Self-Conscious with Chrissy Teigen

When pregnancy veers off the script, what do you do next—and how do you reclaim your power? Chrissy talks to economist and parenting data expert Emily Oster discussing her bestseller The Unexpected: Navigating Pregnancy During and After Complications, translating the hardest parts of miscarriage, stillbirth, preeclampsia, hyperemesis, and postpartum mental health into clear questions, better conversations with your care team, and compassionate next steps.

Five Key Takeaways

• Name it to navigate it: Understanding what actually happened (not just the label) is the first step toward clarity, closure, and planning.
• Ask the four questions: What happened? Why did it happen to me? Could it happen again (and how likely)? What can we do to lower the risk or prepare?
• Recurrence isn’t one-size-fits-all: Some complications (e.g., gestational diabetes, postpartum depression) have higher repeat risk; others (like many abruptions) are less likely to recur—plan accordingly.
• Advocacy is a skill: Decide the communication style you want (all the numbers vs. big-picture), switch providers if you don’t feel heard, and bring your true self to appointments.
• Postpartum is medical, not moral: Screening for depression/anxiety (for birthing and non-birthing partners), pelvic recovery, lactation after loss, and body-image grief deserve proactive care—not silence or shame.

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Susan Cain, creator of the Audible Original A Quiet Life in Seven Steps, explores with Chrissy why our culture overvalues loudness—and what we gain when we embrace the power of quiet. Together, they unpack introversion, sensitivity, and how honoring your natural temperament can unlock creativity, deeper happiness, and true self-acceptance.

Key Takeaways

• Why society rewards extroversion, and the hidden strengths introverts bring to relationships, leadership, and creativity.
• The “battery test” for understanding whether you recharge with solitude or stimulation.
• How quiet living isn’t weakness—it’s a path to originality, awe, and emotional depth.
• Tools for designing your day around your natural energy cycles, instead of fighting them.
• The freedom that comes with giving yourself permission to live in alignment with your true temperament.

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Matt Ritter and Aaron Karo, creators of the new Audible Original “The Buddy System,” help Chrissy and husband John Legend navigate the crisis of male loneliness; unpacking why men struggle with friendship, and how building rituals can literally save lives. With humor and heart, they explore why male friendships matter for health, happiness, and stronger relationships.

Key Takeaways

• The rituals that help friendships endure across decades.
• Why male loneliness is a hidden public health crisis linked to depression, substance abuse, and even early death.
• How women can support partners in maintaining male friendships without carrying the whole emotional load.
• Simple frameworks like “TCS” (Text, Call, See) to keep friendships alive.
• Why vulnerability—saying “thank you” or even “I love you, man”—is real strength, not weakness.

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In this raw and revelatory episode of Self-Conscious, we talk about the kind of depression that hides behind a perfect Instagram feed. High-functioning depression doesn't leave you sobbing in bed—it shows up in overachievement, relentless busyness, and emotional numbness. Chrissy sits down with psychiatrist and author Dr. Judith Joseph for a conversation that starts in the mind and ends in the body—with tears, breakthroughs, and healing. In one of the most vulnerable interviews she’s ever done, Chrissy shares a gut-wrenching admission about childhood trauma that changed the course of her life, why she doesn’t trust her own emotions, and what it’s like to raise kids while still healing herself. This isn’t just a discussion—it’s a reckoning. Together, Chrissy and Dr. Judith unpack the science, psychology, and strategies for finally naming the pain and finding your way back to joy.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Discover the difference between "Big T" and "little t" trauma—and why the small stuff that "shouldn't" hurt still does.
• Learn the five V's of healing: Validation, Venting, Values, Vitals, and Vision—along with real tools for daily emotional clarity.
• Reconnect with joy.

This episode contains discussions about trauma, including sexual abuse and emotional neglect. Listener discretion is advised.

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Chrissy sits down with Oliver Burkeman, author of Meditations for Mortals to explore why the obsession with “finally getting everything done” is a trap. Burkeman explains how embracing imperfection and accepting our limits can help us stop chasing control, start finishing things imperfectly, and actually live with more presence and ease.

Five Key Takeaways:

• The Finish Line Myth: The to-do list will never be empty—your job isn’t to “catch up,” but to choose the next thing that matters.
• Imperf-Perfectionism: Starting and finishing something—messy or not—is better than waiting until it’s perfect.
• Small, Realistic Goals: Swap “do it perfectly” for “do it regularly” (like 20 minutes of writing or one load of laundry).
• Three Good Hours: Most of us only have three focused hours a day—use them for what matters most, and let the rest be messy.
• Celebrate Done, Not Perfect: Keep a “done list,” make small decisions to move forward, and see problems as part of real life—not signs of failure.

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What does it really mean to live—and thrive—with ADHD in a world built for neurotypical brains? Chrissy talks with Dr. Alok Kanojia—aka Dr. K—a Harvard-trained psychiatrist, former monk, gamer, and meditation teacher, about his Audible Original 30 Days to Thrive with ADHD, where he shows listeners not just how to cope but how to turn the unique traits of ADHD into strengths that fuel resilience, creativity, and success.

Five Key Takeaways

• Why ADHD is both over diagnosed and underdiagnosed, and how it can look very different in boys versus girls.
• The surprising truth about stimulant medication versus therapy—and why skill-building often works better long-term.
• How hyperfocus, impulsivity, and distraction are two sides of the same coin, and how to work with them instead of against them.
• Why many people struggle with self-esteem, shame, and addiction alongside ADHD, and how that shapes adult life.
• A practical exercise called “urge surfing” that helps you ride out cravings and impulses without giving in.

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Why do we keep tripping ourselves up right when things are going well—and how do we stop? Chrissy chats with bestselling author Brianna Wiest to unpack The Mountain Is You: Transforming Self-Sabotage into Self-Mastery, reframing “self-sabotage” as a safety strategy and teaching simple, repeatable practices to build emotional resilience and move forward one small step at a time.

Five Key Takeaways

• Self-sabotage = self-protection: many “bad habits” are coping strategies designed to keep us safe and comfortable.
• Micro-shifts beat breakthroughs: tiny, consistent changes recondition your nervous system better than all-at-once overhauls.
• Practice the pause: inserting even a 1–2 second gap between feeling and action is the “golden window” to choose differently.
• Mind your upper limit: notice when feeling good triggers an unconscious pull back to the familiar—and expand your tolerance for good.
• Future-self navigation: use the “highest-potential/90-year-old self” exercise to make clear, values-aligned decisions when you don’t feel ready.

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Johann Hari, author of The Magic Pill, chats with Chrissy about the rise of new weight loss drugs like Ozempic and what they reveal about our culture, our food, and our bodies. Together, they explore the science, the stigma, and the deeper emotional truths around eating, health, and self-acceptance.

Key Takeaways

• How weight loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro actually work on appetite, the gut, and the brain.
• Why obesity rates have skyrocketed in recent decades, and the role processed foods play in undermining our natural fullness signals.
• The profound psychological impacts of these drugs—from freedom from obsessive food thoughts to potential risks for eating disorders.
• How shame, cultural judgment, and outdated ideas about “willpower” distort the way we see weight, health, and body image.
• Practical tools for shifting toward body appreciation and self-compassion, including body functionality practices and loving-kindness meditation.

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Chrissy sits down with spiritual writer, teacher, and wellness guide Lalah Delia to explore how energy—the invisible yet deeply felt force shaping our lives—can be understood, protected, and elevated. Delia, author of Vibrate Higher Daily and Audible Original meditations Cleanse From Your Day, Emotional Reset, and Meditation for an Empowered, Confident You, offers a clear, grounded path to identifying what drains us, what restores us, and how to intentionally tune our lives to a more empowering frequency.

Chrissy opens up about her lifelong habit of saying yes when she means no, and the energetic aftermath that follows.

Key Takeaways:

1. Your body offers real-time biofeedback—tune in to how places, people, and decisions make you feel before your mind rationalizes them.
2. The concept of “vibrating higher” is about small, daily choices that protect your nervous system and reflect your truth—not perfection or performance.
3. Saying no is not selfish—it’s energy hygiene, and a form of spiritual self-respect.
4. A visual “Tree of Life” exercise helps identify which relationships and habits support you (green leaves) and which ones drain you (red flags).
5. Reframing FOMO into LOMO—Love of Missing Out—can create space for rest, peace, and authentic alignment.

For more listening, check out:

• Cleanse From Your Day
• Emotional Reset
• Meditation for an Empowered, Confident You
• Vibrate Higher Daily

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What if the reason you're always overwhelmed isn’t because you’re doing life wrong—but because you’re following a plan that was never made for you? In this episode of Self-Conscious, Chrissy sits down with Kendra Adachi, bestselling author of THE PLAN: Manage Your Time Like a Lazy Genius, to dismantle the hustle, perfectionism, and guilt so many women carry when it comes to managing time, energy, and expectations.

Chrissy opens up about her own internalized pressure to “do it all,” her fear of being seen as lazy, and how small acts of presence—like saying yes to her kids' invitation to play outside—can feel more meaningful than any perfect plan.

Key Takeaways:

1. Start with what matters to you right now—not a fantasy future—and build small, sustainable actions from that place.
2. Let go of the myth of being behind: your life doesn’t need a “catch-up plan,” it needs compassion.
3. Energy, not time, should guide how you plan your day—honor your body and your bandwidth.
4. The five-step Lazy Genius Method (prioritize, essentialize, organize, personalize, systemize) can help you solve real problems without burning out.
5. Small things aren’t just enough—they are the point.

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