top of page
JENNIFER VERDOLIN, PHD
Search


The Hidden Web: How Fungi Connect Forests, Wildlife, and Us
In Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, mushrooms burst from the soil, wood, and waste revealing the hidden role of fungi as recyclers, connectors, and sometimes threats. From nourishing ecosystems through vast underground networks to influencing human health and agriculture, fungi remind us that life depends on unseen relationships.
1 day ago2 min read


Is a River Alive? What Rivers Teach Us About Nature, Mental Health, and Connection
If a river could speak, what would it say about our world today, about the way we treat the water, the land, and each other? This...
Jul 203 min read


Seeing the World Through Animal Eyes: A Conversation with Sy Montgomery
We often think of chickens as simple barnyard animals. But according to acclaimed author Sy Montgomery, they (and many other animals)...
Jun 222 min read


Social Currency in the Wild: What Chimpanzees Teach Us About Building Better Relationships
In chimpanzee society, grooming is more than bonding—it's political strategy. From calming tensions to building trust, these subtle exchanges shape power and connection. What if we took a lesson from our primate relatives? In this post, explore three science-backed strategies inspired by chimpanzees that can help you strengthen relationships and thrive in any social setting—no status required.
Jun 172 min read


How to Handle a Lazy Co-Worker Without Losing Your Mind
We’ve all been there. You’re pulling your weight (and maybe someone else’s), while your lazy co-worker seems to coast through the...
May 312 min read


Why Conformity Can Limit Growth—and What to Do About It
We often think of safety as synonymous with sameness. Humans, as social beings, are wired to conform. We instinctively follow the group...
May 243 min read


Reconnect With Nature to Improve Your Mental Health
Whether it is mental, emotional, or physical pain, the science is clear: nature can bring a sense of calm, restore peace, and reduce physiological pain levels.
May 124 min read


Boost Your Brainpower: 3 Science-Backed Ways to Improve Cognitive Flexibility
Adapt, pivot, innovate. These traits are often associated with great leaders, entrepreneurs, and inventors—not bumblebees, rats, ravens,...
May 45 min read


Drawing the Line: Empowering Strategies for Setting Healthy Boundaries
Animals provide valuable lessons for setting healthy boundaries, such as warnings before enforcing boundaries.
Feb 29, 20243 min read


Nepo Babies in the Wild
A few months ago the daughter of a celebrity claimed in an interview that she was disappointed she wasn't benefitting from being a...
Jul 15, 20235 min read


What is a Sense of Home and How Can You Feel it?
From people losing their homes or traveling ‘home’ for the holidays during a global pandemic to indigenous peoples fighting for their stolen
Dec 7, 20204 min read


Swindling Others Is A Strategy: How to recognize when it's happening to you.
In my last post I talked about the key traits of manipulators and how parasites, both human and nonhuman, excelled at this strategy (read...
Nov 4, 20204 min read


Key Traits of Master Manipulators
Can you spot a manipulator? Can you protect yourself from being infected with beliefs that go against your interests?
Oct 11, 20204 min read


Nature’s Best Animal Dads: 3 Remarkable Ways Fathers Raise Their Young
Uncover unexpected ways fathers, both human and animal, form deep connections with their kids.
Jun 21, 20202 min read


Helpful Parrots Teach Us Kindness
When it comes to helping African grey parrots can teach us how to be kinder to others.
Jan 13, 20203 min read


4 Reasons to Change Our Perception of Re-gifting
Did you receive a gift you don't like or would be perfect for someone else? Here are a few reasons why regifting is actually trendy.
Dec 29, 20195 min read


Are You in a Rut?
Can a routine become rut? Might you miss an opportunity to try something new because you’re always doing the same old thing? There can be a
Dec 3, 20195 min read


Eating Together
As many people all over the country are busy shopping, preparing, and traveling to sit down for a meal together, I wondered about other spec
Nov 29, 20193 min read


Don't Touch My Food!
Sharing food is not always welcomed and tells you a lot about your relationship.
Nov 29, 20193 min read


A Tribute to Sweet Pea
Saying goodbye to loved ones is always hard even the furry ones.
Sep 21, 20195 min read


Why You Don't Need to Fear Rejection
Rejection hurts, but a change of perspective can make all the difference.
Sep 17, 20193 min read


Relationship Yellow Flags
What are some of early, understated warning signs, or yellow flags, in a relationship?
Aug 29, 20195 min read


How to Cultivate Empathy
Given the current political climate and recent events, it seems timely to ask the question: What is empathy and how can we have more of it?
Aug 15, 20194 min read


Why Being Organized Matters and How to Do It
Do you struggle to stay organized? Or are you neat and tidy but live with someone who rarely cleans? A few adjustments can go a long way.
Aug 4, 20194 min read
bottom of page