Dysfunction Junkies

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We are throwing it back to Season 1 Episode 40: Why are summer family gatherings sometimes easier to handle than winter ones? As we discover in this raw and revealing episode, it might simply be because you can escape to the backyard when things get tense. But even with more exit strategies, Fourth of July celebrations can still produce lasting trauma.

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We are throwing it back to Season 1 Episode 24, which was part 2 of our Funeral Episodes. Death may be universal, but funeral etiquette remains surprisingly complex territory—filled with unwritten rules and unexpected social landmines. We're diving deep into the politics of saying goodbye in this candid continuation of our funeral conversation.

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This week we are throwing it back to Episode 29, which is part 1 of our two-part Funeral Chat.  Death has a way of bringing out the complicated, messy, and sometimes absurd qualities in families – and nowhere is this more evident than at funerals. Kerry and Chrisy take listeners on a journey through the peculiar social dynamics that emerge when we gather to say goodbye to loved ones.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISY!  We are throwing it back to Season 1 Episode 29 where we share how Chrisy and Kerry's Birthdays tend to overlap with Father's Day and Mother's Day.  Be sure to tune in don't forget to give Chrisy a shout out on our Facebook page to wish her a Happy Birthday!

#happybirthday #dysfunctionjunkiespodcast #fathersday

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Mismatched socks, “inside shoes,” and the moment a shirt becomes permanently cursed after a bad day. If your closet feels like a mental health diary, you’re not alone. We get it. Our clothing rules are unhinged and oddly comforting. Hit play and confess: what item can you never wear again?

#dysfunctionjunkiespodcast #mismatchsocks #insideshoes

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People don’t have to be “bad” to be wildly disruptive, they just have to be unaware. We’re back on our favorite theme, overpeopling, and we’re tracing the exact moments when public etiquette breaks down and your patience goes with it. We then take the chaos to the pool and hot tub, where shoes piled at the steps become a genuine safety hazard and hot tub culture gets… intense. Listen now then tell us your biggest pet peeve?

#overpeopling #dysfunctionjunkiespodcast #tsa #hottubs #dontpeeinthepool #shoppingcartjams 

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Your birthday is supposed to feel like one day where you matter, so why does it sometimes feel like a test you’re destined to fail? On this Flashback Friday, we pull a thread that starts with Mother’s Day and Father’s Day timing and unravels into something bigger: the sting of being forgotten, the mess of family expectations, and the weird little rules we create to protect ourselves.

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A packed shuttle in Zion National Park is not the place to turn your river-soaked hiking shoes into a personal rinse station, but that’s exactly what happens to us and it kicks off one of those stories you can’t believe until you see it. Simultaneously, Parents are discussing wills and guardianship on the bus… while this dude’s wet boots and bare feet are inches away. If you’ve ever felt trapped in a shared space with someone else’s zero self-awareness, you’ll feel this episode in your bones.

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Cinco de Mayo is supposed to be light, loud, and fun, but sometimes a date picks up a second meaning that never goes away. We talk about why May 5 can feel like a party and a memorial at the same time, and how we’ve learned to make space for both. “Cinco De Mama” becomes our way of honoring loss without losing our sense of humor. Tune in and tell us what’s your ideal Mother’s Day or Cinco De Mayo meal?

#dysfunctionjunkiespodcast #cincodemayo #mamma #mothersday #birthday #mexico #gratitude #lupus #lupusaware...

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It's a new month and a new Dysfunction Junkies C.A.R.E initiative. May is Lupus Awareness Month, we share easy ways to learn more and show support, including wearing purple and recognizing the butterfly symbol. If you want a trustworthy place to start, we point you to the Lupus Foundation of America at lupus.org, including resources that help you understand symptoms and advocate for yourself at the doctor.  Listen, then tell us if you are a Lupus Warrior!

#lupus #lupuswarrior #butterflyrash #lupusawarenessmonth #autoimmunediseases #womenshealth #dysfunctionjunkiespodcast #dsyfunctionjunkiesCARE #wearpurple 

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A lot of people say they’re “animal lovers,” but love gets real when a pet stops being cute and starts needing structure, money, time, and a long-term plan. We go down the rabbit hole of dysfunctional pet ownership, from ordinary homes with dogs and cats to the risky world of exotic pets, and we ask the question that matters most: is this choice good for the animal or just exciting for the owner? We also talk about exotic pet ownership, a tiger isn’t “Fluffy” just because you named it that the fact is why...

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Why do we remember Miss Susie Has A Steamboat forever, but not what we ate yesterday? We dig into classic folklore like Ring Around the Rosy and the plague theory behind its lyrics, plus the way other staples get linked to real events and power struggles. From Three Blind Mice and its grim imagery to Mary Mary Quite Contrary and the Bloody Mary rumors. Then we shift to the schoolyard material that trained a whole generation on innuendo and social rules: Miss Susie Has a Steamboat, clapping games, jump rope chants, and camp...

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The map lit up and we are still trying to process it. Over the past month we picked up listeners from 14 new countries, with a huge burst in just 48 hours, and suddenly the Dysfunction Junkies Podcast is showing up in 39 countries and 311 cities worldwide. Thankful Sunday turns into a real time celebration of what it feels like when a small show starts traveling far beyond your own zip code, plus the milestones that make it real. Ready for a feelgood reset? What are you thankful for today?

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Moving, aging, and life changes eventually force almost everyone into a stressful rite of passage: finding a new doctor. On the Dysfunction Junkies Podcast, we talk through why switching providers can feel like dating, complete with first-impression nerves and that uneasy question of whether you can trust someone you just met. The patient experience shifts fast when you leave a familiar office, and you often do not realize what your old provider did well or missed entirely until a new practice runs tests you have never seen. That moment can be reassuring, alarming...

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It's Flashback Friday and we are going back to Easter Season 1 Episode 26.  Pantyhose as a rite of passage might be the most unexpected Easter memory, but once we started pulling the thread, everything unraveled into the kind of nostalgia you can practically smell. If Spring Nostalgia Is Your Thing, This One’s For You. Listen And Drop Your Go To Easter tradition. 

#dysfunctionjunkiespodcast #Easter #easteregghunt #easterbaskets  #candy #Easterbunny #family #traditions #familydysfunction

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One bad kiss can end a romance, but what about a bad kiss plus a corner fart confession? We’re laughing through the kind of dysfunctional dating stories that feel too weird to be real, then realizing they’re exactly why so many of us still cringe at the words “first date.”  Listen To The Full Dysfunctional Dating Roundup Then Tell Us Your Worst Date Story?

#Dysfunctionjunkiespodcast #dating #firstkiss #catfishing #firstdate #blinddate #onlinedating

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We follow the Easter Bunny origin from ancient fertility themes to the American Easter basket tradition.  And why are we putting our kids on a stranger’s lap in a creepy bunny suit? When did we normalize that? We unpack mall bunny anxiety, Easter holiday myths, and the stuff nobody says out loud. Listen, then drop your scariest Easter Bunny photo story?

#Easter #Easterbunny #bunnies #candy #Easterbaskets #Malls #dysfunction #dysfunctionjunkiespodcast #kerrydoll #chrissydoll 

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April Dysfunction Junkies CARE:  Autism comes up in conversation all the time, but “hearing the word” isn’t the same as understanding the people and families living it every day. For World Autism Month, we’re shining a light on the Autism Society of Greater Akron, a local organization doing practical, life-changing work across Northeast Ohio through advocacy, education, social programs, and community support. If you’ve been looking for credible autism resources or a place to start learning about neurodiversity, this conversation points you toward real help and real hope.

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Microwaved candy bars in diapers. Toilet paper wrapped around a pregnant belly. A room full of people you half-know watching you open gifts you may not even need. We’ve both been to enough baby showers and bridal showers to admit it: a lot of “traditions” feel less charming with every year, and some of them are downright uncomfortable. We’re unpacking the most awkward traditions and how to make celebrations less painful. Listen now and tell us your worst game?

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Twenty-four countries. That number still doesn’t feel real to us, and we had to hop on the mic for a Thankful Sunday to say it out loud and say thank you. From Wooster, Ohio to St. George, Utah, we’re proof you can build a podcast with friendship, consistency, and a willingness to show up exactly as you are, even when the camera turns on and YouTube becomes part of the plan. It's another episode of Thankful Sunday on the Dysfunction Junkies Podcast.

