PSYCHO THERAPIST

"It's an abusive relationship sometimes," Chad told Renée. He wasn't talking about his love life - he was talking about his job. Chad, who brings equal parts strength and sensitivity to the conversation (not to mention a seriously soothing voice), works as a 911 Dispatcher, and, as he explains, he often wants out but just can't leave. This relationship with his job is a big part o

Jess was raised in the Mormon church and was a perfectly happy child - until she was sexually assaulted by two neighbors at 11 years old. Even at that young age, she had the self-possession to report the incident, only to be told by the church that the assault was her fault. This was the origin of Jess's "bad picker," as she calls it; she found herself drawn to abusive relationship

Chris had a happy childhood. He has an aspirational marriage. He loves his job. So what the hell is he doing on the show? Well, Chris had a happy childhood, but his brother did not, and this difference has strained their relationship to near estrangement - and that is what Chris is doing on the show. Not only does he want help navigating the conflict with his brother, but he also w

"I remember dieting a lot," Tatiana explained to Renée about her childhood, recalling that her mother regularly told her "You'd look prettier if you lost twenty pounds." Her mother's constant criticism corrupted not only Tatiana's relationship with food but also her relationships in general - with herself, with partners, with her body. Tatiana is startlingly wise for her age; her

Hey everyone; this is Renée. The first thing you need to know about this week's episode is that it's not a real episode. It's a long-form placeholder. There was a bit of a disaster with tonight's episode (hint: the disaster's name starts with R and hosts the show), and you know there is no way I was going to skip a week of content without at least letting you know what's going on.

"Well now you've made it much more complicated!" Jesus told Renée when she offered an explanation for his social isolation. Indeed, Jesus came on the show hoping to promote his comedy and have a quick conversation - but you know Renée can't let him off that easily. Instead, she took Jesus on a deep dive into his history of self-proclaimed "not caring." He didn't care about school

"I can't move past it," Kimberly explained to Renée, referring to the loss of her closest friendship. The loss of the friendship was complicated by the loss of a baby, and now Kimberly finds herself dealing with what she can best describe as "survivor's guilt." When she and Renée dug into the situation, it became clear that Kimberly is still, years after the friendship fracture,

"I was just born sponge-y," Jaye told Renée, explaining her exquisite sensitivities. These sensitivities made for a challenging childhood, one that would have been difficult for any child given Jaye's emotionally neglectful and conflict-ridden home. Now a 37 year-old therapist in the UK, Jaye has healed many of her old wounds, but there are still some pain points that traditional

Sami brings an issue to the show that no other guest has: he desperately wants to get a dog. Doesn't sound like a problem, right? It is for Sami, because when he thinks about becoming a pet parent, his mind immediately goes to the inevitable loss he will face when the dog dies. He is having the same problem with dating. He isn't pursuing love because he is too scared of what he ant

Ally, a former middle school teacher turned professional artist, has come to the show to talk about two of therapy's favorite topics: parents and boundaries. Specifically, Ally needs help setting boundaries with her parents - the trick is, she wants to do so without confrontation. Renée accepts the challenge, and as she formulates a plan for Ally, they make a few stops at other to