The Psychology of your 20s

Survival mode is, at its core, a stress response. When our minds and our bodies are put under extreme stress or believe we are in danger, we can enter a state where all we care about is getting through the next day. This can turn us into a person we're not and make us lose the enjoyment and love for life, but also feel overwhelmed by constant panic and anxiety. In today's episode, we discuss how to break free of survival mode, the difference between our learning brain and our survival brain, why we find ourselves here to begin with, what's happening in our brain and our bodies and the best advice, tips and therapies for getting back into safe mode. 

Listen now! 

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast 

For business enquiries: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all want long lasting, passionate, meaningful love and in our 20s it can hard to figure out exactly how to find that. With so many 'rules' around what to do, pacing, when to become exclusive, when to say 'I love you', when to move in together, it seems the secret is to go slow and build emotional intimacy. In other words, embrace the power of the slow burn, the 'slowmance' and low pressure beginnings. 

In this episode we are joined by Hinge's Love & Connection Expert, Moe Ari Brown as they discuss how to slow down and properly build a foundation for sustainable love, why we can often be overwhelmed by the need to speed things up and jump right in, ignoring intuition out of our fear of rejection, and where that can lead us. That and so (SO) much more. Listen now! 

Follow Moe here: @loveoutproud

View the new Hinge report: https://hinge.co/press/2024-GenZ-Report

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast here: @thatpsychologypodcast 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is the secret to a happier, less stressful, more connected life actually play? A lot of the research is telling us so! As we get older sometimes we lose a bit of our joy, awe and wonder, and the time we have for our friendships becomes more restricted by work, obligations, distance, commitment and seriousness. In today's episode, let's talk about why the solution to that may be to bring back adult playdates, including: 

• The psychology behind why play is important
• The loneliness epidemic 
• Why our sense of connection has become disrupted 
• Our 8 play personalities 
• The power of parallel play 
• Microhabits for creating playfulness and fun, and so much more! 

Listen now! And don't forget to schedule your playdate!!

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

For business enquiries: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our self doubts are what is keeping us in our own way. It is the foundation for our inner critic to tell us: you're not good enough, you're not talented enough, intelligent beautiful, hardworking to have the life and success you want. When we let our self doubts take control, it often means that we end up self handicapping or sabotaging before we get to the start line. In today's episode we are going to talk about the psychology of self doubt and how to silence those false beliefs, including: 

• The origin of false beliefs in childhood experiences
• The impact of bullying on adult identity 
• Overcoming failure and setbacks 
• Imposter syndrome + self sabotage 
• The power of a persona + the batman effect 
• Doubting your own doubts 
• Asking 'why not you?', and so much more

Listen now! 

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast 

For business enquires: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on the podcast we are talking about toxic positivity and the problem with always being positive and putting a fluffy, warm, positive spin on things. Often our unrealistic optimism comes from a good place and our desire to be happy all the time but any person knows that isn't always possible. We break down: 

• The reason we gravitate towards toxic positivity
• What toxic positivity looks like
• The impact of wellness and self help content
• The consequences for our mental health 
• The consequences for our emotional intelligence 
• Why people who accept negative emotions are ACTUALLY happier
• How to practice emotional acceptance and healthy positivity 

All of that and so much more, listen now! 

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all know what red flags are, they tend to be universal at any age, but there are some redflags that are specific to our 20s, certain features of a relationship during this decade to look out for even if they don't look concerning at first. On today's episode we talk about the five biggest red flags for relationships in our 20s, including: 

1. Relationships that stop you from having experiences
2. Relationships that cause emotional chaos 
3. Relationships that don't celebrate or encourage you
4. All or nothing relationships 
5. Fatal attractor relationships 

We also explore the psychology and of course the research behind why these can be so damaging to help us find more sustainable and healthy love during this decade. Listen now! 

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg 

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast 

For business enquiries: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The period after graduation can be really difficult, filled with emotions like grief, anxiety, worry about the future, loneliness and nostalgia as we leave the structure and comfort of college and university for the big, confusing real world. In today's episode we break down the psychology of the post-graduation blues, including: 

• What defines this experience
• How long does it last? 
• The loss of friends as well as security and stability 
• What triggers our unease
• How we can embrace the fear and uncertainty 
• Setting realistic goals for our first year post graduation 

This and so much more, all with some amazing advice and wisdom from our guest, the therapist Liz Kelly, author of the book 'This Book Is Cheaper Than Therapy'. Listen now! 

Buy Liz book here: https://www.amazon.com.au/This-Book-Cheaper-Than-Therapy/dp/1962305007 

Follow Jemma here: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast here: @thatpsychologypodcast

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Very few of us ever receive an education on coping. We are taught bad things happen, we are taught pointless math equations, we are taught to grin and bear it, but not effective psychological ways of integrating stressful, painful, frustrating experiences. In this episode, we break down the psychology of coping mechanisms, including: 

• Problem focused vs. emotion focused coping
• Maladaptive vs. adaptive coping 
• Our most common defence mechanisms 
• How to stop numbing ourselves to our experiences 
• How to consciously deal with hard things in life 
• Our coping statements 
• Freud, Carl Jung and many more 

Listen now for a comprehensive deep dive into coping in your 20s and beyond. 

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast 

For business enquiries: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Conversations seem like they should be the easiest thing in the world, but we all know that sometimes that is not the case! Mental distractions, running out of things to talk about, feeling a bit off, all some of the roadblocks we face. In today's episode we break down FIVE tips to have better conversations: 

1. The 2:1 question ratio
2. The fast friends protocol 
3. Story topping and bright siding 
4. The 5 minute urge 
5. The liking gap 

Listen now for more so we can all be having better conversations in whatever area of life!

