Podcast Summary: The Dr. Laura Podcast

Episode: Having Influence Over Your Moods

Date: December 24, 2025
Host: Dr. Laura Schlessinger

Overview

In this episode, Dr. Laura explores the idea that individuals have more power over their moods than they may realize. Sharing listener mail, her personal anecdotes, and practical advice, Dr. Laura emphasizes everyday strategies for lifting one’s spirits, counters misconceptions about depression, and champions proactive self-care over passivity. The tone is direct, humorous, and occasionally self-deprecating, aiming to motivate listeners while demystifying moods and emotions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Synchronicity of Moods and Listener Engagement

• Coincidental inspiration: Dr. Laura describes an uncanny alignment: she considers discussing a caller about loneliness, then receives an email on that exact issue (01:01).
  • “I'm creeped out. Now how did Carson do that? Or how did I do that?... Creepyhood increases…Like the entropy, it's always increasing.” (Dr. Laura, 01:01–01:32)
• Listener email – Self-regulation in action: Nicole, a longtime listener, shares feeling low and tempted to overeat but turns instead to Dr. Laura’s advice, goes for a walk, and feels transformed by the end of it (01:32–02:51).

2. Moods are Normal and Universal

• Everyone gets moods: Dr. Laura normalizes having a range of emotions and moods as a feature of being human—not a defect (03:10).
  • “You're going to have all kinds of feelings during the day every day. And that's just a reasonable part of being alive and being a human being.” (Dr. Laura, 03:10)
• Not always clinical depression: Most mood dips are not signs of a clinical disorder and don’t warrant immediate medical intervention; introspection and simple changes can help (03:25–03:50).

3. Strategies for Influencing Your Moods

• Self-awareness: Dr. Laura encourages listeners to notice when and why their moods shift (03:38–04:05).

• Proactive action: She details her own approach—singing in the car when anxious before a doctor’s appointment (04:08–05:10).

• Physical activity: Going for a walk emerges as the most emphasized, easily accessible remedy (09:16).

  • “I tell you, that is probably the primary way to feel better. A walk.” (Dr. Laura, 10:09)

• Distraction: Suggestions include calling a friend, watching a movie, doing art, or heading outside for a change of scenery (09:30–11:27).

  • “Go to lunch with a friend, call a friend and say, let's go eat. Let's go walk on the beach…Stuff like that, you have control.” (Dr. Laura, 10:42)

• Channel ‘control’ inward: For those who see themselves as ‘controlling,’ Dr. Laura flips the script:

  • “Instead of using it on other people, try being controlling to yourself. Control those moods…” (Dr. Laura, 09:57)

4. When to Seek Help

• Clinical depression: If moods are “overwhelmingly chronic and it's a profound clinical disorder,” seek professional help (11:34).
• Most people, however, just need to recognize their capacity for action.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It's easy to feel crappy. It's easy worry about something fearful, about something bored with something. Bored gets mistaken for something else. If you're bored, do something else. But a lot of times, boredom is taken for depression when it's just boredom.” (Dr. Laura, 11:36–12:00)
• “I have three levels of walk. The third one I call the death march...by the time I get to the top, trust me, I have no memory of a mood. I'm just so happy I got to the top.” (Dr. Laura, 10:18)
• On the creative outlet:
  • “My art rooms...I go into my art room and I start making things. I love that. And time goes way too fast...there are times I'm late for things because I look at my watch and I go, shit, I thought I was just in here for an hour.” (Dr. Laura, 11:03)
• On using her own advice:
  • “Who knew? Okay, was that you or the birds?” (Dr. Laura, joking after a commercial, 00:56)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:01–01:32: Dr. Laura discusses the “creepy” synchronicity of calls and emails on the same topic
• 01:32–02:51: Listener Nicole’s email; real-life application of Dr. Laura’s advice
• 03:10–03:50: On the universality of moods and initial suggestions for self-examination
• 04:08–05:10: Dr. Laura’s personal anecdote: singing away worry before a doctor’s appointment
• 09:16–11:27: Strategies for affecting your mood: walking, calling friends, engaging in hobbies
• 11:34–12:00: Differentiating between boredom and depression; practical encouragement

Flow and Tone

Dr. Laura’s delivery is conversational, authoritative, and sometimes playful. She shares bits of her own life alongside listener stories, using humor (“death march walk,” “push grandma down the stairs at some point. No.”) to make serious points more accessible. The overall feel is supportive, motivational, and practical—urging listeners to recognize their agency in shaping how they feel day to day.

Takeaways

• Everyday blues, feeling overwhelmed, or lonely are normal.
• Most people have more influence over their mood than they think—action and engagement are keys.
• Physical activity, distraction, and creative outlets are highly effective simple tools.
• If you’re habitually “controlling,” try directing that energy at your own moods, not others.
• When negative moods are chronic and severe, don’t hesitate to seek professional support.

For immediate advice, Dr. Laura encourages listeners to call 1-800-375-2872 or visit DrLaura.com.