Emotional Longevity

What if the biggest thing keeping you awake is how hard you're trying to fall asleep?

In this episode of the Emotional Longevity Podcast, Dr. Elisha Goldstein welcomes leading behavioral sleep medicine specialist Dr. Shelby Harris to unpack why our obsession with perfect sleep often creates the very insomnia we're trying to escape.

Together they explore the science behind insomnia, why anxiety and sleep become trapped in a self-reinforcing cycle, and how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) helps people regain healthy sleep without relying solely on medication.

From sleep hygiene myths to mindfulness, nightmares, sleep trackers, and the surprising importance of letting go of control, this conversation offers practical, research-backed strategies that can help anyone build a healthier relationship with sleep.

What if being hard on yourself isn't helping you become better—but actually making it harder to move forward?

In this episode of the Emotional Longevity Podcast, Dr. Elisha Goldstein explores why so many of us instinctively turn to self-criticism after mistakes, embarrassment, or poor decisions.

Through a personal story about being caught in a sophisticated online scam, Dr. Goldstein reveals how fear can quickly become shame—and how the inner critic often disguises itself as responsibility.

He shares a practical framework called "Accountability Without Attack" to help you learn from mistakes without adding unnecessary suffering.

🎧 In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why self-criticism can feel useful even when it isn't
• The connection between shame, fear, and personal growth
• How self-compassion differs from self-indulgence
• The question that helps interrupt the shame cycle
• Why learning and punishment are not the same thing
• A three-step practice to move from self-attack to self-support
• How to build emotional resilience after setbacks

What if some of the anxiety, exhaustion, irritability, or emotional heaviness you're carrying is actually grief?

In this episode of the Emotional Longevity Podcast, Dr. Elisha Goldstein sits down with renowned grief therapist and bestselling author Claire Bidwell Smith to explore the many forms grief can take—and why so many people don't recognize they're grieving until it begins affecting every area of their lives.

Claire shares insights from decades of personal and professional experience helping people navigate loss. Together they explore anticipatory grief, caregiving, anxiety, non-death grief, generational grief, and what it means to grieve consciously rather than pushing pain away.

This conversation offers a compassionate roadmap for anyone moving through loss—or supporting someone who is.

Have you ever replayed a conversation in your head hours—or even days—after it happened?
Maybe you regret something you said. Maybe you wish you had spoken up. Or maybe you don't even know why your mind keeps returning to it.

In this episode of the Emotional Longevity Podcast, Dr. Elisha Goldstein explores why replaying conversations isn't a flaw in your thinking—it's your nervous system searching for safety and completion.

You'll discover why unresolved interactions become "open loops" in the brain, why forcing yourself to stop thinking rarely works, and a simple 60-second practice that can help your nervous system finally release what it's been holding onto.

If you've ever felt trapped in a cycle of rumination, self-criticism, or overanalysis, this episode offers a practical and compassionate path forward.

What if meditation isn’t about controlling your thoughts—but about stopping the struggle against them?

In this insightful episode of the Emotional Longevity Podcast, Dr. Elisha Goldstein speaks with Peter Russell about a radically different approach to meditation—one rooted in relaxation, curiosity, and allowing the mind to settle naturally.

Peter explains why most people believe they’re “bad at meditating,” how the brain’s default mode network naturally creates thoughts, and why trying harder often creates more tension instead of calm.

Together, they explore anxiety, emotional awareness, body-based presence, and the subtle art of letting go without force.