This Is Your Brain With Dr. Phil Stieg

Latest Episodes:

Medical Mini: Seeing Your Own Brain Before Surgery - Danielle Collins & Stefannie MacDonald Nov 01, 2026

Show notes

What if you could fly inside your own brain before surgery?

Welcome to Medical Minis, a new segment on This Is Your Brain.

Many of you have written asking about the surgeries Dr. Stieg performs, the patients he cares for, and the experiences and technologies that have shaped him. Your curiosity inspired a new addition to the show: short segments that take you behind the scenes of neurosurgery and into the operating room. We'll explore the tools and technologies we use, the decisions we face, and the human stories at the heart of our work.

In this Medical Mini, Dr. Phil Stieg talks with patient advocate Danielle Collins and Stefannie MacDonald, Head of Product Management at Surgical Theater. Danielle was in a workout class when a ruptured AVM in her temporal lobe hit her with a sudden, severe headache. In the hospital, a VR headset let her see her own brain in 3D while her surgeon walked her through the operation step by step. MacDonald explains how Surgical Theater turns CT and MRI scans into a patient-specific model, why surgeons rehearse each case before they operate, and why a person always checks the images. Danielle also talks about recovery, fear and living with intention.

"I was able to fly inside of my brain."

Surgical Theater - https://surgicaltheater.com

Medical Mini: Making Sense of Your Medical Scan - Todd Goldberg, Avatar Medical Nov 01, 2026

Show notes

Could you read your own MRI?

Welcome to Medical Minis, a new segment on This Is Your Brain.

In this Medical Mini, Dr. Phil Stieg talks with Todd Goldberg, Chief Business Officer of Avatar Medical, about turning MRI and CT scans into personal 3D models. Scans were designed by and for radiologists: black and white, flipped left to right, and read slice by slice. Goldberg explains why a 3D model still needs a doctor to walk the patient through it, why a better scan makes a better model, and the questions Avatar asked more than 100 patients after consultations at five institutions. He also shares a family emergency from years ago, before tools like this were in the room, and why clearer images would have brought comfort even if the medical decision stayed the same.

"Actually having clarity on things is comfort. It does matter."

Avatar Medical - https://www.avatarmedical.ai

Medical Mini: Seeing Surgery Differently - Jamie Lockwood, HMDmd Oct 31, 2026

Show notes

What if every monitor in the operating room sat right in front of the surgeon's eyes?

Welcome to Medical Minis, a new segment on This Is Your Brain.

In this first Medical Mini, Dr. Phil Stieg talks with Jamie Lockwood, CEO of HMDmd, about a head-mounted display that moves the operating room's screens from 8 to 12 feet away to right in front of the surgeon's eyes. Operating rooms are packed with stacked monitors and machines that don't talk to each other, and some cases run 8 to 10 hours. Lockwood explains how HMDmd adapted display technology from military aviation, including the F-35, to give surgeons 3D visualization without losing sight of the patient.

"You cannot be disconnected from your patient at any given time."

HMDmd - https://hmdmd.com

Are You Addicted to Porn, or Just Feeling Guilty? Oct 30, 2026

Show notes

Some people who say they are addicted to porn barely use it at all. So what is really going on?

Psychologist Dr. Joshua Grubbs has an answer: moral incongruence. When our behavior clashes with our values, shame can feel exactly like addiction.

"When we're trying to regulate natural biological drives, it gets messy and complicated.

Dr. Phil Stieg and Dr. Grubbs explore where the clinical line really falls and why the wrong label can make things worse. Dr. Grubbs shares the one question to ask about any habit you cannot shake.

https://psych.unm.edu/people/faculty/profile/joshua-grubbs.html

The Power of Optimism: How to Overcome Helplessness Oct 16, 2026

Show notes

Why do some people bounce back from setbacks while others feel powerless to change their circumstances?

Dr. Martin Seligman, founder of positive psychology and author of Agency: The Psychological History of Human Progress, joins Dr. Phil Stieg to explore how optimism, resilience, and our belief in our ability to shape the future influence everything from mental health to human progress. He explains the neuroscience of learned helplessness, why positive thinking alone isn't enough, and how we can train our brains to overcome pessimism and regain a sense of control.

Discover practical strategies for breaking free from negative thought patterns, building resilience, and creating a more fulfilling life.

May We Have Your Attention ... and Keep It? Oct 02, 2026

Show notes

Do you scroll on your phone for hours but then quit a meaty news story in 15 seconds? Maybe your attention span isn't the problem!

Dr. Ronald Yaros thinks the way to get people to pay attention is better content delivery that's designed to work with their busy lives.

Find out what actually captures and keeps our attention... and why.

Is AI Making Us Dumber? Sep 18, 2026

Show notes

Every time AI answers for you, part of your brain may switch off. Theoretical neuroscientist Dr. Vivienne Ming explains why, including a striking claim about GPS use and Alzheimer's risk.

Dr. Ming shares her own fix for using AI. She calls it the nemesis prompt, a technique for turning AI into your harshest critic instead of your biggest fan.

Vivienne joins Dr. Stieg to unpack what it actually takes to come out of the AI age sharper, not dumber.

Profiling The Criminal Mind - James Fitzgerald Sep 04, 2026

Show notes

For 17 years, the Unabomber skillfully eluded investigators, leaving behind no fingerprints, DNA, or usable forensic evidence but in the end it was his own words that gave him away.

Dr. Phil Stieg speaks with retired FBI criminal profiler James Fitzgerald, a pioneer of forensic linguistics whose analysis of Ted Kaczynski's writings helped crack one of the most notorious investigations in FBI history.

Fitzgerald reveals how investigators constructed a personality profile from the bomber's writings, identified the unusual turn of phrase that became a "linguistic smoking gun," and used patterns in language and behavior to identify this notoriously elusive criminal mind.

Plus, an exclusive glimpse into a family's traumatic moment when they discover their relative is a serial bomber.

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Archival audio courtesy of Videos For Change Productions

Excerpt from documentary in progress "Life Or Death" featuring David Kaczynski and Linda Patrik, Producers Mike Camoin and John Carlson.

A Memory Workout Aug 14, 2026

Show notes

Can't remember the fourth item on your grocery list? Nelson Dellis, a professional "memory athlete," can remember 100 things or more (though he still may forget the butter).

Hear how Dellis learned to memorize lists so long that he became a five-time USA Memory Champion, and how you can use some of his strategies to improve your own memory.

Dellis explains how he uses tricks like the "memory palace" and mnemonic devices to recall lengthy lists with perfect accuracy.

In an era when cell phones are making memory superfluous, you can regain some of those lost skills by using his techniques.

Plus… those rare folks who can never forget a day in their lives.

https://www.nelsondellis.com/

Click here for a transcript and further information on this episode.

"Awestruck!" - Part 2 with Beau Lotto, PhD Jul 31, 2026

Show notes

The human brain resists uncertainty — whether it's an approaching tiger or a global pandemic, we've evolved to move from fear and chaos to order and resolution.

Dr. Beau Lotto, founder of the Lab of Misfits, explains why the brain takes small steps instead of large leaps, and why we need to teach kids to think more like scientists.

Plus... why we react to a pandemic by hoarding toilet paper!

https://www.beaulotto.com/

Since this episode was first released in 2021, Dr. Lotto has launched a new project - "Evolvable.Me"

"Our interactive AI-powered platform reveals precise, science-backed insights into how you think, relate, and behave – drawn from your responses and real-life conversations."

Try it for free at https://www.evolvable.me/

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