It's a strange time for all of us, but only healthcare workers know the particular stresses of caring for sick people right now—and what it feels like to put themselves at risk for contracting coronavirus every day they’re at work. In this episode, nurse Mary-Elizabeth Suarez records from the ER at Stanford Hospital.…

Kimberly Chou was already experiencing a period of uncertainty this winter. Now we all are—and the stakes are high. Those of us who are lucky enough to be at home are seeking comfort, and Kimberly is finding it in food and gift giving. Plus: Understanding how the pandemic has impacted the restaurant industry.…

It’s hard not to think about touch right now, when it’s something so many of us are craving and can't have. In this episode, we explore physical contact, relationships and single life during the era of social distancing.By Julia Bainbridge

In our next isolation diary, host Julia Bainbridge's father records from the Maryland countryside, plus a relaxation meditation to help reduce anxiety right now.By Julia Bainbridge

The Walking Dead actress Pollyanna McIntosh chooses good vibes over stress while sheltering in place in Los Angeles. Let her be your guide to finding happiness in the small things right now.By Julia Bainbridge

We are social distancing—a term with which we're now all painfully familiar—in order to slow contagion of the coronavirus. In a break from format, host Julia Bainbridge talks more directly to listeners in this episode, and she consults various experts about dealing with anxiety as well as ways to find joy in this time of crisis.…

We've been social distancing—a term with which we're now all painfully familiar—and so have you. But we've also been working: The Lonely Hour will have new episodes, starting this week, to help you through these strange, isolating times. Get ready to hear more from us soon. xoBy Julia Bainbridge

Jenny Odell, author of How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy, talks about wandering, observing without judgment, and letting go of the idea that time is money. Part four of The Lonely Hour's mini-series, Inner Lives. Original illustration by Payton Cosell Turner.By Julia Bainbridge

Poet and philosopher David Whyte discusses his inner life and the importance of loneliness: "I've always felt that when you do feel loneliness, it's always a kind of inverse measure of what you actually belong to." Part three of The Lonely Hour's mini-series, Inner Lives. Original illustration by Payton Cosell Turner.…

Priya Parker, author of The Art of Gathering, shares how discussing her childhood dreams with her mother equipped her with the tools to deeply understand what it is that she desired. Part two of The Lonely Hour's mini-series, Inner Lives. Original illustration by Payton Cosell Turner.By Julia Bainbridge

Manoush Zomorodi, host of the Note to Self podcast, makes the case for rethinking our digital habits and being more purposeful about putting boredom into our lives. Part one of The Lonely Hour's mini-series, Inner Lives. Original illustration by Payton Cosell Turner.By Julia Bainbridge

Having grown up in a born-again Christian community with strict rules governing how best to live, James finally woke up to the fact that he didn’t know himself—and that his marriage was crumbling. He turned inward, retreating to a cabin in the Catskills, to figure it all out. This episode is sponsored by Audible and Away. Original illustration by P…

Brandon Baltzley is the chef and co-owner of a restaurant called the Buffalo Jump. Determined to kick his substance abuse issues, he climbed a snow- and ice-covered hill in the dark to reach his home for the next month of his life: a yurt with no heat or running water. This episode is sponsored by HelloFresh and Care/of Vitamins. Original illustrat…

How losing both parents, navigating the transition of her only sibling, and extreme burnout led film producer Annabelle Dunne to seek solitude in Sri Lanka with just a cot and 17 books—and what it taught her about how she should lead her life now that she’s back home. This episode is sponsored by Audible and Away. Original illustration by Payton Co…

After a decade in New York working as a talent agent and a producer in fashion and a loss in her family, Kamey Butler sacrificed leaving her friends and familiar places to try to regain control the only way she knew how: She bought a one-way ticket to Cape Town. Original illustration by Payton Cosell Turner.…

Comedian Lane Moore, host of Tinder Live author of the new essay collection How to Be Alone: If You Want To, and Even If You Don't, talks about “stranger luck” and how she plans on spending Valentine’s Day with her dog, Lights.By Julia Bainbridge

Find four new episodes of The Lonely Hour on Stitcher Premium. Subscribe now at stitcher.com/lonelyhour.By Julia Bainbridge

Abandon Me author and former heroin addict and dominatrix Melissa Febos discusses what it’s like to lose your identity to addiction and obsession—and host Julia Bainbridge signs off with a meditation on living in that loneliness.By Julia Bainbridge

Jennifer Romolini, author of the new memoir and career guide, Weird in a World That's Not, opens her book with this: “I am not supposed to be here. I spent the first 28 years of my life as a fuckup and a failure. I failed and I failed and I failed.” And then she became a professional success—and wrote a book about it. She speaks about her journey o…

Writer Jennifer Romolini visits the show next week. Here's an excerpt from her new book, Weird in a World That's Not.By Julia Bainbridge

At the age of 20, Christopher Knight left his car and the rest of the world behind: He didn’t send a letter, spend any money, or use the internet for over two decades. He said one word to one person, accidentally, during that time. Michael Finkel, who wrote a book about Knight called The Stranger in the Woods, shares his story.…

Brooke Russell stepped onto the scale and couldn’t believe the number she saw. She tells the story of how, as she struggled with disordered eating, she kept herself away from others.By Julia Bainbridge

David Bazan—a touring musician, most notably with Pedro the Lion—always assumed God existed. His life, and music, was centered around his Christianity. Then he started to question all of it.By Julia Bainbridge

Comedian and writer Aimée Lutkin hasn’t dated in a while, and wonders if she ever will again.By Julia Bainbridge

Our awareness of an "ism" can lead to loneliness, and in George McCalman’s case, that ism was racism. After living much of his life in New York City feeling part of the community, he suddenly felt like an outsider, because of an episode at a magazine where he worked in his twenties.By Julia Bainbridge