The CRAM Podcast ~ Extraordinary Ideas Unleashed

Mary Ito
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The CRAM Podcast features engaging and thought-provoking interviews that explore innovative ideas and exciting new research that’s shaping our lives - whether it's the evolution of the work world, the transformative ways we connect, the re-imagining of home and place, or the dramatic changes in our identity and community. We interview leading researchers and big thinkers about the human condition and the possibilities of tomorrow.

  1. 2D AGO

    The BIG debate: Is being single BETTER than being a couple?

    Living your BEST life.  Does that mean staying single?   Should the well worn phrase “happily ever after” be used for single people and THEIR lives?   You might think so based on the movement by some academics, celebrities, influencers, and the public, who embrace the single life, also known as the “solo or single at heart movement.”  Many say life’s actually BETTER when you’re single compared to being coupled.   Is this true?  What’s the evidence behind this?   Geoff MacDonald is a psychologist who says there are benefits to both:  being single or being partnered.   But when you tally it up, which way of living comes out on top?   INFO ON GUEST:  Geoff MacDonald is a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto. He’s also a Fellow of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology and the Int’l Assoc. for Relationship Research:  https://www.psych.utoronto.ca/people/directories/all-faculty/geoff-macdonald He runs the MacLab whose aim is to better understand wellbeing in singlehood:  https://www.macdonaldlab.ca/ On CBC TV’s The National -  2026 Relationship Goal:  Stay Single? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9XaQC7-i6Q We’d really appreciate your support!  Please rate our podcast and subscribe and follow us on social @CRAMideas.  Support the CRAM Podcast! Research shapes our lives, yet so much of it doesn’t reach the public. CRAM bridges the gap, bringing groundbreaking Canadian research to everyone. To keep this important work going, we need your support. CRAM is a registered charity, and Canadian donors will receive a tax receipt. Help us share the research that matters and donate using the link below. Thank you! https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/124993

    59 min

  2. MAR 19

    How can GLP-1s like Ozempic affect your mental health and relationships?

    Can you think of a “gamechanging” drug – a drug that’s had a profound impact on humanity?   How about penicillin discovered in the late 20's marking the beginning of the antibiotic era?  Or insulin, a Canadian discovery that changed the lives of people with diabetes?  Also vaccines, oral contraceptives.. aspirin? And then there’s Ozempic, or more broadly GLP-1's – THE most talked about drugs today. Tens of millions of people around the world are on a GLP-1 like Ozempic or Wegovy.  A recent survey found 3 million Canadians are currently taking them.   Dr. Sanjeev Sockalingam of CAMH shares the latest research on how these drugs can affect our brain, our behaviours, and our relationships. INFO ON GUEST: Dr. Sanjeev Sockalingam is the Chief Medical Officer and Sr. Vice President, Education at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.  https://www.camh.ca/en/driving-change/about-camh/leadership-team-directory/executive-leadership-bio-sanjeev-sockalingam He’s also Vice-Chair and a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto: https://psychiatry.utoronto.ca/faculty/sanjeev-sockalingam And Scientific Director of Obesity Canada: https://obesitycanada.ca/news/new-leadership-dr-sanjeev-sockalingam/                      We’d really appreciate your support!  Please rate our podcast and subscribe and follow us on social @CRAMideas.  Support the CRAM Podcast! Research shapes our lives, yet so much of it doesn’t reach the public. CRAM bridges the gap, bringing groundbreaking Canadian research to everyone. To keep this important work going, we need your support. CRAM is a registered charity, and Canadian donors will receive a tax receipt. Help us share the research that matters and donate using the link below. Thank you! https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/124993

    48 min

  3. MAR 5

    EVERY woman goes through this misunderstood condition!

    If you’re a woman in your 30’s or older,  please listen to this interview What I learned was surprising - and disturbing.   It’s about perimenopause – the stage before menopause – that can begin in women as early as their 30’s.  And it’s often misdiagnosed and incorrectly treated according to endocrinologist Jerilynn Prior who has studied this field for decades.   She says there’s a lot of confusion and lack of awareness about what perimenopause is – even with many medical doctors.  And that’s despite the research and evidence that exists on what happens during this stage and what treatments can actually help.   Actually our conversation covers a lot more than perimenopause.  It’s about the chemistry of being female and understanding what happens to our bodies - and our brains - at an important stage of life.   INFO ON GUEST: Dr. Jerilynn Prior is an endocrinologist and a professor emerita of Endocrinology and Metabolism in the Dept. of Medicine at UBC.  https://medicine.med.ubc.ca/jerilynn-c-prior/ She is the founder of the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research:  https://cemcor.ubc.ca/  She’s the author of the award winning book Estrogen’s Storm Season:  Stories of Perimenopause: https://cemcor.ubc.ca/resources/estrogens-storm-season/ For more info and support on perimenopause: https://womenlivingbetter.org/ We’d really appreciate your support!  Please rate our podcast and subscribe and follow us on social @CRAMideas.  Support the CRAM Podcast! Research shapes our lives, yet so much of it doesn’t reach the public. CRAM bridges the gap, bringing groundbreaking Canadian research to everyone. To keep this important work going, we need your support. CRAM is a registered charity, and Canadian donors will receive a tax receipt. Help us share the research that matters and donate using the link below. Thank you! https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/124993

    45 min

  4. FEB 19

    Oh BROTHER! The surprising impact of siblings

    It can seem like a mysterious place we once knew – adolescence.   We’ve all been there.  But the angst, drama, the questioning, the ups and downs of that time,  may seem hard to understand now that we’re older.    A lot has been studied and written about the parent/adolescent relationship as well as the influence of peers and friends.   But what about siblings?  They’re usually an integral part of home life. How important is the sibling relationship on the development of a child? And how does it affect future relationships with friends - even romantic partners? Psychologist Ryan Persram has some fascinating answers! INFO ON GUEST: Ryan Persram is psychologist and Ass’t Professor in the Dept. of Psychology at Toronto Metropolitan University.  For more info on Ryan and his work:  https://www.torontomu.ca/psychology/about-us/our-people/faculty/ryan-persram/ He also directs the ASPIRE Lab at TMU:  https://psychlabs.torontomu.ca/aspirelab/ We’d really appreciate your support!  Please rate our podcast and subscribe and follow us on social @CRAMideas.  Support the CRAM Podcast! Research shapes our lives, yet so much of it doesn’t reach the public. CRAM bridges the gap, bringing groundbreaking Canadian research to everyone. To keep this important work going, we need your support. CRAM is a registered charity, and Canadian donors will receive a tax receipt. Help us share the research that matters and donate using the link below. Thank you! https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/124993

    47 min

  5. FEB 5

    Here’s an incredibly simple strategy for wellbeing!

    It’s not too often I come across research that’s this simple AND effective – according to the evidence. Based on the results of a number of studies, this simple strategy can elevate your mood, make you feel connected, happier… and even give greater meaning to your life.  You can do it almost anywhere and maybe best of all, it doesn’t add any significant time to your day.   The strategy is called “Noticing Nature.”  And the researcher behind it is Psychologist Holli-Anne Passmore.  Try this practice and see if it works for you!   INFO ON GUEST: Holli-Anne Passmore is an Assoc. Prof. and Chair of the Dept. of Psychology at Concordia University of Edmonton.  https://concordia.ab.ca/faculty-arts/departments/psychology/faculty/full-time-faculty-psychology/holli-anne-passmore/ She’s also Director of the multi-university Nature-Meaning in Life Research Lab and an editor at the Int’l Journal of Well Being. https://nature-mill.org/ Here’s a CBC article on her “Noticing Nature Intervention:”  https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/noticing-nature-experts-1.7434315 We’d really appreciate your support!  Please rate our podcast and subscribe and follow us on social @CRAMideas.  Support the CRAM Podcast! Research shapes our lives, yet so much of it doesn’t reach the public. CRAM bridges the gap, bringing groundbreaking Canadian research to everyone. To keep this important work going, we need your support. CRAM is a registered charity, and Canadian donors will receive a tax receipt. Help us share the research that matters and donate using the link below. Thank you! https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/124993

    50 min

  6. JAN 22

    “I think I’m losing my mind!” How gaslighting works

    You’ve probably come across this word:  gaslighting.     It was Word of the Year in Mirriam Webster’s dictionary in 2022.  Maybe you’ve even experienced it.  Definitions of gaslighting vary but it’s a form of manipulation and can go on for years.   What’s shocking is that it can be the very people whom you trust and love, who are trying to manipulate you.    “You must be crazy to think that” or “you probably imagined that” or “there’s no reason to be upset” are common lines that are used.  More women than men are affected and the consequences can be damaging and long lasting. How do you know if you’re being gaslit?  What effect can it have? And who are the perpetrators?  Willis Klein of McGill University fills us in on the latest research.   Info on Guest: Willis Klein is a PhD candidate in Experimental Psychology at McGill University.  For more info on Willis:  https://willis-klein.com/  Article on Willis’ research on gaslighting:  https://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/channels/news/researchers-delve-how-gaslighting-works-367747   “A Theoretical Framework for Studying the Phenomenon of Gaslighting” by Willis Klein, Suzanne Wood, and Jennifer A. Bartz was published in Personality and Social Psychology Review.   We’d really appreciate your support!  Please rate our podcast and subscribe and follow us on social @CRAMideas.  Support the CRAM Podcast! Research shapes our lives, yet so much of it doesn’t reach the public. CRAM bridges the gap, bringing groundbreaking Canadian research to everyone. To keep this important work going, we need your support. CRAM is a registered charity, and Canadian donors will receive a tax receipt. Help us share the research that matters and donate using the link below. Thank you! https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/124993

    43 min

  7. JAN 8

    Is Canada still a SAFE place?

    *NOTE:  This interview was recorded in late Nov. of 2025. Canada is generally regarded as a safe and peaceful country.  But is that changing? For the first time, the head of CSIS Dan Rogers, addressed the public last year with these stats:  1 in 10 terrorism investigations in Canada involves at least one minor under the age of 18. There have been 20 violent extremist attacks in Canada resulting in 29 deaths since 2014.  He also warned about Chinese and Russian interference in Canada, and the weaponization of Canadian data and information.  As we enter a new year, we thought it important to take stock of where we are with national security and the complex threat environment we face with international relations and security expert Stephanie Carvin. INFO ON GUEST: Stephanie Carvin is an Associate Professor of Int’l Relations at the Norman Paterson School of Int’l Affairs at Carleton University.  https://carleton.ca/npsia/people/stephanie-carvin/ Her most recent book is “Stand on Guard: Reassessing Threats to Canada’s National Security” which was nominated for the 2021 Donner Prize. https://utppublishing.com/doi/book/10.3138/9781487524517 We’d really appreciate your support!  Please rate our podcast and subscribe and follow us on social @CRAMideas.  Support the CRAM Podcast! Research shapes our lives, yet so much of it doesn’t reach the public. CRAM bridges the gap, bringing groundbreaking Canadian research to everyone. To keep this important work going, we need your support. CRAM is a registered charity, and Canadian donors will receive a tax receipt. Help us share the research that matters and donate using the link below. Thank you! https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/124993

    1h 16m

  8. 12/11/2025

    Why do families become estranged?

    The holidays can be a joyous time for many families.   But  it can also be the saddest time for those who are experiencing estrangement. It’s something many parents don’t talk about.   The pain and the shame that a child is no longer in their lives can be enormous.  But estrangement is common.  One U.S. study found a significant number of families will undergo some type of estrangement.   So how do you deal with it?  And not just on a personal level but in a broader social context – especially during the holiday season when getting together with family and friends is expected? Denise Whitehead knows a lot about conflict in families and teaches a course on it.  I found this to be a valuable, insightful interview on parent/child relationships - whether you’re going through an estrangement or not.   I learned a lot.   INFO ON GUEST: Denise Whitehead is an Associate professor in the Dept. of Sexualities, Relationships, and Families, at St. Jerome’s University, the University of Waterloo.  Denise recommends this book:  Rules of Estrangement by Dr. Joshua Coleman. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/622584/rules-of-estrangement-by-joshua-coleman-phd/9780593290644 and Fault Lines by Dr. Karl Pillemer: https://a.co/d/5HBC3jI We’d really appreciate your support!  Please rate our podcast and subscribe and follow us on social @CRAMideas.  Support the CRAM Podcast! Research shapes our lives, yet so much of it doesn’t reach the public. CRAM bridges the gap, bringing groundbreaking Canadian research to everyone. To keep this important work going, we need your support. CRAM is a registered charity, and Canadian donors will receive a tax receipt. Help us share the research that matters and donate using the link below. Thank you! https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/124993

    46 min
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The CRAM Podcast features engaging and thought-provoking interviews that explore innovative ideas and exciting new research that’s shaping our lives - whether it's the evolution of the work world, the transformative ways we connect, the re-imagining of home and place, or the dramatic changes in our identity and community. We interview leading researchers and big thinkers about the human condition and the possibilities of tomorrow.

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