The Unconventional Therapists’ Guide to Nothing

Our second part of the two-part episode on our favorite strategies and interventions to use within the therapy setting. These strategies are ones we feel we gravitate the most to or have proven to have effectiveness in working through issues such as conflict resolution and depression.

On this two part episode, we dig into some of our favorite therapy techniques that we find most utilized and effective in our practices. Join Dave and Greg as they focus on discussing the therapeutic strategies that they feel best address depression, anxiety, and many other mental health challenges.

The persona and shadow refer to the parts of ourselves we show people versus what we hide. Join Dave and Greg as they discuss this Jungian concept and explore aspects of it that are beneficial as well as versions of it that could be problematic to relationships.

Social media therapists have become a major influence on society. Join Dave and Greg as they review some of the top evidence-based strategies they endorse and share their honest views on these strategies.

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that can have major impacts on an individual's health and functioning. Join Dave and Greg as they discuss the disorder, it's potential causes, and how to navigate how to find ways to have full nights of sleep.

The Tibetan Book of the Dead and the Egyptian Book of the Dead are two vastly different forms of text, however, both send messages on how to embrace life, death and the afterlife. Join Dave and Greg as they discuss the two books of the dead, their core elements, and their usefulness in today's society.

Carl Rogers' Seven Stages of Process outlines an individual's journey from resistance to fully embracing and initiating change for the positive. Join Dave and Greg as they outline the steps of the process and their reflections on the outline in practice.

On the surface, Alice in Wonderland is a story filled with characters who appear to guide her journey, however, their impact on Alice is very little about their direction but more on how they cause her to make inner reflection. Join Dave and Greg as they analyze this classic tale and identify the true role of the characters involved.

The 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, on September 15, 1963 was a racially fueled attack that killed four young children. While tragic, racial attacks on religious places have occurred numerous times throughout the decades. Join Dave and Greg as they discuss attacks on community safe places and how this has impacted the African-American community throughout the years.

For many, a midlife crisis can be a time of anxiety and fear which may consist of impulsive decisions and major changes, while for others feel it can lead to progress and growth. Join Dave and Greg as they take a look at this life phenomenon, thoughts on why it occurs, and how one can navigate through it effectively.

H.P. Lovecraft was an American author who's literary successes mainly came after his death. Join Dave and Greg as they examine his life, controversial ideologies on race, and analyze two of his work in The Dunwich Horror and At the Mountains of Madness.

While the idea of being perfect seems like a positive, for many, perfectionism hinders them from achieving goals or personal growth. Join Dave and Greg as they dig in on the downside of the persistent drive to be perfect.

Self-Determination Theory is a therapeutic framework that explores individual motivation and overall wellness. Join Dave and Greg as they explore the psychology and concepts that comprise Self-Determination Theory, as well as just how important autonomy is in the realm of feeling good.

On this episode we tackle the tragic progression of school shootings and how they have impacted children, parents, and society. Join Dave and Greg as the look at the psychology around these events, potential reasons for their incline, and just how they have changed future generations.

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression that is brought upon by season changes. Join Dave and Greg as they explore the disorder and it's characteristics as well as offer suggestions for ways to work through it.

The idea of werewolves have existed for ages and have often played a role in different cultures and religions throughout time. While the clinical term lycanthropy, the belief one is turning into a wolf, has existed for years as well, the diagnosis is very rare. Join Dave and Greg as they look at the diagnosis, what it looks like, and whether it necessarily needs to exist.

The story of Ed Gein is one of the most grisly, gruesome, and horrific stories known. Even with so much of the story shrouded in lore and speculation, what is known is enough to fuel nightmares...as well as numerous horror movies and stories. Join Dave and Greg as they look into the psychology of Ed as well as the age old question of nature versus nurture.

Grief is a universal experience that, while it impacts everyone, is demonstrated differently in every person. Join Dave and Greg as we discuss the stages of grief as well as share some personal stories of grief and how to work through it.

Phrogging is the process of entering the space of someone else and hiding for a duration of time without the knowledge of the person who resides or occupies this space. Join Dave and Greg as they discuss this creepy invasion of privacy, the impacts it can have on the people it impacts, and offer some wild examples of situations involving phrogging.

We rarely think of becoming suddenly wealthy as a negative but the impacts it can have on relationships, identity and mental health are significant. Join Dave and Greg as they explore the phenomena of sudden wealth syndrome and its impacts on those it effects.

Shame is an evolutionary emotion that can be similar to other emotions, such as depression and anxiety, that can have positive impacts on our behavior when in small doses but can be detrimental to our overall wellbeing when experienced too significantly. Join Dave and Greg as we explore the emotion of shame and even share some of our own experiences with it.

