The Gist

Sadie Dingfelder, science journalist and author who studies memory and perception, tackles the claim that trauma literally “lives” in your hips. She examines van der Kolk’s influential ideas and how yoga lore links emotions to anatomy. Short, clear takes explore cellular memory, why muscles do not store episodic memories, and how bodily sensations can trigger brain-based recall.

Molly Worthen, historian and professor who wrote Spellbound, explores charisma as a polarizing storytelling force. She traces its roots and sociological framing, contrasts narrative power with policy, and argues charisma often compensates for weak institutions. She also discusses gendered pathways to authority and modern celebrity followership.

Mickey Bergman, a negotiator who frees political prisoners and hostages from hostile regimes, explains how emotional intelligence and personal relationships unlock deals. He recounts using Bill Richardson’s ties to Venezuela and a single meeting with Myanmar’s junta leader to secure releases. He also discusses managing identity in negotiations and the long-term challenges returnees face.

Mickey Bergman, CEO of Global Reach and longtime international hostage negotiator, explains the emotional intelligence and relationship-building behind securing returns like Paul Whelan, Trevor Reed, and Brittney Griner. He breaks down negotiation tradecraft, assessing tradeable prisoners, timing decisions, NGO roles, and keeping talks separate from wider diplomacy.

Chris Cillizza, political analyst known for media commentary on U.S. politics, joins to unpack the crisis of adult male friendship and why bonds erode. They then shift to foreign policy, comparing public reactions to Iran and Reagan’s Grenada messaging. Conversation covers modern willingness to accept national sacrifice, social media’s gamification of war, and the politics behind the SAVE Act and a surprising Texas primary result.

Geeta Gandbhir, double Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker and founder of Message Pictures. She unpacks The Perfect Neighbor using police and doorbell footage to trace how bias, privilege, Stand Your Ground laws, and easy gun access led to a deadly escalation. She also discusses ethical choices around showing raw footage and how community and policing shaped the story.

Dan Rothschild, director at the Ronald Reagan Institute's civics center, offers conservative-leaning policy analysis. Jeff Nussbaum, veteran speechwriter for Biden and others and author of Undelivered, brings rhetorical craft. They spar over the shaky public case for intervention in Iran, debate what success would look like, and then pivot to whether 2025 Democratic winners are governing on affordability or drifting into culture wars.

Aaron Tracy, podcast creator and screenwriter who unearthed Roald Dahl’s hidden life, guides listeners through Dahl’s wartime spy days and his invention of a lifesaving valve. Short, sharp conversations probe why Dahl turned to children’s books, the dark humor that endures, and the fraught debate over his explicit antisemitism and how to reckon with it today.

Nir Eyal, writer and researcher on behavior design and habit formation, discusses belief change and applied psychology. He tells a surprising recovery story using playful movement. He critiques manifesting and vision boards. He explains neuroplastic pain, the growing placebo effect, and practical tactics like rumination logs and mental contrasting.

Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton‑affiliated researcher who survived over 900 days in captivity in Iraq, recounts her abduction, torture, and how she used hidden “breadcrumbs” in forced confessions to signal intelligence agencies. She describes being coerced into writing geopolitical analysis for her captors, their reactions to October 7, and contrasting U.S. approaches to hostage recovery.