Pop Psych 101
148 episodes - English - Latest episode: 11 months ago - ★★★★★ - 52 ratingsIn an effort to educate and normalize, two therapists, Ryan Engelstad and Hayley Roberts, talk candidly about mental health and illness through the lens of movies, music, books, and TV. Common pop culture mental health tropes are analyzed, and the accuracy of their portrayals are in question, for better or worse.
PopPsych can be raw and real, and very serious; it can also be very funny. If we really want to normalize the conversation about mental health, then we need to start having real and normal conversations.
S1 (Ep1-51): Ryan+Mike
S2 (52-62): Ryan's Solo Career
S3 (63+): Ryan+Hayley
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Episodes
#111 Existential Crises and the Female Experience in Barbie
September 01, 2023 17:48 - 1 hour - 70.8 MBThis week Ryan and Hayley discuss Greta Gerwig's Barbie! They explore how existential experiences show up in a variety of ways, and talk about the female experience, feminism, and how women are portrayed in movies.
#110 The Progression of Alzheimer's in Still Alice
August 09, 2023 07:12 - 1 hour - 60.6 MBThis episode Ryan and Hayley discuss the stages of Alzheimer's and how it affects Alice and her family members in the 2014 film Still Alice. @PopPsych101
#109 Change and Parenting in Ted Lasso Season 3
June 14, 2023 06:40 - 1 hour - 64.7 MBThis week Ryan and Hayley discuss the big question asked by Roy Kent to the Diamond Dogs: Can People Change? They also talk about moms and parenting. Finally they give ratings both for the season, and for the show as a whole. Check out our other episodes of Ted Lasso!
#108 Reshaping Relationships in Shrinking
May 31, 2023 06:19 - 1 hour - 68.7 MBThis episode, Ryan and Hayley discuss how grief and intentional "boops" can reshape relationships. They also explore dual relationships and whether they even try to accurately portray therapy in the series. Follow @poppsych101
BONUS: Cannibalism and Psychosis in Yellowjackets
March 24, 2023 09:30 - 18 minutes - 16.7 MBIn this bonus episode, Ryan and Hayley discuss why cannibalism is so en vogue right now in media and how psychosis, magic, and medication are spoken about both IRL and in movies, and how Yellowjackets hints at these intersections with some of its characters. @PopPsych101
#107 Survival and Trauma in Yellow Jackets S1
March 22, 2023 06:09 - 1 hour - 64.4 MBTo prepare you for Season 2 of Yellowjackets coming out this weekend, Ryan and Hayley discuss Season 1. They explore what they believe are the stages of survival, how trauma shows up in different contexts, fugue states, and the consistency of the characters' personalities. And! A bonus episode will be released soon! Enjoy! @poppsych101
#106: Ted Lasso Season 2 Quotables
March 08, 2023 13:00 - 1 hour - 68.3 MBTo prepare you for s3 coming out: Ryan and Hayley discuss some notable quotes from Season 2 of Ted Lasso. Other Ted Lasso Episodes The Descent of Nate in Ted Lasso Season 2 Therapy in Ted Lasso S2 Curiosity vs Judgement in Ted Lasso S1
#105 The Descent of Nate in Ted Lasso Season 2
March 01, 2023 07:34 - 57 minutes - 53.5 MBThis week Ryan and Hayley focus on Nate's physical and psychological descent into villainhood. They discuss taking up space, spitting, power trips, and that grey hair! Past Ted Lasso Episodes: Ted Lasso Season 2 Episode: #104 Therapy in Ted Lasso Season 2 Ted Lasso Season 1 Episode: Curiosity vs Judgement in Ted Lasso S1
#104 Therapy in Ted Lasso Season 2
February 22, 2023 07:25 - 1 hour - 62 MBThis week Ryan and Hayley jump into Ted's relationship with Dr. Sharon and how Season 2 of Ted Lasso represents therapy, in general. Ted Lasso Season 1 Episode: Curiosity vs Judgement in Ted Lasso S1
#103 Hate Watching White Lotus: PopPsych101xPopSugar Interview
January 25, 2023 08:23 - 47 minutes - 44.4 MBIn December, PopSugar (Shannon Carlin) interviewed Ryan and Hayley about White Lotus and why people like to "hate watch" for her article: Love to Hate the "White Lotus" Characters? There's a Psychological Explanation For That We've got the audio of that interview for you here! Enjoy - let us know what characters you love to hate! @PopPsych101
#102 The Season of Change in Spirited
December 30, 2022 19:45 - 1 hour - 64.1 MBThis week Ryan and Hayley watched AppleTV+'s Spirited. They discussed change, what it means to be "unredeemable", self-narratives, and how the Christmas Carol storyline might just be... therapy? Follow us! @popPsych101
#101 Fame and Growth in Almost Famous with Debbie Carroll
December 14, 2022 16:01 - 1 hour - 58.3 MBThis week Ryan and Hayley invite Debbie Carroll (Onsite) to join them to discuss mental health in the entertainment industry, in general, and specifically how it is represented in Almost Famous. Onsite, a Nashville-based emotional company with 40 years of experience, has launched a first-of-its-kind program specifically designed to support the entertainment industry — musicians, actors and other public-facing professionals — to proactively manage their mental and emotional health. Debbie ...
#100 Looking back with Ryan's official 100 episodes!
November 30, 2022 07:00 - 58 minutes - 53.4 MBThis week Hayley flips the script on Ryan and surprises him with a conversation about what it's like doing PopPsych101 over the past 4-ish years. They discuss the PopPsych101 journey from start to future! Follow us @PopPsych101 let us know what you think!
#99 Identity and the Female Experience in She-Hulk
November 09, 2022 19:56 - 1 hour - 80.6 MBThis week Ryan and Hayley discuss Marvel's She-Hulk. They explore how sudden life-changes can affect identity, how the female experience shows up in Jennifer Walters's expression as She-Hulk, and what they think of Jennifer's group therapy experience. They also are lucky to check in with their own Jennifer, Attorney-at-Law: Ryan's wife! She shares where the show hits the mark on lawyering and were it doesn't represent a true attorney's experience. Please rate, REVIEW, and subscribe! An...
#98 Trauma and Cultural Assimilation in Midsommar
October 26, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 86.7 MBBecause it's Halloween week and everyone has been begging for them to cover Midsommar, Ryan and Hayley find a way to make it happen... In this week's episode, Ryan explains to Hayley about the plot of Midsommar and she uses her intake session skills to ask questions so she can understand the context and psychology of the creepy film. Follow us @poppsych101
#97 Therapist Relationships in How I Met Your Mother
October 05, 2022 06:12 - 1 hour - 62.8 MBThis episode, Ryan and Hayley delve into a story arc in S7 of HIMYM. Robin dates her therapist *GASP*. Ryan and Hayley explore if everyone, ultimately, dates or marries "their parents." Please Rate Review and Subscribe... these things all help! Reviews are the best! Also follow us on social media @poppsych101
#96 Handling Stressful Contexts in The Bear
August 17, 2022 19:05 - 1 hour - 61.8 MBThis week Ryan and Hayley discuss Hulu's The Bear. They explore the grief that characters are experiencing in different ways, the stress of professional hierarchies, and the importance of communication - both personally and on teams. This episode includes a clip from comedian, Kyle Ayers. You can find him on instagram/twitter: @kyleayers, tiktok: @kyleayersthings, or for his (VERY FUN) podcast or more info check out https://linktr.ee/kyleayers! follow us @poppsych101! Byyyyeeeee.
#95 Multiverses, Validation, and Choice in Everything Everywhere All at Once
August 03, 2022 06:29 - 1 hour - 63 MBThis week Ryan and Hayley discuss the importance of validation, looking back on past choices and recognizing current choices, and the big question: Do multiverses exist? Follow us at @poppsych101
#94 Friendship and Nostalgia in Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers
July 20, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 59.1 MBThis week Ryan and Hayley discuss Disney+'s Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers. They explore how friendships change over time and how conflict resolution is represented by our beloved chipmunks. They also explore why so many movies lately are so nostalgic and why it makes sense in current times. Please follow them on all the socials! @poppsych101
#93 High School Experiences in Senior Year
July 06, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 58.8 MBThis week Ryan and Hayley discuss Netflix's Senior Year. They explore fixation, post-coma psychosis, and how high school experiences shape people, affect people as adults, and hold different value for people as they grow. Please follow us on all social media @PopPsych101 PLEASE rate and review.... it helps us a lot!
#92 Dissociative Identity Disorder in MoonKnight
June 22, 2022 06:07 - 1 hour - 60.9 MBThis week Ryan and Hayley discuss one of the newest additions to the MCU: Moon Knight. They explore how Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is portrayed in the film, where mental health and magic collide, and how Hollywood plays a role in how people view mental health.
#91 Ethics and Morality of Severance
June 08, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 60.2 MBThis week Ryan and Hayley discuss Apple TV's Severance. They explore the ethics and morality of the procedure, some "psychological plot holes", and work-life balance. Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe. And follow us @poppsych101
#90 The Emotions of Puberty in Turning Red
May 25, 2022 06:04 - 1 hour - 58.4 MBIn this week's episode, Ryan and Hayley discuss Pixar's Turning Red. They explore puberty, parental pressure, and the struggle with narratives about controlling emotions. Follow us on social media @poppsych101 NOTE: Hayley's microphone settings were off, so her sound is a little hollow! But it seems to slightly improve as the episode progresses AND it's a great episode - so don't miss it!
#89 Mothers, Addiction, and Why people like Euphoria
May 11, 2022 18:18 - 1 hour - 67.3 MBThis week Ryan and Hayley discuss Season2 Episde6 of the popular show Euphoria. They discuss mothers, the support they offer, and the representation of someone as more than their addiction. Ryan and Hayley also explore why people like the show despite its heavy topics. linktr.ee/poppsych101
#88 Being Seen in Nightmare Alley
April 27, 2022 06:29 - 1 hour - 55.6 MBThis week Ryan and Hayley discuss people's need to be seen, the questions of Man vs Monster and Curiosity vs Confidence, and the arts of mentalism and magicians. Linktr.ee/poppsych101
#87 Oscar Nominations: Communication & Boundaries in CODA
March 23, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 55.4 MBThis month, Ryan and Hayley are covering some Oscar nominated movies. This week, they discuss AppleTV's CODA. They cover needed codependence, communication, and being a teenager trying to find your own way. Transcription in linktree linktr.ee/poppsych101
#86 Oscar Nominations: Family Dynamics in Encanto
March 16, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 57.1 MBThis month, Ryan and Hayley are covering a couple Oscar nominated movies. This week, they discuss Disney's Encanto. They cover the power of feeling seen, personal growth, gifts vs curses, and family dynamics. linktr.ee/poppsych101
#85 Oscar Nominations: Personal Perspectives and the Power of the Dog
March 09, 2022 07:00 - 59 minutes - 54.2 MBThis month, Ryan and Hayley are covering a couple Oscar nominated movies. This week, they discuss Netflix's The Power of the Dog. They cover toxic masculinity, how our personal narratives affect how we view things, and the is-this-or-isn't-this of antisocial personality disorder symptoms. linktr.ee/poppsych101
#84 Coping Through Play in Bluey
February 23, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 57.1 MBThis week Ryan and Hayley discuss an episode of Bluey called "Copy Cat." They explore the childlike experience of grief, coping through play, and different takes on parenting. Please follow us @poppsych101 on the socials Rate, Review, and Subscribe. Linktr.ee/poppsych101
#83 Climate Anxiety and AI in Finch
February 09, 2022 07:00 - 56 minutes - 52 MBThis week, Ryan and Hayley watch Apple TV's Finch and discuss anxiety vs fear, artificial intelligence, and the power of taking initiative. Rate, review, and subscribe! Thank you so much! linktr.ee/poppsych101
#82 The Philosophy of Cloning & Grief in Swan Song
February 02, 2022 15:56 - 54 minutes - 49.7 MBThis week Ryan and Hayley dive deep into philosophy... aliens, cloning, what makes someone human, and ultimately grief in Apple TV's Swan Song. Please follow us @PopPsych101
#81 Teletherapy in the Simpsons
January 26, 2022 08:00 - 55 minutes - 50.5 MBThis week, Ryan and Hayley discuss Season 33 Episode 9 of the Simpsons: Mothers and Other Strangers. They explore how it represents teletherapy as a whole, particularly therapy apps; lesser known diagnoses; and parenting. Please follow us on the socials @popsych101 and join our patreon for bonus material patreon.com/poppsych101
#80 Hypnotherapy in Hypnotic
January 19, 2022 08:00 - 1 hour - 60.5 MBThis week Ryan and Hayley discuss Hypnotherapy in Netflix's Hypnotic. They talk about fears, control, and buy in. They also discuss how it compares to other therapeutic techniques, and really hammer home the idea that it is important to ASK QUESTIONS when you want to know more! Please follow us @poppsych101 Join our patreon: patreon.com/poppsych101
#79 Egotism and 'Truman Show Delusion' in The Truman Show w/ Dr. Matt Johnson
January 12, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 58.3 MBThis week, Ryan and Hayley welcome Dr. Matt Johnson as they discuss The Truman Show and how it was so popular that it actually has a mental health experience named after it related to how we all sort of think that we're the center of the universe! Dr. Matt Johnson's work can be found in the following locations: Book: getbook.at/BLINDSIGHT (case sensitive) Bootcamp: www.popneuro.com/neuromarketing-bootcamp Blog: www.popneuro.com/neuromarketing-blog
#78 Wellness Gurus & Psychedelics in Nine Perfect Strangers
January 05, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 59 MBThis week, Ryan and Hayley discuss Hulu's Nine Perfect Strangers. They explore micro-dosing, hallucinogenics. and wellness retreats in general. They also cover the importance of informed consent and accountability in treatment. Please rate, review, and subscribe. And follow us at @PopPsych101
Autumn Series 2021: In Treatment - Brooke
November 24, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 58.1 MBThis month, Ryan and Hayley are deep diving into season 4 of In Treatment. Each week they will focus on one of the 4 main characters and discuss their overall case. This week, to close it out, they focus on Dr. Brooke Taylor, herself. Thank you so much for following along with our Autumn Series! We'll see you in 2022! Please follow us on socials @PopPsych101 and let us know what you think and what you'd like to hear.
Autumn Series 2021: In Treatment - Laila
November 17, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 61.8 MBThis month, Ryan and Hayley are deep diving into season 4 of In Treatment. Each week they will focus on one of the 4 main characters and discuss their overall case. This week, they focus on Dr. Brooke Taylor's work with Laila. Ryan and Hayley are joined by Dr. Karmen Thulin. You can find her at https://catalystcenterllc.com/our-team/karmen-thulin/ and soon at https://selfstudied.com/
Autumn Series 2021: In Treatment - Colin
November 10, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 62 MBThis month, Ryan and Hayley are deep diving into season 4 of In Treatment. Each week they will focus on one of the 4 main characters and discuss their overall case. This week, they focus on Dr. Brooke Taylor's work with Colin
Autumn Series 2021: In Treatment - Eladio
November 03, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 56.8 MBThis month, Ryan and Hayley are deep diving into season 4 of In Treatment. Each week they will focus on one of the 4 main characters and discuss their overall case. This week, they focus on Dr. Brooke Taylor's work with Eladio.
Quick Announcement
September 22, 2021 15:01 - 2 minutes - 2.54 MBHayley hops into your speakers to quickly update you on PopPsych's break and her and Ryan's plans for the podcast. Be sure to follow on Instagram and Twitter: @PopPsych101
#77 Curiosity vs Judgement in Ted Lasso Season 1
July 31, 2021 19:28 - 1 hour - 55.1 MBThis week Ryan and Hayley discuss how Ted Lasso's approach of curiosity rather than judgement looks across various circumstances; masculinity as it shows up and is reframed during season 1; as well as relentless optimism and anxiety.
#76 Mental Health in the Music of Frozen II
July 15, 2021 17:53 - 1 hour - 59.2 MB(This version is not connected to Spotify - please listen on Spotify if you would like the songs built into the episode for you!) This week, Ryan and Hayley take a look at how the songs of Frozen II represent various experiences within mental health (hallucinations, depression, grief, attachment). They also take a look at a song that was removed from the movie and how it would have changed a huge part of the movie itself.
#75 Agoraphobia in Woman in the Window
July 07, 2021 11:00 - 1 hour - 57.6 MBThis week Hayley and Ryan delve into agoraphobia and anxiety as it is portrayed in the movie Woman in the Window, starring Amy Adams. They also talk about the unique presentation of a therapist receiving therapy and the tricky situation of having an unreliable narrator.
#74 Consent and Gender Norms in Bridgerton with Novel Feelings
June 30, 2021 11:00 - 1 hour - 58.9 MBThis week Ryan and Hayley are joined by the cohosts of the Novel Feelings podcast to discuss Bridgerton - the show AND the book. They discuss how mental health discourse looks in Australia, as well as the topics of consent, gender, and gossip as it is portrayed by the Bridgerton series.
#73 Finding your Spark in Disney Pixar's Soul
June 23, 2021 15:00 - 55 minutes - 51.5 MBThis week Ryan and Hayley discuss intentionality, the difference between goals and values, and Hayley gets on a soap box about passion.
#72 Sports Psychology in The Weight of Gold with Dr. Shane Saenz
June 16, 2021 15:00 - 58 minutes - 54.4 MBThis week Ryan and Hayley invite guest Dr. Shane Saenz (PsyD, CMPC: Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Sport Psychologist; https://www.drshanesaenz.com) to explore with them HBO's original documentary The Weight of Gold. Shane explains how sport is often the "first love" for many competitive athletes and the role that human development plays in their focus of their sport.
#71 Relationship Patterns in Marriage Story
June 09, 2021 15:30 - 1 hour - 60.7 MBIn this episode Ryan and Hayley break done the Netflix movie Marriage story. We break down the emotional toll of the divorce process and what kind of support the characters could benefit from.
#70 Intergenerational Trauma in Mare of Easttown
June 03, 2021 00:00 - 1 hour - 63 MBThis week Ryan and Hayley discuss intergenerational trauma in HBO's Mare of Easttown. We look at Mare's therapist and how Mare was able to work through her grief. We also answer the question "Why do therapists ask 'How did/does that make you feel?'"
#69 Memory Loss in Memento
May 26, 2021 11:00 - 1 hour - 57.8 MBThis week, Ryan and Hayley discuss the movie Memento. They play with the idea of how structure and order effect how memory is created and stored, as well as lost - particularly with regard to Anterograde Amnesia/Memory Loss.
#68 Psychopathy vs Sociopathy in The Undoing
May 19, 2021 16:39 - 1 hour - 68.2 MBHayley and Ryan break down the crisis experienced by therapist Grace Fraser, played by Nicole Kidman, and her family in this HBO series. We discuss the differences between psychopathy, sociopathy, and narcissism and why so many people are intrigued by true crime and mystery stories.