The Dr. Greg Wells Podcast

By Dr. Greg WellsScience Medicine Health & Fitness Education Self-Improvement Life Sciences

The Dr. Greg Wells Podcast episodes

January 31, 2023 Bonus Episode: How to be more creative, innovative and solve problems better.
A few thoughts from the Titan Summit stage on "How to be more creative, innovative and to solve problems".
I share ideas on Theta brainwave states that led to a chapter in my Rest Refocus Recharge book.
I hope this is helpful and let me know how you drop into Theta states when you want to ideate and innovate!
12 min
January 31, 2023 #48 - The Space Between: Mark Henick on Rewriting the Mental Health Script
People get stuck in reactive loops—shame, fear, and rigid stories—when stress hits. Mark shows how to expand the gap between stimulus and response, transforming stigma and “awareness only” into practical skills that sustain mental health at work and at home.
In today’s conversation Mark Henick explores why resilience isn’t “never falling” but learning to fail well—and how that mindset carried him from adolescent depression and suicidality to rebuilding a purpose-driven life. He and Dr. Wells unpack radical acceptance, the discipline of creating space before you respond, and the role of contact-based education in reducing stigma. Mark shares concrete practices that helped him navigate job loss, grief, and parenting under pressure. The result is an honest playbook for mental fitness that’s equal parts compassion and execution.
You will learn how to spot default reactions and train a deliberate pause that leads to better choices. You will learn why pain and suffering aren’t the same thing, and how acceptance reduces friction. You will learn simple reps—journaling, emotion-labeling, perspective shifts—that turn adversity into agency. You will also learn how to “balance the equation”: process difficult emotions and intentionally amplify joy to rewire memory and mood.
You will discover that resilience is repeatable: consistent micro-practices expand your response-ability, even in chaos. You will discover how curiosity (“what now?”) reframes setbacks into skill-building moments.
Feeling hijacked by worry loops or old narratives. Mark offers tools to notice the story, accept the moment, and choose the next useful action—especially when life doesn’t go to plan.
38 min
January 24, 2023 189. Chris Bailey on Hyperfocus: How to Be More Productive in a World of Distraction
This week we get to chat with author Chris Bailey about his new book Hyperfocus: How to Be More Productive in a World of Distraction.
Hyperfocus: How to be More Productive in a World of Distraction, provides a fresh angle on how to do more with less. It serves as a practical guide to managing your attention – the most powerful resource you have to get stuff done, become more creative, and live a meaningful life.
Our attention has never been as overwhelmed as it is today. Many of us recognize that our brains struggle to multitask. Despite this, we feel compelled to do so anyway while we fill each moment of our lives to the brim with mindless distraction. Hyperfocus provides profound insights into how you can best take charge of your attention to achieve a greater sense of purpose and productivity throughout the day.
I know you'll love this episode!
Enjoy!
27 min
January 24, 2023 #47 - The Full Spirit Workout: Kate Eckman on Confidence, Presence & Letting Go
Closing the gap between external achievement and inner stability—teaching high achievers how to build trainable confidence, presence, and resilience so performance isn’t hostage to fear, perfectionism, or other people’s opinions.
In today’s conversation Kate Eckman explores how to develop “inner fitness” with the same intention we bring to physical training. She shares her swimmer-to-broadcaster-to-coach journey, how early beliefs fueled achievement yet amplified anxiety, and why true confidence means trust—in your preparation, process, and timing. Kate unpacks her “Five Ps of Confidence” (presence, patience, purpose, preparation, practice) with two bonuses (pause, person), then describes “surrendering the outcome” so you can be all-in without gripping. The episode lands on practical rituals—journaling, stillness, breath, and values-driven action—that make composure repeatable.
You will learn a repeatable framework for confidence (the Five Ps), how to engineer presence (be where your feet are and bring your energy), and how a short pause protocol prevents reactive emails and bad decisions. You will learn why trust—not theatrics—sits at the core of confidence, and how “surrender the outcome” actually improves execution. You will also learn simple inner-fitness reps (sit-and-stare time, emotion labeling, journaling prompts) that lower anxiety and align action with your values.
You will discover that the gap between stimulus and response is trainable—and that letting go of rigid timelines often unlocks faster results.
Feeling stuck in self-doubt, over-attachment to outcomes, or performative perfectionism; Kate offers a playbook to trust, loosen the grip, and show up fully.
42 min
January 17, 2023 188. Masterclass on Peak Performance Part 2
Welcome back!
This week I'm thrilled to share 3 more interviews that I have done with some of the highest performing individuals on the planet. Last week's episode was one of our most popular ever so we're continuing the discussion! Here we talk to Mental Health and Performance coach Dr. Alex Auerbach, Dr. Ivan Joseph and Navy Seal Stephen Drum.
I wanted to share these conversations with you so that you can use the tools, tactics and strategies that these world-class performers have used with such great success.
Enjoy!
1 hr 26 min
January 17, 2023 #46 - Mindful by Design: Training Attention, Flexibility & Kindness with Dr. Elli Weisbaum
How to reduce anxiety, burnout, and rigid, reactive thinking by shifting from the brain’s default chatter to trainable, moment-to-moment awareness—and then making that awareness useful in real life (clinics, classrooms, meetings, and at home).
In today’s conversation Elli Weisbaum explores how mindfulness builds cognitive flexibility and steadies the nervous system under everyday stress. She traces her path—from attending her first retreat with Thich Nhat Hanh at age ten to researching physician wellbeing—while unpacking the neuroscience of attention and the default mode network (the mind-wander system). You’ll hear practical ways to weave mindfulness into ordinary moments (email, commuting, brushing your teeth), plus how “awareness of awareness” upgrades focus, values clarity, and relationships. Together we connect these skills to leadership, healthcare, and family life with simple, repeatable practices.
You will learn what mindfulness is (paying attention to what’s happening inside and around you, with kindness and curiosity) and why it measurably changes brain function and behavior over time. You will learn how to notice the default mode network and gently return attention—without self-criticism—building mental “reps” like strength training. You will learn engaged mindfulness tactics: micro-practices during daily tasks, start/finish rituals for work, and emotion-labeling to create space between stimulus and response. You will also learn how these tools support physician wellbeing, psychological safety, and performance in high-pressure environments.
You will discover that calm and clarity are trainable states: short, consistent reps of attention + kindness outcompete willpower. You will discover how “awareness of awareness” turns ordinary moments into recovery and focus boosters.
Feeling hijacked by worry loops, email alerts, and shifting plans. Elli offers a prevention-first playbook—brief practices that restore agency and make composure your default, even on hard days.
37 min
January 10, 2023 188. Masterclass on Peak Performance Part 1
Welcome back!
This week I'm thrilled to share interviews that I have done with some of the highest performing individuals on the planet. My guests are Olympic coach Ben Titley, Olympic Mental Skills trainer Jean-Francois Menard and Adventurer Ray Zahab.
I wanted to share these conversations with you so that you can use the tools, tactics and strategies that these world-class performers have used with such great success.
Enjoy!
2 hr
January 10, 2023 #45 - Beyond the Chatter: Nondual Awareness for Real-World Resilience with Dr. Braticevic
Most people fight anxiety, burnout, and polarized “us vs. them” thinking with surface fixes. Dr. Braticevic is tackling the root problem: over-identification with the mind’s default narrative and a fragmented view of health. She shows how a prevention-oriented, nondual approach—treating mind as embodied, emergent, and relational—builds sustainable mental health and better collaboration.
In today’s conversation Milena Braticevic explores how her path from tech entrepreneur through clinical depression to a PhD in Integral Health reshaped her understanding of the mind. She explains the default mode network—the inner story machine—and why training attention, journaling, and emotion regulation interrupt rumination. She lays out nondual awareness as a practical paradigm shift: experiencing reality more directly, strengthening belonging, and working with nature rather than against it. Together you connect these ideas to heart-rate variability, growth mindset under uncertainty, and daily rituals that restore energy and clarity.
You will learn why the mind is embodied, emergent, and relational—and how that changes your approach to sleep, movement, nutrition, and relationships. You will learn simple ways to spot when the default mode network is driving anxiety and how to pivot into focused presence. You will learn how journaling surfaces unconscious patterns, how visualization reshapes automatic responses, and why positive emotions (gratitude, hope, joy) compound performance and connection. You will also learn how nondual awareness reframes “How does this affect me?” into “How do I relate and collaborate?”—a shift that supports psychological safety at work.
You will discover that calm, clarity, and creativity aren’t traits—you can train them by toggling between effort and deliberate relaxation, measured physiologically through heart-rate variability. You will discover that practicing nondual awareness reduces worry loops and widens your field of options in moments of stress.
Feeling trapped in worry, isolation, or burnout—especially during uncertainty. Dr. Braticevic offers a prevention-first playbook to renew energy daily, relate more skillfully, and work from an authentic, non-reactive state.
42 min
January 03, 2023 187. Masterclass on Mindfulness
Welcome back!
This week I'm thrilled to share interviews that I have done with world-class experts on mindfulness. This week we talk to Dr. Milena Braticevic, Elli Weisbaum and Dr. Ellen Choi.
Mindfulness has been such a powerful tool for wellbeing that I wanted to share these insights with you in the hopes that you can think clearly and improve your mental health and ability to perform under pressure.
Enjoy!
1 hr 28 min
January 03, 2023 #44 - The Observer Effect: Mastering Thoughts, Emotions & Performance with Todd Stottlemyre
How to break the loop of reactive thinking—replacing guilt, fear, and limiting self-talk with a trainable mindset so you can perform under pressure in sport, business, and life.
In today’s conversation Todd Stottlemyre explores what it really takes to win—first in your head, then on the field and in life. He shares formative lessons from growing up around the Yankees, the identity-shaking lows of being sent to the minors, and the all-in decision that saved his MLB career. Todd opens up about the loss of his younger brother, the burden of self-blame, and the breakthrough that came from learning to observe thoughts and emotions rather than react to them. We connect those practices to everyday performance—journaling, movement, and presence—so listeners leave with a clear playbook to change their inner game.
You will learn how elite environments expand belief and capacity, and why failure is a non-negotiable part of getting great. You will learn Todd’s “observer” method—document thoughts, name emotions, delay reaction—and how a 7-day journaling challenge builds awareness fast. You will learn practical strategies to convert adversity into agency (forgiveness, reframing, accountability partners) and why presence—being all in where you are—is the only real “balance.”
You will discover that the gap between stimulus and response is trainable—and mastering that gap is the unlock for consistent performance. You will discover how letting go of old narratives creates the psychological space to go “all in” on the next chapter.
Feeling stuck in repeat reactions—anger, doubt, self-criticism—that sabotage goals. Todd’s tools show you how to observe, reframe, and choose a response aligned with who you want to become.
52 min