Episodes

In this podcast, we look at how a concept of logic known as the Unity of Opposites can empower us to see the truth within us all. Host, Jeffrey Besecker explores this topic today with author, and wise sage, Troy Hadeed. In Sanskrit, the word Samhita literally means “put together; to join; union.” Yet, as humans, we often struggle to put things together. Nowhere is this more true than within our concepts surrounding truth. All of us have heard the old saying that every story has three sides, y...

In this podcast, host, Jeffrey Besecker discusses the significance of goal setting in defining one's purpose and achieving personal growth. While setting goals can be motivating, it can also lead to anxiety and unfruitful energy if not approached with balance. The podcast interviews a financial advisor and behavior coach, Chad Hufford, who recognizes that his role is more about behavior management than money management. Hufford shares his journey and highlights the importance of coaching peop...

In this episode of The Light Inside, host Jeffrey Besecker explores the importance of active listening in our increasingly polarized world. He is joined by professional communication coach, Jonathan Miller, who shares insights on how showing compassion, consideration, and thoughtfulness can lead to more authentic and engaging relationships. Discover the power of effective communication and how it can help us move beyond conflict and connect with others on a deeper level. Tune in to this though...

We all have our preferences.Everything from the clothes we wear, to the car we drive, and even our favorite flavor of ice cream. And typical of us, we each feel our preference to be the best option, not only for ourselves but for others as we. In reality, our core beliefs shape the way we view the world in many ways. This week, we also talk with neuroscientist, Dr. Mark Williams about how our beliefs shape our reality - and how we can use this knowledge to live a more fulfilling and harmonious ...

Jeffrey and Constantin discuss a range of topics related to personal growth and self-assessment. They explore the complexities of emotional regulation and the impact of social programming on our biases. They also delve into the societal and cultural factors that contribute to the over-evaluation and over-inflation of performance and the struggle with self-assessment and confidence. The conversation highlights the importance of awareness and the need to step away from our emotions to gain a more ...

In this episode, guest, Rachel Lavin and host Jeffrey Besecker, discuss healthy ego development and empowering our ego to work for us rather than against us. "I struggled with that for so long until I just got tired of the chatter. I got tired of the anguish and I got tired of feeling like I wasn't living my authentic life." -guest, author, fitness trainer, and well-being coach, Rachel Lavin The guest, Rachel, is a personal trainer, health coach, body love educator, and author of the book "Don...

Emotions. They play an essential role in creating our perceptions throughout life. They signal awareness of our current circumstances and guide our day-to-day interactions. They determine, to varying degrees, our thoughts, feelings, and interactions. Yet, for many of us, putting our thoughts and feelings into words can be particularly difficult. Naming our emotions enables more effective self-regulation by engaging various mechanisms within our emotional and physiological systems. Our guest ...

Denial. We’ve all heard that somewhat childish joke. You the one - about how ‘it’s not just a river in Egypt’. Yet, when it comes to why we blame others, we often find ourselves swimming in a river of it. And when things truly fall apart, and our ability to navigate conflict floats south… Sometimes, as things go wrong, we're often quick to point fingers. And We frequently find ourselves deflecting responsibility; offering, instead - tons of denial. When it comes to blame, many theories exist ...

Marketing Professor, Dr. Aaron Ahuvia and host, Jeffrey Besecker discussed the psychology of love and how it applies to why people love 'things', with Aaron being the first to publish empirical work on the topic. They discussed how pleasure and identity are two factors that guide people to the things they love, and how love is connected to bonding in other mammals. Aaron Ahuvia suggests that loving something is finding it to be so excellent that you want to make it part of who you are. He exp...

Constructive criticism. Why does it often seem to so hard to find clear, direct, and honest feedback - And even more so, why is it that we can be so hard on ourselves? This podcast examines the difficulties of finding constructive criticism and how deconstructive criticism can lead to negative feedback loops, so-called demoralizing situations. The host looks at pattern interruption as a tool to break free from negativity, and also considers the triggers of self-loathing such as trauma, perfect...

Manuj Aggarwal was an exceptionally brilliant and vibrant child. Burdened by a family history of mental illness, he searches for a new lease on life by unlocking the source of his childhood wounds and reclaiming his inner authority to restore balance and abundance throughout his life. “By understanding the wounded child and its roots, we can gain insights into the emotional landscape guiding us all.” - Manuj Aggarwal My special guest is: Manuj Aggarwal Manuj Aggarwal is a shining example of o...

-Uncertainty. We’ve all felt it within our day-to-day lives. It manifests itself in a variety of ways, such as feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and stressed due to the lack of control we have over certain situations. Whether swimming in the mixed sea of thoughts and feelings as we awaiting the results of a health diagnosis, or anxiously hanging to the hopes of a job offer We can experience uncertainty; throughout our lives - It surfaces within our relationships, our finances, our job security - o...

In this episode, Clarissa, a 36 year old hairdresser from a small Midwestern town, struggles to find her place in the world amidst her family's criticism and judgements while navigating the power dynamics of experiential rationalization. Self-doubt. We often wear her blanket of insecurity like a well-worn and bloodied shield. Her insidious torment, a thunderous echoing in our ears. You have probably heard them - the millions of questions that sometimes filter through our mental framing as we co...

Our individual pursuit of growth and excellence does not always equate to joy, due to regular responses, beliefs and self-doubt. Today we learned that Hedonic adaptation, on the surface - can be beneficial. Yet taken to extremes, can lead to emotional dysregulation and destructive coping mechanisms. Judging our emotions can influence our psychological well-being, inhibiting our ability to effectively move away from dissatisfaction. Therefore, the trap of the hedonic treadmill creates anxiety, ob...

When Allen Klein, spurred on by the power of intention and the awe of childhood, sets out to march in the Macy's Day Parade, he discovers that life's greatest wonders can be found in unexpected places. "If you can't find the humor, that may be the second best thing you can do. Try to be positive about what's happening. Right, so the dictionary, if you look it up, one of the definitions, it's reverence mixed with fear and wonder." Allen Klein is a former set designer and author of multiple books...

In this episode, we’re exploring the Complex Relationship between Food, Emotions, and Society with Dr. Marcella Raimondo. Marcella is a psychologist who specializes in eating disorders while creating body and food liberation through social justice. Armed with her B.A. from UC Berkeley, and Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of Michigan. Marcella’s desire to address eating disorders drove her to pursue her doctorate in clinical psychology. Until 2005 she worked with About-Face,...

Having experienced both direct and indirect verbal and non-verbal abuse in a narcissistic relationship, Angela Myer became determined to learn how to make rational choices and avoid regrets. She discovers the End Game technique, a powerful tool for protecting herself from emotional abuse, gaslighting, and identity erosion. In our last episode, author, wellness coach, and motivational speaker, Angela Myer, Shared how to uncover the Secret to Stopping Verbal abuse that Arises from Narcissistic Ab...

Having experienced both direct and indirect verbal and non-verbal abuse in a narcissistic relationship, Angela Myer became determined to learn how to make rational choices and avoid regrets. She discovers the End Game technique, a powerful tool for protecting herself from emotional abuse, gaslighting, and identity erosion. "When you really love someone, you think before you speak and you pick your words wisely. When you're being destructive and you're using words that are damaging, you can't ta...

Narcissism. Maybe it's one of the most misunderstood psychological disorders of modern society. It is with an increased frequency, we hear such refrains - “He was a total narcissist”—but was he? What does that really mean? And are these assumptions often correct? We’ve all experienced difficult relationships - from our significant others to our boss at work. In the relationship FOG of narcissistic, abusive, or other toxic behaviors - feelings of paralysis, anxiety, depression, confus...

Pain. Our emotional reactivity frequently causes it to surface as the emotional turmoil we feel. You’ve perhaps heard this clique, and often worn phrase - “We can’t grow without pain; or maybe - it’s discomfort”? But, what if we can and DO…frequently grow; in states that exist free of this existentially created and self-inflicted state of pain and suffering? "If you're feeling helpless, frustrated, and overwhelmed as you try to navigate the complexities of your autonomic nervous system." Desp...

When J. Stamatelos confronted his anxious insecurity; he discovered the underlying power of self-acceptance and the vicious cycle of validating oneself through the love and acceptance of others - creating a central conflict between self-validation and external validation. Courage. Perhaps it is the virtue that enables the existence of all others. True virtue is knowing the self - not by intellectual knowledge - but by pure silence. Seeing things with new eyes requires courage and uncertainty. Y...

2022. -- What a year, what an amazing journey, and what a fascinatingly thought-provoking ride. We couldn't have been more thrilled to share that ride with you; yet now, we turn our eyes toward, a new year and new chapters. But first, we hope to share a little insight with this mindful reminder... Every new year we do it - relentlessly piling more and more on our plates. It’s really exhausting, is it not? More to-do-lists. More goals. Bigger and better aspirations. Why? Because we are more-...