Walking on beaches is usually a relaxing, fun activity that’s supposed to bring you peace. But, for these scientists combing through the Texas beaches for hidden treasures, the walks bring with them a lot of garbage cleaning duties. In the search for endangered birds, marine mammals, and sea turtles, these scientists often come across a lot of debris washed up on the sand. And amidst the many volleyballs, slippers, and other knick-knacks, Texas has a special and recurring item — creepy dolls.

The Dolls

We’re not talking about one or two dolls, no. The researchers at the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve have found dozens of dolls on the beaches of the Gulf Coast of Texas. These dolls, and doll body parts, are found in a 40-mile stretch between Padre Island and Matagorda Island in the southeastern region of Texas. However, it’s still difficult to determine why the dolls keep washing up on the beach. But, it does prove that Texas gets way too much trash.

The Texan Beach

The washing up of dolls might not be what the researchers are looking for, but it’s a certain stepping stone to proving and raising awareness of the horrible rippling effects of littering. It also helps in proving that Texas beaches get 10 times more trash than the ones in the north-central states along the Gulf of Mexico. Researchers also found out that the majority of debris that washed up on the beach was plastic. The reason behind the increased debris is stated to be the loop current, according to a two-year study conducted by the reserve with other research organizations on the Gulf Coast.

The Dolls

The reserve had been finding dolls in their search for quite some time and they finally decided to post about it on their Facebook. According to the director of the reserve, Jace Tunnell, the reserve’s page started getting a lot of followers after they started posting these photos. These dolls are not the cute, fluffy ones of one’s childhood. These creepy dolls are actually missing major body parts. Some don’t have hair, some have big chunks of their body eaten by turtles while some have barnacles growing out of their mouths and eyes. However, the reserve has found a way to monetize their finding by auctioning the dolls to raise awareness and money for their causes, like the rehabilitation of birds. A true case of making the best out of waste!

You may not have heard of it before, but it is real – and it’s proving to be efficient. It’s…co-founder therapy. And unsurprisingly, it all started in San Francisco, the city of new business ventures and aspiring startups.

If you are a workaholic who co-founded a company, giving this type of therapy a chance might be the greatest asset yet to your working and personal relationship with your business partner.

A Real-Life Example

Cameron Yarbrough and Keegan Walden co-founded a tech company in San Francisco together, although one of them was still living in Buffalo. That, predictably, caused tension: Walden, who had to relocate to the Bay Area, wasn’t too keen on pulling his kids out of school so soon. Yarbrough, on the other hand, needed his partner present to help with all day-to-day challenges. In the end, they gave co-founder therapy a chance.

Co-Founder Therapy Is Like Relationship Counseling but for Businesses

Although it is not about a romantic relationship, business partnerships too rely on commitment on both sides. This is what makes therapy so efficient. In the example of Cameron and Keegan, they quickly understood how important it was to have that kind of professional help in seeking compromise and communicating their emotions and reasoning. Professional therapist, Maya Johansson, says that therapy for co-founders doesn’t differ much from therapy for couples because, in the end, it is all about the systems approach.

No Longer an Emotional Outlet

While many used to laugh at the prospect of co-founder therapy, today, everyone sees it as a necessary leadership tool that helps optimize processes and resolve situations as they are happening. Of course, much like with couples, co-founders don’t seek help because there is also a honeymoon phase. But, once the excitement wears off a bit and tensions begin to rise, they seek help. So, workaholic or not, you and your business partner have nothing to lose from giving therapy a chance.