The Shrink Next Door

A podcast from Wondery and Bloomberg

Photographs by William Mebane

Listen on Wondery, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Veteran journalist Joe Nocera’s neighbor in the Hamptons was a therapist named Ike. Ike counted celebrities and Manhattan elites as his patients. He’d host star-studded parties at his eccentric vacation house. But one summer, Joe discovered that Ike was gone and everything he’d thought he’d known about his neighbor — and the house next door — was wrong.

From Wondery, the company behind Dirty John and Dr. Death, and Bloomberg, “The Shrink Next Door” is a story about power, control and turning to the wrong person for help. The podcast is written and hosted by Bloomberg’s Joe Nocera.

Episode 1, Welcome To The Neighborhood

Part 1 Welcome To The Neighborhood

5/21/19

A summer party. A stormy night. And a shocking revelation about Joe’s neighbor next door.

Episode 2, Sibling Rivalry

Part 2 Sibling Rivalry

5/21/19

It’s 1981, and Marty finds relief in the advice of a new psychiatrist, which shapes every part of his life.

Episode 3, Easy Mark Markowitz

Part 3 Easy Mark Markowitz

5/23/19

A new figure appears at Marty’s office and imposes a different way of doing business.

Episode 4, the Familia

Part 4 The Familia

5/28/19

The guest list for the Hamptons parties was filled with celebrities. But mingling among those guests were some of Ike’s patients. And not just Marty.

Episode 5, the last straw

Part 5 The Last Straw

6/4/19

Detective novels. Personal memoirs. Patient notes. Marty Markowitz spent hundreds of hours typing and retyping them all, until he finally had enough.

episode 6, What did I do to you

Part 6 ‘What Did I Do to You?’

6/11/19

For the first time in nearly 30 years, Marty makes a phone call to an important person.

episode 7

Part 7 Update

6/18/19

Joe Nocera talks about his story with Laura Beil, host of Wondery’s “Dr Death.”

episode 6, What did I do to you

Part 8 Charged

8/16/19

The New York Department of Health lays out details of alleged misconduct from two of Ike’s former patients ahead of a September hearing.

episode 9

Part 9 The Other Patients

7/14/20

After our series, other patients surfaced—and many were angry.

episode 10

Part 10 The Decision

4/22/21

A New York state panel hands down its ruling—saying Isaac Herschkopf’s professional lapses included negligence and undue influence.

episode 11

Part 11 The Appeal

12/03/21

Ike Herschkopf loses his appeal and is ordered by a New York State review board to surrender his license within five days.