#dysfunctionjunkiespodcast #podcast #coasttocoast #Spain #Israel #Italy #France #stge...

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Pajamas at a hotel breakfast buffet. Fluffy slippers in the grocery store. Boxer shorts in a public lobby. We’ve been traveling more, and we can’t stop noticing how fast “bed clothes” have become normal clothes. If you’ve ever wondered when public dress codes quietly disappeared, we’re right there with you, and we’re not trying to be fancy. We’re trying to understand what changed and why it bothers some of us so much.

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Leprechaun “traditions” can get unhinged fast: green toilets, green marshmallows, and kid pressure. Our St. Patrick’s Day flashback is equal parts funny and horrifying. Listen and reply: parade or stay home?

#dysfunctionjunkiespodcast #stpatricksday #flashbackfriday #blarneystone #irish #cornedbeef #ireland #leprechauns #podcast

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Why do we cling to clutter we don’t even like? We dig into the history of spring cleaning, the emotions behind stuff, and smart ways to make progress without burning out. Ready to try one tiny change today? Which one?

#dysfunctionjunkiespodcast #podcast #springcleaning #dysfunction #declutter #openthewindows

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Ever met a one-upper who turns every chat into a contest? Tired of “I had it worse” and “I knew that already”? We’ve got stories, humor, and practical scripts to spot narcissistic talk and keep your cool. Stream it now and share: what comeback actually worked for you?

#dysfunctionjunkiespodcast #oneupper #narcissitictalk #ihaditworse 

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Happy March Dysfunction Junkies! It's time for another episode of Dysfunction Junkies CARE.  This month we are featuring Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah. If you love animals, you must tune in to learn more about this amazing organization. From Angel Canyon in Southern Utah to your couch: meet the sanctuary saving thousands of dogs, cats, and more—and how you can join the mission. Volunteer, adopt, or spread the word. Which role fits you best right now?

#dysfunctionjunkiespodcast #animals #animalresuce #bestfriendsanimalsanctuary #kanabutah #dogs #cats #horses #rabbits #nokill #animalsanctuary #animalshelter #pet...

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A spotless living room, a perfect bow on every problem, and a smile that never cracks—early TV taught us that’s what family looks like. Then the 70s kicked the door open. We trade tidy myths for the glorious mess of All in the Family, Mary Tyler Moore, MASH, Good Times, and the gleeful chaos of The Love Boat and Fantasy Island. By the end, we answer a simple question with layered truth: did those shows make us feel normal—or finally seen? Press play for sharp takes, a few guilty-pleasure confessions, and a...

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It's Thankful Sunday. The heart of the episode beats in our thank-yous. Moving states takes stamina, and we spotlight the people who made it happen: southern Utah’s Sonya Stauffer and Northeast Ohio–Pennsylvania’s Malinda Koncar, two realtors who navigated details, deadlines, and the unexpected with calm and care. We also shout out Letters by Lantern Light for bringing weekly cozy mysteries to our community, proving that storytelling and small businesses can lift podcasts and listeners together. Then we zoom out to our listener map, celebrating California, Pennsylvania; Austintown, Ohio; Council Bluffs, Iowa...

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Ever look at a deli case and wonder who actually buys that speckled mystery loaf? We’re taking a no-filter tour through the “dysfunctional” foods that fed our families and shaped our taste buds: the buttermilk sipped straight from a glass, the kombucha and kefir bubbling like science projects, and the deli counter icon we love to fear—Dutch loaf. From pig’s feet in jars to scrapple fried to a perfect sear, we explore why certain flavors stick, how thrift became tradition, and where nostalgia meets hard pass. Stream now for laughs, memories...

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It's Flashback Friday and we flashback to our #1 downloaded episode our first Valentine's Day Episode.  With Love, Enjoy!

#dysfunctionjunkiespodcast #loveisintheair #love 

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Freeze outside, warm up inside. We take Valentine’s Day back from the crowded prix fixe grind and rebuild it around ease, laughter, and real connection. From indoor picnics on a blanket to a surprisingly perfect date at a local cooking school, we share practical ways to skip the chaos and keep all the romance. If you’ve been burned by limited menus, rushed service, and too-loud dining rooms, this is your permission slip to choose calm over clamor. If this resonated, be sure to tune in and share it with a friend who...

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What if the place you grew up quietly shaped your quirks, your coping skills, and even the stories you tell about yourself? We dig into city stress, country isolation, and suburban conformity with candid personal stories that reveal how environment becomes behavior. From food deserts and limited green space to long rural bus rides and stained uniforms from well water, we unpack how daily conditions nudge us toward adaptations that can look like dysfunction—or resilience—depending on where you stand. Hear our stories and share yours. Where did you grow up and what...

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Hello February!  Junkies you know what that means, a new month, a new Dysfunction Junkies CARE. This month we are supporting the American Heart Association. Since the American Heart Association was founded in 1924, deaths from cardiovascular diseases have been cut in half. But heart disease remains the leading cause of death, and there's still so much more to do. Together, we can save more lives. And for our International listeners, through collaboration with international partners, the American Heart Association works to bring science to life through the creation of programs and campaigns that s...

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What if your first serious love is still influencing how you fight, forgive, and choose today? We dig into the invisible blueprints early relationships leave behind, the “reason, season, lifetime” lens that reframes past marriages, and the messy, beautiful work of rewriting patterns with intention. Along the way, a long-lost box of wedding photos turns into a masterclass in boundaries and closure: how to honor the past, return what isn’t yours to carry, and move forward with respect. Be sure to tune in to this week's episode hit play and share: which chapte...

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New pins on the map, new stories to tell, and a big life change that’s about to shake up our routine—in the best way. We kick off Thankful Sunday by shouting out a wave of new listeners from Germany to Japan, plus fresh U.S. cities that found the Dysfunction Junkies and hit play. Japan rocketed into our top four overnight, and we unpack why a sudden binge listen can reshape a show’s momentum, energy, and plans for what comes next.

#dysfunctionjunkiespodcast #ThankfulSunday #Japan #Germany

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Ever wonder why some friends fade while others feel like home? We break down reason, season, and lifetime friendships—and how your circle shapes your life. Listen now and audit your friend group with us. Who’s your root friend?

#besties #friends #bff #reasonseasonlifetime #yourtribe #mypeeps

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It's Flashback Friday and we go back to Season 1 Episode 13: Naughty or Nice. Enjoy and let us know are you a Chrisy or a Kerry on the Naughty or Nice spectrum.

#dysfunctionjunkiespodcast #naughtyornice

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This week on the Dysfunction Junkies Podcast: Static shocks, zipper scars, and a bell-bottom bike crash. We unpack the fashion fails that shaped our childhoods and why some clothes still sabotage comfort and confidence. Listen now and tell us: which outfit haunts your memories?

#dysfunctionjunkiespodcast #bellbottoms #mchammerpants 

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Ever feel trapped by a noisy mind? We unpack mental clutter, sleep struggles, and why letting go creates real freedom. Hear candid stories, practical tips, and a book rec that sparked change. If you’re ready to trade constant rumination for calm focus, this conversation brings empathy, humor, and tools you can use tonight. Subscribe, share this episode with a friend who needs a quieter brain, and leave a review with your own tip for silencing the 3 a.m. thought spiral.

#dysfunctionjunkiespodcast #theartoflettinggo #emotionalnoise #anxiety 

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A new year calls for grounded action, not just good intentions. This month for Junkies Care we’re shining a light on Samaritan’s Purse—an international relief nonprofit known for getting to crises fast and staying long enough to help families rebuild. From field hospitals after hurricanes to clean water systems in conflict zones, we walk through how readiness, logistics, and trusted partnerships turn compassion into real outcomes when days and hours matter.

Our audience spans 18 countries, and this conversation reflects that global reach. Whether you’re drawn to disaster relief...

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Confetti says “big night,” but our hearts often want something smaller, saner, and kinder. If you’ve ever felt out of step with the countdown culture, you’re not alone. Come for the candid stories, stay for the better ideas: lower-pressure plans, safer choices, and rituals that make the night yours. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a softer New Year, and leave a review to help others find us. Here’s to choosing joy on your terms.

#dysfunctionjunkiespodcast #newyearseve #countdown #timessquare #newyearnewyou

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