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:

Trump on a Trip, Managing Anxiety, Marriage Intimacy May 22, 2017

Show notes

Trump on a Trip (15:24) 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 discusses Trump's first foreign trip and the news involving James Comey and the investigation into Russia. Managing Anxiety (1:07:50) Life is tough and with it, for some, comes the challenge of anxiety. Dr. Matt Townsend talks about the struggle people have with anxiety and shares some tips on how to better manage the effects. Caitlitn Thomas - Avoiding Scams (1:26:18) Have you ever been swindled into giving away money to someone who you don’t think actually needed it? Producer Caitlin Thomas explains what not to do if this situation were to happen to one of us. Marriage Intimacy (1:47:33) 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. Today Kim and Dr. Matt how to address problems with marriage intimacy.

Residential Solar, Goal Achieving, Broken but Not Worthless May 20, 2017

Show notes

State of Residential Solar Power (14:55) Lee Phillips, Ph.D., a theoretical physicist, and writer who lives in McLean, Virginia. Solar energy have has captivated us from we were children. From solar powered toys and glow in the dark stars to solar powered calculators. Although it works on a small scale, how will it look on a bigger scale? Will it be environmentally sustainable and economically sustainable? Lee Phillips explains the current state of solar power. Goal Setting and Achieving Them (1:03:09) Kaitlin Woolley, PhD candidate at the University of Chicago school of Business. She'll be joining the marketing faculty at Cornell University this summer as an assistant professor. The importance of delaying gratification is universally recognized. Being able to forgo immediate benefits in order to achieve larger goals in the future is viewed as a key skill. For example, consider the classic “marshmallow test” experiment: children’s ability to delay eating one marshmallow so that they can get two marshmallows later is linked to a number of positive life outcomes, including academic success and healthy relationships. Kaitlin Woolley discusses what separates goals we achieve from the ones that we don’t. Broken but Not Worthless (1:52:36) Life is hard. There is no getting around it, but for some reason it makes us feel better when we learn we aren’t the only ones struggling. One prime example of this is our guest Kristina Kuzmic, a free-lance writer and blogger. Kristina has an in-your-face perspective on issues of parenting and life in general. In fact, you may have seen Kristina recently on your Facebook feed, or on any one of a number of internet, radio or TV outlets. She has become a Youtube sensation with her “mom-centric” videos about raising children and juggling all of life’s challenges, with over 300 million views across media outlets and websites worldwide. Kristina shares with us more about her experiences. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:14:55 - State of Residential Solar Power 01:63:09 - Goal Setting and Achieving Them 01:112:36 - Broken but Not Worthless

Critical Thinking Crisis, Humor and Health, Screen Cleaning May 19, 2017

Show notes

Emerging Crisis in Critical Thinking (15:54) Stephen Camarata, Ph. D. is the Director of the Research Program in Communication & Learning at the John F. Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development at Vanderbilt University. Does anyone else remember the days of Baby Mozart music and promises of baby geniuses? Well, those children are graduating high school now or attending college and, instead of a generation of super geniuses, many college students struggle with real world problem solving and critical thinking. Stephen Camarata explains his research. Humor and Your Health? (1:04:38) Gil Greengross. Ph. D., is a Lecturer in Psychology at Aberystwyth University in Wales, of the United Kingdom. He is an evolutionary psychologist, studying the evolutionary roots of everyday behaviors and emotions. His main area of research focuses on the evolution of humor and laughter, what makes people laugh, and how humor is used in mating and mate choice. We have all heard the old saying "laughter is the best medicine." What effect does humor have on our health? Gil Greengross explains how humor can have an effect on your overall health. Caitlin Thomas - Theme Park Hacks (1:28:35) Summer is right around the corner for most schools which mean more and more families are getting ready to travel and vacation. A common place for families to visit is big theme amusement parks. While they can be fun and the kids love the whole thing, as a parent, it can really stressful. Producer Caitlin Thomas with some tips that might help your theme park vacation a little more of an enjoyable one. Jeff Simpson - Screen Cleaning (1:34:48) Jeff Simpson offers family friendly entertainment options and discusses the intersection of pop culture and everyday life.

Stopping Ad Creep, Relationship Damage, Marriage Age May 18, 2017

Show notes

Stopping Ad Creep (16:09) Mark Bartholomew writes and teaches in the areas of intellectual property and law and technology, with an emphasis on copyright, trademarks, advertising regulation, and online privacy at the University at Buffalo School of Law. Does it ever feel like you live in one big commercial? More and more billboards are popping up while your Google searches and social media accounts are getting flooded with advertisements. Mark Bartholomew is with us today to discuss his upcoming book, Adcreep: The Case Against Modern Marketing. Ways you are Damaging Relationships (1:04:37) Jessie Shepherd is a Mental Health Counselor and owner of Blue Clover Therapy in Salt Lake City, Utah. She has a Masters Degree in Mental Health Counseling from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Utah. Her focus is treating trauma, eating disorders and adjustment issues in adults, adolescents, children and their families. Marriage Age (1:52:00) Nicholas H. Wolfinger is Professor of Family and Consumer Studies and Adjunct Professor of Sociology at the University of Utah. Wolfinger is also the author of about 40 articles or chapters, as well as short pieces in The Atlantic, National Review, Huffington Post, and other outlets. He is also the author of many different books, his latest one being “Soul Mates: Religion, Sex, Children, and Marriage among African Americans and Latinos.” According to a new report by the U.S. Census Bureau, most Americans will eventually marry. But while 80 percent of Americans were married by age 30 in 1970, that same share hasn't tied the knot until age 45 today. The report, "The Changing Economics and Demographics of Young Adulthood from 1975 to 2016," finds the milestones to adulthood are changing. Why is this and what milestones are we talking about? Nicholas Wolfinger give us some more information about this new social pattern.

Empathy, Broken but Not Worthless, Religion and Porn Addiction May 17, 2017

Show notes

Does Empathy have Limits? (15:48) C. Daryl Cameron, Ph.D. an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology and a research associate in the Rock Ethics Institute, at Penn State University. Empathy is the ability we have to understand and share feelings with each other. But is empathy outdated and overhyped in today’s world? Is empathy problematic, limited, and bias in an ethical way? Daryl Cameron shares some answers to these hard questions. Broken but Not Worthless (1:06:51) Life is hard. There is no getting around it, but for some reason it makes us feel better when we learn we aren’t the only ones struggling. One prime example of this is our guest Kristina Kuzmic, a free-lance writer and blogger. Kristina has an in-your-face perspective on issues of parenting and life in general. In fact, you may have seen Kristina recently on your Facebook feed, or on any one of a number of internet, radio or TV outlets. She has become a Youtube sensation with her “mom-centric” videos about raising children and juggling all of life’s challenges, with over 300 million views across media outlets and websites worldwide. Kristina shares with us more about her experiences with depression. Caitlin Thomas - Famous Moms (1:32:07) Recently we celebrated Mother’s Day. The day we all get-together and thank our moms for doing everything that they have done for us. I don’t think it’s ever enough to just say it out loud, but it still makes me happy to know that we have a day that is completely dedicated to women and all of the sacrifices that they make. Producer Caitlin Thomas shares the info. Religion and Porn Addiction (1:54:31) Brian Willoughby, Ph.D. is an Associate 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. Dr. Willoughby's specific expertise areas include dating, sexuali

Solar Power, Achieving Goals, Emotional Complexity May 16, 2017

Show notes

State of Residential Solar Power (14:55) Lee Phillips, Ph.D., a theoretical physicist, and writer who lives in McLean, Virginia. Solar energy have has captivated us from we were children. From solar powered toys and glow in the dark stars to solar powered calculators. Although it works on a small scale, how will it look on a bigger scale? Will it be environmentally sustainable and economically sustainable? Lee Phillips explains the current state of solar power. Goal Setting and Achieving Them (1:03:09) Kaitlin Woolley, PhD candidate at the University of Chicago school of Business. She'll be joining the marketing faculty at Cornell University this summer as an assistant professor. The importance of delaying gratification is universally recognized. Being able to forgo immediate benefits in order to achieve larger goals in the future is viewed as a key skill. For example, consider the classic “marshmallow test” experiment: children’s ability to delay eating one marshmallow so that they can get two marshmallows later is linked to a number of positive life outcomes, including academic success and healthy relationships. Kaitlin Woolley discusses what separates goals we achieve from the ones that we don’t. Lauren Simpson - Emotional Intelligence Quiz (1:27:25) Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others. Lauren Simpson, one of our student producers, is with us today to test our knowledge in emotional intelligence with a short quiz. Emotional Complexity (1:50:34) Dr. Igor Grossmann is an Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Social Psychology area at the University of Waterloo. We all know the classic scene with the patient lying on the psychologist’s couch and knowing exactly what the psychologist is going to ask. “How do you feel?” It’s such a simple question, but the answer might be quite complex and hard to label with just one word. You probably realize that the answer of how you feel might differ based on your situation and your upbrin

Firing Comey, The Dirt Cure, Lucky in Love May 15, 2017

Show notes

Firing Comey (14:27) 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 FBI Director James Comey and how some are trying to make comparisons to the Watergate scandal. The Dirt Cure (1:02:41) Dr. Maya Shetreat-Klein, a Pediatric neurologist, and mother of three shows parents how to keep their kids healthy in new groundbreaking research. Based on cutting edge medicine that she has pioneered, THE DIRT CURE empowers parents to transform their children’s health by understanding the profound connection of their bodies and minds to nature and to food from nutrient and microbe-rich soil. Who Gets Lucky in Love (1:54:03) Suzanne Degges-White, professor and chair of the Counseling, Adult and Higher Education department at Northern Illinois University. Sometimes we see other people so happy in life and love and wonder how everyone else ends up so lucky. Why did he luck out with a beautiful wife and family while you are still searching? Why did she luck out with a doting fiancé while you just got dumped? Suzanne Degges-White explains why some people seem so lucky in relationships compared to others and how you can get start finding your own pot of gold.

