Have you ever felt stuck in life? Psychiatrist Phil Stutz says leaning into adversity is the secret to getting unstuck. His unconventional methods have helped celebrities and everyday people find meaning and purpose when they felt lost.

Now, in his new book Lessons for Living: What Only Adversity Can Teach You, Stutz shares the tools and wisdom from 40 years of therapy on how to face hardship and grow through life's storms. This fascinating conversation may challenge everything you thought you knew about living well.

You can find Phil at: Website | Instagram | Lessons for Living | Episode Transcript

If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Jud Brewer about anxiety and what we can do about it in a very practical and hands-on way.

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• My New Book Sparked
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In an era of polarization, we’ve lost the art of gathering, listening, and connecting across divides. How can we rediscover the power of discourse to build mutual understanding?

Priya Parker, Anand Giridharadas, and Jonah Berger reveal simple but transformative tools to help us relearn how to truly listen, relate, and influence. Through stories and guidance, we uncover how to create spaces for bearing witness to shared humanity, open minds and hearts through persuasive conversation, and choose words that connect rather than divide. Join us as we uncover a path back to empathy, dignity, and healing in our fractured world.

Episode Transcript

You can find Priya at: Website | Instagram | Listen to Our Full-Length Convo with Priya

You can find Anand at: Website | Instagram | Listen to Our Full-Length Convo with Anand

You can find Jonah at: Website | Twitter | Listen to Our Full-Length Convo with Jonah

Check out our offerings & partners: 

• My New Book Sparked
• My New Podcast SPARKED. 
• Visit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes

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Have you ever felt like you've lost your sense of self? Psychotherapist Sara Kuburic joins me to discuss her experience with profound "self-loss" and the journey back to oneself.

In her insightful new book, It's On Me: Accept Hard Truths, Discover Your Self, and Change Your Life, Sara blends personal stories with psychology and neuroscience to offer wisdom and practical steps for reconnecting with your true self. Born a refugee, Sara brings both personal experience and professional expertise to this vital topic. We explore the emptiness of self-loss, often triggered by major life changes, and how self-discovery is an ongoing practice of curiosity, playfulness and courage to experiment with who you want to be - imperfections and all.

You can find Sara at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript

If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Nedra Glover Tawwab about how boundaries affect our sense of self.

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• My New Book Sparked
• My New Podcast SPARKED. 
• Visit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes

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What if the secret to a fulfilling life was simpler than you thought? My guest Simon Sinek offers a visionary perspective on transforming work into a source of passion and purpose. Simon believes we all have the capacity to live inspired, safe, and fulfilled lives, yet too many are deprived of this. He may be best known for starting a movement with his TED talk and book Start With Why, which explores how great leaders inspire action by putting purpose before product. He’s gone on to write global bestsellers like Leaders Eat Last and The Infinite Game, sharing his insights on creating fulfillment in business and life.

In this powerful conversation, Simon shares practical wisdom on building environments where we and others can thrive, along with insightful stories. His message: bringing care, dignity, and connection to everything we do allows us to live our best lives.

You can find Simon at: Website | Instagram | A Bit of Optimism podcast | Episode Transcript

If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Brené Brown about how vulnerability can be a powerful source of connection.

 Check out our offerings & partners: 

• My New Book Sparked
• My New Podcast SPARKED.
• Visit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes

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Have you ever felt like your brain just operates differently? Like no matter how hard you try, you're perpetually distracted or struggling to focus? You're not alone. Psychiatrist Dr. Sasha Hamdani shares her personal ADHD journey and provides research-backed techniques to better understand and thrive with your uniquely wired brain.

We dive into practical self-care tools from her book, Self-Care for People with ADHD: 100+ Ways to Recharge, De-Stress, and Prioritize You! to help manage symptoms, prioritize yourself, and embrace your neurodiversity. Dr. Hamdani aims to empower those with ADHD and neurodiverse brains to navigate the world with more clarity, ease and success.

You can find Sasha at: Focus Genie App | Instagram | Episode Transcript

If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor about whole brain living.

 Check out our offerings & partners: 

• My New Book Sparked
• My New Podcast SPARKED
• Visit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes

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After experiencing profound personal tragedy, Michael Tennant made it his life's mission to cultivate empathy in himself and others. In our conversation, the Founder of Curiosity Lab and author of The Power of Empathy: A Thirty-Day Path to Personal Growth and Social Change shares his journey to understanding this powerful yet often neglected skill.

Michael provides practical steps we can take to grow in empathy, imaginatively step into another’s shoes, and build more inclusive, connected communities. Though it takes courage, empathy’s rewards are immense—it can heal relationships, bridge divides, relieve isolation, and open the door to human connection.

You can find Michael at: Website | Actually Curious Card Decks | Instagram | Episode Transcript

If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Terry Real about the power of us.

 Check out our offerings & partners: 

• My New Book Sparked
• My New Podcast SPARKED. To submit your “moment & question” for consideration to be on the show go to sparketype.com/submit. 
• Visit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes

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What if confidence was an illusion stopping you from an amazing life?

Today we're unpacking how chasing confidence distracts us from meaningful growth and connection. Instead, cultivate awareness, bravery and conviction to take unconfident action. Learn to make decisions and live fully, even when uncertain. You’ll unlock growth and impact without needing magical confidence.

Episode Transcript

If you LOVED this episode be sure to check out other solo episodes with Jonathan, easily organized HERE as a Spotify playlist.

Check out our offerings & partners: 

• My New Book Sparked
• My New Podcast SPARKED
• Visit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes

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What if ancient indigenous wisdom could guide us to live a good life today? My guest James Vukelich Kaagegaabaw, a descendant of the Ojibwe tribe, reveals hidden insights encoded in their language after dedicating over 20 years to studying and translating their stories.

His fascinating new book, The Seven Generations and The Seven Grandfather Teachings,, unpacks unconventional yet powerful Ojibwe concepts of truth, humility, respect, love, courage, honesty and wisdom. James' journey to reconnect with his heritage and its uncommon notions of how to live a moral life delivered the soulful antidote our modern lives need. His insights and passion bring this everyday wisdom for living a good life into focus.

You can find James at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript

If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Violet Duncan about the power of Indigenous wisdom.

 Check out our offerings & partners: 

• My New Book Sparked
• My New Podcast SPARKED. To submit your “moment & question” for consideration to be on the show go to sparketype.com/submit. 
• Visit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes

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Does anxiety feel like it's spiraling out of control? You're not alone. In this episode, we dive into the neuroscience behind anxiety and gain research-backed techniques to find calm, from embracing acceptance to short-circuiting unhelpful rumination. Hear perspectives on shifting your relationship with anxiety from:

• Dr. Jud Brewer
• Dr. Wendy Suzuki
• Ellen Hendriksen, Ph.D.
• Ethan Kross

Discover the surprising upsides of this complex emotion. If you've struggled with overwhelming anxiety or want to transform your mindset, this research-packed episode will give you new tools to unlock relief and resilience.

Episode Transcript

You can find Dr. Jud at: Website | Instagram | Unwinding Anxiety App | Listen to Our Full-Length Convo with Jud

You can find Dr. Wendy at: Website | Instagram | Listen to Our Full-Length Convo with Wendy

You can find Ellen at: Website | Instagram | Listen to Our Full-Length Convo with Ellen

You can find Ethan at: Website | Instagram | Listen to Our Full-Length Convo with Ethan

Check out our offerings & partners: 

• My New Book Sparked
• My New Podcast SPARKED. To submit your “moment & question” for consideration to be on the show go to sparketype.com/submit. 
• Visit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you struggled to speak up when it matters most? My guest Sam Horn has devoted her career to helping people transform awkward moments into open communication.

In this episode, Sam shares her expertise on how to find your voice, even on eggshells. We explore essential skills like awareness, listening, and empathy to shift from reactive to proactive in challenging interactions. Sam dives into strategies from her newest book, Talking on Eggshells: Soft Skills for Hard Conversations, so you can turn conflicts into clarifying, satisfying conversations. If you’ve felt too intimidated to speak your truth, this episode will give you hope.

You can find Sam at: Website | Instagram | Episode Transcript

If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Zoe Chance about the language of influence.

 Check out our offerings & partners: 

• My New Book Sparked
• My New Podcast SPARKED. To submit your “moment & question” for consideration to be on the show go to sparketype.com/submit. 
• Visit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources & Discount Codes

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.