Why We All Need Michael Scott's Emotional Whiplash

Ever found yourself unexpectedly emotional over a scene from The Office? That odd moment when Jim cuts his tie after Pam tears her veil, or when Michael is the only one who shows up to appreciate Pam's art? There's a psychological reason those moments hit so hard.

Welcome to a therapeutic journey through the halls of Dunder Mifflin, where we're unpacking what makes this workplace comedy secretly one of the most profound character studies on television. Beyond the cringe humor and paper sales lies a masterclass in attachment theory, relationship dynamics, and emotional growth.

Through a therapist's lens, we explore why Michael Scott's desperate need for approval masks deep abandonment wounds, how Jim's sarcasm serves as emotional armor against vulnerability, and why Pam's journey from people-pleaser to self-advocate mirrors the therapeutic process so many of us experience. We'll analyze each character through the framework of Internal Family Systems, revealing how their quirks, flaws, and defense mechanisms protect their most vulnerable parts.

Discover which Office character you most resemble psychologically—whether you're an anxiously attached Michael, an avoidant Jim, a rigid Angela, or somewhere in between. Learn how the show's most tender moments create such powerful emotional responses because they tap into universal human needs for connection, validation, and acceptance.

Whether you're a longtime fan who can quote every "that's what she said" or someone who's curious about how pop culture reflects our psychological patterns, this episode offers fresh insights into both the show and yourself. Because sometimes, the most profound healing doesn't happen in a therapist's office—it happens while watching a fictional paper company that nobody asked for but everybody needed.

Ready to see your favorite workplace comedy in an entirely new light? Grab your World's Best Boss mug and join us for a session of Licensed and Unfiltered.

Chapters

• 0:05 Introduction to Dunder Mifflin Therapy
• 2:47 Dysfunctional Workplace Systems
• 6:22 Character Snapshots: Office Misfits
• 9:58 Romantic Dynamics at Dunder Mifflin
• 13:03 Therapy Talk: IFS and Internal Parts
• 19:24 Attachment Styles in The Office
• 27:45 Which Office Character Are You?
• 35:22 Boundaries, Masks and Tender Moments
• 37:55 Final Reflections on Healing

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:05

You think you're just watching a sitcom about a paper company, but suddenly you're crying over a teapot. Welcome to the office and the emotional whiplash that somehow feels like home. A therapist walks into Dunder Mifflin. I mean, who hasn't cried during the Jim and Pam wedding or quoted that's what she said during a work meeting and immediately regretted it? Welcome back to Licensed and Unfiltered.

Speaker 1: 0:37

I'm Lina, your pocket-sized therapist with a hot take and a heart, and today I decided to do something a little different. This isn't your typical therapy episode. We're not unpacking diagnoses or diving into the DSM. Today we're heading to Scranton, pennsylvania. We're walking the chaotic, lovable halls of the Office. Why? Because lately I've been re-watching it and I realized something.

Speaker 1: 1:07

This show isn't just comfort TV. It's a master class in relationships, systems, trauma, love and, dare I say, personal growth. It holds a mirror up to the dysfunction we've all lived in and makes us laugh through the cringe dysfunction we've all lived in and makes us laugh through the cringe. And, honestly, what I love most about the Office is how unapologetically cringe it is, how it leans into the awkward, inappropriate, the messy. But just when you think it's all chaos and secondhand embarrassment, it hits you with the moment, so genuinely sweet, so full of heart that you're suddenly misty-eyed over a stapler in Jell-O. So in this episode I'm doing what I do best, breaking it all down from a therapist's lens, but keeping it relatable. We're talking about which characters reflect parts of ourselves. Hello, anxious Michael and avoidant Jim, what toxic workplace dynamics really look like and why HR was never enough, why the softest moments, like Pam's art show or Kevin's chili, hit us the hardest. Whether you're a Dwight with a soft center, a Michael with a father wound or a Pam finally learning to speak up, this one's for you Grab your mug that says World's Best Boss and your emotional support stapler. Because we're going there. And remember, healing doesn't always happen in the therapist's chair. Sometimes it happens in a paper company that nobody asked for and everybody needed. Dysfunctional Workplace Systems, aka HR Nightmares.

