Mental health podcasts are not only a popular form of media, but they can also positively impact listenersā mental health literacy and awareness. Research shows that mental health podcast listeners have improved attitudes around mental illness and reduced feelings of self-stigma.
From helping to destigmatize common struggles to feeling connected with others in similar situations, mental health podcasts have the potential to help listeners improve their own lives. Want to incorporate quality mental health podcasts into your own library rotation? Hers set out to find the best shows available by ranking 30 popular podcasts based on the following metrics:
Recommended Videos
- Average review: Ratings reveal how listener engagement, indicating better content show quality. Negative reviews can be a major red flag, especially with a topic as important as mental health.
- Number of reviews: Leaving a review is an extra step that listeners arenāt required to take. If more people take the time to write one, theyāre clearly a passionate audience.
- Total episodes: Consistency is important, especially if you want a mental health podcast you can listen to regularly. Since 47 percent of podcasts donāt make it past the third episode, the group was rated based on the number of shows published.Ā
Key Findings
- Reviews are consistently high among mental health podcasts, indicating listeners are interested in the genre as a whole.
- Podcasts with larger catalogs tend to rank higher, with many of the top shows publishing more than 500 episodes.
- Smaller shows with fewer reviews can still rank well, especially when they consistently post episodes.
Discover the 10 best mental health podcasts to consider adding to your listening library.
1. āThe School of Greatness with Lewis Howesā
2. āOn Purpose with Jay Shettyā
3. āThe Dr. John Delony Showā
4. āFeel Better Live Moreā
5. āThe NarcissistsĆ¢ā¬ā¢ Codeā
6. āThe Psychology of Your 20s with Jemma Sbegā
7. āBeing Wellā and āThe Peter Attia Drive Podcastā (tied)
9. āOn Being with Krista Tippettā
10. āTherapy for Black Girlsā
Top 30 Mental Health Podcasts Ranked By Reviews and Audience
1. āThe School of Greatness with Lewis Howesā
2. āOn Purpose with Jay Shettyā
3. āThe Dr. John Delony Showā
4. āFeel Better Live Moreā
5. āThe NarcissistsĆ¢ā¬ā¢ Codeā
6. āThe Psychology of Your 20s with Jemma Sbegā
7. āBeing Wellā and āThe Peter Attia Drive Podcastā (tied)
9. āOn Being with Krista Tippettā
10. āTherapy for Black Girlsā
11. ā10% Happier with Dan Harrisā
12. āThanks for Asking with Nora McInernyā
13. āRadio Headspaceā
14. āCalm It Downā and āHow to Fail with Elizabeth Dayā (tied)
16. āThe One You Feedā
17. āTherapy and Theologyā
18. āA Slight Change of Plansā
19. āChasing Life with Dr. Sanjay Guptaā and āMayim Bialik's Breakdownā (tied)
21. āJudging Meghanā
22. āSh!t That Goes On n Our Headsā
23. āThe mindbodygreen podcastā
24. āOffice Hours with Arthur Brooksā and āWe're Out of Time with Richard Taiteā (tied)
26. āThe Art of Being Well with Dr. Will Coleā
27. āDecoded: Unlock The Secrets of Human Behavior, Emotion and Motivationā
28. āLatinx Therapy with Adriana Alejandreā
29. āThe Optimist Projectā
30. āMy So-Called Midlife with Reshma Saujaniā
Podcasts to Stream for Mental Health: Trends and Insights
Find out how 30 popular mental health podcasts stack up according to individual ranking categories.
Which Mental Health Podcasts Have the Highest Reviews?
Mental Health Podcasts With the Highest Reviews
1. āJudging Meghanā and āOffice Hours with Arthur Brooksā (4.9/5)
2. āBeing Wellā, āFeel Better Live Moreā, āThe Narcissistsā Codeā, āThe School of Greatness with Lewis Howeā, and āTherapy and Theologyā ā TIED (4.85/5)
Mental Health Podcasts With the Lowest Reviews
1. āMy So-Called Midlife with Reshma Saujaniā (4.35/5)
2. āThe Art of Being Well with Dr. Will Coleā (4.4/5)
3. āThe mindbodygreen podcastā (4.5/5)
Which Mental Health Podcasts Have the Most Reviews?
Mental Health Podcasts With the Most Reviews
1. āOn Purpose with Jay Shettyā (70,200)
2. āThe School of Greatness with Lewis Howeā (38,600)
3. āThe Psychology of Your 20s with Jemma Sbegā (36,800)
Mental Health Podcasts With the Fewest Reviews
1. āDecoded: Unlock The Secrets of Human Behavior, Emotion and Motivationā (111)
2. āOffice Hours with Arthur Brooksā (147)
3. āJudging Meghanā (153)
Which Mental Health Podcasts Have the Most Episodes?
Mental Health Podcasts With the Most Episodes
1. āThe School of Greatness with Lewis Howeā (1,900)
2. āThe Narcissistsā Codeā (1,600)
3. āRadio Headspaceā (1,500)
Mental Health Podcasts With the Fewest Episodes
1. āOffice Hours with Arthur Brooksā (4)
2. āDecoded: Unlock The Secrets of Human Behavior, Emotion and Motivationā (14)
3. āThe Optimist Projectā (29)
Methodology: How Scores Were Calculated
Hers gathered 30 popular podcasts based on mental health category recommendations on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. From there, we ranked each one based on three categories: average reviews on both podcast platforms, total number of reviews, and total episodes.
3 Tips for Incorporating Podcasts Into Your Mental Health Routine
Listening to a mental health podcast comes with personal benefits, which you can compound even more by following these three tips.
- Curate your podcast library: Be mindful of the types of mental health podcasts you listen to, especially if there is triggering content. Find a balance between heavier episodes and more uplifting ones that leave you feeling in a good headspace.
- Pair with a well-rounded self-care routine: In addition to giving yourself emotional support through a podcast, explore other areas of self-care, including physical, spiritual, and financial practices.
- Schedule time for action: Itās easy to listen to a mental health podcast while doing other things, like commuting to work or doing chores around the house. But itās also important to find the time to implement what youāve learned, like scheduling your first therapy session or meditating.
This story was produced by Hers and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.