Therapy Chat

This week's episode is a replay of a previous conversation with Dr. Gail Gazelle, a former hospice physician, part-time Harvard Medical School Assistant Professor, and a Master Certified Coach for physicians. Gail discusses her own experiences with burnout and how all exhausted and burned out physicians, healthcare professionals and other leaders can cultivate resilience for long, fulfilling careers. After working in the field of end-of-life care for most of her professional career, Dr. Gazelle shifted her focus to another vulnerable population: physicians in the modern American healthcare system.

\Whether you are there, or wanting to...

This week's episode is a replay of my previous conversation with Laura van Dernoot Lipsky, author of Trauma Stewardship and founder of the Trauma Stewardship Institute. We discussed the problem of burnout among helping professionals, and how it is possible to recover. Laura is a funny and wise guest, and if you're feeling overwhelmed, you may appreciate this episode. 

We discussed trauma exposure, an occupational hazard for those in the helping professions, and something that has affected many of us who are caregivers, whether or not that's what we do for work. You'll hear abou...

Happy New Year! This week, I'm reflecting on 2025 and looking ahead to 2026, with some inspiration from some of 2025's wonderful podcast guests. It was a year! I hope you will find some ideas about how you can go forward with hope in 2026 through the wisdom shared by these guests. 

Resources

Francis Weller’s newest book, In the Absence of the Ordinary: Soul Work for Uncertain Times

Dr. Sabrina N’Diaye’s podcast, Soul Speak: Conversations for Your Healing Journey

Learn about the Mind, Body + Soul Healing Retreat for Therapi...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week, as a follow-up to last week's episode on Family Estrangement, I'm speaking with Marriage and Family Therapist Dr. Tracy Dalgleish about the complexity of in-law and extended family relationships.

We discussed how "good girl" conditioning and other cultural expectations contribute to tension when families join together through marriage. I talked about my experiences as a young wife integrating into a new family dynamic and what I wish I had known back then.

Dr. Dalgleish describes some of the factors that contribute to healthy relationships and her VAULT Method th...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat + Happy New Year! This week's guest is Dr. Sharon Martin, LCSW, who specializes in family estrangement in her practice in San Jose, California. Sharon, a TTN member, is the author of the Better Boundaries Workbook as well as her newest book, Cutting Ties WIth Your Parents. Sharon and I got together on Instagram Live to share our thoughts on family estrangement after Oprah posted a podcast episode about this "new trend." 

In our conversation you'll hear me share about my own experiences of family estrangement as an adult child, an...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! In today's episode, I'm bringing you a replay of my conversation with with Kristen D. Boice, LMFT, an EMDR and Brainspotting therapist who is the owner of a trauma-focused group practice called Pathways to Healing in Noblesville, Indiana.

Kristen D. Boice is a licensed marriage and family therapist with over 20 years experience and owner of a group private counseling practice, Pathways to Healing Counseling. She’s also the host of the Close the Chapter Podcast and a sought-after international speaker. Kristen is an EMDR-trained psychotherapist, which, as she mentions in...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! In today's episode, I'm bringing you a replay of two of my conversations with Rotem Brayer, talking all about EMDR and Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy. 

If you're an EMDR therapist or a therapist who is interested in learning about psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, this episode is for you! And if you're someone who is interested in learning about how EMDR and psychedelic-assisted therapy can be combined, you're in the right place!

Rotem Brayer, M.Ed., LPC, is a certified EMDR therapist, EMDR consultant, and advanced EMDR trainer. He's the founder of the EMDR L...

This week's Therapy Chat features two leaders in our field, Thomas Hubl, PhD and Dick Schwartz, PhD speaking about the importance of including a collective lens in trauma work.

In this conversation, we explored the interdependence of individual and collective healing, the distinction between spirituality and religion, and the importance of addressing legacy burdens and cultural trauma. We talk about the popular culture's view of healing and how our culture promotes spiritual bypass through "quick fix" approaches to wellness. Listen in to this inspiring conversation with these two leaders.

Key Takeaways from t...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week's episode is a replay where I speak to Libby Murdoch, LPC, CCTP about her Resilience-Focused EMDR therapy training! The concept of building resilience is gaining traction in our field, and it makes sense! Listen in to our conversation as Libby and I discuss her EMDR Basic Training offerings and what's different about her Resilience-Focused approach.

I met Libby last year in London at a conference where she was a speaker and I loved her enthusiasm for the work and her way of clearly explaining the neuroscience, making it accessible for...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! In this week's replay episode, we're looking at the many ways to use EMDR. I'm revisiting my conversation with Rebecca Kase, a licensed clinical social worker and yoga instructor, living in Gig Harbor, WA. She is an EMDR Consultant & Basic Trainer, and owner of Kase & CO, an EMDR Training and Consulting company. She is the author of Polyvagal informed EMDR: A Neuro-informed Approach to Healing.

In our conversation, you'll hear why a Polyvagal perspective is important when learning EMDR, and how she incorporates this into her EMDR sessions, as well as learning abo...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week's episode is a replay where I interviewed author, EMDR-Certified therapist and Consultant In Training Marcken Volmy, LMHC, about how EMDR can help with betrayal trauma and the impact of broken trust. We explored how betrayal by trusted figures and institutions can shatter one's sense of safety and trust in the world.

We also discussed recent examples of betrayal within the mental health field, for example, the FTC settlement with BetterHelp, and other situations in our field which have affected both of us. We talked about the impact these experiences can ha...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week's episode is a replay from 2021 with Curt Widhalm, LMFT.

Curt is a group practice owner, podcaster and EMDR Consultant In Training based in Los Angeles, CA, In this replay episode, Curt explains more about EMDR and how he uses it with adolescents. He explains how he got into using EMDR after experiencing it himself following an accident, and some of the ins and outs of working with teens using this method.

Curt Widhalm is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in Los Angeles, CA. He is certified in EMDR...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week is a replay episode with Ann Beckley Forest and Annie Monaco, two EMDR therapists who together make up Playful EMDR.

Ann and Annie talk about how they use EMDR in combination with play therapy with children who have experienced disrupted attachment relationships and trauma.

As always, I had many questions and they answered them all. If you found Robyn Gobbel's episode interesting a couple months ago, here is another take on working with the same population of children in therapy. I hope this will inspire you to think ou...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week, I'm joined by Therapist and EMDR Consultant Jocelyn Fitzgerald.

We discussed the integration of creativity in trauma therapy, exploring the power of EMDR combined with creative arts, which she has used in working with refugees. She shared about her book, EMDR and the Creative Arts Therapies. The conversation also delves into the role of psychedelics in therapy, the neuroscience of creativity, and the essential nature of art in human development. Jocelyn shares practical applications for therapists and emphasizes the importance of humor in healing.

Jocelyn Fitzgerald is a...

This week, I'm speaking with Debra Wesselmann about attachment injuries in children and families. We discussed the importance of early intervention in attachment wounds, the integration of EMDR therapy, and the development of the Integrative Attachment Trauma Protocol for Children.

The conversation highlights the complexities of parent-child dynamics in therapy and the profound impact of trauma on children's development. Wesselmann shares insights on how therapists can create a safe and supportive environment for healing, emphasizing the need for collaboration between parents and therapists to foster healthier attachments and emotional regulation in children.

Debra Wesselmann, MS, L...

This week, in a special 500th episode of Therapy Chat, I shared a behind the scenes look at what happened when I got bad news right before a LIVE, in person interview with Janina Fisher on shame.

I talked about the profound challenges of asking for help, especially for those of us who have experienced emotional or physical neglect. In a twist from the usual Therapy Chat episode, I talked about my process, sharing what was happening with my Parts and how I understood what was happening through the lens of trauma and attachment.

And...

In this week's episode of Therapy Chat, I interviewed the amazing Kim Barthel about the intricate connections between trauma, the sensory system, and healing. We explored the role of the vestibular system, the Vagus Nerve, and the importance of co-regulation in therapy. Kim shares insights from her extensive experience in Occupational Therapy and discusses the impact of developmental trauma on individuals. The conversation highlights the significance of sound healing and the need for a nuanced, layered and holistic approach to understanding our relationships to Self and others, and the role of the vestibular system in our survival and connection.

This week's episode of Therapy Chat is on a topic which we've covered before - religious trauma. This week's guest, SC Nealy (they/she) discusses the impact of religious trauma and offers additional perspective into the harm it can cause for members of the LGBTQ+ community. Our conversation was fascinating to me, and I hope you'll find many valuable insights through listening to our discussion. 

With over 15 years in the mental health field, SC Nealy is a queer, gender fluid psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, and group practice owner in Arlington, VA. SC operates a team of all gay a...

How can therapists learn to see countertransference as a gift, rather than a problem? This week's guest is Stefanie Klein, LCSW. Stefanie, an SEP and NARM Master Therapist, is the Assistant Training Director for the Complex Trauma Training Center where she is also a consultant and faculty in the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM) and the new SPACE program for psychotherapists.

Our conversation was about how can feel more effective in their work with clients, while also experiencing more ease and fulfillment in their professional roles through the SPACE program Stefanie co-created with Brad Kammer of NARM (a pr...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! In this episode, my guest is Dr. Dan Siegel. In this deep conversation, we explored themes of grief, connection, the quantum realm, integration in a biological sense, the work of Joanna Macy, losing our parents and staying connected with them, and the shared humanity that binds us all together, while also addressing the challenges we face in today's world and how we can find new ways of living.

Dr. Dan Siegel is the Founder and Director of Education of the Mindsight Institute and founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at...

This week's guest is Vanessa Bennett, LMFT, author of the new book "The Motherhood Myth: A Depth Therapist's Guide to Redefine Parenting, Reimagine Intimacy, and Reclaim the Self."

In this soulful conversation, through the lens of depth psychology, Vanessa Bennett explores themes of motherhood, and some of the archetypal wounds that women carry, including the mother wound, sister wound, witch wound, and father wound. We discuss societal myths surrounding motherhood and the importance of reclaiming one's self and intuition after becoming a parent. I shared about my mother wound.

Vanessa Bennett, LMFT, is a licensed d...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week, I’m sharing an incredibly rich and soul-stirring conversation with psychotherapist and author, Francis Weller.

Recently retired after 43 years in practice, Francis shares profound insights from his fieldwork—sitting with grieving people for over four decades to understand what the individual and collective psyche are trying to express through symptoms and suffering. We delve into how grief saturates almost every human experience, from addiction to childhood wounds, and how our culture often teaches us to avoid it.

This episode explores the concept of "soul work" and how indigenous trad...

In this conversation, I interviewed Yudit Maros, LMFT, founder of Authenticity Therapy. Yudit led the retreat I attended earlier this year in Italy, which was a powerful experiential training in her method. Authenticity Therapy is a form of inner child work which helps identify unmet emotional needs, emphasizing the importance of self-love and our relationship to ourselves. Yudit shares her journey of developing this therapy model, the significance of body awareness, and the process she teaches to guide individuals in responding to their feelings. I talked about my experience in the training.

Yudit Maros is an LMFT...

In this week's episode of Therapy Chat, I interviewed Michelle Chalfant, a licensed therapist and coach, about her journey from anxiety and self-hatred to self-love and healing. She describes her Adult Chair model, which includes understanding the ways the energy of our child parts, adolescent parts and adult parts show up in our lives.

Her recent book, The Adult Chair: Get Unstuck, Claim Your Power, and Transform Your Life, teaches readers about how these energies feel and how to work with them. Michelle shares insights on working with triggers and the role of the body in emotional he...

In this episode of Therapy Chat, I interviewed returning guest Deb Dana, LCSW. We explored the profound impact of Polyvagal Theory on emotional regulation and connection. We discussed the importance of co-regulation, the role of nature in fostering a sense of safety, and the significance of recognizing micro-moments of joy and connection in our daily lives.

We talked about the current trend of regulation "hacks" and challenged the idea that our goal is to be regulated. We also touchedthe power of glimmers as reminders of safety and connection. We talked about how we can move forward when...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week, we're talking about a subject that many people are curious about lately, GLP-1's the diabetes medications that are being used by non-diabetics for weight loss. Therapists need to know about these medications, because clients are exploring them.

I sat down with Dr. Vanessa Scaringi and Kathryn Garland, two therapists who specialize in eating disorders, to hear their perspective on whether these medications are helpful or harmful. Our conversation took us many places I wasn't expecting and challenged so many biases I had about these medications - some I wasn't aware...

Welcome back to `Therapy Chat! This week, I interviewed Michelle Renee of Cuddlist about cuddle therapy. Michelle and I discussed what cuddle therapy is, what it can do and who can benefit from it. Our conversation brought up many thoughts about loneliness, platonic touch, consent, boundaries, attachment and much more. 

Michelle Renee (she/her) is a human connection coach based in San Diego, California, dedicated to helping individuals overcome challenges related to emotional and physical connection. As a Cuddlist certified relational-based touch practitioner, she offers platonic nurturing touch in a safe and supportive environment, and she works co...

Welcome back to `Therapy Chat! This week's guest, Eugene Ellis, is a UK-based therapist with a background in systems theory, play therapy and adoption work who identifies as a Buddhist and is helping people talk about race through his recent book, "Transforming Race Conversations - A Healing Guide for Us All," which was previously released in 2021 as "The Race Conversation".

Eugene's book delves into the story of race, exploring its historical and social construction, the language of race, the impact of race trauma on the body, and how intergenerational race trauma continues to impact us today. For t...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week's guest is Dr. Sabrina N'Diaye, a wise and deep clinician, author, teacher, speaker and leader. We had a heartfelt conversation about showing up authentically as a therapist. Not "trying to show up authentically," but living and working as our authentic selves. Sabrina speaks about how spirituality fits in with the process of reclaiming your authenticity. This was a beautiful and inspiring conversation which I hope you will enjoy.

Dr. Sabrina N'Diaye is a thought leader in integrating spirituality with psychotherapy. As an integrative therapist, author, and peacebuilder, she blends ancient...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week I'm talking with Pam Conboy and Dr. Leah Linder, co-founders of Setas Seminary. Pam, whose background is in biology, was trained as a clinical laboratorian and is currently a doctoral student in naturopathic medicine.

She is an IIN certified health coach, trained psychedelic facilitator, medical marketing|business development entrepreneur, and ordained minister.With a background in biochemistry and emergency medicine, Leah is a naturopathic physician trained in psychedelic assisted therapy with deep expertise in natural supplement formulation and manufacture and an ordained minister.

We spoke about micro- and...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week we are talking about a newly coined term, "high functioning codependency," which was defined by our guest, Terri Cole. Terri Cole is a licensed psychotherapist and global relationship and empowerment expert who authored two books, Boundary Boss and her newest, book, Too Much, which we discuss in this week's episode. For over 20 years, Terri has worked with a diverse group of clients that includes everyone from stay-at-home moms to celebrities and Fortune 500 CEOs. She has a gift for making complex psychological concepts accessible and actionable so that clients and students achieve sustainable c...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week, continuing the discussion of the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP), we have a new interview with my colleague, teacher and friend Paula Scatoloni, LCSW. Paula Scatoloni is a Licensed Social Worker and a Healing Arts Practitioner in NC blending transpersonal psychology, somatics, and sound with the principles of traditional wisdom and earth-based spirituality.

Paula created Transformative Harmonics as a bridge to help individuals shift their frequency into safety, connection, and empowerment so they can begin live a more purpose-driven life. We talked about the importance of embodiment for practitioners who are ...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week we have another new episode, which I've been super excited to share with you! I had a powerful experience with the SSP myself, over the last couple of years, and prior to that I had been interested in its potential since first hearing about it around 2017.

The challenge I found was in understanding - and then explaining - how it can benefit those who participate in the protocol! My guests today understand all the ins and outs of the protocol. In fact, they literally wrote the book! The new book, S...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week I'm sharing a new interview with Dr. Hillary McBride, a clinician, teacher, author, speaker, trainer, and host of "Other People's Problems" podcast on CBC. 

One of the things I wanted to discuss with her is how they ensure ethics and consent from the clients featured in the therapy sessions shared on the show. I loved her answer!

We also discussed spiritual abuse, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, the research on the COVID pandemic as a transformative experience and more! Hillary writes about embodiment, trauma, eating disorders, mental health and spirituality; her b...

This week's episode of Therapy Chat features the creator of Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY), David Emerson.

In this replay episode which originally aired in 2017, you'll hear David explaining how trauma-sensitive yoga can be brought into psychotherapy. He discusses some of the benefits of trauma-sensitive yoga on mental health and talks about his book, Trauma Sensitive Yoga in Therapy: Bringing the Body Into Treatment. I also highly recommend his other book, Overcoming Trauma Through Yoga: Reclaiming Your Body. I really appreciate how the authors explain why yoga is beneficial in healing trauma. 

Visit the T...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! I recently returned from Austin, Texas, where I completed level 1 of the Trauma Conscious Yoga Method, founded by this week's guest, Nityda Gessel.

This week's episode is a part two replay of my interview with Nityda about the differences between psychotherapeutic yoga, used in clinical practice, and yoga therapy, which can be offered by yoga instructors with specialised training.

Whether you're a therapist considering training in yoga to add to your clinical practice, a yoga instructor or yoga therapist, or anyone who is considering adding yoga to their healing toolkit...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! I recently returned from Austin, Texas, where I completed level 1 of the Trauma Conscious Yoga Method, founded by this week's guest, Nityda Gessel.

This week's episode is a replay of my interview with Nityda about the differences between psychotherapeutic yoga, used in clinical practice, and yoga therapy, which can be offered by yoga instructors with specialised training.

Whether you're a therapist considering training in yoga to add to your clinical practice, a yoga instructor or yoga therapist, or anyone who is considering adding yoga to their healing toolkit, this is...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! In this week's episode, I'm replaying an interview I did with Amy Weintraub, founder of LifeForce Yoga, before I was trained in the method.

She explained how she developed LifeForce Yoga and how it can be helpful for depression and anxiety. I completed Level 1 training in 2018, and I highly recommend this method to therapists who would like to bring yoga into their clinical practices. Side note - Amy Weintraub is still associated with LifeForce Yoga, but it is now owned by Rose Kress.

Resources:

Learn more about Amy...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week we're bringing back an interview with Dr. David Treleaven, PhD., author of "Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness".

David Treleaven, PhD, is a writer, educator, and trauma professional whose work focuses on the intersection of mindfulness, trauma, and social justice. He received his master’s in counseling psychology at the University of British Columbia and a doctorate in East-West psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies.

We discussed how mindfulness, which most people think will help them feel better, can sometimes stir up trauma reactions that people aren't expecting and don...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week I’m replaying my interview with yoga and meditation teacher and coach Lynn Fraser about mindfulness & somatic work in healing trauma. 

Lynn Fraser is a senior meditation and yoga teacher in the Himalayan Yoga Meditation tradition; and a Senior Facilitator of the Living Inquiries and Natural Rest. She brings the depth and richness of twenty years experience teaching meditation and yoga philosophy to her work. She specializes in holding a safe and trusted space for healing trauma in her private Living Inquiries online sessions with individuals. Lynn lives near family, the...