70% of adults in the U.S. are estimated to have experienced some type of traumatic event at least once in their lives—that’s 223.4 million people.In this Best Of episode, we’re listening back to excerpts from past guests who bravely shared thei

Maybe America's political divisions aren't as "unprecedented" as we think

Aug 22nd, 2023 51m 15s

A disputed US presidential election? Narrowly avoided government shutdowns? Divisions over race relations stemming from the legacy of slavery in the United States?These issues were on the minds of Americans in 1880, just as they do in 2023.(May

The perils—and privilege—of self-identifying with your work

Aug 15th, 2023 50m 34s

Doing work that feels authentic to "who you are" as a person can be quite a gift and privilege; not all of us get to do work that feels in integrity to our values and beliefs.And yet, one of the unseen struggles of those whose work blends into

Can the men be saved? (If not, can we laugh about it?)

Aug 8th, 2023 38m

"What do our jobs do to our souls?"That is the big question asked in the debut novel of Ben Purkert called The Men Can’t Be Saved. Following a junior copywriter in New York City whose latest tagline went viral, the novel is a witty, comedic exp

Pillars of healthier cross-racial dialogue

Aug 1st, 2023 50m 58s

How do we talk about race? How should we? And how do we hold healing, constructive dialogues about race when we come from different racial identities and experiences?Yseult Polfliet Mukantabana and Hannah Summerhill are the hosts of the award-w

Centering women—and more than just peoples' suffering—in stories

Jul 25th, 2023 47m 49s

What do we lose as a society when we only experience a person, a group of people, or an entire culture through their pain or losses—not their joys, successes, or humor?Alli Frank and Asha Youmans are multi-published authors, novelists, and form

How behavioral science explains "woke backlash"

Jul 18th, 2023 54m 15s

"Woke backlash" refers to the appropriation of the term "woke" and how pockets of American society are pushing back against the progressive social justice moment.But why is today's so-called "woke backlash" happening?Behavioral science — and a

Best Of: Celebrating Disability Pride Month

Jul 11th, 2023 25m 26s

Did you know that an estimated 61 million Americans live with a disability?While the challenges of living with a disability can range from mobility to cognition, independent living, hearing, vision, and self-care, those who experience disabilit

The untold history of the White House

Jul 4th, 2023 48m 9s

The White House is one of the most iconic structures known the world over—a symbol of democracy, and American power.But who built the White House? Who designed it? And why do so few of us know the true history of the White House?Stewart D. McLa

How do we help our kids build resilience?

Jun 27th, 2023 42m 1s

Resilience is all the rage in education, mental health, and self-help circles these days. But what is resilience, really? And, what isn't resilience?Dr. Kate Lund is a licensed clinical psychologist of nearly 20 years, a peak performance coach,

Finally! A children's book about privilege

Jun 20th, 2023 46m 30s

Privilege is an idea that many have been reckoning with in recent years. Doesn’t it make sense to introduce young people to the idea of privilege to help them understand the complex realities that exist in our shared world?Susan Justice is a ch

A former exotic dancer finds her voice and tells her story

Jun 13th, 2023 48m 35s

Christine Macdonald lived a drug- and booze-fueled fast life as an exotic dancer in Waikiki, Hawaii in the 1980s and 90s. Before you think that you can't relate to her life, think again: Christine's story is one of survival, struggling with fee

Best Of: Celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride Month

Jun 6th, 2023 47m 20s

In the United States, the month of June is Pride Month. To celebrate LGBTQ+ stories and experiences, we’re sharing excerpts from two past interviews with guests who identify as gay and whose personal stories have navigated self-acceptance and b

How play builds, and reveals, psychological safety

May 30th, 2023 51m 45s

Play is essential for healthy human growth and development. But despite the benefits, many adults lose their sense of play. Why?Gary Ware is a Strategic Play Consultant, corporate facilitator, keynote speaker, certified coach, and author who he

The future of disability rights—and what society, as a whole, has to gain

May 23rd, 2023 51m 47s

A car accident at age 11 left Brooke Ellison paralyzed from the neck down and ventilator-dependent. When, at 21, she graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University with a degree in cognitive neuroscience—the first student with quadriplegia t

He took on police corruption. He says the system is broken—and fixable.

May 16th, 2023 49m 50s

Content warning: This episode discusses violent crime including homicide, the criminal justice system, natural disasters, racism, and police brutality against unarmed Black civilians.For 14 years, Jared Fishman served as a U.S. Department of Ju

Yes, we can achieve gender equity. In this lifetime.

May 9th, 2023 44m 30s

The World Economic Forum says that we are 151 years away from achieving gender equity at work. Our guest says that gender equity is achievable in this lifetime.Katica Roy is a gender economist and the founder and CEO of Pipeline Equity, an awar

Best Of: Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month

May 2nd, 2023 40m 45s

In the United States, the month of May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. To celebrate AAPI heritage, we're resharing two past guests who identify as AAPI and who shared personal stories on navigating cultures and bel

How does EMDR heal trauma? We ask one clinical researcher—and one trauma survivor

Apr 25th, 2023 57m 32s

Content warning: This episode contains brief mentions of sexual, physical, and emotional violence involving children, childhood abuse, sexual abuse of a child, bullying, and substance use.For most of his life, Michael Baldwin was haunted by cur

Dismantling racism—through touch

Apr 18th, 2023 42m 35s

Physical touch is crucial for healthy human development. Safe touch may be a key to living whole and well in our lifetimes. But what happens to those in our society who have been deprived of touch and conditioned against intimacy and connection

What stigmas and stereotypes cost women

Apr 11th, 2023 48m 21s

In a patriarchal, misogynistic society, the stigmas and stereotypes that are weaponized against women create an insidious pattern of internalized oppression: those who are marginalized are gaslighted into thinking that they, themselves, are to

What are The Three Stories of Our Time? with Dave Ursillo

Mar 28th, 2023 51m 19s

In this solo-pod episode, host Dave Ursillo breaks down some of the big — and daunting! — ideas that emerged in our last interview with best-selling author and thought leader Margaret Wheatley. Dave editorializes an overview of his understandin

She says 'collapse' is coming. Can we do anything about it?

Mar 21st, 2023 44m 39s

For decades, best-selling author Margaret Wheatley was known for leading change initiatives and developing organizations and strategies that she thought could change the world.Today, she's preparing leaders, change agents, and activists to deal

Stepping into a journey of visibility and belonging

Mar 7th, 2023 49m 35s

Being able to "see yourself" represented in the media is an important part of developing some of our earliest self-conceptions.So what happens to our self-concept and self-esteem when we don't see ourselves represented in the media?Cher Hale is

How friendship fights authoritarianism (no, really)

Feb 21st, 2023 45m 31s

Social media has warped what it means to be in relationship to other people, their experiences, and their opinions. Algorithms force-feed us predictable content based on what they predict we will consume.How do we break the cycle—and rethink wh