Meredith for Real: the curious introvert
Each episode explores a taboo question or cultural blind spot with an expert who is themselves, a paradox -
Like the atheist doctor who studied near death experiences for 50 years (ep 224)
Or the deeply religious man studied by NASA who sees UFOs regularly (ep 261).
The mission is to inspire the kind of curiosity that looks for & celebrates nuance, because we all deserve a more curious future.
So tune in each week (new episodes every Monday) to question things like American individualism (ep 260), trigger warnings (ep 208) & circumcision (ep 178).
Still not sure where to start?
Other listeners loved ep 230 - Can a sexless marriage survive? and ep 237 - Black man who attends KKK rallies: race & friendship
Episodes
315 episodes
Ep. 315: Is Asexuality an Orientation or a Symptom?
What happens when attraction never shows up? Why does this label matter? Tony Bogaert, PhD, is the professor of health sciences at Brock University in Ontario, Canada where he has taught & conducted research for the last ...
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Season 1
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Episode 315
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44:33
Ep 314: Science & the Supernatural: Project Stargate, Experimental Metaphysics & Quantum Physics
What was it like to work on Project Stargate? Is Psi science being taken seriously? What if our mind is not our brain? Dean Radin, PhD, has been researching the paranormal for 45 years & currently serves as Chief Scientis...
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56:59
Ep. 313: Is a 4 Day Work Week Coming? Thursday = the NEW Friday! [REMASTERED]
Why do most of us work Mon-Fri? What would happen if Thursday was the new Friday? Joe Sanok is a former psychologist & current author of Thursday is the New Friday. In this episode, he shares how the ...
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Season 1
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Episode 313
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49:55
Ep. 312: Did the #metoo Movement Even Help Us?
What do we have to show for the #metoo movement? Were men benefited or hurt by the movement?Carter Sherman is an Emmy nominated reproductive health & justice reporter at The Guardian & author of the book The Second Coming. Her co...
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Season 1
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Episode 312
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43:32
Ep. 311: Is Modern Day Witchcraft on the Rise? LSD, Feminism & Fungus
Is there an uptick of people claiming to be actual witches? When in history were witches NOT seen as evil? Is this commercialism packaged as a spiritual practice? Julie Walsh, PhD, is the Whitehead Associate Professor of Crit...
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Season 1
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Episode 311
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45:16
Ep. 310: American Circumcision: Preference or Cultural Hypnosis? [REMASTERED]
When & why did circumcision begin (it’s not what you think)? What are the arguments for it & what are the experts saying? Sugar water instead of anesthetic?? Brendon Marotta is a filmmaker whose feature-length documen...
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Season 1
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Episode 310
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37:25
Ep. 309: How Did the Media Become Such a Biased, Stress-Inducing Circus?
Forget good news. How about just honest news? How did we get here? Guest Ken LaCorte unpacks the history of news production, behind the scenes of how it’s made, information vs entertainment & how human psychology ironically drives the train...
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Season 1
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Episode 309
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45:04
Ep. 308: How to Think Impossibly: Precognition, Poltergeists & Time
Can we take psi seriously while maintaining critical thinking? Jeffrey Kripal, PhD, explores the YES AND of the ordinary & extraordinary. You’ll hear about precognition, poltergeists, Skinwalker Ranch, time travel, demons & X-Men.
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Season 1
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Episode 308
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58:25
Ep. 307: Can Psychedelics Help Us Grieve? Getting Unstuck with Truth Medicine
Is psychedelic assisted therapy is BETTER than traditional talk therapy? You’ll hear how they’re different, how psychedelics may help not just the combat veteran or trauma survivor, but the functional griever (goes to work every day, acts like ...
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Season 1
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Episode 307
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45:04
Ep. 306: Sex Addiction: Real or Convenient Diagnosis? [REMASTERED]
In this episode, we discuss the difference between addiction & dependence, convenient diagnoses, compulsive sexual behavior within bipolar disorder & OCD, how to identify sex addiction & what recovery looks like.Dr...
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Season 1
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Episode 306
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33:41
Ep. 305: Are Political Parties Just Cults?!
Rachel Bernstein is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Cult Specialist & the Host of the IndoctriNation Podcast. She has spent the last 35 years helping former cult members & those who have had loved ones in cults, focusing on em...
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47:40
Ep. 304: Could AI Blackmail You? Corporate Affairs, Self-driving Cars & Robot Romance
Michael Glawson is a PhD philosopher of science, technology, religion & ethics. As an ethicist, he has created corporate ethics training for government organizations & fortune 500 companies. In this episode, he puts into plain language ...
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Season 1
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Episode 304
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52:05
Ep. 303: When Grief Gets Complicated: A Story of Addiction, Shame & Truth
Before Lauren Sisler was an Emmy award-winning ESPN sideline reporter, she was an 18-year-old in her dorm room when she found out that her parents had died just hours of each other due to a hidden battle with opioids.When her world came ...
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Season 1
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Episode 303
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46:22
Ep. 302: FEED DROP! UAP Studies Podcast with George Knapp
Our first ever FEED DROP SWAP! I'm personally endorsing UAP STUDIES Podcast because I know how much you all love the UFO topic! This week's episode is a sample of their show - an episode I picked that I think you'll love. Listening supports my ...
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Season 1
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Episode 302
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1:30:04
Ep. 301: The Science of Swearing: What Makes a Word BAD? [REMASTERED]
Dr. Benjamin Bergen is a Cognitive Science professor at the University of California San Diego, the author of the book, What the F, and was featured on the Netflix series “The History of Swear Words.” Here he shares what makes a word bad, discu...
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Season 1
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Episode 301
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33:15
Ep. 300: Biofield Therapy for Anxiety & Grief: Recipe for Wellness or Purchased Placebo?
Pranic healing, known as acupuncture without needles, is a type of biofield therapy belonging to the family of naturopathic medicine. Jason Yuan is a certified Associate Pranic Healer, with a bachelor’s in Biology & a Doctorate in Naturopat...
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Season 1
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Episode 300
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52:19
Ep. 299: Inside a Legal Brothel: Business, Pleasure & a Plumber
Catherine De Noir has two Masters degrees & is a PhD student. She has also been a brothel manager in Western Europe for nine years. You’ll hear stories of clients like the unironic plumber & the man who sold his house as well as insight...
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Season 1
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Episode 299
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56:16
Ep. 298: Anxiety in YOUR FRIDGE?! Reducing Anxiety Through Food
Heather Lillico is a registered holistic nutritionist who struggled with bulimia. In this episode, you’ll hear which mineral deficiencies can cause anxiety, which foods are mood boosting, who the top food offenders are for anxiety & opens u...
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Season 1
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Episode 298
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54:19
Ep. 297: Psychic Marine? Military Precognition [REMASTERED]
Jose Herrera had Marine squad leader training that included learning about & using a “sixth sense.” In this episode, he shares his journey to developing pre-cognitive abilities & how he used them in his 3 combat tours in Iraq & Afgh...
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44:08
Ep. 296: Depressed or Just Really Sad?? How to Know the Difference [REMASTERED]
Megan Stodard, PhD is a clinical psychologist, the founder of Harbor Wellness & has over a decade treating mood disorders. In this episode, she breaks down in plain language the KEY differences between depression & sadness, symptoms in ...
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Season 1
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Episode 296
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30:05
Ep. 295: Poop Transplants!? Overlooked Treatment for Crohn’s, Alopecia & Anxiety
Dr. Sabine Hazen is a Gastroenterologist, Researcher, & CEO of Progena Biome. In this episode, she explains how fecal microbiota transplants (FMT) have the potential to treat Alzheimer's, Autism, Crohn's, Anxiety, Depression & Al...
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33:06
Ep. 294: Is Giving Up Our Privacy Inevitable? Social Media, Search Engines & Nest Cams
Do we accept the creepy side of tech in order to enjoy its benefits? Bill Ottman is a technologist best known for founding the decentralized social network Minds, but you may have seen him on Joe Rogan Experience, NPR, or the NYTimes. In this e...
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Season 1
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Episode 294
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59:49
Ep. 293: The Secret Lives of Men: Mental Health Confessions!
Who’s talking about men’s mental health? In this episode, four guests join me – Russ Jones, an ADHD mentor, Paul Roberts, a blue-collar business owner, Ali Mattu, a clinical psychologist & Jon Patrick Hatcher, a nonfiction humor writer. We ...
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Season 1
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Episode 293
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1:34:21
Ep. 292: ADHD: Laundry, Work & Distracted Sex [REMASTERED]
Dr. Barbara Cohen is psychotherapist, certified ADHD Coach, international ADHD researcher, and fellow ADDer. In this episode, you’ll hear why adult ADHD is often misdiagnosed, the #1 question you should be asking to a mental health counselor if...
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Season 1
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Episode 292
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49:51
Ep. 291: Anthropology of the Afterlife? NDEs & Ancient Cultures
Gregory Shushan, PhD, is the leading authority on near-death experiences and afterlife beliefs across cultures and throughout history. He is an award-winning author affiliated with Birmingham Newman University, University of Winchester, Marian ...
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Season 1
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Episode 291
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45:21