RUNGA Radio
RUNGA Radio is where physical health, emotional well-being, and personal transformation collide. Hosted by Joseph Anew, a 20+ year health and fitness coach, and Dr. Richard Blake, a PhD in Psychology, RUNGA Radio blends evidence-based insights with proven high-impact approaches to optimize your mind and body. Join us as we sit down with some of the world’s leading experts to explore the cutting edges of personal transformation and long-term health with deep explorations into breathwork, biohacking, functional fitness, emotional resilience, psychedelics, and beyond.
RUNGA Radio
227 | Therapy vs. Exercise: What’s the Real Antidote to Mental Health Struggles?
In this episode, Dr. Richard Blake (@the_breath_geek) and Joseph Anew (@TheRUNGAGuy) go deeper than the usual therapy vs. fitness debate — questioning whether traditional therapy is even the best first-line treatment for many people.
We explore:
– Why SSRIs might not be the magic bullet we were promised
– How exercise could act as the “missing ingredient” in emotional healing
– The dangers of weaponizing “intention vs. impact” culture
– How plastic surgery affects mental health
– The real reason social connection predicts longevity
– Why men’s mental health needs movement, not just talking circles
With honest reflections, real studies, and no sacred cows, this conversation is a much-needed reality check for anyone navigating modern mental health culture.
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – Facelifts: The new PED for biohackers?
04:17 – Plastic surgery and its unpredictable impact on mental health
06:56 – Why your perception shapes your reality more than you think
08:32 – How outrage culture is making us miserable
13:05 – Does therapy really work? A harsh look at the evidence
19:45 – The dangers of therapy if you don’t actually need it
24:15 – Exercise, SSRIs, and therapy: Which one wins for mental health?
37:31 – Why men might need exercise even more than women
43:34 – Longevity and friendship: It’s not what you think
48:10 – New Age spirituality and narcissism: a slippery slope
55:06 – SSRIs: The dirty secrets no one talks about
01:08:04 – Why therapy needs to integrate sleep, food, sunlight, and fitness
