Episode Description

For episode 244 Valerie Mason-John makes their first appearance on the Metta Hour to speak about their new book, “First Aid Kit for the Mind: Breaking the Cycle of Habitual Behaviors”. Valerie is a founding facilitator of Compassionate Inquiry and the author of eleven books, including the award winning book, “Eight Step Recovery.” They are a co-founder of the training program, Mindfulness Based Addiction Recovery, and work as a public speaker in the field of Mindfulness for Addiction and Trauma.

In this conversation Valerie and Sharon discuss:

• How lovingkindness saved Valerie’s life

• How Valerie became the Bully Doctor

• Valerie’s journey in recovery

• The importance of community in recovery

• Recovery Cafe

• Gabor Mate’s Compassionate Inquiry

• Thoughts are not facts

• “First-Aid Kit for the Mind”

• The breath as medicine

• What is still true? What can we rely on?

• Dharma: that which we can rely on

• Thich Naht Hanh’s influence on Valerie

• How to maintain mindfulness

• The role of storytelling in Valerie’s work

• How story compounds addiction

• Play writing and poetry as social justice

Additional Resources

Valerie closes the conversation with a guided meditation LOVE from their new book, “First Aid Kit for the Mind.” Learn more about Valarie’s work on their website right here.

Listen to the Metta Hour Podcast in the following places: