Not the Girl Next Door

Director and writer Ann Marie Allison turned the most painful, confusing relationship of her life into a film-  You're Dating a Narcissist  , and a companion book bringing the protagonist Dr. Judy Kaplan to life. This isn't loosely inspired by her experience. It's fictionalized, yes, but it's hers. Every messy, disorienting, "wait was that actually abuse?" piece of it. We...

So your friend is dating a loser... now what? You already thought of someone the second you read that. So let's talk about it. In this episode, we're getting into one of the most uncomfortable dynamics in female friendship: watching someone you love choose a man who isn't choosing her back. There's a whole spectrum here: from the harmless guy who never grew up, all the way to the m...

This week, we're talking about why we stay at the restaurant. From the ghosts of situationships past to the very public unraveling happening on Summer House, this episode gets into the real reason we can't let certain people go... and spoiler alert!- it has nothing to do with how special they are.  We break down why moving on is quieter than you think, why time alone doesn't heal anyth...

You were taught that being good would keep you safe — that if you were kind enough, agreeable enough, and easy enough to love, nothing bad would come your way. But what if that belief is exactly what's been holding you back? In this episode, we're unpacking the Good Girl Wound: the exhausting cycle of over-giving, people-pleasing, and abandoning yourself to keep everyone else comfortable....

This week we're getting into the Peter Pan Economy: what it actually means to come of age in a generation that can't afford to grow up, and why that's both a wound and a strange kind of gift. We were promised that adulthood would and should look a certain way: house, kids, stability. Instead, we got girl dinner, situationships, and a deep sense that none of this feels real.  The same g...

Two years freelancing, ten years of becoming, one very overdue conversation with herself. In this double NYC episode, Meg reflects on the versions of herself she's shed, the ones she's still figuring out, and the ones she had to grieve before she could move forward. There is a quiet disorientation of realizing you're finally the only barometer of your own success... because opting out...

Can you de-center men and still want love? That's the question... and honestly, it's the reason this podcast exists. In this episode, we're getting into what de-centering men actually means (hint: it has nothing to do with being bitter, giving up on love, or actually hating men), why so many of us have been quietly organizing our lives around men who don't even know we exist, and how the rise of c...

You know that scene in every show where the girl is absolutely glowing and her friend looks at her and goes "you had sex, didn't you?" That's the energy we're chasing. Not from sex...from life. This week we're exploring what it means to truly flirt with your life, with yourself, with other people, with your career, with strangers on the street. This one is equal parts phi...

In case you haven't heard... carl's a mess! This week we're unpacking the Amanda and West situation- why it was never a surprise, what it says about identity (or the lack of it), and why being hot and progressive doesn't make a man any less of a problem. Host Meg Reynolds then ties this back to her own experiences with men: why they come back, what they're actually after when they do, and why the...

In case no one ever told you this, strength isn't the unbothered act, it isn't the constant grind... and it is definitely not your friend who has never had a hard day in her life yet somehow still gives advice. This episode is about what strength actually is and spoiler: your brain rewires itself through hardship, not in spite of it- that's neuroplasticity. Which means every hard seaso...

This week on  Not the Girl Next Door , we’re getting honest about womanhood & friendships- the kind that shapes you, breaks you, and sometimes quietly ends without a clear goodbye. In a world where social media makes us feel constantly connected, we’re unpacking whether our friendships are actually deeper… or just more performative. This episode even explores how romantic relationships affect...

At the start of this year I said my word of the year was ✨whimsy✨ but even I have strayed from that. In the spirit of Women's History Month, I wanted to explore the whimsy that is being a woman. From fear-driven lives to the pressure of performative maturity, I discuss how we can start bringing  whimsy  back into our lives again- through imagination, effort, creativity, and simply allowing o...

Did curiosity really kill the cat… or is curiosity actually the thing that keeps us alive? This episode explores how on-screen stories like Tell Me Lies real-world experiences only make sense when we zoom out. Which raises an interesting question when it comes to dating: Are we actually trying to understand people… or are we just trying to perform well enough to be chosen? This conversation dives...

I asked myself a simple question in my journal, and now I pose it to you:  What does womanhood actually mean?   From the expectation that suffering is synonymous with femininity to the performance of masculinity under the male gaze, this episode clarifies what feminism actually is (and isn’t). This episode is a love letter to the women who show up after heartbreak, after births, after deaths, and...

Where is there more sexual tension... in an airport or a chilis over margaritas? That's just one of the burning questions answered this week on Not the Girl Next Door by special guest Eli Vasquez This episode dives into the emotional patterns that quietly shape our relationships-the fears, defenses, and subconscious habits we carry from past experiences. Eli & Meg explore how many of our b...

To have a village you must first be a villager... we've all heard the phrase. However it seems like no one knows how to do that anymore... so here's how to be a villager for dummies. At its core, this episode is about relearning how to let yourself be supported, showing up consistently for others, and understanding that life was never meant to be frictionless, or lived alone. Independence...

One month into 2026, it’s time for an honest check-in. If the life you keep envisioning hasn’t started to change, this episode invites you to look inward-not with shame, but with clarity. Because at some point, we have to acknowledge that we are the common denominator. In this episode, I unpack what confidence actually is- and what it isn’t. We talk about why “fake it till you make it” fuels impos...

If this title hit a nerve, this episode is for you. In this deeply personal conversation, I unpack the realities of emotionally abusive relationships—the kind that don’t start abusive, the kind that look “nice” on the surface, and the kind that quietly rewire your brain. Using pop culture (yes, Bravo men), personal stories, and hard-earned clarity, this episode explores why toxic relationships are...

First comes lust, then comes limerence... then comes a big fat therapy bill! That's how the saying goes right? There's nothing more messy than the wants of the heart, but how do you decipher lust from love? How do you know if you've been in love? How do you break the cycle of limerence with that one situationship that you KNOW could be great if he'd just commit? These are all the q...

"I'm going analog in 2026..." That's pretty much what every video on Host Meg Reynolds' feed has been saying for the past few weeks. But why is this happening? Is this just a temporary trend or a mark of a more significant shift in our relationship with technology? These are the questions answered & more on this week's episode of Not the Girl Next Door. Looking for an...

2025 was the year women chose themselves, 2026 will be the year women continue to build their dream lives. Host Meg Reynolds is back for season 5 of Not the Girl Next Door with lots to share in the 6 week hiatus. She discusses how to approach a 2026 "rebrand," what she thinks the key to building a personal brand is, and more. New year, new studio, same podcast you know and love! Looking...

What are the rules of our 20s? Simply put: there are none. However, there are plenty of lessons to be learned. In this season finale episode, Meg breaks down the biggest lessons of her early & mid-twenties, reflects on the early years of the podcast, and shares more about her plans for her 27th birthday. Subscribe to the snail mail club: https://beacons.ai/notthegirlnextdoor Instagram: https:/...

Why does modern dating feel like a humiliation ritual? And where do you draw the line between "healed enough" and "still heartbroken?" These are the questions Host Meg Reynolds answers this week on Not the Girl Next Door. Follow the podcast on all platforms: https://beacons.ai/notthegirlnextdoor?__v=13.209.0

Having a boyfriend? It's not just spooky... it's embarrasing... At least according to Chante Joseph, author of "Is Having A Boyfriend Embarrassing?" an opinion piece originally published in British Vogue The article has struck a nerve amongst the guys, and even the girlies, so this week host Meg Reynolds is breaking down her thoughts on the article. Meg also shares the lessons sh...

"What if?" It's a question we all have asked ourselves at one point or another. This week host Meg Reynolds found herself asking that same question while in NYC for tour. From "what could have been," to "never say never," Meg discusses what it is actually like to start your life completely over, how to start over if you feel stuck, and more. Follow the podcast on...