The phenomenon of cognitive dissonance often strikes in times when we least expect. It is a topic that may cause confusion, grief, and sadness. Through a proper understanding of what it is and how it affects us all, we can make a positive change leading to a profound transformation. Assistant Professor in Public Health, Theodore K. Gideonse. Dr. Gideonse is a psychological and medical anthropologist, and he teaches in the Program in Public Health at the University of California, Irvine. He is also a film critic, and before academia he was a journalist, an editor, a literary agent, and for a brief time, a judge for Guinness World Records. In his TEDx Talk, he Dr. Gideonse will explain how cognitive dissonance happens and how it can be resolved in deeply unhealthy ways and in ways that lead to profound and positive transformation. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx