Ready Living Podcast

Drawing on years of prescribing ‘books as medicine’ to people around the world, bibliotherapist Ella Berthoud reveals how bibliotherapy can offer comfort, insight, and a way forward through life’s many challenges. Central to her work is an unwavering belief in fiction’s transformative power. When reading a book deeply, whether alone in a quiet room, nestled in a dedicated reading nook, or even whe...

Award-winning Australian travel writer and author Louise Southerden has spent over two decades venturing to some of the most awe-inspiring corners of the planet, from canoeing in Madagascar and kayaking in the Arctic and Antarctica, to hiking in Nepal, and expedition-cruising in the Galapagos and the Russian Far East. In this Ready Living Podcast episode, she speaks about her fear of becoming trap...

What if our gardens could be more than simply beautiful? What if they could also serve as shared spaces and vital habitat for pollinators and other wildlife? In this Ready Living Podcast episode, nature writer and habitat consultant Nancy Lawson , author of the books “ The Humane Gardener: Nurturing a Backyard Habitat for Wildlife ” and “ Wildscape: Trilling Chipmunks, Beckoning Blooms, Salty Butt...

Information and digital literacy are essential human rights crucial for building resilient societies, says internationally recognized digital transformation expert Dr. Danica Radovanović , author and editor of the book “ Digital Literacy and Inclusion: Stories, Platforms, Communities ” in this recent Ready Living Podcast episode. While nearly a third of the world still lives without internet conne...

Narcissists lack empathy, pathologically lie, and thrive on manipulating and controlling others. Their playbook includes gaslighting, withholding emotionally, triangulating, exerting financial control, and sowing chaos and confusion. In this Ready Living Podcast episode, narcissistic abuse recovery coach Lynn Catalano shares the red flags of narcissistic abuse, unpacks the stages of the narcissist...

We’re biologically wired to seek predictability and control, so when life throws us curve balls like a career identity crisis, work burnout, or job loss, our confidence can waver. In this Ready Living Podcast episode, career transitions coach Emily Rothberg talks about navigating change, shifting mindsets, and finding clarity amid chaos, especially during uncertain and rapidly shifting times. She...

How do we humanize work in an era where technology, control, and efficiency often take precedence over purpose, people, and genuine connection? Rachel Happe challenges the very foundation of how we think about work, arguing that organizations need to move beyond viewing employees and customers as mere inputs into a financial machine and instead see them as the very source of meaning, energy, and l...

Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs) possess a unique neurological trait that enables them to move through life with extraordinary perception, recognizing subtle details, emotions, and connections that others might overlook. They’re exceptionally intuitive, creative, and empathetic. Yet high sensitivity isn’t a condition one acquires, it’s an innate trait affecting roughly 20% of the overall population...

Divorce isn’t just emotionally difficult, it’s also one of the biggest financial changes people experience in their lives. Unfortunately it often has a devastating financial impact, especially on women and children. The repercussions of divorce extend far beyond the immediate separation, affecting overall economic well-being, retirement security, and long-term financial stability. In this Ready Li...

Have you ever ignored your gut instinct because you didn’t want to “overreact”? Or risked your safety because you felt pressured to be agreeable… even though the situation made you uncomfortable? In this Ready Living Podcast episode, self-defense expert Nicole Snell teaches people how to prepare so they can move through the world with confidence and a fearless mindset. Nicole is an award-winning i...

In this Ready Living Podcast episode, Daniel J. Solove, one of the world’s foremost experts in privacy law and the #1 most cited law professor in the law and technology field, talks about technology’s impact on privacy, how the law often fails to adequately protect privacy, and what needs to be done to safeguard our personal privacy freedoms. Dan challenges the traditional, narrow definitions of p...

What drives someone to pursue a Ph. D. in public health? For Kevin Cevasco, it all began with a story about a high schooler nearly dropping out to help pay his family’s rent during his mother’s medical treatment. In this Ready Living Podcast episode, Kevin recounts fascinating parallels from past outbreaks—like the Black Death in fourteenth century Europe and smallpox in the 1800s—to help us under...

In a world often fractured by division, renowned architect Eddie Jones, founder of award-winning firm Jones Studio, offers a bold, transformative perspective of the border and challenges us to view it as a bridge between cultures, economies, and human experiences. Through architecture and a profound belief in the power of design, he illustrates how thoughtful infrastructure can reshape not just la...

Have you ever wondered what would happen to your beloved companion animal if something happened to you? It’s a question many of us would rather avoid, but one we can’t afford to ignore. In today’s episode, we explore this often-overlooked topic with Professor Ashley R. Dobbs from the University of Richmond School of Law. Under American law, pets are treated as property, much like a chair or a lapt...

What if we could create a world where compassion, resilience, health and justice form the foundation of society? Physician Hope Ferdowsian, author of Phoenix Zones: Where Strength Is Born and Resilience Lives , and co-founder and president of Phoenix Zones Initiative, shares insights from over two decades of work caring for individuals experiencing violence, displacement, and other hardships, whil...

How do we truly prepare for disasters, and what does recovery look like when catastrophe strikes? In this episode, renowned disasterologist Samantha Montano, Ph. D., takes us into the world of emergency management, offering practical advice on what communities and individuals can do. She also outlines the steps someone impacted by events like Hurricanes Helene and Milton can take to receive state...

In her moving and deeply insightful new book Abandoned: Chronicling the Journeys of Once-Forsaken Dogs , Katherine Carver followed nearly 60 dogs and their journeys from shelters to loving homes. She shares the emotional experience of photographing these dogs twice, first at the shelter or animal rescue and again a year later in their new homes. The initial sadness she witnessed in some dogs’ eyes...

Over the summers of 2022 and 2023, Alexander Verbeek embarked on the legendary Camino de Santiago, an ancient 500-mile pilgrimage traversing several European countries. In this Ready Living Podcast episode, he shares the allure of the Camino and the diverse people he met along the way, each walking for reasons uniquely personal to them. He also talks about one poignant tradition of stopping at Cru...

After a near-fatal battle with mental illness, Barbara Louise Brennan is grateful to be alive. Now 16 years well, she is a renowned change maker, stigma disruptor, and workplace mental health solutions expert. In this episode, she opens up about her early struggles, how she rebuilt her life, and the importance of breaking down the stigma around mental illness. “If I can come back…anybody can do it...

After decades in law enforcement combating serious crime like narcotics, human trafficking and murder, retired senior detective Mark Randell continues fighting for justice, this time focusing on the link between animal abuse and human violence within relationships, families, and communities. This episode explores the deep connection between animal cruelty and other unlawful acts like domestic abus...

What if the key to a happier and more connected life lies in reclaiming the wild parts of ourselves that we've lost along the way? The answer may lie in rewilding the human psyche, which helps people bridge the gap between rational thought and sensory experience and rediscover aspects of their humanity that have been sidelined by modern life. This episode’s guest is award-winning psychologist Dr....

On a scale of one to ten, Paull Young’s positivity is a self-described full-on ten. It’s been his greatest asset in driving meaningful change in sustainability and climate action, and in inspiring others to believe in the possibility of a better future. Paull is the Head of Sustainability at GitHub. Before this, he spent nine years at Meta, where he was the GTM & partnerships lead for the sinc...

When we strip away the facade of perfection and embrace a willingness to fail, we can discover our true strength. That’s what happened to Kate Strong when she set her sights on becoming a world champion, reclaiming her life in the process. Kate is a 3-time world record-holding static cyclist, an age-group World Champion in triathlon, an international keynote and TEDx speaker, and author of the new...

Anger is often seen as a destructive force, something to be feared and avoided. Yet, beneath its fiery exterior lies a powerful tool capable of driving change and even fostering creativity. Understanding and harnessing anger can unlock a new realm of possibilities, turning this misunderstood emotion into a source of strength and inspiration. This episode’s guest is Dr. Ryan Martin , also known as...

Trust is the foundation on which relationships are built, communities are formed, and businesses thrive. It’s the invisible thread that weaves the fabric of society together and allows us to feel safe. However, trust isn’t something that happens by default; it’s earned through integrity and consistent actions, says this episode’s guest Scott Baradell . Scott is the Founder and CEO of Idea Grove ,...