Therapists - are you in a toxic business relationship? This week I'm covering why many therapy practices are struggling to stay afloat. Kelly Higdon, LMFT and Miranda Palmer, LMFT are two therapists and business coaches who co-own ZynnyMe and lead Business School for Therapists. They've been keeping up with the factors affecting therapist wellbeing for years! In our conversation we discuss how therapists and clients are being misled and mistreated by companies that don't have our best...

This week I interviewed Antonieta Contreras about trauma therapy and the importance of a systemic approach to healing. We discussed misconceptions around trauma therapy, the importance of understanding the connection between trauma and the loss of internal equilibrium, and the role of nature, nurture, and consciousness in healing. Antonieta speaks about how she approaches therapy and how therapists can use her book, 'Traumatization and Its Aftermath,' to develop a systemic approach. Her book...

Therapists - there's so much important information in this conversation that you need to hear! In this conversation I spoke with Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, who is an expert in PANS, PANDAS, and tick-borne illnesses as well as Autoimmune Encephalopathy (AE). Roseann shares about the symptoms, diagnosis, and holistic as well as allopathic treatment options for these conditions, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the sudden onset of neuropsychiatric issues without a trauma trigger while...

I named this episode "The Eyes Have It" to honor the fascinating connection my guest, Monique Hoving-Smeets, MFT describes between right and left eyes and awareness among parts of self in trauma work. Monique, a therapist based in Canada who specializes in complex trauma and dissociation, is the developer of the Trauma Regulation and Integration Model (TRIP). Among so many things, Monique also explores the internal attachment dynamics that can contribute to trauma and how TRIP helps to...

In this week's episode my guests are Dr. Ann Kelley and Sue Marriott, LCSW, hosts of Therapist Uncensored podcast and authors of the upcoming book, Secure Relating: Holding Your Own In An Insecure World. They discuss the importance of spreading secure relating and changing society through understanding attachment. They describe how their book challenges traditional views of attachment and proposes a spectrum of attachment patterns. We had a great conversation that I know you'll find...

Today's Therapy Chat guest is Dr. Peter Levine, 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...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! Betrayal comes in many forms. One of the most common ways we think of it is when a partner has a hidden life or a side relationship they're keeping secret from their partner. Secrecy and shame can lead to broken trust and overwhelming feelings of betrayal that are not easy to recover from. If you've ever experienced the pain of betrayal, you'll want to hear my conversation with LaDonna Carey, MA! In our conversation, we explored the topic of betrayal trauma and...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! If you've ever thought, "I know I need to set a boundary, but I don't know how to do it," or "I know what I should do/say, but why can't I seem to make myself do it?" then you'll love this episode. This week's guest, Juliane Taylor Shore, wrote the book, "Setting Boundaries That Stick: How Neurobiology Can Help You Rewire Your Brain to Help You Feel Safe, Connected and Empowered," which addresses the challenge of setting boundaries, which so many of us find...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! In this episode, the last for now in the series on women's wellness in midlife, I spoke with Dr. Erin Kinney, a naturopathic doctor in Annapolis Maryland, to discuss the connection between chronic stress and women's wellness. Dr. Kinney explained the impact of chronic stress - like developmental/childhood trauma - on our endocrine systems, affecting our hormones. I talked a bit about how this happened in my life and created a health crisis for me just around the...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week's guest, Dr. Sara Poldmae is a licensed acupuncturist, Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner and Doctor of Chinese Medicine. Dr. Sara discusses her approach to healing, which combines Eastern and Western medicine to help women find wellness in midlife. She emphasizes the importance of treating the root cause of symptoms and the need for a holistic approach to patient care. Sara shares her expertise in addressing hormonal imbalances and menopause...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week we're talking about a topic that has been relatively taboo until recently - but affects everyone with a uterus in some way. Welcome to a series on menopause! My guest today is Dr. Nazanin Moali, an internationally-recognized AASECT certified psychologist, educator, and host of Sexology Podcast. We talked about the impact of menopause on mental health and Nazanin shared from the sex therapist perspective.  We discussed the hormonal, mood and...

This week's episode includes a conversation with Jenn Fredette. We talked about how marketing doesn't have to be gross and make you feel ashamed of who you are. We discuss the role of attachment style in marketing and how therapists can show up authentically in their marketing efforts. We also explore the evolution of therapist influencers and the pressure to conform to certain marketing strategies. Jen emphasizes the importance of niching down and writing specifically to your ideal client....

In this episode of Therapy Chat, host Laura interviews Dr. Marc Hauser about his book 'Vulnerable Minds: The Harm of Trauma and the Hope of Resilience'. The conversation explores childhood trauma, resilience, and the healing process. Marc Hauser shares his background in cognitive neuroscience and his work with at-risk children, including those with traumatic experiences. The book aims to bring scientific knowledge to practitioners and parents to help children living with trauma. The...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week I'm thrilled to bring you the last interview Linda Thai, LMSW, RYT-200, CLYL and I did in 2023. The previous three episodes with Linda were focused on my grief journey, and this one is different - though trauma, attachment and grief are woven in, of course. Linda teaches us about Psychodrama Structures, which is a method she has benefited from and uses to bring healing to many people.  In our conversation we explore themes of healing when one's Family...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week I'm joined by a fellow trauma therapist who is also a colleague and friend, Dr. Jenny Hughes. In our conversation we explore themes of building trust through allowing vulnerability, the power of connection and co-regulation in healing, the process of metabolizing emotions, integration and healing, the transformative power of difficult times, grief, vicarious trauma and vicarious resilience, hope, finding supportive spaces, the beauty and joy of trauma...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week we have a returning guest, Brooke Randolph, LPC, LMHC, LPCC-S, an adoptive parent, therapist and advocate for the members of the adoption constellation, who is also the author of several books and a Brainspotting trainer. This conversation explores the complex and often overlooked aspects of adoption, focusing on the experiences of adoptees, adoptive parents, and birth parents. I talk about my journey of learning about adoption as a therapist, and we...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! In this first episode of 2024 I'm so happy to bring you this interview recorded this past Fall, with Dr. Mariel Buqué, author of the new book, Break the Cycle: A Guide to Healing Intergenerational Trauma. We discussed intergenerational patterns of trauma, legacy burdens that were carried by our ancestors and are held in our bodies, showing up as patterns of tension, pain and illness. Tune in to our conversation and learn how you can break the cycles of those who...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! As 2023 comes to an end I wanted to reflect upon the year and what I learned through my experiences. Life always includes highs and lows, light and darkness. This year in my personal and professional life (so basically my whole life), there was more darkness than light. Yet upon reflection, there were so many glimmers of light within the dark times. In this episode I share my personal journey dealing with grief and loss in my personal life and how it made it...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat. This week 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...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! We all know people who'll do anything for others but never accept help for themselves. In fact, they never admit needing any help, despite being very attuned to how everyone around them is doing. These relationships feel out of balance, and limit both partners' ability to show up authentically. This is true in intimate partner relationships, friendships, work relationships and family relationships. This week host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C interviews Michelle Farris,...

This week on Therapy Chat we are revisiting a conversation from a few years ago that will feel timely to many of us as we move through the holiday season. Whether you are a parent or an adult child, the holidays - which are supposed to be a time of family togetherness - can often feel very stressful. This week's guest is Tina Gilbertson. She specializes in supporting parents who are estranged from their adult children, and not by choice.  Tina Gilbertson is a psychotherapist and author of...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week, in an interview that is timely as we're in the thick of the holiday season, I interviewed Dr. Lindsay Gibson for the second time. This time we're discussing the challenge of disentangling from emotionally immature people. In our conversation, you'll hear Lindsay describe the characteristics of Emotionally Immature People, how it feels to be in a relationship with them, and how to assert ourselves within those relationships. She discusses her newest...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week we are continuing our exploration of the many ways to use EMDR. This week's guest is 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...

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! This week I'm honored to bring you another interview on the subject of religious trauma. My guest today is Dr. Mark G. Karris, a Marriage and Family Therapist in California who is the author of four books, including most recently, "The Diabolical Trinity: Healing Religious Trauma from a Wrathful God, Tormenting Hell, and a Sinful Self." He describes why he wrote this book, and how religious beliefs with these three components can be traumatic. This conversation...