A Slight Change of Plans

For Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re revisiting some of our favorite conversations with scientists about how to live healthier, happier lives.  Psychiatrist Dr. Dixon Chibanda has been on a mission for years to help people gain access to mental healthcare in his community. In Zimbabwe, there is only one psychiatrist for every 1.5 million people. To bridge the gap and provide folks with the help they so desperately need, Dixon turned to a rather unorthodox group for help: grandmothers. This episode includes mentions of depression and suicide. If you need additional support, you can call 988 to talk to a trained listener. You can also text with a trained helper by texting “SAVE”  to 741741. Our next season starts June 5. In the meantime, connect with Maya on instagram @DrMayaShanker.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a mistake to prioritize romantic and familial relationships over friendship, argues psychologist Dr. Marisa Franco. Strong, supportive friendships expand our sense of self, she says, and are associated with greater well-being and health. Marisa offers research-based strategies to make new friends and deepen our existing friendships, including helpful concepts like mutuality and the mere-exposure effect. Marisa and Maya also discuss how to stay friends through big life changes, why fighting could make your friendship stronger, and how to break up with a friend with clarity and kindness. For more on Marisa's work, check out her book, “Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make—and Keep—Friends."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Writer Kelly Corrigan always wanted a family. She craved the closeness and familiarity of a strong parent-child relationship. When her daughters were little, she relished knowing everything about their lives. But as her daughters grew older, the physical and emotional distance between Kelly and her daughters grew, too. While Kelly knew to expect this transition, it still broke her heart. In this conversation, Maya and Kelly reckon with the question of what parents and children owe each other. For more on Kelly, check out her podcast, "Kelly Corrigan Wonders" and her PBS show, "Tell Me More." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For a long time, scientists believed our capacity for empathy remains more or less fixed throughout our lives. But research by Jamil Zaki, a psychology professor at Stanford, shows that empathy is actually a skill we can cultivate. Jamil explains that there are different types of empathy — three, to be exact! — and we can learn to be more discerning about when we apply them. Maya and Jamil also discuss the dangers of caring too much, and how we can show compassion for others while avoiding burnout. For a behind-the-scenes look at the show, follow @DrMayaShankar on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Science writer Florence Williams felt blindsided when her twenty-five-year marriage unexpectedly fell apart. The heartbreak opened her up to a whole range of new and intense feelings, but it also made her sick. Trained as a journalist, Florence set out on an expedition to understand the science of heartbreak and game her way back to health. She tried novel forms of therapy, immersed herself in nature, and consulted cutting-edge research on the science of awe. But her greatest discovery came when she tried an alternative to “hacking” heartbreak.  If you’re interested in hearing more of Florence’s story, listen to “Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey,” a uniquely immersive audiobook, narrated by the author and accompanied by in-the-moment diary recordings and interviews. For a behind-the-scenes look at the show, follow @DrMayaShankar on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's only March and we're already starting to veer off track with our resolutions for the year. Don't worry! 90% of people fail to reach their goals each year, which means there's got to be a better way. On this episode of How To!, a listener named Emily is feeling discouraged by her eating habits and lack of exercise. Maya, a behavioral scientist, helps Emily (and the rest of us!) form better habits so we can set ourselves up for success.  Hear more episodes of How To! wherever you listen to podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Influence is often seen as a skill we have to cultivate, a charismatic quality leveraged by select leaders, business people, and successful social media accounts. But in her new book, “You Have More Influence Than You Think,” social psychologist Vanessa Bohns demonstrates that we all have influence through our words, choices, and even just our presence. Maya and Vanessa discuss how we can become more aware of our power to persuade, and learn to wield it wisely. For a behind-the-scenes look at the show, follow @DrMayaShankar on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lately, comedian Hasan Minhaj is taking a second look at his motives for performing. Hasan was initially drawn to comedy because it allowed him to hold people in power accountable. In shows like “Patriot Act" and "The Daily Show," he often took on controversial topics and challenged world leaders. But after some of his provocative commentary went viral, he realized his motives were less pure than he thought. In this conversation, Hasan reveals how that realization is making him reconsider his career altogether. For a behind-the-scenes look at the show, follow @DrMayaShankar on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re all familiar with the ways that stress can make us feel bad. But professor and stress expert Modupe Akinola argues that a simple change in our mindset can turn short-term stress into a helpful resource. Modupe walks us through some strategies for how to better tolerate and understand our stress, and gives us tools for coping when a small “mindset shift” isn’t enough. You can follow the show on Instagram @DrMayaShankar.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Slight Change of Plans returns February 20, with new personal stories of change, including an interview with comedian Hasan Minhaj about the pitfalls of his career path. Maya also talks with scientific experts about new ways of looking at heartbreak, empathy, stress, and other life-changing topics. Here’s a sneak peek at the season ahead! For a behind-the-scenes look at the show, follow @DrMayaShankar on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.