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
81 episodes
From Networking to Meaningful Connections: Learning Together
Professional development isn’t just about the content - it’s about the people.Whether it’s a quick follow-up question, a shared takeaway, or an invitation to debrief, connecting with others during a learning event can spark fre...
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Episode 35
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7:49
Military Kids and Public Schools: Finding Common Ground Together. With Mark Paolicelli and Dulce Carrillo
When a redistricting proposal put military children’s routines at risk, two communities came together, transforming crisis into collaboration. Discover how a proactive partnership made all the difference.Jessica Beckendorf welcome...
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Episode 34
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42:12
Turn Learning into Action with "Spark, Shift, Share" Notetaking
Do you ever sit through a workshop, scribble endless notes, and then never look at them again? Discover a notetaking method that helps you capture what matters - and actually use it. Get ready to spark ideas, shift your mi...
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Episode 33
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10:19
Meaningful Growth: How to Make the Most Out of Every Learning Opportunity
Are you tired of leaving conferences or trainings feeling overloaded - like you missed what mattered most? Today, we reveal a simple, powerful practice that can turn every professional development opportunity into meaningf...
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Episode 32
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11:48
The Mid-Year Check-In: Reflect, Recalibrate, Recommit
Are you moving through the year on autopilot, or making the most of your intentions? Take a purposeful pause with us with this guided mid-year check-in designed to help you reflect on the year’s journey so far, realign your goals, and reset ...
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Episode 31
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11:34
Easy Priority Setting with the Wheel of Life
Coming out of summer vacation? The Wheel of Life helps you find your focus and structure again, and sort through the to-do list!In this replay episode of Practicing Connection, originally published in January, 2025, hosts...
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Episode 30
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15:35
Partnering on Early Education for Military Kids
The collaboration you'll hear about in this episode not only filled a critical gap for military families, but also strengthened the bonds between the base and the local community. In this replay episode, originally published ...
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Episode 29
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39:08
Improve Your Feedback with Gratitude and Vulnerability
Feedback, when it's done well, can energize, motivate and strengthen our relationships - whether at work, at home, or in our communities. But it's not always easy.In this replay episode from early 2024, hosts Bo...
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Episode 28
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16:11
The Power of Care: Building Trust That Lasts
What if the most powerful way to build trust was also the simplest: showing genuine care for others’ concerns and interests? This week, we’ll share two easy practices you can use right away to make care the foundation of e...
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Episode 27
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14:35
Clarify Your Capabilities: Building Trust Through Competence
Did you know that trust isn’t just about what you can do, but also about how honest you are about your limits? This week, we’ll share a simple practice to help you build trust through clarity, confidence, and communication...
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Episode 26
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11:00
Reliability in Action: Why Clear Requests Matter
Have you ever felt let down by someone who didn’t follow through - or realized you misunderstood what was asked of you? This episode reveals why reliability starts with clear requests, and how a few mindful tweaks to your commun...
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Episode 25
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11:02
Practicing Sincerity - Say What You Mean
Ever left a conversation wishing you’d said what you really meant? This week, we’ll show you a simple practice to help you notice - and close - the gap between your true thoughts and your spoken words, so you can build tru...
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Episode 24
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9:53
Trust as a Practice: Lessons from the Experts, with Charles Feltman and Ila Edgar
What if trust wasn’t just a feeling, but a set of skills you could build, repair, and strengthen - on purpose? In this special episode of Practicing Connection, hosts Jessica Beckendorf and Coral Owen sit down with Charles Fe...
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Episode 23
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36:39
Plan With Purpose: The POP Framework for Effective Meetings
What if every meeting you planned had a clear purpose, a focused outcome, and left everyone energized instead of drained? Today, we’ll show you a simple framework to make every gathering count.Tired of meetings that go nowhere?&nb...
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Episode 22
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14:27
Planning for Possibilities: A Perspective-Shifting Practice
What if you could quiet the ‘what-ifs’ and help your team face tough decisions with clarity and confidence? Today, we’re sharing a simple scenario planning practice that brings perspective to uncertainty-so you can plan for w...
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Episode 21
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10:57
Navigate Transitions with Both/And Thinking
Are you feeling stuck in an either/or mindset during challenging transitions?Discover how both/and thinking can help you lead with flexibility and compassion. In today's practice, Coral guides us through a trans...
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Episode 20
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10:54
Build Team Cohesion with "Hippopotamus Days"
What if a single phrase could transform your team’s understanding and support for each other on tough days? Discover how “Hippopotamus Days” can build connection, understanding, and trust - one inside joke at a time.
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Episode 19
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11:34
Temperature Checks for Change: Staying Grounded Through Uncertainty
When change is the only constant, how do you keep yourself - and your team - grounded and connected? In this episode, we explore simple, powerful check-in practices that help leaders and teams navigate uncertainty with empathy, awareness, an...
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Episode 18
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11:05
Leading Through Change: How to Stay Aligned and Present
Are you leading your team the way you truly want to? Or just reacting to the pressures of the moment? Discover how a simple reflection can help you align your intentions with your actions and become the emotionally intelli...
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Episode 17
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7:19
Adventure-Ready: Strengthening Military Families Through Teen Camps
Looking for a way to empower military families while fostering resilience and connection? Join us as we explore the transformative Military Teen Adventure Camps, where service member parents and teens bond through adrenali...
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Episode 16
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42:26
A Compass for Building Compassion Resilience
Today's practice is such a simple reflection, but is also really powerful and eye-opening when you notice those areas where you are feeling fatigue, and can identify what to do about it. Coral joins Jessica in this episode to...
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Episode 15
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11:20
Policy, Practice, and Compassion in Mental Health, with Dr. Keita Franklin
How can policymakers and frontline providers collaborate to transform mental health care for service members and veterans? Dr. Keita Franklin is here to share 25 years of insights - from data-driven policy to personal resi...
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Season 6
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Episode 14
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36:43
Say Yes to Yourself: Build Compassion Resilience with Healthy Boundaries
Struggling to balance caring for others with caring for yourself? In this episode of Practicing Connection, we explore how setting compassionate boundaries can help you maintain your well-being while supporting militar...
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Season 6
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Episode 13
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9:29
Building Your Compassion Resilience
Do you sometimes feel drained by the emotional demands of your work? In this episode of Practicing Connection, we explore compassion resilience - the ability to care deeply while protecting your own ...
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Season 6
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Episode 12
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8:59
More than a Meal: Building Community and Resilience, with Chef Mary Long
Do you ever wonder how a kitchen can become a hub for resilience and connection? In this episode of Practicing Connection, Jessica is joined by special co-host Bethany Daugherty, who both sit down with Chef Mary Long, a cul...
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Season 6
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Episode 11
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42:49