1 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: I started to realize that not being an expert isn't 2 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:16,600 Speaker 1: a liability, it's a real gift. If we don't know 3 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:18,919 Speaker 1: something about ourselves at this point in our life, it's 4 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: probably because it's uncomfortable to know. If you can die 5 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 1: before you die, then you can really live. There's a 6 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 1: wisdom at death's door. I thought I was insane. Yeah, 7 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 1: and I didn't know what to do because there was 8 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:35,960 Speaker 1: no internet. I don't know, man, I'm like, I feel 9 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:41,480 Speaker 1: like everything is hard. Hey, y'all, my name is Kat. 10 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 1: I'm a human first and a licensed therapist second. And 11 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 1: right now I'm inviting you into conversations that I hope 12 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 1: encourage you to become more curious and less judgmental about yourself, others, 13 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:58,880 Speaker 1: and the world around you. Welcome to You Need Therapy. 14 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 1: Hi guys, and welcome to the new episode of You 15 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:04,839 Speaker 1: Need Therapy podcast. My name is Kat, I am the host. 16 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: And quick reminder up top that although this podcast is 17 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:10,319 Speaker 1: hosted by a therapist, it does not serve as a 18 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:15,040 Speaker 1: replacement or a substitute for any actual mental health services. However, 19 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:17,920 Speaker 1: we always hope that it has the ability to help you. 20 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 1: So today's a solo episode. It's just me, and we're 21 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:26,320 Speaker 1: actually talking about something that I was not prepared to 22 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:28,759 Speaker 1: talk about this morning. When I came to the office 23 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:32,959 Speaker 1: to record, I had planned a whole other episode. But 24 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 1: I got to the office, opened up my email, saw 25 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: this email from the people that I used to pay 26 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 1: my stonent loans to. I ended up on that website, 27 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 1: started poking around and started feelings and feelings about just 28 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 1: student loans in general and my own experience with them. 29 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:59,800 Speaker 1: And back in twenty twelve when I went to Gratz 30 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:04,520 Speaker 1: schoo I started taking out student loans and took out 31 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 1: a lot of student loans over the course of three 32 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:11,119 Speaker 1: years in order to pay for my master's degree. This 33 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 1: is a degree that would and does allow me to 34 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 1: offer quality and mental health care as a licensed therapist 35 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 1: to people in our community, my community, specifically in Tennessee, 36 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,240 Speaker 1: and this is a field that at the time that 37 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 1: I went to school, the median salary in Tennessee was 38 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 1: about forty to forty five thousand dollars, So not a 39 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:37,320 Speaker 1: get rich quick kind of goal was in mind at 40 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 1: the time for me at all. And full disclosure, I 41 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:42,360 Speaker 1: want to be very clear about this. I had no 42 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 1: idea what I was getting myself into the concept of 43 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:48,079 Speaker 1: student loans was very elusive to me, and I did 44 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 1: not grasp the gravity of what it would look like 45 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: to pay them back, but didn't understand interest. I just 46 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:57,400 Speaker 1: I was kind of clueless, and like I said, I 47 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 1: didn't get into this field to get rich. I just 48 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 1: wanted to do something meaningful and helpful, and I wanted 49 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 1: to be a therapist. And back then, forty thousand dollars 50 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:09,119 Speaker 1: seemed like a dream to me, like, Okay, I could 51 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:11,920 Speaker 1: do that. I thought, this is the career I want, 52 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:15,120 Speaker 1: and it requires a master's degree. This school is a 53 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:19,519 Speaker 1: great school. And actually I first declined to go to 54 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: Vanderbilt because of how expensive it was. So I was 55 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 1: originally enrolled in planning to go to Virginia Tech. I 56 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 1: was going to be in their Master of a Marriage 57 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 1: and Family therapy program. They had a satellite campus in 58 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 1: Falls Church, Virginia, which was about an hour to forty 59 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 1: five minutes from some of my family where they live, 60 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 1: and it was a little less expensive to go there. 61 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 1: So I was getting ready to move in with my 62 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 1: grandma when I got a phone call from Vanderbilt offering 63 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: me an assistant ship, which I ended up being a 64 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 1: grad assistant for a research class in one of the 65 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 1: departments in the undergraduate where I was in school, and 66 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 1: that paid for a good little chunk of my tuition, 67 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 1: and it ended up making it a little less expensive 68 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 1: to go to Vanderbilt than it would have been to 69 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 1: go to Virginia tack. So I was being a little 70 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 1: as money conscious as I could when it came to 71 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 1: choosing a really quality school to go get an education. 72 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:26,600 Speaker 1: Fast forward to right after graduation, I met with somebody 73 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: who I thought would helped me plan how to best 74 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:34,360 Speaker 1: pay off my loans. I didn't understand how loans work, 75 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 1: and I still don't fully understand them, but I had 76 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 1: a lot of questions, and I wanted to be informed, 77 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 1: and I wanted to take care of myself well and 78 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 1: get ahead of this. I wanted to know how much 79 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 1: I should be paying each month, and there are so 80 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 1: many options different payment plans, and I didn't understand the language, 81 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 1: and so I had some questions around that. And then 82 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 1: I was contemplating should I work for one of these 83 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 1: agencies that are funded by the government, that if I 84 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 1: worked there for a certain amount of time, granted you're 85 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 1: going to be making a little to no money, and 86 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 1: you're going to be very overworked. But at the end 87 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:09,039 Speaker 1: of a certain amount of time, sometimes they would forgive 88 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 1: your loans or some of the loans had these forgiveness clauses, 89 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 1: and I wanted to understand those and how those worked 90 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 1: and if I could take advantage of them. I just 91 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 1: wanted some information. I thought this person was going to 92 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 1: help me. Well, the person who you can probably guess 93 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 1: they're demographic by what you're about to hear that they said. 94 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:30,839 Speaker 1: The person that I thought was going to help me 95 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: proceeded to ask me why I thought it was appropriate 96 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 1: that they should have to pay back a loan that 97 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 1: I took out and couldn't afford to pay back. And 98 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:45,479 Speaker 1: I was a little confused by his question. Keep in mind, 99 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:50,480 Speaker 1: I'm twenty five, and taxes is not a required class 100 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 1: in K through. I was about to say K through eighteen, 101 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:58,159 Speaker 1: K through twelve when I am eighteen. It's not required 102 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 1: in college, it wasn't required in grads. We didn't get 103 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 1: a lot of education on a lot of things that 104 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:07,640 Speaker 1: we really should I get some education on. And so well, 105 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:10,040 Speaker 1: I think, I said, I think the government pays them 106 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 1: or takes on the debt or maybe they just like 107 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:17,760 Speaker 1: go away, and again very naive. I didn't understand it, 108 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:19,880 Speaker 1: but I was there to try to understand things. But 109 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:22,800 Speaker 1: I was quickly brought up to speed on how taxpayers 110 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:26,719 Speaker 1: dollars fund the government and hardworking people who don't take 111 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:30,239 Speaker 1: out student loans shouldn't be responsible for paying back someone 112 00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: else's poor financial decision. It was my responsibility to take 113 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 1: responsibility for my poor financial decisions and figure out how 114 00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:41,720 Speaker 1: to remedy those on my own. Crystal clear on that messaging, 115 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:45,000 Speaker 1: because you know, our country doesn't benefit from mental health 116 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 1: care professionals, and if only people that could pay for 117 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:51,720 Speaker 1: graduate school on their own did so, it definitely wouldn't 118 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:54,599 Speaker 1: affect the already insufficient amount of people in this field 119 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 1: or make the mental health crisis in our country any 120 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:00,840 Speaker 1: worse at all. I didn't say that. I don't even 121 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:02,560 Speaker 1: think I thought that in the moment, because I think 122 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 1: I blacked out and was just like so taken aback. 123 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:08,919 Speaker 1: So at the end of that meeting, he told me, 124 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 1: out of the kindness of his heart, he would pay 125 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:14,360 Speaker 1: for me to take a Dave Ramsey course. Long story short, 126 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 1: I cried a lot after this meeting and didn't ask 127 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 1: anyone to help me with anything that had to do 128 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:26,520 Speaker 1: with finances until like maybe seven plus years later, which 129 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:29,280 Speaker 1: means surprise. No, I did not take the Dave Ramsey course, 130 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:33,800 Speaker 1: and I share this story not to say that he 131 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:36,640 Speaker 1: was wrong in the sense that loan should be forgiven. 132 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:39,360 Speaker 1: I don't think there's a right or wrong answer in 133 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 1: that space. There's a lot of opinions that can make 134 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:44,480 Speaker 1: a lot of sense. You can make cases for multiple 135 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:48,880 Speaker 1: beliefs around that large issue, an issue that I do 136 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:53,120 Speaker 1: not have the education in the space to give insight 137 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:57,200 Speaker 1: on this podcast. The student loan issue isn't the issue. 138 00:07:57,600 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 1: It sparked this whole idea for me, but it wasn't 139 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 1: the issue, the issue that I really want to talk about. 140 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:04,480 Speaker 1: And I don't know if Dave Ramsey, if the course 141 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:06,560 Speaker 1: would have helped me or not. That's not the point. 142 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 1: The point is there's a reason that I didn't ever 143 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:11,640 Speaker 1: go to that course, and it's not because I hated 144 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 1: Dave Ramsey and didn't think he knew what he was 145 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 1: talking about. Back then, I didn't know anything about him. 146 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:19,520 Speaker 1: If anything, I probably would have assumed that he was 147 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 1: really smart and had all the answers. But I didn't 148 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:25,320 Speaker 1: go because I felt stupid. I felt stupid for asking 149 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 1: for help, and I would have rather suffered in silence, 150 00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 1: which ended up in years of avoidance, than ever entered 151 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:34,559 Speaker 1: back into a space where I knew shame was waiting 152 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:37,520 Speaker 1: for me. And I never regretted my decision to go 153 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 1: to school or my decision to take out the loans. 154 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:44,200 Speaker 1: That's never crossed my mind. But in those moments and 155 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:46,960 Speaker 1: for a long time, I felt very hopeless and very defeated. 156 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:50,559 Speaker 1: I felt very misunderstood, and to be honest, I felt 157 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 1: like a kid who was in trouble and I was 158 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 1: going to be punished, versus an adult who was trying 159 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 1: to learn how to best take care of myself. And 160 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:01,200 Speaker 1: I know that this experience said I I had was 161 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:06,040 Speaker 1: not universal to me, and that there are people all 162 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:10,000 Speaker 1: over the place who ask for help and feel very similarly, 163 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:15,440 Speaker 1: because people show up protecting themselves and their beliefs versus 164 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 1: really being open to helping with what somebody is asking for. Now, 165 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:22,640 Speaker 1: at this time, I had just graduated a program that 166 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:26,719 Speaker 1: centered around empowering others, where we celebrated those who ask 167 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:30,440 Speaker 1: for help and also we got to see that through 168 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:33,480 Speaker 1: helping them, they learn how to help themselves, and it 169 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:40,440 Speaker 1: creates this cycle of everybody benefiting from us taking the 170 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:43,320 Speaker 1: time to help them through and give them some insight 171 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:48,360 Speaker 1: and resources in what they're looking for. And I've talked 172 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:51,680 Speaker 1: about my experience, my poor experience with a doctor that 173 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:53,520 Speaker 1: I used to see on here before. It was a 174 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:55,320 Speaker 1: while ago, So I'm going to tell the story for 175 00:09:55,360 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 1: those of you who have not heard it. And I've 176 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 1: talked about my experience, my poor experience with a doctor 177 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:09,160 Speaker 1: that I used to see on here before. It was 178 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 1: a while ago, So I'm going to tell the story 179 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:12,840 Speaker 1: for those of you who have not heard it. But 180 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 1: I had a doctor for a long time that I 181 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 1: think my doctor I had from second grade till I 182 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:23,440 Speaker 1: was like twenty eight. She retired. They set me up 183 00:10:23,440 --> 00:10:26,520 Speaker 1: with another doctor. She referred me to get some tests 184 00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:29,520 Speaker 1: done because she wanted to check on some things that 185 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:33,360 Speaker 1: I had going on. And she ended up quitting or 186 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:35,839 Speaker 1: leaving the practice, and so I never was able to 187 00:10:35,880 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: get those tests. I needed a referral for those tests. 188 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 1: So the new doctor they set me up with, when 189 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:42,360 Speaker 1: I went to see them, I said, hey, can you 190 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:44,240 Speaker 1: get me a referral for these tests? So and so 191 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:46,960 Speaker 1: wanted me to get them done, but I didn't have 192 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 1: time to do it before she left, and he was 193 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:54,959 Speaker 1: very dismissive and basically said I didn't need to get 194 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 1: those tests done and I didn't need to know if 195 00:10:56,600 --> 00:11:00,200 Speaker 1: I had those issues or not. Well, I can say 196 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:02,920 Speaker 1: with confidence that I have grown since I was twenty 197 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:05,920 Speaker 1: five and since I had that horrible meeting with that 198 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:10,080 Speaker 1: human around my student loans, and my response this time 199 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 1: wasn't to ignore my needs and to ignore taking care 200 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:15,600 Speaker 1: of myself and go into that little child who feels 201 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:17,480 Speaker 1: like they're being punished and just kind of like wants 202 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 1: to hide. Instead, I found a new doctor and when 203 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:23,840 Speaker 1: I asked her for a referral for the testing, she 204 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 1: actually had me come in and talk to her about 205 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 1: why it was that I was looking for those tests, 206 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:33,400 Speaker 1: and then proceeded to tell me why it would be 207 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:37,240 Speaker 1: beneficial to get those tests done and how and if 208 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:41,400 Speaker 1: it would impact me if I didn't. Then she said, 209 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:45,319 Speaker 1: if you want this information, regardless of all of that, 210 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:48,440 Speaker 1: if you want this information, you deserve to have this 211 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:52,120 Speaker 1: information about your body. And I know she realized how 212 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:53,720 Speaker 1: important it was for me to hear that I'm not 213 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:55,320 Speaker 1: even going to pretend like she didn't know what she 214 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:58,840 Speaker 1: was doing. It is so important for people to say 215 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:03,160 Speaker 1: things like that because of the countless messages we get 216 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:07,200 Speaker 1: that say the opposite. And it was so important for 217 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 1: me to hear that the time and energy that it 218 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:12,560 Speaker 1: would take out of her and other people who would 219 00:12:12,559 --> 00:12:15,040 Speaker 1: be performing these tests and talking to me about these 220 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:18,000 Speaker 1: tests and explaining these tests, the time and energy that 221 00:12:18,040 --> 00:12:21,160 Speaker 1: it would take for that to be done was okay. 222 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:25,880 Speaker 1: And if that was important to me, then I deserve 223 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:29,560 Speaker 1: to be able to have those people use energy on me. 224 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:34,840 Speaker 1: And I really want to say humans, especially women, and 225 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:37,840 Speaker 1: especially I mean any kind of minority. I'm really driving 226 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:42,080 Speaker 1: home the women in this, and again, all humans deserve 227 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:46,080 Speaker 1: the right to understand what is going on with their body, 228 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:51,600 Speaker 1: with their finances, with their car engines. Don't even get 229 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 1: me started on how I've been taking advantage of at 230 00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:59,440 Speaker 1: car shops, which speaks largely to my anxiety around even 231 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 1: the small things being done, like getting my oil changed. 232 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 1: But like I said, don't get me started on that. 233 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 1: We've been sold lies that tell us we can't understand 234 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:11,520 Speaker 1: or we won't understand things, so we don't try, or 235 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:14,800 Speaker 1: we believe that to be true versus giving us information 236 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:18,080 Speaker 1: that allows us to ask questions, so we get the 237 00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:20,880 Speaker 1: opportunity to understand, so we get the opportunity to take 238 00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:22,880 Speaker 1: care of ourselves in a way that works for us, 239 00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:24,840 Speaker 1: not just in a way that benefits one group of 240 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:28,440 Speaker 1: people or one person. Now, like I said, I came 241 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:30,920 Speaker 1: to my office this morning to record a different podcast. 242 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:33,120 Speaker 1: This week's episode was supposed to be on how to 243 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:37,080 Speaker 1: disagree with Somebody, which spoiler alert that will be next 244 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:41,080 Speaker 1: week's episode, which actually will be a good follow up 245 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:44,400 Speaker 1: to this episode when it comes down to it. But 246 00:13:44,679 --> 00:13:46,440 Speaker 1: when I opened up my email and was taken to 247 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:50,040 Speaker 1: this page, I just sat there for a second and 248 00:13:50,160 --> 00:13:54,120 Speaker 1: was just in shock over how crazy the reality of 249 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:58,040 Speaker 1: how much I had paid versus borrowed was to me. 250 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 1: Before I even started working on this podcast. I started 251 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 1: texting people and I was like, oh my god, you'll 252 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:05,560 Speaker 1: never believe this. I don't want to understand. I paid 253 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:08,560 Speaker 1: over double what I borrowed, and keep in mind, a 254 00:14:08,679 --> 00:14:12,000 Speaker 1: chunk of that time there was no interest. So in 255 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:15,600 Speaker 1: about five years I accrued enough interest on my loans 256 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 1: that they overdoubled while I was paying them the whole time, 257 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:24,880 Speaker 1: and not like twenty dollars a month, a huge chunk 258 00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 1: of money. But again, this podcast is not here to 259 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:33,800 Speaker 1: just talk about the craziness of that system. This conversation 260 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:36,440 Speaker 1: is not meant to write the wrongs of our government 261 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:39,720 Speaker 1: system or offer solutions when it comes to student loan repayment, 262 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 1: because I honestly don't have any solutions. I still feel 263 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:46,440 Speaker 1: inadequate when it comes to talking about money and finances 264 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:49,480 Speaker 1: a lot of times and everything that comes along with that. 265 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 1: And although I'm learning and I'm less avoidant, I'm definitely 266 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:55,960 Speaker 1: not educated enough on the ins and outs of our 267 00:14:56,000 --> 00:15:01,360 Speaker 1: financial system to offer helpful feedback or information and to 268 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:06,520 Speaker 1: posture an opinion on student loan repayment and everything that 269 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:09,680 Speaker 1: comes along with that on this podcast. If I ever 270 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:11,960 Speaker 1: do do an episode on that, so help me God, 271 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:14,240 Speaker 1: I will have somebody on here that is giving the 272 00:15:14,240 --> 00:15:18,960 Speaker 1: information versus me, because that's not my lane. I'm bringing 273 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:23,960 Speaker 1: this up and this podcast was inspired because I just 274 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:25,920 Speaker 1: really want us to be more kind to each other. 275 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 1: I want us to think twice before we agree to 276 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 1: help somebody as well. You know, we don't have to 277 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:36,520 Speaker 1: help people, and being helpful or helping somebody is not 278 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:40,320 Speaker 1: so much like this badge of honor that you get 279 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:43,240 Speaker 1: to brag about. It's something that we do for the 280 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 1: greater good, while we also get to benefit from that. Sure, 281 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: but you don't have to help when people ask. And 282 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:53,840 Speaker 1: if your first instinct is to protect yourself and your resources, 283 00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:59,000 Speaker 1: be it money, time, energy, etc. Then maybe you just 284 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:02,680 Speaker 1: say no. I recently forgot to pay an annual fee 285 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:06,160 Speaker 1: for something that resulted in me having to ask Patrick, 286 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:10,280 Speaker 1: my fiance's dad future father in law, for help recently. 287 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 1: He's a tax accountant, and I told Patrick to tell 288 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 1: him that I was really sorry, and I promise I'm 289 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:19,600 Speaker 1: not stupid. And we didn't take business classes in therapy school, 290 00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:22,320 Speaker 1: so I didn't know. And his response was, well, we 291 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 1: didn't learn how to be therapists and accounting school either. 292 00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:27,720 Speaker 1: And I tell you this little baby story because I've 293 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:30,320 Speaker 1: never met somebody who has been able to actually bring 294 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:33,920 Speaker 1: lasting positive change to themselves or others by the power 295 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:36,480 Speaker 1: of shame, and I have met a lot of people 296 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 1: who have tried. Patrick's dad didn't say, well, why should 297 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:42,520 Speaker 1: I have to help you fix this mistake and take 298 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 1: my time and energy for a problem you have because 299 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 1: you didn't go to business school. He didn't say that 300 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:52,000 Speaker 1: he helped me and then said it's okay. And there's 301 00:16:52,040 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: going to be a huge ripple effect in small acts 302 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 1: like that. But there's a small benefit that I can 303 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 1: already see there is that when somebody shows up to 304 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:05,840 Speaker 1: help and allows me to not know and allows me 305 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 1: to have made a mistake and allows me to feel 306 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:14,680 Speaker 1: like I still am an adequate human even though that happened. 307 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:18,280 Speaker 1: I'm also going to be more open to continuing to 308 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:21,280 Speaker 1: learn in that space versus be avoidant like I was before, right, 309 00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:24,120 Speaker 1: And then I can share that information, And I mean, 310 00:17:24,160 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 1: you can just already see how that's going to continue 311 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:31,200 Speaker 1: to move others in positive directions far from that one act. 312 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:34,520 Speaker 1: And the reality is therapists work in a profession where 313 00:17:34,560 --> 00:17:37,879 Speaker 1: the cost of training to do our job is disproportionate 314 00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:40,240 Speaker 1: to what you actually make in doing that job. And 315 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:42,440 Speaker 1: if you've ever tried to find a therapist who takes 316 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:45,960 Speaker 1: insurance and wondered why it's so freaking hard to do so, well, 317 00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:48,960 Speaker 1: that ties into one of the reasons that's so difficult, 318 00:17:49,720 --> 00:17:52,399 Speaker 1: because it's hard to stay afloat. But I think that 319 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:55,919 Speaker 1: we would really regret it as a culture if the 320 00:17:55,960 --> 00:17:58,760 Speaker 1: solution to that problem was, well, then people should stop 321 00:17:58,760 --> 00:18:02,040 Speaker 1: doing this job. If if you can't afford to go 322 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 1: to school and pay for that, then don't do it. 323 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:08,560 Speaker 1: Because I know this is not a universal, unique issue 324 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:12,679 Speaker 1: to therapy. This is an issue with our educational system. 325 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:16,360 Speaker 1: So many things are involved in that. So I don't 326 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:19,800 Speaker 1: think that is the issue here because I still want 327 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:23,480 Speaker 1: people to be able to utilize the resource of student loans. 328 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:26,359 Speaker 1: But what if as a collective culture, we were just 329 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 1: more kind to each other and less concerned with how others' 330 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:39,639 Speaker 1: issues cause them more problems. I found this account on 331 00:18:39,680 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 1: TikTok a while ago, and I've talked about this video, 332 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:47,200 Speaker 1: I know, on Fifth Thing with Amy Brown. I don't 333 00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:48,879 Speaker 1: know if I've talked about it on Unique Therapy, but 334 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:52,320 Speaker 1: I found this account on TikTok a while ago of 335 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:55,800 Speaker 1: this woman. Her name is cy Wakeman, and she's a speaker, 336 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 1: and she I think used to be a therapist, but 337 00:18:58,359 --> 00:19:02,080 Speaker 1: I'm not sure, works a lot of businesses and teams, 338 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:05,960 Speaker 1: and she talks about how on the back of everybody's 339 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:08,240 Speaker 1: badges that she works with, she writes, how can I help? 340 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:11,959 Speaker 1: And when people come to her and tattle on what 341 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:14,440 Speaker 1: other people in the organization are doing wrong, or how 342 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:17,880 Speaker 1: everyone else is creating chaos. She says, Okay, I get it. 343 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:21,200 Speaker 1: What did you do to help? And when they say, 344 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:24,320 Speaker 1: what do you mean, I'm here telling you, she says, well, 345 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 1: so far you've created character assassination. You haven't been very 346 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:32,560 Speaker 1: helpful to anybody. And she states that the only relevant question, 347 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:35,640 Speaker 1: if we're all on the same team is what can 348 00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:39,399 Speaker 1: I do to help? Now? The problem these days is 349 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:41,199 Speaker 1: it doesn't feel like many of us are on the 350 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:44,119 Speaker 1: same team. Our problems are often seen as a result 351 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:46,560 Speaker 1: of someone else not cooperating in what we think would 352 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:49,280 Speaker 1: be best. But the question is best for who? Best? 353 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:51,800 Speaker 1: For me? You the collector like, who best for what? 354 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:55,119 Speaker 1: And I don't think the guy who I talk to 355 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:58,320 Speaker 1: about my student loans was a bad person or is 356 00:19:58,320 --> 00:20:01,560 Speaker 1: a bad person. I really don't. I think he probably 357 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:03,399 Speaker 1: is really smart, and he probably knows a lot of 358 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:06,439 Speaker 1: stuff about things that I know nothing about that I 359 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:11,280 Speaker 1: wish I would have had the ability to learn and hear. 360 00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:15,040 Speaker 1: But in that conversation where I had asked for help, 361 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:19,080 Speaker 1: he showed up and appeared more concerned with what I 362 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:22,840 Speaker 1: may possibly take from him and how that is wrong 363 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:27,960 Speaker 1: and how he wanted to avoid that than anything else. Again, 364 00:20:30,119 --> 00:20:32,960 Speaker 1: I was naive. I didn't understand what I was doing 365 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:35,119 Speaker 1: when I took out those loans, And heck, yeah, I 366 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:38,399 Speaker 1: thought it would be really freaking cool if my student 367 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:41,359 Speaker 1: loans vanish into thin air. I can take responsibility for 368 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:43,960 Speaker 1: that all day long. And I'm not saying my student 369 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:46,960 Speaker 1: loans should have vanished. What I am saying is if 370 00:20:47,119 --> 00:20:50,960 Speaker 1: our first instinct is to protect ourselves and our resources, 371 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:54,240 Speaker 1: be at that time, money, etc. I want you to 372 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:57,359 Speaker 1: know that you don't have to answer the call. Maybe 373 00:20:57,400 --> 00:21:01,480 Speaker 1: you just say no. When a functioning system as a 374 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:05,679 Speaker 1: hopeless faulty, it's usually not because one person decided to 375 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:09,000 Speaker 1: mess it up. It's because that system is somehow running 376 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:12,199 Speaker 1: on dysfunction. It's not up to one of us to 377 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:15,359 Speaker 1: fix it. In that case, it would be up to 378 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:20,760 Speaker 1: the collective effort. And yeah, that might again take time, energy, money, 379 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:24,720 Speaker 1: other resources are away from you or me. I guess 380 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:26,840 Speaker 1: I just can't come up with an answer to why 381 00:21:27,240 --> 00:21:29,960 Speaker 1: that is so wrong or bad. We ask for help 382 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:32,239 Speaker 1: for different reasons. Sometimes it's because we don't know how 383 00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:35,359 Speaker 1: to how to do something. Sometimes it's because we literally 384 00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:37,960 Speaker 1: can't do something alone. Sometimes it's because we messed up. 385 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:41,600 Speaker 1: Sometimes it's just because it's a little nicer to not 386 00:21:41,680 --> 00:21:44,720 Speaker 1: do things alone, or maybe it's just easier, and sometimes 387 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:48,320 Speaker 1: it's a combination. Anytime we do so, anytime we show up, 388 00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:50,760 Speaker 1: when we ask for help, we are choosing to be vulnerable. 389 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:54,200 Speaker 1: And if every human who allows themselves to be vulnerable 390 00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:56,679 Speaker 1: enough to reach out for help is shamed for doing so, 391 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:00,480 Speaker 1: eventually asking for help is going to be exp It's 392 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:02,679 Speaker 1: going to be a thing of the past. And I 393 00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:05,119 Speaker 1: would be terrified to live in a world where no 394 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:07,840 Speaker 1: one is doing that. So, despite what it might feel like, 395 00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:12,600 Speaker 1: this podcast, again, is not about my student loans. It's 396 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:15,160 Speaker 1: about checking in with ourselves when it comes to how 397 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 1: we show up to our friends, our colleagues, our neighbors 398 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:23,359 Speaker 1: in need. Let's not assume that they got there because 399 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:27,080 Speaker 1: they are dumb, or selfish or irresponsible. Let's assume that 400 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:30,200 Speaker 1: they got there because it's part of the human experience 401 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:33,000 Speaker 1: to mess up. It's part of the human experience to 402 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:36,760 Speaker 1: fail and to be in need of others. It's because 403 00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:39,639 Speaker 1: we were not created to exist in vacuums by ourselves, 404 00:22:39,920 --> 00:22:43,160 Speaker 1: and when we attempt to do that, wires get crossed 405 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:47,119 Speaker 1: in major ways. When we live by and for ourselves, 406 00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 1: things get really messy. Whether you want to admit that's 407 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:54,440 Speaker 1: where the mess comes from or not. This doesn't mean 408 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:59,480 Speaker 1: you should ignore your needs. I'm giving people full permission 409 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:01,440 Speaker 1: to say I can't show up right now for you. 410 00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:03,960 Speaker 1: I got to take care of myself. I'm not saying 411 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:07,520 Speaker 1: to ignore your needs. And this might be a surprise 412 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 1: to some of you guys out there, but there is 413 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:13,080 Speaker 1: space between in ignoring my needs in only taking care 414 00:23:13,119 --> 00:23:15,639 Speaker 1: of my needs. And I believe there's a lot of 415 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:19,159 Speaker 1: fear that's been clouding our ability to see that space 416 00:23:19,359 --> 00:23:21,760 Speaker 1: for a long time now. But I just wonder what 417 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:25,040 Speaker 1: would shift if we started to really believe that there 418 00:23:25,119 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 1: was gain in our give. And I know we all 419 00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:32,119 Speaker 1: have experienced this, whether it feels true right now or not. 420 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 1: And hear me when I say, I'm not saying this 421 00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:38,480 Speaker 1: man should have paid my loans. I feel like I've 422 00:23:38,480 --> 00:23:41,240 Speaker 1: said that one hundred times now or the government, I 423 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:44,080 Speaker 1: don't have the answer for that problem. I'm just challenging 424 00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:47,000 Speaker 1: us to be a little less worried about what we 425 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:51,160 Speaker 1: would lose and more open to what we would gain 426 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:55,199 Speaker 1: by lending hands to others, and if we aren't in 427 00:23:55,240 --> 00:24:00,199 Speaker 1: a space to sacrifice a resource, then that's okay. Can 428 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:03,600 Speaker 1: move out of the way and let somebody else who 429 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:07,640 Speaker 1: does have the ability to show up instead. So I 430 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:10,600 Speaker 1: hope this episode, like always, is helpful in some way, 431 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:14,800 Speaker 1: whether it's just you know you're in that student loans 432 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:18,520 Speaker 1: are a headache space as well, or you're in that 433 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:23,560 Speaker 1: space where you have also felt like a kid and 434 00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:25,879 Speaker 1: like you got in trouble for trying to take care 435 00:24:25,920 --> 00:24:28,720 Speaker 1: of yourself. If anything, I hope that the help in 436 00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:32,480 Speaker 1: this might be that you related to it and that 437 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:34,680 Speaker 1: you're not alone in it. So I hope you guys 438 00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:36,800 Speaker 1: are having the day you need to have. As always, 439 00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:39,360 Speaker 1: you can email me Katherine at you Need Therapy podcast 440 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:42,680 Speaker 1: dot com. You can follow us at You Need Therapy Podcast. 441 00:24:42,840 --> 00:24:45,119 Speaker 1: You can follow me at cat dot defata, you can 442 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:48,479 Speaker 1: follow my practice at three Quarts Therapy, and you can 443 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:51,439 Speaker 1: always reach out and send us a message. Like I said, 444 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:55,600 Speaker 1: email us and if you want to, this is me 445 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:58,200 Speaker 1: asking for your help. If you are in the space 446 00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:01,119 Speaker 1: to offer, you know, the thirty seconds of your time 447 00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:05,040 Speaker 1: to give us a little review of this podcast on 448 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:08,520 Speaker 1: Apple That would be awesome. You can write a little comment, 449 00:25:08,560 --> 00:25:11,200 Speaker 1: maybe share with how it's been helpful for you, what 450 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:14,560 Speaker 1: episodes you've loved, because when you do that, it actually 451 00:25:14,560 --> 00:25:17,320 Speaker 1: does create a ripple effect. It helps this podcast get 452 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:20,240 Speaker 1: seen more and it helps other people trust the podcasts more. 453 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:22,399 Speaker 1: So maybe they can take time to listen to it 454 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:25,600 Speaker 1: so they can gain something as well. That thirty seconds 455 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:26,960 Speaker 1: could give a lot to the world. You never know. 456 00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:29,159 Speaker 1: So I hope you guys are having the day you 457 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:30,720 Speaker 1: need to have and I will be back with you 458 00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:33,199 Speaker 1: guys on Wednesday. Four Couch Shocks, the episode where I 459 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:35,520 Speaker 1: answer questions that you send to me that you can 460 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:47,320 Speaker 1: send through that email Katherine Unitherapy podcast dot com. Until then, Bye,