Kelly Corrigan Wonders

How do understanding and approval factor into kindness? Are we only nice to the people we "get"? How can we change the way we think about who is deserving of love, respect and kindness? (hint: it's everyone). Carvell Wallace has thoughts on all of this and more. He's a writer, a thinker and a creative who has written powerful profiles of artists, actors, activists and is also the curious mind behi...

Austin Channing Brown is an author, activist and thought leader. She's tired of explaining what it's like to be black, but her insight and passion is irresistible. Here's a conversation that will linger in your mind as much for the points of connection as for the points of tension. For everyone committed to learning and understanding more about race, this is an episode to share and discuss. Please...

67 million of us are estranged from a family member. 85% of us are in regular conflict at work. The country is split on every issue from masks to education, health care to policing. Kelly asks journalist and bestselling author of High Conflict, Amanda Ripley where we go from here. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more...

Karen Moon is a therapist who cut her teeth counseling bankers after tragedies like the Oklahoma City bombing and 9/11. For 15 years she's been helping high school and college kids with anxiety, depression and change. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoic...

Kelly and Jen Hatmaker test drive the questions from Kelly's new children's book Hello World! to see what new things they can learn about each other. From celebrating favorite holidays to bouncing back from unexpected change and loss, these two old friends cover much ground and show us all how to find meaningful connection with the people we love -- and maybe even with those we don't yet know we l...

In honor of teachers everywhere, Kelly shares a conversation with her friend, Oakland Unified Teacher of the year, Tontra Love. While Ms. Love normally teaches kindergartners, it turns out she has lots to teach all of us -- especially about how to interact more lovingly with one another, disagree peacefully and imagine what it's like to be in someone else's shoes. If you enjoy this episode, make s...

Kelly tracks down Yale Philosophy professor and the Dean of Arts & Sciences, Tamar Gendler, to discuss the great ancient philosophers’ take on our human nature and how it relates to modern happiness. Dean Gendler's studied academic and historical perspective on what makes us tick will definitely leave you feeling smarter, deeper and full of understanding about yourself and your fellow humans. If y...

This week, Kelly continues her series with authors on human nature with Brit Bennett, the brilliant mind behind the bestselling book, The Vanishing Half, which just sold to HBO for the small screen. They cover the unfortunate way we're all categorized for marketing purposes, and why curiosity is paramount to us becoming a better species. Please subscribe, rate and review us wherever you listen to...

Kelly talks with New Yorker staff writer Jia Tolentino about identity, culture and the irresistable manipulation of the internet. Jia is a 32-year old intellectual phenom who just came out with her first book of essays called Trick Mirror. She's part feminist, part radical thinker and part cultural critic, and she has a lot to say about what it means to be human in today's world. To learn more abo...

Alongside renowned Canadian poet, novelist and activist Margaret Atwood, Kelly continues a series on Human Nature. They discuss why life together is sometimes very hard and other times truly delightful, through the lense of the very best and worst parts of our nature. Please subscribe, rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts! We read and appreciate every review. You can follow the conve...

Kelly kicks off a series on Human Nature with celebrated author George Saunders. They go deep on virtue, vice, our tricky egos, and finding empathy for ourselves and others. Please subscribe, rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts! We read and appreciate every review. You can follow the conversation with Kelly on Instagram @kellycorrigan. To learn more about listener data and our priva...

Kelly concludes her series with Anna Quindlen and Anna Sale by diving into the joy of the "work" we're paid for (and how it can give us permission to be bolder than we've been conditioned to be) and the challenge of the "work" of family life, when we're reconciling differences over money and oversimplifying things with snap judgments. Please subscribe, rate and review us wherever you listen to pod...

Grudges, overbearing "wisdom" and selfish behavior are all hallmarks of even the most functional families. Kelly asks Pulitzer Prize winner Anna Quindlen and award-winning podcaster Anna Sale about mistakes they've made in family life, and how they've found and given forgiveness. If you like this conversation, make sure to listen to Episode #8: "Three Stories of Extraordinary Forgiveness with Wand...

Eventually grief, which is searing, becomes loss, which is more like an ache that comes and goes. Kelly asks Pulitzer Prize winner Anna Quindlen and award winning podcaster Anna Sale about what and how they have grieved. Together, they share passages and riff about how to find meaning in loss. If you found this episode useful, make sure to listen to Kelly's conversation with palliative care doc BJ...

Kelly continues her deep dive on family life with the help of Anna Quindlen, the Pulitzer Prize winning writer, and Anna Sale, the host of Death, Sex & Money and author of Let's Talk About Hard Things. Together, they read from their own works and riff on how family dynamics shift and change over time as kids become parents, parents become grandparents and everyone (hopefully) grows up. From parsin...

This month, Kelly finds herself between two Annas -- Anna Quindlen, the Pulitzer Prize winning writer, and Anna Sale, the host of WNYC's popular Death, Sex & Money podcast. Together, they read excerpts from their books and riff on how terribly easy it is to misunderstand each other in family life. From thinking you’re not "a divorce kinda person" to overestimating our influence as parents, love is...

Kelly couldn't help but notice that many of our conversations about how change happens offered up some of the exact same beats, despite the wide variety of changes we discussed. Jump into this conversation and take notes you'll want to post on your refrigerator. Follow the conversation on Instagram @kellycorrigan. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audac...

With nearly unlimited financial and intellectual resources at her disposal, Melinda Gates is committed to addressing the problems holding women back all over the world - from their limited educational opportunities to maternal health challenges and more. Kelly and Melinda dissect how making critical systemic improvements for women will change not only their lives and their families, but has the be...

Kelly talks with a range of guests in this episode about the changing face of higher education, the value of a cross-disciplinary liberal arts approach and the danger of a one-size-fits-all college experience. Kelly's guests include: her daughter, Georgia Lichty - a sophomore at Georgetown University, Tara Westover - the author of Educated, Lande Ajose - the senior policy advisor for education for...

Very few of us gaze contentedly into the mirror and are happy with our bodies. In this episode, Kelly dives into the dangers of our obsession with body image in a candid conversation with therapist Ariel and her client Lindsay about eating disorders, triggers and recovery. A must listen. IMPORTANT NOTE: This episode does include references to eating disorders which some listeners may find troublin...

From San Quentin inmate to neighborhood safety advocate, Kelly’s guest Sam Vaughn embodies the ideal of “be the change you want to see.” Working with DeVone Boggan, Kelly’s other guest and the charismatic leader of Advance Peace, this duo shares how they nurture violent criminals into a better future, one small step at a time, with the care and attention of a devoted parent. Follow the conversatio...

Kelly talks to Alex, an insightful and forthcoming 15 year old who is transitioning from a girl to a boy, as well as his mother about how you know you have to change and the series of decisions, losses and gains found along the way. Follow the conversation on Instagram @kellycorrigan. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn...

Both Congresswoman Barbara Lee and human rights attorney Jessica Jackson went through college as single mothers, relying on some form of public assistance. They've since gone on to make big changes in our country, from both inside and outside of government. Kelly talks to each of them to get a big old reminder about the power of our democracy and the promise of liberty and justice for all. Follow...

When you are a woman who is dead sure she wants to be a mother and the universe is not cooperating, how can you bend reality to your dreams? Lori Gottlieb (author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone) and Kelly's friend Tracy Defina reflect on finding their way into the job they always wanted: parenthood. Follow the conversation on Instagram @kellycorrigan. To learn more about listener data and our...

What to make of 2020? How to process the election and the pandemic, drastic changes in the the economy and the environment? Yeesh. Kelly combed through everything she's written down in 2020 and found ten things worth a second look--and maybe even worth celebrating. Follow the conversation on Instagram @kellycorrigan. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.au...