“Are You Mad at Me?” It’s the question that lives rent-free in every people pleaser’s head — and it’s also the title of psychotherapist Meg Josephson’s book. In this episode, Meg joins Hope to unpack why people-pleasing is actually a trauma response, how it can turn into subtle dishonesty, and what it takes to stop losing yourself while trying to keep everyone else happy.

Do you have a boysober story to share? We'd love to hear from you! Email us a voice note at [email protected], or leave a voicemail at (518) 83-SOBER. Please say your name before leaving your message, and don’t forget to include your phone number in case we want to follow up. By leaving a voicemail, you are giving Boysober permission and license to use some or all of your message in our show. But if you want to be anonymous, please state that in your call. 

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When a woman decides she doesn't want kids, everyone has an opinion about it. For women in that position, it can be disorienting to distinguish between what you want and what society wants for you. This week, audio producer and storyteller Helena de Groot tells us her story about giving up everything to stay true to what she knew she did and didn’t want.

To hear more of Helena's story, listen and subscribe to Creation Myth wherever you get podcasts. 
 

Do you have a boysober story to share? We'd love to hear from you! Email us a voice note at [email protected], or leave a voicemail at (518) 83-SOBER. Please say your name before leaving your message, and don’t forget to include your phone number in case we want to follow up. By leaving a voicemail, you are giving Boysober permission and license to use some or all of your message in our show. But if you want to be anonymous, please state that in your call. 

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Comedian Chanel Ali tells us the story about how, throughout her life, she had to rely on herself to figure out the answers to life's big mysteries. Through her complicated search to find her biological family, she confronts the weight of generational patterns and chooses to build a legacy that’s fully her own. For updates on her next shows, check out her website chanelali.com, or follow her on Instagram and TikTok. 

Do you have a boysober story to share? We'd love to hear from you! Email us a voice note at [email protected], or leave a voicemail at (518) 83-SOBER. Please say your name before leaving your message, and don’t forget to include your phone number in case we want to follow up. By leaving a voicemail, you are giving Boysober permission and license to use some or all of your message in our show. But if you want to be anonymous, please state that in your call. 

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Patterns are hard to break. Cue: Therapist and bestselling author Nedra Glover Tawwab, who joins the show to help Hope tackle her own tendencies of becoming enmeshed in codependent relationships and learn how to change her behavior in both romantic and platonic relationships.

Nedra's new book, The Balancing Act: Creating Healthy Dependency and Connection Without Losing Yourself, is out now. 

Do you have a boysober story to share? We'd love to hear from you! Email us a voice note at [email protected], or leave a voicemail at (518) 83-SOBER. Please say your name before leaving your message, and don’t forget to include your phone number in case we want to follow up. By leaving a voicemail, you are giving Boysober permission and license to use some or all of your message in our show. But if you want to be anonymous, please state that in your call. 

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Hope is no stranger to real-life romance, but when it comes to the genre of romance—books and TV shows like Heated Rivalry or Bridgerton—she’s a complete virgin. Today, she gets her education with a trip to a romance bookstore, a conversation about monster romance with romance novel expert Sanjana Basker, and a serious look at how wounds from past relationships could be keeping her from embracing stories about love.

Do you have a boysober story to share? We'd love to hear from you! Email us a voice note at [email protected], or leave a voicemail at (518) 83-SOBER. Please say your name before leaving your message, and don’t forget to include your phone number in case we want to follow up. By leaving a voicemail, you are giving Boysober permission and license to use some or all of your message in our show. But if you want to be anonymous, please state that in your call. 

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Cheating is often treated like the ultimate dealbreaker — but it’s way more complicated than that. Therapist (and author of "Beyond Infidelity") Lauren LaRusso talks with Hope about why cheating happens, why staying or leaving a relationship is rarely black and white, and what actually helps people heal after betrayal.

Do you have a boysober story to share? We'd love to hear from you! Email us a voice note at [email protected], or leave a voicemail at (518) 83-SOBER. Please say your name before leaving your message, and don’t forget to include your phone number in case we want to follow up. By leaving a voicemail, you are giving Boysober permission and license to use some or all of your message in our show. But if you want to be anonymous, please state that in your call. 

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Comedian Britt Migs tells us the story of the man she married, the bot that tore everything apart, and where dating after divorce led her. Britt is adapting this story into a special called "Dolphin Mode." For updates on when that's coming out, be sure to check out her website brittmigs.com, or follow her on Instagram and TikTok.

Do you have a boysober story to share? We'd love to hear from you! Email us a voice note at [email protected], or leave a voicemail at (518) 83-SOBER. Please say your name before leaving your message, and don’t forget to include your phone number in case we want to follow up. By leaving a voicemail, you are giving Boysober permission and license to use some or all of your message in our show. But if you want to be anonymous, please state that in your call. 

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Do the straight men in your life have friends? Do they have a close emotional relationship with someone other than their romantic partner? If not, and you are in a relationship with one of these men, you might be “mankeeping,” a term coined by psychologist Angelica Ferrara to describe the emotional labor many women take on for their male partners. Today, we have Angelica on the pod to guide us through why it’s so hard for straight men to find connection and what the answer might be to this patriarchal mess.

Do you have a boysober story to share? We'd love to hear from you! Email us a voice note at [email protected], or leave a voicemail at (518) 83-SOBER. Please say your name before leaving your message, and don’t forget to include your phone number in case we want to follow up. By leaving a voicemail, you are giving Boysober permission and license to use some or all of your message in our show. But if you want to be anonymous, please state that in your call. 

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Hope is boysober but she’s also sober sober… like from alcohol. For Dry January, she’s chatting with her friend Chris Murch (aka Nigel Roxbury, content creator and host of the online series "Dumb Hot") who has been sober for almost two years. Many might think dating while sober is hard, but without alcohol, it can be easier to understand who you are and what you want.

Do you have a boysober story to share? We'd love to hear from you! Email us a voice note at [email protected], or leave a voicemail at (518) 83-SOBER. Please say your name before leaving your message, and don’t forget to include your phone number in case we want to follow up. By leaving a voicemail, you are giving Boysober permission and license to use some or all of your message in our show. But if you want to be anonymous, please state that in your call. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether you’re looking for love or completely boysober in 2026, you’ll likely be inundated with dating trends and terms that might affect how you think about relationships these days. Hope, with producers Emily and Cristina, get in the studio to discuss these terms and talk about what they’re really looking for in the new year.

Do you have a boysober story to share? We'd love to hear from you! Email us a voice note at [email protected], or leave a voicemail at (518) 83-SOBER. Please say your name before leaving your message, and don’t forget to include your phone number in case we want to follow up. By leaving a voicemail, you are giving Boysober permission and license to use some or all of your message in our show. But if you want to be anonymous, please state that in your call. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.