Bodies - podcast cover

Bodies

KCRW, Allison Behringerwww.kcrw.com

Each episode of this documentary series begins with a medical mystery. Sometimes the sickness is in the body, and sometimes the sickness is in the system. Once you peel back the layers, more questions emerge. Created by Allison Behringer and supported by KCRW.

Episodes

The Fight for Abortion Training

The overturning of Roe v. Wade has severely restricted how doctors can access training in abortion care and it’s already having a devastating ripple effect on patients seeking all kinds of reproductive care. Two medical residents in abortion-restricted states fight for training and for the future health of their patients. Plus, the centuries-long battle over who gets access to abortion training in the first place. Transcript at  kcrw.com/bodies . ...

Jun 07, 202343 minSeason 4Ep. 6

From This is Uncomfortable: The Price of Eggs

From This is Uncomfortable, we bring you the story of Ashleigh Griffin. She hoped the fertility industry could put her on the road to financial stability. But the decision to donate her eggs had some unexpected costs.

Jun 06, 202344 min

The Fourth Trimester

Jess was overjoyed when she got pregnant. But after giving birth, her reality spiraled out of control. She didn’t know it, but she had postpartum psychosis, a mental health condition that occurs after about 1 in every 500 births. Read the full transcript here ....

May 31, 202343 minSeason 4Ep. 5

Early Birds

Puberty is starting younger and younger, especially estrogen-dominant puberty. We talk to three kids and one teen about extra early puberty and the funny, scary, embarrassing and joyful experiences that come with it. Transcript at  kcrw.com/bodies . 

May 17, 202334 minSeason 4Ep. 4

From Embodied: Child-Free not Childless

From the Embodied podcast, we bring you “Decided: Child-Free not Childless.” Embodied host Anita Rao has interrogated many aspects of parenthood. But how about the decision to become a parent at all? She talks with three women about making their child-free decisions and meets a psychotherapist who's devoted her career to helping people find clarity in that choice.

May 10, 202336 min

The Great Beyond

Angelina Fanous has been living with ALS for nearly a decade. She is almost fully paralyzed and losing her ability to speak. As she prepares for death, she’s thinking about the story she’ll leave behind. Transcript at kcrw.com/bodies.

May 03, 202331 minSeason 4Ep. 4

Diverging

No matter how hard producer Hannah Harris Green tried, there were certain areas of life where she found herself to be deficient. Until she realized that a diagnosis could help relieve her shame instead of adding to it. Transcript at kcrw.com/bodies . 

Apr 26, 202336 minSeason 4Ep. 3

Touch

A vending machine ritual, a life-changing massage, a spiffy velvet outfit and a belly full of caterpillars. Four stories of touch. Transcript at kcrw.com/bodies . 

Apr 19, 202329 minSeason 4Ep. 2

Trailer: Season 4

Sneak peek: Bodies, new season 4 is full of medical mysteries and self-discovery. New episodes coming April 19.

Apr 05, 20233 minSeason 4Ep. 1

Reading the Signs of your Body

Growing up and going through puberty, the only thing many of us learned about the menstrual cycle was the period part. But there’s so much more to it. How charting the cycle’s fertile signs can be the basis for an effective method of contraception. And, how it saved a woman’s pregnancy. 

Dec 01, 202131 minSeason 3Ep. 6

Not your average

This week, the FDA will make a decision on whether or not to approve the first ever treatment for achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism. But not everyone is celebrating. This controversial treatment is forcing parents of children with achondroplasia to grapple with an age-old question: What’s best for my child?

Nov 17, 202139 minSeason 3Ep. 5

Carved from Secrets

When River was first told that something was wrong with their body, they didn’t think it was that big a deal. But the medical system and their parents disagreed. Outside pressure to make River “normal” would cause them tremendous pain and turmoil — until they discovered there’s more than one right way to be a human. 

Nov 03, 202128 minSeason 3Ep. 4

LA’s toxic secret

An elementary school in L.A. County was built on a contaminated site and made its community sick — How that community came together to demand change, and a controversial plan to build a new school.

Oct 20, 202138 minSeason 3Ep. 3

Indie Spotlight: “Infinities”

On today’s indie spotlight, we share “Infinities,” by Boen Wang. It’s about mental illness, toxic workplace environments, Egyptian Rat Screw, and the nature of infinity. Find more of Boen’s work at Boen.cool .

