Very Bad Therapy

The history of expertise in medicine and science led the field of psychotherapy to its beloved empirically supported treatments (ESTs). Psychiatrists were prescribing pills, and psychotherapists were offering best practices. But how did these best practices get their reputation, and what happens when clients and therapists alike believe uncertain truths about mental health treatment? We conclude our two-part historical journey with a look at some contemporary alternatives to the medical model and what this all means for the most important aspect of therapy: helping clients get better outcomes.

Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon community.

Introduction: 0:00 – 3:39

Part One: 3:39 – 58:05

Very Bad Therapy: Website / Facebook / Bookshelf / Tell Us Your Story

Therapists are considered mental health experts. How did this come to be, and is it necessary for the future of the field? Join us as we trace the surprising history of the medical model in therapy from its origins in the Scientific Revolution to the evolution of treatment manuals. Part I takes us all the way to 1987, with cameos by the Catholic Church, Ben Franklin, Sigmund Freud, Hans Eysenck, and more. If you've ever wondered why psychotherapy seems to have such a confusing relationship with medicine and science, this episode is for you.

Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon community.

Introduction: 0:00 – 4:02

Part One: 4:02 – 55:39

Very Bad Therapy: Website / Facebook / Bookshelf / Tell Us Your Story

Today's guest Marie shares her thought-provoking story about a preoccupied telehealth therapist, and we drag Dr. Ben Caldwell into another one of our philosophical crises about what constitutes very bad therapy. Is it not following a treatment plan? Having young children show up in session? Ignoring ruptures? Regularly showing up late? And while we're at it, what even is therapy? Who should get to be a therapist during the pandemic? Join us on the struggle bus as we try to parse out issues related to telehealth, laws, ethics, clinical practices, privilege, social systems…and bullshit.

Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon community. Today's episode is sponsored by The Organized Therapist – Social Media for Therapists and Empifany (Instagram / Facebook).

Introduction: 0:00 – 11:20

Part One: 11:20 – 54:41

Part Two: 54:41 – 1:57:06

Part Three: 1:57:06 – 2:02:04

Very Bad Therapy: Website / Facebook / Bookshelf / Tell Us Your Story

Show Notes:

• Donate to Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
• Ben Caldwell Labs
• Psychotherapy Notes
• SimplePractice Learning
• Calling Bullshit: The Art of Skepticism in a Data-Driven World
• Potential fabrication in research images threatens key theory of Alzheimer's disease
• Preventing intrusive memories after trauma via a brief intervention involving Tetris computer game play in the emergency department: A proof-of-concept randomized controlled trial
• The Radical Therapist #100 – Single Session Narrative Therapy w/ Michale Morar

Carrie and Ben are joined by friend of the podcast Rachel Bennett to talk about how their past careers have shaped their identities as therapists. Topics include:

• How working in fine dining informs the importance of being of service and providing experiences to therapy clients
• How very few people in therapy and acting know what they're doing and how this helps with impostor syndrome
• The humility required to be a successful poker player and therapist, as well as the need to separate short-term results from long-term process
• The importance of learning how to self-regulate in the presence of others
• How all of this (as always) relates to feedback-informed treatment

Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon community. Today's episode is sponsored by Empifany (Instagram / Facebook).

Introduction: 0:00 – 9:03

Part One: 9:03 – 1:17:47

Very Bad Therapy: Website / Facebook / Bookshelf / Tell Us Your Story

Show Notes:

• MFT California
• The Surprise of Reaching Out: Appreciated More Than We Think
• Unexpectedly reaching out to a friend is more appreciated than people assume, new study shows

Consciousness-altering psychedelic drugs have shown tremendous promise in mental health treatment. The future of psychedelic-assisted therapy is uncertain, but one thing seems clear: the psychedelics are for the client, not the therapist. Today's guest Matthew shares his peculiar experience with a not-quite-levelheaded therapist, and Ben Hearn joins us to discuss everything you ever wanted to know about this emerging pathway to psychological healing.

Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon community. Today's episode is sponsored by The Organized Therapist – Social Media for Therapists and Empifany (Instagram / Facebook).

Introduction: 0:00 – 3:57

Part One: 3:57 – 35:46

Part Two: 35:46 – 1:26:38

Part Three: 1:26:38 – 1:28:06

Very Bad Therapy: Website / Facebook / Bookshelf / Tell Us Your Story

Show Notes:

• Donate to Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and Decriminalize Nature Michigan
• Ben Hearn's Website
• Ethical and legal issues in psychedelic harm reduction and integration therapy
• Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration: A Transtheoretical Model for Clinical Practice
• Fireside Project
• Podcast: Cover Story
• Psychedelics & Counseling Interest Network
• Chacruna
• Psymposia
• CIIS: Center for Psychedelic Therapies and Research
• Fluence

Dr. Andrew Scull is the Distinguished Professor of Sociology, Emeritus, at UCSD. He has written extensively about the history of psychiatry and the treatment of madness. We discuss why it seems like the more you know about mental illness, the less clear things become. We also explore myths about biology and neuroscience, the likelihood of a clear solution for improving psychotherapy, and the politics that have shaped our mental healthcare systems.

Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon community.

Join our charity drive! We are matching up to $6,000 of your donations to the world's most effective charities. To contribute, visit GiveWell.org and use the fundraising code VBT.

Introduction: 0:00 – 5:18

Part One: 5:18 – 1:07:11

Very Bad Therapy: Website / Facebook / Bookshelf / Tell Us Your Story

Show Notes:

• Andrew Scull: UCSD Bio / Amazon Page
• Desperate Remedies: Psychiatry's Turbulent Quest to Cure Mental Illness

The field of psychotherapy has increasingly prioritized discussions about issues of oppression and marginalization. This is, of course, a sign of progress. But who gets left out of these conversations? Today's guest Kaley shares her experience of antisemitism in therapy, and Halina Brooke rejoins us to talk about how Jewish clients are impacted when therapist education reinforces harmful narratives.

Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon community. Today's episode is sponsored by The Organized Therapist – Social Media for Therapists.

Join our charity drive! We are matching up to $6,000 of your donations to the world's most effective charities. To contribute, visit GiveWell.org and use the fundraising code VBT.

Introduction: 0:00 – 6:09

Part One: 6:09 – 38:26

Part Two: 38:26 – 1:20:00

Part Three: 1:20:00 – 1:22:52

Very Bad Therapy: Website / Facebook / Bookshelf / Tell Us Your Story

Show Notes:

• Donate to Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society
• Halina Brooke: Recourse Counseling / LinkedIn
• The Jewish Therapist Collective
• The influence of Judaism on American psychology
• The Liking Gap in Conversations: Do People Like Us More Than We Think?
• Job Accommodation Network
• ADA.gov
• Family and Medical Leave Act

We're back with Dr. Ben Caldwell to conclude our thoughts on grad school and the surprising reality that it isn't meant to make you a good therapist. We talk about starting supervision, avoiding moral injury, and most importantly, all the things that graduate education does very well in supporting early-career clinicians. Plus, we share our best advice for anyone getting started in their career in mental health.

Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon community.

Join our charity drive! We are matching up to $6,000 of your donations to the world's most effective charities. To contribute, visit GiveWell.org and use the fundraising code VBT.

Introduction: 0:00 – 2:38

Part One: 2:38 – 1:03:04

Part Two: 1:03:04 – 1:14:45

Very Bad Therapy: Website / Facebook / Bookshelf / Tell Us Your Story

Show Notes:

• Ben Caldwell Labs – Exam Prep / Books / Saving Psychotherapy
• Sentio University: Mastering Psychotherapy Webinars

Dr. Ben Caldwell joins us to discuss everything you need to know about going to school to become a therapist. His most important message? Treat grad school like a convenience store – get in and get out. We explore how to choose a school, how to get the most out of the experience, and where to focus your energy along the way. This episode is for anyone interested in becoming a therapist or for those already in grad school – especially if some of your experiences don't seem to make sense.

Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon community. Today's episode is sponsored by courtmandatedtraining.com.

Join our charity drive! We are matching up to $6,000 of your donations to the world's most effective charities. To contribute, visit GiveWell.org and use the fundraising code VBT.

Introduction: 0:00 – 5:44

Part One: 5:44 – 1:16:15

Very Bad Therapy: Website / Facebook / Bookshelf / Tell Us Your Story

Show Notes:

• MFT California
• Ben Caldwell Labs – Exam Prep / Books / Saving Psychotherapy

Of course we were going to end up doing an episode about CBT eventually. Emily describes visiting a CBT therapist who seemed uninterested in doing any real work, and Alyssa Davis joins us to cognitively restructure our beliefs about therapy models. Plus, some notes on EMDR, common factors, and deliberate practice. This episode has a bit of everything.

Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon community. Today's episode is sponsored by courtmandatedtraining.com and The Organized Therapist – Social Media for Therapists.

Join our charity drive! We are matching up to $6,000 of your donations to the world's most effective charities. To contribute, visit GiveWell.org and use the fundraising code VBT.

Introduction: 0:00 – 8:36

Part One: 8:36 – 40:09

Part Two: 40:09 – 1:15:06

Part Three: 1:15:06 – 1:36:40

Very Bad Therapy: Website / Facebook / Bookshelf / Tell Us Your Story

Show Notes:

• Donate to Ancient Forest Alliance
• Alyssa Davis, LMFT: Website / Instagram
• Learn Psychotherapy: Website / YouTube / Apple Podcasts / Spotify
• MFT California
• Does Practice Really Make Perfect? A Longitudinal Analysis of the Relationship Between Therapist Experience and Therapy Outcome: A Replication of Goldberg, Rousmaniere, et al. (2016)