Unlocking Us with Brené Brown
Education
Society & Culture
Vox Media Podcast Network
I’ve spent over 20 years studying the emotions and experiences that bring meaning and purpose to our lives, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s this: we are hardwired for connection, and connecting requires courage, vulnerability, and conversation. I want this to be a podcast that’s real, unpolished, honest, and reflects both the magic and the messiness of what it means to be human. Episodes will include conversations with the people who are teaching me, challenging me, confusing me, or maybe even ticking me off a little. I'll also have direct conversations with you about what I’m learning from new research, and we'll do some episodes dedicated to answering your questions. We don’t have to do life alone. We were never meant to.
Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Brené with Elizabeth Lesser on the Power of Women’s Stories
I speak with Elizabeth Lesser, bestselling author and co-founder of Omega Institute, about her newest book, Cassandra Speaks: When Women Are the Storytellers, the Human Story Changes.
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58:4228/10/2020
Brené with Joe Biden on Empathy, Unity and Courage
My thoughts on power and leadership and a conversation on empathy, unity, and courage with Vice President Joe Biden, the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee.
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51:3921/10/2020
Brené with Emily and Amelia Nagoski on Burnout and How to Complete the Stress Cycle
Burnout. We’re all experiencing it and we’re all desperate for a way through it. In this episode, I talk to Drs. Emily and Amelia Nagoski about what causes burnout, what it does to our bodies, and how we can move through the emotional exhaustion. This has been a game changer for me and for my family!
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01:05:3314/10/2020
Brené with Jason Sudeikis & Brendan Hunt on Ted Lasso
As the self-appointed president of the TLFC (Ted Lasso Fan Club), it was a blast to talk to Jason Sudeikis, the co-creator, writer, and executive producer who plays Ted Lasso, and Brendan Hunt, the co-creator and writer who plays Coach Beard on the Apple TV+ hit series. The show follows the adventures of a small-time college football coach from Kansas hired to coach a professional soccer team in England, despite having no experience coaching soccer. We talk about the show’s interesting origin story, writers’ room inspirations, and why intention is critical to the creative process. It’s a fun conversation about a show that is unapologetically awkward, brave, and kind.
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52:0607/10/2020
Brené with Bishop Michael Curry on Love & Hope in Troubling Times
The Most Reverend Michael Curry is presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, and in this episode, we talk about love. Messy, hard, complicated love. I ask him how we can transcend fear in a scarcity-based culture and what we can learn from those who came before us. We also talk about the church, how to develop beloved community, and the scrappy, gritty work of love that is my definition of faith. Plus, Bishop Curry shares his playlist, with one song that I really didn’t expect.
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01:24:3730/09/2020
On My Mind: RBG, Surge Capacity, and Play as an Energy Source
In this episode, I share my thoughts on the power of dissent, what happens when we max out our surge capacity during a crisis, and how time spent without purpose can refuel and reconnect us.
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32:4523/09/2020
Brené with Sonya Renee Taylor on "The Body is Not an Apology"
Sonya Renee Taylor and I talk about body shame, radical self-love, and social justice. This conversation was a big unlocking for me — especially when it comes to understanding the connection between how we think about our bodies and oppression.
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01:20:1116/09/2020
Brené with Scott Sonenshein on Stretching and Chasing
Dr. Scott Sonenshein — a researcher and professor — and I talk about the art and science of being scrappy, why outsiders are sometimes better than experts, and why comparison is truly the thief of joy. This book turned things upside down for me — in the best way. I hope the conversation does the same for you.
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01:04:1309/09/2020
Brené on Day 2
So glad to be back! Launching our second season with a conversation on one of my favorite subjects (and least favorite experiences): Day 2! It sounds easy enough, but Day 2 is no joke. It’s the messy middle — the point of no return. Join us as we talk about navigating what’s next and why it’s always best to stumble through the darkness together.
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31:5202/09/2020
Brené on Ask Me Anything, Part 2 of 2
We received so many thoughtful and tough AMA questions from listeners that it took us two episodes to cover the most popular topics. In Part 2, I unpack one of the most-asked questions: How do parents build shame resilience in our children? I’m also answering another popular question: Are there TV series and/or films that I think do a great job of accurately capturing emotions and the human experience? While there are SO many that do that well, I share a few of my current favorites.
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33:0215/07/2020
Brené on Ask Me Anything, Part 1 of 2
I said, “Ask Me Anything,” and the Unlocking Us community came through with the tough questions. To be honest, I thought I’d get some easy, fun ones — but no, all deep-end questions. In fact, we received so many thoughtful and tough AMA questions from listeners that it took us two episodes to cover the most popular topics, including “fake news,” disappointment versus self-pity, religion and shame, when something is shame-worthy, and how parents can build shame resilience in children. I also discuss what TV series and films I think do a great job of accurately capturing emotions and the human experience, and I answer my own 10 rapid-fire questions.
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51:3008/07/2020
Brené on Shame and Accountability
In today’s solo episode, I share my thoughts about why accountability is a prerequisite for change and why we need to get our heads and hearts around the difference between being held accountable for racism and feeling shame and being shamed. I share my personal stories of being held accountable and holding myself accountable, as well as my strategies for pulling my “thinking brain” back online when I’m experiencing the flight and fight energy fueled by shame.
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48:0801/07/2020
Brené with Judd Apatow on Vulnerability and Laughter
I’m talking with Judd Apatow, who has directed, produced, and written many of the biggest comedy films and hit TV shows of the past two decades. We look at what’s funny, why it’s funny, and why laughter creates connection. We also uncover that thin line between humor and grief and what it means to tell the stories of our lives in a way that we recognize ourselves and our shared humanity.
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01:06:2926/06/2020
Brené with Gina Chavez and Carrie Rodriguez on the Heart and Soul of Music
Meet Carrie Rodriguez and Gina Chavez, the musicians who created and perform the music you hear every week on Unlocking Us. Artists and activists, Gina and Carrie integrate stories, culture, and the heart of past generations into their music to create artful and hopeful futures. You can hear it in their music, and you can see it in their lives. I’m so grateful that our weekly Unlocking Us conversations begin and end with their soulful sounds.
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01:21:5524/06/2020
Brené with Laverne Cox on Transgender Representation, Advocacy + the Power of Love
I talk to artist, advocate, executive producer, and all-around amazing woman and friend Laverne Cox about her new, groundbreaking documentary, Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen; the importance of policy protection for the trans community; and the seismic shifts in the world today. We also discuss the complexities of intersectionality and accountability, the difference between discomfort and safety, and the ultimate power of seeking love and living in the light.
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01:04:1417/06/2020
Brené with Austin Channing Brown on I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness
Austin Channing Brown’s anti-racism work is critical to changing our world, and her ability to talk about what is good and true about love, about our faith, and about loving each other is transformative. She is a writer, a speaker, and a media producer providing inspired leadership on racial justice in America. In this episode, we connect on her book, I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness, and talk about her online television show, The Next Question.
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01:06:5310/06/2020
Brené with Ibram X. Kendi on How to Be an Antiracist
I’m talking with professor Ibram X. Kendi, New York Times bestselling author of How to Be an Antiracist and the director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University. We talk about racial disparities, policy, and equality, but we really focus on How to Be an Antiracist, which is a groundbreaking approach to understanding uprooting racism and inequality in our society and in ourselves.
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01:04:3403/06/2020
Brené with Reese Witherspoon & Kerry Washington on Little Fires Everywhere
Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington are true creatives and storytellers, working to make timely art that is honest and vulnerable and truth-telling. Here’s Part 2 of my conversation on Little Fires Everywhere. This episode covers how Reese and Kerry worked with a team of other creatives to bring Celeste’s words to life. We talk about the challenges and responsibilities of creating authentic, living, breathing characters with complex internal thoughts. We talk about motherhood and how it connects us, changes us, and changes as it goes. And we talk about creating art that honors ordinary, complicated people from completely different backgrounds, while connecting us all together.
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01:08:3229/05/2020
Brené and Celeste Ng on Little Fires Everywhere
My conversation with Celeste Ng is the first of two episodes on Little Fires Everywhere, where I’ll cover the book and the series. We talk about the writing process, the stories that we tell, and the stories that define us. We also cover how our hometowns shape us, how parenting is a shame minefield, and how we all have the power to mourn moments even while we’re in them. Celeste also fills us in on what she thinks about the series and what it felt like watching Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington create a show from her novel. I love this episode as a reader, as a writer, and as an observer of what it means to be human.
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01:05:3327/05/2020
Brené with Jay Duplass and Mark Duplass on The Power of Paradox
Jay and Mark Duplass are two of my favorite humans. They are filmmakers, writers, directors, producers, actors, and activists. They’re also partners, fathers, and brothers who believe in connection, love, and the importance of small moments. In this episode, we talk about their memoir, Like Brothers, and how so much of what we crave in life comes from straddling the paradoxes inherent in love, creativity, and relationships.
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01:28:4913/05/2020
Harriet Lerner and Brené - I’m Sorry: How To Apologize & Why It Matters, Part 2 of 2
Dr. Harriet Lerner’s work has transformed my work and my life. She’s a renowned psychologist and bestselling author who has been studying apologies — and why some people won’t give them — for more than two decades. In Part 2 of our two-part series, we share from a course together on her groundbreaking book Why Won’t You Apologize?: Healing Big Betrayals and Everyday Hurts. We dig into the “mischief of defensiveness,” the power of listening, and the secret life of the non-apologizer. We also take on one helluva role play where you get to hear me get schooled and learn a lot and get schooled again.
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01:18:1408/05/2020
Harriet Lerner and Brené - I’m Sorry: How To Apologize & Why It Matters, Part 1 of 2
This is the first episode of two-part special based on a course that Dr. Harriet Lerner and I did together on her groundbreaking book Why Won’t You Apologize?: Healing Big Betrayals and Everyday Hurts. It’s an authentic, hard conversation about making mistakes, healing hurts, and being brave. Harriet is a friend, mentor, and teacher. Her work has shaped my career and made my life better. During a time of deep uncertainty and anxiety — when many of us have struggled to be our best selves all of the time — apologizing has never been more important.
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01:14:4706/05/2020
Brené with Sue Monk Kidd and Jen Hatmaker on Longing, Belonging and Faith
In this episode, I talk to two women who provide wise counsel for those of us who have struggled with belonging and faith (and still do on occasion). Sue Monk Kidd and Jen Hatmaker are dissident daughters, brave leaders, and the very best companions for a contemplative journey.
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01:25:1428/04/2020
Dr. Vivek Murthy and Brené on loneliness and connection
Have you ever struggled with feeling lonely — even when you’re surrounded by people you love? I have. It’s painful and confusing. In this episode, I talk to Dr. Vivek Murthy, a physician and the 19th surgeon general of the United States, about loneliness and the physical and emotional toll that social disconnection takes on us. We talk about his new book, Together, and what it takes for each of us to tilt the world toward love and connection.
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56:4321/04/2020
Dr. Marc Brackett and Brené on “Permission to Feel”
Dr. Marc Brackett has dedicated his life to studying emotions and to teaching us what he’s learning. In this episode, we talk about how emotional literacy — being able to recognize, name, and understand our feelings — affects everything from learning, decision-making, and creativity to relationships, health, and performance.
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55:4514/04/2020
Alicia Keys and Brené on More Myself
Alicia’s book, More Myself: A Journey, is a master class in authenticity and vulnerability. In this episode, Alicia and I talk about the quiet, subtle experiences that fuel our need to armor up and self-protect and the courage behind owning our worth, listening to our own voice, and living with our own “girl on fire” energy.
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01:05:0607/04/2020
Brené on Anxiety, Calm + Over/Under-Functioning
We all have patterned ways of managing our day-to-day anxiety, and these patterns often reflect the roles and expectations of our first families. In this episode, we’ll talk about over- and under-functioning in anxious times, why anxiety is contagious, and how we can cultivate a calm practice.
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32:1903/04/2020
David Kessler and Brené on Grief and Finding Meaning
Grief expert David Kessler takes us by the hand and walks us into what he’s learned about love, loss, and finding meaning. As someone who has a lot of fear about grief and grieving, this conversation is not what I expected. The only word I can use to describe what I learned from David is beautiful.
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48:5531/03/2020
Brené on Comparative Suffering, the 50/50 Myth, and Settling the Ball
We have collectively hit weary. This is especially true for the brave folks on the front lines of this pandemic and for the people who love and support them. And it’s also true for all of us. In this episode, I talk about strategies for falling apart, staying connected and kind, and giving ourselves permission to feel hard things.
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27:4427/03/2020
Glennon Doyle and Brené on Untamed
Strap yourselves in! In this episode, I talk to my dear friend and sister Cheetah, Glennon Doyle — author of the New York Times #1 bestseller Untamed and the founder of Together Rising, an all-women-led nonprofit organization that has revolutionized grassroots philanthropy, raising over $25 million for women, families, and children in crisis. This is an honest conversation about walking away from the lifelong training that keeps us small, quiet, and afraid and embracing our wild, brave hearts.
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01:08:1924/03/2020
Tarana Burke and Brené on Being Heard and Seen
Tarana is a good friend and one of my favorite people on earth. She has been working at the intersection of racial justice and gender equity for nearly three decades, and she started the ‘me too.’ Movement in 2006. In 2017, when the #metoo hashtag went viral, Tarana emerged as a global leader in the evolving conversation around sexual violence.
In this episode, we talk about how her theory of “empowerment through empathy” is changing the way the world thinks and talks about sexual violence, consent, and social justice. AND we also talk/cry/laugh about falling in love, running as fast as we can from love, and the perils of sharing a bathroom with the guys we love.
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01:30:0823/03/2020
Brené on FFTs
The first Unlocking Us podcast is here! Along with the excitement of sending this into the world, I’m feeling equal doses of fear, awkwardness, and vulnerability. In this episode, I talk about my strategy for staying in tough first times versus tapping out and shutting down. When we get to the point that we only do things that we’re already good at doing, we stop growing. And truly living.
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40:4220/03/2020