This Isn’t Therapy

This Isn't Therapy... it's the *encore* episode about AI therapists and if they can ever replace the real thing. In this episode, Jake and Simon discuss a recent BBC article about why teens are seeking out AI therapist bots and what that means for the future of mental health. Conversational AI or, in other words, "chatbots with a personality" are gaining more attention and users are finding new th...

This Isn't Therapy...this is a fun, flirty, fab, encore conversation about loneliness versus being alone. Through two #lovelylistener stories, Jake and Simon explore feelings around how we can feel lonely even though we're surrounded by people we love. Also, how being alone does not always mean you are lonely. P.S. Don't forget: Submit a quandary, query, or question with our newest segment Asking...

This Isn't Therapy... it's the encore episode about the overuse of therapy language and the impact its having on our relationships. Gaslighting? Triggered? Trauma-bonding? What do these words actually mean!? And are we using them correctly? Listen to find out. Also, Jake and Simon welcome special guests: Dr. Miriam-Webster, Tammy Toxic, and Gary Gaslight. This is an episode you absolutely don't wa...

This Isn't Therapy...this is our *final* episode until the summer break!! On this weeks eppy, Jake and Simon asked "how do you navigate change?" Through two #lovelylisteners stories, they explore the honest struggle that comes with sudden change and how defaulting to "old habits" isn't necessarily a bad thing. Juicy! Sidebar: if you're a first time caller or a long time listener, thank you for bei...

This Isn't Therapy... it's a doomy episode about the ever-evolving landscape of doomslang. Doomslang, coined by author and linguist Amanda Montell, is a term used to describe dystopian jargon like “dumpster fire” and “doomscroll” and “bed rot”. In this episode, Jake and Simon talk about how the constant conjuring of End Times is having surprising, unintended, and maybe even dangerous, consequences...

This Isn't Therapy...this is a fun, flirty, fab conversation about the control paradox! Arg! How do I get more control? Why must I try to fix everything?! Through two #lovelylistener stories, Simon and Jake explore the paradox of managing our fear of not having control by trying to get more of it. Also, what happens when we try to rush to resolve everything, all the time? AKA being a fix it, Ralph...

This Isn't Therapy... it's a long-overdue convo about inner worlds and inner children! What is an inner child? Does everyone have one? How do I know if I have one? In this episode, Jake and Simon talk about how to reconnect with our inner kids and how to know whether or not our inner child needs healing, attention, connection, or care. What follows is a discussion about inner worlds and why or why...

This Isn't Therapy...this is an (accidental) deep dive into self-improvement influencers and the impact they're having on men: " how to be more alpha by yelling at the ocean!! How to get a six pack by eating a pound of raw liver a day!! Why being sad is a state of mind so go chew on a football!!!! Oh no!! Don't fret though, Simon and Jake keep it flirty and fun as they discuss the online obsession...

This isn't therapy... it's an episode about the six types of play everyone needs. In this episode, Jake and Simon talk about the growing rates of play deprivation and how we've become starved of this essential ingredient for wellbeing. They cover the three types of play we need in infancy and childhood and discuss the three types of play we need in adolescence and adulthood. Let the true meaning b...

This Isn't Therapy... it's a conversation about becoming a confident, capable, and emotionally mature adult. In this episode, Jake and Simon talk about the mirage of adulthood and the search for the "real adults". If you're feeling the pressure to perform a certain brand of adulthood, you don't want to miss this one. Jake and Simon dive into an article by Kathryn Jezer-Morton for The Cut called Do...

This Isn't Therapy...this is a flirty fab conversation about loneliness versus being alone. Through two #lovelylistener stories, Jake and Simon explore feelings around how we can feel lonely even though we're surrounded by people we love. Also, how being alone does not always mean you are lonely.  P.S. Don't forget: Submit a quandary, query, or question with our newest segment Asking For A Friend....

This Isn't Therapy...this is the second-half of a convo about needs (we love a Part 2!!) In this episode, Jake and Simon are piggy backing off last week's episode about uncovering our needs and are now exploring what happens when our needs lead to comparison or conflict . You know her, you love her, she's a little messy: please welcome to the stage....✨Mimetic Rivalries✨!! DC vs Marvel, Apple vs...

This Isn't Therapy...this is a two-part conversation about meeting your needs. What are my needs ? What are your needs ? How do we meet each others needs ?! Oh boy!! In this fun, flirty, fab *throwback* episode, Jake and Simon chat through Primal, Survival, and Growth needs: their evolutionary purpose, self-care, and the difficulty of figuring out what we needs are, in the first place... P.S. Don'...

This Isn't Therapy...this is a critical look at the argument that children need less therapy, not more, and how this "mental heath culture" is stripping parents of autonomy, ultimately causing more harm than good. In this episode, Jake and Simon dive into a review (written by Anna Nordberg for Slate) for a book by a right-leaning conspiracy theorist titled Bad Therapy. "In Bad Therapy, Shrier [the...

This Isn't Therapy... it's the episode about mimetic desire: why we want what other people want. Human beings learn everything, including our desires, from imitation. In this episode, Jake and Simon go deep and peek behind the comparison curtain to reveal the reasons why we come to want what other people have. If you've ever thought "Ooh, I want that!" or "I should follow that trend..." or "I want...

This Isn't Therapy...this is an episode about some hard truths learned in therapy. Ever wonder how to give your therapist some feedback?! Or even how would my therapist react if I gave them some feedback?! Through a story posted by an anonymous reddit user, Jake and Simon examine a therapists' struggle after they received some challenging feedback from a client. Then, through some lovely listener...

This Isn't Therapy... it's the surprise solo session with Jake! In this episode, Jake shares two snippets from his weekly newsletter Just Trying To Help . Jake walks us through his theories for how social media is re-wiring our brains, reshaping our moods, and changing how we connect. P.S. Happy Leap Year! Ribbit Ribbit! Read the full articles here: How Social Media Re-Wired Us All The Rise of Alg...

This Isn't Therapy... it’s a very frank conversation about oversharing and opening up about your mental health online. In this day and age, we've normalized sharing everything online, but is it really helpful? That's the question being asked by Freya India in her recent article "Stop Opening Up About Your Mental Health Online." In this episode, Jake and Simon talk about the cultural pressure to pa...

This Isn't Therapy... it’s a bold, beautiful, and brave conversation about ~scrutiny~. Lol no really, it's an important convo about how criticism, judgment, shame, and scrutiny have their way in the public and personal discourse. In this episode, Jake and Simon talk about the pros and cons of critical observation and how our judgments help us navigate complex social environments. Oh, and hello, hi...

This isn't therapy... it's the episode where Brené Brown answers a question from Jake about emotions: "I was thinking about the phrase Mixed Feelings and how feeling more than one feeling at a time can make it hard to label feelings accurately. How do we label emotions precisely when we are feeling a mix of feelings and experiencing separate layers of emotion?" This is a clip from Brené Brown's ep...

This Isn't Therapy... it’s a timely conversation about being chronically online. In segment one, Jake and Simon talk about Brené Brown’s recent splash back into social media (welcome back BB!) and read an excerpt from her tear-jerking blog post where she talks about taking time away from the internet. In segment two, Jake and Simon chat about the pros and cons of being constantly online and what J...

This Isn't Therapy... it's an episode about the age-old adage "fake it 'til you make it!" In this week's episode, Jake and Simon talk about whether or not it's really possible to fake it or pretend our way into a new reality. Through two Lovely Listener stories, they chat through the pros and cons of keeping our cool and trying to be more confident than we actually are. If you're looking to build...

This Isn't Therapy... it's an episode about the pursuit of endless bliss. Many people arrive to therapy with a "fantasy goal" thinking they want to be calm, happy, and relaxed all the time. Through two #lovelylistener stories, Jake and Simon talk about how to find a realistic sense of joy, happiness, purpose, and pleasure and what we can (or should) expect from life. This episode is for those wond...

This Isn't Therapy... it's the episode about AI therapists and if they can ever replace the real thing. In this episode, Jake and Simon discuss a recent BBC article about why teens are seeking out AI therapist bots and what that means for the future of mental health. Conversational AI or, in other words, "chatbots with a personality" are gaining more attention and users are finding new therapy- is...

This Isn't Therapy...this is a conversation about failed expectations. Through two lovely listeners story submissions (and an article, see below), Jake and Simon explore the impact of not meeting the expectations others put on us, as well as the expectations we put on ourselves. Woof! Big stuff - especially around this "new year, new me" time of year. How do we navigate impossible expectations? Or...