Hidden Brain

New to Hidden Brain? Here's a great place to start. hiddenbrain.org/featured-episo…

“Empathy, at a deep level, is the understanding that someone else's world is just as real as yours.” Some people are good at putting themselves in another person’s shoes. Others may struggle to relate. But psychologist @zakijam argues that empathy isn’t a fixed trait. This week, we revisit an episode on how to exercise our empathy muscles. hiddenbrain.org/podcast/you-2-…

After chemotherapy left Pat Gentile without hair, she relied on a wig to feel like herself. The first day she went without it, a stranger in a convenience store gave her a compliment that Pat still carries with her. hiddenbrain.org/unsunghero/pat…

A man dies in a California nursing home. His obituary lists dozens of names...all his. Who was he really? This week, we revisit an episode about the psychology of obsession. It's the story of Riley Shepard, the cowboy philosopher who lived inside his own myth. Then, psychologist Leslie John answers your questions about why we keep secrets — even from the people we love. open.spotify.com/episode/3mjTxh…

“I loved my dad. But I kind of rolled my eyes whenever I thought about these projects because [there was] so much smoke and mirrors around it.” Songs and novels are filled with stories about people with great obsessions. But not all obsessions lead to greatness. This week, we revisit an episode about a man who pursued his fixation right to the end — no matter the cost to the people around him. apple.co/4dIGWBt

Northern California, we’re heading your way! Join us @Stanford on Saturday, May 16 for the latest stop on our live tour. More info and tickets here: alu.ms/hiddenbrain-st…

“The phone is in my ear and he's saying, 'Your father is a crook, did you know that?'” In 2009, an old man died in a California nursing home. His obituary included not just his given name, but a long list of the pseudonyms he’d been known to use. In this week’s episode, which we originally released in 2019, we trace the life of Riley Shepard, a hillbilly musician, writer, small-time con man and, perhaps, a genius. Then, psychologist Leslie John answers listener questions about secrets. hiddenbrain.org/podcast/the-ta…

After having open-heart surgery, Barb Barnes was terrified of the immense pain she'd likely have to endure during her recovery. Then a nurse stepped in to help — and changed the rest of Barb's life in the process. hiddenbrain.org/unsunghero/bar…

Northern California, we’re heading your way! Join us @stanford on Saturday, May 16 for the latest stop on our live tour. More info and tickets here: alu.ms/hiddenbrain-st…

“ Reality is the only place things actually work.” This week, we continue our conversation about the misguided beliefs that get in the way of a rich and meaningful life. Behavioral scientist @DaveEvansDYL says accepting where you are is the first step in getting where you want to go. apple.co/49zQnBD

“She chose to live into her final months saying, ‘Sooner than I had in mind. Let's make the most of the time.’” In March of 2020, behavioral scientist @DaveEvansDYL received some terrible news: his wife had terminal cancer. This week, Dave shares why accepting reality as it is can be so difficult — and why it’s an essential first step in building a meaningful life. hiddenbrain.org/podcast/radica…

Bethany Renfree was feeling overwhelmed as a single mom with three small children. But one small act of kindness by a neighbor let her know she'd be okay. hiddenbrain.org/unsunghero/bet…

Northern California, we’re heading your way! Join us @stanford on Saturday, May 16 for the latest stop on our live tour. More info and tickets here: alu.ms/hiddenbrain-st…

“It’s a very risky business to decide that's the only way my life is meaningful.” @DaveEvansDYL Many of us dream of making a big impact on the world. But this aspiration doesn’t always bring us happiness. And sometimes, it can get in the way of making a smaller but still meaningful difference. In this week’s episode, we look at the misguided beliefs that get in the way of  a rich and meaningful life — and a better way to find the answers we need. open.spotify.com/episode/4gzj4X…

“The better question is not ‘What's the meaning of life?’ But ‘How might I live a more meaningful life now?’” We tell ourselves that meaning comes from impact, passion, or finding the one right path. But these beliefs can leave us feeling stuck — even when our lives look perfectly fine on paper. In the first episode of a two-part series, behavioral scientist @DaveEvansDYL describes a new approach to help us build lives that feel more alive, flexible, and real. hiddenbrain.org/podcast/design…

More than forty years ago, Rebecca Stuhlmiller sat at a stoplight in a new city, crying. She felt trapped in a relationship she didn’t know how to leave. Then a stranger in a neighboring car offered a gesture of kindness she'll always remember. hiddenbrain.org/unsunghero/reb…

Northern California, we’re heading your way! Join us @Stanford on Saturday, May 16 for the latest stop on our live tour. More info and tickets here: alu.ms/hiddenbrain-st…

“If I want to make myself feel loved, the first step is to try to make the other person feel loved. That's really what comes first.” In this week’s episode, we talk with psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky about what we truly want from our intimate relationships— and how to get it. apple.co/4cEJPCt

“That lack of responsiveness did not make me feel loved.” Love can feel powerful at first. Then, like so many good things, it fades into the background. This week, psychologist @slyubomirsky explores the distinction between being loved and *feeling* loved. Then, psychologist Greg Walton answers listener questions about downward spirals. hiddenbrain.org/podcast/do-you…