
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

Oct 31, 2022 • 39min
Ep. 159 | Is Hawaii Haunted? History, Pele & Pizza
Lopaka Kapanui is a native Hawaiian who was adopted by a non-Hawaiian family & raised Catholic. When he was 7, he died during a medical procedure & his near-death experience left him with some unusual gifts & an open door to connecting back to his culture. He now celebrates over 25 years of owning & operating Hawaii’s only locally-owned ghost tour company, Mysteries of Hawaii. In this episode, he shares the tie between mediumship & Hawaiian culture, his personal journey back to his roots & some ghost stories he’s personally experienced.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 51: HAUNTED HOMETOWN?Guest: https://www.instagram.com/mysteriesofhawaii/ | https://www.facebook.com/MysteriesofHonolulu/ | https://www.linkedin.com/in/lopaka-kapanui-50357715/ | https://www.mysteries-of-hawaii.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/

Oct 24, 2022 • 33min
Ep. 158 | What is Medically Assisted Sex?
Trish St John is the founder of Sensual Solutions in Vancouver, Canada, an intimate care service for adults with disabilities. With everyone trying to be more sex-positive, we ask the question, why then is it so uncomfortable to think about someone with a spinal cord injury having sex? In this episode, she shares how she went from HR executive to sex surrogacy agency owner, why we prefer people with disabilities to be asexual, how her service works & how it’s legal.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 123: HOW ARE SEX SCENES NOT (KINDA) REAL? PILATES BALLS, YOGA MATS & TRAFFIC LIGHTSGuest: https://www.facebook.com/intimacycoaches | http://www.sensualsolutions.ca/ | https://twitter.com/SolutionSensualHost: 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/

Oct 17, 2022 • 36min
Ep. 157 | Outdoor Counseling? Treating Mental Illness Al Fresco
Jeff Adorador spent his 20s as an outdoor nomad, spending most of his time in nature & able to fit all of his possessions in the back of a truck. In his 30’s he got his Master's Degree in Counseling & in 2004 he combined his passions by founding Earthwalker, a service providing wilderness survival instruction, walk-and-talk outdoor counseling, and wilderness therapy adventures. In this episode we talk about finding your gifts late in life, what it was like going from sleeping under the stars to the fluorescent lighting of a hospital graveyard shift & why getting outside is more than just a good idea.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 130: BAREFOOT IN CANADA: REWILDING, BRAIN FOG & STARBUCKSGuest: https://www.instagram.com/earthwalkerllc/ | https://earthwalkerllc.com/ | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC09eX6KD2aiVx7AhZcOMHww/videosHost: 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/

Oct 10, 2022 • 45min
Ep. 156 | Should Sex be Saved for Marriage?
Joshua Harris is the author of I Kissed Dating Goodbye, a best-selling book in the late ’90s touting courtship as the superior way to find God’s perfect match for you & avoid the perils of sexual sin. It was a required read for many in the evangelical Christian community. In this episode, Josh shares how he changed his mind about the ideas in the book, how our sex lives & careers are connected, and the pros & cons of old-fashioned dating & sexism in the church.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 90: PURITY CULTURE IN A CULT: CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE JESUS JERKGuest: https://www.instagram.com/harrisjosh/ | https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/clear-loud-with-josh-harris/id1612325690https://joshharris.com/ | https://twitter.com/HarrisJoshHost: 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/

Oct 3, 2022 • 45min
Ep. 155 | Haunted Border: Ghost Stories from a Patrol Agent
The Ysleta community of El Paso sits near the Mexico border & is known for its paranormal activity. Leon Baker was a border patrol agent for 23 years where he experienced paranormal activity like ghosts, shadow people & unexplainable thermal readings. In this episode, he shares his ghost stories as well as a few surprising immigration stories.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 93: ARE NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES SCIENCE?Guest: http://www.elpasoghosttours.com/ | https://www.facebook.com/epghosttours/ | https://www.instagram.com/elpasoghosttours/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/

Sep 26, 2022 • 30min
Ep. 154 | De-Stressing Ear Buds? Vagus Nerve Neuromodulation
You’ve heard what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but when it comes to your Vagus nerve, it’s everybody’s business! Dr. Jamie Tyler is a Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Alabama at Birmingham & the Co-Founder of IST, a neurotech company that develops noninvasive human performance enhancement technology. He has developed biohacking earbuds as a solution for stress & possibly Crohn’s, chronic headaches, depression, Parkinson’s, PTSD, Alzheimer’s, ADHD & even staying calm at the dentist. Here he explains the Vagus nerve, the new technology & how we can chill out even without the help of tech.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 61: REDUCING STRESS THROUGH BREATHING: HACKS FOR THE NON-HIPPYGuest: https://sites.google.com/view/tylerlab/ | https://isensetec.com/ | https://www.linkedin.com/in/wjtyler/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/

Sep 19, 2022 • 37min
Ep. 153 | Am I an Alcoholic?
Gill Tietz is a former pharmaceutical biochemist who uses science to approach the subject of sobriety in her podcast, Sober Powered. In this episode, she explains the difference between a pastime & a problem, why WHY we drink matters & if it’s possible to be a heavy drinker, but not be an alcoholic. So whether you are wanting to better understand your newly sober friends, are sober curious yourself or approaching your own rock bottom, this episode is shame-free zone & the meaningful entertainment you’ve come to expect.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 46: METH, GAY PORN, REHAB & CELEB PHOTOGRAPHY PART 1Guest: https://www.instagram.com/sober.powered/ | https://www.facebook.com/groups/soberpowered | https://open.spotify.com/show/6vtGToNOqNxRTLGnBg5l5f?si=55d370d707844e41Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: Watch me on TV https://bit.ly/3ImiTat | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Sep 12, 2022 • 49min
Ep. 152 | Psychic Marines?
Jose Herrera had Marine squad leader training that included learning about & using a “sixth sense.” In this episode, he shares his journey to developing pre-cognitive abilities & how he used them in his 3 combat tours in Iraq & Afghanistan. He also shares a bit of military history around this topic & how we might all be able to upgrade our senses.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 93: ARE NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES SCIENCE? Guest: https://www.instagram.com/03xxseries/ | https://joseherrera03xx.com/ | https://www.facebook.com/03XX28Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: Watch me on TV https://bit.ly/3ImiTat | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Sep 5, 2022 • 44min
Ep. 151 | What’s the Point of Financial Freedom?
Vicki Robin is considered the mother of the FIRE movement & has appeared on hundreds of shows, including Oprah & Good Morning America. She’s the co-author of the international best-seller, Your Money or Your Life: Transforming Your Relationship With Money and Achieving Financial Independence. Here we explore the heart-side of the balance sheet with concepts like money is life energy, the fulfillment curve & the real hourly wage.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 88: NO SPEND YEAR? UNCONVENTIONAL MONEY HACKS TO RETIRE EARLY Guest: https://vickirobin.com/ | https://open.spotify.com/show/1k6lsbRYw1WrNNlWXx6sHh | https://twitter.com/vicki_robin | https://www.facebook.com/WhatCouldPossiblyGoRightPodcastHost: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: Watch me on TV https://bit.ly/3ImiTat | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Aug 29, 2022 • 45min
Ep. 150 | Surfing with Dwarfism? Mechanics, Controversy & Cripping up
Christophe Zajac-Denek is a surfer, actor, journalist, drummer & stunt man. He is also a Little Person. He was born with Cartilage-hair hypoplasia, a rare form of dwarfism. In this episode, we talk about the mechanics of surfing with a spinal fusion & shorter limbs, and his journey of going from not wanting to be associated with other Little People to becoming an advocate. He also shares his experience & observations as an actor & stunt man.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 145: BLIND ROCK CLIMBER? ADVENTURE ADVOCACY & INNOVATIONGuest: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/im-kind-of-a-big-deal/id1484411273 | https://www.instagram.com/christophezd/ | https://twitter.com/ChristopheZDHost: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: Watch me on TV https://bit.ly/3ImiTat | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/