Best Fight Mania Podcasts (2025)

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“Plato and the Tyrant” with author James Romm 58:06

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3M ago58:06

58:06

In 388 BCE, Plato, at the age of about forty and in the midst of writing The Republic, visited for the first time the then-Greek city state of Syracuse, on the eastern shores of Sicily. Syracuse was ruled by a tyrant, Dionysius, who on death was followed by his son, also a tyrant. Over the course of his three separate visits to Syracuse over the ye…

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"Assignment Moscow" with author James Rodgers 56:41

4M ago56:41

56:41

Is it possible to do independent journalism in today’s Russia? “The short answer is no,” James Rodgers tells me in our conversation about his insightful and scrupulously researched book Assignment Moscow: Reporting on Russia from Lenin to Putin (Bloomsbury Academic, 2023). Rodgers is a former BBC correspondent in Moscow. We first talk about Western…

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Understanding Ukraine: A Discussion with Author Yaroslav Trofimov 51:52

8M ago51:52

51:52

Yaroslav Trofimov, chief foreign affairs correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, is a native of Kyiv. In this conversation, we discuss two books. Our Enemies Will Vanish (Penguin Press, 2024), is a nonfiction narrative chronicling Putin’s invasion of Ukraine through the reporter Trofimov’s eyes. No Country for Love (Abacus Books, 2024), is his n…

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Ep 43: Tiffany Changes the Mental Health Narrative 19:24

12M ago19:24

19:24

Tiffany sent me a letter, and it changed everything. Please join me for this special conversation with a wonderful woman, and stay until the end, when she reads the letter that she sent me. You don't want to miss this episode of Mental Health w/ Dr. Melissa Mork. https://linktr.ee/mentalhealthpodcast…

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Mental Health Moment: Mental Health and the Holidays 6:43

1y ago6:43

6:43

Did you know the holidays can exacerbate symptoms of mental illness? There is a definite correlation between the two. On this episode, Dr. Mork talks about ways to buffer against the stresses of the season. https://linktr.ee/mentalhealthpodcast

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Ep 42: My Personal Story: Repaired w/ Gold 36:47

1y ago36:47

36:47

Today, I invite you to hear my personal story. Please join me as my kind friend Terri interviews me. All those questions that I typically ask people? They'll be directed at me on this special episode of Mental Health w/ Dr. Melissa Mork.

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Ep 41: Mountains of Mania and Valleys of Depression: What Do I Do? 35:12

1y ago35:12

35:12

How can you navigate mania and depression? Join me for a conversation with Aaron, who offers his unique story as encouragement. https://linktr.ee/mentalhealthpodcast

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Ep 40: Fighting Perfectionism w/ Stacey 35:45

1y ago35:45

35:45

What is the cost of perfectionism? How can we combat perfectionism, or help those around us who struggle to be "perfect"? Stacey's story answers these questions with grace on today's episode of Mental Health with Dr. Melissa Mork. https://linktr.ee/mentalhealthpodcast

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Ep 39: Panic Attacks: How Can I Help? - Ask Me A Question! 5:47

1+ y ago5:47

5:47

Today, I'm taking your questions at this link: Mental Health with Dr. Melissa Mork | Wow God Podcast Network. How can I help someone who is having a panic attack? https://linktr.ee/mentalhealthpodcast

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Ep 38: The Male Loneliness Epidemic w/ Chris Harms 36:28

1+ y ago36:28

36:28

Today, I sit down with Chris Harms for a fascinating conversation on the loneliness that men face throughout their lives. My guest is Chris Harms, a mental health professional who offers his perspective on the challenges that men face. https://linktr.ee/mentalhealthpodcast

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Ep 37: Is Substance Abuse a Mental Illness? - Ask Me A Question! 5:42

1+ y ago5:42

5:42

Today, I'm taking your questions at WowGod.com. We'll talk about Alcohol use and other substances, and their relation to mental health. Also, what resources are available in these scenarios? https://linktr.ee/mentalhealthpodcast

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Ep 36: Stacey's Experience with Church Hurt 39:54

1+ y ago39:54

39:54

What is the cost of pleasing others? As Christians, shouldn't that be our goal? But what happens when pleasing others is at the expense of ourselves? Stacey's story answers these questions with grace on today's episode of Mental Health with Dr. Melissa Mork. https://linktr.ee/mentalhealthpodcast

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"Passion" - Mental Health Awareness Month 10/10 11:00

1+ y ago11:00

11:00

How do you take care of yourself? William Glasser posited that we have a never-ending quest to satisfy our basic needs. It's Mental Health Awareness Month, so let's explore this topic together.

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"Presence" - Mental Health Awareness Month 9/10 7:46

1+ y ago7:46

7:46

I'm Dr. Melissa Mork. Do you dwell on the past? Obsess about the future? Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is a positive psychologist who developed a theory called 'flow', a state of immersive present-ness. Have you experienced that before? It's Mental Health Awareness Month, so let's explore this topic together.…

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"Post-Traumatic Growth" - Mental Health Awareness Month 8/10 23:14

1+ y ago23:14

23:14

Post-Traumatic Trauma can become Post-Traumatic Growth. We don't want to discount our past hurts, but we do want to grow from them. It's Mental Health Awareness Month, so let's explore this topic together.

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"Potential" - Mental Health Awareness Month 7/10 13:37

1+ y ago13:37

13:37

You can't control everything, even if you (or I) would like to sometimes. It's Mental Health Awareness Month, so let's explore that topic together.

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"Plan" - Mental Health Awareness Month 6/10 20:41

1+ y ago20:41

20:41

Goals are extremely important. Viktor Frankl wrote, "What man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for some goal worthy of him." It's Mental Health Awareness Month, so let's explore this topic together.

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"Perfectionism" - Mental Health Awareness Month 5/10 13:05

1+ y ago13:05

13:05

Is perfectionism weighing you down? Sometimes, perfectionism is a list of "demands" that we place on ourselves. It's Mental Health Awareness Month, so let's explore this topic together.

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"Perspective" - Mental Health Awareness Month 4/10 6:15

1+ y ago6:15

6:15

Why do you talk to yourself the way that you do? Sometimes, we predicate our internal dialogue with half-truths or outdated information. It's Mental Health Awareness Month, so let's explore this topic together.

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"Purpose" - Mental Health Awareness Month 3/10 13:21

1+ y ago13:21

13:21

What gives your life purpose? What are you drawn to? Victor Frankl famously said, "To be sure, man's search for meaning... is an indispensable prerequisite of mental health." It's Mental Health Awareness Month, so let's explore this topic together.

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"People" - Mental Health Awareness Month 2/10 13:59

1+ y ago13:59

13:59

Who do you have in your corner? Time, and time again, studies have shown the importance of interpersonal relationships. It's Mental Health Awareness Month, so let's explore this topic together.

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"Plot" - Mental Health Awareness Month 1/10 7:57

1+ y ago7:57

7:57

Hello! I'm Dr. Melissa Mork. Are you the villain of your own story? That doesn't have to be the case; there are countless ways to define our past and understand the decisions we've made. It's Mental Health Awareness Month, so let's explore that topic together.

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Ep 35: Cindy's Story of Harm OCD 33:22

1+ y ago33:22

33:22

When you think about obsessive compulsive disorder, OCD, you often think about behaviors like checking behaviors or compulsive hand washing associated with obsessions of I'm going to get sick or somebody's going to break in, or I need to keep things in order. But do you ever think about thoughts of I'm going to harm my child? On this episode with C…

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On Fiorello La Guardia and Why He Still Matters: A Discussion with Author Terry Golway 56:26

1+ y ago56:26

56:26

Has any American mayor ever made a greater stamp on the public consciousness than the Little Flower, Fiorello La Guardia, mayor of New York City from 1934 to 1945? La Guardia is brought to life in historian Terry Golway’s “I Never Did Like Politics”: How Fiorello La Guardia Became America’s Mayor, and Why He Still Matters (St. Martin’s Press, 2024)…

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On Monsters, Goddesses and Myths: A Discussion with Author Katherine Marsh 44:54

1+ y ago44:54

44:54

“We’re not monsters, Mom. We’re goddesses—smart, fearless, and beautiful.” That’s the voice of Ava, the superpowered protagonist of Katherine Marsh’s captivating novel for children, Medusa (Clarion Books, 2024). Our discussion focuses on Marsh’s feminist retelling of the Medusa myth—and on the wider topic of the direction of children’s literature a…

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Ep 34: Jenna and Music Therapy 36:44

1+ y ago36:44

36:44

If you are like me, you have personally found music therapeutic in your own life: it calms you when you are stressed, spiritually encourages you, and energizes you when you need to clean the house. But did you know it is an actual therapy used to manage trauma and other issues in the field of mental health? In this episode, Jenna shares her experie…

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Looking into the Heart of Arizona: A Discussion with Author Tom Zoellner 52:46

2y ago52:46

52:46

In Rim to River: Looking into the Heart of Arizona (University of Arizona Press, 2023), Tom Zoellner, a fifth-generation Arizonan, takes the reader on a walk across the length of the state, his narrative interspersed with essays on Arizona’s history, culture and politics. Our conversation focuses on such topics as how Arizona anticipated the Trump …

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Mental Health Moment: How Do I Find Help? 7:19

2y ago7:19

7:19

In recent episodes, we've talked about helping our loved ones through their Mental Health experiences. Today, let's discuss how you can find help when it feels like none is available for you. Psychology Today: Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness + Find a Therapist Email: [email protected] Facebook: Mental Health with Dr. Melissa M…

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On America’s Blind Spot Towards the Palestinians 1:05:41

2y ago1:05:41

1:05:41

In their handling of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process over the decades, U.S. officials have displayed a “systemic blind spot” by alleviating pressure on the stronger party, Israel, and increasing pressure on the weaker party, the Palestinians, Khaled Elgindy argues in Blind Spot: America and the Palestinians, From Balfour to Trump (Brookings I…

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Ep 33: Shannan's Story: Bumped His Head and Went to Bed 47:18

2y ago47:18

47:18

Shannan Stanke talks about her husband's Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy(CTE) that led to death by his own hand (warning: content about suicide might not be suitable for all listeners). Links to Resources: Concussion Legacy Foundation https://concussionfoundation.org/ National Association of State Head Injury Administrators https://www.nashia.org/…

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Mental Health Moment: What Causes Mental Illness? 5:16

2y ago5:16

5:16

One of the most common questions asked is, "What causes Mental Illness?" In this episode, Dr. Mork discusses the question. Email: [email protected] Facebook: Mental Health with Dr. Melissa Mork Instagram: @mentalhealthwithdr.melissamork LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mental-health-with-dr-melissa-mork Twitter: @MelissaMorkPo…

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Putin's Exiles: Their Fight for a Better Russia 50:51

2y ago50:51

50:51

Since Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine, some one million Russians have fled the country and gone into exile. Motivated by opposition to the war, by guilt for their country's deeds, by personal hatred for the Czar-like Putin, and by a vision of a better Russia, shorn of autocracy, the exiles have mounted an organized resistance to Puti…

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Ep 32: Sam's Story of Hallucinations and Delusions 34:00

2y ago34:00

34:00

"Schizoaffective Disorder is awful," and "I have hope, as well." In this episode, we have a mother and son conversation about schizophrenic spectrum disorders, including symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. Podcast information: Email: [email protected] Facebook: Mental Health with Dr. Melissa Mork Instagram: @mentalhealthwithdr.melissamo…

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On Authoritarianism: A Discussion with Author and Political Scientist Matthew C. MacWilliams 55:19

2y ago55:19

55:19

Nearly half of Americans “are inconsistent supporters of democracy and democratic institutions,” Matthew C. MacWilliams writes at the start of his book, On Fascism: 12 Lessons from American History (St. Martin’s Griffen, 2020). In the podcast, we explore MacWilliams’ thesis that “authoritarian attitudes,” typically formed in childhood, explain the …

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Mental Health Moment: How Do I Help My Loved One? 7:39

2y ago7:39

7:39

One of the most common questions asked is, "How can I help my loved one who is suffering from a mental illness?" In this episode, Dr. Mork talks about the best ways to be present, to be loving, and how to find help. Links are also included below. Email: [email protected] Facebook: Mental Health with Dr. Melissa Mork Instagram: @mentalhe…

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On Zionism and the Left: A Discussion with Author and Cultural Critic Susie Linfield 1:05:33

2y ago1:05:33

1:05:33

“How has it come to this? How has ‘Zionist’…become the dirtiest word to the international Left?” Susie Linfield poses that ripe question at the outset of her book, The Lions’ Den: Zionism and the Left from Hannah Arendt to Noam Chomsky (Yale University Press, 2019). In the podcast, our discussion focuses on three prominent figures examined in The L…

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Ep 31: Men's Mental Health with Brian Murray 22:06

2y ago22:06

22:06

"Mental illness is real, mental illness is common, and mental illness is treatable." Brian Murray uses his story of depression to reduce the stigma and advocate for mental health awareness. Please watch and share Brian's TEDx Talk. The link is below. Brian's TEDx: Addressing Mental Health in the C-Suite https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Kma5Ha3Na8…

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Mental Health Moment: Love and Marriage 16:31

2y ago16:31

16:31

Are you married to a saint? No? Neither is your spouse. On this episode, Dr. Mork discusses some research by the Gottmans that can distinguish the masters from the disasters. Email: [email protected] Facebook: Mental Health with Dr. Melissa Mork Instagram: @mentalhealthwithdr.melissamork LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mental…

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On Native American Warfare: A Discussion with Author and Historian Wayne E. Lee 55:15

2y ago55:15

55:15

How did Native Americans make war, not with European settlers, but amongst themselves? Historian Wayne E. Lee, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, explores this often-neglected question in his book, The Cutting-Off Way: Indigenous Warfare in Eastern North America, 1500-1800 (The University of North Carolina Press, 2023).…

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On “Henry Kissinger and His World” with author Barry Gewen 1:02:29

2y ago1:02:29

1:02:29

In my talk with Barry Gewen on his 2020 book, The Inevitability of Tragedy: Henry Kissinger and His World (W. W. Norton, 2020), we explore the disparate influences that shaped Kissinger as both an intellectual and as a practitioner of power. Our conversation touches on Kissinger’s upbringing in a German-Jewish community in Bavaria at the time of Hi…

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Greil Marcus, "Folk Music: A Bob Dylan Biography in Seven Songs" (Yale UP, 2022) 54:20

2y ago54:20

54:20

Greil Marcus is perhaps the world’s foremost interpreter of Bob Dylan. This podcast focuses on Marcus’ latest Dylan book, Folk Music: A Bob Dylan Biography in Seven Songs (Yale University Press, 2022). Marcus begins his book with a 2001 quote from Dylan: “I can see myself in others.” In this sense, Marcus writes, “the engine of his songs is empathy…

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Where Have All the Democrats Gone? 1:00:26

2y ago1:00:26

1:00:26

In 2002, John B. Judis and Ruy Teixeira published The Emerging Democratic Majority (Scribner). Now the pair are back with Where Have All the Democrats Gone?: The Soul of the Party in the Age of Extremes (Henry Holt, 2023). In their new book, an essential guide to the trends that roil the Democratic Party and threaten its national standing, the auth…

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On Wars: A Discussion with Michael Mann 55:36

2y ago55:36

55:36

“Irrationality rules” in war, Michael Mann writes in his magisterial 2023 book, On Wars (Yale UP, 2023), a history that begins with the Roman Republic and ancient China and works its way through the world wars of the 20th century and up to present times. Mann is a Professor of Sociology Emeritus at the University of California, Los Angeles. His irr…

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The Unquiet Legacy of Jewish Radical Meir Kahane 45:38

2y ago45:38

45:38

In the wake of the massacre of Israeli civilians by Hamas in October, 2023 I spoke with Shaul Magid, author of Meir Kahane: The Public Life and Political Thought of an American Jewish Radical (Princeton University Press, 2021). A visiting professor of modern Jewish studies at Harvard Divinity School, Magid also is rabbi of the Fire Island Synagogue…

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On the Secrets of Writing Historical Fiction 1:00:06

2y ago1:00:06

1:00:06

The Murder of Andrew Johnson (Forge, 2023) is the third in Burt Solomon’s John Hay Mystery trilogy. Our conversation explores the art and craft of writing historical fiction. What licenses are taken? Solomon invented the murder of Johnson, who assumed the presidency on Lincoln’s assassination in 1865, became America’s first impeached president and …

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The Shadow War between America and Russia 1:04:47

2+ y ago1:04:47

1:04:47

Western analysts and media often assess the prospect that Moscow might use nuclear weapons as the war in Ukraine grinds on, possibly to a flailing Russia’s disadvantage. George Beebe, though, injects a less-familiar element into this grim dynamic: What are the chances that Washington might resort to nukes, should the direction in the war turn sharp…

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On the (Still Bright) Future of Nostalgia 54:49

2+ y ago54:49

54:49

I am joined on “America and Beyond” by historian Peter Fritzsche for an appreciation of The Future of Nostalgia (Basic Books), the landmark book published by the late Svetlana Boym in 2001. I do not use the word “landmark” lightly. The Future of Nostalgia is, first, impressively prescient. Pages, as in Boym’s chapter on “Restorative Nostalgia: Cons…

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Ep 30: Sorina's Story of Cross-Cultural Adoption and Foster Care 34:15

2+ y ago34:15

34:15

Adoption is hard, but it is particularly challenging for children to do after infancy. Join me as I chat with Sorina, who had personal experience as a child, is now parenting two through foster care and adoption, and works as a clinician in this field. Email: [email protected] Facebook: Mental Health with Dr. Melissa Mork Instagram: @me…

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Ep 29: Tia's story of resilience 32:32

2+ y ago32:32

32:32

What is the single most important factor in child resilience? Join me in this story of Tia and her remarkable journey. Email: [email protected] Facebook: Mental Health with Dr. Melissa Mork Instagram: @mentalhealthwithdr.melissamork LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mental-health-with-dr-melissa-mork Twitter: @MelissaMorkPod Th…