Fighting Matters

Jiu-Jitsu Isn't Therapy


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In this episode of Fighting Matters, Steve Kwan is joined by Matt Tansey and Daniel Millstein: two licensed mental health professionals who also train jiu-jitsu. They attack one of the most repeated claims in the sport ("jiu-jitsu is my therapy"), what's actually true about it, what isn't, and why the distinction matters more than most people think.



👥 Featuring:
• Steve Kwan — https://bjjmentalmodels.com
• Matt Tansey — https://matthewtansey.com
• Daniel Millstein — https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/daniel-millstein-boston-ma/1239597



🧠 Topics Discussed:
• What therapists actually do (and how they differ from coaches)
• Why jiu-jitsu can be therapeutic without being therapy
• The Dunning-Kruger effect and black belt overconfidence
• How jiu-jitsu can help and harm people with trauma
• Why male practitioners avoid therapy but embrace pseudoscience
• SSRIs, psychedelics, stem cells, and the jiu-jitsu bro health pipeline



📖 Chapters:
00:00 — Introducing Matt and Daniel
02:48 — Types of mental health practitioners
06:43 — Can jiu-jitsu be therapeutic?
12:31 — Competence, confidence, and the Dunning-Kruger trap
23:49 — When jiu-jitsu actually helps
26:12 — Overselling jiu-jitsu
28:31 — Trauma, PTSD, and proper disclosure
36:44 — What therapists can't say (but coaches can)
42:57 — Dudes will do anything except go to therapy
50:48 — Ethics, credentials, and the unregulated advice problem
01:00:17 — Psychedelics, stem cells, and anti-SSRI bros

...more
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