Michelle Maldonado on Mindful Leadership in a Divided World

In this episode of the Mindfulness Exercises Podcast, Sean Fargo speaks with Michelle Maldonado—founder of Lucenscia, leadership coach, Virginia state legislator, and author of The Conscious Mind.

Michelle’s path from the corporate world to public service was shaped by a deep desire to bring compassion, clarity, and trauma-awareness into systems that often overlook them. Learning breath awareness as a child to help manage fear and anxiety, she would bring those same tools to her son, helping him navigate stress and emotional overwhelm with presence and compassion and into a political system often driven by reactivity and disconnection.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✔ How Michelle first learned mindfulness as a child—and how it shaped her early emotional awareness

✔ Practical ways she’s taught mindfulness to her son (and how to help children regulate stress with breath)

✔ Why she entered politics—and how mindfulness helps her stay grounded while legislating

✔ How to spot signs of reactivity in your own body and choose how to respond

✔ Why trauma-informed mindfulness is essential for leadership, parenting, and teaching

✔ The difference between bypassing discomfort vs. holding it with care

✔ How to create psychologically safe spaces at home, at work, and in communities

✔ What it looks like to lead from wholeness in real-world, high-stress environments

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About the Podcast Mindfulness Exercises with Sean Fargo is a practical, grounded mindfulness podcast for people who want meditation to actually help in real life. Hosted by Sean Fargo — a former Buddhist monk, mindfulness teacher, and founder of MindfulnessExercises.com — this podcast explores how mindfulness can support mental health, emotional regulation, trauma sensitivity, chronic pain, leadership, creativity, and meaningful work. Each episode offers a mix of: • Practical mindfulness and meditation teachings • Conversations with respected teachers, clinicians, authors, and researchers • Real-world insights for therapists, coaches, yoga teachers, educators, and caregivers • Gentle reflections for anyone navigating stress, anxiety, burnout, grief, or change Rather than chasing peak experiences or spiritual bypassing, this podcast emphasizes embodied practice, ethical teaching, and mindfulness that meets people where they are—messy, human, and alive. If you’re interested in: • Mindfulness meditation for everyday life • Trauma-sensitive and co...