Looking For A Therapy Podcast? 12 Mental Health Podcasts For Self-Care

If you are struggling with mental health challenges, it can be valuable to speak with a therapist as a form of self-care to gain professional insight. Additionally, listening to a couples therapy podcast can be a helpful resource for improving communication and strengthening relationships. They might recommend you for an individual or group therapy such as the Irvin Yalom group therapy. However, many individuals also enjoy supplementing their sessions with therapy podcasts to build on the skills they learn in counseling. You might find podcasts on topics including self-care, trauma, mental health stories, and more. 

12 therapy podcasts worth listening to 

1) Getting Better podcast: Stories of Mental Health

Getting Better is a podcast hosted by licensed therapists Micheline Maalouf and Nadia Adesi. It was created to destigmatize mental health via impactful conversations with special guests like Meghan Trainor, Chris Bosh, and more. Micheline and Nadia recognize mental health can be a long journey of acceptance, and they want to be there with you along the way. Some of their episodes include: 

• Meghan Trainor On Motherhood & Panic Attacks
• Rebel Wilson On Emotional Eating & Mental Health
• Michelle Kwan On Mental Health, The AAPI Community & Olympic Pressure
• Cynthia Germanotta (Lady Gaga's Mother) On Kindness & Youth Mental Health

You can listen to episodes of Getting Better on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify.

8) Mentally Yours podcast

The Mentally Yours Podcast talks about daily struggles with mental health and the symptoms many people experience. They take a light approach to the topic of mental health to attempt to make it feel easier to address sensitive topics. Each week they talk to a different guest about mental health. Some of their podcast topics include:

• Recovering from Anorexia With Hope Virgo, The Author Of Stand Tall Little Girl
• Medication: The Side Effects With Allison Raskin
• Dealing With Dad's Suicide With Paul McGregor (Founder Of Men's Fashion Magazine) 
• Living With Dissociative Identity Disorder

9) The Struggle Bus

While The Struggle Bus isn't run by licensed therapists, it talks through potential everyday life struggles, stress, and ways to practice self-care. The show is co-hosted by Katharine Heller and Sally Tamarkin, who answer questions on each episode from listeners. Topics include mental health, love, family, and work. Some topic examples they have covered include:

• Don't Ride The Cyclone, Eat Fruit, And Dance (With Tips On How To Open Up To People)
• Sob Your Way To Your Therapist
• Freudian Slip 'N Slide: What To Do When Your Therapist Goes Away 
• Learning To Learn

10) Therapy for Black Girls

Therapy For Black Girls is a podcast by Dr. Joy Harden Bradford discussing mental health struggles for Black women and girls. She discusses how mental health stigmas can make it difficult for Black individuals to seek care. Joy wants to create a space that is relevant and accessible to those who feel unheard by other podcasts. Some of the episodes include: 

• The Criminalization Of Black Youth 
• Navigating Academia As A Black Woman 
• Being Mindful About How We Use Mental Health Terminology
• Women, Agency, & Pleasure 
• The Psychology Behind Black Panther 

11) Happier podcast

Author Gretchen Rubin aims for ways to make lives better, more productive, healthier, and happier. She wrote the books The Four Tendencies, The Happiness Project, and Better Than Before, among others. Some of her topics include:

• Beware the "Endowment Effect" When Clearing Clutter, And A Deep Dive Into One-Word Themes
• Put A Band-Aid On It, Consider "Me Time Tuesday," And How To Persuade A Reluctant Spouse To Do More Work
• Design Your Own Happiness Project, The Challenge Of Giving Gifts, And Using The 5-Second Rule

12) The Hidden Brain

Shankar Vedantam hosts The Hidden Brain on his website. He discusses science and medicine along with stories to teach others about the patterns of neuroscience that we may not realize. These are the factors that can impact the way we act and the choices we make. Some of the topics that the podcast has covered include:

• Close Enough: The Lure Of Living Through Others
• One Head, Two Brains: How The Brain's Hemispheres Shape The World We See
• How Science Spreads: Smallpox, Stomach Ulcers, And 'The Vegetable Lamb of Tartary'
• Loss And Renewal: Moving Forward After A Door Closes

Why a therapy podcast may not be enough: When to seek support

Podcasts can be valuable tools for learning more about yourself. However, they do not replace professional care from a licensed professional. While some are meant to educate about mental health topics, others are created to help people feel less alone in their struggles. However, you may not be able to verify the credentials of a podcast specialist, and they won't necessarily be able to offer personalized advice unless you interview with them.

Accessible, affordable online therapy for better mental health

There are online forms of reaching out for help if you're unsure how to find it in person. Online therapy can be as effective as traditional in-person therapy, and you can decide between chat, video, or phone sessions with a licensed therapist matched to you. Studies show that online cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is especially effective in treating long-term exposure to stress and other common mental health concerns. You can find therapists on platforms like BetterHelp if you're interested in getting started.