The Angry Therapist Podcast

In this episode, we explore the questions people are often afraid to ask out loud — the confusing, intimate, and deeply human moments that shape our relationships. From wondering if you’ve ever truly been in love, to navigating sticky boundaries, to deciding whether to stay or leave… we’re going there. We grouped your questions into three core themes to make the conversation grounded, digestible,...

This episode is an excerpt from our video course module on understanding trauma and the nervous system. In it, we break down trauma in a way that finally makes sense. You’ll learn why trauma isn’t about the “big event,” but about unbearable emotional experiences without a relational home — and why your brain responds exactly the way it does. Follow Dr. MaryCatherine McDonald on Instagram HERE Lear...

This episode brings together members of John Kim’s Single on Purpose coaching team for an unfiltered, deeply human conversation about what happened when the SOP community was suddenly closed. These are therapists, coaches, and facilitators — doing therapy on each other — exploring the activation, the grief, the meaning, and the unexpected wounds that surfaced. You’ll hear them talk about: What SOP...

In this module of the video course, we explore what really happens inside relationships when two people are trying — and struggling — to grow. We talk about emotional language, repair, anger, shutdown, nervous-system responses, and what it means to feel safe with someone for the first time. Whether you’re navigating conflict, trying to understand your partner better, or learning how to show up wit...

In this raw, unfiltered reflection, John shares the real story behind going rogue as a therapist — from coffee-shop sessions to walk-and-talks, to breaking every rule therapy school ever taught him. He explores the lifelong pattern of exchanging truth for membership, the fear of being seen, and the moment one client validated everything he was terrified to try. This episode dives into authenticity...

In today’s Q&A, we get into the real questions people ask when they’re standing at the edge of a relationship crossroads. When you’re torn between fear and intuition… when the attraction feels off… when you’re trying to communicate your way through a situationship… when you’re healing but also craving connection… when you don’t know if you’re choosing someone, settling for someone, or staying beca...

Full Video Course HERE All modules, worksheets, and bonus sessions. This video compiles key moments from the second core module from our relationship course - "How to Fight Without Fighting" You'll learn: Why repair looks completely different for each partner How to ask for (and give) permission to reopen old conversations What to do when you still feel hurt but your partner has “moved on” The mom...

In this raw, unfiltered conversation, John & Vanessa reveal the emotional, financial, and spiritual journey of entering — and surviving — the mental health world. From burnout and red tape to awakening and purpose, this episode exposes the hidden side of the therapist pipeline and why so many helpers feel lost, exhausted, or misled. They share: Their completely different grad-school experiences Th...

🎓 Full video course: HERE All modules, worksheets, and bonus sessions. This video compiles key moments from two core modules from our relationship course: Module 1 — The 12 Principles: a practical framework for secure-functioning relationships. These aren’t rules to follow perfectly -  they’re principles that guide how you show up when things get hard. The real, messy, human version of healthy lo...

At 52, John realizes how often we trade our truth for “membership” - relationships, status, the idea of success - and quietly disappear. From a house fire to shaving his head, he reframes love, loss, and identity, arguing that real growth demands new lenses, not old fantasies. What You’ll Learn: Why exchanging your truth for acceptance makes you lukewarm “Corrective love” vs replaying the past’s h...

Rapid-fire answers to your biggest honesty hurdles: settling vs. standards, dating vs. marriage mindset, online dating that respects your time, inviting more sex without pressure, and handling rejection like a grown-up. Short, practical, and therapist-backed. Join John in Costa Rica, Dec 1–5. A retreat for connection, creativity, and fresh starts with an optional two-day medicine journey. Sign up...

In this part 3 of our Attachment series, therapist Rebecca Prolman joins John Kim to unpack how childhood misattunement wires shame, why anger isn’t the enemy, and how “emotional completion” helps you reclaim the parts you exiled to survive. They explore corrective relationships (why real safety can feel scary), co-regulation for kids, and practical steps to move from fawning to sovereignty. Key t...

John Kim and Rebecca Prolman unpack how childhood attachment wounds and the shame-based adaptations they create - shape adult relationships. They trace core capacities (connection, attunement, trust, autonomy, love/sexuality) and show how co-regulation and healthy boundaries restore intimacy and desire. Resources mentioned: NARM (NeuroAffective Relational Model) framework and a 5-module course by...

In Part 1 of this 3-episode series, John Kim and licensed therapist Rebecca Prolman break down attachment trauma in clear, human terms. They unpack emotional neglect, nervous-system dysregulation, the NARM approach (NeuroAffective Relational Model), and why so many of us carry shame that isn’t ours. You’ll learn the core dilemma children face (“stay connected to myself or stay safe in the bond?”),...

What happens when therapy becomes personal? In this raw and honest conversation, John Kim talks with licensed therapist Rebecca Prolman about her real-life experience of falling for her therapist — and what it taught her about attachment, shame, and healing. Together they explore the taboo topic of client-therapist attraction, transference and counter-transference, and how therapy can mirror our d...

In this episode, John dives into some of the most honest, relatable, and raw relationship questions we all face — from managing triggers and attachment styles to knowing when it’s time to let go. If you’ve ever asked yourself “Am I loving the wrong way?” or “How do I know if this relationship is worth it?” — this one’s for you. It’s not about perfect love — it’s about real, healthy connection. Joi...

In this special episode, John Kim brings together five brilliant voices - Amy Chan, Terri Cole, Dene Logan, Vanessa Bennett, and Daniel Stewart - for a raw and honest conversation about love, grief, codependency, and what it really means to grow. They unpack: Turning loss into a wake-up call 🌿 The biology of heartbreak and trauma bonds ❤️‍🔥 How to tell if growth is healthy or self-abandonment Wh...

In this week’s episode, John Kim shares a real story about risk, fear, and transformation. What started as a property deal in Costa Rica turned into a profound reminder about the power of mindset. When we shift from fear to growth, everything changes - from how we love to how we live. ✨ Episode Highlights: How a 25-year-old inspired a new way to think about challenges Why growth mindset leads to...

There’s a freedom that comes in your 40s that no one warns you about - because it doesn’t come from achievement or success. It comes from shedding. In this episode, John and Vanessa talk about what it really means to stop giving a f*ck - not in the cynical sense, but in the self-loving one. It’s about choosing your energy wisely, letting go of people and stories that no longer fit, and returning t...

What happens when love feels like pressure - when “I’m proud of you” never came? In this honest conversation, John Kim and John Wang, author of Big Asian Energy, talk about growing up with parents who equated love with achievement, and what it takes to finally feel enough on your own terms. In this episode, you’ll hear about: The invisible weight of trying to make your parents proud Why love often...

In this Q&A, John Kim answers your raw, unfiltered questions about love, attachment, and what it actually takes to build a healthy relationship. From anxious-avoidant dynamics to retroactive jealousy and emotional unavailability — this one gets real. Whether you’re questioning if love should be easy, wondering why your partner won’t commit, or struggling to let go of the past, this episode dives s...

What happens when your dream wedding hides a truth your body already knows? In this powerful conversation, writer and author Amber Rae opens up to John Kim about walking down the aisle knowing she was marrying the wrong man - and the courage it took to leave, fall in love again, and finally meet herself. In this episode, you’ll hear about: Knowing when you’re in the wrong relationship The fear of...

What happens when the blueprint you’ve been chasing - cars, houses, status - no longer fits who you’ve become? In this powerful episode, John Kim shares how he traded Hollywood dreams for a meaningful life in Costa Rica, and how redefining his blueprint transformed everything. In this conversation, you’ll hear about: Why chasing cars, houses, and status leaves you empty The shift from living “outs...

What do you do when life forces you to start over? John Kim shares how he rebuilt his life in Costa Rica - through community, facing fears, daily rituals, and love check-ins. A raw, honest guide to rebuilding with intention. In this episode, you’ll hear about: How community can ground and heal you Facing fears to unlock flow states Shifting fitness and diet in new ways Why relationships get expose...

What if there were no “wrong” choices - only honest ones? In this episode, John Kim unpacks how to stop second-guessing yourself and start trusting the decisions that truly align with who you are. Instead of chasing the “right” path or playing it safe, John shares how honest choices open doors you never expected, build real self-trust, and help you live without regrets. In this conversation, you’l...