Rephonic
Artwork for Dear Sugars

Dear Sugars

WBUR
Relationships
Mental Health
Love
Divorce
Communication In Relationships
Parenting
Intimacy
Trauma
Communication
Psychedelic Therapy
Family Dynamics
Love and Relationships
Childhood Trauma
Marriage
Romance
Spending Addictions
Friendship
Love and Money
Emotional Intelligence
Aging

A podcast that fields all your questions and offers radical empathy in return.

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes408Founded12 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Dear Sugars

Latest Episodes

When it comes to love, money is supposed to be no object. But there’s no disentangling love from anything in our lives, and income is no exception. So how do you assess the role money should play in a relationship, and what happens when your desires ... more

From the WBUR Podcasts team, here's a new kind of story — one that's all about choices and consequences. The Midnight Rebellion is a pick-your-own-path podcast set 100 years in the future, where the stakes are nothing less than the planet itself. It'... more

This episode was originally released on May 25th, 2018.

When two women in their sixties start losing interest in sex, their sex-starved partners become increasingly frustrated. Both women blame old age for their waning libidos. But is their diminish... more

Seventeen-year-old “Struggling” had big dreams to leave his small town, but his living situation was at risk because he couldn’t stop using drugs. A letter writer who called herself “Bad Mom” loved her children, but could no longer bear the demands o... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Love Letters
Love LettersThe Boston Globe
Modern Love
Modern LoveThe New York Times
Death, Sex & Money
Death, Sex & MoneySlate Podcasts

Recent Guests

Pepper Schwartz
Professor of sociology; author on love and sexuality
University of Washington
Episode: Repost: Sex & Aging
Buzz Bissinger
Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist
Episode: Rewind: Buyer's Remorse
Dr. Pepper Schwartz
Professor of sociology at the University of Washington and author on love and sexuality
University of Washington
Episode: Rewind: Sex & Aging
Leslie Bell
Sociologist and psychotherapist, author of Hard to Get
Episode: Rewind: Career Vs. Love
Gemma Hartley
Journalist and author of the viral article on emotional labor titled Women Aren't Nags, We're Just Fed Up
Harper's Bazaar
Episode: Rewind: Emotional Labor
Head or Heart
A listener seeking advice on navigating her relationship
Episode: Episodes We Love: Do I Follow My Head Or My Heart?
India Arie
Grammy-winning musician who discusses her journey of self-discovery and empowerment
Independent musician
Episode: Rewind: How Do I Find The Courage To Be My Own Guide?
Dr. Ian Kerner
Psychotherapist and sexuality counselor
Episode: Redux: Dark Fantasies, Part 2
Meghan Daum
A world-class writer and thinker, author of four books including 'The Unspeakable'
Writer
Episode: Redux: Should I Intervene?

Hosts

Steve Almond
Host of the show; long-running figure associated with the relationship-advice format.
Cheryl Strayed
Co-host and guiding voice, central to the show's empathetic approach.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 8k ratings
  • 🧡

    It’s an amazing broadcast!!!’!’!’

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Liwen xiaoo
    Japan3 months ago
  • 咋听不了了

    为啥加载不出来啊其他的都可以就这个不行。

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    n h g v g h h h j
    China7 months ago
  • 💕❤️

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Sylvia
    a year ago
  • Been loving this podcast!

    Great insights and perspectives. There is so much empathy and compassion in each episode, definitely worth listening!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lucy M.P
    United Statesa year ago
  • Listener for years

    I’ve loved this podcast for years! These two have taught me so much about empathy. I still listen to old episodes from time to time, but I’m still hoping there might be a possibility for a new season.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Catrina 315
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Audience notes the conversations feel practical and life-changing.
Listeners praise the hosts' empathy and nonjudgmental tone.
Fans appreciate real stories, expert input, and the supportive, hopeful guidance.

Top Society & Culture Podcasts

The Ezra Klein Show
The Ezra Klein ShowNew York Times Opinion
This American Life
This American LifeThis American Life
Stuff You Should Know
Stuff You Should KnowiHeartPodcasts
Sword and Scale
Sword and ScaleSword and Scale
Humans
HumansHank Green
Behind the Bastards
Behind the BastardsCool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts
The Interview
The InterviewThe New York Times
The Why Files: Operation Podcast
The Why Files: Operation PodcastThe Why Files: Operation Podcast

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Rewind: Make the Call
Q: What do I do about the fact that I feel like my values are now being compromised?
Cheryl suggested the person should consider breaking up with her boyfriend, emphasizing the importance of sexual intimacy in a relationship and the need to communicate those needs.
Rewind: Buyer's Remorse
Q: What did you learn in rehab?
I learned to address the root causes of my addiction, which stemmed from sexual repression and personal anxiety.
Rewind: Buyer's Remorse
Q: Can you point to the moment where you realized you needed to address it, get into rehab?
It happened in 2014 when I began to abuse myself physically and realized I was going down a dangerous path that needed more than weekly therapy.
Rewind: Sex & Aging
Q: What are your thoughts on the discrepancy of sexual desire between aging partners?
There's a complex interaction of medical and psychological factors that can affect desire, particularly in women post-menopause, and couples must explore all aspects of intimacy and not remain stuck in traditional views of sex.
Rewind: Sex & Aging
Q: What did you make of this letter, Pepper?
The author of the letter is eloquent but seems to have a limited definition of sex, viewing it almost exclusively as vaginal intercourse, while they do engage in oral sex and express a desire for deeper intimacy.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Dear Sugars

What is Dear Sugars about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A compassionate relationship-advice show with letters from listeners that centers empathy, practical guidance, and personal growth. Topics span love, sex, money, parenting, body image, mental health, and aging, often featuring expert perspectives and real-life stories. The tone is warm, nonjudgmental, and grounded in relational science and lived experience, making it a reliable resource for couples, singles, and parents navigating difficult conversations and evolving identities. Noteworthy is the steady pairing of two hosts who blend validation with actionable steps, creating a safe space for sensitive subjects and difficult choices that still feel hopeful and solvable.

Where can I find podcast stats for Dear Sugars?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Dear Sugars. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Dear Sugars and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Dear Sugars get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Dear Sugars, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Dear Sugars?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Dear Sugars, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Dear Sugars have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Dear Sugars has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Dear Sugars?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Dear Sugars:

1. Love Letters
2. Modern Love
3. Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel
4. Death, Sex & Money
5. Dear Therapists with Lori Gottlieb and Guy Winch

How many episodes of Dear Sugars are there?

Dear Sugars launched 12 years ago and published 408 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Dear Sugars?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Dear Sugars?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Dear Sugars from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Dear Sugars?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Dear Sugars. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Dear Sugars?

Recent guests on Dear Sugars include:

1. Pepper Schwartz
2. Buzz Bissinger
3. Dr. Pepper Schwartz
4. Leslie Bell
5. Gemma Hartley
6. Head or Heart
7. India Arie
8. Dr. Ian Kerner

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days