"One of my all-time favorite books and a life-changing lesson on communication." —Sasza Lohrey, BBXX Founder

Deborah Tannen is a Professor of Linguistics at Georgetown University and the author of countless books about how the language of everyday conversation affects relationships. We learn about the different ways we each interpret conversations and interactions and break down the foundational concept of individual conversational style. We explore the “metadata” of conversations, demonstrating empathy vs. power, the influence of family in shaping our communication, the role of communication in a partnership, and gender differences in communication styles.

Fact: big wins are impossible without the small wins along the way. "The journey is the destination" might sound cheesy but the reality is that we won't always make it to where we're trying to go. Even if we do, it's vital to acknowledge how much work we put in to get there; the big wins never feel as good if we haven't celebrated the small wins.

Lilly Wang spent two years traveling the world learning about what mental health looks like in different countries and across cultures. She also spent that time developing a much deeper understanding of her own struggles with mental health. As we explore the definition of mental health and how it looks different around the world, we talk with Lilly about the lessons learned from her journey and how travel allows us to discover a more authentic version of ourselves.

We talk with one of our favorite men’s coaches, Mike Sagun, about physical touch, closeness, and male intimacy. We learn about his journey to self-discovery, how he has changed over the past few years along the way, tools for exploring your own identity, and whether or not people can ever truly start over. Lastly, we touch on the art of giving compliments, the vulnerability it requires to give them—and the power in learning to receive them.

We talk with Dr. Jamie Goldstein about the power of story and the practice of narrative therapy. We discuss how stories create meaning, the importance of recognizing that stories are multi-dimensional, and how language shapes our stories and our identities. 

We learn about how to identify a “dominant narrative,” separate the person involved from the actual problem itself, and the healing capacity of “externalization.” Lastly, we share tools and actionable advice for exploring aspects of narrative therapy on your own.