Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling - The Spiritual Crisis Behind Ghosts and UFOs | STM Podcast #239
Release Date: 05/18/2025
Natalia Kholodenko - Understanding the Trauma of War: Surviving in Ukraine | STM Podcast #241
Seize the Moment Podcast
On episode 241, we welcome Natalia Kholodenko to discuss the psychological impact of trauma, how the citizens in war-torn countries respond to trauma, Natalia’s own trauma when fleeing from Ukraine after Russia began its bombing campaign, the importance of maintaining a strong value system in the face of tragedy, Judith Herman on the importance of reintegrating one back into a community when healing, Viktor Frankl and how meaning can be lost but aids in trauma recovery, and the influence of one’s mind on their well-being and future. Natalia (Nataliia) Kholodenko is a Ukrainian...
info_outline
Mark D. White - Is It Clobbering Time? - The Philosophy Behind the Fantastic Four | STM Podcast #240
Seize the Moment Podcast
On episode 240, we welcome Mark White to discuss the ethical philosophies behind the fantastic four, applying utilitarianism to Reed Richards, deontology to Ben Grimm (The Thing), virtue ethics to Sue Storm, examining the moral growth of Johnny Storm, Dr. Doom’s twisted morality, how superheroes embody the emotions associated with moral decision-making, whether moral decisions can be perceived as mere calculations, and if the ends always justify the means. Mark D. White is a Professor of Philosophy at the College of Staten Island/CUNY who has written widely on superheroes and philosophy,...
info_outline
Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling - The Spiritual Crisis Behind Ghosts and UFOs | STM Podcast #239
Seize the Moment Podcast
On episode 239, we welcome Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling to discuss his foray into the paranormal, our innate spiritualism and why some lean into it while others don’t, how anti-establishment people and institutions misuse the scientific method, who’s to blame for the widespread anti-science bias, the challenge of defining the ‘soul,’ what happens when experience conflicts with empirical data, alien abduction stories, and why we need to incorporate spiritualism and other types of alternative thinking into the mainstream. Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling is a freelance journalist specializing in...
info_outline
Emile Suotonye DeWeaver - The Near Enemy of Justice: Dismantling Mass Incarceration | STM Podcast #238
Seize the Moment Podcast
On episode 238, welcome Emile DeWeaver to discuss reforming the US criminal justice system, the lack of a systematic understanding of crime in most rehabilitation programs, white supremacy as a version of the human tendency to dominate, the “near enemy” of incremental change, the roots of US policing and the need for a collective mind to replace it, the struggle with assimilation for formerly incarcerated people, the importance of clarity and courage for social justice, and why Emile’s book is just the beginning of deeper work which should include strengthening our imaginations. Emile...
info_outline
Steven Poser - Psychoanalysis and Psychosis | STM Podcast #237
Seize the Moment Podcast
On episode 237, we welcome Steven Poser to discuss psychotherapy for schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, the symbolism of hallucinations and delusions, transference and countertransference with psychosis, how trauma contributes to the forms hallucinations may take, treating hostile patients, the shared humanity with psychotic patients, psychological defenses as covers for deeper pain, and what makes psychoanalysis effective for psychosis. Steven Poser is a practicing psychoanalyst in New York City and the author of The Misfit and Though This Be Madness. Since 2015 he has been a member...
info_outline
Nicole Karlis - Your Brain on Altruism: How Kindness Rewires Us | STM Podcast #236
Seize the Moment Podcast
On episode 236, we welcome Nicole Karlis to discuss the benefits of altruism, the link between depression and feeling unimportant, the disaster effect and bounded solidarity, the myth of self-love, burnout as an indicator of poor social structures, why some people won’t accept help, how helping others aids our own mental health, altruism’s effects on the brain, co-regulation as the rule rather than the exception, and cultivating the Malama Mindset. Nicole Karlis is a health and science journalist. Her work has been published in Salon, The New York Times, Marie Claire, and The Bold Italic....
info_outline
Jaz Brisack - Unionize Your Job? What Every Worker Needs to Know | STM Podcast #235
Seize the Moment Podcast
On episode 235, we welcome Jaz Brisack to discuss unionizing efforts for Starbucks workers and Project Germinal, how unions form and why workers may fear them, the popular ideas of unions and how they’re misrepresented by corporate media, Jaz’s experiences in the Starbucks union and “salting,” whether corporate managers act in good faith, anti-union tactics and why they should be considered psychological warfare, and how workers can sustain a sense of hope in the face of their significant and persistent professional struggles. Jaz Brisack is a union organizer and cofounder of the...
info_outline
Vanessa Daniel - Intersectionality, Social Justice Movements, and the Real Left | STM Podcast #234
Seize the Moment Podcast
On episode 234, we welcome Vanessa Daniel to discuss the personal and professional challenges women of color face, how trauma influenced Vanessa’s understanding of the world, how to understand intersectionality, what it means to leave no marginalized groups behind as democrats fight for power, the importance of solidarity in addressing individual trauma, 360 degree vision, the lack of courage among democratic leaders, appealing to voters, why the left isn’t immune from criticism, and what cancel culture gets wrong. Vanessa Priya Daniel has worked in social justice movements for twenty-five...
info_outline
Constantine Sandis - Did Wittgenstein Believe We Could Understand Each Other? | STM Podcast #233
Seize the Moment Podcast
On episode 233, we welcome Constantine Sandis to discuss the philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein, his lifelong preoccupation with the question of understanding others, the social and clinical consequences of misunderstanding others, Wittgenstein’s personal struggles with misunderstanding, criticisms of empathy and how it may lead to further conflict as opposed to resolving it, the problem of mind-reading, understanding culture as opposed to another’s inner drives, and the significance of self-reflection. Constantine Sandis is Director of Lex Academic, Visiting Professor of Philosophy at the...
info_outline
Adam Chandler - 99% Perspiration, 100% Self-Made Myth | STM Podcast #232
Seize the Moment Podcast
On episode 232, we welcome Adam Chandler to discuss the American myth of the self-made man, how it’s evolved over time, a potentially better argument for social benefits than the one normally provided by the left, the flaws of the “bootstrap” mentality, the self-made myth of Elon Musk, how billionaires benefit from us believing in the American Dream, the inconsistencies of the libertarian philosophy, how expanding the child tax credit alleviated poverty in the US, and the potential effects of AI on employees. Adam Chandler is a journalist and author based in New York. A former staff...
info_outlineOn episode 239, we welcome Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling to discuss his foray into the paranormal, our innate spiritualism and why some lean into it while others don’t, how anti-establishment people and institutions misuse the scientific method, who’s to blame for the widespread anti-science bias, the challenge of defining the ‘soul,’ what happens when experience conflicts with empirical data, alien abduction stories, and why we need to incorporate spiritualism and other types of alternative thinking into the mainstream.
Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling is a freelance journalist specializing in narrative features and investigative reporting. He has been named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, won a George Polk Award, and been voted Journalist of the Year by the Maine Press association, among numerous other honors. . His work has appeared in Foreign Policy, USA Today, Popular Science, Atavist Magazine, Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, the Associated Press, and elsewhere. His new book, available May 20, 2025, is called The Ghost Lab: How Bigfoot Hunters, Mediums, and Alien Enthusiasts Are Wrecking Science.
| Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling |
► Website | https://www.matt-hongoltzhetling.com
► Twitter | https://twitter.com/hh_matt
► The Ghost Lab Book | https://amzn.to/4jeY7v5
Where you can find us:
| Seize The Moment Podcast |
► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment
► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast
► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment
► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast