Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia can be devastating diseases for both the patients and families affected. What is it like in the early stages of dementia, when one is aware of the further cognitive decline that is to come? When the disease becomes more advanced, is there any benefit in reorienting the patient to the present , or is it wiser to allow them to roam where their thoughts take them? Occupational therapist Nira Rittenberg joins the podcast.

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In this sequel episode, former American infantryman Alan Leggitt shares his experience of serving in the military as bisexual during the era of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". Under this policy, which was only lifted in 2011, members of the American military were not allowed to reveal or ask questions regarding one's sexual orientation.

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Being part of the military is widely viewed as something honorable, dutiful and patriotic. But as the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have endured for so long over the past two decades, many questions have arisen. Are the sacrifices that American citizens have been asked to make for their country always worth it? How do soldiers respect authority and take orders from superiors, when perhaps they don’t agree with the missions they are fighting? Former American infantryman Alan Leggitt joins the podcast.

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Gene Steinberg was born and raised in a Jewish Hasidic community in New York. At age 28, he made the difficult decision to leave orthodox-Judaism to live a life more aligned with his personal values. Gene explains what it is like to live in an isolationist Hasidic community, how he came to leave this way of life and the challenges that he and many others face when they do so.

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There are few sports as intense as boxing, where you are in a ring, on your own, fighting one-on-one against a fierce competitor. So what is it like to be a boxer? What motivates someone to engage in such an extreme sport, ridden with such physical risk and potentially even psychological harm? And as a sport and industry in general, is boxing still appropriate in the times we live in today? Retired Canadian heavyweight champion Mark Simmons joins the podcast.

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Napoleon Bonaparte is considered one of the greatest military leaders of all time. He is often mentioned alongside names such as Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar, but whereas they existed thousands of years ago, he died only 200 years ago. And as such, his legacy is perhaps still being shaped more so than other comparatively more ancient figures. So what is the legacy of Napoleon? What are some of the preconceptions that have permeated into modern thought? Beyond his military achievement, what made Napoleon such a memorable figure? World-famous historian Andrew Roberts joins the podcast.

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In this episode, Zale opens up about his own experience with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. What is an obsession, and what is a compulsion? How does OCD extend far beyond the preconception of a pure focus on cleanliness? Zale gives a window into what it is like living with anxiety and sheds some light on psychiatric illness in general.

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What are we to do with the books, movies, songs and performances created by some of society's most iconic artists who have later been exposed for certain wrongdoings? Is it enough to denounce them? Or must we reject their art as well? How do we separate the art from the artist? Or perhaps more importantly, should we separate the art from the artist? Vox.com critic Constance Grady joins the podcast.

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As vaccine rollout is well on its way in many countries around the world, we can begin to consider a return to “normal life” in perhaps the not too distant future. But what does “normal” actually look like? After over a year of this pandemic, our lives have drastically changed. As we begin to look to post-pandemic life, is it realistic to think that things will simply go back to the way they were? Or has covid changed the way we look at the world and the way we wish to live within it? How might introverts and extroverts respond differently to the re-openings of society? Why is anxiety on the rise? And how can we all prepare ourselves for the changes that will inevitably come? Therapist Dr. Lauren Cook joins the podcast.

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There has been debate in the sports world over the last month, as Laurel Hubbard was recently selected as the first transgender weightlifter to ever compete in the Olympics Games. On the one hand, this is a huge moment of progress for the LGBTQ+ community and reflects a society that is embracing more liberal views of gender. On the other hand, many question the fairness of Laurel Hubbard’s inclusion, citing concerns of inherent biological advantages that a trans female would have over a cis female in the context of athletics. So what are the actual physiological differences between cis and trans females? And are the differences significant enough that people’s concerns are warranted? Researcher Joanna Harper joins the podcast.

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