Unlonely with Dr. Jody Carrington

We feed our families every day. But when was the last time we actually slowed down and ate together?

Between hockey practices, work trips, and whatever the hell we’re supposed to make for dinner, feeding ourselves can become one more thing to get through. And somewhere in all that rushing, we miss the chance to be with each other.

This week, I’m joined by Ayurvedic chef and Food Brilliance founder Ryann Morris to talk about what happens when we make room for connection in the kitchen.

After complications from a routine surgery led to years of health struggles, Ryann found her way to culinary school and a different relationship with food. She shares that journey, her approach to cooking, and the joy she finds growing and sharing food with her community.

We also get into parenting teenagers who think we know absolutely nothing, the pressure to do everything well, and why involving someone in making a meal can matter as much as sitting down to eat it. There’s dancing in the kitchen, a community garden full of characters, and three teenage boys making brownies in my house at three in the morning.

The meal doesn’t have to be perfect. Let someone roll out the dough. Ask about the recipe they grew up with. Put on a song while you do the dishes.

There are so many ordinary moments where we can find each other again.

In this episode:

• How Ryann’s health struggles changed her relationship with food.
• Her Ayurvedic approach to cooking and paying attention to your body.
• Moving beyond “good food” and “bad food.”
• Getting teenagers involved in the kitchen.
• How shared meals carry memories, culture, and family stories.
• Making room for joy and connection in a busy household.
• Ryann’s documentary, Food Is Everything.

Your invitation this week: dance in your kitchen. Let your kids roll their eyes. You might be making a memory they’ll keep.

Links and resources

https://www.foodbrilliance.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkE-eS-iU_U

https://www.drjodycarrington.com/

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If you’ve ever wondered why so many men struggle to say what they feel, this conversation will hit home.

Dr. Jody talks with Samir Mourani about men’s mental health, grief, masculinity, fatherhood, and the trauma that gets carried quietly from one generation to the next. Samir shares the impact of his family’s experience fleeing civil war in Lebanon, his father’s PTSD and anger, losing his dad just before becoming a father himself, and what that has changed in the way he sees men, boys, and emotional connection.

They also unpack loneliness, why vulnerability can’t be manufactured, what Samir has learned through Gent’s Talk, and how honest conversation becomes a lifeline when people are starved for real connection.

You’ll hear practical insight on what boys actually need, why one conversation is never enough, and how we build cultures at home, at school, and at work where men don’t have to carry everything alone.

They also touch on burnout and Samir’s wellness-workspace project, Balance, designed to help people regulate without having to choose between their health and their work.

Follow Samir Here:

@samirmourani

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What if you're not burned out? What if you're heartbroken?

In this deeply personal solo episode, I share the story of climbing onto a mechanical bull at 50 years old (against all better judgment), and the unexpected lesson it taught me about grief, joy, aging, and what it means to be truly bone-tired.

As I work on my upcoming book, The Best in Us, I explore a powerful question: Are we really burned out—or are we carrying heartbreak that we've never made space to acknowledge?

From losing my dad, navigating menopause, and feeling disconnected from joy, to recognizing how grief shows up as exhaustion, cynicism, numbness, and disconnection, this little monologue is a reminder that maybe there's nothing wrong with us.

Maybe we're just carrying too much. Maybe what we need isn't another productivity hack, morning routine, or life optimization strategy. Maybe what we need is connection. A little more grace. A little more time to feel. And a little more permission to be human.

If you've been feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, disconnected, or like you're just trying to keep your head above water, this episode is for you. Take a breath. Give yourself some space. And remember: you don't have to earn rest.

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What if your legacy isn’t something you leave behind…but something you practice every single day?

This conversation with the incomprable Arndrea Waters King stopped me in my tracks.

Because in a world that feels divided, heavy, and overwhelming…the answer isn’t bigger platforms or louder voices. It’s this: 

Leave things just a little better than you found them

Choose connection over division

And remember… you matter more than you think you do

We talked about legacy, loneliness, allyship, and what it really means to lead with love—not the soft kind…

the powerful kind. The kind that says: “I may not fully understand your path, but I see you. And I’m walking with you.”

Because this isn’t about perfection. It’s not about getting it right every time. It’s about showing up. Being curious. And taking responsibility for the kind of world we’re creating together.

And maybe the most important reminder of all: Service isn’t just what we do… it’s who we become.

If the world feels heavy right now, this one’s for you.

Go listen. Sit with it. And then ask yourself: What’s one small way I can make things better today?

Follow Arndrea Here:

https://x.com/ArndreaKing

https://www.instagram.com/arndreaking_official/

https://www.facebook.com/arndreawatersking/

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What if the people who hurt us are also the people who heal us?

In this powerful conversation, Dr. Jody sits down with actor, speaker, community leader, and all-around remarkable human Jesse Lipscombe to talk about empathy, resilience, hope, and what it means to truly see another person.

From growing up in a mixed-faith household to navigating racism, parenting, acting, and life in a rapidly changing world, Jesse shares the lessons that have shaped the way he understands humanity and why he refuses to give up on people.

Together, Jody and Jesse explore:

• Why empathy is one of the bravest things we can practice
• What acting teaches us about human connection
• How relationships can both wound us and heal us
• Why play is essential at every age
• The difference between toxic positivity and genuine hope
• What it means to stay soft in a world that often asks us to harden

This episode is a reminder that people are hard to hate up close. That every person is carrying a story we can't see. And that hope isn't something we find, it's something we choose.

If you've been feeling discouraged by the state of the world lately, this conversation might be exactly what your heart needs.

Follow Jesse Here:

https://www.instagram.com/thelipscombe/

https://ca.linkedin.com/in/lipscombe

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What do you do when you feel unheard…misunderstood…or completely shut down in a conversation that matters?

This episode with Rebecca Zung is a game-changer.

Because the truth is, most of us were never taught how to navigate high-conflict situations. We either shut down… or we explode. And neither works.

In this conversation, we dive into what it actually takes to:

Stay regulated when everything feels intense

Be heard in conversations where you’ve felt invisible

And negotiate from a place of power—not panic

Because here’s the shift:

It’s not about controlling the other person…It’s about learning how to lead yourself first.

And when you do that? Everything changes.

This one is for:

– The people navigating hard relationships

– The ones stuck in conflict at work or at home

– And anyone who’s ever thought, “Why can’t I just say what I mean and be understood?”

You can. You just need a roadmap.

Go listen and take your power back.

Follow Rebecca Here:

https://www.facebook.com/rebeccazung/

https://x.com/rebeccazung

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnhT4fBE1OWOn7c0Quxdf4w

https://www.instagram.com/rebeccazung/

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZSeqgmeWa/

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What if leadership isn’t about having the answers…but about understanding what’s happening underneath the behavior?

In this conversation with the amazing DeDe Halfhill, we go deep into what most leaders miss:

You can’t fix what you can’t see

And what you can’t see is often emotion

Fear. Uncertainty. The question every human is quietly asking: “Do I still matter?”

This episode challenged me in the best way because it’s not about being “soft”…It’s about being effective.

Because when leaders ignore emotion, everything gets harder. But when they learn to name it, hold it, and lead through it…everything changes.

This is the kind of conversation that stays with you.

Listen in if you care about:

– Real leadership (not performative leadership)

– Emotional intelligence that actually drives results

– Leading humans… not just managing outcomes

And maybe the most important reminder of all: We don’t lose our ability to be great, we lose access to it.

Follow DeDe Here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dedehalfhill/

https://www.instagram.com/dedehalfhill/

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This one had me in the feels and on edge.

In this episode of Unlonely, I sit down with Paul Hutchinson (@liberating.humanity), philanthropist, entrepreneur, and executive producer of Sound of Freedom and we dive into some of the hardest, messiest questions a human can ask:

Why do people do terrible things?

Is it possible that even the ones who hurt others are hurting too?

Can trauma and healing actually exist in the same sentence?

Paul has been part of over 70 undercover missions to rescue trafficked children and is now working to understand why this suffering happens in the first place.

We talk trauma, psilocybin, nervous systems, and that slippery slope between justice and healing. We don’t shy away from the hard stuff. Because if we want to change the world, we have to be willing to look at the pain that breaks it.

Maybe the revolution starts with curiosity. Not certainty.

Maybe the monsters weren’t born that way.

And maybe healing is possible, even in the darkest corners.

You might not agree with everything in this episode. That’s okay. But damn, it’ll make you think.

Find Paul Here:

instagram.com/liberating.humanity

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We’re all just trying to hold it together in a world that feels like it’s burning down. Uncertainty. Fear. No end in sight. These are not just buzzwords, they are the ingredients of dysregulation. And they’re stealing the best parts of us.

In this raw, real, and soul-shifting conversation, I sat down with the incredible @gilldeacon to talk about her book A Love Affair with the Unknown and the question we're all asking right now: How do we be okay when things are not okay?

Here’s what we landed on:

We don’t get stronger by avoiding fear—we grow by naming it and sitting in it.

Healing starts when the nervous system feels safe again. Not before.

Curiosity is the antidote to control. Certainty is a myth—but wonder is medicine.

Slowing down is NOT weakness, it’s where the wisdom lives.

Let this be your reminder: Hope is a choice. You are not broken. You’ve just lost access to the best parts of you. Let’s get it back.

You matter more than you know. We’re in this together.

Follow Gillian Here:

@gilldeacon

@aloveaffairwiththeunknown

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Work isn’t just “work” anymore—it's become the place where burnout brews and bad bosses break us.

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In this fire-filled episode with Dr. Laura, we unpack the real cost of stress at work, what defines a truly toxic leader, and how to know when it’s not just you—it’s the system you’re stuck in. Spoiler: surviving a toxic boss isn't just possible—it's necessary. ⁠

⁠

We dive into:⁠

What makes a boss toxic vs just difficult⁠

Why stress isn't soft—it’s strategy⁠

The burnout scale (and where you fall on it)⁠

Why rest isn't lazy—it's survival⁠

And how to get out of the damn cage⁠

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Whether you're quietly quitting or just questioning everything, this one’s for you. ⁠

Follow Dr. Laura Here:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwhDncPCadKKgWOnTxW72ow

https://www.facebook.com/Dr.Laura.whereworkmeetslife

https://www.instagram.com/drlaura.live/

https://www.tiktok.com/@drlaura.live

https://x.com/drlauralive

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.