Psychologists Off the Clock

What does it really mean to speak up—and what happens when telling the truth comes at a cost? In this special episode of  Psychologists Off the Clock , Jill Stoddard and Yael introduce Jill’s powerful new podcast,  We the Sunlight , a show about the brave act of speaking up in a culture that too often rewards silence. Then, listeners get an exclusive preview of the first episode, featuri...

What if the biggest threat to kids’ mental health isn’t smartphones or social media—but the loss of freedom, play, and independence in childhood? In this episode of Psychologists Off the Clock , Emily welcomes researcher Peter Gray, author of Restoring Childhood: How to Set Kids Free in the Age of Anxiety . Drawing on decades of research in developmental psychology, anthropology, education, and pl...

What if some of the things you believe most strongly aren’t actually facts—but tools you’re using to navigate a complicated world? In this bittersweet final interview for Psychologists Off the Clock , Jill Stoddard welcomes back Nir Eyal , author of Beyond Belief: The Science-Backed Way to Stop Limiting Yourself and Achieve Extraordinary Results . Nir was Jill’s very first guest when she joined th...

What makes an explanation feel satisfying, and does that feeling have anything to do with whether it's actually true? Cognitive scientist Tania Lombrozo , author of Why We Ask Why: The Science of Explanation and the Human Drive to Understand , joins Michael to talk about the human drive to explain: where it comes from and what it buys us. She also makes the case that explanations aren't objects si...

Navigating a loved one's mental health struggles can feel like walking a tightrope between wanting to save them and trying to keep your own head above water. In this episode, Dr. David Dozois from the University of Western Ontario highlights his book, What to Do When Your Partner Is Depressed , talking through the toll depression can take on relationships and why the supporting partner's experienc...

Parenting a kid with ADHD takes way more than standard advice; it requires understanding a complex brain difference that impacts focus, sleep, big emotions, and daily energy. In this episode, child psychologist Dr. Emily King and TILT Parenting founder Debbie Reber join Emily to give their perspective on what neurodivergent parenting looks like by challenging the "disorder" label, unpacking why be...

If you’re the kind of person who is pathologically nice, physically incapable of saying "no," and constantly burning out to keep everyone else happy, you might actually have a Type C personality.  Debbie Sorensen chats with psychologist Kore Glied and former Wall Street exec Anna White to break down how this conflict-avoidant, super-pleaser trait differs from Types A and B and why hiding your...

Every couple has to learn how to accept their differences. But when you’re in a neurodiverse relationship, those differences aren't just quirks; they’re completely different ways of experiencing the world.  In this episode, we're getting real about love, autism, and how to actually understand each other in a conversation with psychologist and author Dr. Cindy Ariel , who drops by to chat abou...

What do you do as a mental health provider when a client walks into your office and flat-out refuses to be there, is silent, or is disengaged? In this episode, Michael chats with psychotherapist and Motivational Interviewing trainer Kristen Dempsey about her book, Advancing Motivational Interviewing , and how to actually navigate those cases. They get into why Motivational Interviewing works so we...

Don't stress over parenting advice, as much of it is based on clickbait, panic, and outdated science. In this episode, we hear from science journalists and experts Melinda Wenner Moyer , Tracy Dennis-Tiwary, Jacqueline Nesi in a conversation with Emily on how to spot actual, trustworthy parenting guidance amid all the online noise. Dismantling the myth of the "one-size-fits-all" approach, they exp...

We spend an exhausting amount of energy trying to outrun our own difficult thoughts and feelings. For this episode, Jill Stoddard brings back ACT therapist, trainer, and author of The Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Skills Workbook , Matt Boone for a refreshingly grounded look at Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Matt shares how his own path through chronic pain led him to ACT, breaking down wh...

Sometimes saving the planet can feel like a massive, exhausting guilt trip.  In this episode, Debbie sits down with University of British Columbia professors Elizabeth Dunn and Jiaying Zhao to talk about their book, Leave the Lights On: How Joyful Decisions Can Save Our Species .  Their main point is about the whole "you must be perfect" climate messaging is totally backfiring, and focus...

Are we being lied to about the science of attraction? In this episode, UC Davis relationship scientist and author of Bonded by Love: The New Science of Human Attachment , Paul Eastwick , challenges the massive online narratives around "mate value," hardwired gender differences, and dating strategies. It turns out a lot of the viral relationship theories we see online are built on shaky evidence, r...

For some people, stories are entertainment; for others, they can be a lifeline. Janina Scarlet , licensed clinical psychologist, author, and founder of Divine Feminine Publishing, returns to discuss her work promoting books with strong female and gender-diverse representation. She shares how surviving illness after Chernobyl, along with physical and sexual abuse, led her to find comfort in stories...

We’ve all been there: you’re scrolling through your feed, watching someone bake sourdough from scratch in a pristine linen dress, and suddenly your own life feels incredibly messy and chaotic.  In this episode of Psychologists Off the Clock , Debbie and Emily are pulling back the curtain on the hyper-curated worlds of social media influencers, reality TV, and the massive "tradwife" trend. Gra...

We’ve been told forever that women are the only natural caregivers, but neuroscience shows that’s just not true; men actually go through huge biological shifts when they become dads, too. Sitting down with Emily for this episode is clinical psychologist Darby Saxbe , who chats to us about her book Dad Brain: The New Science of Fatherhood and How It Shapes Men’s Lives , which challenges neo-traditi...

When a survivor speaks up, the world too often demands a 'perfect victim' before it offers belief, a painful reality that leaves many wondering if their truth will ever be enough.  In this episode with Deborah Tuerkheimer , author of Credible: Why We Doubt Accusers and Protect Abusers , we hear about the “credibility complex,” including credibility discount and credibility inflation, rape myt...

It’s easy to live life on autopilot, with your eyes glued to a screen, completely disconnected from your physical surroundings.  But as we learn in this episode with Leidy Klotz , the spaces you inhabit aren't just backdrops; they are actively shaping your mind, moods, and memories.  Talking about Leidy’s latest book, In a Good Place , you’ll hear about Leidy’s framework of agency, growt...

When was the last time you sparked up a conversation with a stranger and surprised yourself with how good it felt?  Behavioral scientist Nicholas Epley , author of A Little More Social , returns to the podcast to discuss with Michael why we systematically underestimate how positively strangers respond, how connection supports happiness, health, and longevity, and the key mechanisms behind our...

Parenting often feels like a high-stakes guessing game played in the middle of a meltdown or a deafening teenage silence. Clinical psychologist and bestselling author Lindsay C. Gibson returns to Psychologist Off the Clock to discuss her new book, " How to Raise an Emotionally Mature Child ," and the core mindsets that build emotional maturity across development.  You’ll hear how emotionally...

Modern life has become a gauntlet of "dangerous weather" that frequently strips away our most basic human needs. In this episode, Emily speaks with author and strategist Stephanie Malia Kraus about her book, How We Thrive , and the essential practice of "rehumaning."  Stephanie breaks down the four systemic forces, from hustle culture to addictive tech, that undermine our well-being and offer...

We’ve been taught that pain always means something is broken, but it’s often just a "stuck" danger signal in the brain.  To show us how to turn that signal off, Jill Stoddard talks with Alan Gordon, the founder of the Pain Psychology Center and author of The Way Out . Drawing on his own recovery from chronic pain, Alan explains how fear and conditioning keep us hurting even after we've healed...

What if success isn’t about grinding toward big goals but about following curiosity through small, imperfect experiments that lead somewhere better? On Psychologist Off the Clock, award-winning neuroscientist and entrepreneur Anne-Laure Le Cunff , founder of Nest Labs and author of Tiny Experiments , shares how a health scare while working at Google helped her shift from rigid, linear goals to an...

Being absolutely sure you’re right should settle an argument, but somehow, it often does the opposite. Instead, things escalate, tensions rise, and before you know it, the conflict has taken on a life of its own.  For this episode, Yael welcomes New York Times bestselling author, trained mediator, and Good Conflict co-founder Amanda Ripley to unpack her book   High Conflict: Why We Get Trappe...

If your teen is getting caught in cycles of comparison, burnout, or avoidance while trying to “do enough” for college, this conversation offers a different perspective. Emily talks with Ana Homayoun about her book Erasing the Finish Line and what really matters beyond grades, test scores, and prestige. They walk you through unhealthy patterns in college admissions culture, how technology amplifies...