Grab a seat and order.
Come with your partner, a few friends, or on your own. Order dinner or a drink from the restaurant’s menu — that’s our tradition, and it keeps our hosts happy.
Shrink ’n’ Drink
A perfect mix of talk show, classroom lecture, and dinner-table chatter with put-into-practice-right-away answers. At a local Milwaukee restaurant.
As featured in
- Milwaukee Magazine
- OnMilwaukee
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
- WUWM 89.7 NPR
- Shepherd Express
here’s the night
What happens at a Shrink ’n’ Drink
Write down a question, if you have one.
You’ll get a card to write your question on. No names, ever. Nobody knows who asked what.
Dr. Helmrich answers them, live.
She pulls the cards and answers each question in front of the room, mixing the latest scientific psychology with a lot of humor. Think talk show meets classroom meets dinner-table conversation.
Leave with something you can use.
Every answer comes with something practical to try right away. Most people find that someone else’s question is exactly the one they needed answered.
People ask about everything: marriage and dating, kids and parenting, bosses and co-workers, anxiety and habits, and plenty of “why do people do that?” curiosity questions. You don’t have to ask anything. Plenty of people just come for the conversation and the laughs.
Most people don’t need a psychologist, just more scientific psychology.
Dr. Helmrich
1 in 4adults go to college
1 in 10adults need psychotherapy on any given day
2%of those will actually go
These numbers are from 2008 and have changed since then. What hasn’t changed: Shrink ’n’ Drink is just as popular now as it was back then.
pull up a chair
Welcome to Shrink ’n’ Drink
Instead of expecting people to come to us, why not bring scientific psychology to people where they already are.
Dr. HelmrichShrink ‘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.
since 2008
Since April 2008, Shrink ’n’ Drink has gone wherever people gather: a neighborhood coffee shop, restaurants from Wauwatosa to Waukesha, Zoom during the pandemic, and now Huế Asian Kitchen in Bay View. Along the way, Milwaukee Magazine named Dr. Helmrich one of the 20 Most Creative Milwaukeeans, and Shrink ’n’ Drink has been featured by OnMilwaukee, the Journal Sentinel, the Shepherd Express, and WUWM. It’s raised money for good causes too, including a 2017 benefit with Packers great Dorsey Levens.
good questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Shrink ‘n’ Drink℠?
It is a mixture of talk show, classroom lecture, and dinner-table 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
Is it 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 5,000 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’s free. Our tradition is to order from the venue that hosts Shrink ’n’ Drink℠. We do ask that you call the venue for reservations so they know how many Shrink ’n’ Drinkers to prepare for. Huế Asian Kitchen: (414) 294-0483.
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 two emails 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!
next Shrink ’n’ Drink
Be first to hear about the next one
Two emails when a date and venue are set. Bring a question, or just come for the conversation.
5,000+ questions asked since April 2008
storyFORMULA
StoryFORMULA
In StoryFORMULA, our signature nine-month program, Dr. Helmrich teaches live online, guiding personal transformation within a fabulous community.
If you're not living the life you'd thought you'd be living by now, you might have to improve one or more of these three areas and “get above the line” with respect to your health, quality relationships, and your career.
Story Formulators use our “MORE Map” framework to sequentially shift their internal narratives and make significant progress in all of those areas. We are going for enduring change because we are not in the business of quick fixes. If that sounds good to you, click below to join us: