My Sister's A Therapist is dropping a special New Year's Eve episode- where do NYE traditions come from? Why do we have superstitions- and how close are they to OCD?
References:
The History of New Year’s Eve
35 Crazy New Year’s Eve Celebrations Throughout History: The History Collection
The psychology of superstition, with Stuart Vyse, PhD: Speaking of Psychology Podcast: Kim Mills
How superstitions may relieve anxiety: Ana Sandoiu
Why does grudge holding feel so good, if it's so bad for you? The sisters discuss the benefits of letting it go.
Your brain is tricking you, and you love it! Roger Brown's Flashbulb Memories, Gordon H. Bower's happiness and memories, Endel Tulving's Mind Palace- memories are weird.
Laura and Virginia diagnose their favorite characters in the Frank Capra classic, It's A Wonderful Life. We love you Jimmy Stewart!
Sometimes, an episode is based on a fan letter. Sometimes, it's tiktok. This week, it's a conversation Virginia had with a dummy. Where do morals come from? Is it God?
Is it embarrassing to have a boyfriend, now?
References:
Eddie Dresden: Tik Tok
"Is Having a Boyfriend Embarrassing Now? CHANTÉ JOSEPH
Why Do We Prioritize Romantic Over Platonic Love?: embracesexualwellness.com
The Nuclear Family Was a Mistake: David Brooks
Decentering Dating: Why Love Isn’t the Only Plotline: Anh Le
The Nuclear Family Was a Mistake: David Brooks
Why Is Everyone Obsessed With Marriage Right Now? Lotte Jeffs
The Trouble With Wanting Men: By Jean Garnett
What do Vincent Van Gogh, Yayoi Kusama, and Louis Wain have in common? The answer won't surprise you!
This week, listener Anna asks about white people bs, and we talk about it. Thanks, Anna!
References:
The Backlash Against “Karen” Memes is Peak White Feminism: By Stephanie Younger
What exactly is a 'Karen' and where did the meme come from? Ashitha Nagar
Is Barbie Peak White Feminism? Does It Even Matter?: JOURDAIN SEARLES
When White Women Cry: How White Women's Tears Oppress Women of Color: Mamta Motwani Accapadi
Is Barbie Peak White Feminism? Does It Even Matter?: JOURDAIN SEARLES
When White Women Get Caught: victimhood as racialised violence: ITS JANINEBTW
What makes us competitive, and is it a healthy impulse? The girls discuss what makes for healthy, and unhealthy competition- and why American society praises the latter. Guess what, Virginia is talking about Alfred Adler again. A nice moment of vulnerability between sisters as Laura complains about shit Virginia did forty years ago.
Will p0rn make you an incel? Well, it might not, but why would you risk it? The girls talk about why Cindy Gallop is their hero, and why we should try to stay connected to each other.
References:
Pornland: How Porn Has Hijacked Our Sexuality:Gail Dines
Make Love, Not Porn: Cindy Gallop
Porn Sex vs Real Sex: The Differences Explained With Food
Adolescents, Porn, and Mental Health: Understanding the Dangerous Effects of Porn on Developing Minds: culture reframed
10 Negative Effects of Porn on Your Brain, Body, Relationships, and Society
Is Porn Bad For You? Integrative Life Center
“I Don’t Hate All Women, Just Those Stuck-Up Bitches”: How Incels and Mainstream Pornography Speak the Same Extreme Language of Misogyny/Violence Against Women: Alessia Tranchese and Lisa Sugiura
“I Don’t Hate All Women, Just Those Stuck-Up Bitches”: How Incels and Mainstream Pornography Speak the Same Extreme Language of Misogyny/Violence Against Women: Alessia Tranchese and Lisa Sugiura
Listener Rachel asks- Why aren't we ok as we are? We explore the origin of the Beauty Myth and why it just gets stronger with time.
References:
The Beauty Myth, Naomi Wolf
We thought it was gonna be climate warming, but it looks like the human race is going to chatbot itself to death! How did movies like Her and Blade Runner 2049 try to tell us it was coming? Why does that weird kid have a crossbow? What does Laura's boyfriend Kirk think of all of this? Find out now!
Can you tell the difference between fear and lust? Between excitement and anxiety? And is make up sex the best thing since Adam and Eve? Find out today!
References:
Misattribution of Arousal-
Schacter and Singer, 1962
David Ludden Ph.D.
The Psychology of Makeup Sex
What's Laura's beef with Charlize Theron? Why doesn't Virginia get traffic tickets? These and many more questions answered in this discussion on pretty privilege!
References:
Smartless Podcast: Episode 123: Charlize Theron
Smartless Podcast: Episode 266: Jason Momoa
A Psychologist Explains The ‘Pretty Privilege’ Paradox: Mark Travers
Beauty is in the eye of the employer: Labor market discrimination of accountants
Offer Moshe Shapir, Zeev Shtudiner
The impact of attractiveness on employability: Gender differences in peer effects: Zeev Shtudiner
The Effects of Physical Attractiveness in the Health Care Industry: Richard Shane Westfall
Student beauty and grades under in-person and remote teaching: Adrian Mehic
Pretty People Really Do Have It Better: Sable Yong
How did Winston Churchill ruin Laura's life, and why do we hold onto cruel shoes? How the sunk cost fallacy affects jobs, relationships, and even what we wear.
References:
Why are we likely to continue with an investment even if it would be rational to give it up?
The Decision Lab
Sunk cost fallacy: behavioraleconomics.com
Sunk Cost Fallacy: Why We Can’t Let Go: Jeremy Sutton, Ph.D.
It's been a minute since the girls had a real man-hater episode, but we're back! The topic is: when a groom smashes cake into his bride's face, is it a) funny or b) cause for annulment? On the way, we discuss Jake and Logan Paul, John Gottman, and, of course, our Dad.
The girls diagnose Big and Little Edie, from the documentary classic Grey Gardens. On the way, they discuss Young Ones, both their grandmas, and quote Morrissey, like usual.
References:
DSM 5
Puzzling Facts About Edith “Big Edie” Bouvier Beale, The Reclusive Socialite: Factinate
Will I Ever Be Good Enough? Healing The Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers: Karyl McBride
Mayo Clinic: Schizotypal Personality Disorder
A Debutante Delayed: Little Edie Beale's Life After Grey Gardens: Adrienne Gaffney
Center Theater Group: THE EDIES AFTER 'GREY GARDENS'
In which Virginia invents a new word for what chiropractors do, Laura talks about flip flops and they both talk about what Enclothed Cognition means.
Special guest Courtney Orlando comes on to talk STRESS! Where does it come from? What can we do about it? Find her at https://www.nodalpointenergyworks.com/
References: What Are the Impacts of Stress on the Body and Mind?: University of Florida College of Medicine
More than a quarter of U.S. adults say they’re so stressed they can’t function: APA
Stress in America Is Escalating
Rita Watson, MPH (master of public health)
Most & Least Stressed Cities in America (2025)
Adam McCann
Does being famous make you an a-hole, or does being an a-hole make you famous? Virginia bemoans the failures of Neil Gaiman, Bill Cosby, and Armie Hammer.
References: A third of male university students say they would rape a woman if there no were no consequences: Jon Stone