My Sister's A Therapist- Mental Health, Wellness, and Healing with Humor

An extra-long show with the brilliant, funny, and talented Lu Chekowsky- we talk about fatphobia, how advertising makes us hate ourselves, and the perils of Sun-In addiction.

Her book is so great, it's out June 9th and she's also got it on audiobook on Audible!

References:

Don't Buy What I'm Selling, by Lu Chekowsky

Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Licensed Therapist/LMFT/Mental Wellness/Grief/AI in advertising/Advertising/Body Image/ Parent-Child Relationships

Why am I fighting in the comments section- again??

Where outrage addiction comes from and why it's bad for you!

References:

Your Addiction to Outrage is Ruining Your Life

The anger feels so good, but it’s insidious Pete Williams

Maddiction: Addiction to Self-Righteous Outrage

Jeremy E. Sherman

Du Mez, Kristen Kobes (2020) Jesus and John Wayne: How white Evangelicals corrupted a faith and fractured a nation. NYC, NY: Liveright.

Montell, Amanda (2021) Cultish: The language of fanaticism. NYC, NY: Harper Wave

Ariely, Dan (2012) The honest truth about dishonesty: How we lie especially to ourselves. NYC: NY Harper

Psychology Today- Why Does Outrage Often Feel So Good Glenn Geher, PhD

#attention economy #social media #social media echo chambers

Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Licensed Therapist/LMFT/Mental Wellness

We all think we're so special, so unique- but human problems are pretty universal!

References:

Am I Normal?: Josie Glausiusz

Why do people find it difficult to realize that every other person has the same fundamental problems that they do? Sashi Gavani & David Hunter

Your problems are not unique. : Michael Dermer 

Why Do I Feel Different From Others? (And How to Cope): Viktor Sander

Why Some People Feel Too Different to Be Understood: Managing the enigma predicament: Jennifer Gerlach LCSW

Our Problems Aren’t That Special: Aji Oliyide

Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Licensed Therapist/LMFT/Mental Wellness/Social Isolation

What's up with tradwives, and why is seeking gendered family roles so dangerous for women?

REFERENCES: 

Tradwife account ‘Patriarchy Hannah’ apologizes for lies, says she was ‘not who I presented myself to be’

Kalhan Rosenblatt

The Tradwife Trend Is a Risky Throwback- Psychology Today--Marika Lindholm Ph.D.

The Fury of the Tradwife: 

Adapted from an Annenberg School for Communication news article by Hailey Reissman, October 30, 2025.

Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Licensed Therapist/LMFT/Mental Wellness

Are love songs bad for your mental health? Why does Sting find stalking so romantic? Who is the clean-up woman? All these questions and more answered here! We review the mental issues exhibited by Squeeze, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Lola Young, Bel Biv Devoe, and many more!

References:

Supporting a Friend or Family Member with Mental Health Problems: SAMHSA

How to Stop Objectifying Women: Integrative Life Center

The Power and Control Wheel

How Often Do Affair Partners End up Marrying and Happy?: Affair Resources and Advice

How to Help the Chronically Self-Pitying Client: Three tips to turn self-pity into self-compassion and therapeutic action: Mark Tyrell

100 AFFIRMATIONS TO HELP BUILD SELF-ESTEEM AND SELF-CONFIDENCE: Carol Miller

What is a therapist’s ‘duty to warn’ and why is it so important?: Alan Deibel

Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Licensed Therapist/LMFT/Mental Wellness/Domestic Abuse/Pop Culture Analysis

Why do some people lose themselves in travel? Why can't either of the sisters handle pot? Why is Venice Syndrome so deadly? These questions and more answered here!

#seeker syndrome #mental health #sisters #therapy #international travel

Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Licensed Therapist/LMFT/Mental Wellness

Listener Samantha writes in with a great topic- what are the hard parts of healing? Why don't I feel like TikTok told me I would? And other great questions.

References:

Healing: A Journey, Not a Destination: Lindsay Paulsen

What Does it Mean When Someone Says “Healing Isn’t Linear”?: Pivotal Counseling 

How Long Does It Take for a New Behavior to Become a Habit?: Scott Frothingham 

Progress Isn’t Linear: The Myth of The Straight Line

How Strategic Pauses Improve Decisions in Life Transitions: Embracing the space between stimulus and response: James R. Langabeer, PhDThe Grief of Growth: Elizabeth Gillette, LCSW

Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Licensed Therapist/LMFT/Mental Wellness/Emotional Healing/Personal Growth/Resistance Building

Do people get what they deserve? Why does it feel so much better to think so?

Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Licensed Therapist/LMFT/Mental Wellness

Why don't people take good advice? We talk about bad habits and intractable people.

References:

What's the origin of the phrase 'You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink?”: Phrase Finder

4 Hacks for Dealing With Difficult People: Martin Lanik

5 Vital Steps to Help You Overcome Resistance: Nina Ahuja, MD

The 3 Most Powerful Ways To Change People Who Don't Want To Change: Kathy Caprino

The Help Resisters: Martha Beck

Jordan Klepper Solves Guns: 2017

Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Licensed Therapist/LMFT/Mental Wellness/Self Help

Laura and Virginia break down the Manosphere documentary by Louis Theroux. Louis, if you're reading this, just know that we love you Theroux and Theroux.

Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Licensed Therapist/LMFT/Mental Wellness/Misogyny/Cult Behavior