Amanda Montell is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality, as well as Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism and Wordslut. Amanda is a linguistics major from NYU and all of her work centers around the way that words—and thoughts—shape our minds, and how our minds are permeable to other factors, ... Show More
Today
What’s Your “Why”? (Rachel Goldberg-Polin)
In her moving and beautiful book, When We See You Again, Rachel Goldberg-Polin writes about her love for her son, Hersh, who was stolen from a musical festival on October 7, 2023, and executed after 328 days of being held hostage. While I completely understand the instinct to tur ... Show More
1h 1m
Apr 16
Changing Your Attachment Style (Amir Levine, MD)
Psychiatrist Amir Levine, MD, is the coauthor of the mega-bestseller Attached. In his new book, Secure, he takes another look at the four attachment styles and the myths surrounding them to show how each of us—regardless of our starting point—can flex and become more secure in ou ... Show More
58m 28s
Apr 9
A Numerologist Predicts the Future (Janine Slome)
I had a fascinating numerology reading with Janine Slome, and have been wanting to get her on the podcast for some time. Here, she shares a brief background on numerology, and why the practice can serve as both a potent portrayal of life and a map to guide you along your path. We ... Show More
57m 19s
Feb 2025
#257 Understanding Rejection: Why It Hurts and How to Heal with Sabrina Zohar
In this episode, I chat with Sabrina Zohar, host of the Sabrina Zohar podcast, about why we take breakups so personally and how to shift that mindset. Sabrina shares her journey from difficult relationships and anxiety to creating content that helps others navigate dating and rel ... Show More
49m 28s
May 2024
Overthinking About Narcissism
Is it just us, or does American culture have narcissism fever? Thanks to factors like the rise of therapyspeak, TikTok mental health diagnoses, and badly behaving reality stars-turned-world leaders, discourse about this buzzy, yet poorly understood phenomenon has exploded. Are we ... Show More
58m 20s
Oct 2025
Overthinking About The Algorithm
If the algorithm knows what we want before we do… who’s really in charge? This week, host Amanda Montell(@amanda_montell) is joined by linguist, creator, and internet culture observer Adam Aleksic (@etymologynerd) to spiral deep into the invisible yet all powerful force shaping o ... Show More
42m 30s
Jun 2024
Overthinking About Burnout
Chronically stressed? Emotionally exhausted? Depleted to the point of physical suffering, dissociation, and paranoia that things will never improve?? Welcome to today's woefully relatable topic, burnout, which is not just fatigue or boredom but rather what happens when our bodies ... Show More
1h 6m
Mar 2024
Communicating Your Needs For a Deeper Connection, with Amanda Feaver
<p>This week, Jeff and his guest co-host Amanda Feaver, LPC, dive into a relatable topic: feeling insecure in a new relationship. Their caller opens up about her struggle to find a balance between wanting to ask for more and fearing she might scare this new guy off by being too “ ... Show More
1h 10m