The GLOP Podcast Imy & Gerri

Imy & Gerri review the year that was with mixed results. Imy is unhappy. Gerri is encouraged. Christmas is a time of exhaustion and aspirational Self Reflection. How did we go? Did we cover everything that was and was not - discussed? Was something important missed? The clashing between Counselling and Clinical Psychology reaches an inevitable climax as Imy identifies the contradictions of primary and secondary processes. There are further shocks as Imy reveals her carnivorous compulsion to continue on – is flagging. The necessity of numinosity for a ravenous Psychologist needed to fuel the onward journey is, sadly, declining. Imy wants to give focus to the relationship, to what happens in the between space, to explore intimacy for predators in a last ditch attempt to resurrect the creation myth of GLOP. Gerri counters with a powerful observation, she perceives Imy’s disclosures are not sufficiently personal. Themes of Self Awareness and the benefits of ‘Inner Work’ for the development of the Psychologist, the Profession and the Community are touched upon. Imy makes an offer to finish 2021 and closes out the year on the edge of a perceptual cliff. What will happen? Thanks for joining GLOP this Year, we hope you enjoyed being along for the ride. Please accept our Best Wishes for you and your family over Christmas. YouTube says what we mean in a way - we cannot, just CLICK THE LINK. #TheGLOPPodcast #womensupportingwomen #peaceout
 

Gerri wants to continue on with GLOP’s investigation of difficult themes and bravely introduces the topic of ‘treatment failures’. This intrepid investigation is introduced with all the crowd pleasing nuance of humility disguised as confidence winked at with a confusing double signal pointing to the protective, reassuring, cloaking presence of a “webinar”. Trouble in the therapeutic relationship complicated by external stresses is examined within an inch of its life. Gerri has fronted up to a job interview under lockdown conditions. Results sadly, fell short of what was desired. Leading with complete authenticity can itself create a group process at an inconvenient moment. Imy introduces the inherent strictures of business and the unavoidable impact this has on practice. Gerri was surprised by the interviewer’s bravery scoping out the minefield of “how to handle ruptures in the therapeutic alliance” and experienced frontal cortex load ‘overload’. Declining levels of estrogen, the hormone disrupting effects of soy products and the concomitant impact on bladder resilience was revisited. Themes of Psychologists’ Safety in practice were once again reviewed. Imy experienced pressure within a working environment to provide after hours services, completely alone on site. Imy widens the discussion to include female health care providers responding to male clients presenting and wanting to ‘impress’ by displaying their reproductive organs. The presence of an archetypal predator is detected but not located thereby increasing the sense of threat. What is the take home? When voyaging in to the darkness, never question the aggregate knowledge of the Ancestors. Instinct. 
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GLOP find themselves staring in to a familiar abyss, the doledrums of long haul practice and its concomitant demands. Gerri wants to mess about with the existential angst Psychologists encounter at different stages of their working life, particularly the later stage. She has not broken with tradition and has constructed a model to try and clear up the gloom. Results are mixed and inconclusive. Gerri spends the first quarter introducing the GLOP Model of Career Progression which promises seat adhesion. Imy describes the much dreaded and at the same time paradoxically anticipated receipt of a client complaint to the Board. The elusive issue of safety for the Psychologist in the therapy room re-emerges as a topic of mystery and interest. Imy and Gerri face off the four horseman of the Experienced Psychologists’ Apocalypse; being seduced by a client, the joy of going to Court, brushes with death and the unanticipated malevolence or avoidance or cowardice exhibited by colleagues where the result squarely lands you in it. It is hard to find humour in the horrific but GLOP find a way, either accidentally or on purpose as they comb through what could-a, would-a, should-a or should not have happened. How do you handle yourself in the presence of the Board? Can predators finally learn the skills of intimacy? And is there a role for Authentic Communication in these most stressful of moments? Follow along #TheGLOPPodcast on Facebook Twitter YouTube and join the conversation. #womenpodcasters #psychologystuff #lifestory

Gerri wants to discuss using that loaded question “RUOK?” She is not happy with the insincere form or the “half arsed check in”. Continuing on with GLOP’s ‘Working Girl’ analogy, Gerri compares the variation of RUOK? Check Ins across ‘Multiple Madams’ and agencies where she “turns tricks”. Shadows of declining coping in response to the Lockdowns and Pandemic lurk everywhere. This rising panic and disturbance to an already ruffled equilibrium throws insincere “Check Ins” in to sharp relief. Imy, on the other hand, has attended an Online Symposium with the tag line ‘Unpacking Trauma’ and throws a light on the diverse, evidence based approaches to treating trauma in its many forms. This topic throws Gerri in to something approximating distress and immediately prompts a review of the ‘literature’. Remaining congruent with Australian’s tendancies to look to an overseas landscape for guidance and reassurance, Gerri has been reading sources that were once the ‘Newspaper’ for the low down on just what is going on and reports the findings regarding which society groups are most affected by Lockdowns, not to mention the increased burden of TeleHealth on the practitioner. Wistful longings for the bladder strength and control of a younger women is briefly mentioned and then released. GLOP conclude this episode with a surprising examination of why Clinical Psychologists end up with a particular kind of person. This compelling topic is opened but not concluded. Until next time … Join Us on Facebook Twitter YouTube and follow along. #womenpodcasters #psychology #RUOK
 

Gerri has been to an ‘Eating Disorders Conference’ and is left wondering if the Conference tag line was sincere. Accreditation confirming the skill set requirement to work with ‘eating disorders’ is discussed and examined in terms of its symbolic meaning as a possible antidote to a wobbly personal identity. The current demand in Australia for mental health support is examined together with a discussion about Provisional Psychologists being able to offer medicare rebated services. Gerri is nervous. Imy is keen. Gerri is concerned about the level of care offered and will it be enough? Gerri introduces a lesser known Clinical Assessment Tool to assist resolve the dilemma, “Dilbert’s Heirarchy of Workers’ Needs”. And draws some kind of line or link or association with the legacy of adverse childhood experiences. This focus cues Gerri to remember the losses of Australian Animals in the Bushfires. Defining the “losses” proved difficult, possibly due to dissociation. Imy recalls an experience in childhood with a Platypus and Gerri recalls her experience with a Kangaroo. The deeper psychological meaning of Australian Animals is considered and discussed. Kangaroos are always going forward. They also like being put in a sack if distressed, an attachment memory of being bundled in to a pouch. Skills in building and rebuilding relationships across the lifespan are discussed. The carnage of Couple Work reveals Gerri’s ultimate tag line “Love is never enough”. Imy is not so sure, “Love is a lot” and some of it involves ‘listening’ deeply. Things have a greater symbolism but what they represent is not clear. Conflict with a partner is not always what it seems. It is never about “the washing up”, so what is it about? Really? #Platypus #Kangaroo #Psychology

Gerri’s alter ego Aidan is discussed through the lens of clinical appraisal. No stone is left unturned. Imy wends her way around to piping up about the benefits of person centered care as opposed to a problem centered approach. Gerri is left unconvinced and presents a welterweight of evidence on MD, which we understand does not mean Major Depression in this instance. Instead it refers to the practice of ‘maladaptive daydreaming’. The presence of a powerful critic is felt but not placed in the empty chair. The tendency of Clinical Psychologist to generate jargon in pursuit of that elusive perfect intervention which promises the return of “rightness” to the world is discussed. The case of trauma and Complex Post Traumatic Stress is examined in relationship to the phenomenon of maladaptive daydreaming. The use of Dr Google to direct both diagnosis and treatment for many an avid amateur psychologist is discussed together with undesirable and unwanted side effects. For example, young people developing critical cases of anxiety after watching YouTube videos and self diagnosing themselves with a range of rare presentations. Dr Google is very able and willing to confirm and disconfirm diagnosis depending on what is paradoxically both feared and desired. Daydreaming is also discussed in terms of its potential adaptive response.  Join Us on Facebook  Twitter  YouTube and follow along. #womenpodcasters #psychologystuff #lifestory