A podcast that explains how everything is psychology. Even your 20s. Hosted by Jemma Sbeg, each Tuesday and Friday we deep dive into the science and psychology behind a topic, concept or universal experience that defines our 20s - from dating, to mental health, career anxiety, friendship, finances and all the growing pains associated with this decade. Listen now.
Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @ thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
Most people would know the term: dopamine. It's the world's most famous neurotransmitter, known for it's role in happiness and pleasure. What if I told you, most of us have it all wrong. In today's episode we break down the secret history and psychology of dopamine, including:
The controversy around it's discovery How it became known as the 'pleasure' hormone Why that's actually not true It's true role in movement, motivation and memory Myth-busting dopamine detoxes plus so much more Happy listening!
Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @ thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When we’re ‘in a funk’, we might feel that things just aren’t going right for us, we can’t catch a break, and that life generally feels pretty flat. What’s more, we can tend to look at the world through a negative lens - which makes things worse.
In this episode, we look at why we get stuck in a funk, how our approach to fix it can lead us astray, and how we can get ourselves out of one by honouring our soul needs, reconnecting with nature, and more.
We unpack:
• The key differences between being in a funk and clinical depression
• Why monotony and boredom keep us stuck
• The danger of telling yourself to just ‘snap out of it’
• The importance of honouring our ‘soul needs’
• What we can do to rewire our brain towards a brighter future
Happy listening!
Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @ thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist. 
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It’s easy to believe that being liked by as many people as possible is a positive attribute. But when we chase this, we risk compromising our sense of identity, alienating ourselves from others, and being confused and burnt out by a string of inauthentic connections. In this episode, we examine what drives us to people please, acknowledge our need for human connection, and learn to recognise how to shift unhealthy patterns towards healthier, self-soothing ones.
We explore:
• What drives our need to belong
• The science behind why others don’t think about us as much as we imagine
• Why being a social chameleon can make others distrust you
• Why constant social monitoring is a waste of mental energy
• How we can reframe our thinking to recognise if we truly like someone, rather than just enjoy being liked
Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @ thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
Our favourite sources:
https://unwantedlife.me/the-spotlight-effect-and-social-anxiety-all-eyes-on-me
https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/when-kids-call-the-shots/201702/how-wanting-to-be-liked-gets-you-rejected
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8405711/
The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist. 
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Where did this myth that our frontal lobe develops at 25 actually come from? What does the death penalty and Leonardo DiCaprio have in common? You've probably seen TikToks, videos, tweets, memes, but what is the truth about brain maturity? That is what we're breaking down today, including:
Why brain development is a lot more complicated than a number The specific role of the frontal lobe The early 2000s research that defined how we see brain development Why our brain actually develops in spurts The good news for 20 somethings Happy listening!
Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @ thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
TW: this episode includes discussions of eating disorders.
What happens when millions of people watch you grow up online? How do you navigate change, love and making mistakes in front of a massive audience? And how do you rediscover your creativity after creating content about your life, becomes your job? In today's episode we talk to one of the original YouTube 'it-girls', Arden Rose , about early fame, body image, art and her life lessons as she enters her 30s. We discuss:
How making YouTube videos at 14 turned into a full-time job The dark side of Hollywood and the entertainment industry The biggest opportunity she missed out on...and why Veganism, diet culture and self-esteem The path back to creativity Her greatest pieces of advice for people in their 20s PLUS SO MUCH MORE Happy listening!
Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Arden here: @ardenrose
Watch her YouTube HERE
More links below (sorry)
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @ thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why does it suddenly feel like everyone has a diagnosis? From ADHD and autism to anxiety, trauma, burnout, and depression - mental health language is everywhere right now. But are rates actually rising? Or are more people finally being seen after years of being overlooked, misread, or excluded from the stereotype? In this episode, we unpack the psychology, politics, and culture of diagnosis: how diagnostic criteria have changed, why context matters, what social media has done to this conversation, and the tension between labels as affirming, or oversimplified.
We explore:
• What the data actually says about rising diagnosis rates
• Why historically missed groups are being recognised more now
• The role of context in shaping our experiences
• The risk of pathologising ordinary human struggle
• When scepticism is useful - and why it should be aimed at systems, not individuals
• Why a label can still be meaningful, helpful, and nobody else’s business
Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @ thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
Our favourite sources:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7422602/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4810039/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11747871/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10251666/
https://reference-global.com/article/10.58734/plc-2025-0009
The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It can feel like the world - and our future - has never been more precarious or frightening. It’s a very normal response to feel anxious about it - and in many ways, being concerned is just a sign that you’re alive, switched on, and care about the what’s going on around you. But what happens when this anxiety becomes overwhelming, and we’re consumed by worry about the future? In this episode, we unpack:
• Why we’re prone to anticipatory anxiety in our 20s
• The evolutionary reasons for catastrophic thinking
• Why long-term anxiety rewires our brain
• When it’s healthy - and not healthy - to worry
• How to rebrand anxiety as excitement
Happy listening!
Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @ thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
Or favourite sources:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3086262/#:~:text=For%20some%20individuals%2C%20uncertainty%20about,%2C%20&%20Camerer%2C%202005
https://theconversation.com/how-chronic-stress-changes-the-brain-and-what-you-can-do-to-reverse-the-damage-133194
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24364682/
The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It’s not a hot take to say that most of us are incredibly addicted to our phones. But when our usage bleeds into full-blown ‘technoference’ - technology interference - there can be significant, harmful consequences. In this episode, we explore how phones can harm our friendships and romantic relationships, including:
• How phones are replacing in-person interaction
• Why we can't help but be addicted
• The impact of 'phone snubbing' on our loved ones
• How phones are killing our sex lives
• The ways we can break our habits and find our way back to intimacy
Happy listening!
Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @ thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
Our favourite sources from this episode:
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/jan/31/age-of-intimacy-famine-interact-with-phones-rather-than-loved-ones
www.ericpickersgill.com/Removed
https://www.sellcell.com/blog/phone-addiction-statistics-watch-out-your-phone-addiction-is-making-your-dating-sex-life-toxic/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We are bombarded with ideas about how we should look, behave, and be. But instead of trying to constantly strive for the societal ideal, we can cut through the noise another way - and that’s by cultivating self-love. The funny thing is, psychology actually shows us that the more confident and self-loving we are, the more attractive we become. It’s a win-win… if we can get there. Today, we're going to talk about how loving ourselves makes us more attractive.
We unpack:
• The power of the mind-body link and self-esteem
• Why plastic surgery might not make us happy
• The damaging physical effects of negative self-talk
• How simple behavioural changes affect how others see us
• Why cultivating self-love is the greatest gift we can give ourselves
Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @ thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Your 20s are sold to you as the “best years of your life” - which is hilarious, considering how many of us spend them underpaid, overthinking, heartbroken, living in transitional housing, and finding a new identity every 6 months. So what does it actually mean to ‘romanticise your 20s’? In this episode, we break down romanticising as a real psychological skill - how your brain constructs meaning, why attention shapes what feels like reality, and why building a coherent life story matters most when your life feels messy.
We explore:
• Why your attention changes your experience
• The neuroscience and cognition of meaning-making
• The role of emergent adulthood
• Why narrative psychology is so important
• Five grounded ways to romanticise your life
Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @ thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
Our favourite sources:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4324396/
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00224545.2025.2563539
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3045747/
The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Betrayal doesn’t just ‘hurt your feelings.’ It shatters your nervous system, hijacks your sense of reality, and rewires your brain for fear and hypervigilance. We can be betrayed - or betray someone else - in a myriad of ways, with life-shattering results. In this episode, we explore the psychological impact of betrayal, delve into the reasons people betray us, and explore ways we can heal.
We explore:
Why betrayal can appear in many forms How the act of being betrayed affects our brain Why someone might betray us Betrayal blindness and institutional betrayal Why the betrayal grief cycle is similar to losing a loved one How we can heal, move on, and learn to trust ourselves again Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @ thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why is it that we can have a million visions, dreams and goals for how we want our life to be, but we can't seem to execute any of them? Is it laziness? Lack of discipline? Or fear? In today's episode, we break down the analysis paralysis that comes with wanting to do everything, and instead doing nothing at all. Our discussion includes:
The three types of fear keeping us stuck The most famous study on decision making! The psychology of regret How to choose what path to follow first Dealing with the judgement of others And so much more! Happy listening!
Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @ thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The best things in life aren't always the easiest and it's often this exertion and extra effort that holds us back from diving in or fully committing. Whether it's a new routine, an ambitious study schedule or workout plan, knowing how we can use psychology and neuroscience to make hard tasks easier is incredibly valuable. In today's episode we discuss:
• The 5 minute rule • The power of a persona • Using mental imagery and visualisation to do hard things • The power of learned industriousness • The 3 forms of motivation to know and implement
This episode will make all the hard things you've been putting off infinitely easier. Listen now!
Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @ thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We’ve all heard the phrase trauma bonding, often used in jest to talk about two people who became friends after meeting in difficult circumstances. But trauma bonding is actually a psychological phenomenon which defines a relationship characterised by an abuser and their target, and a cycle that can be very hard to break out of. In this episode, we unpack the characteristics of a trauma bond, how you can identify if you might be experiencing one, and steps you can take to break away from one.
We explore:
What a trauma bond looks like Why trauma bonds can happen What a trauma bond ISN’T Why trauma bonds can play out in a variety of relationships How to identify if you are experiencing a trauma bond Steps you can take to move away from a trauma bond A few resources to help you if you are struggling with a trauma bond:
The Attachment Project: HERE
Choosing Therapy: HERE
Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @ thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We all want to feel that we fit into a social group. But how does this play out when it comes to trends? From ‘mob wife energy’ to ‘cottagecore’, rapidly-evolving microtrends put more aesthetic-driven content in front of us than ever before, and it can feel hard to keep up. In this episode, we explore the ways that social media, fast fashion and ‘dopamine culture’ can pressure us to buy, how microtrend fatigue is giving way to a new type of self-expression, and how we can healthily navigate our own consumption of microtrends.
We explore:
The 5 stages of a trend, and how microtrends are different How world events influence microtrends Why social contagion, social conformity, and individual expression influence our behaviour Why social media and fast fashion have led to an explosion in microtrends The role of ‘dopamine culture’ on our brains Microtrend fatigue, and how ‘vibes’ might be replacing them When to buy, and when to wait Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @ thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's our 400th episode! Today is a special episode. Feeling stuck, behind, or like you’re wasting your 20s is not a rare experience. But you might just be focusing on the wrong milestones... In this episode, we break down 15 unconventional things I think everyone should do in their 20s and the psychology behind why.
Some of the bucket list items we discuss:
The best money lessons you learn through experience The importance of yearly challenges and quitting the things you depend on The plan you can make for your life, today Why we all need to do a social audit Solitude, relationships and the love you should find in your 20s Happy listening!
Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @ thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We all know exercise is ‘good for us’, but why is it that a walk can calm your brain, why a workout can feel like emotional release, or why movement can become either self-care or self-punishment. In this episode, we unpack the psychology of exercise – what’s happening to our brains over time, where the ‘exercise as antidepressants’ claim came from, and what happens when it crosses into obsession.
We explore:
• The role of endorphins and endocannabinoids
• How movement can regulate our emotions
• Identity and motivation in exercise
• How exercise changes our brains
• The role of exercise in treating depression
• How to build a healthier relationship with exercise
Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @ thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
Our favourite sources:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10813489/
https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/56/2/101.abstract
https://insight.jci.org/articles/view/126190
The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Feeling stuck in your 20s is a rite of passage, but it's can also feel deeply hopeless when nothing in your life seems to be moving or changing in the way you want it to. In today's episode, we break down some of the reasons we feel stuck and the five things you can do in the next 6 months to change that, including:
The 10 minute mind map tool to get you out of a funk Why you need to stop asking other people for advice The 6 month challenge project Plus so much more Happy listening!
The episode I mentioned: How to feel like yourself again
The book I mentioned: The Anatomy of a Breakthrough
Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @ thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When we think about office politics, you might think gossip, favouritism, or power plays - the kind of behind-the-scenes drama that makes work feel draining. But office politics isn’t just about one-upmanship or ambition. At its core, it’s a very human process: how people build trust, navigate competition, and influence decisions in the workplace.
In this episode, we break down the ‘unwritten’ dynamics of office politics - why they exist, how they affect your daily work life, and what you can do to navigate them without compromising your values.
We explore:
• The types of influence and power at work that you can leverage for yourself
• Why office politics feels inevitable
• How to recognise unspoken rules and social dynamics
• Advice on office gossip
• The 5 things you should be doing at work to get ahead (ethically)
If you want to go into the office with less dread and more clarity, this episode is for you.
Watch on Netflix
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @ thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Homesickness is more than just “missing home", it's a deep sense of nostalgia, grief, longing and also, as psychology will tell us, a unique kind of stress response. In this episode, we break down the psychology of homesickness: why our brains react so strongly when we leave familiar places, how place attachment shapes our sense of identity, and why nostalgia can make the past feel more perfect than it really was.
We explore:
What happens to your body and mind when you're away from home
The psychology of place attachment and why certain locations feel like part of us
Why homesickness often is delayed
When homesickness is something to listen to ... and when it’s not
7 practical strategies to help you feel more at home in a new place
Whether you’ve just moved across the world, across the country, or you’re feeling unexpectedly nostalgic for a life chapter that’s ended, this episode is for you.
Watch on Netflix
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @ thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
