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July 13, 2021

Melissa Bernstein: Achievement Anchoring & The Logic of Lying

Melissa Bernstein, author, entrepreneur, and Co-Founder of the successful toy company Melissa & Doug, breaks down her existential journey through birthing art from divergent qualities. She discusses her disassociation from dark feelings and how her imagination allowed her to channel that sense of despair into creativity. Mayim and Melissa bond over being unable to relate to mainstream culture and how perfectionism can sometimes feel like a drug. They examine the science behind overexcitabilities, reasons why we lie, and how to accept and move through rejection. Melissa opens up about how her need for control led to a severe eating disorder at the age of 11 and how she found recovery through her relationship with her now husband. After years of self-depletion, Melissa reveals how logotherapy and studying philosophy guided her through her mental health journey.

Mayim reminisces about her time hanging out with fellow misfits at Venice Beach, and ends the episode with advice for teachers on dealing with anxious students in the latest installment of Ask Mayim Anything.

Theme Song Written, Produced, and Performed by Ed Robertson. Mixed by Kenny Luong.
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Melissa Bernstein

Author, Entrepreneur

melissabernsteinofficial
Mayim Bialik

Host

@missmayim
Jonathan Cohen

Co-Host

@jonathancohenofficial

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Guest References

Melissa Bernstein's New Book:
An inspirational journey from profound darkness to radiant light, LifeLines takes the reader on a visual journey through a symphony of prose, poetry and photography...
Meet Melissa and Doug
It's usually the first question people ask, "Are Melissa and Doug REAL PEOPLE??" And when they meet both of them, the reaction is almost always the same --- sheer excitement to meet Melissa, and, ummmm, when they meet Doug, people usually just wonder, does this guy EVER stop talking??!!
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The Lifelines Website
Other wellness brands promise you’ll feel better with quick-fix products and immediate solutions. We created LifeLines because we think those promises are the problem. Believing you need to feel “better” gets in the way of feeling everything and accepting all feelings as part of who you are...
See More