THEM'S THE RULES - Therapy: When I Get That Feeling, I Want Ethical Healing

Therapy: When I Get That Feeling, I Want Ethical Healing

05/03/21 • 53 min

As open conversations around the topic of mental health become less stigmatized, it is also important to hear therapists’ points of view. In today’s episode, Madeline, Bronwen’s close friend who happens to be a therapist-in-training, joins us to talk about ethics and therapy. We hear about how Madeline’s own experience being in a treatment facility for an eating disorder inspired her to become a therapist. We then get into some of the ethics in the space, like having dual relationships, confidentiality, and boundaries. While some of these areas, like confidentiality, have more concrete rules than others, there are still so many gray areas that can be subjectively interpreted. Madeline talks about the value of having an experienced supervisor and mentors to help you navigate these ethical conundrums. Our conversation also covers topics like boundaries, physical touch, along with guidelines on what to do if you are starting therapy. This was a great conversation that only scratched the surface of this fascinating topic, so tune in to hear it all!

Key Points From This Episode:

Elements of Madeline’s treatment experience which led her to become a therapist herself.
Madeline's experience giving online therapy, and the challenges, particularly with eating disorders.
The fear that many therapists feel around the myriad of rules and ethics in the field.
What a dual relationship is and why it is a big no-no in therapy.
How therapists, who are in rural areas with high chances of dual relationships, can deal with this issue.
Some of the things that therapists are not supposed to do.
While confidentiality is central to therapy, there are some instances when it has to be broken.
The importance of having a supervisor or mentor to navigate the ethical challenges.
A look at the Tarasoff Case and the implications of this ruling.
What boundaries mean in the context of therapy.
Sometimes, the relationship with the therapist, rather than the intervention, is what sparks change.
It is important to understand that all clients are different and have different needs.
The rules around physical touch in therapeutic relationships and the importance of consent.
Touch can be healing for people with trauma.
Physical touch is also very culturally specific and related to the context.
Pointers around what you should and should not do when you go to a therapist.
The different levels of ethics in therapy and how they apply to clients not being able to pay.
Differentiating between abandonment and termination.

LINKS

The Body Keeps Score

FOLLOW THEM'S THE RULES: || WEBSITE || INSTAGRAM || FACEBOOK || TWITTER ||

Key Points From This Episode:

Elements of Madeline’s treatment experience which led her to become a therapist herself.
Madeline's experience giving online therapy, and the challenges, particularly with eating disorders.
The fear that many therapists feel around the myriad of rules and ethics in the field.
What a dual relationship is and why it is a big no-no in therapy.
How therapists, who are in rural areas with high chances of dual relationships, can deal with this issue.
Some of the things that therapists are not supposed to do.
While confidentiality is central to therapy, there are some instances when it has to be broken.
The importance of having a supervisor or mentor to navigate the ethical challenges.
A look at the Tarasoff Case and the implications of this ruling.
What boundaries mean in the context of therapy.
Sometimes, the relationship with the therapist, rather than the intervention, is what sparks change.
It is important to understand that all clients are different and have different needs.
The rules around physical touch in therapeutic relationships and the importance of consent.
Touch can be healing for people with trauma.
Physical touch is also very culturally specific and related to the context.
Pointers around what you should and should not do when you go to a therapist.
The different levels of ethics in therapy and how they apply to clients not being able to pay.
Differentiating between abandonment and termination.

LINKS

The Body Keeps Score

FOLLOW THEM'S THE RULES: || WEBSITE || INSTAGRAM || FACEBOOK || TWITTER ||

Previous Episode

Avoiding Kidnap: The Zip-Ties That Bind

Don’t talk to strangers.
Don’t walk alone at night.
Don’t accept rides from people you don’t know.
Even if we follow these rules of personal safety, we are all still susceptible to abduction. In this episode, Bronwen looks at “rules” to follow domestically and abroad to avoid being kidnapped—and the “rules” of survival if you still are.

Key Points From This Episode:

Hear about Reddit and how it works.
Kidnapping is a bigger issue than most of us probably realize; some statistics to illustrate the problem.
Some of the different types of kidnapping and their related motivations.
Child abduction: one of the most common types of kidnapping, motivations, and tips on avoiding it.
Different types of kidnapping that can happen when you travel abroad.
What kidnap for ransom is, where it’s most common, and the motivations behind it.
A good example of why you should never cry wolf.
Tiger kidnapping; the two-part crime that was popularized in Northern Ireland.
Insights into kidnap & ransom insurance and how it works.
Where express kidnapping is most common, the underlying motivations, and how to avoid it.
Why political and ideological kidnapping is one of the most dangerous kinds of kidnapping.
What virtual kidnapping, a relatively new type of kidnapping, is.
A look into bride kidnapping and what it entails.
Top tips on how to ensure you are safe when you are traveling abroad.
Society is quick to blame the victim, particularly if you are a woman.
Some tips on how to survive a kidnapping, if it ever happens to you.
How to practice screaming, a good tactic to scare your would-be kidnappers.
What parents can teach their children to make sure they understand kidnapping.
Other rules and pro tips that will help you if you have been kidnapped.

LINKS

reddit

Evil Genius

‘What happened to Sarah Everard?’

FOLLOW THEM'S THE RULES: || WEBSITE || INSTAGRAM || FACEBOOK || TWITTER ||

Next Episode

The Five-Second Rule: Germs of Endearment

The “five-second rule” of food hygiene states that any food dropped on the floor is still safe to eat, provided that it is picked up within five seconds. Maybe you’re thinking that this common piece of playground wisdom is just a silly line of inquiry, but food safety is a major health burden in the United States. And this is a rule that people actually follow so, from a public health standpoint, it is important to know whether or not it holds any truth! In today’s episode, dedicated to all her fellow germaphobes out there, Bronwen looks at what the science has to say on the matter, whether the length of time, the wetness of the foodstuff dropped, and the nature of the floor surface influence the outcome, and contemplates what this rule says about our human nature. Tune in for a slightly icky but thoroughly illuminating investigation into the five-second rule and find out why you should definitely think twice before eating off the floor!

Key Points From This Episode:

Hear the statistics about food-borne illness in the US, according the the CDC.
The difference between harmful bacteria and good bacteria
Some fast, fun, and freaky facts about bacteria, including how much bacteria is on your desk.
The relationship between saying “five-second rule” out loud and its effectiveness.
The origins of the rule, which trace back to Genghis Khan in the 14th century.
How the much-loved Julia Child perpetuated the idea that food that looks okay is okay to eat.
What science has to say about the five-second rule, according to a U. of Illinois study.
A study by Clemson University that concluded that length of time does, in fact, matter.
The Connecticut College finding that the five-second rule was more like the 30-second rule.
How a Rutgers University study debunked the five-second rule, also highlighting the relevance of the structure of the floor surface.
What influences the microbiological composition of your floors
What food psychologist, Thomas Shipley, has to say about your ability to assess food risk.
Find out why it’s known as the five-second rule, not the seven or 15-second rule.
Discover why beer pong is so disgusting, thanks to the authors of Did You Just Eat That?
Why the five-second rule isn’t bound by the constraints of practicality or public interest.
What it has to say about human desire and the reckless pursuit of something forbidden.
Examining the five-second rule through the lens of the law of scarcity and human psychology.