The Mel Robbins Podcast

There’s someone in your life you wish would change.

You’ve pushed, reminded, and given advice. You’ve had the same conversation over and over.

And somehow, you’re still stuck in the same frustrating cycle of fighting, nagging, lecturing, and hoping they’ll finally do something differently.

There is a better way.

In today’s conversation, Mel sits down with renowned behavioral scientist and award-winning NYU professor Dr. Dolly Chugh to unpack the surprising science of why people resist change and what really works.

You’re going to walk away with some of the most powerful, research-backed tools Dr. Chugh teaches at NYU – tools that will change how you see difficult people, frustrating relationships, and your own ability to influence how others behave.

You’ll learn:

-The 3 things that really do help when someone you love won’t change

-The simple question to ask before giving advice – so it doesn’t backfire

-The 4-option question that reveals what someone needs from you in a difficult moment

-The relationship tool that keeps small problems from turning into 10-out-of-10 fights

-How to tell when “helping” someone is keeping them stuck

-The 2 “bodyguards” in your brain that explain why you know better but still don’t do better

-Why your brain can fight change even when you desperately want it

-The surprising role “unlearning” plays in changing a habit or behavior

If you’re exhausted from trying to change someone you love, this conversation will give you a different way forward – starting today – that feels lighter, more hopeful, and extremely doable.

Your relationships will never be the same. And neither will you.

For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page.

If you liked this episode, listen to this one next: How to Become More Confident, Influential, and Communicate Better With #1 Harvard Business Professor

Mel also wants to tell you:



Try the 23g protein shot I drink every single morning

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The Let Them Theory: read the book everyone’s talking about

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Today is Mel’s 30th wedding anniversary. And she couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than to have a sit down conversation with her husband Chris about the lessons they've learned along the way.

This episode isn’t about the highlights – it’s talking about the hard lessons that have shaped their marriage these last 30 years.

Mel and Chris unpack the years where they felt more like roommates than a married couple and they share stories from when stress got the best of them. 

They get into how resentment and bitterness created a distance that kept growing, and how they found their way back to each other.

They talk about what they wish they knew sooner and the expert advice that has helped them the most.

Mel and Chris also break down their relationship truths into small, actionable things you can do to make your relationship stronger today. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

-How to tell when stress has turned your partner from your favorite person into the person you blame.

-Why resentment, criticism, silence, and shutdown can become a cycle that quietly pulls couples apart.

-What “normal marital hatred” means and why your partner can trigger old wounds you have never fully dealt with.

-How to soften during conflict instead of hardening, attacking, or retreating.

-The simple rituals Mel and Chris use to rebuild connection, including notes, touch, walks, shared meals, and weekly calendar check-ins.

-How to know whether your relationship has the foundation to grow with you through decades of change.

Whether you are newly in love, decades into a marriage, going through a rough patch, or wondering if your relationship is going to make it through a rough season, this conversation will give you a more honest and useful way to think about lasting love. 

Because the truth is, a strong relationship isn't built by avoiding the hard seasons. It’s built by learning the lessons from them and finding your way back to each other when those seasons come. 

For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page. 

If you liked the episode, you should check out these ones next, both of which were mentioned on the podcast:

James Sexton: The Most Eye-Opening Conversation on Marriage & Love You Will Ever Hear (From #1 Divorce Lawyer)

Terry Real: Married, Dating, or Single: The Best Relationship Advice You Will Ever Receive

Mel also wants to tell you:

 

Try the 23g protein shot I drink every single morning

Join 2 million readers loving my weekly newsletter - full of tips, tools, and inspiration

The Let Them Theory: read the book everyone’s talking about

Watch the episodes on YouTube

Connect with me on Instagram

Follow the show’s Instagram for clips, behind the scenes, and more

Find some daily positivity on my TikTok

Want zero ads? Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes ad-free

Disclaimer

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Learn how to truly help someone you love. 

When someone you care about is going through a difficult time, you can make a meaningful difference with a few simple words. 

Today, clinical psychologist and three-time New York Times bestselling author Dr. Lisa Damour teaches you how to offer the right kind of support for your kid, partner, or friend without panicking, taking control, or trying to fix everything. 

You’ll learn 3 questions that help you understand whether someone needs to vent, needs more support, or may need professional help. 

Dr. Damour also explains why painful emotions are not always a sign that something is wrong, how to recognize when coping has become harmful, and why giving advice before understanding what someone needs can backfire. 

This episode is one of Mel’s favorite conversations on The Mel Robbins Podcast, and she’s bringing it back with a brand new introduction and new insights for right now.

In it, Mel gets personal about supporting her husband through depression, parenting teenagers through intense emotions, and the mistakes she made when she tried to solve every problem. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

-The exact words to use when someone shuts down or pushes you away

-Why the advice you give can make someone feel worse

-How to respond when someone is drinking, using substances, self-harming, or avoiding life

-How to listen so the person feels supported

-The simple question to ask when someone is venting

-How to stay calm when someone you love is overwhelmed

-The 3 questions to ask when someone you love is struggling

-How to tell the difference between normal stress and a serious mental health concern

-The two warning signs that someone may need professional support

-When and how to ask directly about suicide or self-harm

-How to suggest therapy without making someone feel broken

By the time you finish listening, you’ll know what to say, what not to say, and how to show up for someone you love.

For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page. 

If you liked the episode, check out this one next: How to Motivate Yourself (and Others) to Change Any Behavior

Mel also wants to tell you:

 

Try the 23g protein shot I drink every single morning

Join 2 million readers loving my weekly newsletter - full of tips, tools, and inspiration

The Let Them Theory: read the book everyone’s talking about

Watch the episodes on YouTube

Connect with me on Instagram

Follow the show’s Instagram for clips, behind the scenes, and more

Find some daily positivity on my TikTok

Want zero ads? Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes ad-free

Disclaimer

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you have ever been told that you are too emotional, sensitive, anxious, hormonal, disorganized, or simply not trying hard enough, this episode is for you.

There’s a chance, according to Mel’s expert guest today, that like Mel, that the root cause of what you’re struggling with is actually ADHD.

Today, Dr. Sasha Hamdani, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist and leading expert on ADHD, gives you the full and comprehensive explanation you deserve.

She shares that ADHD is not just about attention. It can affect your emotions, motivation, energy, sleep, appetite, relationships, and ability to handle the demands of everyday life. 

And these symptoms often get completely missed in women and girls.

Mel gets deeply personal about being diagnosed at 47, the anxiety she experienced for decades that was due to untreated ADHD, and the emotional overwhelm she never realized was connected to ADHD.

Dr. Hamdani explains why ADHD is mistaken for anxiety, depression, OCD, burnout, or hormonal issues (this is why so many people spend years believing there is something wrong with them!).

This is the ultimate guide to adult ADHD.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

-Why ADHD is not just attention and focus; it’s also about regulating your mood, sleep, motivation, and energy.

-Why ADHD is so often missed in women and girls

-Why anxiety, depression, OCD, burnout, and ADHD are often confused (even by medical professionals)

-Why criticism feels so overwhelming for anyone with ADHD

-Why perfectionism, overworking, and people pleasing can be signs of ADHD

-What is happening inside the ADHD brain

-Why ADHD is not always a “superpower” 

-The four critical steps to take if you think you or someone you love may have ADHD

-The medication, therapy, coaching, tools, and systems that may help ease symptoms of ADHD

-What you can start doing while you wait for professional support

-The difference between the way ADHD can look externally and how it can feel internally

-How hormonal changes during puberty, postpartum, and perimenopause can intensify ADHD symptoms

This is an episode about understanding your brain, recognizing lifelong patterns, and learning what kind of support may be available to you.

Mel also wants to tell you:

 

Try the 23g protein shot I drink every single morning

Join 2 million readers loving my weekly newsletter - full of tips, tools, and inspiration

The Let Them Theory: read the book everyone’s talking about

Watch the episodes on YouTube

Connect with me on Instagram

Follow the show’s Instagram for clips, behind the scenes, and more

Find some daily positivity on my TikTok

Want zero ads? Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes ad-free

Disclaimer

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today, a former spy and the former Chief of Disguise for the CIA is taking you inside the heart-pounding world of espionage and the secret life she lived working undercover for 30 years. 

Jonna will share the tactics and strategies you need to read anyone and spot a liar, offer a powerful warning about the state of the world today, and give you practical wisdom to find courage and face life’s hardest moments.

For decades, Jonna helped intelligence officers assume new identities, disappear in plain sight, and carry out high-risk operations. 

Jonna created disguises convincing enough to fool the President of the United States and the Secret Service. 

Together, Jonna and her late husband, Tony Mendez, co-authored the bestselling book Argo about the CIA operation he led - the true story that inspired the Academy Award-winning film Argo.

But what makes this conversation so powerful is not just the spy stories.It is Jonna’s deeply personal reflection on courage, reinvention, trust, loss, and what it means to keep going when life feels scary or uncertain.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

- Why courage does not come first and how confidence and preparation create it

- How to stay calm under pressure 

- What 30 years in the CIA taught Jonna about trusting your intuition

- The signs that someone may be trying too hard to convince you of a lie

- Why direct eye contact is not the lie detector most people think it is

- How Jonna would change the smallest details to make someone disappear in plain sight

- Why you are never starting over when you make a major change

- How to stop underestimating yourself and aim higher

- Why nothing meaningful is accomplished alone

- How taking small steps can help you face problems that feel too big to solve

Jonna will tell you that courage is not something you either have or you do not. It comes from knowing what to do, preparing yourself, and confronting the things that scare you.

After today, you'll understand how to build confidence, trust yourself under pressure, and have the courage to reinvent your life…at any age.

For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page. 

If you liked this episode, listen to this one next: It’s Not Too Late: How to Transform Your Life at Any Moment

Mel wants to add:

Try the 23g protein shot I drink every single morning

Join 2 million readers loving my weekly newsletter - full of tips, tools, and inspiration

The Let Them Theory: read the book everyone’s talking about

Watch the episodes on YouTube

Connect with me on Instagram

Follow the show’s Instagram for clips, behind the scenes, and more

Find some daily positivity on my TikTok

Want zero ads? Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes ad-free

Disclaimer

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.