Sarah Bryski-Hamrick - Therapy is Political: Pursuing Camaraderie Over Capitalism
“We're participating in a community together; the healer is one part of that community that is integral, but it is only a part." - Sarah Bryski-Hamrick
Can we call this episode “A Simpatico Of Sarahs”? I like alliteration and it’s my website so try and stop me (don’t you dare try to stop me, Smee). My co-host Sarah has found a like-minded Sarah in her guest Sarah Bryski-Hamrick. She is a liberation-focused, anti-exploitation-oriented therapist and business coach who believes therapy IS political. Fortunately, I agree! She also believes that caring for our personal and professional selves is crucial, especially if we hope to break free from internalized capitalism. We’re talking power to ALL people!
That sounds great, but the painful work of deconstruction comes first. Building strong anti-capitalist communities begins with knowing what you’re up against. “Capitalism,” says Sarah, “is a political and economic system that works based off profit, not off of what the people actually need.” We’ll say it louder for the people at the front. Capitalism is a consumption-based aspirational structure that isn’t really serving most of us. These two Sarahs talk about whatever we build next needs to discard the racism, classism, colonialism, and individualism that have separated humankind from its true compassionate and communal nature for nearly half a millennium.
Sarah says the second step on the journey towards anti-capitalism is a messy but glorious mourning period. Sarah is deeply empathetic to anyone starting down the path. “I think many liberals have this painful grieving process when we realize, ‘This feeling of sh*ttiness isn’t me; it’s systemic. It’s not the choices I’ve made.’” That existential angst and desire to hide/cry/scream/fall apart? That’s not just you, that’s a very important and real reaction to a messed up system, and mourning that is key to fighting it.
In all that existential dread, it can start to feel hopeless, but with folks like Sarah in the world, I see glimmers of joy. She works primarily with a Millenial and Gen Z clientele in private practice, to help them rewrite the inherited narrative of productivity. The inherited narrative of productivity- woooo that hit me hard right in the “I’ll relax right after I finish writing this podcast intro…”
Sarah also supports therapists facing the added pressures of creating worthwhile (and profitable) therapy practices within a system that devalues service-oriented expertise, not to mention the grassroots organizing that aims to upend the whole ‘profit-over-people’ juggernaut. She’s holding space for therapists to “learn how to be small business owners without exploiting the people they treat.”
You can’t see me pumping my fist in solidarity but I’m right in line with these Sarahs!
Mentioned in this Episode
Bowling Alone: The Collapse And Revival Of American Community
2 Free Months of Marco Polo Plus
GUEST CONTACT AND BIO
Sarah Bryski-Hamrick (she/her) is a leftist therapist and coach out of Pennsylvania. She offers services through an anti-capitalist, socialist lens. She has worked with clients around the world, including the US, Australia, Switzerland and Canada.
Let’s be friends! You can find me in the following places…
