The 17 Best Therapy Podcasts (2026)

Dr. Joy Harden Bradford is a licensed psychologist in Atlanta who started Therapy for Black Girls because she noticed a gap — mental health content that actually spoke to the experiences of Black women without watering things down or making everything clinical. Over 544 episodes later, the show has become one of the most trusted mental health podcasts period, earning a 4.8 star rating from nearly 5,700 reviewers on Apple Podcasts alone.

Each weekly episode runs about 30 to 50 minutes, though some shorter segments clock in at around 15 minutes for focused, practical topics. Dr. Joy brings on therapists, cultural critics, medical specialists, and other experts to discuss everything from the glass cliff phenomenon in workplaces to reproductive psychiatry, environmental racism, student loan stress, and the complicated dynamics of friendships in adulthood. Recent episodes have featured conversations with cultural critic Jamilah Lemieux and singer Kiana Lede, showing the range between clinical expertise and cultural relevance.

The show works because Dr. Joy treats her audience like adults who can handle real information. She explains psychological concepts clearly without dumbing them down, and she connects clinical research to the actual situations her listeners face at work, in relationships, and within their families. There is no toxic positivity here — just honest, evidence-based guidance delivered with warmth and cultural understanding. Even if you are not a Black woman, the conversations about boundaries, self-worth, and navigating institutions that were not built for you resonate broadly. It is the kind of show that makes you feel seen and simultaneously gives you something practical to work with.

Esther Perel is a psychotherapist who has become one of the most influential voices on modern relationships, and Where Should We Begin? does something no other podcast really does: it puts you inside an actual therapy session. Each episode features a real, one-time consultation between Perel and anonymous people working through relationship challenges, from infidelity and family estrangement to workplace power struggles and grief. You hear the awkward silences, the breakthroughs, and the moments where someone finally says the thing they have been avoiding. With 191 episodes, a 4.7-star rating from over 14,000 reviews, and weekly releases, the show is produced by Perel's own media company through the Vox Media network. Episodes run 45 to 55 minutes. Perel has this ability to hear the story underneath the story. A couple will come in arguing about money, and within twenty minutes she has identified the real issue, which is usually about identity or belonging or the fear of being truly seen. Listening to other people work through their patterns teaches you to recognize your own. It is like getting therapy by osmosis. The show is not advice-driven. Perel rarely tells people what to do. Instead, she helps them see themselves more clearly, and that clarity is what makes it such a powerful tool for self-understanding.

Lori Gottlieb and Guy Winch are both clinical therapists, TED speakers, bestselling authors, and advice columnists -- so when they team up for a podcast, the result is something genuinely useful. Dear Therapists, produced by iHeartPodcasts, brings listeners into real therapy sessions with everyday people working through serious relationship and personal challenges. With 84 episodes and a 4.8-star rating from over 2,300 reviews, it has built a loyal following.

The format is what makes this show special. Each episode follows a clear structure: a person or couple presents their problem, Lori and Guy conduct an actual therapy session, and then there is a follow-up to see what changed. Topics range from infidelity and trust rebuilding to sibling conflict, boundary-setting with critical parents, and navigating grief. The sessions feel authentic because they are -- these are not actors or scripted scenarios.

Lori wrote Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, and Guy is the author of Emotional First Aid, so both hosts bring serious credentials along with warm, direct communication styles. They complement each other well; Lori tends to ask probing questions while Guy often reframes situations in ways that shift perspective. The show recently moved to encore episodes, replaying their strongest sessions. For couples looking to understand how therapy actually works and pick up concrete tools for their own relationship, this is one of the most practical options available.

Sue Marriott and Ann Kelley are two clinicians who built this podcast independently, without a network behind them, and it still landed in Apple's Top 10 Social Science podcasts with over 11 million downloads globally. That's a testament to the quality of what they're doing. The show brings on neuroscientists, relationship researchers, and mental health experts for in-depth conversations about attachment theory, secure relationships, and the science behind why people connect the way they do.

The format is interview-based, with episodes releasing biweekly. Marriott and Kelley have a natural rapport that makes the conversations feel like you're eavesdropping on two really smart friends processing ideas together. Sue in particular has a gift for metaphor and gentle explanation that helps complex neuroscience concepts land without feeling dumbed down. The show notes are excellent too, with timestamps, resource lists, and links to research papers for anyone who wants to go deeper.

With 299 episodes spanning nearly a decade, the back catalog is substantial. The 4.7 star rating from 1,360 reviews reflects an audience that skews toward people who want more than surface-level mental health advice. There's a premium community membership that offers ad-free episodes and exclusive content, but the free feed is plenty robust on its own. This is the show for listeners who want to understand not just what to do in relationships, but why their brain and nervous system respond the way they do.

Dr. David Burns literally wrote the book on cognitive behavioral therapy. His 1980 bestseller Feeling Good has sold over five million copies and remains a go-to recommendation from therapists worldwide. On this podcast, he and co-host Rhonda Barovsky break down TEAM-CBT, his evolved framework that stands for Testing, Empathy, Assessment of Resistance, and Methods. Each week they tackle real listener questions about depression, anxiety, relationship friction, and self-esteem struggles. What makes the show stand out is that Burns regularly demonstrates techniques in live role-plays, so you actually hear the therapy happening rather than just hearing someone talk about it. He is honest about the limitations of traditional CBT and willing to challenge his own earlier work when the evidence points somewhere new. With over 500 episodes in the archive, the show covers everything from perfectionism and procrastination to grief, anger, and couples communication. Burns brings decades of clinical and academic experience from Stanford, but he keeps the tone accessible and occasionally funny. The episodes typically run 45 minutes to an hour, making them practical for a commute or workout. If you want to understand how modern CBT actually works in practice, this is the show to start with.

Laura Reagan is a psychotherapist, burnout prevention consultant, and certified Daring Way facilitator, and she's been hosting Therapy Chat since 2015. The show takes a distinctly holistic approach to psychotherapy, exploring modalities that don't always get airtime on mainstream mental health podcasts. EMDR, art therapy, somatic experiencing, Internal Family Systems, and mindfulness-based approaches all get serious treatment here.

The format is almost entirely interview-based. Reagan brings on fellow therapists, researchers, and practitioners to talk about their specialties, and the conversations often have a warmth to them that listeners frequently mention in reviews. She's had some notable guests, including Dick Schwartz, the creator of IFS, and Thomas Hubl, the trauma researcher. With 518 episodes in the archive, there's a staggering amount of content covering everything from attachment theory to parenting to therapist self-care.

Reagan is connected to the Trauma Therapist Network, which gives the show a particular depth when it comes to trauma-informed approaches. Her 4.4 star rating from 661 reviews suggests a dedicated but slightly more niche audience compared to some of the bigger therapy podcasts. What listeners consistently praise is her compassionate energy and her ability to create space for guests to explain complex therapeutic concepts in accessible language. If you're drawn to the more alternative and integrative side of therapy, or you're a practitioner yourself looking to learn about modalities outside your training, this podcast is worth a serious listen.

Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist who built a massive YouTube following (over 1.5 million subscribers) by turning complex psychological concepts into short, clear lessons. Her podcast carries that same approach into audio form. Each episode focuses on a single skill or concept, pulls from evidence-based modalities like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, polyvagal theory, and the work of trauma researchers like Bessel van der Kolk and Peter Levine, then explains it in plain language. McAdam has a talent for stripping away clinical jargon without dumbing things down. She covers anxiety management, nervous system regulation, processing emotions, setting boundaries, and building healthier thought patterns. The episodes are deliberately concise, usually landing around 15 to 25 minutes, so they work well as a quick mental health check-in during your day. McAdam is transparent about what therapy can and cannot do, and she consistently reminds listeners that a podcast is not a replacement for professional treatment. Her tone is warm and direct without being preachy. The show updates biweekly with about 280 episodes in the catalog. It is a strong fit for anyone who wants practical, research-grounded tools they can start using right away, especially people who respond well to structured, skill-based learning rather than long-form conversation.

Comedian Paul Gilmartin started this show in 2011 after years of dealing with depression, addiction, and the aftermath of childhood trauma. The format is simple: long, unscripted conversations with guests about their psychological struggles, with nothing off limits. Guests range from fellow comedians and musicians to therapists, trauma survivors, and ordinary people who write in through the show surveys. The New York Times called it a perversely safe place for these conversations, and Esquire described it as a vital, compassionate gem that fills a desperate and under-addressed need. With nearly 700 episodes, the archive covers addiction, PTSD, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, abuse recovery, codependency, and just about every other mental health topic you can think of. Gilmartin’s background as a stand-up comic means the show has genuine humor even when covering brutal subject matter, but he never uses jokes to deflect from the emotional weight of what his guests share. Episodes typically run one to two hours, so this is a commitment listen, not a quick tip show. The podcast also features listener surveys where people anonymously share their experiences, which Gilmartin reads and discusses. It has a dedicated community built on radical honesty and the idea that talking openly about mental illness reduces shame. Psychology Today, Oprah Magazine, and Slate have all recognized it as one of the most important mental health podcasts available.

Savvy Psychologist is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips network, and the format reflects that pedigree: short, focused episodes that typically run between 6 and 15 minutes. This is the mental health podcast for people who want practical psychology without the hour-long commitment. The most recent host, Dr. Monica Johnson, brought a direct, engaging style to the show, though it has transitioned through several hosts over the years, including Dr. Ellen Hendriksen and Dr. Jade Wu.

The brevity is the selling point. Each episode picks a single topic, whether that's workplace communication, sleep psychology, emotional regulation, or relationship patterns, and gives you a clear, research-backed takedown of what's going on and what you can do about it. There's no filler, no extended banter, and no 20-minute sponsor reads. You get the insight and you're out.

With 585 episodes stretching back years, the archive is massive, and the short format makes it easy to binge through topics that interest you. The 4.6 star rating from 1,343 reviews is solid for a show that's changed hosts multiple times. Some listeners have preferences among the different hosts, which is natural for a show with this kind of lineage. The Quick and Dirty Tips brand ensures a consistent editorial standard regardless of who's behind the mic. If you want psychology you can absorb during a coffee break rather than a full commute, Savvy Psychologist is built for exactly that.

Lysa TerKeurst created this podcast after going through a public divorce and a period of intense personal upheaval that pushed her into serious therapeutic work. She brings along two co-hosts who each offer a different lens: Jim Cress, a licensed professional counselor with decades of clinical experience, and Dr. Joel Muddamalle, the Director of Theological Research at Proverbs 31 Ministries. The three of them sit at the intersection of faith and mental health, a space that can feel contentious but that they handle with genuine nuance. Each season tackles a specific theme. Past seasons have focused on divorce recovery, recognizing relationship red flags, managing anxiety, and building emotional wellness. Cress provides the clinical perspective, explaining attachment styles, trauma responses, and therapeutic frameworks. Muddamalle grounds the conversation in biblical scholarship without turning it into a sermon. TerKeurst brings her own lived experience and a willingness to be vulnerable about her mistakes and pain. The show is particularly useful for listeners from Christian backgrounds who have been told to just pray through their problems and need permission to also pursue professional help. Episodes run about 30 to 45 minutes with around 90 in the catalog. The production quality is polished, and transcripts are available for accessibility. It is one of the few podcasts that takes both therapy and theology seriously without letting one override the other.

Naomi Ekperigin and Andy Beckerman are real-life partners and working comedians who turned their relationship into a weekly podcast. The concept is straightforward: they invite actors, comics, and other creative people on to talk about their romantic histories, current relationships, and the messy realities of partnership, then they answer listener questions about dating and love. The show has a 4.8-star rating from nearly 3,000 reviews and over 400 episodes since launching in 2018, which tells you something about the consistency. Naomi and Andy are self-aware enough to call themselves two unlicensed entertainers offering relationship wisdom, and that honesty about their lack of credentials is part of the appeal. This is not a clinical show. Nobody is going to assign you homework or walk you through attachment theory. Instead, it functions as the kind of conversation about relationships that most people only have with their closest friends, except it is funnier and features guests like comedians and actors sharing their own relationship war stories. The comedy background means the pacing is tight and the banter is genuinely entertaining, but they also get into real emotional territory when listeners write in about infidelity, communication breakdowns, or whether to stay or leave. If you are looking for a lighter entry point into thinking about relationship dynamics, one that makes you laugh while also making you reflect, this fills that spot well.

Glennon Doyle, her wife Abby Wambach (yes, the soccer legend), and her sister Amanda host this show together, and the dynamic between the three of them is what makes it work. Over 600 episodes in, with a 4.8-star rating from more than 41,000 reviews and half a billion total plays, this is one of the biggest podcasts in the wellness-adjacent space. They tackle grief, addiction, resilience, love, parenting, and political engagement with a level of honesty that most shows cannot sustain.

The format varies. Some episodes are the three hosts talking through a personal struggle or a listener question. Others bring in guests ranging from activists to therapists to journalists. Recent episodes have covered everything from processing national trauma to navigating family conflict to understanding why letting go of control is so hard. Doyle has a way of framing emotional struggles that makes them feel less isolating, and Wambach adds a competitive athlete's perspective on mental toughness that balances out the vulnerability.

This is not a clinical health podcast. You will not get nutrition advice or exercise protocols here. What you will get is an unflinching look at the emotional and psychological work that makes everything else possible. Doyle talks about her recovery from addiction, her experience coming out publicly, and her struggles with anxiety in a way that feels genuinely useful rather than performative. The show also raised over 56 million dollars in global aid, which gives you a sense of how engaged the community is. If your definition of health includes emotional resilience and honest self-examination, this belongs on your playlist.

Nora McInerny created Thanks For Asking as a space where real people get honest about how they're actually doing. McInerny is best known for her work around grief after losing her husband, her father, and a pregnancy in the same year, and that experience informs the show's DNA. But the podcast isn't just about grief. It covers motherhood, chronic illness, family dynamics, identity, and whatever else emerges when people stop performing okayness and start telling the truth.

The format is a call-in style show where listeners and guests share their stories, and McInerny responds with a combination of humor, empathy, and the kind of honesty that makes you feel less alone. She has a particular gift for making painful topics feel survivable without minimizing them. The show has been running since 2016, with 194 episodes and a 4.7 star rating from over 13,000 reviews, which signals an audience that's deeply connected to what she's doing.

New episodes also appear on McInerny's Substack, and the show currently updates bimonthly under the Feelings & Co. banner. Some long-time listeners have noted format changes over the years and have mixed feelings about the evolution, which is fair for a show that's been around this long. The content is marked explicit, so expect honest language to match the honest subject matter. If you're looking for a podcast that treats emotional messiness as a feature rather than a problem, Thanks For Asking does exactly that.

Scott Barry Kaufman ran The Psychology Podcast for 11 years before wrapping it up in December 2025, and those 478 episodes form one of the richest archives of conversations about human potential available anywhere. Kaufman is a cognitive scientist and author who studies creativity, intelligence, and what Abraham Maslow called self-actualization, and he brought that lens to every interview. His guests included neuroscientists, personality researchers, positive psychologists, and writers, and the conversations typically ran 45 to 70 minutes with genuine intellectual depth. Kaufman had a knack for finding the practical implications buried inside dense research papers and pulling them out in a way that felt accessible. The show holds a 4.4-star rating from over 1,700 reviews. Even though it has concluded, the back catalog is a treasure. Episodes on topics like the science of awe, the role of daydreaming in creativity, or what makes someone psychologically healthy age remarkably well because the underlying research does not expire quickly. If you want to understand the mechanics of your own mind from a scientific perspective, start at the beginning and work forward. The final episode brought back his very first guest from 2014, which gives the whole series a satisfying arc.

Tiffany Roe is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and award-winning psychology teacher, and her podcast Therapy Thoughts is built around a simple promise: no-BS quick therapy lessons. With 61 episodes across four seasons since 2018, this is a more curated collection than some of the bigger shows on this list, and that's actually part of its appeal. Each episode is designed to teach a specific skill or break down a specific concept without unnecessary padding.

Roe covers attachment styles, boundaries, eating disorders, OCD, trauma responses, and practical coping strategies. Her teaching background shows in how she structures episodes. There's a clear beginning, middle, and takeaway. She recently returned from a hiatus with new Season 4 episodes in 2025, which suggests the show operates on a seasonal rhythm rather than a weekly grind. That can mean longer waits between new content, but also means each episode tends to be more intentional.

The 4.8 star rating from 639 reviews is strong for a show with a relatively small episode count, which indicates high listener satisfaction per episode. Some reviewers have noted that Roe promotes her supplementary courses and coaching programs within episodes, which can feel heavy-handed depending on your tolerance for that kind of thing. But the core therapeutic content is well-delivered, practical, and rooted in clinical experience. If you prefer a tighter, more focused podcast over a sprawling weekly feed, Therapy Thoughts is a solid pick.