The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast

What if the biggest threat to childhood isn’t screens—but the loss of freedom, play, and independence? Ginny welcomes back psychologist and Free to Learn author Dr. Peter Gray for a fascinating conversation about his new book, Restoring Childhood: How to Set Kids Free in the Age of Anxiety. Gray traces the dramatic transformation of childhood since the 1950s, as television, increased schooling, ho...

What if the things we chase to feel worthy—success, achievement, appearance, approval—can’t actually give us the worth we’re looking for? Ginny sits down with psychologist and New York Times bestselling author Dr. Marisa Franco to explore the ideas behind her new book, Worth: The New Science of Self-Esteem and Secure Attachment. Dr. Franco explains why true self-worth isn’t something we earn and w...

Fear has a way of creeping into everything—from parenting and health to our future, relationships, and the pressure to keep up. But what if the answer isn’t trying harder to eliminate fear, but learning to trust God more deeply? Ginny welcomes back bestselling author and speaker Christine Caine to discuss her new devotional, Whom Shall I Fear? 100 Devotions for Overcoming Fear and Living the Abund...

Ginny Yurich sits down with Barry Hoffner, author of Belonging to the World: A Journey from Grief to Connection in Every Country on Earth, to explore how profound loss led him on an extraordinary journey across 192 of the world’s 193 countries. After the sudden death of his wife, Jackie, Barry stepped away from his old life and eventually discovered that travel, movement, and connection could help...

What if getting dirty is actually good for your kids? Ginny Yurich sits down with microbiome scientist Dr. Jack Gilbert, co-author of Dirt Is Good, to explore how exposure to the natural world helps shape a child’s developing immune system. Dr. Gilbert explains why dirt, animals, farms, siblings, pets, and everyday microbes aren’t necessarily things parents should fear—and why our increasingly san...

Ginny Yurich sits down with Dr. Russ Harris, physician, therapist, and bestselling author of The Happiness Trap, for a powerful conversation about why our pursuit of happiness can actually make us miserable—and what to do instead. Drawing on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Russ explains why a meaningful life isn’t one without anxiety, sadness, frustration, or fear. Instead of constantly t...

Ginny Yurich welcomes Dr. Will Cole back to the podcast for a fascinating conversation about why our bodies may be aging faster than ever—and what we can do about it. Drawing from his new book, Heal Your Cells: Reversing the Irreversible, co-written with Dr. Josh Axe, Will explores the emerging science of cellular health and the surprising ways our everyday lives influence how well our bodies func...

Ginny Yurich sits down with Dr. Tamara Rosier, founder of the ADHD Center of West Michigan and author of Your Brain’s Not Broken and the new Your Brain’s Not Broken for Teens and Young Adults, for a practical and encouraging conversation about navigating life with ADHD. Tamara explains why ADHD is about far more than attention or hyperactivity, exploring its often-overlooked effects on emotions, m...

Ginny Yurich sits down with Ben Peterson, author of When Intelligence Isn’t Human: Navigating Your Faith in the Age of AI, for a timely conversation about what families need to understand as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly woven into everyday life. Ben argues that the greatest concern isn’t simply what AI can do, but the role we allow it to play. As chatbots become more relational and...

International fashion model, actress, author, and educational freedom advocate Sam Sorbo joins Ginny for a wide-ranging conversation about homeschooling, parenting, and what it really means to prepare a child for adulthood. Sam shares how a family trip to Hawaii first caused her to question traditional schooling and ultimately led her family into home education. Together, Sam and Ginny explore why...

What if one of the biggest ways to create a healthier home is hiding right underneath you while you sleep? In this episode, Ginny sits down with Tim Masters, founder of My Green Mattress and a mattress maker since his teenage years, to unpack what’s actually inside the place where we spend nearly a third of our lives. Tim shares the remarkable story of how his daughter’s eczema and allergies led h...

Ginny Yurich sits down with Danish dad, author, entrepreneur, and longtime unschooling parent Jesper Conrad for a wide-ranging conversation about fatherhood, family, creativity, and building a life around what matters most. Jesper shares how his wife’s battle with leukemia changed the trajectory of their family, eventually leading them to embrace full-time travel, homeschooling, and a more intenti...

