About one in seven people around the world have some kind of mental health problem, according to the World Health Organisation, and this means that many are looking for help and advice. But people who don’t have anything especially wrong can benefit from understanding their minds, their behaviours, their relationships and their motivations better, too.
In what used to be referred to as “The Information Age”, it can be really hard to know where to start when looking for information that is reputable, that suits your personality and style, and that resonates with you. There are also a range of formats we can access to get hold of this information.
If learning by listening is something that works for you, there’s nothing better than podcasts. You can listen on demand, so you don’t need to rely on a radio station broadcasting something relevant at the precise time you need it. And you can search for things you are most likely to benefit from.
So here are 11 podcasts about psychology, mental health and relationships that might just enhance your life. Some are big, some are small. Some are specialised, some quite general. Some are highly produced, some are more spontaneous. Try one or two, and see which you vibe with best.
Happier with Gretchen Rubin
On the top-ranking, award-winning podcast Happier with Gretchen Rubin, the #1 bestselling author of The Happiness Project brings her practical, thought-provoking insights into happiness and good habits to this lively podcast. Her co-host and guinea pig is her younger sister, the Hollywood show-runner Elizabeth Craft, who (lovingly) refers to Gretchen as her “happiness bully.”
Each week, listen to episodes packed with fresh, helpful suggestions, ideas, practical hacks, research-based strategies, and personal stories; get a quick boost of happiness from the “Little Happiers”; and enjoy laid-back “More Happier” Saturday episodes.
The Daily Pep!
Building a life you love takes a boatload of courage. But you don’t have to do it alone. The Daily Pep! is the rebel-rousing, daily podcast for couragemakers, creative, multi-passionate and unconventional women. If you’re surrounded by people who don’t get who you are or what you do, if you want reminders you’re on the right path (no matter how scary it feels), or you’re sick of being your very own worst enemy, this is the podcast for you. Join your host, writer, coach and professional rebel-rouser Meg Kissack every weekday as helps you build a creative and wholehearted life, one day at a time. Through short and snappy insights, reminders and stories, The Daily Pep! is here to remind you you’re not alone, and that everything changes when you believe you matter. Each episode is short and snappy, designed to fit in with (or help you start) your habits and routines.The Daily Pep! is a sister podcast of The Couragemakers Podcast.
How to Fail with Elizabeth Day
Each week, Sunday Times #1 bestselling author Elizabeth Day sits down with someone extraordinary – and asks them about the moments that didn’t go according to plan and how these failures shaped them.
Kate Winslet on body image. Malala Yousafzai on rewriting her story. Pamela Anderson on refuting shame. Phoebe Waller-Bridge on creativity. Salman Rushdie on survival. Emilia Clarke on fame. What happens when the people you most admire stop performing and start telling the truth? Five hundred episodes in, we’re still finding out.
The Biology of Trauma with Dr Aimie
People are done dancing around the topic of trauma. They’re ready to face this square-on. None of the current systems are getting to the root of the issue in the current model. Their biology has been affected on a cellular level, and that is now what’s preventing the important work that they’re trying to do.
The Biology of Trauma® podcast is the missing piece to that puzzle. It’s a practical living manual for the human body in a modern, traumatizing world. Join your host, Dr. Aimie Apigian—a medical physician and expert in attachment, trauma, and addiction—as she challenges outdated trauma paradigms and introduces a new model for healing.
Depresh Mode with John Moe
Join host John Moe (The Hilarious World of Depression) for honest, relatable, and, yes, sometimes funny conversations about mental health. Hear from comedians, musicians, authors, actors, and other top names in entertainment and the arts about living with depression, anxiety, and many other common disorders. Find out what they’ve done to address it, what worked, and what didn’t. Depresh Mode also features useful insights on mental health issues with experts in the field. It’s honest talk from people who have been there and know their stuff. No shame, no stigma, and more laughs than you might expect.
Where Should We Begin? With Esther Perel
Every Monday morning step into the office of iconic psychotherapist Esther Perel on “Where Should We Begin” and listen in as real people in search of insight bare the raw, intimate, and profound details of their stories. From breakups and open relationships to workplace conflicts and fractures in the family, it’s a place to hear our own stories reflected in the lives of others. So…where should we begin?
Help Me Be Me
Help Me Be Me is an emotional toolkit for creating positive change in yourself. I like to think of it as self-help for people who hate self-help. I’m Sarah May, coach/author/all-around happy person, and these are the tools that work for me in my life
The Trauma Therapist
Join host Guy Macpherson, PhD, as he talks with thought leaders in trauma, mindfulness, addiction, and yoga.
Hear the personal stories and insights of passionate professionals who dedicate their lives to helping others heal from trauma.
All In The Mind
Every week on All in the Mind, award-winning journalist Sana Qadar explores the psychology behind the biggest questions in our lives — how we think, feel and behave.
Featuring leading experts like Esther Perel, Billy Garvey and Ethan Kross, you’ll hear personal stories and practical insights that will leave you thinking long after the podcast ends.
Whether it’s debunking pop psychology trends or translating the latest neuroscience research, more than 100,000 listeners join Sana each month to learn the best strategies for surviving life with your mental health intact.
This Jungian Life
Join us—Lisa, Deb, and Joseph—for sometimes irreverent but potentially life-changing conversations. Every Thursday, we explore culture, relationships, and depth psychology through the lens of Carl Jung. We devote a segment of each episode to analyzing a listener’s dream.
How Do You Cope?
Comedian and broadcaster John Robins sits down with guests each week to ask the very simple question; How Do You Cope?
Image: Ben Khatry