Finding Help: Therapy, Recovery, & Community

Bianca Hughes, LPC, shares that the unrealistic desire to be perfect exists in all of us and is at the root of many mental health difficulties. We discuss how perfectionism shows up differently for men and women. We also talk about how the pandemic has affected mental health. Bianca credits the slowed down pace of life with creating an increased demand for therapy as people come face-to-face with their inner perfectionist and are seeking help as a result. In addition to her therapy practice, Bianca hosts the “Authentic Wednesday Podcast” in which she invites guests to take off their perfectionism mask to talk about their real stories. 

Bianca’s website: https://www.biancakhughes.com/

Authentic Wednesday Podcast

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/authentic-wednesday-podcast/id1480969712

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PL2BjT9KoEWNmRQz53i8V

For more info on Matt Shedd and the services he provides for therapists visit: https://mattshedd.com

How come my partner and I keep getting into fights and we don’t know why?

My guest today is Becky Wofford of Lifespring Counseling with offices in Acworth and Marietta, Georgia.  Our conversation today focuses on Becky’s work with couples using emotionally focused therapy. She shares about the uniquely deep loneliness that people experience when they are in a strained relationship; the apprehension they often feel about opening up at first about their relationship;  and the hope that she knows is possible.

Becky’s Psychology Today profile: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/becky-wofford-acworth-ga/153267

For more of Matt’s writing and podcasts and to learn about the services he provides for therapists, visit https://mattshedd.com

Alyce Wellons, LCSW, is a therapist who is remarkably grounded, thoughtful, and present. You can hear the care and wisdom that she brings to her therapy practice when she describes how she works with clients. Alyce has over 20 years of experience as a psychotherapist, and she explains how her views about therapy have matured over time. Specifically, she talks about how, as a young therapist, she thought that working with trauma was about going right into the content of the traumatic event in the client's life. It wasn't until she gained more experience that she began to realize the importance of "talking about talking about what happened." In our conversation, we discuss the importance of safety in therapeutic relationships and how boundaries lay the groundwork for love. We also talk about communication that takes place in therapy that goes beyond words. Because this work is so subtle and profound, she believes that a great deal of the therapist's ability to help is grounded in the work that they do on themselves before the client comes into the room. We also discuss how political events in the outside world can immediately impact what happens in the therapy room.

Learn more about Alyce's work: https://www.alycewellons.com

To reach out to Matt Shedd visit: https://mattshedd.com.

What are some of the obstacles that men face in getting help with their mental health? What makes therapy work well? And if it works well, why is it so hard for people to reach out for help? These are just some of the big questions that I tackle with Dr. Steve Fogleman, a psychologist who focuses on interpersonal process therapy in his work with clients. In our talk, we discuss how sharing in a safe context of therapy allows clients to work through and address past traumas.  We also talk about how media representations of therapy shape our expectations of what therapy will be like before we even walk in the door, looking specifically at the show Mad Men. The episode closes out with Dr. Fogleman’s take on how he addresses differences in identity, why he likes working with men on men’s issues, and the one thing he would pass on to people listening about what therapy is like.

0:01 - Intro

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/steve-fogleman-atlanta-ga/780719

For more of Matt’s writing and podcasts or to reach out to him, visit https://mattshedd.com

Melanie Storrusten, LCSW works with a lot of clients who have had bad experiences with therapy in the past. Melanie specializes in trauma, and her approach incorporates the most up-to-date research on how trauma affects the nervous system. She discusses how trauma needs to be engaged with gently, delicately, and slowly. We also talk about how events in the news can affect trauma survivors. Melanie talks about different media representations of therapy on TV shows like "Grey's Anatomy" or "This Is Us" can sometimes be harmful or helpful in giving people an idea of what therapy is actually like. 

Visit Melanie's practice, Align Wellness: https://www.alignwellnessatl.com

For more of Matt’s writing and podcasts or to reach out to him, visit https://mattshedd.com