
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
Latest episodes

Mar 20, 2023 • 42min
Ep. 179 | Introvert Mixtape: Brain Chemistry, Energy Crashes & Small Talk
In these 4 episode clips, you’ll hear Steve Friedman talk about the chemical differences between introvert & extrovert brains, you’ll hear me give practical tips on managing energy & social obligations as an outgoing introvert & how to hate networking less & Rob Baedecker on mastering small talk including political discourse. If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 97: TRAVEL & CULTURE MIXTAPE: THE BEST EPISODE CLIPS FOR MIND TRAVELGuests: https://www.facebook.com/BeyondIntroversion | https://twitter.com/robbaedeker |Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Mar 13, 2023 • 46min
Ep. 178 | American Circumcision: Preference or Cultural Hypnosis?
Brendon Marotta is a filmmaker whose feature-length documentary, American Circumcision, won multiple awards & can be found on Amazon & YouTube. In this episode, we talk about the surprising history of circumcision, the practice today, parental consent & why this is so hard to talk about, but female circumcision isn’t.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 48: FORCED MARRIAGE IN AMERICAGuest: https://www.hegemonmedia.com/ | https://brendonmarotta.com/ | https://twitter.com/bdmarotta | https://www.instagram.com/bdmarotta/Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Mar 6, 2023 • 33min
Ep. 177 | Shaming vs Inspiring: Recruiting for Your Cause
Sigrid Rehrig is the Executive Director of Our Corner, an environmental non-profit. In this episode, we discuss how she avoids the major pitfalls of getting people on board with a cause: the bad behavior of others in your space, feeling like a drop in the bucket, political entanglement & all-or-nothing attitudes.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 140: CAN HAIR SAVE THE WORLD? OIL, OTTERS & HAIR MATSGuests: https://www.instagram.com/ourcornerescambia/ | https://www.facebook.com/OurCornerEscambia | https://www.ourcornerescambia.org/about-usHost: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Feb 27, 2023 • 41min
Ep. 176 | Health & Wellness Mixtape: Heart Disease, Stress Reduction & EMF Safety
In these 3 episode clips, you’ll hear Theodora Scarato share the risks of chronic EMF exposure & how you can protect yourself, Nina Teicholz on how to understand heart disease & what tests to get done at your next doctor visit & Jesse Coomer on how specific breathwork can give you access to a calmer existence.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 92: MENTAL HEALTH MIXTAPE: THE BEST CLIPS FOR WELLNESSGuests: https://www.instagram.com/i.am.jesse.coomer/ | https://www.instagram.com/ehtrust/ | https://twitter.com/bigfatsurpriseHost: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Feb 20, 2023 • 45min
Ep. 175 | What is a Digital Ghost? The Data of the Dead & Deep Fakes
Dr. Elaine Kasket is an author & psychotherapist who has a particular interest in the intersection of death & the digital. She was recently featured on Netflix’s, The Future of Everything & wrote a book called All the Ghosts in the Machine. Here, we discuss how artificial intelligence could change the way we mourn, where the money goes when digital content creators die, when legacy Facebook accounts will outnumber those of the living & what we can do now to plan for our digital afterlife.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 80: HELPFUL ADS OR DIGITAL PROWLING? HOW TO BE A LITTLE LESS TRACKABLEGuests: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/still-spoken/id1538158812 | https://www.elainekasket.com/ | https://twitter.com/elainekasket | https://www.instagram.com/elainekasket/Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Feb 13, 2023 • 39min
Ep. 174 | Sex Addiction: Real or Convenient Diagnosis?
Dr. Joshua Grubbs is an addiction researcher who found his interest in sex addiction in college (not as exciting as it sounds). He’s since published over 100 papers on sexually compulsive behavior disorder & 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.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 90: PURITY CULTURE IN A CULT: CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE JESUS JERKGuests: https://twitter.com/JoshuaGrubbsPhD | https://www.joshuagrubbsphd.com/ https://www.lifeafterpornography.com/privacy33621776Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Feb 6, 2023 • 45min
Ep. 173 | Retired at 29: Why & How?
Lauren & Steven Keys of Trip of a Lifestyle share what inspired them to retire at age 29, how they did it on average incomes, why they don’t track their monthly expenses & the concept of buying back your time. They also share the practical way they stay motivated in the FIRE (financial independence retire early) movement.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 151 with Vicki Robin: WHAT’S THE POINT OF FINANCIAL FREEDOM?Guests: https://www.tripofalifestyle.com/ | https://www.tiktok.com/@tripofalifestyle | https://www.instagram.com/tripofalifestyle/Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Jan 30, 2023 • 46min
Ep. 172 | Meredith Q & A: Seashells, Podcasting & Poop
Adam Schaeuble takes over as host & interviews me! Adam is my podcasting coach & host of the podcast Podcasting Business School. In this episode, you’ll hear about the weird thing kid Meredith made everyone do when they came to her house, how I prep for & track down guests, my dream guests, what I think of my listeners & how my husband & I met.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 112: AUTHENTIC PARADOX: SURFING, STRIP CLUS & REINCARNATIONGuest Host: https://www.podcastingbusiness.school/ | https://www.instagram.com/podcastingbusinessschool/Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Jan 23, 2023 • 41min
Ep. 171 | Corporate Introvert: Surviving to Thriving
Steve Friedman is an introvert who spent 30 years climbing the corporate ladder. He played the part of an extrovert so well, that it wasn’t until his retirement party that his co-workers found out he was, in fact, an introvert. In this episode, he shares the crisis point that made him realize he needed to honor his introverted nature, the brain chemicals that make introverts & extroverts different & the strengths introverts bring to an office environment.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 104: HOW TO NETWORK AS AN INTROVERT: 10 TIPS TO HATE IT LESSGuest: https://www.facebook.com/BeyondIntroversion | https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-friedman-1295a5a2/ | https://www.beyondintroversion.com/Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Jan 16, 2023 • 50min
Ep. 170 | Can Male Friends Say ‘I Love You?’ The Psychology of Male Friendships
Dr. Niobe Way is a developmental psychologist with a focus on adolescent friendship who has studied human connection for over 35 years. In this episode, she gives insight into what makes childhood boy friendships easy, but adult male friendships hard, how American masculinity creates lonely & depressed men & steps we can take for lifelong connection.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 144: DO I HAVE ANY REAL FRIENDS? RECALIBRATING POST-PANDEMICGuest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niobe-way-75270534/ | https://twitter.com/niobe_way | Deep Secrets Book https://a.co/d/66Eky0A | The Crisis of Connection Book https://a.co/d/7fbeQtMHost: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/