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  <title>Breaking Down</title>

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  <copyright>© 2026 Breaking Down</copyright>
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  <itunes:author>Jeff Guenther, LPC &amp; Dr. Lindsey Lerner</itunes:author>
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  <description><![CDATA[<p>Curious about what actually happens behind closed therapy doors? Join Jeff Guenther, LPC and Dr. Lindsey Lerner as they explore different therapy modalities with expert guests, featuring live demonstration sessions and honest clinical breakdowns.</p>]]></description>
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    <itunes:name>Jeff Guenther, LPC &amp; Dr. Lindsey Lerner</itunes:name>
    <itunes:email>jeffguentherlpc@gmail.com</itunes:email>
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    <itunes:title>Psychoanalysis: On the Couch with TherapyJeff and Family Ghosts</itunes:title>
    <title>Psychoanalysis: On the Couch with TherapyJeff and Family Ghosts</title>
    <itunes:summary><![CDATA[What drives us to compulsively search for criticism, obsess over hate comments, and reopen old wounds? In our premiere episode of Breaking Down, hosts Jeff Guenther, LPC and Dr. Lindsey Lerner sit down with psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Dr. Cynthia Ellis Gray to demystify what modern psychoanalysis actually looks like (and why it is way more than just Sigmund Freud and an antique couch). First, Cynthia breaks down the core ideas behind psychoanalysis in plain English: why people still lie on...]]></itunes:summary>
    <description><![CDATA[<p>What drives us to compulsively search for criticism, obsess over hate comments, and reopen old wounds? In our premiere episode of Breaking Down, hosts Jeff Guenther, LPC and Dr. Lindsey Lerner sit down with psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Dr. Cynthia Ellis Gray to demystify what modern psychoanalysis actually looks like (and why it is way more than just Sigmund Freud and an antique couch). First, Cynthia breaks down the core ideas behind psychoanalysis in plain English: why people still lie on couches 4 days a week, how our unconscious habits run the show, and how we constantly project our childhood relationships onto friends, coworkers, and internet strangers. Then, Jeff jumps into the client chair for a very raw, real-time session. Coming off a viral video with 20 million views and a flood of terrifying death threats, Jeff unpacks his complicated relationship with online fame, his self-doubt, and the painful realization that his online battles are just a stand-in for his estranged family. Finally, the group breaks down the whole session, exploring why Jeff felt the urge to be a &quot;good client,&quot; how therapists manage their own emotional reactions, and why we repeat the patterns that hurt us the most.</p>]]></description>
    <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>What drives us to compulsively search for criticism, obsess over hate comments, and reopen old wounds? In our premiere episode of Breaking Down, hosts Jeff Guenther, LPC and Dr. Lindsey Lerner sit down with psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Dr. Cynthia Ellis Gray to demystify what modern psychoanalysis actually looks like (and why it is way more than just Sigmund Freud and an antique couch). First, Cynthia breaks down the core ideas behind psychoanalysis in plain English: why people still lie on couches 4 days a week, how our unconscious habits run the show, and how we constantly project our childhood relationships onto friends, coworkers, and internet strangers. Then, Jeff jumps into the client chair for a very raw, real-time session. Coming off a viral video with 20 million views and a flood of terrifying death threats, Jeff unpacks his complicated relationship with online fame, his self-doubt, and the painful realization that his online battles are just a stand-in for his estranged family. Finally, the group breaks down the whole session, exploring why Jeff felt the urge to be a &quot;good client,&quot; how therapists manage their own emotional reactions, and why we repeat the patterns that hurt us the most.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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    <itunes:author>Jeff Guenther, LPC &amp; Dr. Lindsey Lerner</itunes:author>
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    <pubDate>Sun, 16 Aug 2026 14:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
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  <psc:chapter start="0:00" title="Welcome to Breaking Down (and meeting Dr. Cynthia Ellis Gray)" />
  <psc:chapter start="1:26" title="What is psychoanalysis, anyway? (And how it helps you love, work, and play)" />
  <psc:chapter start="3:53" title="Why do analysts still use the couch?" />
  <psc:chapter start="6:57" title="Transference and countertransference: The relational habits we do not notice" />
  <psc:chapter start="10:35" title="Who is psychoanalysis for (and who should skip it)?" />
  <psc:chapter start="14:38" title="Is Freud really dead? Common myths and why the field is still thriving" />
  <psc:chapter start="18:30" title="The big downsides: Time, money, and therapy over Zoom" />
  <psc:chapter start="22:37" title="Live Demo: Jeff gets in the client chair" />
  <psc:chapter start="24:37" title="The chaos of going viral: Scouring Reddit and looking for hate comments" />
  <psc:chapter start="29:01" title="Death threats, internet backlash, and questioning the &quot;TherapyJeff&quot; persona" />
  <psc:chapter start="32:45" title="The family connection: Why the internet feels like my estranged mom and sister" />
  <psc:chapter start="36:59" title="The addictive, painful trap of wanting validation from people who do not like you" />
  <psc:chapter start="43:06" title="Session Debrief: Why Jeff tried to be the &quot;perfect patient&quot;" />
  <psc:chapter start="44:51" title="Transference in real time: When your therapist feels like a proud parent" />
  <psc:chapter start="49:31" title="Compulsive checking and the illusion of emotional control" />
  <psc:chapter start="56:08" title="Wrap up and final thoughts" />
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    <itunes:duration>3409</itunes:duration>
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