Brain Shaman

Melanie Icard is a naturopathic medical doctor and holistic heart health specialist. In this episode, we discuss tools and strategies for improving your heart health. Connect and Learn MoreWebsite: drmelanieicard.comFacebook: @drmelholisticInstagram: @drmelholisticTikTok: @drmel_holisticYouTube: @Itsdrmel

Thomas Attig is a philosopher and the author of How We Grieve, Seeking Wisdom in Death's Shadows, and other books on grief and loss. In this episode, we explore how our world changes after a loved one dies, how we can learn to live in that new world, and how our relationship with the person who has died can continue. Thomas also shares his personal story and lessons from more than 80 years of life, offering insights into living with greater authenticity, love, and meaning. Connect and Learn MoreWebsite: griefsheart.com Amazon Author Page: amazon.com/stores/author/B001IU0VHS

Prashanthi Amarnath is the author of Embracing Paradox, a book that applies the Tao Te Ching to modern life. In this episode, we discuss Taoism and how it can reshape how we perceive, feel, and act. Connect and Learn MoreWebsite: embracingparadox.comResourcesBooksAutobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa YoganandaArchie ComicsBe Here Now by Ram DassSteve Jobs by Walter IsaacsonTao Te Ching by LaoziThe Adventures of Tintin by HergéThe Hardy Boys by Edward StratemeyerPeopleAlan WattsJohn DriggsLaoziRam DassWalter IsaacsonPodcastsAlan Watts Being in the WayLife Wisdom - By Words of TaoismLove & Understanding

Andrew Engbring is a family intervention specialist and founder/CEO of Reflection Family Interventions, a recovery and family-intervention organization that helps families navigate drug addiction and mental health challenges while healing together as a family system. In this episode, we discuss addiction and the role of familiy in recovery.Connect and Learn MoreWebsite: reflectionfamilyinterventions.comResourcesBooks: When the Solution Becomes the Problem by Mike BarnesPeople: Claudia Black, Mike Barnes, Tian Dayton

Lincoln Stoller is a psychotherapist, physicist, and author of books including The Learning Project, Becoming Lucid, and Operating Manual for Enlightenment.In this episode, we discuss living with honesty, courage, and commitment, and why meaningful growth often means moving beyond conformity and reward-driven paths. Lincoln shares perspectives on taking action without guarantees, embracing exploration for its own sake, and giving yourself space to get lost while remaining calm. We explore creativity, lucid awareness in dreams and daily life, doing things you’re not good at, finding mentors, breaking the rules, exploring beyond the traditional boundaries of education and career, and not focusing on profit or reward. The conversation centers on expanding awareness, stepping out of limiting boxes and choosing a path guided by curiosity, authenticity, and adventure.Connect and Learn MoreWebsite: mindstrengthbalance.comBooks: The Learning Project | Becoming Lucid | The Path to Sleep, Exercises for an Ancient Skill | Operating Manual for Enlightenment | COVID-19 | Sensations Thoughts and Emotions Podcast: Stream of SubconsciousnessFacebook: @lincolnstollerLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lincolnstollerResourcesBooks: Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas AdamsTV Series: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective AgencyPeople: Albert Einstein, Douglas Adams, Franz Kafka, Isaac Newton, Joey Krebs, John Cage, Louis Pasteur, Martin Luther King Jr., Stephen Hawking, Sydney Coleman, Theodore Maiman, Thomas Edison, Vincent van Gogh

Jacob Hill is the founder and CEO of Offploy, a UK-based social enterprise he started in prison in 2016 to help people with criminal convictions find employment. In this episode, we discuss crime, what causes it, and how rethinking our labels and assumptions about criminals can create opportunity, meaningful work, and help reduce crime. Connect and Learn MoreLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacobrohillWebsite: offploy.org ResourcesBooksFour Thousand Weeks by Oliver BurkemanMan's Search for Meaning by Viktor FranklPeopleDaniel PriestleyRichard BransonOliver BurkemanSam ArbesmanViktor FranklTV Shows & MoviesBreaking BadNarcosOrange is the New Black Prison BreakShawshank Redemption

Lisa Riegel is the author of NeuroWell and CEO of the Educational Partnerships Institute, helping schools design brain-based classrooms that support how students learn and thrive. In this episode, we discuss how to use neuroscience to create better learning environments and outcomes for today’s world.Connect and Learn MoreWebsite: lisariegel.com | epinstitute.netBooks: NeuroWell  |  Aspirations to Operations  |  Stop Doing What Doesn’t WorkLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisariegelResourcesBooksTo Kill a MockingbirdPeopleBruce PerryTristan HarrisPodcastsYour Undivided AttentionDocumentariesThe Social DilemmaTV ShowsThe Love BoatFamily TiesLittle House on the PrairieSurvivorThe Real Housewives 

Joelle Kaufman is a cancer survivor and the author of Crushing the Cancer Curveball. In this episode, she shares insights from her own cancer journey and the mindset shifts and practical steps we can take to prepare for and navigate a cancer diagnosis and other curveballs in life. Connect and Learn MoreWebsite: joellekaufman.comBook: Crushing the Cancer CurveballPodcast: Kicking Cancer's AssInstagram: @kickingcancers.assLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/joellekaufmanResourcesMan's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl 

We’re back with Amy Weintraub, yoga therapist, author, and founder of LifeForce Yoga. In this episode, we learn about and practice some simple yet powerful yoga exercises focused on the hands and breath to shift your energy, mood, and perception. Connect and Learn MoreWebsite: amyweintraub.comBooks: Yoga for Depression  ·  Yoga Skills for Therapists  ·  Temple DancerCard Deck: Yoga for Your MoodYouTube: @AmyWeintraubAuthorInstagram: @amylifeforceyogaFacebook: @AmyEWeintraubUpcoming EventsLIFEFORCE YOGA & INTERNAL FAMILY SYSTEMSNew Tools To Bring Balance To Your LifeAugust 9-14, 2026A Summer Retreat at Kripalu.https://amyweintraub.com/event/lifeforce-yoga-ifs-new-tools-to-bring-balance-to-your-life-3/ResourcesBooksFour Quartets by T.S. EliotLifting Depression by Kelly LambertPeopleAndrew HubermanAndrew WeilDiane Poole HellerKelly LambertKrishna DasLaura SchmidtRichard MillerStephen PorgesT.S. Eliot

We’re back for round 2 with Alan Lazaros, exploring how to find your authentic self and path to success through curiosity, contemplation, and honest reflection. We talk about how to learn, think, and grow into your highest potential.Connect and Learn MoreWebsite: nextleveluniverse.comPodcasts: Next Level University  ·  The Conscious Couples PodcastLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllcInstagram: @alazaros88   ResourcesBooksAlgorithms to Live By by Brian Christian and Tom GriffithsAtomic Habits by James ClearDecoding Greatness by Ron FriedmanEssentialism by Greg McKeownMaking Numbers Count by Chip Heath and Karla StarrNeurodiscipline by Peter HollinsThe 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy FerrissThe Art of Impossible by Steven KotlerThe Compound Effect by Darren HardyThinking in Bets by Annie DukeWillpower by Roy F. Baumeister and John TierneyMoviesHome AloneFree WillyPeopleAnnie DukeBrian TracyGregory McKeownJoe RoganLeonardo da VinciLeonardo DiCaprioRoy F. BaumeisterShaquille O'NealSimon SinekSteven KotlerSteven PinkerTim Ferriss

Jules Acton is a British environmentalist, author of Oaklore, and ambassador for the Woodland Trust. In this episode, we explore the enchanting world of oak trees, from the tiny creatures that live in them to the interconnected life around them, and how these trees weave through human history, culture, and life.Connect and Learn More Book: Oaklore Website: julesacton.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jules-acton-574b0522 Instagram: @julieblowfishResourcesBooksEntangled Life by Merlin SheldrakeThe Hidden Life of Trees by Peter WohllebenOrganizations & ProjectsWoodland TrustNature's Calendar (by the Woodland Trust)

Kisha Reynolds is a hypnotherapist and coach who works with body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs), including hair pulling, nail biting, and skin picking. This episode explores BFRBs and how hypnotherapy can help. Connect and Learn MoreWebsite: 321deepsleep.comFacebook: @3-2-1-DEEP-SLEEP-Kisha-Reynolds-CHt-61553394489335ResourcesChristina PearsonThe TLC Foundation for BFRBs

Dmitri Mugianis is a psychedelic practitioner, musician, and space creator. In this episode, we explore addiction, psychedelics, music, culture, modernity, space, healing, community, and religion, topped off with some coffee, cigars, and Harlem fried chicken. Connect and Learn MoreWebsites: dimitrimugianis.com  ·  cardea.netInstagram: @dimitrimugianisResourcesBooks: How to Change Your Mind, Virtue HoardersPeople: Allen Ginsberg, Alexandre Tannous, Andrew Huberman, Catherine Liu, Deacon Seraphim, Federico Fellini, Glenn Johnson, Herbert Hunkie, Joe Rogan, Ingmar Bergman, John Sinclair, Lou Reed, Martin Buber, Martin Luther King Jr., Michael Pollan, Michel Foucault, Michel Negroponte, Peter Attia, Pier Pablo Pasolini, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Randy Polumbo, Richie Ogulnick, Robert F. Kennedy, Ross Ellenhorn, Sara Glatt, Walter CronkiteFilms: Frostbiter, I’m Dangerous with LoveMusicians: Fela Kuti, Leisure Class, MC5, Sun Ra, The Stooges , The Velvet UndergroundPodcasts: Huberman Lab, This American Life, The Peter Attia Drive, The Joe Rogan Experience, The Symbolic World

Amy Weintraub is a yoga therapist, author, and founder of LifeForce Yoga, a mood regulation protocol supporting those with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. She is the author of Yoga for Depression, Yoga Skills for Therapists, and Temple Dancer, and the creator of the Yoga for Your Mood card deck. In this episode, we discuss the neuroscience, philosophy, and practice of yoga, including three guided, embodied exercises using breath, hands, imagery, and more to help regulate your mood and feel more connected, grounded, and alive.Connect and Learn MoreWebsite: amyweintraub.com Books: Yoga for Depression  ·  Yoga Skills for Therapists  ·  Temple Dancer Card Deck: Yoga for Your Mood YouTube: @AmyWeintraubAuthor Instagram: @amylifeforceyoga Facebook: @AmyEWeintraubUpcoming EventsLIFEFORCE YOGA & IFS Virtual WorkshopA Synergistic Integration to Soothe, Restore and HealWednesday June 17 | 5:00-7:30pm MThttps://amyweintraub.com/event/lifeforce-yoga-and-ifs-internal-family-systems-virtual-workshop/LIFEFORCE YOGA & INTERNAL FAMILY SYSTEMSNew Tools To Bring Balance To Your LifeAugust 9-14, 2026A Summer Retreat at Kripalu.https://amyweintraub.com/event/lifeforce-yoga-ifs-new-tools-to-bring-balance-to-your-life-3/ResourcesBooksThe Relaxation Response by Herbert BensonPeopleErica SharpeHenry David ThoreauHerbert BensonJake PanasevichJohn KeatsMaharishi Mahesh YogiPercy Bysshe ShelleyRalph Waldo EmersonRichard C. SchwartzSamuel Taylor ColeridgeStephen PorgesWilliam WordsworthTV ShowsMad Men

Caroline Hughes is an executive coach, leadership mentor, and founder of Conscious Leadership Development. She works with leaders and organizations to build high-performing teams while helping them avoid burnout and create healthier, more sustainable workplaces. In this episode, we discuss occupational burnout, including how to recognize it, how it can be prevented at both the personal and organizational levels, and the lessons and tools Caroline discovered through her own experience of burnout. Connect and Learn MoreWebsite: consciousleaders.ieLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/caroline-hughes-coachFacebook: @carolinehughescoachInstagram: @caroline_consciousleadersResourcesPeople: Christina Maslach, James Clear, Viktor FranklBooks: Atomic Habits by James Clear 

Eric O'Neill is a cybersecurity expert, lawyer, former FBI operative, and author of Gray Day and Spies, Lies, and Cybercrime. In this episode, we discuss how cybercriminals exploit our psychology, the evolving landscape of scams and cyberattacks, and practical ways to protect yourself online. Connect and Learn MoreWebsite: ericoneill.netLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/eric-m-oneillInstagram: @ericoneill.officialYouTube: @ericoneill.officialBooks: Gray Day | Spies, Lies, and Cybercrime ResourcesInternet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)

Dr. Héctor Rodriguez ("Dr. Hector") is an integrative psychiatrist and founder of Miami’s White Butterfly Clinic. In this episode, we discuss the neuroscience behind ADHD, autism, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, and trauma, and how SPECT imaging helps us better understand and treat these conditions. He shares practical, natural strategies, including nutrition, supplementation, dance, and exercise, to improve brain function and mental health. Connect and Learn MoreWebsites: whitebutterflyclinic.com | doctorhector.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/doctorhectorInstagram: @doctor_hector

Sam Arbesman is a complexity scientist, writer, and Scientist in Residence at Lux Capital, known for his books The Half-Life of Facts, Overcomplicated, and The Magic of Code. In this episode, we explore human understanding, its limits, the power and unpredictability of technology, our relationship with machines, coding, AI, and sci-fi, and how to navigate an increasingly complex and entangled world. Connect and Learn MoreWebsite: arbesman.netBooks: The Half-Life of Facts  ·  Overcomplicated ·  The Magic of Code ResourcesBooksWhy Greatness Cannot be Planned by Kenneth Stanley and Joel LehmanGamesMinesweeperSimCitySimCity 2000PeopleDanny HillisJoel LehmanKenneth StanleyLarry Wall Richard FeynmanRobin Sloan

Jerzy Gregorek is a Polish-American four-time World Weightlifting Champion, world record holder, poet, and creator of The Happy Body program - a 30-minute daily system for strength, flexibility, posture, speed, leanness, and body weight control designed to build a robust, injury-free body for life. In this episode, we explore the principles, practices, and experiences that shaped his body, philosophy, and lifestyle, and how you can apply them to build a calm, strong, and joyful life. Connect and Learn MoreBook: The Happy Body: The Simple Science of Nutrition, Exercise, and RelaxationWebsite: thehappybody.comInstagram: @jerzygregorek X: @TheHappyBody Facebook: @jerzy.gregorek LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jerzy-gregorek-ab87475 ResourcesPeopleConfucius Jerzy Popieluszko PantanjaliThich Nhat Hanh Simone BilesSocratesUsain Bolt

Pamela Michaux is the author of Mundele Diaries, a memoir about her childhood in Congo and Belgium. In this episode, she shares the challenges she faced, how she reclaimed her life, and the lessons she learned along the way. Connect and Learn MoreInstagram: @mundelediariesWebsite: mundelediaries.com

Phyllis Leavitt is a psychotherapist and author of America in Therapy. In this episode, we explore how the United States can be understood as a wounded system shaped by history, trauma, and unmet needs for love, safety, and belonging. Phyllis explains how much of what we see in society is unprocessed pain being expressed at scale. We talk about healing through deep listening, creating safety, and restoring connection within ourselves and with one another.Connect and Learn MoreWebsite: phyllisleavitt.comBooks: America in Therapy  ·  A Light in the Darkness  ·  Into the FireResourcesBraver Angels (organization)

John Kammer is the founder of Guardian AIngels, an AI-powered grief journaling platform designed to help people process loss and maintain connection with loved ones after death. In this episode, we explore grief and how journaling, AI, and other tools can help people move through it. Connect & Learn More Website: guardianaingels.ai LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johnkammerResourcesBooks: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor FranklPeople: Elisabeth Kübler-Ross J. William Worden

Jamie Woodhouse is a philosopher and advocate for sentientism, a worldview grounded in evidence, reason, and compassion for all sentient beings. In this episode, we explore what sentientism is, how it compares to other ethical frameworks, and the practical implications for how we treat animals and other beings, including possibly aliens and AI. Jamie discusses the importance of grounding ethics in both understanding and empathy, the challenges of putting these ideas into practice, and how broadening our moral scope can reshape our choices, culture, and society.Connect & Learn More Website: sentientism.info Podcast: Sentientism YouTube: @Sentientism Facebook: facebook.com/groups/sentientism Twitter (X): @Sentientism LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/sentientism

Gualtiero Piccinini is a philosopher and cognitive scientist who studies the mind as a multi-level, complex system, combining philosophy, neuroscience, and cognitive science to understand consciousness and its underlying mechanisms. In this episode, we discuss the multi-layered nature of consciousness and the mind, along with sleep, meditation, learning, memory, and techniques for exploring your mind and understanding yourself. Connect & Learn More Google Scholar: Gualtiero PiccininiUniversity Profile: University of Missouri | PhilosophyX: @gualtieropiccResourcesPeopleAnil SethNed BlockRussell HurlburtThomas EdisonWilliam James

Michelle Dosanjh-Johal is the mother of two children with autism and mental illness and the author of The Warrior Sings. In this episode, we talk about autism and mental illness inside the family, including both the challenges and the beauty that can exist alongside them. She shares stories from her family and practical ways she built resilience as a mother during difficult times, including writing poetry. Connect & Learn MoreWebsite: michelle-dosanjh-johal.mykajabi.com Instagram: @mindful.warriors.way, @mothers.of.mentalhealth Book: The Warrior Sings

Larry O’Nan is a nonprofit fund development leader, author, and mentor with over five decades of experience helping individuals and organizations live with purpose and steward their resources. He has counseled Christian ministries, led fund development initiatives that raised millions, and written books including Giving Yourself Away and Intentional Living and Giving. In this episode, he discusses finding your authentic path, understanding your strengths, embracing the freedom to fail, and focusing on mission rather than personal gain. We talk about living intentionally, stewarding what you’ve been entrusted with, and giving yourself away.Connect & Learn MoreWebsite: larryonan.comBooks: Intentional Living and Giving; Giving Yourself Away ResourcesCliftonStrengths — online strengths assessment The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul — bookThe Truth About You by Marcus Buckingham — bookTunnel to Towers Foundation — charitable organization

Paige Alexander and Jamie Morgan Reno are the creators of the Real Food Recovery movement. In this episode, we talk about what food addiction is and how to start moving out of it. Paige and Jamie share their own stories and the simple steps they use to help people change their relationship with food. Connect & Learn MoreBook: Real Food RecoveryPodcast: Real Food RecoveryWebsite: realfoodrecovery4u.com

Ana Pashyanti is a meditation teacher. In this episode, we talk about embodied meditation and returning to the body, nature, and self. Connect & Learn MoreWebsite: anapashyanti.com YouTube: @AnaPashyanti

Richard Jay Hutto is a historian and author who focuses on America’s Gilded Age, with books like A Peculiar Tribe of People and The Countess and the Nazis. In this episode, we talk about what life was like for wealthy Americans during that era, especially the women who married into European royalty, like Muriel White. Connect & Learn MoreWebsite: rickhutto.comBook: The Countess and the Nazis LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rick-hutto-80a30b25 

Alan Lazaros is the CEO and co-host of Next Level University. In this episode, we discuss strategies for increasing success and fulfillment in life by examining the tradeoffs between a life driven by subjective experience and one grounded in objectivity — rationality, logic, measurement, and systems. Connect & Learn MoreWebsite: nextleveluniverse.com Podcast: Next Level University LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc Instagram: @alazaros88   ResourcesBooksCatching Fire by Suzanne CollinsRationality by Steven PinkerSapiens by Yuval Noah HarariThe Goal by Eliyahu M. GoldrattThe Infinite Game by Simon SinekThe Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien,The Story of the Human Body by Daniel LiebermanMoviesWicked: For GoodThe Hunger Games: Catching FirePeopleEmilia SmithKevin PalmieriLeonardo da VinciSimon Sinek

Lara Briden is a naturopathic doctor specializing in women's health and the author of Metabolism Repair for Women, Period Repair Manual, and Hormone Repair Manual. In this episode, we explore metabolic dysfunction, how hormones and the environment influence it, and practical ways to support metabolic health. Connect & Learn MoreWebsite: larabriden.com Books: Metabolism Repair for Women, Period Repair Manual, Hormone Repair Manual Podcast: The Lara Briden Podcast Instagram: @larabriden YouTube: @LaraBridenResourcesBooks: The Slow Moon Climbs by Susan MatternPeople: Benjamin Bikman, Chris Masterjohn, Francis Bacon, Susan Mattern

Harmony Hannigan is a yoga, tantra, meditation, and breathwork teacher and founder of Nayana Yoga. In this episode, we explore tantric embodied practices as a path to reconnecting with the body, the larger self, and the living non-dual cosmos. We discuss and practice meditation through the senses and breath, learning to use direct experience, the body, and feeling as our teacher to cultivate curiosity, presence, connection, and transcendence. Connect & Learn MoreWebsites: nayanayoga.com, parentesisvital.com Instagram: @harmony_hannigan LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/harmony-hannigan

Robert Radnoti is a hypnotist who works with behavior and cognition through hypnosis. In this episode, we discuss how hypnosis works and how it's used to change your thinking, attitude, success, and life.Connect & Learn MoreWebsite: robertradnoti.com Podcast: Raditude Facebook: facebook.com/RUNNRAD Instagram: @robertradnoti LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robertradnoti

Kadri Aworigo is a psychotherapist and counsellor who helps adults heal from trauma, shame, and emotional disconnection. In this episode, she shares her story and lessons on reconnection.We talk about trauma, relationships, faith, and what helped her reconnect with herself and others.Connect & Learn MoreWebsite: arisetherapies.co.ukLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kadri-aworigo-558b90105

George Haymaker is an ex-addict turned neuroscience coach who helps people rewire their behavior, identity, and habits. In this episode, George shares his recovery story and explains the neuroscience behind addiction and recovery. Connect & Learn More Website: georgehaymaker.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/georgehaymaker YouTube: @georgehaymakerbrainperformance 

Jess Frost is a coach for adult children of alcoholics. In this episode, she shares how she survived a chaotic childhood and rebuilt her life from the inside out. Connect and Learn More:Instagram: @iamjessfrostWebsite: the3espace.comPodcast: Have you got space for this?YouTube: @The3ESpaceTikTok: @iamjessfrost Facebook: @jessfrostempowerment LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jessfrost

Simon Rowbottom is a musician and psychotherapist, and a member of the English alternative rock band The Boo Radleys, best known for their hit Wake Up Boo!. We talk about his early life with music, the rise of the band, and what it feels like when success looks great from the outside but feels very different on the inside. Simon describes the difference between process and outcome, how pressure can drain the creative spark, and what it was like to walk away when the band split.We explore how he found his way into therapy, how years of touring and chronic stress shape the brain and nervous system, and the psychological challenges that musicians often face. And we talk about The Boo Radleys reuniting more than two decades later with a different mindset. No expectations. No pressure. Just the simple joy of making music again and expressing what is happening inside through sound.Connect and Learn MoreThe Boo Radleys: thebooradleys.comMusic Industry Therapist Collective: musicindustrytherapists.comSimon’s novel: ThimbleriggerRESOURCESAlbums: C'mon Kids, Kingsize, The WallBands: Bon Jovi, Eggman, Happy Mondays, My Bloody Valentine, Oasis, Paperlung, Pink Floyd, Primal Scream, Ride, Simon & Garfunkel, The Boo Radleys, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Smiths, The Stone Roses, The Wedding PresentPeople: Alan McGee, Daniel Day-Lewis, Dick Green, Elvis Costello, Martin Carr, Timothy Brown,Songs: Wake Up Boo!, When I'm Sixty-FourTV shows: Boys from the Blackstuff, Top of the Pops

Bernd Haber is the author of Fritz Häber, The Complete Diary: 16 Months in an American POW Camp, drawn from his grandfather’s journal and interview. We discuss German history, communism and capitalism, East Germany, Berlin, ideology, freedom and control, family memory, generational change, communication, war, sudden shifts, personal turning points, and how an ordinary life can be shaped by circumstance, intertwined with other people, history, and forces that push us in new directions. Bernd’s own story mirrors these themes. He grew up in East Berlin, watched the wall fall, stepped into the West, and eventually built a new life in America. His path is shaped by history, serendipity, opportunity, unexpected conversations, and small moments that opened new possibilities. This episode looks at how history, choice, external forces, and timing collide to redirect a life, and why talking with parents and grandparents, and understanding their experiences, can transform how we understand ourselves.Connect and Learn MoreBook: Fritz Häber, The Complete Diary: 16 Months in an American POW CampWebsite: 16monthsaspow.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/berndhaberRESOURCESBands: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, SteppenwolfBooks: Blitzed by Norman Ohler, Life of Service, Man of Purpose by Jim Waite, Steppenwolf by Hermann HessePeople: Albert Einstein, Barbara Minton, Bob Dylan, Herbert Haber, Hermann Hesse, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, John Kay, Joseph Goebbels, Tom Gundelfinger O'Neal, Wilhelm I, Wilhelm II, Winston ChurchillTV Series: Babylon Berlin, Titans: The Rise of Hollywood

Barbara Minton is a psychologist and musician who creates neuroscience-informed music designed to support and heal the brain. In this episode, we explore the relationship between music and the brain, and how we can use it to guide or change our mental and emotional states.We talk about how music affects the brain, the difference between making it and listening to it, and why different genres influence us in different ways. We get into transcendent and altered states, how music can support grief, loss, pain, insomnia, and emotional processing, and how individual differences like ADHD or PTSD shape the nervous system’s response. We also look at music as a tool for social connection and the unique experience of creating and playing music with others.We discuss how different instruments feel to play, what makes the guitar and pipe organ special, and how music ties into memory. We explore how to use it deliberately to enhance learning and recall, why our emotional reactions to songs change over time, and how lyrics shape the way we see the world. We also explore why certain genres explode at particular moments in history, why pop music remains so consistently popular, which musical elements most strongly affect the brain, what it feels like to make and play music, how live music differs from recorded music, and the overall healing power of music.Connect and Learn MoreWebsite: musicandhealing.netAlbum: Calm the Storm LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/barbara-minton-057957164RESOURCES People: Ana Lapwood, Aretha Franklin, Calum Graham, Freddie Mercury, Hans Berger, Peppino D’Agostino, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Wolfgang Amadeus MozartSongs: Amazing Grace, Pavane for a Dead PrincessStudies: Contrasting effects of music on reading comprehension in preadolescents with and without ADHD  (Madjar et al., 2020), Human song: Separate neural pathways for melody and speech ( Hamilton, 2022)

Adrian Cois is an emergency physician trained in Australia and working in the U.S. In this episode, we discuss the problems of the U.S. healthcare system and how to fix it.Connect & Learn More Instagram: @dr_coisLinkedIn: Adrian Cois

Keith Kurlander is a psychotherapist, co-founder of the Integrative Psychiatry Institute, and host of The Higher Practice podcast. The discussion covers psychedelics, trauma, nervous system regulation, and mental health. Topics include the therapeutic and disruptive effects of psychedelics, trauma as a physiological state, the importance of listening to one’s inner purpose or "North Star,"  rising mental health challenges, and the impact of technology and AI on psychological well-being. Connect & Learn More 🎙️ Podcast: The Higher Practice for Optimal Mental Health🌐 Website: psychiatryinstitute.com📘 Book (coming March 2026): Psychedelic TherapyResources 👥 People: Amrit Desai, John Demartini, Ken Wilber, Stanislav Grof, Will Van Derveer

William Person is a former Olympic bobsledder for Team USA. He talks about what it was like flying 90 mph down the ice, taking up to 80 Gs, and what happened after the cheering stopped: brain fog, headaches, memory and focus loss, sensitivity to sound and light, disorientation, depression, and suicidal thoughts.We talk about the hidden suffering in sports, how CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) might relate to ADHD and other mental health struggles, why so many athletes and veterans go untreated, and the deadly consequences that follow. William shares his lowest moments, his fight to stay alive, and how hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) helped him when nothing else could.Connect & Learn More 🍭TikTok: @hyperbarichealing📘 Facebook: One Man With a Chamber | William Person💼 LinkedIn: William Person📸 Instagram: @willp1234567▶️ YouTube: @braininjurysurvival💰 GoFundMe: CTE Recovery for Athletes and MilitaryResources 🎢 Six Flags Magic Mountain — Goliath 📰 Sledding Athletes Are Taking Their Lives. Did Brain Injuries Play a Role? – The New York Times⚖️The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) 👥People: Cuba Gooding Jr., Jamie Foxx, Jay-Z, Joe Namath, Kanye West, Lance Armstrong, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Jackson, Russell Crowe 🎬 Films: A Beautiful Mind, In Whose Name?, Jerry Maguire, One Battle After Another💥Incidents: 2025 Anaconda Shooting, 2025 Grand Blanc Township church attack, 2025 Midtown Manhattan Shooting, Washington Navy Yard shooting 

Ewelina Kurtys is a neuroscientist and Strategic Advisor at FinalSpark, a Swiss company building computers from living brain cells. We talk about how neurons differ from silicon chips, why they’re more energy-efficient, how they’re grown and programmed in the lab, and how biocomputing could shape the future of AI. Connect and Learn More:🌐Website: finalspark.com💼LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ewelinakurtysResources:🏢Companies: AlpVision, Amazon, Cortical Labs, Ekai.io, Google, Microsoft, Neuralink👤People: Elon Musk, Fred Jordan, Martin Kutter

Mary Petto is a Rapid Turmoil Resolution specialist and the author of The Family Guide to the Law of Attraction. We talk about trauma, how it gets stuck in your subconscious, hijacks your nervous system, and keeps you in mental loops. She explains why talking or reliving it doesn’t work, how metaphors and stories communicate with your inner mind, and how Rapid Turmoil Resolution can help you get calm, neutral, and open to new possibilities. Connect and Learn More🌐Website: portablevisions.com📖Book: The Family Guide to the Law of Attraction🎁The Loop Locator: portablevisions.com/gift📸Instagram: @Livinginthevortex💼LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marypetto🍭TikTok: @marypetto

In this episode, I talk with Jeff Sorensen, founder of breathARMY. He shares how the breath became the central tool in his recovery from trauma, addiction, and mental illness. We explore how his years of substance use, time in a Mexican prison, near-death experiences, and struggles with identity led him to discover how breathing habits influence and reflect the nervous system, emotions, and perception of reality.Jeff explains the power of returning to a natural, effortless breath and how awareness of the breath can help release fear, old patterns, and habitual ways of being. We also discuss how meditation, plant medicine, yoga, pets, and time in nature supported his journey, and how he learned to channel his energy and emotion into practices that foster healing, presence, freedom, and personal growth.Connect and Learn More:Website: breatharmy.comFacebook: @breathARMYInstagram: @breatharmyResources:BooksA World Made New by Paul SeligThe Quantum Revelation by Paul LevyWetiko by Paul LevyPeoplePaul LevyPaul Selig

In this episode, I talk with Steven Puri, co-founder of the focus app Sukha and former Hollywood executive, about focus and flow — what it feels like, why it matters, and how to increase it. We cover a range of tools and techniques, including: sound, physical space, to-do lists, community, solitude, time of day, and simple items like a pencil, paper, and a timer, along with lessons from Hollywood on creating great work and fulfilling your dreams.Connect and Learn More: Website: thesukha.coEmail: Shared in the episodeLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/steven-puriResources Mentioned:Apps: Brain.fm, Endel, Forest, TodoistBooks: Deep Work by Cal Newport, Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Indistractable by Nir Eyal, The Net and the Butterfly by Olivia Fox Cabane & Judah PollackCompanies: Alaska Airlines, Amazon, Disney, Dreamworks Animation, Fox Corporation, Hilton, LucasFilm, Marvel, Meta, M. Fredric, News Corp, Nike, Oura Health, Pixar, Spiegel, TikTok, Twitter, Universal Studios, Vine, YouTubeMovies: A Good Day to Die Hard, Alien vs. Predator, Ant-Man, Die Hard with a Vengeance, Independence Day: Resurgence, Live Free or Die Hard, Mission: Impossible III, My Best Friend's Wedding, Rain Man, Stargate, Star Trek, The Island, The Mask of Zorro, The Wolverine, Transformers, Transformers: Revenge of the FallenPeople: Alex Kurtzman, Bob Iger, Bob Orci, Chase Carey, Dean Devlin, Elon Musk, Evan Spiegel, Francesco Cirillo, George Lucas, Hephaestus (character), Jake Paul, James Clear, James Dean, John Diemer, Judah Pollack, Logan Paul, Mark Zuckerberg, Marie Curie, Michael Jordan, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Nir Eyal, Olivia Fox Cabane, Pablo Picasso, Prometheus (character), Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Ronald Bass, Ronald Emmerich, Rupert Murdoch, Spike Jonze, Steve Jobs, Tony MauroPlaces: Austin, Bali, Chiang Mai, Cyprus, Kathmandu, Puerta Vallarta, San Francisco, ViennaPodcasts: Deep Questions with Cal Newport

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Paul Taylor, author, neuroscientist, exercise physiologist, and host of The Paul Taylor Podcast. He is an expert in hardiness, the science of turning stress into strength. Modern life is quietly weakening us through the way we eat, move, sleep, socialize, and use technology. By introducing stress, challenge, and discomfort in safe and deliberate ways through exercise, nutrition, temperature, sunlight, and other natural experiences, we can regain our strength and hardiness. This idea is rooted in hormesis, the concept that exposure to manageable stress or challenge can strengthen the body and mind. We also discuss Paul’s lessons from his upbringing in Ireland, his time in the military, and his experiences as a parent, in sport, and through personal challenges. He shares practical ways to build hardiness in daily life: move regularly, play outside, eat mostly minimally processed foods, limit screen time, set simple rules and routines, gradually increase effort, and reflect on how you spend your time. Seeing life as a challenge and viewing stress as a chance to grow helps us step out of our comfort zone, so we can strengthen ourselves physically and mentally and be better prepared for whatever life throws our way.Connect and Learn More:Website: paultaylor.bizInstagram: @paultaylor.bizPodcast: The Paul Taylor PodcastBooks: Death by Comfort, and the upcoming The Hardiness EffectResources Mentioned:Books: Antifragile, Elite Minds, Enchiridion, The Black Swan, People: Arrian, Bengt Saltin, Bente Klarlund Pedersen, Epictetus, Frank Booth, Friedrich Nietzsche, Grant Schofield, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Seneca, Stan Beecham, Walter Mischel

In this episode, I talk with Qi Gong practitioner and holistic life coach Tamas Konya. We discuss the philosophy and practice, Qi Gong, its benefits, how it has helped Tamas, and how it can help you too. Connect and Learn More:Website: tamascoach.comLinkedIn: Tamas KonyaFacebook: Tamas KonyaInstagram: @tamascoachYouTube: @tamascoachResources Mentioned:Weightless by Marconi UnionBrave New World by Aldous Huxley1984 by George OrwellFight Club (film)Avatar (film)Stephen Covey

What do you do when you have three interviews scheduled and no one shows up? You make a SOLOOOOO episode. Mikey’s back, in his classic state - all alone. This is a musing on what to do when you’ve planned, prepared, and done everything you could, but reality has other ideas. What do you do? Keep going, keep trying, re-channel that energy into something even more amazing, and love and embrace yourself that much more. This lone wolf is waking up from his long winter slumber, howling, roaring, and ready to roam. 

In this episode, Lori Tsugawa, author of Let the Samurai Be Your Guide, shares her journey of overcoming traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) by drawing on her Japanese heritage and values. We explore Japanese concepts like bushido (the way of the warrior), ikigai, and ganbaru (never giving up), and discuss how you can apply these principles to your own life.She also talks about her experiences working in a women’s prison, shares Japanese folk tales, and highlights her favorite places in Japan. Listen in, and let your inner samurai and otaku lead the way toward healing, resilience, and growth.Connect and Learn MoreWebsite: loriwhaley.comBook: Let the Samurai Be Your GuidePodcast: The Samurai WayLinkedIn: Lori TsugawaResources Mentioned:Attractions: Adachi Museum of Art, Dogo Onsen, Japanese American Museum of Oregon, Kenrokuen, Nagoro Doll Village, Noguchi Museum, Pine Wind Japanese Garden, Ritsurin Garden, Shikoku Mura, SL Yamaguchi, Torrance Art MuseumBooks: Man's Search for MeaningFilms: Fight ClubJapanese folktales: Momotarō, The Mouse's Marriage, The Singing TurtleOrganizations: Albert Camus, Amen Clinics, Ikigai Lab, Kinokuniya, The Ritz Carlton, Toastmasters International, Tuttle PublishingPeople: Ayano Tsukimi, Chiune Sugihara, Daniel Amen, Daniel Inouye, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, Isamu Noguchi, Sam Ushio, Victor Frankl, Yayoi KusamaPlaces: Hokkaido, Iya Valley, Kochi, Matsue, Matsuyama, Naoshima, Naruto, Portland, Shikoku, Takamatsu, Tokushima, Torrance, Tsuwano