This is a trial run of me narrating the preface of my new book, Everybody's Got Bears (available on Amazon). Please leave me comments so I can improve my narrating technique before recording the rest of the book in the coming weeks. Thanks!

This is part 1 of a two-part workshop I gave at Emmanuel Faith Community Church in Escondido, CA on March 2, 2019.

It can be tempting to diagnose our own psychological and physical ailments. But a few minutes on the internet can never replace a visit to a professional. Resist the temptation to self-diagnose!

For some reason I can't understand, as a culture we've decided that the need for sleep is a sign of weakness. As a biologist, I would argue instead that along with food and water, sleep is among the most important basic needs of a human being. Furthermore, how well and how long we sleep plays a huge part in our physical and mental health.

A short guided meditation to prepare your heart for the truth of Scripture.

Meditation has a long history in the Christian church, and modern biomedical science has found that it can be helpful to relieve stress, anxiety, and depression.

After 10 years of pushing hard, pushing through, and toughing it out, I broke. This is my story.

Stressful events in our lives can accumulate to the point of triggering the fight-or-flight response, as if there was a bear on the loose terrorizing us. Chronic fight-or-flight can cause physical and mental illnesses, so it's essential for us to learn coping and resilience skills to keep the bears out of our lives in the first place, or to chase them off when they show up uninvited.

Contrary to popular belief, college isn't always "the best four years of your life." What can college students expect from their mental and emotional health during these years, and how can they take the best care of themselves possible?