The Coaching Lab: Evidence-Based High Performance & Wellbeing

How did we get “here” when it comes to our perspective on the mind, body and the evidence-based practices that – at least I hope – guide our daily choices and the guidance provided by physicians, coaches and others? How did healthcare and medicine grow from speculative and metaphysical practices to that of reason and empirical observation? Today’s guest, esteemed psychiatrist, and best-selling aut...

Ice baths, 4 AM wake-up calls, fasts and more are garnering big-time attention on social media and elsewhere as paths to mental toughness, personal success and more. Beyond the 15 minutes of fame garnered by the post, is there any legitimate science behind these and other less dramatic ways to step into and through discomfort? And why, in the midst of the growing popularity of these strategies, do...

Perfectionism. While it may be the obvious answer to the interview question about our “greatest weaknesses,” the potential negative influence it can have on our lives is palatable – and none of us are immune. Today we have the privilege of having Dr. Thomas Curran, best-selling author of the hugely popular book The Perfection Trap: Embracing the Power of Good Enough . He is also a professor of psy...

How does a real coaching session work? What goes into it? What results stem from it? We may hear about health & wellness coaching available through our employer or EAP, see people across various social media platforms claiming to be life coaches or wellness coaches and of course see athletic coaches taking front and center on a regular basis. But what’s the difference between someone who might...

None of us like rejection, but what happens when the rejection or perceived failure triggers severe emotional pain? According to the Cleveland Clinic, the condition of Rejection Sensitive Dsyphoria, often linked with ADHD, can be due to differences in brain structure, making it difficult for your brain to regulate rejection related emotions and behaviors, escalating their resultant impact. Today’s...

“In the meantime,” is an oft-used phrase describing the moments, weeks, or months between now and an important occurrence in the future (e.g., “We’re moving this fall, but in the meantime we need to get things organized”). The phrase dates to the 14th century referencing an intervening time, building on the assumption that nothing particularly important will occur during “the meantime” (mean as in...

When it comes to food and nutrition, our default is to think of it as a math problem. But what happens when the calculator doesn’t work? What happens when we plug in 2+2 and get 7? Or 3? Or any number of other variable outcomes? When the data collected is off by 20, 30 or even 50%, how can anyone utilize that data to improve their lives? That’s exactly what is happening in the world of food and nu...

In our latest special Bite-sized Boost, Dr. Cooper discusses how to turn information into application! Info re earning your health & wellness coaching certification , annual Rocky Mountain Coaching Retreat & Symposium & more via https://www.catalystcoachinginstitute.com/   Best-in-class coaching for Employers, EAPs & wellness providers https://catalystcoaching360.com/ Tap into the...

We lose approximately 1% of our muscle mass after the age of 40. Ahhh – 1% - what’s the big deal, right? Well – for the muscular athlete, the 3% lost from age 40-43 may be barely noticeable, but what about the 25% lost by age 65 in the unconditioned office worker who doesn’t have much extra muscle to begin with? It can dramatically reduce function and decrease both quality and years of life. But t...

Welcome to the kickoff of our regular new feature for 2024: the Bite-sized Boost! We'll be continuing our regular interviews with world-class authors, researchers, coaches and athletes. However, with 300+ episodes now available in our library, we thought you might appreciate the option to get a brief (generally ~3 min) boost of hope, encouragement or an insight to move toward a better tomorro...

There is a great deal of attention being devoted to extending the lifespan, but what about the “health span” – the period of our lives during which we are not simply continuing to have a pulse, but rather the period during which we are healthy and productive. THAT’s the period we’re most interested in extending – and today we have one of the foremost experts on the subject, the head of the Healths...

This is the perfect time to pause, reflect on another year gone by, and consider the gap between the vision we have of our lives and the reality in which we presently find ourselves living. We’re going to keep things short today, but in doing so I hope that together we can set the stage for a better tomorrow.  To kick things off, I’m going to suggest something that may catch you by surprise – espe...

Author John Maxwell is credited for providing the reminder that “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” But I have a feeling he hadn’t yet met today’s guest or realized the power of the Catalyst Community.  Welcome to 2024. The new year always brings a fresh hope of positive change and with that, we knew exactly who would be the perfect guest to kick off your new year – the Master of Change hi...

Are you a fan of the Catalyst 360 podcast, now in the 6th season with over 300 episodes? Or maybe you're looking for a new podcast covering engaging, evidence-based insights to enhance your health, wellbeing or high performance pursuits? Or perhaps you're a health & wellness coach, therapist or other clinician seeking trusted resources for your clients? Regardless of what brought you...

Money. It pervades every aspect of our lives. It influences relationships, directs our career choices, impacts our use of time, where we live and why we get up in the morning. It causes worry, creates artificial feelings of security – and insecurity, drives wedges between families and business partners and so much more. And today, the one and only Gordo Byrn joins us to dig into to everyday practi...

What is the potential connection between heat therapy, exercise, cognition and Alzheimer’s? Are hot tubs and saunas good for our health? And what is happening at the molecular level when it comes to chronic diseases and does that provide any additional clues about how to live our lives? Those questions and more are on the table today as Dr. Paige Geiger joins us here on the latest episode – our 30...

Special 300th episode features one of the original developers of Motivational Interviewing: Dr. Stephen Rollnick!!! It’s hard to believe this is our 300th episode of a podcast we started in an attempt to bring a more evidence-based approach back to the world of health & wellness, a world that too often chases $$$ by leaning in on fads and headlines. Frankly, I was already feeling overwhelmed w...

In October, 2023, Dr. Cooper was asked to speak about the evidence and practical application of functional mental toughness (fMT) as part of the international Virtual Applied Sports Psychology conference taking place across Europe. Multiple coaches heard about the event and requested we record a similar presentation applicable to all aspects of life (personal, professional and athletic). This is t...

It seems there’s a constant pull between the DOing side of life – pursuing accomplishments, achieving goals, getting things done… and the BEing side – appreciating the moments, recognizing the beauty in the present, soaking in special opportunities. Most of us tend to lean, usually somewhat strongly, one way or the other. Is it possible to accomplish big things and achieve high level goals… while...

We inherently know conflict is not good for our health and that wellbeing is improved by reducing conflict. But does the evidence back this up? That’s the question on the table today as we welcome licensed marriage and family therapist, Certified family life educator and scientist Dr. Amy Smith to the latest episode of the Catalyst 360 podcast! Not only will we be covering the latest research on c...

Do you believe in magic? I do – the magic of a good sleep. If you were to stop me on the street and I asked for your best 1st step forward to improve your health, wellness & performance without sharing any other details, I’d encourage you to start with sleep, as its impact on EVERY aspect of life is undeniable. Much of my own PhD work looked at the influence of sleep on performance, but I cont...

When we moved to Fort Collins, Colorado in 2021, a new tradition was created – fireside chats. Sometimes it involves a small group of students from the university nearby. Other times it might be friends, family or others pondering career or life changes. Suzanna & I enjoy the spot to discuss the latest book we’ve read and it’s a fun spot to get a little philosophical with anyone who might be s...

In a world where understanding oneself has become an elusive quest, the Enneagram emerges as a captivating tool of self-discovery. A symbol shrouded in mystery, this ancient system of personality typing invites individuals to explore the intricate layers of their inner psyche. Like a mirror reflecting the complexity of human nature, the Enneagram offers nine distinct archetypes, each representing...

Are you busy with work that matters? Or is your busywork running your life and distracting you from the things that matter most? By the end of our time together today, I think you’ll discover the often missing keys that allow us to turn our attention away from the busywork and toward those things we hold most dear – in both our personal and professional lives. Today we are honored to have Aytekin...

Are you at the end of your rope with some person or situation? Exasperated about the unfairness of a situation or circumstance in your life? Are anger, desperation, sadness or fear constantly invading your thoughts and affecting your health, wellness and even performance? What if there were some specific strategies you could tap into that would minimize those emotions and help turn your focus back...