The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast

On World Mental Health Day, youth mental health expert Bryan Gouge, PhD (Compassion International) sits down with Ginny to flip the script—from “fix the kid” to “build the village.” Bryan explains why mental health isn’t just diagnoses; it’s a practice we do together. You’ll hear the four pillars guiding Compassion’s global work—strength-based, youth-centric, trauma-informed, and locally owned—and how they translate into family life. His stories are unforgettable: teens in Nairobi’s Dandora slum turning peer groups into a youth-led NGO, and the way reframing “symptoms” (anxious kids as hyper-observant, depressed kids as deeply empathetic) unlocks hidden strengths. He ties it all to nature and presence: shared sunsets, forest walks, and the simple power of truly listening—because resilience grows where kids feel known, loved, and protected. This conversation matters now because parents feel the pressure to perform while kids drown in stress and isolation. Bryan offers concrete moves you can make this week: write a short family mission, increase the ratio of caring adults in your child’s life, choose gatherings over grind, consider how your neighborhood supports connection (even in small ways), and practice “listen before fix.” You’ll leave with a hopeful, doable vision: resilient kids are built together, not alone. Press play to rethink support, re-center community, and rediscover the healing rhythm of being outside—side by side. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean Dietrich returns for his fourth conversation with Ginny Yurich, and it’s one of his most powerful yet. From the near-extinction of kids on bikes to the loss of long attention spans, Sean names what many parents quietly feel — that a way of life has disappeared almost overnight. He shares how a few months with a flip phone reshaped his focus, how fiction can tell the truest truths, and why childhood once “alive with wonder” is now in danger of being managed instead of lived. This episode is a call to remember and rebuild. Sean and Ginny talk about children learning to self-manage in the woods, the discipline of reading when every app competes for our eyes, and the beauty of cursive, handwritten words. It’s equal parts nostalgia and warning, wisdom and humor — and a reminder that protecting childhood isn’t sentimental. It’s essential. Get your copy of Over Yonder here Get your copy of The Absolute Worst Christmas Ever here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if your aches, digestive issues, or low-energy days aren’t just about food or stress — but how well your body manages gravity? In this powerful conversation, Dr. Brennan Spiegel unpacks “gravity intolerance,” the idea that our bodies are increasingly out of sync with the gravity force we evolved under. From astronauts losing bone density in space to children collapsing into chairs, the missing piece isn’t always more activity or diet—it’s a better alignment with how nature meant us to move, stay upright, and resist the downward drag. Dr. Spiegel weaves together stories and science: how weak posture flattens digestion, how serotonin isn’t just a mood chemical but a key tool for gravity-resilience, how weighted vests and foot contact matter, and why many gut-brain problems (including IBS) may stem from gravity mis-management more than we realized. If you want to help your kids, your body, and your mind move stronger, think clearer, and feel lighter — this episode will change how you see the ground beneath your feet. Get your copy of Pull here A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them ALL out below:  Select Quote: Head to ⁠⁠www.selectquote.com/1000hours⁠⁠ to learn more.  BetterHelp: Visit  ⁠⁠www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS⁠⁠  today to get 10% off your first month. Quince - Visit ⁠⁠www.quince.com/outside⁠⁠ and get free shipping and 365 day returns NIV Application Bible - visit ⁠⁠www.NIVapplicationbible.com ⁠⁠if you’re looking to grow in your understanding of Scripture and make it real in your daily life. NurtureLife - Head to ⁠⁠NurtureLife.com/1000HOURS55⁠⁠ and use code 1000HOURS55 for 55% off your first order PLUS free shipping. Piper and Leaf: get a 10% off discount to the Advent Calendar when you ⁠⁠order here⁠⁠! Earthley - Use the code 1000hours to get 10% off your next purchase at⁠⁠ www.earthley.com⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Filming in Morocco and fresh off the marathon research behind Cry Havoc, bestselling author and former Navy SEAL Jack Carr returns for his fourth 1KHO conversation—this time squarely in our wheelhouse of reading, learning, and family culture. Jack makes a compelling case that books are the antidote to algorithm-driven distraction: stories train attention, build empathy, and hand our kids a durable inner compass you can’t get from a social media feed. We walk through how he reconstructed 1968 for his new novel (maps, memoirs, dictionaries from the era!) and why that kind of deep work mirrors what we want for our children—slow knowledge, resilient mindsets, and the courage to think for themselves. Parents will love the practical spillover: cultivate “analog downtime” (think: cards at the table, shared read-alouds) where wisdom is actually transmitted; point teens to big, stretching books that expand vocabulary and perspective; and use history and fiction to talk about media literacy in an age when everyone is “the press.” Jack shares a short canon he believes every American should know, and we connect it to everyday habits that raise readers—not scrollers. If you’re building a home where curiosity, grit, and good stories shape the next generation, this one will light a fire. Get your copy of Cry Havoc here A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them ALL out below:  Select Quote: Head to ⁠⁠www.selectquote.com/1000hours⁠⁠ to learn more.  BetterHelp: Visit  ⁠⁠www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS⁠⁠  today to get 10% off your first month. Quince - Visit ⁠⁠www.quince.com/outside⁠⁠ and get free shipping and 365 day returns NIV Application Bible - visit ⁠⁠www.NIVapplicationbible.com ⁠⁠if you’re looking to grow in your understanding of Scripture and make it real in your daily life. NurtureLife - Head to ⁠⁠NurtureLife.com/1000HOURS55⁠⁠ and use code 1000HOURS55 for 55% off your first order PLUS free shipping. Piper and Leaf: get a 10% off discount to the Advent Calendar when you ⁠⁠order here⁠⁠! Earthley - Use the code 1000hours to get 10% off your next purchase at⁠⁠ www.earthley.com⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this unforgettable sixth appearance, world-renowned farmer and author Joel Salatin returns to The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast for one of the most powerful conversations yet. Drawing from his book Beyond Labels, Joel exposes how modern life has become trapped in labeling everything — our food, our health, even our families — and what we lose when we stop thinking for ourselves. From shocking truths about what’s actually in packaged foods to the deeper spiritual healing that begins with forgiveness and contentment, this episode is both grounding and galvanizing. Parents and families will find rare encouragement here. Joel and Ginny explore how freedom, simplicity, and hands-on living create resilient kids and joyful homes — and why true health begins when we move beyond fear and start nurturing what we’re for. Listen now and rediscover the beauty of a life lived beyond labels. A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them ALL out below:  Select Quote: Head to ⁠⁠www.selectquote.com/1000hours⁠⁠ to learn more.  BetterHelp: Visit  ⁠⁠www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS⁠⁠  today to get 10% off your first month. Quince - Visit ⁠⁠www.quince.com/outside⁠⁠ and get free shipping and 365 day returns NIV Application Bible - visit ⁠⁠www.NIVapplicationbible.com ⁠⁠if you’re looking to grow in your understanding of Scripture and make it real in your daily life. NurtureLife - Head to ⁠⁠NurtureLife.com/1000HOURS55⁠⁠ and use code 1000HOURS55 for 55% off your first order PLUS free shipping. Piper and Leaf: get a 10% off discount to the Advent Calendar when you ⁠⁠order here⁠⁠! Earthley - Use the code 1000hours to get 10% off your next purchase at⁠⁠ www.earthley.com⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Raechel Myers, co-founder of She Reads Truth and author of The Bible Is for You, dives into the relevance of Scripture for modern families. She emphasizes the importance of seeing God’s thread throughout the Bible and shares insights on her devotional's family-friendly structure. Raechel discusses parenting challenges and finds hope in tough times through stories like Esther's. She also introduces practical tools like an Advent reading plan filled with crafts and hymns, making faith a shared journey for families.

Join Anjan Katta, the innovative founder of Daylight, and Tristan Scott, an electrical engineer with a passion for outdoor-centered tech, as they explore a groundbreaking solution to tech-induced meltdowns. They discuss their reflective, low-blue-light display that helps calm kids' nervous systems and encourages focused learning. Anjan reveals how this design promotes healthier screen use while Tristan shares insights on EMF reduction. Their vision promises a future with fewer tantrums and more enriching outdoor experiences for families.

In this unforgettable episode of The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast, Ginny Yurich sits down with former NFL player, lawyer, and New York Times bestselling author Tim Green. Though Tim now lives with ALS and communicates through adaptive technology, his wisdom, warmth, and humor shine through every word. From life in the NFL to raising a family, from writing bestselling books for kids to inspiring readers everywhere, Tim reminds us that true success is about much more than titles or achievements—it’s about presence, perseverance, and perspective. Tim’s new book Rocket Arm offers a window into youth sports culture today, but this conversation goes far beyond the field. Tim shares lessons on family, faith, resilience, and the power of reading—what he calls “weightlifting for your brain.” His message to parents, grandparents, and kids alike is simple but profound: no matter what else is going on, you’re all on the same family team, and that team is always more important. This is an episode you won’t just listen to—you’ll carry it with you. A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them ALL out below:  Select Quote: Head to ⁠⁠www.selectquote.com/1000hours⁠⁠ to learn more.  BetterHelp: Visit  ⁠⁠www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS⁠⁠  today to get 10% off your first month. Quince - Visit ⁠⁠www.quince.com/outside⁠⁠ and get free shipping and 365 day returns NIV Application Bible - visit ⁠⁠www.NIVapplicationbible.com ⁠⁠if you’re looking to grow in your understanding of Scripture and make it real in your daily life. NurtureLife - Head to ⁠⁠NurtureLife.com/1000HOURS55⁠⁠ and use code 1000HOURS55 for 55% off your first order PLUS free shipping. Piper and Leaf: get a 10% off discount to the Advent Calendar when you ⁠⁠order here⁠⁠! Earthley - Use the code 1000hours to get 10% off your next purchase at⁠⁠ www.earthley.com⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when kids grow up without free play? Licensed therapist Nicole Runyon, LMSW, has been on the frontlines of America’s childhood mental health crisis, and what she’s seen is sobering: most of the children filling therapy offices don’t actually need therapy—they need their parents to reclaim the foundations of childhood. In this episode, we dig into her groundbreaking book Free to Fly and uncover why play, movement, discomfort, and independence are not luxuries—they are the very building blocks of healthy development. Screens, overpathologizing, and permissive parenting are stealing what used to come naturally, and our kids are paying the price. Nicole explains why play-based childhoods are being stolen from today’s iGeneration, how “drug addiction begins with the iPad,” and why discomfort is not the enemy but the doorway to confidence and resilience. We cover everything from the dangers of tracking teens and delaying driving, to the epidemic of broken children overwhelmed by screens, junk food, and anxiety. Most importantly, Nicole reminds us that the answer lies within the family unit. Parents have more power than they think, and small, courageous choices can restore independence, health, and joy to the next generation. A huge thank you to our sponsors! Check them ALL out below:  Select Quote: Head to ⁠⁠www.selectquote.com/1000hours⁠⁠ to learn more.  BetterHelp: Visit  ⁠⁠www.BetterHelp.com/1000HOURS⁠⁠  today to get 10% off your first month. Quince - Visit ⁠⁠www.quince.com/outside⁠⁠ and get free shipping and 365 day returns NIV Application Bible - visit ⁠⁠www.NIVapplicationbible.com ⁠⁠if you’re looking to grow in your understanding of Scripture and make it real in your daily life. NurtureLife - Head to ⁠⁠NurtureLife.com/1000HOURS55⁠⁠ and use code 1000HOURS55 for 55% off your first order PLUS free shipping. Piper and Leaf: get a 10% off discount to the Advent Calendar when you ⁠⁠order here⁠⁠! Earthley - Use the code 1000hours to get 10% off your next purchase at⁠⁠ www.earthley.com⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Doug Lemov, an education expert and author of 'Teach Like a Champion,' dives into the urgent need for a low-tech, high-text approach in childhood learning. He explains how screens undermine attention and promote skim-reading, while books foster deep thinking and vocabulary expansion. Highlighting the power of reading aloud, he shares strategies for improving fluency and comprehension. With insights on formative writing and outdoor reading habits, Doug offers parents practical advice to transform reading into a joyful, immersive experience.