Therapy Chat

Welcome to episode 147 of the Therapy Chat Podcast with host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C. This week Laura re-visits her interview with Buddhist Psychologist and student of Thich Nhat Hahn Tim Ambrose Desmond, LMFT. 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 such as Madinamerica.com.He developed and teaches “dialogue-based mindfulness training,” a technique for teaching mindfulness and self-compassion in which the client is guided through a meditation while giving the clinician feedback about their experience in real-time. The clinician uses this feedback to adjust and custom tailor the meditation instructions in order to ensure the client learns the technique effectively.In 2005, Tim was ordained by Thich Nhat Hanh into the Order of Interbeing after many years of practicing in that tradition. He leads meditation retreats around the US and teaches regularly at Morning Sun Mindfulness Center in NH. In addition to the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, Tim teaches Nonviolent Communication and positive psychology.Resourceshttps://www.timdesmond.netPlease consider supporting Therapy Chat by becoming a member on Patreon! Just $1 a month would make a huge impact to keep Therapy Chat going strong! To learn more: https://patreon.com/TherapyChat - members get special perks and swag too!Register now for the next Daring Way™ and Relational Equine Assisted Learning retreat: https://laurareaganlcswc.com/retreatLeave 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 sure to go to iTunes and leave a rating and review, subscribe and download episodes. You can also download the Therapy Chat app on iTunes by clicking here.Our Sponsors:* Check out Everyday Dose and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://everydaydose.com* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com* Check out PharmaNutra and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://pharmanutra-us.com* Check out Washington Red Raspberries: https://redrazz.orgAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Welcome to episode 146 of the Therapy Chat Podcast with host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C. This week Laura re-visits the issue of when your partner doesn't understand trauma.*The names and characters in this episode represent a composite of people I have know personally and professionally. No real person is represented in this episode, which is intended for educational purposes.*When Your Partner Doesn't Understand Your TraumaMichael can't understand it. He just doesn't get what is going on with his wife of over 25 years, Amy. Michael is concerned about her and wondering when she is going to "get over" the childhood physical and sexual abuse she went through years ago. He really just wants her to be okay. And honestly, he's sick of her trauma symptoms affecting her, him and their children. He's not sure how much longer he can take it. Why can't she just get over it?To be fair, Michael doesn't realize that Amy's mood and behavior are related to her childhood trauma. He just knows that despite years of therapy with various therapists, she sometimes becomes deeply depressed and can't seem to get off the couch for days. Other times the smallest thing will seem to trigger her becoming highly anxious, which can turn into controlling behavior towards himself and the kids. She will sometimes go shopping, overspending with abandon even though they have agreed to stop running up credit card debt - then she hides it from him and acts like she is afraid he will hurt her when he receives the credit card bill. Although he does get really frustrated when this happens, it bothers him that she feels afraid of him at times, because he feels he would never harm her, and he never has gotten physical with her in more than 25 years. He also suspects she may be binging and purging, but they don't talk about it. He's afraid to bring it up and he suspects she would deny it if he asked.. Although she takes medication, her mood swings are still pretty unpredictable and he's never really sure whether he is going to come home from work and find the smiling, got-it-together wife he married; or the disorganized, scattered, overwhelmed and controlling woman she sometimes becomes; or the sad, crying woman he barely recognizes who just wants to sleep as much as possible. He doesn't know how to help her."She's Changed."All Michael knows is that Amy has changed. He knew when they got married that she had a "difficult" childhood. He also saw how resilient Amy was then. Despite being abused throughout her childhood she had finished college and started a great career before they married. Although she spoke openly about having experienced that abuse, it didn't seem to have a negative impact on her then. Other than acknowledging that it happened, she didn't really talk about it. And he didn't really want to talk about it - then or now - because just the thought of what she went through, particularly the sexual abuse, horrifies him. He's not sure if the physical abuse was really all that bad, or why it affects her so much. He wonders if she is really trying in therapy, or whether she somehow is doing all this just for attention.Michael isn't sure how to deal with the emotions that come up for him when Amy is not okay. It reminds him of how he felt responsible for taking care of his mother after his dad died when he was 10. He would often come home from school and his mom would be sitting in the dark on the sofa in her bathrobe. He found himself needing to be adult-like to take care of her, and he was kind of on his own to take care of himself and his younger brother too. He was so relieved to get away from that unhappy childhood, to go to college and start his career, but sometimes he wonders if he married someone he will always have to take care of too. The burden of handling Amy's emotional needs feels very heavy and familiar to Michael. He feels sad, hopeless and discouraged. Image credit: CanvaShe feels disconnected.Amy, too, was overjoyed to leave her abusive family behind to marry Michael. She thought things would be so much better once she got away from her controlling, abusive father and her passive mother who was mostly focused on pretending everything was perfect. And things were so much better! She loved her career, she and Michael got along great, and she was very happy to raise her three beautiful children. However, when her third child, little Megan, turned 5 years old Amy started having flashbacks to the abuse that her father inflicted on her as a little girl. A part of her had always felt that she was somehow responsible for the sexual abuse and deserving of the beatings. But seeing her sweet, innocent little Megan, a bright, inquisitive kindergartner, she pictured herself as a little girl and wondered whether it was really true that an innocent child could ever be deserving of being harmed the way her father had harmed her. These thoughts were so sad and overwhelming she tried to push them away. Sometimes she was successful, but other times, particularly in the Spring, she was overwhelmed with fear and worry that something bad would happen to Megan or her two sons. She is bothered by nightmares, trouble sleeping and physical symptoms like Irritable Bowel Syndrome and a feeling that someone is watching her which makes her skin crawl. Sometimes she suddenly vomits, just out of the blue, and she never knows when a panic attack is coming. Much of the time she feels like she is going through the motions of life. She feels disconnected from her neighbors and the other moms in her community. She describes herself as "on the outside looking in" to her life. She doesn't work outside the home now, and she's not sure if she ever will again. Most of the time she feels like she is barely holding it together. She wishes Michael were more empathetic and supportive of what she's going through but he doesn't seem to understand why she can't just "put the past behind her." She feels alone and disconnected from him, and wonders what happened to the happy newlyweds they once were. She is sad and worried about the way she feels, but she doesn't know what to do about it.The Truth Is, They Are Both StrugglingThis dynamic is all too common and I hear stories from both sides of the relationship described above in my office every day. Many of my clients are women like Amy who feel deeply ashamed that they are still affected by the abuse from their childhood years. And others are men like Michael who wonder if they can handle the emotional burden of their partner's PTSD. Regardless of gender, both Amy and Michael could be any one of us. They both feel alone and don't know how to reach the other partner.Whether you can relate to Amy's feelings or Michael's, it's helpful to understand a few things. Three Things to Remember:You are not alone. Whether you are the person who experienced childhood trauma or the person who loves them, what you are feeling is common. Many people are affected by childhood trauma. It is so much more common than most of us realize. Click here to learn more about the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACES) and the prevalence of childhood trauma.  Trauma survivors aren't trying to be difficult.They are actually just trying to feel normal. In the scenario I described above, both Amy and Michael are affected by childhood trauma, though neither of them understands the effects in depth. Amy could be described as the "identified patient" - she's the one who is seen as having a problem and needing help. And she does need help. She is suffering so much. Amy's trauma is that she was physically and sexually abused by an adult (her father) whom she trusted to take care of her and keep her safe. Her mother was unable to protect her and pretended nothing was wrong. So both of her primary caregivers, whom she depended on for safety and protection, let her down. She is affected by a loss of attachment as well as the effects of the abuse.But Amy's not the only one in this example who needs help. Michael, too, experienced childhood trauma. His father died when he was only ten, and in her grief his mother was unable to attend to Michael's emotional needs. Instead, in order to be safe, Michael had to take care of his mom's emotional needs, and his own needs were ignored. He also had a younger brother to look out for. So Michael experienced a loss of attachment when neither of his parents was available to take care of his emotional needs, as well as the trauma of his dad's sudden death. It's no wonder that Amy and Michael were drawn to each other, because they both had unresolved pain they were trying to escape when they met. However, Michael's role as a caregiver in his family may have helped him feel comfortable marrying someone who he perceived as having gone through something terrible (without realizing how he himself was affected by his own trauma). Both Amy and Michael were young when they met, and they were both doing the best they could. They both wanted to be okay, and they were trying to be okay together. For a while they were, but the effects of trauma always pop up just when you least expect them. Neither Amy nor Michael is able to be a support for the other, because they are both affected by their own childhood trauma. They can both benefit from counseling with a skilled trauma therapist.Trauma therapy can help. The reason Amy has been in and out of therapy for 10 years without experiencing relief from her trauma symptoms is that she hasn't had the right kind of therapy. 9 times out of 10, my clients with extensive trauma histories will tell me that their previous therapists never explained trauma to them or told them that their symptoms could be related to trauma. Why? The therapists probably didn't know. Trauma is still a newer field of study, although its effects have been documented for years. Understanding that your symptoms are caused by trauma helps take an overwhelming set of symptoms that are seemingly unrelated and offers hope and clarity. You begin to recognize that you developed these coping methods (like dissociation, comfort eating, compulsive shopping, depression, anxiety) because of the effects of trauma, and not because there is something wrong with you. Can You Relate?You may be wondering if you are an Amy or a Michael. I can't answer that for you, but here are some symptoms which may indicate that you are affected by childhood trauma. If you have had some kind of disturbing experience in childhood that has always bothered you, for example:Loss of a primary caregiverAny unwanted sexual experienceAny sexual experience you were too young to understandWitnessing violence, whether it happened to you, your caregiver or another family memberFeeling that no one understood you, no one cared about you, or that you were abandoned, unwanted, or unlovedBeing bulliedReceiving physical punishment, including spanking, beating, whipping, or being physically abused or harmed by an adult when you were a childHaving a parent or primary caregiver who abused alcohol or drugsThese are just a few examples of situations that could be traumatic in childhood. Read this article for more, and consider taking the ACES quiz as well. So if you have some kind of childhood experience you think might have been traumatic AND you have some of these symptoms:Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, nightmares, sleep paralysisFeeling numb, detached, zoning out, trouble concentrating, easily distracted, losing timeMemory issues - feeling forgetful, being disorganizedFeeling a nagging sense that there is just something wrong with you, something that makes you different from everyone elseFeeling like you are on the outside looking inTrouble feeling close with other people, trust issues, feeling suspicious of other people's motives, thoughts like "no one can be trusted" and a feeling that it's you against the worldPanic attacks, anxiety, need to maintain control at all times, rigidity, need for orderFeeling mistrustful of your partner, feeling judgmental and critical of others and yourselfBody image issues, physical symptoms like chronic pain, stomach issues, migraines, Sexual problems - lack of interest in sex, shame related to sexConstantly on high alert, watchful, vigilant, can't relax - you hate it when someone comes up behind you and touches your shoulder or stands too close to youYou might be affected by childhood trauma. No article can substitute for talking with a qualified therapist. If you are wondering if you are affected by childhood trauma, talk to a therapist. You can usually speak to them by phone before scheduling an appointment to make sure they feel qualified to help with the issue that affects you. Here are some resources for finding a qualified trauma therapist:National Child Traumatic Stress NetworkISSTDSensorimotor Psychotherapy InstituteEMDRIA Sidran InstituteSomatic Experiencing InstituteRAINNAnd here are some suggestions for further reading and learning: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk In the Realm Of Hungry Ghosts by Gabor MatéACES Primer (video)Finding a therapist who understands the effects of trauma on child development and has specialized training in trauma recovery can make a huge difference. Whether you are directly affected by childhood trauma or it is a problem for someone you love, therapy can help. You don't have to keep suffering.  The first step is understanding that your trauma is real, that it matters, and that you can feel better. Then the hard part comes - trusting a therapist to help you. I know there are many caring and skilled trauma therapists out there who want to help. I am one of them. If you're in the Baltimore area of Maryland, I would love to talk about how we can work together to help you feel better. Give me a call at 443-510-1048 or e-mail me at laura@laurareaganlcswc.com. You can also contact me directly through my website at this link. Or visit my website to learn about how I work with trauma. Please consider supporting Therapy Chat by becoming a member on Patreon! Just $1 a month would make a huge impact to keep Therapy Chat going strong! To learn more: https://patreon.com/TherapyChat - members get special perks and swag too!Register now for the next Daring Way™ and Relational Equine Assisted Learning retreat: https://laurareaganlcswc.com/retreatLeave 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 sure to go to iTunes and leave a rating and review, subscribe and download episodes. You can also download the Therapy Chat app on iTunes by clicking here.Our Sponsors:* Check out Everyday Dose and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://everydaydose.com* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com* Check out PharmaNutra and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://pharmanutra-us.com* Check out Washington Red Raspberries: https://redrazz.orgAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Welcome to episode 145 of the Therapy Chat Podcast with host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C. This week Laura re-visits her interview with Deirdre Fay, MSW, LICSW, who integrates trauma and attachment theory with yoga and meditation in embodiment. She is also the founder of the Becoming Safely Embodied