Asking For A Friend with TalkDoc

Without boundaries we keep the people around us “guessing” about how to treat us. We are expecting them to read our minds! But, if we want to keep our relationships healthy, we need to set boundaries so we can help others treat us well. In this episode TalkDoc, Meredith, and Teighlor revisit the topic of Boundary Setting. We reflect on our previous episodes (EP #20 and EP#22) on Boundaries. We ide...

EP 66: Find Your Voice - How to Increase the Power of Your Speech  Have you ever noticed someone self-sabotaging their own speech? Phrases like, “Sorry to bother you,” “This is a little thing,” and “It’s probably nothing but…” are all examples of instances that reduce the power of our speech. When we engage in self-defeating speech, we silence our own voices. In large organizations, many working p...

Too often people approach situations believing they are reading the context accurately. We just believe we are right! We believe we know what’s going on in most situations! In this episode TalkDoc, Meredith, and Teighlor revisit the topic of Perception Checking. We reflect on our previous episode (EP #26) on Perception Checking. We identify ways we have improved our use of perception checking as a...

In defensive moments, we face the ultimate question - Would you rather be right? Or would you rather have a good relationship? In this episode TalkDoc, Meredith, and Teighlor revisit the topic of Defensiveness. We reflect on our previous episode (EP #2) on How to Manage Defensiveness. We identify ways we have improved our non-defensive reactions and what we still have to work on. We discuss tools...

Do you have someone in your life who manipulates you with passive-aggressive behaviors? In this episode, listen to TalkDoc and the team breakdown this destructive form of communication. First, we identify behavior that is considered passive-aggressive. Second, we differentiate irony from sarcasm. Next, we talk about passive-aggressive patterns of behavior. Finally, we discuss the consequences of t...

Are you someone who gets “stressed out” often? Do you wonder if you are experiencing underlying Anxiety? What’s the difference? Listen to our interview with therapist, Vanessa Trine, LPPC as she helps us differentiate stress from anxiety. In our conversation, Vanessa helps us understand when one needs to get help to manage their anxiety. Hear our group discussion about listening to our physical re...

Let’s face it. It’s easy to criticize the people around us. But, research shows that too many criticisms can harm our relationships. In this episode, TalkDoc, Meredith, and Teighlor differentiate between critical comments and useful complaints. Listen in and learn how to turn your critical comments into helpful complaints to create more peace in the relationships you want to keep. Music by Epidemi...

The number one cause of death in women globally is heart attacks. So, why have heart attacks traditionally been identified as a man’s disease? The truth is that heart attacks should be a concern for everyone!  In this episode, TalkDoc, Meredith, and Teighlor are joined by special guests Staci Ross, M.A., L.M.F.T. and Kim Newlin, RN, CNS, ANP-C to talk about Women and Heart Attacks.  On a personal...

There are times when we are faced with sudden feelings of anger. The challenge is to have prepared anger management strategies to be ready for those moments. In this episode, TalkDoc, Meredith, and Teighlor are joined by special guests Christopher Faris and Carrie Johnson who are both practicing family therapists for the past 10 years, to dive deep into the swamp of anger management. During this e...

You know the feeling….that knot that forms in your stomach….that wave of stress that hits your body….that moment where you feel hijacked and out of control.  Depending on the circumstances these can be incredibly challenging moments for anyone. In this episode of “Asking For A Friend," TalkDoc, Meredith and Teighlor dive into those moments where we get hijacked by our emotions. We discuss strategi...

Are you someone who is caught up in telling yourself what you “should” be doing or achieving? Someone once said, “Perfectionism is a trait that makes life an endless report card on accomplishments or looks.” If you or someone you know struggles with perfectionist behaviors or self-shoulding, this episode is for you. In this episode of “Asking For A Friend," TalkDoc, Meredith and Teighlor identify...

Have you ever said something and wished you could take it back? The reality is we can’t. Once something is said, intentionally or not, “it’s out there.” What we choose to say next, can mean the difference between eroding or repairing the relationship with the person or people who received your message. In this episode of “Asking For A Friend," TalkDoc, Meredith and Teighlor get candid about their...

In this episode, we discuss how to express feelings effectively. Specifically, we unpack how to better Express and Regulate emotions in a healthy way to help grow and deepen our everyday relationships. You’ll hear about which communication patterns to avoid and which ones to focus on to help us increase our emotional intelligence.  TalkDoc and the team help us visualize what Expressing and Regulat...

As a special tribute to Father’s Day, TalkDoc, Teighlor and Meredith hand-over their microphones to their spouses - Pete, Ralph and Tommy to talk about what fatherhood is teaching them about their relationship with their kids and themselves. Tommy guides the discussion as a soon-to-be father, with Ralph, dad to two young boys and Pete, father to 3 adult children. Together they share highs and lows...

Do you leave the people around you wondering how you are feeling? Do you play it safe and “not go there?” Too often we take the easy road and fail to recognize, label, and/or express ourselves well. The truth is that all of us could improve our emotional expression to help our relationships grow. Afterall, we are emotional people who sometimes think!   In this episode of “Asking for a Friend with...

As we celebrate our 15 Month-A-Versary, we continue to grow our podcast! Listen to TalkDoc, Teighlor and Meredith’s latest blooper reel to hear more of our uncoordinated moments. Special thanks to our listeners from all 50 U.S. States and from over 72 countries. Thank you for listening to Asking For A Friend with TalkDoc! Check out our web page:   AFAFPodcast.com Music by epidemic sound.

Do you ever find yourself wanting to have a two-way conversation with someone else, but realize you’re mostly having the conversation with yourself? In this episode of “Asking for a Friend with TalkDoc,” we explore three simple communication tools we can use to quickly jump start a two-way conversation. TalkDoc teaches us the principle of getting out of our own way and the steps we can take to mak...

Being a mother can be challenging and complex! Given the life changing impact a mother’s responsibilities carry, it’s hard to believe that a lot of the learning takes place on-the-job.  That’s why it’s so important for mothers to find places they can turn for real world perspective and practical mother-child relationship advice. In this episode of “Asking for a Friend with Talkdoc," we celebrate M...

Influencers and endorsers with famous faces and voices are now a multi-billion-dollar industry for the advertising industry. The exploding popularity of social media channels is accelerating this trend.  As a result, we are bombarded nearly by the minute with messages propped up by celebrity, media, and online personalities.  Often these messages leverage the Fallacy of False Authority. So, what s...

Simplification can be a handy way for us to make sense of something that may seem complex.  But when oversimplification takes over, we may end up missing the truth about what’s really going on. In our everyday relationships it helps to be equipped with detection tools to help us avoid accepting explanations of outcomes that simply aren’t true.  In this episode of “Asking For A Friend," TalkDoc alo...

Have you ever heard someone blame a superstition on an outcome that is completely unrelated?  Like, “I saw a black cat cross my path and that is why I failed my test.”  If you have, then you know what a post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy sounds like (Latin for “If therefore because of this”).   Superstitious “Post hoc” fallacies are another way we attempt to explain events to ourselves. In an earli...

Fallacies come in all shapes and sizes, but what they all have in common is fundamentally unsound. Consequently, fallacies do not hold up under scrutiny. In part 3 of our series, we explore fallacies based on scare tactics and emotional appeal. You’ll become better acquainted with this type of fallacy, the forms it takes and the power it has to convince you to change your mind.  Listen to TalkDoc,...

In part 2 of our series on fallacies, TalkDoc along with her AFAF colleagues Teighlor and Meredith,  introduce additional types of fallacies. As they unpack these fallacies, you’ll learn about the role being rooted in your own values plays when fallacies come your way and the impact of credibility on the believability of an argument.  As you become familiar with how to spot different types of fall...

In this episode, TalkDoc introduces our new series on fallacies. This week we are looking at the fallacy of hasty generalizations. The team breaks down what this is and why it is important. As you listen with us, consider areas you may jump to conclusions or areas you hear people around you doing this. This fallacy can range from bad parenting advice to stereotypes on categories of people. Remembe...

As an end of the year bonus, we’ll be releasing 4 short episodes on New Years resolutions over the next 4 days! Join us as we learn about what communication resolutions we can make to improve our relationships. In this episode the AFAF team wraps up our New Year’s resolutions with how to reduce screen time and how to get off the office chair more often. Did you know the average use of screen time...