Episode Details

In this episode, Jenny is joined by Brad Chapin, Director of Clinical Services at Stormont-Vail HealthCare in Topeka, Kansas, a behavioral health expert, to discuss self-regulation and its impact on personal and professional life. They explore the importance of recognizing and managing emotional triggers, the role of belief systems in defining threats, and the significance of intentional actions in achieving emotional regulation. Brad shares insights from his work with educators and healthcare professionals, emphasizing the need for practical skills to manage stress and improve mental health. The conversation also touches on the challenges and setbacks in these fields, the importance of creativity and resilience, and the potential for systemic change through localized efforts and community involvement. Brad’s latest book on self-regulation for educators is highlighted, with plans for a more mainstream version in the future. The episode concludes with a message of hope and the importance of taking proactive steps to improve personal and communal well-being.

Welcome Back to Brad Chapin

Jenny:

Welcome to The Gravity Well, where you break down heavy ideas into small buckets you can handle. Your mission is simple. Help us work through your dilemmas in conversation and process. Together you and your community will face your dilemmas and make the world a better place. In the spirit of truth, I acknowledge I’m a settler. Today I am on stolen Treaty Six Territory in the ancestral and traditional territory of the Cree, Dene, Blackfoot, Soto, Nakota Sioux, and Metis Region Three. I take reconciliation by seeking the wisdom of elders and individuals who aim to restore water, air, land, life, or community. A healthy living relationship with the earth and each other is our guide.

Hi, Brad. Today I am joined by Brad Chapin. For those of you who follow the podcast, Brad was our second guest and helped us understand what behavioral health and safety looks like, or self-regulation training.

Jenny:

The reason why I started with Brad is because I met a woman by the name of Mary Gordy, who introduced me to Brad’s work. It resonated with me because I think one of the things I’ve experienced, especially from being somebody who worked in the oil and gas industry, and now an environmental advocate, there are a lot of beliefs that come into play. Regardless of relationships, those beliefs can sometimes prevail. And as you explained in our last meeting, if you have those strong beliefs, they can influence how you behave and what you perceive as a threat. I’m going to reflect a little bit on what I took away from your work and what’s carried forward for me.

For one, Alex and I, we’ll often refer to the phrase vague advice, and I find that at home with my husband, as well. We’ll be discussing something important to us and one will say, “Oh, you should just do this or this.” That’s very vague advice. Can you be specific about what I’m doing that’s, say, triggering you? I would say it comes up once a week. I’m quite aware of it now. I feel that’s something that you brought forward for me. The other piece is just being able to recognize when I am triggered. When my “fight or flight” system is engaged, and again for my spouse, as well. We can say, we can have these conversations of “My fight or flight system kicked in and this is what happened.” It’s just being able to, as Mary said, identify that and see it in real time is powerful. Especially in the topics that we’re carrying out in this discussion that we’re having.

Addressing a worldwide transition of social and ecological reform is not a small undertaking, but it’s through conversation that we’re going to be able to come together and eventually make some big changes together. Is there anything from our first conversation that you would like to offer or anything just from your work that you’ve been looking at recently that’s different for you? Is there an