Untangle
- Episodes
- 605
- Released
- weekly
- Latest episode
- Nov 10, 2026
About the podcast
Learn from the best! Hear insights, experiences and expertise from thought leaders, authors, psychologists, neuroscientists, nutritionists, mindfulness teachers, business pioneers and more. We cover everything related to mental, emotional, physical and brain heath. Whether it's traditional, alternative or holistic...we've got it. Improve your stress level, memory, habits, relationship, focus, leadership style and more. Big conversations to tackle life's biggest challenges. Learn many different strategies to live your best life. Join host Patricia Karpas weekly. Untangle is the podcast from muse, the Brain Sensing Headband dedicated to unlocking your brain's potential and revolutionizing health, and Meditation Studio, the five star app.
Episodes 605
What if You Could Stop Feeling So Bad about Feeling Bad? Finding Wisdom in Our Darkest Emotions. With Daniel Smith
What if the goal isn’t to get rid of our difficult feelings, but to change our relationship with them?Our guest today is Daniel Smith, Psychotherapist and best selling author. Today we discuss his most recent …
Show notes
What if the goal isn’t to get rid of our difficult feelings, but to change our relationship with them?
Our guest today is Daniel Smith, Psychotherapist and best selling author. Today we discuss his most recent book Hard Feelings. Finding the Wisdom in our Darkest Emotions to explore why emotions like anxiety, anger, envy, shame, and despair are such a challenging—but essential—part of being human.
Daniel shares how his own lifelong struggle with anxiety, major life upheavals, and how his work as a Psychotherapist shaped his understanding of our emotional lives. We talk about why labeling feelings as “negative” can make them harder to navigate, how we can get caught in the trap of feeling bad about feeling bad, and what it means to treat our emotions as signals rather than enemies.
We also explore the Buddhist idea of the second arrow, the importance of curiosity and self-compassion, and why cultivating wholeness may be more meaningful than striving for constant happiness.
If you’ve ever judged yourself for feeling jealous, lost your patience with someone you love, or wished you could simply switch off an uncomfortable emotion, this conversation offers a gentler way forward: pause, get curious, and remember that having a hard feeling is part of being human.
Resource: Smithmhc.com
NEW: I want to tell you about my new book, The Questions that make a Life. It includes quotes, prompts and reflections gathered from the last 10 years of untangle interviews. It’s Part book, part journal, One “testimonial calls it A wise, warm, and deeply human companion for anyone navigating the messiness of life. It’s available on amazon or there’s a link to a faster way to order on bookbaby.com. https://store.bookbaby.com/book/the-questions-that-make-a-life
A special thanks to our amazing sponsors: Quince, Stio, Born Shoes.
MORE on this episode:
In this episode, we explore:
- Why Daniel wrote Hard Feelings and how his experiences with anxiety and major life changes shaped the book.
- How family dynamics and the emotional atmosphere of childhood may influence our own emotional lives.
- Why trying to eliminate difficult emotions can sometimes make them more powerful.
- The Buddhist concept of the second arrow—and how feeling ashamed of our feelings adds another layer of suffering.
- What envy can reveal about comparison, insecurity, and losing touch with what matters to us.
- How to acknowledge emotions without judging ourselves for having them.
- When acceptance is enough and when persistent emotions may call for deeper reflection or professional support.
- Why curiosity is such an important tool in relationships, especially when anger or frustration takes over.
- How to repair after emotional reactions rather than expecting ourselves to be perfect.
- The difference between pursuing happiness and cultivating a sense of wholeness.
- Why patience, mindfulness, and slowing down can help us stay present with uncomfortable experiences.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Unlocking Your Brain’s Potential: Seven Pivotal Steps. With John Sullivan.
In today’s encore conversation, John Sullivan, Clinical Sports Psychologist, discusses "The Brain Always Wins 2," his new book co-authored with communications expert Chris Parker. John has worked with several …
Show notes
In today’s encore conversation, John Sullivan, Clinical Sports Psychologist, discusses "The Brain Always Wins 2," his new book co-authored with communications expert Chris Parker. John has worked with several professional sports teams and is now head of sport psychology at high performance sport New Zealand. This new edition addresses seven pivotal areas of brain management which include Physical activity, Rest and recovery, Optimum nutrition, Cognitive function, Emotional management, Socialization and communication, and Synergy.
John discusses the intricate relationship between each of these areas in enhancing performance in any area of our lives. He emphasizes the importance of personalized nutrition, the role of carbohydrates in brain health, and the necessity of effective communication and social interactions for overall well-being. Sullivan also highlights the significance of emotional management techniques, such as breathing exercises, in optimizing cognitive function and performance. There’s a lot of great information here.
NEW: Order The Questions the Make a Life (no perfect answers) by host, Patricia Karpas. It's a distillation of the best quotes, prompts and reflections from the Untangle Podcast. Order on Amazon OR for faster delivery, https://store.bookbaby.com/book/the-questions-that-make-a-life.
