Épisodes

  • Tension brings us closer, with Elizabeth Oldfield
    Feb 23 2026
     Elizabeth Oldfield is a writer, coach and host of the podcast The Sacred, who has dedicated her work to exploring clarity, courage and most of all, connection. And yet – her latest book Fully Alive dives into the seven deadly sins. That’s because Elizabeth believes that sins like pride, greed and wrath, are what break our connection to others. So maybe understanding how these sins are so destructive to our lives might just be a key to becoming more fully alive.  In this conversation, Pam and Elizabeth talk about why hard feelings – like anxiety, grief, and even tension with loved ones – are actually invitations. We have to let ourselves feel complicated, messy emotions in order to draw closer to others and to God.  Elizabeth also shares a reflective journaling practice to help you live out your values. Links and resources About Elizabeth Oldfield The Sacred podcast Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times book Fully Alive, Elizabeth’s Substack With & For is a podcast of the Thrive Center, an applied research center that exists to catalyze a movement of human thriving, with and for others through spiritual health. Learn more at thethrivecenter.org.Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenterFollow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King hosts With & For, and is the Executive Director of the Thrive Center and the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Seminary. Follow her @drpamking. About With & ForHost: Pam KingSenior Director and Producer: Jill WestbrookOperations Manager: Lauren KimSocial Media & Graphic Designer: Wren JuergensenSenior Producer: Clare WileyExecutive Producer: Jakob LewisProduced by Great Feeling Studios Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and Fuller Seminary’s School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. The podcast was made possible through the support from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.
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    58 min
  • What makes a good life? with Lee C. Camp
    Feb 16 2026
    It’s not always easy to see how the four cardinal virtues connect to your everyday life. But prudence, justice, courage, and temperance are vital in helping us thrive. Lee C. Camp is a professor, speaker, writer, and theologian – as well as host of the hit podcast and public radio show No Small Endeavour. His work explores what it means to be flourishing humans - alone and together. With his wit and wisdom in this episode, Lee will turn your preconceptions about the four virtues upside down. He shares what he learned about courage from having difficult conversations with his wife, what he learned about temperance from sharing a beer with good friends, and the ways that prudence can help us carry the heavy emotional weight of the world right now. In this conversation, we talk about how to guard ourselves against shame, how to cultivate gladness, and how to fight powerlessness. And crucially: Lee shows us how to turn virtue into a daily habit. Links and resources: Lee C. Camp No Small Endeavor With & For is a podcast of the Thrive Center, an applied research center that exists to catalyze a movement of human thriving, with and for others through spiritual health. Learn more at thethrivecenter.org.Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenterFollow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King hosts With & For, and is the Executive Director of the Thrive Center and the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Seminary. Follow her @drpamking. About With & For Host: Pam King Senior Director and Producer: Jill Westbrook Operations Manager: Lauren Kim Social Media & Graphic Designer: Wren Juergensen Senior Producer: Clare Wiley Executive Producer: Jakob Lewis Produced by Great Feeling Studios Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and Fuller Seminary’s School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. The podcast was made possible through the support from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.
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    50 min
  • Love is ferocious, with Rabbi Shai Held
    Feb 9 2026
    One of Rabbi Shai Held’s first experiences of love was from his father, who loved him ferociously. Tragically, he died when Shai was 12 years old. The experience shook Shai’s belief and trust in God. But Rabbi Held is someone who can hold the messy contradictions of faith and love. He understands that one minute, we can feel intense love, and the next, we’re full of resentment and frustration. Rabbi Held is also the most generous of teachers: he shares his struggles and doubts, in order to hold space for our own. Rabbi Held's latest book is called Judaism is About Love. It is a radical and provocative effort that points to love as the heart of the Jewish faith.  Rabbi Shai Held is president of the Hadar Institute, an educational center that builds egalitarian Jewish communities through learning, prayer, and acts of kindness. He has received the Covenant Award for excellence in Jewish education and was included multiple times in Newsweek’s list of most influential rabbis in America. You will walk away from this raw, emotional interview understanding that love is more than a sentiment - - and you'll learn that focusing on divine love is central to your everyday spiritual health. Links and resources: About Rabbi Shai Held About the Hadar Institute Answers WithHeld podcast Abraham Joshua Heschel With & For is a podcast of the Thrive Center, an applied research center that exists to catalyze a movement of human thriving, with and for others through spiritual health. Learn more at thethrivecenter.org. Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenter. Follow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King hosts With & For, and is the Executive Director of the Thrive Center and the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Seminary. Follow her @drpamking. About With & For Host: Pam King Senior Director and Producer: Jill Westbrook Operations Manager: Lauren Kim Social Media & Graphic Designer: Wren Juergensen Senior Producer: Clare Wiley Executive Producer: Jakob Lewis Produced by Great Feeling Studios Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and Fuller Seminary’s School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. The podcast was made possible through the support from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.
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    58 min
  • The gift of deep listening, with Parker J. Palmer
    Feb 2 2026
    When Parker J. Palmer was a young man, he became aware of a growing unrest within him. Guided by his inner voice, he turned down prestigious university jobs and instead took a challenging, unstable job in community organizing. Parker then followed his north star again – and moved with his family to live in a radically equal Quaker community for over a decade.  Parker is an activist and author who has written 10 incredibly influential books – including Let Your Life Speak. He founded the Center for Courage & Renewal, which supports leadership, vocation, and community formation. And in 2021, the Freedom of Spirit Fund gave him their Lifetime Achievement Award in honor of work that promotes and protects spiritual freedom. Parker believes that in this moment of instability, finding our internal grounding is more important than ever – and he shares a beautiful ‘circle of trust’ practice for listening deeply to others. You’ll learn how others are so crucial to tuning into your true inner voice - and how listening to ourselves can then move us out into the wider world. Links and resources: About Parker J. Palmer Parker’s 10 published books About the Center for Courage & Renewal Living the Questions - Parker J. Palmer’s Substack The Growing Edge, Parker’s project with Carrie Newcomer Parker’s collected On Being columns With & For is a podcast of the Thrive Center, an applied research center that exists to catalyze a movement of human thriving, with and for others through spiritual health. Learn more at thethrivecenter.org. Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenter Follow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King hosts With & For, and is the Executive Director of the Thrive Center and the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Seminary. Follow her @drpamking. About With & For Host: Pam King Senior Director and Producer: Jill Westbrook Operations Manager: Lauren Kim Social Media & Graphic Designer: Wren Juergensen Senior Producer: Clare Wiley Executive Producer: Jakob Lewis Produced by Great Feeling Studios Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and Fuller Seminary’s School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. The podcast was made possible through the support from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.
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    55 min
  • How to show yourself compassion, with Dr. Kristin Neff
    Jan 26 2026
    One of the most persistent myths about self-compassion is that it’s selfish. But in reality, self-compassion connects us to the rest of humanity – and it’s a critical pathway to thriving. Dr. Kristin Neff is a pioneer in the study of self-compassion. As Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas and founding director of the Self-Compassion Institute, Kristin has spent decades researching the mind-altering power of self-compassion. Kristin's findings show that kindness is a better motivator than criticism, and she breaks down how self-compassion connects to healthy spirituality. Kristin also talks openly about how self-compassion helped her face challenges through her divorce and in parenting her son, who’s on the autism spectrum.  You will walk away from this episode with a three-step plan for self-compassion - and a simple practice if you don’t know where to get started. Links and resources The Self-Compassion Institute Guided practices About Dr. Kristin Neff With & For is a podcast of the Thrive Center, an applied research center that exists to catalyze a movement of human thriving, with and for others through spiritual health. Learn more at thethrivecenter.org. Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenter Follow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King hosts With & For, and is the Executive Director of the Thrive Center and the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Seminary. Follow her @drpamking. About With & For Host: Pam King Senior Director and Producer: Jill Westbrook Operations Manager: Lauren Kim Social Media & Graphic Designer: Wren Juergensen Senior Producer: Clare Wiley Executive Producer: Jakob Lewis Produced by Great Feeling Studios Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and Fuller Seminary’s School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. The podcast was made possible through the support from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.
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    55 min
  • With and For Returns for Season 3
    Jan 12 2026
    With & For is back with a brand new season exploring spiritual health. What is healthy  spirituality exactly, and how does it help us thrive? How do spiritual practices connect us to others? And what does it mean to have a calling in life?  We have some incredible guests this season – leading thinkers from across faith, art and psychology – like author activist Parker Palmer, self-compassion pioneer Kristin Neff, developmental scientist Richard Lerner and How God Works host David DeSteno. Hosted by development psychologist, ordained minister and professor Dr. Pam King,  With & For bridges psychology and spiritual wisdom to help you thrive.  Season three launches January 26th. The Thrive Center is an applied research center that exists to catalyze a movement of human thriving, with and for others through spiritual health. Learn more at thethrivecenter.org. Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenter Follow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King is the Executive Director of the Thrive Center and the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Seminary. Follow her @drpamking. About With and For Host: Pam King Senior Director and Producer: Jill Westbrook Operations Manager: Lauren Kim Social Media & Graphic Designer: Wren Juergensen Senior Producer: Clare Wiley Executive Producer: Jakob Lewis Produced by Great Feeling Studios Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and Fuller Seminary’s School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. The podcast was made possible through the support from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.
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    2 min
  • What is Thriving? – Season 2 Wrap Up with Dr. Pam King
    Jul 21 2025
    Thriving is a relational journey that involves being deeply connected to others and the community. The importance of a "true north" and discerning what is most sacred to orient one's life. Understanding thriving as accepting a truer story of yourself, others, and the world. Engaging in mindset and behavior changes for flourishing, with self-compassion. Thriving as having resources built up in various domains (personal, family, social) to buffer from crisis. The concept of thriving begins with the love of God and love of neighbor. The alignment of purpose and practice is central to thriving, regardless of changes over time. Recognizing ourselves as "God's masterpiece" and finding joy and contentment in that. Thriving as a dynamic, meaningful engagement in purposeful living, adapting to changing contexts. The idea that one can be struggling or even mentally ill and still be thriving is a "both/and" process. Thriving as an internal state and relational reality marked by an open heart and meaningful relationships, even on a stressful day. The journey of thriving involves self-discovery and healing, acknowledging both strengths and weaknesses. Being "habituated to doing good" and demonstrating one's "best self" in relationships. Dr. Pam King’s Key Takeaways Thriving is relational and happens when we are deeply connected to other people, whether that be through our intimate relationships or our broader community. Thriving involves telling a truer story about life, that there is both beauty and brokenness. Thriving involves understanding who we are as God's masterpieces, that we all have strengths, and we all can thrive and find life in our weaknesses. Thriving involves discovering and pursuing what gets you up in the morning – your true north, what is most sacred to you. Thriving involves self-discovery and healing, which might mean being softer with ourselves so that we can find internal ease. About the Thrive Center Learn more at thethrivecenter.org. Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenter Follow us on X @thrivecenter Follow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter About Dr. Pam King Dr. Pam King is Executive Director the Thrive Center and is Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at Fuller School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. Follow her @drpamking. About With & For Host: Pam King Senior Director and Producer: Jill Westbrook Operations Manager: Lauren Kim Social Media Graphic Designer: Wren Juergensen Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and the Fuller School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy.
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    17 min
  • The Unexpected Benefits of Play, with Dr. Tina Payne Bryson
    Jul 7 2025
    Episode Highlights "When we laugh, when we are sitting in delight, it expands–It not only keeps us in our window of tolerance, but it expands our window of tolerance." "We also know that play is just a huge protective factor. It allows people to process their experiences, but also build skills for the future." "Play is really about doing something for the enjoyment of it, for no other reason, but for the enjoyment." "The more stress you have, the more play you need." "To hold multiple emotions that more than one thing was true... gives us tremendous capacity to be resilient and have more mental and cognitive, flexibility as well as emotional flexibility." Helpful Links and Resources Books by Dr. Tina Bryson The Way of Play (Tina’s latest book!) The Whole-Brain Child No-Drama Discipline The Yes Brain The Power of Showing Up Follow Tina Bryson: TinaBryson.com Instagram X The Center for Connection Show Notes The importance of play for human development across the lifespan, noting that even mammals engage in it. How play keeps us in receptive, thriving states and expands our window of tolerance for frustration and discomfort. The crucial relationship between stress and play: the more stress in our lives, the more we need play to counterbalance it. The distinction between free unstructured play for children and dyadic, child-led relational play. Addressing common parental challenges with play, such as not knowing how, finding it boring, or children's resistance. Introduction to Tina's new book, “The Way of Play,” co-authored with Georgie Wisen-Vincent, which offers seven strategies for parents to engage in child-led play for brain integration and relationship building. Defining play for adults: doing something purely for enjoyment, not productivity (e.g., pickleball, running, decorating, thrifting, watching "trashy TV"). The significance of being playful in our manner – adding silliness, lightness, and sharing funny videos for shared laughter and connection. How play serves as a powerful tool for emotional regulation and processing, allowing individuals to "try on" difficult emotions in a safe, controlled context. The capacity to hold multiple emotions simultaneously (e.g., discomfort and fun), fostering resilience and mental/emotional flexibility. The impact of even "little moments" of play in creating significant connections, especially after separations. The concept of mutual delight in play and the importance of following what lights up both individuals. Tina's personal insights into her own playful activities, including her love for organizing and systematic approaches. Dr. Jill Westbrook’s Key Takeaways Play is important throughout our life spans because the positive emotions it elicits expand what Tina calls our window of tolerance. We get better at avoiding the rigidity and chaos that can plague our relationships. The more stressful our lives are, the more we need to play. Having playfulness in life is as important as actually playing. So, adding play to your life doesn't mean that you have to schedule any particular time for play. Laughing, sharing funny videos, lightening things up a bit are all part of play. Playing with children is vital for their development, and for those of us with young people in our lives, finding time to do something fun with them helps us all thrive. Tina's new book “The Way of Play” offers practical advice and teaches strategies so that all of us can get more comfortable playing. About the Thrive Center Learn more at thethrivecenter.org. Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenter Follow us on X @thrivecenter Follow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter About Dr. Pam King Dr. Pam King is Executive Director the Thrive Center and is Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at Fuller School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. Follow her @drpamking. About With & For Host: Pam King Senior Director and Producer: Jill Westbrook Operations Manager: Lauren Kim Social Media Graphic Designer: Wren Juergensen Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and the Fuller School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy.
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    29 min