Podcast: Just Be
Conversations on Belonging, Anxiety, Authenticity & the Social Brain.
For thoughtful people learning to feel safe being seen.
About The Podcast: A Psychology-Informed Educational Podcast
What if confidence wasn’t something to perform, but something you could simply feel?
Just Be is a psychology-informed educational podcast by therapist Sophia Spencer, exploring how the social brain shapes confidence, connection, and belonging.
Each episode blends science and self-compassion to help you understand why visibility can feel vulnerable, and how to move from managing anxiety to feeling naturally at ease.
You’ll hear about topics such as:
Why we care what others think
How rank and comparison influence confidence
The pain of exclusion and the search for belonging
Safety, authenticity, and self-expression in professional life
Sophia draws on her background in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), EMDR, Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), and social neuropsychology to translate evidence-based ideas into gentle, practical insight.
Why this matters
Your social instincts aren’t flaws — they’re part of being human.
By understanding the psychology behind visibility, anxiety, and belonging, you can learn to regulate your nervous system, express yourself freely, and just be — calm, confident, and connected.
LISTEN BELOW OR ON:
Episode One: Why You Care What Other People Think
Ever wondered why you care so much what others think — even when you know it shouldn’t matter? You’ll learn about three key ideas:
The Belongingness Hypothesis — why connection is a survival need, not a weakness.
Ecological Systems Theory — how family, culture, and workplace shape your “social self.”
Theory of Mind — your brain’s ability to imagine what others think, and how it can fuel overthinking.
Episode Two: The Social Hierarchy In Your Head
In this episode, we explore how your brain subconsciously scans social hierarchies for safety, and how comparison shapes confidence, anxiety, and belonging.
You’ll learn about two key ideas:
Social Rank Theory — how your nervous system tracks cues of status and authority to stay safe within groups.
Social Comparison Theory — why we measure ourselves against others and how modern life amplifies this instinct.
Episode Three: Your Amygdala and Anxiety: Understanding Your Brains Alarm System
Ever wondered why your mind goes blank the moment all eyes are on you? You’ll learn about:
The Amygdala — your brain’s built-in alarm system that triggers anxiety and physical symptoms.
Fight, Flight, or Freeze — how the body reacts when the brain senses threat, even when you’re safe.
Overactive Wiring — what brain imaging studies reveal about anxiety and amygdala hyperactivity.
Episode Four: The Things We Do To Keep Safe - Understanding Safety Behaviours
Do you ever overthink, over-prepare, or hold back just to avoid feeling anxious? You’ll learn about:
Safety Behaviours — the subtle actions your brain drives to avoid or control perceived threat.
Why We Do Them — how the amygdala mistakes visibility or rejection for danger.
The Hidden Cost — why avoiding anxiety teaches the brain the wrong lesson.
Episode Five: Inferiority - Understanding Why You Feel Below People
Why do some rooms make you feel smaller, even when you know you belong there? You’ll learn about:
Adler’s Theory of Inferiority — why feeling “less than” is universal and can even drive growth.
Social Conditioning — how sexism, racism, and other systems teach us to feel below others.
Your Social Brain — how the amygdala, social rank, and belonging systems link to feeling inferior.
Episode Six: Who is Us and Who Is Them: Understanding In Groups & Out Groups
Why does it sting so much to feel left out, even when you tell yourself it doesn’t matter? You’ll learn about:
In-Group / Out-Group Dynamics — how our brains create tribes through similarity and safety.
Social Identity Theory — why our self-esteem is shaped by the groups we belong to.
Social Sensitivity — how past exclusion or discrimination heightens your “belonging radar.”
Episode Seven: Where It All Begins: Attachment, Early Wounds & Intergenerational Trauma
Why do certain relationships, or moments of closeness, feel both comforting and terrifying? You’ll learn about:
Attachment Theory — how early caregiving shaped your brain’s sense of safety in connection.
Trauma — what it really means, and how emotional overwhelm can wire the nervous system for protection.
Intergenerational Trauma & Epigenetics — how stress and fear can be biologically passed down through generations.
Episode Eight: When Connection Hurts: Understanding Social Trauma and Anxiety, Humiliation & Rejection
Ever wondered why rejection or humiliation can feel almost physically painful, or why you can’t stop replaying it? You’ll learn about:
Social Trauma — how exclusion and rejection overwhelm your nervous system’s sense of safety.
Social Emotions — why shame and humiliation evolved to protect belonging, not punish you.
Neuroscience of Rejection — how your brain processes social pain like physical pain.