**We're putting an extra episode out this week, due to needing to take next week off, while Dr. Ray travels for work. We'll be back a week from Monday!**

In this recap episode of The Traitors, Dr.s Kay & Ray are summarizing and discussing the 5th episode of season 3!

Dr.s Kay & Ray continue using the new psychology-focused segments for gaming show while recapping The Traitors season 3. For example, what psychological concept would make a given game tactic or strategy more SUCCESSFUL? Which player is playing a strategically/politically SMART OR SLOPPY game? For example, one player has become the resident sloppy player…

Listeners are invited to visit the Patreon for free at patreon.com/RealityTest & check out some of the benefits of a free membership & the paid tiers! For example, all members (including free members) get longer trailers for the tier III videos and polls, first tier (“Community Members”; $5/mo.) gets access to the full podcast, including the archive of the first 30 episodes (currently $15 for a one-time purchase); second tier (“Friends”; $10/mo.) get video versions of the podcast episodes (see what the hosts look like!); and third tier (“Family Friends”; $20/mo.) gets access to our behind-the-scenes videos, Mental Health Check-Ups (audio episodes with deeper exploration of various relevant psychological concepts), Mental Health InfoVids (videos with excerpts from reality tv shows matched with mental health or relational lessons & recommendations), Dr. Kay’s Rants (video of one of Dr. Kay’s rant by video episodes), & VIP access to our live Q&A sessions! If you want to remain a free member, you’ll get alerted when new content is dropped, which will include free content, like polls and lengthy infovid trailers, etc.

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Reality testing is when we check an emotion or thought we’re having against objective reality.

So, here in Reality Test, we’re going to be testing the thoughts, emotions, interactions, and producer antics of reality television against what we know, as licensed psychologists, about objective reality.

Come Reality Test with us!

Support the show

Get access to our full archive of episodes at patreon.com/RealityTest

Hosts: Dr. Kay & Dr. Ray
Thank you to our sound extraordinaire, Connor!

Patreon: patreon.com/RealityTest
Instagram: @drkaypods @drraypods
TikTok: @dr.realitv
Facebook Page: Reality Test Pod
YouTube Channel: @RealityTestPod
Email: realitycheckpodding@gmail.com

In this special recap episode, Dr.s Kay & Ray recap the finale of Real Housewives of New York–the episode heard round the world! Brynn & Ubah’s reactions both make complete sense, while the bystander reactions (including those of the other women on the show &, now, the public) make much less sense. What can we learn from applying a trauma-sensitive lens to the events of that night?

Dr. Kay’s MHCU from earlier in the week takes a deeper look at what applying a trauma-focused lens tells us about Brynn–the sad truths & the hard truths–as well as what could’ve been handled differently and what we can learn, at large, from how audiences have reacted to the finale. Check it out!

The Traitors recap episode will still be coming out later this week!

Listeners are invited to visit the Patreon for free at patreon.com/RealityTest & check out some of the benefits of a free membership & the paid tiers! For example, all members (including free members) get longer trailers for the tier III videos and polls, first tier (“Community Members”; $5/mo.) gets access to the full podcast, including the archive of the first 30 episodes (currently $15 for a one-time purchase); second tier (“Friends”; $10/mo.) get video versions of the podcast episodes (see what the hosts look like!); and third tier (“Family Friends”; $20/mo.) gets access to our behind-the-scenes videos, Mental Health Check-Ups (audio episodes with deeper exploration of various relevant psychological concepts), Mental Health InfoVids (videos with excerpts from reality tv shows matched with mental health or relational lessons & recommendations), Dr. Kay’s Rants (video of one of Dr. Kay’s rant by video episodes), & VIP access to our live Q&A sessions! If you want to remain a free member, you’ll get alerted when new content is dropped, which will include free content, like polls and lengthy infovid trailers, etc.

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Reality testing is when we check an emotion or thought we’re having against objective reality.

So, here in Reality Test, we’re going to be testing the thoughts, emotions, interactions, and producer antics of reality television against what we know, as licensed psychologists, about objective reality.

Come Reality Test with us!

Support the show

Get access to our full archive of episodes at patreon.com/RealityTest

Hosts: Dr. Kay & Dr. Ray
Thank you to our sound extraordinaire, Connor!

Patreon: patreon.com/RealityTest
Instagram: @drkaypods @drraypods
TikTok: @dr.realitv
Facebook Page: Reality Test Pod
YouTube Channel: @RealityTestPod
Email: realitycheckpodding@gmail.com

In this emergency podcast, Dr. Kay shares her unpopular position that we should all be rejecting any making or taking of sides between Ubah & Brynn, and rather look at what happened with a trauma-focused lens, which changes how we understand the events. We can understand the contexts of both Ubah & Brynn, while still holding Brynn, as well as the bystanders, accountable for what they could have improved in such a high-activation scenario. Mental Health Check-Ups are typically only available for our Patreon members, but given the importance of these topics, this episode is currently available to all listeners!

Love yourselves & one another--it takes all of us working together to subvert the societal oppression we face every day <3333

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Interested in learning more about what Dr. Kay referred to in this episode as humankind's "fallible memory"? Dr. Kay wrote a brief review of some relevant cognitive science in 2019, which is available for free on our Patreon; it includes many more references, as well as brief explanations of the most relevant studies on memory.

CONTENT WARNING
This episode includes themes of sexual violence.

If you have survived sexual violence and want to speak to someone about it, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline @ 1-800-656-4673. You can also go to the their website, https://rainn.org/, to use their chat feature.

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MENTAL HEALTH CHECK-UP REFERENCES
Devitt, A. L., & Schacter, D. L. (2018). An optimistic outlook creates a rosy past: The impact of episodic simulation on subsequent memory. Psychological Science, 29(6), 936–946. doi:10.1177/0956797617753936 ISSN: 0956-7976

Fisher, J. (2014, June). Putting the pieces together: 25 years of learning trauma treatment. Psychotherapy Networker. https://www.psychotherapynetworker.org/magazine/article/108/putting-the-pieces-together.

Schacter, D. L. (1996). Searching for memory: The brain, the mind, and the past. New York: Basic Books. ISBN: 0465075525

St. Jacques, P. L., Carpenter, A. C., Szpunar, K. K., & Schacter, D. L. (2018). Remembering and imagining alternative versions of the personal past. Neuropsychologia, 110, 170–179. ISSN: 0028-3932

Support the show

Get access to our full archive of episodes at patreon.com/RealityTest

Hosts: Dr. Kay & Dr. Ray
Thank you to our sound extraordinaire, Connor!

Patreon: patreon.com/RealityTest
Instagram: @drkaypods @drraypods
TikTok: @dr.realitv
Facebook Page: Reality Test Pod
YouTube Channel: @RealityTestPod
Email: realitycheckpodding@gmail.com

For the first recap episode of 2025, Dr.s Kay & Ray are summarizing and discussing The Traitors, season 3, episodes 3-4!

Dr.s Kay & Ray continue using the NEW psychology-focused segments for gaming show while recapping The Traitors season 3. For example, what psychological concept would make a given game tactic or strategy more SUCCESSFUL? Which player is playing a strategically/politically SMART OR SLOPPY game? Dr.s Kay & Ray discuss themes ranging from the traumatizing nature of being closed in a coffin, to the implicit racism that can be behind “eloquent” compliments!

Listeners are invited to visit the Patreon for free at patreon.com/RealityTest & check out some of the benefits of a free membership & the paid tiers! For example, all members (including free members) get longer trailers for the tier III videos and polls, first tier (“Community Members”; $5/mo.) gets access to the full podcast, including the archive of the first 30 episodes (currently $15 for a one-time purchase); second tier (“Friends”; $10/mo.) get video versions of the podcast episodes (see what the hosts look like!); and third tier (“Family Friends”; $20/mo.) gets access to our behind-the-scenes videos, Mental Health Check-Ups (audio episodes with deeper exploration of various relevant psychological concepts), Mental Health InfoVids (videos with excerpts from reality tv shows matched with mental health or relational lessons & recommendations), Dr. Kay’s Rants (video of one of Dr. Kay’s rant by video episodes), & VIP access to our live Q&A sessions! If you want to remain a free member, you’ll get alerted when new content is dropped, which will include free content, like polls and lengthy infovid trailers, etc.

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Reality testing is when we check an emotion or thought we’re having against objective reality.

So, here in Reality Test, we’re going to be testing the thoughts, emotions, interactions, and producer antics of reality television against what we know, as licensed psychologists, about objective reality.

Come Reality Test with us!

Support the show

Get access to our full archive of episodes at patreon.com/RealityTest

Hosts: Dr. Kay & Dr. Ray
Thank you to our sound extraordinaire, Connor!

Patreon: patreon.com/RealityTest
Instagram: @drkaypods @drraypods
TikTok: @dr.realitv
Facebook Page: Reality Test Pod
YouTube Channel: @RealityTestPod
Email: realitycheckpodding@gmail.com

For the first recap episode of 2025, Dr.s Kay & Ray are summarizing and discussing The Traitors, season 3, episodes 1-2! For their check-in, Dr. Ray talks reno & Dr. Kay talks about our brand new Patreon.

Dr.s Kay & Ray developed BRAND NEW psychology-focused segments while recapping gaming shows, trying them out for the first time with The Traitors. For example, what psychological concept would make a given game tactic or strategy more SUCCESSFUL? Which player is playing a strategically/politically SMART OR SLOPPY game? Danielle Reyes, Bob the Drag Queen, Carolyn, Boston Rob, & Derrick were discussed at length. Dr.s Kay & Ray will finish recapping the first trio of episodes next week, along with the new episode!

Listeners are invited to visit the Patreon for free at patreon.com/RealityTest & check out some of the benefits of a free membership & the paid tiers! For example, first tier (“Community Members”; $5/mo.) gets access to the full podcast, including the archive of the first 30 episodes (currently $20 for a one-time purchase); second tier (“Friends”; $10/mo.) get video versions of the podcast episodes (see what the hosts look like!); and third tier (“Family Friends”; $20/mo.) gets access to our behind-the-scenes videos, Mental Health Check-Ups (audio episodes with deeper exploration of various relevant psychological concepts), InfoVids (videos with excerpts from reality tv shows matched with mental health or relational lessons & recommendations), & VIP access to our live Q&A sessions! If you want to remain a free member, you’ll get alerted when new content is dropped, which will include free content, like polls and lengthy infovid trailers, etc.

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Reality testing is when we check an emotion or thought we’re having against objective reality.

So, here in Reality Test, we’re going to be testing the thoughts, emotions, interactions, and producer antics of reality television against what we know, as licensed psychologists, about objective reality.

Come Reality Test with us!

Support the show

Get access to our full archive of episodes at patreon.com/RealityTest

Hosts: Dr. Kay & Dr. Ray
Thank you to our sound extraordinaire, Connor!

Patreon: patreon.com/RealityTest
Instagram: @drkaypods @drraypods
TikTok: @dr.realitv
Facebook Page: Reality Test Pod
YouTube Channel: @RealityTestPod
Email: realitycheckpodding@gmail.com

THROWBACK to episode 69 since it was lost in the shuffle of our locked episodes!

Dr.s Kay & Ray begin by checking in and discussing recent news in the world of reality television, before they recap episode 1 of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ (RHOBH) season 14.

Dr.s Kay & Ray explore their 6 psychology-focused segments while recapping RHOBH, with a focus on what they’d work on in therapy with these castmates (including internalized biphobia), what they’d want viewers to know more about (including the denial stage of grief about divorce), and things they’ve mentioned previously (such as distaste for PK and his ageist, sexist treatment of Dorit).

Something exciting this way comes!

Dr.s Kay & Ray make an announcement that something new is coming shortly to the Reality Test world! More to follow; so, stay tuned!

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Reality testing is when we check an emotion or thought we’re having against objective reality.

So, here in Reality Test, we’re going to be testing the thoughts, emotions, interactions, and producer antics of reality television against what we know, as licensed psychologists, about objective reality.

Come Reality Test with us!

Support the show

Get access to our full archive of episodes at patreon.com/RealityTest

Hosts: Dr. Kay & Dr. Ray
Thank you to our sound extraordinaire, Connor!

Patreon: patreon.com/RealityTest
Instagram: @drkaypods @drraypods
TikTok: @dr.realitv
Facebook Page: Reality Test Pod
YouTube Channel: @RealityTestPod
Email: realitycheckpodding@gmail.com

Aaaand we’re baaaaack!!

To recognize the end of a year of realiTV--Dr.s Kay & Ray bring their award show to the ANNUAL level–doling out the annual version of many of their bi-weekly awards, combined with new awards that relate to the whole year!

The Annual Awards include,“best/worst representation of therapy”; “housewife of the year”; “which houseguest understood the assignment (of being a houseguest) the best”; and “prediction we’re most proud of”. And the awards went to moments & castmates from a LONG list of reality television shows, including Traitors, Bachelor franchise shows, Bravo shows (e.g., Housewives franchises, Summer House, etc.), and Netflix Reality Universe shows (e.g., Perfect Match, Ultimatum, Love is Blind, etc.).

To whom & what moments would you give these annual awards for 2024??

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Reality testing is when we check an emotion or thought we’re having against objective reality.

So, here in Reality Test, we’re going to be testing the thoughts, emotions, interactions, and producer antics of reality television against what we know, as licensed psychologists, about objective reality.

Come Reality Test with us!

Support the show

Get access to our full archive of episodes at patreon.com/RealityTest

Hosts: Dr. Kay & Dr. Ray
Thank you to our sound extraordinaire, Connor!

Patreon: patreon.com/RealityTest
Instagram: @drkaypods @drraypods
TikTok: @dr.realitv
Facebook Page: Reality Test Pod
YouTube Channel: @RealityTestPod
Email: realitycheckpodding@gmail.com

For the last episode until after the holidays, Dr.s Kay & Ray begin by checking in and discussing recent news in the world of reality television, before they recap episodes 2-4 of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ (RHOBH) season 14.

Dr.s Kay & Ray explore their 6 psychology-focused segments while recapping RHOBH, with a focus on Erika’s growth, grieving ends of relationships, and PK & Dorit’s relationship (good grief!).


Something exciting this way comes!

Dr.s Kay & Ray will share more after the holiday break; so, stay tuned!

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Reality testing is when we check an emotion or thought we’re having against objective reality.

So, here on Reality Test, we’re going to be testing the thoughts, emotions, interactions, and producer antics of reality television against what we know, as licensed psychologists, about objective reality.

Come Reality Test with us!

Support the show

Get access to our full archive of episodes at patreon.com/RealityTest

Hosts: Dr. Kay & Dr. Ray
Thank you to our sound extraordinaire, Connor!

Patreon: patreon.com/RealityTest
Instagram: @drkaypods @drraypods
TikTok: @dr.realitv
Facebook Page: Reality Test Pod
YouTube Channel: @RealityTestPod
Email: realitycheckpodding@gmail.com