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:

Kindness Cure, Cohabitation Affects Families, Kids Need to Play Apr 04, 2018

Show notes

Kindness Cure (8:53) Tara Cousineau, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, meditation teacher, well-being researcher, and social entrepreneur. She is affiliated with the Center for Mindfulness and Compassion at Cambridge Health Alliance in Somerville, MA. Usually, when we look for healing, we head to the drugstore, doctor’s office, hospital or the outdoors. But what is healing started with you being kind? Tara Cousineau explains in her new book, The Kindness Cure, how the science of compassion can heal our heart and world. How Cohabitation Affects Families (54:26) Laurie DeRose, Ph.D., is a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Family Studies, Research Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland, College Park, and Director of Research for the World Family Map Project. She focuses her studies on global family demography and children’s living arrangements. Living together outside of marriage has become one of the more common ways to start a family in the US and the rest of the world. In fact, 40% of births in the US now occur outside of marriage. And as some scholars believe, family stability is more important than marriage when it comes to the well-being of children. But recent evidence has shown that marriage itself is strongly associated with family stability. Dr. Laurie DeRose shares the research. Kids Need to Play Outside (1:40:05) Sandra Russ, Ph.D., from Case Western Reserve University's Department of Psychological Sciences. She is the author of “Pretend Play in Childhood: Foundation of Adult Creativity.” Have you ever stood in the doorway and just watched your child play out a story? Whether they’re playing with puppets or Barbies or action figures, it can be quite entertaining. But kids don’t just play pretend to keep their mind off of adult things, it is actually a vital part of their development. Watching your kids play can give you a lot of insight into your kid’s mind. Dr. Sandra Russ teaches us the importance of imaginative play and how we can foster it for our children. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:08:53 - Kindness Cure 00:54:26 - How Cohabitation Affects Families 01:100:05 - Kids Need to Play Outside

Save Energy Staying Home, Eating Healthy Cost, End of Public Transit Apr 03, 2018

Show notes

Americans are Saving Energy by Staying at Home (10:58) Ashok Sekar, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Texas at Austin. His interests lie broadly at the intersection of technology, behavior, and policy with a focus on addressing issues surrounding sustainability. Americans are spending less time in malls and movie theaters and spending more time at home. They are also spending less time in offices and more time in workspaces in their homes. But has this change shifted energy use here in America? Ashok Sekar shares his research. Cost of Eating Healthy (58:57) Margaret Marshall is a contributor to the Huffington Post and founder of Margaret Marshall Assoc., and the “Why Weight” coaching method. She is a wellness consultant, a speaker, author, and weight-loss coach. Her book, “Body, Mind, and Mouth…Life’s Eating Connection” was released in 2012. Her e-book, the “Five Finger Food Guide”, followed in 2014. Margaret Marshall explains The Cost of Being Healthy. :End of Public Transit (1:47:02) Matthew D. Mitchell, Ph.D., is a Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Project for the Study of American Capitalism at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He is also a professor of economics. In his writing and research, he specializes in public choice economics and the economics of government favoritism toward particular businesses, industries, and occupations. Ride-sharing programs such as Uber and Lyft are seemingly undermining public bus and transportation services in timeliness, flexibleness, and reasonable prices. Should our government give more public services to the private sector? Dr. Mitchell discusses whether the private sector provides a better option for public transportation. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:10:58 - Americans are Saving Energy by Staying at Home 00:58:57 - Cost of Eating Healthy 01:107:02 - :End of Public Transit

Corporate America Activism, Talent Magnet, Politically Stressed Youth Mar 31, 2018

Show notes

Corporate America needs to get back to thinking about more than just profits (13:25) Marina Whitman, Ph.D., is Professor of Business Administration and Public Policy at the University of Michigan. She is the author of many articles and several books, including New World, New Rules: The Changing Role of the American Corporation. Should companies be doing more to make the world a better place? Some people believe that corporate America should get back to thinking about more than just profits. Dr. Whitman explains this movement in corporate America. Talent Magnet (54:04) Mark Miller is the Vice President of Organizational Effectiveness at Chick-fil-A. Mark began his Chick-fil-A career working as an hourly team member in 1977. In 1978, he joined the corporate staff working in the warehouse and mailroom. Since that time, he has provided leadership for Corporate Communications, Field Operations, Quality and Customer Satisfaction, Training and Development, and Leadership Development. More than vision, strategy, creativity, marketing, finance, or even technology, it is ultimately people that determine organizational success. That's why virtually every organization wants more top talent. But do you know what they're looking for? Mark Miller is the author of the new book Talent Magnet and talks about how to attract and keep great people in a business. Politics Stressing Youth (1:33:10) Melissa DeJonckheere, Ph.D., is a Research Fellow with the Michigan Mixed Methods Research & Scholarship Program. She recently completed her Ph.D. in Educational Studies at the University of Cincinnati, where she worked on qualitative and mixed methods projects in both the education and health fields. With as divided as it is, the current political climate has been difficult for Americans of all political stripes. The focus has been on adults, yet teens and college-aged Americans are exposed to the same headlines. Are the polarized headlines and political events causing unhealthy levels of stress for our youth? Dr. Melissa DeJonckheere 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:13:25 - Corporate America needs to get back to thinking about more than just profits 00:54:04 - Talent Magnet 01:93:10 - Politics Stressing Youth

Professional Leadership, Power of Identity, Screen Cleaning Mar 30, 2018

Show notes

Professional Leadership (11:39) Barbara Kellerman is the James MacGregor Burns Lecturer in Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School. She is the Founding Executive Director of the School’s Center for Public Leadership. She is the author of Professionalizing Leadership, published at the beginning of this month. Barbara Kellerman tells us how leadership needs to become a profession, which specialized education. Power of Your Identity (59:23) From humble beginnings, Certified NLP Practitioner, a self-made millionaire, bestselling author & world-renowned speaker Rock Thomas skyrocketed to success, earning awards, shattering records, and becoming one of the top fifty realtors in the world. Rock recently published his book, The Power of Your Identity, and Rock shares how your identity shapes you, and how you can shape your identity. Screen Cleaning (1:27:31) Jeff Simpson talks about movies and TV helping you find family-friendly options. Today is part two of our Movie Madness on Screen Cleaning. Jeff, Cole, and Shawn discuss the greatest sports movies, or at least our favorites for this year, in a tournament style bracket. Tune in to see if your picks make the finals. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:11:39 - Professional Leadership 00:59:23 - Power of Your Identity 01:87:31 - Screen Cleaning

Internet Rudeness, Successful Parents, Body Language Mar 29, 2018

Show notes

Internet Rudeness (11:05) Mariana Plata is a licensed psychologist from Panama, currently finishing her Master's degree in Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology. She is also a play therapist in training from the Association for Play Therapy (APT), mental health writer and public speaker. We are in the digital era. For information we turn to Google, for communication, we turn to email, and for friends, we turn to social media. Also in this digital era, we have internet trolls, and between Twitter feuds and Facebook rants, rudeness seems to be the new normal. Mariana Plata shares why rudeness is prevalent in our day. Successful Parents (57:46) Ken Dolan-Del Vecchio is an author, speaker, leadership consultant, and family therapist. Ken founded GreenGate Leadership® in 2017 after retiring from his role as Vice President, Health and Wellness, at Prudential. Experience is the great educator and successful parents have similar attributes and characteristics across generations. In his book “Simple Habits of Exceptional (But Not Perfect) Parents” author Ken Dolan-Del Vecchio shows us what how we can be the best we can be and he joined us today to share how we can be exceptional parents. Body Language (1:43:00) Paul Jenkins, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist. He is the author of Pathological Positivity. He is a member of the American Psychological Association, the American Psychology-law Society, and the Utah Psychological Association. Today Dr. Paul joins us to share how understanding body language can help you. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:11:05 - Internet Rudeness 00:57:26 - Successful Parents 01:103:00 - Body Language

A.I. compromise, Adult Attachment, You are More than Enough Mar 28, 2018

Show notes

Could AI compromise better than humans? (10:52) Jacob Crandall, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at Brigham Young University. His research focuses on developing machines and algorithms that learn from and collaborate with people to solve challenging problems. We all get into fights. We seek a therapist, friends, and anyone we can get on our side of the fight. However, when we seek compromise, are we doing it well? Can computers compromise better than humans can? Jacob Crandall shares his research. Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment (56:26) Amir Levine, Ph.D., is an adult, child, and adolescent psychiatrist and neuroscientist. He graduated from the residency program at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University, where he is currently a Principal Investigator on a research project sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Levine is the co-author of the book “Attached” (with Rachel Heller) where they teach The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find - and Keep - Love. You are More than Enough (1:40:53) Ganel-Lyn Condie is an author, and has recently published her book “You Are Magnificent.” She is a motivational speaker and has appeared on television and radio shows. Some of the most common regrets parents have in life deal with not spending enough time with their kids. Family relationships require time and patience to build. Ganel-Lyn Condie talks about how to use our time effectively and how to develop patience. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:10:52 - Could AI compromise better than humans? 00:56:26 - Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment (56:26) 01:100:53 - You are More than Enough

Individual Liberty, Physics of a Free Throw, Ways To Unplug Mar 27, 2018

Show notes

Individual Liberty and the Common Good (10:58) Colin Woodard is an award-winning journalist and author of several books. He has reported from more than fifty foreign countries and seven continents. His latest book, American Character: A History of the Epic Struggle Between Individual Liberty and the Common Good, explores America’s regional cultures. Colin Woodard discusses how his book outlines the political, ideological, and sociological predicaments that result in the differences between regional cultures. Physics of a Free Throw (56:55) Larry Silverberg, Ph.D., Professor of Theoretical and Applied Dynamics at North Carolina State University and lead researcher behind the article “The Anatomy of the Free Throw” and many other research projects. 2 seconds left on the clock with the game on the line and all you need is one free throw to win the National Championship in basketball. Sounds like the scenario I would create in my driveway. But for two teams this year it could be a reality. Larry Silverberg explains the physics behind the free throw. Ways To Unplug When You're Short On Time (1:42:28) Paula Davis-Laack is the Founder and CEO of the Stress & Resilience Institute, a former practicing lawyer, an internationally-published writer, media contributor, and a stress and resilience expert. As part of her post-graduate training, she taught and trained resilience skills to more than 25,000 soldiers as part of the Army’s Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness program. She is the author of “Addicted to Busy: Your Blueprint for Burnout Prevention” Paula share tips on how to reduce stress, improve resilience and unplug. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:10:58 - Individual Liberty and the Common Good 00:56:55 - Physics of a Free Throw 01:102:28 - Ways To Unplug When You're Short On Time

Trade Wars and Bolton, How to Focus, Rethink Your Setbacks Mar 26, 2018

Show notes

Trade Wars and Bolton (10:10) Joe Cannon is the CEO of the Fuel Freedom Foundation, former Chairman of the Utah Republican Party, past assistant administrator in the US EPA, and editor of the Deseret News. Joe Cannon talks about the possibility of a trade war with China and the naming of John Bolton as the National Security Advisor. How to Focus (54:50) Rasmus Hougaard is the founder of the Potential Project, a global training organization which delivers mindfulness programs to more than 200 organizations around the world including Nike and American Express. We live in an age of information overload. With so many things going on around us, it can be difficult to maintain our focus while at work. This reduces our productivity and efficiency, ultimately hindering our own personal growth as well as the growth of the company. Rasmus Hougaard talks about how we can focus better. Rethink Your Setbacks (1:40:00) Jeffrey Bernstein, Ph.D., a nationally recognized psychologist with over thirty years of experience specializing in child, adolescent, couples, and family therapy. Dr. Bernstein recently published his fifth book, “Mindfulness for Teen Worry”. We all make mistakes in life, and how we view our mistakes can impact our quality of life. Thomas Edison said I didn't fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.” Viewing setbacks and disappointments as experiments, rather than failures, will lead to greater happiness. Dr. Jeffrey Bernstein explains how to Think of Your Setbacks as Experiments, Not Failures. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:10:10 - Trade Wars and Bolton 00:54:50 - How to Focus 01:100:00 - Rethink Your Setbacks

Anxiety Resistant Children, Year in Space, Teens Calculated Risks Mar 24, 2018

Show notes

Raising Anxiety Resistant Children (20:20) Jeff Gregson is a therapist and counselor specializing in the treatment of depression and anxiety. He is currently a member of the American Psychological Association. Most of us won’t get through life without experiencing at least some form of panic, anxiety, or depression. Each can be crippling if not treated properly. In many ways, it seems that these mental disorders are more common than ever. Jeff Gregson teaches us how to fight back against mental illnesses, whether they be our own or our children’s. A Year in Space (57:40) Scott Kelly is a former military fighter pilot and test pilot, an engineer, a retired astronaut, and a retired U.S. Navy captain. In October 2015, he set the record for the total accumulated number of days spent in space, the single longest space mission by an American astronaut. He talks about his life and experiences, and his book Endurance: A Year in Space, A lifetime of Discovery. Teens and their Calculated Risks (1:46:42) Jessica Flannery is a graduate student in the clinical psychology program at the University of Oregon. Her research interests broadly focus on how early adverse experiences influence neuroendocrine pathways and function as well their impact on the development of brain structures and connectivity between brain regions specifically associated with social and emotional development. Teenagers can be dumb and that’s ok. Parents may think that kids should be more cautious and have reason to think that as they are stuck with hospital bills after an accident. Jessica Flannery shares her article about the method of madness that is a teenagers decision making. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:20:20 - Raising Anxiety Resistant Children 00:57:40 - A Year in Space 01:106:42 - and their Calculated Risks

Post-9/11 Leadership, Dangers of Loneliness, Screen Cleaning Mar 23, 2018

Show notes

Post-9/11 Leadership (10:08) Ori Brafman is a multiple New York Times bestselling author. He specializes in organizational culture, employee engagement, business transformation, leadership, and emerging technologies. Brafman is founder and president of Starfish Leadership and co-founder of the Fully Charged Institute. How is it that as our access to information dramatically increases, our views appear to become narrower? Ori Brafman, author of Radical Inclusion: What the post-9/11 world should have taught us about leadership, is with us to help us understand how leadership is changing and how to deal with society becoming more and more polarized. Loneliness Can Be Damaging to Your Body (56:35) Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University. Her research is focused on the long-term health effects of social connection. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and Time Magazine. Whether it be as a child, a senior, or even a middle-aged adult, everyone feels lonely at some point or another. For some of us it may only be a temporary blip before we make new friends, but for other people, it may be as serious as social isolation. Whatever its form, loneliness is very unhealthy, both mentally and physically. Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad shares her research into the dangers of loneliness. Jeff Simpson - Screen Cleaning (1:30:50) Jeff Simpson talks about movies and TV helping you find family-friendly options. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:10:08 - Post-9/11 Leadership 00:56:35 - Loneliness Can Be Damaging to Your Body 01:90:50 - Jeff Simpson - Screen Cleaning

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