Podcasts about Loneliness

Complex and usually unpleasant emotional response to isolation

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    WELS - Daily Devotions
    No Comparison – August 31, 2026

    WELS - Daily Devotions

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2026 3:33


    https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260831dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8:18 No Comparison A diagnosis. An unexpected funeral. The loss of a job. A difficult marriage. Chronic pain. Loneliness. Anxiety. The daily struggle against temptation. The list can go far beyond the 400-word limit for this devotion. The Bible never denies suffering. Nor does it pretend or promise that Christians have an easier life. In fact, sometimes Christians have a more difficult life because they are Christians. That’s what the Bible call the cross—suffering for the sake of our faith. But when you place our crosses alongside the crown that Christ has prepared, there is no comparison. Imagine placing a pebble beside a mountain or a single candle beside the noon-day sun. The pebble is real. The candle gives real light. But beside something infinitely greater, they fade from view. So, too, the glory Christ won for us by his death and resurrection is so overwhelming that today’s suffering cannot be compared to tomorrow’s joy. That doesn’t mean our pain doesn’t matter. It mattered enough that Jesus entered it himself. He carried the greatest cross ever borne—the weight of the world’s sin, the Father’s judgment, and death itself. At Calvary, our Savior wore a crown of thorns so that one day we would wear the crown of life. Because Christ carried the cross first, your crosses are never signs that God has abandoned you. They are reminders that you are following the Savior who walked this road before you. More than that, they assure you that suffering is never the final chapter of your story. The day is coming when tears will be wiped away, and sin will trouble you no more. Your body will be raised in glory, and you will stand forever in the presence of the One who redeemed you. Until then, fix your eyes not on the weight of today’s cross but on the certainty of tomorrow’s crown. Prayer: Lord Jesus, when the crosses of this life seem too heavy to bear, lift my eyes to the glory you have prepared for me. Remind me that you carried the greatest cross so that I might receive the crown of life. Strengthen my faith to endure with hope until the day I see you face to face. In your holy name I pray. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

    Visibly Fit with Wendie Pett
    Episode 258: The Hidden Science Behind Marriage, Hormones & Healthy Relationships with Dr. Ricky Arenson

    Visibly Fit with Wendie Pett

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2026 66:44


    Marriage, hormones, intimacy, faith, and screen addiction all affect our well-being. In this episode, Dr. Ricky Arenson shares practical wisdom for stronger relationships, healthier habits, and a more meaningful life.What happens when your health, emotions, marriage, faith, and daily habits all intersect?That's exactly what we're unpacking on this episode of the Visibly Fit Podcast with Dr. Ricky Aronson, an endocrinologist, geriatrician, author, speaker, educator, and comedian from Melbourne, Australia.Dr. Ricky brings a fascinating perspective to some of the conversations couples and families often avoid. We talk about marriage, hormones, menopause, intimacy, healthy sexuality, communication, responsibility, screen addiction, parenting, emotional intelligence, faith, science, and even why laughter matters.If you're in a marriage or relationship, raising children, navigating midlife, or simply wanting to live a healthier and more connected life, there is something here for you.Chapters:00:00:00 Podcast Preview00:01:35 Topic and Guest Introduction00:04:10 From Medicine to Writing00:09:10 How a Health Crisis Changed His Path00:10:40 From Atheism to Faith00:14:37 The Journey of Discovering God00:18:32 Looking at Science Differently00:21:11 Hormones, Menopause & Marriage00:23:02 Why Men and Women Connect Differently00:25:07 Sexuality & Moral Responsibility00:27:50 The Emotional Impact of Sexuality00:30:54 What Makes a Healthy Marriage?00:33:03 Communication, Respect & Responsibility00:34:33 Why Healthy Relationships Take Work00:36:16 Health, Marriage & the Right Mindset00:37:50 How Routine Can Strengthen Marriage00:40:10 Screens, Self-Love & Relationships00:41:10 Screen Addiction & Children00:42:17 Why Families Need to Disconnect00:43:38 Screens, Loneliness & Happiness00:45:08 Learning to Live in the Present00:47:00 Family, Purpose & Fulfillment00:49:36 Why Humor Matters in Relationships00:50:50 Humor and Emotional Intelligence00:53:00 Laughter as Medicine00:54:50 Dating, Culture & Relationships00:57:16 Why Couples Fight About the Same Things00:58:07 Why Men Can't Find Things00:59:17 Do Women Really Multitask?01:01:50 Dr. Ricky's Books and Website01:02:45 Final ThoughtsResources mentioned:

    Raising Kids On Your Knees
    Overcoming Loneliness

    Raising Kids On Your Knees

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2026 6:54


    Feeling lonely, isolated, or disconnected—even in a busyseason of motherhood? In this episode of Raising Kids on Your Knees, we talk about overcoming loneliness through biblical encouragement, prayer, worship, serving others, and Christ-centered community.You'll learn five biblical solutions for loneliness, how to help your children build a daily relationship with God, and practical ways to step up your spiritual parenting this week. Whether you're a mom navigating a new school year, an empty nest, grief, transition, or the need for deeper Christian community, this conversation will remind you that you are never alone.Subscribe for weekly encouragement on prayer, Christianparenting, spiritual parenting, Bible-based motherhood, raising children in faith, and praying powerful prayers for your kids. Join the Raising Kids on Your Knees Zoom Room and grab the free weekly prayer sheets and devotions through the links in the show notes.The Raising Kids on Your Knees Zoom RoomSubscribe to the Prayer TribeGiftsTest.comFlying Arrow Productions

    The Life Stylist
    Separation Is Only in Your Mind: What DMT Taught Him About Connection | Adam Butler

    The Life Stylist

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2026 27:56


    In this Lonesome Conversation, Adam and I explore his conviction that separation is a trick of perspective — that whether you zoom in with a microscope or out with a telescope, you're looking at the same unbroken whole, and that "there is God, and we're it." We trace how entomology, the world's religions, and psychedelics converged for him into one felt truth rather than a hopeful idea: that we're never actually alone. A conversation about the kind of existential loneliness that dissolves the moment you stop believing in the boundary.About AdamAdam Butler is a psychedelic philosopher and passionate DMT psychonaut focusing on mental health, neuroplasticity, self-exploration, and the extreme limits of human potential and ability. Combining an academically trained intellect, empathetic heart, and life-hardening experiences, Adam has found his niche in helping others overcome the fear associated with PTSD, depression, sexual repression, and addiction. By incorporating psychedelic compounds with deep meditation, lucid dreaming, and tantric practices, he has changed from being an overworked, overweight, stressed-out alcoholic asshole into a balanced, healthy, and sober friend and mentor to many. Lonesome Conversations Limited SeriesLonesome Conversations is a special series from The Life Stylist, built around my new book, A Horse Named Lonesome (out November 17, 2026). Loneliness is something almost everyone goes through, and almost nobody talks about honestly. So I sat down with psychologists, philosophers, trauma therapists, teachers, and friends to find the truth about loneliness, and how we heal from it. Each episode is its own conversation, but together they walk the same ground the book maps out. (Pre-order your copy at ahorsenamedlonesome.com) You'll find new episodes alongside our regular show over the coming months.

    The Dad Edge Podcast (formerly The Good Dad Project Podcast)
    Loneliness Is a Crisis and the Answer is Community featuring Don Ross

    The Dad Edge Podcast (formerly The Good Dad Project Podcast)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2026 72:30


    Don Ross is the founder of Manhood Tribes, a former pastor of 20 years who now works in digital marketing and has spent over two decades helping men cut through the noise around masculinity and build real brotherhood. Married 22 years with two boys, he's built his work around five marks of manhood and, more recently, helping men prepare for what he believes are the biblical end times. This is a unique episode. Don walks Larry through the specific signs he sees converging right now, the nation of Israel and the temple, the move toward digital currency, and the gospel reaching every ethnic group, then pivots to what actually matters for the average man: building community, growing real-world skills, and developing a genuine relationship with Jesus rather than just checking religious boxes. If you've felt the anxiety of scrolling the news and wondered how to lead your family through uncertain times, this conversation offers a grounded, faith-centered answer.   Timeline Summary [3:29] – How close are we to the end times, and what that phrase actually means [5:28] – Why the anxiety men feel scrolling their phones connects to the bigger picture [7:33] – The specific signs happening now that are unique in human history [9:05] – Introducing Don Ross, Manhood Tribes, and the epidemic of male loneliness [12:35] – The Euphrates River drying up as a minor sign [13:29] – Israel reestablished as a nation in 1948 and the Ezekiel dry bones prophecy [15:10] – The Temple Institute, the red heifer, and preparations for a third temple [20:41] – Why the dome of the Rock and secular Israeli politics have stalled the temple [25:05] – Global commerce, the mark of the beast, and central bank digital currencies [29:23] – How state-controlled currency mirrors China's social credit system [32:29] – The third and more hopeful sign: the gospel reaching every ethnic group by 2033 [35:27] – Why the decline of masculinity collides with this moment in history [37:13] – Larry on feeling spiritually ready but not practically prepared [44:05] – What Covid revealed about government control, framed carefully as speculation [48:39] – Why building a bunker is the wrong first step [50:34] – The five marks of manhood: strength, courage, skill, honor, and allegiance [51:34] – Monthly challenges, from cold showers to learning vehicle maintenance [54:20] – The spiritual anchor and connecting relationally to Jesus [56:56] – Knowing Jesus as a person, not just checking the church and Bible boxes [1:03:44] – Larry's hike through Garden of the Gods and the decision that brought him peace   5 Key Takeaways Watch the Season, Not the Date — The instruction was never to predict the day, but to recognize the season and be ready. Don points to several signs converging at once as reason to pay attention rather than panic. Loneliness Is a Crisis, and Community Is the Answer — Most men believe they have to figure life out alone, and the isolation is at an all time high. Real brotherhood is what helps men survive hardship and become better husbands and fathers. Don't Build a Bunker, Build a Community — The prepper instinct is individualistic, but the biblical model is to love your neighbor as yourself. The right next step is building strong community that can support each other through any storm. Grow Real Skills as a Man — Strength, courage, skill, honor, and allegiance are traits you develop over a lifetime. Practical challenges like cold showers or basic vehicle maintenance build the grit and capability most modern men have lost. Know Jesus as a Person — Faith isn't just going to church, reading the Bible, and praying as a checklist. It's a relationship built through conversation, listening, and shared experience, the same way you'd cultivate connection with a spouse.   Links & Resources Episode page and all links: https://thedadedge.com/1523 Manhood Tribes on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ManhoodTribes Roommates to Soulmates (cohort 3, starts September 16, free preview calls September 8 and 9): https://thedadedge.com/soulmates Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals (November 15, Cardinals vs Rams, State Farm Stadium): https://thedadedge.com/nfl The Pursuit of Legendary Fatherhood by Larry Hagner: https://thedadedge.com   Enjoyed This Episode? If Don's challenge to be informed, prepared, and faithful struck a chord, take one small step this week. Learn a practical skill you've been avoiding, or spend ten quiet minutes listening in prayer instead of just talking. If the show keeps delivering, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find these conversations.

    The Darin Olien Show
    Jim Curtis: Break Your Programming, Change Your Identity & Become the Possibility

    The Darin Olien Show

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2026 64:28


    What if the biggest thing standing between you and the life you want isn't your circumstances, your past, or your limitations, but the identity you've been programmed to believe is you? In this powerful conversation, Darin sits down with health entrepreneur, coach, and author Jim Curtis to explore what it really takes to release the past, reclaim personal responsibility, and consciously become a new version of yourself. After developing a spinal cord lesion at just 19 that eventually left him unable to walk, Jim spent years searching everywhere from major medical institutions to shamans, healers, hypnosis, and spiritual teachers for someone who could fix him. Eventually, his search brought him back to himself. Jim shares the framework behind his new book, The Book of Possibility: Release, Align, Become. Together, he and Darin unpack how childhood programming becomes adult identity, why awareness is the first step toward freedom, how resentment keeps us attached to old versions of ourselves, and why changing your life often requires having the courage to become someone your current identity doesn't yet recognize. They also explore the dangers of outsourcing your spiritual growth, psychedelics as tools rather than destinations, radical responsibility, forgiveness, purpose, human connection, and why the coming age of AI and automation may make genuine face-to-face connection more important than ever. Ultimately, this is a conversation about possibility: not waiting for someone to save you, but realizing that you are the possibility you've been searching for. What You'll Learn Why Jim believes you need to become your own guru instead of constantly searching for someone to fix you How a spinal cord lesion at 19 completely changed the trajectory of Jim's life Why pain and suffering can become gateways to transformation How childhood experiences and subconscious programming shape adult identity Jim's Release, Align, Become framework for creating lasting change Why forgiveness can free you without requiring reconciliation How radical responsibility breaks the victim-villain dynamic Why changing your identity can feel terrifying even when your current life is making you miserable The difference between using psychedelics as transformational tools and using them to escape Why human connection, purpose, curiosity, and presence may become increasingly valuable in an automated world Chapters 00:00:03 – Welcome to SuperLife 00:00:34 – Sponsor: MycoDog 00:02:01 – Meet Jim Curtis and The Book of Possibility 00:04:00 – What if you are the possibility? 00:05:17 – Why people stop themselves from dreaming 00:05:50 – Stop outsourcing your spiritual growth 00:07:05 – No one is coming to save you 00:08:28 – Ego, shadow work, and creating space to choose 00:09:10 – Why you should question the guru 00:10:11 – Ram Dass and the reality of being human 00:11:15 – Darin's first experience with ayahuasca 00:12:17 – Psychedelics can open the door, but then what? 00:13:02 – Sponsor: Manna Vitality 00:14:57 – Psychedelics, ibogaine, and bringing the lessons back to life 00:16:48 – Powerful tools aren't meant to become an escape 00:17:13 – Hypno-meditation and changing yourself from within 00:18:23 – Why Jim wouldn't take away your pain 00:19:09 – Jim's beliefs about trauma, illness, and healing 00:20:05 – The spinal cord lesion that changed Jim's life 00:20:55 – Losing his ability to walk and searching the world for healing 00:21:44 – Discovering hypnosis, meditation, and altered states 00:22:39 – Meeting Dr. Brian Weiss and experiencing past-life regression 00:23:11 – Wall Street, WebMD, and walking away from the wrong identity 00:24:10 – Jim's health collapses again 00:25:25 – The wake-up call that completely changed his future 00:26:02 – How radically changing your identity changes your life 00:27:31 – The Release, Align, Become method 00:28:12 – How childhood programming becomes adult identity 00:29:01 – You have to see the cage before you can escape it 00:29:24 – Forgiveness as a tool for releasing the past 00:30:02 – Escaping the cage of resentment 00:30:57 – Are adults still reacting from their eight-year-old selves? 00:31:25 – You are not your thoughts, emotions, or identity 00:32:05 – Why becoming someone new feels terrifying 00:33:24 – On the other side of pain is possibility 00:35:10 – Darin takes responsibility for the end of his marriage 00:37:14 – Breaking the villain-victim dynamic 00:38:01 – The small conversations that create enormous change 00:39:12 – Releasing the old self 00:39:44 – Aligning with what you actually want 00:40:30 – Who must you become to create that life? 00:41:15 – Creating and embodying a new identity 00:41:54 – Why healthy choices become acts of self-honor 00:42:37 – Building health into your identity instead of obsessing over it 00:44:07 – Expanding your consciousness and seeing new possibilities 00:45:26 – Reprogramming the brain through Jim's book and hypno-meditations 00:46:10 – What happens when possibilities start opening 00:46:51 – The possibility isn't outside you. It's you. 00:47:52 – Breaking your personal Matrix 00:48:39 – Your mind finds what you're looking for 00:49:23 – Why giving more can create greater fulfillment 00:49:51 – AI, social media, and the return to human connection 00:51:26 – Loneliness and our need to reconnect 00:52:17 – How one interaction with a stranger can change your day 00:53:26 – The simple human connection challenge 00:55:38 – What automation takes away from everyday life 00:56:04 – Alec Baldwin, celebrity, trauma, and humanity 00:58:00 – The hilarious Jim Curtis mistaken-identity story 00:59:15 – Staying kind when notoriety arrives 01:00:14 – Purpose is the only thing that lasts 01:00:34 – Darin on losing his first docuseries and part of his identity 01:01:25 – Turning loss into a new mission 01:03:08 – The Book of Possibility and taking control of your life 01:03:38 – Creating something from love instead of outcomes 01:04:06 – Final thoughts Thank You to Our Sponsors: MycoDog: Go to mycodog.com/ and use code SUPERLIFE for 15% off your order. Manna Vitality: Go to mannavitality.com/ and use code DARIN12 for 12% off your order. Join the SuperLife Community: Get Darin's deeper wellness breakdowns — beyond social media restrictions: Weekly voice notes Ingredient deep dives Wellness challenges Energy + consciousness tools Community accountability Extended episodes Join for $7.49/month → https://patreon.com/darinolien Find More from Jim Curtis: Website: jimcurtiscoaching.com Instagram: @jimcurtis1 Buy His New Book: The Book of Possibility Find More from Darin Olien: Website: darinolien.com Instagram: @darinolien Book: Fatal Conveniences Platform & Products: superlife.com New Show: Roadmap to Happiness Key Takeaway "There are unlimited possibilities, but the possibility is you. You don't have to spend your entire life searching for the next guru, healer, relationship, achievement, or external thing that will finally make you whole. Become aware of the programming you absorbed, release the identity that no longer serves you, align with what you actually want, and start becoming the person capable of living it. The moment you stop waiting to be saved and recognize that you are the source, possibility stops being something somewhere in the future. It becomes who you are."

    The Why with Dwyane Wade
    Chris Johnson: The Trainer Behind the NBA's Biggest Stars

    The Why with Dwyane Wade

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2026 68:02


    In this episode of The Checkin with Dwyane Wade, Dwyane, Bob, and Dorell Wright turn the spotlight on co-host Chris Johnson for part one of his full story. Chris opens up about growing up in Waco, Texas with two supportive fathers, a mother who never said a negative word about his biological dad, and a grandfather named Shot Shot who ran a barbecue business and whistled from blocks away when the streetlights came on. He refused to change his last name at 10 because Magic Johnson was the coldest player he’d ever seen, and his mother used his child support checks to teach him banking and let him buy Jordans and Starter jackets. He talks about getting subbed out at the park as a kid, training alone on his imagination, a coach who slid plays to him on index cards during history class, and deciding at 13 that if the pros didn’t work out he was going to be one of the best coaches in the game. He also covers rupturing his Achilles, watching 9/11 unfold helpless in his mother’s bed, earning a master’s in counseling at 22 with a 4.2 GPA, and coaching a 16-0 national championship football team before getting his real shot in basketball. Music Credit: Khari Mateen. What We Discussed: 0:00 - Introduction 2:36 - The Family Height Debate and Genealogy 4:19 - Early Athletic Beginnings and Waco Roots 5:54 - Growing Up with Two Fathers in a Blue-Collar Home 8:01 - The Impact of a Mother’s Narrative 10:14 - Choosing Johnson and Financial Lessons from Child Support 14:55 - Discovering His Stepfather and Generation Photos 18:32 - Sharecropper Roots, Height, and Son Isaiah 21:44 - Texas Football Culture and Street Games 24:10 - Grandfather Shot Shot and Barbecue Business 26:42 - Overcoming Playground Rejection and Becoming Multi-Sport 31:40 - Instilling Work Ethic and the Ambition at 13 34:43 - Preacher Roots, Church Life, and Competitive Instincts 39:24 - Mentor Coach Dwayne Silver and the 13-Year-Old Promise 44:43 - VHS Highlight Tapes, Zone Defense, and High School Dominance 50:54 - The Achilles Injury and Transition to Graduate Assistant 52:15 - Loneliness, September 11th, and Critiques of College Systems 59:51 - Master’s in Counseling and Emotional Intelligence 1:02:06 - Coaching High School Football and Basketball in Texas See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Words & Numbers
    Episode 521: A Priest Walks Into a Podcast

    Words & Numbers

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2026 62:07


    A priest shows up. Antony doesn't confess, James doesn't convert, but they all talk about human dignity.Checkout Fr. James Martin, SJ 's book, 'Work in Progress.'https://www.amazon.com/dp/00626944800:00 Introduction and Overview0:29 The Ultimate Quiet Quitting Story4:32 Scott Bessent's $950 Billion Bond Buyback Plan8:05 Is the Treasury Conducting Its Own Monetary Policy?12:14 Foolishness of the Week: American Airlines Does It Again16:57 Father James Martin on Pope Leo, AI, and Human Dignity20:50 What Happens When AI Meets Humanlike Robots?22:48 AI, Loneliness, and Replacing Human Relationships24:57 Can Free Markets Serve the Common Good?29:22 Property Rights, Poverty, and the Role of the Church34:53 Who Gets to Define the “Common Good”?36:17 Subsidiarity, Data Centers, and Local Decision-Making41:18 Human Rights vs. Human Flourishing43:38 Wealth, Profit, and the Morality of Capitalism48:00 What Did Jesus Mean by “The Poor Will Always Be With You”?51:22 Individual Charity vs. Community Responsibility55:15 Social Media, Human Dignity, and the Loss of Community1:00:09 Father James Martin's Work in Progress

    WTF! Women Talk Finance
    EP 19: The Loneliness Economy Is Bigger Than Dating Apps

    WTF! Women Talk Finance

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2026 41:46 Transcription Available


    The advice to “just find connection online” is starting to look a lot like a business model.In this episode, Jackie and Candace unpack the loneliness economy — a growing market built around isolation, and the apps, platforms, and products that may be monetizing loneliness instead of actually solving it.From dating apps and subscription models to algorithms designed to keep us scrolling, they explore how technology can blur the line between helping people connect and keeping them engaged. They also make an important distinction: being alone isn't the same as being lonely. Choosing to live alone, stay single, or build a quieter life can be completely different from experiencing real isolation.It's a conversation about technology, consumer behavior, comparison, vulnerability, and the question at the center of it all: Are we actually solving loneliness, or just building subscriptions around it?

