A podcast studio can be a confession booth. A host or a guest, especially an anonymous guest, is free to share their darkest secrets in safety—never mind that they will soon be released for all to hear. Listening to these stories is often more than indulging on some juicy content, though—a naked confessional can also serve as a way to make us feel less alone. Whatever secret you have, whatever weird thing you do, there’s probably somebody else out there having the same experience.
These 10 shows open us up to those souls simpatico, so that for an hour or less, you can walk in someone else’s shoes, hear an incredible story you’d never have dreamed up yourself, and gain a little more empathy for the people in your life—and the people you’ve never met.