Center for Healthy Minds

You’ve likely heard of Center for Healthy Minds Founder/Director and neuroscientist Dr. Richard Davidson, who is one of TIME Magazine’s Top 100 People and an early trailblazer in neuroscience research. In founding the Center back in 2008 at University of Wisconsin–Madison, he asked one of the most significant questions of our time: What constitutes a healthy mind?

Fast-forward to 2024 and an incredible team of scholars lead the research that this inquiry aims to help answer at the Center for Healthy Minds at UW-Madison.

In this collection of recent podcast episodes, you’ll learn how five key Center scholars go about their research and investigate different aspects of a healthy mind. Episodes offer a range of neuroscience and well-being discussions, from AI in support of meditation practice to mindfulness in sports performance to the four pillars of a healthy mind.

1. Dr. Richard Davidson: The Science of Mindfulness and Meditation

Featured: Dr. Richard Davidson, CHM founder/director

Podcast: Brain Ponderings with Mark Mattson

About this episode: Dr. Richard Davidson discusses his research on mindfulness meditation and the neuroscience of happiness. His research has shown that mental well-being is a skill you can learn. He describes the effects of meditation on neural networks and well-being, and discusses what the four pillars of well-being are.

Where to Listen

2. Dekila Chungyalpa: Engaging Faith Leaders for Planetary Healing

Featured: Dekila Chungyalpa, director of the Loka Initiative at Center for Healthy Minds

Podcast: Green Dreamer: Seeding Change Towards Collective Sustainability, Regeneration, hosted by Kamea Chayne

About this episode: Dekila Chungyalpa weaves together teachings from her cultural and religious upbringing with her work as an environmental program director at the Loka Initiative. She invites us to reflect on the ways Western conservation efforts fall short. In her work with faith-based organizations, Dekila prompts necessary dialogue around paradigms that persist within environmental and activist movements.

Where to listen:

3. The Secret to Mental Toughness featuring Chad McGehee

Featured: Chad McGehee, Director of Meditation Training at UW-Madison Athletics and CHM affiliate

Podcast: Spartan Leadership Podcast with Josh Kosnick

About this episode: Chad McGehee talks candidly about how he got to his role at UW-Madison athletics (one of the only roles like this in the country!), discovering how mindfulness can improve your mental and physical health and proven strategies to instill mindfulness habits in your home and workplace.

Where to listen:

4. The Shape of Healing featuring Dr. Simon Goldberg

Featured: Dr. Simon Goldberg, CHM core faculty member

Podcast: Mind & Life podcast, hosted by Wendy Hasenkamp

About this episode: Dr. Simon Goldberg covers some fascinating topics including: what we know from science about whether and how meditation "works," the possibilities of AI to help support meditation practice, some of the challenges when measuring effects of meditation and more from his research and career.

Where to listen:

5. Between Life and Death featuring Dr. Tawni Tidwell

Featured: Dr. Tawni Tidwell, CHM research assistant professor

Podcast: Mind & Life podcast, hosted by Wendy Hasenkamp

About this episode: How can we live—and die—with greater awareness and well-being? The newest episode of Mind & Life podcast, features CHM expert Dr. Tawni Tidwell — who is a biocultural anthropologist and a Tibetan medical doctor. Tune in and explore how our minds shape our bodies, the holistic approach of Tibetan medicine and more!

Where to listen: