This week licensed therapist Kati Morton offers ways to increase our resilience and tolerance to life’s stressors, why it’s important to speak up in therapy, and why we can sometimes wish our therapist could read our mind. She then discusses the reasons we can struggle to talk about our issues in therapy without feeling full of shame about it. Ask Kati Anything ep. 250 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions:1. Can you provide any tips or techniques to increase resiliency and tolerance to life's stressors? 00:58 2. Is getting a therapy appointment about once a month (due to extremely limited availability at college clinics) worth it even if it doesn’t feel like it’s helping? What can you do when your insurance deductible is really high and you’re a college student working multiple jobs just to make rent, food, etc? Especially when parents won’t help pay. I’ve tried medication but nothing feels like it’s working. Hope this gets answered because I feel like there are lots of people in this situation. 06:15 3. You often say that if something your therapist says or does bothers you or triggers you, you should bring it up and talk about it with your therapist. But I often feel like if I say something to them and they stop doing/saying whatever it is, then I'm not really learning how to deal with similar situations in the real world. Realistically, I can't go around telling the world to not say or act a certain way so I feel reluctant to say anything when it happens in the therapy room. But then I spiral out and get frustrated with myself for even being bothered by something that I clearly understand was not done intentionally. I also don't want to make my therapist feel... 10:56 4. I’m not sure if I’m the only one who does this, but I’ve noticed that in therapy I often expect my therapist to be able to read my mind. But I know this is impossible and unfair to her. For example, I told her the other day that I had written down some thoughts I had after the previous session and I told her I wasn’t sure if I should read them to her or not. Her response was “It’s up to you.” By her saying it was up to me, I know she was just respecting whichever decision I made and she didn’t want to force me to read it if I didn’t want to. But for some reason I just assumed she could read my mind so when she replied in a respectfully neutral way, I felt a bit let down and I thought to myself “okay but do you REALLY want to know my thoughts?” In that moment I really wanted HER to WANT me to read them to her. Like I suppose in a validation type of way I wanted to feel as if she really WANTED to know my thoughts and inner experience.. to feel like she really cares and is invested in me and my experience. Obviously I know it’s unfair to expect her to have read my mind though...I do this quite often. And I end up feeling frustrated and disappointed and let down. Why do I do this? 24:28 5. How can I learn to manage the shame I feel talking about my 'issues' in therapy? I have CPTSD and I intellectually know shame is a large part of that, but that doesn't stop me feeling overwhelmed by shame having discussed things with my therapist. I go for days thinking that she must be disgusted by me and cannot possibly want me as a client ... and I feel too ashamed to talk about this shame! 31:56 PUBLISHED BOOKSTraumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPYWhile I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIALX https://twitter.com/KatiMortonTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimortonPatreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton offers her thoughts on using AI chat agents in between therapy sessions, why trauma can be hard to move past, and what it really means to be willing versus just trying. She also talks about wanting friends while being a socially anxious introvert, and why our therapist telling us she cares about us can be triggering. Ask Kati Anything ep. 249 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. I’m currently seeing a therapist (cognitive behavioral therapy with a focus on trauma). Since the sessions can be emotionally intense, I’ve started to use ChatGPT between appointments to help process my thoughts and manage difficult emotions. I had previously tried journaling, but it felt more like a monologue and wasn’t as helpful. Using ChatGPT, however, has allowed me to engage in a dialogue, which has been more effective in organizing my thoughts and gaining clarity. When I shared this with my therapist, she expressed concern. She mentioned that using AI in this way might be similar to seeking support from another therapist, which could interfere with the therapeutic process. She also cautioned against the risk of isolation. My question for you: From a psychological perspective, what do you think about using AI as a supplemental tool between therapy sessions? Could it hinder the healing process? If so, what alternatives would you recommend to help navigate emotionally challenging periods between sessions? 00:36 2. I’ve noticed a lot of talk about repressed trauma on the podcast. I, however, remember everything. I’m currently working through some of this with an EMDR therapist. I’m having some difficulty letting go of these incidents, mainly because I feel like this invalidates them. Also, I feel the need to keep them in my back pocket- so to speak- so as to justify my hurt whenever I need to. My question is- what does it look like to work through trauma, while still recognizing that it was awful? As a separate note- why am I having an extreme physical reaction (shaking, almost convulsing) in the midst of EMDR therapy? 04:51 3. What does it really mean to be willing vs just trying? My therapist says I need to stop trying and start being willing, but I don’t understand the difference. In my mind, wanting to get better, going to therapy, and putting in effort is being willing. It sometimes feels like he’s suggesting I’m not trying hard enough, which is frustrating. For context, I have CPTSD from significant childhood emotional neglect and abuse, which has continued into adulthood. Thanksgiving was especially traumatic, and I’m working hard to... 10:43 4. I’m a very socially anxious introvert, which causes me to avoid a lot of social situations and interactions. Sometimes I feel lonely and “friendless” but I am very close to my mom and my sister which feels like enough human connection to me. But is that really enough? 6:49 5. How do I stop being mad at my therapist for telling me she cares about me? Every time she tells me she has been worried or that she cares about me I get this voice in my head screaming at me that it's fake and that this relationship is not a real one. I feel like she says this stuff only because it's... 21:50 PUBLISHED BOOKSTraumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPYWhile I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIALYouTube https://www.youtube.com/katimorton X https://twitter.com/KatiMortonTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimortonPatreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com

This week licensed therapist, Kati Morton discusses how to know if we are doing therapy “right” and why it can feel so unstructured at times. She then dives into why we can want certain people to worry about us, how isolation can help us and also hurt us, and the effects of having a narcissistic mother and being the eldest daughter. Ask Kati Anything ep. 248 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. I just started therapy at my university, but whenever I think about what I discussed with my therapist and replay the whole conversation after each session, I always wonder whether I'm doing it right. It just feels kind of messy and I feel like I'm all over the place when talking to my therapist. I have never experienced therapy before and I don't know what it's like, so I really don't know if it's going the way it's supposed to. It also feels like I'm... 00:38 2. Why do I want certain people to worry about me? I always have a person, usually it’s only one person at a time, that I get super obsessed with and that I think about 24/7. This is not in a romantic way, it could be but not necessarily. They are all I think about, and I crave their attention a lot, and I also get really jealous when they spend time with other people and I am super sensitive to how they treat me. They can make me feel super happy or really sad. I also want them to worry about me, I think because I ... 08:20 3. Can you please talk about how traumatized ppl use self isolation as a coping mechanism, but that sometimes becomes a negative cornerstone of their personality making connection harder…. Also could you share some tips as to how traumatized individuals can begin updating that personality trait to become engaged and open to the world. 14:07 4. My question contains a lot of context so please bear with me and I'm sorry in advance for the essay. I've been struggling A LOT for the past two years with binge eating, anxiety, depression, and dissociation. After a previous attempt to seek therapy, which didn’t go well (because I was 16 and my mom freaked out and was so stigmatized and when I also talked about it to one of my closest friends and my friend suggested that I go to therapy, my mom happened to read at the texts and told me "see, now your friend thinks you're crazy!"), but anyway, I finally took the step to seek therapy as I've turned 18 and started university and I had 2 sessions so far, and it's all started after my prof encouraged me to go down that path and honestly, she is the sweetest person ever and she is the only... 19:45 PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPY While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIAL X https://twitter.com/KatiMorton TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton talks about why we can sometimes think we are in love with our therapist, ways we can get unstuck in life, and what to do with our passive suicidal thoughts. She also talks about feeling safe after surviving a trauma, and how to deal with transference and attachment in therapy. Ask Kati Anything ep. 247 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions:1. Kati I am in love with my therapist. I know you will probably say that transference is happening but I feel so madly in love with her. Everything about her is perfect and she’s the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. I feel like no one I’ll meet will ever even come close to how amazing she is and how much I feel for her. How do I stop having romantic feelings for my therapist? 00:00:32 2. Could you please talk about how one can get unstuck in life? I feel like I am reliving the same day over and over again, and not growing/evolving anymore. I’m so used to just watching life on the sidelines, like a movie, as opposed to actively participating in it. For reference, I do suffer from depression and I’m on medication for it. Thank you so much for everything that you do! 00:09:28 3. Hi, could you talk a bit more about passive suicidal thoughts. I almost got run over by a truck when crossing the street (he stopped in time at the end). I basically didn’t care, no shock, nothing. I just thought „ first of all, embarrassing, second of all this death would have been very welcome, sadly he stopped in time“. I went about my day as usual thinking about how chill I reacted not even caring if I would have died or not. I do have a past when it comes to suicidal thoughts and depression. 00:16:06 4. What does it mean to 'feel safe'? I have CPTSD and am hypervigilant. I get relaxation induced anxiety. I have tried following steps for reducing this but they often ask you to 'visualise somewhere you feel safe' or 'someone you feel safe with'. What does 'feel safe' mean? Is it a feeling in the body, or is it just the absence of overt fear? Or is it just an expression for some concept, like saying something is an 'act of god'? I expect my issue has the same root cause as my inability to feel happy / positive emotions. 00:20:29 5. What happens if transference and extreme attachment is not worked through in therapy and then therapy ends? This has happened for me and I am so overwhelmed by my emotions 24/7. I know how to work on attachment stuff by myself now from your videos but I just don’t know how to get closure if that makes sense. I miss her so much and it takes everything in me not to text her. Therapy ended a few months ago and I still miss her like crazy and I am so sad about it. Will that ever get better? Also can you feel “worse” in a way if you don’t work through issues (e.g transference) that came up in therapy? 00:24:44 6. In your opinion is this important to get a proper diagnosis? I was in therapy but I’ve never received a proper diagnosis. In my country only psychiatrists are allowed to diagnose you. I think I have quiet BPD among other mental illnesses and... 00:32:12 #podcast #psychology #katimorton PUBLISHED BOOKSTraumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPYWhile I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) Youtube https://www.youtube.com/katimorton X https://twitter.com/KatiMortonTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimortonPatreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ PARTNERSHIPSLinnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com

This week we talk about sitting with our feelings and dealing with anxious thoughts, why self-harm is often talked about only in relation to teens, and why we can suddenly have suicidal thoughts. Then we get into whether or not we can do inner child work by ourselves, how to get ourselves to realize things aren’t as bad as they seem, and if therapy can be harmful. Ask Kati Anything ep.246 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions:1. I have learned how to feel my feelings and emotions in therapy, and I also realized that before that I used to not allow myself to really feel my feelings. I have bad anxiety and a lot of times my thoughts spiral out of control and then I end up worrying about all kinds of things and feel so much more anxious. I have realized if I don’t give in to all my thoughts, I feel a lot less anxious but is this avoiding feeling my feelings? Shouldn’t I be able to sit with my fears and uncomfortable feelings without pushing them away or avoiding to think about them? 2. Why is self injury usually talked about in relation to teens? I feel like I rarely hear it talked about as a coping mechanism for adults. Is it something that is more concerning if an adult does it? I am 37 years old and I have cptsd, adhd, anxiety and depression and have been in therapy for 5 years. I have been good at refraining from self injury but when things get too overwhelming it still is my first go to thought and unfortunately sometimes the way I cope (for example the outcome of the US election). My therapist is aware but I have a lot of shame because it feels “childish”. What are your thoughts? 3. So a few weeks ago I got this sudden urge to write a goodbye letter. I’ve dealt with suicidal thoughts on and off, but that idea has never really come up until now. Would you know why this suddenly happened? Should I be concerned? What should I do? I haven’t written anything down on paper yet, but a draft is being formulated in my head and the urge is still present. 4. How can I do inner child work by myself (therapy ended) when I dissociate 24/7? I remember you said you can’t process trauma when you are dissociating. When I was in therapy I was also dissociating in basically every session. When I try to do inner child work or journal for example, I sometimes feel it’s not so helpful because I feel so disconnected from it and I am not actually feeling what I am writing. 5. What are effective methods of realizing things aren’t as bad as they seem? I would also like to see a video about lost time that comes with depression and other disorders, and how to deal with and prevent losing so much time. 6. Can therapy be “harmful“? I sometimes feel like therapy makes my thoughts spiral more. I am very self aware and analyze everything about my thoughts and behaviors constantly, and therapy has made this so much worse. I love therapy and learning more about myself and analyzing where everything came from etc. but I also feel like I am very obsessive with it and it occupies my mind 24/7 and as a result I feel worse. I also feel like I consume too much psychological content but I find it so interesting. PUBLISHED BOOKSTraumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPYWhile I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIALX https://twitter.com/KatiMortonTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimortonPatreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ PARTNERSHIPSLinnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com

This week we are talking all about getting a diagnosis. Why we might want one, why we might not agree when we finally get one, and my thoughts on self-diagnosis. We will talk about assessments and what it means to get a proper diagnosis. Finally, we will dig into labels as a whole and whether or not they can be stigmatizing. Ask Kati Anything ep. 245 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. Why do I feel the need to diagnose myself or “pathologize” myself with a name for a mental illness/disorder? If I discover a diagnosis I could potentially have, I do sooo much research on it (almost to the point of it being obsessive because it’s all I can think about). I really want to have the diagnosis, but why? Why do I have to put a name to it? I feel like I need to be “sick” in order to be seen and for my experience to be valid. My mom (who is a therapist) doesn’t like that I do this because she says labels don’t help me move forward and it becomes my whole identity. And she says that... 00:37 2. What are the pros and cons of having a label or diagnosis for a mental illness? I know it can be validating but can it ever be detrimental? Like for example, even though I KNOW I struggle with social anxiety, I really want to be professionally diagnosed with social anxiety disorder. To me it feels like a way to prove my suffering to the world but I also am worried that I will... 10:51 3. I sincerely wanted to know Kati, do labels not cripple people further? Where it almost becomes an excuse for people to act in certain ways with little accountability. So instead it should be more of behavioral patterns we acknowledge with the intent of trying to assist people in a more CBT approach? I hope I’m making sense, thank you!! 18:30 4. Hi Kati, I've been wondering for a long time how to get diagnoses for a bunch of stuff since my family is quite opposed to the idea of me being autistic, or having ADHD, and other stuff they don't even know about like a dissociative disorder, OCD, and a possible eating disorder. Do I just have to wait until I become an adult if I can't get support in my home? Thanks for the podcast, it's so informative and, in my opinion, enjoyable! 22:28 5. Hey Kati! Is it possible to be DID/osdd without knowing, even if you don't remember any significant trauma? Thanks! 26:57 6. Hi Kati, I’m someone who has had undiagnosed ASD until this year. I’m having trouble accepting this new identity. How can people learn to accept this? What do people do with it? 31:17 MAIN YOUTUBE CHANNEL www.youtube.com/Katimorton PUBLISHED BOOKSTraumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPYWhile I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIALX https://twitter.com/KatiMortonTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimortonPatreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com #podcast #psychology #katimorton

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton talks about dealing with loneliness and how to cope with feeling isolated and alone. She also explains the reasons behind us being immature, how to let ourselves be genuinely happy, and how to know whether therapy is working or not. Ask Kati Anything ep.244 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. I’m struggling with feeling incredibly lonely and like I don’t matter, even though I logically know there are people who love me. It’s hard to shake the feeling that others might be happier without me around. Most of the time, I’m alone outside of work, and I often see others spending time together, which only deepens that feeling. I try to reach out ahead of time and let friends know I’d love to join if they make plans, but when the time comes, I don’t get invited—and then I find out they still got together without me. This has been a pattern for as long as I can remember, and it’s hard not to believe that it’s because there’s something wrong with me or that I’m unlovable. How can I break out of this rut and start to believe I’m worth connecting with? While I’m safe and won’t act on it, it’s sometimes really hard to keep battling the thoughts of whether I still want to be here. For context, I was significantly bullied as a kid, have CPTSD, am in therapy (both EMDR and talk), and have a history of emotional neglect and abuse from most of my family. Thank you for reading and for any advice you can offer. 00:54 2. How do I deal with being alone? My boyfriend of 6 years is moving away for a few months for his university placements before I join him later in the year for our permanent move. I’m terrified of being left at home by myself. I know I can talk to him every day but it just won’t feel the same. I’m very affectionate and love physical closeness so being physically distant feels heartbreaking. How can I cope if traveling to see him isn’t an option due to the need to save money for the move in the future? 07:23 3. My therapist recently told me I was emotionally immature (it's true, but it still hurt to hear it). Even though I have a lot of other issues (I'm a highly sensitive person, I have low self esteem), I want to work on improving myself. Do you have any tips or tools to improve my emotional maturity? Thanks for your amazing podcast, you've had such a positive impact on my life. 13:05 4. Why won't I allow myself to be genuinely happy? I have been diagnosed with MDD and GAD. I go through depressive episodes that last a few days to about a week and they happen every few months. It used to last much longer and come more frequently but meds, therapy, and PHP have brought it down to where it is now. However when I am not in an episode, I still feel like I am existing and not living - it's like my mind won't let me be happy. It is a point I feel stuck with in therapy. 21:56 5. I have been in therapy for a couple years and I still can’t figure out if it’s working or not. Some of my symptoms have faded, I feel more functional, and my physical symptoms have minimized. However, I feel more suicidal then I ever have, I struggle with self harm, I always feel horrible about myself, and the only thing I look forward to is therapy. It’s like my whole life just relies on therapy and my therapist. 25:48 #podcast #psychology #katimorton PUBLISHED BOOKSTraumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPYWhile I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIALX https://twitter.com/KatiMortonTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimortonPatreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/katimorton/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com

This week we discuss not getting better in therapy, when we should give up, and if it’s up to us to know what we want to work on in therapy. We will also talk about depression and how to come to terms with it, and how to know if we are burnt out. Ask Kati Anything ep. 243 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. I think I realize why I’m not getting better in therapy. I’ve been going to therapy for almost 10 years on and off. I don’t want to get better. I want someone to save me. Some people may argue that now that you’re an adult you have to save yourself. I’m tired of saving myself. I’ve been saving myself since I was eight years old. I am 29 years old now and struggle with so much self harm including addiction, and disordered eating. I just want someone to scoop me up and save me. How do I stop this mentality? I feel like I’m too old to be doing some of these things to myself. 00:36 2. My counselor told me ‘I can’t really help you if you don’t bring anything to our sessions’. I have already explained that when I come into a session and she says, ‘what do you want to talk about today?’ It stresses me out and I don’t know what to say, so a couple of weeks ago I wrote a list of stuff that is the biggest issues I have and stuff that I am finding the most difficult to deal with at the moment and I gave it to her and we went through that for a session so she has an idea of the stuff I want to work on but she continues to ask every week ‘what do you want to talk about today?’ 16:23 3. How to deal with (come to terms with, accept) depression? How do I get over feeling so useless, unable to function as an adult??? 19:32 4. I’ve been in therapy for 3+ years now and I don’t know it’s getting any better. I’ve been diagnosed with MDD and although functioning, I can’t seem to find joy in my everyday life. I’ve also spoken to my therapist about it and even told her about my want to stop therapy because I feel like I’m wasting her time. My therapist assured me I’m not wasting her time, and also gently persisted about continuing therapy since therapy is the only consistency right now that doesn’t malfunction (note: every other consistent routine doesn’t seem to stick even if I tried). What can I do to get out of the rut? Any advice would be helpful. Thanks for all that you do. 24:12 5. Hey Kati, could you possibly talk about burnout? What could it look like? Would someone with depression already be more susceptible to burnout? And why might it be so hard to admit it and get help? I think I am either completely burnt out or close to it. I work a lot of overtime and can’t just take a break because I don’t have anyone to cover my position (head/only full time chef and kitchen manager at a residential school) I organize the whole week of meals for out students and to be able to take my “normal” days off, it requires so much extra work. I don’t know how to stand up for myself, how to rest when I do have small bits of time and even on my days off there are usually texts or calls to answer from work. I’m leaving my job in 6 months but that feels like a long time to just try and hang on. Any information, help or advice would be so appreciated. Thank you for everything. 27:37 6. Why do the Pollyannas keep telling me "it gets better" when it's painfully obvious that it only gets worse? 38:06 PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPY While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIAL X https://twitter.com/KatiMorton TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com

This week Kati talks about child on child abuse, and if being abused as a child means that we will abuse others. She also explains what trauma processing looks like and whether or not talking out our trauma could itself be traumatizing. Finally, she discusses reparenting and what it can look like, why we want to push our therapist away, and how we can process all we have been through. Ask Kati Anything ep. 242 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. Hi Kati, I am wondering if a child who abuses other children will become an adult who abuses children? I ask because my brother (5yrs my senior) molested me from the time I can remember up to about age 5, when his friend took over. He’s since moved far away (we are adults now) but has had access to young children. I worry about the safety of those children. Could he really still be abusing children so many years later? 00:42 2. Could you talk about bit about child on child sexual abuse? When is it considered normal child exploration and when is it abuse? And is 4 years old too young for it to be considered abuse? When I was about 4 years old, a boy in my class (who used to bully/tease me sometimes) (also 4) “touched me” (I won't go into the details). He somehow convinced me to let him and... 04:09 3. Can you talk about trauma and processing it? Why do I feel like I have to talk about events in therapy more than once? I already talked about it, why can’t it just be a one and done? I shared it once, isn't that enough? 12:28 4. I am wondering why after almost a year in therapy and on the cusp of being honest and opening up about my childhood trauma, I am questioning everything my therapist is doing and trying to push her buttons? I seem to want to put conditions on the things I share or do. I don't mean to do this but can't seem to stop. Is this normal or a part of the process? 16:40 5. I was wondering if you can explain how reparenting is supposed to help? I have done it a few times with my therapist or on my own and it just feels like I’m shoving down my feelings and telling myself it’s ok and I’m safe when it’s like the opposite of what I’m feeling. Although, when others do it it’s helpful. it’s just weird because I’m giving myself something that I should or should have gotten from others? Isn’t the point of community to get feel good messages? Like how can I be my own parent? My parent wasn’t the parent I needed and I can’t fill that void. I don’t think one person or thing fills that void. I think it’s multiple things and relationships. Anyway, I couldn’t be my own parent as a kid, so how can I now be one as an adult? I don’t know if that makes sense. 21:07 6. How do I emotionally process a lot stuff that happened this year, example doing splits shifts to getting a new job along with family stuff sprinkled in all within a few months and going to a wedding? I’ve felt like I’ve been on auto pilot and not dealt with it. 29:14

Compulsions, intrusive thoughts, anxiety, and OCD. This week licensed therapist Kati Morton will discuss what compulsions really are, whether our intrusive thoughts can pop up in our dreams, what causes us to develop OCD, and how to better manage the physical symptoms of OCD and anxiety. Ask Kati Anything ep. 241 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. Is it possible that my self harm and self sabotaging behaviors are compulsions? I usually tell myself I’m not deserving of help or nothing is actually wrong in less I engage in x behavior. So then I engage in the behavior and feel almost like self validated but also I feel too ashamed to talk about it and guilty because if that was my thought then is it even real and can’t I just stop. And then the cycle continues. It’s like I want to stop but I can’t because then I think I’m not worthy of getting help but I can’t even get help because I think I’m making it all up anyway. It doesn’t make any sense but I don’t know why I keep getting stuck in the cycle and I don’t know how to get out. 00:30 2. Can harm / sexual based ocd intrusive thoughts come up in dreams?? I had a very horrible, sexual based dream and now I’m feeling so much shame. Like what if I like that, what if I’m actually a horrible person. (COMMENT: As an add on. Is the same true for agoraphobia? I dream of getting kidnapped if I go outside or when I am too loud at home alone. However I was also diagnosed with OCD and my compulsions of checking locks is also related to the same fear.) 11:25 3. I had really bad and obvious OCD when I was younger, I think roughly from the age of 5 years old. I didn’t have any traumatic event happening to me. Why would a child this young develop OCD? 18:19 4. If you could talk about harm ocd that would be helpful with intrusive thoughts. 25:47 5. Could you talk a bit about physical anxiety? I struggle with anxiety and I feel it super physical, e.g I am dissociating a lot, heart racing, nausea, and my stomach is upset. I’ve learnt coping skills in therapy how to deal with anxiety but I just feel like the physical part of it is not getting better. I also tried more physical exercises and stuff like that to release the physical energy. I feel physically anxious 24/7 even if there’s no reason to be. I am not taking any medication, I tried it in the past but they made me dissociate so much more. Do you have any advice for me? Thank you so much for your help 30:25 #podcast #psychology #katimorton PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPY While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIAL YouTube https://www.youtube.com/katimorton X https://twitter.com/KatiMorton TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimortonInstagram https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com

This week licensed therapist, Kati Morton talks about therapy and how to get comfortable sharing with our therapist. She also discusses honesty in therapy, its importance, and how we can find the courage to share what we are going through. She then explains how to know when we need to see a therapist versus talking to our friends and family, and finally she digs into therapy ending, why it would happen and how we can cope with it. Ask Kati Anything ep. 240 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. Hi Kati, what can therapists do to try to help their patients get comfortable enough to share about traumas they have never verbalized before to anyone (even themselves)? What tips do you have for therapists and what tips do you have for patients in that situation? 