You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist

Dating in the modern world has changed drastically with dating apps, swipe culture, loosened norms, a cultural divide, and a political ideology coloring the landscape of human values. There’s no wonder why it’s so difficult to find a trustworthy long term partner with these detrimental trends becoming increasingly wide-spread. How can survivors of domestic violence and emotional abuse learn to trust again, and avoid falling into the same traps with new dating partners? This week, Dina McMillan shares her perspective to help women gain the confidence to trust their gut feelings and know their worth.


Dr. Dina McMillan is a social psychologist and internationally published author, public speaker and training facilitator with a B.A. from Hunter College in New York and an M.A. and doctorate from Stanford University in California. Dr. McMillan is best known for her groundbreaking work in domestic violence prevention. Since 2020, Dr. McMillan has also offered a comprehensive anti-bias program that directly addresses racism and issues that create friction and social division. Dr. Dina McMillan currently lives in Brisbane, Australia.


You can find Dina’s work on her website, or listen to her pod, Unmasking the Abuser, on Spotify, or find her on Twitter. 


If you’re interested in Dina’s book, Fascination with the Devil: Why Women Love Emotionally Dangerous Men, or her chapter in Cynical Therapies, please visit my bookshop! 


Also, see Dina’s Ted talk here and Meg Jay’s incredible talk here. 


We mentioned an organization Dina and I are involved in, Critical Therapy Antidote.


Some previous episodes came up in this discussion as well: 51. Wokeness Versus the Counseling Profession with Christine Sefein and 57. The Antidote to Critical Therapy with Dr. Carole Sherwood

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Show notes & transcript provided with the help of SwellAI.

Special thanks to Joey Pecoraro for our theme song, “Half Awake,” used with gratitude and permission.

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What is You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist?

A podcast at the intersection of psychology and culture that intimately explores the human experience and critiques the counseling profession. Your host, Stephanie Winn, distills wisdom gained from her practice as a family therapist and coach while pivoting towards questions of how to apply a practical understanding of psychology to the novel dilemmas of the 21st century, from political polarization to medical malpractice.

What does ethical mental health care look like in a normless age, as our moral compasses spin in search of true north? How can therapists treat patients under pressure to affirm everything from the notion of "gender identity" to assisted suicide?

Primarily a long-form interview podcast, Stephanie invites unorthodox, free-thinking guests from many walks of life, including counselors, social workers, medical professionals, writers, researchers, and people with unique lived experience, such as detransitioners.

Curious about many things, Stephanie’s interdisciplinary psychological lens investigates challenging social issues and inspires transformation in the self, relationships, and society. She is known for bringing calm warmth to painful subjects, and astute perceptiveness to ethically complex issues. Pick up a torch to illuminate the dark night and join us on this journey through the inner wilderness.

You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist ranks in the top 1% globally according to ListenNotes. New episodes are released every Monday. Three and a half years after the show's inception in May of 2022, Stephanie became a Christian, representing the crystallization of moral, spiritual, and existential views she had been openly grappling with along with her audience and guests. Newer episodes (#188 forward) may sometimes reflect a Christian understanding, interwoven with and applied to the same issues the podcast has always addressed. The podcast remains diverse and continues to feature guests from all viewpoints.