Trust & Thrive

The phrases, "trust yourself" and "trust your gut," can seem confusing for those who struggle with anxiety and intrusive thoughts that may not be true at all.In this week's solo episode, I share some personal struggles I've been having with irrational thoughts and anxiety. I touch on my personal experiences with differentiating my anxiety from my intuition, and hope to provide my perspective on self-awareness.If you are struggling with severe anxiety, OCD, and/or intrusive thoughts, you are not alone.STAY CONNECTED:INSTA: @trustandthriveTIKOK:@trustandthriveTWITTER: @trustandthriveFACEBOOK: bit.ly/FBtaramontWEBSITE: www.tara-mont.comEMAIL: trustandthrive@gmail.com

Amanda Petrik-Gardner is a licensed clinical professional counselor in the state of Kansas.  She is in private practice, specializing in the treatment of OCD and Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors, like hair pulling and skin picking. Amanda is also the creator of the OCD Exposure Coloring Books. In this episode, Amanda explains the many misconceptions and myths about OCD, the difference between OCD & OCPD (Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder), exposure prevention therapy and forms of treatment, and more.FOLLOW AMANDA:INSTA: @anxietyocdtreatmentWEBSITE: www.amandalcpc.comSTAY CONNECTED:INSTA: @trustandthriveTIKOK:@trustandthriveTWITTER: @trustandthriveFACEBOOK: bit.ly/FBtaramontWEBSITE: www.tara-mont.comEMAIL: trustandthrive@gmail.com

Esther Boykin is a psychotherapist who wants to live in a world where everyone believes that Therapy Is Not A Dirty Word.  As the CEO of Group Therapy Associates, a private practice in the DC metro area, she works every day to make mental health accessible, innovative, and culturally relevant for all people. In 2017, Esther launched Therapy Is Not A Dirty Word, a brand new division of GTA, designed to bring mental health conversations outside the traditional office setting and into the community through media, webinars, social events, and retreats. In addition to her role as a licensed marriage & family therapist and CEO, Esther is also an adjunct professor at Virginia Tech teaching the business of therapy, author of The Date Deck, and a sought-after relationship and mental health expert. She was recently named a top 21 relationship expert to follow by Cosmopolitan magazine and has appeared on Bravo’s Real Housewives of Potomac, HuffPost, Good Morning Washington, the Wall Street Journal, Refinery 29, and a myriad of other media outlets. In this episode, we touch on the importance of accessibility and representation in the mental health field, how self-awareness improves the quality of relationships, relationship tips, such as check-ins and respecting boundaries, exploring attachment styles, and more.FOLLOW ESTHER:INSTA: @estherbmft ; @therapyisnotadirtyword WEBSITE: https://estherboykin.com/ ; https://therapyisnotadirtyword.com/STAY CONNECTED:INSTA: @trustandthriveTIKOK:@trustandthriveTWITTER: @trustandthriveFACEBOOK: bit.ly/FBtaramontWEBSITE: www.tara-mont.comEMAIL: trustandthrive@gmail.com

Dr. Sarah L. Webb is an Assistant Professor in the department of English and Modern Languages at the University of Illinois Springfield where she teaches Writing and Cultural Studies.  She launched the website Colorism Healing in 2013 to raise awareness and create change. Since then, she has reached thousands of people across the globe through her international writing contest, anthologies, articles, interviews, presentations, and workshops. In this episode, we touch on the difference between colorism and racism, recognizing microaggressions and microinvalidations, reflecting on our implicit bias, the problem with tokenism, cultural appropriation, and more.FOLLOW DR. WEBB:INSTA: @colorismhealingWEBSITE: www.colorismhealing.comSTAY CONNECTED:INSTA: @trustandthriveTIKOK:@trustandthriveTWITTER: @trustandthriveFACEBOOK: bit.ly/FBtaramontWEBSITE: www.tara-mont.comEMAIL: trustandthrive@gmail.com

In this week's episode, I emphasize how there is no one right or wrong way to be a woman. I talk about the different layers of being a woman and how beautifully complex we are. I share what it means to be a woman to me and what that has looked like in my own life. I also share some stories about my childhood and some limiting beliefs I have learned that I am working on shedding. This episode also focuses on the importance of acknowledging our intersecting identities, and recognizing our areas of privilege. STAY CONNECTED:INSTA: @trustandthriveTIKOK:@trustandthriveTWITTER: @trustandthriveFACEBOOK: bit.ly/FBtaramontWEBSITE: www.tara-mont.comEMAIL: trustandthrive@gmail.com

Jennifer Rollin is a therapist and founder of The Eating Disorder Center in Rockville, Maryland, who specializes in working with adolescents and adults with eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder, body image issues, anxiety, and depression. Jennifer has experience working in a variety of settings including, an outpatient mental health clinic, residential programs for adolescents, and a sexual assault crisis hotline. She serves as the chairwoman of Project Heal's national network of eating disorder treatment providers. Jennifer has been named as one of the top eating disorder experts in the world by Balance Eating Disorder Treatment Center. Jennifer has a certificate in Enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders. She also has a certificate in Dialectical Behavior Therapy. She is a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, and she is on The Junior Board of Directors for The National Eating Disorders Association. Jennifer was invited to serve on the conference committee for The National Eating Disorders Association's 2018 Conference. She has also been interviewed speaking about eating disorders on television including on Fox, ABC, PBS, and NBC. She gives talks about eating disorders at national eating disorder conferences, therapy centers, and colleges.In addition, Jennifer is an expert writer for The Huffington Post and Psychology Today. Her professional blog was named one of the top eating disorder blogs in the world.In this episode, we touch on the many myths about eating disorders, warning signs of an eating disorder, resisting diet culture, reflecting on our unconscious biases and fatphobia, and more.FOLLOW JENNIFER:INSTA: @jennifer_rollinWEBSITE: www.theeatingdisordercenter.comSTAY CONNECTED:INSTA: @trustandthriveTIKOK:@trustandthriveTWITTER: @trustandthriveFACEBOOK: bit.ly/FBtaramontWEBSITE: www.tara-mont.comEMAIL: trustandthrive@gmail.com

Michelle Goodloe is a licensed clinical social worker and an experienced project manager dedicated to helping others develop healthy relationships with themselves and with others.With a professional background in providing clinical interventions, compassion-based services and statewide advocacy for people impacted by domestic violence, child abuse and stress-related conflict, the focus of Michelle's career has been to develop and institute accessible and resourceful avenues of support through her agencies: The Essence of Healing LLC and gmichelle.com. Michelle is the owner and a psychotherapist with The Essence of Healing LLC, a private therapeutic practice based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Essence of Healing LLC provides individual and couples psychotherapy to adult residents in the states of Georgia and Illinois.She is also the creator of the wellness-resource website, gmichelle.com. Gmichelle.com offers busy, caring professionals the opportunity to make self-care a practical part of their lives. Michelle facilitates interactive workshops for non-profit and private organizations that experience challenges with addressing self-care, compassion fatigue and professional burn out.In this episode, we touch on the many myths and misconceptions of self-care, the importance of boundaries, toxic positivity, self-care and privilege, letting go of the belief that self-care is selfish, tips on creating a self-care practice, and more.FOLLOW MICHELLE:INSTA: @thegmichelleWEBSITE: www.gmichelle.comSTAY CONNECTED:INSTA: @trustandthriveTIKOK:@trustandthriveTWITTER: @trustandthriveFACEBOOK: bit.ly/FBtaramontWEBSITE: www.tara-mont.comEMAIL: trustandthrive@gmail.com

Jayson Gaddis is an an author, podcaster, speaker, entrepreneur, and the founder of The Relationship School®, an impact-based company dedicated to helping people work out their differences and have fulfilling long-term partnerships. Jayson leads relationship training on intimate relationships and partnership. Jayson is also the creator of Interpersonal Intelligence® and Present Centered Relationship Coaching®. He trains people from around the world on how to be effective relational leaders and coaches. In this episode, we discuss embracing conflict, effective conflict resolution, the four core needs in relationships, the pursuer-distancer dynamic, the art of listening, attachment styles, and more.FOLLOW JAYSON:INSTA: @jaysongaddis / @therelationshipschoolWEBSITE: www.relationshipschool.comSTAY CONNECTED:INSTA: @trustandthriveTIKOK:@trustandthriveTWITTER: @trustandthriveFACEBOOK: bit.ly/FBtaramontWEBSITE: www.tara-mont.comEMAIL: trustandthrive@gmail.com

In honor of Valentine's Day, I wanted to create a throwback episode with clips from past conversations on relationships, sex, self-love, and more.I have included the links to the full episodes below, along with the guests' Instagram pages.Whether you are spending Valentine's Day with a partner, friend, yourself, I hope you have a wonderful weekend and give yourself some love!Remember, the relationship you have with yourself is the most important one you will ever have.STAY CONNECTED:INSTA: @trustandthriveTIKOK:@trustandthriveTWITTER: @trustandthriveFACEBOOK: bit.ly/FBtaramontWEBSITE: www.tara-mont.comEMAIL: trustandthrive@gmail.comFOLLOW THE GUESTS:Elizabeth Earnshaw: @lizlistensDr. Jill McDevitt: @sexdocjillSharon Peykar: @sitwithsharonAlexandra Solomon: @dr.alexandra.solomonThomas Gagliano: @theproblemwasmeKamalaDevi McClure: @kamaladeviDr. Annie Kaszina: @dr_anniephdDr. Jessica O'Reilly: @sexwithdrjessMarla Renee Stewart: @1marlastewartDr. Natalie Jones: @dr.nataliejonesEpisodes in order:41: Relationship Dynamics & Effective Communication - with Elizabeth Earnshaw, Licensed Marriage & Couples Therapist49: Sex, Porn, & Relationships - with Dr. Jill McDevitt, Sexologist & Sexual Wellness Coach64: Codependency & Relationship Attachment Styles - with Sharon Peykar, Psychotherapist & Life Coach68: Sexual Self-Awareness & Owning Your Sexuality - with Dr. Alexandra Solomon, Author of Taking Sexy Back74: Accountability in Relationships & Working Through Childhood Messages - with Thomas Gagliano, MSW, Author of The Problem Was Me84: Polyamory & Open Relationships - with KamalaDevi McClure, Author of 52 Fridays93: Emotional Abuse & Narcissism in Romantic Relationships - with Dr. Annie Kaszina, Narcissistic Abuse Coach94: Seduction & Intimacy - with Dr. Jessica O'Reilly & Marla Renee Stewart, Authors of The Ultimate Guide to Seduction & Foreplay

The events from this past year have forced me to look deeper within and reflect on who I truly want to be, despite any expectations that others may have placed on me.In this episode, I share my thoughts on living authentically, the importance of reflecting on our values, creating our own definition of success, being intentional with the choices we make, and embracing change.  While this has been a difficult time, I hope you make the effort to check in with yourself and reflect on what feels most authentic to you. STAY CONNECTED:INSTA: @trustandthriveTIKOK:@trustandthriveTWITTER: @trustandthriveFACEBOOK: bit.ly/FBtaramontWEBSITE: www.tara-mont.comEMAIL: trustandthrive@gmail.com