Sidekick Sessions

We’re back with another episode where everything’s made up and the points do matter! This week, Molly & Adrian discuss some of our best sports & playground injuries, Molly’s webbed feet, who we’d pick for a celebrity golf tournament, and “how to have conversations 101.” We also expose some embarrassing moments, like Adrian being pantsed by high school girls, and Molly does some soul searching about whether or not she’s a bully. What cringeworthy memories live on a loop in your head? We hope ours will make you laugh (instead of making us cry)!!

This week Abby joins Adrian, Molly, and Molly’s new bucket hat on the couch for some spoooooky fun. We discuss our favorite costumes from years past, debate the best candy, and learn about how Halloween impacts city planning. Abby shares about the books her family wrote, and Molly & Adrian play a game to try to convince the Taylors to let us make their Netflix movie. Join us for some laughs and hear if Adrian will be pranking Molly after this episode!!

Adrian and Molly are back, and we’re still friends! This week we get into perfectionism and how it impacts our inner voices and the way we approach life. Adrian shares about the intricacies of the game of golf, and Molly remembers some of her significant basketball moments (real and from dreams). We also unpack what it’s like to be a youngest child and a late bloomer who hit puberty late. Is this a Malcolm Gladwell takedown podcast now?? We hope you’ll listen, laugh, and find out!

Welcome to Season 2: Delta Variant! After a long summer break, Molly and Adrian return to the couch to catch each other up on what we missed, like Molly hitting a deer, becoming a professional slackliner, and getting really into TikTok. We also share thoughts on episode 1 of Netflix’s Squid Game, trailblazing comedian Bobby Lee, and how people respond to different portrayals of Asians and Asian Americans in media. And of course we get into a bunch of random topics like throwing babies in pools, the various animals fighting for territory in our backyard, Adrian’s fear of dolls, and shutting down conversations with strangers (and dogs who are only okay at volleyball). We’re excited for our new season and hope you’ll join us for laughs along the way!

Adrian, Molly, Benita, and Abby are joined on the couch this week by our housemate & favorite history teacher, Marilyn! We explore the idea of a “Therapy Menu,” where your therapist gives you options for potential topics to dig into. Our menu suggestions include childhood trauma, attachment styles, boundaries, genograms, power & control, money, and more. What would you add?? Marilyn also shares about teachers’ mental health in COVID, and we discuss the experiences of people of color in therapy, including why white, mediocre therapists are sometimes okay (and why we hope they do better). And we share some stories about getting the second vaccine shot, gender reveal parties, and confetti gone wrong. Hope this episode makes you laugh and helps you on your own therapy journey!

This week Adrian, Abby and Benita come together on the couch talking about experiences of emotions. We talk about how we all experience (and possibly suppress) anger and sadness and learn the different types of tears that humans cry (#sadboisummer). We also touch on the science behind the benefits of crying and how it can aid in processing big emotions. Finally, Abby and Benita reflect on how women are often socialized into saying “sorry” more than needed and we discuss how to respond to over-apologizing in a way that is helpful.

Chase, a friend & former housemate, joins Molly, Adrian, and Abby on the couch! We discuss Bo Burnham’s new Netflix special ‘Inside’ and Chase’s foray into van life by converting a used ambulance. We explore the particularities of a white woman’s Instagram, the challenges of the creative process in isolation, repression & responding to unexpected setbacks, the evolution of the internet, how people of different generations are impacted by social media, the experience of dissociation, and small talk and the importance of meaningful conversations. Chase also shares his love for Shohei Ohtani, who is apparently the BTS of baseball.

Abby, Benita and Adrian return to the couch this week! We talk about name pronunciations and the temptation to accommodate mispronunciations. We discuss clips of Asian American celebrities Steven Yeun on Conan and Hasan Minhaj as he educated the world on the Ellen show.

Benita shares a few microaggressions (some macroaggressions) that she’s experienced as a woman of color living in Santa Cruz. We also circle back to the conversation about power dynamics between men and women from a few episodes ago and add more thoughts. Join us as we learn and GROW together!

Benita returns to the couch to help Adrian understand what’s the big deal with HSM & Hairspray heartthrob Zac Efron. We confess our childhood celebrity crushes and what posters we had in our bedrooms growing up. And we discuss why it’s okay for everybody to read YA fiction and why Americans are weird for eating peanut butter. There’s also a Growth (Groff) Corner this week where we argue for therapy participation trophies. Whether you see a therapist or you’re *doing the work* in some other way, hope this episode is laugh therapy for you this week.

On this week’s episode, Molly lets us into her grief process. We remember her dad Burr and what an awesome “cheerleader” he was. Molly shares about the disorientation of family illness, grief rituals, how to honor loved ones who’ve died, and advice for what (not) to do when a friend is grieving. Tbh, for an episode about death, it’s surprisingly fun.

Adrian also shares about his social anxiety dreams, Molly getting pictured in local magazines, Molly was her high school mascot, and we bond over our mutual love for 1992 Olympic champion Kristi Yamaguchi and comedian/sad man Mike Birbiglia.