I have a rotation of three favorite podcast series I listen to, and I listen all the time—on my morning coffee walk, in between Zooms, while I’m cooking dinner or washing dishes…
While it’s comforting to listen to my trusty virtual comrades talk around the clock, sometimes it’s good to break out of my tried and true circle and listen to some new voices discussing new topics. So, I took a deep dive into Apple Podcasts and curated this list of 30 best podcast series for women that cover work, relationships, feminism, motherhood, self-care, and everything else in between, that every working woman (including myself) should consider listening to.
The 30 best podcasts for women, by women
1. Tell Me with Ellen Pompeo
In this podcast, Ellen Pompeo sits down with celebrity guests and friends who inspire her. Through in-depth conversations, Pompeo talks through issues like equal pay for women in Hollywood, social justice, voting rights, women's rights, and more. In the most recent episode, Pompeo talked to model, actress, and author Emily Ratajkowski about her new book, motherhood, and women’s empowerment.
Read more: Your Resource Guide to Understanding the Intersectional Gender Pay Gap
2. Not Past It
Ever wonder why the world is the way it is? Yeah, us too. Every Wednesday, Not Past It host Simone Polanen picks a moment from the very same week in history and explains how it shaped our lives today. Listen to learn about King Tut, the illuminati, and the birth of emojis. Enjoy, existential queens.
3. Book Club Girl Podcast
For all the book club stans—The Book Club Girl Podcast is a biweekly podcast where co-hosts Tavia Kowalchuk and Eliza Rosenberry discuss books that would be, well, perfect for book clubs. Each episode features one book and an interview in which the book’s author answers podcast listeners’ questions.
Read more: 10 Fiction Books We Can’t Put Down
4. Ologies with Alie Ward
“Ask smart people dumb questions” is the tagline of the Ologies podcast where hilarious science correspondent Alie Ward sits down with different scientific “-ologists” to discuss topics like volcanoes, drunk butterflies, psychedelic seal teeth, bee drama, and much more. Pocket some new trivia knowledge while listening to these professional -ologists' obsessions.
5. FOGO: Fear of Going Outside
Host Ivy Le, a self-proclaimed avid indoorswoman, sets out to answer, "What's so great about the outdoors?" As a woman with severe allergies, the podcast follows her struggles to figure out how to go camping and her quest to find answers to the questions you've always wondered about the great outdoors.
6. TED Talks Daily
Almost every weekday, host Elise Hu shares thoughts on every subject under the sun, from climate change to paternity leave, to ghost stories to questioning if we’re normal. Each episode features a different expert to help you change your perspective and learn something new.
Read more: 9 TED Talks That Will Make You a Better Ally
7. We Can Do Hard Things with Glennon Doyle
Each week, Glennon Doyle and her sister, Amanda, ditch the fluff and tackle hard-hitting subjects, honestly. Guests have ranged from Simone Biles to Tarana Burke, and topics have included how to say no, people pleasing, gender typecasting, and more.
8. Life Kit
Want to know how to wake up early even if you’re not a morning person? How to start a budget? How to rethink what you spend your time doing? How to stop getting interrupted at work? Life Kit is the podcast guide to life we’ve all been waiting for. Experts discuss anonymous questions about life in quick, informative episodes.
9. The Self Love Fix
Host Beatrice Kamau, an embodiment coach, helps listeners shift away from shame, people pleasing, codependency, low self-esteem, and self-doubt and toward embracing the basic human necessities of self-love and self-trust. She discusses healthy friendships, setting boundaries, and being authentic.
Read more: 11 Remarkable Traits of People with Positive Self-Perception
10. Sounds Like a Cult
Hosts Amanda Montell and Isa Medina explore a different cult-y group (think marathon runners, astrology lovers, flat Earthers, SoulCycle-ists…) every week to try and answer the big question: This group sounds like a cult, but is it really?
11. Anything Goes with Emma Chamberlain
Listen to this podcast with host Emma Chamberlain and you’ll feel like you’re having a therapy session with your best friend. In a stream of consciousness, Chamberlain talks about...everything—hitting rock bottom, breaking the feminine mold, doing things alone, growing up as an only child, etc. Bring on the advice.
12. Unlocking Us with Brené Brown
Author Brené Brown believes that as humans, we’re hardwired for connection, and connecting requires courage, vulnerability, and conversation. To explore this belief, Unlocking Us features Brown’s conversations with people who spark her curiosity. She also shares what she’s learning from new research and often dedicates entire episodes to answering listeners’ questions.
13. Am I Normal? With Mona Chalabi
We all scratch our heads and wonder if we’re normal sometimes—and data journalist Mona Chalabi knows it. Chalabi consults experts, strangers, and even her mom to answer the burning life questions that we all ponder in silence: Should you stay where you are or move home? Is your dentist scamming you? Do you have enough friends? And how long will it take to get over your breakup?
14. Burn It All Down
This one goes out to all the sports fanatics. Burn It All Down hosts Shireen Ahmed, Lindsay Gibbs, Brenda Elsey, Amira Rose Davis, and Jessica Luther break down the week in sports and culture to tackle topics like gender inequity in the NCAA, sexual harassment in the sports industry, toxic hockey culture, and way more.
Read more: A Brief History of Unequal Pay in Women's Sports
15. Feminist Wellness
Looking for a pod about living a physically and mentally healthy lifestyle? In each episode of Feminist Wellness, life coach Victoria Albina, NP, MPH, teaches methods for improving your overall health and wellness, including how to listen to and trust your body, mind, and intuition, how to reduce your anxiety, how to create more balance in your life, and how to discover your relationship attachment style.
Read more: 8 Tips for Dealing with Anxiety in the Workplace
16. En(gender)ed
en(gender)ed talks through the systematic beliefs and practices that enable gender-based violence and oppression to exist and simultaneously offers solutions to help end it. According to the website, the podcast name is inspired by the ways in which society, culture, and policies shape our gender identity.
Read more: The Origins of Sexism & Why It’s Just as Toxic as Ever
17. Unladylike
One eloquent reviewer of Unladylike says, “I LOVE THIS PODCAST. OHMIGODOHMIGODOHMIGODOHMYGOD.” Formerly known as Stuff Mom Never Told You, hosts Cristen Conger and Caroline Ervin answer questions about topics like birth control, burnout, body image, and trans inclusion through deep research, stories from other women, and a healthy dose of feminist rage.
Read more: 50 Memes for “Raging” Feminists
18. Selfie
Nope, this one isn’t about finding the right angle and light for your perfect selfie—it’s about curating the perfect personalized self-care routine. Writer and psychotherapist Kristen Howerton chats with her longtime friend Roo Powell every week to explore questions like: Can self-care be for everyone? How can we get enough sleep? And what aspects of our personalities make self-care tricky?
Read more: 3 Essentials to Practicing Self-Care During Your Job Search
19. Brown Girl Self-Care
Brown Girl Self-Care's mission is to affirm and uplift Black women. In the podcast, host Bre Mitchell shares life advice and her go-to health and wellness habits, tips, and favorite products, while also debating current events. Need tips on how to be more consistent with your routines? Advice on starting a passion project? Mitchell’s got you covered.
20. Phenomenal Grit, Career Conversations for Women of Color
Wanna crush it at work? This is the perfect inspiring, informative, and actionable podcast for you. In each episode, host Alia Kemet interviews women of color on career advancement, navigating challenges, tapping into your personal magic, and achieving your goals. Guests talk through a range of topics from imposter syndrome to turning your side-hustle into a main hustle.
Read more: 4 Obstacles Holding Black Women Back at Work
21. 9 to 5ish with theSkimm
Every Wednesday, theSkimm co-founders Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg chat with women pioneers from every industry imaginable. One reviewer on Apple says, “This series has inspired me in crafting my own story and personal ‘why’, and contains anecdotes and doses of wisdom that leave me feeling inspired and empowered every time.”
22. By the Book
Equal parts hilarious and insightful, culture critic Kristen Meinzer and comedian Jolenta Greenberg offer smart and hilarious commentary on various self-help books in this comedic podcast. In each episode, the hosts dive into a different self-help book and live out the rules to see which books might actually be life-changing.
Read more: 12 Self-Help Books for Women That Will Change Your Life
23. Here to Slay
Here it is, the Black feminist podcast of our dreams. Roxane Gay and Dr. Tressie McMillan Cottom chat about the politics and pop culture phenomenons that shape the world we live in. Cottom explains the pod as: “It is said that every badass woman has a group chat that keeps her lit. The chat that lifts me up—and holds me down—is full of my Black feminist BFFs being honest about life, love, money, and culture. Hear to Slay is that group chat, set to ten.”
24. Terrible, Thanks for Asking
Sometimes sad, sometimes funny, Terrible, Thanks For Asking is one of the realest podcasts out there for those of us who are going through it. Host Nora McInerny asks guests to share their honest and complex feelings about how they really are.
Read more: How Managers Can Deal with Grief in the Workplace (with Examples)
25. The Motherhood Sessions
Renowned reproductive psychiatrist Dr. Alexandra Sacks sits down with mothers who are struggling with motherhood. The women tackle fears shared by many mothers: How can I balance being a mom and having a full-time career without feeling guilty? How do I not feel like an imposter taking care of a child that’s not my own? How can I reckon with the idyllic version of motherhood I grew up with? It’s enlightening, it’s both heartwarming and heart wrenching, and it makes us all feel a little less alone.
Read more: 30 Realities of Being a Working Mom & How to Deal
26. #AMWriting
Fellow writers, listen up! Hosts Jessica Lahey, KJ Dell'Antonia, and Sarina Bowen dish fun and actionable advice on productivity and creativity for writers and journalists in all genres. Want to stop procrastinating? There’s an episode for that. Want to deepen your knowledge of TV writing? There’s an episode for that, too. Want to learn how to write a novel that reflects your life? Start listening today.
27. The History Chicks
In 2011, hosts Beckett Graham and Susan Vollenweider sat in front of a mic at Graham’s dining table and talked about women characters in history, fictional or factual, and how their legacies live on. Long story short, they haven’t stopped since. One Apple reviewer says, “Gone is the boring history lesson, and in its place is a lesson that is fun and easy to follow.”
28. Second Life
We are huge proponents of chasing your dreams and passions, regardless of your age. Host Hillary Kerr, a journalist turned entrepreneur, speaks with artists, mothers, founders, writers, visionaries, designers, CEOs, and more about how they found their version of success and fulfillment. Kerr dives into their successes, missteps, lessons, and failures to help inspire your first, second, or third life.
Read more: 2 Career Women on Change, Reinvention & Thriving
29. She Explores
Calling all adventurers and outdoor lovers—this podcast is all about finding inspiration alongside women who love the outdoors. Episodes vary in format, from interviews to in-the-field recordings to listener submissions, and the women cover how things like entrepreneurship, equity, aging, conservation, motherhood, and chronic illness intersect with outdoor experiences.
30. Women at Work
Unfortunately, there’s no workplace orientation session about standing up to colleagues who interrupt, tone police, and gaslight you. That’s where Amy Bernstein, Amy Gallo, and Emily Caulfield come in. Each week, they interview experts and give practical advice to help you succeed in spite of setbacks in the workplace.
Read more: 'I'm Still Speaking'—and 11 Other Ways to Stop Interruptions
