The Paula Faris Show

We’re more connected than ever before, yet more isolated than we’ve ever been. In this raw and eye-opening conversation, bestselling author Jennie Allen and I tackle the loneliness epidemic head-on.  Why do so many of us feel like we have a million acquaintances but zero deep friends? Why do women say “I’m fine” instead of calling someone in the middle of a cry? And how do we build the kind of fri...

Barbara Corcoran may be a Shark, but even she admits she didn’t know what to do with her money after selling her business, so she left all $66 million in a checking account for two years.  In this candid conversation, Barbara and I unpack why women, despite controlling the majority of the wealth in America, still feel uncertain handling it. Barbara shares her personal money missteps, her surprisin...

Business Coach Christy Wright and I are keeping it real (and in sweatpants) as we dive into our very worst jobs—think janitor shifts, Arby’s roast beef runs, and newspaper cubicle nightmares.  It’s a hilarious walk down the employment Hall of Shame—but beneath the laughs and low wages, there's a deeper convo: why our kids need to work. From confidence to character (and maybe a little cash for snac...

Rachel Cruze is back for Part 2 of our conversation, and this time, we’re tackling the B word—budgeting! Now, if you’re like me, you might have a love-hate relationship with this whole budgeting thing.  It sometimes feels too restrictive, too many numbers, and honestly, a little boring.  My husband and I have definitely struggled with sticking to a budget, and when it comes to managing family expe...

How do you teach your kids to actually handle money—and not just spend it? In this episode, Paula sits down with personal finance expert Rachel Cruze to break down practical ways to raise financially confident kids. Rachel shares why it’s important for kids to earn their own money early through chores, learn to divide it between saving, giving, and spending, and even open their own checking accoun...

What if parenting didn’t have to be as frustrating as it often feels—especially during the teenage years? Dr. Ken Wilgus, author of Feeding the Mouth That Bites You, joins John and me in this episode to reveal his game-changing approach to parenting called "Planned Emancipation." The idea: give your teens freedoms—starting at 13—to make choices about their lives, like what they watch, how clean th...

Carla Naumburg, author of How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t With Your Kids, joins me to talk about why we—yes, our generation—are the ones screaming at our kids… and how we can stop. She says we’re too emotionally invested in our children (ouch, but true), and gives us practical, no nonsense tips for those moments when you’re on the edge of totally losing it.  This one’s for every parent who’s ever loc...

If you want to be the house where all the kids hang out, it’s pretty simple: FEED THEM.  I’ve invited my good friend, Logan Wolfram, to the conversation because as a mom of teen boys, she is living proof that this is the case.  Feed them. They will hang out.  Logan and I talk about what this is and what it isn’t. It’s NOT trying to be the “cool parent” and providing drugs and alcohol to underage k...

When it comes to what’s in our American food system, it can be difficult to know WHO to believe and WHERE to start. Honestly, the process is incredibly overwhelming and can be pricey.  But here’s the reality: ➡️ 60-90% of our foods are ultra-processed ➡️ Our pre-teens are seeing dramatic increases in pre-diabetes  ➡️This young generation is the first generation that isn’t expected to outlive the p...

There is a strong bipartisan movement in our country to clean up our food, from food dyes to pesticides and ultra-processing. The FDA even recently banned Red Dye #3 due to potential links to cancer.  Vani Hari, aka “the Food Babe”, has been on the front lines of this FOOD FIGHT for over a decade, petitioning large corporations, speaking on the senate floor, writing NYT best-selling books about th...

My guess is that you’re burned out. Between working and parenting and managing the home, you’re fried. But, we can’t find words to articulate why. And, when it comes to having necessary conversations with our partners about sharing the load, we will often avoid it altogether because we don’t want to come across as a “nag”.  Next thing we know, our relationship is suffering.  In many ways, Paige Co...

We’re in need of some levity and laughs, so I’ve invited the very funny Peaches (from @PeachesAndDiesel104) to the show.  You might be one of her 500k followers that are drawn to her ridiculous and relatable content, like I was. Only to learn that Peaches is an empty-nesting mom of two, navigating midlife and menopause.  While we have the most amount of fun in this conversation, you might just fin...

There’s a lot we don’t agree on in this country. But one issue that gets overwhelming support among voters is the need to support moms and families in this country, from paid family leave, to affordable childcare and improved maternal health.  Those issues shouldn't be a luxury. They should be a necessity, if we want to support families and grow our economy.  I’m talking to Erin Erenberg, the co-f...

We’re capping our series on dating and relationships with a conversation about how to keep it spicy with your partner. 🌶️ Over half of Americans don’t date their partner regularly, and it’s taking a toll on our relationships. We’re spending all our energy on our kids, and we’re not prioritizing one another.  However, for the couples that are intentional about connecting, they typically have happie...

One thing I haven’t been ready for has been navigating our teenagers dating. And I know so many of you feel the same. So, I’ve invited therapists Sissy Goff and David Thomas back on the show to help us work through it. (Jesus, Take the Wheel, PLEASE!)  This is the conversation I wish I’d had years ago, when this whole process started in our home.  Everything we’re talking about in this episode is...

We all have single friends. After all, 40% of Americans are single.  As we continue our series on relationships and dating, I’ve invited my dear friend Annie F Downs on the show to talk about what it’s like dating in your 40s and what our single friends want us to know.  Annie has never been married, and she hilariously shares what she’s looking for in a guy (you’ll never guess her type!) and wher...

Love isn’t enough -- especially when you have kids. Love doesn’t pay the bills or pick up the domestic load at home.  And often, that lack of connection (it’s never just one thing) leads to the eventual breakdown of a relationship.  @Honestly. Kaitlyn’s Kaitlyn Nilles says it was a myriad of issues that led to her divorce and life as a single mom of two young children.  Now, Kaitlyn is opening up...

Because relationships are the #1 topic you’ve been asking me to talk about, I’m doing a series on dating and covering it from a lot of different angles—from dating after divorce to navigating our teen dating and how to keep it spicy with our partner.  Did you know that 40% of Americans are single? Either they’re divorced, widowed or never married. That blew my mind.  So, this week, I’ve invited Pa...

John and I have learned a lot about the whole college process and can’t wait to share it with you–from the first thing you should do in the process to what our role as parents should be, plus why it’s more stressful than ever.  In this episode, you’ll hear from our teenage daughter, Caroline, plus the former Admissions Director of Dartmouth, Becky Sabky, shedding some light on this confusion and c...

There was a change of power in the White House this week and it only seems appropriate to talk about politics, specifically how we can discuss politics with those who don’t necessarily align with our views.  Maybe the reason we’re so divided is because we’re talking about it wrong? Or because we have unrealistic expectations?  In this episode, you’ll hear from Sharon McMahon, aka America’s Governm...

This week, John and I are talking about how we can connect with our teenagers. Specifically, our moody teenage daughters. Let’s face it, raising teenagers isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s arguably the most challenging phase of parenting.  If you’re wondering what happened to your darling child or struggling with the fact they don’t need us as much anymore, you’re not alone. This conversation is...

John and I are recapping our hottest topics from 2024 that are already dominating the conversation in 2025. This week, we’re tackling MENOPAUSE, specifically how we need to approach NUTRITION and EXERCISE during these years, which can begin as early as your mid-30s!  Speaking of, did you hit your protein goals today? :)  John and I are revisiting a conversation we had with Dr Jen Ashton, the found...

S3/E20- Paula & John: Ask Us Anything  This is always one of your favorite (and most popular!) episodes….when John and I give you a blank slate to ASK US ANYTHING!.  Your questions ranged from relationships, menopause, and teen dating to media and a few questions that, frankly, made us blush.  It’s our final episode of 2024 before coming back in 2025 with a bang!  Listen with your partner and enjo...

I can’t believe we’re saying this, but we are looking at colleges with our daughter, Caroline. One day, you’re dropping your kid off at preschool, and the next, they’re getting ready to fly the coop.  That’s literally how fast it’s gone.  In this episode, John and I talk about taking those first college tours, what we’re learning along the way, and what shocked us most about the process. (Any gues...

One of our challenges as a family is finding really good programming that’s not only compelling, but it’s safe for us to watch with our whole crew. This is something we hear from a LOT of families.  So, John and I invited Dallas Jenkins (Director/Creator) to the show to discuss our favorite holiday movies and family shows and why he’s saying, “He’s never seen anything like it” when it comes to the...