2022 was a bad year for a lot of things, but podcasting wasn’t one of them. Building on some great releases in 2021, this year brought the best line-up I’ve seen yet. In this list, I’ve focused on psychology adjacent podcasts: great shows by non-psychologists which cover issues important to psychologists. Each explores the intersection between psychology and hot topics including social media, reality tv, drug addiction and crime.

Chameleon: Wild Boys investigates the story of Tom and Will Green, two teenage boys who emerged in the Canadian town of Vernon in 2003. Tom and Will said they were homeless and shared a strange story: they had escaped an off-the-grid upbringing in the woods, raised by their parents, Mary and Joseph. This podcast uncovers the truth behind Tom and Will’s escape to Vernon. Expertly told, this podcast draws out all the threads of their complex reality, exploring the intersections between psychology, family connections and society. Created by Campside Media, you can listen to Wild Boys here.

Can I tell you a secret? explores the impact of internet stalking, focusing on the perpetrator Matthew Hardy who is one of the most prolific cyber stalkers of all time. This podcast takes a nuanced and informative approach to tackling this difficult topic. First explored from the perspective of the victims, host Kirin Sale unpicks the devastating reality of being targeted by a cyber stalker. She then explores the potential causes of Matthew’s behaviour, eliciting a complex interplay between neurodiversity, mental health problems, social status and social media. Created by the Guardian, you can listen to Can I tell you a secret? here.

Edge of reality is possibly the best podcast I listened to all year. It charts the inception and growth of the reality tv genre, from its birth in the 1990s to the behemoth it is today. It faces concerning realities: the lack of pay for participants, the questionable aftercare and the unusual number of suicides by former participants. It also questions the role of mental health professionals in this exploitative industry, including psychologists. Where are we when all this is happening? There, apparently, enabling the behind-the-scenes mechanics and giving it a rubber stamp of credibility. This series takes a 360-degree perspective to its topic, interviewing former participants, tv producers and contributing experts. An Audible Original, you can listen to Edge of reality here.

The Opportunist: Chris Bathum investigates Chris Bathum, the CEO of the addiction treatment chain Community Recovery Los Angeles (CRLA). Bathum started CRLA when he spotted a lack of regulation surrounding the US drug and alcohol rehabilitation sector, and an opportunity to make money. He held no relevant qualifications or registrations but appointed himself head therapist and lead of his newly created mental health facility. Told from the perspectives of his employees and victims, The Opportunist journals Bathum’s abuses. It highlights the importance of adequate regulations in delivering healthy, functioning psychological support and the vulnerability of patients when this is absent. Created by Kastmedia, you can listen to The Opportunist: Chris Bathum here.

Bed of lies: Blood is the second season of the Bed of lies podcast. It covers the UK Haemophilia blood scandal which occurred in the 1970s and 1980s. Contaminated blood products were bought from the US and administered to UK patients, many of whom were children. It caused nearly 5,000 people with haemophilia to become infected with HIV and AIDs. This podcast is a deep dive into the lived experience of these people and their families. It unpacks what it means to live with government-enabled stigma, injustice and loss. For me, it is reminiscent of both the Thalidomide scandal and the US Oxycontin disaster. A fantastic piece of journalism, Bed of lies: Blood explores the intersections between health systems, politics, physical health and psychological wellbeing. A Telegraph podcast, you can listen to Bed of lies here.

What makes someone falsify that they have life-limiting illnesses and disabilities? Sympathy Pains tells the story of Sarah Delashmit, exploring this question through the eyes of the people she conned. For 20 years, Sarah used internet forums to join groups, make friends and create new personas. Invariably, these personas had heart-rending stories to tell. They had terminal cancer, abusive husbands and had lost children. Was it money that motivated Sarah, or a personal need for attention from others? Did she care how she impacted those she deceived, or was she unable to experience empathy? Sympathy Pains is a fascinating walk through the interplay between psychology, criminality and social media. Created by Neon Hum Media and iHeartRadio, you can listen to Sympathy Pains here.

The intersection between self-help and new religions has long fascinated me. There are numerous examples of high-control organisations which began by offering basic psychological support and advice. Scientology and NXIVM are both high profile examples of these. The Sunshine Place covers Synanon, an organisation which was initially founded in the 1950s to help people addicted to narcotics, or ‘dope fiends’ in Synanon lingo. The success of its drug rehab services didn’t satisfy CEO Chuck Dietrich, though. His vision was much larger, wider encompassing and far more sinister. The Sunshine Place charts Synanon’s gradual transition from a psychological treatment centre to a violent cult. From C13Originals, you can listen to the Sunshine Place here.

What makes someone die from Covid without even attending the local hospital? This is the springboard for We were three, a three-part mini series into the lives of one American family. Initially, We were three explores the impact of Covid conspiracies and the factors which can make people vulnerable to them. It highlights the role of the US health system, which is notoriously the most expensive and worst (by many outcome indicators) of all developed countries. Before long though, you realise that this is really a story of alcoholism, neglect and abuse. It explores the psychological impact of poverty, fractured relationships and instability on the psyche of a growing child. Hard to categorise or pin down, We were three is personal, touching and captivating. Created by The New York Times and Serial Productions, you can listen to We were three here.

I love podcasts. I discovered them in 2019, when there was over 800,000 to choose from. Since then, the number has increased even more and is estimated to stand at around 2 million. Navigating this enormous catalogue to find the best is an ongoing challenge. Here, I select my top 8 podcasts for psychologists, psychology students and psychology enthusiasts from 2021. Strictly speaking, they’re not all psychology podcasts, but they do all address issues in psychology and healthcare which any psychologist (professional or aspiring) will find interesting. For my 2022 list, click this link.

Sweet Bobby tells the story of Kirat Assi, a local radio presenter and successful marketer who became the victim of a decade-long catfishing operation which eventually ruled her life, behaviour and relationships. This investigative podcast explores the nature of the catfishing operation and the motives of the catfisher through in-depth interviews with Kirat herself and psychology experts, including Dr Chris Hand and Dr Lucy Foulkes. It asks difficult questions about coercive control and abusive relationships, highlighting how easy it is to become the victim of catfishing. By Tortoise Media, more information about Sweet Bobby can be found here.

On the surface, Hooked tells the story of a successful American bank robber – possibly the most successful of all time. Tony Hathaway robbed 30 banks in the space of a year before he was caught in 2014. However, drawing on three years’ worth of interview material, Hooked is much more than this. Before he was a bank robber, Tony Hathaway was a heroin addict. Before that, he was dependent on Oxycontin, the pharmaceutical version of heroin which was marketed as safe and non-addictive; and before that, he was a successful engineer for Boeing and a father of two. Hooked walks us through Tony’s journey, diving into the psychological nature of addiction and addressing the US opioid epidemic which has killed half a million Americans. For me, the story was reminiscent of the Thalidomide catastrophe – a devastating crisis inflicted on innocent populations for which the responsible pharmaceutical company has never been properly held accountable. It has many twists and turns, but ultimately ends happily. As Tony reflects in the final episode, “Looking back on it, it’s just insane… to think, what were you thinking?” For psychologists and psychology enthusiasts, Hooked is a fascinating and thoughtful exploration of what it means to be trapped in the vicious cycle of addiction. Hooked is by Campside Media and you can find more information about the show here.

Going strong since 2007, BBC Radio 4’s All in the Mind is presented by Claudia Hammond and covers a wide range of psychological and mental health topics, including investigating whether supplements can improve mental health, whether pollution harms mental health and whether working in the office can boost well-being. Each episode includes interviews top psychologists, science journalists and mental health experts about recent research studies and popular psychological books. It’s also worth mentioning that my colleague at the University of Leeds, Professor Daryl O’Connor, is a regular highlight on the show. Always engaging and interesting, All in the Mind is one of my top podcasts for psychologists and psychology enthusiasts. For more information, see here.

In this podcast series, Clinical Psychologist David B Feldman talks straight to microphone, mixing personal anecdotes with research evidence to discuss psychological perspectives on topical issues. Episodes focus on varied subjects including politics and voting, the Covid-19 pandemic and recent film releases. He also uses these snippet-style podcasts to provide brief introductions to psychological topics such as gratitude, grieving and mindfulness. If you have a short attention span like me, this engaging podcast is a great way to build general knowledge on a wide range of psychological issues. Psychology in 10 Minutes is available on Soundcloud, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

This podcast tells the story of Miriam Rivera, the transgender TV star who featured in ‘There’s something about Miriam’, the 2004 reality show where a group of UK heterosexual cis-gender men competed for Miriam’s affections over the course of 2 weeks. The twist of the show was that the men had not been informed that Miriam was transgender until the competition had finished and the winner had been announced. The fall-out was devastating; the men launched a lawsuit against the production company and Miriam was attacked by the UK press. This podcast raises questions about the involvement of psychologists in the preparations for the show. An unnamed “TV psychologist” was deeply involved through all preparations for the show, helping with casting and reassuring the directors that specific selected male contestants were ‘good to go’. However, this “psychologist” could have held any set of qualifications, as the title ‘psychologist’ is not protected in the UK and can be used by literally anyone. Would a properly trained, qualified and registered psychologist have allowed themselves to be involved in such an ethically, morally and emotionally questionable tv show? Would they have made different decisions? Should psychologists be involved with such shows at all, or be speaking out against them? Harsh Reality: the Story of Miriam Rivera is food for thought on all these questions. By Wondery, you can find out more information about the show here.

Now in its second series and currently presented by Sally Tilt and Dr Kerensa Hocken, the Forensic Psychology Podcast is “a chance to hear the real voice of real forensic psychologists”. Aimed at both Forensic Psychologists and those interested in the field, each episode interviews a different guest, either an expert in the topic of the show or a person with lived experience of forensic services. Topics are handled in a considered and sensitive way, giving the show and intelligent and informed feel. Recent highlights include interviews with David S Prescott on responding to trauma and Erwin James on becoming rehabilitated following incarceration. Episodes come with excellent show notes and relevant links and references, making the series a useful resource. The show is also interactive, and listeners are encouraged to email or tweet the presenters with questions for them and their upcoming guests, which they will select to answer during the show. Funded by the UK Ministry of Justice, you can find out more about the show here and tweet them @podcastforensic.

I highly recommended Dr Death Season 1 in my 2019 podcast round-up; Season 3, Miracle Man, is equally shocking. It tells the story of thoracic surgeon Paolo Macchiarini, who held a visiting researcher position at Sweden’s prestigious Karolinska Institutet (KI), which is associated with the Nobel Prizes. Macchiarini claimed he was conducting ground-breaking research and that he was able to use plastic “scaffolds” (moulds), doused with stem cells, to help people re-grow new tracheas. This was intended to be an improvement on traditional organ transplants for people with failing tracheas, and Macchiarini performed this operation on 20 patients altogether. Without giving spoilers, all I can say is that Macchiarini was not being honest, and his incredible capacity for deception was reflected in his personal life. Miracle Man is a hair-raising, roller-coaster of a story which benefits from input both from his professional colleagues and his former fiancée, Benita Alexander. For psychologists, it raises questions about patient safety, research ethics and whistle-blowing – forcing us to confront that difficult question, would we be brave enough to act, if we were concerned about the practice of a colleague? By Wondery, you can find out more information about Dr Death, Season 3: Miracle Man here.

Consumed by Desire is a 3-part BBC Radio 4 series hosted by psychotherapist Philippa Perry which covers the role of desire in culture, popular media, addiction and relationships. Perry interviews experts and artists to gain a sense of the key issues, including psychoanalyst, Adam Phillips, journalist and author Ask Sarkar and artist Michael Landy, who destroyed all his belongings in a renunciation of consumerism in 2001. Through the narrative, Perry suggests that we need to recognise the interdependency between ourselves as people better, to improve our mental health. “In a commodity bound culture… we find too many substitute gratifications [for relationships]” Adam Phillips explains, “be needy”. As well as being one of my top podcasts for psychologists, this series will appeal to anyone interested in the interplay between mental wellbeing, culture and society. Two episodes of this well-crafted, well-produced series are currently available (see here), with the final episode airing on January 4, 2022.

2019 was the year I discovered podcasts. I’m not alone – it’s estimated that there are currently 800 000 podcasts, an increase of 250 000 since the middle on 2018. Here, I share some of my favourites. While most of these aren’t targeted specifically at health or psychology audiences, they all tackle events or issues likely to appeal to people working or studying in these areas, including everything from healthcare scandals to recorded counselling sessions.

Dr Death

This was the most shocking podcast I listened to in 2019. It charts the story of Christopher Duntsch, a US neurosurgeon who claimed to be the best in Dallas. He has since been convicted of maiming one of his patients and sentenced to life imprisonment. Altogether, he is thought to have caused the death and maiming of 33 patients. The show has been criticised for sensationalising the story for entertainment and is certainly not told in the style of a documentary. However, for anyone interested in healthcare safety, it’s a horrifying, absorbing cautionary tale on what can happen when adequate safeguards are not in place to ensure professional standards. From Wondery, Dr Death is hosted by Laura Beil and is available to download from Apple podcasts and Spotify.  

PsychCrunch

If you’ve ever wondered how you can improve your commitment to exercise, eat less chocolate, persuade others of your viewpoint or make yourself more attractive to others, PsychCrunch is for you. From the British Psychological Society’s Research Digest, each episode is around 15-20 minutes long and features interviews with experts on different topics. The podcast is published quarterly and is presented by Dr Christian Jarrett, Ginny Smith and Ella Rhodes. It’s snappy, informative and evidence-based – an easy and engaging way to keep up with developments across psychology. Psychcrunch is available to download on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

The Drop Out 

From ABC Audio, The Drop Out explores the story of Elizabeth Homes and her company, Theranos. Holmes’ goal was to create the first blood test which could provide multiple test results using only a drop of blood – the amount that would result from a pin-prick. This technology would make testing cheaper and more convenient and was widely described as ‘revolutionary’. Her idea drew enormous investment and made her the youngest self-made female billionaire. The only problem was that it was never more than an idea: Holmes’ company Theranos did not even manage to produce blood testing devices which were as accurate as machines already on the market, using the standard amount of blood required. For anyone working in healthcare, the story is an insight into the world of healthcare technology innovation: how it can happen, and where it can go wrong. From a psychological perspective, it considers the mind and motivations of someone dedicated to a goal, regardless of the situation and the cost. The Drop Out is available to download from Apple Podcasts, Google podcasts and Spotify. 

Where Should We Begin? With Esther Perel

Esther Perel is a Belgian-born couples therapist whose podcast episodes are unscripted, one-time counselling sessions. The names of the couples have been changed to help provide anonymity, but the voices and conversation are real. Perel now has a huge library of previous sessions, covering relationship challenges ranging from impotence too infidelity. Perel initially trained in psychodynamic therapy before training in family systems therapy. Her website states that she offers training in ‘psychodynamic, attachment, and systemic theories, as well as sex therapy, psychodrama, and body-oriented approaches’. In truth, as a UK-based, CBT-trained Clinical Psychologist, I’m not sure exactly what her approach is or how it is supposed to work, but it certainly makes for a good podcast. I’d recommend this show for anyone interested in relationships, the concept of one-time counselling sessions or the use of therapeutic models for couples therapy. From Audible, Where Should We Begin? can be downloaded from Spotify, Stitcher and Apple podcasts. 

I Hear Voices 

From BBC Radio 1, this podcast covers 27-year-old Alice’s experience of hearing voices. Alice has multiple voices, each of which has a different personality and may be more likely to occur in relation to different events that happen. For example, there is one set of voices that she only hears when she is cooking and another that occurs after she has self-harmed. Each episode is brief, lasting less than 10 minutes, and explains one of these voice-hearing personalities. The series is told entirely from Alice’s perspective and provides a window into what life is like when you hear voices which can be hard to ignore. Alice’s insight and perception into her own experiences are utterly illuminating for anyone working in mental health or psychology – highly recommended. I Hear Voices is available to download from BBC Sounds and Apple podcasts.

Bad Batch 

In the US, stem cells are big business. Touted as the cure-all for everything from joint aches to Parkinson’s, they can now be purchased in the form of non-controversial birth stem cells (taken from the umbilical cord blood of live born babies) and injected by medical professionals for just $5000 a pop. Bad Batch focuses on this industry, highlighting the lack of evidence to support the lofty claims made by stem cell distributors. It also highlights the risks, focusing on one company, Liveyon, which distributed stem cell vials which led to a group of treated patients falling gravely ill. They also happened to contain almost no active stem cells. Laura Beil, host and reporter, delivers some compelling insights into the factors which have enabled such an industry – and such a patient safety debacle – to occur. First, she highlights inadequate regulation of stem cells, as they are not treated as drugs by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Second, she highlights the nature of the profit-based US healthcare system, where treatments are marketed directly to patients using flashy advertising. For anyone interested in healthcare systems, it’s an engrossing insight into the problems that come when healthcare becomes a marketable commodity. From Wondery, Bad Batch is available to download from Spotify, Stitcher, Podtail and Apple podcasts.

The Last Days of August

Jon Ronson’s podcast, The Last Days of August investigates the death by suicide of porn star August Ames. Ames was aged just 23 at the time, and her death immediately followed a social media ‘pile on’ regarding a comment she made on Twitter. Ronson has long been interested in the effects of public shaming, and his investigation begins there. However, before long he moves away from viewing the Twitter storm as the main reason for Ames’ death. His investigation leads him to explore her childhood, adolescence, marriage to 43-year old porn producer, Kevin Moore and a recent traumatic film shoot she was involved in. As a Clinical Psychologist with a PhD in suicide research, I was a little frustrated that Ronson didn’t include any interviews with experts in suicide, which could have informed his investigation and provided a framework to put the puzzle pieces together. Despite this, it’s a deeply engaging podcast. Sensitively handled by Ronson and his producer Lina Misitzis, it had me gripped to the end. This podcast is likely to be of interest to anyone with a background in mental health or  suicide research. It suitably comes with a warning at the start of every episode though – listeners should be warned that it contains bad language and frequent sexual references, in addition to covering an extremely sensitive topic. From Audible, The Last Days of August is available to download from Stitcher, Apple podcasts, PlayerFM and Podbay.

The Shrink Next Door

From Bloomberg and Wondery, The Shrink Next Door tells the story of the relationship between Marty Markowitz and his therapist, Dr. Isaac Herschkopf. The story is told by long-time journalist Joe Nocera. Nocera had a house in the Hamptons and believed for years that the neighbouring house was owned by Herschkopf. He was invited to house parties by Herschkopf, who also happened to have his name on the mail box. Herschkopf was affluent enough to employ a handyman, whom Nocera regularly saw taking care of the pool and back garden when the Herschkopfs were not staying there. The first twist, of course, is that the house was never owned by Herschkopf: it was owned by Markowitz, who was also mistaken for being the handyman. The Shrink Next Door explores the progressively controlling, isolating and unhealthy ‘therapeutic relationship’ between Herschkopf and Markowitz which gradually saw Herschkopf taking control of Markowitz’s relationships, finances and business. As a mental health professional, this story made my jaw drop. I once agonised over whether it was appropriate to accept the gift of a DVD from a client who wanted to say ‘thank you’ at the end of therapy; the concept that a therapist could break every professional boundary going was utterly astounding to me. This podcast will interest anyone with a background in mental health or a concern for the oversight of therapeutic relationships in health systems. The Shrink Next Door is available to download from Stitcher, PlayerFM and Apple podcasts.