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Pushing Boundaries with Dr. Thomas R Verny
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Pushing Boundaries with Dr. Thomas R Verny

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Dynamic interviews with established and emerging scientists, scholars and artists who work at the cutting edge of their disciplines and whose accomplishments I value. To me the world is a laboratory of ideas and I try to find the best, most intriguing of these, then illuminate them with a bright and generous light. I talk with my guests about the things they care about, how they got there, where they are now and where they are headed. I am interested in the science and the scientist, the contributions the person has made and the person making these contributions. Always looking for how to better understand the complex world we live in.
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Promise one thing: by the end of this conversation with bestselling author and professional speaker, Michael McQueen, you'll have an entirely new perspective on open-mindedness and persuasion. We embark on a deep exploration of the human mind, uncovering the psychology behind stubbornness and taking a fresh look at the art of ethically influencing others. Michael, renowned for his insightful perspectives, shares critical nuggets from his book, Mindstruck: Mastering the Art of Changing Minds, and discusses how we can become more open-minded and encourage others to do the same. As we navigate this fascinating discussion, we compare modern persuasion techniques with principles from Dale Carnegie's classic, How to Make Friends and Influence People. There's a unique focus on the importance of allowing people to maintain their dignity during persuasion, a strategy that has proven beneficial for large companies like Pepsi and KPMG. We'll also dive headfirst into the seismic changes witnessed in the automotive industry due to the pandemic and the intricacies of leading a team in a remote or hybrid environment.Lastly, we take a journey through the generational labyrinth of the workplace, highlighting the impact of social and technological transformations. We'll touch on the art of effective communication and the power it holds in shaping future thinking. So, gear up for an episode packed with insights that will challenge your perception, redefine your understanding of persuasion, and equip you with the tools to navigate the rapidly evolving professional landscape. Get ready to change minds and perspectives, including your own.If you liked this podcast please tell your friends about it, subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and/or write a brief note on apple podcasts, check out my blogs on Psychology Today at https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/thomas-r-verny-md
Ever wondered how our hand movements not only express our thoughts but also shape them? Our guest, Dr. Susan Golden Meadow, is an expert in the fascinating world of gestures, and she's here to unravel their powerful role in communication, thinking, and learning. The magic of nonverbal cues is at your fingertips, from learning to navigate misdirection in conversations to understanding how parents create a unique communicative context for their kids. We're diving straight into the heart of Susan's vast research, starting from her early fascination with the structured gestures of deaf children that intriguingly mirror the structure of language. Ponder over the captivating science behind how gestures can shape our thoughts and the unique ways in which our hands can be used to deceive others. Plus, we're offering a glimpse of Susan's upcoming projects and how her research has evolved over time. To wrap things up, we're exploring some deep reflections on what it means to be human and the unexpected ways in which our hands help us relax. We're also talking about the fascinating process our brains undergo when we pair speech with gestures. Join us as we journey from the intimate dynamics of family communication to the wider social implications of gestures. Whether you're an academic, a student, or simply someone curious about the power of nonverbal communication, this episode has something for everyone.If you liked this podcast please tell your friends about it, subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and/or write a brief note on apple podcasts, check out my blogs on Psychology Today at https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/thomas-r-verny-md
Ever wondered about the hidden causes of homelessness? Join us as we unravel these with Joseph Jacques, co-founder, and director of Harmonic Humanity. An organization which is not just about providing immediate work for those living on the streets, but also about unfolding their potential through transformational education. Joseph, from his unique perspective, highlights the surprising connection between prenatal trauma and homelessness, addiction, and mental health issues. His insights stem from his extensive work with the Association of Pre- and Perinatal Psychology and are beautifully captured in his book, Legends of Creation.Joseph’s extraordinary journey began with learning scuba diving at three, a seemingly unrelated experience that would become central to his understanding of the womb experience and birth trauma. Joseph shares unforgettable narratives from his work on the streets and his inspiring initiative of creating a workbook for the homeless, enabling them to realize they are their own heroes. His ambitious vision doesn’t stop here. Picture a future where a questionnaire could shed light on prenatal trauma experiences and a global study could link these experiences to homelessness. These are not just dreams for Joseph, but goals he is working diligently towards achieving.His work is a testament to his unwavering dedication and belief in the power of love, connection, and education. From the concept of prenatal bonding to raising funds for his organization, Joseph is on a mission to change the narrative around homelessness. His work with Harmonic Humanity has already enabled homeless individuals to earn close to a half a million dollars through selling art and music. This is not your typical conversation about homelessness. It’s a deep dive into the transformative power of understanding and empathy, and the extraordinary impact one man can make. Join us as we explore this and more with Joseph Jacques.If you liked this podcast please tell your friends about it, subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and/or write a brief note on apple podcasts, check out my blogs on Psychology Today at https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/thomas-r-verny-md
Have you ever paused to think about how language can shape our relationship with the world around us? Jerry Fontaine and Don McCaskill, authors of the illuminating book 'To Own Ourselves: Embodying Ojibwe Anishinaabe Ways', join us to share a deep dive into this profound understanding.In the first part of our conversation, we learn about the duo's journey in creating the book, starting with a significant pipe ceremony and a unique relationship with their publisher. We also gain insights on Jerry's background, hailing from a lineage of active political resistance, particularly his grandmother, who was a trailblazer as one of the first Anishinaabe women elected under the Indian Act to council. This segment also illuminates the richness of the Ojibwe language, values, and ceremonial practices, which are all fundamental aspects of their work. Plus, we delve into the art of performing land acknowledgments in a way that truly honors the land being remembered.The second part of our discussion ventures into the world of Indigenous Science and Spirituality. Highlighting the profound understanding that the First Nations of North America had regarding science and its relation to the world. We explore their intricate understanding of the environment, medicinal plants, measurements, and the connection between science and spirit. The final note of our conversation is a contemplation of the status of Indigenous people in Canada, discussing what could be done to improve their lives. This episode is an invaluable journey, giving you a deeper appreciation of the Ojibwe Anishinaabe ways and a more profound understanding of indigenous science and spirituality. Listen in and expand your knowledge.If you liked this podcast please tell your friends about it, subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and/or write a brief note on apple podcasts, check out my blogs on Psychology Today at https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/thomas-r-verny-md
Ever wondered how mysticism, quantum theory, and consciousness are intertwined? Well, get ready to unlock some mind-bending insights with our special guest, David Lorimer. An acclaimed writer, poet, and spiritual activist, David takes us on a journey through his unique upbringing and career, deeply influenced by his grandfather, Sir Robert Lorimer, a renowned architect and mystic.We dive into a profound exploration of consciousness and its crucial role in science. Bouncing off the theories of iconic physicists from the 1930s to modern thought-leaders, we explore the paradoxical interface of the brain and consciousness. Prepare to be fascinated by our deep dive into the Hindu concept of the 'witness', and the intricate relationships between the soul, spirit, and body. A stimulating debate on love, freedom, personal responsibility, and the concept of an afterlife awaits you!In our final act, we present David's work under the microscope, celebrating his commitment to pushing boundaries and exploring new territories. From the impact of the exchange of ideas and knowledge to the profound influence of Reverend Norman Coburn on David's life, we cover it all. So, are you ready to challenge your world view, disrupt your thought patterns, and embark on an intellectual rollercoaster ride with us? Join in for an episode that’s sure to inspire and provoke your thoughts in equal measure.If you liked this podcast please tell your friends about it, subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and/or write a brief note on apple podcasts, check out my blogs on Psychology Today at https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/thomas-r-verny-md
Join us for a fascinating conversation with my guest, Mike Rucker, an organizational psychologist and behavioral scientist. Mike unveils the intriguing science of happiness and warns us about the risk of 'ornamental hygiene' that can emerge from excessively pursuing this emotion. His book, 'The Fun Habit,' serves as a guide to experience a life filled with happiness without obsessively quantifying it. Mike shares his journey into the field of positive psychology that started with the International Positive Psychology Association.As we delve deeper, we explore the importance of autonomy and time affluence. Mike emphasizes the need for personalized approaches to support psychological well-being when common interventions fall short. We further discuss reclaiming agency and developing cognitive reserve to combat burnout. Fostering pro-social behavior and creating meaningful memories take center stage in our conversation.In the final segment, Mike enlightens us about  the difference between passive and active leisure. He explains the Hedonic Flexibility Principle and how curtailing unenjoyable activities can make room for purposeful leisure. As someone mentored by Michael Jervais, Mike also gives us a peek into his personal life and how he uses behavioral science to make activities fun, thereby improving engagement.  This is a great opportunity to uncover these riveting topics with Mike Rucker, a beacon in the field of positive psychology.If you liked this podcast please tell your friends about it, subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and/or write a brief note on apple podcasts, check out my blogs on Psychology Today at https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/thomas-r-verny-md
Ever wonder how Silicon Valley billionaires are investing in research to reverse and slow down the aging process? Well, let's get to the root of it with our guest, Faraz Khan. As a Management Consultant and Longevity Expert, Faraz has bridged his background in computer science and passion for anti-aging to create a platform dedicated to longevity. We delve into his journey and the groundbreaking techniques he uses to help others slow down their aging process.Getting into the nitty-gritty of aging, we dissect the science behind cell division and its implications on diseases such as Alzheimer's. Ever heard of the Hayflick limit? We explore this concept and discuss how stem cells play an important part in replenishing cell division. And who better to learn from about longevity than the longest-lived people worldwide? We gain insights from their lifestyle and how they maintain their longevity.Lastly, buckle up for a deep dive into the world of longevity. We discuss mindset, diet, and lifestyle modifications that can contribute to a longer life. Faraz shares an enlightening exercise to help shift our perception of aging and reveal the essential components of longevity including sleep, exercise, nutrition, and mental resilience. We'll also touch on practical advice on reducing oxidative stress, balancing blood sugar levels and the importance of certain supplements. Plus, you'll get to hear about the influential figures in Faraz's life and the life lessons he has gleaned from them. So, are you ready to embark on your journey to longevity? Tune in!If you liked this podcast please tell your friends about it, subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and/or write a brief note on apple podcasts, check out my blogs on Psychology Today at https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/thomas-r-verny-md
