Practicing Connection
Improve your resilience and readiness in a rapidly changing world.
Jessica Beckendorf and Bob Bertsch host this exploration of personal and collective practices that empower us to work together to help each other, our families, and our communities improve our resilience and readiness.
Episodes
93 episodes
Habit Stacking
In this episode of Practicing Connection, Coral talks about Habit Stacking, a practice that can help you adopt new habits by pairing them with existing ones. Learn more about this adaptable practice that can help you change your behavi...
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Season 6
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Episode 3
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11:05
Easy Priority Setting with the Wheel of Life
In this episode of Practicing Connection, Jessica introduces the Wheel of Life as a simple tool to help set priorities and find balance by identifying areas that need attention. Discover how this practice encourages intentionality, mak...
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Season 6
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Episode 2
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14:04
New Year, New Co-host
In this episode, Jessica Beckendorf introduces Coral Owen as the new co-host of Practicing Connection. They reflect on their journey working together, share insights into the podcast’s evolution, and discuss the importance of consistent small p...
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Season 6
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Episode 1
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12:41
Strategies for Navigating Challenging Conversations
In this episode of Practicing Connection, Bob and Jessica discuss the importance of navigating challenging conversations. Jessica introduces a practical activity designed to help manage emotions and foster constructive dialogue, whether in pers...
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Season 5
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Episode 52
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16:05
Letting Go to Make Room for Growth
In this practicast, inspired by Heather Plett’s book The Art of Holding Space, Bob Bertsch shares a practice for letting go of something to create space for new possibilities. Our co-creator for this episode was our OneOp colleague, Kr...
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Season 5
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Episode 51
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13:58
The Power of Connection, Reflection, and Evolution with Bob Bertsch
In this episode, Jessica Beckendorf and Bob Bertsch reflect on Bob’s time as co-host and his transition to a new role as national project leader for OneOp. Together, they revisit key moments from the Practicing Connection podcast, shar...
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Season 5
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Episode 50
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28:02
Reflections on Connection, Collaboration, and Finding Inspiration
This is our annual Reflections episode, where we invite some of our podcast collaborators from the past year to share their reflections with us. Why? Because at the heart of meaningful connection, communication, and collaboration is the ongoing...
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Season 5
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Episode 49
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25:45
Inviting Innovation Through Creative Destruction
Explore how inviting creative destruction can pave the way for innovation. In this practicast, Jessica shares a fun and insightful practice inspired by the Liberating Structures TRIZ activity, guiding listeners to identify and eliminate counter...
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Season 5
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Episode 48
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12:15
The Power of Listening to Cultivate Deep Respect for People
Explore practical ways to cultivate deep respect in your personal and professional interactions. This practicast introduces “1-2-4-All,” a practice rooted in community development principles, designed to amplify every voice and promote meaningf...
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Season 5
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Episode 47
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12:40
The Welcome Wagon: Cultivating a Welcoming Environment
Discover practical ways to create more welcoming and inclusive environments in your personal and professional life. The episode introduces "The Welcome Wagon," a simple practice inspired by community development principles, offering steps for p...
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Season 5
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Episode 46
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16:21
Strengthening Military Community Connections with Amy Rodick
Amy Rodick, Director of the Office of Military Family Readiness and Policy for the Department of Defense, joins the podcast to discuss the importance of community connections and how service providers and families can contribute to a stronger M...
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Season 5
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Episode 45
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19:01
Leading with Purpose: Allyship and Leadership in DEI
In this episode, Jessica is joined by Dr. Anne Phibbs, founder and president of Strategic Diversity Initiatives. With over 25 years of experience in advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion goals, Anne shares her insights on finding your voic...
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Season 5
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Episode 44
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27:38
Creating a Culture of Accountability: Strategies for DEI Success
In this episode, Jessica is joined by Dr. Anne Phibbs, founder and president of Strategic Diversity Initiatives. With over 25 years of experience in advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion goals, Anne shares her insights on building accounta...
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Season 5
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Episode 43
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32:07
Harnessing Emotional Intelligence for Effective Allyship
This episode dives into a powerful tool for effective allyship: emotional intelligence. Join us as we explore how understanding and managing our emotions can enhance our ability to support and advocate for others. With insights from Dr. Anne Ph...
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Season 5
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Episode 42
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38:42
From Awareness to Action: Practicing Allyship
In this episode of Practicing Connection, Jessica and Dr. Anne Phibbs discuss social identities, privilege, and allyship. They explore how social identities are shaped by social forces and the importance of terms like ‘marginalized’ and ‘underr...
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Season 5
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Episode 41
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31:00
DEI in 2024: Change, Pushback, and Hope with Dr. Anne Phibbs
How has the conversation around diversity, equity, and inclusion evolved since 2019?In this thought-provoking conversation, Dr. Anne Phibbs, Founder and President of Strategic Diversity Initiatives, ex...
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Season 5
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Episode 40
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40:54
Applying Systems Thinking to Local Issues
In this episode, Bob and Jessica explore the value of using a systems lens in community work, highlighting the interconnected factors that influence local development. Jessica reflects on her experiences working with different groups on...
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Season 5
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Episode 39
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17:46
Balancing the Big Picture with the Small
In this episode of the Practicing Connection podcast, hosts Jessica and Bob explore the concept of balancing the "big picture" with "small actions" in their work and personal lives. The episode delves into a practice inspir...
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Season 5
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Episode 38
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13:47
Leveraging the Community Assets to Support Military Families
In this episode of the Practicing Connection podcast, hosts Jessica and Bob explore the Community Capitals Framework, a powerful tool from community development that can enhance your work with military families. They discuss how this framework,...
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Season 5
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Episode 37
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17:52
Communicating Across Generations with Corie Weathers
Multigenerational communication is important for military leaders and family service providers.In this episode, we talk about how to communicate across generations with Corie Weathers, author of
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Season 5
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Episode 36
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36:40
Empathy in Action: A Framework for Support
In this episode, Bob and Jessica explore a powerful tool designed to deepen your connection with others—empathy mapping. Whether you're working with military families, service members, or anyone navigating life's challenges, this practice can h...
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Season 5
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Episode 35
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13:49
Preparing for Challenging Conversations
Navigating conversation about difficult topics, like money, can be daunting. In this episode, Bob and Jessica help you turn those tricky conversations into opportunities for growth and understanding. Jessica introduces the “Hopes and Concerns” ...
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Season 5
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Episode 34
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16:05
How Beliefs and Values Shape Our Work
In this episode, join us in exploring how our beliefs and values shape our work, with a focus on financial attitudes and personal reflection. Research shows that investing in self-awareness can really build a foundation that allows service prov...
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Season 5
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Episode 33
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16:35
Improve Your Feedback with Gratitude and Vulnerability
Discover the transformative power of feedback. Hosts Bob Bertsch and Jessica Beckendorf explore the nuances of giving and receiving feedback, emphasizing its role in personal and professional growth. Jessica shares a practical readiness checkli...
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Season 5
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Episode 32
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14:28
Feeding Military Families with Stronghold Food Pantry CEO Monica Bassett
In this episode, co-hosts Jessica Beckendorf and Bob Bertsch talk with Monica Bassett, founder and CEO of Stronghold Food Pantry, a resource for military families on Fort Leavenworth in Kansas. Monica talks about how she started a food pantry o...
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Season 5
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Episode 31
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32:12