Engineering Emotions and Energy with Justin Wenck, Ph.D.

How did your last year go? You didn’t just survive this past year—you grew, overcame, created, and loved.

But if you’re not remembering that, you’re missing the fuel that will drive the year to come.

In this episode, Justin Wenck, PhD, invites you to take a loving and honest look back at your year and discover just how much beauty, growth, and adventure you’ve lived through (even if you forgot most of it).

Whether you're heading ...

You’re changing—whether you want to or not.

The real question is: Are you directing the change, or just getting dragged along for the ride?

In this episode, Justin Wenck, PhD, breaks down the difference between unconscious change (which leads to frustration, limitation, and repetition)… and conscious change (which leads to growth, possibility, and enjoyment).

You’ll explore how to identify the changes you actually want, how to stop fo...

We’re all told to save the planet—but what if the key to global sustainability isn’t solar panels or recycling bins, but YOU?

In this episode, Justin Wenck, PhD, makes a powerful case for self-sustainability as the foundation of global sustainability. Because if you’re burnt out, depleted, and disconnected, how can you possibly create a better world?

You’ll learn how your internal energy directly shapes the external environment, and ...

You might be chasing happiness all wrong—and it’s costing you more than you realize.

Justin Wenck, PhD, unpacks the real reasons happiness can feel elusive, even when life looks good on the outside. He breaks down the three essential questions we rarely ask:

• What does it take to be happy?
• What does happiness actually mean to you?
• And most importantly… what even is happiness?

If you’ve ever felt lik...

Why wait for January 1st to start creating the life you want?

In this episode, Justin shares how to start your New Year now — no resolutions, no waiting for the calendar to flip. Justin breaks down how reflection unlocks wisdom, how setting intentions shapes your next chapter, and how “getting” is really about allowing — letting life bring you even more than before.

🌟 Key Points & Takeaways

• Reflect: Look back before moving fo...

Wanting isn’t the problem. In fact, it’s the beginning of everything meaningful in your life. But somewhere along the way, we learned to suppress, shame, or override our desires—until we forget what we even want in the first place.

In this episode, I break down three common ways wanting goes wrong, share a few weird/funny stories from my own life (including slapping hams like bongo drums), and guide you back to wanting in a way that...

You’ve done the mindset work.
You’ve taken the action.
And yet… life still isn’t flowing the way you expected.

This episode reveals the real reason why your dreams may be stalling—alignment.

Through a powerful skiing metaphor, Justin breaks down what alignment actually looks like—and why it’s the missing link between desire and fruition.

Whether you’re building a business, deepening a relationsh...

What if your struggles with communication weren’t about skills...

…but about beliefs?

In this eye-opening episode, Justin goes beyond communication techniques and dives into your relationship with communication itself. If you’ve read the books, taken the courses, or rehearsed the perfect pitch—and still find yourself misunderstood or tongue-tied—this is the episode you’ve been waiting for.

⚠️ Spoiler: If you believe commun...

What if your slow healing, stuck relationships, and “not enough” money story had nothing to do with effort—and everything to do with what you believe about time?

In this mind-bending episode, Justin Wenck, PhD, pulls back the curtain on our most limiting assumption: how long things are supposed to take.

Healing. Money. Breakups. Business growth.Who told you it had to take this long?And what if they were full of 💩?

What if the thing you think is holding you back… is actually the thing that sets you free?

We’re talking about structure.

The rules. The routines. The shoulds.

You might love ‘em or want to burn them to the ground.

But here’s the truth: structure isn’t the problem.

It’s the kind of structure—and your relationship to it—that determines whether it supports your expansion… or strangles your spirit.

In this, I unpack how to consciously creat...

Do you ever catch yourself simmering in frustration—at work, in traffic, or waiting for that text back? In this episode, Justin Wenck, PhD, pulls back the curtain on why we cling to annoyance and how to finally break free.

What You’ll Learn:

• The hidden payoff of frustration and why we stay stuck in it
• How the Drama Triangle (victim, villain, hero) secretly runs your life
• The powerful shift to the Empowerment Triangle (cre...

In this delayed episode of Engineering Emotions & Energy with Justin Wenck, Ph.D., he opens up about a personal bout of severe illness and the deeper lessons that came from it. More than a story about getting sick, this episode dives into what happens when life throws curveballs—and how we can find resilience, growth, and even joy in the moments that don’t go as planned.

Takeaways include:

• How to reframe illness or hardship a...

Have you ever aspired to be "okay"? Perhaps that's what you've been missing all along. In this episode, Justin explores the often-overlooked wisdom of embracing okayness. Rather than rushing from hardship to euphoric highs, Justin makes a compelling case for stabilizing in a state of "okay" as the essential bridge to a sustainably joyful life.

Episode Highlights:

• Why craving constant greatness can le...

Addiction isn't always what you think. In this eye-opening solo episode, Dr. Justin Wenck dives into the nuanced landscape of addiction—how it shows up in hidden ways and how, when recognized and redirected, it can become a superpower. Drawing from personal stories and practical insights, Justin challenges cultural narratives around addiction and offers a new way to reclaim your life by choosing your compulsions wisely

Key High...

Are your go-to relaxation activities truly recharging you—or stealthily wearing you out? In this solo deep dive, Justin explores the hidden stressors lurking in our diets, media habits, and even our exercise routines. With humor, honesty, and practical insight, Justin challenges us to reevaluate what relaxation really means and offers tools to help truly restore your energy.

Key Takeaways:

• 🍕 How foods can secretly deplete your e...

In this powerful episode of Engineering Emotions & Energy, Justin Wenck, PhD, appears on the analog airwaves in a raw and real conversation with Tonya J. Long on her RESET Podcast(https://www.reset-podcast.com/)  that originally aired on 92.9 KPCR. Justin is interviewed about navigating identity, status, and loss. From the early days at Intel to founding a practice rooted in love and curiosity, Justin shares how depression beca...

In this milestone 200th episode, Justin delves into a transformative perspective: viewing the world as inherently perfect, even amidst chaos. Drawing from personal anecdotes and metaphors, Justin illustrates how challenges can be catalysts for growth and how shifting our focus inward can lead to profound external changes.

Key Highlights:

• Celebrating Milestones: Reflecting on 200 episodes and the 2-year anniversary of Justin'...

Another possible title for this episode was "Bananas & Boundaries", but the mountain metaphor won out for this show that delves into the art of maintaining emotional equilibrium when the world around you feels overwhelming. Using the vivid metaphor of glacier hiking, Justin illustrates how to support others without losing your footing and emphasizes the importance of discerning when to assist and when to step back.

Key...

In this episode, Justin Wenck, PhD, delves into the transformative "Rose, Bud, Thorn" questions— designed to deepen connections and enhance self-awareness. Justin shares personal experiences, including recent challenges and celebrations, illustrating how this method can be applied to foster more meaningful relationships whether you've been connected for years or mere moments.

Key Higlights:​

• The structur...