548: Getting Ready for Psychedelic Therapy: What therapists need to know, with Dr. Elizabeth Nielson

Psychedelic-assisted therapies are approaching FDA approval, and clinicians are asking how to prepare. Fluence and the Trauma Therapist Network teamed up to walk through the post-approval training landscape, including what training looks like, how to get credentialed, and key decisions for your practice.Dr. Elizabeth Nielson, co-founder of Fluence, describes where things are and what therapists need to be prepared. We also discussed why trauma therapy backgrounds align naturally with psychedelic therapy work. This practical orientation for clinicians will orient you to the next professional steps to becoming a psychedelic therapist. Find Our Guest online:Fluence website: https://www.fluencetraining.com/ Find Laura Onlinehttps://therapychatpodcast.comhttps://traumatherapistnetwork.comSign up to receive the Therapy Chat + TTN Newsletterhttps://go.traumatherapistnetwork.com/updatesSocialshttps://www.youtube.com/c/TherapyChatPodcasthttps://www.facebook.com/therapychatpodhttps://www.instagram.com/therapychatpodTherapy Wisdom Video CourseMy course on therapy skills for work with survivors of sexual violence is available on The Academy of Therapy Wisdom site. Watch a free video and access the course https://therapywisdom.com/what-to-do-when-a-client-discloses-sexual-trauma2026-2027 Retreat Interest FormWe’re planning retreats in 2026 and 2027. Let me know which ones you are interested in - some of the locations we’ll visit include: Spain, North Carolina, Mexico, Portugal, Greece, France and more. Details are being added to the TTN website and sent out via e-mail as they’re finalized.https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVOcuSAc9ehVzdcNXPydpjjciVjCfzoE2jRrVyGcOeZGhZEA/viewformCheck Out These Offers from Our Episode Sponsors:Save $250 on Your First Year of Paubox when you use code HEALING at: paubox.com (link to) https://get.paubox.com/private-practice/therapy-chat Get 2 Free Months of TherapyNotes using code CHAT at https://therapynotes.com Save 15% Off An Annual Plan with Heard at joinheard.com/therapychat (link to this : https://affiliate.joinheard.com/laura Podcast Produced by Vaudeo Productionshttps://vaudeoproductions.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

If you feel unworthy of love, you’ll want to listen to this week’s episode. My guest is author, therapist and coach Terri Cole, who talks about her newest book, “Father Wound.” Psychotherapy offices are filled with people exploring their relationships with their mothers, while the impact of absent, emotionally unavailable and abusive fathers is often dismissed and ignored. However, these relationships are equally significant to our development, as Terri explains in our conversation. Father wounds, common in Patriarchal societies where men don’t receive the guidance and mentorship they need from their fathers, are linked to a number of aspects of our self-concept, including self-worth, emotional and physical intimacy, sensuality, sexuality, emotional regulation and more. Learn about the impact of father wounds and how they can heal in this moving episode.About this week’s guest:Terri Cole is a licensed psychotherapist and global relationship and empowerment expert, and the author of Boundary Boss, Too Much, and Father Wound (coming November 2026).For over two decades, Terri has worked with a diverse group of clients that includes everyone from stay-at-home moms to celebrities and Fortune 500 CEOs. She has a gift for making complex psychological concepts accessible and actionable so that clients and students achieve sustainable change. She inspires over a million people weekly through her blog, social media platform, signature courses, and her popular podcast, The Terri Cole Show. For more, see terricole.com.Find Our Guest online:Terri Cole’s website: https://www.terricole.com/  Find Father Wound and pre-order here: https://fatherwoundbook.com/ Find Laura Onlinehttps://therapychatpodcast.comhttps://traumatherapistnetwork.comSign up to receive the Therapy Chat + TTN Newsletterhttps://go.traumatherapistnetwork.com/updatesSocialshttps://www.youtube.com/c/TherapyChatPodcasthttps://www.facebook.com/therapychatpodhttps://www.instagram.com/therapychatpodTherapy Wisdom Video CourseMy course on therapy skills for work with survivors of sexual violence is available on The Academy of Therapy Wisdom site. Watch a free video and access the course https://therapywisdom.com/what-to-do-when-a-client-discloses-sexual-trauma2026-2027 Retreat Interest FormWe’re planning retreats in 2026 and 2027. Let me know which ones you are interested in - some of the locations we’ll visit include: Spain, North Carolina, Mexico, Portugal, Greece, France and more. Details are being added to the TTN website and sent out via e-mail as they’re finalized.https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVOcuSAc9ehVzdcNXPydpjjciVjCfzoE2jRrVyGcOeZGhZEA/viewformCheck Out These Offers from Our Episode Sponsors:Save $250 on Your First Year of Paubox when you use code HEALING at: paubox.com (link to) https://get.paubox.com/private-practice/therapy-chat Get 2 Free Months of TherapyNotes using code CHAT at https://therapynotes.com Save 15% Off An Annual Plan with Heard at joinheard.com/therapychat (link to this : https://affiliate.joinheard.com/laura Podcast Produced by Vaudeo Productionshttps://vaudeoproductions.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Our physiology and our mental health are linked. We’ve all heard about the ACE Study, which describes the long term impact of unresolved trauma. But why does unresolved trauma lead to poor physical health over the lifespan? This week’s guest, Naturopathic Doctor Erin Kinney, explains an important piece of the puzzle: Cortisol! Combatting the confusion and misinformation that is out there about Cortisol, Dr. Kinney explains what happens to our bodies when Cortisol is too low or too high; how the nervous system plays a part; and small actions we can take to create an abundant “Cortisol Bank account,” as she calls it. Dr. Kinney shares some of the strategies detailed in her new book, The Cortisol Cure, and how simple changes you make can contribute to abundant health and well-being over your lifetime.About this week’s guest:Dr. Erin Kinney is a naturopathic doctor, mom of five, and stress expert who is passionate about helping people stop running on empty. As the founder of The Kinney Clinic and author of The Cortisol Cure, she teaches a new way of thinking about stress through her “Cortisol Bank Account” framework. Her work helps both men and women understand why they feel burned out, wired and tired, or stuck in their health and gives them simple, sustainable ways to rebuild their energy and feel like themselves again.Find Our Guest online:Dr. Erin Kinney’s website: http://www.drerinkinney.com Dr. Erin Kinney’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/drkinney  Find Laura Onlinehttps://therapychatpodcast.comhttps://traumatherapistnetwork.comSign up to receive the Therapy Chat + TTN Newsletterhttps://go.traumatherapistnetwork.com/updatesSocialshttps://www.youtube.com/c/TherapyChatPodcasthttps://www.facebook.com/therapychatpodhttps://www.instagram.com/therapychatpodTherapy Wisdom Video CourseMy course on therapy skills for work with survivors of sexual violence is available on The Academy of Therapy Wisdom site. Watch a free video and access the course https://therapywisdom.com/what-to-do-when-a-client-discloses-sexual-trauma2026-2027 Retreat Interest FormWe’re planning retreats in 2026 and 2027. Let me know which ones you are interested in - some of the locations we’ll visit include: Spain, North Carolina, Mexico, Portugal, Greece, France and more. Details are being added to the TTN website and sent out via e-mail as they’re finalized.https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVOcuSAc9ehVzdcNXPydpjjciVjCfzoE2jRrVyGcOeZGhZEA/viewformCheck Out These Offers from Our Episode Sponsors:Save $250 on Your First Year of Paubox when you use code HEALING at: paubox.com (link to) https://get.paubox.com/private-practice/therapy-chat Get 2 Free Months of TherapyNotes using code CHAT at https://therapynotes.com Save 15% Off An Annual Plan with Heard at joinheard.com/therapychat (link to this : https://affiliate.joinheard.com/laura Podcast Produced by Vaudeo Productionshttps://vaudeoproductions.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Continuing our exploration of embodiment, healing, spirituality and wisdom, this week I’m joined by Manuela Mischke-Reeds, a somatic psychotherapist who is a senior trainer in the Hakomi Method and co-founder of the Hakomi Institute of California. Manuela has developed her own method as well, called Innate Somatic Trauma Therapy Approach (ISTTA). In this discussion you’ll learn about the Hakomi method and its principles; movement as a healing modality; the importance of embodiment in trauma processing; somatics and psychedelic therapy; deconstructing from our indoctrination in medical models; accessing Flow and tuning into our innate lifeforce while recovering from trauma, and so much more. About this week’s guest:Manuela Mischke-Reeds, MA, MFT, is a somatic trauma psychotherapist, author, international teacher of somatic psychology, and senior Hakomi trainer. She is the founder of Embodywise, an international learning community offering professional training in trauma therapy, somatic psychology, and the Hakomi Method, and is a co-founder of the Hakomi Institute of California. She is the developer of the Innate Somatic Intelligence Trauma Therapy Approach (ISITTA), an integrative somatic psychotherapy framework that supports trauma recovery through nervous system regulation, embodied awareness, movement-based integration, and relational therapeutic processes.With over 25 years of clinical experience, Manuela has taught professional training programs internationally across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. In the field of psychedelic therapy, she offers specialized somatic approaches, including somatic therapy techniques, movement-based integration, and ethical touch practices, to support psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy through a trauma-informed, relational lens.She is the author of several books, including Embodied Psychedelic Therapy: A Somatic Guide (W. W. Norton, with Joshua Sylvae), Somatic Psychotherapy Toolbox (PESI), Trauma-Sensitive Movement (PESI), and 8 Keys to Practicing Mindfulness (W. W. Norton). She is also a contributing author to Hakomi Mindfulness-Centered Somatic Psychotherapy: A Comprehensive Guide to Theory and Practice (W. W. Norton), The Complete Trauma Treatment Guide (PESI), and The Praeger Handbook of Community Mental Health Practice (Praeger), for which she authored the chapter "The Role of Trauma in Community Health: A Somatic Perspective."Find Our Guest online:Manuela Mischke-Reeds’s EmbodyWise website: www.embodywise.comManuela Mischke-Reeds’s website: www.manuelamischkereeds.com Hakomi Method website: www.hakomi.org  Find Laura Onlinehttps://therapychatpodcast.comhttps://traumatherapistnetwork.comSign up to receive the Therapy Chat + TTN Newsletterhttps://go.traumatherapistnetwork.com/updatesSocialshttps://www.youtube.com/c/TherapyChatPodcasthttps://www.facebook.com/therapychatpodhttps://www.instagram.com/therapychatpodTherapy Wisdom Video CourseMy course on therapy skills for work with survivors of sexual violence is available on The Academy of Therapy Wisdom site. Watch a free video and access the course https://therapywisdom.com/what-to-do-when-a-client-discloses-sexual-trauma2026-2027 Retreat Interest FormWe’re planning retreats in 2026 and 2027. Let me know which ones you are interested in - some of the locations we’ll visit include: Spain, North Carolina, Mexico, Portugal, Greece, France and more. Details are being added to the TTN website and sent out via e-mail as they’re finalized.https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVOcuSAc9ehVzdcNXPydpjjciVjCfzoE2jRrVyGcOeZGhZEA/viewformCheck Out These Offers from Our Episode Sponsors:Save $250 on Your First Year of Paubox when you use code HEALING at: paubox.com (link to) https://get.paubox.com/private-practice/therapy-chat Get 2 Free Months of TherapyNotes using code CHAT at https://therapynotes.com Save 15% Off An Annual Plan with Heard at joinheard.com/therapychat (link to this : https://affiliate.joinheard.com/laura Podcast Produced by Vaudeo Productionshttps://vaudeoproductions.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This week we dive deeper into working with Internal Family System and our family of parts with my incredible guest, Tamala Floyd. We discussed Tamala’s book, Listening When Parts Speak, and how her ancestors participated in the process. Our conversation wound back and forth through time and space. You’ll hear us discuss intergenerational trauma, breaking cycles, how healing ourselves heals our ancestors, both those who came before us and those who follow us, inner child work, and so much more!About this week’s guest:Tamala Floyd, LCSW is a psychotherapist, author, consultant, and retreat facilitator with over 30 years of clinical experience. She received a master’s degree in social work from the University of Southern California and an undergraduate degree in psychology from California State University–Long Beach. She served as a lead trainer at the Internal Family Systems Institute. She has taught at the University of Phoenix and the University of Southern California in human services and social work. Tamala has worked in various settings including schools, criminal justice, hospitals, mental health agencies and private practice.She has expertise in childhood sexual abuse, women’s sexual trauma and domestic violence. Her current work focuses on healing inter-generational trauma and increasing access to ancestral lineage gifts. Her newest book releases are Listening When Parts Speak: A Practical Guide to Healing with Internal Family Systems Therapy and Ancestor Wisdom and Healing the Wounded Mother. Tamala has been married to her husband for over 25 years. They are digital nomads traveling internationally since June 2022. They have five adult children between them, three of which are adopted.Find Our Guest online:Tamala Floyd’s retreat: https://www.souliology.com/the-therapists-inheritanceTamala Floyd’s website: https://www.tamalafloyd.com/  Find Laura Onlinehttps://therapychatpodcast.comhttps://traumatherapistnetwork.comSign up to receive the Therapy Chat + TTN Newsletterhttps://go.traumatherapistnetwork.com/updatesSocialshttps://www.youtube.com/c/TherapyChatPodcasthttps://www.facebook.com/therapychatpodhttps://www.instagram.com/therapychatpodTherapy Wisdom Video CourseMy course on therapy skills for work with survivors of sexual violence is available on The Academy of Therapy Wisdom site. Watch a free video and access the course https://therapywisdom.com/what-to-do-when-a-client-discloses-sexual-trauma2026-2027 Retreat Interest FormWe’re planning retreats in 2026 and 2027. Let me know which ones you are interested in - some of the locations we’ll visit include: Spain, North Carolina, Mexico, Portugal, Greece, France and more. Details are being added to the TTN website and sent out via e-mail as they’re finalized.https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVOcuSAc9ehVzdcNXPydpjjciVjCfzoE2jRrVyGcOeZGhZEA/viewformCheck Out These Offers from Our Episode Sponsors:Save $250 on Your First Year of Paubox when you use code HEALING at: paubox.com (link to) https://get.paubox.com/private-practice/therapy-chat Get 2 Free Months of TherapyNotes using code CHAT at https://therapynotes.com Save 15% Off An Annual Plan with Heard at joinheard.com/therapychat (link to this : https://affiliate.joinheard.com/laura Podcast Produced by Vaudeo Productionshttps://vaudeoproductions.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This week, continuing our discussion of psychedelics and therapy, I’m honored to be joined by three amazing guests who are leaders in the IFS and psychedelics worlds. So HOW does a therapist “do” psychedelic assisted psychotherapy? A number of therapists are already using IFS or IFS informed parts work in their practices. Now, we are fortunate to have a clinical manual co-authored by today’s guests, Sunny Strasburg, LMFT; Martha Sweezy, PhD; and David Lovas, MD, together with the founder of IFS, Dick Schwartz, PhD. In our conversation, you’ll hear our guests share their perspectives on the neuroscience involved; how Protector parts can arise in these experiences; ethics and consent in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy; some descriptions of various psychedelic medicines; and the need for additional research in this field. About this week’s guests:Sunny Strasburg, LMFT, a licensed psychotherapist, educator, speaker, and pioneering author, specializes in training clinicians and designing impactful experiences that inspire both creativity and compassion. She is the founder of The Theradelic Approach, equipping clinicians with trauma-informed psychedelic-assisted therapy methods. This unique model blends Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR, archetypal psychology, trauma-informed care, and Strasburg's extensive clinical experience. Her debut book, The Theradelic Approach, elevates therapeutic best practices. Sunny also co-authored the official clinical manual for IFS and Psychedelic Therapy, Psychedelic Medicine & Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy: A Clinical Skills Manual, with Dave Lovas, Martha Sweezy, and Richard Schwartz. Martha Sweezy, PhD, is an Assistant Professor part-time in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, a research and training consultant at the Center for Mindfulness and Compassion at the Cambridge Health Alliance, and a psychotherapist in private practice. Martha has a blog on IFS in Psychology Today, and co-hosts a podcast called System Updates: IFS Chitchat. She has authored, co-authored, and co-edited eleven published books on various applications of Internal Family Systems (IFS), including Internal Family Systems Therapy for Shame and Guilt. She teaches IFS therapy nationally and internationally. David Lovas, MD is a psychiatrist, psychotherapist and writer. He recently co-wrote "Psychedelic Medicine and Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy: A Clinical Skills Manual" (2026), with colleagues Martha Sweezy, Richard Schwartz and Sunny Strasburg. They have also taught workshops and co-lead retreats together. Formerly working in academia, Dr Lovas has received awards for his teaching and research at Harvard Medical School and Dalhousie University. Now, along with his private practice, he is focused on translating science, IFS, and depth psychology for a broader audience. Dr Lovas continues to consult and collaborate on IFS and psychedelic research. He speaks and coaches internationally.Find Our Guests online:Sunny Strasburg’s website: http://www.sunnystrasburg.com/Martha Sweezy’s website: https://marthasweezy.comDavid Lovas’s website: https://www.drdavidlovas.comFind Psychedelic Medicine + IFS: A Clinical Skills Manual online here: https://www.amazon.com/Psychedelic-Medicine-Internal-Systems-Therapy/dp/1683739213 Find Laura Onlinehttps://therapychatpodcast.comhttps://traumatherapistnetwork.comSign up to receive the Therapy Chat + TTN Newsletterhttps://go.traumatherapistnetwork.com/updatesSocialshttps://www.youtube.com/c/TherapyChatPodcasthttps://www.facebook.com/therapychatpodhttps://www.instagram.com/therapychatpodTherapy Wisdom Video CourseMy course on therapy skills for work with survivors of sexual violence is available on The Academy of Therapy Wisdom site. Watch a free video and access the course https://therapywisdom.com/what-to-do-when-a-client-discloses-sexual-trauma2026-2027 Retreat Interest FormWe’re planning retreats in 2026 and 2027. Let me know which ones you are interested in - some of the locations we’ll visit include: Spain, North Carolina, Mexico, Portugal, Greece, France and more. Details are being added to the TTN website and sent out via e-mail as they’re finalized.https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVOcuSAc9ehVzdcNXPydpjjciVjCfzoE2jRrVyGcOeZGhZEA/viewformCheck Out These Offers from Our Episode Sponsors:Save $250 on Your First Year of Paubox when you use code HEALING at: paubox.com (link to) https://get.paubox.com/private-practice/therapy-chat Get 2 Free Months of TherapyNotes using code CHAT at https://therapynotes.com Save 15% Off An Annual Plan with Heard at joinheard.com/therapychat (link to this : https://affiliate.joinheard.com/laura Podcast Produced by Vaudeo Productionshttps://vaudeoproductions.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Psychedelics are a hot topic lately. People are seeking healing experiences, with or without the participation of their therapists. Some are finding their journeys to be transformational but struggle to integrate what occurred when they return to their ordinary lives. Others need help integrating traumatic material that arose. Yet many therapists, especially those who are more seasoned in the field, are unaware or suspicious about these medicines.This week’s guest, Erin Atkinson, LCSW-C, is the founder of Prism Wellness, a holistic, somatic, and psychedelic therapy practice with a team of therapists providing this specialized work across multiple states. In addition to her clinical training in this work, Erin weaves somatic trauma therapy with earth-based wisdom and plant medicine traditions. She is an animist minister, rooted in Celtic and European traditions and her own ancestral practice.In our conversation, you’ll hear Erin and I discuss aspects of our own processes of connecting with our European ancestors; how psychedelic work can help us connect with nature and the collective; and the importance of integration, often a missing piece of the healing process in psychedelic work. Erin Atkinson, LCSW-C is licensed in Maryland, Colorado, Texas, and Hawaii, a board-approved clinical supervisor, and a psychedelic-assisted therapist. Alongside her clinical work, Erin mentors, supervises, and trains therapists who want to bring spirituality, earth wisdom, and a liberation focus into their practice. If you’re curious about what psychedelic integration is, and what it can be, you’ll want to listen to this episode!Find Erin Atkinson online:Erin Atkinson’s website for therapy, consultation and training: https://www.prism-wellness.com/for-therapists Instagram: instagram.com/prismwellness.love Find Laura Onlinehttps://therapychatpodcast.comhttps://traumatherapistnetwork.comSign up to receive the Therapy Chat + TTN Newsletterhttps://go.traumatherapistnetwork.com/updatesSocialshttps://www.youtube.com/c/TherapyChatPodcasthttps://www.facebook.com/therapychatpodhttps://www.instagram.com/therapychatpodTherapy Wisdom Video CourseMy course on therapy skills for work with survivors of sexual violence is available on The Academy of Therapy Wisdom site. Watch a free video and access the course https://therapywisdom.com/what-to-do-when-a-client-discloses-sexual-trauma2026-2027 Retreat Interest FormWe’re planning retreats in 2026 and 2027. Let me know which ones you are interested in - some of the locations we’ll visit include: Spain, North Carolina, Mexico, Portugal, Greece, France and more. Details are being added to the TTN website and sent out via e-mail as they’re finalized.https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVOcuSAc9ehVzdcNXPydpjjciVjCfzoE2jRrVyGcOeZGhZEA/viewformCheck Out These Offers from Our Episode Sponsors:Save $250 on Your First Year of Paubox when you use code HEALING at: paubox.com (link to) https://get.paubox.com/private-practice/therapy-chat Get 2 Free Months of TherapyNotes using code CHAT at https://therapynotes.com Save 15% Off An Annual Plan with Heard at joinheard.com/therapychat (link to this : https://affiliate.joinheard.com/laura Podcast Produced by Vaudeo Productionshttps://vaudeoproductions.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Our rapidly changing world is leaving parents needing guidance more than ever. The threats seem to be from everywhere - at school, in the neighborhood, on the internet… How can we help our children become strong and resilient adults who will have the wisdom to lead our world forward? Parents are worried about protecting their daughters from violence and ensuring they grow up feeling confident and empowered. They’re wondering how their sons will be impacted by the loudest voices on the internet teaching them what masculinity should look like through the perspective of “the Manosphere.” And what about porn? I talk to so many parents who are trying to figure out how to keep their kids from being exposed to porn and being utterly confused about what to do next, when they inevitably stumble upon it.In this conversation with parenting expert Dr. Shefali, author of the bestselling book, “The Conscious Parent,” we talk about all of this and much more. Dr. Shefali’s two newest books, Raising Conscious Daughters and Raising Conscious Sons, help parents guide their children’s emotional and physical development toward maturation into well-adjusted adults. Dr. Shefali is a Columbia University-trained psychologist who founded the Conscious Parenting movement. For decades, she’s been guiding families to move beyond patterns of control and fear toward presence and authenticity. Find Dr. Shefali online:Raising Conscious Daughters + Raising Conscious Sons are Found Here. https://www.drshefali.com/raisingconscious-daughters-sons/  Dr. Shefali’s websitehttps://www.drshefali.com/ Find Laura Onlinehttps://therapychatpodcast.comhttps://traumatherapistnetwork.comSign up to receive the Therapy Chat + TTN Newsletterhttps://go.traumatherapistnetwork.com/updatesSocialshttps://www.youtube.com/c/TherapyChatPodcasthttps://www.facebook.com/therapychatpodhttps://www.instagram.com/therapychatpodTherapy Wisdom Video CourseMy course on therapy skills for work with survivors of sexual violence is available on The Academy of Therapy Wisdom site. Watch a free video and access the course https://therapywisdom.com/what-to-do-when-a-client-discloses-sexual-trauma2026-2027 Retreat Interest FormWe’re planning retreats in 2026 and 2027. Let me know which ones you are interested in - some of the locations we’ll visit include: Spain, North Carolina, Mexico, Portugal, Greece, France and more. Details are being added to the TTN website and sent out via e-mail as they’re finalized.https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVOcuSAc9ehVzdcNXPydpjjciVjCfzoE2jRrVyGcOeZGhZEA/viewformCheck Out These Offers from Our Episode Sponsors:Save $250 on Your First Year of Paubox when you use code HEALING at: paubox.comGet 2 Free Months of TherapyNotes using code CHAT at https://therapynotes.com Save 15% Off An Annual Plan with Heard at joinheard.com/therapychatPodcast Produced by Vaudeo Productionshttps://vaudeoproductions.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

If you’re someone who has struggled with self abandonment, you may wonder why you find yourself beating yourself up or feeling like an imposter in your life at times. I often say, “imposter syndrome” is a cute description for a deeply painful feeling. This week’s guest, Alexandra Stevens, explores how our own experiences, and those of our ancestors, factor into our shame today. She shares how we can rebuild trust - beginning with trusting ourselves - and stop abandoning ourselves after trauma.Alexandra Stevens is a UKCP-accredited Gestalt psychotherapist, EMDR therapist, writer, and podcast host based in Lisbon, Portugal. She specialises in attachment trauma, CPTSD, anxiety, self-worth, and the ways early relational experiences continue to shape our adult lives.Alexandra integrates EMDR, Gestalt Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and somatic approaches to help clients move beyond insight into lasting transformation. Alexandra is currently writing a book, You Don't Have To Abandon Yourself To Belong, exploring the ways we disconnect from ourselves in order to maintain attachment, safety, and belonging. Alongside her clinical work, she hosts a podcast featuring conversations with leading therapists, authors, and researchers exploring trauma, authenticity, healing, and human connection called You Don’t Have to Abandon Yourself to Belong.Find Alexandra Stevens online:Alexandra’s website: http://www.alexandrastevenstherapy.com You Don’t Have to Abandon Yourself to Belong Podcast on YouTube https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJVFrcqh04gA Find Laura Onlinehttps://therapychatpodcast.comhttps://traumatherapistnetwork.comJoin Laura’s Mailing Listhttps://go.traumatherapistnetwork.com/updatesSocialshttps://www.youtube.com/c/TherapyChatPodcasthttps://www.facebook.com/therapychatpodhttps://www.instagram.com/therapychatpodhttps://www.tiktok.com/@therapychatpodTherapy Wisdom Video CourseMy course on therapy skills for work with survivors of sexual violence is available on The Academy of Therapy Wisdom site. Watch a free video and access the course https://therapywisdom.com/what-to-do-when-a-client-discloses-sexual-trauma2026-2027 Retreat Interest FormWe’re planning retreats in 2026 and 2027. Let me know which ones you are interested in - some of the locations we’ll visit include: Spain, North Carolina, Mexico, Portugal, Greece, France and more. Details are being added to the TTN website and sent out via e-mail as they’re finalized.https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVOcuSAc9ehVzdcNXPydpjjciVjCfzoE2jRrVyGcOeZGhZEA/viewformThank you to our sponsor, TherapyNotes!TherapyNotes® is the highest-rated EHR, practice management, and billing software for mental health professionals. Sign up for your free trial by going to https://TherapyNotes.com, clicking "Start my free trial", and accessing your first two months free with the promo code CHAT. See why TherapyNotes is the most trusted EHR for behavioural health professionals today.Podcast Produced by Vaudeo Productionshttps://vaudeoproductions.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Continuing with our series on the power of Brainspotting, this week's episode features two more fabulous Brainspotting leaders, Kristy Sneddon, LCSW and Colleen Klym, LMFT, MT-BC. It's hard to explain the alchemy of this episode, but something creative was birthed. In fact, I found myself spontaneously writing Haikus after our conversation, and I do not consider myself a poet at all. Poems continued pouring forth over the weeks after our interview and still are. Interestingly, Kristy describes a similar experience in her own creative awakening in this interview. This conversation winds through the power of Brainspotting to expand creative expression; the benefits of creativity for our wellbeing as humans; how therapists can use Brainspotting (and creativity) to clear limbic countertransference; and so much more. Colleen sings a ditty she wrote, and Kristy shares a poem of her own. May you find creative inspiration through listening to our conversation about creativity - not only at an intellectual level, but experientially, as a felt sense. Kristy Snedden, LCSW is a trauma therapist, poet, artist, and musician. She specializes in working with creativity and trauma and integrates Brainspotting, Expressive Arts, and other brain-body approaches to bring forth deep healing. Her poetry and art use imagery and metaphor to combine the strange and the surrealistic with everyday sights and experiences. Kristy's poetry is widely published nationally and internationally and among other honors has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and for Best of the Net. Colleen Klym is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Board Certified Music Therapist, Brainspotting Consultant and lead training assistant for Brainspotting Phase 1 trainings for Music Therapists. She runs specialty workshops and consultation groups for clinicians interested in learning how to weave expressive arts and Brainspotting and/or using a combination of expressive arts and Brainspotting to clear and process limbic countertransference, develop clinical insight and become aware of and challenge clinical edges. Learn more about Kristy Sneddon via the Bone to Brain website here.Learn more about Colleen Klym via her website here.More Resources:My course on therapy skills for work with survivors of sexual violence is available on The Academy of Therapy Wisdom site. Watch a free video and access the course. Find the video and access the course here!We are all carrying a lot, whether we are helping professionals or not. Retreats have been hugely beneficial for me, and I am now offering them - for therapists and non-therapists - in several beautiful international and US-based locations. We're currently updating the TTN website to list retreats in 2026 and 2027 in Spain, North Carolina, Mexico, Portugal, Greece, France and more. In the meantime, let me know if you are interested in learning more about what's coming up using this Google Form. Follow Therapy Chat on Instagram, Facebook and e-mail to be in the know!Therapy Chat's 11th birthday and Trauma Therapist Network's 5th birthday are this August! Watch for special offers throughout the month of August! Sign up for my e-mail list to ensure you don't miss a thing!Watch Therapy Chat episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TherapyChatPodcastTherapists, visit the new For Therapists page on the Trauma Therapist Network website for discounts on CE trainings, savings on Synthesis Institute's Psychedelic Facilitation training, discounts on SSP training, other recommended resources and more. Find a trauma therapist near you via findtraumatherapy.com! We believe that trauma is real, healing is possible and help is available at Trauma Therapist Network. TherapyNotes® is the highest-rated EHR, practice management, and billing software for mental health professionals. Its all-in-one platform is designed to streamline all aspects of your practice, from connecting with clients via secure messages, to scheduling, to notes, to billing, and more; you can trust TherapyNotes has you covered. And one of the best parts? 24-7 customer service. It's beyond easy to get help over the phone or by email at any time of day from their knowledgeable and friendly representatives. The best time to give TherapyNotes a try is now! Sign up for your free trial by going to TherapyNotes.com, clicking "Start my free trial", and accessing your first two months free with the promo code CHAT. See why TherapyNotes is the most trusted EHR for behavioral health professionals today.Thank you for listening to Therapy Chat! Please be sure to go to iTunes and leave a rating and review, subscribe and download episodes.Podcast Produced by Vaudeo Productions: https://vaudeoproductions.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands