Tony Biglan sits down with Mark Van Ryzin, Associate Research Professor at the University of Oregon and Research Scientist at the Oregon Research Institute, whose work explores how families, schools, and peer relationships shape children’s social, emotional, and behavioral development.

In this episode:

* Van Ryzin’s unlikely path from computer science to prevention science

* What attachment theory reveals about how children learn to relate to others

* Why adolescence marks a critical shift from parents to peers as attachment figures

* How cooperative learning transforms ordinary classroom instruction into a prevention tool

* The mechanics of small-group learning: roles, randomization, and building trust among students

* Why peer relationships are the “secret sauce” driving improvements in behavior, mental health, and substance use

* Four randomized trials and the evolution from teacher-led implementation to technology-assisted delivery

* Designing a “freshman success” curriculum to help ninth graders build study skills, emotional regulation, and social support

* The impact of cooperative learning on teacher stress, burnout, and job satisfaction

* Why evidence-based practices struggle to take hold in schools, and what it takes to build lasting change

* What’s next: creating lightweight, teacher-friendly tools—aided by AI—to make best practices easier to adopt

Takeaway: Restructuring how students interact in everyday classroom settings, not through separate add-on programs, may be one of the most powerful and scalable ways to improve peer relationships, mental health, and behavior in adolescents.

Host: Dr Anthony Biglan

Got a question you want answered in a future episode? Email us at Hello@valuestoaction.org

For more information on Values to Action, to join the movement, or learn more about The Nurture Effect Podcast or A Nurturing Nation, please visit valuestoaction.org.

Tony Biglan and Alison Szarko sit down with Steve Hayes, a Foundation Professor of Psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno and a co-originator of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and the broader Relational Frame Theory. (www.stevenchayes.com)

In this episode:

* How psychological flexibility can reduce polarization and strengthen dialogue across differences

* Building communities and organizations that foster trust, empathy, and shared purpose

* Practical strategies for scaling ACT from individuals to families, schools, workplaces, and society

* The opportunities and risks of AI—and why values must guide technological progress

* Leadership lessons for building a movement that empowers people from the ground up

* A vision for creating systems that help every person and community thrive

Key Takeaway:Lasting social change comes from empowering people and communities with the skills, relationships, and values needed to work together—using science and technology to support human flourishing rather than exploit it.

Host: Dr Anthony Biglan

Co-host: Dr Alison Szarko is a behavioral scientist whose work bridges contextual behavioral science with healthcare experience management, omnichannel listening architecture, and organizational performance. She is passionate about the intersection of behavioral science, psychological flexibility, and clinical experiences in complex health systems. www.alisonszarkophd.com

Got a question you want answered in a future episode? Email us at Hello@valuestoaction.org

For more information on Values to Action, to join the movement, or learn more about The Nurture Effect Podcast or A Nurturing Nation, please visit valuestoaction.org.

Tony Biglan and Alison Szarko sit down with Steve Hayes, a Foundation Professor of Psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno and a co-originator of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and the broader Relational Frame Theory. (www.stevenchayes.com)

In this episode:

* The vision behind A Nurturing Nation and why human well-being should take priority over profit

* What psychological flexibility is—and the three core skills of being open, aware, and actively engaged

* Why ACT helps people clarify their values and live with greater purpose

* The difference between values and goals, and why shortcuts to happiness often fail

* How corporations and digital platforms exploit human psychology for profit

* Why authentic connection and community require embracing discomfort rather than avoiding it

Takeaway: Creating a more nurturing society begins with psychological flexibility—learning to act from our deepest values instead of reacting to fear, discomfort, or the short-term rewards that today’s systems encourage.

Host: Dr Anthony Biglan

Co-host: Dr Alison Szarko is a behavioral scientist whose work bridges contextual behavioral science with healthcare experience management, omnichannel listening architecture, and organizational performance. She is passionate about the intersection of behavioral science, psychological flexibility, and clinical experiences in complex health systems. www.alisonszarkophd.com

Got a question you want answered in a future episode? Email us at Hello@valuestoaction.org

For more information on Values to Action, to join the movement, or learn more about The Nurture Effect Podcast or A Nurturing Nation, please visit valuestoaction.org.

Tony Biglan sits down with Diana Fishbein, a neuroscientist internationally recognized for her promotion of prevention practices and policies as the founder and president of the National Prevention Science Coalition to Improve Lives. She has been a leading advocate for translating science into public policies that help children, families, and communities thrive.

In this episode:

* Diana Fishbein’s personal journey from growing up in a high-risk environment to becoming a leader in prevention science

* Why prevention is more effective—and less costly—than treating problems after they occur

* The science of resilience and how family, biology, and environment shape child development

* Bridging neuroscience, public health, and policy to create healthier communities

* The mission of the National Prevention Science Coalition to Improve Lives and translating research into action

* The vision behind the Decade of the Child initiative and a whole-child approach to health and well-being

* Why current research and funding systems focus too heavily on disease treatment rather than prevention of problems before they develop

* The economic and social returns of investing in evidence-based prevention programs

* Building a nationwide movement to support families through policies that reduce poverty and strengthen communities

* How researchers, policymakers, and citizens can work together to create lasting systems change for future generations

Takeaway: Decades of research demonstrate that investing early in children and families produces healthier, more prosperous communities. By shifting from reacting to problems toward preventing them, society can improve well-being while reducing the enormous human and economic costs of adversity.

Decade of the Child Webinar:

Federal Research Investments in Whole Child Health and Wellbeing

June 24, 2026

Register Here

Host: Dr Anthony Biglan

Got a question you want answered in a future episode? Email us at Hello@valuestoaction.org

For more information on Values to Action, to join the movement, or learn more about The Nurture Effect Podcast or A Nurturing Nation, please visit valuestoaction.org.

Tony Biglan sits down with Stuart Ford, Professor of Law at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law and a scholar of constitutional law, international criminal law, and human rights.

In this episode:

* The overlooked role of the Constitution’s preamble in American law

* What the Founders meant by promoting the “general welfare”

* Why a 1905 Supreme Court decision largely sidelined the preamble

* Originalism, constitutional interpretation, and the limits of judicial reasoning

* How concerns for health, happiness, and prosperity were embedded in the founding vision of government

* The tension between individual rights and the common good

* Citizens United, corporate power, and the influence of money in politics

* Climate change, public welfare, and the challenges of collective action

* Building legal and social movements capable of advancing democratic reform

* How strategic litigation could revive the Constitution’s commitment to the general welfare

Takeaway: The Constitution’s commitment to promoting the general welfare may offer an underutilized framework for addressing many of today’s most pressing challenges—from climate change and economic inequality to democratic governance and public well-being.

Host: Dr Anthony Biglan

Got a question you want answered in a future episode? Email us at Hello@valuestoaction.org

For more information on Values to Action, to join the movement, or learn more about The Nurture Effect Podcast or A Nurturing Nation, please visit valuestoaction.org.