"How Technology Is Shaping Our Souls" with Felicia Wu Song

Felicia Wu Song is a cultural sociologist, speaker, and author who studies how social media and digital devices alter the family, community, and organizational life. Felicia has studied History, Communication Studies and Sociology at Yale, Northwestern, and University of Virginia.

In my conversation with Felicia, we discuss her latest book, Restless Devices: Recovering Personhood, Presence and Place in the Digital Age. Felicia helps us better understand how social media is shaping our relationships, our understanding of beauty, and how we engage beauty. She also unpacks how we can engage digital technologies in ways that don’t feel all-consuming, as well as how we can help safeguard the kids in our lives from the negative impacts of social media.

"Social Media, Teen Mental Health, and the Over-Saturation of Unrealistic Beauty Ideals" with Elena Rossini

Elena Rossini is an Italian film director, producer, editor and public speaker. Her work focuses on issues of social justice, media representation, and the empowerment of women and girls. Elena’s most notable film is the documentary The Illusionists, about the globalization of beauty ideals and the dark side of advertising. Rossini shot the film in eight countries, across four continents. The documentary has been featured in Vogue Italy, New York Magazine, NPR, Fox, and NBC Baltimore, amongst others.

In our time together, we talk about the globalization and saturation of unrealistic beauty ideals and how such inundation is impacting us. She also discusses the connection she sees between the rise of social media and the current teen mental health crisis.

"Beauty Standards Are Devastating Us" with Jessica DeFino

Beauty reporter and beauty culture critic, Jessica DeFino, saw the inner workings of the beauty industry and she didn’t like it. More than that, Jessica now spends her time dismantling beauty standards, debunking marketing myths, and exploring how beauty culture impacts people — physically, psychologically, and spiritually. Jessica has written for outlets such as The New York Times, Vogue, Teen Vogue, Harper’s BAZAAR, Allure, New York Magazine’s The Cut, ELLE, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Glamour, SELF, and many others.

In this episode, Jessica talks about why she decided to opt out of the beauty industry, the psychological and spiritual impacts of beauty standards, why beauty standards are so powerful, why she sees today’s standard of beauty as dehumanizing, and what the beauty industry doesn’t want you to know. Jessica’s insights are so needed, speaking powerfully to the media-saturated culture we find ourselves in.

"The Pressure to be 'Perfect' Among Kids and Teens" with Dr. Chinwé Williams

Dr. Chinwé Williams is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and the founder and owner of Meaningful Solutions Counseling & Consulting. She also recently co-authored the book, Seen: Healing Despair and Anxiety in Kids and Teens Through the Power of Connection.

In today’s conversation, we talk about the current mental health crisis among kids and adolescents; particularly, the prevalence of anxiety and despair. We also discuss the impacts of social media and the pressure among kids and teens to be ‘perfect.’ Thankfully, Dr. Williams also tells us about and encourages us with the antidote to despair, the power of connection.

"Social Media, Sizeism, and Eating Disorders" with Maggie Meyers, DMFT, LPCC

Maggie Meyers is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and a Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy. Maggie has worked with clients with various diagnoses; however, much of her work has been in the field of eating disorders. For years, she worked in various levels of care and in leadership roles at a nationally renowned eating disorder clinic. More recently, she has decided to fully commit her time at a private practice in the Twin Cities area, called Wholehearted Healing.