The most-recent season of Teen Mom Family Reunion featured plenty of fights, but it also featured a lot of moments of healing, with the cast members sitting down with the show’s life coach, Dr. Cheyenne Bryant, to go over the problems they’re having with their partners, mothers and even their kids.
During Season 2, Amber Portwood‘s daughter Leah (whom she shares with Gary Shirley) made an appearance, and the therapy sessions of Maci Bookout‘s son Bentley were a topic of discussion. While Maci has insisted that Bentley enjoys being open about his therapy, some fans felt that putting the kids’ sessions on the show is exploitive and inappropriate.
In an exclusive interview with The Ashley, Dr. Bryant (who is known as “Coach B” on the show), talks about fans’ concerns that she and the other adults involved with the show are using the kids’ issues for ratings.
“I think that if it’s not done in a very protective, safe space way, it can [be exploitive] to film on-camera,” Coach B told The Ashley. “As long as the environment is safe… If not, it could be something that could cause damage. It just has to be done right and be done very delicately.”
According to Coach B, there are many steps taken to protect the kids, even though viewers don’t get to see many of those steps on the show.
“I make sure Bentley always has a safe space,” Coach B— who works with Bentley outside of the show— stated. “Bentley and I always pre-brief before we film, and we de-brief after. We have a full session on what filming will be like, what he’s comfortable speaking about, what is he uncomfortable speaking about.
“We also have a non-verbal cue that he is allowed to give me when he’s in a space where he’s feeling unsafe or uncomfortable or he doesn’t want to go down that route while we’re filming. So I have gone above and behind to make sure Bentley—and whoever I am filming with who’s a minor… is very protected, and that they trust me and that I’m advocating and showing up for them within their comfort zone.”
During the last season of Teen Mom OG and the first season of Teen Mom: The Next Chapter, Bentley’s strained relationship with his father, Ryan Edwards, has been a main topic of discussion for Maci’s segments. These scenes have caused Maci to catch a lot of flak from fans; however, Coach B says that Bentley enjoys going public with his therapy because he wants to help other kids.
“Bentley is such a young man with a big heart that he usually says yes [to filming],” she said. “… But he also is mature enough to know where he needs to be reserved and what he does not want to talk about or what the viewers are not privy to. Maci and I make sure we have this conversation with Bentley and we totally leave it up to Bentley to say if he wants to or not to film.
“Maci checks in with me before Bentley films ever, and Maci and I have a full session just discussing what that looks like. We both—–her first as the mother—- ask Bentley if he’s OK with filming and is comfortable with filming? And if he is, we do. If he’s not, we don’t. There have been times that Bentley has said no and we did not film.”
Coach B says that, even after the ‘Teen Mom’ kid gives her the go-ahead to film, she is constantly checking in with the kid to make sure they’re doing OK.
“I have to make sure I’m very aware of the non-verbal cues. I check in a lot, [asking them], ‘Are you OK? Is this OK with you? Do you feel comfortable talking about this? If not, I’ve got your back. We can stop,'” she said, adding, “That is not for the cameras and that’s why they don’t show that part on the show. That is for Bentley or whatever adolescent is filming on-camera.”
Coach B praised Maci for trying to protect Bentley.
“She’s a very protective mama bear and we talk to Bentley to see if he’s comfortable. [Maci tells him], ‘If you’re not comfortable, let me or let Coach B know so that we can make sure you’re good or we just won’t film.’”
“Maci and I are very much in alignment with that,” Coach B continued. “I love and appreciate that about her. I would do that on my own, but the fact that she has that as a mother and that we’re in perfect alignment to provide that support for Bentley.
“It takes a lot more work, because we have a pre-briefing, de-briefing, and in between I It can be very cathartic if that space I just described is created, and that child is able to look back on where they were, say, last season, and where they are now in their lives. If they can see the growth, they can see that the tools are working, it can be cathartic for them to see that they’re externalizing what they’ve been internalizing with me and family…because they idea is not to suppress because suppression breeds depression.”
33 Responses
Sugarcoat it all you want it still aint right. It is still just good ol’ childexplotation for ratings ..
This is what caught my eye. Spot on .
“idea is not to suppress because suppression breeds depression.”
No. Period.
While I think it is commendable to want to help other kids in similar situations by sharing your story, this sound like is a line that is fed to Bentley to make him “comfortable” about sharing his sessions. He can have just as much impact when he is older and can make the decision for himself without being manipulated into doing it. None of the other parents are allowing their kids to be exposed to this degree. Though, I’m guessing part of it is to protect the moms (ie Amber and Leah) from looking bad.
“She’s a very protective mama bear…”, no Maci isn’t, if she were, she would have gotten her son off that show a long time ago. Nor would she be okay with filming his therapy sessions.
“Coach B” + Ethics = 0
She must have been absent from class that day!
To me, Bentley and the other kids are too young to give that consent. Even if he wanted to say no, he might feel pressured to just say yes so he doesn’t disappoint anyone. I would wager that when he’s older in his mid to late 20s he will look back on what he’s filmed about his therapy and tough topics and think “dang why did my mom allow this to happen?? I was just a kid!” This is all going to be on tape and viewable online FOREVER. I commend Chelsea for leaving the teen mom show because her daughter was getting older and she didn’t want her to have to go through filming as a teen, discussing tough topics, etc. Granted they are on another show now, I haven’t watched it, but the focus of that is different, with the home decor stuff. Teen mom is specifically focused on the drama and craziness around their family life.
