Talks & Media

Whether I'm speaking to a live audience, joining a podcast conversation, or giving an interview, I enjoy exploring the same questions that have guided my research for more than four decades: how our pursuit of self-worth shapes our lives, and what helps us shift toward relationships, contribution, and well-being.

Featured Talks and Conversations

Your Work is not Your Worth

ReSocial with Anthony Silard (2026)

Have you ever spent hours crafting the perfect email, rehearsing what you’d say before a hard conversation, or replaying an interaction trying to figure out how you came across? Most of us do this more than we’d like to admit. And here’s what research shows: that effort — all that energy spent managing how others see us — is one of the main things getting between us and the connection we want.

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You and Me and Mr. Self-Esteem

Radiolab (2026)

A conversation about the self-esteem movement, why pursuing self-esteem often backfires, and what decades of research have taught us instead.

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Social motivation and the pursuit of self-esteem

Brain Observations with Maria Sundell (2021)

In this episode we learn about the psychology of giving and receiving and how both can have either a positive or negative impact depending on how it is approached. We also learn that there is more to self-esteem than just aiming to have lots of it. The way we pursue self-esteem has actually shown to be the most important part for our health and happiness.

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The Psychology Behind Self-Sabotage

Tools from Therapy with Nevern Subermoney and co-guest Lara Nuer (2026)

Nevern interviews Jenny about her research on self-sabotage, and Lara Nuer, of Learning as Leadership, about her work coaching executives to find more effective ways to cope with challenges.

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