{"podcast":{"title":"Aspire to Lead","slug":"aspire-to-lead-881344","podcast_index_feed_id":881344,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/aspiretoleadpodcast/","website_url":"https://joshstamper.com/aspire-episodes/","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/68992553-1a23-4339-b684-7f934e770ff5/cySyp0cbw84xoTA-YIXVlMWF.png","author":"Joshua Stamper","episode_count":300,"summary":"Joshua Stamper provides an opportunity to learn from some of the most experienced and accomplished educational leaders. As we grow in our leadership skills, it’s imperative to learn from other leader’s successes, trials and misconceptions. Join us each week as my guests provide valuable stories, resources, and advice to enhance your leadership journey.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-12T14:19:32.017064+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/aspire-to-lead-881344"},"episode":{"title":"367. The Science of Kindness and Belonging: Featuring Dr. Christopher Culver","slug":"367-the-science-of-kindness-and-belonging-featuring-dr-christopher-culver","published_at":"2026-01-31T22:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/aspire-to-lead-881344/367-the-science-of-kindness-and-belonging-featuring-dr-christopher-culver","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/aspire-to-lead-881344","url":"https://joshstamper.com/the-science-of-kindness-and-belonging-featuring-dr-christopher-culver","audio_url":"https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/cc980283-2e96-4745-bab4-6550ab1bc858.mp3","summary":"What happens when we decide to be present, patient, and kind in the middle of one of the hardest stretches of the school year? In this week's episode of Aspire to Lead, Joshua Stamper welcomes back Dr. Christopher Culver to explore the science of kindness and belonging, the impact of chronic stress on educators, and why self compassion must come before we can sustain compassion for others.​ Dr. Culver shares vulnerable pieces of his own story, including seasons of deep darkness and imposter syndrome, and explains how those experiences shaped his work on kindness, his bilingual children’s book about belonging, his new book Be the Light, and his Science of Kindness podcast. Listeners will gain practical strategies to lead with presence and patience, protect their own mental health in high stress seasons, and create school cultures where every person feels seen, valued, and included. About Dr. Christopher Culver: Dr. Christopher Culver is a proud product of Oklahoma education and has served educational communities for more than a decade as a classroom teacher, secondary principal, and most recently as a cabinet-level administrator. Dr. Culver is a product of a divorced family and split time between Tulsa & Wyandotte, OK and Fayetteville, NC during his childhood. Currently, Dr. Culver serves as a consultant with expertise in kindness, culture and understanding Gen Z/Gen A, and as an adjunct professor at Oklahoma City University, teaching future teachers and leaders. He is highly sought after and well known for his high-energy, passionate, engaging, and motivational professional development. Participants call him “engaging, charismatic, dynamic, and enthusiastic.” He has his pulse on today’s generation. Earning an EdD researching culture, motivation, and the collective…","meta_description":"What happens when we decide to be present, patient, and kind in the middle of one of the hardest stretches of the school year? In this week's episode of A…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1574,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/aspire-to-lead-881344/episodes/367-the-science-of-kindness-and-belonging-featuring-dr-christopher-culver/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/aspire-to-lead-881344/367-the-science-of-kindness-and-belonging-featuring-dr-christopher-culver.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}