Therapy Chat | Psychotherapy | Mindfulness | Trauma | Attachment | Worthiness | Self Care | Parenting

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 Weintraub and LifeForce Yoga here: https://yogafordepression.comTherapists can get the lowest prices on selected PESI trainings, featuring past and future Therapy Chat guests by going to this link: https://pesi.com/therapychatThank you to TherapyNotes for sponsoring this week’s episode! TherapyNotes makes billing, scheduling, notetaking, and telehealth incredibly easy. And now, for all you prescribers out there, TherapyNotes is proudly introducing E-prescribe!

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't know how to handle. In this conversation and in his book, he explains why this happens and what can be done when it does. This is an important conversation for anyone who practices mindfulness and any therapist!Resources:Find Dr. David Treleaven's website here: https://www.davidtreleaven.comRead Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness - found here.Therapists can get the lo

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 ocean and forest in Nova Scotia Canada where she also plays flute in a jazz band.Lynn is a student and teaches within the Himalayan Tradition of Swami Rama as taught by Swami Veda Bharati. She is certified through the Association of Himalayan Yoga Meditation Societies (AHYMSIN) and the Yoga Center of Calgary. She was a founding member of the organizing committee for the AHYMSIN teacher training progra

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week's episode is part two of the conversation where I'm reflecting on where I'm at in my life right now. My guest is Amber Trejo, LMFT an integrative trauma therapist in Indiana.Like myself, Amber is also a trauma survivor and speaks openly about living and parenting with complex trauma (also known as developmental trauma or CPTSD) on her Instagram channel, @integrativetraumatherapist. Amber and I talked about our shared experience of losing one of our parents in the last year or so, and discussed our personal experiences of navigating the grieving process, with all of the opportunities for healing that it brings.Learn more about Amber Trejo via her Instagram channel: https://instagram.com/integrativetraumatherapist and her website, https://www.theintegrativetraumatherapist.com/ Are you going to Psychotherapy Networker? Come say hi to me! I'm hosting an exhibit booth for Trauma Therapist Network and Therapy Chat. By the way, therapists can get the lowest pri

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week's episode is a new one, reflecting where I'm at in my life right now. My guest is Amber Trejo, an integrative trauma therapist in Indiana. Like myself, Amber is also a trauma survivor and speaks openly about living and parenting with complex trauma (also known as developmental trauma or CPTSD) on her Instagram channel, @integrativetraumatherapist. Amber and I talked about our shared experience of losing one of our parents in the last year or so, and discussed our personal experiences of navigating the grieving process, with all of the opportunities for healing that it brings.Learn more about Amber Trejo via her Instagram channel: https://instagram.com/integrativetraumatherapist and her website, https://www.theintegrativetraumatherapist.com/ Are you going to Psychotherapy Networker? Come say hi to me! I'm hosting an exhibit booth for Trauma Therapist Network and Therapy Chat. By the way, therapists can get the lowest prices on selected PESI trainings featurin

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week, with all the hate and violence in the world, we are revisiting an episode which was originally recorded in 2020. My guest, Sarah Peyton, is a neuroscience educator and author of the wonderful book, "Your Resonant Self," and the accompanying workbook.I'm replaying this episode this week because Sarah shared such interesting and surprising information about how it makes us feel good to unite against a common enemy. Though the newest war that is happening now is what many are focused on, I hope this week's discussion will remind listeners that we can always extend kindness, love, hope and healing outward, and the ripple effects can make a difference. We can also choose to spread hate and fear, but that is not good for our physical or mental health, nor for humanity overall. I hope this episode will help you find glimmers of hope for peace and healing.Sarah Peyton Onlinehttps://sarahpeyton.comThank you to TherapyNotes for sponsoring this week’s episode! The

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! Today I'm bringing you a replay episode with Dr. Stephen PorgesStephen W. Porges, PhD is a Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University, where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium. He is professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina and professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland. He has published more than 400 peer‐reviewed scientific papers that have been cited in more than 50,000 peer-review publications. He is the creator of the Polyvagal Theory and a music-based intervention, the Safe and Sound Protocol ™, currently used by approximately 3,000 therapists to reduce hearing sensitivities, improve language processing, and increase spontaneous social engagement. He is the author of The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation (Norton, 2011), The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! Today I'm bringing you a replay episode with Dr. Thomas Hübl. We talked about his work over more than 2 decades working with groups of survivors of war, oppression, genocide and other collective traumas about how healing happens. This episode is particularly timely at this point in history - with violence, including war and political violence; oppression and the impact of a worldwide pandemic affecting millions of people, so many of us feel powerless and hopeless about the future. This episode is meant to inspire hope that healing is possible, even after the unthinkable occurs in communities.Thomas Hübl, PhD, is a renowned teacher, author, and international facilitator who works within the complexity of systems and cultural change, integrating the core insights of the great wisdom traditions and mysticism with the discoveries of science. Since the early 2000s, he has led large-scale events and courses on the healing of collective trauma. He is the author of Attuned: Practicin

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! Today I'm bringing you a replay episode with Dr. Peter Levine.Dr. Peter Levine is the developer of Somatic Experiencing, who speaks about his journey as a wounded healer. He shares that by being open about our experiences healing, our authenticity allows others to know they're not alone. None of us in the helping professions have been immune to suffering, it's a part of the universal experience of being human; and there's no shame in having experienced trauma, no matter who you are. In our conversation, Dr. Levine shares about how he developed Somatic Experiencing, and the surprising muse he found during that process. He discusses his violent childhood growing up in a family which was under threat by the mafia, and how Somatic Experiencing approaches healing from trauma "stuck" in the body.ResourcesLearn more about Somatic Experiencing here. The Ergos Institute is here.Find Peter Levine's new book, Autobiography of Trauma: A Healing Journey on Amazon h

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! Today I'm bringing you a replay episode with Dr. Richard Schwartz. Richard Schwartz earned his Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Purdue University, after which he began a long association with the Institute for Juvenile Research at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and more recently at The Family Institute at Northwestern University, attaining the status of Associate Professor at both institutions. He is coauthor, with Michael Nichols, of Family Therapy: Concepts and Methods, the most widely used family therapy text in the United States.Dr. Schwartz developed Internal Family Systems in response to clients' descriptions of experiencing various parts–many extreme–within themselves. He noticed that when these parts felt safe and had their concerns addressed, they were less disruptive and would accede to the wise leadership of what Dr. Schwartz came to call the "Self." In developing IFS, he recognized that, as in systemic family theory, parts take on char

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! Welcome back to Therapy Chat! Today I'm bringing you a replay episode with Renee Beck, LMFT. Renee specializes in dreamwork, tarot and transpersonal psychotherapy. In this episode, she explains the shadow that is in all of us - the unconscious parts of ourselves which are hidden from our awareness. She describes how she works with her clients using dreamwork and tarot as well as other creative methods to bring the shadow to conscious awareness. Renee is available for clinical supervision in California and offers consultation on dreamwork and tarot anywhere in the world. She can be found at https://www.reneebeckmft.comConsidering training in the Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP)? Visit unyte.com to learn more about the SSP and use my code LREAGAN1 at checkout for $100 off an annual SSP subscription bundle or training course. Thank you PESI and Psychotherapy Networker for sponsoring this week's episode! Therapists, heck out Janina Fisher's trainings and other offerings re

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! Today I'm bringing you a replay episode with Keria NolaKeri Nola is a psychotherapist and coach for healers and the creator of the Messages From Shadow deck. Keri discusses the Shadow in more depth and discusses how she became acquainted with this concept and how we can learn to welcome all parts of ourselves. Resources:https://www.kerinola.com Considering training in the Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP)? Visit unyte.com to learn more about the SSP and use my code LREAGAN1 at checkout for $100 off an annual SSP subscription bundle or training course. Thank you PESI and Psychotherapy Networker for sponsoring this week's episode! Therapists, heck out Janina Fisher's trainings and other offerings related to trauma, attachment and shame via the PESI/Psychotherapy Networker partner page and get special discounts! Thank you to TherapyNotes for sponsoring this week's episode! TherapyNotes makes billing, scheduling, notetaking, and telehealth incredibly easy. And now, for

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! Today I'm bringing you a replay episode with Lourdes Viado, PhD. Lourdes is a psychotherapist in a private practice in Las Vegas and the host of the Women In-Depth Podcast. Lourdes explains depth psychology and concepts of Jungian psychology such as the Shadow, she describes her works with clients in the "Middle Passage" who are feeling out of alignment with themselves. She shares some strategies she uses, including poetry, metaphor and dreamwork, which help her clients find their own way back to themselves while navigating this intense transition. Resourceshttps://lourdesviado.com Considering training in the Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP)? Visit unyte.com to learn more about the SSP and use my code LREAGAN1 at checkout for $100 off an annual SSP subscription bundle or training course. Thank you PESI and Psychotherapy Networker for sponsoring this week's episode! Therapists, heck out Janina Fisher's trainings and other offerings related to trauma, attachment

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week as wildfires continue to cause destruction of property and loss of life in California, I send care to the West Coast and remember our interdependence. Today we have a replay episode featuring my highly admired colleague, Dr. Janina Fisher. We originally spoke in 2022 - you'll hear Janina discuss the relationship between complex trauma and the Borderline Personality Disorder diagnosis, as well as how her training method, Trauma Informed Stabilization Treatment (TIST) can heal attachment and trauma wounds. Whether or not you're a therapist, you won't want to miss this important and interesting discussion! Janina Fisher, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and a former instructor, Harvard Medical School. An international expert on the treatment of trauma, she is an Advisory Board member of the Trauma Research Foundation. Dr. Fisher is the author of 'Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors: Overcoming Self-Alienation' (2017), 'Transfo

What drives a trauma therapist to dedicate their life to healing others? Meet 12 experts as they share their journeys and their reasons for choosing this path.Welcome to the New Year episode for 2025! As usual, I'll start by reflecting back on 2024, which was a much better year than 2022 or 2023, but still a very tough year for me. And there were many glimmers.Then we will hear from 12 Trauma Therapist Network members sharing about their work as trauma therapists. I hope that hearing from some of our talented members will be interesting and for those who are intimidated by the idea of trauma therapy, that it will inspire curiosity about what type of therapist would be the right fit! 2025 is getting started, let's buckle in! Featured GuestsBarbara Maresca, Psy.DKrista Verrastro, RDTKatie Bingner, LCPCGabrielle Kawashima, LPCCJennyfer Rosado, LPCKim Torrence, LCSW-CAnna Pemberton, LCPCLaurie Eldred, LCSWCarol Williams, LMFTPeg Shippert, LPCElizabeth Cush, LCPCAlison Dagger, LCPC, MT-BC

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week, we're continuing our discussion of grief, family dynamics, the holidays, and what we can do to cope with grief any time of year.My guest today is Debi Jenkins Frankle, LMFT, a TTN member and grief-informed psychotherapist based in California with over 30 years of clinical experience. She specializes in helping individuals, couples, and families navigate a wide range of losses and life transitions, whether sudden or anticipated. While a significant portion of her professional work is dedicated to training and consulting with other therapists in grief and loss, Debi devotes half of her practice to providing direct care to clients. Over the years, she has supported thousands of grievers on their unique paths to healing and growth.We talked about grief and loss, the recent loss of one of my parents and more. This is part two, if you missed part one it's Episode 462 which you can find here! Find free resources on Debi Jenkins Frankle's clinical practice website

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week, we're discussing grief and how it affects family dynamics, especially when the family may not have had the healthiest communication patterns and boundaries to begin with. My guest today is Debi Jenkins Frankle, LMFT, a TTN member and grief-informed psychotherapist based in California with over 30 years of clinical experience. She specializes in helping individuals, couples, and families navigate a wide range of losses and life transitions, whether sudden or anticipated. While a significant portion of her professional work is dedicated to training and consulting with other therapists in grief and loss, Debi devotes half of her practice to providing direct care to clients. Over the years, she has supported thousands of grievers on their unique paths to healing and growth. We talked about grief and loss, the recent loss of one of my parents and more. This is part one of a two-part series. In next week's conversation, we'll talk about some ways to manage the gr

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week we're revisiting an interview from a couple of years ago with Michelle Farris.I always found the concept of codependency confusing when people would try to explain it to me. I didn't realize I had some of these behaviors, which I thought were just part of my personality! I've spent years working on my attachment in therapy, and I can now see these patterned relational dynamics, which have been passed down through my family for generations, for what they are.The first step to changing codependent relational patterns is to understand what they are! Michelle explains in such compassionate, clear and relatable terms. This topic comes up often during the holidays, and codependent behaviors tend to add to overwhelm and stress during this busy time of year. And those of us who are socialized as female are often expected to behave this way! I hope you'll enjoy this thought-provoking replay episode with the awesome Michelle Farris!Visit Michelle Farris's webs

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week's episode is one that many of us will find enlightening during this holiday season. We're revisiting two previous interviews with Dr. Jonice Webb, who identified the concept of Childhood Emotional Neglect. What is it? Listen to these 2 back to back episodes to understand! Here's what you'll hear: so many adults suffer with trauma symptoms but don't understand why. Listening to this week's episode may be helpful for anyone who grew up before the 2010's, when parents began to be more aware of attachment needs. Before that time most parents were not very well aware of children's emotional needs or how to meet them. This leaves us feeling empty and struggling in relationships as adults, or feeling there is something wrong with us. Even if your parents did know about attachment needs, it doesn't mean they were always able to meet them, despite their best intentions. As always, thanks for listening to Therapy Chat!Visit Dr. Jonice Webb'

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week we have a replay of my first interview with Dr. Lindsay Gibson. Having emotionally immature parents is a common issue, but most of us don't realize how traumatizing it can be to grow up this way. When we are bothered by anxiety, depressive symptoms, low self worth and other effects of trauma, we may think there's something wrong with us. But as they say, 'it's not you, it's what happened to you.' In this conversation Dr. Lindsay Gibson explains why emotionally immature adults are the way they are, and how it affects their children into adulthood. Understanding these dynamics is an important aspect of breaking cycles of intergenerational trauma. During the holiday season it's so common to have trauma reactions arise when interacting with our families of origin. Knowledge is power - I hope this episode will be helpful to you!