Kelly Corrigan Wonders

Thanks For Being Here "Motherhood Illustrated"

14 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

At this time of year, we are knee-deep in sports: college lacrosse, the NBA play-offs and all the golf majors. Where there are sports, there are adjec...

Mothers on Mothering

12 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With thanks to listeners who shared stories about their mothers for this special episode, everyone here at Kelly Corrigan Wonders wishes you a Happy M...

Living With and Through Deep Anxieties with Jewel

09 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You might know bits and pieces of Jewel’s story. Homeless girl hitchhiking into the lower 48 from Alaska. Making music. Being robbed by her mother. ...

Mental Health Check on When to Quit

08 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A letter to my children about giving up and when it’s just fine to walk. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices vis...

Thanks For Being Here Jenn Drohan's "Forever Parents"

07 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This episode of Thanks For Being Here began with a voice message left by listener Jennifer Drohan. Jenn explained that while she enjoyed the Live Fro...

Getting Real about The Empty Nest

02 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes, even when things go precisely as you hoped they would, change hurts. Kelly was a guest on a podcast called A Slight Change of Plans, hoste...

Thanks For Being Here Remembering Ryland

30 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Please note that this episode references addiction and suicide. Teri Rose wrote this loving remembrance of her son Ryland. Ryland was a light in this...

How We Get Better

28 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For a special listener who was just diagnosed, here are some thoughts on the stages of recovery that I encourage you to share with every last person y...

The Honor and Weight of Being a Role Model

25 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kelly’s guest is actress and author Constance Wu - you may know her from her roles in the breakthrough tv show Fresh Off the Boat and the blockbuste...

Thanks For Being Here Mary Hope's Letter Introducing Alex

23 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mary Hope wrote this thoughtful, open-hearted letter to her community to introduce her son Alex - who had previously been known to all as Jenna, her d...

Blessings to Share with Those You Love

21 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kelly shares her own “go to” mantra as well as two blessings from frequent Kelly Corrigan Wonders guest Kate Bowler and her co-author/friend/podca...

Michael Lewis on What Makes Some People Irreplaceable

18 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

No one understands what makes a character sing better than Michael Lewis. The Big Short, Moneyball, Liar’s Poker, these stories stand for whole indu...

Thanks for Being Here Barbara's Love Letter to her Mom Dorthea

16 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Barbara Michelman wrote this love letter to her mother Dorthea after she died at 89. Barbara said, “My mom was not one for public displays of emotio...

Loss and the Craving for Answers

14 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

One of the nicest things that has happened to me in my professional life is crossing paths with Michael Lewis. I think he is the best storyteller in A...

Gretchen Rubin on Using Our Five Senses to Explore the World

11 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Once upon a time there was a girl who got pink-eye and went to the Met. Author and podcaster Gretchen Rubin (The Happiness Project, Happier with Gret...

Thanks For Being Here Eulogy for 8107 Warren Ave

09 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As families gather in homes across the country and around the world this week for Passover and Easter, we thought it would be nice to share this heart...

Making Decisions about What's Worth Doing

07 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There’s a new book out - LIFE WORTH LIVING - that I have been loving (and relying on) since I got an early copy six months ago. I think it might be...

Cause for Hope: Two Gen Zs Tell It Like It Could Be

04 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Need a bounce in your step? Click play. You will spend the better part of an hour with two young people who are coming into their power just as we n...

Thanks For Being Here Joy's Grandmother Zelda

02 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Joy Netanya Thompson submitted this moving eulogy for her paternal grandmother Zelda, a Holocaust survivor who endured so much and yet threw her arms ...

For The Good of the Order Replay of KCW A Mother and Son Story of the Ultimate Transition

31 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This GOTO is a replay of Kelly Corrigan Wonders Ep 18, “A Mother and Son Story of the Ultimate Transition”, which originally aired in January 2021...

How Do You Make The Most of College?

28 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone loves a list. Everyone needs a way to cut through all the noise and move forward with expert guidance. That’s what today’s episode is all...

Thanks For Being Here BONUS MONDAY EPISODE Lena Honors Aaron

27 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As many of our listeners know, Kelly has a dear cousin, Kathy, who turns up, one way or another, in all of Kelly’s books. Kathy and her husband Ton...

Thanks For Being Here Pallie's 40th Birthday Toast to her Sister Laurel

26 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Pallie Savoie’s sister Laurel was always her role model. Although their relationship went through different phases over the course of their lives, ...

The Great Quantification

24 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We could easily slip into a reality where everything about us is reflected back in numbers. Our weight. Our steps. Our likes. Our follows and bank ac...

Our Final College Visit with Spelman's Beloved "Dean P"

21 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What is possible when you put thousands of superstar women on one campus and tell them the world is theirs? Spelman College is teeming with students ...

Thanks For Being Here Eulogy For Mike "Mick" O'Shea

19 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Heather O’Shea submitted this lovely eulogy, written by her sister Colleen, for their dad Mike “Mick” O’Shea. The father of five daughters, M...

College Girls Talk...Kelly Goes to Spelman

17 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

JUST HIT PLAY. These women are such a thrill to listen to. Three Spelman superstars share their energy and dreams… To learn more about l...

College Visit with UCSD's Manuel Vargas

14 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How do you see the world and how much of that is based on lived experiences? How much comes from your education (formal and informal)? When was the l...

Thanks For Being Here Meghan's Story of Writing Her Mom's Eulogy

12 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Meghan Jarvis’ beautiful story of what happened as she holed herself up in a friend’s home to write her mother’s eulogy. This is for anyone who...

Mental Health Check on Getting What You Want

10 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With a special nod to every high school senior hearing back from colleges right about now, here are a few thoughts I share every chance I get about ho...

Feelings, Friction and Family with Dr. Lisa Damour

07 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There’s so many people who claim to be experts about family life. Dr. Lisa Damour is the real deal. This is one of the most useful conversations I h...

Thanks For Being Here Kerry's "Fartsville" Story

05 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kerry Mossler shares a funny memory that stands out for both her and her mom. It’s often the simplest moments, that create the most cherished memor...

Mental Health Check on Mood Medications

03 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Lisa Damour is one of my most trusted parenting advisors. She is careful and understanding, sincere and informed. Here’s a snippet of our conv...

Amanda Ripley on Personal and Global Conflict

28 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

67 million of us are estranged from a family member. 85% of us are in regular conflict at work. The country is split on every issue from masks to educ...

Thanks For Being Here Susie's Rock of Gibraltar Story about her Mom

26 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A short but powerful story by Susie DeCarlo about her mother but also about herself. Often, the way our parents see us is the way we come to see ours...

Mental Health Check on Judging Other Women

24 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

While forcing ourselves to exercise at the gym, it can be all too easy to look around and judge others. Maybe it makes us feel a bit better in the mo...

College Visit with Design Professor Tiffany Lin at Tulane

21 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tiffany Lin is an award-winning professor at Tulane and it’s obvious why. She brings her whole self to every class, teaching the kind of empathic t...

Thanks For Being Here Allison's Wedding Toast

19 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Allison Hassett Wohl wrote this toast to honor and celebrate her step-son Jake and his new wife Allison on their wedding day. One of the things that ...

Mental Health Check on Real Life Goodness

17 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Every Friday, we share something good and true about the world, something to get your head right as you finish another week and head into some downtim...

College Visit with Sex Professor Dr. Nicole McNichols at U of Washington

14 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The most popular class at The University of Washington is Psych 210: The Diversity of Human Sexuality. Kelly sits down with the professor, Dr. Nicole...

Thanks For Being Here Andrea's Butterfly Story About Her Mom

12 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As a 7 year-old, all Andrea Wetzel wanted was a home-made butterfly costume with glitter wings for Halloween. Her loving and busy single mom did her v...

Mental Health Check on What College Kids Want Us To Know

10 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

6 young women, huddled around a coffee table in an off campus apartment in Seattle, answer Kelly’s questions about eating, sex, drugs, depression an...

College Considerations on Philosophy and 19-year-olds with Michael Murray

07 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If we traded college for job training, what would be lost? Why are so many CEOs philosophy majors? What kind of conversations and connections become...

Thanks For Being Here Carol's Eulogy For Her Friend Caroline

05 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Carol Knerr wrote this eulogy to honor her lifelong friend Caroline. They met when they were four and remained close friends for decades. From shared...

Mental Health Check on Nurturing Outrage

03 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Determined to understand why we’re so often in a state of righteous outrage, I went looking for the benefits. And boy did I find them. Here is som...

The Humble Doctor with Sarah Handelsman + Cathy Takacs Witkop

31 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For the 5th and final episode in the Intellectual Humility series, Kelly talks to two doctors Dr. Sarah Handelsman (Pediatrician, East Bay Pediatrics)...

Thanks For Being Here Leslie's Letter to Her Husband Ben

29 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In honor of 20 years together, Leslie Browning wrote this sweet tribute to her husband Ben. In her early years, Leslie got her idea of “romantic lov...

Mental Health Check on Interpreting Discomfort

27 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It can be really hard to interpret the signals our bodies send us. Does stress mean we should run? Does discomfort mean something is going wrong? T...

Love, Sex and Connection with Dr. Helen Fisher

24 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Let’s say this: the number one driver of happiness across time and culture is meaningful connection to others. So how do you get it and how do you ...

Thanks For Being Here Jill's Eulogy For Her Mother Jo

22 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Josephine “Jo” Warren was a keeper of lists and her daughter, Jill Kohler, honored her by creating a special list of her own in the eulogy she lov...

Mental Health Check on Long Term Love

20 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There is a lot to know about what makes love last. People like John Gottman and Helen Fisher have been studying sex, love and connection for decades....

Inspiration for The Creative Life

17 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jazz, improv, curiosity and intellectual humility - what might these topics have to do with business? Kelly talks with Dr. Natalie Nixon a creativity...

Thanks For Being Here Amanda's Eulogy for Cathy

15 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Amanda Detweiler wrote this kind and humorous eulogy for her dear friend Cathy. Cathy was generous, beautiful, intelligent and had a magnetic personal...

Mental Health Check on Saying No

13 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Here’s a reminder that it’s okay to say no when the moment calls for it because, frankly, I have been finding it impossible. The temptation to b...

The Humble Parent with Julie Lythcott-Haims

10 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kelly and Julie confess their parental “areas for improvement” and compare notes on the role of humility in family life. What’s the upside of k...

Thanks For Being Here Joe's Essay About His Mom Beth

08 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

From diagnosis to a final, beautiful kiss on the cheek, Joe Lucien reflects on his deeply kind, considerate and loving mom Beth’s breast cancer jour...

Mental Health Check on the Power of Wonder

06 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What’s the point of slowing down, noticing, directing your attention to small wonders? Kelly celebrates the work of Dacher Keltner on AWE. ...

The What, Why and How of Intellectual Humility

03 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s episode kicks off a month long look at intellectual humility - the simple concept that all knowledge is partial. Kelly talks with researcher...

Love, Hope and Grief for Stacey's Dad Frank

01 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As snow falls on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Stacey remembers her hard-working and loving father Frank. (Replay of Ep 11 which originally aired on ...

Mental Health Check: Tales of Neuroplasticity

30 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I am damn near hopeless with routers and a printer on the skids can take me around the bend. But, inspired by my mother and my husband and a friend, ...

Looking Back with Kate Bowler at All Things Happy

27 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Bestselling author, star podcaster, stage 4 cancer patient and the kind of friend you can be honest with, Kate Bowler, compares her Happy list with Ke...

Love, Hope and Grief for Andy's Dad

25 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This episode features a eulogy beautifully written by my editor at Random House, Andy Ward, to honor his father. (Replay of Thanks For Being Here Epis...

Mental Health Check on Conquering Envy

23 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Okay so I went to a thing and I came home with a little case of the envies and then I found a bit of a book that helped me feel and think better about...

Looking Back with Kate Bowler at the Truly Crappy

20 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Professor, podcaster, stage 4 cancer patient Kate Bowler knows the difference between crappy and happy. This week we review the Crappy Files, which t...

Thanks For Being Here Stephanie's 50th Anniversary Letter to her Parents

18 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Stephanie Doublestein wrote this letter to honor her parents Chuck and Sue on the occasion of their 50th Anniversary. Stephanie says she observed a m...

Cheers to a Legend

16 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In 1976, Judy Woodruff began her career in journalism, thanks to sexist manager who explained that he hired her for her legs. 46 years later, she’s...

Double Header: Katie Couric + Neal Katyal

13 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

First up, a conversation with Katie Couric, who has been in the media business for 40 some years now in a variety of roles, who has a really honed per...

Thanks For Being Here Paul's Notes to Charlotte

11 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A stunningly beautiful eulogy comprised of notes written over many years by Paul Paroff to his friend Chris Stokes’ mother Charlotte. Charlotte was...

Kelly's Life Hacks

09 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After much back and forth with you all on Facebook, I came up with my most important go-to items — the things that get me through the day — and, m...

Double Header: Dave Eggers + Nick Hornby

06 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dave Eggers and Nick Hornby are two of our best novelists, and both happen to be serious do gooders as well. With dozens of books between them, they ...

Thanks For Being Here MJ's Eulogy for ThaTha

04 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

MJ Murray Vachon eulogizes her daughter-in-law Madhura’s grandfather Rajagopala Sarma (called ThaTha by his family). ThaTha was a brilliant statist...

What makes some creatives so productive?

02 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dave Eggers and Nick Hornby have thoughts about why and how we create. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: ...

Anne Lamott on Perfectly Imperfect

29 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Celebrated for her raw, hilarious accounts of stumbling toward her best self, Anne Lamott is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 20 boo...

Thanks For Being Here Emery's College Essay - Sunday Breakfast

27 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kelly Warm submitted her daughter Emery’s college essay about how much she values her family’s Sunday breakfasts, a tradition which goes back 40 y...

Kelly's Gratitude List

25 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone who knows anything about well being recommends gratitude lists. It’s a way to taste the goodness twice and relishing what is rather than p...

Embracing What Is with Good Morning America's Robin Roberts

22 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Robin Roberts, who has been saying Good Morning America for decades now, has a few hard-earned lessons to share. She was in isolation for 174 days af...

Thanks For Being Here Kimberly's Toast To Her Friend Steph

20 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What never fails to impress you? Kim Tully was asked this question at a meeting and in under 10 seconds, she came up with her answer: genuine people....

Everyday Forgiveness

18 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It’s here: the time of year when we mix it up with family. Good to keep a little forgiveness handy. This episode was made to share. To l...

College Visit with the President of Montana State University

15 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Waded Cruzado was the first person in her family to go to college. She loved it. She went on to get a PhD and move from Puerto Rico to — of al...

Thanks For Being Here Pete's Dad Larry

13 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Pete Bidstrup wrote this heartfelt tribute to his dad Lawrence “Larry” Otto Bidstrup. Larry was a husband, father, grandfather, Marine, teacher, ...

Mental Health Note on Shifting Our Attention

11 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This is a note on how to lift ourselves out of our tiny lives. Please share. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices vi...

College Visit with a Jolly, Brilliant Computer Science Professor Named Zach Dodds

08 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How do kids become adults who can give and receive feedback? Who approach problems from multiple angles as a matter of course? Who feel safe sharing f...

Thanks For Being Here Lily's College Essay - "We Rise"

06 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Lily Janas, now a student at Bowdoin College, wrote this stirring college admissions essay called “We Rise”. She sets the scene at 2am and goes o...

Parenting Check In: The Fear of Suicide

04 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kelly asks Dr. Ken Ginsburg, long time pediatrician, what to do about the ultimate fear. To learn more about listener data and our privacy p...

College Visit Talking Books with Dr. Clara Oropeza

01 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Santa Barbara has one of the best community colleges in the country. Kelly and her producer Tammy spent a day on the campus of Santa Barbara City Col...

Thanks For Being Here Stephen's College Essay - The J-Team

30 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Stephen Gallagher’s college essay takes a look at what could have just been a simple summer job but became so much more. It’s often a tough job, ...

Parenting Check In on Unconditional Love with Dr. Ken Ginsburg

28 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The 4th of 5 quick check ins with Dr. Ken Ginsburg about the differences between unconditional love, unconditional like and unconditional acceptance o...

Learning How to Learn with Dr. Marcia Chatelain

25 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It’s easy for academia to become remote, unless you have a professor like Dr. Marcia Chatelain. She teaches history at Georgetown and spends a lot ...

Thanks For Being Here Mowing the Lawn with Dad

23 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This moving essay was written by a listener as her college admissions essay. She writes about how as a kid she felt a terrific desire to control every...

Parenting Check In on Rejection and Risk with Dr. Ken Ginsberg

21 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Super interesting note from respected pediatrician and parenting guide Dr. Ken Ginsburg on using elements of our environment to start conversations wi...

Love and Old Age, How To Be Caring

18 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Replay of Episode 73 from February 2022. With tenderness and optimism, Atul Gawande (author of Being Mortal, a must read) and Ai-jen Poo (who support...

Thanks For Being Here Tracy's Dad Joe

16 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s submission is introduced in the episode as a eulogy but it’s actually an essay that writer, speaker and advocate Tracy Hargen wrote about ...

Parenting Check In on Knowing Your Territory with Dr. Ken Ginsburg

14 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

2nd in a set of 5 mini-pods, Kelly talks to the country’s premiere expert in teenagers, Dr. Ken Ginsburg. This time, they talk about where and when...

Father Greg Boyle on Character, Change and Kindness Dosing

11 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you haven’t heard of Father Greg Boyle, let us introduce you: a Jesuit priest who has a touch of Santa Claus in his affect, Greg Boyle has collab...

Thanks For Being Here Margaret's Mother-In-Law Adele

09 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Margaret Lauhoff submitted this delightful eulogy - it was written by her husband Dave for his mother Adele who he clearly adored. Rather than use co...

Parenting Check In on Peer Influence with Dr. Ken Ginsburg

07 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Ken Ginsburg knows a lot about teenagers; he’s been working with them for decades. He made a surprising assertion about peer v parental influen...

College Visit with Notre Dame's Kathy Cummings and Sam Newlands

04 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Exhausting, illuminating, filled with grace—that’s how the Notre Dame students in this episode described their college experience. In addition to...

Thanks For Being Here Anne Marie's Mom Anne

02 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Anne Marie eulogizes her mother Anne Nahn who she says, “was a life force unlike most”. She was the mother of 8 and grandmother of 18, she learne...

Mental Health Check on Awe

30 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You know the feeling you get when you look at a cool building or clouds from the plane window? When you watch a young person excel in anything — fr...

College Visit with Yale's Miroslav Volf

27 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Yale offers a class called Life Worth Living, taught in part by an irresistible religion professor named Miroslav Volf, who has pulled readings from t...