Your Mental Breakdown

Latest Episodes:

60. Drew #59: Covid For the Holidays Oct 19, 2021

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Drew is directly affected by Covid hitting his family at Thanksgiving. Doug is joined by his colleague and therapy practice mate, Sasha Brodsky.

Doug Friedman

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59. Drew #58: Bake My Sh*t With Love Oct 18, 2021

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Drew reflects on his self-worth and thinks about it not coming from what he does for others, but rather truly from himself.

Doug is joined in the breakdown this week by his colleague and friend, Bonnie Rae (who was on our first Roundtable in Season One!). Bonnie and Doug explore unmet attachment needs and breaking codependency.

Doug Friedman

Bonnie Rae

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58. Drew #54-57: Trial and Erroring Oct 17, 2021

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Drew is unlearning codependency by building confidence in himself. From this strength he is finding community and feeling a sense of belonging that doesn't rely on other people's well being for his own.

"I was ok when they weren't disappointed but I was never really happy." -Drew

Doug's colleague, Jen Parkford joins the Breakdown and offers her perspective.

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57. Sarah #6: Recompense Oct 14, 2021

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Doug and Mer talk comets and cults while Doug corrects an earlier comment that the cult leader in Sarah's case was caught - he wasn't! He lived in hiding for over twenty years until he died. Sarah talks about school and education growing up in the cult. She explains the massive confusion and the ensuing tragedies experienced by many around her in the aftermath of leaving the cult. Doug helps Sarah slow down and relate the innate feeling of protection she described as a new mom holding her baby for the first time to her own experience as a child not being protected. Sarah and Doug explore the conflict that comes from wanting to forgive someone making amends for causing harm in the past when you're still feeling the impact, heartbreak, and anger about the trauma.

Mentioned in this episode:

Doug Jaymes Friedman music on Spotify

Doug Friedman

Meredith Levy

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56. Sarah #5: Just One Junk Drawer Oct 07, 2021

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Mer acknowledges Doug for his emotional and personal music album coming out in a few weeks; and then she gives him guff for not getting the podcast's Patreon launched yet! It's coming soon with ongoing Drew episodes and other exclusives for subscribers. In this session with Sarah, Doug helps her look at the inner critic that fuels perfectionism. This is often a trauma response from her growing up in an abusive cult with neglectful parenting. Doug and Sarah acknowledge "Little Sarah," the wounded child inside of her that didn't get nurtured and protected by a loving parent. Doug and Mer highlight how reparative it can be for Sarah to be a compassionate parental presence for her own children, especially if she can apply some of that parenting to "Little Sarah."

Mentioned in this episode:

Doug Jaymes Friedman music on Spotify

Avett Brothers - No Hard Feelings

Doug Friedman

Meredith Levy

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55. Sarah #4: Baby Steps Sep 30, 2021

Show notes

Meredith imparts some knowledge to Doug (and us!) about invalidation trauma after a recent training. We get to know more about Sarah in her session as she talks about her work, her upbringing in the cult, and her anxiety that she carries around with her still. Doug helps Sarah understand the connection of making herself indispensable to a historic fear of abandonment. Doug and Mer highlight the baby steps that Sarah is taking with the awareness of the connections and patterns from her past that are coming up in sessions.

Doug Friedman

Meredith Levy

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54. Sarah #3: A Little Bit Robocop Sep 23, 2021

Show notes

Meredith updates us on the intruder in her backyard - who came back again! We continue the new season with Sarah, in spite of a few audio hiccups in the session. Doug and Sarah talk about feeling frustrated, annoyed, and overwhelmed when others don't get to a solution as quickly and easily as you do, especially when that means you take it on and do it all yourself. This has been a part of Sarah for so long as a survival mechanism growing up in, and running away from, a cult. Doug and Mer highlight the process of helping clients like Sarah recognize and begin to change their patterns, rather than stay focused on the details and the content of their current narrative.

Mentioned in this episode:

Doug Friedman

Meredith Levy

General Sherman Aluminum Blanket Wrap

Wimpy from Popeye

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53. Sarah #2: Growing Up in a Cult Sep 15, 2021

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***Trigger warning*** This episode contains potentially triggering and sensitive topics including child abuse. If you suspect or know that a child is being abused or neglected, call or text 800-4-A-CHILD (800-422-4453). Professional crisis counselors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in over 170 languages. All calls are confidential.

The new season continues with the second therapy session for Sarah, the new client in treatment with Doug. As they explore Sarah's parenting style, she begins to tell some of her own story about growing up in a cult. Doug acknowledges her strength and resilience in the survival of her experiences while paving the way for them to work towards the "thrival" of her life going forward. Doug and Mer break down some of her background story while highlighting the early stages of therapy with a new client.

Doug Friedman

Meredith Levy

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52. Sarah #1: I Don't Have a Handle On It Sep 08, 2021

Show notes

We're baa-ack! In this new season kick-off, Doug and Meredith are "a step up from sweatpants" and ready to dive back into it with us. We hear the first session with Doug and Sarah, the new client we'll get to know and join for the journey in therapy. Sarah shares some of her history and acknowledges that she's spent a lifetime compartmentalizing, but doesn't truly have a handle on everything. We hear a few tips of the icebergs that have developed over time for her coming from a traumatic background. The groundwork for therapy is being set and we all get to follow along from the start. Doug and Mer tease that there will soon be a Patreon site to follow ongoing sessions with Drew, the client we followed in previous episodes. And they're coming out with a store on the website with merch very soon - so MerMer will have some new clothes to wear-wear!

Mentioned in this episode:

Bruce Almighty - file cabinet scene

Doug Friedman

Meredith Levy

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Roundtable #4: Cultural Awareness in Mental Health with Ashley McGirt and Sahaj Kohli Jul 12, 2021

Show notes

In this Roundtable episode, Doug and Meredith are joined by fellow therapist Ashley McGirt and therapist in training Sahaj Kohli for a conversation about cultural issues in mental health and the world around us. Ashley is a racial trauma specialist, speaker, and author. Sahaj is the founder of Brown Girl Therapy, a mental health community for children of immigrants. The conversation explores stigma, discomforts, comforts, and experiences of issues around culture in their lives and work in mental health.

Mentioned in this episode:

Meredith Levy

Doug Friedman

Ashley McGirt - on Instagram @therapywithash

Sahaj Kohli - on Instagram @browngirltherapy

Dr. Joy Degruy

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman