Rephonic
Artwork for The SelfWork Podcast
Mental Health
Therapy
Depression
Grief
Perfectly Hidden Depression
Anxiety
Parenting
Self-Acceptance
Relationships
Family Dynamics
Trauma
Perfectionism
Loneliness
Enmeshment
Bipolar Disorder
Empathy
Self-Compassion
Self-Improvement
Self-Care
Mindfulness

I'm Dr. Margaret, a psychologist for over 30 years, TEDx speaker, and the author of Perfectly Hidden Depression. I created The SelfWork Podcast in 2016 to explain mental health treatment and to give you the chance to consider therapy without thinking it's weird or that it somehow suggests you can't fix your own problems. My team is very honored that nine years later, SelfWork has earned nearly 5 m... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes565Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Mental HealthEducationHealth & FitnessSelf-Improvement

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The SelfWork Podcast

Latest Episodes

Today we'll focus on how to listen to someone so that they feel truly understood and seen.

And it may not be a kind of listening that you know about. It's a method called "affect labeling" - meaning labeling the emotions of the person you're listeni... more

YouTube

Today I'm focusing on three role models in my own life and the questions you can ask to help you identify your own.

Who are they? Dolly Parton. Maya Angelou. And a woman named "Snooky."

How does someone become a role model for you?

Someone in your... more

YouTube

You may never have been on the inside of a psych ward. In his new book, JaKob Williams takes you there.

Or at least, he takes you to his version of a residential psych ward.

He's an interesting guy. Brilliant. Sarcastic. Successful. Driven. Creativ... more

YouTube

Dr. Nick Wignall continues as Dr. Margaret's guest this week, as we switch from focusing on emotional fitness to the 100% effective CBT tool for curing insomnia, called sleep compression.

It's hard to believe that in ten years of doing SelfWork, I d... more

YouTube

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.

Psychology Unplugged
Psychology UnpluggedDr. Corey J. Nigro
Trauma Rewired
Trauma RewiredElisabeth Kristof & Jennifer Wallace
The Trauma Therapist
The Trauma TherapistGuy Crawford Macpherson
Therapy Chat
Therapy ChatLaura Reagan, LCSW-C

Recent Guests

JaKob Williams
Author, Chock Full of Nuts; Bipolar disorder survivor and artist
Chock Full of Nuts
Episode: 513 SelfWork: Inside A Psych Ward: A New Book by JaKob Williams, Chock Full of Nuts
Dr. Nick Wignall
Psychologist and insomnia expert
Private practice / insomnia specialist
Episode: 512 SelfWork: CBT for Insomnia and Its 100% Effective Cure: Dr. Nick Wignall
Dr. Laurel Parnell
Leading expert on EMDR and Attachment-Focused EMDR developer
EMDR therapist/author
Episode: 509 SelfWork: EMDR Therapy: How It Can Help Fill Emptiness and Release Grief with Dr. Laurel Parnell
Dr. Patricia Dixon
Licensed clinical psychologist, professor, author, life coach based in Tampa Bay area
Manatee Counseling (and related ventures)
Episode: 506 SelfWork: Therapy Harm: Straight Talk with Dr. Patricia Dixon
Courtney Smith
Coach, group facilitator and consultant; Enneagram expert
Courtneysmithconsulting.com; What We're Really Up To newsletter
Episode: 503 SelfWork: Important Insights Into How to Interpret the Enneagram with Courtney Smith
Amy Kurtz
Patient advocate and health coach
amykurtz.com / Author of But You Look Fine
Episode: 502 SelfWork: The Medical and Mental Trauma of Chronic Invisible Illness with Amy Kurtz
Will Van der Veer
Psychiatrist and psychedelic researcher; co-founder of Integrative Psychiatry Institute
Integrative Psychiatry Institute
Episode: Introducing How To!: “How To Take Psychedelics for Your Mental Health with Dr. Will Van Derveer”
Myq Kaplan
Comedian, philosopher, and participant in the discussion about psychedelics
Comedy/Entertainment
Episode: Introducing How To!: “How To Take Psychedelics for Your Mental Health with Dr. Will Van Derveer”
Paul Gilmartin
Host of Mental Illness Happy Hour Podcast
Mental Illness Happy Hour
Episode: 500 SelfWork: Paul Gilmartin On Healing from Maternal Sexual Abuse

Host

Dr. Margaret Rutherford
Host of Self Work Podcast

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 1.7k ratings
  • Invaluable Resource

    I’ve been a listener here since the very beginning of SelfWork, and have found truly incredible guidance, insight, and support from Dr. Margaret’s work over the years. This podcast has come to mean so much to me—thank you, Dr. Margaret!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    RemyR1017
    United States2 months ago
  • Powerful Info

    Just found this podcast and I’m so glad I did. A tremendous resource with helpful specifics delivered well.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    hjhodges
    United States5 months ago
  • Love the Title

    As a therapist, I love that Dr. Margaret has created a resource for people who are not quite ready to venture into full-time therapy. I love the range of topics she covers and the guests she interviews. Great resource.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dr. Nicole Theron Parkes
    United States6 months ago
  • Great, Extremely Helpful Podcast!

    I love Dr. Margaret and The Self-Work Podcast! It’s been so helpful to me.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    1977C
    United Statesa year ago
  • Have to skip the 2 minute long advert, easy listening, but actually only really relevant to women.

    Podcast Addict
    3
    Conrad B
    2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

The host's warmth and compassion make complex topics approachable and reassuring.
Listeners praise actionable guidance and practical tools you can apply right away.
Many listeners highlight how the host engages with listeners and responds to questions.
The show is valued for depth on trauma, therapy, and personal growth without feeling preachy.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

513 SelfWork: Inside A Psych Ward: A New Book by JaKob Williams, Chock Full of Nuts
Q: Tell me who you are and how you decided to write this book and all of that.
JaKob explains his background as an artist and thinker, his struggles with bipolar disorder, and how his experiences, including a dramatic hospital stay, inspired him to write Chock Full of Nuts to explore creativity, stigma, and reform in mental health.
512 SelfWork: CBT for Insomnia and Its 100% Effective Cure: Dr. Nick Wignall
Q: What is sleep compression, and why is it effective for insomnia?
Sleep compression, also called sleep restriction, is a CBT-based protocol that limits time in bed to consolidate sleep. By reducing bed time, sleep pressure builds up (sleep drive), helping you fall asleep faster and stay asleep, while retraining bedtime habits and reducing anxiety around sleep.
510 SelfWork: Ted Lasso, The Pandemic and The Power of Secrets
Q: Your message, however, of Perfectly Hidden Depression hit home. How can someone begin to tell a trusted person they're struggling when they've perfected the image of being put-together?
Start with small disclosures that name a feeling or worry, choose a trusted listener, and remember that asking for help is a strength, not a weakness; therapy or professional support can provide structure to unpack deeply held secrets gradually and safely.
509 SelfWork: EMDR Therapy: How It Can Help Fill Emptiness and Release Grief with Dr. Laurel Parnell
Q: Can you tell us basically what EMDR is and how Attachment Focused EMDR changes that model?
EMDR centers on the therapeutic relationship and uses bilateral stimulation to process trauma, lighting up stuck memories to move them toward adaptive processing. Attachment Focused EMDR adds a developmental lens, emphasizes safety, and uses resources and a form of developmental repair to reframe early experiences and build internal support.
505 SelfWork: What's The Most Recent News For Depression Sufferers in 2026?
Q: How do you know if a relationship was meaningful to the other person, and how should someone find closure when that's uncertain?
The host discusses that emotional closure often has to come from within; if the other person's feelings aren't clearly shared, focus on internal forgiveness, gratitude for positive memories, and building a sense of peace for yourself.

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 The SelfWork Podcast

What is The SelfWork Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A concise, practical exploration of mental health, relationships, trauma, and personal growth, with episodes often centered on listener questions and real-world applications. Guests range from clinicians and researchers to trauma survivors and thought leaders, providing accessible explanations of therapies, mindfulness, and nuanced topics like cultural humility, perfectionism, and medical trauma. The show tends to balance clinical insights with actionable steps, making complex concepts feel doable for a broad audience seeking self-improvement or supportive mental health guidance. A notable strength is short, focused episodes that blend expert perspective with compassionate, user-friendly coaching, often including sponsor reads and opportuni... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The SelfWork Podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The SelfWork Podcast. 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 The SelfWork Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The SelfWork Podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The SelfWork Podcast, 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 The SelfWork Podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The SelfWork Podcast, 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 The SelfWork Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The SelfWork Podcast 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 The SelfWork Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The SelfWork Podcast:

1. The Adult Chair Podcast with Michelle Chalfant
2. Psychology Unplugged
3. Trauma Rewired
4. The Trauma Therapist
5. Therapy Chat

How many episodes of The SelfWork Podcast are there?

The SelfWork Podcast launched 10 years ago and published 565 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 The SelfWork Podcast?

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 The SelfWork Podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The SelfWork Podcast 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 The SelfWork Podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The SelfWork Podcast. 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 The SelfWork Podcast?

Recent guests on The SelfWork Podcast include:

1. JaKob Williams
2. Dr. Nick Wignall
3. Dr. Laurel Parnell
4. Dr. Patricia Dixon
5. Courtney Smith
6. Amy Kurtz
7. Will Van der Veer
8. Myq Kaplan

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