You Won't Take Care of Your Body Until You Believe You Are Worth It" | Dr. Arnold Gilberg | #158

April 28
49 mins

View Transcript

Episode Description

:envelope_with_arrow: Get Dr. Vonda's insights

Want to understand what's happening in your body — and what to do next?

Each week, Dr. Vonda shares science-backed guidance on strength, bone health, muscle, and longevity — the same way she speaks to her patients.

Clear. Practical. No noise.

:point_right: Join the newsletter: https://manage.kmail-lists.com/subscriptions/subscribe?a=YqJKtR&g=Ww3gx3

 

At 89 years old, Dr. Arnold Gilberg still feels 40. That is not a metaphor, it is a philosophy. I sat down with this Beverly Hills psychiatrist, ordained rabbi, and author of The Myth of Aging, trained by one of Sigmund Freud's own colleagues, to talk about the one enemy more dangerous than getting older: disengagement.


What we explore:

 

- How disengagement, not aging itself, is the true driver of physical and mental decline.

- Why curiosity is the master key to staying mentally alive as you grow older.

- How self-forgiveness unlocks behavioral change that willpower alone never can.

- Why psychiatry's drift toward medication alone is leaving patients behind.

- Why gratitude, practiced daily, is one of the most powerful tools for vitality.

- How giving yourself grace, not perfection, finally allows people to act on what they know.

- What happiness really looks like across a lifetime, and why expecting constant joy backfires.

- Why vulnerability between doctor and patient, not clinical distance, is what heals.

About Dr. Arnold Gilberg:
Arnold L. Gilberg, MD, PhD, received his bachelor's degree in political science and Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Illinois. He interned at the Los Angeles General Medical Center. He is the last person alive trained by Franz Alexander, MD, a distinguished colleague of Sigmund Freud. His psychiatric training took place at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he was chief psychiatric resident. He also has a doctorate in psychoanalysis from the Southern California Psychoanalytic Institute. 

 

Dr. Gilberg is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, the former Clinical Chief of Psychiatry at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, and an associate clinical professor at UCLA School of Medicine (honorary). He served for ten years under three different governors on the Medical Board of California for LA County, and has treated thousands of patients in his Los Angeles-based practice.

📖 Get Dr. Arnold Gilberg's Book:
The Myth of Aging: A Prescription for Emotional and Physical Well-Being
https://a.co/d/06sz328q


Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

01:46 Disengagement: The Real Enemy of Aging

05:00 Curiosity as the Key to Staying Mentally Alive

10:30 Inside The Myth of Aging

13:00 Vulnerability in the Doctor-Patient Relationship

18:00 The Gap Between Knowing and Doing

24:00 Grace, Perfectionism, and What My Teenager Taught Me

31:00 His Fitness Journey: Starting at 30, Still Going at 89

36:00 Happiness Is a Rollercoaster, Not a Destination

43:00 Authenticity Over Performance: The Real Work of Aging Well

:brain: Start your Unbreakable journey

Most women are never given a clear plan for how to stay strong as they age.

The Unbreakable Lifestyle is where that changes.

This is the home of Dr. Vonda's method — built from 20+ years of clinical work and designed for real life.

Inside:

- Unbreakable Assessment — know exactly where you stand

- Training plans — build muscle, protect bone, improve performance

- AI Dr. Vonda — get answers and guidance anytime

- Community — women committed to staying strong and engaged

- Exclusive education — what actually works, all in one place

This is not another program.

This is how you build strength — with direction.

:point_right: Join the Unbreakable Lifestyle: https://www.theunbreakablelifestyle.com/

:bone: Build stronger bones

Bone loss starts earlier than you think — and speeds up in midlife.

Dr. Vonda's Unbreakable Bone Health formula supports bone density, strength, and long-term skeletal health with clinically researched ingredients.

Foundational. Not optional.

:point_right: Shop now: https://shop.drvondawright.com/

 

:book: Read the book

Unbreakable: A Woman's Guide to Aging with Power

A clear, science-backed roadmap to building strength, supporting your body, and taking control of how you age.

:point_right: Get your copy: https://www.theunbreakablelifestyle.com/unbreakable-book 

 

:dna: About Dr. Vonda Wright

Dr. Vonda Wright is an orthopedic sports surgeon and leading expert in women's health and longevity.

For over 20 years, she has helped women build muscle, strengthen bone, and extend their health span — with science, not guesswork.

Her mission is simple: help women age with power.

 

:link: Connect with Dr. Vonda

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drvondawright

Substack: https://drvondawright.substack.com/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drvondawright

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vonda-wright-md-ms-2803374

Website: http://www.drvondawright.com

 

See all episodes