Seize the Moment Podcast

On episode 245, we welcome Michael Uebel to discuss the practice of equanimity, its similarities and differences from mindfulness practices, how perspective taking helps mitigate difficult feelings as in PTSD, how it can be used to help bridge political divides, shifting goals to less ambitious ones for greater equanimity, perspective taking and its influence on self-esteem, and psychoanalysis as a foundation for increased humility and curiosity. Michael Uebel, PhD, LCSW, studies intellectual history. He has taught theory and literature at the University of Virginia, Georgetown University, and the University of Kentucky. Currently an Affiliate of the Office for the Associate Dean for Research at the University of Texas-Austin, and an International Scholar of the British Psychoanalytic Council, his research focuses on the intersection of philosophy and psychology as it bears on the nature of self and ethical life. His new book, available October 31, 2025, is called Seeds of Equanimity: Knowing and Being. | Michael Uebel | ► Website | https://utexas.academia.edu/MichaelUebel ► Psychology Today | https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/michael-uebel-austin-tx/46379 ► Seeds of Equanimity Book | https://amzn.to/42BsUNa Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast ► Patreon | https://bit.ly/3xLHTIa  

On episode 244, we welcome Troyen Brennan to discuss the pitfalls of the US healthcare system, the fee-for-service model’s implications for patient outcomes, primary care as a more viable alternative, Walmart’s failed attempt to establish primary care clinics, Optum’s contrasting success, how to incentivize primary care, AI streamlining prior authorizations, increasing government funding and venture capital for primary care, how preventative care keeps patients from falling through the cracks, and why medical professionals tend to dislike the business side of medicine. Troyen A. Brennan is an adjunct professor of health policy and management at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. A former professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and the former chief medical officer at CVS Health, he is the author of The Transformation of American Health Insurance: On the Path to Medicare for All and Just Doctoring: Medical Ethics in the Liberal State. His new book, available October 7, 2025, is called Wonderful and Broken: The Complex Reality of Primary Care in the United States. | Troyen A. Brennan | ► Website | https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Troyen-A-Brennan-38805570 ► Linkedin | https://www.linkedin.com/in/troyen-brennan-494bb533 ► Wonderful and Broken Book | https://amzn.to/3KBnjQD Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast ► Patreon | https://bit.ly/3xLHTIa  

On episode 243, we welcome Eram Alam to discuss the experiences of foreign-born physicians practicing in the US, the structural problems that led to significant deficits in healthcare across the US, the Hart-Celler Act of 1965 and the other political underpinnings of migrating physicians to the US, skepticism of immigrant physicians from rural populations, the exploitation of healthcare by capital, what we owe the countries whose physicians we entice, and why race continues to occupy our minds despite our desire to surpass the construct. Eram Alam is a historian of medicine and Associate Professor in the Department of the History of Science at Harvard University. His research explores the intersections of race, migration, and healthcare, with a focus on how global labor flows have shaped American medicine. His new book, available October 14, 2025,  is called The Care of Foreigners: How Immigrant Physicians Changed US Healthcare. | Eram Alam | ► Website | https://www.eramalam.com ► The Care of Foreigners Book | https://bit.ly/TheCareofForeigners Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast ► Patreon | https://bit.ly/3xLHTIa  

On episode 242, we welcome Cass Sunstein to discuss the foundations of fame, the roles of information cascades and reputation cascades in fostering one’s success, the rise of Obama as a cascade, whether talent is enough for sustainable success, how group polarization influences our perceptions, network effects and our dependence on others, the significance of luck, why talent doesn’t always see the light of day, and the importance of cultivating a sense of pride and fun in our pursuits rather than pursuing fame. Cass R. Sunstein is the Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard Law School. From 2009 to 2012, he was Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. Since that time, he has served in the US government in several different roles. Adviser to many nations and international organizations, he is the author of Nudge (with Richard H. Thaler), Noise (with Daniel Kahneman and Olivier Sibony), The World According to Star Wars, and Wiser (with Reid Hastie). We will be discussing his book, How to Become Famous: Lost Einsteins, Forgotten Superstars, and How the Beatles Came to Be.  | Cass R. Sunstein | ► Website | https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=16333 ► Twitter | https://x.com/casssunstein ► BlueSky | https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:yy5jieyfjpsugpkxcphmzica ► How to Become Famous Book | https://amzn.to/3TPAA9H Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast ► Patreon | https://bit.ly/3xLHTIa  

On episode 241, we welcome Natalia Kholodenko to discuss the psychological impact of trauma, how the citizens in war-torn countries respond to trauma, Natalia’s own trauma when fleeing from Ukraine after Russia began its bombing campaign, the importance of maintaining a strong value system in the face of tragedy, Judith Herman on the importance of reintegrating one back into a community when healing, Viktor Frankl and how meaning can be lost but aids in trauma recovery, and the influence of one’s mind on their well-being and future. Natalia (Nataliia) Kholodenko is a Ukrainian psychologist, media personality, and bestselling author whose work has empowered millions—especially women—navigating the trauma of war. She holds a PhD in Philosophy & Psychology, gained prominence hosting TV shows and leading mental‑health marathons across Ukraine, and has built an online community of over a million followers seeking support and resilience. A refugee herself, she now travels internationally—recently collaborating (and singing “I Will Survive”) with Gloria Gaynor—to draw global attention to healing psychological wounds. Her upcoming book, The Cost of Quiet, continues her mission to transform pain into strength. | Natalia Kholodenko | ► Website | https://nataliia.kholodenko.net ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/kholodenkon ► Facebook |  https://www.facebook.com/kholodenkosite ► Youtube |  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsCqgdEyrsY4oMiSSPsJzNQ Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast  

On episode 240, we welcome Mark White to discuss the ethical philosophies behind the fantastic four, applying utilitarianism to Reed Richards, deontology to Ben Grimm (The Thing), virtue ethics to Sue Storm, examining the moral growth of Johnny Storm, Dr. Doom’s twisted morality, how superheroes embody the emotions associated with moral decision-making, whether moral decisions can be perceived as mere calculations, and if the ends always justify the means. Mark D. White is a Professor of Philosophy at the College of Staten Island/CUNY who has written widely on superheroes and philosophy, including in the books Batman and Ethics and the A Philosopher Reads… volumes on Daredevil, Thor, and Civil War, as well as contributions to many volumes in the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series. His new book, available now, is called Ethics of the Fantastic Four. | Mark D. White | ► Website | https://www.profmdwhite.com ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/profmdwhite ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/profmdwhite ► Ethics of the Fantastic Four Book | https://amzn.to/4kBHLy0 Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast ► Patreon | https://bit.ly/3xLHTIa  

On episode 239, we welcome Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling to discuss his foray into the paranormal, our innate spiritualism and why some lean into it while others don’t, how anti-establishment people and institutions misuse the scientific method, who’s to blame for the widespread anti-science bias, the challenge of defining the ‘soul,’ what happens when experience conflicts with empirical data, alien abduction stories, and why we need to incorporate spiritualism and other types of alternative thinking into the mainstream. Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling is a freelance journalist specializing in narrative features and investigative reporting. He has been named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, won a George Polk Award, and been voted Journalist of the Year by the Maine Press association, among numerous other honors. . His work has appeared in Foreign Policy, USA Today, Popular Science, Atavist Magazine, Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, the Associated Press, and elsewhere. His new book, available May 20, 2025, is called The Ghost Lab: How Bigfoot Hunters, Mediums, and Alien Enthusiasts Are Wrecking Science. | Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling | ► Website | https://www.matt-hongoltzhetling.com ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/hh_matt ► The Ghost Lab Book | https://amzn.to/4jeY7v5 Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast  

On episode 238, welcome Emile DeWeaver to discuss reforming the US criminal justice system, the lack of a systematic understanding of crime in most rehabilitation programs, white supremacy as a version of the human tendency to dominate, the “near enemy” of incremental change, the roots of US policing and the need for a collective mind to replace it, the struggle with assimilation for formerly incarcerated people, the importance of clarity and courage for social justice, and why Emile’s book is just the beginning of deeper work which should include strengthening our imaginations. Emile Suotonye DeWeaver is a formerly incarcerated activist, widely published essayist, owner of Re:Frame LLC, and a 2022 Soros Justice Fellow. California’s Governor Brown commuted his life sentence after twenty-one years for his community work. He has written for publications including the San Francisco Chronicle, The San Jose Mercury News, Colorlines, The Appeal, The Rumpus, and Seventh Wave. His new book, available May 13, 2025, is called Ghost in the Criminal Justice Machine: Reform, White Supremacy, and an Abolitionist Future. | Emile Suotonye DeWeaver | ► Website | https://www.reframeconsults.com/about-emile ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/emilesuotonyedeweaver ► Substack | https://emiledeweaver.substack.com ► Ghost in the Criminal Justice Machine Book | https://amzn.to/4lUkZm8 Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast  ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment  

On episode 237, we welcome Steven Poser to discuss psychotherapy for schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, the symbolism of hallucinations and delusions, transference and countertransference with psychosis, how trauma contributes to the forms hallucinations may take, treating hostile patients, the shared humanity with psychotic patients, psychological defenses as covers for deeper pain, and what makes psychoanalysis effective for psychosis. Steven Poser is a practicing psychoanalyst in New York City and the author of The Misfit and Though This Be Madness. Since 2015 he has been a member of the Faculty Psychotherapy Conference of the Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai Hospital. His new book, available 04/22/2025, is called This Is Me, Is That You?: Encounters with Schizophrenia. | Steven Poser | ► This is Me, Is That You? Book | https://amzn.to/44xybXC ► Alternative Book Link  | https://bit.ly/4lFOdF1 Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast  ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment  

On episode 236, we welcome Nicole Karlis to discuss the benefits of altruism, the link between depression and feeling unimportant, the disaster effect and bounded solidarity, the myth of self-love, burnout as an indicator of poor social structures, why some people won’t accept help, how helping others aids our own mental health, altruism’s effects on the brain, co-regulation as the rule rather than the exception, and cultivating the Malama Mindset. Nicole Karlis is a health and science journalist. Her work has been published in Salon, The New York Times, Marie Claire, and The Bold Italic. Her new book, available now, is called Your Brain on Altruism: The Power of Connection and Community during Times of Crisis. | Nicole Karlis | ► Website | https://nicolemkarlis.com ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/nicolekarlis ► Twitter | https://x.com/nicolekarlis ► Your Brain on Altruism Book | https://amzn.to/4laZ0qy Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast  ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment