The Therapist Thrival Guide 89. Therapists React to Severance & The Psychology of Emotional Escape
What if you could separate your work and personal life—along with all the emotions tied to them? In this episode of The Therapist Thrival Guide, therapists Miranda and Lucas unpack the psychological and philosophical themes of Apple TV+’s Severance.They explore dissociation, compartmentalization, and the human desire to escape suffering, connecting these ideas to real-life therapy. How does avoiding discomfort affect mental health? Is the pursuit of happiness overrated? And what can Severance teach us about meaning and fulfillment?
OUR HOST:
Miranda Barker, MSW, LICSW, has been practicing as a therapist for several years. She previously worked as a child protection investigator, adoption social worker, case manager, and the Director of Brand Content at Ellie Mental Health. Follow her on LinkedIn.
The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast by Ellie Mental Health. We want to move therapists beyond surviving and into the realm of thriving by covering all the things that graduate school didn't teach you! This mental health podcast is hosted by Miranda Barker, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise to help us learn how to thrive as therapists.
Ellie is a national mental health brand organized around community-based outpatient mental health clinics. It all began with a single office in St. Paul, Minnesota back in 2015, and has expanded to an explosive number of locations nationwide after franchising our model in 2021.
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro & Welcome
00:29 Severance Themes & Psychological Concepts
03:27 Dissociation, Compartmentalization & Therapy Insights
06:59 Escaping Suffering vs. Finding Meaning
15:42 Is Happiness the Goal?
26:20 Final Reflections & Practical Takeaways
💬 Would you sever uncomfortable emotions if you could? Share your thoughts in the comments!