Part two of Social Media and You dives into one of the most misunderstood topics in mental health: therapy. This week, Izzy Baker sits down with Omaha-based licensed professional counselor Payton Hogan, founder of Bear Company Counseling, for an unfiltered conversation about the intersection of faith, healing, and the internet. What starts as a discussion on how social media glorifies “self-care” quickly becomes a deeper exploration of why so many men avoid therapy altogether.
Izzy and Payton break down the myths that keep men silent—like the idea that therapy is just “talking to a stranger” or that prayer alone is enough to fix what discipline and dialogue are meant to address. They discuss how the rise of “therapy culture” online has made mental health both a movement and a marketing trend, and how that confuses people who genuinely need help. Payton shares how he went from private struggle to running a full counseling practice, why community care matters more than image, and how faith can guide—but not replace—the therapeutic process.
The episode also challenges the common phrase, “I talk to God, not a therapist,” and examines how spiritual pride can sometimes block emotional growth. Through their conversation, Izzy and Payton connect faith and practicality—showing that therapy isn’t the absence of God, it’s often how He meets you. Together, they discuss the emotional labor of entrepreneurship, the exhaustion that comes from constantly performing strength, and the freedom that comes with being honest about your limits.
As the episode closes, Izzy reminds listeners that vulnerability is not weakness—it’s alignment. Healing doesn’t always look holy on social media, but it’s still sacred work.
Listen. Reflect. And remember, real men heal out loud.
Payton's Social Media
Instagram: @thecyrpodcast
YouTube: @therealpaytonhogan
Website: bearcompanycounseling.com
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/p-s-a-the-mental-health-podcast--5520511/support.
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