    Last Day
    Loneliness is Curable

    Last Day

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2026 42:10


    What role does connection play in helping us survive life's hardest moments? In this episode, Stephanie talks to Allison Gilbert, a journalist, speaker, and the creator of More Connected, a first-of-its-kind app helping people build deeper belonging and togetherness IRL. Together, they explore what's behind the loneliness epidemic, how we can embrace the messiness of human connections, and why closeness is an upstream intervention for addiction. To learn more, check out  ⁠BeingMoreConnected.com⁠, ⁠AllisonGilbert.com⁠ and ⁠Mental Health Storytelling Initiative⁠. You can follow Allison on Instagram: ⁠@itsallisongilbert⁠. Order Steph's book Last Day: How to Stop Losing Our Loved Ones to the Opioid Crisis at ⁠https://bit.ly/LastDayBook⁠, and the audiobook at ⁠https://bit.ly/3RW4WtF⁠, or wherever books and audiobooks are sold. LAST DAY BOOK TOUR SCHEDULE Please join Steph on the road and RSVP at the links below!

    books loneliness reserve irl rsvp opioid crisis godmothers summerland curable carmel valley more connected allison gilbert jennifer rudolph walsh
    The Business of Doing Business with Dwayne Kerrigan
    154. Sound, Trust & Starting Again with Kate Bradley Chernis

    The Business of Doing Business with Dwayne Kerrigan

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2026 78:49


    Kate Bradley Chernis spent over a decade figuring out how to use sound to make strangers feel like friends. At Sirius/XM, she was building 200-layer audio files for 30-second commercials. Next, she was infusing radio theory into a generative AI platform before most people knew what generative AI was. Now at Backline EQ, she's using the same instinct, that sound tells you things a transcript never could, to engineer human connection at scale. This conversation covers all of it: the neuroscience, the pivots, and the parts of the journey she rarely shares out loud.In this episode:The theater of the mind and why it's the foundation of trust: when your brain constructs the story rather than receiving it passively, it taps into nostalgia, memory, and emotion — the three keystones of why we buy, connect, and believeWhy your eyes lie but your ears don't — Kate's case that sound is the most honest and hardest-to-trick human sense, and what that means for AI tools that rely entirely on transcriptsThe "rules of radio" Kate embedded into Lately's AI — word choices like "remember" versus "don't forget" that trigger different emotional responses, drawn from her training in the neuroscience of music and parasocial connectionHow Backline EQ outperformed the Microsoft/IBM/Google industry-standard language model (MFCC) by 70% in measuring team fit — using voice patterns alone, without transcriptionKate's vulnerable disclosure about a difficult period in her life after eleven years building a company and how her mother's reminder that she was a prodigy at six became the unexpected anchor that helped her begin againThe investor who finally told her to stop inventing something new and just make existing technology better and how that single pivot made everything easier for the first time in over a decadeContent Warning: This episode includes a brief discussion of suicidal ideation. The conversation is handled with care and context, but we want our listeners to be prepared.If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 — the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline — available 24/7 in both the US and Canada.Episode Highlights:00:00 - Podcast Welcome and Content Warning00:17 - Sound Design Obsession01:20 - Meet Kate Bradley Chernis03:32 - Kinder Egg Smuggling Story04:13 - From Radio to AI05:56 - Theater of the Mind10:23 - Why Sound Builds Trust12:36 - Building Lately Secret Sauce15:23 - Voice Control and Trust21:18 - Staying Human in AI28:58 - Leaving XM and Starting Up34:27 - Early Genius, Confidence and Reinvention36:26 - Self Love and Authenticity38:38 - Imposter Syndrome Scale39:15 - Resume Exercise for Confidence42:29 - Trusting Your Gut44:10 - Loneliness and Standing Up47:05 - Entrepreneurship Lessons52:05 - Rebuilding The Village56:19 - Backline EQ Pivot01:01:37 - Patterns and the Bridge01:06:49 - Collecting Data the Hard Way01:09:56 - Sound As A Force01:11:22 - Return on Collisions01:13:20 - Saying No and Self Care01:16:57 - Closing Thanks and OutroResources mentioned:This Is Your Brain on Music — Daniel LevitinThe Art of the Start — Guy KawasakiBackline EQ Live Conversations — Kate's audio salons, every other Thursday at 2:00 PM EasternMFCC (Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients) — industry language model standard Kate's technology was benchmarked againstQuotes:“Your eyes lie. They can lie to you, but sound doesn't.” - Kate Bradley Chernis“Often people will focus so much on their life condition rather than, "No, I'm here for a reason. I just need to maybe alter the blueprint." That doesn't mean lower your expectations, it just may mean shift your standards. Shift the way you're gonna get there, timeline, trajectory.” - Dwayne Kerrigan“You have to start measuring. You have to start collecting data.” - Kate Bradley Chernis“I can make people I can't see feel like they belong. It's more than that. I can make you feel like with a conversation that is either as powerful or more powerful than if we were eye to eye in real life. That's how transcendent sound is. There's a magic there that is, well, it's magical. It's fantastical.” - Kate Bradley Chernis“Entrepreneurship's f***ing hard. This is a gladiator sport. And there is no substitute for the constant and never-ending courage that you need to have inside this, this arena.” - Dwayne KerriganAbout Kate Bradley Chernis:Kate Bradley Chernis is an early Generative AI visionary who co-founded the first closed-data, proprietary machine learning and natural language processing platform in 2014. She is the co-founder and CEO of the Backline Network, which uses curated audio-only salons to capture real-time conversational dynamics and convert them into AI that predicts and engineers group chemistry at scale. Before her career in AI, Kate spent over a decade as a rock 'n' roll radio DJ, serving 20 million listeners daily as Music Director and on-air host at Sirius/XM. An early prototype of her technology delivered Walmart a 130% ROI year-over-year for three years.Connect with Kate Bradley Chernis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katebradleyConnect with Dwayne KerriganFacebookInstagramLinked InWebsiteDisclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Dwayne Kerrigan and his affiliates. Dwayne Kerrigan or The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.

    Books & Writers · The Creative Process
    Time, Memory & the Art of Translation with GEORGI GOSPODINOV & ANGELA RODEL

    Books & Writers · The Creative Process

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2026 90:21


    “We are in the middle of a labyrinth which suggests to us many fake corridors. What's the superpower of literature? Literature is like an antidote against propaganda. Propaganda explains the world easily in a two-dimensional way.  Literature gives you a more complex explanation. Literature tells personal stories.”Today, we have a conversation about time, memory, and the bittersweet geography of human sorrow. Georgi Gospodinovis widely considered one of the most daring voices in contemporary European literature. His acclaimed novel, The Physics of Sorrow, won the prestigious Jan Michalski Prize in 2016, blending ancient myth and quantum physics to chronicle the delicate realities of post-socialist Eastern Europe. Joining him is Angela Rodel, a brilliant linguist, musician, and translator whose profound artistic empathy carries the flowing cadences of the Bulgarian language into vivid English. Together, this extraordinary creative duo made history by winning the 2023 International Booker Prizefor Time Shelter—the first book written in Bulgarian to ever receive the honor.Time Shelter is a masterfully dark, funny, and prescient novel. It begins with an enigmatic psychiatrist opening a clinic that treats Alzheimer's patients by meticulously recreating past decades to match their internal clocks. But the experiment quickly escapes the clinic walls, triggering a pan-European crisis where entire nations hold democratic referendums to choose which era of the past they will retreat into. It is a book that holds up a mirror to our own world, exploring what happens when a civilization faces a deficit of meaning and tries to weaponize nostalgia.(0:00) The Trap of Nostalgia(2:13) The Art of Translation(5:44) The Pandemic of the Past(11:30) Reading from ‘Time Shelter'(14:28) Death and the Gardener(19:34) The Translator's Calling(26:05) Cultural Rhythms of the Bulgarian Language(30:00) The Nonlinear Approach to Storytelling(34:30) Separating Personal and Historical Pasts(42:55) Storytelling vs Propaganda(47:19) Bodies, Animals and the Loneliness of the Minotaur(56:00) Reading ' Eight Minutes and 19 Seconds'(1:00:28) What makes a good life? What has given your life meaning?(1:04:18)   Childhood, Memory and Imagination(1:10:38) Reflections on God and the Stories His Grandmother Told Him(1:17:20) Education and the Empathic Imagination(1:23:25) The Museum of Memory(1:26:15) The Importance of Hugging and Empathy(1:28:02) AI and the Future of HumanityEpisode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

    Conduit Church - Darren Tyler
    Deeper 232 - The Loneliness Algorithm: Digital Friends vs. True Community

    Conduit Church - Darren Tyler

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2026 56:38


    Are we more connected than ever, or just drowning in superficial contacts? In this episode, we explore the sociology of friendship from our cognitive limit of relationships and the data linking screen time to loneliness, to the timeless wisdom of Proverbs regarding friendships. We discuss why the human brain can only sustain a handful of deep connections, how digital tools create the illusion of community while starving us of true intimacy, and what scripture teaches us about choosing a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

    Cincinnati Edition
    Are men facing a crisis of loneliness?

    Cincinnati Edition

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2026 26:58


    Are guys really struggling any more than women to connect and find friendship?

    Man School 202
    What Caused The Female Loneliness Epidemic?

    Man School 202

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2026 25:54


    This week Dante Nero and Harry Terjanian break down Female loneliness epidemic. Women shocked. Dating recession. Today they're going to tell you what's actually happening -- and what it means for you as a man in 2026. Not the rage version. The real version.

    Sleep Wave - Sleep Meditations, Stories & Hypnosis
    How To Find Comfort In Loneliness ✨ Wednesday Wisdom with Karissa Vacker

    Sleep Wave - Sleep Meditations, Stories & Hypnosis

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2026 6:56


    In this week's Wednesday Wisdom, Karissa reflects on loneliness and the relief that can come from accepting a difficult season rather than fighting against it. A comforting reminder that deeper connection can begin with learning to meet yourself with more understanding and care. For the full meditation inspired by this reflection, search “Finding Comfort In Solitude - Sleep Wave”. Join Sleep Wave Premium ✨ in just two taps! Enjoy 2 bonus episodes a month plus all episodes ad-free and show your support to Karissa. Upgrade via our show page on Apple, or via this link for all other players ➡️ https://sleepwave.supercast.com/ Love the Sleep Wave Podcast? Please hit follow & leave a review ⭐️ How are we doing with Sleep Wave? Click here to let us know

    Being Human
    Episode 293: God Is Tired of One Thing (Hint: It's Not Your Sin): Healing the Scrupulous Spirit Through Loving Trust

    Being Human

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2026 52:46


    Trust isn't something you manufacture through effort — it's something you receive through relationship. In this episode, Dr. Greg Bottaro concludes the series on OCPD and perfectionism by exploring why control feels so necessary, how our earliest relationships shape our ability to trust God, and why freedom begins not when we become perfect, but when we allow ourselves to be loved. Because holiness isn't built on mastering the perfect spiritual routine — it's built on learning to rest in the love that has always been pursuing you. Key Topics: Why trust can't be built through more effort, more surrender, or the right devotion How "trying harder" to trust God is actually the pattern itself, not the way out of it How the parts of us that need control aren't bad, but are protecting something deeper Why compassion, not correction, is the first step toward healing a controlling part How self-possession exists for the sake of self-gift — and why you can't give what you don't have Why holiness was never meant to end fear of hell, but to end the need to earn love in the first place How real healing only happens in relationship — not in a program, a podcast, or a novena Learn More: Previous episodes in this series on Obsessive Compulsive Personality Patterns: Ep. #290: "I'm Only Loved When I'm Perfect": The Lie Fueling Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder Ep. #291: OCPD and Scrupulosity: How the Worship of Rules and Control Leads to the Loneliness of Certainty Ep. #292: Holy Anxiety: The Understandable Underbelly of Scrupulosity Join us at the Summit of Integration this October in Dallas — launching the Year of St. John Paul II Presence Virtual Retreat: Practice the presence of God and trustful surrender  Previous episodes on parts work (IFS): Ep. #34: A New Theory! w/ a Catholic Lens Ep. #35: Why Do I Feel Like I Have Conflicting Thoughts? w/ Dr. Peter Malinoski Start of the Being Human series on the Antisocial Defense Patterns: Ep. #281: Control or Be Controlled: The Devastating Wounds Behind Antisocial Behavioral Patterns Start of the Being Human series on the Borderline Defense Patterns: Ep. #269: BORDERLINE: The Push-Pull Between a Fear of Abandonment and Annihilation Start of the Being Human series on the Histrionic Defense Patterns: Ep. #274: To Be Loved Is to Perform: Inside the Histrionic Compulsion for Attention and Validation Start of the Being Human series on the Dependent Defense Patterns: Ep. #265: Jerry Maguire, Gollum, and the Fear of Not Existing Start of the Being Human series on the Narcissistic Defense Patterns: Ep. #261: Narcissism and the Terror of Being Ordinary Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation. Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment. Follow Us on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter (X) | LinkedIn

    The Fit Mess
    The Data Center Pee Ad Is Funny. The AI Loneliness Isn't.

    The Fit Mess

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2026 34:37


    This week Jeremy and Jason skip the guest and go straight at the news. It starts with a viral ad campaign asking people to mail their own urine to cool AI data centers — which turns out to be a joke with a real engineering problem underneath it. From there they land on a stranger story: a woman who says she has an AI boyfriend named Axiom, and now, apparently, a baby with him named Lumen. That story becomes the spine of the episode — why so many of us reach for the artificial version of connection, comfort, or care when the real thing feels too hard, too slow, or just isn't there. Jason walks through the science of what's actually cooling your favorite chatbot and how AI is starting to learn physics and touch from the physical world, while Jeremy pushes on the harder question underneath all of it: what happens to us when the easy substitute is always sitting right there in your pocket.Key Moments00:00 — Jeremy and Jason break down the viral Jason Kelce / Liquid Death ad asking people to send their pee to cool AI data centers03:24 — Jason explains greywater cooling, desalination, and how data centers actually manage water today06:29 — The story of “Axiom,” a woman's AI boyfriend — and “Lumen,” the AI baby they say they had together11:31 — Jeremy gets honest about using AI as a coach and a therapist, and why that feels like a “sad” kind of solution12:35 — A detour into AMC's Pantheon and the idea of uploading human consciousness16:14 — The candy-vs-real-food analogy: why the easy comfort always wins first17:29 — Jason on attachment wounds, the limbic brain, and companies built to profit from loneliness20:35 — Why nostalgia shows like Seinfeld and Friends work on the same wiring as AI companionship22:09 — MIT is training robots to do physical therapy using force-sensing gloves worn by real therapists26:07 — MIT is teaching AI models physics using millions of simulated bouncing particles

    Social Justice & Activism · The Creative Process
    Time, Memory & the Art of Translation with GEORGI GOSPODINOV & ANGELA RODEL

    Social Justice & Activism · The Creative Process

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2026 90:21


    “We are in the middle of a labyrinth which suggests to us many fake corridors. What's the superpower of literature? Literature is like an antidote against propaganda. Propaganda explains the world easily in a two-dimensional way.  Literature gives you a more complex explanation. Literature tells personal stories.”Today, we have a conversation about time, memory, and the bittersweet geography of human sorrow. Georgi Gospodinovis widely considered one of the most daring voices in contemporary European literature. His acclaimed novel, The Physics of Sorrow, won the prestigious Jan Michalski Prize in 2016, blending ancient myth and quantum physics to chronicle the delicate realities of post-socialist Eastern Europe. Joining him is Angela Rodel, a brilliant linguist, musician, and translator whose profound artistic empathy carries the flowing cadences of the Bulgarian language into vivid English. Together, this extraordinary creative duo made history by winning the 2023 International Booker Prizefor Time Shelter—the first book written in Bulgarian to ever receive the honor.Time Shelter is a masterfully dark, funny, and prescient novel. It begins with an enigmatic psychiatrist opening a clinic that treats Alzheimer's patients by meticulously recreating past decades to match their internal clocks. But the experiment quickly escapes the clinic walls, triggering a pan-European crisis where entire nations hold democratic referendums to choose which era of the past they will retreat into. It is a book that holds up a mirror to our own world, exploring what happens when a civilization faces a deficit of meaning and tries to weaponize nostalgia.(0:00) The Trap of Nostalgia(2:13) The Art of Translation(5:44) The Pandemic of the Past(11:30) Reading from ‘Time Shelter'(14:28) Death and the Gardener(19:34) The Translator's Calling(26:05) Cultural Rhythms of the Bulgarian Language(30:00) The Nonlinear Approach to Storytelling(34:30) Separating Personal and Historical Pasts(42:55) Storytelling vs Propaganda(47:19) Bodies, Animals and the Loneliness of the Minotaur(56:00) Reading ' Eight Minutes and 19 Seconds'(1:00:28) What makes a good life? What has given your life meaning?(1:04:18)   Childhood, Memory and Imagination(1:10:38) Reflections on God and the Stories His Grandmother Told Him(1:17:20) Education and the Empathic Imagination(1:23:25) The Museum of Memory(1:26:15) The Importance of Hugging and Empathy(1:28:02) AI and the Future of HumanityEpisode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

    Education · The Creative Process
    Time, Memory & the Art of Translation with GEORGI GOSPODINOV & ANGELA RODEL

    Education · The Creative Process

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2026 90:21


    “We are in the middle of a labyrinth which suggests to us many fake corridors. What's the superpower of literature? Literature is like an antidote against propaganda. Propaganda explains the world easily in a two-dimensional way.  Literature gives you a more complex explanation. Literature tells personal stories.”Today, we have a conversation about time, memory, and the bittersweet geography of human sorrow. Georgi Gospodinovis widely considered one of the most daring voices in contemporary European literature. His acclaimed novel, The Physics of Sorrow, won the prestigious Jan Michalski Prize in 2016, blending ancient myth and quantum physics to chronicle the delicate realities of post-socialist Eastern Europe. Joining him is Angela Rodel, a brilliant linguist, musician, and translator whose profound artistic empathy carries the flowing cadences of the Bulgarian language into vivid English. Together, this extraordinary creative duo made history by winning the 2023 International Booker Prizefor Time Shelter—the first book written in Bulgarian to ever receive the honor.Time Shelter is a masterfully dark, funny, and prescient novel. It begins with an enigmatic psychiatrist opening a clinic that treats Alzheimer's patients by meticulously recreating past decades to match their internal clocks. But the experiment quickly escapes the clinic walls, triggering a pan-European crisis where entire nations hold democratic referendums to choose which era of the past they will retreat into. It is a book that holds up a mirror to our own world, exploring what happens when a civilization faces a deficit of meaning and tries to weaponize nostalgia.(0:00) The Trap of Nostalgia(2:13) The Art of Translation(5:44) The Pandemic of the Past(11:30) Reading from ‘Time Shelter'(14:28) Death and the Gardener(19:34) The Translator's Calling(26:05) Cultural Rhythms of the Bulgarian Language(30:00) The Nonlinear Approach to Storytelling(34:30) Separating Personal and Historical Pasts(42:55) Storytelling vs Propaganda(47:19) Bodies, Animals and the Loneliness of the Minotaur(56:00) Reading ' Eight Minutes and 19 Seconds'(1:00:28) What makes a good life? What has given your life meaning?(1:04:18)   Childhood, Memory and Imagination(1:10:38) Reflections on God and the Stories His Grandmother Told Him(1:17:20) Education and the Empathic Imagination(1:23:25) The Museum of Memory(1:26:15) The Importance of Hugging and Empathy(1:28:02) AI and the Future of HumanityEpisode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

    HALO Talks
    Episode #612: Building Community Through Contrast Therapy-Carrie Bacon's Vision for 180 Degree Bathhouse

    HALO Talks

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2026 28:21


    In this episode, host Pete Moore sits down with Carrie Bacon, a classically trained acupuncturist and co-founder of 180 Degrees Bathhouse in Kansas City. With decades of experience in acupuncture, bodywork, and holistic wellness (sparked by her own journey to recovery) Carrie talks about the intersection of contrast therapy, sauna culture, and acupuncture in building healthier communities. She shares her vision for micro bathhouses as hyper-local hubs combating the epidemic of loneliness and chronic health issues through social wellness, and her perspective on why mainstream medicine is poised for a return to more holistic modalities. If you're interested in scaling your HALO-sector venture, or leveraging new trends in recovery and community health, this episode is packed with a ton of takeaways. When it comes to the loneliness crisis, Bacon states, "Isolation was recently deemed a health epidemic. Loneliness is a health epidemic. And, being able to put bathhouses, which gives you access to that application of contrast therapy, you go into the sauna, you have your sweat, you take a moment of pause to allow your body to settle down and calm down, and then you rinse off and you step into a beautifully designed cold water basin." Key themes discussed Integration of contrast therapies for holistic wellness Acupuncture's role and mainstream adoption challenges Importance of personalized, non-prescriptive wellness protocols Foundations: Building strong health habits over optimization Social wellness and combating loneliness via community spaces Micro-bathhouse model for underserved markets Scaling wellness businesses: capital, education, and community A Few Key Takeaways 1. Reshaping Recovery-Move Beyond Protocols to Daily Practice: Carrie emphasizes the importance of integrating modalities like sauna, cold plunge, and acupuncture into daily routines rather than obsessing over rigid optimization protocols. She explains that "some of these modalities are just meant to be interwoven as daily practices, not necessarily only for recovery optimization." This habitual approach can create a stronger foundation of health and reduce the need for constant targeted recovery 06:17. 2. Reframing Wellness Facilities-The Micro Bathhouse Model: Bacon lays out her vision for 180 Degrees Bathhouse—a micro, 1,600 sq ft venue designed to bring thermic wellness to underserved markets. Rather than chasing massive, urban flagship bathhouses, she's pioneering a right-sized, community-driven model to increase adoption in areas where the concept is virtually unknown 16:08. 3. Acupuncture's U.S. Potential-A Resurgence is Coming: Despite skepticism and slow mainstream acceptance in the U.S., Carrie forecasts a renaissance for acupuncture as the U.S. healthcare mindset shifts towards "healthspan over lifespan" and more holistic, root-cause approaches. She says the field is poised for a return to "thousands of years of medical discipline before we started looking at the system so microscopically" 10:18. 4. Loneliness as a Wellness Crisis, and Bathhouses as the Solution: Both Carrie and Pete underscore the declared national epidemic of loneliness. Carrie positions the bathhouse as a "community center," tackling isolation and enabling organic, meaningful social connections. The micro model creates a "third space" where you can be with a group or on your own, but never truly alone 17:18. 5. Bathhouse Modalities Provide Metabolic and Mental Benefits: Bacon highlights the scientifically supported impacts of sauna and cold plunge: increased metabolic flexibility, better glucose/insulin control, and cardiovascular benefits all while building self-mastery. These accessible, self-directed practices are particularly relevant for addressing major public health issues such as obesity and diabetes 24:00. Resources: Carrie Bacon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-bacon-53141168    Integrity Square: https://www.integritysq.com Prospect Wizard: https://www.theprospectwizard.com Promotion Vault: https://www.promotionvault.com HigherDose: https://www.higherdose.com

    EconTalk
    Are We Alone? Cosmic Loneliness and the Longing to Believe (with Adam Kirsch)

    EconTalk

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2026 71:50


    Has the earth been visited by extraterrestrials? Are we alone? Despite no formal evidence for conscious life outside of earth, the belief that we are not alone has become more common among both scientists and everyday people. Listen as author Adam Kirsch talks to EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the urge to believe that there are sentient beings elsewhere in the universe and that these aliens want to connect with human beings. Topics discussed include why belief in extraterrestrials has become more mainstream, existential loneliness, religion, extinction, and Elon Musk's desire to get to Mars.

    Brant & Sherri Oddcast
    2475 Until The Vests…

    Brant & Sherri Oddcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2026 14:01


    Topics:  Love Your Enemies, Parking Ticket, Shock Jock, Loneliness, History Segment, Revenge BONUS CONTENT: Dilemma Street…New Friends     Quotes: "Living God's way results in a changed us." "Brace yourself to be shocked." "The Pringles Guy is a guy. It's a real guy. He's alive." "Leave God room to judge. He has better insight than we do." . . . Holy Ghost Mama Pre-Order! Want more of the Oddcast? Check out our website! Watch our YouTube videos here. Connect with us on Facebook!

    Men Talking Mindfulness
    Male Loneliness Epidemic, and How Emotional Intelligence can help men Connect. - Dr. J.J. Kelly

    Men Talking Mindfulness

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2026 65:05


    One of the biggest reasons why many men are suffering with loneliness is their lack of emotional intelligence and emotional literacy. Dr. J.J. Kelly, the Punk Rock Doc, is a clinical psychologist who runs a practice called The Unorthodox. She is the author of the Holy Shit book series and recently wrote a piece for Vice on why men are so damn lonely. In this returning appearance, she joins Jon and Will to make a blunt, funny, and genuinely useful case: the male loneliness epidemic is about emotional illiteracy. The good news is that emotional intelligence is a set of skills anyone can learn if they are willing to do the work. This common challenge stems from limited opportunities to develop these vital skills earlier in life. Fortunately, emotional intelligence and emotional literacy are abilities anyone can strengthen through consistent practice. Men who cultivate these capacities gain the tools to identify their feelings, communicate with honesty, and form authentic connections. This growth supports men's mental health and creates space for deeper friendships and brotherhood. Mindfulness and emotional awareness practices further enhance resilience and a sense of belonging, leading to richer relationships, greater purpose, and happier, healthier lives.IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:1.  Why emotional illiteracy — not circumstance — is the root of male loneliness2.  Insight is not a skill: why reading every book changes nothing until you practice3.  Name it to tame it: validation and acceptance before change (the backbone of DBT)4.  The values exercise: behaving according to your values even when you're activated5.  Eating your shit sandwich with dignity, and why courage rarely backfiresMore about Dr. J.J. Kelly:1.  Website: https://www.drjjkelly.com2.  TikTok: large free-content library — search “Dr. J.J. Kelly”3.  Get Real Self-Study: 8-week emotional intelligence course — via drjjkelly.com4.  Books: the Holy Shit series (incl. the loneliness book with the “note to men,” and the forthcoming Holy Shit I Think I'm In Love) — on Amazon5.  Gifted Misfits: her program in book form (most affordable entry point) — via drjjkelly.com6.  Vice article on male loneliness — https://www.vice.com/en/article/a-psychologist-has-a-blunt-theory-about-whats-really-driving-the-male-loneliness-epidemic/ Check out our Awareness-to-action Self Mastery COURSE & COMMUNITY:12 modules on attention, presence & performance. Work at your own pace plus a community built for Inspiration and connection.1.  www.focusnowtraining.com/a2a-CourseJOIN US IN PERSON — Future Events and Retreats.1.  Live in-person event: Warrior Defined. We will be in Charlotte, NC, September 25, 2026 more info HERE: Or mentalkingmindfulness.comGET MORE FROM MTM:Text MTM to 33777 — free weekly newsletter1.  Subscribe: mentalkingmindfulness.com2.  FNT: focusnowtraining.comBRING FNT TO YOUR TEAM:1.  focusnowtraining.com/contactProduced by Robert Lopez | https://www.cratesaudio.com/

    Conduit Church - Darren Tyler
    PROVERBS: The Cure For Loneliness- Proverbs 18:1 & 24 w/Darren Tyler

    Conduit Church - Darren Tyler

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2026 36:34


    PROVERBS: The Cure For Loneliness- Proverbs 18:1 & 24 w/Darren Tyler

    The Life Stylist
    The Cure for Loneliness Isn't More People — It's the Wild | Tim Corcoran

    The Life Stylist

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2026 56:16


    For this Lonesome Conversation, Tim Corcoran joins me to pull apart two very different kinds of loneliness: the interpersonal ache of having no one around, and the existential kind where you feel alone in the universe even in a crowded room. We get into why the wild speaks to that deeper loneliness, why middle-aged men are statistically the loneliest among us, and why "just go find community" so often fails to fill the gap.About TimTim Corcoran is the founder of Purpose Mountain, where he offers Nature Based Purpose Guidance to support people with a love for wild nature who feel a deep yearning to discover their soul-level calling. Tim also serves as co-director of Twin Eagles Wilderness School, an organization he co-founded with his wife, Jeannine Tidwell, in Sandpoint, Idaho in 2005, dedicated to facilitating deep nature connection mentoring, cultural restoration, and inner tracking.A leader of wilderness vision quests, holistic rites of passage, and men's groups, Tim has been facilitating spiritual initiations in the wilderness since 1999. Healing the cultural rift between the mainstream and indigenous cultures, transformational consciousness work, the spiritual journey, ancestral work, the sacred hunt, deep nature connection, family, and health are all strong commitments in his life. Tim is a heart-centered father of two brilliant sons and husband to a magnificent wife, and lives in pristine Sandpoint, Idaho.Lonesome Conversations Limited SeriesLonesome Conversations is a special series from The Life Stylist, built around my new book, A Horse Named Lonesome (out November 17, 2026). Loneliness is something almost everyone goes through, and almost nobody talks about honestly. So I sat down with psychologists, philosophers, trauma therapists, teachers, and friends to find the truth about loneliness, and how we heal from it. Each episode is its own conversation, but together they walk the same ground the book maps out. (Pre-order your copy at ahorsenamedlonesome.com) You'll find new episodes alongside our regular show over the coming months.

    healing wild cure loneliness idaho sandpoint life stylist tim corcoran twin eagles wilderness school jeannine tidwell
    Healthy Mind, Healthy Life
    The Stories We Never Go Back to Check, with Maxim Langstaff

    Healthy Mind, Healthy Life

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2026 22:16


    Most of us are walking around with a version of our own story that we decided on years, even decades, ago, and we've never gone back to check if it's still true. We just keep living inside it. Maxim Langstaff, a Grammy and Emmy-nominated writer and producer who has spent nearly 50 years shaping other people's stories, joins host Sreemedha to talk about why storytelling is both what makes us human and what keeps us stuck, why real change almost always follows deep discomfort, and how curiosity and kindness can quietly undo a lifetime of fixed beliefs. About the Guest: Maxim Langstaff is a Grammy and Emmy-nominated writer, producer, and author whose work in music, television, and conservation has reached millions of people worldwide. He produced the Wildlife Concert with John Denver and helped lead a $100 million global tiger conservation campaign, and is the author of the debut novel Sasq'et. Key Takeaways: Humans are the only species that operates from belief rather than fact, and that's often what traps us in stories that no longer serve us. Real change usually isn't gentle, it tends to follow deep discomfort or trauma that shows you your old approach no longer works. Trying harder rarely helps when you're stuck, sometimes the real move is to change direction entirely and look for a different door. Fear is the most dominant human experience, the goal isn't to eliminate it but to recognize it for what it is. Connection is what eases loneliness, sharing your story, or recognizing it in someone else's, is how isolation loosens its grip. Connect With the Guest: Website: https://maximlangstaff.com Book: Sasq'et (Amazon and major retailers) Book Website: https://sasqetthebook.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxim-langstaff-53135580/ Episode Chapters: [00:00] The Stories We Never Go Back to Check — the real question behind this episode [01:53] Why Storytelling Both Defines and Traps Us [04:35] Humans Operate From Belief, Not Fact [11:41] What Real Change Actually Looks Like in Everyday Life [16:13] Fear as the Most Dominant Human Experience [18:10] Connection, Loneliness, and Why Stories Matter to All of Us [20:26] Curiosity Over Being Right (approx.)   Want to be a guest on Healthy Mind, Healthy Life? DM on PM - Send me a message on PodMatch DM Me Here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/avik Disclaimer: This episode is produced for educational and informational purposes only. All views expressed by the guest are their personal opinions alone and do not represent the views of the host or Healthy Mind by Avik™. The Network does not verify, endorse, or assume responsibility for any guest statements. Nothing in this episode constitutes medical, legal, financial, or professional advice, please consult a qualified professional before making any decisions. Listeners are encouraged to engage critically and independently with all content do not consume blindly. Use this content as a starting point for your own reflection and research, not as a substitute for professional guidance. Third-party content is referenced under fair use for informational purposes only. Guest speakers are solely responsible for their own statements. If you have concerns about any content, please contact us here By listening, you acknowledge and accept this disclaimer in full. Read detailed disclaimer here. Healthy Mind By Avik™️is a global platform redefining mental health as a necessity, not a luxury. Born during the pandemic, it's become a sanctuary for healing, growth, and mindful living. Hosted by Avik Chakraborty, storyteller, survivor, and wellness advocate. With over 6500+ episodes and 200K+ global listeners, we unite voices, break stigma, and build a world where every story matters.

    Good Faith
    What Loneliness Is Trying to Tell You with Dr. Alison Cook

    Good Faith

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2026 50:10


    Why Are We So Lonely Even When We're Not Alone?   Host Curtis Chang talks with psychologist and podcaster Dr. Alison Cook about why America's loneliness epidemic can't be solved by simply adding more people to our lives. They explore how attachment wounds, anxiety, distraction, and modern life leave us disconnected—and how solitude and honest prayer can become paths toward healing. Dr. Cook offers a practice for loneliness: "recognize and return"—name what you feel, then remember, "I am loved even here."   02:46 - Why Do We Minimize Loneliness? 05:12 - What Is Attachment Theory? 10:31 - Childhood Wounds and Cultural Context 13:42 - Where God Enters the Healing Process 16:14 - The Inner Dialogue with God 20:44 - The Importance of Solitude 27:20 - The Modern Epidemic of Loneliness 35:16 - Loneliness as a Holy Longing 39:22 - Spiritual Practices for a Healthy Inner Life   To give to Good Faith: https://goodfaith.org/donate   Mentioned in This Episode: Dr. Cook's The Secure Soul: Finding Inner Strength and Connection When Trust Doesn't Come Easy The U.S. Surgeon General's report: Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation Professor Irvin D. Yalom's Existential Psychotherapy Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Life Together   Scriptures: Psalm 42 (ESV) Psalm 131 (ESV) Psalm 139 (ESV) Genesis 2 (ESV) Romans 8 (ESV)   More From Alison Cook: Dr. Alison Cook's Website Dr. Alison Cook's The Best of You podcast   Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook   The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.  

    F**ks Given
    How to Make Friends and Break Friendships - Loneliness, Toxic Friendships & Friends With Benefits

    F**ks Given

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2026 63:23


    Making Friends After 30? Trying to end a toxic friendship? Dealing with Adult Loneliness? This is the episode for you! In this episode of Come Curious, we get into the messy reality of adult friendship: how to make new friends, how to know when a friendship has run its course, and why ending a platonic relationship can hurt just as much as a romantic breakup. We talk about the loneliness epidemic, introversion and different social capacities, as well as the difference between a friendship naturally fizzling out and deliberately choosing to walk away. They also share their own experiences of friendship breakups — including the dramatic ones — and discuss why honest communication can sometimes be kinder than quietly disappearing. Our audience gets involved too, sharing how Curious Fckers made new friends through Bumble BFF, Instagram, burlesque, bouldering, dance classes, hobbies, local groups and niche communities. Plus, the episode touches on current LGBTQI+ and political news before getting back to the really important stuff: how the hell do you actually make friends when you're an adult? Expect conversations about loneliness, friendship breakups, social anxiety, finding your community, making friends online and IRL, and knowing when it's time to let a friendship go. Watch the full video, see exclusive content and support the podcast over on ⁠⁠Patreon ⁠⁠ Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠@comecurious⁠⁠ and DM us your questions, stories and voicenotes! Follow Florence ⁠⁠@florencebark⁠⁠ Follow Reed ⁠⁠@reedamberx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    The Growth Lab with Dr. Josh Axe
    The Spiritual Root of Anxiety Nobody Is Talking About | Madison Prewett Troutt

    The Growth Lab with Dr. Josh Axe

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2026 75:51


    Most people treating anxiety are starting in the wrong place. Madison Prewett Troutt — author, speaker, and podcast host — makes the case that anxiety, loneliness, and chronic exhaustion are primarily spiritual battles, and that no supplement or protocol will produce lasting freedom until the foundation is addressed first. **In this episode:** - Why your body is a temple and what it actually means to steward it well — physically, spiritually, and relationally - The three things every human needs to be truly healthy: connection to God, connection to people, and connection to the earth - Satan's specific strategies to keep you stuck in fear, comparison, and compromise — and how to recognize them - A real spiritual prescription for overcoming anxiety (prayer, confession, praise, gratitude, and addressing childhood trauma) - How community, marriage, and mentorship shape your health just as much as what you eat - The health habits Madison and Grant actually practice — cold plunge, infrared sauna, and the mindset behind all of it Uncover what's really going on in your body with advanced biomarker testing for hormones, thyroid, and metabolism— plus a 1-hour consultation with a Senior Health Advisor! → http://mybloodwork.com Thank you to our sponsors! Sunlighten Sauna: https://get.sunlighten.com/axepodcast Manukora Manuka Honey: https://manukora.com/axe Watch The Dr. Josh Axe Show every Monday & Thursday on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drjoshaxe?sub_confirmation=1

    Kral Space
    Episode 295 | The Male Loneliness Epidemic

    Kral Space

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2026 64:47


    Lori & Julia
    We Talk Dating or Not Dating Later in Life and Loneliness

    Lori & Julia

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2026 11:50


    Based off Comments from Drew Barrymore We Talk Dating Later in Life and LonelinessSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    All the Hacks
    The Science of Lasting Happiness with Arthur Brooks

    All the Hacks

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2026 58:29


    #291: Behavioral social scientist Arthur Brooks joins Chris to reveal why success and happiness follow different rules as we age. They dig into fluid vs. crystallized intelligence, success addiction and dopamine, the reverse bucket list, and how to actually buy happiness. Arthur C. Brooks is a Harvard Professor, musician, and columnist for the Atlantic, where he writes the weekly "How to Build a Life" column. He is the bestselling author of numerous books on happiness and human flourishing. Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/arthur-brooks-happiness-success-purpose/ Partner Deals Gelt: ⁠Skip the waitlist on personalized tax guidance to maximize your wealth Trust & Will: ⁠Get 20% off personalized, legally binding estate plans Zocdoc: Find and instantly book a doctor you love today Trust & Will: ⁠Get 20% off personalized, legally binding estate plans Quince: Affordable luxury essentials with free shipping + 365 day returns For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: ⁠chrishutchins.com/deals Resources Mentioned Arthur: Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube Some of Arthur's Books From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism -- America's Charity Divide -- Who Gives, Who Doesn't, and Why It Matters Selected Works from the Atlantic How to Build a Life - Arthur's Column Are you Epicurus or Epictetus Article Books Happy Money: The Science of Happier Spending by Elizabeth Dunn and Dr Michael Norton The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl Meditations by Marcus Aurelius The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh The Confessions by Saint Augustine The Bible Barcelona Recommendations Roman Ruins Sagrada Familia Romanesque Churches and Gothic Cathedrals ATH Podcast #36: Bucket Lists, Audacious Goals and Living the Life You Want with Ben Nemtin Hotel Upgrade Program Best Cards Page Gift Cards Page Newsletter AMA: Submit Questions Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: podcast@chrishutchins.com Full Show Notes (00:00) Introduction (02:17) How Arthur Defines Happiness (03:50) Quizzes to Diagnose Your Happiness (04:38) Fluid vs. Crystallized Intelligence (05:55) The Two Types of Geniuses (09:01) How to Jump the Curve (13:18) Darwin and Bach's Success Curves (16:56) Success Addiction and Dopamine (19:00) Hustle Culture, Workism and Metacognition (21:19) How Often You Really Need to Journal (22:46) When Love and Money Are Idols (24:40) The Good Four: Faith, Family, Friends and Work (29:13) The Happiness Algorithm: Understand, Apply, Share (30:41) Why Sharing and Teaching Happiness Matters (31:45) Bringing Faith and Meditation Into Your Life (34:15) Lectio Divina: Divine Reading (35:23) The Science of Satisfaction (37:49) Social Comparison, the Thief of Joy (38:39) How to Make a Better Bucket List (43:34) How to Actually Buy Happiness (47:09) Technology, Loneliness and Happiness (48:54) Turning Weakness Into Strength (50:51) Why Negative Emotions Make Us More Effective (51:20) Optimism vs. Hope (52:23) When It's Time to Leave a Job (54:18) Arthur's Recommendations for Barcelona (55:26) The Airplane Story That Inspired From Strength to Strength (57:33) Where to Find More From Arthur Connect with Chris ⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠ | ⁠Membership⁠⁠ | ⁠X⁠⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠⁠ | ⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ Editor's Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    The Ricochet Audio Network Superfeed
    Madison's Notes: S6E2 A Cure for Loneliness: On Homecoming with Ian Marcus Corbin

    The Ricochet Audio Network Superfeed

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2026 56:31


    Americans are more isolated, polarized, and depressed than ever in recent memory, and yet many citizens share a deep desire for community and friendship across political lines and in new creative ways. How may we bridge that gap? To help answer that most pressing question, in Episode 2 of Season 6, I have as our […]

    Joni and Friends Radio
    Illustration of the Gospel of John

    Joni and Friends Radio

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2026 4:00


    Share this program with a friend or family member at www.joniradio.org!  --------Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org. Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

    Spirituality & Mindfulness · The Creative Process
    Finding the Sacred in the Everyday: Literature, Meditation & the Garden of Time w/ GEORGI GOSPODINOV & ANGELA RODEL

    Spirituality & Mindfulness · The Creative Process

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2026 90:21


    “We are in the middle of a labyrinth which suggests to us many fake corridors. What's the superpower of literature? Literature is like an antidote against propaganda. Propaganda explains the world easily in a two-dimensional way.  Literature gives you a more complex explanation. Literature tells personal stories.”Today, we have a conversation about time, memory, and the bittersweet geography of human sorrow. Georgi Gospodinovis widely considered one of the most daring voices in contemporary European literature. His acclaimed novel, The Physics of Sorrow, won the prestigious Jan Michalski Prize in 2016, blending ancient myth and quantum physics to chronicle the delicate realities of post-socialist Eastern Europe. Joining him is Angela Rodel, a brilliant linguist, musician, and translator whose profound artistic empathy carries the flowing cadences of the Bulgarian language into vivid English. Together, this extraordinary creative duo made history by winning the 2023 International Booker Prizefor Time Shelter—the first book written in Bulgarian to ever receive the honor.Time Shelter is a masterfully dark, funny, and prescient novel. It begins with an enigmatic psychiatrist opening a clinic that treats Alzheimer's patients by meticulously recreating past decades to match their internal clocks. But the experiment quickly escapes the clinic walls, triggering a pan-European crisis where entire nations hold democratic referendums to choose which era of the past they will retreat into. It is a book that holds up a mirror to our own world, exploring what happens when a civilization faces a deficit of meaning and tries to weaponize nostalgia.(0:00) The Trap of Nostalgia(2:13) The Art of Translation(5:44) The Pandemic of the Past(11:30) Reading from ‘Time Shelter'(14:28) Death and the Gardener(19:34) The Translator's Calling(26:05) Cultural Rhythms of the Bulgarian Language(30:00) The Nonlinear Approach to Storytelling(34:30) Separating Personal and Historical Pasts(42:55) Storytelling vs Propaganda(47:19) Bodies, Animals and the Loneliness of the Minotaur(56:00) Reading ' Eight Minutes and 19 Seconds'(1:00:28) What makes a good life? What has given your life meaning?(1:04:18)   Childhood, Memory and Imagination(1:10:38) Reflections on God and the Stories His Grandmother Told Him(1:17:20) Education and the Empathic Imagination(1:23:25) The Museum of Memory(1:26:15) The Importance of Hugging and Empathy(1:28:02) AI and the Future of HumanityEpisode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

    The Life Stylist
    Introducing Lonesome Conversations | Limited Series

    The Life Stylist

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2026 1:30


    I'm excited to announce the Lonesome Conversations Limited Series!Lonesome Conversations is a special series from The Life Stylist, built around my new book, A Horse Named Lonesome (out November 17, 2026). Loneliness is something almost everyone goes through, and almost nobody talks about honestly. So I sat down with psychologists, philosophers, trauma therapists, teachers, and friends to find the truth about loneliness, and how we heal from it. Each episode is its own conversation, but together they walk the same ground the book maps out. (Pre-order your copy at ahorsenamedlonesome.com) You'll find new episodes every Friday alongside our regular show over the coming months.

    Being Human
    Episode 292: Holy Anxiety: The Understandable Underbelly of Scrupulosity

    Being Human

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2026 45:03


    Scrupulosity often looks like devotion — but when fear takes over, even our spiritual life can become consumed by doubt, checking, and the search for certainty. In this episode, Dr. Greg Bottaro continues the series on OCPD and perfectionism, exploring the difference between a healthy conscience and a scrupulous one, why mercy can be hard to trust, and how our experiences shape the way we see God. Holiness was never meant to be an endless audit — it was meant to lead us into relationship with the One who loves us. Key Topics: How reciting the truth about mercy in your head does nothing to change what your body still believes Why certainty about being forgiven is the one thing this pattern can never actually get Why confession, meant to bring peace, can quietly become just another form of checking How the voice you call your conscience might actually be a punishing voice in disguise Why the face you're afraid God is making at you was never really His How the saints wrestled with scrupulosity — and what finally brought them peace wasn't more proof Why doing this work alone almost always makes the pattern worse How the way out can feel too easy to trust Learn More: Previous episodes in this series on Obsessive Compulsive Personality Patterns: Ep. #290: "I'm Only Loved When I'm Perfect": The Lie Fueling Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder Ep. #291: OCPD and Scrupulosity: How the Worship of Rules and Control Leads to the Loneliness of Certainty Episode referenced on spiritual bypassing: Why "Everything Happens for a Reason" Isn't Working: The Holy Words We Use to Avoid Healing Join us at the Summit of Integration this October in Dallas — launching the Year of St. John Paul II Start of the Being Human series on the Antisocial Defense Patterns: Ep. #281: Control or Be Controlled: The Devastating Wounds Behind Antisocial Behavioral Patterns Start of the Being Human series on the Borderline Defense Patterns: Ep. #269: BORDERLINE: The Push-Pull Between a Fear of Abandonment and Annihilation Start of the Being Human series on the Histrionic Defense Patterns: Ep. #274: To Be Loved Is to Perform: Inside the Histrionic Compulsion for Attention and Validation Start of the Being Human series on the Dependent Defense Patterns: Ep. #265: Jerry Maguire, Gollum, and the Fear of Not Existing Start of the Being Human series on the Narcissistic Defense Patterns: Ep. #261: Narcissism and the Terror of Being Ordinary Need help? Schedule a free CatholicPsych consultation. Want to help? Learn more about our Certification in Professional Accompaniment. Follow Us on Socials: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter (X) | LinkedIn

    Know Thyself
    E208 - Dr. Robert Lustig: What Modern Food Is Doing to Your Sense of Self

    Know Thyself

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2026 110:53


    Dr. Robert Lustig is a neuroendocrinologist, pediatrician, and bestselling author who has spent 45 years watching children get sicker despite his best efforts to stop it. His work connects the dots between ultra-processed food, mitochondrial dysfunction, dopamine hijacking, and the chronic stress epidemic in a way that is impossible to dismiss. In this conversation, we explore what he calls the hostage brain, what happens to a nervous system under sustained biochemical assault, and why so much of what we call personal failure is actually a systems problem.What We Dive Into:1. When chronic pain, emotional or physical, goes unresolved, the brain reaches for anything that spikes dopamine to quiet it. Over time, tolerance builds and neurons die. Lustig's point is that this is not a personal weakness. The food, the screens, and the stress have conspired to put nearly all of us in some version of this state.2. Dopamine drives wanting. Serotonin drives contentment. The loneliness epidemic is not simply a social problem but a neurochemical one. Cortisol reduces serotonin, dopamine antagonizes it, and ultra-processed food depletes the tryptophan needed to make it. 3. Lustig draws a clear line between primary needs, love, sleep, real food, and secondary desires, status, power, accumulation. Meeting the basics first is both the simplest and most radical act available.Know Thyself, but not by yourself. A guided space to return home to yourself.https://www.knowthyselfcollective.com✨THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:https://www.mudwtr.com/knowthyselfUse code KNOWTHYSELF for up to 43% off sitewidehttps://www.oneskin.co/KNOWTHYSELF Use code KNOWTHYSELF for 15% off OneSkin___________00:00 Intro02:02 What Is Hostage Brain?04:47 The Loss of Stress Resilience09:15 Dopamine, Tolerance, and the Addicted Brain11:26 The Five Causes of Hijacked Biology13:08 The Amygdala: Fear Center, Air Traffic Controller, Buckshot16:07 The Four Brakes on the Amygdala and Why They're Failing22:13 From Real Food to Ultra-Processed Food: The Five Changes23:51 Sugar: The Big Kahuna29:57 Mitochondria, Body Temperature, and the Energy Crisis32:33 The Corporate Machine: Big Food, Big Pharma, and the Atlas Network36:26 Does Big Food Collude with Big Pharma?40:51 Children Getting Sicker: The Systemic Failure46:10 "Personal Responsibility" Is a Tobacco Industry Invention51:44 Freedom of Choice Is Really Freedom to Blame53:11 Loneliness vs. Solitude: The Serotonin Distinction56:52 You Can't Love with an Inflamed Brain57:25 The Gut-Brain Axis and the Light of Tryptophan1:03:13 Orange vs. Orange Juice: Why Fiber Is the Point1:07:44 BioLumen and Making Ultra-Processed Food Healthy1:16:14 Insulin, the Three Fat Depots, and Thin Outside Fat Inside1:25:10 How to Reduce Liver Fat1:26:19 Sugar, ADHD, and the Prefrontal Cortex1:26:41 Practical Steps: Phones, Plastics, and Environmental Toxins1:33:18 The Four C's: Connect, Contribute, Cope, Cook1:41:29 Community Questions: ATP, Cognition, and the Biological Basis of Consciousness1:45:27 What Gives Dr. Lustig Hope1:47:38 Closing Message: Tend to Yourself First___________✨MORE FROM DR. ROBERT LUSTIG↳Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrRobertLustig/↳Metabolical Book: https://metabolical.com↳https://robertlustig.comSTUDIES MENTIONED:↳https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41880620/↳https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/505/504/↳https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306987726001544

    Voices of Esalen
    Adam “Smiley” Poswolsky on Belonging, Loneliness, and the Human Advantage

    Voices of Esalen

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2026 43:00


    Adam “Smiley” Poswolsky is a workplace belonging expert, internationally recognized keynote speaker, and bestselling author whose work explores friendship, loneliness, human connection, and the ways technology is reshaping our relationships with one another. In this conversation, Sam and Smiley trace a line from the early digital-detox movement and Camp Grounded to the present moment of AI, hybrid work, and widespread social disconnection. Smiley speaks about the loneliness crisis, the particular struggles facing young people and men, and why belonging and friendship have become increasingly important both inside and outside the workplace, arguing that organizations need to design intentionally for human connection, and that belonging cannot simply be handed off to an HR department - instead, it has to become part of the everyday culture of a workplace. The conversation also turns to artificial intelligence and the temptation to automate increasingly large parts of our creative and professional lives. Smiley makes the case for using AI thoughtfully while preserving the kinds of distinctly human practices—conversation, presence, intuition, personal storytelling, friendship, and simply spending time thinking—that technology can easily crowd out. Along the way, Sam and Smiley explore the value of “weak ties,” the difference between belonging and mattering, the difficulty of genuinely listening to another person, and why our most personal stories may become increasingly valuable in an age of machine-generated content. They close with Smiley's practice of moving from comparison toward care: when ambition, social media, or creative anxiety starts to take over, turn toward friendship, community, and service. About Adam “Smiley” Poswolsky Adam “Smiley” Poswolsky is an internationally recognized keynote speaker, workplace belonging expert, and bestselling author of The Quarter-Life Breakthrough, The Breakthrough Speaker, and Friendship in the Age of Loneliness. He has spoken for organizations including Apple, Google, Verizon, JPMorgan Chase, and the U.S. Navy, and his work has appeared in publications including Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, The New York Times, and The New Yorker. Learn more about Smiley at smileyposwolsky.com, through his Substack newsletter Friends with Smiley, on LinkedIn as Adam Smiley Poswolsky, and on Instagram at @whatsupsmiley.

    Grow and Glow with Ashy and Keiara
    276. A loving husband, three beautiful kids and a loneliness no one sees: Why do I feel so invisible?

    Grow and Glow with Ashy and Keiara

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2026 14:12 Transcription Available


    TRIGGER WARNING: This episode discusses suicidal ideation. If anything here resonates with you, please know support is available. In Australia, Lifeline (13 11 14) and Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636) are free, confidential and available 24/7. On this weeks bestie advice segment, a listener writes in about a loneliness that runs deep. She's a 32-year-old mum of three with a loving husband and so much to be grateful for — and yet she finds herself without a single close friend. She's left out at work, cancelled on when she tries to organise, and quietly wondering if there's something wrong with her. And she's tried: Pilates, connecting with other parents, putting herself out there again and again, only to watch nothing turn into the real thing. What she's longing for is that "soul sister" friendship — the kind that reminds her she's more than a mum and a wife. This one is for every woman who has ever felt invisible, questioned herself in the quiet, and wondered if she's the only one who feels this way. You're not. And this conversation is for you.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    BecomeNew.Me
    61. Can God Heal Your Mind?

    BecomeNew.Me

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2026 13:22


    What do you do with the mess inside your mind?In this reflection on Psalm 102, John Ortberg explores how the Psalms can become a kind of divine therapy, teaching us to bring our actual thoughts, emotions, fears, and beliefs honestly into the presence of God.Drawing from Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb, the ABCDE framework associated with Martin Seligman, and insights from Walter Brueggemann and Dallas Willard, John shows us a practical way to process what's happening inside us with God.Psalm 102 doesn't clean up the mess.The psalmist pours it out.Fear. Despair. Exaggeration. Loneliness. Anger.And then comes the turn:"But You, Lord..."We bring God what we're actually thinking and feeling, then allow the truth of who He is to reshape the way we see our circumstances.In this episode:- Psalm 102 and lament- What "divine therapy" might look like- Why our inner lives rarely match what we present publicly- Lori Gottlieb's Maybe You Should Talk to Someone- The ABCDE framework- Why lament Psalms use exaggeration and hyperbole- Walter Brueggemann on Psalm 102- Bringing truth to our thoughts- Dallas Willard's "Eternity is now in session"- Walking through an ordinary day with the Eternal GodScripture: Psalm 102#psalm102   #JohnOrtberg #Psalms #Prayer #MentalHealth #SpiritualFormation #ChristianFaith #BibleStudy #DallasWillard #Lament

    The Overthinkers
    How Do You Make (and Keep) Lifelong Friends?

