The Curious Introvert

Meredith Hackwith Edwards

A weekly podcast covering societal taboos & cultural blind spots. Join host Meredith Hackwith Edwards as she deep dives with curiosity & nuance into philosophy, society & culture with expert guests. Episodes frequently feature philosophers, researchers, historians & journalists.

  1. 5D AGO

    Ep. 337: Can a Sexless Marriage Survive? [REMASTERED]

    What exactly is considered "sexless"? What are we counting as sex? What would cause someone to not want to have sex all of a sudden?   These are all questions I unpacked with Xanet Pailet. She was a successful healthcare lawyer married to an attorney with two children. She lived in a beautiful home in NYC as well as a sexless marriage. At age 45 and no sex for over 15 years, she considered sex as something she was just done with.    Now she is a full time intimacy educator with a fulfilling sex life. You’ll hear about resentment caused pain, the stuck place of indifference, what men are afraid of, medical procedures that can cause painful sex & listener Q & A from my Facebook group.   This episode originally aired March 11, 2024.   If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 214: WHAT ARE THE RULES OF MONOGAMY? THE PSYCHOLOGIST SWINGER   Guest: https://www.passionateintimacyretreats.com/ https://www.powerofpleasure.com/  https://www.instagram.com/xanetpop/ https://twitter.com/powerofpleasure https://www.facebook.com/xanetpop   Sponsors:  https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/  https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/    01:00 — What actually counts as “sexless” 03:00 — The “charcuterie board” of intimacy 06:00 — Separate bedrooms, separate lives 07:00 — Never masturbated… until 48 09:00 — When pleasure and anxiety get wired together 10:00 — Medical trauma no one talks about 13:00 — Circumcision, sensation, and what we lose 14:00 — Are some sexual issues permanent? 16:00 — The emotional root of physical pain 17:00 — Why resentment can make sex hurt 18:00 — When your partner feels like your child 20:00 — Masculine vs feminine energy in relationships 22:00 — Why men stop initiating (and don’t say why) 24:00 — Consent confusion and modern dating fears 26:00 — When no sex is… totally fine 27:00 — The menopause “I don’t care anymore” myth 28:00 — When bad sex kills desire completely 31:00 — The surprise return of desire after divorce 33:00 — The real answer: can it survive? 36:00 — Rebuilding intimacy from zero 40:00 — The hidden reality of sex in Japan 41:00 — Should you open the relationship? 43:00 — Sexless dynamics in same-sex couples 45:00 — Porn, gaming, and disconnection 48:00 — Rethinking sex after physical limitations 53:00 — Outercourse, body mapping, and new pathways 55:00 — Menopause, pain, and what actually helps 57:00 — Why “working on it” feels overwhelming 59:00 — The missing piece: non-sexual intimacy Request to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/ Follow me in all the places: https://www.meredithforreal.com/   https://www.instagram.com/the_curiousintrovert/  meredith@meredithforreal.com https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal  https://www.facebook.com/curiousintrovert

