Shows
Toxic Cooking ShowSituationships: We’re Not Dating But I’m Doing Your DishesSend us a textDating clarity shouldn’t feel like decoding hieroglyphs, but so many of us end up stuck in the gray zone where you act like a couple yet can’t say the word. We tackle the modern situationship head-on: what it actually means, why it’s everywhere, and how to stop investing months in “let’s see where it goes.” With real stories, clinical insight, and a few hard truths, we separate friends with benefits from the murky middle and show you how to move forward with confidence.We start by defining a situations...
2025-11-1835 minToxic Cooking ShowReacting to Reaction VideosSend us a textOne face in a box reacting to another face in a box shouldn’t feel dangerous. Yet the way reaction content spreads shapes what we see, what we believe, and how safe we feel in public. We dig into why this format is everywhere, how it amplifies fringe clips into cultural moments, and what happens when a small creator’s post is blasted to millions with zero context. The result isn’t just more noise; it’s a perception shift that makes isolated incidents look like widespread crises.We unpack the misinfor...
2025-11-0455 minToxic Cooking ShowDoxing, Consequence, And The LineSend us a textEver notice how a viral post can jump from your screen to your doorstep? We take you inside a series of jaw-dropping cases to map the blurry boundary between calling someone out and putting them in danger. From the Sniper Wolf vs Jack Films feud that moved from YouTube to a front porch, to a therapist’s flippant “trauma dump” TikTok that shattered trust, to a guy livestreaming smug politics in a company shirt and then blaming “the internet” for his firing—this episode pulls apart what counts as doxing, what counts as accountabili...
2025-10-2858 minToxic Cooking ShowIt's Rapture Time 2025!Send us a textToday’s countdown says the world ends… again. We lean into the joke, then pull back the curtain on how doomsday thinking has evolved—from ancient uprisings and medieval plague marches to papal numerology, Y2K jitters, and the latest TikTok rapture trend. Along the way we ask the question that matters most: who benefits when fear goes viral, and what does it cost the rest of us?We trace the lineage of failed prophecies with surprising cameos—yes, Columbus had an end date, and even Isaac Newton wandered into apocalypse math. We...
2025-10-0659 minToxic Cooking ShowYou're Wrong About Women in the PastSend us a textEver notice how the “good old days” always look like a movie set? We pull back the velvet curtain on the myths that won’t die—women who “didn’t work,” men who “provided alone,” teens “married off” en masse—and replace them with what the archive, archaeology, and everyday logic actually show. From hunter-gatherer bands to early farms, women hunted, gathered, planted, harvested, brewed beer that kept people safer than water, spun and wove the clothes on everyone’s backs, and shared childcare across kin and community. That picture is messier than a corseted fainting scene...
2025-09-3040 minToxic Cooking ShowI'm in Love with an AI RobotSend us a textThe digital age has spawned a new form of emotional connection that blurs the line between technology and intimacy. As generative AI becomes increasingly sophisticated, more people are forming deep emotional attachments to chatbots designed to mimic human interaction—sometimes with devastating consequences.Lindsay and Christopher dive deep into how these AI systems actually work, dispelling the common misconception that they "think" or "understand." These large language models operate purely on statistical probability, predicting the next most likely word based on patterns in their training data. Yet our human tendency to an...
2025-08-0649 minToxic Cooking ShowDebunking Going Back to the 1940s American DreamSend us a textEver wonder why your grandparents could afford a house, two cars, and yearly vacations on a single income while you're drowning in debt with two salaries? The answer lies in a fascinating economic breakdown that demolishes the myth of America's "good old days."When we crunch the numbers comparing a 1946 household budget to today's financial reality, the results are staggering. While the average household income has increased just 19% since the post-war era (adjusted for inflation), essential expenses have exploded. Auto-related costs have jumped from $1,666 to $12,000 annually. Healthcare has skyrocketed from $2,383 to...
2025-07-2950 min2025-07-2243 minToxic Cooking ShowGold Diggers: Myth or Reality?Send us a textGold diggers have become a hot topic online with self-proclaimed alpha males spreading panic about women supposedly out to bleed men dry of their money, but the truth is more complex than the stereotype.• Historical context showing "gold digger" term originated in the 1920s during women's economic transition• Exploring how economic inequality continues to shape dating expectations in different cultures• First date spending pressures create impossible situations where men feel obligated yet suspicious• Age-gap relationships blur the line between mutual understanding and gold digging behavior• The destructive impact of...
2025-07-1558 minToxic Cooking ShowCybertruck Syndrome: When Identity Meets DenialSend us a textHave you ever watched someone defend a clearly broken product or problematic politician with the fervor of a religious zealot? That strange psychological phenomenon finally has a name: "Cybertruck Syndrome."This episode introduces a fascinating new concept that explains why certain people become utterly incapable of admitting when they've backed the wrong horse. We explore how this cognitive pattern goes beyond simple stubbornness or sunk cost fallacy to become an identity-level investment that makes acknowledging failure psychologically impossible.Starting with Tesla's problem-plagued Cybertruck and its devoted fanbase, Lindsay and...
2025-06-1749 minToxic Cooking ShowBetter Help: What Happens When Mental Health Becomes Just Another Business?Send us a textWhat happens when therapy becomes just another tech startup looking to maximize profits? In our deep dive into BetterHelp, we uncover the troubling reality behind the polished marketing of America's largest online therapy platform.Behind those ubiquitous podcast advertisements lies a business model that's crushing therapists while potentially harming the very clients it claims to help. We break down exactly how the platform's payment structure forces therapists to maintain unsustainable caseloads – as many as 75 clients per therapist – while paying them a fraction of what clients are charged. When therapists inevitably burn out...
2025-05-271h 02Toxic Cooking ShowSwipe Left on BetterHelp: The Therapy App That's Worse Than Your ExSend us a textWe've all seen the ads - BetterHelp promises convenient therapy at your fingertips. But behind the slick marketing lies a company with deeply troubling business practices that every therapy-seeker should know about.When Christopher Patchet, a licensed therapist, along with Lindsay McClane, looks on how BetterHelp operates. From selling sensitive user data to Facebook (resulting in a $7.8 million FTC fine) to allegedly creating fake profiles for real therapists without their consent, the revelations are genuinely shocking.The toxic ingredients are plentiful: until 2017, BetterHelp didn't even require therapists to be...
2025-05-2045 minToxic Cooking ShowThe Myth of the Sigma MaleSend us a textThe modern manosphere has created a pantheon of male archetypes, but none quite as supposedly elusive and mysterious as the "Sigma Male." Emerging around 2017-2018, this concept markets itself as the rarest, coolest type of masculinity—the lone wolf operating outside traditional hierarchies while maintaining alpha-level respect.But peek behind the curtain, and you'll find fascinating contradictions. The very examples held up as quintessential Sigmas—James Bond, Batman, John Wick—actually reveal the myth's fatal flaw. Each of these characters relies deeply on community and support systems. Bruce Wayne has Alfred. Bond h...
2025-05-0647 minToxic Cooking ShowHow Conspiracy Theories Poison Our Society and Why We Still Fall For ThemSend us a textConspiracy theories have evolved from reasonable skepticism about government deception to dangerous delusions with real-world consequences, tracing their development from Cold War distrust to internet-fueled paranoia.• American trust in government began eroding in the 1940s with the Roswell incident and changing official explanations• MK Ultra program confirmation proved the government conducted unethical human experiments with LSD and torture• The internet's emergence around 1999-2000 created perfect conditions for conspiracy theories to spread rapidly• Major conspiracy drivers include 9/11 "Loose Change" video, Pizzagate, QAnon, and modern election fraud claims• Scientific approach r...
2025-04-2958 minToxic Cooking ShowNo Gods, No Heroes, No IdolsSend us a textWe've all felt that gut-punch moment. You discover that celebrity you've adored for years—whose work shaped your identity or brought you comfort—has revealed themselves to be deeply problematic. Your social media feed floods with damning evidence, your friends debate whether to throw away their merchandise, and you're left wondering: what now?This episode dives headfirst into the messy, emotional territory of fallen idols. From JK Rowling's transformation from beloved author to controversial TERF figure, Johnny Depp's complicated history of abuse allegations masked by brilliant PR, to Elon Musk's increasingly erra...
2025-04-1758 minToxic Cooking ShowYES! You Can Be Too NiceSend us a textEmpathy seems like a universally positive trait - until it's weaponized against you. In this eye-opening exploration of emotional boundaries, hosts Lindsay McClain and Christopher Patchet, LCSW unpack the surprising dangers of being "too nice" in a world that's quick to exploit kindness.Drawing from psychological research and personal experience, they distinguish between empathy (actually feeling others' emotions) and sympathy (feeling compassion without absorbing emotions), revealing how these traits evolved to strengthen human communities. The benefits are undeniable - studies show sympathetic physicians make more accurate diagnoses, while empathetic leaders build...
2025-03-2641 minToxic Cooking ShowCult Dynamics: Breaking Down the Dangerous IngredientsSend us a textA seemingly innocent church invitation from a workplace crush led Christopher into the unsettling world of cult recruitment—complete with love bombing, isolation tactics, and a baptism offer on day two. This jarring personal story opens our deep exploration into the psychology of cults and why they're far more prevalent in society than most realize.Cults aren't just remote compounds with strange religious practices. They're organizations built around absolute authoritarian leadership, financial exploitation, and systematic isolation that can manifest in religious groups, political factions, and even wellness communities. What makes cults tr...
2025-03-1855 minToxic Cooking ShowGhosting, Ghosting, Gone!Send us a textIn a world where digital connections often come with emotional detachment, ghosting has become a prevalent topic. Lindsay McClain and Christopher Patchet, LCSW dive deep into the reasons behind ghosting, exploring personal anecdotes that range from humorous to heart-wrenching. With statistics revealing that a staggering percentage of young adults have experienced ghosting, the conversation expands beyond just dating into friendships and professional relationships.Listeners will find insights into the psychological implications of being ghosted, alongside discussions about empathy and emotional communication. The hosts examine whether society's increasing reliance on technology is...
2025-03-0446 minToxic Cooking ShowLife CoachesSend us a textIs life coaching a scam, or does it really hold the key to personal transformation? Join us on the Toxic Cooking Show as we unravel this intricate tapestry of guidance, dissecting the realms of life coaching and therapy with precision and humor. We promise an enlightening exploration into when you might benefit from the pep talks of an energetic life coach and when the profound expertise of a licensed therapist is essential. Along the way, we’ll arm you with the knowledge to make informed choices about the support you need, ensuring you ne...
2025-02-1250 minToxic Cooking ShowThe Fabulous Fabrications of FitfluencersSend us a textEver wondered if your favorite fitness influencer is more interested in your wallet than your well-being? Join us as we humorously dissect the world of "fitfluencers" with your hosts, Lindsay McClain and Christopher Patchet, LCSW. Our mission? To help you sift through the glossy promises and algorithm-driven content that bombard our screens. We're taking a historical stroll to uncover how fitness went from being a natural part of life to the marketing behemoth it is today. Spoiler alert: It's not all kale smoothies and yoga selfies!Our exploration kicks off with...
2025-01-2849 minToxic Cooking ShowThe Dangers of DIY Mental Health Diagnoses in the Digital AgeSend us a textDiscover the surprising truth behind commonly misused mental health terms and unlock a new level of understanding. On this episode of the Toxic Cookie Show, we unravel the confusion surrounding words like "trauma," "OCD," and "PTSD" that have slipped into everyday chatter. These terms carry weighty clinical definitions from the DSM-5, often overshadowed by casual usage. We shed light on why calling a breakup "trauma" could be more harmful than helpful, and how genuine experiences of trauma are far from the ordinary challenges we face.Join us as we dig into...
2025-01-2145 minToxic Cooking ShowWhat's The Deal With Therapy Speak?Send us a textEver wonder why words like "trauma" and "triggering" seem to pop up everywhere online, often in ways that don't quite make sense? On the Toxic Cooking Show, we unravel the digital misuse of therapeutic language Lindsay McClain and co-host Christopher Patchet, LCSW. Together, promise to clarify these buzzwords, exploring how their meanings have shifted from professional therapy settings to casual internet chatter, a phenomenon we call "context creep." By the end of our chat, you'll have a much clearer understanding of these terms and their rightful place in mental health conversations.J...
2025-01-1455 minToxic Cooking ShowLiving the Perfect Life on Instagram. Or so it SeemsSend us a textWhat if the perfect lives you see on Instagram are just a facade? On this eye-opening episode of the Toxic Cooking Show, we promise to help you uncover the truth behind social media's glamour and the unrealistic standards it sets. Join us, Christopher Patchet LCSW and Lindsay McClane, as we dissect how social media, particularly platforms like Instagram and Facebook, can warp our sense of reality. Together, we'll explore the psychological effects of constantly comparing ourselves to curated online personas and the isolation that can follow.Our conversation takes a sobering...
2025-01-0755 minToxic Cooking ShowBehind the Lens: The Realities of Child InfluencersSend us a textCan sharing your child's life online do more harm than good? In this thought-provoking episode, we tackle the world of momfluencers and child influencers, diving into the concept of "sharenting" and its ripple effects on children's lives. Sharing family moments on social media may seem harmless, but we explore real-life cases where it has led to bullying and embarrassment. Our conversation tracks the shift from early social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube to the newer realms of Instagram and TikTok, shedding light on the growing phenomenon of parental oversharing and the urgent...
2024-12-3152 minToxic Cooking ShowGRWM to Go to Jail: When Family Vlogger Lose ControlSend us a textHow far would you go for online fame? In our latest episode of the Toxic Cooking Show, Lindsay McClain and Christopher Patchet, LCSW, LICSW, expose the shocking ethical breaches of momfluencers and family vloggers. Tune in as we dissect the unsettling practices of these online personalities who prioritize content creation over their children’s well-being. From the harrowing tales of the DaddyOFive YouTube channel, where prank videos crossed the line into abuse, to the disturbing cases of Ruby Frankie and Michelle Hobson, we unveil the dark facets of their pursuit for internet stardom.
2024-12-1749 min