Home Podcasts The Dr. Leaf Show
The Dr. Leaf Show

The Dr. Leaf Show

Dr. Caroline Leaf 714 Episodes Aug 19, 2026

Dr. Caroline Leaf, a cognitive neuroscientist and mental health expert, hosts this podcast to provide practical and scientific tips for improving mental, emotional, and physical health. The show covers topics like understanding the mind, managing stress, and taking control of your well-being. It is intended for educational purposes and not as medical advice.

Episodes

The Girlboss Trap: Why Ambition Became Burnout
The Girlboss Trap: Why Ambition Became Burnout Aug 19, 2026 4887 Girlbossing is making us mean, exhausted, and unhappy. A neuroscientist and her daughter on what hustle-culture ambition did to us, and what healthy ambition looks like.Dr. Caroline Leaf and her daughter Dominique take apart the girlboss era: how ambition turned into a glorified way of running from ourselves, why the self-care backlash is just as performative as the hustle, and how the companies b
When Botox Becomes Body Dysmorphia: The 30% Rule
When Botox Becomes Body Dysmorphia: The 30% Rule Aug 12, 2026 3952 Dr. Caroline Leaf and her daughter Dominique go past the beauty debate into what happens in your mind when you consider a cosmetic procedure. It is for anyone who has asked "should I get Botox?", felt judged for it, or worried a friend is going too far. You will learn to tell self-improvement from body dysmorphia, why the injections won't fix your life, and how to decide from self-worth, not compa
Dr. Nicole LePera: Why Your Nervous System Picks Familiar Pain Over Safety
Dr. Nicole LePera: Why Your Nervous System Picks Familiar Pain Over Safety Aug 5, 2026 3733 In this episode I sit down with Dr. Nicole LePera, The Holistic Psychologist, to talk about her new book Reparenting the Inner Child: The New Science of Our Oldest Wounds and How to Heal Them.We get into why your nervous system will choose what is familiar over what is good for you, even when familiar means the same relationship pattern that hurt you as a child. Nicole explains the question undern
2 Simple Rules for Being Happy: Always Have a Quest and a Crush
2 Simple Rules for Being Happy: Always Have a Quest and a Crush Jul 29, 2026 2945 A clinical neuroscientist breaks down the two things that actually make you happy, a quest and a crush, and the brain science behind why a little whimsy is so good for you. Dr. Caroline Leaf sits down with her daughter and producer Dominique to unpack Dominique's theory of happiness: to feel happy, you need a quest and a crush. It sounds playful, but the neuroscience runs deep. Dopamine, norepine
Is Gossip Bad for You? The Science of Good vs Toxic Gossip (ft. a special guest!)
Is Gossip Bad for You? The Science of Good vs Toxic Gossip (ft. a special guest!) Jul 22, 2026 3420 Why do we gossip, and is it actually bad for you? Cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Caroline Leaf unpacks the science of gossip with special guest Dominique Leaf, her daughter and the show's producer: the difference between the kind of gossip that bonds us and the kind that damages us. Gossip carries a lot of guilt for most people. It also has a long history. Gossip is one of the oldest social tools h
5 Mindless Habits that Secretly Exhaust You
5 Mindless Habits that Secretly Exhaust You Jul 15, 2026 1291 Do you feel exhausted even after a full night’s sleep or a seemingly restful weekend? You might be unknowingly caught in mindless habits that are slowly wearing you down. In this episode, I break down five common, sneaky habits that drain your mental and physical energy—from chaotic multitasking to overstimulation from tech and even shallow breathing. These aren’t just bad habits—they’re signs yo
Am I a Narcissist? 4 Signs + Why Confidence Advice Is Backward
Am I a Narcissist? 4 Signs + Why Confidence Advice Is Backward Jul 8, 2026 3099 Self-focus is one of your most powerful tools for change, but there's a point where it quietly turns into a wall. Dr. Caroline Leaf breaks down the difference between healthy self-focus and narcissism, the 4 signs to watch for, and why nearly all popular confidence advice (affirmations, power poses) is neurologically backward, then gives you 5 research-backed moves to build real confidence. What
How to Become More Confident + 5 Thought Patterns Keeping You Stuck Under Pressure
How to Become More Confident + 5 Thought Patterns Keeping You Stuck Under Pressure Jul 1, 2026 2710 Self-worth is what makes confidence last, and most of us were never taught the difference. In this episode, Dr. Caroline Leaf breaks down self-worth, self-confidence, and self-care, why remote work is changing your mental health, and the 5 thought patterns that keep you stuck under pressure. 🔬 What you'll learn: - Why a third of declining mental health traces back to how we work remotely, and the
Photographic Memory Is a Myth + Your Inner Critic Isn't the Enemy
Photographic Memory Is a Myth + Your Inner Critic Isn't the Enemy Jun 24, 2026 2696 Your mind doesn't record. Tt builds meaning. In this episode, Dr. Caroline Leaf breaks down why photographic memory is a myth, what your inner critic is actually trying to tell you, and why understanding a problem and restructuring it are two completely different things. Plus: the real difference between self-worth, self-confidence, and self-love — and why you can have all the achievements and s
"Mogging" Is Quietly Destroying Your Self-Worth + How to Rebuild It
"Mogging" Is Quietly Destroying Your Self-Worth + How to Rebuild It Jun 17, 2026 2880 "Mogging" is everywhere right now — and it's quietly reshaping how a whole generation sees themselves. Born in the manosphere from the acronym AMOG ("alpha male of the group"), mogging means outdoing or outshining someone on looks and status. It's spreading through Gen Z and Gen Alpha, and it's colliding with the most fragile years of self-worth development. In this episode, Dr. Caroline Leaf bre
Why horror movies can be healing, breakups feel like drug withdrawal, & attachment styles can be dangerous
Why horror movies can be healing, breakups feel like drug withdrawal, & attachment styles can be dangerous Jun 10, 2026 2722 Why do breakups hurt so much? Because neurologically, heartbreak looks almost identical to drug withdrawal. In a landmark 2010 fMRI study, Helen Fisher and her colleagues showed that the brains of the recently rejected lit up in the same reward and craving circuits — the VTA and nucleus accumbens — that drive cocaine addiction. In this episode of The Dr. Leaf Show, Dr. Caroline Leaf unpacks the n
High-Functioning Anxiety Isn’t Who You Are. Here’s the Truth
High-Functioning Anxiety Isn’t Who You Are. Here’s the Truth Jun 4, 2026 2405 High-functioning anxiety isn't a personality type. It's a stress response that's gone unchecked. You look calm. You hit your deadlines. You say "I'm fine." But inside, your body is paying a tax that's quietly editing your gene expression while everyone applauds your output. In this episode of The Dr. Leaf Show, Dr. Caroline Leaf breaks down what high-functioning anxiety actually is, what your non

Recommended