Your Mental Breakdown

152. Doug #2: The Dose Makes the Poison

13 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Doug and Kenzie continue to process thoughts and feelings after the LA fires that destroyed Doug's house and devastated his neighborhood of Altadena. ...

151. Doug #1: The LA Fires Breakdown

30 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Doug and Kenzie are back after the catastrophic LA fires that destroyed the YMB studio along with Doug's house and entire neighborhood of Altadena. We...

150. Drew #107: Baby Brain and the Oxytocin Honeymoon

14 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Drew is experiencing the oxytocin honeymoon feeling with his partner as they are now brand new parents. He acknowledges the feelings as well as the tr...

149. Flashback with Doug & Kenzie - Sarah #02: Therapy Is Not Just For When You Are Crazy

07 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Doug and Kenzie go back in time to Sarah's 2nd session. The breakdown for this episode happens in real time throughout the session. Sarah begins to te...

148. Sarah #47: Trauma Is the Gift That Keeps On Giving

31 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah is confronted with her past trauma history after learning that a parent at her child's school knows about Sarah's upbringing in a cult. She navi...

147. Flashback with Doug & Kenzie - Drew #01: Therapy Is Not Just For When You Are Crazy

24 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Doug and Kenzie go back in time to Drew's first therapy session - and their breakdown happens in real time throughout the session. They have the benef...

146. A Part Mental Conversation with Maria Bamford and Georgia Hardstark

17 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join us for a personal and open conversation with two very special guests: actress and comedian, Maria Bamford, and podcast host extraordinaire, Georg...

145. Flashback with Doug & Kenzie - Sarah #1: I Don't Have a Handle On It

10 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Doug and Kenzie go back in time to Sarah's first therapy session - and their breakdown happens in real time throughout the session. They have the bene...

144. Drew #106: Feeling Extremely Lukewarm

03 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We're back from our summer break, and getting right back into it with Drew and his brand new baby. We hear a lot in this session that Drew needs to du...

143. Sarah #46: I Don't Feel Unrelaxed

27 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Doug throws a little science and neural linguistic programming at Kenzie to demonstrate how using certain language in session with clients can help in...

142. Drew #104-105: Drew Has a Baby and an Existential Crisis

20 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Kenzie is jacked up on caffeine and we're getting existential in this one. In the session, Drew emotionally retells the story of the birth of his chil...

141. Sarah #45: Are Repressed Memories Real?

13 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Doug and Kenzie discuss the hotly debated topic of whether or not repressed memories are real. In the session, Sarah revisits some traumatic memories ...

140. Drew #103: Progress is (Like) a River Flowing Forward

06 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Doug and Kenzie discuss the question of whether or not people can actually change. In Drew's session, his thoughts meander so Doug throws a few things...

139. Sarah #44: The New Badge of Honor

30 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Doug and Kenzie break down codependence and answer a listener question about having contact with your therapist outside of your regularly scheduled s...

138. Drew #102: I Don't Want to Become My Mom

23 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Drew gives an update on his medical health and it leads to a discussion about parenting. He is worried about turning into his parents while he is pre...

137. Sarah #43: Eulogy for My Old Self and T-Shirt

16 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Doug helps Sarah stay in the moment and allow emotions to come up. She acknowledges being more comfortable in constant motion and hypervigilance mode...

136. Drew #101: It's All Life: Balancing Work, Rest, and Play

09 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Drew digs deeper into his core thought that his self-worth depends on how good of a provider he is to his family. Doug helps Drew explore taking care ...

135. Sarah #42: Looking at Yourself with a Fun House Mirror Lens

02 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah is interacting with the world around her slightly differently. Doug invites her to experiment with what it's like to be the observer, especially...

134. Drew #100: Taking a Big Rip of Oxygen

25 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Drew sees progression and growth in his relationship with a friend, but doesn't see it with his parents. Drew has an epiphany about his relationship w...

133. Sarah #41: Miss Independent Has a Robot Vacuum

18 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Doug and Sarah reflect on how growing up in a cult stripped her of agency and individuality in her own life. She is reclaiming her individuality and ...

132. Drew #99: I'm WebMDing Myself

11 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Drew has a birthday coming up and a few doctors' appointments on the horizon. He is able to organize his thoughts and come up with a plan both for ad...

131. Sarah #40: Doing Your Personal Best

04 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah acknowledges being in a constant battle with herself because of how she wants to hear feedback from others for things she has done. She has a ha...

130. Drew #98: What Would Be Supportive to You Right Now?

28 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Drew is feeling independence and individuation from parents, especially when he signs a lease on a new place without using them as the guarantor. He ...

129. Sarah #39: It Had to Start with Me (Healing the Inner Child)

21 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah is going through all the emotions with her teenager and the situation he got into at school this week. While she continues to practice using nat...

128. Drew #97: The Fire in Your Own Belly

14 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Doug helps Drew focus on himself, not just the baby on the way. Drew admits that he isn't feeling joy in things the way he's used to feeling it and th...

127. Sarah #38: Giving Yourself Permission to Feel

07 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Doug helps Sarah move forward along a path toward her emotions. They discuss her learned pattern of being dismissive of herself and her feelings. Th...

126. Drew #96: Much Love Because Here Comes the Challenge

29 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Drew is feeling like an adult and living in the world. He acknowledges feeling strength where he used to feel weakness in asking for help. He's gett...

125. Sarah #37: I Feel Like I'm Going to Think About It a Lot

22 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah is experiencing the difference between being of value at work and being the singular essential piece that also carries with it all the responsi...

124. Drew #95: Digging Up That Old Polaroid

15 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Doug and Kenzie talk about connecting to your inner child. Then in the session, Drew is adulting and creating distance from his parents while preparin...

123. Sarah #36: The Scooby-Doo Effect: Catching Up With Yourself

08 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah keeps learning and exploring in therapy – and her family is noticing the change in her and the progress she's made as a result. Doug explains...

122. Drew #94: Big Ol' Heaping Helping of Avoidance

02 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Drew's adulting! He is practicing parenting himself, in preparation for his baby on the way. Drew acknowledges feeling anxious about how his parents w...

121. Sarah #35: Therapy is the Rehearsal for Life

25 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah follows up on last session's "wow moment" about using the concept of natural consequences rather than being judge and jury when giving a punishm...

120. Drew #93: Quarter-life Crisis: I Wanna Laugh, Cry, and Punch a Wall

18 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's the return of Drew to the podcast! We check in with his health, and the stress he's feeling as a 26 year old adult with a baby on the way. Doug ...

119. Sarah #34: The Sarah Whisperer: (Re)Parenting With Natural Consequences

11 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Doug introduces the concept of natural consequences to Sarah as opposed to being judge and jury as a parent, even if the punishment fits the crime. S...

118. Sarah #33: Courage is Fear Walking

04 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We're back! Doug is joined by Kenzie on the breakdown and they pick up right where Sarah left off in her therapy sessions. Sarah has been listening to...

117. Sarah #32: Camping In Your Mind

01 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We discuss the issue of "control" after it came up in our small talk about parties, drugs, and past behavior. Sarah sees clearly how the abuse she su...

116. Sarah #31: I'm Gonna Breathe, You Talk

25 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah was super busy at work, had drama with her ex, and then got Covid! In session, she expresses that it's hard for her to say no to anyone, especi...

115. Drew #92: Living For Myself

11 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Drew is feeling "confident alone" rather than "scared alone." He describes it like being the driver of the car of his own life and holding the steerin...

114. Sarah #30: Re-Personalizing Your Experiences

04 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah has sense memories in the present that trigger some traumatic experiences from her upbringing in a cult. She depersonalized her trauma in the c...

113. Drew #91: The Challenge, Not the Fluff

30 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Drew went back home to his parent's house to re-ground himself. He's been able to practice how to be present with his parents and not take on the fu...

112. Sarah #29: It's Actually Not Crazy

16 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah is learning not to take ownership of someone else's feelings. She is still owning her part in triggering someone, but she is starting to allow ...

111. Drew #90: Being the Green Beret

09 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Doug provides the space to let Drew complain about his job and his boss – something many of us can relate to feeling! Outside of work, Drew is feeli...

110. Sarah #28: Tears and Hugs Are Not Enough

02 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah shares memories and scenes that are coming up now from her past as a child growing up in the Children of God cult. Since being in therapy, she...

109. Drew #89: Trusting the Process

23 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Drew is not forcing a change externally to feel better internally, having recently come out of a depressive episode. Doug reflects that he might be f...

108. Sarah #27: Willful Blindness

16 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah explores how impactful it was to not have someone that at least tried to protect her as a child growing up in a cult. Doug reinforces the concep...

107. Drew #88: Milemarkers, I Love 'Em!

09 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Drew is finding his groove again after a three month depressive episode. We highlight "inter-dependence" in his relationships right now in contrast to...

106. Sarah #26: Curiosity vs. Correction

02 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes feeling misunderstood can lead to self-realization. Ouch, Meredith! Sarah sees herself objectively after hearing Mer's reaction to her from ...

105. Drew #86-87: Through Turbulence and Safe in the Unknown

23 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Doug recaps the lost audio from session #86 with Drew comparing his depressive episode to turbulence on an airplane, and how we can manage our way thr...

104. Sarah #25: How Does This Hand Turkey Represent You?

17 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah attends a memorial for her cousin and is triggered at the service by seeing an abuser from her past in the cult. She is able to compartmentalize...

103. Sarah #24: Stop and Breathe

03 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah is feeling overwhelmed with a lot of little things stressing her out and one big thing coming up – her cousin's memorial. Doug helps Sarah sto...

102. Sarah #23: Emotional Data

13 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah links her current feeling of powerlessness with her past experiences of powerlessness in the cult and in her previous marriage. Doug helps Sarah...

101. Drew #85: Don't Suffer in Silence

29 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

***Trigger warning*** This episode contains potentially triggering and sensitive topics including suicide.  If you or someone you know needs help, p...

100. Sarah #22: I Could Punch a B*tch

22 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

An incident with her daughter sparks Sarah's feelings of anger and powerlessness. Doug helps her draw the link to her emotional experience in the cult...

99. Drew #84: Peace of Pie

15 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Doug helps Drew use a metaphoric pie chart to understand where his energy goes and where his stress comes from in his life right now.  Doug Friedman ...

98. Sarah #21: Forrest Gumping Your Way Through It

08 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah tells the story of her life as a teenager after escaping the cult she grew up in as a child. Doug helps her see where some patterns started with...

97. Drew #83: I'm Doing Great and I'm an Absolute Mess

11 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

From the vantage point of his new job and a regular paycheck, Drew looks back objectively with appreciation at some of the things he was doing for wor...

96. Drew #82: I Have a Talking Problem

12 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Drew got a new job and feels like he's taking a couple steps back mentally but he's taking ten steps forward emotionally.  Although he's overqualifie...

95. Drew #81: Evergreen, Baby!

05 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Drew is allowing himself to slow down and experience all of the emotions coming up right now rather than just "getting through it" or numbing away fro...

94. Drew #80: Down in a Ditch

14 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Drew gets emotional as he copes with a hard week in the midst of a depressive episode. Drew expresses that he needed the safety net of parents this we...

93. Drew #79: This is the Grey

31 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Drew is feeling depressed. Things are going good, but he's not feeling good. During this period of time, Drew feels like something internal is missing...

92. Sarah #20: Feeling the Feelings of Grief and Loss

24 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As a sign of vulnerability, trust, and the safe space of therapy, Sarah allows herself to cry in session and feel the loss of her cousin. She connects...

91. Drew #78: Going Fishing at Disneyland

17 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Drew is feeling lukewarm, anhedonia, and meh rather than being in the high highs or the low lows. He's understanding what it's like being somewhere in...

90. Sarah #19: That's My Neuroses and My Awesomeness

10 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Doug and his mom open with a discussion about multiple personality disorder and her previous work in therapy with clients coming out of cults. In the ...

89. Drew #77: What is a Safety Net?

07 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Doug helps Drew go deeper to explore the concept of a safety net by processing his all-in, all-out mentality. Drew goes to an emotional place when the...

88. Drew #76: Mommy and Me

24 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For this episode, we check in with Drew, the client from Season 1. Drew wants to be doing more to do less, as he copes with the stress of his recent h...

87. Drew #75: Is She Your Girlfriend? Yes But No.

21 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Drew explores the idea of his parents as a safety net without dependence or co-dependence in their relationship. Doug and Drew look at the concept of ...

86. Drew #74: Processing Anxiety in Real Time

14 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Drew comes in with a high level of anxiety after going to the emergency room for a heart event. Doug helps Drew process the anxiety in the session. Dr...

85. Sarah #18: The Mother of All Triggers

10 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah describes taking herself through worst-case scenarios to prepare herself for a situation, so she can avoid the shock and broken heart that might...

84. Drew #73: Thank You Period. You're Welcome Period.

07 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Drew describes what it's like to go through highs and lows by himself with the support of people around him. Doug and Drew explore what it means to ha...

83. Drew #72: Down in the Dumps

31 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Doug helps Drew acknowledge and process feeling down in the dumps, for seemingly no reason. They talk about the difference between feeling depressed o...

82. Sarah #17: Processing Grief in Real Time

27 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Doug helps Sarah process grief in real time after she just learned of a family member's failing health while in the hospital. Sarah is able to acknowl...

81. Drew #71: The Myth of Meaning

20 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Drew looks at his new 26-year-old life as an adult feeling his independence and confidence growing. He acknowledges that his parents can still be a sa...

80. Sarah #16: It's Not Just a Fluke

20 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Doug helps Sarah acknowledge that she is actively creating new neural pathways by doing things differently from her patterned way of being and doing. ...

79. Drew #70: The Middle Way

13 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Drew is allowing himself to be who he really wants to be in his relationships with family, friends, and work – as well as with his girlfriend while ...

78. Sarah #15: Trauma is a Radioactive Spider That Bites

13 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We explore Sarah's conditioning from her upbringing in the Children of God cult. "Trauma is a radioactive spider that bites." It can lead you to devel...

77. Sarah #14: Systems of Safety

06 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We explore the "systems of safety" that Sarah developed as a child growing up in a cult to protect herself because no one else did. We can thank those...

76. Drew #69: Being in the Solo Dolo

27 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Doug and Drew explore the idea that being solo is not just not about being alone or lonely. Drew is finding his confidence and strength in life outsid...

75. Drew #68: Smoke & Mirrors

16 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Drew explores what it means to experience life solo rather than go through his separation feeling lonely or alone. He and Doug talk about learning to ...

74. Sarah #13: A Quest For Justice

16 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah feels righteous anger about a coworker that was let go. Doug helps her see that it's a trigger for her own traumatic past when people in power a...

73. Drew #67: I Never Heard of a Chocolate Milkshake Being So Deep

09 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Drew continues the process of individuation. He sees that sharing his life with his mom is now a function of him being proud of himself, not him looki...

72. Sarah #12: When You Realize You're Not 30 Anymore

09 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah felt validated and valued at work this week after a triggering annual review last week. Doug and Sarah explore how what she calls nonsense can m...

71. Drew #65-66: One Foot Out the Door

02 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Drew got emotionally triggered after a recent funeral for a friend from back home. Then he made a surprise visit to his parents for his mom's birthday...

70. Drew #64: Channel Your Inner Millennial and Slow Your Roll

18 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Drew learns to trust his gut more. He experiences being the son he wants to be for his parents, rather than the son he thinks they want him to be. He ...

69. Sarah #11: Effed Up and Out of My Control

18 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah got triggered by a review at work which leads to an exploration of deeper issues. Doug helps her express anger and frustration about being power...

68. Drew #63: Little Island of Misfit Toys

11 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Drew feels his self-confidence grow, but acknowledges that his trust issues are still making him want constant reassurance in relationships. As he rec...

67. Sarah #10: I Would Rather Fill in the Blank

11 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Doug redefines work-life balance: it's a balance of work, rest, and play that are all under the umbrella of life. Sarah examines "play" in her life. S...

66. Drew #62: Gangster Granny

04 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Who doesn't love the smell of bacon? Drew manages Covid confusion and experiences letting go and trusting himself. He is slowing down without slowing ...

65. Sarah #9: The Unravelling

04 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Doug is on location in New York discovering the quiet, nature side of the city. Sarah and Doug dissect the associations she's held in her head with be...

64. Drew #61: Shoebox of Memories

28 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Drew continues to work on breaking codependence. He is looking at several relationships in his life, right as we're in the thick of the holiday season...

63. Sarah #8: Don't Go to Bed Angry

28 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As Sarah talks about a stressful work relationship, Doug slows her down and helps her process being a trauma survivor. They examine how Sarah's system...

62. Drew #60: Compartmentalize - Nailed It!

21 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Mer is back with Doug on the breakdowns, and might be a little jelly of the guest co-hosts... Drew is embracing being perfectly imperfect and not gett...

61. Sarah #7: Are You a Wildfire or Controlled Burn?

21 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In an emotional session, Sarah vents about an issue she's having with a coworker. This leads Doug to look deeper inside for what's really going on wit...

60. Drew #59: Covid For the Holidays

19 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Drew is directly affected by Covid hitting his family at Thanksgiving. Doug is joined by his colleague and therapy practice mate, Sasha Brodsky. Doug ...

59. Drew #58: Bake My Sh*t With Love

18 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Drew reflects on his self-worth and thinks about it not coming from what he does for others, but rather truly from himself. Doug is joined in the brea...

58. Drew #54-57: Trial and Erroring

17 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Drew is unlearning codependency by building confidence in himself. From this strength he is finding community and feeling a sense of belonging that do...

57. Sarah #6: Recompense

14 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Doug and Mer talk comets and cults while Doug corrects an earlier comment that the cult leader in Sarah's case was caught - he wasn't! He lived in hid...

56. Sarah #5: Just One Junk Drawer

07 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Mer acknowledges Doug for his emotional and personal music album coming out in a few weeks; and then she gives him guff for not getting the podcast's ...

55. Sarah #4: Baby Steps

30 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Meredith imparts some knowledge to Doug (and us!) about invalidation trauma after a recent training. We get to know more about Sarah in her session as...

54. Sarah #3: A Little Bit Robocop

23 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Meredith updates us on the intruder in her backyard - who came back again! We continue the new season with Sarah, in spite of a few audio hiccups in t...

53. Sarah #2: Growing Up in a Cult

15 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

***Trigger warning*** This episode contains potentially triggering and sensitive topics including child abuse. If you suspect or know that a child is ...