Education

Human School

We’ve been taught everything except how to be human. In a world obsessed with output, Human School is where we study what happens within.

Hosted by Miles Adcox, this podcast was born from a journal entry during a breakdown –– a reminder that struggle isn’t weakness; it’s instruction. Through raw conversations with world-class experts, therapists, and thinkers, Human School reframes pain as purpose, productivity as presence, and leadership as inner clarity.

If you are navigating personal growth, emotional health, and self-discovery, you are in the right place.

Welcome to Human School.

Latest Episodes:

Harry Hudson: I Beat Cancer, Then Spent Years Running From Myself Nov 10, 2026

Show notes

Harry Hudson beat Hodgkin lymphoma at 20, lost his dad the week before his first album, toured the world and started a charity for teens with cancer, and spent most of those years staying busy so he wouldn't have to feel.

If you're the funny one, the busy one or the one who helps everybody else, you'll hear yourself in this. Harry tells Miles about his dad, who was an addict and never missed a game, the stranger at his first chemo who changed how he lived, and the call that got him to ask for help.

YOU'LL LEARN

Why staying busy can be a way to escape
Bonnie's two rules before his first chemo: put what you love ahead of the hard thing, and write your life down
What to say to someone with cancer instead of "How are you feeling?"
How Harry built a new relationship with his dad after he died
Why asking for help is easier than the story in your head says

EPISODE CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro

06:00 A dad who was an addict and never missed a game

34:00 Why staying busy was his escape

42:00 A record offer and cancer in the same week

51:00 Bonnie's question: "Would you die for music?"

58:00 What to ask someone with cancer instead of "How are you feeling?"

01:03:00 Losing his dad the week before his first album

01:24:00 When helping others becomes a mask

01:27:00 Asking for help from rock bottom

01:39:00 Making Don't Be Precious with Dylan Pace

Onsite offers a range of experiences to do life-changing work around your story and what your body might be holding onto. Learn more: https://hubs.la/Q04Dr_0-0

If you're having thoughts of suicide, you can call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US).

CONNECT WITH HARRY HUDSON

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harryhudson/

Website: https://harryhudsonmusic.com

Hey, I'm Here For You: https://heyimhereforyou.org

New album Don't Be Precious, out January 2027. First single out now.

STAY CONNECTED TO HUMAN SCHOOL

Follow Miles on Instagram: https://hubs.la/Q04Dr-9v0

Follow Human School on Instagram: https://hubs.la/Q04Dr-zM0

Subscribe on Substack: https://hubs.la/Q04DrZZB0

Learn more about Onsite: https://hubs.la/Q04Dr_0-0

How to Be Present When Life Feels Short with Switchfoot’s Jon Foreman Nov 03, 2026

Show notes

Jon Foreman of Switchfoot says songs like "Meant to Live" are a huge part of him, but never the whole story. In this conversation, he tells Miles about the rest of it.
In this episode, Jon and Miles talk about the gap between who we are in front of people and who we are at home: the parts of ourselves we keep out of view, what our kids reflect back to us, and how remembering that life is short changes what we reach for.
YOU'LL HEAR

"Part of me feels this" and the myth of the monolithic personality
How we end up yelling at ourselves through our kids
Why Jon “plays the music for free” and what he’s really paid for
Why your worth is intrinsic, whether the applause comes from a crowd or a phone
What your 14-year-old self would think of you
Elliott Smith by candlelight, and what a broken string makes possible

EPISODE CHAPTERS

00:00 Welcome Jon Foreman

08:00 The myth of the monolithic personality

14:00 The face of the band vs. who am I

28:00 The songs were more honest than I was

32:00 Yelling at ourselves through our kids

43:00 Would your 14-year-old self like it?

48:00 We're not around death enough

1:02:00 "I play the music for free"

1:05:00 "My job is to make people clap for me"

1:14:00 If today was your last day
At Onsite, much of the work looks like what Miles and Jon describe here: meeting a younger part of yourself, before the world told it who to be. Onsite offers a range of experiences to do life-changing work around your story and what your body might be holding onto. Learn more: https://hubs.la/Q04CV_nX0
CONNECT WITH JON FOREMAN
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonforeman/
Website: https://jonforeman.com
Switchfoot: https://switchfoot.com
Forever Now is out now. The Forever Now Tour runs through November, with Europe in early 2027.
STAY CONNECTED TO HUMAN SCHOOL
Follow Miles on Instagram: https://hubs.la/Q04CV_Rv0
Follow Human School on Instagram: https://hubs.la/Q04CV_XZ0
Subscribe on Substack: https://hubs.la/Q04CV_JX0
Learn more about Onsite: https://hubs.la/Q04CV_nX0

Ten Years of Hearing No, Then Everything Changed ft. MŌRIAH Oct 27, 2026

Show notes

“Suffering is inevitable, but I think misery is pretty self-inflicted.”

From the outside, MŌRIAH looks like she has it all together: Grand Ole Opry performances, a role in The Chosen, a spot in CMT’s Next Women of Country. What you don’t see is the nearly ten years she spent feeling unseen, believing that if something wasn’t hard, it didn’t count.

She tells Miles what finally changed: learning the difference between suffering and misery, building her music around her Mexican heritage and her family, walking into therapy convinced it was a joke, and how she and her husband stay close while both work in film and music.

YOU’LL HEAR

Why ambitious people mistake difficulty for value

What building up resentment cost her, in time and relationships
Coming home to her culture, her family, and herself
Why she spent her last dollar on a short film
From certified therapy skeptic to advocate
The one thing she does to make sure someone feels seen

EPISODE CHAPTERS

00:00 Welcome MŌRIAH

06:00 Finding her music in her own backyard

11:00 Suffering vs. misery

23:00 Family, heritage, and the strawberry photo shoot

36:00 Her dad, and spending her last dollar on Nice Life

48:00 Being invisible, then the spotlight

1:01:00 Therapy skeptic

1:20:00 Marriage as two sovereign nations

1:29:00 New film, JIMMY, and her last word

MŌRIAH showed up to Onsite a 10 out of 10 on skepticism. If that’s where you are too, Onsite offers a range of experiences to do life-changing work around your story and what your body might be holding onto. Learn more: https://hubs.la/Q04C8B--0

CONNECT WITH MŌRIAH

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holamoriah/

Website: https://www.moriahofficial.com/

“Home to Me” plays over the end credits of JIMMY, in theaters November 6.

STAY CONNECTED TO HUMAN SCHOOL

Follow Miles on Instagram: https://hubs.la/Q04C8CgT0

Follow Human School on Instagram: https://hubs.la/Q04C8CXV0

Subscribe on Substack: https://hubs.la/Q04C8Dtf0

Learn more about Onsite: https://hubs.la/Q04C8B--0

Rebuilding After Betrayal: Infidelity, Codependency, and Radical Ownership with Carl & Laura Lentz Oct 20, 2026

Show notes

How do you rebuild your life after the crushing wreckage of betrayal? In this powerful episode of Human School, Miles Adcox sits down with Carl and Laura Lentz to explore the raw reality of surviving infidelity, breaking free from codependency, and choosing radical personal ownership when your world falls apart.

What You'll Learn:

The profound, isolating loneliness of betrayal trauma and why finding safe, grounded support changes everything.

How to break the cycle of codependency by choosing your own healing and health, regardless of your partner's choices.

The critical psychological difference between staying trapped in the comfortable hiding place of shame versus taking total personal accountability.

Practical emotional tools for managing triggers, shortening repair times after conflict, and navigating gut-wrenching family conversations with your children.

Episode Chapters:

00:00 Welcome Carl & Laura Lentz

00:46 The Reality of Healing After Infidelity

07:05 Choosing Ownership Over Shame

15:47 The Loneliness of Betrayal

21:51 Seeking Help & Finding Hope

37:02 The Decision to Stay and Fight

42:18 Forgiveness vs. Safety

51:00 Eradicating Shame

1:15:58 Navigating Triggers & Practical Tools

1:31:32 Looking Back & Words of Wisdom

Ready to take the next step in your own healing journey? Discover how Onsite's transformational therapeutic intensives and emotional health retreats can help you move from survival and betrayal into deep, lasting self-discovery. Learn more about Onsite here: https://hubs.la/Q04BhNwh0

CONNECT WITH CARL & LAURA

Follow Carl on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carllentz/

Follow Laura on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauralentz/

Get your copy of Overcoming Infidelity: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Overcoming-Infidelity/Carl-Lentz/9781668230497

STAY CONNECTED TO HUMAN SCHOOL

Follow Miles on Instagram: https://hubs.la/Q04BhP9b0

Follow Human School on Instagram: https://hubs.la/Q04BhPlj0

Follow Human School on Substack: https://hubs.la/Q04BhFwQ0

Learn more about Onsite: https://hubs.la/Q04BhNwh0

How to Stop Self-Sabotaging and Finally Finish What You Start with Jon Acuff Oct 13, 2026

Show notes

What is procrastination actually costing you? Turns out, almost everything.

In this episode, Miles Adcox welcomes author and speaker Jon Acuff to Human School for an honest, practical, and deeply encouraging conversation about procrastination, overthinking, and the strange ways our minds block the lives we want to live.

Jon opens up about his own struggles with anxiety, the danger of old "soundtracks," and why the hardest part of a new goal is often the weight of past failures.

Packed with humor and tactical wisdom, Jon and Miles break down how to retire broken soundtracks and finally give yourself permission to be remarkable.

Looking to shift the way you think? Onsite offers transformational experiences to help you live the life you deserve. Learn more: https://hubs.la/Q04zCzKf0⁠

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

The real psychology behind why we avoid the things we want to do most.

How to shift your internal soundtrack using the "Retire, Replace, Repeat" method.

Why optimism is a daily practice, not a personality trait.

How to separate fear from decision-making so you can finally cross your finish line.

Learn more about Jon and grab a copy of Procrastination Proof: https://jonacuff.com/

Stay Connected to Human School:

Human School on Instagram: https://hubs.la/Q04zCFsz0

Miles on Instagram: https://hubs.la/Q04zCBRJ0

Learn more about Onsite: https://hubs.la/Q04zCzKf0

Follow Human School on Substack: https://hubs.la/Q04zChTr0

Episode Chapters:

00:00 - Welcome Jon Acuff – Author of Procrastination Proof

02:00 - The 34-Year Delay

06:00 - Growing Up Anxious and Running Hot

09:30 - Scars as Lighthouses & The Power of Going First

13:30 - Mental Health, Rumination, and Mindset

16:00 - Live Coaching: Unpacking Miles' Book Goals & Resistance

22:00 - High Performers and Changing Your Fuel Source

27:00 - Repetition, Symbols, and Soundtrack Cards

31:00 - Experiential Healing, Empathy, and Feedback Loops

35:40 - Writing for Teenagers and Handle-Making

44:50 - Why We Procrastinate: The Bad Solution

49:30 - Jon's Corporate Exit & The Birth of His Blog

54:30 - The Internet, Online Anger, and Identity Follows Activity

58:45 - Finding Peace in the Storm & Practicing Optimism

01:04:00 - Tactical Tools: Paper Shrinks Fear & Owner's Manuals

01:08:50 - Success Hang-ups & The Fear of Being Remarkable

01:14:00 - Unpacking Money Scripts and Celebrating Wins

01:22:00 - Growth is Non-Linear: The Reality of Healing

01:26:40 - Writing Brave & Jon's Upcoming Book on Optimism

01:30:00 - Counseling, Faith, and Following Overreactions

01:36:30 - Writing vs. Rewriting & Fear Gets a Voice, Not a Vote

Ashley McBryde on Sobriety, Generational Trauma, and Unlearning Survival Oct 06, 2026

Show notes

"They said, 'We need you to stop.' And I said, 'I need me to stop, too.'"

Grammy-winning country artist Ashley McBryde joins Miles for a deeply moving, unfiltered conversation as she reflects on her roots in the Ozarks, the complexities of generational trauma, and what it truly means to be seen.

Ashley opens up about her long relationship with alcohol, the terrifying night that led her to treatment, and how getting sober allowed her to finally hear her own voice and recognize the person in the mirror. This is a powerful discussion on unlearning old programming, re-parenting your younger self, and why true art doesn't require a dark place.

If you’re ready to begin a new chapter, Onsite offers transformational experiences to help you live the life you deserve. Learn more: https://hubs.la/Q04zdx0K0

Episode Chapters:

00:00 – Introducing Ashley McBryde

05:00 – Growing Up in the Ozarks & Early Musical Roots

17:00 – Nervous System Responses, Childhood Trauma, and Inner Child Work

44:00 – Generational Trauma, Religion, and Re-framing Family Dynamics

56:00 – The Reality of "High-Functioning" Addiction & Stepping Into Recovery

1:18:00 – Finding Pure Joy in Sobriety and Making Art Without Suffering

Stay Connected to Human School

Human School Instagram: https://hubs.la/Q04zdtB60

Miles Instagram: https://hubs.la/Q04zdw7Z0

Subscribe on Substack: https://hubs.la/Q04zdt6t0

Onsite: https://hubs.la/Q04zdx0K0

How to Find Peace When a Relationship Can't Be Fixed with Matthias Barker (Live from the Transform Trauma Conference) Sep 30, 2026

Show notes

What happens when the mental health expert becomes the one navigating a family crisis?

In this deep and deeply personal conversation, therapist and author Matthias Barker sits down with Miles at the Transform Trauma Conference –– Europe’s largest mental health and wellness conference in Oxford, England –– to open up about his own journey through family estrangement, grief, and reconciliation.

Together, they break down the real-world stuff we all deal with: why healing must come before forgiveness, the difference between setting a healthy boundary and running away, the traps of modern pop psychology, and what it actually takes to find "peace with what's possible."

Whether you're a mental health professional or just trying to navigate your own family system, this conversation offers real tools for real life.

Learn more about Transform Trauma and other Master’s Events: https://mastersevents.com/

Are you unfurling your own stories around family, trauma, and mental health? Onsite offers transformational experiences to help you live the life you deserve. Learn more: https://hubs.la/Q04xQ6_l0

Episode Chapters:

00:00 - Welcome to Human School... LIVE!

01:45 - Meet Matthias Barker: From drama kid to building a platform

05:00 - The Family Crisis: Addiction, divorce, and estrangement

07:00 - Learning from Grief Expert David Kessler

11:00 - The Intersection of Trauma and Grief in Family Conflict

15:30 - Peace with What’s Possible: Rethinking reconciliation

26:30 - The Research on Contempt and Emotional Abuse

31:30 - Boundaries vs. Avoidance: When to engage and when to step back

39:30 - The Danger of Pop Psychology and Weaponized Therapy Speak

49:30 - The Trap of Rumination vs. True Psychological Healing

55:30 - The Hardest and Most Meaningful Parts of Being a Helper

Stay connected to Human School

Substack: https://hubs.ly/Q04xQ71f0
Miles on Instagram: https://hubs.ly/Q04xQ6Y40
Human School on Instagram: https://hubs.ly/Q04xQ71f0
Onsite: https://hubs.la/Q04xQ6_l0

The Selfish Reason to Be Generous with Philanthropy Expert Rondal Richardson Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

What if the secret to improving your own life, health, and happiness had nothing to do with self-care and everything to do with giving back?

In this episode of Human School, host Miles sits down with long-time music industry veteran and philanthropist Rondal Richardson to flip the script on how we think about generosity. Because you don't need millions of dollars or a massive platform to make a real impact.

Today, Rondal shares remarkable behind-the-scenes stories from his 40-year journey in the music business—working alongside legends like The Judds, Garth Brooks, and Naomi Judd—and how an "almost Oprah moment" changed the trajectory of his life.

You’ll also discover practical ways to get involved in charity, how to know which organizations and causes to align with, and why the best way to heal your own life is often to show up for someone else.

If you're in middle Tennessee, join the Music Community Foundation for a Give Like Dolly event this weekend: https://www.giving9to5.com/

Stay Connected

Follow Human School on Instagram: https://hubs.la/Q04xQ4Zt0

Follow Miles on Instagram: https://hubs.ly/Q04xQ50V0

Subscribe to Our Substack: https://hubs.ly/Q04xQ55q0

Looking to dive deeper into your own story? Onsite offers the opportunity to come back to yourself. Learn more here: https://hubs.ly/Q04xQ53Z0

In this episode:

00:00 – Introduction to Rondal Richardson and entertainment philanthropy

00:54 – Meet Rondal Richardson, founder and executive director of the Music Community Foundation

00:03:00 – The story of meeting Miles through Naomi Judd

00:15:30 – The Oprah Winfrey connection

00:23:40 – Rondal’s origin story: starting on the road at age 17

00:32:15 – Touring with Garth Brooks and country music history

00:40:50 – Making the pivot from the music industry to philanthropy

00:46:00 – The psychological and physical benefits of service

01:03:40 – Vetting charities: Charity Navigator, 990s, and finding your cause

01:17:40 – The impact: Raising $350M+ and the work of the Music Community Foundation

01:30:30 – Purpose through pain, community support, and looking forward

What My Daughter Knows About Stress That I Forgot Sep 16, 2026

Show notes

We spend an enormous amount of energy trying to learn how to be healthier, less stressed adults – but what if the answer isn't learning something new, but remembering what we knew before we got so complicated?

In this special solo episode of The Human School Podcast, host Miles Adcox hands the microphone to his seven-year-old daughter, Birdie Rose. With zero media training and absolute honesty, Birdie shares her thoughts on art, missing teeth, strawberries and ketchup, and what makes her feel closest to the people she loves.

In this conversation and reflection, Miles unpacks four unexpected lessons on stress, curiosity, presence, and connection that children carry naturally — lessons that adults spend a lifetime trying to find their way back to.

In this episode:

00:00 - Introducing Birdie Rose: The 7-Year-Old Podcast Guest

01:20 - Lesson 1: Curiosity Over Certainty (The Power of "I Don't Know")

04:00 - Lesson 2: Presence Over Productivity (Why Play Doesn't Need a Reason)

05:50 - Lesson 3: Expression Over Impression (Strawberries in Ketchup and PR Filters)

07:45 - Lesson 4: Relationship Over Performance (What Kids Actually Want From Us)

09:40 - Finding Courage: How We Regulate Fear Inside Relationships

11:45 - Final Encouragement from Birdie (And How to Keep Showing Up)

If you’re looking for ways to connect back to yourself, Onsite can help. Learn more about our experiences: https://hubs.la/Q04xcj150

Follow Human School: https://hubs.la/Q04xcj450

Follow Miles: https://hubs.la/Q04xch_N0

Subscribe to Substack: https://hubs.la/Q04xcj3y0

How to Rewire Your Brain for Peace, Creativity, and Purpose with Dr. Martha Beck Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

Are you living the life you actually want, or are you just trying to please everyone around you?

In this episode of Human School, Miles sits down with world-renowned author, sociologist, and life coach Dr. Martha Beck for an exceptionally honest and deep conversation on human nature, breaking free from anxiety, and finding your true path.

Martha shares her personal journey — from her time writing for Oprah’s Magazine and earning degrees from Harvard, to radically transforming her life by committing to a full year of total honesty. Together, Miles and Martha explore the biological roots of anxiety, how societal expectations force us to sell out our true nature at an early age, and how simple creative acts can serve as a direct antidote to mental distress.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

The Root of Modern Anxiety: Why our current educational and social systems conflict with human evolution.
The "Visual Cliff" Study: How children learn to judge their own worth by watching the adults around them.
The Power of Caving Early: Why learning to apologize quickly and drop ego heals relationships faster than anything else.
Creativity vs. Anxiety: How engaging the creative parts of your brain actively shuts down panic and stress.
The "One-Degree Turn": How making tiny, honest shifts in your day-to-day choices can completely realign your life.
The K.I.S.T. Method: A practical, step-by-step tool using Kind Internal Self-Talk to navigate intense panic attacks and internal conflict.

Whether you’re feeling burned out, stuck in people-pleasing patterns, or simply searching for more peace in your daily routine, this episode provides a compassionate roadmap back to your whole self.

Onsite offers a range of experiences to do life-changing work around your story and what your body might be holding onto. Learn more at www.experienceonsite.com

Episode Chapters:

00:00:00 Welcome Martha Beck

00:02:46 What Comfort Means Today

00:04:41 Root Causes of Modern Anxiety

00:07:08 How Kids Learn Self-Worth

00:13:21 The "Cave Early" Practice

00:15:53 Left-Brain vs. Right-Brain

00:21:05 The Real Curriculum of Life

00:24:00 Ancestral Wisdom & Magic

00:28:13 African Hospitality & Ubuntu

00:34:52 Finite vs. Infinite Games

00:44:03 Using Art to Fight Anxiety