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:

Greek Debt Crisis, Smartphones and Kids, Retirement Saving Jul 08, 2015

Show notes

The Economy: Greece (11:44) Dr. Christian vom Lehn is an Assistant Professor of Economics at Brigham Young University. He received a BS in Mathematics and a BA in Economics from Brigham Young University ('09), and then received a MA ('11) and PhD ('14) in Economics from Princeton University. His primary research interests are in macroeconomics and labor economics. Today he talks with Dr. Townsend about Greek debt, unemployment, the Trans-pacific trade deal and the economy Do Smartphones Give A Head Start In Life? (53:23) Dr. Susan Greenfield a neuroscientist , writer, broadcaster and member of the House of Lords. She specializes in the physiology of the brain and researches the impact of 21st century technologies on the mind. Dr. Greenfield has coined, "mind change" - what all this technology is really doing to our brains, particularly to children and young adults. Today she shares with Dr. Townsend if letting a child use a smartphone is good for their development. Saving for Retirement (1:38:09) Jim O'Donnell spent many years as an executive in the financial services industry with such firms as Fidelity Investments and the Dreyfus Corporation. He received his undergraduate degree from Brown University and his MBA from Columbia University. He is currently a professor of Business and Economics at Huntington University. Mr, O'Donnel teaches about how saving for retirement is a long-haul activity. But with the proper tools, guidance, and encouragement, anyone and everyone can do this.

Working Class, Millionaire Modest Living, Machine Intelligence Jul 07, 2015

Show notes

The Working Class Poor (10:27) Dr. Scott Sanders, Assistant Professor of Sociology at BYU, co-authored the study “Work and Occupations.” According to the Agriculture Department around 46.5 Million people received food stamps last year. According to a new study by sociologists at BYU, Cornell and LSU, the majority of the United States poor aren’t jobless. They are working at low-paying jobs, struggling to support their families and themselves. Millionaire Chooses Modest Living (53:42) Garrett Gee is a recent BYU Graduate and Captain of the Men’s Soccer Team. He and a small group of students are the developers of the multi-million dollar app “SCAN”. He sold his business for $54 Million and now is planning to live a simple life and travel with is family. Good In the World: Lawn Mowing Boys (1:24:02) Gerry Suttle, of Riesel, Texas, received a notice to appear before a judge because the grass on a lot she owns across from her home was more than 18 inches high, violating city code. She didn't appear and the court issued a warrant for her arrest. The Reynolds brothers didn't know Suttle but learned of her issues through a news report decided to help her out by mowing the lawn. Kathy Aiken talks with the four Reynolds brothers and their mom about their experience. Jeff Stibel: Merge of Human and Machine Intelligence (1:40:32) Jeff Stibel is Vice Chairman of Dun & Bradstreet. At age 32, he became one of the youngest public company CEOs in America. He is also a brain scientist and published author. He received degrees in philosophy and psychology as an undergraduate at Tufts University. Jeff Stibel and Dr Townsend talk about what the future will look like when it comes to technology and the human body.

Happiness, Violent Disorders, UnHelping, Post-Wedding Blues Jul 06, 2015

Show notes

Dr Matt Townsend - Coaches Corner (10:17)(Dr Matt Townsend - Coaches Corner (10:17)) After celebrating the 4th of July and the rights that we have as citizens to life, liberty , and the pursuit of happiness. Dr. Townsend shares his thoughts on how we can pursue happiness and improve our lives. Dr. Linda Teplin - Mental Disorders and Violence (20:07) Dr. Linda Teplin is the Owen L. Coon Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Medicine-Infectious Diseases at the Feinberg School of Medicine. She received her PhD from Northwestern University in Sociology. With the recent plane crash in the French Alps, there has been much speculation as to how large of a role the co-pilot’s depression played in the tragedy. Dr. Linda Teplin’s recent research suggests that mental disorders to not predict future violence. Dr. Shawn Burn - Unhealthy Helping (59:39) Shawn Meghan Burn, PhD is Professor of Psychology at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California. Her research and writing focuses on the application of psychology to solve individual, group, organizational, and societal problems. Today Dr. Burn talks with Dr. Townsend about Overcoming Codependence and other forms of unhealthy helping Julie Nelson - How to avoid the post-wedding blues (1:44:41) 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 talk is the author of "Keep It Real and Grab a Plunger" providing parenting tips and ideas. Because this is wedding season Julie discusses how to avoid the post-wedding blues.

Plight of the Bees, Independence Day, Raising Productive Kids Jul 02, 2015

Show notes

Bryan Merrill - Where are the Bees Going (13:19) Bryan is a master’s student studying Microbiology and Molecular Biology at Brigham Young University, where he also received his bachelors degree. He will graduate this August. Bryan does research with Dr. Sandra Burnett and discovers viruses that infect Paenibacillus larvae, the bacteria that causes American Foulbrood disease in honeybees. Bryan talks today about the challenges facing bees including stress, pesticides, other bugs, and temperature change. Dr. Jeremy Pope - Independence Day (56:04) Dr. Jeremy Pope, an associate professor of political science at Brigham Young University. The founding of our country is an event full of stories and little known historical facts. Dr. Pope joins Dr Townsend to discuss the history of the 4th of July and the importance of the Declaration of Independence. Dr. Dona Matthews - Raising Happily Productive Kids in Every Kind of Family (1:42:53) Dr. Dona Matthews has worked with children, families, and schools since 1990. She has published dozens of articles and book chapters, and is co-author of four books, most recently, Beyond Intelligence: Secrets for Raising Happily Productive Kids (with Joanne Foster). Dr. Matthews is here today to help us understand different types of families and what the 10 basic rules are to finding family happiness.

Water, Balancing Fatherhood and Work, Sports Recap Jul 01, 2015

Show notes

Tony Arnold - Are We Running Out of Water? (10:54) Tony Arnold is a Professor of Law at University of Louisville, Affiliated Professor of Urban Planning, Boehl Chair in Property & Land Use, and Chair of the Center for Land Use & Environmental Responsibility. Today he talks about the drought in the West and how public policy decisions play a role in the current crisis. Josh Levs - Balancing Fatherhood and Work (55:20) Josh Levs is an investigative journalist, expert on modern fatherhood and parent of three whose new book “All in: How our Work-First Culture Fails Dads, Families, and Businesses—and How We Can Fix It Together”. He has spent years reporting for CNN on air and online and serving as the network’s “dad columnist”. Prior to CNN he was a report for NPR. He is the winner of 6 Peabody Awards, two Edward R. Murrow awards and a designation as a Journalist of the Year from the Atlanta Press Club. Today he talks about the importance of fathers in the development of a child and need for parental leave. Dr. Susan Newman - Family Dinners (1:40:39) Dr. Susan Newman, a social psychologist who specializes in issues affecting family life, suggests that “eating dinner together as a family is good for the health, brain, and spirit of all family members.” Dr. Newman is a former professor from Rutgers University in New Jersey and is the author of 15 books, most in the parenting and family relationships fields. She is here today to help us understand just how vital family dinner really is.

America's Infrastructure, Sesame Street, GMO or not to GMO Jun 30, 2015

Show notes

Rosabeth Moss Kanter- MOVE: Putting America's Infrastructure Back in the Lead (12:35) Dr. Rosabeth Moss Kanter is a professor of Business at Harvard University, Director and chair of the Harvard University Advanced Leadership Initiative. Dr. Kanter author of "Move: Putting America's Infrastructure Back in the Lead." Dr Kanter talks with Dr Townsend about the importance of improving our nation's infrastructure and how it will benefit our economy, employment, social inequality and quality of life. Dr. Phil Levine - Kids who watch Sesame Street do better in School (54:13) Dr. Phil Levine is the Katharine Coman and A. Barton Hepburn Professor of Economics at Wellesley University. He received his Master's at Cornell University and his Ph.D. at Princeton University. Dr. Levine co-authored a study that shows the benefits of children watching Sesame Street. Good in the World - Officer Nick Struck (1:11:47) After police officer Nick Struck arrived on a scene of a terriable car accident near Brighton, Colorado he was soon handed a weeping toddler soaked in gasoline. He did his best to comfort the little girl by singing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. A photo of this interaction was taken, shared online, and Struck became an instant hero. Kathy Aiken talks with Officer Struck about that photo and his efforts to help that little girl. Dr.Ron Hager - To GMO, or not to GMO (1:37:12) 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. Today Ron discusses the issues surrounding GMO foods and the Non-GMO movement.

World Events, Toxic Friendships, Sports Recap Jun 29, 2015

Show notes

Joe Cannon - News & Politics (9:00) Joe Cannon, 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 talks current political news including Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush announcing campaigns along with Mitt Romney's role in the GOP. Joe Cannon discusses the Supreme Court decisions from last week & how our country will deal with the change. Suzanne Degges-White - Toxic Friendships (1:07:12) Dr. Suzanne Degges-White, PhD, LPC, LMHC, NCC, is professor and chair of the Counseling, Adult and Higher Education department at Northern Illinois University. She is currently president of the Association for Adult Development and Aging, a division of the American Counseling Association. Dr. Degges-White shares what she has learned about Toxic Relationships and the importance of finding friends who build us up. Mark Goulston - How to Think Like a Disruptor (1:53:37) Dr. Mark Goulston, business consultant, executive coach, writer, CEO, and “people hacker.” Dr. Goulston is the author of several books including the #1 internationally best-selling book on listening, “JUST LISTEN" Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone. His next book, due out in October, 2015 is: Talking to Crazy: How to Deal with the Irrational and Impossible People in Your Life. Dr. Goulston, using the example of Steve Jobs, talks about How to Think Like a Disruptor.

Technology in Family, Kids and TV, Overcoming Self-Pity Jun 26, 2015

Show notes

Matt's Coaching Corner (12:42) Dr. Matt Townsend shares his thoughts on Enabling technology without disabling the family. Dr. Townsend offers tips on how to use technology with your family and not let the electronics take over or take away from family time. Good In the World: Hunter Gandee (40:06) Hunter Gandee is 15 years old and has an 8 year old brother Braden who has cerebral palsy. To generate awareness for cerebral palsy Hunter carried his 60 pound brother 40 miles in 2014 and walked 57 miles this summer. The brothers bonded through the struggle to complete the walk. Kathy Aiken interviews Hunter and discovers more about his story Is TV Helpful to Children? (54:18) 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 talk is the author of "Keep It Real and Grab a Plunger" providing parenting tips and ideas. Today she shares research on how watching children's television like Sesame Street can be helpful for a child's education Parent Previews (1:17:41) Rod Gustafson from Parent Previews joins the show to look at what is new in theaters this week. Dr Matt and Rod talk about the movies Max and Me and Earl and the Dying Girl Getting Past Self-Pity (1:41:09) Amy Morin, licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist, college psychology instructor and internationally recognized expert on mental strength, says that, “Mentally strong people refuse to allow self-pity to sabotage their goals. Instead, they use life’s inevitable hardships as a way to grow stronger and become better.” She is here today to share with us 9 ways to avoid the trap of self-pity.

Russia and History, Unproductive Busyness, How to Eat Better Jun 25, 2015

Show notes

Russia and History (13:15) Jeff Hardy is an assistant Professor of Russian and Eastern European History at BYU. He has degrees from BYU (BA ’01, MA ’06) and Princeton University (PhD ’11). His Primary research focus is the penal system (Gulag) of the Soviet Union. Dr. Hardy joins Dr. Townsend to discuss how events from Russian history have influenced their current political decisions. This Segment was recorded previously. The Remedy for Unproductive Busyness (51:05) Bradley Staats is an Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. He is also the Visiting Associate Professor OPIM at the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania. Bradley teaches courses on core operations, operations strategy and project management. Staats is the co-author of the article: “The Remedy for Unproductive Busyness” published by the Harvard Business Review. Today he talks about how we may be unproductively busy. This Segment was recorded previously. Kristy Jo Hunt - How to Eat Better (1:33:08) Kristy Jo Hunt is a certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Nutrition Specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. She is the founder of Body Buddies and The Power Foods method which is a simple way to balence nutrition and exercise in ways that are easy for you to understand and apply to everyday life. Kristy Jo Hunt talks with Kathy Aiken to discuss tips to eating better.

Mendenhalls on Life Outside Football, Becoming Man Jun 24, 2015

Show notes

Holly and Bronco Mendenhall - Life Outside Football (11:17) Holly and Bronco Mendenhall talk about carpools, kids, marriage, and how being a head football coach fits into their life. The Mendenhall’s talk about how they help their boys deal with criticism, about their father, from other kids. Bronco talks about his relationship with his wife and how they manage the job of BYU head football coach. Coach Mendenhall talks about how to mentor, manage, and inspire young men to success. Paul Zehr - Becoming Batman (58:42) Dr. Paul Zehr, Dr. Paul Zehr, Professor of kinesiology and neuroscience at the University of Victoria, in British Columbia, Canada. Professor & Director Centre for Biomedical Research. Author of Becoming Batman: The Possibility of a Superhero (2008), and Inventing Iron Man: The Possibility of a Human Machine (2011). Dr. Paul Zehr has researched the possibility and the elements necessary to becoming batman.

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