Despite decades of progress, persistent gaps in women’s healthcare continue to leave millions without the care they need. In this episode, Dr. Will Van Derveer and Dr. Sara Gottfried Szal unpack the complex and evolving field of female-related care. Together, they explore opportunities for clinical improvement.

Dr. Szal shares her journey from medical school, where she first encountered the glaring disparities in women’s healthcare. She discusses the evolution of medicine from a physician-centered model to a collaborative and patient-centered approach, emphasizing the importance of personalized care across a woman’s life stages. Through heartfelt anecdotes and professional insights, the conversation addresses common biases and systemic challenges that still hinder optimal care for women.

By equipping practitioners with the tools to address women’s unique health needs—including managing stress, hormones, and cardiometabolic health, it’s the hope that a new era of medicine can be ushered in. With a focus on empowering practitioners to provide proactive, personalized care, Dr. Szal hopes there will be a ripple effect, enabling more women to receive the treatment and respect they deserve.

This episode delves into New Year’s resolutions and goal-setting challenges. We discuss the pitfalls of impulsive resolutions that often fail quickly, advocating for a well-structured visioning process instead. This includes goal setting across various life areas such as career, family, health, and personal pursuits. We share our own methods, including using vision boards and tools like Google Drive and Trello to set, review, and track goals realistically, allowing for about 80-90% success in achieving them.

We will also explore the balance between disciplined goal-setting and the need for unstructured, spontaneous moments. Keith talks about creating sub-goals quarterly to make larger annual goals more manageable. We also underscore the importance of self-reflection in goal setting, urging listeners to align their goals with personal values rather than societal expectations of status and competition.

We will touch on the broader cultural context, critiquing the common practice of setting New Year’s resolutions without a thoughtful approach. Additionally, we discuss real-world challenges like saving money, emphasizing the importance of having a strategy and the discipline required to carry it out.

Transformation happens when moments of clarity are translated into lasting change. In this episode, we highlight the challenges of psychedelic integration. Drawing from neuroscience and psychology, we examine how difficult it can be to turn powerful psychedelic insights into actual behavioral shifts.

Our conversation focuses on the hard work required for real change. We explore the pitfalls of repetitive psychedelic sessions and the difficulty of remaining committed and consistent. We discuss the importance of values-based change and understanding the deeper motivations behind desired transformation. We outline a variety of approaches for taking action, such as parts work, journaling, accountability partnerships, and self-awareness practices.

We also unpack social messages about behavior change. We acknowledge that most of us rarely receive the support needed to grow and become ourselves. We encourage patience, compassion, and tools for how to show up for ourselves long after the dosing session has ended.

What if we could literary change our lives by confronting our own stress responses? In today’s episode, we unpack the nature of stress and its massive impact on mental health. We discuss the physiological and psychological aspects, offering personal insights for understanding and managing them.

We will introduce the concept of “eustress” and how it differs from “distress,” describing how different types of stress can lead to growth or burnout. We discuss how our perceptions of stressors dramatically shape our experience, emphasizing the role of mindset and cognitive reframing. We also take a systemic approach, exploring how stress can come from considerable societal challenges such as economic uncertainty, global conflicts, and social isolation.

Our goal is to help you increase your awareness of stress responses and gain practical coping strategies. We’ll cover stress-busters like mindfulness practices, sleep hygiene, exercise, cold plunges, and sauna therapy. We highlight the importance of relational health, emphasizing the benefits of co-regulation in relationships, meaningful work, and community engagement. Join us as we examine the simple yet transformative art of self-care in today’s demanding world.

In this episode, we dive into the connection between food and mood, exploring how your diet impacts your body, brain, and overall wellbeing. We discuss the historical (and misleading) rise of the food pyramid and provide insights about macronutrients, uncovering the reasons behind prediabetes, diabetes, and systemic inflammation—and how these factors influence mental health.

We dive further into the science of nutrition, highlighting practical ways to navigate the overwhelming options in today’s food landscape. We explain the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins—and the pivotal role of hydration and fiber in maintaining gut-brain health. We offer actionable solutions for reducing processed carbs, managing blood sugar levels, and experimenting with evidence-based diets for specific health concerns.

This episode is about understanding how to create a sustainable, personalized approach to eating that supports mental clarity, emotional stability, and physical vitality. Whether you’re curious about combating inflammation, improving metabolic flexibility, or exploring the link between nutrition and mental health, this episode is packed with knowledge and tools to inspire positive change.

Ever wonder why some goals stay dreams while others become reality? In today’s episode, we unpack the difference between fantasy and vision and explain why it matters to achieve your goals. Through our own stories, we explore how to turn dreams into action, providing insights that inspire clarity, spark motivation, and drive meaningful progress.

We go through the most common fears that block us from pursuing our dreams, like worrying about failure, success, or how others might judge us. We reflect on how hard it is to break out of old habits and create meaningful change, offering supportive tips to listeners. We emphasize the power of dividing goals into manageable steps, staying flexible, and learning from setbacks. Having supportive people and systems for accountability can make all the difference.

Most importantly, we discuss the importance of aligning goals with values. Systems, routines, and intrinsic motivation can help folks stay consistent and make significant strides. Above all, we aim to inspire listeners to embrace the journey, knowing that every step toward their goals brings them closer to living a life of purpose and passion.

What exactly is a mystical experience, and how do psychedelics play a role in unlocking these profound states of consciousness? In this episode, we dive deep into the nature of mystical experiences, exploring whether they are real, imagined, or something in between. Through personal stories and thoughtful analysis, we examine how these extraordinary states arise—spontaneously, through meditation, or facilitated by psychedelics—and what they might reveal about the nature of reality.

We also explore the complexities of these experiences, from encounters with entities and synchronicities to navigating challenging psychological terrain. Mystical experiences can be transformative, but they can also lead to spiritual emergencies—intense moments when these states overwhelm an individual’s ability to cope and integrate. We discuss the potential for ego fragmentation, its terrifying yet growth-promoting aspects, and how such moments can lead to greater openness and humility.

This episode offers a balanced look at the opportunities and risks of working with non-ordinary states of consciousness, bridging Western psychology with shamanic traditions. We highlight the importance of seeking support, maintaining hope, and finding pathways to healing during integration. Whether you’re curious about psychedelics or the mystical, this conversation invites you to consider these powerful experiences within a therapeutic lens.

What if our current understanding of mental health is merely a brief moment in the vast history of human knowledge? In this episode, we explore the complex evolution of diagnoses and their impacts on society.

We explain how the introduction of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders has dramatically shifted the way we talk about and understand mental health. We examine the shared language that diagnosis creates and dissect the reductionist thinking that can come out of relying on diagnosis. We unpack our culture’s reliance on prescription medication without providing the education or support needed to resolve underlying issues. We also emphasize the need to move beyond the binary thinking of “mentally ill” versus “mentally well,” challenging the notion of “normal” versus “abnormal” psychology.

Ultimately, our discussion underscores the need for empathy and a nuanced understanding of mental health, acknowledging that everyone experiences fluctuating mental states and that a growth mindset is key to wellness. The reality is that this is just one transitory moment in the history of how humans conceptualize and treat mental health challenges.