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:

Student Mental Health, Success and Rest, Status of Women Mar 22, 2018

Show notes

Schools and Student Mental Health (9:54) Nathaniel von der Embse, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of school psychology at the University of South Florida and co-chair of the National Association of School Psychologists Government and Professional Relations Workgroup (NASP GPR). Dr. von der Embse utilizes a social justice framework to examine the intersection of education policy and school mental health. One out of every 4 or 5 students will display a significant mental health problem over the course of their lifetime, and those students can be identified early with considerable accuracy if educators are given the right training and tools. Unfortunately, most schools rely on reactive methods, like office discipline referrals, to figure out which students need behavioral and mental health services. Should schools stop waiting for red flags and act sooner? Successful People and Rest (54:19) Alex Pang, Ph.D., is the founder of the Restful Company and a visiting scholar at Stanford University. He is the author of two books “Rest: Why you get more done when you work less” and “The Distraction Addiction.” What if I told you that you get more done when you work less? Would you believe me? Alex Pang, author of many books including best seller titled “Rest” published a new article “The most successful people make room for rest” and he discusses how we can avoid overworking ourselves and still meet deadlines. Commission on the Status of Women (1:41:12) Jeanette Bennett is founder and editor-in-chief at Bennett Communications, where she primarily focuses on Utah Valley Magazine, BusinessQ Magazine, and Prosper Magazine. Jeanette earned a bachelor's and master's degree in journalism from BYU and has been a regular guest on HuffPostLive. Sometimes people step away from a job because of health issues, family emergencies, or other personal issues. Jeanette Bennett talks about what she learned at the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:09:54 - Schools and Student Mental Health 00:54:49 - Successful People and Rest 01:101:12 - Commission on the Status of Women

College Perfectionism, Joy of Being Alone, Careful Confiders Mar 21, 2018

Show notes

More College Students Seem to Be Majoring in Perfectionism (9:31) Thomas Curran, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health, at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom. His research focuses on perfectionism in young people. “Good won’t get me into med school.” That is what you might be hearing from your high school or college student. Today, social media is creating a world where students might have unrealistic educational and professional ideals---replacing good, with perfectionism. Thomas Curran shares his research into perfectionism. What Early Hermits can Teach us About Being Alone (56:26) Kim Haines-Eitzen is a Professor of Ancient Mediterranean Religions with a specialty in Early Christianity, Early Judaism, and Religion in Late Antiquity at Cornell University. Social media shows us smiling faces surrounded by happy people in beautiful locations. But we all know that is just a moment in time and not a state of living. The time in between those pictures we post can be filled with loneliness. This doesn’t have to be that case as Dr. Kim Haines-Eitzen argues in her article “One isn’t always the loneliest number” Careful Confiders and Caring Confidants (1:45:55) Brian Willoughby, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University. Dr. Willoughby's research focuses on young adult dating and relationship patterns. Dr. Willoughby is the co-author of the book "The Marriage Paradox" Dr. Willoughby discusses how to confide in others and how to act if someone confides in you. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:09:31 - More College Students Seem to Be Majoring in Perfectionism 00:56:26 - What Early Hermits can Teach us About Being Alone 01:105:55 - Careful Confiders and Caring Confidants

Year in Space, Teens Calculated Risks, Parenting Without Yelling Mar 20, 2018

Show notes

A Year in Space (9:15) 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 (58:17) 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. How To Get Kids To Listen Without Yelling (1:42:50) 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. Marriage can be tough. Many challenges come up when two people decide to join their lives together. Dr. Paul Jenkins shares some tips on how to get kids to listen without yelling. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:09:15 - A Year in Space 00:58:17 - Teens and their Calculated Risks 01:102:50 - How To Get Kids To Listen Without Yelling

FBI and Tillerson, Anxiety Resistant Children, Love and Marriage Mar 19, 2018

Show notes

FBI and Tillerson (20:19) 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 firing of the FBI Director and Secretary of State Raising Anxiety Resistant Children (1:09:34) 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. How Love Could Destroy your Marriage (1:59:42) Kim Giles, President, and founder of Clarity Point Life Coaching. Named one of the top 20 advice gurus in the country by Good Morning America in 2010. Writes a regular column on KSL.com every Monday in the Happy Living Section. Kim Giles is the author of the Book Choosing Clarity: A Path to Fearlessness. Kim and Executive Life Coach Nicole Cunningham discuss 12 types of people in the world and the science of Psychological Inclinations. Today Kim and Dr. Matt talk about How Love Could Destroy your Marriage. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:20:19 - FBI and Tillerson 01:69:34 - Raising Anxiety Resistant Children 01:119:42 - How Love Could Destroy your Marriage

Anxiety and Kids, Downtime at Work, Never get Angry Again Mar 17, 2018

Show notes

Don't transfer Anxiety to your Kids (22:16) Lynn Lyons, LICSW, is a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist in private practice and a sought-after speaker and consultant. She specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders in adults and children, including generalized anxiety, phobias, social anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and performance anxiety. She is the co-author of the book Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents: 7 Ways to Stop the Worry Cycle and Raise Courageous and Independent Children. Anxiety is a plague that sweeps across the country and creates difficulty and worries for many that struggle with it. In a media-driven world, more and more children are falling prey to it as well. But there is a way to combat this problem and Lynn Lyons explains how to better deal with anxiety and how to avoid letting it affect children. Downtime at Work (1:11:16) Andrew Brodsky is an assistant professor in the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin. Andrew is looking for new organizations that are interested in having a research study conducted with them, and he says that you are welcome to reach out to him directly. When employees have too much time on their hands, and not enough work, productivity suffers. A recent study shows that companies in the U.S. are spending over 100 billion dollars in wages for the time their employees are waiting for more work. Andrew Brodsky is a co-author of this study and shares his findings. Stay Calm in Any Situation (1:56:53) David Lieberman, Ph.D., specializes in the areas of human behavior and interpersonal relationships. Have you ever been angry? If you haven’t then you are lying because everyone has. Anger has held a place in our society since the beginning and controls us to a degree. A powerful and very destructive force most people seek to avoid it as best they can but it always creeps back into their life. Dr. David Lieberman in his book, Never get Angry Again, gives us some tricks and tips how to put anger on the back burner. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:22:12 - Don't transfer Anxiety to your Kids 01:71:16 - Downtime at Work 01:116:53 - Stay Calm in Any Situation

Politics Stressing Youth, Connect With Your Kids, Screen Cleaning Mar 16, 2018

Show notes

Politics Stressing Youth (20:51) 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? To look into this further Dr. Melissa DeJonckheere shares her research. How to Connect With Your Kids (1:09:11) Julian Caldwell is the founder of GetConnectDAD, an organization dedicated to connecting fathers with their kids. He is focused on finding better ways for fathers and mothers who work long hours, different hours, or unusual hours to be engaged. Being a dad can sometimes feel like an impossible task. Trying to balance work, family, and other obligations are exhausting. Some fathers work long hours and struggle to find quality time to spend with their children. This can often make it difficult to connect with our kids. Julian Caldwell shares some ideas on how to create a stronger bond with our kids. Jeff Simpson - Screen Cleaning (1:35:12) Jeff Simpson talks about movies and TV helping you find family-friendly options. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:20:51 - Politics Stressing Youth 01:69:11 - How to Connect With Your Kids 01:95:12 - Jeff Simpson - Screen Cleaning

Corporate America Activism, Talent Magnet, Unsolicited Advice Mar 15, 2018

Show notes

Corporate America needs to get back to thinking about more than just profits (19:27) 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 (1:06:56) 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. Why Unsolicited Advice Can Ruin Relationships (1:53:20) Richard Joelson, Ph.D., has been a clinical social work psychotherapist, educator, and administrator for 46 years. He has practiced social work in various places including Liberia and has his own private practice in New York. It can be tempting to want to fix everyone’s problems and immediately go into psychoanalyst mode to figure out how you can help them. But sometimes, even with the best intentions, giving advice can do more harm than good. Dr. Joelson author of the book, “Help Me! A Psychotherapist’s Tried-and-True Techniques for a Happier Relationship with Yourself and the People You Love,” teaches us why un 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:19:27 - Corporate America needs to get back to thinking about more than just profits 01:66:56 - Talent Magnet 01:113:20 - Why Unsolicited Advice Can Ruin Relationships

Conflict of Language, Empathy in Children, Lower Cholesterol Mar 14, 2018

Show notes

Could language Resolve the Middle East (18:55) Stanley Dubinsky is a Professor of Linguistics at the University of South Carolina in the Department of English Language and Literature. His primary area of research is in syntactic theory and the syntax-semantics interface. He is the co-author of the upcoming book Language Conflict and Language Rights. Communication is the answer to every disagreement and argument. But, what happens when the two disagreeing party speaks two different languages? Stanley Dubinsky explains the importance of language to the Mid-East peace process. Developing Empathy in Young Children (1:08:11) Madeleine Sherak, Ph.D., is presently on staff at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California where she is a field supervisor of student teachers in their teacher education program. What makes a superhero? It is size or strength? Maybe it is brains? On the other hand, an overexposure to gamma radiation can turn you into a green rage monster. Superheroes take on a mythical demeanor, which we feel we cannot emulate, but that is the lie. Everyday people can do extraordinary things. Madeleine Sherak shares her new children’s book “Superheroes Club” and shows the actions of small group of kids willing to make a difference. Lower Cholesterol Without Drugs (1:55:29) Karen Mangum is a licensed, registered dietitian, seasoned recipe developer, food blogger, and nutrition consultant. She is the author and producer of Inside Karen’s Kitchen, a healthy food blog, where she shares recipes that nourish and heal along with insightful nutrition musings which attempt to sort fact from fiction. Karen is married to Michael and the mother of five almost grown children, including BYU football starting quarterback, Tanner Mangum. Karen Mangum shares her tips on how to lower your cholesterol without drugs. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:18:55 - Could language Resolve the Middle East 01:68:11 - Developing Empathy in Young Children 01:115:29 - Lower Cholesterol Without Drugs

Downtime at Work, Stay Calm in Any Situation, Low Fat vs. Low Carb Mar 13, 2018

Show notes

Downtime at Work (19:56) Andrew Brodsky is an assistant professor in the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin. Andrew is looking for new organizations that are interested in having a research study conducted with them, and he says that you are welcome to reach out to him directly. When employees have too much time on their hands, and not enough work, productivity suffers. A recent study shows that companies in the U.S. are spending over 100 billion dollars in wages for the time their employees are waiting for more work. Andrew Brodsky is a co-author of this study and shares his findings. Stay Calm in Any Situation (1:05:26) David Lieberman, Ph.D., specializes in the areas of human behavior and interpersonal relationships. Have you ever been angry? If you haven’t then you are lying because everyone has. Anger has held a place in our society since the beginning and controls us to a degree. A powerful and very destructive force most people seek to avoid it as best they can but it always creeps back into their life. Dr. David Lieberman in his book, Never get Angry Again, gives us some tricks and tips how to put anger on the back burner. Low Fat vs. Low Carb Diets (1:51:36) Ron Hager, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Exercise Sciences in the College of Life Sciences at Brigham Young University. His area is expertise is Chronic Disease Prevention. Dr. Hager talks about Low Fat vs. Low Carbohydrate Diets. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:19:56 - Downtime at Work 01:65:26 - Stay Calm in Any Situation 01:111:36 - Low Fat vs. Low Carb Diets

North Korea and Tariffs, Anxiety and Kids, Eating You Alive Mar 12, 2018

Show notes

North Korea and Tariffs (20:36) 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 President Trump agreeing to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and the recent announcement about steel and aluminum tariffs. Don't transfer Anxiety to your Kids (1:11:14) Lynn Lyons, LICSW, is a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist in private practice and a sought-after speaker and consultant. She specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders in adults and children, including generalized anxiety, phobias, social anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and performance anxiety. She is the co-author of the book Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents: 7 Ways to Stop the Worry Cycle and Raise Courageous and Independent Children. Anxiety is a plague that sweeps across the country and creates difficulty and worries for many that struggle with it. In a media-driven world, more and more children are falling prey to it as well. But there is a way to combat this problem and Lynn Lyons explains how to better deal with anxiety and how to avoid letting it affect children. Eating You Alive (1:58:39) Paul Kennamer, Jr, is director and producer of the documentary Eating You Alive. He is an award-winning director/producer with more than 35 years in the business. Having suffered lifelong joint pain and other physical concerns, Paul experimented with the Whole Food/Plant-based lifestyle in 2014 and lost 45 lbs in six weeks and was healed of his pain. Merrilee Jacobs is co-producer of the documentary, Eating You Alive. While raising three children, Merrilee made the life-altering decision to transition to a Whole Food/Plant-based lifestyle in 2014. In doing so, she found her two herniated discs ceased to cause her pain, and she had boundless energy. Cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity and the list of common health issues that American adults face goes on and on. This news

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