One practical way to supplement cognitive-behavioral therapy is to listen to encouraging podcasts. Good podcasts often reinforce skills you’re working on in therapy, offer new ideas for wellbeing, or provide a fresh perspective on day-to-day life issues.
I enjoy learning about podcasts from other folks, so I took a poll of therapists, friends, and clients. These are some of my or their favorite podcasts. The descriptions of each podcast are taken from their respective Apple Podcast descriptions.
(Disclaimer: I haven’t listened to every episode of each podcast, so I cannot vouch for everything said. Everyone has different needs and views, so if you like or don’t like a podcast, that’s okay. Listen only to those podcasts that help you feel better. If you have a question about what you hear, ask your therapist.)
Inspiring podcasts on wellbeing
The Science of Happiness– Greater Good Science Center/University of California.
Learn research-tested strategies for a happier, more meaningful life, drawing on the science of compassion, gratitude, mindfulness, and awe. Hosted by award-winning psychologist Dacher Keltner. Co-produced by PRX and UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center.
Being Well– Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson
Forrest Hanson is joined by clinical psychologist Dr. Rick Hanson and a world-class group of experts to explore the practical science of lasting well-being. Conversations focus on the key insights from psychology, science, and contemplative practice that you need to build reliable inner strengths, overcome your challenges, and get the most out of life.
Life Kit– Marielle Segara/NPR
Everyone needs a little help being a human. From sleep to saving money to parenting and more, host Marielle Segarra talks to experts to get the best advice out there. Life Kit is here to help you get it together. Want another life hack? Learn more at plus.npr.org/lifekit
Faith-Based Perspectives on Wellbeing and Psychology
Being Human– Steve Cuss/ Christianity Today
From Christianity Today, Being Human with Steve Cuss is Christian counseling in podcast form. Steve Cuss, a former trauma and hospice chaplain, pastor, and leadership coach, guides listeners with a gospel-informed journey of discovery into the world of emotional health: everything from anxiety and reactivity, to triangulation, overfunctioning, and the Enneagram.
The Christian Psychologist– Dr. Joshua Knabb
Dr. Joshua Knabb is a board-certified clinical psychologist and 21st century Christ follower. “Early in life, I experienced overwhelming psychological suffering, which led me down a path of wandering away from the Christian faith in my adolescent years, reminiscent of the Lost Son in Luke’s Gospel, returning to my Christian heritage in my early 20s, my own psychotherapy in my mid-20s, and, ultimately, a life committed to understanding and pursuing psychological and spiritual health as I now head into the middle years of my life. Please join me as we devote each week to better understanding secular and Christian perspectives on mental health and the intersection between psychology and Christianity, then engage in a 10-minute practice to conclude each episode, drawing upon Christian meditation, prayer, and contemplation. Above all else, my aim in this podcast is to journey with fellow Christ followers, as well as those who are curious about the rich heritage of Christian psychological and spiritual insights into the human condition, doing so with humility and curiosity as we strive to cultivate Christlikeness in all we do.”
Everything Happens– Kate Bowler
Are you living your best life now? Not always? This is a podcast for you. Duke Professor Kate Bowler is an expert in the stories we tell about success and failure, suffering and happiness. She had Stage IV cancer. Then she didn’t. And since then, all she wants to do is talk to funny and wise people about how to live with the knowledge that, well, everything happens. Find her online at @katecbowler.
Podcasts on General Mental Health Topics
You’re Not Crazy- Psychology in Real Life– Dr. Kim Champion and Malachi Champion
(This is a podcast by our friend, Dr. Kim Champion!) An entertaining and educational podcast that features conversations between a clinical psychologist and her son. Using a blend of humor, psychoeducation, and fun banter, Dr. Kim Champion and her author/blogger/words guy/consumer-of-media son, Malachi Champion, explore real-life issues with the hope of helping us to understand that we are more okay than we may think. Join us on the journey!
10% Happier– Dan Harris
Self-help for smart people. World-class insights and practices from experts in modern science and ancient wisdom. Hosted by veteran journalist and best-selling author Dan Harris.
This Doesn’t Count as Therapy– Carlissa, LPC
This Doesn’t Count As Therapy is a podcast dedicated to making mental health and personal growth accessible to everyone. Join us as we explore the complexities of trauma, the nervous system, and other critical aspects of well-being. Our goal is to provide you with practical insights and strategies for healing and growth, empowering you to navigate your journey with confidence and clarity.
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Podcast about Grief and Loss
All There Is– Anderson Cooper/CNN
Grief can feel so lonely but talking about it, and listening to others share their grief experiences helps. In Season 3 of All There Is, Anderson Cooper continues his deeply personal exploration of grief in all its complexities. In moving and honest discussions, he learns from others who’ve experienced life-altering losses. All There Is with Anderson Cooper is about the people we lose, the people left behind, and how we can live on – with loss and with love. |
Podcasts on Caregiving
Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver– Natalie Elliott Handy and JJ Elliott Hill
The Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver podcast offers a candid, unfiltered space to confess the good, the bad, and the ugly of being a caregiver through storytelling, guest interviews, and information sharing. JJ & Natalie are a dynamic duo of sisters supporting their mom living with Parkinson’s and a husband who survived cancer. Along with their guests, they discuss their shared experiences in caregiving. Viewers and listeners alike will relate to our reluctance, be affirmed in their ability to be caregivers and gain the courage to confidently step out of the shadows to express their own needs. You are sure to laugh, cry, and everything in between but in the end, all will leave feeling better for the journey and part of the sisterhood of care. So grab your favorite guilty pleasure, and let’s get to confessing!
Elevate Eldercare– Susan Ryan, Center for Innovation
Let’s Elevate Eldercare Together! Every great eldercare community has a unique story, and there are many paths toward providing high-quality, person-directed services and supports for older adults. That’s why we launched “Elevate Eldercare”: to bring together thought leaders, activists, and advocates in the field of aging services and give them a space where thoughtful discourse and diverse perspectives flow freely.
Join Susan Ryan, Alex Spanko, and other GHP team members every Wednesday for enlightening, provocative, and sometimes uncomfortable conversations. Together, the hosts and guests explore the opportunities and challenges in building a new, dignified eldercare system through the lens of the Green House and Pioneer models.
Podcast about Video Games
Psychology of Video Games– Jamie Madigan
Examining how psychology explains why video games are made how they are and why gamers behave as they do.