Corporations and Politics, Life Large, You Are What You Think May 13, 2017

Show notes

Corporations and Politics (14:30) Daniel Korschun, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Marketing at Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business, who studies companies and their political stances and how it affects them. Companies have always participated in the politics of our country, they get their hand in everything. Even so, people also expects companies to stand by the core values they say they say they live by. So what happens when a company decides to not take a political stance on a certain issue? Daniel Korschun explains. Life Large: The Achiever's Guide to What's Next (1:04:41) Elizabeth Crook is the CEO of Orchard Advisors and the author of the critically acclaimed Live Large: An Achiever’s Guide to What’s Next. For over twenty years, she has helped CEOs and entrepreneurs think and act strategically to grow their companies’ bottom line and have more satisfaction. In today’ world, people are constantly searching for improvement in their lives. In order to progress and continue to feel fulfilled in our lives, most of us hope the find new ways to change or seek out new hobbies. Elizabeth Crook author of In Live Large: The Achiever’s Guide to What’s Next, she equips her readers with the valuable tools she's used for years to help high-achieving individuals find fulfillment by determining what's next in their lives. Elizabeth shares more about her book and her strategies. You Are What You Think (1:51:19) Lisa Ferentz is a clinical social worker, psychotherapist, educator, and the founder of The Ferentz Institute. She presents workshops and keynote addresses nationally and internationally and is a clinical consultant to practitioners and mental health agencies. She is the author of “Finding Your Ruby Slippers Transformative Life Lessons from the Therapist's Couch.” Your thoughts have a profound effect on many aspects of your well-being. An individual's behavioral choices, their self-confidence, feelings of self-worth and self-esteem all can be affected because thoughts can have a negative and last 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:14:30 - Corporations and Politics 01:64:41 - Life Large: The Achiever's Guide to What's Next 01:111:19 - You Are What You Think

Big Healthcare, Online Security Apps, Screen Cleaning May 12, 2017

Show notes

An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back (17:06) Elisabeth Rosenthal is a journalist and former practicing physician, she’s now editor in chief of Kaiser Health News. Rosenthal has written a new book, “An American Sickness,” chronicling how and why American health care costs are by far the highest in the world. America spends an average of close to $10,000 per person a year on healthcare, but are we getting our money’s worth? Elisabeth Rosenthal, former physician, and now editor in chief of Kaiser Health News, discusses her book An American Sickness. Online Security Apps (1:01:42) Pamela Wisniewski is an Assistant Professor at the University of Central Florida where she continues her research interests of Human-Computer Interaction, Social Computing, Digital Youth and Privacy. She has published substantial research relating to adolescent online interactions and safety risks. The internet has never been more accessible, more enticing, and today’s teens are more exposure to it than any generation before them. Because of this, many teens are not prepared to encounter the risks of online interactions. These risks can include cyberbullying, sexual exchanges, and viewing inappropriate content. In response to the risk increase, new parental control apps have surfaced to protect and supervise teen activities. A common problem is that the most popular and convenient apps are based solely on restriction rather than teaching a teen how to deal with a dangerous situation. Pamela Wisniewski talks with us about the importance of parent involvement and adolescent self-regulation. Caitlin Thomas - Super Weird Talents (1:28:15) It seems the way to get famous these days is to have either a really amazing talent…. Or a really weird one. Caitlin Thomas is here with us this morning to talk about some of the weird talents she has seen and maybe even share some weird talents in our office. Jeff Simpson - Screen Cleaning (1:34:41) Jeff Simpson offers family friendly entertainment o

American Covenant, Barking Up Wrong Tree, Happy People May 11, 2017

Show notes

American Covenant (15:32) Philip Gorski is Professor of Sociology and Religious Studies at Yale University. He writes on religion and politics in the United States and Western Europe and currently resides in New Haven, CT. As “one Nation under God” our country has always had at least some religion intertwined with our secular values. In Philip Gorski’s book American Covenant, he examines the history of civil religion in America. Barking Up The Wrong Tree (1:03:06) Eric Barker is the creator of the blog Barking Up the Wrong Tree, which presents science-based answers and expert insight on how to be awesome at life. His work has been mentioned in the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic Monthly, TIME magazine, The Week, and Business Insider. He is a former Hollywood screenwriter, having worked on projects for Walt Disney Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, and Revolution Studios. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and holds an MBA from Boston College and a Master of Fine Arts from UCLA. Eric's new book Barking Up the Wrong Tree: The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Success Is (Mostly) Wrong draws on research and statistics so you can stop guessing at success and start living the life you want. What Happy People Talk About (1:49:11) 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. Have you ever seen someone and you can just tell that they’re happy? What is it that makes those happy people so happy? Jeanette Bennett shares some of the insites she learned when she delevered a TedX talk about what happy people talk about.

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