Repurposing Gratitude to Increase the Effectiveness of Our Care

Guest: Erwin Valencia, Ph.D., physical therapist for the New York Knicks Scientists are confirming that gratitude has many benefits that range from emotional uplift and improved mental health to physical benefits, such as boosting the immune system. What is less commonly known is that we can repurpose the uplifting energy we experience from gratitude. Gratitude is a powerful heart quality that provides a sense of warmth and lift. When we feel gratitude, we’re naturally more connected with our true selves. We can see this as an opportunity to repurpose the gratitude energy into deeper care and kindness. Because we’re in a higher vibrational state, we’re less inclined to get caught in worry and can see more clearly what an appropriate act of care would look like. This higher vibrational energy can also increase the effectiveness of our intentions. Deborah Rozman, Ph.D., host of the Add Heart® Podcast, and her guest Erwin Valencia, Ph.D., life coach and world-renowned physical therapist for the New York Knicks, will discuss gratitude in this fresh light. Deborah will share how we can add heart to repurpose the energetics we feel from gratitude towards people, projects, and issues that we care deeply about. In this podcast episode, Deborah and Erwin will also discuss how the science of gratitude is being used as a biohack by experts like Erwin, who specialize in the neuroscience of human performance in athletes and performance artists. Erwin will share what gratitude means to him and how he has integrated gratitude into his training with athletes. He’ll share how he helps people learn to harness its power to increase their resilience, focus, and performance. This episode closes with a heart meditation to add heart to our experience of gratitude and to increase the effectiveness of our care. About our guest: Erwin Benedict Valencia, PT, DPT, MEd, ATC, CSCS, PES, CES, CHC, is a wellness expert in the world of high-performance sports. He’s also a speaker, life coach, social entrepreneur, and a world-renowned physical therapist for the New York Knicks. Erwin is the founder of KinetIQ and the #BeyondMedyo Foundation. Erwin brings a holistic approach to professional sports, combining Sports Science + Clinical Expertise + Mindfulness + Positive Psychology to the algorithm of athlete wellness and care.