439 episodes

Anna Sale explores the big questions and hard choices that are often left out of polite conversation.

Death, Sex & Money Slate Podcasts

    • Society & Culture
    • 4.6 • 7.2K Ratings

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Anna Sale explores the big questions and hard choices that are often left out of polite conversation.

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

    You’re at a Crossroads. We’re Here to Help.

    You’re at a Crossroads. We’re Here to Help.

    To make this episode we asked you, our listeners, if you had any questions about a big life transition you were preparing for where you needed some advice. 
    We received a collection of questions that really trace the full life cycle of adulthood. We heard from those of you just starting out, wondering about new careers and family structures. We heard from those of you in midlife encountering destabilizing shake-ups in your routine, like a divorce, or a sudden disability. And we heard from you at the end of your working lives, wondering when to retire, and also about how to find purpose when life is no longer organized around a 9-5. 
    To offer advice, we convened a panel of Slate writers and thinkers, Slate writer Mark Joseph Stern, What Next TBD host Lizzie O'Leary, and Working co-host Ronald Young Jr.
    Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus.
    And if you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our new email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com.
    Podcast production by Zoe Azulay
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    • 1 hr 13 min
    A Tarot Reader Explains Why Intuition is So Tricky

    A Tarot Reader Explains Why Intuition is So Tricky

    Earlier this year, when the future of Death, Sex & Money was up in the air, Anna Sale consulted Rebecca Auman, a tarot reader and self-described witch based in North Carolina. Anna felt lost, but Rebecca encouraged her to relax and to pay close attention to what her body and mind were telling her about that moment. 
    Afterwards, Anna wondered how Rebecca became so good at reading people–and at helping them to navigate tough situations. When the two of them spoke a second time, Rebecca revealed that her ability to help other people doesn’t always translate to an ability to help herself. In this episode, the two of them talk about how hard it is to trust our own intuition…and to even recognize it in the first place. 
    Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus.
    And if you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our new email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com.
    Podcast production by Cameron Drews.
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    • 42 min
    A Sociopath's Guide to Death, Sex, and Money

    A Sociopath's Guide to Death, Sex, and Money

    Patric Gagne says being a sociopath is like having an emotional learning disability. In this episode, she talks about the good and the bad of having limited access to shame and guilt, how she overcame violent compulsions, and becoming a wife and mother. 
    Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus.
    And if you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our new email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com.
    Podcast production by Zoe Azulay.
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    • 47 min
    From Indie Rockers to Full-Time Caregivers

    From Indie Rockers to Full-Time Caregivers

    When musician Johnny Solomon hit rock bottom, he turned to his mom for help. Then, as his mother’s health declined, he and his wife (and bandmate) Molly moved in with her to lend a hand. But caring for Johnny’s mother meant that their music careers were put on hold. 
    We first talked to Johnny, Molly, and his mom Nancy in 2018. This week, we revisit that conversation and get a fresh update from Johnny. 
    Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus.
    And if you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our new email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com.
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    • 35 min
    I Was In Debt. Then My Sister Offered Me $16,000.

    I Was In Debt. Then My Sister Offered Me $16,000.

    In 2021, we talked to a listener that we’re calling Tessa, who found themselves in $19,000 worth of credit card debt. When Tessa’s sister offered to pay a huge chunk of the debt, new problems arose. First, the offer didn’t bring instant peace-of-mind. Second, it wasn’t clear if paying off the debt right away was even the best solution. This week, we revisit the conversation with Tessa and her sister and reflect on what they learned about debt, family, and mental health. 
    If you're struggling with consumer debt, check out these resources.
    Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus.
    And if you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our new email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com.
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    • 46 min
    The Very Hot Marriage of Niecy Nash and Jessica Betts

    The Very Hot Marriage of Niecy Nash and Jessica Betts

    This week, we’re revisiting our conversation with (now Emmy-winning) actor Niecy Nash and her wife, singer-songwriter Jessica Betts. They discuss their initial friendship, their steamy first date, the process of going public with their relationship, and much more. 
    Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus. Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus.
    And if you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our new email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com.
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    • 40 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
7.2K Ratings

7.2K Ratings

sierrachi ,

Longtime Listener

I’ve been listening to DSM since I was in college, 9 or 10 years ago now! It’s remained my favorite podcast though so many periods in my life. Grateful to Anna Sale and the team for fighting to keep this insightful, unique podcast alive.

NerdforTC ,

Curious about the sociopathic mother…

I love this podcast. As so many others have said, Anna is a great interviewer. I can always count on her to ask the hard questions. Having said that, I have to say that I was really disappointed with the recent episode with the sociopathic mother, Patric. I feel like so many great but uncomfortable questions weren’t asked! Why? This topic is insanely interesting but by the end of the episode, I was screaming, “Really, that’s it?!” Why not ask more questions about attachment, love, and how her inability to maybe emote the feeling of love affects her children, affects her experience or her partner’s experience of her as a mother? This episode was just so extremely whitewashed that I have to think the guest refused to delve in to certain topics. There had to be some prior agreement that Anna and the guest would only scratch the surface of how her sociopathy has impacted her life and relationships. Also, it would have been more enlightening to speak with her partner. We only received a one-sided perspective …a one-sided perspective from a Sociopath. The interview was just not what I’ve come to expect from Anna.

danger_ryan ,

Great stories

Really well produced. Great stories. I love this podcast. Anna is the BEST interviewer I have ever heard. The unbiased, non judgmental tone is something you don’t often hear. She is amazing.

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