Life's Dirty Little Secrets Podcast | Breaking Silence Around the Secrets We All Carry

Christopher McCurry & Emma Waddington
  • 5.0 (2)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

We often find ourselves comparing our internal struggles to the flawless images others project, leaving us feeling isolated and misunderstood. But here’s the truth: you are not alone. Join psychologists Emma Waddington and Chris McCurry as they delve into the little-discussed yet incredibly common challenges that come with striving to be your best self. In each episode of "Life's Dirty Little Secrets," you'll find thoughtful conversations filled with insights, humor, and compassion that reflect the beautiful complexity of being human. Together, we’ll explore the raw realities of issues like anxiety, depression, self-esteem, grief, and the nuanced journey of growing up. Whether it's confronting the pressures of modern life or unpacking emotional baggage, we provide a safe space for you to resonate with these experiences. Our intriguing discussions with expert guests will illuminate your path toward understanding and healing. Tune in for practical answers to your pressing questions, such as: How can I better manage anxiety and stress?What can help me overcome self-doubt?How do I navigate grief and find solace?How does self-compassion play a role in my journey?What steps can I take towards greater emotional clarity?Join us weekly as we embrace the messiness of life and uncover the secrets that bind us together. With every episode, you’ll feel empowered, understood, and reminded that it’s perfectly okay to not have it all figured out. Together, let’s embark on this journey of self-discovery and compassion—because we all have secrets, and it’s time to share them.

  1. 4D AGO

    Secret #78: The Healing in Horror Films with Dr. Amy Beddows

    Recommended Episodes Secret #26: Victim Blame with Dr. Amy Beddows Secret #74: The Cost of Pretending with Jonathan Kanter Secret #72: Transforming Guilt and Shame with Carolyn AllardWhy are people drawn to horror, especially those who have experienced trauma? In this episode, Dr. Amy Beddows explores the surprising connection between horror films and healing. What seems counterintuitive at first actually reveals something deeply human. Horror can provide language for the unspeakable, offer a sense of control, and create space to process experiences that are otherwise difficult to articulate. This conversation challenges the stigma around horror and reframes it as a meaningful psychological and cultural tool. From catharsis and metaphor to social connection and survivor validation, this episode opens up a new way of understanding both trauma and the stories we tell about it. Key Takeaways Why horror can help process trauma and difficult emotionsHow horror provides language for the unspeakableThe role of metaphor and representation in healingWhy horror can create validation for survivorsHow culture and society shape the horror we createView extended shownotes here ORDER Max Cross Gets Unstuck from Anger: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook series for kids)ORDER Justin Case Sits with Anxiety: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook Series for Kids)ORDER The Glumm Twins Unhook from Sadness: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook Series for Kids)

    54 min

  2. APR 9

    Secret #77: The Paradox of the Overwhelmed with Dr. Kerry Makin-Byrd

    Recommended Episodes Secret #76: AgeismSecret #75: Impossible MasculinitySecret #72: Transforming Guilt and ShameWhy does it feel like no matter how much we do, it’s never enough? In this episode, Kerry Makin-Byrd breaks down the paradox of overwhelm and why so many of us feel stuck between doing too much and still feeling like we’re falling behind. We explore the difference between stress, burnout, and overwhelm, and why overwhelm isn’t just about having too much to do. Kerry introduces a practical framework to navigate overwhelm in real time, helping us understand how our nervous system, environment, and expectations all contribute to feeling overloaded. This conversation is both deeply validating and immediately actionable for anyone feeling stretched too thin. Key Takeaways What overwhelm actually feels like in the body and mindThe difference between overwhelm, burnout, and stressWhy burnout is often driven by systems not individualsHow to soothe, transcend, and move through overwhelmWhy doing more is often the trap that keeps us stuckView extended shownotes here ORDER Max Cross Gets Unstuck from Anger: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook series for kids)ORDER Justin Case Sits with Anxiety: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook Series for Kids)ORDER The Glumm Twins Unhook from Sadness: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook Series for Kids)

    45 min

  3. MAR 26

    Secret #76: Ageism wtih Claudia Drossel

    Recommended Episodes Secret #72: Transforming Guilt and ShameSecret #74: The Cost of PretendingSecret #75: Impossible MasculinityWhat if aging isn’t the problem—but our beliefs about aging are? In this episode, we discuss ageism with Dr. Claudia Drossel. Together, we explore how aging is often misunderstood as decline, when in reality many of the challenges we associate with aging are shaped by cultural bias, environment, and access to support. This conversation reframes aging as a form of diversity, challenges common myths about loneliness, health, and capability, and explores how our environments, relationships, and societal structures influence quality of life across the lifespan. We also examine how subtle forms of ageism show up in everyday language, healthcare, and social systems—and what we can do to change them. Key Takeaways Why ageism is one of the most overlooked forms of biasThe difference between aging and diseaseHow culture shapes our experience of getting olderWhy quality of relationships matters more than quantityHow to create more inclusive, intergenerational communitiesView extended shownotes here ORDER Max Cross Gets Unstuck from Anger: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook series for kids)ORDER Justin Case Sits with Anxiety: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook Series for Kids)ORDER The Glumm Twins Unhook from Sadness: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook Series for Kids)

    48 min

  4. MAR 12

    Secret #75: Impossible Masculinity with Ruth Whippman

    Recommended Episodes Secret #73: The Confidence ParadoxSecret #72: Transforming Guilt and ShameSecret #74: The Cost of PretendingWhat does it actually mean to raise boys in a culture that both expects masculinity and criticizes it? In this episode, journalist and author Ruth Whippman joins Chris McCurry and Emma Waddington to explore the pressures boys face in the age of “impossible masculinity.” Drawing from her book BoyMom, Ruth explains how cultural narratives about masculinity shape boys’ emotional lives, relationships, and sense of identity. The conversation explores the surprising science of boys’ emotional development, the cultural contradictions boys must navigate today, and why many young men feel lost when it comes to friendship, vulnerability, and connection. Ruth also shares practical guidance for parents raising boys today and introduces her framework of curiosity, critical thinking, and connection. Key TakeawaysRaising boys in the age of impossible masculinityWhy boys may be more emotionally vulnerable than we assumeHow cultural stereotypes shape boys’ emotional livesThe importance of curiosity and connection when raising boysView extended shownotes here ORDER Max Cross Gets Unstuck from Anger: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook series for kids)ORDER Justin Case Sits with Anxiety: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook Series for Kids)ORDER The Glumm Twins Unhook from Sadness: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook Series for Kids)

    50 min

  5. FEB 26

    Secret #74: ⁠The Cost of Pretending with Jonathan Kanter

    Recommended Episodes Secret #62: The Connection Paradox with James CordovaSecret #64: Moral Outrage with Kurt Gray Secret #70: So Many Paradoxes with Dr. Emma Waddington and Dr. Chris McCurryMany of us are going about our daily lives while quietly feeling that something is deeply wrong in the world. We say we are fine. We scroll. We joke. We compartmentalize. And yet there is a sinking feeling that things are not normal. In this conversation, Jonathan Kanter explores the disconnection paradox and the concept of hypernormalization. Why do we pretend everything is okay when it is not? When does normalcy protect us, and when does it shrink our lives? Together, we unpack avoidance, helplessness, activism, values, and what it means to pivot toward action without collapsing into hopelessness. Topics Discussed:  hypernormalization and pretending everything is fine emotional avoidance and shrinking behavioral repertoires accept, grieve, and pivot toward new goals values based action in times of social crisis View extended shownotes here ORDER Max Cross Gets Unstuck from Anger: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook series for kids)ORDER Justin Case Sits with Anxiety: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook Series for Kids)ORDER The Glumm Twins Unhook from Sadness: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook Series for Kids)

    47 min

  6. FEB 12

    Secret #73: The Confidence Lie with Michael Herold

    Recommended Episodes: Secret #58: Raising a Self-Driven Child with Dr. William Stixrud & Ned JohnsonSecret #61: Reimagining Anger with Russell KoltsSecret #70: So Many Paradoxes with Dr. Emma Waddington and Dr. Chris McCurryMost people believe confidence is something you either have or don’t have. In this episode, confidence coach Michael Herold explains why confidence is actually built by doing hard things while anxiety is present — not after it disappears. Key Takeaways confidence grows through action, not mindsetanxiety signals what matters, not what must be avoidedcompetence follows confidence, not the other way aroundvalues-based action builds real psychological flexibilityView extended shownotes here ORDER Max Cross Gets Unstuck from Anger: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook series for kids)ORDER Justin Case Sits with Anxiety: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook Series for Kids)ORDER The Glumm Twins Unhook from Sadness: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook Series for Kids)

    51 min

  7. JAN 29

    Secret #72: Transforming Guilt and Shame with Dr. Carolyn Allard

    Recommended Episodes Secret #5: Body Shame with Emily SandozSecret #7: Parental Guilt with Dr. Yael SchonbrunSecret #26: Victim Blame with Dr. Amy Beddows Guilt and shame often linger long after trauma, quietly shaping how we see ourselves and our relationships. In this episode, clinical psychologist Dr. Carolyn Allard explains why guilt and shame can be adaptive—and how they become harmful when they overstay their welcome.  Key Takeaways Trauma-related guilt and shame can begin as survival strategies but become non-adaptive over timeNon-adaptive guilt and shame (NAGS) fuel avoidance, people-pleasing, and self-blameHindsight bias intensifies guilt by judging past actions with information we didn’t have at the timeValues-based decision making helps replace guilt-driven choices with intentional livingView extended shownotes here ORDER Max Cross Gets Unstuck from Anger: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook series for kids)ORDER Justin Case Sits with Anxiety: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook Series for Kids)ORDER The Glumm Twins Unhook from Sadness: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook Series for Kids)

    46 min

  8. JAN 15

    Secret #71: What a Terminal Diagnosis Taught Me About Living with Dr. Ray Owen and Sam Stroud

    Recommended Episodes: Secret #68 — Secrets of Rest with Alex Soojung-Kim Pang Secret #30 — Wise Effort with Dr. Diana Hill Secret #69 — No One Is “Self-Made” with Dr. Lakeysha Hallmon A tender, practical conversation about how a terminal diagnosis can sharpen priorities, deepen connection, and teach the rest of us how to live on purpose—today. Psychologist Dr. Ray Owen and Sam Stroud, recently diagnosed with MND/ALS, join Emma and Chris to talk about presence, priorities, and building a life that stays wide—even when options narrow. Sam shares what helped in the first weeks after diagnosis (stay engaged with life, ask for real support), while Ray maps compassionate skills for meeting pain without letting it shrink your world. Together, they show how practices like meditation can hold difficulty and meaning at the same time, and why honest community is a lifeline for patients and families alike. You’ll leave with grounded tools for navigating illness—and for living more fully even if you’re well.  Topics Discussed in this Episode: Staying engaged with life after diagnosisFirst-person stories as antidotes to fearMeditation as capacity-building (not escape)Compassion skills for making room for painCommunity and honest conversation as lifelinesMortality as a focusing practice for prioritiesView extended shownotes here ORDER Max Cross Gets Unstuck from Anger: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook series for kids)ORDER Justin Case Sits with Anxiety: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook Series for Kids)ORDER The Glumm Twins Unhook from Sadness: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook Series for Kids)

    52 min
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5
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About

We often find ourselves comparing our internal struggles to the flawless images others project, leaving us feeling isolated and misunderstood. But here’s the truth: you are not alone. Join psychologists Emma Waddington and Chris McCurry as they delve into the little-discussed yet incredibly common challenges that come with striving to be your best self. In each episode of "Life's Dirty Little Secrets," you'll find thoughtful conversations filled with insights, humor, and compassion that reflect the beautiful complexity of being human. Together, we’ll explore the raw realities of issues like anxiety, depression, self-esteem, grief, and the nuanced journey of growing up. Whether it's confronting the pressures of modern life or unpacking emotional baggage, we provide a safe space for you to resonate with these experiences. Our intriguing discussions with expert guests will illuminate your path toward understanding and healing. Tune in for practical answers to your pressing questions, such as: How can I better manage anxiety and stress?What can help me overcome self-doubt?How do I navigate grief and find solace?How does self-compassion play a role in my journey?What steps can I take towards greater emotional clarity?Join us weekly as we embrace the messiness of life and uncover the secrets that bind us together. With every episode, you’ll feel empowered, understood, and reminded that it’s perfectly okay to not have it all figured out. Together, let’s embark on this journey of self-discovery and compassion—because we all have secrets, and it’s time to share them.

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