In this Quick Fix bonus episode, Carvell Wallace talks with home improvement expert Mercury Stardust about her first year of homeownership. The ups and downs of that experience are the subject of Mercury's upcoming book. How To!'s Quick Fix is produced by Rosemary Belson and Sophie Summergrad. Our technical director is Merritt Jacob and our supervising producer is Joel Meyer. This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock thi...
Nov 04, 2025•8 min
In the second half of How To!'s wide-ranging conversation about home improvement, gender, sexuality, and much more, journalist Sam Sanders and author Mercury Stardust (aka The Trans Handy Ma'am) talk with co-host Carvell Wallace about a truly daunting idea: skipping the contractors—and doing the work yourself. This episode is available to Slate Plus members now. Non-members will be able to listen on Nov. 11, 2025. If you missed the first half of this conversation, check out How To Talk to Contra...
Nov 04, 2025•29 min
Sam Sanders is many things: journalist, podcaster, pop-culture obsessive, and a familiar voice from public radio. He's also "quite possibly the world's most hesitant homeowner." Sam wants to fix up the house he recently bought, but three things are holding him back: First, he doesn't have a clue where to start. Second, he's not very handy. And third, he's intimidated by the thought of talking with contractors (who might discover the first two things about him). In the first episode of a two-part...
Nov 04, 2025•46 min
Andrew Zaleski couldn't stop snoring. Fed up, he did what any good journalist would do: He started digging. On this episode of How To!, Andrew tells Courtney Martin about his investigation into sawing logs, his experiments with anti-snoring devices, and what he learned from sleep experts while reporting his recent story for Slate . Episodes Mentioned: How To Stop Snoring (and Breathe Easier) How To Sleep Apart to Save Your Relationship How To Sleep Like a Champ Do you have a problem that needs s...
Oct 28, 2025•26 min
If you recently lost your job—or think you might lose it soon—Laura Brown and Kristina O'Neill are here to help! On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace talks to the authors of All the Cool Girls Get Fired about what to do when you get the ax—and how to turn termination into a real opportunity. If you liked this conversation, check out the Slate podcast Death, Sex & Money's recent episode on "Why Job Hunting Feels So Grim Lately, Especially for Gen Z." Looking for a different kind of car...
Oct 21, 2025•40 min
Journalist and activist Soraya Chemaly decided to write her new book All We Want Is Everything: How We Dismantle Male Supremacy before the 2024 election. No matter the result, "there was going to be a huge backlash," she says. "I thought we should talk about this problem, which I define as a problem of male supremacy being invisible." Soraya breaks down how male supremacy operates, our hopes for beating it, and why it's bad for everyone—including men. Do you have a problem that needs solving? Se...
Oct 14, 2025•17 min
Contemporary women are primal-screaming and hitting rage rooms, but are these really the solutions to our personal and political anger? On this episode of How To!, Courtney Martin talks with Soraya Chemaly , journalist and author of Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women's Anger , about her own recent upsurge of anger. Soraya explains how to identify, understand, and harness what's bottled up inside you—and use it for change. If you liked this episode check out How To Make Imposter Syndrome Your S...
Oct 14, 2025•44 min
In this special bonus episode, youth mentor Ashanti Branch talks with our listener Jen about her son's early observation about his skin color—and how to sustain conversations with young kids about race and identity. If you liked this episode check out: How To 'Do the Work' of Racial Justice Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple , Spotify or wherever you lis...
Oct 07, 2025•8 min
Jen is raising a pretty stellar 9-year-old son. With his tween and teen years on the horizon, she wants to steer him toward kindness, acceptance, and openness—and away from the pitfalls of toxic masculinity. On this episode, How To!'s Carvell Wallace brings on Ashanti Branch , founder of The Ever Forward Club and host of unMASKing with Male Educators . Ashanti offers his advice on talking with boys about their emotions, understanding the "mask" that young men present to the world, and building t...
Oct 07, 2025•37 min
After seven years of trying to conceive, Lauren is ending fertility treatments and starting a new journey: adoption. She's excited about this unexpected detour into parenthood—but she's also grieving the loss of something deeply personal that she desired for so long. On this episode: How To!'s Courtney Martin brings on Ada Limón , author of the new book Startlement and the current U.S. poet laureate. Ada offers Lauren guidance on finding strength and joy in this unplanned chapter of her life—and...
