Podcast Episodes on Mental Health & Social Science

Is loneliness the root of human suffering? How do we improve our relationship with ourselves? What can we do about the loneliness crisis? Unni Turrettini is a human connection expert, 3-time TEDx speaker, lawyer turned investigative journalist and best-selling author. Unni is best known for her bestselling book, Betraying the Nobel: The Secrets and Corruption Behind the Nobel Peace Prize, and the award-winning, The Mystery of the Lone Wolf Killers, which examines the most infamous Norwegia...

How do we improve our relationship with pain? How do we strengthen our relationship with discomfort? What is the relationship between physical pain and mental suffering? Vinny Crispino is the founder and CEO of Pain Academy, a corrective exercise expert, and a holistic health practitioner. With his unique insights and evidence-based approach, the Pain Academy has served over 10,000 clients by reclaiming their physical and mental health. In this episode of the Pain Academy, Stanford pain ex...

What are the hidden costs of American individualism? Why do sociopaths thrive in the workplace? Why do we not trust each other in corporate America? Dr. James F Richardson is a cultural anthropologist, founder of Social Institute Awareness, market research consultant expert, and published author. According to a recent national survey by Cigna, nearly half of U.S. adults reported sometimes or always feeling alone, and 40% felt that their relationships were not meaningful. This lack of socia...

What is the opposite of depression? What is the role of self-esteem in our happiness? Why should we choose character over comfort? Today’s conversation will reveal a new theory of self-esteem and the third dimension of psychological well-being that modern psychology has overlooked. Ryan A Bush is a mind architect, best-selling published author, creator of Mind Form, and the chief design officer at Nomad Nation. Expect to learn about why happiness is not the opposite of depression, a new...

How do you beat distractions? How do you expand your time? How do we focus on what matters the most? Today’s conversation will reveal a step-by-step blueprint to help you beat distractions, expand your time, and focus on what matters the most within the same 24 hours. Dr. Cassie Holmes is a UCLA professor, psychologist, award-winning researcher of time and happiness, and best-selling author. You can expect to learn about the best scientific methods to beat distractions, how to expand ou...

Does philosophy matter? How to philosophize effectively? What is the practical role of philosophy? When most people hear “philosophy,” they immediately dismiss it as “pointless or excessive thinking.” Today’s conversation will redefine the role of philosophy in everyday life and how to live a meaningful life in this increasingly complex world. Scott Hershovitz is a professor of law and philosophy at the University of Michigan and a published author. Scott earned a JD at the Yale Law ...

What is the psychology of influence? Why do humans struggle with lie detection? How can you spot a con artist? According to a 2023 survey, 34% of Americans said they would like to have the ability to influence others at will. Today’s episode will teach you a science-based framework for behavior change and influence, the same methods the guest used to shape Google’s global food policy, and much more. Dr. Zoe Chance is a Yale professor at the School of Management, published author, resear...

How do we have productive disagreements? Why is principled rebelliousness important? What is the art of insubordination? Today’s conversation will teach you how to have productive disagreements by stress-testing your beliefs. Dr. Todd Kashdan is a professor of psychology, a published author, and the director of The Well-Being Lab. Todd received the American Psychological Association’s Award for Distinguished Scientific Early Career Contribution to Psychology and his work can be seen in ...

Is the Standardized American Diet ruining our mental health? Why is the nutritional science often unscientific? Why are the USDA’s good guidelines harmful to American health? According to TIME, mental health in the United States has been worsening by every metric since 2000, including a 30% increase in suicide rates. In 2021, 22.8% of American adults reported experiencing mental health issues. In late 2022, only 31% of Americans reported mental health as “excellent” when compared to about 43%...

What is the success story behind Shazam? How do we think differently? How do we redefine what is possible? Chris Barton is the founder and first CEO of Shazam, a three-time startup founder, pioneer of mobile ecosystems at Google and Dropbox, and inventor of twelve patents. Shazam was downloaded over two billion times and was acquired by Apple in 2018 for a reported $401 million, making it Apple’s sixth-largest acquisition in history. Expect to learn how to think differently, Chris Barto...