Speaker 1: 2:57

Let's talk about the collective trauma of working at Dunder Mifflin. Working at Dunder Mifflin, michael Scott, is every walking HR violation. But he's also deeply insecure, constantly seeking approval and using humor as a defense mechanism. Classic case of if I joke first, no one will reject me. But underneath all of that is a man who genuinely cares about his friends. Yes, he calls them his employees, his family and once even his subordinates Cringe. But what he really means is he loves them Fiercely, sometimes too fiercely, but it's real.

Speaker 1: 3:51

Dwight Schrute is a high-functioning chaos of a man, a trauma response in a mustard shirt, loyal to a fault, rigid to the bone and clearly operating with an anxious, preoccupied attachment style. But let's be honest, he'd fight a bear with a stapler for Jim and he'd never admit it. But he craves connection. He just expresses it through authority, beet farming and emergency drills that cause heart attacks. Angela hides behind rules and rigidity, but it's all armor. She's terrified of vulnerability, allergic to emotional risk and stuck in a shame loop that says being soft is being weak. Her moral superiority A shield, her judgments A deflection. And yet there's tenderness buried under that icy exterior, like when she admits she still loves Dwight, even after all the secrets and schemes. Jim Halpert is the king of sarcasm, but sarcasm is just emotional armor with a punchline. He keeps things light, so he doesn't have to get too real. He's avoidantly attached, emotionally intelligent and allergic to confrontation unless he's silently judging you from the corner of the office. But he does grow. He learns to show up. He risks emotional honesty for Pam, for himself and for their future.

Speaker 1: 5:23

Pam Beasley is the quiet heart of the show. She spends years silencing her needs, second-guessing her worth and shrinking herself to avoid rocking the boat. But watch her. Over time she finds her voice, she starts to dream again, she chooses herself and that arc, that's therapy in motion. This is not a healthy work environment by any stretch, but it is a relatable one Because when we strip away the weirdness, the office pranks and the awkward silences, what we see are real humans trying and failing and trying again to feel seen, valued and safe. And that that's the realest thing about Dunder Mifflin Character Snapshot Dysfunction in a Button-Up.

Speaker 1: 6:22

Before we go deeper into systems and diagnoses, let's do a quick rundown of our lovable train wrecks, because these characters are the emotional ecosystem of Dunder Mifflin and spoiler. Most of them would definitely benefit from therapy. Michael Scott, desperately seeking fatherly validation through forced fun and bad impressions. You can't help but cringe and care. Dwight Schrute A rigid protector with a hidden soft underbelly.

Speaker 1: 6:55

He leads with rules, loyalty and an alarming knowledge of beat farming. Jim Halpert, the king of passive resistance avoids conflict, uses sarcasm as armor and feels way more than he lets him. Pam Beasley, a quietly repressed dreamer, soft-spoken, self-sacrificing and on a slow burn towards self-assertion and creative liberation, and on a slow burn towards self-assertion and creative liberation. Angela Martin Morality police with a secret spicy side. High standards and judgment hide deep fear of rejection and not being enough.

Speaker 1: 7:38

Andy Bernard oh, nard dog, insecure, approval-hungry and one bad performance review. Away from a banjo-fueled meltdown, a walking identity crisis. He wants so badly to belong and underneath the rage, quitting and seeing is a deeply lost part. Trying to figure out who he is without the performance and also wanting to belong by just being himself. Ryan Howard the ego in skinny jeans. All ambition, no accountability. He's the part of us that wants the title without doing the work.

Speaker 1: 8:19

Kelly Kapoor chaos in a fabulous outfit. She's dramatic, needy, impulsive and also kind of brilliant, if anyone actually paid attention. Erin Hannon pure-hearted and painfully naive, she's the wounded child looking for safe love in all the wrong places. Toby Flenderson the quietly depressed voice of reason no one listens to. He's emotionally constipated, but means well. Stanley Hudson the internalized boundary king, lives for crossword puzzles and counting the minutes until retirement. Unbothered icon. Phyllis Vance, the maternal archetype with a mischievous edge Sweet Sure, but don't cross her. Meredith Palmer Unfiltered, numbed out and low-key. Insightful. Her coping skills scream trauma history, but she's still showing up. So you have to give her some credit. Creed Bratton, a human fever dream the part of you that embraces full chaos and somehow thrives in it. Together they form a workplace family you didn't ask for but you desperately miss when it's gone. And today we're unpacking how their dysfunction mirrors our own in the funniest, most unexpectedly heartfelt way possible.

Speaker 1: 9:58

Romantic Dynamics at Dunder Mifflin. Let's dissect the love lives of our favorite office misfits, jim and Pam, the slowest burn that ever burned. Jim fell for Pam from day one, not because she was splashy or dramatic, but because she saw him. And even when she was with Roy, even when he moved to another branch to protect his heart, the love never really left. What makes their love so special isn't just the timing, it's the tenderness, it's the friendship at the core. It's the teapot gift, the rooftop grilled cheese, the support at her art show when no one else showed and, of course, the forever wedding moment. You know what I'm talking about Jim cutting his tie because Pam ripped her veil, everyone awkwardly dancing down the aisle. That whole scene is therapy for your inner child. It's love wrapped in chaos and we wouldn't have it any other way.

Speaker 1: 11:07

Michael and Jan A masterclass in emotional masochism. Jan is controlling, cold and spiraling, and Michael, he's chasing validation in all the wrong places. They're both trying to fill voids with chaos and the result is an endless loop of candle-scented trauma. Michael and Holly though that's a redemption art. She's not just a love interest, she's a mirror. She reflects his weirdness, his tenderness, his need to feel understood and for the first time, michael doesn't have to perform to be loved, he just is. The relationship reminds us that the right person doesn't try to fix your quirks. They dance in them with you, Bad impressions and all.

Speaker 1: 11:59

Dwight and Angela this is the most buttoned-up, repressed, bizarre love triangle in office history. They're rigid, avoidant, emotionally constipated and yet so deeply loyal. Dwight builds her a Schrute Farms wedding venue. Angela names her cat after him. It's like a twisted rom-com written by someone who grew up in a bunker. These relationships might not be perfect, but they're real and the Office does something so beautiful. It shows us that love is rarely tidy. It's awkward, inconvenient and doesn't always arrive on schedule. But when it's real, it grows, it forgives, it dances down the aisle in front of all your co-workers to Chris Brown and still makes you cry every time Therapy Talk, ifs and Internal Parts.

Speaker 1: 13:02

So let's break this down. Therapy style. Internal Family Systems tells us we all have parts. So let's break this down. Therapy style. Internal family systems tells us we all have parts, inner roles that try to protect us, manage us or carry pain from the past. And when you look at the office these characters are basically walking IFS case studies with a side of stapler in jello. Let's go deeper.

Speaker 1: 13:26

Michael Scott, wounded inner child in a grown man suit. His protector part screams for attention so that his exiles, loneliness and abandonment don't take over. But with Holly he softens. She co-regulates his chaos with matching chaos and it's honestly beautiful. Pam Beasley Pam has a pleaser manager part that kept her small for way too long. She was the girl who didn't speak up, didn't chase her dreams, didn't ask for more. But her inner artist, her voice, it finally comes out and watching her grow is like watching someone come home to themselves. Jim Halpert Jim hides behind a cool detachment part Sarcasm is his love language until he realizes emotional intimacy takes risk when he goes all in with Pam. We watch a protector part step aside so a more vulnerable part can finally lead. We love to see it.

