The Hoffman Podcast

“Welcome your enemy, welcome the darkness. Let everybody come and sit with you at the table. Welcome with open arms, with love, with light. …That is when everything dissolves, and you are free.” – Tamsyn Strydom Before discovering the Hoffman Process, Tamsyn Strydom shares that her life had “quietly begun to shut down.” She felt overwhelmed, facing unexplained health challenges and struggling to get out of bed after relocating to a new country. Coming to the Process with a Hoffman scholarship and a quiet, desperate urgency to heal, Tamsyn felt hope. She knew that doing the Process would mark a profound turning point in her life. At the Process, Tamsyn gave it her all. She met all parts of herself, the light and the dark. She faced everything with a willingness to change. Tamsyn left feeling incredible. Yet it only took a week back home for her to fall back into the darker patterns that had brought her to Hoffman in the first place. Once home, Tamsyn had shared with others how good she felt. Now, she felt shame that the patterns had returned. Rather than saying anything to anyone, she began to isolate. This is when she found a profound willingness within. With nowhere to run to, nowhere else to go, she had to surrender again as she’d done at the Process. Now, she had to do it on her own. It was time to sit with the darkness, time to come to know and love herself deeply. Listen in to hear how Tamsyn made her way through this challenge and into her new life. She credits the Hoffman Process as a pivotal catalyst that helped her reclaim her capacity, deepen her self-trust, and step fully into this next chapter of her life. Content Warning: This episode references disordered eating. Listen on Apple Podcasts More about Tamsyn Strydom: Tamsyn is the founder of Radiant Growth and Khanyisa Institute, and the co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Lo Sono Integrative Health. All three are dedicated to functional medicine, well-being, longevity science, and leadership evolution. Through her work in clinical and integrative health environments, she has supported thousands of patients. She brings a rare blend of medical insight and performance-driven leadership. Drawing on her background in integrative health and experience within clinical environments, her work bridges the realities of business demands, health, and human performance. She partners with physicians and clinical teams, serving as the bridge between patients and providers to integrate the often-missing “healing from within” dimension alongside medical care. Tamsyn – Cape Town, South Africa A keynote speaker and leadership performance expert, Tamsyn Strydom helps high-performing founders and leaders elevate business results, performance, and health. Most leaders try to think their way through burnout, culture issues, and performance gaps. But real change starts on the inside. Tamsyn works with those who appear successful on the outside but feel disconnected, reactive, or stretched thin behind the scenes. She equips them to rebuild self-trust, emotional resilience, and clarity so they can lead more effectively and create real impact without burning out. Personally trained and certified within Dr. Joe Dispenza’s authorized practitioner network, this is one of several dimensions that inform her approach. Originally from South Africa, Tamsyn is building a life in the U.S. that feels like a story worth telling. A story of new countries, getting intentionally lost in new cities, and deep talks at 1 AM about purpose, passion, and why we’re really here. Learn more at TamsynStrydom.com. Follow Tamsyn on Facebook and Instagram. As mentioned in this episode: Willingness:  Willingness is a concept and a corresponding skill that supports healing. When we are willing, we choose to be and engage with what we are experiencing. We don’t have to like it. We don’t have to believe that what is here is okay or even good. It’s the choice we make to be right here, right now, with everything just as it is, even if it means feeling pain or discomfort. Our instinct might be to pull away, yet we can develop the skill of willingness. Self-compassion: “I define self-compassion as the ability (and practice) of holding myself amidst failure, disappointment, and suffering of any kind, and in the face of these life contractions, to still be able to offer myself love and kindness. …It is the practice of loving ourselves out of shame and into wholeness – the place where we can connect to and embody our own capacity for radical self-love.” Jasin Deegan (Read the full quote here.)

“I used to believe that I needed to transcend being human to be enough, and now I see that being human is the sacred experience.” – Alyssia Sheikh Beloved Hoffman Process teacher and coach, Alyssia Sheikh, is our guest today. When she did the Process eight years ago, Alyssia’s sense of self, her sense of ‘me,’ changed dramatically from her time there. Out of this new sense of self, profound change and transformation came to both Alyssia and her post-Process life. Now, with a master’s degree in Mindfulness Studies, she is also a certified life coach, speaker, and trauma-sensitive meditation teacher. As Alyssia states, “Who I am today is really thanks to my Process experience.” On the first day of her Process, Alyssia entered brand new territory when she was handed the ‘Hoffman feelings list.’ Feelings weren’t a part of her childhood. She’d been “living, waiting to feel, and not knowing how to do it.” But now, immersed in awareness of this deeper part of herself, Alyssia sensed a “rich intelligence” new to her. Before her eyes, life went from grayscale to full color. She was shocked, intrigued, and profoundly curious about these deeper capacities of being human. Alyssia awakened to what it means to be a human being rather than a human doing, now fully aware that being human is messy – and that isn’t a problem. Exploring shame in her Process was pivotal and held a profound lesson. Now, as a Hoffman teacher, shame is Alyssia’s favorite part of the Process to teach. Shame’s lessons have brought Alyssia liberation. In moving toward it, she realized that shame is not her and she is not shame. She would never have become a Hoffman Process teacher if she hadn’t learned shame’s lessons. We hope you enjoy this conversation with Alyssia and Sadie. More about Alyssia Sheikh: Alyssia Sheikh holds a master’s degree in Mindfulness Studies and is a certified life coach, speaker, and trauma-sensitive meditation teacher. Her work centers on presence, emotional awareness, and helping people move out of autopilot and into a more connected, alive experience of being human. Drawing from mindfulness, neuroscience, and embodied practice, Alyssia supports individuals in relating to themselves with greater clarity, curiosity, and self-trust. Alyssia is also the host of the Relish podcast, where she explores joy, presence, and meaningful living beyond self-improvement and fixing. Through personal storytelling and practical insight, her work invites people to savor life as it is and reconnect with the inherent wholeness of being human. She is a Hoffman Process teacher and continues to be deeply shaped by the work—both personally and in how she guides others. Find out more about Alyssia and follow her on Instagram. Follow the Relish Podcast on Instagram. Listen on Apple Podcasts As mentioned in this episode: The Relish Podcast, with Alyssia Sheikh Hoffman Process Feelings and Sensations List The Quadrinity – body, intellect, emotional self, and Spiritual Self. Watch the video Alyssia references on our website. “We teach what we need to learn.” – Gloria Steinem •   Full quote: “I began to understand with a terrible sureness that we teach what we need to learn, and write what we need to know.”

“Trust in your inner knowing. Absolutely. And know that your angels do have your back.” – Nicole Olivier photo by Jonathan Condit Screenwriter and Hoffman Process graduate Nicole Olivier has a profound ancestral history. As a daughter of families active in France and Norway’s WWII Resistance, she grew up hearing family stories of moral courage and being of service. Nicole has woven these ancestral stories into her life’s work and art. Nicole is mindful of her ancestral patterns and epigenetics; how trauma was passed down and lives inside of her. During her childhood, she witnessed what was going on and attuned to the power dynamics playing out amid her parents’ divorce. As we all do, she developed patterns to get her through these early years. What’s beautiful about Nicole’s story is how she has worked and studied to understand the origins of those dynamics. The Hoffman Process, understanding somatics, and knowing the lineage of ancestral history supported her in releasing the power of those patterns. Transforming them and realizing they are not who she is supported a deeper capacity to witness and honor her ancestors’ profound courage and strength. Through her dedicated drive to understand how the unconscious is shaped in our early years and foster tools to cultivate compassion, Nicole now brings her wisdom more fully to the current focus of her art, screenwriting. Most recently, Nicole attended the Hoffman Q2 after the loss of her mother. Caring for her mother after a stroke until her peaceful passing was a deep act of service for Nicole. Now an ancestor, her mother is inspiring Nicole’s next screenplay. Her wish is to honor her mother and her mother’s life. Photo credit: Jonathan Condit Content warning: We hope you find this conversation with Nicole and Sadie insightful and inspiring. Please be aware that this episode mentions and includes stories of genocide, World War II, and the devastating events of these times. It describes the experience of a young child participating in France’s WWII Resistance. Please use your discretion. More about Nicole Olivier: Fascinated by human behavior and how the subconscious is shaped in formative years, Nicole Olivier majored in psychology at Mills College, studied at the Sorbonne, spoke about maintaining morale at the Western Psychology Association’s Convention, and participated in Stanford University’s inaugural Compassion Cultivation program. After a brief but award-winning career as an advertising copywriter in Manhattan and San Francisco, inspired by childhood influences from international cinema to sitcoms, Nicole wrote her first feature script in seven days – a spontaneous creative outpouring that launched her screenwriting path. She then reached the second round of the Sundance Screenwriting Competition twice and was selected as one of twelve writers for the Olympic Valley Community of Writers Screenwriters Workshop. Her mentor there was the gracious, Oscar-nominated Tom Rickman, founding Creative Advisor of the Workshop and the Sundance Screenwriters Lab. The daughter of families active in France and Norway’s WWII Resistance, Nicole developed a keen sensitivity to power dynamics and hypervigilance amid shifts sparked by her parents’ divorce. She channeled insights into her screenwriting, weaving in Thomas Hübl‘s epigenetic work, Peter Levine‘s somatics, EMDR, and tapping. Learning meditation in the early ’90s from spiritual mentor Jack Kornfield offered Nicole a model of benevolent leadership. In the film world, this was echoed by dear friend and mentor, Tom Luddy, founder of the Telluride Film Festival. Working alongside Christine Aylward, CEO of the former filmmakers’ forum, MakingOf, co-founded by Natalie Portman, underlined the importance of connecting with positive, values-based people. Caring for her wise, vibrant mother after a stroke in San Francisco until her peaceful passing nearly four years later inspired Nicole’s next screenplay, honoring the life of this heroic, service-oriented dynamo. Nicole welcomes new connections with creative allies and benefactors drawn to champion female filmmakers writing with levity about love, courage, and intergenerational healing. Follow and connect with Nicole: You can connect with Nicole on Facebook and LinkedIn, or by writing to her at writenicoleolivier {at} gmail {dot} com. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify As mentioned in this episode: The Hoffman Q2 Intensive White Sulphur Springs, Hoffman retreat site, lost in the Glass fire. WW2 Resistance The Bolshevik Revolution “Your issues are in your tissues.” A definition of Epigenetics Somatics Scarlet Fever Nice, France Palo Alto, California •   Silicon Valley •   IBM (International Business Machines) Fight, Flight, Freeze YouTube videos of fainting’ goats. Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974 •   Editorial Correction (13:40): Nicole Olivier intended to reference 1974. Airline policy for unaccompanied minors “Everything is either love or a call for love.” A Course in Miracles Have recommended the Hoffman Process: •   Dave Richo, book: When the Past Is Present •   Pawan Bareja, PhD, Somatic Therapist Expression: Expression (also called cathartic work or bashing) in the Hoffman Process is about “claiming” our life. It’s about taking a stand. Sometimes that includes anger, but it can also be about joy, love, commitment, and empowerment. The Hoffman Centering Practice Hoffman Coaching Fall of the Berlin Wall Coit Tower, San Francisco        

“Just like I can choose to stop making that line on that canvas, I have choice to stop making that pattern in life.” – Veta McFall Professional artist and Hoffman Process graduate Veta McFall felt a growing call for change within as she approached her 40th birthday. Until then, she’d been a commissioned portrait painter of people and animals. This was a call for deeper creativity. It started a mysterious process as she began to paint with her hands and watch the abstract art appear without any expectations. Veta had no idea what the paintings would eventually become. These new abstract paintings “would literally be a visual representation of her personal inner transformation.” More than Veta’s painting changed; her relationship with her husband changed, too. As a couple, they had been in a multi-year cycle of tumultuous upheaval. Veta felt compelled to stop that cycle. That was “the most difficult winter of our, and our whole family’s, life.” This was when both Veta and her husband came to the Hoffman Process. Veta attended in April 2025, and her husband came seven months later. They now have a shared Hoffman experience and profound spiritual connection. As Veta tells us, “It’s like the artwork started, and the artwork had to be this catalyst for change for me, and I thought it was just in the artwork, but it led to change within me as a person. It led to change within my relationship. It’s like I understand all of it now.” Listen in to hear the lessons Veta’s art taught her post-Hoffman. We hope you enjoy this inspiring conversation with Veta and Sadie. More about Veta McFall: “What’s my medium? Life.” For Veta McFall, art is the act of bringing something into existence that did not exist before, allowing creation to emerge directly from the soul. Veta is a lifelong professional artist who built a thriving career creating large-scale, black-and-white commissioned portraits of people and animals. Known for their precision and emotional depth, her dramatic works, where every eyelash and reflection mattered, moved audiences deeply. Alongside her studio practice, she taught portrait drawing and painting at a Waldorf high school for over a decade. As she approached 40, Veta felt a growing call for change. While her work was successful, she realized it was shaped largely by the expectations of others rather than her own inner truth. This pivotal moment coincided with her discovery of the Hoffman Process, marking the beginning of a profound personal and artistic transformation. Out of this shift emerged The 1985 Series, a collection of 100 large-scale paintings defined by color, freedom, and expression. Each piece is titled only by the number in which it was created, intentionally leaving meaning open to the viewer. Midway through the project, after completing Painting Fifty, Veta traveled alone to the woods of rural Canada, an experience that became a turning point in her life and work. After completing the Hoffman Process in April 2025, her art evolved again, revealing deeper coherence and clarity, as if the messages within the work had finally been fully understood. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, and raised in the Waldorf education system, Veta comes from a multigenerational family of artists. Today, her work reflects an integrated life, where inner transformation and creative freedom meet, and where life itself becomes the medium. Learn more at www.vetaart.com. Follow Veta on Instagram. Listen on Apple Podcasts As mentioned in this episode: Hoffman’s Canada site: Sanctum Retreat, Calgary, Alberta, Canada  

“By doing this work, we know there’s something powerful about how the human heart opens in the presence of other open-hearted humans.” – Matt Brannagan, CEO, Hoffman Institute Foundation Photo by Sam Comen We open season 12 of The Hoffman Podcast with Matt Brannagan, Hoffman Process teacher and Hoffman Institute’s new CEO. In conversation with Drew, Matt reflects on this moment of transition and the thoughtful leadership handoff shaped by Raz and Liza Ingrasci. Their generosity, wisdom, and long-term vision laid the foundation for what Matt terms “Hoffman 3.0.” It’s an evolution rooted in continuity, care, and purpose. Hoffman 1.0 was the creation and first few phases of this powerful work by Bob Hoffman. The Hoffman Process started in Bob’s office in Oakland, California, in 1967. He shepherded it through its first iterations, beginning with one-on-one clients, then a series of weekly group classes, and finally the week-long Process we know today. Hoffman 2.0 began with Raz and Liza establishing the Hoffman Institute and creating the non-profit it is today, increasing capacity so more people could attend the Hoffman Process. They laid the foundation for incredible growth and transformation. Now, on that strong foundation, Hoffman 3.0 takes flight. Matt steps into this role after 18 years at the Hoffman Institute, serving as both teacher and leader. Before Hoffman, Matt served in the military. He deployed to Iraq shortly after completing the Process in 2004. For more than two decades with Hoffman, Matt has lived and honed a life of service and leadership. Currently, he’s a doctoral candidate pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Matt brings a steady, embodied presence to this new Hoffman era. We hope you enjoy this conversation with Matt and Drew, the first of this season. We have many great guests ahead that we know you’ll love. Setting an important context: We offer this context to help frame the conversation you’re about to hear. In this episode, Drew and Matt discuss the legacy of Raz Ingrasci, founder of the Hoffman Institute Foundation. We recorded this conversation on December 19. With great sadness, we share that Raz passed away unexpectedly on December 31. This was the same day he formally stepped back from his day-to-day role at Hoffman, alongside his wife, Liza. More about Matt Brannagan: Matt Brannagan is the Chief Executive Officer of the Hoffman Institute Foundation. He joined the Institute in 2007 and has previously held the roles of Chief Operating Officer and Director of Faculty, in addition to serving as a Teacher and Coach. Matt is a retired veteran and former Master Resilience Trainer for the U.S. Army. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Clinical Psychology and holds both a B.A. in Sociology and an M.A. in Transpersonal Psychology.   Matt learned of the Hoffman Process at the age of 20 after recently completing three years of active military duty. While examining his direction in life, he was inspired by those he met who had attended Hoffman. It became the logical next step on his growth journey, and he completed the Hoffman Process in 2004, unexpectedly being deployed to Iraq shortly after graduation. While holding a senior role in his unit, it was his Hoffman community that challenged him to continue his personal work during that crucial time, and he enrolled in Hoffman teacher training shortly after returning home. Extensive leadership training allows Matt’s work as a Hoffman faculty member to be grounded in clarity, compassion, and accountability, led by the belief that organizational culture is strengthened when people feel empowered, supported, and connected to purpose. In his work with students, “I love that moment when it all clicks, and the students begin to take on the tools and practices for themselves. They offer such great insights, and I get to deepen my learning as I teach.” Committed to guiding Hoffman’s evolution, Matt is focused on ensuring sustainable long-term growth. He is honored to usher the Institute into its next chapter and holds deep gratitude for the opportunity to carry forward the work stewarded for decades by Liza and Raz Ingrasci. Watch and listen to Matt & Drew:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03FNQBZKBeM Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify As mentioned in this episode: Listen to Matt on The Hoffman Podcast: S2e22: Communities of Meaning. Our new California retreat site is Santa Sabina. Our first Process at Santa Sabina will be in April 2026. The Q2: Beyond Mom and Dad – Our 3-day Hoffman graduate program. Listen to Tim Callan on The Hoffman Podcast: S2e14:  A Journey Through Grief to New Love    

“In the Process, I came to realize … how nature in my own life had been such a healing force.” – James Bonilla We wrap up season 11 with New York-born Puerto Rican writer and retired professor emeritus, James Bonilla. James’s story is filled with transformation, healing, and wisdom. Born with congenital cataracts, at the age of nine, his right eye was injured in school by a fellow student’s actions. For over ten years, James was blind. At the age of 19, doctors removed the cataracts (although the childhood injury remained). On his way home from the hospital, he remembers seeing the world in Technicolor through his own eyes. As a writer, James was comfortable writing about his identities as a Puerto Rican and a person with impaired sight. But it wasn’t until he did the Process that he could accept his family’s struggle with mental illness. He released patterns of shame that stemmed from his experiences of abandonment as a young child. In accepting his own mental illness, James found deeper healing of those issues through the power of nature. He realized that nature had been a constant source of healing throughout his life. Upon graduating, James felt called to share his experience healing mental illness with others. Because of his work at the Process, James emerged emboldened to share this experience in his new memoir, An Eye for An I. We hope you enjoy this inspiring conversation with James and Drew. We’ll be back in early 2026 with season 12 of the Hoffman Podcast. Content Warning: This episode mentions suicide and includes intense emotional content and targeted racism. Please use your discretion. If you or someone you know is suicidal, reach out to The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255), or message the Crisis Text Line at 741741. More about James Bonilla James Francisco Bonilla is a New York-born Puerto Rican writer and retired professor emeritus of cultural competence and leadership at Hamline University in St. Paul, MN. James was born with congenital cataracts and has never had sight in his left eye. Following a racially-motivated assault at age nine, he lost much of his remaining sight in the right eye. Ten years later, a medical breakthrough restored sight to his right eye. Seeking relief and inspiration, he found unexpected solace in the natural world. This discovery led him toward both personal healing and advocacy work. Due to his experiences, James was drawn into the early disability rights movement and community organizing. This helped shape his work as a nationally recognized social justice educator and environmentalist. James received his doctoral degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, School of Education in Organizational Leadership. He is a former Chair of the Faculty Advisory Committee to the National Conference on Racial & Ethnic Diversity in American Higher Education. He has made hundreds of presentations to universities, conferences, and human service organizations in the area of diversity, including outdoor education and environmental programs. His memoir, An Eye for An I: Growing Up With Blindness, Bigotry, and Family Mental Illness, was just released by the University of Minnesota Press. In it, he invites readers to empathize and consider their own potential to be of service in a broken, yet beautiful world. Read more about James’ memoir on Hamline University’s site. Follow James on Facebook and LinkedIn. Learn more about James here. Listen on Apple Podcasts As mentioned in this episode: Nuyorican: “The Nuyorican movement is a cultural and intellectual movement involving poets, writers, musicians, and artists who are Puerto Rican or of Puerto Rican descent, who live in or near New York City, and either call themselves or are known as Nuyoricans.” Read more… Congenital Cataracts New York Association for the Blind Lisa Wenger, Hoffman teacher and coach •   Listen to Lisa on the Hoffman Podcast – The Sparkle in Her Eyes Judy (Judith) Heumann •   Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist •   Judy Heumann interview on YouTube Crip Camp Documentary Barack and Michelle Obama were executive producers under Higher Ground Productions. Jerry Brown, CA Governor White Sulphur Springs – Hoffman’s old retreat site Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Hoffman Webclass Calendar Quad-Check, and Appreciation and Gratitude Instagram Lives: Join our virtual community, Quadrinity Check, at 8:00 am PT on Instagram. A Quad Check is a practice to support you in integrating and honoring all four parts of your Quadrinity: Spiritual Self, Intellect, Emotional Self, and your Body. Be a part of our daily Appreciation and Gratitude practice at 6:00 pm PT on Instagram. You’ll find the Appreciation and Gratitude practice to be a beautiful way to reflect on your day. This practice will support your Spiritual Self’s natural desire to appreciate and give thanks for all that life brings you.  

“So much of what I was trying to address was so buried deep within me. It was like scratching an impossible itch, and then, finally, I got to Hoffman, and I was like, Oh my gosh, I can reach the spot. Wow.” – Emma Swift Singer-songwriter Emma Swift sits down with Sadie to talk about her time at the Hoffman Process, a time she says was “utterly magical.” Emma’s story incorporates many lands. Her homeland is Australia. Her new home is Nashville, Tennessee. The rolling hills of Northern California and White Sulphur Springs are where Emma did her Process. And, then, the land within Emma – a deep interior she would need to excavate to heal. Living among highly creative musicians, and as a singer-songwriter, Emma’s career counts on her creativity and ability to feel deeply. Before Hoffman, she felt repressed. She would go to write songs, sitting with her guitar, singing them, and feel very uncomfortable. She felt sad and longed to do what she saw other songwriters doing. Emma now realizes that what she saw in others provoked a deep longing in herself. Emma enrolled in the Process to break through her writer’s block. But once there, she realized she had come for a deeper issue – her relationship with her father. He had passed away, and Emma had been carrying a feeling inside that something was not right and couldn’t be set right. It was an “unresolved tension” that she feared was “never going to go away.” Through the power of the Process and Emma’s deep work, she was finally able to have a healing conversation with her father. When we’re willing to travel to unexplored lands, beautiful and even unexpected, healing can occur. We hope you enjoy this conversation with Emma and Sadie. More about Emma Swift: Emma Swift is an Australian-born singer-songwriter. She lives in Nashville, TN. Emma describes her music as indie-folk, with her biggest influences being Marianne Faithfull and Sandy Denny. Her new album, “The Resurrection Game,” was released in September this year. It explores themes of love, loss, and transcendence.  Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify As mentioned in this episode: The Resurrection Game: Album and Song Calistoga, California Indie Folk Genre •   Bob Dylan •   Joan Baez Nashville, Tennessee Sydney, Australia Eucalyptus trees

Brian James Daly, somatic healer, men’s team leader, and addiction coach, shares his Process journey and his following journey of embodiment. Embodiment is where it’s at for Brian. He calls it the ground game because it took him deep into himself to see those parts of himself that he’d been carrying hidden for so long. And once seen, they can be integrated and somatically expressed. Brian shares that where he came from, “everything looked really good on the outside.” Often, it is hard to comprehend that people from a good-looking life can have traumatic experiences. When he arrived at the Process, he realized he felt out of place because others in his class had seemingly experienced greater trauma. Brian’s teacher helped him see that he did, too, but that Brian was never able to acknowledge and own it.  When Brian was young, he kept everything inside but wore a mask that told the world he was okay. His escape was going into creative realms through writing and creating his own reality. During and after Brian’s Process, he followed the ground game that brought him back into his body. This journey of embodiment helped him reconnect with parts of himself he had lost and learn to express those parts in a creative way. Now, after years of full-time transformation work, he can express his true nature in the world without needing to escape. He’s being who he truly is, doing what comes from that embodiment, to have what his Spiritual Self has designed. This mirrors the Be-Do-Have practice he learned at his Process. Listen in as Brian shares many powerful experiences of his journey. We hope you enjoy this inspiring conversation with Brian and Sadie. More about Brian James Daly: Brian James Daly is a guide and leader devoted to helping people break free from limiting patterns and beliefs to find authenticity, purpose, and freedom. After two decades in the entertainment industry as a successful entrepreneur and award-winning creative and seven years in a think tank focused on systemic transformation in education and health, Brian felt called to bring his lifelong journey in wellness and spirituality to others ready to live lives beyond their dreams. Brian is a trained somatic healer, men’s team leader, addiction coach, retreat facilitator, writer, and speaker. With a grounded and spiritual presence, Brian creates safe spaces for deep healing and personal awakening. He says every engagement is unique, and that you should reach out if you’d like to learn more. Discover more about Brian at brianjamesdaly.com and follow him on Instagram. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify As mentioned in this episode: Be-Do-Have vs. Do-Have-Be: The life we long for comes from Be-Do-Have; the life we are taught we should strive for comes from Do-Have-Be. Somatics Sound Baths Ecstatic Dance Chakra System Kundalini Alchemy, Alchemize    

“It is my life that I claim. That sense of empowerment wouldn’t have happened without the Process.” Ana Bok Today’s conversation with Hoffman graduate Ana Bok begins with Ana sharing a story that happened three years after her Process. Her week at Hoffman provided a powerful foundation that would come to help guide her through a tough time. Since childhood, Ana’s dream has been to become a doctor. At age fourteen, she came to the United States. After graduating with her undergraduate degree in  Neuroscience with a concentration in Behavioral Studies, Ana planned to attend Yale Medical School. But first, she was a post-graduate research associate at a child psychiatry research lab at the Yale Child Study Center. She was on her way to her long-held dream. But there, Ana found herself in inner turmoil and conflict. Already a Hoffman grad, Ana had thought to herself that after the Process, she was on her “right road” and that everything was “supposed to work.” She didn’t know what was wrong, but she knew her Quadrinity was out of alignment. Listen in to hear Ana tell about this pivotal moment along the journey of her life. The Process offers a powerful foundation for navigating life. Ana found hope at the Process. Hope and her Spiritual Self guided Ana through this difficult time. Ana’s story is powerful because it reminds us that after doing the Process, life is still life. How life works hasn’t changed, but we have. We hope you enjoy this deeply vulnerable and moving conversation with Ana and Drew. More about Ana Bok: Ana was born in Korea, raised in China, and moved to the U.S. alone at age fourteen. She studied Neuroscience with a concentration in Behavioral Studies at Columbia University and spent five years researching molecular pathobiology and pain mechanisms during and after college. In 2022, Ana attended the Hoffman Process, which affirmed her deep interest in child and adolescent mental health.  Ana recently completed two years of postgraduate training at the Yale Child Study Center. She continues her research on obsessive-compulsive disorder at the Yale School of Medicine. Fascinated by the intersection of science and spirituality, Ana hopes to one day integrate spirituality into early mental health interventions. Alongside her research, Ana has mentored middle and high school students, supporting their academic and personal growth. Ana served as a NYC Hoffman Graduate Group Leader in 2022–2023 before her fellowship at Yale and recently returned as a co-facilitator for the NYC Uptown Hoffman group. She welcomes connections from fellow Hoffman graduates and can be reached at dianabok.connect@gmail.com. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify As mentioned in this episode: Left Road/Right Road: The left road represents repeating patterns from your past, while the right road is the path of authenticity, choice, and self-responsibility. The Quadrinity™ Symbol Bob Hoffman designed the Hoffman Quadrinity™ Symbol in 1967 to represent the wholeness of Self. The circle represents the Body; the large vertical diamond in the middle represents the Spirit; the 2 smaller horizontal diamond shapes represent the Intellect and Emotions. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.   Korean fortune-telling: “Saju” is a traditional Korean fortune-telling system that analyzes an individual’s birth year, month, day, and hour to create a personal profile. It is a widely practiced cultural tradition for seeking guidance on personality, relationships, career, and life path. It is often used for entertainment as well as for serious life decisions. Rooted in ancient Chinese metaphysics, saju calculates cosmic energy at the time of birth to provide insights into one’s destiny.   

Welcome to today’s episode with host Sadie and a medical panel of three Hoffman Process graduates who are also esteemed medical practitioners. Our host, Sadie, Carrie Levine, Dr. David Hanscom, and Dr. Kash Trivedi engage in this powerful conversation. They cover the connection between emotional health and physical health, the mind-body connection, finding the safety within needed to heal, and so much more. With her background as a licensed Nurse Practitioner, Sadie guides the panel with insightful questions. Our guests answer through their embodied learning from both the Process and their many years of medical practice. They share insights on what it means to practice medicine with awareness, compassion, and the knowledge that can help guide their patients to deeper healing. As the conversation goes deeper into the idea of healing needing a sense of safety, Sadie then asks the panel if we each can “take responsibility for our inner experience of safety?” Carrie responds, saying, “I think we have to. I don’t know that anybody else can do that for us. … I think it’s on us.” We hope you enjoy this conversation with Carrie, Davide, Kash, and Sadie. Please note: While this conversation is about medicine, healing, and health, please note that what is shared here is strictly for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Please always seek the guidance of your physician or any other qualified health professional with any questions you have regarding your health or medical condition. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify More about Carrie E. Levine: Carrie E. Levine, CNM, IFMCP, is the founder of the Whole Woman Health clinic. She is the author of Whole Woman Health: A Guide to Creating Wellness for Any Age and Stage. A certified nurse midwife and Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner, Carrie evaluates and treats the most common women’s health concerns by integrating gynecology and functional medicine. For more than two decades, Carrie has worked to help women find wholeness, connecting physical symptoms and test results with lifestyle choices and daily practices. Previously, Carrie practiced gynecology and functional medicine at the renowned Women to Women clinic in Maine (2006–2014). Before that, she provided full-scope midwifery at Miles Memorial Hospital (now Maine Health Lincoln) in Damariscotta, Maine. Patients know Carrie for her deep listening, “connecting the dots” among seemingly unrelated symptoms and emotions, and breaking personal health goals into attainable steps so clients can thrive emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Carrie earned a BS from Syracuse University. She has an RN and MSN from Case Western Reserve University. Carrie earned a Nurse-Midwifery certificate from what is now the Frontier Nursing University.  She is a member of ACNM (national and Maine chapters), the Maine Nurse Practitioners Association, and the Institute for Functional Medicine. Sign up for Carrie’s free weekly newsletters featuring recipes, podcasts, articles, and more at https://carrielevine.com. Follow Carrie on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. More about Dr. David Hanscom: David Hanscom, MD, practiced complex orthopedic spine surgery for 32 years. He quit his practice in Seattle, WA, to present his insights into solving chronic mental and physical pain. They evolved from his own 15-year battle. David escaped from the ordeal and discovered that mental pain was the biggest issue. Anxiety is the pain. His new book, Calm Your Body, Heal Your Mind: Transcend Pain, Anxiety, Anger, and Repetitive Unwanted Thoughts, is scheduled for release in June 2026. By understanding the neurophysiology driving unwanted thoughts and stimulating neuroplastic changes, they can be addressed and resolved. David’s book, Back in Control: A Surgeon’s Roadmap Out of Chronic Pain, systematically presents well-documented treatments for chronic pain. His self-directed action plan, which reflects the journeys of many successful patients, is available at www.thedocjourney.com. David launched a movement called “Dynamic Healing.” This movement recognizes the interactions between stress and one’s coping capacity, which leads to sustained threat physiology. Dealing with stress more effectively and increasing the nervous system’s resilience promotes healing. David is an active speaker, author, and consultant. Discover more about his work and resources at www.backincontrol.com. David’s articles: •   Why I’m Leaving Spine Surgery •   Dynamic Healing – The New Paradigm Medicine Needs More about Dr. Kash Trivedi: Dr. Kash Trivedi is a gastroenterologist in private practice. His interest is in the intricate relationship between the gut and the brain—how that connection contributes not only to physical symptoms but also to overall well-being. Kash completed his medical degree at the University of California, San Diego. He went on to do his fellowship training at the University of California, Irvine. With over a decade of experience in clinical medicine, he often sees how stress, trauma, and emotional health may influence gastrointestinal disease. Outside of medicine, Dr. Trivedi has long been drawn to personal growth and self-inquiry, an interest that began in his teenage years. In January 2025, he completed the Hoffman Process, which he describes as the most transformational experience of his life. Kash lives in Southern California with his wife of over 20 years and their 10-year-old son. He continues to explore how emotional and psychological insight can enrich both his personal life and professional practice. Kash Trivedi on the Hoffman Podcast: I Am My Own Resource More about Sadie Hannah (Host): Sadie Hannah, MS, CPNP-AC, is a licensed Nurse Practitioner and a member of the medical staff at Stanford University with a background in pediatric oncology, pediatric end-of-life, and children’s cancer research.  She is also a Hoffman Process teacher, coach, and podcast host. Sadie Hannah holds a Master’s in Science from the University of California, San Francisco. After a 20-year history in Western medicine, she is now committed to helping clients move past their most fundamental challenges (learned behavior). Where neuroscience meets heart, Sadie works with individuals and groups. She guides her clients not outward but inward, toward the depths of their own being as they navigate important transitions in life, relationships, careers, and culture. As mentioned in this episode: HeartMath Broken Heart Syndrome The mind-body connection Psycho somatic symptoms MUS – Medically unexplained symptoms The Way to Love: The Last Meditations of Anthony de Mello Therapeutic Reciprocity SOAP Notes: SOAP notes are a four-part, structured format for documenting patient visits. The acronym stands for Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan. They are used by healthcare providers to consistently and clearly record a patient’s health encounter. This format ensures all members of the care team have the same information about a patient’s condition and progress.  Hoffman terminology: Right Road/Left Road Visualization The Quadrinity: “I coined the word Quadrinity to represent the four aspects of a human being: the Emotional, Intellectual, Physical, and Spiritual. The unique capacities and functions of each aspect can be considered separately, but it is the balance of all aspects working together harmoniously that fulfills us as human beings.” – Bob Hoffman, Founder of the Hoffman Process      

“I can only describe the Process in poetry, because it’s that spiritual for me.” Jessica Harjo In July 2022, Jessica Harjo came to the Hoffman Process to learn how to parent after realizing the coping mechanisms she’d developed to help her manage the weight of motherhood and career no longer worked for her. And of course, she came for so much more than she could imagine. As a Native woman with a complex multicultural ancestry – Indigenous, San Carlos Apache, Indigenous, Chicana, Mexican, Filipina, Japanese, and European – Jessica found the Process to be deeply spiritual. She shares that she likens her Process experience to a sweat lodge. “Finding that moment where you’re in it and you’re closing your eyes, and you hear the songs, you can hear the prayers, and then you start to connect. You start to remember; you start to heal. And then when the flaps of that sweat lodge open, you crawl out on your knees, and when you come out into the life, you feel like you’re born again into the world. That was the experience of my Process. It reconnected me to my spirit in that way. It lit my inner fire.” Before the Process, Jessica realized that stress had caused her to forget her past and past self. Coming out of the Process, feeling born again, she realized she now had “new eyes.” Going home, Jessica saw each member of her family as a spiritual being.  She saw the light in nature. She’d found herself. A little over two years later, Jessica attended the inaugural BIPOC Q2, a weekend retreat. She worked to heal ancestral wounds. Over this powerful Q2 weekend, Jessica says she came home. We hope you enjoy this powerful conversation with Jessica and Sadie. More about Jessica Harjo: Jessica, daughter Rulan, and husband Tim. Jessica Harjo is a soul embodied human being and lifelong learner. She’s a proud homemaker and mother of three daughters, three stepchildren, and four grandchildren. For the past eighteen years, Jessica has worked in the nonprofit sector as the Director of Operations for the Tribal Law and Policy Institute. Her multicultural ancestry (Indigenous/San Carlos Apache, Indigenous/Chicana/Mexican, Filipina, Japanese, and European) has been a source of strength in her life and is reflected in her work to recognize and uplift multicultural and Indigenous knowledge. As a nonprofit leader, Jessica specializes in policy development, administrative infrastructure and team development, project management, HR implementation, business, and financial operations management. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Film, Media, and Social Justice and a minor in Business Administration. Jessica also holds an MBA from Mount Saint Mary’s University. Mount Saint Mary’s is the only women’s university in Los Angeles, and is known for their annual report on the Status of Women and Girls in California. Jessica has volunteered on numerous nonprofit boards that serve Indigenous communities. She’s an active volunteer for the Hoffman Inner Work for Indigenous Leaders Advisory Circle and the Indigenous outreach team. She provides support for other Indigenous Process fellows and graduates. A student of Yoga philosophy, Nichiren Buddhism, and Indigenous Mindfulness, Jessica is currently working on her RYT500 Yoga Teacher Training. She regularly uses her Hoffman tools to continue healing, visualizing, and growing. This has been the journey of her lifetime. The Process brought her to herself, and the BIPOC Q2 brought her home. Jessica and her husband, Tim Harjo, live in Oklahoma, where they balance their careers, family life, and running Sovereign Ranch, a first-generation, Native owned bison ranch. Follow Jessica on Instagram. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify As mentioned in this episode: Tim Harjo, Jessica’s husband. Listen to Tim on the Hoffman Podcast: Amplifying Native Voices Asanas and The Eight Limbs of Yoga The Conscious Parent, by Dr. Shefali Tsabary Be-Do-Have vs. Do-Have-Be: The life we long for comes from Be-Do-Have; the life we are taught we should strive for comes from Do-Have-Be. Bruno Madrigal from Encanto Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr Apache Coming of Age Ceremony Hoffman Scholarships

“I reclaimed my Power to create. … There’s no amount of suffering that is beyond what can’t be healed.” Dr. Angela Le Dr. Angela Le specializes in women’s reproductive and hormonal health through acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, and Somatic Experiencing. In 2014, Angela was going through a Dark Night of the Soul. She was desperate. She then remembered hearing about the Hoffman Process twenty years earlier. Feeling great relief to finally ask for help, she registered and then arrived for her Process three weeks later. In hindsight, Angela shares she “would have had a miserable life” if she hadn’t done the Process. But she wanted something more. Angela as a baby “There was just this fortitude in me that wanted more and actually knew I could have more, but I was just in this cycle and this pattern that needed major disruption, and that’s really what Hoffman was, for me. It just disrupted patterns in a way that allowed for tremendous change and transformation.” On the other side of the Process, Angela found that one of the gifts of doing the Process was that it “opened up the permission field to have a different experience.” She learned that she had the power within her to change her own experience. These many years later, Angela has come to embrace the mystery of life. Letting go of the need to control, to be good, to be “all the things,” has ushered in a new way to live. The change she found through the Process brought a reclamation of her power to create. At its root, the work Angela does supports and heals the deepest of creativity – that of women’s reproduction. Angela, a healer, experienced healing through her Process, and she, in turn, deepened her ability to heal others through her love’s everyday radius. More about Dr. Angela Le: Dr. Angela Le is a Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, biohacking and longevity coach, specializing in women’s reproductive and hormonal health. With over two decades of clinical experience, she has supported thousands of women through fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause. She trained in Chinese medicine and Taoist philosophy under Master Ni and his sons, esteemed healers with a lineage dating back to the Han Dynasty. This foundation in ancient wisdom shapes her approach to medicine, human potential, and consciousness. Dr. Le has long been drawn to spiritual exploration and self-inquiry, an interest that began in her childhood. A committed meditation practitioner for decades, she has studied across Eastern, indigenous, and contemplative traditions. In 2014, she completed the Hoffman Process, which she describes as a profound milestone in her lifelong journey of healing and self-discovery. Based in New York City, learn more about Angela at www.fafwellness.com. Follow Angela on Instagram. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify As mentioned in this episode: Hoffman Graduate Groups •   New York Hoffman Grad Group Dark Night of the Soul Vipassana Meditation Parentification or Parentified Child Hero/Victim Dynamic – The Karpman drama triangle Spiritual Bypass Liza Ingrasci, Hoffman Institute Foundation CEO and President The Shadow Share the Process with someone What is fertility? Perimenopause Mystic Crone Years: •   ” The Crone represents the ability to see, more than just with one’s eyes alone, but to see with the heart’s eyes, with the soul’s eyes, through the eyes of the creative force and the animating force of the psyche.” Clarissa Pinkola Estés •   Crone years are typically from 50 on.

“We’re 100% Divine and 100% human. It’s in that shared common connection between the two of those that real magic happens.” Drew Horning Hoffman teacher, coach, and podcast host, Drew Horning, sits in the guest chair today to share about his time in the Process and so much more. Drew originally came to the Process in 2013 for support with marital relationship issues, having heard about Hoffman from someone in his men’s group. Looking back, Drew says Hoffman was one of the most profound experiences of his life. Just a year later, in 2014, he began his training to become a Hoffman teacher. Drew shares two vulnerable moments from his week. He shares about the profound student-teacher relationship he experienced with his teacher, Raz. More like a mentor or coach than a teacher, Drew knew Raz had his back all the way through the Process. Drew, age 4 The deeper story here, though, is how the Process opens the way for us to experience the full range of being human. Drew sees the Process as an exploration into what it means to be human, both the light and the dark within us. In one experiential exercise, Drew says he “touched this part, this base part of being human,” and it “caused him to recoil.” In the very next moment, he and his group were led directly into a compassion exercise. And what transpired was the transformation so key to the Hoffman Process. Moments after he touched into this darkness, he found himself held in love. Love is always embracing us, even in our darkest moments as human beings. Here we witness Drew’s vulnerability and wisdom as a human being and a Hoffman teacher. He holds the human heart with gentleness, dignity, and respect. We hope you enjoy this conversation. More about Drew Horning: A former licensed private practice psychotherapist, Drew has a Master’s degree in clinical work from the University of Michigan. He is trained in EMDR, Mediation and Dispute Resolution, Gottman Couples Counseling, and Brené Brown’s Daring Way. He hosts his own podcast on relationships. Drew has also coached high school basketball. Drew published his book, Grappling: White Men’s Journey from Fragile to Agile, in May 2021. He is currently a manager of the faculty as a core faculty member of the Hoffman Institute. Drew is on the board of his extended family’s real estate business. He is committed to his own family, his two adult children, and his wife of nearly 25 years. Drew is committed to his own personal growth work and supporting others on their own journey towards wellness. Healing requires incredible courage and a commitment to kindness. The alchemy of these is what Hoffman and Drew are all about! Follow Drew on Instagram. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify As mentioned in this episode: Raz Ingrasci, Founder of the Hoffman Institute and Hoffman teacher, was Drew’s teacher. •   Listen to Raz on the Hoffman Podcast: Husband, Father, Son The Body Keeps the Score, by Bessel van der Kolk MD White Sulphur Springs •   “All things change when we do.” This is the quote Drew mentions from the fountain at White Sulphur Springs, our former retreat site. Dr. Dan Siegel, “feeling felt” •   “Wonderful things happen when people feel felt, when they sense that their minds are held within another’s mind.” Dan Siegel •   Listen to Dr. Dan Siegel on the Hoffman Podcast: A Rabbit, Doe, & Fawn Become Partners in Transformation Listen to Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor on the Hoffman Podcast: Your Brain From the Inside Out • Dr Bolte Taylor’s 90-second rule “Ed” McClune, retired Hoffman teacher and coach: •   Listen to Ed on the Hoffman Podcast: A Good Hoffman Geek Out “I close my eyes so that I may see.” Paul Gauguin, French painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramist, and writer… “This will grow inside you.” Liza Ingrasci, CEO of the Hoffman Institute Foundation. She has been with the Hoffman Institute since 1990. Drew speaks of “the surprising power of Self-compassion,” also called Inner-Compassion by Dan Siegel. Carl Jung and the power of Paradox “…only paradox “… comes anywhere near to comprehending the fullness of life.” Read more… Original Sin •   Drew shares that for him, the Hoffman Process is the story of original love. Hoffman Terminology and Tools: Vindictiveness – “…part of what it means to be human.” •   Definition: a strong desire for revenge or to punish someone who has wronged you. It is characterized by holding grudges, a vengeful spirit, and the tendency to seek retaliation. Synonyms include vengefulness, spitefulness, and rancor.  The Cycle of Transformation: The four steps in the cycle are Awareness, Expression, Compassion, and New Ways of Being. All four make up the Cycle of Transformation.               “You can act yourself into a new way of thinking, but you cannot think yourself into a new way of acting.” Quote from the Hoffman Process Left Road, Right Road •   Hoffman tool •   Spirit and Human, Spirit Embodied Process Integration Weekend: Two days following the Process, graduates take time alone to integrate the deep work they’ve just accomplished. Listen to our panel speak about the Integration weekend on the Hoffman Podcast. The Ceremony of Integration: A guided, experiential ritual during the Process to bring everything together and integrate the Quadrinity. Hoffman Pre-calls: Each student attending the Hoffman Process has a pre-call with their Hoffman teacher before coming to the retreat site. What is Transference? The Quadrinity: “I coined the word Quadrinity to represent the four aspects of a human being: the Emotional, Intellectual, Physical, and Spiritual. The unique capacities and functions of each aspect can be considered separately, but it is the balance of all aspects working together harmoniously that fulfills us as human beings.” – Bob Hoffman, Founder of the Hoffman Process Hoffman Feelings and Body Sensations List (PDF) Essence Be-Do-Have vs. Do-Have-Be: The life we long for comes from Be-Do-Have; the life we are taught we should strive for comes from Do-Have-Be. “I am love, loving, and lovable.” The Hoffman Process

“If the age of AI is anything, it’s the age of relationship.” Nichol Bradford Nichol Bradford shares her love’s everyday radius with us – the arc of how the deep work she’s done throughout her life now informs the impactful work she’s doing in the world. At the forefront of human potential and AI, Nichol’s work is accelerating human transformation through technology investments, research, and global thought leadership. In this conversation with Drew, she weaves together technology, AI, and the Hoffman Process. Nichol has done a great deal of transformational work. The Hoffman Process was one of her chosen healing modalities. Nichol is passionate about her quest to advance human potential through ethical and empowering AI. In this conversation, she calls us forth to the inner work necessary so we can each be part of a movement to create technology that supports the thriving of humanity and the greater world. “…where we’re going is that work is going to be about human beings creating things together. That’s what jobs will be. That’s where we’ll be. And in that place, like, you know, the way to be irreplaceable is it’s really all about, are you adaptable? Can you adapt? Can you change? … it has everything to do with who you are being and who you’re being stands right on top of the types of things that Hoffman gets right at, as well as other deep work.” This aligns with the impetus behind Love’s Everyday Radius. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to attend Hoffman have experienced profound personal change. That change now ripples out into the world through how we share our gifts with others. And it will ripple out in how we create the future together. We hope you enjoy this inspiring conversation with Nichol and Drew. More about Nichol Bradford: Nichol Bradford stands at the forefront of human potential and AI, accelerating human transformation through technology investments, research, and global thought leadership. Currently, Nichol serves as Executive-in-Residence for AI + HI at The Society for Human Resource Management, shaping global thinking on human-AI collaboration. She is also Co-Founder and Partner of Niremia Collective, an early-stage venture fund focused on human potential technologies, and she co-founded TransformativeTech.org, the largest global ecosystem of founders, investors, and innovators building tech for human flourishing. Previously, as a senior interactive entertainment executive, Nichol held strategy, operations, marketing, and production roles at major brands including Epic Games, Activision-Blizzard, Vivendi Games, and Disney. She led operations for World of Warcraft China and Blizzard properties in China, played a key role on the Vivendi team responsible for the landmark $18B Activision-Blizzard merger deal, and helped produce record-breaking events in the metaverse at Epic Games. Nichol has an MBA from The Wharton School, is on the Faculty at Singularity University, a Trustee at CIIS, and has been a Lecturer and Adjunct Professor at Stanford University. Moving forward, Nichol is focused on advancing human potential through ethical and empowering AI — catalyzing a global ecosystem of innovators to create technology for human thriving. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify As mentioned in this episode: Human tech is the evolution of transformative tech: Human + Tech Week – Where Human Potential and AI Innovation Converge. •   Human Tech Week 2026:  April 27 – May 2, San Francisco  – How do we help humans heal, grow, and thrive? Six focus areas: 1. Vital – Preventive health and wellness, “because you can’t separate the mind of the body.” 2. Mesh – Mental, emotional, and social health. 3. Peak – Individual and organizational performance. 4. Sync – Collective intelligence, collaborative collaboration at scale, digital well-being, “How can we make sure that we can be well with all of these tools that we have?” 5. Soul – Purpose, meaning, and consciousness, both from a scientific, neuroscience standpoint, and from a spiritual standpoint. “(Spiritual defined as a better relationship to self, other, and the environment).” 6. City – The built environment, both physically and metaphorically. “How can we leverage technology in the spaces around us to enable and empower all of the areas that I described before?” Other mentions in this episode: The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) “We build our cities, and then our cities build us.” Mike Frost “To whom much is given, much is expected.” Proverb from Luke 12:48 in the New Testament. A Brief History of Aluminum. Human Microbiome: “The human microbiome, often called the ‘forgotten organ.’ Snow Leopard: “What are the trends and happenings going on right now that may turn out to be more significant than they seem to us at this moment? The Atlantic Council, an American Think Tank headquartered in Washington, D.C., has coined the term “Snow Leopards” to classify these phenomena that may have world-changing impact, but seem ordinary to us now.” Read more… Utopia and Dystopia Pattie Maes, MIT Your Brain on ChatGPT study at MIT Khan Academy‘s Khanamigo The Socratic Method Self-optimization The Art of Accomplishment with Joe Hudson Conscious Leadership Group •   CLG Coaching Training Diana Chapman – Listen to Diana on the Hoffman Podcast: Experiencing More Heaven on Earth Myanmar (formerly Burma) Mahasi Sayadaw Dr. Dan (Daniel) Brown, Western Tibetan Bön teacher Hunger Games or Star Trek

“I can’t say that in 34 years I have enjoyed my life in the way that I do now. That is the shift. That’s the shift post-Hoffman. It’s the shift of doing this work. It’s the shift of my life.” Madison Utendahl Six months before Madison Utendahl arrived at the Hoffman Process, she closed her business. The immediate question that came to her in the wake of closing it was, Who am I without this job? She’d realized that her company and her work had become part of her identity. Feeling a complete disconnect from herself without this company she’d worked so hard to build, Madison realized she needed to do something different. Therapy, something she’d done a lot of, wasn’t going to cut it. She needed a serious change. She turned to Hoffman. In this engaging and spirited conversation, Madison leads us through the before, during, and after periods of her Hoffman Process experience. As we listen in, we’re able to glimpse not only her journey, but some of the Process journey itself as seen through Madison’s eyes. One of the significant negative patterns that Madison transformed was “control,” one that plagues so many of us. In her brilliant words, she shares the big Aha! she had behind the transformation of this pattern, wisdom that’s true for many patterns. Madison explains, “I learned at Hoffman that control was a survival instinct. If it was a survival instinct that meant I could unlearn it. … I learned that young Madison, to no fault of her own, developed control to deal with her childhood.”  A major takeaway from Madison’s Process transformation is the realization that the Universe, or whatever you want to call it, has your back. As she says, “the unlock for me, post-Hoffman, is like realizing that God, the universe, whomever, has your back.” So, go enjoy your life! More about Madison Utendahl: Madison Utendahl is a multi-hyphenate: founder, CCO, writer, and creative director who, above all, is tired of faking fine. She’s the Founder of Utendahl Creative, a Brooklyn-based creative agency that has built brands for a lot of cool people. She’s also the creator of BURNT, her popular Substack where she writes about burnout with equal parts humor and truth-telling. Madison is a two-time Webby Award winner, AdWeek 100, and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, and has been on the founding teams of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Refinery29’s 29Rooms, and Museum of Ice Cream. These days, she’s less about chasing accolades and more about dismantling hustle culture’s nonsense, one candid essay, brand, or conversation at a time. She lives in New York City with her husband, two dogs, and a cat who runs the household. Follow Madison on Instagram. Read her writing at Burnt on Substack. Find out more at madisonutendahl.com. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify As mentioned in this episode: Madison’s IG post about the closing of Utendahl Creative. April McDaniel – Listen to April on the Hoffman Podcast: Being Real With Yourself Hoffman Retreat Site in Connecticut – Guest House Hoffman Faculty: •   Claus Radlberger •   Marc Kaplan Ketamine Therapy Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Somatic Therapy Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) The Quadrinity… …is a simple yet powerful model for understanding ourselves and our behavior, encompassing all four aspects of self: body, emotions, intellect, and spiritual self. The Quadrinity is our whole, integrated, balanced self, embodying all four aspects. Madison mentions the “Hoffman Questionnaire.” This is the pre-Process assignment, required homework for attending Process. Our pre-Process assignment is due three weeks before the start of your scheduled Process. The assignment materials take approximately 10 hours to complete. Listen to Blake Mycoskie, Toms Founder, on the Hoffman Podcast: A Deep Surrender to Spirit Quad Check: A practice to support you in checking in with all four parts of your Quadrinity: Spiritual Self, Intellect, Emotional Self, and Body. To practice Quad Checks with others, join our virtual Quad-Check at 8:00 am PT on Instagram. We also hold an Appreciation and Gratitude practice daily at 6:00 pm on Instagram. Ricola cough drops are available to students during the Process. Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree Hotel Tonight Integration Weekend It’s highly suggested that each graduate take two days after their Process to integrate the deep work they’ve done. As Madison shares, it is an important time before re-entering their lives. Gabor Mate  – Addiction Expert, Speaker, Bestselling Author •   “No Two Children Have the Same Parents” – YouTube short video “I see you and I love you.” – the Hoffman Process

Award-winning and celebrated filmmaker Jeff Orlowski-Yang is a masterful storyteller who documents the profound stories of our time. Founder and Creative Director of Exposure Labs, Jeff came to the Hoffman Process after hearing about it through many friends. One of Jeff’s friends knew a woman who was offering to pay for anyone ready to step into parenthood to attend the Process. Jeff was curious about and deeply moved by the nature of her offer. He felt there must be something important about the Process he’d heard so much about. A key theme in this conversation is the power and nature of the stories we tell. The ones we carry on our backs, feeling like we cannot let them go, even knowing they are weighing us down. The ones we tell in hopes of changing hearts and minds. And the ones we create anew in our hopes for a different future. As a documentarian, Jeff knows both how to tell a great story and to listen to others telling their story. At his Process, he was able to listen deeply to the stories being shared around the classroom by his classmates. This helped him realize the nature of the story he has carried within. In recounting his Process experience, Jeff weaves in the wisdom he’s gained from his work. He highlights the difference between communication and connection, a distinction that became clear to him while directing The Social Dilemma. And he speaks to the nature of change and how powerful stories can be great catalysts of change, both personally and collectively. We hope you enjoy this illuminating conversation with Jeff and Drew. More about Jeff Orlowski-Yang: Photo by Larissa Rhodes Jeff Orlowski-Yang is the Founder and Creative Director of Exposure Labs, a film and impact production studio that uses stories to change the world. Most recently, he directed Chasing Time (2024), a 40-minute short documentary currently screening at festivals around the world. Previously, he directed one of the most-watched documentaries on Netflix, The Social Dilemma (2020), which premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, and was nominated for seven primetime Emmy awards, winning two. He was the director, producer, and cinematographer of the award-winning feature documentaries Chasing Coral (2017) and Chasing Ice (2012), both of which screened at Congress and the United Nations and have garnered awards and accolades worldwide. Jeff has several directorial projects currently in development and continues to support other filmmakers from concept to impact campaign as an executive producer and mentor. Orlowski-Yang won the 2017 Champion of the Earth Award, the UN’s highest environmental honor, and serves on the boards of Green 2.0 and Netflix’s Sustainability Advisory Group. He has traveled on tour representing the Sundance Institute, President Obama’s Committee for the Arts and Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Arts, among many other speaking and press engagements. Jeff lives in Boulder, Colorado. Learn more about or get in touch with him at JeffOrlowski-Yang.com. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify As mentioned in this episode: eTown Studios •   Take a video tour of eTown Studios. Staten Island, New York National Geographic Magazine James Balog, National Geographic Photographer Guinness World Record •   Greenland – Largest calving event ever filmed: “CHASING ICE” Official Video Coral bleaching in Australia – Coral turns white due to heat The Adventure of Jason and the Argonauts from the Argonautica Chasing Ice Trailer at Sundance •   Nominated for an Academy Award Existential Crisis Tristan Harris – Tech ethicist and co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology (CHT). Thoreau quote, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately…” Sundance Film Festival is moving from Sundance, Utah, to Boulder, Colorado. The Unpredictable Award and Dopamine Addiction. •   Article: Hooked: The Psychology of Variable Rewards •   Article: Online Marketers Take Note Of Brains Wired For Rewards Instagram Lives: Each day, we host two Instagram Lives. Join our virtual community Quad-Check at 8:00 am PT on Instagram. A Quad Check is a practice to support you in integrating and honoring all four parts of your Quadrinity: Spiritual Self, Intellect, Emotional Self, and your Body. Join our daily Appreciation and Gratitude practice at 6:00 pm PT on Instagram. You’ll find the Appreciation and Gratitude practice to be a beautiful way to reflect on your day. This practice will support your Spiritual Self’s natural desire to appreciate and give thanks for all that life brings you.  

“We understand each other, and we are saying we share the same humanity.“ In this episode, Drew sits down just outside Shanghai with Rao Rao,  Hoffman China teacher trainee, co-founder and CEO of the Hoffman China Center, and seasoned business leader. In June of 2024, life pushed Rao Rao in the direction of Hoffman. She’d been doing healing work after a series of events that caused her to turn inward. Already immersed in the world of Vipassana meditation when she came to the Process, she was determined to end her suffering and felt that would happen if she could get to the ego-less state. But at her Process, her teacher told her she needed to be messier. That she needed to let herself grow, to speak up for herself, to do what she wants rather than what she thinks she should do. This was the beginning of her big internal transformation. Listen in to hear the beautiful, embodied stories of this transformational shift, including a moment with a hawk while seated on Guardian Rock at the Petaluma retreat site. This is exciting news about the establishment of the first Hoffman Process center in China. Rao Rao describes why there is a great need for Hoffman in China at this time. She shares that we are all the same in our capacity to feel and be present in our hearts. You can discover more about China Hoffman in this article: Hoffman Process® Launches in China.  More about Rao Rao: Rao Rao holds an M.Sc. in Management Research from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. She also holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Materials Science and Engineering from Tsinghua University. She is the co-founder and CEO of the Hoffman China Center and a Hoffman teacher trainee. She is a seasoned business leader with nearly two decades of experience in consulting, marketing, strategy, and operations across industries such as consumer goods, TMT, and internet ventures. Driven by her passion for human consciousness and organizational transformation, she transitioned from corporate leadership in 2022 to pursue this mission. Since April 2024, she has served as a consultant for Evolve Foundation Fund and has spearheaded the launch of the Hoffman Process in China. Rao Rao resides in Shanghai with her husband, Yuekui, their two daughters, Yaoyao and Nannan, and their golden hamster, Xiaobai. Listen on Apple Podcasts As mentioned in this episode: About Bo Shao: Bo Shao is a successful serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist. In 2018, he stepped away from all commercial activities to devote himself entirely to philanthropy. Bo invested his own money to start the Evolve Foundation. Evolve aims to increase the happiness of the entire society and raise the consciousness level of humanity. Hoffman teachers: Raz Ingrasci – Listen to Raz on the Hoffman Podcast: Husband, Father, Son Volker Krohn – Listen to Volker on the Hoffman Podcast: Re-Initiated Into the Family of Humanity Caroline Guan – General Manager for Evolve Institute in China More on the research done on the Hoffman Process Vipassana meditation and retreat Ego death “The way out is through.” (From the Hoffman Process Integration Manual) Guardian Rock, photo by Drew Horning Guardian Rock Hoffman Process Retreat Center, Petaluma, California Guardian Rock can be accessed by following a hiking trail up one of the hills on the site. It overlooks a stunning valley. Petaluma’s name originates from the Miwok village of Péta Lúuma, located on the banks of the Petaluma River. read more… Eagles in Petaluma, California – Bald Eagles and Golden Eagles.    

“The goal is freedom. The goal is your own happiness. The goal is joy, and it’s hard to have as much joy and lightness as you can if you’re holding onto old resentments.” Simbi Hall, Storyteller, Screenwriter, Director, and Producer, sits down with Hoffman Podcast host Sadie Hannah to share her life journey of healing. While Simbi completed the Process in 2022, her journey of self-reflection began at the age of seven, when she had her own subscription to Psychology Today. From a young age, she tried to analyze things in her head and figure things out. Somewhere within her, she felt there was something she needed to address. For Simbi, one of the main transformations at the Process was the shift in her relationship with her father. Raised by her mom, her nana (technically her step-great-grandmother), and a dog “who helped raise” her, her father was absent. Simbi felt abandoned by him. She could count on her hands the number of times she’s seen him in her life. As Simbi says, you idealize what you don’t have. She grew to resent him and what she could never have. It’s been “the homework of her life” to attempt to resolve the pain of her childhood. Her birthday is always right around Father’s Day. Each year, this has been a big trigger for Simbi. This past year, just a few years after doing the Process, Simbi had a very different birthday experience. She discovered that she had let go of her deep resentment toward her father. Listen in as Simbi shares wisdom learned from doing the homework of a lifetime. Be sure to listen for Simbi’s mic-drop moment at the end. More about Simbi Hall: Simbiat Hall is an award-winning Nigerian-American filmmaker who divides her time between LA and NYC. Born in Chicago and raised in Virginia, Simbi graduated from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts with a double major in film and dramatic writing. She is also a graduate of AFI’s “Directing Workshop for Women” and the Bill Cosby-sponsored “Guy Hanks/Marvin Miller Screenwriting Fellowship at USC. Simbi is well-known for Long Story Short (2004), Bring It! Vegas Dreams and Disney Parks’ Magical Christmas Celebration (2016). Follow Simbi on Instagram at @simbihall. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify As mentioned in this episode: Daily Buddhist Practice Buddha-nature Buddha-nature in Hoffman terms: The Spiritual Self, or the Light that’s within you. This is the foundation from which growth can evolve. The Divine Mother Positive Legacy: While much of the work of the Hoffman Process involves disconnecting from negative parental patterns, we also receive a positive legacy from our parents. This is also addressed during the 7-day retreat. Black woman tropes/stereotypes – What is Transference? A couple of great quotes from Simbi: “If you’re open and seeking, you can get guidance from a stop sign.” “If you don’t do the work, life adds Miracle-Gro to the belief systems.”    

Shirin Oreizy, engineer and coach, found herself hindered by a pattern of perfectionism as she embarked on a career transition. She’d known about the Hoffman Process for five years, but she didn’t think she needed it. When she saw the effects of this pattern of perfectionism and how it was blocking her from creating her dream and vision, she knew it was time. Concurrently, over these five years, Shirin and her husband had been on a long, painful IVF journey. At the time of her Process, Shirin was beginning to recover from the trauma of this journey and the grief of loss from four miscarriages. She was in the process of accepting that she and her husband would never be parents. Namaki During her Process, everyone knew Shirin as Namaki, which was her childhood name. Since no one in her Process knew her given name, her classmates and teachers called her Namaki. As her week at the Process unfolded, Shirin found that rekindling her relationship with Namaki was the path back to her true self and self-love. As she tells Drew: “I think what I really love about Hoffman specifically was that there’s this imprint. There’s this somatic, felt, body-sense imprint of love in me. That it will never go away; and you know, the patterns come … and I forget myself, but I have access to come back to this deep imprint of self-love.” At the Process, Shirin worked with Namaki’s moments when she felt deeply unsafe. Through this, Shirin was able to experience a “falling back into trust with my place in the world.” She realized there’s a larger arc to her life story than she had been holding onto through control. Content Warning: Before you begin, please know that this conversation contains descriptions of “reproductive trauma, loss, and grief.” Please use your discretion. More about Shirin Oreizy: My journey began as an engineer at Nvidia, where I learned the art of solving complex problems. Later, I founded and led a behavior design agency, partnering with both scrappy startups and Fortune 500 giants for two decades. Along the way, I became fascinated by how people truly transform. How real change happens within both teams and individuals. Today, I focus on coaching and speaking because I know how pivotal life’s transitions can be. My work draws on a lifelong passion for understanding what drives us as humans, shaped by years of hands-on experience with leaders, teams, and individuals. I weave together insights from a range of disciplines: Personality Profiling: Enneagram & Big Five (self-understanding and connection) Hoffman Process (healing old patterns, renewing a sense of “enough”) Neuroscience (building resilience and hope) Positive Psychology (cultivating optimism and curiosity) Behavioral Science (creating sustainable habits and agency) Conscious Leadership Group (leading with awareness and presence) Outside of coaching, I’ve shared my work on human behavior with audiences at TechCrunch Disrupt (Audience Choice Award), as a guest lecturer at NYU, Columbia, and Stanford, and as a keynote speaker at major industry events. I live in San Francisco with my husband—also a Hoffman grad—and our dog, Pickles, a Hoffman grad in spirit (he’s mastered the art of welcoming love, especially when treats are involved). We love exploring stunning landscapes around the world that challenge us physically and mentally. Since Hoffman, we’ve launched a passion project, Life of Adventure and Change, where we’re mapping out a decade of travel adventures to share with friends. Our goal is to build a community of conscious travelers who inspire each other to embrace new adventures and experiences. Learn more about Shirin at her personal website. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify As mentioned in this episode: Conscious Leadership Group •   Diana Chapman, Co-Founder •   Listen to Diana Chapman on The Hoffman Podcast: Experiencing More Heaven on Earth The Enneagram •   Enneagram type 3: “Threes try to deny their shame, and are potentially the most out of touch with underlying feelings of inadequacy. Threes learn to cope with shame by trying to become what they believe a valuable, successful person is like.” Read more about the Enneagram 3 and other types. Core shame messages •   Read more about how students work with shame at the Hoffman Process. Experts on shame on the Hoffman Podcast •   Chris Germer on the Hoffman Podcast: The Antidote to Shame •   David Bedrick on the Hoffman Podcast: Unshaming Your Shame Farsi, or the Persian language In vitro fertilization (IVF) •   Thaw, the documentary on egg freezing that Shirin participated in. Positive psychology Neuroscience The Hero’s Journey Denali National Park, Alaska •   Maintaining the Character of the Denali Park Road Beyond Mile 15 Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt quote from his Citizenship in a Republic speech given on April 23, 1910: •   The quote is from this passage called “The Man in the Arena.“ “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds;…” Read more… Shirin, her grandfather, and family:

Welcome to the podcast, Dr. Kash Trivedi, gastroenterologist, father, and Hoffman Process grad.  Kash arrived for his week at the Hoffman Process at age 50. What brought him to Hoffman was the experience of “a deep state of constant disconnectedness and anxiety.” Kash didn’t really like himself. He felt disconnected from his inner child, and nothing he did seemed to touch the pain of that. In conversation with Sadie, Kash explores his Process experiences that led to a profound healing of his relationship with his inner child. As a father to a young son, Kash’s work with his inner child led to a transformation of his relationship with his own son. Kash came to the Process for personal healing, but since graduating, he has found that much of what he learned has now flowed into his professional work. As a gastroenterologist, Kash can make the connection between holding our emotions in and a physical manifestation of that. When we heal our ability to feel, our mental health, and physical health can begin to heal. We hope you enjoy this conversation with Kash and Sadie. Thank you for listening to The Hoffman Podcast. More about Dr. Kash Trivedi: Dr. Kash Trivedi is a gastroenterologist in private practice. His interest is in the intricate relationship between the gut and the brain—how that connection contributes not only to physical symptoms but also to overall well-being. Kash completed his medical degree at the University of California, San Diego. He went on to do his fellowship training at the University of California, Irvine. With over a decade of experience in clinical medicine, he often sees how stress, trauma, and emotional health may influence gastrointestinal disease. Outside of medicine, Dr. Trivedi has long been drawn to personal growth and self-inquiry, an interest that began in his teenage years. In January 2025, he completed the Hoffman Process, which he describes as the most transformational experience of his life. Kash lives in Southern California with his wife of over 20 years and their 10-year-old son. He continues to explore how emotional and psychological insight can enrich both his personal life and professional practice. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify As mentioned in this episode: Different kinds of therapy: •   Somatic Therapy •   CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) •   EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Trauma or Stress Responses: •   Flight, Fight, Freeze, or Fawn Vipassana Meditation Retreats Jo Mattoon, Hoffman teacher and coach Listen to Jo on the Hoffman Podcast – “I Am the Driver of My Life” Shaman/Shamanism