Rebel Therapy: w/ Katie and Michelle

Michelle Hannah
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  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

Two psychotherapist friends discuss all things therapy. "How do you pick a therapist that's right for you?" "What does being "too sensitive" really mean?" We share our experiences and expertise with low key charm and laughter.

  1. 4d ago

    Rebel Takes: Empathy As A Radical Act

    Rebel Takes: Empathy Is a Radical Act: How to Lead Youth Without Pretending We Know Best On this Rebel Therapy Podcast “Rebel Take,” we react to heavy current events—including the Cornell 57 rape allegations, a floated plan to livestream a U.S. military execution, and polls showing government corruption as a top public concern—and ask how adults can support teens and young people in being ethical, empathetic humans in a culture that seems to dismantle those values. We explore empathy as a radical act, the difference between kindness and “nice,” and why older generations may lack credibility. Instead of top-down lectures, we argue for “leading from behind”: staying curious, listening without defensiveness, noticing personal wounds and cynicism, and offering experience without imposing authority. Our takeaway is that empathy isn’t taught as much as lived: modelling grounded empathy can rebuild trust and create a small but real shred of hope. #rebeltherapypodcast #rebeltakes #empathy #leadership 00:00 Empathy Lived Not Taught 00:08 Welcome and Rebel Takes 01:34 Heavy Headlines and Youth 03:51 Empathy as Radical Strength 04:58 Kindness Versus Niceness 06:59 Rethinking Adult Leadership 10:31 Leading From Behind 10:50 Curiosity Over Authority 14:36 Checking Cynicism and Fear 16:42 Modelling Empathy to Teach 18:46 Hopeful Wrap and Subscribe

  2. Oct 6

    Rebel Culture: Decoding 'Dark Matter'...The Weight of Choice

    Rebel Culture - 'Dark Matter' (Apple TV+) and the Psychology of Regret: The Lives You Didn’t Choose On this episode of the Rebel Therapy Podcast, we discuss Apple TV+’s Dark Matter (showrunner/author Blake Crouch; starring Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly), centred on a “box” that enables access to parallel lives via superposition. We unpack the premise of “Evil/Entitled Jason,” who abducts another version of himself to steal the life he regrets not choosing, and use it to explore real-life crossroads: how choices inherently involve loss, why unacknowledged grief can fuel “grass is greener” thinking and midlife dissatisfaction, and how staying present and making incremental conscious decisions can reduce regret. We also connect the show to relationship dynamics, arguing that partners and friends “choose apart” through small missed bids, conflict avoidance, and skipped repair conversations: tiny course shifts that eventually create major distance. We close by reflecting on whether they’d revisit past choices and the desire to “tour” alternate tracks without harming anyone. #RebelTherapyPodcast #RebelCulture #darkmatter 00:00 Choose Your Adventure Opener 00:17 Welcome To Rebel Culture 01:00 Dark Matter Premise Explained 02:15 Season One Clip Setup 03:25 Jason Switch And Fallout 05:49 Crossroads And Conscious Choice 07:00 Presence And Course Corrections 11:08 Grief And The Roads Not Taken 17:05 Relationship Bids And Ruptures 22:39 Would You Choose Differently 25:40 Choose Your Adventure Callback 27:28 Wrap Up And Subscribe

  3. Sep 30

    Embracing our 3rd Act: A Storyteller's Journey, ft. Robyn Burnett

    RTP Guests: Third Acts: Losing the Safety Net and Finding Your Story Again In this episode we welcome writer and longtime friend Robyn Burnett for a spontaneous conversation about “third acts” in life - what happens when stability ends and you’re pushed back into uncertainty. Robyn shares how her creative first act shifted into a “witness protection” second act focused on stability, benefits, and raising her kids, then changed again as she felt it was time to leave her long-term school role. They explore fear of repeating past “failures,” reframing success vs. failure as experimentation, and using baby steps and present-moment awareness...especially when anxiety spikes at 3 a.m. Robyn discusses returning to writing after years of trauma, performing a family show at the Calgary Fringe Festival, and using a patched jean jacket as a metaphor for integrating life experiences into a new chapter. #RebelTherapyPodcast #RobynBurnett #storyteller #rebeltherapyguests Find Robyn Burnett:'East Hill Boys' on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0hBrGPCO'Crash Into Me: The World of Roswell' on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0he2puU1www.robynsburnett.com 00:00 Three Act Life Setup 00:34 Meet Robyn Burnett 02:01 From Writing to Stability 04:10 Leaving the Safe Life 06:31 Designing a Third Act 11:53 Fringe Festival Leap 14:38 Safety Net vs Self Support 16:31 Reframing Failure as Experiments 17:30 Writing Trauma and East Hill Boys 18:53 When Writing Became Work 19:16 Returning to the Manuscript 20:46 Baby Steps and Experimentation 22:37 Letting Go of Outcomes 24:04 3AM Fear and Grounding 30:21 Trauma and Rewriting the Story 31:15 The Story Jacket Metaphor 34:36 Badges of Honor Wrap-Up 35:19 Where to Find Robyn

  4. Sep 10

    Rebel Culture: Coaching + Critique, ft. 'Ted Lasso'

    Rebel Culture: Ted Lasso, Bad Coaching, and Why You Shouldn’t “Blossom” Without Support Rebel Therapy Podcast We use a Ted Lasso halftime scene—featuring the “risk to remain tight in a bud” quote—to explore when growth and vulnerability are worth the risk and when self-protection makes sense. We contrast Ted’s supportive coaching with his assistant Alice’s criticism-driven approach, linking “bad coaching” to authoritative, shame-based parenting that blocks healthy development. We argue resilience and self-discipline are learned skills that require time, structure, and safe support from coaches, parents, or therapists, and that people who feel stuck usually aren’t choosing to stay small; they often lack alternatives, skills, or support. We discuss how internalized criticism becomes an “internal bad coach,” and how therapy can help replace it with a more encouraging, effective inner voice. #RebelTherapyPodcast #RebelCulture #tedlassoseason4 00:00 Blossoming Is Risky 00:11 Welcome and Ted Lasso Setup 01:06 The Bud to Blossom Quote 02:36 Coaching vs Parenting Styles 04:48 Gentle Growth and Timing 06:59 When You Never Blossomed 09:05 Safety and Vulnerability 11:29 Internalized Bad Coach 14:55 Helping Parents Change 16:28 Fear vs Inspiration 17:43 Wrap Up and Reflection

  5. Sep 4

    Rebel Takes: Healthy Conflict (& Surviving Bad Faith Actors)

    Rebel Takes: Hope, Bad Faith, and the Poisoned Room: When Conflict Isn’t Negotiation We return to the Rebel Therapy Podcast after time away and discuss a “weird summer” feeling that’s like daytime turning to twilight, then anchor the episode in recent Canada–U.S. talks where Canada pulled out because the issue shifted from trade to sovereignty. Using that as a lens, we distinguish healthy conflict, ie. disagreement handled through negotiation in good faith, from situations where the other party isn’t acting in good faith. We describe the visceral moment you realize intentions have shifted, and explore choices at that crossroads: severing ties when possible, or staying while protecting yourself, like wearing a gas mask in a room of poisoned air, by limiting transparency and exposure. We emphasize pausing, taking stock, adjusting expectations and “hope,” and moving through acceptance, grief, and disappointment to regain clarity, ending with Maya Angelou’s reminder to believe people when they show you who they are. #rebeltherapypodcast #healthyconflict #lakeontario 00:00 Hope That Keeps You Stuck 00:13 Welcome Back And Rebel Take 01:09 Twilight Summer Mood 01:52 Trade Talks And Good Faith 02:36 Healthy Conflict Skills 04:00 When Intentions Feel Off 07:28 Poisoned Air And Gas Masks 08:52 Agreements Transparency And Safety 12:03 The Cost Of Staying 13:22 Pause Take Stock And Pivot 16:54 Shock Acceptance And Grief 19:47 Letting Go Of Dead Hope 21:16 Believe Them And Wrap Up 22:39 Like Subscribe And Goodbye

  6. Aug 13

    Introducing Rebel Culture, ft. Widows Bay

    Denial, “Fake It Till You Make It,” and the Cost of Avoiding Feelings, ft. Widow’s Bay In this Rebel Therapy “Rebel Culture” episode, we react to a comedic clip from Apple TV’s Widow’s Bay, using the mayor’s rigid denial of obvious paranormal events as a lens to discuss denial as a protective strategy. We explore why people deny reality when the truth feels too scary or threatens identity, and how denial (and the “fake it till you make it” mindset) can damage relationships by creating barriers to intimacy, especially between parents and teens. From a Gestalt perspective, we emphasize not forcing feelings, honouring resistance and fear, and learning to tolerate emotions with support. We also note suppression can be useful short-term but carries costs if it becomes the only tool, arguing for flexible coping strategies instead of rigid default responses. #RebelTherapyPodcast #RebelCulture #widowsbay 00:00 Denial Cold Open 00:12 Meet The Hosts 01:31 Widow's Bay Setup 02:20 Why We Deny 04:45 Denial Hurts Bonds 06:16 Feelings And Resistance 07:18 Therapy Support Matters 09:21 Fake It Till You Make It 12:12 Flexible Coping Toolbox 13:42 Back To Widow's Bay 14:32 Consequences And Choice 16:02 Rigidity In Real Life 16:50 Wrap Up And Next Week

  7. Jul 15

    Fandom + Connection, ft World Cup 2026

    🗣️ Rebel Therapy Podcast: Episode 56 🎙️Why the World Cup Feels Like a Magic Spell: Collective Effervescence, Fandom, and Community On this episode of Rebel Therapy Podcast,we talk about football/soccer and what the World Cup reveals about human connection, while noting we’re aware of FIFA corruption but choosing not to focus on it. Michelle introduces the concept of “collective effervescence,” describing the intense emotional unity that can emerge in crowds, and references a journal article arguing that football emotions are co-created through players, fans, chanting, anticipation, and the unfolding game. We compare watching sports alone versus in a bar or stadium, explore fleeting affinity, tribalism, and the rarity of shared “monocultural” experiences post-internet, including Katie’s World Cup conversation with a Moroccan Canadian Uber driver. We frame sports as a potential container for community, sportsmanship, and disagreement, then close with where to find oour merch and how to follow, and Michelle says she’s cheering for Messi and “magic.” #RebelTherapyPodcast #worldcup2026 00:00 Welcome and Hosts 00:16 Merch and Website Plug 00:47 World Cup Focus Disclaimer 02:07 Collective Effervescence Explained 04:12 Watching Together vs Alone 05:43 Magic Spell of Fandom 09:30 Rare Shared Cultural Moments 11:44 World Cup as Connection Catalyst 13:13 Sportsmanship and Disagreement 19:33 Community Takeaway and Wrap 21:57 Final Match Predictions and Messi 22:53 Goodbye

  8. Jul 10

    The Dark Side of Trust, ft. 'Silo: S3'

    🗣️ Rebel Therapy Podcast: Episode 55 🎙️Silo S3:E1 Therapy Breakdown: Memory, Identity, and the Gut Feeling You’re Being Gaslit In this episode of Rebel Therapy Podcast, we react in real time to a spoiler-filled breakdown of Silo Season 3, Episode 1, where Juliette’s memory is being chemically suppressed and a doctored video is used to “prove” a false story about where she went. We use the scene - especially Camille’s physical, intimate redirection and denial of Juliette’s felt sense - to unpack how memory ties to identity, how curiosity drives truth-seeking, and why gas-lighting can feel nauseating or suffocating in the body. The conversation explores how people learn to distrust themselves for safety and relational survival, how trust gives others power, and why intentional manipulation is harder to repair than mistakes. We end by emphasizing autonomy, safety planning, and reconnecting with your own internal signals. #rebeltherapypodcast #Episode55 @siloseason3 00:00 Podcast Surprise Setup 00:33 Silo Recap And Spoilers 01:32 The Cafeteria Memory Trap 02:52 Themes Memory Curiosity Gaslighting 03:59 Visceral Reaction Body Signals 06:28 Why We Doubt Ourselves 09:21 Trust Betrayal And Gaslighting 11:53 Repair Vs Abuse Boundaries 15:27 Therapist Lens Safety Planning 16:35 Rebuilding Trust In Yourself 18:04 Wrap Up Like Subscribe

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Two psychotherapist friends discuss all things therapy. "How do you pick a therapist that's right for you?" "What does being "too sensitive" really mean?" We share our experiences and expertise with low key charm and laughter.

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