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A first date shouldn’t feel like a therapy intake, but if you work in mental health, it can go there fast. We’re joined by guest host Lettie (MSW, mental health clinician) to get real about what dating looks like when your day job is empathy, boundaries, and emotional containment and how that skill set can attract the exact kind of chaos you’re trying to avoid.

We talk about the classic traps: trauma dumping way too early, people fishing for a diagnosis (“What do you think I have?”), and the sneaky shift where you become someone’s problem-solver or “mom role” before there’s even a relationship. We also dig into the other side of the stereotype, like dates who fear being psychoanalyzed, and why courtesy and active listening do not equal attraction. Along the way, we share nightmare dating stories that highlight consent red flags, entitlement, and the awkward reality that therapists can know the right advice and still freeze in the moment.

You’ll walk away with practical language for protecting your privacy (“I work with kids” is a great middle ground), strategies for keeping work from bleeding into romance, and a clear reminder we swear by: don’t date for potential, date what’s real and consistent right now. If you’ve ever dated a therapist or are one yourself, hit play, then subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review. What’s the fastest dating red flag you’ve learned to trust?

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The DSM sits on so many office shelves like a permanent authority, but its history tells a different story: mental health diagnosis is a living document shaped by culture, politics, research, and plain old human error. We start with the DSM’s roots in 1952, originally designed for shared language in military and psychiatric hospital settings, and talk about how that origin still influences the myth that therapy is only for people in crisis instead of something you can use preventatively during big life transitions.

From there we track the huge pivot that comes with DSM-III in 1980, when psychoanalytic interpretation gives way to criteria and checklists. That structure can help clinicians communicate clearly and document responsibly, but it also raises hard questions about who gets defined by a label and what gets missed. We also name one of the most important corrections in DSM history: homosexuality being removed as a diagnosis in 1973, and why activism outside the therapy room changes what happens inside it.

We then fast-forward to DSM-5 (2013) and get into what’s shifted since then, including autism spectrum disorder and the lingering confusion around Asperger’s. We also unpack the weird, messy space where TikTok pop psychology collides with clinical reality: caffeine use disorder, internet gaming disorder, complex PTSD (CPTSD), rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) with ADHD, and what it means when clients come in using terms that feel real even when they aren’t officially recognized. Finally, we talk about newer updates like prolonged grief disorder (added in 2022) and the controversy around disruptive mood dysregulation disorder in kids.

If you like thoughtful therapist conversations with a little chaos and a lot of honesty, hit subscribe, share this with a friend or cohort, and leave a review so more people can find us. What DSM change do you think needs to happen next?

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Burnout gets treated like a trophy in mental health care, and we are done pretending that is normal. We are Tara and Ericka, and we are pulling back the curtain on what it really looked like for us in high-pressure clinical jobs where “being the one who can handle anything” earned praise while quietly draining our energy, boundaries, and sense of self. We talk about why burnout is not a badge of honor, how weak or inexperienced supervision can make it worse, and what we wish someone had told us much earlier about sustainable therapist work.

From there, we shift into the real-life experience of grad school for clinical mental health counseling. We unpack the gap between what people expect training to be and what it actually is when you are working full time, taking accelerated online classes, posting on discussion boards, and trying to keep up with internship requirements. We share what it is like to complete an unpaid internship, how quickly stress turns into a domino effect, and why you should start searching for internship sites sooner than your program suggests, especially if you do not have strong local networking yet.

We also get honest about imposter syndrome, the pressure to always have the “right thing” to say, and the skill that matters more than scripted responses: holding space. We even touch on why AI can generate endless advice but cannot replace human presence in a therapy room. If you are in grad school, preparing for internship, or newly licensed and overwhelmed, you will leave with language for what you are feeling and practical ways to stay grounded. Subscribe, share this with a future therapist friend, and leave a review telling us what part of training challenged you the most.

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You can lock down every setting and still end up “findable” online. We talk through the uncomfortable reality of therapists on social media: clients searching our names, the temptation to “creep” before meeting someone new, and why letting clients follow or friend you can blur boundaries fast. If you have ever wondered whether it is normal to look up your therapist, or why a therapist might keep everything private, we give you the honest clinician perspective with confidentiality and safety in mind.

Then we move from the internet to real life. What happens when you spot a client at Old Navy, the grocery store, or a bar on a weekend trip? We share how we think about public run-ins, who should lead the interaction, and how a small moment can protect a client’s privacy. We also unpack how TV and movies shape expectations of therapy, from “perfect therapist” myths to storylines that sexualize clinicians or make therapy look like an instant fix, and why real therapy usually takes time and fit.

We end with the ethics questions that show up in everyday work: being pressured to assign a mental health diagnosis quickly for insurance, navigating gift giving without creating obligation, and deciding when it is time to terminate services. You will leave with clearer language for boundaries, a better grasp of the power dynamic, and a more realistic picture of what ethical therapy looks like. If this conversation hits home, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review, then tell us via email: what boundary question do you wish more therapists answered out loud?

contact us at clinicallychaoticpodcast@gmail.com

Disclaimer: This show is for entertainment and educational purposes only. In no way is our show a replacement for a therapeutic relationship. All views expressed here are entirely our own and in no way a reflection of any organizations we may be associated with.

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A lot of people say schools should “do more” for student mental health. The harder question is what that looks like at 8:15 a.m. in a packed classroom where one teacher is responsible for learning, behavior, safety, and emotions all at the same time. Ericka sits down with her close friend Janelle, a high school math teacher, with a background in psychology; to talk about the real-world version of support: teenagers testing boundaries, daily escalations, and the uncomfortable truth that teachers often become the first safe adult a student talks to.

We dig into IEPs (Individualized Education Programs) and 504 plans from the educator side, including the accommodations that show up again and again. Janelle explains how co-taught classes try to meet legal requirements while avoiding stigma, and why supports designed for students with IEPs often help general education students too. We also talk about where accommodations get murky and how quickly “helpful” can turn into a classroom management problem.

Then we zoom out to the system: the referral chain from teacher to school counselor to school psychologist, the staffing math in big buildings, and the post-COVID push for social emotional learning (SEL), emotional check-ins, and de-escalation training. We keep it honest about what works, what feels scripted, and why relationships and authenticity matter more than a one-size-fits-all script. We also name the burnout piece directly, including off-the-clock boundaries, email pressure, and how teachers and therapists get crushed by the same “always available” expectation.

If you care about education, school counseling, youth mental health, or teacher burnout, this one is for you. Subscribe to Clinically Chaotic, share this with a teacher or counselor, and leave a review so more people find these conversations. What do you think schools should change first?

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The views expressed in this show are entirely our own and are in no way a reflection of any organizations we may be associated with.

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Welcome to episode 2 of Clinically Chaotic! This week we dive into several topics including:

• Expectations of appearances as therapists
• Crying with clients
• Maintaining social relationships as a therapist
• ADHD, blank screen moments and cognitive functioning

Come join us in navigating all of the chaos!

Disclaimer: This podcast is for entertainment use only. The views expressed in this show are entirely our own and in no way reflect any organizations we may be associated with.

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Welcome to Clinically Chaotic this week we explore Stigma around being a therapist, awkward encounters with strangers and protecting your peace.

If you also enjoy nifty artists you may want to check out @arts.of.vanessatd on Instagram.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for relational and educational purposes only. While we are therapists we are not YOUR therapists. This podcast is in no way a replacement for actual therapy.

All of the views expressed here are entirely our own and are in no way reflective of any employers we may be associated with.

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