The Wise Effort Show

Creativity makes us feel alive, open, and expansive. It’s also one of the most essential skills you can have when solving complex problems and adapting to changing times. Yet we live in a world where creativity is undervalued, and we block ourselves from being creative by playing small or quitting when things get uncomfortable. In this skill-building episode, clinical psychologist and creativity s...

Are you yearning to express something, create something, or tell a story? The creative process isn’t easy and it involves entertaining a lot of bad ideas before you get to great ones. In this episode, Dr. Diana Hill sits down with Sarah Hamblin, a writer and director for The Daily Show. They explore her journey to creative innovative sketches that both are sensitive and make an impact.  Liste...

Sometimes, more isn’t more when putting your energy toward your values. If you are a high achiever or like to put your all into things, you must become more skillful and strategic about using your effort. In this skill-building episode, Diana Hill offers three simple but impactful tips to rebuild your energy to keep doing what you love without burning out. You learn: The significance of noticing t...

Are you engaging in meaningful work that benefits you and has a positive impact on the world around you? Brendan Kiernan of Helo.tv is a visionary in the media industry transitioning towards purposeful, positive-impact projects. Exploring the intersections of psychology, AI, and climate change, this episode delves into Kiernan’s journey from a conventional CEO to a climate change innovator with th...

Michael Herold is a confidence coach, public speaker, and ACT specialist. He also has a neuromuscular condition that may necessitate him leaving his beloved life in Vienna soon. In this real play, Dr. Diana Hill and Michael explore what it would look like to live life on his own terms. Listen and learn: Why it’s helpful to write your own nightmare review The benefits of making selfishness a value...

Ever wonder what a mantra is and how to use one? In this skill-building episode, Dr. Diana Hill shares the emerging science behind mantras, offers some simple ones to try, and shows you how to design your own. Listen and learn: The impact of mantra on your brain Simple secular mantras you can try out right away How to set up a formal and informal mantra practice Listen to this episode with Diana H...

What does it mean to interact in a secure way from a centered, wise space? According to Dr. Ann Kelley, co-author of Secure Relating and co-host of the popular podcast Therapist Uncensored , we all move in and out of secure and insecure patterns in our relationships. Ann’s modern take on attachment theory moves us from rigid categories into a more dynamic, evolving, and systemic look at our relati...

In this real play, Dr. Diana Hill is joined by workshop participant Jennie Nash live from a Blue Spirit Costa Rica retreat. Together, they navigate Jennie Nash’s feelings of being trapped by her own success amidst celebrating significant personal milestones and leading a successful business that trains and certifies book coaches. Through exploring wise effort, values, and the balance of effort in...

According to Dr. Emily Weinstein, head of Harvard’s Center for Digital Thriving, we are going about it wrong regarding kids and screens. We must stop demonizing technology and take a more critical and optimistic look at its benefits and harms. In this episode, you’ll explore: Misconceptions parents and caregivers have about teens and screens Why the teenage brain is especially vulnerable to the ha...

We often hear that we need to learn to tolerate uncertainty and be comfortable with our feelings. However, it's not always easy to do so. Dr. Diana Hill shares psychology research, personal experiences, and practical strategies that can help you confront and work with difficult emotions. In this episode, Dr. Hill covers the following topics: Two things that can worsen difficult feelings Distress t...

According to Ofosu Jones-Quartey, everyone is deserving of their own love and compassion, because in this moment, you are enough. Inner work is the way we begin to change the world for the better. In this episode, Ofosu Jones-Quartey, Born I, explores the intersection of hip hop, mindfulness, compassion, and human vulnerability. You’ll explore: The power behind the mantra and koan “You are enough”...

Confidence is defined as the feeling or belief that you can rely on someone or something; firm trust. When we're in an uncomfortable conversation with another person, speaking up requires some inner confidence. In this episode, Diana engages in a real play with Jane Chapman, chef and founder of Communal Table, about developing the inner confidence to speak up in groups and live out your values eve...

How do we help our teenagers thrive? World-renown ACT expert Louise Hayes, discusses how parents, caregivers and educators can help teens discover their values, navigate friendships, take healthy risks and manage technology. Dr. Hayes applies her DNA-V model from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a guide we can use in supporting teens navigate their own path to adulthood.  Dr. Louise...

Many of us feel like we don’t have enough time, so we rush through life, feeling scattered and dissatisfied. On the flip side, we put off things that matter to us because we think we have all the time in the world to get to them. Dr. Diana Hill shares ideas about: What science shows about happiness and free time Why giving away time gives you more time Three cognitive biases getting in the way of...

What do you really yearn for? According to Steven Hayes and Joseph Ciarrochi, humans have 6 core yearnings that guide our behavior towards or away from psychological flexibility.  In this episode, you will explore: Our natural yearnings, how they shape our behaviors and psychological reflexes, and the insight required to align our actions with our core values.  The role of agency and the...

Sometimes, the biggest barrier to living up to your values is you. In this real play, fitness instructor and CEO of Bond Fitness, Jenny Schatzle, shares her mission to change diet culture and help moms radically accept their bodies. Diana Hill uses ACT and compassion-focused interventions to help uncover and transform the hidden barriers to making Jenny's mission a reality. In this episode, Dr. Di...

Wise Effort is about putting your energy in places that matter and savoring the good of your life along the way. The Wise Effort show, hosted by Dr. Diana Hill, is for you if you are a high achiever, care about holistic health, believe in science, and are looking for more sustainable and impactful ways of living. In this episode, Dr. Diana Hill guides you to learn: What is Wise Effort and why it m...

How can you use neuroscience to break the habit of eating when you are not hungry? Dr. Jud Brewer shares a three-step method to rewire your brain and relationship with food in this episode. Dr. Jud’s thoughts on GLP-1 agonists Dr. Jud leads Diana through his three-step model The “bigger better offer” than eating when not hungry The power of self-compassion for changing your eating habits Listen to...

Dr. Jenny Etneir is a mom, sports coach, and leading researcher in brain health, cognition, and exercise. In this science-packed, practical, and motivating episode, Dr. Etneir shares What youth sports coaches are doing wrong How exercise impacts our cognitive performance What to do if you don’t feel like you have enough time to exercise Cutting-edge research on exercise and Alzheimer’s prevention...

Everyone knows that exercise is good for you, so why do only a quarter of Americans meet the CDC’s guidelines for physical activity? In this episode, Diana Hill and ACT researcher Jason Lillis tackle some of the most significant barriers to moving your body, including “there are no sidewalks,” “I don’t have enough time,” “I feel guilty for leaving my kids,” and “I just don’t like to!” Break throug...

In this special 100th-episode celebration, Diana offers her favorite and most effective tips to energize your health. Dump “junk food,” rest, and learn restorative practices that will heal your body at the cellular level. Break out of your exercise rut and learn to move more nutritiously. Stop counting calories and track this instead, and learn four things you can do to drink alcohol more consciou...

How can we use what we learned in 2023 to navigate 2024 with greater fortitude and flexibility? In this episode, Diana shares 4 science-backed tips that will make your new year better, including how to stress better, reset your dopamine system, build healthier relationships, and take care of your health. Each of these facets is deeply examined with insights from experts such as Elissa Epel, Alexan...

Give yourself the gift of savoring this holiday season. Diana encourages you to stop running and savor the good in this short meditation. She guides you through savoring practices such as savoring the breath, gratitude, accomplishments, awe, and wisdom. The episode concludes with setting intentions for incorporating savoring into daily life. Related Resources Get enhanced show notes for this episo...

Mary Pipher revolutionized our understanding of adolescent girls with her best-selling book Reviving Ophelia. Since then, Mary has been writing about the skills women need to thrive across their lifespans. Drawing from her own experiences and her extensive work, including 'Letters to a Young Therapist' and 'Women Rowing North,' Pipher discusses the impact of cultural contexts on individuals, the n...

Family estrangement is more common than you may think. Most of us don’t talk about our family conflict because we feel shame, stigma, and dread the over-simplistic and judgmental advice, “Why don’t you just forgive them and move on?” Yet, research shows that over ¼ of Americans are estranged from their family members. When estranged, it can feel like an open wound that never heals. In this ep...