Aesop's Fables are a collection of short stories for children that teach lessons and morality through use of animals in various situations. While these stories date back centuries, many of the lessons still have value today. Join Dave and Greg as they discuss Aesop's use of animals to portray messages and even read through a few stories to see how they hold up.

The idea that something can cause physical or emotional ongoing effects just from seeing or hearing is just as scary as the concept itself but this is exactly what a cognitohazard is suspected to do. Join Dave and Greg as they discuss the wild concept of cognitohazards and try to make sense of this overall difficult to comprehend idea.

Scientology has been around since the 1950's yet to this day it is an organization shrouded in controversy. Join Dave and Greg as they tackle it's origins and approach the topic of what separates a religion from a cult.

Main Character Syndrome is a social media created term that describes a person who feels as though their life is a story line. Join Dave and Greg as they discuss this pseudo-syndrome, it's similarities to personality disorders, and how today's society may actually foster such a mindset.

Crime theory is about developing explanations that may predict or at least provide context to the question of why one individual may be more susceptible to commit a crime than another person. Join Dave and Greg as they discuss the numerous different crime theories and engage in that age old debate of nature versus nurture.

Substance use disorder is largely identified by the difficulty to control consumption, its impact on our ability to function in our daily tasks and relationships, and the lengths we will go to obtain it. Join Dave and Greg as they discuss the disorder, various types of substances that are used, and thoughts on what make this such a problematic disorder for those who suffer from it.

Conspiracy theories highlight the humanistic need to make sense of situations that on the surface appear to be unexplainable, however, at times that inquisitiveness can spiral far beyond a notion or idea. Join Dave and Greg as they take a close look at what conspiracy theories are, what types of people tend to be believers, as well as times a conspiracy theory turned out to be true.

Solution Focused Therapy is a brief therapeutic approach that utilizes an individuals strengths and resources while taking a goal oriented, present and future thinking strategy versus a focusing on past problems. Join Dave and Greg as they break down Solution Focused Therapy and discuss who and when it would be appropriate for use.

Ikigai, which translates to reason for being, is a Japanese concept that involves identifying your skills, what you are passionate about, and using them to create a life worth living. Join Dave and Greg as they work through the elements of this concept and share their thoughts on this concept of how to pursue a life of long lasting happiness.

Intermittent explosive disorder is a mental health diagnosis that is characterized by repeated and sudden episodes of impulsive, aggressive, violent behavior or angry verbal outbursts which involve reactions that are too extreme for the situation. Join Dave and Greg as they discuss the disorder, how it impacts those who experience it, and take a look at the controversy of the validity of the diagnosis.

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were two brothers who sought to build a collection of stories that while both mystical and dark, were also tales of morals and values. Join Dave and Greg as they look at some of those iconic tales and discuss the contrast to the Disney versions they developed into as well as the idea of why these stories have been made less dark and violent over the years.

Carl Jung's personality archetypes are essentially an outline to that features all characters that we embody while helping people understand what ones they lean towards more and what motivates their choices in life. Join Dave and Greg as they discuss the Jungian Archetypes and discuss how understanding yourself can help you become a more effective individual.

Superstitions have played a role in society for ages yet many of us are completely unaware of what connection these rituals have to good or evil or where these strange beliefs originated. Join Dave and Greg as they discuss the psychology of superstitions as well as the origins of some of the most known rituals.

Words can be powerful and this episode explores that power by looking at famous aphorisms. Aphorisms are sort of like nicely worded quotes that reflect on life or offer general statements of guidance. Join Dave and Greg as they explore these words of wisdom and offer explanation on how they can better your life.   Intro/Outro Music by 13th Ward Social Club https://open.spotify.com/artist/5Gvw7YedKx6d2fhiObH5Cc https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzmdJyWuzBpwlsCtn_sVC_A

Despite statistics stating otherwise, many of us experience fear, anxiety, and insecurity in our relationships. Attachment theory helps us better understand reasons these feelings may exist and provide insight to how they play out in our current relationships. Join Dave and Greg as they explore attachment theory and discover all the ways our childhood relationships may impact the relationships we are having today.

Love Has Won was a religious movement led by Amy Carlson, also known as Mother God. Since it's development in 2009 to her death in 2021, the group has been labeled a cult and it's theologies and actions of leader have been highly scrutinized. Join Greg and Dave as they discuss the tragic events and at what point a group may realize that perhaps the path they are on is not the right one. Intro/Outro Music by 13th Ward Social Club https://open.spotify.com/artist/5Gvw7YedKx6d2fhiObH5Cc https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzmdJyWuzBpwlsCtn_sVC_A  

Franz Kafka's novella The Metamorphosis is a strange tale that poses the question of what it would be like to one day wake up and suddenly find yourself transformed into an insect, however, through the use of satire and absurdism, Kafka has sculpted a story that has far deeper meaning. Join Dave and Greg as they explore themes of isolation, disability, and poor mental health within Kafka's most well known story.   Intro/Outro Music by 13th Ward Social Club https://open.spotify.com/artist/5Gvw7YedKx6d2fhiObH5Cc https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzmdJyWuzBpwlsCtn_sVC_A

Can the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors of a few really influence an entire group? From dancing plagues of the Middle Ages to TikTok dance trends and everything in between, join Dave and Greg as they explore the two phenomenons of mass hysteria and social contagion to understand how such bizarre concepts can even be possible. Intro/Outro Music by 13th Ward Social Club https://open.spotify.com/artist/5Gvw7YedKx6d2fhiObH5Cc https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzmdJyWuzBpwlsCtn_sVC_A

Jehovah's Witnesses are a religious denomination shrouded in critique, stigma, as well as misconceptions. While it's known for it's door to door preaching, less known are it's origins and core beliefs as well as the extensive list of notable public figures who were raised practicing it's faith. Join Dave and Greg as they dig into it's creation, structure, beliefs and practices, as well a closer look at some of its criticisms and controversies.

Stockholm syndrome is a psychological phenomena that may occur in situations of kidnapping or abuse. While this syndrome has been seen in various situations and portrayed on movies and tv, it is not a formal psychiatric diagnosis. Join Dave and Greg as they explore this phenomena and offer insight into how it develops within relationships.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy, more commonly referred to as DBT, is a evidence-based therapy model developed by Marsha Linehan that was initially developed to treat individuals experiencing intense emotional responses and interpersonal issues, however, has been adapted over years to treat a wide variety issues and populations such as eating disorders, substance use, and working with individuals with intellectual disabilities. Join Dave and Greg as they discuss the therapeutic modality, it's structure and core elements.   Intro/Outro Music by 13th Ward Social Club https://open.spotify.com/artist/5Gvw7YedKx6d2fhiObH5Cc https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzmdJyWuzBpwlsCtn_sVC_A

At 6'9" and 300 lbs., Ed Kemper is not only one the largest serials killers, but arguably one of the scariest and most vicious. Despite this, he remains far less discussed than others in this category such as Dahmer, Bundy, and Gacy. Join Dave and Greg as they discuss Kemper's childhood, murders, and just what makes him seemingly overlooked.  Intro/Outro Music by 13th Ward Social Club https://open.spotify.com/artist/5Gvw7YedKx6d2fhiObH5Cc https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzmdJyWuzBpwlsCtn_sVC_A

Pornography addiction is an increasing issue that can have serious negative impacts on those who struggle with it yet it fails to have an official mental health diagnosis listing in the DSM V. Join Dave and Greg as they go into what porn addiction is, the negative impacts it can have on individuals and their relationships, as well some treatment options to support those who suffer with the taboo issue.    Intro/Outro Music by 13th Ward Social Club https://open.spotify.com/artist/5Gvw7YedKx6d2fhiObH5Cc https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzmdJyWuzBpwlsCtn_sVC_A

Satire is a way to indirectly draw attention to societal issues, often through over the top humor. Join Dave and Greg as they discuss Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” which served as the solution to the Irish Famine. The solution was so horrifyingly taboo that it may have changed the course of history.

Functional neurological disorder is a brain based condition that disrupts the communication between the brain and the body. Formally known as conversion disorder. This illness is when psychological stressors manifest in physical symptoms, join Dave and Greg as they discuss what was conversion disorder.

When you think of an organization that fed 20,000 underprivileged kids daily, or developed clinics to help treat sickle cell the first thing that comes to mind probably is not the Black Panther Party. Join Dave and Greg as they discuss the movement that started the movement to police the police. 

Why do people Hoard? When does it become mental illness? What’s the difference between boarding and collecting? What explains the cognitive dissonance necessary to trade your relationships for seemingly worthless items. Join Dave and Greg as they discuss all things Hoarder.   Intro/Outro music: 13th Ward Social Club https://open.spotify.com/artist/5Gvw7YedKx6d2fhiObH5Cc https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzmdJyWuzBpwlsCtn_sVC_A

Is there one person out there for all of us? It’s poetic, and beautiful to believe that there is. Many people are searching for their other half, but is that leaving them vulnerable to manipulation? Join Dave and Greg as they discuss a group who preyed on those who hoped for love. The Twin Flames Cult.

“If the Sun refused to shine, I would still be loving you. Mountains crumble to the sea, there will still be you and me” people fall deeply in love and it’s difficult to find the words to express the level of emotion. The same is true when that love is pulled away. The fall can be deep and dark. Join Dave and Greg as they discuss emotional and physical phenomena we all know as heartbreak.