Five Podcasts You Need To Hear Now

Put these on when you need distraction, connection, perspective, or joy

Hi readers!

I hope you are hanging in ok. I have been having a LOT of conversations lately with people who are feeling bewildered, overwhelmed, or scared by the events of the world. One of those conversations was with

Molly Dickens, PhD

, who oversees the

The Maternal Stress Project

.

She just published this essay that incorporates our conversation, along with reflections from brilliant thinkers

Jo-Ann Finkelstein, PhD

and

Shannon Watts

. She called it “The Misogyny Overlay: Anticipatory Stress In The Era Of The Emboldened Manosphere.” It’s not a light read, but it is an important one, and it helped me understand some of the free-floating anxiety that a lot of women are feeling right now.

Molly smartly recorded a 22-minute audio version of the essay, and I think that’s the best way to take it in - go for a walk, put on your headphones, and give it your full attention.

Listening to Molly’s essay got me thinking about the power of audio, and how sustaining a good podcast can be. Today, I’m sharing five that have been in heavy rotation in my house lately.

Big love,
Christopher

P.S. Although I’ve mostly linked to these podcasts through their websites or YouTube channels, you should be able to find them in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or other podcast players - just search for the podcast’s title!

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The Longest, Shortest Time

This acclaimed podcast just came back from a 5-year hiatus, and they are planning to talk a lot about the rapidly-changing world of reproductive health. Expect discussions about birth control, bodily autonomy, periods, menopause, consent, and the many ways that babies are made. There are only two episodes out so far in this new revival, but they are both JAW-DROPPINGLY GREAT. Check them out:

• The Staircase: Host Hillary Frank shares a personal story about what it’s been like to watch her daughter experience unwanted male attention for the first time. After one particularly troubling incident, Hillary looks into how her daughter’s middle school teaches consent, and what she discovers throws her for a loop.

• How to Not (Accidentally) Raise a Rapist: Consent education in school is mostly insufficient or non-existent — even when it’s required by state law. An organization called SafeBAE is trying to change that by training teens to teach each other about sexual violence.

The show is now independently produced, and supported by fans who join the Longest Shortest Time Club. Folks who join get to access to a whole extra show called “You Know What.”

In this special series, three college students speaking candidly about sex, dating, and relationships. Members also have the opportunity to suggest questions for the panelists. Think of it as an "Ask the College Kids" show!

This Is So Awkward

This long-running show from authors Dr. Cara Natterson and Vanessa Kroll Bennett features reliable, well-informed puberty and sex ed conversations that are always funny and engaging. Here are a few examples:

• How Teens Learn with

  Jenny Anderson
  and Rebecca Winthrop

• What's REALLY Happening in Sex Ed with Jaclyn Friedman

• Master the Art of BIG Conversations with Boys with Dr. Chris Miller

Many episodes feature fascinating guest experts. Some of the best ones, though, happen when Cara and Vanessa just talk to each other, sharing lessons they’ve learned while writing their bestselling book “This Is So Awkward: Modern Puberty Explained.” and touring the country talking about these issues.

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UnMASKing With Male Educators

If you’ve been reading this newsletter for a while, you may have seen my profile of Ashanti Branch, who leads the Ever Forward Club and its work to help boys stay connected and find supportive paths in life. Earlier this year, Ashanti re-launched his long-running podcast with a new focus: Male educators.

In each episode, he talks to an educator about their views and experiences with education, or shares stories from his own years as a math teacher and assistant principal.

• Find all the episodes in this Youtube playlist.
  

Ask Lisa: The Psychology Of Parenting

Each week on the Ask Lisa podcast, Reena Ninan and Dr. Lisa Damour talk about common parenting issues with compassion, intelligence, and calm. This approach can really help listener put things in perspective and keep their anxiety at bay. It works! I really do feel like listening to this show helps me be a better parent.

Some recent highlights:

• What's the Best Way for My Teen to Handle a Mean "Friend"?

• My Son's Friends Are Sending Him Inappropriate GIFs. How Do I Help?

• Should I Talk with My Teens About My Own Mental Health Challenges?

This Teenage Life

If you want to hear directly from teenagers talking about real issues in their lives,

This Teenage Life

is a great place to start. Each episode focuses on a theme, and the young people who contribute go deep with the emotions and experiences they share.

Some standout episodes:

• Exploring Masculinity and Mental Health

• Cultivating A Sense of Purpose

• Grind Culture: Productivity Pressures, Social Media, and Burnout

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Recent Teen Health Today Highlights

• PSST! I'm Keynoting The Wonder Years Teacher Summit, And I Have The Discount Code

  Attend this a great online conference for only $25, and bring a friend for free

• A Ballsy, Hilarious Push For Better Sex Ed
  Teaching about puberty and sexuality is so awkward that many teachers avoid it altogether. Shift Education is trying to change things with a campaign that teachers can't dodge.

• Want To Dramatically Improve Teens' Lives? Do These Three Things.

  This program is called "What Works In Schools" because it REALLY works

• The Murder Of A Trans Teen Changed My Teaching Forever
  We have to talk about gender identity in schools. Here's why.

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