Talking About Things We're Told We Shouldn't (with Ashley Charbonneau)

Content warning: This episode contains mentions of sexual abuse and providing therapy to sex offenders. The discussion is high level and not graphic; it takes place during the first half of the show.Ashley Charbonneau, a licensed clinical social worker, podcaster, author, and obsessive reader, joins host Emily Hessney Lynch for a wide-ranging conversation about the many different things we're told we shouldn't talk about. We discuss her experiences as a therapist providing therapy to sex offenders, abusive workplaces, healing from career events that shatter you, and the complex issues AI is creating that therapists now have to figure out how to handle. In the second half of the episode, we explore Ashley's experience as a stand-in mom figure to her younger sibling, who she became the guardian of in 2023. We talk about the value of staying regulated when your kid is upset, how hard it is to be an authority figure to someone you really shouldn't have authority over, and the liberating moment of realizing that you get to choose whether or not to have kids. Ashley also shares how being the oldest of 8 kids shaped her decision to not have biological children of her own. We also hype up the importance of vasectomies (and talking about them!).Links:Pre-order Ashley's book, The Resilient Therapist: Healing from Career-Altering Adverse Psychological Events, out October 1, 2026.Listen to Ashley and her colleague Morgen's podcast, The Art of Being a Therapist.Regretting Motherhood by Orna Donath is the book Ashley mentions in the episode.For more of Ashley, follow her on Instagram and check out her website.Follow Emily on Instagram and check out her business, Serve Me the Sky Digital, if you need a social media strategist, speaker, or writer!To support the show, leave us a one-time (or recurring!) tip. We'll send you a sticker to say thanks!We're a proud member of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo is by Tenderchomps Art.Mentioned in this episode:Joe Bean RoastersVisit joebeanroasters.com to get fresh roasted specialty coffee either by the bag or with a Perpetual Joy subscription!Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own BusinessCheck out Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business on Lunchador! https://feeds.captivate.fm/gettingrealwithbossy/