It’s not that common for someone to retain her optimism even as she studies all the ways that health outcomes vary by race. Linda Villarosa, a solutions-based journalist and medical school professor, is such a woman. In this conversation, she pulls from a childhood of doing everything right and still feeling like a fly in the buttermilk as well as her early days in journalism where she was constantly coaching her Essence readers to just behave better.   Now, she’s seeing a broader picture that includes both lots of kale and walking AND systemic changes to the way we deliver care.

Linda’s 5-star book, UNDER THE SKIN, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.

This episode was made possible by PBS and AmeriHealth Caritas, which provides affordable health plans to millions.

Going Deep with Linda Villarosa on Being Seen

Welcome to Kelly Corrigan Wonders, a place for people who like to laugh while they think and find it useful to look closely at ourselves and our weird ways in the hopes that knowing more and feeling more will help us do more and be better.  Author of 4 New York Times bestsellers about family life, Kelly wonders about loads of stuff: is knowing more always good? Can we trust our gut? How does change actually happen?  We only book nice people who have a sense of humor and know things worth knowing. Each episode ends with Kelly’s shortlist of takeaways, appropriate for refrigerator doors, bulletin boards and notes to your children.

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Pete Bidstrup wrote this heartfelt tribute to his dad Lawrence “Larry” Otto Bidstrup. Larry was a husband, father, grandfather, Marine, teacher, coach, mentor, athlete, fisherman and friend. He had a way of laughing at himself, almost never missed a day of work and was always there when he said he would be. He was most definitely the kind of man anyone would want their kid to have as a teacher or coach and after many years spent as a very successful wrestling coach, Larry had no issue at all when his own son Pete decided to play another sport. Larry “fought the good fight” and his currency was of the heart. (Previously aired)

Thanks For Being Here Pete's Dad Larry

From Kelly’s graduation speech at The University of Richmond, 67 legit reasons for optimism even now. (Previously aired)

Go To on Cheers to the Graduates

We need big fat fluffy hippocampi and there’s a really clear way to make this happen: move your body. We can flood our own brains with the neurochemicals that help us thrive. That’s one of the thrilling messages from Dr. Wendy Suzuki of NYU in this roundtable with friends of the show Manoush Zomorodi (host of TED Radio Hour) and Mahogany L. Browne (poet, educator and activist). Here’s a session that debunks the most common misunderstandings about what movement counts based on the research from Wendy’s lab.Thanks to PBS for supporting this series. You can watch any episode any time at PBS.org/kelly.Write us anytime with feedback, questions or suggestions at hello@kellycorrigan.com.

Going Deep on Movement and Well Being with Wendy Suzuki, Manoush Zomorodi and Mahogany L. Browne

Kelly shares an excerpt from Jessica Fein's new book Breath Taking: A Memoir of Family, Dreams, and Broken Genes. In Jessica's words, the memoir is "The story of building, loving and losing a family.  How I learned to live in the present and create a world of joy and beauty in the midst of loss and tragedy."  The excerpt shared here is, "A Girl's Best Friend" and is the story of Jessica's daughter Dalia's very special dog, Blackie-O, a loving canine companion who essentially trained himself to be Dalia's service dog.

Thanks For Being Here "A Girl's Best Friend"

Things we know about touch and why it is so important, from my own recent experiences and through this conversation with Gretchen Rubin. (Previously aired)

Going Deep with Linda Villarosa on Being Seen

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