Meredith for Real: the curious introvert

Is it possible to maintain mental acuity well into your golden years? How do we assess ourselves (instead of waiting to see)?

Dr. Dale Bredesen earned his M.D. from Duke University Medical Center & served as Chief Resident in Neurology at the University of California. He's now a Neuroscience researcher & internationally recognized expert in the mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases. His newest book is The Ageless Brain: How to Sharpen and Protect Your Mind for a Lifetime. In this episode, we cover helpful early detection tests, the stages of decline & proven protocols for brain health.

...

What happens when attraction never shows up? Why does this label matter?

Tony Bogaert, PhD, is the professor of health sciences at Brock University in Ontario, Canada where he has taught & conducted research for the last 30 years, primarily in the area of human sexuality. He’s also the author of Understanding Asexuality.

In this episode, you’ll learn the difference between asexuality & sexual aversion disorder, celibacy & autism as well as how someone might be asexual, but also be married with children. We talk about asexual pop culture icons, historical figures & evolution.

 ...

What was it like to work on Project Stargate? Is Psi science being taken seriously? What if our mind is not our brain?

Dean Radin, PhD, has been researching the paranormal for 45 years & currently serves as Chief Scientist at the Inst of Noetic Sciences. His new book, The Science of Magic, is a straight-faced look behind the scenes of psi research & even shares how you can do your own experiments at home.

In this video, you’ll hear about the maturation of psi research, the psychic gene theory, religion vs magic & behi...

Why do most of us work Mon-Fri?  What would happen if Thursday was the new Friday?

Joe Sanok is a former psychologist & current author of Thursday is the New Friday.  In this episode, he shares how the signs of a shorter work week (& longer weekends) have been popping up since the 1980’s. 

In this episode he shares why a four-day work week is critical to society’s advancement, examples of places already implementing alternative schedules, how we can recalibrate our minds away from the industrialist mindset & how to discover your internal inclinati...

What do we have to show for the #metoo movement? Were men benefited or hurt by the movement?

Carter Sherman is an Emmy nominated reproductive health & justice reporter at The Guardian & author of the book The Second Coming. Her comprehensive review of sex, culture & policy combined with over 100 conversations with people about their sex lives made her uniquely qualified to unpack the good, the bad & the confusing of the #metoo movement. 

You’ll hear about false accusations vs. real assault rates, why “good men don’t do this” backfired, sex Ed's missed opportunity, vulnerability, therapy, and bette...

Is there an uptick of people claiming to be actual witches? When in history were witches NOT seen as evil? Is this commercialism packaged as a spiritual practice?

Julie Walsh, PhD, is the Whitehead Associate Professor of Critical Thought & Associate Professor of Philosophy at Wellesley College in Massachusetts. Her primary research focus is on metaphysics & the ethics of human freedom in the early modern period.

In this episode, we talk about the historical origin of witches & word choice, the connection between female sexual satisfaction & witches, the 1400’s witch hunting manual & how time...

When & why did circumcision begin (it’s not what you think)? What are the arguments for it & what are the experts saying? Sugar water instead of anesthetic??

Brendon Marotta is a filmmaker whose feature-length documentary, American Circumcision, won multiple awards & can be found on Amazon & YouTube. In this episode, we talk about the surprising history of circumcision, the practice today, parental consent & why this is so hard to talk about, but female circumcision isn’t. 

This episode originally aired March 13, 2023.

If you like this episode, you’ll also like...

Forget good news. How about just honest news? How did we get here? Guest Ken LaCorte unpacks the history of news production, behind the scenes of how it’s made, information vs entertainment & how human psychology ironically drives the train we’re all so desperate to get off.

Ken LaCorte left main stream media in 2016 after nearly 20 years of serving in senior management at Fox News. Today he writes about censorship & media misconduct, but you might recognize from his YouTube channel called Elephants in Rooms, where he explores Uncomfortable truths & Awkward questions without sensationalism.

 <...

Can we take psi seriously while maintaining critical thinking? Jeffrey Kripal, PhD, explores the YES AND of the ordinary & extraordinary. You’ll hear about precognition, poltergeists, Skinwalker Ranch, time travel, demons & X-Men.

Jeffrey Kripal, PhD is the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University in Houston, Texas. He is also the author or co-author of thirteen books including, How to Think Impossibly: about souls, ufos, time, belief and everything else.

If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 287: IF ALIENS ARE REAL, WHY DOES NO ONE...

Is psychedelic assisted therapy is BETTER than traditional talk therapy? You’ll hear how they’re different, how psychedelics may help not just the combat veteran or trauma survivor, but the functional griever (goes to work every day, acts like everything is fine, but having panic attacks out of nowhere). You’ll also hear about my own experience with psychedelics and different types of medicines for different types of grief.

Michael Sapiro, PsyD, is an ordained Buddhist monk, poet & clinical psychedelic psychotherapist. In addition to working extensively with first responders, he is a psychological consultant for SWA...

In this episode, we discuss the difference between addiction & dependence, convenient diagnoses, compulsive sexual behavior within bipolar disorder & OCD, how to identify sex addiction & what recovery looks like.

Dr. Joshua Grubbs is an addiction researcher who found his interest in sex addiction in college (not as exciting as it sounds). He’s since published over 100 papers on sexual compulsive behavior disorder & serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Center on Alcohol, Substance use & Addiction at the University of New Mexico.

This episode originally aired February 13, 2023.

Rachel Bernstein is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Cult Specialist & the Host of the IndoctriNation Podcast. She has spent the last 35 years helping former cult members & those who have had loved ones in cults, focusing on emotional abuse recovery, identity repair & moral injury. In this episode she explains the psychology of political allegiance, why religion & politics always fuse together, thought stopping cliches & media influence vs media manipulation.

If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 229: IS YOUR HAPPINESS BEING POLITICIZED? CULTURE, CORTISOL & THE BRAIN

Guest: https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/ | https://www.facebook.com/ra...

Michael Glawson is a PhD philosopher of science, technology, religion & ethics. As an ethicist, he has created corporate ethics training for government organizations & fortune 500 companies. In this episode, he puts into plain language the ever evolving world of AI. 

We cover Anthropic’s recent report of their AI technology blackmailing two of their executives in a recent sandboxed experiment, why AI isn’t as smart as you think, why AI can re-write its own rules, what experts think about our future with AI, the reality of robot romance & practical tips for the average person.

If you l...

Before Lauren Sisler was an Emmy award-winning ESPN sideline reporter, she was an 18-year-old in her dorm room when she found out that her parents had died just hours of each other due to a hidden battle with opioids.

When her world came crashing down, the next decade became a wrestling match with the truth. In this episode, she’s going to share her story & unpack her thoughts on legacy, shame & identity for what you’re sure to find as a more relatable American experience.

We talk about how her parents secret financial problems & prescription drug...

Our first ever FEED DROP SWAP! I'm personally endorsing UAP STUDIES Podcast because I know how much you all love the UFO topic! This week's episode is a sample of their show - an episode I picked that I think you'll love. Listening supports my show, but the real magic happens when you also subscribe to the UAP Studies Podcast & download a few episodes for later (they are doing the same for us)!

 The UAP Studies Podcast is hosted by Jason Guillemette, Dr Michael Glawson & Katie Paige. Each episode unpacks aspects of high strangeness with names y...

Dr. Benjamin Bergen is a Cognitive Science professor at the University of California San Diego, the author of the book, What the F, and was featured on the Netflix series “The History of Swear Words.” Here he shares what makes a word bad, discusses the future of cussing, the efficacy of word prohibition & the cultural influence of cursing etymology around the world.

This episode originally aired August 22, 2022.

If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 245: IS SKIPPING SMALL TALK AN OPTION? UBERS, ELEVATORS & FAMILY [REMASTERED]

Guest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-be...

Pranic healing, known as acupuncture without needles, is a type of biofield therapy belonging to the family of naturopathic medicine. Jason Yuan is a certified Associate Pranic Healer, with a bachelor’s in Biology & a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and a Masters in Acupuncture. In this episode, you’ll hear how pranic healing helped him go from hospitalized with eczema to nearly completely healed, pranic healing vs placebo vs reiki & what this modality’s success may tell us about the nature of consciousness.  

If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 285: IS HEART COH...

Catherine De Noir has two Masters degrees & is a PhD student. She has also been a brothel manager in Western Europe for nine years. You’ll hear stories of clients like the unironic plumber & the man who sold his house as well as insights from the sex workers, like the secret of their top earning woman. We discuss what these moments teach us about the things that connect & disconnect us from each other & what her hopes are for the future of sex work.

If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 214: WHAT ARE...

Heather Lillico is a registered holistic nutritionist who struggled with bulimia. In this episode, you’ll hear which mineral deficiencies can cause anxiety, which foods are mood boosting, who the top food offenders are for anxiety & opens up about her relationship with food to illustrate how mindset is at the heart of it all.

Spotify mental health playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2VT1YYrZeTImP9jAuMg1W0?si=CjaHx9ShQrucDECw2f9wgA&pi=Yb2GavpOTS2aq

If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 251: FOOD ADDICTION: CHARACTER FLAW OR REAL DEPENDENCE? [REMASTERED]

Gu...

Jose Herrera had Marine squad leader training that included learning about & using a “sixth sense.” In this episode, he shares his journey to developing pre-cognitive abilities & how he used them in his 3 combat tours in Iraq & Afghanistan. He also shares a bit of military history around this topic & how we might all be able to upgrade our senses.

This episode originally aired September 12, 2022.

Spotify psi playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qccJlWTulcXkDiGHFOOYS?si=JczLfp7CSy6JvdhOVImHzA 

If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 268: SCIENCE & THE PSY...

Megan Stodard, PhD is a clinical psychologist, the founder of Harbor Wellness & has over a decade treating mood disorders. In this episode, she breaks down in plain language the KEY differences between depression & sadness, symptoms in men & women, the best time to see a therapist & the difference between spaghetti & waffles (it’s relevant, I promise).

This episode originally aired November 23, 2020.

Spotify mental health playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2VT1YYrZeTImP9jAuMg1W0?si=uC-4wnZEQ3Wp0utQ1aQsPQ 

If you like this episode, you’ll also like...

Dr. Sabine Hazen is a Gastroenterologist, Researcher, & CEO of Progena Biome. In this episode, she explains how fecal microbiota transplants (FMT) have the potential to treat Alzheimer's, Autism, Crohn's, Anxiety, Depression & Alopecia. She explains how it works, why mapping the microbiome is like mapping the human genome & interesting cases of personality changes post transplant.

If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 188: BIOHACKING FOR DUMMIES: SUNSHINE, SLEEP & SHIVERS

Guest: https://sabinehazanmd.com/ | https://x.com/SabinehazanMD | https://www.facebook.com/DoctorSabineHazan | https://www.instagram.com/dr.sabinehazan/ | http...

Do we accept the creepy side of tech in order to enjoy its benefits? Bill Ottman is a technologist best known for founding the decentralized social network Minds, but you may have seen him on Joe Rogan Experience, NPR, or the NYTimes. In this episode, we discuss the privacy paradox of public outrage at government surveillance living alongside public over disclosure on social media. You’ll also hear his take on TikTok, baby monitors & his response to “I have nothing to hide.” You’ll also hear easy swaps you can make to increase your digital privacy without spiraling into techno p...

Who’s talking about men’s mental health? In this episode, four guests join me – Russ Jones, an ADHD mentor, Paul Roberts, a blue-collar business owner, Ali Mattu, a clinical psychologist & Jon Patrick Hatcher, a nonfiction humor writer. We discuss how men talk to each other about mental health behind closed doors, the mistakes women are unknowingly making when they try to help, the problem with strength-based identity, the medicine of community, neurodiversities & emotional dysregulation parties.

If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 166: MALE ANXIETY: STIGMA, STRATEGIES & ROGAINE

Guests:   Jon Patrick Ha...

Dr. Barbara Cohen is psychotherapist, certified ADHD Coach, international ADHD researcher, and fellow ADDer. In this episode, you’ll hear why adult ADHD is often misdiagnosed, the #1 question you should be asking to a mental health counselor if you think you have ADHD, some practical tips for work & even how ADHD might be sabotaging your sex life.

This episode is a combination of episodes originally airing on June 1, 2020 & March 21, 2021.

If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 197: ADHD REAL TALK: EPIC FAILS & EASY HACKS

Guest:   https://www.drbarbaracohen.com...

Gregory Shushan, PhD, is the leading authority on near-death experiences and afterlife beliefs across cultures and throughout history. He is an award-winning author affiliated with Birmingham Newman University, University of Winchester, Marian University, and the Parapsychology Foundation. In this episode, he shares why studying NDE’s is time well spent, how historical NDEs differed from the religious texts of the time, consciousness as a cosmic circuit, Non-linear reality & reincarnation.

If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 224: ARE NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES SCIENCE? [REMASTERED]

Guest:  https://www.gregoryshushan.com/ | https://x.com/GregoryShushan | https://www.i...

Mike Feldstein worked in the natural disaster restoration sector, witnessing firsthand the impact of polluted air on people’s health. Later he went on to found Jaspr, a health company that makes commercial-grade air scrubbers. In this episode, you’ll hear the danger in your dentist office, what sick building syndrome is & what the Manhattan project has to do with HEPA.

If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 109: BEING SMART WITH PHONES: NO TIN FOIL HATS

Guest:  https://www.instagram.com/mike.feldstein/ | https://www.instagram.com/jasprco/ | https://www.facebook.com/JasprCo...

Dr. Loretta Breuning was unconvinced by prevailing theories on human motivation & after researching the animal origins of our brain chemicals, wrote the book Habits of a Happy Brain. Here she shares why we find ourselves saying, “I shouldn’t be so unhappy! I have everything I need” or doing late-night shopping at the expense of your savings account, drinking more than we said we would, or going back into that bad relationship. She breaks down each brain chemical in plain language,  philosophical vs physical happiness, & why our expectation of constant happiness can be a source of chronic distress.

This...

Nichol R Bradford is the Chairman & co-founder of The Transformative Tech Lab, where she specializes as a futurist focusing on human-centered AI adoption. We not only discussed theoretical scenarios of human betterment due to AI, but practical AI tools that are available now that could make the internet safer & more supportive for your kids as well as what your personal AI agent could be like, how AI could make a huge dent in mental health dilemmas & improve our work experiences.

If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 168: WELCOME TO THE FUTURE: AI, SMART CITIES & DA...

Michael Glawson, PhD, is a philosopher of science and technology with a background in theology. He’s  also the host of the podcast Anomalous Review & the UAP Studies Podcast. In this video, we cover the public’s love affair with cryptids, why new information is unlikely to smash our world view, ancient aliens, data vs entertainment & how the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies collects data.

If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 276: ARE ALIENS HUMAN FROM THE FUTURE? [REMASTERED]

Guest: https://www.explorescu.org/podcast | https://www.instagram.com/michaelglawson/ | michaelglawson@me.com | h...

Trish St John is the founder of Sensual Solutions in Vancouver, Canada, an intimate care service for adults with disabilities. With everyone trying to be more sex-positive, we ask the question, why then is it so uncomfortable to think about someone with a spinal cord injury having sex? In this episode, she shares how she went from HR executive to sex surrogacy agency owner, why we prefer people with disabilities to be asexual, how her service works & how it’s legal.

This episode originally aired October 24, 2022.

If you liked this episode, you’ll also like epis...

Rollin McCraty, PhD is Psychophysiologist & Director of Research at the HeartMath Institute where his primary areas of focus are the mechanisms by which emotions influence cognitive processes, behavior, health, & global interconnectivity between people & Earth’s energetic systems. His research has appeared in journals including the American Journal of Cardiology, Journal of the American College of Cardiology & Stress Medicine and Biological Psychology. 

In this episode, you’ll hear the critical difference between heart rate & heart rate variability, the frequency connection between earth & earthlings, how to measure your personal field environment & how heart coherence is steroids for y...

Matt Lane is a certified personal trainer, behavioral change specialist and practicing registered nurse who gained 50lbs ON PURPOSE, so he could experiment on himself to see IF it was possible to lose weight by only eating fast food for 60 days. 

In this episode, you’ll hear the emotional impact of his weight gain, the fallacy of portion control, food as a cultural cornerstone & what it was like eating only fast food for every meal for 60 days.

If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 251: FOOD ADDICTION: CHARACTER FLAW OR REAL...

Dr. Stephanie Sarkis is a psychotherapist with over 20 years of experience specializing in ADHD, anxiety, & narcissistic abuse. She’s a contributor to Forbes & Psychology Today & the Author of Healing from Toxic Relationships: 10 Essential Steps to Recover from Gaslighting, Narcissism, and Emotional Abuse. In this episode, you’ll hear the reason there isn’t a lot of research on narcissists, bad brain wiring vs trauma response, narcissism vs self-care & how to prevent narcissistic behavior within ourselves.

If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 260: IS AMERICAN INDIVIDUALISM OVERRATED? COWBOYS & THE PRISON OF PRIVACY

Dr. Diana Walsh Pasulka is a Professor of religious history at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Her research focuses on religion and technology, but it was her research about purgatory specifically that lead her to UFO culture, a journey she documents in her book, American Cosmic. Here she helps us understand the connection between tech, religion & aliens, explains why you might think about something & then see it show up in your life & why some Christians get offended at the idea of interplanetary life. 

This episode originally aired August 15, 2022.

If you liked t...

The world of family influencers is one we all know, but what are the impacts of on the children of these influencers when they come of age? Erin Quinn Kong is a longtime magazine editor, having worked at Allure & UsWeekly. Her most current endeavor led her to merging real influencer allegations into a fictional novel called Hate Follow about a teenage daughter of a family influencer who sues her mother.

In this episode, you’ll hear the recent legislation that allows kids of family influencers to sue their parents (& the legal loopholes that could lead to more pr...

Lopaka Kapanui is a native Hawaiian who was adopted by a non-Hawaiian family & raised Catholic. When he was 7, he died during a medical procedure & his near-death experience left him with some unusual gifts & an open door to connecting back to his culture. He now celebrates over 25 years of owning & operating Hawaii’s only locally-owned ghost tour company, Mysteries of Hawaii. In this episode, he shares the tie between mediumship & Hawaiian culture, his personal journey back to his roots & some ghost stories he’s personally experienced.

This episode originally aired October 31, 2022.

If you like...

Sophie Compton & Reuben Hamlyn are the directors of Another Body, a documentary highlighting an engineering student's experience becoming a victim of nonconsensual intimate imagery or what most call deepfake porn. 

The documentary walks through how a young engineering student became a victim of image based sexual abuse and in this conversation you’ll hear, how this can be legal, the origin of deep fake AI, who the perpetrators are & what motivates them & who to talk to young people about the risks.

If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 205: NEUROTECH: SCIEN...

Dr. Sarah Kerr is the founder of The Centre for Sacred Death Care & has been a practicing death doula since 2012. In this episode, she shares conversational onramps to death conversations (including kids), the difference between death the moment & death the process, how to find death rituals that feel authentic & what a death doula does.

If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 267: GRIEVING DURING THE HOLIDAYS: SNEAKY SYMPTOMS & FINDING JOY [REMASTERED]

Guest: https://www.instagram.com/sacreddeathcare/ | https://www.youtube.com/@SacredDeathcare | https://www.facebook.com/SacredDeathcare/ | https://sacreddeathcare.com/

Host:  htt...

Ep. 277 Divorce Revolution: Living with Your Ex (& his new wife) [REMASTERED]

Living together while divorced sounds crazy, but it’s the story of Suzanne Vickberg, PhD, an author & psychologist who chose a divorce by design rather than a divorce by default. She shares her thought process & divorce success story to answer the questions, can divorce be a good thing? When is divorce the best option? She also shares the hilarious hiccups along the way.

This episode originally aired February 28, 2022

If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 73 THE IMPACT OF A...