This past week, I drove a lot of miles in my car alone. Sometimes, I like to listen to music while driving, but most of the time, I love podcasts! As an experienced educator and advocate for trauma-informed care, I have found podcasts to be a valuable resource in my professional development. 

If you are a busy leader of an organization or school, podcasts can offer valuable insight into the problems and issues that many leaders experience. Here are just two of my favorite podcasts that can provide you with practical support and knowledge while you are on your daily commute, making your time more productive and efficient.

(Re)Education of Schools Podcast

Description: Educators Justin Moorman and Katie Thornton have open, honest conversations about how to understand better social-emotional learning, trauma-informed care, the “why’s” behind student behavior, and how to help kids navigate it all as they go through school and life. 

Why listen: The episodes are around 30 minutes long, just enough time to provide some practical tools and understanding of a trauma-informed approach, practice, or issue.

Notable Episode: I have just recently started listening to episodes, and I have found them all valuable so far. “Leading a Trauma-Informed School with James Moffett” was very informative and gave some great insights into how being trauma-informed is not always a way of doing things; it’s also a way of being. This a good podcast not just for educators and school leaders; anyone who works with children or has children in their life can gain valuable insight.

Daring to Lead and Unlocking Us

Descriptions: Both podcasts are hosted by researcher Brene Brown. However, Unlocking Us features conversations with other notable researchers about unlocking the deeply human part of who we are so that we can live, love, parent, and lead with a whole heart. Dare to Lead features conversations with change catalysts, culture shifters, and troublemakers innovating, creating, and daring to lead. 

Why listen: Yes, I know this is two podcasts, yet there is a lot of overlap. Some interviews are cross-over interviews and run on both podcasts. Brene’ Brown asks insightful, deep questions of her guests. Both podcasts are helpful for leaders and educators since we are all working with and leading other humans. At the non-profit where I used to work, we had a monthly get-together over Zoom called “Beverages with Brene.” It was an evening where we would all listen to the same episode and discuss our thoughts and insights gleaned from the interview. 

Notable Episode: Brene took a hiatus from podcasting in 2023, and I was delighted to see her back with episodes this past February. She is now doing a limited series on topics. Her first topic was the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and then she did a series on AI.  As a leader, I would turn to some of her past podcast interviews, Lisa Lahey on Immunity to Change on Dare to Lead. On Unlocking Us, Father Richard Rohr on Spirituality, Certitude and Infinite Love. Both interviews are two parts and might take more than one commute to listen.

There are so many more podcasts I love to listen to and enjoy, be it for learning or laughing. The two I shared with you provide a wealth of information and inspiration for leaders and educators. 
I have been a guest on several parenting, teaching, and leadership podcasts, discussing trauma-informed practices and resilience. My website has links to all my podcast appearances at https://wildewoodlearning.com/podcast-appearances/. Give one or two of them a listen!