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:

Unnamed Sources, Family-Owned Companies, Parent Previews Feb 10, 2017

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Unnamed Sources (18:33) Dr. Anthony Fargo is an associate professor at Indiana University and founding director of the Center for International Media Law and Policy Studies. Professor Fargo focuses on legal issues raised by newsgathering practices and techniques, specifically issues raised by the relationships between reporters and sources. Leaks and unnamed sources have been in the news lately and seem to continue to become more common. How can we know what to make of these news articles? Dr. Fargo explains. Makena Bauss - Nap Clubs (44:22) Research shows that the many teenagers are not getting enough sleep, which can lead to a variety of health and academic issues. Educators and administrators are now coming up with some creative solutions including Nap clubs, where students meet and rest quietly. Some see it as coddling the next generation but the science says it may be a good idea. Business is Business: Reality Checks for Family-Owned Companies (1:05:39) Kathy Kolbe is the global leader in discovering and accessing the power of human instincts. She has done the brain research to prove the relevance of her Kolbe Theory of Conation to individual and organizational success. Kolbe was the first person to connect conative behavior to instinctive drives, which she postulated as the source of the patterns of mental energy commonly known as a person’s MO. Kathy, along with her daughter Amy Bruske, wrote the book BUSINESS IS BUSINESS: Reality Checks for Family-Owned Companies. Whether it’s a farm, a bakery, or “olive oil importing” getting involved in a family business can be dangerous. How do you navigate the tricky world of business when personal relationships are on the line? Liana Tan - Bad Dates (1:33:25) Dating can be difficult. We've all had those moments where we're sitting across from a date wondering how our social circles got to be so strange... or those moments where we can almost feel the dreams of a stable, semi-normal relationship slipping through our fingers. Today one of our producers, Liana T

Smart Guns, Math Anxiety, Conversations with Kids Feb 09, 2017

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Smart Guns (17:51) Dr. Lacey N. Wallace is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Lacey N. Wallace’s research involves weapon carrying, gun ownership, and gun acquisition behavior. “Smart guns” are the next level in gun security. They are designed to keep anyone, except the owner of the gun, from being able to fire the weapon. But do Americans want to buy Smart Guns? Dr. Lacey Wallace explains her research into if people want smart guns. Coached Corner - Marriage Selfishness (38:24) We have a tendency to be selfish and that complicates a marriage. Dr. Matt Townsend with some ideas on how to avoid selfishness and strive for equality. Movie Trailer - Cars Crashing Into This House (57:30) For the fifth time, a Maryland house has been the victim of an out-of-control car. "When he crashed into the wall, I said, 'Another car hit my house,'" says homeowner Leonard Miller, 88. Miller has lived in the Prince George's County home since 1971, and he says early Wednesday morning is at least the fifth time a car has come over a hill approaching his house and lost control as it turned a corner, causing it to jump the curb and ram into a wall. The crashes typically happen when it's dark out, and Miller says drivers "fly" down the street near his house, where the posted speed limit is 30mph. Math Anxiety (1:00:38) Dr. Gijsbert Stoet is a Professor of Psychology at Leeds Beckett University. Dr. Stoet’s current research is particularly interested in gender differences in thought and behavior, the psychology of learning, as well as in meta-cognitive processes, such attention, and executive control. Is helping your kid with their math homework or adding up your family budget a nightmare you put off for your spouse? You might have math anxiety. Whatever your reason for disliking mathematics you’re not alone. Dr. Gijsbert Stoet explains his research as to why we have a shortage of scientists and how we can fix it. Caitlin Thomas - Oscar Facts (1:10:24) The Oscars are one of the most

Campaign Spear Phishing, Why Time Flies, Ruin Relationships Feb 08, 2017

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'Spear Phishing': How to Protect Yourself (19:05) Arun Vishwanath is an associate professor of communications at the State University of New York at Buffalo. He is a globally known cyber security expert on the people problems of cyber security. Each time we go on the computer or open an app, we open ourselves to spear phishing. Today, technology not only fights for our attention but connects all aspects of our life. This applies to everyone, from your children’s teachers to our highest public officials. Are we opening ourselves up to attacks each time we access the internet? Arun Vishwanath explains "spearphishing" and how to protect ourselves. Makena Bauss - She Sheds (43:08) You have heard of Man Caves, a place in the home where the man can retreat from the family for some "me" time. A new trend is "She Sheds" which is a place for the woman to find some solace. Producer Makena Bauss explains She Sheds and why they may be needed. Why Time Seems to Fly or Trickle By (1:04:05) Dr. Michael G. Flaherty is a Professor of sociology at Eckard University. His teaching and research interests include self and society, deviance, qualitative methods, time and temporal experience, social interaction, and the social construction of reality. Chinese Philosopher Lao Tzu said “If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present.” Dr. Michael Flaherty wrote an article entitled “Why time seems to fly – or trickle – by.” Liana Tan - Attractiveness (1:30:30) It’s always a little scary to dive into the minds of the opposite gender. But have you ever wondered what the opposite gender thinks about you? Today, one of our producers, Liana Tan, is going to help answer one of the most difficult questions of life. What is the most attractive and unattractive thing in a guy or girl? Ways to Ruin A Perfectly Good Relationship (1:50:51) Dr. Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Ph.D. received her Ph.D. in developmental psychology from Columbia Un

The Party System, Dealing with Fake News, How to Apologize Feb 07, 2017

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Attempts to Kill the Party System Fail (15:21) Dr. Seth Masket is the chair of the Department of Political Science at the University of Denver. He researches political parties, campaigns & elections, and state & local politics. With so much discord between the Republican and Democratic parties, and now with the Executive Branch of our federal government, many people are wondering if political parties are a thing of the past. Is it possible for one our current major political parties to branch off on their own? Is it possible to kill the two party system? Dr. Masket shares his book The Inevitable Party. Gold Lego Brick (1:00:55) The most expensive Lego brick in the world went up for auction - and sold for $15,000. One of only a handful of 14 karat solid gold 2x4 bricks ever made sparked a bidding frenzy when it was put up for sale on auction. The last time one of the bricks was sold, in 2012, it went for $11,000. Between 1979 and 1981, the extra special bricks were originally given to Lego employees that had 25 years of employment at their main factory in Germany. What makes this commemorative brick even more special is that it can be used with all other Lego sets. A lucky American won the auction, and is now the proud owner of the golden brick, which weighs 25.65g and is exactly the same size and shape as an original Lego brick. The Challenge Facing Libraries in an Era of Fake News (1:04:13) Donald Barclay is the Deputy University Librarian at the University of California Merced campus. He is the Planning Lead for the UC Council of University Librarians. We live in an age where information is available in near limitless amounts. For many people, the question isn’t ‘if’ they should consume information, but what information should they consume. So how do we avoid an ‘echo chamber’ and find objective truth when different sources offer “alternative facts?" Donald Barclay explains how libraries are trying to help. Caitlin Thomas - Greatest Comebacks (1:30:00) Sunday we had the Super Bowl, which is one of th

Trump Troubles, Be Kind to Yourself, First Impressions Feb 06, 2017

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Trump Immigration (17:23) 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. Townsend discuss how our President has interacted with Australia, Mexico, Iran, Israel and his ongoing issues with the Immigration executive order. Townsend Movie - Kool-Aid Assault (59:15) A 73-year-old woman who apparently threw a bucket of cherry Kool-Aid on a man 13 years her senior narrowly avoided a trip to jail, according to a report. The 86-year-old man identified as the victim told Sheriff’s deputies Jan. 12 that he and an 80-year-old friend were walking their dogs. The victim said the 73-year-old woman started yelling at him for smiling at her. He said the 73-year-old woman got a bucket “and threw red water on him.” The victim said he didn’t want to press charges and wanted her to stay away. She told a deputy that the victim and his friend “smiled at her and she knows that they did it in a malicious manner.” Being Kind to Yourself (1:02:14) Dr. Kristin Neff is an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin's department of educational psychology. Dr.Neff is widely recognized as one of the world’s leading experts on self-compassion, being the first one to operationally define and measure the construct over a decade ago. It’s over a month into 2017. Whatever your New Year’s Resolution is, you’ve probably made a mistake and fallen short of your goal in some form or another. Failure is a universal part of humanity but how do we react to our failures? Dr. Kristin Neff says that hopefully, we’ll treat ourselves kindly. Makena Bauss - Run. Eat. Run (1:29:22) Exercise and nutrition are very important to overall health. But what if while you run you eat doughnuts or pizza. Produ

