Most of us spend our lives running away from hard things. But what if we intentionally turned around to run toward something that is equal parts difficult and worthwhile? This week, Dr. Michael Brown and Dr. Beau Johnson reflect on their journeys as foster parents of a collective twenty-eight children over the past twenty years.

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• BJ

We could all benefit from the advice to stop talking so much. This week, Dr. Michael Brown and Casey Greenawalt do their best not to interrupt each other in this conversation about the key to healthy communication.

If every encounter with another human being is sacred, why don’t we create opportunities for more of those encounters to take place? This week, Dr. Michael Brown and Dr. Tyler Schwanz consider how to invite and include the stranger, acquaintance, and friend-of-a-friend.

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• TS

Early voting is officially open for two major issues on the Ohio ballot – abortion access (Issue 1) and the legalization of marijuana (Issue 2). This week, Dr. Michael Brown and family medicine resident physician Dr. Justin Brown have a thoughtful and nuanced conversation about justice, autonomy, and what it looks like to change our minds.

Are you liberal or conservative? Good or bad? In or out? This week, Dr. Michael Brown and life design coach David Denison encourage us to retire unhelpfully divisive thinking in a variety of areas in life.

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• DD

The most important prerequisite to becoming fully alive is to be… alive. This week, Dr. Michael Brown opens up about his physical health, and Dr. Justin Brown offers his tips for living as healthy as possible for as long as possible.

What if submitting a formal report was not an act of cowardice but of courage, not an act of retaliation but of reconciliation? This week, Dr. Michael Brown and Dr. Justin Brown encourage us to lean into difficult conversations and offer an alternative for when we fail to speak up.

Environmental justice is about so much more than pandas and pollution. This week, Martha Chandran-Dickerson joins Dr. Michael Brown as she broadens our vision and deepens our understanding of the connection between daily decisions, climate change, and vulnerable communities.

How do we respond to the fear and frustration at the intersection of the personal and political? Prompted by the Supreme Court’s draft decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Dr. Michael Brown and Amy Seiffert share how a commitment to compassion in the face of complexity can deepen our connection to others.

There is such tension surrounding conversations of equality because they often lead to uncomfortable questions with apparent but uncomfortable answers. This week, Dr. Michael Brown and Barb Roose help us make the essential connection between what we value and how we live.

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• BR

It can be really challenging to move on when we’ve experienced pain, loss, and difficulty in life. This week, Dr. Michael Brown and small business owner DeAnte Shivers explore how to live with perseverance even in the midst of grief.

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• DS

The immeasurable value of each human being is made clearer when we share our personal narratives and elevate the stories of others. This week, Amy Seiffert and Martha Chandran-Dickerson have an honest and nuanced conversation about history, empathy, and healing.