Ginny Yurich sits down with Tamara Neufeld Strijack, co-author of Reclaiming Our Students, for a powerful conversation about what children need to thrive in a world increasingly dominated by screens, schedules, and peer influence. Tamara explains why children are meant to orient around caring adults—and how strong relationships with parents, teachers, and mentors create the safety children need to...

Ginny Yurich sits down with physician, resilience expert, and Your Brain on Nature author Dr. Eva Selhub to explore the remarkable ways nature influences our brains, bodies, relationships, and overall well-being. Drawing from decades of research, Dr. Selhub explains why our increasing separation from the natural world—combined with constant screens, information overload, and chronic stress—may be...

What if one of the most effective parenting tools isn’t another consequence or reward, but play? Ginny is joined by Dr. Kim Van Dusen, licensed marriage and family therapist, registered play therapist, and author of Parenting Through Play, to explore how play can transform challenging behavior, strengthen connection, and bring more peace into family life. Dr. Kim explains why play is a child’s nat...

What happens when the faith that once sustained you no longer feels big enough for the questions you’re carrying? Ginny sits down with bestselling author Ian Morgan Cron to explore the newly re-released Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim’s Tale, a novel about a burned-out pastor whose crisis of faith sends him on an unexpected pilgrimage through Italy and into the life and teachings of St. Francis of Assi...

What if one of the best tools for raising capable, confident kids is already sitting in your kitchen? In this episode, Ginny talks with Jack and Emmy Zhang, founders of Cooking for Levi and authors of Weeknight Winners: Family Dinners, about how cooking alongside their five-year-old son, Levi, has become about so much more than food. What started with Jack sharing his love of cooking has grown int...

Ginny welcomes midwife and longtime friend Beth Barbeau of Indigo Forest back for her tenth appearance to continue their conversation about birth, motherhood, and the often-overlooked postpartum season. Ginny shares the story of her third and final home birth and reflects on the different lessons each birth taught her—from realizing her body wasn’t broken, to seeing how small changes can dramatica...

Ginny Yurich sits down with Active Skin Repair founder Justin Gardner to talk about the surprisingly simple product that has become a go-to in the Yurich household for the inevitable cuts, scrapes, bug bites, burns, and skin irritations that come with an active childhood. Justin explains the science behind hypochlorous acid—a molecule naturally produced by the body’s immune system—and how he helpe...

Ginny Yurich sits down with acclaimed designer Jean Stoffer and her daughter Grace Start for a conversation that reaches far beyond beautiful homes. Jean shares the remarkable, decades-long journey from earning $3.85 an hour at an interior design firm to building Jean Stoffer Design and Stoffer Home alongside her family—a story filled with unexpected turns, new skills, big risks, and a willingness...

Ginny Yurich sits down with psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Rick Hanson to talk about a truth mothers desperately need to hear: you deserve to be happy and healthy, too. Drawing from his new book A Happy Healthy Mom, co-written with his wife, Jan Hanson, Rick explains why motherhood can be profoundly depleting, and why caring for mothers is one of the most important ways we can care for ch...

What if the secret to a calmer home isn’t organizing more—but taking more away? Ginny sits down with New York Times bestselling author Myquillyn Smith to talk about her new book, House Hushing, and a refreshingly different approach to decluttering. Myquillyn introduces “backwards decluttering”: temporarily removing the visual noise from a room before deciding what deserves to come back. The goal i...

What happens when a kid who simply loves to draw grows up to create some of the most recognizable cartoons of a generation? Ginny sits down with legendary animator Butch Hartman, creator of The Fairly OddParents and Danny Phantom, to talk about creativity, storytelling, faith, and why developing real skills still matters—even in the age of AI. Butch shares how his father encouraged his artistic gi...

What if the key to motivating young people isn’t lowering expectations—but changing the way we lead them? In this episode, Ginny sits down with Dr. David Yeager, author of 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People, to explore what’s really happening during the surprisingly long developmental window from puberty through the mid-20s. Dr. Yeager explains why young people are especially sensiti...

What if some of the most incredible nature experiences aren’t across the world, but right outside your door? In this episode, Ginny talks with wildlife filmmaker and “America’s Nature Guy” Peter Schriemer about helping families rediscover the extraordinary wildlife, landscapes, and adventures hiding in ordinary places. Peter shares how a childhood filled with homeschooling, curiosity, and freedom...