The one with a serotonin boost

·34 min·3 clips

A PhD student psychoanalyzed her on a first date, telling her she dresses to impress people.

Host Katie Mack interviews a 27-year-old woman from Spain who now lives in London about dating and personal insights. The guest works in sustainability, loves reading, and describes herself as a curious and happy person. Katie introduces the episode by sharing her own recent breakup and notes how the guest's positive energy was a welcome change. The guest states she is looking for love with a mature man who is her age or older, preferably taller, and based in London. She explains her "three A's" for a successful relationship: acceptance, adventure, and affection. Her most controversial opinion is that British communication is overly indirect compared to the more straightforward style she prefers from Spain. She always carries a book with her, even on nights out, and reads in multiple languages including Spanish, Catalan, English, and French. Her worst dating story involves a man she met in a coffee shop who attempted to psychoanalyze her on their first date, making her so uncomfortable she fabricated an emergency to leave. The guest's proposed TED Talk topic would focus on positive sustainability innovations, like using mushrooms to increase humidity and prevent wildfires or air bubbles to trap plastic in canals. Her biggest dating "icks" are bad table manners and treating waitstaff poorly. The guest's best friend recorded a recommendation describing her as a great dancer who laughs easily, is straightforward, and enjoys intellectual discussions on sustainability and history. The guest reveals dancing is a major passion and a way she expresses joy. She and Katie discuss how forcing a smile or laugh can genuinely improve one's mood, linking it to dopamine and serotonin release. The tone is conversational, upbeat, and supportive, with both women sharing personal anecdotes and laughing frequently. The style is informal and interview-based, structured around the guest's dating profile and the "three A's" framework. Listeners interested in cross-cultural dating experiences, positive sustainability stories, and lighthearted personal conversations would enjoy this episode. Those seeking deep dating advice or dramatic narratives might find it too gentle or unstructured.

As heard by us

A funny, candid case for saying the hard thing early.

Single Sounds uses a dating mishap to make a plain point: the conversations people avoid are often the ones that matter most in a relationship.

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Why you'd press play

For the night you want a first-date story that turns uncomfortable fast and still lands with a laugh.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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