A short episode today - with everything going on over at The Meaning Academy, graduations coming up, maybe a vacation to go hang out with Rabbi B... I thought, "why not share a little bit of meaningful summer reading for everyone?" So that's what you have here - my meaingful summer reading list. To find out more about any of these books, head on over to the blog post at: https://danielafranz.com/meaningful-summer-reading/ To contact Dr. Dan go to www.DanielAFranz.com To find out more about what ...
Jun 05, 2023•14 min
Artificial Intelligence - AI - was once just a thing of movies and fiction. But, even then, I think we knew it was coming, and now it is here in a variety of forms. In this episode, Rabbi B. and Dr. D. from The Meaning Academy discuss the meaning potential of AI, while also trying to assess it's positive and negative consequences. To contact Dr. Dan go to www.DanielAFranz.com To find out more about what we have going on over at The Meaning Academy, go to: https://www.themeaningacademy.com/ To su...
May 29, 2023•44 min
Once again, this week, The Meaning Project Podcast is being taken over by The Meaning Academy Podcast. In this episode, Rabbi B. and I discuss the intricacies of Your Search for Meaning, and what you can do to live a meaningful, purposeful, and resilient life. To contact Dr. Dan go to www.DanielAFranz.com To find out more about what we have going on over at The Meaning Academy, go to: https://www.themeaningacademy.com/ To support your favorite podcast on Mental Health & Meaning, pick up some...
May 22, 2023•44 min
President Theodore Roosevelt's "Man in the Arena" speech is often used as motivational material - as an admonition to get out and "just do it", or to "dare greatly". In this episode of the podcast, Rabbi B. and I discuss this idea from a different perspective. Maybe we don't need to "dare greatly", but perhaps "choose meaningfully"? We will let you decide. Enjoy! “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done t...
May 15, 2023•40 min
Dr. Viktor Frankl was known to be quite direct in his approach to helping people. Perhaps, some might even call his questioning to be a bit "harsh" at times. However, his results were unquestionably successful. In one of the darkest times in his country's history, he was able to decrease suicide rates significantly in the clinics where he was employed. And, as you know, his teachings have grown in the past 100 years to help many logotherapists help more people. In this episode - the very first e...
May 08, 2023•33 min
I don't know about you, but some days I feel like STRESS should be added to the Tragic Triad to make a Tragic Square - Pain, Guilt, Suffering, and STRESS. The 4 things we will all have to deal with in our lives. This past week was particularly stressful for me - I'll tell you all about it in the podcast. And, rather than deal with it in the ways I encourage others to do so - in a healthy way, I resorted to less than healthy coping. So, I turned to some of my favorite resources, including Man's S...
May 01, 2023•22 min
Rabbi B., Dr. Baruch HaLevi, logotherapist, former Rabbi (once a Rabbi always a Rabbi?), and all-around good man, is someone I have the honor to have become friends with through our mutual work to share the wisdom of Logotherapy and Existential Analysis, and the teachings of Dr. Viktor Frankl. As you may heard, "B." and I have been working together quite a bit lately - hours each week - to formulate, design, and bring to life, The Viktor Frankl Meaning Academy, a place where we will continue to ...
Apr 24, 2023•42 min
From what I've read, most podcasts don't make it past 10 episodes. And a large percentage aren't sharing weekly content. Thank you for giving me this opportunity - and the motivation and encouragement to go with it - in order to continue sharing these ideas on mental health and meaning. I hope you find it as meaningful as I do! In this episode, I review the 3 triads of logotherapy that help can help us discover meaning in every day. To support your favorite podcast on Mental Health & Meaning...
Apr 17, 2023•23 min
What better way to celebrate 99 episodes of The Meaning Project Podcast than with a chat with our friend, Rabbi B. But this isn't any chat. We been talking for a long time about doing "something big" - and now it's time to take action. So, in this episode, we start planning and sharing - under the guise of a normal B & D chat about Logotherapy. Part logotherapeutic goodness, part hints and teases about things to come, I hope you enjoy! To support your favorite podcast on Mental Health & ...
Apr 10, 2023•36 min
Terry Fossum lives a truly meaningful life. He's creative - you can see that in his storytelling and ideas in the book The Oxcart Technique and his audio course, Blow the Bolts. His experiences are inspiring - Commissioned Officer in the US Air Force with multiple awards, black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and reality tv survival show winner, just to name a few. Most importantly, he spends his days serving others in his work. He's got a lot to share, and it was an honor to have him on the show to talk a...
Apr 03, 2023•45 min
Former guest of The Meaning Project Podcast, Matthew Lostaglia, issued a public challenge on social media - he threw down the gauntlet straight '30's style boxing... He came at me and said something like this, "I don't believe in 'personality', and I think people who do are dumb..." OK, it wasn't quite like that, but the original comment is so buried in social media history, that can't even find it. Part of the reason is that we recorded this once over a month ago - but you didn't get to listen ...
Mar 27, 2023•58 min
David has a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology, and has worked in multiple fields of behavioral health treatment for nearly 25 years, including outpatient counseling, crisis stabilization, inpatient, substance abuse, and youth residential programs. He began working as a Psychologist with the Michigan Department of Corrections Mental Health Program in 2002, and currently is the Mental Health Director for the MDOC, overseeing the mental health, substance use disorder, and sex offender tr...
Mar 20, 2023•51 min
Debbie Gottlieb is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has been a therapist in the Fort Lauderdale area for over ten years. Her gift is being able to see between the lines and help people connect to their true potential. She cares for her clients and assists them in moving forward in their lives. Debbie has been Clinical Director, Lead Therapist and Program Director of start-up treatment centers as well as having her own private practice. She specializes in marriage counseling as well as indiv...
Mar 13, 2023•54 min
This episode is, perhaps, the most important conversation I've had in nearly 100 episodes. Jess Michaels is an Epstein survivor who struggled with the physical symptoms of sexual assault for over 25 years - culminating in Adrenal Fatique Syndrome; until her involvement with the families of Sandy Hook reawakened her trauma and forced her to make cognitive connections in order to heal. Her story of trauma and tragedy is chilling and sad - but her healing, how she turned suffering into achievement ...
Mar 06, 2023•1 hr 5 min
I'm just not feeling it this episode. Haven't been "feelin' it" for a little while now. But then again, many of us "aren't feeling it" - are we depressed? Am I depressed? Or, maybe, is it a case of The Winter Blues - "Seasonal Affect Disorder" - or the body's natural tendency to want to hibernate when it's cold, dark, and grey for days an weeks at a time? In this episode, I discuss the difference between The Winter Blues, and clinical depression - and offer tips on how to handle them both. Enjoy...
Feb 20, 2023•32 min
Retirement can often lead to the dreaded "Existential Vacuum" if we are not prepared to take meaningful action after the end of the job. Navy Chief Petty Officer (Retired) Joseph Paul and I have been friends for quite a while, so we typically have quite a bit to talk about. But, as you can hear in this episode, there is still a lot that I don't fully understand about military service and military retirement. Fortunately, he has a lot to share and educate us on. With that, we also discuss his rec...
Feb 13, 2023•30 min
There are Narcissists among us. But maybe not as many as you think. And most of us shouldn't be throwing around that label as casually as we are - and we CERTAINLY shouldn't be "researching" it (ie. Doctor Google & WebMD) it online! So, if there is someone in our life who is a little, or a lot, selfish, who can't validate our emotions, or who might just be damn annoying sometimes - what should we do? Give me an hour, and I will tell you all about it. In this episode, I'll share with you the ...
Feb 06, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 91
Heuric Rako is a Cyber Security professional with over 8 years in the tech space and he has a message to share with the new generation. His passion for personal development and emotional intelligence put him in a unique position to be able to blend cyber security and anyone's own personal journey toward success. In this episode, he shares some his thoughts on "hacking your potential" and, unexpectedly, some key concepts for personal cyber security. To find out more about Heuric, check out his we...
Jan 30, 2023•43 min
If you know, you know. When Rabbi B. and I get together, good conversations about Logotherapy happen. This episode is no exception. Yeah, we start out funny talking about Ted Lasso, but it quickly gets serious as we take a deep dive into why Logotherapy hasn't scaled in the US, and why we think it NEEDS to. To find out more about Rabbi B. and his Enneagram work, check out https://defiantspirit.org/ - it is a BEAUTIFUL WEBSITE!! To support your favorite podcast on Mental Health & Meaning, pic...
Jan 23, 2023•50 min
Mikalee Byerman is a "writer chick, keynote speaker, and humor strategist" who encourages employers and leaders to ditch the stuffy "nose-to-the-grindstone" mantra for a more humane and connected culture - one of humor and connection. In this week's podcast, she shares what it means to be a "humor strategist", just how bad therapy can get, and her 4 tips for a more meaningful life - (hint, "reconnect, praise, gratitude, observations - but you'll have to listen to know what those mean!) To find o...
Jan 16, 2023•57 min
Dr. Xu Simon is smart. Being that she works in the Boston area, you could say she is "wicked smaaht". She earned her BA in Biochemistry from Rice University and, in 2008, completed her PhD in Biophysical Chemistry and Molecular Structure at MIT. After conducting postdoctoral studies in structural biology at Brandeis University, she served for two years as an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science and Technology Policy Fellow. She currently serves as Chief Technology O...
Jan 09, 2023•44 min
We've talked a lot about Existential Dynamics over the past year - but just what the heck is "MEPSRV" and what does it have to do with moving and creating? You'll find out in this first episode of 2023! I hope you enjoy! To support your favorite podcast on Mental Health & Meaning, pick up some meaningful The Meaning Project Podcast merch in our store at https://the-meaning-project-podcast.creator-spring.com/ And finally, if you would like to support our efforts to improve the podcast and may...
Jan 02, 2023•31 min
Dr. Holly Woods is a Purpose activator, entrepreneur, scientist, author, speaker, innovation, product and systems consultant and undaunted catalyst to help you become the most alive, emergent and embodied version of yourself and to achieve all that. Basically, she is wicked smart in a variety of areas. Over the course of her "dozens of careers" and 30-plus years as a Master Coach and Scientist of Human & Organizational Development, she has uncovered just a few things about how to live into o...
Dec 26, 2022•43 min
Every month, I have the honor to speak to a group of caring parents in Canada. This group was original started meeting during the time of COVID "stay at home" measures in order to discuss ways to help their children deal with the issues of being socially isolated while trying to continue their educations. Since then, it has evolved into something much greater. In this episode, we discuss "experience over material" in holiday gift giving, and also find ourselves exploring quite a few other topics...
Dec 19, 2022•1 hr 5 min
Sheree Cain-Jones is a powerful speaker - her desire to help comes through in almost every word she speaks. Her specialty is helping leaders develop a mindset of confidence, clarity, and vision. Sheree has a Bachelor's in Nursing and a Master's in Project Management. She is currently in a doctoral program to help executive leaders overcome obstacles stopping them from reaching their full potential. She even found a way to turn my own podcast back on me! Enjoy! To find out more about Sheree, take...
Dec 12, 2022•42 min
The only thing more impressive than Dr. Kris Sargent's extensive CV is her personality. It really wasn't hard to find helpful topics from her wide ranging knowledge to talk about - but we had definitely not planned to talk about her dating life right from the start! She did an amazing job connecting her believes about meeting people to making meaningful decisions - and from there we were off to the races to discuss her experiences and recommendations as a doctor of functional medicine. Enjoy! To...
Dec 05, 2022•52 min
Training for physical fitness and athletic competition - running, cycling, swimming, walking, weight-lifting, hiking, etc. - or even engaging in these activities just for fun can help us build resilience and bounce back from difficult times. Jay Thompson, and his 1700 miles on the Appalachian Trail, are perfect examples of this! All those miles give you a lot of time to thing, and to draw comparisons between hiking, life, and work. In this episode, Jay share about his most recent hike of 150+ mi...
Nov 28, 2022•37 min
I had a wonderful opportunity this week to speak to one our podcast listeners, and a group of parents she has been working with for the past few years. We had a great discussion about the similarities and differences in parenting young adults in Canada and the US - and what it means to help our kids through times of stress. Even though the focus is on parents and kids, there are a lot of tips and ideas for all of us to use. Enjoy! From the parents' email list: We had a very insightful session la...
Nov 21, 2022•59 min
Search & Rescue Team, Ski Patrol, and Sales Manager by day - but Tom DuBos real passion is helping people "own their destiny" - to take life off autopilot and to consciously, and responsibly, take control of where their life is going. And, with those aforementioned experiences, he's got some fairly unique stories to illustrate how to do that! Enjoy! To find out more about Tom - check out his website www.TomDuBos.com To support your favorite podcast on Mental Health & Meaning, pick up som...
Nov 14, 2022•35 min
I've really been looking forward to bringing you this episode! After these past few weeks of awesome interviews and amazing chats, this is an opportunity for you and I to just chat about logotherapy and mental wellness... It is human nature to want to label phenomena so that we can better understand it - the same is true with mental health issues or illnesses, but that doesn't always prove to be helpful. In this episode, we explore the nature of diagnosing mental illness, and pull back the curta...
Nov 07, 2022•40 min
