This week, Doug and Meredith talk about what came up in Andrew’s recent sessions — Star Wars, jealousy, and male strippers, of course. Andrew shares a bad nightmare that caused a lot of anxiety. Doug and Andrew work on balancing out the “what if” thoughts and discuss how to move forward in life, while also being present and able to appreciate each moment for what it really is. Doug and Meredith break down the session and discuss how symbolism in dreams could be a key for themes in our waking lives.
Bonnie is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Los Angeles. She is an instructor for graduate students in the LGBT Specialization Psychology program at Antioch University. Although her specialty is working with the LGBTQ community and people in the entertainment industry, she also assists clients in managing and/or overcoming anxiety, depression, trauma, stress, painful relationship patterns, creative blocks, co-dependency, love and sex addiction, issues with intimacy and low self-esteem.
Bonnie received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Emerson College and a Masters in Clinical Psychology degree from Antioch University with a specialization in LGBT psychology.
Doug Friedman is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker that has spent nearly 20 years working with adults, adolescents and families with issues ranging from depression and anxiety to substance abuse, bipolar disorder and PTSD. He has supervised a program at a community mental health agency that serves severely emotionally disturbed youth and their families in Los Angeles. He continues to provide clinical supervision to therapists and associates in his private group practice, Clear Mind Full Heart in Los Angeles.
Doug received a Masters in Social Work from The Catholic University of America and a BA in Study of Religion from UCLA. Before becoming a psychotherapist, Doug worked for a music management company that oversaw bands like Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Beastie Boys, and Bonnie Raitt. Doug is also the artist and songwriter behind all the music heard on the podcast.
Meredith Levy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of California and holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University. Over the last ten years she has worked with many different populations, and feels most at home working in addiction, personality disorders and mood disorders. Meredith specializes in Dialectical
Behavioral Therapy (DBT). Meredith worked with inner-city youth as a bi-lingual therapist for the Department of Mental Health in Los Angeles County. Not only has Meredith worked at a variety of different drug and alcohol treatment centers throughout California, she was also the co- founder of a large treatment facility in Northern California.
Meredith's extensive education and background as an attorney and an MBA gives her a unique perspective and a fresh approach to elevating personal growth. In addition, she is a certified yoga instructor and believes that the spiritual, physical and emotional aspects of the self are important components of the therapeutic process.
Key Takeaways:
[3:27] Doug and Meredith got a lot of questions from the last session on how to not be jealous or feel jealousy. Unfortunately, it’s not something you can just turn off. However, it is something you can process and use for personal growth.
[9:40] Session begins.
[12:47] Andrew talks about a nightmare that he had where his girlfriend went to prom with another man. This put him in a state of panic so bad that he had trouble falling asleep for the rest of the night.
[19:11] Even though Andrew loves his girlfriend and feels good overall about their relationship, a few of their disagreements have brought up past memories and triggered painful feelings.
[25:25] Doug and Andrew talk about slowing down to appreciate the present moment.
[27:55] Andrew “what if’s” about the bachelor party and the wedding. Doug asks him to balance each of those thoughts with another thought that is a little more neutral or positive.
[37:57] Session ends. Breakdown begins.
[39:25] Meredith and Doug talk about dreams representing what we are working out in our subconscious.
[41:02] Meredith loves how Doug noticed the symbol of Andrew’s girlfriend choosing someone else to go to prom with her, and how the homeless man in his dream may have been a symbol for him losing everything as a child.
[46:27] In future sessions we will learn more about cognitive distortions and how we can give ourselves more angles to challenge perception and core beliefs.
Stuart Smaley (Daily Affirmations from SNL)
Brene Brown (the Ted Talk)
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