Male Intimacy: The Benefits of Cultivating Authentic and Fulfilling Connections

Hey guys— this one’s for you!

In this episode, Rafael and Jim join forces again to help men discover the rewards of lasting male intimacy and friendships. These connections have been shown to reduce depression, anxiety, and feelings of isolation - - and can even lead to a longer life.

Humor also helps. Comedian, Hunter Duncan, in one of his standup bits, shared that the dating app Bumble has a BFF version where you can just swipe your way into a male friendship. He admitted to trying it out to make new guy friends and confessed it was semi-disastrous: “People are looking at my profile like, I wouldn’t even throw a frisbee with this guy.” Hence, shrinks (including your hosts) stress the importance of men’s groups…. and other activities where men can cultivate authentic connections with other guys.

Don’t give up hope, comrades: turns out men are teachable, and we can

learn to get out of their own way. We can be re-socialized to be less competitive, ego-driven, approval-seeking, inauthentic, and stoic. Men can also learn to stop engaging in “one-upmanship” behavior (except maybe while watching sports, like say a football game between the

Lions and the 49er’s (a random example that may or may be based on a lived experience between Jim and Rafael)).

EBMC Psychology Inc. and WCMI (which sponsor this podcast) can link you to an active Men’s Group (contact Eti Kaminsky if you are interested: etimft@gmail.com or ebmcpsych@gmail.com).

WCMI networking group
A networking group for mindfulness-focused clinicians dedicated to learning together & collaborating for more information click here

Dr. Jim Bramson and Lisa Rosenthal interview Maddy Dychtwald

If you are a woman (or man) and find yourself in the second half of life (or first), you will not want to miss this podcast. Maddy Dychtwald, co-founder of Age Wave and author of the new book “Ageless Aging,” expertly guides us through some key health hacks that can help us all live healthier and longer. We stand at the precipice of a longevity revolution. And Maddy, based on decades of research and countless interviews with thought leaders in the fields of aging, health, and wellness, tells us what we need know to make the most of it.

Turns out most research on maximizing our health is conducted by, about, and for cisgender men. Even the data analysis is curated by cis men. But Maddy Dychtwald breaks the mold. She explores the latest science uniquely catered to cis women. She discusses the benefits of hormone replacement and the need to focus on brain health, as women are more likely to experience cognitive decline later in life. And she explores topics that our society fails to teach women, like the importance of financial planning.

Do you feel doomed by your genetics? Well Maddy offers up some good news. Did you grow up without healthy women role models? Maddy identifies many you can look to now. Do you attend to everyone else’s needs before your own? Maddy has some suggestions. And finally, are you so overwhelmed by all the guidance, how-to books, and supplement pushers that you don’t know where or how to get started? Maddie will show the way!

Tune in to this conversation between Maddy Dychtwald, Jim Bramson, and Lisa Rosenthal to learn how you can take advantage of everything from routine dental checkups and warm lemon water to a friendly exchange with your neighborhood barista to feel stronger and better, for longer. Her book “Ageless Aging” is available now, and warrants a spot at the top of your nightstand book pile.

WCMI networking group
A networking group for mindfulness-focused clinicians dedicated to learning together & collaborating for more information click here

Bramson on Bramson.

Drs. Bramson finally record a podcast together. Dr. Jim interviews his father Dr. Allan Bramson, on the occasion of his 88th birthday.

Who is Dr. Allan Bramson? Besides being the senior Bramson who had to deal with Jim’s recalcitrance and shenanigans in high school, he was a storied professor and pioneer in the areas of death and dying, video wills, and euthanasia. He even started a career institute that catered to under-resourced students.

Allan fought alongside Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the famous advocate for the right to choose how and when to end our life in the face of chronic and intractable diseases. Allan came to know him personally, as an artist, not just as an empathic physician. Allan also came to know Kevorkian’s attorney, Jeffrey Fieger (famous brother of the possibly more famous lead singer of the Knack, Doug Fieger). Like his pal Jeffrey Fieger, Allan studied law and advocated for social justice, self-determination, and dignity in death.

During the interview, Allan gets real and discusses his stage 4 cancer, his divorce, and his long separation from his son Jim (your host) and their timely reconciliation. Perhaps it is a testimony to forgiveness, loving-kindness, acceptance, and transcending ego. Perhaps it offers a lesson in self-determination, i.e. whether we choose to invest in important historical people we have long lost contact with. Do we embrace family and friends who left us? Can we overcome feelings of abandonment and/or pride? When does it make sense to lean into relationships when others might advise us to lean out? Tune in, as it may help you grapple with answers to these questions in your own life.

WCMI networking group
A networking group for mindfulness-focused clinicians dedicated to learning together & collaborating for more information click here