The Shrink Think Podcast

What do you do when you've talked about all the things you came to therapy to talk about? A lot of people either get stuck here or believe this means they're done with therapy. However, this is where things shift from the content (what you're talking about) to the process (who you are and how you do things) of therapy, and the juncture where real change begins. ———————— Sign up for our FREE email...

It's a difficult transition for parents when children become adults. They want more independence and autonomy, but they still need you for some things yet may not have maturity or awareness to acknowledge that. You, as a parent, must adjust in how you relate to your now-adult child that is different from when they were younger. Listen to the previous episode (#101) for the adult children, then lis...

When you're a teenager and become an independent adult, your relationship with your parents changes... or at least it should. In this first of two episodes, we talk to adult children about why and how to make that adjustment from a childlike relationship to a more peer-to-peer adult relationship. We'll talk to parents about this shift in the following episode. ———————— Sign up for our FREE email c...

We made it to 100 episodes! It took almost two years of dedication and we're so proud and excited to be here! We take some time reflecting on early episodes, what we've learned as podcasters, and take calls from listeners who shared their experiences of our podcast. Listen in and celebrate with us! Special thanks to Kaci and Jill (our sound editors), Rach (our brand consultant), Joe Sanok (who got...

When you're in conflict with someone and trying to communicate through it, sometimes you can slip into a right/wrong mentality and end up defending yourself but losing the other person as a result. Communication in conflict is not about winning or being right, but about being heard, understood, and connected. In this episode, we talk about some of these dynamics and give you tips to help you achie...

Communication is a key part of relationships, and a common reason conflict happens. When talking with someone, it takes both of you to work together to communicate - one person speaking, the other listening. But it's more than that. You have to work together to understand the meaning that the speaker is trying to convey - a task that may be more challenging than you realize! ———————— Sign up for o...

Have you ever noticed that some people process out loud, verbally, while other people tend to take more time to think and then share? There definitely are two different kinds of people and we want to break these down to give you an insight about why they might be the way they are and how you can interact with them more effectively. ———————— Sign up for our FREE email course on overcoming fear and...

The mind and body have an incredible relationship: when you have experienced psychological pain, your body can store it along with critical psychological information about your experience. When you resist pain or resist listening to what it's telling you, you can unknowingly create suffering for yourself. Allowing it to exist and learning from it can be a powerful experience of change and healing...

Why do we value something but find ourselves acting in ways that do not reflect those values, such as avoiding conflict when we value honesty or connection? It is easier to make mental justifications for our actions than to change those behaviors to get them into alignment with our values. In this episode, we unpack this issue and explain these dynamics so you can better understand why you might b...

When some people come to therapy, you might explain how your life hasn't been bad - in fact, maybe it's been pretty good - so you don't understand why you struggle with anxiety, depression, or a lack of purpose. You might say you should be "happy" or even say you ARE that happy... so why are you going to therapy? If this is you, I'm sure you've asked yourself that question. Well, in this episode w...

People in America (and in the West) have difficulty with death and loss. Often when we lose someone and grieve, others don't know what to do with our sadness and can even suggest we talk to a therapist about it. But does your grief actually need therapy, or is it a normal experience you're going through? What does grief counseling even entail and do you need to go to counseling at all if you're gr...

Have you wondered why you do the addictive behavior you do, like what that is really about? Is it to gain a sense of control? Is it to feel acceptable? Is it to feel emotions that you cannot get to or to avoid them altogether? We talk about all these things in this powerful episode that will help you think more critically about what your addiction is really about. ———————— Sign up for our FREE ema...

Have you ever wanted to go to therapy but dreaded being asked about your childhood? Do you wonder what the big deal is about childhood that therapists need to ask about yours? We unpack this controversial issue and give you some answers. Be warned, though, because you might not like all the answers! ———————— Sign up for our FREE email course on overcoming fear and insecurity at: www. ShrinkThinkPo...

When you can only see your own perspective, you can end up staying stuck repeating your own patterns. In order to change and grow, you need a different perspective, outside of your own, to see things differently than you do, to question what and why you do what you do, and to challenge them at times. This may seem basic to some, but it's a basic fundamental for therapy to be effective and often ov...

Therapy is a difficult place if you struggle receiving feedback. The change process requires that we see ourselves differently than we do, and to see ourselves as we truly are - both good and bad. Therapists want to help you with this, gently but firmly, so that you can pursue the growth or change you're looking for. There are some reasons you can struggle with that process, and this episode addre...

When you engage in therapy, you will come to a point where you will receive feedback about yourself that you may not have known before and need to address in order to change. Adopting a posture of humility to see and receive the feedback is a choice you'll have to make in order to grow in the ways you need. ———————— Sign up for our FREE email course on overcoming fear and insecurity at: www. Shrin...

If you have religious or spiritual beliefs, is it okay to work with a therapist who doesn't have any? Or if you aren't religious, can you still be helped by working with a therapist who is? We break down some of the pros and cons of these dynamics to help you determine what might work best for your needs. ———————— Sign up for our FREE email course on overcoming fear and insecurity at: www. ShrinkT...

This is a behind-the-scenes episode! When a client sends an email or leaves a message for a therapist, this is what we see and think. We want to share our experience so you can see what happens on the other end, and we hope this will help inform and guide you. ———————— Sign up for our FREE email course on overcoming fear and insecurity at: www. ShrinkThinkPodcast.com/course

Sometimes when you want to heal from your anxiety, you find yourself unable to let go of it or even... addicted to it. Why is that? We talk about how holding onto our struggles can be surprisingly difficult and what you can do to overcome it so you can achieve your therapy goals. Credit: April ———————— Sign up for our FREE email course on overcoming fear and insecurity at: www. ShrinkThinkPodcast....

Everyone has an attachment style that influences and impacts their relationships. Everyone starts out as a dependent baby and seeks to end up as an interdependent adult. We discussed how this looks in action with the secure and disorganized attachment types in the previous episode. In this follow-up episode, we discuss how this looks in action - with the anxious and avoidant types. ———————— Sign u...

Everyone has an attachment style that influences and impacts their relationships. Everyone starts out as a dependent baby and seeks to end up as an interdependent adult. In this first of two episodes, we discuss how this looks in action - starting with the secure and disorganized attachment types. Stay tuned! Next episode we will discuss the anxious and avoidant types. ———————— Sign up for our FRE...

If you're wanting to do couples counseling, there are a few things you'll want to know before getting started. Seeing a therapist with your partner is different from individual therapy, from filling out paperwork to who the client is (spoiler alert: it's the relationship). Knowing these tips will guide you so you can set your expectations properly and do counseling well. ———————— Sign up for our F...

This may seem simplistic but talking about what therapy is is one of the most important topics we could cover! What is therapy and what happens in a session? What can you expect and how should you go about that first session or two? We answer all these questions in this "behind-the-scenes" episode from two therapists! ———————— Sign up for our FREE email course on overcoming fear and insecurity at:...

Being honest and open with your therapist means not censoring yourself, sharing things you might be afraid to share, and being receptive to feedback about yourself - which can all be scary and difficult! These are essential elements, though, if you want therapy to be effective and you want to see the growth you're looking for. ———————— Sign up for our FREE email course on overcoming fear and insec...

A therapist doesn't have to share your experiences in order to be able to effectively help you (like a doctor performing surgery without ever having experienced the issue). Are there times, though, when a therapist's personal experiences can be helpful when shared appropriately? ———————— Sign up for our FREE email course on overcoming fear and insecurity at: www. ShrinkThinkPodcast.com/course