What if you could alter your mood, focus your mind, and even manage conditions like PTSD and depression just by listening to a certain type of sound? That's the revolutionary promise behind binaural beats, the focus of our conversation with Wayne Altman, the founder of Melody Clouds, on today's episode of Pushing Boundaries. Wayne shares his intriguing journey into the world of binaural beats, which began as a personal quest to manage his tinnitus, and evolved into an exploration of the incredible potential of these unique sound frequencies.But Wayne's passion didn't stop there. He took the power of binaural beats and channeled it into his innovative project, Melody Clouds. This remarkable app promises to create a calming environment that helps babies self-soothe and regulate their sleep. Driven by his personal experience and his parents' influence, Wayne's passion for this project shines through as he explains how Melody Clouds stands out from his previous ventures.Our conversation with Wayne also delves into a more futuristic topic, namely the blurring line between human and AI interactions. We discuss the anxiety induced by repetitive words and motions during conversations and the rapidly advancing world of AI. But amidst this digital evolution, Wayne insists on the importance of human interaction, emphasizing the value of personal contact and encouraging listeners to engage with him directly. Join our thought-provoking conversation on Pushing Boundaries and discover the world of binaural beats, the future of AI, and the enduring value of human connection.If you liked this podcast please tell your friends about it, subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and/or write a brief note on apple podcasts, check out my blogs on Psychology Today at https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/thomas-r-verny-md
What if the story of Atlantis was deeply connected to our own embryology, and the myths that surround it held the key to our prenatal development? Join me in an enlightening conversation with Dr. John Bonaducci, an expert in the captivating field of Mythobiogenesis, which he created during his doctoral studies. Discover how John transitioned from liturgy to mythology, connected with the Joseph Campbell Foundation, and developed his work on prenatal psychology - all while uncovering the power of storytelling and the significance of mythological studies for understanding our place in the universe.As we delve into the fascinating connections between Plato's mythology of Atlantis and embryology, Dr. Bonaducci explains how the story reflects the process of cellular mitosis and conforms to the trauma theories of Donald Kallshed. We also explore the implications of Freud's idea of being born as a "tabula rasa" and how John's personal experiences - from his parents' tumultuous relationship to his mother's nine miscarriages - shaped his worldview and experiences in the womb.Finally, we examine the importance and implications of John's work on Mythobiogenesis, discussing the origin of Plato's "caste system" and its impact on society. This thought-provoking conversation serves as a testament to the power of storytelling and personal introspection. So come along and immerse yourself in this captivating exploration of myth, memory, and the human experience.If you liked this podcast please tell your friends about it, subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and/or write a brief note on apple podcasts, check out my blogs on Psychology Today at https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/thomas-r-verny-md
My guest today is Dr Stephanie Alice Baker, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, City, University of London. Her first book, Social Tragedy (Palgrave MacMillan 2014), analyzed how collective narratives emerge in different cultural contexts and the role of the media in communicating tragic events of social significance.Her second book examined how lifestyle and wellness influencers construct authority and influence online. She situated this research in discussions around trust, expertise, microcelebrity and medical misinformation. She has published several key articles on these topics as well as a book, Lifestyle Gurus: Constructing authority and influence online (Polity 2019), co-authored with Chris Rojek.Her most recent book, Wellness Culture: How the Wellness Movement has been used to Empower, Profit and Misinform, traces the emergence of wellness culture from a fringe countercultural pursuit to a trillion-dollar industry.Dr. Baker says that we are now living in a post-secular society, where even though a lot of people think of themselves as religious or spiritual, many of the institutions and moral frameworks that dictated how people ought to live, have changed.  In this society many people fear that the world as they knew it is rapidly disappearing. They feel lost, suffering what Anthony Giddens calls ontological insecurity..The frequently degrading nature of modern industrial work, the growth of totalitarianism, the threat of environmental destruction, climate change, the alarming development of military power and weaponry, the polarization of the political discourse, the ever-increasing reliance on robotics with its consequent loss of job opportunities for unskilled workers has become a source of great anxiety for vast numbers of people. Polarization, skepticism, doubt and division have led to an erosion of trust in institutions, the media, science and government. This low institutional trust will increasingly become an issue, especially as disinformation floods the world as a result of AI.Of course, as the old saying goes, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”  Gradually, over the last decade, we have seen  the emergence of a whole new class of individuals: the lifestyle and wellness influencers. How can individuals with no expertise, no medical training achieve this high degree of trust and loyalty from their followers?One way is by their stress on being  authentic. “I'm so authentic”. And this adjective  is really important. Because in describing themselves in this way, what they're actually doing is distinguishing themselves from say, a manufactured Hollywood celebrity, indicating that they're more real,  more genuine. And as a byproduct, you can trust them more. Right? Now by achieving fame on social media as well, they also seem much more accessible than, say, a mainstream celebrity who is surrounded by managers and agents and various producers or assistants. And one way in which this impression of accessibility is maintained is this idea that we're all sharing the same platform, that I could send somebody who's an influencer a direct message on social media and they will read it and respond. Fat chance. And the third aspect, which is really important to an influencer, is to present themselves as being outside of the system. Not beholden to any-one. An independent person just like you. Not one of the “elites.” Along with that goes this idea of being self-made, of being ordinary and juIf you liked this podcast please tell your friends about it, subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and/or write a brief note on apple podcasts, check out my blogs on Psychology Today at https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/thomas-r-verny-md
My guest today is Mark Scott Rosenbaum, Ph.D., Dean, College of Business, Hawaii Pacific University. Previously, he was dean and professor of marketing with the Graham School of Management at Saint Xavier University in Chicago. Prior to his leadership at St. Xavier Rosenbaum was chair and professor of the Department of Retailing at the University of South Carolina, the Kohl's Professor of Marketing at Northern Illinois University, and an assistant professor in the Department of Marketing at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. Dr. Rosenbaum is a three-time Fulbright Scholar. Dr. Rosenbaum serves as co-editor of the Journal of Services Marketing, an associate editor for the Journal of Business Research. We discuss how digital technologies, including mobile applications, social media, and online games, have impacted the ways that people communicate, learn, play, date, and entertain themselves. Although digital technologies offer their users many benefits, these technologies also expose their users to risks. Indeed, many digital users have been victims of cyberbullying, identity theft, and data breaches. We have apps like Tinder, and in the gay community, there's Grindr. If you're a member of the gay community, you can now meet people right next to you. You're no longer this isolated member of a community. That's a great positive. However, what you don't hear much is how many men are raped with Grindr hookups.Further, some national governments and local jurisdictions use digital technologies, to curtail their citizens’ freedoms, and to enforce laws that criminalize private, consensual, same-sex sexual activity and anything else that particular government is opposed to.We are fostering internet addictions, we don't realize that digital technologies have a dark side. Numerous studies show that as youth spend more than two hours a day on social media, their depression levels increase. Now, this would almost seem the converse of what reality should be. Because reality means, I'm connected to these networks of friends, I have friends available 24/7/365. This should elevate my self-esteem. I know exactly where everyone is. And yet, young people feel increasingly alone and unhappy.To my question, “What's the most important thing you have learned so far in your life?” Mark answered that regardless of how tough the beginning is, you have to have a beginning. Take the risk, the challenge, and begin.Next week my guest will be Dr Stephanie Alice Baker,  Senior Lecturer in Sociology, City, University of London. Dr Baker’s research explores how we connect and communicate online, particularly around issues pertaining to health and wellness. Dr Baker studies influencer culture and the spread of medical misinformation in the context of COVID-19 and the anti-vaccination movement. Please tune in.If you liked this podcast please tell your friends about it, subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and/or write a brief note on apple podcasts, check out my blogs on Psychology Today at https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/thomas-r-verny-md
My guest today is Dr. Natalie Dyer, PhD, Research Scientist with Connor Whole Health at University Hospitals, Warrensville Heights, OH and President of the Center for Reiki Research. She has published many scientific papers and book chapters on postmaterialist science, psychedelics, and the therapeutic effects of integrative medicine practices, including Reiki, yoga, acupuncture, and mindfulness, and is co-editor of the book Expanding Science: Visions of a Postmaterialist Paradigm and the forthcoming book Infinite Percepton: The Power of Psychedelics for Global Transformation. Natalie is also an energy medicine practitioner and teacher. Her passion is in understanding and addressing mental and physical health from a psychospiritual perspective. She lives in the woods on the east coast of Canada with her husband, artist Louis Dyer and their freshly minted three-months-old daughter.I asked Natalie to explain the term post-materialism science? Natalie  said that it signifies a new age in science, where we move beyond the limitations of the materialist paradigm, which states that everything can be reduced to matter, including consciousness.  Many scientists and theologians believe that matter emerges from consciousness instead of  the other way around. Post-materialism scientists adopt the findings of quantum mechanics, and acknowledge that that the mind affects measurements of various experiments in physics. It doesn't exclude materialism. Since Natalie’s next book is about psychedelics, I wondered what role do psychedelics play in treating people with mental distress. The usual approach taken is by way of psychedelic assisted psychotherapy in a setting where there's a therapist who has been trained in administering psychedelics who guides the individual to step outside of their normal operating ego self, and to view their whole life, including what led to, and what keeps the depression going through this shift outside of the normal, mundane day to day thinking process. The psychedelics can show them, how their depression developed, and how they're keeping it going with their thoughts and their beliefs. So that they get is this chance to step outside of the normal narrative of their life. And that can cause a profound shift. There can be a scary kind of loss of control, when there's that ego death, where you're kind of stepping outside of your normal function of your mental awareness. That’s where the therapist comes, reassuring the person that it’s ok, that they are safe to continue. Then hopefully, the therapist can facilitate  integration  to take place and make changes based on what was discovered.What does a shamanic Reiki master, like her, do? “Reiki is a biofeedback therapy. It's 100 years old at this point, but it's based on practices that go back 1000s of years, like Chi Gong, for example. And the idea is that anytime we have disease in the body, or we're unwell, there's an imbalance in our lifeforce energy. So that's called many different things, chi, prana. Spirit. So that's the basis for these practices.”“Reiki works to bring balance back to that energy system and hoping that the physical system corresponds with that shift. So you learn to tap into the intention of channeling this energy, which is infinite and everywhere. That's the idea. And you either give this energy to yourself, so you're just kind of bringing this energy through into your body, or you give it to another person. ““What I found when I started doing Reiki was really experiencing theIf you liked this podcast please tell your friends about it, subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and/or write a brief note on apple podcasts, check out my blogs on Psychology Today at https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/thomas-r-verny-md
My guest today is Helane Wahbeh ND MCR,  director of research at the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS)—a nonprofit parapsychological research institute cofounded by astronaut Edgar Mitchel. Author of  Free To Be Me: A Journey of Transformation through Generational Healing, 2015 and The Science of Channeling: Why You Should Trust Your Intuition and Embrace the Force That Connects Us All, 2022.Helane’s first book offers the reader a remarkable window into the lives of five generations of women in Palestine starting with her great-great grandmother in the early 1800’s. What she learned about herself doing research and writing this book is the ability to overcome the ancestral patterns around being silent, powerless victim, et cetera. So, the story really is one of transformation, of empowerment of subsequent generations to continue their powerful, unique and beautiful voice in the world. And not just women, but also men because women raise men, they raise boys, and so if we can empower the masculine and the feminine side of young boys, they become more well-rounded and compassionate and can balance the nurturing aspects of themselves along with the action,  the traditional male archetypes.Attending a meeting at the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) changed the trajectory of her life. She was amazed at the courage of the participants to ask  esoteric research questions, to do rigorous research on these trailblazing topics, if you will, and got excited to join the team. That triggered a number of synchronistic events for Helane to eventually start working at IONS first as a consultant, and then scientist and now director. So that gave her permission to think about and explore the topics of channeling.Channeling, in a very broad way, is the capacity that all humans have to access information and energy that's not limited by our conventional notions of time or space. It is beyond our five senses, and it can appear expressive, or receptive. And these experiences are quite varied. They exist on a spectrum from intuitive gut hunches to dreams that come true, or getting mental impressions from someone else's mind in the middle of doing something totally different. So there's quite a variety of what we call channeling.The IONS Helane and her team have done quite a bit of work to develop an inventory that helps people evaluate  their own, what they call noetic signature. it is unique. Each person has their own unique expression of channeling. Studying  data from thousands of people  they found 12 different characteristics that seem to show up significantly. People can go to IONS website (https://noetic.org/ ) and  take this inventory and discover how channeling shows up for them in their life. And if they're interested, explore that, and see if they can nurture the ones that they're strong in, or even the ones that they aren't strong in and see how it can be used to support them in their daily life.Best advice Helane ever got? Think it was about this path, this inward path. To not look outside myself for the truth for me.Thank you, Helane. I enjoyed our conversation and now I am ready to explore my channeling abilities. My guest next week will be Dr. Natalie Dyer, PhD,  who is a Research Scientist with Connor Whole Health at University Hospitals and President of the Center for Reiki Research. Natalie is also an energy medicine practitioner. We shall discuss the benefits of Reiki on physical and psychological health and understanding and addressing mentalIf you liked this podcast please tell your friends about it, subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and/or write a brief note on apple podcasts, check out my blogs on Psychology Today at https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/thomas-r-verny-md
My guest today is Dr. Steve Cole PhD, professor of Medicine, Psychiatry and Behavioral Science in the UCLA School of Medicine.What are signal transduction pathways? It's a way of basically perceiving, at the cellular level, what's going on outside and changing cellular behavior by increasing or decreasing rates of RNA transcription from the DNA genome at specific sites in the genome. A standard signal transduction cascade would have some kind of a receptor on the surface of the cell that detects let's say, a neurotransmitter, or a bacteria or something like that. It relays information from outside the cell, through the cell membrane into the interior of the cell, where it can then kick off a chain reaction of different chemical events, that ultimately leads to turning on or turning off a gene in our DNA genome inside the nucleus of the cell.We discuss one of Steve’s recent papers, Black mothers in racially segregated neighborhoods embodying structural violence: PTSD and depressive symptoms on the South Side of Chicago. In this study, Steve and his team conceptualize the environment as social phenomena and examine its consequences on the body. They asked themselves: Why do these women have heart attacks more often? Why do they get neurodegenerative diseases more often? Why do they get cancer more often? They found that feeling trapped, significantly predicted increased mental distress in the form of PTSD, depressive symptoms, and glucocorticoid receptor gene regulation that's involved in producing inflammation.The reason we pay a lot of attention to that is that in addition to healing wounds, when inflammatory activity is persistent, even at a low level for a long period of time, that kind of molecular scenario acts as a fertilizer for the development of most chronic diseases such as  heart disease, neurodegenerative diseases, metastatic cancers, all of the diseases that are the major causes of death in the West.Moving onto a new subject: cytokines. Initially cytokines were discovered to increase communication between immune cells, to  enable them to talk to each other. recently it was learned that brain cells could also hear the signal sent by the cytokines.  That opened up this really fascinating area of science, trying to understand how changes in immune biology changed people's neurobiology, and perhaps, as a consequence of that change their psychological experience and their, their behavior in the real world.One area where this is known to happen, is what we call sickness behaviors. When people get sick, and they feel tired and fatigued and achy, and they have fevers, it turns out, none of that is actually caused by the pathogen. All of that is caused by the cytokines that go to the brain, and they say, ‘Hey, brain, I want you to activate the behavioral package that we call sickness.’And so the brain, which has essentially learned to do this over millions of years of evolution says, ‘Great, you're sick. So I'm going to stop you from expending a lot of energy by immobilizing you. I'm not going to let you run around, I'm going to make you tired. I especially don't want you to run around infecting other people or getting into fights with other people. So I'm going to make you antisocial and irritable as well.’In the course of our meeting, we spoke about many other subjects and ended by talking about the surprising power of pro social behavior for writing many of the wrongs that arise from stress and threat. If I'm anxious, and thIf you liked this podcast please tell your friends about it, subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and/or write a brief note on apple podcasts, check out my blogs on Psychology Today at https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/thomas-r-verny-md
My guest today is Dr. Joann O’Leary, who holds a Masters Degree in Maternal-Child Health from the University of MN and a Masters in Psychology from Queens University in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Joann has published 5 books including Different Baby, Different Story: Pregnancy and Parenting after Loss2020Meeting the Needs of Parents Pregnant and Parenting After Perinatal Loss2016Pregnancy After Loss: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study Of Parenting A Subsequent Baby Following A Perinatal Loss2010After Loss: Parenting in the Next Pregnancy: A Manual for Professionals Working With Families in Pregnancy Following Loss1998A parent involvement program for preschool children with special needs1978Joann does research and writing on prenatal parenting, and the impact on parents and siblings and on the child born after the loss of a baby.How it all started 35 years ago. Joann and Linda Parker, a nurse, led their first pregnancy after loss group. “We were going to do it twice a month, like most infant loss group, but the parents were like, Oh, my God, we can't wait another two weeks. We want to come next week too. And when they left Linda being the clinical nurse specialist said, did you see all those moms with high risk pregnancies? And I said, did you see all those babies with attachment disorders because I envisioned all these little babies in their mothers’ wombs, saying I'm here, I'm here, because the moms weren't paying attention, they were afraid to embrace this new baby. And so that's kind of how our program started.”She works with grief and attachment at the same time. Because it's a whole new layer of grief when parents become pregnant again, because they think they're going to be so excited to have this baby. Of course, it just brings up Oh, my God, this baby could die too.Joann’s approach, in a nutshell, is showing pregnant parents after a loss how they can still be parents to their deceased baby while working to embrace this new unborn baby.I asked her whether she thought think that her work had influenced physicians’ attitudes towards pregnancy and pregnancy loss since physicians usually are just interested in the physical aspects of a baby. How much does it weigh, what is the Apgar score, stuff like that? And they don't give a hoot about the psychological emotional aspects of pregnancy and births? Joann obviously does. Her answer was not encouraging.“I wish I could say yes. But I'm afraid I can't. The perinatologists that I worked with, they always still thought I did a grief group. Right? They never understood that it was a group to build attachment. Right. And we have very, very few physicians that come to our presentations. Very few.”We spoke of embodied grief. How grief stays in the body and the importance of releasing it with massage, Reiki, other types of body work.Joann says that the babies that have been in her groups have been observed to be sensitive, caring adults. They have  learned about grief in utero. Their teachers report that they're the first child in class to reach out to children with special needs. Parents and teachers agree that they're just wonderful, caring people.Joann can be reached at joann@starlegacyfoundation.org. My next week’s guest, will be Dr. Steven Cole, Professor of Medicine, Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Science in the UCLA School of Medicine with whom I will discuss  the molecular pathways by whiIf you liked this podcast please tell your friends about it, subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and/or write a brief note on apple podcasts, check out my blogs on Psychology Today at https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/thomas-r-verny-md
Intro to organoid intelligenceComparing brain organoids to supercomputersIs there any danger of organoids becoming consciousHow much does it take to claim an intelligent systemImpact of the work in the long run, on treatment of diseases like Alzheimer’sMy guest today is Prof. Thomas Hartung, MD, PhD. He is the former Head of the European Commission’s Center for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM), Ispra, Italy, and has authored more than 560 scientific publications and received 16 different awards ranging from the German Ministry of Health to Hellenistic Society of Toxicology. Prof. Hartung is presently the Doerenkamp-Zbinden-Chair for Evidence-based Toxicology in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, with a joint appointment at the Whiting School of Engineering. He also holds a joint appointment for Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Bloomberg School. In addition, he holds a joint appointment as Professor for Pharmacology and Toxicology at University of Konstanz, Germany; is Director of Centers for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT, http://caat.jhsph.edu) of both universities. He is adjunct professor at Georgetown University, Washington D.C. and he is Chief Editor of Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence. These past few weeks,  image generators like DALL·E 2 and language models like ChatGPT  are grabbing headlines. But Prof. Hartung has been working on what sounds like an equally, if not more, revolutionary research, namely computers powered by human brain cells, part of a new field called “organoid intelligence.” Prof. Hartung explains the concept and the research.“Brains have an amazing capacity to store information, estimated at 2,500 (terabytes). We’re reaching the physical limits of silicon computers because we cannot pack more transistors into a tiny chip.”In essence, Prof. Hartung is interested in two different things. One is in advanced cell culture, focusing mainly on the brain referred to as brain organoids, which is a really a breakthrough technology in recent years. And the second one is artificial intelligence, AI. And merging these two, brings them together to AI Augmented Intelligence. So the idea is, how far can we get by letting brain organoids for us do also some computational work..In response to my questions as to what's the most important thing he has learned about, about life, Prof. Hartung said, “It all happens between people. It is not about the next scientific paper, or the speech you give. It is about talking to others, inspiring each other and motivating each other to work for a goal. It's not something which is done when I'm writing my next article on the computer.”If you liked this podcast please tell your friends about it, subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and/or write a brief note on apple podcasts, check out my blogs on Psychology Today at https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/thomas-r-verny-md
My guest today is Dr. Mel Borins  who is a Family Physician in private practice, and is on active staff at St. Joseph’s Health Centre in Toronto, Canada. He is a Fellow of the College of Family Physicians of Canada, and Associate Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto.For over two decades, he has been active and instrumental in training Physicians in Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Counseling and Psychotherapy, Stress Management and Communications.Dr. Mel Borins is the author of Go Away Just for the Health of It,  An Apple a Day: A Holistic Health Primer and A Doctor’s Guide to Alternative Medicine: What Works, What Doesn’t and Why.  He has written extensively on stress management, psychotherapy, acupuncture, traditional healing, herbs and complementary medicine. What is complementary medicine? Dr. Borins says that complementary medicine is really alternative medicine, medicine that's not mainstream in terms of medical training. When he went through medical school, he did his elective in hypnosis. So that was his first exposure to something different than what he learned in medical school. Subsequently, he  attended a weekend workshop in Gestalt therapy given by George Rosner, after seeing many videos of watching Fritz Perls. And then Mel got involved in personal Gestalt work but also in a training group that that met once a week for three hours for about six years. This started the whole interest in psychotherapy and counseling and the impact that the emotions and the mind have on the physical body. After completing his medical training, Mel and wife went on a world trip for about nine and a half months. They traveled to all kinds of different countries around the world. As a result he was exposed to different kinds of healing by local healers, spiritual healers and herbalists. Mel began to see that there were other approaches in addition to modern medicine. When he got back to Toronto, he did some training in acupuncture, took some courses in spinal manipulation.We talk about the uses for acupuncture. There's some scientific research that says that it's useful for headaches, it's useful for osteoarthritis of the knee. It's useful for tennis elbow, it's useful for neck pain, it's useful for nausea and vomiting. So there is some scientific randomly assigned double blind controlled trials that show that acupuncture is actually better than sham or placebo in treating some of these conditions. Music has been a big part of Mel’s life. He has done music videos, DVDs and recorded 200 songs, any of them humorous. Mel kindly sang one for us about gratitude.What does being human mean to you, I asked.Being human means to connect to other human beings through the heart, through the Spirit, through love. And being human, I think is the ability to connect and be connected to other human beings.If you liked this podcast please tell your friends about it, subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and/or write a brief note on apple podcasts, check out my blogs on Psychology Today at https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/thomas-r-verny-md
My guest today is Dr. David Peters, Professor Emeritus, Westminster Centre for Resilience, College of Liberal Arts and Science University of Westminster, London. He has co-authored or edited five books about complementary therapies including The Encyclopaedia of Complementary Medicine in 1997, followed by The complete Guide to Integrated Medicine in 2000, Understanding the placebo response in complementary medicine and Integrating Complementary Therapies: a practical guide for primary care both in 2001 and in 2007, New Medicine.  David started his medical career  as a musculo-skeletal physician and gradually branched out to include osteopathy and acupuncture working with the relaxation response, yoga and meditation. A particular clinical interest of his is in dysregulatory syndromes where pain and/or fatigue often overlap, and in the autonomic imbalance and breathing pattern disorders seen so frequently associated with them.There is a pandemic of chronic diseases that is decimating the world. Diseases like obesity, diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, heart disease and, of course, cancer. What has gone wrong? Many things; industrialization spewing toxins into the air, water and food, consumerism, “hunting for unreachable goals”, large discrepancies in income. For example, there are many neighborhoods in large cities where the average life expectancy is 60 years, while a few miles further, it is 80.David takes groups of doctors suffering of burnouts camping into the woods for a day or two. Works like magic. For this and much more, listen or watch the full interview.As a follow up, my next guest will be  Dr. Mel Borins, author of Go Away Just for the Health of It,  An Apple a Day: A Holistic Health Primer and A Doctor’s Guide to Alternative Medicine: What Works, What Doesn’t and Why. He has written extensively on stress management, psychotherapy, acupuncture, traditional healing, herbs and complementary medicine. Hope you can join me.If you liked this podcast please tell your friends about it, subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and/or write a brief note on apple podcasts, check out my blogs on Psychology Today at https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/thomas-r-verny-md
