Your Therapist Needs Therapy

This week Jeremy is joined by very special guest Dr Spencer Sunshine, author of Neo-Nazi Terrorism and Countercultural Fascism: The Origins and Afterlife of James Mason's Siege . This delightful book covers some of the lesser known movers and shakers of the Neo-Nazi movement before becoming the online terrorism-loving, capital-building storming movement we know it as today. Spencer’s book loo...

In this week’s episode, Jeremy Schumacher vents about systemic and interpersonal failures in the therapy profession, from exploitative 1099 contracts to outdated, trauma-ignoring treatment models. He critiques how therapists perpetuate harm by misdiagnosing trauma, clinging to rigid or blank-slate modalities, and failing to collectively organize for better conditions. Schumacher calls for therapis...

In this episode Jeremy unpacks the Overton Window—a concept describing how public discourse shifts to define what's acceptable—and how it's been deliberately dragged rightward by fascists, religious zealots, and media oligarchs. Jeremy links this political shift to worsening mental health outcomes, especially for marginalized communities, emphasizing how bad-faith actors manipulate both...

This week Jeremy takes a break from celebrating his birthday to share the upcoming religious trauma peer support group. This has been in the works for a bit, and launches in July! You can sign up directly here or head over to wellnesswithjer.com/religioustrauma As always, Jeremy has all his practice info at Wellness with Jer , and you can find him on Instagram and YouTube . To show your love for t...

In this episode of Your Therapist Needs Therapy, Jeremy Schumacher interviews Sara Rahn, a Milwaukee-based trauma therapist and advocate for disability representation in mental health care. Sara shares her personal journey into the field, shaped by her experiences as both a disabled person and a clinician, highlighting the lack of disability awareness in training and practice, and the toll of work...

In this solo Pride Month episode Jeremy reflects on Pride as both protest and celebration, emphasizing its radical roots and the urgent need for resistance against rising authoritarianism and anti-LGBTQ+ policies. He shares his experience at Milwaukee Pride, where he attended  and offered free religious trauma screenings—gathering informal data revealing the deep and widespread impact of religious...

Jeremy is graced by some of the coolest therapists he knows, who all are returning guests, who also all happen to be named Emily. So much cool conversation, we talk about the paperwork drain of therapy, the lack of modern society to hold and respect complexity, and generational trauma within our own field of therapy. We also talk about being parents, shifting over the course of our career, and odd...

The internet has therapy related questions, and I offer some answers!  Jeremy has all his practice info at Wellness with Jer , and you can find him on Instagram and YouTube . To show your love for the show you can pick up some merch ! We appreciate support from likes, follows, and shares as well! ----- Podcasts about therapy do not replace actual therapy, and listening to a podcast about therapy d...

Jeremy is joined this week by Polly Sackett from Firefly Counseling. Jeremy and Polly talk about her winding path into the mental health field, and how her lived experience, including navigating motherhood, experiencing grief, and discovering somatic practices deeply shaped her therapeutic approach. Together, they reflect on the evolution of the field—from stigma and limited language around mental...

Jeremy drops in this week looking at the recent guidelines released by the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapist (AAMFT) for working with Trans, Non-Binary, and/or Gender Expansive (TNBGE) clients. It’s a really good set of guidelines that were released in a time of political strife, and it does a good job of not giving into the pressure that exists in this climate. Jeremy hits som...

Jeremy is joined this week by fellow Milwaukee therapist, Madeline Bush. Jeremy and Madeline explore her journey from early service work to private practice, where she now focuses on adult individuals and couples. Together, they dig into the regional stigma around therapy, the importance of ritual and grounding practices, and how play and mindfulness can shift relational dynamics. The conversation...

This week Jeremy rips into the dangerous rise of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now head of Health and Human Services, calling out his long history of anti-science rhetoric, profiteering from antivax movements, and proposed policies that threaten neurodivergent communities. Jeremy weaves RFK Jr.'s privileged, chaotic upbringing with his disastrous public health record, tying it all into a broader war...

Jeremy is joined this week by a fellow therapist, community organizer, and honestly one of his favorite humans, Bruno Lenzi. Jeremy and Bruno talk about the power of collaborative and dialogical therapy, community healing, and resisting colonial models of mental health. From massive public therapy circles to revolutionary reading groups and access for people from all socioeconomic statuses, Bruno...

Jeremy is joined this week by the incredibly insightful Emily Maynard. Jeremy and Emily talk about the journey to doing religious trauma work, the emotional cost of working in broken systems, and why private practice can be both liberating and ethically aligned. They unpack their shared roots in fundamentalist Christianity, the slow burn of deconstruction, and how religious trauma resurfaces in to...

Jeremy is joined this week by returning guest Emily Lapolice from Integrative Wellness Therapies . Jeremy and Emily dive into the importance of unlearning harmful narratives around productivity, especially how capitalism and white supremacy have shaped our internalized beliefs about rest and self-worth. They reflect on the challenge of showing up authentically in both personal and professional rol...

In this episode, Jeremy breaks down the toxic masculinity grift peddled by guys like Joe Rogan, Elon Musk, and Jordan Peterson. We look at how these so-called "alpha males" profit off insecurity, why their version of masculinity is just a performance, and the real mental health crisis affecting men. I also explore how gender is a social construct, why these grifts thrive on shame, and wh...

This week Jeremy discusses Elon Musk's public persona, arguing that his behavior is not a result of ketamine use or autism but rather his long-standing personality and privilege. He critiques Musk’s exploitation of wealth, right-wing political shift, and mistreatment of employees, partners, and children, tying it to broader issues of power, white supremacy, and capitalism. Jeremy concludes by...

In this solo episode of Your Therapist Needs Therapy , Jeremy explores the historical and ongoing intersections of Christian nationalism, white supremacy, and the media’s complicity in spreading disinformation, particularly within right-wing spaces. He critiques the lack of accountability for wealthy elites, religious institutions, and corporate-owned media, arguing that these forces manipulate pu...

This week Jeremy talks about the inherent paradox of “Christian Nationalism,” and how that phrase very intentionally doesn’t mean much of anything at all. We also follow some rabbit holes of the Christian Nationalist Crusade and early American versions of this white supremacist movement masquerading around as a patriotic religious undertaking.  Racism and the Religious Right: The Origins of the Ch...

This week Jeremy reconnects with Kate Sayers, a therapist and owner of Safe Space MKE. They discuss Kate's recent certification with WPATH, an organization supporting transgender health, and the importance of advocacy in their profession. The conversation explores the challenges of navigating mental health as LGBTQ+ individuals and clinicians, especially amid political tensions affecting thei...

This week Jeremy Schumacher sits down with Tori Williams Douglass to discuss their journeys through evangelical upbringings, mental health, and deconstruction from rigid religious systems. Tori shares her experiences as a non-binary, neurodivergent person of color raised in predominantly white evangelical spaces and how those intersecting identities shaped her path to becoming an anti-racist educa...

This week Jeremy is joined by returning guest Lilly Risch to talk about navigating tumultuous political and social climates while maintaining personal and professional balance. They discuss the challenges of managing emotional energy as therapists and the importance of building community, staying grounded, and advocating for shared values like social justice and inclusivity. The episode emphasizes...

Jeremy gets the chance to chat with Kristopher Pollard from Milwaukee Film this week. Jeremy and Kristopher talk about the city's vibrant movie scene, Kristopher’s journey into the film industry. They discuss the unique offerings of Milwaukee Film, including curated screenings, festivals, and community engagement. The discussion also explores the evolving portrayal of mental health in films,...

This week Jeremy sits down for a chat with Dawn Giorno, owner of Glass Lake Counseling. They discuss Dawn's journey to becoming a therapist, her passion for working with couples and women in transitional life phases, and her approach to creating a balanced private practice that prioritizes both professional fulfillment and personal well-being. The conversation also explores the challenges of...

We’re back this week with a doozy of an episode! Jeremy takes aim at some lessons learned from current events regarding class consciousness, violence in oppressive systems, and vigilante justice. We look at the different psychological concepts surrounding Luigi Mangione’s *alleged* shooting of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, and the various cognitive biases that come up during conversations...