Your Mental Breakdown

*** Warning - this episode contains potentially triggering and sensitive topics, including sexual assault. If you or someone you know needs help, …

While we all start to come out of the pandemic lockdown, Drew and his girlfriend are starting to come out of the honeymoon phase. In their …

Doug and Meredith finally saw each other in person again! They break down what an “episode” means to Drew and what it can mean when a therapist hears that word. In the session, Drew is feeling down and out because of …

Doug and Meredith are joined by Rebecca to break down the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. We get some history of this Carl Jung inspired psychological …

Meredith swims a mile then she and Doug talk about Justice League. And the superhero talk continues with Drew taking to a Superman analogy - balancing the daily grind of a day job with using his own time to focus on his …

Meredith loves daylight saving time! Restaurants and movie theatres are opening up in LA now, but Doug is still trying to hide out like a mountain man. In Drew’s therapy session he talks about feeling burnt out and …

Meredith and Doug discuss their take on working with clients that have different political views and ideologies than their own. It’s a great …

Doug is back in LA and missing the mountains. Meredith realizes it may be time for all of us to get a car wash (especially Doug!). In the session, Drew and Doug get into a heavy conversation as Drew details how a party …

The podcast hits the one-year mark this week… and it’s a twofer! Two sessions in one episode as life in the podcast timeline is starting to go virtual in the very beginning of the pandemic. Doug and Drew pack a lot into …

Spiritual practitioner Crystal Duan joins Doug and Meredith to break down Astrology. We talk about understanding the language of it as well as both …

Before Drew’s session this week, Meredith and Doug give a wrap-up of their Valentine's Day experiences, Drew talks about going home for his friend’s funeral; and he walks through both the horror movie version and Disney …

Doug took Meredith’s pillow washing challenge and he took her movie recommendation! They figure out why we call a podcast a podcast. The session begins with Drew dealing with emotions that are stirred up as he prepares …

It’s a busy and eventful show this week, kicking off with Doug’s second mountain lion sighting - this time it’s a baby! Meredith gives her thoughts …

Doug and Meredith roar into this week with a recount of Doug’s mountain lion visitor while Mer has been washing her dishes and feeling soooo good and accomplished. Drew’s session comes at the one year anniversary of …

Drew picks up where he left off last week, back from the holidays and feeling somewhat unmotivated and withdrawn. In the session, Drew and Doug …

Living in LA during a pandemic almost feels like a zombie movie. Doug and Mer touch on how lack of good sleep can affect us. In the session, Drew talks about the loss of his friend and questions how he can better cope …

Broken toes, wind chimes, and a discussion about maintaining confidentiality even when a client shares a crime they committed. Drew is back from his brother’s wedding and preparing to head home for a visit. Drew is …

In this special New Years Eve mini-sode, Doug and Meredith say goodbye to 2020 and look ahead to 2021. They give their two cents about resolutions …

In this special Holiday mini-sode (extra-mini-stravaganza), Meredith nurses her freshly broken toe and Doug serves up his usual cup of tea. They read …

This week was already going to be special with the wedding, but the fact that it’s Meredith’s birthday makes it even more fun! Meredith talks running …

Cute cows, amaaaaazing smelling wreaths, and giant Christmas trees! The session begins with Drew’s literal worst fear coming true - his mother relapsing. He and Doug talk about how he is coping and making big strides in …

Mer loves dogs wearing boots and Doug has been keeping busy with audiobooks on the Colorado trails. Drew focuses on getting ready for his brother’s …

This Thanksgiving episode has a new spin on gratitude - Doug and Mer name some things they are both Grateful and Hateful for right now. One thing …

This week, Doug shares an update on his Colorado trip and names his top three pet peeves about snowy weather. Meredith gears up for a ski trip and …

This week, Doug and Meredith are back at it to kick off Season 2 with Andrew. Doug talks about his road trip into the mountains of Colorado while …

In this special bonus episode, Doug and Meredith share their personal stories with grief over the past two years. It’s been almost two years to the date since the sudden death of Doug’s wife and the death of Meredith’s …

Wyatt is a previous client of Doug’s that has experienced severe trauma. He had a sudden brain aneurysm and cancer. This is his story of endurance, awareness, and healing.  

Mentioned in this episode: 

Your Mental …

In this bonus Roundtable episode, Meredith and Doug are joined by fellow therapists Mona Valeriano and Jessica Kramer. They look at different ways of approaching trauma and therapy from their training and experience. …

In this Insight Out bonus episode, Meredith and Doug come fresh off their talk last week about music as therapy to look at movies. They share some of …

In this Insight Out bonus episode, Meredith and Doug talk about music as therapy and how we can have our own relationship with it for connection, identity, and an outlet. They discuss how certain songs and bands have …

In this Insight Out bonus episode, Meredith and Doug are joined by fellow therapist and listener, Mary Tobon. Doug and Meredith share their insights and give their answers to your questions! 

Mentioned in this episode:

In this Insight Out bonus minisode, Meredith and Doug break down different states of mind using DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) concepts. They talk about the reasonable mind and the emotional mind, the doing mind …

This week, Doug and Meredith reflect on the first six months of the podcast as we reach the end of season one with Drew.  In the session, you’ll hear clips from a few recent sessions with Doug and Drew hitting the …

Talking about the sensationalism of Bambi and how seeing traumatic events can be very impactful. In the session, Drew says he’s been future tripping …

Fireworks, dad jokes, and great movies from our days as younguns. Drew acknowledges his growth in treatment, and with a little self-reflection, he admits he is not very motivated right now. In the breakdown, Meredith …

This week, Doug showered with his dog and Meredith shared her excitement about tennis lessons, her bird feeder, and getting ready to watch The Matrix. In the session, Drew feels excitement about the unknown in front of …

This week, Doug and Meredith talk about the highs and lows of watching their dogs on webcams, as well as the joys of home repair, toilet hygiene, and tushie cushies. In the session, Drew connects a long-standing fear of …

This week, Doug and Meredith talk about how our relationship with time can create pressure and affect our level of stress. They also talk about hiking, napping, and glamping to get away from it all! In the session, Drew …

This week, Meredith retreats to Lake Tahoe and Doug is entertaining his dog at home. In the session, Drew moves around different stages of grief and loss after his breakup. He acknowledges there’s baggage he’s been …

In this Insight Out bonus minisode, Doug and Meredith break down the differences between emotional support animals, service animals, and therapy pets. Hear their insight (and opinions!) about the responsibilities of …

This week, Doug and Meredith ‘monkee’ around a bit and reference a handful of classic movies from their youth - showing how old and adorbs they are! …

In this Insight Out bonus minisode, we take a deeper dive into faith in therapy. We hear a clip of a story Doug told Drew in Episode 19 about faith …

This week, Doug and Meredith discuss the routine and comfort of going to a therapist’s office as a physical space, not just a virtual room. Meredith updates us on her US geography skills. In the session, Drew’s issues …

This week, Mer and Doug are coping with quarantine and testing their geography skills with a US map quiz. In the session, Drew’s last day at work is coming up and he has nothing going on, which makes him feel anxious. …

In this Insight Out bonus minisode, we hear the tail end of Andrew’s last session as he is leaving Doug’s office. Drew asks if it’s time to stop therapy now that he’s feeling better. Doug and Meredith break down the …

This week, Mer and Doug are doing ‘fair’ and ‘corona good’ in spite of a burnt tongue and a kitschy therapist pillow. In the session, Drew feels good having put in his two-week notice. He can feel himself slowing down …

This week, Meredith goes down the rabbit hole of tequila and zoom filters. She joins Doug for a walk down the memory lane of their worst old …

This week, Doug and Meredith remind us about getting out of our comfort zone and experiencing the cool things there are to do - regardless of …

This week, Doug and Meredith talk about adjustments they’ve been making during this pandemic time. The client, Andrew, feels the benefits of putting in the hard work and letting raw emotions come up and out. He is …

Doug and Meredith acknowledge passing the month mark of quarantine and note some good things that have come out of this experience. In the client session, we see how important it is to have trust between a therapist and …

This week, Doug and Meredith talk about how the “thing” itself is usually not that bad, it’s the lead up to it that creates fear and anxiety. They highlight this with a story of Doug trying not to get wet on a hike then …

In this Insight Out bonus minisode, Doug and Meredith give us a brief look at the basics of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). They break down some key aspects of these types of …

In this episode, Doug and Meredith talk about finding self-confidence, compassion for self, and having a support system - while also being okay with being alone. Doug and his client, Andrew, explore Andrew’s challenges …

In this bonus minisode, Doug and Meredith explore the childhood classic books, The Missing Piece, and The Missing Piece Meets the Big O, by the great Shel Silverstein. They talk about how these books might have …

In this pre-Corona virus episode, Doug and Meredith talk about fires, mountains, Coachella and bubble gum. Doug’s client Andrew checks in about the guilt he is feeling towards not having a conversation yet with his …

In this Insight Out bonus minisode, Doug and Meredith answer some of your questions and read comments from the Mailbag that were focused on finding a therapist and some of your experiences in therapy. They offer tips …

This week, we talk about the connection between knowing it and feeling it and the difference between a human being and a human doing. Doug and Andrew dive deeper into his decision about going to his brother’s bachelor …

In this Insight Out bonus minisode, you’ll hear a clip from a session with Doug and Andrew talking about his tattoos and what they mean to him. Doug …

This week, Doug and Meredith talk about what came up in Andrew’s recent sessions — Star Wars, jealousy, and male strippers, of course. Andrew shares a bad nightmare that caused a lot of anxiety. Doug and Andrew work on …

In a special Insight Out bonus minisode during this Covid quarantine, Doug and Meredith connect with each other (and you) from their own homes. They share some thoughts about the ‘panic’ in the middle of this …

This week, Doug and Meredith tell us about when therapy in their past has sometimes gone wrong (or ineffective). Andrew and Doug dig more into the upcoming wedding of Andrew’s brother, and whether it’s his choice or …

For a bonus mini-sode this week in a series we’re calling Insight Out, Doug and Meredith introduce us to some of the more common Cognitive Distortions. These are classic ways of thinking from Cognitive Behavioral …

This week, Doug and Meredith dig deeper into Doug’s use of sweet analogies (hello car gears and Harry Potter!) and discuss reframing the difference between choice and obligation. Andrew’s session reveals where he is …

For a special bonus episode this week, Doug and Meredith are joined by their friends and colleagues; John Sovec and Bonnie Rae, both Licensed …

The very adorkable Doug and Meredith return back this week to share how they typically begin their therapy sessions and give a recap of the trust and …

This week, Doug and MerMer remind us to not “should” all over ourselves and then recap the first two sessions with Andrew (the Client has been given …

This week, Doug and Meredith reminisce about Doug’s parachute pants and MerDog’s love of Megadeth. They talk about how to know when a session is over, taking notes, and how they prevent burnout. Doug shares his Buddhism …

Welcome to Your Mental Breakdown, hosted by Doug Friedman and Meredith Levy. YMB is a psychotherapy entertainment podcast featuring two licensed therapists. They are real people outside the office, and real therapists …

Welcome to Your Mental Breakdown. Introducing Doug Friedman and Meredith Levy, both licensed psychotherapists, longtime friends, and the co-hosts of this podcast. These episodes will feature one of their client’s actual …