The post Mic Check, Mind Check: Is podcasting good for your mental health? appeared first on POD BIBLE.
]]>The answer, like most things in mental health, isn’t simple. But it is worth exploring.
For Listeners: Companionship, Catharsis, and Clarity
For many, podcast listening is more than entertainment – it’s a form of emotional support.
Podcasts about mental health (Happy Place, The Mindset Mentor, The Mental Health Moles) can provide comfort, reduce stigma, and offer practical coping tools. Long-form interviews, comedy chat shows, and gentle storytelling (think You’re Wrong About or LeVar Burton Reads) help people feel less alone – especially during moments of anxiety, grief, or isolation.
During the pandemic, millions turned to podcasts as a substitute for social contact. In that context, listening wasn’t just passive – it was connection. The sense of intimacy that podcasting creates, with hosts speaking directly into your ears, fosters a kind of parasocial friendship that’s been shown to reduce feelings of loneliness.
Of course, not every show is soothing. Doom-scrolling through true crime or politics podcasts late at night isn’t exactly self-care. Like any medium, balance is key.
For Creators: Expression and Exhaustion
On the other side of the mic, podcasting can be both healing and hard.
Many podcasters describe their work as cathartic. It gives them space to process emotions, share lived experiences, or advocate for causes they care about. For some, it’s a creative outlet that helps fight depression or burnout. The ability to tell your story, in your own voice, on your own terms, can be profoundly empowering.
But there’s a flipside. Podcasting – especially independently – is a lot of work. Writing, editing, marketing, recording, monetising… the pressure to stay consistent and “grow your audience” can lead to stress and burnout. Mental health podcasters, in particular, often shoulder emotional labour and listener expectations while managing their own wellness behind the scenes.
If you’re podcasting for self-expression, that’s beautiful. If you’re podcasting and trying to be your own producer, social media manager, and therapist, it can become overwhelming fast.
The Danger of the Echo Chamber
There’s another layer worth considering: the echo chamber effect.
Some listeners gravitate toward podcasts that confirm their worldview. While this can feel validating, it can also isolate people from differing perspectives – or deepen anxiety around certain topics (especially when consuming endless content on trauma, true crime, or global crises).
Podcasts are powerful, but they’re not always curated with mental wellbeing in mind. It’s up to listeners to tune into what feels nourishing and know when to switch off.
So… Is Podcasting Good for Your Mental Health?
In many cases, yes.
For listeners, it can provide community, knowledge, and a sense of calm. For creators, it can be a platform for healing, creativity, and connection. But like any tool, its impact depends on how – and why – you use it.
Some tips:
- As a listener: Curate your feed with care. Choose shows that leave you feeling better, not worse. Take breaks. You don’t need to finish every episode.
- As a creator: Set boundaries. Be honest with your audience about what you can (and can’t) offer. Ask for help. Prioritise rest.
- For everyone: Remember that real mental health support goes beyond podcasts. They can inspire and educate – but they’re not a substitute for therapy or clinical care.
Final Thoughts
Podcasting is a uniquely intimate, human medium – and that’s its superpower. When done thoughtfully, it fosters empathy, encourages reflection, and makes people feel seen and heard. And in a world that often feels loud and disconnected, that alone is good for all our mental health.
Just don’t forget to press pause when you need it.
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]]>The post GUEST BLOG // Podcasts & Mental Health appeared first on POD BIBLE.
]]>Hello!
I’m Rachael and I’ve written about how podcasts help me with my mental health stuff. This is meant to be an introduction but two sentences looked a bit ropey so I’ve added this one. I’m a single mum, an artist and I’m autistic.
The reasons I love podcasts are multiple. They’ve carried me through night feeds and coursework, through long car journeys and housework. As soon as I wake up, I put on the newest episode of one of my favourites or I carry on a binge from my latest discovery. I often replay episodes if sleep eludes me, they’re comforting and familiar.
Listening to podcasts has had a massive benefit on my mental health. Social anxiety disorder is something I have suffered from since I was 10 years old. The severity of it has fluctuated over the years and at its most severe I avoided leaving the house; because the thought of people seeing me was too much to cope with. When I listen to a podcast it helps interrupt the anxiety cycle. My focus isn’t solely on the people around me, the anxiety symptoms, trying to predict my next encounter with someone or rehearse the potential small talk I might need. I get absorbed in the topic and conversation and I stop overthinking the situation. I used to listen to music but I found that increased my heart rate which would amplify other physical symptoms. I found in shops that pausing a podcast or taking out headphones gives me some thinking time.
It’s an accessible way to make connections with people, most podcasts have online communities so finding like-minded people, legends (All Killa No Filla) or other dangerous loners (Hardcore Listing) is too easy. And many have live events where it’s really normal to go by yourself and you already have something in common with everyone else in the room. I often struggle to make a conversation because small talk is hideous but podcasts have given me a secret arsenal of topics to drop into all kinds of discussions. There are podcasts for every mood, for me they have given an easy way to consume knowledge, which in turn makes the world feel so much bigger but also helps me connect with others, helping with isolation and loneliness.
My recommendations:
Dane Baptiste Questions Everything
Insane In The Men Brain
Off Menu
Stuff You Missed In History Class
Stuff You Should Know
Gossipmongers
—
Follow Rachael or check out her art on Facebook @wellswellsandwells, Instagram @wellswellsandwells and Twitter @WEEEELLLLSSSS.
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]]>The post THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO… Abby Hollick from Duvet Days appeared first on POD BIBLE.
]]>Ever fancied jumping into bed for a duvet day with a celebrity? You’d get to find out what their bedroom looks like, what pulls them under the duvet, their weird sleep habits and how they got out of bed during the tough times.
In Duvet Days, Abby Hollick jumps into bed with special guests for unfiltered, honest chat. You can listen in as musicians and artists open up about mental health, fame, recovery, childhood and relationships. In this longform interview series, Abby discusses what a ‘duvet day’ means to Emeli Sande, Munroe Bergdorf, Nicola Coughlan, Joel Golby, Camilla Thurlow, Yrsa Daley-Ward, Yola, Rosie Jones, Laura Dockrill, Hannah Cockroft, Lemn Sissay and Ray BLK.
The podcast has recently returned for series 2 so we sat down with Abby to ask her a few questions…
What is it about podcasts that appeals to you?
A mate in your ear. It’s company on a long journey or while I’m in the bath. I also love learning more about people I admire and investigating how our minds work – using podcasts as free therapy basically! Podcasts are also a chance for the world to hear stories from people who have been silenced or ignored for too long.
If you could go back to just before you recorded the first episode of your podcast and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?
Don’t record for hours as you have to edit this Abby! Also, It’s ok to say ‘sorry my arm has gone dead I just need to put the mic in the other hand’! For some reason I was embarrassed to say this and would stay fixed in this painful, rigid position.
Abby with Paralympian Hannah Cockroft
What makes a great podcast guest?
Funny, vulnerable, open and hopefully saying something for the first time. Someone who says it like it is and is a bit of a maverick or someone who has survived something extraordinary and has some wisdom on how to do life and cope. Also, guests whose stories and experiences have been shut out of mainstream radio for too long.
What makes a great podcast host?
A woman! I was desperate to hear more women, back in the day the longform interview podcast was dominated by men but thankfully that’s changed. I want to think the host is my friend, so a good listener and someone who asks insightful follow-up questions. I’m not surprised so many comedians have podcasts as a funny host with outrageous anecdotes is always a laugh and you want to be in the pub with them.
What’s been your worst podcast moment?
I mean I live in fear of not pressing record. When I flew to Ireland to interview Nicola Coughlan I made her tell me she could see the red light and I had pressed record before we started, as I couldn’t go all the way to Galway and mess up! I’ve definitely had tough moments when I’ve asked questions and been told ‘I don’t want to go there’ and felt like I was being too intrusive but I just apologise and say fair enough. I’m not going to stop asking the questions I think listeners want to hear.
What is your podcast/podcaster pet peeve?
It annoys me that I can’t listen to podcasts when I am editing my own podcast as I feel podcasted out. Also I say ‘so’ a lot which irritates me when I edit myself. Its also a peeve if a group of friends on a podcast all talk over each other and share ‘in-jokes’ and I feel left out.
Is there anything you found annoying as a podcast listener… but then understood when you started making your own?
I used to think ‘why didn’t the host ask this or follow-up on that?’ but when you’re in the hot seat and being the interviewer your mind can go blank or you can worry about the time pressure, your battery power etc and you can make these mistakes so I am now less judgmental as a listener. Kirsty Young is the queen of the follow-up!
Previous guest Emeli Sandé
Which one podcast episode of your own means the most to you?
It means a lot when anyone says yes to be honest as they are trusting me to sit on their bed and chat about such personal stuff but I am really proud of Laura Dockrill’s episode as she was so open about suffering from postnatal psychosis, recovery and CBT therapy. I was extremely moved by her and full of admiration and I think it’s one of the most extraordinary descriptions of a mind exploding and then she pieces it back together again. Also, she’s hilarious and our babies were born around the same time. Both her and Joel Golby, whose parents died by the time he was 25, don’t feel sorry for themselves at all and use humour to explain really traumatic things, I loved meeting them. It was also huge for me to interview Christine and the Queens the day after her gig as I am such a fan and that gig blew my mind, I went with a friend who didn’t know her and we both left shaking – her dancing is out of this world!
Which one podcast episode (not of your own) has had the biggest impact on you?
One?! Ok out of Maya Angelou on Oprah’s podcast, Robin Williams on WTF with Marc Maron, Zadie Smith and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on the New York Public Library, Aisling Bea on Griefcast, Zadie Smith on Adam Buxton and Toure Show (can you tell I love Zadie Smith) and Ellen Burstyn on Death Sex and Money… I am going to go with Ellen Burstyn’s ‘Lessons on Survival’.
Finally, what are your plans for the podcast moving forward?
Ooh that’s a question for BBC Sounds! Season 3 hopefully as I’m hitting my stride now and I’d love to interview Lizzo. And Michaela Coel and Jill Soloway.
Listen to the Duvet Days archive on BBC Sounds, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.
Read our other World Mental Health Day 2022 suggested posts.
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]]>The post THE GOOD SAMARITAN // Insane In The Fem Brain appeared first on POD BIBLE.
]]>How do you go about bettering an already popular and very respected podcast? Well, comedian Rich Wilson has done just that. His show, Insane In The Men Brain has addressed men’s mental health since the start of 2019 with an array of guests who have openly spoken about their mental health journeys, but now Rich takes on a new spin-off project in the form of Insane In The Fem Brain.
So what inspired this transition?
RW: Well, Fem Brain came from a conversation I had with Jayde Adams. Jayde was of the opinion that although I’m not completely in the dark, I maybe didn’t know as much as I thought I did about women – so I decided that the only way to learn more was to go and talk to women, particularly strong, successful women that have got where they wanted to be even though the world is still a very male dominated place. It’s been truly enlightening and I’ve really enjoyed recording the episodes.
With a mandate to learn more about the opposite sex, Rich shows humility to the fact that he is here to listen, so what has he learned over the course of series one of the show?
RW: The whole point of my podcasts is that I’m learning things. I’m talking to people from different backgrounds, different classes, different faiths, different cultures because I want to know more. It’s all about the guests that I have in, not a platform for me to bang on about myself. I feel so different to how I did when I first started. I just feel I understand people a lot more and I’ve come to realise that everyone, no matter where they’re from, is just figuring it all out as we go along. Nobody really knows what’s going on nor does anyone have any answers.
With no signs of stopping, Rich has a clear direction in where he’d like to take the podcast and inspiration behind making more episodes.
RW: I’d just love to reach more people and not from a “I want to be famous” kind of way. I get so many messages from people who’ve said that my podcasts have really helped them which blows my mind so if that’s the case, I’d love to help more people.
Why is it so important to keep this mental health conversation going?
RW: Stigmas are being lifted – but we still need to do more. We may not be the generation that benefits from it but future generations will and this is why it’s important that we’ve started this, and also why it’s important that we carry on. The world is a mad old place and you’d have to be made of stone for it not to affect you, but if we keep talking to each other, at least we can help each other through.
Rich would like to raise awareness of the National Suicide Prevention Alliance, an alliance of public, private, voluntary and community organisations in England who care about suicide prevention and are willing to take action to reduce suicide and support those affected by suicide. www.nspa.org.uk.
Listen to Insane In The Fem Brain on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.
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]]>The post Pod Bible Podcast – Bottoming appeared first on POD BIBLE.
]]>Adam Richardson caught up with Brendan Geoghegan and Matthew Riley in January 2022 to discuss their LGBTQ+ podcast that explores mental health and dealing with your own rock bottom. The guys discuss the origins of the podcast, some of their favourite guests and the work that foes into producing an independent show.
Listen to Bottoming on Acast or Spotify.
Listen to the Pod Bible Podcast on Acast or Spotify.
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]]>The post #099 • Bottoming • On The Outside • Getting My Dad To Say I Love You appeared first on POD BIBLE.
]]>Adam’s here to walk you through the weeks podcast proceedings, with guests including the people behind Bottoming, On The Outside and Getting My Dad To Say I Love You!
THIS WEEKS GUESTS
On The Outside • Online • Apple Podcasts
Getting My Dad… • Acast • Spotify
THIS WEEKS RECOMMENDATIONS
Human Resources • Apple Podcasts • Spotify
What’s Upset You Now • Acast • Spotify
PODBIBLE LINKS
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]]>The post Acast brings together UK and Ireland’s favourite podcasters to talk mental health appeared first on POD BIBLE.
]]>‘What piece of advice do I wish I could tell my younger self?’
The conversation series encourages podcast fans to listen, learn and find comfort in talking about mental health, as well as hear about ways to support yourself or others. The podcasters involved include:
- Kate Mason and Jim Campbell of The Football Ramble talking to Dr Rupy from The Doctor’s Kitchen Podcast about gym anxiety and how physical health can help mental health.
- Actor and podcaster Scroobius Pip from Distraction Pieces Podcast talking to birth doula Lauren Mishcon and women’s coach Nicole Goodman of Self Care Club about worrying what others think of you.
- Podcaster and one half of The Rubberbandits Blindboy talking to neuroscientist and podcaster Dr Sabina Brennan of Super Brain about understanding how the brain works.
- Historian, presenter and podcaster Dan Snow talking to Caroline Foran, author and host of Owning It: The Anxiety Podcast about accepting failure.
The series makes use of Acast’s recently launched Sponsored Stories ad format, with the segments dynamically inserted at the end of episodes of the podcasts taking part. There will also be videos of the conversations posted across Acast’s social channels.
Acast believes there’s power in podcasts, with compassion, companionship, and comfort to be found for all sorts of situations — whether it’s turning to a familiar voice in your favourite podcast host, listening in on an intimate discussion about a guest’s own mental health journey, or relaxing with a welcome distraction from the day-to-day.
Podcasts also offer a way for people to stay entertained away from screen fatigue. Recent studies have investigated the association between screen time and mental health during COVID-19, and Acast recently ran a representative survey of the UK population of more than 2,000 respondents, where more than 52% of Brits said they feel as though they need to reduce the amount of screen time they’re getting in a day.
Sam Shetabi, Content Director Acast UK/IE, said: “It’s not surprising to see so many of us eager to spend less time in front of screens in a year that was defined by endless Zoom calls and TV series binging. We think podcasts are a perfect way to get away from looking at glaring screens and still be kept up to date with news and culture, learn something new or have a laugh — as well as hear the most unguarded conversations on issues like mental health. It’s important to bring these discussions to listeners, and we’re doing it with the help of some of the most exciting names in podcasting.”
Dr. Rupy Aujla, host of The Doctor’s Kitchen, said: “It was really cool to talk to the Football Ramble team about physical activity, food and how they are related to mental health. It’s brilliant that Acast are facilitating these open conversations and it was great to be connected to such fantastic podcasters too.”
Dan Snow, host of History Hit, said: “All of us experience mental health challenges at some point in our lives. I found it so useful listening to Caroline’s advice and will definitely adopt some of her methods for being more present, sleeping better and not letting stress and anxiety get out of control. Focusing on mental health, after the year we’ve all had, is really important.”
Caroline Foran, host of Owning It: The Anxiety Podcast, said: “My goal is to normalise mental health issues, to empower us all to get comfortable talking about the tricky stuff in life — so that the anxiety about what people will think of us, or the stigma that surrounds mental health, will start to dissolve. Podcasting is, in my opinion, the fastest and most effective route to achieving this goal and so I’m thrilled to join the brilliant Dan Snow’s History Hit for Mental Health Awareness Week.”
The conversation series launches today, all made possible by Acast’s dynamic ad insertion technology. Acast hosts more than 27,000 shows worldwide, with more than 65 million monthly listens in the UK alone.
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]]>The post INTERVIEW // Scroobius Pip on his Distraction Pieces Mental Health specials appeared first on POD BIBLE.
]]>For the entire month of May, in a series called “Where’s your head at?” on my Distraction Pieces Podcast, I’m going to be taking to people about how the pandemic has impacted their mental health and how they feel as we start to come out the other end.#mentalhealth pic.twitter.com/W0aUyHcnIX
— Scroobius Pip (@Scroobiuspipyo) April 26, 2021
Titled “Where’s Your Head At?”, Pip has recorded conversations with a variety of guests focusing on just that – how have you coped over the past year or so and how are you feeling now? We caught up with Pip to find out more…
What’s the idea behind the “Wheres Your Head At?” episodes?
Basically I started getting kind of spun out by the fact all the dialogue in the U.K. seemed to be focused on the excitement of the pubs being open again… rather than the impact this past year has had on our mental health and the potential anxieties attached to the new reality going forward. So I wanted to have a series of short discussions showing a range of perspectives on it all.
Who can we expect to hear from?
So many people. Stephen Graham, Florence Pugh, Jamali Maddix, Simon Pegg, Lena Headey, Konnie Huq, Dane Baptiste, Gail Porter… so many! But there’s also chats with my mum and my god daughter. So it’s a real wide range of insights.
Are there any recurring themes you weren’t expecting?
I think I was ready for a lot of “I’ve actually quite enjoyed it”… because I’ve been in that conversation a lot myself too. But every time when we dug a little deeper there were always things that had caught us off guard. One of the nice surprises was the amount of people who have found things they want to continue with going forward.
How have you coped with the past year on a personal level?
I’ve actually quite enjoyed it… haha. Nah, I’ve had ups and downs. Something I heard a lot was the first lockdown being quite fun and novelty and the second/third being a lot tougher. That was interesting to hear as for the second/third I was in another country and really struggled in places… but assumed it was due to being so far from everyone. So it was interesting to hear that most people were struggling then too, regardless of location.
Which podcasts have helped you through the pandemic?
So many! At the end here I’ve got really into Chatabix. They’re short, rambling episodes out 5 days a week. It’s Joe Wilkinson and David Early just getting up on the morning and jumping on Zoom for a 25 minute chat that often goes no where but is always a joy as they crack each other up. The Taskmaster Podcast has also been a great new addition to my listening schedule.
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]]>The post Delicious Ways to Feel Better // A Deliciously Ella podcast appeared first on POD BIBLE.
]]>Who are you and what’s your podcast about?
I’m Ella Mills, the founder of Deliciously Ella, a plant-based lifestyle platform sharing delicious ways to feel better and that’s exactly what our podcast is about. The podcast is a weekly show focused on everything that impacts on our mental and our physical health, looking at what we eat or how we exercise, as well as our relationships, our mindset, our sleep patterns, our stress levels and how we look after ourselves on a day-to-day basis. On this podcast we’ll be breaking all of these topics down and sharing small, simple changes that’ll hopefully inspire you to feel better.
What’s the first podcast you ever listened to?
The High Low was the first podcast I listened to really religiously, I so looked forward to every episode. I then binged series like The Dropout and Guru.
Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?
I love that podcasting allows you to get so much deeper into a topic, I find social media platforms only allow you to get so far into interesting topics, whereas podcasts facilitate much more interesting, honest, detailed conversations, as well as allowing you to really get to know the hosts and guests too.
Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?
I listen to such a huge variety from series like the Dropout and Guru to Desert Island Discs and History Hit, and lots of health and wellbeing ones – Mark Hyman’s The Doctor’s Farmacy, Dr Chatterjee’s Feel Better Live More and Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place
Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?
I just really enjoy talking to anyone that is passionate and knowledgeable about what they do, I find the variety in our guests keeps things really interesting! Last week, for example, we were talking to a professor who’s been studying metabolism in a tribe in Namibia and busting all the myths about ‘boosting metabolism’, this week I’m talking to a women’s health expert on the impact of stress on our monthly cycle and I’m currently researching for a gut health episode.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?
That the more genuine and open a guest is, the better the episode. I think listeners – myself included – really appreciate a very candid approach
Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?
The ‘Five pillars of health‘ episode – it came out at the start of this year and it really sums up what we see as the foundation of your health from gut health, diet and fibre to sleep, stress management, mindfulness, hydration and exercise – it’s a basically a health and wellness 101.
Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?
On our website www.deliciouslyella.com and our social media channels @deliciouslyella.
You can listen to Delicious Ways to Feel Better on ACAST, SPOTIFY and ALL OTHER PLATFORMS.
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]]>The post HAVE YOU HEARD? // Master the Mind, Master Anything appeared first on POD BIBLE.
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POD BIBLE: Who are you, what is your podcast called, and what’s it about?
DAVE COTTRELL: My name is Dave Cottrell, I am a mindset & mental health coach who got into this line of work as a result of living with Type 2 Bipolar disorder my whole life. The podcast is called Master The Mind, Master Anything and it is about 3 things: helping people to better understand and work with their mindset and mental health, highlighting other people who are doing great work in this area, and sharing stories, both personally and through guests of lived experiences with mental health.
PB: Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?
DC: The podcast was originally setup as a 4 part personal development podcast called Your Progress is Our Passion. There, I would focus on training, nutrition, mindset and community, what I consider to be the four pillars of health. Within about 6 months I decided to refine it down to the mindset and mental health aspects, as I believed the training and nutrition sides were being handled better by other shows.
PB: What’s the first podcast you ever listened to?
DC: Ben Coomber Radio
PB: Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?
DC: Ben Coomber, Richard Nicholls, Gary Vee, Joe Rogan
PB: Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?
DC: Probably Derren Brown, his shows were what first got me intrigued in how the mind works.
PB: What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?
DC: Don’t use video at the cost of good audio!
PB: Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?
DC: Ep 99. Dave Talks About Deliberately Pushing Your Comfort Zone
PB: Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?
DC: Mindset By Dave on most social medias including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Twitch or at mindsetbydave.com
This article was produced as part of a paid advertising package. To enquire about advertising with Pod Bible email info@podbiblemag.com
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