On this episode, Dr. Robin Stern welcomes Dr. Dacher Keltner — UC Berkeley psychologist, founding director of the Greater Good Science Center, and leading expert on the science of awe. Together, they explore how cultivating moral beauty — the recognition of kindness, courage, humility, and justice — can counter the harm of gaslighting and the moral ugliness that fuels polarization and disconnection.

Drawing from his acclaimed book, Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life, Dr. Keltner shares groundbreaking research on how moments of wonder can lower inflammation, improve cardiovascular health, reduce anxiety and depression, and help us recover from pain and even long COVID. He offers practical, accessible ways to experience awe daily — from connecting with strangers and engaging with art to spending time in nature and reviving cultural traditions that inspire compassion.

The conversation moves from personal stories of loss and resilience to global initiatives like “Cities of Awe”, museum partnerships, and educational programs designed to bring more beauty and connection into our lives. Whether you’re looking for strategies to heal from manipulation or ways to strengthen community bonds, this episode offers a research-backed roadmap for living with more meaning, openness, and joy.

To read the full transcript of this episode, head over to robinstern.com.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Gaslight Effect Podcast on your favorite podcast platform, and be sure to leave us a review to let us know what you think. Until next time, remember: healing is a journey, and you don't have to walk it alone.

Dr. Robin Stern's Social Media Links:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/drrobinstern/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dr.robinstern/

Twitter (X) - https://twitter.com/RobinSStern

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-stern-220b403a

Dr. Robin Stern's Books:

The Gaslight Effect

The Gaslight Effect Recovery Guide

Emotional Intelligence for School Leaders

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on The Gaslight Effect Podcast do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.

On this episode of The Gaslight Effect Podcast, Dr. Robin Stern welcomes college‑admissions veteran Dr. Joie Jager‑Hyman—founder of College Prep 360 and author of Fat Envelope Frenzy and B+ Grades, A+ College Applications.

Joie, a Dartmouth alum and former Assistant Director of Admissions, reveals how her own curiosity about the process led her to guide students away from small missteps and toward a more empowered, self‑directed path.

Together, Stern and Jager‑Hyman demystify the intense pressures of Ivy‑League admissions—from “fat‑envelope envy” and the ever‑escalating expectations of top high schools, to the mental‑health toll of feeling you’re “just not enough.” Joie shares why she tells every student, “I hope you get into your dream school—but I also hope it’s the least important thing you do,” and how reframing ambitions around authentic acts of service can restore perspective and build real self‑worth.

They also tackle the modern amplifiers of stress: the public spectacle of social‑media acceptances (that 5 pm Yale notification everyone sees) and the isolating “don’t talk to your friends” advice that can fracture peer support.

You’ll learn concrete strategies for parents, educators, and students alike—how to create dedicated spaces for honest conversation, put mental‑health safeguards in place, and approach applications as a journey of growth, not just a destination.

Listen now to turn admissions anxiety into strategic empowerment, so every student can step into the process clear‑headed, confident, and ready to define success on their own terms.

To read the full transcript of this episode, head over to robinstern.com.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Gaslight Effect Podcast on your favorite podcast platform, and be sure to leave us a review to let us know what you think. Until next time, remember: healing is a journey, and you don't have to walk it alone.

Dr. Robin Stern's Social Media Links:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/drrobinstern/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dr.robinstern/

Twitter (X) - https://twitter.com/RobinSStern

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-stern-220b403a

Dr. Robin Stern's Books:

The Gaslight Effect

The Gaslight Effect Recovery Guide

Emotional Intelligence for School Leaders

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on The Gaslight Effect Podcast do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.

On this episode of The Gaslight Effect Podcast, Dr. Robin Stern sits down with behavioral economist and bestselling author Daniel Ariely—whose books Misbelief, Predictably Irrational and The Honest Truth About Dishonesty have upended the way we think about decision-making—to expose how gaslighting operates not only between individuals but on a mass scale.

Drawing on his own experience of being targeted by conspiracy theories during the pandemic, Ariely reveals how fear and simple narratives can be weaponized to warp our perception of reality and undermine our trust in what we “know.”

Together, Robin and Daniel demonstrate how our overconfidence in everyday knowledge—what he calls the “illusion of explanatory depth”—becomes a prime tool for manipulative voices that twist facts into a distorted mirror. They delve into experiments on social exclusion, showing how even a casual frisbee-toss rejection can prime us for the seductive comfort of echo chambers that subtly gaslight us into conformity. And they unpack the hidden loyalty tests that masquerade as harmless identity checks but really serve to isolate and control.

By the end of this conversation, you’ll be armed with research-backed strategies for spotting when the narrative is being rewritten around you.

From asking the right questions (“How do you really know?”) to setting firm personal boundaries, Dr. Stern and Ariely guide you in reclaiming your own perceptions and standing strong against emotional distortion—whether it comes from someone close or the stories unfolding in the news.

Listen now to illuminate the hidden mechanics of gaslighting and reclaim the power of clear, rational thinking.

To read the full transcript of this episode, head over to robinstern.com.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Gaslight Effect Podcast on your favorite podcast platform, and be sure to leave us a review to let us know what you think. Until next time, remember: healing is a journey, and you don't have to walk it alone.

Dr. Robin Stern's Social Media Links:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/drrobinstern/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dr.robinstern/

Twitter (X) - https://twitter.com/RobinSStern

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-stern-220b403a

Dr. Robin Stern's Books:

The Gaslight Effect

The Gaslight Effect Recovery Guide

Emotional Intelligence for School Leaders

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on The Gaslight Effect Podcast do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything.