The Nocturnists

After surviving addiction himself, psychiatrist Dr. Jason Schiffman has devoted his career to understanding why people become addicted—and how they heal. We discuss trauma, shame, attachment, and his belief that lasting recovery begins not with treating addictive behaviors alone, but by healing deeper psychological injuries.

Drawing on philosophy, bioethics, and decades in pediatrics, Dr. John Lantos reflects on how artificial intelligence is reshaping the doctor-patient relationship. We explore what medicine has gained through technology, whether the physician "aura" is disappearing, and why the rise of AI could ultimately renew our understanding of medical humanism.
Looking for more from The Nocturnists? Explore The Nocturnists+, our subscriber-only feed featuring The Nocturnists After Hours—a monthly series where host Emily Silverman is joined by executive producer Dr. Ali Block for more informal, open conversations about medicine, culture, and their own lived experiences. Subscriptions start at just $10/mo and include exclusive discounts on our new merch. Learn more or subscribe at thenocturnists.org/plus.

As a college student seeking an abortion, Alejandra was unknowingly referred to a crisis pregnancy center instead of an abortion provider. In this conversation, she reflects on how that experience fractured her trust in healthcare, the years it took to reclaim her voice, and why she is now committed to providing compassionate, patient-centered reproductive healthcare as a future family physician.

Drawing on a lifetime in medicine and the stories behind his new book Failure to Treat, cardiologist Dr. Peter Kowey explores how profit, bureaucracy, and the corporatization of healthcare have transformed the practice of medicine. We discuss what has been lost, what can still be reclaimed, and why he remains hopeful that technology may ultimately give physicians back their most precious resource: time with patients.
Looking for more from The Nocturnists? Explore The Nocturnists+, our subscriber-only feed featuring The Nocturnists After Hours—a monthly series where host Emily Silverman is joined by executive producer Dr. Ali Block for more informal, open conversations about medicine, culture, and their own lived experiences. Subscriptions start at just $10/mo and include exclusive discounts on our new merch. Learn more or subscribe at thenocturnists.org/plus.

Dr. Giulia Enders—physician, gastroenterologist, and bestselling author of Gut—joins us to discuss her new book, Organ Speak. She invites us to see the body not as a machine in need of repair, but as a living source of intelligence, metaphor, and meaning. Reflecting on her early fascination with the gut and her years treating patients with complex gastrointestinal conditions, Giulia explores how language shapes our experience of illness. The conversation ranges across the skin, grief, immunity, and sleep, revealing how a sense of wonder can emerge when we stop viewing the body solely as a problem to be solved.
Looking for more from The Nocturnists? Explore The Nocturnists+, our subscriber-only feed featuring The Nocturnists After Hours—a monthly series where host Emily Silverman is joined by executive producer Dr. Ali Block for more informal, open conversations about medicine, culture, and their own lived experiences. Subscriptions start at just $10/mo and include exclusive discounts on our new merch. Learn more or subscribe at thenocturnists.org/plus.