Dr. Pia's Controversial Session with Brennan and Emily on Married at First Sight Season 17

The Rocky Marriage Journey

During the latest episode of Married at First Sight season 17, Dr. Pia Holec did not fulfill her role as a therapist and expert when she sat down with Brennan Shoykhet and Emily Balch. Brennan and Emily are one of three remaining couples this season, and their marriage to a stranger journey became rocky when they stepped into the moving-in portion of the experiment. Brennan does not believe in divorce, and Emily has never been in a relationship. Therefore, their dynamics and challenges are unique to watch.

Dr Pia from MAFS season 17 in pink suit talking to couple

During the honeymoon, Brennan seemed very interested in Emily, and the pair had a lot of fun getting to know each other, drinking, and mingling with the other couples. They talked about their shared values and their goals for the future aligned. However, upon returning to Denver from the honeymoon, Brennan did a 180 and no longer felt a strong connection with Emily. With that came a loss of physical attraction to her as well. For several episodes, the experts have tried to drag out of Brennan why he is feeling the disconnect with Emily now, and he won't elaborate on what his problem is.

Emily and Brennan from Married at First Sight season 17 side by side on coach while having tense conversation

Dr. Pia's Interaction with Brennan

Dr. Pia, a newer Married at First Sight expert, paid a visit to each of the three couples, and her interaction with Brennan became spicy. While trying to draw out of Brennan why he is no longer attracted to Emily, Emily was making expressive faces, and Dr. Pia questioned her about it. While Emily was trying to answer Dr. Pia, Brennan was trying to talk over her, which drove Dr. Pia to come for Brennan's interruption. She told him she was talking to Emily several times while he was trying to interject. Brennan stated he was trying to comfort and defend his wife at that moment because she seemed uncomfortable.

The way Dr. Pia handled Brennan's interference in her question to Emily seemed unprofessional. Dr. Pia was being very expressive with her hands and was overly direct with an air of attitude while asking Brennan to let Emily speak. The manner in which she tried to keep Brennan at bay did not create a safe space for Emily nor Brennan to open up for fear they might be attacked for trying to express themselves. Dr. Pia's approach seemed like she was trying to dominate the narrative of the conversation and put Brennan on blast for speaking his mind and trying to defend his wife.

Dr. Pia's suggestion of therapy seemed more like a dig after the exchange the pair had moments earlier. While Dr. Pia may have had a point about Brennan needing therapy, the timing of the therapy recommendation and her delivery made the notion seem vindictive and like she wanted Brennan to know there was something wrong with him. Married at First Sight season 17's Brennan also took offense to the suggestion.

Impact of the Therapy Session

Dr. Pia was trying to get an answer out of Emily about why she was making wild faces during the conversation about Brennan's loss of attraction. When Dr. Pia was having the go at Brennan, Emily was visibly even more put off than she had been before. Emily let the exchange play out as she sat in the middle, but Dr. Pia should have recognized how she was putting Emily in an even worse place. What could have been a straightforward interaction about Emily's feelings on the situation escalated into an obviously uncomfortable position for Emily, and Dr. Pia did not protect her from that and instead instigated it.

The sit-down with Dr. Pia proved to do more harm than good because Brennan and Emily fought after the session. Brennan resented the suggestion that he needed therapy, and he took out his hostility out on Emily. Emily remarked how she didn't understand how the conversation got so serious, and Brennan was annoyed because Emily wasn't the one told she needed therapy. The wayward therapy session seemed to drive Brennan and Emily even further apart instead of bringing them closer together to try and figure out how they could create a romantic spark on Brennan's end.

The mid-season trailer was released at the end of the last episode, and it showed Emily expressing frustration and disdain that Brennan wasn't giving her anything emotionally. Moreover, it depicted Brennan criticizing Emily for not being a positive person. Another major situation will occur when Emily gets injured on a quad bike, and Brennan tries to comfort her. Whether any of those situations are indicative of the final outcome of Brenn and Emily's Married at First Sight season 17 journey is unknown.