I think we all instinctively know if we find someone interesting… or not. But how can we cultivate the skills of being interesting to others? In this episode, we break down the science behind what makes people interesting, talk about some easy things we can all do to tap into what already makes us unique, and focus on one of life’s greatest conversational hacks - learning how to be truly interested in others. 

We explore: 
• Why we all love interesting people 
• How ‘digital saturation’ is making us more bored, and boring
• The importance of asking open-ended questions to unlock better conversations
• Why being truly unique is a status symbol 
• The power of learning to talk to strangers
• Why social skills are actually just social courage

Watch on Netflix: HERE

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: [email protected] 

Our favourite sources:

https://tedbauer.medium.com/are-people-more-boring-now-98105e03e20c

https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2009-12130-004

https://thevectorimpact.com/how-to-be-more-interesting/

The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If anyone tells you that they’re not even a little bit insecure, they’re lying, in denial, or both. It’s a fact of life that we all feel insecure at times - about how we look, behave, our achievements, and whether we are liked by others. In this episode, we examine the psychology behind common insecurities, recognise how we can be our own worst enemies, and consider the ways we can come to accept that we are all flawed, and might not actually need ‘fixing’. 

We unpack: 
• The surprising evolutionary benefits that come with insecurity
• How our levels of insecurity change throughout our lives
• The ‘liking gap’, and why we think others like us less than they do 
• How being insecure can feed insecurity, in a vicious cycle 
• Why people pleasing and over confidence are often signs of insecurity 
• How we can address insecurities that negatively impact our lives

Watch on Netflix: HERE

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: [email protected] 

Our favourite sources: 

https://www.bps.org.uk/research-digest/insecurity-leads-us-underestimate-how-much-others-us

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228079585_Self-Esteem_Development_Across_the_Lifespan

https://www.centerforanxiety.org/what-is-hyper-independence-is-it-a-bad-thing/

The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Uncertainty is the defining emotion of our 20s. Career paths, relationships, identity, purpose ... so much of this decade is marked by not knowing. Does that have to be as uncomfortable as we think it does? In today’s episode, we unpack the psychology of uncertainty: why our brains fear it, how it triggers anxiety and avoidance, and why trying to “figure it all out” might be doing more harm than good.

We explore:

• The neuroscience behind our discomfort with the unknown
• Why perfectionism is often a mask for our fear of uncertainty
• The cultural myths that make us believe we need a step-by-step life plan
• How to assign meaning to uncertainty and build resilience through it
• Practical strategies to take action even when the future feels unclear

If you've never felt more confused than you do now, and are unsure 'what's next', this episode is for you. 

Watch on Netflix: HERE

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: [email protected] 

The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the past 6 months I've been asking people: what is the biggest mistake you made in your 20s? I've heard from over 5'000 people, some of them 21, some of them 80 and I have combined all their responses to make the ultimate list of the 20 biggest mistakes people make in their 20s, for the people, by the people. 

From love, to career, to finances, going to college, friendship, taking risks: today we talk through the most common responses we received and what we can learn from these moments and regrets. Listen now! 

Watch on Netflix: HERE

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: [email protected] 

The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The life of the highly sensitive person is often misunderstood. Highly sensitive aren't just people who cry too much or get overwhelmed, take things too personally: they actually take in so much of the world that it can be too much. They feel everything, from joy to sadness, so immediately and profoundly. They are also so in tune with the emotions of all those around them that sometimes it can be too much. Today we break down the psychology of the highly sensitive person, including: 

• What are the core assessment criteria for identifying if you're highly sensitive?
• What causes someone to be highly sensitive? 
• The genetic, personality, parental and temperment contribution 
• The link between sensitivity, IQ, EQ and creativity + the gentle superpower of sensitive people 
• Do highly sensitive people have more empathy? 
• The link between neurodivergence and sensitivity 
• How to explain your sensitivity to others 
• How to make the world work for your gentle, feeling soul, and so much more!

This episode is FULL of tips, research and studies. Listen now! 

The assessment: https://hsperson.com/test/highly-sensitive-test/ 

Watch on Netflix: HERE

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: [email protected] 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You know when someone seems to breeze through life, can approach any social situation and challenge with such self-assured confidence? It seems innate - something they were born with. But what if that's not true? What if, instead of a fixed personal trait, confidence is actually a set of learnable abilities, a dynamic skill that anyone can cultivate, sharpen, and ultimately master? Today, we’re challenging the notion that confidence is a trait, and instead something you build.

Things we discuss:

• Why confidence is dynamic and adaptable
• Self-efficacy as a driver of confidence
• How "growth mindsets" can revolutionise your approach to challenges and setbacks
• Understanding the locus of control to fuel or hinder your forward momentum
• Actionable strategies to build your confidence from the ground up

If you’ve ever thought, “if only I was just born confident”, this episode is for you.

Watch on Netflix: HERE

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: [email protected] 

The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sigmund Freud is one of the most famous and contested names in psychology. Often reduced to couches, cigars, dreams, sex, and blaming everything on your mother, Freud’s real story is much more complicated. In this bonus episode, we take a look at who Freud actually was - his medical background, the development of his method, and why his views are so context specific.

We explore:
• The development of free association 
• The role of dreams and transference
• Defence mechanisms and the unconscious
• The structural model of the human psyche
• Challenges to his theory
• Freud's legacy: Anna and modern-day psychoanalysis

Watch on Netflix: HERE

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: [email protected] 

Our favourite sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559106/

https://www.cureus.com/articles/303246-matters-of-the-mind-a-look-into-the-life-of-sigmund-freud#!/

https://www.freud.org.uk/2020/04/07/freud-at-home-sigmund-and-annas-studies/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15293843/

The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Productivity advice often tells us to push harder, wake up earlier, and squeeze more out of every hour. But in this episode, we take a different approach. Instead of treating productivity like a test of willpower, we look at the psychology behind focus, procrastination, energy, motivation, and rest - and why working with your brain is usually more effective than trying to bully it into action.

We explore 7 tips for productivity, including:
• How small wins can create momentum
• Why the hardest task often needs to come first
• How to work with your natural energy patterns
• Habit stacking for boring tasks
• Why 20 focused minutes can be more useful than waiting for the perfect window
• How ‘shoot your shot’ days can move you closer to the life you want
• Why real rest is essential for sustainable productivity

Watch on Netflix: HERE

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: [email protected] 

Our favourite sources: 
https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0033-295X.84.2.191

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ejsp.674

https://www.ted.com/talks/saundra_dalton_smith_the_real_reason_why_we_are_tired_and_what_to_do_about_it

The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TW: Discussions of miscarriage/pregnancy

Grace Beverley is a founder, an entrepreneur, and a seasoned professional when it comes to pursuing the ideas your have, but also knowing when to slow down, recover from burnout and let yourself be vulnerable. 

In today's episode we discuss her journey from studying music at Oxford to launching over five businesses, and her next chapter as a parent. We talk about: 

• The best career advice for your 20s
• How to start a business and her biggest lessons from early failures
• Why love should make you feel safe 
• Her pregnancy loss story 
• The importance of being vocal about what you believe in 
• How to recover from burnout

Listen now!

Watch on Netflix: HERE

Follow Grace on Instagram: @gracebeverley

Shop TALA: HERE

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: [email protected] 

The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all know that therapy is amazing, in fact it’s life-changing for many people. But what does therapy actually do? And what makes a good therapist? 

In today’s episode we’re joined by Dr Sandra Espinoza, Associate Professor of the Couple and Family Therapy Program at Alliant University. Our discussion includes: 

• Her journey into helping others 
• Why the best therapists, go to therapy 
• What to look for in your therapist 
• Why we can’t just rely on our friends 
• Our greatest misconceptions around therapy 
• Why stigma and affordability continue to be the biggest barriers 
• How Alliant University is leading the next generation of helpers and therapists to support their communities 

If you’ve ever considered therapy, been curious about therapy or want to be a therapist yourself, this is your ultimate guide. 

Follow Dr Espinoza: HERE 

Find out more about Alliant University: HERE

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: [email protected] 

The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.