Best Contemplative Parenting Podcasts (2026)

Opening Bible verse: Luke 10: 38-42 We all have stuff we need to get done. That's our Martha side. Mary is just sitting at the feet of Jesus appearing to be doing nothing. Yet, Jesus said that Mary has chosen the better option. What's a girl to do!?!? Yes, we have to run our homes and get stuff done but none of that can be taken with us when we dep…

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316. Your 2026 Life Overhaul Plan: Faith, Clutter, Debt, Diet and More! 6:21

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3d ago6:21

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Opening Bible verse: Ephesians 5:14-17 Are you tired of living in survival mode? Are you ready to have a more proactive life instead of reacting daily? Well, 2026 is for you! On today's episode I share some big news for the 2026 year of Pruning To Prosper. Share this episode with a friend and sign up for the monthly newsletter so you don't miss a t…

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Against Nonchalance: How to Embrace Caring in 2026 1:11:35

4d ago1:11:35

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Not caring - or nonchalance - is having a cultural moment. Nihilism is in, trying too hard is cringe, and the best way to cope with an often disappointing world is by not getting that invested. There’s just one problem: it’s hard to live a meaningful life without caring. In this episode, Forrest and Dr. Rick close 2025 by making the case for health…

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2025 Hot Takes 40:33

6d ago40:33

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This week: We’re celebrating a year full of hot takes! Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers, and Emily Peck, debate and rate the hottest takes they’ve heard this year — like Elon Musk’s claim that there will be no poverty in the future, the idea that Trump’s tariffs didn’t matter – and the collection of fire takes Felix gathered from around the Bloomberg…

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315. Practicing Hospitality: The Art of the Party Soundtrack 10:46

9d ago10:46

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Opening Bible Verse: Luke 2:13-14 On this final episode in our series of practicing hospitality using the 5 senses we have reached sound! It was the sound of Mary's voice that caused John the Baptist to leap in his mother's womb and it was the sound of angels that alerted to Shepards to our Savior's birth. How important is the sound of our home? Mu…

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Money Talks: Altruism After USAID 35:56

10d ago35:56

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In this Money Talks: Planet Money’s Mary Childs joins Felix Salmon to share what she learned reporting on how private philanthropy is trying to cope with the influx of need now that USAID is gone. They’ll get into the headaches and heartbreaks charitable organizations Givewell and ALIMA are experiencing after the loss of billions of dollars of huma…

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Resentment, Situationships, and Highly Sensitive People: December Mailbag 1:03:02

11d ago1:03:02

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Dr. Rick and Forrest open up the mailbag to answer listener questions about resentment, highly sensitive people, situationships, and expanding the window of tolerance. In the first three questions, they explore how resentment shows up across different relationships, including with coworkers, family members, and romantic partners. They discuss when …

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Remembering Lerita Coleman Brown on Waiting for a Word in the Heart 59:13

13d ago59:13

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Remembering Lerita Coleman BrownBy Paul Swanson | Contemplative Shoveler

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Christmas Adjacent Inciting Incident 47:15

13d ago47:15

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This week: The European Commission pushed back its timeline for all EV Europe. Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers, and Emily Peck are joined by Bloomberg’s Global Automotive Editor Craig Trudell who helps understand how and why the global electronic vehicle transition is unraveling. Then, in a twist move, Truth Social parent company, Trump Media & Tech…

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Play – Socks, Biscuits & the Joy of Making It Up (HF14) 47:23

15d ago47:23

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In this month’s Homegrown Faith practice, we explore Play — not as something to squeeze in around “more important” things, but as a way of loosening our grip and paying attention. For Tim, play doesn’t come easily. It still bumps up against an inherited sense that faith is meant to be serious and useful. So this month became an experiment in lettin…

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Centering Prayer and the Journey to Your True Self with Rich Lewis | Contemplative Prayer, Silence, and Spiritual Healing 1:17:09

15d ago1:17:09

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What if silence is not the absence of God—but the place where you finally meet Him? In this Lessons From Living episode, Rich Lewis, author of Sitting with God: A Journey to Your True Self Through Centering Prayer, shares how contemplative prayer became one of the most life-giving and identity-shaping practices of his spiritual journey. Rich explai…

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314. Practicing Hospitality: It's More Than The Meal Plan 20:21

16d ago20:21

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Opening Bible verse: Luke 2:3-5 Have you ever wondered what Mary and Joseph ate on their journey to Bethlehem? In today's podcast episode, I take some cues from the Holy Family and also share 5 of my personal tips for practicing hospitality. 1. Get A Head Start 2. Keep It Simple 3. Think Outside The Box For Hosting Times 4. Let Your Guests Do The W…

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The Therapy Wars: Science, Self-Help, and that IFS Article 1:41:18

18d ago1:41:18

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Dr. Rick and Forrest explore one of the major topics in psychology today: the tension between "mainstream" and "alternative" approaches, and how to understand evidence-based care. Using the recent IFS controversy as a backdrop, they discuss what it means for an approach to be evidence-based, the real-world dangers of inflated claims, and therapy’s …

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Disney Gets Ahead of the Darth Vader Porn 56:46

20d ago56:46

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This week: Disney has agreed to make a $1 billion equity investment in OpenAI along with a licensing deal setting limitations on the use of it’s IP on Sora. Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers, and Emily Peck discuss this is a precedent-setting deal and how well OpenAI will actually be able to enforce the terms of the licensing agreement. Then, the host…

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Stay Outside (or Non-Liturgical Liturgical Calendar Musing) 6:25

22d ago6:25

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Musing on my personal non-liturgical liturgical calendar that runs from December 11 - December 10 each calendar year.By Paul Swanson | Contemplative Shoveler

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What Young Americans Want (Hint: It's Not Socialism!) 16:34

22d ago16:34

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In this insightful episode of Lessons From Living, we explore the growing frustration among young Americans and their evolving views on socialism. We discuss the challenges they face, from soaring housing costs to predatory college debts, and how these experiences prompt a desire for fairness and relief. Delving into the misconceptions around socia…

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313. Practicing Hospitality: 7 Little Touches That Make A Big Impact 8:19

23d ago8:19

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Opening Bible Verse: Luke 2:12 Imagine the safety and security baby Jesus felt wrapped in swaddling clothes. The sense of touch can have a huge impact on the feeling of our home. In today's podcast episode, we continue our series on practicing the gift of hospitality using our sense of touch. ***Are you so overwhelmed with clutter that you find you…

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Money Talks: Don't Be Evil-ish 39:44

24d ago39:44

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In this Money Talks: Elizabeth Spiers is joined by Tim Wu to discuss his new book, The Age of Extraction, which breaks down how we ended up with an economy dominated by Big Tech and its purely profit-seeking mindset. They’ll get into the slow erosion of optimism around the internet as a democratizing force, the state of antitrust enforcement in Ame…

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Borderline Personality: DBT and Working with Self-Hatred with Dr. Blaise Aguirre 1:12:01

25d ago1:12:01

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Forrest is joined by psychiatrist Dr. Blaise Aguirre to discuss Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). They explore how extreme emotional sensitivity can lead to despair, self-hatred, suicidality, and an intense fear of abandonment, and how DBT can teach the skills needed to regulate those feelings. They dis…

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Netflix Wants To Have It All 55:11

27d ago55:11

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This week: Netflix has agreed to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers, and Emily Peck are joined by the New York Times’ Nicholas Kulish to discuss the ricochet effect of such a massive media merger on the film and television industries. Then, Michael and Susan Dell have announced a $6.25 billion donation to the so-called “…

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Breaking the Cycle: Caleb David’s Journey Through Abuse, Loss, and Rediscovering Faith and Purpose 1:00:10

29d ago1:00:10

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In this powerful episode of Lessons From Living, Caleb David shares his remarkable journey from a childhood marked by spiritual abuse, violence, and a narcissistic father to becoming a compassionate leader dedicated to service. Caleb opens up about witnessing his mother being beaten, how his early spiritual formation was distorted by an abusive pas…

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312. Practicing Hospitality: 6 Ways to Create A Home That Smells Inviting 13:24

1M ago13:24

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Opening Bible Verse: Luke 2:16 Ever stop and think about how smelly it must have been on that first Christmas? Smells bring back so many memories both good and not so good. As we continue in our series about practicing hospitality through the senses, we talk about the smells of our homes. In today's episode I give you 6 ways you can improve the sme…

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Toxic Relationships: Why We Stay and How to Leave 1:24:24

1M ago1:24:24

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Dr. Rick and Forrest explore toxic relationships, focusing on how to identify and exit them. Rick talks about how positive traits like empathy, loyalty, and a sense of duty can keep us stuck. They then discuss common relationship red flags like lovebombing, cycles of idealization and devaluation, power imbalances, and what Forrest calls “the fuzz.”…

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The Coolest Thing in the World for an Econ Nerd 53:33

