Podcasts have exploded in the last decade and for good reason. With so many interesting conversations to have out there, it can be beautifully beneficial to pop your ear buds in or turn up your speakers and listen to a wealth of wonderful information. While there are podcasts in every niche imaginable, we are looking at some of the best podcasts for self help. Taking care of our own mental well-being is majorly beneficial, especially in trying times. Sometimes simply listening to someone talk about their journey and their struggles can remind us we aren’t alone. We have picked 21 podcasts that bring self-care to the forefront of the conversation. Whether dealing with anxiety, procrastination, or looking at lifes big questions - we suggest checking out the following best self-help podcasts.
What to Know About Podcasts
Do Self Help podcasts work?
Self-help podcasts can be a great way of accessing free advice, tips, and practical points on how to shift your mindset and double down on self-care. They can also help you to feel less alone in your issues which has a positive impact on mental health.
What is the best podcast for anxiety?
There are plenty of great anxiety podcasts out there - check out Not Another Anxiety Show and The Hardcore Self Help Podcast for a couple of high-quality pods that deal with all issues around anxiety.
What is the most life-changing podcast?
The Habit Coach can change your lifestyle without you even noticing as it is all about tweaking those habits. Oprah's Supersoul Conversations can open your mind and shift your perspective on the big topics, and The Happiness Lab deals with the science behind how to get happy. All these podcasts are great for personal development.
Which podcast is best for beginners?
You can start with any podcast that calls to you. Podcasts are mostly free, easy to download, and can be in any niche you are interested in. A great self-help podcast for beginners is How to Fail or Tiny Leaps, Big Changes. How to Fail is an easy-going listen whereas Tiny Leaps can be listened to in under twenty minutes.
Do podcasts help with depression?
Yes, podcasts can help alleviate feelings of depression. When listening to self-care podcasts you may feel less alone as you hear the thoughts and feelings of others. Podcasts can be a great company and also share valuable advice.
Which podcast should I listen to if I need motivation?
There are great motivational podcasts out there including Power Hour or the 5 am Miracle Podcast which is all about amping up or streamlining your life direction even when you only have an hour to spare.
What is the best podcast to help me sleep?
There are certain podcasts out there geared towards sleep. Look for a podcast with soothing voices and topics that don’t feel too heavy as you settle into your body. Some titles can include Sleep With Me, Get Sleepy, and podcasts geared around meditation to help you sleep.
The Top Podcasts to Know
The Habit Coach
Small shifts in our habits can leave a long-lasting imprint and this podcast from Ashdin Doctor offers practical, bite-sized hints and tips to get us in the habit of tweaking our lives for the better. Each episode is around 5 minutes (therefore listening can become an easy habit to incorporate into your week) and themes covered include everything from sleep to destressing, relationships, health and nutrition and so much more. Firm in the belief that awesome lives start with awesome habits now is the time to make the change.
The Minimalist
New York Times bestsellers Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus come together to have meaningful conversations on how people can declutter their lives and their heads in this super popular podcast. With over 100 million downloads, The Minimalist Podcast dedicates each individual episode to looking at how you can simplify and streamline your life and live meaningfully with less. Covering everything from home ownership to creativity, communication, clothing, digital clutter and sex, The Minimalist may just be the breath of fresh air you needed.
The Hardcore Self-Help Podcast
Get real answers and wave farewell to psychobabble with The Hardcore Self-Help Podcast. Dr Robert Duff famed author of best-selling books F**K Depression and F**K Anxiety is a psychologist but also touts himself as a regular dude who truly wants to help people with their mental health. This pod is relaxed and chatty, and listeners say it‘s super relatable. The doc answers questions from real people and this can cover everything from setting boundaries and overcoming abuse to overthinking and embarrassment, feeling lost in life, dealing with divorce, and all those unexpected and icky things that are a part of treading water in life.
Oprah’s Supersoul Conversations
The Queen of self-care, Oprah’s Supersoul Conversations podcast is an all-time fave. This show doesn’t skim the surface but instead chooses to delve deep and has interviews with a wealth of well-picked personalities - everyone from best-selling authors to spiritual leaders, wellness experts, and of course the occasional big-name celeb too. Each episode centers loosely around a theme or conversation about the big stuff in life and the aim is to bring illumination and inspiration to all those who tune in. Topics can be around regret and forgiveness with the likes of Cheryl Strayed or putting your life in focus with Lady Gaga. Some listeners even say Oprah is helping to change their life one pod at a time.
The Happiness Lab
Dr. Laurie Santos bases her podcast on the ever-popular Yale University course which looks at real ways in which we can live a happier life. Dr Santos is here to back up her claims with solid science as she has dedicated so much of her career to actually studying the science of happiness. Rather than being brain-heavy, it takes a more inspirational approach with Dr Santos sharing stories, and examples, and propping it up with science and research to make her point. From avoiding burnout to fending off that ‘meh’ feeling and using anger in a healthy way, there’s so much good stuff to dig into.
Terrible, Thanks For Asking
Completely unapologetic in all the right ways, Terrible, Thanks for Asking is a bold podcast that takes an unflinching look at the hard stuff in life. Created by Nora McInerny in the wake of her partner‘s death, this podcast unturns every stone to really get to the nitty-gritty of what’s going on inside of people. When someone asks how you are, rather than just rolling with the societally accepted answer of ‘fine’, this pod invites people to share all their funny, sad, big, small and messy feelings. The way Nora McInerny and guests share the messiness and the stew of love and grief is totally refreshing and not without a few weepy moments.
Power Hour
Adrianne Herbert is the wellness guru that everyone is loving thanks to her premise that just one hour a day can make all the difference when it comes to seeing dramatic improvement in your life. If you have been wanting to make some changes but feel overwhelmed as to where to start, this podcast can inspire you to get up an hour earlier each day and do something meaningful with that extra hour that can shift your mindset. Whether it’s pursuing your passion, overcoming your bad habits, tackling those looming tasks, or whatever it takes to live a meaningful life - this podcast is a savvy reminder that one extra hour a day can be a gamechanger.
How to Fail
Best-selling author Elizabeth Day reminds us that sometimes failing at things can be one of the most important lessons of all with her brilliant podcast - How to Fail. Celebrating all those times when failure showed up, it can be wonderful to remember that unexpected doors and pathways can open when things don’t go to plan. Interviewing a host of famous people - from Benjamin Zephaniah to Michaell Rosen and Brene Brown, this podcast covers everything from failing at your career to your art to your relationships and your sense of self.
The 5 AM Miracle Podcast
One of those great personal development podcasts that takes the practical approach when it comes to how to up your productivity and live your life better, the 5 am Miracle Podcast is all about developing healthy habits and finding simple ways to say yes to your bliss. Jeff Sanders is the man with all the enthusiasm and self-help ideas and with episodes explaining things like the 1% rule and making dramatic improvements with minimal effort and why doing everything well is not the goal, you can get inspired to give yourself a break while simultaneously doubling down and being inspired to make positive changes. The guests are interesting, the content is super informative, and there’s actionable advice all the way. If you want to usher in the era of being one of those successful people without trying too hard, this could be your ticket.
The Life Coach School
Brooke Castillo is a master certified life coach and her Life Coach School is all about helping you learn how to coach yourself, how to feel better, and how to take massive action that will channel your life onto the right path. Working under the same umbrella, The Life Coach School Podcast is multifaceted. Yes, it can help you learn and understand the ins and outs of becoming a life coach but it can also just share hugely useful knowledge that can help you to grow and get to know yourself better. From delving into topics like having proactive relationships to addressing your attitude toward money, having a thought audit, and approaching the parts of you that you don’t always like - there’s plenty of value and heart-opening wisdom to be found here.
Under the Skin
Russel Brand puts forward luminary ideas and big interviews on his weekly podcast. The sometimes controversial comedian and host may not be to everyone‘s tastes, but he certainly doesn’t pull away from the big topics during Under the Skin. With a commitment to exploring what’s beneath the surface of our culture, dreams, history, understanding of the world, and ideas that define our time, you can expect a wide range of episodes including topics like is there a god? Anarchy and ideas for change, fighting for freedom, living untethered and more. His guests are also wide and varied and include a mix of authors, comedians, historians, journalists, film directors, and scientists.
Not Another Anxiety Show
Whether you sometimes suffer a burst of bright anxiety or if you feel constantly on edge and overwhelmed, Not Another Anxiety Show is the place to go. This podcast from Kelli Walker offers casual conversations about how to deal with anxiety in a way that goes beyond the usual. Kelli Walker is a certified health and wellness coach, a registered nurse, and someone who has had their own experience with the aspect of anxiety. By meeting with experts, this down-to-earth and practical pod covers things like getting grounded, dance movement therapy, health anxiety, and pulling ourselves out of the scarcity trap.
The Rich Roll
For those listeners looking to settle in for the long run, Rich Roll is your man. With over 500 episodes and many of them hitting the two-hour mark, The Rich Roll Podcast is perfect for when you want to listen to long conversations about challenging things delivered with ease and empathy. Rich Roll himself is a former addict but is now an ultra marathon runner. His interviewees are scientists, thought leaders, and athletes, who all share their worldviews. Fascinating, deep, and delivered without prejudice or patronizing, The Rich Roll is your Sunday afternoon soul food sorted.
Expanded
Lacy Phillips is known for helping people manifest their magic and this is exactly what she continues to do with her podcast ‘Expanded’. Centered around how surrendering to the idea of manifestation can work wonders for your life, this podcast offers a wealth of interviews with people who have tapped into manifesting and shares how it has impacted their life. From how to get to the root of anxiety to finding authenticity and looking at how we get in our own way, Expanded helps us to feel our way through the themes of manifestation so we can learn how to harness our own inner power.
Tiny Leaps, Big Changes
Gregg Clunis shares some simple strategies on the straightforward pod Tiny Leaps, Big Changes as he gets down to the nitty-gritty of how our day-to-day behaviours and choices can shape how our lives play out. Author of the book by the same name, the pod covers a wide range of habits and topics like facing down obstacles when trying to be productive, improving decision making, getting motivated, how bias can hold us back, and learning how to say no. With many episodes sitting below the twenty-minute mark this can be the pep talk you need to get the day started.
Evolution Of Self
For those who are walking along the path to higher consciousness, this podcast from Britt Tanya is just the ticket. Evolution of Self goes in deep - looking at a whole range of topics from overcoming self-sabotage to earning respect, how your beliefs can shape your reality, increasing your personal power, and vulnerable love among other things. Britt Tanya is a consciousness coach and an advanced Ho'oponopono practitioner.
Sincerely HER
Easily digestible motivational tips are the driving factor behind the podcast Sincerely HER. The host Tam is all about helping people to curate a reality that works for them and does this by offering bite-sized tricks and tips and motivational tools to become more confident, empowered, and to get what needs to be done -done. With episodes asking questions such as is passion enough? Or encouraging you to step into your own sense of bravery, these soundbites are little morale boosters of usually less than a few minutes - making them a great mental go-to over your morning coffee.
Where There's Smoke
This weekly pod is all about self-development but with an emphasis on the here and now. Looking through the lens of how pop culture and current events are shaping our experience, separates the what from the why and brings some fascinating insights and actionable points to the table. Hosts Brett Gajda and Nick Jaworski cover everything from the music of The Beatles to how Halloween and Halloween movies can deal with the theme of sincerity.
The Joy Of Procrastination
Procrastination gets a bad rap but on this weekly pod, Dean Jackson and Dan Sullivan come together to talk about the joys of procrastination. By reframing the shame and weight that lingers around procrastination, this podcast helps you to learn how you can use procrastination in a more positive way. Covering everything from delegating procrastination to finding opportunities stashed within procrastination and how to simplify things that lead to procrastination, you can take away a whole new perspective and empowerment.
The Bliss Bean Show
The lifestyle and wellness channel comes with over five million views so it‘s no surprise that this podcast was going to be a hit. The Bliss Bean Show comes from Beatrice Naujalyte and offers deep relevant discussions on a whole range of self-improvement and productivity topics. Instead of taking a heavy approach, she offers a light-hearted and honest touch that covers topics like creative methods, study methods, cycle syncing and period positivity, solo travel, and toxicity within online spaces.
Growth Philosophy
The Better Mindset Show is here with their Growth Philosophy Pod to help you improve your mind and improve your life all at the same time. By offering practical solutions to shift your mindset with only a few minutes a week, Growth Philosophy is geared towards helping you unlock potential by examining your inner thoughts and seeing how this has a wider impact on the choices you make in life.
What are your favorite self-improvement podcasts?