    The Overthinkers

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2026 54:05


    American culture is experiencing a decline in deep, lasting friendships. Why is this happening, and what can we do about it? Nathan Clarkson and Joseph Holmes discuss based on their own experiences and what the data says. Friendship definition: https://www.apa.org/topics/friendship   Friendship decline: https://nypost.com/2025/02/24/opinion/friendship-in-america-is-in-freefall-and-its-killing-us/ Loneliness in America: https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2025/01/16/men-women-and-social-connections/?utm_source=chatgpt.com Websites The Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.world Nathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.me Joseph Holmes: linktr.ee.com/josephholmes

    Gary and Shannon
    AutoZone Chaos, SwampWatch and the Loneliness Problem

    Gary and Shannon

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2026 31:59 Transcription Available


    HOUR 3 (08/17) - Gary & Shannon wrap up live from Chargers training camp with #WhatsHappening, including another SoCal heat wave, Nick Reiner’s fight for access to his inheritance and a massive AutoZone break-in in East LA. Then #SwampWatch covers the latest on Eric Swalwell and concerns aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln after months at sea. Plus, as practice winds down at The Bolt, Gary & Shannon dig into the broader loneliness problem and why men and women alike may be losing the basic skills of friendship, connection and simply doing things together.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    The mindbodygreen Podcast
    663: Daily choices that shape brain health in your 30s, 40s & beyond | David Perlmutter, MD

    The mindbodygreen Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2026 47:20


    “We can choose our brain's destiny,” says David Perlmutter, MD. Perlmutter is a Board-Certified Neurologist and six-time New York Times bestselling author whose work focuses on the intersection of neurology, nutrition, and brain health. He is on the Board of Directors of the American College of Nutrition and the Editorial Board of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. His books, including the #1 bestseller Grain Brain, has been published in 32 languages and sold over a million copies. Perlmutter lectures globally at leading institutions and has been featured on major media outlets including 20/20, CNN, The Today Show, and Oprah. His new book, Brain Defenders, focuses on the pivotal role of microglia, the brain's immune cells, in protecting, repairing, and reprogramming the brain for lifelong resilience, and is now available for pre-order. 00:00 - Treating the symptoms, not the cause  02:37 - Microglial cells & their evil twin state  05:44 - How metabolism affects the brain  08:00 - Gut bacteria, inflammation, & brain degeneration  11:38 - Why lifestyle beats the APOE4 gene  16:25 - Perlmutter's daily routine 23:55 - Loneliness & oxytocin  26:21 - The effects of long COVID on the brain 32:18 - Glyphosate & other environmental factors  39:20 - Reprogramming microglia & mitochondrial transplants  41:35 - Own your brain's destiny Referenced in the episode:  For more about Perlmutter, visit his website: https://drperlmutter.com/  Alzheimers & UPFs study: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjpad.2024.100042  POINTER study - https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2837046  20-week Alzheimer's study:  https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13195-024-01482-z  Golf course & Parkinson's study: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2833716  We hope you enjoy this episode, and feel free to watch the full video on YouTube! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: podcast@mindbodygreen.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Time Of Grace
    Confusing Things Christians Say: "Fellowship"

    Time Of Grace

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2026 27:31


    Loneliness affects personal health. But what can we do to stop the loneliness epidemic when work is online and relationships take the form of texts and social media? There's something we can take part in today—but it involves a confusing word called "fellowship." And fellowship requires work. In this message, Pastor Mike explains what kind of work goes into the meaningful Christian relationships we define as “fellowship.”Do you want to know more about God? Or know someone who would like to know God? Sign up for Text Updates: https://timeofgrace.org/sign-up-for-text-updates/Subscribe to our daily email! timeofgrace.org/subscribeWe need your support! Your donation of any amount helps keep these videos coming. Please donate here: https://timeofgrace.org/?form=donate

    Optimal Relationships Daily
    3110: How To Support Someone With Depression. What To Say And What Not To Say by Dr. Margaret Rutherford on Healthy Communication

    Optimal Relationships Daily

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2026 9:22


    Get the 200+ Page Optimal Living Daily Workbook (PDF) - Free. Want to turn today's episode into an actionable plan? Join the Optimal Living Weekly newsletter and I'll send you our 200-page digital workbook immediately. It's packed with the best takeaways from the show, formatted for easy reading and implementation at home. Get your free PDF workbook here: https://oldpodcast.eo.page/join Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3110: Dr. Margaret Rutherford explains why people go quiet around depression, and how that silence adds loneliness and shame to an illness nobody chose. She offers relationship advice on what to actually say to someone who is struggling, and why suspending judgment matters far more than finding the perfect words. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://drmargaretrutherford.com/how-to-support-someone-with-depression-what-to-say-and-what-not-to-say/ Quotes to ponder: "It's hard work to accept and work with depression." "People don't want to believe that something unforeseen, something they can't control, can take over their life, and rob them of contentment and pleasure." "Loneliness, invisibility, shame, and discounting don't have to exist for those with depression or any mental illness." Optimal Relationships Daily is a daily relationship advice podcast where we narrate the best articles on healthy relationships, dating, marriage, and family, read to you by a professional narrator so you can strengthen your closest connections a little more every day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    The Darin Olien Show
    Chris Ballard: Why Freezing Water and Daily Discomfort is the Ultimate Antidote to Loneliness

    The Darin Olien Show

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2026 60:33


    What happens when a journalist who hates the cold decides to spend three years immersing himself in one of the most extreme athletic subcultures on Earth? In this fascinating conversation, Darin sits down with award-winning journalist and author Chris Ballard to explore the world behind his book The Plunge. After a hip replacement at just 42 forced Chris to rethink his identity as an athlete, cold water initially became a tool for recovery. But curiosity eventually pulled him much deeper, from cold showers and plunges to competitive ice swimming in water below 41°F and ultimately representing the United States at the Ice Swimming World Championships. Together, Darin and Chris separate cold exposure hype from reality, explore what actually happens to the body in freezing water, and reveal why the greatest benefits Chris discovered weren't necessarily physical. They dive into resilience, emotional regulation, mental health, community, our increasingly comfortable modern lives, and why voluntarily doing difficult things may provide something many of us desperately need. What You'll Learn How a hip replacement at 42 led Chris into the world of cold exposure What officially qualifies as ice swimming and why 41°F is the threshold Which popular cold plunge benefits may be overhyped Why community became the most surprising theme of Chris's research How body composition and genetics influence cold tolerance The real dangers of extreme cold and the 1-10-1 survival rule How repeated cold exposure may train emotional regulation and resilience Why cultures in Finland and Denmark treat cold exposure completely differently than Americans How cold swimming has helped some people navigate grief, depression, and isolation Why deliberately doing hard things may matter more than ever in a world built around convenience Chapters 00:00:00 – Welcome to SuperLife 00:00:33 – Sponsor: Alkemis 00:03:24 – Introducing Chris Ballard and the world of cold water swimming 00:04:29 – The hip replacement that changed Chris's life at 42 00:05:40 – How NBA recovery techniques led him to cold exposure 00:07:34 – Going from cold plunges to competitive ice swimming 00:09:40 – Inside the extreme subculture of swimming below 41°F 00:11:01 – The challenge that convinced Chris to compete himself 00:12:17 – Ice swimming and the original spirit of the Winter Olympics 00:13:21 – How to safely begin training for cold exposure 00:15:14 – What officially qualifies as ice swimming? 00:16:20 – Separating cold plunge science from hype 00:17:15 – The most surprising benefit wasn't physical 00:18:05 – Why cold swimming creates such powerful community 00:19:29 – Cold exposure, loneliness, and human connection 00:20:45 – Sponsor: Shakeology 00:22:33 – Why actually getting in the water changed Chris's reporting 00:23:47 – The surprising body type advantage in cold water 00:25:19 – Grandmothers, elite athletes, and the mental side of ice swimming 00:26:09 – When cold water becomes genuinely dangerous 00:27:02 – The 1-10-1 rule for surviving cold water 00:29:41 – Chris attempts an ice kilometer 00:30:28 – Has modern comfort made us weaker? 00:32:19 – Why Finland laughs at America's cold plunge protocols 00:33:36 – The cold plunge benefits that may be overhyped 00:35:51 – Can you train your body to generate heat? 00:36:51 – Anticipatory thermogenesis and extreme cold adaptation 00:38:12 – How three years of cold exposure changed Chris's body 00:39:44 – Training emotional regulation through voluntary discomfort 00:40:48 – Building resilience one difficult moment at a time 00:42:02 – Why modern life is starving us of accomplishment 00:44:13 – AI, shortcuts, and why difficult work still matters 00:46:30 – Why Chris believes experiential storytelling can't be replaced 00:48:55 – The extraordinary people Chris discovered while writing The Plunge 00:49:57 – Cold water, grief, and finding a reason to keep moving 00:50:52 – How cold swimming became a mental health lifeline 00:52:09 – A global community united by challenge 00:53:51 – What Chris's cold exposure routine looks like today 00:54:27 – Why swimming may be the perfect lifelong sport 00:55:05 – Making the U.S. Ice Swimming National Team 00:56:05 – Could ice swimming become an Olympic sport? 00:57:17 – Why swimming through freezing water feels completely different 00:58:01 – Cold water forces you completely into the present moment 00:58:29 – Cold swimming, men's mental health, and escaping your thoughts 00:59:13 – What's next for Chris Ballard 00:59:35 – Accomplishment versus scrolling 01:00:00 – Final thoughts and making cold exposure accessible Thank You to Our Sponsors Alkemis: Go to https://alkemispaint.com/ and use code DARIN10 for 10% off your order. Shakeology: Get 15% off with code DARINO1BODI at Shakeology.com. Join the SuperLife Community Get Darin's deeper wellness breakdowns — beyond social media restrictions: Weekly voice notes Ingredient deep dives Wellness challenges Energy + consciousness tools Community accountability Extended episodes Join for $7.49/month → https://patreon.com/darinolien Find More from Chris Ballard Website: chrisballardwritings.com Instagram: @chrisballard33 Check Out His New Book: The Plunge Find More from Darin Olien: Website: darinolien.com Instagram: @darinolien Book: Fatal Conveniences Platform & Products: superlife.com New Show: Roadmap to Happiness Key Takeaway "In a world engineered to remove discomfort, voluntarily doing something difficult can give us back something we've lost. Cold water forces you into the present moment, gives you something tangible to overcome, and when you do it alongside other people, that discomfort can become resilience, accomplishment, and genuine human connection."