My guest today is Dr. Dean Radin - Following a career in classical violin, Dean went on to earn an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from the University of Massachusetts, Amhurst, a master’s degree in electrical engineering and a doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. After his graduation, Dean conducted research at Princeton and University of Edinburgh and was a faculty member at University of Nevada, Las Vegas.Presently, Dean is Chief Scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences founded by Astronaut Dr. Edgar Mitchell 50 years ago after the Apollo-14 mission.Dean is the best-selling Author of four books: The conscious universe : the scientific truth of psychic phenomena, (2009).Supernormal: Science, Yoga, and the Evidence for Extraordinary Psychic Abilities, (2013),  reissued as The Noetic Universe, (2011)Entangled Minds: Extrasensory Experiences in a Quantum Reality (2006)  Real Magic: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Science, and a Guide to the Secret Power of the Universe,  (2018) Dean is also a musician.I enquired as to the meaning of noetic. Dean explained that in its simplest form, it means deep intuition. And intuition is knowing without knowing how. But you know it with a deep conviction, that it is correct. You don't know how you know that or you don't even know where the conviction came from. But when you check, it turns out that you're correct based on some externally verifiable event or knowledge.We spoke of Practical Magic, as something  science has been studying unwittingly in the form of psychic phenomena. According to this view consciousness is primary in the universe. This provides a worldview, where suddenly the mind is the most powerful thing that there is, in which case the mind is primary over physics, not constrained by notions of space, or time, or distance. Then Dean proceeds to delineate how the magical traditions fall into three different practices.We discuss mediums and spirits, haunted houses and what Einstein called “spooky action at a distance.” Maybe there's memory everywhere.At one point in his life, Dean joined a secret government program that was looking explicitly at psychic phenomena. The US government was interested in it, for two reasons. One was that there had been reports primarily out of Russia and China, that they had secret programs going on using these kinds of psychic abilities. And we needed to know whether it was a threat.. But the other half of it was, they had also found people who were very good at clairvoyance, and they were using it for espionage. This and much more you will find in the podcast.If you liked this podcast please tell your friends about it, subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and/or write a brief note on apple podcasts, check out my blogs on Psychology Today at https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/thomas-r-verny-md
Rabbi Jonathan Duker  grew up near Philadelphia, attended Yehivat Reishit Yerushalayim in the Old City of Jerusalem, earned his BA and MA from Yeshiva University, was ordained as rabbi by Yeshivat Chovevei Torah in New York. In 2004 he emigrated to Israel and subsequently received a degree in Education from Herzog College. He currently serves as an Israel Studies Educator at the Alexander Muss High School in Israel, Rabbinic Guide for Camp Yavneh in New Hampshire, and volunteers for the Jewish Marriage department for the Tzohar Rabbinical Organization. Rabbi Duker lives in Beit Shemesh with his wife Susan and their 4 children. He the author of The Spirits Behind the Law: The Talmudic Scholars (2007, Urim Publications) as well as other Talmud based writing. We started our dialogue by familiarizing us with the terms Talmud and Midrash since in the introduction to his book, Jon states that the scholars of the Talmud and Midrash had an immeasurable impact on Judaism.  Jon provides a detailed description of the work that went into writing a biography of the 15 scholars he chose for his book. The Talmud is 2,000 pages long and written in Arameic. It contains a hodgepodge of commentaries on observance, hygiene, legal issues, marriage and even jokes. There are discussions of discussions of discussions. There is no punctuation and often no reference as to who is being quoted. So, his book represents a Herculien achievement.Rabbi Akiba, originally a simple shepherd, attended school with his son and became one of the foremost Rabbis of antiquity. As an outsider coming to it late in the game, he had something to contribute that the establishment could not.We also learn that a lot of Jewish ideas spread to much of the world through the teachings of Jesus and Mohamed.Talking about the different way men and women approach the study of Talmud. Jon tells me that there has been a sociological study done recently about women's Talmud study. The finding was that when men are reading the text together, and they're difficult texts, so you have to really parse out the words, they tend to be more competitive with one another, while women, when they're studying together tend to be more collaborative. Jon’s own experience supports these findings.Jon also teaches Jewish history to students visiting Israel students from outside of Israel. It's a combination of classroom learning, and on site learning. They visit  all sorts of archaeological sites and historical sites, and teach them about the story of the Jewish people. A component of this program is to take certain groups to Poland as there was a lot of Jewish life in Poland, before ghettoes, concentration and extermination camps. I ask him, “How do you keep your face in a benevolent God after Auschwitz?” Hear his most illuminating answer.My next guest will  be Dr. Dean Radin, Chief Scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences founded by Astronaut Dr. Edgar Mitchell 50 years ago after the Apollo-14 mission. We shall explore with him consciousness, “presentiment” and psychic espionage and related subjects.If you liked this podcast please tell your friends about it, subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and/or write a brief note on apple podcasts, check out my blogs on Psychology Today at https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/thomas-r-verny-md
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