As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential. Use code Untangle 15 at choosemuse.com for your 15% discount
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Connect To What Matters Most Meditation. With Melli O'brien
Today's meditation is by Melli O'Brien and was created to inspire you to connect with what matters most. It can also be found on the Muse and Meditation Studio apps.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit …
Show notes
Today's meditation is by Melli O'Brien and was created to inspire you to connect with what matters most. It can also be found on the Muse and Meditation Studio apps.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Why Do Some Brains Stay Young? What SuperAgers can teach us. With Dr. Emily Rogalski
Today’s guest is Dr. Emily Rogalski, the Rosalind Franklin Professor of Neurology and the Director of the Healthy Aging & Alzheimer’s Care (HAARC) Center, both at the University of Chicago. She is a clinical …
Show notes
Today’s guest is Dr. Emily Rogalski, the Rosalind Franklin Professor of Neurology and the Director of the Healthy Aging & Alzheimer’s Care (HAARC) Center, both at the University of Chicago. She is a clinical and cognitive neuroscientist researching aging, Alzheimer’s, and related dementias.
Here’s the question we explore today:
Why do some people maintain extraordinary memory well into their 80s and 90s, while others experience cognitive decline much earlier?
Why do some resist dementia and others not so much?
Dr. Emily Rogalski studies Superagers, adults in their 80s and beyond who have memory abilities comparable to people decades younger. She and her colleagues are studying them to understand what makes their brains so remarkable.
What can these exceptional agers teach us about our own brain health? How much comes down to genetics, how much might be influenced by lifestyle, and what can we do today to give ourselves the best chance of aging well?
This discussion is rich with fascinating science and lot’s of practical information you can use.
She describes the difference between normal forgetfulness and dementia, new developments in Alzheimer's biomarkers, and the surprising clues researchers are finding in everything from brain structure to social connection to lifelong learning.
And while there isn't a magic formula for keeping our brains young, this conversation offers a hopeful new perspective on what it means to age well.
NEXT...
Check out the new book gleaned from Untangle. The Questions that make a Life, by Patricia Karpas. It includes quotes, prompts and reflections gathered from the last 10 years of Untangle interviews. It’s part book, part journal, One testimonial calls it "A wise, warm, and deeply human companion for anyone navigating the messiness of life." It’s available on amazon or here's a link to a faster way to order:
https://store.bookbaby.com/book/the-questions-that-make-a-life
For more on Dr. Emily Rogalski, go to https://neurology.uchicago.edu/faculty/emily-joy-rogalski-miller
Check out Muse, the brain sensing headband at choosemuse.com/untangle. Use code Untangle15 for your discount.
Thanks to our wonderful sponsors: Quince. Born Shoes. Stio. Warby Parker. Scribe. Berkeley life.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Meditation Monday. Let Things Be. A Favorite! With Ashley Turner.
Encoring one of my personal favorite meditations. Welcome to a special weekly edition of Untangle, Meditation Monday. We’re taking this time to share meditations from our sister app, Meditation Studio. We know …
Show notes
Encoring one of my personal favorite meditations.
Welcome to a special weekly edition of Untangle, Meditation Monday. We’re taking this time to share meditations from our sister app, Meditation Studio. We know that life gets messy and, when it does, Meditation is here to help us find a sense of calm and inner peace. Whether you’re facing daily work or relationships stress, unexpected challenges, or just want to improve focus, we hope meditation Mondays will be your go to for a weekly guided meditation treat. And if you’re craving more…which I always do…the Meditation Studio app offers over 800 expert-guided meditations from over 70 of the world’s top meditation experts.
And best of all, you can now unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Training for Brain Health: Mental Clarity, Focus, Strength and Recovery. With Chris Aimone.
Today’s encore episode is with Chris Aimone, the cofounder of Muse, the brain sensing technology dedicated to enhancing mental fitness, focus and clarity. He’s a bit of an expert when it comes to the …
Show notes
Today’s encore episode is with Chris Aimone, the cofounder of Muse, the brain sensing technology dedicated to enhancing mental fitness, focus and clarity. He’s a bit of an expert when it comes to the intersection of technology, mindfulness and the brain.
Our discussion delves into the importance of attention training, and why our emotional reactions play such a big role when it comes to maintaining focus and to overall brain health. Chris discusses the impact of distraction on our ability to connect with the present moment and shares how Muse’s Athena technology, with its eeg and Fnirs technology helps us train for mental clarity and focus, mental strength and endurance and for our ability to recover and recharge. continuous learning, he says, is essential for cognitive health. We also discuss how AI is used to personalize brain training exercises. If you’ve ever wondered about brain health and what it takes stay mentally fit, you’ll find this fascinating.
And, we’re playing a bit with AI as well. At the end of this interview, we’ve added a 14 minute AI podcast all about Athena. See what you think!
As always, we’re untangle, the podcast from Muse. Use promo code untangle 15 at choosemuse.com for your 15% discount.
