The Goop Podcast

“Failure can be the best teacher if you know how to approach it properly,” says Ozan Varol, a former rocket scientist turned law professor. In his book Think Like a Rocket Scientist, Varol shows the benefit of approaching problems with a beginner’s mindset. He explains why it’s dangerous to conflate beliefs with identity and why it’s incredibly productive to ask yourself: What are my assumptions? His work is an unexpected and compelling road map for challenging the status quo, cultivating curiosity (which people lose over time), solving problems, and creating change. (For more, subscribe to Varol’s weekly newsletter. He is also offering bonus content to listeners who purchase a copy of his book.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Conventional medicine failed me. It is my mission to not have it fail other people as well,” says Amy Myers, MD. The New York Times–bestselling author of The Autoimmune Solution and The Thyroid Connection sat down with Elise Loehnen to talk about autoimmunity. Seventy-five percent of people with autoimmunity are women, explains Myers, and she believes that autoimmunity is spiking in children. She suggests manageable ways to look at and adjust diets to meet your personal health needs and food sensitivities. And she shares her own health journey—including a mold scare—and many tools for cleaning up home environments and removing potentially toxic or harmful factors (like mold) that could impact your health. Myers empowers us to take back our health and encourages us to be aggressive advocates for our own healing: “Do not give up.” (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choic

“You’re never fully cooked,” says Chelsea Handler. GP catches up with her friend about her approach to activism, comedy, and self-discovery—which she writes about her in latest New York Times–bestselling book, Life Will Be the Death of Me. They start by talking about White privilege and why and how Handler set out to first dismantle it in her life. “How do you get okay with making yourself feel uncomfortable?” asks Handler. How do you allow your perspective to shift consistently, avoid getting stuck in your opinions, resist binary thinking? How do we have conversations without getting angry? In this vulnerable and still hilarious conversation, Handler reframes self-awareness—the greater purpose of becoming more self-aware is a collective benefit, not individual. (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ibram X. Kendi—the number one New York Times–bestselling author of How to Be an Antiracist, Stamped from the Beginning, and Antiracist Baby—is a historian of change. This summer, he’s moving to a new academic post at Boston University, where he’ll become the founding director of the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research. In this conversation with Elise Loehnen, Kendi talks through the historical myths, misconceptions, and dangerous oversimplifications that have contributed to current racist policies and systems. He debunks (with historical proof) the idea that we can’t create systemic change without overwhelming personal change. He reframes the differences between segregationist, assimilationist, and anti-racist thinking: Ensuring that there is resource equity across different spaces and that spaces are not segregated does not mean that spaces should be homogenized. In a country that is roughly 60 percent White people, Kendi pinpoints why it’s critical that we reject standardization and make room f

“There is a system that is a sustainable new business model in which health becomes the determinant,” says Jeffrey Bland, PhD. “Not just production per unit acre.” Bland, who is known as the father of functional medicine, joins host Elise Loehnen for a wide-ranging conversation on how long-defended systems (in medicine and elsewhere) have failed and how we can make them work and make them just. He also explains why we’re not hardwired and how our environment influences the way our genes are expressed. He talks about the importance of regenerative agriculture (and an interesting plant, named Himalayan Tartary buckwheat). Bland calls himself an optimist; he reminds us that we have the power to throw out old models and create new, better ones: “Miracles are out there, and they can be duplicated if we ask the right questions.” (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Vis

“You can’t grow up Black in America and not feel outraged by the terrible health disparities that are still going on every day,” says Nadine Burke Harris, MD, the first surgeon general of California. GP got on a video call with Harris, who is an expert on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Her book, The Deepest Well, explores the connection between adversity, trauma, and toxic stress in childhood and health outcomes later in life. Much of her work focuses on interventions that can mitigate and heal the long-term effects of childhood adversity. (For example, Harris explains that a child’s DNA can change when their adverse experiences are combatted with safety, stability, and nurturing relationships.) She talks about bringing trauma-informed care into the medical field through the ACEs Aware initiative. And what it looks like to heal oneself and break the transgenerational cycle of passing trauma onto our children. (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy prac

“Life is not just the beginning and the end,” says Nora McInerny. “It is all of these tiny things in the middle.” McInerny hosts the podcast Terrible, Thanks for Asking and is the author of It’s Okay to Laugh, The Hot Young Widows Club, and No Happy Endings. She’s hilarious. This episode is her very honest conversation with Elise Loehnen about grief and loss. Which also manages to be funny. McInerny tells her love stories. Some of them are about her first husband, who died of brain cancer. Some are about how she’s never really “moved on,” and why that is okay. Some are about grappling with grief and guilt and wondering what a “good” griever looks like. And some are about her relationship with her second husband today. And how, when she stopped trying to avoid grief, she felt it all—loss and love—most deeply. Emotions are never tidy, explains McInerny. And most of what makes life beautiful is the messiness of it all. (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy prac

We often think the best negotiator is the toughest person in the room. Bring Yourself author Mori Taheripour explains why this is not true: “Our superpower is our ability to have emotional intelligence in a conversation.” Taheripour teaches negotiation and dispute resolution at Wharton, and focuses on the human side of negotiating. Her method isn’t prescriptive. She helps people get out of their heads, let go of self-judgement, and get comfortable with stillness. “When you start talking too much, you’re negotiating against yourself,” says Taheripour. She also coaches people to lead conversations with an open mind, and figure out what feels right—and enough—for them. (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Historically in the US, progress has meant exploitation of someone, and usually people of color,” says Rhiana Gunn-Wright, director of climate policy at Roosevelt Institute. Gunn-Wright met with host Elise Loehnen to talk about her work in developing the Green New Deal, a proposal of ideas to address climate change. At its core, Gunn-Wright says this work is about justice and equity. “It’s really easy to talk about decarbonization and not talk about environmental racism.” But that would be missing the point and leave us without a meaningful solution. “If you say no one is expendable, no person is expendable, no community is expendable: that changes how you solve problems,” says Gunn-Wright. Also poignant: her personal experience with “survivor’s guilt” and perspective on why we need to see structural, systemic issues rather than falling for the American mythology of exceptionalism and individualism. (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: htt

Functional medicine psychiatrist Jeffrey Becker, MD, takes an uncommon approach to depression, anxiety, and mental health. Becker, who is also a cofounder of Bexson Biomedical, examines the genome, the gut, and micronutrient levels before prescribing drugs to a patient. He was an early advocate of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy for treating depression. “We are absolutely the nexus of body, mind, and spirit,” says Becker. Today, he talks about the chemical, biological, emotional, and spiritual components of mental health. And he gets into a deeper conversation with host Elise Loehnen about consciousness. “There’s a lot of programming that has reduced our consciousness to a level that allows us to survive,” Becker says. When we honor the layers of our existence, he believes we can remove some of the limits we often struggle with in everyday life. (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more abo

“The cause of all suffering is what we’re thinking and believing,” says Byron Katie. Katie is a legendary spiritual teacher, the author of Loving What Is, and the creator of a self-inquiry method that she calls “the Work.” Today, Katie guides Elise Loehnen through the Work in her life. The process involves asking four basic questions that can turn a negative belief on its head. Katie reminds us that emotions are emotions—not enemies. She invites us to do deeper within and ask ourselves this question: Who would we be without our stories? (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“It’s not really science,” says David Michaels, PhD. “It’s public relations disguised as science.” Today, the epidemiologist and author of The Triumph of Doubt explains how frequently science is manipulated across industries—from tobacco to personal-care products to football. During his tenure as the assistant secretary of labor at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Michaels uncovered shocking truths about the way major industries distort scientific studies and withhold information at the expense of consumer safety. To resolve this, Michaels believes we need to restructure the way research is conducted and how we consume it. He offers a few key solutions for creating change at the consumer level and beyond (like voting, banning attorney-funded studies, and consulting unbiased scientists to analyze data). Ultimately, this is work that will protect the integrity of science and keep us all safe. (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices vi

“Our votes with our fork, our votes with our wallet, make a difference,” says Mark Hyman, MD. He sat down with GP to talk about his latest book, Food Fix, and what led him on his own personal path into functional medicine. As a physician, Hyman looks for the root causes of chronic health issues—and the factors that contribute to optimal health. He says a lot of it boils down to food and our agriculture system. Hyman explains that disease is correlated with the way food is produced in our country (and around the world). The future, as he outlines it, is more hopeful than you might think, though: Big food companies are realizing they need to make changes. Farmers are being supported to increase regenerative agriculture and increase water conservation. And there’s a lot we can do now, today, on a personal level—and some of it is simple. “Just eat real food,” says Hyman. (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-pol

