
You Need Therapy
Kathryn DeFatta, who has earned her Masters of Education from Vanderbilt University in Human Development Counseling, is inviting you into conversations around what it’s like to live fully in a world where we’ve become accustomed to shut parts of ourselves off. Here you will find a space that welcomes in discomfort, tough questions, and hard truths, all while showing how to find joy through it all.
Latest episodes

May 30, 2022 • 40min
Orthorexia + Whole30
Orthorexia in its simplest terms means an obsession with healthy eating, and for people who are not immersed in this field, that may not sound like a bad thing because eating healthy isn’t bad. So, this week, Kat is diving into the topic to bring light to what becoming obsessed with the health and quality of the food we consume can do to our mental health. Someone who develops orthorexia most likely doesn’t start out being obsessed but things can take a turn pretty fast not just due to reasons associated with the individual. This issue is very much connected to our culture and the messaging companies and brands use to attract and illicit business and the manipulation involved in how diet culture sells their ideals and products. So, sit tight and get ready to hear how some of the most popular diets and diet buzz words have created a rise in some of the most stealth disordered eating patterns we are currently seeing today. Follow Kat on Instagram: @Kat.Defatta Follow the podcast Instagram: @YouNeedTherapyPodcast Have a question, concern, guest idea, something else? Reach Kat at: Kathryn@youneedtherapyodcast.com Heard about Three Cords Therapy but don’t know what it is? Click here! Produced by: @HoustonTilleySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 25, 2022 • 12min
Couch Talks: Is It Appropriate to Tell Someone They Have an Avoidant Attachment Style?
Couch Talks is the special bonus episode of You Need Therapy where Kat answers questions that listeners send to kathryn@youneedtherapypodcast.com. This week Kat talks about appropriate ways to share feedback and or observations with others and when if ever it is appropriate to tell someone that they have an insecure attachment style. Follow Kat on Instagram: @Kat.Defatta Follow the podcast Instagram: @YouNeedTherapyPodcast Have a question, concern, guest idea, something else? Reach Kat at: Kathryn@youneedtherapyodcast.com Heard about Three Cords Therapy but don’t know what it is? Click here! Produced by: @HoustonTilleySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 23, 2022 • 46min
Let's Talk About Sex with Nicoletta Heidegger, LMFT
This week Kat has a VERY special guest on the show to help dip our toes into the world of open conversations about sex. Nicoletta Heideggar, LMFT is here to teach us why talking about it matters, what we gain when we feel permission to learn about our bodies and our sexuality, and how not talking about these things produces unnecessary shame. Nicoletta is a licensed therapist who specializes in sex therapy (what is that? Well we answer that question don't worry!), has a masters in human sexuality, and is pursuing her Ph.D in human sexuality as well! She's about as expert as they come when it comes to this topic… and after this conversation we couldn't be more excited to get her back here for round two! Follow Nicoletta on instagram: @therapywithnicoletta & @slutsandscholars Learn more about her HERE! Follow Kat on Instagram: @Kat.Defatta Follow the podcast Instagram: @YouNeedTherapyPodcast Have a question, concern, guest idea, something else? Reach Kat at: Kathryn@youneedtherapyodcast.com Heard about Three Cords Therapy but don’t know what it is? Click here! Produced by: @HoustonTilleySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 18, 2022 • 15min
Couch Talks: Exercise Addiction
Couch talks is the bonus episode of You Need Therapy where Kat answers questions you send into Kathryn@youneedtherapy.com. This week, Kat answers a question about how to best best approach exercise when you are trying to find recovery from an exercise addiction and an eating disorder. Follow Kat on Instagram: @Kat.Defatta Follow the podcast Instagram: @YouNeedTherapyPodcast Have a question, concern, guest idea, something else? Reach Kat at: Kathryn@youneedtherapyodcast.com Heard about Three Cords Therapy but don’t know what it is? Click here! Produced by: @HoustonTilleySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 16, 2022 • 30min
What Makes a Cult a Cult & Is Brainwashing Real?
What makes something a cult? And wait a second... are cults all bad? Also, how does someone decide to join a cult? The coerced...are they brainwashed? These were the questions that Kat has been asking the past couple of months and this week, they are the questions she is answering on this episode. To learn more, check out the articles below Kat used for this episode PLUS Cultish By Amanda Montell Does Brainwashing Exist? What is a cult? What Makes a Cult a Cult? Follow Kat on Instagram: @Kat.Defatta Follow the podcast Instagram: @YouNeedTherapyPodcast Have a question, concern, guest idea, something else? Reach Kat at: Kathryn@youneedtherapyodcast.com Heard about Three Cords Therapy but don’t know what it is? Click here! Produced by: @HoustonTilleySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 11, 2022 • 13min
Couch Talks: Worst Vs Appropriate Dating Advice
Couch Talks is the special bonus episode of You Need Therapy where Kat answers questions that listeners send to Kathryn@youneedtherapypodcast.com. This week, Kat continues the conversation that was started on this past Monday’s episode: Single Adults Aren’t Second Class Citizens. She reads some of the worst dating advice that listeners reported receiving and then offers an alternative approach to supporting someone who is struggling in the dating/relationship realm. Follow Kat on Instagram: @Kat.Defatta Follow the podcast Instagram: @YouNeedTherapyPodcast Have a question, concern, guest idea, something else? Reach Kat at: Kathryn@youneedtherapyodcast.com Heard about Three Cords Therapy but don’t know what it is? Click here! Produced by: @HoustonTilleySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 9, 2022 • 24min
Single Adults Are Not Second Class Citizens
Most content available around singleness involves either tips and feedback around how to find a relationship, or how to find satisfaction in your life until you find a relationship. It sends the message that your time as a single person is just a waiting period to the life you want. Well, with the continual steady increase of single adults, Kat thought it was time to create content that postured the idea that – singleness may in fact be a desirable way to live for people. Single Nation: Why Americans Are Turning Away from Marriage The escalating costs of being single in America The American economy punishes single people. Follow Kat on Instagram: @Kat.Defatta Follow the podcast Instagram: @YouNeedTherapyPodcast Have a question, concern, guest idea, something else? Reach Kat at: Kathryn@youneedtherapyodcast.com Heard about Three Cords Therapy but don’t know what it is? Click here! Produced by: @HoustonTilleySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 4, 2022 • 14min
Couch Talks: Ways to Cope On Mother's Day
Mother’s Day is supposed to be a positive day that helps us celebrate the women who have raised us and loved us well. And while there is nothing wrong with that, not everyone feels celebratory on Mother’s Day. Some people are grieving, some are hurting; and even if you are a mom who is being celebrated, this day can still be tough. Mother’s Day can be especially challenging when you have a mom who has been neglectful, abusive, or toxic. So this week, we are offering 8 ways to cope with Mother’s Day if you have struggled with an abusive or toxic mother. These tips come from an article written by Peg Streep in which you can find HERE. Follow Kat on Instagram: @Kat.Defatta Follow the podcast Instagram: @YouNeedTherapyPodcast Have a question, concern, guest idea, something else? Reach Kat at: Kathryn@youneedtherapyodcast.com Heard about Three Cords Therapy but don’t know what it is? Click here! Produced by: @HoustonTilleySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 2, 2022 • 30min
The Ego Defense Mechanisms
We've all heard the term, “defense mechanisms” before. You have probably even used this term before. The question is, do we really know what they are and why they even exist? This week, Kat is going to help us figure that out. In this episode, you will learn about the development of defense mechanisms in the field of psychology and get a deeper look into some of the most common ones we see today. Follow Kat on Instagram: @Kat.Defatta Follow the podcast Instagram: @YouNeedTherapyPodcast Have a question, concern, guest idea, something else? Reach Kat at: Kathryn@youneedtherapyodcast.com Heard about Three Cords Therapy but don’t know what it is? Click here! Produced by: @HoustonTilleySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 27, 2022 • 18min
Couch Talks: How Do You Know If Your Therapist Is a Good Fit?
Couch Talks is the special bonus episode of You Need therapy where Kat answers questions that listeners send to Kathryn@youneedtherapypodcast.com. This week, Kat reads a listener email expressing gratitude for how the podcast helped her feel less alone in a tough part of her life. Then, Kat answered one of her most popular questions: How do you know if your therapist is right for you? And, spoiler alert that should not surprise any of you: the answer isn’t as black and white as we all probably hope. Follow Kat on Instagram: @Kat.Defatta Follow the podcast Instagram: @YouNeedTherapyPodcast Have a question, concern, guest idea, something else? Reach Kat at: Kathryn@youneedtherapyodcast.com Heard about Three Cords Therapy but don’t know what it is? Click here! Produced by: @HoustonTilleySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.