Tag

Author Interview

Health & Wellness, Nature, Non Fiction, Psychology

DEC 02: Sue Stuart-Smith on The Restorative Power of Nature

December 2, 2020

The Well-Gardened Mind

Connecting with nature is vital to long-term physical and mental health, and in her new book, Sue Stuart-Smith delves into why and how. She combines insights from the latest neuroscience, with personal stories, and her own experiences as a mental health professional.

We discuss what Sue means by a well-gardened mind, and how to cultivate one. We explore why nature inspires many successful artists, and helps unleash creative inspiration. How our brains change when exposed to beauty. And how we can use our natural green surroundings to allow nature to nurture and heal mind, body, spirit.

The book was published just months before COVID hit our shores and — with mental health issues at an all time high in the US — today is a perfect time to revisit our  conversation.

About Sue Stuart-Smith

She’s a psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and author of THE WELL-GARDENED MIND: The Restorative Power of Nature — a Sunday Times Bestseller. Dr. Sue Stuart-Smith teaches at Tavistock Clinic in London, and is a consultant to the UK DocHealth Service.

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Non Fiction, Personal Development, Psychology

NOV 25: Slay Your Dragons with Compassion with Malcolm Stern

November 25, 2020

10 Ways to Thrive Even When It Feels Impossible

Many people struggle to find their life purpose. And with so much unrest and uncertainty in the world, some even say, why bother! But when things seem impossible, that’s when we need to dig deep, and Malcolm Stern shares 10 ways to thrive in his new book.

We discuss why he dabbled with hallucinogenics and what that did for him. How grief, after the suicide of his daughter, forced him to question everything and face his dragons head on. What he means by “breaking the spells that bind us” and why he says, with compassion, “the only heart worth having, is a broken heart…”

About Malcolm Stern

As a psychotherapist, Malcolm Stern has worked with individuals and groups. He teaches internationally, and is the cofounder and codirector of Alternatives at St James’ Church in London. His new book is a distillation of 30 years in the therapy room, SLAY YOUR DRAGONS WITH COMPASSION – 10 Ways to thrive even if it feels impossible. 

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Career, Non Fiction, Personal Development

NOV 18: Mastering the Art of Public Speaking with Michael Gelb

November 18, 2020

8 Secrets to Transform Fear and Supercharge Your Career

Michael Gelb says the #1 skill you can develop to strengthen your career and boost your confidence is public speaking. But it’s also our #1 fear. In fact, 74% of Americans suffer from glossophobia, the fear of public speaking.

So how can you learn to harness that fear and make it work for you? We discuss tips and tools used by professional speakers and actors – including mind mapping, The Alexander Technique, and Standease.

About Michael Gelb

Michael J. Gelb is a professional public speaker known for his life-changing presentations on creative leadership, genius thinking, and conscious business. He’s served as an executive leadership and presentation coach to major  companies such as AT&T, DuPont, and Nike. And has authored many books including the bestselling How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci.  His latest is Mastering the Art of Public Speaking: 8 Secrets to Transform Fear and Supercharge Your Career.

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Inspirational, Non Fiction, Self-help

NOV 11: Overwhelmed & Over It – Christine Arylo Has Solutions

November 11, 2020

Embrace your power to stay centered & sustained in a chaotic world

If you’re feeling stretched too thin, frazzled, and overwhelmed, Christine Arylo says “It’s not your fault … the systems we live and work in are built for burnout.”

We discuss ways to get grounded. What your feminine heart can teach you. How to reclaim your power. And most importantly, how to create and sustain a structure, rhythm, and way of working and living that supports and sustains you.

About Christine Arylo

A transformational leadership advisor, Christine Arylo is the author of three bestselling books including Overwhelmed & Over It. She leads workshops globally and is the host of Feminine Power Time. Christine’s new book is Overwhelmed & Over It: Embrace Your Power to Stay Centered & Sustained in a Chaotic World.

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Non Fiction, Social Issues

OCT 28: MIT’s Justin Reich with Failure to Disrupt

October 28, 2020

How distance learning impacts school kids

The United States continues to debate, juggle, and deal with school closures and distance learning because of COVID-19.

While learning technology can carry a high cost economically and culturally, maybe a more important question is how it impacts our kid’s education and social skills. Today Justin Reich joins us to discuss some of the issues and benefits of distance learning and technology.

About Justin Reich

Justin Reich is Mitsui Career Development Professor of Comparative Media Studies and Director of the Teaching Systems Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He hosts the podcast TeachLab. And has written about education and technology for Education Week, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and Science. Justin Reich’s latest book is Failure to Disrupt: Why Technology Alone Can’t Transform Education.

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Fiction, Short Stories, Writers on Writing

OCT 14: #1 NYT Bestseller James Rollins with Unrestricted Access

October 14, 2020

James Rollins discusses his first-ever anthology of short stories

Featuring stand-alone stories, some familiar characters, and a brand new novella, James Rollins latest book includes an introduction to each story, sharing a little background that highlights his writing career.

Today we explore some of James’ research into story locations and the myths surrounding them. We discuss the differences between short story and novella writing. And James tells us why — when the legendary George R R Martin invited him to write a short story featuring a warrior — he chose to develop a four legged warrior in The Pit.

About James Rollins

James Rollins is the #1 New York Times Bestselling author of international thrillers. His writing has been translated into more than 40 languages and has sold more than 20 million books. Unrestricted Access is James Rollins’ first book of new and classic short fiction, and includes a new novella, Sun Dogs.

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Fiction, Writers on Writing

OCT 07: Lisa Unger with her Latest Psychological Thriller

October 7, 2020

Lisa Unger’s fascination with sociopaths, narcissists, and what makes people tick, has served her storytelling well. She’s known as a master of suspense and psychological thrillers, and returns to Conversations Live with her latest novel.

Confessions on the 7:45

We discuss body language and why people lie. How some of things we believe about liars aren’t true. We explore what con-men look for when choosing their target — and why we often don’t recognize we’re being conned until it’s too late. Lisa also shares tips on staying productive as a busy author during these chaotic times.

About Lisa Unger

Lisa Unger is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of 18 novels, including Confessions on the 7:45 — an October 2020 Indie Next Great Read pick. Unger’s critically acclaimed books have also been voted Best of the Year or Top Picks by the Today Show, Good Morning America, Entertainment Weekly, and others.

 

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Creativity, Non Fiction, Personal Development, Psychology

SEP 23: Bridgit Dengel Gaspard on How to Get to The Final 8th

September 23, 2020

Why do so many of us stop short of completing our goals, even when we’ve worked really hard to get 7/8 of the way there? Bridgit Dengel Gaspard terms this phenomenon The Final 8th and  shares insights into the many reasons we don’t make it to the finish line.

We discuss what Bridgit means by our inner selves, how to tap into them, and why they often have competing motives. She highlights how to identify symptoms of inner selves that don’t communicate verbally, such as headaches and insomnia. And how our core beliefs can sabotage our efforts.

Author of The Final 8th: Enlist Your Inner Selves to Accomplish Your Goals, Bridgit Dengel Gaspard is a therapist, coach, and master facilitator of voice dialogue. She’s led workshops for the Omega Institue, the National Association of Social Workers, the Actors Fund, and others. A former performer and comic, Bridgit has a practice in New York and specializes in creativity blocks, transitions, and being stuck short of the finish line.

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Health & Wellness, Non Fiction, Psychology, Self-help

SEP 16: How MBCT Can Help Alleviate Depression & Anxiety with Dr. Stuart Eisendrath

September 16, 2020

Since the pandemic hit our shores, more Americans than ever are experiencing mental health issues, including depression and anxiety. Dr. Stuart Eisendrath joins us to share insights on mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT) and how it can help stabilize our emotions without — or in addition to — meds.

We also discuss why depression and anxiety often go together. And how MBCT can help us become more aware of triggers and potential relapses.

Dr. Eisendrath is the senior clinician and research psychiatrist at the University of California in San Francisco, and founding director of the UCSF Depression Center. His new book is When Antidepressants Aren’t Enough: Harnessing the Power of Mindfulness to Alleviate Depression.

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Creativity, Non Fiction, Personal Development, Psychology

SEP 09: The Power of Daily Practice with Dr. Eric Maisel

September 9, 2020

Many people thought they’d have time to tackle their personal projects during the pandemic. But few have. If working at home, juggling childcare, joblessness, fear, or uncertainty has you on hold, Dr. Eric Maisel, is the perfect expert to help. He’s devoted his career to the psychology of creativity, living with purpose, and getting the important things done.

We discuss what Dr. Maisel means by daily practice, and it’s probably not what you think. We explore the psychological and practical benefits of daily practice; discuss some of the 20 elements he identifies to make your practice successful. And how to overcome challenges. Eric also shares his interpretation of what’s really going on with procrastination … and it’s linked to anxiety.

Eric Maisel, PhD, is the author of more than 50 books in the areas of critical psychology, writing, creativity, and the creative life. He’s a former psychotherapist and current creativity coach. His new book is The Power of Daily Practice: How Creative and Performing Artists (and Everyone Else) Can Finally Meet Their Goals. 

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