
Slate Conversations
A feed of the up close and the personal, drawn from Working and across the Slate podcast network. Let’s talk.
Latest episodes

Jun 27, 2024 • 39min
Care & Feeding: My Kid Forgot How to Ride a Bike
On this episode: Lucy, Zak, and Elizabeth help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group whose daughter forgot how to ride a bike… and is now pretty insistent that she doesn’t want to re-learn. We’ll talk through how to incentivize some bravery and get siblings involved in the process.We’ll also debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails — including a triumph that wasn’t a triumph until we talked through it.Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 26, 2024 • 42min
Well, Now: Psychedelics' Long Strange Trip to the Doctor's Office
For years, psychiatrists have been researching new methods to help people with treatment-resistant mental illness. These include severe cases of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other debilitating diagnoses.One type of drug has seen some positive results in clinical trials: psychedelics like psilocybin, MDMA, ketamine, and LSD.In professional medical settings, they’re used as a part of a multifaceted approach to mental health treatment, including supervised therapy sessions while a patient is on a drug.Recently the pharmaceutical manufacturer Lykos petitioned the FDA to approve the psychedelic MDMA as a part of caring for treatment-resistant PTSD.Earlier this month, an advisory committee to the FDA released their vote of rejecting to approve the drug. Now it’s up to the FDA to make the final call, but the odds are not in the favor of Lykos and many psychiatrists and patients who’ve seen positive outcomes as a result of these MDMA-assisted trials.Psychiatrist and entrepreneur Dave Rabin is one of the doctors pushing to approve psychedelic-assisted therapy. On this week’s episode of Well, Now we ask him about the results of his trials using psychedelics in therapy as well as what he thinks the future holds for this field as we wait for the FDA’s final verdict.If you liked this episode, check out: “As Little Regulation As Guns”: How Social Media Hurts Youth Mental HealthWell, Now is hosted by Dr. Kavita Patel and registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller.Editing and podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry, with support this week from Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola.Editorial oversight from Alicia Montgomery, Vice President of Slate Audio.Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to wellnow@slate.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 25, 2024 • 39min
How To!: Make Bank at a Yard Sale
How To!’s senior editor Joel Meyer recently experienced a yard sale fail and wants to know what went wrong. He spent hours planning and organizing the items on his lawn, but when it was all said and done he barely made enough to cover the cost of lunch. Enter this week’s expert, Ava Seavey, a self-described master of garage-sale-ology and author of Ava’s Guide to Garage Sale Gold. Seavey tells host Courtney Martin some hilarious stories and insider tips for how to cash in on all your old stuff.If you liked this episode, check out “How To Find the Gems in All Your Junk”Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.Podcast production by Derek John, Joel Meyer, Rosemary Belson, and Kevin Bendis.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 25, 2024 • 1h 14min
Death, Sex & Money: Kara Swisher and Orna Guralnik on How to Get People Talking
Anna talks to Dr. Orna Guralnik, the psychoanalyst from Showtime’s Couples Therapy, and then to Kara Swisher, the pugnacious tech journalist and podcast host, about the art of the interview, and how they get people to open up to them. Kara Swisher’s new book is Burn Book: A Tech Love Story, and you can read her 1989 Washington Post article here.This episode is from a live conversation, earlier this month, at the Tribeca Festival. It was produced by Slate’s Katie Rayford and Tribeca Festival’s Davy Gardner with help from Zoe Azulay and Cameron Drews.Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus.And if you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our new email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 25, 2024 • 43min
Hear Me Out: Tradwives Show Us Feminism’s Failures
On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: aprons off.Has there ever been a better time to be a woman in America? Probably not… but that’s a low bar. Modern feminism is having trouble making a case for itself, in the face of a challenging economy and backslides in reproductive rights. So when women on social media present themselves as traditional wives and homemakers, achieving the self-actualization of heteronormativity, have they given up? Or are they showing us what feminist thought might be missing?Dr. C. Nicole Mason joins us to share her journey into the minds of tradwives… and her realization that they might have a point.If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.comPodcast production by Maura Currie.Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 25, 2024 • 28min
Money Talks: Does Anyone Need Cookbooks?
For this Money Talks, Felix Salmon chats with food writer, podcaster, and cookbook author Matt Rodbard about the latest trends in the culinary biz. They discuss the Korean restaurant craze, the rise of non-alcoholic drinks, and how grocery stores got cool. They disagree on the usefulness of physical cookbooks but agree that MSG is underrated.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our regular show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work.Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 24, 2024 • 34min
Care & Feeding: Vacation With a Big Group (Seriously!)
On this episode: Zak, Lucy and Elizabeth talk about the bold thesis statement of this piece from Romper Magazine… arguing that actually, traveling with a big group is the best way to relax on vacation. We’ll talk strategy for booking reservations, handing off kid duties, and casting the perfect vacation collective.We also dole out a round of recommendations for beating the heat — and, for our Slate Plus listeners, we’re taking a trip down memory lane and sharing some travel-themed triumphs and fails.Zak recommends: a hat box so the kids can choose their ownLucy recommends: Twister Splash Elizabeth recommends: UV Umbrella & Handheld Mini fan Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 23, 2024 • 57min
Working: A New Kind of “Live Documentary” Honors the Temporary
This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Sam Green, a documentary filmmaker who has pioneered a new kind of performance called “live documentary,” which involves presenting ideas and images on-stage, accompanied by live music. In the interview, Sam explains why he started designing his films this way and why the temporary nature of these performances makes them so special. He also talks about researching and structuring his performances, learning to script and memorize his lines, and the joys of feeding off the audience’s energy. After the interview, Isaac and co-host June Thomas discuss whether more people should try to remix artistic mediums. In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Sam talks about how much he loves traveling around the country and the world presenting his work. Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.Podcast production by Cameron Drews.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 21, 2024 • 42min
Dear Prudence: Revisiting Advice from Dr. Orna Guralnik
Today, we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes from September 2023 with Dr. Orna Guralnik (host of Showtime’s Couples Therapy).In this episode, Dr. Orna Guralnik joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about what to do when a friend is obsessed with misogynistic love and relationship podcasts, when your husband just can’t figure out birthday gifts, and when you’re wondering “Does therapy just not work for me?”If you want more Dear Prudence, join Slate Plus, Slate’s membership program. Jenée answers an extra question every week, just for members.Go to Slate.com/prudieplus to sign up. It’s just $15 for your first three months.Podcast production by Se’era Spragley Ricks and Daisy Rosario, with help from Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 20, 2024 • 43min
Care & Feeding: Preventing the Summer Backslide
On this episode: Lucy, Zak, and Elizabeth help a member of the Slate Parenting Facebook group come up with ways to prevent a summer backslide – and keep school skills fresh over the break. We got some great tips from our audience of parents and educators, too.We’ll also debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails — including a tale of middle-school heroism involving a very large cockroach.Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work.Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices