Best Cognitivescience Podcasts (2025)

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443. Coaching Hotline: Doing Something Bigger & A Complaining Diet 13:01

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19h ago13:01

13:01

What happens when you’re stuck between wanting more for yourself but not knowing how to get there? In this week’s Coaching Hotline, I dive into how to break free from the confusion and indecision that come with craving something bigger, but not knowing what that actually means for you. I also address the all-too-common habit of complaining and why …

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442. Self Belief v Self Esteem (And Which One Wins) (Confidence Compass Skill 3) 19:33

6d ago19:33

19:33

We hear a lot about self esteem these days. Why it matters, how to get more of it, and what it means when you feel like you do not have enough. Most people think that improving their self esteem will automatically make them more confident, but to create real and lasting confidence, they are missing something essential: self belief. In this episode,…

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Introducing: The Create More Confidence Pop-Up 3:34

6d ago3:34

3:34

Enroll now in Create More Confidence, happening on December 8-10, 2025. This mini coaching immersion is designed to: (1) help you vision your goals for 2026 and (2) zero in on which confidence skills you need to build to achieve them. Training calls take place at 12 p.m. ET each day. VIP calls take place at 1 p.m. ET each day. Click here to sign up…

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What is memory for? 1:24:05

7d ago1:24:05

1:24:05

Everyone loves a good evolutionary puzzle. Why do we have appendices? Why do we dream? Why do we blush? At first glance, memory would not be in this category. It's clearly useful to remember stuff, after all—to know where to find food, to remember your mistakes so you don't repeat them, to recall who's friendly and who's fierce. In fact, though, ce…

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441. Coaching Hotline: Thoughts That Made Me My First Million & Relationship Betrayal 16:18

8d ago16:18

16:18

When you're building a business, raising a family, or navigating relationships, those uncomfortable feelings of inadequacy, jealousy or betrayal feel like roadblocks. But what if they're actually signposts pointing you toward exactly what you need to examine? In this Coaching Hotline episode, I answer two listener questions that dig into the messy,…

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440. Self-Compassion Without Self-Pity (Confidence Compass Skill 2) 19:13

14d ago19:13

19:13

Do you worry that if you practice self-compassion, you’ll stop getting things done or start letting yourself off the hook? This is a common fear, and it comes from confusing self-compassion with self-pity. In this episode, I’m teaching the second skill of the Confidence Compass: self-compassion. You’ll learn how self-pity, self-criticism, and self-…

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439. Coaching Hotline: Making Thoughts Conscious & How to Stop Being Overwhelmed 9:56

16d ago9:56

9:56

Most of your thoughts are running on autopilot, shaping how you feel and act without you even realizing it. The good news is that you can learn to access those unconscious thoughts and bring them into your awareness, but only if you know how to look for them. This week, I’m answering two questions that get right to the heart of this work: how to un…

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438. Creating Accurate Self-Awareness (Confidence Compass Skill 1) 18:25

21d ago18:25

18:25

When I was in my twenties and early thirties, I thought I was deeply self-aware. I’d read the books, gone to therapy, and could explain all my patterns in perfect detail. But nothing was really changing. It wasn’t until I learned what self-awareness actually means and why understanding your story isn’t the same as understanding your mind that I fin…

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Of breeds and brains 1:07:44

21d ago1:07:44

1:07:44

It's hard to say exactly when, but some tens of thousands of years ago, our best friends were born. I'm referring, of course, to dogs. This didn't happen overnight—it was a long process. And it not only changed how those canids behaved and what they looked like, it also changed their brains. As wolves gave way to proto-dogs, and proto-dogs gave way…

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437. Coaching Hotline: Fear of Flying and Was Elizabeth Holmes Using Thought Work? 18:47

23d ago18:47

18:47

In this week’s Coaching Hotline episode, I’m answering two questions that get to the core of how we manage our minds. The first explores how to handle phobias, like the fear of flying, and panic attacks by changing our relationship with anxiety itself. The second dives into a meta question about thought work: could managing our thoughts turn us int…

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436. The Confidence Compass 18:12

28d ago18:12

18:12

You’ve hit the milestones: the degree, the dream job, the relationship that looks right on paper. But no matter how much you achieve, that deep sense of confidence still feels out of reach. That isn’t because you’re missing something; it’s because we’ve all been taught to think about confidence the wrong way. Tune in this week to discover what The …

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435. Coaching Hotline: Regretting Years in Therapy & Dealing with Romantic Rejection 12:01

30d ago12:01

12:01

You’ve done the therapy, read the books, and gained awareness, but the same anxious thoughts still run the show. This week’s Coaching Hotline episode dives into why understanding your patterns isn’t enough to change them and what’s really required to create lasting emotional shifts. I help one listener who’s been through years of therapy without re…

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434. What Everyone Gets Wrong About Confidence (Greatest Hits) 16:18

1M ago16:18

16:18

Most people think confidence is just about feeling good about yourself, but that is only the beginning. In this episode, I am revisiting one of the most important concepts I have ever taught: what true confidence actually is, and what it is not. When you stop thinking of confidence as a fleeting feeling and start seeing it as a mindset and a relati…

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Monsters and their makers 1:06:06

1M ago1:06:06

1:06:06

It seems we've always had monsters among us. We've long been enthralled by dragons and giants, by the likes of Frankenstein and Godzilla and Dracula, by witches and werewolves and countless others. They roam our maps and creation myths; they crop up in our dreams, in our children's books, in our political rhetoric. Where do these beings spring from…

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433. Coaching Hotline: How to Not Take On Other People’s Pain 15:42

1M ago15:42

15:42

In this week's Coaching Hotline episode, I answer two listener questions that get to the heart of managing our emotions and taking action despite resistance. The first listener struggles with guilt when their actions unintentionally cause someone they love pain. The second listener is trying to build a consistent thought work routine, but often doe…

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432. Creating Self-Confidence (Greatest Hits) 23:57

1M ago23:57

23:57

Confidence doesn’t come from promotions, degrees, or other people telling you that you’re impressive. In this episode, I revisit one of the earliest conversations on the podcast to break down the myths about where confidence comes from and why relying on external validation alone never works. You’ll learn why starting with your past accomplishments…

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431. Coaching Hotline: When To Speak Up and How 13:37

1M ago13:37

13:37

Other people are going to make choices you don’t agree with - your partner won’t go to therapy, your family says things that clash with your values, your friends act in ways that frustrate you. The real question isn’t how to change them - it’s how you’re going to show up for yourself when faced with choices you don’t like. In this Coaching Hotline …

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430. How to Embrace Friction and Grow From It 14:42

2M ago14:42

14:42

Friction feels annoying, stressful, and uncomfortable, but it is also where real growth happens. In this episode, I show you how to stop avoiding discomfort and start using it to build confidence, resilience, and stronger connections. You’ll learn why your brain resists effort and failure, how to reframe frustration as progress, and simple ways to …

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The age of social AI 1:24:19

2M ago1:24:19

1:24:19

AI therapists and caregivers. Digital tutors and advisors and friends. Artificial lovers. Griefbots trained to imitate dead loved ones. Welcome, to the bustling world of AI-powered chatbots. This was once the stuff of science fiction, but it's becoming just the stuff of everyday life. What will these systems do to our society, to our relationships,…

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429. Coaching Hotline: How to Handle “Bad Behavior” From Your Partner 15:10

2M ago15:10

15:10

We spend so much time telling ourselves how other people should act and it keeps us frustrated, anxious, and stuck. In this week's Coaching Hotline episode, I answer two listener questions that expose this trap. One caller is constantly angry about her partner’s availability, the other worries that her friends aren’t putting in as much effort as he…

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428. How to Stop Emotional Outsourcing with Bea Albina 31:15

2M ago31:15

31:15

Ever feel like you’re constantly giving love, safety, or approval away, but never getting enough back? Today’s guest is Bea Albina, author of the brand-new book End Emotional Outsourcing: How to Overcome Your Codependent, Perfectionist, and People-Pleasing Habits. We’re breaking down emotional outsourcing, the habit of looking outside yourself for …

