
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

Sep 23, 2024 • 55min
Ep. 258 | Inside the Criminal Mind: Lessons from the Broadmoor
Dr. Gwen Adshead is a forensic psychiatrist, consultant & therapist who spent most of her professional career working with homicide perpetrators in secure psychiatric hospitals. She’s also the author of The Devil You Know, a book that documents her encounters at the Broadmoor Hospital, the oldest of England's three high-security psychiatric hospitals, known for housing its share of serial killers. In this episode, she shares insights from working with patients who exist at the edge of lucidity including concepts like Contagious emotions, reality testing & vengefulness. She shares what it’s like navigating the minefield of lies that patients tell & that we all tell ourselves, the universal capacity for cruelty & what we can learn from the Nazis.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 162: WHY AM I NOT HAPPY? ANCIENT BRAINS & MODERN EMOTIONSGuest: https://a.co/d/3i8Zkc9Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Sep 16, 2024 • 49min
Ep. 257 | MONGOLIA: Generational Impasse or Opportunity?
Aagie Dulzenrav was born & raised in Mongolia, spent time in Seattle, WA as an exchange student, served as the CEO to a leather company, worked at Cosmopolitan Mongolia, Burberry, Hugo Boss & now runs a music label along with working for Meanwhile in Mongolia, the tour company that hosted me while I was in Mongolia. In this episode, Aagie & I discuss the challenges & opportunities that the old & young have in a society where the past & future are so sharply contrasted. We also covered the role tourism has played in connecting her to her heritage, mental health, mother medals, drinking culture, influencers & tourism.Special thanks to the Tin Can Room Podcast Studio for the recording space & Meanwhile in Mongolia for arranging the meeting.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 250: MONGOLIA: GROWING UP A MONK (& A REINCARNATED SAINT)Guest: https://www.instagram.com/aagieb/ | https://meanwhileinmongolia.com/ Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Sep 9, 2024 • 51min
Ep. 256 | Homelessness in California: Hopeless Crisis or Solvable Situation?
Tom Wolf was a suburban Dad & city employee when he became addicted to drugs. He soon found himself sleeping in a doorway in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco getting high every 90 minutes. Now six years sober, he serves on the leadership council of Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions & is a bridge between the reality of the streets & the meeting room of policy makers. In this episode, you’ll hear his story, the down and dirty about “live & let die,” Chinese fentanyl and Mexican cartel, if housing plus services is really the answer & should we follow the Portugal model?If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 138: LIFE IN THE VEGAS TUNNELS: CLOWNS, CRICKETS & CRANKGuest: https://x.com/gooddrugpolicy | https://x.com/Twolfrecovery | https://gooddrugpolicy.org/papr/ | https://www.facebook.com/gooddrugpolicy | https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundation-for-drug-policy-solutions/Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Sep 2, 2024 • 45min
Ep. 255 | Are Ice Baths Worth It? Memory, Stress & Safety [REMASTERED]
Jesse Coomer suffered for years from what he calls “the modern condition,” cycles of stress & anxiety burdening our minds & bodies until he found relief & regained his passion for life with breath work & cold therapy. He was one of the first American certified Wim Hof instructors, is now an author & conducts breathwork & cold exposure trainings with a grounded & scientific approach working with everyone from corporate desk jockeys to members of the US Army. In this episode, he talks safety, how & why a certain kind of stress can make you more resilient to the kind of stress your boss gives you & interestingly how the cold can upgrade your memory. You’ll also hear practical ways to make friends with the cold, afterdrop & interoception.This episode originally aired December 26, 2022.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 61: REDUCING STRESS THROUGH BREATHING: HACKS FOR THE NON-HIPPYGuest: https://www.facebook.com/midwesternjesse | https://a.co/d/eOwO4CU | https://www.instagram.com/jessecoomerbreath/ |https://www.youtube.com/jessecoomer | https://www.jessecoomer.com/Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Aug 26, 2024 • 50min
Ep. 254 | Do We *Need* Sharks?
Kinga Philipps is a journalist, TV presenter & shark conservationist who’s spent over two decades combining conservation & media conversation. You may recognize her from Discovery’s Shark Week shows Tiger Queen or Sharks in Paradise. In this episode, she shares how one village went from shark finning to shark preservation, the Disneyfication of nature, the grey areas of shark tourism & shark week & how you can make a difference even if you have world is ending fatigue.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 12: CURING FEAR WITH SHARKS: A LIFE UNCAGEDGuest: https://www.instagram.com/kingaphilipps/ |https://www.instagram.com/sharkallies/ |https://sharkallies.org/ | https://www.kingaphilipps.com/Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Aug 19, 2024 • 47min
Ep. 253 | Tradwives: Trending Choice or Dangerous Influence?
Dr Kate Mangino is a gender expert with a PhD in human rights & social development and the author of the book, Equal Partners: Improving Gender Equality at Home. In this episode, we unpack the tradwife trend to ask is it a harmless personal choice resulting from the options born of feminism or giant steps backwards for the women’s equality? You’ll hear the answer to what is a tradwife plus the three types of tradwives, performative femininity, how this lifestyle could have a negative impact on men & the potential motives & outcomes for the women involved. We also take a closer look at some of the internet’s most prominent tradwife movement supporters - Estee Williams, Nara Smith & Hannah Neeleman.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 210: WHEN THE ROMANTIC DYNAMIC TURNS INTO A PARENTAL ONEGuest: https://www.katemangino.com/ |https://twitter.com/manginokate | https://www.instagram.com/manginokate22/ | https://a.co/d/fWAroni Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Aug 12, 2024 • 32min
Ep. 252 | Teeth: the Ultimate Status Symbol?
Dr. Bill Schutt, Author is a PhD zoologist, Emeritus Professor of Biology at Long Island University & a research associate at the American Museum of Natural History. He’s also the author of Bite: An Incisive History of Teeth, from Hagfish to Humans. In this episode, we cover the history behind we think of those with bad teeth as untrustworthy & less intelligent & those with straight, white smiles as good leaders & confident. He also shares about the original trendsetters of mouth bling and tooth jewelry, the belief of tooth worms, the truth of George Washington’s teeth & the influence of the Hollywood smile.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 143: WHY IS CANNIBALISM TABOO? PLACENTA, COLUMBUS & COMMUNIONGuest: https://billschutt.com/ | https://www.facebook.com/BillSchutt1/ | https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1375485.Bill_Schutt | https://a.co/d/4gODHSy Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Aug 5, 2024 • 53min
Ep. 251 | Food Addiction: Character Flaw or Real Dependence? [REMASTERED]
Dr. Joan Ifland explains how the history of processed foods has led to an obesity or overweight percentage of 70% of Americans! She defines processed foods, explains the business model behind the messaging, the science of your brain's reaction to the foods & how quitting these can revive your taste buds & thought clarity. She also shares the practical tips you’ve been missing all those times you’ve “tried to get healthy” before.This episode originally aired in a two-part series on March 29, 2001 & April 5, 2001.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 188: BIOHACKING FOR DUMMIES: SUNSHINE, SLEEP & SHIVERSGuest: https://www.drjoanifland.com/ | https://www.foodaddictionreset.com/ | https://www.amazon.com/Joan-Ifland/e/B001K8ASD0?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2&qid=1612196839&sr=8-2 | https://www.facebook.com/foodaddictionreset | https://www.instagram.com/foodaddictionreset/?hl=enHost: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Jul 29, 2024 • 55min
Ep. 250 | MONGOLIA: Growing Up a Monk (& a Reincarnated Saint)
At 7 years old, Erdne Ombadykow’s parents sent him from his birthplace of Philadelphia to live at a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery where he would spent most of his childhood learning Buddhism. He was then recognized by the 14th Dalai Lama as the current reincarnation of the Buddhist saint, mahasiddha Tilopa and was tasked with leading the revival of Buddhism in Russia in the Kalmyk Republic. Now called Telo Tulku Rinpoche, he shares in this episode, the pressure of being such a revered religious figure at age 20, how good American rock is like Buddhist teachings & how growing up far from the streets of Philadelphia helped him avoid the sad fates of his siblings. We also covered the Buddhist version of self-care, what it means to progress while preserving culture & the interconnectedness of the world. Special thanks to the Tin Can Room Podcast Studio for the recording space & Meanwhile in Mongolia for arranging the meeting.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 246: MONGOLIAN YOUTUBER: THE DIGITAL & THE TRADITIONALGuest: https://www.instagram.com/telo_rinpoche_diluv_hutugthu/ | https://www.facebook.com/DiluvHutugthu/ | https://inner-world-journey.com/ Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Jul 22, 2024 • 51min
Ep. 249 | Record Breaking vs Impact Making: Arctic Exploration
Mark Wood is a polar explorer, a title normally associated with big ego and fame as core motivations. In this episode; however, he shares his personal motivational evolution of going from a place of ego to one of wonderment. He shares how this shift lead him to teaching children via livestream from the death zone of Mt Everest, the highs and lows of the Expedition Solo 100 trek (100 days alone in the arctic), how to get people to care about the outdoors & even shares a paranormal moment while trekking. If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 36: PAID TO ADVENTURE: TRAVEL SHOW HOST SHANE REYNOLDSGuest: https://www.instagram.com/markwoodexplorer/ | https://www.markwoodexplorer.com/ |http://expeditionsolo100.com/ | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/radio-solo-100/id1733318225Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/