One of the things I really love is having guests who have their own personal trauma and transformation stories — you know why? Because their insights are so fully drawn from the experience of what trauma feels like, what it takes to move forward, and how to overcome any resistance, stalls or obstacles. This week’s guests both fit that bill to make a show that was truly one of a kind.

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First, Dr. Kim Dennis of Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center and I chatted about how to interrupt negative coping habits and replace them with more positive actions. In our discussion we covered:

• how to reframe and why this tool is essential in recovery
• the positive benefits of self-destructive behaviors
• how we move out of the freeze response into action
• the benefit of participating in a group or community

In the show’s second segment I had a guest so special we could have devoted an entire show to his luminous insights about life, trauma, recovery and love. Coach Gary Kobat  shared his own traumatic experience and how he overcame it, plus:

• 5 things you need to do when overcoming trauma
• how to transform from self-hate to self-love
• the difference between what lies above and below the horizon
• how to be your true self

One of my favorite of Gary’s statements — this simple thought: “Things change moment to moment.” Yes, indeed they do. Which means even your post-trauma pain can change from moment to moment.

In addition to Gary’s fantastic illustrations of insights and ideas, he also shared a wonderfully fun story about his coaching process with Jim Carrey. It’s motivation and inspiration you don’t want to miss!

MEET MY GUESTS:

“It is exquisitely healthy to practice gratitude and acceptance of where we are at any given moment on the journey. I believe real and lasting change comes from the experience of awareness, acceptance and then action.”

Dr. Kim Dennis is a board-certified psychiatrist who specializes in treating addictions, eating disorders and co-occurring disorders. As Medical Director at Timberline Knolls, she maintains a holistic perspective in the practice of psychiatry. She incorporates biological, psycho-social and spiritual approaches into the individually tailored treatment plan for each resident.

Having had her own experience as a woman in recovery from an eating disorder and alcoholism, she is able to combine her personal journey with her medical training to help residents become emotionally strong, responsible problem-solvers, who are inspired to create fulfilling lives for themselves.

Dr. Kim is published in the areas of gender differences in the development of psychopathology, co-occurring eating disorders and self-injury, and the use of medication with family-based therapy for adolescents with anorexia nervosa. She is also on the editorial board of Eating Disorders: the Journal of Treatment and Prevention. Dr. Kim contributes regularly to news networks, such as ABC News and CNN, other national press such as the Huffington Post, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe and WebMD, and
professional magazines such as Addiction Professional and Behavioral Healthcare. She was featured on TLC Discovery Channel’s “My Strange Addiction” and ABC’s “20/20.”

Dr. Kim obtained her medical degree from the University Of Chicago Pritzker School Of Medicine and completed her psychiatry residency training at the University of  Chicago Hospitals, where she served as chief resident. During her training, she was part of the multi-disciplinary eating disorders team specializing in treating adolescents with eating disorders and their families. She is a member of the American Medical Association, Academy for Eating Disorders, the American Academy of Addiction psychiatry and the American Society for Addiction Medicine.

“The real story is that we are unlimited beings. The real story is that the world and the universe are unlimited. We must start telling the story of our amazing lives, because whatever story we tell, light or dark, vibrational energies will make sure we receive it… and that will be the story of our life.” – Gary Kobat (from The Mindful Tools, Empowerment Series.)

Has there ever been a time in your life when someone believed in you so much that your talents and spirit soared in their presence? What did they see in you that you didn’t see in yourself ? Did you grow when they shared their faith in you ? Were you able to reach higher, dig deeper, allow and receive more when you knew they had their encouragement in you?

Once in a rare while you come across someone who is willing to set the record straight and tell you a truth that will shift the way you think about yourself, and the world. When it comes to gracefully getting older, yet looking and feeling younger; awakening, healing, and stepping into your true power from the heart, with compassionate self-love and self-care, Gary Kobat is that man.

Quickly becoming a world-known authority in the field of Mind, Body, Spirit, and Sport, Gary is the purposed prophet who by loving himself loves the world – one soul at a time. In short, Gary is the best friend anyone’s self-esteem, self-worth, and sense of deservingness can ever have.

As an Author, Speaker, and Life-Coach utilizing ancient wisdom and cutting-edge trends in human performance, Gary guides transformation and evolution for individuals and teams alike, dynamically creating legendary results.

Gary’s client list includes the who’s who in film, business, and sport. For the past decade he has quietly mentored the spirituality, health, and longevity of Jim Carrey, Will Ferrell, Mariska Hargitay, and countless others.