Checking In with Dr. Therese Mascardo

About Checking In with Dr. Therese Mascardo

A podcast for overthinkers, perfectionists, and eldest daughters who are tired of being the strong one. Dr. Therese Mascardo shares the insights she's learned in over a decade of therapy work to help you feel less anxious, more connected, and better equipped to build a life you actually love. exploringtherapy.substack.com (https://exploringtherapy.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast)

Publisher

Dr. Therese Mascardo

Category

education · health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

22 Oct 2025

Latest episode

21 May 2026

Latest episodes

22 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   21 May 2026

   Joy Isn't a To-Do List | A Psychologist on What High Achievers Get Wrong About Happiness

   You’ve done everything right. You’ve hit the milestones, built the life, checked the boxes. And joy still feels like it’s somewhere just ahead of you — one more goal, one more accomplishment, one more thing away. This is the Season 2 Finale of Checking In. This is the episode that ties together everything we talked about during this season. Joy is not what most high achievers think it is. It’s not a reward. It’s not the feeling you get when things go according to plan. It’s not something you earn by working hard enough, healing enough, or becoming the right version of yourself. In this finale, Dr. Therese lays out five truths about joy that change the whole picture. Listen now: YouTube: Apple Podcasts: Spotify: In This Episode Why achievement and joy aren’t the same thing Most high achievers have spent years optimizing for achievement. But achievement and joy use completely different muscles — and this episode is about learning which ones you’ve been neglecting. 5 things joy actually is: * Joy coexists with grief — you don’t have to resolve the pain before you’re allowed to feel good * Presence is the whole practice, not a reward for getting everything done * Waiting for the other shoe to drop is foreboding joy — Brené Brown’s research on why we brace against good moments, and what it costs us * Joy is somatic before it’s cognitive — your body knows before your brain does * Joy doesn’t rely on your plans going right — holding them loosely is how it finds you What every Season 2 guest was actually saying From gut health to financial shame to sleep to truth-telling — Dr. Therese traces the thread running through every conversation this season and lands on what all of it was pointing toward. 🔥 Season 3 is coming: Learning from the Stories That Changed Everything 🔥 Subscribe so you’re there when it drops. Key Quotes “Achievement and joy are not the same thing.” “Joy lives in the room with grief. You don’t get one without making space for the other.” “Presence isn’t a luxury. It’s the whole practice.” “Waiting for the other shoe to drop doesn’t prevent the loss. It just steals the good part.” “Gratitude is how you choose to stay in the room when joy is happening.” “Joy is somatic before it’s cognitive. It’s something you feel before it’s something you understand.” “The most honest thing you can offer someone is the view from inside the hard thing, not from the other side of it.” “Joy isn’t waiting for you at the finish line. It’s already here. The question is whether you’re present enough to feel it.” “Where are you already one foot out the door?” If You Loved This Episode 💌 Share it with someone who’s been chasing joy in the wrong direction. 📝 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It takes two minutes and makes a real difference in helping this show reach more people who need it. 🔔 Subscribe on YouTube, Apple, or Spotify so you don’t miss Season 3. About Checking In This podcast is for high-achievers, perfectionists, and eldest daughters who look like they have it all together but are silently struggling. Think of Dr. Therese like a big sister with a doctorate who’s been there too and knows what actually helps. No confusing academic jargon or pretending she has all the answers. Just real conversations about building a life you don’t need to escape from. New episodes every Thursday. Episodes Mentioned * How to Cope When the World Is on Fire w/ Dr. Marie Fang (https://open.substack.com/pub/exploringtherapy/p/how-to-cope-when-the-world-is-on?r=1po6k&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web) “What is the bare minimum I can actually do right now?” * Are You Building the Wrong Life? w/ Jodie Cook (https://exploringtherapy.substack.com/p/are-you-building-the-wrong-life) — Fear, powerlifting, and whether you’re building the right life * Loneliness Epidemic w/ David Gate (https://exploringtherapy.substack.com/p/loneliness-epidemic) — Saying something true as the first act of rebellion * Why Your Gut Issues Are Ruining Your Mental Health w/ Abi Owens (https://exploringtherapy.substack.com/p/why-your-gut-issues-are-ruining-your?r=1po6k) — What chronic stress does to your gut, and why that line explains the whole season * The Psychology of Money w/ Lindsay Bryan-Podvin (https://exploringtherapy.substack.com/p/the-psychology-of-money-breaking?r=1po6k) — What financial shame has to do with how you feel Resources Mentioned * Daring Greatly (https://www.amazon.com/Daring-Greatly-Courage-Vulnerable-Transforms/dp/1592408419) by Brené Brown — foreboding joy (https://www.amazon.com/Daring-Greatly-Courage-Vulnerable-Transforms/dp/1592408419) About Dr. Therese Dr. Therese Mascardo is a Filipina-American psychologist and author of Love The Journey. For over a decade, she’s been in therapy rooms noticing patterns most people never get to see: what happens right before someone breaks through to genuine joy, what keeps people stuck, what actually helps when everything feels heavy. Her mission is to help people love their lives so they never want to leave them. 💙 Sponsored by TherapyNotes This episode is made possible by TherapyNotes — the all-in-one practice management software built for therapists who are tired of spending Sunday nights catching up on notes. Scheduling, billing, telehealth, and HIPAA-compliant documentation all in one place. Their TherapyFuel AI drafts progress notes in seconds so you can close your laptop and actually be present in the rest of your life. Try it free for 2 months with code DRTHERESE This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit exploringtherapy.substack.com (https://exploringtherapy.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

