Teach Me How To Adult

Hosted by Gillian Berner

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385

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Adulting isn't easy, but we got you. Teach Me How To Adult is a smart, unfiltered podcast on everything you never learned growing up, because let’s be honest, no one prepared us for this. Between landing your dream job, crushing your love life, learning to invest, mastering your mindset and figuring out how to be happy along the way, there’s a lot to navigate. Join host Gillian Berner every week for expert interviews and game-changing advice on how we can all live our best lives. There’s more than one way to adult, and it is not always linear. So follow along as we figure it out together.

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60 recent

June 15, 202611 min

ICYMI: Are You A Moderator Or Abstainer? Breaking Down Drinking Habits & How Alcohol Impacts Your Social Life, with Amanda Kuda

Rethinking drinking? You're not the only one. Welcome to today’s ICYMI, where we kick off the week with a quick game-changing tip from an episode that you might have missed. We all know alcohol messes with our health, but do you know how much it gets in the way of real connection? We're throwing it back to a deep chat with Amanda Kuda on how alcohol impacts our confidence, energy, social lives and more. Tune in to find out if you fall into the moderators vs. abstainers archetype, and how to realistically change your relationship with booze. Amanda is an alcohol-free life coach, speaker, and author of Unbottled Potential: Break Up With Alcohol and Break Through to Your Best Life. Amanda teaches a modern, empowering approach to personal development and self-actualization through the lens of elective sobriety—no rock bottom necessary. Whether you’re looking to cut back, reassess your relationship with drinking, or explore what an alcohol-free lifestyle could do for your energy, confidence, dating life, and emotional wellbeing, Amanda offers tons of vulnerability and insight. Listen to our full episode with Amanda here. Tune in every Monday for an expert dose of life advice in under 10 minutes. Follow Amanda: https://www.amandakuda.com/ For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Frequency Podcast Network. Subscribe to my Substack:teachmehowtoadult.substack.comFollow us on the ‘gram:@teachmehowtoadultmedia@gillian.bernerFollow on TikTok: @teachmehowtoadultSubscribe on YouTube

June 10, 202642 min

Why Your Friendships Feel Empty, Lonely & Disconnected in Adulthood, with Psychologist Dr. Elisabeth Crain

You have friends… so why do you still feel lonely? Friendships are more important than ever in adulthood, but they become increasingly hard to make and maintain. But we’re in a real loneliness epidemic where most adults feel unseen, alone, and disconnected *even though* they have lots of connections in their lives. The real reason no one’s talking about? The “depth gap” that keeps us from being truly vulnerable and connected. Because the problem isn't always that we need more friends… it's that we don't feel known by the people in our lives. In this episode, we're diving into the psychology of modern friendship with psychologist Dr. Elisabeth Crain. From attachment styles and friendship patterns to reciprocity, resentment, and friendship breakups, this interview is a roadmap for healthier, more fulfilling friendships. Tune in to hear: • Why adult friendships are harder to build and maintain • The "Depth Gap" and why loneliness is often a quality issue, not a quantity issue • How fear of vulnerability and rejection impact intimacy • Attachment styles in friendships • Understanding your friendship blueprint and relationship patterns • Fast-burn versus slow-burn friendships… why pacing matters • Managing reciprocity, imbalance and resentment • The importance of healthy criticism • Tuning into your body’s reaction to people • The art of discernment in picking the right friendships • Why friendships fracture in adulthood Follow Dr. Elisabeth Crain: https://www.drelisabethcrain.com/ https://www.instagram.com/dr.elisabeth.crain Subscribe to my Substack:teachmehowtoadult.substack.comFollow us on the ‘gram:@teachmehowtoadultmedia@gillian.bernerFollow on TikTok: @teachmehowtoadultSubscribe on YouTube

June 8, 20267 min

ICYMI: An Expert-Backed Trick To Manage ADHD Mood Spirals, with Shanna Pearson (Founder Of The World’s #1 ADHD Coaching Company)

Welcome to today’s ICYMI, where we kick off the week with a quick game-changing tip from past episodes that you might have missed. Why is catastrophizing and emotional spirals so common in ADHD? We're throwing it back to this helpful advice from ADHD coach Shanna Pearson, on her easy go-to trick to manage mood and strong emotional reactions in the moment. Shanna is the founder of the world’s largest one-on-one ADHD coaching company, working with thousands of adults with ADHD every year, and the bestselling author of Invisible ADHD. Follow Shannon and check out her book: https://www.adhdcoaching.com/ https://www.invisibleadhd.com/ Listen to our full episode here. Tune in every Monday for an expert dose of life advice in under 10 minutes. For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Frequency Podcast Network. Subscribe to my Substack:teachmehowtoadult.substack.comFollow us on the ‘gram:@teachmehowtoadultmedia@gillian.bernerFollow on TikTok: @teachmehowtoadultSubscribe on YouTube

June 3, 202617 min

How To Stop Avoiding Your Life: Why Avoidance Makes Anxiety Worse & Shrinks Your Life (And How to Overcome It) | The Quickie

What you resist really does persist… and the anxiety-avoidance cycle can keep you trapped in a small life for years. If you avoid social situations, difficult conversations, travel, dating, decision-making, presentations, or anything that makes you anxious, this episode is for you. Avoidance is one of the most common coping mechanisms people use for anxiety… but it's also one of the biggest reasons anxiety continues to grow. And the problem with avoidance is you can’t stop thinking about something that you’re trying to avoid. In today’s episode, we're unpacking the psychology of avoidance and how it ultimately reinforces fear, shrinks your comfort zone, and keeps you stuck. Tune in if you want to learn how to face your fears, build confidence in your ability to deal with stress, and live a more expansive life. We cover: Why avoidance is one of the most common coping strategies The anxiety-avoidance cycle and how it feeds anxiety Why avoiding difficult conversations creates more stress than just having them Internal avoidance: avoiding thoughts, uncertainty, decisions, and emotions How avoidance can shrink your world and limit your opportunities How Metacognitive Therapy approaches anxiety and avoidance Building tolerance for uncertainty and discomfort Using gradual exposure: the "fear ladder" Prompts to change how you think about your anxiety The Fear List exercise that helped me get unstuck If you've been feeling trapped by anxiety, fear, and avoidance, this episode is your reminder that discomfort is not dangerous… and life usually expands on the other side of the things we're afraid of. For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Frequency Podcast Network. Subscribe to my Substack:teachmehowtoadult.substack.comFollow us on the ‘gram:@teachmehowtoadultmedia@gillian.bernerFollow on TikTok: @teachmehowtoadultSubscribe on YouTube

June 1, 202611 min

ICYMI: Do You Know Your Sexual Personality Type? Navigating Compatibility & Desire, with Sex Educator Dr. Tara

Do you know your sexual personality type? Welcome to today’s ICYMI, where we kick off the week with a quick game-changing tip from an episode that you might have missed. If you like personality tests and frameworks like Myers Briggs, learning your sexual profile can make a huge difference in your sex life. We're throwing it back to this helpful segment from TikTok’s #1 sex educator, Dr. Tara, on how to know if you and your partner are sexually compatible, what to do if you have different sexual preferences, and the key to connecting in bed if you have different sexual personality types. Dr. Tara is a certified sexologist, award-winning researcher, tenured professor of relational and sexual communication, TV host, radio host, a coach and the Internet’s Resident Sex Expert. She’s the host of Luvbites Podcast that focuses on sexual wellness and sexploration, and she just released her new book, How Do You Like It? A Guide for Getting What You Want (in Bed). Listen to the full episode here! Take the Sexual Profile Quiz: https://www.luvbites.co/quizzes/whats-your-sexual-profile Tune in every Monday for an expert dose of life advice in under 10 minutes. Follow Dr. Tara on TikTok and Instagram Get Dr. Tara’s new book, How Do You Like It Subscribe to my Substack:teachmehowtoadult.substack.comFollow us on the ‘gram:@teachmehowtoadultmedia@gillian.bernerFollow on TikTok: @teachmehowtoadultSubscribe on YouTube

May 27, 20261 hr 11 min

Endometriosis & PCOS/PMOS Explained: Symptoms, Period Pain, Diagnosis & Treatments That Actually Help, with Dr. Karen Tang

If you’re listening to this episode, chances are you or someone you love is struggling with a hormonal, inflammatory, reproductive, or chronic pain condition like endometriosis or PCOS/PMOS… I know firsthand how exhausting and frustrating it can be to get proper care, and how much these conditions can impact your life, from pain and fertility struggles, to metabolism issues, bloating, and the impact on your physical and mental health. The good news? Women’s health conversations are finally starting to change around conditions that have historically been dismissed, minimized, or misunderstood. In this episode, I’m joined by renowned gynecologist and gynecologic surgeon Dr. Karen Tang to unpack the truth about endometriosis and PCOS (now more accurately named PMOS — Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome. This interview is packed with validating, practical, and empowering information that every woman deserves to hear. We dive deep into the symptoms, root causes, inflammation, hormones, fertility struggles, diagnosis delays, treatment options, and evidence-based lifestyle interventions that can actually help women living with these issues. Dr. Tang explains why endometriosis is far more than “bad period pain,” how it can affect the entire body, and why it often takes women an average of 7–11 years to receive a diagnosis. We also cover PCOS/PMOS as a metabolic and hormonal disorder (not just a fertility condition) including insulin resistance, blood sugar dysregulation, and long-term health risks. Dr. Tang is a leader in reproductive health, has taught medical students and residents at institutions like Harvard and University of Pennsylvania, and she reaches millions of viewers on her social media channels where she explains gynaecology, pelvic pain, and reproductive rights. She’s the author of It’s Not Hysteria, Everything You Need To Know About Your Reproductive Health (But Were Never Told). Tune in to learn about: The signs and symptoms of endometriosis and PCOS/PMOS Why women’s pain is so often normalized or dismissed in healthcare The stages and severity of endometriosis Common triggers for endometriosis flare-ups Anti-inflammatory diets, supplements, and lifestyle changes that may help Fertility considerations for women with endometriosis and/or PCOS Why doctors prescribe birth control as a treatment Non-hormonal treatment options that can help address the root cause How to advocate for yourself when doctors dismiss your symptoms Follow Dr. Tang: https://thrivegyn.com/ https://www.instagram.com/karentangmd/?hl=en Subscribe to my Substack:teachmehowtoadult.substack.comFollow us on the ‘gram:@teachmehowtoadultmedia@gillian.bernerFollow on TikTok: @teachmehowtoadultSubscribe on YouTube

May 25, 20267 min

ICYMI: Why Your Hormones, Mood & Hunger Feel Out Of Whack (And How Food Impacts It All), with Amber Romaniuk

Welcome to today’s ICYMI, where we kick off the week with a quick game-changing tip from one of our guests that you might have missed. What you eat has a huge impact on your mood, energy and hormones. Here to advise on how our nutrition and eating habits affect hormonal imbalances and metabolism, we have Amber Romaniuk. Amber is an Emotional Eating, Digestive and Hormone Expert, with 10 years experience helping women create body confidence, intuition and optimal health through mindset healing, self-care and overcoming self-sabotage with food. Her podcast “The No Sugarcoating Podcast” has over a million downloads. Amber overcame her own emotional eating journey after gaining and losing more than 1000 lbs combined and spending 5 years balancing her hormones and digestion. Now she helps others achieve Body Freedom so they can experience true confidence and health. Listen to our full episode with Amber here. Tune in every Monday for an expert dose of life advice in under 10 minutes. Follow Amber: https://amberapproved.ca https://instagram.com/amberromaniuk https://amberapproved.ca/podcast/ https://www.youtube.com/@amberromaniuk For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Frequency Podcast Network. Subscribe to my Substack:teachmehowtoadult.substack.comFollow us on the ‘gram:@teachmehowtoadultmedia@gillian.bernerFollow on TikTok: @teachmehowtoadultSubscribe on YouTube

May 20, 202614 min

Boost Your Mood With Expert-Backed Supplements, Foods, & Gut-Brain Health Hacks To Improve Anxiety, Depression & Mental Health

May is mental health awareness month, so I've gone back and pulled the top tips and advice from neuroscientists, psychologists and biohacking experts on how to improve your happiness, anxiety, and depression through specific supplement protocols, brain health hacks, and healing your gut. Because we can't ignore the physical side to mental health, and taking care of our bodies is a key piece in taking care of our minds. Tune in to hear about: Our mood has EVERYTHING to do with our brain health. So what do top neuroscientists recommend for psychiatric issues? Dr. Kristen Willeumier offers her EXACT protocol for improving anxiety without a medical prescription. This is game-changing advice on the power of supplements for managing anxiety and psychiatric disorders, from an award-winning neuroscientist with a PHD and Masters in neurobiology, Masters in Physiological science, and postdoctoral scientist in the Department of Neurology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in LA. Your gut can play a huge role in your mental health (95% of the serotonin in our body is housed in the gut!). Clinical psychologist, author, and founder of Heartship Psychological Services, Dr. Lauren Cook, breaks down what tests and bloodwork to get, the supplements that changed her brain, and how gut health is intrinsically linked to mental health. If you're struggling with persistent low mood and energy, this surprising supplement recommendation from chemical engineer and biohacking pro Chloe Deutscher could be the answer. Learn why certain supplements and vitamins can help with depression, calm anxiety, and boost your serotonin. For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Frequency Podcast Network. Subscribe to my Substack:teachmehowtoadult.substack.comFollow us on the ‘gram:@teachmehowtoadultmedia@gillian.bernerFollow on TikTok: @teachmehowtoadultSubscribe on YouTube

May 13, 202622 min

3 Top Mental Health Experts On The Root Cause of Anxiety & How To Actually Manage It

May is mental health awareness month, so we’re rounding up some of the most game-changing advice and insights we've heard on the podcast about managing anxiety and improving your emotional wellbeing, from three leading experts. We cover the root cause of anxiety and the beliefs that fuel it, managing our distress with the “anxiety hierarchy”, and the ways trauma is stored in the body — along with how to move it. These perspective-changing concepts have really helped me better understand my mind and improve my mindset. Tune in to hear advice from: Clinical Psychologist Sunniva Itland, founder of one of Norway's largest private psychology clinics and co-founder of metacognitivetherapy.com: On the root of our anxiety, and the transformative anti-therapy therapy that's changing lives. Dr. Lauren Cook, therapist, consultant, speaker, author and founder of Heartship Psychological Services: On the framework that helps you measure your level of anxiety when faced with challenges, so you can live your life without letting anxiety, avoidance, and control stay in the driver's seat. Trauma Therapist Simone Saunders, somatic psychotherapist and founder of The Cognitive Corner: On signs that you’re chronically dysregulated, nervous system regulation tools that help or hinder, and how trauma manifests physically. If you’re struggling with your mental health, you’re not alone. Please tell someone… and know that you are loved. For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Frequency Podcast Network. Subscribe to my Substack:teachmehowtoadult.substack.comFollow us on the ‘gram:@teachmehowtoadultmedia@gillian.bernerFollow on TikTok: @teachmehowtoadultSubscribe on YouTube

May 11, 20269 min

ICYMI: The Life Force Pyramid - A Simple Mental Health Framework To Improve Anxiety & Depression, From Psychiatrist Phil Stutz

It’s mental health awareness month, so we're throwing it back to this powerful framework to help manage your mental health. Welcome to today’s ICYMI, where we kick off the week with a quick game-changing tip from one of our guests that you might have missed. We break down a simple, practical framework that helps you reset your mental health from the ground up: the Life Force Pyramid, developed by Jonah Hill's therapist, psychiatrist Phil Stutz. The method builds on the three levels that are key for our emotional wellbeing: our relationship with our body, relationships with others, and our relationship with self. This simple pyramid can be a real game-changing check-in when you feel your mental wellness start to slip. If you’re looking for an actionable way to take back control of your mental health and improve your vitality, this gives you a tool you can start using immediately. Tune in every Monday for an expert dose of life advice in under 10 minutes. For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Frequency Podcast Network. Subscribe to my Substack:teachmehowtoadult.substack.comFollow us on the ‘gram:@teachmehowtoadultmedia@gillian.bernerFollow on TikTok: @teachmehowtoadultSubscribe on YouTube