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Two good friends and experienced therapists explore the topics that were either shied away from or dismissed because they were too big, too nuanced, too risky, or too uncomfortable to address in school or even in supervision. We want to inspire and encourage therapists to think more deeply, show up more fully, and find humour and self-compassion in navigating the messier parts of being a therapist.
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Hear us out... we know that so many of our clients are in therapy specifically to work through chronic shame, and we work alongside them to pull back the layers and find self-compassion. To learn more about that process, you can listen to our episode on Working with Shame. We came of age professionally, so to speak, when Brené Brown's perspectives on shame and guilt were at the forefront of the cultural zeitgeist. According to Brené, shame is 'I'm bad', while guilt is 'I did something b...
Therapists should not be out here guaranteeing results! That is a big red flag. But false assurances aren't just for those "bad therapists" over there; we, too, can fall into the trap of making promises we can't keep. Have you ever told a client you'll never abandon them? That therapy will save their marriage or "cure" them of anxiety or depression? Listen to learn why it can be harmful to make such strong claims, and what we could be doing instead to create realistic expectations and support...
Clients bring in photos, videos, and artwork—and we love it. It helps us see their world more clearly. But what happens when the sheer volume becomes overwhelming, boundaries get blurry, or we take away something they didn't intend to share? We're taking the couch on the road! Join us between May 9th and May 24th, we'll be heading to 8 Canadian cities for a LIVE episode recording and a chance to connect with other therapists in your area. Space is limited, so snag your ticket before it's too ...
It's time for a refresher about why it's harmful when therapists put on a front of "neutrality". Especially during this time in history, people need therapists to be a place to land, to meet a real person, to talk about their completely understandable fears and have those validated and held. Heads up: this conversation is a little messy and unfinished. We're curious about what you think. We're taking the couch on the road! Join us between May 9th and May 24th, we'll be heading to 8 Canadian c...
In the finale of Season 9, we discuss the concepts of acceptance and forgiveness, and how they show up in therapy. Therapists can have strong opinions about these, and we are no exception! While this is the finale, because we have our tour coming up, we won't be taking a break this time. We'll be back next week for Season 10. We're taking the couch on the road! Join us between May 9th and May 24th, we'll be heading to 8 Canadian cities for a LIVE episode recording and a chance to connec...
We started this episode with the working title, 'When You Watch Childhood Trauma Happening in Real Time', but as the conversation unfolded, so much of what we were talking about was a mixed bag of parenting choices that often fall within the cultural norm, even if, as therapists, we understand might have long-term consequences. We talked about screen time and spanking, being strict with teens, and having age-inappropriate expectations of young children. What is a therapist to do in this situa...
Inspired by conversations with clients about GLP-1s, today we're talking something particularly tender and nuanced: the cultural shift towards thinness and the myriad ways that is showing up in our work. We talk about our duty to our clients, and balancing that with respecting self-determination and stage of change. We discuss how exactly to bring up disordered eating, and whether and when self-disclosure can be helpful. We also talk about countertransference and how that can add layers to th...
We're taking the couch on the road! Join us between May 9th and May 24th, we'll be heading to 8 Canadian cities for a LIVE episode recording and a chance to connect with other therapists in your area. Space is limited, so snag your ticket before it's too late! For more information, visit us on Instagram @edgeofthecouchpod. We hope to see you there! Join us on Patreon for bonus content at www.patreon.com/edgeofthecouch or share your thoughts and questions via DM on Instagram, email at co...
In this episode, we talk about how we can use our shared experience of media to enrich therapeutic work and deepen our relationships with our clients. We mention recent media like Heated Rivalry and the Oprah special on parental estrangement. We also talk about media that stays relevant, like Inside Out. If you enjoyed this episode, join us on patreon, where we often discuss pop culture and current events, in the context of therapeutic work. We're taking the couch on the road! Join us between...
When despair shows up in session, it can be challenging to know how to respond. It's delicate. You don't want to move too quickly, tip into toxic positivity, and look for the silver lining, nor do you want the client to dive into those feelings only to fall deeper into abject hopelessness. In this episode, we talk about how we work with despair. It requires finely tuned clinical skills, and we hope that this conversation can help you feel less stuck when working with folks struggling with des...
We're taking the couch on the road! Join us between May 9th and May 24th, we'll be heading to 8 Canadian cities for a LIVE episode recording and a chance to connect with other therapists in your area. Space is limited, so snag your ticket before it's too late! For more information, visit us on Instagram @edgeofthecouchpod. We hope to see you there! Join us on Patreon for bonus content at www.patreon.com/edgeofthecouch or share your thoughts and questions via DM on Instagram, email at co...
We're taking the couch on the road! Join us between May 9th and May 24th, we'll be heading to 8 Canadian cities for a LIVE episode recording and a chance to connect with other therapists in your area. Space is limited, so snag your ticket before it's too late! For more information, visit us on Instagram @edgeofthecouchpod. We hope to see you there! Join us on Patreon for bonus content at www.patreon.com/edgeofthecouch or share your thoughts and questions via DM on Instagram, email at co...
We're taking the couch on the road! Join us between May 9th and May 24th, we'll be heading to 8 Canadian cities for a LIVE episode recording and a chance to connect with other therapists in your area. Space is limited, so snag your ticket before it's too late! For more information, visit us on Instagram @edgeofthecouchpod. We hope to see you there! Join us on Patreon for bonus content at www.patreon.com/edgeofthecouch or share your thoughts and questions via DM on Instagram, email at co...
In this episode, we answer a DM about new grads calling themselves 'specialists' right out of school. We share about what we think the standards are (or should be) to consider yourself a specialist in a specific client population, presenting concern, and/or modality. We're taking the couch on the road! Join us between May 9th and May 24th, we'll be heading to 8 Canadian cities for a LIVE episode recording and a chance to connect with other therapists in your area. Space is limited, so s...
We're taking the couch on the road! Join us between May 9th and May 24th, we'll be heading to 8 Canadian cities for a LIVE episode recording and a chance to connect with other therapists in your area. Space is limited, so snag your ticket before it's too late! For more information, visit us on Instagram @edgeofthecouchpod. We hope to see you there! Join us on Patreon for bonus content at www.patreon.com/edgeofthecouch or share your thoughts and questions via DM on Instagram, email at co...
We're taking the couch on the road! Join us between May 9th and May 24th, we'll be heading to 8 Canadian cities for a LIVE episode recording and a chance to connect with other therapists in your area. Space is limited, so snag your ticket before it's too late! For more information, visit us on Instagram @edgeofthecouchpod. We hope to see you there! Join us on Patreon for bonus content at www.patreon.com/edgeofthecouch or share your thoughts and questions via DM on Instagram, email at co...
We're taking the couch on the road! Join us between May 9th and May 24th, we'll be heading to 8 Canadian cities for a LIVE episode recording and a chance to connect with other therapists in your area. Space is limited, so snag your ticket before it's too late! For more information, visit us on Instagram @edgeofthecouchpod. We hope to see you there! Join us on Patreon for bonus content at www.patreon.com/edgeofthecouch or share your thoughts and questions via DM on Instagram, email at co...
Self-awareness is a gift, right? Until it isn’t. Self-awareness can help us grow, connect, and live more fully. But when it goes too far, it can crystallize into self-criticism, intellectualizing, and anxiety. In this episode, we talk about what happens when clients almost have TOO much self-awareness. Alison opens the conversation with a quote from Girls star, Jemima Kirke, who once told “unconfident young women” that maybe they’re just “thinking about themselves too much.” We discuss how th...
For the first time on Edge of the Couch, we’re bringing you a Part 2! The response on Instagram (@edgeofthecouchpod!) to the topic of oversaturation was so engaging that we knew we had to continue the conversation. In this episode, we take it deeper: Does the field weed out bad therapists? In a sea of therapists, what does a good fit really mean? And how can we push back against the culture of competition in the field, instead rooting ourselves in accountability, consultation, and community? ...
Welcome back for Season 9 of Edge of the Couch! And hello to those of you who might be just starting your grad programs and finding us for the first time. When we were in school, professors kept bringing up their concern that there was oversaturation in the field. So, we discuss this question: Is it true that there are too many therapists? That question feels even more pressing now than when we first started the podcast five years ago, as the landscape of the field has shifted dramatica...
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its fun how you say anger is a primary emotion and then flip to it being a secondary emotion. i was taught that anger is a secondary emotio and that when a cliemt expresses anger there is something more going on under that anger that can be addressed