the goop podcast

We celebrate the heroes who save the day, but what about all the people who keep the day from needing to be saved? In his new book, Upstream, New York Times–bestselling author Dan Heath teaches us ways to prevent and fix problems before they become problems. And in this conversation with Elise Loehnen, he tells us about times when upstream thinking has solved issues ranging from homelessness to poor graduation rates to mundane marital arguments. They examine how little tweaks in a big system can create massive change and why personalizing a systemic problem can make it more manageable. “We adapt to things so easily that we often adapt to problems that we never had to endure in the first place,” says Heath. But with more upstream thinking, we can save our endurance. (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Psychiatrist Judson Brewer, MD, describes anxiety as a form of uncertainty. How do we bring some certainty to our lives when our world feels out of control? Brewer says that becoming aware of our physiological needs—are we hungry, thirsty, tired?—can help us feel more secure. Being conscious about how we consume news can also help. Grounding techniques—try focusing your feet—can ease panic. Going for a walk is good, but instead of making it mindless, Brewer suggests changing your pace to match what your body needs. Host Elise Loehnen also asks Brewer how we can support friends in distress during the COVID-19 pandemic without becoming more distressed ourselves. (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Climate change is a justice issue,” says journalist Tatiana Schlossberg, author of Inconspicuous Consumption. At In goop Health, Schlossberg sat down with Elise Loehnen to talk about how we can let go of individual guilt around climate change and move toward collective responsibility and meaningful change. She begins by taking some pressure off of consumers and illuminating the role companies do, should, and could play (for example, looking at just how much water is used to make a single pair of jeans). Schlossberg points out the brands and policies already making a positive difference and the large-scale shifts she still wants to see, such as stopping fossil fuel subsidies, the deforestation of Alaska, and drilling for oil and gas on public lands. On a more personal level, Schlossberg outlines ways to vote, advocate, shop, and eat that allow us to be part of the solution—without needing to be perfect. (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“The reality is challenging, and then, of course, our fears about what might happen magnify immensely the actual situation,” says psychiatrist James Gordon, MD, author of The Transformation. Gordon returns to The goop Podcast to offer strategies that can help us during periods of prolonged stress: We learn how the amygdala and vagus nerve react to anxiety and how to ease it. Because stress can impact our digestive system, Gordon outlines mindful eating habits. He recommends certain supplements (like daily probiotics, vitamin D3, and omega-3 fatty acids) to help us maintain balance. He takes us through soft-belly breathing and a short meditation, and he explains other ways to release deep emotional tension through movement (shaking, dancing, chanting). Also helpful: laughter. (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Family counselor, school consultant, and educator Kim John Payne shares tips, guidelines, and resources to help parents and children adjust to this new normal. Kids feel safe, says Payne, when they sense their parents are in charge—even, and perhaps especially, in uncertain moments. Start smallish, suggests Payne: Declutter your home. Remove obvious triggers. Creating a calming environment can reduce feelings of disorientation, says Payne, which he believes are at the root of so-called misbehavior. For kids who are currently out of school, Payne says, it’s important to set up rhythms and rituals at home that mimic the structure they’re used to. But also: Be easy on yourself. Embrace boredom. It’s a doorway to deep creativity. (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“We need people who are willing to turn within and see: How am I part of the problem?” says global activist Layla Saad. The New York Times–bestselling author of Me and White Supremacy has become known for helping people examine—and talk about—the ways we unconsciously uphold racism. White supremacy may not be something you’ve chosen, says Saad, but it’s in the water, and it’s conditioned all of us in myriad ways. The critical inner work that Saad inspires can be difficult and messy, but it is so necessary. “The payoff is that you get to live out your values,” says Saad. (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Our relationships are the foundations on which we build everything else,” says Vivek Murthy, MD. And when they’re strong, he believes there’s nothing we can’t face together. The former surgeon general of the United States joins Elise Loehnen from the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic to share what we need to prioritize right now. He outlines the three things hospital systems require to function well (space, equipment, and people) and how to best support them. He traces the expected impact the coronavirus pandemic will have on adults, children, and the economy. He explains the importance of testing and how it guides our public health efforts. And he also shares a few moving stories that remind us of ways we can be present, connect, and show up for others who need help. (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“We don’t deal with grief enough,” says Jhené Aiko. Today, the LA-born-and-raised singer and songwriter plays GP new tracks from her album Chilombo (which she translates roughly to “wild beast”). They talk about the ways sound healing—specifically, singing bowls—have aided in Aiko’s grieving process. And how we can find different ways to make space for our emotions and move through trauma. Aiko tells GP how she’s learning to live as herself, fully. “I’ve always been a little wild,” says Aiko. When making Chilombo, she wanted to be unafraid to express all parts of herself—confidence, grace, a peacefulness, and a wildness, too. (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this special episode, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Matt Richtel highlights what he learned about the immune system while researching his latest book, An Elegant Defense. Host Elise Loehnen asks him how these lessons apply to us today as we try to slow the spread of the coronavirus and stay healthy. Our immune system, says Richtel, doesn’t need a boost as much as it needs balance. “Stress, sleep, and nutrition are the three ways we best understand to keep our immune system in balance,” says Richtel. Listening to him made us feel a little less stressed and convinced us that staying present right now and using tools (like, say, a daily meditation practice) could help pull us through this time. (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Vagina Monologues author and playwright Eve Ensler joins Elise Loehnen to share her heartbreaking, honest, and hopeful story of healing her personal trauma. Ensler wrote her new book, The Apology, as a letter from the perspective of her late father, who sexually and physically abused her throughout her childhood. She describes her deeply transformative writing experience, how it felt like she was channeling, and why she believes the imagination is sometimes more accurate than anything else. She talks about how our culture would change if we received the apologies we were owed and how we all carry some kind of wound. Facing our trauma, Ensler says, is worth it, because on the other side are the love, the pleasure, the freedom we deserve. (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices