Call Her Daddy
Call Her Daddy
"The beauty of being your own boss is you get to just make shit up." — Alex Cooper
"The core issues that happens between people is this kind of push pull relationship between our need for safety and consistency and predictability and our need for newness and adventure." — Dr. Orna Gurnik
"When you get into relationships without doing the work on yourself first, it's like you can almost become a chameleon and any of the relationship you can just become whoever that relationship requires you to be." — Alex Cooper
The episode opens with Alex Cooper announcing a break for "Call Her Daddy" before the launch of Season 2, teasing new content and expressing loyalty to her audience. The core of the discussion shifts to an in-depth conversation with Dr. Orna Gurnik, a licensed therapist and couples therapist featured on Showtime's "Couples Therapy." Cooper expresses her deep admiration for Gurnik's work, highlighting how the show demystified therapy and made it relatable. Gurnik elaborates on her background as a psychoanalyst and couples therapist, explaining the process of creating the show and her initial hesitations about public exposure. She emphasizes that therapy is not solely for those with diagnosed mental illness but a powerful tool for self-understanding and personal growth, even for those in seemingly stable lives.
The conversation delves into various psychological concepts, including projection, transgenerational trauma, and attachment styles. Gurnik explains how individuals often project their own unresolved issues onto partners, leading to relationship conflicts. She also discusses how experiences from previous generations can impact current emotional and behavioral patterns, providing examples of inherited trauma. Attachment styles, rooted in early childhood experiences, are explored as significant factors influencing adult relationships, particularly romantic ones. The host, Alex Cooper, shares her personal journey with independence and how it has impacted her approach to relationships, reflecting on her desire to shift from using independence as a defense mechanism to fostering a more balanced partnership.
The dialogue further addresses common relationship challenges, such as dealing with "otherness" and the inherent tension between seeking security and desiring novelty. Gurnik also touches upon the impact of social media on relationships, contributing to a heightened sense of FOMO and unrealistic expectations. The episode also tackles the stigma surrounding therapy, encouraging listeners to view it as an investment in oneself and a pathway to becoming a better partner, friend, and societal member. The discussion concludes with practical advice on finding a therapist, the potential benefits of group therapy, and the importance of both individual and couples therapy in addressing complex issues.