Empathy By Design

integratenetwork
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Empathy by Design is a podcast that dives into the heart of what it means to design for our shared humanity. Across the worlds of technology, wellness, and community, we explore how thoughtful, empathetic design can bridge divides, foster connection, and spark meaningful change. Each episode features conversations with innovators, creators, and change-makers who are reimagining the way we approach our world. From building tech that prioritizes people to cultivating wellness practices that truly heal, to shaping communities grounded in inclusivity, we deeply explore the process of designing with intention and care. Whether you’re a designer, a dreamer, or someone who simply believes in creating a more compassionate world, Empathy by Design is an invitation to imagine what’s possible when we lead with empathy.

  1. MAR 28

    Practicing Relational Health In Real Time

    What does it actually look like to practice relationships in real time, especially when your nervous system is activated and your patterns are already in motion? In this episode of Empathy by Design, I sit down with Candice Cox, LCSW, founder of the KHAOS Kommunity, a healing space for people who are ready to move beyond survival and begin practicing growth within the context of real relationships. Candice’s work centers on emotional regulation, accountability, and creating structure for the moments that often feel the hardest to navigate. We explore how her KHAOS framework—RAW (Realize, Admit, Work through), RESET (Remember Every Situation Encourages Thought), FREE (Forgive, Release, Embrace, Elevate), and PATIENT (Pause And Think, Inhale, Exhale, Now Talk or Tap Out)—offers practical ways to stay engaged with yourself and others, even when things feel messy or overwhelming. Throughout our conversation, we talk about what it means to build capacity for connection, how to recognize when patterns are shaping our responses, and why practicing relationship in community can be a powerful part of healing. We also explore how accountability can exist without shame, and how learning to pause, notice, and choose differently can begin to shift long-standing relational dynamics. This episode is for anyone navigating grief, trauma, relationship wounds, parenting, or generational patterns, and who is curious about what it means to relate with more awareness, more steadiness, and more choice. Candice’s work reminds us that healing is not something we perfect on our own. It is something we practice, together, over time, in relationship. If you are ready to explore what it looks like to stay with yourself while also staying connected to others, this conversation offers a grounded and honest place to begin. Check out the KHAOS Kommunity Download our app

    48 min

  2. MAR 21

    Burnout As Adaptation: What the Nervous System Is Trying to Tell Us

    In this episode of Empathy By Design, host Julie sits down with Courtney from Align Integral Coaching to unpack burnout — not as a failure, but as a signal from your nervous system that something needs to change. They explore what burnout feels like from the inside, how it shows up in individuals and organizations, and what practices can help restore capacity and resilience. Timestamps: 0:00 – Welcome & grounding practice 5:35 – Courtney's burnout story: ADHD, masking & hitting rock bottom 17:55 – From corporate burnout to integral coaching 22:02 – Early warning signals (and why we miss them) 26:07 – How burnout spreads through teams & organizations 38:09 – What healthy capacity actually looks like 46:07 – Practices that restore: breath work, yoga, silence & nature 53:15 – Where to find Courtney Read the Transcript at the link below

    39 min

  3. FEB 15

    When Systems Fail with Clay Gill

    What if feeling “zapped” isn’t a personal failure—but a signal that our systems are misaligned with how we actually function? In this live Empathy by Design conversation, I’m joined by Clay Gill—FLOW-certified coach, AuDHD advocate, and creator of the POWER Assessment™—to explore how energy, capacity, and design intersect for neurodivergent minds. Clay’s work helps people understand what’s fueling their energy and what’s quietly draining it, especially in environments that weren’t built with neurodivergent nervous systems in mind. Rather than pushing motivation or productivity hacks, he focuses on practical, compassionate shifts that work with your wiring. Together, we’ll talk about: Why energy depletion is often a design problem, not a mindset issue How neurodivergent experience offers early feedback about misaligned systems What it looks like to design lives, workflows, and habits around real capacity How small, honest adjustments can restore clarity, agency, and momentum This conversation is for anyone who’s tired of overriding their nervous system just to keep up—and curious about what becomes possible when empathy becomes a design principle, not an afterthought.

    1 hr

  4. JAN 31

    When Leadership Carries Too Much: Designing Systems That Support Humans

    When Leadership Carries Too Much: Designing Systems That Support Humans Join Julie Johnson, host of Empathy by Design, in conversation with Amy Cornforth Long, lawyer and leadership consultant, as they explore how to build sustainable systems in law firms and organizations. This episode dives deep into the hidden cost of ambiguity in leadership, revealing how unclear systems force founders and leaders into constant "always-on" mode. Amy shares practical strategies for removing ambiguity from decision-making, delegation, and accountability systems—helping leaders reclaim their time and build teams they can truly trust. Learn why the most common questions you're asked signal system failures, how to reframe accountability as visibility rather than pressure, and the critical difference between delegation as task handoff versus delegation as infrastructure. Whether you're a law firm owner, founder, or leader in any organization, this conversation offers actionable insights on creating clarity, empowering teams, and designing systems that allow humans to thrive without burning out. Featured Topics: The hidden cost of systematic ambiguity Building delegation systems with authority Reframing accountability as visibility The power of asking "what would you do?" Flexible vs. inflexible processes Why it's okay to say "I don't know" Guest: Amy Cornforth Long, author of The Subtle Art of Leadership Transcript

    26 min

  5. JAN 22

    Orientation, Capacity, Choice

    When motivation stops working, it’s easy to assume something is wrong with us. But what if motivation was never the right starting point? In this episode, Julie Johnson explores why motivation often fails — not because people lack discipline, but because nervous systems need orientation and capacity before choice is possible. Drawing from polyvagal theory, somatic UX, and years of working inside digital health and wellness systems, Julie introduces a different sequence for sustainable change: orientation → capacity → choice. This conversation is for anyone who feels burned out by “trying harder” — and for anyone who designs systems, programs, or tools meant to support human behavior. Nothing to fix. Nothing to force. Just a different place to begin. Show Notes In this episode, we explore: Why motivation is an unreliable starting point for change How nervous systems orient before they engage The difference between effort and capacity Why repetition matters more than intensity How choice emerges when conditions are right A simple framework for sustainable change From a polyvagal lens, lasting change follows a predictable sequence: Orientation Where am I? What’s happening? Is this predictable enough to stay? Capacity Do I have the bandwidth to participate? Can my system stay without bracing or collapsing? Choice What feels possible now — without pressure or threat? When systems skip orientation and capacity, choice feels forced. When conditions are right, change happens quietly. If you’re listening for personal support If motivation has felt unreliable lately, there is nothing wrong with you. Your nervous system may simply be asking for a different starting point. You can explore these ideas through short, predictable practices designed to support orientation and capacity inside the Let’s Integrate app. → Learn more about the app If you build systems for other people If you design apps, wellness programs, learning experiences, or lead teams, this episode names a common design failure — and offers a different way to think about engagement, trust, and retention. Julie teaches this framework more deeply through her Somatic UX work and practitioner-focused learning spaces. → Explore Somatic UX & practitioner resources A gentle closing reflection As you move through your day, notice one thing that already feels predictable — not productive, not impressive, just steady. That steadiness is orientation. That’s where capacity grows. That’s where choice begins.

    17 min

  6. JAN 15

    Trust Is a Behavior

    Join hosts Julie and Katie Kurtz for a deep dive into why trust isn't just a feeling—it's a behavior we can practice and build. In this live edition of Empathy By Design (part of the Signals and Systems newsletter), they explore the neuroscience of trust and how it intersects with trauma-informed leadership.   Katie, creator of the Trust Works certification program, breaks down her TRUST acronym (Trauma-Informed Relational Upskilling and Systems Transformation) and explains why trust must be demonstrated through consistent, predictable actions—not just good intentions. The conversation covers: The neuroscience of trust: How our nervous systems build trust at their own pace through co-regulation and predictable behaviors Trust vs. trustworthiness: Why "Am I trustable?" is a better question than "Am I trustworthy?" DBT and polyvagal theory in practice: Moving from orientation to capacity to choice, and why emotions sometimes need to be overridden by behavior Conflict as opportunity: How to design systems that prepare for—not avoid—conflict and repair Self-trust through relationship: Why we can't develop self-trust in isolation Whether you're leading teams, building products, or navigating relationships, this conversation offers practical frameworks for demonstrating trust through behavior—especially during times of collective stress and uncertainty. Perfect for anyone interested in trauma-informed leadership, nervous system work, human-centered design, and building trustable systems in

    54 min

  7. 12/12/2025

    Softening Our Edges: Co-Regulation and Creative Growth

    This is part of a three-part series on Art as Nervous System Attunement with Dr. Anu French. If you haven’t listened to the previous two podcast episodes yet, we gently recommend starting there — they include a somatic practice that sets the foundation for what we’re exploring here. In this episode of the Empathy by Design Podcast, host we welcome Dr. Annu French, a pediatrician specializing in integrative medicine, to explore the intersection of art, sound, movement, and healing. Together, they discuss how creative practices like painting and music can help regulate the nervous system, foster resilience, and support both individual and communal healing. Check out her Red Bubble Store Dr. French shares insights from her clinical experience, highlighting the importance of co-regulation, the power of spirals and labyrinths, and the role of vibrational medicine in promoting well-being. Listeners are invited to participate in mindful practices and learn how simple acts—like humming or drawing—can create moments of connection, softening, and transformation. The episode closes with a chant, emphasizing the theme of new beginnings and the ongoing journey of healing through empathy and creativity. 00:00 – Introduction to the episode’s theme: healing through art, sound, and movement. 00:47 – Dr. Annu French shares her integrative medicine background and the role of creativity in resilience. 03:55 – How art, music, and safe spaces support nervous system regulation in clinical practice. 07:25 – The importance of spirals, emotional coherence, and personalized healing. 12:10 – Using movement, painting, and sound for self-regulation and co-regulation. 18:45 – The science of sound, humming, and vibrational medicine. 27:00 – Reflections on “softening,” resonance, and community healing. 38:00 – Dr. French’s music, accessible art, and closing chant on new beginnings. To go deeper in nervous system exploration, check out our app

    44 min

  8. 12/05/2025

    Integrative Practice Lab: Art, Somatics and Growth

    Integrative Practice Lab: Art, Somatics & Healing (Part 2) with Dr. Anu French & Julie Johnson Download the Integrate App: https://letsintegrate.live/app Explore Dr. Anu French’s RedBubble Store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/anufrench/shop Episode Summary In this experiential part-two episode of our three-part series with integrative pediatrician and artist Dr. Anu French, we step directly into the intersection of affirmative art, somatic regulation, and tiny-signal practices. Rather than simply talk about the power of art in healing — we practice it. Using Anu’s “I Am” affirmative paintings as a visual anchor, Julie and Anu guide listeners through a layered somatic art experience: entering presence through sound letting the artwork meet your nervous system before your mind scanning the body through color sensing subtle shifts in breath, tone, and tension exploring micro-movements inspired by brushstrokes journaling into resilience, belonging, and self-remembrance This episode mirrors the Spiral Flow sessions inside the Integrate App and gives listeners a full-body taste of how art becomes a portal for reorganizing the nervous system, strengthening resilience, and widening capacity. Listeners are encouraged to: • pull up one of Anu’s paintings • settle into a comfortable posture • allow the artwork and your own body to enter a gentle dialogue This is one of the most immersive sessions we’ve recorded — part workshop, part meditation, part intimate conversation. Transcription

    40 min
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About

Empathy by Design is a podcast that dives into the heart of what it means to design for our shared humanity. Across the worlds of technology, wellness, and community, we explore how thoughtful, empathetic design can bridge divides, foster connection, and spark meaningful change. Each episode features conversations with innovators, creators, and change-makers who are reimagining the way we approach our world. From building tech that prioritizes people to cultivating wellness practices that truly heal, to shaping communities grounded in inclusivity, we deeply explore the process of designing with intention and care. Whether you’re a designer, a dreamer, or someone who simply believes in creating a more compassionate world, Empathy by Design is an invitation to imagine what’s possible when we lead with empathy.

Information

  • Creator
    integratenetwork
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    28
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Empathy By Design