Actual People
Welcome to Actual People, an unfiltered exploration of individual and societal shifts in a world undergoing tremendous change.
I open up about my own experiences in order to dive into social and cultural phenomena, positive developments, and collective pain.
We look at survival, endurance, strength, triumph and despair while imagining a future with creative joy and hope.
Each episode is dedicated to meaningful conversations about the evolving landscape of our lives and the power of our own creativity and imagination to make magic.
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Disclaimer:
I’m a mental health counselor-in-training sharing personal perspectives on culture and mental health. Client confidentiality is fundamental to my work. This podcast and writing aren’t therapy or clinical advice. All views expressed are my own.
Actual People
Latest Episodes
S3E5 - Art Required: Feeling, Creativity, and the Brain
Hi there! I'm back. In this episode I sit down with Ivy Ross, Chief Design Officer at Google and co-author of Your Brain on Art (written with Susan Magsamen, Executive Director International Arts + Mind Lab Center for Applied Neuroaest...
S3E4 - No Glitter in the Sh**t: A story of rewiring your life and finding redemption
And we're back with an episode about redemption, a first hand account of a Wall Street insider's journey through prison and reinvention with reflection on the times we are living in.In this first episode of 2026, we dive deep into the li...
S3E3 - How to Trust Your Gut
In light of the tragic murder of Rob Reiner and his wife, host Chauncey Zalkin explores trusting your gut when it comes to mental health, safety, and faith in your faculties. Also examined is the impact of toxic narratives on the construction o...
S3E2 - Optimization Fatigue and the Search for What’s Real
We’re burnt out on bettering ourselves and each other. From sleep scores to productivity hacks to scolding people, the pursuit of improvement has reached a breaking point. Host Chauncey Zalkin is joined by futurist and cultural cartographer ...
