Ask Kati Anything

The audience questions for Ask Kati Anything ep.10 are: Hi Kati! I was wondering if it’s unhealthy or weird that I go to my teacher to vent and get advice instead of my mom or family? I feel like it’s so weird, but I’m more comfortable with her, is that messed up? Thanks! How to help a spouse get help. Working on myself has been a process but finally getting my anxiety and codependency and trust issues in order but if we’re both not healing and bettering ourselves it’s not going to work. My spouse desperately needs to work on opening up, communication... Hi! I sometimes have a hard time telling the difference between letting yourself feel an emotion, just let it pass through... Is it common to fantasize about going through a traumatic event? Does this only happen among... What is the etiquette if your therapist goes through a loss in their family? I have my first session with my therapist since his mom died, and I'm really nervous. I feel like my struggles are nothing in the face of.... How to deal with “touch starvation” during quarantine when there isn’t anyone at home available or safe enough for it and social distancing is being encouraged? Hi Kati, how do you get people to open up? I am one of those people who never talk about their feelings and what is going on. I think it has a lot to do with my... Hi Kati, since you have a significant social media presence and share some of your life online, what do you do if your clients know more about you than they should? I know... JOURNALING CLUBEvery Tuesday & Friday Kati posts a journal prompt to help keep you motivated and working on yourself! https://www.youtube.com/katimorton/join Where to get Kati's book Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULyKati's Amazon Suggestionshttps://www.amazon.com/shop/katimortonONLINE THERAPY I do not currently offer online therapy.  BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor. I receive commissions on referrals to BetterHelp. I only recommend services I know and trust.PATREONDo you want to help me support the creation of mental health videos? 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 EMAILlinnea@toneymedia.com MAILPO Box #665 1223 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90403PLEASE READIf you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call a local emergency telephone number or go immediately to the nearest emergency room.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/katimorton) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The audience questions for Ask Kati Anything ep. 9 are:What can one do if small tasks feel impossible or out of reach? Simple things like getting out of bed, basic hygiene, making a decent meal, etc.How do you tell your therapist you are super depressed if she thinks you have been doing so well?I really struggle to make decisions, even small silly ones. How can someone get better at decision-making, especially if they have anxiety, depression, or other mental illnesses that add to the difficulty?Hey Kati, can you talk about depression/anxiety getting worse with the coronavirus and how to prevent mental health from getting really bad again with all the stress going on?Hi Kati, I identify as a Christian and there seems to be a big stigma of "hide your mental health issues" in various religious communities. What are some ways that those of us in these different religious communities can help to reduce that stigma?Hi Kati, I'm currently in school to become a social worker- as I enjoy helping people out. However, I often get frustrated with myself because I feel like I can’t truly help others when I can't even help myself. My question for you would be… Do you struggle to help others when you're going through a rough time yourself? If so, how do you cope with that?Why when I’m an adult and I seek my parent's approval and permission on things? It’s like I want to do what I want because I am an adult, but at the same time, I feel guilty for not listening to them.JOURNALING CLUBEvery Tuesday & Friday Kati posts a journal prompt to help keep you motivated and working on yourself! https://www.youtube.com/katimorton/join Where to get Kati's book Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULyKati's Amazon Suggestionshttps://www.amazon.com/shop/katimortonONLINE THERAPY I do not currently offer online therapy.  BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor. I receive commissions on referrals to BetterHelp. I only recommend services I know and trust.PATREONDo you want to help me support the creation of mental health videos? 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 EMAILlinnea@toneymedia.com MAILPO Box #665 1223 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90403PLEASE READIf you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call a local emergency telephone number or go immediately to the nearest emergency room.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/katimorton) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Audience Questions:1 My therapist talks about herself a lot. I kind of want a new therapist but I don’t know how to tell her that. Is there any advice you can give me?2 What is your take on cutting toxic family members out of your life? I feel like it is really stigmatized in our society (especially when it comes to mothers) and I'm also not sure how to go about actually doing it (in a nice way if possible), thanks!3 Hi Kati. I'm a college student with BPD that lost my apartment and is now living with my family while doing college online. Do you have any tips on asking for more space during this pandemic?4 How can I cope with my parents being toxic to each other all the time??5 What types of experiences are considered traumatic? For an experience to have been traumatic, does a person have to fear for their life or can it be things that are just emotionally/psychologically distressing?6 How can I stop imagining terrible situations and reliving embarrassing moments, please7 Is it normal to constantly wonder what your therapist thinks of you? Or to replay a session in your head and think about how you should have said more or said some things differently?8 Hi Kati, I was wondering how you recommend dealing with the feeling that you are leading a double life? Specifically in the sense of being around family who don’t know about your mental health issues (such as anxiety, eating disorders, trauma) and your sexuality. I know that I am keeping this information private for a whole host of reasons that pertain to my family’s role in my mental health issues but I still feel incredibly guilty for lying. I also am struggling because it is really draining having to keep so much secret when I am home from college.9 What to do when therapy gets too hard? I have certain topics I just cannot discuss for no obvious reasons, they're just bad childhood experiences I could never get over. I tried many times to talk about it in therapy but I always end up retreating and running away from therapy all together when I push myself. I'm just completely stuck, I've been like this for over a year now. :(Video Version of this Podcasthttps://youtu.be/DC7g8v2h0jgOrdering Kati's book Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULyKati's Amazon Suggestionshttps://www.amazon.com/shop/katimortonONLINE THERAPY I do not currently offer online therapy.  BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor. I receive commissions on referrals to BetterHelp. I only recommend services I know and trust.PATREONDo you want to help me support the creation of mental health videos? 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 EMAILlinnea@toneymedia.com MAILPO Box #665 1223 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90403PLEASE READIf you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call a local emergency telephone number or go immediately to the nearest emergency room.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/katimorton) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Ask Kati Anything, we're going over some great mental health questions! Put your headphones on and spend a little me time :)1) How does a person regain confidence in themselves to do a certain job, when employers think they are worthless?2) Hey Kati, I have been seeing my therapist for a little over a year now. I struggle with depression and my therapist said it may be time to see a psychiatrist. At this point, I'm tired of feeling shitty so I'll try anything. I'm so afraid of medication side effects though. For example, weight gain is a common issue but I have body image issues already and if I gain weight these issues might worsen.3) How to set up healthy boundaries during this time?4) Do comfort and solace have to come from within?  If so how the heck do you do it?  I think one of the reasons I binge eat is to provide myself comfort because I have no one to provide it to me (dealing with pdd and childhood emotional neglect). I’ve been trying to build my support network but I am wondering if the piece I’m missing is what I need to be providing myself.5) Please talk about dealing with hypersexuality as a result of childhood sexual abuse.  Most stuff that I've found on the topic always assume bipolar disorder. But I'm not bipolar so I find it difficult to relate to their advice. 6) How do you deal with the fear and anxiety of growing up? I just turned 19 and I feel very overwhelmed. I'm not the best at living in the moment because I'm so desperately trying to hold onto the things that brought me happiness in the past. I know it sounds morbid but I feel like I wasn't supposed to make it to this age like I'm never going to do something important enough to 'earn my spot' like at this point I'm just taking up space7) I was diagnosed with CPTSD and I’m having trouble remembering the details of what happened. How can I process it if I can’t remember the details?Video Version of this Podcasthttps://youtu.be/DC7g8v2h0jgOrdering Kati's book Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULyKati's Amazon Suggestionshttps://www.amazon.com/shop/katimortonONLINE THERAPY I do not currently offer online therapy.  BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor. I receive commissions on referrals to BetterHelp. I only recommend services I know and trust.PATREONDo you want to help me support the creation of mental health videos? 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 EMAILlinnea@toneymedia.com MAILPO Box #665 1223 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90403PLEASE READIf you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call a local emergency telephone number or go immediately to the nearest emergency room.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/katimorton) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Audience questions:1. Hi Kati! When I talk about my parents/ my childhood, I’m constantly worried I’m making things up / remembering it wrong / not being objective. How do you deal with this? How can you help someone understand their childhood when all you have is some blurred memories from only the patient’s perspective? Thanks and take care x2. How to cope with being a highly sensitive person, especially when someone's just discovered it, within the last week or so. Also, how to think positively about it, if the discovery is causing grief.3. How does a therapist find giving online therapy? You’ve talked about how we might find it, but if you are doing this during the lockdown, what’s it like for you?4. How to deal with self-harm intrusive thoughts during quarantine? Being constantly at home and not working is making my intrusive thoughts more loud and persistent, which often drags me to anxiety attacks. Any tips on how to calm this down?5. How to deal with your trauma when you feel like it's all out in the open because you were triggered and started talking about it in therapy, but now therapy is on hold because of corona... It feels like this wound is cut open and no one to help me close it because it's not physical, and not Corona related, so not urgent.6. How to deal with toxic family/people I live with at this time? Not sure if you've answered this before7. The more isolated I am, the less I want company. Since quarantine started I even stopped talking to people on social media. Why and how to fix it?8. Mental health-related: Would it be treating you depression to quit things? I used to love gymnastics but lately, I don’t. Should I quit since I don’t enjoy it and it’s kinda stressing me out or should I continue because I used to love it and probably still do besides my depression? I have always wondered how anxiety and depression can be related. I mean I believe it’s true, I have been diagnosed with both, but anxiety makes me worry about everything and depression makes me not care about anything. That kinda contrasts feelings and I’m super confused about it. Not mental health-related: If you were not a therapist what would you like to be? What are some of your hobbies? And what were your hobbies when you were young?9. How do you find a fitting therapist? Like how do you determine, if you want to see a man or women, older or younger, etc. - and how to distinguish between what you want and what you 'should'.....Watch this episode on YouTube HEREI'm Kati Morton, a licensed therapist making Mental Health videos!JOURNALING CLUBEvery Tuesday & Friday I post a journal prompt to help keep you motivated and working on yourself! https://www.youtube.com/katimorton/join MY BOOKAre u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULyMy Amazon Suggestionshttps://www.amazon.com/shop/katimortonONLINE THERAPY I do not currently offer online therapy.  BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor. I receive commissions on referrals to BetterHelp. I only recommend services I know and trust.PATREONDo you want to help me support the creation of mental health videos? https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ BUSINESS EMAIL linnea@toneymedia.com MAILPO Box #665 1223 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90403Support the show (htt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Audience Questions: Is it common to go backward at the beginning of therapy? I've found that when I first begin therapy, after being away for a while, I always feel worse for a few weeks before getting better. Hey Kati, I recently realized that I was parentified when I was a child and may have also been emotionally abused. My therapist suggests that I try to forgive my parents to ease some of the resentment I hold, but I don’t know if I’m ready to do that or will ever be ready. Do you have any suggestions on how to handle this? How can I prepare for online therapy sessions via skype? I feel very nervous about it...  How can we know if we had depression in the past? I know I'm not supposed to self-diagnose but I am fairly sure about it. During this pandemic, how can we cope with having all appointments canceled? It's been really difficult to suddenly have no support while I'm struggling the most with my ED and mood Hi Kati, Do you have any tips for dealing with your own failed suicide attempt? (Thanks for your videos they really help and have literally saved my life) I think I have a Bipolar. I've researched a lot about it and most of the things says in the importation is exactly what is happening to me. I started thinking that I might have one cause I saw this Show where this character have a Bipolar, and I was so confused that I experienced what the character has going through in the show. It all started when my Grandfather and Auntie died a year after year. I was so confused, until now. And I told my parents about this but they didn't believed me, they said I'm just so lazy and I don't have a dream that's why I'm like this. But, my question is : Is it possible that I'm making all these Mental Disorder just to escape from things? Or be just like lazy at the time? Should I tell my therapist about my suicide ideation that come again even though I survived from it? On an ethical/moral level Do you believe that in some cases suicide is okay? Or is it always evil Some tips for insomniacs and how to improve sleep? When to go to the doctor about it? How to balance reintegration from a burn out with the stress from COVID-19 (especially when this brings extra pressure in your daily job). I feel like these are exceptional times where we need to step up and work together and I really want to do my part. But also, I feel that my recovery takes a hit. Watch this episode on YouTube HEREI'm Kati Morton, a licensed therapist making Mental Health videos!JOURNALING CLUBEvery Tuesday & Friday I post a journal prompt to help keep you motivated and working on yourself! https://www.youtube.com/katimorton/join MY BOOKAre u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULyMy Amazon Suggestionshttps://www.amazon.com/shop/katimortonONLINE THERAPY I do not currently offer online therapy.  BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor. I receive commissions on referrals to BetterHelp. I only recommend services I know and trust.PATREONDo you want to help me support the creation of mental health videos? https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ BUSINESS EMAIL linnea@toneymedia.com MAILPO Box #665 1223 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90403Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/katimorton) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 I find it really hard to talk about my feelings as a result of abuse/trauma, I'll often just shut down and not be able to make eye contact...2 For long-term depression that has been deemed medication-resistant, what are the best next steps?3 My first therapy session was supposed to be this week but it was canceled because of coronavirus. I just feel like I can't handle a whole month in quarantine dealing with ....4 Any advice for students (who are still learning virtually in the pandemic) on how to stay focused doing day-to-day reading, assignments, etc.? Between the stress of the situation and distractions of...5 I’m currently in high school and I want to pursue a psychology/therapy kind of profession. What would be the best types of classes that I could take in school or even out of school???  Also what colleges should I ...6 What are the ways to maintain connection and feeling safe in video therapy/telephone sessions? My therapist has switched to video sessions to...7 I would love to hear what self-care looks like for you as a therapist. How you keep work life at work/what you do to decompress/how you know it’s time to see your own therapist/what energizes you/etc.8 Do you think it’s possible to get better on your own without any professional help whatsoever? I don't even know if I have a mental illness because I've never reached out for help because I strongly believe my...9 I would like to hear more about self-compassion. What are the techniques?10 I'm wondering about how to prepare and deal with (video) call sessions with my therapist. It makes me so anxious. Like in real life I have the tendency to get scared and not ...11 Can attachment styles change over time? And if so can it be done in a way to improve mental health? (if we heal and work on ourselves it can, and it can also switch from one unhealthy attachment style to another which if I think...I'm Kati Morton, a licensed marriage a family therapist answering your questions about mental health!JOURNALING CLUBEvery Tuesday & Friday Kati posts a journal prompt to help keep you motivated and working on yourself! https://www.youtube.com/katimorton/join Ordering Kati's book Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULyKati's Amazon Suggestionshttps://www.amazon.com/shop/katimortonONLINE THERAPY I do not currently offer online therapy.  BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor. I receive commissions on referrals to BetterHelp. I only recommend services I know and trust.PATREONDo you want to help me support the creation of mental health videos? 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 EMAILlinnea@toneymedia.com MAILPO Box #665 1223 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90403EMERGENCY?If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call a local emergency telephone number or go immediately to the nearest emergency room.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/katimort Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Ask Kati Anything!, the podcast where Kati Morton, LMFT answers your mental health questions and talks about psychology. Audience Questions:1. Why do some people never recover from mental illnesses that most people make a recovery from (e.g. depression, rather than a chronic mental health condition such as bipolar)? Are some people just unfortunate in their brain chemistry etc or is this a reflection on our healthcare system and/or the way society views mental health?2. Hey Kati: When you're in quarantine or self-isolating, how do you take care of your mental health as a teenager if you rely a lot on social stimulants to keep you going??3. In light of current events: What strategies can people use to cope with sudden, massive disruptions in their daily lives? Yes specifically those with emetophobia4. Do you have any tips for people with OCD? With everyone talking about washing hands and cleaning due to the coronavirus how do you make sure you don’t fall back into old rituals?5. At what point does positive self talk like - Everything will be okay, I'm beautiful, I'm successful, start to become delusional?6. While I hope I will be doing fine, I'm pretty sure some other people will struggle with this. During these crazy times, where your social life might be shut down for months potentially trapping you in your home, how can one avoid falling back into a dark place after beating these emotions only a few months ago? Social contact and going out in public would be the answer but that isn't possible right now and while Skype might help, it just isn't the same.7. Everyone says you should be confident, whether that’s approaching someone for a date or going into a job interview or whatever. But my question is how exactly do you “be confident” how can you change yourself from a state of no confidence to a state of very confidence?8. I tend to binge eat when I’m home. That means I’m finding it hard to be home all the time now and turn my focus away from the only thing that I find comfort from.9. What does it mean if I want to talk to my therapist more? I find myself throughout the day wishing I could just text them about certain things. I like having the feeling that I have someone to talk to and that someone hears me.JOURNALING CLUB Every Tuesday & Friday I post a journal prompt to help keep you motivated and working on yourself!  Join Here!Ordering my book  Are u ok?  My Amazon Suggestions Often I'm referencing books and other items that people find helpful. MORE INFOONLINE THERAPY I do not currently offer online therapy.  BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor. I receive commissions on referrals to BetterHelp. I only recommend services I know and trust.2nd PODCAST   Kati and her husband Sean are talking. They have opinions but mostly, Opinions That Don't Matter!    VIDEO     AUDIOBUSINESS INQUIRIESlinnea@toneymedia.com MAIL PO Box #665 1223 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90403PLEASE READIf you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call a local emergency telephone number or go immediately to the nearest emergency room.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/katimorton) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the first episode of Ask Kati Anything!  a fun podcast with Kati Morton, LMFT where she answers your mental health questions and talks about psychology. Audience Questions1. Have you ever lost a client to suicide? If so how did that make you feel?2. When can therapy be more harmful than beneficial?3. Do you ever get frustrated with clients not making progress? How do you address that issue?I'm not sure if this has been asked before, but what is the process for clients if a therapist dies? I feel like it would be very traumatic and a setback.4. How to access and fix unconscious negative beliefs that have formed in early childhood and strengthened during growing up?5. How can you open up and talk about your feelings if all you feel is numbness? For me, I don't know how to describe my emotions... What do you think this means? Thank you!6. What made you want to become a therapist?7. How do you improve the feeling that you’re stuck in your routine, and the day to day just isn’t as interesting or fulfilling anymore?8. How do you know what should be dealt with through therapy and what should be dealt with chemically?JOURNALING CLUB Every Tuesday & Friday I post a journal prompt to help keep you motivated and working on yourself!  Join Here!Ordering my book  Are u ok?  My Amazon Suggestions Often I'm referencing books and other items that people find helpful. MORE INFOONLINE THERAPY I do not currently offer online therapy.  BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor. I receive commissions on referrals to BetterHelp. I only recommend services I know and trust.2nd PODCAST   Kati and her husband Sean are talking. They have opinions but mostly, Opinions That Don't Matter!    VIDEO     AUDIOBUSINESS INQUIRIESlinnea@toneymedia.com MAIL PO Box #665 1223 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90403PLEASE READIf you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call a local emergency telephone number or go immediately to the nearest emergency room.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/katimorton) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the second episode of Ask Kati Anything!, a fun podcast with Kati Morton, LMFT where she answers your mental health questions and talks about psychology. Audience Questions1. How to deal with atypical anorexia how to deal with feeling not ill enough?2. How do you deal with clients who don't make progress or continually self-sabotage? I'm BPD and so many therapists have gotten frustrated and irritated with me for this and basically made my BPD reactions and outbursts worse by seemingly 'abandoning' me.3. Is it truly possible to fully recover from a mental illness or is it like asthma where it's always there but can be managed? So you always have to be aware of it but there are times where it doesn't flare up and you can live a normal, healthy life? Or can it fully go and someone can come to live life fully without having to worry about depression, anxiety or an ED again? 4. How do you maintain your mental health when you are in physical pain?5. Could you do a video about PTSD being passed down generationally? Is the Holocaust the only example of this or is it present in other instances?6. What do you do if a client has a plan to kill themselves in the future? Like not any time too soon but they have a plan for the next month for example?7. Is there ANYTHING practical/tangible that a person can do when having a terrible body image moment or day? I need something more effective than just repeating affirmations... there must be something that can help! It’s the biggest roadblock to my ED recovery, I cannot tolerate my body so I give in to behaviors.8. Can you recommend any tips to help stop painful past memories from suddenly popping into my head at random times of the day & night? I'm fed up & exhausted from reliving all the sad emotions it brings up. 9. Medication vs talk therapy for depression?I'm Kati Morton, a licensed therapist making Mental Health videos!JOURNALING CLUB Every Tuesday & Friday I post a journal prompt to help keep you motivated and working on yourself!  Join Here!Ordering my book  Are u ok?  My Amazon Suggestions Often I'm referencing books and other items that people find helpful. MORE INFOONLINE THERAPY I do not currently offer online therapy.  BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor. I receive commissions on referrals to BetterHelp. I only recommend services I know and trust.2nd PODCAST   Kati and her husband Sean are talking. They have opinions but mostly, Opinions That Don't Matter!    VIDEO     AUDIOBUSINESS INQUIRIESlinnea@toneymedia.com MAIL PO Box #665 1223 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90403PLEASE READIf you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call a local emergency telephone number or go immediately to the nearest emergency room.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/katimorton) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices