In this episode, Dr. Martha Havenith—neuroscientist, Oxford graduate, and one of the world’s leading researchers on Conscious Connected Breathwork—joins Joseph and Richard for a deep exploration of what breathwork actually does to the brain and body. They unpack the science, the lived experience, and the ethics of a rapidly growing field, providing an essential conversation for anyone who wants a grounded, evidence-based understanding of breath-induced transformation.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Why Martha is leading the most important research on Conscious Connected Breathwork
• What her first major study revealed about breath-induced altered states
• The bridge between neuroscience and transformative breathwork experiences
• How laboratory insights connect to real-world breathwork sessions
• Why breathwork lacks regulation — and why that’s dangerous
• The rise of “unfalsifiable explanations” in wellness (e.g., “You were meant to have that psychotic episode”)
• Why blaming clients for negative experiences is unethical and unscientific
• The difference between spiritual framing and scientific accountability
• What researchers are finding about breathwork safety, trauma, and emotional activation
• Why breathwork is not just hyperventilation
• What actually happens in the brain during conscious connected breathing
• The future of breathwork studies: what Martha is working on next
• Why the field desperately needs more evidence-driven voices
• Joseph’s and Richard’s reflections on modern breathwork culture and responsibility

• Why she’s leading the most important research on Conscious Connected Breathwork
• What her first major study revealed about breath-induced altered states
• The bridge between neuroscience and transformative breathwork experiences
• How laboratory insights connect to real-world breathwork sessions
• Why breathwork lacks regulation — and why that’s dangerous
• The rise of “unfalsifiable explanations” in wellness (e.g., “You were meant to have that psychotic episode”)
• Why blaming clients for negative experiences is unethical and unscientific
• The difference between spiritual framing and scientific accountability
• What researchers are finding about breathwork safety, trauma, and emotional activation
• Why breathwork is not just hyperventilation
• What actually happens in the brain during conscious connected breathing
• The future of breathwork studies: what Martha is working on next
• Why the field desperately needs more evidence-driven voices
• Joseph’s and Richard’s reflections on modern breathwork culture and responsibility

Dr. Martha Havenith is a neuroscientist and breathwork researcher with an academic background spanning Oxford University, University College London, and the Max Planck Institute. She is one of the leading scientific voices studying Conscious Connected Breathwork, conducting some of the most rigorous and insightful research the field has ever seen. Her work blends neuroscience, physiology, and real-world breathwork experience to bring clarity, nuance, and grounded science to a rapidly expanding — and often misunderstood — domain.

• The Breathwork Handbook: Understanding, Practicing and Facilitating Breathwork 
• Martha's Instagram
• Martha's Research Studies & Published Papers

Interested in breathwork? Check out The RUNGA 90-

Support the show

Joseph and Dr. Richard Blake sit down with Pulsetto founder Povilas Sabaliauskas to explore how non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) can reduce stress, improve sleep quality, and lift HRV—without adding more to your to-do list. They dig into the science, the origin story (including plane-crash supply chain chaos), real-world use cases, and simple stacking protocols you can use tonight.

• Capacity > Boundaries: Many “boundary” problems are actually capacity problems; train the nervous system and fewer things spill your bucket.
• Vagus Nerve = Mind–Body Highway: Toggling between sympathetic “go” and parasympathetic “slow” is trainable; VNS is one fast switch.
• Pulsetto in practice: 4 minutes AM for stress, 10 minutes pre-bed for sleep; feels like a gentle tingling/vibration on the neck.
• Stacking works: Pair VNS with breathwork, red light, a walk, or post-gym wind-down to accelerate the shift out of “gym mode” into “sleep mode.”
• Sleep quality > sleep quantity: Users often see shorter sleep latency, more REM/deep, and less restlessness—even when total time doesn’t change.
• Cortisol, HRV, & momentum: Lower stress hormones can unlock consistency in diet, training, and sleep—creating a positive compounding loop.
• Athlete angle: Use VNS to avoid pre-competition overhype and to downshift quickly after evening training so Day-2 performance doesn’t crater.

• Shop Pulsetto
• The RUNGA 90-Day Intensive

Support the show

In this episode, Joseph and Richard sit down with Vinny Crispino, founder of Pain Academy, who went from an eight-time All-American swimmer to a young man told he might need a wheelchair after a surfing accident shattered his back. Instead of giving up, Vinny turned his recovery into a lifelong mission: helping others break free from pain by addressing both body and mind.

The conversation explores the limits of traditional rehab, the surprising ways pain can serve as an unconscious ally, and how breathwork, somatic awareness, and nervous system retraining create lasting change. If you’ve ever struggled with chronic pain, mobility issues, or the stories your body carries, this episode offers profound insights — and practical steps forward.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Pain is not just physical — it’s also emotional, neurological, and relational.
• Chronic pain often rewires the brain to process pain differently than acute injuries.
• Our “story” about pain can amplify its intensity and keep us stuck.
• Mobility blocks are often about nervous system safety, not muscle length.
• Healing requires both physiological retraining and emotional regulation.
• Extinction bursts — painful flare-ups — can be powerful opportunities for growth.
• Meeting pain with compassion, curiosity, and play can radically change outcomes.

LINKS & RESOURCES

Products and Tools Mentioned:

• Pain Academy programs – https://painacademy.net
• Conscious Connected Breathwork (Joseph & Richard’s framework)

Further Reading:

• Research on chronic pain neuroplasticity (fMRI studies)
• John Marchese, Neurological doctor (referenced in episode)
• Previous RUNGA Radio episodes about pain:
  • The Cure for Chronic Pain and Fatigue with Dr Perry Nickelson 
  • Everything You Need to Know About Shoulder Pain with Eric Cressey
  • Dr. Stuart McGill - Lower Back Pain & The New Science of the Golf Swing
  • Dr. Stu McGill - Everything You Need to Know About Low Back Pain

Support the show

What if your most painful memory never happened the way you think it did?

In this deeply thought-provoking episode, Joseph and Richard sit down with renowned psychological researcher Dr. Lawrence Patihis to explore the surprisingly malleable nature of human memory. From emotionally charged estrangement stories to suppressed childhood trauma and courtroom testimony, this conversation unpacks the fine line between memory, emotion, and truth.

Dr. Patihis—best known for his work on repressed memories, memory distortion, and the fallibility of eyewitness accounts—brings hard science to a topic often dominated by subjective narrative. What emerges is a timely reminder: not all memories are accurate, and not all healing requires reliving the past.

This episode is essential listening for therapists, coaches, healers, or anyone navigating complicated personal or familial dynamics.

Key Themes:

• Why “trusting your memory” may not always lead to truth
• The rise of estrangement culture—and the role distorted memory may play
• What Dr. Patihis discovered when he studied false memories in therapy clients
• How suggestive practices can unintentionally implant memories of abuse
• The risks of “emotional truth” replacing objective memory
• What coaches and therapists must understand about memory reliability

Key Takeaways:

• Memory is reconstructive, not reproductive—meaning we assemble memories in the moment, often influenced by emotions and beliefs.
• Emotionally charged therapy settings can increase the risk of suggestibility, especially when clients are encouraged to “uncover” forgotten trauma.
• False memories can feel just as real—and just as painful—as true ones. Emotional intensity does not equal accuracy.
• Estrangement narratives are often built on distorted recollections; some reconciliations occur when people question the truth of their own memory.
• Patihis’ research shows a surprising number of people recall impossible events (like meeting Bugs Bunny at Disneyland) when primed—illustrating how malleable our memories are.
• Therapists and coaches should be cautious about leading questions, regression techniques, or suggestive practices that could implant false memories.
• The concept of “emotional truth” has risen in popularity, but conflating it with factual accuracy can harm relationships and legal processes.
• Not every painful emotion requires excavating the past—sometimes healing begins with present-moment awareness and relational repair.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 – Intro to Dr. Lawrence Patihis and why memory distortion matters
04:20 – The difference between remembering and reconstructing
08:00 – Famous false memory studies and the Bugs Bunny experiment
11:30 – Therapy-induced false memories: how they happen and why they matter
15:00 – When “emotional truth” overrides factual accuracy
20:15 – Estrangement, healing, and questioning our narratives
25:00 – What practitioners need to know about memory reliability
30:00 – Suppression vs. distortion: what actually happens in trauma recall?
34:40 – Memory wars in psychology and lessons for coaches today
38:00 – Strategies for healthy memory inquiry in therapeutic settings
42:15 – How to remain open-hearted while not blindly believing every memory
45:00 – Final thoughts: integrity, inquiry, and emotional responsibility

NOTES:

On memory construction: Memory is not a video recording—it’s an active process shaped by emotions, beliefs, and context. This is why two people can “remember” the same event in radically different ways.

On suggestibility: Clients in a vulnerable emotional state may adopt

Support the show

What if the real greatest danger isn’t unhealed trauma, but therapy itself? In this urgent conversation, naturopathic doctor and licensed psychotherapist Dr. Katelyn Kalstein joins Richard and Joseph to dissect what’s going wrong in the modern therapy landscape—from the underqualified grads entering the field, to the systemic failure to account for biology, chronic illness, and even basic supervision. We dig into the dark underbelly of therapy culture, where trauma trends, TikTok self-diagnosis, and spiritual bypassing replace rigor, mentorship, and real outcomes. 

 Key Takeaways:

• Most psychotherapists in the U.S. get less than two years of training before treating patients. That training rarely includes biology, functional medicine, or even robust supervision.
  
  
• Up to 10% of clients get worse in therapy—yet even seasoned therapists fail to predict who will deteriorate. Supervision systems don’t adequately address blind spots.
  
  
• Ketamine therapy works—briefly. 70% may see results, but 50% relapse within weeks unless there’s deep integration and behavioral change.
  
  
• Not everyone wants to heal. Secondary gain (attention, identity, belonging) can unconsciously block people from getting better.
  
  
• Mental health is a cultural construct. In some cultures, anxiety doesn’t exist—what we label as disorders may simply be states we’ve misinterpreted.
  
  
• Real therapy doesn’t impose, it supports the client’s goals, timing, and readiness. 

Support the show

What if everything you’ve been taught about water was wrong? In this paradigm-shifting episode, Dr. Gerald Pollack—the groundbreaking scientist behind “The Fourth Phase of Water”—takes us on a journey into the electric mysteries of water. This is not just another conversation about hydration—this is a challenge to mainstream biology, physics, and medicine.

We explore how sunlight and grounding charge the water inside your cells, why structured water may be key to vitality and disease prevention, and why your muscles and brain may not work properly without it. From Nobel feuds to suppressed cancer treatments, Dr. Pollack’s story is both radical and rigorously evidence-based.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:03:30 – Challenging Sir Andrew Huxley’s Nobel-winning theory of muscle contraction

00:12:48 – The myth of water as just a “background” molecule

00:17:45 – Why drinking water may directly increase energy

00:22:30 – Discovering structured water inside our cells

00:30:23 – The shift from structured to unstructured water during muscle contraction

00:36:35 – Exclusion Zone (EZ) Water acts as a battery

00:38:15 – Infrared light grows EZ Water—just like plants

00:44:00 – Saunas, red light therapy, and building cellular energy

00:50:20 – Is vortexed or “spun” water really structured?

00:53:00 – Grounding, negative charge, and water’s role in inflammation

01:00:10 – Nature as the ultimate biohack: grounding + sun exposure

01:07:30 – Can water really have memory? (The Jacques Benveniste controversy)

01:16:05 – Masaru Emoto, structured crystals & the power of intention

01:18:00 – Luc Montagnier’s Nobel research on DNA memory in water

01:23:30 – Spontaneous cancer remission, structured water & emotional healing

01:28:05 – Spring water, deuterium depletion, and the “best” water to drink

01:32:50 – Positive charge, radiation, and EZ-depleting forces

01:35:40 – Could negative charge reverse cancer? The Nordenström experiments

01:39:50 – Scientific stagnation: why revolutions get suppressed

01:46:00 – Teaser: Pollack’s upcoming book Charged

Support the show

Comedian and creator Brent Pella (@brentpella) joins Richard and Joseph for a hilarious, unfiltered, and thoughtful conversation about satire, spiritual charlatans, and the surprising power of breathwork. Brent offers a rare blend of humor and heart while opening up about his creative process, psychedelic journeys, and why he believes we can store joy in our cells just like trauma.

Topics

– Satire, censorship & comedy’s role in an outraged world

– From ketamine to ayahuasca: Brent’s psychedelic path

– Conscious Connected Breathwork vs. plant medicine

– The charlatan problem in the healing space

– The neuroscience of joy, trauma, and creativity

– Biohacking water, BPA receipts, and microplastics

– Brent’s secret Bernie Sanders impression

Timestamps

00:02:45 – Learning to suck at something again: Brent on picking up piano and why challenge equals joy

00:05:52 – Storing joy in your cells: Can our bodies hold more than just trauma?

00:12:15 – SNL, Daily Show, and political bias in comedy

00:19:30 – Satirizing the psychedelic scene: Manipulation, ego, and false prophets

00:25:10 – Psychedelics & creativity: Brent’s journey from microdosing to macro insights

00:33:01 – Why Brent won’t do ayahuasca (yet)

00:39:45 – The wine glass metaphor for trauma healing

00:45:00 – Punching down vs. satire with integrity

00:52:20 – Leah Thomas joke: Finding the line without crossing it

00:55:42 – Pella or Propaganda: Brent plays the parody vs. real news game

01:03:00 – Deep breathwork & energy surges: Brent’s experience with CCB

01:09:30 – From Venice Beach smog to Austin skies: Nervous system reset

01:14:58 – Water hacks, raw milk mafias & BPA paranoia

01:21:45 – Receipts, Lululemon, and slow-drip toxicity

01:26:30 – Mercury in retrograde & the astrology placebo

01:32:20 – The burden of manifesting everything vs. surrendering to chaos

01:35:10 – Brent on legacy: Why joy matters more than justice

STAY CONNECTED

Brent’s Instagram

Brent’s Website & Tour Dates

Liability Note

Psychedelics discussed in this episode are illegal in many jurisdictions and are not suitable for everyone. Conscious Connected Breathwork can induce intense physiological and emotional responses and may be contraindicated for those with epilepsy, cardiovascular issues, or during pregnancy. Always consult a healthcare provider before participating in altered state practices.

Support the show

In this eye-opening episode, Joseph and Richard sit down with Dr. Jason Sonners—functional medicine expert and hyperbaric innovator—to explore the cutting edge of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), biological aging, and the future of integrative health. Fresh off completing his PhD in molecular biology, Jason shares the results of a groundbreaking study comparing soft and hard hyperbaric chambers, uncovering surprising findings that could reshape the industry.

From cytokine signaling to mitochondrial function, Jason breaks down his clinical experience, personal practices, and research-backed insights on optimizing recovery, cognition, and biological age. This conversation is essential listening for anyone interested in evidence-based biohacking, functional medicine, and using oxygen as medicine.

Key themes:

• Surprising benefits of soft-shell vs. hard-shell hyperbaric chambers
• How hyperbaric therapy impacts aging, inflammation, and cognitive function
• When more pressure is not better—and how hormesis plays a role
• The synergistic effects of HBOT with fasting, nitric oxide, methylene blue, and more
• What physicians are missing about post-surgical recovery and non-drug therapies

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Jason’s research shows both soft (1.3 ATA) and hard (2.0 ATA) chambers reduce systemic inflammation, but affect different cytokines—proving both have distinct therapeutic uses.
• Lower pressure chambers impacted cytokines like TNF-α and IL-6 more strongly—key for autoimmune and chronic inflammatory issues.
• High pressure chambers had stronger effects on markers like myeloperoxidase—making them more useful for cardiovascular inflammation and long COVID.
• Cognitive improvements were statistically significant for memory in both groups, with higher pressure showing stronger effects.
• Both pressure types reversed biological age, but in different ways: low pressure affected Gen 1 clocks early, while high pressure impacted Gen 2 clocks after a delay.
• Stacking HBOT with fasting, nitric oxide boosters, and methylene blue may enhance results—but combining with antioxidants like glutathione too early could blunt benefits.
• Biohackers often overdo hormetic stress; more isn’t always better. Stacking intelligently (and seasonally) is key.
• Jason encourages practitioners to move away from dogma and explore physiology-based decision making—matching tools to pathways, not diagnoses.
• Clinical logic matters: HBOT has decades of research on wound healing, so why isn’t it used for surgical recovery?
• Methylene blue is safe and effective for many, but not necessary for everyone. Use should be based on goals, tolerance, and context—not trendiness.

Support the show

In this eye-opening episode, Joseph and Richard sit down with Dr. Jason Sonners—functional medicine expert and hyperbaric innovator—to explore the cutting edge of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), biological aging, and the future of integrative health. Fresh off completing his PhD in molecular biology, Jason shares the results of a groundbreaking study comparing soft and hard hyperbaric chambers, uncovering surprising findings that could reshape the industry.

From cytokine signaling to mitochondrial function, Jason breaks down his clinical experience, personal practices, and research-backed insights on optimizing recovery, cognition, and biological age. This conversation is essential listening for anyone interested in evidence-based biohacking, functional medicine, and using oxygen as medicine. They cover:

• Surprising benefits of soft-shell vs. hard-shell hyperbaric chambers
• How hyperbaric therapy impacts aging, inflammation, and cognitive function
• When more pressure is not better—and how hormesis plays a role
• The synergistic effects of HBOT with fasting, nitric oxide, methylene blue, and more
• What physicians are missing about post-surgical recovery and non-drug therapies

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Jason’s research shows both soft (1.3 ATA) and hard (2.0 ATA) chambers reduce systemic inflammation, but affect different cytokines—proving both have distinct therapeutic uses.
• Lower pressure chambers impacted cytokines like TNF-α and IL-6 more strongly—key for autoimmune and chronic inflammatory issues.
• High pressure chambers had stronger effects on markers like myeloperoxidase—making them more useful for cardiovascular inflammation and long COVID.
• Cognitive improvements were statistically significant for memory in both groups, with higher pressure showing stronger effects.
• Both pressure types reversed biological age, but in different ways: low pressure affected Gen 1 clocks early, while high pressure impacted Gen 2 clocks after a delay.
• Stacking HBOT with fasting, nitric oxide boosters, and methylene blue may enhance results—but combining with antioxidants like glutathione too early could blunt benefits.
• Biohackers often overdo hormetic stress; more isn’t always better. Stacking intelligently (and seasonally) is key.
• Jason encourages practitioners to move away from dogma and explore physiology-based decision making—matching tools to pathways, not diagnoses.
• Clinical logic matters: HBOT has decades of research on wound healing, so why isn’t it used for surgical recovery?
• Methylene blue is safe and effective for many, but not necessary for everyone. Use should be based on goals, tolerance, and context—not trendiness.

Support the show

In this deeply personal and thought-provoking episode of RUNGA Radio, Joseph Anew and Dr. Richard Blake explore the ancient ritual of Misogi—a deliberate undertaking of hardship to meet your truest self. Joseph shares his raw, emotional journey through a 52.4-mile ultra-endurance race he signed up for just 26 days before, using it as a gateway to spiritual and psychological growth. Richard reflects on his own experiences with failure, masculinity, and naked vulnerability (literally) at a Tantra retreat. Together, they challenge our collective obsession with comfort and performance, offering listeners a new framework for transformation.

• Why failure is the most underrated tool for transformation
• The ancient roots of Misogi and its modern relevance
• Joseph’s physical and emotional unraveling during a 52.4-mile race
• How suffering reveals hidden parts of the psyche—“the cast of characters”
• Peptides, breathwork, and recovery tools for extreme endurance

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Failure isn’t a detour—it’s the path. Modern comfort has robbed us of our psychological resilience.
• Misogi is an ancient Japanese ritual of purification through hardship. The modern interpretation is choosing something with a 50% chance of failure to meet yourself more deeply.
• Joseph completed 40 out of 52.4 miles in an ultra-race, confronting pain, rage, shame, and even the “cheater” within him along the way.
• True self-awareness often requires stepping into discomfort where the “cast of characters” within you emerge—victim, critic, avoider, cheater, etc.
• Peptides like BPC-157 and TB-500, along with BioRegenics Cream, can play a remarkable role in recovery when the body is deeply stressed.
• Time is a false god—Joseph explains how we use it as an excuse to avoid the work we need to do.
• Suffering is unavoidable; the choice is whether you confront it on your terms or let life impose it upon you.
• Physical hardship creates transformation faster than therapy in many cases because of its intensity and immediacy.
• Misogis should be challenging but not reckless. The right threshold is something with a high risk of failure—but not guaranteed collapse.
• Richard shares how leaving a Tantra retreat due to discomfort and returning years later transformed his relationship to shame, intimacy, and the body.

Support the show