2. 

   14 May 2026

   The Psychology of Money: Breaking Free From Financial Shame & Anxiety w/ Lindsay Bryan-Podvin

   You’re not bad with money. But you do avoid opening your bank account. You let the bills pile up. You change the subject when finances come up because not knowing feels safer than looking. And underneath all of that is a shame spiral that’s been running so long it just feels like who you are. The real issue isn’t your habits. It’s that your money story was formed before you were old enough to question it, the system is more broken than anyone will admit, and nobody has ever addressed the emotional layer underneath — just the numbers. This week I sat down with Lindsay Bryan-Podvin, a licensed clinical social worker, certified financial therapist, and founder of Mind Money Balance. She won’t make you feel worse about where you are. She covers why high-achieving women get stuck in financial shame, what your childhood money story is still doing to you right now, and why curiosity — not discipline — is what finally moves the needle. She also gets into joyful spending, the “fun money account,” financial self-care by subtraction, ADHD and money, and how to talk about finances with a partner without it blowing up. You’re going to walk away feeling less alone, less ashamed, and clear on what you actually have the power to change. Listen now: YouTube: Apple Podcasts: Spotify: In This Episode Why smart, high-achieving people still struggle with money It’s not a personal failure. It’s the combination of a genuinely broken system, deeply ingrained money beliefs formed before age 8, and a shame spiral that keeps you from ever looking closely enough to actually change anything. The shame vs. guilt distinction that changes everything Guilt says: I made a bad money decision. Shame says: I am bad with money. Lindsay explains why shame makes it almost impossible to take action — and why curiosity is the way out. You cannot budget your way out of a broken system Lindsay breaks down the structural realities that make financial stress inevitable for so many of us — outdated financial advice, housing costs that have nearly doubled when adjusted for inflation, healthcare tied to employment, and the “enshittification” of the tech platforms that were supposed to save us money. This is context most people never get, and it matters. How your childhood money story still runs the show Money beliefs are largely formed by age 7 or 8. Lindsay walks through how to get curious about your own money story — not to spiral, but to finally understand why you do what you do. Joyful spending — and why perfectionists resist it For a lot of us, spending on ourselves feels indulgent, irresponsible, even scary. Lindsay talks about the “fun money account,” the under-$20 practice purchase, and why learning to spend joyfully is actually an act of self-care. Financial self-care by subtraction Sometimes the most generous thing you can do is take things off your plate, not add more. Lindsay talks about automating bills, canceling aspirational subscriptions, and doing a social media audit of the financial content you’re consuming. ADHD and money: working with your brain, not against it From the “ADHD tax” to body doubling with Focusmate to giving yourself permission to own three water bottles — Lindsay has genuinely practical, brain-first strategies for managing finances when your brain doesn’t do “conventional.” Money and couples Lindsay shares her “theirs, mine, and ours” system, why couples who talk about money regularly are measurably happier, and what to ask when deciding between a couples therapist and a financial therapist. What she wants every perfectionist to take away about mistakes Mistakes with money are not a sign you’re failing. They’re part of the process. Lindsay’s parting message for perfectionists is one of the most freeing things in this episode. Key Quotes “You cannot budget your way out of a broken system.” — Lindsay Bryan-Podvin “Guilt says, I made a bad money decision. Shame says, I am bad with money.” — Lindsay Bryan-Podvin “Secrecy, silence, and judgment make shame worse and harder to overcome.” — Lindsay Bryan-Podvin “We are trying to shoehorn ourselves into an economic picture that no longer exists.” — Lindsay Bryan-Podvin “Throw out about 80% of the personal finance advice out there. It was written for a world that is long gone.” — Lindsay Bryan-Podvin “There’s a lot of fear in joy — because it feels like if I have joy, I’ll lose my edge.” — Lindsay Bryan-Podvin “A mistake doesn’t mean you’re bad. It is just an opportunity to learn more about yourself.” — Lindsay Bryan-Podvin “Your money story started before you were old enough to question it.” — Dr. Therese If You Loved This Episode 💌 Share it with a friend who you know is white-knuckling their finances in silence 📝 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It takes two minutes and makes a real difference in helping this show reach more people who need it. 🔔 And if you haven’t subscribed yet, do that now so you don’t miss the rest of Season 2. About Checking In This podcast is for high-achievers, perfectionists, and eldest daughters who look like they have it all together but are silently struggling. Think of Dr. Therese like a big sister with a doctorate who’s been there too and knows what actually helps. No confusing academic jargon or pretending she has all the answers. Just real conversations about building a life you don’t need to escape from. New episodes every Thursday. Season 2: Unimaginable Joy — exploring everything that impacts mental health beyond the mind. About Lindsay Bryan-Podvin Lindsay Bryan-Podvin is a licensed clinical social worker, certified financial therapist, and founder of Mind Money Balance. She ran a financial wellbeing curriculum for the University of Michigan for three years and has been featured in Allure, HuffPost, CNET, Time, and PBS. She’s the author of The Financial Anxiety Solution, a workbook that walks you through the emotional, psychological, and behavioral roots of your money stress — not just the numbers. 📖 The Financial Anxiety Solution (https://www.amazon.com/Financial-Anxiety-Solution-Step-Step/dp/1646040074) 📲 Follow Lindsay (https://www.instagram.com/mindmoneybalance/) 🌐 View the website (https://www.mindmoneybalance.com/about) About Dr. Therese Dr. Therese Mascardo is a Filipina-American psychologist and author of Love The Journey. For over a decade, she’s been in therapy rooms noticing patterns most people never get to see: what happens right before someone breaks through to genuine joy, what keeps people stuck, what actually helps when everything feels heavy. Her mission is to help people love their lives so they never want to leave them. Resources Mentioned * The Financial Anxiety Solution (https://www.amazon.com/Financial-Anxiety-Solution-Step-Step/dp/1646040074) by Lindsay Bryan-Podvin (https://www.amazon.com/Financial-Anxiety-Solution-Step-Step/dp/1646040074) * Focusmate (body doubling app) (https://www.focusmate.com/) * The Financial Therapy Association (https://financialtherapyassociation.org/find-a-financial-therapist/) If this episode resonated, these ones pick up right where it left off * The Surprising Connection Between Success, Shame & ADHD w/ Dr. Shawn Horn (https://exploringtherapy.substack.com/p/the-surprising-connection-between) * Are You Building the Wrong Life? w/ Jodie Cook (https://exploringtherapy.substack.com/p/are-you-building-the-wrong-life) 💙 Sponsored by TherapyNotes This episode is made possible by TherapyNotes — the all-in-one practice management software built for therapists who are tired of spending Sunday nights catching up on notes. Scheduling, billing, telehealth, and HIPAA-compliant documentation all in one place. Their TherapyFuel AI drafts progress notes in seconds so you can close your laptop and actually be present in the rest of your life. Try it free for 2 months with code DRTHERESE This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit exploringtherapy.substack.com (https://exploringtherapy.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

3. 

   7 May 2026

   Hopecore Is Trending: The Psychology Behind Our Obsession With Wholesome Content

   When the Artemis 2 crew went viral, millions of people lost their minds. That same obsession — the kind Ted Lasso, Tabitha Brown, and Dolly Parton spark in us — has a name. It’s called hopecore. It restores our faith in humanity. And the fact that we’re all consumed by it right now tells us something important about our mental health. In this episode, Dr. Therese breaks down the psychology behind why we can’t get enough of wholesome content, what it’s actually doing to your nervous system, and how to stop waiting for hope to find you and start cultivating it yourself. Listen now: YouTube: Apple Podcasts: Spotify: In This Episode * What hopecore and competency porn actually are — and why your brain is already hooked * The specific emotional state Jonathan Haidt says gets triggered when hopecore hits you (and why it makes you measurably more generous afterward) * Why high achievers feel the sting of incompetent leadership more acutely than most — and what watching Artemis 2 revealed about that * The C.R. Snyder hope framework that reframes everything about what hope actually is and how it works * Why hope isn’t the finishing touch on your mental health — and what happens when it runs out * The surprisingly small, physical thing Dr. Therese does when she’s feeling genuinely hopeless * Why the most countercultural thing you can do right now isn’t just consuming hopecore — it’s becoming it Key Quotes “We are tired, and tired people will grab on to anything that looks like it might help.” “Watching Ted Lasso felt like someone handing that hope back to me — reminding me that hope still exists.” “Hope is not the decorative part of mental health that we tend to only when everything else is handled. It’s structural, and everything else gets built on top of it.” “Hope is two things working together: the belief that a path forward exists, and the belief that you are personally capable of walking it.” — C.R. Snyder “Your standards were never the problem.” “Hope isn’t a luxury you add once everything else is figured out. It’s the thing that makes everything else worth doing.” “Hope isn’t just something you find. It’s something you can be.” If You Loved This Episode 💜 If this episode resonated, you’ll also love Are You Building the Wrong Life? — Dr. Therese’s conversation with Jodie Cook on designing a life that actually feels good to live in: 💌 Share it with someone who’s been running on empty and doesn’t have words for what they need. 📝 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It takes two minutes and makes a real difference in helping this show reach more people who need it. 🔔 And if you haven’t subscribed yet, do that now so you don’t miss the rest of Season 2. About Dr. Therese Dr. Therese Mascardo is a Filipina-American psychologist and author of Love The Journey. For over a decade, she’s been in therapy rooms noticing patterns most people never get to see: what happens right before someone breaks through to genuine joy, what keeps people stuck, what actually helps when everything feels heavy. Her mission is to help people love their lives so they never want to leave them. 💙 Sponsored by TherapyNotes This episode is made possible by TherapyNotes — the all-in-one practice management software built for therapists who are tired of spending Sunday nights catching up on notes. Scheduling, billing, telehealth, and HIPAA-compliant documentation all in one place. Their TherapyFuel AI drafts progress notes in seconds so you can close your laptop and actually be present in the rest of your life. Try it free for 2 months with code DRTHERESE This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit exploringtherapy.substack.com (https://exploringtherapy.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

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