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:

Anti-Semitism Rise, Five Thieves of Happiness, Fake Life Stories Feb 27, 2017

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Rise of Anti-Semitism (22:08) Joe Cannon is our Washington Insider. Joe served as an assistant administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from 1983-1985. He was a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1992 and served as the Chairman of the Utah Republican Party from 2002 to 2006. He was named editor of the Deseret Morning News on December 8, 2006. Joe currently is the CEO of Fuel Freedom Foundation. Joe and Dr. Matt discuss many topics including the rise of anti-Semitism in the United States. Thieves of Happiness (1:06:56) Dr. John Izzo is a corporate advisor, speaker and bestselling author of seven books including the international bestsellers Awakening Corporate Soul, Values Shift, The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die, and Stepping Up. His latest book is The Five Thieves of Happiness. Happiness is our natural state, for each of us and for humanity as a whole, argues author John Izzo. But that happiness is being stolen by insidious mental patterns that he depicts as thieves: the thief of control, the thief of conceit, the thief of coveting, the thief of consumption, and the thief of comfort. He discovered these thieves as he sought the true source of happiness during a year-long sabbatical, walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain and living in the Andes of Peru. Dr. John Izzo discusses more about his incredible experiences. Makena Bauss - Bees Playing Soccer (1:32:33) Scientist in the U.K taught Bees to play soccer, because why not. This achievement has shown that Bees are capable of mastering novel, complex tasks. Knowing some of the things bees are capable of might also inspire humans to do a bit more to aid their survival. Producer Makena Bauss explains. Don’t Believe Everything You Think (1:56:11) Kim Giles, President, and founder of Clarity Point Life Coaching, was named one of the top 20 advice gurus in the country by Good Morning America in 2010. She writes a regular column on KSL.com every Monday in the Happy Living Section and authored the book Choosing Clarity: A Path to

Irreligious America, Dying of Broken Heart, Film Rating Confusion Feb 24, 2017

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America’s Irreligious (15:53) Dr. Richard Flory is senior director of research and evaluation at the University of Southern California Center for Religion and Civic Culture. He is a sociologist whose research focuses on religious and cultural change, religion and urban life, and the religious and spiritual lives of youth and young adults. Religion in America is diverse; however, many Americans have started a trend away from religion. While the largest category is still Protestant, the category of “none of the above” has begun to increase. This new group of non-religious “nones” could change our society. Dr. Richard Flory explains his research into the no-religious "nones". Makena Bauss - 19-year-old Mayor (45:00) Brandon Paulin is the mayor of Indian Head, Maryland. He was elected May of 2015 when he was 19-years-old. The now 21-year-old mayor, who still lives at home, is making a difference. Producer Makena Bauss shares his story. Dying of a Broken Heart (1:06:06) Dr. Kathie Supiano is an Associate Professor in the College of Nursing, and the director of Caring Connections: A Hope and Comfort in Grief Program at the University of Utah College of Nursing. Dr. Supiano’s research is in clinical interventions in complicated grief, suicide survivorship, and prison hospice. She has been a practicing clinical social worker and psychotherapist for over 30 years. Is grief powerful enough to kill? The world is still mourning and remembering the death of actress Debbie Reynolds who herself was in mourning following the death of her daughter Carrie Fisher just one day earlier. Could that grief have played a part in the stroke that killed her? Dr. Kathie Supiano discusses more about grief and the affects it has on a person’s health. Liana Tan - Short vs. Tall (1:34:50) If you’re short, you probably have never experienced what it’s like to be tall. And if you’re tall, it’s probably been a while since you’ve been short. Do you ever wonder what it’s like to live on the flip side? Today, we’ll get a taste from both pers

Traffic Enforcement, African-American GIs, Work Mental Health Feb 23, 2017

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Is Modern Traffic Enforcement All About Dollars Instead of Safety? (19:02) James C. Walker is a Life Member of the National Motorists Association. He currently serves a Board Member and the Executive Director of the National Motorists Association Foundation. Traffic tickets are a billion dollar industry and have some wondering if traffic enforcement is actually more about revenue, rather than safety. James Walker endorses smart traffic enforcement and traffic laws that reduce accidents. However, he explains how municipalities may be abusing traffic enforcement to generate revenue. African American GI's of WWII (1:04:15) Maria Höhn teaches German history at Vassar College and is an established scholar of the American military presence in Germany. Her book, GI’s and Fräuleins (Froy-lines), published in 2002 by the University of North Carolina Press was the first book to address the experiences of African American soldiers in Germany. Until the last decade, the contributions of African-American soldiers in World War II barely registered in America’s collective memory of that war. This despite the fact that among the 16 million U.S. soldiers who fought in World War II, there were about one million African-American soldiers. They fought in the Pacific, and they were part of the victorious army that liberated Europe from Nazi rule. Maria Höhn talks about the impact that African American soldiers had during WWII. Caitlin Thomas - President Facts (1:30:25) This last weekend we celebrated President’s Day by taking a day off of work and school. Being the President of the United States is a job very few people want because it’s hard and full of responsibility. Caitlin Thomas is here with us today to talk about what it takes to become President and even share some interesting facts about those who have held the title in office in the past. Workplace Mental Health (1:51:40) Dr. Amy Morin is a licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist, college psychology instructor, and internationally recognized expert on ment

ISIS Scenarios, Power of Meaning, Inspired Successful Children Feb 22, 2017

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Is the Islamic State Finished? (19:00) James L. Gelvin is a professor of History at UCLA and specializes in Middle Eastern History, with an emphasis on nationalism and the social and cultural history of the Modern Middle East. Extremist groups have always had a big part of history. Although the infamy of their actions has lived on, the groups they were a part of have not. Is this the same case for the Islamic State? James Gelvin gives us an educated look at the possible future of ISIS. Makena Bauss - When a Language Dies (42:22) Ninety percent of the world's languages will die out by the end of this century. This might not seem like a big deal, but there are some consequences to losing a language. Producer Makena Bauss explains. The Power of Meaning (1:04:21) Emily Esfahani Smith is the author of The Power of Meaning: Crafting a Life That Matters (Crown). She writes about psychology, culture, and relationships. Her writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Time, The Atlantic, and other publications. Why are we here? How do we find purpose in life? These questions have been asked for centuries & have brought together libraries of work from professionals of every background. Emily Esfahani Smith shares what she has discovered. Liana Tan - Fashion Tips (1:32:12) In this show, we like to give you the tips to live healthier, happier, and better lives. Sometimes that entails not only feeling your best but looking your best. To help us out, we got our producer, Liana Tan, to give us some of her fashion tips and faux pas. Strategies for Raising Calm, Inspired and Successful Children (1:56:12) Dr. Elaine Fogel Schneider is a Coach, Speaker, Trainer and Licensed Speech and Language Pathologist. She is the Executive Director at TouchTime International. She is the Executive Director at TouchTime International and Amazon’s #1Best-Selling Author of “7 Strategies for Raising Calm, Inspired, & Successful Children.” We live in a very fast-paced world that can be difficult for anyone to keep up

Violent Extremism Psychology, HPV Vaccine, Parenting Life Hacks Feb 21, 2017

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Why Extremists use Violence (17:17) Dr. Arie W. Kruglanski is a Distinguished University Professor at the University of Maryland and is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and the American Psychological Society. One reason for the President Trump’s travel ban was to give time for government agencies to update background-checking procedures. This would hopefully prevent potential terrorist from entering the U.S. Although terrorism is an important discussion, we should give some attention to why extremist use violence to accomplish their goals. Arie Kruglanski explains. Why Kids Are Not Getting Cancer Vaccines (1:05:10) Dr. Electra D. Paskett became the Marion N. Rowley Professor of Cancer Research at The Ohio State University in 2002. She is the Director of the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control in the College of Medicine, a professor in the Division of Epidemiology in the College of Public Health and the Associate Director for Population Sciences and Program Leader of the Cancer Control Program in the Comprehensive Cancer Center of the Ohio State University. Early in our careers, few of us imagined a vaccine could one day prevent cancer. Now there is a vaccine that keeps the risk of developing six Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-related cancers at bay, but adoption of it has been slow and surprising low. Why? Dr. Electra Paskett explains the stereotypes built around this vaccine, and to give us some real time facts on how it can protect our children. Parenting Life Hack (1:54:20) Julie Nelson (the "Child Whisperer") has a master's degree in Marriage, Family, and Human Development. She teaches classes such as Applied Parenting and Marriage and Relationship Skills at Utah Valley University. Julie has written two books about parenting including Keep it Real and Grab a Plunger. Julie shares some parenting life hacks.

How Nations Survive, Child Discipline, Parent Previews Feb 17, 2017

Show notes

The Fix: How Nations Survive and Thrive in a World in Decline (18:10) Jonathan Tepperman has written for a long list of publications, including Foreign Affairs, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and others, on subjects ranging from international affairs to books to municipal politics to food. He is the several books including The Fix: How Nations Survive and Thrive in a World in Decline. Sometimes it seems like we are in a world of problems without any solutions - problems like immigration reform, political gridlock, and Islamist extremism. Jonathan Tepperman addresses some of these impossible problems with his own solutions. Jonathan makes a data-driven case for optimism and is here to talk to us about it. Parenting the Defiant Child (1:05:33) Dr. Alan Kazdin is the Sterling Professor of Psychology and Child Psychiatry at Yale University and director of the Yale Parenting Center and Child Conduct Clinic. Dr. Kazdin's research has focused primarily on the treatment of aggressive and antisocial behavior in children. Whether it’s a tantrum at the store, or an argument over a night out with friends. All parents have experienced defiance from their children. But when it turns into a re-occurring problem many parents begin to panic. Our next guest is the director of the Yale parenting center and child conduct clinic. Dr. Alan Kazdin is the founder of the Kazdin method, used for parenting defiant children. He’s here to discuss his work with us. Liana Tan - Presidents Day (1:30:49) We hope you all have a great president’s day weekend these next few days. Sometimes we forget what these little holidays really mean, though. To get you started on the weekend and get you in the festive president’s day spirit, one of our producers, Liana Tan, is going to teach us 5 fun facts about some U.S. presidents. Parent Previews - The Great Wall, Arrival (1:53:33) Rod Gustafson from Parent Previews joins the show to review the new movie The Great Wall(http://parentpreviews.com/mov

Netflix Cheater, Social Media Grace, Gendered Brains Feb 16, 2017

Show notes

Are you a Netflix Cheater? (33:58) A Netflix study says a new kind of cheating is on the rise: More of us are sneaking away from our partners to watch that thing we promised we'd wait to watch with them. The phenomenon has tripled since 2013, Netflix says. According to the company's data, 48% of streaming couples in the U.S. include at least one partner who has "cheated" on the other. Producer Terry South shares how this has impacted his marriage and Dr. Townsend offers counsel on how to overcome the challenge of Netflix Cheating. Can't Resist the Puffs (55:19) Someone bid nearly $100,000 on eBay for a Cheeto that bears a resemblance to gorilla Harambe, shot by handlers at the Cincinnati Zoo after dragging a small boy who had gotten into his enclosure. The seller says he found the cheese snack in a bag of Flamin' Hot Cheetos, reports the AP. Bidding began at $11.99 on Jan. 28 and ended early Tuesday morning with a winning bid of $99,900. The listing showed a picture of the Cheeto side-by-side with a gorilla climbing a tree. This story ties in perfectly with our new sponsor. For over 27 years Cheesed Puffs has been providing customers with a taste of heaven in the form of little puffs of cheese that crunch when you bit into them and sing when you swallow them. And Cheesed Puffs’ newest product contains Non-GMO milk from hand-massaged cows. These puffs retail for a reasonable $1,000 per bag. Does Social Media End the Spell of Social Graces? (1:01:06) Leslie Shore is a communication expert, professor, and author. As the owner of the consultancy Listen to Succeed, Leslie has worked with corporations, nonprofits, entrepreneurs, health professionals, and educational institutions to up-level their intra-personal and inter-personal communication skills. She is the author of Listen to Succeed: How to identify and overcome barriers to effective listening. We are in the midst of the biggest shift in communication since the telephone was invented. The evidence is everywhere: social media, text messaging, Snapchat, Inst

AIDS Research, Got Your Six, I'Mpossible Feb 15, 2017

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Why is AIDS still Rampant? (17:45) Dr. Maureen Miller is a professor at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University and an entrepreneurial public health consultant. She is an infectious disease epidemiologist with training in medical anthropology. Despite education and social inanities by governments and humanitarian agencies, the number of people that are newly infected with HIV/AIDS has remained relatively stable for decades. How are we fixing this problem? Maureen Miller explains the challenges that face AIDS research. Makena Bauss - Personality Changes When You Move (45:20) New research shows that if you move from state to state it may change your personality. Producer Makena Bauss explains the effects moving can have on you. Got Your Six (1:09:12) Bill Rausch is the Executive Director at Got Your 6. He is a former Army Major with over ten years of service including 17 months in Iraq serving under Generals Casey and Petraeus while assigned to the Information Operations Task Force. Prior to joining GY6, Bill was Political Director at Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America where he oversaw policy and advocacy campaigns. Bill Rausch talks with Dr. Townsend about how Got Your 6 is making huge strides in helping change public opinion of veterans. Liana Tan - Unexpected (1:32:11) Life moves pretty fast. Things happen that are out of our control. There is really no way to be prepared for everything. Producer Liana Tan has recently dealt with an unexpected challenge and survived and today shares some tips on how to better expect the unexpected. I'Mpossible (1:56:30) Jeff Griffin, M. Ed. Author and Speaker, has helped many clients to overcome their fears and doubts that keep them virtually paralyzed and hinder them from making their dreams possible. Jeff is a wheelchair athlete on the Utah Wheelin' Jazz. He played in the 2004 Athens Olympics, holds a Guinness Book of World Records, and is a four-time NWBA All-Star MVP. He enjoys mentoring youth, distributing wheelchairs, and providing Pee

American Dream, Invisible Influence, Sitting to Death Feb 14, 2017

Show notes

Chasing the American Dream (16:30) Dr. Mark Rank is a professor of Professor of Social Welfare at Washington University in St. Louis and a co-author of Chasing the American Dream: Understanding what Shapes our Fortunes. Rank is widely recognized as one of the foremost experts and speakers in the country on issues of poverty, inequality, and social justice. America has long been famed as a land of opportunity, a place where anyone can come and work themselves from rags to riches. Is that still the case? Dr. Mark Rank is the co-author of Chasing the American Dream: Understanding what Shapes our Fortunes. Invisible Influence (1:12:47) Dr. Jonah Berger is a marketing professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and author of the recent New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller Contagious: Why Things Catch On. His latest book is Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces that Shape Behavior Dr. Berger has spent over 15 years studying how social influence works and how it drives products and ideas to catch on. The notion that our choices are driven by our own personal thoughts and opinions is patently obvious. Right? Jonah Berger, Author of Invisible Influence, explains the profound impact that others have on us Caitlin Thomas - Worst Valentines Day Gifts (1:32:47) Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! Today is the day everybody around the world celebrates the ones they love. There are so many unwritten rules about what we are supposed to buy and the store aisles are filled with candy and cards. So what do we do? Caitlin Thomas helps us out and talk more about the gifts we should probably NOT buy for our significant others this year. Sitting is Killing You (2:01:11) Dr. Ron Hager 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. We call him … The Health Evangelist. Ron Hager shares his thoughts on the idea that sitting for too long can be detrimental to your health.

Michael Flynn, Kindness Diaries, Fixing Your Marriage Feb 13, 2017

Show notes

Michael Flynn Problems (18:03) Joe Cannon is our Washington Insider. Joe served as an assistant administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from 1983-1985. He was a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1992 and served as the Chairman of the Utah Republican Party from 2002 to 2006. He was named editor of the Deseret Morning News on December 8, 2006. Joe currently is the CEO of Fuel Freedom Foundation. Joe and Jeff Simpson discuss the ongoing issues with National Security Advisor Michael Flynn Makena Bauss - Animals or Humans (44:41) A national park in India is protecting endangered Rhinos by shooting humans who get too close. Is this right? How far should we go to protect animals? Producer Makena Bauss and Jeff Simpson discuss. Liana Tan - Marriage (1:06:18) We’ve talked a lot about relationships lately. Relationships can be really scary, but they can also end up in healthy, meaningful marriages. One of our producers, Liana Tan, is going to find answers to the fundamental questions we have about marriage. The Kindness Diaries (1:12:02) Leon Logothetis is a TV host, producer, author, traveler and all around good guy. Leon has visited more than 90 countries and traveled to every continent. He is the host of the TV series Amazing Adventures Of A Nobody, which is broadcast across the world by National Geographic International. He is also the author of a book about his travels across America entitled Amazing Adventures of a Nobody; he also is the author of Live, Love & Explore, The Kindness Diaries, and the Mojo Diaries. Leon Logothetis talks about his new show "The Kindness Diaries" now on Netflix and it can be seen on BYU TV starting Feb. 14th at 9pm eastern. Secret to Fixing Your Marriage (1:52:10) Kim Giles, President, and founder of Clarity Point Life Coaching, was named one of the top 20 advice gurus in the country by Good Morning America in 2010. She writes a regular column on KSL.com every Monday in the Happy Living Section and authored the book Choosing Clarity: A Path to Fearlessness. Ki

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