War Goes Viral, Chore Wars, Parent Previews Feb 03, 2017

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War Goes Viral (15:18) Emerson T. Brooking is a research fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, studying the intersection of social media and conflict. His research interests include information warfare; social media and virality; the history of propaganda; and the relationship between the internet and politics. The power of social media is amazing! Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Tumbler all get information out fast and on a global scale. The internet has made the world a smaller place, affecting everything, including war. Emerson T. Brooking explains how war has gone viral. Makena Bauss - Peanut or Not to Peanut (40:50) Recently health experts have giving parents new guidelines on when to expose children to peanuts to help avoid allergies. The experts are saying to begin feeding foods containing peanut powder or extract during infancy in hopes of reducing a child’s risk for allergy. Producer Makena Bauss and Dr. Townsend discuss taking a measured approach with the guidance of a doctor. Are Chore Wars at Home Holding You Back at Work? (1:03:05) Rebecca Shambaugh is an internationally recognized leadership expert, author, and keynote speaker. Rebecca is President of SHAMBAUGH, a global leadership development organization and Founder of Women In Leadership and Learning (WILL), one of the first executive leadership development programs in the country, dedicated to the research, advancement, and retention of women leaders and executives. The average American spends over 2 hours doing chores every day. But how you divide those chores can have a profound impact on your relationships and your career. Here to explain is Rebecca Shambaugh, author of the Harvard Business Review article, “Are Chore Wars at Home Holding You Back at Work?" Liana Tan - Friend Zone (1:31:25) The Friend Zone is defined as "a situation in which a friendship exists between two people, one of whom has an unreciprocated romantic interest in the other." It can be a tough place to be for a guy who wants more out of a relationship that j

False Web Search, Pre-Marriage Talk, Islamophobia Feb 02, 2017

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False Google Search (17:00) Dr. Thomas Maher is a Postdoctoral Researcher in Sociology at the University of Arizona. His research primarily contributes to our understanding of repression and threat processes, but he is broadly interested in systems of control and how they fail. Fake news has made the news in the recent months, and Google, along with many other websites, is taking heat for it. Dr. Maher explains the problem with internet search. Conversations to have before Marriage (1:02:56) Kristing Davin is a psychologist and relationship expert. In her work, Kristin believes in using Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), an active, collaborative, and skills-based modality and Solution Focused Therapy (SFT), an approach that will help individuals focus on your preferred future by setting small, achievable goals. She helps couples learn how to communicate more effectively and reconnect with each other. In today’s world one of the main reasons people are seeking out therapy is because of problems within their marriage. Marriage can be hard and complicated, and with today’s statistics showing that 40% of couples who get married, end up divorced, it’s hard to have hope. Kristin Davis gives us some advice on things we can do and conversations we can have before marriage help ease some of the complications that come with a legally binding relationship. Caitlin Thomas - New Things to Expect in 2017 (1:29:33) So, we have already finished one month in 2017, and so far we haven’t seen a whole lot of good yet this year. The news is pretty negative and full of politics and people are already tired of this year. But, Caitlin Thomas brings some positivity and hope back into 2017 for us. Islamophobia (1:50:00) Dr. Gregg Henriques is a licensed clinical psychologist with expertise in depression, suicide, and the personality disorders. He has developed a new meta-theoretical system for psychology and is now applying that system to researching well-being, personality, and social motivation. He also teaches courses in perso

White Working Class, Prevent Anxiety, Caring Confidants Feb 01, 2017

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White Working Class (18:57) Dr. Justin Gest is an Assistant Professor of Public Policy at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government. His teaching and research interests include comparative politics, minority political behavior, and immigration policy. The White Working class surprised the country as they showed up in mass to secure President Donald Trump his seat in the White House. What is the reason behind this political uprising amongst a historically civically inactive demographic? Dr. Gest, and the author of The New Minority: White Working Class Politics in an Age of Immigration and Inequality shares his book and his research. Dr. Matt Townsend Valentine's Day Suggestion (1:01:04) Valentine's Day can be a day of great anxiety for some. Making the day memorable can be difficult. Dr. Matt Townsend shares an idea for the perfect Valentine's Day date that will guarantee success on the big day. Don't Let Your Anxiety Run Your Life (1:04:56) Dr. David Klemanski is Director of the Yale Center for Anxiety and Mood Disorders and lecturer of Psychology and Psychiatry. His research interests include mood and anxiety disorders (e.g., social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, PTSD) in adolescents. His recent research focuses on individual differences in emotion regulation strategies. Having nerves before asking your boss for a raise or experiencing butterflies before giving a speech is normal behavior. But excessive anxiety can change the way people live their lives. Dr. Klemanski's book, Don’t Let your Anxiety Run your life, explains how to take back control of your life. Makena Bauss - Robots and the Elderly (1:31:44) Should we use robots or automated devices to help care for elderly people? Is it neglectful to rely on a robot instead of a human to care for an aging family member? Producer Makena Bauss with the story. Careful Confiders and Caring Confidants (1:51:49) Dr. Brian Willoughby is an assistant professor in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University. Dr. Willoughb

Civic Education, Success Inhibitors, Best Health Jan 31, 2017

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K-12 Civic Education (16:53) Dr. Peter Levine is the Associate Dean for Research and Lincoln Filene Professor of Citizenship & Public Affairs in Tufts University’s Jonathan Tisch College of Civic Life. His most recent book is We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For: The Promise of Civic Renewal in America, which he presented at BYU in Sept 2014. Today, a hearing committee will vote whether or not to confirm Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education. Regardless of the next Secretary’s qualifications, her first step should be to address the lack of civic education K through 12 students receive in the United States. Civic education includes teaching bout rigorous debate, how to compromise, how to look over our political differences and enable citizens to find solutions to problems in our community and nation. Here to speak with us today is Peter Levin, an Associate Dean for Research and Lincoln Filene Professor of Citizenship & Public Affairs at Tufts University. Ditty Dental - Yapper Zapper (1:09:33) Long time show sponsor Ditty Dental debuts a new product to keep your kid from over doing any make-out sessions with their significant other ... The Yapper Zapper. Success Inhibitors (1:15:00) Nicolas Cole is a writer and essayist, and Top Writer on Quora. His work has been published in Time, Forbes, Fortune, Inc., The Huffington Post, Business Insider, and more. He is best known for writing true stories about self-development. He was named by Forbes as one of the Top 25 Marketing Influencers to watch in 2017. When it comes to "achieving success," the hardest thing for people to wrap their heads around tends to be the idea that small wins add up to big victories. It's a whole lot easier to imagine the end goal, the big celebration, than to think about each tiny step along the way it will take to get there. But there are negative things we all do that can keep up from achieving success. Nicolas Cole points out a few negative habits that we can all give up. Caitlin Thomas - Online Shopping (1:38:46) Have you ever tr

Trump's First Week, Spiritual Crisis of the Modern Economy Jan 30, 2017

Show notes

Trump Week 1 (18:42) 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. Townsend discuss the first week of the Trump Administration. The Spiritual Crisis of the Modern Economy (1:08:19) Dr. Victor Chan is an assistant professor of sociology at Virginia Commonwealth University. He received his degrees from Harvard University and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the founding editor of In The Fray, an online magazine devoted to personal stories on global issues. President Donald Trump won the election based on his campaign to bring jobs back to America and to “Make America Great Again.” This resonated especially with many Americans who were unemployed or underemployed. Dr. Chan wrote about these group of Americans in his book Cut Loose: Jobless and Hopeless in an Unfair Economy and will discuss his book and his article The Spiritual Crisis of Modern America. Are You Unteachable? (1:54:37) 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. Kim Giles shares her article on how to tell if you are unteachable.

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