For Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re revisiting some of our favorite conversations with scientists about how to live healthier, happier lives. 
Psychology professor Ethan Kross is an expert on the science of introspection and the role our inner voice plays in shaping our decisions and sense of well-being. While our inner voice has a lot of benefits, it can sometimes turn negative and lead to what Ethan calls “mental chatter.” In this episode, we discuss science-based strategies for how to rein in our mental chatter, including an exercise in mental time travel. 
Our new season starts June 5. In the meantime, connect with Maya on instagram @DrMayaShanker.
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Mental Health: Managing Mental Chatter

You can follow the show at @DrMayaShankar on Instagram.
Apple Podcasts’ Best Show of the Year 2021 Editor's Note: Maya Shankar blends compassionate storytelling with the science of human behavior to help us understand who we are and who we become in the face of a big change. Maya is no stranger to change. “My whole childhood revolved around the violin, but that changed in a moment when I injured my hand playing a single note,” says Shankar, who was studying under Itzhak Perlman at the Juilliard School at the time. “I was forced to try and figure out who I was, and who I could be, without the violin." Maya soon discovered a new path in the field of cognitive science, where she earned her PhD as a Rhodes Scholar studying how and why we change. Her insights into human behavior ultimately led her to create A Slight Change of Plans—Apple Podcasts’ Best Show of the Year in 2021. You’ll hear intimate conversations with people like Tiffany Haddish, Kacey Musgraves, and Riz Ahmed, as well as real-life inspirations, like John Elder Robison, who undergoes experimental brain stimulation to deepen his emotional intelligence, Daryl Davis, a Black jazz musician who inspires hundreds of KKK members to leave the Klan, and Shankar herself, who had her own “slight change of plans” earlier this year. The show also explores the science of change with experts like Adam Grant and Angela Duckworth. "What I love most about this show is that the content is evergreen," says Shankar. "You can listen to episodes in any order and at any time."

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Dr. Becky Kennedy is a clinical psychologist known for her popular parenting advice. She talks with Maya about how shifting to a mindset that children are “good inside” can improve parent-child relationships and make for long-lasting behavior change. Becky explains why her approach can help us navigate all kinds of relationships in our adult lives—with our co-workers, friends, and family members—thanks to simple practices like the "most generous interpretation."
If you enjoyed this episode, you may enjoy "What Children Can Teach Us About Creativity".
Sign up for Maya's new newsletter here https://bit.ly/41lPqaZ and follow her on instagram @DrMayaShankar. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Becky: A Game-Changing Strategy for Better Relationships

Alison Gopnik is a developmental psychologist who studies childrens' brains. She talks with Maya about how kids' exploratory approach to problem-solving can show us how to better tap into our creative potential.
Sign up for Maya's new newsletter here https://bit.ly/41lPqaZ and follow her on instagram @DrMayaShankar. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What Children Can Teach Us About Creativity

Shortly after Laura Cathcart Robbins had her second child, she developed a crippling anxiety disorder and severe insomnia. Within a few years, she was addicted to sleeping pills. Laura was ashamed because she felt like motherhood came so much more easily to her friends. And so, for years, she kept her addiction a secret. Then one day she reached a breaking point.
If you enjoyed this episode, try this one from the archive: “Jason Isbell Finds Peace With His Past.”
Sign up for Maya's new newsletter here https://bit.ly/41lPqaZ and follow her on instagram @DrMayaShankar. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Freedom After a Lifetime of Secrets

We're back with new episodes starting April 1. Brené Brown joins Maya for a fireside chat about their messy, flawed selves. Psychologist Dr. Becky Kennedy reveals a game-changing strategy for fostering better relationships. Plus, we share inspiring stories of change from people weathering difficult transitions, including a writer diagnosed with cancer in her early twenties and a new mom struggling with addiction. Their stories are full of candor, awe, and hard-won wisdom, and we can't wait to share them with you. 
For a behind-the-scenes look at the show, follow @DrMayaShankar on Instagram.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A New Season with Brené Brown, Becky Kennedy, and More!

We're not great at knowing what makes us happy, says Laurie Santos, host of "The Happiness Lab." Laurie joins Maya for a wide-ranging conversation about the latest happiness research and her favorite happiness-boosting strategies. They also discuss how much of our happiness is hard-wired, if there's such a thing as thinking about happiness too much, and what you should know if you ever feel guilty feeling happy, given the state of the world. For more on Laurie, check out her podcast "The Happiness Lab."
If you liked this episode, try this one from the archive: “The Science of Happiness and Change.”
Sign up for Maya's new newsletter here https://bit.ly/41lPqaZ and follow her on instagram @DrMayaShankar. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mental Health: Managing Mental Chatter

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