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PODCAST

Life Examined

Life Examined is a one-hour weekly podcast exploring psychology, philosophy, spirituality — and finding meaning in the modern world. The show is hosted by Jonathan Bastian.

society & culture

All Episodes

00:51:59

Attachment styles: How knowing ourselves can lead to...

Life Examined ·

2023/08/19

Amir Levine, associate professor of psychiatry at Columbia University and co-author of Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find—and Keep—Love, explains the origins and science behind attachment theory and how human bonding is a necessary element “from the moment we are born until we die.” As infants, humans’ bond between mother or caregiver is essential, what Levine calls “a necessary element in our thriving, just as much as food and water.” When those patterns of

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00:52:27

‘What do we want in a partner?’ Relationships and how...

Life Examined ·

2023/08/11

Lori Gottlieb, relationship therapist, podcast host, and author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, shares her experience both personally and professionally with couples therapy. Gottlieb says the de-stigmatization of mental health has helped normalize having a therapist, although its growing visibility on social media may have the opposite effect and creates a false idea of what therapy can and cannot do. “Therapy is a relationship in and of itself,” says Gottlieb. “A safe space where you can

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00:52:59

On blindness: Andrew Leland explores how losing his...

Life Examined ·

2023/08/04

Andrew Leland, writer and author of “The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight,” shares his experience of slowly losing his sight after being diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare genetic eye disease for which there is no cure. From using a cane to learning braille and researching the history of inventions for the blind, Leland describes the accommodations he’s sometimes reluctantly made during his transition. Embracing the experience has expanded his perspective. Sometimes, he

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00:52:29

ADHD in an era of distraction: Why are more adults...

Life Examined ·

2023/07/28

Anthony Rostain, Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Cooper University Health Care and co-author of “The Adult ADHD Tool Kit: Using CBT to Facilitate Coping Inside and Out,” explains that the recent rise in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnoses among adults may be connected to an increasing awareness and acceptance of mental disorders, compelling many who have suffered in silence to now seek help and get treated. “When we look at the rates of ADHD in adults in the

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00:52:29

The Japanese art of happiness: From ikigai, to...

Life Examined ·

2023/07/21

Pico Iyer, traveler writer and author of “The Half Known Life: In Search of Paradise,” Pico Iyer explores his love for Japan and why it remains, for him, the “most unique and distinctive place I've ever been.” Iyer shares why he’s drawn to the culture’s appreciation of community and elders. “In California, many of us are trying to be as young and full of energy and enthusiasm [as possible], but in Japan, which is a very hierarchical place, the older the better, because age connotes wisdom, maturity,

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00:51:29

The secret lives of cats, past and present

Life Examined ·

2023/07/15

Jonathan Losos, evolutionary biologist at Washington University and author of “The Cat's Meow: How Cats Evolved from the Savanna to Your Sofa,” explores the evolution, peculiarities, and joys of our feline friends. Long before grumpy cat memes, cats were worshiped by the ancient Egyptians, and archaeological evidence suggests they were domesticated as far back as 10,000 years ago on the island of Cyprus. The ancestor of the domestic cat is a species called the North African Wildcat. Losos explains

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00:52:29

'Til death do us part': Hard truths on marriage and...

Life Examined ·

2023/07/08

Tracy McMillan, TV writer and author of Why You're Not Married . . . Yet: The Straight Talk You Need to Get the Relationship You Deserve discusses how her traumatic childhood and series of failed relationships led her on a voyage of personal self discovery and “correction.” Married and divorced three times, McMillan draws on her personal experience as well as the hundreds of couples she’s talked to on her reality TV show Family or Fiancé, which she hosts on The Oprah Winfrey Network. She dives deep

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00:51:58

Biology’s new era: How mRNA and AI are impacting...

Life Examined ·

2023/07/01

Michael Specter, MIT professor, science journalist, and author of “Higher Animals: Vaccines, Synthetic Biology, and the Future of Life,” explains the enormous impact that new technologies like mRNA, CRISPR, and A.I. are having on our lives, particularly when it comes to medicine. New Yorker staff writer and author of “Future Sex: A New Kind of Free Love” Emily Witt talks about some of the latest research into reproduction and women's fertility.

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00:52:58

Becoming a Buddhist: Two renowned teachers, two...

Life Examined ·

2023/06/24

Tara Brach, Buddhist teacher, psychologist, podcaster, and founder and guiding teacher of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, talks about journey into Buddhism and the importance of meditation, mindfulness, and trusting our “inner gold.” Brach is author of “Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life with the Heart of a Buddha” and “Trusting the Gold: Uncovering Your Natural Goodness.” Later, Sharon Salzberg, educator, co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society, and author of “Real Life:

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00:53:00

Estrangement: Why are adult children cutting off...

Life Examined ·

2023/06/16

Joshua Coleman, psychologist, senior Fellow with the Council on Contemporary Families, and author of “The Rules of Estrangement: Why Adult Children Cut Ties and How to Heal the Conflict,” describes firsthand his experience of family estrangement, which he says was “incredibly painful.” Coleman explains how his personal experience led to further research on family estrangement, including interviewing thousands of parents whose adult children have broken contact with them.

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00:52:29

Why minimalism: A history, practice and industry

Life Examined ·

2023/06/10

Minimalism is enjoying a resurgence, but can a minimalistic lifestyle and aesthetic bring peace and calm? Does having less stuff bring happiness?

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00:43:54

Effective altruism and our collective human heritage

Life Examined ·

2023/06/03

Philosopher Will MacAskill argues that protecting the future of humanity is the moral priority of our time. Historian Tyrone McKinley Freeman explains philanthropy’s rich tradition within the African American community.

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00:51:58

A perfect childhood, an elite education, and the...

Life Examined ·

2023/05/27

Jonathan Rosen, writer and author of “The Best Minds: The Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions,” tells the story of his childhood best friend Michael Laudor and his demonic battle with schizophrenia. The story is a cautionary tale of what can happen when good intentions lead to the worst possible outcome. Rosen describes how Michael’s life spiraled out of control, the challenges of dealing with mental illness, and addresses some of the ongoing failures to help the

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00:51:59

The science, language, and many dimensions of pain

Life Examined ·

2023/05/20

University of Washington Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Mark Sullivan, co-author of “The Right to Pain Relief and Other Deep Roots of the Opioid Epidemic,” explains common misconceptions surrounding pain and what some doctors and the medical community get wrong when it comes to diagnosing pain and managing relief. Elaine Scarry, author of “The Body in Pain: The Making and Unmaking of the World,” describes the many dimensions of pain and why, when we are in pain, language and words

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00:51:59

MDMA, Ecstasy, Molly: Coming soon to a therapist near...

Life Examined ·

2023/05/13

LSD and Ecstasy were once the hippy-trippy illegal substances for concerts, raves, and parties. Now these psychedelics are back in the news — this time for their positive impact on trauma and depression. Today nearly one in five American adults lives with a mental illness, and PTSD will affect an estimated 7.7 million Americans at some point in their life. That’s according to NAMI, the National Alliance of Mental Illness. Over the past 30 years, researchers and psychotherapists have discovered the

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00:51:59

‘There is life after diagnosis’: Navigating the...

Life Examined ·

2023/05/06

Teepa Snow, founder of the dementia support community Positive Approach to Care and author of “Understanding the Changing Brain: A Positive Approach to Dementia Care,” has spent 40 years working and advocating for those living with dementia and Alzheimer’s. She addresses our common misperceptions about the disease and why training is so important when it comes to care — not just for the patient but also for the caregiver. She also discusses building connections between patients and caregivers, and

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00:52:14

The future of AI: Its impact on creativity, humanity,...

Life Examined ·

2023/04/29

Meghan O’Gieblyn, author of “God, Human, Animal, Machine: Technology, Metaphor, and the Search for Meaning,” writes about the intersection of humanity and technology. She joins us to explore what happens when technology matches our creative, psychological, and intellectual needs — and how that impacts who we are as a species. Plus, how chatbots are evolving as a useful tool in combating loneliness, depression, and anxiety and aid in tackling our mental health crisis.

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00:52:28

The long reach of grief: How one death on 9/11...

Life Examined ·

2023/04/22

Jennifer Senior, Pulitzer-prize winning essayist for the Atlantic, tells the story of mourning, love and recovery. Bobby McIlvaine died in the Twin Towers on 9/11. In her latest book “On Grief; Love, Loss, Memory” author Jennifer Senior reflects the lives of the McIlvaine family and how 20 years after the loss of their son Bobby, their unspeakable grief lingers on. Senior shares their moving personal story and insight into how the long reach of grief impacted all of their lives in very different

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00:52:35

Say the right thing: DEI and the pathway to positive...

Life Examined ·

2023/04/15

Kenji Yoshino, Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law at New York University School of Law and the director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, provides practical tips and suggestions for a new way of having conversations about our differences that will help us get beyond cancel culture. In his latest book, “Say the Right Thing: How to Talk About Identity, Diversity, and Justice,” which Yoshino co-authored with David Glasgow, he argues that cancel

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00:51:00

Spiritual language for the non-believer: Jennifer...

Life Examined ·

2023/04/08

Poet and philosopher Jennifer Michael Hecht shares how poetry provides joy, insight, and wisdom. In her latest book, “The Wonder Paradox: Embracing the Weirdness of Existence and the Poetry of Our Lives,” Hecht ponders our need for the sacred, and says that seeking out a poem or verses that speak to our daily challenges in life can become a kind of secular replacement for faith. Later, Hecht openly talks about her bouts with depression and offers hope to those reckoning with suicidal ideation.

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335 results

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