Professor George A. Bonanno is Professor of Clinical Psychology at Columbia University and one of the world's leading researchers on trauma, bereavement and psychological resilience. Over the past three decades, his research has challenged long-standing assumptions about how people respond to adversity, showing that resilience is often the most common outcome following bereavement, disaster and other potentially traumatic events. His work has had a major influence on research into trauma, grief, resilience and psychological adaptation.In this conversation, we explore why most people recover after adversity, why trauma is not synonymous with the event itself, and how popular ideas about grief, hidden trauma and resilience often diverge from the evidence. George explains the four trajectories of recovery, the limitations of resilience questionnaires, why there is no universal "right" way to cope, and introduces his research on psychological flexibility as the key to adaptation. We also discuss The Body Keeps the Score, the Five Stages of Grief, why averages can mislead psychological science, how clinicians can avoid inadvertently causing harm, and what future generations may find hardest to believe about today's understanding of mental health.00:00 – Introduction01:57 – Why psychology became fascinated by trauma03:55 – Why "potentially traumatic event" changes everything08:20 – The four trajectories of recovery11:30 – Supporting people without assuming damage14:12 – The truth about the Five Stages of Grief22:10 – Hidden trauma, concept creep & The Body Keeps the Score27:59 – Why averages can mislead psychology31:00 – Discovering resilience through longitudinal research38:15 – What measuring people before adversity revealed42:59 – The resilience paradox50:45 – Why resilience questionnaires don't measure resilience54:11 – There is no universally healthy coping strategy58:08 – When avoidance is actually adaptive59:37 – What future psychologists will think we got wrongConnect with us: https://freedompact.co.uk/newsletter​ (Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Newsletter)https://www.Instagram.com/freedompactpodhttps://www.twitter.com/freedompactpod Email: [email protected] (business enquiries, guest suggestions, appreciation, feedback, and anything else)Connect with George:https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=biNsmj8AAAAJ&hl=en (George's publications)https://sites.google.com/view/georgeabonanno?usp=sharing (George's website)Buy The End of Trauma: (https://sites.google.com/view/georgeabonanno/books/the-end-of-trauma?authuser=0) Please note: we do not receive any commission from book sales and are not affiliated with the publisher or author beyond hosting this conversation.Disclaimer: The Freedom Pact Podcast is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only. The content is not intended to constitute, nor should it be relied upon as, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or the podcast. Listeners should not disregard, delay, or substitute professional medical advice because of information discussed on the podcast or associated materials.

Professor Paul Gilbert is a Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Derby, a Visiting Professor at the University of Queensland, and the founder of Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT). For more than 40 years, he has combined research into the evolutionary foundations of mental health with clinical work as a Consultant Clinical Psychologist. He also founded the Compassionate Mind Foundation in 2006 to promote the scientific understanding and application of compassion. Professor Gilbert is regarded as one of the world's leading authorities on compassion, shame, self-criticism and mental wellbeing. In this conversation, we explore the evolutionary origins of the human mind, why we suffer psychologically, the science of compassion, consciousness, intelligence, shame, self-compassion, and what modern psychology still needs to understand about the human condition.00:00 – What Is the Human Mind Actually For?10:12 – Why Can Humans End Up Hating Themselves16:56 – Have We Underestimated How Social the Human Mind Is?20:26 – Is Modern Life Mismatched to the Human Brain?25:52 – Why Mental Health Depends on Psychological Flexibility31:15 – Does Greater Intelligence Mean Greater Suffering?33:15 – Is Consciousness Inherently Painful?38:29 – The Evolutionary Origins of Shame44:10 – What Compassion Really Is (It's Not Just Kindness)54:06 – Can Compassion Defeat Hatred?58:43 – Why Self-Compassion Is So Difficult1:06:18 – What Future Psychologists Must Understand About the MindConnect with us:https://freedompact.co.uk/newsletter​ (Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Newsletter)https://www.Instagram.com/freedompactpodhttps://www.twitter.com/freedompactpod Email: [email protected] (business enquiries, guest suggestions, appreciation, feedback, and anything else)Resources from Professor Paul Gilbert:The Compassionate Mind Foundation:The Compassionate Mind Foundation promotes the scientific understanding and practical application of compassion to improve mental health and wellbeing. It offers workshops, training, educational resources and information about Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT).https://www.compassionatemind.co.uk**Support the Compassionate Mind Foundation**If you found this conversation valuable, please consider supporting the Foundation's work through a donation:https://www.compassionatemind.co.uk/donationLearn more about Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)Evolution and Compassion Focused Therapyhttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.586161/fullThe Evolution of Care and Share versus Control and Holdhttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.582090/fullEvolution-Informed Compassion-Focused Therapy and Buddhist Approaches to Insight Meditationhttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12671-023-02141-4Meta-analysis of Compassion Focused TherapyPetrocchi et al. (2023): *The Impact of Compassion Focused Therapy on Positive and Negative Mental Health Outcomes.*Professor Paul Gilbert's TalksCreating a Compassionate World:https://www.compassionatemind.co.uk/creating-a-compassionate-worldEvolutionary Foundations of Compassion Focused Therapy (Royal College of Psychiatrists)https://youtu.be/swwFEKWoxHgA Disorder for Everyone (AD4E):https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ufp2FxoFhYQ&feature=youtu.beAdditional Resources:The Voices Withinhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRqI4lxuXAwOpen-access paperhttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00152/full

Born country boy and farmer, with a longing for God, John Butler has led an extraordinarily interesting but largely unknown life, recorded only in notes, diaries, letters etc which, for many years lay, half-forgotten in the cupboard - until he published his first books, ‘Wonders of Spiritual Unfoldment’ in 2008 at the age of 71, and ‘Mystic Approaches’ in 2012. Unexpectedly, in 2017, he was interviewed on Conscious TV which, to his surprise, was well received. Encouraged to make further videos, John launched the Youtube channel, ‘Spiritual Unfoldment.'Timestamps:

00:00 The Biggest Truth About Being Human

01:49 Why the Search Never Ends

05:17 The Unexpected Gift of Growing Older

09:42 What Silence Reveals About Consciousness

14:51 The One Thing That's Always With You

17:18 Why Most People Struggle to Sit Alone

21:07 Why More Money Doesn't Mean More Happiness

24:29 The Meaning of Real Love

27:56 Why Relationships Can't Complete You

30:07 Escaping the Ego

34:09 What Death Really Means

38:28 The Secret to Letting Go of Regret

42:21 What Makes Life Worth Living?

43:50 Final ThoughtsConnect with us:

https://freedompact.co.uk/newsletter​ (Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Newsletter)

https://www.Instagram.com/freedompact

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Email: [email protected] (business enquiries, guest suggestions, appreciation, feedback, and anything else!)

Dr. Caroline Leaf is a cognitive neuroscientist, mental health researcher and bestselling author. With over 40 years of experience studying the mind brain connection, she challenges conventional approaches to mental health and helps people understand how thoughts shape wellbeing.

In this episode, Dr. Caroline Leaf explores whether we've accidentally medicalised normal human emotions, why anxiety and depression should be viewed as signals rather than illnesses, and how understanding our personal stories is key to healing. She discusses the dangers of self diagnosis, the "TikTokification" of mental health, the impact of social media on young minds, why labels can limit growth, the science behind neuroplasticity, and how our thoughts influence both brain and body. The conversation also examines suffering, resilience, self belief, and why true healing comes from understanding, not suppressing, our emotional experiences.

Timestamps:

00:00 Have We Medicalised Being Human?

01:16 Why Symptoms Are Signals, Not Enemies

06:24 The Biggest Mistake in Mental Health Treatment

08:30 The Danger of Romanticising Suffering

12:44 Is Depression Always Trying to Tell You Something?

14:30 The TikTokification of Mental Health

18:20 Why We Need Labels to Explain Ourselves

21:59 Should Social Media Be Banned for Children?

28:48 Can Your Thoughts Really Change Reality?

42:22 Do Successful People Win Because of Their Insecurities?

46:01 Why We Must Stop Romanticising Suffering & Suicide

47:19 Where to Find Dr. Caroline Leaf

DISCLAIMER: The content provided by the Freedom Pact Podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Our content is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on our social media or other platforms.

Important: Please note: If you are currently prescribed antidepressants or other psychiatric medication, it is essential that you do not alter your dosage or discontinue use without first speaking to a suitably qualified healthcare professional. Stopping or changing medication without proper support may result in significant withdrawal effects. Always consult a medical expert before making any adjustments to your treatment plan.

Robert Greene is one of the world's most influential thinkers on power, human nature, mastery and psychology. He is the bestselling author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Laws of Human Nature, Mastery and The Art of Seduction and his work has shaped everyone from world leaders and CEOs to elite athletes and artists.

In this conversation, Robert explores the patterns that quietly shape our lives, from human nature and mastery to power, purpose and seduction. Drawing on decades of studying history, psychology and some of the world's highest performers, he offers a way of thinking that is as practical as it is timeless.

Timestamps:

00:00 Why Human Nature Never Changes

03:30 The Hidden Cost of Becoming Powerful

05:47 The #1 Reason People Lose Power

08:36 The Brutal Mindset That Changes Everything

11:02 The Hardest Person You'll Ever Master

17:22 Why Most People Never Become Exceptional

20:49 How to Find Your Life's Purpose

25:35 Why So Many Young People Feel Lost

30:43 The Childhood Clues to Your Destiny

37:17 Why Failure Is the Price of Greatness

41:53 What Mastery Really Costs

46:29 Why Modern Dating Is Broken

50:18 The Problem With Radical Honesty

53:48 Why "Being Yourself" Is Bad Advice

56:03 The Biggest Mistake People Make With Seduction

57:56 The Psychology of Charisma

1:01:37 What Cleopatra Knew About Human Nature

1:09:05 The Success Trap Nobody Talks About

1:12:06 How to Build a Life You're Proud Of

1:14:10 Robert Greene on Surviving a Stroke

1:18:24 The Advice That Changed Robert Greene's Life

1:23:26 What 50 Cent Understood About Power

1:30:31 Robert Greene's Advice for Your 30s

1:34:32 Why This Decade Will Create New Winners

1:36:22 The Sublime

1:40:44 Final Thoughts

Connect with us:

https://freedompact.co.uk/newsletter​ (Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Newsletter)

https://www.Instagram.com/freedompact

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Email: [email protected] (business enquiries, guest suggestions, appreciation, feedback, and anything else!)

Angelo Somers is a writer, creator and thinker whose work explores psychology, meaning, self-development and the hidden forces that shape human behaviour.

In this conversation, we explore a question that sits beneath many of life's biggest decisions: what is actually driving us?

We discuss whether success can be built on the wrong motivations, why insecurity can be a powerful source of ambition, and what happens when the fears that once fuelled you begin to disappear.

We touch on memetic desire, Jung's concept of the Self, authenticity, purpose, suffering, self-improvement and the search for meaning.

We also examine why people become attached to their pain, whether modern society has confused suffering with virtue, and why self-awareness can sometimes become self-consciousness in disguise.

00:00 The Limits Of Self-Knowledge

02:57 Can A Good Life Be Built On The Wrong Reasons?

06:12 What If Your Insecurities Made You Successful?

08:40 When Truth Becomes A Tyrant

12:02 Are Your Desires Actually Yours?

15:12 Can You Ruin A Desire By Questioning It?

17:15 Are We Driven By Love Or Fear?

20:49 Can Purpose Be Self-Deception?

24:23 Have We Confused Suffering With Virtue?

28:17 Why Suffering Seems More Admirable Than Joy

30:57 Why People Become Attached To Their Pain

32:33 Has Modern Life Really Reduced Suffering?

34:41 When Self-Improvement Becomes Self-Obsession

38:08 Can Too Much Self-Awareness Hurt You?

42:41 Stop Chasing Destinations

45:08 What Makes Life Worth Living?

46:53 Where Curiosity Comes From

48:54 Where To Find Angelo

Connect with us:

https://freedompact.co.uk/newsletter​ (Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Newsletter)

https://www.Instagram.com/freedompact

https://www.twitter.com/freedompactpod

Email: [email protected] (business enquiries, guest suggestions, appreciation, feedback, and anything else!)

https://Tiktok.com/personaldevelopment

Shawn Achor is a Harvard-trained positive psychologist, New York Times bestselling author, and one of the world's leading researchers on happiness and human potential.

In this conversation, we explore why beliefs may be far more powerful than we realise, how they shape perception before we are even aware of them, and why some people continue to find possibility when the odds seem stacked against them. Shawn explains why AI can calculate probabilities but can never believe you'll beat them, how social support literally changes the way we see challenges, and why the most dangerous belief a person can hold is that their behaviour doesn't matter.

We also discuss the surprising science behind placebo effects, trauma, ageing, loneliness, meaning, religion, Michael Jordan's rituals, Roger Bannister's four-minute mile, fake surgery studies, why modern life can leave us untethered, and the profound role beliefs play in shaping the trajectory of our lives.

This was one of the most thought-provoking conversations we've ever had, and I hope you enjoy it.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Why Is Changing Ourselves So Difficult?

01:59 – AI Can Predict the Odds, But It Can't Believe You'll Beat Them

03:20 – Why Probability Masks Possibility

04:02 – Richard Wiseman's Luck Experiment

06:17 – Can Belief Really Change Reality?

07:15 – The Limits of Belief

08:45 – Roger Bannister and the Four-Minute Mile

09:55 – Stereotype Threat and Human Performance

11:03 – Michael Jordan's Shorts and Serena Williams' Socks

14:12 – What Is a Belief?

16:35 – How Are Beliefs Formed?

17:00 – The Hill Study: Why Support Changes Perception

18:20 – How Modern Life Teaches Us That Our Behaviour Doesn't Matter

19:00 – How Memories Shape Beliefs

20:42 – ADHD, Identity and Educational Outcomes

22:17 – Dangerous Beliefs and Sweeping Generalisations

23:02 – Yale's Remarkable Study on Ageing

26:12 – Do People Change Through Evidence or Experience?

28:00 – Trauma Doesn't Determine Your Future

31:00 – Why We Forget Our Strength

34:16 – The Five Candles Ritual

38:24 – Navy SEAL Training, Exposure Therapy and Perspective

40:46 – Placebos, Fake Surgery and the Power of Belief

45:57 – Why Beliefs Are Becoming More Powerful

46:49 – The Nocebo Effect

48:00 – Burnout, Anxiety, Loneliness and Depression

50:12 – The Great Drift: Why Modern Life Feels Meaningless

53:00 – Shared Texts and the Need for Collective Meaning

55:49 – "Don't Waste Your Money Applying to Harvard"

58:42 – Why Probability Should Never Eliminate Possibility

1:01:22 – The Most Dangerous Belief You Can Hold

1:03:45 – Is There Something Greater Than Us?

1:06:04 – The Message Shawn Achor Would Put on a Billboard

1:08:06 – Why We Should Read Books Together

1:09:19 – Final Thoughts

Connect with Shawn:

https://www.shawnachor.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnachor/

https://www.instagram.com/shawnachor/

Connect with us:

https://freedompact.co.uk/newsletter​ (Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Newsletter)https://www.Instagram.com/freedompacthttps://www.twitter.com/freedompactpod Email: [email protected] (business enquiries, guest suggestions, appreciation, feedback, and anything else!)https://Tiktok.com/personaldevelopment

Tal Ben-Shahar is an internationally renowned scholar, teacher, and author specialising in positive psychology and the science of wellbeing. He is best known for teaching two of the most popular courses in the history of Harvard University, which attracted thousands of students and helped bring the science of happiness into the mainstream.

Tal is the co-founder of the Happiness Studies Academy, where he works to bridge academic research and practical application, helping individuals, organisations, and educators cultivate greater wellbeing, resilience, and fulfilment.

Today, we discuss a simple question. That is, what if the pursuit of happiness is the very thing making us unhappy?

We explore one of the most misunderstood ideas in psychology: that a meaningful life is not free from sadness, anxiety, grief, or disappointment - but is shaped by how we relate to them.

We discuss why resisting painful emotions often intensifies suffering, the psychology behind lasting change, the knowing-doing gap, the power of tiny habits, attention in the age of distraction, meaningful relationships, awe, gratitude, and what it truly means to live a well-lived life.

This is a conversation about happiness, but even more fundamentally, it is a conversation about being fully human.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

00:47 - The Happiness Paradox

04:04 - The Two Levels of Suffering

06:44 - The Knowing–Doing Gap

09:24 - The Three Rs of Lasting Change

13:00 - The Myth of Radical Change

17:09 - Perfectionism and the All-or-Nothing Trap

18:29 - Psychological Compound Interest

23:07 - The Upward Spiral

26:23 - Horoscopes, Belief and Self-Fulfilling Prophecies

29:30 - Reality and Perception

31:28 - Mindset vs Circumstance

33:52 - The Attention Crisis

35:00 - How the Brain Changes Throughout Life

40:26 - The Relationship Advantage

44:51 - Why Relationships Are Built Slowly

45:48 - The Art of Listening

48:05 - Social Anxiety and Self-Focus

49:56 - The Power of Presence

51:25 - The Beginner's Mind

54:20 - The Ordinary Things That Matter

54:58 - What Does a Well-Lived Life Feel Like?

57:12 - Where to Find Tal Ben-Shahar

57:52 - Closing Remarks

Connect with us:

https://freedompact.co.uk/newsletter​ (Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Newsletter)

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Email: [email protected] (business enquiries, guest suggestions, appreciation, feedback, and anything else!)

https://Tiktok.com/personaldevelopment

Connect with Tal:https://www.talbenshahar.com

Tal's Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvWvBong0cl-pJCUbsmfg0Ahappinessstudies.academy

Buy Happy Habits (non-affiliate links): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Happy-Habits-Happier-Healthier-Minute-ebook/dp/B0F3WN9YWT/ref=sr_1_4?crid=27D18LZNCM6HM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.pDmiNeH2L8YLMXk8TzC41eNesZURfnCuVE6r8-dTj5ZnenKY9AyB2ZJ7BhXxR1fWs4yn36kICW_EwXzENKY5u0HuHBlhW5Dz1r0aB3GT1HygYg8F4iVn-_QRQkAzEV6q7zUFv-WjSc4rwXoYHlHQ54SfWrKKFjI8Lq7M-D17Qlr_qJn3wgiMqEvKVgV2CWMraqoQUPGR98j0blWHYLJuGETT_9ekYdmZgOFf4f-gmE0.SNaDnsm40KQ9zJ9mBkir70xpfbUnxc5_845hJoODQ7g&dib_tag=se&keywords=tal+ben+shahar&qid=1780227053&sprefix=tal+ben+shaha%2Caps%2C149&sr=8-4

Johan Norberg is a historian of ideas, author, and Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute whose work explores the rise and fall of civilizations, the psychology of progress, and the cultural conditions that allow societies to flourish.

In this conversation, we explore why great civilizations collapse, how fear changes cultures psychologically, why openness and intellectual risk-taking repeatedly produce golden ages, and what modern society can learn from Athens, Sparta, Renaissance Florence, Abbasid Baghdad, and the Dutch Republic.

Johan explains why civilizations often “die from suicide rather than murder”, why fear drives societies toward conformity and orthodoxy, and how innovation emerges from cultures willing to tolerate disagreement, eccentricity, and experimentation.

We also discuss:

- Why societies stop believing in the future,

- Whether the modern West is becoming more “Spartan” or "Athenian",

- The psychology of decline and nostalgia,

- Why too much comfort can weaken civilizations,

- The importance of freedom of speech and intellectual openness,and the institutional conditions that repeatedly produced humanity’s greatest breakthroughs.

This is a conversation about civilization, creativity, fear, innovation, and the fragile conditions required for human flourishing.

Timestamps:

00:00 — Why civilizations lose belief in the future

02:09 — “Civilizations die from suicide, not murder”

03:16 — How fear psychologically changes societies

05:08 — Why openness creates flourishing civilizations

07:23 — Why societies persecute the people they need most

09:08 — Athens vs Sparta: two eternal archetypes

12:21 — Is the modern West becoming more Spartan?

14:49 — Do civilizations decline psychologically first?

16:44 — Are humans biased toward nostalgia and decline narratives?

20:28 — How do we distinguish real decline from pessimism?

22:00 — Why breakthrough thinkers cluster in certain places

25:47 — Creativity, bureaucracy, and cultural stagnation

28:10 — Does comfort weaken civilizations?

30:27 — The conditions that foster intellectual risk-taking

33:24 — Universities, truth, and psychological safety

35:16 — Which cultures are fostering innovation today?

37:49 — The institutions behind flourishing civilizations

40:34 — What future generations may judge us for

44:19 — Johan Norberg’s most important lesson from history

47:01 — Where to find Johan Norberg

Connect with Johan:

https://www.johannorberg.net

BUY 'PEAK HUMAN' HERE (Not an affiliate link): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Peak-Human-What-Learn-Golden/dp/1838957294

https://x.com/johanknorberg

Connect with us:

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https://Tiktok.com/personaldevelopment

Dale Comstock is a former U.S. Army Special Operations veteran, having served over two decades as a paratrooper, Green Beret, and ultimately a member of 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment–Delta (Delta Force), the Army’s premier counterterrorism unit. In this episode, we discuss:

00:00 What It Takes To Be An Elite Operator

12:00 Delta Force Selection

16:00 Chris Ryan, Bravo Two-Zero & Special Forces Toughness

33:00 "We Are Not All Equal" - Delta Mindset

40:00 Panama Jail Mission: "It Was Chaos"

59:00 Performing Under The Ultimate Pressure

1:06:00 Do Special Forces Feel Fear?

1:26:30 Becoming A Mercenary

1:39:20 More From Dale

Links:

https://freedompact.co.uk/newsletter​ (Healthy, Wealthy & Wise)

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More from Dale:

https://www.dalecomstockamericanbadass.com/