Getting clarity about how to make a career transition with Lisa Lewis. Show Notes: How Lisa became a career transition expert What leads to career dissatisfaction? The four pillars of career fulfillment Testing career hypotheses Executing on a new career strategy Courage vs confidence You can learn more about Lisa and her work here: Lisa Lewis (Website) Career Clarity (Book) Get the latest Minds & Mics episodes as soon as they're released If you enjoyed this episode of Minds&Mics and wan...
Oct 11, 2020•46 min•Ep. 17
Lodro Rinzler is an experienced meditation teacher and the author of many books, including my favorite book about meditation, Sit Like a Buddha: A Pocket Guide to Meditation . In today's episode, I chat with Lodro about how to think differently about meditation, some of the unexpected benefits of meditating, and what you need to know to get a consistent meditation practice off the ground. Show Notes How he writes so damn much (1:00) Tea and Cake with Demons (1:50) Lodro’s favorite ways that medi...
Sep 14, 2020•41 min•Ep. 16
Scott Young is a prolific writer and thinker best known for his concept of ultralearning. In today's episode, I pick Scott's brain about what ultralearning actually is and the many psychological benefits that come with it. Show Notes The MIT Challenge The Year without English (6:00) The 30-Day Portrait Drawing Challenge (11:00) What is ultralearning? (18:00) Ultralearning and deep satisfaction (21:00) Ultralearning and the expansion of personal possibility (27:00) Ultralearning and curiosity (37...
Aug 17, 2020•1 hr•Ep. 15
Child psychologist Kristen Ohlenforst comes on the show to discuss childhood anxiety, followed up by a no-holds-barred round-robin between Nick and Kristen recounting their own "embarrassing blunders" and "tricks of the trade" as psychologist-parents. Show Notes How Kristen became interested in psychology (1:24) Talk Therapy vs Play Therapy for kids (12:58) Common misconceptions about childhood anxiety (19:10) Normal childhood anxiety vs clinically significant anxiety (22:30) Common types of chi...
Jul 27, 2020•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 14
Philosopher Alexus McLeod comes on the show to discuss ancient Chinese philosophy and what it can tell us about alternative approaches to mental health today. Show Notes Mental health in ancient Chinese philosophy Eastern vs Western approaches to philosophy Alexus’s Essay in Aeon (12:00) Communal approaches to personhood (13:00) Character and community (19:30) Stoicism and Buddhism (23:20) Can society cause mental illness? (25:00) Harmony and mental health (39:50) Individuality, alienation, and ...
Jul 12, 2020•55 min•Ep. 13
Psychiatrist Brian Wu comes on the show to discuss how to think about psychiatric medication. Show Notes Psychiatrists vs psychologists The most important factor when choosing a psychiatrist (17:00) What is psychiatric medication, exactly? (18:52) The most common psychiatric medications (20:00) Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (26:00) Benzodiazepines (29:00) Getting prescribed psychiatric medication by non-psychiatrists (32:00) Children and psychiatric medication (35:00) Working with a ps...
Jul 12, 2020•48 min•Ep. 12
Piers Steel, one of the world's leading researchers on the science of procrastination, explains how to think about procrastination, what really causes it, and the changes we can make to do it a little less. Show Notes Meta-analysis David Hume, An Inquiry Concerning Human Understanding The four factors in procrastination: Values Self-confidence Impulsiveness Reward delay Task aversiveness Subjective Expected Utility Theory The Procrastination Equation The Marshmallow Test Steven Covey Aldus Huxel...
Jun 28, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 11
Clinical psychologist and marriage therapist Sam Hamburg joins Nick to discuss common myths and misconceptions about happy marriages, communication in relationships, and the advice all newlyweds should get but never do. Show Notes Why communication is never really the problem Why commitment is no guarantee of happiness The myth of hard work in marriage Why compatibility is the secret to a happy marriage The 3 dimensions of compatibility Practical Dimension Gender roles Money and finances Mainten...
Jun 15, 2020•47 min•Ep. 10
Psychologist and researcher Yvonne Barnes-Holmes joins Nick to discuss the role of language in mental health and human suffering, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and the state of psychotherapy in the 21st century. Show Notes The power of language for mental health and suffering Thought-Identity Fusion Learning histories and narrative habits Reading and social perspective-taking The Cat in the Hat False belief Does reading novels lead to psychological flexibility? Acceptance and Commitment The...
Jun 01, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 9
Caitlin Faas, a professor of human development and life coach, joins Nick to discuss the psychology of overeating. Show Notes The Life Coach School “Overeating” vs “weight loss” Eating as a way to push down difficult feelings How long do emotions really last? Patterns of emotional eating Managing urges Intentional vs automatic thoughts Curiosity and “I wonder…” statements Indulgent feelings System 1 and System 2 thinking Why relying on willpower usually backfires Shaping desire Real joy vs false...
May 18, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 8
Gregg Krech, an expert in a form of Japanese psychology called Morita Therapy, discusses how to think differently about the role of emotions in mental health and the surprising power of taking action to improve things like anxiety, procrastination, and depression. Show Notes The relationship between feeling and action Morita therapy Feeling-centered vs purpose-centered lifestyle Coexisting with unpleasant feelings without acting on them Cultural difference in our understanding of emotions Accept...
May 04, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 7
Neuroscience researcher and author Brian Pennie reflects on his 15-year addiction to heroin and how he managed to not only survive those harrowing years but to come out of it and build a life he loves. Show Notes Anxiety and addiction "The opposite of addiction is connection." Johann Hari Awareness is the opposite of addiction Awareness by Anthony DeMelo Storytelling and “the grand self-deception” The relationship between self-awareness, self-belief, and self-deception Where does self-belief com...
Apr 20, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 6
Dr. Randy Paterson guides us through the ins and outs of assertive communication, explaining why it's essential for healthy, happy relationships in work, love, and life. Show Notes What is assertiveness? Common misconceptions about assertiveness The 4 styles of communication The benefits of becoming more assertive The barriers to being assertive: the stress barrier; the social barrier; the belief barrier Why it’s so hard to ask for what you really want Demanding what we want vs informing people ...
Apr 04, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 5
Nick and Daniel trade off describing their favorite myths and misconceptions about insomnia and sleep. Show Notes: Does everyone need 8 hours of sleep per night? Should I go to bed at the same time every night? The crucial difference between feeling tired and feeling sleepy If I’m not getting 8 hours of sleep, am I at risk for major health issues? Do I need to avoid blue light before bed? Do things cause insomnia or beliefs about things ? See also: Nick's Complete Guide to Insomnia The problem w...
Mar 27, 2020•59 min•Ep. 4
Nick and Traci separate myth from reality on the topic of hypnosis and discuss what clinical hypnosis can actually be useful for. Show Notes: Common misconceptions about hypnosis What is hypnosis, exactly? Hypnosis vs Positive Visualization, Flow, and Mindfulness What does hypnosis actually feel like? What is a hypnotic trance? Everyday trances For Love of the Game Suggestibility Hypnosis and healthy behavior change What is hypnosis especially useful for? Hypnosis for smoking cessation Nick’s un...
Mar 16, 2020•58 min•Ep. 3
Nick and Tom discuss different ways of thinking about addiction and why it matters for tackling one of the world's most important challenges. Show Notes: Common misconceptions about addiction The 3 fundamental addictive behaviors Are addicts fundamentally different than non-addicts? Is addiction a habit? Addiction, loss of control, and the gun-to-the-head test How important is self-control and willpower in overcoming addiction? Cravings, Urge Surfing ( Alan Marlatt ), and Confidence Transforming...
Mar 16, 2020•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 2
Nick and Daron discuss what mindfulness is exactly and how to incorporate more mindfulness into your own life (without sitting on a yoga mat repeating a mantra for hours). Show Notes: What is mindfulness? The trappings of mindfulness Mindfulness as exercise for your attention Mindfulness vs mindfulness meditation Formal vs ordinary mindfulness Mindfulness as attention management Giuseppe's Italian restaurant Columbus Ohio Are mindfulness apps overrated? Daron’s personal mindfulness practice Shin...
Mar 16, 2020•57 min•Ep. 1
