Episode #25 - Our Cognitive and Emotional Connection to Film Narrative with Dr. Weik von Mossner

Episode #25 - Our Cognitive and Emotional Connection to Film Narrative with Dr. Weik von Mossner

Welcome to “The Elements of Being” podcast, where I dissect and explore the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, we examine the mental and emotional narratives and processes that steer the social stream of consciousness….Truly a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior. Each episode is a glimpse into the trends and patterns of human behavior and the underlying influences that navigate us into different directions. Whether we primarily focus on nutrition or the unconscious, guests share insights, thought-provoking lessons, the nuances of creativity, and the elements of being….us.

In today’s episode, I examine our emotional connection to film narrative with Dr. Alexa Weik von Mossner….in particular, we focus on documentaries about veganism. She is a writer and ecocritical cultural studies scholar who works on American literature, film, and digital media. Dr. Weik von Mossner’s scholarly research explores contemporary environmental culture from a cognitive perspective with a particular focus on affect and emotion.

After working for several years in the German film and television industry, she earned her Ph.D. in Literature and is currently appointed as Associate Professor of American Studies at the University of Klagenfurt in Austria. Currently, Dr. Weik von Mossner is a principal investigator on the research project “Narrative Encounters with Ethnic American Literatures” as well as a researcher on the project “Cinema and Environment: Affective Ecologies in the Anthropocene”.

Along with other prominent researchers, she is developing a new interdisciplinary research field in the environmental humanities, Empirical Ecocriticism. Dr. Weik von Mossner’s academic book publications include Cosmopolitan Minds: Literature, Emotion, and the Transnational Imagination and Affective Ecologies: Empathy, Emotion, and Environmental Narrative. She is also the editor of Moving Environments: Affect, Emotion, Ecology, and Film and the co-editor of

#25 - Our Cognitive and Emotional Connection to Film Narrative with Dr. Weik von Mossner

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The Anticipation of Catastrophe: Environmental Risk in North American Literature and Culture.

In our interview, here’s what we specifically discussed:

-Dr. Weik von Mossner’s experience in German television and her creative writing process.
-The foundation and long-term implications of cognitive ecocritical analysis.
-The depictions and narrativization of food and how they engage audiences.
-How the type of medium can change the imaginary culinary experience.
-Our emotional and neuro reaction to depictions of animal abuse, global warming, and food in general.
-The processes of liberated embodied simulation and how these processes are similar or dissimilar to real-life interactions with physical (edible) objects.
-How the narrative strategies of a documentary, such as Cowspiracy, are mutually reinforcing on the cognitive and affective level.
-The emotionalizing strategies of documentaries on veganism.

To learn more about Dr. Weik von Mossner, visit https://www.alexaweikvonmossner.com/!

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Episode #24 - Exploring the Psychology of our At-Home Environment with Dr. Preston

Episode #24 - Exploring the Psychology of our At-Home Environment with Dr. Preston

Welcome to “The Elements of Being” podcast, where I dissect and explore the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, we examine the mental and emotional narratives and processes that steer the social stream of consciousness….Truly a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior. Each episode is a glimpse into the trends and patterns of human behavior and the underlying influences that navigate us into different directions. Whether we primarily focus on nutrition or the unconscious, guests share insights, thought-provoking lessons, the nuances of creativity, and the elements of being….us.

In today’s episode, I examine the effect of the at-home environment and space on our mental and emotional well-being with the business psychologist, Dr. Camille Preston. A fitting topic as we move into a winter of escalating COVID cases, social restrictions, possible lockdowns, and rampant remote learning and working. Dr. Preston is the founder and CEO of AIM Leadership—an executive leadership firm that works with leaders, teams, and organizations to align and optimize human capital to drive scalable and sustainable results. Since founding AIM Leadership in 2004, Preston has helped hundreds of leaders navigate the challenges of today's disrupted workplace. She also helps teams work together more effectively by discovering how to map priorities, build trust, and optimize systems.

Beyond her work at AIM Leadership, Preston partners with Blackhorn Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm, and serves as part-time faculty at The Center for Creative Leadership. A recognized thought leader on leadership, virtual effectiveness, and team optimization, Camille is the author of two books, Rewired and Create More Flow, a regular contributor to Forbes,

#24 - Exploring the Psychology of our At-Home Environment with Dr. Preston

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Psychology Today, Fast Company, and Thrive, and a sought-after keynote speaker.

In our interview, here’s what we specifically discussed:

-What sparks the drive of a business psychologist.
-The two questions every child and adult need to ask themselves.
-How to unwire and step back from technology to regain focus and clarity.
-How to reconnect with the spaces around us.
-How to extract the very character of the places you travel to and inject them into your home to provide the same neural stimulation.
-How to create an environment that invokes positive energy, inspiration, and flow states.
-How to minimize the attributes that contribute to our stress and anxiety during this time of uncertainty.
-How we can elevate our influence on the environment.

To learn more about Dr. Camille Preston, check out http://www.camillepreston.com/ and https://aimleadership.com/!

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#17 - What Being a Parent Taught Me About Managing Stress

#17 - What Being a Parent Taught Me About Managing Stress

Welcome to “The Elements of Being” podcast, where I dissect and explore the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, we learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve great feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior.

So, what is this podcast specifically about? I examine the mental and emotional narratives and processes that have steered writers, filmmakers, psychologists, and industry icons down their paths in life. Each episode is also a glimpse into the trends and patterns of human behavior and the underlying influences that navigate us into different directions. Whether we primarily focus on nutrition or the unconscious, guests share insights, thought-provoking lessons, the nuances of creativity, and the elements of being….us.

Being a father now, it’s amazing what you can learn from your child. My 3-year-old son, Preston, has taught me how to manage stress more effectively without knowing it! What a smart little man.

The ego of a typical adult human may exclaim: Babies teach us nothing! They are little animals trying to survive in nature. What do they know?!

But the truth is that giving birth to a child will change your life forever…and their lessons are endless. As a parent, you’ll always need to think about others, be mindful of your risk-taking behavior, plan ahead, focus on meaningful interaction, and show empathy and sympathy. Just sharing this list reminds me that we should be doing this anyway, with or without a child!

In all honesty, my wife, Sammy, and I haven’t felt the drastic change in life that most people claim. The responsibilities and day-to-day specific approach may have been reshaped but the principles are the same. Although this is true, Preston has inspired new approaches to managing stress.

The Elements of Being Podcast with Michael Moody: What Being a Parent Taught Me About Managing Stress

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He unknowingly prepared a Stress 101 curriculum for me, his dad: A model of human instinctual behavior. Without a doubt, it made me rethink my needs and how I structured my life to minimize stress.

Here’s what I specifically discussed:

-Recognizing our primary survival needs before pursuing any secondary tasks/projects (and how we cognitively overrule our survival nudges).
-Establishing consistent eating and sleeping routines (and why the human body depends on it).
-Maintaining a consistent reading habit (and the benefits we usually ignore).

To learn more about Michael Moody, check out his book "Redefine Yourself” or say hello on Instagram (@wholeplantpersonaltrainer)!

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#16 - The Examination of Personal and Collective Trauma with Dr. Bakalar

#16 - The Examination of Personal and Collective Trauma with Dr. Bakalar

Welcome to “The Elements of Being” podcast, where I dissect and explore the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, we learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve great feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior.

So, what is this podcast specifically about? I examine the mental and emotional narratives and processes that have steered writers, filmmakers, psychologists, and industry icons down their paths in life. Each episode is also a glimpse into the trends and patterns of human behavior and the underlying influences that navigate us into different directions. Whether we primarily focus on nutrition or the unconscious, guests share insights, thought-provoking lessons, the nuances of creativity, and the elements of being….us.

Considering our current COVID-19 pandemic, I felt it was an appropriate time to explore the individual and collective experiences of trauma with psychologist Dr. Jennifer Bakalar. In my lifetime, the horrific events of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States left an incredible imprint. No doubt, it was a traumatic experience for the many friends, families, and colleagues who were personally connected to the lives lost. Nearly 20 years later, we are now experiencing another collective experience as a society.

Dr. Bakalar is a licensed psychologist in Washington, DC, where she provides psychotherapy to adults. Her clinical focus centers on the impact of stress, trauma, transition, and loss on psychological and physical health. She uses an integrative approach, which is grounded in contemporary relational, interpersonal, and psychodynamic theories. Dr. Bakalar’s passion for this work stems from her belief in the transformative potential of relationships along with the meaning she finds in supporting her clients to understand themselves more deeply and enrich their connections with others.

The Elements of Being Podcast with Michael Moody: The Examination of Personal and Collective Trauma with Dr. Bakalar

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In our interview, we explored everything from the individual to the collective experience of trauma, and here’s what we specifically discussed:

-If some personalities or mindsets are more susceptible to experiencing trauma.
-Whether or not there is an evolutionary benefit to remembering trauma.
-The foundation of trauma-focused treatment within a stage-based model.
-How a person processes traumatic memory and integrates it into their, his, or her broader life story.
-The foundation of collective trauma, and historical examples outside of the current COVID-19 pandemic.
-The point that a crisis evolves into collective memory.
-The difference between the collective and individual memory of trauma.
-The reasons to keep trauma alive in the collective consciousness.
-The often-need to construct the meaning of a crisis collectively.
-The typical long-term consequences of different forms of collective victimization.
-The variables of collective trauma that affect one's experience.
-How collective trauma can serve as a sense of continuity between past, present, and future members of a group and how to be sure it doesn't contribute to a more significant social dysfunction.

To learn more about Dr. Bakalar, visit https://www.dchealthpsychology.com/our-team or her professional page, https://www.jenniferbakalarphd.com/.

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The Elements of Being Podcast with Michael Moody: The Examination of Personal and Collective Trauma with Dr. Bakalar

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#15 - The Evolution of a Personal Trainer's Diet (My Story)

#15 - The Evolution of a Personal Trainer's Diet (My Story)

Welcome to “The Elements of Being” podcast, where I dissect and explore the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, we learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve great feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior.

So, what is this podcast specifically about? I examine the mental and emotional narratives and processes that have steered writers, filmmakers, psychologists, and industry icons down their paths in life. Each episode is also a glimpse into the trends and patterns of human behavior and the underlying influences that navigate us into different directions. Whether we primarily focus on nutrition or the unconscious, guests share insights, thought-provoking lessons, the nuances of creativity, and the elements of being….us.

In today’s episode, I share the evolution of my diet. I often think of the first twenty years of my life as a biased introduction of the world curated by the family, friends, culture, and influences of that period. Despite my passionate connection to psychology today, I never examined my role in that world nor how I interacted with it until later in life. Most importantly, I never examined the self-my self-during such a pivotal span of my development. Although a high school psychology course triggered my interest in mental health, I was more enamored with the study of the underlying influences of OTHER people's human behavior (not my own). I never fully examined my body’s relationship with food either.

The Elements of Being Podcast with Michael Moody: The Evolution of a Personal Trainer’s Diet

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Fast forward to the present…my diet system has helped me (as well as my personal training clients) build the most optimal "self" while satisfying the mental, craving "self" at times. While it hasn't been a perfect journey, I couldn't be more thankful for the cues and signals that pointed me in this direction.

Here’s what I specifically discussed:

-The lack of physical self-awareness at an early age
-The challenges of trying to attain the ideal self-image
-The depth needed to finally eat with intent
-The internal conflict of choosing a lifestyle outside of the mainstream
-The foundation of a whole food plant-based diet
-The setting of dietary boundaries

To learn more about Michael Moody, check out his book "Redefine Yourself” or say hello on Instagram (@wholeplantpersonaltrainer)!

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Listen to all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Overcast, Castbox, Stitcher, or on your favorite podcast platform!

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