Therapy Talk with It's Complicated

AI is already shaping how people seek comfort, reassurance, and even intimacy. So what happens when more and more turn to machines for therapy? In this live-recorded conversation, Johanne sits down with psychodynamic psychotherapist Aaron Balick, author of The Psychodynamics of Social Networking and an early voice on the digitally extended self, to talk about what hyper-validation and frictionless companionship do to our capacity for real relating.What is covered: The algorithmic self, relational complexity, sycophancy and the tolerance of otherness, what psychodynamic thinking brings to a debate dominated by measurables, and advice for therapists whose clients are using ChatGPT.Show links: Aaron Balick's Substack Newsletter Depth Psychology in the Digital AgeThe unedited video recording of the live-streamed conversationDetails for the Rupture & Repair Conference, Berlin, June 6–7, where AI in the Therapy Space, will be one of the presentations

In this episode, Johanne Schwensen sits down with psychologist Julie Haas to break the silence around a topic that affects millions, yet remains deeply misunderstood: the psychological impact of the menstrual cycle.We often normalize suffering as "just part of being a woman," but Julie challenges this narrative. We dive into the science of how hormones shape our mental health and explore practical ways to move from "fixing" ourselves to working with our bodies. 

What happens psychologically when moving doesn’t “fix it”?In this episode of Therapy Talk, Johanne Schwensen speaks with clinical psychologist and psychodynamic psychotherapist Julia Wysokowsky about the emotional impact of moving.Together they explore how mobility shapes identity, belonging, and emotional continuity, from the early euphoria of relocation to grief, loss of grounding, and the challenge of staying connected while always on the move. The conversation touches on unconscious motivations for moving, mobility as a defense against intimacy, and how cultivating rituals and relationships can help create an inner sense of home across changing environments. A thoughtful listen for anyone who has lived between places or cultures.Interested in exploring these themes further? Join the Rupture & Repair Conference in Berlin and online, where therapists and practitioners come together to explore how rupture, breakdown, and reconnection show up not only in therapy rooms, but in relationships, communities, and the wider world. Learn more and apply to contribute here.

In this Therapy Talk episode, Johanne sits down with Dr. Andrea Jungaberle — Chief Medical Officer at OVID Clinic and co-founder of the MIND Foundation — for a grounded, behind-the-scenes look at how psychedelic-assisted therapy is actually making its way into clinical practice. They talk about Germany’s first compassionate use program with psilocybin, why the real work happens before and after the dosing session, and what it takes to responsibly scale these treatments in everyday mental healthcare.

Psychotherapist and author Roland Evans joins Johanne Schwensen to talk about his book Surface and Depths: A Story of Adolescence with Reflections on the Inner Journey. Together they explore adolescence, family, and the lifelong process of becoming ourselves — and how therapy can help us revisit and repair the patterns formed early in life.

Therapy Talk is back! Johanne speaks with psychologist and researcher Lea Schäfer about how AI is showing up in therapy – for clients, therapists, and the future of mental health care. They explore the promises, pitfalls, and ethical questions of bringing technology into the therapeutic space.Full conversation here.*The BDI (Beck Depression Inventory) was first published in 1961 by Dr. Aaron T. Beck.LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/lea-schäfer-1b3894103?originalSubdomain=deResearchGatehttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lea-Schaefer-10LiteratureSchäfer, L. M., Krause, T., & Köhler, S. (2025). Exploring user characteristics, motives, and expectations and the therapeutic alliance in the mental health conversational AI Clare®: a baseline study. Frontiers in Digital Health, 7, 1576135.https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/digital-health/articles/10.3389/fdgth.2025.1576135/fullSchäfer, Lea Maria. "Künstliche Intelligenz als Dritte Instanz in der Psychotherapie: Wie eine sinnvolle Integration von Künstlicher Intelligenz in den psychotherapeutischen Binnenraum aussehen könnte". Was machen Digitalisierung und Künstliche Intelligenz mit der Psychotherapie?: Einwürfe und Provokationen, edited by Bert te Wildt, Gerhard Lauer and Robin Schmidt, Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter Oldenbourg, 2024, pp. 111-128. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111509341-007

In this episode, therapist Dariia Milinchuk shares her expertise on working with survivors of narcissistic abuse. We explore how narcissistic traits differ from narcissistic personality disorder, why even trained professionals can miss the signs of manipulation, and the subtle but powerful ways narcissistic behaviour shows up in relationships. Dariia also discusses the long-term impact of narcissistic abuse and why regaining trust in oneself can be a complex but transformative journey.Full conversation here.

In Breaking Negative Cycles in Relationships, Sára Ritter explains:Her journey into couples therapy and her passion for Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) How conflicts in relationships are often rooted in unmet attachment needsThe pursuer-withdrawer cycle and why we fall into predictable relationship patternsHow couples can reconnect and shift their dynamicJoin us as we unpack these themes and learn how deeper emotional understanding can transform relationships.Watch the full interview here. 

In this episode, Johanne speaks with Matias Castagnola, a clinical psychologist and psychodrama facilitator, about the transformative power of psychodrama. Matias shares how this therapeutic approach uses role-playing, sociometry, and group dynamics to explore possibilities, expand roles, and create meaningful change in a safe and playful environment. We also discuss the balance of creativity and structure in psychodrama sessions and how this method integrates personal growth with group collaboration.Website: https://matiascastagnola.com/

In this episode, host Johanne Schwensen sits down with psychological counsellor Aranja Berkmüller to explore the fascinating and often misunderstood role of kink in the therapy space.This thought-provoking conversation challenges societal norms and encourages deeper reflection. Johanne and Aranja discuss:Common misconceptions about kink and its presence in therapeutic settings.The healing potential of exploring power dynamics and psychological layers within kink.Practical ways therapists can create nonjudgmental and supportive spaces for these discussions.Read more about Aranja here: https://www.amplified-humanity.com. 

To celebrate ADHD Awareness month, we're diving into the ADHD brain and the struggles that come with it. In this episode, Johanne speaks with clinical psychologist Anna Bellack, who not only researched ADHD in women for her thesis but also received her own ADHD diagnosis during her studies. Anna provides insight into the neurological workings of ADHD and sheds light on common challenges faced by people with ADHD, including some that often go overlooked. Whether you’re personally affected by ADHD or just curious, this conversation offers a deep and relatable perspective.ResourcesA list of therapists specialising in ADHDThe full Mind Mingles interview with Anne BellackA community space where you can sign up and ask for ADHD adviceA great podcast about the ADHD brain (and beyond) called ADHD Chatter

In this episode of our mini-series on dreams, clinical psychologist and dream expert Roland Evans explores how we can better understand our dreams by working with them in altered states of consciousness (ASCs). From naturalistic trance and EMDR to active imagination and hypnosis, Roland looks into how these non-ordinary states of awareness help us access deeper layers of dream meaning that are often inaccessible in waking life. Whether you're new to dreamwork or looking to deepen your practice, this episode offers fascinating perspectives on working with dreams using ASCs.

In this insightful episode, Johanne sits down with Aranja Berkmüller, an experienced psychological counsellor and death doula, to delve into the world of end-of-life care. Aranja sheds light on the important role of death doulas—what they really do, and what they don’t. With her unique perspective, she shares powerful lessons from her journey, offering a compassionate exploration of death doula work.Read more about Aranja's work here and in this blog post. 

In this episode, Johanne Schwensen sits down with co-founder of It's Complicated, Jungian psychoanalyst, and author Jakob Lusensky to discuss his new book, C.G. Jung: Face to Face with Christianity - Conversations on Dreaming the Myth Onward. Together, they explore Jung’s complex relationship with Christianity, the process of writing the book, and the deep insights from leading Jungian scholars. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation at the intersection of psychology and spirituality.

In this episode of Therapy Talk, I sit down with seasoned psychotherapist Vasiliki Loumpa, who brings more than a decade of experience in family therapy. We explore the rewarding and challenging aspects of parental counselling, the transformative approach of non-violent resistance and discuss family therapy's powerful impact on supporting children by empowering their parents. Tune in to discover how this type of therapy can foster healthier family dynamics and provide meaningful support to both parents and children.Resources:Family TherapyBreaking free of anxietyNon-violent resistance

In this episode, psychologist Valentina Calandra, explores the realms of liberatory psychology and feminist therapy, and what it means to be "queering" therapy. Calandra highlights the interconnectedness of personal and political struggles in therapy, and envisions therapy as a form of activism that supports individual and collective liberation.

Enveloped in the Therapy Talk podcast, here comes a mini-series about dreams by Roland Evans, and accredited clinical psychologist who has 40 years of experience unlocking the mysteries of dreams.

In this episode, Eugene Belilovsky, explains what it means to take a holistic approach to mental health counselling, and illuminates the value in integrating health factors, societal influences and concepts such as awareness and alignment in working with wellness.List of resources can be found here. 

What do friendship and therapy have in common? In this episode, Johanne Schwensen explores this thought-provoking question with fellow psychologist Valentina Calandra. Tune in to discover how the nuanced overlap between these two realms offers insights into boundaries, queering therapy, and the political dimensions of friendship.Music by Kadri ArulaVisit the Relationship Garden where the conversation about friendship will continue

An increasingly popular specialty within the therapy world is psychedelic integration. But what does it mean to engage in psychedelic integration work? Do you need to have experienced a drug-induced trip, and is it legal? These questions are just a few of the many covered when It's Complicated co-founder and psychologist, Johanne Schwensen, speaks with integrative, person-centred therapist and psychedelic integration workshop facilitator, John Sandblom.Therapists who do psychedelic integration work here.Music by Kadri Arula.

Some therapists never fully retire, for the main reason that their profession stays a source of passion and purpose. Roland Evans who joined me for the bi-weekly It's Complicated webinar, Mind Mingles, to talk about his dream work, is one of these therapists. In this episode, which is the raw recording of our Mind Mingles, he gives a peak into what he's learnt from listening to about 20,000 dreams over the past 40 years. Whether you want to learn how to start remembering your dreams, or how to gauge what your dreams are trying to convey, Roland Evans has got you covered in this inspiring interview.If you have any questions regarding dream work, join this community Dream space.

In this Therapy Talk episode, family psychotherapist Emonie Carter-Hale provides an engaging overview of systemic therapy, while exploring its application in trauma contexts. She shares her moving story about what it means to be a well-adjusted eldest daughter who went to law school to work with survivors of trauma, and ended up rebelling by becoming a psychotherapist working in an intersectional and holistically trauma-informed manner.

In this moving conversation, Noémie Gmür reveals how studying history and doing their own podcast was the perfect preparation to becoming a relationship and sex-counsellor. While generously sharing their personal journey, Noémie reflects on the many ways in which being their own guinea pig has helped shape their approach to therapy. Keep up to date with Noémie's workshops hereVisit our newly established community garden for neurodiversityJoin this open and free Mind Mingles on neurodiversityMusic by Kadri Arula

Most therapists like to occasionally explain to their clients how the nervous system plays into the issues at hand, but did you know that there is a body-oriented approach called Somatic Experiencing that has the understanding of humans' survival response at it's core? In this episode, Johanne asks trauma-therapist Ariane Fuechtner to give an overview of how Somatic Experiencing works. She explains just how creative Somatic Experiencing is, why we can't just shake off trauma like other mammals, and much more.

Join us in exploring the intriguing world of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM), explained by Canadian counselor Sadie Smith. Tune in to learn about the enigmatic modality's link to psychedelics, how mandalas are incorporated into the sessions, and the kind of journey a GIM session can take you on.Sadie's DJ setMandala from a GIM sessionMusic by Kadri Arula

What can be done therapeutically if we lack bodily awareness, and feel "too much" or "too little"? In this episode, body psychotherapist Anne Pascale Stein takes us through the foundations of Grindberg Method, accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy (AEPD), and how body therapy can improve our bodily awareness and ability to emotionally regulate.Blog posts by Anne Pascale Stein.Music by Kadri Arula

In this episode, Johanne delves into the expat experience with counselling psychologist Garima Narwani. As someone who has traversed the globe both in her formative years and adulthood, Garima shares her unique insights into the challenges inherent in a globally mobile lifestyle.Tune in to gain valuable perspectives on expat therapy and discover how Garima's personal journey has shaped her way of providing meaningful support to third culture individuals navigating the complexities of a nomadic life.

In her conversation with Fadi Hage, a medical doctor turned therapist, Johanne learns about Gabor Maté's Compassionate Inquiry, how to deal better with one's inner critic, and what concrete ways we can start to incorporate doses of mindfulness practice into our daily lives. 

In this episode, Johanne speaks with trauma therapist Rebekka Lehmann about the realities of secondary trauma and compassion fatigue. They explore the relevance of Rebekka's focus on helping professions, emphasizing the risks of burning out while caring for others. As a bonus, Rebekka will guide listeners through a meditation at the end.

To kick off what can be considered Season 2 of the It's Complicated podcast, Johanne speaks to Katharina Albrecht about how she supports her clients in these unprecedented times. The two therapists talk about what it means to miss the bus in psychoanalysis, the difference between being nice and being kind, and implementing sensation tracking to build much-needed resilience to the outside world.

For the first time on Therapy Talk, It's Complicated co-founder and psychologist, Johanne Schwensen, talks to a close colleague of hers about life as a committed "online only" therapist. They explore the potential of online therapy – both video, phone and chat therapy – and also visit the darker sides of psychology and the online world. From even before she became a psychologist, the guest of the episode, Sophie Buch, was drawn to those sides of humanity and psychology that were the most difficult to understand; an interest which led her to study online radicalisation, hate speech, the incel movement, and forensic psychology. Now she is a private practicing online therapist and is dedicated to pushing the limits of how the online format can make therapy more accessible, vulnerable, and efficient.  

It's Complicated co-founder and psychologist, Johanne Schwensen, has a passion for therapy and music, yet knows close to nothing about music therapy. And seeing as she's spoken to a series of creative therapists, including a wild therapist, a sex and couples therapist, and an art therapist, it seemed fitting when the turn came to Estonian Kadri Arula, a psychodynamic music therapist. In this therapy talk, Kadri talks about the possibilities and pitfalls of the modality, her path from playing the piano to studying music therapy, and how even babies benefit from her therapy.Kadri's therapist profile can be found here and her Bandcamp profile here. The new intro tune is written and produced by her.

What happens when you combine art and therapy? Art therapy of course, and that was about the only thing I knew about this type of counselling. Except this isn't entirely true, because I also knew that art making in itself has a therapeutic potential, and this fascinating intersection is what I set out to explore in my conversation with Berlin-based art therapist Megu Kitazawa. We talk about her psychodynamic training, the fast-paced nature of working at a psychiatric hospital, the best things to come out of a therapeutic relationship, and much more. Register as a therapist and/or find your therapy at: https://www.complicated.life

If I had to choose one type of counsellor that I find the most fascinating and awe-inspiring, it would have to be sex- and couple's counsellors. What draws me in is their skillset in navigating interpersonal dynamics, while grappling with huge concepts like sexuality, intimacy, and trust. In this episode, I get deep into conversation with someone who is exactly one of these counsellors: Sex- and couple's counsellor Kristi Moore. I ask about her path to become a therapist, how to begin to understand sexuality and intimacy, and what bringing the body into the therapy room means to her.Register as a therapist and/or find your therapy at: https://www.complicated.life

Season 2 of the It's Complicated podcast is an interview series with therapists on the It's Complicated platform. We kick off this second season with a cozy and therapeutic interview with the fittingly named Gemma Autumn, who besides being an Integrative Counsellor, also is a practicing artist and energy worker. We talk about what makes the perfect counsellor, what it means when companies pick up the tab, wild therapy, reiki, and much more.Register as a therapist and/or find your therapy at: https://www.complicated.life

In this episode, we learn about two young Berlin-based initiatives dedicated to making therapy accessible to those who don't always have equal access to mental health services due to racial, cultural, financial, and/or geographic barriers. We speak with Kemoy Jemmott of the Queer Black Therapy fund, Kathrine Dennis of Expanding Circles on their visions of a more equitable future in the mental health fields. Further, we'll speak with Danni and Michael of Berlinauslandermeme's about the power of turning darkness into humor through a practice of sharing online as well as using social capital for good.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, therapists around the world have taken their practice online and many are discovering subtle (and not-so-subtle) changes in the process, depth, and nature of therapy at a distance. In this episode, we'll hear stories, thoughts, and feelings from clinical psychologist and It's Complicated co-founder, Johanne Schwensen as well as Berlin-based psychoanalyst, Aleksandar Dimitrijevic. We'll also hear stories and insights from two clients, Barbara Hilton and Daria Kyrilova, as well as a short story from Reece Cox, the host of It's Complicated.

In this Episode, Reece speaks with Its Complicated cofounder about what covid19 means for therapy and therapists as well as how to manage in life during quar time.

In this episode, I speak with polyamorous relationship coach, co-host of the Multiamory podcast, and author of the widely read polyamory classic, The Smart Girl's Guide to Polyamory, Dedeker Winston about her experience, the basics, the do's and don't's of polyamory.Next, I speak with Mathias Funke, a polyamorous psychotherapist practicing in Berlin and specializing in his work with people in polyamorous relationships.

In this episode, we speak with Gestalt Therapist, Mikko Karhulahti about the future potentials of psychedelics in clinical settings and the second wave of research happening today at Universities around the world.

In this episode of It's Complicated, we speak with US therapist, Jesse Harbaugh about the nuances and challenges of therapy with asylum seekers and refugees. Jesse has worked with refugees and asylum seekers extensively in the US and since moving to Berlin she has been regularly volunteering at temporary housing shelters. From Jesse's perspective, psychotherapy is not always complatible across cultural divides. To a person coming from a non-western background the value of therapy might not be immediately apparent and even notions such as "trauma" could be presumptuous or misleading. In this episode, we will discuss these topics to reveal some of our western assumptions in pursuit of more globally compatible psychotherapy.

Coach and counsellor, Florence Jimenez Otto discusses her path from working in the underground music industry in Berlin to becoming a coach and counsellor to DJs, artists and industry workers here in Berlin, Germany.

Today I speak with DJ, artist, and label owner, Najaaraq Vestbirk, aka Courtesy. Najaaraq and I discuss the practical and personal hurdles she faces as a touring artist, her battles with Health anxiety and the unexpected healing power of sharing.This episode is the first in a mini-series, ‘Through the Noise’, where we hear stories and examine trends and struggles with mental health in the music industry.

Today I speak with three practitioners in Berlin about working with expats. Additionally, artist Jan Durina will speak about his experience juggling mental health and a growing music career.Its complicated is a platform dedicated to helping you find the right therapist. www.complicated.life.