The Curious Introvert

Catherine Quiring is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who specializes in helping ex-evangelicals overcome religious trauma. In this episode, she shares what that looked like for her, how to know if you have limiting thoughts leftover from controlling doctrine, how to keep your faith while you separate from systems of control & how to find your own thoughts in a sea of “shoulds.” If you like...

Bri Snellgrove was a successful PR agency owner in a small town when she realized what she had worked hard for (& publicly promoted) wasn’t what she wanted. After making another very public announcement that she was open for hire & finding a job, she was fired. In this episode, we talk about navigating the emotional rollercoaster of a career change, shadow guilt, remorse of time wasted, un...

Jane Boroski is the only known survivor of the Connecticut River Valley Killer. The killer (never caught) is thought to have killed 7 women between 1978 & 1988 along a stretch of Interstate 91 between the border of New Hampshire & Vermont. In this episode, she shares her story, how she’s created her own closure & what she’s doing to help other cold case survivors. If you like this epis...

Hilda Labrada Gore is a certified health coach with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition & the podcast host & producer for the Weston A Price podcast, Wise Traditions, an interview podcast for those seeking optimal health based on ancient wisdom. In this episode, she shares how she went from typical health habits to globe-trotting biohacker, the free health hack everyone can do to sleep...

Dr. Ali Mattu was so socially anxious as a child, that he had selective mutism. Since then, he’s become a clinical psychologist specializing in treating anxiety disorders. Wanting to create more accessible mental health education, he created a YouTube channel with over 8.5 million views that helps viewers live a more compassionate, courageous, and connected life. He was the co-host of PBS’s Emmy N...

Nina Keneally recognized saw a need when she moved to an area where almost no one seemed to be over 35. Realizing that she was the oldest person in cafes & restaurants, she knew there was a need for young people to have someone to talk to who is mom-like, but not their mom. She decided to combine her experience as a drug and alcohol abuse counselor, a businesswoman, and a Broadway director/pro...

In these 5 episode clips, you’ll hear from addiction researcher, Dr. Josh Grubbs on the legitimacy of sex addiction, Intimate Care Service owner, Trish St John on why we resist thinking of people with disabilities as sexual, Author Joshua Harris on the pressure of purity culture vs modern dating, sexologist & antique vibrator curator Dr. Carol Queen on the strange history of vibrators in the U...

Sara Mercier is a Registered Dental Hygienist, Certified Myofunctional Airway Specialist, and Orofacial Myologist. She also coordinates multi-faceted care to help patients regain full function in the areas of sleep, stress, hormones, TMJ & oral health. In this episode, she explains the connection between oral & whole-body health, a quick fix to improve your sleep quality & the truth ab...

Adam Coutts has meditated daily for 34 years, lived in monasteries in the USA & Asia for 4 years & even meditated once for 4 hours straight … all with ADHD. Now he teaches meditation & mindfulness to the public, including specialized sessions for those with ADHD. In this episode, you’ll hear his first (overwhelming) experience meditation, impulsivity & brashness, meditation techniq...

Tim Anderson is a physician’s assistant who spent the first 10 years of his practice holding traditional appointments. If the patient's hormones were in range, he didn't recommend any interventions even if they didn't feel good. He’s since shifted with working with patients instead of the system, helping men & women navigate to optimum health & vitality. In this episode, he...

Dr. Carder Stout went from partying with celebrities in his NYC penthouse to being homeless on the beach in Venice, California. He was trapped in a cycle of addiction to crack cocaine, selling everything he owned to get more, begging on street corners & eventually accepting a job as a driver for a high-ranking member of the crips in exchange for free drugs & money. It was this arrangement...

Duana Welch is a professor turned researcher who has contributed to NPR, PBS & Psychology Today. Her specialty is the science of romance & helping people find their person using data. In this episode, she shares about the 3 attachment styles that could be major influencers in your relationship, the difference between being secure & being co-dependent, mini marriages & how to upgrad...

In these 4 episode clips, you’ll hear Steve Friedman talk about the chemical differences between introvert & extrovert brains, you’ll hear me give practical tips on managing energy & social obligations as an outgoing introvert & how to hate networking less & Rob Baedecker on mastering small talk including political discourse.   If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 97...

Brendon Marotta is a filmmaker whose feature-length documentary, American Circumcision, won multiple awards & can be found on Amazon & YouTube. In this episode, we talk about the surprising history of circumcision, the practice today, parental consent & why this is so hard to talk about, but female circumcision isn’t. If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 48: FORCED MARRI...

Sigrid Rehrig is the Executive Director of Our Corner, an environmental non-profit. In this episode, we discuss how she avoids the major pitfalls of getting people on board with a cause: the bad behavior of others in your space, feeling like a drop in the bucket, political entanglement & all-or-nothing attitudes. If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 140: CAN HAIR SAVE THE WORLD?...

In these 3 episode clips, you’ll hear Theodora Scarato share the risks of chronic EMF exposure & how you can protect yourself, Nina Teicholz on how to understand heart disease & what tests to get done at your next doctor visit & Jesse Coomer on how specific breathwork can give you access to a calmer existence. If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 92: MENTAL HEALTH MIXTAP...

Dr. Elaine Kasket is an author & psychotherapist who has a particular interest in the intersection of death & the digital. She was recently featured on Netflix’s, The Future of Everything & wrote a book called All the Ghosts in the Machine . Here, we discuss how artificial intelligence could change the way we mourn, where the money goes when digital content creators die, when legacy Fa...

Dr. Joshua Grubbs is an addiction researcher who found his interest in sex addiction in college (not as exciting as it sounds). He’s since published over 100 papers on sexually compulsive behavior disorder & in this episode, we discuss the difference between addiction & dependence, convenient diagnoses, compulsive sexual behavior within bipolar disorder & OCD, how to identify sex addic...

Lauren & Steven Keys of Trip of a Lifestyle share what inspired them to retire at age 29, how they did it on average incomes, why they don’t track their monthly expenses & the concept of buying back your time. They also share the practical way they stay motivated in the FIRE (financial independence retire early) movement. If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 151 with Vicki R...

Adam Schaeuble takes over as host & interviews me! Adam is my podcasting coach & host of the podcast Podcasting Business School. In this episode, you’ll hear about the weird thing kid Meredith made everyone do when they came to her house, how I prep for & track down guests, my dream guests, what I think of my listeners & how my husband & I met. If you liked this episode, you’ll...

Steve Friedman is an introvert who spent 30 years climbing the corporate ladder. He played the part of an extrovert so well, that it wasn’t until his retirement party that his co-workers found out he was, in fact, an introvert. In this episode, he shares the crisis point that made him realize he needed to honor his introverted nature, the brain chemicals that make introverts & extroverts diffe...

Dr. Niobe Way is a developmental psychologist with a focus on adolescent friendship who has studied human connection for over 35 years. In this episode, she gives insight into what makes childhood boy friendships easy, but adult male friendships hard, how American masculinity creates lonely & depressed men & steps we can take for lifelong connection. If you liked this episode, you’ll also...

Dr. Tro Kalayjian was a 350lb medical doctor failing to find results from mainstream advice until he did his own research, applied what he learned & lost 150lbs. Now he helps others break free from yo-yo diets & preventable disease with his private practice & his podcast. In this episode he shares his story of overcoming obesity, explains why 73% of Americans are overweight & yet d...

Rose Eveleth is a futurologist – a title they prefer over the serious nature of the label “futurist.” They’re the creator of a podcast network that demystifies the future, were recently featured on Netflix’s The Future of Everything & a writer who explores how humans tangle with science & tech. In this episode, we explore (with much hilarity) the ethics & impacts of future technology i...

Jesse Coomer suffered for years from what he calls “the modern condition,” cycles of stress & anxiety burdening our minds & bodies, but accepted as just the way it is. He found relief & regained his passion for life in the cold. He became one of the first American-certified Wim Hof instructors, published 2 books & conducts cold exposure training. In this episode, he explains the sc...