In this episode of Pop Therapy, I’m joined by fellow psychology graduate and reality obsessive, Amanda from Bella Talks TV for a deep dive into the psychology of the Bravosphere.

We unpack what’s really happening beneath the storylines - the fandoms, the scandals, and the production choices (that we may or may not agree with).

We talk about authenticity as Bravo’s most fragile currency, how social media now drives the narrative as much as producers do, and why controversy fuels loyalty, outrage and obsession in equal measure. We also get into the evolution of franchises like RHOC, what happens when cast dynamics shift and why real connection is the difference between iconic TV and viewer fatigue.

This one’s about more than what we’re watching. It’s about why we care - and what reality TV reveals about us.

Get all the latest TV updates from Amanda at:

IG: @bellatalkstv

YouTube: @bellatalkstv

Podcast: Bella Talks TV

Follow Pop Therapy at:

IG: @jana.firestone

YouTube: @poptherapypodcast

Website: www.janafirestone.com

Thanks as always to our legendary audio engineer, Sam Talbot! You can work with him too - at www.samtalbot.com.au

This week on Pop Therapy, Cat from Worm with a Mustache is back to pull apart the Bravo universe at its most unhinged. We dig into Jen Shah’s release and what it really exposes about fandom, forgiveness and the questionable appetite for a redemption arc. We get into the rising questions around Lisa Barlow’s business empire, the slow unraveling of Kyle and Amanda under reality-TV pressure, and why every Bravoleb suddenly thinks a DJ booth is their path to reinvention.

Then we head to Beverly Hills and Vanderpump Rules, where authenticity is the storyline Bravo can’t manufacture. Erika Jayne’s emotional vacancy, Rachel Zoe’s unexpectedly star o the rise, the franchise’s creeping stagnation and the spark of hope in newcomers like Boz all go under the microscope. We also unpack representation and the emotional weight Garcelle was being asked to carry, and the way politics and pop culture are bleeding into each other more than ever.

Fast, sharp and full of cultural x-rays, this episode gets right to the psychology of why we watch and what the drama reveals.

Find Cat at:

IG: @worm_with_a_mustache

TikTok: @worm_with_a_mustache

Follow the show at @jana.firestone

Watch full eps on YouTube at: @poptherapypodcast

Or come and say hello at www.janafirestone.com

Thank you to our wonderful audio engineer Sam Talbot, who you can work with directly right here: www.samtalbot.com.au

We have officially rebranded and are leaning right into the Pop Therapy of it all! The Curious Life Podcast has been a our home for the last 7 years, but we are rounding out the year with the new name that really captures it all. Welcome officially to POP THERAPY!

This week, I sit down with recap queen Kate Riccio to debrief the glittered chaos of BravoCon - the thrills, the crowd crush, the parasocial tightrope and the Bravolebs who handled it… and those who very much did not. We dive into Salt Lake City’s current cultural chokehold, Emmy Sharrett's Southern Hospitality Panel, and why she gets such a hard time from the fans.

Southern Charm and Summer House get the Pop Therapy treatment as we unpack friendship fractures, fame fatigue and why the audience now feels as emotionally invested as the cast.

Kate has some genius ideas for Bravo 2.0 and a candidacy we can all get behind!

Make sure you're following Kate for all things reality TV at:

TikTok:@katericcio

Insta: @ricciorecaps and @therealityofreality

Follow the show on IG at @jana.firestone

Get in touch via the website at: www.janafirestone.com

Watch full videos on YouTube at: PopTherapyPodcast

Thank you to our brilliant audio engineer, Sam Talbot! You can work with him too at www.samtalbot.com.au

Heidi Anderson takes the mic and pulls me into a full BravoCon debrief, and nothing is off the table. Think of this as a backstage pass meets a therapy session for Bravo obsessives.

We get into the frenzy, the fandom, the unspoken rules of the Bravoverse, and what actually happens when you drop a therapist into the middle of thousands of people who’ve also memorised every feud since 2006.

Heidi gets me talking about the moments that made me laugh, the ones that made me pause, and the ones that reminded me why Bravo isn’t just entertainment - it’s a living case study in human behaviour. From the Bravolebs who surprised me to the crowd dynamics that said more than any panel ever could, we unpack why reality TV hooks us, holds us and sometimes even helps us understand ourselves.

It’s fast, fun, a little unhinged, and very Pop Therapy.

Find me on Instagram at @jana.firestone and at www.janafirestone.com.

