Commentaries from the Edge

Keren Goldberg
  • 4.8 (12)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE

Views on many subjects where we can discover new understandings. Cover photo by John Goldberg.

  1. FEB 20

    MEDITATION: Navigating Through Uncertain Times with Dr. Marvin J. Southard, Ph.d

    The need for calm, for compassion, to feel centered, all attributes that can be result of meditating according to return guest to the podcast, Dr. Marvin J. Southard. He carries an expertise about meditation not only professionally as a leader in the field of mental health, but personally as a long time practitioner. Listen to his ideas of what meditation is, how it can benefit your daily life and instructions on how to begin. Living in a world of constant crisis, as we are, with a sense of turmoil and an increase of violence and anger toward others, it seems a perfect time to introduce a tool that can calm the spirit and open a path to a more peaceful inner life. It may be a tool that each of us in our own way can use to make the world around us a better place.

    27 min

  2. JAN 31

    The Courtroom Goes to the Movies - with Author and UCLA Law Professor Paul Bergman

    Podcast Guest Professor Paul Bergman easily expresses a kind of joy and delight he has enjoyed in his over 40 years as a Professor at the UCLA School of Law. As retired and now with the status of Emeritus, he continues to allow his students at the Law School to contemplate their upcoming profession in a special light. Listen and you will hear from a pioneering educator who chartered new directions in how to teach law with great creativity. He added also a most crucial element; a determination to have his students see the practice of law as helping people at a most difficult time in their life. Bergman insists that his students understand their role as advocates for their clients so that they may have a better life. In general his contribution to the UCLA School of Law, which was transformative, was the idea of developing clinical education where real cases are used as teaching tools, dissected and analyzed, with role playing. An evolution from this idea came his next innovation based on his enthusiasm for films to present famous courtroom scenes in movies in his classes. Bergman discovered that using these movie scenes had a certain power in preparing future Lawyers for courtroom experiences. Today, Professor Paul Bergman is as active as ever, continuing to teach a class at the Law School, writing books and bringing his creative approach to classes he teaches in the community. He is the Author of 15 books including THE COURTROOM GOES TO THE MOVIES.

    45 min

  3. 10/17/2025

    THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF LOS ANGELES with Director Fernando Guerra, Ph.D

    Los Angeles, the City of promise, a history where people came to start life anew, native born Americans and people from around the world. Once again, Dr. Fernando Guerra is a guest on the podcast program for the third time. This year 2025 is closing, a year like no other in Los Angeles. Dr Guerra, Founder and Director of the Center for the Study of Los Angeles (StudyLA) at Loyola Marymount University, a distinguished local University, has been on the frontlines engaging residents and community leaders regarding the impact of this turbulent year. It began with unprecedented wildfires, walls of fire never seen before decimating two historic neighborhoods. Then as June arrived, the United States Federal government descended upon the City disrupting the life of the City with raids conducted by Immigration Agents in tandem with the military National Guard. They came to a City still in grief and stunned by the fires’s destruction and began spreading fear and terror among immigrant households with a focus on Latino neighborhoods. StudyLA faced these calamities with their traditional method of surveying to find information that could make a difference in the operation of a City facing multiple and unexpected challenges. Listen to Fernando Guerra and learn what the people of Los Angeles are thinking and what kind of remedies Dr. Guerra is suggesting to solve these festering problems. He began the Center inspired by his teaching of young college students. Now he is even more determined to foster civic leaders of the future ready to be agents of change for a better and more equitable City and world. TO CONTACT - Dr. Fernando Guerra, email, StudyLA@lmu.edu

    40 min

  4. 08/22/2025

    The Play, AUGUST 29, at a time of America In Struggle with Guest Evelina Fernandez

    It is the Summer of 2025, a time like no other in Los Angeles, California. There is drama on the streets, especially in Latino neighborhoods, where masked men jump out of unmarked cars and grab people who look like they might not have citizenship papers. It is at this time that the Latino Theatre Company has decided to mount their famous play, AUGUST 29, originally premiered in 1990, about a crisis and a killing in 1970 in East Los Angeles, a mostly Mexican American - Chicano area. Listen to Evelina Fernandez, founding member of the Latino Theatre Company now celebrating their 40th year, who knows the history of abuse toward Latinos in Los Angeles and cities across the USA, and can give first person tales of the back story of the play, AUGUST 29. The theatrical work created long ago inspires us to contemplate where we are as a society in 2025.. AUGUST 29’s last performances at the Los Angeles Theatre Center (LATC) in downtown, Los Angeles are August 22, 23, and 24. Performances will be held in other venues throughout September. It is being produced in partnership with the students of the Los Angeles City College Theatre Academy. CONTACT: LATC Ticket Office for performance information, (213) 489-0994 FREE ADMISSION The Los Angeles Theatre Center - Theater 1 Friday, August 22 - 8:00PM Saturday, August 23 - 8:00PM Sunday, August 24 - 4:00PM https://www.latinotheaterco.org/august29 Box Office: (213) 489-0994, tickets@thelatc.org 514 S. Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013 Plan Your Visit: DIRECTIONS & PARKING East Los Angeles College August 29, 2025 at 8:00 PM (Sold Out) S2 Recital Hall https://www.latinotheaterco.org/august29 Box Office: (213) 489-0994, tickets@thelatc.org 1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez Monterey Park, CA 91754 Mt. San Antonio College September 18, 2025 at 7:00 PM September 19, 2025 at 7:00 PM Sophia B. Clarke Theater https://www.latinotheaterco.org/august29 Box Office: (213) 489-0994, tickets@thelatc.org 1100 N. Grand Ave., Walnut, CA 91789

    39 min

  5. 04/28/2025

    THE OFFICE OF LIFE, JUSTICE AND PEACE at the L. A. Catholic Archdiocese

    A visit to the Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese gives the opportunity to enter a world envisioned by the L. A. Archbishop Jose Gomez, and Pope Francis just days after his passing. And how can we describe that vision? One way is to picture the great power of a Church with a following of five million across the expanse of Parishes in Southern California, dedicating this power to making a better life for all, Catholic and non-Catholic. The vision manifests itself clearly in the subject of this episode - the Archdiocese Office of Life, Justice and Peace. Michael Donaldson, Office Director, and Jeanette Gomez Senerviatne, Director of the Whole Person, are carrying forward all that Pope Francis and Archbishop Gomez would hope for. They are addressing the most pressing issues in every community they serve, giving voice to the voiceless, collaborating with and creating partnerships to bring supportive resources to individuals and families. Listen to how their programming acts as a showcase for good emanating from a global city like Los Angeles. At this time, as the three of us sat together in conversation, grateful for Pope Francis, we are dedicating the episode to him, and remembering the way he brought us to focus on the suffering while celebrating the joy of life. The Office of Life, Justice and Peace will continue developing projects and activities in that spirit. “Hope never disappoints”, is what he said in his last Easter message to the world. TO CONTACT: Mpdonaldson@la-archdiocese.org - for Michael Donaldson JSeneviratne@la-archdiocese.org - for Jeanette Seneviratne

    48 min

  6. 12/23/2024

    MENTAL HEALTH ON THE FRONTLINES, Francisco Tan

    As the podcast theme of community emergency outreach programs at the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) comes to an end for the month of December, 2024, it is clear that creative innovation is making a difference. In this episode, Francisco Tan, Psychologist and head of the LACDMH Psychiatric Mobile Response Team (PMRT) takes us into the field with his description of what his program does and how his Teams function. We learn about his eight Teams that include various skilled professionals who may include a Social Worker, a Nurse and a Community Health Worker, perhaps a Peer, someone with lived experience who has dealt with emotional distress. The Teams of PMRT are available 24/7 and can be reached by calling the LACDMH Access telephone number, (800) 854-7771. Members of a Team are ready to respond wherever the person is located to provide a multipurpose service - to evaluate, to collaborate with other agencies and resources, and to provide consultations and linkages for continued services when necessary. The overriding goal for the PMRT, as well as for all the programs in the Emergency Outreach and Triage Division of LACDMH, is to promote the opportunity for people to remain in their community with necessary supports. It is the most satisfying outcome for those in a mental health crisis. As this 2024 year draws to an end, we hear the bells ringing - “Goodwill Toward Humankind and Peace on Earth”. The LACDMH 24/7 access number for help is 1-800-854-7771 The National Suicide Crisis Line is #988

    37 min

  7. 12/20/2024

    MENTAL HEALTH ON THE FRONTLINES, Episode #15 with Miriam Brown, L.C.S.W

    Miriam Brown leads the way at the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) with the broadest view of the ways the department can and will respond to a long menu of emergencies in a City like Los Angeles, California. Her expertise, and even more, her dedication, has brought her to the position at LACDMH of Deputy Director of the Emergency Outreach and Triage Division. Her many years of work in this field has made LACDMH an innovator and a model leading the way for mental health departments throughout the USA and beyond. Miriam admits you have to have a certain kind of personality to face the demands and difficulties of mental health community outreach work with emergencies that are presented to her staff every day on a 24/7 basis. These emergencies often require close cooperation and training with Police, Fire, Public Health, and Probation departments, community organizations and not least of all, School Districts. She has spent decades forging links to all these important partners in responding effectively to those in need. The width and breath of what she overseas with her staff is enormous. Here are a few examples; threat assessments reported by a school official, a criminal act committed due to a mental illness, a family argument out of control, a person displaying high risk behavior. Miriam wants us to understand that this outreach is a reflection of the aggressive way LACDMH is reaching into all corners of the Los Angeles community hoping to help people avoid incarceration, hospitalization, encouraging ways people with mental illness may be able to function in the community with necessary supports. She brings the necessary wisdom and devotion to these varied tasks and with her steady leadership makes a healthier and better Los Angeles. The LACDMH 24/7 access number for help is 1-800-854-7771 The National Suicide Crisis Line is #988

    32 min

  8. 12/20/2024

    MENTAL HEALTH ON THE FRONTLINES, Reuben Wilson

    The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) has developed a robust way of delivering vital services to people suffering from a mental health crisis. It has grown over the years and rests firmly in 2024, in a campaign called - “Who Do I Call for Help”? It is a campaign for the community introducing a national number #988, available 24/7. That number is a key part of the LACDMH program, the Alternative Crisis Response Unit. It is an alternative because it frees Police and directs these type of calls to people who have the expertise to bring support to the crisis. Reuben Wilson is the LACDMH head of that Unit and responsible for coordinating the many teams of people and community resources ready to respond to the incoming calls. He comes to that position with over a decade of experience working with personnel responding to crisis as a Deputy Mayor with the former Mayor of Los Angeles. The Help Line, #988 is linked to the staff of the Didi Hirsch organization and in partnership with LACDMH, begins the process of bringing trained caring to callers in emotional crisis. The continuing message to the public is that there is a Countywide system in place providing - someone to call, someone who will respond and somewhere to go if treatment and further care is needed. Reuben explains how this safety net for those in emotional crisis works as he readies to spread posters and cards across the vast region of the sprawling County of Los Angeles, California, advertising that help for all in need is a call away. 9-8-8, for support with suicidal crisis or mental health-related distress. The LACDMH 24/7 access number for help is 1-800-854-7771 The National Suicide Crisis Line is #988

    32 min
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4.8
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Views on many subjects where we can discover new understandings. Cover photo by John Goldberg.

Information

  • Creator
    Keren Goldberg
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    98
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Keren Goldberg
  • Show Website
    Commentaries from the Edge