Untangling Trichotillomania

Send us a textWhat if the fastest way to help a client change is to make safety unmistakable? We take you from Bowlby’s core ideas to concrete moves you can use tomorrow, showing how early bonds shape adult relationships, emotion regulation, and the choices people make under stress. Instead of memorizing terms for the licensure exam, we connect secure base behavior—proximity seeking, separation distress, and exploration—to what you can see and name in session.We walk through the major attachment styles—secure, anxious preoccupied, dismissive avoidant, and fearful avoidant—and translate them into lived clinical patterns like protest, withdrawal, and deactivation. Then we map the treatment arc inside attachment‑based therapy and ABFT: build a strong alliance, explore injuries individually, invite caregivers into structured enactments, and consolidate gains across daily contexts. Along the way, we show how corrective emotional experiences, emotion labeling, mindfulness, and reflective functioning create new relational memories that hold under pressure.Assessment matters for both practice and exams, so we cover the Adult Attachment Interview, Experiences in Close Relationships, the Relationship Scales Questionnaire, and how Strange Situation findings inform work with children. We also share pragmatic progress markers—more direct bids for support, quicker recovery after ruptures, and increased capacity to set boundaries without distancing. The throughline is simple and powerful: when clients experience dependable attunement, they risk new ways of relating, and resilience grows.If this helped you connect the dots between theory and practice, follow the show, share it with a study buddy, and leave a quick review. Tell us which attachment‑based technique you’ll try this week—we’d love to hear what changes in the room.If you need to study for your national licensing exam, try the free samplers at: LicensureExamsThis podcast is not associated with the NBCC, AMFTRB, ASW, ANCC, NASP, NAADAC, CCMC, NCPG, CRCC, or any state or governmental agency responsible for licensure.

Send us a textA ceiling fan that rattles and wobbles shouldn’t be fixed with more power—it needs balance. We take that same idea to focus and studying, showing how attention breaks down when life pulls unevenly on your time, energy, and commitments. Instead of forcing willpower, we walk through a kinder reset: recognizing what your current schedule protects, carving intentional time for learning, and using a short journaling practice to uncover the real reasons you resist prioritizing study.We share practical moves that calm the mental “clank.” Start by mapping priorities without judgment, then note the invisible bargains you’ve made—late nights, open-ended messages, overstuffed evenings—that throw your days off balance. With that awareness, you can rebalance the “blades” of your life: consolidate communication windows, anchor a 60–90 minute deep-work block, and adjust one recurring commitment to reclaim quiet. You’ll hear how protecting energy—sleep, food, movement—stabilizes attention better than any hack, and how small friction fixes, like a starting ritual and a next-step note, make it easier to return to the work.By the end, you’ll see focus not as a moral test but as a design outcome. When your commitments fit the season you’re in, studying stops feeling like a fight and starts moving with a smooth hum. If you’re ready to trade strain for steady progress, tune in and rebuild balance with intention. Subscribe for more practical mindset tools, share this with a friend who’s stuck in “try harder” mode, and leave a review telling us which small change you’ll make this week.If you need to study for your national licensing exam, try the free samplers at: LicensureExamsThis podcast is not associated with the NBCC, AMFTRB, ASW, ANCC, NASP, NAADAC, CCMC, NCPG, CRCC, or any state or governmental agency responsible for licensure.

Send us a textIf you need to study for your national licensing exam, try the free samplers at: LicensureExamsThis podcast is not associated with the NBCC, AMFTRB, ASW, ANCC, NASP, NAADAC, CCMC, NCPG, CRCC, or any state or governmental agency responsible for licensure.

Send us a textIf you need to study for your national licensing exam, try the free samplers at: LicensureExamsThis podcast is not associated with the NBCC, AMFTRB, ASW, ANCC, NASP, NAADAC, CCMC, NCPG, CRCC, or any state or governmental agency responsible for licensure.

Send us a text            Time truly is like an ever-rolling stream, and like any boater knows – either you control it, or it controls you!            The closer your exam time comes, the more you become aware that your ability to manage your time is key to your success.             First is awareness of priorities, and that means looking at where you spend your time. Your job, your family, eating, sleeping, recreation and studying are all important and need to fit in, but maybe in a shorter timeframe. Awareness also involves recognizing that your study time for this exam is a high priority – but not a forever priority. Studying can displace some lower priority things just now because you know you won’t be doing it forever.            Then you need to make choices of how to fit it all in, which will become more and more apparent the more you pay attention.            Does that mean that this will be an easy process? No! But it does mean that it is doable. The greater intentionality you devote to your excursion down the river of time, the more you will find success, and even enjoyment at it.            It’s in there! If you need to study for your national licensing exam, try the free samplers at: LicensureExamsThis podcast is not associated with the NBCC, AMFTRB, ASW, ANCC, NASP, NAADAC, CCMC, NCPG, CRCC, or any state or governmental agency responsible for licensure.

Send us a textIf you need to study for your national licensing exam, try the free samplers at: LicensureExamsThis podcast is not associated with the NBCC, AMFTRB, ASW, ANCC, NASP, NAADAC, CCMC, NCPG, CRCC, or any state or governmental agency responsible for licensure.

