Top of Mind with Julie Rose

This week only on the Top of Mind podcast, a special Halloween treat. It’s an old-fashioned, family-friendly audio drama from storytelling podcast The Apple Seed about a family facing off against an evil robot maid. And there’s a voice you might recognize. Top of Mind host Julie Rose masquerades as the mom of the family. And stay tuned after the story for the inside scoop on Julie’s short-lived th...

Most Americans have never fought in a war, or even had our lives disrupted by one. Does being so far removed from the loss and trauma make us more willing to send our military into battle? This is the first of two episodes we’re dedicating to thinking more deeply about the consequences of war. Rarely is going to war clearly the right or wrong choice. When is war justified? We're hoping that, by re...

If the whole point of a democracy is to represent the voice of the people, then why do so many Americans have a hard time engaging in politics? More than half of American citizens say that the two major political parties are doing a poor job representing the people, and partisan views keep getting more divisive. Staying engaged in politics can be a challenge when campaigns, advocacy groups, and ca...

When you encounter a perspective that contradicts your own, the natural instinct is to either shut down or push back. But staying with that discomfort can pay off. Maybe it deepens a relationship or leads to some fresh insight. Top of Mind is launching a new series called “Stick With It” where we talk with people about a time they encountered a perspective that felt challenging, chose to stick wit...

The freedom to believe—and express those religious beliefs—is embedded in America’s founding documents. But being outwardly religious—like wearing a hijab, turban or yarmulke—isn’t always respected by our society. Church membership has also been steadily declining across the country. As American culture changes, do we still value religious expression and freedom? What role does faith play in today...

The word “activist” tends to scare off a lot of people. And you may be wondering, does activism work? We often associate activism with social protests and political marches which get a lot of attention and can spark violence, but do they generate change? Iff we thought about activism differently, would more of us be motivated to work for change? In this podcast episode, we look to the example of R...

A major side effect of being such a grief-averse culture is the sheer panic many of us feel when confronted with someone who’s suffered a devastating loss. What can you possibly say or do that will help? In this bonus episode you’ll hear Julie’s full conversation with grief specialist Lisa Athan. It’s packed full of practical tips and uplifting insight. Guest: Lisa Athan, founder of Grief Speaks

Grief from death or loss is a normal part of life. Yet, simply thinking about grief can raise feelings of fear, anxiety, and hopelessness. Why is our culture so uncomfortable with intense grief? American rituals are designed to keep mourning quiet and private. We mutter clichés that offer little comfort and expect grieving to be like getting the flu – you feel really bad and then you get better. W...

What if you sent a hand-written, two-page letter to every single one of your Facebook friends? What if you struck up conversations with strangers more often? What if you mended a fracture in your family? Whether we are connecting with friends or family, the benefits of social relationships are numerous. We often hear about how social interaction and connection can improve our mental and physical h...

Learning about our ancestors may not seem all that interesting – or important. So why do family history? It turns out that there is a compelling case for learning about our past. Research suggests that learning about our ancestors’ stories, culture, traditions, and lives can help us understand our own identity, connect with others, and inspire us to be better people. But what happens if our past i...

People with synesthesia perceive the world very differently from the rest of us. Their senses merge so that sounds might also have tastes. The days of the week may be different colors. Numbers and letters might correspond to musical notes. This final installment in our summer series of archive interviews is especially meaningful to Julie because it drives home how two people can look at the same t...

Caregiving for a loved one can be difficult and confusing. Julie and her siblings are among the more than 20 million Americans who currently care for an aging parent- so this week's pick from the Top of Mind live radio archive hits close to home. In 2020, Julie spoke with Zachary White and Donna Thomson who combine their personal and professional experience into a "how to" handbook for the rest of...

Sarah Valentine grew up believing she was the white daughter of her white parents. As an adult she learned her parents had been lying to her. She’s actually half Black. That truth completely unraveled Valentine’s sense of identity, which she writes about in her memoir “When I Was White.” Top of Mind host Julie Rose says she thinks often about this interview from our daily radio show archive becaus...

Netflix star Samin Nosrat shares the one amazing meal that inspired her to become a professional chef. Her cookbook “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” is a guide to the essential elements of successful cooking. In another of Julie’s favorite conversations from the Top of Mind live radio show archives, Nosrat explains how to make delicious food whether you’re a conscientious recipe-follower or a free-wheeling...

This week, Julie shares a conversation from Top of Mind’s live radio show archive that changed her life. In 2017 she spoke with Dan Brule, who is one of the world’s leading experts on breathwork. He recommends taking time daily to practice breathing. The techniques he shared have become Julie’s best tool for coping with stress and anxiety. Guest: Dan Brule, author of “Just Breathe: Mastering Breat...

The humanitarian needs across the world right now are enormous. War, political corruption, natural disasters, debilitating poverty, and economic failure can all cause a humanitarian crisis. When these crises occur, our natural instinct is the help. And, helping out seems straightforward – you just send money or show up. But can assistance sometimes do more harm than good? What is the true impact o...

College education is traditionally seen in America as a worthwhile investment that can help people get ahead, find better jobs, and earn higher salaries. But with our ever-changing social and economic landscape, does a college degree matter? Some employers are no longer requiring a degree for professional jobs. As the cost of getting a degree continues to rise, is a college education worth the exp...

In our culture that celebrates youthfulness, countless Americans dread getting older. Aging brings inevitable changes to our bodies, abilities and lifestyle. But aging not all bad. Surveys show time and again that people in their 80s are happier than young adults and people in middle age. So why do we fear getting older? What if we rethink our obsession with aging? In today’s podcast episode, we e...

In this bonus episode from the Top of Mind archive: "The Other Talk." Most kids of color in America grow up talking about racism at home, but most white children don't. They should, though, says author Brendan Kiely. His new book is a guide for starting the conversation about race at home. Then, a short, inspiring chat with a doctor who collects flower arrangements and delivers them to patients in...

Once a child is placed in foster care, reunification with a parent or guardian happens less than half of the time. But many child welfare agencies say reuniting families is the primary goal of foster care because placing a child in the care of strangers is always traumatic – even when it’s necessary. Why doesn’t reunifying families happen more often? Is there a solution that both protects children...

As colleges across the country are seeking to increase student diversity, is affirmative action the solution? What is the impact of affirmative action on college admissions? The US Supreme Court has repeatedly held that some amount of race-based discrimination is okay in college admissions, if the goal is to create a more diverse campus. And affirmative action policies have benefited college appli...

One out of every 95 people on Earth has fled their home because of conflict or persecution. With thousands of people fleeing their countries and seeking asylum around the world, what can we learn from stories of refugees in America? What is the experience of leaving – when you’d rather stay – and resettling in a place where everything is foreign? Refugee stories give us a glimpse into the persever...

18 years. That’s how long Anthony Graves spent in prison for a crime he never committed. Unfortunately, his story is not uncommon in this country. Wrongful convictions happen all the time in America, and they could happen to anyone. Data indicates that the number of exonerations happening each year the United States has dramatically increased the past few years, highlighting just how many people h...

Before we were a weekly podcast, Top of Mind was a daily radio show. We were on the air – live - for two hours every weekday. And we did that for seven years. This means there’s a ton of great material in our archive. So, today we’re giving you a taste of that archive. First, we take a deep dive into the history of organ transplant surgery – and its darker side. You’ll hear how the TV world of Sta...

Division is nothing new in America, but the current political divide feels different. Why are we so angry and fearful and ever more deeply entrenched in our safe little bubbles of like-minded people? Disagreement, conflict, and differences in opinion are normal and are often a healthy part of democracy. But the way we handle our differences in beliefs, attitudes, and opinions can do more harm than...