Speaker 1: 14:37

Dwight Schrute All rigid rules and beat-fueled intensity, but that's just a protector. Rules and beat-fueled intensity. But that's just a protector Underneath a deeply loyal, weirdly romantic exile who wants nothing more than love, legacy and a woman who names her cats after him. His parts scream control, but whisper, please don't leave me. Angela Martin Her manager parts run a shame-based regime. Control equals safety, but she's terrified of being seen fully. Her lover, dwight, is messy, imperfect and the crack in her armor that lets the light in Her journey is one of softening, and it's slow but profound. Ryan Howard Pure exiled ego, a fragile sense of self masked by ambition and a fear of mediocrity.

Speaker 1: 15:36

His protector Narcissism. His exile Total emptiness In behind the beard and wolfcom delusion. A man terrified of being ordinary. Kelly kapoor her parts are like a rotating playlist of look at me. Strategies, dramatic manager part, validation, seeking exile. She grew up not feeling enough, so now she's everything all at once Chaotic, confident, craving. She's not just boy crazy, she's connection crazy.

Speaker 1: 16:17

Toby Flenderson, walking at set this man is sadness and khakis. His parts are tired. He's withdrawn, emotionally dulled and always on the outside looking in. He doesn't speak up, not because he doesn't care, but because somewhere someone convinced him his voice doesn't matter. Creed Bratton Creed is ungovernable, likely dissociated from all known parts, or maybe he's so spiritually integrated that he transcends IFS. Either way, the man is chaos embodied and probably running from a few dozen unresolved parts. And the FBI, stanley Hudson, his protector part, is the eye roll. His exile Burnout, deep unspoken burnout. His catchphrase should be I worked hard my whole life and I'm tired. Leave me alone. And honestly, he's earned that nap. He's earned that nap.

Speaker 1: 17:34

Meredith Palmer, a master class in parts, hijacking the system. Trauma yes, addiction yes, but there's also resilience. Meredith has likely never known safe relationships, so she over-identifies with her numb-the-pain part. But she shows up messy and all, and that counts. Erin Hannon oh, sweet Erin. She's all exiles, abandonment, fear, hope and zero protector skills. Her trauma leaks through her sunny demeanor. She craves approval because her parts are still waiting for a childhood that never came. But she's lovable even in her awkwardness. Holly Flax Holly is Michael's secure attachment fantasy. Her parts are balanced, pure attachment fantasy. Her parts are balanced, compassionate, firm and a little quirky. She doesn't try to fix Michael, she accepts him which, ironically, is what helps him grow.

Speaker 1: 18:51

Andy, bernard, andy is basically a walking example of what happens when your manager parts are people pleasers and your exiles are filled with rage, rejection and suppressed insecurity. He tries to be liked too hard. He sings, he smiles, he punches holes in walls. His protectors swing from do you like me to why don't you like me? In 0.3 seconds, underneath a little boy who never felt like he was enough for his dad. Andy just wants someone to choose him and, for once, mean it.

Speaker 1: 19:24

Therapy candidates who needs a session, or 12. If I had a group practice in Scranton, foof business would be booming. Let's talk about which Dunder Mifflin employees are screaming for a therapist and maybe a weighted blanket. Michael Scott Michael needs therapy like he needs air. His attachment wounds run deep and he's constantly performing to prove his worth. Therapy would help him realize he's lovable without the magic tricks, the improv classes or declaring bankruptcy out loud.

Speaker 1: 20:07

Angela Zinner-Critic is running the show. Her repression is Olympic-level. She'd benefit from a safe space to unmask her rigid moral armor and explore why softness feels unsafe Spoiler. It probably started way before the cats Dwight Schrute. Dwight presents as confident, but therapy would peel back layers of survivalist rigidity and emotional suppression Under all the rules in meat farming. Bravado, a deeply sensitive man who's never been taught what vulnerability looks like. Andy, bernard, andy would be a weekly regular. We're talking emotion regulation, unresolved family dynamics, identity issues and maybe a little anger management. Thrown in the Cornell pride Total protector part Inside. He's terrified of being mediocre.

Speaker 1: 21:07

Pam Beasley Pam would come in not knowing what she needs, just as something feels off. We'd work on self-trust, creative identity and permission to take up space. It's less fix Pam and more remind her she's allowed to want more. Jim Halpert Jim thinks he's above therapy, but give it time. Behind the smirks is a guy who avoids discomfort like it's the plague. Therapy would help him explore how his sarcasm is actually a shield and maybe, just maybe, encourage him to actually feel things.

Speaker 1: 21:49

Holly Flacks Honestly, holly is pretty emotionally healthy. She's got solid boundaries, a sense of humor and enough self-awareness to make therapy more about maintenance than crisis. But she would definitely be the therapist's favorite client. We all have one, toby Flenderson. Toby is a therapist in denial, but he needs one himself. A good trauma-informed therapist would help him reclaim his voice, confront his chronic passive withdrawal and find joy outside of quietly pining for Pam from 20 feet away.

Speaker 1: 22:33

Angela, again Honestly, Angela might resist therapy. At first She'd sit stiffly on the couch and call it self-indulgent, but once she opens up she's sitting on decades of unmet emotional needs, religious guilt and intimacy fear. Religious guilt and intimacy fear Stanley. He doesn't need therapy. He needs early retirement, a stiff drink and peace. Give the man a crossword puzzle and let him rest. Everyone in this office could benefit from therapy, but the ones who resist it the most yeah, those are usually the ones who need it most.

Speaker 1: 23:16

Attachment styles why they love the way they do. Let's talk attachment theory. You know those patterns we develop in childhood that tell us how safe it is or isn't to get close to others. Now the office doesn't exactly scream secure attachment, but it does give us a juicy buffet of attachment styles in action. Michael Scott Anxious attachment. Michael is textbook anxious. He cleans, he overshares, he proposes. After three dates His biggest fear is abandonment and he will cringe, sprint into love to avoid being alone. The sad part, he doesn't even know he's doing it. But when Holly comes along, calm, kind, secure, his chaos finds a little safety. And that's the magic of earned security folks.

Speaker 1: 24:21

Pam Beasley fearful avoidant turned secure. Early Pam, total, fearful avoidant. She stays with Roy, not out of love but out of fear of rocking the boat, of choosing herself. But over time, with Jim's patience and her own growth. She moves into something more secure. She begins to ask for what she needs. And yes, we cheered. We cheered Jim Halpert of Boydent Attachment. Jim's chill vibes are a defense mechanism. He avoids conflict, withholds his feelings and uses sarcasm as a buffer. Love makes him vulnerable. Invulnerability is scary. But when he finally lets Pam in he starts to integrate and we see him choose connection over self-protection.

Speaker 1: 25:22

Dwight Schrute Avoidant with a secret soft core, dwight can love at a distance, with structure, rules and beat. But when you look closer he's deeply loyal. His love for Angela is fierce and private. His growth comes from letting his walls down and learning that intimacy doesn't have to meet weakness. Angela Martin anxious, preoccupied with the side of control, with the side of control. Angela's strict morality and judgment, pure defense. She's anxious, but instead of chasing love with affection, she chases it with control. She fears vulnerability, so she cloaks it in rigidity. But Dwight sees her, really sees her, and eventually she lets herself be seen.

Speaker 1: 26:25

Andy Bernard Disorganized Attachment. Andy is chaos. One minute he's love-bombing, the next he's spiraling into rage. He's desperate for connection but terrified of rejection. Desperate for connection but terrified of rejection. His childhood left him with inconsistent love, so his adult relationships mimic that instability. He doesn't know how to be loved without performing and I know I said that I wouldn't be diagnosing any of these characters, but Andy is. Andy falls in line with signs that he might have ADHD.

Speaker 1: 26:58

Holly Flacks secure attachment queen. Finally, some balance. Holly is grounded, empathetic and emotionally attuned. She doesn't chase, she doesn't avoid. She loves Michael, not in spite of his quirks but because of them, and in doing so she becomes a safe haven, a secure base. Her love doesn't rescue him, it meets him. Attachment styles aren't fixed. They evolve through relationships, healing and yep therapy. And the office shows us that transformation in the most awkward, cringey, beautiful ways.

Speaker 1: 27:45

Let's take a mini quiz what's your attachment style? Okay, real talk. If you were dating Jim, michael or Angela, what kind of partner would you be? Let's find out with this rapid-fire reflection. Answer yes or no to each of the following.

Speaker 1: 28:07

Number one do you get anxious when someone takes a while to text back? Number two Do you tend to pull away or shut down when things get too emotionally intense? Number three Do you fear being too much for others? Number four Do you try to fix people you date? Number five Is emotional intimacy uncomfortable, even with people you love. Number six do you feel like you always give more than you get in relationships? Number seven are you highly independent and sometimes proud of not needing anyone? Number eight do you find yourself second-guessing your worth after conflict?

Speaker 1: 28:57

Now count your yes answers and match your results One and two. If you answered one and two with a yes, you might lean more secure. You're comfortable with closeness but can also hold boundaries A true Holly Flax in the wild. If you answered three and four with a yes, you could be rocking an anxious attachment style. You crave connection but may fear abandonment. Pam before Jim really saw her. If you answered five and six with a yes, sounds a bit avoidant. You value independence but may struggle to fully open up Gym vibes with some emotional detachment sprinkled in. If you answered seven and eight with a yes, you might relate to fearful, avoidant, disorganized attachment. Intimacy feels both appealing and terrifying. You want love but feel unsafe in it, like Andy on a downward spiral.

Speaker 1: 29:59

Here's a reminder. This isn't a diagnosis, it's a mirror. A nudge, a little moment. Your attachment style isn't who you are, it's where you've been. And the good news With awareness and support it can evolve, because healing doesn't mean becoming someone new. It means coming back to who you were before the world told you love had to hurt.

Speaker 1: 30:29

Which office character are you? Let's play a little game. Okay, so you've been binging the Office for years, but have you ever stopped mid-episode and thought oh no, I'm totally an Angela. Well, today we're leaning in therapist style. This isn't just a personality quiz. It's a moment of reflection, because the character you resonate with that's telling you something about your parts, your patterns and maybe even your past. So who are you?

Speaker 1: 31:06

If you're a Michael Scott, you're probably someone who's terrified of abandonment. You mask it with humor, chaos and trying way too hard to be liked. Your inner child is front and center and just wants to feel important. We see you, michael. If you're a gym helper, you tend to keep things at a distance, emotionally avoidant, sarcastic, but secretly sensitive. You might struggle to speak up until it's really important and then, oh, you feel it deeply Looking at you, teapot gift. If you're a Pam Beasley, you're soft, intuitive and emotionally attuned to everyone except yourself. You might stay small to avoid rocking the boat, but you're braver than you think and when you finally choose yourself, it's beautiful.

Speaker 1: 32:04

If you're a Dwight Schrute, boundaries are your love language. But good luck admitting it. You're fiercely loyal, rule-driven and secretly tender. You don't say I love you, you just show up with a homemade security system and a beat bouquet. If you're an Angela Martin, structure is your safety net. You control the outside because the inside feels scary. But behind that judgment is a deep longing to be chosen for who you are Quirks, cats and all.

