Let’s Stop Weaponizing Therapy-Speak (and Start Communicating Better)

We’re living in a time when mental health terms are EVERYWHERE. But is our obsession with therapy-speak helping us grow, or just confusing us more? This week, JVN sits down with psychotherapist and author Joe Nucci to talk about his new book PSYCHOBABBLE and the rise of pop psychology online. Together, they unpack what a psychotherapist really does, how self-diagnosis can backfire, and why therapy buzzwords like “attachment styles,” “boundaries,” and “trauma” often lose meaning when they go viral. From the truth about mindfulness (and why it’s not for everyone) to spotting real insight amid the noise, this episode dives deep into how we talk about mental health—and what it actually means to get better. Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube.  Follow Joe Nucci on Instagram @joenuccitherapy  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn  Follow Jonathan on Instagram @jvn Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn  Take the online quiz and introduce Ollie to your pet. Visit https://www.ollie.com/better today for 60% off your first box of meals! #ToKnowThemIsToLoveThem Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support: Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we’re talking: a National amendment to enshrine abortion access as healthcare, JVN Holiday Box Gift sets, navigating online “therapy speak,” The Drowsy Chaperone at Carnegie Hall, the fate of Ophelia music video, Tiktoks overtaking our algorithm, the unfolding ceasefire, prosecuting political enemies, supporting NPR, Dylan Mulvaney’s one-woman-show, posting pictures of your partner on instagram, and Starbucks Protein Coffee.  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris  New video episodes Getting Better on YouTube every Wednesday.  Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Chad Hall Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn  Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Planned Parenthood President and CEO Alexis McGill Johnson is here and we are fired up! Alexis is leading the fight to protect reproductive freedom at a time when access to healthcare is under attack across the U.S.—and she’s breaking it all down for us. JVN sat down with Alexis to talk about the real-world impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, how rural communities are being left behind, and why Planned Parenthood remains an essential lifeline for millions. Plus: what we can all do to stay informed, get involved, and fight back for equitable care. BIO: Alexis McGill Johnson is the President and CEO of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, a leading advocate for sexual and reproductive health and rights. She is also the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), a national nonprofit organization that is the country's most trusted name in sexual and reproductive health. Alexis McGill Johnson is a renowned social justice leader, lifelong political organizer, and a tireless advocate for reproductive rights and access to quality, affordable health care. Alexis has served in both organizations’ leadership for more than 15 years: as a former PPFA board chair, former Planned Parenthood Action Fund board member, and former Planned Parenthood Federal PAC chair. In those roles Alexis helped expand Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s advocacy power, and since taking leadership has led the organization through challenges — from its exclusion from Title X to the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade. Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube.  Follow Alexis McGill Johnson on Instagram @alexismjpp Planned Parenthood on Instagram @plannedparenthood Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn  Follow Jonathan on Instagram @jvn Visit ⁠www.imforpp.org⁠ for more info. Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn  Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support: Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Looking for your next favorite podcast (besides mine, of course)? Heavyweight, hosted by Jonathan Goldstein, will break your heart...and then put it back together. In each episode, Jonathan helps someone revisit a defining regret, lost connection, or unsolved mystery from their life—and gently, hilariously, humanely, helps them try to make it right. If you’ve ever found yourself replaying a moment from your past and wondering what could’ve gone differently, this is the podcast for you. In this episode, you’ll meet Michael, who, as a high school senior, got his lucky break—the chance to star in a big-budget movie. Shooting wrapped, a premier date was set...and then he found out that his success was all based on a lie. Michael wanted to know—how did it all go so wrong? Find Heavyweight wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re talking: WAYWARD’s No. 1 spot on Netflix, celeb sightings at The Corner Store, Figure Skating & Gymnastics on Peacock, bag etiquette, AI Trump posts, One Big Beautiful Bill Act tax breaks & healthcare cuts, what extreme gender ideology actually is, situationship ghosting, Libra season, Diet Coke with Lime, and ponytails in baseball hats.  Tiktok Roundup:  MariSparkly JVN Talking OBBBA Judy Garland’s Diet Pepsi Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris  New video episodes Getting Better on YouTube every Wednesday.  Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Chad Hall Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn  Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comedian, actor, and writer Mae Martin joins the podcast for a wild ride through their journey — from discovering Ace Ventura as a kid, to cutting their teeth in comedy clubs, to creating the hit Netflix series Wayward. In this episode, Mae opens up about how identity, rejection, and resilience have shaped their comedy and storytelling, and why Wayward feels so personal. We explore the highs and lows of life in comedy, Mae’s creative process, and the joy they find in making art that connects. If you’re obsessed with Wayward or curious about the path that brought Mae here, this conversation is funny, real, and full of heart. Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube.  Follow Mae Martin on Instagram @hooraymae Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn  Follow Jonathan on Instagram @jvn Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn  Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support: Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re talking: JVN’s singing career crossover, the Rapture (or lack thereof), our FOX News feature, Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 6 Premiere, razor blade COVID, NDM-CRE bacteria, the dismantling of our Healthcare System, Government Shutdown, Jimmy Kimmel’s return (except Quincy, IL), Mariah Carey’s 16th studio album Here For It All, finding gratitude,  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris  New video episodes Getting Better on YouTube every Wednesday.  Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Anne Currie, and Chad Hall Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn  Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure.Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vocal coach, and now Broadway star in “& Juliet.”, Cheryl Porter sits down with Jonathan Van Ness for an unforgettable voice lesson that’s about more than just singing. Cheryl doesn’t just teach notes — she teaches confidence, positivity, and how to let go of shame to truly find your voice. They dive into Cheryl’s decades long career in Italy, watching Queer Eye dubbed in Italian, the realities of racism in Italy, and the universal power of finding your authentic voice. From unlearning shame to staying connected to your inner power, Cheryl shares how singing isn’t just for professionals — it’s a life-changing tool for anyone brave enough to open their mouth. Plus— JVN gets some pointers ahead of their Carnegie Hall debut in Breaking The Binary Theatre’s production of “The Drowsy Chaperone.”  Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube.  Follow Cheryl Porter on TikTok @cherylporterdiva Follow Cheryl Porter on Instagram @cherylporterdiva  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn  Follow Jonathan on Instagram @jvn Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Anne Currie and Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn  Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re talking: Jeffree Star & the LGB separation, Larry the Cat updates, StyleFix Stick Launch at JVN Hair, rewatching Designing Women, our favorite Britney Spears clips, haircuts & mental health, and Practical Magic 2.  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris  New video episodes Getting Better on YouTube every Wednesday.  Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Anne Currie, and Chad Hall Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn  Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What happens when a razor-sharp elected official and a relentlessly curious host sit down to discuss what it takes to make lasting change? This week, JVN is joined by the unstoppable Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett — U.S. Representative from Texas, lawyer, lay it on the line truth-teller, and rising voice in the Democratic Party. Together, they unpack how to maximize our impact by understanding our political systems, tackle the messy reality of party politics, and hypothesize where Democrats are headed next. They also dive into Rep. Crockett's background as a public defender and evaluate the difference between committing a crime and having a criminal mindset, how racism shows up in redistricting battles from Texas to California, and yes — Rep. Crockett breaks down her now-iconic “bleach blonde bad built butch body” clapback.  Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube.  Follow Congresswoman Crockett on Instagram @repjasmine  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn  Follow Jonathan on Instagram @jvn BIO: Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett represents portions of Dallas and Tarrant Counties, with the cities of Dallas, Grand Prairie, DeSoto, Cedar Hill, Lancaster, Duncanville, Glenn Heights, Hutchins, Wilmer, Arlington, Ovilla, and Seagoville. Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Anne Currie and Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn  Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices