How Not to Get Eaten by a Cat artwork

How Not to Get Eaten by a Cat

13 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 4 years ago -

In How Not to Get Eaten by a Cat, Neha Gajwani interviews experts to understand what connection and loneliness actually are, what happens in our bodies when we feel lonely, and what we might do fight loneliness and build more fulfilling lives. She talks to psychotherapists, neuroscientists, historians, connection researchers, sociologists, really connected people, and really disconnected people to start to answer how we can be healthier and happier.

Relationships Society & Culture Health & Fitness Mental Health loneliness human connections loneliness psychology social connection overcoming loneliness social isolation anxiety
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Episodes

Dating Coach Cherlyn Chong: Why Do High-Achieving Women Love Toxic Men?

May 21, 2020 08:00 - 14 minutes - 10.3 MB

Dating and breakup recovery coach Cherlyn Chong explains why you shouldn't just cry it out when you want to get over an ex--you need a game plan. She talks about why high-achieving women love toxic men, and walks through the most common dating mistakes she sees women make. 

Dr. Roger Patulny: How would you manage isolation amid COVID-19?

May 14, 2020 05:00 - 15 minutes - 10.3 MB

Sociologist Dr. Roger Patulny of the University of Wollongong in Australia talks social connection: why it's gendered, how we can foster it during the pandemic, and why it's critical to think about this in an increasingly individualistic world. 

Dr. Emily Cross: Can Robots Help Us Feel More Connected?

May 01, 2020 14:00 - 14 minutes - 10.3 MB

If robots can eventually replace cashiers, opponents in chess, and even some doctors, could they help with our biological need for social connection? Our guest this week, Dr. Emily Cross, Professor of Social Robotics at the University of Glasgow, explains how our brains respond to robots and humans, and how studying dancers and actors could help revolutionize the world of robotics.

Dillon Hill: What One YouTuber Did When He Felt Isolated in a New City

April 24, 2020 13:00 - 11 minutes - 7.6 MB

He threw a dart on a map and it landed on Vancouver. Shortly after, YouTuber Dillon Hill moved there. Hill realized everyone he spoke to in this new city had one thing in common: they all felt isolated. In an effort to ease their discomfort and his own, he launched an event called "Loneliness Sucks".

Marlies Maes: How Do We Prevent Adolescent Loneliness?

April 17, 2020 07:00 - 10 minutes - 7.21 MB

In this talk, Neha Gajwani asks Belgium researcher Marlies Maes about the difference between social and emotional loneliness. Maes explains why loneliness can be a good thing, and how to treats its different forms. 

What Social Issues Cause Loneliness and Should Doctors Treat It?

April 09, 2020 14:00 - 12 minutes - 8.7 MB

The world of emotions is complex, but medical sociologist Dr. Kelly MacArthur knows one thing for sure: racial, gender, and class inequality causes loneliness. We need to tackle loneliness at its root and work on these underlying causes. At the same time, doctors need to evaluate connection levels.

Dr. Geoffrey Greif: How Do Men See Relationships Differently than Women Do?

March 20, 2020 14:00 - 11 minutes - 8.23 MB

How do men see relationships differently than women do? How do you raise boys who turn out to be vulnerable, loving men? In this candid talk, Neha Gajwani discusses Dr. Geoffrey Greif's extensive research on how genders diverge when it comes to relationships.

Dr. Eti Ben Simon: Does Sleeplessness Cause Loneliness and Anxiety?

February 21, 2020 14:00 - 14 minutes - 10.3 MB

70-80% of people who report anxiety also have trouble sleeping. But is sleeplessness a symptom or something that promotes anxiety? Does a lack of sleep affect how others view you? And what technology could help deepen sleep in the future? Dr. Eti Ben-Simon answers these questions and passionately explains why sleep is more important than we realize.

Dr. Lisa Hinshelwood: What is Social and Emotional Learning and Why is it Critical for Kids?

February 13, 2020 14:00 - 13 minutes - 9.12 MB

We grow up studying math, science, and reading. As adults, we work together in teams, for bosses, and sometimes we manage people. We sometimes marry and have children and manage complicated relationships. But we never go to class to learn the skills of communicating effectively, negotiating, and listening attentively. For something so critical to success in our careers and to our personal lives, why do we leave it up to chance? Dr. Hinshelwood explains what she teaches kids, what challenges ...

Dr. Abraham Palmer: Is Loneliness Genetic?

January 31, 2020 14:00 - 13 minutes - 9.23 MB

We sometimes think of loneliness as a feeling to overcome, one that belongs to the weak or to outcasts. Dr. Abraham Palmer challenges that assumption, exposing new evidence that loneliness may be genetic. In this riveting talk, Neha Gajwani discusses this misunderstood emotion with Dr. Palmer, and dives head-first into what we know about our brain on loneliness.

Dr. Berit Brogaard: What is one of the main reasons relationships fail?

January 10, 2020 14:00 - 13 minutes - 9.47 MB

What is the one of the main reasons why relationships don't last? Are people in arranged marriages better off? Will you ever biologically feel the high from the beginning of a relationship later on? If we're drawn to opposites, and that causes relationship issues, what is the best way to change ourselves?  For other interviews, go to www.nehagajwani.com.

Stephanie Coontz: Why Does It Feel So Hard to Find a Partner?

December 12, 2019 14:00 - 14 minutes - 10 MB

What should you look for in a partner? Why do men mansplain? Is date night actually a good thing? Neha Gajwani and Stephanie Coontz explore these questions and others. They look at why it feels so hard to choose just one, and if our expectations for partners are too high (spoiler: they're not.)

Dmitri Williams: Are Gamers Doomed to be Loners?

December 10, 2019 14:00 - 14 minutes - 9.71 MB

In this episode of How Not to Get Eaten by a Cat, Neha Gajwani interviews Dr. Dmitri Williams, associate professor of technology and society classes at the University of Southern California. While some of us think of gamers as people who deprioritize social connection, Dr. Williams explains some games enable connection. He argues that games have become more social over time. For more information on this interview, please go to: https://www.nehagajwani.com/new-blog/2019/12/4/if-your-kids-pl...