The Primal Question: How Your Own Wounds Might Be Showing Up in the Therapy Room Part Two
Have you ever found yourself feeling unusually reactive with a client, struggling to let go of a case, over-functioning in session, or questioning whether you're "doing enough" as a therapist?
In Part 2 of our conversation about The Primal Question by Mike Foster, we're exploring how our deepest emotional wounds can quietly influence the way we show up in our clinical work, supervision relationships, businesses, and personal lives. From feeling unloved, unsafe, or unsuccessful, these unconscious "scrambles" often drive behaviors that leave therapists exhausted, frustrated, and stuck.
In part two of our conversation we get honest about our own primal questions, how these patterns show up in our real-life therapy situations, and why self-awareness may be one of the most important clinical skills we've ever developed. And we encourage the same for you!
If you've ever wondered why certain clients trigger you, why some cases feel harder to hold than others, or why you keep repeating the same patterns professionally, this conversation will help you connect the dots.
In this episode, we discuss:
✨ What Mike Foster's "Primal Question" framework is and why it resonates with therapists
✨ The difference between "kid logic" and "adult logic" when you're emotionally activated
✨ How therapists unknowingly bring their own attachment wounds into session
✨ Why feeling unsuccessful can lead therapists to refer out clients prematurely
✨ How understanding your primal gift can improve supervision, consultation, and clinical growth
✨ Real-life examples of how primal questions show up in business partnerships, parenting, and relationships
✨ Practical ways to notice when you're in "the scramble" and regulate before reacting
The most effective therapists aren't the ones who know the most interventions. They're the ones willing to do the deep self-reflective work that allows them to stay regulated, grounded, and present when clients need them most.
Because therapy takes more than knowledge.
It takes grit.
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Follow along on Instagram @grittytherapist and go get your gritty on.
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