Episodes
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Whether we're stuck in a long line, stuck in traffic, or stuck in some aspect in our lives, being stuck kinda sucks. We've all experienced feeling stuck at some point. I know I have! Don't you wish there was an easy-to-grab resource to help get you unstuck?
Help is here! My colleague, Britt Frank, LCSW, has created The Getting Unstuck Workbook: Practical Tools for Overcoming Fear and Doubt - and Moving Forward with Your Life. This workbook, a follow-up to her book The Science of Stuck, is a valuable resource for navigating those challenging moments.
Join us on SuperPsyched as Britt shares insightful tips on how to get unstuck.
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Have you ever experienced the fear of sharing your opinion at work or had the feeling like you're walking on eggshells in a relationship? The absence of psychological safety probably plays a vital role in each of these scenarios.
Dr. Amy Edmondson, a Harvard Business School professor, identified psychological safety as a key factor in innovative companies and stable relationships. Amy has won numerous awards including the Most Influential Thinker in Human Resources by HR Magazine in 2019. I loved her book, The Right Kind of Wrong, which delves into this topic, and has won prestigious awards like the Financial Times and Schroders Business Book of the Year in 2023.
Join Amy and me as she shares what psychological safety entails, how to nurture it in professional and personal settings, and why it's crucial for success in both spheres.
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Dreams are fascinating things. Whether we know it or not, we all dream approximately six times per night. We may remember our dreams and even think about them all day. Or we may forget them entirely.
For years, and in many cultures, dreams have held deep meanings. These days, some people continue to mine dreams for their meaning, and I have seen them have tremendous usefulness as a therapist and in my own life.
Dr. James Hollis is a psychologist and a Jungian analyst. He was educated at the Jung Institute in Zurich, Switzerland, and he has written 14 books. I have read several of his books and consider him one of the most important voices in psychology. Jim regularly interprets dreams of his patients and he’s spent a great deal of time interpreting his own.
This is Jim’s second time visiting with me on SuperPsyched and I am so happy to have him back. As you’ll hear, he’s a thoughtful and relatable person. You’ll also hear him interpret one of my own dreams!So, listen in as Jim and I talk about dream interpretation.
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What does it take to become a gold medalist at the Olympics? How about becoming a gold medalist at your third Olympics after coming home without a medal in the first two tries? And what is required to create a team that is in sync and ready for any in-game situation?
My guest answers these questions and more: Olympic men’s volleyball gold medalist Ryan Millar (https://www.goldmmindset.com/)!
As you’ll hear, Ryan is disciplined, and his practices go far beyond sport. We can all learn from what his path has taught him.
So, listen in as Ryan shares the gold medal mindset, here or anywhere you listen to podcasts:
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This particular episode is something of a special one. It features a person I knew in high school but, as you will hear, there was so much about her I didn’t know.
We talk about many important themes including, but not limited to: the importance of narrative, discovering more about your family, and working through narrative and discovery to establish a cohesive sense of self.
While this may sound a bit intellectually challenging, fear not! Everything discussed on this episode is highly relatable!
My guest, Dr. Kathryn DeZur has worked as a professor of English for well over two decades including her most recent position at SUNY Delhi. She is a total delight to speak with and, as you'll hear, a proponent of what SuperPsyched is all about! She is committed to doing things—often things that scare her or intimidate her—but in doing so, allow her to feel most alive.
So, listen in as Kathy and I talk about the power of narrative.
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Imagine being a 12-year-old girl. You are going through the awkward adolescence of any of your peers. But there’s a difference: you’re 6-feet tall. You stand out. And, although you are a person with many great qualities, it’s only your height that people focus on.
But soon you discover rowing. You love the sport. Better still, your height is an asset, a tool that assists you in excelling.
This is the origin story of Olympic Gold Medalist, Caryn Davies. Caryn would go on to study at Harvard and continue rowing there. She sat in the most important position on the boat known as stroke, as she participated in three Olympic Games: Athens, Beijing, and London. She has won two gold medals and one silver. She also won the Thomas Keller Medal, which is the most prestigious award in rowing, and she’s the only American to have ever won it.
As if that weren’t enough, she got her bachelor’s at Harvard, MBA at Oxford, and law degree at Columbia.
There are so many things I admire about Caryn. As you’ll hear, she thinks deeply about sport, excellence, and being a well-rounded person outside of sports. You’ll also hear I’m practically jumping out of my seat with excitement as Caryn tells her stories and shares her wisdom.
So, listen in as Caryn talks about winning in and out of the water.
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These days, artificial intelligence is a hot topic on the news, social media, our workplaces, and our conversations. Yet AI has a long history. One of its pioneers, Dr. Terry Winograd, has been engaging it for well over 50 years.
After finishing his doctorate at MIT, Terry was hired by Stanford University to teach computer science. He’s now professor emeritus at Stanford where he spent the bulk of his career teaching and contributing mightily to the field of computer science. And just to give you a sense of his international impact, let’s consider the h-index, a way to measure the impact of a person’s research. An h-index of 40 is considered outstanding while an h-index of 60 is considered truly exceptional. Terry’s is 70, which means his research made a massive splash and has been frequently cited in order to further knowledge on his subject.
And while at Stanford, two of his doctoral students were none other than Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who would later go on to found Google. You’ll hear that story and so many others.
So, listen in as Terry and I talk about AI and Google, then and now.
Sources: https://web.cs.ucla.edu/~palsberg/h-number.html and https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10025721/#:~:text=It%20is%20simple%20to%20calculate,had%20h%2Dindex%20of%2030.
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Love is a funny word. To be sure, it’s a word that has been used a lot on this podcast particularly as it relates to our love of people. These people could be a romantic partner, a family member, a friend, or another meaningful interpersonal relation.
But what about our love of things? We might love our houses, our phones, certain types of food, a brand, or a kajillion other things, both tangible and intangible.
On this episode I will be interviewing Dr. Aaron Ahuvia (https://thethingswelove.com/), a professor of marketing at the University of Michigan-Dearborn College of Business, who is the most widely published and cited academic expert on non-interpersonal love. His latest book, The Things We Love: How Our Passions Connect Us and Make Us Who We Are, explores our love of things that are not human.
Speaking of things I love, I loved this book! And I’m not alone. Publisher’s Weekly said, “This stimulating volume is easy to love.”
So, listen in as Aaron and I talk about the things we love.
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Anti-Jewish sentiment might be the world’s longest hatred. Historical documents suggest Jews have experienced this hatred for over 2,000 years, well before the Common Era even began. It would continue through various eras, including the Roman Era, the Inquisition, and the Holocaust.
And it continues today. Hate crimes against Jews have gone up by 400% in the US compared to last year.
So many questions arise, including the obvious: why are Jews so hated and what can we do to help?
Jewish hatred confuses me deeply. Jews are a people who comprise about 0.2% of the world's population, yet they have been at the forefront of major social justice movements and scientific breakthroughs. Jews show up consistently to lend a hand in repairing the world in disproportionately high numbers considering they comprise only a fraction of a percent of the population.
In this episode, you’ll hear two Jewish psychologists discussing anti-Jewish sentiment, misunderstandings that lead to antisemitism, and myths and truths. It is my hope that people can walk away with a better understanding of why this is a misplaced hatred. And, of course, we discuss what we can do to support Jewish people. My colleague, Dr. Liya Levanda (https://www.drlevanda.com/) is a psychologist and educator who specializes in teaching others about Jewish issues like antisemitism. As you'll hear, she's thoughtful and very well-informed.
So, listen in as Liya talks with me about supporting Jews through antisemitism.
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Sometimes when we hear about the climate crisis, we can feel a sense of hopelessness. As a result, our anxieties can spike and there’s even a term for it: Eco-Anxiety.
One thing I have learned about anxiety—eco-anxiety or other forms of it—is that the more we avoid the thing that makes us anxious, the more the anxiety increases. If you’re asking, “What can I do about the environment and my own eco-anxiety?” then this episode is for you.
Two years ago, I hosted Heather White, a licensed attorney and the author of One Green Thing, on this podcast and we geeked out to the topic of eco-anxiety. She’s returning with her new book, 60 Days to a Greener Life: Ease Eco-anxiety Through Joyful Daily Action. I loved this book because it acknowledges that despite the crisis, we must live our lives and that we can’t do all the things. But we can do some things. And the book shares small daily exercises that are easy and actionable that leverage our personal strengths, allowing each of us to lead from those strengths to improve the health of the planet. When we do these things alone, it may seem like not much will affect change of the state of the planet; but when we do this collectively, as Heather suggests, the outcome can be quite different.
By the way, another person who loved this book was someone I know you’ve heard of—Erin Brockovich. She said, “I call Heather the Brené Brown of the environmental movement because she makes environmental action personal, doable, and joyful.”
So, listen in as Heather talks about 60 days to a greener life.
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Vaping. It seems to be everywhere these days. Sure, adults engage in vaping but, sadly, so do adolescents and even children at very high numbers.
There have been all kinds of myths as they relate to vaping and, as always, it is crucial to listen to the experts who know the science. One such person is Dr. Adam Leventhal (https://keck.usc.edu/faculty-search/adam-matthew-leventhal/). Adam is a professor at Keck School of Medicine at USC where he serves as Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences as well as the Director of the Institute for Addiction Science.As his title suggests, he’s the guy from whom I would want to learn and I am so grateful he shared his knowledge.So, listen in as Adam and Adam talk about vaping, the myths and realities.
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If you have ever been in a relationship, there's about a 100% chance that you and your partner had certain differences. One of those differences just may have been how you handled money. Within that difference, it is likely that one of you was bit spendy and the other was, shall we say, thriftier.
This would be all fine and dandy, except often it’s not. Money can be one of the biggest sources of arguments for couples. And money is funny… it can be a more charged topic and even more taboo than sex.
What to do? Fear not, help is on the way!
Dr. Scott Rick (https://scottrick.com/) is an associate professor of Marketing at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. He is the author of the well-researched and hilariously titled Tightwads and Spendthrifts: Navigating the Money Minefield in Real Relationships. I loved this book and I’m hardly alone—Booklist said “…It's a must-read for anyone looking to unravel the mysteries of money and love."I couldn’t agree more. So, listen in as Scott and I talk about how to navigate money in our relationships.
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One of the most common topics discussed in my office is social anxiety. Really great people say that there’s nothing more painful than going to a party where they know few people or, worse still, no one.How about giving a toast at a wedding? Or, trying to engage in small talk that might lead to bigger talk? Or, how to handle awkward social interactions?If there’s one person on the planet who knows how to handle all of these, it would have to be my new friend, the mingling maven, Susan RoAne (https://www.susanroane.com/)! Susan is the author of the now-classic book, How to Work a Room: The Ultimate Guide to Making Lasting Connections—In Person and Online. I loved the book as have major thought leaders like Dan Pink and many others.So, as it says on Susan’s website, "If you have ever walked into a room full of strangers and felt uncomfortable..." listen in. Susan is here to help!
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I’m a big fan of the English language and, although I make a lot of errors with grammar, I’m always trying to learn the rules.
Yet, as you’ll hear on this episode, a word or phrase might be grammatically incorrect but linguistically correct. And, I cringe as I write this, that includes my most dreaded of non-word words: irregardless.
Ouch. At least my spellcheck caught that so-called word with a red underline!
I was utterly thrilled to talk about language with Dr. Valerie Fridland (https://www.valeriefridland.com/), a professor of linguistics at University of Nevada Reno and the author of a hilarious and highly educational book called, Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English.
So, listen in as Valerie gives a mini-master class on the language we use!
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There are paradoxes around aging. On the one hand, we are living longer than ever. On the other hand, we live in a youth-worshiping culture. So, while we’re living longer, aging gets a bad rap. Expressions like “I’m dating myself” are commonplace. Sadly, they are also self-shaming and toxic.
What if I told you that with aging can come spectacular and countless benefits? These can include various forms of increased intelligence, deeper experiences of joy, and more profound connections in our relationships.
I’m delighted to share the wisdom of Chip Conley (https://chipconley.com/). Chip is an extremely successful hotelier, a former exec at Airbnb, and the founder and CEO of Modern Elder Academy, the world's first "midlife wisdom school" dedicated to career and life transitions. He’s also the author of multiple books including his latest, Learning to Love Midlife: 12 Reasons Why Life Gets Better with Age. I loved this book as did multiple thought leaders including Esther Perel who said, “Read this book to reimagine every stage of midlife.”
So, listen in as Chip gives the lowdown on how and why life gets better with age. -
Any regular listener of this show probably knows I care deeply about mentorship. So when SuperPsyched guest and success expert Dr. Ruth Gotian told me she was co-authoring a book on mentorship with Andy Lopata (https://lopata.co.uk/), I jumped at the chance to interview him. The two of them have written The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring: A Complete Guide to Effective Mentoring.
As you’ll hear, Andy is wise, fun, and will provide actionable tips on both providing and receiving mentorship. And you’ll also hear why I love it so much and it will refer back to a solo episode of mine extolling the virtues of mentorship. My mentors Allen Greenberger and Martin Doerner have informed nearly everything I’ve done in my academic, professional, and personal lives.
So, listen in as Andy and I geek out to the importance and the how-to’s of mentorship. -
The US Constitution became effective 235 years ago. It is a document that was way ahead of its time. Yet, while the document is the same as it was, much of our world has changed since then.
We can talk about what it says and debate aspects about it. But what would it be like to live daily life according to what the document says?
AJ Jacobs (https://ajjacobs.com/) is a New York Times bestselling author. He is also one of the funniest, smartest, and most curious people I have ever known. Each of his books have involved stretching his knowledge through experience and I call him a stuntman driven by his desire to learn. Instead of putting his body in danger, however, his stunts are doing things like bringing the constitution to life by walking through the streets of Manhattan with a tricorn hat and a musket. He does these and other feats while following various aspects of the Constitution to the letter. His latest book, The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution's Original Meaning was a total delight to read. The book has received copious praise and the words that resonated most with me came from Andy Borowitz who said, “I didn’t know how I learned so much while laughing so hard.”
This is AJ's fifth interview on the SuperPsyched podcast, and I am so delighted to have him back. His commitment for personal growth, to live life according to his values, and to waving his freak flag fully is utterly inspiring to me. So, listen in as AJ talks about his year of living constitutionally.
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A few years ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing one of the most popular thought leaders in modern psychology. That person is none other than Dr. Frank Anderson (https://frankandersonmd.com/). Frank is a Harvard-trained psychiatrist who has turned his attention to treatment of trauma, particularly with a powerful method called Internal Family Systems (IFS). Frank has worked alongside the creator of IFS, Dr. Richard Schwartz, also a SuperPsyched guest, and Frank has become internationally known and revered.
On this episode, however, he’s getting very personal, and he is sharing his story in a memoir called To Be Loved. I loved this book as did thought leaders like various SuperPsyched guests Lori Gottlieb and David Kessler. Frank shares deeply about his own trauma and he shows how his maxim of “Trauma blocks love. Love heals trauma.” relates to his own life.
So, listen in as Frank and I talk about his story and how he became the man he is today.
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Between the early 1950s and the early 2000s, over 150,000 Korean children were adopted to the United States. In fact, the guest on my episode cites a figure of approximately 10% of all Korean Americans were adopted.
As it turns out, there are many misconceptions about adoption in general and, certainly about Korean adoption (also known as transracial adoption). What are the myths? What are the realities? What might an adoptee need to know and what might the adoptive parents need to know?
I am so glad I had the opportunity to speak with an expert on this topic. Dr. Joshua Heitzmann is a psychologist in private practice in San Jose. He is also the president-elect of the California Psychological Association and current president of the Bay Area Psychological Association. And he’s not just an expert on Korean adoption, but as you will hear, he was adopted from Korea himself.
Trigger warning: Josh shares some very painful memories about his childhood that may stir up feelings for sensitive listeners.
Please listen in and, if you do so, I recommend you listen all the way to the end because so much depth and wisdom is present throughout this episode as Josh shares about Korean adoption.
Source: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.tobiashubinette.se/korean_adoptions.pdf
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For this episode, I’m delighted to welcome back—a friend of the podcast, Dr. Emma Seppala
(https://www.emmaseppala.com/). Emma is a professor at Yale School of Management and we’re talking about her new book, Sovereign: Reclaim Your Freedom, Energy, and Power in a Time of Distraction, Uncertainty, and Chaos. Indeed, we are sovereign individuals and, quite often, we need to be reminded of that fact. It's a word I’ve used many times with the people who see me, and I was thrilled to see that Emma dedicated an entire book to explore this crucial idea. She carves out a powerful path through scientifically-validated strategies to feel more in charge of ourselves and our own lives.
I loved the book as did Dr. Dan Siegal and previous SuperPsyched guest, Dr. James Doty.
So, listen in as Emma and I talk about claiming your birthright as a sovereign person!
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