In our first episode of 2026, Lori Austein speaks with Eran Halevi of the Uriel Center as he shares about the many practices that he and his wife and partner, Nuria, have woven with council to create the Listening Heart program.
In this wide-ranging and deeply human conversation, Eran reflects on his personal and professional journey with Council—not as a technique, but as a living practice that reshaped how he understands himself, relationship, and community. What began as a communication method evolved into a path of inner work, guided by the discovery of the inner witness and the transformative power of group presence. Drawing on Martin Buber’s insight that we come to know ourselves through relationship, Eran speaks to how others mirror not who we imagine ourselves to be, but who we actually are.
In this episode, we explore:
– How Council became a path of inner work, not just dialogue
– The role of the inner witness and relational mirroring in self-knowledge
– Supporting soldiers in the transition from warrior to home life
– How training Jewish and Arab Israelis carry the practice to navigate divides
Throughout the conversation, Council emerges as an antidote to separation.
Find out more about the Uriel Center and The Listening Heart program HERE