Life Examined

A perfect childhood, an elite education, and the horror of schizophrenia

Jonathan Rosen, writer and author of “The Best Minds: The Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions,” tells the story of his childhood best friend Michael Laudor and his demonic battle with schizophrenia. The story is a cautionary tale of what can happen when good intentions lead to the worst possible outcome. Rosen describes how Michael’s life spiraled out of control, the challenges of dealing with mental illness, and addresses some of the ongoing failures to help the mentally ill.

The science, language, and many dimensions of pain

University of Washington Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Mark Sullivan, co-author of “The Right to Pain Relief and Other Deep Roots of the Opioid Epidemic,” explains common misconceptions surrounding pain and what some doctors and the medical community get wrong when it comes to diagnosing pain and managing relief.  
Elaine Scarry, author of “The Body in Pain: The Making and Unmaking of the World,” describes the many dimensions of pain and why, when we are in pain, language and words fail us.
“A key — absolutely key — feature of physical pain is the elimination of agency, the elimination of consent,” Scarry says. 

MDMA, Ecstasy, Molly: Coming soon to a therapist near you

LSD and Ecstasy were once the hippy-trippy illegal substances for concerts, raves, and parties. Now these psychedelics are back in the news — this time for their positive impact on trauma and depression. 
Today nearly one in five American adults lives with a mental illness, and PTSD will affect an estimated 7.7 million Americans at some point in their life. That’s according to NAMI, the National Alliance of Mental Illness. 
Over the past 30 years, researchers and psychotherapists have discovered the transformative benefits of treating trauma, depression, anxiety and drug addiction in controlled therapy sessions using methylenedioxy methamphetamine (MDMA). KCRW explores how psychedelics and specifically MDMA have shifted the paradigm when it comes to the treatment of trauma, and what the de-stigmatization and medical legalization of these drugs could mean for future treatments of mental disorders.  

‘There is life after diagnosis’: Navigating the challenges of dementia care and support

Teepa Snow, founder of the dementia support community Positive Approach to Care and author of  “Understanding the Changing Brain: A Positive Approach to Dementia Care,” has spent 40 years working and advocating for those living with dementia and Alzheimer’s. 
She addresses our common misperceptions about the disease and why training is so important when it comes to care — not just for the patient but also for the caregiver. She also discusses building connections between patients and caregivers, and how one person’s experience caring for her father helped her build empathy through storytelling.

The future of AI: Its impact on creativity, humanity, and well being

Meghan O’Gieblyn, author of “God, Human, Animal, Machine: Technology, Metaphor, and the Search for Meaning,” writes about the intersection of humanity and technology. She joins us to explore what happens when technology matches our creative, psychological, and intellectual needs — and how that impacts who we are as a species. Plus, how chatbots are evolving as a useful tool in combating loneliness, depression, and anxiety and aid in tackling our mental health crisis. 

The long reach of grief: How one death on 9/11 reverberates today

Jennifer Senior, Pulitzer-prize winning essayist for the Atlantic, tells the story of mourning, love and recovery. Bobby McIlvaine died in the Twin Towers on  9/11. In her latest book “On Grief; Love, Loss, Memory” author Jennifer Senior reflects the lives of the McIlvaine family and how 20 years after the loss of their son Bobby, their unspeakable grief lingers on. Senior shares their moving personal story and insight into how the long reach of grief impacted all of their lives in very different ways.

Say the right thing: DEI and the pathway to positive and constructive dialogue

Kenji Yoshino, Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law at New York University School of Law and the director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, provides practical tips and suggestions for a new way of having conversations about our differences that will help us get beyond cancel culture. 
In his latest book, “Say the Right Thing: How to Talk About Identity, Diversity, and Justice,”  which Yoshino co-authored with David Glasgow, he argues that cancel culture has meant that important conversations about identity are being avoided as people are scared that what they say might seem offensive or be taken the wrong way. 

Spiritual language for the non-believer: Jennifer Michael Hecht’s search for wonder

Poet and philosopher Jennifer Michael Hecht shares how poetry provides joy, insight, and wisdom. In her latest book, “The Wonder Paradox: Embracing the Weirdness of Existence and the Poetry of Our Lives,” Hecht ponders our need for the sacred, and says that seeking out a poem or verses that speak to our daily challenges in life can become a kind of secular replacement for faith. Later, Hecht openly talks about her bouts with depression and offers hope to those reckoning with suicidal ideation.  

Raising minors: Prioritizing our children’s future and well being

Legal scholar Adam Benforado explains how prioritizing our children’s future is the least costly and most effective way to address the major problems we face, whether that's poverty, or health or crime. Later, education reform specialist John Rogers says an increase in violent and hostile rhetoric within the public school system damages democracy and psychologist Erika Felix discusses the impact of gun violence, stress and trauma has on kids.

Nature’s gifts: The hidden life of trees and the joy of animals

German forester and author Peter Wohlleben explains how trees have a sophisticated method of communication and the ability to feel and heal. Author Susan Orlean talks about our love and relationship with animals, and what our fascination with them tells us about ourselves.