Reality Test

Dr. Kay and Dr. Ray

Two Psych Doctors Spill the Tea on Mental Health Concepts & Presentations Shown in your Fave RealiTV Shows! Ever find yourself wanting to debrief that reality tv episode with your therapist? Or maybe you've wanted to ask them questions about something you've learned from the reality tv interactions, castmates, or news cycle? Come debrief with two licensed psychologists as they explore what we can all learn about ourselves, our relationships, and our society from our fave reality television shows on Netflix, Peacock, Bachelor Nation, Bravo, and beyond! Dr.s Kay & Ray inspire discussion about psychological and sociopolitical aspects of reality TV, offering rough draft thoughts and ideas for us to continue thinking about, while highlighting the power dynamics, sociohistorical context, and intersecting forms of oppression and privilege that are present. After all, reality television ultimately provides an engaging format for learning about our behavior, mental health, and sociopolitical systems—let’s learn together! Why REALITY TEST? We ALL reality test when testing a given thought, emotion, or interaction against "objective" (or shared) reality--did I see that right? Was that really sexist? Dr.s Kay & Ray spill all the tea on how the producer antics and castmate claims about mental health stack up against "objective" reality off-screen and the field of clinical psychology that they have learned about as practicing psychotherapists and research psychologists. What are you talking ABOUT? Reality Test has a general focus on relationships, social privilege, and mental health. Dr.s Kay & Ray also acknowledge their sociopolitical identities and lenses through which they view reality television, as feminist, bi+, white allies. So, if you've been itching to discuss how that episode was brimming with misogyny, heterosexism, &/or white privilege (from a white, ever-dedicated-to-developing-their-antiracism, perspective), or to critically assess how the producers portrayed a given scenario or interaction, while celebrating the hope & empowerment that can be found, you've come to the right place!  DISCLAIMER: In the context of this podcast, Dr.s Kay & Ray are not acting as therapists, neither for you nor for the reality castmates they discuss. They are, instead, bringing in their whole human selves, supplemented by mental health and psychology knowledge. They cannot ethically diagnose castmates or speak with certainty about their dynamics without conducting formal psychological assessments. Thus, their opinions will be merely (easily erroneous) opinions, informed by their biased perspectives, and while they may discuss diagnoses, they will avoid assigning them to castmates.

  1. Award Season is the Reason | December Awards Show ::} 116

    12/22/2025

    Award Season is the Reason | December Awards Show ::} 116

    The good ol’ AWARDS SHOW format is back, babies, as Doctors Kay and Ray assign their standard 8 awards to any of the castmates and moments from all of the reality TV shows they watched over the past month! Dr.s Kay & Ray award shows like the new Vanderpump Rules, Squidgames Challenge, Southern Charm, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, and Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, with awards like, “ProTEST this Mess” and “Doing the MosTEST”! All of the awards have “Test” in the title, as this is Reality TEST, after all! Themes include racism, toxic relationships, affirmations, and feminist corrective relational experiences!  But first, Reality Check! Dr.s Kay & Ray bring in psychological studies of interest. This week, they focus on bisexual media representation and the association between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and accelerated aging. What do you think: Did you like the new Vanderpump Rules?  o-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=O Listeners! Come visit the Patreon for free at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠patreon.com/RealityTest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (or search on Patreon with “@RealityTest”) & check out some of the benefits of a free membership (early access to the audio episodes!) & the paid tier! For only a MEASLY $5/month, you get the bonus features, including Mental Health Check-Up episodes, the VIDEO episodes, the full audio episode archive, and bonus & behind-the-scenes video content! The first 10 paying members will get shoutouts on the pod & 5 randomly selected members will get a free year of membership after joining! What are you waiting for? Come watch our video episodes, & join us in learning a little something about psych & mental health from our examinations of your favorite reality TV shows, castmates, and tea!  O=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-o Reality testing is when we check an emotion or thought we’re having against objective reality.  So, here in Reality Test, we’re going to be testing the thoughts, emotions, interactions, and producer antics of reality television against what we know, as licensed psychologists, about objective reality.  Come with us, let’s Reality Test! Hosts: Dr. Kay & Dr. Ray Thank you to our sound extraordinaire, Connor! Patreon: patreon.com/RealityTest Linkt.ree/@RealityTest Instagram: @realitytestpodcast TikTok: @realitytestpod YouTube Channel: @realitytestpod Facebook Page: Reality Test Pod Email: realitycheckpodding@gmail.com Dr. Kay: @drkaypods (Insta) & @dr.realitv (TikTok)Dr. Ray: @drraypods (Insta) O=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-o

    1h 3m
  2. Producer Antics on Selling Sunset Reunion | Season 9 ::} 116

    12/15/2025

    Producer Antics on Selling Sunset Reunion | Season 9 ::} 116

    Doctors Kay & Ray wrap their Selling Sunset Reunion Recap! They spill the rest of the mental health tea that boiled over the top of their first episode on the season 9 reunion! Dr.s Kay & Ray use their standard 6 psychology-related segments to unpack the second half of the reunion, talking about what they wished people knew more about and sociopolitical topics that came up.  Themes include racism, mom shaming, producer antics, and the use of deflection to avoid responsibility. They spend some time focusing on Chelsea’s careful navigation of defending herself against Mary’s personal attacks while not decentering Mary, so as to avoid being further attacked. Dr. Kay also raises that Mary accusing production of manipulating the flower-sending saga further proves the point they’ve long discussed about producers being far more involved in reality TV shows than they suggest. No Reality Check this week, as this was a follow-up episode! For Check-ins, however, Dr. Ray shares her reactions to the Diddy documentary and they go in depth into their thoughts on his vicious, horrific crimes. What do you think: Was Chelsea genuine in sending Mary flowers following the robbery?  o-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=O Listeners! Come visit the Patreon for free at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠patreon.com/RealityTest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (or search on Patreon with “@RealityTest”) & check out some of the benefits of a free membership (early access to the audio episodes!) & the paid tier! For only a MEASLY $5/month, you get the bonus features, including Mental Health Check-Up episodes, the VIDEO episodes, the full audio episode archive, and bonus & behind-the-scenes video content! The first 10 paying members will get shoutouts on the pod & 5 randomly selected members will get a free year of membership after joining! What are you waiting for? Come watch our video episodes, & join us in learning a little something about psych & mental health from our examinations of your favorite reality TV shows, castmates, and tea!  O=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-o Reality testing is when we check an emotion or thought we’re having against objective reality.  So, here in Reality Test, we’re going to be testing the thoughts, emotions, interactions, and producer antics of reality television against what we know, as licensed psychologists, about objective reality.  Come with us, let’s Reality Test! Hosts: Dr. Kay & Dr. Ray Thank you to our sound extraordinaire, Connor! Patreon: patreon.com/RealityTest Linkt.ree/@RealityTest Instagram: @realitytestpodcast TikTok: @realitytestpod YouTube Channel: @realitytestpod Facebook Page: Reality Test Pod Email: realitycheckpodding@gmail.com Dr. Kay: @drkaypods (Insta) & @dr.realitv (TikTok)Dr. Ray: @drraypods (Insta) O=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-o

    38 min
  3. Bicon Crishell, Pronouns & MAGA on Selling Sunset Reunion | Recap | Season 9 ::} 115

    12/08/2025

    Bicon Crishell, Pronouns & MAGA on Selling Sunset Reunion | Recap | Season 9 ::} 115

    Selling Sunset Pivot! Doctors Kay & Ray spill the mental health tea boiling over the top of the season 9 reunion! There is so much tea in this particular reunion, that they only got halfway through in this first hour. Dr.s Kay & Ray use their standard 6 psychology-related segments to unpack the first half of the reunion, talking about what producers would have done differently if they were psychologists, and what they would want to work on in therapy with a given castmate.  Themes include unresolved trauma + traumatic loss, image management + elitism, cocaine accusations, homophobia + cissexism, MAGA + slurs, and pronoun use. Whew! Look at all that sociopolitical discussion fodder! Bi+ icon (bicon) Crishell’s relational conflicts--some due to her relational boundary-setting around MAGA beliefs, given her bi+ identity and non-binary partner--seem to predominate the reunion, which Dr.s Kay & Ray dive deep into (and will again next episode!). To add to the fun, Dr. Ray has seen the season and every season prior, whereas Dr. Kay hasn’t watched since season 3; so, Dr. Kay is unaware of the recent dynamics fueling the various conflicts, but better able to make connections to the early seasons, whereas Dr. Ray is able to offer context and suggestions for what else to prioritize watching in season 9 (like the pink bathroom!).  Reality Check! Where Dr.s Kay & Ray discuss psychological studies of interest to you–or, at least, to them! :) This week, they discuss the “burying your gays” concept being applied to reality TV and feminist institutional analysis of rape culture & sexual violence!  What do you think: Is "MAGA" a slur?  o-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=O Listeners! Come visit the Patreon for free at patreon.com/RealityTest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (or search on Patreon with “@RealityTest”) & check out some of the benefits of a free membership (early access to the audio episodes!) & the paid tier! For only a MEASLY $5/month, you get the bonus features, including Mental Health Check-Up episodes, the VIDEO episodes, the full audio episode archive, and bonus & behind-the-scenes video content! The first 10 paying members will get shoutouts on the pod & 5 randomly selected members will get a free year of membership after joining! What are you waiting for? Come watch our video episodes, & join us in learning a little something about psych & mental health from our examinations of your favorite reality TV shows, castmates, and tea!  O=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-o Reality testing is when we check an emotion or thought we’re having against objective reality.  So, here in Reality Test, we’re going to be testing the thoughts, emotions, interactions, and producer antics of reality television against what we know, as licensed psychologists, about objective reality.  Come with us, let’s Reality Test! Hosts: Dr. Kay & Dr. Ray Thank you to our sound extraordinaire, Connor! Patreon: patreon.com/RealityTest Linkt.ree/@RealityTest Instagram: @realitytestpodcast TikTok: @realitytestpod YouTube Channel: @realitytestpod Facebook Page: Reality Test Pod Email: realitycheckpodding@gmail.com Dr. Kay: @drkaypods (Insta) & @dr.realitv (TikTok) Dr. Ray: @drraypods (Insta) O=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-o

    59 min
  4. RHOSLC Back Off the Seas | Awards | Season 6 ep.s 8-9 ::} 114

    11/24/2025

    RHOSLC Back Off the Seas | Awards | Season 6 ep.s 8-9 ::} 114

    Doctor Kay and Doctor Ray spill the mental health tea on reality TV with their third and final installment of Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (RHOSLC) Season 6 recap! They finish assigning their 8 AWARDS to scenes and castmates from episodes 8-9! For example, awards like They were the WorsTEST of Friends and TESTosterboned (Dr. Kay’s pride & joy: the most patriarchal award) are doled out. What moments or castmates would you have given those awards to?   As our listeners know, all award titles have TEST in them, as this is Reality TEST, after all! Themes include stuffed animals, mean girls, & girls’ girl confrontations.  Reality Check! Where Dr.s Kay & Ray discuss psychological studies of interest to you–or, at least, to them! :) This week, they discuss studies about gender essentialism on reality TV and slam poetry, in the wake of Andrea Gibson’s documentary being released! What do you think: Do you think there is gender essentialism on the United States’ Queer Eye for the Straight Guy? o-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=O Listeners! Come visit the Patreon for free at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠patreon.com/RealityTest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (or search on Patreon with “@RealityTest”) & check out some of the benefits of a free membership (early access to the audio episodes!) & the paid tier! For only a MEASLY $5/month, you get the bonus features, including Mental Health Check-Up episodes, the VIDEO episodes, the full audio episode archive, and bonus & behind-the-scenes video content! The first 10 paying members will get shoutouts on the pod & 5 randomly selected members will get a free year of membership after joining! What are you waiting for? Come watch our video episodes, & join us in learning a little something about psych & mental health from our examinations of your favorite reality TV shows, castmates, and tea!  O=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-o Reality testing is when we check an emotion or thought we’re having against objective reality.  So, here in Reality Test, we’re going to be testing the thoughts, emotions, interactions, and producer antics of reality television against what we know, as licensed psychologists, about objective reality.  Come with us, let’s Reality Test! Hosts: Dr. Kay & Dr. Ray Thank you to our sound extraordinaire, Connor! Patreon: patreon.com/RealityTest Linkt.ree/@RealityTest Instagram: @realitytestpodcast TikTok: @realitytestpod YouTube Channel: @realitytestpod Facebook Page: Reality Test Pod Email: realitycheckpodding@gmail.com Dr. Kay: @drkaypods (Insta) & @dr.realitv (TikTok) Dr. Ray: @drraypods (Insta) O=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-o

    1h 6m
  5. Yachta Yachta Yacht Life of it All | RHOSLC Awards ::} 113

    11/17/2025

    Yachta Yachta Yacht Life of it All | RHOSLC Awards ::} 113

    Doctor Kay and Doctor Ray spill the mental health tea on reality TV with their second installment of Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (RHOSLC) Season 6 recap! This time, they assign their 8 AWARDS to scenes and castmates from episodes 5-7! For example, moments like Brit’s opening story in her long-overdue visit with Olivia, or Lisa’s painful self-revealing reactions to Bronwyn questioning whether someone was feeding the hungry BlogBeast, were assigned such awards as Doing the MosTEST (most cringe) or TESTimonial (best/worst confessional) awards. As our listeners know, all award titles have TEST in them, as this is Reality TEST, after all! Themes include relational bullying, social cues, and inappropriate behaviors of those in power towards those without.  Reality Check! Doctors Kay & Ray discuss a study specifically about what makes a successful Real Housewife and a study about adult relational bullying (HINT: it happens at the same rates as it does in adolescence!).  What do you think: What are the three biggest factors of what makes a successful Real Housewife, or any reality star, from your perspective?  o-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=O Listeners! Come visit the Patreon for free at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠patreon.com/RealityTest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (or search on Patreon with “@RealityTest”) & check out some of the benefits of a free membership (early access to the audio episodes!) & the paid tier! For only a MEASLY $5/month, you get the bonus features, including Mental Health Check-Up episodes, the VIDEO episodes, the full audio episode archive, and bonus & behind-the-scenes video content! The first 10 paying members will get shoutouts on the pod & 5 randomly selected members will get a free year of membership after joining! What are you waiting for? Come watch our video episodes, & join us in learning a little something about psych & mental health from our examinations of your favorite reality TV shows, castmates, and tea!  O=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-o Reality testing is when we check an emotion or thought we’re having against objective reality.  So, here in Reality Test, we’re going to be testing the thoughts, emotions, interactions, and producer antics of reality television against what we know, as licensed psychologists, about objective reality.  Come with us, let’s Reality Test! Hosts: Dr. Kay & Dr. Ray Thank you to our sound extraordinaire, Connor! Patreon: patreon.com/RealityTest Linkt.ree/@RealityTest Instagram: @realitytestpodcast TikTok: @realitytestpod YouTube Channel: @realitytestpod Facebook Page: Reality Test Pod Email: realitycheckpodding@gmail.com Dr. Kay: @drkaypods (Insta) & @dr.realitv (TikTok)Dr. Ray: @drraypods (Insta)

    45 min
  6. RHOSLC: Mary's Chopper Landed, Heather's Grounded, & Lisa's Off the Rails | Season 6 ep.s1-4 ::} 112

    11/11/2025

    RHOSLC: Mary's Chopper Landed, Heather's Grounded, & Lisa's Off the Rails | Season 6 ep.s1-4 ::} 112

