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Why Motivation Is the Worst Foundation for Lasting Change
Brought to you by Klarify: Klarify is an AI assistant that automates your notes, codes your sessions, submits the claims, and appeals the denials. Over 415,000 notes generated for 5,200+ therapists. HIPAA, PHIPA, & PIPEDA compliant.
In this episode, I spoke with Tammer Malaty, a licensed therapist and founder of Malaty Therapy in Houston, who has spent nearly 15 years helping clients build sustainable change. Drawing on his decade running groups in a recovery high school and his own personal recovery journey, Tammer explains why most therapy plans fail the moment a client walks out of the office. We dig into the mistake almost everyone makes about motivation, why he insists on teaching clients how to think rather than what to think, and the moment a stranger tapped him on the shoulder at a movie theater that changed how he understands the work entirely.
Tammer breaks down why coping skills must be practiced when the stakes are low, not in the middle of a crisis, using a sports analogy that every clinician will recognize. We talk about the famous rat study that overturned everything we thought we knew about addiction, and why community matters more than willpower in long-term recovery. Tammer also shares his observations on the rise of loneliness and economic hopelessness among young men, how COVID rewired adolescent mental health, and the patterns he sees in the 18 to 24 year-olds walking into his office.
We close on AI: how Tammer is using it to brainstorm through tough cases, surface his blind spots, and become a sharper clinician without ever replacing the human work at the core of therapy.
Chapters:
(00:00:00) - The Movie Theater Moment That Changed Everything
(00:01:24) - Inside Malaty Therapy: A 12-Therapist Group Practice in Houston
(00:02:37) - What Makes a Therapist Actually Good
(00:04:29) - How COVID Reshaped Adolescent Mental Health
(00:08:06) - From Personal Recovery to Treating Teens in Recovery
(00:11:22) - Why Therapy Is About Planting Seeds You May Never See Bloom
(00:12:29) - Motivation Is Just a Feeling: Why Coping Skills Need Real Practice
(00:15:26) - The Rat Study and Why Community Beats Willpower
(00:16:56) - Young Men, Loneliness, and Economic Hopelessness
(00:21:46) - How AI Helps Therapists Spot Their Own Blind Spots
About the Host: Moody Abdul is the co-founder of Klarify and host of the Future of Therapy podcast. After experiencing the powerful combination of therapy and AI tools during a personal breakthrough, he became passionate about helping therapists leverage technology to enhance their practice. Through Klarify, he's working to automate time-consuming tasks like case notes, documentation, and dealing with insurance companies, allowing therapists to focus more on client care. The Future of Therapy podcast reaches over 83,000 therapists across North America.
- Website: https://www.klarify.ca/
- LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/moodyabdul
About Tammer Malaty: Tammer Malaty is a licensed therapist and the founder of Malaty Therapy. He earned his Master's degree in Counseling from the University of Houston and has been practicing for nearly 15 years. He works with teens, adults, professionals, and families, helping clients navigate behavioral challenges, relationship dynamics, and life stressors with a practical, results-oriented approach. Tammer integrates evidence-based methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with a focus on habit formation, communication, and real-world application. His work emphasizes creating structure, accountability, and sustainable change, particularly for individuals and families seeking to improve behavior patterns, emotional regulation, and interpersonal relationships. He collaborates closely with clients to develop clear, actionable strategies that translate directly into everyday life.
- Website: https://malatytherapy.com/therapists/tammer-malaty/
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By KlarifyBrought to you by Klarify: Klarify is an AI assistant that automates your notes, codes your sessions, submits the claims, and appeals the denials. Over 415,000 notes generated for 5,200+ therapists. HIPAA, PHIPA, & PIPEDA compliant.
In this episode, I spoke with Tammer Malaty, a licensed therapist and founder of Malaty Therapy in Houston, who has spent nearly 15 years helping clients build sustainable change. Drawing on his decade running groups in a recovery high school and his own personal recovery journey, Tammer explains why most therapy plans fail the moment a client walks out of the office. We dig into the mistake almost everyone makes about motivation, why he insists on teaching clients how to think rather than what to think, and the moment a stranger tapped him on the shoulder at a movie theater that changed how he understands the work entirely.
Tammer breaks down why coping skills must be practiced when the stakes are low, not in the middle of a crisis, using a sports analogy that every clinician will recognize. We talk about the famous rat study that overturned everything we thought we knew about addiction, and why community matters more than willpower in long-term recovery. Tammer also shares his observations on the rise of loneliness and economic hopelessness among young men, how COVID rewired adolescent mental health, and the patterns he sees in the 18 to 24 year-olds walking into his office.
We close on AI: how Tammer is using it to brainstorm through tough cases, surface his blind spots, and become a sharper clinician without ever replacing the human work at the core of therapy.
Chapters:
(00:00:00) - The Movie Theater Moment That Changed Everything
(00:01:24) - Inside Malaty Therapy: A 12-Therapist Group Practice in Houston
(00:02:37) - What Makes a Therapist Actually Good
(00:04:29) - How COVID Reshaped Adolescent Mental Health
(00:08:06) - From Personal Recovery to Treating Teens in Recovery
(00:11:22) - Why Therapy Is About Planting Seeds You May Never See Bloom
(00:12:29) - Motivation Is Just a Feeling: Why Coping Skills Need Real Practice
(00:15:26) - The Rat Study and Why Community Beats Willpower
(00:16:56) - Young Men, Loneliness, and Economic Hopelessness
(00:21:46) - How AI Helps Therapists Spot Their Own Blind Spots
About the Host: Moody Abdul is the co-founder of Klarify and host of the Future of Therapy podcast. After experiencing the powerful combination of therapy and AI tools during a personal breakthrough, he became passionate about helping therapists leverage technology to enhance their practice. Through Klarify, he's working to automate time-consuming tasks like case notes, documentation, and dealing with insurance companies, allowing therapists to focus more on client care. The Future of Therapy podcast reaches over 83,000 therapists across North America.
- Website: https://www.klarify.ca/
- LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/moodyabdul
About Tammer Malaty: Tammer Malaty is a licensed therapist and the founder of Malaty Therapy. He earned his Master's degree in Counseling from the University of Houston and has been practicing for nearly 15 years. He works with teens, adults, professionals, and families, helping clients navigate behavioral challenges, relationship dynamics, and life stressors with a practical, results-oriented approach. Tammer integrates evidence-based methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with a focus on habit formation, communication, and real-world application. His work emphasizes creating structure, accountability, and sustainable change, particularly for individuals and families seeking to improve behavior patterns, emotional regulation, and interpersonal relationships. He collaborates closely with clients to develop clear, actionable strategies that translate directly into everyday life.
- Website: https://malatytherapy.com/therapists/tammer-malaty/