Even before the Covid pandemic began in 2020, chronic loneliness was a private experience of profound anguish that had become a public health crisis. Since then it has reached new heights. Loneliness assumes many forms, from enduring physical isolation to feeling rejected because of difference, and it can have devastating consequences for our physical and me ... Show More
Jan 12
Ofer Sharone, "The Stigma Trap: College-Educated, Experienced, and Long-Term Unemployed" (Oxford UP, 2024)
An eye-opening look at how all American workers, even the highly educated and experienced, are vulnerable to the stigma of unemployment.
After receiving a PhD in mathematics from MIT, Larry spent three decades working at prestigious companies in the tech industry. Initially he wa ... Show More
34 m
Jan 12
Stephen Skowronek, "The Adaptability Paradox: Political Inclusion and Constitutional Resilience" (U Chicago Press, 2025)
Has American democracy outstripped its constitutional accommodations? Faith in the resilience and adaptability of the US Constitution rests on a long history of finding new ways to make the system work. In The Adaptability Paradox: Political Inclusion and Constitutional Resilienc ... Show More
40m 24s
Jan 9
J. Logan Smilges, "Crip Negativity" (U of Minnesota Press, 2023)
In the thirty years since the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law, the lives of disabled people have not improved nearly as much as activists and politicians had hoped. In Crip Negativity (U of Minnesota Press, 2023), J. Logan Smilges shows us what’s gone wrong an ... Show More
57m 6s
Feb 2025
How academia’s ‘lone wolf’ culture is harming researcher mental health
Academia’s focus on individual achievement can be a breeding ground for poor mental health, says astrophysicist Kelly Korreck.Korreck, who experienced pandemic-related burnout while working on NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, describes a competitive and ultimately damaging ‘lone wolf’ ... Show More
30m 17s
Feb 2019
Living in a Lonely World (SOP74)
Half of Americans say they are lonely and the average person reports having only one close friend. Loneliness can also make us sick, contributing to heart disease, depression, suicide and cognitive decline. Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad, professor of psychology and neuroscience at Br ... Show More
46m 18s
Nov 2024
Douglas J. Engelman, "A Boy Broken: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Mental Illness, Loss, and a Search for Meaning" (2023)
In A Boy Broken: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Mental Ilness, Loss, and a Search for Meaning (2023), Dr. Douglas J. Engelman takes us through an often painful, sometimes uplifting story, where he recalls and describes the moment his relationship with his son changed foreve ... Show More
42m 57s
Jul 2025
Samuel B. Lee MD - Spiritual Healing. Your Power Is Within
<p>Dr. Samuel B. Lee, MD is a board-certified psychiatrist, author, and pioneering voice in the evolution of mental health and human consciousness. With over a decade of clinical experience and advanced training from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Dr. Lee is forging ... Show More
56m 58s
Oct 9
Why Brains Need Friends w/ Dr. Ben Rein
This week, Scott sits down with Dr. Ben Rein, a Stanford neuroscientist and one of today’s most engaging science communicators. Dr. Rein has spent over a decade studying the neuroscience of social interaction, and his new book, Why Brains Need Friends: The Neuroscience of Social ... Show More
1h 3m
Sep 2024
Johann Hari: Solving Loneliness and Taking Back Stolen Focus (E288)
<p>Johann Hari is a renowned writer and journalist known for his exploration of mental health, addiction, and societal issues. With several bestselling books under his belt, Johann brings a fresh perspective on how our modern world impacts our psychological well-being. </p><br><p ... Show More
1h 23m
Jun 2024
"Depression and Psychedelic Therapy" with Charles Raison, M.D. - s2, e3
Dr. Raison is a professor of psychiatry and human ecology at University of Wisconsin-Madison, director of Clinical and Translational Research for Usona Institute, and Director of Research on Spiritual Health for Emory Healthcare. In addition, Dr Raison founded the Center for Comp ... Show More
1h 3m