Sign in
Health & Fitness
Kara Loewentheil
UnF*ck Your Brain: Feminist Self-Help for Everyone breaks down the centuries of sexist socialization that causes us to struggle with self-doubt, burnout, and anxiety.
Hosted by Master Feminist Coach Kara Loewentheil, J.D., founder of The School of New Feminist Thought and author of Take Back Your Brain (Penguin 2024), each episode teaches you how to turn down the noise of societal expectations, turn up the volume on what YOU really want in life, and change your thinking to make sure you go get it.
This podcast is an essential resource for anyone eager to embrace a life free from limiting beliefs and societal constraints.
If you ever find yourself asking questions like…
*Why am I so anxious about stuff that isn’t a big deal?
*How can I stop overthinking everything?
*Am I selfish for wanting my life to look different?
*Will I ever feel comfortable in my body?
*Am I a bad parent?
*How can I ask for more money at work?
*Can I stop people-pleasing?
*How can my partner and I communicate better?
… then you won’t want to miss an episode.
Visit schoolofnewfeministthought.com to learn more about The School of New Feminist Thought and more.
67. The Struggle Bus (How to Deal with Negative Emotions)
You don't have to change your negative thoughts right away - it's okay to sit with them for a bit. I like to call this the Struggle Bus. You might be struggling with some negative emotion, but you're still moving forward. You're still showing up to do everything you need to do.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/67
19:5407/02/2019
66. Listener Q & A Vol. 12
On this episode, we’re diving into topics like addressing things that are outside of our control, social anxiety and insecurities, meeting your own needs, the five love languages, applying thought work to physical pain, and more.Get full show notes and more information here: http://unfckyourbrain.com/66
21:0731/01/2019
65. Listener Q & A Vol. 11
Join me this week as I answer questions about what I think about antidepressants and other medications, dealing with Trump supporters, boundary violations, thought work around “toxic” family members, people pleasing, and more.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/65
23:0124/01/2019
64. How to Believe Harder
Join me this week to learn how to believe new things harder. I share the three mistakes I see in thought work when people are not believing hard enough and how to get past them. Believing new things on purpose is work. It's going to feel like work. That's the good news. Because the good news is if it feels terrible sometimes, you're doing it right.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/64
17:5817/01/2019
63. Listener Q & A Vol. 10
Tune in this week as I talk about dealing with your past regrets, body image, speaking your truth, mending (or not) relationships, dealing with recurring thoughts, and much more!Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/63
32:0710/01/2019
62. Self Care
Let’s start this year off with a chat about self care as many of us will be making resolutions to take better “care” of ourselves... and then falling back into old habits 3 weeks later. Join me today as I break down what self care really is and why managing our minds is the ultimate self care practice.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/62
20:5703/01/2019
61. Listener Q&A Vol. 9
Tune in this week as I answer questions on the topics of managing “toxic” family members around your kids, thought management around physical touch, controlling your mind around uncontrollable circumstances, and more.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/61
21:0627/12/2018
60. Jealousy & Envy
In this episode, I talk about the differences between jealousy and envy and how they relate to other emotions. They both hinge on the thought that you need something external - money, a certain job, a romantic partner, a friend - to be happy and that you will be unhappy without it. Join me today to hear why confidence alone won't solve issues with jealousy.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/60
30:0620/12/2018
59. Listener Q & A Vol. 8
Join me this week as I answer questions on the topics of self-love, people with intuitively-managed minds, changing go-to thoughts, finding love, dreaming about your problems, and more.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/59
24:0413/12/2018
58. FOMO
Understanding FOMO and taking the steps to work through your thoughts around your current or future circumstances can make a tremendous difference in the level of happiness and fun you’re allowing yourself to have in any given moment. Listen in to hear how!Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/58
22:2506/12/2018
57. Listener Q & A Vol. 7
Listen in as we explore topics like handling criticism and feedback, intuition vs bad thoughts, managing intrusive thoughts, the struggle between choosing comfort vs growth, and more!Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/57
18:5029/11/2018
56. How Rejection Holds You Back in Business and Dating
Join me today for a tough look at how so many of us are letting our fears of shame and rejection keep us from putting ourselves out there enough to reach our goals. I can't tell you how many "no"s you need to hear but I can say that every no gets you closer to the "yes" you want and the only thing holding you back is your unwillingness to hear the no.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/56
24:0222/11/2018
55. Social Anxiety
A lot of us are paranoid about what other people think about us, especially in social situations. But just because your mental default is to worry about other people's opinions about you, doesn't make this a permanent state of mind.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/55
23:2415/11/2018
54. Listener Q & A Vol. 6
Join me as we get into topics like managing your mind under the influence of alcohol, mind over matter, cultivating confidence, managing thoughts of resentment, being around people with different religious beliefs than your own and more!Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/54
22:3208/11/2018
53. Listener Q & A Vol. 5
This week, we have another installment of the Listener Q & As. In this episode, we dive into topics such as dealing with overwhelm, empathy vs compassion, fortune-telling, teaching thought work to young kids, relationships, boundaries, and more! Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/53
21:2101/11/2018
52. Trust
On this episode, we take a deep dive into the topic of trust and explore the common misconceptions about it that are holding you back. After listening to this episode, I’d like for you to get curious about what trust really means for you and whether it’s necessary to have it for others at all.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/52
17:4225/10/2018
51. Listener Q & A Vol. 4
This week, I am back with another round of questions from all of you and my tough-love answers. Today, we’re digging into a number of topics such as dealing with ‘problem’ coworkers, letting go of shame around past mistakes, feeling more lovable, and helping others.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/51
26:3218/10/2018
50. People-Pleasing 2.0
Today, I want to teach you more in-depth about people-pleasing and why I think we should stop using that terminology. Join me today for People-Pleasing 2.0 and discover how this behavior sabotages your authenticity and perpetuates dishonest relationships. Plus, I share a couple of steps to ending this deceptive cycle. Awareness is key, my chickens. Notice your thoughts and you can change them!Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/50
14:4111/10/2018
49. Friendship
In this episode, I’ll talk about the assumptions most of us make about friendship and discuss why it’s important to refresh how you think about your friends. Listen in as I reveal how you might be blocking yourself from fully enjoying your friendships – then I’ll tell you what you can do to flip this script and appreciate the many friendships the world can offer you if you just know where to look.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/49
18:2504/10/2018
48. Listener Q & A Vol. 3
Join me this week as I answer more of your questions that you sent in via email, Facebook, and Instagram on a variety of topics ranging from boundaries, relying on external validation, cultivating self-confidence, family and relationship issues and more.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/48
30:0527/09/2018
47. Boundaries
This week, I explain what a boundary is and why everything that you have previously known about boundaries is most likely wrong (or at least highly unhelpful). Join me as I show you what a boundary is not and how to tell if you’re ready to set a boundary and how to do it in a way that serves you and your emotional state.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/47
22:5420/09/2018
46. Listener Q & A Vol. 2
After the last listener Q & A episode, I got a lot of great feedback from you guys and have since received a ton of new questions. Today, I am answering more of your questions that you sent in via email, Facebook, and Instagram on a variety of topics ranging from relationship advice and workplace issues to my morning and nighttime routines.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/46
30:4813/09/2018
45. Constraint
Constraint is one of the mind management tools that has had a huge impact on my ability to achieve ambitious goals, and quickly and exponentially grow my business and podcast. And on this episode, I am excited to show you how you can properly use constraint in your life to create more time, hit big milestones, and level up any area of your life.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/45
23:4906/09/2018
44. Catastrophizing
This week, I want to talk to you about the concept of catastrophizing, or imagining all the possible future negative scenarios that could happen and emotionally reacting as if they were real. We take a look at why we do this and how it impacts the results we have in our life. I share three simple but powerful tools that will help you kick your catastrophizing habit to the curb.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/44
12:5030/08/2018
43. Why Restriction Doesn't Work
On this episode, we take a look at why restricting yourself from having or doing something that you want – whether it’s food, alcohol, or spending – does not work. Join me as I show you how to change your thinking from restriction mode to the type of thinking that will help you achieve the positive results you desire in all areas of your life.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/43
18:0123/08/2018
42. Listener Q & A Vol. 1
I get a lot of emails, Facebook, and Instagram messages from you guys. And although I love to hear from all of you, due to the sheer volume of these messages, I can’t respond to all of them directly. So today, I’m answering some of your questions and exploring the topics that you’d like to get coached on. For this episode, I’ve chosen questions and topics that many of you struggle with and I think all of you will learn from.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/42
30:0216/08/2018
41. Drama & Toxic People
On this episode, we take a look at the reality behind drama and who really causes it in your life. I explain why you should actually consider spending more time with people who you think affect your vibe and show you exactly what you need to do to totally escape drama and toxic people with only a small change.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/41
31:0609/08/2018
UFYB Bonus: An Interview with Jami
A bonus interview with Jami.If you find this bonus episode helpful and you’d like to achieve similar results to my clients’, visit https://unfckyourbrain.com/the-society to learn more.
11:4806/08/2018
40. Reactivity Vs. Resilience
Are you usually emotionally exhausted by the end of the day? Do you obsess over whether other people are upset with you (even if there’s no actual evidence to support it)? If you can relate to any of the above, it’s a sign that you don’t have appropriate boundaries and you don’t have emotional resilience. Discover whether you’re emotionally reactive to what’s going on around you and how it may be affecting your day-to-day.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/40
27:2202/08/2018
39. Reaching Your Potential
I believe that most people misunderstand what potential is and what it actually means. This is a deep topic that has a lot of ramifications for how we think about the past and the future and what we can achieve in our lives. Listen in as we take a look at the difference between being past-focused and future-focused and how each approach affects the results you see in your life.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/39
23:5926/07/2018
38. How to Choose New Thoughts
You probably already accept the idea that not all of your thoughts are true. With that in mind, what should you believe? On this episode, I explain why no one can tell you want to think and share a quite counterintuitive framework for evaluating thoughts and deciding whether you want to believe them. I then show you how you can come up with your own new helpful thoughts that are in line with your goals.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/38
28:1419/07/2018
37. Self Love 2.0
Listen in as we take a look at three thought errors that are running in the back of your mind, holding you back from working on your emotional health and making progress. Join me as I show you how you can make a few simple mindset shifts that will deeply enrich not only your life but the lives of those around you. Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/37
26:3212/07/2018
36. Antidotes to Perfectionism (Other Focus + Minimum Baseline)
A couple of weeks ago, we talked about perfectionism and how so many of us love to make unrealistic plans and never keep them or see them through to the end. This week, I want to take a deeper dive into the topic of perfectionism – the insidious trait that many smart people suffer from – and look at two powerful tools for managing it.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/36
30:4505/07/2018
35. Contrast of Emotion
On this episode, I want to talk about why you should consider welcoming negative emotions that come up in your life and how this practice can help you live a rich and fulfilled life. Join me to discover how to develop a better relationship with yourself and enjoy a well-balanced human experience.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/35
15:4028/06/2018
34. Living with Intention
So many of us go through life without really making decisions for ourselves or understanding the decisions we made. Then one day, we wake up and find ourselves surprised at how we got to where we are, not sure if we even wanted it for ourselves. So how do you break that cycle of living by someone else’s rulebook and getting the results you don’t want in your life?Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/34
24:3621/06/2018
33. Gratitude
I often see many of my clients trying to use a gratitude practice against themselves in a way that can be quite harmful to their mental health. In this episode, I want to talk to you about how to tell if you’re misusing gratitude or maybe even using it as a weapon against yourself. Join me to discover what you can do to stop feeling sorry for yourself and start thinking about gratitude in a way that serves you.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/33
14:1514/06/2018
32. Ask Better Questions
This week, I want to teach you one of the best tools that I learned from my coach – the power of asking better questions. Join me as I explain how asking dead-end questions is affecting your brain and show you how to ask questions that stimulate your brain to find answers that will move you toward goals.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/32
12:1907/06/2018
31. What About Sexism?
On this episode, I talk about how your reaction to other people’s gender-based discrimination may be impacting your emotional state and creating unnecessary suffering and drama in your mind. I explain how judging, resisting or resenting others for their thoughts actually keeps you stuck in the constant loop of judging yourself.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/31Download the Confidence Cheat Sheet. It's totally free! https://www.unfckyourbrain.com/podcastconfidence
28:1731/05/2018
30. Pleasure
On this episode, I explain why, no matter what ideologies you internalized over the years, you DO NOT have to earn pleasure and you’re 100% entitled to it. We also take a look at the important distinction between real and false pleasure and why neither should be a solution to any of your emotional problems.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/30Download the Confidence Cheat Sheet. It's totally free! https://www.unfckyourbrain.com/podcastconfidence
17:1324/05/2018
29. My Annual Review & Lessons Learned
This week, I decided to give you a behind-the-scenes look at my annual review and share the important lessons that I learned along the way. Join me to hear 5 most important things that I've learned from going through the process of growing my business 5x times and find out how you can apply these lessons in your own life and business/career.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/29
35:4017/05/2018
28. How to Lead
On this episode, I want to explore why, contrary to the popular belief, being a leader is not about an attachment to a certain outcome and dependent on controlling others. Join me as I share what you need to do to become a great leader who is able to inspire and advocate for her ideas effectively.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/28
19:4710/05/2018
UFYB Bonus: An Interview with Shira
A bonus interview with Shira.If you find this bonus episode helpful and you’d like to achieve similar results to my clients’, visit https://unfckyourbrain.com/the-society to learn more.
14:4507/05/2018
27. Busy Is a State of Mind
In this episode, we explore what it really means to be busy and why we choose to inflict busyness on ourselves. We take a look at the two forms of the “I’m so busy” that we use in our daily lives and why both of them are highly unhelpful. Tune in to find out how you can stop using “busy” as a way to stress yourself out and find out how to never feel too busy to make real progress on your important projects and initiatives.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/27
18:4703/05/2018
UFYB Bonus: An Interview with Nancy
A bonus interview with Nancy.If you find this bonus episode helpful and you’d like to achieve similar results to my clients’, visit https://unfckyourbrain.com/the-society to learn more.
13:4730/04/2018
26. Taking Responsibility for Other People’s Feelings
Today, I want to give you a sense of what the deeper, second level teachings that we do in the UnF*ckYour Brain program look like and teach you an advanced level topic - taking responsibility for other people’s feelings (Emotional Adulthood 2.0). We take a look at how your prior programming is causing you to feel responsible for how other people feel and act, and why it is actually not a loving thing to do.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/26
19:4426/04/2018
UFYB Bonus: My Story
Today, I'm going doing something a little bit different. As our flock grows, I know that some of you may not know much about me or my story - where I came from. So today I'm going to share with you a little bit about me. I'm sharing this with you so that you can see that where you are now, the heaviness you feel, the pressure, does not have to be your future reality.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/my-story-2
18:1623/04/2018
25. How to Make Decisions
On this episode, we take another look at the real reason why, when presented with two or more choices, we often get paralyzed, unable to make a decision. From the questions you need to ask yourself to help you make a decision, to how to deal with the doubt, fear and regret, you’ll learn how to be a more decisive person, able to love the result of whatever decision you make. Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/25
27:2719/04/2018
24. Confusion Is a Lie
On this episode, we dive into the reasons why confusion is an indulgent emotion and why you actually like to stay confused. We also explore exactly where confusion comes from and why there’s no such thing as a right or wrong decision. I'm sharing a step-by-step process you can start using today to begin relieving confusion about anything in your life to make uncertainty, indecision, and fear a thing of the past.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/24
21:1612/04/2018
23. Want Vs. Need
We are taught as children, that our parents are supposed to meet our needs – emotional and material. When we grow up, we are “supposed to” substitute other people, like friends and romantic partners, for our parents, who should also meet our needs.On this episode the UnF*ck Your Brain podcast, I explain why this type of reasoning is insane and teach you one of my favorite tools for revolutionizing your love life.Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/23
18:1605/04/2018
22. Insight vs. Transformation
On this episode, I want to talk to you about what actually creates lasting transformation. It’s an integral step in the process of unf*cking your brain that many of you miss simply because you’ve never been taught how to do it. Are you ready to see what you’re really capable of accomplishing?Get full show notes and more information here: https://unfckyourbrain.com/22
17:2529/03/2018