The Caffeinated Therapist wants to talk about Taylor Swift
My interview guest this week is The Caffeinated Therapist (aka “B”), a Twin Cities-based trauma therapist who hasn’t met a cup of coffee she didn't like. B's clinical focuses include domestic and sexual violence, as well as developmental and complex trauma.
She is passionate about promoting greater public awareness and education about the many types of trauma and their short and long-term impacts.
With a pre-therapist background as a classically trained pianist who holds a BA in Music, B loves finding ways to use music as a springboard to engage with her clients.
When she's not working, B loves to travel, watch hockey, play and write music, spend time with friends, and talk about Taylor Swift.
I spoke to B, a certified Taylor Swift super fan, about how Swift has influenced her as a therapist. This was such a fun conversation. Enjoy!
Is it true you joined Twitter specifically to follow Taylor Swift?
I did in fact join Twitter specifically for Taylor, all the way back in 2009! I was in college and the platform was still pretty new at that point, but at the time it was one of her primary social media accounts (she tweets much less frequently now) and I didn't want to be left out, particularly with the then-growing trend of connecting with other people all live-tweeting their first listen-through of a new album!
How does Taylor Swift inspire you as a therapist?
Personally, I'm not always the best at articulating my own emotions. I've always found it easier to identify, process, and express my emotions through music, especially Taylor's music since she is such a skilled songwriter in describing just about any feeling you can think of.
So that inspires me as a therapist to "think outside the box" when it comes to talking about emotions. Not everyone can easily identify or articulate what they're feeling when I ask, but maybe we can get there if we start by talking about what music is resonating with them right now.
How does Taylor Swift inspire your clients?
Taylor made a name for herself by emphasizing her diary-style songwriting, particularly early on in her career. She has unashamedly been sharing her feelings and experiences via her music for over a decade now, really demonstrating an exceptional willingness to be vulnerable and honest in a very public way, and I think there is power in modeling that.
I think it can inspire and empower people to say, "My feelings, my experiences, my words, my story...they are valid and they matter, and they deserve to be seen and heard in whatever context I choose to share.”
What's the Taylor Trauma Therapy Model?
The Taylor Trauma Therapy Model is my joking-but-not-actually-joking dream for creating my own therapy method centered around Taylor's music. That may sound silly, but I'm telling you I've got a lot of it mapped out.
I want to use her music to practice emotional identification with clients. I want to use specific songs to illustrate the different attachment styles and specific relational dynamics. I want to use the many different "old Taylors" from previous eras in the “Look What You Made Me Do” music video to talk about our different internal parts/selves. I want to use her style of vulnerable honesty to inspire people to tell their story and reclaim power over their narrative. And so on.
I do genuinely think I could flesh this out into something legitimate, albeit nontraditional, that could help people. And, not for nothing, but this is why my Twitter bio gives the disclaimer: "Probably talking about trauma or Taylor Swift."
What would you say to Taylor Swift if she was reading this?
Oh my gosh, this is such a high pressure question! I'm sure this is by no means poignant or original but I guess I'd just say, “Taylor, I've been a fan of yours since your first album came out and, being the same age as you, have quite literally grown up with you and your music. Both you and your music have had an incalculable impact on my life and I cannot thank you enough for that. P.S. can we please be friends?”
Anything else you want to add?
Fellow therapists, I cannot overstate this: Do not underestimate the power of music as a way to connect with and understand your clients.
Fellow Swifties, I say this with both love and the wisdom of experience: If you strongly and deeply relate to "This is Me Trying," please consider going to therapy. Trust me on that one.