The OurVoice Podcast with Reena Merchant

Christina Pate is a PhD psychologist and founder of Wellness Wayfinder. Christina also works for an education nonprofit and spends time consulting with state and local agencies. Her work involves topics such as social and emotional development, education, personal well-being, organizational climate/culture and more. On this episode of The OurVoice Podcast, host Reena Merchant and guest Christina Pate discuss transformation. Christina shares her thoughts on how we can support powerful transformation in our personal lives and create authentic cultures at work.

Cherie Healey helps people love, lead, and light the way for a better world. She centers her coaching around wellbeing, connection, and self awareness, and creates the conditions for all to succeed. On this episode of The OurVoice Podcast, host Reena Merchant chats with Cherie about the gifts we each have to give the world. Finding our purpose is all about identifying these gifts, but the bigness of this idea can seem overwhelming at times. They discuss how we can even begin to identify what our purpose is, and how we can balance the desire to give, with the need to take care of ourselves.

On this episode of The OurVoice Podcast, host Reena Merchant discusses how meditation has changed her life. She shares how it can help us find and trust ourselves, and in turn boost our self confidence. Reena has recorded a guided meditation called TRUST, which she also shares in this episode.

Chris Tompkins is a teacher, TEDx speaker, spiritual life coach, and LGBTQ advocate. He believes all kids are the future and teaches social-emotional learning throughout Southern California. On this episode of The OurVoice Podcast, host Reena Merchant chats with Chris about his upcoming book Raising LGBTQ Allies: A Parent's Guide to Changing the Messages from the Playground. They discuss how childhood conditioning defines our sense of belonging and acceptance through adulthood. Chris shares his thoughts on how we can better support children from a young age, and create a world where everyone is accepted.

Kat Vellos is an esteemed UX designer and speaker. She is an expert on the topic of connection, and has authored two books about building strong, authentic connections with others, We Should Get Together and Connected From Afar. On this episode of The OurVoice Podcast, host Reena Merchant and guest Kat discuss connection. Kat and Reena talk about building deep and honest friendships, how to navigate awkwardness, fear, and shyness, how to establish boundaries, and what to do when connections end.