The Leader’s Way

How can the science of spirituality help us discover our true purpose in life?  Welcome back to Within, a contemplative segment of The Leader’s Way Podcast that explores the convergence of mental health, art, and spirituality through authentic conversations across traditions about personal and collective transformation.   In this episode, Brandon Nappi talks with psychiatrist and spiritual coach Dr. Anna Yusim about the science of spirituality as a path to wholeness and healing. Weaving together teachings from Kabbalah, Buddhism, and shamanistic traditions, Dr. Yusim has developed a program that marries empirical science and spirituality to help us find more meaning, more joy, and more fulfillment in life.  Dr. Yusim is an internationally-recognized, award-winning Stanford- and Yale-educated Psychiatrist & Executive Coach with a Private Practice in New York City, Connecticut, California and Florida. She is the best-selling author of Fulfilled: How the Science of Spirituality Can Help You Live a Happier, More Meaningful Life. With clients including Forbes 500 CEOs, Olympic athletes, A-list actors and actresses, and the Chairs of academic departments at top universities, Dr. Anna Yusim helps influential people achieve greater impact, purpose, and joy in their life and work.   Host: Brandon Nappi  Guest: Anna Yusim  Instagram: @theleadersway.podcast  berkeleydivinity.yale.edu/podcast    You can support our work at https://tinyurl.com/support-transform... 

Welcome back to the new season of The Leader’s Way, a podcast for people who aren’t ready to give up on the world. In this episode, host Brandon Nappi talks with Volker Leppin about all things mysticism, for Meister Eckhart to Francis of Assisi to Martin Luther to so much more. Dr. Leppin is a German Protestant theologian and the Horace Tracy Pitkin Professor of Historical Theology at Yale Divinity School. A historian of medieval and Reformation studies, his research focuses on scholasticism and mysticism in the late Middle Ages. He is a prolific author of 19 monographs and 11 critical editions of text, the editor or co-editor of 49 books, and the author of more than 300 scholarly articles or chapters. He is well-known for arguing that the Reformation should be understood not as a rupture, but as a transformation, one encompassing both continuity and change. His most recent book, Ruhen in Gott, Eine Geschichte der Christlichen Mystik (C. H. Beck München, 2021), emphasizes the importance of mysticism within Christianity while exploring also its interreligious potentials. Host: Brandon Nappi Guest: Volker Leppin Instagram: @theleadersway.podcast berkeleydivinity.yale.edu/podcast You can support our work at https://tinyurl.com/support-transforming-leaders  

Sophfronia Scott, novelist and contemplative writer known for The Seeker and the Monk, reflects on Thomas Merton and contemplative practice. She explores how inward attention fuels nonviolent activism. Conversations touch on race, love and capitalism, communal prayer versus solitude, and writing as spiritual practice.

Welcome back to Within, a contemplative segment of The Leader’s Way Podcast that explores the convergence of mental health, art, and spirituality through authentic conversations across traditions about personal and collective transformation. In this episode, Brandon Nappi talks with Shabnam Mogharabi, an award-winning entertainment executive and entrepreneur who is also trained in positive psychology. Shabnam is the oldest daughter of immigrant parents from Iran and grew up wanting to tell stories that uplift, connect and shine a light on our capacity for joy. With actor Rainn Wilson, Shabnam co-founded the inspiring, mission-driven studio SoulPancake. Brandon asks Shabnam about her spiritual journey, her work as a storyteller and journalist, and the new workbook she and recently co-authored with Rainn Wilson, Soul Boom Workbook: Spiritual Tools for Living Host: Brandon Nappi Guest: Shabnam Mogharabi Instagram: @theleadersway.podcast berkeleydivinity.yale.edu/podcast You can support our work at https://tinyurl.com/support-transforming-leaders

The Reverend Dr. John F. Ross is the Executive Director of The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Program at Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, where he shepherds global engagement with the Saint John’s Bible—the first handwritten illuminated Bible in over 500 years. In this episode of The Leader’s Way, Brandon Nappi asks John to tell the story of how this artistic and beautiful Bible came to be, from the early inspirations of renowned calligrapher Donald Jackson to the Bible's commissioning by a Benedictine monastery and its subsequent travels across the world. Explore more of the history and images from The Saint John’s Bible project here: https://saintjohnsbible.org/ Host: Brandon Nappi Guest: John Ross Instagram: @theleadersway.podcast berkeleydivinity.yale.edu/podcast You can support our work at https://tinyurl.com/support-transforming-leaders

Sean Rowe, the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, discusses the evolving role of seminary in spiritual formation and the necessity for the church to adapt in a post-Christendom world. He shares insights on leadership during times of change, highlighting the importance of spiritual groundedness and relational communion. Rowe also addresses the future of faith amid technological advancements like AI and advocates for strategic storytelling in ministry. His personal practices, including centering prayer, further enrich this thoughtful dialogue.

In this heartfelt conversation, Nelba Márquez-Greene, a community scholar at Yale and a passionate advocate for gun violence survivors, shares powerful insights. She discusses her 'Shared Humanity' series, emphasizing the importance of centering survivor voices in healing conversations. Nelba highlights the gap between academia and community needs, advocating for a collaborative approach. She also outlines pressing community projects like the Rispa Project and urges clergy to build trauma-informed practices. Her journey reflects resilience and a deep belief in shared human connection.

In this enlightening discussion, Whitney Kimball Coe, a third-year MDiv student preparing for ordination, shares her journey from nonprofit work to seminary. Misty Krasawski, with a rich background in ministry and family life, reveals her late but transformative application experience. Jae Kirkland-Rice, a PhD candidate and second-year MDiv student, discusses the balance of academia and spiritual formation. Together, they explore the diverse paths to seminary, the significance of community, and the unexpected joys of their spiritual journeys.

What does “community” actually mean? Is community something we achieve or is it something we practice? Claire Brown and Austin Sauerbrei are partners, parents, and community practitioners, living and working in small town rural America. Claire is the rector of a small Episcopal church and Austin is a community organizer with the 50+ year-old statewide nonprofit, SOCM. Their daily lives are a whirlwind of tending to relationships and building muscle for faithful community engagement in their small town. With humor, candor, and wisdom honed by years of deep listening, they offer insights about the tensions and opportunities that arise when we acknowledge how intertwined we are with one another. This episode is worth watching on The Leader’s Way YouTube channel! In this interview, Austin and Claire model what it looks like to engage in thought-partnership and parenthood, passing their youngest child, Ardy, between them as they respond to host Whitney Kimball Coe’s questions about how we do the thing we call “community.” Learn more about The Rev’d Claire Brown: https://www.revclairebrown.com/ Learn more about Austin Sauerbrei’s new graphic novel, Trouble! At Coal Creek: https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2529-trouble-at-coal-creek

Joseph Yoo was baptized, raised, and ordained in the United Methodist Church, and is now an Episcopalian priest and the planter of Mosaic Episcopal Church located in the suburbs of Houston, Texas. Joseph is the author of When the Saints Go Flying In: Stories About Faith, Life, and Everything in Between and is known for his dynamic presence on Instagram and TikTok, where he reflects on everything from scripture to social justice to pro wrestling. In this conversation, Joseph and Brandon talk about the curious and winding paths we travel as we follow the spiritual calling of our lives, and the people who, through the unfolding of their lives, teach us about God. Host: Brandon Nappi Guest: Joseph Yoo Instagram: @theleadersway.podcast berkeleydivinity.yale.edu/podcast You can support our work at https://tinyurl.com/support-transforming-leaders