My guest this week is Darren Gold, author of the new book Master Your Code: The Art, Wisdom, and Science of Leading an Extraordinary Life (affiliate link) . Darren offers many powerful ideas that I know you’re going to find useful, like how to set yourself up for success, and learning how to rewrite your unconscious programs. As you’ll hear, Darren really speaks my language, because the things he’s describing are in line with solid cognitive and behavioral principles. There’s a lot here that you...
May 20, 2020•49 min
My guest this week is cook and author Caroline Wright. At the age of 32, Caroline was diagnosed with a brain tumor and given one year to live. Three years later she’s beaten the odds, and is full of enthusiasm and hope and vitality. We discussed her very moving children’s book Lasting Love (affiliate link) , which is a love letter to her children and also to any family dealing with the loss of a loved one. To be honest, this was not the conversation I was expecting. I thought we’d talk a lot abo...
May 13, 2020•1 hr 8 min
My guest this week is Dr. Christopher Kerr. Chris is a hospice physician and author of the recent book, Death Is But a Dream: Finding Hope and Meaning at Life's End (affiliate link) . This was an important topic, but I hadn’t realized the implications for the current situation we find ourselves in with the coronavirus pandemic. One of the things that’s so many of us are deeply troubled by is that people are dying now without being able to have their loved ones by their side. Chris and I talked a...
May 06, 2020•49 min
My guest this week is Dr. Joel Minden, a psychologist who specializes in the treatment of anxiety. We focused on the ideas from his excellent new book, Show Your Anxiety Who's Boss (affiliate link ) . Joel's emphasis is on finding effective long-term strategies that can change our relationship with anxiety in a big way, rather than on trying to find tricks to use in the moment to just get through spells of high anxiety. He stresses the importance of letting our values decide what’s important and...
Apr 29, 2020•52 min
My guest this week in Dr. David Richo, who was on the podcast before back in 2018 when we talked about mindfulness in relationships . This time we were focusing on his new book, Triggers: How to Stop Reacting and Start Healing (affiliate link) . It’s a great guide for how to use your emotional reactions when you’re triggered as the starting point for identifying and resolving the underlying issues. One of the things I love most about Dave’s approach is how he doesn’t pretend there’s some trick o...
Apr 22, 2020•41 min
My guest this week is Dr. Rob Leeman, who specializes in research on alcohol use among adults. Rob has been a good friend of mine for the past two decades, since we met in graduate school in 2001. He’s a real expert on alcohol and addiction, and he shared from his wealth of knowledge in this discussion. There are a lot of important takeaways here—things like the effects of alcohol on anxiety and sleep, the relation between trauma and alcohol use, effective treatments for reducing alcohol consump...
Apr 15, 2020•1 hr 10 min
My guest this week is psychologist Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman, author of the brand new book, Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization (affiliate link). We spent a good bit of time thinking together about how the ideas from his terrific book apply to ongoing coronavirus crisis and the social distancing that’s affecting our lives in so many ways. (One effect is that our family members are home all the time, so you may hear some kid sounds during the episode.) Scott and I also talked about the...
Apr 08, 2020•37 min
In these anxious times we need ways to come back to center, as stress and uncertainty can lead to being wound up, scattered, out of our bodies and stuck in our minds. So this week I have a simple centering practice for you, called Fourteen Breaths. This meditation actually comes from a new course I've created called Balance: Mindfulness-Centered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety, Stress, & Worry . This is a paid 4-week course with one lesson per week, but it's available to all regardl...
Apr 01, 2020•8 min
My guest this week is Linda Carroll, author of the recent book, Love Skills: The Keys to Unlocking Lasting, Wholehearted Love (affiliate link) . This is an important conversation for any time, and it may be especially important now as so many of us are social distancing on the one hand but are also with our partners 24/7. This can be great, and also presents challenges, and opportunities to work together toward a stronger union. Linda and I discussed things like how our adult relationships can t...
Mar 25, 2020•42 min
I have two guests for you this week—psychologists Dr. Paul Napper and Dr. Anthony Rao, authors of the recent book, The Power of Agency: The 7 Principles to Conquer Obstacles, Make Effective Decisions, and Create a Life on Your Own Terms . The three of us explored ways to reclaim greater control over our lives, from engaging more with the physical world to releasing fear and honoring our intuition. We also discussed the benefits of psychodynamic therapy, and how it can complement a cognitive beha...
Mar 18, 2020•1 hr 1 min
My guest this week is Denise Wiesner, author of the recent book, Conceiving With Love . We discussed many issues that arise when a couple starts trying to get pregnant, especially when they have difficulty conceiving. It’s easy for passion and intimacy to go out the window when you’re trying to have a baby, and my guest offers many insights and practices to help couples stay close through the process. Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at thinkactbe.substack.com/subscribe...
Mar 11, 2020•38 min
My guest this week is spine specialist and neurosurgeon Dr. Jack Stern, author of the recent book, Ending Back Pain: 5 Powerful Steps to Diagnose, Understand, and Treat Your Ailing Back (affiliate link) . If you or someone you love struggles with back pain at times, which unfortunately is likely to be the case, I think you’ll find this conversation really useful. I was very interested to hear from Dr. Stern about the psychological and emotional dimension of pain, and how cognitive behavioral the...
Mar 04, 2020•32 min
My guest this week is Beth Ruggiero York, author of a memoir called Flying Alone . Beth and I talked about her passion for flying airplanes, the dangers she faced as she climbed the ranks to become a commercial airline pilot, and the challenges she moved through along the way. We also talked about the chronic illness that Beth has dealt with for several decades now. I think you’ll be able to relate to a lot of Beth’s experience, like the difficulty of leaving bad relationships, and the strength ...
Feb 26, 2020•36 min
I’ve got something different for you this week—a guided meditation. I’ve been busy finishing the first class in the Think Act Be online school . Today's meditation is actually taken from the course. It's a brief guided 3-part meditation, which takes about three minutes. This kind of practice can be a really effective way to let go of anxious thoughts or worries and to calm the nervous system, just by coming into contact with your actual experience. Once you’ve gotten the feel for it, you can pra...
Feb 19, 2020•6 min
My guest this week is Laura McKowen, author of the memoir, We Are the Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of a Sober Life . This was great discussion not just about the pervasiveness of alcohol in our culture and the challenge of leaving behind alcohol addiction, but about the urge we all have to escape in some way. As someone who gave up alcohol myself about three years ago, I can say from experience that a sober life has many advantages, even if you don't consider yourself a "problem drinker." Get ...
Feb 12, 2020•1 hr 9 min
My guest this week is psychiatrist Dr. Stuart Eisendrath, who specializes in mindfulness-based treatment of depression. We discussed his new book, When Antidepressants Aren’t Enough: Harnessing the Power of Mindfulness to Alleviate Depression (affiliate link) , in which he describes the need for more effective depression treatments. Unfortunately millions of people find that medication alone fails to provide adequate relief from depression. In this episode you'll hear Dr. Eisendrath describe the...
Feb 05, 2020•51 min
My guest this week is Robyn Spizman, author of a recent book called Loving Out Loud: The Power of a Kind Word . We focused on ways to share more love and connection with the people in our lives. For the most it’s just a matter of paying attention for opportunities. As Robyn describes, she had some real challenges going on in her life, but she seems determined to find love and joy right in the middle of these difficulties. I often assume it’s easy for others to be joyful because they don’t have t...
Jan 29, 2020•47 min
My guest this week is Kristi Hugstad, author of Beneath the Surface: A Teen’s Guide to Reaching Out When You or Your Friend Is in Crisis . Kristi was moved to write this book as part of her efforts to address the stigma of mental illness, especially among young people, after her husband died by suicide. In this episode we talked about the rising rates of depression among teens and some of the possible causes, including the role of technology and social media, and how to recognize the signs of a ...
Jan 22, 2020•39 min
My guest this week is Captain Tom Bunn, a former airline pilot who is now a psychotherapist. Tom specializes in treating panic, which he got into through helping people with a fear of flying. Now he’s written a book, Panic Free: The 10-Day Program to End Panic, Anxiety, and Claustrophobia (affiliate link ), which describes a way to use human connection to stop the panic response. This was a really interesting book and a fascinating conversation. You’ll discover in this episode how oxytocin can s...
Jan 15, 2020•52 min
My guest this week is poet and professor Dr. Ross Gay. I loved Ross’s recent book, The Book of Delights , which we talked a lot about in this episode. I think you’ll be able to hear how much I enjoyed talking with Ross and hearing his insights into joy, sorrow, loss, love—toward the end I was really moved by his description of self-love, and why it’s often so difficult. Hopefully this conversation will inspire you to look for everyday delights in your own life. Get full access to Think Act Be wi...
Jan 08, 2020•45 min
My guest this week is Aaron Walker, author of View From the Top . Aaron is a lifelong businessman, having started fourteen companies, as well as a life coach. In this episode we talk about what it means to be successful and to live a life of significance, the ultimate emptiness of money without an overarching purpose, how to move through fear, challenges, and setbacks—including some dramatic examples from Aaron’s own life—and the crucial importance of the people we surround ourselves with. Get f...
Dec 31, 2019•47 min
My guests this week are author Margo Rabb and horticulturist Chris Fehlhaber. It’s the first time I've had two guests on the podcast, and my first face-to-face interview. I learned of Margo’s work through a beautifully moving piece she wrote for the New York Times called “ Garden of Solace .” The garden she refers to is Chanticleer, which is about 15 minutes from where I live and one of our favorite destinations. Margo suggested we include Chris in the interview, as he plays a key role at Chanti...
Dec 24, 2019•1 hr 12 min
My guest this week is Dr. Jill Carnahan, a physician who specializes in functional medicine. This approach focuses on identifying the root cause of illnesses, rather than just using medication to treat symptoms. Dr. Jill has not only a tremendous amount of knowledge about how our bodies and minds heal, but firsthand experience from her own serious health challenges. Much of our conversation focused on the non-medical factors that support healing, including faith, family, and mindset. We also tou...
Dec 18, 2019•29 min
My guest this week is poet Ada Limón. We discussed several of the recurrent themes in Ada's two most recent collections of poetry: Bright Dead Things and The Carrying— grief, loss, love, joy, and the inextricable link in this life between beauty and sadness. We also explored the inherent enjoyment in being present, and effective ways of managing life's stress and uncertainty. Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at thinkactbe.substack.com/subscribe...
Dec 11, 2019•1 hr
My guest this week is psychologist Dr. Todd Pressman, whom I had the pleasure of getting to know after reviewing and enthusiastically endorsing his excellent book, Deconstructing Anxiety . Todd has a profound understanding of fear and its many manifestations. He offers a systematic approach for recognizing your core fear—the root that underlies all the ways fear shows up in your life. And just as important, he outlines a plan for overcoming your fear. Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gi...
Dec 04, 2019•58 min
My guest this week is professor and author Dr. Jonathan Haidt. We focused on Jon’s recent book, The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure , co-written with Greg Lukianoff. It aims to track down the cause of two parallel trends among Generation Z: the rise in anxiety, depression, and suicide, and the increasing sensitivity among students on college campuses to ideas they find upsetting. We discussed "the three Great Untruths," whe...
Nov 27, 2019•52 min
My guest this week is psychiatrist Dr. James Gordon, author of a book called The Transformation: Discovering Wholeness and Healing After Trauma . I can almost guarantee that Dr. Gordon will change how you think about trauma and how we recover from it. It changed my understanding of how we approach trauma treatment, even though I’ve specialized in this area for over a decade. Dr. Gordon shared his hope that all of us can recover from trauma, and offered a wide range of practices to support our he...
Nov 20, 2019•1 hr 2 min
My guest this week is Dr. John Eric Baugher, author of Contemplative Caregiving . We often think of caregiving as an act of self-sacrifice, but John makes it clear that caring for others is a privilege. In this episode we talk about how he started working in hospice care on the front lines of the AIDS crisis in the early nineties. This is more than a conversation about how we die—it’s really about who we want to be and how we can connect with others as we live each moment of our lives. Get full ...
Nov 13, 2019•53 min
My guest this week is Rajshree Patel, author of The Power of Vital Force . I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this discussion, though I’m sure you’ll get a sense of it as you listen. We discussed the many ways we limit ourselves and disconnect from the deeper truth of who we are—from the vital force that Raj describes in her book. One of my favorite parts of the approach she shared is how simple it can be, and how in just a few moments we can completely change our experience. I think you’ll fin...
Nov 06, 2019•50 min
My guest this week is Karen Newell, co-author of Living in a Mindful Universe and co-creator of Sacred Acoustics, which produces binaural beats audio recordings. Karen and I explore what binaural beats are, how they're created, and many intriguing topics in this area. These simple beats seem to have far-reaching effects on things like sleep, anxiety, and meditative states. Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at thinkactbe.substack.com/subscribe...
Oct 30, 2019•49 min
