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Why do some difficult conversations leave us feeling understood while others leave us frustrated and further apart? In this episode, we explore a surprisingly powerful tool that can make even the har…

Why do some difficul…

Why do some difficult conversations leave us feeling understood while others leave us frustrated and further apart? In this episode, we explore a surprisingly powerful tool that can make even the hardest conversations easier: storytelling. You'll hear about groundbreaking research from BYU showing how personal stories can increase empathy between autistic and neurotypical individuals. You'll learn why vulnerability helps people connect across differences, how stories create understanding where facts and arguments often fail, and why some of the world's leading dialogue facilitators begin dif…

Every year, millions of Americans receive a jury summons, but how many of us truly understand the responsibility that comes with deciding another person's fate? In this episode, we explore one of the…

Every year, millions…

Every year, millions of Americans receive a jury summons, but how many of us truly understand the responsibility that comes with deciding another person's fate? In this episode, we explore one of the foundations of American democracy: trial by jury. We’ll hear from a juror who struggled with the weight of a guilty verdict, a man who was wrongfully convicted and sent to death row, and a former felon who argues that America's jury system excludes crucial voices. GUESTS Kristin Campbell, Senior Fellow, Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement (PACE) (https://www.pacefunders.org/). Herman Lin…

Why does it feel like everyone is asking for a tip now? From coffee shops and takeout counters to self-checkout screens, tipping culture in America has changed fast, and many of us feel confused, pres…

Why does it feel lik…

Why does it feel like everyone is asking for a tip now? From coffee shops and takeout counters to self-checkout screens, tipping culture in America has changed fast, and many of us feel confused, pressured, or even guilty about it. In this episode of Top of Mind, we explore the hidden psychology of tipping, the history behind it, and what our tipping habits reveal about power, status, fairness, and human connection. Hear from customers who feel overwhelmed by “tip creep,” workers who rely on gratuities to survive, restaurant owners struggling to pay staff fairly, and one of the nation’s…

Who owns culture, and who gets to tell its stories? We explore the complex and often uncomfortable debate around cultural ownership, appropriation, and representation. You’ll hear how a hidden figu…

Who owns culture, an…

Who owns culture, and who gets to tell its stories? We explore the complex and often uncomfortable debate around cultural ownership, appropriation, and representation. You’ll hear how a hidden figure in a centuries-old painting forced museums to rethink history, why some argue artifacts should be returned to their communities, and how others worry that limiting who can tell cultural stories may actually close doors to understanding. We also explore stories of repatriation and healing, alongside questions about cultural appreciation vs. appropriation. GUESTS Marenka Thompson-Odlum, PhD, Re…

America’s kids are facing serious challenges, from rising Anxiety and Depression to falling behind in school and growing up in increasingly complex family situations. But there’s also hope. In th…

America’s kids are…

America’s kids are facing serious challenges, from rising anxiety and depression to falling behind in school and growing up in increasingly complex family situations. But there’s also hope. In this episode of Top of Mind, we’ll hear from educators, researchers, and policy Experts tackling the biggest issues facing kids today: from teen Mental Health first aid in schools, to rethinking Education after the pandemic, to addressing chronic absenteeism and supporting single mothers. GUESTS Jen Schnormeier, Instructional coach at Gilbert High School, lead trainer for Teen Mental Health First…

Most Americans focus on the general election in November. But what if the real decision is happening months earlier? In this episode of Top of Mind, we take a closer look at primary elections, the o…

Most Americans focus…

Most Americans focus on the general election in November. But what if the real decision is happening months earlier? In this episode of Top of Mind, we take a closer look at primary elections, the often-overlooked part of the political process that determines who actually makes it onto the final ballot. In fact, in many districts, whoever wins the primary is almost guaranteed to win the general election. So why don’t more people vote in primaries? And are the rules of the system helping or hurting our democracy? Host Julie Rose speaks with advocates for and against primary election ref…

Getting pulled over is one of the most common interactions Americans have with police, but do routine traffic stops make our communities safer? In this episode, we explore the real impact of traffic …

Getting pulled over …

Getting pulled over is one of the most common interactions Americans have with police, but do routine traffic stops make our communities safer? In this episode, we explore the real impact of traffic enforcement through powerful personal stories, expert insight, and new data from cities rethinking how policing works. Alexander Landau shares the traffic stop that nearly cost him his life and how it led him to advocate for reform. Valerie Castile reflects on the killing of her son, Philando Castile, and the pattern of stops that preceded his death. Meanwhile, law enforcement leaders and researc…

Who deserves to be healthy—and who’s responsible for making that possible? In this episode of Top of Mind, we explore one of the toughest questions in modern healthcare: how we decide who gets ca…

Who deserves to be h…

Who deserves to be healthy—and who’s responsible for making that possible? In this episode of Top of Mind, we explore one of the toughest questions in modern healthcare: how we decide who gets care, compassion, and lifesaving treatment. A doctor reflects on a moment with a patient that changed his understanding of kindness in medicine. A Widow shares the devastating consequences of a transplant policy that kept her husband from getting the organ he needed. And a bioethicist walks us through the uncomfortable reality of deciding who gets lifesaving care when resources are scarce. Origina…

The death penalty - maybe more than any other question of crime and punishment - poses a conundrum for America as a majority Christian nation. Since colonial times, Christian ministers and believer…

The death penalty - …

The death penalty - maybe more than any other question of crime and punishment - poses a conundrum for America as a majority Christian nation. Since colonial times, Christian ministers and believers have been among the strongest supporters of capital punishment for murder. Today, American Christianity is more divided. And the Bible offers seemingly contradictory guidance. From the Old Testament’s call to justice and retribution to the New Testament’s emphasis on grace and forgiveness, Christians wrestle with what kind of justice system reflects the will of God. In this episode of Top…

Americans work more hours than people in nearly every other wealthy country—are we better off for it? In this episode of Top of Mind, we unpack the deep roots of the American work ethic and why so m…

Americans work more …

Americans work more hours than people in nearly every other wealthy country—are we better off for it? In this episode of Top of Mind, we unpack the deep roots of the American work ethic and why so many of us feel overworked, burned out, and unable to step away from our jobs. From the rise of “meaningful work” to the hidden costs of hustle culture, this conversation explores how work became central to our identity—and what that’s costing us. GUESTS Joshua Fields Millburn, co-founder, “The Minimalists” (https://joshuafieldsmillburn.com/) Jamie McCallum, author of "Worked Over: Ho…

Family history can sometimes feel distant, irrelevant, or even risky. Why look back when the past may hold stories we’d rather not claim? In this episode of Top of Mind, we explore why learning abou…

Family history can s…

Family history can sometimes feel distant, irrelevant, or even risky. Why look back when the past may hold stories we’d rather not claim? In this episode of Top of Mind, we explore why learning about our ancestors matters—how their stories, traditions, and struggles can shape our identity and strengthen family bonds. We also wrestle with a harder question: what do we do when our history includes dark or painful truths? Together, we consider how facing the full story of our past can foster resilience, understanding, and Growth. GUESTS Christopher Jones, BYU History Professor (https://chris…

Disgust is one of our most primal Emotions—hardwired into the brain, yet shaped profoundly by culture, upbringing, and personal experience. While we often associate it with spoiled food or foul smel…

Disgust is one of ou…

Disgust is one of our most primal emotions—hardwired into the brain, yet shaped profoundly by culture, upbringing, and personal experience. While we often associate it with spoiled food or foul smells, disgust reaches far deeper into the human psyche. It influences how we judge others, how we draw moral boundaries, and even how we vote. In this episode of Top of Mind, we explore why we feel disgust and the surprising power it holds in shaping our lives. From an artist who uses revulsion to prompt deeper conversation, to a pioneering scientist studying the psychology of disgust, to a politi…