Therapists' Take with Carrie and Josh

This bonus episode is technically the ending to Episode 28: On the Complex Role of Anger after Infidelity. This particular portion primarily focuses on the unfaithful partner's anger that often has been long suppressed. That, however, does not mean that it is always appropriate to express to the betrayed partner who is healing from the act(s) of infidelity, but it can no longer be repressed ei...

Most people can intellectually understand that anger is a reasonable emotional response for those who discover the infidelity of their partners. Anger makes sense, but is it helpful? Does it have a purpose or place in one’s recovery? The reality is that many of us have a complicated relationship with anger. Some are more comfortable with it than they should be and others may be so uncomfortable wi...

You may have heard some version for the following phrase in reference to couple communication - “You have a perspective. Your partner has a perspective. Then, there is what really happened.” You also likely are familiar with the research on eye-witness testimony that speaks to just how wildly unreliable eye-witness testimony is in a court of law. So, if our memory is seemingly so unreliable, then...

No one likes a bully! More often than not when you imagine “a bully” your mind gravitates to some kid from your childhood that pulled your hair, called you names, or even inflicted physical harm upon you. We just can’t wait to be grown so we don’t have to deal with that anymore, right? Wait! Do bullies exist in adulthood as well. The short answer is “yes,” but it often manifests differently. In th...

The decision to leave a marriage or a committed relationship is hardly ever an easy decision and it’s even harder to execute. As much as we applaud the courage it takes to leave when that time comes, it doesn’t change the reality that it is supposed to be hard. It shouldn’t be an easy decision; and it most definitely shouldn’t be a knee-jerk reaction. In this episode of Therapists’ Take, podcast h...

The decision to go to therapy is not an easy one. In addition to figuring our how you are going to afford it, there is also many other emotional barriers to overcome like overcoming the social stigma, facing your sense of failure or embarrassment, not to mention all that goes in to choosing the “right” therapist. With all the effort and vulnerability that goes in to merely making the decision, the...

Stress and anxiety seem to plague us all at some point in our human existence. However, although most teens and adults can relate to the concept of stress and anxiety, it seems to manifest in way similar to another as well as way quite different from another. Despite how similar or different our experiences are with anxiety, one thing us universally agreed upon, no two situations are exactly the s...

Have you ever been referred to as someone’s “work wife” or “work husband”? Is that even okay to do? What about other types of opposite s3x friendships? Are they okay to have? If so, how are they different from same-s3x friendships? So many questions, right? Don’t you worry because Carrie and Josh are on it! In this episode Carrie and Josh will discuss not so much the importance of friendship, but...

EMDR is a form a trauma treatment that his highly effective and greatly revered amongst the mental health community as well as those seeking mental services.  In case you are not aware, EMDR stands for “Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.”  It gets its name because Francine Shapiro, the founder and primary developer of EMDR, first discovered it because of the physiological and emotional...

Are our first responders heroes in your view, or are they villains? It seems like these two camps are often feuding back and forth on mainstream and social medias. In this episode of Therapists’ Take, we hope to offer up a different perspective. We aim to take a look at our first responders in such a way that reminds us that they are human. They are flesh and blood like you and me. And not unlike...

This is a throwback interview that I conducted on March 18, 2019 with friend and colleague, Travis Ernst. Although the interview is several years old, I still think the information still holds up. Here's the youtube link - https://youtu.be/VnDdfbllDOQ In this episode of RecoveryTV LIVE, our guest expert - licensed therapist, Travis Ernst - addresses the issue of gambling addiction. Travis is t...

What is the emotional difference in being “loved” versus being “liked?” Does it really matter? Well, we think it does! In this episode of Therapists’ Take, Carrie and Josh are going to discuss the nuances and purposes of these emotional experiences and why they matter to relationships. Joining them in this discussion will be marriage therapist and author of the book “Liked: Finding the Acceptance...

Here is another bonus episode from the beginning of Therapists' Take when it was a LIVE show only and not a podcast. Hope you enjoy! Communication is easy! We all do it whether we are intentional with it or unintentional. We are always saying something even if we are saying nothing. The challenge with communication is learning to be effective in it, which is easier said than done. In this epis...

What is a “good enough” marriage? Shouldn’t we aspire for “great” or even “better-than-good” marriages? In this episode of the Therapists’ Take Podcast, marriage therapists and podcast hosts, Carrie and Josh, will discuss why they believe the “good enough” marriage is superior to all other types. ______________ 00:00 - Hi, Carrie! 05:00 - Cultural Myths of Marriage 14:50 - Settling vs. Reimagining...

PDF Download of "The Compassionate Response Continuum." - https://tinyurl.com/r3jdyevr Have you ever been in a relationship that was so high in conflict it seemed like no matter what you said or how you responded it was met with even more intensity? Did it feel kind of like throwing water on a grease fire? This is actually a common experience where conflict as escalated in emotional inte...

Second chances may seem easy for some and hard for others. Most of us can probably relate to leaning one direction or the other when we find ourselves in a situation where a second chance may or may not be warranted. But, how do we know we are doing it right? Most of us likely can feel the tug-a-war going on inside where on one side your desire is to give them one more chance, but on the other sid...

“You know what you should do?” “Stop! That’s now how you’re supposed to do it!” “Okay, here’s what you should do…” Can you hear yourself saying those words? Can you picture that person in your life or in your past constantly telling you what you should and shouldn’t do? Does it make you cringe a little? Most of us can relate to moment or two where you proceeded to tell someone what they should or...

Many people often describe themselves as “conflict avoidant. ” Some who ascribe to this label see it as a problem or hurdle they have to overcome, while others are seemingly okay with this being a character trait they possess. But, never have we heard someone talk about this phenomenon as something to be desired. That said, is it possible that we intuitively know that being conflict avoidant at mi...

In honor of Eating Disorder Awareness Week, today’s episode will focus on this phenomenon known as Disordered Eating, not to be mistaken for “eating disorders.” In this episode, licensed therapist and eating disorder specialist, Rebel Buersmeyer, joins our hosts to discuss this phenomenon. __________ 00:00 - Hi, Carrie! 01:00 - Introducing Rebel 04:20 - What Is Disordered Eating? 11:20 - Disordere...

I think most of us would agree that having milestones in our lives is a good thing. Milestones serve as markers to help us measure forward movement and progress; thus, in a sense, milestones help make our life goals and aspirations feel more achievable. So why would we ever fear or "dread" milestones? Why would anyone fear a marker of progress? In this episode, Carrie and Josh are going...

Is humor ever appropriate for therapists to utilize in therapy? If so, when is it appropriate; and what is the point or purpose of its use? To address these questions (and more), Carrie and Josh welcome to the discussion table licensed therapists and co-hosts of the "Are You in Session?" podcasts, Mary Scruggs and Josie Blosser. _________ 00:00 - The Re-Intro 04:00 - A Summation of the S...

Most of us know, either through direct experience or vicarious experience of someone close to us, that infidelity is a painful discovery or revelation. But, why does the pain linger? Why is it that after a year or so into hard couple recovery work does it still hurt so badly? What does this pain mean? Is it supposed to be this way? Does it ever get better? In this episode of Therapists’ Take, Carr...

Are you “self-aware?” If so, how much? What is this concept we are hearing about everywhere called “self-awareness?” Well, in this episode of Therapists’ Take, not only are we going to define it, we are also going to break it down, and then discuss how to access it. We are excited to have our guest, Whitney Warren-Alexander, who is a licensed therapist, group practice owner, and EMDR consultant. W...

Have you ever been concerned about your therapist’s qualifications? Have you ever been alarmed by their youthful appearance (i.e., lack of life experience) or credentials, or the lack thereof? Well, if you have, you are not alone. It is actually quite common. Even a seasoned therapist’s youthful appearance may be thrown in to question from time to time. One reason we vet our therapists seemingly m...

Words are powerful! As our stories unfold and we find ourselves in a chapter of pain and suffering, it's not uncommon that words were utilized as the weapon of choice whether you were on the receiving end, or you were the one wielding the sword... or maybe both. But all hope is not lost. Yes, words can cut us to the core, but words can be extremely healing as well. The right combination of wor...