What if the key to better health, deeper connections, and a more fulfilling life is actually doing hard things? In this enlightening and often humorous conversation, Dr. Scott Lyons sits down with Jeff Krasno, founder of Commune and Wanderlust, who transformed his health and life by embracing discomfort rather than avoiding it. Five years ago, Jeff was 65-70 pounds heavier and facing a diabetes diagnosis when he discovered the power of "good stress" - the kind that makes you stronger, more resilient, and more connected to others.

Jeff shares his remarkable journey from being a "chubby kid" constantly relocating (11-12 times before age seven) to becoming what Scott calls "the fascia of community" - a super connector who brings people together. His childhood struggles to fit in across different countries and languages eventually became his superpower, leading him to create spaces where others could belong. Through his personal health transformation and spiritual awakening, Jeff discovered that chronic dis-ease is often the result of chronic ease - and that leaning into discomfort might be exactly what we need.

From cold plunges and fasting to facilitating difficult conversations between Israeli and Palestinian students, Jeff reveals how embracing "good stress" can transform not just our physical health but our relationships and spiritual lives. As he beautifully puts it: "The true wonderful ease that we're looking for requires a degree of inconvenience."

• How chronic ease leads to chronic disease
• The concept of "good stress" and hormetic stressors (cold, heat, fasting)
• Jeff's protocol that helped him lose 65 pounds and reverse diabetes
• Building a "psychological immune system" through difficult conversations
• The spiritual dimensions of practices like fasting and cold exposure
• Finding the space between stimulus and response as the key to personal freedom
• Why true ease comes from meaningful connection, not comfort

Have you ever felt lost in the vast wilderness of relationships, chasing a trail of breadcrumbs, hoping they might show you the way? Have you ever wondered if there’s a reliable map, maybe a magical compass, to navigate through the complex dance of partnership without sacrificing a piece of yourself in the process? Or just asked yourself… “What is a healthy relationship, and how do I maintain it?”

In today’s episode, Dr. Scott sits down with therapist, facilitator, and coach, Dené Logan as they explore the rich terrain of relationships. With her nuanced approach blending depth psychology and a profound understanding of human connection, Dené illuminates the journey of self-nurturing and building genuine bonds. As we embark on the quest of understanding the three pillars of peak connection, she shares her insights on the true essence of couples therapy, the keystones of a flourishing relationship, and the difficult but rewarding work of reparenting ourselves.

From the power of embracing your true self and spotting your tribe to the art of balancing in relationships, join us as we journey deep into the relational landscape.

Topics We Break Down:

• Nurturing through strength-based approaches.
• Constructing thriving relationships.
• Graceful relational transitions.
• Avoiding romantic reparenting.
• Navigating breadcrumbing in dating.
• Unpacking harmful pedestal placement.
• Exploring evolving definitions of love.

“Ah, meditation and yoga, what a beautiful place to hide.”

-Scott’s ex-therapist

While there’s no denying that mindfulness can be a powerful tool, is it the answer to all of our problems, or is it really just a game of playing hide-and-seek from ourselves? In this episode Dr. Scott and Dr. Sará hilariously break down the complexity of mindfulness- differentiating toxic positivity and splashy bypassing from a path of profound connection to oneself and the full spectrum of human experiences.

Dr. Scott and Dr. Sará lead by example, demonstrating how play can help you break free from the bondage of trauma as they approach this episode and life with full-on childhood curiosity and a willingness to let life unfold, providing you with the magic sauce of empowerment and deep healing.

If you’re looking for the kind of mindfulness that cultivates the resilience needed to be in the dance of life and feel a deep sense of belonging to the world while at the same time making you laugh so hard you pee (and question whether mindfulness and bladder control are related) - this episode of The Gently Used Human is for you.

Topics we break down:

• Trauma bonding.
• The importance of play.
• Healing intergenerational trauma.
• Interdependence.
• Harmful narratives of the wellness industry.
• The shadow side of mindfulness.

Connect with Dr. Sará King

Dr. Sará King is a Mother, neuroscientist, political and learning scientist, education philosopher, social-entrepreneur, public speaker, and certified yoga and mindfulness meditation instructor. She is also the co-director of Mobius, a home for the development of Liberatory Technology, and the founder of MindHeart Collective, a contemplative tech company that she founded to develop AI-integrated platforms, applications, and courses grounded in neuroscience, “The Science of Social Justice” framework and the “Systems Based Awareness Map” (SBAM) which she developed to explore our capacity to heal intergenerational trauma and promote the well-being of "collective nervous systems" by promoting and mapping loving-awareness. In 2021, she was named “One-To-Watch” by Mindful Magazine, as well as she made the November cover of Yoga Journal Magazine as a “Game Changer” for her work bridging neuroscience, social justice and contemplative practices. In 2022, she was also named one of the "10 Most Powerful Women in Mindfulness" by Mindful Magazine.

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