On the clear connection between stoicism and empathy; the gift of learning to bear challenges with steadiness.

• 0:00 – Introduction
• 3:03 – Discussion on Shermin's Book "Stoic Empathy"
• 5:33 – Stoicism and Empathy: Personal Experiences
• 12:48 – Living with Uncertainty and Moral Decisions
• 27:10 – Strategic Empathy and Emotional Regulation
• 43:10 – Practical Applications of Stoic Empathy
• 50:19 – Closing Remarks and Future Plans

Shermin Kruse is a globally recognized author, law professor, negotiation consultant, TEDx producer, and author of Stoic Empathy. Born in Tehran during political upheaval, she immigrated to Canada as a child and earned degrees in philosophy and neuropsychology from the University of Toronto, followed by a law degree from the University of Michigan. Her work lives at the intersection of ancient wisdom, neuroscience, and the art of negotiation; and her life is the proof of what she teaches.

She spent nearly two decades as a partner at Barack Ferrazzano, a prestigious Chicago law firm, representing Fortune 500 clients in high-stakes negotiations, cross-border transactions, and corporate litigation. She is currently a professor at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, where she teaches stoic empathy negotiations, leadership, and global transactions; her book Stoic Empathy is required reading for the advanced negotiation course there.

As founder and executive producer of TEDxWrigleyville, she has produced and scripted over 80 TEDx and TED talks and performances with millions of views across dozens of countries, and has delivered three TEDx talks herself on advocacy, stoicism, and strategic empathy.

She serves on the boards of the ACLU and RefuSHE, has founded multiple NGOs, and has been recognized as one of the nation's top 100 Women to Watch by BizWomen Magazine. She is also the author of the novel Butterfly Stitching and the textbook Global Transactions and Regulation.

Shermin lives in Chicago with her four children.

Vital parenting practices to cultivate confidence, purpose and inner power in an increasingly anxious world.

• 0:00 - Introduction to Dr. Shefali
• 3:04 - Understanding Modern Boyhood
• 4:57 - Parental Control and Autonomy
• 9:15 - Addressing Male Isolation
• 12:20 - Digital Strategies for Parents
• 14:55 - The False Hierarchy of Men
• 17:14 - Emotional Intensity in Girls
• 22:11 - Social Media and Female Identity
• 27:25 - Mitigating Digital Damage
• 29:02 - The Science of Self-Harm
• 34:29 - Reclaiming Authenticity and Privacy
• 41:56 - Repairing the Parent-Child Bond

Dr. Shefali is a clinical psychologist, New York Times bestselling author, and the founder of the Conscious Parenting movement.

Blending Western psychology with Eastern wisdom, she has redefined how families understand selfhood, connection, and the inner life of children.

Trained at Columbia University, Dr. Shefali has spent decades guiding parents beyond patterns of fear and control toward presence, authenticity, and inner transformation. Her groundbreaking work explores the hidden forces that shape identity, relationships, and the way we inhabit the world—creating a path for both children and the adults who raise them to awaken and evolve.

"The greatest gift you can give your children is your own transformation."

On encountering and easing the past, creating the conditions to feel and offer compassion, and equanimity as practice.

• (0:00) - Introduction and Guest Overview
• (2:20) - Table of Contents and Initial Discussion
• (7:17) - Belonging in Space and Emptiness of the Material World
• (16:05) - The Art of Lessening Thoughts and Emotions
• (24:57) - Parenting and Work-Life Balance
• (29:08) - Equanimity and Play
• (39:33) - Breathing and Equanimity with Success
• (42:49) - Forgiving and Being Forgiven
• (45:23) - The Art of Lessening the Ego Self
• (48:19) - Final Reflections and Closing

Billy Wynne is a health and wellbeing entrepreneur, Zen Buddhist, mindfulness meditation teacher, and author of The Empty Path: Finding Fulfillment Through the Radical Art of Lessening, which was published by New World Library in March 2025. He founded Impact Health, a mission-driven consultancy, Awake, an alcohol-free bar, and other companies.

Billy has served on several boards, including Operation Smile, 365Health, Cherish Children Adoption International, the Zen Center of Denver, and Colorado's Natural Medicine Advisory Board, which is implementing the state's psychedelic therapy program. He received a BA in Government and Religion from Dartmouth College and a JD from the University of Virginia. He is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Buddhist Studies from the Institute of Buddhist Studies.

Billy lives in Carbondale, CO with his wife, son, and two shih-poos, Oscar and Archie. Their daughter is in college.