This week, Doug and Meredith take us through Wyatt’s story. Wyatt is a previous client of Doug’s that has experienced severe trauma. He had a sudden brain aneurysm and cancer. This is his story of endurance, awareness, and healing.
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.
[0:43] Doug and Meredith reminisce about the days of fast food combo meals, movies, and city living.
[8:23] Doug gives some background info on Wyatt who started therapy with Doug seven years ago. Wyatt talks about his experience in therapy and how he endured and healed from a brain aneurysm and cancer
[10:33] Wyatt’s Story Part I begins
Wyatt talks about his early development including getting teased and living in a household of anger, resentment, and jealousy.
[13:40] Doug and Wyatt discuss the negative feedback loop and an old thought of his that “someone’s gonna suffer if I do well.”
[14:54] Wyatt talks about one of his best friends from high school committing suicide while on a college break at home, after they had a fight the day before.
[18:17] Doug talks about the ripple effect that people can have on others long after they’re gone.
[26:11] Breakdown of Part I begins
Meredith says listening to Wyatt feels like hearing Drew in 20 years. Doug acknowledges that Wyatt did a lot of effective CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) work for the first couple years in therapy.
[28:40] Meredith recognizes the level of insight someone can have after seven years of therapy, and the amaaazing insight Doug’s clients seem to have inherently.
[29:39] Doug preps us for the incredibly health related journey and trauma that Wyatt went through with a brain aneurysm and then cancer.
[33:12] Wyatt Part II begins
Wyatt recounts the recovery from his aneurysm, cancer, and chemotherapy.
[51:11] Wyatt expresses gratitude for every moment that he’s given in life and the ability to be present for it.
[59:13] The Final Breakdown of Wyatt begins
[1:01:10] Doug explains what Wyatt meant by ‘course-correcting.’
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