Sep 30, 2025•38 min
In our latest mailbag episode, Courtney and Carvell had so much to say about books that we're bringing you even more in this Quick Fix bonus chat about audiobooks, cozy mysteries, and romance novels. Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple , Spotify , or wherever you listen. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis. Our technical director is...
Sep 23, 2025•12 min
In this mailbag episode of How To!, we get an update from Elizabeth, the 43-year-old listener who contacted us for advice on her plan to have sex for the first time . Then, co-hosts Courtney Martin and Carvell Wallace get listeners' takes on our most talked-about episodes of the year —and the staff holds an impromptu idea meeting for upcoming episodes. Links Mentioned: My Old Books Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001...
Sep 23, 2025•42 min
Two days after his experience with hypnosis, Carvell answers his How To! coworkers' burning questions: What does he remember (and not remember)? Does he feel any different? And most important: Would he do it again? Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple , Spotify or wherever you listen. How To! is produced by Rosie Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sophie Summer...
Sep 16, 2025•20 min
Much of our common understanding of hypnosis has been gleaned from mind-control plots in Hollywood movies or hokey on-stage demonstrations. On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace brings on Stanford University psychiatrist and researcher Dr. David Spiegel to talk about what hypnosis is (and isn't), as well as its potential to address stress, pain, and even athletic performance. Plus, with Carvell wrestling with an ongoing major project, Dr. Spiegel tests our host's hypnotizability—then leads...
Sep 16, 2025•51 min
Vanessa Zoltan 's decision to enroll at Harvard Divinity School as an avowed atheist might seem unusual—at first. In this Quick Fix bonus episode for Slate Plus members, Zoltan talks with Carvell Wallace about becoming an atheist chaplain and why operating outside of organized religion helps her connect with people in times of need, regardless of what they believe. Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might hav...
Sep 09, 2025•13 min
Alice has an objectively cool job. She programs film festivals and gets to watch documentaries for a living. But that living is also stressful: It's low-paying, seasonal work that provides some status, sure, but not much stability. On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace brings on atheist chaplain and author Vanessa Zoltan , who spent two years helping countless people decide whether to quit (or not) on her podcast The Real Question . Vanessa shares what she learned from those conversations—...
Sep 09, 2025•36 min
When was the last time you said more than "hello" to your neighbors? On this installment of How To!'s Quick Fix, Katherine Goldstein shares advice from her How To Find Your People Club project and helps us break the ice with bubbles, stoop coffee, and a dash of courage. Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple , Spotify or wherever you listen. The show is prod...
Sep 02, 2025•11 min
Krystina used to host gatherings all the time. Then came kids and the pandemic, and the parties ground to a halt. She's feeling a renewed urge to bring people together—specifically her inspiring, badass female friends—but every time she starts to plan something meaningful, she balks. On this episode: How To!'s Courtney Martin connects Krystina with Katherine Goldstein of the Substack and podcast The Double Shift . Katherine shares what she's learned from her new project, The How To Find Your Peo...
Sep 02, 2025•39 min
When Kelly volunteered to be the head coach for his son's baseball team, he was nervous. He had no formal training, but he knew he wanted his players to have equal playing time—and have fun. Which they did, until the yelling started and the season ended in a stunning loss (and quite a few tears). What can Kelly do better next season? In this encore episode of How To! from 2021, Amanda Ripley connects Kelly with Doug Lemov, author of Teach Like a Champion and The Coach's Guide to Teaching . Doug ...
Aug 26, 2025•27 min
Safiya is one clumsy coffee spill away from catastrophe. A Gen Xer who hasn't yet embraced the cloud, she stores thousands of digital files, documents, and photos on devices with maxed-out storage limits. On today's episode, Carvell Wallace brings on Caitlin McGarry , senior editor at Wirecutter . Caitlin talks with Safiya about practical ways to delete and organize—and how we can all build healthier habits in our digital lives. Ready to dive even deeper? Explore these resources: How to Organize...
Aug 19, 2025•33 min
When working on her new book, Hello, Cruel World! , science journalist Melinda Wenner Moyer interviewed a wide variety of researchers about raising resilient kids. On this episode of How To!'s Quick Fix, Melinda shares the top three pieces of advice she heard from them. Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple , Spotify , or wherever you listen. The show is pr...
Aug 12, 2025•16 min
Sarah loves her in-laws, even though their politics send her running for the exits. Now, her daughter is starting to ask questions about her grandparents' patriarchal, conservative views. How can Sarah raise her kid to be self-assured, justice-oriented, and open-minded—without spoiling the connection between her in-laws and the grandchild they adore? On this episode of How To!, Courtney Martin brings on Melinda Wenner Moyer , science journalist and author of the new book Hello, Cruel World! Scie...
Aug 09, 2025•39 min
Jessi navigates life with ADHD using a complex web of coping strategies. She used to strive for absolute perfection, but feels overwhelming guilt when she forgets something or loses focus at work or at home. On this episode, How To! co-host Carvell Wallace introduces Jessi to Dr. Sarah Wheeler , an educational psychologist who specializes in ADHD. Dr. Wheeler shares her own experience with ADHD and helps Jessi chart a sustainable path forward to self-acceptance, minus the anxiety and shame. Dr. ...
Aug 05, 2025•44 min
Psssst. You didn't hear this from me, but gossiping—can be good for you! Our series on embracing your inner antihero wraps—for now—with a guilty pleasure: gossiping. Normal Gossip host (and beloved former Slatester ) Rachelle Hampton sits down with How To!'s Carvell Wallace to dish on the right way to gossip, the link between whisper networks and safety, and the importance of leaving no receipts. This conversation concludes—for now!—our miniseries on embracing your inner antihero. Check out our ...
Jul 29, 2025•44 min
Our series on embracing your inner antihero continues with a look at superheroes who definitely don't wear capes: ethical haters. Slate culture writer Scaachi Koul sits down with How To!'s Carvell Wallace for a conversation about the power of haterade—and why "hating up" distinguishes ethical haters from run-of-the-mill, establishment negativity. Links Mentioned: Sucker Punch by Scaachi Koul Scaachi's Substack, Hater Nation Banal Nightmare by Halle Butler Scamfluencers Missed our first installme...
Jul 22, 2025•38 min
In this Quick Fix bonus episode, our conversation about how to get revenge continues. Writer and comedian Matthew Dicks weighs in on the "let them" mindset popularized by podcaster Mel Robbins. "I don't understand why we would let terrible people continue to be terrible," he says. And, Matt explains the tiny moment of social-media comeuppance he delivered to Donald Trump. Links Mentioned: Mel Robbins explains the idea that became her bestselling book The Let Them Theory . More about Matthew Dick...
Jul 15, 2025•11 min
Jordan is mired in a bitter war over off-leash pups at an unofficial dog park. With pro-leash forces deploying fake signage, ambush videos, and questionable zip-tie tactics in a campaign of shame aimed at her fellow dog owners, Jordan is ready to take matters into her own hands. In this first installment of How To's guide to becoming an antihero, Courtney Martin brings on writer, storyteller, and comedian Matthew Dicks to counsel Jordan in the art of getting even. (Read Slate's Revenge Week spec...
Jul 15, 2025•37 min
In this bonus episode for Slate Plus members, two How To! producers follow Oliver Burkeman's advice and head to the art museum to stare at some art. The challenge originates from Harvard professor Jennifer L. Roberts, who assigned her students a task in deep observation… and patience. Leland Bell, "Temma in Orange Dress" Wendell Castle, "Walking Cabinet" Tony Oursler, "MMPI (Self-Portrait in Yellow)" Stuart Davis, "The Outside" New York Times, Test Your Focus: Can You Spend 10 Minutes With One P...
Jul 08, 2025•28 min
Kate is juggling a lot: work, kids, caregiving for an elder, a dance troupe, the PTA, community organizing. Oh, and she runs a '90s-themed DJ night, too. On this episode of How To!, Courtney Martin brings on Oliver Burkeman, author of Four Thousand Weeks and Meditations for Mortals , to talk with Kate about how to stop doing everything all the time. If you liked this episode check out: How To Manage Your Precious Time Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or...
Jul 08, 2025•38 min
Kate stopped reading in 2016. Since then, she's tried to find her way back to it but something's not clicking, and it's left a book-shaped hole in her heart. Reading used to be something she really enjoyed, took pride in, and loved connecting with people over. On this episode of How To!, co-host Carvell Wallace brings in Maryanne Wolf, director of UCLA's Center For Dyslexia, Diverse Learners, and Social Justice and author of the book, Reader, Come Home . Maryanne explains the science behin...
Jul 01, 2025•35 min
