Dr. Noelle Nelson

Archives

What I Learned from Yucky Fish, Episode 135

How do you prevent your attention from always being diverted to stuff you don’t like, don’t want, and never asked for? Why does all this clutter get in the way of you having the good life you deserve? How can you free yourself from the negative? In this podcast, you’ll discover an easy way to […]

Focus Groups Save the Day–on Broadway!

History sometimes provides us with useful lessons for present-day concerns – even if seemingly unrelated to trial techniques. One of my personal favorites is the story of how a potential Broadway flop, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, went from the media comparing the show to the Titanic, i.e., a massive failure, to a $160 million […]

What’s Your Information Diet?

You are careful, right? Careful with what you eat and drink, which one might think of as your nutritional diet or guidelines. You care about how your body feels and functions, and you know that what you put into it matters. So, you pay attention. Most of the time, anyway, the occasional weekend lapses don’t […]

Turn “Yeah, but” On Its Head, Episode 134

Why is it so difficult for people to receive your support? Why do people – friends and others – insist on arguing with you, when you know what you’re offering is really good for them? What’s with the “Yeah, but” argument? In this podcast, you’ll find out just what the “Yeah, but” syndrome is all […]

Get to the Heart of Your Apology: Speak to the Hurt! Episode 133

Does your partner’s refusal to accept your heartfelt apology totally irritate you? Especially when whatever they were so offended by wasn’t all your fault? How can you have a positive relationship without being perfect? In this podcast, receive helpful tips to master the magic of a complete apology, no groveling required, that your partner will […]

Let “Why?” Propel You to Greater Success

Remember Nike’s famous slogan “Just Do It”? Those 3 words have great validity. After all, there’s nothing to be gained by endless procrastination and avoidance. However, “Just Do It” – to be truly effective – needs to be preceded by “Why do it?” Ah, yes, there’s the rub. Do you want a new car? “Just […]

Who Wants A Perceived Liar On The Stand? Not You!

People aren’t very good at detecting liars. Studies show that people’s hit rate for detecting lies (54%) is slightly above pure chance (50%), which is good news for the liars, but bad news for you in the courtroom. Why? Because people tend to pay attention to certain cues to determine if someone is lying, but […]

The Big Anniversary Bash: Doable or Not?, Episode 131

Now there’s a challenge for you. Hosting a humongous party for your partner’s parents 50th Anniversary to which they’ve invited every living relative, friend and assorted mates. And yet, it’s doable. In this podcast, you’ll learn a surprisingly easy process that will help you work with your partner to make this impossible party happen – […]

Put “Truthiness” To Work For You—At Trial!

The value of visuals in trial work is well established, in that images emphasize and clarify testimony or evidence. However, research shows that visuals have an impact in yet another way, which can be put to powerful use in the courtroom. Scientists examined what Stephen Colbert calls “truthiness” –the feeling that something is true. What […]

What I Learned From A Suffering Kitten

A couple agreed to foster a kitten found, oddly enough, at a Lowe’s store. The kitten was in very bad shape. Along with the usual dehydration and inevitable malnourishment from having been lost or abandoned, this little ball of black fluff had no apparent use of its legs. Nonetheless, the foster couple did their best […]

Choose Your Thought Reps Wisely!, Episode 130

Doesn’t it just seem sometimes like you’re never gonna get out of this rut you’re in? Much less actually enjoy your life. It doesn’t have to be that way! In this podcast, you’ll explore how to turn disaster thinking into “I can do this!” so that your life can be a whole lot more satisfying. […]

Do You Like Me?

Likeability shouldn’t matter in the courtroom. A lawyer’s personality should be irrelevant. The facts should be paramount; they should be the only thing jurors pay attention to. Would that be nice if it were true? The jurors on any one of your jury panels are persuaded by a combination of factors. Facts are but one […]

Give Yourself a Great Start to 2026

Looking ahead to the New Year and how you expect it to unfold, can be tempting to get absorbed in whatever is currently trending, or whatever is “doom-ing and gloom-ing” at the moment. After all, there’s plenty going on in the world, in celebrity lives, in the constant push of the media, to keep one […]

Regain Peace of Mind: Trash Those Unwanted Thoughts, Episode 128

Why is it that sometimes you just can’t let go of an argument, a disagreement? You obsessively hash and rehash what is long done and over with. How unfortunate. Especially since it doesn’t need to be this way. In this podcast you’ll learn how to truly let go and be done with old “stuff” forever. […]

Wanna Be Happy? Practice!, Episode 125

Do you ever have a day where it seems everything is going badly, nothing ever seems to go right? To where you want to just scream, and give up on well, everything? Yet all you want to do is be happy, so what now? In this podcast, you’ll discover what’s holding you back from that […]

Arrogance 101: Dump It!

In this era where celebrities are revered and the super-wealthy envied, it’s easy to forget how such individuals are perceived once in the Courtroom. Certainly, some celebrities and mega-billionaires have retained their essential “human-ness” despite their fame. Dick Van Dyke and Dolly Parton come to mind, but too many who’ve found themselves propelled into fame […]

The Gentle Art of Changing The Subject

We’re fast approaching that time of year when friend and family get-togethers and office parties are, well, obligatory. After all, you can’t exactly pretend that Thanksgiving and the Holiday Season don’t exist, and that invitations from your in-laws, workplace, friends and others can be casually ignored. Or that you can corral your beloved partner into […]

Want a Never-Ending Romance? Rewire Your Relationship Brain! Episode 123

Ever felt stuck, like you’re on a hamster wheel of replaying your last argument with your partner over and over and over? Why is it that you just can’t seem to get over it, boring your friends and family with your continual replay? Are you that relationship-impaired? No! In this podcast, find out how to […]

Are You Eating Your Heart? Literally! Episode 122

Why is your world so annoying? From the traffic that’s a mess, to your boss who’s $%^ awful, and all the rest, landing you at risk of high blood pressure and heart problems, aargh. All is not lost. Discover what this podcast offers, namely, how to get past your anger and resentments so you can […]

Can Visuals Interfere With Your Argument/Testimony?

Our world has become a ‘world-in-pictures’ with virtually everything translated into a visual format, or at the very least, accompanied by an icon or picture of some related sort. Given this reality, litigators have been encouraged to create visuals and graphics to support the presentation of their case, to the maximum allowed by the Court. […]

“Weight-Train” Your Brain

I have a new cell phone. I didn’t want a new cell phone; I was perfectly happy with my 2020 cell phone, but it wasn’t happy with me. Its connector charging port was ailing. Failing, actually, the service tech told me. And besides, it was an old phone, what did I expect? Old? This to […]

Want Success? Focus on What Works! Episode 121

Does it ever feel like no matter how hard you try, you can’t get yourself to do what you want yourself to? Like stick with your diet, complete a work project, spend more time with the kids? And you’re fed up with feeling like a failure, a walking disaster. In this podcast, discover how you […]

The Power of Privacy: Juror Questionnaires

You would think that potential jurors, knowing that their written juror questionnaires will be scrutinized by the lawyers on both sides and by trial consultants and other professionals, would respond to written queries the same as they do to oral voir dire. Not. Fascinating research (Flores, 2011) revealed something I long suspected from years of […]

Declutter Your Heart

We speak of decluttering our spaces–our homes, garages, offices–but how often do we think of decluttering ourselves? As in letting go of outdated emotions, the guilts, fears, regrets that no longer serve us in any way? After all, isn’t that how you declutter your closet? You look over your outfits and discard clothes you haven’t […]

Angry At Work? Have A Friends/Family Brainstorming Session!, Episode 120

How can you handle your work frustrations and anger without losing your job, or alienating friends and family with your constant complaining? Is there a better answer than “Oh, well,” and making do with your current situation? Yes! Find out, in this podcast, how to enroll family or friends in a positive way so they […]

Be Truly Human: Practice Random Acts of Kindness, Episode 119

Random acts of kindness sound like just so much airy-fairy stuff you have neither the interest in or time for. And yet, random acts of kindness are part of what makes us truly human. Explore in this podcast exactly why such acts are important, and how they can bring more joy into your life quickly […]

Fall Seven Times! Really.

You would think that highly successful people, whatever their profession or occupation, are highly successful because, well, they know how to do something and keep on doing it correctly. But that is only a partial truth. Highly successful people do things correctly, yes, but more importantly, they follow the Japanese proverb, “Fall down seven times, […]

Persuasion 101: Seeing is Believing

A few years back, a Brigham City orthopedic surgeon (Dr. Dewey MacKay) claimed that the jury mistakenly convicted him of illegally prescribing medication because they neither understood the facts of the case, nor how chronic pain is managed. Jurors interviewed at the time, however, said Dr. Mackay’s comments were misguided. The jurors were emphatic that […]

A Non-Waste of Time Team-Building Exercise, Episode 118

What is it with managers who want endless team meetings when you’re busy? Worse, now it’s their latest-greatest “team-building exercise.” Aargh! Got other things to do, thank you very much. But you can’t beg off, so . . . discover in this podcast the value a certain team-building exercise might actually have, and how to […]

Thank you!

I began “Meet The Amazings” in 2016 to celebrate the wonderful, vibrant lives of countless people in their 70s, 80s and beyond. Now, after featuring more than 750 of these incredible people, it’s time to close this chapter, and like many Amazings, start something new. Thank you to the thousands of followers who supported this […]

The Dog Ate My Homework: Really? Still?, Episode 117

Are you ever frustrated over how hard it is to get ahead? Like managing to get that raise or that promotion you so feel you deserve? In this podcast, find out what’s truly in the way of the success you long for, and how to turn things around in your favor! Listen to all Up! […]

Create a Trustworthy First Impression

Personal experience tells us how powerful first impressions are. Indeed, research reinforces our innate understanding of first impressions. The study suggests it takes just 20 seconds to detect whether a stranger is genetically inclined to being trustworthy, kind or compassionate. That’s less than a minute for you, or your witnesses, to establish a credible first […]

Another Life Lesson From My Dog

I have 2 dogs, both rescues. One of them is a German Shepherd mix, aka Baer, who had been tethered to a pole in a person’s yard with very little freedom of movement, for the first couple of years of his life. No big surprise, then, that once I adopted him, his great joy was […]

Smile! It’s Good For Your Health, Episode 116

What if you had a way to feel better, that’s always available, costs nothing and has none of those dreaded side effects? In this podcast, you’ll be introduced to a simple shift of perspective that can transform your not-so-wonderful moments into a feel-good solution, quickly and easily. Listen to all Up! Podcasts here.

Mick Jagger

Sir Michael Philip Jagger, known to most as simply “Mick Jagger,” at 81, is still touring “live and in person,” performing with the Rolling Stones, still astounding after all these years! And Mick himself performs with all the electrifying bravado and skill of his younger years. Some of the songs performed on their latest tour […]

Tip Your Relationship Scales into Joy!, Episode 114

Just how powerful are negative thoughts or words you launch at your partner? Do they really damage your relationship when they know perfectly well that you love them? In a word, yes! In this podcast, you’ll discover how to deal with those negative thoughts/words not by becoming an insincere Pollyanna, but with a way to […]

Mina Anna Mazzini

Mina Anna Mazzini, better known simply as “Mina,” at 84, just launched her latest album. Widely known as one of the best-selling Italian musical artists ever, Mina boasts a 3-octave range, sings in many languages and in such diverse musical styles as pop, opera, jazz and rock. She’s averaged an album a year since 1960, […]

Toh Hong Keng

Toh Hong Keng, at 70, successfully graduated from medical school after 5 years of dedicated study at Southwestern University PHINMA in Cebu, Philippines. Mistaken at first by fellow students, all in their 20s, for a Professor, Toh set them straight and soon became accepted as one of them, studying and working as hard as they […]

Answer a Primordial Question for the Jurors: Who?

The names, acronyms and abbreviations so familiar to you are not to the jurors. You may think that saying, for example, “Acme Building Supply, which we’ll now call ABS for convenience,” is enough to warrant saying “ABS” through the rest of your trial. But “ABS” has no guts to it, has no uniqueness, no personality. […]

Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys

One of my pet peeves (I, who spend entirely too much time driving the California freeways) is drivers who don’t use their turn signals. Come on, when traveling down the freeway, the last thing you need is some driver cutting in front of you without even the hint of a warning. Namely, said turn signal. […]

Lorraine O’Grady

Lorraine O’Grady, at 89, has opened yet another show, this time at the Mariane Ibrahim Gallery in Chicago, called “The Knight, or Lancela Palm-and-Steel,” with of course, Lorraine in the conceptual artist persona of “The Knight.” Lorraine dons a custom-made suit of armor weighing 40 lbs. along with a helmet topped with a banana palm! […]

Jerry Korson

Jerry Korson, at 73, completed his life’s dream–to run a half-marathon in all 50 states. It took Jerry about 20 years. He’d plan the family vacations around where he could run his next half-marathon and usually ran 2 every time. He was diagnosed with brain cancer and had surgery for his condition a couple of […]

Help Your Witness Deliver Effective Testimony with Full Sentences

Rare is the witness who isn’t anxious, worried, scared–even terrified–during deposition or cross-examination. Often this leads to a rapid pace of speech. Not only that, but witnesses tend to believe that if they just blurt out their response, they’ll get this dreadful experience over with sooner. Speaking Too Quickly. Now, there’s nothing wrong with speaking […]

Ho-Ho-Ho, the Joy of Saying “No”

Ah, the upcoming Holiday Season–starting with Thanksgiving and ramping up through Christmas, with no let-up until the beginning of the year. For those who are already tired from a year’s worth of work, kids, parents, chores, and everything else, the Holiday Season, despite the many joys it may bring, can feel simply exhausting. Overwhelming. Cringe-worthy. But what’s […]

Edie Ceccarelli

Edith “Edie” Ceccarelli, at 116, is officially the second oldest person on Planet Earth according to the Gerontology Research Group. But far more important than that is Edie is her town’s celebrity. She’s invited everyone in Willits, California (population 4,885) to come celebrate her birthday with her since turning 100. And they do! The entire […]

Is It Your Mood or Your Attitude? Episode 99

You may think that mood and attitude are one and the same. Not so. Mood is condition-based, but attitude is chosen. This means that you can lift yourself out of a nasty mood, once you know how to do it. In this podcast, you’ll explore some ways to deal with your mood so you can […]

Classic Juror Misunderstandings

The brilliant cartoonist, Wiley Miller (“Non Sequitur”), captured the misunderstandings between men and women as few others have. For example, the wife says: “Let’s go shopping.” The husband hears: “Let’s go drain the life force from your body.” The husband says: “Honey, are you almost ready yet?” The wife hears: “Life as we know it […]

Dwan Johnson Young

Dwan Johnson Young, at 92, has the astonishing distinction of being the oldest person to waterski, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Dwan discovered waterskiing at age 29, when her family bought a cabin by a lake. Although she started the sport using two skis, Dwan eventually–with the encouragement of her very supportive […]

Label Yourself for Your Good

The mind-body connection is real. It’s not just a cute phrase, the brain actually releases certain hormones and other chemicals in direct response to our thoughts: endorphins, for example, when we’re happy, cortisol when we’re stressed. These hormones and chemicals impact how we function, how we thrive – or don’t. This is why what we […]

How to Be Supportive, Episode 94

How powerful are the words we use, the things you say, or others say to you? Are your words helpful or hurtful?  Do what others say to you make you feel self-confident or fill you with doubt? What if in this podcast, you discovered not only are your words powerful, but that there’s a way […]

Getting Unstuck, Episode 93

What if there was a way to make change happen more easily in your life? What if you could, just by altering what you use as your reference points for the change you want, get things to happen more successfully for you? In this podcast, find out how to make change something you actually can […]

Elizabeth Eaton Rosenthal

Elizabeth Eaton Rosenthal, aka “The Green Lady of Brooklyn,” at 83, continues to surprise and delight all who cross her path whether they live in or visit Brooklyn. She is head to toe, hair to nails and everything in between, painted or otherwise covered in green! Born in Nova Scotia, Canada, Elizabeth hitchhiked to New […]

Expert Under the Gun of Cross? Multi-sided Response to the Rescue

For your expert witnesses under the gun of cross-examination, usually the most problematic answer is a flat “yes” or “no.” Science holds few absolutes to be true, thus most scientists (which is the majority of your experts) are uncomfortable with an uncategorical “yes” or “no” in response to many of opposing counsel’s questions. Yet opposing […]

Be Your Own BFF

It doesn’t matter whether I’m having trouble learning a new dance step, stumped on a piece of writing that has an all-too-soon deadline or forgot to pick up the dry-cleaning, whatever, my immediate go-to is to diss myself. How could I be so stupid, inept, or unconscious that I find myself in this disheartening situation?! […]

Betty Brussel

Betty Brussel, at 100, is not only celebrating her birthday, but also the 3 world records she broke this year in her age group in the swimming pool: the 400-metre freestyle, the 50-metre breaststroke, and the 50-metre backstroke. Quite a coup for a woman who only began competing at 68. Betty, originally from Holland, began […]

A Matter of Strategy – Episode 92

Ever wished life were simpler? That whatever you wanted in the realm of improved or better relationships could just happen with a snap of your fingers, as if by magic? Sigh. Unfortunately, wishing doesn’t make it so, but in this podcast, you’ll be introduced to an approach that, when properly implemented, can indeed feel “like […]

Sally Snowman

Sally Snowman, at 72, the only remaining official lighthouse keeper in the United States, is just now retiring from her 20 years of service. From the first time Sally visited the lighthouse, at 10 years of age, with her father, a Coast Guard auxiliarist, Sally knew she wanted to be the lighthouse keeper. The 307-year-old […]

Ed Dwight

Ed Dwight, at 90, is featured in the National Geographic film “The Space Race,” which documents the stories of Black astronauts, and their first pioneer, Ed. Ed was selected by the Air Force to train as an astronaut with NASA, having met the criteria of 1500 hours of flying jets, a BA in engineering or […]

Short-Term Gain vs. Long-Term Pain, Episode 91

In our perpetual pursuit of “do it, have it, get it now,” too often we forget to look at the long-term consequences of our instant decisions.  In this podcast, you’ll explore how to make choices such that you get what you want, but in a way that doesn’t ruin your life. Listen to all Up! […]

Life Is Meant for Joy!

A woman is running on the treadmill next to me at the gym, moaning and complaining the whole time. How miserable she is at having to work out, how hard it is to get herself to the gym knowing she’s in for an hour of pain. How she’d rather do pretty much anything other than […]

The Juror-Engaging Power of Story: Beyond the Individual

Research has demonstrated repeatedly the power of storytelling. Indeed, it’s easy for most attorneys to tell the story of their injured client or the malfunction of a product. Stories of individuals, plaintiff or defense, are also fairly easy to summon. But when it comes to businesses, companies or corporations, lawyers too often forget the power […]

The Power of Setting Limits, Episode 90

Why, when you just want to chill but your partner is demanding, do you just cave into them, shelving your needs, and ending up resentful? In this podcast, discover a way to satisfy your partner’s needs without sacrificing your own. Wouldn’t that be nice! Listen to all Up! Podcasts here.

Pearl Taylor

Pearl Taylor, at 102, shares her longevity “secrets” on TikTok, accompanied by her great-great-granddaughter, Taylor. Pearl is wonderfully fit and present, and her life lessons are both valuable and practical. Pearl believes in the power of one’s mind, and that the thoughts we think directly impact our lives. Pearl also believes in the value of […]