Oct 13, 202126 min

Do Less Harm

Lill lives in Appalachian West Virginia — it’s coal country, and it’s also the overdose capital of the United States. An increasingly dangerous drug supply and a lack of safe supplies like clean syringes leave people who use drugs vulnerable to disease and death. Lill is trying to fill that gap, providing safe supplies and care all over West Virginia — even as the government tries to stop them.

Oct 06, 202148 minSeason 3Ep. 2

Something Extra

Kelly was in her 20s in the 1980s and she was determined enjoy sex without shame...until she got an STI she’d never heard of. And so she married the first person who accepted her. When stigma is all around, it can take decades to  break free and find pleasure.

Sep 22, 202135 minSeason 3Ep. 1

Special Programming from Bodies Podcast

KCRW’s Bodies podcast is a documentary show about medical mysteries. Each episode follows one person’s story to uncover the forces that shape their health. Host Allison Behringer guides us through two stories in this one hour special.

Dec 29, 20201 hrSeason 2Ep. 3

Listen to Appearances

From the brand new podcast Appearances, by Sharon Mashihi, we bring you “Episode 04: Last Ditch Effort.” Appearances is an audio mind trip about an Iranian American woman, the family she carries around in her head, and the family that she wants to have.  Listen  and subscribe....

Oct 20, 202038 minSeason 2Ep. 9

Changing Shape

Nico is obsessed with counting calories. But this compulsion to monitor food doesn’t line up with how they see themself. Why does Nico want parts of their body to disappear? Why isn’t eating disorder treatment working?

May 27, 202028 minSeason 2Ep. 8

Not This Again

Angelina was a journalist living in Brooklyn when she was diagnosed with ALS. She now lives with her parents. How do you stay true to yourself when you rely on others to keep you alive? More of the episode here .

May 13, 202024 minSeason 2Ep. 7

Listen to Here Be Monsters

Is your body more like a machine or a body of water? An excerpt from Here Be Monsters , a KCRW podcast about fear and the unknown.

May 06, 20208 minSeason 2Ep. 6

Invisible Impact

Stacie escaped her abusive partner. But eight years later, her inner world was still in disarray. Why wasn’t she better? And why did it take her so long to leave? 

Apr 29, 202037 minSeason 2Ep. 5

Postpartum in a Pandemic

ShiShi was in labor for 12 days. She gave birth, only to find herself at home in isolation during a pandemic. She’s also a doula, so her job is to support people through pregnancy and postpartum. What’s her advice for parents? How is she coping herself? 

Apr 15, 202025 minSeason 2Ep. 4

The Cost of Silky Soft

Johnson & Johnson knew its baby powder contained asbestos but kept selling it and specifically marketed the product to Black women. Krystal is one of thousands of women who claimed J&J’s baby powder caused their ovarian cancer. How did normal body odors become racialized? Who determines if our products are safe?

Apr 01, 202036 minSeason 2Ep. 3

Not Tested on Humans

Why did it take doctors years to figure out that a medical device was the cause of Melynda’s debilitating pain? How did this dangerous vaginal mesh get implanted in millions of women? 

Mar 18, 202044 minSeason 2Ep. 2

Uncontrollable Orgasms

Orgasms are supposed to feel good. But for Angie, they’re painful and spontaneous. Anything can trigger the horny feelings: Bumpy bus rides, loud music, even a hug from her mom. What’s causing Angie’s body to go haywire? This episode of Bodies is about the connection between desire and arousal. 

Mar 04, 202034 minSeason 2Ep. 1

Update: Season 2

Bodies is coming back! Season 2 will launch on March 4, 2020. Join Bodies Facebook Group:  https://www.facebook. com/groups/BodiesPodcast/ Email us:  [email protected] Follow us: @bodiespodcast...

Jan 22, 20202 minSeason 1Ep. 8

Unraveling

In a lot of ways, menopause is like puberty. Your hormones are changing and setting off a whole host of bodily changes. It’s something that happens to half the population, but still, it’s full of mysteries. In this episode we hear from Lisa Hartman and another woman who you’ve heard from once before. To learn more and to share your own story, visit our Facebook group . ...

Oct 17, 201833 minSeason 1Ep. 7