OneOp

How to Grow Your Courage for Collaboration
2026-03-19 06:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
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Collaboration takes more than skills and schedules—it takes the courage to step outside your comfort zone with other people. Bravery isn’t just about big, dramatic moments—it also shows up in everyday choices, like meeting someone new, stepping into an unfamiliar space, or staying curious when you feel uncomfortable.
In this episode, Jessica and Erin explore how to build everyday courage for collaboration, using skills like curiosity, empathy, and intellectual humility. Drawing on the Greater Good Science Center’s Bridging Differences Playbooks, Erin shares a practice called “Expand Your Views & Circles” to help you gently stretch your comfort zone, meet new people, and grow your relational bravery over time. You’ll walk away with simple, practical steps you can take to be just a little braver in your community and your work.
Links and resources from this episode:

The Greater Good Science Center Building Briges Playbooks
VIA Character Strengths
Season 7, Episode 8 – Turning Conflict Into Collaboration
Season 7, Episode 11 – Humble on Purpose: A Practice for Better Decisions
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JESSICA BECKENDORF: [00:00:00] Hello. Thanks so much for listening to the Practicing Connection Podcast. I’m Jessica. Today we’ll be talking about everyday bravery and how to build your courage, and Erin’s gonna be sharing a practice with us. Hi Erin, how are you?
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Hi Jessica. I’m great. I’ve been brushing up on my bravery knowledge this week to prepare for this episode because I’m trying to not assume I know everything. And it has me very excited about being uncomfortable.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Well, that’s not a sentence that I hear very often, especially as someone who brings improv into my work with groups, but even just on a day-to-day basis, I’d say that statement is pretty rare.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah. I am surprised it’s coming out of my mouth to be honest, but I think, you know, learning about bravery has made me excited because that’s, you’re gonna talk about this later, but that’s kind of where you can build it. It is being uncomfortable, so it’s exciting.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: All right, [00:01:00] well let’s get into it. Why are we talking about bravery today? That sounds like I’m accusing you of something.
I’ll say that a little softer. Why are we talking about bravery today, Erin?
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Well, it’s kind of your fault. and lovingly. Just kidding. I mean, it is. I love it. Inspired by you. That’s better than saying it’s your fault. We’ve been talking about two things a lot recently. One is collaboration and two is your very favorite framework, the VIA character strengths.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yes, I do love it.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: For good reasons. I’m learning. The more I dig, the more I’m like, “Oh, this is actually very interesting. I get it, Jessica.”
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I knew you’d like it.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: I knew it. Okay. So we’ve been sharing lots of different practices for building your collaboration skills. You can check out our episodes on conflict and intellectual humility. We can probably link those in the show notes.
And all of the things that we’ve been talking about in terms of collaboration skills are things that require courage, and require you [00:02:00] to do things that are maybe uncomfortable.
And I’ve been thinking a lot about how feeling uncourageous is maybe a barrier to working in collaboration with others. And so I’ve been really asking myself the question, “How do you build your courage?”
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Hmm. Just knowing what I know about the character strengths, you know, when you’re not feeling courageous. It’s hard to be vulnerable. And vulnerability is also a requirement for any collaboration, for any relationship. So I love, as you might imagine, I love this idea of building courage.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah, me too. I think there’s something very optimistic about the idea that you don’t have to be perfect at everything. That you can grow.
And still learn and do things. So I did a little searching and found some really excellent resources from the Greater Good Science Center. Specifically, they have published several Bridging Differences playbooks that I really love, because they’re [00:03:00] not explaining things to you, they’re giving practices to try on things.
And it’s all about how do you build bridges with people who are different than you? How do you navigate tensions, which I think is a huge part of the collaboration work that we’ve been talking about. So we’ll also link these playbooks in the show notes, and we’ll be going through one of the practices they recommend later in the episode.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Well, I’m excited to dig into this. Erin, can you tell us a little bit more about the practice you’ll be sharing and why you chose it?
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yes. Well, I started this whole process by looking into courage generally, and interestingly, the VIA Character Strengths describe courage, not as a specific strength, but as a category of several strengths of virtue, and you practice it with the skills of bravery, perseverance, honesty, and zest.
Sadly, we’re only talking about bravery today, because there’s not enough time to talk about all four of them.
But someday we’ll circle back to [00:04:00] perseverance, honesty, and zest, because they’re fabulous. So bravery is, we’re talking about bravery specifically because it’s a skill about acting, even when you’re afraid.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Mm-hmm. You know, I’ve actually often been told, actually just this last weekend again, in fact, that I am brave.
So people were, there’s something called strength spotting. So people have, over my life, done strength spotting with me where they’ve told me that I’m brave. What’s funny though is I don’t really think of myself as brave. But I have told people that often to me, the kind of risk that I’m taking is worth the reward.
So it’s about acting even when you’re afraid. So that I’m not like going into things fearless, because I have had people say, you know, “You seem so fearless,” which is so funny to me because I am not fearless. Not even a little bit.
I am full of all kinds of fears, but I do [00:05:00] do things despite my fears. But when I’m told that I’m being brave, I think a lot of people think of bravery as like really big moments, really big acts. Like, “Oh, that person showed so much bravery when they went and helped somebody who was just in that accident, it was fiery and they pulled them out.”
It can be those moments. It certainly is those moments. But when I’ve been told I’m brave, it has not been about things like that. It’s been about things that I might call, like, “social bravery,” like being willing to talk to someone that I’ve never met, or cold calling or networking, or even just trying new things and enjoying the ride.
And you know, I know that bravery and zest are stronger strengths for me in that whole VIA classification, but they’re not my top five. I think zest is in my top seven. Which would be more related to sort of enjoying the ride or the adventure, or pushing through your fears, because there’s an adventure, or because it represents some sort of newer novel thing.
But [00:06:00] when people think of bravery, I think many of them think of people like firefighters or soldiers showing bravery in the line of duty. And it can be so much more than that.
That was a lot I just gave you.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: You did give me a lot, and I love that you’re so enthusiastic about this, because it means I do less of the explaining. And you hit on one of the things that I really wanted to talk about, which is, bravery has multiple components. There’s that very physical bravery of running into a burning building like a firefighter does. That is very brave.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yes.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: We’re not saying that that’s not bravery.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I’m not sure that that’s the kind of bravery I would exhibit. Right.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I haven’t been in that situation.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah. I mean, same. I haven’t been in that situation. I don’t like to speculate. I certainly know that I don’t have the training to do that without, I don’t know, there being my kid there or something, you know?
But I think the most important thing to get at here is not asking yourself whether or not you’d run into a burning building. [00:07:00] But recognizing that bravery isn’t just running into a burning building, it’s also taking a risk in a social setting.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Mm-hmm.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: It’s also taking a risk, even intellectually, we talked about this in our episode where we talked about intellectual humility, right? That’s a risk to say, “Maybe I’m wrong.” So I think there’s a lot of ways that you can be brave.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: And vulnerability is brave.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Right.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah, exactly. And I think we’re talking today specifically more about relational bravery or intellectual bravery. Because I think people talk about that less.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah. I think also, you know, when I was trying to decide what practice to bring to the table today, I was thinking about, “Okay, how do we help people continue to take actions even when they’re scared?”
Because that’s what bravery is, right? But I don’t want people going out there terrifying themselves or making themselves scared.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: We [00:08:00] don’t need to be adrenaline junkies either, right?
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Exactly. And you know, maybe some people want to practice their bravery by going on, I don’t know, something safe enough, like a rollercoaster. And maybe that is helpful for them. Maybe that’s helpful for training their body.
But today I want to talk about training your social discomfort muscles, because what we know about discomfort is, it can feel a lot like fear. And so if you train yourself to continue taking actions, to continue choosing to do things when you’re uncomfortable, your brain can kind of help you remember that when you’re afraid too.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Oh, this is really interesting. Well, let’s get started.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Sure. So the practice I’m sharing today is called Expand Your Views and Circles. Specifically, it’s very much influenced by the Greater Good Guide I mentioned earlier, and I added some bits, because we always add some bits here.
And it’s designed by the [00:09:00] Greater Good Science Center to help you build your relational bravery, using curiosity, intellectual humility, patience, and empathy. Which is a lot of little buzzwords, but we’re going to dig into it, and it’s going to be fun.
So step one is you start by noticing your own activities. We’re thinking here about a community that you’re a part of. So where do you feel most at home in your community? Who do you tend to spend time with? What perspectives dominate your conversations?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Now, Erin, could that be a community of interest, a community of geography? What kind of community are you talking about?
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Any community you’re a part of, I think. Many people may find it helpful to think about the community that they do work in or with. But it is also helpful I think if you don’t have a lot of free time in your working hours that you can allocate however you want.
Sometimes it’s more helpful to think about your personal life, like [00:10:00] what is the community you live in, and you can do this practice either in your personal life or in your work life. And either community will benefit from you doing the practice.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Okay. So step one was noticing your activities.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Mm-hmm.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Let’s go into step two.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yep. Step two is to consider how you can intentionally step outside of your comfort zone and meet new individuals you don’t regularly connect with.
When I first tried to think of how I could do that, I got really stuck. I was like, “Well, I work for a university, so I can go to just literally any part of campus and I’m allowed to be there.”
And then I recognized that not everybody works for university. So I did a little bit of brainstorming for you about ways you can meet new ideas and people and environments. One place to consider is your public library. A lot of public libraries have free community classes, and you can learn about [00:11:00] people who care about stuff that you don’t care about.
And they’re intending it to be informational, so they don’t expect you to come in agreeing with them, which can be a really helpful first step. Local community centers also similarly have a lot of programming like that.
Another one that I love, because I’m from Milwaukee, is does your community have any street festivals that you’ve never been to? Milwaukee is somewhat notorious for having a festival every weekend, almost all year round.
Is anybody hosting a book club? There’s a bar in my city that hosts a monthly book club, and they bring somebody from an organization who comes and leaves a discussion about a book, about a topic that maybe you’ve never encountered before.
Is there someone in your community asking for volunteers? Can you go build houses, or clean up water, or just do something with people who care about something that maybe isn’t on your radar at all?
And then one that is a little less out there, and a little bit less group, if you’re an [00:12:00] introvert and you’re like, “I can’t handle a group yet,” is to come up with a coworker that you maybe know but haven’t spent a lot of time with, and ask them if they’d be willing to eat lunch with you.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah. I love that. And one of the ways we’ve talked about this in the past and it’s something I think we could add to this list, has been thinking about maybe certain contexts that normally would be like, “Nah, that’s not for me.” And maybe just dipping your toe in that water just a little bit to see, “Maybe it’s still not for you, but you maybe will meet some really cool people in the end.” And kind of expand your horizon a little bit.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah. I actively encourage you to find something that you think you’ll be bad at.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yes. Right, right. Or, like one or something that maybe you’re a little unsure of, right? Not necessarily, it doesn’t have to scare you, but something that you’re unsure of, like, “I don’t know if that’s for me, but I’ve never been to it, so I’m gonna try it.”
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Mm-hmm. Yes. That is a [00:13:00] great attitude. So step three is to go do the thing. It is probably the hardest step, but it’s the most simple. You just go do the thing.
So, some things to keep in mind as you’re doing the thing. Your goal is to surround yourself in different ways of thinking, being, or doing. If you’re uncomfortable, that’s a good thing. It means you’re doing it right. The goal is not to agree with everything you encounter.
You don’t have to like it, you don’t have to feel positive about it. You just have to engage with it respectfully. And then I think this is actually the most important part. Don’t come into whatever you’re going to expecting to change people’s minds, or criticizing where they’re coming from. And this can be hard depending on where you grew up and what you’re encountering.
It’s like, “I don’t know about this.” You know, I’ve certainly had internally very critical responses to things, but part of the practice is [00:14:00] not trying to change everybody else’s mind about things.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: And could I add to that really quick? I would also say don’t try too hard to compare your experiences. Like, be a tourist. I mean that in the best sense of the word.
Be a person who’s there with curiosity. You don’t need to connect your experiences with, you know, everyone else’s experiences. Just learn from other people’s experiences. Does that make sense for this activity?
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah.
I personally would use the word ‘guest’ rather than tourist, because –
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yes, thank you. That’s way better. I knew that it was not the right word.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Mm-hmm.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yes, guest.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Because tourists are notoriously rude no matter where you go, no matter where the tourists are from, everybody thinks tourists are rude. So I would say guest.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I mean, not the way I do touring around, but –
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Sure, sure.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: I think you’re spot on that curiosity is really your best tool. Your best friend here, like be interested.
Why do people like this? Why are they into this? Why might they think about this? What’s [00:15:00] important to them?
It may be appropriate for you to ask questions. It may not be appropriate for you to ask questions, so you can be curious even if you can’t ask anybody why they think what they think.
And if you’re asking somebody, “Why do you think that?” Don’t say it like that.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Right? Please don’t.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Maybe you could say, “Oh, I noticed this is really important to you. What made it so important to you?”
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Mm-hmm.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: You know, really think about if I’m being curious, am I doing it in a way that is critical when I’m asking that question out loud, or am I inviting them to share with me.
And we could have a whole episode about how to ask questions and not be a confrontational jerk, but we don’t need to go into all of that now. I have learned the hard way, I’ll just put it that way.
And then step four is, after you’ve come back from the experience, and that is to just reflect on what went down. So [00:16:00] what, if anything, was comfortable about this new space, and did that surprise you? What, if anything, was uncomfortable about the new space and was it what you were expecting to make you uncomfortable?
And then finally, what did you learn? Did anything change about your own perspective because of this experience?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Awesome. Thanks so much for guiding us through that, Erin. I think this is a super clear way to get outside that comfort zone without doing something dangerous.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Mm-hmm. And like, that’s really the challenge. It took me a while to find something, because practicing facing your fear in a way where I was like, I spiraled for a minute, I was like, “I don’t know how to do this without people making risky behaviors.”
So this one felt like a really solid, relational, healthy way to do it. I will say one thing to keep in mind: as you do this exercise, the impact it’s going to have on you [00:17:00] will depend on how much time and energy you spend on it.
Ongoingly engaging in something in your community or in multiple different things in your community, if it’s not something that has a repeating meeting, will have the most impact on your ability to navigate your own discomfort, and your ability to continue doing hard things when you’re uncomfortable or afraid.
It will also, the more you do it, the more you’re going to love the parts of your community you don’t know. So you’re going to get what you put into it in this one.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Well, I just wish I lived in a city like Milwaukee that has so many festivals.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: You’re welcome to visit anytime.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Well, that’s it for this episode. Thanks so much for joining us. If you enjoyed this episode, click the share button in your podcast app to share it with a friend or a colleague.
We’ll be back next week with a new episode. Until then, keep practicing.
[00:18:00]
CREDITS: The Practicing Connection Podcast is a production of One-Op and is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture and the Office of Military Family Readiness Policy, US Department of Defense under award number 2 0 2 3 4 8 7 74 3 3.

Key Ethical Implications of Substitute Decision-Making & Guardianship
2026-03-18 11:00 - 12:30
Healthcare professionals across disciplines routinely face situations in which patients are unable to provide informed consent due to impaired or fluctuating decision-making capacity. These circumstances require thoughtful and ethically grounded approaches to substitute and/or supported decision-making and guardianship. This webinar provides an in-depth examination of the ethical, legal, and clinical complexities that emerge when individuals cannot make decisions for themselves.
Participants will explore how to balance autonomy—honoring an individual’s right to direct their own care—with the obligations of beneficence and nonmaleficence, which require clinicians to act in the patient’s best interest while preventing harm. The training also emphasizes ensuring fair treatment across diverse patient populations, and fidelity, which underscores the importance of trust, honesty, and professional responsibility in every stage of the decision-making process.
The session will highlight strategies for minimizing ethical risk, protecting patient rights, and equip healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to ensure ethically sound, patient-centered practice when informed consent cannot be obtained.
Learning Outcomes

Define decision-making capacity, informed consent, substitute decision-making, supported decision-making, and guardianship.
Differentiate between various types of surrogate decision-makers, and court-appointed guardians.
Explain the ethical principles that guide practice when working with individuals unable to consent.
Apply ethical decision-making frameworks to real-world scenarios involving vulnerable adults, or dependents who lack capacity.

Director of Education and Industry Relations
Commission for Case Manager Certification
Lorna received her Bachelor of Arts from Mount Holyoke College in 1986 and her Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University School of Social Work in 1990. She is a licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Certified Case Manager.
Lorna started her Social Work career in the AIDS Program at St Luke’s/Roosevelt Hospital during the height of the AIDS epidemic. After that, she worked as a Geriatric Social Worker at Emblem Health, where she was instrumental in the creation and implementation of the company’s first end-of-life care program called “Dignified Decision”. Lorna then moved into the acute care setting as Director of Social Work for several large New York area health systems. Her accomplishments during this time include heading a hospice care program, and she was instrumental in developing, implementing, and overseeing the first comprehensive program (Enhanced Interdisciplinary Care Team ), concentrating on medically and psychosocial complex patients to ensure a timely and safe transition to the next level of care. The program was recognized at the 2018 Vizient Summit conference where Lorna participated in a poster presentation. Lorna was the 2020 recipient of the NASW Emerald Leadership Award.
Lorna’s dedication to mentoring and developing young professionals is evident in the number of Social Workers who obtained their LCSW and CCM. She brings this dedication and passion to her new position as the Director of Industry Relations and Education.

Certified Employee Assistance Professional and Approved Clinical Supervisor
Department of War
Dr. Robert K. Franklin is a licensed psychotherapist with his doctorate in Counseling from St. Mary’s University. Originally from Louisiana and raised in a military family, Dr. Franklin has made San Antonio his home since 2001. He has supported individuals, couples, and families across a range of settings, including employee assistance programs, varied levels of care in mental health, university counseling center, clinical case management, and military and government environments. He specializes in operational stress, life transitions, couples therapy, case management, clinical supervision, and minority challenges. Dr. Franklin believes in creating a respectful and empowering space for clients to build healthier relationships and more satisfying lives.

Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences (CFCS): This webinar is pending approval for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 3/18/28.
Board Certified Patient Advocates (BCPA): This webinar is pending approval for 1.5 continuing education (CE) contact hours by The Patient Advocate Certification Board. Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 3/18/28.
Board Certified Case Managers: This webinar is pending approval for 1.5 continuing education (CE) clock hours from the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 3/18/27.
Board Certified Disability Management Specialists: This webinar is pending approval for 1.5 continuing education (CE) clock hour from The Commission for Case Manager Certification. Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 3/18/27.
Certified Family Life Educators (CFLE): This webinar is pending approval for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 3/18/29.
Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES): This webinar is pending approval for 1.5 continuing education credit from the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 3/18/28.
Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RD/RDN) and Nutrition and Dietetics Technicians, Registered (NDTR):This webinar awards 1.5 CPEUs in accordance with the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s CPEU Prior Approval Program. Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close February 12, 2029
Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists: This webinar is pending approval for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work. Check with your state licensing agency for reciprocity and/or credit approval if licensed for other professions or in one of the following states: CO, FL, HI, IA, KS, KY, MI, NY, ND, OH, OK. Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 3/18/29.
New York State Social Work: (FOR LIVE PROGRAM ATTENDANCE ONLY): Commission for Case Manager Certification is recognized
the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers. Eligibility for CE credit will close on 3/18/29.
American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC): The Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC) is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Eligibility for CE credit will close on 3/18/28.
Certificates of Attendance: OneOp Certificates of Attendance are available for those interested in additional documentation of professional development activities.

If the button above does not appear, please access the survey through this link: https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1YbDYIeYQb5EUNE. If you have any questions, please contact ce@oneop.org. Presentation Slides (PDF) Photo Credit: iStockphoto Id: 1491249910; South_agency

Humble on Purpose: A Practice for Better Decisions
2026-03-12 06:00 - 17:00
Subscribe to the “Practicing Connection” monthly email to keep up to date on our latest podcasts, blog posts and workshops.
Join the “Practicing Connection Community” on LinkedIn. The community is designed for people who support military families in a variety of settings both on installations and in our communities. JTNDZGl2JTIwaWQlM0QlMjJidXp6c3Byb3V0LXBsYXllci0xODc5MzQxNCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUzQ3NjcmlwdCUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LmJ1enpzcHJvdXQuY29tJTJGMjA5OTk4MyUyRmVwaXNvZGVzJTJGMTg3OTM0MTQtaHVtYmxlLW9uLXB1cnBvc2UtYS1wcmFjdGljZS1mb3ItYmV0dGVyLWRlY2lzaW9ucy5qcyUzRmNvbnRhaW5lcl9pZCUzRGJ1enpzcHJvdXQtcGxheWVyLTE4NzkzNDE0JTI2cGxheWVyJTNEc21hbGwlMjIlMjB0eXBlJTNEJTIydGV4dCUyRmphdmFzY3JpcHQlMjIlMjBjaGFyc2V0JTNEJTIydXRmLTglMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZzY3JpcHQlM0U= (Season 7, Episode 10)
What if the strongest person in the room is the one willing to say, “I don’t know yet – what am I missing?”
In this episode, we practice exactly that.
In this week’s episode, Erin and Jessica discuss intellectual humility – the willingness to recognize that what you think might be wrong, and to make real space for other people to be right.
Together, they explore how this shows up in everyday collaboration, from project meetings to tough decisions, and why it matters so much for psychological safety and trust at work.
Links and resources from this episode:

Take the free VIA Character Strengths Survey: www.viacharacter.org
Join our LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12879756/
Send us a message: practicingconnection@oneop.org

ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: [00:00:00] Hi, and welcome to the Practicing Connection Podcast. I’m Erin. Today we’ll be talking about a deceptively simple skill that can change how teams and groups of collaborators think, decide, and disagree: intellectual humility. Jessica will be sharing a practice to help us build humility in a bit.
Hi Jessica. I’m excited to dig into this topic.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Hi, yeah, I mean, who doesn’t want to be thought of as a humble person, right?
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Okay. I feel like our Midwestern is showing a little bit.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah. Yeah, that’s fine. Oh boy!
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Oh golly! All right.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Well, you’ll notice I didn’t say, “Midwest nice,” or anything like that. I mean, humility is a real strength, and it’s a real thing that people think about.
But I want to be really clear. It’s not about putting yourself down or pretending [00:01:00] that you don’t know things that you actually do know. It’s more about recognizing that you might be wrong, and creating space for other people to be right.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Hmm. Yeah, I like that distinction. The phrase, ‘I might be wrong’ is not a sentence I feel ever encouraged or rewarded for saying at work. But I’m really intrigued.
So let’s get into it. What do you mean? Tell us more about intellectual humility.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Let’s start with a working definition. From what I’ve found, researchers are defining ‘intellectual humility’ I would say most simply as, ‘The degree to which people recognize that what they think might be wrong, or what they’re thinking might be wrong.’
It’s awareness that your knowledge is partial. Your opinions are fallible and the evidence that you’re relying on might be incomplete.
So this is actually different from humility [00:02:00] in general. Sort of the, I guess maybe we might say ‘capital H Humility,’ right. The capital H humility can be about your abilities, your status, and many, many other things. Intellectual humility though is more specifically about your thinking, so your ideas, your judgments, your assumptions,
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: And I would imagine that intellectually humble people aren’t necessarily wishy-washy about what they think. Can you tell us more about that, like, can you still have strong beliefs, and is it like you have a strong belief and you hold it lightly enough to say, “I might be wrong and I’m open to new evidence?”
Or is it, or is it something else?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: No, I mean, it’s pretty much exactly that, and you can even hear it in the way people who exhibit, you know, intellectual humility in the way that they talk, they might say things like, “Here’s how it looks to me right now,” right? That kind of leaves the door [00:03:00] open to, how does it look to you?
“So here’s how it looks to me right now.” Or they might say something like, “I’m about 70% confident in this, or 80% confident. Or they might even just ask everyone at the table, “What am I missing?”
And underneath this language is often a set of habits. Things like checking your assumptions, intentionally seeking disconfirming information and being willing to revise your view when the evidence really calls for it.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Okay, so it’s not about being indecisive or being a flip-flopper, it’s about being honest about how sure you actually are and keeping the door, like the door cracked for new information.
And being willing to be data driven. Like when you get new data, you adapt it into what you’re thinking. Oh, that’s so interesting.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah. And actually that’s a really great way to put it. You can still take a stand, but you’re [00:04:00] not treating your current view as the final word on all reality.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yes, I love this. We need to stop assuming that we can give the final word on reality. That is such a great turn of phrase. Thank you for sharing that, Jessica.
So you mentioned character strengths earlier. I’m assuming that this is a VIA Character Strength, because I know you love them and you talk about them frequently, which is good. I’m excited. They’re newer to me. So it’s fun to get all of this stuff from you.
Where does humility work in the VIA Framework to Connect? How does it connect with what you’re describing?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, I mean, I have to be honest with everyone. I prompted Erin to ask me about VIA Character Strengths. If you’ve taken the VIA Strength Survey, humility is one of the 24 character strengths.
And with the humility character strength, it’s actually about having a realistic view of your strengths and weaknesses, and it’s about things like not needing to [00:05:00] be in the spotlight all the time and letting your work speak for itself.
VIA places humility in the broader virtue category of temperance. So temperance is things that help you keep your ego and your impulses in check, so that you can respond more thoughtfully instead of reactively.
But intellectual humility is one way that strength shows up in how we think and decide. So when you say, “I could be wrong here and I want to hear what I might be missing,” you’re basically putting the character strength of humility into action in your reasoning.
So again, intellectual humility really focuses on one way that humility can be practiced. And this is about the way we think about our reasoning. But the overall character strength of humility is, you know, it’s kind of broader than that.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Okay, so if someone listening has taken the VIA Strengths Assessment and saw humility on their [00:06:00] profile, intellectual humility is just a specific everyday way that humility more broadly shows up in meetings and collaborations.
It’s not the entirety of the strength of humility.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Right, but I wanted to bring it up because there’s so much research behind it, and we know that. And so, if you haven’t taken the assessment, there is a free version of the survey online. We’ll put the link to it in the show notes.
It can be really helpful way to notice whether humility is a strength you have that you can lean into easily, or whether it might be something that you’ll need to be a little bit more intentional about building.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Okay. Well that’s exciting. Let’s pivot the conversation a little bit into collaborative work. What happens in a team, or with a group of collaborators, when there’s not a lot of intellectual humility?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Usually you’ll see people digging in as one clue. And I’ve been guilty of this myself. Disagreements might turn [00:07:00] into, you know, “I’m right, you’re wrong.”
Not that anyone actually says those words exactly, but you might also notice people talking past each other, or some people will stop sharing information that doesn’t fit the view that seems to be on top in the moment, right? So if there’s a view that’s on top, the ideas just kind of end up getting stymied. Additional ideas and additional perspectives.
And conflict will become about defending your position, instead of solving a shared problem. And that’s what, most of the time when a team’s coming together or when collaborators are coming together, they came together because there was a shared problem to solve.
And so it ends up not being about the problem, but instead being about you, basically, or being about, you know, each individual person trying to defend their position.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah, I’ve definitely seen the instance where everyone will come to a meeting, like they’ve almost already written a script in their head about what they’re going to say and what the other person’s going to say, and [00:08:00] then nobody actually listens or changes their mind, or compromises.
And the absolute worst is when they’re saying the same thing a different way, and they don’t realize that they’re saying the same thing. And then there’s like this big fight, and it falls apart, because you can’t even hear what the other person is saying because you’re so determined to be right and to win.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: There was a person I used to work with where we had this problem where we would get into, I wouldn’t call any of them like real strong arguments or anything, we were friendly with each other, but we would get into these sort of like back and forth volleys.
And after a while we realized, and we would crack up about it, “Wait, we’re saying the same thing. We’re just saying it in different ways.” Like, we are in total agreement here.
And we realized that it was a pattern we had. And so if we started to have a volley, then later on we would stop ourselves. Once we realized that this was a pattern, we’d stop ourselves and we would start laughing and say, “Is this one of those [00:09:00] times where we’re basically saying the same thing, but in different ways?” So, I mean, that’s definitely a thing that happens.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Sure. Well, can you tell me more? What does it look like when there is some more intellectual humility in a group setting, what does that look like?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Well, we almost see the opposite, right? So people are more willing to admit uncertainty and even come out and say, “I’m not sure, I’m not a hundred percent sure on this.”
They’re more curious about why someone sees it differently. Like, “Oh, that’s interesting. Can you tell me more about why you see it that way? What’s behind that?” And they’re more likely to bring in better evidence.
So more intellectual humility in a group or collaborative effort tends to improve the quality of decisions, and also the quality of relationships within the group, because people are actually seeing each other instead of talking past each other, and choosing positions and sticking with their positions.[00:10:00]
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Mm-hmm. So what does this look like for a leader? Often leaders have this kind of pressure to project certainly, or have executive presence, or kind of have a commanding presence in a room. Like how does that interact with intellectual humility?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, I think that a leader that can exhibit intellectual humility sends really strong signals.
So when they say, “Here’s my current thinking, but I want to test it with you.” Or, “Hey guys, I got this wrong last time and here’s how I’m adjusting.”
You know, people feel safer to speak up, to disagree and to share information that might be uncomfortable. And there’s even research showing that this kind of humble leadership is linked with people feeling more engaged and able to thrive at work.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Oh, that’s interesting. So a leader that exhibits intellectual humility is showing that the way they think [00:11:00] is open, and they’re willing to revise it, and therefore people actually participate in conversations.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, absolutely. And, you know, they can still make the call. Ultimately, they make that decision, but they’re not pretending to be infallible along the way.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah. Okay. I like that. That’s exciting.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: By the way, them not pretending to be infallible, that’s what invites people in to share more perspectives and to give them more information to make that better decision.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: That’s an important detail. So before we started recording, you mentioned that there’s kind of a dark side, or at least a cost to humility. Can you tell me more about that here?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, so when we ask people to be intellectually humble, we’re asking them to open up to the idea that they might be wrong about things that really matter to them. So that can be really unsettling.
It can create anxiety, especially around things that hold deep [00:12:00] meaning for us, like our values, or those big purpose kinds of questions. Those existential questions that we might have.
And in some contexts, like with major values, more humility can actually come with less certainty. And it gives us this feeling of lost stability, like the ground’s starting to shake a little bit on us. This is not just like a feel good skill. It can actually be kind of emotionally taxing or demanding.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: That makes sense. Yeah, I can see that, especially if something you’re thinking of as kind of a foundational thing is, “Oh, I’m a person who knows how to do this, or we do it the right way.” I have done that one and it has not been good.
Or, “Our team does it the right way.” Questioning that feels really risky, especially if you have really deep values about quality, like the quality of your work is super important to you. Being open to the idea that maybe the quality of your work [00:13:00] isn’t good, could be – oh, wow. Okay. Yeah, that does feel risky.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Well, that’s why I like to think of building intellectual humility as also building your tolerance for uncertainty. The two kind of work well together, right? You’re strengthening your ability to stay grounded and curious. Even when your ego would really like you to slam the door and say, “Nope, I’m right.”
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah. All right. I love this. Let’s get into it. What’s the practice you brought? Walk us through it. How can we start building our intellectual humility?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Well, I want to start out by saying just like any practice we share, this is just one of many ways. I think even if you just worked on building humility in general, it doesn’t have to be specific to intellectual humility, you are well on your way to building intellectual humility as well.
So the practice I’m going to share is, you can do this on your own at first, and if you like, you [00:14:00] can bring it into conversations with your team or collaborators when you’re ready.
If you’re going to do this on your own, you would start by bringing to mind a real work situation. So a decision that you’re making or you’re grappling with, a disagreement that you might be in, or maybe a project where you feel pretty strongly about the right approach, or I would say the quote unquote “right” approach.
So once you have a real work situation in mind, you would start by admitting and noticing that you might not have all the information, and I think almost across the board for almost everything, there’s some element here that we could probably admit and notice that we may not have all of the information.
So you might ask yourself, “What am I assuming here?” And, “How sure am I really?” I would even recommend that you give yourself a number, so for example, “I’m 80% sure about this.” That [00:15:00] helps get you into a mindset that you’re not absolutely certain. It starts out setting you up for success, when it comes to building your intellectual humility.
Even if you said 95% – “I’m 95% sure I’m right about this.” 99%, that’s not one hundred percent. That’s still setting you up for success by pointing out to yourself that you are not 100% absolutely certain.
So then you’re going to identify two or three limits of your knowledge in that situation. For example, you know, “I haven’t talked directly with the people most affected by this, so I’m missing some information there.”
“The data I have,” – and this comes up quite a bit with like the American Community Survey data because it’s only updated every so many years – “We’re using old data,” is one piece. And then, maybe, “I don’t fully understand all the technical constraints.” You’re not judging yourself for having limits, you’re just getting accurate [00:16:00] about what those limits are in your knowledge.
The second step is to practice admitting first to yourself and then when appropriate out loud that you might be wrong or that you don’t know. So for example, if you’re a team member or a collaborator, you might say, “Here’s my take, and I’m open to being wrong.” You can literally say, “I’m open to being wrong.”
Or you might say, “I feel really strongly about this, but I know that I’m only seeing part of the picture from my perspective.” If you’re a leader, you might say, “I’m leaning in this direction, but I’m not a hundred percent sure. I wanted to test this with you all.” Or you might say, “Looking back, I missed something last time. I’m adjusting based on what I learned,” the act of naming it.
It changes the temperature in the room a little bit. It tells your own nervous system that, “I don’t have to be perfect,” right? Perfectionist, unite or don’t unite. Know that you do [00:17:00] not have to be perfect, and then it tells others that it’s safe to bring in their perspective.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah. Wow. Okay. That was a lot.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yes.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: But I like it ’cause it was a good lot. Yeah, I’m just thinking too about times where I’ve been in groups where people have said that kind of stuff where they said, “I’m open to being wrong,” or, “Here’s my part that I can see. What am I missing?” And I remember that being such a wonderful invitation into sharing.
And it was very much a moment where I would pause and think, “Oh, they actually care about what I have to say here.” So I can see that being really powerful. Bringing that kind of energy into a space.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, it really is. And I think, you know, if “I’m open to being wrong” doesn’t sound like you, you can find a phrase that does. I often say, “I’m just putting this out there and let’s discuss it,” like, “I’m not married to [00:18:00] this. I’m happy to hear and I want to hear what you guys think.”
So the third step is to invite other perspectives. Intellectual humility isn’t just internal. It shows up in how you go looking for other perspectives as well. So with others who are part of your situation, you might ask, “What’s a reasonable argument against my view? What are you seeing that I might be missing?”
I really like this next one: “If this plan fails, what will we wish we had surfaced in our discussion today?” I really love that question because I think sometimes when it seems like the ideas have come out of the gate and they’re well on their way, I think people are like, “I don’t need to share this concern. We’re already going down the path.”
But asking a question like this, “If this plan fails, what will we wish we had surfaced in our discussion today?” really invites anyone who’s feeling a little bit off, [00:19:00] who maybe has a different perspective or has different information that they could share, really invites that in.
And I think it’s particularly hard when people are really coalescing and excited about an idea. And there’s a person who is like, “Oh man, I always feel like I’m the naysayer. I always feel like I’m throwing a wrench in things.” But honestly, I always like to tell people, a lot of times those folks are just trying to make it the best it can possibly be. You want to invite their thoughts and their concerns.
And so a question like this does that, and I don’t want to get too complex here, but you could also normalize asking those who may be in a meeting that seem to be skeptical, “What would change your mind before making a final decision?” And the reason I said I don’t want to get too complex here is because it’s not too complex to add a question to the end of your discussion before making a decision that would change your mind.
But a lot of times I’ve seen this done where a group kind of employs a little bit of a voting [00:20:00] system. The idea that I wrote down here in our notes is “Fist to Five,” which is: holding up a fist means, “I absolutely am not interested in going down the path of this decision.” And then a five is like super enthusiastic, “At all costs, I want us to go down that path.” And then, you know, there’s 1, 2, 3, 4.
If someone’s a fist and they absolutely do not like this idea. I think that’s where the question of, “What would change your mind?” becomes really powerful. It invites them to share what they’re most concerned about with this. And it gives you potentially some time to respond to that and find some common ground.
So like I said, I don’t want to make it complex and I just made it more complex.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: You did. But that’s okay. It was a helpful example, and I think what I’m really hearing from you discussing this is that step three is really about making sure you’re not just paying lip [00:21:00] service to the idea, but actually being open and actually inviting people into poking holes into your ideas, your precious babies, your ideas that are perfect and wonderful.
You want people to actually take you serious about giving you feedback.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: And I love that.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I mean, that’s where the growth happens, and it can feel really uncomfortable, which is why I also suggest that you get to know how you feel when you’re saying things like, “I might be wrong,” or how you feel when you ask others for their view on an idea you just shared.
So, however you feel, you know, whether that’s anxious or annoyed or relieved, you don’t have to fix that. Just be really aware of it, and just know that those feelings will be happening when you are asking these questions of others. Allow yourself to accept that, so that you can remain open.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah, it makes sense. This is a [00:22:00] pretty brave, courageous thing to do. We talk about vulnerability a lot, but I think actually choosing to say, “Hey, tell me what I’m wrong about,” is a very exciting thing for someone to do. Like to see somebody do I imagine it is hard and, and you’ve kind of talked about that, but it makes sense.
You might have all these feelings and your body’s just telling you like, “Hey, this is riskier than some of the things you’ve done before.”
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, but that doesn’t mean resist doing it.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: It doesn’t mean you’re doing a bad thing. It just means it’s different, right. We’re going to talk about that more on another episode, or else this is going to get too long.
But I’m really excited to apply it in my life. And thank you.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: You’re so welcome. And it was my pleasure as always.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: All right. That’s it for this episode. If you liked this episode, please share it with a friend or a colleague. In the meantime, we’ll be back with another episode. Until then, keep practicing.
[00:23:00]
CREDITS: The Practicing Connection Podcast is a production of One-Op and is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture and the Office of Military Family Readiness Policy, US Department of Defense under award number 2 0 2 3 4 8 7 74 3 3.

The Importance of Engaging Caregivers in Clinical Services
2026-03-05 11:00 - 12:30
Successful completion of clinical services is closely associated with caregiver participation in treatment (McPherson et al, 2012). However, engagement may begin with a challenge: fewer than 50% of families scheduled for therapy services attend their first appointment (Harrison et al., 2004). This webinar focuses on common factors that impact engagement for families in clinical services, from that critical first appointment through ongoing participation. The research by McKay et al. on caregiver engagement is discussed and applied to family advocacy settings.
Learning Objectives:

Identify protective and other factors that impact engagement in clinical services.
Discuss professional and caregiver perceptions of clinical services, the roles systems play in these services, and their relationship to engagement.
Determine at least two strategies to enhance professional and caregiver engagement in clinical services using research-based methods.

Dionna Weixel is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist at the University of Oklahoma Health Campus, Center on Child Abuse and Neglect (CCAN). Ms. Weixel received her Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Central Oklahoma in 2017. Her clinical interests and work focus on providing evidence-based interventions for children with problematic sexual behaviors, disruptive behavior disorders, and trauma-related disorders. Ms. Weixel is trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), an evidence-based treatment for children and adolescents who are experiencing trauma symptoms and their caregivers, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), an evidence-based treatment for young children exhibiting disruptive behaviors, and Problematic Sexual Behavior-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (PSB-CBT™) for school-age and preschool children. Kelly Hagenbaugh is a Licensed Social Worker who has had over 18 years of experience in the field of trauma treatment. Kelly received her Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Buffalo. Before joining Creative Health Services and Mission Kids, she was the Counseling Coordinator at Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA) and was a part of building several clinical programs, including trauma counseling in the community and comprehensive, evidence-based programming for Youth with Problematic Sexual Behavior (YWPSB). Kelly currently works with the University of Oklahoma as a member of their clinical training team, providing clinical training, consultation, and support to YWPSB program sites across the Country. Kelly is certified in TF-CBT, PSB-CBT, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY), as well as being a certified yoga instructor.

Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences (CFCS): This webinar is approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). *Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close on 3/5/2028.
Board Certified Patient Advocates (BCPA): This webinar is approved for 1.5 CE contact hours by The Patient Advocate Certification Board. *Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close on 3/5/2028.
Board Certified Case Managers: This webinar is approved for 1.5 CE clock hours from the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC). *Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close on 3/5/2027.
Certified Family Life Educators (CFLE): This webinar is approved for 1.5 CE credits from the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR). *Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close on 3/5/2029.
Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES): This webinar is approved for 1.5 CE credit from the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC). *Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close on 3/5/2028.
Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists: This webinar is approved for 1.5 CE credits from the University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work. Check with your state licensing agency for reciprocity and/or credit approval if licensed for other professions or in one of the following states: CO, FL, HI, IA, KS, KY, MI, NY, ND, OH, OK. *Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close on 3/5/2029.
OneOp Certificates of Attendance are available for those interested in additional documentation of professional development activities.

If the button above does not appear, please access the survey here: https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_d6lZ507ILbreCCG. If you have any questions, please contact CE@oneop.org. Webinar Slides
Webinar Resources Photo Credit: Adobe Stock, by Beaunitta V W, file #539362298

This webinar is part of the Sexual Behavior in Children & Youth (SBCY) Series. For more information on other professional development opportunities on this topic, visit the series homepage!
SBCY Series – Homepage

Everyday Practices for Organizational Resilience
2026-03-05 06:00 - 17:00
Subscribe to the “Practicing Connection” monthly email to keep up to date on our latest podcasts, blog posts and workshops.
Join the “Practicing Connection Community” on LinkedIn. The community is designed for people who support military families in a variety of settings both on installations and in our communities. JTNDZGl2JTIwaWQlM0QlMjJidXp6c3Byb3V0LXBsYXllci0xODc1ODQwMSUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUzQ3NjcmlwdCUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LmJ1enpzcHJvdXQuY29tJTJGMjA5OTk4MyUyRmVwaXNvZGVzJTJGMTg3NTg0MDEtZXZlcnlkYXktcHJhY3RpY2VzLWZvci1vcmdhbml6YXRpb25hbC1yZXNpbGllbmNlLmpzJTNGY29udGFpbmVyX2lkJTNEYnV6enNwcm91dC1wbGF5ZXItMTg3NTg0MDElMjZwbGF5ZXIlM0RzbWFsbCUyMiUyMHR5cGUlM0QlMjJ0ZXh0JTJGamF2YXNjcmlwdCUyMiUyMGNoYXJzZXQlM0QlMjJ1dGYtOCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRnNjcmlwdCUzRQ== (Season 7, Episode 9)
Resilience at work isn’t only about how much each of us can handle. It’s also about how our systems anticipate challenges, respond to them, and make space to recover and learn.
What changes when we start asking, “How resilient is our organization?” instead of only, “How resilient am I?”
Resilience is often framed as an individual trait, but it’s also a property of our organizations – how they anticipate disruption, respond to it, and support recovery.
In this Practicing Connection practicast, Erin and Jessica unpack what organizational resilience is, where the idea comes from, and how it shows up in our everyday work lives.
Drawing on Shanna B. Tiayon’s four-phase framework: anticipatory, preparatory, responsive, and recovery, they share a simple set of reflection questions you can use after a hectic week, a tricky meeting, or a small crisis.
You don’t need a formal role or a big debrief to try it; just choose one phase, ask one question, and start noticing the change.
Links and resources from this episode:

Shanna B. Tiayon, PhD article: “What Does Organizational Resilience Look Like?“
Handout: Four Phases of Organizational Resilience
Join our LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12879756/
Send us a message: practicingconnection@oneop.org

ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: [00:00:00] Organizational resilience helps us create workplaces that can bend without breaking, places that protect people’s wellbeing, while still navigating change, uncertainty, and even crisis.
Hi everyone, welcome to this week’s Practicing Connection practicast. I’m Erin. Today we’re exploring organizational resilience: what it is, where it comes from, why it matters for you and your organization, and one simple practice you can try with your team.
My co-host, Jessica Beckendorf, will walk us through that practice in a bit. Hi Jessica. How are you?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I am great. I am so interested in the conversation we were just having outside of this recording, about boredom, and how I’ve never been bored, and I’m super curious. Maybe there’s some connection to our group and we can explore it in the future.
But I am feeling super, super curious about that now, and I can’t wait for the two of us to talk more about that in the future. I didn’t really [00:01:00] add a lot to the conversation here, but I’m – I’ve never been bored.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: I cannot imagine that. I love boredom, because that’s where my most creative things happen, when I’m bored.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Mm-hmm. And maybe we’re thinking of boredom differently, like maybe boredom is meaning something different to us,
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yes. Okay. Sorry guys. We will circle back later, I’m sure. But I love that. Yeah. Okay, sounds like you’re energized by talking to people. So let’s keep talking.
What is organizational resilience? What does that mean? Tell me more.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I would say that when most of us hear resilience, we think about individual grit or bouncing back from stress, but specific to individuals.
Organizational resilience shifts the focus from, ‘What can this one person endure?’ which sounds like a terrible question, to, ‘How does the whole organization anticipate, absorb, and recover from [00:02:00] disruption?’
And I say organization here, but I’m also talking about community groups, volunteer groups, coalitions, any time there’s a group of people who are working together on something: how do they anticipate, absorb, and recover from disruption?
So instead of asking people just to like, “Tough it out,” we’re asking whether our structures, our policies, and our group culture or organizational culture help or harm us when things get really difficult.
One way I really like to think about organizational resilience is about how the system bends without breaking, so that the people within it don’t have to carry all the strain. It asks questions like, “Did we see the risks early on? Do we have backup plans? Do we learn from our mistakes?” A bigger lens is what makes it so powerful.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Okay. Wow, that sounds great. I certainly think most of us have worked in places that call people [00:03:00] ‘resilient’ when what they actually mean is, ‘still standing after being overworked.’
JESSICA BECKENDORF: And overwhelmed.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: And overwhelmed. And there’s this idea that that’s something laudable. And I think it is cool when people are able to persevere through hard things, but it’s also sad if we see someone persevering through a hard thing and then we do nothing to support them.
So it sounds like organizational leadership is a little bit about how do we show up better for each other structurally? Am I, am I on the right track?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: You are, and you’re actually reminding me right now of a training I took early in my career. So this was, hmm, probably two decades ago, where I went to a time management for public employees. At the time I was working at a local government, and it was a really great training.
But one of the things that came out of it is, how do public employees often get rewarded when they’re doing a really [00:04:00] good job? And the answer was, ‘It’s with more work.’
And so, yeah, what you’re saying is making sense to me. And I wanted to bring this topic up on the podcast after reading an article on the Greater Good Magazine site.
The article was by Shanna B. Tiayon. The article is titled, What Does Organizational Resilience Look Like? And in the article, the author describes organizational resilience as, ‘The strength of the organization’s structures, decisions, and leadership behaviors that reduce the frequency and impact of crises.’
I love this because it’s all about building conditions where crises are possibly less frequent and especially less damaging.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah, that sounds great.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah. The author breaks organizational resilience into four parts: anticipatory, preparatory, responsive, and recovery. Anticipatory is about noticing early warning signs. [00:05:00] Preparatory is about putting supports and plans in place. Responsive is how you actually act during a disturbance. And recovery is what you do after the disruption passes, how you let people in systems reset and learn instead of just kind of pushing forward as if nothing happened.
And I do think it’s very common for organizations to just keep pushing forward as if nothing happened. I’ve seen it many times. One of the things that struck me about this framework is how much it reminded me of the framework we talked about in the past, from the Tamarack Institute, called the Asset-Based Community Recovery Framework for Communities.
They’re similar models, but they deal with a different scale, right? The Tamarack one deals with community scale, and this framework is dealing with an organizational scale. Honestly, I think that both can be applied at both of those scales, but I just thought, there’s support out there for organizations, for communities to assess and recover from crises.
And [00:06:00] whatever one resonates the most with you, you’ve got multiple options.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah, this is exciting. I love how practical this framing feels. Those four categories feel really great to me, and I guess I’m curious about, where does the idea of organizational resilience come from? Resilience feels like such a buzzword. Does it come from that buzzword?
Does it have deeper roots? How did they land at ‘resilience’?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, it definitely has deeper roots. Organizational resilience draws from fields like disaster management and organizational psychologies, places where people have studied why some organizations navigate shocks like financial crises, supply chain disruptions, natural disasters, or sudden changes in demand.
And what they found is that resilient organizations don’t just, quote-unquote “bounce back” by working harder. They do their best to anticipate risks.
They have thought out strategies. [00:07:00] They maintain flexible resources, and importantly, they learn from what happens, right? They don’t just keep going after something happens.
And then more recent work also emphasizes learning and communication. Things we talk about quite a bit on the podcast, like psychological safety, open information sharing, and reflective practices, because those things help organizations adapt thoughtfully rather than just reacting in panic.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Okay, so this is also about being smarter and more intentional as a group, as a collective. What kind of impact does using this framework have on people and workplaces?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I love that you asked this question. This is where the real impact is evident. As you might imagine, organizational resilience is tied to better performance during crises and less chaos for the people who are working within the group or the [00:08:00] organization.
Resilient organizations are also more likely to maintain essential functions to adapt their strategies when things go off track, instead of just breaking down or overreacting. And they also tend to have better communication, more clear decision making and more trust among the members. There’s also some evidence that when organizations employ good planning, clear roles and supportive policies, employees experience less burnout and emotional exhaustion during crises.
So it not only helps an organization continue operations to employ, you know, these four different phases of organizational resilience, but it can help protect people’s mental health, because the system is designed to absorb more of the shock, instead of the people having to individually absorb it.
So I also want to be really clear: you don’t have to have a big title or a leadership role to contribute to organizational resilience. You still have [00:09:00] influence, you can shape how your team runs meetings, how they handle conflicts, and how they learn from mistakes. Those small choices can quietly model resilience for the broader organization.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: I love that bringing it down to a team level makes it feel much more actionable and much more accessible for someone who maybe isn’t in a formal leadership position.
Speaking of action, we talk about practices on this podcast. So Jessica, can you talk us through the practice that you brought today?
I’m excited. I wanna hear how to do this. This sounds great. I have been a person who has, in other jobs, I have absorbed stress that maybe could have been in an organization, and I want to hear how we can do that. Like, that sounds great. Let’s go.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Great. Well, this practice combines elements of after-action reviews, which is a way of reviewing an action or a [00:10:00] project after it has occurred, in a very nonjudgmental way.
but this practice combines that style with the four phases of organizational resilience that I mentioned earlier: the anticipatory preparatory, responsive and recovery.
It was designed as a way to bring an organizational resilience lens into everyday moments that you already have, no matter your position at your organization or in your team.
So to start, think of a recent disturbance of some sort. Maybe it was something like, it’s just a hectic week. You had 24 hours of meetings. I’ve had that myself. Maybe you have told me before that my schedule gives you hives sometimes.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah. You have so many back to back meetings. It makes me die on the inside. Okay, so we’re talking about hectic weeks.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah. So maybe it was a hectic week. Maybe it was a tricky meeting, you know, there’s a little tension in the meeting, or it was really rushed. Maybe it was a last minute request that was difficult [00:11:00] to deal with, or it was even a small crisis.
So think of a recent disturbance, and then move through the four phases with a few questions that I’ll share in a moment. You don’t have to answer all these questions, we give you a variety of questions so that you can pick what is most relevant to your situation. Just pick the one that resonates or the ones that resonate for you and are appropriate for the situation.
So, the questions for the anticipatory phase: this is about did we see it coming, right? You’re looking at identifying what the early signals were. So you might ask yourself, “What early signs did I, or we, have that this could become challenging, where we identified that this could become challenging?” Maybe you might ask, “What did I notice but not say out loud?”
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Mm-hmm.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: “If I could rewind, what small signal would I pay more attention to next time?”
So these questions can help you build the skill of noticing [00:12:00] weak signals and speaking up sooner, which really helps build anticipatory resilience.
Preparatory phase: This is about assessing, “Were we set up well?” You’re looking to uncover how prepared you were. So you might ask, “What supports or resources made this easier?” Things like information, relationships, processes, tools. “Where did I or we feel unprepared or under-resourced?” And then, “What is one thing I could put in place right now?” Maybe it’s a checklist, a template, a connection with a key person to be better prepared for next time. So even small shifts in preparation can make a really big difference for the next challenge.
And then the responsive phase, this is about, “How did we act in the moment?” It’s about assessing how you and others responded when the thing was happening. So here you might ask, “When did our response feel clear and coordinated?[00:13:00] What helped that happen? When did things feel chaotic or reactive? What was missing in those moments?” And then, “How did I show up under pressure? What am I proud of and what would I like to do differently next time?”
I wanted to emphasize here, not because I’m putting it all on the individual, but I want to emphasize it because you don’t have to be in a leadership position and trying to solve this thing for your whole team. You could also model for your team members by making small shifts yourself, right? So this helps you learn from your real behavior under stress, not just your intentions.
And then finally, the recovery phase. “Did we actually recover and learn?” So this phase is about learning from what happened after the situation. You might ask, “Did I or we get any time or space to recover after this, or did we go straight to the next thing? What would meaningful recovery have looked like for me and for [00:14:00] others involved?” And then, “What is one small adjustment I can make going forward?” Maybe it’s a boundary, a short debrief with someone or with yourself, a check-in so that recovery and learning aren’t skipped next time.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Okay. Those were great questions. There were a couple that I had to mute because I was doing like a, “Ooh, that’s a good one” noise. And I was like, “No, I want people to hear the questions, not me responding to the questions!”
I also think something I really appreciate about these is that they’re very flexible. You know, there’s a lot that you can get into with these questions. So for someone who’s listening, and thinking, “That feels like a lot,” what’s the smallest possible way to try this out?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, that’s a good question. And like I said, you don’t have to answer all of those questions. But the smallest version is to pick one phase and one [00:15:00] question.
So for example, after a particularly hectic day, you might ask, “What early sign did I ignore today?” For me, because I have some experience with this one, that might be that, “I said yes to following up on some items today before noticing that my calendar was full.” Or after a big meeting, so maybe you were facilitating, which requires a lot of energy and preparation, or maybe it was just a difficult meeting you might ask, “What would recovery look like for me after this?
And both of these examples can start to shift how you think about your organization and your role in it, and how you show up in it too, right?
So, if you ask yourself, “What would recovery look like for me after this?” If you’re facilitating a big meeting, you’re in charge of planning that meeting or bringing everyone through the discussion. And that takes a lot of emotional and mental labor for you. Don’t allow anything to be scheduled for right after that meeting. Maybe you just need some [00:16:00] down time.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: We love buffer time.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah. Buffer time. I love this, buffer time. That’s what I mean by that. And then I want to emphasize, right, those are two very individual things that you can do, but you can also bring one of these questions gently into existing spaces, right?
You could ask some of these questions during a meeting while discussing a recent project or issue. You don’t have to make it a big formal session where you’re gonna go through all four phases. You can just kind of seed a bit of this thinking into what’s already happening.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: I love that. That feels very accessible.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Awesome. Okay. Well thank you so much for walking us through this, Jessica. I found this really encouraging, I’m excited to get started using some of these questions, and I’m hoping other people are too.
So we’re going to make a handout that you can link to in the show notes, so you don’t have to re-listen to this podcast every time you want to engage with these [00:17:00] questions.
Hopefully you guys are all as excited as we are. Thank you everyone for listening. Consider trying this with something that’s already on your plate, a project, a meeting, or a challenging week, and see what you notice.
We’d love to hear how it goes and what you learn. You can share with us by emailing practicing connection@oneop.org. We’ll be back next week with a new episode. Until then, keep practicing.
CREDITS: The Practicing Connection Podcast is a production of One-Op and is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture and the Office of Military Family Readiness Policy, US Department of Defense under award number 2 0 2 3 4 8 7 74 3 3.

Collaboration in Action: Serving Military Families through Strengthening Communities
2026-02-26 06:00 - 17:00
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Join the “Practicing Connection Community” on LinkedIn. The community is designed for people who support military families in a variety of settings both on installations and in our communities. JTNDZGl2JTIwaWQlM0QlMjJidXp6c3Byb3V0LXBsYXllci0xODcyMTE3OSUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUzQ3NjcmlwdCUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LmJ1enpzcHJvdXQuY29tJTJGMjA5OTk4MyUyRmVwaXNvZGVzJTJGMTg3MjExNzktY29sbGFib3JhdGlvbi1pbi1hY3Rpb24tc2VydmluZy1taWxpdGFyeS1mYW1pbGllcy10aHJvdWdoLXN0cmVuZ3RoZW5pbmctY29tbXVuaXRpZXMuanMlM0Zjb250YWluZXJfaWQlM0RidXp6c3Byb3V0LXBsYXllci0xODcyMTE3OSUyNnBsYXllciUzRHNtYWxsJTIyJTIwdHlwZSUzRCUyMnRleHQlMkZqYXZhc2NyaXB0JTIyJTIwY2hhcnNldCUzRCUyMnV0Zi04JTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGc2NyaXB0JTNF (Season 7, Episode 9)
How does a small North Carolina city become a national example of collaboration between military and community?
Mayor Will Lewis says it starts with relationships – and a willingness to show up for one another.
In this episode, Jessica Beckendorf talks with Havelock, North Carolina Mayor Will Lewis about what it looks like when a city and an installation grow together.
As president of Allies for Cherry Point Tomorrow, Mayor Lewis helps connect community, education, and military partners to strengthen opportunities for service members, veterans, and local families alike.
Their conversation explores how collaboration, communication, and long‑term vision can build lasting readiness at every level.
Links and resources from this episode:

Visit the ACT website: https://alliesforcherrypoint.com/
Join our LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12879756/
Send us a message: practicingconnection@oneop.org

[Jessica Beckendorf]: Welcome to the Practicing Connection podcast. I’m Jessica Beckendorf. In this episode, we’re spotlighting a community that has made partnership a central theme, Havelock, North Carolina.
Havelock sits just outside Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, which also happens to be one of the largest employers in the region. It’s a place where the city, the installation, schools, and local employers work hand in hand to support service members, veterans, and their families.
That kind of collaboration does not happen by accident. It takes leadership, people, time, and a deep commitment to community well-being. Our guest today knows that work inside and out. Mayor Will Lewis has served the city of Havelock for nearly two decades, building strong bridges between the city and the installation. During this time, he has championed education, STEM outreach, and open communication across civilian and military sectors, all while maintaining typical mayor duties, like attending community events, community engagement, and working to make Havelock stronger.
Mayor Will also leads Allies for Cherry Point Tomorrow, or ACT, an organization that began years ago with a single mission: to protect the Fleet Readiness Center East during a round of base realignment. But ACT has since evolved into a nonprofit that uplifts the installation and the surrounding region. So today, ACT convenes partners to expand access to engineering education, to grow local employment opportunities, and create pathways for transitioning veterans, all with an eye toward long-term community and family readiness.
That is quite the introduction. Mayor Will, welcome to the podcast. It’s such a pleasure to have you here.
[Will Lewis]: Hey, Jessica, thank you for having me. I’m honored to be on your podcast. I’m going to do my best to make that intro do some justice to it. Thank you for that. That was awesome.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: Well, we’ve already had a couple of off-air conversations, and I fully believe all of the things that we said about you. So let’s get started with the first thing I wanted to ask you, was that, you know, you’ve served as the mayor of Havelock for nearly two decades, and now you lead Allies for Cherry Point Tomorrow.
When you think about your journey, what personal values or experiences have most shaped how you show up for military families and the broader community?
[Will Lewis]: Well, I mean, it has been, this is my 21st year total. I did eight years as a commissioner on the board and this number 13 as mayor. So 21 years, as you said, for the city.
And, you know, I think like most people who get in a position, whether for local service, like local government, it is about service and it’s about people. It’s about the people in your community. So I grew up here in Havelock. And I’ve been surrounded by Marines and all of our local citizens the whole time. I just wanted to give back.
So when I first ran, the thought was, “I’m just going to be able to help some people, whether it’s getting a stop sign right or, you know, fixing potholes in a street, whatever that might be.” I really didn’t know when I first joined the board that there would be this whole component with Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point and taking care of Marines.
And I grew into that. And you kind of saw it a little bit. It’s like when you grow up here, I tell everybody, like, “We’re so fortunate. We live with everyday heroes.” Like, you’re pumping your gas, you look over and the person next to you is about to deploy or is training to deploy. We’re a very operational base.
So like, man, we live with people that protect our freedom.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: Yeah.
[Will Lewis]: So it starts simple, like just seeing them at a local event and talking to them, and making them feel welcome when they’re brand new, because they change out every three years. Making them feel welcome. Then it grew into ways that we can actually affect their lives, things that we can do for them to make their lives better. So I don’t know that there was like any one thing or activity, or like realization. It kind of grows on you if you stay here long enough, I guess.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: Oh, no, that makes so much sense. And it seems like as it grew on you, though, you all had, maybe it wasn’t a realization, maybe it just was sort of a baby steps kind of thing that kind of built on each other. But it seems like you realized, “Oh, wait, working together kind of floats all the boats or gets all of the planes in the air,” however, whatever metaphor you want to use there. But working together actually helps the wider region.
[Will Lewis]: Yes. And I think I was fortunate enough to come along when that realization was happening. Maybe just the right place, right time. Because for a long time, the world of defense was, it was always like the base did its thing and the community did their thing.
And then there was like, you intermingled, you know, we all played sports together and whatnot, but we didn’t think about things like infrastructure together. We didn’t think about water supply. We didn’t think about sewer. We didn’t think about, “What you can do as a larger community to protect families when their spouse deploys overseas?”
And I think I was at the right place, right time that all that conversation was starting. And we were able to be a part of that and grow with that thought. So as that thought process grew over the 20 years, the City of Havelock has just been invested to grow that same way.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: Oh, yeah. And so when you look across Havelock, the Marine Corps, Air Station Cherry Point, and the surrounding region, you’ve kind of started to allude to this, but how do you see the military family readiness system operating in real life? Like, who are the key players? And how do they work together to support service members and their families? You’ve started to mention that they’re doing it, but yeah, how do you see this operating?
[Will Lewis]: Well, there’s a lot of partners, right? So I should disclaim by saying anybody I accidentally forget, you can blame it on my brain, not on my heart. Because there’s so many ways to help take care of your installation.
So ACT, Allies for Cherry Points Tomorrow, we really represent a four-county region. So we have Craven, Carteret, Pamlico, and Jones counties. And then all the municipalities that sit in those, they all participate with ACT. And there’s so many ways that we do it, all the way from, for example, all of our chambers of commerce all have a military affairs commission. And those military affairs commissions do things like service person of the quarter, where a command recommends somebody and writes a write-up of what they’re doing in the community, and how they’re volunteering and why they deserve to be service person of the quarter.
And then we do a big lunch and all our local businesses come together, and they donate things to that person to thank them for what they’ve done in our community in their short time here. And they do things like, we do these chicken pickings on the base where you pick a squadron, you go over and you just cook a whole bunch of chickens, and everybody comes and eats chicken and hangs out with the Marines.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: That sounds like fun. That sounds like a good time.
[Will Lewis]: They’re a blast. And every chamber has a piece in that. So it happens multiple times a year. I call that like the morale and welfare piece of it.
But it goes even, like, our schools, like every one of our schools in Craven County or in Havelock in particular, we all have a squadron assigned to us. So when they do field day, the Marines come out and do field day with the kids and the teachers get to meet those Marines. And if they do science night, they come out and spend time with the kids doing the experiments. So it’s at every level like that.
And it goes all the way up to what I would say the most advanced levels, which are us as a community trying to understand their needs, whether it’s inside the installation or out in the community, and then trying to provide those.
And that could be anything from – perfect example: we didn’t have lacrosse in Eastern North Carolina when I was a kid. Nobody played lacrosse. That was like a Northeast thing. But you get all these Marine families that come here and they came from the Northeast. “Why is there no lacrosse here? We played lacrosse when we were in Maryland,” or wherever. And the city evolves in that and the community decides, “Oh, we do need a lacrosse league.”
And guess who our coaches are, right? There are all these Marines that have moved here and understand lacrosse. And then our local kids get involved in that. And now we have lacrosse everywhere, including even at the high school. And so I think the little pieces like that, because it’s I say in Havelock especially, you can’t separate Cherry Point and Havelock. We’re like completely intertwined, right.
But even our entire region now is completely intertwined into that. And when everyone’s thinking about what they’re going to do, they include, how does this impact the military? Is it good? Is it bad? Is it something they want?
So there’s a million ways. And it’s everybody from school systems, community colleges, Allies for Cherry Point’s Tomorrow, chambers of commerce, even the municipalities themselves, right.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: Wow. Yeah, that’s one of the reasons why we like doing episodes like this, where we are uplifting stories of the military family readiness system in action, like what’s happening in Havelock. We hope that whether you’ve got a Marine Corps air station right next door or not, we hope that people in communities will ask, “How might this issue impact military families in our area?” Even if it isn’t the biggest employer in the area, even if it’s almost invisible.
And we also hope that the folks who are on installations will ask, “How is the community already addressing certain issues?” And it sounds like you guys really have that relationship down. You’re coming together and you’re making decisions together and you’re doing it in a way that is not just coordinated, but it’s integrated into everything you do.
[Will Lewis]: Absolutely, Jessica, even our planning committees and our technical advisory committees, we include people from the installation on that. So we’re talking about traffic or projects. They can give us input to say that’s how it would affect us, or we think that’s a good idea, etc.
And I think a lot of it, it’s because Havelock and Marine Corps Air Station grew together. Like a lot of communities already existed. They were already incorporated. And then a military installation came. For us, we were here as a community since the 1700s, 1800s, but we didn’t even incorporate till 1959. And the base came here in 1942. As the base was growing its identity, Havelock was growing ours.
And so, I mean, it’s kind of like growing up with your brother or your sister. You get a little piece of them whether you want to or not because you’re all growing up together. And I think that’s what made us unique.
And I didn’t know we were unique, Jessica, I just thought that was normal. Growing up here, I just thought every community and their base had that exact same relationship. And it wasn’t until we got involved with the Association of Defense Communities that we realized… that it isn’t. That it is kind of unique. It’s not that way everywhere.
And we’ve tried to do our best to explain how we do what we do and give them a little bit of the magic sauce, so that other communities can benefit. Because a lot of people look at it as a challenge. I look at it as this complete and total benefit that we have all these Marines and their families and sailors and their families here. It benefits us dramatically, makes us better as a community.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: Yes. Wow, I really appreciate that comment. So the city and the base grew together, but also ACT, the Allies for Cherry Point Tomorrow, started as an effort to save the Fleet Readiness Center East, right? During, I know the acronym is BRAC, but I cannot remember what it stands for.
[Will Lewis]: Base Realignment and Closure.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: Thank you. And because it’s since become a nonprofit focused on strengthening both the installation and the community. So I’m wondering, can you share a moment, and maybe the answer is no, there is no moment, it just was a lot of little things that happened over time. But can you share a moment when you realized that ACT’s work was about more than one decision point, you know, saving the Fleet Readiness Center East – that it was about building long-term community infrastructure for military families?
[Will Lewis]: I can talk about when the moment was for me. So I’ve been a part of ACT for, I guess I’m right at 11 or 12 years on the ACT board. And it was some great individuals that started it long before that in the 90s when you’re talking about them.
Specifically, it got larger around that the whole community coming together to protect Fleet Readiness Center East aboard Cherry Point. But I know that sometimes those decisions were opportunity driven, and that was ours. So we always knew that we had to advocate on behalf of Cherry Point for the readiness and the mission and making sure that that was all as healthy as it could be.
But for me, it was when the school system came to us at Allies for Cherry Point Tomorrow and we were heavily deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. And they came to us during the month of April, which is the month of the military child, they came to Allies for Cherry Point Tomorrow.
And they said, “We do these deployment boxes.” And it was, this box was kind of a lot of, every branch I think has them, but it’s got a teddy bear in it in uniform. And then it’s got some stationary to mail back and forth, and some other things. There’s a book in there, and it’s to help kids whose parents have to go deploy and go to war. And the school system came to us at ACT, and I was pretty new on the board and they said, “Hey, we’ve got a lot of deployed military right now. We want to get more of these deployment boxes and we don’t have the budget. How could we partner to do this thing?”
And that was when I think it flipped a switch in me that was like, ‘oh, we can do more.’ And then I feel like every year it’s like, we can do more, we can do more, we can do more. So we’re always just looking for more, right. But that was what I realized. Maybe it’s not just about advocacy. It’s also about as a community, what do we do that kind of rings out bigger and across everybody, and including these young people because we all, you know, a lot of times we forget about the kids. They’re dealing with that deployment just like that spouse that got left behind while they were gone is dealing with it. That was kind of the moment for me that I realized ACT could be a bigger impact in the community even.
And that turned into just constant evolution over the last 10 years. And it’s been everything from us doing the deployment boxes to kick all that off. But then it grew into us providing scholarships at the local community colleges for transitioning military and their families. It grew into a star base. It’s leaps and bounds over the last decade from the idea of just like, “What’s next? What can we do? How can we do more?”
[Jessica Beckendorf]: Wow. Well, I mean, I feel like you’ve already expanded on, you just gave a whole bunch of great examples of this, but I’m wondering if you have sort of a favorite example of an initiative where you saw, maybe it was through ACT, maybe it was through some other initiative where you saw municipal, educational, and military partners come together in a way that really improved readiness for families?
[Will Lewis]: Sure. The most recent example, literally, like the kids actually started this week and I’m going to get super excited. So if I go on too long, Jessica, just tell me.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: No, I want to hear this. I want to hear all the details!
[Will Lewis]: So we transitioned from a C6 to a C3. As a C6, we were just an advocacy nonprofit, but then we became a true nonprofit. And that was really spurred by that moment when it was like, we want to do these deployment boxes. If we want to do more, we’ve got to be a real nonprofit, not just a government advocacy nonprofit. That led to some scholarship things that we do through our C3 for transitioning military, which have been hugely successful.
We’ve raised almost $40,000 over the last two years. They go directly to our community colleges. We have three of them. And it is for transitioning military, specifically for things they might want to learn or get a certificate in, or a degree in that is not covered by the GI Bill. And so workforce items and things like that. And it’s been wildly successful. But the most recent one where everybody came, this is the one with the most partners. And if you’ve heard of DoD Starbase, or if you’ve ever heard of –
[Jessica Beckendorf]: Starbase. From you, I think, from our last conversation, yeah.
[Will Lewis]: So it’s a project or it’s a program within manpower part of the department. And it’s been going on since, I’m going to say the early nineties, I want to say the first Starbase started, but it is a fifth grade STEM education outreach program that is co-located with a military installation. It’s funded through the department.
And then you have a local nonprofit that runs the money and provides STEM education. It’s predominantly for Title I schools, but it can be for any schools after you get through your Title I schools. And we’ve never had one here. And there are 90 of them across the country, but there never been one in Eastern North Carolina. FRC East, which is located aboard Cherry Point, they have a really big STEM outreach into the community. They go to schools and they have a fab lab they bring around, and they kind of show kids STEM and try to get them excited.
So FRC East was like, “We need a star base. We’ve got to have a star base.” So we all got in this room about two years ago and it was FRC East. It was our Marine Corps Station Cherry Point leadership. It was Allies for Cherry Points Tomorrow and some school folks. And we said, “How do we make this happen?”
So we filled out an application. We got letters from all of our congressmen, senators, both state and federal, and even our governor got letters from our military affairs commission, our local superintendents, and we flooded the department with letters. And eventually they said, “Yes, we’re going to make you a Starbase.”
There was some funding issues, always is, right? Never enough funding to do everything everybody wants to do. But this past year, they got enough funding to actually start a Starbase here. And so where the real partnership happened was FRC is trying to make this thing happen. They have to have a nonprofit step in to run the money. Well, ACT’s never been a government contractor. That’s not what we do. But they came to us and they said, “We think you’re the perfect partner. You’re focused on our kids in the community. You’re focused on our kids in the military. You’re focused on our mission. Would you be willing to partner?”
And so my board said, “Yeah, let’s do this thing. Let’s figure it out.” So over about an eight week period with the help of FRC East and the station, and then we had to kind of go on our own to do the actual government contract. We write the contract submission. We turned it in. It got approved. We worked out a contract. And as of October 1, we officially have a star base.
But to make that happen, to get these kids in there, it’s just I can go on and on about the opportunity for the kids because I think it’s an amazing opportunity. But to do it, it took the command at Fleet Readiness Center East. It took the command at Marine Corps Station Cherry Point. It took Allies for Cherry Points Tomorrow. It took every one of our four school systems, superintendents and deputy superintendents in charge of curriculum or whatever their title was in each one. It took the buy-in of the principals of those schools because we’re asking them to give us fifth graders for five days, to get 25 hours of curriculum. That’s a lot of time out of the school building. And so we had to kind of help them understand how exciting this opportunity would be.
It is rigorous, exciting, unique STEM education that they get to go do hands-on. They call it ‘Hands-on, minds-on,’ which – I love that phrase. So they’re literally like building dragsters and making boats out of clay, and trying to understand all these STEM concepts. And they get to go on the Marine Corps installation to do that as a field trip. They go on the installation to this building that’s dedicated for the Star Base.
We even included our community college because Allies for Cherry Point’s Tomorrow had to hire all the teachers and instructors and the director. We don’t have a big employee payroll. So we went to our community college and we partnered with them and they came in and they actually hired them for us. And then they work for ACT. And we have this huge partnership with all of those folks.
So you’re talking about eight or ten partners across all these spectrums that had to come together over a very short period of time. So we were awarded October 1. We had kids in the building February 17th. So over October, November, December, and January, we literally built an entire schoolhouse as a team, all of us together. And that included furniture, fixtures, equipment, iPads, computers. Curriculum, you name it.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: Did the curriculum have to be written?
[Will Lewis]: So the department provides the curriculum.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: Oh, okay, good.
[Will Lewis]: But the curriculum, Jessica, is massive because they want it to work for any installation. You get to go through the curriculum and pick which ones you want to utilize. And then you’re allowed to customize them to what you do as an organization.
So we obviously are focused on some aviation and fabrication type stuff because of what we do. And then we get to kind of tweak the stuff, but we have to follow that curriculum. So just going through the curriculum for the director and the instructors was a Herculean task to do in a short period of time, because once they decided what they had to do, then we had to order all the materials and get them here in time so they could practice.
So when the kids walked in the building, everything would be just right. We were in the building the day before they came in until, you know, six o’clock that evening and the weekend before just making sure everything was perfect. So those kids would have a phenomenal experience.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: Oh, and by the way, in that four-month period of time, there were also a couple of holidays that a lot of people take off for.
[Will Lewis]: Yeah, Thanksgiving, Christmas. We had a little government shutdown in the middle of all that.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: Oh yeah, we did a little bit, just a little one.
[Will Lewis]: Yeah, right? So all of that combined to make it quite a challenge. We would have never gotten it done. I mean, there’s no way ACT could have done that. There’s no way FRC could have done it. There’s no way the college could have done it.
But all of us coming together, we pulled this thing off. We are now, right now, the only active Marine Corps star base in the country. There’s 90 of them. We’re the only Marine Corps one. There are two other ones in North Carolina. They’re at National Guard locations, one in Wilmington and one in Charlotte. But we’re the only Marine Corps one. And we got our first kids in this week. And so far it has been phenomenal. And the kids are absolutely loving it, which has made it all worth all the effort that everybody put in.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: Well, I’m excited that I’m getting to talk to you during the week that this huge initiative is launching because that’s not only a huge task to get done in that short period of time, but also you must be immensely proud. You and all of the people involved must be so proud.
[Will Lewis]: Oh, incredibly. And just the idea that all of our school systems can bring their fifth graders there, it doesn’t cost them a dime. They just have to come up with the ability to bus them there. And then we provide everything else.
So you’re talking about kids that may never get to experience that level of STEM, get to now come and experience it for 25 hours with people that are super passionate and excited about STEM.
I would say we’re literally changing lives, Jessica. There’s going to be at least some kid out of the 1,800, by the way, that we’re going to serve over the next year, 1,800 kids, you know, at least one, probably a hundred are going to be like, “Oh my gosh, I didn’t know that this was an option,“ right.
And we have a lot of opportunity for those jobs here with FRC East, Fleet Riding Center East, and obviously the Marine Corps and the Navy side of what happens here. So a lot of opportunity for them to then find a career path that keeps them in Eastern North Carolina and gets them excited about STEM.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: And you just touched on the next question I was going to ask you, is what do you hope will happen in the future? You know, sort of what are those future outcomes that you hope will happen? And it sounds like one of them is, ‘Hey, we really hope that we can not only help some kids find something they’re really passionate about, they really want to pursue, but also that they’ll be able to actually pursue that right here at home.’
[Will Lewis]: Yes, ma’am. And so if you don’t mind, I’ll tell you a little bit about it.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: I don’t mind any of this. Please continue. We’ve talked already. You know I’m riding the wave. I love it.
[Will Lewis]: So we have, I think the thing that Eastern North Carolina has done really, really well is create this sort of STEM ecosystem for kids to go through from starting in fourth grade all the way through high school and even into college. And it started with this organization called the Eastern Carolina Aviation Heritage Foundation. That is a long name. We call the ECAF for short, but it’s a wing of the city and we started it. I was a commissioner at the time and my mayor assigned me to go over there and help start this ECAF thing.
We did not know at the time we would become what we are. We basically are a small museum with some airplanes and some cool stuff for kids to come see and interact with. That’s about the heritage of Cherry Point and Havelock. But what it turned into was we were the first STEM summer camp for fourth through sixth graders in Eastern North Carolina because we realized there was not one. By the time they’re in middle school, eighth grade, ninth grade or whatever, it’s almost too late to get them excited about something new. You want to start a little earlier.
So we started this camp and we do 50, 60 kids. We’ve done as many as 80, depending on the year. Always have a waiting list. It’s competitive to get into it. And we run this camp through the Havelock, through our foundation. Well, then NC State, North Carolina State University, land-grant university. I’m a graduate of the North Carolina State University myself. They put a satellite location here in Havelock at our local community college where you can get a four-year degree in mechanical engineering systems. They did that to serve the base.
So the base kept asking them, “How can we get engineers here faster? Because we have over a thousand engineers over there at Cherry Point.” And so they built that system. And so then there was this gap in the middle and the community college stepped up, and they run a sixth through eighth grade camp. And then we run a high school camp with a partnership with NC State. And then you can get your four-year degree here. So in fourth grade, if you go to a STEM camp and you’re like, ‘this is my path,’ then over the last decade, you’ve been able to go to a camp every year and get more and more enhanced STEM.
And all those camps work together. So they’re not little silos of STEM. They’re working together so that you’re growing in your capability every single year. And then those kids can go to NC State right here in Havelock, get a degree, walk right across the street, and go to work at FRC East at a job that pays twice the average salary in eastern North Carolina.
And the Starbase is just now a new component of that because all these camps cost a little bit of money. We do have scholarships and things. But the Starbase now opens that door up for people that maybe can’t afford the camp and can get excited about it, and then figure it out through our camps or through the school system.
I think, you know, my personal opinion, East North Carolina, that’s kind of where we’re crushing it. We are a very STEM-related base with operations and then FRC, and what they do to tear apart airplanes and rebuild them. And we know we’ve got to build that workforce. And now we’ve had kids that started in fourth grade at our camp and went through all the years and then went on to get a degree and are now working at FRC East. And that’s pretty special.
I don’t know of anywhere else that does it quite that way. We’re having our annual gala tonight, Jessica. If you’re in town, you could definitely come with us.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: I would totally do that.
[Will Lewis]: We’re having our annual gala for the ECAF, which is the fundraiser that supports that summer camp. And we will fill our local tourist and event center with all the companies and people that support that area. It’s a community buy-in. Everybody in the community supports those summer camps because they know that this is how we’re growing our community into something special.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: Wow. Well, I wanted to talk a little bit about, so one of the reasons that Havelock stood out to me is your size. What’s the population?
[Will Lewis]: So right now, if you ask the state OMB, they say we’re just over 18,000.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: Okay. Yes. Small city, regardless. I mean, even if your population swells certain times of the year, it’s still a small area. And am I wrong in that you’re in a fairly rural area?
[Will Lewis]: Yes, ma’am.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: So that’s one of the reasons Havelock stood out to me, besides, of course, all the incredible work you guys are doing. I wonder your thoughts on sort of the wider region, and do you see what you all have done in Havelock as something that is at least on maybe different scales replicable in other communities, right?
You’re a small community, and I’ve worked in a lot of small communities and I know that in small communities, the human capacity, the amount of time people can spend on doing all of the volunteer things and doing all, you know, really trying to support people in the community is low. And my God, it’s amazing that people thank you so much.
[Will Lewis]: And if you look at even our whole region at the four counties that I mentioned, Craven, Carteret, Jones, and Pamlico, even the population of all four of those counties combined, I’m going to guess is in the range of less than half a million of all four counties.
Jones and Pamlico are even more rural than we are. Craven’s a little over 100,000 and Carteret, we’re the two biggest. So it’s probably more like 300,000 total in the area.
I think the answer, I mean, it sounds simple, but it’s like you said at the very beginning, it’s a lot of partners. So we noticed when we look across all of our committees at the city and even at the county, including our ECAF that I just mentioned and Allies for Cherry Points Tomorrow, there’s a lot of overlap. You’ve got somebody who’s on the ECAF board is also on my ACT board and is also on the Rec Advisory Board and is also on the Appearance Commission and is also on the County Rec Advisory Board. So there’s a lot of overlap.
One thing that we found, and we learned this specifically in ACT and at our ECAF Foundation I was talking about earlier, the right people matter, the people that have that passion. You know, there’s that old thing that says, “If you want to get something done, give it to the busiest person you know, they’ll probably get it done.” There’s some truth to that.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: And it’s so sad, but also, yeah.
[Will Lewis]: A lot of truth, right? Yeah. I think the secret sauce is pretty simple for this one. It’s getting a unified vision that everybody wants to pull in the same direction. And I think what’s really unique about our area is nobody’s trying to take credit for what’s happened with STEM.
ACT is not running around saying, “We wouldn’t have STEM if it wasn’t for Atlas Retriever Points tomorrow.” ECAF isn’t saying, “We started the first elementary school.”
Everyone just sits down every now and then and talks about what’s missing. What are we doing right? How can we all help each other? And how does that turn into an area that everybody wants to live in? And maybe it’s because we are in a rural area that everybody realizes we have to work together. There’s no competition.
Cherry Point is a $2.6 billion industry to our community. $2.6 billion. Nothing comes even close. There’s no other employer, like FRC East is over 4,000 employees. There’s nothing even close in our area. And then you add in the fact that these are everyday heroes that are literally doing the nation’s work to keep us all safe. And it kind of makes it easy to want to help them.
But I think you do have to have good leadership. A lot of our good leadership are folks that have maybe retired from the installation and stayed in the community. They realize Eastern North Carolina’s paradise. And then they’re like, ‘hey, I want to stay.’ So like the guy tonight that’s going to run our gala is the chairman of our ECAF, a retired two-star general from Cherry Point. And he has stayed here for decades. Helping us grow Eastern North Carolina. So leadership matters. But I think having a cohesive mission that we all can just say the mission wins, the mission trumps everything. Yeah. Mission trumps it all.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: There’s no competition here. There’s no – one thing I’ve seen in a lot of smaller populated areas is sometimes there’s this competition for the scarce dollars that are available, or whatever the scarce resources in general, the human resources and everything.
But it sounds like you guys really have built a culture of collaboration as well. And perhaps that did start with some really strong leadership saying like, “There’s no ego here. We need to just get the job done and do it together.”
[Will Lewis]: And define those lanes everyone’s going to swim. And so, like, for example, our Chamber Macs, they do a phenomenal job at the morale of welfare. ACT has no business getting involved in that. I don’t need to do chicken pickings and I don’t need to do pig pickings and I don’t need to do any of that because the Chamber Macs do a great job.
So guess what? They do that and they invite us. And we’re members of the Chamber Mac. So when they do that chicken picking, we’re going to show up. We’re just going to serve some Marines and we’re going to talk to them. We’re going to have a good time. But they’re the ones that actually do it.
And by the same note, we’re really good at government advocacy for our base. So they all know that that’s what we’re going to do. So they’re members of our organization and we do the advocacy. So we kind of all understand what our roles are and there’s no need to duplicate efforts. And nobody kind of – we just don’t really fight over that. And I think that helps too is once you’ve got that mission and everyone agrees, then we can just define what we’re going to do and everyone kind of accepts that.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: Wow. Well, I had a couple of other things I was curious about because, you know, you’ve talked about some really big initiatives, but behind some of those big initiatives, what are some of the everyday collaboration practices that make initiatives like that possible?
Things like, you know, how you communicate with installation leaders, or how you engage schools or employers. Or how you keep veteran and family voices in the mix. So what are some of the small kind of everyday things you all do? I know one of them you mentioned already that when there’s an issue, you all sit down and you’re like, ‘how does this affect the military families?’ But what are some of those other small collaboration practices?
[Will Lewis]: One thing I know that we do really well is we talk to our base leadership all the time. So, for example, I talk to our base CEO, our commanding officer. He and I talk multiple times a week. And it could be really simple stuff. Like he just might be calling me to say, “Hey, we’re going to do some work outside the gate. It’s going to probably slow traffic down in Havelock. You may have an issue with these lights. Just letting you guys know.”
And it could be something we’re doing in town, “Hey, did you know this was going to happen? It’s probably going to affect you guys.” So it’s like very mechanical infrastructure things. But also it’s just like, “Hey, what’s going on this Saturday night? Do you guys want to come out to the club and we’ll just eat supper together and talk about what’s going on inside and outside the gate?” Kind of that more informal, just getting to know each other.
I think everything in the world comes down to relationships. As a mayor, that’s probably not a hard thing to guess that I would say that. But I also say the relationship has to be real. And so those touch points where you’re just like catching a quick meal together or, you know, when the new CEO comes to town and you’re just like, “Hey, you and your family should come out and check out this restaurant. It’s a great one out in town. When you go, give us a holler. We’ll meet you over there.” Those things are important.
But I think even further down in the weeds, I know in Havelock, for example, our departments are talking to their departments every day, right? So I don’t know what my police department’s doing today. I mean, I know that they’re protecting and serving, but I don’t know what they’re actually doing. But they’re talking to the PMO, the Provost Marshal’s Office on the base, and they’re coordinating traffic and they’re coordinating what’s happening in and out of the community. And they’re talking about different things that I don’t even know about every day, but it keeps that relationship solid between the base and the city.
And then from the bigger picture of Allies, Triple H, Tamar, and the counties, we have this really cool committee that the base started. It’s called the Civilian Military Community Council, the CMCC. And once every two months, our base hosts one representative from every municipality and county. And the municipality and county gets to pick who they send. It’s typically a mayor or a county commissioner. We all go have lunch together on the base. And when we do, the base CO brings in all the commands and they just give you a quick brief. What’s happening? What’s going to happen in the next couple of weeks? What can you expect at the base? That sort of thing.
And then the community gets to report to the base the coolest stuff going on in their community. So they say, “Hey, we got a grant to put in a sidewalk over here. We’re going to be doing that next week.” Or, “We’ve got a kayak launch. We know all your Marines like the kayaks. We got a kayak launch. It’s going to be open October 4th,” whatever.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: I didn’t know Marines like to kayak. That’s great to know.
[Will Lewis]: Anything, you know, I mean.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: Outdoor stuff, yeah.
[Will Lewis]: Yeah, anything outdoors. So everybody kind of gets to say like what they love about what’s going on. And typically you’ll hear things like other mayors, like I talk to the CO every day, but other mayors don’t necessarily get that if they’re not right by the base. So they’re like, “Hey, thank you guys for sending Marines out to serve at our local festival. They came out and they played games with the kids and they helped serve food and it was so much fun. Thank you for that.”
I think that is a big one and I can take zero credit for that. That was started a long time ago by a base commanding officer and it has become expected by our community. Everybody loves the CMCC. Some local boards, their members fight over who gets to go, because you want to go and you want to hear that brief and you want to brag about your city. It gives you those subtle touch points again where everyone kind of gets to know each other a little bit.
The CEO gets to know communities that aren’t even right outside his gate. I mean, I can throw a baseball from my office to the main gate. So we talk all the time. But if you’re 20 miles away, 30 miles away, that’s not the case. So that’s another tool in our toolbox that we all use as a community to stay connected.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: Wow. I feel like if we looked at a network map of all of these relationships, that there would be a lot of back and forth and a lot of connections. It sounds like there’s a lot of touch points. And I think that’s rare. It kind of brings me to another question.
So if there wasn’t an installation near you, I guess I’m wondering, like, there’s still a value we know in supporting military families in an area. Like what advice, I guess, would you have for community leaders who maybe don’t have an installation near them and the value of supporting military families?
[Will Lewis]: So this is, I like to remind people that I think that people think that if you’re in the military, your life is pretty easy. Like you just get a paycheck. You go to work every day.
So the first thing I always remind my community is it’s as hard as any other job, probably way harder. And it’s as hard on the family, especially when we’re in deep deployment cycles. And it really doesn’t matter if you are 100 miles from a base or not.
I think just being cognizant of the fact that they are actually, people are like, “Oh, if they’re not in war, what are they doing, man?” And it’s such a complicated organism of what they do to protect us and to train and to be a part of the, you know, what Marines like to call the “kill chain,” like to be some part of that kill chain.
And so when you look at that big picture, I think people should understand, first of all, that not only are they working for a living, but they’ve chosen service, right? Like all of us have a job. They chose to sign a check to give up part of their life for the United States of America. So like, let’s just stop first and respect that. Whether you have a base in your community or not, let’s respect that. Especially if you didn’t choose to do it, like let’s respect that they’re willing to do that.
And then think about how does that impact their life? I mean, they move every three years. In the Marine Corps, they’re moving every two to three years. So you’re packing everything you own up. You’re trying to make weight on the shipment. You’ve got to get rid of things. You’ve got to decide what to keep. You’ve got to get your kids in a brand new school. All those things are a challenge for a family.
So if you’re close to one, it’s easy to remember that. If you’re not close to one, it’s a little more difficult. I think if you’re close to one, or you’re not, spend some time trying to understand that. And sometimes the easiest way is just to have a conversation with someone you know that’s either in the military or used to be in the military, and they can tell you some of those challenges. Once you understand that, I think the rest of it falls into place.
Then you can find ways where you can kind of get in where you fit in to try to alleviate some of that pain, or provide something for them that makes their life a little easier. Like, for example, Craven County Schools put military counselors in all of our schools. So when those kids come here, there’s a dedicated counselor that they sit down with the family and they talk about where their credits came from. Because I mean, some of these kids come from overseas and they just got credits there that don’t just necessarily match up to what you’ve got.
And picking that military counselor, that was a big deal for our school system to do that. And I mean, money’s short, right? And I think if you understand the challenges, you can find solutions in that way.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: Yeah. I used to work in a county that was pretty far from an installation. And the county veteran service officer was really working hard, trying to work with the sheriff’s department on sheriff’s deputies carrying challenge coins with them.
And to start asking, you know, are you a veteran? When they would arrive at calls, you know, asking, are you a veteran? And giving them some training on how to use the challenge coins and how to talk to veterans. And I bring this up because I think, you know, whether you’re far, we were in a county that was very far from installation. I know that veterans are everywhere, but we also know that military families are too.
And so even just the simple act of asking the families that you serve, or asking, “Do we have military families in this area that this issue would also affect?” seems like it would possibly go a long way, based on what you’re saying.
[Will Lewis]: Yeah, that’s a really cool example. And it’s a reminder, too, that some of these military folks just go home when they’re done, right. So I always try to convince them to stay in Eastern North Carolina, because we want them to stay. But some of them were like, “Hey, my family’s in Alabama and that’s where I’m from. I’m going to move back to this area”.
And they get back there and there’s no military base close. But when they come back to that school system, their kids still have the same struggle. They still have the same opportunity to engage with the sheriff’s department or wherever when they go back home. And even if that’s a small percentage, it’s a percentage we should pay attention to, in my opinion.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: Yeah. I agree.
Mayor Will Lewis, thank you so, so much for your conversation. I’ve enjoyed every one of them, whether they were recorded or not. I really appreciate hearing about everything that Havelock is doing, but also just your dedication and passion for serving the military families in your area. So thank you so much for being here.
[Will Lewis]: Oh, it was my pleasure. I love talking about it because I can’t even imagine if I was going to be a mayor. I love being the mayor of a town that hosts a military installation. I love it because I get to take care of my own citizens, plus people that are sacrificing for the world that are also my citizens. I think it’s a special opportunity and I love talking to people about it.
So thank you for having me, Jessica.
[Jessica Beckendorf]: Mayor Will Lewis is the longtime mayor of Havelock, North Carolina, and president for Allies for Cherry Point Tomorrow.
That’s it for this episode of Practicing Connection. Thanks so much for listening. If you enjoyed today’s conversation, share it with a friend or colleague.
We’d like to thank our co-producer, our announcer, Kaylin Goebel, Meg Lucas and Joyce Vaughn for their help with marketing, and Nathan Grimm, who composed and performed all the music you hear on the podcast. We hope you’ll listen again soon. Until then, keep practicing.
The Practicing Connection podcast is a production of One Op and is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Office of Military Family Readiness Policy, U.S. Department of Defense, under award number 2023-48770-41333.

Exercise is Medicine ®: Promoting Health and Well-Being Across the Lifespan
2026-02-24 11:00 - 12:00
Join us for an engaging webinar on Exercise is Medicine ®, a global initiative that emphasizes the critical role of physical activity in promoting overall health, preventing chronic disease, and enhancing well-being. In this session, we will explore how regular exercise can optimize physical and brain health, support healthy aging, and enhance overall quality of life across the lifespan. Our expert will share evidence-based strategies and practical tools to help you incorporate movement into daily routines, ensuring long-term health benefits.
Learning Objectives:

Understand the principles of Exercise is Medicine ® and how regular physical activity supports overall health, disease prevention, and quality of life across the lifespan.
Describe physical and mental benefits of regular exercise, including its role in supporting healthy aging
Identify evidence-based strategies and practical tools to integrate movement and structured exercise into daily routines for themselves and the populations they serve.

Dr. Emerson Sebastião is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health and Kinesiology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). He directs the Exercise, Aging, and Functional Ability Laboratory, co-directs the Lifetime Fitness Program, and chairs the Exercise is Medicine® On Campus Committee at UIUC.

Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences (CFCS): This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) credit from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close February 24, 2028.
Certified Nutrition and Wellness Educator (CNWE): This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) credit from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close February 24, 2028.
Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RD/RDN) and Nutrition and Dietetics Technicians, Registered (NDTR): This webinar awards 1.0 CPEU in accordance with the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s CPEU Prior Approval Program. Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close January 23, 2029.
Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES): This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education credit from the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close February 24, 2028.
Certificate of Attendance: OneOp Certificates of Attendance are available for those interested in additional documentation of professional development activities.

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Webinar Slides
Additional Resources Photo Credit: JJ Gouin via Adobe Stock

Multidisciplinary Evidence-Based Approaches to Problematic Sexual Behavior in Children
2026-02-19 11:00 - 12:30
This webinar is focused on increasing the knowledge base around problematic sexual behavior in children for all multidisciplinary team members. The National Center on Sexual Behavior of Youth (NCSBY) defines children with problematic sexual behavior (PSB) as youth who engage in behaviors involving sexual body parts that are developmentally inappropriate and/or potentially harmful to self and others (Carpentier, Silovsky, Chaffin, 2005). Consideration will be given to the role that technology plays in increasing youth exposure to sexualized material and the impact of exposure.
Focus is placed on details of the continuum of sexual behaviors, dispelling myths about children with problematic sexual behavior, and instilling hope in treating this population. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of appropriate language to use and feel more competent in encouraging appropriate next steps for treatment and safety planning with families. Evidence-based information regarding family engagement in treatment, through Mary McKay’s work, is incorporated throughout the webinar.
Learning Objectives:

Learn about normative, cautionary, and problematic behavior in children and where such behaviors fall on the continuum.
Describe the differences between common misconceptions regarding children with problematic sexual behavior and what is supported by research.
Dispel myths and provide information on how MDT collaboration best supports family well-being and engagement.
Discuss strategies for how to educate and engage professionals across disciplines to better serve children with problematic sexual behavior, their caregivers, and others impacted by the behavior.

Amanda Mitten is a Licensed Professional Counselor at the University of Oklahoma Health Campus, Center on Child Abuse and Neglect. Ms. Mitten received her Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from the University of Central Oklahoma in 2014. Her clinical experiences include evidence-based interventions for children with disruptive behavior disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder and other trauma-related disorders, children with problematic sexual behavior, and assessment of children prenatally exposed to drugs and alcohol. Ms. Mitten also serves as the Co-Director for CCAN’s Child Trauma Services Program (CTSP) and is the Director of Behavioral Health for the Family TREE partnership with OKDHS and OUHC. Dionna Weixel is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist at the University of Oklahoma Health Campus, Center on Child Abuse and Neglect (CCAN). Ms. Weixel received her Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Central Oklahoma in 2017. Her clinical interests and work focus on providing evidence-based interventions for children with problematic sexual behaviors, disruptive behavior disorders, and trauma-related disorders. Ms. Weixel is trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), an evidence-based treatment for children and adolescents who are experiencing trauma symptoms and their caregivers, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), an evidence-based treatment for young children exhibiting disruptive behaviors, and Problematic Sexual Behavior-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (PSB-CBT™) for school-age and preschool children.

Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences (CFCS): This webinar is approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). *Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 2/19/28.
Board Certified Patient Advocates (BCPA): This webinar is approved for 1.5 CE contact hours by The Patient Advocate Certification Board. *Note: Eligibility for CE will close 2/19/2028.
Board Certified Case Managers: This webinar is approved for 1.5 CE clock hours from the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC). *Note: Eligibility for CE will close 2/19/2027.
Certified Family Life Educators (CFLE): This webinar is approved for 1.5 CE credits from the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR). *Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 2/19/2029.
Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES): This webinar is approved for 1.5 CE credit from the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC). *Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 2/19/2028.
Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists: This webinar is approved for 1.5 CE credits from the University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work. Check with your state licensing agency for reciprocity and/or credit approval if licensed for other professions or in one of the following states: CO, FL, HI, IA, KS, KY, MI, NY, ND, OH, OK. *Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 2/19/2029.
OneOp Certificates of Attendance are available for those interested in additional documentation of professional development activities.

If the survey button above does not appear, please access the continuing education survey through this link: https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9pgZJR6XOIpB26O. If you any questions, please email CE@oneop.org. Webinar Slides
Additional Resources Photo Credit: Adobe Stock by Jordi P D/peopleimages.com, file #542909901

This webinar is part of the Sexual Behavior in Children & Youth (SBCY) Series. For more information on other professional development opportunities on this topic, visit the series homepage!
SBCY Series – Homepage

Turning Conflict Into Collaboration
2026-02-19 06:00 - 17:00
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Join the “Practicing Connection Community” on LinkedIn. The community is designed for people who support military families in a variety of settings both on installations and in our communities. JTNDZGl2JTIwaWQlM0QlMjJidXp6c3Byb3V0LXBsYXllci0xODY5OTE4MCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUzQ3NjcmlwdCUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LmJ1enpzcHJvdXQuY29tJTJGMjA5OTk4MyUyRmVwaXNvZGVzJTJGMTg2OTkxODAtdHVybmluZy1jb25mbGljdC1pbnRvLWNvbGxhYm9yYXRpb24uanMlM0Zjb250YWluZXJfaWQlM0RidXp6c3Byb3V0LXBsYXllci0xODY5OTE4MCUyNnBsYXllciUzRHNtYWxsJTIyJTIwdHlwZSUzRCUyMnRleHQlMkZqYXZhc2NyaXB0JTIyJTIwY2hhcnNldCUzRCUyMnV0Zi04JTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGc2NyaXB0JTNF (Season 7, Episode 8)
It’s easy to collaborate when everyone agrees. The real test of teamwork is what happens when we don’t.
In this episode of Practicing Connection, Jessica and Erin explore how to stay grounded and connected when collaboration gets tough. Erin shares a reflective practice that helps you rethink how you see the person on the “other side” of disagreement, using social intelligence skills like awareness and generosity of perspective.
Discover how to shift from trying to “win” a disagreement to understanding what motivates others—and why that shift can strengthen both relationships and results.

Links and resources from this episode:

Join our LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12879756/
Send us a message: practicingconnection@oneop.org
See Dr. Robyn Keast talk about “Blue Box Thinking”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84YvXtc_VPg

JESSICA BECKENDORF (00:00)
Hi, thanks for listening to the Practicing Connection podcast. I’m Jessica. Today we’ll be talking about how to work with people you disagree with, and Erin’s going to be sharing a practice with us. Hi, Erin. I’m really looking forward to learning more about this practice. What’s new with you this week?
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA (00:19)
Hi Jessica, it is a fun topic to talk about. I mean, it’s not the most fun topic, but I think it’s an important topic, so I’m glad we’re hitting it.
And let’s see, what’s new with me this week? So I’ve started in the morning when I’m prepping my workday, I write a little agenda, and then at the end of it, to make it more fun, I write in ‘win’ conditions. So if you’re into playing board games, that’s like a common phrase for like, “what do I need to do to win?’
I don’t know how common win conditions are outside of the gaming world, so I thought I’d just kind of outline that for you.
JESSICA BECKENDORF (00:55)
I thought you said wind conditions at first. So no, I’ve never heard of this before.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA (01:01)
Okay, so essentially it’s the list of things you need to check off in order to win a game. And I’ve been adding a list of win conditions to my day for like, if I do these things, then I won at work today. And it’s a little bit silly, but I’ll regularly ask my husband like, “Are you winning?” Like, “Is it going well?” And then I realized I’m asking myself that question too. And I’ve never decided what winning means.
And it’s very similar to deciding what ‘done’ means, I think. You know, it’s hard to feel sometimes, especially when your work is lots of emailing or cerebral or text or all on a computer. It’s not like a physical thing. It can be hard to remember that you did it. So I’ve been making little boxes that I check off, and I put a little sticker for each one that I win at. Sometimes I win at remembering to take a walk and drink water. And sometimes I win because I really finish a project on time.
But all of it has been shockingly helpful, and I’m gonna ride that as long as it’s still giving me momentum.
JESSICA BECKENDORF (02:10)
That’s great. I like this version of, it’s not the same thing, but there’s a version that I feel like is a little bit similar that I used to do where I call that my ‘good job’ list, where at the end of the day I would just, and sometimes honestly, there would be an item on there that was just like, ‘I sent an email to this person.’ Sometimes it was something really tiny like that. And I know sometimes emails can take a long time, like 30 minutes or more to write if it has to have a bunch of information, but sometimes the email I was referencing in my good job list really had more to do with a small little email that I had just not gotten back to because we’re so bombarded all the time with so many messages.
So I love this. I love this version of that. And I like the question, “Do you feel like you’re winning today?” And for me, I’d probably have it be a gut reaction. And that’s the beauty of all these things is you can decide how to use them.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA (03:09)
And for me, my gut reaction always tells me that I did a bad job because sometimes my brain is mean to me. And so I was like, you know what? We’re not going to let my emotional side of my brain have a say in whether or not I’m winning. If I did the checklist, I won. Done and dusted.
So I do have to like make myself only do actually achievable win lists, because if it’s suddenly 15 things, I can’t actually do 15 things in a day. But we can talk about this practice more some other time.
JESSICA BECKENDORF (03:23)
Hmm. I like it. That’s why, I’ve brought up before, I think it was in a recent episode. I brought up that I sometimes like to use just one of those really small, not – when I say really small post-it notes, I don’t mean like the super tiny one x two ones. I’m talking about like the three x three square ones. I will put down on that little small post-it note the to-dos that I need to do that day in order to feel like I’m winning, right? In order to feel like I won the day at a minimum, I need to do these three or four things.
I try not to make it any more than four things, even though on those you can pretty much fit six to seven things, I think. I’ve done it before. Yes, I do know that. But yes, anything that you can do to kind of help yourself get the things done you need to do and feel like you’re winning your day, I think is a win.
So we’d love to hear how you’re winning. So drop us a line at practicingconnection@oneop.org.
We see and respond to every message and we can’t wait to hear from you.
– break –
So Erin, let’s learn more about how to work with people you disagree with. Can you tell us a little more about the practice you’ll be sharing, and why you chose it?
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA (04:55)
Yes, well, we’ve been talking about collaboration a lot as a team. You’ll find out soon. And it got me thinking about, you know, we write a podcast where we have lots of Practicasts, what are practical things to apply. And so that had me thinking a lot about what skills do you need to collaborate? And the most important one that I needed to learn was how to work with people who I disagree with.
I am a passionate person. I sometimes have very strong opinions. I sometimes think I’m right about everything. Spoiler alert, I’m not right about everything, sadly. But learning how to navigate that has been a lifelong study. I spent lots of time doing it on school group projects, which were the bane of my existence. And I was like, ‘why do we have to do group projects?’ And my mom would always tell me, “Because you have to work with people in life, and you’ve got to figure out how to do it now.”
People are more forgiving when you’re a child. Hopefully also we’re forgiving of adults who make mistakes. That’s not what I’m trying to say here. You’re laughing at me. Okay, going back to talking about group projects.
JESSICA BECKENDORF (06:04)
Not laughing at you, Erin, definitely with you. No, can I just interject for a second though, because this is making me think about – it’s interesting because there is also in being a person, as you just said, with sometimes having strong opinions and, you know, feeling like your pathway is maybe the right one that the group should be taking. Think about the power in that and how someone else might be like, “Erin seems pretty confident about this.”
And I’m not trying to make you feel bad here, Erin, but I’m just thinking like, right, “Erin seems pretty confident about this. Maybe I don’t need to share how I’m feeling,” or whatever. Right? So anyway, let’s talk about this. Sorry –
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA (06:45)
That’s a good point. Just thinking about how are you showing up in a room and how is everybody else showing up in a room or a virtual room for your collaboration. Sometimes group projects are hard because people don’t want to be there, or their workload is too big and they really can’t afford to be there. Or sometimes it’s because everybody is so passionate and they all have a different picture of what it looks like to be successful.
And sometimes it’s hard to get into that. It just feels like this person’s telling you no all the time or they’re always fighting with you. And at least for me, the path of least resistance for my brain is to villainize the person who I disagree with. And then suddenly they become a problem that I need to overcome, or a road barrier, and not a person to collaborate with. So what we’re going to talk about today is how to deal with that problem.
JESSICA BECKENDORF (07:45)
Yeah, I appreciate that you brought that up too, because you and I were talking before we started recording and I shared an example with you about someone that I was having some trouble with, way in my past. And one of the things that came out of that was that I kind of villainized that person at first. I was really struggling. I was really fighting with them. All I kept hearing from them was ‘no, no, no, no.’
And when I really dug into it and I worked on that relationship with them, I realized, ‘look, I still disagreed with them. I didn’t enjoy their ways, but I also really respected and understood where they were coming from.’ And I was able to get beyond that.
So let me ask you this then, as you were looking into all of this, I’m curious about how you were able to reconcile the idea of winning, right? When two people are disagreeing and maybe both people feel very strongly that different pathways would be better for the project or for the situation.
Both of them want to win that argument. And so, you know, when we disagree on a pathway, it could really cause a stalemate and progress could be stalled. How can we move beyond that? What were you finding? I’m excited to find out.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA (09:00)
Yeah, well, I’ve got some bad news. Because the only thing you can change about the situation is your own response to the other person. You can’t force them to see your perspective. You can’t magically make them not part of the project. Look, I hate this answer, right?
JESSICA BECKENDORF (09:21)
But you can work to at least try to understand – you don’t have to agree with them – but try to understand where they’re coming from is one thing.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA (09:27)
Exactly. Yeah, that’s what I’m getting to. You’re spot on. I think what is frustrating about that is so often it feels like the other person isn’t doing that work too. And so it’s like, ‘Man, why do I have to do this labor and not this other person?’ That’s hard. That is hard to deal with. And I think it’s worth it because the benefits of collaboration and learning how to work with other people means that work can get done that otherwise would be impossible.
And so you want to invest in making sometimes impossible seeming things happen, figuring out, ‘Okay, how do I be aware of my own self, be aware of what I’m doing and how I’m responding to people and how can I show up differently so that we can move past this roadblock?’ Because you can’t force them to show up differently, but you can show up differently. So we’re going to talk about some social intelligence skills.
I was not familiar with the phrase social intelligence until I was really digging into writing this episode.
JESSICA BECKENDORF (10:28)
You know, I’ve studied via character strings. I took a bunch of their classes a long time ago, so I’m very excited about this.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA (10:35)
Well, they actually have my favorite definition of, did they come up with this as a theory or did they just talk about it really well, you know? Specifically the phrase social intelligence.
JESSICA BECKENDORF (10:42)
It comes from the field of positive psychology, yeah, and there’s been tons of research done in that kind of area. And I think it’s in the virtue of humanity. Yes. Which makes sense, right?
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA (11:00)
Cool. Okay, so if we just talked about a bunch of stuff and you’re like, ‘I don’t know what social intelligence is,’ a quick description from Character Strengths is,
“When a person knows what makes other people tick, he or she is displaying social intelligence. They’re aware of the motives and feelings of themselves and others and how to fit into different social situations. They can feel comfortable and say the right thing, whether they’re in the boardroom or the janitorial room, in a school setting or on a construction site.”
Social intelligence involves two general components, social awareness or what we sense about others and social facility, which is what we do with our awareness. And our practice today is going to focus more on the awareness piece and how we are thinking about others.
JESSICA BECKENDORF (11:52)
Great. Let’s get into that practice then.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA (11:55)
Okay, so this is a reflection for someone. I wrote it with this scenario in mind, but you can expand it past that if this is not your scenario. But what I was imagining is you are already mid-project with a person that you have to collaborate with, who you disagree with, and they are driving you crazy.
So this is a thing you can do kind of silently inside of your own head during a meeting, or just after a meeting, or like an email chain, some kind of interaction you’re having with this person who you disagree with when you’re feeling really agitated. Notice that, and then do this reflection after you’ve kind of noticed some of that.
So the first step is deciding that you want to do something and committing to changing your mind about this person. That feels like kind of a silly first step, but unless you commit to it, you’re not going to do it. So step one is, commit to do the work of figuring out how to get along with this person, even if they aren’t doing it back.
Step two is finding a reason why you want to commit to doing it, because it can be challenging and it can take longer than you want it to. I personally find it really helpful to reflect on my values. They’re different for every person, but I value doing good work. Usually I’m doing work that is creating something for other people. So I’ll think about the end user or who is going to benefit from us doing this work together and putting that reason in the front of your mind. So when you’re agitated and irritated, you can say, “I’m doing this because the outcome is worth it to me.” And if it’s not worth it to you, that’s another conversation for a different Practicast. But find your reason, find your value that’s making you want to commit.
And then step three is, observe your interactions with the person. This can either be while you’re in a meeting with them, or it can be after the meeting. You can just kind of reflect on, ‘What do you remember about how they showed up in the room? Do they have a lot of emotions? Were they not expressing a lot of emotions? What was their body language like? What did they share about what was happening in their day or in their workplace? Did they share anything at all? Did they just show up and be task and business focused? How were they showing up to the meeting? Was that what you expected?’
Notice those things. Another really helpful thing to observe from your interaction is, ‘What is one thing, no matter how small it is, that you can respect about how this person showed up? What’s one thing that you wish you did?’
JESSICA BECKENDORF (14:41)
In that example that I was talking about before that I didn’t give any details on, the thing that I was able to respect about them, which completely changed to me, changed our entire relationship, because I really respected them for it was that they really felt a huge level of responsibility to be accountable for things that our department was doing. And so once I understood that, I felt like I was able to, you know, navigate that conflict, right?
We’re talking about disagreeing with someone. I disagreed with their methods, but we weren’t really in conflict. We were actually in sync because we both felt that same responsibility, but they felt it much more acutely than I did. And so once I understood that, I felt like I was able to respect them as a person and respect them much more, respect our relationship a lot more.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA (15:37)
Yeah, I love that. And a lot of this observation section is helping you notice what maybe you weren’t paying attention to. It’s being aware of what’s happening in the room, both what the other person is doing, but also internally inside of your own self.
So the last thing that I encourage you to observe is, ‘What are you thinking about this person throughout the meeting? Are you automatically dismissing whatever they’re saying? Are you internally going, “of course,” or internally going, “this again…” Are they going in circles? Are they talking about the same thing over and over again?’
I am guilty of this, so no judgment. Just noticing your own responses to them. Are they positive? Are they negative? What evidence do you have to support the opinions that you’re having? Is it just an opinion that’s left over from a different meeting and you’re bringing it into this new meeting? So just observe and kind of notice you’re not being judgmental, but you’re noticing what you’re bringing into the interaction and making note of it.
And then the last step, I think, is the hardest step, but it’s also the most important step. And I call it the imagination section. It is the part where you’re trying to imagine what is the most generous interpretation of why they’re acting the way they’re acting or why they have the opinion that they have.
JESSICA BECKENDORF (17:01)
That’s probably where my example fits, is here, except that it was my observation of our interactions that helped me to realize and imagine that the most generous reason for them having the opinion they have, or acting the way they were acting, was that they felt a ginormous amount of weight on them for our department’s accountability. Does that make sense?
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA (17:24)
Yeah, that makes total sense. And I think what can be challenging about this is, you know, at least for me, sometimes I just want to be mad. Like I want to be annoyed, because it’s hard, right? And it’s easier to be annoyed at the other person than like be stuck in the feeling of stuckness.
And what I think is so helpful about imagination is it doesn’t even matter if the most generous reason is true or not. The point of imagining why the most generous reason for why someone might behave in the way they’re behaving is so that you can shift your resentment and frustration and be more open to this person, maybe not being wrong, or maybe seeing them as a person, not a problem. The goal here is to shift how you’re thinking, not to shift the person. And the goal of imagining is to see them as a fully complex person, and to be able to be generous.
I think there’s sometimes this idea that, if I imagine them that way, then that is the reality, and I’m writing the reality for them. And that’s not what we’re saying at all. We’re just saying, imagine why someone might have this opinion. And maybe you’re right and maybe you’re wrong. But being open to them having good reasons for why they are responding the way they were responding really helps, I think, in building patience.
But then also in building your own curiosity. And then maybe there’s like a secret step five where when you’re not in an agitated space, you can circle back and be like, “Hey, what’s going on with you?” Or, “I’ve noticed you seem really passionate and you really value this X, Y, Z thing. Can you tell me about that?” And that’s where you can really build a relationship with a person and not just have them be a problem.
JESSICA BECKENDORF (19:10)
And I told the person that in the example I’ve been giving, once I told them that I appreciated the amount of responsibility they felt and how they really valued the work we were doing, I just told them that I appreciated that they felt that level of responsibility. Again, I didn’t agree with the methods. Did not love the way they did things. And also that started to shift their opinion toward me because they felt noticed, they felt seen, they felt heard.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA (19:39)
So you know how at the beginning of this meeting you were talking about how if I come in super definitive about my opinion, maybe someone feels like there isn’t space for them to disagree? I think this is like me being, I think sometimes I am this person that people need to reflect on to be less annoyed about.
Gosh.
And not in a bad way, but just in a like, you know, interacting with people who are different, there’s conflict, there’s friction there. And that I think also helps me show up differently.
And one of my personal values is kindness. I think that’s really important. I try to think through how can I show up in a way that’s more kind. And so this has also been really helpful in shifting my own ways of being in a group. This practice really focuses on helping you shift your thinking about another person. But it has side benefits of shifting your own view of yourself and being kinder and more patient with yourself too. It’s pretty good stuff.
JESSICA BECKENDORF (20:35)
Yeah. And the last thing that I want to bring up, just because it comes up so commonly and I’ve seen it over and over in my career. And also, you know, given that I’ve done a lot of interpersonal work with groups, one thing that comes up over and over that this is really reminding me of is that idea of the people who’ve been around a while saying, “But we’ve done that before, we’ve done that before.” And it feels like it’s a ‘no, no, no, no, no’ constantly, when people are bringing up ideas.
And I’ve talked with a number of people who have been very concerned over the years about how they come off, like folks who know that they’re the ones who are always like, “Well, we did that once before, we already did that.” And I would say most of the time, at least of the ones I’ve talked to, they don’t want to do that. What they’re looking for is new solutions that their experience could be respected and inquired about and gotten curious about, and like thinking about what new things we could all come up with.
That might utilize some of that knowledge, but also utilize the new ideas coming in. And I’ve heard from a lot of people who are like, “I’m not trying to say no, no, no to everything. It’s just, we’ve learned a lot from what we’ve tried in the past. And so could we maybe just come together and say, ‘Hey, what have you learned from doing this in the past? We learned all these things. And what are your new ideas? Let’s try to mash all of this up together and see what new solutions we can come up with.’”
So it’s slightly, I mean it’s on topic, slightly off topic, but I wanted to bring that up because I think it’s a common point where people are feeling really passionate about the work you’re all doing together, but some people want to go one pathway, some people want to go another pathway, or some people want to go one pathway, but they feel like the other people are just constantly telling them no, no, no, no. And I think that there’s a way around all of that for us to come together.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA (22:25)
Yes, that is a great example. Thank you so much for sharing it.
JESSICA BECKENDORF (22:29)
Thank you for guiding us through. That’s a really great thought experiment.
So commit to doing the work. Find a value or reason that you want to do it. Observe your interactions with the person or people that you’re feeling at odds with. And then imagine the most generous reason for them to have the opinion they have. What was that fifth bonus one?
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA (22:52)
The fifth bonus one was engaging in a conversation about them as a person, where you acknowledge the thing you respect about them. Or notice, ‘Hey, it seems like you really value XYZ. Can you tell me more about that?’
JESSICA BECKENDORF (23:08)
Yes. That’s great. I think that’s a great spot to stop this practice. Thanks so much, Erin.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA (23:14)
Thank you!
JESSICA BECKENDORF (23:15)
Well, that’s it for this episode. Thanks for joining us. If you enjoyed this episode, click the share button in your podcast app to share it with a friend. We’ll be back next week with a new episode. Until then, keep practicing.
CREDITS: The Practicing Connection Podcast is a production of One-Op and is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture and the Office of Military Family Readiness Policy, US Department of Defense under award number 2 0 2 3 4 8 7 74 3 3.

How We Work Together: A Simple Practice for Better Collaboration
2026-02-12 06:00 - 17:00
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Are you really collaborating – or just coordinating?
This episode offers a short reflection to help you notice where you are on the spectrum and make one small shift toward true collaboration.
In this episode of Practicing Connection, Erin and Jessica use “blue box thinking” as a backdrop to explore the spectrum of ways we work together – competition, cooperation, coordination, and collaboration – and introduce a simple practice called “Shift the Box.”
You’ll learn how to quickly name where you are on that spectrum in any situation, notice when you’re stuck in status and control, and choose one small action that moves you closer to genuine collaboration and shared power.
Links and resources from this episode:

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See Dr. Robyn Keast talk about “Blue Box Thinking”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84YvXtc_VPg

ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: [00:00:00] Hi, thanks for listening to the Practicing Connection Podcast. I’m Erin. Today we’re going to talk about how our assumptions about roles and power can get in the way of collaboration, and how a simple reflection practice can help us shift into a more collaborative way of working together.
Hi Jessica. How are you doing today?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I’m doing pretty good. It’s toward the end of the day and I’m kind of gearing up to get ready for my new volunteer gig. My first time helping out in community theater. So that’s been kind of a fun experience. I’ve only been to one rehearsal so far. Today’s the second one.
I’m not in, I wanna be clear, I’m not acting. But I’m helping out and it’s been kind of fun to be like a point person to help out. I kind of like being in the middle of all that action.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: That sounds so exciting.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I know you have a background in theater a little bit.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: That I think sounds a [00:01:00] little bit more than what I actually did. I did a lot of children’s theater as a kid and through high school. But background in theater makes it sound a little bit more glamorous than it was.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Okay, I get it.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: But I understand there’s a certain kind of synergy and energy of doing a show. Even if you’re just on the tech – just on the tech; the tech are awesome. If you’re on tech, even if you’re not in the show, there’s still this exciting energy because it’s this really cool space of collaboration that you almost don’t get anywhere else. So I’m excited for you. I can’t wait to hear all about it.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Well, I will tell you more as the days unfold, as you probably know, it’s a chaotic time right now.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Of course. All right, so today we’re focusing on collaboration, and the ways we move, sometimes without even noticing, from competition, to cooperation, to coordination, to true collaboration. And then you’re going to guide us through a practice. Can you share a little bit more about the practice and why you chose it?[00:02:00]
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, absolutely. I wanna start though with a little bit of background on this thing I’m going to be talking about today called Blue Box Thinking. We’ve talked about it on the podcast before, and it comes from a model of inter-organizational relationships that shows different ways groups work together: competition, cooperation, coordination, collaboration and then finally conglomeration, where everything kind of really comes together and ends up consolidating.
As originally presented by Dr. Robin Keast from Southern Cross University, the diagram she was using as she was going around presenting about this had randomly colored boxes to represent different organizations and how they’re connected.
But what she was finding while presenting about the model was that what people often do is fixate on the one box that appears to be on top. And in this case it just happened to be always blue, right? The blue box was always showing up on top on these slides, on her slide deck. [00:03:00]
And so people kept asking her, wait, is my organization the blue box? Am I the blue box? Should I be the blue box?
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Mm-hmm.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: And so that pull toward wanting to be the box in charge or you know, with quotes “in charge,” is what we’re calling ‘blue box thinking.’ And it keeps our attention on status and position instead of on the processes and relationships that actually make collaboration work.
And so the practice I’m sharing today is called ‘Shift the Box.’ It’s just a name that was made up for this. I chose it because blue box thinking tends to pull our attention toward position. Like, who’s in charge, who has the power? When collaboration really depends on process and relationships, right?
Like what can we create together that we maybe couldn’t have created if we weren’t together? And so this practice helps us gently move our focus from, where am I on the chart, [00:04:00] to, how can we share power and create something together?
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Okay. Well that’s exciting, I love that it doesn’t ask people to jump straight into having perfect collaboration. It just invites one small shift to how we’re relating to each other. I think that’s really exciting. All right. Let’s get into it. Tell us about this practice.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Alright, so first, you’re going to want to start of course by thinking of a real situation where you’re working with others. So maybe it’s your team, maybe it’s you’re just thinking of your team meeting, you know, the situation of your team meeting.
Maybe it’s a community collaborative effort, or any situation where you’re working with others, right? Hold that situation in your mind and ask yourself who’s involved and what are we trying to do together?
Then I want you to think about which of those Cs is your group currently in? The C’s we mentioned were competition, cooperation, [00:05:00] coordination, collaboration, which I’ll go into in a second.
I want you to ask yourself, which of these best describes how we’re working together right now?
So just to give you a few ideas of what each of these looks like: Competition. So your group might be in competition mode if you or other group members are mostly protecting their own interests or ideas, right? You’re not sharing anything, everyone’s trying to be on top.
Cooperation. You might be in cooperation mode if members are just sharing information, right? Just strict information sharing or helping each other briefly on occasion.
You might be in coordination if the group is working toward a shared goal, but mostly staying in your own lanes, right? ‘My organization only does these things, your organization only does those things. I’m only going to agree to do things that my organization does.’ Rather than kind of mixing up the ideas a little bit
And in [00:06:00] collaboration, you might be in collaboration if you’re sharing power, resources, and ideas to co-create something that you wouldn’t create alone. That each of your organizations are not likely to create alone.
So there are no wrong answers. Just notice where you are without judgment.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Okay. I like that. The expectation is not that you should always be collaborating.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah. Right.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: You know, I think about in school where it’s like, ‘you always have to share, you always have to get along,’ and sometimes it’s not helpful. And I love that competition or coordination might be exactly the right option, and that you’re stopping to name that. That’s great.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Mm-hmm. Sometimes you just need an information exchange. That’s all you need, and that’s okay. The point really is awareness, so not grading ourselves or judging where the group is at.
So step three then is to notice your own personal blue box thinking [00:07:00] impulses. So maybe that’s, ‘I wish I were the one making the decision,’ or maybe it’s, ‘They should really put me in charge of this.’
Or maybe it’s, ‘Why is that person in charge or taking charge of this?’ And then finally, maybe it’s, ‘We just need someone at the top to decide.’
Or interestingly, it could be the opposite, right? This could be where you might suppress your own voice by thinking, ‘Oh, someone else is in charge. It’s not my place to speak up,’ right? And that’s not healthy either.
So just notice where you might be focusing on position or status, instead of process and relationship again. No judgment. You are just observing and learning right now.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah, this feels powerful because it normalizes a lot of those thoughts. Many of us, well, okay, many of us were trained to look at there’s just one person who’s in charge, and that’s [00:08:00] it. So it makes sense that we would automatically just think, ‘Well, someone needs to just make this decision.’
And I don’t know, I think if you spend a lot of time in any job as a grownup, most of them have, you know, hierarchies and decision makers and leadership teams. And so it can get really easy to think, ‘Well, someone else should be making this choice,’ and then not sharing what you’re thinking.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: You know, I’ve been in coalition meetings before where I’ve seen a question get asked of the group, right? So someone was asking, maybe it was a contractor came in to share some updates, and they ask everyone a question. And I’ve seen literally everyone look toward the person in the room that had that positional or financial power, even though that person was just a member of the coalition, they weren’t the person in charge, right?
And so things like that matter too, we’re doing this naturally. But I think being more aware of when that’s happening can be really helpful [00:09:00] in moving from a place where maybe you’re just coordinating, but you feel like the group could be doing more.
So just being aware of where you’re at will help you with the next step here. So the last step then is to ask yourself, ‘What is one small shift I can make to move this situation closer to collaboration?’
So depending on where you’re at, of course, I mean, if you feel like the group is where it needs to be right now, then leave it be. But if the group needs to shift, then that might look like moving from competition to cooperation. Maybe the action you could take is sharing a piece of information or a perspective that you’ve been holding back.
If it’s moving from cooperation to coordination, maybe that’s offering to align your efforts toward a shared goal instead of working in parallel with each other. And when moving from coordination to collaboration, maybe that’s inviting others into planning or decision making, or asking what could we create together that none of us could [00:10:00] create alone.
And I just want to add a bonus here, because another step you could take that would still make a small shift is choosing a relationship to strengthen within the group. So maybe choosing to listen more deeply to another person, or maybe expressing appreciation for their contribution, publicly or privately, or checking in with them outside your meetings, right?
Even just choosing to strengthen a relationship with one of the people in the group will help with some of these shifts as well. So just choose one concrete action that you could take in this situation, something small enough that you could try it in the next week.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah, I love that. I think often when you’re caught in these tense spaces where all of the coalition people haven’t quite landed on how we’re going to work together, it can really feel like you need to redesign the whole coalition, the whole organization, the whole structure.
It feels like, [00:11:00] ‘Oh, we gotta tear it all down and build over. It’s not working.” But actually it might just take all of us taking a bunch of tiny steps. And I love that you gave some really concrete actionable ones.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah. I mean, we don’t have to be taking big leaps here. We can grow collaborative efforts in really small shifts. We can grow it one relationship at a time, one conversation at a time. We can share one piece of information at a time, right? All these little things that we can do to improve our collaboration.
So that’s the practice. I mean, this is something you can do in a few minutes, and you can use it as a check-in at any point in your project. And over time, you should be able to notice when you’re stuck in that blue box thinking and move toward more shared power, stronger relationships, and authentic collaboration.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Thanks so much for sharing that Jessica.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Very happy to. I have been a big fan of Robin Keith for a long time, so I love sharing about Blue Box thinking.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: That’s it for this episode. Thank you for [00:12:00] joining us. If this conversation resonated with you, click the share button in your podcast app.
We’ll be back next week with a new episode. Until then, keep practicing.
CREDITS: The Practicing Connection Podcast is a production of One-Op and is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture and the Office of Military Family Readiness Policy, US Department of Defense under award number 2 0 2 3 4 8 7 74 3 3.

Nutrition Accommodations in IEPs and 504 Plans for All Students
2026-02-04 11:00 - 12:00
Many military families relocate multiple times throughout their children’s primary and secondary education years. Some military children may live in multiple states and attend different schools. Each state or school may have different resources, processes or caseloads related to developing plans to support differently abled students, those who are medically frail, those with complex medical conditions or those with less complicated medical conditions that need supports at school. The Individual Education Plan (IEP) and/or 504 Plans are essential components to ensuring safe school accommodations and minimizing breaks in services or supports for military families. This webinar will provide an overview of key definitions related to the IEP and 504 plan, highlight common conditions that may have nutrition accommodation components, provide examples of nutrition specific accommodations by educational phases (elementary, middle, and high school) to support mealtime or school environment accommodations. Specifically highlighting the role that Dietitians fill to develop goals and objectives to support parents and the educational system to ensure all children are able to thrive in their educational environment.
Learning objectives:

Define key terms related to the IEP and 504 Plans, and explain their similarities and differences.
Identify common health conditions that may require nutrition-related accommodation.
Examine common meal plan and eating environment modifications that may be included in an IEP or 504 Plan.
Provide examples of IEP goals and 504 Plan objectives across developmental stages (e.g., elementary, middle and high school).

Deputy Consultant to the Surgeon General, Nutrition and Dietetics
Assistant Professor, U.S. Army Baylor Master’s Program of Nutrition
Registered Dietitian, Picatinny Arsenal
Dr. Joetta Khan is a Registered Dietitian and public health professional with extensive military and clinical leadership experience. She earned her BS in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of New Mexico, completed her dietetic internship at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and holds both an MPH in Global Health and Infectious Disease and a PhD in Public Health with a focus on Health Education and Behavioral Science.
Joetta Khan currently serves as the Deputy Program Director for the U.S. Army Baylor Master’s Program of Nutrition at Medical Center of Excellence in San Antonio, TX, the Research Lead for the SP Corps and 65C Corps and a Dietitian for Keller Army Community Hospital supporting Picatinny Arsenal and Virtual Clinic. Her prior assignments include Deputy Chief, Nutrition Services Department and Chief, Education and Research for the Nutrition Services Department at Walter Reed (WR) National Military Medical Center, Assistant Professor for the Baylor-Army Graduate Program of Nutrition and leads the WR Phase 2 research program, WR IRB Vice Chair, Chief Food Service of Food Service at Tripler Army Medical Center; Chief, Nutrition Services and US-Army Dietitian Southern Iraq, 86th Combat Support Hospital; Chief, Nutrition Care Division, Keller Army Community Hospital; Commander, Charlie Company, William Beaumont Army Medical Center; and Chief, Outpatient Nutrition, William Beaumont Army Medical Center.
Her research and professional interests include performance nutrition, public health nutrition, nutrition services operations, and nutrition education. She has contributed to numerous DoD initiatives, published widely, and supported multiple student research projects. Dr. Khan has received numerous military awards for her service.
She and her husband, LTC Saleem Khan, have two daughters and reside in Chester, New Jersey.

Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences (CFCS): This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) credits from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close [Expiration: 2/4/28].
Certified Nutrition and Wellness Educator (CNWE): This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) credits from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close [Expiration: 2/4/28].
Board Certified Patient Advocates (BCPA): This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) contact hours by The Patient Advocate Certification Board. Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close [Expiration: 2/4/28].
Board Certified Case Managers: This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) clock hours from the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close [Expiration: 2/4/28].
Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RD/RDN) and Nutrition and Dietetics Technicians, Registered (NDTR): This webinar awards 1.0 CPEUs in accordance with the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s CPEU Prior Approval Program. [Expiration: 2/4/29].
Certified Family Life Educators (CFLE): This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) credits from the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close [Expiration: 2/4/29].
Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES): This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education credit from the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close [Expiration: 2/4/28].
Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists: This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) credits from the University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work. Check with your state licensing agency for reciprocity and/or credit approval if licensed for other professions or in one of the following states: CO, FL, HI, IA, KS, KY, MI, NY, ND, OH, OK. Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close [Expiration: 2/4/29].
OneOp Certificates of Attendance are available for those interested in additional documentation of professional development activities.

If the survey button above does not appear, please access the continuing education survey through this link: https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3QqKJmweDeCjm62. If you any questions, please email CE@oneop.org.

Presentation Slides (PDF)
Nutrition and Feeding Goals in the IEP / 504 Plan (Worksheet)

Image Source: iStockphoto ID #1156303152; Drazen_

2026 Tax Updates: What Service Providers Need to Know
2026-02-03 11:00 - 12:30
Military life presents unique tax considerations for service members and their families, whether on active duty or in the reserves. This webinar is designed to equip service providers and financial counselors with the knowledge they need to better support the military community. Participants will learn when military pay and benefits are taxable or non-taxable, explore key tax advantages available to service members and their families, and review important tax law updates taking effect in 2026. The session will also highlight the resources and expertise available through MilTax and Military OneSource to help service members and their families manage their taxes year-round.
Learning Objectives:

Understand when a service member’s pay and benefits are taxable or non-taxable.
Describe the tax benefits available to eligible service members and their families.
Explain key 2026 tax law updates that apply to most taxpayers, including military service members and families.
Recognize how MilTax and Military OneSource tax professionals can support service members year-round.

Susan Mitchell is the Executive Director for the Armed Forces Tax Council and Tax Counsel in the Department of Defense Office of the General Counsel. In this role, she serves as the principal tax advisor to DoD, representing the Department on tax and compensation issues with the Internal Revenue Service, Veterans Affairs, Department of State, Department of Justice, and other entities within the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

Accredited Financial Counselors (AFC): This webinar is approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) units by the Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education (AFCPE). Eligibility for CE credit will close on 2/3/29
Certified Personal Finance Counselors (CPFC): This webinar is approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) units from The Center for Financial Certifications (FinCert.org). Eligibility for CE credit will close on 2/3/29
Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences (CFCS): This webinar is approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Eligibility for CE credit will close on 2/3/28
Certified Personal and Family Finance Educator (CPFFE): This webinar is approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Eligibility for CE credit will close on 2/3/28
Certified Family Life Educators (CFLE): This webinar is approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR). Eligibility for CE credit will close on 2/3/31
OneOp Certificates of Attendance are available for those interested in additional documentation of professional development activities.

If the survey button above does not appear, please access the continuing education survey through this link: https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8IhQosKi8yToVGm. If you any questions, please email CE@oneop.org. Webinar Slides

Dependent Care FSA
Health Care FSA
MilTax
SCRA Timeline of Changes
Tax Filing Options for Military Spouses [Video]
Trump Accounts

Photo Credit: AdobeStock_37578612 By Garry L.

Supporting Military Families Across the Deployment Cycle
2026-01-25 11:00 - 11:30
OneOp courses are available for free through Thinkific. Get started by registering for a free account on Thinkific. This interactive, 2-hour course examines the impact of the deployment cycle on family well-being. This course explores the impact of deployment and other service-related absences on family stress and well-being. By completing this course, the service provider will be better equipped to assist military families experiencing service-related absences by offering support, services, and resources.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

Explain the impacts of service-related absences on military family members
Analyze common stressors and coping processes
Apply research and theoretical models to real-world situations
Identify protective factors that foster resilience
Design practical support strategies for families
Refine supports for military-connected communities

Register and enroll on Thinkific.com, the platform used to host OneOp courses, for free! For help getting started on Thinkific email us at contact@oneop.org

Interactive components and links to videos are included, so make sure you have a strong internet connection.
Units and resources will open in a new window be sure to turn your pop-up blocker off.
The content includes audio and video, ensure your computer can play audio and video files, and open PDF files.
To ensure progress is saved, please pause and resume learning between units.
In order to receive certain continuing education credits and/or a certificate of completion for general use, some users may be required to take a cumulative post-test at the end of the entire course. You will have five attempts to pass the final post-test at 80% or better.
It is expected that students will view all materials, engage with the activities, and complete reflections.
For information about this course or assistance with completion please email contact@oneop.org

The course was developed by OneOp with contributions from Dr. Keith Tidball
Instructional Designer
Jen Chilek This course has been approved for continuing education (CE) credits for many different professionals accredited through the credentialing agencies listed below.

Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences (CFCS): This webinar is approved for 2.0 continuing education (CE) credits from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close on 1/30/2028.
Board Certified Patient Advocates (BCPA): This webinar is approved for 2.0 continuing education (CE) contact hours by The Patient Advocate Certification Board. Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close on 1/30/2028.
Board Certified Case Managers: This webinar is approved for 2.0 continuing education (CE) clock hours from the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close on 1/30/2027.
Certified Family Life Educators (CFLE): This webinar is approved for 2.0 continuing education (CE) credits from the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close on 1/30/2029.
Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES): This webinar is approved for 2.0 continuing education credit from the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close on 1/30/2028.
Human Resource Professionals: This webinar is approved for 2.0 continuing education (CE) credit from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close on 7/31/2026.
Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists: This webinar is approved for 2.0 continuing education (CE) credits from the University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work. Check with your state licensing agency for reciprocity and/or credit approval if licensed for other professions or in one of the following states: CO, FL, HI, IA, KS, KY, MI, NY, ND, OH, OK. Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close on 1/30/2028.
Certificates of Attendance: OneOp Certificates of Attendance are available for those interested in additional documentation of professional development activities.

Evidence-Based Interventions for Supporting Military Spouse Career Development
2026-01-22 11:00 - 12:30
Military spouses face a unique set of challenges that can make career development especially difficult. Frequent relocations, deployments, childcare responsibilities, and irregular service member schedules often disrupt employment and educational opportunities. As a result, military spouses experience an unemployment rate of 21% and earn roughly 38% less than their civilian peers (U.S. Department of Labor, 2024). These factors, combined with limited access to consistent support networks, underscore the need for targeted, evidence-based career interventions.
Cognitive Information Processing (CIP) career theory offers a proven framework to help military spouses strengthen their career decision-making and problem-solving skills. By addressing the negative career thoughts that can hinder progress, CIP-based strategies empower individuals to clarify goals, explore options, and take purposeful action toward career success.
This webinar is designed for career counselors, workforce professionals, and other providers supporting military spouse career readiness. Participants will learn about the career and work experiences of military spouses, gain an understanding of CIP career theory, explore evidence-based career interventions tailored to this population, and discover practical resources to enhance their professional practice.
Learning Objectives:

Describe the unique experiences and challenges related to the career development and employment of military spouses
Examine current research on the career and work stressors faced by military spouses
Apply a career development theory and related interventions to empower military spouses in achieving positive career development outcomes
Identify resources and strategies to effectively support the career development and work experiences of military spouses

Dr. Seth C. W. Hayden is an Associate Professor of Counseling and Coordinator of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Wake Forest University. A Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in North Carolina, Dr. Hayden has comprehensive expertise in working with military service members, veterans, and their families. His scholarship explores the intersection of career development and mental health, with a particular focus on military populations. His research interests include the career and mental health needs of service members, veterans, and their families; the connection between career and mental health concerns; and integrated models of clinical supervision focusing on positive growth in counselors’ ability to formulate interventions.

Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences (CFCS): This webinar has been approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close January 22, 2027.
Board Certified Patient Advocates (BCPA): This webinar has been approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) contact hours by The Patient Advocate Certification Board. Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close January 22, 2027.
Board Certified Case Managers: This webinar has been approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) clock hours from the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close January 22, 2027.
Certified Family Life Educators (CFLE): This webinar has been approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close January 22, 2028.
Human Resource Professionals: This webinar has been approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close July 31, 2026.
Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists: This webinar has been approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work. Check with your state licensing agency for reciprocity and/or credit approval if licensed for other professions or in one of the following states: CO, FL, HI, IA, KS, KY, MI, NY, ND, OH, OK. Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close January 22, 2027.
OneOp Certificates of Attendance are available for those interested in additional documentation of professional development activities.

If the survey button above does not appear, please access the continuing education survey through this link: https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8GFQBM2UEjrY8kK. If you any questions, please email CE@oneop.org. Webinar PDF Slides
Webinar Resources Photo Credit: N Lawrenson/peopleimages | Adobe Stock 606473980

Reframing Feedback: A Practice for Receiving Criticism Well
2026-01-22 06:00 - 17:00
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Join the “Practicing Connection Community” on LinkedIn. The community is designed for people who support military families in a variety of settings both on installations and in our communities. JTNDZGl2JTIwaWQlM0QlMjJidXp6c3Byb3V0LXBsYXllci0xODYwNDMyNCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUzQ3NjcmlwdCUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LmJ1enpzcHJvdXQuY29tJTJGMjA5OTk4MyUyRmVwaXNvZGVzJTJGMTg2MDQzMjQtcmVmcmFtaW5nLWZlZWRiYWNrLWEtcHJhY3RpY2UtZm9yLXJlY2VpdmluZy1jcml0aWNpc20td2VsbC5qcyUzRmNvbnRhaW5lcl9pZCUzRGJ1enpzcHJvdXQtcGxheWVyLTE4NjA0MzI0JTI2cGxheWVyJTNEc21hbGwlMjIlMjB0eXBlJTNEJTIydGV4dCUyRmphdmFzY3JpcHQlMjIlMjBjaGFyc2V0JTNEJTIydXRmLTglMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZzY3JpcHQlM0U= (Season 7, Episode 6)
Negative feedback can feel like a punch in the gut – but what if you could shift your mindset to see it as useful data instead of personal failure?
Most of us cringe when we hear “I have some feedback for you.” But learning to receive feedback well is one of the most powerful skills you can build for collaboration and growth.
In this episode of Practicing Connection, Jessica and Erin talk about how to prepare your mindset, identify which feedback deserves your attention, and turn even tough conversations into moments of learning.
Erin also shares a practical approach you can use the next time feedback catches you off guard – helping you respond with curiosity instead of defensiveness.
Listen in to find new ways to make feedback feel less threatening, and more like an investment in your growth.
Links and resources from this episode:

Reframing Feedback Handout
Join our LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12879756/
Send us a message: practicingconnection@oneop.org

[00:00:00]
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Hi, thanks for listening to the Practicing Connection Podcast. I’m Jessica, my new co-host is here as well. Today we’ll be talking about how to receive negative feedback, and Erin’s gonna be sharing a practice with us. Hi Erin, how are you?
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Hi Jessica. I’m having fun!
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Great!
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: I wasn’t expecting to be this excited to actually be recording things, so this is kind of fun. Plus it’s finally sunny again here in Wisconsin, which is a treat. We’ve had a string of all of the temperatures in the negatives. We had an exploding tree watch warning from the weather people recently, so no trees exploded in my neighborhood.
I am very relieved, and I’m very relieved that it’s a little bit warmer, and that we have sunshine again.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, that is very good. I have been hibernating, reading a lot more than I [00:01:00] have in the past several years. I’m just chewing through the books and that’s been awesome. Both reading fiction and nonfiction as well. It’s something I used to do a lot more of and I’ve picked it back up again, and that has been really feeding my soul lately.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Oh, that’s wonderful. I love when you can kind of return to something that was joyful that you fell out of the habit of, that’s such a fun thing to be able to do.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Well, we’d love to hear what’s inspiring you. So please drop us a line at practicingconnection@oneop.org. We see and respond to every message and can’t wait to hear from you.
– break –
So let’s learn more about how to receive negative feedback. Erin, can you tell us a little more about what you’ll be sharing and the practice you’re going to be sharing, and why you chose it?
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah. Well, I’m gonna start with why I chose it. It is, for a lot of [00:02:00] people, performance evaluation season.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Mm-hmm.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: So while not everybody does performance evaluations in January, a lot of people do. So, I wanted to kind of share it in a timely manner. Also I am new to a job, so I’m getting a lot of feedback, and I’ve had to spend some time thinking about how do I – don’t make that face, Jessica, it’s not all bad!
But I have been getting lots of feedback and so I’ve been thinking a lot about, “How can I use this well?” And so I wanted to share some of that with you today.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: One thing I’d love to say though, that’s such a good point. Sometimes it’s just hard to receive feedback, period. Whether negative or neutral, or even positive sometimes. And I think any feedback at all can feel negative sometimes. I mean, unless someone’s like, ‘you’re wonderful, great job,’ or whatever. That doesn’t feel negative, hopefully ever. But I mean, any like neutral feedback, or collaborative feedback, [00:03:00] it can feel negative even when it’s not.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah, I think especially if you’re really fatigued or overwhelmed, sometimes feedback feels like just one more thing you have to carry and process and manage. And it’s like a little straw on your camel back and you’re like, “I don’t know how many more of these I could take.” Yes, this is exactly why I wanted to talk about this today.
So, I don’t really enjoy negative feedback. I don’t think I know anybody who does, but I have been able to see how changing how I respond to negative feedback can make it go from ‘one more thing I have to manage’ to an opportunity to build connection with the people that I work with, especially when I’m on teams, especially when I’m collaborating.
If I’m able to respond well to negative feedback, it can build trust, which I find really exciting.
So today I want to talk about how do we think about negative [00:04:00] feedback mindset shifts, and then I’ll walk you through a practice. And I think of it as like a standard script that I can use if I’m surprised, because sometimes you know you’re going to get feedback, for example a performance evaluation, and sometimes it comes completely out of the blue. They don’t ask your permission, they don’t tell you they want to talk to you. It’s just, someone comes up to your cubicle, “Hey, I wanna talk to you. You shouldn’t do this thing.” And you’re like…
So I want to give you a plan for how you’re going to respond to surprise, negative feedback, so that in the moment you don’t have to decide how to respond.
You’ve already kind of pre-thought about, ‘here’s a thing I can do,’ and sound professional. And it can be trust building and collaborative, even if I’m having a bad day. So that’s my hope. So that’s where we’re heading today.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Well, I’m really glad that we’re talking about this. You know, finding ways to positively respond to negative feedback has helped mea lot. Even [00:05:00] though I’m not always still good at it, I have figured out a couple things that I can do to help.
So like just listening for what values are surfacing while the person’s giving you feedback or reflecting on that interaction and thinking about what values we’re surfacing.
Or just allowing myself some time to consider the feedback before responding when you can, right. Like you just said, sometimes you’re just getting it in the moment, you’re getting the feedback in the moment or, you know, the person said, “We need to meet.” Period. And you start anticipating what that might be.
So getting negative feedback can be awkward and uncomfortable, but it’s also an opportunity to make meaningful changes.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yes, that’s exactly why it’s worth doing a little bit of work. So I actually encourage people to do prep work before you’re in the moment of receiving negative feedback.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Like right now.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yes. Right now. Okay, I mean maybe once the podcast is over, but [00:06:00] schedule time now before you’ve even worried about getting negative feedback, to think about how you respond to feedback.
And this is one of those, ‘think about thinking’ things, that is so annoying, and it’s like, ‘I have to have a task where I think about how I’m thinking.’
And yes, yes you do. It will be so helpful. I promise it’s worth it. There are several things that I found helpful and we’re going to talk about one of the mindset shifts first. And this is helping yourself getting out of all or nothing thinking.
I see this in myself often when I get negative feedback. I think if there’s negative feedback about one thing, it means every single thing that I’ve done is terrible. And that’s very, very rarely the case. There’s almost never where someone’s like, “We need to throw out this entire thing. There is nothing worth keeping here.” Most of the time, it’s like a couple of tweaks, or maybe up to like 20% of a thing needs tweaking or changing, or, “Oh, we gotta mash it with this thing over here.”
So it is [00:07:00] really easy to hear one bad thing and think that everything is wrong, but it’s a really powerful shift when you can go from thinking, ‘If one thing is wrong, I did a bad job,’ to, ‘90% of this is ready to go, and now I know what 10% needs work.’
Is that an easy shift? No. Is it a helpful shift? Yes.
Have you ever noticed that Jessica, or dealt with this shift?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yes. Well, the thing is, I don’t know that I tend to think everything wrong, it really depends on the context sometimes. But one of the ways I’ve noticed this is in writing. I find words to be very sacred, and so I used to be that when I wrote something and I asked somebody to review it, it was really hard for me to see lots of red lines or, you know, lots of red text if you’re using the track changes or whatever it is, you know, it used to be really hard for me.
And then, I discovered that, no, no, no, it was, [00:08:00] you know, some red text, some red lines. And the red lines were not ‘get rid of this immediately, it sucks.’ The red lines were challenging me to think and make it a little better. And frankly, I really now have come to, you know, appreciate that feedback.
But what I used to see when I would write something, someone needed to edit it, I used to see, ‘Oh, there’s so many comments on here that the whole thing is just terrible.’ And then I started to do a lot more editing, and it took me maybe just a couple of times where I was like, ‘Oh, this is awesome. They’re making my work more awesome.’
And so I don’t know if that’s exactly the shift you’re talking about, but it started to help me understand that it doesn’t matter even if they have red lines on every single paragraph, which was never the case. But even if that happened on every [00:09:00] paragraph, it was not them telling me it all sucks. It was them saying, “Hey, I see opportunity here, and here’s my thought on how it could be a little better.” Which was awesome.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: I love that. I love the idea of, “They’re helping me be more awesome.” What a great mental catchphrase!
I think a lot about, ‘What script is my brain running? What is it telling me?’ And so if I can switch it from, ‘They’re telling me it’s bad,’ to, ‘They’re helping me be more awesome,’ what a gift.
Speaking of gifts, another gift has to do with a mindset shift. It wasn’t until I started thinking about feedback that I realized how much doing theater as a child was a huge gift to me, and one of those was receiving negative feedback. It made it easier for me.
Were there ever any times someone was talking about performance anxiety for giving a speech and they were talking about, okay, what sensations are happening in your body? When else did you feel those? And then they were [00:10:00] talking about rollercoasters and how a lot of what you feel, like anxious, kind of your breath changes, it’s the same thing that happens right before going on one, apparently for some people.
I find rollercoasters terrifying, but for some people it’s like this anticipation. And so they’re able to mentally feel the anxiety in their body and say, ‘Oh, this is also what excitement feels like.’ And then they’re less scared, and they’re more able to be excited about doing a scary thing, not just scared of doing a scary thing.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Well, as someone who really loves rollercoasters, I concur with that. The risk is worth the reward, for sure. Not the risk, but the, you know, the anxiety, and the – it’s excitement/anxiety. You’re excited, but you’re also a little scared, and it’s amazing.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah. And isn’t that a much more pleasant feeling than just being terrified. So I thought, ‘Okay, obviously that wasn’t gonna work for me thinking about roller coasters, because I still cry every time I go on a roller coaster.’ And you [00:11:00] know, like sometimes I need to cry. It’s very cathartic, it’s great, but I was like, ‘Okay, I don’t want to cry when I get negative feedback from my coworkers,’ right.
So I was like what are some other examples where I can do that, a mirroring thing and mentally tell myself, “Oh, it’s like this situation. I’m safe in this situation. You don’t have to be scared right now.” And for me, that was in theater. I think you’ve also done some theater stuff. Are you familiar with “getting notes?”
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Like, in my case, where I was doing it, it was for an improv group, and we got notes mostly during, we got “side coaching,” a lot of times they called it. But, yeah, we got notes during our rehearsal.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Sure. That’s fair. Okay. So I didn’t do improv, I did more traditional theater. And there’s, before you do your big performance, you have a dress rehearsal where you’re in costume, you run it as if there’s an audience and if there’s a show, and the director almost always is taking tons of notes.
And then after you’ve run through the whole [00:12:00] show, they bring everybody together, you all sit on stage and the director just runs through the show from top to bottom and says every single thing, good or bad, that they thought about while running the rehearsal. And so you hear everybody’s feedback, you hear the good stuff, you hear the bad stuff.
And I don’t know what it was. Maybe it was just because everybody’s there. But that was never scary to me. Maybe it was ’cause I did children’s theater and they were really nice about it!
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Maybe, because you were all getting feedback at the same time together. We’re going to be good and bad. Maybe someone only got good notes because they had a fantastic rehearsal. I don’t know.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah, well, I think too, some of it was, there was not time to go in depth on anything, so it was just like, “Hey, this wasn’t working. Try this next time.” And so it was very direct and specific. And so that was all really helpful for me. So I’ve started to think about, ‘Oh, maybe that is the mental attitude that I want to have when I’m receiving negative feedback. Think of it as I’m getting notes in a show.’
And [00:13:00] sometimes I didn’t agree with the director’s feedback.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Mm-hmm.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: And that was okay. So that gave me kind of a framework where I’m taking myself out of having my like “flight or fight” response into, “Oh, I’m getting notes at a show.”
And now I will admit, not everybody does theater and not everybody had that experience with theater, but I bet that everybody has some experience somewhere where they got negative feedback and it wasn’t hard.
Like maybe you really love cooking and you have somebody taste test it, or you are really into fitness and you’re used to having somebody coach your form at the gym
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Mm-hmm.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: You love trying out new outfits and you get feedback on them from your friends. Whatever your thing is, I bet there’s somewhere in your life where you can get feedback and it doesn’t feel scary.
And so thinking about putting on that mindset when you’re getting feedback can be such a helpful pivot.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I really love this and because, I have not had the same frame of reference as [00:14:00] you, but a similar point of reference – I get that feeling, and I love that you brought up all those other examples of where we might have experienced that.
Like I also have, you know, I have some friends where if they told me something didn’t look good on me, I might have a bigger problem with it than other friends, if they told me that. And you know, now probably anyone could tell me anything and it wouldn’t bother me, when it comes to what I’m wearing.
But I just mean, I love that you brought up all those different possible examples, and if people can kind of reflect back on when you received feedback. And it wasn’t difficult for you to receive that feedback and get back in touch with that feeling and that memory. That’s a really powerful thing.
And, so, let’s get into the final piece that you have for us, because the script you were talking about earlier, I’d like to hear more about that.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Sure. I love a script. I don’t fight or flight. I tend to freeze, which is not helpful. [00:15:00] I mean, it is helpful sometimes, but it can be very frustrating.
So I often think that if I make a plan beforehand that I don’t have to freeze. If you’re a person who fights, then you’re like, ‘I don’t have to decide how nice to be right now.’
You could just go with your plan. Right? Like, I think it’s applicable even if you’re not a freezer.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: But this is what I call a “method for the moment.” The first step is to just take a breath, to just pause. And this can be like a two second pause, but pause just to remind yourself, “Hey, I’m okay.”
Number two is quickly discerning, is this someone whose opinion matters to me? And sometimes you do not like this person at all. You think their advice is terrible, but they’re your supervisor or they’re an important collaborator. So even if you think their advice is terrible, they’re still somebody whose opinion matters because you’re trying to maintain a relationship with them.
If you do care about their opinion, [00:16:00] that’s an opportunity to get curious. If you have capacity, ask a couple of questions. Some good ones are, “Can you tell me more about why you think that? Can you give me some examples to reference for what you think it should look like?” Often people’s feedback is very vague, even when it’s negative.
Which is shocking, like you’re used to it being really specific, but sometimes it’s just, I don’t know, you’re too angry or something, and you’re like, “Oh, can you tell me more about, do you have an example? Can you tell me what you think I should aim for?”
If you don’t care about their opinion, you can just say, “Oh, thank you for sharing that with me. I’ve got to move on regardless.”
So this is kind of where there’s like a bit of a divergence. You decide if you care about their opinion. If you do, be curious, if you don’t, say thank you. Once you’re done being curious, you can also just say thank you.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I just wanted, I’m wondering if, say you do care about their opinion, but you don’t feel any reason, like you feel like the feedback was fair and that they gave [00:17:00] you enough information. Can you just go right to thanking them? Or should you get curious no matter what?
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: I, you know, I think being curious is for your benefit. So if you feel like they gave you feedback that is valid, true, fair, and helpful, and you don’t need more information to do something with it, you could just say, “Wow, thank you so much for telling me that,” and move on. The curiosity is just there for you to get something meaningful out of the interaction, if it’s a person you trust, who doesn’t have the skill to give you the specifics you need.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: The other thing that I recommend is thank them for their feedback, but don’t commit to doing anything immediately
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I like that, that’s great.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Because so many people, if you don’t have a lot of practice being calm while you receive negative feedback, are in this really heightened state of like, almost panic sometimes.
And so if you just say, “Hey, thank you for letting me know that. Can I circle back with you after I’ve had some time to think [00:18:00] about it?” That’s an easy script. Most people respect that. If they don’t, there’s a bigger issue there.
And I think what’s really helpful about that is then you have time, once they’re not looking at you, to kind of think through, ‘Okay, is there anything I want to change or do differently in response to this feedback?’
And then you can circle back and just say, “Thanks again for that feedback. In the future I’d like to try doing this.”
JESSICA BECKENDORF: And you can come up with your own plan.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah, exactly. I really encourage people to come up with a plan with somebody else. If you have the opportunity and you don’t want to just come up with a plan on your own, find a buddy to make a plan with, because I think so often there’s this pressure to immediately say, ‘Oh, I have to immediately tell somebody.’
And the thing is like in most cases, you don’t need to immediately tell somebody, ‘Oh, I’m gonna completely change my life.’
So once you’ve thanked them and the conversation is over, make a follow-up plan. Decide if you need [00:19:00] one, and then, if you’re not quite sure what you want to do in response to the feedback, I have a couple of questions you can ask yourself, which is, “What is one thing I could do differently or try? Who is a person I could ask for advice, coaching or mentorship about this?” And, “Who is someone who knows me well enough, who I trust enough who can fact check this for me?
Sometimes people are wrong. Sometimes your response is not proportional to their feedback. So that’s kind of a place where you can pause and reflect while you’re making your plan, and get input from people you trust.
And that’s it.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: That might happen the most to me. I’ll get feedback and I like, in my head, the feedback was a hundred times different than when I go back a day or two later and I look at it again, and I’m like, ‘Oh, this actually isn’t a big deal.’
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yes.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I said one of my strategies I found is I need a little bit of time, and then I can go back and read it again [00:20:00] and we’re good.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah, absolutely. And that is again, why I tell people, start by taking a breath. Start by deciding if this opinion matters. Then, be curious, then thank them, then end the conversation.
And I think that’s really the gift for me, is realizing negative feedback doesn’t have to turn into a fight, and it doesn’t have to turn into me setting a bunch of goals with a person spontaneously.
It can just be, ‘Oh, thank you for sharing that with me. I will go reflect on that.’ And then it’s over, right.
It doesn’t have to be long. And I think a lot of people are just so afraid that it’s going to be a big, terrible thing. Prepare yourself for maybe it’s not so bad.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Right. I mean, I’m going to overanalyze it enough in my head anyway.
Not with these new tools though, and the new mindsets! So thank you so much for sharing this, Erin. And I think there’s going to be a download available that we’ll have some of this?
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah, I realize that this method is not like five words that you can bullet point on your hand, [00:21:00] so I’ll make a little printout that you can have on hand to read through, if that helps you remember stuff better.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Awesome. Thank you. And we’ll link to that in the show notes.
Well, that’s it for this episode. Thanks so much for joining us. If you enjoyed this episode, click the share button in your podcast app to share it with a friend. We’ll be back next week with a new episode. Until then, keep practicing.
CREDITS: The Practicing Connection Podcast is a production of One-Op and is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture and the Office of Military Family Readiness Policy, US Department of Defense under award number 2 0 2 3 4 8 7 74 3 3.

From One Season to the Next: A New Chapter for Practicing Connection
2026-01-22 06:00 - 17:00
Subscribe to the “Practicing Connection” monthly email to keep up to date on our latest podcasts, blog posts and workshops.
Join the “Practicing Connection Community” on LinkedIn. The community is designed for people who support military families in a variety of settings both on installations and in our communities. JTNDZGl2JTIwaWQlM0QlMjJidXp6c3Byb3V0LXBsYXllci0xODU3MzAyNyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUzQ3NjcmlwdCUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LmJ1enpzcHJvdXQuY29tJTJGMjA5OTk4MyUyRmVwaXNvZGVzJTJGMTg1NzMwMjctZnJvbS1vbmUtc2Vhc29uLXRvLXRoZS1uZXh0LWEtbmV3LWNoYXB0ZXItZm9yLXByYWN0aWNpbmctY29ubmVjdGlvbi5qcyUzRmNvbnRhaW5lcl9pZCUzRGJ1enpzcHJvdXQtcGxheWVyLTE4NTczMDI3JTI2cGxheWVyJTNEc21hbGwlMjIlMjB0eXBlJTNEJTIydGV4dCUyRmphdmFzY3JpcHQlMjIlMjBjaGFyc2V0JTNEJTIydXRmLTglMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZzY3JpcHQlM0U= (Season 7, Episode 5)
Change is part of every journey – even the ones we love most.
In this episode, Jessica Beckendorf welcomes new co-host Erin Carlson Rivera, and shares parting reflections from longtime co-host Coral Owen. Together, they explore how slowing down, creating space, and staying curious can help us stay connected through seasons of change.
Change is both inevitable and deeply human – and this special episode is all about how we navigate it together.
Join us for an episode that honors the past, embraces the next chapter, and reminds us that connection is something we can keep practicing – no matter where we are in the journey.
Community Challenge:
This week, take a moment to name the space you’re in right now – not just what you’re doing, but what you’re experiencing. Maybe it’s a transition, a settling-in, or a building phase.
Then ask yourself: What am I ready to release to make space for what’s next?
Share one insight or small practice that’s helping you stay grounded in your work or community using #PracticingConnection. Let’s normalize the in-between – together.
Links and resources from this episode:

Join our LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12879756/
Send us a message: practicingconnection@oneop.org

JESSICA BECKENDORF: [00:00:00] Hi, welcome to the Practicing Connection Podcast. I’m Jessica Beckendorf. This episode is a little different from what we originally planned, my longtime co-host Coral Owen had hoped to join me today for a conversation welcoming our new co-host, Erin Carlson Rivera.
Unfortunately, Coral was not able to be here when we’re recording, but she did share a few reflections with us before stepping away from the podcast, and I’d love to share some of her thoughts with you later in the episode.
Coral has been an incredible partner and presence here at Practicing Connection and at OneOp, and while we’ll miss her behind the mic, we’re so excited for what’s ahead for her, and grateful for everything she’s helped to build here.
And now I’m thrilled to announce my guest today: our new co-host Erin Carlson Rivera.
Erin is a [00:01:00] self-described “chaos wrangler” and communication expert, who spent the last decade with UW Madison’s division of Extension, working across programs from community development to urban agriculture, and probably everything in between. Because that’s what Extension does, right? She’s passionate about systems that make work simpler, kinder, and more sustainable outside of work.
Erin loves to garden, so do I, and paint in gouache style, and in her words, “Eat cheese and read fantasy novels.” And I’m pretty sure that eating cheese is a prerequisite of living in Wisconsin, because that’s also on my list. So Erin, welcome. I am so happy that you’re here.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Thank you. It’s good to be here. It’s weird to be on this side of the microphone, but I’m having a good time.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, you’ve been co-producing for a little while now. So, let’s actually start with what brought you here.
You’ve already been doing so much incredible work with OneOp, and with UW Madison Division of Extension. So what drew [00:02:00] you to saying yes to co-hosting Practicing Connection?
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Oh, that’s a good question. I think it was a weirdly good fit for everything I was already doing. I was often given the fun task of onboarding new people to the office culture,
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Mm-hmm.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Which meant that I did a lot of coaching people and a lot of teaching them about communication and boundaries. And it turns out that’s a lot of what we talk about here.
And one thing I love about Extension is how much the work is not possible unless you’re collaborating with other people. And this podcast is such a fun combination of sharing stories about collaboration, and then getting into really nitty gritty specific details about, “Here’s a thing to try,” and it just is such, you know, like these are the conversations that I’m having with my coworkers [00:03:00] all of the time.
I, like low key, can’t believe they’re not sick of me, where I’ll be like, “Hey, have you tried this?” I try to only offer advice when advice is asked for and not be the person who’s always telling everybody, “Try this, try this, try this.”
But here is this lovely platform where I can tell people, “Try this, try this, try this,” and it’s expected and wanted and not, you know, your micromanaging coworker telling you everything to do.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I would say ‘leader,’ right? You’ve already brought up how you’ve had to onboard and coach, and that’s a role that you’ve seen yourself doing, and we talk a lot about leadership on this podcast, so I would say you’re a leader.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Well, thank you. Okay. The other less serious, more fun reason I said yes is because since high school people have been telling me that I have a really soothing voice and they really love listening to me talk. [00:04:00] And I was like, great, here’s a way where I can share my soothing voice. You know, it feels like a gift.
I have very little to do with what my voice sounds like other than, you know, taking care of it and vocal lessons for singing. But you know, my talking voice is just how I talk. So it feels like a fun way to kind of share this thing that has been really supportive to other people.
It feels a little weird to say that, look, I’ve lived in Wisconsin long enough that I’m very Midwestern, and I feel like stating facts sometimes feels like bragging.
But, yeah, that’s my other reason.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Well, I’ve had similar feedback about my voice, so hopefully we are not gonna put anyone to sleep. I’m kidding, I’m kidding. We’re just, it’s going to be a great compliment, is what I’m trying to say.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: We’re going to have a good time.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Well, you know, before today’s recording, Coral shared a few reflections about her time with Practicing Connection, and I want to share some of those words with our listeners.
So Coral says, “When I think back over my time with Practicing Connection, the [00:05:00] moments that really capture what this podcast is about for me are the ones where we slowed things down enough. To name what people are actually living inside of, not just what they’re doing on the surface. Episodes where we talked about ambiguity, transition, gratitude, and hard seasons.
Those stand out not because they offered big answers, but because they made space for honesty. To me, the heart of the podcast has always been about normalizing the in-between and reminding people they’re not doing it wrong, just because things feel unclear. Those conversations captured the spirit of the show, thoughtful, human, and grounded in real life rather than perfection.”
I wish I could do an impression of Coral so that you could actually hear that in her voice. But I do want to add that I love what she said about the spirit of the show being thoughtful, human, and grounded in real life. I particularly love that because that was intentional from our very first planning session, like years ago, and it [00:06:00] remains an important pillar of how we do things around here.
So Erin, when you hear that, what does that bring up for you?
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Wow. Yeah, that is also one of the things that I love about this podcast. I’ve just, you know, I’ve worked at Extension a lot. I’ve seen a lot of different partnerships and a lot of different people. I’ve worked with a lot of different people and I’ve seen a lot of really cool things die, because people wanted it to be perfect before it started, or perfect before they could make changes, or being so uncomfortable with ambiguity that everything just fell apart.
And I love the hopefulness of this podcast, and how we make space for people to be messy, but still equip them and empower them. Hopefully give them tools that they can use to continue trying to make changes, you know, to be in process and not get stuck in the mess, but be realistic [00:07:00] about, “Hey, this is messy and it doesn’t have to be messy forever. Here’s some things, here’s some stepping stones in the river so you can get somewhere new.”
And that has always been one of the things that I just love about this podcast is this space for being messy, but still kind of – challenge is the wrong word; encouraging people to try new things, to take risks, to not let messiness prevent them from trying.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Well, and to do it together, right. And I heard that, in some of what you were saying there, this idea of connection and collaboration are really, really important to, well, not just the podcast, right, but really, the podcast is the mechanism for the work that we’re trying to put out there in the world, and the tools that we’re trying to help people with.
And so, you know, people are not out there alone in the wilderness. We’re really trying to show them that, not alone. And that, we need to be a little messy together. We need to [00:08:00] coalesce together. We need to maybe ebb and flow between those two things, to make some of those little baby steps.
So when you think of connection and collaboration in your own life or work, what experiences or communities have shaped your perspective the most?
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah, this is such a good question. Okay. And I say that about every question, and I’m so sorry, but Jessica, you do genuinely – you ask me questions and I go, “Huh? Oh shoot. I have to think about that one.”
Okay. So for me, when I’m thinking about the collaboration, one of the very first things that I think about is being in choir. Or being in a theater production. I am a theater kid, former theater kid, and former choir kid. And I spent a lot of time making art, doing plays, singing with groups of people in school who I normally would not hang out with. And maybe we didn’t even really like each other that much. [00:09:00] But we had this shared, common goal of, we wanted to create something that was an experience for our community.
And I, you know, it sometimes feels silly to think so much about choir, but I think it genuinely is such a helpful metaphor for how to do things in community. Because if you don’t all know what you’re doing, if you don’t all know the communication conventions, yeah, if you don’t know ‘what is my role,’ one person can’t be an entire choir, and nobody should try to be an entire choir.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Doesn’t autotune help?!
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: You know, stacking audio, but the joy of a choir is having people working together and working harmoniously. And sometimes you sing in unison, and sometimes you’re all singing different things. I love that. And I love how when you’re in a section and you’re all singing the [00:10:00] alto line, I was an alto, you’re all singing the alto line and you have just some note that you’re holding for 16 beats.
And nobody can actually hold breath that long unless you’re a trained opera singer. Okay, you can, 16 isn’t that long, but I think you get what I mean. There’s a really long note and then you stagger your breathing.
And I just think about that every time I’m on a team. I want to say, “Hey, let’s all plan our vacations so they’re timed.” And I just think about singing in a choir where you don’t want everyone to take a break at the same time. You kind of want to intersperse it. That’s such a silly metaphor, but I genuinely think that it’s been really impactful, because those are some of the places where I first learned, ‘here’s what it looks like to be a group of people all coming here for the same goal, even if we are different.’
JESSICA BECKENDORF: And even if we don’t all get along, like you said before, which I think is, that’s such a great point to bring up. I was a show choir and marching band person as well. [00:11:00] And that was such a good point you brought up about, you know, I didn’t get along with every single person in my choir or band.
I knew I wasn’t a strong singer, also in alto, by the way. I knew I wasn’t a strong singer. And what people thought of that, you know, I avoided those people and I stuck with the people who were, but we still had a common goal we helped each other out, right? I wasn’t a strong singer and so I didn’t do solos.
Other people did that, and that helped the whole choir out.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: That point.
So I’d like to switch gears a little bit here, Erin, we’ve talked a little bit about how you’ve been part of Practicing Connection in different roles in different seasons. I mean, really, you’ve been behind the scenes with us since last June. Ao for, you know, a good seven months or so. Seven, eight months.
So what do you see in your time here so far? What have you seen as the heartbeat of this podcast? I feel like that’s a [00:12:00] really hard question and I’m so sorry.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah. You really didn’t pick any softball questions for me. Okay, yeah. I would say for me, the heartbeat of this podcast is this idea that what we do matters. Both the interviews and the practicasts really highlight how much it’s possible to make changes. And when I’m really grumpy, I really need someone to tell me that it doesn’t have to be like this forever.
You know, I’ve had some like navigating processes of burnout and I kind of really wish I had listened to this podcast earlier, because I think a lot of what really shines for me with this podcast is just, ‘here are tools, here are pictures of how it could be, here are pathways to get to somewhere new.’
And I just love how hopeful that is, and this idea that we can make small changes and it will impact our life. And even if things are hard, we [00:13:00] can do it better. And maybe you’re not in a place where things are hard, but you could still have it be more or better, or different in a good way. And that you don’t have to change everything all at once to get there, you just have to start the process and take little steps. This podcast is so good at really focusing in on the idea that you can just do small things and they can make a big impact, I love that.
So for me that’s what, what about you?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah. So I guess I would say, and this is something that we’ve kind of already touched on, but for me, the idea that none of us are out in the wilderness doing this alone, even though it sometimes can really feel that way.
And whatever your profession is, there’s a lot of people out there that are doing what you’re doing in their communities, and I guess for me, the heartbeat of this podcast is kind of reminding people that they’re not alone.
That you can locally [00:14:00] and, you know, nationally, internationally, seek out a community of people who care about the big issues you’re trying to address in your community, or who care about the big issues you’re trying to address for military families. You’re not alone in that. And that to me has been the deep down heartbeat of this podcast.
And maybe I’ll share a little bit, Coral reflected on this as well, I love how we’re all coming at this from like different angles, ‘cause I think it’s pretty well-rounded. And look, we’re not trying to just, you know, advertise for the podcast here, but it’s a pretty well-rounded podcast, right?
But Coral’s reflection goes like this:
“I think the heartbeat of the podcast is the permission it gives people to be where they are. There’s no expectation to be, “Figured out.” It’s about noticing, reflecting and staying connected to yourself and others while things are unfolding. That steadiness, that willingness to sit with complexity feels really central to [00:15:00] what this show has been.”
And this is now Jessica again, my thoughts exactly. I think everything you said, Erin, spot on. Everything Coral said, spot on. And of course, everything I said I was, I think is spot on. And really, this idea of not being alone, and of having this idea that what we do matters, Coral’s idea of sitting with complexity, I mean, it’s all so relevant to this moment of transition, right?
We have this big moment of transition for this podcast. And I guess I’m wondering, Erin, how do you stay grounded and connected when you’re moving through a big change?
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah, well, aside from eating cheese, like a good Wisconsinite – it’s required. Really. It’s literally required. No.
I mean, the cheese here is so good. Why would you not? Why would you not? I actually know people who don’t love cheese and I love them. You don’t have to like cheese to be my friend, to be [00:16:00] clear. I would say that, okay, we’re talking about change.
What I do most during really tumultuous times, big transitions, is I like to make art. I don’t always share it with other people. Sometimes I do, but often I’ll do what I call ‘sketch noting’ as a reflection. And I’ll ask myself a big question, something like, “What am I going to miss?” Or, “What do I want to bring with me?” Or, “What am I happy to leave behind?” Sometimes that’s a really long list.
Or it could be a more forward-looking something. It could be, “What am I excited about, about this new thing?” And then I’ll just do little sketches, or I’ll draw little comics.
I find that that really helps me actually pause and think about what I’m doing, because I have to figure out how to turn words into an image. And then it makes me figure out, “What do I actually mean by this?” And [00:17:00] also when I make little comics and sketches of my reflections. I actually go back and look at my reflections later,
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Mm-hmm.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: So I feel like it helps me learn better, because I’m slowing down, I’m pausing, I’m reflecting.
So really, I think the true answer to your question is I do reflections, like a true practicing connection podcaster. I pause and reflect about my life, but I just do it with art, because my attention span is too short just sit there and think in only words,
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Hmm. I really love that. The show has always encouraged that idea, the taking a breath, reflecting, giving space for uncertainty and even more directly, like we’ve actually had graphic recorders during some of our workshops. We’ve encouraged listeners to engage in creative destruction like blackout poetry, and I’m looking forward to incorporating more of that kind of thing.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: As someone who one of her first jobs out [00:18:00] of college was in the creative economy, economic development space, I love to hear anytime someone wants to incorporate more art into their daily practice. You will hear me talk about this again!
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yes. Oh yeah. I mean, we’ve also done like improv related stuff too, because that’s where some of my background is. So I’m looking forward to it.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Yeah, I think it’ll be fun.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: As we wrap up this conversation and look ahead to what’s next for Practicing Connection, I’m feeling really, really grateful. I’m feeling grateful for where we’ve been and where we’re going.
So, Erin, I’m wondering when you imagine the future of this podcast, I kind of want to shift, right, so I’m grateful for where we’ve been and of course I’m grateful for where we’re going and, clearly as a new co-host, I’d love to hear your thoughts on where we’re going.
So, when you imagine the future of this podcast, what do you hope it makes possible for our listeners and for the OneOp community?
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: I want to talk about [00:19:00] how we can make collaboration joyful, how we can make work joyful. I think sometimes work can be a slog, and that feels terrible when you’re doing work you care about, but it feels worse when you’re doing work you don’t care about.
I think community is really important, and I also think that learning how to be joyful together opens up possibilities that aren’t there if we’re only being practical. I think joy and practicality are super compatible, and people look at me, they make faces at me when I say that.
I also think whimsy and practicality are surprisingly complimentary, so I love that this has been a very hopeful, reflective space that leaves space for messiness, and I don’t want that to ever change.
But I do also want the tools that we give people and the stories that we give people to also inspire [00:20:00] joyfulness, because I think when things are hard, and any system with people in it is gonna have hard stuff: you know, people are messy and that’s hard.
And leaving space for people to be messy sometimes means that you have to deal with hard things you normally wouldn’t have to deal with if you could just kick ’em out for being messy. And so for me, what I have found that sustains a community is when you can develop ways of being joyful together, and develop an identity, not just around what you’re fighting or what you dislike, but also about what you love. That’s kind of what I want to bring to this podcast.
I don’t know exactly what that’s going to look like yet, but that’s my hope for the future of the podcast, is that we can have hope and joy as part of our work life, which feels not at all how work is pitched to you.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Part of me thinks “Erin, that’s really unrealistic,” but I think –
JESSICA BECKENDORF: That’s because you’ve been told that. Yeah. This is because like society has told us that. [00:21:00] Yeah. So beautifully said.
Thank you so much, Erin. I am so excited to begin this next chapter with you.
ERIN CARLSON RIVERA: Thank you. I’m excited to be here.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: And that’s it for this episode. I want to thank Coral Owen for sharing her reflections in this episode and for all she’s contributed to Practicing Connection over the years. I’m deeply grateful to have worked alongside her and to carry forward what we built together.
I also want to thank my co-producer and now co-host as well, Erin Carlson Rivera, our announcer, Kaylyn Global Mathis, Maggie Lucas and Joyce Vaughn for their help with marketing and Nathan Grim who composed and performed all the music here on the podcast.
Thank you so much for listening. Until next time, keep practicing.
[00:22:00]
CREDITS: The Practicing Connection Podcast is a production of One-Op and is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture and the Office of Military Family Readiness Policy, US Department of Defense under award number 2 0 2 3 4 8 7 74 3 3.

Meaningful Growth: How to Make the Most Out of Every Learning Opportunity
2026-01-22 06:00 - 17:00
Subscribe to the “Practicing Connection” monthly email to keep up to date on our latest podcasts, blog posts and workshops.
Join the “Practicing Connection Community” on LinkedIn. The community is designed for people who support military families in a variety of settings both on installations and in our communities. JTNDZGl2JTIwaWQlM0QlMjJidXp6c3Byb3V0LXBsYXllci0xODU0Njk0MCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUzQ3NjcmlwdCUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LmJ1enpzcHJvdXQuY29tJTJGMjA5OTk4MyUyRmVwaXNvZGVzJTJGMTg1NDY5NDAtbWVhbmluZ2Z1bC1ncm93dGgtaG93LXRvLW1ha2UtdGhlLW1vc3Qtb3V0LW9mLWV2ZXJ5LWxlYXJuaW5nLW9wcG9ydHVuaXR5LmpzJTNGY29udGFpbmVyX2lkJTNEYnV6enNwcm91dC1wbGF5ZXItMTg1NDY5NDAlMjZwbGF5ZXIlM0RzbWFsbCUyMiUyMHR5cGUlM0QlMjJ0ZXh0JTJGamF2YXNjcmlwdCUyMiUyMGNoYXJzZXQlM0QlMjJ1dGYtOCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRnNjcmlwdCUzRQ== (Season 7, Episode 4)
Are you tired of leaving conferences or trainings feeling overloaded – like you missed what mattered most?
This was one of our most popular episodes of 2025, and it’s as relevant as ever as we dig into the new year, with more conferences and events on the horizon.
Coral and Jessica reveal a simple, powerful practice that can turn every professional development opportunity into meaningful, actionable growth. Get ready to take charge of your learning with intention!
Jessica shares a practical reflection exercise designed to help you filter the noise, focus on what matters to you, and connect your learning to your real-world goals.
Whether you’re attending a conference, a webinar, or any PD event, discover how a two-minute pause can make your growth more personalized, empowering, and connected.
Tune in for step-by-step guidance, insightful questions, and actionable strategies to transform the way you learn.
Links and resources from this episode:

Join our LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12879756/
Send us a message: practicingconnection@oneop.org

CORAL OWEN: [00:00:00] Hello. Thank you for listening to the Practicing Connection Podcast. I’m Coral, my co-host, Jessica is here today as well, and we’re going to be talking about setting learning intentions. Jessica is going to be sharing today’s practice with us. Jessica, how are you?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Hey Coral. I’m pretty good. I’m actually really looking forward to this topic series, because I’ve had a few professional development opportunities lately, and I realize how long it’s been now since that’s happened. To be honest, going to these professional development opportunities, it all felt so hectic that I’ve really appreciated what I’m learning.
As we’ve been putting these episodes together, the really nice thing is that even though it’s been a while since the last conference I attended, I’d actually forgotten how refreshing and inspiring and motivating it can be to hear how others are approaching their work, to talk with them in the hallways and to ask them questions about how they approach [00:01:00] their projects.
It’s really been nice and it came at, I think, the perfect time for me.
CORAL OWEN: Those can be such great touch points. I agree. I remember actually we met at a conference, I think it was in San Antonio, a very long time ago.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, 2016.
CORAL OWEN: I think so. I had first begun with OneOp, and you weren’t even quite on the project yet. Look at us now.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I know, I know!
CORAL OWEN: But yeah, just so many wonderful, just kind of a-ha light bulb moments, and seeing people doing similar things, maybe with a slightly different approach or angle. And it’s just like a great, you know, idea incubator and some fresh inputs to kind of reenergize your work. So I’m so glad that you’ve had that opportunity recently. Good deal.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Awesome. And that was a really good conference too, I remember.
CORAL OWEN: For sure. Oh man. And we would always love to hear what’s inspiring y’all, our listeners. So do drop us a line if you’d love to reach out. You can reach us at Practicing [00:02:00] connection@oneop.org. We do see and respond to every message, and we can’t wait to hear from you.
– break –
Alrighty. Let’s learn a little bit more about setting learning intentions. Jessica, can you share a bit more about the practice you’re going to be discussing today and why you selected it?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah. You know, as a team we’ve been kind of going round and round thinking about how we can best support all the participants who will be attending our annual academy this year. And our co-producer, Erin, she’s, you know, new to the team, within the first couple of minutes of a brainstorming session she said, “Well, what if we produce episodes about making the most of professional development opportunities?” I don’t even think we came up with other ideas because it just felt so perfect. The idea for this series came out of the recognition that participating in professional development can often [00:03:00] feel really overwhelming. Kind of like drinking from a fire hose.
Like I just said before, right, it’s been a little bit hectic and overwhelming being at these opportunities. So with so much information coming at you, it’s really easy to walk away feeling like you may have missed what mattered the most. That’s why we’re starting with exploring the practice of setting a personal learning intention.
And that’s what this practice is all about. Even a simple two minute reflection, asking yourself what you most want to take away can really transform the experience from just kind of an information overload into maybe some meaningful growth, or some meaningful learnings and takeaways.
And I would say that we see this idea of a learning intention, and I’m saying we, because I think, you know, this has been a very co-produced episode – We see this helping in several ways. First of all, setting a learning intention can help you design a [00:04:00] personalized experience for the learning, right?
The presenters have really great learning objectives, but if you’re setting your own learning intention, it can ensure that you get what you wanted to get out of it, so that the content is really meaningful and relevant to you. And then part of the reason for that is that it helps you focus.
It helps to kind of filter the flood of content so that you can recognize and retain what’s most valuable to you, because you’ve identified what’s most valuable to you. And I’d say the other thing that we see this, potentially helping with is kind of putting you in the driver’s seat of what you want. So, I mean, because you’re in the driver’s seat, you’ve been empowered to listen for the content that you really want to listen for. You have developed that personalized experience.
You’re able then to kind of possibly increase your engagement and the likelihood of applying what you’ll learn, because of this empowerment and the focus you’ve been able to put on [00:05:00] the topics that are meaningful to you. And then finally, it really encourages connection, right? If you set an intention about what you wanna get out of this, it encourages you to notice the opportunities to connect with your peers and to tailor the experience to collaborative growth.
And we’ll talk more about this in an upcoming episode. We’ll dive into this idea of connection, and making that part of your plan for making the most out of your professional development.
CORAL OWEN: I absolutely love the intention for this episode. So can we go ahead and just dive right in?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah. So like I mentioned a little bit ago, even doing a two minute reflection can really help. So I’m going to start with an approximate two minute reflection. And then I’m going to share some follow up questions that can help if you’re stuck or unsure about what you learned. So for this two minute [00:06:00] reflection, you’re going to start with just taking a moment, get out a piece of paper if you want to write it.
You can also just think about this, that’s fine. Get out a piece of paper, a pen perhaps. If you want to, you can close your eyes, take a couple of breaths, and just think, “What do I want to get out of this? How does this connect to my current work or goals? What has made learning hard for me in the past and how can I support myself this time?”
If you identify a couple of things that you need in order to support yourself, you may want to set those things up for yourself, right? So write down what you need, and kind of pursue those things that will help support your learning. So let me give you an example. Maybe because it’s a webinar, for example, it’s easy to be distracted by email or other notifications coming in.
So [00:07:00] maybe you need to just turn off all notifications, close your email. Or maybe you need to identify if there’s anyone else you know that’s attending, where you could maybe organize a watch party, a virtual watch party, or a discussion group so that you’ve kind of committed to the learning. So, whatever it is you need, try to arrange for that so that it will support you.
And then lastly, try to capture this. I know I said you don’t have to write it down, and you certainly don’t, but you may want to capture it and write it down. So, for example, my intention is to learn practical strategies for leading meetings so I can help my department communicate more effectively.
Refer to this at least once during the event and maybe revisit it at the end to reflect on your progress. So if you’re stuck, we do have actually a short list of questions that you can use to help [00:08:00] you identify what might be most important to you. I’ll admit there are times when I can’t think of an intention because I’m feeling rushed.
I maybe just got back to 15 emails, and now the webinar’s about to start, and I just didn’t have any time to do it. And so, the set of questions that we have can help support, you could do either before the session or after. And we’re gonna have them available as a download, but I wanna share a little snippet with you.
So these questions help you do things like uncovering your personal motivation for being involved, in this particular webinar or training, connect your learning to real world context. So that’s kind of about how does it support the work that you’re doing already, to explore growth and change. So what might you do differently in your role? And then to focus on connection and collaboration. Who can you connect with about this? [00:09:00]
So, we have a set of, I think it’s about a dozen or so questions that can kind of help you think through that and support your professional development.
CORAL OWEN: This was so wonderful, Jessica. Thank you so much for guiding us through these questions and reflection points today.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah. You know, I know that we do have so many great intentions when we sign up for webinars and conferences. I can’t tell you how many webinars I’ve signed up for and not been able to attend, right? And I am always looking for ways that I can maybe just slow down my brain just a little bit. And it’s one of the reasons why I’ve really enjoyed diving into this topic, because I think it’s something that I could work on quite a bit myself.
CORAL OWEN: Absolutely. Just to be able to filter some of the inputs that we’re receiving and give it greater context into how it can apply, I think is just always such a wonderful skillset to have at hand.
Well, that is it for today’s episode. Thank you all so much for joining us. If you enjoyed this [00:10:00] episode, click the share button in your podcast app to share it with a friend or colleague who may find it of interest.
We’ll be back next week with a new episode, and until then, keep practicing.
CREDITS: The Practicing Connection Podcast is a production of One-Off and is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture and the Office of Military Family Readiness Policy, US Department of Defense under award number 2 0 2 3 4 8 7 74 3 3.

Medicare Made Simple: What Caregivers and Providers Need to Know Now
2026-01-15 11:00 - 12:00
This on-demand learning session provides an overview Medicare with information for providers who support family caregivers, delivered in a format designed to move beyond the traditional webinar. Instead of a one-time lecture, this program offers a flexible, self-paced experience featuring short learning segments, real-world scenarios, and interactive prompts to help you apply what you learn. Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people age 65 and older, along with certain younger individuals with disabilities or serious health conditions, and helps pay for services such as doctor visits, hospital stays, and prescription medications. The session explains the different parts of Medicare: Part A (hospital care), Part B (outpatient and routine medical services), Part D (prescription drugs), and Part C/Medicare Advantage (bundled plans offered through private insurers).
The video will offer practical guidance to support care coordination and caregiver engagement. Topics include an overview of traditional Medicare benefits, for both the individual and her/his caregivers, as well as other considerations that may shape care planning conversations. Designed with busy professionals in mind, this session allows you to learn at your own pace while engaging in a creative approach to Medicare education. It is ideal for healthcare providers, social workers, care coordinators, case managers, educators, and community partners working with caregivers or home-based care settings.
Learning Objectives:

Identify and describe the key components of Medicare.
Apply Medicare knowledge to real-world caregiving scenarios.
Differentiate between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage.
Demonstrate strategies to support caregivers more effectively.

Associate Professor and Extension Health Specialist
Family and Community Health
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
As Associate Professor and Extension Health Specialist in gerontology and health at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Dr. Crocker’s focus is the health and well-being of older adults. His main role is to support the County Extension Agents for Family and Community Health in their efforts to educate older adults, caregivers, and the professionals who serve them. Since joining AgriLife Extension in 2003, Dr. Crocker has worked to develop resources to help older adults improve their health literacy through communication with their health provider and better medication management; navigate the Internet and access reliable health information; and provide information and referral to grandparents rearing their grandchildren.

Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences (CFCS): This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) credits from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 1/15/28.
Certified Personal and Family Finance Educator (CPFFE): This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) credits from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 1/15/28.
Accredited Financial Counselors (AFC): This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) unit by the Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education (AFCPE). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 1/15/29.
Board Certified Patient Advocates (BCPA): This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) contact hours by The Patient Advocate Certification Board. Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 1/15/28.
Board Certified Case Managers: This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) clock hours from the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 1/15/27.
Board Certified Disability Management Specialists: This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) clock hour from The Commission for Case Manager Certification. Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 1/15/27.
Certified Personal Finance Counselors (CPFC): This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) unit from The Center for Financial Certifications (FinCert.org). **Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 1/15/29.
Certified Family Life Educators (CFLE): This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) credits from the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 1/15/29.
Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES): This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education credit from the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 1/15/28.
Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists: This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) credits from the University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work. Check with your state licensing agency for reciprocity and/or credit approval if licensed for other professions or in one of the following states: CO, FL, HI, IA, KS, KY, MI, NY, ND, OH, OK. Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 1/15/29.
Certificates of Attendance: OneOp Certificates of Attendance are available for those interested in additional documentation of professional development activities.

Presentation Slides

Photo Credit: iStockphoto ID 2234144243; bakhtiar_zein

Do You Ever Struggle to Stick to Your Goals?
2026-01-15 06:00 - 17:00
Subscribe to the “Practicing Connection” monthly email to keep up to date on our latest podcasts, blog posts and workshops.
Join the “Practicing Connection Community” on LinkedIn. The community is designed for people who support military families in a variety of settings both on installations and in our communities. JTNDZGl2JTIwaWQlM0QlMjJidXp6c3Byb3V0LXBsYXllci0xODUwMzE0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUzQ3NjcmlwdCUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LmJ1enpzcHJvdXQuY29tJTJGMjA5OTk4MyUyRmVwaXNvZGVzJTJGMTg1MDMxNDMtZG8teW91LWV2ZXItc3RydWdnbGUtdG8tc3RpY2stdG8teW91ci1nb2Fscy5qcyUzRmNvbnRhaW5lcl9pZCUzRGJ1enpzcHJvdXQtcGxheWVyLTE4NTAzMTQzJTI2cGxheWVyJTNEc21hbGwlMjIlMjB0eXBlJTNEJTIydGV4dCUyRmphdmFzY3JpcHQlMjIlMjBjaGFyc2V0JTNEJTIydXRmLTglMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZzY3JpcHQlM0U= (Season 7, Episode 3)
Do you ever struggle to stick to your goals? Discover the WOOP method, a powerful tool that uses obstacles as stepping stones to success.
In this replay episode, one of our most popular from 2025, discover WOOP: a science-backed goal-setting practice that helps you overcome obstacles and achieve your goals.
Learn how to apply this simple yet powerful tool to transform your habits and improve your well-being.
Practical links from this episode:

https://woopmylife.org/
https://woopmylife.org/en/practice

We’d love to hear what’s inspiring you! Share your thoughts using the “Send us a text message” feature or email us at practicingconnection@oneop.org.

JESSICA BECKENDORF: [00:00:00] Hello. Thanks so much for listening to the Practicing Connection Podcast. I’m Jessica, and I’m flying solo today for the first time ever! I will be rejoined by my co-hosts soon, but today it’s just me. And I’ll be sharing a practice for goal setting that I have used successfully in the past. It’s called WOOP.
That’s WOOP, and it stands for Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan. This practice has been instrumental in helping me overcome obstacles and change habits. I come back to it whenever I need to rethink my thinking about an issue. Let me give you an example. I used to forget to pack my lunch. Almost every day, I would rush out the door without a lunch, and very likely without having eaten breakfast [00:01:00] as well, but that’s another issue for another practice on another day!
The problem was that this didn’t align with my financial goals. I wanted to save money, not spend it every day. And the other problem was that this didn’t align with my health goals either. I used it as an excuse to eat fast food or to eat poorly in general,right?
That food tastes good, right? I really needed to make a change though. So one day I was listening to a podcast episode that highlighted this practice. I remember thinking that the funny name would probably help me remember it, and when I mess up, I could just say, “Whoops,” and try again. I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I chuckled to myself about that very unfunny thought.
I don’t recall who was being interviewed on the podcast, this was quite a while ago. But what I learned was that this tool was [00:02:00] backed by research, and that it really helped people with things like changing their behavior and realizing their goals, becoming more physically active, adopting a healthier lifestyle and diet. Taking better care of their own wellbeing.
Exhibiting more pro-social behavior, and improving their performance. It sounded really impressive, so I went to their website to learn more. The website is https://woopmylife.org/, and I’ll make sure to have a link for you in the show notes because they’ve got some really great resources: videos, and even an entire kit for you to use to implement this tool in your work and life.
So WOOP is based in the science of human motivation. It uses the very obstacles that get in our way as the catalyst for achieving our goals. It does that by helping us to imagine what those inner obstacles are. So these are the things that may be [00:03:00] the thoughts and the behaviors that we currently have, that we can change, that are internal to ourselves.
So these are not external obstacles. These are all internal obstacles. So it helps us imagine those, and then create a plan for when those obstacles are happening. What can we do to move through that or to get around it and achieve our goals anyway?
So let’s learn more by getting into the practice and sharing an example.
– break –
Again, WOOP stands for Wish, Outcome, Obstacle and Plan, and you can practice this in a few ways. I like to use WOOP in its shortest version. So on their website they have a kit and there’s a worksheet called “WOOP In One Glance” in that kit. That’s how I started [00:04:00] using this tool, mostly because I’ve primarily used this tool to forge new habits, versus making longer term goals.
But it can be used both ways and you can find out more at their website@woopmylife.org. So let’s get started. Start with your wish. In three to six words, choose your wish. Choose something that is challenging, but feasible. I’ve heard things like, “I want to run a marathon,” as being a wish. But my first time practicing whoop, I said, “I wanted to stop eating fast food for lunch.”
I thought that would be challenging, but also feasible. So now the next step is, in three to six words, again, identify what would be the best outcome of fulfilling your wish. My answer was that, “I would feel healthier and more energized,” right?
So the next step we’ll move on to is, what’s the obstacle? [00:05:00] Identify your main inner obstacle that holds you back from fulfilling your wish. So again, you’re trying to do this in three to six words, and in my case, it was forgetting to pack my lunch or forgetting to take my lunch with me before I left. That’s more than six words, but the word limit is really a guide to help keep you focused.
And then finally, in again, three to six words, note what action you can take to overcome your obstacle. So in this example, I thought it would be a better idea to drive past the fast food restaurants and instead pull into the grocery store parking lot to make up a salad or get some other healthier foods.
Then you’ll wanna put it all together like this: So, you’re gonna kind of create a little bit of an “If – then” statement. So “if”: state your obstacle, “then I will”: state your action or thought to overcome your [00:06:00] obstacle. So “if,” obstacle, “then I will,” action. Here’s what it sounds like with my example. “If I forget my lunch, then I will go to the grocery store.”
That’s it. I am telling you, this practice has been such a helpful tool in my toolbox to help me change behaviors and improve my resilience and relationship with myself.
That’s it for this episode. Thanks so much for joining us, or for joining me today! If you enjoyed this episode, click the share button in your podcast app to share it with a friend.
Do you have a favorite practice you’d like to share with us? Click, “Send us a text message” at the top of the description of this episode. When you click the link, your text messaging app will open and you’ll see a seven digit number with the words “do not remove.” Type your message after that and click send.
We’ll share your feedback on a future episode. If you’re listening on a computer, you can email us at practicing connection@oneop.org instead. We’ll be back next [00:07:00] week with a brand new episode. Until then, keep practicing.
CREDITS: The Practicing Connection podcast is a production of OneOp and is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U. S. Department of Agriculture, and the Office of Military Family Readiness Policy, U. S. Department of Defense, under award number 2023-48770-41333.

2025 Military Personal Finance Year in Review
2026-01-08 11:00 - 12:30
This webinar explores key developments that shaped the finances of service members and their families in 2025. Drawing on insights from Personal Financial Managers, this session explores military-specific financial events, highlighting relevant research published in 2025, and anticipated changes in 2026. Designed for financial professionals supporting military families, this webinar strengthens your professional capacity to navigate the evolving military financial landscape.
Learning Objectives:

Identify key legislation, policy updates, and military-specific events that influenced financial readiness in 2025.
Summarize significant personal finance research findings published in 2025 and their relevance to military families.
Prepare for upcoming changes in 2026 that may affect the work of service providers serving military populations.

Ed Olander has been a Personal Financial Counselor at the Fleet & Family Support Center, Naval Base San Diego, for the past nineteen years. During this time, he has taught over 200 Command Financial Specialist Courses, training thousands of Command Financial Specialists for all the branches of the armed forces and Coast Guard. He has also taught numerous other Personal Financial Counselors for other FFSC locations. Ms. Thompson is a Supervisory Readiness Consultant for the Department of the Air Force 92d Air Refueling Wing at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Washington. An Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC®) for more than 16 years, she currently manages the base Personal Financial Readiness program ensuring Service Members and families are empowered and equipped with the education and knowledge necessary to establish a solid financial foundation and achieve their financial goals. Ms. Thompson is also the 2025 Personal Financial Manager of the Year for the Department of the Air Force!

Accredited Financial Counselors (AFC): This webinar has been approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) units by the Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education (AFCPE). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 1/08/2029.
Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences (CFCS): This webinar has been approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 1/08/2028.
Certified Personal and Family Finance Educator (CPFFE): This webinar has been approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 1/08/2028.
Certified Personal Finance Counselors (CPFC): This webinar has been approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) units from The Center for Financial Certifications (FinCert.org). **Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 1/08/2029.
Certified Family Life Educators (CFLE): This webinar has been approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 1/08/2029.
OneOp Certificates of Attendance are available for those interested in additional documentation of professional development activities.

If the survey button above does not appear, please access the continuing education survey through this link: https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3VGzZCO0Am3tUWy. If you any questions, please email CE@oneop.org. Webinar Slides
Webinar Resources Photo Credit: adapted from AdobeStock_929658761 By Pcess609

2026 Reset: Creating Space, Choosing Direction
2026-01-08 06:00 - 17:00
Subscribe to the “Practicing Connection” monthly email to keep up to date on our latest podcasts, blog posts and workshops.
Join the “Practicing Connection Community” on LinkedIn. The community is designed for people who support military families in a variety of settings both on installations and in our communities. JTNDZGl2JTIwaWQlM0QlMjJidXp6c3Byb3V0LXBsYXllci0xODQ0Njg3NiUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUzQ3NjcmlwdCUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LmJ1enpzcHJvdXQuY29tJTJGMjA5OTk4MyUyRmVwaXNvZGVzJTJGMTg0NDY4NzYtMjAyNi1yZXNldC1jcmVhdGluZy1zcGFjZS1jaG9vc2luZy1kaXJlY3Rpb24uanMlM0Zjb250YWluZXJfaWQlM0RidXp6c3Byb3V0LXBsYXllci0xODQ0Njg3NiUyNnBsYXllciUzRHNtYWxsJTIyJTIwdHlwZSUzRCUyMnRleHQlMkZqYXZhc2NyaXB0JTIyJTIwY2hhcnNldCUzRCUyMnV0Zi04JTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGc2NyaXB0JTNF (Season 7, Episode 2)
Before you set new goals for 2026, take a pause.
This episode guides you through a gentle two‑part reset – honoring what you’re completing and choosing one honest intention for how you want to move through the year, without pressure or over‑planning.
The new year often comes with pressure to have a clear plan, big goals, and a “new you.” In this episode of Practicing Connection, Jessica and Coral offer a different kind of reset: a simple, integrated practice in two parts – “Completion Creates Space” and “Intention Gives Direction.”
You’ll be guided to notice how you’re arriving, name what you’re closing or completing, release expectations that no longer fit, and then choose a single word to orient how you want to be in this next season.
This reflection is less about productivity and more about alignment, making room for what matters without rushing who you’re becoming.
Further links and resources from this episode:

Subscribe to our newsletter: https://oneop.aweb.page/practicing-connection-newsletter
Join our LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12879756/
Send us a message: practicingconnection@oneop.org

JESSICA BECKENDORF: [00:00:00] Hi, thanks for listening to the Practicing Connection Podcast. I’m Jessica, my co-host. Coral is here as well. Coral, how are you?
CORAL OWEN: Hey Jessica, I’m doing really well, thanks. I am a little bit in that ‘early new year’ head space where there’s a mix of reflection and possibility, and also just a little bit of pressure of having to figure things out.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, I get that, that pressure can really sneak in fast. There’s so much talk at the beginning of every year really about like resets, goals, fresh starts, ‘new year, new you,’ you know,
CORAL OWEN: That was literally the next line I was going to lead with. Yeah. New year, new me, and not to completely throw all that out, but just to counter that sort of like ‘revolutionizing’ and completely switching everything out.
I really just want to slow the conversation down a bit more today. Honestly, a meaningful reset is not just about deciding what’s next, it’s also about acknowledging [00:01:00] what we’re coming out of, and sort of that more gentle, hence sustainable, approach to a fresh start, while also acknowledging what we’re leaving, what we’re transitioning from.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, I love anytime you can sneak a gentle way of doing things in. I love it.
So today we’re focusing on a reset that helps create clarity, alignment, and purpose, while also letting go of what’s no longer serving us. And you’re going to be guiding us through this, as a single practice with two parts.
Can you share a little bit about that?
CORAL OWEN: Yeah, absolutely. And so we already talked a little bit about this whole, you know, ‘we’re coming out of and then transitioning into,’ and so hence the framing of today’s reflection and practice as an integrated practice where there is a pairing of two parts that are indeed meant to work together.
So the whole idea here is simple. It’s that completion is creating the space that we need to invite intention, which gives us direction. And [00:02:00] if we skip that completion and just jump feet first or head first, depending on how adventurous you are in the new year, if we just jump straight in with the intention of moving forward and adding, a lot of times we just carry a little bit of old weight, maybe even some baggage into a new chapter or a new season.
And so this practice that invites you to pause, close the chapter intentionally, it doesn’t mean you have to have everything wrapped up and finalized. We’ll get into that here in just a second.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: You don’t have to drop everything either.
CORAL OWEN: No, no. It’s not like, ‘Okay, 2025, you know, December 31st, all that’s finished and it’s a clean slate.’
But it’s, yeah, just kind of buttoning up some loose ends, acknowledging, and then we choose a direction that feels aligned without this pressure or over-planning. So, really excited to dig into this because this honestly is one of my favorite times of year, due to this sort of fresh feel, but still carrying a version of ourselves, into that fresh start.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, that [00:03:00] feels like a really grounded approach to a reset. And so, I guess let’s just get right into the practice. Yeah, take it away, Coral!
CORAL OWEN: Awesome. So we’ll kick things off, with the beginning. And so if you’re able, this is a great moment to slow down or, you know, if you’re sort of in a more hectic space right now while you’re listening to it, maybe just pause right here and come back to us when you have a little bit more calm and centeredness or quiet, because this is a reflective piece that we are starting with.
So we would invite you to grab a notebook. Just take a few quiet minutes if you can find those in your day, and you can also move through this entire bit once or return to it into segments, sometimes that can be helpful. So this is not about judgment or productivity, it’s just about alignment and awareness – is the energy I would invite you to bring into this.
So for the first part of the first piece, it’s this whole idea again of completion. Or the wrapping up, the resolution is creating space. [00:04:00] And this is true in that endings deserve attention as well, because it gives us that threshold over which to step into a new space.
So we’re going to set the scene, we already talked about that. We’re going to take a breath, remind ourselves that this is about noticing, not about evaluating, and just check in with yourself, see how you feel. How am I feeling as I begin this reflection? “Am I good?” is a question to ask yourself. And again, there is no right answer here. It’s just really important to acknowledge the energy that you’re bringing into this reflective practice.
So first, step two of part one, we’re going to reflect on the year or season you’re moving out of. Doesn’t have to be this huge deep dive or anything wild. Just a few things to consider and just, again, put that bow on the previous year of 2025.
Some things to think about. What am I completing or closing? What challenges did I move [00:05:00] through? What efforts or growth deserve acknowledgement? And they don’t have to be huge. They might be very small bite-size, but very meaningful nonetheless. And perhaps, what did I learn about myself?
You may have other questions that are worth consideration, but those are just a few to begin with, and again, completion does not require perfect outcomes. It simply asks you what to name, what was real to you in this previous year.
From there, we are going to release what is no longer serving us. So you may ask yourself what expectations, roles, or commitments am I ready to set down? Another question you may follow that up with is, what am I holding onto out of habit, guilt, momentum, that is not out of alignment.
And you can even tell yourself sometimes these expectations, or just bits of ourselves that can get real sticky, in sort of a, you know, not intentional way, you can even tell yourself, “I’m allowed to let this go.” That permission of just setting something down [00:06:00] that is perhaps holding you back or holding you down, this release may actually be a little bit emotional, or a lot emotional.
That’s okay. But this is what is going to give you clarity and space to move into part two.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: That, Coral, is often one of my favorite parts of an end of year reflection. As you know, I do end of year reflections all the time, and I really love to just think through, well, for one thing, I always feel really accomplished going through all the things that I’m proud of and what I learned about myself.
I always feel really accomplished doing that, but it really does feel good to kind of close that chapter and start thinking fresh, start thinking for a new direction. So let’s get into part two now.
CORAL OWEN: Absolutely. So now that we’ve created some space, we’ve moved into intention, and we’re moving into this intentionality, not as a list of goals, just to, you know, tick the box on, but as an orientation of where we’re headed to make sure that we’re moving in a purposeful [00:07:00] direction.
So for the next bit, you could call this step four, we are going to choose one word. So ask yourself what word captures how I want to move through this next chapter or next year.
Also, this is something that I do reflect on myself. Sometimes the year feels very big. Maybe you just focus on the first quarter or first six months of the year. Because sometimes it’s hard to know what is life going to look like a year from now?
So if 12 months feels like a big chunk of time, shrink it down. That’s okay, you don’t have to do an assessment of what you want to accomplish, but more so how do you want to be? And this being can be encapsulated in that one word that feels honest and supportive.
Jess, do you have a, actually just as a sidebar, do you have a word that you’re considering for 2026?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I do. I’m still kind of formulating it, but right now the word that comes to mind for [00:08:00] me is, ‘ease.’
CORAL OWEN: I like that a lot.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Building in more ease. I mean, how I want to be is ‘ease’. That doesn’t make sense grammatically, but that’s the word that’s coming to mind for me. So, I’m going to continue kind of iterating on that.
CORAL OWEN: I love that. One of my mantras a year prior was Let it Be Easy, and this year it’s ‘expand.’
So, awesome. Thanks for sharing that, Jess.
So from there, step five is, define it for yourself. So a few things to consider once you’ve selected your word – and also you can change your word as you move through the year, we’ve actually got a mid-year check-in episode, I think it was July 31st of 2025, if you want to reevaluate, you can go back to that one.
But for now, as we’re considering our word of 2026 to kick the year off, you can ask yourself, what does this word mean to me right now? Additionally, how would I recognize it’s showing up in everyday life?
So this is not [00:09:00] necessarily like your slogan, but more as a lens by which you can use to just anchor yourself when you’re making decisions. You know, is this decision, direction, action, activity in alignment with – insert your word. It can give you clarity pretty quickly.
So from there, to wrap things up, step six is carry it forward gently with grace. So there is nothing here to force, and again, when decisions come up, you can ask, what would it look like to move in this direction today?
This is simply that intention doing its work quietly and consistently. No big, heroic movements. It’s just that incremental shift in the direction that is going to lead you to where you’d like to be.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I love how this keeps intention from turning into pressure and putting pressure on yourself. It feels like something that you can return to again and again, especially if you’re doing it gently, and, in [00:10:00] my case, with ease.
CORAL OWEN: I see what you did there. Exactly. Yeah. This is not meant to be a one time, you know, go through it, reflect, and then stick it on the shelf. This is something that can anchor your year. I actually, with the word, have written that some people will do, like, stamp jewelry, or I tend to write it someplace on my big grass calendar that’s in my office.
You know, write it at the bottom of that calendar, just someplace that you can see it consistently. A sticky note on your desk or your laptop, so that you can have that north star if you will.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Nobody can see me, but every year I get mine tattooed on my face, and then I just like get a line crossed through it, and then I get the next one.
CORAL OWEN: Rinse, repeat,
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Right, right. And you said, you know, don’t do this and then put it on the shelf. I would say, do this and put it on the refrigerator, [00:11:00] so that you can see it every time.
So that you’ve got something like you said, some sort of reminder somewhere that you look at regularly.
CORAL OWEN: Absolutely. That’s a great suggestion.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I look at my refrigerator regularly. I don’t know about you, but –
CORAL OWEN: A thousand percent.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: So as we wrap up, maybe take a moment to notice what feels lighter or what feels clearer. Even just a little bit, just a little lighter, a little
clearer.
CORAL OWEN: Yep. And just remember to bring everything home: completion, create space, and intention that gives you direction. You don’t have to rush either part. We’ve actually talked about, just in recent episodes, that in between space of ‘becoming.’
This is a really key thing to keep in mind here, right? That sometimes there is a wrap up phase that we do carry into the new year. It’s not like a light switch. So don’t rush the completion, but acknowledge things that may be coming to a close. And then go ahead and just start those sort of bite-sized atomic [00:12:00] habits (that’s a great reread at the end of the year too), that are going to begin edging you in the direction you want to be in.
Again, you’re not completely becoming someone new. It’s about moving forward, maybe shedding a bit of your old skin, and growing towards wherever it is you want to be with more alignment and less weight.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Okay. Awesome. Thanks so much, Coral. That’s it for this episode. Thanks for joining us.
If this conversation resonated, click the share button in your podcast app. Share it with a friend or a colleague. We’ll be back next week with a new episode. Until then, keep practicing.
[00:13:00]
CREDITS: The Practicing Connection Podcast is a production of One-Op and is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture and the Office of Military Family Readiness Policy, US Department of Defense under award number 2 0 2 3 4 8 7 74 3 3.

Beyond Sleep: Four Kinds of Rest We All Need
2026-01-01 06:00 - 17:00
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Join the “Practicing Connection Community” on LinkedIn. The community is designed for people who support military families in a variety of settings both on installations and in our communities. JTNDZGl2JTIwaWQlM0QlMjJidXp6c3Byb3V0LXBsYXllci0xODQwNzY5MiUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUzQ3NjcmlwdCUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LmJ1enpzcHJvdXQuY29tJTJGMjA5OTk4MyUyRmVwaXNvZGVzJTJGMTg0MDc2OTItYmV5b25kLXNsZWVwLWZvdXIta2luZHMtb2YtcmVzdC13ZS1hbGwtbmVlZC5qcyUzRmNvbnRhaW5lcl9pZCUzRGJ1enpzcHJvdXQtcGxheWVyLTE4NDA3NjkyJTI2cGxheWVyJTNEc21hbGwlMjIlMjB0eXBlJTNEJTIydGV4dCUyRmphdmFzY3JpcHQlMjIlMjBjaGFyc2V0JTNEJTIydXRmLTglMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZzY3JpcHQlM0U= (Season 7, Episode 1)
If you’re exhausted but time off hasn’t really helped, the problem might not be how much you rest, but what kind of rest you’re getting.
This episode explores four different kinds of rest – physical, mental, emotional, and creative – and offers simple ways to notice what you actually need right now.
“Get more rest” is common advice, but it can feel discouraging when sleep or a day off doesn’t make a dent in your exhaustion.
In this episode of Practicing Connection, Coral and Jessica unpack four different kinds of rest: physical rest for your body, mental rest from constant thinking and decision‑making, emotional rest from hosting and holding others’ feelings, and creative rest that gives you space to play and explore without being productive.
Through real‑life examples and practical ideas, they invite you to notice which type of rest you might be craving and experiment with small, accessible ways to restore yourself in this season.
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[00:00:00]
CORAL OWEN: Hey there. Thanks for listening to the Practicing Connection Podcast. I’m Coral, my co-host, Jessica is here as well, and today we are going to be talking about getting the rest you actually need. Jessica, how are you today?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I’m doing pretty good. As you know, we’re recording this toward the end of the year. I found myself really needing to focus on rest, so, I’m looking forward to talking about this topic today. I think I’ve kind of self-inflicted an impossible to-do list during the holiday season this year.
And it’s all stuff that I enjoy doing, but I cram it into the same week that I should be also resting and enjoying myself and time with my family. So, I mean, have you ever come back to work after a vacation and felt like you needed a vacation from your vacation?
CORAL OWEN: No, never. Yeah, Jess. All the time.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Oh, okay! I was like, “I need to learn from you!”
CORAL OWEN: All the time!
JESSICA BECKENDORF: But okay, so this also afflicts you.
CORAL OWEN: Oh yeah. No, there [00:01:00] are so many times, I mean, even if it’s just not even like a big, chunky break, like, the holiday season, even if it’s just sometimes like a long weekend or we’ve taken a short trip somewhere. Or even if it’s just like a staycation at home, I’m like, “Oh, hmm, why am I so exhausted?
So, yeah, sometimes it’s just a wonder where that battery drain comes from. But no, that is so incredibly relatable. I think a lot of people probably feel the same way.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah. And it’s really discouraging sometimes, like even more so if, quote, “get more rest” is the only advice or support that people offer when you share about how you’re doing.
So like that just kind of adds to that frustration when you’re sharing about, you know, “Hey, I’ve got a lot on my plate.”
“Oh, well just say ‘no’ to more things.” Or, “Well, you should get some more rest. Oh, you should rest.”
So before I learned about different ways to rest, I would get resentful anytime someone told me to rest. So why should I rest if it doesn’t [00:02:00] help? Because I’m taking time off right now and I’m feeling it with things I enjoy, but also it’s like a long list of things.
So I know that I could say no to some of those things, but you know, it could also be that you don’t need more rest, you just need a different kind of rest, and that’s why I’m excited to talk about this today.
CORAL OWEN: That’s really interesting. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever thought about the different types of rest, but as I think, I’m just thinking through my mental catalog of instances. Like in memories in the past. It’s like, yeah, I’ve definitely had, you know, sort of that classical recipe.
We were like, “Get some rest.” And I’m like, “Oh yeah, I’ll catch up on some sleep or go sit on the beach for a little extra time.” But I think there are different seasons of life or different spaces where we’re in different roles and we can’t necessarily just unplug.
There’s a lot more activity or different types of ways we’re moving through life, so I am actually very excited to learn more about what you’re going to be walking us through today.[00:03:00]
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Well, you know, I think often when we talk about rest, we think about sleeping more, or sitting and doing nothing. Maybe reading, this is a kind of rest.
But maybe the part of you that needs rest isn’t your body. Maybe you need to rest your brain or you need to take a break from being productive, which is the loop I’m in right now, right?
So I’m doing things I enjoy, but I have this need to be productive. It isn’t always intuitive to figure out what kind of rest you need.
So I’m going to be walking through four different kinds of rest for each type. We’re going to have a short explanation of what it is, and a few ideas for how to try out that type of rest.
So we’re kind of doing this a little different. Normally, we like to talk a little bit, and then we have a specific practice, but we’re actually going to go through a type of rest and then we’re going to talk about how you can try that out, and then we’ll go into the next type.
CORAL OWEN: That sounds great, and again, I’m very, very much looking forward to this because it’s such a [00:04:00] salient and I think very ubiquitous topic to explore this time of year.
Is there anything, Jessica, that we should be listening for in particular as you’re walking us through these practices today or types of things you’re unpacking?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, that’s a really good question. So I would say that as you listen, I would encourage you to look for what sounds exciting or interesting that can often be a sign that that’s something you’re craving right now.
CORAL OWEN: That sounds good. I’m gonna file that away. Do you want to kick things off?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah. So, the first kind of rest is one that most people are going to be familiar with, and that’s physical rest. That’s often the first type of rest we think of when someone says we should get more rest.
So this kind of rest can look lots of different ways, but it typically deals with sleep, stillness, or letting your body physically recover.
The goal is to give your body time to heal or restore its energy. So, signs you might need physical [00:05:00] rest are things like trouble staying awake, a general fatigue, consistent headaches, tight muscles, or being sore or achy. Some ways to get physical rest are to, the obvious, take a nap or let yourself sleep in or sleep a little bit longer.
Wear comfortable clothes and lounge. That’s a great way to get this kind of rest, clearly from the energy behind that. That’s one of my favorite ways – is just to throw on some uncomfortable clothes and lounge. Or you could take a slow walk or do gentle stretches to help relax your body.
And drinking water without doing other tasks at the same time is another way to get this kind of rest. And one thing that people don’t always think about when it comes to physical rest is giving yourself a break from overstimulating things like screens, bright lights, loud sounds and dramatic temperatures.
Consider dimming your lights, putting [00:06:00] down your screens for 10 to 20 minutes and giving your body a break from stimulation. The one exception that I have to this is sometimes, I really enjoy those sound baths, and I’ll go to YouTube when I’m going to take a little break like this.
I’ll go to YouTube first, which we’re trying to tell you, put down your screens, but I’ll go to YouTube and I’ll find one of these sound bath videos. I’ll turn that on, and often those sound baths will, like, they’ll dim their own screen and they’ll go dark after a little. I don’t watch it. I just listen, you know, I close my eyes and listen.
CORAL OWEN: Yeah, those are a lot of great suggestions. and I think too, one of the things that comes to mind is sometimes I have a tendency to stay up maybe a little longer than I should. So also back, you know, walking that time to bed backwards rather than like, okay, say you can’t sleep in, can you go to bed a little earlier too?
But those are all wonderful suggestions. What is the second type of rest that you’re going to take us through?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah. This might be the second most thought of type I [00:07:00] would say: mental rest. You know, this is taking a break from thinking – tasks like problem solving or meetings or answering emails, answering text messages quickly, switching between contexts, or constantly keeping track of time, right.
Taking a break from those kinds of things. The main goals of this kind of rest are mental quiet, which sounds lovely when I say that. Just those two words together. Mental. Quiet.
And space to stop paying attention or remembering. And I would even say permission to stop paying attention or having to remember something.
Some signs that you might need mental rest are maybe you’re having a hard time making decisions. You’re having a hard time understanding what people are saying when they’re saying it. You’re struggling to initiate tasks, or you keep forgetting something important.
And this is a common type of rest. Mental rest is a common type of rest needed by parents, managers and people who work with [00:08:00] ideas or relationships. But obviously we all need a little bit of mental rest sometimes, right?
And a few ways to get this type of rest: I schedule a chunk of time where you can just default your decisions, reread or rewatch something familiar and enjoyable, or you could track time by how the sun changes, instead of maybe your phone, or by listening to a playlist or an album instead of setting a timer. So there’s just a few examples.
There’s probably a lot of other ideas for taking mental rest as well. It’s just kind of trying to give you a taste, find what works for you.
CORAL OWEN: Those are all such key things. And I think a lot of times, and I’m just going to speak for myself here, I think so many of us are so accustomed to operating at such a high operational tempo and cadence and just being on overdrive.
One of the other things too that come to mind here is, just talking about deep work. [00:09:00] There’s so many just things that we’re keeping a touch point on day to day. That a lot of times that task switching is what sends me in personally, into the sort of just overload space where I find that, sometimes it’s even hard to realize that you need that mental brain break.
But yeah, this is a great suggestion list. Thank you.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Well, let’s go into emotional rest next. So I think the first two, the physical rest and the mental rest, were two that I think we most often would think of when we’re thinking of rest. But emotional rest is also a thing.
So this can look like not having to hide your own emotions, or help others process or carry their emotions. It can also be a break from having to be ‘on’ as a host or a leader, or just having to be on a break from just having to be on period. If you’re in a helping profession, or you work in a highly formal setting, this might be a form of rest that you need.
One of the main goals of emotional [00:10:00] rest is having space to be your authentic self without having to be a caretaker for someone else. So some of the signs that you might need emotional rest are maybe you’ve got lots of resentment when people ask you for help, or you’re feeling overwhelmed by your feelings. Maybe you’re irritable or you want to pick fights over small things. You start, you know, yelling at people in traffic or thinking of yelling at them. Like sometimes that’s what I do. I don’t say it out loud, but I think it.
One thing going wrong might ruin your whole day. So that’s another sign that you might need emotional rest, or maybe you feel like no one actually knows you. And so some ideas for getting this type of rest: maybe schedule time with a friend who knows you really well.
Schedule some blackout hours where you don’t answer your phone or email. Maybe schedule some buffer times between formal or high stakes situations so that you can prepare [00:11:00] yourself mentally and emotionally, and so that you can kind of debrief with yourself mentally and emotionally after.
CORAL OWEN: Just take some space. That’s a great one. Jessica, is there a fourth?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah. The next one is Creative rest. So this is actually, rather than, it’s not about taking a break from creativity. This is about space to try new things without needing to be productive.
So a lot of us might be in jobs that require a little bit of creativity. Many people are, even if they don’t think of it that way. Anytime you have to do problem solving or, you know, any kind of creation of programming or whatever, that is creative work.
But a lot of people don’t think of it that way. But that’s also being productive. And so this is about the space to try new things, about having to be productive. So this type of rest is especially important for people who are starting new things.
People who are doing creative or problem solving work, some signs that you might need this type of [00:12:00] rest are maybe, you’re jealous of someone else who is trying fun new things. Maybe you’re not enjoying things that you used to love doing. You can’t name a single thing in your life that you don’t have smart goals for.
Or maybe you’re bored or irritated, maybe you dream about quitting your job to join the circus or start a business, or to live alone in the woods. Those are just a few signs that you might need creative rest.
And here’s some examples of what you can do to get this kind of rest. Maybe you could explore something that you’re curious about without an end goal. So just go down a rabbit hole. Or, you don’t have to have a goal in mind. Just be curious. You could play without pressure to be good at what you’re doing.
You don’t have to become skillful at something – you can just play. Maybe trying out a new sport or trying out a new hobby just for [00:13:00] fun. Not having to be perfect at it. Not having to suddenly become good and then monetize it or whatever that is, like, just do it for fun.
CORAL OWEN: That’s such a fun one to end on. What, just for giggles, Jess, what’s something that you would spend your creative rest time on?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I do a lot of things. I often like to joke that I am a – this actually took the pressure off quite a bit: a long time ago, I decided that my favorite hobby is learning new things and taking on new hobbies, and trying those hobbies out once. And then putting that away sometimes for many years.
So I, a long time ago, I used to buy, like I used to think I was gonna be like a wood carver or whatever, and I would buy all of the materials for being a wood carver. And then I would maybe make something once. And usually it was beautiful and I was proud of it and I loved it, but then I wouldn’t want to pick up the tools or anything again.
And so I really [00:14:00] reframed how I thought about my own – so I have not answered your question yet – right now I would say, I have been doing some creative writing.
I enjoy writing. A lot of, I don’t know, it’s a mix of things, but sci-fi right now has been what I’ve been writing, sci-fi comedy kind of thing. And then I also crochet, but it only, I only do like one or two projects a year. So how about you? Do you have something?
CORAL OWEN: Yeah. It’s been fun being a toddler mom. My little guy’s three and a half and his best buddy is five. And just with the kids, I find that a lot of the creative things that they get into, of course, require parental supervision to make sure things don’t go sideways.
So like, we made gingerbread houses last week and they were, you know, wildly just creative and fun and nonsensical. I’m like, “For sure we can have an entire roof of marshmallows. That totally works.” You know, so just [00:15:00], that’s been really fun to actually, I found myself a lot more, yeah, enamored with just the fun little goofy things that these kids get wound up in.
I’m like, this is actually a blast. So yeah, just, just kid crafts right now.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I went to the library not too long ago with a friend and we, it was a Lego night, and we grabbed a Lego kit. Each of us had a Lego kit and we just sat there quietly for the most part. We talked sometimes, but we were mostly silently putting things together, and it was lovely.
CORAL OWEN: Yeah, just stuff like that. So I think that that’s always a fun place to start too. So, awesome.
Well, Jess, thank you so much. Very selfishly, perhaps I’ve really enjoyed this conversation today, and seeing these new categories, really, it does get me excited about rest in a way that I’m normally not.
I think a lot of us tend to just be in that high performing, always on space. And so to think through different ways [00:16:00] that we’re not, you know, maybe feeling like a, not a potato, but being a couch barnacle, is good. And obviously that’s one of our categories.
But, I think giving ourselves permission to rest in different ways that may align with where we actually need to be, stepping back or turning that dial down a few notches, is just, it’s really nice. Thank you so much.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I really enjoyed this and I really needed it right now, so it was great.
CORAL OWEN: Hopefully this also resonated with all of our listeners. And as always, thank you all so much for joining us. That is it for today’s episode. Also, we want to pass a special thanks to Erin Carlson Rivera for producing today’s episode. If you enjoyed our talk today, click the share button in your podcast app to share it with a friend or a colleague, and we will be back next week with a new practice.
Until then, keep practicing.
[00:17:00]
CREDITS: The Practicing Connection Podcast is a production of One-Op and is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture and the Office of Military Family Readiness Policy, US Department of Defense under award number 2 0 2 3 4 8 7 74 3 3.

Supporting Military Couples Through Employment and Financial Transitions
2025-12-30 11:00 - 12:30
Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves, and other military transitions often disrupt spouse employment, resulting in periods of unemployment, underemployment, and financial strain for military families. These challenges are not isolated—they ripple outward, affecting overall health and well-being – from stress and sleep to energy and connection- alongside family readiness, finances, and relationship dynamics.
This 90-minute interactive webinar takes a holistic, integrated approach to equip military family service providers with the tools to support military couples through these transitions. Using insights from the 2024 Active-Duty Spouse Survey and real-world case scenarios, we’ll explore how employment barriers and financial stress intersect with relationship health—and how coordinated supports can make a measurable difference. Participants will leave with practical strategies, workflows, and referral pathways—connecting couples to resources such as SECO, MyCAA, Military OneSource, and MilSpouse Money Mission—to promote stability, resilience, and readiness.

Learning Objectives:

Recognize how PCS moves and other transitions impact spouse employment, income stability, and relational/mental well-being
Apply an integrated, whole-family approach that aligns employment support, financial counseling, and relationship/mental health awareness
Implement strategies to address employment gaps (e.g., self-advocacy, resume/skills translation, portable careers, informed financial decision-making)
Demonstrate effective multidisciplinary collaboration among financial counselors, employment readiness specialists, and behavioral health providers
Connect couples with validated resources and coordinated referral pathways that sustain family readiness and well-being

Jenny Rea, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in Human Development and Family Science and Human Services in the Norton School of Human Ecology, College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences (CALES) at the University of Arizona. Motivated by a deep commitment to military families, Dr. Rea connects rigorous research with practical outreach. Her scholarship centers on resilience and family well-being, access to employment and education opportunities, and the critical connections between mental health and family relationships—work that supports both military families and the professionals who serve them.

Accredited Financial Counselors (AFC): This webinar is approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) units by the Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education (AFCPE). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close February 12, 2029.
Board Certified Case Managers (CCMC): This webinar is approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) clock hours from the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close February 12, 2027.
Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences (CFCS): This webinar is approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close February 12, 2028.
Certified Personal and Family Finance Educator (CPFFE): This webinar is approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close February 12, 2028.
Certified Personal Finance Counselors (CPFC): This webinar is approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) units from The Center for Financial Certifications (FinCert.org). **Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close on February 12, 2029.
Certified Family Life Educators (CFLE): This webinar is approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close on February 12, 2031.
Human Resource Professionals (SHRM): This webinar is approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close July 31, 2026.
Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists: This webinar is approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work. Check with your state licensing agency for reciprocity and/or credit approval if licensed for other professions or in one of the following states: CO, FL, HI, IA, KS, KY, MI, NY, ND, OH, OK. Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close on February 12, 2028.
OneOp Certificates of Attendance are available for those interested in additional documentation of professional development activities.

If the survey button above does not appear, please access the continuing education survey through this link: https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_06v0I5ljqF0RwfY. If you any questions, please email CE@oneop.org. Webinar Slides
Webinar Resources Photo Credit: Olga Yastremska/Adobe Stock

Flamingos and Focus Days: One Simple Practice for a More Intentional Year
2025-12-25 06:00 - 17:00
Subscribe to the “Practicing Connection” monthly email to keep up to date on our latest podcasts, blog posts and workshops.
Join the “Practicing Connection Community” on LinkedIn. The community is designed for people who support military families in a variety of settings both on installations and in our communities. JTNDZGl2JTIwaWQlM0QlMjJidXp6c3Byb3V0LXBsYXllci0xODM2NTYzNCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUzQ3NjcmlwdCUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LmJ1enpzcHJvdXQuY29tJTJGMjA5OTk4MyUyRmVwaXNvZGVzJTJGMTgzNjU2MzQtZmxhbWluZ29zLWFuZC1mb2N1cy1kYXlzLW9uZS1zaW1wbGUtcHJhY3RpY2UtZm9yLWEtbW9yZS1pbnRlbnRpb25hbC15ZWFyLmpzJTNGY29udGFpbmVyX2lkJTNEYnV6enNwcm91dC1wbGF5ZXItMTgzNjU2MzQlMjZwbGF5ZXIlM0RzbWFsbCUyMiUyMHR5cGUlM0QlMjJ0ZXh0JTJGamF2YXNjcmlwdCUyMiUyMGNoYXJzZXQlM0QlMjJ1dGYtOCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRnNjcmlwdCUzRQ== (Season 6, Episode 51)
Before rushing into big resolutions, what if you paused to ask: “What needs to stop, what deserves to stay, and what small experiment could actually support the life and work I want?”
In this reflections episode, Coral and Jessica get honest about boundaries, comparison, joy, and work rhythms – and invite you to do the same, in three simple prompts.
In this special reflections episode, Coral and Jessica step away from resolutions and dig into something more honest: what they’re stopping, keeping, and starting in the new year.
They talk about protecting a true no meetings day, letting go of comparison with past versions of themselves, and keeping small practices like tiny Post‑it to‑do lists, buffer time between meetings, and spontaneous phone calls that make work feel more human.
You’ll also hear how “getting your pink back” through joy outside of work can change how you show up to your roles.
The episode closes with a simple reflection you can do in just a few minutes: name one thing to stop, one to keep, and one to start this year.
Further links and resources from this episode:

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CORAL OWEN: [00:00:00] Hey there. Thanks so much for tuning into the Practicing Connection podcast. I’m Coral, and today we’re trying something a little different.
So this is our reflections episode, and we’re going to share something that we’re letting go of: one thing we’re keeping and one thing we are starting in the new year.
And the whole idea is to slow down just long enough to notice what is actually working for us, what’s not, and what we want to perhaps experiment with next.
And of course, I am not doing this alone. My lovely co-host, Jessica, is here to guide us through it. Jessica, how are you feeling today?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: “My lovely assistant.” That’s what. I’m doing good. I’m doing great. I’m feeling really motivated. You know, anytime I get a chance to stop for a moment and assess where I’m at, it actually feels really good.
And I guess maybe years ago I used to maybe beat myself up a little bit when I would assess where I’m at, and if it wasn’t sort of quote unquote “good enough” or whatever, but now it just feels really good.
Just pause for a [00:01:00] moment, see where I’m at, make adjustments.
CORAL OWEN: Absolutely. I really do feel that too, and it’s so easy to move from one thing to the next. Just things are so busy, and I think so many people can relate to that, and it’s so, you know, I think just natural to jump from one thing to the next without pausing to ask, ‘is this still serving me? What do I wanna do more of?’
And I am honestly, I’m really glad that you came up with the idea for this episode, because I am already planning out my 2026 calendar. And so being able to actually, you know, craft this episode with you and walk through it, it was a great opportunity.
So I’m really looking forward to talking through some honest answers today. And yeah, it’s a good practice.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I’m speaking of honest answers, we’d love to hear from you, our listeners, how have you added moments of pause into your life? Share your strategies with us at practicingconnection@oneop.org. [00:02:00]
– break –
JESSICA BECKENDORF: So, let’s talk about the first section of the episode, what we’re choosing to stop in our professional lives and why.
So this is what I’m stopping and one expectation that I want to, I’m gonna say, I want to gently stop is the idea that I’m available to meet every day of the week. I have a split appointment across two, sort of three, projects, and the default has become that my calendar is kind of fair game all the time.
It’s not sustainable, and it doesn’t leave much room for the deep focused work that those projects actually require. And I want to be clear, this is not an expectation that others have placed on me. It’s an expectation that I’ve lived up to by not protecting more time. And it’s kind of funny because I actually feel like I often protect my time through things like time blocking, but sometimes time blocking isn’t enough.
So here’s my stop. I’m working toward at [00:03:00] least one true ‘no meetings’ day each week. I know it may not be perfect right away, but even naming that boundary and beginning to protect it feels really important. My hope is that it gives me a little more calm, a little more focus, and ultimately better work across all the projects I’m responsible for.
So Coral, what’s on your stop list? If I had to sum it up, mine was kind of about boundaries. What are you putting a boundary around this year? And what do you think about what I just said, like this ‘no meetings’ day. Did you ever do that?
CORAL OWEN: Oh yeah, it’s something I’ve aspired to for quite some time. I actually implemented that for myself this past year. Usually it’s Fridays, and it has made a huge difference. So I am so excited to see how that serves you in the year.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Did I tell you how many regular meetings I have scheduled for Fridays? They’re regularly scheduled meetings on Fridays.
CORAL OWEN: I know, I try to get on your calendar all the time. But no, that is such a good one. And you know, one of the sayings [00:04:00] that I love, and just, lean back onto quite often is this concept or practice of, ‘Your no’s protect your yeses.’ And that’s really what this practice for you is making me think of. Saying no to more meeting times so that you can say yes to, not to put words in your mouth, but, you know, maybe deeper calm, deeper work, creativity.
So, personally, one of the things I am personally parking in 2025, there’s a few of them, but the top is the list of the comparison game. And I have worked very diligently and intentionally, over the past number of years, to really get good at defining my own measures of success.
I call it like, you know, have your own measuring stick of success, rather than looking at someone else’s and going, well, ‘How do I stack up to that?’ I really am good at, you know, keeping the rails on, and looking just at my own progress and status.
But I do, I have found myself a lot this year. Maybe it’s just the stage of life that I’m in, in my mid thirties. but I have found myself from time to time thinking, “Oh, I used to be [00:05:00] more…” blank, or, “Better at… “ blank. And it’s just so not helpful.
And so, the personal comparison to different seasons of life and different versions of myself is what I am definitely going to stop, as of 2025.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Coral, that is wonderful. That was actually my other one I chose. Yes, it was my other one. This comparison, and especially professional comparison, like, “I have so many amazing colleagues that are doing so many amazing things,” and I often look at their work and I’m like, “Oh wow. Well, what I’m doing isn’t nearly as good as what they’re doing.”
But the thing is, I’ve heard the same thing other people have said, “Whoa, what you’re doing is really amazing.” And so I think we all kind of do it to each other, but it can lead to unhealthy thoughts about your own work. It can lead to unhealthy thoughts about your season of life. And yeah, that was my other one, but I decided to talk [00:06:00] mostly about protecting my time instead.
CORAL OWEN: Wow. Yeah, both of those are very impactful, so probably a lot of real relatability there.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Well, once you clear out a few stops, it’s easier to see what’s worth holding onto. So let’s talk about what we’re keeping, Coral. Let’s start with you.
CORAL OWEN: Yeah. So I know that we are focusing on the professional realm here, but there is a lot of overlap, at least that I found in, you know, just kind of energetic availability and bandwidth of how your personal life allows you to show up in your professional life. And so I’m, you know – three and a half years postpartum and momming and just wearing a lot of different hats, has really absorbed my time.
And I had a friend recently, she shared an anecdote about how flamingos – just stay with me here about how flamingos, they lose their vibrant coloration while caring for their young, like just a very intense season. And as they come out of that period, they get their pink back bit by bit. [00:07:00] I loved that and it really resonated with me.
And what I’ve related to this closely this past year is I’ve begun to create and hold space for things. Mainly in, you know, kind of my personal side of life, like playing music again and you know, being more intentional. Just these small things that have kind of fallen by the wayside since, you know, having my son a couple years ago.
And I really feel like I am stepping back into that full color version of myself. And the reason I’m talking about this is that just this like joy and spark, it’s allowed me to tap into that creative side professionally a lot more. And I just, I feel like I have just a lot more like solution space thinking: positive, kind of diverse avenues of like where we could take a particular project or insights, it just feels good.
So yeah, I’m just, I’m going to keep holding space for just those small touch points that have nothing to do with my identity, or maybe a little bit [00:08:00] of, you know, mom visits. There’s always some overlap, right?
But yeah, just those kind of seemingly nonsensical things that just bring whimsy and joy and a lot of creativity to a lot of different spaces.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I love that. And I love this idea of, during times of intense, we might lose our color a little bit. And then, when things have calmed down a little bit, you can come back. I love the phrase, stepping back into your ‘full color self.’
That’s beautiful. Well, I brought a few keeps with me, so you can stop me anytime and just make me shut up because I couldn’t choose between them.
So one thing I’m definitely keeping, and this is such a little logistical detail, but I have these tiny two and a half – they’re not really that tiny, they’re just the standard size post-it notes. I think they’re about two and a half by two and a half inches. That’s where I write my daily to-dos. It sounds kind of silly, but limiting myself to what fits on that little [00:09:00] square has made a really big difference. It forces me to choose what really matters for the day.
And I actually also, I try not to fill it. I try to only fill the top two thirds of it, but it forces me to choose what really matters. And it keeps me from staring at a huge list and feeling immediately overwhelmed. And on days when I actually stick to the post-it, pun not really intended, I end the day feeling more accomplished and less frazzled.
So for me, that little square is not just a piece of paper, it is a daily prioritization practice that I want to carry forward.
CORAL OWEN: So Jess, this is so funny. I actually started doing that a couple months ago too. It’s such a game changer. Good for you.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, yeah, I have, oh, I gotta lie. So I’m also keeping the habit of building buffer time between meetings. Only a month or two ago I started to space [00:10:00] things out a little bit more intentionally, even though it does make my calendar look and feel a little bit cluttered, to be honest. I need to figure out what to do about that feeling of being cluttered.
But the breathing room has been huge. It’s given me time to process, to reset, to jot some notes or just grab water. Sometimes I’ll take like a five minute walk, instead of just jumping from one thing to the next on fumes, or coming in late to meetings.
And look. I don’t mind the whole lateness thing. But it’s more, I feel stressed if I’m joining a meeting late. It doesn’t mean that my days are magically slow or easy, but those buffers have made my schedule feel a lot more humane. So that’s definitely something I want to keep doing.
CORAL OWEN: Yeah, there’s even like research to back that up about task switching, and how much time it takes you to shift from one 15 or 20 minutes or, it’s at least that long.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, it’s why interruptions can be really difficult for people.
CORAL OWEN: Absolutely.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: And I did bring one more. I wasn’t going to share it and –
CORAL OWEN: Good [00:11:00] things come in threes.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Okay. Yeah. Right. So the last keep for me is making more phone calls. I rediscovered recently how much I love a good no-video call, or even if it’s video, a quick unexpected check-in where someone’s just calling me on Teams, randomly.
So, even if the call is in video, as long as it’s spontaneous, I’ll take it. I’m also holding the assumption that if I call someone randomly, spontaneously, I have zero expectation that they’ll answer. And if they call me, I’m making the assumption that they feel the same if they’re just calling me randomly.
That removes a lot of pressure, and it keeps it from falling onto the to-do list. Because you know, text and email are great, and instant messaging or messaging apps, but sometimes all of those written messages – and as we were talking about before we started recording, even a recorded message that is sent to you the same way that a written message would be sent to you – it just kind of feels like another pile of [00:12:00] tasks sometimes that I need to get to.
So picking up the phone even briefly has helped me feel a little bit more connected, and a little bit less buried in text-based communication. So that’s a practice I want to keep, but I promise I won’t do it to anyone who really abhors phone calls.
CORAL OWEN: I definitely have my phone call people, and then my text people, and then my voice memo. Yeah, just know your people.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Exactly. And you know, you can even talk ahead of time. If there’s a new connection you’re making, you could say, “Hey, I enjoy phone calls, even random ones. I won’t do that if that’s not something that you like. But if you’re okay with it, I have no expectation you’re gonna pick up. But sometimes I think that’s nice.”
And believe it or not, there are some people who are like, yeah, “I’m cool with that.”
CORAL OWEN: I just love that, that’s such a simple way to practice connection going into the new year. That’s awesome.
Alright, so Jess, we’ve talked about some things to let go. We’ve talked and honored about what’s working. [00:13:00] Let’s perhaps move into imagining what’s next. So what little experiments do we want to try this year? Do you want to go first?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, I’ll go first. So the new practice that I’m starting is kind of related to that boundary I mentioned earlier. I feel like it’s almost cheating, because I already mentioned it.
I want to institute a true ‘no meetings’ day. I’ve been thinking about this for a while, but I’m ready to treat it as a real experiment, instead of just a nice idea.
My hope is that carving out one meeting-free day will help my work feel calmer, more connected and more creative. Calmer, because I’m not scrambling from call to call more, connected, because I can actually focus on the relationships and the projects and, you know, some of the creative work and the deep work in front of me, and more creative because there’s finally that uninterrupted time and space to think and to make.
So it might take some negotiation with my different teams, but that’s the thing I’m committed [00:14:00] to trying to start. I may have to begin with two half days and work my way up to a whole day, but I have to start somewhere.
CORAL OWEN: Absolutely. So I, again, I’m very excited to see how that works out for you.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Me too.
CORAL OWEN: Yeah, so for me personally, I think I already alluded a bit to how this recent season of life has been a little bit of a ‘hold onto your hat’ sort of operation. And ultimately just kind of has left me feeling a bit more reactive than proactive.
So I actually am a business owner, as well as my podcasting endeavors here, and so one of the things that I am looking forward to just doubling down on going forward into 2026 is holding Mondays specifically as a strategy day of, it’s actually very similar to yours, of deeper work, longer range planning, and really moving the needle on some bigger initiatives, rather than just kind of trying to keep the boat afloat.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: You guys, we did not plan that, to have such similar – but well, let’s get [00:15:00] into a reflection for all of the listeners. So, here it is. Are you ready?
CORAL OWEN: Ready.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: All you have to do is jot down. So grab paper and pen, or get out your keyboard or your tablet. Jot down one thing to stop, one thing to keep, and one thing to start in the new year.
I bet you didn’t know we were going to do that. We were going to go for –
CORAL OWEN: Coming in from left field.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, right. One thing to stop, one thing to keep and one thing to start in the new year.
CORAL OWEN: Simple, but so impactful. Awesome.
Thanks Jessica, so much, for the great conversation, the awesome practices and stops and starts that you shared today. It was really fun talking through all of that, and we look forward to hearing from you all, as you’re working through your own reflections on 2025 and going into the new year with some fresh perspective and practices.
And so that is all for this [00:16:00] episode. Thank you so much for joining us, and we will be back next week with a new episode. Until then, keep practicing.
CREDITS: The Practicing Connection Podcast is a production of One-Op and is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture and the Office of Military Family Readiness Policy, US Department of Defense under award number 2 0 2 3 4 8 7 74 3 3.

Leading Through Uncertainty: Navigating Ambiguity as an Adaptive Practice
2025-12-18 06:00 - 17:00
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Join the “Practicing Connection Community” on LinkedIn. The community is designed for people who support military families in a variety of settings both on installations and in our communities. JTNDZGl2JTIwaWQlM0QlMjJidXp6c3Byb3V0LXBsYXllci0xODM2NTQ5MSUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUzQ3NjcmlwdCUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LmJ1enpzcHJvdXQuY29tJTJGMjA5OTk4MyUyRmVwaXNvZGVzJTJGMTgzNjU0OTEtbGVhZGluZy10aHJvdWdoLXVuY2VydGFpbnR5LW5hdmlnYXRpbmctYW1iaWd1aXR5LWFzLWFuLWFkYXB0aXZlLXByYWN0aWNlLmpzJTNGY29udGFpbmVyX2lkJTNEYnV6enNwcm91dC1wbGF5ZXItMTgzNjU0OTElMjZwbGF5ZXIlM0RzbWFsbCUyMiUyMHR5cGUlM0QlMjJ0ZXh0JTJGamF2YXNjcmlwdCUyMiUyMGNoYXJzZXQlM0QlMjJ1dGYtOCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRnNjcmlwdCUzRQ== (Season 6, Episode 50)
Leading in uncertainty is not about having all the answers; it’s about how you show up when you don’t.
In this episode, explore two simple practices that help you anchor in what matters and keep moving, even when the path ahead is anything but clear.
Ambiguity is not just a strategy or org‑chart issue; it is a human constant in modern work. In this conversation, Jessica and Coral reframe uncertainty as an adaptive practice rather than a problem to “fix fast,” especially for leaders who feel pressure to hold it all together.
You’ll learn two grounded tools: a Values‑Based Decision Filter to choose direction when information is incomplete, and The Next Small Step to move the work one inch forward without needing the full plan.
Together, they offer “handrails, not heroics” for navigating uncertainty with steadiness, honesty, and care for yourself and your team.
Further links and resources from this episode:

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JESSICA BECKENDORF: [00:00:00] Hi, and welcome back to the Practicing Connection Podcast. I’m Jessica.
CORAL OWEN: Hey everybody. I’m Coral.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Today we’re taking on a topic that shows up everywhere this time of year, and I would argue always, in organizations, in teams, and in our personal lives. And that’s the experience of not knowing, not having all the answers, not being sure what’s next. In other words, ambiguity.
CORAL OWEN: Yep. And the truth is ambiguity. It isn’t just a workplace issue, right, Jess? It’s not a leadership issue either. It’s a human issue, and anytime something is changing, whether it’s a strategy, a role, a habit, a direction, there is this window of time where you don’t, and we don’t have the full picture yet. And that gap, it can feel really uncomfortable.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, it really can. And I think a lot of times, leaders especially [00:01:00] feel responsible for holding it together during those moments, even when they are just as affected by the uncertainty as everyone else.
CORAL OWEN: That is so true, and this is why we wanted to talk about ambiguity from a different angle today, not just as something to push through or fix as fast as possible, even though that’s probably what we would most like to do.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah.
CORAL OWEN: But rather is something that we can learn to navigate more intentionally, and something that we can practice in grounded and very human ways.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: So to help us get into this conversation, you brought two practices to explore, and I’m really curious: not why these specific practices, but why bring practices at all into a conversation about ambiguity.
CORAL OWEN:Yeah, that’s a really good question, Jess. So, ambiguity, it feels big and fuzzy and when things feel that way, people tend to either freeze or overwork like kind of at the extremes.
So these practices and practices period, it helps us create a bit [00:02:00] more structure where there might not be a whole lot of structure in the moment.
And it’s not to control the uncertainty, but it gives us a way and a framework within which to engage and show up within it.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: So it’s kind of like a way to stay steady. When the situation isn’t steady at all, when it’s swirling all around us.
CORAL OWEN: Absolutely. It’s a way to just kind of anchor us and give us, you know, a guidepost by which to navigate. And the two practices that we’re going to be going through today, it’s the values-based decision filter and the next small step. They’re actually not related to resolving ambiguity, although probably.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Now I’m really confused!
CORAL OWEN: I know our listeners are probably like, “Wait, what? How is this even helpful?”
But, you know, hang in there with us. So these are all about helping you move through it without losing your grounding. One helps orient you, and the other helps you move in the direction of resolution.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, so it’s more like handrails than solutions. Or like walking sticks.[00:03:00]
CORAL OWEN: Jess.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Stop me now before I keep going.
CORAL OWEN: Okay. We’re just gonna roll with it. So yes, they’re like simple things that you could hold onto, and the path ahead isn’t fully visible and gives you stability. How’d you like that?
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I love it. I love a good walking stick too, by the way. So before we get into the practices, let’s talk about why ambiguity is so hard in the first place. Because it’s not just a leadership challenge, right? It’s not only for leaders and people in leadership positions. It’s a human challenge.
CORAL OWEN: Definitely, and ambiguity taps into our most fundamental wiring. As humans, we all want patterns. We want predictability. Because it’s safety, right? It’s security and it’s knowing.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: We want to put things in boxes neatly with a bow, yep.
CORAL OWEN: And life is anything but, and so we want to know what’s expected of us. It gives us a way to understand where things are headed and what’s going on. And so when information is incomplete, or paradigms [00:04:00] are shifting, oftentimes we’ll feel anxious and patient and thrown off.
And it’s not just our team. It’s oftentimes the leaders that are rolling through this while also trying to give some assurance in these times. So, it’s a tough space to be in for a lot of people.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, well, and then on top of that, leaders often feel pressure to have answers for others when they don’t have the answers for themselves, yet they can’t even give those answers, so that’s gotta feel really tough.
CORAL OWEN: Absolutely. I know that both of us have been in leadership roles. I’ve certainly felt this way in the past, when guiding different organizations and teams, and it is, I truly believe, one of the most difficult aspects of leadership, is leading through these times of change or ambiguity.
You’re thinking, “Ah, I should know more, I should be further along, I should have this guidance.” But we’re rolling through something called Adaptive Leadership Practices today, and it’s not having everything figured out. It’s about helping to help everyone else stay steady in the discomfort and move [00:05:00] through uncertainty together.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Well, let’s talk more about that. This idea of ambiguity as something we practice, not something we magically become comfortable with.
CORAL OWEN: Yeah, exactly. Adaptive leadership means learning to make progress, even when information is incomplete. Like we were saying earlier, a lot of people tend to either kind of freeze or rush, and maybe it’s not in the most productive direction.
And so, this is all about moving in small intentional ways, making sure that we’re making steady progress, not getting ahead of our skis, and letting clarity emerge through action and not before it.
Also, it’s relational. It means leaders aren’t navigating ambiguity alone. You know, teams make sense of this change together. The conversations are creating clarity collaboratively, and sometimes the best thing a leader can say, and sometimes it’s hard to do this, but something along the lines of, “Here’s what we know today, and here’s what we’re still figuring out.’
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, that kind of [00:06:00] honesty builds trust, instead of pretending everything is sorted when it isn’t. I can think of one amazing example, and I’ve had the opportunity to tell him several times, you know, we were going through some pretty turbulent times for a while, as we completely shifted the way we operated as an organization.
And by we, I’m not talking about OneOp, I’m talking about the other organization that I belong to. But, that is a skill. It’s a skill to be able to do that. Something that we can practice.
CORAL OWEN: Absolutely. And I think, you know, just what you noted there, Jess, you know, a skill is something that can be cultivated and practiced. It’s not something that everybody’s inherently good at. Just like, “Oh yes, I’m wonderful at change.”
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah.
CORAL OWEN: So yeah, that’s what we’re hoping to help you all with today.
Alright, let’s go ahead, and that’s a great segue into our first practice, which is the Values Based Decision Filter. Sounds pretty official, but it’s very approachable. So, essentially when things are feeling uncertain, we often wait for more information, like we already [00:07:00] talked about before: making a decision.
Because with more information we feel like we can make a more correct choice. But sometimes what we need is actually a way to choose the next direction based on our values, and not on complete clarity.
So here’s how this value-based decision filter works. First off, you’re going to name the value that matters most in this season. Not all your values, just one. “What’s the most clear guiding value here?” It might be integrity, transparency, learning, stability, compassion, courage. There’s a whole number of them that you can choose from.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I just wanted to, we did this in another episode and I just want to clarify the ‘season’ comment. What do we mean by ‘season,’ really quick? We’re not necessarily talking about the winter season, which we happen to be recording right now in December. But, yeah, what do we mean by season?
CORAL OWEN: Thanks Jess. So in case y’all missed that mini conversation within an episode, one or two back perhaps, by season, simply referring [00:08:00] to this chapter that we’re most recently moving through.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah. And so the first step then is just naming the value that matters most in this season, which is, that is what you decide. You decide what the season is, and you decide what that one value is most important to you right now.
CORAL OWEN: So from there, step two, you’re going to ask which option, even if it’s small or imperfect, aligns most with this value. And the whole idea is that this filter, it gives you a way to move forward without having to wait for all of the answers to be provided, or to come into the light. And so this value becomes your compass by which you can make small, incremental moves forward.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, I love how grounded that feels. You’re not forcing certainty, you’re just choosing direction based on what matters most right now.
CORAL OWEN: Exactly. So values can help you find and they can give structure when the circumstances may not lend themselves to such.
Alrighty. So part two is the next small [00:09:00] step. So when ambiguity feels overwhelming, and it can certainly happen from time to time, usually it’s because we’re trying to solve the whole situation at once. So instead of trying to tackle the whole elephant, in one bite, as my father might say, you instead want to pause and ask, “What is the next small step I can take that moves us one inch forward?”
Just one step. Just one inch. Something that you can do in the next day or the week and something that doesn’t necessarily require full clarity.
Alright, so just some examples, because that could feel a little bit nebulous maybe. Maybe it’s setting up a meeting to gather perspectives. Maybe it’s clarifying one decision that can be made now. You might take a crack at drafting their first version of something.
A couple other thoughts: Maybe it’s testing one small piece of a larger idea, like a, you know, kind of a mini pilot test. You might put a temporary structure into place, and so sometimes, these might be ‘no thank you’ bytes of like, “Ooh, we tried [00:10:00] that, it didn’t work.”
But, you know, often clarity emerges and we can derive that from action. Or just doing a little bit of a/b testing, rather than just sitting still.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yeah, that takes so much pressure off. You don’t have to solve everything. That was also me just telling myself that right now you don’t have to solve everything, just move the work forward in a way that’s honest and manageable.
And, you know, sometimes that’s actually just reaching out to a person to check in on, like, how their leg of the project is going. Sometimes it is setting up a meeting and doing something a little bit bigger than that.
But I just wanted to also mention that it could be super small, like just reaching out to someone.
CORAL OWEN: Yeah, just to keep that touch point and that momentum alive, nurturing it. So yeah, ambiguity, it becomes much more tolerable when we break it into smaller adaptive steps.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: So as we wrap up today, maybe take a moment to reflect on an area of your life or your leadership where things feel a little unclear: not to [00:11:00] fix it, just to notice it.
CORAL OWEN: Exactly. Ambiguity, it’s not something that we will unfortunately ever eliminate. But it is something that we can learn to navigate with more steadiness and intention, and hopefully these two practices of anchoring your decisions and your values and taking the next small step can help you stay grounded while still making progress.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I feel like if we had a title for this episode that was, “Solving Uncertainty,” we’d probably get a lot of listeners, but then they would be disappointed that we were just trying to help them move through!
Anyway, thanks so much for joining us for this conversation on navigating ambiguity as an adaptive practice.
If this episode resonated with you, feel free to share it with someone who might be navigating their own season of uncertainty.
CORAL OWEN: We will be back soon with another episode. Until then, keep practicing.
[00:12:00]
CREDITS: The Practicing Connection Podcast is a production of One-Op and is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture and the Office of Military Family Readiness Policy, US Department of Defense under award number 2 0 2 3 4 8 7 74 3 3.

Ready & Able: Disaster Preparedness for Providers Supporting People with Disabilities
2025-12-16 11:00 - 12:00
When disasters strike, individuals with disabilities face disproportionate risks, from interrupted care and inaccessible shelters to communication gaps and power-dependent medical/assistive devices. This practical, provider-focused webinar translates emergency planning best practices into clear, actionable steps you can use with the people and families you serve. We’ll cover risk assessment, person-centered emergency plans, continuity of care, accessible communication, and coordination with local responders. You’ll leave with adaptable checklists, scenario prompts, and real-world tips for evacuation, sheltering-in-place, and recovery as you work to support individuals with disabilities.
Learning Objectives:

Review how to sign up for and access multiple emergency alert systems (e.g., Wireless Emergency Alerts, local alert systems, NOAA Weather Radio).
Identify emergency-related needs of individuals with disabilities and their caregivers, including medical, communication, and daily living requirements.
Address accessible transportation options into an evacuation plan by identifying available services, pre-registering clients when required, and preparing backup strategies.
Create a coordinated, written emergency plan that engages medical providers, community agencies, caregivers, and family members, ensuring continuity of care and clear roles during a disaster.

Regional Disability Integration Specialist
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Logan Perkes is the Regional Disability Integration Specialist for FEMA’s Region 6, which includes the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico. Logan has more than fifteen years of experience helping people with disabilities live independently and have access to community services. She has worked for FEMA for over three years to make sure the needs of people with disabilities are included before, during and after disasters. She works with state and local emergency management agencies, disability organizations, and non-profit organizations to achieve this goal.

Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences (CFCS): This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) credits from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close on 12/16/27.
Board Certified Patient Advocates (BCPA): This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) contact hours by The Patient Advocate Certification Board. Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close on 12/16/27.
Board Certified Case Managers: This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) clock hours from the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close on 12/16/26.
Board Certified Disability Management Specialists: This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) clock hour from The Commission for Case Manager Certification. Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close on 12/16/26.
Certified Family Life Educators (CFLE): This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) credits from the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close on 12/16/28.
Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES): This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education credit from the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close on 12/16/27.
Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists: This webinar is approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) credits from the University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work. Check with your state licensing agency for reciprocity and/or credit approval if licensed for other professions or in one of the following states: CO, FL, HI, IA, KS, KY, MI, NY, ND, OH, OK. Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close on 12/16/27.
OneOp Certificates of Attendance are available for those interested in additional documentation of professional development activities.

If the button above does not appear, please access the survey at this link: https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bIYNPY5yicoNgTc. If you have any questions, contact ce@oneop.org.

Presentation Slides (PDF)

Photo Credit: Istockphoto ID 2197699108; Fauzi Muda

Connected Teens: Navigating Friendship Beyond Norms
2025-12-11 11:00 - 12:30
Friendships shouldn’t have to be complicated—but for many teens, navigating social connections can feel like learning a foreign language. Whether you’re a parent, educator, or youth advocate, this webinar will equip you with practical strategies to help teens navigate social interactions with peers who may learn in ways outside traditional norms.
You’ll discover actionable approaches for helping teens build strong, inclusive relationships while learning how students can better support and understand each other. This session offers valuable insights into fostering empathy and creating a more connected, supportive social environment where every teen can thrive.

Learning Objectives:

Discover three strategies for encouraging positive interactions among neurodivergent youth.

Identify three common social patterns in neurodivergent youth and learn ways to support them.

Understand the term double empathy and recognize common misunderstandings neurodivergent youth encounter.

Jennifer Gerlach, LCSW, is a psychotherapist who specializes at the crossroads of neurodiversity and mental health. She is author of The Psychosis and Mental Health Recovery Workbook: Tools for Young Adults from ACT, DBT and Recovery-Oriented CBT.

Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences (CFCS): This webinar is approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 12/11/2027.
Certified Family Life Educators (CFLE): This webinar is approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 12/11/2028.
Michigan Certified Teachers: This webinar is approved for 1.5 SCECH from the Michigan Education Association’s Center for Leadership and Learning. Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 12/11/2028.
Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists: This webinar is approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work. Check with your state licensing agency for reciprocity and/or credit approval if licensed for other professions or in one of the following states: CO, FL, HI, IA, KS, KY, MI, NY, ND, OH, OK. Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 12/11/2028.
OneOp Certificates of Attendance are available for those interested in additional documentation of professional development activities.

If the button above does not appear, please access the survey here: https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3jY0I6MmfTv48fA. If you have any questions, please contact ce@oneop.org. Additional Resources
Webinar Slides Photo Credit: IStock – 1202387170 This series highlights the broad spectrum of neurodiversity, emphasizing a range of cognitive variations, such as ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism, and more. Discover the Uniquely Wired series today.

Letting Go to Move Forward: Creating Space for Your Next Self
2025-12-11 06:00 - 17:00
Subscribe to the “Practicing Connection” monthly email to keep up to date on our latest podcasts, blog posts and workshops.
Join the “Practicing Connection Community” on LinkedIn. The community is designed for people who support military families in a variety of settings both on installations and in our communities. JTNDZGl2JTIwaWQlM0QlMjJidXp6c3Byb3V0LXBsYXllci0xODI5OTQ0NSUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUzQ3NjcmlwdCUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LmJ1enpzcHJvdXQuY29tJTJGMjA5OTk4MyUyRmVwaXNvZGVzJTJGMTgyOTk0NDUtbGV0dGluZy1nby10by1tb3ZlLWZvcndhcmQtY3JlYXRpbmctc3BhY2UtZm9yLXlvdXItbmV4dC1zZWxmLmpzJTNGY29udGFpbmVyX2lkJTNEYnV6enNwcm91dC1wbGF5ZXItMTgyOTk0NDUlMjZwbGF5ZXIlM0RzbWFsbCUyMiUyMHR5cGUlM0QlMjJ0ZXh0JTJGamF2YXNjcmlwdCUyMiUyMGNoYXJzZXQlM0QlMjJ1dGYtOCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRnNjcmlwdCUzRQ== (Season 6, Episode 49)
Feeling between versions of yourself – no longer who you were, not yet who you’re becoming?
In this episode, learn two simple practices to release what no longer fits and take aligned, micro‑actions that move you forward with clarity and steadiness.
Professionals who navigate this “liminal” space well build resilience and better decisions during change.
Identity shifts don’t happen on a calendar – they unfold in the in‑between, where the old no longer fits and the new isn’t solid yet.
This conversation introduces two grounded practices: Subtract Before You Add (making space by letting go of one expectation, role, or internal rule) and The Values Check‑In (choosing one value for this season and taking a 2–5 minute micro‑action that lives it).
These approaches reflect evidence‑aligned ideas that subtracting creates clarity and capacity, and that values‑based actions engage motivation and sustain change – especially during transitions at work and in life.
Further links and resources from this episode:

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Send us a message: practicingconnection@oneop.org

JESSICA BECKENDORF: Hi, and thanks for listening to the Practicing Connection Podcast. I’m Jessica.
CORAL OWEN: And I’m Coral.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Today we’re digging into something a lot of us feel this time of year, even if we don’t always have the language for it. The experience of being in between versions of ourselves, that stretch of time where the old ways of doing things don’t quite fit anymore, but the new ways haven’t fully settled in yet.
CORAL OWEN: Yep. And that “in between it” can feel really strange, uncomfortable. Even can feel a little bit disorienting. And so often we’re really quick to jump into new habits and new roles without acknowledging that transitions have their own emotional terrain and strain, and identity work.
It also does not happen instantaneously, and so it doesn’t happen, you know, like a light switch. Once the calendar flips to January, it’s like, okay, here we are, the whole new year, new me.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Yep.
CORAL OWEN: Doesn’t really happen that way.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Right. I mean [00:01:00] there is an element of, I’ve heard some good arguments for the element of ‘fake it till you make it,’ but you don’t just flip a switch and suddenly you’re a different person.
CORAL OWEN: Yeah, for sure.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: So before we go any further, then, let’s ground this in a simple definition. When we talk about identity shifts, we mean the gradual process of moving from who we’ve been: our habits, roles, expectations, into who we’re becoming. And there’s always a period of transition where both feel a little bit unclear. Isn’t that referred to as liminal space?
CORAL OWEN: Yes. Exactly. We’ve actually done a couple of great episodes on liminal space. Shameless flag!
Exactly though, Jessica, it’s not about reinventing yourself in some dramatic way. It’s kind of like shedding skin, right? And it’s about recognizing that you are changing, like in the process of becoming, and giving yourself permission to learn and experiment and adjust without needing everything straight away to feel polished and [00:02:00] certain.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: So I noticed that you brought two practices today. Not a long list, not a whole framework or anything like that, just two practices. Why these two specifically?
CORAL OWEN: Yeah, so identity transitions, they already ask a lot from us energetically. You know, brain space, all that. So we don’t need more complexity. What we need are some grounded entry points that help us understand what is shifting and what is supporting us as we move through this transition.
So today we’ve got two practices. The first one is called, ‘subtract before you add.’ And I’m really excited about this one, because I don’t think it gets quite as much airtime, like this process of becoming.
And then the second one is called the, ‘values check-in.’ And they are intended – you don’t have to use them together, but they can work together really seamlessly to create a really smooth, grounded space for you to begin your transition.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I love that. Keeping it simple but meaningful.
CORAL OWEN: Yep. [00:03:00] And one helps you, the first one, I think I gave a little maybe extra love to the, “Subtract before you add.”
This one will help you release what doesn’t fit or what doesn’t feel in alignment anymore. And the other one anchors you into what matters most right now. And so together, they give you clarity without forcing you to have the whole picture figured out.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Well, let’s get into the practices then. Can you get us started Coral?
CORAL OWEN: Absolutely. So first, let’s start with the subtract before you add. So a lot of people think identity change. When we think about these things, the instinct is to start stacking new habits straight away, or expectations on top of what is already a full life.
And you know. We’ve got plenty of hats that we’re already wearing. But a lot of times this identity work usually begins most effectively by letting go initially, not by adding more straight to the plate.
So here’s the reflection at some point. Whether it’s this week that you’re making these changes, or when you’re feeling, you know, [00:04:00] ready to start making these shifts, ask yourself , “What expectation, roles, or stories am I hearing that don’t fit who I am becoming?” Whether this is like a personal shift or a life shift.
So just some offhand examples may be, you know, feeling like the person who always says yes to things. Maybe you feel responsible for smoothing things over all the time. And these are not bad things, right? But these are maybe things that maybe are not serving you in this next space that you’re moving into.
A couple of other things that maybe, a standard of productivity, or perhaps a different version of yourself from a different season of life that is not going to be in alignment for where you’re headed. And so we start with that.
And then from there, you’re going to ask yourself, “What is one thing that I could set down for this season?”
So it’s not something that you have to say adieu to forever, but just one thing that you are sticking a pin in: one pressure, one role, one internal rule that may not be in [00:05:00] alignment for where you’re headed. That’s it.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Coral that feels really doable. And I imagine even naming just one thing could create a surprising amount of space.
CORAL OWEN: That is one hundred percent it. So we have to, with just these full fledged identities that we’re carrying, the narrative stories, identities, habits that go along with who we have been, we have to create space and make room for something.
So by subtracting a little bit, setting something down, we are holding space and creating, you know, kind of a little spot for, those new habits, identity, awarenesses and things to take shape and take root.
All right, so that is part one, creating space. We’re just sticking a pin in some things to hold space for the next bit of what is to come. The second practice that we’ve got for y’all today is called the ‘values check-in.’
So when we’re in these transitional identity spaces, sometimes [00:06:00] things can just feel a little bit blurry, but values provide the clarity that we need even when the direction is still forming.
So here’s how this works. You want to choose one value that feels most important in this season, not your top five for life, just the one that is going to, you know, be most in alignment for right now. Maybe it’s stability, courage, health, connection, integrity, curiosity, you decide. And then we’re going to ask ourselves, “How would I know I’m living with this value?” What does it look like in small concrete behaviors?
Not big sweeping goals, just indicators. You know, things like ending your workday on time, taking one small step towards something you care about. Maybe it’s checking in with someone you want to stay connected to. Maybe it’s honoring your bandwidth and just saying no to something, that you perhaps would’ve originally said yes to.
And then finally, “What is one micro action that I [00:07:00] can take this week that aligns with that value?” Two to five minutes, or one simple statement – it doesn’t have to be anything huge.
And so really, coming down to the crux of this, everything in a nutshell, identity grows through consistent, aligned actions. Not, like, stepping into the brand new identity one day. It’s this gradual process of becoming, and so there’s a lot of thoughts around setting habits to step into identity.
And so that’s where this practice is rooted. Just setting those small, intentional actions and habits in our day so that we are stepwise walking our way into that next version of ourselves that we want to become.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: This reminds me a lot of, there was a book series I was reading, it was just a fiction series, and I remember the character in that was like, “I’m gonna be known as girl who does this, or the girl with a really nice sports car,” whatever it was like, and she was really confused about her identity, right?
That [00:08:00] was this kind of surface level. She was wanting to project this out there, and she wasn’t connecting back to like what the actual values were. Which – obviously it was a fiction book, it was not meant to be super deep or anything – but it reminds me of that, and these activities are a helpful way to move forward without forcing clarity.
You know, you might not know everything about who you’re becoming yet, but you can live your values today.
CORAL OWEN: Exactly. Values can guide in that correct trajectory, even when certainty or that solidified identity hasn’t fully arrived to us yet.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I just want to ask a question for some clarity. You’ve said in both of these activities you were talking about, “in this season.” What do you mean by that? Is it that that season could just be right now, just giving yourself the permission that it doesn’t have to be forever?
Or are you talking about the new year? What do you mean when you say, “Decide what’s right in this season?”
CORAL OWEN: Yeah. Thanks for [00:09:00] picking up on that, Jess. That’s a phraseology that I actually use for myself quite often. But just to unpack that, in case it was a little confusing, you know, we are always, hopefully, growing and iterating on what that next best version of ourselves is.
We’re constantly learning, and I know the people in our Practicing Connection community, we’re constantly learning new things, and maybe realizing new things or taking on new roles, whether it’s personal or at work.
And so with that comes about changes in just who we are fundamentally. I mean, we’re picking up new skill sets or new identities or new habits. And so, you know, maybe we’ve been in a particular role or wearing a particular hat for some time, and as we are iterating in our self-identity and how we are walking through the world, I think that viewing it as different seasons of life and who we are in different phases of our entire lifespan can be a really helpful framework to [00:10:00] step from season to season to season.
And with that, kind of like how a tree has different sets of leaves that it has throughout the year (unless you’re here in Florida!), you know, who we are can look different. It’s beautiful throughout. But sometimes we need to shed those leaves in the fall and kind of have that regrowth and reboot.
And that’s how I see this set of practices coming together, that we can kind of shed some leaves so that we’re growing new ones that are going to serve us in that next season.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: I love that you used the metaphor of a tree, and I’m sure that, I mean, it’s used all the time in this kind of a context. This is all reminding me of Lev Vygotsky’s Theory of Psychological Development, and the emphasis on development as a continuing process of transformation.
And that’s exactly what you’re talking about. That’s what these practices help you do.
So, as we wrap up today, maybe take a moment, you know, wherever you are, to pause and acknowledge where you were at in your own in-between season. You don’t [00:11:00] have to have it all sorted out or anything. Just notice what’s shifting.
CORAL OWEN: Absolutely. And just like we were talking about, this doesn’t happen in one day, and so this identity work does not need to be rushed. The in-between space, this is where so much learning and clarity happens and becomes and takes shape for us.
And these two practices of subtracting what no longer fits, and then grounding ourselves in values that align for where we’re headed, can really help us navigate the space with more steadiness and tension and just more grace.
JESSICA BECKENDORF: Thanks so much for joining us for this conversation on navigating identity shifts in the in-between. If this resonated with you, feel free to share it with someone who might be in their own season of becoming.
CORAL OWEN: We will be back next week with another episode. Until then, keep practicing.
[00:12:00]
CREDITS: The Practicing Connection Podcast is a production of One-Op and is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture and the Office of Military Family Readiness Policy, US Department of Defense under award number 2 0 2 3 4 8 7 74 3 3.

FinTech: Navigating Regulations and Risks in Financial Counseling
2025-12-09 11:00 - 12:30
This webinar educates financial counselors on the Security and Exchange Commission’s role in regulating FinTech innovations, enabling them to assist service members and their families on the opportunities, risks, and ethical considerations of utilizing these emerging financial technologies.
Learning Objectives:

Understand the role of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the financial technology (FinTech) ecosystem, including robo-advisors, cryptocurrency, and online investment platforms.
Identify investor protection rules, anti-fraud provisions, and disclosure requirements.
Evaluate the advantages and potential risks associated with FinTech solutions for clients, including fraud concerns, cybersecurity threats, and data privacy concerns.
Create a checklist of considerations when working with clients on FinTech investments.

Tom Manganello is a senior counsel in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of Investor Education and Assistance (OIEA). In that role, Tom helps to coordinate investor education throughout the SEC’s headquarters and 10 regional offices. Tom researches, writes and disseminates an extensive library of plain language investor education tools and resources on the SEC’s website, www.Investor.gov.
Tom is a subject matter expert on saving, investing and avoiding scams, and has been a featured lecturer, panelist, moderator, and social media communicator for 10 years. Tom regularly guest lectures on “Building Wealth Through Saving and Investing” to college and high school audiences, and he speaks to organizations and groups representing novice investors, including returning citizens. Tom has conducted hundreds of financial readiness briefs at military installations around the world, and he highlights the red flags of investment scams and steps to protect investments in his “Never Stop Learning” presentations at libraries, senior centers, and community events.
Tom is an attorney who spent ten years in the SEC’s Division of Enforcement, where he investigated violations of the federal securities laws, including insider trading, Ponzi and pyramid schemes, accounting and broker fraud, and unregistered offerings. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and earned a BS in journalism from Ohio University. Jill Felker is a senior counsel in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of Investor Education. Jill is one of the office’s subject matter experts on Investment Management (IM), which is the law governing investment funds, like mutual funds or ETFs, and investment advisers.
In this role, Jill helps research and write IM-related investor education resources on the SEC’s website, www.Investor.gov. Jill also helps respond to retail investor inquiries in the area of investment funds and investment advisers.
Jill is an attorney who spent fourteen years in the SEC’s Office of General Counsel, where she reviewed materials from the Office of Investment Management, including rulemakings and exemptive orders, for legal sufficiency. She graduated from the George Washington Law School and earned a BA in history from Haverford College.

Accredited Financial Counselors (AFC): This webinar is approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits by the Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education (AFCPE). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 10/28/2028.
Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences (CFCS): This webinar is approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 10/28/2027.
Certified Personal and Family Finance Educator (CPFFE): This webinar is approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 10/28/2027.
Certified Personal Finance Counselors (CPFC): This webinar is approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from The Center for Financial Certifications (FinCert.org). **Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 10/28/2028.
Certified Family Life Educators (CFLE): This webinar is approved for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits from the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close 10/28/2028.
OneOp Certificates of Attendance are available for those interested in additional documentation of professional development activities.

If the button above does not appear, please use this link to access the survey: https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6D3d6C71PHURirc. Webinar Slides
Webinar Resources Photo Credit: jirsak / Adobe Stock

Foundations of Trust & Collaboration Podcast Bundle
2025-12-05 07:30 - 08:00
Subscribe to the “Practicing Connection” monthly email to keep up to date on our latest podcasts, blog posts and workshops.
Join the “Practicing Connection Community” on LinkedIn. The community is designed for people who support military families in a variety of settings both on installations and in our communities. 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 This learning bundle consists of six podcast episodes, each focused on a core aspect of building trust and connection within teams. The series is designed for professionals seeking practical, research-based strategies to improve teamwork, communication, and group facilitation. Each episode introduces a key concept, shares examples, and guides listeners through actionable practices.
Topics Covered:

Welcoming Practices: How to intentionally create a more welcoming environment in teams and groups, including strategies for opening up to new possibilities and perspectives.
Sincerity: Exploring the role of sincerity in trust-building, with reflective exercises to align words and intentions and foster authentic communication.
Reliability and Clear Communication: Understanding the importance of clear requests, direct communication, and accountability in collaborative work.
Competence and Self-Assessment: Techniques for assessing and communicating personal and team capabilities, recognizing strengths and limits, and seeking support when needed.
Care and Compassion: The foundational role of care in trust, with practices for showing care, listening to concerns, and building meaningful relationships.
Active Listening and Deep Respect: Facilitating group processes for all group members, practicing active listening, and cultivating psychological safety.

Learning Objectives:

Describe the four distinctions of trust – sincerity, reliability, competence, care -and their role in team/group development.
Demonstrate practices for welcoming and including all collaborators (team/group members) to foster connection and collaboration.
Demonstrate active listening and deep respect to enhance psychological safety within groups/teams.
Communicate needs and expectations clearly to support reliability and accountability in collaborative work.
Reflect on personal and team capabilities to identify strengths, limits, and opportunities for support.

University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension

Jessica is the Principal Investigator for OneOp’s Building Communities team, supporting military families through promoting collaborative leadership and systems thinking. Co-host of Practicing Connection, Jessica holds a BA in Urban and Regional Studies from UW-Green Bay and an Master of Arts in Communication and Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University, and is dedicated to fostering resourceful, well-connected communities.

Coral Owen holds a Master of Science in Health Education & Behavior from the University of Florida and combines strategic thinking with real-world adaptability. As a former military spouse, she brings empathy and resilience to her work supporting diverse communities. Her background in adult education and experience in military-connected environments strengthen her ability to design meaningful programs and foster collaboration. Coral is dedicated to empowering others through education, wellness, and purposeful leadership.

North Dakota State University

Bob Bertsch is the OneOp National Project Leader. Bertsch, an Extension Specialist at North Dakota State University, has been an integral part of OneOp since 2011. He oversees strategic initiatives to enhance OneOp’s ability to support military family service providers and strengthen the Military Family Readiness System.

Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences (CFCS): This webinar has been approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) credit from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close December 4th, 2027.
Board Certified Case Managers: This webinar has been approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) clock hour from the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close December 4th, 2026.
Certified Family Life Educators (CFLE): This webinar has been approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) credit from the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close December 4th, 2028.
Human Resource Professionals: This webinar has been approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) credit from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close July 31, 2026.
Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists: This webinar has been approved for 1.0 continuing education (CE) credit from the University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work. Check with your state licensing agency for reciprocity and/or credit approval if licensed for other professions or in one of the following states: CO, FL, HI, IA, KS, KY, MI, NY, ND, OH, OK. Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close December 4th, 2027.
OneOp Certificates of Attendance are available for those interested in additional documentation of professional development activities.

If the survey button above does not appear, please access the continuing education survey here: https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0kMbXpXnu9oOXZk. If you have any questions, contact ce@oneop.org.
