Want Connection Skip The Small Talk Ashley Kirsner 42

“It is much safer to be vulnerable than you might think.” – Ashley Kirsner. . .  . . . Ashley is the founder and director of Skip the Small Talk, and believes in the efficacy of high-quality person-to-person interaction for improving psychological health. She has conducted research with professors at prestigious organizations such as Cornell University, the Harvard Decision Science Lab, and the Harvard Business School, on social and clinical psychology topics ranging from decision-making and implicit biases to facial expressions in borderline personality disorder patients.. . .  . . . Ashley gained hands-on therapeutic experience as a suicide hotline phone responder and as a peer counselor at Cornell. Ashley received her B.A. in Psychology from Cornell University and turned down acceptances to doctorate programs in order to devote her time to Skip the Small Talk. She received a fellowship from the Harvard Divinity School for individuals who have demonstrated a social impact in the domain of creating meaningful communities. Skip The Small Talk events are regularly held internationally, as well as an online options.. . .  . . . In this engaging episode of ‘Curated Questions,’ host Ken Woodward sits down with Ashley Kirsner, the founder and director of ‘Skip the Small Talk.’ They explore the transformative power of meaningful conversations, the science behind vulnerability, and the surprising benefits of structured social interactions.  . . .  . . . Ashley shares her experiences from the suicide hotline, her inspiration for starting ‘Skip the Small Talk,’ and how intentional question design can foster deeper human connections. The conversation also delves into the physiological benefits of social interactions, ethical considerations in community building, and the importance of creating safe spaces for vulnerability. Tune in to learn how these insights can help you build stronger, more authentic relationships in your own life.. . .  . . . Episode Notes. . . [00:00] The Power of Vulnerability. . . [01:57] Meet Ashley Kirsner. . . [03:55] The Impact of Active Listening. . . [05:02] A Transformative Call. . . [06:25] The Magic of Open-Ended Questions. . . [13:28] The Role of Basic Needs in Emotional Well-being. . . [17:10] The Birth of Skip the Small Talk. . . [25:18] The First Skip the Small Talk Event. . . [28:39] The Evolution of Skip the Small Talk. . . [32:56] Online Events During COVID-19. . . [34:58] Work At An Anxiety Lab. . . [38:08] The Importance of Positive Questions. . . [42:40] The Power of Repeated Questions. . . [45:33] Attending a Skip the Small Talk Event. . . [46:14] The Speed Dating Format. . . [47:21] Encouraging Anxious Participants. . . [48:45] The Power of Sharing Deeply. . . [49:32] Consistent Findings on Vulnerability. . . [50:13] Understanding Oversharing. . . [51:11] Structure and Time Management. . . [52:18] Facilitators and Norms. . . [53:12] Contact Information Norms. . . [55:06] Intentional Iteration and Safety. . . [56:37] The Role of Participants. . . [59:01] Financial Accessibility and Investment. . . [01:00:43] Balancing Accessibility and Compensation. . . [01:01:49] Compensating Facilitators. . . [01:04:39] Physiological Benefits of Deep Conversations. . . [01:07:00] Research on Loneliness and Connection. . . [01:09:02] The Impact of Loneliness on Health. . . [01:10:41] The Role of Sleep in Connection. . . [01:13:42] The Importance of Group Interactions. . . [01:15:10] The Power of Intentional Conversations. . . [01:20:26] Learning from Gathering Experts. . . [01:23:19] Right Now Question u0026 Following Curiosity. . . [01:30:18] Where You Can Find Skip The Small Talk. . . [01:35:45] Takeaway Thoughts u0026 Questions. . . .  . . . Resources Mentioned. . . Skip The Small Talk (https://www.skipthesmalltalk.com/) . . . Chris Voss (https://www.blackswanltd.com/chris-voss) . . . Finding Good (https://www.findinggood.com/) with Brian Fretwell. . . Dr. Nicholas Epley (https://www.nicholasepley.com/) . . . DBT – Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22838-dialectical-behavior-therapy-dbt) . . . Brene Brown (https://brenebrown.com/) . . . How We Gather by Priya Parker (https://www.priyaparker.com/) . . . Power of Ritual by Casper ter Kuile (https://www.caspertk.com/) . . . How We Gather by Dr. Angie Thurston – Harvard Divinity School (https://caspertk.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/how-we-gather.pdf) . . . Death of Rasputin (https://www.deathofrasputin.com/) . . . Harvard Graduate School of Education (https://www.gse.harvard.edu/) . . . Harvard (https://www.harvard.edu/) . . . Wharton Business School (https://www.wharton.upenn.edu/) . . . MIT (https://www.mit.edu/) . . . GE Aviation (https://www.geaerospace.com/) . . . Act Blue (https://www.actblue.com/) . . . Beauty Pill (https://www.beautypill.com/) . . . Producer Ben Ford (https://www.producerbenford.com/) . . . .  . . . Questions Asked. . . When did you first understand the power of questions?. . . How would this possibly work?. . . What are we doing here?. . . How could this possibly be effective?. . . What is it that asking questions actually does for us?. . . In this deep end of the pool, for what you ex…