The goop Podcast Goop, Inc. and Cadence13

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.)

“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.)

“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.)

“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.)

“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.)

“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.)