The RYM Podcast

In this final episode of the season, the hosts and guests pull back the curtain on the making of The Dopamine Delusion. They discuss the season’s highlights—including wisdom from Anna Lembke, Arcadian Wild’s theme song, the launch of RYM’s Substack, and the creative editing process.

Join the conversation about how dopamine shapes our lives, as well as the simple, actionable steps families and leaders can use to model healthier digital habits.

Daniel Darling and Kurt Cooper join host John Perritt to unpack how legalized sports betting and addictive apps exploit dopamine, target young men, and threaten families and communities. They discuss the predatory tactics of the industry, the role of technology, pastoral concerns, and practical steps for parents and churches to warn and help those at risk.

Therapist and author Jay Stringer explains that sexuality is a beautiful, God-given gift and that unwanted sexual behaviors—pornography, affairs, fantasy—can be navigated in a path toward healing rather than a life sentence.

Combining original research and the science of dopamine, he shows how childhood wounds, family patterns, and digital dopamine loops shape desire, and offers practical guidance for parents and leaders to form healthy sexual desire through proactive and responsive conversations.

This episode examines how modern marketing taps into our deepest spiritual longings—the "God-shaped vacuum"—and uses dopamine-driven techniques to influence behavior, especially among children and teens.

Guest Walt Mueller unpacks persuasion strategies and individualized targeting via social media and AI, showing how ads sell worldviews as much as products.

Practical takeaways include nurturing a biblical identity for kids and recognizing marketing's tactics to help families think critically about media and consumerism.

In this episode, Dr. Paul Loosemore explores how dopamine shapes kids' behavior, why it drives habit and craving, and how attachment and relationships matter more than quick fixes. The conversation offers practical, faith-informed guidance for parents: how to notice coping patterns, prioritize connection, set intentional tech boundaries, and invite community support.

Listeners will hear theological framing, counseling wisdom, and simple steps—like creating tech-free rhythms, modeling honest conversations, and responding with curiosity and love when kids struggle—so families can move from reactive panic to patient, hopeful care.

Host John Perritt and co-host Linda Oliver interview Dr. Anna Lembke, author of the book Dopamine Nation, about how dopamine shapes desire, addiction, and motivation in today’s tech-saturated world. Dr. Lembke explains how overstimulation from social media, food, and games can blunt dopamine signaling, creating a chronic reward deficit that drives compulsive behavior.

They discuss why teenagers are especially vulnerable, imparting the value of dopamine breaks and boredom for resetting reward pathways, as well as practical steps for individuals and society to reduce digital harms. 

In this episode, we speak with youth minister Thomas Fitch about how dopamine shapes desire, why accomplishments and pleasures can still leave us empty, and how Scripture (particularly Ecclesiastes) intersects with neuroscience.

The episode acts as an introduction to the topic of dopamine, giving practical steps for students, parents, and leaders—boundaries with technology, intentional fasting and rhythms, and relational practices to reorient desires toward God and others. 

This is the trailer episode of The RYM Podcast's brand new season of "The Dopamine Delusion: Parents, Teens, and the Pursuit of Peace." This trailer begins with a clip from Netflix's Secret Mall Apartment, recounting how local artists secretly built and lived in a hidden cinderblock-walled apartment beneath Providence Place Mall for four years, leading viewers to ask the question, "why?"

One potential answer to this question and many others is the elusive topic of dopamine and the effects it has on our day to day actions and desires. The RYM Podcast will spend several episodes this season in a brand new video format discussing dopamine from a Christian perspective, featuring experts like Anna Lemke and discussions on sexuality, consumerism, and sports betting to help parents and youth leaders understand and guide the next generation.

Join us as we revisit the iconic 2007 Macworld keynote by Steve Jobs where he unveiled the revolutionary iPhone, merging music, mobile phones, and internet communication into a single device. Discover how this launch shaped the future of technology and communication.

Dive into a critical discussion on digital Christianity and the challenges faced by today's youth amidst the growing influence of technology and social media. We'll also explore conversations in the media from actors and creators like Stephen Graham and David Harbour, as they reflect on societal pressures, the responsibility of nurturing young talents, and the role of community in addressing the challenges brought by social media and digital fame.

Technology in our modern age is a difficult road to navigate, especially with youth. Our last episode of the series reminds us that there is really only one answer--the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

In this episode of the RYM Podcast, host John Perritt touches on the pervasive issue of digital addiction and its impact on our lives. With insights from Bill Smith, pastor and author of "A Student's Guide to Rest," and A.J. Swoboda, professor and author of "Subversive Sabbath," the discussion reveals the challenges of balancing technology with true rest.

Exploring themes of productivity and busyness in today's fast-paced world, our guests emphasize the need for a digital Sabbath—a dedicated time to disconnect from screens and reconnect with the Lord.

Tune in to discover how implementing a digital sabbath into your weekly routine can be a transformative act of discipleship, fostering spiritual formation and health.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh-AcF_4Hao

https://www.crossway.org/books/scrolling-ourselves-to-death-tpb/

https://www.amazon.com/Obsessed-Your-Phone-Disconnecting-Connect/dp/194813036X

https://www.amazon.com/Track-Rest-Students-Guide/dp/1527108449