Rebecca Simonitsch’s Story
After learning she was a candidate for brain surgery, Rebecca boarded a flight home overwhelmed. The stranger beside her turned out to be exactly the person she needed.
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Missy Nicholson’s Story
As a new mom, Missy checked herself into a psychiatric ward for depression. During a group session, a fellow patient reached over and held her hand as she cried.
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Unleashing Your Creativity
For centuries, people have described creativity as something mysterious: a flash of insight, a whisper from the muse, a sudden idea that seems to arrive out of nowhere. Psychologist Ap Dijksterhuis explores the hidden mental processes that lead to these moments of inspiration, and why breakthroughs often emerge when the mind is at rest. Should you worry
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Mike Lopes’ Story
Mike’s wife was dying after years of cancer treatment, and she could no longer recognize the people around her. Then her longtime chemotherapy nurse, Beverly, arrived.
The Past is Never Dead
How does the culture in which you live shape the life that you lead? We all know that culture affects the languages we speak and the foods we eat. But anthropologist Joseph Henrich says the impact of culture goes even further, reaching into our bodies and our minds. He takes us on a journey through time to
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Darrell Barber’s Story
Darrell grew up in an Army family. They moved regularly, which meant he was often lonely and a target of bullying. In the sixth grade, at yet another new school, an eighth grader started picking on him. But right before the kid hit him, another classmate stepped in and changed Darrell’s life forever.
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The Empathy Gym
Psychologist Jamil Zaki argues that empathy isn’t a fixed trait. This week: how to exercise our empathy muscles.
Pat Gentile’s Story
After chemotherapy left Pat without hair, she relied on a wig to feel like herself. The first day she went without it, a stranger in a convenience store gave her a compliment that Pat still carries with her.
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The Cowboy Philosopher
In 2009, an old man died in a California nursing home. His obituary included not just his given name, but a long list of the pseudonyms he’d been known to use. In this episode, which we originally released in 2019, we trace the life of Riley Shepard, a hillbilly musician, writer, small-time con man and, perhaps, a genius.
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Barb Barnes’ Story
After having open heart surgery, Barb was terrified of the immense pain she’d likely have to endure during her recovery. Then a nurse stepped in to help, and changed the rest of Barb’s life in the process.
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