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:

No-Go Zones, Millennial Workplace Mindset, Hypertension Apr 12, 2016

Show notes

No-Go Zones (15:12) Amos Guiora is a Professor of Law at the S.J. Quinney College of Law, the University of Utah. Guiora teaches Criminal Procedure, International Law, Global Perspectives on Counterterrorism and Religion and Terrorism incorporates innovative scenario-based instruction to address national and international security issues and dilemmas. Amos Guiora explains the idea of "No Go Zones" which are neighborhoods in Europe that some believe led to recent terrorist attacks in Belgium and Paris. Millennial Mindsets in the Workplace (1:03:10) J.T. O'Donnell is founder and CEO of CareerHMO, a career improvement platform that uses smart technology to help people solve their career problems better and faster than they can on their own. The company is also the creator of the Career Decoder, which unlocks career potential and has helped one million people and counting on their path to greater career satisfaction. J.T. O'Donnell shares her insight into millennials and how they function in the workplace. Five Keys to Giving Advice (1:21:32) Giving advice can be difficult. You want to help but you can't control how the information will be used. Dr. Matt Townsend shares 5 tips on how to give advice. Hypertension and Aging (1:49:43) Dr. Ron Hager is an Associate Professor of Exercise Sciences in the College of Life Sciences at Brigham Young University. Hypertension is also called high blood pressure and refers to an abnormal amount of pressure in the arteries. There are times when blood pressure can be higher than normal for short periods of time, such as when a person is stressed, is exercising, or even during pregnancy. About 1 in 3 adults or nearly 70,000,000 have hypertension. Another 30% are prehypertensive and destined for hypertension unless they make a lifestyle change. Dr. Hager explains hypertension and how to avoid or manage the effects. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:15:12 - No-Go Zones 01:63:10 - Millennial Mindsets in the Workplace 01:81:32 - FiveKeys to Giving Advice 01:109:43 - Hypertension and Aging (1:49:43)

Gestapo Tactics, Superhero Self-Control, Get Un-Upset Apr 11, 2016

Show notes

Gestapo Tactics (15:13) Joe Cannon is our Washington Insider. Joe served as an assistant administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from 1983-1985. Was a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1992. He 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 discusses current political news, New York politics, and Gestapo Tactics in politics. Coaches Corner: Failure (1:01:38) Sometimes in life everything goes wrong and you fail. Failure is not a bad thing as it provides character building moments on how to recover and avoid the mistakes in the future. How someone deals with failure is important and Dr. Townsend shares some ideas on how to use the moment to grow. How to be a Superhero Called Self-Control (1:13:05) Lauren Buckner is a pediatric occupational therapist, and mother of 3 young children. She currently works in a school-based practice, but also has experience with spinal cord injury, burns, psychological disabilities, and neurological impairments. She is the author of author of “A Superhero Called Self-Control” which helps children deal with feelings of anxiety, frustration and anger. How to Get Un-Upset (1:47:08) 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. Author of the Book Choosing Clarity: A Path to Fearlessness. Today Kim shares some tips on how to manage anger and get un-upset. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:15:13 - Gestapo Tactics 01:61:38 - Coaches Corner: Failure 01:73:05 - How to be a Superhero Called Self-Control 01:107:08 - How to Get Un-Upset

Fracking, Joan of Arc, Meet the Producers Apr 08, 2016

Show notes

What is Fracking (17:05) Dr. Thomas Morris is a Professor of geology at Brigham Young University. He was also a Senior Petroleum Geologist with Exxon's Eastern Production Division in New Orleans from 1986 to 1990. Fracking is the process of drilling that the U.S. has commercially used for almost 65 years. Fracking has been responsible for much of the surge in U.S. oil and natural gas production. In fact, here in Utah, 45,000 acres of public land was approved for fracking in 2015. However, fracking has become a hot topic in the last few months with great opposition from many environmental groups, and many of the European countries banning it entirely. So what exactly is fracking? What are the benefits and downsides to drilling? And what does the future for oil and gas look like? Dr. Morris explains. Joan of Arc (1:04:12) Russ Holt is the writer, director and co-producer of BYUtv’s Original Special, Joan of Arc. The story of Joan of Arc has captured the imaginations of history. Shakespeare featured her in Henry VI part one. Movies have brought her story to the silver screen since 1928. Most recently, BYUtv created a documentary with this French icon as its subject. Russ Holt shares his experience writing, directing, and producing Joan of Arc. Parent Previews: Swear to Quit (1:48:46) Rod Gustafson from Parent Previews joins the show to review Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Concussion on DVD. Rod also shares his recent post about the problem of swearing and how to quit. Meet the Producers: Goodbye Traditions (1:56:31) Student producers Joe Carson and Ben Wadsen teach Dr. Townsend some farewell traditions from around the world. It is Joe Carson's last appearance on the show as he will soon leave for Taiwan 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:17:05 - What is Fracking 01:64:12 - Joan of Arc 01:108:46 - Parent Previews: Swear to Quit 01:116:31 - Meet the Producers: Goodbye Traditions

American Dream, 32-Hour Work Week, Gossip as a Social Skill Apr 07, 2016

Show notes

The American Dream (16:45) Mechele Dickerson, Professor of Law at the University of Texas at Austin, whose recent article, Is The American Dream Dead?, explores the downward spiral of the three basic tenants of the American Dream, owning a home, having stable employment, and retiring debt-free and financially secure. How has the recent economic turmoil and the trends in housing and employment affected our ability to achieve the thing that once made our nation great? And will we ever get back on top? Mechele Dickerson shares her thoughts on why and where the economy is influencing The American Dream. A 32-Hour Workweek (1:05:57) Nikki Carter is a New Orleans–based writer and editor. She runs a personal blog and has written for a number of websites, including the award-winning GoNOLA.com. She has an MBA and undergraduate degree in Marketing and will begin an accelerated BSN program this fall. Nikki has extensive experience in healthcare, specifically within the areas of education and training and quality. Nikki Carter asked her Boss for a 32 hour work week and got it. She explains how she did it and how it benefited her. Happier at Work (1:22:06) 70% of the US workforce is reported to be disengaged in their daily work. What is driving you day to day to go to work and earn a living? Dr Townsend shares some tips on how to find out. History of Dueling (1:29:46) This 2016 campaign is getting pretty heated. With all the name calling and sabotaging going on in the elections, you might be wondering if politics were always this brutal. Well, today’s politicians didn’t just make this stuff up- ruthless tactics have been handed down in politics since our forefathers. Before, we had one of our producers, Liana Tan, explain to us a little bit how the political process works, but today we are going to have her take us back in history to explain a time when the debates were possibly even more brutal than today. Gossip is a Social Skill (1:52:56) Dr. Frank McAndrew, evolutionary social psychologist from Knox College, 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:16:45 - TheAmerican Dream 01:65:57 - A32-Hour Workweek 01:82:06 - Happier at Work 01:89:46 - History of Dueling (1:29:46) 01:112:56 - Gossip is a Social Skill

Primary Turnout, Organizing Your Life. Leadership at Home Apr 06, 2016

Show notes

Presidential Primary Turnout (16:45) Dr. Lonna Atkeson is a Professor in the political science department at the University of New Mexico. During this current presidential election, many articles have circulated on the perceived enthusiasm of the Republican party compared to the low turnout on the part of the democratic party. However, according to Dr. Lonna Atkeson, “Differences in turnout aren't necessarily the result of differing levels of enthusiasm. In fact, turnout in party primary contests are largely explained by a party's "position" in the electoral cycle.” Dr. Atkeson analyzed turnout in primary elections in each presidential election cycle since 2004, calculating voter turnout by the number of primary voters divided by an estimate of the eligible population using a normal party vote measure. So what causes a greater turnout? What motivates these voters? And what does this mean for the results? Dr. Atkeson explains. Colors of Cosplay (41:02) Madeleine Dresden is a student producer at BYU radio who specializes in writing nonfiction segments about unique life experiences and life lessons. We’ve all got that one thing that we’re super nerdy about: Superheroes, Harry Potter, or maybe Japanese anime. And sometimes, we get the chance to do more than just imagine our favorite heroes—we get to dress up as them! There’s Halloween for that, of course, but let’s not forget the ever-growing phenomenon that is known as Comic-Con. The San Diego Comic-Con alone boasts more than 130,000 attendees per conference. And for all those attendees, perhaps the most attractive part of Comic-Con is the chance to “cosplay,” which means to dress up as a fictional character, like we do on Halloween. But for some attendees, the experience of costuming can be a difficult one, especially when it exacerbates their feelings of racial dysphoria. Madeleine Dresden, our Life Lessons producer, discusses how difficult it can be to find the perfect costume as a non-white American. One Year To An Organized Life (1:04:48) Regina Leeds, kn 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:16:45 - Presidential Primary Turnout 00:41:02 - Colors of Cosplay 01:64:48 - One Year To An Organized Life 01:113:51 - Leadership at Home

Internet Security, Nepal, Vocal Fry Apr 05, 2016

Show notes

Internet Security (11:08) Adam K. Levin has an AB in Political Science from Stanford University and a JD from the University of Michigan, School of Law. He is a consumer advocate with more than 30 years experience in personal finance, privacy, real estate and government service. An expert in personal finance, credit, identity management, fraud and privacy. Author of "Swiped: How to Protect Yourself in a World Full of Scammers, Phishers, and Identity Thieves." Levin is the chairman and founder of Credit.com and former director of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. Today he talks about the importance of internet security and how we can protect ourselves. Nepal Recovery (56:05) Bishnu Adhikari, is an in-country director in Nepal for Choice Humanitarian USA. The Center for Humanitarian Outreach and Inter-Cultural Exchange’, is a strategic non-governmental agency (NGO) currently working all over the world to end extreme poverty and improve quality of life through a bottom-up, self-developing village-centered approach. Adhikari has two master degrees in Civil Engineering and Environmental Policy. He works with remote villages in the Himalayan Mountains to build roads, schools and water systems. Since the April magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck Nepal, where more than 9,000 people and injured more than 23,000 his work and our help is needed more than ever. Vocal Fry (1:34:44) Dr. Mark Liberman is an American linguist. He has a dual appointment at the University of Pennsylvania, as Trustee Professor of Phonetics in the Department of Linguistics, and as a professor in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences. He is Faculty Master at Ware College House, Director of Linguistic Data Consortium and Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Linguistics. His recent publications include: “Development of Pitch Contrast in Korean Prosody: A Corpus Study” and “Vocal Fry: ‘Creeping in’ or ‘still here’?” Dr. Liberman talks about the phenomenon of "Vocal Fry" and why it is used. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:11:08 - Internet Security: MT Show 00:56:05 - Nepal Recovery 01:116:44 - Vocal Fry

Zika Virus, Parenting Mistakes, Painkillers Apr 04, 2016

Show notes

Zika Virus (0:00) Dr. Chantel Sloan is a professor of Health science here at BYU. Chances are, if you have turned the news on recently you’ve seen extensive coverage on the Zika Virus. While this latest outbreak of infectious disease has many worried and scrambling to understand the dangers, the virus is not new to the scientific world. In fact, The Zika virus was first discovered in the 1940s. For years, Zika outbreaks were, and appeared to do little harm. However, within the last year that has all changed. First with the massive outbreak in Brazil, affecting more that 1 million people and now with its continued growth, the whole world is searching for answers about the latest threat in public health. Dr. Sloan discusses the Zika virus, what exactly it is, how it spreads, and the dangers it can bring. Parenting Mistakes (45:18) Alyson Schafer is a recognized media personality. She is one of Canada's leading authorities on parenting and is the resident expert for CTV News, CBC's The World This Weekend, The Marilyn Denis Show as well as sitting on the health advisory board for Chatelaine Magazine, and being an ask the expert columnist for Today's Parent Magazine. Alyson Schafer shares her ideas on how to fix common parenting mistakes. Painkiller Abuse Epidemic (1:30:53) Dr. Andrew Kolodny, Executive Director and co-founder of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing (PROP). In 2014, 19,000 Americans fatally overdosed on prescription opioid painkillers- a 16 percent increase from the previous year. According to government statistics, nearly 1.9 million Americans abuse or are dependent on legal opioids. Many experts claim that the rise in addiction comes from doctors over prescribing addictive opioids (like Vicodin, Percocet, and OxyContin) for minor ailments. In 2012 alone, physicians wrote 259 million opioid prescriptions, triple the number two decades ago. In just the past few years painkillers have become one of the largest health epidemics in our country and the doctors prescribing may be the source 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:45:18 - Parenting Mistakes 01:90:53 - Painkiller Abuse Epidemic

Gender Pricing, The Speed of Trust, Meet the Producers Apr 01, 2016

Show notes

Gender Pricing (19:18) Dr. Christine Whelan, Clinical professor in the Department of Consumer Science at the University of Wisconsin- Madison. Products marketed for women or girls are priced higher than virtually identical products for men. Accordingly in one study by the New York Department of Consumer Affairs, personal care products marketed to women cost an average of 13 percent more than equivalent men's products, 8 percent on adult clothing, 4 percent on children's clothing, 7 percent on toys and accessories, and 8 percent on home health care products and products for seniors. One study estimated that these hidden cost, or “pink tax” can cost women nearly $1,400 a year. So why are they products marked up for women? And what is being done to even the cost? Dr. Whelan explains. "The Speed of Trust" (1:04:48) Stephen M. R. Covey is a cofounder of CoveyLink and the FranklinCovey Global Speed of Trust Practice. He is the former CEO of Covey Leadership Center. “Do you trust me?” These words can lead to all sorts of adventures. From Aladdin’s magic carpet ride with Jasmin to big business deals or even turning down a job, these words will likely change your life. How do we build trust? Why does trust matter? Stephen M.R. Covey, author of “The Speed of Trust”, explains why trust is important in all walks of life and how more trust will fix most problems. Eye in the Sky (1:53:18) Rod Gustafson from Parent Previews joins the show to review the new movie Eye in the Sky Meet the Producers: April Fools (2:01:17) Student producers Liana Tan and Caitlin Thomas teach Dr. Townsend the history of April Fools Day: Why we celebrate the day and how the day has changed over time. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:19:18 - Gender Pricing 01:64:48 - "The Speed of Trust" 01:113:18 - Eye in the Sky 02:121:17 - Meet the Producers: April Fools

Contagion of Mass Shootings, Prostate Cancer, Soar Above Mar 31, 2016

Show notes

Contagion Effect of Mass Shootings (17:05) Dr. Sherry Towers is a Research Professor in Mathematical and Computational Modeling Sciences Center at Arizona State University. She headed up a recent study into the heightened media attention of mass shootings. The results gave insights into how the shootings may have a contagious effect and how the coverage may result in copycat killings for up to 13 days, following the initial shootings. Dr. Towers shares more of her research and what the media’s role in the contagion of mass shootings. Prostate Cancer (1:03:44) Dr. David Samadi is a board certified urologic oncologist trained in open traditional and laparoscopic surgery and is an expert in robotic prostate surgery. He is Chairman of Urology, Chief of Robotic Surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital, Professor of Urology at Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American Men. About 1 man in 39 will die of Prostate cancer, according to cancer.org. While it had traditionally been a worry primarily concerning older men, recent research has discovered that prostate cancer can be contracted by men in their 50s and even as young as 40. Dr. Samadi explains the facts of prostate cancer and gives tips on prostate health. Soar Above (1:49:33) Dr. Steven Stosny has treated over 6,000 clients for various forms of anger, abuse, and violence and is the founder of CompassionPower. He has written several books including , Soar Above: How to Use the Most Profound Part of Your Brain under Any Kind of Stress. Dr. Stosny shares ideas on How to shift from feeling powerful to BEING powerful 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:17:05 - Contagion Effect of Mass Shootings 01:63:44 - Prostate Cancer 01:109:33 - Soar Above

Clinton Likability, Smart After Graduating, Religion and Politics Mar 30, 2016

Show notes

Must Hillary Be Likable? (12:11) Dr. Rosalind Barnett is a Senior scientist at the Women’s Studies Research Center at Brandeis University. This year’s election has brought to light many issues that face our society today. Among those issues is the on going discussion of women, not only in the work place, but also in politics. With Hillary Clinton forging her way through the democratic primaries many critics are questioning her ability to be “likeable.” But does likability equal competence? In Dr. Barnett's discusses her article, co-written by Caryl Rivers, “Must Hillary Be Likeable?” where they discuss the issues and struggles that women face in business and politics today. Staying Smart After Graduating (57:15) Dr. Alison J. Head directs Project Information Literacy, or PIL. PIL recently looked at how today’s Graduates continue to learn once they’ve completed college. After about 20 or so years of schooling, many adults strike out into the business world. But does the learning ever really stop? There are new positions, promotions and trainings to accomplish in the workplace that require continual learning. But how proficient are we at asking questions and learning after we’ve exited the world of academia? Dr. Head shares the research. Religion and Politics in the United States (1:42:34) Dr. Kenneth Wald, a distinguished Professor of Political Science and the Samuel R. "Bud" Shorstein Professor of American Jewish Culture and Society at the University of Florida. Dr. Wald shares his research with religion and politics and his book, Religion and Politics in the United States. His book analyzes many of the nation's political matters regarding religious freedom in modern America. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:12:11 - Must Hillary Be Likable? 00:57:15 - Staying Smart After Graduating 01:102:34 - Religion and Politics in the United States

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