In Sync

 Dr. Holly Rogers is a psychiatrist, long-term meditation practitioner, and founder of the Mindfulness Institute for Emerging Adults (MIA). Dr. Rogers shares the origin story of MIA - a mindfulness curriculum she developed at Duke University after noticing that students were struggling with stress and lacked practical tools to manage it. What started as a small experiment in a campus counseling ce...

Abdullah Antepli shares his remarkable journey from poverty in southeastern Turkey to becoming an imam, professor, and chaplain at Duke University, and now director of the Rothko Chapel in Houston. Growing up in an environment of violence and hardship, Abdullah was one of the first in his extended family to complete elementary school. His conversion to Islam became a transformative escape from cyc...

Dr. Don Vaughn is a Stanford and UCLA trained Neuroscientist and the co-founder of Ampa Health. He discusses fascinating world of neuroplasticity and groundbreaking approaches to mental health treatment. Dr. Vaughn explains how our brain continuously rewires itself based on our experiences, thoughts, and behaviors. He dives into his compelling research on why we dream as well as Ampa's revolutiona...

Dr. Bridgette Hard is the Director of Undergraduate Studies in Psychology at Duke University. She shares her journey from accidentally discovering her passion for teaching introductory psychology at Stanford to becoming one of Duke's most beloved professors. The conversation explores Dr. Hard's teaching philosophy, built on three pillars: providing clear structure and support, maintaining...

Dr. John Rose is a theologian and civil discourse expert who bridges faith, philosophy, and productive dialogue across political divides. From his academic journey through Princeton's theology program to pioneering classes at Duke and UNC on navigating polarization, Dr. Rose shares how Christian virtues like love and charity inform his approach to helping students engage across differences. This e...

Amanda Freeman is a serial wellness founder. She brought high-intensity Pilates to New York with SLT (Strengthen Lengthen Tone) Pilates, everyone's go-to Pilates studio. She shares her journey from trend forecaster to fitness industry pioneer. After identifying "the rise of well-consciousness" in 2006, she launched Vital Juice, a wellness newsletter that reached 250,000 subscribers....

This episode features Colin McCabe, co-founder of Chopt Creative Salad Company and The Founder's Table. Colin shares the remarkable 25-year journey of building one of the first fast-casual health food chains in America. Starting as two college graduates with no business background selling salads in Union Square, Colin and his best friend Tony Shure pioneered the concept of healthy fast food when t...

This episode features Dr. Richard Jaffe, a Duke University Religious Studies professor and Buddhist scholar specializing in Zen Buddhism. Professor Jaffe recounts how his journey began in the 1960s when he left college to practice full-time at the San Francisco Zen Center, including three years at a monastic retreat, before earning his PhD in Buddhist studies from Yale. The conversation explores f...

This episode features an intimate conversation with Sima Sistani, former CEO of Weight Watchers, founder of House Party, and a current Duke professor. She covers everything from career conviction, authentic leadership, and the power of relationships. Sima shares her unconventional career journey from Goldman Sachs to tech startups, revealing how she's always chased what "lights her up&quo...

Dr. Becky Kennedy is a clinical psychologist and the founder of Good Inside, a multi-media parenting platform with over 5 million followers. Dr. Becky shares her framework for understanding relationships (starting with the one we have with ourselves) and explains how the principles she teaches parents apply universally to workplace dynamics, friendships, and romantic relationships. She discusses t...

Dr. Patty Van Cappellen is the Duke University Professor for the course "The Science of Happiness," and the Director of the Interdisciplinary Behavioral Research Center. In this episode, she shares insights from her groundbreaking research in positive psychology, exploring how we can move beyond simply being "okay" to truly flourishing in life. The conversation delves into the...

Kira Jackson is the Chief Brand Officer at SET Active, one of today's fastest growing female athleisure brands that is truly shaping the current cultural landscape. She is also a growth strategist with 10+ years of experience spanning private equity investing, brand transformation, and marketing leadership. In this episode, Kira reflects on her career evolution from public relations to investi...

Lisa Blau has over 20 years of experience working in the health and wellness space as both an operator and investor. She attended Duke University and Harvard Business School. She’s a partner at _able, an early stage consumer investment fund focused on supporting visionary brands in the positive, healthy living space. In this episode, Lisa delves into everything from _able’s investment thesis on na...

In this episode, Duke’s Chabad Rabbi Nossen Fellig shares an abundance of wisdom regarding the Jewish perspective on living well. He delves into the essence of the Jewish religion, the importance of rituals such as Shabbat and Mitzvot in a broader context, and the intertwined nature of believing in God and yourself. The endurance of the Jewish tradition thousands of years after its origin speaks t...

Dr. Eric Trexler is a Duke University professor in the Health, Wellness, and Physical Education Department. In this episode, he delves into everything from apple cider vinegar, vitamin D, and caffeine to how to optimize workout routines and why cognitive framing plays a critical role in sustainable weight loss. He holds a PhD in Human Movement Science from UNC Chapel Hill and currently teaches cou...

Dr. Nicole Brooks is a licensed marriage and family therapist with over 20 years of experience. She gives powerful advice for cultivating healthy relationships and protecting your energy. Her work extends far beyond the therapy room, from founding multiple businesses to appearing on Shark Tank to earning her meditation certification, and of course, raising four amazing children. She also happens t...

A podcast inspired by the major I designed at Duke University to study health & well-being multidimensionally. Welcome.