This summer's best wellness podcasts
Jenny Sherman
The Mel Robbins Podcast
Author and podcaster Mel Robbins has found a worldwide audience of millions with her advice for self-improvement, behaviour change and the pursuit of a meaningful life
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What does the phrase “Let them” mean to you? If you’re one of the millions who’ve bought the book, watched the TedTalk or followed on Instagram, you’ll know it’s the two-words-fits-all philosophy of Mel Robbins, boiled down into a mantra embraced by celebs from Oprah Winfrey to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson: namely, the idea of simply letting others do as they will – thereby losing any resentment or need to control – on the understanding that we can expect the same in return.
With 21 million followers across her media platforms, Robbins’s growing empire of books and TV shows may be a commercial colossus, but her podcast is where the former criminal defence lawyer says she’s most herself. She tells RT: “The podcast is the most personal thing I do. It’s not a stage, it’s not a book, it’s just you and me.” (And a few others, with a reported 37 million monthly downloads.) She continues: “I get to put my arm around you, take you with me, and talk to you like a friend. I tell you stories, give you encouragement right when you need it. I absolutely love that I get to connect with you twice a week. It’s my most favourite thing to do.”
If you’re looking for a friend to sympathise with your plight and agree it’s all a disaster, Robbins is probably not your woman. She describes herself as “a friend… one who tells you the truth, helps you focus on what matters, and pushes you to create a life that feels more meaningful.
“I talk to you the way I’d talk to a friend I love, with honesty, humour and actual tools that make a difference. A lot of shows want to inspire you. I want to help you change.”
Despite the calibre of her guests, ranging from negotiation experts to neurosurgeons, Robbins is a homely host, describing the show as “like taking a walk with a friend”.
“I’m not talking at you. I’m talking to you. This podcast isn’t about chasing trends or showing off how much I know. I’m not here to impress you. I’m here to sit next to you in the mess of real life and help you find a way forward. This podcast is about being real.” CAROLINE FROST
Katherine Ryan's What's My Age Again?
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Probably the only podcast to demand blood from its celebrity guests — in order to establish their age at a cellular level — this series sees the Canadian comic play host to a resident scientist advising the likes of Katie Price, Jedward and Alastair Campbell on how lifestyle changes may make them feel younger. “More sleep, less alcohol” may be news for some. GARETH McLEAN
Katherine Ryan and one of her celebrity guests, Romesh Ranganathan.
Where Should We Begin? With Esther Perel
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The intimate environment of the medium has lent itself to thousands of therapy podcasts but, for eight years, the grand dame of couples counselling has been Belgian-American Esther Perel. With humour softening the blows of her forensic insight into people’s motivations and demons, she dismantles the armour around her subjects and helps them find a way to tell another, truer story. CF
Just One Thing with Michael Mosley
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With his scientific, but accessible approach to improving health and wellbeing, Michael Mosley changed hundreds of thousands of people’s lives. Just One Thing is the perfect distillation of the man and his endeavours. “He was a great communicator and people trusted him,” his widow Dr Clare Bailey Mosley told RT in November. “He really did want to make a difference to people’s lives.” GM
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