Facing the Moment: Resilience Together (Ep. 14)

In this episode of Facing the Moment, host Toufic Hakim, PhD, explores the human dimension of crisis with Jody Nelson, EdD, LMFT, a family therapist and senior advisor to Change, Inc.. They discuss the “Metro Surge” in Minneapolis and St. Paul, through a humanistic lens. The arrival of thousands of federal agents for mass deportations has created a climate of intense fear and social strain. Jody describes the internal toll of this environment, noting how individuals (especially educators and vulnerable families) experience a protective “numbness,” “chaos brain,” and “moral injury” when their core values of safety and care are violated.

Drawing on her decades of experience as a family therapist, Jody offers a roadmap for Self-leadership. She explains how to navigate “internal curtains” of rage and fear to find the clarity needed to act. The conversation highlights the inspiring rise of “neighboring as a verb,” where hyper-local communities utilize mutual aid, “upstander” training, and even simple whistles to face bullies with goodness.

This episode speaks to staying human in dehumanizing times. Jody reminds us that, “we do better when we all do better” (citing the late Paul Wellstone). We all need the physiological fortitude of serotonin and dopamine (“happy juice”) in order to access the power of water that eventually beats the rock.

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