For this episode, we’re honored to welcome Diane Kahn, founding member and executive director of Humans of San Quentin. Diane’s journey began with a simple curiosity that blossomed into a life-changing mission: helping incarcerated people share their stories with the world. Over seven years volunteering at San Quentin, she’s been deeply moved by the vulnerability and emotional intelligence of the men she works with—seeing firsthand how storytelling, art, and letter writing can bridge the gap between those inside and outside the prison walls.

Throughout our conversation, Diane challenges the stigmas and assumptions so many people have about those who are incarcerated. She shares powerful stories that reveal hope, redemption, and an eagerness among incarcerated individuals to give back and make amends. What’s most striking is the transformative power of being heard—how simply listening and sharing a memory can spark profound growth and emotional insight. Diane reminds us that, in many ways, we all crave connection, understanding, and a chance to be seen for who we really are.

The Biggest Helping: Today’s Most Important Takeaway

“Don’t judge. Listen to someone. Look inside of them. Try to erase the judgment.”

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Thank you for joining us on The Daily Helping with Dr. Shuster. Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube to download more food for the brain, knowledge from the experts, and tools to win at life.

Resources:

• Learn more at Humans of San Quentin Website
• Follow HoSQ on Instagram: @humansofsanquentin
• Connect with HoSQ on LinkedIn
• Humans of San Quentin Podcast

Produced by NOVA

In this episode, we sit down with Jim Poole, CEO of NuCalm, a leader in neuroscience-based wellness and performance. Jim’s journey is rooted in a family dedicated to helping others, shaped by parents who were both psychotherapists and a mother who was a true force of nature. Today, he channels that legacy into pioneering technology that allows people to manage their mental state on demand—without drugs or side effects. NuCalm, once a $6,000 FDA-regulated device used in dental surgeries, has evolved into a user-friendly mobile app designed to bring powerful, science-backed brainwave management to anyone, anywhere.

Jim helps us unpack why so many of us are overwhelmed by stress, especially in a post-pandemic world. He breaks down the clash between our “reptile brain” (the amygdala) and our more evolved prefrontal cortex, revealing how chronic stress robs us of the presence and patience we need to thrive. As a society, we’re becoming more aware of our mental health needs, but the proliferation of “silver bullet” wellness apps often falls short. What sets NuCalm apart is decades of research, rigorous FDA approval, and real-world results—helping users tap into healing brainwave states at the press of a button. We come away with a deeper understanding of how practical neuroscience can empower us to take control of our stress and well-being, even amidst life’s chaos.

The Biggest Helping: Today’s Most Important Takeaway

Take care of yourself. Just because you can’t see, smell, taste, or touch stress doesn’t mean it isn’t impacting you every single day. Do something—anything—to manage your stress, because if you don’t, you won’t like the consequences of stress managing you.

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Thank you for joining us on The Daily Helping with Dr. Shuster. Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube to download more food for the brain, knowledge from the experts, and tools to win at life.

Resources:

• Learn more about NuCalm and try a free 7-day trial at NuCalm.com
• Use the coupon code DRRICHARD at checkout for 15% off any NuCalm subscription

Produced by NOVA

In this episode, we’re joined by Thomas G. Waites—acclaimed actor, playwright, musician, and star of the raw and riveting one-man show Lucky Man, A Warrior’s Journey, currently playing in New York and produced by Emmy and Golden Globe winner John Goodman. With a storied career spanning film, television, and stage—including cult classics like The Warriors and The Thing—Tom pulls back the curtain on his rollercoaster life, sharing openly about both meteoric highs and hard-won lessons in redemption.

We journey with Tom through his early struggles, the car accident that changed his trajectory, and the drive that led him from the wrong side of the tracks to Juilliard and beyond. But fame wasn’t the final destination—instead, it was his battles with addiction and eventual recovery that truly reshaped his life. Tom’s story is a testament to the messy, nonlinear path of transformation, showing how setbacks, loss, and even self-destruction can become fertile ground for reinvention. Today, he channels his hard-earned wisdom into his art, his teaching, and his commitment to service—reminding us that real success is about who we become and how we help others along the way.

The Biggest Helping: Today’s Most Important Takeaway

“Love others into being and you will be.”

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Thank you for joining us on The Daily Helping with Dr. Shuster. Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube to download more food for the brain, knowledge from the experts, and tools to win at life.

Resources:

• Learn more about Thomas’ work at thomasgwaites.com
• Follow Thomas’ band on Instagram: @heartbreakwaites

Produced by NOVA

Dr. Paul J. Zak, acclaimed neuroscientist and bestselling author of The Little Book of Happiness, returns to The Daily Helping to share groundbreaking insights on how connection and fulfillment truly shape our well-being. As a professor and pioneer in behavioral neuroscience, Dr. Zak has spent decades studying what it takes for people to thrive, developing tools that help us measure and build more meaningful lives.

In this episode, Dr. Zak discusses his innovative SIX app, which uses data from everyday smartwatches to track our most valuable, emotionally resonant moments. His research shows that fulfillment isn’t about minimizing stress or chasing endless self-improvement—it’s about being present, nurturing relationships, and making small, positive impacts on those around us.

The Biggest Helping: Today’s Most Important Takeaway

Make a point to add love to the world. Strive to make every interaction “love plus”—bringing kindness and care to those around you, even if they aren’t always able to do the same. The simple act of connecting with and helping others is at the core of lasting happiness.

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Thank you for joining us on The Daily Helping with Dr. Shuster. Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube to download more food for the brain, knowledge from the experts, and tools to win at life.

Resources:

• Read The Little Book of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Living Better by Paul J. Zak
• Immersion Neuroscience: immersionneuro.com
• SIX App: your6.com
• Follow Dr. Paul J. Zak on LinkedIn
• Listen: Ep. 1: Love, The Moral Molecule & Trust | with Paul J. Zak (AKA Dr. Love)

Produced by NOVA

On this episode of The Daily Helping, we’re joined by Paul Johnson and Larry Aldrich, two accomplished leaders who have spent decades shaping policy and championing individual rights. Paul, former mayor of Phoenix and host of The Optimistic American podcast, brings deep experience from his roles in business, politics, and international development. Larry, a federal antitrust prosecutor and newspaper CEO, has long defended First Amendment rights and innovation in media. Together, they bring a unique, bipartisan lens to the question: Is America’s future as bright as its past?

As we reflect on their conversation, it’s clear how much negativity and fear dominate the news and our feeds, making it harder for people to feel empowered or hopeful about the future. Paul and Larry remind us that the founders built this country on the power and responsibility of individuals, not institutions, and that our national fabric is woven from courage, imagination, grit, generosity, and optimism. Through stories like Rosa Parks’s compassion and lessons from history, they show us that when we focus on agency and human connection, we not only enrich our own lives but also strengthen our communities.

The Biggest Helping: Today’s Most Important Takeaway

Paul Johnson:

The differences we had writing this book forced us to communicate, and there’s real joy in that. If you want to find purpose, it’s very hard to do that if you start from a pessimistic point of view. The goal is to find agency, and the good news is, you live in the greatest nation in history. Whatever you do, don’t exclude people from your life just because they don’t think like you. That’s a huge mistake.

Larry Aldrich:

The story of America wasn’t written by institutions—it was written by individuals. Look around your community and find places where you see courage, grit, generosity, and joy every day, because that’s where America shines and where its future lies.

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Thank you for joining us on The Daily Helping with Dr. Shuster. Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube to download more food for the brain, knowledge from the experts, and tools to win at life.

Resources:

• Read: What's Right with America: …And How We Can Keep It That Way!
• The Optimistic American Podcast
• The New Frontiers
• Larry Aldrich on LinkedIn
• Paul Johnson on LinkedIn

Produced by NOVA

Ken Banta, founder and CEO of the Vanguard Network, is a recognized expert in leadership and organizational change. With a rich background as a journalist—covering pivotal events like the Eastern European revolutions for Time magazine—Ken transitioned into corporate leadership, helping guide major turnarounds at companies such as Pharmacia and Bausch & Lomb. His latest book, Seeing Around Corners, gathers lessons from top leaders and is designed to inspire everyone, from emerging professionals to global executives.

Ken’s perspective on leadership is shaped by witnessing ordinary people drive extraordinary change, often guided by unexpected leaders like Vaclav Havel. These experiences reinforced his belief that leadership isn’t just for those at the top; anyone, regardless of background or title, can play a vital role. True leaders are consistent in their purpose, adaptable, and agile—qualities that matter as much in everyday life as in the boardroom.

Ken’s key takeaway is simple: leadership is for everyone. Whether you’re leading a team or contributing as an individual, you can make an impact by being clear on your purpose, staying flexible in your approach, and staying connected to those around you. Embrace your own ability to lead and remember—often, the most lasting change comes from ordinary people stepping up in extraordinary ways.

The Biggest Helping: Today’s Most Important Takeaway

Leadership is really for everybody. The idea that leaders sit at the top of a pyramid with everyone else below them is simply wrong. Not everyone can be the head of a large team, but within any team, everyone can play a leadership role—whether that's leading sideways with colleagues or leading upwards by influencing those at the top.

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Thank you for joining us on The Daily Helping with Dr. Shuster. Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube to download more food for the brain, knowledge from the experts, and tools to win at life.

Resources:

• Read Seeing Around Corners by Ken Banta
• The Vanguard Network website: thevanguardnetwork.com
• Connect with Ken on LinkedIn

Produced by NOVA

Joel Zuckerman may have made a name for himself as a golf writer, but it’s gratitude—not golf—that transformed his life. With over 300 handwritten letters under his belt, Joel has shifted from penning sports columns to advocating for expressive gratitude as a path to greater well-being. In this episode of The Daily Helping, Dr. Richard sits down with Joel to unpack his latest book, Gratitude Tiger, and the powerful personal journey that inspired it.

Joel’s story begins with a single letter written in 2013, inspired by a two-page chapter in Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. What started as an intellectual exercise quickly became an emotional revelation, and Joel found himself writing dozens, then hundreds, of gratitude letters to people who had shaped his life. Some recipients responded. Many didn’t. But that wasn’t the point. As Joel says, “Every time I write a letter, it makes me feel good.” His letters have become a practice not just in gratitude, but in personal healing and joy.

Gratitude Tiger offers a framework that’s part inspiration, part instruction manual. Joel shares how even a simple seven-word message—like “You are the cog in the machine”—can have a profound impact. And in one of the book’s most moving chapters, he explores how people facing unthinkable hardship—ALS, cancer, the loss of a child—still manage to find purpose and, yes, gratitude. Joel reminds us that we don’t need to be saints to be grateful. We just need to start.

The Biggest Helping: Today’s Most Important Takeaway

“You write letters of gratitude for yourself. I am not Mother Teresa. I'm not an altruist. The reason I've gone to the computer 280 times over 11 years is that every time I write a letter, it makes me feel good. Yes, the person who receives it will receive what I call collateral joy and be shocked and pleased and taken aback and surprised. But every letter I write is to make myself feel better.”

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Thank you for joining us on The Daily Helping with Dr. Shuster. Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube to download more food for the brain, knowledge from the experts, and tools to win at life.

Resources:

• Learn more at gratitudetiger.com
• Read Gratitude Tiger: Creating Joy Through the Art of Impactful Letters by Joel Zuckerman
• Read Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff... and It’s All Small Stuff by Richard Carlson
• Follow Joel on Instagram: @gratitude_tiger

Produced by NOVA

Bill Zujewski—better known as Bill Z—is the founder of Good Life LLC, creator of the Life by Design system, the ZenScore app, and the Good Life platform. After a long and successful career in enterprise software with companies like Oracle and Tulip, Bill co-founded the Green Business Bureau, which was successfully acquired in 2023. He’s now the author of What’s Your Life Score?, a book and system designed to help people bring intentionality and balance into their everyday lives.

Bill’s journey toward intentional living began while still in the corporate world. After years of climbing the ladder and working with high-tech startups, he experienced a shift: he wanted to do something that had a deeper purpose. What began as a personal spreadsheet to evaluate his year across different life categories eventually became a comprehensive tool for self-assessment. First used with his four children and later expanded into a larger framework, this tool evolved into the Life Score system—a way to measure not just success, but fulfillment across eight key life areas.

The heart of Bill’s approach lies in the acronym HELP GROW: Health, Environment, Leisure, Purpose, Growth, Relationships, Occupation, and Wealth. Each category is scored to assess how balanced and intentional your life is. Whether you’re questioning your purpose, feeling stuck, or just want to improve your habits, Bill emphasizes the power of regular self-check-ins. His takeaway? The happiest people invest time in all areas of life—not just work—and live with purpose and balance. His tools and insights offer a roadmap to get there.

The Biggest Helping: Today’s Most Important Takeaway

Live a balanced life, and do it intentionally. And balance is not just work and everything else. Manage all eight buckets. Invest in your relationships, invest in leisure, invest in your physical health and go to the gym. There's a playbook for life that is anchored in having a balanced life if you pay attention to all those areas.

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Thank you for joining us on The Daily Helping with Dr. Shuster. Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube to download more food for the brain, knowledge from the experts, and tools to win at life.

Resources:

• Learn more at goodliife.com
• Read: What’s Your Life Score: A Playbook for Designing Your Best Life
• Connect with Bill Zujewski on LinkedIn

Produced by NOVA