The 15 Best Anxiety Podcasts (2026)

Kimberley Quinlan brings over 15 years of clinical experience as an anxiety and OCD specialist to this consistently excellent show. The New York Times named it one of the top podcasts for soothing an anxious mind in 2024, and that recognition is well-earned. With over 470 episodes and a 4.9-star rating from 800+ reviewers, the show has built serious trust.

The format shifts between solo teaching episodes and expert interviews, which keeps things from getting stale. Kimberley's solo episodes tend to run 15-20 minutes and pack in practical, science-backed techniques you can actually use the same day. The interview episodes go a bit longer, usually 30-45 minutes, bringing in specialists who add real depth on topics like exposure therapy, social anxiety, health anxiety, and panic.

What sets this apart from other anxiety podcasts is Kimberley's balance of clinical authority and genuine warmth. She talks about her own experiences without making it all about her, and she has a knack for explaining complex CBT and ERP concepts without dumbing them down. Her recent episodes on making exposure exercises more approachable are a perfect example of how she takes intimidating clinical tools and makes them feel doable.

If you're dealing with anxiety, OCD, panic attacks, or depression and want strategies rooted in actual research rather than vague positivity, this is one of the strongest options out there. The episode archive alone is a massive resource worth browsing.

Drew Linsalata hosts one of the most highly rated anxiety podcasts you'll find, sitting at 4.9 stars with over 1,100 ratings. Featured in both the New York Times and Vogue, the show has earned recognition for good reason. Drew speaks from lived experience with panic disorder and agoraphobia, and his perspective as someone who has been through recovery gives him a credibility that purely clinical hosts sometimes lack.

The show runs weekly with episodes landing between 20 and 45 minutes. Drew mixes solo episodes where he breaks down anxiety concepts with interview episodes featuring other voices in the recovery space. His collaboration episodes with Josh Fletcher on the "Disordered" show and with Lauren Rosen on OCD topics add variety and bring in complementary viewpoints.

Drew's approach leans heavily into empowerment and education. He's not interested in teaching you to merely cope or manage symptoms forever. The whole philosophy is about genuinely recovering and getting your life back, which he frames as entirely possible rather than aspirational. His communication style is direct and occasionally blunt, which works really well for people who are tired of being handled with kid gloves.

With over 330 episodes in the archive, there's plenty of material covering panic attacks, agoraphobia, health anxiety, OCD, and the mental compulsions that keep anxiety disorders cycling. It's an especially strong pick if you want a host who has actually walked the path he's describing.

Gina Ryan has been quietly building one of the most prolific anxiety podcasts around, with over 1,200 episodes and counting. That kind of consistency since 2014 is remarkable in the podcasting world, and the 4.6-star rating from nearly 1,750 reviewers shows the audience is sticking around for a reason.

New episodes drop twice a week, on Sundays and Wednesdays, and most run between 14 and 22 minutes. That shorter format is actually one of the show's strengths. When you're in the middle of an anxiety spike, a 90-minute episode can feel overwhelming. Gina's bite-sized episodes are manageable enough to listen to during a walk or a lunch break.

The tone here is deliberately calming and warm, almost meditative at times. Gina covers lifestyle changes that help settle the nervous system, incorporates guided meditations into some episodes, and talks about stress management, PTSD recovery, and healthy living practices. There's a spiritual dimension to the show as well, which won't appeal to everyone but feels organic rather than preachy.

Gina mixes solo teaching episodes with guest conversations, though she clearly carries the show herself most of the time. The back catalog is genuinely massive, so if you find a topic that resonates, there are probably a dozen related episodes to explore. For people who want a gentle, steady companion for their anxiety recovery rather than something intense or clinical, this fits the bill perfectly. A premium subscription at $5/month removes ads if you become a regular listener.

Anxiety Slayer ran for an impressive 16 years and 754 episodes before wrapping up in January 2026. Co-hosts Shann Vander Leek and Ananga Sivyer built an award-winning show that helped countless listeners manage anxiety, stress, PTSD, and panic attacks through a blend of practical tools and holistic approaches.

The co-hosted format gave the show a conversational, supportive feel. Shann and Ananga played off each other naturally, and their combined perspectives covered both the psychological and the more alternative wellness sides of anxiety management. Episodes typically ran 20-25 minutes, though some shorter ones clocked in around 8-10 minutes for quick tips.

What made this show distinctive was its integration of practices you don't always hear about on mainstream mental health podcasts. Alongside standard anxiety management techniques, the hosts explored aromatherapy, tapping, meditation, and other calming practices. The 4.4-star rating from over 730 reviews reflects a loyal following built over more than a decade and a half.

Though the show has concluded, the full archive remains available through the end of 2026, and the hosts' Patreon community continues with courses and guided meditations. With 754 episodes covering just about every anxiety-related topic imaginable, the back catalog is a substantial library for anyone looking for supportive, accessible anxiety content. It's worth exploring even though new episodes have stopped.

Chloe Brotheridge is a hypnotherapist, coach, and author of The Anxiety Solution and The Confidence Solution, and she brings all of that expertise to this warm, practical podcast. With 245 episodes and a 4.6-star rating, The Calmer You has built a solid audience among people looking for actionable anxiety help without the clinical heaviness.

The episode format varies quite a bit, which keeps things interesting. Some episodes are short solo reflections running just 5-10 minutes, perfect for a quick confidence boost or reframe. Others are longer interview episodes stretching to 45-60 minutes, where Chloe brings in authors, therapists, and experts to talk about specific aspects of mental health, confidence, and personal development.

Chloe's hypnotherapy background gives the show a slightly different flavor compared to pure CBT-focused anxiety podcasts. She's comfortable talking about the subconscious mind and emotional patterns in ways that feel grounded rather than woo. Her interview style is genuinely curious and relaxed, making guests open up in ways that feel natural.

The most recent episode dropped in October 2025, so the publishing schedule has slowed down from its earlier pace. But the existing library covers a wide range of anxiety-adjacent topics including self-confidence, people-pleasing, perfectionism, and imposter syndrome. If you want a podcast that treats anxiety as part of a bigger picture of emotional wellbeing rather than an isolated clinical problem, this is a thoughtful pick.

Dan Harris describes 10% Happier as self-help for smart people, and the show delivers on that promise. Dan is a veteran ABC News journalist who had a panic attack on live television, which led him to meditation and eventually to writing a bestselling book about his experience. The podcast grew out of that book and has become one of the most respected shows at the intersection of mindfulness, science, and practical psychology. With roughly 1,000 episodes in the archive and new episodes releasing twice a week, the show covers anxiety management, happiness research, meditation techniques, stress reduction, and personal philosophy. Episodes range from short 13-minute guided meditation practices to full-length interviews running over an hour. Recent guests include happiness researchers Sonja Lyubomirsky and Harry Reis, Stoic philosopher Ryan Holiday, integrative medicine specialist Dr. Victoria Maizes, and Tim Ferriss. What makes this podcast distinct is Dan's skeptical, journalist-trained mind. He does not accept vague spiritual claims at face value and consistently pushes guests to back up their ideas with evidence. He is also refreshingly honest about his own struggles with anxiety and the limits of meditation as a cure-all. The show carries a 4.6-star rating from over 12,000 reviews. Some listeners note the ad load can be heavy, but the content quality remains consistently high.

Morra Aarons-Mele fills a niche that surprisingly few other podcasts cover well: the intersection of anxiety and professional ambition. If you've ever pushed yourself hard at work while quietly battling anxious thoughts, this show speaks directly to that experience. With 294 episodes and a 4.7-star rating from over 550 reviewers, it's clearly resonating.

The format is interview-driven, with Morra bringing in executives, psychologists, leadership experts, and regular people who share honest stories about managing mental health while building careers. Episodes run about 35-60 minutes and come out biweekly through the YAP Media network. Recent conversations have tackled topics like micromanagement, workplace perfectionism, and the anxious patterns that drive high achievers.

What makes this show stand out in the anxiety podcast space is its refusal to separate professional life from mental health. Most anxiety podcasts treat work stress as one topic among many. Morra treats it as the central theme, exploring how anxiety shapes leadership styles, career decisions, impostor feelings, and workplace relationships. She's open about her own anxiety journey, which gives the conversations an authenticity that a purely journalistic approach would miss.

The show isn't clinical in the way a therapist-hosted podcast would be, and that's actually a strength. It normalizes talking about anxiety in professional contexts where it's still often stigmatized. If your anxiety shows up most intensely around work, deadlines, performance reviews, or career ambitions, this is the podcast that gets it.

Built around Barry McDonagh's DARE method (Defuse, Allow, Run Toward, Engage), this podcast extends the philosophy of his bestselling book into an audio format hosted by coaches Michelle Cavanaugh and Aida Beco. The core message is counterintuitive but compelling: you don't end anxiety by trying to be calm, you end it by acting bravely.

The show ran for 63 episodes before wrapping up in August 2024, with the team shifting their focus to YouTube content and the DARE app. Episodes typically ran about an hour, giving the hosts space to thoroughly explore anxiety management topics, answer listener questions, and walk through the DARE approach in detail.

What made this podcast distinctive was its emphasis on acceptance-based strategies over avoidance. Instead of teaching you to reduce or avoid anxious feelings, the DARE method encourages you to run toward discomfort and engage with life anyway. It's a specific, structured framework rather than general advice, which gives listeners something concrete to practice.

The 4.5-star rating from 62 reviewers reflects a smaller but dedicated audience. With only 63 episodes, the catalog is manageable enough to work through completely, which is actually an advantage if you prefer a structured learning experience over an endless feed. Even though new episodes have stopped, the existing content remains a solid introduction to the DARE approach for anyone dealing with panic attacks, generalized anxiety, or avoidance patterns. The companion book and app fill in the gaps if you want to go deeper.

Irish author and bestselling writer Caroline Foran brings a refreshingly personal perspective to anxiety in this long-running show. With over 6 million downloads across 14 seasons and 223 episodes, Owning It has become one of the go-to anxiety podcasts for listeners who want a relatable host rather than a clinical expert behind the microphone.

Caroline's approach comes from her own experience with anxiety, which she wrote about in her bestselling book before launching this podcast. The interview format dominates, with episodes running 40-60 minutes and featuring health professionals, researchers, therapists, and practitioners who bring specialized knowledge to each conversation. Her guest roster has included everyone from child anxiety specialists to neuroscience researchers.

The most recent episode dropped in March 2025, and the show has settled into a less frequent publishing rhythm compared to its earlier seasons. That said, the 4.6-star rating from 137 reviewers and the massive download numbers speak to a catalog that people keep coming back to.

What works particularly well here is Caroline's interview style. She asks questions as someone who genuinely lives with anxiety, not as a journalist or clinician observing it from outside. The conversations feel like overheard discussions between friends who happen to be really informed about mental health. Topics range from the neuroscience of anxiety to parenting with anxiety, hormonal impacts on mental health, and practical coping strategies. It's an especially good fit for listeners who want to understand the science behind their anxiety in an accessible, conversational format.

Amanda Armstrong takes a nervous system-focused approach to anxiety and depression that feels both research-grounded and deeply personal. She draws from her own healing journey alongside her clinical work with clients, and that dual perspective gives the show a texture that purely academic or purely personal podcasts often miss.

The format is almost entirely solo, with Amanda delivering focused, educational episodes that typically run 24-32 minutes. At 147 episodes and counting, the catalog is still growing steadily, and the 4.9-star rating from nearly 400 reviewers is one of the highest in this category. That kind of listener enthusiasm usually signals something genuinely useful.

The show's central premise is right there in the name: regulate your nervous system, then rewire your thought patterns. Amanda walks listeners through tangible, research-based tools for calming the body's stress response and then building new neural pathways. It's not just theory. She shares the specific exercises and practices she uses with her own clients, which makes each episode feel like a mini session.

What sets Regulate & Rewire apart from more traditional CBT-focused anxiety shows is its emphasis on the body. Amanda talks extensively about how anxiety lives in the nervous system, not just in your thoughts, and her tools reflect that somatic focus. Recent episodes have covered community support during difficult times, morning routines for regulation, and practical techniques for rewiring anxious patterns. If the cognitive side of anxiety management hasn't been enough for you, this body-first approach might be the missing piece.

Dennis Simsek spent six years as a professional tennis player while battling panic disorder and health anxiety before finding his way to recovery. That backstory gives him an unusual credibility as an anxiety podcast host. He's not a therapist telling you what the research says; he's someone who clawed his way out of a deeply anxious period and built a career helping others do the same.

The show has amassed over 530 episodes and holds a strong 4.8-star rating from more than 1,400 reviewers. The format is primarily solo, with Dennis delivering focused episodes on specific anxiety topics. Most episodes land in the 14-20 minute range, making them easy to fit into a commute or a quick break.

Dennis covers generalized anxiety disorder, hypochondria, health anxiety, and depression with a practical, no-nonsense delivery. Recent episodes have tackled overthinking with specific techniques rather than abstract advice. His style is direct and motivational without being pushy. He's clearly done this enough times to know exactly where anxious listeners get stuck and what specific reframes tend to help.

The shorter episode length is actually a deliberate choice that works in the show's favor. When you're dealing with anxiety, a 15-minute episode with one clear takeaway is often more useful than a sprawling hour-long discussion. Dennis packs each episode tight with actionable content. The massive archive means you can search for your specific anxiety flavor, whether it's health anxiety, social situations, or panic attacks, and find multiple episodes dedicated to it.

Paul Gilmartin started this show in 2011, making it one of the OG mental health podcasts. After years of struggling with clinical depression and getting sober in 2003, he decided the best thing he could do was create a space where people could talk about their darkest stuff without judgment. And that's exactly what this is. The conversations run long, often over an hour, sometimes closer to two, and they go to places most podcasts won't touch: childhood trauma, addiction, suicidal ideation, codependency, shame. It's rated explicit for a reason. With 683 episodes and nearly 5,800 ratings averaging 4.8 stars, the show has built a genuinely devoted community. Psychology Today called it "remarkable" and Esquire described it as "a vital, compassionate gem." The NY Times, Oprah Magazine, and Women's Health have all named it a top health podcast. Gilmartin interviews comedians, therapists, writers, and everyday listeners with equal depth. His background in comedy gives the show moments of real humor even when the subject matter is heavy, but he never uses jokes to deflect from what's painful. The online community forum at mentalpodforum.com that grew alongside the podcast adds another dimension, giving listeners a place to continue conversations between episodes. Weekly releases keep the content fresh, and the back catalog is enormous. This is one of those shows that people describe as life-changing without any exaggeration.

Georgie Collinson takes a distinctly holistic approach to anxiety that sets her apart from the more traditional therapy-focused shows on this list. Her method blends subconscious reprogramming, nervous system healing, naturopathy, gut health, and what she calls emotional mastery. It's a lot of ground to cover, and with 349 episodes, she's had plenty of room to explore each thread.

The show targets high-achieving women specifically, which gives it a more focused audience than most general anxiety podcasts. Georgie mixes solo teaching episodes with expert interviews, and the episode length swings widely, from quick 8-minute tips to deep hour-long conversations. That variety means you can pick and choose based on how much bandwidth you have on any given day.

Georgie's perspective is interesting because she pulls from naturopathy and gut health research alongside more conventional anxiety management. Recent episodes have covered topics like hearing your inner voice, Human Design and anxiety, hormonal influences on mental health, and meditation practices. The 4.5-star rating from 60 reviewers suggests a smaller but engaged audience.

The holistic angle won't click with everyone. If you want strictly evidence-based CBT techniques, this probably isn't your first stop. But if you've found that traditional talk therapy approaches haven't fully addressed your anxiety and you're curious about the role of nutrition, hormones, and the gut-brain connection, Georgie offers a perspective that most anxiety podcasts don't touch. The weekly publishing schedule keeps fresh content flowing consistently.

Sebastiaan van der Schrier zeroes in on social anxiety with a specificity that general anxiety podcasts rarely match. As someone who personally overcame social anxiety disorder, he brings both empathy and practical knowledge to a show that has grown to over 660 episodes. The 4.2-star rating from 215 reviewers suggests a niche but steady following.

The format is primarily interview-based, with Sebastiaan talking to psychology experts who practice energy psychology, a field that's more niche than mainstream CBT but has its own research base. Conversations typically run 40-60 minutes, though some shorter episodes clock in around 15 minutes. The show publishes on a semi-weekly schedule.

Topics get specific to the social anxiety experience: shame, self-acceptance, fear of rejection, bullying recovery, and the ongoing challenge of building social confidence when your brain is wired to anticipate negative judgment. Each episode aims to leave listeners with specific action steps rather than just general encouragement, which is a nice structural choice.

The energy psychology angle is going to be polarizing. Some listeners will appreciate the alternative approaches like EFT tapping and related modalities. Others will want more conventional therapeutic frameworks. If you're open to exploring less mainstream methods and you specifically struggle with social situations rather than generalized anxiety, this show offers a depth of content on that particular topic that you simply won't find elsewhere. The archive alone represents years of focused attention on social confidence, making it a genuine specialty resource.

Robert James has built an impressively prolific show with nearly 590 episodes focused on the overlap between OCD and anxiety. The format is primarily solo, with Robert delivering short, focused episodes that typically run just 6-17 minutes. That brevity is intentional and smart. When you're in the grip of an OCD or anxiety spiral, a quick, targeted episode can be exactly what you need.

The show maintains a 4.7-star rating from 138 reviewers and publishes frequently, with new episodes landing multiple times per week. Robert's approach emphasizes developing a healthier relationship with OCD and anxiety rather than trying to eliminate anxious thoughts entirely. It's a perspective rooted in acceptance-based therapeutic models, and he translates clinical concepts into plain, accessible language.

Recent episodes have covered common recovery mistakes, the difference between productive and unproductive worry, and practical strategies for breaking compulsive cycles. Occasional episodes feature client recovery stories, which add a human dimension and show what progress actually looks like in practice.

The OCD focus makes this particularly valuable for listeners whose anxiety manifests through obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. Many general anxiety podcasts mention OCD in passing, but Robert treats it as a primary subject with the depth it deserves. His coaching background means the advice tends to be action-oriented rather than theoretical. If you find yourself stuck in mental loops, checking behaviors, or intrusive thought patterns, this short-form, high-frequency show gives you a steady stream of relevant tools and reframes to work with.