How Psychotherapy Fails -- A Case Study

A real-session deep dive into why therapy breaks down—and how it could go better. How Psychotherapy Fails -- A Case Study is podcast that pulls back the curtain on what happens when therapy doesn’t work—and why. Clinical psychologists Dr. Jack Bugas, Dr. Trevor Arendt, and Dr. Jim McCollum take you inside a real first session from a failed psychotherapy (with identities changed), using actors to read the transcript and then pausing to analyze the missed moments, ruptures, and turning points that derail the therapeutic alliance. You’ll hear how common “stuck” patterns form in real time—misstatement, overly technical interviewing, defensiveness, and unmet needs for warmth and trust—and what skilled clinicians might do differently. If you’re a therapist, trainee, or a client who’s ever wondered “Why didn’t therapy help me?”, this show offers an honest, compassionate, and practical look at therapeutic failure so we can learn from it and improve care. What you’ll learn / keywords t