    1h 4m

  2. MAR 23

    Ep. 336: Prescription NAPS??! Toddler Protocol for High Achievers

    Can napping replace medication? How do you get your brain to slow down enough to take a nap?    Dr. Hector Rodriguez is a psychiatrist, who views naps as medicine for your brain. He is the owner of the White Butterfly Clinic in Miami, FL. With both an MD and a Masters in theology, he is a psychiatrist who treats the soul, integrating neuroimaging, psychopharmacology, and evidence-based psychotherapies. In this episode, we discuss why some naps make you feel hung over, the ideal napping window, which kind of nap = which outcome, signs your “8 hours” isn’t’ working, what would happen if high performers gave in to naps & the waking nap strategy. If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 247: IS YOUR FOOD CAUSING YOUR DEPRESSION? NUTRITIONAL PSYCHIATRY  Guest: https://www.whitebutterflyclinic.com/mag  https://www.instagram.com/doctor_hector https://www.doctorhector.com/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/doctorhector/  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100006047643168    Sponsors:  https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/  https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/    01:00 — Do naps actually change your brain? 01:13 — The hidden cost of bad sleep 01:29 — What your hippocampus does while you nap 02:03 — Why naps sometimes feel like a hangover 02:30 — The “right nap” depends on your goal 03:00 — 10 vs 60 vs 90 minutes: what changes 04:43 — Do nap conditions actually matter? 07:02 — Should naps have a “curfew”? 08:34 — The ideal nap window (and why it matters) 08:58 — Would more naps improve mental health? 10:10 — Why fragmented sleep quietly wrecks you 10:51 — Two buckets: fixing sleep vs optimizing it 11:57 — Signs your “8 hours” isn’t working 16:12 — When it’s time to see a professional 17:30 — Which doctor should you actually see? 19:26 — Symptom vs root cause: the real question 20:17 — What if you have sleep apnea already? 22:03 — The truth about finding a doctor who cares 25:34 — How to vet a doctor (for real) 27:30 — Build your own sleep system (not someone else’s) 28:35 — One habit at a time actually works 29:16 — Do the benefits of napping compound? 30:00 — Can naps reduce dementia risk? 30:28 — Can napping replace medication? 32:00 — Why high performers resist naps 32:39 — Napping as a “biohack” trend 38:06 — How to train your brain to nap 41:11 — How to rest in a corporate environment 42:25 — A “waking nap” might be your entry point 42:58 — Should you drink coffee before a nap? 45:12 — Why rest is more than sleep 48:33 — How to work with Dr. Rodriguez Request to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/ Follow me in all the places: https://www.meredithforreal.com/   https://www.instagram.com/the_curiousintrovert/  meredith@meredithforreal.com https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal  https://www.facebook.com/curiousintrovert

    50 min

  3. MAR 20 ·  BONUS

    ANNOUNCEMENT! New name & logo

    Meredith for Real: the curious introvert is now The Curious Introvert! When I started this show in 2019, there were a few other shows with the words curious & introvert in them, but fewer with the name Meredith.  Now that time has passed, there’s more room in the podcast landscape for a more concise name. So, I introduce you: The curious introvert podcast. It’s still the great content you’ve come to love: curious, nuanced episodes largely featuring experts, philosophers, researchers & journalists to inspect societal taboos & cultural blind spots. But I also hope to bring you fresh & creative experiments within that framework. Could be new segments, contrasting guest perspectives with somewhat of a debate style episode, man on the street style interviews or ones done at conferences or while traveling.  I’m not sure what the future holds, but I can promise that it will be curious! Request to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/ Follow me in all the places: https://www.meredithforreal.com/   https://www.instagram.com/the_curiousintrovert/  meredith@meredithforreal.com https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal  https://www.facebook.com/curiousintrovert

    2 min

  4. MAR 16

    Ep. 335: Anxiety: Where does it come from & what do we do with it?? [REMASTERED]

