Vanessa Bennett is a depth psychologist, therapist, and author of The Motherhood Myth.

In this conversation, Brett and Vanessa go all the way back. Vanessa grew up as a parentified child in a single-parent home — the overachiever who learned early that love was something you earned through achievement, not something freely given.

At 25, a close friend told her she always seemed angry. That one honest observation cracked her open. It sent her into therapy, yoga, Al-Anon, and eventually across the country — alone, at 30 — to leave her career in New York advertising, end a long-term relationship, and start over completely. Her work now sits at the intersection of depth psychology, spirituality, and the real, unfiltered experience of being human. And when she became a mother, two weeks before COVID lockdown, the myths she'd spent years studying became impossible to ignore. This is a conversation about what actually heals us. And what gets in the way.

For years, The Gravity Podcast created space for meaningful conversations around business, creativity, and personal growth.

But over the past year, something shifted.

In this episode, Brett shares why he realized he was playing the external game — building, scaling, optimizing — and why he now wants to play a bigger game: the game of consciousness.

After attending Abundance 360 and hearing Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Richard Branson present their visions for space travel, Brett entered a deep therapeutic and spiritual process that led to a powerful realization: while we are investing extraordinary energy into exploring outer space, most of us have barely explored the vastness inside ourselves.

INNERSPACE is born from that insight.

This podcast will trace the psychological and emotional origin stories of builders, creators, leaders, and seekers — starting with childhood and following the invisible threads forward.

Less performance.

More presence.

More honesty about the human experience.

The first guest episode drops Thursday, 2/19.

Welcome to INNERSPACE.

In this very special 200th episode, host Brett Kaufman takes a heartfelt pause to reflect on the journey of the Gravity Podcast. What started as a simple idea for recording meaningful coffee conversations has turned into a five-year archive of deep, vulnerable, and inspiring stories. With no roadmap in hand, the podcast became a space to explore the human experience and build a conscious community around authenticity and connection.

To celebrate the milestone, Brett revisits standout moments from some of his most impactful guests: people who have shaped the Gravity conversation and helped listeners feel a little more seen in their own lives.

Today on Gravity:

• Chet Scott reminds us why real, connected community is essential to human survival and resilience.
• Jenny Britton of Jeni’s Ice Cream shares a deeply personal turning point and how her body, not her brain, guided her back to alignment.
• John Kim (The Angry Therapist) opens up about authenticity, healing, and the importance of embodied experiences.
• James Clear, bestselling author of Atomic Habits, talks about designing your life as a creative act—and how living intentionally is itself a form of art.
• Bob Roth, CEO of the David Lynch Foundation, reflects on his decades-long journey with Transcendental Meditation and making the practice accessible without the fluff.
• Lewis Howes shares his path through trauma and adversity, and how he transformed pain into purpose.
• Maggie Smith, poet and bestselling author, gets real about heartbreak, motherhood, and the creative process of turning personal pain into art that heals others.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PODCAST:

• The Gravity Podcast - Available on Apple and Spotify

LEARN MORE ABOUT GRAVITY:

• The Gravity Project
• Gravity on Instagram

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HOST:

• Brett Kaufman
• Brett Kaufman on Instagram

In this re-released episode in tribute to the great David Lynch, Brett Kaufman welcomes Bob Roth, one of the most experienced meditation teachers in the US and author of the New York Times bestseller “Strength in Stillness: The Power of Transcendental Meditation.” With nearly 50 years of experience, Bob has introduced thousands to the practice of Transcendental Meditation. As the CEO of the David Lynch Foundation, he has championed the cause of teaching meditation to over a million at-risk individuals across 35 countries. Bob shares his transformative journey, from witnessing Robert Kennedy's impactful speech and aspiring to be a Senator to his life-altering introduction to TM at the University of California, Berkeley. He delves into his early life, his father's wartime trauma, and the family's move to Marin County. Bob underscores the universality of trauma and the profound role of TM in calming the brain's amygdala, fostering resilience, and promoting overall well-being.

Today on Gravity:

• Bob Roth's childhood, influences, and experiencing Berkeley in the '60s
• Bob’s personal journey with Transcendental Meditation
• Science and benefits of TM
• Addressing trauma through TM and its societal impact
• David Lynch's influence and the expansion of TM in Columbus

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PODCAST:

• The Gravity Podcast - Available on Apple and Spotify

LEARN MORE ABOUT GRAVITY:

• The Gravity Project
• Gravity on Instagram

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HOST:

• Brett Kaufman
• Brett Kaufman on Instagram

“As a human being you look at a situation and say the intuition, I have there's potential within myself that hasn't come out yet and I want to enliven that I want to live life in a way that I'm doing my best and enjoying and meditation is the field for that.” – Cary Davis

Today on Gravity:

• Cary’s childhood and growing up in West Virginia
• Cary’s early adulthood in the service and discovering meditation
• Studying Transcendental Meditation and becoming a certified teacher
• The science behind meditation and proven health benefits
• Meditation as a tool for living a healthier & more fulfilled life

Connect with Cary Davis:

• Website: tm.org/columbus

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PODCAST:

• The Gravity Podcast - Available on Apple and Spotify

LEARN MORE ABOUT GRAVITY:

• The Gravity Project
• Gravity on Instagram

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HOST:

• Brett Kaufman
• Brett Kaufman on Instagram

"That's where the growth is. It's not about all the tricks, it's just about the consistency, creating that new pattern. And then once you create that new pattern, you can start to be the architect of the life that you want." – Joshua Steckel

Today on Gravity:

• Joshua’s childhood and being homeschooled
• Joshua’s weight loss journey in adolescence and developing lasting habits
• How Joshua uses his faith to guide him in becoming the best version of himself
• Joshua discovered breathwork practice while recovering from serious injuries in his 20s
• Breathwork as part of the GRO Transformational Wellness Program at the Green|House community
• Building lasting health habits

Connect with Joshua Steckel:

• Instagram: @j_smooth_movement, @prismperformancecenter
• Website: prism-performance-center.com

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PODCAST:

• The Gravity Podcast - Available on Apple and Spotify

LEARN MORE ABOUT GRAVITY:

• Website: gravityproject.com
• Instagram: @gravitycolumbus

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HOST:

• Website: brettkaufman.com
• Instagram: @brettkaufman

"You don't have to publish, you don't have to be a writer in terms of writing a book, but you've just got to, you've got to write to author a great life." – Chet Scott

Today on Gravity:

• Reframing self-talk and learning to speak into yourself
• Running on fear versus running on love
• Overcoming adversity and finding gratitude
• The power of journaling and authoring your own life

Connect with Chet Scott:

• LinkedIn: Chet Scott
• Website: builttolead.com

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PODCAST:

• The Gravity Podcast - Available on Apple and Spotify

LEARN MORE ABOUT GRAVITY:

• The Gravity Project
• Gravity on Instagram

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HOST:

• Brett Kaufman
• Brett Kaufman on Instagram

"There's something bigger than you or I, an energy that is more powerful. I think that being able to recognize the fact that there is something more powerful than my being and that's a good thing that we don't have all that control." – Nicole Davis

ATTENTION: This episode contains discussions of topics that may be triggering to some listeners. Please check the show notes prior to listening.

Today on Gravity:

• Nicole’s childhood and growing up in Los Angeles
• Navigating her mother’s addiction and suicide with the support of her father
• Nicole’s adolescence and her own struggle with substance abuse
• Getting sober and becoming a mother
• Developing a community and launching a business through social media

Connect with Nicole Davis:

• Instagram: mamanicoledavis, @foundgoods, @houragency
• Website: foundgoodsvintage.com

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PODCAST:

• The Gravity Podcast - Available on Apple and Spotify

LEARN MORE ABOUT GRAVITY:

• The Gravity Project
• Gravity on Instagram

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HOST:

• Brett Kaufman

Brett Kaufman on Instagram