ShrinkChicks

On this week's episode of ShrinkChicks, Emmalee and Jen dive into the topic of social media and the apps we spend so much time on. They discuss the positives and negatives of social media, comparing ourselves to someone else's highlight reel, the things that exist beyond the highlight reel, why Jen is struggling with the idea of posting pictures of her summer so far, and being conscious of our fee...

Today on ShrinkChicks, Emmalee tells Jen two stories from her weekend that Jen is hearing for the first time on air. Hint: you won't believe them, either! In processing these stories, Emmalee and Jen discuss how some parts of ourselves can feel healed while others can feel like a work in progress. They talk Mom shaming, society's expectations of Mom's and women and how those expectations are wildl...

In this week's episode of ShrinkChicks, Emmalee and Jen answer the question: what do you do when your friends are in a different stage of life than you? Such as being the only mom in your group of friends, the only single friend, the only married friend, the only childfree friend, or in financially different places than your friends, the list goes on. They discuss the grief process that comes alon...

Today on ShrinkChicks, Emmalee and Jen catch up. They check in to see how each other is doing (hint: it's been a tough few weeks) and dive into the topic of magical thinking, which is one of many cognitive distortions. For instance: I will be happier once I get married. Or my life will magically improve once I lose X amount of weight. They discuss the myth of magical thinking, how happiness is an...

In today's episode of ShrinkChicks, Emmalee and Jen have the privilege of sitting down with actress, author, and film producer India Oxenberg. They discuss India’s experience with the NXIVM cult, challenge the stigma associated with people who fall victim to predators and/or high control groups, the grooming and coercion that occured, and how she's been working to heal and find herself again since...

Today's episode is ALL about expectations. Emmalee and Jen discuss the expectations we have in different relationships: romantic, platonic, at work, and with our families. They share expectations they have in their own relationships, how to voice these expectations, and why we need to give ourselves space to grieve the expectations that may go unmet. They also talk wedding planning conflict and ex...

Emmalee and Jen sit down with the incredible Dr. Cassidy Freitas, fellow Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and Podcaster. The three of them dig into boundaries, people pleasing, and how to set boundaries as a people pleaser. They discuss where people pleasing can originate, where to start when addressing our people pleasing tendencies, how to shift from being a perfectionist to a “good enou...

This week, Emmalee and Jen talk through the topics that can be hard to bring up in therapy. From our sex lives and sexual fantasies to depression, lying, or speaking negatively about our parents. They explain why we avoid sharing certain topics with our therapists and give their perspectives from both sides of the couch (hint: they’ve done the same in their own therapy).  On Dear Em & Jen, the...

In today's episode, Emmalee and Jen are joined by one of The Therapy Group's wonderful clinicians, Callie Fraser, MSS, LSW. Callie (@calliefrasercounseling) shares her lived experience of growing up with the knowledge that her Moms used a sperm donor to bring her into this world. She recounts teaching her friends about sperm donors at a young age, explains the process of choosing a donor, discusse...

Emmalee & Jen challenge the idea of “never giving up” on this week’s episode. They address the topic of quitting and why it’s okay to leave relationships, jobs, mindsets, etc. when they're no longer serving you. They talk through the things that keep us from quitting, what happens to our identities once we do leave, how to listen to our bodies and ourselves to know when it’s time to move on, B...

This week, Emmalee and Jen are joined by the incredible Kristen Mark, PhD, MPH, CSE. Dr. Mark (@dr.kristen.mark) is a sex and relationship researcher, sex therapist, professor, and behavioral health scientist. She answers some of your most frequently asked questions like what is sex therapy? How to keep the spark alive, how to communicate about sex with your partner, and what IS the average amount...

This week, Emmalee and Jen break down the term parentification with insight, awareness, and action. They discuss how one becomes parentified, common patterns it can lead to in adulthood, and what actions we can start to take to heal. They also introduce a new segment called "Dear Jen & Em" where they answer a listener question in depth!  Thanks to Dew Edit for sponsoring today's episode! Use t...

Emmalee and Jen are back with season three of ShrinkChicks! This week, they discuss the pressure we can put on ourselves to follow the “shoulds” of life. From going to college, to getting married, to having children, to wanting to have children, to productivity, to finding a “dream” job, to hitting specific life milestones at specific ages - there is a lot to unpack. Em and Jen reflect on the "sho...

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In the final episode of Season 2, Emmalee and Jen reflect on their changes throughout the past 23 episodes and discuss how to cope with transitions and endings. They also have a big announcement! Thank you so much for sticking with us through our second season and we hope to see you in Season 3! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/priv...

Mindfulness, while it has taken off in popularity recently, can still be a vague and intimidating buzzword. This week, Emmalee and Jen are joined by psychologist, speaker, and author Dr. Jennifer Wolkin to make living mindfully less of an abstract and more of a concrete tool to aid you on your mental health journey. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at h...

The most difficult and, for better or worse, the most important relationship we have is always going to be our relationship with ourselves. In a world full of self-care, self-love, self-esteem, and a thousand other buzzwords, self-compassion is an often neglected part of how we validate our own experiences. This week, Emmalee and Jen explore how we can apply it to our lives and answer the question...

After feeling a little burnt out, Emmalee and Jen decided to return to their roots for an episode about a topic near and dear to their hearts and the premise of ShrinkChicks: how to deal with the stigma against psychiatric medication. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

When addressing our anxiety, sometimes its effect is so pervasive that we lose sight of it all together. This week, Emmalee and Jen ground the topic, taking a look at the real-world conditions that foster anxiety in our lives and moving the conversation beyond the buzzword, to a place of self-understanding and practical solutions. Joining them is fellow therapist Amber Benziger, MS, LPC, CCTP and...

This week, Emmalee and Jen are joined by journalist, dating expert, and author, Candice Jalili. Together, they talk dating during COVID, college, and beyond. Candace, the author of Just Send The Text , is the senior sex & dating writer at Elite Daily. Her work can be regularly found in publications like Cosmopolitan, The Cut, and Time, and her debut book Just Send The Text can be found whereve...

The past year has given us all a crash course in navigating unexpected life changes. No matter where life has taken you since this time last February, everyone can benefit from reflection. This week, Emmalee and Jen talk their personal transitions over the past year and answer your questions about dealing with developments you might not have seen coming. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/pri...

This week, friend of the show and owner of West Chester salon, The Brow Bar, joins Emmalee and Jen to talk about her experience coping with chronic illness. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Lacking a close romantic relationship when one is desired taps into core human fears of rejection and isolation. Connection, understanding, sharing, all of the things that can make successful relationships so fulfilling can bury the individual under a mountain of dread when an unsuccessful relationship or period of loneliness convinces them that maybe finding a partner just isn't in the cards. Thi...

Despite the unprecedented push towards destigmatizing therapy and mental health treatment in recent decades, the act of confronting uncomfortable parts of your life will always be, well, uncomfortable. This week, fellow Marriage and Family Therapist and creator of the hilarious Instagram account @PsychoTherapyMemes, Nicole Arzt joins the show to talk about humor, therapy, her debut book, “Sometime...

The power that money has to overwhelm an individual is founded in its vagueness. When it feels like money can mean anything—a symbol, a tool, a means to a way of life, a status symbol—we often give money license to mean everything. This week, financial therapist, podcaster, and friend of the show Amanda Clayman joins Emmalee and Jen to explore how money can affect every part of our lives, from our...