    What’s the difference between social anxiety & social anxiety disorder? What should you do if you’re spiraling?    Dr. Ali Mattu was so socially anxious as a child, that he had selective mutism. Since then, he’s become a clinical psychologist specializing in treating anxiety disorders. Wanting to create more accessible mental health education, he created a YouTube channel with over 8.5 million views that helps viewers live a more compassionate, courageous, and connected life. He was the co-host of PBS’s Emmy Nominated Self-Evident, an expert on Netflix + Vox’s The Mind Explained: Anxiety, HBO’s Doctor Commentaries, & A&E’s The Employables.    In this episode, we discuss the difference between social anxiety & social anxiety disorder, where it comes from, how RSD, Autism, Introversion & Reddit come into play & give practical tips to feel grounded.   This episode originally aired May 15, 2023.   If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 300: BIOFIELD THERAPY FOR ANXIETY & GRIEF: RECIPE FOR WELLNESS OR PURCHASED PLACEBO?   Guest: https://www.instagram.com/alimattu/ https://www.facebook.com/dralimattu http://alimattu.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/ThePsychShow/featured   Sponsors:  https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/  https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/    01:12 — Selective mutism (sadly not an X-Men power) 04:05 — Anxiety as evolution’s survival feature 04:48 — Why anxious people thrive in emergencies 05:02 — Social anxiety vs. social anxiety disorder 07:05 — Humans’ real superpower: collaboration 08:05 — The hidden usefulness of everyday social anxiety 09:00 — When social anxiety becomes a disorder 11:00 — Generalized anxiety vs. social anxiety 14:40 — Introversion vs. social anxiety (they’re not the same) 16:35 — Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria explained 20:05 — ADHD, rejection sensitivity, and social anxiety overlap 23:00 — Where social anxiety actually comes from 29:05 — Why social anxiety looks different in everyone 31:10 — Finding your core fear with the “downward arrow” 32:15 — Why identifying the core fear is empowering 33:05 — The terror of large gatherings explained 34:00 — What coping really means (and what it doesn’t) 35:00 — The difference between helpful coping and avoidance 36:00 — The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique for anxiety 38:10 — Supporting a loved one who shuts down socially 41:00 — Helping someone through social anxiety in real time 43:10 — True alarms vs. false alarms in social anxiety 44:05 — Social anxiety within marginalized communities 46:10 — Scaling social support for the mental health crisis Request to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/ Follow me in all the places: https://www.meredithforreal.com/   https://www.instagram.com/the_curiousintrovert/  meredith@meredithforreal.com https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal  https://www.facebook.com/curiousintrovert

    50 min

  5. MAR 9

    Ep. 334: Football: Are We Cheering for Brain Trauma?

    Did the NFL cover up what they knew? Is football causing early dementia?   Mark Fainaru-Wada is an award-winning investigative reporter & journalist with ESPN. He’s also the co- author of League of Denial, the book co-written with his brother, that inspired the Frontline documentary by the same name. In this episode, you’ll hear how the discovery of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy – CTE – sparked investigations & research & denial. Mark unpacks our culture comfort with violence, the danger of blaming everything on CTE & what it took get the NFL to address concussion injury concerns.   If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 204: ARE LOW FAT DIETS HEALTHY? HEART HEALTH & HECKLERS [REMASTERED]      Guest: https://a.co/d/0iybv8zh https://youtu.be/SedClkAnclk?si=uAp4KvLWOCSKqGe3   Host:   https://www.meredithforreal.com/   https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/  meredith@meredithforreal.com https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal   https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert    Sponsors:  https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/  https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/    01:22 — Has interest in CTE faded since the documentary? 01:38 — The story that launched the investigation 02:37 — Minimization or an actual cover-up? 04:32 — What CTE actually looks like in real life 05:00 — The hidden danger: repetitive hits 07:50 — Why football is harder to confront than smoking 08:43 — Our cultural comfort with violence 11:23 — The difference between TV and the sideline 12:30 — Frequency vs intensity of brain trauma 13:28 — The high percentage of CTE in former players 14:05 — Could anything else cause CTE? 15:02 — When the NFL finally acknowledged the link 16:05 — The lawsuits and congressional pressure 16:33 — Why ESPN supported the investigation 19:12 — “There is no Santa”: confronting fan identity 19:49 — How fans rationalize uncomfortable facts 21:12 — Why some people still call CTE bad science 22:21 — Financial incentives behind the doubt 22:53 — The religious undertones of football culture 23:23 — The gladiator appeal of football players 24:34 — Why football feels mythic in America 25:41 — Why youth football is a separate debate 26:11 — The question every parent asks 27:05 — Why more kids are switching to flag football 27:38 — The NFL’s marketing push toward moms 29:52 — When is tackle football “safe”? 31:26 — New rules to limit head impacts 33:11 — When marketing meets safety messaging 33:44 — Why football can’t admit its core problem Request to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/ Follow me in all the places: https://www.meredithforreal.com/   https://www.instagram.com/the_curiousintrovert/  meredith@meredithforreal.com https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal  https://www.facebook.com/curiousintrovert

    45 min

  6. MAR 2

    Ep. 333: Does Age = Pain? How to NOT Age Like Everyone Else!

    Is it possible to age without aches & pains? Are some people just cursed with bad genes?    Eileen Kopsaftis is a physical therapist with a Fellowship in Applied Functional Science & a nutrition educator diploma with decades of hands-on work in acute hospital care, outpatient rehab & nursing homes. She is currently serving as a chronic pain & health conditions consultant with Have life-Long Well Being. In this episode, you’ll hear how to identify real & realistic goals while aging, how mindset & community matter more than you realize, how to navigate your next doctor’s appointment & why your insurance could be limiting your outcomes.   If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 251: FOOD ADDICTION: CHARACTER FLAW OR REAL DEPENDENCE? [REMASTERED]    Guest: https://havelifelongwellbeing.com/ https://www.facebook.com/EileenKopsaftisOfficial   Host:   https://www.meredithforreal.com/   https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/  meredith@meredithforreal.com https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal  https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert    Sponsors:  https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/  https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/    02:05 — Common vs. Normal Aging 04:18 — Why Modern Life Accelerates Decline 05:05 — “I Might As Well Enjoy Life” Thinking 05:55 — Lessons From Home Health Visits 07:28 — Habits That Predict Independence 08:10 — Compassion vs. Personal Responsibility 08:55 — What Healthy 90-Year-Olds Actually Do 09:40 — “At My Age I Should Rest” 10:45 — The Reality of Nursing Home Dependency 11:30 — Independence Is Not Luck 12:05 — The Social Side of Healthy Aging 13:05 — Finding Friends Who Move 13:55 — Pickleball and the Comeback of Activity 14:50 — Why Mindset Comes First 15:45 — Speaking Aging Into Existence 17:05 — When Pain Disappears Instantly 18:30 — How to Navigate Doctor Visits 23:00 — Lie #1: Tests Equal Answers 25:45 — When Shoulder Pain Starts at the Ankle 26:30 — Whole-Body Problem Solving 27:05 — Why Pain Treatment Often Fails 27:45 — Finding the Right Clinician 30:20 — Insurance vs. Cash Pay Care 32:40 — Why People Think PT “Doesn’t Work” 33:20 — Lie #2: Stop Moving to Stop Pain 34:45 — Shrinking Movement Shrinks Life 35:30 — Bone-on-Bone Pain Explained 37:50 — The Three Biggest Pain Culprits 39:10 — Sitting, Weak Glutes, and Back Pain 39:55 — Why Ankles Cause Knee Problems 41:25 — Lie #3: You Need a Stair-Free Home 42:50 — The Hidden Danger of “Aging in Place” Homes 43:30 — Request to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/ Follow me in all the places: https://www.meredithforreal.com/   https://www.instagram.com/the_curiousintrovert/  meredith@meredithforreal.com https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal  https://www.facebook.com/curiousintrovert

    48 min

  7. FEB 23

    Ep. 332: The Cult Origins of Teen Rehab: How are these places still open??

    How are these abusive teen rehab centers still open? Why are parents still sending their kids there? Can’t they be shut down?   Maia Szalavitz is an award-winning author and journalist who covers addiction and neuroscience. Her book, Help at Any Cost: How the Troubled-Teen Industry Cons Parents and Hurts Kids, is the first comprehensive look at systemic abuse in “tough love” programs and helped spur Congressional hearings & GAO investigations.  In this episode, you’ll hear how the abusive teen rehab centers featured in Netflix’s The Program & Wayward (think Straight Inc., The Seed, Synanon & wilderness camps) began with tough love doctrine, why you can legally treat kids worse than prisoners, why parents aren’t suing & why regulations just don’t stick. We also weave in the perspective of struggling parents who feel that the anti-troubled teen industry is hurting their healing efforts.    If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 248: SURVIVING THE TROUBLED TEEN INDUSTRY: SEPARATING IDENTITY FROM EXPERIENCE [REMASTERED]   Guest: https://x.com/maiasz  https://maiasz.com/   Resources: Boy who was raised as a dog https://a.co/d/0bA3dxmi  Pace Center for Girls Pensacola https://www.pacecenter.org/locations/florida/escambia-santa-rosa/  Gulf Coast Kids House https://www.gulfcoastkidshouse.org/  Greenhouse Counseling https://www.ghcpensacola.com/    Host:   https://www.meredithforreal.com/   https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/  meredith@meredithforreal.com https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal   https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert    Sponsors:  https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/  https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/    02:00 — The cult origins: Synanon begins 04:00 — “I must have needed that” psychology 05:00 — The rattlesnake assassination attempt 07:00 — The Seed and brainwashing teens 08:00 — Straight Incorporated goes national 10:00 — Why parents don’t believe abuse reports 12:00 — Utah wilderness programs rise 13:00 — The death of Aaron Bacon 14:00 — Moral panic & religious fear 15:00 — Good parents, fatal decisions 16:00 — Why regulation keeps failing 17:00 — Regulatory capture in Utah 20:00 — Unannounced inspections change everything 22:00 — Why traumatized kids need gentleness 27:00 — Warehouses of neglect 28:00 — Should therapy have an FDA? 29:00 — Renaming p Request to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/ Follow me in all the places: https://www.meredithforreal.com/   https://www.instagram.com/the_curiousintrovert/  meredith@meredithforreal.com https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal  https://www.facebook.com/curiousintrovert

    56 min

  8. FEB 16

    Ep. 331: Disentangling Faith from Religious Trauma [REMASTERED]

    What do you do if you have religious trauma, but don't want to abandon your faith? Catherine Quiring is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who specializes in helping ex-evangelicals overcome religious trauma. In this episode, she shares what that looked like for her, how to know if you have limiting thoughts leftover from controlling doctrine, how to keep your faith while you separate from systems of control & how to find your own thoughts in a sea of “shoulds.”   This episode originally aired June 12, 2023   If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 156 with Joshua Harris: SHOULD SEX BE SAVED FOR MARRIAGE?   Guest: https://www.instagram.com/catherinequiring https://www.cqcounseling.com/ https://www.facebook.com/cqcounseling    Host:   https://www.meredithforreal.com/   https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/  meredith@meredithforreal.com https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal   https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert    Sponsors:  https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/  https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/    01:00 — Why harmful church experiences are more common than we think 03:00 — Fear tactics, hell doctrine & covert narcissism 04:00 — Codependent faith & the pressure to feel God 05:00 — OCD spirituality & micromanaging your soul 06:00 — When people become “projects,” not peers 07:00 — Catherine’s story: trauma at seven 11:00 — Deconstruction vs. deconversion (not the same) 12:00 — “You’re in or you’re out” — high-control community dynamics 13:00 — Wheaton College & the first cracks in certainty 14:00 — Reimagining God: from judge to shepherd 15:00 — Releasing harmful doctrine & reclaiming the divine 16:00 — Why this healing can take 20 years 17:00 — Step negative three: just notice how you feel 18:00 — Interoception vs. judgment 19:00 — Exploring Christian possibilities (hello, Jinger Duggar) 20:00 — Interoception vs. introspection 21:00 — Digging yourself out vs. listening to your body 22:00 — Your body has a language 23:00 — The painful “playback” of manipulation 24:00 — Talking to yourself like a friend would 25:00 — Reclaiming the parts that helped you survive 26:00 — When submission theology hits marriage 27:00 — The hidden pressure on men to be “the voice of God” 28:00 — Boundaries, anxiety & interrupting the cycle 29:00 — When honesty strengthens (or exposes) a marriage 30:00 — Practical healing recap 31:00 — Resources for staying Christian — but freer 32:00 Request to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/ Follow me in all the places: https://www.meredithforreal.com/   https://www.instagram.com/the_curiousintrovert/  meredith@meredithforreal.com https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal  https://www.facebook.com/curiousintrovert

    37 min
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4.8
out of 5
174 Ratings

About

A weekly podcast covering societal taboos & cultural blind spots. Join host Meredith Hackwith Edwards as she deep dives with curiosity & nuance into philosophy, society & culture with expert guests. Episodes frequently feature philosophers, researchers, historians & journalists.

Information

  • Creator
    Meredith Hackwith Edwards
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    338
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Curious Introvert
  • Show Website
    The Curious Introvert

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