{"podcast":{"title":"The Midlife Chrysalis","slug":"the-midlife-chrysalis-7361713","podcast_index_feed_id":7361713,"rss_url":"https://anchor.fm/s/105945268/podcast/rss","website_url":"https://www.meawisdom.com/podcast","image_url":"https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_nologo/43785738/43785738-1748630750525-5568715944a63.jpg","author":"Chip Conley","episode_count":137,"summary":"The Midlife Chrysalis is a one-hour podcast hosted by Chip Conley, bestselling author of Learning to Love Midlife and founder of MEA (Modern Elder Academy). Chip and his high-profile guests – including Maria Shriver, Hoda Kotb, Elizabeth Gilbert, Michael Franti, and more – dive into raw, vulnerable conversations about the profound transitions they’ve experienced in midlife. Listeners get a rare look at how even the most successful individuals have to navigate life’s pivotal changes – and gain practical wisdom they can apply in their own lives for a more fulfilling and purposeful next chapter.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:30.272818+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-midlife-chrysalis-7361713"},"episode":{"title":"Why Modern Life Is Terrified Of Death | Ben Yalom","slug":"why-modern-life-is-terrified-of-death-ben-yalom","published_at":"2026-05-18T10:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-midlife-chrysalis-7361713/why-modern-life-is-terrified-of-death-ben-yalom","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-midlife-chrysalis-7361713","url":"https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/themidlifechrysalis/episodes/Why-Modern-Life-Is-Terrified-Of-Death--Ben-Yalom-e3j9tle","audio_url":"https://anchor.fm/s/105945268/podcast/play/119911534/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-4-13%2F424047466-44100-2-a4d35b546a065.mp3","summary":"What do you do when the version of yourself you built for decades no longer fits your life? In this conversation, Chip sits down with therapist and former theater director Ben Yalom for a warm, honest discussion about reinvention, grief, aging, identity, and the courage it takes to change direction in midlife. After spending years in experimental theater, Ben found himself at a crossroads during COVID. What followed was an unexpected transition into psychotherapy, where he now combines storytelling, movement, curiosity, and emotional exploration in deeply human ways. In this episode, they talk about: Letting go of old identities without losing yourself Why mistakes often become our greatest source of wisdom The hidden emotional intelligence of the body Why modern culture struggles so much with death and aging How curiosity keeps us alive and growing through change It’s one of those conversations that stays with you long after it ends. Listen now if you’re navigating change, rethinking your path, or wondering who you’re becoming next. Timestamps: (03:39) Leaving Theater Behind for Therapy (06:15) COVID Forced a Major Life Shift (08:00) Growing Up as Irving Yalom’s Son (12:43) Letting Go of Old Identities (15:41) Your Body Knows Your Story (18:56) Life as a Creative Practice (21:25) Writing Hour of the Heart (26:13) Aging Parents and Facing Mortality (30:44) Writing Life as a Fairy Tale (33:04) Why Modern Culture Fears Death (35:44) Ben Yalom on Grief and Loss (36:58) What the Body Knows Beyond Words (41:16) Wisdom Bumper Sticker Learn more about MEA at ⁠https://www.meawisdom.com/ #BenYalom #MidlifeReinvention #ExistentialTherapy #SomaticTherapy #BodyMindConnection #FearOfDeath #PersonalTransformation #Psychotherapy #EmotionalHealing #MidlifeCrisis #LifeTransitions #Curi…","meta_description":"What do you do when the version of yourself you built for decades no longer fits your life? In this conversation, Chip sits down with therapist and former…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2765,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-midlife-chrysalis-7361713/episodes/why-modern-life-is-terrified-of-death-ben-yalom/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-midlife-chrysalis-7361713/why-modern-life-is-terrified-of-death-ben-yalom.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}