We’re back — Season 3 starts now. After a couple months of encore episodes through December and January, we’re returning with fresh content and a refreshed format, including new recurring segments we’ll be testing and refining this season.

In this episode:💭 You’re Not Crazy, But…

We unpack why messaging can feel weirdly exhausting — what’s normal, what’s anxiety, and what might be your nervous system doing parkour.

🧠 Research Round-Up: AI in Therapy

We react to the growing conversation around AI tools in the therapy space: what’s promising, what’s concerning, and what actually matters for real people.

⚖️ AITA (our classic format):

“Am I the asshole for telling my wife she can’t quit her job because I don’t want to be the sole breadwinner?”

🎁 Bonus after the credits:

We’re keeping the post-credits bonus conversation — but now it’s a randomly selected bonus segment (Research Round-Up, Confessions From the Couch, or something new we cook up).

📬 We want your feedback + submissions.

Send your AITA posts, “Unpack That Text” messages, “You’re Not Crazy, But…” questions, and topic ideas through our mailbag.

📅 Need support or want to book a session with one of our psychologists?

Schedule here: https://www.veritaspp.com/schedule

Meet the Team:

🎙️ Dr. Dan Kessler → https://www.veritaspp.com/dkn

🎙️ Dr. Gayle MacBride → https://www.veritaspp.com/ghm

🎙️ Kelley Buttrick (voice talent) → https://kbvoiceovers.com

🎙️ Michael MacBride (host) → http://www.michaelmacbride.com

🔎 About our experts:

Dr. Daniel Kessler, PsyD, LP, DBSM is a co-founder of Veritas Psychology Partners. He focuses on men’s issues, CBT-I for persistent insomnia and sleep, anxiety/overthinking and performance stress, and relationship repair and intimacy concerns, with a directive, practical style designed for measurable outcomes.

Dr. Gayle MacBride, PhD, LP is a co-founder of Veritas Psychology Partners. Her work centers on CBT-I and behavioral sleep medicine, anxiety and emotional overload in high-achieving women, trauma recovery, and couples therapy (Gottman Method) plus Discernment Counseling—grounded in evidence-based, usable strategies.

👍 Like, 💬 Comment, 🔔 Subscribe — and don’t forget to turn on notifications so you never miss an episode.

#AmITheAsshole #TherapyPodcast #PsychologyPodcast #MentalHealth #Relationships #AIinTherapy #Insomnia #VeritasPP #VeritasPsychologyPartners #VPP #MacBride #Kessler

Some episodes spark deep empathy — others, outrage. This one might do both. When words wound across generations, how do you repair the emotional fallout? Dan and Gayle explore motherhood, identity, and the delicate balance between honesty and harm.

It’s one of our most polarizing conversations yet — can you guess if it was a fan favorite or a flop?

🎧 Share your reactions (or your own tricky family story) in our mailbag: veritasviews.com/contact

🎙️ Veritas Views: The Am I the A**hole Edition

Psychologists Dr. Gayle MacBride and Dr. Dan Kessler unpack real internet stories with candor, compassion, and a dose of humor.

👉 veritaspp.com | @drgmacbride | @drdankessler

🎧 Hosted and produced by Michael MacBride (michaelmacbride.com), with intros and outros by Kelley Buttrick (kbvoiceovers.com)

Not every getaway is a good idea — especially when you’d rather stay home. This encore episode dives into friendship pressure, introvert guilt, and the psychology of saying “no” to what everyone else seems excited about.

Is it selfish to opt out, or self-care to skip the chaos? You tell us.

🎧 Think you’ve got a story that would divide the internet (or your friend group)? Send it to our mailbag: veritasviews.com/contact

🎙️ Veritas Views: The Am I the A**hole Edition

Psychologists Dr. Gayle MacBride and Dr. Dan Kessler bring empathy and edge to modern moral dilemmas — one real-world story at a time.

👉 veritaspp.com | @drgmacbride | @drdankessler

🎧 Hosted and produced by Michael MacBride (michaelmacbride.com), with intros and outros by Kelley Buttrick (kbvoiceovers.com)

We’re re-airing some of your favorite — and least favorite — episodes from the vault. This one asks: is it ever okay to BYO meal to someone else’s big day? When food allergies, dietary restrictions, and friendship collide, the stakes are higher than the wedding cake.

Dan and Gayle explore boundaries, etiquette, and the fine art of not stealing the spotlight — or the buffet.

🎧 Have a story that deserves the Veritas treatment? Drop it in our mailbag: veritasviews.com/contact

🎙️ Veritas Views: The Am I the A**hole Edition

Join psychologists Dr. Gayle MacBride and Dr. Dan Kessler for unscripted, unfiltered conversations about the internet’s most relatable conflicts — and what they reveal about being human.

👉 veritaspp.com | @drgmacbride | @drdankessler

🎧 Hosted and produced by Michael MacBride (michaelmacbride.com), with intros and outros by Kelley Buttrick (kbvoiceovers.com)

It’s one of our most talked-about episodes — or maybe one that didn’t get enough love the first time. We’ll let you decide. This week, Dan and Gayle tackle a game-day dilemma that hits close to home: when “adults only” meets “I couldn’t find a sitter.”

They unpack boundaries, social expectations, and the psychology of group dynamics — with a little help from Priya Parker’s The Art of Gathering and the Gottman Institute’s “Positive Perspective.”

🎧 Got a story or moral dilemma of your own? Send it to our mailbag: veritasviews.com/contact

🎙️ Veritas Views: The Am I the A**hole EditionPsychologists Dr. Gayle MacBride and Dr. Dan Kessler take real stories from the internet and break them down with humor, insight, and a touch of therapy wisdom.

👉 veritaspp.com | @drgmacbride | @drdankessler🎧 Hosted and produced by Michael MacBride (michaelmacbride.com), with intros and outros by Kelley Buttrick (kbvoiceovers.com)

When your boss says “we’re a family,” but gets mad when you pack up at 5:00. Sound familiar? This week, the team digs into the viral story of a worker who dared to clock out on time — and got shamed for it. From toxic hustle culture to guilt around boundaries, they unpack the psychology behind why “leaving when the day ends” still sparks outrage in some offices.

They’re joined by Dr. Meghan Miller, licensed psychologist, executive leader, and founder of The Forward Collective, where she helps high-achieving women, parents, and athletes navigate burnout, perfectionism, and identity struggles. Learn more at theforwardcollective.org

🎙️ Veritas Views: The Am I the A**hole EditionPsychologists Dr. Gayle MacBride and Dr. Dan Kessler tackle real stories from the internet — unscripted, unfiltered, and psychologically informed. Who’s right, who’s wrong, and what does it say about us?

👉 veritaspp.com | @drgmacbride | @drdankessler

🎧 Hosted and produced by Michael MacBride (michaelmacbride.com), with intros and outros by Kelley Buttrick (kbvoiceovers.com)

When therapy “homework” starts competing with family time, who’s in the wrong? This week, the hosts unpack emotional labor, healing, and boundaries in relationships — and what happens when one partner’s growth feels like the other’s neglect.

Our guest, Dr. Shannon Goecke-Watson, PsyD, LP, owns SGW Psychological Services in Apple Valley, MN, where she specializes in treating the aftereffects of domestic violence through individual and group therapy. She’s presented more than 40 trainings on domestic violence and trauma and serves as Minnesota’s delegate to the APA Council of Representatives. Learn more at sgwpsych.com.

🎙️ Veritas Views: The Am I the A**hole Edition
Psychologists Dr. Gayle MacBride and Dr. Dan Kessler analyze stories from the internet through the lens of modern psychology — equal parts empathy, insight, and laughter.

👉 veritaspp.com | @drgmacbride | @drdankessler
🎧 Hosted and produced by Michael MacBride (michaelmacbride.com), with intros and outros by Kelley Buttrick (kbvoiceovers.com)

Who gets the final say in your funeral — you or your family? This conversation dives deep into grief, boundaries, and the psychology of control when faith and autonomy collide.

They’re joined by Dr. Sheena Sikorski, a licensed psychologist based in Minneapolis who helps Millennial and Gen Z women heal from perfectionism and people-pleasing. She teaches clients to quiet their inner critic and trust their own worth. Learn more at drsheenasikorski.com

🎙️ Veritas Views: The Am I the A**hole EditionReal internet stories. Real psychology. Real talk. Psychologists Dr. Gayle MacBride and Dr. Dan Kessler unpack human behavior one uncomfortable dilemma at a time.👉 veritaspp.com | @drgmacbride | @drdankessler

🎧 Hosted and produced by Michael MacBride (michaelmacbride.com), with intros and outros by Kelley Buttrick (kbvoiceovers.com)