1M ago53:33

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This week: Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee joins Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers, and Emily Peck for an in-depth discussion on what exactly the Fed does. They’ll get into how voting and deliberation works at the FOMC, the different eras of the Fed’s communication strategy, his response to the Fed haters, and Data Dogs vs Data Cats. In the Slat…

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311. Practicing Hospitality: 4 Areas to Declutter First 14:29

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Opening Bible verse: Luke 2:7 Imagine the Innkeepers who missed out on hosting the entire Holy Family because they didn't have room. Let's not let that happen to us, let's prepare our homes for hosting this Advent season. On today's podcast episode I give you four areas of your home to focus on to be able to welcome guests into your home comfortabl…

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Money Talks: Chicken and a Cold Drink 38:11

1M ago38:11

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In this Money Talks: The Wall Street Journal’s Heather Haddon joins Emily Peck to unpack her recent reporting on the fast food industry, including the reason we’re seeing the “Value Wars” play out at places like McDonalds and Chili’s, Starbuck’s strategies to revive sales, and the intense drive-thru operations research being done by Chik-fil-A. Joi…

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Dr. Becky on Becoming the Person (and Parent) You Needed 1:30:51

1M ago1:30:51

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Dr. Becky Kennedy joins Forrest for a conversation about building better relationships, with ourselves, our partners, and our children. They talk about Dr. Becky’s framework of “good inside,” and how we can apply it to ourselves. Dr. Becky explains how many of the struggles parents face trace back to their own childhood experiences, and suggests ho…

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Good Riddance to Larry Summers 54:58

1M ago54:58

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This week: Larry Summers has stepped down from his public positions following the release of unsavory emails he exchanged with Jeffrey Epstein. Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers, and Emily Peck discuss Summers’ correspondence with the infamous sex trafficker, the veracity of his “genius” reputation, and his beef with Felix. Then, Meta has won its anti…

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Sacred Reading – Seeds, Dust & Other Unexpected Revelations (HF13) 47:35

1M ago47:35

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Join Tim and his eleven-year-old son Elliot for a month of sacred reading — a journey that begins with a mustard seed and ends on a pebble-strewn beach in North Norfolk. What starts as classic Lectio Divina soon widens into something bigger: meditating on Bible stories, listening for meaning in His Dark Materials, tuning in to birdsong in a pine fo…

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310. Downsizing with Purpose with Tracy Hoth 40:06

1M ago40:06

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Tracy Hoth is a certified life and organizing coach on a mission to help women simplify their homes and their lives. As the creator of Organized Life Academy and host of the top 1% globally ranked podcast, Organized Coach, Tracy equips women to declutter with confidence, create systems that last, and step into the role of Organized Life CEO. Today,…

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Dealing with Guilt Trips, Boundaries, and Non-Monogamy: November Mailbag 1:15:40

2M ago1:15:40

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Dr. Rick and Forrest open up the mailbag to answer listener questions about effective communication, healthy relationships, and contentment. They explore how defining boundaries, taking maximum reasonable responsibility, and extending an olive branch can help manage ongoing conflict without sacrificing your own needs. They then discuss the power dy…

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The Correct Opinion on 50-Year Mortgages 49:08

2M ago49:08

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This week: FHFA director Bill Pulte convinced Trump to back 50-year mortgages with some posterboard and a photo of FDR. Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers, and Emily Peck, discuss why Trump’s post about 50-year mortgages angered conservatives – officials and voters alike – and why they’re more of a hindrance than a solution to the housing crisis. Then,…

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Italy’s Lessons on Living Well: Connection, Culture, and Hope for the Future 23:30

2M ago23:30

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Join Beth as she reflects on her recent travels through Italy and the timeless lessons this vibrant country offers. From Italy’s deep sense of community and love for family to the importance of taking pride in how we present ourselves, Beth explores what makes Italian life so rich and meaningful. She also touches on some of the social and economic …

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Money on the Mind: Can You Save for Retirement ... and Save Your Parents? 24:42

2M ago24:42

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In a new, very special, Death, Sex and Money and Slate Money crossover, Felix Salmon and Anna Sale are once again joined by Felix’s financial advisor Adrianna Adams from Domain Money to talk about…parents. They dig into the emotions of trying to take care of your aging parents while also growing your own wealth, the importance of setting goals, and…

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309. LIVE Declutter Coaching Kids' Bedroom 35:36

2M ago35:36

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Amy Brooks, creator and owner of Catholics Online and the Prayer, Wine, Chocolate Retreat program joins us again today as we declutter the bedroom shared by her twins. When we began our Zoom session together, Amy said she was tired and not really feeling excited about our session. That's very real and that's where I am there to help. I got her star…