The Connection with Marty Moss-Coane

Nedra Glover Tawwab grew up in Detroit in a family with numerous problems, including relationship conflict, addiction, and financial instability. Her way of coping was to become highly independent, relying on herself to meet her needs. Although she was praised for her maturity and self-sufficiency, she often felt bitter and alone. She didn’t know how to ask for help. Tawwab has since become a highly sought-after therapist who specializes in dysfunctional relationships. She has a large Instagram following and hosts a popular podcast. She’s also written several books: Set Boundaries, Find Peace; Consider This; and the forthcoming The Balancing Act. She joins us this week on The Connection to talk about how to break old patterns that no longer serve us and how to build a healthier relationship with ourselves.

Edward Hirsch is one of the country’s most celebrated poets, which would have been a big surprise to his mother. She warned him growing up, “Poetry is fine so long as it sells products. Otherwise, it’s just a hobby, and no one gets paid for a hobby.” That’s from Hirsch’s new book, My Childhood in Pieces, which he describes as an elegy and a stand-up comedy. He grew up in Chicago and Skokie, IL with a complicated and colorful family. His dad was a gambler, his mom had boundary issues, and his stepdad had a temper. Hirsch writes that comedy was a competitive sport in the family, and one could easily get hurt. The book is filled with jokes, puns and one-liners. Edward Hirsch joins us to talk about how he navigated the emotional landmines of his childhood and how poetry has helped him manage big feelings. He wrote recently that he is losing his eyesight which, rather than being tragic, has made him “more mindful and alert, more fully present.”

Psychologist Diana Hill explains how to revitalize our relationship with ourselves and focus on what really matters.

As we get ready to mark the country’s 250th anniversary, we are still struggling to reconcile our deep-seated disagreements over policies, beliefs and values. There are many ways to define those differences: red and blue, urban and rural, male and female, young and old, native and immigrant. Historian Colin Woodard says our geography has long shaped our view about what it means to be an American and our views on the role of government. His new book, Nations Apart, shows how early colonists, with their conflicting views of individual liberty and the common good, created “an awkward federation of distinct regional cultures” that still exists today. He writes that it’s these 11 regions with their unique narratives and traditions, rather than the 50 states, that drive our current conflicts over authoritarianism and democracy. Colin Woodard joins us to discuss what’s pulling us apart and how we can create a more perfect union.

Angus Fletcher says our capacity for creativity and flexibility gives humans a leg up when it comes to competing with artificial intelligence. He calls this uniquely human trait “primal intelligence,” which is the ability to activate our intuition, imagination, emotions and common sense. Our brains, he says, are not computers, and intelligence requires far more than logic, patterns and data to solve problems. He believes that storytelling is humans true superpower, especially in an uncertain world. Fletcher trained as a neuroscientist and studied literature and combined the two as a professor at Ohio State University’s Project Narrative. His new book, Primal Intelligence, is about what he learned working with U.S. Army Special Operations. For instance, role-playing can reduce anxiety and activate the imagination. He joins us to discuss the art and science of human potential.

Champion marathon swimmer Diana Nyad had three messages when she staggered out of the water after completing her historic 2013 swim from Cuba to Key West: Never ever give up. You are never too old to chase your dreams. No one achieves greatness alone. Nyad first attempted the grueling 110-mile crossing in 1978 at age 28, then again in 2011 and 2012. Each time the powerful currents, the sharks, and the deadly box jellyfish forced her to abandon her quest to be the first person to make the crossing without a shark cage. On her fifth try, at age 64, she finally made it, swimming for nearly 53 hours, becoming the first person to complete the crossing. Nyad has said that facing her 60s and feeling her own mortality became a powerful motivator. Now in her mid-70s, she says she’s living the best decade of her life. This week, Diana Nyad joins us to reflect on her extraordinary career, her relentless drive, the healing power of forgiveness, and the lessons of aging.

Psychologist Robert Coplan says that too many of us aren’t getting enough time alone with ourselves, a condition he calls “aloneliness.” He explains that alone time often gets a bad reputation and is frequently confused with loneliness, which involves feelings of isolation and disconnection. Coplan has been researching and touting the benefits of solitude for years. He believes it deserves a more prominent place in our lives. According to Coplan, carving out even 15 minutes a day for yourself can be restorative and can strengthen your relationship with yourself and others. Robert Coplan is a psychology professor at Carleton University and first became interested in solitude watching young children at play. His new book is The Joy of Solitude: How to Reconnect with Ourself in an Overconnected World.  He joins us this week to discuss why we need solitude, what it can teach us about ourselves, and how it can spark creativity.

Scott Simon is one of the most recognized names — and voices — in public radio. He began working at NPR in the 1970s and became the first host of Weekend Edition Saturday in 1985, a job he still holds today. Known for his empathy and curiosity, he has earned numerous awards for his distinctive style of journalism. Marty sat down with Scott for a special WHYY member event earlier this week, and we’re bringing that conversation to this week’s edition of The Connection. Scott shared memories of an awkward sit-down with Bill Cosby and a hilarious conversation with Dame Edna. He also reflected on the inspiring people he’s met in war-torn regions and discussed the current state of journalism in a time when the profession is increasingly under attack. We also learned Scott adores his family and espresso, never got a driver’s license, and doesn’t think he has a voice for radio. And in a surprising twist, both he and Marty once played the Artful Dodger in their school productions of Oliver!.

Anthropologist Roy Richard Grinker comes from a long line of psychiatrists—his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather—all of whom believed that everyone has some degree of mental illness. Grinker’s book, Nobody’s Normal, explores the shifting history of stigma and acceptance toward people who are perceived as different. He writes about his daughter, who was diagnosed with autism in the 1990s, a time when the condition was still considered rare. In a recent piece for The New York Times, Grinker criticized Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy and President Trump for describing autism as a tragic epidemic and a “horrible crisis.” This week on The Connection, Roy Richard Grinker joins us to discuss the progress made in understanding autism, the ongoing efforts to overcome stigma, and the need to dispel persistent myths that threaten to set back public understanding. We’ll also explore how war shapes our understanding of psychological adversity, the limitations of psychiatric diagnoses, and the powerful role culture plays in defining what we consider mentally healthy or not.

Most American teens and tweens have smartphones and spend hours each day streaming videos, playing games, and using social media. Phones can allow kids to be creative, help them explore new ideas, and connect them with peers who share their interests. But they also come with significant downsides: screen time can be a major distraction, expose young users to inappropriate or dangerous content, rob them of sleep, and increase the risk of depression and anxiety. Psychologist Jean Twenge sounded the alarm about these risks nearly a decade ago. Her 2017 Atlantic article, “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?”, sparked a national conversation about the impact of digital technology on kids. As a mother of three daughters, Twenge knows firsthand how difficult it is for parents to monitor and manage their kid’s online lives. She argues that tech companies have failed to take responsibility for protecting young people and that parents have been left to pick up the slack. Her new book, 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World, gives parents the tools they need to help their kids develop a healthier relationship with social media. Twenge is a professor of psychology at San Diego State University.