Shelter in Place: escape into life.

Without touch, how can we connect?

Not touching isn't just about physical contact. It reveals something deeper and more troubling about our current reality. Laura explores the research behind. why to…

Why does this feel eerily familiar?

Laura shares the story of another time when she had to shelter in place, though under very different circumstances. Inspired by Homer's Odyssey, she tells her own …

When all else fails... how can kindess help us?

Laura shares some surprising and delightful research from social psychologist Nicholas Epley, and reflects on the kindesses that have made a big differ…

How have the different seasons impacted Laura's upbringing?

It's Holy Week, the final week of the season of Lent. Laura reflects on growing up in a place with extreme seasons, and how learning about …

What's it like being a mother painter?

On today's Story Saturday, Laura talks with Oakland painter Christine Ferrouge, whose solo show "Picnic" was scheduled to open today. Christine talks about bein…

Is it even possible to come together in a politically divided country?

COVID-19 comes at a time of intense political division, and the pandemic has only highlighted that divide. Laura talks about how…

How has the pandemic impacted our reliance on social media?

Social distancing has made us more reliant on social media than ever--and more susceptible to its pitfalls. Laura reflects on the changes i…

When control is lost, what's left?

With the news that schools won't reopen for the rest of the year, Laura considers what it means for us to settle into an ever-changing new normal. She draws from a …

Two weeks have passed... now what?

Two weeks into the Bay Area Shelter in Place Mandate, Laura reflects on the ways her family's life has changed, and shares the insights from her friend Arathi Ravie…

What happens when you turn your mind off?

Laura goes out of her home for the first time in two weeks, and shares what she's learned about meditation, prayer, and the importance of contemplative pract…

What can photographs reveal about ourselves?

On today's Story Saturday episode, Laura turns to the work of another creative, photographer Sean Donnelly, whose work of shooting family portraits throug…

At our lowest of lows, how do we rise up?

As Laura struggles with her sorrow in real time, she looks to generations past as well as to those who are currently suffering on wisdom for how to grapple w…

What makes a good community?

During this time when so many of us are isolated, Laura tells the story of her neighbors Sara and Mona, who took it upon themselves to take a neighborhood where no one sa…

Why create? Midway through week 2 of the Bay Area Shelter in Place mandate, Laura reflects on why she feels compelled to push her anxiety into creativity in this time, and reflects on other times whe…

What do you do when deep breaths just aren't enough?

Laura discusses the anxiety many of us are feeling right now, and shares the insights she learned from Dr. Chuck DeGroat on how the best way to mo…

In a time of turmoil, how can grace come to our rescue>

As Laura reflects on the lessons of the past week of sheltering in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, she faces the hopes and failures of…

How can stories help us heal?

Laura has decided to make each Saturday episode "Story Saturday," a time of sharing fiction to get us through the day. Today she shares a story she wrote a long time ago…

When life is tested, can gratitude save us?

Laura gets news from several friends who are being tested for the virus, and reflects on what it means to live a generous life.

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When things get real, what do you do?

On day three of the Bay Area Shelter in Place mandate, Laura gets news that a family member might have been exposed to COVID-19. In the wake of this news, she re…

What happens when you realize "normal" doesn't exist anymore? 

With the Shelter in Place mandate extended to Bay Area wine country and Gavin Newsom's warning us that school probably won't be back in …