09/10/2026
When I first started working in foster care, it wrecked me. So much uncertainty and grief. So many needs going unmet. Things seemed pretty hopeless, and I never felt like I was doing enough.
It usually took a good two hours of crafting and sitcom reruns before my brain and heart could settle each night. One of the shows I had on repeat at the time was Friends.
>> Brain Goggles On
Our brains love stories. It’s part of why love songs, movies, books, and even reality TV shows exist. Stories help us learn and build empathy. They also help us understand ourselves more fully.
In fact, your brain is constantly creating an internal story about yourself, based on both present and past experiences.
But even at the best of times, our brains aren’t very objective with their storytelling. Friends episodes are named in a more objective way:
- The One After the Super Bowl
- The One Where No One Is Ready
When our Protection Mode gets loud, it can be a very convincing storyteller.
A mistake becomes, “I can’t do anything right.”
A hard season becomes, “Nothing ever changes.”
One frustrating moment can suddenly become, “Everything is hopeless.”
Sometimes we need our Upstairs Brains to help tell a truer story.
A therapist friend of mine, fox and fern therapy, shared the idea of using the Friends episode naming technique to wake up the Upstairs Brains.
Here's the full article -
When I first started working in foster care, it wrecked me. So much uncertainty and grief. So many needs going unmet. Things seemed pretty hopeless, and I never felt like I was doing enough. It usually took a good two hours of crafting and sitcom reruns before my brain and heart could settle each ni...
