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

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week, host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews Laura Davis about the complexity of repairing broken family relationships.   Laura Davis is the author of The Burning Light of Two Stars, the story of her loving, tumultuous relationship with her mother, and six other non-fiction books. Her first book, The Courage to Heal, paved the way for hundreds of thousands of women to heal from the trauma of sexual abuse. Becoming the Parent You Want to Be helped parents develop a vision for the families they want to create. I Thought We'd Never Speak Again: The Road from Estrangement to Reconciliation taught the skills of reconciliation and peace building, one relationship at a time.   Laura’s new memoir, The Burning Light of Two Stars: A Mother-Daughter Story is the riveting story of her embattled relationship with her mother Temme, their determination to love one another, and the dramatic and surprising collision course they ended up on at the end of Temme’s life. For the millions of re

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week, host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews Laurie Ure, LICSW, who is a clinical social worker and Certified Bioenergetic Therapist in Massachusetts. Laurie explained what Bioenergetics is, how she uses it in her work, and guided Laura through a practice. You'll learn about energetic boundaries and using Bioenergetics in therapy through this fascinating discussion.    Laurie Ure, LICSW, has practiced as a Certified Bioenergetic Therapist in Gloucester, MA, for over 25 years. She trains bioenergetic therapists in the U.S. and internationally. In addition, she leads workshops, speaks, plans conferences, and writes about topics related to bioenergetic analysis. Her involvement with this approach began in 1986 as a client of a bioenergetic therapist. She has studied with Alexander Lowen, M.D., founder of bioenergetic analysis, and has directed the Massachusetts Society for Bioenergetic Analysis.    Laurie has also taught at Salem State College School of Social Work. She publ

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C speaks with friend and colleague Charlene MacPherson, LCSW-C about Charlene's work bringing therapeutic gaming to adults in Linthicum, Maryland.   Laura and Charlene discuss how embracing one's authentic self as a therapist helps clients who are looking for what is unique about us to feel seen and understood in therapy settings. Charlene talks about her journey to acceptance as a self-proclaimed nerd and how she learned to embrace her gifts and use them to help her clients. This is a beautiful conversation that will inspire you to embrace the parts of you that might be hidden when wearing your therapist hat. Additionally, Charlene talks about how Role Playing Games can be used therapeutically and what a therapeutic RPG looks like.   Self-proclaimed nerd and licensed psychotherapist, Charlene MacPherson uses nerd culture to create a safe and fun environment to explore the therapy process. She's also a mother, wife, Lutheran, podcaste

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week's episode is about a sensitive topic - finding safety via the legal system following domestic violence and stalking. If this topic hits close to home for you, please take care of yourself while listening.   Today host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews Kaytee Gillis, LCSW, a Louisiana-based psychotherapist, advocate and author. Her recent book, "Invisible Bruises - How A Better Understanding of the Patterns of Domestic Violence Can Help Survivors Navigate the Legal System" is out now. In this conversation, Laura and Kaytee discuss the limitations of protective orders, what therapists need to know about supporting survivors of relationship violence and how survivors can get help. Kaytee talks about some of the specific barriers LGBTQ+ survivors face when navigating the legal system for protection.    Kaytee Gillis, LCSW-BACS, is a psychotherapist, advocate, and author with a passion for working with survivors of family trauma and the LGBTQ+ community. She receiv

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews Lindsay Bryan-Podvin about understanding and improving our relationship with money. Money is such a taboo in American culture, our capitalist economy and consumerist culture ensure that money is on everyone's mind all the time, but we don't talk about it nearly enough. Like so many taboo subjects, we feel like we should be "good with money," but we receive many conflicting messages about our relationship with money from family, friends, upbringing and culture. Lindsay demystifies money and helps clients (including therapist clients!) to become more comfortable addressing their financial anxiety issues. Listen to this conversation in which Lindsay makes having a positive money mindset sound easy, and tells us how to get started on that path!  Lindsay Bryan-Podvin (she/her) is a biracial financial therapist, podcast host, speaker, and author of the book "The Financial Anxiety Solution." In her therapy practice,

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews Tavi Hawn, LCSW-C about their newest book (January 2022), The Gender Identity Guide for Parents- Compassionate Advice to Help Your Child Be Their Most Authentic Self. This was an interesting and important conversation. Tavi is a wonderful teacher who guides a discussion about supporting children around their gender identity that is compassionate and vulnerable. You'll enjoy this thought-provoking conversation about children's gender identity and parenting. Tavi (pronounced Tah-vee) Hawn is a Southern lover of books, music, dance, a dog named Scully, cat named Lionel, a spider loving scientist, and a baby named Waya (pronounced Wah-hya) (Wolf). Tavi is a multi-racial, Two Spirit person who currently is the founder of a group therapy and consulting practice in Maryland, as well as serving as faculty on the Indian Country Paths (Re)Membered ECHO project and as a therapist with Native American Lifelines. In the past Tavi was co-

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week host Laura Reagan interviews returning guest Maya Benattar, a music therapist practising in NYC. Maya's first interview on Therapy Chat was in 2017 and we're grateful that she agreed to return for this conversation to talk about rhythm and how it shows up in our lives. Listen to this fascinating discussion of how Maya uses rhythm in her work with clients! Maya Benattar, MA, MT-BC, LCAT is a music therapist and psychotherapist in private practice in Midtown Manhattan and online throughout NY state. Her specialties include anxiety, developmental/intergenerational trauma and highly sensitive people (HSP). In addition to her clinical work, Maya offers supervision/consultation for other therapists, provides professional development and wellness workshops, and offers restorative workshops for helpers and healers. Maya received her master’s degree from New York University, and has completed extensive postgraduate training in vocal psychotherapy, creative arts therapies

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week, host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C welcomes back a returning guest, Dr. Mona Delahooke. Mona has a new book out this year called "Brain-Body  Parenting: How to stop managing behavior and start raising joyful, resilient kids".  Mona M. Delahooke, Ph.D. is a clinical child psychologist with a passion for supporting families and children. She has worked widely with multi- disciplinary teams in the area of developmental and emotional differences for over 20 years. She is a senior faculty member of the Profectum Foundation and is a trainer and consultant to schools, public/private agencies and parents. Her blog and award winning book, Beyond Behaviors: Using Brain Science and Compassion to Understand and Solve Children’s Behavioral Challenges explains a new neurodevelopmental approach to childhood challenges for therapists, parents and teachers. Resources Learn more at: www.monadelahooke.com Listen to her previous Therapy Chat interview here. Thank you to Trauma Therapist N

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! In this week's episode, host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews Christina Miller-Martinez, LMFT about nurses' mental health and burnout. We have all heard about the strain the current pandemic has placed on healthcare providers, and here on Therapy Chat we have covered the topic of physician burnout and suicide in the past couple of years. Today, Christina and Laura discuss how nurses tend to cope with their emotions and what nurses and therapists need to know about nurses and other healthcare providers' mental health and burnout. Christina Miller-Martinez is a licensed marriage and family therapist working in Palo Alto, California. She graduated from the California Institute of Integral Studies in 2014 with a Master's degree in Somatics. She is a long time yoga practitioner and works with integrating current information on neuroscience with the ancient wisdom of eastern concepts of mind and body to aid in healing trauma. Christina is part of the Pacific team of A Go

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews Dr. Deborah Korn. Deborah L. Korn, PsyD maintains a private practice in Cambridge, MA and is a faculty member at the Trauma Research Foundation and the EMDR Institute. She is also the former Clinical Director of the Women’s Trauma Programs at Charter Brookside and Charles River Hospitals and a past board member of the New England Society for the Treatment of Trauma and Dissociation. Dr. Korn has authored or coauthored numerous articles and chapters focused on EMDR therapy, including comprehensive reviews of EMDR applications with Complex PTSD.  She is an EMDR International Association (EMDRIA)-approved consultant and also on the Editorial Board of the Journal of EMDR Practice and Research. She presents and consults internationally on the treatment of adult survivors of childhood abuse and neglect and complex traumatic stress disorders. She is the co-author of Every Memory Deserves Respect—a 2021 book about trauma, recovery, and EMDR

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews returning guest Jill Johnson-Young, LCSW, a clinical social worker who owns Central Counseling Services in Southern California. Jill is the author of several books on grief, including most recently, "The Rebellious Widow," in which she shares some of her own personal story as well as her clinical experiences in facing grief and loss. Jill trains therapists in working with grief, and she is also very knowledgeable in other information about end of life, including dementia. She returns for part 2 of the conversation that started last week in Episode 317. In today's discussion, Jill went into more depth about how loved ones and caregivers can ease the process of transitioning from this life by having difficult conversations with the dying person or the person with dementia. She speaks about some of the common issues that cause unneeded conflict when family members are dealing with a sick or dying loved one and how they can b

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews Jill Johnson-Young, LCSW, a clinical social worker who owns Central Counseling Services in Southern California. Jill is the author of several books on grief, including most recently, "The Rebellious Widow," in which she shares some of her own personal story as well as her clinical experiences in facing grief and loss. Jill trains therapists in working with grief, and she is also very knowledgeable in other information about end of life, including dementia.  In this episode you'll hear Jill share some of her personal story of becoming a widow twice before the age of 50, and her lived experiences of taking care of loved ones with various types of dementia. Jill explains that there are 12 different types of dementia, and they can have different origins, symptoms and presentations. She discusses the various types of dementia and offers resources for learning more and getting support when you or someone you love has dementia.

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews Brooke Randolph, LMHC. Brooke shares the wisdom gained in her years of working with adoptive families as well as her personal experience of being an adoptive parent. In this interview she and Laura talk about many of the ways children and families can be affected by transracial and international adoption, and what therapists, families and adoptees need to know. Brooke also discusses her use of Brainspotting in her work. Laura shares a reader's message about their reaction to Episode 304 with Amy Sugeno on attachment and adoption.  Brooke Randolph, LMHC, is founder and director of Counseling at The Green House, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Her specialties are Adoption Therapy & developmental trauma, Brainspotting, and relationships. She is a Certified Brainspotting Consultant & Speciality Trainer, Coordinator of Brainspotting Indy, and Member of the Midwest Brainspotting Institute. Brooke is also a Certified Imago Relationshi

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews Dr. Nicole Christian-Brathwaite, MD of Array Behavioral Care. Dr. Nicole is a child and adult psychiatrist in Massachusetts and provides education, consultation and coaching on mental health, trauma and the impact of race and culture on mental health.  Nicole Christian-Brathwaite, MD is a double board-certified adult and child and adolescent psychiatrist. Dr. Christian-Brathwaite received her medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and completed her adult psychiatry residency and child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital/ Mclean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School affiliate. She is the founder and CEO of Well Minds Psychiatry and Consulting Company, which provides psychiatric and therapeutic treatment as well as education, consultation and coaching on mental health and trauma, wellness and self-care, implicit bias and understanding mental illness in children of color.  Dr.

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews psychotherapist, author, consultant, coach and professor Dr. Nyasha Grayman. Dr. Grayman is the author of Seasonal Therapeutic Encounters with Nature Journal: 52 Experiences for Baltimoreans. Dr. Grayman specializes in helping African Americans who are grieving sudden, traumatic losses of someone important to them. In this conversation you'll hear: Why nature is helpful in healing from traumatic and complicated grief. How Dr. Grayman structures her therapy work with African American clients who are grieving due to sudden or violent death of someone they care about. Why she wrote her book in a journal format. How others can create similar books to hers. Dr. Nyasha Grayman is a licensed psychotherapist in Maryland, USA with certifications in grief counseling, trauma treatment, and telemental health. She holds a BA from Spelman College, an MA in Counseling from New York University, and a PhD in Counseling Psychology, also from New

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week, host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews therapist Brenda Stephens, LPCC, who is the author of two books on narcissistic abuse: Healing from Narcissistic Mothers: A Daughter’s Recovery Guide; and The Narcissism Recovery Workbook: Skills for Healing from Emotional Abuse. In this episode you will hear Laura and Brenda discuss: What Narcissistic Abuse is What therapists need to know about Narcissistic Abuse How surviving this type of abuse affects us during childhood and as adults The process of healing from Narcissistic Abuse Brenda Stephens is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in San Diego, CA. She works exclusively with those seeking help in resolving their experienced trauma. Brenda specializes in working with those who have been in relationships with narcissists and are recovering from the emotional, and sometimes physical, wounds they have endured in their relationships. Brenda has been working with this population for several years and is providing groups, w

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! In this first episode of 2022 Laura welcomes guest Dr. Lindsay Gibson, author of several books, including most recently, "Self Care for Children of Emotionally Immature Parents." Laura and Lindsay had a fascinating conversation about how emotionally immature parents - those whose emotional/attachment needs weren't met by their own parents - can affect their children's development. Lindsay explains identity formation in fascinating detail. Listen to this compassionate and eye-opening conversation about the pain of growing up with emotionally immature parents, how having emotionally immature parents can interfere with connecting to your authentic self, and how to move forward if this is your story. Lindsay C. Gibson, Psy.D. holds both a Masters and Doctoral Degree in clinical psychology. She has been a psychotherapist for over thirty years, working in diverse settings such as the Juvenile Court system, community mental health, psychiatric hospitals, group practice,

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C revisits a previous interview with Dr. Kristin Neff, the researcher and author who has made the concept of Self Compassion familiar to the mainstream. In this interview from earlier in 2021, Dr. Neff explains how women can use the "Mama Bear" energy of Fierce Self Compassion to set boundaries and be kind to themselves and others from a place of authenticity. This is a great episode to listen to as we transition to a new year. Kristin Neff is currently an Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. She is a pioneer in the field of self-compassion research, conducting the first empirical studies onbself-compassion almost twenty years ago. In addition to writing numerous academic articles and book chapters on the topic, she is author of the book Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself. In conjunction with her colleague Dr. Chris Germer, she has developed an empirically supported t

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C revisits a previous interview with Sharon Martin, LCSW on surviving and thriving during the holidays, especially if your family relationships are "complicated."  Sharon Martin, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist specializing in codependency recovery with an online practice serving California residents. For the past 20 years, she’s been helping perfectionists and people-pleasers overcome self-doubt and shame, embrace their imperfections, learn to set boundaries, and reclaim their self-worth. Sharon writes the blog Conquering Codependency for Psychology Today and is the author of The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism and The Better Boundaries Workbook. Resources Sharon's website: https://www.livewellwithsharonmartin.com/ If you're a therapist specializing in trauma, join the Trauma Therapist Network while Founding Member pricing is still available and lock in the lowest price!  Clients with trauma are looking for the specialized serv

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C revisits a previous interview with Sharon Martin, LCSW on perfectionism. We often don't even realize that we're holding ourselves to impossibly high expectations. This issue especially comes up around the holidays when we tend to put pressure on ourselves to create a perfect experience that is more of a fantasy than reality.  Sharon Martin, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist specializing in codependency recovery with an online practice serving California residents. For the past 20 years, she’s been helping perfectionists and people-pleasers overcome self-doubt and shame, embrace their imperfections, learn to set boundaries, and reclaim their self-worth. Sharon writes the blog Conquering Codependency for Psychology Today and is the author of The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism and The Better Boundaries Workbook. Resources Sharon's website: https://www.livewellwithsharonmartin.com/ If you're a therapist specializing in trauma, join