @MarcusGawkis Tiktok: @MarcusGawkisWhen you're ready, I'M HERE...TEXT ME! BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL ---->https://go.thryv.com/site/wrzcmhxweqnapu7e BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL ---->Â https://go.thryv.com/site/wrzcmhxweqnapu7eSupport the showSIGN UP FOR MY MASTERCLASSalfred-jenkins.my...2023-06-0249 min
Shift Out Loud with Tracy SpearsCultivating Space for Your Humanity with Dr. Dwayne JenkinsSend us a textDr. Dwayne Jenkins won’t just help you to play bigger — he’ll also teach you how to live fully and authentically. Dr. Jenkins is a board-certified gynecologic oncologist recognized for his expertise in advanced laproscopy and robotic surgery. Twenty years as a cancer surgeon has taught him this above all: the most powerful medicine flows from the heart, not the hands. Now, Dr. Jenkins is on a mission to teach a generation the power of meditation and self acceptance. His own journey of self acceptance took a winding path through the Sou...2023-05-3059 min