Dr. Caroline Fleck

There was a great example of Jon Stewart actually talking to Congress on behalf of the 9-11 first responders. And he's advocating on their behalf. I remember that. And he's Jon Stewart. He's incredibly articulate, very eloquent.

There was a great example of Jon Stewart actually talking to Congress on behalf of the 9-11 first responders. And he's advocating on their behalf. I remember that. And he's Jon Stewart. He's incredibly articulate, very eloquent.

But as he's talking, he starts getting choked up.

But as he's talking, he starts getting choked up.

He just gets so mad and it's just such an injustice. And like, holy cow, you can feel how much like he just so swiftly validated their outrage, their sorrow, the injustice of it simply through his emotions. Right. He broke character from his like standard, you know, like that was not who showed up.

He just gets so mad and it's just such an injustice. And like, holy cow, you can feel how much like he just so swiftly validated their outrage, their sorrow, the injustice of it simply through his emotions. Right. He broke character from his like standard, you know, like that was not who showed up.

It was a person who was deeply vulnerable and it was clear that he was deeply affected by their experience. And that's kind of what it can show. It doesn't have to be negative emotions. Like I'm a big one for jumping up and down and like high fiving and hugging. It's just like it's breaking character, I think.

It was a person who was deeply vulnerable and it was clear that he was deeply affected by their experience. And that's kind of what it can show. It doesn't have to be negative emotions. Like I'm a big one for jumping up and down and like high fiving and hugging. It's just like it's breaking character, I think.

Like self-disclosure. Okay. So that would be, for instance, I struggled with depression for about a decade.

Like self-disclosure. Okay. So that would be, for instance, I struggled with depression for about a decade.

Yeah, yeah. From when I was 15 through about 26. It's one of the reasons I wanted to become a psychologist.

Yeah, yeah. From when I was 15 through about 26. It's one of the reasons I wanted to become a psychologist.

I mean, I'm kind of a jerk. Yeah. Like, I wanted to see if I could treat depression on some level. In part because so much of what I received felt damaging. In retrospect... I felt invalidated by most of the mental health providers I saw. There was this, and I can see it. I was high functioning. There was this disconnect between like, you look fine.

I mean, I'm kind of a jerk. Yeah. Like, I wanted to see if I could treat depression on some level. In part because so much of what I received felt damaging. In retrospect... I felt invalidated by most of the mental health providers I saw. There was this, and I can see it. I was high functioning. There was this disconnect between like, you look fine.

You know, and the fact that I'm saying like, no, I'm really struggling, really struggling here. And so I felt dismissed. I felt I doubted if this was even real. A lot of the time there was this whole narrative of like, what's wrong with me? I've got everything like poor you. You know, it's just. Yeah, it was just swirling around my head big time. And fortunately, I got treatment and got better.

You know, and the fact that I'm saying like, no, I'm really struggling, really struggling here. And so I felt dismissed. I felt I doubted if this was even real. A lot of the time there was this whole narrative of like, what's wrong with me? I've got everything like poor you. You know, it's just. Yeah, it was just swirling around my head big time. And fortunately, I got treatment and got better.

And now when I work with clients, and I've got someone who says, you know, like... You don't possibly, you couldn't possibly understand. You're sitting here and you're like, you're with your degrees behind the wall and you think you've got it all. And I say, yeah, but I had ECT for depression. That's electric shock therapy. Wow. Okay. That's a big deal. I understand suffering.

And now when I work with clients, and I've got someone who says, you know, like... You don't possibly, you couldn't possibly understand. You're sitting here and you're like, you're with your degrees behind the wall and you think you've got it all. And I say, yeah, but I had ECT for depression. That's electric shock therapy. Wow. Okay. That's a big deal. I understand suffering.

I understand being at that level of pain where you would do anything to

I understand being at that level of pain where you would do anything to