The Real Stuff with Lucie Fink

We just got back from a 10-day family trip to the South of France — and wow, was there a lot to unpack (literally and figuratively). In this solo episode, I’m sharing everything about what it was really like to travel internationally with a baby, a toddler, and six adults. I’m talking packing lists, travel day logistics, sleep schedules, toddler meltdowns, jet lag disasters (and wins), how Milo le...

In this powerful conversation, I sit down with writer and creator Lia Higgins (@onelitmama_) to talk about the unraveling and rebuilding that often comes with new motherhood. A former Big Law attorney turned full-time content creator and writer, Lia opens up about the trauma of childbirth, the crushing weight of postpartum depression, and the unconventional treatment that changed everything: ketam...

In this solo episode, I sat down in the studio and answered your most asked (and juiciest) questions — completely unfiltered. We covered it all: from whether Michael and I ever fight and how we actually handle disagreements to how we’re navigating toddler tantrums, sibling jealousy, and Milo’s transition to a big boy bed. I opened up about my religious upbringing, my personal beliefs today, and ho...

In this episode, I’m kicking off a new mini-series I’m calling Don’t Hang Up, where I pick up the phone and call people in my real life (begging them not to hang up!) while I ask them deeply personal questions. For the first installment, I called my dad, Jimmy. I’ve always wondered how he feels about the fact that he and my mom waited 16 years after getting married to have kids. He was on such a d...

I was so honored to sit down with Dr. Laurie Santos for today’s episode — not just because she’s a Yale psychology professor and the host of one of my favorite podcasts (The Happiness Lab), but because I genuinely credit her course, The Science of Well-Being, with helping me shift my mindset in the thick of the pandemic. Back in 2020, I took her free online course through Yale University, and now,...

Today, I’m sharing the jaw-dropping update to the catfish story I first told on the podcast which recently resurfaced as a viral video series across my social platforms. In this solo episode, I reveals the unexpected twist — an email from the girl who faked her own death and ghosted me for five years. I walk through the production of my 13-part storytelling series, reflect on monetization and mean...

Alreen Haeggquist is a successful attorney and author who’s made it her life’s mission to advocate for women — but her journey to becoming that woman is one of the most harrowing stories we’ve ever heard. In this raw and deeply emotional conversation, Alreen shares her experience of being abused by her father (both emotionally and sexually), the silence that surrounded it within her large family,...

In this emotional and empowering episode of The Real Stuff, I sit down with content creator, singer, and entrepreneur Daniela Legarda for a raw conversation about fame, family, and healing after unimaginable loss. Daniela opens up about the tragic and sudden death of her brother, Latin music artist Fabio Legarda, and how that moment changed the course of her life forever. From building a multi-mil...

At 26 years old, this audience caller thought she was building a life — trying for a baby, working for her husband’s family business, and living in their shared home. But everything was a lie. In this anonymous caller episode, Lucie hears one of the most jaw-dropping divorce stories yet: a young woman tricked into thinking she was infertile while her husband was secretly preventing pregnancy for n...

In this explosive episode of The Real Stuff, Emma Paige finally shares more about her side of the podcast drama that has taken over TikTok, Instagram, and the podcasting world. As the co-founder of the hit podcast Unhinged, Emma opens up about how the show began, the rapid rise in popularity, and the shocking moment she was locked out, ghosted, and ultimately erased from her own platform. What sta...

Are you stuck in the hustle cycle and calling it ambition? In this powerful conversation, Lucie is joined by Amina AlTai, an executive coach, speaker, and author, to reframe everything you think you know about success, burnout, and self-worth. They dive into the roots of hustle culture, how childhood core wounds shape our work lives, and why marginalized communities face a different kind of pressu...

Trigger warning: This episode contains discussions of mental health, anxiety, OCD, intrusive thoughts, and suicide. Please listen with care. Carrie Berk is a bestselling author who published 21 books before the age of 20, but behind the bubbly book covers and growing TikTok following, she was privately battling debilitating anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. In this raw and deeply honest c...

Today on The Real Stuff, we’re sharing two incredibly raw and powerful stories about navigating early menopause and fertility struggles at a young age. First, Katie opens up about being diagnosed with early menopause in her early 30s, right as she began the egg freezing process. After months of missed periods and three failed egg retrieval attempts, Katie was forced to grieve the future she though...

Alexandra Gater was 25, riding high as the Home Editor at Chatelaine magazine, and creating a hit home makeover YouTube series until the morning she walked into work and got laid off. What could have been the end of her story turned into the beginning of something entirely her own. In this episode of The Real Stuff, Alexandra shares how she went from feeling devastated and directionless to launchi...

In this highly-requested solo episode, Lucie dives deep into her experience making adult friendships — specifically how she built a new social circle after moving from NYC to the suburbs. If you’ve ever wondered how to make new friends after 30, how to actually keep them, or how to balance your social battery with mom life, this one’s for you. Listen for personal stories of how Lucie met her peopl...

Brett Fairley’s story is going viral — millions are watching, commenting, and waiting for each new update as he unpacks this emotional and devastating saga of paternity fraud. And thanks to our connection to his girlfriend, Nurse Hadley, The Real Stuff had the chance to sit down with him for an exclusive interview…in real time…while it's all still unfolding. In this deeply raw conversation, Brett...

When “Laura” discovered her husband’s sex addiction, it felt like her world cracked apart—over and over again. In this incredibly vulnerable and moving episode, our audience caller opens up to Lucie about the moment of disclosure, the letter that revealed everything, and how she’s been piecing her life back together ever since. Laura shares what it's like to be married to someone battling an addic...

Hadley Vlahos (known online as “Nurse Hadley”) is a hospice nurse, bestselling author, and storyteller who has spent nearly a decade caring for people at the end of their lives. In this emotional and eye-opening conversation, Hadley shares the profound lessons she’s learned from her patients, what it means to navigate death with dignity, and how facing mortality has shaped her perspective on livin...

From Jar of Hearts to A Thousand Years to Only Human, Christina Perri continues to be an iconic household name. In this intimate one-on-one conversation with Lucie, Christina shares the real story behind her meteoric rise to fame, the heartbreak and healing that followed, and the profound transformation she’s experienced as an artist and a mother. From her early days in LA to the moment “Jar of He...

For some reason, sleep training has become one of the most controversial parenting topics out there. Everyone wants their baby to be sleeping well, but many people feel that “sleep training” automatically means “cry it out” and therefore opt out. In today’s episode, we are breaking the silence and talking ALL THINGS baby sleep. I’m sharing exactly how we sleep trained our 2 babies and walking you...

When Molly became a certified foster mom, she knew her goal was adoption—but she never expected to become a mother overnight. With just 48 hours notice, she welcomed two toddlers into her home, instantly stepping into a life-changing role. In this episode, our anonymous audience caller shares her emotional journey through the foster care system, the unexpected challenges of instant motherhood, and...

Ricky Bee went viral for doing what should be the norm—being a fully present, equal parent. But his journey to fatherhood wasn’t exactly traditional. In this episode, Ricky gets real about everything: his unexpected path to becoming a dad, how social media changed his life, why men need to rethink their roles in parenting, and the realities of balancing work, partnership, and showing up for his ki...

In this audience caller episode, we asked listeners to share their wildest, most jaw-dropping in-law stories—and wow, did they deliver! From toxic mother-in-law meddling and boundary-stomping grandparents to financial disasters, cultural clashes, and men walking around without pants on (!!) this episode is packed with real, unfiltered stories that will make you rethink your own family dynamics. I...

What’s it really like to have a baby nurse? In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on my experience with Mattie—the baby whisperer who became family. From the moment she walked into our home, Mattie changed everything. She taught me how to care for my newborn, helped me recover postpartum, and even insisted I sleep (which, trust me, I needed). But hiring a baby nurse isn’t all smooth sailin...

Welcome to Season 2 of The Real Stuff—and we’re kicking things off with some BIG news: The Real Stuff is now part of the Dear Media network! This move means exciting things for the podcast—bigger guests, new opportunities, and even more ways to connect with you, our amazing listeners. To start the season, I’m bringing you an episode that’s as personal as it gets. My mother-in-law, Sharon, joins me...