PODCAST · education
How Humans Work Podcast
by Jef Szi
Join Jef Szi—renaissance acupuncturist and insatiably curious show host—as he guides us into the labyrinths of human nature. Each season and each episode explores a central theme through conversations with guests from diverse traditions: thinkers like Robert Sapolsky, Deb Dana, and Michael Meade, alongside artists, activists, and explorers such as Luis J. Rodriguez, Orin Carpenter, and Dossie Easton.Together, we uncover personal stories and timeless wisdom—insights that stir, resonate, and inspire. Tune in and journey into the forces that shape who we are and how we live as we navigate the personal and the profound. Consider yourself invited to walk the winding path with the How Humans Work Podcast.
Episodes
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#60: Eugenia Bone - Microbia: The Unseen Ecology of Cohesion
Episode Summary In Episode #60, the spirited Eugenia Bone joins Jef Szi and the How Humans Work Podcast for a high-energy dive into the astonishing world of bacteria and fungi. Eugenia is an author of several books and cookbooks, including Microbia, Have a Good Trip, and Mycophilia. She brings…
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Bonus Episode #11: The Inner-Life of Men - with Eliyahu Sills
Bonus Episode #11: Show Summary: In this bonus episode, Eliyahu Sills joins Jef Szi to discuss the inner-life of men. Together, they reflect on men's need to deal with fear, anger, grief, and conflict in well held spaces. They also talk about a variety of models for men to tend their inner life....
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#59: Laura Spinney - Proto: The Language that Runs Through Us
Episode #59 Summary The delightful and engaging Laura Spinney is a science journalist and author of the book Proto. Laura joins the podcast to help us unpack the extraordinary story of the ancient Bronze Age Yamnaya culture, whose linguistic legacy endures today in the family of Indo-European...
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#58: African Solutions to African Problems - Reaching the Forgotten
Episode #58: Show Summary With exceptional kindness and clarity, Mada Siebert and Linet Dube from African Solutions to African Problems (ASAP) join Jef Szi to tell the ASAP story and its approach to supporting the rural communities in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. The eleven Xhosa and Sotho...
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#57: Ryan Balch - The Psychology of Social Friction
In episode #57 of the How Humans Work Podcast, I sit down with social psychology and education policy expert Ryan Balch to explore the underlying evolutionary social forces that drive our behaviors and create challenges in our society. With tremendous ease and good-heartedness, Ryan walks us...
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#56: Survival International - We Can Return Again
We Can Return Again is a powerful episode that explores the critical work of Survival International, an organization dedicated to protecting indigenous and uncontacted peoples worldwide. Hal Russell, Asia and Pacific Research and Advocacy Officer with Survival, joins host Jef Szi to guide us...
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#55: Chris Burris - Healing with Others
Chris Burris is a Senior Lead IFS Trainer and a clinical consultant with decades of experience in mental health and group work. Chris is based in North Carolina and leads training for the IFS Institute and his Creating Healing Circles work worldwide. Last month, Chris joined Jef Szi for an…
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Bonus Episode #10: The Unapologetic American with Jef Szi
Episode Summary: Recent events in America from Minneapolis to Washington D.C., show us that unapologetic postures and political strategies are attractive to some who are interested in power. In this special bonus episode, Jef Szi shares his recent essay about this unapologetic trend on full…
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#54: East Forest - The Soul is Smiling
East Forest joins the How Humans Work Podcast for a special Winter Solstice episode. With a generous mind and grounded heart, East walks us through how his Music For Mushrooms Documentary was birthed, as well as the creative gifts and challenges that came along with that project. Special Note:...
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#53: Nina Chase - It's Not For You
Episode Summary Landscape Architect Nina Chase, sits down with Jef Szi for a terrific exploration of her work imagining and designing public spaces. Nina’s easy and honest expertise deepens our view on what fosters Social Cohesion. She helps surface the amazing, often understated, network of...
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#52: Mele Estrella & Damara Vita Ganley - The Dance of Belonging
Episode Summary Dance artists Mele Estrella and Damara Vita Ganley join show host Jef Szi and the How Humans Work Podcast for an illuminating conversation that explores the rich terrain of their artistic work. Throughout this remarkable episode, we learn about Mele and Damara’s intensive creative...
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#51: Chris Skidmore - The Astrology of Self-Love and Society
Episode Summary In episode #51, wisdom keeper and astrologer Chris Skidmore, joins the podcast for a profound conversation exploring the intersection of myth, astrology, and social cohesion. Chris and podcast host, Jef Szi, delve into the the 12 House System of Astrology as a "mythic language"…
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#50: Dr. Arielle Schwartz - How We Heal
Episode Summary Dr. Arielle Schwartz, Ph.D, is a clinical psychologist, internationally respected teacher, and leading voice in the healing of PTSD and complex trauma. For more than twenty years, Dr. Schwartz has guided therapists in the how-tos of trauma treatments—including EMDR, somatic...
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#49: Orin Carpenter - We Paint These Truths
Episode Summary The good-hearted and visionary Orin Carpenter joins the podcast this week to explore the connection between art and society. As a fine artist who uses mixed media to make evocative and abstract art with social commentary, Orin carries a rich sense of the artist's social function....
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#48: Robin Dunbar - Friends, Tribes and Social Cohesion
Episode Summary Renowned evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar returns for part two of his conversation with Jef Szi and the How Humans Work Podcast, diving deeper into the limits and leaps of human social patterns. In this episode, Professor Dunbar expands on the evolutionary foundations of…
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#47: Robin Dunbar - The Chemistry of Connection
Episode Summary The equally erudite and jovial Robin Dunbar joins Jef Szi and the How Humans Work Podcast for the first of a two part conversation about limits and leaps of social patterns in primates and humans. An Oxford University professor of evolutionary psychology and someone with a facile...
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#46: Amy Emerson - Breaking the Stigma: Psychedelics in Society
Episode Summary The highly informed and deeply compassionate Amy Emerson joins Jef Szi and the How Humans Work Podcast for a remarkable conversation about the evolving landscape of psychedelics. With her extensive involvement and leadership in the Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic...
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#45: Christine Olivia Hernandez - The Ancestral Heart
Episode Summary Author, healer, and ceremonialist Christine Olivia Hernandez joins the show for an in-depth conversation on the transformative power of gratitude, the wisdom that flows out of Mayan traditions, and the gifts to the heart and body in cacao. Through the lens of her newest book,...
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#44: Deb Dana - The Polyvagal Connection
Episode Summary Deb Dana L.C.S.W. joins the How Humans Work Podcast to illuminate how our nervous systems dance between the ancient survival responses and the instinct to be in states of connection and safety. As an author, renowned Polyvagal Theory lecturer, Deb expertly and compassionately…
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#43: Jai Uttal - Hanuman's Ripples
Episode Summary The storied and kind-hearted Jai Uttal drops into the show for an extended conversation about music, monkey gods, gurus, India, sobriety, family, and ultimately the spiritual path of healing through love. We begin with an exploration of Jai’s current practice of hyper-local…
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Bonus Episode #09: Reflections on Alpha Masculinity
In this snap, bonus episode, show host Jef Szi riffs on what he is calling, 'Alpha Masculinity,' as it emerges alongside Donald Trump election to a second presidential term. In his eclectic style, Jef begins the show sharing his experience on a beautiful November night in San Francisco and going…
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#42: Chris Skidmore - Eros, Psyche and The Golden Ass
Episode Summary In episode 42, we take a deep dive into the realm of myth with insightful and heartfelt Chris Skidmore. As an astrologer, psychotherapist and host of the On the Souls Terms Podcast, Chris helps illuminate the meaning and embedded knowledge hidden inside the 1800 year old Roman...
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#41: Erin Gilmore - On Truth and Becoming
Episode Summary In this next adventure into our Systems of Knowledge theme, the highly relatable and beautifully honest Erin Gilmore joins the podcast. This conversation explores how various teachings are points of refuge and healing as we make our way on the path adulting. Erin opens up about…
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#40: Alice Treves - The 9 Negative Thinking Habits
Episode Summary Alice Treves is seasoned psychotherapist with a background in Hakomi, CBT, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Psychedelic Assisted Therapy. This is her second time joining the podcast. She and Jef Szi have been together for 27 years and have two daughters. In this episode we dive...
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#39: Dr. Scott Schmidt - Navigating the Inevitable
Episode Summary: Dr. Scott Schmidt joins the podcast to share his knowledge about caring for those with serious illness and those who are in the dying process. As a medical doctor with an expansive background in Emergency Medicine, Hospice Care, and now as a leader in the Primary Palliative Care...
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#38: Jeffrey Weisberg — The Work of Repairing Harm
Episode Summary In The Work of Repairing Harm, the warm-hearted Jeffrey Weisberg joins the podcast for a rich and moving conversation about his experience with Peacebuilding and Restorative Justice practices. As the Executive Director and co-founder of the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding,...
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#37: Fu Schroeder - Leaping Into the Yellow River
Episode #37 Summary Senior Zen Dharma teacher, Fu Schroeder, sits down with Jef Szi for a heart-felt and mind-opening exploration of Zen Buddhism. As a System of Knowledge, Zen is one of the great wisdom lineages—handed down across centuries and into the lap of Fu in the 1970’s. This delightful...
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Bonus Episode #08: Tobin Mayell—Part Two—Everything Under the Sun and Moon
In Everything Under the Sun and Moon, show host Jef Szi continues his conversation with Tobin Mayell, as Tobin remembers the life of his late mother, Christine Waddell. Christine was a healer, teacher, mother, and grandmother who passed away suddenly in the Spring of 2023. In this fluid...
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Bonus Episode #07: Tobin Mayell—Part One—Looking Into the Beyond
In Bonus Episode #07, Tobin Mayell joins the show for the first of a two-part conversation honoring the lives of his late parents—Norm Mayell and Christine Waddell. Here, Tobin recounts for us the core elements in his relationship with Norm—open-heartedly offering glimpses into the arc of the…
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#36: Dalanah Smith - The Wisdom of Astrology
We kick off Season Four with the fun and forthright Dalanah Smith. Dalanah is an astrologer, stoic, palmist, biologist, and host of the Moon Matters Podcast. In this episode, she shares her take on one of the most ancient systems of knowledge around - Traditional Astrology, a.k.a. Hellenistic...
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#35: Robert M. Sapolsky - Life Without Free Will
In episode #35, legendary professor and author Robert M. Sapolsky joins the show for a fascinating conversation about his most recent book: Determined. At length we discuss what life looks like when we accept the premise of Determined: free will is a myth and rewarding and punishing behavior is…
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#34: Dr. Anna Lembke - On Stress and Dopamine
Episode Summary In episode #34, the esteemed author of Dopamine Nation, Dr. Anna Lembke, returns to the show for a fascinating conversation about stress, dopamine, and how the two intersect. With an equal measure of kindness and expertise, Dr. Lembke walks us through the contours of both…
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Bonus Episode #6: The Power to Survive
Bonus Episode Summary In The Power to Survive, show host Jef Szi shares an essay that connects the adaptive function of the stress system to the realms of fitness and the presence of genes. As critical parts of our adaptive powers for survival, he shows us how stress, fitness, and genes actually...
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#33: Dameian Hartfield - Wishing for an Earthquake
Episode Summary In Episode #33, Dameian Hartfield joins the podcast for a deeply honest conversation, recounting some of the major moments in his life. In many respects, this podcast is a continuation of an ongoing conversation we have had as friends for nearly two decades, where Dameian speaks…
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#32: Dr. Christopher A. Lowry - Stress & Your Microbiome
Episode Summary There are few better equipped to take us into the fascinating world of the gut microbiome than University of Colorado professor Dr. Christopher A. Lowry. In addition to his rich understanding of humans ancient and critical relationship with the bacterial world, Dr. Lowry has a...
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#31: Darcy Ottey - Templates for Change
In episode #31, Templates for Change, Darcy Ottey from Youth Passageways joins the show for an extended conversation about her love for Rites of Passage (RoP) work as well as her recent book on the subject: Rites and Responsibilities: A Guide to Growing Up. With an extensive and deeply personal...
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#30: Juliet and Kelly Starrett - Built To Move
Episode Summary In this special episode of the How Humans Work Podcast, Juliet and Kelly Starrett from the The Ready State join the show to share all about their newest book: Built To Move! With clear vision and simple practices, they provide a persuasive invitation to rethink our approach to a...
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#29: Chase Jackson - Lessons In Tension
Episode Summary Chase Jackson is a jazz vibraphonist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, educator, and producer. He also just happens to be the beloved musical backbone for the How Humans Work Podcast. In Episode #29, Chase drops in for a lengthy exploration of how music and stress intersect. Fully...
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#28: Dossie Easton - Sex, Freedom & Destiny
Episode Summary Dossie Easton is a co-author of The Ethical Slut and four other books on sex, BDSM and relationships. As a pioneer in the world of polyamory she renders fascinating and mirthful accounts of her hard-earned wisdom on navigating the dynamics of non-traditional relationships,...
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#27: Kelly Starrett - Stress, Fitness & Society
Episode Summary The vital and lucid Dr. Kelly Starrett from The Ready State (TRS) joins the How Humans Work Podcast for a rich and captivating conversation about Stress, Fitness, & Society. In this wide-ranging episode, we get a strong feel for Kelly’s learned perspectives on a host of matters…
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Bonus Episode #05 - Jef Szi; Inner-Viewed
In Bonus Episode #05, Brent MacKinnon jumps into the interviewer chair, reversing the roles with show host- Jef Szi. At nearly eighty years of age and with a tremendous range of life experiences (poet, combat war veteran, grandfather, teacher ++), Mac brings a littany of inquiry with mirth and...
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#26: Marc Brackett - Permission to Feel
Episode Summary Marc Brackett is the author of Permission to Feel and the Founding Director at Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. He is a driving force in bringing the power of emotional intelligence and basic emotional know-how into schools, communities, and professional settings across the...
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#25: Kelly McDermott - Turning Our Gaze Upstream; stress, behavior & health
Dr. Kelly McDermott joins the show for a spirited conversation on the upstream factors which influence our health and impact our society. With her wealth of knowledge about research, policy and health behaviors, Kelly helps us make connections between chronic disease, Adverse and Positive…
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#24: Brenton MacKinnon - After You Have Suffered; War, Revelation & Maturity
Episode Summary Brenton ‘Mac’ MacKinnon is an American poet, combat veteran, polyglot, world-traveler, and creative writing teacher. Mac joins us for a deeply moving conversation about his hard-earned knowledge of warfare, PTSD, writing, healing and the profound desire to be known and belong. In...
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#23: Jimmy Conrad - Let's Make This Matter
In Episode 23 of the How Humans Work Podcast, wildly entertaining Jimmy Conrad joins us for a deep dive into his life in and beyond his tremendous thirteen year career as a professional soccer player. In Let’s Make This Matter we get a real and buoyant account of what it took for a lad from...
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#22: Zameen-a Iqbal - This Virtue of Beauty
In Episode 22, violinist, poet and multimedia artist Zameen-a Iqbal joins the podcast for moving and insightful conversation around the transcendental nature of beauty. Describing an “unbearable ache of inspiration” she has experienced since childhood, we learn how across her life beauty became…
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#21: William Hornyak - The Medicine in Stories
In Episode 21, master storyteller William J. Hornyak kicks-off our third season of the How Humans Work Podcast on The Nature of Stress. Will shows us how both stories and storytelling have power and medicine inside of them to aid us in our times of stress. At the outset of this show we learn how...
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Bonus Episode #04 - Deepening Into the Small Soul with Rory Higham
In Deepening into the Small Soul, Jef Szi welcomes Rory Higham for another dive into the nature of the ego and its place in our lives. Picking up on Bonus Episode #3 - Compassion for the Small Soul, Rory and Jef continue the conversation, primarily through an Internal Family Systems (IFS)...
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Bonus Episode #03 - Compassion for the Small Soul with Alice Treves
In Compassion for the Small Soul show host Jef Szi welcomes special guest Alice Treves for a rambling and musing conversation about the value, function and limitations that come with our human ego. While the ego is often castigated and frequently misunderstood, this conversation explores and...
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#20: Michael Meade - Standing in the Rivers of Time
Episode Summary Michael J. Meade, D.H.L., is a storyteller, author, scholar of mythology as well as the founder of Mosaic Multicultural Foundation and the creator of the Living Myth Podcast. In Standing in the Rivers of Time, Michael offers us his rich understanding of story and myth as we…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Join Jef Szi—renaissance acupuncturist and insatiably curious show host—as he guides us into the labyrinths of human nature. Each season and each episode explores a central theme through conversations with guests from diverse traditions: thinkers like Robert Sapolsky, Deb Dana, and Michael Meade, alongside artists, activists, and explorers such as Luis J. Rodriguez, Orin Carpenter, and Dossie Easton.Together, we uncover personal stories and timeless wisdom—insights that stir, resonate, and inspire. Tune in and journey into the forces that shape who we are and how we live as we navigate the personal and the profound. Consider yourself invited to walk the winding path with the How Humans Work Podcast.
HOSTED BY
Jef Szi
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does How Humans Work Podcast have?
How Humans Work Podcast currently has 71 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is How Humans Work Podcast about?
Join Jef Szi—renaissance acupuncturist and insatiably curious show host—as he guides us into the labyrinths of human nature. Each season and each episode explores a central theme through conversations with guests from diverse traditions: thinkers like Robert Sapolsky, Deb Dana, and Michael Meade,...
How often does How Humans Work Podcast release new episodes?
How Humans Work Podcast has 71 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to How Humans Work Podcast?
You can listen to How Humans Work Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts How Humans Work Podcast?
How Humans Work Podcast is created and hosted by Jef Szi.
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