You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist

As an adolescent, Helena identified as trans. But high doses of testosterone led to such extreme mood swings that she was hospitalized twice — yet none of the professionals on her team ever questioned what she was doing to her body, or why. In this powerful and courageous interview, detransitioned woman Helena Kerschner shares her inside view on the fantasy versus reality of trans — the hopes and dreams she pinned onto a new identity, compared to the harsh realities she discovered from trying to live as a man. She unpacks the complex psychosocial factors she now sees contributed to her discomfort with being female, and how her therapist let her down by failing to see her true needs. She tells us about giving up the sunken cost fallacy, making up for lost time, and the arduous process of picking up the pieces of a shattered false identity to find out who she truly is.Wise beyond her years, Helena Kerschner is an outspoken advocate for her fellow detransitioners, victims and survivors of gender medicine. You can follow her on Twitter @lacroicsz or read her blog at lacroicsz.substack.com. To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!Learn more about Do No Harm.Take $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover with code SOMETHERAPIST at EightSleep.com.Take 20% off all superfood beverages with code SOMETHERAPIST at Organifi.Check out my shop for book recommendations + wellness products.Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at @affirmationgeneration.Have a question for me? Looking to go deeper and discuss these ideas with other listeners? Join my Locals community! Members get to ask questions I will respond to in exclusive, members-only livestreams, post questions for upcoming guests to answer, plus other perks TBD. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Cindy caught my attention when she appeared as a contestant on Netflix’s Baking Impossible. With the help of her engineer teammate Taylor, they dreamed up delightfully decorated, edible, functional machines and landscapes — and then brought them to life. The team had an infectiously positive energy and sky’s-the-limit attitude that inspired viewers around the world.It’s not every day you come across a person who dreams so big, shines so brightly, and is willing to take such leaps of faith. I wanted to know: how does someone like Cindy become, well, someone like Cindy? As it turns out, Cindy credits her childhood and ancestral trauma for sparking her creativity as a coping mechanism and fostering the unrelenting anti-fragility that has made her so resilient. In this fun and upbeat interview, Cindy reflects on the legacy of her Asian culture, forgiving her parents, embracing the fantasy world as a healthy escape, and harnessing her ADHD hyperfocus as a superpower. Follow her on Instagram or Etsy @cindyslittlecakery or visit her shop at www.cindyslittlecakery.com To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!Learn more about Do No Harm.Take $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover with code SOMETHERAPIST at EightSleep.com.Take 20% off all superfood beverages with code SOMETHERAPIST at Organifi.Check out my shop for book recommendations + wellness products.Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at @affirmationgeneration.Have a question for me? Looking to go deeper and discuss these ideas with other listeners? Join my Locals community! Members get to ask questions I will respond to in exclusive, members-only livestreams, post questions for upcoming guests to answer, plus other perks TBD. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Dirk was raised in a scholarly family, but become curious about the inner worlds of people with 300-word vocabularies. A former special education teacher now working in tech, he remains a lifelong learner, and has become curious in recent years about the subject of intelligence. How did it become so fraught, and why is it necessary to discuss anyway? What can IQ accurately measure and predict — and what can it not? And, as an out-of-the-box thinker, what blind spots does he see on both the political left and right?In one of the first episodes I ever recorded, I had the pleasure of interviewing my old friend Dirk Van Leeuwen. You can follow him on Twitter @diabloneruda. To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!Learn more about Do No Harm.Take $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover with code SOMETHERAPIST at EightSleep.com.Take 20% off all superfood beverages with code SOMETHERAPIST at Organifi.Check out my shop for book recommendations + wellness products.Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at @affirmationgeneration.Have a question for me? Looking to go deeper and discuss these ideas with other listeners? Join my Locals community! Members get to ask questions I will respond to in exclusive, members-only livestreams, post questions for upcoming guests to answer, plus other perks TBD. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Dr. Rhoberta Shaler has spent her career helping the partners, exes, adult children and siblings of relentlessly difficult people. In this episode, she shares a lifetime’s worth of wisdom on what she calls "hijackals" — people who hijack relationships for their own purposes and then relentlessly scavenge them for power, status and control. What distinguishes emotional abuse from normal communication differences? How do we label a problematic behavior pattern without playing armchair psychologist? How can we draw healthy boundaries that balance compassion for others with compassion for ourselves? And how can we find happiness within while also seeking it in relationships? The Relationship Help Doctor, Rhoberta Shaler, PhD, is the host of Save Your Sanity Podcast: Help for Toxic Relationships. She offers one-on-one consultations, e-courses, books, and the Emerging Empowered online community. You can find her at forrelationshiphelp.com. To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!Learn more about Do No Harm.Take $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover with code SOMETHERAPIST at EightSleep.com.Take 20% off all superfood beverages with code SOMETHERAPIST at Organifi.Check out my shop for book recommendations + wellness products.Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at @affirmationgeneration.Have a question for me? Looking to go deeper and discuss these ideas with other listeners? Join my Locals community! Members get to ask questions I will respond to in exclusive, members-only livestreams, post questions for upcoming guests to answer, plus other perks TBD. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

How did a mild-mannered academic scientist find himself a target of vitriol amidst unexpected controversy? In this episode, Colin Wright tells us what he learned from ants and spiders about human social behavior, personality and groupthink. What compelled this fair-minded researcher to dedicate his career to debunking ideological myths? In a world at war over the question of how we should define sex, what does a biologist have to say — and why does it matter?Colin Wright is an evolutionary biologist known for his work at Quillette Magazine and collaborations with the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism. He founded Reality’s Last Stand, a publication dedicated to providing weekly news, articles, and other content about gender ideology and the science of sex differences. He is currently working toward publishing his first book. You can find Colin at RealitysLastStand.com or follow him on Twitter @SwipeWright. To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!Learn more about Do No Harm.Take $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover with code SOMETHERAPIST at EightSleep.com.Take 20% off all superfood beverages with code SOMETHERAPIST at Organifi.Check out my shop for book recommendations + wellness products.Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at @affirmationgeneration.Have a question for me? Looking to go deeper and discuss these ideas with other listeners? Join my Locals community! Members get to ask questions I will respond to in exclusive, members-only livestreams, post questions for upcoming guests to answer, plus other perks TBD. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

When her impressionable 10-year-old daughter claimed to be transgender, Jennifer recognized it as a cry for help, and did everything in her power to understand the issue. With the help of her therapist, family, and community, Jennifer was able to identify and provide the type of support her daughter truly needed. Today, Jennifer’s daughter accepts herself just as she is, and doesn’t want the medical alterations so many parents fear could damage their children’s health permanently. Listen as Jennifer shares her insights about what helped her family. Along the way, we discuss ethical issues in therapy and education. What is the Karpman Drama Triangle? Why is it important that therapists watch out for our own savior complex? What psychological motives might someone have for adopting a certain narrative or identity? And why is it such a problem that “conversion therapy” has been redefined?Jennifer co-founded Partners for Ethical Care. She hosts and produces The Witness Podcast, in which volunteers read anonymous stories of children and families who have been affected by gender identity, including parents and detransitioners. They welcome hearing from others as well, including teachers and doctors. If you have a story to share, or a question to ask, get in touch: support@partnersforethicalcare.com. You can also follow Jennifer and PEC on Twitter @ethical_care. To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!Learn more about Do No Harm.Take $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover with code SOMETHERAPIST at EightSleep.com.Take 20% off all superfood beverages with code SOMETHERAPIST at Organifi.Check out my shop for book recommendations + wellness products.Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at @affirmationgeneration.Have a question for me? Looking to go deeper and discuss these ideas with other listeners? Join my Locals community! Members get to ask questions I will respond to in exclusive, members-only livestreams, post questions for upcoming guests to answer, plus other perks TBD. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Jake and I are therapists from wildly different backgrounds. When I’m hiking waterfalls in the lush Pacific Northwest, Jake is shooting guns in the Nevada desert. Yet, as it turns out, we see eye-to-eye on a surprising number of things. Why is it important for therapists to check for cultural biases in the least likely places we might think to look? When does “supportive” therapy become counterproductive? And how can therapists help our patients not need us anymore? Then, Jake clears up myths and misconceptions about guns and gun owners.Jake Wiskerchen is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and clinical supervisor who formerly chaired the Nevada Board of Examiners for Marriage and Family Therapists and Clinical Professional Counselors. He hosts two podcasts: Noggin Notes, and Guns and Mental Health. He founded Zephyr Wellness and partners with Walk the Talk America. You can find his counseling work at zephyrwellness.org, firearms awareness advocacy at wtta.org, or follow him on Twitter @jakewisk.Relevant Links:Documentary: A Conversation About Guns And Mental Health With Walk The Talk Americawtta.org/lovezephyrwellness.orgnogginnotes.com/podcastsTwitter: @zephyr_wellness Twitter: @walkthetalkusTwitter: @thenogginnotesIG: @walkthetalkusIG: @zephyrwellness IG: @nogginnotes FB: Walk the Talk USFB: Zephyr WellnessFB: Noggin Notes To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!Learn more about Do No Harm.Take $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover with code SOMETHERAPIST at EightSleep.com.Take 20% off all superfood beverages with code SOMETHERAPIST at Organifi.Check out my shop for book recommendations + wellness products.Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at @affirmationgeneration.Have a question for me? Looking to go deeper and discuss these ideas with other listeners? Join my Locals community! Members get to ask questions I will respond to in exclusive, members-only livestreams, post questions for upcoming guests to answer, plus other perks TBD. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

I couldn’t think of a better way to kick off my new podcast than with a guest who embodies two of my favorite traits: self-compassion and courage. Author and educator Sarah Peyton is a gentle guide and a wise woman who has walked into the belly of the beast, taking her mindfulness practice into the prison systems. Together, we explore: how do we engage in earnest self-reflection without wallowing in shame? Why is it important to embrace unpleasant emotions such as anger? What is the connection between disgust and morality? Why does naming our emotions tame them? What is an “unconscious contract?” How can boundaries help with overwhelm? What is a “healthy no?” What distinguishes good stress from bad stress? And how can we develop the capacity to form secure attachments with others as adults, even if we lacked them as children?Sarah Peyton, Certified Trainer of Nonviolent Communication, constellation facilitator and neuroscience educator, integrates brain science and the use of resonant language to heal trauma and nourish self-warmth with exquisite gentleness. She teaches and lectures internationally, and is the author of the book “Your Resonant Self: Guided Meditations and Exercises to Engage Your Brain’s Capacity for Healing." Her newest books from W.W. Norton, The Your Resonant Self Workbook, and Affirmations for Turbulent Times, are now available for sale at your on-line bookseller. Find her at SarahPeyton.com. You can also follow her on Twitter @resonantself, Instagram @sarahpeytonauthor, Facebook @empathybrain, or YouTube.Purchase Sarah's book, Your Resonant Self, here. To support this show, please leave a rating & review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe, like, comment & share via my YouTube channel. Or recommend this to a friend!Learn more about Do No Harm.Take $200 off your EightSleep Pod Pro Cover with code SOMETHERAPIST at EightSleep.com.Take 20% off all superfood beverages with code SOMETHERAPIST at Organifi.Check out my shop for book recommendations + wellness products.Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.Watch NO WAY BACK: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care (our medical ethics documentary, formerly known as Affirmation Generation). Stream the film or purchase a DVD. Use code SOMETHERAPIST to take 20% off your order. Follow us on X @2022affirmation or Instagram at @affirmationgeneration.Have a question for me? Looking to go deeper and discuss these ideas with other listeners? Join my Locals community! Members get to ask questions I will respond to in exclusive, members-only livestreams, post questions for upcoming guests to answer, plus other perks TBD. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★