Best The Recovering Cynic Podcasts (2024)

1
Robert Carabelli: Top Five Strategies for Keeping the Passion Alive in Your Relationship 46:00

2d ago46:00

46:00

If you and your partner feel more like roommates than lovers, this week’s episode is for you. Author, physician and spiritual teacher Dr Robert Carabelli shares with Andrew his top five strategies for keeping passion alive in a long-term relationship. According to Robert, sex is a gift from the divine, and you and your partner can reach “incredible…

1
Kathryn Mannix: What You've Been Told About Death Might Be Wrong 57:47

9d ago57:47

57:47

How do we live knowing that we will die? How can we face death, and how should we prepare for it? Dr Kathryn Mannix has spent her professional life working in palliative care, and the teams she has worked on have been involved in 10-15 thousand deaths. In this classic episode, Kathryn shares her insights into what it’s like to die and how we can lo…

1
Thais Gibson: Self-Sabotage: Why We Do It & How To Stop 47:56

16d ago47:56

47:56

Is there an uncomfortable gap between your life goals and the way you are actually living? Do you tell yourself what you want is financial security, but then rack up big online shopping debts? Or perhaps a solid, connected relationship is your goal, but instead you're prioritising work and ignoring your partner’s needs. This week, counselor and aut…

1
Itoro Bassey: Healing the Mother/Daughter Wound 46:50

23d ago46:50

46:50

How do we find meaning in a difficult childhood and a troubled mother-daughter relationship? In this classic episode, Nigerian-American writer, mindfulness practitioner and educator Itoro Bassey speaks with Andrew about how to mother the wounded child inside. Itoro now lives in Nigeria (after being born and raised in the USA) and is the founder of …

1
Andrew Holecek: I'm Mindful, Now What? 59:00

1M ago59:00

59:00

Many of us feel like we don’t quite “get” mindfulness. Even more have struggled to create a successful meditation practice. Andrew Holecek, author of I’m Mindful, Now What?, joins us this week to broaden and deepen our understanding of mindfulness, and show us how to integrate it into our daily lives. Our host Andrew talks with our guest Andrew abo…

1
Dena Justice: Why Women Burn Out & How to Recover 50:51

1M ago50:51

50:51

In this classic episode, Andrew speaks with coach and teacher Dena Justice about the work she does with women experiencing burnout in their careers and relationships. Despite loving her career, Dena hit a point where she felt empty - she was a classic case of a high performer and leader hitting burnout. That led her to choose a powerful pivot out o…

1
Peter Coyote: The Breakthrough of Accepting Life As It Is 52:30

1M ago52:30

52:30

Can the ancient teachings of Zen Buddhism help us engage with the challenges work, family and relationships throw our way? Teacher, author and Zen Buddhist priest Peter Coyote believes that they can: his new book, Zen in the Vernacular: Things As It Is, argues that Zen can be both a creative problem-solving mechanism and a moral guide; ideal for th…

1
Lisa Marchiano: Being a Mother: A Journey of Self-Discovery 49:48

2M ago49:48

49:48

It isn’t hard as a parent to find advice on breastfeeding, your child’s education or managing their behaviour. What’s rarer is insight into how the parenting journey changes us as a person. Yet, becoming a mother is a unique opportunity to realise the self more fully. In this reissue of a classic episode, Andrew and Lisa take a deep dive into mothe…

1
Diana Richardson: Slow Sex: How Tantra Can Revolutionise Your Love Life 42:51

2M ago42:51

42:51

Many couples come to me complaining of a dissatisfying love life: some are in a low-sex or no-sex relationship, while others experience sex as boring and mechanical. In this episode, Diana Richardson shares her “Slow Sex” program, and suggests how you can create a more loving sexual partnership, well into old age. We discuss: Tantric sex, love and …

1
Tim Dowling: Can Cynicism Improve Your Life? 45:48

2M ago45:48

45:48

Guardian columnist Tim Dowling has spent decades chronicling his marriage and family life for the Weekend magazine. His self-deprecating humour and determinedly cynical approach have made him hugely popular with readers. In this classic episode, Tim and Andrew discuss the layers that go into a joke. What exactly is it that we’re doing when we laugh…

1
Bud Harris: Sacred Selfishness: Why You Should Tell Yourself "I Love You". 42:12

2M ago42:12

42:12

As children we were probably taught that being selfish was a great evil, to be avoided at all costs. Jungian analyst and author Bud Harris, however, feels that “sacred selfishness” can be a path to genuine self-love, forgiveness and the wholeness we crave. In this episode, Andrew and Bud discuss How to value ourselves and live meaningful lives we l…

1
Paul Attinello: What is Your Relationship with Death and Mortality? 58:09

3M ago58:09

58:09

Some of us try our best never to think about death, while some of us “live in death’s basement”. Composer, academic and psychoanalyst Paul Attinello lived through the suffering and loss of the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s. After testing positive for HIV/AIDS, he built a creative and achievement-filled life, over which death nevertheless always loomed…

1
Charisse Cooke: The Attachment Solution 46:14

3M ago46:14

46:14

Modern life - careers, technology, the pressures of parenting - can get in the way of our need to form strong attachments to other humans. According to therapist and author Charisse Cooke, when it comes to our intimate relationships, we are increasingly acting from a place of fear. We're scared we will choose the wrong person, or the person we are …

1
Jed Diamond: Your Personal Creation Story 51:12

3M ago51:12

51:12

Too many men struggle to be happy in their intimate relationships, and fail to find a healthy version of masculinity that works for them. Disconnected males, without a strong sense of inner guidance, can behave destructively and even abusively towards those around them. In this classic episode of The Meaningful Life, Andrew talks to Jed Diamond PhD…

1
Dr Kathleen Smith: How To Be True To Who You Are 46:04

3M ago46:04

46:04

Would you like your life to be less focused on others’ reactions and more informed by your own principles? Would you like to stop feeling responsible for the experiences of others? This week I talk to therapist and author Dr Kathleen Smith about how to stop pleasing other people, find your authentic self, and, in the process, become less anxious an…

1
Caroline Madden: Infidelity: How to Rebuild Trust 51:47

4M ago51:47

51:47

We all think of infidelity as something that happens to someone else. When betrayal enters our own safe universe, it comes as a terrible shock. Many couples confronting infidelity end up re-examining just about everything in their lives: not just their marriage, but their work, their relationships with family and friends, and how they find meaning …

1
Alan Pearce: What We Can Learn About Being Human from Comas and Near Death Experiences 51:35

4M ago51:35

51:35

People who have near-death experiences or who survive medically-induced comas report back disturbing and beautiful experiences. Some encounter ultra-vivid nightmares, while others undergo a deep, spiritual oneness with the universe or say they have glimpsed the afterlife. Journalist and author Alan Pearce and his wife, Beverly Pearce, are the autho…

1
Richard Paterson: No More Overthinking (Classic Episode) 48:53

4M ago48:53

48:53

The Meaningful Life Classic Episode: Richard Paterson on “No More Overthinking”. Do you struggle to sleep, your mind buzzing with worries about the future? Do you compare yourself to others and find yourself always coming up short? This week’s episode is all about ditching overthinking and seeking happiness that ISN’T determined by external circums…

1
Topaz Adizes: How to Heighten Intimacy With the Questions We Ask 45:30

4M ago45:30

45:30

If you’re feeling “stuck” in your relationships, asking new kinds of questions can be a powerful way forward. This week Andrew talks with filmmaker and author Topaz Adizes about starting conversations that lead to a deeper, more authentic connection. Andrew and Topaz discuss Topaz’s new book, 12 Questions for Love, and highlight the importance of: …

1
Tracey Cox: Great Sex After Fifty (Classic Episode) 42:10

5M ago42:10

42:10

The Meaningful Life Classic Episode: TRACEY COX on Great Sex After 50 No-one would deny sex is important to a meaningful life, but what that looks like changes as we age. In this first episode of The Meaningful Life, international sex therapist and Daily Mail columnist Tracey Cox discusses her book Great Sex Starts at 50: How to Age-Proof Your Libi…

1
Shelby Forsythia: Can Grief Turn Toxic? The Different Ways We Cope With Loss 54:04

5M ago54:04

54:04

Grief is a painful and confusing journey. Often, the culture encourages us to “move on”, squashing our grief down so that those around us are comfortable. This week Andrew talks to author and grief coach Shelby Forsythia. They discuss: Whether grief can turn “toxic” Coping with other people’s responses Living with grief as your companion Creating g…

1
Esther Zeledon: Successful But Not Fulfilled? How to Find Your Purpose 54:00

5M ago54:00

54:00

Are you successful in the eyes of family and friends, but still feel empty and a little lost? Is there a nagging voice telling you that your life could have been bigger? Dr Esther Zeledon had scaled the heights of career success as a scientist and international diplomat, but suffered from a strong sense that things weren’t right. She left behind a …

1
Sue Atkins: How To Get On With Your In-Laws & Become a Team for Raising Your Children. 49:30

5M ago49:30

49:30

Grandparents love to spoil their grandchildren and make them happy, whereas as a parent, you take your responsibility for your children’s health and wellbeing seriously. This, together with different experiences of what childhood means, can be a recipe for anxiety and conflict. In this episode, parenting expert Sue Atkins talks with Andrew about ho…

1
Philippa Perry: What You Wish your Parents Knew and What Your Children Hope You Learn (Classic Episode) 54:04

6M ago54:04

54:04

Parents like to feel they are independent individuals making their own decisions, but in reality parenting is hugely influenced by our own experiences of childhood. In this classic early episode, Andrew and therapist and author Philippa Perry talk about how we are “links in a chain", and why it is important for parents to recognise that and ensure …

1
Dr. Pam Spurr: Emotional Eating: How to Break the Habit 49:37

6M ago49:37

49:37

Each month, 20% of us embark on a new diet. Sadly, 95% of all diets prove unsuccessful. According to psychologist and author Dr Pam Spurr, emotional eating to soothe difficult feelings is to blame. This week Andrew and Pam discuss the ways emotional eating is culturally ingrained, other strategies to self-soothe and how you can develop a more holis…

1
Kai Tai Kevin Qiu: Emotionally Immature Parents 51:52

6M ago51:52

51:52

As a child, were you made to feel like your feelings didn’t matter, while your parents’ feelings loomed large? Were your boundaries repeatedly crossed? Were you emotionally neglected? If so, you may have been raised by emotionally immature parents. In this episode Andrew talks to TikTok's popular healing transformation coach Dr. Kai Tai Kevin Qiu, …

1
Robin Stern: The Three Types of Gaslighting: How to Spot and Defuse Them 49:18

6M ago49:18

49:18

Gaslighting is an insidious form of emotional abuse in which a gaslighter undermines and controls another person by deflecting, twisting, and denying their reality. Gaslighting leaves victims second-guessing themselves, unable to make decisions and destabilised by constant shifts in reality. In this week’s episode, Andrew talks to author and psycho…

1
Dr. Paula Hall: Porn and Sex Addiction 53:46

6M ago53:46

53:46

Sex and pornography addiction is on the rise. It can affect young and old, rich and poor, male and female. Those who are in the grip of this type of addiction struggle to create and maintain "real-life" relationships, and their partners may experience feelings of grief and betrayal. In this episode Andrew talks with psychotherapist Dr Paula Hall ab…

1
Jessica Baum: Anxiously Attached? How To Be More Secure 46:05

7M ago46:05

46:05

An anxious attachment style is very common, and can lead to chaotic and unsuccessful relationships. Research suggests that anxious types are more prone to insecurity, jealousy, codependency, and other behaviours that get in the way of finding and sustaining love. In this episode psychotherapist Jessica Baum talks with Andrew about identifying and u…

1
Robert Glover: People Pleasing: Why Nobody is Really Pleased 57:46

7M ago57:46

57:46

People-pleasing is an ultimately futile and self-defeating approach to life. If we focus on making everyone else happy, we can end up frustrated, confused and resentful. Ironically, in trying to be “Mr Nice Guy”, people-pleasers often end up driven into behaviour that is anything but nice. This week Andrew talks to therapist and author Dr Robert Gl…

1
Cheryl Fraser: Kill the Soulmate and Save Your Marriage 1:00:33

7M ago1:00:33

1:00:33

If our partner really loved us, wouldn’t everything be a lot easier? If they were “the one”, surely we wouldn’t be losing our minds over towels dropped on the bathroom floor? In this episode marital therapist Dr Cheryl Fraser joins Andrew to discuss the destructive myth of the soulmate. According to Cheryl, there is no such thing as a soulmate. Whe…

1
Graham Johnston and Matt Wotton: Therapy: What It Is, Why it Works, How to Find the Right Sort. 53:50

7M ago53:50

53:50

Good therapy changes lives: people stop worrying as much, they make better decisions, they are kinder to themselves and their loved ones, they achieve more at work, they can control their anger, they are able to stop destructive habits, they form loving relationships. This week therapists Graham Johnston and Matt Wotton talk to Andrew about their n…

1
Dr Robert Neimeyer: The Six Tasks of Grief: How to Integrate Loss Into Your Life 49:27

8M ago49:27

49:27

How can we live with loss? What can we do when death shakes to the core our comfortable belief that life is predictable, the world is just, and people are reliable? This week Dr Robert A. Neimeyer of the Portland Institute for Loss and Transition joins Andrew to discuss the work of grief. Andrew and Robert discuss the task of rebuilding meaning in …

1
Douglas Thomas: What You Can Learn About Yourself From Your Sexual Fantasies 58:24

8M ago58:24

58:24

Have you allowed yourself to explore your sexual fantasies, or do they feel like dark territory that is off-limits? Have you explored them with your partner? This week I talk to Jungian psychotherapist Dr Douglas Thomas about his new book, The Deep Psychology of BDSM and Kink. We cover: Why it’s so hard to talk about your fantasies with your partne…

1
Dr. Samantha Rodman Whiten: Being an Adult Child of Dysfunctional Parents 51:00

8M ago51:00

51:00

If you were raised in a sad, chaotic home, you will unsurprisingly experience difficulties in your adult relationships. If your parents were cold and distant and discouraged the expression of emotions, you’ll be equally ill-prepared for successful relationships or effective parenting. This week Andrew talks to Dr Samantha Rodman Whiten (also known …

1
Dr Joshua Coleman: Family Estrangement 45:36

8M ago45:36

45:36

Estrangement from adult children can be one of the most disorienting and painful experiences of a parent's life. This week, Andrew talks to Dr Joshua Coleman, the author of Rules of Estrangement. They discuss: Why estrangement has become so common Why estrangement isn’t a one-sided story of parents who got what they deserved or overly entitled adul…

1
Gregory Ripley: Going with the Flow: The Hundred Remedies of the Tao 47:25

9M ago47:25

47:25

Could the ancient wisdom of Taoism help us with the emotional challenges of modern life? Author and Taoist priest Greg Ripley believes that a little-known 6th-century Taoist text called the Bai Yao Lu (Statutes of the Hundred Remedies) offers some profound answers. In this episode, Greg and Andrew discuss some of the Hundred Remedies, and how they …

1
Lisa Marchiano: Finding Your Fire: What's Holding You Back? 49:40

9M ago49:40

49:40

For many women, intense caring and nurturing relationships cause their inner fire to dim, leaving them feeling they have lost themselves. Author and Jungian analyst Lisa Marchiano’s new book is called The Vital Spark: Reclaim Your Outlaw Energies and Find Your Feminine Fire. Lisa wrote the book to help women “break free from the conditioning that h…

1
Beth Wallace: How the Menopause Impacts Your Sex Life 55:08

9M ago55:08

55:08

Menopause is a seismic transition for women, and for their partners. The physical and emotional changes it brings will undoubtedly reverberate into a couple’s sex life. Irish therapist Beth Wallace believes that this transition can be an opportunity rather than an ending. While decreases in hormones definitely impact women’s bodies in some detrimen…

1
Jeremy Fox: How to Recover From Trauma 54:08

9M ago54:08

54:08

If you’ve suffered serious trauma, you may well be feeling confused by the sudden ubiquity of the term. The concept of trauma is having its cultural moment in the sun, and seems to be constantly under discussion on social media. This week, Andrew speaks to Jeremy Fox, a therapist and trauma specialist, about: How to define trauma Different types of…

1
My Best Relationship Tools: Bonus Episode 42:00

9M ago42:00

42:00

I’m excited to launch my new online course for couples: My Best Relationship Tools. This week, I talk with my friend and podcast engineer, Michael Dooney, about how the course can make a difference in your relationship. We discuss: Why couples struggle to communicate How to stop using failing strategies New ways of approaching conflict How to liste…

1
Nataly Kogan: Breaking Negative Thought Patterns 54:03

10M ago54:03

54:03

Each and every one of us is awesome in some way - but, we are also human. Author, speaker and entrepreneur Nataly Kogan wrote her Awesome Human Journal to help people learn to honour their humanity, whilst also strengthening their emotional fitness. In this episode, Andrew and Nataly discuss how to: Edit your thoughts and quiet your inner critic Sa…

1
Erin Vandermore: Setting Intentions 49:28

10M ago49:28

49:28

Hopes, dreams and goals stretch far into the future, but intentions are about the present. Setting intentions means translating your goals into small steps you can achieve right now. Intentionality offers you a roadmap for progress and personal growth. In this episode Andrew talks with therapist Erin Vandermore about what it means to set intentions…

1
Philip Carr-Gomm: How to Improve Your Sleep 51:05

10M ago51:05

51:05

More than one third of adults suffer from insomnia or some other kind of sleep disorder. Left unaddressed, lack of sleep can lead to debilitated health, lowered resilience, and decreased performance in all aspects of life. Psychologist, author and spiritual teacher Philip Carr-Gomm’s latest book is The Gift of the Night. The book combines an extens…

1
What We Learned in 2023 58:18

10M ago58:18

58:18

Better sex, coping with strong emotions, healing your inner child and harnessing the power of compassion: these were some of the big themes that spoke to The Meaningful Life listeners in 2023. Jon from the Marshall Method team of therapists is Andrew’s special guest for this New Year’s Day episode. Andrew and Jon each choose their favourite episode…

1
Dr Cheryl Fraser: A More Loving Christmas 49:54

10M ago49:54

49:54

Christmas isn’t usually thought of as a romantic holiday, but this week Dr Cheryl Fraser explores some of the ways you and your partner can share intimacy, sensuality and thrill over the winter break (however you choose to celebrate). Andrew and Cheryl discuss: Making the most of beautiful moments. Finding the strength to say no. Planning ahead so …

1
Mark Matousek: Stoicism: How Ralph Waldo Emerson can save your life 48:31

11M ago48:31

48:31

American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson taught a path of self-reliance and self-knowledge. He emphasised self-knowledge and mindfulness as paths to happiness; also, self-reliance, cooperation, non-conformity, originality, adaptability, and receptiveness. This week, Andrew talks to author and teacher Mark Matousek about how Emerson’s twelve essenti…

1
Dr Susan Schwartz: Imposter Syndrome 56:48

11M ago56:48

56:48

The idea of “imposter syndrome” has found its cultural moment - we hear it talked about constantly, and many of us resonate with the idea of feeling like a fraud in our work or relationships. In this episode, Susan Schwartz PhD returns to the podcast to help explore the concept of imposter syndrome in more depth. Susan and Andrew discuss The ways i…

1
Krystal Mazzola Wood: Setting Boundaries 47:31

11M ago47:31

47:31

Setting boundaries can seem really hard - you wonder how the other person will react, and whether you’re strong enough to manage such a task. You’re perhaps not even sure of the difference between boundary-setting and laying down an ultimatum. Relationship expert Krystal Mazzola Wood likes to focus on the good news. If you CAN learn to set healthy …

1
Michelle Brown: Step-Parenting & What It Teaches Us About Love & Relationships 50:03

11M ago50:03

50:03

Nobody dreams of becoming a stepmother. Yet for Michelle Brown, a blogger and step-parenting expert, being a step-mother feels like something she was meant to do. Michelle has a unique bond with her step-son, and through her writing she has also become a light in the darkness for many new step-parents struggling to make things work. Michelle is the…

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The Recovering Cynic Podcasts

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