Shrink 'N Drink

A perfect mix of talk show, classroom lecture, and bar chatter with put-into-practice-right-away answers.

At a local Milwaukee-area venue.

"Most people don't need a psychologist,
just more scientific psychology."

DR. JULIE HELMRICH

Welcome to Shrink 'N Drink

Shrink ‘n’ Drink℠ is a concept. The idea is this: the typical person does NOT need a psychologist but could use a little more scientific psychology.

Where does the typical person find scientific psychology?

Well, they could find it at the university, but that doesn’t help the typical person because only 1 in 4 adults go to college. Assuming that everyone who goes to college somehow gets super sophisticated with application of scientific psychology to their own life (and that’s a HUGE assumption), 3 out of 4 still do not have easy access to scientific psychology.

OK, then, how about if they go to a psychologist’s office?

Not a bad idea, but it’s not going to happen. Why? On any given day in America about 1 in 10 adults are in need of psychotherapy, for anxiety, depression, addiction, complicated crises, etc.

Even so, of that 10% who really do need a psychologist, only 2% will go. So, really, scientific psychology being delivered by professional psychologists in their offices, even on a good day, is cool, BUT it is reaching VERY few people.

Besides, the scientific psychology that would help the typical person does not need to be and SHOULD NOT be seen as psychotherapy. Instead, it’s more like psychological education. I usually say it this way: since your psyche is going to be such a big part of your life, it might be smart to learn how to run it!

So, since going to the university isn’t going to happen for most, and going to a psychologist’s office is going to happen even less, my idea is a simple one:

Instead of expecting people to come to us, why not bring scientific psychology to people where they already are.

And WHERE are people these days?

In restaurants/bars with their friends.

And that is where you will find Shrink ‘n’ Drink℠ too.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Shrink ‘n’ Drink℠?

It is a mixture of talk show, classroom lecture, and bar chatter. Dr. Julie Helmrich serves up humor with her answers to questions submitted anonymously by anyone present.

What kinds of questions do people ask?

Any kind! Most are about relationships with spouses, children, co-workers, bosses, neighbors, siblings. We have noticed 6 broad categories over the years:

Marriage, dating

Children and parenting

Personal development (goals, growth,
changing habits) and personal issues
(anxiety, depression, addiction)

Workplace issues

How-to questions

Curiosity questions (why do people _____?)

And random, off-the-wall stuff

It is really serious?

There's a lot of laughter. There is serious science behind Dr. Helmrich’s answers, but she delivers the answers and advice in a way that is fun, informative, and engaging. That is intentional. Shrink ‘n’ Drink is meant to be useful to participants, to be sure, but it is also very much meant to support a fun night out for couples and for friends.

Do I HAVE to ask a question?
Not at all. Plenty of people come without any particular question. Sometimes they ask one that occurs to them while they are there. Plenty of people ask multiple questions. We are more likely to run out of time than out of questions!

How long have you been doing Shrink ‘n’ Drink℠?
We started April 2008.

Are you planning to keep doing it?
Yes. Starting in year two, when we realized it wasn’t a passing fad, we started keeping close track of the numbers. Over 4,500 questions have been asked, by almost 3,000 Shrink ‘n’ Drinkers. So we’ll keep going as long as people keep coming.

What is the cost? Do I need a ticket?
It is free, but you are expected to order menu items at the venue that hosts Shrink ‘n’ Drink℠. Also, we do ask that you call the venue for reservations so they know how many Shrink ‘n’ Drinkers to prepare for.

How do I keep informed about upcoming Shrink ‘n’ Drink events?
Click the button below, enter your email and we’ll send you information. Don't worry...we’re not going to flood your inbox with stuff. You’ll get one email for each Shrink ‘n’ Drink℠ event. There aren’t that many so you won’t be hearing from us that often! Come join the fun!

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