The Matt Townsend Show

Matt Townsend specializes in energizing and involving audiences with his unique approach to building and maintaining successful relationships. Known as one of America’s top presenters in the field of Human Relations and Development, Matt blends humor and story telling with interactive, real-life solutions that motivate and inspire his listeners.

Latest Episodes:

Origin of Christmas Dec 17, 2014

Show notes

Bruce Forbes, author, shares with Matt the candid facts about the origin of the modern Christmas as we know it. Also, Megan Moore shares holiday shopping tips.

Holiday Food and Hosting Dec 16, 2014

Show notes

Matt talks with Camille Beckstrand about holiday foods. She shares a fun food idea her family started when she was younger. Each of the siblings goes to the store with $5 and chooses something they want to eat that night. The family comes home and eats an ecclectic meal together. It's exciting and fun for everyone to contribute their two cents. Elyssa Andrus joins the show and gives ideas for holiday hosting. She talks about ways to make a home inviting for guests. Elyssa suggests the most important part of the home isn't the fragrance. Instead, it's the sense of welcome and comfort that a home can bring when the hosts help their guests feel comfortable.

Holiday Family Drama Dec 15, 2014

Show notes

Matt talks with contributor Heather Johnson about raising grateful children. Heather emphasizes the importance of teaching children to truly be grateful without comparing themselves to others. She suggests that comparison doesn't create more grateful children. Matt talks about the topics that people should avoid bringing up with family in order to prevent family drama. Matt suggests that people typically do well on avoiding touchy subjects for the first part of their visit. However, as the party goes on, many families find themselves discussing politics and religion. Topics like these can be a recipe for disaster.

The Grateful Life Dec 11, 2014

Show notes

Matt and Nina Lesowitz discuss gratitude. Nina talks about living in the moment. Nina suggests that altruism increases the sense of gratitude people feel. She mentions a study that found a linear relationship between praying for the poor and feeling a greater amount of gratitude. Contributor Jenny Layton (thehappygal.com) suggests that people must tailor and design the holidays to be what they want them to be. If people aren't proactive about the holidays, the chaos will unfold around them, and it won't be a pleasant searson. One way to be proactive is by taking care of yourself. This gives you a lot of power and confidence to take care of other worries that inevitably come up.

Managing and Budgeting the Holiday Dec 10, 2014

Show notes

Matt and Connie Sokol discuss a more manageable way to live the holidays. Connie says many families are pulled every direction during the holidays. Instead of trying to please everyone and make everything happen, Connie suggests prioritizing events into two categories. The categories are the "untouchables" and "enjoyables." She says each family should choose 5-7 "untouchables." These are the events that the family cannot live without. The "enjoyables" are chosen next. These are just events that are fun and exciting, but the family has decided they won't be devastated if they don't get to every one of these events. This system of prioritizing keeps families from spreading themselves too thin. Matt talks with Jinnifer Ortquist about budgeting during the holidays. Jinnifer suggests that people make sure to keep receipts from previous purchases. She also recommends setting a budget for any unexpected emergencies. This gives people more confidence and less vulnerability.

Mothers and Daughters Dec 09, 2014

Show notes

Matt and Suzanne Degges-White discuss the relationship between mothers and daughters. Suzanne says it can be difficult to develop positive relationships with a mother and daughter when the mother has had poorly modelled behavior from her own mother. Getting out of the bad habits that were so natural takes effort but can be done. Contributor Sarah Gowans discusses the idea of balancing friendship and motherhood. She suggests that mothers should be open enough that their daughters feel comfortable with coming to them for help. However, there's also a need for structure and discipline that a mother must model. She must be able to put aside the idea of always wanting to be a friend and do what is best for her daughter.

Parenting with a Story Dec 08, 2014

Show notes

Matt and Paul Smith discuss the positive impact stories can have on children. Paul suggests that parents share stories with their children. He says parents should point out characters in stories and relate them to their child. For example, a parent may ask their child, "If you were Ricky, what would you have done in this situation." Paul suggests this helps children think through certain situations and practice how they may respond to them. Contributor Kim Giles joins Matt on the show. Kim says parents must be willing to change themselves before they expect change to occur within their own children. Children will see the example their parents are setting.

Children Under Attack Dec 04, 2014

Show notes

Matt talks with Jim Taylor about the attack on children. Jim makes the point that many young people have a bad reputation that simply isn't accurate. He says much of the population of young people he meets are great people who aren't lazy. Jim suggests that there are wonderful young people in this world, but they need to be taught by their parents that there is a real attack happening. Recognizing this will assist people with achieiving goals rather than surrendering to the attack. Matt and contributor Paul Jenkins discuss dreaming big. Paul suggests people use the following question to evaluate their true desires and dreams. "If I had unlimited time, money and support from my friends and family, these are the things that I would do, have or be." This idea of eliminating limitations creates an abundant number of possiblities. Paul cautions people about the tendency to refrain from writing something when it seems impossible.

Overlooked Threats to Marriage Dec 03, 2014

Show notes

Matt and Kelly Flanagan discuss threats to marriage that are often overlooked. Kelly suggests there is a difference between guilt and shame. He says guilt usually works as a motivator. People typically want to do better next time they are in the same situation. Whereas, shame is a more secretive feeling. People who are shamed don't feel good enough and tend to give up on trying altogether. Shame is so dangerous because people who feel it typically want their spouse to feel just as negative and down as they are feeling. Matt and contributor Meg Ryan discuss feminism and marriage. Meg suggests that marriage doesn't contradict feminism. She also talks about marriage being an exciting time for people to grow closer and support each other. Marriage gives people the opportunity to believe in another person.

Extrasocial Activities Dec 02, 2014

Show notes

Matt and Benjamin Gibbs discuss the benefits of extrasocial activities. Benjamin suggests that students are more likely to attend college if they are surrounded by peers who plan to do the same. Teams help motivate and support one another on and off the field. This demonstrates the importance of becoming part of a team because many members are likely to spend time together outside practices and games. Matt and contributor Julie Nelson discuss the importance of teaching students responsibility. Julie gives the example of a student discussing testing concerns with a teacher. Parents should not take it upon themselves to talk to their children's teachers. Instead, parents should teach their children how to communicate with teachers face to face and resolve issues.

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