Trigger warning: This episode contains discussions of mental health, anxiety, OCD, intrusive thoughts, and suicide. Please listen with care.
Carrie Berk is a bestselling author who published 21 books before the age of 20, but behind the bubbly book covers and growing TikTok following, she was privately battling debilitating anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. In this raw and deeply honest conversation, Carrie opens up about the moment her intrusive thoughts began to spiral, how a panic attack led to her OCD diagnosis, and what exposure therapy actually looked like for her. Lucie and Carrie also explore the pressures of growing up in the public eye, the impact of privilege on mental health, and what it means to be misunderstood online. Plus: the reality show experience Carrie rarely talks about and how bullying shaped both her inner world and her activism.
If you’ve ever questioned your own thoughts, wondered if you were “going crazy,” or struggled to explain your mental health to friends, this episode is for you!
Pre-order Carrie’s new book, Mindfire: Diary of an Anxious Twentysomething here: https://amzn.to/44kC0j2
Follow Carrie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carrieberkk/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@carrieberkk
00:00 introducing Carrie Berk
02:10 becoming a published author at age 8
04:26 privilege and imposter syndrome
9:03 being on a reality tv show
11:03 dealing with online hate and bullying
21:51 anxiety and OCD diagnoses
25:04 examples of intrusive thoughts
29:34 how therapy has helped her cope
32:30 opening up to family and friends
39:21 normalizing mental health struggles
42:58 social media’s impact on mental health
46:11 Carrie’s new book & future plans
Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX
To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story.
I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone.
Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod
Find Lucie here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink
Website: https://luciefink.com/
Executive Producer: Cloud10
Produced by Dear Media.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Food is the great connector and a universal commonality. Get to know Katie’s guests through their experiences with food, favorite things they like to cook, childhood memories, and daily routines.Katie Lee Biegel is the Emmy-nominated co-host of Food Network’s The Kitchen, now in its 37th season with over 500 episodes to date. Katie is an avid writer, the author of four best-selling cookbooks, It’s Not Complicated, Endless Summer, Everyday Occasions, and The Comfort Table, and also the novel Groundswell, which became a Hallmark movie that she executive produced and starred in. Her next Hallmark film is currently in development. Katie is the co-founder of Kind of Wild Wines, an organic, zero sugar wine with grape varietals sourced from all over the world. She is a longtime Revlon spokesperson and a board member for the Food Bank for New York City.
Katie splits her time between New York City and the Hamptons with her husband, Ryan, daughter, Iris, and their rescue dog, Gus. In her free time, she loves traveling, reading, and watching bingeable tv.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Today on The Real Stuff, we’re sharing two incredibly raw and powerful stories about navigating early menopause and fertility struggles at a young age. First, Katie opens up about being diagnosed with early menopause in her early 30s, right as she began the egg freezing process. After months of missed periods and three failed egg retrieval attempts, Katie was forced to grieve the future she thought she would have, all while grappling with hormonal replacement therapy, financial strain, and dating fears.
Next, we hear from Mackenzie, who was diagnosed with Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) at just 22 years old, two days after graduating from college. Her twenties have been consumed with fertility preservation, navigating over a dozen egg retrieval cycles, and leading a support group for others with rare reproductive health conditions.
Together, Katie and Mackenzie share the emotional, physical, financial, and social toll of infertility diagnoses in their 20s and 30s. We discuss egg freezing, hormone replacement therapy, fertility preservation, perimenopause, reproductive health, the emotional impact on dating and friendships, advocating for yourself with doctors, and the silent grief that often accompanies fertility challenges.
Whether you're thinking about egg freezing, curious about hormonal health after birth control, or simply want to better understand the realities of young women facing early menopause, this episode is an eye-opening and deeply empathetic conversation you won't want to miss.
RESOLVE Infertility Support Groups: https://resolve.org/get-help/support-groups/
Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX
To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story.
I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone.
Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod
Find Lucie here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink
Website: https://luciefink.com/
Executive Producer: Cloud10
Produced by Dear Media.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Alexandra Gater was 25, riding high as the Home Editor at Chatelaine magazine, and creating a hit home makeover YouTube series until the morning she walked into work and got laid off. What could have been the end of her story turned into the beginning of something entirely her own.
In this episode of The Real Stuff, Alexandra shares how she went from feeling devastated and directionless to launching her YouTube channel, landing a $25,000 brand deal that changed her life, and growing a full-fledged media company with 11+ employees. She opens up about the dark personal chapter she was navigating behind the scenes, the pressure of trying to “fake it ‘til you make it,” the mean-girl trolling she endured from fellow editors, and how she slowly built the self-confidence to bet on herself.
Alexandra and Lucie also bond over their shared history in the digital media world and dig into what it felt like to leave behind a job that once felt like everything. Lucie opens up about her own exit from Refinery29 and how she knew it was time to move on from “Try Living with Lucie,” sparking a deeper conversation about identity, ambition, and trusting your gut.
It’s a candid conversation about losing your dream job, building something better, and what it really takes to grow through discomfort, even when you don’t have it all figured out.
Follow Alexandra
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandragater/?hl=en
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/alexandragater
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexandragater?_t=8goJbfFKKBR&_r=1
00:00 Lucie’s opening thoughts
01:44 how Lucie & Alexandra got connected
03:13 our similar career paths
06:20 Alexandra’s layoff story
08:14 the complications of being a corporate creative employee
13:09 the slow success of Try Living with Lucie
14:25 why Lucie left Refinery29
20:42 early brand deals
23:32 the work it takes to start a YouTube channel
27:24 a dark chapter in Alexandra’s life
35:02 dealing with negative comments from people you know
52:10 deciding how personal to get online
55:20 imposter syndrome & faking it until you make it
Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX
To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story.
I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone.
Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod
Find Lucie here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink
Website: https://luciefink.com/
Executive Producer: Cloud10
Produced by Dear Media.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In this highly-requested solo episode, Lucie dives deep into her experience making adult friendships — specifically how she built a new social circle after moving from NYC to the suburbs. If you’ve ever wondered how to make new friends after 30, how to actually keep them, or how to balance your social battery with mom life, this one’s for you. Listen for personal stories of how Lucie met her people in a place where she knew no one, the mindset shift that made it easier, and tips anyone can apply - whether you’re in a new town or just craving deeper connections.
The Happiness Lab Podcast episode I mentioned: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7Aon3Yu9KmFvr6PeZN0KqX?si=MjAm5I91R62XdX_ZrRGFCg
Watch our episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX
00:00 my situation & my new town
04:54 friends I’ve made in different stages of life
06:20 my first group of mom friends
07:50 getting to know people in my new town before I moved there
09:50 going on coffee dates with new people
12:22 meeting my neighbor
14:17 meeting people through Milo’s school
17:56 intimidating parts of moving to the suburbs & my mindset
20:31 using WhatsApp
22:00 getting to know Michael’s friends’ wives & people from other towns
23:35 rekindling a high school connection
24:31 playing tennis and starting a clinic
25:48 meeting a local follower
26:27 going from acquaintances to real friends
27:09 finding common interests and doing shared activities
33:01 being in friend search mode
34:23 going on double dates
36:16 what my social life looks like now
37:59 how my job impacts my friendships
40:25 tips to make new friends
To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story.
I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone.
Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod
Find Lucie here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink
Website: https://luciefink.com/
Produced by Dear Media.
Executive Producer: Cloud10
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Brett Fairley’s story is going viral — millions are watching, commenting, and waiting for each new update as he unpacks this emotional and devastating saga of paternity fraud. And thanks to our connection to his girlfriend, Nurse Hadley, The Real Stuff had the chance to sit down with him for an exclusive interview…in real time…while it's all still unfolding.
In this deeply raw conversation, Brett shares never-before-heard details and behind-the-scenes context about the woman who told him he was a father, the child he came to love, and the shocking truth that changed everything. From DNA tests to court orders to emotional manipulation, Brett walks us through every twist in a situation that has left the internet speechless. And he came with his RECEIPTS. This man has a binder of screenshots, text messages and more proving his case.
This episode is not just about going viral. It's about betrayal, heartbreak, and the search for justice. Whether you’ve followed this story from the start or are just diving in, this is the conversation that fills in the blanks and leaves you thinking about what you would do in Brett’s shoes.
Follow Brett:
https://www.tiktok.com/@brettfairley0
https://www.instagram.com/brettfairley/
Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX
To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story.
I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone.
Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod
Find Lucie here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink
Website: https://luciefink.com/
Produced by Dear Media.
Executive Producer: Cloud10
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
When “Laura” discovered her husband’s sex addiction, it felt like her world cracked apart—over and over again. In this incredibly vulnerable and moving episode, our audience caller opens up to Lucie about the moment of disclosure, the letter that revealed everything, and how she’s been piecing her life back together ever since.
Laura shares what it's like to be married to someone battling an addiction that’s misunderstood and stigmatized—even within recovery communities. From therapy and polygraphs to navigating triggers, broken trust, and spiritual growth, this is a story of devastation, resilience, and radical honesty.
Whether you've experienced betrayal or are trying to understand the complexities of addiction in relationships, this conversation will challenge assumptions, break stigmas, and offer hope.
Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX
To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story.
I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone.
Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod
Find Lucie here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink
Website: https://luciefink.com/
Produced by Dear Media
Executive Producer: Cloud10
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
