Best directedbysimon Podcasts (2026)

1
The Drama Triangle & Bedrotting 48:02

Play Pause

15h ago48:02

48:02

This Isn't Therapy... it's an episode about The Drama Triangle by Stephen Karpman and chronically online terminology, from brainrot to bedrot. Asking for a Friend: https://forms.gle/LofZNaNzGe22W7XG7 Follow us! Instagram & TikTok | @thisisnttherapypod Jake | @mswjake Simon | @directedbysimon Listen to This Isn’t Therapy: Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://open.…

1
Setting Good Goals & Disaster Capitalism 40:13

8d ago40:13

40:13

This Isn't Therapy... it's an episode about goal setting and the careless need to create carnage in the name of profit. Asking for a Friend: https://forms.gle/LofZNaNzGe22W7XG7 Follow us! Instagram & TikTok | @thisisnttherapypod Jake | @mswjake Simon | @directedbysimon Listen to This Isn’t Therapy: Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://open.spotify.com/show/0gvAhp…

1
🦌🎁 Rizzdolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer 🎁🦌 21:59

12d ago21:59

21:59

Tune in to the NOW HOLIDAY CLASSIC, Rizzdolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer and hang around for the past two years of holiday remixes: 'Twas The Night Before Therapy and How The Grinch Stole Therapy.By Jake Ernst & Simon Paluck

1
30-Day Digital Detox & The Roles of Social Change 57:19

22d ago57:19

57:19

This Isn't Therapy... it's an essential guide for detoxing from our digital devices and a discussion about the roles of social change. Asking for a Friend: https://forms.gle/LofZNaNzGe22W7XG7 Follow us! Instagram & TikTok | @thisisnttherapypod Jake | @mswjake Simon | @directedbysimon Listen to This Isn’t Therapy: Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://open.spotify.…

1
Wayward & "The Performative Male" 53:39

29d ago53:39

53:39

This Isn't Therapy... it's a discussion about this Fall's most popular Netflix show, Wayward, and therapeutic treatment programs. Then we discuss the controversial identity of "the performative male" and what that means for modern masculinity. Asking for a Friend: https://forms.gle/LofZNaNzGe22W7XG7 Follow us! Instagram & TikTok | @thisisnttherapyp…

1
Labubus & FOMO-JOMO 46:07

1M ago46:07

46:07

This Isn't Therapy... it's a convo about fans and fandoms, trends and crazes, and the recent fanaticism about Labubus. Next up, we'll cover JOMO: The Joy of Missing Out and how that differs from FOMO: The Fear of Missing Out. Asking for a Friend: https://forms.gle/LofZNaNzGe22W7XG7 Follow us! Instagram & TikTok | @thisisnttherapypod Jake | @mswjake…

1
Touch Deprivation & Wicked: For Good 51:19

1M ago51:19

51:19

This Isn't Therapy... it's a long-awaited discussion of Wicked: For Good! But first, we discuss the emerging phenomenon of touch deprivation and how skin hunger keeps us locked into cycles of disconnection. Asking for a Friend: https://forms.gle/LofZNaNzGe22W7XG7 Follow us! Instagram & TikTok | @thisisnttherapypod Jake | @mswjake Simon | @directedb…

1
K-Pop Demon Hunters & Mushroom Mommies 50:30

2M ago50:30

50:30

We're back!! This Isn't Therapy...this is a fun, flirty, fab convo about K-Pop Demon Hunters and Mushroom Mommies. Both have more therapy themes than you think… Asking for a Friend: https://forms.gle/LofZNaNzGe22W7XG7 Follow us! Instagram & TikTok | @thisisnttherapypod Jake | @mswjake Simon | @directedbysimon Listen to This Isn’t Therapy: Spotify: …

1
ENCORE: Giving feedback to your therapist 43:15

2M ago43:15

43:15

This Isn't Therapy...this is an episode about some hard truths learned in therapy. Ever wonder how to give your therapist some feedback?! Or even how would my therapist react if I gave them some feedback?! Through a story posted by an anonymous reddit user, Jake and Simon examine a therapists' struggle after they received some challenging feedback …

1
ENCORE: The pursuit of endless bliss 44:29

2M ago44:29

44:29

This Isn't Therapy... it's an *encore* episode about the pursuit of endless bliss. Many people arrive to therapy with a "fantasy goal" thinking they want to be calm, happy, and relaxed all the time. Through two #lovelylistener stories, Jake and Simon talk about how to find a realistic sense of joy, happiness, purpose, and pleasure and what we can (…

1
ENCORE: Is therapy harming kids? 48:16

3M ago48:16

48:16

This Isn't Therapy...this is an *encore* critical look at the argument that children need less therapy, not more, and how this "mental heath culture" is stripping parents of autonomy, ultimately causing more harm than good. In this episode, Jake and Simon dive into a review (written by Anna Nordberg for Slate) for a book by a right-leaning conspira…

1
ENCORE: The pressure to be happy 40:14

3M ago40:14

40:14

This Isn't Therapy... it's the *encore* episode about the pressure to be happy. In this episode, Jake and Simon talk about how to feel authentically happy when there's a lot of pressure to perform positivity or force happy feelings. Jake and Simon hear from two Lovely Listeners who wonder about the true meaning of happiness and how to spot the diff…

1
ENCORE: How social media is re-wiring our brain 32:41

3M ago32:41

32:41

This Isn't Therapy... it's the *encore* surprise solo session with Jake! In this episode, Jake shares two snippets from his weekly newsletter Just Trying To Help. Jake walks us through his theories for how social media is re-wiring our brains, reshaping our moods, and changing how we connect. P.S. Happy Leap Year! Ribbit Ribbit! Read the full artic…

1
ENCORE: Doom-slang is making us numb 46:26

3M ago46:26

46:26

This Isn't Therapy... it's an *encore* doomy episode about the ever-evolving landscape of doomslang. Doomslang, coined by author and linguist Amanda Montell, is a term used to describe dystopian jargon like “dumpster fire” and “doomscroll” and “bed rot”. In this episode, Jake and Simon talk about how the constant conjuring of End Times is having su…

1
ENCORE: We talk to an AI therapist! 41:20

4M ago41:20

41:20

FROM THE VAULT: This Isn't Therapy... it's the *encore* episode about AI therapists and if they can ever replace the real thing. In this episode, Jake and Simon discuss a recent BBC article about why teens are seeking out AI therapist bots and what that means for the future of mental health. Conversational AI or, in other words, "chatbots with a pe…

1
ENCORE: What to do when therapy isn't working 46:58

4M ago46:58

46:58

This isn't therapy... and it's not working out, either! In this *encore* episode, Jake and Simon discuss what to do when therapy isn't working. Importantly, they talk about how to know if therapy is actually working and what to do when you feel like it's not. This episode is based on a Lovely Listener question: "If I cry in therapy, does that mean …

1
ENCORE: Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn 49:22

4M ago49:22

49:22

This Isn't Therapy... it's the episode about the four F's: fight, flight, freeze, and fawn. In this episode, Jake and Simon discuss the four threat responses and how to move through tough situations and face what's in front of us. This episode is for anyone who feels trapped by their reactions or is left feeling overwhelmed by stressful situations.…

1
ENCORE: The two most essential skills for relationships 48:08

5M ago48:08

48:08

This Isn't Therapy... it's a long overdue convo about the two most essential skills in relationships. In this episode, Jake and Simon discuss a statistic about emotional availability: on average, we are only emotionally available for our partners about 9% of the time. With that in mind, they discuss how to get closer to the 9% using the two essenti…

1
ENCORE: The invisible toll of parentification 43:15

5M ago43:15

43:15

This Isn't Therapy... it's the episode about one of the things that robs kids of a care-free childhood: being parentified. When kids are forced to grow up too soon and become adults in childhood, kids can take on adult-like responsibilities and burdens. In this episode, we talk about the difference between healthy responsibility for kids and parent…

1
ENCORE: Parasocial Relationships 38:33

5M ago38:33

38:33

This Isn't Therapy... it's the episode about parasocial relationships; the one-sided emotional connections we have with casual acquaintances, people we "know" online, characters we watch in television and movies, and people we admire from afar. In this episode, Jake and Simon talk about some examples from pop culture, such as Chappell Roan's desire…

1
ENCORE: The Empathy Wars 46:25

5M ago46:25

46:25

This isn’t therapy… it’s part three in our series about the war on human connection. In this episode, we talk about how overwhelming people with tragic and distressing information about the world leads to a decline in empathy. Jake and Simon discuss how a decline in rates of empathy affect our ability to practice perspective taking and experience e…

1
ENCORE: The Opinion Wars 47:51

6M ago47:51

47:51

This Isn't Therapy... it's a follow up to last week's episode about the attention wars. In this episode, we explore the concept of "agree to disagree" and how there seems to be a war of opinions playing out in our culture. Is it really possible to find common ground when opinions clash? We discuss strategies for navigating disagreements and the key…

1
ENCORE: The Attention Wars 41:42

6M ago41:42

41:42

This Isn't Therapy... it's a frank discussion about the "attention economy"—where companies compete to capture our focus to sell us products. We break down the difference between attention, focus, and concentration, and examine how the constant battle for our attention impacts our mental health, productivity, and relationships. We discuss the hidde…

1
ENCORE: Feeling Hopeless 41:20

6M ago41:20

41:20

This Isn't Therapy... it's our *encore* eppy from our first episode BACKKKK (from last year!!) This week, we're talking about why finding hope can often feel so hopeless in hopeless in times. We peel back the curtain on an article from The New Yorker called "Do you have hope?" which looks at the ways hope can live alongside despair, pain, and grief…

1
ENCORE: Can AI replace human relationships? 52:35

7M ago52:35

52:35

This Isn't Therapy... it's a thought-provoking *encore* episode about the growing influence of artificial intelligence in our personal lives. We ask the big question: Can AI truly replace human relationships? From AI companions and virtual therapists to chatbots that promise emotional support, technology is reshaping the way we connect. But what ha…

1
ENCORE: Learning to be alone 43:53

7M ago43:53

43:53

This Isn't Therapy...this is a flirty fab *encore* conversation about loneliness versus being alone. Through two #lovelylistener stories, Jake and Simon explore feelings around how we can feel lonely even though we're surrounded by people we love. Also, how being alone does not always mean you are lonely. P.S. Don't forget: Submit a quandary, query…

1
ENCORE: Is it possible to be "too emotional"? 48:49

7M ago48:49

48:49

This Isn't Therapy...it’s the ENCORE to our episode about emotions and emotionality. Am I overacting? Under-reacting? In this conversation, Jake and Simon chat about the normal, human, everyday emotions that show up in our lives. How do we know if our reactions are within a healthy range? They use the Window of Tolerance model to discuss big and sm…

1
The Mind-Body Connection 39:20

7M ago39:20

39:20

This Isn't Therapy... it's a discussion about the mind-body connection~ wooOOoO!! Nah, in all seriousness, Jake and Simon unpack some interesting data about the gut and how it's being considered a second brain for its ability to drive instinct, help us refocus, and hone in on what really matters. In this episode, we discuss through some final lovel…

1
So what are emotions, anyway? 43:21

7M ago43:21

43:21

This Isn't Therapy... it's the episode about emotions! In this episode, Jake and Simon respond to a listener question... so what are emotions, anyway? They break down the core emotions and how to distinguish emotions from feelings, thoughts, and moods. This episode is def for you if you've ever wondered how to control your emotions (or can you?) an…

1
How to become your true self 53:38

8M ago53:38

53:38

This Isn't Therapy... it's a juicy convo about what it takes to become self-led. In this episode, we talk about self-leadership and how to build a sturdy and reliable self-esteem that doesn't dissolve under the sometimes-crushing weight of criticism, negative feedback, shame and self-doubt. This is an active episode so grab your pens and notebooks.…

1
Validate me, please! 41:08

8M ago41:08

41:08

This Isn't Therapy... it's an episode about seeking validation (online). Are we becoming obsessed with our quest for constant reassurance, approval, and external validation? In this episode, Jake and Simon explore the sugar high that comes with too much external affirmation and how this weird, wacky, online world is eroding our sense of self. But i…

1
The problem with positivity: Unpacking the pressure to be happy 40:14

8M ago40:14

40:14

This Isn't Therapy... it's the episode about the pressure to be happy. In this episode, Jake and Simon talk about how to feel authentically happy when there's a lot of pressure to perform positivity or force happy feelings. Jake and Simon hear from two Lovely Listeners who wonder about the true meaning of happiness and how to spot the difference be…

1
Peak Parasocial: The social relationships that aren't 38:33

8M ago38:33

38:33

This Isn't Therapy... it's the episode about parasocial relationships; the one-sided emotional connections we have with casual acquaintances, people we "know" online, characters we watch in television and movies, and people we admire from afar. In this episode, Jake and Simon talk about some examples from pop culture, such as Chappell Roan's desire…

1
Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn 49:22

9M ago49:22

49:22

This Isn't Therapy... it's the episode about the four F's: fight, flight, freeze, and fawn. In this episode, Jake and Simon discuss the four threat responses and how to move through tough situations and face what's in front of us. This episode is for anyone who feels trapped by their reactions or is left feeling overwhelmed by stressful situations.…

1
The two most essential skills for relationships 48:08

9M ago48:08

48:08

This Isn't Therapy... it's a long overdue convo about the two most essential skills in relationships. In this episode, Jake and Simon discuss a statistic about emotional availability: on average, we are only emotionally available for our partners about 9% of the time. With that in mind, they discuss how to get closer to the 9% using the two essenti…

1
Have we lost the plot in our attempts to de-stigmatize mental health? 52:06

9M ago52:06

52:06

This Isn't Therapy... it's a conversation about mental health stigma and how we may have lost the plot in our attempts to de-stigmatize mental health. In this episode, we unpack RaQuel Hopkins' viral videos about mental health language, turning mental health labels into identities, and expanding our resilience and personal capacity to tolerate diff…

1
The Empathy Wars: Declining connection in a divided world 46:25

9M ago46:25

46:25

This isn’t therapy… it’s part three in our series about the war on human connection. In this episode, we talk about how overwhelming people with tragic and distressing information about the world leads to a decline in empathy. Jake and Simon discuss how a decline in rates of empathy affect our ability to practice perspective taking and experience e…

1
The Opinion Wars: Can we really "agree to disagree"? 47:51

10M ago47:51

47:51

This Isn't Therapy... it's a follow up to last week's episode about the attention wars. In this episode, we explore the concept of "agree to disagree" and how there seems to be a war of opinions playing out in our culture. Is it really possible to find common ground when opinions clash? We discuss strategies for navigating disagreements and the key…

1
The Attention Wars: How the attention economy is reshaping the world… and us 41:42

10M ago41:42

41:42

This Isn't Therapy... it's a frank discussion about the "attention economy"—where companies compete to capture our focus to sell us products. We break down the difference between attention, focus, and concentration, and examine how the constant battle for our attention impacts our mental health, productivity, and relationships. We discuss the hidde…

1
How to be alone without feeling lonely 46:48

10M ago46:48

46:48

This isn't therapy... it's a deeper dive into the topic of loneliness. Through stories submitted by the Loveliest Listeners, Jake and Simon discuss the crisis of loneliness and how to differentiate between feelings of loneliness and being alone. They also talk about the number one protective factor to combat loneliness and share their own reflectio…

1
What to do when therapy isn't working 46:58

10M ago46:58

46:58

This isn't therapy... and it's not working out, either! In this episode, Jake and Simon discuss what to do when therapy isn't working. Importantly, they talk about how to know if therapy is actually working and what to do when you feel like it's not. This episode is based on a Lovely Listener question: "If I cry in therapy, does that mean it's work…

1
External validation and the quest for self-worth 41:08

11M ago41:08

41:08

This Isn't Therapy... it's an episode about seeking validation (online). Are we becoming obsessed with our quest for constant reassurance, approval, and external validation? Piggy backing off last week's episode on narcism, Jake and Simon explore the sugar high that comes with too much external affirmation and how this weird, wacky, online world is…

1
Where did all these narcissists come from? 49:00

11M ago49:00

49:00

This Isn't Therapy... it's the long-overdue episode about narcissism. In this episode, we break down what narcissism really is, how it differs from strong self-esteem and healthy narcissism, and why the term is being overused in today’s culture. While true narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a serious condition, many of us display narcissist…

1
Inside the mind of a Chameleon Kid 42:52

11M ago42:52

42:52

This Isn't Therapy... it's a deep dive into the world of “chameleon kids” — children who adapt their personalities, emotions, and behaviours to fit their surroundings and meet the unspoken needs of others. These kids are often labeled as “the good child,” “the helper,” or “the rule-follower,” but beneath the surface lies a complex mix of empathy, s…

1
Nanoships, microconnections, and bite-sized bonds 45:21

11M ago45:21

45:21

This Isn't Therapy... it's a frank convo about the ever-changing language we use to describe our relationships. From loud looking to kiss-mets, the way we're seeking and obtaining connections continues to change alongside changes in technology and culture. This week, we discuss how nanoships, or in other words bite-sized relational moments, may be …

1
Regret It or Forget It: When to regret and when to release 38:59

11M ago38:59

38:59

This Isn't Therapy... it’s a juicy convo about the power of regret. In a culture that would prefer us to "get over it" and "forget it" altogether, we unpack the ways that regret and remorse play out across the lifespan. Through listener story submissions, we discuss when it’s best to regret and when it's better to release. This conversation is for …

1
Can AI replace real relationships? 52:35

12M ago52:35

52:35

This Isn't Therapy... it's a thought-provoking episode about the growing influence of artificial intelligence in our personal lives. We ask the big question: Can AI truly replace human relationships? From AI companions and virtual therapists to chatbots that promise emotional support, technology is reshaping the way we connect. But what happens whe…

1
Too much, too young: The toll of parentification 43:15

12M ago43:15

43:15

This Isn't Therapy... it's the episode about one of the things that robs kids of a care-free childhood: being parentified. When kids are forced to grow up too soon and become adults in childhood, kids can take on adult-like responsibilities and burdens. In this episode, we talk about the difference between healthy responsibility for kids and parent…

1
Four questions to help you become self-led 53:38

1y ago53:38

53:38

This Isn't Therapy... it's a juicy convo about what it takes to become self-led. In this episode, we talk about self-leadership and how to build a sturdy and reliable self-esteem that doesn't dissolve under the sometimes-crushing weight of criticism, negative feedback, shame and self-doubt. This is an active episode so grab your pens and notebooks.…

1
Why does finding hope feel so hopeless? 41:20

1y ago41:20

41:20

This Isn't Therapy... it's our first episode BACKKKK! This week, we're talking about why finding hope can often feel so hopeless in hopeless in times. We peel back the curtain on an article from The New Yorker called "Do you have hope?" which looks at the ways hope can live alongside despair, pain, and grief. We discuss what hope is, how hope can b…

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