Let's Unpack That #16: Unpacking Headlines of 2026 (Pt. 1)

Send us Fan Mail Dolly Parton’s death hit a lot of us harder than we expected and that reaction is not “dramatic,” it’s human. We start by naming what counselors often see beneath celebrity loss: parasocial relationships, memory, identity, and the way grief can quietly turn into mortality anxiety. When clients bring these moments into the therapy room, they are often grieving more than a person, they are grieving a time in life, a sense of safety, or a symbol of hope. Then we move to a headline that raises far sharper edges: the Lindsay Clancy trial and the public conversation around postpartum mental health. We stay firmly in the counseling lane, no armchair diagnosis, no speculation, and no verdict predictions. Instead, we unpack what postpartum psychosis is, why postpartum mental illness does not mean postpartum violence, and why people crave a single explanation when the truth is complex. We also talk about “functioning” as a misleading yardstick and what it feels like when clinical documentation becomes courtroom material. From there, we zoom out to true crime culture and the psychology of consuming other people’s worst moments. We explore motives like defensive vigilance and puzzle-solving, plus the red flags that tell you it is starting to affect sleep, anxiety, or daily life. Finally, we tackle the $18 billion Meta settlement and what it suggests about social media addiction, persuasive design, and teen mental health, with media literacy as a practical tool for clients and clinicians alike. If you found this helpful, subscribe, share it with a colleague, and leave a review so more people can join the conversation. Subscribe to Ohio Counseling Conversations, leave a five-star review, and share this with a friend. OCA Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/ohiocounseling Created by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee ·Hosted by Marisa Cargill and Michael Desposito ·Pre-Production & Coordination by Marisa Cargill and Michael Desposito ·Editing by Marisa Cargill ·Original music selections by Elijah Satoru Wood