    Doctor Kay & Doctor Ray spill the mental health tea on reality TV with talk of all things Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (RHOSLC) Season 6, episodes 1-4. They cover topics from sandwich generations and helicopter parenting to lateral relational aggression and sexist, sizeist, ageist name-calling. They discuss the varying ways the women have grown, become more grounded, learned from last season, or gone off the rails, as well as their parenting skills, conflict behaviors, relational skills, religious influences, and here & now process comments. For “Reality Check”, Doctors Kay & Ray continue the conversation about racial bias in language and discuss the rates of trauma exposure in the US. What do you think: would being on reality TV amount to, essentially, a trauma on its own?  o-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=O Listeners! Come visit the Patreon for free at⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠patreon.com/RealityTest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & check out some of the benefits of a free membership (early access to the audio episodes!) & the paid tier! For only a MEASLY $5/month, you get the bonus features, including Mental Health Check-Up episodes, the VIDEO episodes, the full audio episode archive, and bonus & behind-the-scenes video content! The first 10 paying members will get shoutouts on the pod & 5 randomly selected members will get a free year of membership after joining! What are you waiting for? Come watch our video episodes, & join us in learning a little something about psych & mental health from our examinations of your favorite reality TV shows, castmates, and tea! O=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-o Reality testing is when we check an emotion or thought we’re having against objective reality.  So, here in Reality Test, we’re going to be testing the thoughts, emotions, interactions, and producer antics of reality television against what we know, as licensed psychologists, about objective reality.  Come with us, let’s Reality Test! Hosts: Dr. Kay & Dr. Ray Thank you to our sound extraordinaire, Connor! Patreon: patreon.com/RealityTest Linkt.ree/@RealityTest Instagram: @realitytestpodcast TikTok: @realitytestpod YouTube Channel: @realitytestpod Facebook Page: Reality Test Pod Email: realitycheckpodding@gmail.com Dr. Kay: @drkaypods (Insta) & @dr.realitv (TikTok)Dr. Ray: @drraypods (Insta)

    1h 3m
  7. Love is Blind Reunion | Surprise Episode! ::} 111

    10/31/2025

    Love is Blind Reunion | Surprise Episode! ::} 111

    Surprise! This Halloween, we released a surprise episode 3 days early, about the Love is Blind Season 9 Reunion! The Video version of this episode is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/po sts/video-episode-is-143017006 A free excerpt of the video is available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/y64qnyy_US8…………………………… For the “Reality Check” segment, Dr. Ray discusses diabetes and self-blame, & Dr. Kay talks about the dog whistle effect of racist stand-in words!  What do you think: Did you think Nick was calculated?  o-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=O Listeners! Come visit the Patreon for free at⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠patreon.com/RealityTest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & check out some of the benefits of a free membership (early access to the audio episodes!) & the paid tier! For only $5/month, you get the bonus features, including Mental Health Check-Up episodes, the FULL video of each episode, the full episode archive, and bonus & behind-the-scenes video content! The first 10 members will get shoutouts on the pod & five randomly selected members will get a free year of membership after joining! What are you waiting for? Come watch our video episodes & learn a little something about psychology & mental health from our examinations of your favorite TV shows, castmates, and tea!  O=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-o Reality testing is when we check an emotion or thought we’re having against objective reality.  So, here in Reality Test, we’re going to be testing the thoughts, emotions, interactions, and producer antics of reality television against what we know, as licensed psychologists, about objective reality.  Come with us, let’s Reality Test! Hosts: Dr. Kay & Dr. Ray Thank you to our sound extraordinaire, Connor! Patreon: patreon.com/RealityTest Linkt.ree/@RealityTest Instagram: @realitytestpodcast TikTok: @realitytestpod YouTube Channel: @realitytestpod Facebook Page: Reality Test Pod Email: realitycheckpodding@gmail.com Dr. Kay: @drkaypods (Insta) & @dr.realitv (TikTok)Dr. Ray: @drraypods (Insta)

