Edge of the Couch
Two good friends and experienced therapists explore the topics that were either shied away from or dismissed because they were too big, too nuanced, too risky, or too uncomfortable to address in school or even in supervision. We want to inspire and encourage therapists to think more deeply, show up more fully, and find humour and self-compassion in navigating the messier parts of being a therapist.
Episodes
131 episodes
Let's Talk About Mean Therapists
Are therapists who "call out" their clients more effective? This week, we’re responding to a Reddit post from a therapist who proudly claims to be a "mean therapist". They describe themselves as solution-focused, direct, and not afraid to hold ...
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Season 8
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Episode 10
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40:52
When Therapists Miss Key Information
All therapists miss essential information-- things like self-harm, abuse, and disordered eating. These can have major consequences.In this episode, we discuss what gets missed in the therapy room, why it happens, and what we can do about...
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Season 8
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Episode 10
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49:43
Working with Intellectualizing
In this episode, we’re talking about a dynamic that (dare we say) all therapists are familiar with: working with clients who over-intellectualize. We explore why some clients show up to therapy in their heads while disconnected to their bodies ...
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Season 8
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Episode 9
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44:42
Are We "Treating" Our Clients?
Are we "treating" our clients, as in doing something *to* them, or *with* them? In this episode, we dig into situations where therapy aligns more closely with a medical model, and how we prefer to work using an open-ended approach. We discuss w...
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Season 8
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Episode 8
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37:58
Being a Therapist on Social Media
Social media is one of the most impactful frontiers for therapists right now. So many questions are coming up for therapists at this time-- should I have social media at all? Should I market on social media? How much is too much to share? The i...
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Season 8
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Episode 7
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40:17
When the Client Hits a Nerve
Every therapist has been there. You’re in session and suddenly something your client says hits a nerve. Maybe it’s a detail in their story that pulls up your own history or something about their client presentation you can't quite put your fing...
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Season 8
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Episode 6
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38:51
How to Get the Most Out of Supervision
Supervision and consultation are a core part of being a therapist, whether in practicum, newly graduated, or a decade into practice (and beyond).In this episode, we discuss how to get the most out of supervision, like bringing a list, n...
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Season 8
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Episode 5
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35:35
The Trend of ‘The Cool Therapist’
Trends in the therapy world come and go. Girl-bossing, therapists-as-content-creators, and now “the cool therapist”. Maybe you’ve seen the same “cool therapist” stuff we have - acting like new therapists are scared of everything, making skits o...
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Season 8
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Episode 4
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34:08
Talking to Clients About Politics
This is the most intense political landscape that we’ve ever experienced as therapists. Many of our clients are also hugely impacted by policies being enacted and fear is a common feeling for both therapists and clients alike. The focus of the ...
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Season 8
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Episode 3
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37:14
When Clients Set Unrealistic Expectations
What happens when a client expects therapy to “fix” them or assumes their therapist will always have the wise, perfect answer? In this episode, we explore how to set realistic expectations around the therapy process, the therapist’s role, and h...
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Season 8
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Episode 2
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37:26
Opening a Private Practice: Our Personal Stories
We’re so happy to be back after our holiday hiatus. We're starting the new season with a highly requested topic-- opening a private practice. Since we graduated, the landscape of the counselling field has changed tremendously. More and more cli...
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Season 8
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Episode 1
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40:46
Live Q+A
Thank you to everyone who joined us at the Being a Therapist in 2024 conference at the beautiful Jane Headquarters in North Vancouver. In this special episode, we dive into questions from the audience about niching, overcoming imposter syndrome...
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Season 7
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Episode 20
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47:38
Working with Discernment
How can we support clients in navigating the big life decisions, including to stay or leave relationships, choose career paths, or family planning? In this episode, we explore the therapeutic role of discernment. Often, people are grappling wit...
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Season 7
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Episode 19
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36:22
Managing Crisis (Without Becoming a Crisis Worker)
Content note: This episode discusses suicide and abuse. Are therapists crisis workers? We believe that the role of the therapist and the role of the crisis worker are distinct, yet, in certain situations, we can still find ourselve...
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Season 7
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Episode 18
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46:29
What Does 'Following the Client' Mean?
Did you hear the phrase “follow the client” in graduate school and wonder what it really means in practice? In this episode, we dive into the nuances of this concept, exploring how therapists balance the art of staying present with the client’s...
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Season 7
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Episode 17
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40:08
When Does Compassion Cross Over into Complicity?
Have you heard the phrase 'The worst person you know has a therapist encouraging and validating their behaviour'? In this episode, we tackle a tricky line in therapy-- when compassion tips into complicity in a client's harmful, toxic, or otherw...
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Season 7
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Episode 16
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36:24
Watching Our Very First Recording: When Edge of the Couch was Reel Therapy Talk
In this special episode, we watch and react to our first recording together, before Edge of the Couch, an unpublished episode of a podcast that would never be: 'Reel Therapy Talk' where we would talk about pop culture from the perspective of th...
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Season 7
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Episode 14
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1:07:52
DEI is Not Enough: A Conversation with Bhupie Dulay and Abby Chow
In this special episode, Bhupie Dulay and Abby Chow come on the podcast to talk about how we can rather than rely on the reductionist approach to working with clients with marginalized identities, radically reimagine what relationality looks li...
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Season 7
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Episode 13
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42:01
Getting Dumped: When the client decides to terminate
In this episode, we talk about the roller coaster of emotions that come with getting "dumped" by clients. We discuss the different ways clients can terminate therapy, how each one hits us differently, and the common mistakes we make that might ...
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Season 7
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Episode 12
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29:02
Working with Dreams
Do all therapists engage in dream work, or is it more of a niche practice? We discuss what might hold newer therapists back from exploring their clients' dreams and share how we integrate dream work into our own practices. Plus, we open up abou...
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Season 7
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Episode 11
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26:01
Is This Client Being Passive Aggressive?
Sometimes clients will come right out and tell you what they are feeling frustrated, annoyed, or concerned about. Sometimes clients may have a harder time communicating “negative” things and their frustrations may come out in passive aggressive...
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Season 7
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Episode 10
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30:33
Clients Recording Their Therapist: An emerging trend
In this episode, we dive into a recent trend of clients secretly or openly recording their therapy sessions. We discuss how it might feel as a therapist to discover you're being recorded and wrestle with the ethical implications surrounding thi...
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Season 7
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Episode 9
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37:43
How to Create Continuity from Session to Session
In this episode, we dive into who is responsible for creating a sense of continuity in therapy-- the client or the therapist. We discuss the role of homework, strategic note-taking, and what you might say at the beginning or end of sessions to ...
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Season 7
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Episode 8
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29:28