Soon after giving birth, writer Sarah Ruhl developed a severe case of facial paralysis. The left side of her face drooped, she couldn’t blink or raise her eyebrows, and she could no longer smile. Sarah shares what it was like to lose her smile and how her relationship to her face, and with her loved ones, has changed over the years.

You can follow Maya @DrMayaShankar on Instagram.

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A few years ago, Maya experienced a heartbreaking change in her personal life, while on her way to trying to become a mom. Two days after it happened, she felt the need to process it out loud, like so many of her guests have done on her show. In this episode, Maya asked her producer, Tyler, to interview her about her own “Slight Change of Plans.”

You can follow Maya @DrMayaShankar on Instagram.

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Tommy Caldwell’s near-death experience unlocks a completely new state of mind that propels him to become a record-setting big wall climber.

We'll be back with new episodes in your feed later this fall, but in the meantime, enjoy Maya's conversation with Tommy Caldwell, one of our favorite episodes from the archives.

Connect with Maya on instagram @DrMayaShankar.

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Psychologist Jamil Zaki studies the science of human connection and he believes cynicism is holding us back. Cynicism isn't just harmful for our health, he says, it’s also misguided. He talks to Maya about a powerful, alternative mindset that can help: what he calls “hopeful skepticism.”

For more on hopeful skepticism, check out Jamil Zaki’s book “Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness.”

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Sometimes, even when things go precisely as you hoped they would, change hurts. Writer Kelly Corrigan talks to Maya about wrestling with the reality that her daughters' childhood was ending, and that her role as their parent had to transition, too. In this conversation from the archives, Maya and Kelly reckon with the question of what parents and children owe each other.

For more on Kelly, check out her podcast, "Kelly Corrigan Wonders" and her PBS show, "Tell Me More."

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U.S. track star Gabby Thomas recently won three gold medals at the Paris Olympics. To celebrate, we’re sharing Maya’s conversation with Gabby that took place shortly after the athlete’s Olympic debut in Tokyo. Gabby explains why her relationship with running isn’t as straightforward as you might think, and how competing interests have continually led her to question whether running is the path she wants to pursue.

Connect with Maya on instagram @DrMayaShankar.

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Just a few days after Kelsie first talked with Maya for the podcast, Kelsie's husband, Chris, was rushed to the hospital after he didn’t wake up from a nap. He died a few days later, as a result of complications from ALS. Eight months later, Kelsie reached out to say she wanted to share what life has been like for her since then, as she handles a new phase of mourning—what she calls “quiet grief.”

To hear more from Kelsey, check out her podcast, “Sorry, I’m Sad.” If you want to hear more experiences of caregiving, you might also enjoy our episode, “I Gave Up Asking 'Why Me'?”

Connect with Maya on instagram @DrMayaShankar.

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When Kelsie first met her co-worker Chris, she fell hard. They soon fell in love, got married, and had two kids. But then, Chris received a devastating diagnosis. In conversation with Maya, writer Kelsie Snow explores the complex grief of being both a wife and caregiver.

Note: this is part one of two conversations with writer Kelsie Snow. It was recorded in September 2023.

To hear more from Kelsey, check out her podcast, “Sorry, I’m Sad.”

Connect with Maya on instagram @DrMayaShankar.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.