Has Therapy Gone Too Far? & The Hidden Genius of Birds

Has Therapy Gone Too Far? & The Hidden Genius of Birds

Author: Mike Carruthers | OmniCast Media July 13, 2026 Duration: 50:56
Need a favor? The way you ask may matter as much as what you're asking for. Researchers have found that a few simple changes in how you make a request can dramatically increase the chances someone will say yes—and most people overlook them completely. https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/francis-flynn-if-you-want-something-ask-it Going to therapy has become more common—and more socially accepted—than ever before. For many people, it has been life-changing. At the same time, anxiety, depression, and loneliness continue to rise, prompting an important question: Are we asking therapy to solve problems it was never designed to solve? Should everyone have a therapist, even if nothing is seriously wrong? Where is the line between normal struggles and issues that truly require professional treatment? In this thoughtful conversation, therapist Jonathan Alpert explores who benefits most from therapy, where it can fall short, and why resilience, personal responsibility, and strong relationships still play an essential role in emotional wellbeing. Jonathan has spent more than two decades treating patients and is author of Therapy Nation: How America Got Hooked on Therapy and Why It's Left Us More Anxious and Divided (https://amzn.to/4xMXS2I). Birds are so common that it's easy to stop noticing them. Yet they are among the most extraordinary creatures on Earth. Every feather is a masterpiece of engineering. Their bones are optimized for flight. Some navigate across continents with astonishing accuracy, others build intricate nests without blueprints, and many possess abilities that scientists are still trying to understand. Even more remarkable, every bird alive today is a living descendant of the dinosaurs. Lorna Gibson, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT and lifelong bird enthusiast, reveals the hidden science behind feathers, flight, migration, and the incredible adaptations that make birds some of nature's greatest engineering achievements. She is author of Birds Up Close: An Engineer Explores Their Hidden Wonders (https://amzn.to/4eOiE9C). The next time you open a bag of potato chips, pay attention to the sound it makes. That loud crinkling isn't an accident. Food manufacturers carefully engineer snack bags to produce a particular sound because what you hear can actually influence what you think about the freshness and quality of what's inside. https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/food/noisy-chip-bags PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS WAYFAIR: Ready to upgrade your home for way less? Head to ⁠https://Wayfair.com⁠ right now to shop all things home and get your space ready for less.  RULA: Thousands of people are already using Rula to get affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Rula.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started. QUINCE: Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! SHOPIFY: It's time to turn those "what ifs" into CHA CHING with Shopify Today! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ INDEED: Get a $75 Sponsored Job credit to help get your job the premium status it deserves at https://Indeed.com/PODCAST Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Curiosity is a powerful engine, and Something You Should Know is built on the idea that a single conversation can shift your perspective in a meaningful way. Host Mike Carruthers, through OmniCast Media, sits down with researchers, authors, and practitioners across a surprisingly wide spectrum-from neuroscience and health to social dynamics and personal finance. The aim isn't just to accumulate facts, but to uncover practical wisdom you can apply directly. You might hear a psychologist explain the simple habit that strengthens relationships, followed by an economist demystifying how to build lasting wealth, and then a physiologist breaking down the real science behind effective fitness. This podcast operates on the belief that improvement is multifaceted; a tip for saving time can be as valuable as understanding a new scientific discovery. Each episode is a self-contained dive into a topic that could very well change your approach to your career, your health, or your daily routine. The tone is conversational and grounded, focusing on actionable takeaways rather than abstract theory. By weaving together insights from the fields of science, education, and self-improvement, the show provides a toolkit for navigating life's complexities. It’s the kind of listening that leaves you with something concrete-a strategy, a new understanding, or a piece of advice that resonates long after the episode ends.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Something You Should Know
Podcast Episodes
The Surprising Power of Swearing & How to Build Confidence Fast [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Want to significantly improve your chances of getting a good night’s sleep? There is one surprisingly simple thing you can do during the day that may actually help you sleep better that night. And no, it doesn’t involve…
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Processed food has gotten a pretty terrible reputation. We’re warned to avoid foods with long ingredient lists, mysterious additives and chemical names we can’t pronounce. “Ultra-processed” has practically become another…
How to Get Better Healthcare & The Strange Ways Weather Affects You [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:44
Ever notice that the trip home often seems shorter than the trip there—even when the distance and travel time are exactly the same? It happens so often that researchers have given it a name: the “return trip effect.” And…
SYSK TRENDING - How to Improve Your Focus [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:04
It seems like paying attention should be easy. Yet for many of us, it has become one of the hardest things to do. We start reading an article and suddenly we're checking email. We pick up our phone to do one thing and, t…
Inside Amazon's Empire & How Social Media Is Rewriting Your Life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:10
Have you ever caught yourself saying, "It smells like rain"? It turns out that distinctive scent is very real—and it's not your imagination. Scientists know exactly where it comes from, why some people notice it more tha…
The Psychology of Infidelity & How to Improve Your Executive Function [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:48
Have you ever wondered why some people seem to lose their hearing gradually while insisting they hear just fine? It turns out this isn't simply denial or stubbornness. The way hearing fades can fool the brain into believ…
SYSK TRENDING - Understanding Physical Intelligence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:26
Most of us think of intelligence as something that happens entirely in the brain. But there's another kind of intelligence that lives in your body. It's what allows you to ride a bicycle years after your last ride, catch…