Advertise on podcast: My Sister's A Therapist- Mental Health, Wellness, and Healing with Humor

How can you tell whether a friend is toxic? What if you're the toxic friend? With special guest Maria Bamford! Maria is the star of Lady Dynamite, Comedians of Comedy, and the new Judd Apatow documentary, Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story References: Chelsea Marie: Tik Tok How to make friends? Study reveals how many hours it takes: Rick Hellman 13 Signs Your Best Friend Is Toxic- Bustle 10 signs of toxic friendships: Calm.com How to End a Friendship While Protecting Your Heart BY ZEE KRSTIC Imago/Maria Bamford/Toxic Friends/Borderline Personality Disorder/BPD/12 Step/Overeaters Anonymous/Anorexia/Bulimia/Addiction/Mental Health Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Licensed Therapist/LMFT

Lily Allen released one of 2025's top albums after being recklessly played by her husband, David Harbour. What happened? What does Virginia suspect? What can we learn about narcissists, narcissist discard, infidelity, and bad boundaries from this record? We also talk about our own rocky relationships, P.Diddy, why men can't stand to see you shine, and much more. References: West End Girl by Lily Allen David Harbour*Cluster B* Bipolar*Madeline*Burn Track* Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist*P.Diddy* Narcissism*NPD*Narcissistic Personality Disorder*EMDR*Healing*Hopper*Stranger Things*Kendrick Lamar Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Sisters/Licensed Therapist/LMFT

Is the age of AI the end of the expert? What does it take to achieve mastery of something, and why do we want it so much? References: Outliers: The Story of Success: Malcolm Gladwell It's All In Your Head: How To Achieve Mastery And Improve Performance: Chris Cancialosi How to Level Up At Anything: Using Science to Approach Mastery: Jacqueline M. Kory-Westlund How To Achieve Mastery: Three Steps To Becoming Great At Anything: Aly Juma The 4 Essential Ingredients of Expertise Development: Joseph South Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist * Expertise * Malcolm Gladwell* Growth* Tips for Learning* Emotional Well-Being* Competition* Mental Health /Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Sisters/Licensed Therapist/LMFT

If you're obsessed with your white knight, the fairy tale, and happily ever after- how was your relationship with your Dad? Bad, right? Zach Woods-Emotional Neglect-Lily Allen- Licensed Therapist-Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist-Neglect-Physical Neglect-West End Girl-Robert Smith Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Sisters/Licensed Therapist/LMFT

We get a listener question from Sharon, who twirls her hair for up to five hours a day and wishes she could stop! What are the commonalities between OCD and and Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors? Why is it mostly women who exhibit these behaviors? Why is it tricky to rock a rhyme that's right on time? And when did Laura stop sucking her thumb? These questions and more are answered on this week's episode of My Sister's A Therapist! References: Mayo Clinic: Trichotillomania definition  DSM-5: Criteria for Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder) and Excoriation (Skin-Picking Disorder)  University of Oxford: Body focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs) Is Twirling Your Hair as a Habit a Symptom of an Underlying Condition?: Kathryn Watson  Who is at risk for trichotillomania? Trait anger, anger expression, and anger control in trichotillomania: Evidence for the emotion regulation model: Erin E. Curley , Esther S. Tung , Nancy J. Keuthen  Mayo Clinic: Medications for Trichotillomania OCD*obsessive/compulsive disorder* therapy for OCD*OCD symptoms* OCD treatment*Intrusive thoughts, compulsions, rituals, perfectionism*Cognitive behavioral therapy*CBT*Anxiety, depression, mental health support, therapy*sisters*LMFT*comedian*Virginia Jones*Laura Ryan Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Sisters/Licensed Therapist/LMFT

My Sister's A Therapist is dropping a special New Year's Eve episode- where do NYE traditions come from? Why do we have superstitions- and how close are they to OCD? References: The History of New Year’s Eve 35 Crazy New Year’s Eve Celebrations Throughout History: The History Collection  The psychology of superstition, with Stuart Vyse, PhD: Speaking of Psychology Podcast: Kim Mills How superstitions may relieve anxiety: Ana Sandoiu NYE-NEW YEAR'S EVE-LMFT- LICENSED MARRIAGE AND FAMILY COUNSELOR-RESOLUTION-SUPERSTITION-BALL DROP-CUSTOMS-OCD Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Sisters/Licensed Therapist/LMFT

Why does grudge holding feel so good, if it's so bad for you? How can I let go of these feelings, and improve my life? The sisters discuss the benefits of letting it go. Buddhism+Forgiveness+Grudges+#MeToo+Stress+Anxiety+Anger+Therapy+LMFT+Resentment+Dysregulation Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Sisters/Licensed Therapist/LMFT

Your brain is tricking you, and you love it! Why we are SO CONFIDENT in our memories, although they are USUALLY WRONG. Why we remember traumatic events, and how we can move past them. References: Roger Brown's Flashbulb Memories, Gordon H. Bower's happiness and memories, Endel Tulving's Mind Palace. Adlerian Psychology/Therapy/LMFT/Crisis/Memories/Implanted Memories/False Memories/Pessimism/Optimism/Overwhelm/Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Sisters/Licensed Therapist/LMFT Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Sisters/Licensed Therapist/LMFT

Laura and Virginia diagnose their favorite characters in the Frank Capra classic, It's A Wonderful Life. We love you, Jimmy Stewart! Mental health- feminism-family dynamics-LMFT -intermittent explosive disorder- Borderline personality disorder-Cluster B Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Sisters/Licensed Therapist/LMFT

Sometimes, an episode is based on a fan letter. Sometimes, it's tiktok. This week, it's a conversation Virginia had with a dummy. Where do morals come from? Is it God? Philosophy- moral philosophy- Heinz dilemma- atheism- religion Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Sisters/Licensed Therapist/LMFT

Is it embarrassing to have a boyfriend, now? References: Eddie Dresden: Tik Tok  "Is Having a Boyfriend Embarrassing Now? CHANTÉ JOSEPH Why Do We Prioritize Romantic Over Platonic Love?: embracesexualwellness.com The Nuclear Family Was a Mistake: David Brooks Decentering Dating: Why Love Isn’t the Only Plotline: Anh Le  The Nuclear Family Was a Mistake: David Brooks  Why Is Everyone Obsessed With Marriage Right Now? Lotte Jeffs The Trouble With Wanting Men: By Jean Garnett Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Sisters/Licensed Therapist/LMFT

What do Vincent Van Gogh, Yayoi Kusama, and Louis Wain have in common? The answer won't surprise you! Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Licensed Therapist/LMFT

This week, listener Anna asks about white people bs, and we talk about it. Thanks, Anna! References: The Backlash Against “Karen” Memes is Peak White Feminism: By Stephanie Younger What exactly is a 'Karen' and where did the meme come from? Ashitha Nagar  Is Barbie Peak White Feminism? Does It Even Matter?: JOURDAIN SEARLES When White Women Cry: How White Women's Tears Oppress Women of Color: Mamta Motwani Accapadi Is Barbie Peak White Feminism? Does It Even Matter?: JOURDAIN SEARLES When White Women Get Caught: victimhood as racialised violence: ITS JANINEBTW Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Licensed Therapist/LMFT

What makes us competitive, and is it a healthy impulse? The girls discuss what makes for healthy, and unhealthy competition- and why American society praises the latter. Guess what, Virginia is talking about Alfred Adler again. A nice moment of vulnerability between sisters as Laura complains about shit Virginia did forty years ago. Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Licensed Therapist/LMFT/Adlerian Psychology/The Prestige/Amadeus

Will p0rn make you an incel? Well, it might not, but why would you risk it? The girls talk about why Cindy Gallop is their hero, and why we should try to stay connected to each other. References: Pornland: How Porn Has Hijacked Our Sexuality:Gail Dines  Make Love, Not Porn: Cindy Gallop Porn Sex vs Real Sex: The Differences Explained With Food Adolescents, Porn, and Mental Health: Understanding the Dangerous Effects of Porn on Developing Minds: culture reframed 10 Negative Effects of Porn on Your Brain, Body, Relationships, and Society Is Porn Bad For You? Integrative Life Center “I Don’t Hate All Women, Just Those Stuck-Up Bitches”: How Incels and Mainstream Pornography Speak the Same Extreme Language of Misogyny/Violence Against Women: Alessia Tranchese and Lisa Sugiura Mental Health Advice/Pop Culture/Mental Health Awareness/Trauma Recovery/Sisters/Wellness & Healing/Humor/Trauma Healing/Humor & Healing/Licensed Therapist/LMFT