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427. Coaching Hotline: When You're Told to "Just Get Over It" 10:10

2M ago10:10

10:10

Ever been told to “just get over it” and felt like it made everything worse? In this week’s Coaching Hotline, I answer a listener who’s struggling with that exact phrase and the pressure to move on before they’re ready. We dig into why vague instructions like this don’t help your brain—and what actually does. I also tackle a question about imagined…

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426. Scientific Proof This Coaching Works Published in JAMA: A Conversation with Dr. Tyra Fainstad and Dr. Adrienne Mann (Greatest Hits) 41:45

2M ago41:45

41:45

In this Greatest Hits episode, we’re diving into the science behind why coaching works—and why it can completely transform high-pressure careers. I’m revisiting my conversation with Dr. Tyra Fainstad and Dr. Adrienne Mann about their groundbreaking research, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and how structured coa…

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Brains of a feather 1:31:13

2M ago1:31:13

1:31:13

Birds do the darnedest things. They fly, of course. They sing. They hunt in pitch darkness. They hide their food and remember where they put it. They use tools and migrate over astonishingly vast distances—sometimes even sleeping while in flight. How do they do all this? What's going on in their brains that makes these and other remarkable behavior…

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425. Coaching Hotline: Resisting Pleasure or Not Enjoying It 11:18

2M ago11:18

11:18

Do you ever feel like you're chasing future happiness—only to miss out on the joy of right now? That nagging feeling that you should be doing something else or preparing for what’s next keeps you stuck in a loop of dissatisfaction. In this week's Coaching Hotline episode, I’m answering two questions about being present and actually enjoying life, i…

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424. Turning Compare & Despair Into Motivation & Inspiration 14:45

2M ago14:45

14:45

Ever felt that gut punch when you see someone else living the life you want? Maybe they’ve landed your dream job, bought your ideal house, or achieved the business success you’re chasing. It feels awful—like proof that you’ll never get there. In this episode, I’m showing you how to turn those painful feelings of envy and comparison into fuel for yo…

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423. Coaching Hotline: Are Moods Contagious & When Should We Share Our Feelings? 10:41

2M ago10:41

10:41

In this week's Coaching Hotline episode, I’m answering two listener questions that get right to the heart of emotional responsibility. First, I tackle the studies on mood contagion you’ve probably seen—and show why they don’t actually contradict thought work. The second question digs into a classic relationship trap: knowing when to share your feel…

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422. Achieving Big By Planning Small 16:05

3M ago16:05

16:05

What if the reason you haven’t reached your biggest goals isn’t lack of talent or effort—but the illusion that you need a perfect plan before you even start? In this episode, you’ll learn why chasing certainty keeps you stuck, how overplanning can become a sophisticated form of procrastination, and why the “next right step” is more powerful than a …

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How nature restores the mind 1:25:03

3M ago1:25:03

1:25:03

One afternoon you decide to snub your responsibilities and go for a hike. You spend a few hours in the woods or the mountains. You study the bark of trees, you bathe in birdsong, you let your eyes roam along a distant ridgeline. And you come back feeling better, restored somehow—like you have more energy, more patience, more bandwidth. We've all, I…

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421. Coaching Hotline: Are Some Circumstances Harder for Thought Work Than Others? 14:02

3M ago14:02

14:02

Ever catch yourself overthinking how you show up around men—or in any situation where you feel judged? In this Coaching Hotline episode, I answer a listener’s question about maintaining platonic friendships while married and unpack why women are socialized to take responsibility for other people’s thoughts—a burden that’s impossible to carry and do…

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From the archive: Revisiting the dawn of human cognition 56:06

3M ago56:06

56:06

Hi friends! We're taking a much-needed summer pause—we'll have new episodes for you later in September. In the meanwhile, enjoy this pick from our archives! ------- [originally aired June 1, 2023] There's a common story about the human past that goes something like this. For a few hundred thousand years during the Stone Age we were kind of limping …

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420. Is Coaching the Career for You? 22:01

3M ago22:01

22:01

The coaching industry is booming—yet it’s one of the most misunderstood professions out there. From concerns about pyramid schemes to questions of legitimacy, there’s a lot of confusion surrounding this coaching, especially in a field that’s predominantly female and largely online. So this week, I’m breaking down the most common myths and concerns …

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419. Coaching Hotline: Am I Using Meditation to Escape My Feelings? 14:44

3M ago14:44

14:44

In this week’s Coaching Hotline, I answer two listener questions that reveal a common trap: we think circumstances create our feelings, when really our thoughts are doing all the work. One caller worries that ambition has become a perfectionist trap, the other wonders if meditation is just a way to avoid difficult emotions. I break down how to tell…

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418. Undoing Your "Goodness" Programming: A Conversation with Elise Loehnen 33:47

3M ago33:47

33:47

Ever feel like you’re constantly trying to be the perfect friend, partner, coworker, or mom? That pressure to live up to everyone else’s expectations is a trap—and it’s keeping you stuck in self-sacrifice and people-pleasing. In this episode, I’m chatting with Elise Loehnen, author of On Our Best Behavior, about how we can stop chasing the impossib…

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417. Coaching Hotline: Codependency & Anger 12:26

3M ago12:26

12:26

In this Coaching Hotline episode, I answer two relationship questions—one about wanting more time with your partner, the other about lingering anger when your needs feel unmet. Both reveal the same underlying problem: telling yourself you should feel differently. You’ll learn how to explore your anger and anxiety without adding guilt or shame. Plus…

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From the archive: Of molecules and memories 1:15:10

3M ago1:15:10

1:15:10

Hi friends! We're taking a much-needed August pause—we'll have new episodes for you in September. In the meanwhile, enjoy this pick from our archives! _____ [originally aired February 8, 2024] Where do memories live in the brain? If you've ever taken a neuroscience class, you probably learned that they're stored in our synapses, in the connections …

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416. Expertise Perfectionism is Sabotaging Your Success 16:43

3M ago16:43

16:43

Do you ever feel like you shouldn’t be giving advice, leading a project, or stepping into your own expertise because you’re not perfect—or not perfect enough? That’s expertise perfectionism—the constant self-doubt that tells you your knowledge isn’t enough and that every mistake means you’re failing. In this episode, I break down how to spot and re…

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415. Coaching Hotline: Confusion About Purpose & Accepting v Giving Up 16:04

3M ago16:04

16:04

In this Coaching Hotline episode, I tackle two powerful questions about self-acceptance and purpose. The first caller is a mom grappling with balancing acceptance of her son's autism and advocating for his needs. The second is struggling with perfectionism, confusion about her work, and quitting projects before they gain traction. Tune in to hear h…

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414. How to Find Your Purpose 25:27

3M ago25:27

25:27

Ever feel like you're just waiting for your purpose to magically appear, fully formed and ready to give your life meaning? The truth is, purpose isn’t something you find—it’s something you create. In this episode, you'll hear how purpose develops over time through small steps driven by what excites you, rather than a grand revelation. Discover how …

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413. Coaching Hotline: Goal Thoughts & Anxious Attachment 12:40

4M ago12:40

12:40

Ever notice how your brain immediately pushes back when you try to change those old, deeply ingrained thoughts? It feels like proof you’re doing it wrong—but actually, that resistance is exactly what should happen when you challenge those patterns. In this Coaching Hotline episode, I dive into two powerful questions—one about creating new goal thou…

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From the archive: Consider the spider 1:17:45

4M ago1:17:45

1:17:45

Hi friends! We're taking a much-needed August pause—we'll have new episodes for you in September. In the meanwhile, enjoy this pick from our archives! _____ [originally aired May 30, 2024] Maybe your idea of spiders is a bit like mine was. You probably know that they have eight legs, that some are hairy. Perhaps you imagine them spending most of th…