Read. Talk. Grow.

Are you eager to try the latest serum or supplement — or are you suspicious of every wellness influencer who crosses your social media feed? Either way, there’s much to learn and consider in Kelsey Rae Dimberg’s novel “Snake Oil” about the wellness industry. Kelsey and Mayo Clinic integrative medicine expert Dr. Brent Bauer give us a nuanced view of integrative medicine and the business of wellnes...

Don’t consider yourself a poetry person? You might be surprised! Comedy writer and poet Lyndsay Rush joins us to talk about her book “A BIT MUCH” and the power of poetry to think, process and heal. Dr. Shelley Noland, medical director for the Center for Humanities in Medicine at Mayo Clinic, helps us better understand how poetry and other art can improve our wellness.  This episode was made possib...

Grief from an unexpected, tragic or too-early death is devastating. And all too often, loved ones don’t know how to deal with someone else’s deep, uncomfortable and “unfixable” sadness. Memoirist Amy Lin talks about the trauma of suddenly losing her husband with grief researcher and author Dr. Joanne Cacciatore. They help us understand what Dr. Cacciatore calls "the gift-curse of fully inhabited g...

Children who stutter have historically been met with impatience, derision or disregard when they can’t quickly express their thoughts and emotions. That’s the case for Maggie, the protagonist of author C.C. Harrington’s book WILDOAK, which urges us to listen to and support those with communication challenges. Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Heather Clark joins us to share her clinical expertise as a speech lang...

Migraines can be absolutely debilitating, and many people with migraine live in fear of the next migraine attack. But when they try to talk about their symptoms, they may not be believed … or they might be told to take some ibuprofen and get over it. C. Michelle Lindley shows us what it’s like to live with migraine in her novel “The Nude.” She joins us with Mayo Clinic expert Dr. Rashmi Halker Sin...

When someone dies by suicide, their loved ones are often left asking questions like “How could this have happened?” The protagonist in Onyi Nwabineli’s debut novel “Someday, Maybe,” wrestles with these questions after the untimely death of husband. Onyi and Mayo Clinic psychologist Dr. Craig Sawchuk discuss processing grief, loss and guilt – and the importance of showing up and supporting those wh...

Amid rising understanding and support for mental health disorders, some — like bipolar disorder — remain heavily shrouded in stigma. Author and neuroscientist Lisa Genova’s new book, “More or Less Maddy,” tackles this subject with accuracy and compassion. We talk to Lisa and Mayo Clinic licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Lorelei Rowe about how bipolar can affect those with the disorder and their l...

Either your family is messy and complicated at times or you’re lying. Author Laurie Frankel talks us through her wonderfully complex novel exploring adoption and the very concept of family. Mayo Clinic psychiatrist Dr. Sandra Rackley gives us her perspective on the nuanced realities of family relationships. This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens.  We talked with : La...

Stroke is an often sudden and scary experience — and it can be followed by months of uncertainty about recovery. Tracey Lange depicts the aftermath of stroke, including the disruption of daily life and changing relationship dynamics, in her new novel “What Happened to the McCrays?” Mayo Clinic neurologist Dr. Courtney Hrdlicka joins to lend her stroke expertise. This episode was made possible by t...

While most people avoid talking or even thinking about death, Clover, the protagonist in Mikki Brammer’s novel “The Collected Regrets of Clover,” is a death doula. She sits with people as they die, offering them conversation, company and compassion. Mikki and hospice and palliative care expert Dr. Ann Marie Chiasson join us to consider how we approach the deaths of our loved ones – and ourselves....

Historically, the medical system was not designed to prioritize — or many times, even consider — women patients and providers. Dr. Elizabeth Comen wrote the book “All in Her Head,” to examine this troubled history and help educate and empower women to get the healthcare they deserve. Dr. Comen and Dr. Deborah Bartz join us to discuss how to break through the shame and misinformation surrounding wo...

If you're considering giving up drinking, you've probably been deterred by all you would be, well, giving up. Author Holly Whitaker and addiction psychiatrist Kristen Schmidt, M.D., flip the script on this discouraging outlook as they talk about everything you stand to gain. We talked with: Holly Whitaker is a writer, researcher, teacher, student and the author of the wildly popular, New York Time...

We talked with: Gladys McGarey, M.D. , was a pioneer in allopathic and holistic medical movements and practiced medicine even when she was over 100 years old. She was a founding diplomat of the American Board of Holistic Medicine. She was the cofounder and past president of the American Holistic Medical Association. She cared for thousands of patients and people all around the world and across all...

Stephen Kuusisto has been blind since birth, and he didn’t grow up in a time (or household) that accepted or accommodated his disability. Later in life, he partnered up with a guide dog, Corky, which opened up doors for greater adventure and independence. We discuss his memoir “Have Dog, Will Travel,” guide dogs, stereotypes about blindness and more with Mayo Clinic expert Dr. Brittni Scruggs.  Th...

Chronic illness can come with seemingly endless doctor’s visits, treatment trials and insurance battles. On top of that, people with chronic conditions often experience some degree of shame or blame for their condition – from their social circles, healthcare providers or themselves. Unfortunately, the resulting emotional distress may aggravate physical symptoms. One of the sisters in Alexandra Tan...

In this episode, we dig into two topics that can provoke feelings of shame: sex and food. But in Chana Porter’s speculative, fictional world, their roles are flipped — eating, not sex, is the cultural taboo. Mayo Clinic expert Dr. Lesley Williams joins us as we discuss disordered eating and the dynamics of restraint, pleasure, shame and desire. We talked with : Chana Porter is an author, playwrigh...

Severe mental health disorders can complicate relationships. That goes double for families, when genetic predispositions and generational trauma can come into play. And it’s even more complicated when a loved one’s mental illness disconnects them from reality. In this episode, we’re talking about delusions with author and pharmacist Ruth Madievsky. Her book ALL-NIGHT PHARMACY explores how the ment...

You might not fully understand the menopause experience unless you go through it — but author Catherine Newman’s latest novel “Sandwich,” might get you pretty close. Catherine and Mayo Clinic menopause expert Dr. Taryn Smith join us to discuss the book, which wonderfully captures the complicated feelings and sometimes surprising symptoms of menopause. This episode was made possible by the generous...

In this episode, author Susan Lieu discusses her memoir, “The Manicurist’s Daughter,” which explores her mother’s  death during an elective surgical procedure. Mayo Clinic physician Dr. Alyssa Janousek provides her anesthesiology expertise to help listeners navigate and make sense of surgical procedures.  We talked with : Susan Lieu , a Vietnamese-American author, playwright, and performer, tells...

It seems like psychedelics have never been more popular, buoyed by clinical trials, popular media and international psychedelic retreats. They’re sometimes marketed as a fast-acting panacea for mental health struggles, but the truth is far more complicated — and mysterious. New York Times national correspondent and author Ernesto Londoño and psychiatrist Dr. Eric Noble join us to talk about the po...

Author Danielle Valentine joins us to discuss her book “Delicate Condition,” a pregnancy horror book that depicts the darker sides to fertility, pregnancy and healthcare. Mayo Clinic expert Dr. Ali Ainsworth joins to help us understand more about the logistical and emotional challenges of fertility journeys and assisted reproductive technology.  This episode was made possible by the generous suppo...

Episode summary : A rom-com that thoughtfully addresses death, grief and breast cancer risk? We’re in! Alison, the protagonist in the romance novel “Four Weekends and a Funeral,” is pretending that she was still dating her ex-boyfriend at the time of his death. (It’s complicated.) On top of that, she’s recently undergone a double mastectomy after finding out she a gene variant that puts her at hig...

Writing your life story be a healing process – even if you have zero intention of ever publishing it. But many people who want to write don’t know how to get started. We talk to expert storytellers Allison Fallon, author of “Write Your Story,” and Sandi Marinella, author of “The Story You Need to Tell,” to give us some expert writing insight and advice. This episode was made possible by generous s...

The opioid epidemic is now a well-known phenomenon, drawing justified attention in medicine, politics and pop culture. But how much do you know about benzodiazepine dependence?  In this episode, author Melissa Bond tells us how she unintentionally ended up becoming deeply dependent on benzos, a journey chronicled in her memoir “Blood Orange Night.” Mayo Clinic pharmacist Dr. Michael Campbell joins...

For many women, midlife take the shape of a perfect storm: High-stress careers, kids transitioning out of the home, and then an onslaught of (sometimes severe) hormonal symptoms. For the protagonist of “Amazing Grace Adams,” it’s all too much. Author Fran Littlewood explains how her protagonist breaks out of the “good-girl narrative” and unleashes her suppressed rage, with expert menopause insight...