Adventure, Academia, and Getting Mental with Anson Whitmer - Act 1

In this episode, I sat down with Anson Whitmer, whose diverse life experiences span from a split childhood between Chicago and England to daring solo adventures across the globe. Anson's tales of culture shock, jungle expeditions, and academic pursuits paint a vivid picture of a life driven by curiosity and resilience. We explored how his travels fostered a unique perspective on human connection and empathy, particularly towards those different from ourselves. Anson's journey from globetrotter to neuroscientist offers fascinating insights into personal growth and understanding the human mind. Our conversation touched on everything from the impact of technology on our sense of time to the challenges of rumination and mental health, drawing from both Anson's personal experiences and scientific background. His story serves as a compelling reminder of how embracing the unknown can shape our approach to life's challenges, whether in academia, entrepreneurship, or personal growth.

Bio by Anson: 

I have a PhD in neuroscience with a focus on mental health (depression, anxiety, etc; ex-Stanford). I was a founding team member of the first mental health app to become a unicorn - Calm. At Calm, we realized we were not getting through to guys - that nobody is. This is a problem. Men are 80% of suicides. And this matters to me. My whole career has been motivated by the loss of two close male relatives to suicide. So I created Mental - the first mental health app built for men. I'm CEO and co-founder along with Calm's founding engineer.