Psychologists Off the Clock

Kick off the New Year with us in this special cohosted POTC episode! We've got a MAJOR announcement for 2025, and we're also chatting about the ups and downs of decision-making—all backed by psychology. We're also reflecting on our 2024 highlights, sharing what we're all hoping for in the new year, and talking about how community, flexibility, and staying true to your values play into making some of life’s tough choices. Plus, we’re giving you a sneak peek at what’s coming up on the podcast this year, including some awesome insights on relationship science and our personal goals for the future. Our exciting POTC New Year announcement Decision-making and understanding psychological flexibility How acceptance and commitment therapy can be applied when making decisions  Making values-driven decisions and the importance of community and connection Cohost 2024 reflections and highlights About Emily Edlynn  Emily (she/her) is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in pediatric health psychology who works in private practice with children, teens, and adults. She has a BA in English from Smith College, a PhD in clinical psychology from Loyola University Chicago, and completed postgraduate training at Stanford and Children’s Hospital Orange County. Emily spent almost ten years working in children’s hospitals before pivoting to private practice, which allowed her to start a writing career. Emily has written her blog, The Art and Science of Mom, since 2017 and a parenting advice column for Parents.com since 2019. About Debbie Sorenson  Debbie (she/her) is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Denver, Colorado with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Anthropology from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a Ph.D. in Psychology from Harvard University. She is author of the upcoming book ACT for Burnout: Recharge, Reconnect, and Transform Burnout with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and co-author of ACT Daily Journal: Get Unstuck and Live Fully with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. She loves living in Colorado, her home state, with her husband, two daughters, and dog. About Jill Stoddard  Jill Stoddard is passionate about sharing science-backed ideas from psychology to help people thrive. She is a psychologist, writer, TEDx speaker, award-winning teacher, peer-reviewed ACT trainer, and co-host of the popular Psychologists Off the Clock podcast. Dr. Stoddard is the author of three books: The Big Book of ACT Metaphors: A Practitioner’s Guide to Experiential Exercises and Metaphors in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy; Be Mighty: A Woman’s Guide to Liberation from Anxiety, Worry, and Stress Using Mindfulness and Acceptance; and Imposter No More: Overcome Self-doubt and Imposterism to Cultivate a Successful Career. Her writing has also appeared in Psychology Today, Scary Mommy, Thrive Global, The Good Men Project, and Mindful Return. She regularly appears on podcasts and as an expert source for various media outlets. She lives in Newburyport, MA with her husband, two kids, and disobedient French Bulldog.   About Michael Herold  Michael (he/him) is a confidence trainer and social skills coach, based in Vienna, Austria. He’s helping his clients overcome their social anxiety through Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and fun exposure exercises. (Though the jury is still out on whether they’re mostly fun for him). He is also a certified therapeutic game master, utilizing the Dungeons&Dragons tabletop roleplaying game to train communication, assertiveness, and teamwork with young adults. Or actually, anyone ready to roll some dice and battle goblins in a supportive group where players want to level up (pun!) their social skills. Michael is the head coach of the L.A. based company The Art of Charm, running their confidence-building program “Unstoppable” as well as workshops on small talk, storytelling, vulnerability, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we turn the page to a new year, we’re excited to release this episode as a special gift to help you start 2025 on the right foot. Let’s face it—after the chaos and unpredictability of the past few years, many of us are craving positive change and looking for guidance on how to make it stick. Self-help has surged in popularity, but not all resources are created equal. That’s why we’re bringing back a conversation with Katy Milkman, author of How to Change, to cut through the noise and share strategies backed by science. In this compassionate and inspiring episode, Katy and Jill dive into actionable tools to help you create lasting change, whether it’s breaking old habits or starting fresh. Katy’s expertise has guided organizations like Google, the U.S. Department of Defense, and Walmart, and now she’s sharing her wisdom with you. Tune in to learn why making New Year’s resolutions isn’t just tradition—it can actually be a powerful tool for transformation when done right. Together, let’s set the stage for a brighter, more intentional year ahead. Listen and Learn: Jill and Yael’s personal experiences with self-help books—what’s worked and what hasn’t Katy’s advice on which behaviors to focus on first for meaningful change Practical tips to help you tackle impulsive behaviors today How Katy’s book inspired real change in Jill’s daily life (her gums are a fan!) Why one-size-fits-all solutions fail and how to find the strategies that work for you The science behind readiness for change and why timing matters A fresh take on New Year’s resolutions and how to make them stick Resources: Grab a copy of Katy’s book, How to Change: The Science of Getting From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be Sign up for Katy’s newsletter here About Katy Milkman: Katy Milkman is the James G. Dinan Professor at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, host of Charles Schwab’s popular behavioral economics podcast Choiceology, and the former president of the international Society for Judgment and Decision Making. She is the co-founder and co-director of the Behavior Change for Good Initiative, a research center with the mission of advancing the science of lasting behavior change whose work is being chronicled by Freakonomics Radio. Over the course of her career, she has worked with or advised dozens of organizations on how to spur positive change, including Google, the U.S. Department of Defense, the American Red Cross, 24 Hour Fitness, Walmart and Morningstar. An award-winning scholar and teacher, Katy writes frequently about behavioral science for major media outlets such as The Washington Post, The New York Times, USA Today, and Scientific American. Her bestselling book How to Change: The Science of Getting From Where You are to Where You Want to Be is now available. She earned her undergraduate degree from Princeton University (summa cum laude), where she studied Operations Research and American Studies and her PhD from Harvard University where, she studied Computer Science and Business. Related Episodes: Episode 200. Growing Grit with Angela Duckworth  Episode 43. Willpower With Kelly McGonigal Episode 132. The Joy Of Movement With Kelly McGonigal Episode 34. Strengths, Goal Setting, and Grit with Alexis Karris Bachik  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Parental stress has been declared a public health crisis by the U.S. Surgeon General—and it’s a conversation we all need to have. In this episode, Emily sits down with Debbie and our dear friend and guest Yael Schonbrun, a clinical psychologist and author of Work, Parent, Thrive, to explore what’s behind the overwhelming stress so many parents are feeling and, more importantly, what we can do about it. We’re talking about all the things that pile up: money worries, the constant rush, and that pressure to “do it all.” Plus, we dive into what parental burnout actually is (and why it’s not your fault) and share simple, science-backed tips to make life a little easier. This isn’t just about managing parental stress—it’s about showing up for yourself and your kids in a healthier, more sustainable way. If you’ve ever felt like you’re drowning in the demands of parenting, this episode is for you. It’s a conversation that matters—and one that can truly make a difference. Listen and Learn:  What is parental stress, why it matters, and how we can lighten the load together? How can we turn overwhelming parental stress into something manageable? Parenting burnout is skyrocketing—what’s fueling it, and how can we reclaim balance in modern life? The pressures of modern parenting, how to find balance and break free from the stress. How working parents can shift from feeling torn between roles to using tension for enrichment What are the causes and consequences of parental burnout, and how driving awareness can help Why your well-being as a parent is crucial for your child's mental health, yet it's often overlooked—and learn how to break this unhelpful cycle How self-compassion and mindful check-ins can help ease your burnout and stress in daily life Supporting your child's autonomy to reduce parental burnout and strengthen your connections Resources:  Yael’s website: https://www.yaelschonbrun.com/ Connect with Yael on socials:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yael-schonbrun-a26a5229/ http://x.com/DrYaelSchonbrun http://instagram.com/yaelschonbrun/ Our Substack Q&A, Is Parent Stress Breaking News? Three Clinical Psychologists Discuss the Surgeon General’s New Advisory: https://emilyedlynn.substack.com/p/is-parent-stress-breaking-news  About Yael Schonbrun Yael Schonbrun is a clinical psychologist, assistant professor at Brown University, author of Work, Parent, Thrive: 12 Science-Backed Strategies to Ditch Guilt, Manage Overwhelm, and Grow Connection (When Everything Feels Like too Much), past Psychologists Off the Clock co-host, and parent of three. In her research, private practice, and writing, Yael draws on science, philosophy, and clinical practices to share practices proven to foster healthier relationships between partners, parents and children, and between our most important life roles. Yael is a frequent contributor to The Washington Post and her writing on work, parenting, and relationships has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Greater Good Science Center, Behavioral Scientist, Tricycle, among others. Related Episodes:  306. Screaming on the Inside: The Challenges of American Motherhood with Jessica Grose 319. Autonomy-Supportive Parenting with the AMAZING Emily Edlynn 275. Work, Parent, Thrive with Yael Schonbrun 338. ACT for Burnout with Debbie!  146. Parental Burnout with Lisa Coyne 382. The Anxious Generation? The Conversation We Should Be Having About Kids, Technology, and Mental Health  379. Toxic Striving with Paula Freedman-Diamond  https://offtheclockpsych.com/be-mighty/ 121. Be Mighty: An Episode for Stressed Out, Worried Women with Jill Stoddard 267. You are Not a Horrible Parent with Carla Naumburg 211. Subtract with Leidy Klotz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Life can feel so overwhelming sometimes, especially with the nonstop pace of the modern world. But what if you learned to embrace the messiness that comes with life and concentrated more on what really matters to you rather than attempting to control everything? Building on the themes from his previous bestseller, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, Michael is joined by returning guest Oliver Burkeman to break down his new book, Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts.  Oliver and Michael dig into key ideas, such as the limits of control, the traps of overachievement and information overload, and how to face life challenges with a proactive, value-driven mindset. You'll love Oliver’s powerful metaphors, like navigating a kayak instead of steering a superyacht, which really brings home the beauty of going with life’s flow while staying grounded and intentional. This is an incredible resource that offers daily insights designed to inspire action, so join us for this empowering conversation and start your journey of embracing imperfection and living a more meaningful life.  Listen and Learn:  Oliver’s philosophy behind 'Meditations for Mortals' The Evolution from 4,000 Weeks to Meditations for Mortals Embracing the concept of imperfectionism by being finite, taking action, letting go and showing up  Embracing life’s chaos with the kayak vs. superyacht metaphor The insecure overachiever and learning to break free from productivity guilt Dealing with the overflow of information and discerning what truly deserves your attention The paradox of life's endless problems and the freedom found in embracing them How to apply imperfectionism in your daily life  Balancing empathy with boundaries and why other people's problems aren’t yours to solve Resources:  Oliver’s books:  Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals Oliver’s Website: https://www.oliverburkeman.com/ Connect with Oliver on X: @oliverburkeman About Oliver Burkeman Oliver Burkeman is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling Four Thousand Weeks and The Antidote, and for many years wrote a popular weekly column on psychology for the Guardian, 'This Column Will Change Your Life'. His work has also appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Psychologies, and New Philosopher. Related Episodes 242. Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management with Oliver Burkeman 257. The Gift of Being Ordinary with Ron Siegel 321. Imposter No More with Jill Stoddard Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices