What Your Therapist Wants You To Know

Crystal interviews Josh on this episode of What Your Therapist Wants You To Know about his expertise in the Artificial Intelligence space. He developed a helpful framework to help us all interact more efficiently and meaningfully with chatbots. Josh walks us through HORSE and explains why intentionality and discernment are critical components when engaging with AI. With the right harnesses and defined roles, AI can be a wonderful tool. Ultimately, using AI well is about finding a healthy balance between technological support and human wisdom. If you currently use AI chatbots or know someone who does, this episode is for you! 

What does it actually mean to get the most out of your marriage? According to the Gottman approach, a strong marriage isn't about avoiding conflict or having a perfect relationship--it's about intentionally building friendship, emotional connection, trust, and a shared life together. 

In this episode at the start of Season 2 of What Your Therapist Wants You To Know, Josh and Crystal talk through The Sound Relationship House founded by Drs. John and Julie Gottman and the skills it requires to strengthen a marriage. They explore friendship as the foundation, how to make and respond to bids for connection, and how to nurture fondness and admiration. 

The episode ends talking more in depth about their upcoming Learning to Love Workshop in Kansas City and what one can expect when they register. For more information, go to learningtoloveworkshop.com

Join Crystal and Josh as they conclude the summer book series with The Love Prescription by John and Julie Gottman. Listen as they unpack the decades of research from the Gottmans on couples and how the book creates seven simple practices designed to strengthen connection. Their approach focuses less on "fixing" a relationship and more on intentionally creating the conditions where friendship, emotional safety, appreciation, and intimacy can grow.

One of the most compelling therapeutic takeaways is that small moments matter. The goal isn't perfection--it's creating a pattern of turning toward each other more often. 

Crystal and Josh remind the listeners that love isn't just something we feel; it's something we practice. Tune in as this is the conclusion of Season 1 for What Your Therapist Wants You To Know.

In this episode, we explore Mel Robbins' bestselling book The Let Them Theory through a therapeutic lens, looking beyond the catchy phrase to examine what it can teach us about boundaries, emotional regulation, relationships, and the need for control. Josh and Crystal explore how "let them" becomes more powerful when followed by "let me". 

They break down where this concept is best applied and also when it may not always work in the traditional therapy space. Ultimately, this book offers a simple entry point into deeper therapeutic work around acceptance, people pleasing, self-worth, and emotional freedom. The goal isn't to care less about people. It's to stop abandoning yourself in the process of caring about them. 

In this episode, Crystal and Josh explore The Gap and The Gain by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy through the lens of mental health, emotional resilience, and personal growth. At its heart, this book asks a powerful question: What if the way you're measuring your life is the very thing keeping you dissatisfied? The authors introduce two ways of evaluating ourselves. The Gap is the space between where we are and an ever moving ideal. The Gain is measuring your life by looking backward instead of forward.

Josh and Crystal break these concepts down and walk through the practical takeaways. They end with the reminder that when you measure your life by how far you've come instead of how far you think you have left to go, you cultivate resilience, gratitude, and a healthier relationship with yourself. If you find yourself in chronic striving and wish to focus on more meaningful progress, this episode is for you! 

In this episode, Josh and Crystal unpack Mark Manson's bestselling book The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck from the perspective of mental health and emotional well-being. While the title is provocative, the core message isn't about becoming indifferent--it's about becoming intentional. They explore the idea that emotional discomfort isn't something to eliminate, it's something to understand. Another key theme is personal responsibility. Taking ownership of your healing can be empowering rather than shaming. 

Whether you've read the book or are simply feeling overwhelmed by life's endless demands, this conversation offers a balanced therapeutic perspective on choosing what truly matters and letting go of the rest. Find your takeaways from the discussion and then decide if it is a book that you will pick up and read fully!

In this episode, Josh and Crystal explore their second book In the summer reading series, Atomic Habits by James Clear. They break down the book going over key concepts and takeaways and discuss who would benefit most from reading this book. They unpack why small, consistent changes often lead to the greatest transformation and how our habits reinforce our identity. Whether you're trying to improve your physical health, strengthen your relationships, reduce anxiety, or simply be more intentional in your daily life, this conversation offers practical strategies grounded in both behavioral science and therapeutic insight. Join us as we discuss how lasting change begins one small step at a time and why becoming the person you want to be starts long before you see the results. 

Join Josh and Crystal as they discuss the first book in the summer book series! In this episode, they discuss the book Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller. They define the three primary attachment styles: secure, anxious, and avoidant. They explore common relationship patterns, including fear of abandonment, emotional distancing, mixed signals, and the pursuit-withdraw cycle that many couples experience. Most importantly, they talk about the hope found in developing greater self-awareness and moving toward more secure relationships. Whether you're dating, married, healing from a breakup, or simply curious about your relationship patterns, this conversation offers practical insights from the book and a therapeutic perspective on connection. Stay tuned until the end to hear the next book in our summer book series! 

Crystal gives a brief intro for our summer book series. Join us as we work through 6 popular self-help books this summer and discover what we like and find helpful. Read along with us or just join us for the discussion on each episode! 

In this episode, Josh and Crystal discuss the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, how perfectionism and overwhelm can quietly drain your energy, and why waiting to "feel motivated" often keeps people stuck. Sometimes the goal isn't pushing harder, it's identifying what's emotionally weighing you down, reconnecting with your values, and learning how to take small, sustainable steps forward. They end with reminding you that action precedes motivation and to remember that motivation always ebbs and flows.