Going No Contact, Relationship Recovery, and the NY Times: An interview with Patrick Teahan, LICSW

Curt and Katie interview Patrick Teahan, LICSW after he was featured in an article on going no contact in the New York Times. We explored his experience of his work being sensationalized and the fallout from that article (and the string of duplicates). We also dug into how he actually works. We talked about the Relationship Recovery Process (RRP) and what it can look like when someone makes the challenging decision to cut off their family members.

Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!

In this podcast episode, we talk with Patrick Teahan on his NY Times interview on Going No Contact

We read and had a big response to a NY Times article on going no contact, reacting to the sensationalized portrayal of Patrick Teahan’s work with adults who come from abusive families. After learning how he really works, we reached out to him to explore the impact of this article as well as what his model is for working with these individuals. 

Reflecting on the NY Times Article: Is Cutting Off Your Family Good Therapy?

·      Patrick was interviewed due to his viral videos and online presence on YouTube

·      He talked with the interviewer about the process of Going No Contact and his work with childhood trauma survivors

·      He felt like the process took a turn into his personal story and then sensationalized his work

·      There were a number of duplicate articles (even in different countries) that led to misunderstanding of his work and hurting clients who have made the decision to go no contact with abusive family members

What is RRP (the Relationship Recovery Process)?

·      Work to finishing business with family members

·      Reclaim intimacy

·      Group Psychotherapy focused on normalization of the experiences of survivors of abusive families and childhood trauma

·      The work can include individual work prior to joining the group

·      Late in the process (potentially years into the process) a client may make the decision to “get distance” from their family if they are not able to continue their healing process due to ongoing triggers and abuse

·      Patrick is doing research on the RRP model and will be publishing those results soon

What is the process for Going No Contact with family members?

·      It is a very complex decision, usually after communication with family members has not led to any work on their part and repeated boundary crossings that make it impossible for a client to continue their work to heal

·      It is better to transparently and clearly communicate the decision to go no contact, rather than ghosting family members, when safe and possible

·      The decision to go no contact does not need to be total or permanent. Clients can seek space without making the decision to never talk to their family member again

Stay in Touch with Curt, Katie, and the whole Therapy Reimagined #TherapyMovement:

Our Linktree: https://linktr.ee/therapyreimagined

Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide Creative Credits:

Voice Over by DW McCann https://www.facebook.com/McCannDW/

Music by Crystal Grooms Mangano https://groomsymusic.com/