The Dr. Leaf Show

Website: https://drleaf.com

A Neuroscientist on Tradwives: Real Desire or Burnout? Oct 22, 2026

Show notes

Why does tradwife content pull you in, even if you'd never live that way? My daughter Dominique and I unpack the tradwife trend, the burnout often hiding behind it, and the shame women feel no matter what they choose. We look at the movement from every side: where it came from, what supporters and critics say, and what new research says is driving its appeal. Then I explain how unquestioned choices get built into the brain through the mind, why shame is a signal worth investigating, and how to tell whether a life choice comes from real desire or from running from exhaustion. 🔬 In this episode, you'll learn: • Why the trend may be more a symptom of burnout than a wish to go back to the 1950s • How an unquestioned choice becomes a stable network in your brain, and what that does to your sense of identity • What to do when you feel shame for staying home, for working, or for wanting both • How to observe a strong reaction to online content without merging with it • A five-step Neurocycle prescription for the pressure to pick a side

Want to hear more from Dominique? Follow her on substack: https://dominiqueleaf.substack.com 💛 Thank you to our sponsors: • Hans: $30 off your first month with code LEAF at https://hansfordogs.com/leaf • Walden University: Learn at a pace that works for you at https://waldenu.edu • Shopify: https://shopify.com/leaf • Primal Queen: https://primalqueen.com/leaf • Granola: https://granola.ai/drleaf • ElevenLabs: See a demo of Eleven Agents at https://elevenlabs.io/leaf • Ritual: 25% off your first month of Magnesium+ at https://ritual.com/leaf • BetterHelp: 10% off at https://betterhelp.com/drleaf • Veracity: Up to 65% off Metabolism Ignite with code DRLEAF at https://veracityhealth.co 🔗 1:1 coaching with me: https://drleaf.com/coaching-1-1 Resources, books, blogs, and more: https://drleaf.com New episodes every Wednesday. If this conversation supported you, follow the show so you never miss an episode, and share it with someone who wants to build a stronger, more adaptable mind. Connect with me: Instagram: https://instagram.com/drcarolineleaf TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@drcarolineleaf Facebook: https://facebook.com/drleaf X: https://twitter.com/DrCarolineLeaf Website: https://drleaf.com

Sunday Scaries? How to Stop Overthinking the Week Ahead Oct 18, 2026

Show notes

Sunday scaries creeping in? This bonus episode is for the night before the week starts, when your mind keeps replaying last week and rehearsing the next one.

I'm bringing back one of our most-requested episodes so you can learn how to stop overthinking before Monday arrives. I walk you through the difference between overthinking and deep thinking, plus simple tools from Chapter 4 of my book Help in a Hurry that you can use the moment the replay starts. I also share what happened when I caught myself running the same painful scenario 17 times in 10 minutes, walking through an airport on my way to speak at a conference.

🔬 What you'll learn:

How to catch overthinking early, from the replaying to the worst-case scenarios to the panic that keeps building
Why going over and over the plan for a meeting or a busy week keeps you stuck
Overthinking vs deep thinking, and why deep thinking gets you to a resolution you can act on
The four questions I use to break a thought loop in the moment
A 10-second breathing reset you can do anywhere, and how to give your mind something new to think about

💛 Thank you to our sponsors:

Hans: https://hansfordogs.com/leaf (code LEAF for $30 off your first month)
Walden: Take the first step and learn at a pace that works for you. Visit WaldenU.edu.
Shopify: https://shopify.com/leaf
Primal Queen: https://primalqueen.com/leaf
Granola: https://granola.ai/drleaf
ElevenLabs: see a demo of Eleven Agents at https://elevenlabs.io/leaf
Ritual: 25% off your first month of Magnesium+ at https://ritual.com/leaf
Betterhelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/drleaf

• • Veracity: So before Metabolism Ignite sells out again, make the switch to GLP 1’s the natural way. Head to VeracityHealth.co and use code DRLEAF for up to 65% off your order.

📚 Resources mentioned: Help in a Hurry, Chapter 4 Neurocycle app, courses and certification: https://drleaf.com

💛 If you're having thoughts of suicide, please reach out for support. In the US, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Outside the US, find a helpline near you at https://findahelpline.com

🔗 1:1 Coaching with Dr. Leaf: https://drleaf.com/coaching-1-1

New episodes every Wednesday.

#DrCarolineLeaf #SundayScaries #HowToStopOverthinking #Overthinking #MentalHealth

If this conversation supported you, tap follow and subscribe so you stay connected to each new episode. Share this with someone who wants to build a stronger, more adaptable mind.

Connect with me:

Website: https://drleaf.com

How to Stop Caring What People Think: 7 Steps From a Neuroscientist Oct 18, 2026

Show notes

People pleasing and peacekeeping can look identical from the outside. One comes from fear. The other comes from strength. Which one are you running on?

We're re-airing this episode because so many of you told us it changed how you see yourself in your relationships. In it, I pull apart the fear of judgment underneath both, explain why disapproval can hurt like physical pain, and walk you through a 7-step process to stop caring what people think by understanding your mind well enough that outside opinions lose their grip.

🔬 What you'll learn:

How to tell the two apart, and why it matters for your relationships and self-worth
Why rejection and physical pain share overlapping pathways in the brain
How to spot the approval loop that makes you edit yourself around certain people
Why separating your identity from your performance takes the sting out of criticism
A simple "danger or data?" question to ask the next time you feel judged
A real-time technique for holding your ground when the old fear spikes

💛 THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Hans: https://hansfordogs.com/leaf (code LEAF for $30 off your first month)
Walden: Take the first step and learn at a pace that works for you. Visit WaldenU.edu.
Shopify: https://shopify.com/leaf
Primal Queen: https://primalqueen.com/leaf
Granola: https://granola.ai/drleaf
ElevenLabs: see a demo of Eleven Agents at https://elevenlabs.io/leaf
Ritual: 25% off your first month of Magnesium+ at https://ritual.com/leaf
Betterhelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/drleaf

• • Veracity: So before Metabolism Ignite sells out again, make the switch to GLP 1’s the natural way. Head to VeracityHealth.co and use code DRLEAF for up to 65% off your order.

👑 Primal Queen: Get a free month plus four free gifts at https://primalqueen.com/leaf

🛍️ Shopify: Start your free trial at https://shopify.com/leaf

💪 Momentous: Get up to 35% off your first order of Signature Spec Creatine at https://livemomentous.com with code DRLEAF

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

📚 Resources mentioned:

Neurocycle app: https://drleaf.com/neurocycle-app

🔗 1:1 Coaching with Dr. Leaf: https://drleaf.com/coaching-1-1

New episodes every Wednesday.

#DrCarolineLeaf #PeoplePleasing #Neuroscience #MentalHealth #BrainScience

If this conversation supported you, tap follow and subscribe so you stay connected to each new episode. Share this with someone who wants to build a stronger, more adaptable mind.

Connect with me:

Website: https://drleaf.com

Is AI Making You Forget How to Think? A Neuroscientist Explains Oct 16, 2026

Show notes

AI and your brain: what happens to your memory, focus, and judgment when a machine does the hard thinking for you? We first aired this last year. It's worth a second listen.

In the year since, AI has moved into almost every part of daily life: work email, homework, health questions, even the late-night conversations people used to have with a friend. In this episode, I walk through what cognitive offloading does to your mind and brain, why confident-sounding AI is so easy to believe, and how to use these tools while keeping your own voice and judgment.

🔬 What you'll learn:

Why you remember less when you know you can look it up later (the Google Effect)
How automation bias makes AI feel right even when it gets the facts wrong
Why AI emotional support can't replace another person in the room
Three practical ways to let your mind manage AI, so you keep your memory, voice, and discernment
What's at stake for kids growing up with chatbots before they learn to trust themselves

💛 Thank you to our sponsors:

Hans: https://hansfordogs.com/leaf (code LEAF for $30 off your first month)
Shopify: https://shopify.com/leaf
Primal Queen: https://primalqueen.com/leaf
Granola: https://granola.ai/drleaf
ElevenLabs: see a demo of Eleven Agents at https://elevenlabs.io/leaf
Ritual: 25% off your first month of Magnesium+ at https://ritual.com/leaf
Betterhelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/drleaf

📚 Resources mentioned: Sparrow, Liu & Wegner (2011), Google Effects on Memory, Science Help in a Hurry: https://helpinahurrybook.com

🔗 1:1 Coaching with Dr. Leaf: https://drleaf.com/coaching-1-1

New episodes every Wednesday.

#DrCarolineLeaf #AIandYourBrain #CognitiveOffloading #Neuroscience #MentalHealth #BrainScience

If this conversation supported you, tap follow and subscribe so you stay connected to each new episode. Share this with someone who wants to build a stronger, more adaptable mind.

Connect with me: