191: Voices of Courage with Ken D. Foster - Episode 191191: Voices of Courage with Ken D. Foster - Episode 191
UK Health Radio Podcast
Ken D. Foster and Michael Schauch talk about courage, non-self and the healing power of nature, using mountains and everyday stories to explain how presence and stillness can shift a life. The conversation focuses on practical, gentle steps from fear and stress towards growth, connection and a more authentic way of being.
46:03•7 Nov 2026
Finding Courage, Non-Self and Healing in Nature with Michael Schauch
Episode Overview
- Reconnecting with nature can help quiet mental noise, open the heart and remind you of your deeper self.
- Your stories and identities are part of you, but seeing them clearly stops them from controlling your whole perspective.
- Combining hope with courage is presented as a practical way to begin stepping out of dark, stressful places.
- Treating life as an ongoing practice of stillness and presence offers short, repeated glimpses of clarity and peace.
- Small, courageous steps—like a walk under trees or letting someone “be right”—can lead to genuine healing and stronger relationships.
“There’s hope, right? There’s hope. And this is the key here. There’s not only hope… when you combine hope with courage, you can start to step out of that.”
Experience the emotional and inspiring tales of recovery as Ken D. Foster sits down with mountaineer and author Michael Schauch to talk about what it really means to come home to nature and to yourself. Rather than chasing the “big wave” identity, you’ll hear them chat about how our personal stories can trap us at the “bottom of a well”, narrowing life down to fear, stress and survival.
Michael explains the Buddhist idea of *anatta* (non‑self) in plain, everyday language, using mountains, oceans and rivers as metaphors. He shares how time in nature, especially the Himalayas, stripped away layer after layer of thoughts until he was left with what he calls “pure presence” – simply being with what is. For anyone feeling stuck in anxiety, depression or unhealthy habits, that description of presence feels like a realistic, gentle invitation rather than a mystical escape.
Ken brings in his own coaching experience, talking about moving from fear to courage and how “life is a meditation”. Together they look at comfort, stress and growth zones, and how staying too long in comfort can quietly shrink your life. There’s a powerful story about Ken choosing to “just let him be right” with his father, and how that simple change in story transformed their relationship.
Michael also recounts the journey of his close friend, who lived with schizophrenia and yet felt most whole in the mountains. For him, a short walk under tall trees was his personal Everest and the first real step back towards healing. This episode suits anyone juggling mental health, identity, or the pressure to be “someone”, including those in addiction or sobriety recovery who are craving more stillness, meaning and connection.
It’s reflective, sometimes funny, and very human – asking you to consider: which of your stories are still helping you, and which are quietly draining your life?
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