“We think about loneliness as a stereotype of the person sitting alone in a corner at a party,” says former surgeon general of the United States Vivek Murthy, MD. “But loneliness doesn’t usually look like that.” The author of Together joins host Elise Loehnen to explain the downward spiral of loneliness: When we don’t feel comfortable showing up as who we are, we tend to try to be somebody we’re not. And when we become focused on seeking validation from others, we feel even more isolated. Today, Murthy shares strategies for easing loneliness, building connection, embracing our vulnerability, and moving toward a people-centered life (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“We are all meant to feel alive and to feel powerful,” says Peter A. Levine, PhD. “That’s what being a human is.” The psychologist and author of Trauma and Memory joins Elise Loehnen to talk about how trauma lives in the body and how it can work its way out. We learn some of Levine’s favorite strategies for energetic movement, like skipping and chanting. He says the key to moving trauma out of the body is “bringing the energy up and then letting the energy settle.” He teaches us a sound exercise that helps move energy through the body and ease stress. Levine explains the difference between memory and traumatic memory, and how recovering—and processing—traumatic memories might help us heal. “All trauma shuts down our vital force,” says Levine. But when we begin to understand how to process our pain, we can free ourselves from shame and disembodiment—and find our way back to empowerment. (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacy

“We’ve attached importance and status to busyness,” says Brigid Schulte. The director of the Better Life Lab at New America and the New York Times–bestselling author of Overwhelmed joins Elise Loehnen to dispel the busyness myth. She also breaks down the varied ways our home and work systems make it particularly difficult for women to just get to the end of the day. She suggests solutions for changing this structure and easing the enormous pressures many women feel around balancing career, childcare, and running a household. They also talk about gender roles at the office and in parenting (and how we can encourage men to take on different roles as fathers). And Schulte shares some of her strategies for building a better work-life balance. One of her tips: Start asking yourself what one thing you need to get done each day to feel less overwhelmed and still accomplished. (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-p

Today, Daniel Pink teaches us how crack the code of “perfect timing.” The New York Times–bestselling author of When and Drive explains that much of our lives is episodic: We tend to think of projects, days, and life events in reference to beginning, middle, and end. And Pink explains that our brain and our mood function differently over the course of the day. Becoming aware of these patterns allows us to hack productivity. Pink shares fascinating studies about the best time of day to make a critical decision and when not to have a medical procedure—and also why the “nappuccino” (drinking a coffee before a fifteen-minute nap) might be the best secret he knows. We also learn about why kids benefit from slightly later school start times and why taking breaks is essential for higher performance for everyone. (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastc

“You’re desperate to find causality even where there is none,” says Kate Bowler. She’s a historian at Duke Divinity School and the author of a memoir called Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved. And she makes us laugh, even when she’s talking about death, dying, and grief. In this episode, Bowler tells Elise Loehnen about what happened after she was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer in her mid-thirties. She shares the moments she stopped feeling like a person, the pressure she felt to be “the best” cancer patient, to find explanations, to treat everything as a lesson that she needed to learn. She talks about how her beliefs eventually shifted. And how, perhaps the biggest lesson is that it’s not always on us to figure it all out. “I was never a problem to be solved,” says Bowler. “I was just a person to be loved.” (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about yo

GP got on a video call with Peter Attia, MD, data-focused physician, longevity specialist, and host of The Peter Attia Drive podcast. She asked Attia about the research and science evolving around the COVID-19 pandemic and what’s known (and not) about how viruses function—and how our bodies respond to them. Attia provides helpful updates on antibody testing, along with his thoughts on what might come next. He also speaks more broadly about health span and the factors that support our immune function; sleep, unsurprisingly, is perhaps the most important, he says. And Attia shares the toolbox he uses to manage stress: mindfulness meditation, journaling, and steady-state aerobic exercise. Attia believes that the more information you have, the better—and we felt a little more peace of mind after listening to his perspective. (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

“I try to create the illusion of simplicity because life’s too complicated,” says Eileen Fisher. Today, the founder and clothing designer joins Elise Loehnen to talk about her appreciation for simplicity (which Loehnen shares). Fisher reveals that her own discomfort inspired her career—she could never understand why women were so willing to suffer to look good. Beyond creating a simplified system for style, Fisher shows us a different way to define and run a company: She doesn’t see herself as the sole leader. She thinks of her brand as more of a big collective, and the company is partially owned by its employees. But Fisher is probably most proud that her company is in the process of becoming fully sustainable—and it’s a fascinating, hopeful process for all of us to get a glimpse into. (For more, see The goop Podcast hub.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoic