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:

Alzheimer Research, Wrong Personality for the Job, Cinematic Romances Jan 10, 2018

Show notes

Alzheimer Research (20:39) Perry Ridge, Ph.D., a professor of Biology at Brigham Young University. Almost 6 million people in the U.S live with Alzheimer’s disease and currently, there is no cure. A research group at BYU just identified a gene variation that could protect people against the disease. Dr. Ridge shares his research. Wrong Personality for the Job (1:09:03) Anna Hartley, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral research scientist who works on personality judgment and measurement. She works for the psychology department at Wake Forest University. Are interviews really the best method of picking who is most qualified for the job? For most of us, the prospect of an interview can be intimidating and even overwhelming. What if our resume doesn’t reflect “experience” or what if our personality simply doesn’t click with the person who is interviewing us? In order to nail a job, you must nail an interview. Dr. Anna Hartley explains her research. Cinematic Romances (1:55:38) 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 loving relationships and nothing like what we see in the movies. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:20:39 - Alzheimer Research 01:69:03 - Wrong Personality for the Job 01:115:38 - Cinematic Romances

Facebook Score, Emotional Intelligence, Make Marriage Work Jan 09, 2018

Show notes

Keeping score of ‘friends’ on Facebook (21:44) Ashley Whillans, Assistant Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School. Social Media is changing the way we look at the world and the way we look at ourselves. Is it really healthy for us to be using social media to measure our success? Ashley Whillans explains what social media is doing to us Making Sense of Emotion (1:08:36) Frank John Ninivaggi MD is an associate attending physician at Yale-New Haven Hospital, an assistant clinical professor of child psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine’s Child Study Center and the psychiatric director of the Devereux-Glenholme School in Washington, Connecticut. He is in private practice in New Haven and teaches at Yale. He is a regular contributor to Psychology Today online and is the author of Making Sense of Emotion: Innovating Emotional Intelligence. Frank Ninivaggi helps us understand why emotional intelligence is a skill that must be developed. How to Make a Marriage Work (1:58:09) 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 ideas on how to make a marriage work. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:21:44 - Keeping score of 'friends' on Facebook 01:68:36 - Making Sense of Emotion 01:118:09 - How to Make a Marriage Work

Fire and Fury, Original Film Making, The Thrive Life Jan 08, 2018

Show notes

Fire and Fury (20:59) 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 tax bill vote this week, Republicans vs. Mueller, and the fallout from the Alabama election. Original Filmmaking (1:11:30) Amanda Klein is an Associate Professor in film history, theory, and aesthetics at East Carolina University. She co-authored Cycles, Sequels, Spin-offs, Remakes, and Reboots: Multiplicities in Film and Television. Disney recently announced a line-up of live-action films that include: The Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast, Pinocchio, and the Sword in the Stone. Many of these will be re-makes of the originals, much like Cinderella in 2015. A number of sequels are also coming up this year. The number of sequels and remakes begs the question, “Where has originality gone?” Dr. Klein explains why sequels are good and bad. The Thrive Life (2:00:35) Thomas Winterman is a father, husband, therapist, school counselor, author, and blogger who lives in Panama City, Florida. He has worked in the mental health field for a number of years, mostly serving underprivileged children at a non-profit agency as both a social worker and a clinical counselor. It’s a new month and a great time to make new goals. Every minute you are changing into a new person, for the better or for the worse. Thomas Winterman discusses his book, “The Thrive Life,” and help us understand how to have that life we always dreamed of and find our best selves. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:20:59 - Fire and Fury 01:71:30 - Original Filmmaking 02:120:35 - The Thrive Life

D.C Not a Swamp, Power of a Plant, Psychiatrist Politics Jan 06, 2018

Show notes

Washington, D.C., is not a Cynical Swamp (19:08) David Litt entered the White House in 2011 and left in 2016 as a Special Assistant to the President and Senior Presidential Speechwriter. Many people believe that Washington D.C. is a cynical swamp, a place where politician push their career’s agenda and leave a trail of hopelessness behind. But our guest today believes that our Nation’s capital is the most hopeful place in America. David Litt, the author of “Thanks, Obama: My Hopey Changey White House Years," shares his book and his positive view of the culture of Washington D.C. Power of a Plant (1:10:22) Stephen Ritz is a South Bronx educator and administrator who believes that students shouldn’t have to leave their community to live, learn, and earn a better one. He is the author of the book “The Power of a Plant.” In the Bronx, the poorest Congressional district of America, elementary students grow plants inside of their classroom. In fact, these students have grown more than 40,000 pounds of vegetables alongside their community. Why are they growing plants in the middle of their classroom? Stephen Ritz brought plants into his Bronx classroom to help his students improve their academic performance. Stephen, known as “America’s Teacher,” is here today to share with us about how these plants are saving his students and their surrounding community. Psychiatrists in Presidential Politics (1:56:14) Arash Javanbakht, M.D., a board-certified psychiatrist at Wayne State University. The mental health of President Donald Trump has been under question by different groups since Trump took office. One such group calls themselves "Duty to Warn" and describes themselves as "An association of mental health professionals advocating Trump be removed under the 25th Amendment as psychologically unfit." Earlier this week Politico reported that a Yale psychiatrist met with members of Congress to discuss the President's mental health. Should psychiatrists give professional opinions about public figures they have not examined 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:19:08 - Washington, D.C., is not a Cynical Swamp 01:70:22 - Power of a Plant 01:116:14 - Psychiatrists in Presidential Politics

Psychiatrists in Presidential Politics, Live Happy Choose Joy, Screen Cleaning Jan 05, 2018

Show notes

Arash Javanbakht - Psychiatrists in Presidential Politics (19:57) Arash Javanbakht, M.D., a board-certified psychiatrist at Wayne State University. The mental health of President Donald Trump has been under question by different groups since Trump took office. One such group calls themselves "Duty to Warn" and describes themselves as "An association of mental health professionals advocating Trump be removed under the 25th Amendment as psychologically unfit." Earlier this week Politico reported that a Yale psychiatrist met with members of Congress to discuss the President's mental health. Should psychiatrists give professional opinions about public figures they have not examined in person? Arash Javanbakht explains the danger of Psychiatrists giving a diagnosis of politicians. Live Happy, Choose Joy (1:08:44) Deborah Heisz is COO, Co-Founder and Editorial Director of Live Happy LLC. She is the author of Live Happy: Ten Practices for Choosing Joy. She was the founding Editor in Chief of the current version of SUCCESS magazine (2008-2011). She is Editorial Director of Magazine “Live Happy”. With the rising interest in positive psychology and mindful living, it is becoming clearer that living a joyful life is a choice. Practices for choosing joyful living range from gratitude to mindfulness. Deborah Heisz share how to Live Happy Jeff Simpson - Screen Cleaning (1:38:19) Jeff Simpson talks about movies and TV helping you find family-friendly options. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:19:57 - Arash Javanbakht - Psychiatrists in Presidential Politics 01:68:44 - Live Happy, Choose Joy 01:98:19 - Jeff Simpson - Screen Cleaning

Politics of Home-ownership, Gift of Failure, Parenting Resolutions Jan 04, 2018

Show notes

No Place Like Home: Wealth, Community and the Politics of Home-ownership (20:13) Brian McCabe, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Georgetown University. Teaches courses on urban studies, neighborhood inequalities and quantitative methods for social research. For decades, owning a home has been a major status symbol, and for most Americans, it is the most important and largest financial investment of their lives. It also provides individuals and families with a sense of community. However, how have our nation’s various housing crises, changed the meaning of homeownership? And how has the need for perfectly crafted communities become a source of residential segregation? Dr. Brian McCabe, author of, No Place Like Home: Wealth, Community and the Politics of Homeownership. Dr. McCabe analyzes the challenges of homeownership as it continues to be the main drive for building wealth in the United States. Dr. McCabe shares his research involving the ideology of homeownership and community. The Gift of Failure (1:12:50) Jessica Lahey is the author of The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed. She is an educator, speaker, and writer. She writes biweekly Parent-Teacher Conference advice column for the New York Times and is a contributor to the Atlantic. What do we learn from failure? Jessica Lahey, suggests that the best parents learn to let go so their children can succeed. Parenting Resolutions (2:00:03) Heather Johnson, M.S., has been an adjunct faculty member at Brigham Young University for nearly 10 years. She is passionate about teaching students the principles behind successful families and the importance of families spending time together. She blogs at FamilyVolley.com. Heather and Dr. Matt talk about low maintenance mothers. Heather and Dr. Townsend talk about Parenting Resolutions for a New Year. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:20:13 - No Place Like Home: Wealth, Community and the Politics of Home-ownership 01:72:50 - The Gift of Failure 02:120:03 - Parenting Resolutions

Hope of Washington, D.C., Power of a Plant, Music in the Office Jan 03, 2018

Show notes

Washington, D.C., is not a cynical swamp (19:25) David Litt entered the White House in 2011 and left in 2016 as a Special Assistant to the President and Senior Presidential Speechwriter. Many people believe that Washington D.C. is a cynical swamp, a place where politician push their career’s agenda and leave a trail of hopelessness behind. But our guest today believes that our Nation’s capital is the most hopeful place in America. David Litt, the author of “Thanks, Obama: My Hopey Changey White House Years," shares his book and his positive view of the culture of Washington D.C. The Power of a Plant (1:10:38) Stephen Ritz is a South Bronx educator and administrator who believes that students shouldn’t have to leave their community to live, learn, and earn a better one. He is the author of the book “The Power of a Plant.” In the Bronx, the poorest Congressional district of America, elementary students grow plants inside of their classroom. In fact, these students have grown more than 40,000 pounds of vegetables alongside their community. Why are they growing plants in the middle of their classroom? Stephen Ritz brought plants into his Bronx classroom to help his students improve their academic performance. Stephen, known as “America’s Teacher,” is here today to share with us about how these plants are saving his students and their surrounding community. Power of Music in the Office (1:56:19) Kevin Kniffin is an Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior and Leadership from Cornell University. Research has shown that music in retail settings can add value to the shopping experience: It can improve the moods of customers, increase engagement, and increase the chances of a purchase. Kevin Kniffin shares his study on the effect music can have on employees. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:19:25 - Washington, D.C., is not a cynical swamp 01:70:38 - The Power of a Plant 01:116:19 - Power of Music in the Office

Success and Luck, Getting Along With Anyone, Wall Street Used Car Lot Jan 02, 2018

Show notes

Robert Frank - Success and Luck (12:16) Robert H Frank, Ph.D., is a Professor of Management and Economics at Cornell University. For more than a decade, his “Economic View” column appeared monthly in The New York Times. Parents teach their children that if they work hard, it will pay off. Although we teach our children that a cultivation of talent, sweat, and tears is what helps us to succeed, there might be a little more to the equation. Does luck decide if we succeed or not? Dr. Robert H Frank, author of Success and Luck: Good Fortune and the Myth of Meritocracy answers that question. The Zen of You and Me: A Guide to Getting Along with Just About Anyone (55:51) Diane Musho Hamilton is a mediator, group facilitator, and an authentic contemporary spiritual teacher. As a mediator, Diane is well known as an innovator in dialogues, especially conversations about culture, religion, race and gender relations. Whether it’s a co-worker, a family member or a stranger, sometimes we allow others to rattle and upset us. But the people who get under your skin the most can, in fact, be your greatest teachers. Our next guest argues It’s not a matter of overlooking differences, as is often taught, but of regarding those difficult aspects of the relationship with curiosity and compassion--for those very differences offer a path to profound connection. Diane Musho Hamilton joins us to talk about her new book: The Zen of You and Me: A Guide to Getting Along with Just About Anyone Why Wall Street is like a used car lot (1:31:53) Steven Pressman is Professor of Economics at Colorado State University and Emeritus Professor of Economics and Finance at Monmouth University. In addition, he serves as North American Editor of the Review of Political Economy, and as Associate Editor of the Eastern Economic Journal. The New York Stock Exchange is a busy and fast pace environment with buyers and sellers exchanging stocks. This, as Steven Pressman relates, is similar to a used car dealership. The stocks are sold by an intermediary, s

Leading Brain, Future of Drones, Psychology of White-Collar Criminals Jan 01, 2018

Show notes

The Leading Brain (9:50) Friederike Fabritius is the leading Neuroleadership expert at the Munich Leadership Group. As an executive coach and leadership specialist, she has extensive expertise working with top executives from multinational corporations such as Bayer, Audi, Montblanc, and EY. A neuropsychologist by education, Friederike focuses on developing new methods and practices for leadership development based on solid scientific findings. Leadership has long been treated as an art, a fuzzy philosophy based more on fads than on facts. That accounts for the endless stream of “game-changing” management books that seem to come and go almost as rapidly as Paris fashions. It also explains why today’s leadership guru is often tomorrow’s forgotten footnote. But effective leadership isn’t an art. It’s a science. Friederike Fabritius discusses the ideas in her book The Leading Brain, which will help us learn how to become better leaders and reach our full potential. Future of Drones (52:27) Michael Braasch, Ph.D., is a professor of electrical engineering at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. He has been conducting navigation system research for the past 30 years and for the past 15 years, his research has included drones. We have heard news stories regarding people shooting drones that they see above their property or organizations asking that drones not be used on their property. Although drones were once used only by the military, they are taking on a new role in society such as dropping off packages at your front door. Are drones the future? Michael Braasch explains. Psychology of White-Collar Criminals (1:32:00) Eugene F. Soltes, Ph.D., is a Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. His research focuses on how individuals and organizations confront and overcome challenging situations. White-collar criminals are categorized as businessmen or government officials who commit a financially motivated but nonviolent crime. Eugene F. Soltes interviewed 50 former executives about their crim 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:09:50 - The Leading Brain 00:52:27 - Future of Drones 01:92:00 - Psychology of White-Collar Criminals

Humility New Smart, Caring Confidants, Less Charitable Americans Dec 30, 2017

Show notes

Humility Is the New Smart (12:37) Edward D. Hess is a Professor of Business Administration and Batten Executive-in-Residence at the Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia. He spent over 30 years in the business world prior to joining academia as a lawyer, investment banker, strategy consultant, and entrepreneur. When America and the world entered the industrial age, brute strength became a less important characteristic and being smart became much more important. Ed Hess argues that with the Information age another characteristic is becoming more important than being ‘smart’. Careful Confiders and Caring Confidants (54:39) Brian Willoughby, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University. Dr. Willoughby is also the Director of the RELATE Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to studying and improving romantic relationships. Dr. Willoughby's research focuses on young adult dating and relationship patterns and his specific expertise areas include dating, sexuality, cohabitation, marriage formation, and marital attitudes/beliefs. Dr. Willoughby talks with Dr. Townsend about how to have a successful interfaith marriage. Less Charitable Americans (1:37:45) Jonathan Meer is an associate professor of economics at Texas A&M University, where he is also the Private Enterprise Research Center Professor and the department's Director of Undergraduate Programs. Compared to 10 years ago, Americans are overall donating less money to charity. The Great Recession was the leading cause of this phenomena, but charitable giving has not increased since the economy picked up. Are Americans being stingier with their money? 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:12:37 - Humility Is the New Smart 00:54:39 - Careful Confiders and Caring Confidants 01:97:45 - Less Charitable Americans

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