The Psychology of your 20s

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Latest Episodes:

358. Why you should decentre romance in your 20s Nov 28, 2025

Show notes

There is a huge emphasis on treating romance as the main marker of a successful life – from questions from family, to seemingly perfect online couples – it’s hard to believe anything else when society celebrates this kind of ideal.

In this episode, we look at how romance is often seen as the main focus of our 20s, what it can distract us from, and how we can start to approach it differently.

We explore:

• The social script of our 20s
• The role of milestone anxiety and FOMO
• How this can lead to us neglecting other areas of our lives, including our goals
• Emotional bypassing and avoiding the deeper work
• What a healthy approach to love looks like
• 5 tips to decentre romantic love

If you’ve ever felt like your life is on pause until your relationship status changes, this episode is for you.

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The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

357. Why do we doomspend? Nov 25, 2025

Show notes

We’ve all been there - telling ourselves that ‘life is short’ as we click add to cart. Whether it’s an expensive dinner, a holiday you can’t quite afford, or another ‘little treat’, doom spending has become the defining financial habit of our generation.

In this episode, we unpack why we spend when the world feels uncertain - the psychology, the emotion, and the cultural forces behind it. From dopamine and control to social media, fatalism, and escapism, we’ll explore how uncertainty reshapes our relationship with money and why buying things can feel like the only way to feel better.

We explore:

• Why spending can feel emotionally soothing and self-regulating
• How financial stress, uncertainty, and global instability fuel impulsive habits
• The rise of ‘little treat culture’ and the illusion of control
• The role of social media in pairing crisis with consumption
• Signs that your coping mechanism has turned into doom spending
• How to break the cycle - from doom saving to mindful spending

If you’ve ever felt the urge to spend when everything feels out of control, this episode is for you.

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Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

356. How to survive a breakup in your 20s Nov 21, 2025

Show notes

Going through a breakup is always going to be devastating. Heartbreak is one of the most gut-wrenching human experiences: it affects our brain, our body, our routines, our identity, and our sense of the future. Why does it hurt so much, and how do we actually get through it?

In this episode, we break down the psychology of surviving a breakup: the science, the emotions, and the practical tools that help you heal, find clarity, and eventually believe in love again.

We explore:

The story of my TWO big breakups
Why heartbreak activates the same neural pathways as physical pain
The three psychological “waves” of a breakup and what to expect in each
Why “what ifs,” longing and mind-pops keep us stuck
How to support your healing with five research-backed strategies
The psychology of rebounds, moving on, and knowing when you’re ready to date again

If you’re feeling lost, devastated, or convinced you’ll never love again, this episode will help you understand your pain, soften it, and slowly rebuild your sense of self.

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Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

355. Why don't I enjoy sex that much? Nov 18, 2025

Show notes

Our 20s are sold to us as the decade of peak desire - full of passion, spontaneity, and effortless intimacy. But for so many of us, that isn’t the reality. When libido dips or fluctuates, it can feel confusing, isolating, and even shameful. In this episode, we ask why it is so common to struggle with libido in our 20s, what’s actually happening beneath the surface when desire feels distant, and how to make sense of the emotional and physical shifts that come with it.

We explore:

• How it feels when our libido fluctuates
• Why so many of us struggle with this in our 20s
• The dual control theory of sexual response
• Libido as a reflection of safety
• The role of hormones, stress and mental health
• Identity development and the impact of shame
• Tips to reconnect with pleasure

If you’ve ever wondered why you don’t feel the same drive as others seem to, this episode is for you.

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Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

354. How to break a toxic habit Nov 16, 2025

Show notes

We all have habits we wish we could change - patterns we repeat even when we know they’re hurting us. So why is it so hard to stop? In this episode, we explore the psychology behind toxic habits. How they form, why they become automatic, and what they’re actually doing for us emotionally.

We explore:

• How habits become wired through repetition and reward
• Why some people are more vulnerable to toxic habit loops
• The role of emotional regulation and self-soothing
• The four key mistakes that keep us stuck
• Practical tools to implement positive habits

If you’ve ever thought, ‘I know better… so why don’t I do better?’, this episode is for you.

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Watch on Youtube

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

353. The psychology of perfectionism Nov 13, 2025

Show notes

We’ve all heard someone say, “I’m such a perfectionist”, like it’s a badge of honour. But what does perfectionism really mean - and what’s hiding beneath it?

In today’s bonus episode, we unpack the psychology of perfectionism: the fear, the origins, and how to finally let go of “never good enough”.

We explore:

• The three types of perfectionism - self-oriented, other-oriented, and socially prescribed
• Why perfectionism often disguises itself as discipline
• How it’s linked to procrastination, burnout, and anxiety
• Where it develops - from conditional love, insecurity, and need for control
• Real-world costs on relationships, wellbeing and creativity
• Tools to reframe perfectionism

Listen now!

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Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

352. How to deal with someone who is ALWAYS the victim Nov 10, 2025

Show notes

Have you ever met someone who always seems to see themselves as the one who’s been wronged - or maybe noticed that pattern in yourself? The sense that life is happening to you, not for you? It might not just be negativity - it could be a victim mentality, a learned way of seeing the world that often begins as a form of protection.

In this episode, we take a look at the psychology behind the victim mindset - why it develops, how it impacts our relationships, and what it really takes to move from powerlessness to self-trust.

We explore:

• What exactly is the victim mentality?
• How trauma, learned helplessness, and chronic fear shape this mindset
• The overlap between victimhood and covert narcissism
• Why relationships with ‘perpetual victims’ can feel draining or triggering
• How to support someone without losing yourself
• When compassion becomes enabling, and when to let go

If you’ve ever struggled to understand why some people - or even parts of yourself - stay stuck in stories of unfairness or defeat, this episode is for you.

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Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

351. How gratitude changes your brain Nov 06, 2025

Show notes

We’re always told that gratitude is the route to happiness – that we should be grateful for every experience we have. But when life feels like it’s falling apart, gratitude can feel less like a comfort and more like pressure. In reality, gratitude and pain often have to coexist.

In this episode, we ask whether gratitude actually does make us happier - what it really is, how it rewires the brain, and why it sometimes feels impossible.

We explore:

• What makes gratitude so powerful
• The cognitive and neuroscientific mechanisms behind gratitude
• Toxic gratitude when life simply feels hard
• The gratitude paradox
• The guilt associated with not being grateful enough
• Some alternatives for when gratitude feels inaccessible

If you’ve ever struggled with the idea that you ‘should’ be thankful for the hard times in life, this episode is for you.

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Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

350. When should you move in with someone? Nov 04, 2025

Show notes

It sounds simple. Split the rent, share space, maybe finally stop packing an overnight bag. But living together is one of the biggest relationship transitions of our twenties, and it brings with it some very real psychological, emotional, and even social shifts.
In this episode, we unpack the questions around living with your partner in your 20s - what it means, what it changes, and what it reveals.

We explore:
• The pros and cons of moving in together
• Why living together can feel like forming a ‘chosen family’
• The pressure of societal and family expectations to hit the next milestone
• The hidden dynamics of cohabitation
• Why fairness, communication, and space matter more than perfection
• The five questions to ask yourself before you take the leap

Whether you’re moving in with your partner, thinking about it, or reflecting on a past experience, this episode is for you.

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Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

349. The psychology of flow states Nov 02, 2025

Show notes

You know that feeling when time disappears, your focus sharpens, and everything just clicks? That’s what we often call ‘flow state’ - a powerful experience of total immersion where effort feels effortless. In today’s bonus episode, we uncover what flow really is, how it works, and why finding it might just change how you think about focus and fulfilment.

We explore:

• What the flow state actually is
• The history and psychology behind the concept
• What it feels like, and how to know you’ve reached it
• Why some people find it easier to access than others
• What’s happening in your brain during flow
• Practical ways to find it in your own life

Listen now!

ORDER MY BOOK

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.