Best Light Proxies Podcasts (2025)

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Got the ick? Dating, disgust and evolutionary psychology 29:36

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18m ago29:36

29:36

Have you ever experienced "the ick"? It's that sudden, visceral feeling of being put off by someone you're dating. Maybe it's their hat, a hobby or even the way they laugh. Stories of the ick are prolific online, but it leaves us with a question - what causes it? To separate red flags from disgust, we get into the psychology of the ick - why you mi…

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Jesika Jones Part 2 with Derek Jones (rebroadcast) 54:16

2d ago54:16

54:16

In the second episode of Andrea’s coverage of the Jesika Jones case, she’s joined by Derek Jones, Jesika’s then-husband. Derek bravely tells the story of how he and Jesika met, their home life, and the decline in their daughter's health. Talking to Derek gives listeners insight into the manipulative nature of perpetrators, not only with their victi…

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Jesika Jones Part 1 with Detective Mike Weber (rebroadcast) 1:05:24

3d ago1:05:24

1:05:24

Today we’re re-airing part 1 of the Jesika Jones case in Texas. Look out for part 2 with the father, Derek Jones, in the feed tomorrow! *** This week on case files, Andrea is joined by Detective Mike Weber, a crimes against children investigator and long-time friend/contributor to the show, to discuss the Jesika Jones case. Detective Mike is called…

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Hijacker: A Conversation with Martin McNally 36:46

4d ago36:46

36:46

In this exclusive Wildcide interview, Bailey gets the opportunity to sit down with hijacker Martin J. McNally and the directors of the new Netflix documentary Skyjacker, Eli Kooris and Joshua Shaffer. Together, they unpack the unbelievable real story behind the hijacking of Flight 119, the 320-mph parachute jump that stunned the nation, and the dec…

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Hijacked: The Case of Martin McNally (Part 2) 1:03:32

4d ago1:03:32

1:03:32

In Part 2, we pick up where we left off: Martin McNally has made it out of the sky alive — bruised, concussed, and unaware that the FBI is already tracing the fingerprints that will lead straight to him. Within days, Martin is captured, sentenced to life in federal prison, and shipped to USP Marion — the most secure prison in America. And inside th…

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What to know about kids mental health 29:36

5d ago29:36

29:36

Developmental paediatrician Dr Billy Garvey has seen a lot of kids with behavioural issue over the years, and there are ten things he wishes all parents understood about their kids mental health. From insecure attachment to separation anxiety to emotional difficulties – he gives us the low down on why kids get labelled ‘bad’ – and what’s really goi…

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Catching Up with Mishelle and Aunt Sabrina 1:20:38

9d ago1:20:38

1:20:38

In this follow-up to Season 6, Andrea reconnects with Mishelle and her aunt Sabrina to talk about life after sharing Collin’s story. They reflect on what it’s been like to have this information out in the world, the reactions from their community, and the personal toll of public disclosure. Mishelle shares major life updates, while Sabrina speaks a…

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Hijacked: The Case of Martin McNally (Part 1) 49:40

9d ago49:40

49:40

Long before TSA lines and shoe removal, American skies lived through the *Golden Age of Hijacking*. Between 1968 and 1972, more than 130 airliners were commandeered — and one bored ex–Navy airplane electrician from Detroit decided he could turn that chaos into his big score. Part 1 traces how Martin J. McNally became obsessed with D.B. Cooper, stud…

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Subtle Alchemies IV: Miasma, the Stain of Spilled Blood 1:05:35

9d ago1:05:35

1:05:35

The concluding episode of Subtle Alchemies. Herein, I discuss the ideal / innocent victim / victim-perpetrator paradigm as well as looking at the cowardly murders of Edgar Graham and Sean Brown. Killed for who they were perceived to be representative of. Also, the murder of RUC officer Jonathan (Jon) Reid. An in-depth series of episodes revisiting …

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Difficult people and radical acceptance: answering your questions about tricky relationships 29:35

12d ago29:35

29:35

Difficult people are everywhere. Maybe you're one of them, or maybe you're about to sit through an awkward holiday situation with someone you REALLY don't know how to handle. This week, clinical psychologist Rachel Samson returns to answer all your questions on challenging people from the All in the Mind mailbox. How do I deal with my coworker who'…

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What “The Preventionist” Left Out with Dr. Randy Alexander 1:26:10

16d ago1:26:10

1:26:10

In this episode, we close out our coverage of Serial’s The Preventionist with Dr. Randy Alexander, one of the most experienced child abuse pediatricians in the country and the former supervisor of both Dr. Deborah Jensen and Dr. Sally Smith. Randy explains how the media’s portrayal of CAPs as all-powerful fundamentally misunderstands how these case…

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Mark Hopkinson (Part 2): Killer by Proxy 1:03:02

16d ago1:03:02

1:03:02

A key witness disappears. A body is found. A grand jury convenes. And suddenly the man who ruled Bridger Valley through fear is no longer hunting—he’s being hunted. This episode takes you inside Hickey’s bombshell confession, the federal takedown of Hopkinson’s criminal network, the high-security trial that shook Wyoming, and the appeals battle tha…

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From prohibition to social media - what makes bans succeed ... or fail? 30:00

19d ago30:00

30:00

From the prohibition era in the US, to gun control in Australia, bans have been used throughout history to change behaviour. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. Sometimes, they lead to a whole lot of unintended consequences. With the social media ban for under-16’s taking effect this week, we uncover the three factors that can determine whet…

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Political Miasma and 'Proxy' Sectarianism in Northern Ireland 1:01:33

21d ago1:01:33

1:01:33

A somewhat disjointed episode, unplanned and unscripted. Nevertheless, I felt necessary, as such, to get me back into producing an episode following a sharp dip along my mental road. Anyway, in this episode I talk about some of our politicians jetting off to Israel, the Palestinian flag at Belfast City Hall, the film Black '47, victimhood as agency…

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How Do We Prevent Child Abuse? With Kathleen Strader 1:02:09

24d ago1:02:09

1:02:09

This week we’re re-releasing Andrea’s conversation with Kathleen Strader from Prevent Child Abuse America. While Nobody Should Believe Me is, at its core, raising awareness about Munchausen by Proxy abuse, we’ve been pulled into the larger question of “how do we make sure children are safe in their homes?”. We’ll continue exploring that next week d…

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Mark Hopkinson (Part 1): Killer by Proxy 1:07:30

23d ago1:07:30

1:07:30

In Part 1 of our two-part deep dive into the Hopkinson case, we trace the origins of one of Wyoming’s most shocking criminal sagas. Beginning in the quiet, rural Bridger Valley—where authority flows through family networks and reputation—we follow the early life of Mark Hopkinson, a charismatic local favorite whose charm masked a growing pattern of…

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The music that saves us 29:36

27d ago29:36

29:36

When bad things happen, do you berate yourself or treat yourself with compassion? Do you journal, meditate, or listen to music? Growing up, Sabrina McKenzie always turned to music to help her through her worst moments. As she got older and began studying psychology, she realised what she felt when she listened to sad or angry songs ... was self-com…

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The Human Cost of “The Preventionist” with Dr. Sally Smith 1:15:54

1M ago1:15:54

1:15:54

In this episode, Dr. Sally Smith is back on the mic to share her reaction to the recent appellate ruling that overturned the massive judgment against Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in the Maya Kowalski case. She talks about what the decision means for mandatory reporters, why she sees it as vindication of her work, and what it’s been like to…

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Thanksgiving Shortcide: That's Just How the Fruitcake Crumbles 38:17

1M ago38:17

38:17

This Thanksgiving, we’re serving up something sweeter than Aunt Carol’s mystery casserole. When a beloved Texas fruitcake company started bleeding money, nobody expected the sticky fingers behind the mess to belong to the accountant who made the dough. Join us as we unwrap the embezzlement scandal that turned corporate holiday cheer into a true cri…

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If everything is traumatic, is anything traumatic? The power of labels 29:36

1M ago29:36

29:36

We've come a long way in how we talk about mental health. But while diagnoses like depression and anxiety can empower people to seek help and support — they also influence how we see ourselves and how others might see us, too. Today, we investigate 'concept creep.' It's the idea that the labels we use to describe mental health are expanding and bei…

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Introducing: Dakota Spotlight Season 12 9:47

1M ago9:47

9:47

Meanwhile in Mankato: Lies, Silence & Murder in Minnesota In 1965, a teenager killed a gas-station clerk near Mankato and was sentenced to forty years. He served five. Decades later, Dakota Spotlight retraces his path — from prison to parole, from murder to manipulation — and discovers new revelations that still shock those who lived through it. **…

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Dr. Daryl Davis: Confronting Racism One Klansman at a Time (Part 2) 50:03

1M ago50:03

50:03

Last week in Part 1, we sat down with musician, author, and racial bridge-builder Dr. Daryl Davis—a man who has spent decades sitting across from members of the Ku Klux Klan and asking the world’s most disarming question: “How can you hate me when you don’t even know me?” Daryl shared how simple human curiosity opened doors that fear had sealed shu…

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Dr. Jessica Pryce on the Harms of the Child Welfare System 42:29

1M ago42:29

42:29

In light of the overturned ruling of Kowalski v Johns Hopkins and Serial’s The Preventionist, we’re reairing an episode from our Kowalski season in which Andrea dives into the complexities around reporting child abuse suspicions. *** With the jury's stunning $242 million verdict in favor of the Kowalski family, host Andrea Dunlop looks at why this …

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The Charrette: Ann Atwater and C.P. Ellis (Part 2) 1:11:52

1M ago1:11:52

1:11:52

In Part 2, we pick up inside Durham’s 1971 school charrette — the collision point where a civil rights legend and a Klan leader are forced to sit face-to-face for ten days and decide the fate of the city’s schools. What begins as shouting, sabotage, and years of rage finally cracks open into something neither of them saw coming: recognition. Across…

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‘What if I’m a paedophile?’ The intrusive thoughts that haunted Uma 29:38

1M ago29:38

29:38

You've probably experienced intrusive thoughts — bizarre, fleeting, sometimes inappropriate thoughts that cross your mind without warning. Although these can be weird to experience, they're totally normal. But for people with obsessive compulsive disorder these thoughts can become inescapable — leading to worry, compulsions and shame. Today we're t…

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Dr. Daryl Davis: Confronting Racism One Klansman at a Time (Part 1) 58:43

1M ago58:43

58:43

Dr. Daryl Davis is an international recording artist who has performed and toured all 50 States and around the world. He has performed extensively with Chuck Berry, The Legendary Blues Band (formerly The Muddy Waters Blues Band), Elvis Presley’s Jordanaires, and many others. He is also a man who has sat across from members of the Ku Klux Klan—by ch…

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“The Preventionist” Erases Munchausen by Proxy with Dr. Jim Hamilton 1:07:56

1M ago1:07:56

1:07:56

In the second part of Andrea’s rebuttal to The Preventionist, Serial Productions’ podcast on child abuse pediatrician Dr. Debra Jenssen, she speaks with Dr. Jim Hamilton, a leading expert on Munchausen by proxy. They break down how prevalence statistics are misused, what The Preventionist gets wrong, and why leaving out key details—like the Steltz’…

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The Charrette: Ann Atwater and C.P. Ellis (Part 1) 59:58

1M ago59:58

59:58

In 1971 Durham, North Carolina, a civil rights activist and a Ku Klux Klan leader are forced to share a table—and a title. Before that moment, though, their collision was decades in the making. In this first half of our two-part series, we trace Ann Atwater’s rise from public housing organizer to unshakable community force, and C.P. Ellis’s descent…

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Consumer behaviour and the quest for cool 28:45

2M ago28:45

28:45

According to consumer psychology, there's a recipe for being cool. And surprisingly, the ingredients are similar across a bunch of countries and cultures. So today, we explore the concept of cool: what it says about our values and how it influences us. But be warned — if you try too hard to be cool, it might unravel your attempt before you even get…

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Kowalski v Johns Hopkins overturned with Ethen Shapiro 57:50

2M ago57:50

57:50

In this episode, Andrea sits down with Ethen Shapiro, trial counsel for Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, to unpack the landmark appellate decision overturning the $200 million verdict in the Kowalski v. Johns Hopkins case. Ethen explains how the ruling reinforces the immunity given to mandatory reporters acting in good faith when reporting su…

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Shortcide: She's a Bad Mama Jama 54:16

2M ago54:16

54:16

This Shortcide is all glitter, salt rims, and felony-level delusion. First up — Rita Crundwell: the beloved small-town comptroller who quietly drained an entire Illinois city for 22 years to fund her rhinestone horse empire. She stole $53.7 million from Dixon — the biggest municipal fraud in U.S. history — all while winning world championships and …

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Narcissist, or just a pain? How to deal with difficult people 33:29

2M ago33:29

33:29

You know how certain people are just… difficult? Maybe they're prickly to be around, don't take feedback well, or act like a narcissist? Today we're learning how to handle relationships with difficult people; from setting boundaries, to understanding the role of attachment and temperament on behaviour. Plus, is it ever the right time to cut someone…