Growth Spurt: Patience or Avoidance?

Episode 386: Building Better Organizations with Dr. Alissa Zawacki

Dr. Drew Brannon welcomes the newest AMPLOS team member, Dr. Alissa Zawacki, for a conversation about industrial-organizational psychology and what it takes to help people and organizations thrive. Together, they explore common workplace challenges, including hiring, performance management, employee feedback, and organizational culture. Alissa shares why clarity, structure, and thoughtful systems matter when developing people, while highlighting practical ways leaders can create healthier, more effective workplaces where both employees and organizations can grow.

Growth Spurt: What the World Cup Teaches Us About Teamwork

As the World Cup brings together some of the world's most talented athletes, Dr. Milt Lowder explores what makes great teams truly successful. From sacrificing individual roles for a shared mission to navigating adversity together, this Growth Spurt examines the power of pursuing a worthy goal alongside others. What are you building, who is on your team, and how can you contribute to something bigger than yourself?

Episode 385: Training Your Mind to Sleep

In this episode, Dr. Gabby Caviedes and Anthony Alibro explore why racing thoughts, worry, and problem-solving often keep us awake, even when we're exhausted. Drawing from sport and performance psychology, they share practical strategies for building a better bedtime routine, including mental imagery, diaphragmatic breathing, worry journaling, and gratitude practices. Learn how to stop trying to force sleep and start training your mind to make rest come more naturally.

Growth Spurt: Permission to Be Human

In this Growth Spurt, Dr. Milt Lowder reflects on the challenge of accepting our humanity while continuing to grow. Milt explores the importance of focusing on what we can control, giving ourselves permission to experience difficult emotions, and finding meaning in life's challenges. He encourages listeners to embrace both the limits and possibilities of being human and to extend that same grace to others.

Episode 384: The Psychology of Pushing Limits

In this episode, Drs. Drew Brannon and Gabby Caviedes unpack Rachel Entrekin's historic Cocodona 250 win as a lens for understanding performance under extreme pressure. From broader-than-self goals to micro-recovery, problem-solving under fatigue, and the power of "delusional belief," they explore what ultramarathon racing can teach us about preparation, resilience, and staying composed when we hit our limits.