147. Termination Session
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Sep 18, 2023•46 min
Very Bad Therapy
Very Bad Therapy is a closer look at what goes wrong in the counseling room - and how it could go better - as told by the clients who survived.
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Episodes
146. Patreon Selects: Carrie-Ben Therapy (aka CBT 2.0)
Carrie and Ben create their own model of therapy. Goal setting! Psychoeducation! Exploitation and worrisome sales tactics! What does it say about psychotherapy when our progressively cynical efforts to develop a modality end up mirroring some of the norms in our field? This episode is evidence-based and supported by neuroscience. Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon community . Introduction: 0:00 – 5:13 ...
Sep 04, 2023•1 hr 12 min
145. Patreon Selects: Book Review - All Therapy Books
All therapy books have an oddly similar message: *This* form of therapy is the one that truly matters, and *this* science/philosophy/whatever is the key to understanding how human psychology actually works. These narratives can’t all be true, so are they all simply bullshit instead? We read through Scott Alexander’s legendary blog post, Book Review: All Therapy Books, and discuss whether therapy gurus really believe the answers they are selling. Thank you for listening. To support the show and r...
Aug 21, 2023•1 hr 32 min
143. Patreon Selects: Fun With the Psychology Today Profile Generator
Life can be hard at times. Do you want to feel more visible and important in your relationships? Are you curious about why every Psychology Today profile looks the same? We get silly with the incredible Therapist Generator and learn all about treating sunroof addition with truckload therapy and registered turtleneck therapy. The therapist profiles are fake, but our desire to meet you where you are on your journey is very real. Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to re...
Jul 24, 2023•1 hr 18 min
142. VBT Study Hall: Client Testimonials and Reviews
Social proof has become a crucial element of consumer decision making in the Internet era. So why don’t the vast majority of therapists ask their clients to give testimonials or leave reviews? We ponder the frustrating tension between psychotherapy ethics codes and literature on marketing in the 21st century, and we do our best to advise therapists about what to do in response to a bad online review. Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check...
Jul 17, 2023•1 hr 20 min
141. “Not All Christians…” (with Josh Foster, LCPC)
What is religious trauma, and why do some therapists refuse to work with clients who use that language? In today’s episode, Jeremy speaks about his experiences with therapists who felt the need to defend their faith in session, and we are joined by Josh Foster, LCPC to discuss the complicated intersection between evangelical Christianity and ethical psychotherapy. Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon com...
Jul 03, 2023•1 hr 29 min
140. VBT Study Hall: What Does “Trauma-Informed” Mean?
Trauma-informed therapy is…what, exactly? And is trauma actually stored in the body, or is that just a clever narrative that a few enterprising gurus have used to sell books and trainings? We dig deep into the research on trauma to answer these questions and more, and Carrie introduces her breakthrough trauma-focused treatment: dog therapy. Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon community . Today’s episode...
Jun 19, 2023•1 hr 18 min
139. Politics in the Therapy Room (with Dr. Ben Caldwell)
Let’s get controversial! Is it a good idea for a therapist to project their own political views onto a client? For today’s guest Ruth, the answer is a resounding “no.” We hear her story of a therapist who took her political advocacy too far, and Dr. Ben Caldwell rejoins us to explore the ethics of discussing politics in therapy. Plus, how can therapists know if they are trauma-informed enough for their clients? Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus epis...
Jun 05, 2023•1 hr 28 min
138. Patreon Selects: Is EMDR a Cultish Pyramid Scheme?
No, EMDR is not a cultish pyramid scheme. With that out of the way, why is EMDR training so expensive when its theoretical foundations are supported by dubious (at best) research? In this clickbaity-titled episode, Angela Nauss, EMDRIA-certified LMFT, joins us to describe the experience of paying thousands of dollars to “watch the dumpster fire from inside the dumpster.” Please direct all angry emails to vbtpodcast@gmail.com. Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to reg...
May 22, 2023•1 hr 12 min
137. VBT Study Hall: Evaluating Research
How do we know which psychotherapy research is trustworthy? Dr. Alex Williams and Dr. John Sakaluk help us search for evidence in all the logical places: the replication crisis, RCTs, qualitative studies, dolphin therapy, Canadian football, researchers fighting Connor McGregor, and of course, EMDR. This episode is brought to you by MR. BEAR (Meta-analysis, Registered, Big sample size, Experiment, Active control group, Replicated). Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access t...
May 15, 2023•1 hr 32 min
136. Very Bad Group Therapy
What makes for effective group therapy? Cohesion, expectation setting, and as today’s guest Thomas can attest to, not having the therapist give the middle finger to a group member. We try to make sense of Thomas’ experience by looking into research on group therapy, and we also try to make sense of our own experience of failing to find a single group therapy expert. Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon c...
May 01, 2023•1 hr 18 min
135. VBT Study Hall: Treatment Planning
What exactly is treatment planning and why do some therapists dread having to do it on a regular basis? This episode is Carrie’s love letter to treatment plans – why they are used, how they can improve therapy outcomes, and why Ben is wrong in his stubborn resistance to writing out a detailed plan for every client. Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon community . Very Bad Therapy: Website / Facebook / Bo...
Apr 17, 2023•1 hr 26 min
134. Neurodiversity and Diagnosis (with Halina Brooke, LAMFT)
What’s so important about a diagnosis? For neurodivergent clients, it can mean affirmation, community support, and access to much-needed services…if the diagnosis is correct. In today’s episode, we talk to Harley about her challenges in seeking diagnoses of autism and ADHD, and Halina Brooke rejoins us to discuss some of the best practices (and controversies) in supporting autistic clients. Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the V...
Apr 03, 2023•1 hr 27 min
133. VBT Study Hall: Termination
Nothing lasts forever, including therapeutic relationships. Therapy can end in lots of different ways, but what constitutes a good goodbye? We dig into the research on termination and the related ethics codes and come away with a surprising conclusion: firing a client is almost always ethically acceptable. Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon community . Very Bad Therapy: Website / Facebook / Bookshelf /...
Mar 20, 2023•1 hr 15 min
132. Some Bad Parts (with Dr. Sheila Addison)
“No bad parts” is a common mantra in therapy – the various parts of ourselves are always working to serve some beneficial purpose. But what happens when a therapist communicates to a client that significant parts of who they are aren’t welcome in the therapy room? Today’s guest Adam describes having to compartmentalize aspects of his identity with his therapist, and Dr. Sheila Addison joins us to discuss how to provide affirming services to all parts of a client. Thank you for listening. To supp...
Mar 06, 2023•1 hr 23 min
131. VBT Study Hall: First Sessions
What happens in the first session of therapy? More importantly, why do one-third of clients not come back for the second session? We look for answers in the research on client expectations and consider some creative perspectives on increasing first session effectiveness, including a radical idea that clients dropping out of therapy might actually be a positive outcome. Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreo...
Feb 20, 2023•1 hr 19 min
130. Gambling Therapy
Is good therapy as simple as whatever activity makes a client feel better? What if that activity is a singular focus on sports betting strategy? In today’s episode, we talk with Christine to learn from her experience of “gambling therapy” and answer the question of whether or not it’s a good thing to be friends with your therapist (spoiler: no, no it is not). Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon communit...
Feb 06, 2023•1 hr 24 min
129. Patreon Selects: Will Carrie Ever Get Licensed?
Carrie hasn’t worked as a therapist in over a year. Will she ever get licensed, and how is her decision connected to the apparent reality that many therapists are actively trying to not see clients? We explore the interesting trend of therapists looking for side hustles, and Carrie forces Ben to confront his extreme aversion to participating in the real world (aka sales and marketing). Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very B...
Jan 23, 2023•1 hr 10 min
128. VBT Study Hall: The Therapeutic Alliance
You’ve already heard that the therapeutic alliance is important to client outcomes, but does anyone actually know why? We dig into the research to figure out if ruptures can be a good thing (yes!), what clients and therapists should know about the therapeutic alliance, and why this topic has been fervently researched over the last half-century. Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon community . Today’s epi...
Jan 16, 2023•1 hr 7 min
127. Enlightenment is Not a Treatment Goal (with Dr. Jim Jobin)
Many clients want a spiritual component to their therapy, but what happens when a therapist acts more like a theologian than a mental health professional? Today’s guest Kelsey describes her experience of having spirituality weaponized against her in sessions, and Dr. Jim Jobin joins us to discuss how religion can be ethically and effectively incorporated into the therapeutic environment. Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very...
Jan 02, 2023•1 hr 23 min
126. VBT Study Hall: Interventions
It seems odd that most therapists – us included – aren’t 100% certain about what constitutes an intervention. Are interventions scripted in-session activities? What about the theoretical orientations themselves? There isn’t one single answer, but interventions aren’t that difficult to understand if you zoom out far enough…and get a little bit of help from ChatGPT. Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon com...
Dec 19, 2022•1 hr 23 min
125. So You’ve Stereotyped Your Client (with Deanna Fierman, LPC)
Stereotypes aren’t always a bad thing. That may not be true in therapy, especially when a client is made to feel like they are representing an entire group of people. That’s what we explore with today’s guest Jess, and we’re also joined by Deanna Fierman, LPC, to talk about what therapists should do after their biases about identity lead to clinical errors. Plus, Ben finds a therapist and Carrie gets a mammogram. Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus ep...
Dec 05, 2022•1 hr 41 min
124. VBT Study Hall: Theoretical Orientations
There are over 600 types of psychotherapy. What are they, where did they come from, and what makes them important? We dive deep (too deep, probably) into a $900 textbook in an attempt to make sense of the spectacularly confusing topic of theoretical orientations. This is an integrative episode – we integrate a lot of information with even more information. Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon community ....
Nov 21, 2022•1 hr 31 min
Bonus: Clinical Licensing Exams Don't Work (with Dr. Ben Caldwell)
In the United States, mental health professionals must pass a clinical exam to become licensed in their field. These exams appear to do nothing to make psychotherapy more effective or safe. They are, however, very efficient at furthering structural racism. Dr. Ben Caldwell joins us to make a very compelling, research-based argument for why these clinical exams should be abolished immediately. Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the...
Nov 14, 2022•59 min
123. Catching Feelings (with Dr. Ben Caldwell)
It’s not unusual for clients to develop feelings for their therapist. It’s also not unusual for therapists to develop feelings for their clients. So why is it such a bad idea for a therapist to share (or act) on those feelings? Today’s guest Kate shares a story that illustrates exactly why, and Dr. Ben Caldwell rejoins us to talk about what should happen when clients and therapists develop feelings for one another. Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus ...
Nov 07, 2022•1 hr 31 min
122. Patreon Selects: Degrees of Confusion (Part II)
Justin Norris rejoins us to conclude our conversation about the perplexing maze that is the application process for grad school. We use the California State University (CSU) system as a case study to illustrate why program requirements aren’t always what they seem, and Carrie discusses which therapy programs do a great job of defining and providing quality to their students. Plus, Subaru gets lots of free advertising. Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bon...
Oct 24, 2022•1 hr 13 min
121. Patreon Selects: Degrees of Confusion (Part I)
Have you ever wondered why the process of applying to grad school is so unclear at times? In part one of two, we are joined by Justin Norris, an expert in systems of higher education, to talk about the surprisingly interesting topics of accreditation, for-profit vs. non-profit designations, and public vs. private universities. If you wanted to become a therapist but ended up in a sales funnel, this episode is for you. Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bon...
Oct 17, 2022•1 hr 32 min
120. Hard Conversations
What happens when a therapist doesn’t want to work with a client? What should happen? Tom shares his experience with a therapist who chose avoidance over honesty, and we discuss ten types of hard conversations that frequently give therapists anxiety. Plus, is Steve Carrell a good enough TV therapist to avoid getting murdered? Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon community . Today’s episode is sponsored b...
Oct 03, 2022•1 hr 38 min
119. Patreon Selects: The Intersections of Philosophy and Psychotherapy
Dr. Sally Gibbons is an Oxford-educated philosopher, professor of bioethics and philosophy at UCLA, and licensed professional clinical counselor. We discuss her academic background, what inspired her transition to a career in mental health, and how philosophical thinking informs her humility and curiosity with clients. We also explore the intersections between philosophy and psychotherapy and how this relates to questions about what it means to be a human being and what we owe each other. Plus, ...
Sep 19, 2022•1 hr 16 min
118. Testing Patients (with Rachel Simon, LCSW)
Psychological testing can be complicated. It shouldn’t have to be hostile, even if the evaluation is not intended to be in a client’s best interest. In today’s episode, Jacob shares his experience of a truly ridiculous psych assessment, and we speak with Rachel Simon, LCSW MEd about how assessors can minimize the harmful impact of their own biases – and the biases built into the psych tests themselves. Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, che...
Sep 05, 2022•1 hr 21 min
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