22. Toxic Positivity, the Unrelenting Pressure to Be Happy No Matter the Circumstances - Whitney Goodman, LMFT

The Mother's Embrace

Whitney Goodman and is a radically honest psychotherapist behind the hugely popular Instagram account Sit with Whit. She's the author of Toxic Positivity, the owner of the Collaborative Counseling Centre, which is a private therapy practice in Miami, FL. She helps people who want to improve their relationships and emotional awareness. Whitney earned her undergraduate degree at Tulane University and a graduate degree in counseling psychology from the University of Miami. She has additional training and certifications in working with couples, trauma, and clients who have been diagnosed with chronic illness. Whitney has her own column in Psychology Today and has been featured in dozens of domestic and international publications, including the New York Times, Teen Vogue, New York magazine, In Style, and Good Morning America. Whitney is a millennial on a quest to make mental health information accessible and easy to understand. She rejects the idea that therapists should be a blank slate and believes that authenticity, and emotional expression, are the keys to living a full life. Whitney fully embraces her successes, humanity and struggles and strives for authenticity in everything she does. She lives in Miami, FL with her husband, their son and two dogs, Luna and Charlie. In today’s show, we talk about why she does what she does. We discuss social media and its place in our work and today’s world and our daily lives. We also get into the purpose and power of complaining, and how that can get us help. As we dive in, we explore change, and talk about how starting is truly the hardest part of change. She is a working mom, a licensed psychotherapist, and she is here with us today!

Let’s jump in!

In this Episode You’ll Learn:

• [5:32] A little bit about Whitney Goodman
• [11:12] How to connect in today’s world
• [18:01] The identity shift of parenthood
• [22:32] Toxic Positivity
• [33:02] How to navigate through the differences
• [35:25] Surprises throughout the process

Quotes:

• “I think the most helpful thing, especially when we talk about motherhood is that like it bonds you to other people... And when I'm with other parents who were talking about the same things, it's like you can create friendships and bonds around that, even though it's like this negative thing, there’s a lot of power and value in it” [9:47]
• “The transformation in therapy though can be like just really incredible and really unique, I think depending on each issue.” [20:33]
• “Some people are not worth you explaining yourself to, is really the reality, like they're not going to understand, they don't agree… they're not looking to learn they're looking for you to tell them that you agree with them” [34:14]

Links:

Connect with Whitney Goodman:

Instagram: @sitwithwhit

Website: https://sitwithwhit.com/

Follow Rachel on Instagram: @rachelcamfield

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @themothers.embrace

Rachel's Website: https://www.rachelcamfield.com/

Rachel’s Links: https://www.rachelcamfield.com/welcome

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Course: Better Boundaries