The 12 podcasts you should be listening to

Are you new to podcasts or on the hunt for something different?

We asked our team at The Mind Room to recommend their favourite podcasts and this is what they’ve shared so get your ears and mind ready:

• Hidden Brain
• All in the Mind
• Way of Champions
• Invisibilia
• The Lilypad
• Psych Health and Safety Podcast
• Dear Therapists
• The Armchair Expert
• The Happiness Lab
• This Jungian Life
• Wheel of Misfortune
• The Imperfects

Hidden Brain is a fascinating and entertaining exploration of why we humans think and do what we think and do. Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behaviour, shape our choices and direct our relationships. If you are looking for a podcast that is uplifting and educational – this is your jam.

All in the Mind is an exploration of our mental life — the mind, brain and behaviour. It covers everything from addiction to neurodiversity to why heartbreak hurts so bad. The host, Sana Qadar, is easy to listen to and the team behind the podcast balance good science with great story telling. It is also a 30 minute podcast – perfect for a lunchtime walk and listen. Plus, if you run out of episodes, you can always listen to the British version on the BBC podcast.

Way of Champions delves into the minds of great performers around the world by connecting with the top minds in sport, coaching, leadership in an aim to understand how athletes and teams get to the next level. It provides a good overview of framework within performance psychology and is trickled with some great metaphors that can be applied in life and sport.

Invisibilia looks into the unseeable forces of control in human behaviour that shape our ideas, beliefs, and assumptions. Invisibilia—Latin for invisible things—fuses narrative storytelling with science that will make you see your own life differently. The narrators are very engaging, know how to tell a good story and talk about some really interesting concepts that are likely influencing us on a daily basis. If you like listening and learning at the same time, try this podcast on for size.

The Lilypad is a podcast created by one of our very own; deep diving into a different topic, each episode with features a range of people from film makers, drag queens, psychologists and friends. It also includes musical numbers, some extremely self aware unofficial product placement and a twist on the ‘regular’ interview podcast format. It showcases the insights of some extremely talented and intelligent people, but also isn’t afraid to make fun of itself at the same time – an admirable quality.

Psych Health and Safety Podcast features a guest each episode from the fields of health and safety, psychology and academia who are leading the way in their corner of the globe. The goal of this podcast is to rapidly advance the practice of psychological health and safety in companies worldwide. So if you are looking for workplace tips and tricks, start here.

Dear Therapists is a podcast where listeners write in letters about an issue and Lori Gottlieb, author of ‘Maybe You Should Talk To Someone’ and Guy Winch, author of ‘Emotional First Aid’ bring the lessons of the therapy room outside the therapy room to answer a letter each week. Get ready to come into the therapy room and prepare to learn a lot about yourself in the process.

The Armchair Expert series interviews a lot of progressive thinkers – psychologists, anthropologists and economists – as well as and actors and comedians to add brevity and fun. They discuss a lot of the issues and concepts such as multi-level marketing, cults and the like. This podcast will challenge your thinking, open you up to new ideas, and also, give you some insight into what celebrities are like. We recommend checking out the interview with Prince Harry and also, the two interviews with Adam Grant.

The Happiness Lab will take you through the latest scientific research and shares some surprising and inspiring stories that will change the way you think about happiness. The series is based on the psychology course professor Dr. Laurie Santos teaches at Yale — the most popular class in the university’s 300-year history. You might think you know what it takes to lead a happier life… more money, a better job, or Instagram-worthy vacations. You’re dead wrong. Yale professor Dr. Laurie Santos has studied the science of happiness and found that many of us do the exact opposite of what will truly make our lives better.

This Jungian Life is hosted by three Jungian analysts that engage in lively, sometimes irreverent conversations about a wide range of topics as they share what it’s like to see the world through the depth psychological lens provided by Carl Jung. It includes a vast range of topics exploring the human psyche. From over apologising to cults, each episode concludes with analysis of a dream sent in by a listener. This extremely soothing podcast is nearly as good as therapy! 1-hour episodes are published weekly, so you never have to wait long for your Jungian fix.

Wheel of Misfortune is a podcast by comedians Alison Spittle, Fern Brady and guest co-hosts, whereby they share their funniest most embarrassing stories: the bad stuff that makes you feel good. From worst first dates and bad sex, to drinking, drugs and mad mums – Alison, Fern, celebrity guests and the wider community cover all of the stories that make you feel better about your own… because social comparison is one helluva drug, and that is what I love most about it.

The Imperfects bases its episodes around the saying ‘We’re all imperfect’, giving in-depth enquiry into the lives and souls of people, both famous and lesser-known. The interview style prompts the interviewees to really reflect on their internal core beliefs and lessons they have learned in life to date. They’re often interspersed with humour, banter and lightness, whilst encouraging vulnerability and asking really poignant questions about their purpose in life.

We hope you enjoy listening and delving into the ears of our team. If you are wanting more, check out our article ‘The Aussie songs that support our team’s wellbeing’  filled with Aussie tunes to brighten your day.

– The Mind Room Team