01:01 2. Do you have any advice for someone who is trying to open up/be honest in therapy but genuinely doesn’t know how to say it? 10:45 3. I hope all is well with you. When should we seek support from a friend or family member as opposed to a therapist? I've had a couple of relevant diagnoses. First, I'm autistic, so understanding relationships can already be difficult. Second, I've been treated for borderline PD in the past. I mention this because when I'm in distress, it's often due to feeling abandoned because I haven't heard from my friends in a few days (or even a few hours). It feels inappropriate to reach out when the reason I'm feeling bad is that they've chosen not to reply yet... 12:26 4. How do I find the courage to talk about my OCD intrusive thoughts? The ones that make you question if you’re really a good person or not. I’m really struggling and I want to talk about them but I’m so worried that once she learns about them she’ll see me differently whether she shows it or not. 18:14 5. Hello! I’m currently in Appalachia which is an area most impacted by hurricane Helene. While I and my family are safe with minimal damage, so many people I love have lost so much or even everything. I’ve been in therapy for two years and have made significant progress, but with the recent tragedy, I feel as though I’m back at the beginning of processing trauma. I fear my therapist is going to decide I’m no longer worth the trouble because I’ve backtracked, and I’m afraid sharing that fear will only open the door for her to decide to share that she doesn’t think she’s helping me and we need to stop. For context, I have CPTSD and suffered some pretty significant emotional abuse and neglect as a child. I have a lot of fear of people leaving and often feel as though I’m... 20:40 6. How do I cope with my therapist eventually having to leave me when therapy ends? I feel like there is no way for it to happen without me being retraumatized. It makes me think there is literally no point to any of therapy. I’d rather have not gotten close to my therapist at all and I feel even more skeptical about getting close to other people now. I know there really isn’t a good answer. Living just means constant loss. My mother died when I was a baby My dad didn’t want me. I was taken in by family members and sexually abused throughout my whole childhood by their son. My single best friend of years moved away without a word. My sister moved away. Being born was a joke. Maybe this isn’t really a question. 25:50 #podcast #psychology #katimorton PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPY While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIAL X https://twitter.com/KatiMorton YouTube https://www.youtube.com/katimorton TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimortonInstagram https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com

This week we are talking about depersonalization, derealization, otherwise known as dissociation. We will also discuss DID or dissociative identity disorder, how we can build our sense of self, if we can love therapy too much, and why we can feel awkward after disclosing our self injury. Finally, we will talk about whether or not we can be so damaged that no amount of therapy can help us. Ask Kati Anything ep.239 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. I struggle with persistent depersonalisation and derealisation. I tried a lot of things over the years (therapy, different mindfulness practices, temperature play, full body shakes, yoga, meditation, being aware of my body etc.) and nothing is working. I know it gets worse when I am overwhelmed or tired or hungry, but it’s nearly happening 24/7 even if I am happy and relaxed and on holidays for example. It doesn’t make sense to me. Sometimes it gets really bad, I think when I also start panicking. Then I feel like I can’t see properly and feel so far gone, that it feels super scary. I know dissociation is not scary and it’s my body’s way to protect me, but when it is so severe, it feels absolutely horrible. Do you have any tips for me? 01:14 2. I am a survivor of CSA and have CPTSD. I don’t think I have DID however, why do I have different “voices” that come out at different times in ways I cannot control? My friends say I have 2 different “voices” one is higher pitched and small, and the other is deeper and more grown-up. Some things can for sure trigger it like feeling afraid or ashamed but it doesn’t always trigger it. Sometimes I am... 17:26 3. How to build a sense of self when no sense (or only a weak sense) of self has ever existed. In this scenario there is no "rebuilding" of the self, because it never existed as a whole in the past. There's nothing to be rebuilt because it hasn't been built yet. Is there any relevant research that looks at outcomes for individuals who developed a sense of self for the very first time in adulthood... 21:57 4. I love therapy. I know it’s supposed to be difficult and a lot of people are “scared” to work on themselves in therapy but I absolutely love it. My therapist told me I am very analytical and symptom focused, I constantly analyze every small behavior about myself and I can’t seem to stop. I constantly need to make sense of everything. I also love the attention that she gives me and I love that she cares about me. I wish I could see her all day every day. Is it normal to love therapy this much? 25:41 5. I just recently told a friend about my self-harming and now I feel really awkward. I wanted to know, why do I feel so embarrassed when near this friend now? 30:59 6. I hope this makes sense to you. It is something I've been wondering about. Is it possible to be so severely damaged by your past that no matter how much therapy you got that you never really heal? Because after all the therapy I got I still have so many trigger points. Is it because I've been traumatized over and over? Is it because of all sorts of abuse over and over? Am I not supposed to get over it by now? 33:30 #podcast #psychology #katimorton PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPY While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIAL YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/katimorton X https://twitter.com/KatiMorton TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimortonInstagram https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com

In this insightful interview, licensed therapist Kati Morton sits down with mental health advocate Kody Green (aka @schizophrenichippie) to discuss living with schizophrenia and the importance of breaking the stigma around mental illness. Kody shares his personal journey, from his diagnosis to becoming an influential voice in the mental health community. Together, they dive into the challenges and misconceptions surrounding schizophrenia, offering practical insights and ways to better understand and support those affected by this condition.Whether you're curious about mental health or want to develop more empathy, this conversation will leave you with a deeper understanding of schizophrenia and the power of advocacy. Key topics covered: Kody’s schizophrenia diagnosis and journey Common myths and misconceptions about schizophrenia Coping strategies and daily challenges The role of advocacy in mental health How to support someone with schizophrenia Watch now to learn how to foster empathy and understanding for those living with schizophrenia. #Schizophrenia #MentalHealth #KatiMorton #KodyGreen #SchizophreniaAwareness #MentalHealthAdvocacy #BreakingStigma #SchizophrenicStorytime Ask Kati Anything ep. 238 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Connect with Kody TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@schizophrenichippie Instagram https://www.instagram.com/schizophrenichippie YouTube https://www.youtube.com/ @SchizophrenicHippie PUBLISHED BOOKSTraumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPYWhile I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIALSX https://twitter.com/KatiMortonTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimortonPatreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ PARTNERSHIPSLinnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton discusses attachment and how that can show up in therapy, she also digs into emotion regulation and finding healthier ways to do it, and finally she talks about attachment in our romantic relationships and how to better manage it. Audience questions for Ask Kati Anything ep. 237 | Your mental health podcast 1. Hi Kati! I hope you are well, I absolutely love your videos and you are helping me so much. My question is attachment related. I was in therapy for a year and now ended a few months ago and I am really struggling to cope now. I have an anxious attachment style and severe abandonment issues. Since the beginning of therapy I've been super attached to my therapist and feared therapy ending. I told her about everything I was feeling and we worked on therapy ending quite a lot, but we didn't really do any attachment work... 01:38 2. Hey Kati, could you talk about emotional regulation please? I have been talking to a friend about self and co-regulation. Could you possibly explain a bit about how they relate to each other and how to learn how to self regulate? I think it is coming from an anxious attachment style for me and I’m really struggling to self regulate but it’s so difficult to reach out. It’s something I am coming to realize I struggle with and I feel like it will strain my relationship with my best friend because she is dealing with me a lot at the moment. She is amazing and is so understanding but I don’t want to put this on her. We have already talked a bit about it. 14:42 3. I second the idea of emotional regulation. I never learned that skill. All I learned from observation was to not show anyone how I feel. That’s problematic for those of us on the spectrum. I just realized I’ve had meltdowns in the past. I thought that’s what “crying” or “being mad” was. So I want to process and regulate better going forward. 21:07 4. Hi Kati!! Could you talk about why self harm helps relieve our intense emotions in the moment of self harming? Could you also talk about why someone touching where we self harm can be so triggering? My friend grabbed my wrist the other day and I freaked out. 24:48 5. Hi Kati! Whenever I can‘t see my partner for longer periods of time (due to travel for work or holidays), I miss him but simultaneously get a strong urge to pick a fight and break up. I really spiral, feel worthless and unloved and am disgusted with myself. Similarly, as soon as my therapist is away on holiday and I wish I had a session, I freak out and want to quit therapy for good. This seems to be a weird pattern throughout my relationships I can‘t quite get a handle on. Where can this come from and how do I address it? I really struggle to not impulsively act on my feelings. In case that’s important: I have ADHD and suffer from CPTSD due to emotional and physical abuse during childhood. Thanks for everything you do! 28:17 6. Hi. I recently broke up with my long term partner. It was very hard but not dramatic, I just fell out of love, but it triggered many feelings of fear about aging and loneliness. I feel sometimes like I'm a bad person that is not deserving of love and I feel guilt about the breakup. 35:41 #podcast #psychology #katimorton PUBLISHED BOOKSTraumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPYWhile I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIALX https://twitter.com/KatiMortonTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton YouTube https://www.youtube.com/katimorton Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimortonPatreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ PARTNERSHIPSLinnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com Partnerships: Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton talks about change and why it can be so difficult. She digs into ways we can stop judging ourselves for overeating, how to put ourselves out there and start living, and ways we can start to feel ready for something. She also explains how to balance prioritizing ourselves without feeling selfish, and what behavioral activation really is and why it’s the best way to combat our depression. Questions for Ask Kati Anything ep. 236 | Your mental health podcast 1. Why do I hate change so much? Change tends to worsen my depression and stress longer than anyone else seems to be affected by it at all. Is that just a personality characteristic, or is it possible that there is a reason? 02:07 2. Hi Kati, how can I stop judging myself for “overreacting” and having trauma responses to things that aren’t “big T”traumas? Other people reasonably might not have a trauma response to those same situations, so that makes me feel like I’m weak and overreacting because it shouldn’t be a big deal. I realize the judgment isn’t helping me, but I don’t know how to stop. It’s keeping me from sharing about those things with my therapist because I’m ashamed and judging myself. What should I do? 14:49 3. I’m often told that I don’t have a life. How do I put myself out there and start living? 24:07 4. Hey Kati, can you please talk about "how to get/feel ready" for something? I read that feeling not ready or simply not being able to do things can be connected to not wanting to feel ready or change. The thing is, I know that I want to have a romantic relationship, but still feel not ready. What can I do here? Thanks for your positive impact that you make 32:32 5. Hi Kati, I have been told multiple times by my therapist that I’m allowed to prioritize myself and stop trying to appease everyone else in my life. However, every time I try my inner voice tells me I’m being selfish and egotistical and shames me for thinking like this. How can I challenge these thoughts and show them they’re wrong? 37:02 6. Hey Kati! Can you talk about behavioral activation? The idea behind behavioral activation is that by deliberately practicing certain behaviors, you can “activate” a positive emotional state. 40:40 #podcast #psychology #katimorton PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPY While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIAL YouTube https://www.youtube.com/katimorton X https://twitter.com/KatiMorton TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton talks about distinguishing between our core personality and trauma response, how to figure out what our identity is without our mental illness, and dealing with SA online. She then explains how we can know if we are being lazy, how to ask questions in therapy, and if there are any reasons a therapist would lie to a patient. Ask Kati Anything, your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT ep. 235Audience questions:1. How do you help clients distinguish between behaviors or reactions that are a direct result of their trauma versus those that are part of their core personality? 01:39 2. What do you tell clients who have been depressed/anxious for so long that they don't really have an identity that excludes their illness? If your illness is part of who you are, how do you grow away from it? Edit for clarification: I'm specifically referring to childhood mental illness that lasts into adulthood 17:18 3. Hi Kati, I hope you are well, I'm feeling really confused,scared and Frankly just sh!t. I've started college this year and we have just had an online safety class as an introduction. This led to me having a panic attack and with pressure from my tutor continuing to ask what's wrong I ended up telling her something now I wish I hadn't. For context earlier this year just before leaving high school I started chatting to a boy online (stupid I know.) I was under the impression that he was just 2 years older than me... 22:52 4. How to know when you're lazy . After therapy, depression might be gone but one is used to doing nothing and getting back on track. 27:48 5. Why am I worried about asking questions in therapy? I have an incredible relationship with my long term therapist, but I cannot bring myself to ask questions. It's not just about her, but about what she thinks about why I do things, her thoughts on my current diagnosis, her advice on what to do etc. I don't have this issue with any other relationship. I suspect I am worried about rejection or maybe her answer not being what I want to hear. I have BPD, OCD, ED and CPTSD - all of which are very well managed and I am high functioning again. 29:48 6. Could you explain if there are any reasons a therapist would lie to a client? Are there any situations that would be acceptable/unacceptable? I recently found out that mine has and its shattered my trust on an emotional level but on a logical level I can understand why they may have lied (would like to think they had my best interest at the forefront and not intentionally want to upset me) - for context we planned a break from therapy for a period of time and the lie meant we ended earlier than expected, very abruptly when I was going through THE worst few months of my life. I now feel so let down and unsupported, and find myself questioning other things. I would love to know your thoughts! 34:16 #podcast #therapist #katimorton #healthy #therapy #therapy My Books (in stores now)Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy Online TherapyI do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist, please visit https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreonhttps://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Affiliates (commissions earned help us create new episodes)Amazon https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton PartnershipsLinnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com Please Read If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call a local emergency telephone number or go immediately to the nearest emergency room.

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton offers some ways that we can stop comparing ourselves to others, what our dreams are telling us, and how to overcome perfectionism. She then discusses brainwashing and overcoming emotional abuse, why we can get emotional when we think of talking to our therapist, and the reasons we can be attracted to older people.Ask Kati Anything, your mental health podcast episode 234 | Audience questions: 1. How can I stop comparing myself to others? Whenever I socialize with others, I'm reminded of how weak I am for not being able to endure the difficulties of life while others are constantly faced with problems from all aspects of their lives. For context, I'm unemployed but fortunately I still live with my parents and they are still able to provide for me. I know I should be grateful that everything around me seems to be good but I just can't. I feel like I don't deserve this and I should be miserable for being "lazy". I know I'm being hard on myself but that is what's going on in my mind. Any insight would be very helpful. 2. Hi Kati, I have multiple dreams over the night these days. Some are very vivid, which makes me wonder if there are important meanings to those dreams. When would it be appropriate to consider a dream as it is telling you something/giving meaning to your subconscious mind and belief?? 3. I would love a video about overcoming perfectionism. My therapist said it’s pretty common with those of us who have CPTSD. 4. Hi Kati, growing up, I was told by my adoptive parents that I was always so susceptible to brainwashing whenever I had an opinion that didn't align with theirs (meaning others had brainwashed me to think differently from them). I'm now in therapy to try and work through the CPTSD I have due to my abusive upbringing (severe emotional neglect as well as physical and psychological abuse). The problem now is that I can not bring myself to trust what my therapist is telling me because all I hear at the back of my mind is how susceptible I am to brainwashing. It doesn't matter how my therapist words things, it still feels like he is trying to brainwash me. I realize my brain needs rewiring, but how can we go about it when every fiber of my being is resisting it due to what I was told growing up? 5. Why do I get so emotional when I think of talking to my therapist…before I’ve even spoken to her? Just thinking about talking freaks me out. Also, why is it when someone then validates that I’m stressed about talking, do I suddenly feel fine and like I’m being dramatic? Every time I try to talk this happens and I’m not sure what to do because I don’t want to mention it to my counselor because it feels silly. Thanks again6. Hi Kati! This is a really weird one and tbh I feel really embarrassed about it. What is the psychology behind being attracted to older people? I am a girl and am attracted to much older women (even though I don't think I am gay). I mean like in their 30s and I'm under 20. I could see how this sounds attachment related but I have had the best childhood and my relationship with my mom is great. I don't like any girls my own age in that way, only boys. Is this just a kink or something else? ARTICLE CITED Disturbed Dreaming in Medical Conditions PUBLISHED BOOKSTraumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPYWhile I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIALX https://twitter.com/KatiMortonTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimortonFacebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimortonPinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton talks about having a dismissive avoidant attachment style and how that can affect our relationship with our therapist. She also discusses how we can tell if we are doing something because of our depression or not, and if being on antidepressants long term can change our brain function. She then talks about alternative treatments for PTSD like magic mushrooms, ketamine, and others. Finally, she explains whether or not our body can recognize our stress before we do, and she digs into how post traumatic growth works. Ask Kati Anything, episode 233 audience questions: 1. Hi Kati! I have a dismissive avoidant attachment style, likely due to childhood emotional neglect, which makes me highly independent and even counter-dependent. I am wondering, what can I do to foster a healthy attachment to my therapist? I have been seeing my therapist for years and she’s great, but I still get nervous to share things with her. I don’t want to get “too” attached, but I think I need my therapist’s help with processing trauma. What should I do? 01:55 2. My psychiatrist tells me I have a strong internal focus of control and that I tend to attribute everything to my own doing. My question is, I'm trying to let myself off the hook sometimes but I have trouble differentiating when I'm NOT doing something because of my depression and when I'm not doing something because I'm just lazy and letting myself off the hook as an excuse. I feel like I may just go to the complete opposite and... 28:35 3. I’ve been on antidepressants since I was 19. I am now 47 and my entire life is completely different as it once was growing up, obviously…Is it possible that staying on antidepressants too long may change your entire brain function? Will I have to depend on them for the rest of my life? I am afraid that I’ve been on them so long that I may not know who I really am and this bothers me! 32:47 4. I recently had a breakthrough with magic mushrooms. It completely stripped away any thoughts I had about myself and I was able to forgive and have self compassion towards myself. It’s been helping me work through my traumas in therapy. I have major depression, CPTSD, and anxiety. Can you please talk about the benefits of ketamine and mushrooms and can you talk about your thoughts on the integration of therapy and psychedelics? 39:57 5. I was wondering if your body could know that you are stressed or anxious before you realized it yourself? These questions come from the last few weeks because I have been having a lot of physical symptoms of stress and anxiety but I don’t usually feel more stressed than usual. I have been picking at my skin, especially on my face which sucks, I have had acid reflux which I should have because I take medication for, my stomach has been upset, I’ve been clenching my jaw, and... 49:30 6. Hi Kati I was wondering if you could talk about post traumatic growth?!? How do I recover from PTSD after years of trauma abuse and neglect?!? 57:07 PUBLISHED BOOKSTraumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPYWhile I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIALX https://twitter.com/KatiMortonTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton YouTube https://www.youtube.com/katimortonFacebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimortonPinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ PARTNERSHIPSLinnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton discusses trauma, PTSD and our dreams. She also explains how we can best support our children when we know they are struggling, how to know how much something we experienced affects us today, and why we can overshare with our therapist right away. She then offers some basic anger management tips, and how having a TBI can affect our mental health. Ask Kati Anything, your mental health podcast, episode 232 audience questions: 1. I would be grateful if you would discuss trauma/ptsd dreams... particularly how to decrease them and how to recover after having them. 02:32 2. Hi Kati! I have a teenage daughter who is the light of my life and a great kid - she's incredibly empathetic, kind, creative, and doesn't get up to any real trouble (other than a little attitude with me here and there), but I worry about her mental health. Her dad and I had a difficult separation some years ago, and he drops in and out of her life - also she has struggled with anxiety since childhood, and is very hard on herself. When she was smaller I had her in play, art, and animal therapy to help manage her anxiety, but she'd always be positive for the first month or so then grow to hate going. Now she is... 09:25 3. How do we know if something that we experienced actually affected us and if so, the severity of which it impacted us to make us who we are today? My therapist will be going on maternity leave again for the second time within the last few years and it is expected that she will be away for an extended period of time (potentially up to two years). I'm going through an interesting period... 14:19 4. I was just wondering if this is something that is common or whether I'm weird. When I first met my therapist I had complete verbal diarrhea about a few things that happened as a teen. I apologized and she said it was ok and was very reassuring that I didn’t need to apologize. This was a few months back and we have talked about them in more detail since, I haven’t brought it up with her yet but I think I may have had a light bulb moment as to... 25:24 5. Can you talk about some basic anger management/frustration tolerance tips? I feel like I lose my temper wayyyy too easily, and it's NOT the type of person I want to be. I know you've talked about anger not being a "bad" thing, and that it can teach us something, etc. But I'm talking about the times when I am losing my cool for trivial things, or when I know I'm overreacting (cursing because I caught a red light, being snippy and defensive with people when they don't deserve it). I am getting better at calming myself down after being triggered, which is... 30:55 6. How does a brain injury impact someone who also has CPTSD? I was in 4th grade when I had an accident and received some brain damage on the front of my brain. I also grew up with emotional neglect/abuse, physical abuse, witnessing domestic abuse, bullying, and sexual abuse…I know that is a lot and I know CPTSD takes some rewiring of your brain to overcome. I just wonder if I struggle more than most because I also have that TBI to work with? Are there any tools/tricks to make it easier? I am in talk therapy and EMDR. 38:43 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8849136/ PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPYWhile I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIALX https://twitter.com/KatiMortonTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimortonFacebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimortonPinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/katimorton PARTNERSHIPSLinnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton talks about emotional pain in therapy sessions, how we can stop our hypersexuality, and how far back our body remembers traumatic experiences. She also explains other mental illnesses that could be helped through DBT, and what we can do to stop our doctors from blaming our physical ailments on our mental health. Finally, she discusses memory and trauma processing, and why we can sometimes struggle to recall simple things. Ask Kati Anything, your mental health podcast, episode 231 audience questions: 1. How would you react if a client tried to leave session due to being in emotional pain. And you suspected they would try to harm themselves or even commit suicide? Would you stop them, or is that not your responsibility? Would you ever get in the way of the door and not let them leave? How would you react differently if It was a friend and outside the therapy space? 00:58 2. How can I put an end to my hyper sexuality? I’ve been struggling with it since like, forever. I was SA’d as a kid (COCSA) at the age of 5-6 and I’ve been hypersexual since, I’ve been physically abused by a parent because I was caught touching myself in public, now I more so use it as a coping mechanism, it’s what I’d turn to when I was even ever so slightly irritated... 05:14 3. Do you know how far in the past can the body "remember" potentially traumatic experiences? I was born a preemie at 32w (not too bad for a triplet, but still required weeks of care in NICU). From what I learned and saw in photos, I was the tiniest of the 3 and spent the longest time in hospital. I've been tube fed and covered with IV's. I also went into respiratory arrest at a few months old. Besides that, I haven't grown a sick child at all. We were lucky. I have been struggling with MH since my early teenage years (I am 22 ) Having an ED (among other co-related issues), gaining weight is really hard to cope with. In my case, it is not so much that I... 14:28 4. Hi Kati, is DBT a good fit for illnesses other than BPD? I have anxiety and bipolar II depression and, in the past, have had CBT/ACT therapy. They were pretty successful for anxiety but never touched the depression. Over time, I have developed chronic suicidal thoughts. When I'm well, they scare me. When I'm depressed they are almost like a warm blanket. I can’t stop thinking about it. It's always in the back of my mind. I know I have a way out. Could DBT help with this? 22:01 5. How did you get doctors to stop dismissing physical health issues and blaming it on mental health? I understand they can go hand in hand, but it's not always the case. It feels discriminatory. What's the best way to address this with a doctor? 30:45 6. What is going on with my memory???? I’ve been doing trauma work with my therapist for awhile now and all of the sudden I cannot remember what I have shared with her and what I haven’t. Why is it so hard for me to share new memories of the trauma with my therapist?? I fully trust her and know she is safe. Why do I go into a shame spiral and then push her away after I share something new? Will this go away with time? 35:27 PUBLISHED BOOKSTraumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPYWhile I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIALX https://twitter.com/KatiMortonTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimortonFacebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimortonPinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/katimorton PARTNERSHIPSLinnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com