Podcast Ep. 1 | Therapy Resistance Is Your Friend

Most people don’t come to therapy because they’re excited to open up. They come because something finally hurts more than staying silent. In this session of I Don't Wanna Talk To You, we explore how therapy resistance is actually your nervous system's way of protecting you. We start where real therapy actually begins: resistance.

"Therapy isn't extraction or waterboarding emotions; it's sitting in silence until it stops feeling dangerous."

Key Topics: Clinical Resistance, Patient Autonomy, Trauma Protection, Therapy Ethics, Survival Mechanisms.

About This Episode

Therapy Resistance is Protection, Not Defiance

“I don’t want to talk to you” isn’t the problem—it’s the proof. Proof that talking hasn’t always been safe, that being honest once cost too much, or that silence kept someone alive long enough to get here. We unpack why people show up guarded, shut down, joking, angry, or saying nothing at all—and why none of that disqualifies them from help. Therapy resistance isn’t something to break through; it’s something to understand.

Why the 'Shutdown' Happens

If you’ve ever sat across from someone and felt your body lock, that isn't a failure—it's a survival mechanism. Our licensed clinicians recognize that avoidance worked. It kept you alive. Until it didn’t.

Episode Chapters

• ~00:00 | The "origin story" of the title

• ~05:00 | Resistance is data, not a problem

• ~15:00 | When talking has been dangerous

• ~25:00 | Silence as communication & regulation

• ~35:00 | What clinicians actually do when you don’t talk

• ~45:00 | When avoidance stops working

• ~55:00 | Permission, not pressure

Episode Recap

We discuss the origin of the phrase 'I don't want to talk to you' and how it serves as a baseline for genuine clinical work. The conversation shifts to how systems misinterpret silence as non-compliance rather than a regulatory response. We break down what clinicians actually do when a client refuses to speak, focusing on permission rather than pressure, and what happens when lifelong avoidance strategies finally stop working.

Legal & Clinical Disclaimer

Disclaimer: This podcast and show notes are for informational and entertainment purposes only. We’re clinicians, but this is not therapy, not medical advice, and not suitable for professional care. Listening to this podcast does not establish a therapist-client relationship. If you’re in crisis or need immediate support, please contact local emergency services or a mental health professional in your area.