Tales From the Chair

AI is coming for us all. So how will it go after therapy? Let's talk about it, because therapy isn't quite the safe haven from AI we once thought.

The first episode ran long, so I split it in two. Here's a continuing dialogue on therapists quitting and what leads to such endings.

At times, therapists have to end their work with patients. But sometimes, its not due to completion of services or circumstance. Sometimes, we just are....done. But the nuance of "good" quitting, and wrongful kidding is lost of the recipients. So let's talk about how this happens. 5:00 - Dropping the World's Worst Affair7:00 - Downshifting a Troublesome Person12:29 - The Patient That Led to Rule Changes

Affairs are bad, and generally messy. But what happens when you have a messy affair with no real payoff. This is the story of the world's worst affair.

So it turns out, therapists are people too! And in being people, that means they have people problems. So, what happens if those issues ooze into your own therapy? Should you ignore it, work with it, or run straight out the door? Today's episode will begin the story time segment , which begins at 4:43 ("Knives Out") and then continues at 8:41 ("Professor X")

Kids and teens like coupling just like adults. But trends are showing that kids are getting in relationships younger and having sex earlier as well. So what do we make of this trend, and how should adults approach this trend. 2:45 - Two friends of differing paths.8:00 - Culture, and managing young relationships. 13:10 - Reacting poorly to youth relationships

Sometimes, bad patients come in pairs. In continuing the podcasts' tradition of sharing terrible tales about terrible people, here is the story of the worst couple I ever worked with.

The proverbial curse:A session that goes 55 minutes, and as time runs out, the client asks for advice. Which is a strange question, because the whole session is lased with advice generally. So, what's up with that?

Sex is a connective element of relationships. But much like many things, too little is a problem, and too much is a problem. But what defines those parameters, and when should you begin to address it safely? Let's get into it.

Therapy is a great bastion to dig deep, and search within ones deepest, darkness thoughts. But can you safely say things without them getting out? We're going to talk about it! From the rules of confidentiality, to the discretionary line that therapists' tow. We'll review how confidentiality is withdrawn, and how things like murder can even be discussed in therapy, and kept within the therapist's walls. 

Therapy doesn't always end eloquently or frankly, well. So here are some tales sharing the ill endings to some bad therapeutic endings. 0:00 - An awful coparenting case.10:45 - Bad patients that never make it through the door

No! Yes? I guess....? Threesomes aren't just a fun fantasy tucked away in the minds of college aged males. It can be a complex experience that affects the dynamics of a relationship; for better and for worse. But how do you know if its a good idea, or a bad idea? Neat stats, rules to consider, and more, on today's episode!Story Time:4:15 - Shooting His Shot, Because Why Not? 9:01 - Once You Start, You Might Not StopYou can chat along via twitter, on @SomeTalesFrom, or email us at [email protected].

Bisexuality is an often misunderstood characteristic of sexuality in individuals. While on the surface its easy to understand, often bisexuals are misunderstood as vapidly polygamous or dangerous as partners. So what's up with that ? Well, let's get into it. Story Time:4:52 - The Paradigm of Preference8:53 - A Historical Tryst11:25 - Good Luck,Babe

Therapy is a great bastion to dig deep, and search within ones deepest, darkness thoughts. But can you safely say things without them getting out? We're going to talk about it! From the rules of confidentiality, to the discretionary line that therapists' tow. We'll review how confidentiality is withdrawn, and how things like murder can even be discussed in therapy, and kept within the therapist's walls. 

It may seem cliché, but sometimes, clients become enfactuated with their therapists. We listen, we're present, we tend to be warm and nice. It's easy to misinterpret this as an actual connection. So let's talk about it. Story Time: 5:41 - Clients and Social Media Connections 11:26 - A Family of Googly Eyes 14:52 - The Media and Therapy

Some of you have heard of the 4 Loves. But did you know there's a fifth one, and it's a little sinister? Come listen in. Story Time: 4:10 - Parental vainglory 8:13 - Partner vainglory

Running a business in America is hard. But what happens when you're selling something that is intangible, and makes the client do all the work? Let's talk about charging for therapy, and the delicate dance of providing therapeutic services. 

Therapy can get expensive, but is it worth it? Today we talk about the cost of therapy, how it adds up, and how you quantify it's value. Turns out, its a little more complicated than you think.  Tune in next week, as we reverse the mirror and wonder about - The Plight of Charging for Therapy. 

Sometimes, its hard to say goodbye. But in therapy, its actually a good thing. But folks dont now when to stop, or if they should. So, let's talk about it. See if we can clear things up a bit. 

Cheating is bad, real bad! And the damage it causes seems insurmountable. Or is it? Lets talk about it, because there's a lot to be looked at in how to recover from cheating. And spotting when one is just trying to cool the heat they cast on themselves.  Story Time for this episode: 3:22 - Getting Friendly 14:30 - The Danger of a Boys' Trip

Sometimes, the way people act is reminiscent of a mental health condition. But what happens when people act of a certain way, and there's nothing wrong? Can you spot the difference? This episode dives into differentiating the two, and shows examples of when an illness is clearly present and driving the issue, and when you're dealing with a jerk.  Story Time features two tales today: - The "Director" (4:18) - The Ticking Time Bomb (15:59)

When a relationship is blessed with a child, it is usually a momentous, wonderful occasion. But often times - whether because of false expectations, feeling overwhelmed, or naive absentmindedness - mistakes are made. So we're going to talk about it today; what not to do, what to look out for, and how to make things smoother during this tumultuous, blessed time.  Reminder to like,subscribe, or review on your podcast provider, and write to us at [email protected]\ Story Time:  2:55 - Now You Gain a Hobby? 6:35 - But I Did it For You! 9:00 - The Plight of the Professional

There are great patients. There are tough patients. There are ones who reached a wall and couldn't get past it. There are ones who conquered their obstacles. And then there's the worst patient I ever had. How did they achieve this feat? Well, have a listen, and enjoy the whirlwind that spanned 5 years of my career. 

Lately, gun violence in America has been met by calls for reform or change. But the recent trope of "Gun violence is a mental health problem," has blurred the conversation away from solutions, and left us with a futility for change. So lets talk today about what a mental health solution would look like, and why we as therapists are right now outmatched when being able to tackle this problem .  

Break ups are hard and often, not friendly. Sometimes things are left behind, you want them back, and they don't want to give it back. When those items are of a personal or intimate nature, what do you do? So let's talk about it, because this happens a lot more than you think.  3:20 - The "Tape"  6:22 - Another "Tape", but its worse. 8:30 - BONUS - Dogs in mediation. 

17 year old individuals are a unique demographic. Not quite children, not quite teens, but also definitely not adults. They are a transitional group getting ready for a bigger world, but still shackled by the confines of not being "of legal age." So let's talk about this group, and how to navigate their journey and what they are trying to sort through. 4:00 - 17 year old boys 8:00 - 17 year old girls

My favorite kind of patients are ghost kids. It's like sorting through a creepy puzzle, and hoping you don't get haunted when you're done with it. But what's going on, and why do kids see ghosts? 

Therapy is intense, and dealing with the volatility of the mind means some scary things will walk through the door. So here are some stories of those scary situations. 1:25 - Schizophrenic Crush 7:40 - In the Center Of a Shootout 11:16 - Moments That Make You Say "Run" 16:13 - Nuh Uh Mr. Carlos

Santeria is a religious - or spiritual - belief system that is present in several communities and cultures. And when it intersects with therapy, it makes for some interesting questions. So let's talk about it.

Here comes another episode centered around an episode of the Simpsons. It centers on Homer giving a gift that was more about him than about Marge But the self serving gift is a tricky, very problematic behavior, because it disguises itself as kindness. So let's talk about it, and see what goes behind it.

Therapy is treated differently than other professions. The immediacy, the demands, the fix it mentality. So, can you actually make a therapist work with you? It's not as straightforward as you want it to.

Let's just answer it flatly....no.

Wanting to do things the nice way. Worrying about not being friends afterwards. Such concerns lead people to make situations worse when trying to get them better. So, how does one accept being a good person when you can't be nice?

Love bombing is a veiled, problematic method used in relationships to coerce partners into a false sense of connection. But how does one tell the difference between genuine affection, and manipulative affection? Let's talk about it.

Grief is a normal, but devastating emotion. It pulls at your heart, and it feels like it won't get better. So let's talk about this complicated emotion, things to look out for, and what not to do when dealing with it.

There are some potential patients out there that.....wow, they're something. And sometimes, they don't even make it through the door. Yet they effuse crimson colored flags. So today, let's talk about some zany characters that have come through. 1:59 - The "Accidental" Cheater 8:59 - Assessing The Value of a Mail-Order Bride 17:50 - Not Having a Secretary Means I'm a Fake.

Therapy is a delicate process requiring attention, care and knowledge. But there's a lot of us out there, and some of them are not that great. So let's talk a little more about these folks and what to look out for out there. 3:39 - Sleeping Therapists 11:40 - Intellectual Ricecakes 17:38 - Christian Therapy Done Wrong

So how does one measure that a relationship is coming to an end? How many signs can there be? This episode looks into all the familiar cues that usually gather when a relationship is beginning to fade. 

Panic attacks are random, awful, unexpected, and terrifying. And when you face an unseen foe, how do you ever feel safe? Well, let's talk about it! Lots of stats in this episode, along with guidance and common things to look out for to break away from a panic trap. 

It seems a lot of folks will use therapy as a last resort when trouble arises. And it tends not to work. So.....is therapy futile, a matter of timing ,or something else?  Today's Storytime:  3:15 - Fix The Serial Cheater 5:45 - The Weed Entrepreneur

It turns out, infidelity doesn't happen in the shadows as much as we think it does. Often times, an infidelic partner has an accomplice; a consiglieri if you will. Sometimes its a friend, the lover.....or even the therapist. Let's talk about it. 2:35 - Strangers on a Train 7:04 - The Outlet 10:24 - Are We The Buddy?

So what do people think about on their deathbed? So it turns out, normally one of two things. Let's talk about it, on today's bonus episode.

The LBQT community has plenty of hurdles to deal with, and one of the hardest is telling those they love about who they are. And the question continues to come up; should they? So let's look into it a little, and see what you do with such a sensitive experience.  Story Time:  3:35 - The Nightmare Scenario 6:02 - "Turns Out They Knew"

It was interesting how this episode was the most listened to episode when this podcast first up. This week, it's time to repost it. Infidelity is a devastating event in many relationships. And yet, many people without ever getting caught. So, how do they do it? Let's talk about it, and the three variants I tend to run into: 6:50 - The Shield-Bearer 10:16 - A Cocky Bull 13:14 - The Empath

Many people fall victim to cramming when readying for an exam. But what makes people differ in the way they study, and is there truly any consequence to being a crammer? Lets talk about it.

Ever noticed that when you look for a therapist, there's a bunch of letters next to their names? Nevermind the complex puzzle of sorting the difference between a counselor, a therapist, a psychologist, and so on. So today's episode talks about what those letters means, the differences in what most of these professionals do

Often you think that a conversation has been completed and settled, only to find out that the other person heard something different. The double tap is a good way of assisting with this problem. So let's talk about this tactic, and why its a good strategy.

Arguably the most frequent and yet most problematic question to ask, "why" questions are a landmine many set off, but few understand "whyyyyy" its such a problem. So today's episode is a brief tutorial on how to evade this problematic question preface, and what to do instead.

Some time ago, I started picking up on trends within my clientele that were.... curious. In my boredom, I made a little bingo card of infidelity checkpoints. Environments, usual suspects, when, what kind of relationship; the whole enchilada. So this episode is dedicated to describing the bingo card, and showing the frequent visitors that come up in cheating. Its a good ledger for red flags, and why some things (going to the gym exponentially more) hide as good habits, and others (getting really friendly with a single coworker) are so crimson they hide in plain sight.

Sex is a crucial component to intimate relationships. But monogamy often gets questioned, and many folks want to explore different opportunities of intimacy. So, should you do it? Let's talk about the many things to consider in chasing this avenue. 2:40 - They Want To... Why Won't You? 7:00 - Good For Me, Not For Thee 13:00 - Wanderers' Rules