Nope. damaging to the kids it’s hard enough they’re on tv and kids see it, throwing in their therapy makes it even easier for kids to give these kids on mtv a harder time. No one is thinking about the harm they are doing to their kids. Just in it for the fast easy cash and thinking it’s going to make their kids happy.
Parents are supposed to protect their children, not exploit them.
Everyone is blaming Coach B but Maci and her husband are the ones allowing Bentley do it in the first place.
Stanley, it helps to get your feelings out, that’s all Maci and Taylor are doing (allowing him to speak freely in any way he sees fit), speaking out is better than holding onto your feelings and acting out.
Maci has said that it’s not good for him to be so comfortable with the disappointment and that he needs to get things off his chest.
I think they’re doing good, they don’t want a Rhine pt 2 on their hands, they’ve both (Maci especially) has been there done that!!
Maci is one of the most overrated moms of this franchise. What we see of her drinking is probably only the tip of the iceberg. Maci and Taylor are the types who don’t even consider alcohol a drug.
Alcohol isnt a drug, yes it can be addicting but people can drink and NOT be alcoholics but they are still AMAZING parents!!
Who are you to talk about “tip of the iceberg”? Just because they consume alcohol does make them druggies.
They take amazing care of their kids and if it wasn’t for Taylor Bentley wouldn’t have a father figure.
How in the heck is she overrated…because she dares to protect her child from the harm he’s receiving from seeing his bio father go through what he really should be getting help for?
Dude, bye Felicia!!
Dear Ashley,
Please can you investigate the credentials of this Coach B? She calls herself a doctor but no one has been able to find any evidence that she holds a PhD. She graduated with her Master’s in 2012 and less than 2 years later, she was referring to herself as a doctor. It is impossible to get a legitimate PhD in 2 years. Her behaviour both on the show and outside of it is very worrying and she’s in a position to cause serious harm to these children.
Love how she is trying to pretend its therapy. But wants them to address her at “Coach B”, because she’s NOT their therapist.
Of course, this woman thinks its okay, she wants a paycheck.
She’s not a good therapist. #SorryNOTSORRY.
Oh HELLNO! It violates HIPPA All kids deserve their privacy~ They didn’t sign a contract or a writer! They don’t have a lawyer that speaks for them either! If the Moms want to blast their own info have at it But those kids deserve better!
I would LOVE to see her credentials.
She puts so much emphasis on having a “safe space” but this kid has been filmed since before he was even born. He’s never had complete privacy. None of the TM franchise kids have. Most of them are teenagers now and they can and absolutely should be able to say if they want to be filmed or not.
To me, filming therapy feels extremely unethical. It feels like a huge HIPAA violation, waiver or not. These girls have complained for years how MTV edits the show to look a certain way, so there’s no telling what the producers would allow to air (assuming the girls are correct).
I feel like MTV will keep filming these kids until they too become parents and the cycle will just repeat indefinitely.
According to her own website, she has a “doctorate” from a now defunct for-profit college (aka a degree mill). She also went to a Masters program at another degree mill. Can’t make this shit up lol some “psychologist”
She’s a hack and it should be illegal to share any health information about any child publicly if they are under 18. The medical board needs to introduce some new rules for doctors. Like you lose the right to practice if you go the Coach B and Dr. Drew route.
I honestly feel it should be up to the kids what is shown and what is kept private, I mean they are literally like 2-4 years away from being the ages their mothers were when they gave birth to them and its about them and not their parents.
And despite what some of them have been through they are pretty mature for their age.
Maci is using Bentleys relationship with his dad as a storyline so she doesn’t have to talk about herself and her own issues. Her storylines have always been mainly about other people.
I think it is immoral and unethical for Maci to keep and use the money she is making from these episodes. All of that money should be put in a trust for Bentley. He is the one doing the “work”, right?
Oh please these mom will do anything for money ? bad enough they used kids for years for paycheck now going to exploit their problems. Kids deserve semi normal life and privacy not being paycheck for parents
How do you presume to know what Maci does with the money from these episodes? I think it’s immoral and unethical for you to pretend you’re privy to any of that information.
This is one of the best comments I’ve read. YES, Maci uses Ryan’s debacles to take away attention from her and her husband.
‘coach b’ seems just about as thirsty (and unethical) as can ‘b’.
??️?
A big fat NO!
It’s not even fair to ask Bentley if he is ok with being filmed during therapy. He knows filming is how his family makes money. And how is it that he can even consent to filming therapy when he is to young to consent to other things?
Also, I just really hate when adults say that kids are “so mature”. Usually they are mature because something horrible happend so they had to grow up faster. It is nothing to celebrate. Sometimes adults even use the kid’s “maturity” as an excuse(like coach B here..). It’s just sad. Kids should not have to be mature beyond their years.
This is disturbing. No ifs, ands or buts.
“Safe Space” and “On public TV” are not the same. Idk why they think some “life coach” who spends their day exploiting children on TV for money would have any real concept about the developmental issues they are likely contributing to.
Kids deserve privacy, not their issues broadcasted so their parents can profit of it. It should be illegal.
Sure sure she’s just making $ from the kids
No no no. Anyone with an actual degree knows this is extremely unethical.
I agree Danielle it’s wrong