Skills and maintains a private practice in Arlington, MA.The work she does arises out of her life. What she knows is grounded in her own healing as well as rigorous training as a psychotherapist looking for answers and ways to help others navigate the often-difficult terrain of healing trauma and attachment wounds.Deirdre knows what it’s like to make that journey. She did it dealing with her own history of trauma and as she searched for answers to relational and attachment issues. During the course of her life, she was lucky to have lived for six years in a spiritual community [Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health] which surrounded her with a nurturing environment. That experience grounded Deirdre in her commitment to finding ways to help other people.The Becoming Safely Embodied Skills were born during those years and came to fruition as she worked with trauma survivors in Boston both in her private practice and in hospital settings. She wanted to develop easy to apply take home skills that people could use when they weren’t in therapy.Resourceshttps://dfay.comhttp://www.thecouplesexpertscottsdale.comhttp://www.thecouplesexpertscottsdale.com/podcastshttp://www.iceeft.comhttp://www.simplypsychology.org/bowlby.htmlPlease consider supporting Therapy Chat by becoming a member on Patreon! Just $1 a month would make a huge impact to keep Therapy Chat going strong! To learn more: https://patreon.com/TherapyChat - members get special perks and swag too!Register now for the next Daring Way™ and Relational Equine Assisted Learning retreat: https://laurareaganlcswc.com/retreatLeave 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 sure to go to iTunes and leave a rating and review, subscribe and download episodes. You can also download the Therapy Chat app on iTunes by clicking here.Our Sponsors:* Check out Everyday Dose and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://everydaydose.com* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com* Check out PharmaNutra and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://pharmanutra-us.com* Check out Washington Red Raspberries: https://redrazz.orgAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! In today’s episode host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C re-visits her interview with Stuart Fensterheim, LCSWStuart is a clinical social worker in Scottsdale, Arizona, practicing with couples using Sue Johnson’s Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) which is an attachment-based couples therapy method. In the episode, Stuart talks about how he works on making connections with couples and how our childhood attachment affects the way we show up in relationships as adults. He also touches upon John Bowlby's Attachment Theory, which focuses on your relationship with your primary caretaker and how it influences everything through your life. To make sense of this theory, he talks further about the relationship young babies have with their caretaker, avoiding failure to thrive and how the needs of a young baby to experience touch and closeness, continue with us throughout our adult life.Resourceshttp://www.thecouplesexpertscottsdale.comhttp://www.thecouplesexpertscottsdale.com/podcastshttp://www.iceeft.comhttp://www.simplypsychology.org/bowlby.htmlPlease consider supporting Therapy Chat by becoming a member on Patreon! Just $1 a month would make a huge impact to keep Therapy Chat going strong! To learn more: https://patreon.com/TherapyChat - members get special perks and swag too!Register now for the next Daring Way™ and Relational Equine Assisted Learning retreat: https://laurareaganlcswc.com/retreatLeave 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 sure to go to iTunes and leave a rating and review, subscribe and download episodes. You can also download the Therapy Chat app on iTunes by clicking here.Our Sponsors:* Check out Everyday Dose and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://everydaydose.com* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com* Check out PharmaNutra and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://pharmanutra-us.com* Check out Washington Red Raspberries: https://redrazz.orgAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! In today’s episode host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C re-visits her interview with Rebecca Wong, LCSW-R. Rebecca Wong, LCSW-R, a relationship therapist in New Paltz, NY, the creator of Connectfulness, and co-host of the upcoming Practice Of Being Seen podcast.Rebecca talks about using play in her couples work, as well as how our attachment relates to our ability to trust our partners. Rebecca explains that needing attention is not a bad thing – it’s normal. She talks about the concept of being seen, in relationships and in our work with clients. She and Laura discuss getting out of our heads and into our bodies to connect with our partners, other people in our lives and as therapists, how we can connect with our clients. Rebecca explains how using animal-assisted therapy with dogs and horses helps us understand our emotions as shown in our bodies.Rebecca describes her five-step process of Connectfulness, a research-based practice she developed and uses with her couples therapy clients. She talks about all the things we do to avoid uncomfortable feelings and how those things interfere with connection. Resourceshttp://connectfulness.comPlease consider supporting Therapy Chat by becoming a member on Patreon! Just $1 a month would make a huge impact to keep Therapy Chat going strong! To learn more: https://patreon.com/TherapyChat - members get special perks and swag too!Register now for the next Daring Way™ and Relational Equine Assisted Learning retreat: https://laurareaganlcswc.com/retreatLeave 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 sure to go to iTunes and leave a rating and review, subscribe and download episodes. You can also download the Therapy Chat app on iTunes by clicking here.Our Sponsors:* Check out Everyday Dose and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://everydaydose.com* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com* Check out PharmaNutra and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://pharmanutra-us.com* Check out Washington Red Raspberries: https://redrazz.orgAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! In today’s episode host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C re-visits her interview with Amy Sugeno, LCSW.Amy is a clinical social worker in private practice who specializes in working with survivors of trauma related to attachment, particularly related to adoption.Amy explains how attachment trauma can affect children who were adopted, even if the adoption went as smoothly as it possibly could. She describes how children who have been adopted may act out behaviorally to tell their parents how they feel. Amy also talks about a surprising way adoptive parents (and others parenting traumatized children) may experience trauma themselves and how to recognize the symptoms. She and Laura discuss how prior difficulty with conceiving a child can contribute to the experience for parents, how the parent’s own attachment style and trauma history is “churned up” through the process of adoption. She describes how adoption can change relationships within a family and between the family and their community. She explains some of the non-verbal ways of processing trauma that she uses with her clients. Amy describes Nature as her “co-therapist.” She tells listeners how to get on her mailing list and offers opportunities to hear her speak around the country.This is the first of the series on trauma and attachment, which will continue on alternating weeks through the next few months. And on the opposite weeks you will hear the series on integrative mental health! Thanks for listening to Therapy Chat. Please get in touch and let host Laura Reagan know what you thought of this episode!Resourceshttp://www.amysugenocounseling.comPlease consider supporting Therapy Chat by becoming a member on Patreon! Just $1 a month would make a huge impact to keep Therapy Chat going strong! To learn more: https://patreon.com/TherapyChat - members get special perks and swag too!Register now for the next Daring Way™ and Relational Equine Assisted Learning retreat: https://laurareaganlcswc.com/retreatLeave 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 sure to go to iTunes and leave a rating and review, subscribe and download episodes. You can also download the Therapy Chat app on iTunes by clicking here.Our Sponsors:* Check out Everyday Dose and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://everydaydose.com* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com* Check out PharmaNutra and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://pharmanutra-us.com* Check out Washington Red Raspberries: https://redrazz.orgAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! In today’s episode, Laura speaks with trauma specialist and EMDR trained clinician Nityda Gessel.Feeling like a foreigner in your own body is beyond unsettling. Despite your drive and success, it is challenging to feel worthy, comfortable, and at peace within your own skin, and this further exacerbates your fear that you are just not good enough. You might worry that there is no fix for you and you'll feel this way forever. And because to others, you appear to have it all together, it's incredibly lonely to know that inside you there is a longing for love and living that is not being satiated- a pervasive fear that love and joy may never come.Nityda Gessel works with women who due to a traumatic past and overwhelming self-doubt, struggle to cultivate meaningful and fulfilling relationships and feel a sense of purpose in life. Her approach is one that addresses the mind and body as a whole.Nityda integrates somatic awareness, yoga, meditation and mindfulness into psychotherapy. There is a well-spring of wisdom within you that's been neglected. With a compassionate heart and non-judgmental mind, she will help you listen to and trust that wise voice within. A moment of courage can jumpstart a journey toward happiness and lasting peace.Resourceshttp://traumaconsciousyoga.comPlease consider supporting Therapy Chat by becoming a member on Patreon! Just $1 a month would make a huge impact to keep Therapy Chat going strong! To learn more: https://patreon.com/TherapyChat - members get special perks and swag too!Register now for the next Daring Way™ and Relational Equine Assisted Learning retreat: https://laurareaganlcswc.com/retreatLeave 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 sure to go to iTunes and leave a rating and review, subscribe and download episodes. You can also download the Therapy Chat app on iTunes by clicking here.Our Sponsors:* Check out Everyday Dose and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://everydaydose.com* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com* Check out PharmaNutra and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://pharmanutra-us.com* Check out Washington Red Raspberries: https://redrazz.orgAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! In today’s episode, Laura speaks with Sharon Martin, LCSW.Sharon is a licensed therapist, counselor, and mental health and wellness writer based in San Jose, CA. She has spent 20 years providing counseling, therapy, and clinical supervision.Sharon has built a specialized private practice that reflects her belief that you matter, and you can love yourself, heal, be empowered, speak your truth, and create a life you love. Listen for Sharon’s incredible insights on life, well-being and much more!Resourceshttps://livewellwithsharonmartin.comRegister now for the next Daring Way™ and Relational Equine Assisted Learning retreat: https://laurareaganlcswc.com/retreatLeave 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 sure to go to iTunes and leave a rating and review, subscribe and download episodes. You can also download the Therapy Chat app on iTunes by clicking here.Our Sponsors:* Check out Everyday Dose and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://everydaydose.com* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com* Check out PharmaNutra and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://pharmanutra-us.com* Check out Washington Red Raspberries: https://redrazz.orgAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Welcome back to Therapy Chat! In today’s episode, Laura speaks in person with Charlotte Hiler Easley.Charlotte is a psychotherapist in private practice who specializes in working with survivors of trauma using equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP). Charlotte discusses her work using Equine Assisted Survivors of Trauma Therapy, a method she developed in collaboration with a rape crisis center when she was in grad school.When you work with Charlotte, you will be encouraged, coached, and heard with compassion and understanding. You can also expect to be gently challenged to understand who you really are and why you’re here.You will work together with Charlotte to understand your patterns of behavior and thought and develop skills that will enable you to get unstuck and to move ahead in your story.ResourcesCharlotte’s website: https://charlotteeasley.com/Charlotte’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/charlottehilereasleyLCSWCentral Kentucky Riding for Hope’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CKyRH/Please consider supporting Therapy Chat by becoming a member on Patreon! Just $1 a month would make a huge impact to keep Therapy Chat going strong! To learn more: https://patreon.com/TherapyChat - members get special perks and swag too!Register here for the upcoming Authentic Self Equine/Daring Way™ Retreat: https://www.laurareaganlcswc.com/retreat  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 sure to go to iTunes and leave a rating and review, subscribe and download episodes. You can also download the Therapy Chat app on iTunes by clicking here.Our Sponsors:* Check out Everyday Dose and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://everydaydose.com* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com* Check out PharmaNutra and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://pharmanutra-us.com* Check out Washington Red Raspberries: https://redrazz.orgAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Welcome to episode 138 of the Therapy Chat Podcast with host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C. This week, we speak with Rebecca E. Williams, PhD and Julie S. Kraft, MA, LMFT, about their new book The Gift of Recovery: Mindfulness Skills for Living Joyfully Beyond Addiction.Rebecca E. Williams, PhD, is a clinical psychologist specializing in recovery from mental illness and addictions. She received her master's degree from Harvard University and her PhD from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is currently the Wellness and Vocational Enrichment Clinic director of the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System. In addition, she is an associate clinical professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego, an adjunct faculty member at the University of San Diego, and coauthor of Couple Therapy for Alcoholism. Williams is coauthor, with Julie Kraft, of The Mindfulness Workbook for Addiction. She has a psychotherapy practice in San Diego, CA.Julie S. Kraft, MA, LMFT, received her master's degree in marriage and family therapy from the University of San Diego's school of leadership and education sciences. She has provided counseling to veterans and their family members at the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System and has provided psychotherapy to individuals, couples, families, and groups in community settings. In her current position with Sharp HealthCare, she treats clients struggling with both addiction and mental health concerns. She lives and works in San Diego, CA.Resources:Find everything Rebecca & Julie are doing here: www.mindfulnessworkbook.comJulie wanted you to see this video related to her comments about addiction being one bright spot that can be tough to let go of: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkZXEf304ss&app=desktopThe Suicide Prevention Hotline # is US: 800-273-8355Please consider supporting Therapy Chat by becoming a member on Patreon! Just $1 a month would make a huge impact to keep Therapy Chat going strong! To learn more: https://patreon.com/TherapyChat - members get special perks and swag too!Register here for the upcoming Authentic Self Equine/Daring Way™ Retreat: https://www.laurareaganlcswc.com/retreat/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 sure to go to iTunes and leave a rating and review, subscribe and download episodes. You can also download the Therapy Chat app on iTunes by clicking here.Our Sponsors:* Check out Everyday Dose and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://everydaydose.com* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com* Check out PharmaNutra and use my code CHAT for a great deal: https://pharmanutra-us.com* Check out Washington Red Raspberries: https://redrazz.orgAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands