Beyond Listening

About Beyond Listening

Brought to you by Open Circle: a podcast for leaders and change makers who listen, adapt, and act. With guests from diverse industries, cultures, and political perspectives, and episodes that distill the lessons we’ve learned, and the questions we are still asking, after decades of guiding organizational and personal transformations. Join us on a journey of soul and spirit in leadership and action. Hosted by Miriam Jones and Adam Rumack. For more information visit https://www.weareopencircle.com

Publisher

Miriam Jones and Adam Rumack, Co-Founders of Open Circle

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

9 Mar 2021

Latest episode

4 Mar 2026

Latest episodes

1 of 59 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   4 Mar 2026TRANSCRIPT

   E 59: Listening Circles: Regulating Stress and Restoring Connection

   Listening circles are one of the simplest — and most powerful — practices for building connection in groups. But why do they work so well? In this episode, Adam and Miriam explore how listening circles help regulate the nervous system, create psychological safety, and transform group dynamics. In a time when stress, polarization, and disconnection are rising, practices that help people slow down and listen deeply are more important than ever. Adam and Miriam, founders of Open Circle, explore the science behind listening circles, including the role of the autonomic nervous system, cultural influences on threat perception, and the impact of emotional contagion in groups.They also share why storytelling, mindfulness, and witnessing are powerful tools for creating spaces where people feel safe to speak and be heard. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why listening circles help regulate the nervous system How stress distorts perception and communication The role of belonging in human survival and group dynamics How emotional contagion spreads stress—or calm—through groups Why storytelling and witnessing build deeper understanding Key Takeaways Our nervous systems shape how we show up in groups Stress can amplify confirmation bias and threat perception Belonging is a biological need Calm and presence can spread through groups just like anxiety Being witnessed without interruption builds trust Links You can find the accompany keynote presentation HERE (https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1MYD0AJOx7lRd87XWOmZG2vDnW4fIFHjOdisjdtnfkUk/edit?usp=sharing) for download. More information: Open Circle Listening Circle Trainings (https://www.weareopencircle.com/classes-and-events)

2. 

   4 Mar 2025

   E 58: Women's Wisdom

   Host [Host Name] interviews Dr. Mona Armijo, Mossy Kilcher, Michelle Duval, Liesl Coleman, and Dr. Tjanara Goreng Goreng about women's resilience, leadership, and evolving roles.

3. 

   20 Feb 2025

   Women & Men Are Different

   Miriam Jones and Adam Rumack explore gender-specific leadership challenges and personal growth strategies in this insightful interview.

Inside a recent episode

E 59: Listening Circles: Regulating Stress and Restoring Connection

Published 4 Mar 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] We associate with stress, so higher heart rate, faster breathing, things like digestion and higher level thinking and processing and memory and all those things start to collapse a little bit and in parasympathetic, the word we used there is pieced to remember that. Heart rate lowering, blood pressure is lowering, we are digesting both physically, we can digest food, we can restore muscle damage, we can learn and incorporate memories and into our, or we can remember things and we can process information better. And so we're constantly going between these two states or more leaning in one direction and then to the other and there is a natural wave pattern to this. […]

Who has been a guest on Beyond Listening

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Dr Mona Armijo
• Mossy Kilcher
• Michelle Duval
• Liesl Coleman
• Dr Tjanara Goreng Goreng

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

12 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

8 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 41 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

50

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

77