Speaker 1: 32:41

If you're an Andy Bernard, you crave validation. You're performing people-pleasing and sometimes losing yourself in the process, but underneath all that, a deeply earnest human trying to figure out who they are without the applause. If you're a Kelly Kapoor, you feel everything all the time and don't hide it. You want love, attention, drama, connection more and honestly you deserve more. You just need someone who sees past the sparkle and into your soul. If you're a Ryan Howard, you probably dissociate through ambition. You're scared of being ordinary, but the hustle is a mass Deep down. There's a part of you that feels unlovable unless you're impressive. Let's work on that.

Speaker 1: 33:38

If you're an Aaron Hannon, you lead with innocence and eagerness to please, but you've probably been through some stuff. You're looking for safety, belonging and someone to say you don't have to earn love anymore and someone to say you don't have to earn love anymore. If you're a Toby Flenderson, you're emotionally cautious. You don't want to bother anyone. You carry quiet hurt. But just because you don't shout doesn't mean your needs don't matter. If you're a Stanley Hudson, you've mastered the art of disengaging. You've probably been burned by systems before you're nurturing with a dash of passive aggression. You keep the peace but carry unspoken resentment. You want to be seen for more than your softness, and you absolutely should be. If you're a Meredith Palmer, you cope through chaos. Humor, detachment and wild behavior are your shields. But underneath that, yeah, you've been through it and your survival is a story worth honoring. And finally, if you're a creed ratten, I honestly don't know how you got here, but I respect the vibe.

Speaker 1: 35:18

What we learned about boundaries Pam said no to Roy. Daryl advocated for his worth. Michael had none. This show taught us what a boundary violation looks like like Jan moving in with Michael mid-breakdown. Or what people-pleasing looks like like Andy agreeing to things he hates. Or what growth looks like like Pam going to art school. Foundries aren't rejection, they're self-respect in action.

Speaker 1: 35:52

The masks we wear let's get real. Everyone's performing. Jim wears the cool guy mask, anything to avoid being vulnerable. Angela wears the judgment mask, keeps her power and hides her fear. Andy wears the clown mask. Humor equals survival. Kelly wears the clown mask. Humor equals survival. Kelly wears the drama mask. Drama equals visibility. Pam wears the quiet mask. It keeps the peace but silences truth. We wear masks because we learned they kept us safe. But real connection that requires taking them off. Ask yourself what's your mask and what's it protecting?

Speaker 1: 36:42

Letters to their younger selves. Jen's letter says you don't need a perfect moment to go after what you love. Pam's letter says it's okay to ask for more. You're allowed. Dwight says power doesn't protect you, love does. Angela's letter says you don't have to earn worth by being right. And Michael's letter says you're already lovable just as you are. And to you, dear listener, you are not behind, you're not too emotional, too late or too much. You're just human Listener. Reflection Prompt. Think of your own personal Dunder Mifflin, the environment where you learned how to navigate people. What role did you play? Were you the peacemaker, the overachiever, the one no one noticed? Now ask yourself do I still wear that identity today? And if so, do I want to?

Speaker 1: 37:55

Tender moments that make us cry. I had to highlight some of these because they're some of my favorite moments of the entire show, pam's art show. Jim shows up. She finally feels seen. Michael's farewell that's what she said through tears. Dwight's wedding Michael shows up full circle. Kevin's chilly Chaos, but also heart. And Jim's proposal at the gas station Unexpected, intimate, perfect. These aren't just scenes. They're stories of healing, of being known, Of finally letting someone see you. So, whether you're the Angela of your office, the Jim trying not to feel things or the Michael just trying to be loved, this episode was for you. The office made us laugh. Then it quietly taught us how to love, to leave and to grow. If you've made it this far, thank you for being the kind of person who finds meaning in characters, laughter, in chaos and depth in a show about paper sales. Until next time, this is Lena, your therapist, in your back pocket, reminding you to take off the mask, reclaim your voice and, for the love of all that is holy, don't spill the chili. Thank you.