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Turns Out Brains Are Important. Who Knew?
We've known about it for almost 20 years and yet there is still very little being done to combat Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy - more commonly none as CTE. And if you think this only affects NFL players, think again. CTE is available in all shapes and sizes - whether it's youth hockey, high school football, club soccer leagues, or professional wrestling, so many of our young athletes are in the line of fire. Thankfully, for most of those twenty years, former college football player and professional wrestler - turned anti-CTE advocate and head of Boston University's CTE center - Chris Nowinski, has taken it upon himself to stare this issue down and make sure parents, coaches and athletes have accurate information about what happens when someone suffers continual head injuries. Chris even managed to get a Phd in behavioral neuroscience along the way, so that he could understand and further the science behind CTE research. Today he joins host Jane Marie to talk about his career, his advocacy and what we know about the current state of CTE in sports.
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56. Dirty Dirty John Redux
52:55||Ep. 56In 2018, the podcast turned Bravo / Netflix series "Dirty John" was ubiquitous - at least in LA, where you couldn't go two blocks without seeing a billboard for the show. This week, the survivor of "Dirty" John Meehan's bloody attack, Terra Newell, talks to host Jane Marie about her experience being interviewed by an LA Times journalist for what she thought was only going to be a print piece in The Times, before watching her family's story explode into something much, much bigger.Don't forget to sign up for The Dream Plus! For only $5 a month you can get every episode of The Dream (including our back entire back catalog) ad-free. Click the link below to join The Dream Plus Supercast channel for only $5 a month!https://thedream.supercast.com
55. Brains Like Ours
28:41||Ep. 55In her new book Brains Like Ours: A Smart Girls Guide to Mood, Modern Life and the Science Behind Mental Health author Tyla Bee, a clinical lab scientist, helps women (and the men around them!) understand the the tiny things happening in our blood, pee, and spit that contribute to our wellbeing. Get the book here.You can also find Tyla and a bunch of resources here.
54. If Wheezles Turn Into Measles
44:06||Ep. 54Welp, the measles are back, baby. As of March 2026, there are roughly 1400 confirmed cases this year in the US. We speak to public health expert Dr. Olivia Zarella about what this means. Plus a little weird gossip about RFK Jr.'s brain worm. Check out Olivia's podcast, Public Health Group Chat.Don't forget to sign up for The Dream Plus! For only $5 a month you can get every episode of The Dream (including our back entire back catalog) ad-free. Click the link below to join The Dream Plus Supercast channel for only $5 a month!https://thedream.supercast.com
53. Green Eggs And Scams
32:38||Ep. 53Influencing a new generation of wellness.Don't forget to sign up for The Dream Plus! For only $5 a month you can get every episode of The Dream (including our back entire back catalog) ad-free. Click the link below to join The Dream Plus Supercast channel for only $5 a month!https://thedream.supercast.com
52. Magic Little Pills
31:09||Ep. 52Can powders, pills and juices deliver on the promise to live longer and look younger?And don't forget to sign up for The Dream Plus! For only $5 a month you can get every episode of The Dream (including our back entire back catalog) ad-free, along with bonus content. Click the link below to join The Dream Plus Supercast channel for only $5 a month!https://thedream.supercast.com
51. The Antidote to Trickery
38:31||Ep. 51Getting into a cult is easy, getting out is hard. Unless you listen to Diane.None of us are immune to cults, scammers and, according to today's guest, the wiles of the malignant narcissist. Diane Benscoter is a former cult member having joined the Moonies in the 1970s. She now runs a nonprofit called Antidote aimed at helping victims and their families escape. You can find more about her work here. And don't forget to sign up for The Dream Plus! For only $5 a month you can now get every episode of The Dream (including our back entire back catalog) ad-free, along with bonus content and a new for the show AMA chat board, where you can ask Jane and Dann questions, suggest ideas and bring The Dream Plus community together! Click the link below to join The Dream Plus Supercast channel for only $5 a month:https://thedream.supercast.com
50. Big Sister Is Watching You
44:36||Ep. 50What does it mean when the Department of Homeland Security and ICE ask big tech -- Facebook, Palantir, etc -- for all of your info? Jess Lewis, a cyberpsychologist breaks it down and breaks our hearts. You can find her on Threads @jesslewis.
49. Divided Healthcare
35:58||Ep. 49Adam Stone has spent years looking into the bad practices at the healthcare giant UnitedHeath He walks us through a lowlight reel of what he's uncovered in his reporting.More of Adam's original reporting can be found at his news outlet, theexaminernews.com and the podcast Sick Care.And don't forget to sign up for The Dream Plus! For only $5 a month you can get every episode of The Dream (including our back entire back catalog) ad-free, along with bonus content. Click the link below to join The Dream Plus Supercast channel for only $5 a month!https://thedream.supercast.com
48. Proxy Podcast Take Over!
56:28||Ep. 48This week we are bringing you one of our favorite episode's from one of our favorite podcasts: "Proxy" - hosted by Yowei Shaw.-- Nicole is an organizer who's good at channeling her anger. The problem is she can't always downshift. From the episode: • Learn more about Deborah Gould, a Professor and Chair of Sociology at UC Santa Cruz• Read Debbie's book Moving Politics: Emotion and ACT UP's Fight Against AIDS• For liner notes and reading recs from Debbie and Nicole, sign up for our newsletter by becoming a free member of our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/ProxyPodcastRadiotopia’s fall fundraiser is in full swing! Proxy is a part of Radiotopia, a collective of independent, creator-owned podcasts. Not only does your donation support Proxy and every show in the network, it’s a vote of confidence in independent media. Help us reach 1,500 supporters by Dec 31st by making your gift today at http://bit.ly/4hyFNhiFollow us on Instagram: @proxypodcast @yoweishawGet in touch at proxythepod@gmail.com --