Hidden Brain

Coming Clean

Last week, we talked with psychologist Leslie John about the costs of keeping secrets. Today, Leslie returns with a look at the psychological power of self-disclosure. She says the moments of overshar...

2026-02-10

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Keeping Secrets

We all carry secrets, from harmless omissions to life-changing truths. But secrecy isn’t neutral: hiding takes mental work and can harm our health and relationships. In this week’s show, and in our ep...

2026-02-03

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You 2.0: Trusting Your Doubt

We conclude our month-long You 2.0 series with a look at the hidden power of doubt — not as weakness or indecision, but as a tool that helps us make better choices and navigate an uncertain world. Res...

2026-01-27

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You 2.0: The Practice of Patience

Patience can sometimes feel like a lost art, particularly in a culture that prizes competition and the idea of "failing fast." But psychologist Sarah Schnitker says patience is a vital skill for succe...

2026-01-20

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You 2.0: How to Get Out of a Rut

There are times in life when the challenges we face feel insurmountable. Authors succumb to writer’s block. Athletes and artists hit a plateau. People of a certain age fall into a midlife crisis. Thes...

2026-01-13

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You 2.0: Cultivating Courage

Why do some people act bravely in a crisis, while others flee or freeze up? Today, we bring you the second part of our You 2.0 series on the mental obstacles that can block us when we're charting a ne...

2026-01-06

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You 2.0: Stop Spiraling!

The start of a new year is a natural moment to set goals for ourselves. But doing so can also be a little daunting. Today, we kick off a series designed to help you understand and grapple with the men...

2025-12-30

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The Reset Button

Many of us rush through our days, weeks, and lives, chasing goals and just trying to get everything done. But that can blind us to a very simple source of joy that’s all around us. This week, we revi...

2025-12-23

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The Path to Enough

This week, we bring you the second part of our 2023 conversation on the perils of too much pleasure. Psychiatrist Anna Lembke explains the neuroscience behind compulsive consumption. She also shares t...

2025-12-16

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The Paradox of Pleasure

All of us think we know what addiction looks like. It’s the compulsive consumption of drugs, alcohol, or nicotine. But psychiatrist Anna Lembke argues that our conception of addiction is far too narro...

2025-12-09

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Murder Mystery

Why are so many of us drawn to horror, gore, and true crime? Why do we crane our necks to see the scene of a crash on the highway? Psychologist Coltan Scrivner says that our natural morbid curiosity s...

2025-12-02

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Parents: Keep Out!

If you’re a parent or a teacher, you’ve probably wondered how to balance play and safety for the kids in your care. You don’t want to put children in danger, but you also don’t want to rob them of the...

2025-11-25

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The Power of Family Stories

There’s a tradition around many Thanksgiving dinner tables that’s as consistent as pumpkin pie: the family stories that get told year after year. Sometimes these stories are funny; sometimes they make...

2025-11-18

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Why Following Your Dreams Isn't Enough

Entrepreneurs typically have no shortage of passion, heart, and vision. But at Stanford University, Huggy Rao says there are other elements that may matter more when it comes to whether their projects...

2025-11-11

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How Nature Heals Us

We've known intuitively for centuries that spending time in nature can give us a boost. But it’s only recently that scientists have begun to identify exactly what it is about the outdoors that has suc...

2025-11-04

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Reframing the Battle of Wills

It can be frustrating when people do things we don't want them to do. A friend cancels plans at the last minute. A child refuses to get dressed for school. Before long, our resentment builds, and we'r...

2025-10-28

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Love 2.0: How to Move On

For many of us, navigating the conclusion of a relationship is one of the hardest things we'll ever do. This week, we conclude our Love 2.0 series with psychologist Antonio Pascual-Leone, who shares t...

2025-10-21

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Love 2.0: Reimagining Our Relationships

No one will deny that marriage is hard. In fact, there’s evidence it’s getting even harder. This week on the show, we revisit a favorite episode about the history of marriage and how it has evolved ov...

2025-10-14

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Love 2.0: How to Fix Your Marriage, Part 2

When things go wrong in our relationships, we often try to change the way our partners behave. But usually, trying to fix a person only makes things worse. Last week, we talked to psychologist James C...

2025-10-07

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Love 2.0: How to Fix Your Marriage, Part 1

Many love stories end when the characters are still in the heady, euphoric early stages of a relationship. But what comes after that intoxicating first phase of love is over? Today, we kick off a new ...

2025-09-30

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Hidden Brain

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