On Our Anti-Severance Office: Relational Therapy at Work
Like so many others, I’ve been captivated by the latest season of the Apple TV hit Severance. (Don’t worry—this isn’t another think piece dissecting the finale!) I’ve been loving the show partly because I’m drawn to darker, weirder art, but also because the strange and immersive world the creators have built offers a welcome escape from the harsh political realities of our own.
But what continues to stand out to me is how sharply Severance contrasts with the small, intentional world we’re building at Kindman & Co. | Therapy for Being Human—a workplace that my partner, Kaitlin, our team, and I have been cultivating with care and purpose.
What Is Severance Actually About?
For the uninitiated, Severance is a psychological thriller about employees at a mysterious corporation who undergo a procedure that surgically separates their work and personal memories. It creates two distinct versions of the same person: one who only exists at work, and one who has no memory of that work life. A wild concept, right?
Yet the show offers a chilling critique of late-stage capitalism, where not just labor but the entirety of a person’s consciousness becomes a commodity. It highlights how modern systems demand more than productivity—they require psychological submission, stripping individuals of autonomy, identity, and meaningful agency
The Real-World Echo: "Severed" Workplaces
The employees’ inability to remember or control their work lives echoes the alienation many people feel in exploitative environments, where human beings are reduced to tools in service of profit.
Part of what makes the show so resonant is that many of us have lived our own versions of a “severed” workplace. You know the type: where the almighty P’s—professionalism and productivity—reign supreme. Where you find yourself completing tasks that feel disconnected from any real meaning, mostly to fulfill goals created by people far above you, for the sake of increasing revenue.
It’s the job where you’re expected to always appear busy, sound polished, and stay reachable—no matter the toll.
You end up performing a version of yourself that feels more like a costume than a reflection of who you truly are. Even as I write this, I notice myself feeling drowsy and a little restless—clearly, the memory still lives in my body.
The Cost of Optics Over Authenticity
These kinds of workplaces are still far too common. Even as tech companies attempt to “disrupt” the traditional cubicle with open floor plans, kombucha on tap, and ping pong tables, little has changed in terms of how people are treated.
Employees remain “human resources”—a term that, like other natural resources, implies something to be extracted and used until depleted. Emotions are seen as distractions. Lived experiences are deemed irrelevant. Authenticity takes a backseat to synergy, scalability, and, above all, productivity.
So even as companies preach work-life balance and tout diversity in service of branding and profits, the subtext remains clear: leave your “outie” at home when you come to work.
What Happens When We Work Relationally?
Everything shifts for me when I think about my current work environment. I feel more engaged, more grounded. Certainly, part of that comes from the privileges I hold as a co-founder and leader. But it’s also about the deeper intention behind the culture we’re creating.
When Kaitlin Kindman and I launchedKindman & Co., our mission was to prioritize the felt experience of everyone involved in the therapeutic process—clients and clinicians alike.
Challenging the Capitalist Defaults of Mental Health Work
The mental health field, like many others, hasn’t been immune to the values of capitalism. The medical model often locates the problems of society within individuals, labeling them as “disorders” when they struggle to meet the demands of productivity.
Therapists, in turn, are expected to work long hours under insurance systems that severely undervalue their labor. Burnout becomes the norm—especially for pre-licensed clinicians, who are frequently expected to work for free or earn unlivable wages despite the emotional intensity of their work.
Bringing Relational Therapy into the Workplace
At Kindman & Co., we’ve tried to bring the core values of relational psychotherapy into our workplace itself. Relational therapy centers on the authentic, vulnerable, and mutual relationship between therapist and client. It invites both people to show up fully—messy, human, and whole.
In fact, the therapist’s unsevered, human self isn’t just permitted in the room—it’s essential. Real healing happens in real connection.
Of course, being real comes with risk. Vulnerability can lead to conflict, which many of us are taught to fear. But we believe that it’s through rupture and repair that we form the bonds and richness of genuine human relationship.
Our therapists come to Kindman & Co. because they want to work in an unsevered space. They seek a culture where authenticity, vulnerability, community, and connection aren’t just buzzwords—they’re practiced daily.
They understand that in order to be truly relational with their clients, they must also be relational with one another.
Letting the “Innie” and “Outie” Coexist
We strive to create a workplace where “innies” and “outies” aren’t separated, but integrated into whole, complex, beautiful human beings.
Well—mostly integrated.
There is one exception in our office: Weezie the dog.
As one of our most tenured team members, she’s also our most beloved therapist—even without a master’s degree. If you’ve been to our office, you’ve likely seen her gently greeting clients in the waiting room, walking them to session, or napping sweetly while they engage in deep emotional work.
And if you’ve ever said, “Wow, she’s so well-behaved!”—I have a confession. You’ve only met her “innie.”
Because at home? Her “outie” is a total menace. As soon as we walk through the front door, she turns into a food-obsessed guard dog who barks at anyone within twenty feet of the house.
So yes—we’re choosing to keep Weezie “severed” for now.
Our Anti-Severance Culture: A Place to Be Whole
When I reflect on the culture we’re nurturing at Kindman & Co., I’m proud to say it looks more and more like the opposite of Severance.
Our mission has always been about culture change. As we say on the front page of our website:
“To help create thriving communities by nourishing intimate relationships, healing trauma, & bringing about positive social change.”
And what we’ve found is this: Relational therapy doesn’t just improve the therapeutic relationship. It leads to more relational lives—both inside and outside the office.
And here at Kindman & Co., that means a workplace where we don’t have to leave parts of ourselves at the door. A workplace that welcomes the whole human being.
Even if your inner guard dog barks sometimes.
Paul Kindman, LMFT is an immigrant, refugee and acculturated American. He loves working with couples, partners and multicultural relationships who are navigating unique challenges of honoring many belief systems and traditions within relationships and families.
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THERAPY SERVICES AT KINDMAN & CO.
We are here for your diverse counseling needs. Our team of therapists provides lgbtqia+ affirmative therapy, couples therapy & premarital counseling, grief & loss counseling, group therapy, and more. We have specialists in trauma, women's issues, depression & anxiety, substance use, mindfulness & embodiment, and support for creatives. For therapists and practice owners, we also provide consultation and supervision services! We look forward to welcoming you for therapy in Highland Park and online.