Ask Kati Anything

Ask Kati Anything episode 85Questions:1. Is it “normal” to constantly talk to yourself? basically whenever i’m alone i’ll be having full on conversations out loud to myself. feel like half the time it’s just maladaptive dreaming and i’ll be talking about something I...2. How do you treat trauma that you don't remember? I can hardly remember my childhood, but sometimes I have emotional flashbacks in response to certain questions in therapy. Without pictures or sounds...3. I hope you are doing well! Could you talk a bit more about emotional abuse? A few months ago, I realized that I was emotionally abused for 6 years during my teenage years. As I am trying to deal with it...4. When I was in high school I used to thought stop every emotional thought I had. I convinced myself I was emotionless when really all I did was repress everything. I always tried to use logic and facts to counter my...5. I have started seeing a new trauma therapist and have seen her for a month. I get on well with her and although I'm struggling to open up, she has been really reassuring which is what I need to hear. The problem I...6. How can I get more comfortable again with social contacts after 1.5 years of the pandemic? I have always been a highly introverted person with a rather limited need for close social relations. In principle, I am very...7. How can I deal with the anxiety of losing my therapist? I know she says she won´t leave but I´m still scared she will. Is there anything I can do to conquer that fear? 8. What advice would you give to a person who you care about, but not a patient, whose trauma includes therapy-derived traumas? Several episodes ago, you talked about a therapist you believe was acting unethically.  9. Can one sibling have problems while others don’t? I’m a triplet. And I feel so left out with all events I have had to share with my other two siblings. Even through I had a hard enough time having family occasions because my one older brother molested me. I feel so stupid for caring so much about how I didn’t want to...Video of episodes https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs58xfxPpjVARRuwjH8usfwKati's books in stores now!TRAUMATIZED - https://geni.us/Bfak0jARE U OK? - http://bit.ly/2s0mULyAmazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimortonONLINE THERAPY  I do not currently offer online therapy.  BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://tryonlinetherapy.com/katimortonI receive commissions on referrals to BetterHelp. I only recommend services I know and trust.PATREON   https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/Opinions That Don't Matter! (2nd podcast)video https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs58xfxPpjVARRuwjH8usfwaudio https://opionstdm.buzzsprout.com/BUSINESS EMAIL linnea@toneymedia.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/katimorton) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ask Kati Anything! the Kati Morton podcast ep.83 Audience Questions1. Can you give us an overview of what a therapist does vs a psychologist? What’s the difference between therapy and psychotherapy? Would someone who struggles in all different areas benefit from seeing a psychologist rather than a therapist? For example, if someone has autism, C-PTSD, OCD, and an eating disorder, would a therapist be able to help them... 2. If you (as a therapist) have seen a client for a long time, do you notice if he or she feels sadder in a therapy session than usual?  3. What is the first thing that goes through your head (a therapist’s head) when a client starts to cry? (COMMENT: Or has a panic attack or starts dissociating badly (as in can not move, see or talk) in session? 4. I hope you’re having a great week! I got sick a while ago and was in the hospital for a few weeks. Ever since then, I’ve been missing and craving the kindness and attention I received from nurses and doctors while there. I’ve never experienced anything...5. How can I stop myself from being annoyed by little things out of my control? Often, I get upset about unreasonable stuff like people talking in a car, waking up 15 mins late even when I can afford to, shops not having what I want...6. Did you have a favourite patient you were seeing? I guess you´re not supposed to have favourites but I imagine it's hard not to like some patients more than others. Also I want my therapist to like me the most and I wish she would tell me I'm her favourite...7. A little while ago as I was crying on the floor I just completely lost my ability to feel any emotions for about 15 hours where it eventually slowly came back. It felt like losing a sense and I’m really confused by it and didn’t like it...8.  I have a difficult relationship with food. It’s almost impossible for me to eat if I am with people. I make it look like I eat most of the time. If there is absolutely no getting around it,  then I can force myself, just so there isn’t a scene but it makes me really uncomfortable...9. I hope you have a wonderful day. My question is; how can I notice when my eating disorder thoughts are trying to sneak in on me again? I find that my eating disorder voice is difficult to distinguish from me and my other thoughts and therefore I do not notice the signs until my therapist eventually notices them for me. I hope it makes sense... Video of episodes https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs58xfxPpjVARRuwjH8usfwKati's books in stores now!TRAUMATIZED - https://geni.us/Bfak0jARE U OK? - http://bit.ly/2s0mULyAmazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimortonONLINE THERAPY  I do not currently offer online therapy.  BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://tryonlinetherapy.com/katimortonI receive commissions on referrals to BetterHelp. I only recommend services I know and trust.PATREON   https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/Opinions That Don't Matter! (2nd podcast)video https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs58xfxPpjVARRuwjH8usfwaudio https://opionstdm.buzzsprout.com/BUSINESS EMAIL linnea@toneymedia.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/katimorton) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do therapists get annoyed with their patients? Ask Kati Anything podcast ep. 821. Do therapists ever get annoyed when clients say “I don't know” a lot during sessions? I find myself saying I don't know to questions in sessions...2. Do you ever get annoyed with your patients? I feel like I am annoying my therapist because I repeat judging myself and she keeps telling me that it's her job to sort through my thoughts and I should...3. Do you have any advice on talking to therapists about their reactions to things said in therapy? Recently I disclosed to my therapist details about a specific instance of childhood sexual abuse that I have always...4. Slowly but surely I'm recovering from my burn-out. Now I'm wondering what I should do with my life. Something needs to change and I know for the sake of my own mental health that I need to quit my job...5. Why do people not realize the abuse/toxic relationship/etc. they're in while it's happening? I didn't think I had been sexually assaulted until recently despite having an understanding of what sexual assault...6. Would you consider being closeted a form of trauma? I came out at 18/19 after I was closeted for about 3 years. I'm now 24 and feel like these 3 years still affect me daily. I taught myself to hold myself back in so many ways, especially in...7. How do you get over past traumas? Once everything has been aired out in session I still don't understand how to deal with it or accept these facts. I still find myself replaying my past & it still makes me sad. How do you know if therapy is working for you? (COMMENT: And how can I get over my trauma, if it isolates me from people close to me and I can't talk to them about it? My mother sexually abused me...8. How can I set boundaries, if I don’t even know where my boundaries are? Usually I feel like I don’t have boundaries. When someone looks at me I feel like they are already too close. And I can’t tell people not to look at me. Thank you for all you do. Have a lovely day. (COMMENT: I suck at setting boundaries too but similar to you when someone looks at me I feel like they know... 9. When therapists see clients with high suicide risks, what do you do to prevent them from carrying out the suicide plan?10. I recently had a philosophy professor stand in front of the class and give a small lecture on self harm. we were talking about suicide and it’s relation to morals and that turned into a discussion on mutilation...Video of episodes https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs58xfxPpjVARRuwjH8usfwKati's books in stores now!TRAUMATIZED - https://geni.us/Bfak0jARE U OK? - http://bit.ly/2s0mULyAmazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimortonONLINE THERAPY  I do not currently offer online therapy.  BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://tryonlinetherapy.com/katimortonI receive commissions on referrals to BetterHelp. I only recommend services I know and trust.PATREON   https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/Opinions That Don't Matter! (2nd podcast)video https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs58xfxPpjVARRuwjH8usfwaudio https://opionstdm.buzzsprout.com/BUSINESS EMAIL linnea@toneymedia.comSupport th Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ask Kati Anything podcast ep.80 Audience questions:1. What advice do you have when CBT doesn’t seem to be working? I have been diagnosed with GAD, and I know it’s supposed to be the gold standard for anxiety, but I feel like it isn’t doing anything for me. I can identify what is causing my anxiety/ all the distortions in my...2. How do you know what to say as a therapist? I get that your education and practice help a lot but what about in the beginning (your first few clients). How do you know what questions to ask so that...3. As kids my parents spanked my siblings and I. We were always scared when our father would be the one to discipline us. Now looking back at that time as a kid I feel...4. How many sessions are necessary before trusting a therapist? I had 20+ sessions with my former therapist and still didn’t trust her and didn’t feel safe enough to share my trauma fully. I recently...5. How do I stop worrying about my therapist even when I logically know I don't have to? We have talked about my people-pleasing and how being aware of how other people are feeling was a survival skill from childhood. I notice how my therapist tries to make sure that she doesn't look tired...6. I was SAed about 10 years ago by a good friend and have only very recently been working through it. I’ve done a lot of great work with my therapist and various other wonderful resources, but it’s weird for me to be moving forward - if that can even make sense. I can tell I’ve grown so much in the past year, but a part of me...7. I'm over 18 and I want to start talking with my therapist about possible (sexual) abuse sustained as a child. However, I still live with the person that supposedly caused me harm and I feel like whatever happened to me wasn't a big deal since I'm only...8. How do you deal with your therapist/therapy being your only 'safe' space? I've been in therapy for over 10years (not continuously there was a few years gap) and I've been extremely...9. How can I get comfortable with the idea of spacing out my sessions and eventually ending therapy? I've been seeing my therapist for...10. Thank you for all your work. Your videos and podcast have helped me so much. I have a question concerning trauma therapy. I recently started, and felt really good about it, in the sense that I felt safe and I trust my therapist...Video version of episodes https://youtu.be/WG-j4vtcYIsKati's Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimortonONLINE THERAPYI do not currently offer online therapy.  My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/katiPATREON  https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/katimorton) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1. Why do therapists often like to sit and silently observe you for an uncomfortable amount of time? It happens when the conversation slows down and everything goes quiet and they just sit looking at you...2. How can you tell apart when your worrying has a legitimate reason and when it's just caused by your anxiety / perfectionism? I'm always worrying I won't work hard enough for my university, that my boyfriend will leave me, that I'm not trying hard enough in therapy...3. I hope you are well! I was wondering, do you have any tips to keep your brain from freezing up or going blank when talking about trauma? I recently started having what I think are recovered memories of sexual abuse, but I don't know for sure if...4. How do you handle it when a patient gives you “doorknob disclosure”? Is it common? Do most therapists find it annoying? Is there a reason some patients do this?5. My question is... How are you? A few weeks or months ago you told us that you were taking a (much deserved) break due to stress...6. How do you know when you're "drowning in the symptoms" enough to warrant medication?  For me,  I'm just on antidepressants which (according to my doctor) isn't specifically aimed at curbing my anxiety symptoms. So I still experience anxiety/panic attacks, but they are way less frequent. I have skills to aid me, which work, but it can take me a few days to find my feet again...7. Could it be beneficial to go to a therapist who reminds you of people who have hurt you in the past? I find myself having a hard time trusting my therapist because she reminds me of everyone who has hurt me before...8. I have been wondering how people "view" their memories. I often recall memories from a 3rd person perspective, i.e. I see myself doing something rather than from my own perspective/ eyes. Is this the norm or...9. What if you’re half ready for recovery? What can you do? I want to get better, but I don’t want to put in the effort it takes to use the skills. Sometimes I forget they exist and other times I just don’t do it.10. I do not know if this is common, but do your clients ever tell you they don’t want to give up their eating disorder as a “puffer fish” mechanism? Like I find myself saying these things when I really don’t mean it, it is just easier to say I don’t want recovery over...Video of episodes https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs58xfxPpjVARRuwjH8usfwKati's books in stores now!TRAUMATIZED - https://geni.us/Bfak0j ARE U OK? - http://bit.ly/2s0mULyAmazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimortonONLINE THERAPY  I do not currently offer online therapy.  BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://tryonlinetherapy.com/katimortonI receive commissions on referrals to BetterHelp. I only recommend services I know and trust.PATREON   https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/Opinions That Don't Matter! (2nd podcast)video https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs58xfxPpjVARRuwjH8usfwaudio https://opionstdm.buzzsprout.com/BUSINESS EMAIL linnea@toneymedia.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/katimorton) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ask Kati Anything ep.79 - Kati Morton's Mental Health & Psychology Podcast1) How much of our childhood is normal to remember? I remember some things, but not a ton. My family life was fine growing up, I had loving parents, but I experienced bullying at school and social isolation because of that. I'm wondering if me not remembering stuff is because of the "trauma" of bullying or if it is just normal not to...2) Are suicidal thoughts dangerous when they aren't exactly in the near future or planned? I personally had this thought that once I start university I won't be able to handle the extra fears as I...3) I think you never talked about helicopter parents and the effects they have on children. What if instead of emotional neglect you receive so much attention and emotional presence from a parent you don’t learn how to operate on your own? How can one overcome the embarrassment...4) I have recently started seeing a trauma therapist. I like her but I haven’t really opened up about anything yet since I’m scared she won’t believe me and I’ll shut down like I usually do in session. How do I overcome my fear of not being believed by my therapist?5) How can I try not to let my depression take over too much when there are many changes going to happen? I´ll be moving soon and should start a program that helps me get better but I'm letting myself sulk in self pity and don't want to do anything but sleep all day. I fear I won't be able to get...6) Is it still considered sexual abuse if it happens between children who are only a year apart in age?  Like when one child is 8 and the other 9.  Does there have to be a big age difference for it to be considered sexual abuse or does age not matter?  Is it less traumatic if they are close in age?7) How do I know if symptoms of one mental illness is their own illness or just part of another? After watching your videos on Borderline and googling the most common symptoms myself, I mustered up the courage to ask my therapist if she thought I might have certain Borderline tendencies.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/katimorton) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ask Kati Anything ep.78 - Kati Morton's Mental Health & Psychology Podcast1 (0:48) What's the best way to build self esteem after years of emotional and physical abuse? I was abused as a child and it feels like no matter how hard I try, my inner monologue/strongly held beliefs always...2 (18:43) Did going to school to be a therapist bring things up for you? I just started my program and I’m loving it, but I’ve noticed that a lot of people in my program are struggling to an...3 (24:17) Is it possible for someone with narcissistic personality disorder to be aware they have the disorder? It seems like a lot of therapists...4 (30:44) Have your clients ever gotten mad or angry at you during a session? If so, do you ever get frustrated with them/ not want to work with them anymore? How would you go about it?5 (38:29) In my last session with my therapist, she told me something that my mom told her. My mom doesn’t believe I was molested by my brother. Her exact words were “my brother and I used to be...6 (45:21) I've been suicidal for two years and there's only been a few days when my severe depression and suicidality lifted a little bit. What would you say to someone who really, really doesn't want to live...7 (51:45) Recently my therapist was talking about finding a way to release all the anger I have towards my childhood, not having the life I wanted and anger towards the ...8 (57:11) I was reading up on HIPAA for school recently and was wondering: why can patients be denied access to their psychotherapy notes? It seems unproductive if we can't ...9 (1:02:34) What is your take on those who believe mental illness isn't real? Any reasons you've heard to try and prove this statement? I've heard a few different arguments but ...10 (1:06:45) Before I ask my question, I wanted to say thank you to you and Sean for putting in the time to do AKA. I think it helps a lot of us feel heard and validated, and helps ...Video version of episodes https://youtu.be/WG-j4vtcYIsKati's Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimortonONLINE THERAPYI do not currently offer online therapy.  My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/katiPATREON  https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/Opinions That Don't Matter!video https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs58xfxPpjVARRuwjH8usfwaudio https://opionstdm.buzzsprout.com/EMAIL linnea@toneymedia.comMAIL 1779 Wells Branch Pkwy #110B, Box #353  Austin, TX 78728My new book TRAUMATIZED is available for preorder! Order your copy today https://geni.us/Bfak0jSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/katimorton) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To order your copy of Kati's new book TRAUMATIZED please visit https://geni.us/Bfak0jAsk Kati Anything, ep.76 audience question: How to tell or show your therapist that you are doing worse than what she thinks. My therapist thinks I’m doing fine but I’m not, I feel like I’m dying from the inside.  I don’t know why I’m like this, but I want to be sicker than I am. Like, I know logically I probably only have anxiety and maybe autism, but I want to get diagnosed with a personality disorder... I hope you are well. Can we please talk about what happens when depression starts lifting? I am starting to look back now and I feel so sad at all the time I've lost, at all... As a therapist do you find it challenging to not wear your therapist hat in a regular situation where you’re not in that position of being a therapist? Is it common to feel as though you are lying or exaggerating when telling your therapist things that happened in the past, or what symptoms you have, or how your week.. Hope you have a wonderful day and are OK! Seeing your video about your burnout made me worry about you, so I wanted to check in! :-) Now. Over the last year I've been going to therapy... I keep seeing questions about being attached to a therapist or feeling sad, ect... if u need to move or something and u can't see them anymore... A few weeks ago you talked about touch aversion, and I’ve been wondering about the other side of it: What if you’ve always had a need for touch and physical affection that’s... Will a therapist always bring up transference? Or will they sometimes just notice it and use it as a tool to help heal. What are the signs a client is experiencing transference? I noticed you don’t really have any videos telling parents how to help their children with mental health issues. How should parents go about supporting their children when their children. Video version of episodes https://youtu.be/WG-j4vtcYIsKati's Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimortonONLINE THERAPYI do not currently offer online therapy.  My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/katiPATREON  https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/Opinions That Don't Matter!video https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs58xfxPpjVARRuwjH8usfwaudio https://opionstdm.buzzsprout.com/EMAIL linnea@toneymedia.comMAIL 1779 Wells Branch Pkwy #110B, Box #353  Austin, TX 78728Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/katimorton) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To order your copy of Kati's new book TRAUMATIZED please visit https://geni.us/Bfak0jAsk Kati Anything! ep.77 audience questions Can you give your therapist a ‘Summary of Me’ document so you don’t have to waste so many sessions getting through your whole life story? Or make your own trauma timeline to give to your new therapist instead of doing it in session?  How much thinking about therapy is too much? I find myself constantly analyzing myself and thinking about things I need to work on and things I need to talk about in therapy. The second I walk out of my session... What causes us to invalidate our traumas? I experienced multiple traumatic events growing up. I know it happened but it seems like I always downplay those events.... In my last therapy session, I told my therapist about some trauma that I dealt with as a kid. After I told my therapist about it, she asked me some questions... Do you have any tips for figuring out a healthy balance between helping others and excessive ‘people pleasing’? I feel like people-pleasing is core to my personality and... What are your thoughts on a therapist pushing to cut back on sessions because, her words, “other people need therapy too”? A previous therapist told me “I think we should try every other week now”. When I asked her why, she said she was seeing... How can you tell if you have an attachment to your therapist, transference, or just a healthy bond? And is it ever appropriate to ask your therapist for a hug or to sit next to you, assuming covid ends eventually and it’s safe? If you could only afford medication or therapy, which one would you pick? I've been seeing a therapist, for social anxiety and depression, for about 8 months now, and I haven't been getting any better. I'll be going back to university... Hey Kati! You have a new family member! Can we please hear all about Roxy?! Have a great week! Video version of episodes https://youtu.be/WG-j4vtcYIsKati's Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimortonONLINE THERAPYI do not currently offer online therapy.  My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/katiPATREON  https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/Opinions That Don't Matter!video https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs58xfxPpjVARRuwjH8usfwaudio https://opionstdm.buzzsprout.com/EMAIL linnea@toneymedia.comMAIL 1779 Wells Branch Pkwy #110B, Box #353  Austin, TX 78728Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/katimorton) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To pre-order your copy of Kati's new book TRAUMATIZED visit https://geni.us/Bfak0jAsk Kati Anything episode 75 What is/are the most common things where a client thinks they're the "only one", but really a therapist hears it ALL the time. What might be the most surprising?  How do you handle a client that appears to be really struggling at the very end of a session? As in about to burst into tears and very obviously just trying to hold everything together (but unsuccessfully)? Why do I find the thought of my therapist comforting or feeling empathy for me so soothing yet so uncomfortable? I'm not sure about it being attached to her.  Is there any "real" therapy work in the beginning/ when the client comes in every session with a whole bag of stories...  What if you had clients who did very bad things or shameful things? Should they mask it when they go to therapy or just say everything into the DETAIL?  How do I be okay with being myself in therapy? I have social anxiety, so I always have trouble talking in session, even answering simple questions is hard. But last session, I was able to open up more than ever before and just be myself like... What does a therapist have in place for their clients in case something happens to them (the therapist)? For example, a therapist dies or has a sudden emergency where they have to quit therapy? Do they have confidential information that is... I’m wondering after a patient ends therapy how long do you keep their notes? What if they come back after that time? Is it possible to have "symptoms" that aren't really symptoms? I feel like I am now hyper analyzing everything I do thinking that maybe it's a symptom but I wonder if... I recently set up an appt with my therapist after a year of not seeing her. I’m a frontline healthcare worker and the burnout is real. I’ve been struggling with postpartum anxiety... Video version of episodes https://youtu.be/WG-j4vtcYIsKati's Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimortonONLINE THERAPYI do not currently offer online therapy.  My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/katiPATREON  https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/Opinions That Don't Matter!video https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs58xfxPpjVARRuwjH8usfwaudio https://opionstdm.buzzsprout.com/EMAIL linnea@toneymedia.comMAIL 1779 Wells Branch Pkwy #110B, Box #353  Austin, TX 78728Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/katimorton) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices