What makes you happy? Many people would answer with the basics: family, friends, good food, and (of course!) a good book. But what brings deep joy and purpose to your life? What little habits and practices could make a big difference in your mood and outlook? In this episode, author Courtney Walsh, author of “The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley,” and Mayo Clinic Medical Director of Joy and neuropsychologist Anni Shandera-Ochsner, Ph.D., L.P., encourage us to think deeper about what makes us feel alive and gives us meaning. 

This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens.

We talked with:

• Courtney Walsh is the Carol award-winning author of several low spice, small town romance novels. She’s committed to creating stories that bring joy and always promises a happy ending. Her debut novel, A Sweethaven Summer, was a New York Times and USA Today e-book best-seller and a Carol Award finalist in the debut author category. In addition, she has written two craft books and several full-length musicals. Courtney lives with her husband and three children in Illinois, where she co-owns a performing arts studio and youth theatre with her business partner and best friend—her husband.
• Anni Shandera-Ochsner, Ph.D., L.P., is an assistant professor of psychology at Mayo Clinic and a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist at Mayo Clinic Health System in Wisconsin. She is also the medical director of Joy for Mayo Clinic and directs the Midwest region's Mayo Clinic HABIT Healthy Action to Benefit Independence in Thinking®, which is a behavioral intervention program for people with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI).

Purchase “The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley.”

From Barnes & Noble.

From Amazon.

From Bookshop.org. 

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected]. 
• We invite you to complete the following survey as part of a research study at Mayo Clinic. Your responses are anonymous. Your participation in this survey as well as its completion are voluntary.
• Connect with others talking about the podcast in the Read. Talk. Grow. group on Mayo Clinic Connect, an online community moderated by Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Connect is free, trusted, moderated, welcoming, safe and easy-to-use.

The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

What if running could help you heal? In this episode, Dr. Denise Millstine sits down with author Josie Lloyd and cancer rehabilitation expert Dr. Nandita Keole to explore the powerful intersection of breast cancer recovery and exercise through Josie’s uplifting novel The Bright Side Running Club. Inspired by her own diagnosis, Josie shares how journaling and joining a running group transformed fear into resilience and community, while Dr. Keole explains why movement—even during treatment—boosts strength, mood, and hope. Together, they remind us that thriving after cancer isn’t just possible—it starts with one step forward.

This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens. 

We talked with: 

• Josie Lloyd had been writing novels for twenty-five years. Mother of three daughters and a beloved dog, Ziggy, she lives in Brighton in the UK with her husband, Emlyn Rees. Together they have written seven internationally bestselling novels and their latest joint venture, You & Me & You & Me & You & Me is out in the US in February 2026. Josie was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 after a routine scan. She wanted to read something positive, hopeful and uplifting about what she was going through, and so wrote 'The Cancer Ladies' Running Club' published in the states as 'The Bright Side Running Club'. She's also written the screen adaptation of her novel, which is in development as a feature film. When she's not writing, Josie loves travelling, cooking and is a keen sea swimmer and swims all year round no matter what the weather. She is also the patron of the charity Lobular Breast Cancer UK and regularly runs journalling and wellbeing workshops to help women going through a cancer diagnosis.
• Dr. Nandita Keole is a cancer rehabilitation physician at the Mayo Clinic Arizona. She teaches at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and is the current chair of the Arizona Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Purchase THE BRIGHT SIDE RUNNING CLUB:

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• From Barnes & Noble. 

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected].
• Connect with others talking about the podcast in the Read. Talk. Grow. group on Mayo Clinic Connect, an online community moderated by Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Connect is free, trusted, moderated, welcoming, safe and easy-to-use.

The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

Ready to rethink your workout? In the episode, we dive into the empowering world of weightlifting for women, inspired by Casey Johnston’s book A Physical Education: How I Escaped Diet Culture and Gained the Power of Lifting. Host Dr. Denise Millstine and guest expert Dr. Sonal Haerter join Casey to explore how shifting from calorie obsession to strength training transforms not only bodies but mindsets. 

This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens.

We talked with:

• Casey Johnston is a bestselling author, writer, and cultural critic. Her work covers the intersections of a diverse range of topics, including politics, identity, health, technology, power, womanhood, and embodiment, and has earned critical acclaim from numerous outlets.
• Sonal Haerter, M.D., is an internal medicine physician in the department of Internal Medicine at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center. She is also an assistant professor for Creighton School of Medicine and Associate Program Director for the Department of Internal medicine at Creighton School of Medicine in  Phoenix. She is double board-certified in internal medicine and obesity medicine. Dr. Haerter provides adult primary care services at the Internal Medicine Health Center. Her clinical interests include preventative medicine and women’s health.

Purchase A Physical Education:

• From Bookshop.org
• From Barnes & Noble.  

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected].
• Connect with others talking about the podcast in the Read. Talk. Grow. group on Mayo Clinic Connect, an online community moderated by Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Connect is free, trusted, moderated, welcoming, safe and easy-to-use.

The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

Ever wondered what happens when romance meets real-life health challenges? In this episode, Dr. Denise Millstine sits down with bestselling author Chloe Liese and gastroenterologist Dr. Lucinda Harris to explore celiac disease through the novel Once Smitten, Twice Shy. Together, they dive into the emotional and social impact of chronic illness, the importance of accurate representation in fiction, and practical knoweldge about celiac disease. This conversation reminds us that health struggles don’t diminish our worth — or our capacity for love.

This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens.

We talked with:

• Chloe Liese is a USA Today bestselling author who writes romantic fiction reflecting her belief that everyone deserves a love story. When not dreaming up her next novel, you'll find her reading, trying new recipes, savoring nature, and soaking up time with her big, beautiful family.
• Lucinda Harris, M.S., M.D., is currently a Professor of Medicine at Mayo School of Medicine and a consultant in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale. She is a Masterof the American College of Gastroenterology, and a fellow of the American Gastroenterological Association as well as the American College of Internal Medicine. She is a passionate advocate for her patients and her special clinical and research interests are in IBS, gastroparesis, chronic constipation and pelvic floor disorders as well as celiac disease and autonomic disorders. She has also written and lectured extensively on these topics.

Purchase ONCE SMITTEN TWICE SHY.

• From Bookshop.org.
• From Barnes & Noble.

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected].
• Connect with others talking about the podcast in the Read. Talk. Grow. group on Mayo Clinic Connect, an online community moderated by Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Connect is free, trusted, moderated, welcoming, safe and easy-to-use.

The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

You probably know that a plant-based diet is a healthy, environmentally-friendly and often economical way to eat. But the benefits don't end there. Authors Jane and Ann Crile Esselstyn guide us through their book "Be a Plant-Based Woman Warrior: Live Fierce, Stay Bold, Eat Delicious." Along with Mayo Clinic's Dr. Dawn Mussallem, the three walk us through the research and their personal love affairs with plants.

This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens. 

We talked with:

• Ann Crile Esselstyn has been called "the Julia Child of plant-based-cooking." Ann's singular focus is on creating recipes to prevent and reverse heart disease, and she collaborates with her husband, Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr., in counseling patients.
• Jane Esselstyn, R.N., is a nurse, researcher, middle school sex ed teacher and mother of three. She created the recipes for the #1 New York Times bestseller "Plant-Strong." She coauthored "The Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet" with her brother, Rip Esselstyn and "The Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook" with Ann. Ann and Jane host a popular YouTube channel featuring heart-healthy recipes.
• Dawn Mussallem, D.O., is a consultant in the Department of General Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic and an assistant professor of medicine. She has over 25 years of patient-centered clinical wellness experience and is nationally recognized in the field of breast medicine, lifestyle medicine, integrative oncology and cancer survivorship. Dr. Mussallem has a unique personal experience as a stage IV cancer patient diagnosed three months into medical school and as a heart transplant recipient.

Can't get enough?

• Purchase "Be a Plant-Based Woman Warrior: Live Fierce, Stay Bold, Eat Delicious."
  • From Bookshop.org
  • From Amazon
  • From Barnes & Noble
• Want to read more on the topic? Check out our blog:
  • 7 steps to better nutrition habits for cancer survivors
  • I feel like I eat healthy. Do I also need a multivitamin?
  • Diet and nutrition help cancer survivors return to good health

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected].
• We invite you to complete the following survey as part of a research study at Mayo Clinic. Your responses are anonymous. Your participation in this survey as well as its completion are voluntary.

The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

What do 700 slang words, strip clubs and breast cancer surgery have in common? They all reveal how society — and medicine — views women’s breasts. In this episode, host Dr. Denise Millstine dives into Sarah Thornton’s provocative book Tits Up: The Top Half of Women’s Liberation with author Sarah Thornton and breast cancer surgeon Dr. Barbara Pockaj. Together, they explore the cultural baggage surrounding breasts, the language we use, and the deeply personal decisions women face in breast health and reconstruction.

This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens.

We talked with:

• Sarah Thornton is a sociologist and author of four critically acclaimed books, including the international bestseller Seven Days in the Art World. A scholar-in-residence at University of California, Berkeley, for three years while writing Tits Up, she lives in San Francisco, California.
• Barbara Pockaj, M.D., is a surgical oncologist who has a strong clinical and research interest in breast cancer and malignant melanoma. Dr. Pockaj's research focuses not only on clinical studies but also translational science. Dr. Pockaj is also the chair of the Breast Cancer Interest Group, which is a partnership with researchers at Arizona State University. The cooperation focuses on using the state-of-the-art genomics infrastructure and a high-quality breast cancer tumor biorepository. 

Purchase TITS UP.

• From Bookshop.org.
• From Barnes & Noble.

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected].
• Connect with others talking about the podcast in the Read. Talk. Grow. group on Mayo Clinic Connect, an online community moderated by Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Connect is free, trusted, moderated, welcoming, safe and easy-to-use.

The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

What if the path to healing isn’t just through Western medicine, but through tradition, spirit and community? In this episode, Dr. Denise Millstine hosts a powerful conversation with author Aaron John Curtis and Dr. Patricia StandTal Clarke, exploring traditional Native healing through Curtis’s debut novel Old School Indian. As they unpack the journey of protagonist Abe Jacobs — a man navigating a mysterious autoimmune illness and rediscovering his voice — the episode dives deep into the role of spirituality and cultural identity in healing. 

This episode was made possible with the generous support of Ken Stevens.

We talked with: 

• Aaron John Curtis is an enrolled member of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, which he’ll tell you is the white name for the American side of Akwesasne. Aaron has judged for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize, the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance prizes, the 2019 Kirkus Prize for Nonfiction, and the 2021 National Book Award for Nonfiction. Since 2004, Aaron has been Quartermaster at Books & Books, Miami’s largest independent bookstore. 
• Patricia StandTal Clarke, M.D., who is part Eastern Band Cherokee (Wolf Clan), is a founding diplomat of the American Board of Holistic Medicine, an ordained Protestant minister, and a physician specializing in an integrative medical approach to treating patients. In her practice she interweaves prevention with treatment, working toward a full, happy, healthy life for individuals, families, and community.

Purchase OLD SCHOOL INDIAN.

• From Bookshop.org.
• From Barnes & Noble.

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected].
• Connect with others talking about the podcast in the Read. Talk. Grow. group on Mayo Clinic Connect, an online community moderated by Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Connect is free, trusted, moderated, welcoming, safe and easy-to-use.

The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

What makes a teenager turn to alcohol — and how can we help them find their way back? In this episode, Dr. Denise Millstine talks with bestselling author Kathleen Glasgow and Mayo Clinic psychiatrist Dr. Eric Noble to explore THE GLASS GIRL, a gripping young adult novel about 15-year-old Bella’s struggle with alcohol addiction. We unpack the emotional roots of addiction, the realities of rehab and recovery, and the importance of empathy, boundaries and open communication.

This episode was made possible with the generous support of Ken Stevens.

We talked with: 

• Kathleen Glasgow is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of Girl in Pieces, The Glass Girl, You'd Be Home Now, and How to Make Friends With the Dark.  Her latest novel, The Glass Girl, is a New York Times bestseller and was named Target's Young Adult Book of the Year.
• Dr. Eric Noble is a board-certified psychiatrist who trained at UCLA. He’s also board-certified in Addiction Medicine. He received his Bachelors Degree from Brown University, and his Doctorate of Medicine from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. He is a staff physician at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona. 

Purchase THE GLASS GIRL: 

• From Bookshop.org.
• From Barnes & Noble.

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected].
• Connect with others talking about the podcast in the Read. Talk. Grow. group on Mayo Clinic Connect, an online community moderated by Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Connect is free, trusted, moderated, welcoming, safe and easy-to-use.

The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

Ever felt awkward in a meeting or anxious at a party? You're not alone. Host Dr. Denise Millstine is joined by author Natalie Sue and psychologist Dr. Craig Sawchuk to discuss Natalie’s book HOPE THIS FINDS YOU WELL, which features a protagonist with social anxiety. The conversation delves into how anxiety manifests in everyday interactions, explains coping mechanisms like avoidance and alcohol use, and emphasizes that social anxiety is common, treatable — and often misunderstood.

This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens. 

We talked with:

• Natalie Sue is the bestselling and award-winning author of I Hope This Finds You Well. She is a Canadian author of Iranian and British descent. When she’s not writing, she enjoys bingeing great and terrible TV, attempting pottery, and procuring houseplants. She lives in Calgary with her husband, daughter, and dog.
• Craig Sawchuk, Ph.D., L.P., is a psychologist and the chair of the Division of Integrated Behavioral Health within the Department of Psychiatry & Psychology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He is also the co-chair for Clinical Practice in the department and a professor of psychology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. His research aims to improve the treatment of anxiety and depression in primary care. Dr. Sawchuk and his colleagues are developing and evaluating mental health care delivery models that can help manage the growing need for effective behavioral and pharmacologic treatments in the primary care setting.

Can't get enough?

• Purchase HOPE THIS FINDS YOU WELL.
  • From Bookshop.org.
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Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected].
• Connect with others talking about the podcast in the Read. Talk. Grow. group on Mayo Clinic Connect, an online community moderated by Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Connect is free, trusted, moderated, welcoming, safe and easy-to-use.

The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

In honor of breast cancer awareness month, listen to one of our favorite episodes! 

 A rom-com that thoughtfully addresses death, grief and breast cancer risk? We’re in! Alison, the protagonist in the romance novel “Four Weekends and a Funeral,” is pretending that she was still dating her ex-boyfriend at the time of his death. (It’s complicated.) On top of that, she’s recently undergone a double mastectomy after finding out she a gene variant that puts her at high risk for breast cancer. Author Ellie Palmer, who has the same variant, and Mayo Clinic expert Dr. Jessica Fraker join us to talk about navigating breast cancer risk and life post-mastectomy. 

This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens.

We talked with:

• Ellie Palmer is the author of “Four Weekends and a Funeral,” a carrier of the BRCA1 mutation, and a prototypical Midwesterner who routinely apologizes to inanimate objects when she bumps into them. When she’s not writing romantic comedies featuring delightfully messy characters, Ellie’s at home in Minnesota, eating breakfast food, watching too much reality television, and triple texting her husband about their son.
• Jessica Fraker, M.D., is a board-certified Internal Medicine physician with a clinical focus on breast medicine at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. Dr. Fraker's clinical practice is focused on the care and evaluation of patients with breast concerns, including but not limited to breast pain, masses, and skin changes, nipple changes, nipple discharge and abnormal imaging. She also sees patients with elevated risk for developing breast cancer and guides decisions regarding screening imaging for early detection, as well as strategies to reduce risk of breast cancer.

Can't get enough?

• Purchase “Four Weekends and a Funeral.”
  • From Bookshop.org.
  • From Amazon.
  • From Barnes & Noble.
• Purchase the Mayo Clinic book “Beyond Breast Cancer,” a supportive, practical guide to navigating life after breast cancer diagnosis and initial treatment.

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected].
• We invite you to complete the following survey as part of a research study at Mayo Clinic. Your responses are anonymous. Your participation in this survey as well as its completion are voluntary.
• Connect with others talking about the podcast in the Read. Talk. Grow. group on Mayo Clinic Connect, an online community moderated by Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Connect is free, trusted, moderated, welcoming, safe and easy-to-use.

The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.