The Daniel Stih Podcast

Travel photography isn't just about taking pictures of places. It's about learning how to see them. In this episode, I talk with Ralph Velasco, travel photographer, tour leader, author, and host of The Continental Drifter, about turning creativity into a career and using photography as a way to experience the world more deeply. We explore: • What makes a place photogenic • How slow travel changes...

My guest is Alison Bladh, a registered nutritional therapist who works with women navigating the challenges of menopause. This conversation focuses on a deeper question: What actually helps manage symptoms—and how should nutrition be evaluated in that process? In this episode, we explore: • The most common challenges during menopause • How nutrition may influence symptoms like mood, sleep, and ene...

My guest is Olivier Mankondo, a weight loss and wellness coach who has followed a plant-based approach since 2016. After losing over 70 pounds in nine months and resolving long-standing health issues, his work now focuses on helping others rethink how they approach food and health. This conversation is less about diet advice, and more about a deeper question: What problem are we actually trying to...

Is there evidence for life after death—and how should we evaluate it? In this episode, I talk with Liz Entin, author of WTF Just Happened?!, who set out to investigate the possibility of an afterlife from a skeptical perspective after the loss of her father. We explore: • What is considered "evidence" in afterlife research and how it's interpreted • Experiences with psychic mediums and how reading...

My guest is Marie McKenzie, an intimacy and relationship coach who works with women navigating recovery after sexual assault. This conversation focuses on a difficult but important question: How does recovery happen—and how are trust and relationships rebuilt over time? In this episode, we explore: • What to do if you think an assault may have occurred • How recovery unfolds and what makes it diff...

My guest is Adriana Cefala, a bilingual English teacher who moved from Australia to Italy and now helps others prepare for life in Australia. This conversation is less about language itself—and more about a deeper problem: What does it take to navigate a new environment where the rules aren't written down? We explore: How language reflects underlying cultural systems Why "speaking like a local" is...

What does it actually take to walk away from a structured life—and not know what comes next? In this episode, I talk with Jenell Jones, who at 60 sold everything she owned, bought an RV, and left with no plan.  • What goes into a decision like that—and what doesn't • The difference between perceived risk and actual risk • What changes when you remove the idea of a "home base" • The trade-offs of l...

Some people are told early how their story will end. Most believe it. Shawn Harper didn't. In this episode, we look at what actually changed—from learning disabilities, poverty, and being labeled "most likely to fail" to making it to the NFL. We explore: • What "mindset" actually means in practice • How identity shapes behavior—and outcomes • Why some people change trajectory and others don't • Wh...

My guest today is Noah Healy, a market designer and game theorist working on a better way to organize how prices are set. We take something that sounds complex—commodity markets—and break it down into a simple question: Why do things cost what they do? And why are prices so high? Noah explains how current market structures create instability, inefficiency, and higher costs—and how a different appr...

Intuition is often treated as either truth—or nonsense. In reality, it's something people use every day without fully understanding how it works. In this episode, I sit down with psychic medium Corbie Mitleid to explore how intuition is interpreted, applied, and experienced. We examine: • What people mean when they say "intuition" • How signals are interpreted in the absence of clear data • Why so...

My guest for this episode is Dr. Rebecca Allen. Dr. Allen's current focus is on brain stimulation and treatments for neuropsychiatric conditions and depression. In this conversation we talk about the following treatments, what they are, how they work, who might benefit from them, and possible risks and side of effects: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)   Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) ketam...

Photography isn't just about capturing images. It's about how you see. In this episode, I talk with photographer Molly Schlachter, creator of Photo Jam, about using photography as a way to change perception, think differently, and create more intentionally. We explore: • How attention and perception shape what you notice • Why creative constraints (light, shadow, space) change how you think • Usin...

My guest is Near Death Experiencer (NDE), Best-selling Author, Speaker, and coach Kathy McDaniel. In 2000, Kathy had Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, a serious lung condition that causes fluid to build up in the lungs. She survived, but not before she had a "Distressing Near Death Experience."   You may be familiar with the acronym NDE - Near Death Experience. NDEs are usually positive. During...

This conversation is not just about resumes—it's about a deeper question: How does the hiring system actually work, and why do so many people struggle to navigate it? My guest today is Josef Stetter, the resume whisperer. Josef's "Land Your Dream Job Now" program was created after twenty years during in which he switched careers 9 times and jobs 18. He understands the frustration job seekers go th...

Minimalism is described as "living with less." The real question is: What does it  change, and what do people misunderstand about it? My guest is Stephen Warley, who has spent decades designing work and life on his own terms. In this conversation, we explore: What minimalism is and isn't Why it's not just about owning fewer things How it changes decision-making around work and time The trade-offs...

My guest is Dolly Manghat, who has spent decades working with astrology and numerology as tools for guiding decisions and shaping life direction. This conversation is not about validating or dismissing astrology. It's about a deeper question: Why do people use systems like astrology to make decisions—and what role do those systems play in how they understand themselves and their choices? – How ast...

This conversation is not just about clothing—it's about a deeper question: How do we evaluate claims about risk, health, and exposure when the information is complex and often conflicting? My guest is Jeff Garner, a celebrity designer and Emmy award-winning sustainability activist. Jeff has designed for and dressed Giselle Bundchen, Taylor Swift, The Jonas Brothers, Rihanna, Cara Delevigne, Suzy C...

My guest is David Fox, one of the founding members of Lucasfilm Games and a longtime game designer and programmer. This conversation is not just about game design—it's about a deeper question: How do you build a career in a field where the path isn't clearly defined? My guest for this episode is David Fox. David was one of the founding members, first game designer and project leader at Lucas film...

Voting is often discussed in terms of participation and outcomes. The real question is: How do voting systems actually work—and what determines whether a vote counts? My guest is Amy Widestrom, Executive Director of the League of Women Voters in Pennsylvania and a political scientist. In this conversation, we explore: • How voting systems are structured • Where breakdowns and friction occur • What...

This conversation is not just about divorce. I's about a deeper question: How do people make decisions when the stakes are high, emotions are involved, and the consequences are difficult to reverse? My guest is Rachel King, an attorney who specialized in handling high-conflict divorce and child custody cases. She calls herself the King of litigation. She has 10 years of experience as the lead liti...

This conversation is not just about interior design—it's about a deeper question: How do you build a life and career around what you care about when there's no clear roadmap? My guest today is Paisley Gamble. Paisley has been dreaming of homes since she was seven and making her mark on the design world as a luxury interior designer for the last nineteen years. "Life is too short not to be surround...

My guest is Kelly MacLean, founder of The Kelly MacLean Achievement Center, where she works with students and families to navigate college and career decisions. This conversation is not just about finding the "perfect school." It's about a deeper question: How do you make good decisions about college and career paths when the stakes are high and the future is uncertain? In this episode, we explore...

My guest is Jill Sitnick, author of Rescuing Jill , who shares her experience with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy as part of her recovery from childhood trauma and PTSD. This conversation is not about promoting a treatment. It's about the question: How do we evaluate emerging therapies when the evidence is still developing and the outcomes can vary? In this episode, we explore: • What MDMA-assisted t...

My guest is Maggie Mills, a professional ghostwriter who has helped bring hundreds of books—from business titles to memoirs—to life behind the scenes. This conversation focuses on a deeper question: How do ideas become finished books, and why do so many never get there? In this episode, we explore: • What ghostwriters  do and why they're used • Why writing a book can be harder than expected • How...

AI is increasingly being used in healthcare, from diagnosis to resource allocation. The question is: What decisions should AI be involved in—and where should it stop? My guest is Dr. Christian Yeasted, Chair of Ethics at St. Elizabeth Hospital, who has spent years studying the ethics of artificial intelligence in medicine. In this conversation, we explore: • What bioethics is and how it differs fr...