Arete Coach 1153 Severin Sorensen "Harvesting Thankfulness: Unpacking the History and Science of Gratitude"
- S1E1153
- 44:59
- November 20th 2023
Welcome to Episode 1153 of the Arete Coach Podcast, hosted by Severin Sorensen, with an episode titled, "Harvesting Thankfulness: Unpacking the History and Science of Gratitude."
This episode delves into the historical and cultural significance of Thanksgiving, with a particular emphasis on the concept of gratitude. The host, Severin Sorensen, begins by exploring the historical narrative of Thanksgiving, dating back to the Pilgrims' arrival in Plymouth and their interactions with the indigenous Wampanoag tribe. He highlights the evolution of Thanksgiving from a religious observance to Abraham Lincoln's proclamation of a national day of Thanksgiving during the Civil War, designed to foster unity and gratitude in a divided nation.
The podcast then shifts focus to the concept of gratitude itself, discussing its transformative power on personal and mental health. Research findings are presented to support the idea that gratitude leads to numerous benefits, such as reduced stress and anxiety, improved self-esteem, better physical health, enhanced social connections, and overall wellbeing. The episode delves into various levels and definitions of gratitude, its psychological and social implications, and practical strategies for cultivating gratitude in daily life, like keeping a gratitude journal, practicing mindfulness, and engaging in volunteer work. The episode aims to inspire listeners to reflect on the importance of gratitude in their lives and the broader historical context of Thanksgiving.
The profound impact of gratitude on both mental and physical health is well-documented in scientific research, as highlighted in the Arete Coach Podcast. Embracing gratitude can significantly enhance one’s mental wellbeing, leading to stronger bonds with the local community and more satisfying personal relationships. People who practice gratitude tend to be better liked by their peers, fostering increased social bonds and a sense of social desirability. This positive emotional state is linked to increased optimism, greater life satisfaction, and heightened overall happiness. Notably, gratitude also plays a crucial role in mitigating negative mental health outcomes; it is associated with decreased levels of depressive symptoms, reduced feelings of loneliness, and less frequent use of negative emotional words, leading to an overall improvement in mental health status. This shift in perspective also results in lowered stress and anxiety levels.
On the physical health front, the benefits of gratitude are equally compelling. Practicing gratitude can lead to a 10% reduction in stress-related illnesses, underscoring its role in strengthening the immune system. Grateful individuals often experience improved blood pressure and heart health, contributing to better cardiovascular health. Additionally, there's evidence of improved eating behaviors and glycemic control, which are crucial for managing conditions like diabetes. Asthma sufferers might find increased control over their condition, and a general improvement in physical health is observed, characterized by reduced fatigue and inflammation. Such holistic benefits demonstrate that gratitude is not just a feel-good emotion but a crucial component of a healthy lifestyle.
The Arete Coach Podcast seeks to explore the art and science of executive coaching. You can find out more about this podcast at aretecoach.io.
This episode was produced on November 20, 2023.
Copyright © 2023 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.
Arete Coach: Exploring the Art and Science of Executive Coaching
“Arete Coach Podcast" Explores the "Art and Science" of Executive Coaching hosted by Severin Sorensen. The “Arete Coach Podcast" is for executive coaches and anyone considering becoming an executive coach. The podcast is especially valuable to executive coaches who are lifetime learners with deep curiosity about the "art and science" of coaching. In this podcast, the ‘art of coaching’ is explored through engaging interviews with leading executive coaches from diverse backgrounds sharing their individual coaching journeys, learnings, methods, best questions, and situational approaches to executive coaching. Beyond best practices, the podcast will regularly mine research on the ‘science of coaching’ and explores ongoing scientific discoveries and studies looking for what works and why, with an aim to improve the core body of knowledge for executive coaches and the industry. Severin Sorensen has provided over 7,500 hours of paid executive coaching sessions and he holds the following coaching certifications: ICF/ACSTH Certified Executive Coach (CEC), Certified Organizational Development Coach (CODC), Certified Life Coach (CLC); and the IAC: Coach Masteries Practioner. Severin Sorensen has an M.Phil in Economics at King's College, Cambridge University, and undergraduate degrees in Economics and Political Science from the University of Utah.
The Arete Coach Podcast is the copyright of Arete Coach LLC.
Severin Sorensen is host of the Arete Coach Podcast, where he interviews executive coaches and researchers with the aims to celebrate and explore the art and science of executive coaching today.
Severin is a senior executive coach, serial entrepreneur and lifetime learner with a passionate curiosity about people and businesses. Severin is the CEO of ePraxis LLC, a premier level retained search firm that provides executive headhunting, talent selection, and executive coaching. (www.epraxis.com)
Severin is a certified coach with an IAC Masteries Practitioner designation and 800+ hours of ICF/ACSTH and other advanced training in Executive Coaching, Organizational Development, EOS, Life Coaching, Emotional Intelligence (EQ), and Positive Intelligence (PQ). Severin has over 7,500+ hours of paid executive coaching working with high performing executives, owners, and operators of public and private companies throughout North America.Severin's coaching clients include boards of directors, CEOs, Presidents, GMs, COO, CFO, CTO, VP Engineering, VP Talent, and many other positions.
Severin lives in Park City , Utah and his virtual coach practice includes clients throughout the Americas.
From 2010-2018 Severin was a Vistage Chair where he coached three CEO and Key executive groups. In 2011, Severin received the "Rookie of the Year Chair Award" from Vistage. Since 2013, Severin has added international speaking for Vistage, CEO conferences, executive peer groups, and corporations on the topic of identifying and hiring difference making top talent.
In terms of the types of clients coached, Severin has coached new CEOs (with less than 2 years experience), large company executives (e.g., Managing Director of Rio Tinto), numerous high-growth entrepreneurs operating INC 5000 businesses, multi-generational family owned businesses, and primary-equity business owners who are still actively managing their companies. Severin has experience coaching both private and public company executives and their executive teams.
Severin's own coaching practice is tool based, using diagnostics, surveys, and Socratic questioning to get to root issues. You can learn more about Severin at epraxis.com (insights), LinkedIn, Quora, and Twitter. If you think you might be a good fit for executive coaching with Severin, he is happy to give you a free test drive coaching session to see if this would be good for you and your team. You can book a free test-drive 30 min coaching huddle at: calendly.com/epraxis.