Summary:
This week on The UpLevel Podcast, join us in a powerful and deeply moving episode as we welcome two extraordinary humans: Sam House and Em House. Together, Sam and Em share an honest, vulnerable, and insightful conversation about right relationship—what it means, why we struggle with it, and how we can restore it in our families, communities, and society. They candidly discuss their own journey as parent and child, navigating identity, understanding, and healing. Listen now!
In this Episode:
Right Relationship as a Practice: A lifelong process of aligning with truth, growth, and authentic connection—never a fixed destination
Dismantling Ego for Deeper Connection: How releasing ego-driven defenses fosters radical transparency, love, and meaningful relationships
The Evolution of Parent-Child Bonds: Why honoring each other’s present identity is essential as relationships shift across life stages
Letting Go to Truly See Each Other: The necessity of shedding past perceptions to build a relationship rooted in the present
The Coming Out Journey: A candid look at the challenges, growth, and emotional complexities of navigating queer and non-binary identities within a family
Embracing Change as a Constant: How both parents and children continually adapt as identities unfold and deepen over time
Personal Stories as a Reflection of Society: How individual experiences echo broader cultural shifts toward embracing identity complexity
Transforming Systems Through Nuance: Moving beyond polarization by cultivating curiosity, deep listening, and relational integrity
The Role of Community in Change: Why building supportive spaces is essential for personal and collective transformation
The Core of Right Relationship: Balancing giving and receiving, being fully present without expectation, and engaging with self-awareness and openness
Order of Topics:
What Is Right Relationship, Really?
Ego vs. Authenticity
Parent-Child Evolution
Letting Go to Move Forward
The Coming Out Journey
Change Is Ongoing
Personal Journeys, Systemic Shifts
Wisdom for Systems-Level Chang
The Power of Community Circles
The Essential Ingredients of Right Relationship
Action Items:
Continuous Self-Reflection:
Regularly orient yourself towards understanding and being truthful with both yourself and others
Overcome ego barriers to foster genuine connections
Evolving Perceptions in Relationships:
Be open to evolving perceptions of people, especially within family dynamics like parent-child relationships
Let go of past perceptions to appreciate growth in others
Embrace Identity Dynamics:
Recognize the iterative nature of coming out or revealing true identities
Shed traditional beliefs and embrace dynamic identity changes for congruence
Systemic Awareness:
Reflect on societal resistance to change; understand how personal transformations can mirror systemic shifts
Appreciate nuance in human relationships as foundational for societal evolution
Practice Being Present:
Cultivate presence by managing judgments and maintaining a connection with oneself and others
Balance Giving & Receiving:
Ensure a sustainable relational flow through balanced giving and receiving interactions
Utilize Therapeutic Practices:
Engage in therapeutic practices such as meaningful conversations, therapy, or even creative outlets like 'rage rooms' for emotional release
Reconnect with Nature & Slow Down:
Counteract disconnection by engaging with nature; practice slowing down from an efficiency-driven mindset
Explore Masculine & Feminine Energies Healthily:
Work towards balancing these energies within yourself to cultivate compassionate interactions
Embrace Mistakes Courageously – Accept mistakes as part of the process toward building resilient connections; encourage vulnerability and healing through openness
About Sam & Em House:
Sam House, MCC, CPCC is a Master Certified Coach and founder of SOULutions Leadership & Coaching, with 25 years of experience in executive coaching, leadership development, and team transformation. As a senior faculty member at the Co-Active Training Institute (CTI), Sam specializes in developing leaders through Co-Active Coaching and Leadership programs, bringing a unique blend of rigor, heart, and transformative insight to his work.
His expertise spans executive coaching, leadership assessments, and customized training for organizations across the private, nonprofit, social entrepreneurial, and governmental sectors—including IBM, Google, Yale, and Marriott. Sam’s Polarity and Wholeness approach fosters deeper self-awareness, bridges divides, and transforms relationships and systems.
Passionate about bridging political divides, Sam is actively involved with Braver Angels, working to foster understanding between conservatives and liberals. A former psychotherapist, he holds a BA from Bowdoin College and an MSW from NYU. Sam lives in Delmar, NY, with his wife, Heather, and is a proud father and grandfather.
Em House (they/them) is a white, queer, nonbinary parent of a 3-year-old, living in Philadelphia on unceded Lenni-Lenape territory. Em is a passionate advocate for people’s growth and resilience. They are committed to change-making through transparency, radical self-acceptance, courageous vision, and intersectional collective action. Currently, Em works as a faculty member for the Co-Active Training Institute's Coach Training and Leadership programs, as well as a Co-Active coach, and a therapist for Philadelphia’s LGBTQ+ communities. Across all professions, Em’s approach is marked by their unique blend of down-to-earth honesty, compassion, and playfulness.
🎉 The UpLevel Podcast was listed as one of the Top 10 Best Coaching Culture Podcasts!!! https://podcasts.feedspot.com/coaching_culture_podcasts/
About UpLevel Productions: Founded by Christie Mann, MA, CPCC, PCC, and Rachel Baldi, CPCC, PCC, UpLevel creates, produces, and delivers Transformative Experiences, Workshops, Training, Events + Media that develop leaders who make our world a healthier, more alive, and connected place to be. As Associate CTI Faculty Partners, UpLevel is licensed to sell, produce, and deliver Co-Active coach training and leadership development programs around the world to support the transformational growth of individuals and culture inside the workplace and organization. www.uplevelproductions.com Instagram @uplevelproductions Facebook & LinkedIn @uplevelproductionscompany