Follow Heidi Anderson to set your dreams into PR action at @_heidianderson

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW ON YOUTUBE @thecuriouslifepodcast

Thank you to our audio engineer extraordinaire, Sam Talbot. You can work with him too! Head to www.samtalbot.com.au

In the first BRAVOCON episode since my return, Cat (@worm_with_a_mustache) and I dive into the absolute whirlwind that was BravoCon. We unpack the intensity of the weekend, the standout moments from CreatorCon (hosted by The Bravo Docket and Podcast Nation) and our own shifting feelings about the Housewives universe.

We cover the ethics of sharing personal stories and children on reality TV, the justice system’s inconsistent treatment of reality stars, and what the future of Bravo might look like as more controversies surface.

If you love reality TV but also enjoy the psychology, the power plays, and the human cost behind it all, this episode is it.

Follow Cat for all things Bravo and politics at @worm_with_a_mustache.Connect with me on Instagram at @jana.firestone, watch episodes in full on YouTube @thecuriouslifepodcast and find out more at www.janafirestone.com.

Thank you to the brilliant Sam Talbot, our audio engineering wizard who whipped this together in a matter of hours! Work with him directly at www.samtalbot.com.au

In this week’s episode of Pop Therapy, I’m joined bymy friend Dana Regan, a.k.a. The Bravo Investigator, for afull-blown Housewives debrief. We dive into the brand-new Real Housewives of London from the accents, alliances and the early villains emerging from the fog.

Then we head to the icy slopes of Salt Lake City, unpacking the Todd and Muzzie of it all and what’s really going on beneath that chaos. Over in Miami, we ask the big question - is Julia even remotely redeemable after this season’s revelations? And because we can’t help ourselves, there’s a cheeky sprinkle of 90 Day Fiancé drama to round things out.

Follow Dana on Instagram at @thebravoinvestigator,listen to her podcast The Bravo Investigator, and support her on Patreon for even deeper dives into the Bravosphere.

You can find me at @jana.firestone, or visit www.janafirestone.com for all things Plot Twist, Pop Therapy,and beyond.

Thanks as always to the award-winning Sam Talbot for audio engineering. Check out his work at www.samtalbot.com.au

This week on Pop Therapy, I’m joined again by my brilliant friend Heidi Anderson - author, speaker, and all-round powerhouse, to unpack The Muzzy of it all from The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.

What started as a juicy Bravo debrief turned into a raw and emotional conversation about mothers, boundaries, and the people who hurt us the most. We talk about Bronwyn’s pain, how she can possibly heal from this, and the complex web of love, loyalty and loss that sits underneath it all.

Heidi shares an incredibly moving story about her own mum - one that will stay with you long after you listen - and together we explore the mother wound, narcissism, and the very specific cultural pressures of Mormonism that shape some of the stories we are seeing unfold on RHOSLC.

If you’ve ever had a complicated relationship with a parent, a toxic friend, or someone who just can’t meet you where you are, this one’s for you. It’s honest, messy, emotional and full of those “oh my god, me too” moments.

We also touch on the seemingly endless stream of Bravo Con - as in, convicted felons and why this seems to be an ongoing trend!

Listen in for therapy-meets-pop-culture realness, and a conversation that might just help you see your own story a little differently.

Follow Heidi at @_heidianderson
Follow me at @jana.firestone | janafirestone.com | YouTube: THE CURIOUS LIFE PODCAST
Audio production by wonderful Sam Talbot | samtalbot.com.au

This week I’m joined by my friend, mentor and fellow Bravo enthusiast, Heidi Anderson - author, PR coach and confidence queen - for a wild Pop Therapy session diving deep into the latest chaos from the Real Housewives universe.

We unpack the RHOM bombshell Julia dropped (what is going on in that twisted mind?!), how it could impact her marriage to tennis legend Martina Navratilova, their newly adopted sons and the whispers about Julia’s shady past. We also explore Guerdy and Adriana’s painful experiences of exclusion and the heat that only Miami can bring.

Plus, we get into RHOSLC and RHOC - what’s working, what’s not, and which cast shake-ups we’d love to see next.

This one’s juicy, funny, and full of therapy-level insight with a Bravo twist.

Listen out for a CODE WORD in the second half — the first 5 people to DM us will win copies of Drunk on Confidence and Plot Twist!

Connect with Heidi:
Instagram: @_heidianderson

Connect with me:
Instagram: @jana.firestone
YouTube: The Curious Life Podcast
Website: www.janafirestone.com

Audio engineering by the wonderful Sam Talbot – work with him at www.samtalbot.com.au