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

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! In this week's episode host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C revisits two of her favourite conversations with Tim Desmond. Tim Desmond is a mindfulness teacher, therapist in private practice, and co-founder of Morning Sun Mindfulness Center in Alstead, NH. He is the author of Self-Compassion in Psychotherapy (W.W. Norton, 2015) and offers training and consultation to therapists around the world, helping them to integrate positive psychology and mindfulness practices into their work. Tim has presented at Yale University, the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy Colloquium, Greater Oregon Behavioral Health Conference, and the International Society for Ethics in Psychology and Psychiatry, as well as to mental health audiences around the country. His writings on mindfulness and positive psychology have appeared in the Psychotherapy Networker and the Mindfulness Bell magazine. Tim was interviewed about self-compassion by the Huffington Post, and writes for major mental health websites s

In episode 238 host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews Casey Hersch, LCSW about how energy healing can be a helpful part of healing trauma, chronic pain and chronic illness - when practiced in an ethical manner. Casey shares how consumers can identify safe and unsafe energy healing practices, some of the advantages and pitfalls of using these practices, and how to find an energy worker who is part of a professional organization with ethical standards to protect the public. Casey, a previous guest on Therapy Chat, discusses how energy healing practices have helped her as part of her recovery from trauma and Crohn's disease. Casey Hersch is a licensed clinical social worker, consultant, author, ballroom dancer, and founder of www.lightyoursparkle.life. She specializes in integrative treatment models for chronic illness. She has enhanced her understanding of healing through her studies of holistic treatment modalities. Her own struggles with autoimmune illness (Crohn's disease) and trauma inspire her to hel

Thank you to this episode's sponsor, TherapyNotes. Get a 2-month free trial of TherapyNotes by going to www.TherapyNotes.com and using the promo code TherapyChat.  In today's episode, host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews the co-authors of "The Tough Standard: The hard truths about masculinity and violence," Dr. Ronald Levant and Shana Pryor. In this conversation you'll learn about the construct of masculinity and how it impinges upon men and others. Ronald F. Levant, EdD, ABPP, is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at The University of Akron; Past President of the American Psychological Association (APA) and APA Division 51; and two-term Editor of APA Division 51’s quarterly journal, Psychology of Men & Masculinities. He has developed and evaluated a number of measures designed to assess a variety of gender constructs. Dr. Levant’s signature contribution has been in establishing the empirical foundation for the “Normative Male Alexithymia” hypothesis. In addition, he developed Alexithymi

Thank you to this episode's sponsor, TherapyNotes. Get a 2-month free trial of TherapyNotes by going to www.TherapyNotes.com and using the promo code TherapyChat.  Welcome back! In this week's episode host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews an expert on workplace culture and its influence on employees. Rajkumari Neogy, the author of "The WIT Factor: Shifting the Workplace Paradigm by Becoming Your Optimal Self," discusses the importance of a workplace environment that makes employees feel a sense of belonging. Rajkumari, who holds a master’s degree in Transformative Leadership Development from the California Institute of Integral Studies describes his experience working at Facebook and other iconic organizations in the Silicon Valley, and why she became a leadership coach based on those experiences. You will hear more about: - How epigenetics factor into creating an inclusive workplace culture - Why leaders should care about "being nice" to their employees - How just as we can rewire our

Thank you to this episode's sponsor, TherapyNotes. Get a 2-month free trial of TherapyNotes by going to www.TherapyNotes.com and using the promo code TherapyChat.  Welcome back! In this week's episode host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews an expert on workplace culture and its influence on employees. Rajkumari Neogy, the author of "The WIT Factor: Shifting the Workplace Paradigm by Becoming Your Optimal Self," discusses the importance of a workplace environment that makes employees feel a sense of belonging. Rajkumar, who holds a master’s degree in Transformative Leadership Development from the California Institute of Integral Studies describes his experience working at Facebook and other iconic organizations in the Silicon Valley, and why she became a leadership coach based on those experiences. You will hear: - How epigenetics factor into creating an inclusive workplace culture - Why leaders should care about "being nice" to their employees - How just as we can rewire our neural pathw

Thank you to this episode's sponsor, TherapyNotes. Get a 2-month free trial of TherapyNotes by going to www.TherapyNotes.com and using the promo code TherapyChat.  In today's episode, host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews Dr. Jodie Skillicorn, a holistic psychiatrist and author of the new book, "Healing Depression Without Medication: a psychiatrist's guide to balancing mind, body and soul". Jodie explains how trauma plays a role in many psychiatric symptoms and how she works with her partients using medications as a last resort. Tune in for an interesting and thought provoking discussion! Dr. Jodie Skillicorn is an osteopathic physician board certified in Psychiatry and a diplomate of the American Board of Integrative and Holistic Medicine. She integrates conventional medical training with evidence-based holistic methods that include breathwork, meditation, yoga, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), Emotional Freedom Techniques (E

Thank you to this episode's sponsor, TherapyNotes. Get a 2-month free trial of TherapyNotes by going to www.TherapyNotes.com and using the promo code TherapyChat.  233: Tolerating Discomfort As A White Person Confronting Racism & White Supremacy In this week's episode host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C discusses how the Window of Tolerance and Polyvagal Theory play a role in white people's reactions to confronting our roles in racism. Laura offers "Window of Tolerance 101" to explain hyperarousal and hypoarousal, and how our bodies and brains respond to threats. She describes Deb Dana's Polyvagal Ladder concept as well. Laura reflects upon her own complicity in upholding the systems of oppression that support white supremacy and what she has begun to understand while reading "White Fragility" by Dr. Robin DiAngelo. She reads from an article sharing thoughts of black therapists that are offered to white therapists. She offers resources for white people understanding more and getting

Thank you to this episode's sponsor, TherapyNotes. Get a 2-month free trial of TherapyNotes by going to www.TherapyNotes.com and using the promo code TherapyChat.  Episode 232: Confronting Structural Inequality & White Supremacy  I. I am a white person, and I have my own internalized biases, including racism. I am continually working to confront my own biases and to do better, and I do my best to challenge racism when I see it.  I am not an expert in anti-racism work but as a social worker and activist, I do have a lot of education and experience in social justice work. I cannot and won't pretend to have the lived experience of a Black or Brown person living in America and I will give a long list of resources at the end of this episode, that is not an exhaustive list by any means. As I posted on social media earlier in the week, we have two Americas. One that works for white people and one that works against Black people. After the recent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery,

Thank you to this episode's sponsor, TherapyNotes. Get a 2-month free trial of TherapyNotes by going to www.TherapyNotes.com and using the promo code TherapyChat.  Welcome to episode 231 of the Therapy Chat Podcast. In this week's solo episode, host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C shares her observations of the reactions many of us are having to the pandemic. She touches on the following topics: Isolation Fear Anger Loss of Control/Powerlessness Some of the positive things that are coming from this What we can do about the feelings that are coming up And Laura wants to know whether this content is what you want to hear, or if you are itching for some of the usual content that you would normally hear on Therapy Chat. Please take a moment to complete this very short, anonymous survey! Please take a moment to let Laura know how you feel the content. Are you sick of hearing about the pandemic or do you want Laura to keep talking about it? https://forms.gle/1faMssk8FFAe1N4u9  Resources: Leave me a message via Speakp

Thank you to this episode's sponsor, TherapyNotes. Get a 2-month free trial of TherapyNotes by going to www.TherapyNotes.com and using the promo code TherapyChat.  Welcome to episode 230 of the Therapy Chat Podcast. In this weeks episode host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews Kyle Davies on the subject finding your true self whilst coping with Covid-19. Kyle Davies is a wellbeing and mindset coach, author and trainer. He specializes in helping individuals and groups to optimise their energy and wellbeing, combat stress and stress-related symptoms, improve mental clarity and performance, and develop inner resilience and flow. Kyle originally qualified as a Chartered Occupational Psychologist and is the creator of Energy-Flow Coaching™. He spent a chunk of his career pioneering a new approach for treating chronic fatigue and pain, anxiety, depression and other stress-related symptoms – which is reflected in the recently published book, The Intelligent Body. Kyle’s work is about developing people from the insi

