Oh, Hi! Welcome to FRIENDS With Your Therapist, the rewatch podcast where we deep dive into all the things a therapist would have thoughts/said if the gang had gone to therapy. And no, dating a shrink doesn’t count, Phoebe.
I’m your licensed therapist host, Sarah Hessing. I currently work at a small practice with individuals, couples, and families, and I’m an adjunct professor at Boise State University. Until BSU lets me teach a course on the psychology of FRIENDS, I’ll be here for you.
Let’s get started!
Here's me pretending I didn't take 2 (maybe 3) weeks off and then show up like nothing happened. And ready to jump into S1 E10 The One With the Monkey! But more accurately, a commentary on how we show up in relationships with no ability to overtake someone else's autonomy. Ross experiences this first hand when he adopts a monkey and finds that building a bond is tougher than he expects. Phoebe experiences this when she meets her Scientist Guy, David, and he's faced with choosing love or his life's work. And poor Janice experiences this with Chandler. The girl is trying buuuuuut, it's just not going to be a thing. Sorry, lady.
Now! Unplug from the world and tune in for some overly analytical (and perhaps rambly) therapy thoughts about your favorite friend group. I'm glad you're here.
Don't forget to subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode, because I don't know if I'll ever get in a rhythm of predictable posting. lol
23 Apr 2025
S1 E9 The One With the Friendsgiving Fiasco
Welcome back friend! This week Monica throws together her first Friendsgiving, and it's giving "at least I tried" energy. In her efforts to meet everyone else's needs, she is thwarted when the gang gets locked out of her apartment and all her hard work goes up in flames. Literally. This episode also features Ross's persistent distain for Susan, Joey's new fame as the face of venereal disease, and Rachel missing her flight to Vail for her family ski trip. In the end, the gang realizes the most important thing is friendship and being together.
Therapy wise, we get into themes of:
-family abandonment
-setting boundaries as a way to avoid resentment
-Ross's risk of self sabotage
-how acceptance and commitment therapy and/or narrative therapy could aid in overcoming unwanted feelings and unhelpful beliefs.
Tune in and let's chat. Enjoy!
11 Apr 2025
S1 E8: The One With Death, Toxic Parents, and Gaydar
Welcome to Friends With Your Therapist where we talk about Season 1 Episode 8, The One Where Nana Dies Twice. Naturally, we're going to talk about death and grief. Honestly, we should have spent the entire episode debriefing on death and dying. There's so much to unpack and we only explore the tip of the iceberg. But Nana didn't die twice just for us to sulk the whole time. She wouldn't have wanted that. So, we also have to talk about generational transmission of traits (for better and worse). And, of course, I couldn't escape without saying something about Chandler's perceived sexual orientation. Now, what does it say about me if I *didn't* think he was gay when I first met him? We'll have to unpack that in another episode.
Now, enough spoilers! Have a listen and enjoy some time to yourself, with your favorite podcast-therapist-friend who talks extensively about "Friends". Enjoy!
2 Apr 2025
S1 E7: The One With the Charanza's, Phoebe Sings, & Paolo
Welcome back to Friends With Your Therapist, Season 1 Episode 7, The One With the Blackout. In this episode, New York City has a blackout that traps Chandler in an ATM vestibule with Jill Goodacre. Meanwhile, the gang gathers at Monica's. Ross tries to gain the courage to ask out Rachel but is thwarted by a cat, who we learn belongs to Rachel's next love interest, Paolo. Sorry, Ross (but also not sorry).
We dive into embarrassment and the science of attraction. Fair warning, this episode may inspire you to smell your partner's (or prospective partner's) gym clothes. And I may be soft launching we use AI to it's full potential to make an album in the style of Phoebe. I'm not sure we give her song writing enough credit.
Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode. Thanks, friends! :D
27 Mar 2025
S1 E7: The One With Polyamory, Diagnosing Monica, and Freud!
Ok, friends! Welcome to today's episode from season 1 episode 6 The One With the Butt. This week's episode was full of great topics for us to overanalyze. So best a believe, I took a deep dive into Chandler's relationship with Aurora, Monica's neurotic behaviors, and butt stuff. Just so my mom doesn't have a heart attack, I don't mean that kind of butt stuff. You'll just have to listen. I don't want to spoil some [possibly] brilliant writing in the show. Also, Ross may have been exposed as a know-it-all who didn't actually know what he was talking about. Ok. I've already said too much. Pop in your headphones, start cleaning your floors, and let's get to it!
Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and leave a review to let me know what you want to hear more of.
Have a great week!
23 Mar 2025
S1 E5: The One With the East German Laundry Detergent
Welcome to the one where we talk about the debatable reasons it's better to be a woman--but it would be kind of nice to be a man and benefit from the patriarchy, the etiquette of break ups (spoiler, do NOT ghost someone after a date!), and laundry. It's never just laundry, friends. Now, did the writers of this episode mean for it to be this deep? No. But put on your scuba gear and get ready to deep dive.
Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, because apparently I can't be trusted to publish on a consistent day! In my defense, it was spring break and the mountains were calling. I'll try to do better next week... but no promises.
For the Nerds
Some of my thoughts on benefits of being a man or woman were pulled from the books:
Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez
Pink Collar Workers: Inside the World of Women's Work by Louise Kapp Howe
(if you don't have time to read the book but want to know more about the term 'pink collar' jobs, this article (https://teamflect.com/blog/employee-engagement/pink-collar-jobs) has a good at-a-glance)
Take care friends!
14 Mar 2025
S1 E4: The One With George Stephanopoulos
More accurately, the one where your therapist friend, Sarah Hessing, talks about existentialism and nerds out about what medical journals say about sexual activity & number of sexual partners. There's a lot to get into, and we didn't even get to talk about Voyeurism (aka. peeping toms)! But I'm sure we'll get a chance based on the gang's proclivity for watching strangers from across the street with binoculars.
So, fold your laundry, clean up your ratchet winter backyard, or go for a walk while we get into the meaning of life and what's typical for sexual frequency in the US.
Don't forget to subscribe or leave a review! Let me know what you want to hear more of, or what topics I need to include in coming episodes! :D
For my nerdy friends: Here's the article link (Trends in Frequency of Sexual Activity and Number of Sexual Partners Among Adults Aged 18 to 44 Years in the US, 2000-2018) for the study I discuss. Or you can search for "Trends in Frequency of Sexual Activity and Number of Sexual Partners Among Adults Aged 18 to 44 Years in the US, 2000-2018" from the JAMA Network journal. There's so much we couldn't get into, so if you're curious. Worth the read.
5 Mar 2025
S1 E3 The One With the Thumb
Welcome back friends! Today we’re diving into addiction (on and off screen), karma, and why Monica can’t just be with a great guy. Oh, and Phoebe finds a thumb in a soda can. How did it get there? Not important. What are the odds that you’ll find a thumb in your soda can? Apparently not zero, according to this episode. So put on some walking shoes and go for a walk, or get started on the laundry, because we’ve got a lot to talk about.
Don’t forget to like and subscribe, and for the true friends, leave a review and tell me what you want to hear more about!
Now, let’s get to it!
27 Feb 2025
S1 E2: The One With the Sonogram at the End
Welcome back to Friends with Your Therapist, the rewatch podcast. Today we dive into The One with the Sonogram at the End. I go over some principles of Family Systems Theory and how Ross and Monica fit into their family system. We break down the break-up between Rachel and Barry, and then we get into the Geller-Willick-Bunch debacle. So grab your cozy socks or start folding your laundry and join me for some friendly therapy thoughts. Enjoy!
And if you do enjoy, don’t forget to subscribe/follow so you don’t miss an episode, and maybe even drop a review and let me know what you want to hear more of. Thanks, friends!
19 Feb 2025
S1 E1: The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate
Oh hello, and welcome to the first official full length episode of Friends With Your Therapist! Today we're deep diving into the meaning of friendship according to FRIENDS, financially separating from your parents, and impotence (thanks Paul). We'll wrap up with some of the thought their therapist would have if this had been the content of their weekly therapy session. Seriously. Imagine you had a client who told you they were getting married, and by the next session they explained calling off the wedding (day of!) and moving to the city with a friend they haven't talked to in years, and maybe they're going on a date with said friends brother. There would be questions! Let's dive in.
12 Feb 2025
S1 E0: The Pilot of Friends With Your Therapist
Oh, hello! And welcome to Friends With Your Therapist, the rewatch podcast where we deep dive into all the things a therapist would say, had the gang actually gone to therapy. I'm your licensed therapist host, Sarah Hessing.
In today's episode, I introduce myself and what you can expect from Friends With Your Therapist each week. Fair warning, this is a space where I will fully nerd out on all things Friends, and all things therapy. So grab your favorite hot beverage, and get cozy. Or maybe you're like me and listen to podcasts while doing household chores. In which case, I'm here to keep you company through your next load of laundry. Let's get to it!
Enjoy!
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
13 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 38 / 100
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56
Social presence
0
YouTube
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Engagement
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