I love some good, gooey, woo-woo inspo as much as the next person in the wellness space. But sometimes, and I say this with the deepest love and affection, the genre of content (from Instagram and Facebook-live to podcasts) can get real corny, real quick. And whether you’re getting in a workout, commuting, or just looking for some smart background noise, you can only handle so much.
Sometimes when you’re bombarded with affirmations, positive routines, and all the commerce-focused trappings of wellness culture, you just want to listen to smart people talk about the issues that matter for you and your body. You want the straight-shooters being clear about the systemic problems that lead to health issues for us all, you want someone to help you make sense of your brain and all your stressed-out feelings without falling back on saccharine clichés, and you want to laugh or nod or make a note to change up something in your healthcare routine (or ask your doctor about something) without it being a whole thing.
Luckily, with the sheer volume of wellness podcasts out there, we were able to track down a few we actually dig and that provide this service. At its best, a physical or mental health podcast can feel like a trusted friend and a real good voice in your head offering you something interesting, wise, or funny (or all three) to help you live a healthier life (or at least set the intention to do that.)
Read on for a few of our favorite pods that give us that sensation without feeling cheese-tastic. Because, yes, they do exist!
TED Health
If you’re a fan of TED Talks and just letting smart people go off about health topics of the day, TED Health may be your new ride or die. In this podcast, “TED speakers answer questions you never even knew you had, and share ideas you won’t hear anywhere else, all around how we can live healthier lives,” per the pod’s description.
Some great episodes range from talking about mental healthcare and crisis prevention to talking about climate anxiety, period positivity, and the health benefits of laughter. Short episodes, expert POVs and a little something for everyone interested in the wellbeing of our bodies and minds.
Dear Therapists With Lori Gottlieb and Guy Winch
Speaking of TED, the hosts of Dear Therapists are both TED speakers, as well as advice columnists and therapists in clinical practice. In this pod, Lori Gottlieb and Guy Winch seek to “bring lessons of the therapy room outside the therapy room.” Every episode provides a fly-on-the-wall view of “raw transformative sessions with everyday people,” as we listen in on the real (and all too relatable) issues of clients and concrete recommendations from Gottlieb and Winch. Then, we get to hear from the client again as they report back on how things went after the session. As Gottlieb and Winch explain in the pod’s description, “We believe that everyone can benefit from hearing how people just like them get through their struggles and grow and change.”
Dr. Streicher’s Inside Information: THE Menopause Podcast
Half the population goes through menopause, but many of us don’t know exactly what to expect until we’re in the throes of it. Inside Information looks to change that. Our host, Dr. Lauren Streicher, is a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern and a widely-recognized expert on menopause, and in every episode, she addresses specific symptoms of menopausal and post-menopausal life. “Nothing is off limits,” according to the podcast description, as Streicher tackles hot flashes, vaginal dryness, leaky bladders, hair loss, and more.
The Gabby Reece Show
Former pro volleyball player, author, and mom of three Gabby Reece is passionate about fitness, business, and family, and The Gabby Reece Show explores all three topics (and more). Featuring top-of-their-field guests and tackling a wide range of topics like AI, hormonal health, and trauma, Reece’s podcast truly takes on all facets of wellness, relationships, and career.
BLKHLTH
In every episode, BLKHLTH offers nuanced takes on health and wellness with an eye toward intersectionality and racial disparities, of which there are all too many in healthcare. Standout topics include equity in fitness, rising cancer rates, and sexual health and safety. The four hosts are graduates from Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, whose experiences in a predominantly white school highlighted “gaps in the understanding of the complexities of race and health from both our peers and instructors,” per BLKHLTH’s website. Their blend of expertise and rapport make every episode an enlightening and joyful listen.
Happier With Gretchen Rubin
From Gretchen Rubin, the bestselling author of The Happiness Project and Better Than Before, and her younger sister and co-host Elizabeth Craft, Happier is a podcast that explores topics ranging from real and practical advice about how to be happier and develop good mental health habits as well as more complicated topics relating to creativity, productivity, interpersonal relationships, and emotional intelligence.
They have a combination of great thoughtful guests and interviews, as well as awesome recommended reading material so you can continue pondering these topics long after the episode is over.
UnF*ck Your Brain
UnF*ck Your Brain feels like getting gassed up by your irreverent but totally smart BFF. Kara Loewentheil, J.D., a Master Certified Confidence Coach, unpacks all the ways you’re taught to be your own worst critic and remind you of the important work it takes to cultivate self-love and self-confidence, breaking down “centuries of sexist socialization that causes us to struggle with self-doubt, burnout, and anxiety.”
While a confidence coach might feel like it can head into corny territory, Loewentheil’s approach and tone feels a lot more like you’re training your own inner voice to call out the B.S. that’s holding you back.
Therapy for Black Girls
This super-popular weekly podcast, hosted by psychologist Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, seeks to make mental health topics more relevant and accessible for Black women. Therapy for Black Girls takes on all aspects of mental wellness, from dating to astrology to a whole meditation series on dealing with emotions around the holidays. There’s something for everyone in this podcast, and Bradford’s warm, welcoming tone will make you feel right at home.
Burnt Toast by Virginia Sole-Smith
A weekly pod all about dismantling diet culture and fatphobia? Yes please. Burnt Toast is hosted by journalist and author Virginia Sole-Smith, who explores the ever-relevant topic of fatphobia through the lenses of parenting, health, and fashion. Is sugar bad for your immune system? How is fatphobia tied to misogyny? And why are all the plus-size influencers getting thinner? Blending cultural commentary with the language of fat acceptance and liberation, Sole-Smith’s is a much-needed voice in our body-obsessed world.
Leave a Comment