Podcasts That Challenge & Inspire
Written by Michele Dial, LPC
Our current reality is undoubtedly challenging in one way or another. Thank you, 2020 for pushing our limits... and our buttons. It can be mentally and emotionally exhausting to read or listen to the news on a regular basis, and more so if you tend to obsess. With so many news outlets at our fingertips, it’s easy to spend hours on end in the rabbit hole. That’s why we talk about limiting your news intake – to help protect your mental and emotional health. Find out what you need to know, but don’t bury yourself in it.
If you’re searching for other ways to get informed about current events or change the subject altogether, try giving a podcast or two some headspace. Many hosts dive into the deep end of hard conversations on a broad range of topics, and I look for those who offer a fresh perspective that challenges me to broaden my viewpoint and inspires me to grow, not bring me down. Bonus points if I already admire their work in other spaces, but I also enjoy hearing from people I didn’t previously know.
There are a million podcasts to choose from these days, so it can be hard to know where to start. Here are a few of my go-to’s to keep me grounded, enlightened, and encouraged.
If you know me, you know I love Brene´ Brown’s work. She’s a researcher and storyteller who studies human connection, and the issues that block us from wholehearted living. In her podcast, we get a more free-spirited, unscripted version of Brene´ as she talks with a wide variety of people she respects and admires, from authors to activists. This podcast educates, enlightens, and challenges me, usually while making me laugh. Unlocking Us has been on hiatus, so you can spend some time catching up on her first season.
Leaving the Valley – Kimi Buser-Clancy & Sam Buser
Houston’s own Sam Buser, psychologist, and Kimi Buser-Clancy, actor and activist, team up to talk about the S-word. This father/daughter duo is on a mission to destigmatize the conversation around suicide. It’s the unmentionable that no one wants to talk about, and yet many of us have been touched by suicide in some way, even it’s just hearing about an actor whose work you liked dying by suicide. Be brave and get educated so we can work toward helping people before they get to this tragic last resort.
Mental Health Remix – Nicole Symcox
Based in the bay area of northern California, psychotherapist Nicole Symcox aims to “shake up the conversation and crush the stigma” of trauma and anxiety disorders. In about 20 minutes, she shares insight and tactical strategies to deal with specific components of anxiety, including dysfunctional family roles, negative view of self, and breaking unhealthy habits, to name a few. Nicole comes off as down-to-earth, and keeps it super simple and brief so you can get back to your day in a snap.
Rachel Hollis, author, speaker and online media entrepreneur, has no formal training as a therapist or life coach, but speaks openly about her relentless pursuit of growth and self-development. She’s relatable, funny, and hell-bent on living intentionally. In addition to sharing her personal life hacks, she talks to everyone from musicians to fitness gurus to business powerhouses who share their best tools for living and leading.
A Bit of Optimism – Simon Sinek
I have often thought that I would love to hear a conversation between Simon Sinek and Brene´ Brown because their messages seem so in sync. Sinek is an author, ethnographer and educator, focused on leadership and organizational strategy. He encourages authenticity, accessibility, and mentoring over managing, and talks about shame, human connection, and purpose, topics that are not common in the business world. An eternal optimist himself, he decided to spread that optimism at a time when we need it most.
If you like hearing other people’s stories and are short on time, you need the Moth in your life. “The Moth’s mission is to promote the art and craft of storytelling, and to honor and celebrate the diversity and commonality of human experience.” Novelist George Dawes Green started the Moth to replicate the fireside storytelling of he and friends back home in Georgia. The Moth then moved to the stage in NYC and has since spread throughout the country. Now you can hear the true and captivating stories of everyday people in a weekly podcast. When you don’t have time for a full-length memoir, let these individuals transport you to another time and place, as they share their stories of the heart.
Life Free of Anxiety – Erica Roth & Dr. Charles Barr
Erica Roth and her former therapist, Dr. Charles Barr, partner to bring you your “weekly dose of hope, encouragement, and perspective.” Together, they direct the CHAANGE Anxiety Treatment Program created by Ann Seagrave and Faison Covington, which provides a clear path to healing from the grips of anxiety. Their weekly podcast explores the pervasive and varied experiences of anxiety and how they overcome it through their conversations about their own struggles with anxiety and with guests who open up about their personal journeys.
Feminist Survival Project – Emily & Amelia Nagoski
Sisters Emily and Amelia Nagoski, co-authors of Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, are dedicated to helping women live their best lives. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, and still feel like there’s more to do, listen up – the Nagoski sisters are bound to have some wisdom and perspective that will guide you toward restoration and revitalization. They are funny and passionate, and not at all afraid to dig into the hard topics.
Marriage Therapy Radio – Zach Brittle & Laura Heck
This podcast is for the lovers. Married or dating, longtime loves or just a few years in, there’s something here for every couple. Whether you’re in struggle or just want to deepen your connection, these straight-talking relationship therapists cover the gamut of couples topics, including conflict, communication, extended family, partner roles, and a million other things based on solid research.
Where Should We Begin – Esther Perel
“A podcast for anyone who has ever loved.” That says it all. Whether you’re currently in a relationship, ever have been, or ever will be, you can learn from iconic couples therapist and author Esther Perel. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Perel has mic-drop level insight, and a remarkable way of talking about it. In this podcast, she provides a single, two to three-hour relationship consultation session to couples in distress. Perel uses this time to help partners view their issues through a new lens and begin a new path forward. This format allows us to connect with the real-life struggles of couples and experience her wisdom and intuition in practice.
“For the love of what?,” you may ask. In her words, “People. Home. Stories. Shoes. Family. Jesus. Community. TV. Accessories. Food. Culture.” Jen Hatmaker is another author and media presence who isn’t afraid to bring it when it comes to topics of the heart. And yes, shoes count as a topic of the heart. Hatmaker speaks her truth unapologetically, and invites her guests to do the same. She, too, is relatable and funny – are you seeing a theme here? Enjoy!
SERVICES MICHELE OFFERS AT HEIGHTS COUNSELING
Michele offers a variety of mental health services for adults at our Houston Heights Therapy Clinic. Her mental health services include: adult therapy, depression treatment, anxiety treatment, therapy for stress and burnout, trauma treatment and EMDR, and counseling for life transitions. She also offers online therapy in Texas to meet your mental health needs when you can’t make it to our therapy clinic. To learn more, please contact our counseling office.