Three counselors walk into a podcast... and get really honest about what therapy is actually like.

Stephen, Dr. Kailey, and Raven from Refuge Counseling sit down to talk about all the stuff people get wrong about therapy. The TikTok myths, the "blank slate" therapist trope, why having good rapport with your counselor isn't always enough, and what you should actually be asking before you book that first session.

They also get into some fun stuff, like whether therapists are allowed to cry, how humor fits into heavy conversations, what couples counseling is really like, and why "that's not real" might be the most useful thing a therapist can say to you.

If you've ever been curious about therapy, intimidated by it, or just want to hear counselors talk like actual humans, this one's for you.

Can a blue heron really change the path of your life? It seems so. Today we talk with Val Walker, author of 400 Friends and No One to Call, Healing Through Wonder, and The Art of Comforting, about how a moment with a giant blue heron saved her life and changed its trajectory. Was it the bird that saved her? Or was it the realization of the awe and wonder the world holds?

#counseling #author #birdwatching #podcast #mentalhealthcare

In the first episode of 2026, Stephen Thomas and Dr. Kailey Bradley unpack the HBO series Heated Rivalry and explore why it has struck such a deep chord with viewers. They talk about enthusiastic consent, vulnerability, communication, and what healthy intimacy can look like when it is rooted in care, curiosity, and mutual desire

This conversation is for anyone thinking about consent, relationships, sexuality, identity, or the power of representation in media. If this episode brings up a lot, take care of yourself and go gently.

Listen, share with someone who needs it, and subscribe for more Death and Sex Podcast episodes from Refuge Counseling.

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