Creating Presence with Dr Sandra Bloom and Sarah Yanosy

Dr. Sandra Bloom and Sarah Yanosy begin with the evolutionary purpose for morality and the inherent connection between moral development and relational influence. They delineate the struggles faced by a society in which moral absolutism thwarts efforts to account for the complexities of modern life, citing moral injury and distress as consequences often experienced by those lower in organizational and societal hierarchies. The hosts conclude season three with a call for moral imagination and the

Dr. Sandra Bloom and Sarah Yanosy teach the biological basis of learned helplessness and its inherent connection to traumatic experiences, whether in childhood or adulthood. Discussing learned helplessness in organizations, they associate bureaucratic, hierarchical systems with disempowered staff, and even observe the enactment of learned helplessness by the systems themselves – particularly in health and human services. Our hosts conclude with the reassuring fact that learned helplessness can b

Dr. Sandra Bloom and Sarah Yanosy discuss the often unprocessed grief that accompanies childhood abuse and neglect, and the ways in which that grief translates into pathological responses in adults. They go on to explain that many trauma disorders are actually disorders of disrupted attachment, and how losses in childhood metabolize physically, mentally, and emotionally in our bodies. The hosts conclude with a growing body of research surrounding the power of writing and the arts to break our cu

Dr. Sandra Bloom and Sarah Yanosy dive deep into Terror Management Theory and the impact that the certainty of death has on how we live our lives. They explain how our “mortality salience” predisposes us to resist change – even positive change – as it reminds humans of our mortality, strengthening our current worldviews and identifications rather than opening us up to uncertainty. This also lends itself as an explanation for society’s rejection of the universal reality of trauma and adversity. T

Dr. Sandra Bloom and Sarah Yanosy define the health of organizations by the flow of communication within them, emphasizing the significance of diverse perspectives when it comes to complex problem solving. They go on to describe the structure and warning signs of collective disturbances and their root in communication breakdown, typically between the highest levels of an organizational hierarchy and the lower. The hosts conclude with a discussion about creating a culture of candor in order to pr

Dr. Sandra Bloom and Sarah Yanosy explain the consequences of communities and organizations under stress, noting an incapacity for long-term learning and knowledge integration. They discuss the power of confirmation bias to lead to extremism, often creating group polarization through effectively discouraging or silencing dissent. As a result, decision making and problem analysis deteriorate significantly. The hosts conclude with the distinction between debate and dialogue and their inherent conn

Dr. Sandra Bloom and Sarah Yanosy connect collective trauma with organizational amnesia and the subsequent inability to learn from the past. Making the distinction between tacit and explicit knowledge, they discuss the dangers of short term organizational memory and the factors that contribute to it, including massive layoffs and our cultural norm of short term tenure. To conclude, the hosts unpack the power of stories to tap the resources of the unconscious mind. Choosing to “re-story” our own

Dr. Sandra Bloom and Sarah Yanosy lay out the fundamental characteristics of those who are high in authoritarian traits and how they perpetuate the destructive impact of authoritarian leaders – whether in organizations, systems, or countries. Then the hosts describe types of toxic leaders and their use of bogus empowerment to feign democratic participatory practice. They conclude with partnerism, an economic alternative to capitalism, as a means of respecting that which has intrinsic value and t

Dr. Sandra Bloom and Sarah Yanosy explain some of the reasons for various antisocial behaviors and what they look like in children and adults. On this topic, they discuss the four “dark traits” and what happens when individuals possessing these traits infiltrate our organizations and systems. Finally, the hosts describe the concept of a social immune system and its role in defending against the impact of antisocial individuals.

Dr. Sandra Bloom and Sarah Yanosy discuss the wounds of othering widely experienced by BIPOC and offer guidelines for having safe and effective discussions about race. Drawing connections between trauma reactive organizations and systems that rely on white supremacy, they conclude with strategies to disrupt those destructive systemic patterns and create organizations that truly value and support people of all cultures and backgrounds.

Dr. Sandra Bloom and Sarah Yanosy explain the various social constructs that act as the driving force behind most human suffering today. Diving into the history of humankind, they offer research and evidence to support the fact that the human way of life was once largely peaceful, and suggest some explanations for the social de-evolution of our societies. The hosts conclude with the encouraging understanding that we have the power to draw upon the wisdom of our ancestors and change life as we kn

Dr. Sandra Bloom and Sarah Yanosy consider the impact of collective, historical, and cultural trauma in our society and their cumulative effects on multiple populations. This dialogue additionally touches on the consequences of collective denial, which often manifests as splitting, political polarization, and war. Our hosts conclude with reassuring research surrounding the institution of various types of justice within our organizations based on the powerful connections between justice, trust, a