Hope Means the Small Daily Actions We Can Take with Andrés Martínez-García - Walk Talk Listen (Episode 256)
From Walk Talk Listen Podcast · 1:06:33
Show by Maurice A. Bloem
Andrés Martínez-García is a psychologist and peacebuilder whose professional journey began with people directly affected by Colombia's decades of violence. Born and raised in Bogotá, Andrés recalls a happy childhood while recognizing how much his parents did to protect him and his twin brother from dangers they did not always fully understand at the time. His first job as a psychologist brought him face-to-face with that other Colombian reality, providing psychosocial support to landmine survivors and victims of violence. The experience convinced him that addressing trauma alone was not enough without also confronting the conditions that produce violence. It eventually led him into peacebuilding and to a lifelong interest in how psychology, peace, religion and spirituality intersect. A particularly formative moment came when a patient asked him to pray with her, leaving the young psychologist wondering where professional boundaries ended and the spiritual dimensions of healing began. Today, Andrés is Regional Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith & Local Communities (JLI), where he helps lead the LAC Regional Learning Hub and works at the intersection of faith, mental health, evidence and locally led development. In this conversation, we explore why sustainable peace requires attention to trauma and personal and community healing; the religious diversity of Latin America and the Caribbean; what younger generations may be teaching us about spirituality, institutions and connection; and why local organizations and religious actors need to help determine the questions that research asks rather than simply participate in someone else's agenda. Andrés also responds to Doug Fountain's question about loneliness, reflects on his hopes and concerns for his daughter in an increasingly technological world, and explains why Bob Marley's Redemption Song speaks so deeply to his work and who he is. Before we finish, he adds Mercedes Sosa's Gracias a la Vida, another song that holds pain and suffering together with hope. Listener Engagement: Learn more about Andrés and his work through his LinkedIn profile. You can also learn more about the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith & Local Communities (JLI) and follow JLI on its social media channels. Don't only listen to Bob Marley's Redemption Song and Mercedes Sosa's Gracias a la Vida, picked by Andrés, but also the songs chosen by other guests on our #walktalklisten playlist here. Share your feedback on this episode through our link – your thoughts matter! Follow Us: Support the Walk Talk Listen podcast by following us on Facebook and Instagram. Visit 100mile.org or mauricebloem.com for more episodes and information about our work. Check out the special series "Enough for All" and learn more about the work of the Joint Learning Initiative (JLI).
More episodes of Walk Talk Listen Podcast
More episodes
- I Try to Constantly Improve Myself with Stefan Sengstmann - Walk Talk Listen (Episode 263)
- Life Is a Gift with Mira Neaimeh - Walk Talk Listen (Episode 262)
- Action in the World Now Can't Wait with Peter Prove - Walk Talk Listen (Episode 261)
- Do Not Let Anyone Make You Feel Smaller with Shahin Ashraf MBE - Walk Talk Listen (Episode 260)
- We Need to Learn, and Not Just Teach with Rev. Jane Ng’ang’a - Walk Talk Listen (Episode 259)
- A New Sense of Possibility with Sam Daley-Harris - Walk Talk Listen (Episode 258)
- I Intentionally Go Small Picture with Lisa le Roux - Walk Talk Listen (Episode 257)
- Through the Cracks: Illuminating Leadership's Transformative Journey with Boy van Droffelaar - Walk Talk Listen (episode 176)
- The Fire Within with Andriy Pinchuk - Walk Talk Listen (Episode 177).
- Sustainable Impact Through Innovation with Nina Benoit - Walk Talk Listen (Episode 178)
PodSearch is a free, independent podcast search engine. Read about PodSearch, the privacy policy or contact us.