Love Your Brain with The Brain Trust

Episode 20 Season 2 - Death and Grief - Part 1

In this episode Eric and Shannon explore death, grief, and the deeper meaning of being human. Shannon shares how processing childhood medical trauma led her to confront death, and how a psilocybin experience gave her a sense of "home" that reshaped her view of what happens when we pass. They discuss near death experiences, the role of the ego in fearing death, and the cultural discomfort around it. The conversation touches on the beauty of death, the power of witnessing it, and how fear of the inevitable can pull us away from truly living.

Episode 19 Season 2 - The Absurdity Of Life

On tonight's episode, Eric and Jeremy discuss the absurdities of life, breaking down complicated social connections while uncovering the futility of living. Eric does a PA on bad drivers, while Jeremy advocates an anarchistic approach to a political solution. Dogs are talking, birds are dying, people are throwing spheres through hoops—over & over again—while others cheer them on. Ignorance can be bliss, but the alternative is absurd.

Episode 18 Season 2 - Meet The Brain Trust!

In the first episode of Season 2, Eric and Dave welcome two new voices into the fold. Those two voices are of two previous Love Your Brain guests, Shannon and Jeremy. Welcome to the new and improved Love Your Brain with The Brain trust! This episode is built around a simple but powerful premise. Each member of the Brain Trust brought thoughtful questions for the others to answer, all with the intention of helping our audience get to know who we are and what truly shapes us. The goal of the questions is to foster a deeper understanding of not just our two new co-hosts, but the entire Brain Trust as a whole. In this episode, we dive into topics like faith versus imagination, aging, legacy, psychedelic experiences, fear of death, anger, and passion. This conversation marks the beginning of a new chapter for Love Your Brain, one that is more communal, more curious, and opens our circle up to ever widening perspectives and possibilities. Welcome to The Brain Trust!

Episode 17 - Phish Comes To Town Reprise!

Final episode of Season One and our first visual episode. Catch us on Youtube!https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSDvcB3sCUyxxYQ8bUkyceg During this Phish Comes To Town Reprise, we dive into the unique world of Phish fandom. Our guest is Chris Badoian, a longtime friend of Dave's brother Dan and a devoted Phish fan himself. Chris talks about his journey from punk rock and skate culture into touring with Phish, along with the psychedelic experiences that often accompany that scene. He and Dave discuss Phish's early influences like Zappa and Santana, and compare their culture to that of the Grateful Dead. They share memorable and infamous stories, like the night Fishman disrobed, and dive into what it truly means to "follow" a band and why people do it to feel alive. Chris is witty, full of energy, and passionate. For him, the biggest draw to Phish was—and still is—how it opens his mind.

Episode 15 - Phish Comes To Town!

When Phish rolled into Manchester, NH, it sparked a full episode of reflection and debate for Eric and Dave. They explore their differing takes on Phish, whether they're truly a jam band, their ties to the Grateful Dead, and Dave's view that they align more closely with Frank Zappa. Eric shares his first unexpected Phish show in the '80s, and they dig into the scene and culture around the band, including recovery support groups, taping and trading shows, lifelong friendships, Shakedown Street, and what really happens in the parking lot. They break down how Phish has stayed outside the mainstream while evolving musically, with standout jams still hitting hard in 2025. And since they just scratched the surface of fandom, look for part two of this topic!