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Love bombing has been a hot topic as of recent, but what does it ACTUALLY mean or entail? In today's episode we are breaking down all of the psychology of love bombing, including: 

• The cultish origin of love bombing
• The three stages of love bombing 
• Why people love bomb?
• The interaction between narcissism and love bombing 
• Intensity addiction and love bombing 
• The five questions for determining: is it love or lovebombing? 

We also dive into why it can be so easy to get swept up by these individuals and behaviours, how to know it when you see it and the strength it takes to walk away. 

Listen now! 

For online help: https://whiteribbon.org.au/helplines/ 

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

For business enquiries: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since the beginning of this show I've been super open about my mental health so I thought I'd share an update (the bad, the good and the really good). Let's normalise talking openly and honestly about what we're going through even when its not pretty  or aesthetic. Thank you for all the support!

Mental Health support in your area: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/ 

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The thought of having children in our 20s feels like an incredibly adult decision, and is one a lot of us probably don't consider. We want to protect our youth and our freedom a little bit longer, or perhaps have decided we probably will never want children.

But whether you want to have children or not, having a clear understanding of your future intentions or choices, your reproductive health, the kind of person who might make a good partner, and therefore parent, is important. More information, more foresight actually equals greater freedom and sometimes time to decide. 

We break down: 

• Why you should be thinking in your 20s
• The pros and cons of having children in your 20s 
• The argument for NOT having children 
• Fertility
• Milestone anxiety and the pressure to find someone 
• Your stories of pregnancy, parenthood and fertility in your 20s

Listen now! 

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast 

For business enquiries: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Struggling with our self worth can often impact how deserving we feel of love. This sense that we may be 'unloveable' causes us to miss out on healthy, fulfilling relationships, self sabotage and stay with people who don't deserve us. In today's episode, we discuss: 

• The origins of why we feel unworthy of love
• Childhood wounds 
• Early romantic scripts and teen romance 
• Repeated rejection and shame
• The consequences of feeling unloveable 
• Repetition of toxic relationships
• How to restore or rediscover your sense of self worth and self love 

And so much more. Listen now! 

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast: @thatpsychologypodcast 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All of us have insecurities when it comes to our appearance, but what happens when these become obsessive and a point of fixation? In today's episode we break down the psychology and pathology of body dysmorphia, including: 

• The origins in childhood experiences
• Family history and influence 
• The differences in expression between men and women
• The relationship between body dysmorphia and cosmetic surgery 
• The influence of toxic gym, diet culture and 'bigorexia'
• How false beliefs influence behaviour 
• Dating with body dysmorphia, and more

Listen now! 

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all want to be happier, but are probably sick of hearing about 'exercising more, eating better, sleeping 8 hours'. In today's episode we break down FIVE evidence based tips that are simple, accessible, actionable and inexpensive for becoming a happier person and the research that proves it: 

1. Focus on platonic love over romantic love
2. Small acts of kindness + how we are spending our money wrong and why its making us less happy 
3. The importance of a project 
4. The healing power of nature + what bacteria and dirt have to do with it 
5. Let yourself wallow 

Listen now! 

Buy notebooks here: https://the-psychology-of-your-20s.myshopify.com/ 

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast Instagram here: @thatpsychologypodcast 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Going 'no contact' after a breakup or relationship breakdown is promoted as one of the best ways to move on from an ex. But why is that the case, and what is the psychology? Is it always that easy?

In today's episode we break down the psychology of going 'no contact': why it works, the science, when it's necessary and how to stay committed, even when it feels impossible. Listen now!

Our notebooks are OUT NOW: https://the-psychology-of-your-20s.myshopify.com/ 

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You're not imagining it! The job market is getting harder, especially for 20-somethings who are entering the job market for the first time and trying to find their path. In today's episode we break down the psychological toll that the job hunt takes on us, the constant rejections, unrewarded effort, resentment and frustration. We also discuss why our generation has it tougher and it's not just a you problem but also how to improve your odds and keep your head up! All that and more, listen now :) 

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our mother wounds represent the unprocessed trauma and insecurities we pick up from the dynamic we each have with the women who raise us and shape us. In today's episode we break down the psychology of our mother wounds including their origin, their impact and their manifestation, from our body confidence to our competition with other women, our ability to trust and connect, our fear of disapproval and chronic people pleasing. 

We also explore ways to heal this wound, both in collaboration with our mother and on our own. Listen now for more! 

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We often think the secret to not being passive in our lives is to fill up our days, set countless goals, always be striving for progress and productivity. What if we told you the secret was slowing down? In today's episode I am joined by Caroline and Ann Catherine from Girls with Goals as we discuss: 

• What it beens to be passive vs. active vs. intentional
• How to create momentum 
• Why big, long term goals aren't the secret to success 
• How to develop a healthier relationship with yourself and your spare time

Follow Girls with Goals here: @girlswithgoalspod

Find Girls with Goals wherever you get your podcasts. 

Follow Jemma here: @jemmasbeg 

Follow the podcast here: @thatpsychologypodcast 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's episode we're going old school, back to a good old fashioned chatty sit down episode and life update. I have been recovering from a pretty terrible bout of tonsilitis and it's made me realise...I have a toxic relationship with productivity. Even when I'm sick I can't slow down, and I don't think I'm alone. 

We also discuss how I'm finding living alone, a little relationship update and how it feels to have finished my book! All that and more, listen now! 

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.