In today's episode, we're going to talk about the trials and tribulations facing people in the middle and upper middle classes as they try to work out what is meaningful in life. Is it about worldly success, money, and the schools you go to? Is it about how you live and how spend your time and with whom?

In this episode, we cover what we see as some of the noise and disinformation around mental health treatment. We explore social media's benefits and pitfalls as a space for learning about potential remedies: from giving patients greater autonomy and information, to unsafe substance usage with potentially harmful outcomes.

Today we talk all about motivation and New Year's resolutions. The episode was recorded early in January, but the conversation may be even more important today. Throughout the episode, try to reflect on some of the goals you may have set for yourself this year. And if you’re struggling with some of these goals, how might you reframe your motivations in a healthy manner? Thinking about the benefits can help respark motivation! And remember to give yourself credit for the progress you’ve made!

In this episode, Fara and Grant discuss recent mental health initiatives in NYC for hospitalizing unhoused people, school policies that may be harmful or stigmatizing to students, and the foundations of stigma and the implications for individuals and society.

Welcome Back to Season 2 of Doorknob Comments! Fara and Grant talk about taking time off and coming back strong.

As we wrap up season 1 of Doorknob Comments, Fara and Grant discuss the importance of taking calculated breaks as an act of self compassion and care.

Dr. Niobe Way talks about her research showing the crucial importance of friendship for boys. Friendship is healthy and normal for boys even though they may be taught as they get older to play cool. There are many simple things parents and educators can do to alleviate the problem.

Fara and Grant discuss Terror Management Theory, which helps us understand how we cope individually and collectively when fears of death are heightened, and ways people can cope with mortality and help others around them do so as well.

In this episode, co-hosts Fara and Grant talk about their experience as psychiatrists who practice therapy. Listen in as we discuss important themes including the difference between treating illness and pursuing personal development, how to balance clinical care with coaching and self-help, and other key considerations in the complex, evolving landscape of wellness and self-care.

Fara and Grant speak with Jacob Appel, psychiatrist, author, and bioethicist, about important ways that the therapist-patient relationships may feel like a friendship (or just feel confusing). Well-intentioned actions may have unintended consequences when they cross the boundaries between clinician and friend. Dr. Appel helps give us clarity on how to manage when these moments come up, and advises us on how to preserve the treatment and act in the best interest of the patient.

Find more on Dr. Appel here:

https://www.mountsinai.org/profiles/jacob-m-appel

Fara and Grant host a wide-ranging conversation about the many things to think about as kids are returning to school as COVID continues to linger, ranging from complex emotional considerations, to social factors, to the political context, and beyond.

Fara and Grant speak with therapist and psychoanalytic candidate-in-training Hannah Weiss about therapy during the pandemic, video and in-person, our relationships with our bodies, and the future of psychoanalysis.

Fara and Grant discuss reasons it can be so hard to change even when we know what needs to happen, ways to become more aware when we don't know, and ways we can connect our dots to catalyze growth and change.

Fara and Grant discuss common ways we approach challenges in personal and professional relationships. Using real-world examples, we bring in key concepts including attachment style, common pitfalls including ways we self-sabotage, and tips for successfully navigating tough situations.

Read more:

https://medium.com/beingwell/exploitable-me-how-we-leave-ourselves-open-to-people-who-use-others-9dfef7c43747

Fara and Grant speak with psychologist and psychoanalyst Leanne Domash about her new book Imagination, Creativity and Spirituality in Psychotherapy: Welcome to Wonderland (Psyche and Soul). Join us for a lively and pragmatic conversation about unleashing creativity in the pursuit of authenticity.

Find Dr. Domash here:

https://www.leannedomash.com

Dr. Domash's book: https://www.amazon.com/Imagination-Creativity-Spirituality-Psychotherapy-Wonderland-ebook/dp/B08HSMX7CD

Fara, Liz and Grant discuss relationships, hardship, and the crucial role of humour and empathy in overcoming challenges on the path to healing.

Find Liz here:

https://lizmiele.com

https://www.instagram.com/lizmiele/

https://www.youtube.com/user/LizMiele

https://twitter.com/lizmiele

https://www.facebook.com/lizmielecomedy

Guardian Article referenced by Liz:

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/may/24/research-reveals-why-some-find-the-sound-of-others-eating-so-irritating

Fara and Grant discuss the purpose of dependency, how it can be both problematic and useful, and work through ways of building mutuality through healthy interdependence. We also look at counterdependency, codependency, and the pattern of shared dysfunction called "irrelationship".

Fara and Grant talk about how people set the ground rules for relationships. Boundaries define areas which are off-limits, areas where we can freely interact, and the gray zone where effective communication is critical. With insightful examples, good humor and guidelines for how to navigate tricky situations, this episode is useful and engaging.

Grant and Fara break down some basic tenets of therapy, and give listeners some insight about the inner workings of the process. On this episode, we explore how we can make the most of the time with our therapists as a path to growth and change.

Fara and Grant discuss examples of how and why people drive each other "crazy", and what we can do about it.