Thank you to this episode's sponsor, TherapyNotes. Get a 2-month free trial of TherapyNotes by going to www.TherapyNotes.com and using the promo code TherapyChat.  In this week's episode host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews eating disorders specialist Jennifer Rollin, LCSW-C about how the current pandemic can bring up issues from those who are in recovery from eating disorders. Our guest also describes how people who don't identify as having eating disorders can begin having issues during this time, and offers resources for anyone who is struggling. Guest's bio: Jennifer Rollin is a therapist and founder of The Eating Disorder Center in Rockville, Maryland, who specializes in working with adolescents and adults with eating disorders and body image issues. Jennifer serves as the chairwoman of Project Heal's national network of eating disorder treatment providers. Jennifer has been named as one of the top eating disorder experts in the world by Balance Eating Disorder Treatment Center in NYC

Thank you to this episode's sponsor, TherapyNotes. Get a 2-month free trial of TherapyNotes by going to www.TherapyNotes.com and using the promo code TherapyChat.  In this week's episode, host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren a professor and researcher and Sara Showalter Van Tongeren, a clinical social worker. Together they authored the new book, The Courage to Suffer: A New Clinical Framework for Life’s Greatest Crises. Daryl and Sarah discussed the existential questions that are making it so challenging to stay centered and feel peaceful during this pandemic. These questions are relevant to all of our lives during a pandemic and during normal times. Daryl R. Van Tongeren, Ph.D., is an associate professor of psychology at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. A social psychologist, he has published over 160 scholarly articles and chapters on topics such as meaning in life, religion, virtues (including forgiveness and humility), relationships, and well-being. His research has been c

Thank you to this episode's sponsor, TherapyNotes. Get a 2-month free trial of TherapyNotes by going to www.TherapyNotes.com and using the promo code TherapyChat.  In today's episode, host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews a guest who is an expert on grief. Claire Bidwell Smith is a therapist and the author of the new book, Anxiety: the Missing Stage of Grief. Here's what was discussed: - Therapy Chat has been focusing on grief this year, but episodes have taken a detour to focus more directly on the current worldwide pandemic happening in April of 2020. Today's episode is fitting for both the pre and post COVID19 world. - Laura and Claire talk about some of their own experiences with grief, as well as common themes heard in work with clients in both of their therapy practices - Claire explains how Elizabeth Kubler Ross's stages of the dying process became what most people recognize as the "stages of grief" - Claire describes the "missing stage" of grief - anxiety and how it

Thank you to this episode's sponsor, TherapyNotes. Get a 2-month free trial of TherapyNotes by going to www.TherapyNotes.com and using the promo code TherapyChat.  In this week's episode host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews Patricia Young, LCSW, a clinical social worker and coach specializing in working with Highly Sensitive People (HSP). Patricia is also the host of the Unapologetically Sensitive Podcast.  Patricia knows what it’s like to feel like an outcast, misfit, truth-teller or black sheep. Learning about being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), helped Patricia rewrite her history with a deeper understanding, appreciation and a sense of compassion. She created a podcast called Unapologetically Sensitive that focuses on the strengths HSPs have BECAUSE of their sensitivity. Her tagline is: Sensitivity is nothing to apologize for; it’s our superpower! Patricia works online globally working individually with people, and she teaches Online Courses for HSPs that focus on self-care, self-compassion, bou

In this week's episode, host Laura Reagan LCSW-C interviews guest Dr. Odelya Gertel Kraybill. Odelya is a highly experienced trauma therapist and trainer who has worked with survivors of trauma all over the world. In this discussion you will hear: - What we must do for self-care during a time like this - tips we can share with our clients as well - When to do trauma therapy and when to do crisis intervention/Psychological First Aid - What many therapists don't realize about how we need to work differently during the current crisis - Odelya describes her Expressive Trauma Integration framework and the elements of her approach to crisis work, which is most appropriate for our current time. Dr. Odelya Gertel Kraybill, Ph.D., LCPC, ACS has worked as a consultant and trauma therapist for the UN and NGOs around the world. A Fulbright scholar, she conducted research in the Philippines, Lesotho, and Israel, that led to the development of Expressive Trauma Integration (ETI), an integrative approach to traum

Thank you to this episode's sponsor, TherapyNotes. Get a 2-month free trial of TherapyNotes by going to www.TherapyNotes.com and using the promo code TherapyChat.  In today's episode host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews Brandon Welch, assistant professor of Biomedical Informatics at the Medical University of South Carolina about how technology, including telehealth, can help make therapy and medical care accessible during a crisis. Among other things, as you will hear, Brandon is the founder of one of our sponsors, Doxy.me and I'm grateful that he was willing to share his expertise to help us learn more about telehealth, which many therapists had to switch to quickly due to the Coronavirus outbreak.  Today's discussion touches on the following topics: - The benefits of telehealth - Some of the objections that therapists may have to using telehealth - Some of the concerns and fears clients may have regarding telehealth - Some of the other ways Brandon and his team are working on technology that

Thank you to this episode's sponsor, TherapyNotes. Get a 2-month free trial of TherapyNotes by going to www.TherapyNotes.com and using the promo code TherapyChat.  In today's episode, host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C talks with an associate from her practice, January Roberts, LGPC about how to help children and ourselves self-regulate during stressful times such as the current Coronavirus outbreak. January describes specific strategies parents can use and offers examples of how they can help. January Roberts, LGPC, takes a holistic approach to wellness and has experience and specialized training in individual and community crisis response, including support for first responders and community leaders. With a nuanced understanding of how trauma can have a wide range of effects, January helps each client explore stressors and integrate strategies that promote balance, resilience, and wellbeing. January works with children, adolescents and adults at the Baltimore Annapolis Center for Integrative Healing. Thank y

Thank you to this episode's sponsor, TherapyNotes. Get a 2-month free trial of TherapyNotes by going to www.TherapyNotes.com and using the promo code TherapyChat.  Welcome back to Therapy Chat! On today's episode host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C flies solo to talk about support for coping during the outbreak Coronavirus.  Link to the Crisis Kit, including an audio download recording of the Eye of the Hurricane meditation and some coping tools with instructions that can be used in a crisis: https://positivepsychology.com/the-crisis-kit/  LifeForce Yoga article with instructions and photos of Bee Breath: https://yogafordepression.com/bee-breath-brahmari-practice/  Tara Brach's RAIN practice: https://www.tarabrach.com/rain/  Links to 3 guided meditation downloads I recorded previously: https://www.bahealing.com/mindfulness  Resources Leave me a message via Speakpipe by going to https://therapychatpodcast.com and clicking on the green Speakpipe button. Thank you for listening to Therapy Chat! Please be su

Thank you to this episode's sponsor, TherapyNotes. Get a 2-month free trial of TherapyNotes by going to www.TherapyNotes.com and using the promo code TherapyChat.  Welcome back to Therapy Chat! On today's episode host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C speaks to Kara Bolling about what it's like when the therapist is pregnant.  Kara Bolling, MSW, LCSW-C is a somatic psychotherapist near Baltimore, Maryland. She works with adults and young adults who feel the struggle of absent or unsatisfying relationships, with people who have experienced trauma, and with parents who need extra support during the toddler and teenage years. Kara lives in Baltimore with her husband and two precious children. She enjoys singing and making things. Her first book is called The Therapist's Guide to Being Pregnant.  Resources www.karabolling.com https://karabolling.com/my-books/ Leave me a message via Speakpipe by going to https://therapychatpodcast.com and clicking on the green Speakpipe button. Thank you for listening to The

Thank you to this episode's sponsor, TherapyNotes. Get a 2-month free trial of TherapyNotes by going to www.TherapyNotes.com and using the promo code TherapyChat.  Welcome back to Therapy Chat! On today's episode host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C speaks to Lori Gottlieb about her new book "Maybe You Should Talk To Someone".  Lori Gottlieb is a psychotherapist and New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, which is being adapted as a television series with Eva Longoria. In addition to her clinical practice, she writes The Atlantic’s weekly “Dear Therapist” advice column and contributes regularly to The New York Times and many other publications. She is also a TED speaker, a member of the Advisory Council for Bring Change to Mind and advisor to the Aspen Institute. A contributing writer for the Atlantic, she has written hundreds of articles related to psychology and culture, many of which have become viral sensations. She is a sought-after expert in media such as The Today Sh