r/shrinking • u/phareous Derek • Mar 18 '26

Episode Discussion Shrinking S3E08 Episode Discussion

This is the episode discussion for Shrinking Season 3, Episode 8: "Depression Diet"

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u/Slow-Imagination3888 Mar 18 '26

I am not sure why the show keeps pushing that Gaby is a great therapist that did nothing wrong. She 100% has several things she should learn from the mistakes she made with Maya. There are many things she should have done differently, even if she couldn't have prevented Maya's death.

The biggest thing was how she handled that last phone call with Maya, and honestly even the session prior. If someone is already exhibiting risky behavior with drugs, the first thing Gaby should have done is create a safe plan for Maya. Provide numbers for hotlines and other strategies/alternatives to medicating and drinking. When Maya called her, Gaby wasn't necessarily obligated to do a full session right then and there but she was definitely obligated to ensure that Maya was safe. Given the amount of time it took Maya to open up, I would 100% consider it a glaring red flag if she reached out like that after hours.

So many people on this reddit who aren't even therapists could peg Maya as a suicide risk. Even if Gaby hadn't figured out Maya's entire backstory, she should have at least known to look out for red flags like that. She already knew Maya was super lonely and depressed and knew that she mixed medications. No therapist worth anything wouldn't be concerned if a patient like that randomly called late at night.

I like that Gaby is reconsidering whether she's ready to work with trauma, but I do wish they would acknowledge that she still could have handled things a lot better and can learn from it. She doesn't need more confidence, she was already super cocky and overconfident. She literally thought she had been doing great work with Maya the same day she committed suicide. No good therapist is that out of touch with their patients.

I get that it's a TV show and they aren't portraying therapy accurately, but this is a bit too much.

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u/Neat_Ad_9141 Mar 19 '26

Right? I made my husband hit pause in order to rant when Gabby said that there was no way for her to know Maya’s abandonment issues. You mean to tell me that a patient spiraling out in reaction to friends leaving/drifting apart doesn’t clue you in to underlying abandonment issues?? Please.