Ep. 311 - The Doctor Is In Series - The Scientific Keys To Happiness with Dr. Paul Zak

Welcome to the Social-Engineer Podcast: The Doctor Is In Series – where we will discuss understandings and developments in the field of psychology.   In today’s episode, Chris and Abbie are joined by Dr. Paul J Zak. Dr. Zak is in the top 0.3% of most cited scientists. For over two decades Paul’s research has extended the boundaries of behavioral neuroscience and that has taken him from the Pentagon to Fortune 500 boardrooms to the rainforests of Papua New Guinea. Besides his academic appointment, he is a 4-time tech entrepreneur.   In 2017 he founded Immersion Neuroscience, a software platform that allows anyone to measure what the brain loves in real-time, that is used to improve outcomes in entertainment, education, advertising, and emotional health. He is a regular TED speaker and has appeared on many news programs and TV Shows. His newest book is The Little Book of Happiness and he’s here today to discuss more about that. [July 7, 2025]   00:00 - Intro 00:23 - Dr. Abbie Maroño Intro  01:11 - Dr. Paul Zak Intro 02:06 - The Little Book of Happiness -          pauljzak.com/books 04:52 - High-Value Experience 06:35 - Neuroscience x Stoicism 08:50 - We Are Interdependent 14:10 - We Can Adapt 16:41 - Single Rider Experience 21:29 - Out of the Comfort Zone 23:30 - It's the People 26:46 - The Hotel Hack 32:00 - Bring the Fun! 34:11 - Absorbing the Vibe 35:18 - We Don't Have to Suffer Alone 37:22 - Find Dr. Zak Online -          Website: getimmersion.com -          App: your6.com -          Email: [email protected]                           37:47 - Wrap Up 38:35 - Next Month: Love at First Sight 39:10 - Outro -          www.social-engineer.com -          www.innocentlivesfoundation.org   Find us online: -          LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dr-abbie-maroño-phd -          Instagram: @DoctorAbbieofficial -          LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christopherhadnagy

REPLAY (Original Air Date March 11, 2024)   Today we are joined by Agent Brad Beeler. Assistant to the Special Agent in Charge Brad Beeler has been with the United States Secret Service for the past 25 years. He currently serves as instructor and Secret Service liaison at the National Center for Credibility Assessment (NCCA) at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Over the past 8 years in this role, he has trained agents throughout the federal law enforcement and intelligence community in credibility assessment and elicitation techniques.   Prior to arriving at NCCA, he was a polygraph examiner in the Chicago and St. Louis Field Offices and served on the permanent protection detail of former President George HW Bush and numerous foreign heads of state. Over the past 17 years as a federal polygraph examiner Special Agent Beeler has secured hundreds of confessions on high-profile investigations, often leading to the identification of previously unknown victims of serial offenders of both child exploitation and homicide investigations. Agent Beeler holds a master’s degree in criminology and was previously selected as the U.S. Secret Service - Special Agent of the Year for his involvement in combating crimes against children.   Widely considered a communications expert in the U.S. federal law enforcement community, Agent Beeler has provided countless domestic and international presentations to law enforcement and intelligence agencies seeking to enhance their interviewing programs. [March 11, 2024]   00:00 - Intro 00:21 - Intro Links -          Social-Engineer.com - http://www.social-engineer.com/ -          Managed Voice Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/vishing-service/ -          Managed Email Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/se-phishing-service/ -          Adversarial Simulations - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/social-engineering-penetration-test/ -          Social-Engineer channel on SLACK - https://social-engineering-hq.slack.com/ssb -          CLUTCH - http://www.pro-rock.com/ -          innocentlivesfoundation.org - http://www.innocentlivesfoundation.org/ 03:05 - Agent Brad Beeler Intro 05:05 - Part of a Team 07:58 - One of Lincoln's Final Acts 08:52 - Dual Mission 11:45 - The Broadband Effect 14:38 - Team Effort 17:35 - Worst of the Worst 21:13 - Common Ground 23:36 - Letting Them Be Heard 25:51 - Lyrics, Songs and Dance 28:49 - Mental Health Mandates 35:11 - Mentors -          Mrs. Bertran - Teacher -          Brian Leary - DHS Program Manager 37:21 - Book Recommendations -          The Interrogator - Hanns Scharff -          Spy the Lie - Philip Houston -          Captivate & Cues - Vanessa Van Edwards 39:24 - Find Agent Brad Beeler online -          Website: www.usajobs.gov -          Website: www.secretservice.gov -          LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bradbeeler1865/ 40:47 - Guest Wrap Up & Outro -          www.social-engineer.com -          www.innocentlivesfoundation.org

Welcome to the Social-Engineer Podcast: The 4th Monday Series with Chris Hadnagy and Mike Holfeld. Chris and Mike will be covering cutting edge global news to help people remain safe, secure and knowledgeable in a world where it is hard to know what is real and what is fake news.   Today Chris and Mike are joined by Lisa Miller, a former Deputy Insurance Commissioner for Florida who is a disaster insurance and recovery expert. She consults with insurance companies that represent about a quarter of Florida’s six million personal and commercial residential policies.   Her Tallahassee, Florida-based firm, Lisa Miller & Associates, produces a twice-monthly newsletter on all these subjects. Lisa also hosts the Florida Insurance Roundup podcast. She also helped launch the Hurricane Claims Mediation Program, an initiative that has helped consumers expedite the settlement of residential and commercial insurance claims [June 23, 2025]   00:00 - Intro 00:43 - Mike Holfeld Intro 01:07 - Today's Guest: Lisa Miller 01:57 - It's Hurricane Season! 04:32 - Assurance of Insurance 07:23 - The Reasons for Rising Rates 10:52 - Know Your Agent 12:30 - In Come the Floods 14:45 - Openings & Roofs 18:24 - Hurricane Supply Tax Break 18:49 - Know Your Home              21:59 - Hanging Your Shingle 25:13 - Strapping the Roof 26:56 - Florida Office of Insurance Regulation -          www.floir.com 28:04 - Don't Answer the Door 29:18 - Find Lisa Miller Online -          lisamillerassociates.com 30:12 - Next Month: Congressman Darron Soto 30:28 - Outro -          www.social-engineer.com -          www.innocentlivesfoundation.org   Find us online: -          Chris Hadnagy -          Twitter: @humanhacker -          LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christopherhadnagy

REPLAY (Original Air Date Oct 21, 2024)   Today on the Social-Engineer Podcast: The Security Awareness Series, Chris is joined by Stacey Edmonds. Stacey is a multi-disciplinary EdTech innovator and Digital Safety Pioneer, driven by a commitment to democratizing knowledge. Stacey's expertise, encompassing social science, education, EdTech, and multi-platform screen production, culminated in the founding of Lively, which we will hear all about on this podcast. Since 2002, Stacey has been designing and delivering enterprise-wide cyber safety upskilling programs. In 2023, embodying her mission to make knowledge accessible, Stacey launched 'Dodgy or Not?' – a social enterprise offering an engaging approach to digital safety education.   She continues to bridge the gap between emerging technologies and practical education, driving innovation in AI ethics and digital literacy - she is also known for deepfaking herself. [Oct 21, 2024]   00:00 - Intro 00:19 - Intro Links: -          Social-Engineer.com - http://www.social-engineer.com/ -          Managed Voice Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/vishing-service/ -          Managed Email Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/se-phishing-service/ -          Adversarial Simulations - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/social-engineering-penetration-test/ -          Social-Engineer channel on SLACK - https://social-engineering-hq.slack.com/ssb -          CLUTCH - http://www.pro-rock.com/ -          innocentlivesfoundation.org - http://www.innocentlivesfoundation.org/                                                03:00 - Stacey Edmonds Intro 04:18 - Teaching, Trains & Turkeys 08:43 - Toilets vs Videos 11:16 - Dodgy or Not? 15:15 - Social Engineering for Good! 17:46 - Pause for the Cause 20:17 - Training in Real Time 24:11 - Real Time Threat Detection 27:49 - Culture is Everything 30:33 - Find Stacey Edmonds online -          LinkedIn: in/staceyedmonds/ 31:28 – Mentors -          Carolyn Breeze -          Chris Hadnagy -          Janine Thompson -          Steve Rowe -          Shane Bell 33:58 - Book Recommendations -          Feel The Fear and Do It Anyway - Susan Jeffers -          The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams -          1984 - George Orwell -          Man-Made – Tracey Spicer 35:51 - Wrap Up & Outro -          www.social-engineer.com -          www.innocentlivesfoundation.org

Today we are joined by Lonnie Marts. Lonnie is an American creator, entertainer, and host known for his magnetic charm and comedic storytelling. His unique ability to engage audiences has catapulted him to digital stardom, with nearly 3 million highly engaged fans tuning in daily for his comedic skits and feel-good content on social media.   A graduate of Embry-Riddle with an MBA, Lonnie’s impact goes beyond content creation. He’s been featured in “Forbes” and “Rolling Stone” and recently earned recognition for his work in DoorDash’s Cannes Award-winning Super Bowl campaign.   Lonnie continues to expand his reach and has received recognition for his work as a speaker and thought leader, representing major social platforms like TikTok, and Meta on stages like VidCon, and AdWeek. [June 9, 2025]   00:00 - Intro 00:16 - Intro Links -          Social-Engineer.com - http://www.social-engineer.com/ -          Managed Voice Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/vishing-service/ -          Managed Email Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/se-phishing-service/ -          Adversarial Simulations - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/social-engineering-penetration-test/ -          Social-Engineer channel on SLACK - https://social-engineering-hq.slack.com/ssb -          CLUTCH - http://www.pro-rock.com/ -          innocentlivesfoundation.org - http://www.innocentlivesfoundation.org/                                01:36 - Lonnie Marts Intro 03:21 - Attention-Seeking Behavior 05:17 - Don't Tell Mom! 07:47 - From the Super Bowl to Waffle House 11:07 - Building a Community 16:00 - Finding Common Ground 17:59 - Making it Count! 21:31 - People Need People 24:56 - A Tool to Use 27:22 - Mentors -          Parents -          Richard Thorpe Jr -          Gary Vaynerchuk -          Mitzi Gaitan 29:26 - Book Recommendations -          Why Nations Fail - Daron Acemoglu, James A. Robinson -          The Inheritance Cycle - Christopher Paolini -          A Promised Land - Barack Obama -          Rich Dad Poor Dad - Robert Kiyosaki 32:16 - Find Lonnie Marts Online -          Website: https://lonnieiiv.com/ -          TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@lonnieiiv -          Facebook: https://facebook.com/Lonnieiiv -          Snapchat: https://snapchat.com/add/Lonnieiiv -          YouTube: https://snapchat.com/add/Lonnieiiv -          LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lonniemarts3/ -          Instagram: https://instagram.com/lonnieiiv 33:00 - Guest Wrap Up & Outro -          www.social-engineer.com -          www.innocentlivesfoundation.org

Welcome to the Social-Engineer Podcast: The Doctor Is In Series – where we will discuss understandings and developments in the field of psychology.   In today’s episode, Chris and Abbie are discussing why change can feel so lonely? They will talk about what triggers growth in people, the amount a person can actually change and how loneliness plays a role in this growth. [June 2, 2025]   00:00 - Intro 00:47 - Dr. Abbie Maroño Intro 01:06 - Intro Links -          Social-Engineer.com - http://www.social-engineer.com/ -          Managed Voice Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/vishing-service/ -          Managed Email Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/se-phishing-service/ -          Adversarial Simulations - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/social-engineering-penetration-test/ -          Social-Engineer channel on SLACK - https://social-engineering-hq.slack.com/ssb -          CLUTCH - http://www.pro-rock.com/ -          innocentlivesfoundation.org - http://www.innocentlivesfoundation.org/                                 02:23 - Dr. Abbie Announcement 03:30 - The Topic of the Day: The Lonely Chapter 04:38 - Triggering Change 06:00 - People Don't Change? 11:30 - All Change Isn't Growth 13:15 - Why Growth Can Be Lonely 15:56 - What About Love? 17:16 - New You, Who Dis? 21:19 - Feelings Can REALLY Hurt! 22:15 - Choosing Who You Are 24:36 - Syncing Up 27:43 - A Constant Evolution 30:17 - Search For Meaning 32:31 - Making Connections 33:12 - Wrap Up 33:56 - Next Month: Love At First Sight 34:42 - Outro -          www.social-engineer.com -          www.innocentlivesfoundation.org   Find us online: -          LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dr-abbie-maroño-phd -          Instagram: @DoctorAbbieofficial -          LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christopherhadnagy     References: Eisenberger, N. I., Lieberman, M. D., & Williams, K. D. (2003). Does rejection hurt? An fMRI study of social exclusion. Science, 302(5643), 290–292. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1089134 Ebaugh, H. R. F. (1988). Becoming an ex: The process of role exit. University of Chicago Press. Festinger, L. (1957). A theory of cognitive dissonance. Stanford University Press. Frankl, V. E. (1963). Man’s search for meaning: An introduction to logotherapy. Beacon Press. Higgins, E. T. (1987). Self-discrepancy: A theory relating self and affect. Psychological Review, 94(3), 319–340. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.94.3.319 Mass, M. (1991). The theory of "identity dissonance": Mass. Dissertation Abstracts International, 52(1), 577B. Sandstrom, G. M., & Dunn, E. W. (2014). Social interactions and well-being: The surprising power of weak ties. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 40(7), 910–922. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167214529799 Uvnäs-Moberg, K., Arn, I., & Magnusson, D. (2005). The psychobiology of oxytocin: An integrative review. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 30(7), 610–626. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2005.02.008

Welcome to the Social-Engineer Podcast: The 4th Monday Series with Chris Hadnagy and Mike Holfeld. Chris and Mike will be covering cutting edge global news to help people remain safe, secure and knowledgeable in a world where it is hard to know what is real and what is fake news.   Today Chris and Mike are joined by Seth Daniels. Seth is the Director of Customer Experience and a founding employee of Rapsodo Inc., an industry leader in sports technology. Seth helped launch Rapsodo in the United States in 2015, particularly on the Diamond Sports side focusing on baseball and softball. He’s worked with all 30 MLB clubs, more than 90% of all D1 college programs and thousands of other amateur teams and organizations. [May 26, 2025]   00:00 - Intro 00:49 - Mike Holfeld Intro 01:03 - Today's Guest: Seth Daniels 02:01 - 24 Hours to Singapore 05:33 - Immediate Instant Reactions! 07:23 - Setting a Baseline 08:43 - Data: A Piece of the Puzzle 11:21 - Ohtani 13:06 - Age Appropriate 15:22 - Women's Sports 17:16 - Spin Doctors 19:56 - For the Hitters 22:29 - Finding the Sweet Spot 24:31 - Future Evolution 25:50 - Find Seth Daniels Online -          rapsodo.com 26:14 - Don't Forget Golf 27:13 - Wrap Up 27:31 - Next Month: Congressman Darron Soto 27:58 - Outro -          www.social-engineer.com -          www.innocentlivesfoundation.org   Find us online: -          Chris Hadnagy -          LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christopherhadnagy

Today on the Social-Engineer Podcast: The Security Awareness Series, Chris is joined by Julie Chatman. Julie is a distinguished cybersecurity executive with nearly two decades of experience in cybersecurity strategy, risk management, and AI governance.   She began her career in the U.S. Navy, serving on active duty as a Hospital Corpsman specializing in Medical Laboratory Science & Technology. Her transition into cybersecurity began at the FBI, where strong mentorship shaped her approach to leadership, problem solving, and talent development.   She currently serves as the Deputy Chief Information Security Officer for Finance at the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA), where she is focused on driving risk reduction across state agencies. The role is part of a strategic engagement through her company, ResilientTech Advisors.   Julie leads CyberPath Coaching, where she draws on her experience as an active CISO to mentor cybersecurity professionals, accelerate their growth, and prepare them for executive roles. She works with individuals breaking into the field, mid-career professionals, aspiring CISOs, and cybersecurity entrepreneurs. [May 19, 2025]   00:00 - Intro 00:53 - Intro Links: -          Social-Engineer.com - http://www.social-engineer.com/ -          Managed Voice Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/vishing-service/ -          Managed Email Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/se-phishing-service/ -          Adversarial Simulations - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/social-engineering-penetration-test/ -          Social-Engineer channel on SLACK - https://social-engineering-hq.slack.com/ssb -          CLUTCH - http://www.pro-rock.com/ -          innocentlivesfoundation.org - http://www.innocentlivesfoundation.org/                                                02:03 - Julie Chatman Intro 03:14 - A Hungry Brain 04:25 - We Are Mushroomed 05:54 - Being an Enabler 10:13 - Speak Their Language 13:33 - Assigning Responsibility 16:05 - A Tool, Not a Replacement 20:35 - Career Challenges 22:40 - Strategic Empathy 23:46 - Setting Boundaries 24:15 - Narrative Control 25:38 - Staying Positive 29:39 - The Target is the Same 32:09 - Book Recommendations -          World War Z  - Max Brooks 33:20 - Mentors -          MB Kinder -          Martha Williams 35:14 - Find Julie Chatman Online -          Website: cyberpathcoaching.net -          LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/julie-chatman-mba-infosec 35:54     Wrap Up & Outro -          www.social-engineer.com -          www.innocentlivesfoundation.org

Today we are joined by José Morey, M.D. Dr. Morey is Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Ad Astra Media LLC, an Eisenhower Fellow, and Co-Founder of Ever Medical Technologies. He is a health and technology keynote speaker, author, and consultant for NASA, Forbes, MIT, the United Nations World Food Program and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. He is considered the world's first Intergalactic Doctor and is often featured on Forbes, Univision, CNBC, and NASA360. He coined Puerto Rico as the future "Silicon Island” as appeared in Forbes, The Weekly Journal, Reddit and Hispanic Executive. Additionally, he is co-author of "LatinX Business Success".  [May 12, 2025]   00:00 - Intro 00:19 - Intro Links -          Social-Engineer.com - http://www.social-engineer.com/ -          Managed Voice Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/vishing-service/ -          Managed Email Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/se-phishing-service/ -          Adversarial Simulations - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/social-engineering-penetration-test/ -          Social-Engineer channel on SLACK - https://social-engineering-hq.slack.com/ssb -          CLUTCH - http://www.pro-rock.com/ -          innocentlivesfoundation.org - http://www.innocentlivesfoundation.org/                                01:37 - Dr. Jose Morey Intro 02:30 - A Marriage of Pursuits 09:48 - What is an Intergalactic Doctor? 12:21 - S.T.E.A.M. 16:51 - Limited Trust of AI 23:49 - A Tool is Amoral 27:03 - Ad Astra 31:05 - The Power of Representation 33:13 - Find Dr. Jose Morey Online -          Website:   adastrasteammedia.org -          LinkedIn: in/drjosemorey -          Instagram: @adastramedia_org 33:55 - Book Recommendations -          Leonardo da Vinci Books -          I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - Maya Angelou -          Quantum Mechanics Books 35:14 - Mentors -          Family -          Grandmother 37:36 - Helping in a Healthy Way 39:09 - Guest Wrap Up & Outro -          www.social-engineer.com -          www.innocentlivesfoundation.org

Welcome to the Social-Engineer Podcast: The Doctor Is In Series – where we will discuss understandings and developments in the field of psychology.   In today’s episode, Chris and Abbie are discussing Emotional Regulation in the Workplace.  They will talk about the different strategies that can be used to help, not just at work, but in most areas of our lives. [May 5, 2025]   00:00 - Intro 00:38 - Dr. Abbie Maroño Intro 00:57 - Intro Links -          Social-Engineer.com - http://www.social-engineer.com/ -          Managed Voice Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/vishing-service/ -          Managed Email Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/se-phishing-service/ -          Adversarial Simulations - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/social-engineering-penetration-test/ -          Social-Engineer channel on SLACK - https://social-engineering-hq.slack.com/ssb -          CLUTCH - http://www.pro-rock.com/ -          innocentlivesfoundation.org - http://www.innocentlivesfoundation.org/                                 02:30 - The Topic of the Day: Emotional Regulation in the Workplace 04:14 - Strategy 1: Deep Acting 14:10 - Strategy 2: Mindfulness & Acceptance 19:24 - Strategy 3: Social Sharing 26:40 - Strategy 4: Humor & Distraction 31:21 - Wrap Up 33:07 - Next Month: The Lonely Chapter 33:41 - Outro -          www.social-engineer.com -          www.innocentlivesfoundation.org   Find us online: -          LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dr-abbie-maroño-phd -          Instagram: @DoctorAbbieofficial -          LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christopherhadnagy     References: Kalokerinos, E. K., Résibois, M., Verduyn, P., & Kuppens, P. (2017). The temporal deployment of emotion regulation strategies during negative emotional episodes. Emotion, 17(3), 450–458. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000248 Côté, S., & Hideg, I. (2011). The consequences of faking emotions: Emotional dissonance, relationship quality, and employee well-being. Emotion, 11(4), 803–815. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0023868 Lomas, T., Medina, J. C., Ivtzan, I., Rupprecht, S., & Eiroa-Orosa, F. J. (2019). The impact of mindfulness on well-being and performance in the workplace: An inclusive systematic review of the empirical literature. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 28(6), 782–804. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2019.1659420 Bono, J. E., Foldes, H. J., Vinson, G., & Muros, J. P. (2007). Workplace emotions: The role of supervision and leadership. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92(5), 1357–1367. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.92.5.1357 Clayton, S. (2024). Working well: The simple act of taking deep breaths can reduce stress and anxiety. Associated Press. Ordali, E., et al. (2024). Exhaustion at work can lead to difficulty controlling emotions, scientists say. The Guardian. Mesmer-Magnus, J., Glew, D. J., & Viswesvaran, C. (2012). A meta-analysis of positive humor in the workplace. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 27(2), 155–190. https://doi.org/10.1108/02683941211199554 Scheibe, S., & Zacher, H. (2013). A lifespan perspective on emotion regulation, stress, and well-being in the workplace. In The Oxford Handbook of Stress, Health, and Coping (pp. 291–306). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195375343.013.0017