The Dr. Leaf Show

How to Stop Fearing Other People's Disappointment

Do you say yes when you mean no? My daughter Dominique and I open up about the fear of disappointing people, and why it runs so many of our decisions without you even not

How to Hit Any Goal When You Have Zero Motivation

Up to 92% of long-term goals never stick, and it has nothing to do with willpower. A neuroscientist breaks down the real, brain-based reason and the exact steps to fix it

I Had an Eating Disorder. So Did My Daughter. Here's How We Found Healing.

Cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Caroline Leaf and her daughter Dominique Leaf sit down to talk about something neither has discussed this openly before: their own eating dis

Is Your Apple Watch Making You Anxious? A Neuroscientist (and Her Daughter) Explain

Is your Apple Watch making you anxious? Cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Caroline Leaf is joined by special guest Dominique Leaf, her daughter and the show's producer, to ask

The Girlboss Trap: Why Ambition Became Burnout

Girlbossing is making us mean, exhausted, and unhappy. A neuroscientist and her daughter on what hustle-culture ambition did to us, and what healthy ambition looks like.D

When Botox Becomes Body Dysmorphia: The 30% Rule

Dr. Caroline Leaf and her daughter Dominique go past the beauty debate into what happens in your mind when you consider a cosmetic procedure. It is for anyone who has ask

Dr. Nicole LePera: Why Your Nervous System Picks Familiar Pain Over Safety

In this episode I sit down with Dr. Nicole LePera, The Holistic Psychologist, to talk about her new book Reparenting the Inner Child: The New Science of Our Oldest Wounds

2 Simple Rules for Being Happy: Always Have a Quest and a Crush

A clinical neuroscientist breaks down the two things that actually make you happy, a quest and a crush, and the brain science behind why a little whimsy is so good for yo

Is Gossip Bad for You? The Science of Good vs Toxic Gossip (ft. a special guest!)

Why do we gossip, and is it actually bad for you? Cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Caroline Leaf unpacks the science of gossip with special guest Dominique Leaf, her daughter

5 Mindless Habits that Secretly Exhaust You

Do you feel exhausted even after a full night’s sleep or a seemingly restful weekend? You might be unknowingly caught in mindless habits that are slowly wearing you down.

Am I a Narcissist? 4 Signs + Why Confidence Advice Is Backward

Self-focus is one of your most powerful tools for change, but there's a point where it quietly turns into a wall. Dr. Caroline Leaf breaks down the difference between hea

How to Become More Confident + 5 Thought Patterns Keeping You Stuck Under Pressure

Self-worth is what makes confidence last, and most of us were never taught the difference. In this episode, Dr. Caroline Leaf breaks down self-worth, self-confidence, and

Photographic Memory Is a Myth + Your Inner Critic Isn't the Enemy

Your mind doesn't record. Tt builds meaning. In this episode, Dr. Caroline Leaf breaks down why photographic memory is a myth, what your inner critic is actually trying

"Mogging" Is Quietly Destroying Your Self-Worth + How to Rebuild It

"Mogging" is everywhere right now — and it's quietly reshaping how a whole generation sees themselves. Born in the manosphere from the acronym AMOG ("alpha male of the gr

Why horror movies can be healing, breakups feel like drug withdrawal, & attachment styles can be dangerous

Why do breakups hurt so much? Because neurologically, heartbreak looks almost identical to drug withdrawal. In a landmark 2010 fMRI study, Helen Fisher and her colleagues

High-Functioning Anxiety Isn’t Who You Are. Here’s the Truth

High-functioning anxiety isn't a personality type. It's a stress response that's gone unchecked. You look calm. You hit your deadlines. You say "I'm fine." But inside, yo

The Exhaustion Sleep Can't Fix — A Scientist Explains NAD Depletion

NAD is the molecule in every cell that powers your energy — and there's a kind of exhaustion, the kind a good night's sleep and a weekend off can't fix, that comes from r

Pick My Brain: Why Adult Friendships Are Dying (And What to Do About It)

Pick My Brain is Dr. Caroline Leaf's new Q&A series — you send the questions, she answers them with real neuroscience. No fluff, no generic advice. Just honest answers to

The 15-Minute Solitude Practice That Rewires Your Brain

Most people would rather shock themselves than sit alone with their own thoughts. In a University of Virginia study, 67% of participants chose physical pain over 15 minut

Tracking Your Kids Is Wiring Your Brain for Anxiety

Tracking apps promise peace of mind — but the neuroscience tells a different story. About half of U.S. parents now use location-tracking apps like Life360, Find My, and