Thanks, as always, to our sponsors. Quince, Jones Road Beauty, Vinted, Berkeley Life, Warby Parker.
NEW: You can pre-order the book The Questions That Make A Life, featuring the best of our Untangle guests, by Patricia Karpas.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Meditation Monday. Moments of Joy. With Chrissy Carter. 7 minutes.
Welcome to a special edition of Untangle, Meditation Mondays. We’re taking this time to share meditations from our sister app, Meditation Studio. We know that life gets messy and, when it does, Meditation is …
Show notes
Welcome to a special edition of Untangle, Meditation Mondays. We’re taking this time to share meditations from our sister app, Meditation Studio. We know that life gets messy and, when it does, Meditation is here to help us find a sense of calm and inner peace. Whether you’re facing daily work or relationships stress, unexpected challenges, or just want to improve focus, we hope meditation Monday’s will be your go to for a weekly guided meditation treat. And if you’re craving more…which I always do…the Meditation Studio app offers over 800 expert-guided meditations from over 75 of the world’s top meditation experts.And best of all…get 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio.
Resource: Unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Vanishing Family: Your Brain, Dementia, Genetic Risk and the Question...Would You Want to Know? With Robert Kolker
What would you do if you had a 50 percent chance of developing a devastating genetic form of dementia—and you could take a test to find out whether you carried the mutation?In this episode, Journalist and …
Show notes
What would you do if you had a 50 percent chance of developing a devastating genetic form of dementia—and you could take a test to find out whether you carried the mutation?
In this episode, Journalist and Bestselling Author Robert Kolker joins me to talk about his newest book The Vanishing Family, Love, Fate and the Quest to End Dementia and the extraordinary family at the center of his story.
The family lives with an inherited form of frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a disease that can dramatically alter personality and behavior while leaving memory relatively intact in the early stages. Their experience raises enormous questions—not only about dementia and medical research, but about identity, family, parenting, caregiving, and how we choose to live when we cannot know what the future holds.
In this conversation, we explore:
- Why Bob Kolker became fascinated with this family's story
- The family's rare genetic form of frontotemporal dementia
- What it means to face a 50 percent chance of inheriting a disease-causing mutation
- The agonizing decision of whether—or whether not—to undergo genetic testing
- Why some family members chose to know their genetic status while others chose not to
- How the younger generation faces questions about marriage, children, IVF, and genetic risk
- Why frontotemporal dementia can look so different from the dementia most people associate with Alzheimer’s
- How personality, behavior, and social awareness can change while memory remains intact
- The question of whether a person with advanced dementia has truly “vanished”
- What Bob learned about the personalities and skills that can make someone an effective caregiver
- Why caregiving can become isolating—and why caregivers may need far more support
- The challenge of developing treatments for rare diseases when there aren't enough patients to make traditional drug development financially attractive
- Why rare genetic diseases may offer important clues for understanding more common neurological diseases
- The emerging scientific interest in tau and its potential connection to future dementia treatments
- The complicated question of whether having more genetic information actually gives us more control
- And what Bob learned from this family about living in the present and spending our energy on what really matters
One of the most powerful ideas in our conversation is that dementia isn't necessarily an on/off switch—and that a person doesn't simply “vanish” when their memory or personality changes. Bob talks about the possibility of recognizing the person who remains, even amid profound neurological change.
He also reflects on how the experience changed his own life: he plans less, lives more in the present, and tries not to waste energy on things that ultimately don't matter.
About Bob Kolker
Bob Kolker is an award-winning journalist and author whose work often explores families confronting extraordinary circumstances. In this conversation, he brings together deeply reported family stories with questions about genetics, neuroscience, dementia, caregiving, and the future of medical research.
Resource: Robertkolker.com
Gratitude to our amazing sponsors: Quince, Berkeley Life, Vinted, Jones Road Beauty, Warby Parker
As Always, Untangle is the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband. Go to choosemuse.com/untangle and use code untangle15 for your discount.
NEW: NEW: You can pre-order the book The Questions That Make A Life, featuring the best of our Untangle guests, by Patricia Karpas.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Is it Possible to Age-Proof your Brain and Slow Cognitive Decline? With Dr. Majid Fotuhi
Encore: Today I sit down with neurologist and neuroscientist Dr. Majid Fotuhi to unpack the science of neuroplasticity — the brain’s remarkable ability to change, rewire, and grow at any age. He’s adjunct …
Show notes
Encore: Today I sit down with neurologist and neuroscientist Dr. Majid Fotuhi to unpack the science of neuroplasticity — the brain’s remarkable ability to change, rewire, and grow at any age. He’s adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins and author of the book The Invincible Brain: The Clinically Proven Plan to Age-Proof Your Brain and Stay Sharp for Life. We discuss many things related to his book, from building new connections to strengthening memory-related regions of the brain, to the five pillars of brain health…fitness, sleep, nutrition, mindset and brain training. , Dr. Fotuhi explains why “age-related cognitive decline” and even Alzheimers isn’t as inevitable as we’ve been led to believe. I was particularly intrigued with his concept of "the soup of abnormalities." There’s lot’s of great stuff here.
NEW: You can pre-order the book The Questions That Make A Life, featuring the best of our Untangle guests, by Patricia Karpas.
Resource:
https://neurogrow.com/
https://drfotuhi.com/
A special shout out to our sponsors: Wellco, Fabletics, Quince, Rula, Strawberry.me
Use code UNTANGLE at jonesroadbeauty.com to get a Free Gift with your first purchase!
Use code Untangle15 for a discount on your Muse Brain Sensing Headband at choosemuse.com
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
What Does it Mean to Live a Good, Meaningful Life? Despite the (really) Hard Stuff. With Kieran Setiya.
A wonderful encore episode. I loved talking to today’s guest, Kieran Setiya, an Author and Professor of philosophy at MIT. I’ve always loved philosophy, but I was especially taken with the way Kieran applies it …
Show notes
A wonderful encore episode. I loved talking to today’s guest, Kieran Setiya, an Author and Professor of philosophy at MIT. I’ve always loved philosophy, but I was especially taken with the way Kieran applies it to our most challenging events, as well as to our day to day lives. In his book Life Is Hard, How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way — he offers us a roadmap for navigating rough terrain, from personal trauma to loneliness to grief to failure and the myth of the ideal life to injustice and even the absurdity of the world. It’s hard to summarize this discussion because there’s so much here, but his wisdom is rich with guidance on how we can face suffering and life’s inevitable hardships. He’s so eloquent in how he shares his insights on life >> from his rich archive of philosophy to his own personal journey. Life is a collection of small successes and small failures. And A good life, he says, is a way of living every day, DESPITE the hard stuff. He inspired me to reflect on quite a bit here. How do I live well, what makes a life meaningful, how do I face regret, aging, uncertainty…even what should I hope for given where I am in my own life.
He was originally inspired to philosophy by his own sense of wonder and undertow of worry at 7 yrs old. I love that…a blend of worry and wonder, anxiety and awe. How perfectly true!!
Kieran is also the author of Midlife: A Philosophical Guide. His writing has appeared in the Los Angeles Review of Books, The New York Times,the Boston Review,the London Review of Books, The Atlantic, and The Yale Review.
As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential. Check out choosemuse.com and use code untangle15 for your discount.
Resource: ksetiya.net
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Freedom to Be Exactly Who You Are: The New Science of Self Esteem and Secure Attachment. With Marisa G. Franco PhD
Today, we’re exploring this question…What does it mean to feel truly worthy? Our guest is Psychologist, relationship expert and best selling author Dr. Marisa G. Franco. You may know her from her previous book …
Show notes
Today, we’re exploring this question…What does it mean to feel truly worthy? Our guest is Psychologist, relationship expert and best selling author Dr. Marisa G. Franco. You may know her from her previous book, Platonic, which completely transformed how we think about friendship. In this discussion, We explore her groundbreaking new book, Worth, The New Science of Self Esteem and Secure Attachment. She begins by sharing her own vulnerable personal story of how her relationship's collapse revealed what she calls a "secure facade"—a protective play-acting of security that masked deep unworthiness and self-abandonment.
She unpacks why our culture’s obsession with secure attachment has turned it into an exhausting status symbol. Marisa explains why the path to genuine healing isn't pretending we are perfectly secure, but embracing a "secure-ish" life where we acknowledge our anxieties and avoidances instead of shaming them. From the neuroscience of repressed emotions to practical exercises like memory reconsolidation, tapping, and present-moment reparenting, this conversation offers a powerful, science-backed roadmap to restoring your attachment to yourself. This is an episode about, letting go of the need to prove ourselves, and finding the freedom to to be exactly who you need to be.
Resources: drmarisagfranco.com
Thanks to our Great Sponsors: Quince, Jones Road Beauty (try the miracle balm), Berkeley Life, Vinted.
Use code UNTANGLE at jonesroadbeauty.com to get a Free Gift with your first purchase!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Meditation Monday. Effortless Sleep. With Lisa Wimberger.
Welcome to a special edition of Untangle, Meditation Mondays. We’re taking this time to share meditations from our sister app, Meditation Studio. We know that life gets messy and, when it does, Meditation is …
Show notes
Welcome to a special edition of Untangle, Meditation Mondays. We’re taking this time to share meditations from our sister app, Meditation Studio. We know that life gets messy and, when it does, Meditation is here to help us find a sense of calm and inner peace. Whether you’re facing daily work or relationships stress, unexpected challenges, or just want to improve focus, we hope meditation Monday’s will be your go to for a weekly guided meditation treat. And if you’re craving more…which I always do…the Meditation Studio app offers over 800 expert-guided meditations from over 75 of the world’s top meditation experts.
