Therapists' Take with Carrie and Josh

In this episode of the Therapists' Take Podcast, we dive into the complex world of love addiction and limerence—two often misunderstood concepts that can deeply affect personal relationships. We’ll explore how childhood trauma plays a pivotal role in forming these patterns and, most importantly, offer hope and practical steps toward recovery. Whether you’re experiencing these struggles or supporting someone who is, this episode is ...

In this special bonus episode of the Therapists' Take Podcast, couples expert Donnie Van Curen delves into the heart-wrenching experience of a broken heart. Together, we'll explore some of the toughest questions that come with this deep emotional pain: Why does it hurt so much? Will the pain ever fade? Does this signal the end of a relationship or marriage? And perhaps most importantly, is it possible to heal a broken heart...

In this episode of the Therapists' Take Podcast, hosts Carrie and Josh dive into the world of critical thinking and logical fallacies, drawing inspiration from Adam Grant's work on the Hierarchy of Critical Thinking.

Critical thinking is the ability to objectively analyze and evaluate an issue in order to form a judgment. It’s a crucial skill in our increasingly complex world, helping us to make informed decisions and avoi...

In this episode, Carrie and Josh take you all the way back to the very first Therapists' Take episode, before it was a podcast. Here they tackle the "Karen" phenomenon—a topic that has sparked countless debates, memes, and YouTube channels.

Join us as we explore:

• The origins of the "Karen" phenomenon and its evolution over time.
• What "Karen" really means and the stereotypes it perpetuates.
...

In this episode of Therapists' Take, we dive into the emotional turmoil faithful partners experience after infidelity, particularly the pervasive feeling of foolishness. We'll explore why so many partners blame themselves and break down the three most common ways this feeling manifests: "I feel foolish for letting it happen," "I feel foolish for letting it happen again," and "I feel foolish for stay...

In this episode of the Therapists' Take Podcast, we are joined by Whitney Alexander, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, EMDR therapist and consultant, and founder of the Warren Alexander Group. Whitney brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in trauma therapy, particularly in addressing the complexities of PTSD. Today, we’ll explore the profound impact of Complex PTSD and delve into the feelings of brokenness that of...

I think it is safe to say that the challenges parents face in the twenty-first century are far more complex than the challenges parents faced even one or two generations ago. What do we tend to blame? Technology!

In reality, technology has always been the bane of parental existence. The world has always been going to hell in a hand basket. How many generations of parents can relate to that feeling when they stumble across their ch...

Everybody has heard of sexual infidelity, but what is financial infidelity? If fidelity is the “quality or state of being faithful,” according to Merriam-Webster.com, then “infidelity” would be the opposite of that, which might be why “unfaithful” has become synonymous with sexual infidelity. So, we can safely assume that financial infidelity is some kind of egregious relational violation involving the family finances. Debra Kaplan...

Have you ever done something truly courageous? If so, what was it? What made it an act of courage for you? If you haven’t, then why not? What has held you back? Is it possible you were brave at times, yet your brain doesn’t conceptualize it as courage?

Courage is a complicated concept and phenomenon. Most human beings over the age of three have displayed acts of courage. So how come we often don’t feel that way? How come we ca...

This bonus episode is technically the ending to Episode 28: On the Complex Role of Anger after Infidelity. This particular portion primarily focuses on the unfaithful partner's anger that often has been long suppressed. That, however, does not mean that it is always appropriate to express to the betrayed partner who is healing from the act(s) of infidelity, but it can no longer be repressed either. It's quite the conundrum....

Most people can intellectually understand that anger is a reasonable emotional response for those who discover the infidelity of their partners. Anger makes sense, but is it helpful? Does it have a purpose or place in one’s recovery? The reality is that many of us have a complicated relationship with anger. Some are more comfortable with it than they should be and others may be so uncomfortable with it that they rarely express it; ...

You may have heard some version for the following phrase in reference to couple communication - “You have a perspective. Your partner has a perspective. Then, there is what really happened.” You also likely are familiar with the research on eye-witness testimony that speaks to just how wildly unreliable eye-witness testimony is in a court of law. So, if our memory is seemingly so unreliable, then what’s the point? What is the purpo...

No one likes a bully! More often than not when you imagine “a bully” your mind gravitates to some kid from your childhood that pulled your hair, called you names, or even inflicted physical harm upon you. We just can’t wait to be grown so we don’t have to deal with that anymore, right? Wait! Do bullies exist in adulthood as well. The short answer is “yes,” but it often manifests differently.

In this episode of #TherapistsTakePodc...

The decision to leave a marriage or a committed relationship is hardly ever an easy decision and it’s even harder to execute. As much as we applaud the courage it takes to leave when that time comes, it doesn’t change the reality that it is supposed to be hard. It shouldn’t be an easy decision; and it most definitely shouldn’t be a knee-jerk reaction.

In this episode of Therapists’ Take, podcast hosts and professional couples ther...

The decision to go to therapy is not an easy one. In addition to figuring our how you are going to afford it, there is also many other emotional barriers to overcome like overcoming the social stigma, facing your sense of failure or embarrassment, not to mention all that goes in to choosing the “right” therapist. With all the effort and vulnerability that goes in to merely making the decision, the last thing you want to experience ...

Stress and anxiety seem to plague us all at some point in our human existence. However, although most teens and adults can relate to the concept of stress and anxiety, it seems to manifest in way similar to another as well as way quite different from another. Despite how similar or different our experiences are with anxiety, one thing us universally agreed upon, no two situations are exactly the same.

In this episode, Therapists&#...

Have you ever been referred to as someone’s “work wife” or “work husband”? Is that even okay to do? What about other types of opposite s3x friendships? Are they okay to have? If so, how are they different from same-s3x friendships?

So many questions, right? Don’t you worry because Carrie and Josh are on it! In this episode Carrie and Josh will discuss not so much the importance of friendship, but primarily the complexities of oppo...

EMDR is a form a trauma treatment that his highly effective and greatly revered amongst the mental health community as well as those seeking mental services.  In case you are not aware, EMDR stands for “Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.”  It gets its name because Francine Shapiro, the founder and primary developer of EMDR, first discovered it because of the physiological and emotional changes she felt when she moved he...

Are our first responders heroes in your view, or are they villains? It seems like these two camps are often feuding back and forth on mainstream and social medias. In this episode of Therapists’ Take, we hope to offer up a different perspective. We aim to take a look at our first responders in such a way that reminds us that they are human. They are flesh and blood like you and me. And not unlike many groups or professions, they a...