Best Mindless Matters Podcasts (2025)

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A Radical, Counterintuitive Stress Reliever with Alua Arthur | Staff Picks 15:24

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6h ago15:24

15:24

We’re bringing you some of our favorite gems from the archives, as chosen by our staff. This week, we’re hearing from death doula Alua Arthur, as chosen by our managing producer Lauren Smith. Arthur helps people with all the non-medical aspects of dying – emotional, spiritual, and practical – and she has a simple question that she says simplifies d…

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Turning Intention into Action: How to Stop Wishing and Start Doing for Your Health 37:03

1d ago37:03

37:03

By Tricia Stefankiewicz/Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist, Health Coach

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Is It Possible To Improve Your Personality? The Science Says Yes. Here’s How To Do It. | Olga Khazan 1:07:30

9h ago1:07:30

1:07:30

Plus other intriguing questions answered such as: should you change your personality? What exactly is a personality anyway? Olga Khazan is a staff writer for The Atlantic. Her new book is called Me, But Better. In this episode we talk about: The definition of personality The so-called big 5 aspects of personality and Olga’s attempts to work on them…

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An Antidote to Overwhelm and Anger | Father Gregory Boyle 1:01:04

2d ago1:01:04

1:01:04

The attitude that can help you survive the Trump era. Gregory Boyle is an American Jesuit priest and the founder of Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles, the largest gang-intervention, rehabilitation, and reentry program in the world. He is the acclaimed author of Tattoos on the Heart, Barking to the Choir, The Whole Language, and most recently, Cheri…

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Am I Meditating Correctly? Am I Doing the Right Kind? | FAQ With Teacher-Of-The-Month Dawn Mauricio 18:55

5d ago18:55

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A lot of us have questions about our meditation practice, but we may not have anybody to ask. Am I doing it right? Which kind of meditation should I be doing? How do I choose? Today, our Teacher of the Month Dawn Mauricio breaks down some of those questions with some actionable suggestions you can take into your next meditation session. Join Dan’s …

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Are you sitting on the sidelines missing out on what you want to do? 29:35

7d ago29:35

29:35

By Tricia Stefankiewicz/Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist, Health Coach

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How to Catch Unhelpful Thoughts Before They Take Over with Bhikkhu Bodhi | Staff Picks 21:38

7d ago21:38

21:38

We’re bringing you some of our favorite gems from the archives, as chosen by our staff. This week, we’re hearing from Buddhist scholar and teacher Bhikkhu Bodhi, as chosen by Tara Anderson, one of our podcast producers. We’re getting a little meta today, as Dan and his guest talk about paying attention to what your own mind is doing. Full Episode: …

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A Buddhist Compass To Direct You Toward Happiness | Beth Upton 1:01:29

9d ago1:01:29

1:01:29

The happiness recipe from ancient Buddhist psychology. Beth Upton has been teaching meditation since 2014. Before that she spent ten years as a Buddhist nun, five of them in Burma under the guidance of Pa Auk Sayadaw. She currently leads the Sanditthika Meditation Community. In this episode we talk about: The Buddhist Abhidhamma, which Beth calls “…

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Your Brain Is Suggestible. Here’s How To Turn That to Your Advantage. | Dr. Amir Raz 1:12:03

11d ago1:12:03

1:12:03

Harness the power of suggestion for well-being, pain management, and mental health. Dr. Amir Raz is a world-renowned expert on the science of suggestion with recent positions as Canada Research Chair, Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology and Neurosurgery, and Psychology at McGill University, and as Founding Director of The Institute for Interdiscipli…

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A Circuit Breaker for Stress | Bonus Meditation with Dawn Mauricio 11:07

12d ago11:07

11:07

All this month, we’re sharing custom guided meditations from our teacher of the month, Dawn Mauricio, exclusively available at DanHarris.com. Like any good drug dealer, the first taste is free – so today, we’re giving you a sample of what you can expect for the rest of the month. This meditation can be helpful when you’re spiraling and need to inte…

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How To Stop Spinning Out With Bill Hader | Staff Picks 23:11

14d ago23:11

23:11

We’re bringing you some of our favorite gems from the archives, as chosen by our staff. This week, we’re hearing from comedian and actor Bill Hader, as chosen by our digital media manager, Hayden Broom. Hader was part of our “Non-Negotiables” series, and he told Dan, with some disappointment, that “the hippies were right.” Full Episode: Bill Hader …

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Nine ways to start to eat more mindfully 22:25

15d ago22:25

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Episode description: This episode talks about mindful eating, mindless eating, and how to work towards getting into a mindset of being present- or mindful- during meals. Show notes Hunger scale link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14Kgaj98mWsBQqRie5zlhGmlG-HetcQ-F/view?usp=sharing https://www.thecenterformindfuleating.org/ https://www.thecenterfor…

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The Science Of Manifestation: Can This Stanford Neuroscientist Convince A Skeptical Dan To Give It A Shot? | Dr. James R. Doty 1:16:39

16d ago1:16:39

1:16:39

Six practical steps to harness the full power of your mind. Our guest today is James R. Doty, a neurosurgeon who has just written a whole book about the science of manifestation – although, as you’ll hear him admit, there’s very little ‘magic’ involved in his process. James R. Doty, M.D. is a Stanford neurosurgeon, neuroscientist, compassion resear…

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Ezra Klein On: Sane News Consumption; The Power of Meditation; The Future of the Species; And the Message of His Tattoo 1:15:54

18d ago1:15:54

1:15:54

On maintaining sanity in insane times. Ezra Klein is an opinion columnist and host of the award-winning Ezra Klein Show podcast at The New York Times. His latest book is Abundance, co-authored with Derek Thompson. He is also the author of Why We’re Polarized, an instant New York Times bestseller, named one of Barack Obama’s top books of 2022. He li…

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How Meditation Can Help You Handle Injured Feelings and Injured Muscles | Dawn Mauricio 24:38

19d ago24:38

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Plus: How to build a meditation practice you keep coming back to. We’re in the midst of an exciting evolution of the overall 10% Happier project. In our quest to make this podcast more actionable – to help you operationalize all the game-changing ideas you encounter on this pod – we’re now offering guided meditations to accompany each full episode …

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Are you limiting beliefs sabotaging your health goals? 18:33

21d ago18:33

18:33

Episode description: Today we will talk about self-limiting beliefs and how they can prevent us from achieving the health goals we desperately desire to make happen. We will review what limiting beliefs are, some of the more common limiting beliefs we have, how limiting beliefs can deter our growth, and some ways to challenge these beliefs. Thank y…

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Allison Williams On: Perfectionism, Defensiveness, and the Horror Movies We All Make in Our Minds 1:02:33

21d ago1:02:33

1:02:33

A scream-queen (and Dan’s old friend) talks control, insecurity, friendship, and parenthood. Allison Williams is an actress, producer, and singer best known for her breakout role on HBO’s award winning TV series GIRLS, the blockbuster film GET OUT, the science fiction horror film M3GAN, and now its sequel, M3GAN 2.0. In this episode we talk about: …

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Buddhist Practices for Busyness, Overwhelm, and Burnout | Brother Chân Pháp Hữu 1:12:00

23d ago1:12:00

1:12:00

The Zen monk who burned out. How he fixed it. And how you can, too. Brother Chân Pháp Hữu began training at the age of 13 with the legendary Zen master Thích Nhất Hạnh — who was an author, activist, and founder of the Plum Village tradition. Today Brother Pháp Hữu is the abbot of Plum Village’s Upper Hamlet and the co-host of the Plum Village podca…

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Can a Psychic Medium Improve Your Life? Wrestling With the Balance Between Open-Mindedness and Skepticism 54:23

25d ago54:23

54:23

Why are many of Dan’s favorite meditation teachers consulting a clairvoyant? A special collaboration with Search Engine. Related Episodes: The Science of Training Your Attention | Dr. Amishi Jha The Art and Science of Compassion: Thupten Jinpa Compassion Is the Ultimate Tool for the Truly Ambitious | Paul Gilbert The Science Of Manifestation: Can T…

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The Antidote to Mindless Eating with Br. Chan Pháp Lưu | Get Fit Sanely Listener Picks 20:26

28d ago20:26

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We asked listeners to tell us about some of their favorite episodes from our Get Fit Sanely series, and we’ll be bringing you some excerpts of those episodes on Fridays this month. Today, we’re hearing from listener Shannon who made a change in her eating routine after hearing our episode with Br. Chan Pháp Lưu from Plum Village. Related Episodes: …

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"Oops, I Ate It Again: Breaking the Mindless Eating Loop" 22:25

29d ago22:25

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By Tricia Stefankiewicz/Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist, Health Coach

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The Science Of Motivation: How To Make Habits That Actually Stick | T. Morgan Dixon and Dr. Gary Bennett 1:02:14

1M ago1:02:14

1:02:14

How to overcome inertia and research-backed plans that actually work. Dr. Gary G. Bennett is Dean of the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences at Duke University. He is also a professor of psychology & neuroscience, global health, medicine, and nursing, and is the founding director of the Duke Digital Health Science Center. T. Morgan Dixon is the foun…

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How Modern Life Makes You Sick – And How To Fix It | Jeff Krasno 1:28:51

1M ago1:28:51

1:28:51

You’re getting the wrong kind of stress. Here’s how to change that. Jeff Krasno is the co-founder and CEO of Commune, a masterclass platform for personal and societal well-being, and co-creator of Wanderlust, a global series of wellness events. He hosts the Commune podcast and his new book is called Good Stress: The Benefits of Doing Hard Things. I…

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How To Learn From Your Ancestors | Spring Washam 1:15:48

1M ago1:15:48

1:15:48

Our guest argues that looking back on those who came before us can help us understand who we are and why we do the things we do. Plus, a very special request from Dan. Spring Washam is a well-known teacher, author, and visionary leader based in Oakland, California. She is the author of A Fierce Heart: Finding Strength, Courage and Wisdom in Any Mom…

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Breaking the Loop: How to Stop Repeating What Doesn’t Serve You 31:12

1M ago31:12

31:12

By Tricia Stefankiewicz/Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist, Health Coach

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If You Care About Fitness, You Should Work On Your Mobility | Get Fit Sanely Listener Picks: Kelly and Juliet Starrett 15:34

1M ago15:34

15:34

We asked listeners to tell us about some of their favorite episodes from our Get Fit Sanely series, and we’ll be bringing you some excerpts of those episodes on Fridays this month. Today, we’re hearing from listener Abby, who experienced a game-changing moment in our episode on mobility with Kelly and Juliet Starrett. Paid subscribers of DanHarris.…

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On Muscle and Mind: How Strength Training Changes Your Brain, Improves Your Mental Health, and Lengthens Your Life | Bonnie Tsui 1:10:56

1M ago1:10:56

1:10:56

What muscles are for, how to get them, and why it’s never too late to start building them. Bonnie Tsui is a longtime contributor to The New York Times and the bestselling author of Why We Swim, a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice and a Time magazine and NPR Best Book of the Year. Her work has been recognized and supported by Harvard Univer…

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The Science of Gut Health | Dr. Robynne Chutkan 1:17:20

1M ago1:17:20

1:17:20

Why it matters for mental health; how to make improvements without succumbing to snake oil; and why you should be looking at your poop. Dr. Robynne Chutkan is a board certified gastroenterologist and the author of the four books Gutbliss, The Microbiome Solution, The Bloat Cure, and The Anti-Viral Gut. She’s also the host of The Gutbliss Podcast. P…

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Mindset Work! Choices, Consequence, and Clarity 31:37

1M ago31:37

31:37

By Tricia Stefankiewicz/Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist, Health Coach

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Intuitive Eating 101 with Christy Harrison | Get Fit Sanely Listener Picks 15:59

1M ago15:59

15:59

We asked listeners to tell us about some of their favorite episodes from our Get Fit Sanely series, and we’ll be bringing you some excerpts of those episodes on Fridays this month. Today, we’re hearing from listener Traci who was introduced to the transformative concept of intuitive eating through our episode with dietician Christy Harrison. Paid s…

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If You Want To Be More Productive, You Need More Rest. Here’s How To Get It. | Claudia Hammond 58:36

1M ago58:36

58:36

A roadmap for a more balanced life. Claudia Hammond is an award-winning broadcaster, author, and psychology lecturer. In her work she shares the ways that psychological and medical research can help us in our everyday lives, whether through radio, TV, podcasts, public events or books. This episode is part of our ongoing Get Fit Sanely series. In th…

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Rich Roll On: How To Pursue Health Without Becoming Unhealthy; How To Establish Motivation & Momentum; And Why People Hate Vegans 1:28:35

2M ago1:28:35

1:28:35

Simple and realistic strategies from an ultra-endurance athlete. Rich Roll is a vegan ultra-endurance athlete and full-time wellness & plant-based nutrition advocate, podcast host, public speaker, and inspiration to people worldwide as a transformative example of courageous and healthy living. This episode is part of our ongoing Get Fit Sanely Seri…

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How To Get a Fluffy Hippocampus with Wendy Suzuki | Get Fit Sanely Listener Picks 14:29

2M ago14:29

14:29

We asked listeners to tell us about some of their favorite episodes from our Get Fit Sanely series, and we’ll be bringing you some excerpts of those episodes on Fridays this month. Today, we’re hearing from listener Cynthia who had a vivid takeaway from our episode on exercise and the brain with neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki. Paid subscribers of DanH…

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Stop focusing on what you can't control and focus on what you can! 30:18

2M ago30:18

30:18

By Tricia Stefankiewicz/Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist, Health Coach

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Easy, Evidence-Based Hacks for Fitness | Marielle Segarra 59:06

2M ago59:06

59:06

Including: “exercise snacking,” prioritizing play, and overcoming “revenge bedtime procrastination.” Marielle Segarra is a reporter and the host of NPR's Life Kit, the award-winning podcast and radio show that shares trustworthy, nonjudgmental tips that help listeners navigate their lives. In this episode we talk about: How and why Marielle got in…

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Peak Performance at Any Age | Christiane Wolf (Dharma Teacher/Doctor/Ultramarathoner) 1:15:52

2M ago1:15:52

1:15:52

Beyond the cliché: listening to your body. Christiane Wolf, MD, PhD is a former physician and internationally known mindfulness and Insight (Vipassana) meditation teacher. She is the author of “Outsmart Your Pain” and the coauthor of “A Clinician’s Guide to Teaching Mindfulness”. She is also a senior teacher at InsightLA in Los Angeles. And in her …

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I know what to do but can't seem to do it. Why knowledge doesn't always equal change. 35:37

2M ago35:37

35:37

By Tricia Stefankiewicz/Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist, Health Coach

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How To Take Care of Your Body Without Losing Your Mind 46:58

2M ago46:58

46:58

Behind the scenes of this year’s Get Fit Sanely series with ace producers Eleanor Vassili and Marissa Schneiderman. Today we’re kicking off the third annual iteration of a very popular series we do, called Get Fit Sanely. It’s all about how to take care of your body without losing your mind. This is a dynamic tension many of us struggle to manage. …

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Sebene Selassie & Jeff Warren On: How Friendship Helps Your Meditation; Vulnerability vs Oversharing; And Advice for People Pleasers 1:13:04

2M ago1:13:04

1:13:04

An often overlooked secret to improving your meditation practice. Sebene Selassie, an author and meditation teacher. She writes the popular newsletter remind me to love and her first book is called, You Belong. Jeff Warren is also an author and meditation teacher. He writes the popular Substack newsletter Home Base and is the coauthor, along with m…

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What Distraction Does to Your Brain—and How To Regain Cognitive Control | Adam Gazzaley 1:13:22

2M ago1:13:22

1:13:22

Distraction is making you anxious and sleepless. Here’s how to fix it. Adam Gazzaley, M.D., Ph.D. is the David Dolby Distinguished Professor of Neurology, Physiology and Psychiatry, and Founder & Executive Director of Neuroscape at UCSF. He co-authored the 2016 book “The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World”. In this episode we talk…

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A Simple Guided Meditation from Dan | Live from the Renegade Sangha 13:07

2M ago13:07

13:07

We asked not too long ago in the chat on our Substack community – which you can find at DanHarris.com – about what kinds of things you’d find useful as Friday bonus episodes, and one of the things we heard was: more guided meditations, please. So today, we are happy to oblige with this short meditation that I led, as part of our semi-regular live g…

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Why Self-Hatred Makes No Sense | Matthew Brensilver 1:04:06

2M ago1:04:06

1:04:06

This episode explores a compelling Buddhist question: does self-hatred, or self-love, make sense if the self is an illusion? Matthew Brensilver, PhD, is a clinical social worker and experienced teacher of meditation retreats. He also worked at an organization called Mindful Schools, which teaches teachers how to teach meditation. This episode also …

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That Feeling of “Always-Behind and Never-Enough”—Here’s the Antidote | Ellen Hendriksen 1:06:52

2M ago1:06:52

1:06:52

How to beat perfectionism without lowering your standards. Dr. Ellen Hendriksen is a clinical psychologist who will help you calm your anxiety and be your authentic self. She serves on the faculty at Boston University's Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders (CARD) and is the author of HOW TO BE ENOUGH: Self-Acceptance for Self-Critics and Perfec…

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From Proxy: Mic Chooses the Wrong Life 51:01

2M ago51:01

51:01

We’re excited to share with you an episode of the new podcast Proxy, produced by Yowei Shaw. Today: the case of Mic, who feels like he defied his fate and now has no purpose in life. For her new podcast Proxy, Yowei Shaw finds someone uniquely able to help Mic break out of his regret loop. Proxy is a show that investigates niche emotional conundrum…

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If You’re Freaking Out About Politics | Bonus Episode with Dan 11:18

2M ago11:18

11:18

A few ideas for staying sane in insane times, regardless of your political leanings or who you voted for. Related episode: Joseph Goldstein On: Impermanence, Impersonality, And How To Use Mindfulness To Be More Creative Joseph Goldstein’s book of poetry: Dreamscapes of the Mind Sign up for Dan’s newsletter here Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikT…

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What are your health non-negotiables? 27:15

2M ago27:15

27:15

By Tricia Stefankiewicz/Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist, Health Coach

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How To Improve Critical Thinking, Embrace Uncertainty, and Stop Self-Censoring | Jenara Nerenberg 1:07:04

2M ago1:07:04

1:07:04

Plus how to speak up and challenge your own tribe, how to successfully engage with people you disagree with, and more. Jenara Nerenberg is a journalist and author. Her latest book is called Trust Your Mind: Embracing Nuance in a World of Self-Silencing. She holds degrees from the Harvard School of Public Health and UC Berkeley. She lectures widely …

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If It’s Hysterical, It’s Historical: The Liberating Power of Understanding Your Past | Dr. Orna Guralnik 1:11:27

2M ago1:11:27

1:11:27

On psychoanalysis, which we haven’t talked about much on this show. Dr. Orna Guralnik is a psychoanalyst and writer. Her writing centers on the intersection of psychoanalysis, dissociation, and cultural studies. She has completed the filming of several seasons of the docu-series Couples Therapy. In this episode we talk about: The relationship betwe…

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Why Am I Like This? | Glennon Doyle and Abby Wambach 51:48

3M ago51:48

51:48

Why even self-help authors can still be messy. Glennon Doyle is the CEO and Founder of Treat Media, an award-winning media company that makes art for humans who want to stay human. She is an author, podcaster, producer, and philanthropist. Her books include the #1 New York Times bestsellers Untamed and Love Warrior; the New York Times bestseller Ca…