Podcast Summary: Forever35 Mini-Ep 475: Breaking Up With Your Therapist Is Hard to Do
Hosts: Doree Shafrir & Elise Hu
Release Date: January 14, 2026
Episode Overview
This mini-episode of Forever35 centers on the emotional challenges of everyday life in 2026—including the unique pain of breaking up with your therapist. Co-hosts Doree Shafrir and Elise Hu respond to thoughtful listener questions about therapy, tackle insecurities around parenting choices, and celebrate the joys of adult hobbies. The conversation is refreshingly honest, peppered with humor, practical advice, and a sense of shared vulnerability.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Navigating Overwhelm in a Heavy World
- Current Events Fatigue: Both hosts reflect on how "the busy season" and bleak news cycles (Golden Globes, political betting markets, global unrest) are wearing them down.
- Humor as Coping: They mention recent "South Park" episodes and the dark hilarity of pop culture as methods of escapism.
- Personal Survival Mode: Elise admits, "I can't be alone in feeling like this shit is hard. And we are here for you. We are one of the places where we're kind of trying to imagine what things look like on the other side." (04:23)
- Coping Recommendations:
- Doree: Reads Audre Lorde’s essays (“The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House”) for perspective.
- Elise: Recommends “The Correspondent” as an engaging escape read.
Main Topic: How to Break Up With Your Therapist
- Listener Question: A listener wants to end sessions with her therapist, citing unprofessional behavior (not paying attention, texting during sessions, heavy smell of marijuana, etc.), and feels guilty due to their regular encounters in the office building.
- Hosts’ Advice:
- Professional and Direct:
- Doree: "Just make it super short, professional and just say, like, ‘next week will be our last session.’ You don’t owe her an explanation." (11:07)
- Elise: "Clarity is kindness. You don’t have to be specific unless she asks for specific feedback, but I doubt she will." (11:52)
- Normalize Therapist Turnover:
- Elise recalls advice from a friend in management about how common it is for the “other side” to receive such “ending” conversations, suggesting, "Don't trump it up in your head." (12:54)
- Acknowledge Unprofessionalism:
- Doree and Elise note that the therapist’s behavior is inappropriate, emphasizing that “You’re paying for this.” (13:56)
- Empower Listeners:
- Doree concludes, "This is just a natural part of the therapist-patient relationship." (13:14)
- Elise adds, “It does seem to me like there’s something going on with her that, again, is not your responsibility. I don’t think this is about you. This is about her.” (13:37)
- Professional and Direct:
Notable Quote:
"Clarity is kindness. You don’t have to be specific unless she asks for specific feedback, but I doubt she will."
— Elise Hu, (11:52)
Parenting Choices: The One Kid vs. Two Debate
- Caller 1—Pro One Child: Shares how choosing to have one child was the best decision for her family and rejects the social pressure to "give your child a sibling." Encourages others to trust their gut and ignore outside noise. (16:41–19:13)
- Caller 2—The Challenge of Two: Contradicts the view that two is easier, speaking candidly about the relentless fighting between her two kids. “If they play together for 30 seconds without screaming and arguing, that’s a win... back out of my vagina.” (19:42–21:27)
- Host Reflections: Both Doree and Elise openly admit ambivalence about family size and affirm that every family’s decision is valid. Elise tells a story where traveling with two kids was “so easy” compared to three.
- Elise: “Once you trip over into three, two, like, you can't even get... There's a car problem and then there's the hotel room problem... But, oh, man, just having two kids was pretty sweet.” (21:45–22:51)
- Caller 3—Waiting Can Work Out: Offers a nuanced take, describing her family’s shift in perspective towards a second child as things got easier—and the value in taking time before deciding. (23:39–25:07)
Notable Quote:
“You don't owe your child another human on earth, you know.”
— Elise Hu, (19:35)
Listener Feedback & Inspiration: Hobbies and Self-Growth
- Feedback on "Hobbies" Episode: Multiple listeners express that the recent crossover on adult hobbies was “fantastic” and helped them embrace imperfection and persistence. (27:09–27:35)
- New Hobby Courage:
- A listener describes how Doree’s story of becoming more skilled at tennis inspired her to join a local table tennis league despite intimidation:
“I was the only woman there, but overall, I'm really excited to keep going and I just want to thank you for the inspiration.” (27:42–28:55)
- Hosts Celebrate Her Victory:
- Doree: “I just so love that this person did it.”
- Elise: “Good for you. We're so excited for you... Table tennis is having a moment.” (28:55–29:48)
Notable Quote:
“Table tennis is having a moment ... I'm just really excited for you, listener, that you're having like a glow up in the world of table tennis. Good for you.”
— Elise Hu, (29:12–29:48)
Timestamps for Key Segments
| Time | Topic | |---------|------------------------------------------| | 02:01 | Welcome, podcast overview | | 04:23 | Coping with heavy news and daily stress | | 09:33 | Listener email: Breaking up with therapist | | 11:07 | Hosts' advice: How to end therapy | | 13:14 | Normalizing the process and boundaries | | 16:41 | Listener call: One-and-done parenting | | 19:42 | Listener call: Two kids is hard! | | 23:39 | Listener call: Taking your time on kid #2| | 27:09 | Listener feedback: Joy of adult hobbies | | 27:42 | Inspired listener tries table tennis |
Memorable Moments & Quotes
- “I’m disassociating.” — Doree, on handling the current state of the world. (06:47)
- “Clarity is kindness.” — Elise, about ending awkward relationships. (11:52)
- “You’re paying for this.” — Doree, affirming the listener’s right to quality care. (13:56)
- “Back out of my vagina.” — Listener, rebuffing outside opinions about family size. (21:05)
- “Table tennis is having a moment.” — Elise, celebrating listener victories. (29:12)
Tone & Language
The episode is deeply empathetic and honest, blending humor with frank admissions of struggle—reflecting both hosts’ commitment to real talk about self-care, mental health, and the chaotic imperfection of adult life. The hosts offer validation, accessible advice, and celebrate small wins with their listeners.
Conclusion
Whether you're struggling to break up with your therapist, debating how many kids to have, or scared to try a new hobby, this episode is a supportive companion. Elise and Doree provide not only practical advice and resonance on tough decisions, but also the gentle reminder that in taking care of ourselves, sometimes the bravest act is to simply do what’s right for us.