Therapy Gecko – Episode: “I’M BECOMING MY FATHER” (Jan 4, 2026)

Overview

In this rich, introspective New Year’s episode, Therapy Gecko (Lyle) takes live calls from strangers, diving deeply into inherited patterns, personal growth, addiction, romance, and dating struggles. The central throughline is the tension between our inherited traits—both good and bad—and our desire for agency and change. From wrestling with becoming like our parents, to navigating love after trauma, to the awkwardness of modern dating, Lyle brings his signature blend of humor, candor, and genuine curiosity, creating a space for open, real talk.

Key Calls & Discussion Points

1. “Am I Becoming My Father?” – Wyatt (01:37–23:06)

Background

• Wyatt, 25, reflects on the fear of inheriting his father’s negative traits, especially alcoholism.
• His father is a recovering alcoholic who had relapsed, and Wyatt sees parallels between his own drinking and his father’s.
• Conversation widens to family patterns, shame, willpower, and the hope to break cycles for future generations.

Highlights

• Wyatt hasn’t really done New Year’s resolutions, but is reflecting more as he feels himself at a "tipping point" in life (02:24).
• Shares the struggle: “I’m like, damn, do I have a drinking problem?...I’m over here judging my dad almost… but I’ll be sitting at the bar, piss drunk.” – Wyatt (04:33)
• Gecko’s candor: “I look at my dad and I’m like, I’m a carbon copy of my dad in all of the best and worst ways.” – Therapy Gecko (06:54)
• Both discuss the ambivalence of inheriting positive and negative parental qualities, and how it can lead to self-acceptance but also self-excusing.
  • “There’s a little part of me that uses that to like accept it, and maybe in some cases excuse it.” – Therapy Gecko (12:31)
• They acknowledge the challenges of addiction running in families, but stress free will and the power of having something greater to strive toward (e.g., family, kids).
  • “Quitting doing something is like a thousand times easier if you have a reason.” – Therapy Gecko (13:51)
• Discusses shame vs. understanding: it helps to know where destructive patterns come from, but at the end of the day, you still have to make different choices.
  • “It helps me shame myself less… it puts me in a position where I’m like, okay, I at least kind of understand how I arrived here.” – Therapy Gecko (16:00)
• Wyatt notes talking to his supportive girlfriend helps, but he still wonders if he’s overthinking things, despite just wanting to have fun at 25.
  • “Maybe it is something I’m overthinking and making it into something bigger than it’s not. But I’d lie if I’d say I don’t think about it.” – Wyatt (19:46)

Memorable Quote

“It’s hard to not become like your parents.” – Therapy Gecko (07:22)

2. “Romantic Rekindling After a Rough Year” – Abrielle (26:14–46:41)

Background

• Abrielle, 20, starts by recounting a difficult 2025 marked by legal trouble after being arrested for expired medical marijuana authorization.
• She then pivots to a wildly romantic story: after nine years of searching, she found her childhood crush and they reconnected.

Highlights

• Details humiliating and anxiety-inducing legal ordeal over what was essentially minor marijuana possession, including jail time and struggles with diversion program requirements (27:54–34:12).
• Her life is “back on track”: moved out of her dad’s home to live with her grandmother, found employment stability (34:19).
• The romance: decade-long search for a childhood best friend who, fatefully, is now stationed at the same military base where they met as kids.
  • “When I tell you I’m a D1 stalker, like, I’m actually a D1 stalker. I went through every social media platform you could possibly go through…” – Abrielle (36:49)
• Their relationship: reuniting after all those years, instant chemistry despite nerves, and feeling like “your soul knows that person.” (41:42)
• Lyle marvels at the story’s fairy-tale quality:
  • “This is a beautiful story. I’m very invested.” – Therapy Gecko (38:34)
• Reflection on life and romance:
  • “You can’t not romanticize life really… it’s really depressing very quickly.” – Abrielle (45:54)

Memorable Moment

“Everything… life really is a gift and… if you can do something, do it. Really. What’s the worst that could happen?” – Abrielle (46:18)

3. “Modern Dating & Body Image” – Rachel (50:43–72:45)

Background

• Rachel, 22, calls in after losing her apartment key during a night out.
• The conversation quickly shifts to her ongoing struggles with dating, body image, societal perceptions, and being an outspoken, ‘peculiar’ woman.

Highlights

• Rachel describes how being overweight colors her social interactions and experiences in dating. She shares a recent club rejection:
  • “He looked me… up and down… ‘Now why would I want to play with you?’ And I was like, oh, okay.” – Rachel (53:39)
• Lyle affirms: “You’re doing everything correct… willing to put yourself out there and talk to folks.” (54:44)
• Rachel’s view: she tries to focus on self-care, but feels frustrated by societal standards, romantic difficulties, and the impact of depression on her weight (58:44).
• Both debate why peculiar or non-normative people often have more trouble on the dating scene, but Rachel accepts that “for every personality type that turns many people off, it attracts many people" (65:12).
• Discusses being forthright, sometimes defensive, “strong-headed,” and how these traits may work for or against her in the romantic world.
• On hope vs. reality in love:
  • “It’s a bummer because we were all kind of grown up… being conditioned into thinking everything was gonna end up for us like that last lady.” – Therapy Gecko (70:25)

Notable Exchange

“I’ve been on lots and lots of dates…after the second one…it kind of, you know, tapers off…Is he, like, scared that…my hobbies…make him weird? I don’t know…” – Rachel (65:27)

Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• On Inheriting Traits:
  • “I feel like I’m a carbon copy of my dad in all of the best and worst ways.” – Therapy Gecko (06:54)
• On Excusing Behavior:
  • “There’s a little part of me that uses that to, like, accept it and maybe in some cases, excuse it.” – Therapy Gecko (12:31)
• On Legacy & Hope:
  • “If you want to be in a relationship and you’re overweight, you just have to be okay with being in a relationship with somebody who is as overweight as you. Which, like… is just so fair.” – Therapy Gecko (60:17)
• On Romantic Persistence:
  • "When I tell you I’m a D1 stalker… I would message a whole bunch of random people who had his name and hoped they were him.” – Abrielle (36:49)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Wyatt’s Call: “Becoming My Father” – 01:37–23:06
• Abrielle’s Call: Legal Trouble & Lost Love – 26:14–46:41
• Rachel’s Call: Body Image & Dating – 50:43–72:45

Reflections & Closing Thoughts

• Lyle returns repeatedly to the dilemma of nature vs. nurture: “Are we just doomed genetically to become our parents or do we have some say?” (24:14)
• Across calls, there’s recognition that life isn’t a movie, but persistence, self-awareness, and self-compassion make a difference.
• Listeners are encouraged to be kind to themselves, romanticize the everyday, and lean into their peculiarities while holding on to hope.

If you haven’t listened to this episode, expect frank, relatable explorations of family legacy, shame, addiction, resilience, and the beautifully weird ways people try (and sometimes fail) to connect with one another. Therapy Gecko holds a mirror to life’s rough edges and offers humor, solidarity, and a weird kind of reassurance: none of us has it figured out, but at least we’re pondering it together.