Episode 1: This Wasn’t the Plan

In the inaugural episode of the ThriveMind Studio Podcast, host Courtney Finstad opens the series with a conversation rooted in honesty, reflection, and lived experience.

In the first half of the episode, Courtney sits down with author Mark Shelley Kenzer to explore the themes of his book, My Miserable Search for Enlightenment. Together, they reflect on a lifelong search for meaning, identity, and spiritual truth—touching on meditation, silence, suffering, and the unraveling of ego and expectation. Rather than offering easy answers, the conversation invites curiosity, humility, and deeper awareness of what it means to live fully when life doesn’t follow the plan we imagined.
👉 You can find Mark’s book on Amazon.

My Miserable Search for Enlightenment: A Quest for God and the Eternal Self: Kenzer, Mark Shelley

The episode also features ThriveMind Studio’s Voices of Impact nonprofit spotlight, highlighting Bishop’s Mission and its founder, Kate Klasen. Kate shares how Bishop’s Mission supports first responders navigating the aftermath of critical incidents through peer connection, lived experience, and trained PTS canines. The conversation sheds light on gaps in traditional wellness systems—particularly the often-overlooked care of therapy and service dogs that departments rely on—setting the tone for ThriveMind’s commitment to practical, human-centered support.

Support Bishop’s Mission

If this conversation resonates with you, we invite you to learn more or contribute to their work:

BISHOP’S MISSION
Kate Klasen, Founder
📞 (602) 790-3651
🌐 www.bishopsmission.org

Your support helps make real, meaningful care possible for those who serve.