    1h 12m
  8. Love is Blind Couples Deep Dive | Love is Blind Season 9 ::} 110

    10/27/2025

    Love is Blind Couples Deep Dive | Love is Blind Season 9 ::} 110

    Watch the video version of this episode! https://www.patreon.com/posts/video-episode-is-142398645An excerpt can be found here: https://youtu.be/_DHz6BWNx_sThe shocking behaviors of the couples from season 9 of Love is Blind are begging to be unpacked by psychologists in preparation for the reunion! And Doctor Ray is back just in time! She joins Doctor Kay in their deep dive into the 3 couples (KB & Edmond, Alli & Anton, and Sparkle Meg & Jordan) from the finale, plus Madison & Joe and Nick & Annie. Drawing from the full season, chock full of bizarre and misunderstood choices, Dr.s Kay & Ray unveil their understanding of each of the individuals that make up these five couples.  …………………………… For the “Reality Check” segment, Dr. Ray discusses financial decision-making in heterosexual couples (hello, Sparkle Meg?) & Dr. Kay talks about psychological patriarchy in the language specific to sports culture!  What do you think: Should Edmond have been cast for this type of dating show?  o-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=O Listeners! Come visit the Patreon for free at⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠patreon.com/RealityTest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & check out some of the benefits of a free membership (early access to the audio episodes!) & the paid tier! For only $5/month, you get the bonus features, including Mental Health Check-Up episodes, the FULL video of each episode, the full episode archive, and bonus & behind-the-scenes video content! The first 10 members will get shoutouts on the pod & five randomly selected members will get a free year of membership after joining! What are you waiting for? Come watch our video episodes & learn a little something about psychology & mental health from our examinations of your favorite TV shows, castmates, and tea!  O=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-o Reality testing is when we check an emotion or thought we’re having against objective reality.  So, here in Reality Test, we’re going to be testing the thoughts, emotions, interactions, and producer antics of reality television against what we know, as licensed psychologists, about objective reality.  Come with us, let’s Reality Test! Hosts: Dr. Kay & Dr. Ray Thank you to our sound extraordinaire, Connor! Patreon: patreon.com/RealityTest Linkt.ree/@RealityTest Instagram: @realitytestpodcast TikTok: @realitytestpod YouTube Channel: @realitytestpod Facebook Page: Reality Test Pod Email: realitycheckpodding@gmail.com Dr. Kay: @drkaypods (Insta) & @dr.realitv (TikTok) Dr. Ray: @drraypods (Insta)

    1h 1m
5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Two Psych Doctors Spill the Tea on Mental Health Concepts & Presentations Shown in your Fave RealiTV Shows! Ever find yourself wanting to debrief that reality tv episode with your therapist? Or maybe you've wanted to ask them questions about something you've learned from the reality tv interactions, castmates, or news cycle? Come debrief with two licensed psychologists as they explore what we can all learn about ourselves, our relationships, and our society from our fave reality television shows on Netflix, Peacock, Bachelor Nation, Bravo, and beyond! Dr.s Kay & Ray inspire discussion about psychological and sociopolitical aspects of reality TV, offering rough draft thoughts and ideas for us to continue thinking about, while highlighting the power dynamics, sociohistorical context, and intersecting forms of oppression and privilege that are present. After all, reality television ultimately provides an engaging format for learning about our behavior, mental health, and sociopolitical systems—let’s learn together! Why REALITY TEST? We ALL reality test when testing a given thought, emotion, or interaction against "objective" (or shared) reality--did I see that right? Was that really sexist? Dr.s Kay & Ray spill all the tea on how the producer antics and castmate claims about mental health stack up against "objective" reality off-screen and the field of clinical psychology that they have learned about as practicing psychotherapists and research psychologists. What are you talking ABOUT? Reality Test has a general focus on relationships, social privilege, and mental health. Dr.s Kay & Ray also acknowledge their sociopolitical identities and lenses through which they view reality television, as feminist, bi+, white allies. So, if you've been itching to discuss how that episode was brimming with misogyny, heterosexism, &/or white privilege (from a white, ever-dedicated-to-developing-their-antiracism, perspective), or to critically assess how the producers portrayed a given scenario or interaction, while celebrating the hope & empowerment that can be found, you've come to the right place!  DISCLAIMER: In the context of this podcast, Dr.s Kay & Ray are not acting as therapists, neither for you nor for the reality castmates they discuss. They are, instead, bringing in their whole human selves, supplemented by mental health and psychology knowledge. They cannot ethically diagnose castmates or speak with certainty about their dynamics without conducting formal psychological assessments. Thus, their opinions will be merely (easily erroneous) opinions, informed by their biased perspectives, and while they may discuss diagnoses, they will avoid assigning them to castmates.