How truthful is the mental health media industry of Hollywood? How do we protect our mental health from media? What does borderline personality look like in adults? Today’s conversation with a doctor of psychology and mental health media expert will explain the detriments of misinformation and sensationalism, and what we can do to safeguard our mental health in today’s media landscape. Dr. Courtney Tracy is a clinical psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, founder of The Truth Doct...

The American special forces have been the topic of countless movies due to their unbelievably cut-throat selection process, and the little-known reality of what they do and who they are. What is the secret reality of special forces in the United States? Dr. Chris Frueh is a clinical psychologist specializing in treating special forces, a professor of psychology, and a published author. Chris’s unique ability to simplify complex medical issues allowed him to testify before the US Congres...

Why does trauma repeat itself? What are the hidden costs of being normal? What is trauma healing? According to Forbes Health, in 2023, over 70% of the survey participants reported experiencing at least one traumatic event and 31% said they were exposed to four or more traumatic events in their lifetime. Today’s conversation will teach you why our trauma is not our identity. Dr. Frank Anderson is a trauma expert, Harvard-trained psychiatrist, therapist, global speaker, and bestselling au...

What is it like to be an astronaut? What does it take to be an astronaut? How do we control risks in high-stress environments? Today's guest is one of the most prolific American astronauts who was inducted into the US Astronaut Hall of Fame. Benoit wanted to be an astronaut or the president of the world. Yes, one of those positions is not real. Now, he explores the space within his clients’ temporal lobes and internal landscapes as a psychotherapist. Close enough, ha! Jim Wetherbee is a...

What does a healthy church look like? What are the biggest problems in the church today? According to the 2023 loneliness surveys, 52% of Americans report feeling lonely and about 47% said their relationships with others aren’t meaningful. For a long time, the church has filled that gap for many until recently. As of today, however, about 1.2 million people are leaving the church every year. Pastor Bobby Lopez is the co-founder of Passion LA, Director of Passionate Leaders Network, and ...

Can we reverse the aging process scientifically? How do we slow down biological aging? What is epigenetics? The ultimate question of the 21st century in biology is longevity. Our timeless pursuit of immortality can be seen across all cultures and different schools of philosophy. The fields of genetics and epigenetics are required to understand the topics of longevity and immortality. Today’s conversation will explain how to reverse the aging process scientifically by harnessing longevit...

Is manifestation real or just another pop culture myth and baseless hype? It took humans 90,000 years to get from hunter-gatherers to a society of agriculture and farming. Then, it took humans about 10,000 years to become an industrialized civilizati...

Is the mental health conversation too soft on social media? Has trauma become your identity? How do we break unhealthy patterns?  Michael Unbroken is a trauma coach, speaker, advocate for survivors of childhood trauma, and New York Times best-selling...

What is sex therapy? Is sex addiction real? Why do we feel sexual shame?  We live with many paradoxes in today’s society. For example, the United States is hyper-sexualized and the topic of sex can be seen in most fabrics of our society. Yet, sex and...

Is it possible to prove that God is real through science?  The biggest argument against Christianity is that there is no empirical evidence to support God’s existence.  Today’s conversation will explain the existence of God through astrophysics.  Dr....

What are the psychological benefits of having ritual practices?  Rituals are a series of actions performed in a specific order and are often part of a larger symbolic system. The oldest known evidence of rituals is the burial of loved ones, with the ...

What is sound wave therapy? Can you heal your mind and body using sound waves and frequencies? Torkom Ji is a master sound healer, founder of Quantum Harmonix, and meditation teacher.  Torkom has been facilitating group sound healing experiences sinc...

What are the hidden costs of chasing your dreams? How do we know when is the right time?  Everyone always talks about the aspirations of living their dreams but nobody talks about the costs of making dreams a reality.  Today’s conversation will expla...

What is the science of creativity? Can you approach the creative process scientifically?  Today’s conversation will explain the neuroscience of creativity and how to approach the creative process scientifically.  Rich Kirkpatrick is a creativity expe...