And best of all…Unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Excellent Endings: A Field Guide to Grief, Curiosity, and What Comes Next. With Anese Cavanaugh.
Today we have the absolute joy of welcoming back a very dear friend and brilliant author, Anese Cavanaugh.We all experience endings—relationships, jobs, friendships, identities, and chapters of life we never …
Show notes
Today we have the absolute joy of welcoming back a very dear friend and brilliant author, Anese Cavanaugh.
We all experience endings—relationships, jobs, friendships, identities, and chapters of life we never expected to leave behind. But what if the way we navigate an ending can truly shape the quality of what comes next? Can help us become more of who we were always meant to be.
Today we discuss her newest book, Excellent Endings. Anese shares how her own divorce—an experience she describes as the “completion” of a chapter—inspired a guide to moving through life’s hardest transitions with greater intention, self-compassion, and care.
We talk about her Intentional Energetic Presence methodology which you may recall from her previous interview, why confidence is an inside job, and how to stay aligned with yourself when emotions are running high. Anese also explains why gratitude isn’t about pretending everything is fine, how to recognize when you’re holding on too tightly, and why moving from grief to curiosity can open the door to learning and renewal.
This is a compassionate, honest conversation about giving yourself permission to pause, honor what hurts, and become more fully yourself through every ending and new beginning.
Resource: Anesecavanaugh.com
Many thanks to our amazing sponsors: Quince, Jones Road Beauty, Berkeley Life, Vinted.
Use code UNTANGLE at jonesroadbeauty.com to get a Free Gift with your first purchase!
Check out the Muse brain sensing headband at choosemuse.com and use code Untangle15 for your discount.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Magic Carpet Sleep Meditation. With Chodo Campbell
A Soothing meditation to guide you to a peaceful sleep. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Learning to Cultivate Joy (and Resilience) inside of Grief. An Inspiring, Personal Story. With Marisa Renee Lee.
Everyone once in a while…life changes. Unexpectedly. One day you’re going about your business as if things will always be as they are, and the next, it feels like the furniture of your future has been …
Show notes
Everyone once in a while…life changes. Unexpectedly. One day you’re going about your business as if things will always be as they are, and the next, it feels like the furniture of your future has been completely rearranged.
In this deeply moving conversation, bestselling author and Obama White House alum, Marisa Renee Lee shares how a devastating battle with long COVID, layered on top of profound family loss and caregiving, transformed her understanding of grief, identity, resilience, and hope. Marisa is known for her groundbreaking books, Waiting For Dawn, Living with Uncertainty and Grief Is Love, She shares some of the unexpected lessons from living with chronic illness and why joy isn't something we find after suffering—it's something we can intentionally cultivate alongside it.
She also shares her coping strategies to help us stay connected to joy.
Together, we explore self-compassion, the courage to accept help, resilience, and the small moments that can sustain us through life's darkest seasons.
And…one of her biggest joys at the moment is her 4 month old Portuguese water dog Luna…and you will hear her little squeals in the background. She clearly wanted to play while we were chatting. it made me smile.
Resource: marisareneelee.com
Check out the Muse Brain Sensing Headband at choosemuse.com and use code Untangle15 for your discount.
A giant thank you to our amazing sponsors: Quince, Berkeley Life, Jones Road and Vinted.
Use code UNTANGLE at jonesroadbeauty.com to get a Free Gift with your first purchase!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Meditation Monday. Being Grateful. With Ashley Turner.
Welcome to a weekly special edition of Untangle, Meditation Mondays. We’re taking this time to share meditations from our sister app, Meditation Studio. We know that life gets messy and, when it does …
Show notes
Welcome to a weekly special edition of Untangle, Meditation Mondays. We’re taking this time to share meditations from our sister app, Meditation Studio. We know that life gets messy and, when it does, Meditation is here to help us find a sense of calm and inner peace. Whether you’re facing daily work or relationship stress, unexpected challenges, or just want to improve focus, we hope meditation Monday’s will be your go to for a weekly guided meditation treat. And if you’re craving more…which I always do…the Meditation Studio app offers over 800 expert-guided meditations from over 70 of the world’s top meditation experts.
And best of all, you can now unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio.
Use code UNTANGLE at jonesroadbeauty.com to get a Free Gift with your first purchase!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Joy Reset: Rewiring our Brains and Discovering our Capacity to Cultivate Joy. With Dr. MaryCatherine McDonald
Todays encore episode is with Dr. MaryCatherine McDonald, Trauma researcher and Author of the book, "The Joy Reset: Six Ways Trauma Steals Happiness and How to Get It Back.” Her book isn’t just about finding …
Show notes
Todays encore episode is with Dr. MaryCatherine McDonald, Trauma researcher and Author of the book, "The Joy Reset: Six Ways Trauma Steals Happiness and How to Get It Back.” Her book isn’t just about finding joy; it’s about rewiring our brains and rediscovering our power to cultivate joy EVEN in the darkest moments of life.
She describes the barriers that keep us from accessing joy—hypervigilance, emotional numbing, fear of loss, conditioning, guilt, and shame—and then defines ways to tap into positive emotions that can become the very foundation of psychological resilience.
In our interview she shares some exercises that make joy, hope and gratitude both bite-sized and accessible and how they can show up even in our toughest moments.
I love how she weaves neuroscience into her exploration of trauma and joy, explaining how our brains are biologically wired to both adapt to trauma and heal from it. And…good news…we ARE always biologically capable of joy.
Quote from her website: "Joy does not exist only in the moments that are free of pain. In fact, the brightest, tiniest, most important pieces can only be found in the dark. I want to teach you how to harness and amplify the power of that glinting magic–because this sustainable, endless light source will do more than help you get through your darkest, scariest, loneliest times."
As always, we’re untangle, the podcast from Muse the brain sensing headband that helps to transform your brain. Use promo code untangle 15 at choosemuse.com for your discount.
Resource: https://www.drmcmcdonald.com/
Thanks, as always, to our sponsors. Rula. Quince. Born Shoes.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Meditation Monday. Find Your Focus. With Chrissy Carter.
Welcome to a weekly special edition of Untangle, Meditation Mondays. We’re taking this time to share meditations from our sister app, Meditation Studio. We know that life gets messy and, when it does …
Show notes
Welcome to a weekly special edition of Untangle, Meditation Mondays. We’re taking this time to share meditations from our sister app, Meditation Studio. We know that life gets messy and, when it does, Meditation is here to help us find a sense of calm and inner peace. Whether you’re facing daily work or relationship stress, unexpected challenges, or just want to improve focus, we hope meditation Monday’s will be your go to for a weekly guided meditation treat. And if you’re craving more…which I always do…the Meditation Studio app offers over 800 expert-guided meditations from over 70 of the world’s top meditation experts.
And best of all, you can now unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
What if These Micro-Retreats Could Help You Reduce Stress, Boost Creativity, Feel more Joy? (It works!) With Caroline Sylge
When you hear the word retreat, you probably imagine an expensive getaway, a yoga retreat in Bali, or a silent meditation center tucked away in the mountains. But what if retreating was something you could do …
Show notes
When you hear the word retreat, you probably imagine an expensive getaway, a yoga retreat in Bali, or a silent meditation center tucked away in the mountains. But what if retreating was something you could do for an hour in your own home—and what if those small moments could transform your sense of wellbeing, creativity, relationships, and overall peace of mind? Sounds pretty good, right?
Today's guest is Caroline Sylge, a poet, author and journalist and a trusted expert on retreats and retreating. She is the founder of the retreat platform queenofretreats.com, powered by The Global Retreat Company. And she's the author of the book we discuss today, How to Retreat, a Guide to Stepping Away from the Everyday to Find Space for Your Self.
Retreating, she says, isn't about escaping your life—it's about stepping away just long enough to return with more clarity, energy, and purpose.
We explore how anyone can create meaningful "micro-retreats," why doing nothing can actually be deeply restorative, the surprising connection between retreating and creativity, and practical ways to build moments of reflection into everyday life—without spending a fortune or leaving home.
Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or simply craving more peace, this episode offers practical tools to help you reconnect with yourself and create space for what matters most.
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Meditation Monday. Cultivating Joy, With Adreanna Limbach
Welcome to a weekly special edition of Untangle, Meditation Mondays. We’re taking this time to share meditations from our sister app, Meditation Studio. We know that life gets messy and, when it does …
Show notes
Welcome to a weekly special edition of Untangle, Meditation Mondays. We’re taking this time to share meditations from our sister app, Meditation Studio. We know that life gets messy and, when it does, Meditation is here to help us find a sense of calm and inner peace. Whether you’re facing daily work or relationship stress, unexpected challenges, or just want to improve focus, we hope meditation Monday’s will be your go to for a weekly guided meditation treat. And if you’re craving more…which I always do…the Meditation Studio app offers over 800 expert-guided meditations from over 70 of the world’s top meditation experts.
And best of all, you can now unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio.
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How to Change: The Science of Getting From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be. With Katy Milkman
Today’s encore episode is with guest Katy Milkman, Wharton University Professor and author of the national bestseller, How to Change, The Science of Getting from Where you are to Where you Want to Be. The book …
Show notes
Today’s encore episode is with guest Katy Milkman, Wharton University Professor and author of the national bestseller, How to Change, The Science of Getting from Where you are to Where you Want to Be. The book was named one of the top 8 books for healthy living in 2021 by the NY Times. Katy has devoted her career to the study of behavior change, inspired by the fact that 40% of premature deaths are due to behaviors and habits we can actually change. She discusses the importance of understanding the barriers that stand between you and the change you’re trying to make so that you can find the right solution to each particular roadblock. Turning an uphill battle into a downhill one is one of the keys to success. She goes through the most common barriers which tend to be short-term rewards or instant gratification, procrastination, and forgetfulness. She provides some great research and tools to support habit change.
Resource: Katymilkman.com
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Why Can't We Let Go of Some Negative Emotions? With Dr. Shahrzad Jalali
In today’s encore episode, Dr. Shahrzad Jalali, Clinical Psychologist and Author of the book The Fire that Makes Us: Unveiling the Transformative Power of Trauma, shares her personal journey through trauma …
Show notes
In today’s encore episode, Dr. Shahrzad Jalali, Clinical Psychologist and Author of the book The Fire that Makes Us: Unveiling the Transformative Power of Trauma, shares her personal journey through trauma, exploring the complexities of healing and the impact of unprocessed experiences on our lives. She shares her wisdom on the importance of understanding trauma, how we can heal the nervous system, and the role of meaning-making in reframing our experiences. Whether it’s a big t or little t, trauma depends on how we each experience it and, whether big or little, she believes that trauma can be a powerful catalyst for growth, and that it is possible to free yourself from the grip of negative emotions associated with it.
Dr. Jalali introduces her Regulate to Rise program, which offers practical techniques for healing trauma and even dispelling negative emotions. There’s a lot about Jungian psychology here and the significance of mindfulness. She does a beautiful job underscoring the importance of self-awareness, prioritizing true values, and embracing and navigating our own personal journey’s.
Resource: https://drshahrzadjalali.com
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The Mid-Life Whisperer Shares How to Find Joy and Purpose (And to Love Yourself Before it's Too Late). With Dr. Ellen Albertson
Are you living someone else’s concept of who you are supposed to be? In this episode of Untangle, our guest is Dr. Ellen Albertson, "The Midlife Whisperer," to discuss why the dip in happiness around age 50 …
Show notes
Are you living someone else’s concept of who you are supposed to be? In this episode of Untangle, our guest is Dr. Ellen Albertson, "The Midlife Whisperer," to discuss why the dip in happiness around age 50 isn't a crisis—it’s a wake-up call. Dr. Ellen breaks down the physiological and psychological changes women face during perimenopause and menopause, and introduces her 7-step framework from her book, Rock Your Midlife. Discover how to silence your inner critic, prioritize self-compassion, and harness the "dragonfly" energy to transform your second half of life into your most authentic and vibrant chapter yet.
In This Episode, We Cover:
- The U-Shaped Happiness Curve: Why life satisfaction often dips around age 50 before rising again as we age.
- The "Anti-Authenticity Trifecta": How people-pleasing, perfectionism, and a harsh inner critic lead to midlife exhaustion.
- Nervous System Regulation: Why moving out of your comfort zone triggers a "fight-or-flight" response, and how to use HeartMath and breathwork to find safety.
- Fear vs. Excitement: A psychological hack to reframe your fears as exhilaration so you can start taking joyful risks.
- Dr. Ellen’s 7-Step Framework: A guided breakdown of finding your true self, loving yourself, energizing your body, reprogramming your brain, rehabbing relationships, empowering yourself, and seeking enlightenment.
- The Dragonfly Metaphor: Why the dragonfly is the ultimate symbol for midlife transformation and setting boundaries with people who still see you as a nymph.
About Our Guest: Dr. Ellen Albertson is a psychologist, registered dietitian, and transformational coach who has spent her career working with midlife women. She is the author of Rock Your Midlife: 7 Steps to Transform Yourself and Make Your Next Chapter Your Best Chapter. After navigating her own midlife awakening, surviving breast cancer, and finding new love, she now splits her time between Vermont and Costa Rica, helping women step into their power.
Resources: The midlifewhisperer.com
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Morning Gratitude Meditation. With Patricia Karpas
An 11 minute meditation to start your day with a dose of gratitude. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Hardwiring our Brains for More Happiness. With Dr. Rick Hanson
Today’s encore episode is with the always popular Dr. Rick Hanson — a Psychologist and NY Times Best Selling author of several books, including the book we discuss in this interview “Hardwiring Happiness: The …
Show notes
Today’s encore episode is with the always popular Dr. Rick Hanson — a Psychologist and NY Times Best Selling author of several books, including the book we discuss in this interview “Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence." He shares how we can hardwire our brains for happiness using practices that help us cultivate and experience the good in our lives while reducing our natural negativity biases. He shares why is it easier to ruminate over hurt feelings, negative feelings rather than to bask in the warmth of being appreciated or positive feelings. The negative stuff is like velcro…it sticks to us. But it doesn’t have to. He says we can build our inner strengths and capacity to override the brains habit of defaulting to pessimism. He suggests a simple method that uses the hidden power of everyday experiences to build new neural structures full of happiness, love, confidence, and peace.
As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio.
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Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness. With Ingrid Fetell Lee
In this Encore episode, originally aired in January, we sit down with Ingrid Fetell Lee, the author of Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness. Ingrid, a designer and …
Show notes
In this Encore episode, originally aired in January, we sit down with Ingrid Fetell Lee, the author of Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness. Ingrid, a designer and researcher, shares the science of joy, and does a deep dive into how our surroundings impact our well-being AND how we can harness the power of color, shape, and space to actually cultivate more happiness in our lives. We explore the intersection of design, psychology, and emotion, as well as practical ways to create more joy in our everyday environments. She shares how small, simple things can often have a huge impact on how we feel and how we experience the world.
Resource: https://aestheticsofjoy.com/
As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio.
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Sometimes You Should Be Late: Why Slowing Down Can Make You Happier, Healthier & More Present. With Alex Snider
Today we're exploring why our obsession with speed, productivity, and always being on time may actually be keeping us from living fully and meaningfully. Our guest is Alex Snider, author of Sometimes You Should …
Show notes
Today we're exploring why our obsession with speed, productivity, and always being on time may actually be keeping us from living fully and meaningfully.
Our guest is Alex Snider, author of Sometimes You Should Be Late: The Quiet Rebellion of Slowing Down in a World Obsessed with Speed.. After a life-changing bike accident left him with a traumatic brain injury, Alex was forced to slow down—and what began as recovery evolved into a profound shift in how he understands mindfulness, our relationship to time, and the way we move through life.
In this conversation, we discuss the hidden costs of urgency and an urgency culture, how slowing down creates more compassion and better relationships, and why being emotionally present may matter more than being perfectly punctual.
If you've ever felt overwhelmed by back-to-back meetings, endless to-do lists, or the pressure to optimize every minute, this episode offers a refreshing—and practical—new perspective.
Resource: slowmindfulness.com
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Gut Health, Breathwork and The Science of Ayurveda. With Dr. John Douillard
What if many of today's most common health problems—from digestive issues and inflammation to stress and fatigue—could be addressed by reconnecting with circadian rhythms that humans have followed for thousands …
Show notes
What if many of today's most common health problems—from digestive issues and inflammation to stress and fatigue—could be addressed by reconnecting with circadian rhythms that humans have followed for thousands of years?
Today I sit down with Dr. John Douillard, globally recognized leader in the fields of Ayurveda, natural health, nutrition, and sports medicine to explore the ancient science of Ayurveda and how its principles are supported by modern research. He’s most well known for integrating traditional Indian healing with modern medicine and nutrition science.
Dr. Douillard explains how seasonal eating, digestive health, breathing techniques, and daily lifestyle habits influence everything from our microbiome and immune system to our energy, mood, and longevity. He also challenges some of today's most popular nutrition trends, including the widespread avoidance of wheat and the obsession with high-protein diets.
Whether you're struggling with digestive issues, looking for natural ways to improve your health, or simply curious about what ancient healing systems can teach us today, Dr. Douillard offers lot’s of practical tools and a fresh perspective on how we can stay healthy throughout our lives.
Resource: lifespa.com
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What makes a Happy, Fulfilling Life? Lessons From the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness. With Dr. Robert Waldinger
This was such a fun interview — our encore guest today is Dr. Robert Waldinger, a Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, a practicing Psychiatrist, Zen Master and author of the book The Good Life …
Show notes
This was such a fun interview — our encore guest today is Dr. Robert Waldinger, a Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, a practicing Psychiatrist, Zen Master and author of the book The Good Life, Lessons from the Worlds Longest Scientific Study on Happiness. This study, which began in 1938, reveals what it takes to build a good life. What does that exactly mean, I wondered…fulfilling, satisfying, meaningful, happy? All of it. There's no one size fits all. BUT…the one thing that was consistent? Relationships. All kinds of relationships. The quality of the social connections that we make throughout our lives means everything. He says…Human connection is our superpower. Good relationships help us get through life’s inevitable challenges, and they keep us happier and healthier. and the research shows that they actually help us to live longer. Robert reminds us that we should pay attention to the things that we really care about…the things and people that energize us. AND pay attention to the things and people that deplete us. He shares the keystones of healthy relationships — things like safety security, emotional closeness, fun and relaxation, learning and growth…and there’s more.
Resources: The Good Life is available at all major booksellers.
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Meditation Monday. Invite Sleep In. With Bart Van Malik.
Welcome to a special edition of Untangle, Meditation Mondays. We’re taking this time to share meditations from our sister app, Meditation Studio. We know that life gets messy and, when it does, Meditation is …
Show notes
Welcome to a special edition of Untangle, Meditation Mondays. We’re taking this time to share meditations from our sister app, Meditation Studio. We know that life gets messy and, when it does, Meditation is here to help us find a sense of calm and inner peace. Whether you’re facing daily work or relationships stress, unexpected challenges, or just want to improve focus, we hope meditation Monday’s will be your go to for a weekly guided meditation treat. And if you’re craving more…which I always do…the Meditation Studio app offers over 800 expert-guided meditations from over 75 of the world’s top meditation experts.And best of all…get 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio.
Resource: Unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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