The Shrink Think Podcast

251. Envisioning Goals As Who I Want To Be

18 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

251. Envisioning Goals As Who I Want To Be by Aaron Potratz & Nathan Hawkins

250. Skill Issue or Personality Difference

11 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

250. Skill Issue or Personality Difference by Aaron Potratz & Nathan Hawkins

249. How to Use AI in Therapy (Without Replacing It)

04 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Aaron and Nathan continue their two-part conversation on AI and therapy—this time getting practical. Rather than debating whether A...

248. Should You Use AI Instead of Therapy

25 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

AI is everywhere right now—and it’s starting to show up in the therapy room, too. In this episode, Aaron and Nathan zoom out and wrestle with a bi...

247. How Compassion Prevents Burnout

19 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this follow-up to our episode on empathy, Aaron and Nathan shift the focus to compassion—what it is, how it’s different from empathy, and why i...

245. The Hidden Reason You Can’t Stop Overthinking

12 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Overthinking isn’t the same thing as “thinking deeply.” In this episode, Aaron and Nathan unpack what overthinking actually is, how it feeds anx...

244. Transparency, Vulnerability, and Emotions: What Actually Builds Intimacy

10 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What does it actually mean to be vulnerable? Is it the same as being transparent? And where do emotions fit in? In this episode of The ShrinkThink Po...

246. Empathy Can Be Dangerous

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Empathy is one of the most powerful tools in relationships—and in therapy. But if you’re not careful, it can also become one of the fastest paths ...

243. If I’m Nice I’m Safe (People-Pleasing)

17 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

People often think that being “nice” means you will be “safe” in the world, and others won’t hurt you or take advantage of you. Unfortunatel...

242. Your World Is A Reflection Of You

10 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You can’t change the world around you but when YOU change, the world around you begins to adjust. As you get healthier, set better boundaries, and b...

241. Stop Trying To Be A "Good Client" In Therapy

03 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Going to therapy is about self-exploration and self-understanding. You learn more about yourself as your therapist reflects you back to yourself. If y...

240. The Role of Spirituality in Therapy

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Can psychology and spirituality play nice together? Many people believe they cannot mix but we argue they can - and should. Whether a client wants to ...

239. Medication Can Play A Significant Role In Therapy

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Without advocating for or against medication, we address the importance of understanding how it can play a part in the direction therapy goes. As ther...

238. Saying "I'm Fine" Is Emotional Dishonesty

25 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Saying “I’m fine” to people when asked how you’re doing, may not be the emotionally honest answer. Sure, there are times and places to give a ...

237. Why We Fear Change & Cling To The Unhealthy

21 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If there’s something in your life you keep doing that it’s healthy and you know you need to change but can’t seem to get started, this episode i...

236. Are You “Too Much” For Your Therapist?

21 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve ever thought you’re too much, crazy, too boring, or too dumb when you share with your therapist, you might have a specific wound that th...

235. NAMI Mental Health Resources: Interview w/ Amber Drake

14 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Amber Drake is a current graduate student attending UH at Hilo, studying clinical mental health counseling and graduating in May 2025. She’s doing a...

234. Clients Who Intellectualize Their Problems But Struggle To Feel

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Many people go to therapy because they struggle to feel emotions. Intellectualizing problems is a common way of coping with overwhelming feelings, but...

233. Clients Who Don't Do Work Between Sessions

16 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Going to therapy every week is a great thing, but what makes it effective is when you practice something different between sessions toward meaningful ...

232. Don't Ask What To Do In Therapy

16 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When you decide to go to therapy, it's usually because you've recognized something has become problematic in your life and it needs to change. Bringin...

231. You Should Be Getting Better In Therapy

26 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The purpose of therapy is to learn more about yourself so you can make meaningful changes - to “get better.” Sometimes there are obstacles that ca...

230. Is Therapy A Product Or A Service?

19 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Some people view therapy as a “product” that can be “consumed” at any location, while others view it as a “service” that requires more of ...

229. Tolerating Emotions

12 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When you can give yourself compassion and tolerate your own emotional experiences, you can hold space for others and be present with their emotional e...

228. Verbal Processing In Therapy

05 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why do some people just “talk talk talk” in a monologue in therapy? It could be that this kind of verbal processing is what they need to explore a...

225. Gottman’s Four Horsemen: Contempt

05 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The second and most destructive of the four “horseman” that the Gottmans identify as a relationship killer is contempt. Contempt involves taking a...

227. Gottman’s Four Horsemen: Stonewalling

19 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The fourth and final of the Gottman “horsemen” is stonewalling-withdrawing and disengaging from the conversation to build a kind of “wall” bet...

226. Gottman's Four Horsemen: Defensiveness

13 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The third “horseman” of the relational apocalypse is defensiveness, usually as a response to criticism. Defensiveness is a form of self-protection...

224. Gottman’s Four Horsemen: Criticism

29 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

John & Julie Gottman founded the Love Lab at the UW in Seattle, WA which can predict with 94% accuracy whether a couple will stay together based on ob...

223. Are You Arguing Or Discussing?

22 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Do you know the difference between arguing and discussing? Conflict in a relationship will require some conversation about it, and we want to make sur...

222. Encouraging Someone To Go To Therapy

15 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When someone you care about is struggling and needs help, it can be difficult to talk with them about considering therapy. Here are some suggestions a...

221. Get Curious About Yourself with Guest Tory Krone

08 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Guest Tory Krone, a counselor and entrepreneur, talks about focusing on the present over the past using ACT to make practical changes. She encourages ...

220. When Your Therapist Is Extroverted

18 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Therapists are people with personality traits. Extroverted therapists, for example, can be easy to connect with, be good communicators, and give helpf...

219. When Your Therapist Is Introverted

11 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Therapists are people with personality traits. Introverted therapists, for example, can be great listeners, ask good questions, and hold space for peo...

218. Defining Your Season

04 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Have you defined a period of your life by a single (negative) event? Does that event taint the rest of that time period or season? If so, you might ne...

217. Genocide to Healing w/ Dr. David Niyonzima: Treatment or Healing?

27 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this final episode, Dr. David Niyonzima, an ambassador for healing in the African country of Burundi, finishes his story about bringing healing - n...

216. Genocide to Healing w/ Dr. David Niyonzima: Discovering Mental Health

20 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this second of three episodes, Dr. David Niyonzima, an ambassador for healing in the African country of Burundi, continues his story about how he e...

215. Genocide to Healing w/ Dr. David Niyonzima: Terror in Burundi

13 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this first of three episodes, we sit down with Dr. David Niyonzima, an ambassador for healing in the African country of Burundi. He shares the hist...

214. Sexual Differences in Long-Term Relationships

05 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Generally, in long-term loving and committed relationships, sexual differences begin to appear. Nathan breaks this down for men and for women, as well...

213. Knowing Your Needs Makes You Known

30 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Using a list of Universal Human Needs, which everyone has, we discuss the importance of knowing your needs and how they make you - and others - known....

212. Why A Good Assessment Matters

23 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Assessments in therapy sound boring. They’re not! Let us surprise you! We explain why a good assessment, in the first couple of sessions of therapy,...

211. Hallmarks of Quality Therapy

16 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How do you know if therapy is good? We discuss some good indicators that your therapy is quality, beyond the basic “my therapist is warm and empathe...

210. Part 2: Unsupported Wives & Passive Husbands

09 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Part 2 of 2. There is a common dynamic in marriage where a passive husband does not contribute like his wife needs him to, which causes her to “over...

209. Part 1: Unsupported Wives & Passive Husbands

01 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Part 1 of 2. There is a common dynamic in marriage where a passive husband does not contribute like his wife needs him to, which causes her to “over...

208. Replay of Types of Therapy: Internal Family Systems (IFS)

25 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This is a re-release of a popular episode we recorded way back in 2021. We’ve been introducing more IFS content and thought it would be helpful to “...

207. Loving Yourself Is Not Selfish

18 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve heard the saying “you can’t give away what you don’t already have for yourself.” We unpack that, using Love as an example, to show yo...

206. Aaron & Nathan Demonstrate IFS

11 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve introduced Internal Family Systems and described it, and thought it would be helpful to hear it demonstrated. Aaron offers himself as a client...

205. The Real Story vs. The Story You Tell

03 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As therapists, we often hear the version of life our clients tell us without realizing there may be another version that’s very different. When a cl...

204. Are You Emotionally Closed, Open, Or Available?

28 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve been with people who are emotionally closed off then meet someone who is open, it can feel like availability but it’s not. You can be em...

203. Internal Family Systems (IFS) Explained

14 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve done an episode on Internal Family Systems (#50) but we wanted to explain it better so you have an idea of what it is and how it works, practi...

202. Letting Go Of Relationships

07 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Accepting the loss of an important relationship can be painful and difficult, but doing it well brings peace and potentially resolves it at some point...

201. Holding Space In Relationships

30 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

"Holding space" is a skill that gives the other person and the relationship room to breathe so you can go deeper and have more intimacy. It's like lis...

200. Celebrating Our 200th at Flyboy Brewing

17 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We recorded this episode LIVE from our favorite local spot, Flyboy Brewery, on June 27th, 2024. We reflected on our favorite episodes, shared our most...

199. Be IRL...IRL

10 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Technology has made us more connected through devices but less connected in real life (IRL). While platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, and FaceTime ca...

198. Maturing In Marriage

03 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you want to have a marriage that lasts, you will need to evolve and mature together over time. You will need to stay committed to your spouse but a...

197. Clinical Supervision in Counseling

26 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Clinical supervision is beneficial for therapists and clients. Supervision helps clinicians see themselves more clearly, provides different perspectiv...

196. How To Build Your Emotional Intelligence

19 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is different from IQ and is an important skill to have for your own health as well as for the health of your relationships...

195. Normalizing: Making the Strange Familiar

13 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

"Normalizing" someone's problems is a skill that helps them know what's "normal" and what's not. Therapists do this all the time with clients as a way...

194. People-Pleasing & Anxiety: Breaking the Cycle

05 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you tend to care more about the opinion of others than your own? Do you find yourself bending to what others want instead of asserting your wants o...

193. Dating: No Is The Best Way To Yes

29 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Learning to say “no” to what is not right for you will free you to be available to say “yes” to the kind of person and relationship that’s r...

192. Group Therapy

22 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What is group therapy and how can it be beneficial for you? What’s the difference between a topical group and a process group? Believe it or not, gi...

191. What It Takes To Be Successful in Private Practice

15 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you want to start a private therapy practice? Here are some things we’ve learned from our 20 years and three group practices to help you know wha...

190. Scapegoating in Families

08 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes one person in a family becomes the "black sheep" and gets blamed for the faults, wrongdoings, and mistakes of others-especially for reasons ...

189. Let Your Teenager Learn

01 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As somewhat of a follow-up for the previous episode, this one focuses on the importance of allowing natural consequences (“life”) to do the teachi...

188. Raising Kids To Fear Or People-Please You

24 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re a parent and you’ve taught your kids that doing something wrong will lead to you being disappointed, frustrated, or upset with them, you...

187. Are You Talking Too Much?

17 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Are you a verbal processor? Have people told you that you talk too much? Do you often worry people don’t understand you so you over-explain? If this...

186. Living In Survival vs. Thriving

10 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Are you successful in life but not getting enough sleep, drinking coffee all day, or sacrificing time with family to achieve your goals? Do you have t...

185. Did You Grow Up With Emotional Incest?

03 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Did you grow up being responsible for taking care of the feelings of a parent? Were you also responsible for making adult decisions as a child? Do you...

184. Take A Compliment, Bro!

20 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you have a hard time receiving compliments? Do they make you feel uncomfortable or spotlighted? Accepting a compliment requires vulnerability which...

183. Expectations Can Be Premeditated Resentments

20 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We all have expectations but sometimes we’re not aware that we do. These can set us up for disappointment, anger, or resentment when things don’t ...

182. Get Over Yourself

13 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes when you say or do something with a certain intent, the other person takes it very differently, which can create a conflict between you. In ...

181. The Power of Core Beliefs

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We all have beliefs about ourselves, others, and the world. These “core” beliefs determine how we interpret things and see ourselves. They can als...

180. Relational Repair Requires Validation

27 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve been in a conflict with a partner, friend, or coworker and are unsure how to begin the repair, start with validation. Validating their exp...

179. Budget Your Energy

21 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Energy is a finite resource we all have and need to budget properly. We need to maximize our energy "income" through sleep, diet, and exercise. We als...

178. Fix It Don’t Fixate

14 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We can get too fixated on the "problems" we experience in life, keeping ourselves stuck ON the problem. Trying to understand the problem is helpful to...

177. The Victim Mindset

07 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A victim mindset might be the reason you are stuck in your life or relationships. We identified five elements of this mindset (plus one bonus one): (1...

176. How To Not Lose Yourself In Relationships

31 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What does it mean to be your “self”? How do you lose “yourself” in relationships and how can you avoid or prevent that from happening? In this...

175. What Is My "Self"?

24 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What does it mean to be your “self”? How do you lose “yourself” in relationships and how can you avoid or prevent that from happening? In this...

174. YOU Are The Biggest Problem In Your Own Life

17 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There is a fundamental truth to life that can be difficult to accept: YOU, not other people, are the biggest problem in your own life. What this means...

173. Why Do Premarital Counseling?

10 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What is premarital counseling? Who could benefit from it? What are some things that happen in premarital counseling to make it useful? We stole a page...

172. When Your Parents Won’t Change

03 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As you get older, you might realize some things about your parents that you wish they would change. Maybe you’ve even considered talking to them abo...

171. Fix Your Parenting Mistakes!

27 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you are a parent of adult children and they have tried to share about their childhood with you, you might be tempted get defensive or feel guilty. ...

170. Interview with Guest Andrew Lang on Inner Critic & Shadow Work (part 2)

21 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Part 2 of 2. We invited fellow PNW'er Andrew Lang to talk about inner critic and shadow work that he specializes in. The inner critic develops subcons...

169. Interview with Guest Andrew Lang on Inner Critic & Shadow Work (part 1)

13 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We invited fellow PNW'er Andrew Lang to talk about inner critic and shadow work that he specializes in. The inner critic develops subconsciously from ...

168. Control Yourself Not Your Environment

05 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's easy to feel anxious or offended about something then want to control the environment or people around you so you feel better. The healthy approa...

167. What To Do When You're Emotionally Flooded

29 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Having a conflict with someone can be really uncomfortable! This is why many people avoid conflicts altogether - that, and they don’t know what to d...

166. Use This Not A Grenade To Resolve Conflict

15 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When you have a disagreement with someone, it’s important to use the right tools to work through it. How you communicate together will determine how...

165. All About ADHD with Guest Martin Altman (part 2)

08 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Martin Altman, Licensed Professional Counselor in Atlanta, Georgia, joins us to talk all about ADHD. He explains what it is and how it affects people,...

164. All About ADHD with Guest Martin Altman (part 1)

31 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Martin Altman, Licensed Professional Counselor in Atlanta, Georgia, joins us to talk all about ADHD. He explains what it is and how it affects people,...

163. Being Responsible TO But Not FOR Others

25 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

* Codependent relationship dynamics are common, and people often don't know where they end and the other person begins-let alone how to let others hav...

162. Benefits of In-Person Therapy

18 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As a follow-up to the previous episode, we look at the benefits of in-person therapy as superior to telehealth. Nothing can replace the experience of ...

161. Benefits & Drawbacks of Telehealth

11 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The COVID-19 Pandemic changed therapy and opened up the option of telehealth or video therapy. Telehealth allows for more options, easier access to pr...

160. What Do You Need From Therapy?

04 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When people go to therapy, it's a good idea to know what you need from the session and from your therapist. Understanding what you need helps you to f...

159. Attachment Styles with Guest Lisa Mustard (Part 2)

27 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This is part two of our Podcast Takeover with Lisa Mustard of The Therapy Show. We continue the discussion on attachment styles as it applies to paren...

158. Attachment Styles with Guest Lisa Mustard (Part 1)

19 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Podcast Takeover! Guest Lisa Mustard of The Therapy Show Podcast joins us as we catch up as friends and colleagues, talk about the different attachmen...

157. Enneagram “Roulette” - Type Responses

13 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We decided to have fun with the enneagram, so Nathan created a scenario and asked Aaron to describe how different enneagram types would respond to the...

156. Orienting Couples to Counseling

06 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Starting counseling as a couple is different from individual counseling, and not every counselor works with couples because of these challenges. Here'...

155. Apologies Also Need Remorse

30 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When you hurt someone, you need to take responsibility for your actions and apologize. But saying "sorry" isn't enough; apologies need you to empathiz...

154. "It Feels Unsafe" Is Not The Same As "It IS Unsafe"

24 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This is Aaron's first solo episode without Nathan, who was traveling. Many people say things like “it feels unsafe,” but they may be mixing facts ...

153. Enneagram: The Head Triad (5s, 6s, 7s)

09 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There are three triads to the Enneagram: Body, Heart, and Head. Numbers 5, 6, and 7 comprise the Head triad, which is a fundamental thinking orientati...

152. Enneagram: The Heart Triad (2s, 3s, 4s)

09 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There are three triads to the Enneagram: Body, Heart, and Head. Numbers 2, 3, and 4 comprise the Heart triad, which is a fundamental feeling orientati...