Relationship Dish

This week the therapists dish and dive about the low level forces that can compete with intimacy. They look at their own relationship struggles and learn how things like pride, the search  for objective truth and power struggling can arm wrestle with the intimacy you share with your partner. Learn how to spot and conquer these forces before they damage your relationship. 

This week the therapists dish and dive about Seasonal Affective Disorder aka SAD.  With the fall time change upon us, many of us struggle with having less daylight hours. Pam and Iona weigh in on the issue of seasonal depression and come up with some great preventative measures to keep you from feeling down during the darkest months of the year.

This week the therapists dish and dive about getting blindsided; when the universe throws you a curveball.   Iona weighs in on her recent experience of being knocked off her feet with unexpected bad news and realizes how excessive worry does not protect her or control any further reverberations. Pam weighs in on some of the curveballs that life’s thrown at her, and looks at how she’s navigated through without actually dealing with her feelings. They dive into the literature about how to deal with the unexpected in a healthier and more productive manner. Life throws us curveballs, learn how to deal!

This week the therapists weigh in on their relationships with their mothers....cue scary music! They wonder how they’re like them, different from them and how they’ve been generally influenced by their mothers.  They then dive into the literature on the mother daughter relationship to determine if they are destined and predisposed to become their mothers, or if they can live and mother as they choose. 

Listen in this week as the therapists answer a listener’s question: How do you know when to leave a relationship? Pam and Iona discuss the reasons for having left or stayed in their own relationships through the years, then dive into some literature that can help guide the decision whether to stay or to go.

This week, as a special thanksgiving episode, the therapists dish and dive about loneliness. Pam and Iona discuss the difference between being alone and being lonely and reminisce about times in their lives when they’ve felt lonely. They dive into the literature and learn that there’s a difference between being  alone and feeling lonely. They’re not the same! Listen in and learn.

This week Pam and Iona weigh in on dreams. Listen in as they share some of the more exciting, reoccurring  and cryptic dreams they’ve had over the years. Then they dive into the literature about dreams and share some of the most interesting psychological ways to interpret dreams. Do dreams really come from the unconscious, bringing with them valuable insight into our psyches, or are they just random, meaningless movies we get to watch while we sleep? Listen in and learn! 

This week the therapists dish and dive about couples counselling. Both of them have attended and benefitted from couples counselling over the years but also understand that sadly, it can be quite stigmatized in our society. They dive into the literature and understand why it’s been such a stigma, both socially and culturally, and offer some ideas to help you get over these obstacles so that you can have your best and most loving relationship.

This week the therapists dish and dive about some of  the impulses they have and what they do with them. It seems that  both therapists have some pretty dark impulses in their relationships and aren’t always sure how to proceed. As they dive into the literature, they learn why these  impulses are both useful and informative. Learn how to work with your impulses in a safe and productive way.

This week the therapists dish on the kindness of strangers as they remember the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Within the darkness that unfolded, there were many stories of human connection, vulnerability and love. One particular story is the Gander, Newfoundland story in which a small town opened their hearts, resources  and wallets to almost 7,000 stranded passengers from around the world. Listen  in and learn why those acts of kindness have both emotional and physical benefits for us all and what can get in the way. Love even when it’s foolish to do so.

It’s back to school time and this week the therapists dish and dive about the anxiety they experience around this time of year. Why, even as adults, do we experience back to school jitters and anxiety? Well, the literature shows that we’re not alone. Listen in and learn how you can ride through the early days of September with less anxiety and more joy! 

This week the therapists look at how and why we get more stuck in our negative emotions and experiences than in our positive ones. Pam and Iona both have a tendency toward negative bias- recalling and ruminating about negative experiences more so than the joyful ones. Through their dive into the literature, they learn why this is adaptive yet shortsighted and unbalanced. Listen in and learn how you can have a more joyful life. 

Listen in this week as the therapists wonder if therapy is helpful after all. They discuss the different types of therapy models out there and determine just how useful each one is. Listen in so you can make informed choices about your own therapy! 

Listen in this week as the therapists dish and dive about over functioning.   Pam and Iona both learned to over function to control and distract themselves from chaotic situations in their lives. They discuss the price of over functioning and the toll it can take on your life.   Learn how to recognize over functioning as a coping mechanism in your own life before you burn out! 

This week the therapists dish and dive about jealousy. Iona’s had an episode of feeling very jealous, which catches her off guard. Pam weighs in on how those ugly feelings have raised their head repeatedly throughout her relationship as well. Listen in as they dive into the literature about the function of jealousy and learn how to reign in that wild beast. 

This week the therapists finish their discussion about trauma with a dive into the literature about trauma. We learn about the different types of trauma, how it develops and how to treat it. Not all trauma is created equal and the more you know, the more you can do to manage, move past and even grow from the trauma in your own life.

This week the therapists dish extensively about their own experience with trauma and the ongoing impact these traumas have had on their lives. There is no dive this week folks, just juicy dishing! Stay tuned for next week’s dive into the trauma literature. Season 4 is here, and it's going to be great! Iona and Pam

Season 4 is here, and it's going to be great! Join us on a new season where we Dish and Dive on topics sure to peak your interest. Iona and Pam

Hi listeners, we're still on our break between season 3 and 4 but in the meantime we're going to leave you with a quick appetizer today.  Try treating your partner as you would treat your client, and see your relationship as something alive and ongoing.  We will be back next week to launch season 4 on July 24th with new exciting episodes that are sure to give you the dish you are looking for in your relationship. Iona & Pam, Relationship Dish

Here is a quick little 1 minute Appetizer for you about The balance and courage to stand alone. We're taking a 2 week break while preparing to launch season 4 and will return July 24th with new exciting episodes that are sure to give you the dish you are looking for in your relationship. Iona & Pam, Relationship Dish