Dr. Laura Call of the Day – Deep Dive: Dr. Laura LIVE at SiriusXM Los Angeles Studios

Date: October 16, 2025
Host: Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Location: SiriusXM Los Angeles Studios

Episode Overview

In this special live episode of "Dr. Laura Call of the Day," Dr. Laura Schlessinger engages directly with a live audience at SiriusXM in Los Angeles. Renowned for her no-nonsense, ethics-driven advice on family and parenting, Dr. Laura fields an array of deeply personal and wide-ranging audience questions. True to her style, she offers blunt wisdom, sharp humor, and stories from her decades-long career, emphasizing the value of personal responsibility, boundaries, active listening, and the importance of nurturing relationships—both with others and oneself.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. On Loneliness and the Power of Pets

• [01:49] Dr. Laura opens with lighthearted commentary on living alone with her dog, Lilybug:

  "When people say you live alone and you're alone alone. Not if you have a dog. You're never alone. Trust me, you're never alone if you have a dog."

• Pets, particularly dogs, provide constant companionship and a unique kind of support for those who live alone.

2. Dealing With Anger and Planting Seeds for Change

• [03:10] Dr. Laura recounts a story where a caller was angry at her for years after tough advice, only to later realize Dr. Laura was right:

  "You plant seeds, and if you’ve heard the show, you hear me go, well, they didn’t want to hear that. That doesn’t mean that they're not going to think about it for umpteen years."

• She stresses that confronting uncomfortable truths is necessary for growth and healing—avoiding them only prolongs suffering.

3. Active Listening and Healthy Conversation

• [05:38] Dr. Laura distinguishes between meaningful connections and self-centered interactions:

  “Why do people like to talk about themselves so much in a conversation?... They’re wanting approval and attention and they don’t care about you or anybody else. So don’t take it personally.”

• She advocates for making others feel valued by asking questions and actively listening rather than always steering conversations back to oneself.

4. Managing Negativity and Social Noise

• [07:12] Advice on shutting out pervasive negativity:

  “I turn it off, tune it out... When it’s just ugly, hateful negativity for the sake of self empowerment... I try not to add to it."

• She calls attention to the rise in hate-driven discourse in society, suggesting disengagement as a form of self-protection.

5. Reigniting Life’s Spark After Kids are Grown

• [09:31] Dr. Laura shares her approach to lifelong learning and maintaining interest:

  “People who focus in on only one thing— even if it’s just the kids— that’s not good for the kids... As long as you are always looking to invest yourself in learning new things… That is the spark.”

• Emphasizes the importance of new challenges, creative pursuits, and not depending on children for one’s sense of purpose.

6. On Friendship and Fairness in Relationships

• [12:00] Unequal friendships where one party wishes for more can be exploitative:

  “That’s not nice. That’s using somebody. So you have somebody to travel with… You know they want something permanent and deeper, so you’re taking advantage of their need. That’s not nice.”

7. Responding to Questions About Never Marrying or Having Kids

• [13:40] Dr. Laura's suggested answer:

  “The truth. I didn’t marry, have kids, because I never met anybody I really wanted to. I don’t like compromising or sharing… the truth. Or, I’m sorry, it’s kind of personal.”

• Asserts that sharing one’s reasons is optional—personal boundaries are valid.

8. Maintaining Enthusiasm in a Troubled World

• [15:10] Dr. Laura shares wisdom from a former professor about maintaining a “bubble” of positivity:

  “In that bubble, he permits the friends, relatives, caring people, good doggies, whatever it is… and keeps that a very positive place."

• She reiterates the importance of selectively allowing people and information into one’s emotional space.

9. Boundaries after Betrayal

• [17:39] On forgiveness and consequences after being insulted:

  “You can call me a dumb, demented bitch, but you can’t really apologize for it. There are some things which when said, cannot be erased... No, he was disruptive to the crew... No, you do that once, you’re gone. I don’t have a three strike rule.”

• Affirms the necessity for firm personal boundaries.

10. Deep Communication in Long Marriages

• [20:59] Advice for couples married over 17 years:

  “There’s not a man in this group or on the face of the earth who, when said, ‘honey, can we talk about our relationship?,’ will think, oh, goody... That’s not how you reach him.”

• Recommends physical affection as a vital form of communication—touch over talk:

  “Touch is the best communication... Sit on the couch, watch a movie, and be a puppy… Stop thinking you’re going to talk your way into feeling cozy.”

11. Dealing with Resistance to Change

• [23:25] On resistance and suffering as necessary for change:

  “There is no change without resistance. You have to suffer. Suffering is a very healthy part of life. It means you're willing to deal with change.”

• Encourages facing discomfort head-on, even if it means stepping outside one’s comfort zone.

12. Maintaining Mental Health When Living Alone

• [26:15] On coping with solitude and hard times:

  “No spouse wants to consistently hear you complain... If I really need to talk to somebody, they’re called… friends. But they don’t consistently want to hear your stuff either.”

• Suggests not abusing support systems and using positivity and self-care for emotional resilience.

13. Applying Her Own Advice

• [28:09] Dr. Laura explains how she processes tough situations personally:

  “I allow an initial reaction to be purely… whatever it is... Then I turn to the people who really care about you and have the wisdom to help you do the next step. You don’t have to do anything alone.”

14. Staying Calm Under Pressure

• [29:48] Advice from her book “Surviving a Shark Attack on Land”:

  “There’s something about being 78, and I’ve been through so much shit, you know, that I know I can survive it... Compliments are good [for disarming a difficult coworker]. You took all the teeth out and it’s in a coma. Compliments.”

15. Boundaries and Compassion as a Helper

• [40:41] On striking a balance as a tough, compassionate advisor:

  “It’s scary and difficult to call me... I’m appreciative of how vulnerable somebody is when they get on the phone. But I am hell bent determined to let them deal with that fear... You will hear me go, that is just entire bullshit... And then I come back in with the compassion.”

16. Judgment vs. Being Judgmental

• [44:09] When giving advice to others:

  “You can’t [avoid being perceived as judgmental], because that’s their defensiveness. We make judgments all the time. You damn well better, or you’re just going to walk around the earth like some mindless entity...”

17. Views on Daycare and Motherhood

• [46:08] Strong stance on the irreplaceability of a mother’s role:

  “If you’re appreciating what it would be like for you to be with a loving mother… then how are you justifying this [daycare], really, other than it’s convenient and you’re a sheep... Not loved all day. But a woman… would buy that she could be replaced?”

18. Anxiety and Panic Attacks

• [51:00] On overcoming panic attacks:

  “One line in a book changed everything… ‘Nobody has ever died from a panic attack.’ That was the one line that changed me with respect to anxiety.”

19. Favorite Movie

• [53:37] Dr. Laura's choice is The African Queen:

  “It is the most amazing movie of faith and love and transformation, change... It has a little bit of everything and a tremendous amount of soul and love and raw commitment to doing the right thing.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On embracing discomfort for growth:

  "There is no change without resistance... Suffering is a very healthy part of life." [23:25]

• On boundaries after being insulted:

  "You can call me a dumb, demented bitch, but you can’t really apologize for it. There are some things which when said, cannot be erased." [17:39]

• On active listening:

  "If you really want people to like you, show interest in them." [05:38]

• On emotional solitude:

  "Don’t abuse your friends. Don’t abuse your mother. Don’t abuse your kid. Don’t abuse anybody." [26:46]

• On anxiety:

  “Nobody has ever died from a panic attack. That was the one line that changed me.” [51:00]

Timestamps of Key Segments

• [01:49] – Loneliness and pets
• [03:10] – Planting seeds of change
• [05:38] – Meaningful conversation/active listening
• [07:12] – Filtering negativity
• [09:31] – Finding purpose after children
• [12:00] – Friendships with mismatched intentions
• [13:40] – Answering questions about not marrying/having kids
• [15:10] – Creating a “bubble” of positivity
• [17:39] – Boundaries after personal betrayal
• [20:59] – Deep communication in long-term marriage
• [23:25] – Importance of resistance and suffering
• [26:15] – Coping with loneliness
• [28:09] – Applying her own advice
• [29:48] – Calm under pressure/sharks at work
• [40:41] – Compassion + boundaries
• [44:09] – Judgment vs. being judgmental
• [46:08] – Motherhood & daycare
• [51:00] – Anxiety and panic attack advice
• [53:37] – Favorite movie: The African Queen

Takeaways

• Active involvement and continuous learning keep life meaningful after major transitions (like kids growing up).
• Boundaries and the courage to confront unpleasant truths are essential to healthy relationships.
• Self-care, a positive support circle, and humor are Dr. Laura’s tools for resilience.
• Touch and affectionate gestures often matter more than words in relationships.
• Compassion and honesty can coexist, and helping often requires uncomfortable truths.
• Judging is normal and necessary—but should be exercised ethically and carefully.

"I've been doing this work for 50 years, and I understand. I'm going to live to somewhere between 100 and 101 so stick with me."
— Dr. Laura, [55:18]

For more advice or to join the community, visit DrLaura.com.