Send us a textThink a restless math class means ADHD? We peel back the layers to show how a specific learning disorder can masquerade as attention problems in one subject while everything else looks fine. With Hannah at the table, we walk through clear criteria, real classroom clues, and the practical ways to separate ADHD, SLD, or both—so kids get the right help faster.We start with the three core domains of specific learning disorder—reading, written expression, and mathematics—and outline what struggle actually looks like: slow decoding and poor comprehension, disorganized writing and shaky spelling, weak number sense and problem‑solving. Then we zoom in on the six‑month rule: difficulties must persist despite targeted support like tutoring, accommodations, or structured interventions. You’ll hear why challenges often surface in third to fifth grade, when the work shifts from memorizing facts to analysis and synthesis, and how early intervention leverages neuroplasticity—the “paved roads” analogy that makes brain development easy to picture and act on.To make this actionable, we map the assessment landscape. For learning, tools like the Woodcock‑Johnson, WIAT, WRAT, and KeyMath pinpoint subskill gaps; for attention and behavior, the Vanderbilt, Conners, BASC, and CBCL help establish cross‑setting patterns. The key move: if academic deficits remain after ADHD symptoms are well managed, a co‑existing SLD is likely and needs direct instruction. Along the way we share concrete signs to watch for in class, common pitfalls that delay help, and a quick recap of ADHD and autism spectrum disorder to anchor your mental model of neurodevelopmental differences.Whether you’re a parent, educator, or clinician, you’ll leave with a sharper lens and a practical plan: notice where the struggle lives, measure it well, intervene early, and monitor progress often. If this conversation helped clarify the maze of labels and supports, subscribe, share the episode with someone who needs it, and leave a review with the biggest insight you’re taking forward.If you need to study for your national licensing exam, try the free samplers at: LicensureExamsThis podcast is not associated with the NBCC, AMFTRB, ASW, ANCC, NASP, NAADAC, CCMC, NCPG, CRCC, or any state or governmental agency responsible for licensure.

Send us a textThe line between genuine ADHD and everyday distractibility can feel blurry—until you know what to look for. We open the case file and walk through a clear, practical way to identify ADHD: symptoms that begin before age twelve, persist over time, and cause real impairment across settings like home, school, and friendships. No shortcuts, no vibes—just a grounded approach that blends criteria with real-life context.Together, we unpack what inattention really looks like beyond “spacing out,” and how hyperactivity differs from normal kid energy by its severity, persistence, and resistance to willpower. You’ll hear the exact questions we use when assessing teens and adults, how to gather collateral from parents and teachers, and the surprising role sleep plays in amplifying or masking symptoms. We also map the classroom realities: the fidgeting that never ends, the detours under desks, and the conversational zigzags that jump tracks from hot dogs to Hawaii.Differential diagnosis is the make-or-break step, so we draw sharp lines between ADHD and common lookalikes. Depression can tank concentration, but usually in episodes; PTSD may mimic restlessness and distractibility in kids, especially when hypervigilance is high; intermittent explosive disorder shares impulsivity but adds consistent aggression. Understanding these differences protects against misdiagnosis and steers better care—behavioral strategies, school supports, coaching, and when appropriate, medication. If you’re studying the DSM-5-TR or navigating a possible diagnosis for yourself or a child, this conversation gives you a field-tested checklist and a narrative lens to see the whole person, not just a list of symptoms.If this helped clarify the ADHD picture, follow the show, share this episode with someone who needs it, and leave a quick review to help others find thoughtful mental health content.If you need to study for your national licensing exam, try the free samplers at: LicensureExamsThis podcast is not associated with the NBCC, AMFTRB, ASW, ANCC, NASP, NAADAC, CCMC, NCPG, CRCC, or any state or governmental agency responsible for licensure.

Send us a textWe've got a fantastic guest with us today. Her name is Hannah Salazar, and she is both a therapist AND a professional school counselor. She also tutors new therapists as they work to pass their NCMHCE licensure exam. So, if you need one-on-one tutoring, send Hannah an email at: [email protected]... and I'm sure she'll get you up to speed for your exam.Ever met a client whose childhood “quirks” suddenly became roadblocks at work, at home, or in relationships? We dig into the real-world nuances of neurodevelopmental disorders with therapist and school counselor Hannah Salazar. We unpack autism spectrum disorder through a brain-based lens—frontal networks, amygdala, cerebellum, and connectivity—so the social reciprocity gaps, nonverbal communication challenges, restricted interests, and stimming behaviors make sense instead of feeling mysterious or oppositional.From there, we map the edges: what actually separates ASD from ADHD, social anxiety, language disorder, and intellectual developmental disorder, and how to avoid false positives when culture shapes eye contact, tone, and social rules. You’ll hear practical cues to look for when adult responsibilities outstrip old coping strategies, plus how to document onset, identify pervasiveness, and test hypotheses with empathy. We also touch on overlap with OCD and schizotypal personality disorder, highlighting distinctive patterns of sensory processing, developmental course, and social cognition that sharpen your diagnostic lens.If you’re studying for the NCMHCE or refining your intake flow, this conversation offers concrete takeaways: translate criteria into behaviors, run a quick differential drill, and connect findings to supports—from visual structure and social scripts to academic testing and executive function scaffolds. Press play to sharpen judgment, reduce bias, and bring more clarity to clients who’ve waited years for a name that fits. If this helped your practice or your study plan, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a quick review so more therapists can find it.If you need to study for your national licensing exam, try the free samplers at: LicensureExamsThis podcast is not associated with the NBCC, AMFTRB, ASW, ANCC, NASP, NAADAC, CCMC, NCPG, CRCC, or any state or governmental agency responsible for licensure.

Send us a textIf you need to study for your national licensing exam, try the free samplers at: LicensureExamsThis podcast is not associated with the NBCC, AMFTRB, ASW, ANCC, NASP, NAADAC, CCMC, NCPG, CRCC, or any state or governmental agency responsible for licensure.