Claim OwnershipScenic Route, Social Change and Mental Health for Tired Minds
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© 2025 Scenic Route by Jennifer Walter
Description
You’ve outgrown perfection, but not your desire to grow.
Scenic Route is where recovering perfectionists, tired minds, deep feelers, and high-functioners finally get to exhale.
Hosted by sociologist and recovering perfectionist Jennifer Walter (MASoc UCC), this weekly pod blends critical thinking with deep compassion – plus the occasional guest expert and a lil' potty humour.
We unpack:
– Mental health wisdom (no toxic positivity here)
– Social change (that starts within)
– System critiques (with actual solutions)
– Inner truth (over outside noise)
– Mindfulness for minimalists (no crystals required)
If you’re questioning everything – or just tryna stay grounded in this wild world – this space is for you. We make room for your inner critic and your inner activist. Because personal healing and social change go hand in hand
🫶 New episodes drop every Tuesday.
The longest way round is the shortest way home, that’s why we’re taking the Scenic Route.
Ready to walk with us?
The view’s chef’s kiss.
109 Episodes
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Gratitude journals. Green juices. Meditation apps. We've been taught happiness is a checklist, but what if that's only half the story? In this episode, we dive into the world of Positive Psychology and the concept of flourishing– living deeply, not just lightly. We explore the PERMA‑H model (Positive Emotion • Engagement • Relationships • Meaning • Accomplishment • Health) and what it really means to feel alive even when life isn’t easy. If you’ve done all the “right” self‑care ...
Tired of buying cookbooks that collect dust (or shame you for not owning grape molasses)? Same. In this episode, we’re talking about how to choose a cookbook that actually fits your real life and not some Pinterest-perfect fantasy. I’ll show you how to spot the red flags (hello, pancetta prep on a Tuesday night 😵💫), how to tell if a cookbook is for beginners or pros, and what makes a recipe book actually useful. This isn’t just a rant – it’s a full-on guide to picking the best cookbooks ba...
What if freedom isn’t the absence of limits, but the presence of form? In this episode of The Scenic Route, Jen explores the paradox of constraints – why the boundaries we resist might be the very thing that saves us. Drawing on the work of sociologist Zygmunt Bauman and his idea of liquid modernity, she unpacks how modern life’s obsession with flexibility and endless options has left so many of us overwhelmed, exhausted, and floating without structure. You’ll hear: Why too much freedom can m...
Why do people still say women make “careless” decisions about abortion – and how can you shut that argument down fast? And what does it have to do with a shocking PhD thesis on endometriosis? In this episode of The Scenic Route, you’ll get: A toolkit to counter the “careless abortion” myth from three angles: logic, evidence, and power.Evidence-based insights you can drop in conversation to cut through opinion with data.A clearer lens on structural bias – why women’s pain is underfunded and di...
Why do we procrastinate, overthink, avoid, or hold back just when things matter most? Your social media feed at 2 am calls this self-sabotage, but is it? In this episode of the Scenic Route, we unpack fresh psychology research that flips the story of self-sabotage on its head. You’ll discover three hidden patterns that shape how we repeat harmful choices: Sensitives: quick learners who adapt after mistakesUnawares: people who miss the cause-and-effect until it’s explainedCompulsives: those wh...
September rolls in and suddenly life speeds up – school runs, work deadlines, holidays on the horizon. And with it comes the pressure to “get organised,” “finish strong,” and set bigger, better goals. But here’s the truth: SMART goals don’t work for most women juggling kids, work, and real life. They focus on outcomes you can’t fully control — which often kills momentum before you even get started. In this episode of The Scenic Route, we’re rethinking goal-setting from the end of summer to th...
Can a student’s body size affect their grades? Research says yes. In this episode of The Scenic Route, Jen explores how fat bias and socioeconomic bias shape grades, opportunities, and self-worth. You’ll hear: A personal story of how weight stigma shows up in healthcare.A German study of 14,000 students showed that overweight and lower-income kids receive lower grades than equally capable peers.Why grades often reflect compliance, neatness, and bias more than actual learning.How to judge whet...
You know what to do. You’ve read the books, journaled the insights, maybe even coached others through the same thing. But when it comes to your own life, something still isn’t shifting. We’re diving into the psychology of the knowing–doing gap, that frustrating space between insight and action, and unpacking why even the most emotionally intelligent among us get stuck. Rooted in behavioural theory, trauma-informed coaching, and real-life experience, we explore the invisible forces blocking ch...
You did everything right. So why does it feel so wrong? In this episode of The Scenic Route, we dive into the quiet ache so many of us feel after building the life they thought they were supposed to want, only to realise it doesn’t feel like theirs anymore. We explore: Why “success” often leaves women feeling hollow instead of wholeHow Symbolic Interactionism explains the silent shaping of your identityErving Goffman’s Front Stage vs. Backstage selves—and when the performance becomes unbearab...
In this fierce and timely episode of The Scenic Route, we unpack the UK Supreme Court’s ruling that redefines “woman” based solely on biological sex, excluding trans women from legal protections, political representation, and basic recognition. But this isn’t just a courtroom debate. It’s a culture war dressed in legal robes. We follow the funding behind the ruling, expose the billionaire feminists fueling the backlash, and dismantle the persistent myths about biology, gender, and identity. T...
Why do we feel exhausted even when life looks “fine” on the outside? In this episode of Scenic Route, we explore the quiet, invisible weight so many of us carry—and how our bodies often hold onto stress, tension, and emotional labor in ways we don’t even notice. Zurich-based body therapist Michelle Sabbatini joins Jennifer Walter to discuss the difference between having a body and being one and how tuning into our physical sensations can be the first step toward healing and resilience. ...
Why are women punished for being honest about motherhood? When Chappell Roan said her friends with kids are “in hell,” the backlash wasn’t about the words but about breaking the performance. In this episode of Scenic Route, sociologist and coach Jennifer Walter unpacks the emotional labour, mental load, and societal expectations that define modern motherhood. Why do we praise men like Seth Rogen for opting out of parenthood while vilifying women who name the cost of caregiving? Why do tradwif...
We are living in the Disinformation Age — a time unlike any other in history. Never before have we been bombarded with so much information, yet so little clarity. Our feeds are flooded with misleading headlines, personal opinions disguised as facts, and viral narratives designed to manipulate us. Even the sharpest minds can fall for misinformation—so how do we learn to see through the noise? In this episode of The Scenic Route, I sit down with Dr. Brie Kara, a psychologist specializing in dis...
For decades, empathy has been celebrated as the glue of human connection— but what if it’s actually burning you out? In this thought-provoking episode of The Scenic Route, we unpack why empathy alone isn’t enough and why it’s time to shift toward something more sustainable: compassion. 💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✔️ Why empathy is exhausting—and how it leads to burnout, anxiety, and emotional paralysis ✔️ The three ways empathy has been weaponized in modern life ✔️ How selective e...
What we eat isn’t just personal — it’s political. In this thought-provoking episode, Matthew C. Halteman, philosopher and author of Hungry, Beautiful Animals, joins Jennifer to reframe the ethics of veganism through the lens of joy, flourishing, and resistance. Instead of guilt or perfectionism, Matt advocates for ethical and vegan eating as an act of joyful defiance — a way to challenge systems of oppression while embracing personal and collective well-being. Together, they explore: How vega...
If you've ever had that gut-wrenching feeling of being behind in life, wondering "What am I doing with my life?" – trust me, you're not alone. In fact, you're part of a generation grappling with redefining success in a world that looks radically different from the one our parents knew. In this raw episode, we fearlessly dive into what it really means to thrive as a millennial in 2025. We'll unpack the hard truths behind the millennial wealth gap, exploring how economic shifts, the stude...
Think you know quality fashion? Get ready to upgrade your shopping game. Today, we're diving deep into the world of ethical fashion with Lora Gene, who's challenging our perception of luxury and inviting us to be part of a mindful fashion revolution that values both people and the planet. B Corp certified fashion business owner and designer Lora Gene shares her journey into ethical fashion, teaching us how to spot quality in clothing, understand fabrics, and build a wardrobe with intention.&n...
From your weather app's borders to the "ancient traditions" invented last century, nationalism shapes our world in ways so subtle we rarely notice them. Join us for an eye-opening exploration of how modern nations make their power invisible (yup, not looking at people waving flags at sports events...) — and learn practical ways to spot these patterns in your daily life. In this episode, we unpack: The shocking youth of nationalism (hint: it's younger than photography)How your routines r...
Feeling overwhelmed by the state of the world? You're not alone, and more importantly – it's not your fault. In this episode, we're diving into the hidden forces behind your political exhaustion and uncovering practical strategies to stay engaged without burning out. What you'll discover: The shocking truth about information overload (hint: it's actually by design)Why your brain's "overwhelm" is a perfectly normal response to abnormal circumstancesPolitical economist Naomi Klein's groundbreak...
In this episode, we're diving deep into the loneliness epidemic hitting millennials and Gen X harder than any generation before. Spoiler alert: it's not just your busy schedule or endless TikTok scrolling that's the problem. What You'll Discover: The shocking stats about loneliness in your 30s and 40s (and why it's not just a 'you' problem)What the heck "third spaces", are and why their disappearance matter more than you thinkThe real reason Nordic countries are winning at the friendship game...
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