When the poet and writer Kaveh Akbar likes something, he really likes it. As a high school student, he got hooked on poetry. In college, it was alcohol. This week, Kaveh talks to Anna Sale about the factors that led to his sobriety, and he explains exactly how he manages a life that’s full of healthy, wonderful obsessions as well as problematic ones. Kaveh’s critically acclaimed novel Martyr! is now available in paperback. You can read about his temporary fixation on collecting basketball cards ...
Feb 11, 2025•46 min
Guest Prudie Kristen Meinzer is joined by Peloton instructor, author and podcast host Cody Rigsby . Together, they answer questions from someone who wants to end their marriage over housework, a person struggling to pronounce people’s names correctly, and someone navigating the grief of a homophobic bigot. Want more Dear Prudence? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Ap...
Feb 07, 2025•35 min
On this week’s show, the hosts discuss Max’s new medical drama The Pitt – a show that we legally can’t call an ER reboot but does have Noah Wyle donning scrubs and handling the next bodily emergency yet again. Our regular hosts also discuss an article from the Intelligencer, The Cruel Kids’ Table about how young Republicans now feel empowered to bring cruelty back into public discourse. Finally, we welcome LA Film Critic Amy Nicholson to discuss the Oscar-nominated film September 5 about the hos...
Feb 05, 2025•1 hr 6 min
This week, Jules Gill-Peterson sits down with Owen Dempsey, the founder of Quest Healing House, a post-op recovery home providing safe, affordable lodging and wraparound support for transmasculine people. They discuss how Quest House, began, the urgent need for trans-led recovery spaces, and how the project has grown to meet community needs. Dempsey shares their vision for a future where no trans person has to heal alone—and why it’s so critical to talk about transition as an ongoing, years-long...
Feb 05, 2025•43 min
Tapped by Trump for the role of health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. presents himself as someone willing to say what other politicians won’t. But during his Senate confirmation hearings, both Democrats and Republicans questioned his previous statements about vaccines—and questioned whether he even knows what the job he’s trying to get entails. But his nomination signals that maybe it isn’t about vaccines - it’s about wanting to blow up the whole healthcare establishment. Guest: Dan Diamond, W...
Jan 31, 2025•27 min
Guillermo and his ex-wife divorced nearly a decade ago. They share custody of their son which, Guillermo says, lets her continue meddling in his life. He recently started dating someone and it’s getting serious, but he’s worried that his ex is going to destroy his new relationship. On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace brings on Bill Eddy , author and co-founder of the High Conflict Institute . Bill explains how to set limits and impose consequences in truly difficult situations to preserv...
Jan 28, 2025•46 min
On this episode: Zak, Elizabeth and Jamilah talk about what to do when you’re arguing with your partner… but you have to do it in front of the kids. We’ll talk about how to model healthy disagreement — and when it’s time to hit pause. We’ll also check in on where the hosts are this week – and then, if you’re coming to hang out on the Slate Plus Playground, the hosts are listening back to their 2024 resolutions and deciding if it truly was the year of “meh.” If you’re not part of the Slate Plus c...
Jan 27, 2025•36 min
Artificial intelligence is coming to a doctor’s office near you—if it isn’t already there, working in an administrative role. Are you ready for generative A.I. to help your doctor diagnose you? Is your doctor ready to listen—with the necessary mix of humility and skepticism? Guest: Geoffrey Fowler, Washington Post tech columnist. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Appl...
Jan 26, 2025•24 min
Whether it's a nanny taking us to school or a home health aide helping us age in place, most of us will rely on paid caregivers at some point in our lives. For the next two episodes, we'll talk to professional caregivers about the emotional and economic reality of the intimate work they do. In episode one, we hear from two eldercare workers: Rahn*, whose relationships with patients have helped heal emotional wounds from his childhood, and Tita Rose, a Filipina immigrant who uncovered exploitatio...
Jan 07, 2025•47 min
Guest Prudie Kristen Meinzer is joined by podcast producer Vic Whitley-Berry. Together, they answer letters from a concerned spouse over their husband’s drinking, a mom trying to get her daughter to apologize to her aunt, and someone who can’t avoid going down the rabbit hole of social media. Want more Dear Prudence? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts b...
Jan 03, 2025•46 min
Between a third and half of American schoolchildren have a form of “mental health monitoring” software on their school devices, which scans for and flags certain keywords. While intuitively appealing, is it worth the false positives, privacy issues, and compromised trust? Guest: Ellen Barry , mental health reporter for the New York Times. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe toda...
Dec 29, 2024•28 min
After a year of nuanced conversations on wellness, we say goodbye by reflecting on how these discussions expanded what it means to live a full, well-balanced life. We’re also joined again by longevity expert Dr. Darshan Shah to discuss what needs to change to make wellness more accessible for everyone. Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel . Editing and podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery. The W...
Dec 18, 2024•40 min
On this episode: Elizabeth, Jamilah and Zak help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group whose whole household is struggling with a little one’s sleepless nights. We’ll talk about how to help a kid settle, and stay settled… and why it might not be smart to watch the clock. After that, of course, we’ll circle up to share some Triumphs and Fails. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ide...
Dec 12, 2024•43 min
For eons, humans have been trying to find ways to live longer. It’s a quest that’s inspired legends and myths across cultures and continues to fuel controversy in the health and wellness industry today. On this week’s episode of Well, Now we speak with Dr. Darshan Shah to better understand longevity science and hear about his journey from performing surgery to creating the longevity clinic Next Health . Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel . E...
Dec 11, 2024•34 min
Sandy is a former college athlete who knows how to exercise—at least, she used to. These days, she’s feeling lost without a coach, a workout plan, or much free time. On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace brings on Danielle Friedman , author of Let’s Get Physical and a contributor to the New York Times Well section . Danielle explains how to embrace movement that you love, make it fit into your life—and actually stick with it. If you liked this episode check out: How To Start Strength Train...
Dec 10, 2024•41 min
Last week’s killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO prompted an outpouring of glee online. A look into UnitedHealthcare’s business practices—and the American healthcare system as a whole—can help explain why. Guest: Dan Diamond , national health reporter for The Washington Post. Want more What Next? Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to What Next and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify . Or, visit sla...
Dec 10, 2024•27 min
For many, the holiday season is both a joyful time with friends and family and a period of high stress with dangerous ways to cope. This can be especially challenging for people with substance use disorder. On this week’s episode of Well, Now Maya and Kavita discuss addiction and recovery with Zac Clark . Reality TV fans may remember him as a contestant on The Bachelorette, where he opened up about his history with drug abuse and how his journey to sobriety led him to create Release Recovery , a...
Dec 04, 2024•46 min
When it comes to gender affirming care for teenagers, parents’ rights no longer matter. Doctors’ opinions no longer matter. Next week, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in United States. v Skrmetti , challenging Tennessee’s ban on healthcare for trans kids, and upending half a century of gender protection doctrine. Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Chase Strangio, co-director of the ACLU’s LGBT & HIV Project, who will also be the first openly trans lawyer to argue at SCOTUS when he argues, al...
Nov 30, 2024•51 min
More than half the population will experience menopause if they’re fortunate enough to age. Yet so much of this full-body transformation remains a mystery. Journalist and filmmaker Tamsen Fadal is out to change that. Her new documentary The M Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause premiered on PBS earlier this year. In it, her team interviews patients and health experts worldwide about the lack of research into this important stage of life. On this week’s episode of Well, Now Kavita and Maya...
Nov 27, 2024•36 min
As Thanksgiving approaches the price of eggs is spiking again. But it wasn’t just inflation this time – it was also the rising number of cases of avian flu. How can the USDA, FDA, and CDC contain an outbreak in a country that both hates taking preventative measures and won’t tolerate any disruption in their food supply chain? Guest: Marcia Brown , food and agriculture reporter at POLITICO . Want more What Next? Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to What Next and all your other favori...
Nov 27, 2024•25 min
The Supreme Court threw out the last attempt to ban mifepristone, the “abortion pill,” because they couldn’t figure out who in the case was being injured. Now three states are claiming they are being harmed, because abortion access is preventing population growth for them Guest: Linda Greenhouse, Supreme Court reporter for the New York Times from 1978 to 2008, author and winner of the 1998 Pulitzer Prize. Want more What Next? Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to What Next and all yo...
Nov 26, 2024•24 min
On this episode: we’re weighing how to teach little ones about the dangers of germs… without making it sound too scary. We’ll talk about how to explain why eating off the floor is bad… without unlocking some new fears. We’ll also check in on where the hosts are this week – and then, if you’re coming to hang out on the Slate Plus Playground, we’re calling a meeting of the C&F weed caucus to order. If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to...
Nov 25, 2024•42 min
Last May, a 12-year-old with sickle cell anemia was the first person to receive a new gene therapy to treat the disease. The process is painful, expensive, and still frightening and uncertain, but biomedical researchers are cautiously calling it a “cure.” Guests: Gina Kolata, medical reporter for the New York Times Deb and Keith Cromer, parents to Kendric Cromer, the first person in the world to go through a commercially approved gene therapy for sickle cell anemia. Want more What Next TBD? Subs...
Nov 24, 2024•32 min
A sizable number of pregnancies end in a loss, whether to miscarriage, still-birth or abortion. But until very recently, discussions of these losses were kept out of public—and policy—conversations. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Colleen Long and Rebecca Little, co-authors of the book, “ I’m Sorry for My Loss: An Urgent Examination of Reproductive Care in America .” They share their own stories of pregnancy loss, and what they learned about the range of experience from ...
Nov 22, 2024•47 min
Regular movement is crucial for lifelong health, but finding a routine that fits well in your life can be challenging and overwhelming. On this week’s episode of Well, Now we speak to retired volleyball player Gabby Reece on transitioning out of professional sports and talk about ways to realistically bring performance-level fitness to every kind of exercise routine. If you liked this episode, check out: Breaking Up With Diet Culture Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya ...
Nov 20, 2024•35 min
Candice Lim is joined by Dazed senior writer Laura Pitcher to discuss her piece , “Meet the people using ChatGPT as their therapist.” Since ChatGPT’s public release in late 2022, there has been a growing reliance on the artificially intelligent chatbot in people’s everyday lives. TikTok users are talking about the way they use ChatGPT as their therapist, their best friend, their life organizer, and more. But is reliant, daily use of an AI service worth possible consequences such as climate chang...
Nov 16, 2024•39 min
How do women gain social influence? Understanding this is crucial because research shows they often face unique challenges in having their voices heard and their expertise recognized, even in highly qualified fields like medicine. The consequences of this could be dire, both for female patients and their healthcare providers. On this week’s episode of Well, Now, Kavita and Maya talk with psychologist Alison Fragale about the science behind effective social influence. Her new book is Likeable Bad...
Nov 13, 2024•49 min
Contraception is a huge burden for women and people with uteruses to bear. What would it look like—on a personal, cultural, and medical level—if more men took on that responsibility? Today on How To!, a conversation about gender equity for reproductive care, from changes in sexual education to more accessible vasectomies to the development of new contraception methods. Carvell Wallace welcomes two guests: Dr. Sarah Miller, a board-certified family physician and family planning specialist at Nort...
Nov 12, 2024•43 min
Donald Trump’s position on abortion was opaque enough that even states that passed protections for abortion rights still voted for him by a large margin. But even if a national abortion ban—something JD Vance has spoken in favor of—is probably untenable politically, how else could the incoming administration restrict access to abortion across the country? Guest: Caroline Kitchener , national reporter covering abortion for the Washington Post. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to acces...
Nov 12, 2024•27 min
Hormones influence everything from mood and energy levels to fertility and long-term health. Yet for many, hormonal health remains shrouded in mystery. When women do seek guidance from their OBGYNs, they’re often told birth control is the only option for treating hormone-related issues like PCOS and endometriosis. But that wasn’t going to cut it for Alisa Vitti . On this week’s episode of Well, Now Kavita and Maya tackle hormonal health with the FLO Living CEO and see what other options are avai...
Nov 06, 2024•47 min
