The Gaslight Effect Podcast

For the 100th episode of The Gaslight Effect Podcast , Dr. Robin Stern turns the microphone over to a very special guest: her daughter, Melissa Wild . In this intimate and wide-ranging conversation, Melissa interviews Robin about the origins of The Gaslight Effect , the personal and professional experiences that led her to name and define gaslighting, and what it has meant to watch the term become...

In this episode of The Gaslight Effect Podcast , Dr. Robin Stern welcomes Dr. Elisha Goldstein , clinical psychologist, speaker, and author of Tiny Shifts: How Emotional Health Transforms Stress, Relationships, and Longevity , for a practical and deeply grounding conversation about how small moments of awareness can change the way we move through stress, overwhelm, relationships, and even gaslight...

In this episode of The Gaslight Effect Podcast , Dr. Robin Stern welcomes her longtime friend Margot Magowan - parent coach, writer, speaker, and former co-founder of the Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership - for a deeply personal conversation about parenting, power dynamics, and how easily gaslighting can show up at home, even when parents mean well. Margot shares how she moved from leaders...

What happens when a parent keeps lying, and the whole family teaches you not to ask too many questions? In this episode of  The Gaslight Effect Podcast , Dr. Robin Stern sits down with journalist and author Francesca Fontana to explore what happens when the stories you inherit about your family, and yourself, begin to unravel. Francesca's new memoir, The Family Snitch , traces her lifelong search...

In this episode of  The Gaslight Effect Podcast , Dr. Robin Stern continues the limited series Conversations at the Edge, exploring what it takes to stay grounded, curious, and connected when conversations move into charged, uncertain, or deeply divided territory. Robin's guest is Scott Levy , author of Why School Boards Matter , a four-time elected public school board member in Westchester County...

In this episode of  The Gaslight Effect Podcast —part of our limited series Conversations at the Edge —Dr. Robin Stern sits down with Mo Edjlali , founder of The Mindful Leader and author of OpenMBSR: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction—Reimagining the Future of Mindfulness , for an honest conversation about what it takes to stay awake, ethical, and human in high-pressure environments. Mo shares hi...

In this episode of The Gaslight Effect Podcast , Dr. Robin Stern continues the limited series Conversations at the Edge —a space for staying grounded, curious, and connected when conversations move into charged, uncertain, or deeply divided territory. Inspired by Robin's ongoing dialogue with her dear friend Lynn Redleaf, the series is rooted in dignity and respect, and in the belief that making s...

In this episode of The Gaslight Effect Podcast , Dr. Robin Stern continues the limited series Conversations at the Edge —a space for staying grounded, curious, and connected when conversations move into charged, uncertain, or deeply divided territory. Inspired by Robin's ongoing dialogue with her dear friend Lynn Redleaf, the series is rooted in dignity, respect, and the belief that making space f...

In this episode of The Gaslight Effect Podcast , Dr. Robin Stern continues the limited series Conversations at the Edge —a space for staying grounded, curious, and connected when conversations move into charged, uncertain, or deeply divided territory. Inspired by Robin's ongoing dialogue with her dear friend Lynn Redleaf, the series is rooted in dignity, respect, and a commitment to resisting mani...

In this episode of The Gaslight Effect Podcast , Dr. Robin Stern continues the limited series Conversations at the Edge —a space for staying grounded, curious, and connected when conversations move into charged, uncertain, or deeply divided territory. Inspired by Robin's ongoing dialogue with her dear friend Lynn Redleaf, the series is rooted in a simple but urgent belief: we have to be able to ta...

In this episode of The Gaslight Effect Podcast , Dr. Robin Stern continues the limited series Conversations at the Edge —exploring what it takes to stay grounded, curious, and connected when conversations move into charged, uncertain, or deeply divided territory. Rooted in dignity and respect, the series invites us to make space for someone else's ideas without erasing, attacking, or diminishing t...

In this episode of The Gaslight Effect Podcast , Dr. Robin Stern launches a new limited series, Conversations at the Edge —exploring what it takes to stay grounded, curious, and connected when discussions move into charged, uncertain, or deeply divided territory. The goal isn't to "win" an argument, but to understand how we can remain in relationship without erasing, attacking, or diminishing the...

In this special start-of-year episode of The Gaslight Effect Podcast , Dr. Robin Stern sits down with her producer, Mike Lenz, for a more personal conversation, reflecting on 2025 and looking ahead to 2026. Robin shares what felt most meaningful across the past year—especially the human connections that have shaped her work at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, in her clinical practice, a...

In this episode of The Gaslight Effect Podcast , Dr. Robin Stern welcomes Zibby Owens —bestselling author, podcaster, and the founder/CEO of Zibby Media —for a conversation about the stories we're told, the stories we tell ourselves, and how those narratives can help ground us in truth. Zibby has built a women-led, book-loving ecosystem—spanning a boutique publishing house, a beloved independent b...

In this energizing episode of  The Gaslight Effect Podcast , Dr. Robin Stern is joined by Dr. Christina Cipriano —associate professor at the Yale Child Study Center, Director of the Education Collaboratory at Yale, award-winning psychologist, and one of the leading voices in social and emotional learning (SEL) and the science of how children learn and thrive. Chris's work centers on making schools...

On this episode of The Gaslight Effect Podcast, Dr. Robin Stern sits down with  Dr. Natalie Fabert , a psychologist, faculty member at Arizona State University, and board member and Director of Continuing Education at the Lalich Center on Cults and Coercion . Dr. Fabert specializes in helping adults heal from trauma, abuse, and coercive control, especially in cultic and spiritually abusive environ...

In this episode of  The Gaslight Effect Podcast , Dr. Robin Stern welcomes Dr. Helen Riess , Harvard Medical School psychiatrist, empathy researcher, and author of The Empathy Effect . Together, they explore how empathy—often considered an emotional instinct—is actually a learnable, science-based skill that can transform how we connect, communicate, and lead. As the Founder and Chief Medical Offic...

In this episode of  The Gaslight Effect Podcast , Dr. Robin Stern sits down with award-winning journalist, divorce coach, and advocate Amy Polacko , co-author of Framed: Women in the Family Court Underworld . Together, they explore how gaslighting and coercive control extend far beyond personal relationships—and into the legal systems meant to protect survivors. Amy shares her own journey through...

October marks both Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month — a time to honor women's experiences of loss, resilience, and healing. In this episode of The Gaslight Effect Podcast , Dr. Robin Stern welcomes Dr. Jessica Zucker , a Los Angeles–based psychologist and award-winning author who specializes in reproductive and maternal mental health. Dr. Zucker shares th...

In this episode of The Gaslight Effect Podcast , Dr. Robin Stern welcomes Dr. Christine Cocchiola , a leading expert, researcher, and advocate on the devastating impact of coercive control. Dr. Cocchiola is the founder of the  Coercive Control Consulting Institute , where she trains professionals and supports survivors in understanding and dismantling the hidden dynamics of abuse. She is also the...

In this deeply personal and illuminating episode of  The Gaslight Effect Podcast , Dr. Robin Stern sits down with Irene's Entropy —storyteller, musician, and fierce explorer of lived experience—to map the intersections between identity, mental health, and the subtle dynamics of gaslighting. Through candid conversation, Irene shares her very personal journey of navigating internal and external turb...

Therapy language is everywhere—on social media, in conversations with friends, and inside our most intimate relationships. But what happens when words like "gaslighting," "narcissist," or "boundaries" are misunderstood—or worse, weaponized? In this episode of The Gaslight Effect Podcast , host Dr. Robin Stern is joined by clinical psychologist and EFT-certified couples therapist Dr. Isabelle Morle...

In this episode of The Gaslight Effect Podcast , host Dr. Robin Stern speaks with Vail Brokaw, Sasan Korangy, and Salar Korangy about their groundbreaking work with Young Leaders for Peace (YLP) , a flagship program of UPEACE NY in collaboration with the University for Peace . Motivated to better navigate the global challenges and conflicts facing their generation, Vail and Sasan co-founded YLP as...

On this episode, Dr. Robin Stern welcomes  Dr. Dacher Keltner — UC Berkeley psychologist, founding director of the Greater Good Science Center , and leading expert on the science of awe. Together, they explore how cultivating moral beauty — the recognition of kindness, courage, humility, and justice — can counter the harm of gaslighting and the moral ugliness that fuels polarization and disconnect...

On this episode of The Gaslight Effect Podcast , Dr. Robin Stern welcomes college‑admissions veteran Dr. Joie Jager‑Hyman —founder of College Prep 360 and author of  Fat Envelope Frenzy and B+ Grades, A+ College Applications . Joie, a Dartmouth alum and former Assistant Director of Admissions, reveals how her own curiosity about the process led her to guide students away from small missteps and to...