Circle This

In this episode, Dre sits down with former LAPD officer Lyndon Barber for a conversation about policing, loneliness, vulnerability, nervous systems, and what happens when people trained to suppress emotion are finally given permission to speak honestly. They explore how council-based practices (think circle) are transforming law enforcement from the inside out. A 16-year veteran of the LAPD, including years in gang enforcement, Lyndon opens up about the hidden emotional toll of law enforcement, the "hero complex" inside police culture, surviving thyroid cancer in isolation, and the moment a council circle cracked something open in him. Lyndon now helps lead the POWER Program through Beyond Us & Them, bringing emotional regulation, mindfulness, and human connection into police units, prisons, and communities across the country. What started as a training he thought looked "cultish" became a practice that transformed the way he leads, listens, regulates stress, and relates to both his fellow officers and the communities he serves. Together, Dre and Lyndon explore: how circles dissolve labels and uniforms… why so many officers are silently struggling… how mindfulness can de-escalate violence in real time… and what becomes possible when people stop talking at each other and start listening human to human. Join Dre and Lyndon for an in person / CoEd Community Connection Circle at the Den Meditation Center in Los Angeles. Sunday June 14th, 9:45am. Sign up via link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/soulful-sundays-the-london-weho-los-angeles-community-connection-circle-tickets-1987745089070 Follow: @beyondusandthem Learn more: Beyond Us & Them -- Stay connected with the Circle This team: @andreabendewald @circlethispodcast @emkratter @goodmessmedia @talkwithtrace For sponsorship inquiries, email: [email protected]

In this episode, Dre sits down with death midwife, interfaith minister, mystic, and founder of Sacred Crossings, Olivia Bareham, for a conversation about death, grief, presence, and what it truly means to care for one another. What began for Olivia during the AIDS crisis eventually became a lifelong devotion to helping people move through death with honesty, tenderness, dignity, and love. Together, they explore what our death-phobic culture avoids and what becomes possible when we stop looking away and remember we know how to be with death. They talk about being present at the bedside of the dying, home funerals, conscious grieving, staying connected to loved ones who have passed, and why death may be one of our greatest teachers. This conversation is open, grounding, unexpectedly life-affirming, and filled with wisdom about how to live with more presence now rather than with regrets at the end. Dre also shares her own experience currently training with Olivia in death doula work — and how this path is changing the way she understands grief, community, and the sacredness of being human. If you've ever lost someone, feared loss, avoided grief, or wondered how to better show up for the people you love… this episode will offer you much to contemplate. Follow: @sacred_crossings Learn More At: https://sacredcrossings.com/ -- Stay connected with the Circle This team: @andreabendewald @circlethispodcast @emkratter @goodmessmedia @talkwithtrace For sponsorship inquiries, email: [email protected]

In this episode, Dre sits down with powerhouse actress/producer Constance Zimmer and filmmaker Abby Epstein, the collaborators behind The Midlife Monologues, for a conversation that goes straight to what's rarely said out loud and what needs to be heard. They talk about the reality of midlife as it actually lands: identity shifts, grief, hormonal changes, loneliness, and the disorientation of becoming someone new without a roadmap. And then, the flip side, how powerful women in midlife actually are and are taking matters into their own hands when it comes to representation. What began as one shared truth has grown into a body of work that invites women to speak without performance or pretense. From Dressing Room Confessions to their expanding projects, they're creating spaces where honesty breaks the silence—and real information is shared. This conversation moves through what happens when we stop editing ourselves… how shame dissolves when it's spoken… and why even one person saying "I see you" can change everything. It's not just about midlife. It's about owning your voice, sharing your truth and what opens when we do it together. Follow: @constancezimmer, @abbyepsteinxoxo, @midlifemonologues, @mlifecollective, @talkfiftytome Learn More: https://themidlifecollective.co/ -- Stay connected with the Circle This team: @andreabendewald @circlethispodcast @emkratter @goodmessmedia @talkwithtrace For sponsorship inquiries, email: [email protected]

In this episode, Dre sits down with journalist and News Not Noise founder Jessica Yellin for a conversation about how to stay informed without losing yourself in the process. From her time as Chief White House Correspondent at CNN to now speaking directly to millions from her living room, Jessica shares the real story behind her evolution and the isolation, pressure, and purpose that came with it. They get into the real impact of the 24/7 news cycle on the body, the mind, and the nervous system and why so many of us feel overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure what's even true anymore. Jessica shares her concept of a "news diet," how algorithms are shaping our reality, and why uncertainty isn't failure, it's part of being awake in a complex world. Together, they unpack: -why "heart-centered news" is a radical shift -how to build a news diet that supports your nervous system -why local connection—not more information—may be the real antidote to the loneliness epidemic Jessica offers a powerful reminder: you don't need to know everything in real time—but you do get to choose how you engage. Follow: @JessicaYellin Substack: https://newsnotnoisejessicayellin.substack.com/ Learn More At: https://newsnotnoise.com/ -- Stay connected with the Circle This team: @andreabendewald @circlethispodcast @emkratter @talkwithtrace @goodmessmedia For sponsorship inquiries, email: [email protected]

In this episode, Dre and Em follow the thread of signs, synchronicities, and the moments that feel too precise to be random. From a spontaneous "Sing with Emily" exchange echoed by a billboard, to ladybugs showing up at pivotal life and creative moments, to standing on the exact New York corner described in a voice note as it plays—they track the patterns that blur the line between coincidence and connection. They break down the difference between signs and synchronicity (a term coined by Carl Jung), and explore insights from Laura Lynne Jackson on where these messages may come from—whether universal energy, spirit guides, or loved ones who have crossed. Regardless of where the signs originate, they have a playful conversation about the meaning and the magic of it all. -- Stay connected with the Circle This team: @andreabendewald @circlethispodcast @emkratter @goodmessmedia @talkwithtrace For sponsorship inquiries: [email protected]