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PODCAST

The Curious Introvert

Meredith Hackwith Edwards

A weekly podcast covering societal taboos & cultural blind spots. Join host Meredith Hackwith Edwards as she deep dives with curiosity & nuance into philosophy, society & culture with expert guests.Episodes frequently feature philosophers, researchers, historians & journalists.

society & culture social sciences

All Episodes

23:58

Ep. 339: Cannibalism – Communion to Placenta – Where...

The Curious Introvert ·

2026/04/13

Is the “ick” factor of cannibalism nature or nurture? What does history tell us (& how much of it is a lie)? Bill Schutt, a PhD zoologist & author of Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History, answers these questions by sharing the history of human cannibalism. We discuss why accounts of historic cannibalism may have been exaggerated, cannibalism in Europe, eating placenta & taking holy communion. This episode originally aired July 11, 2022. If you liked this e...

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76:03

Ep. 338: COMMON GROUND: AI Grief Bots - Solving Grief...

The Curious Introvert ·

2026/04/06

This is the first of a series of episodes that feature opposing sides of a hot topic. Today it’s the a tech entrepreneur who founded a grief bot service vs a cyberpsychologist specializing in the ethics of death & the digital. We ask, is this healing or avoidance? Can the dead consent to this? What is the potential for harm? John Kammer is the founder of Guardian A[I]ngels, a subscription service that sends you journal prompts in the voice of your deceased loved one. &...

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63:34

Ep. 337: Can a Sexless Marriage Survive? [REMASTERED]

The Curious Introvert ·

2026/03/30

What exactly is considered "sexless"? What are we counting as sex? What would cause someone to not want to have sex all of a sudden? These are all questions I unpacked with Xanet Pailet. She was a successful healthcare lawyer married to an attorney with two children. She lived in a beautiful home in NYC as well as a sexless marriage. At age 45 and no sex for over 15 years, she considered sex as something she was just done with. Now she is a full time intimacy educator with...

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50:11

Ep. 336: Prescription NAPS??! Toddler Protocol for...

The Curious Introvert ·

2026/03/23

Can napping replace medication? How do you get your brain to slow down enough to take a nap? Dr. Hector Rodriguez is a psychiatrist, who views naps as medicine for your brain. He is the owner of the White Butterfly Clinic in Miami, FL. With both an MD and a Masters in theology, he is a psychiatrist who treats the soul, integrating neuroimaging, psychopharmacology, and evidence-based psychotherapies. In this episode, we discuss why some naps make you feel hung over, the ideal napp...

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1:47

ANNOUNCEMENT! New name & logo

The Curious Introvert ·

2026/03/20

Meredith for Real: the curious introvert is now The Curious Introvert! When I started this show in 2019, there were a few other shows with the words curious & introvert in them, but fewer with the name Meredith. Now that time has passed, there’s more room in the podcast landscape for a more concise name. So, I introduce you: The curious introvert podcast. It’s still the great content you’ve come to love: curious, nuanced episodes largely featuring experts, philosophers, researchers ...

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49:50

Ep. 335: Anxiety: Where does it come from & what do...

The Curious Introvert ·

2026/03/16

What’s the difference between social anxiety & social anxiety disorder? What should you do if you’re spiraling? Dr. Ali Mattu was so socially anxious as a child, that he had selective mutism. Since then, he’s become a clinical psychologist specializing in treating anxiety disorders. Wanting to create more accessible mental health education, he created a YouTube channel with over 8.5 million views that helps viewers live a more compassionate, courageous, and connected life. He...

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44:32

Ep. 334: Football: Are We Cheering for Brain Trauma?

The Curious Introvert ·

2026/03/09

Did the NFL cover up what they knew? Is football causing early dementia? Mark Fainaru-Wada is an award-winning investigative reporter & journalist with ESPN. He’s also the co- author of League of Denial, the book co-written with his brother, that inspired the Frontline documentary by the same name. In this episode, you’ll hear how the discovery of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy – CTE – sparked investigations & research & denial. Mark unpacks our culture comfort with viole...

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48:13

Ep. 333: Does Age = Pain? How to NOT Age Like...

The Curious Introvert ·

2026/03/02

Is it possible to age without aches & pains? Are some people just cursed with bad genes? Eileen Kopsaftis is a physical therapist with a Fellowship in Applied Functional Science & a nutrition educator diploma with decades of hands-on work in acute hospital care, outpatient rehab & nursing homes. She is currently serving as a chronic pain & health conditions consultant with Have life-Long Well Being. In this episode, you’ll hear how to identify real & realist...

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55:56

Ep. 332: The Cult Origins of Teen Rehab: How are...

The Curious Introvert ·

2026/02/23

How are these abusive teen rehab centers still open? Why are parents still sending their kids there? Can’t they be shut down? Maia Szalavitz is an award-winning author and journalist who covers addiction and neuroscience. Her book, Help at Any Cost: How the Troubled-Teen Industry Cons Parents and Hurts Kids, is the first comprehensive look at systemic abuse in “tough love” programs and helped spur Congressional hearings & GAO investigations. In this episode, you’ll hear how...

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36:38

Ep. 331: Disentangling Faith from Religious Trauma...

The Curious Introvert ·

2026/02/16

What do you do if you have religious trauma, but don't want to abandon your faith? Catherine Quiring is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who specializes in helping ex-evangelicals overcome religious trauma. In this episode, she shares what that looked like for her, how to know if you have limiting thoughts leftover from controlling doctrine, how to keep your faith while you separate from systems of control & how to find your own thoughts in a sea of “shoulds.” This episode orig...

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36:29

Ep. 330: Is Your Happiness Being Politicized?...

The Curious Introvert ·

2026/02/09

If you're not happy, it means something is wrong ... right? Dr. Loretta Breuning is a PhD researcher & author. Since becoming unconvinced by prevailing theories on human behavior, she has researched everything from monkeys to the mafia. Now she’s not only helping people hack their brain, she’s shedding light on how the altruistic outlook may be popular, but ultimately damaging. In this episode, she explains WHY we believe that if we are unhappy something is wrong, how ...

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31:46

Ep. 329: Antique Vibrator Museum: Bees, Buffalos &...

The Curious Introvert ·

2026/02/02

How old is the oldest vibrator? Does self-pleasure steal affection from your partner? Carol Queen has a Ph.D. in Sexology & a passion for pleasure. She is the curator of the Good Vibrations Antique Vibrator Museum in San Francisco, CA. In this episode, she shares the origin story of the museum & explains how vibrators went from doctor’s offices to bedside tables. She also explains why partner sex & self-sex are different activities, why pleasure should be a part of sex ed & ad...

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52:46

Ep. 328: What If It’s Not in Your Head? Mold Illness...

The Curious Introvert ·

2026/01/26

Dr. Neil Nathan is Board Certified in Family Medicine and Pain Management as well as a Founding Dip-low-mitt of the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine & International Society for Environmentally Acquired Illnesses. He spent over 50 years treating patients with chronic conditions related to environmental factors & now dedicates himself consulting & mentorship, writing several books for both health care professionals & patients. In this episode, you’ll hear mold all...

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15:51

Ep. 327: He Ate His Own Foot!? Grief, Friendship &...

The Curious Introvert ·

2026/01/19

When the Redditor known as Incrediblyshinyshart lost part of his leg in a motorcycle accident & had to have it amputated, he made an unusual choice – to eat it. He shares his thoughts on mourning, cannibalism & why eating part of his own body was life-changing. This episode originally aired July 4, 2022. If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 234: FELON TO MILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS OWNER [REMASTERED] Guest: https://www.reddit.com/user/incrediblyShinySha...

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53:25

Ep. 326: Retired at 29: Why & How? [REMASTERED]

The Curious Introvert ·

2026/01/12

Can you retire early from a normal income? How do you buy back your time? Lauren & Steven Keys of Trip of a Lifestyle share what inspired them to retire at age 29, how they did it on average incomes, why they don’t track their monthly expenses & the concept of buying back your time. They also share the practical way they stay motivated in the FIRE (financial independence retire early) movement. This episode originally aired February 6, 2023. Stay till the end for an upd...

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62:37

Ep. 325: Is Chaos Your Comfort Zone? Stress Addiction...

The Curious Introvert ·

2026/01/05

Felipe Muñoz is the owner of Empathic Practice, a holistic stress management clinic. He combines his Masters in positive psychology, 20 years of marketing experience, & decade of business branding with hundreds of hours teaching meditation to coach professionals, train corporate teams & support individuals on living a more mindful and meaningful life. In this episode, we explore stress as an addiction, identity & community & the real strategy behind ending the chaos. &nb...

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33:29

Ep. 324: The Hoarder Within Us: The Psychology of Our...

The Curious Introvert ·

2025/12/29

Dr. David Tolin is the Founder & Director of the Anxiety Disorders Center at the Institute of Living, the author of over 200 scientific journal articles & even received the Award for Lifetime Contribution to Psychology from the CT Psychological Association, but you may recognize him from the reality TV series Hoarders, The OCD Project or My Shopping Addiction. In this episode he shares what diagnosing hoarding disorder looks like, what brain scans reveal & the myth of trauma. &n...

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69:16

Ep. 323: The Psychology of Arguing on the Internet:...

The Curious Introvert ·

2025/12/22

JonRobert Tartaglione, PhD, studies & teaches influence. He is a psychologist, behavioral scientist & the founder & CEO of a consulting practice called influence 51. In this episode, we unpack persuasion, perception & arguing on the internet and explore what it really takes to change someone’s mind. If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 309: HOW DID THE MEDIA BECOME SUCH A BIASED, STRESS-INDUCING CIRCUS? Guest: https://www.facebook.com/jonrobe...

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44:35

Ep. 322: Early Sobriety: Can You Keep Your Friends?...

The Curious Introvert ·

2025/12/15

How do you stay connected with friends when everything revolves around drinking? Casey McGuire Davidson was an ambitious corporate achiever who always had a full schedule & anxious energy. She felt wine was the glue holding her life together until she realized it wasn’t. She later found serenity in sobriety, but it wasn’t without some social hiccups. In this episode, she uses her expertise as a certified life & sobriety coach to show us how to keep our friends in the tender time of ea...

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48:51

Ep. 321: Relationship Boundaries: NIGHTMARES,...

The Curious Introvert ·

2025/12/08

Are healthy boundaries lines in the sand? Going no contact? KC Davis is licensed professional counselor, host of the podcast Struggle Care & author of Who Deserves your love: how to create boundaries to start, strengthen or end any relationship. In this episode, she unpacks the girl bossification of boundaries, the decision flowchart of no contact, how values make “hard calls” easier & how the internet sells quipping one-liners & emphasizes hard lines over nuance. ...

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340 results

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