Tales From the Chair

AI is coming for us all. So how will it go after therapy? Let's talk about it, because therapy isn't quite the safe haven from AI we once thought.

The first episode ran long, so I split it in two. Here's a continuing dialogue on therapists quitting and what leads to such endings.

At times, therapists have to end their work with patients. But sometimes, its not due to completion of services or circumstance. Sometimes, we just are....done. But the nuance of "good" quitting, and wrongful kidding is lost of the recipients. So let's talk about how this happens. 5:00 - Dropping the World's Worst Affair 7:00 - Downshifting a Troublesome Person 12:29 - The Patien...

Affairs are bad, and generally messy. But what happens when you have a messy affair with no real payoff. This is the story of the world's worst affair.

So it turns out, therapists are people too! And in being people, that means they have people problems. So, what happens if those issues ooze into your own therapy? Should you ignore it, work with it, or run straight out the door?  Today's episode will begin the story time segment , which begins at  4:43  ("Knives Out") and then continues at  8:41  ("Professor X")

Kids and teens like coupling just like adults. But trends are showing that kids are getting in relationships younger and having sex earlier as well. So what do we make of this trend, and how should adults approach this trend. 2:45 - Two friends of differing paths. 8:00 - Culture, and managing young relationships. 13:10 - Reacting poorly to youth relationships

Sometimes, bad patients come in pairs. In continuing the podcasts' tradition of sharing terrible tales about terrible people, here is the story of the worst couple I ever worked with.

The proverbial curse: A session that goes 55 minutes, and as time runs out, the client asks for advice. Which is a strange question, because the whole session is lased with advice generally. So, what's up with that?

Sex is a connective element of relationships. But much like many things, too little is a problem, and too much is a problem. But what defines those parameters, and when should you begin to address it safely? Let's get into it.

Therapy is a great bastion to dig deep, and search within ones deepest, darkness thoughts. But can you safely say things without them getting out? We're going to talk about it! From the rules of confidentiality, to the discretionary line that therapists' tow. We'll review how confidentiality is withdrawn, and how things like murder can even be discussed in therapy, and kept within the...

Therapy doesn't always end eloquently or frankly, well. So here are some tales sharing the ill endings to some bad therapeutic endings. 0:00 - An awful coparenting case. 10:45 - Bad patients that never make it through the door

No! Yes? I guess....? Threesomes aren't just a fun fantasy tucked away in the minds of college aged males. It can be a complex experience that affects the dynamics of a relationship; for better and for worse. But how do you know if its a good idea, or a bad idea? Neat stats, rules to consider, and more, on today's episode! Story Time: 4:15  - Shooting His Shot, Because Why Not?  9:01  - On...

Bisexuality is an often misunderstood characteristic of sexuality in individuals. While on the surface its easy to understand, often bisexuals are misunderstood as vapidly polygamous or dangerous as partners. So what's up with that ? Well, let's get into it. Story Time: 4:52 - The Paradigm of Preference 8:53 - A Historical Tryst 11:25 - Good Luck,Babe

Therapy is a great bastion to dig deep, and search within ones deepest, darkness thoughts. But can you safely say things without them getting out? We're going to talk about it! From the rules of confidentiality, to the discretionary line that therapists' tow. We'll review how confidentiality is withdrawn, and how things like murder can even be discussed in therapy, and kept within the...

It may seem cliché, but sometimes, clients become enfactuated with their therapists. We listen, we're present, we tend to be warm and nice. It's easy to misinterpret this as an actual connection. So let's talk about it. Story Time: 5:41 - Clients and Social Media Connections 11:26 - A Family of Googly Eyes 14:52 - The Media and Therapy

Some of you have heard of the 4 Loves. But did you know there's a fifth one, and it's a little sinister? Come listen in. Story Time: 4:10 - Parental vainglory 8:13 - Partner vainglory

Running a business in America is hard. But what happens when you're selling something that is intangible, and makes the client do all the work? Let's talk about charging for therapy, and the delicate dance of providing therapeutic services. 

Therapy can get expensive, but is it worth it? Today we talk about the cost of therapy, how it adds up, and how you quantify it's value. Turns out, its a little more complicated than you think.  Tune in next week, as we reverse the mirror and wonder about - The Plight of Charging for Therapy. 

Sometimes, its hard to say goodbye. But in therapy, its actually a good thing. But folks dont now when to stop, or if they should. So, let's talk about it. See if we can clear things up a bit. 

Cheating is bad, real bad! And the damage it causes seems insurmountable. Or is it? Lets talk about it, because there's a lot to be looked at in how to recover from cheating. And spotting when one is just trying to cool the heat they cast on themselves.  Story Time for this episode: 3:22  - Getting Friendly 14:30  - The Danger of a Boys' Trip

Sometimes, the way people act is reminiscent of a mental health condition. But what happens when people act of a certain way, and there's nothing wrong? Can you spot the difference? This episode dives into differentiating the two, and shows examples of when an illness is clearly present and driving the issue, and when you're dealing with a jerk.  Story Time features two tales today: - The "Directo...

When a relationship is blessed with a child, it is usually a momentous, wonderful occasion. But often times - whether because of false expectations, feeling overwhelmed, or naive absentmindedness - mistakes are made. So we're going to talk about it today; what not to do, what to look out for, and how to make things smoother during this tumultuous, blessed time.  Reminder to like,subscribe, or revi...

There are great patients. There are tough patients. There are ones who reached a wall and couldn't get past it. There are ones who conquered their obstacles. And then there's the worst patient I ever had. How did they achieve this feat? Well, have a listen, and enjoy the whirlwind that spanned 5 years of my career. 

Lately, gun violence in America has been met by calls for reform or change. But the recent trope of "Gun violence is a mental health problem," has blurred the conversation away from solutions, and left us with a futility for change. So lets talk today about what a mental health solution would look like, and why we as therapists are right now outmatched when being able to tackle this problem .  

Break ups are hard and often, not friendly. Sometimes things are left behind, you want them back, and they don't want to give it back. When those items are of a personal or intimate nature, what do you do? So let's talk about it, because this happens a lot more than you think.  3:20  - The "Tape"  6:22  - Another "Tape", but its worse. 8:30  - BONUS - Dogs in mediation.