Ask Kati Anything, your mental health podcast - Episode 108   

Your Questions: 

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Kati's Books

Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton

Online Therapy | While I do not currently offer online therapy, my sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati

Patreon | Do you want to help me support the creation of mental health videos? https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/

Business Contact | Linnea Toney  [email protected]

Ask Kati Anything ep.107 

audience questions 

1. Can you please explain the difference between when it is important to "feel your feelings"/sit with your feelings versus when you should use distraction based coping skills? I feel like I get stuck doing too...  

2. I am wondering what you would constitute an “emergency” that would be acceptable for your client to reach out to you between sessions. I am constantly worried about crossing boundaries and not bothering my therapist, especially...  

3. Could you go deeper into what a flashback actually is? What is the difference between a flashback and an emotional flashback, or body memories. How do triggers come into play also? You have mentioned that with a flashback you go back to another time, a place, do you physically...  

4.  Can you talk a bit about the importance and healing power of the therapeutic relationship (specifically for trauma) and corrective emotional experiences with a therapist? I’ve been seeing my therapist for almost 2...   

5. Do you know what causes such a hollow, empty feeling inside, and how to fix it? I have C-PTSD, depression and anxiety from childhood emotional neglect and am in therapy working on self-worth. I've made a lot...   

6. As a therapist, what would you think if a client told you that masturbation is often accompanied by self-injurious behavior? What is meant by this is that the body performs certain autodestructive actions...  

7. I keep hearing that therapy is supposed to be hard work and people have "therapy hangovers" and all this stuff but I don't and I feel like I must be doing something wrong. Is it cause for concern that it hasn’t been... 

 8. I'd like to hear Kati's thoughts on what to do about passive suicidal thoughts. I feel like because I don't have active thoughts of suicide then I shouldn't make a big deal out of it in therapy, even though it's a big deal to...  

9. How do YouTubers set healthy boundaries with their viewers and listeners who often emotionally depend on them? I read a lot of comments about YouTube videos helping with anxiety and depression, but does it ever feel like a responsibility to keep up the work?

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Kati's Books

Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton

Online Therapy | While I do not currently offer online therapy, my sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati

Patreon | Do you want to help me support the creation of mental health videos? https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/

Business Contact | Linnea Toney  [email protected]

"How do I convince myself that my assault wasn’t my fault?"  | AKA ep. 106  

AUDIENCE QUESTIONS

1/ How do you know if a patient is ready to move on from stabilization to processing traumas? Is there a certain amount of time that needs to go by with abstinence from target behaviors? Does frequency of dissociation play into the decision? I know it will be different...  

2/ Lots of people ask questions about not being able to identify their feelings, and you always mention feelings charts, and describe how you think certain emotions should feel like, which is great advice! But as someone who was emotionally numb for years, what really helped me was...  

3/ My therapist died this week. It was not completely unexpected because she had terminal cancer. I had an inkling things were progressing for the worse as she had canceled several sessions. I’m heartbroken that we will never have the last session I imagined in my mind and that I...  

4/ How do I convince myself fully that my assault wasn’t AT ALL my fault? Technically speaking, I absolutely could have just stayed home, but I didn’t. And I can’t let that go. I also could have done more afterwards but again, didn’t. How do I let this go so I can move on with my life?? I've done lots of therapy, but I can’t get past the “technicalities” of it....  

5/ Hi Kati, please can you explain when it’s ok for therapists to break confidentiality regarding adult patients being a threat to themselves? I thought this only referred to active suicidal thoughts/plans, but my therapist told me last session she might have to think about breaking...  

6/ Can therapists read minds? 😂😂 but for real though. My last session I walked in the room and before I even sat down on the chair, or said a word my therapist said “your anxiety is way too high” which she was right of course. The last couple months my anxiety is so high where I’m throwing...  

7/ an you talk about the use of EMDR for anxiety disorders or other disorders other than PTSD? (COMMENT: can it be useful for overcoming alcohol addiction as well? // Just an add on, is it possible that EMDR can make your PTSD symptoms more intense before getting better? My...  

8/ I have a question about obsessive compulsive behaviors… idk if i actually have it - I’m trying to decide what is going on in my head here… I feel as though things have to go, feel, and be “right” or else I cannot feel calm. I have a lot of anxiety, and I use this sort of scale to calm myself. For...

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Kati's Books

Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton

Online Therapy | I do not currently offer online therapy.  My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati

Patreon | Do you want to help me support the creation of mental health videos? https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/

Business Contact | Linnea Toney  [email protected]

Ask Kati Anything podcast episode #105  Licensed therapist, Kati Morton is answering your questions

Audience questions:

1. Do you ever find yourself anxious or nervous around certain patients, particularly when they’re being self-destructive or suicidal? My therapist seemed legitimately nervous our last few sessions...   

2. Why do I almost always feel fine on the day of therapy? It's like the week can be really horrible and then as soon as I step into the room with my therapist I am completely fine. It's like my brain is back to normal and I don't have any mental illness at all. I then also don't see any of my problems or thoughts I had in the week as "that" bad and tend to look at them very differently then I am when...  

3. What is high functioning depression and how is it different from major depression or persistent depression? How do you overcome high functioning depression? And when do you know it’s over? Also is it harder to heal from high functioning depression because you’re going to work/school...  

4. How do you help a partner to more fully/better understand where you are at in your mental health journey when it feels like they just don’t get it? I’ve been in therapy working through anxiety/phobias/depression that I have been keeping bottled up and hidden basically since I was a teen...  

5. Have you ever had a patient or person in general tell you a trauma and you couldn't help but think that it shouldn't really have traumatized them? Especially if you yourself had a similar experience. I know therapists don't judge but there must be some traumas you hear about where...  

6. How do we go about ending relationships with narcissistic parents? I’m due to be moving away for university in September and I have absolutely no intention of coming back or seeing her ever again. But how do you even begin to have that conversation? I don’t just want to move away, block... 

7. I have a therapist, but I feel more drawn to ask you questions instead of going to her with my questions. I love the community and knowing I’m not alone in my struggles. And I love the way you answer these questions and make us feel so seen and validated. You’re so passionate and...  

8. You recently became a dog owner and it makes me happy for you because it's so rewarding to have a dog in our lives to love and to take care of. I also enjoyed that connection of being a dog owner until recently. Last year, within 8 months, I lost my 3 dogs due to old age and disease. 2 lived to be...  

9. If someone doesn't experience something as traumatic, is it still trauma. So if someone experiences something that's terrible (for example, sexual assault) and they are not traumatized by it, is it still considered trauma?

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Kati's Books 

Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton 

Online Therapy | I do not currently offer online therapy.  My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati 

Patreon | Do you want to help me support the creation of mental health videos? https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ 

Business Contact | Linnea Toney  [email protected]   

"I wasn't traumatized, why do I have PTSD symptoms?" | Ask Kati Anything 104

Books

Traumatized   https://geni.us/Bfak0j  - 0rder Yours Today

Are u ok?    http://bit.ly/2s0mULy  - In Stores Now

Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton

Online Therapy - I do not currently offer online therapy.  My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit https://betterhelp.com/kati

Patreon Do you want to help me support the creation of mental health videos? https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/

Opinions That Don't Matter! (my afterhours podcast) https://opionstdm.buzzsprout.com

Business Contact   Linnea Toney  [email protected]   Mail 1779 Wells Branch Pkwy #110B  Box #353 Austin, TX 78728

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

Ask Kati Anything! Your mental health podcast with Kati Morton, LMFT episode 103

1. What advice do you have for those of us who can’t tolerate intimacy? Too much eye contact, love, and attention often seems to overwhelm me. I find it so much easier to connect with people I barely know, but when people get too familiar and close I panic...

2. When working with trauma how do you build that window of tolerance? I feel at times like I’m stuck and can’t stop myself from dissociating. We have built several safety measures, worked on body awareness but yet the second the past comes into play I can feel my anxiety climb...

3. I’ve been seeing a lot of people on TikTok talking about how they sort of habitualized a certain food (like the same bedtime snack every night or same breakfast every morning), not out of an eating disorder...

4. If someone has had an ED for a long time (say 5/10+ years) how likely are they to recover in your experience?  If it is a 'stuck' ED, at what point would you suspect something underlying (another mental health condition for example) hasn't been addressed...

5. I hope you are well. I was seeing a psychotherapist for help to address my childhood emotional neglect and also other traumatic things that happened. I saw him  for about 2 years and unfortunately I wasn't able to continue to see him because it was provided by the NHS. I felt ...

6. How do you know if you have truly forgiven someone? I had my trust broken in my marriage recently and trying to find the balance between giving permission to feel hurt, but also not holding a grudge. But I feel like this could apply to plenty of other...

7. I'm just wondering how to deal with being highly empathic, while struggling myself. Emotionally abusive father (sometimes questioned if narcissistic) and I can tell how he is by how he coughs, breathes, or walks. He is prone to very low moods, to the point where it’s scary but won’t get help. He will never...

8. How does one differ between urges that are biologically driven and aren’t really choices and ones that are self induced habits? I’m in recovery from a restrictive ED and am honoring mental hunger. However, sometimes I get confused if it’s mental hunger or my binging...

9. My depression keeps going up and down. Sometimes I just feel like crying, and I have been having more bad days than good, manageable days. I’ve been stuck at home for weeks, unable to go anywhere, or even walk around my house properly because of...

Books
Traumatized   https://geni.us/Bfak0j  -  0rder Yours Today
Are u ok?    http://bit.ly/2s0mULy  - In Stores Now

Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton

Online Therapy
I do not currently offer online therapy.  My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit https://betterhelp.com/kati

Patreon
Do you want to help me support the creation of mental health videos? https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/

Opinions That Don't Matter! (my afterhours podcast)
https://opionstdm.buzzsprout.com/

Business Contact  
Linnea Toney  [email protected] 

Mail
1779 Wells Branch Pkwy #110B 
Box #353 Austin, TX 78728

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

Ask Kati Anything! Your mental health podcast with Kati Morton, LMFT

Episode 101 Audience Questions
1. Hi Kati, what happens in the brain when you dissociate? Does it reduce blood flow to certain areas of the brain? What happens in the brain when you do coping techniques? I am really interested to hear what happens with neurotransmitters and blood flow and brain activation when dissociating and when trying to get out of this state. Also is there any research on the long term effects of regular dissociation for the brain? Thanks for creating these podcasts, they are interesting and eye-opening. (COMMENT: Also, does derealisation and depersonalisation impact the brain differently? Lastly, what does it look like in an MRI scan? Is it diagnosable just by looking at brain waves?)

2. Epilepsy patient dissociation aura. posteromedial cortex PMC 3Hz firing (PMC part of DMN, involved in internally focused cognition like autobiographical memory). Ketamine causes dissociation - when they gave it to mice, the mice wouldnt withdraw paw from hot plate (dissociation). When they stimulated PMC 3 Hz it recapitulated this effect without ketamine

3. Hello Kati and Dr. Ben Rein, I’m curious to know more about neuroplasticity and what someone with C-PTSD can do to strengthen memory and learning skills? I’m a survivor of CSA and I find it’s difficult for me to memorize and retain what I’m studying in school. Any advice? 

4. How does developing a mental illness in childhood affect your brain long term? I had severe OCD when I was around 10 years old and I still deal with it as an adult. I know you can be symptom-free from certain disorders like OCD that may develop at any time in your life, but I...

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Ben Rein, Ph.D. is a neuroscientist & postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University. Ben is currently studying how psychedelic drugs alter the way the brain processes social information. Ben ultimately intends to supervise his own research lab and serve as a professor at an academic institution.
​
Outside of the lab, Ben shares educational science videos on social media to a collective audience of more than 800,000 subscribers. In his videos, Ben shares breaking scientific discoveries, debunks "viral" videos containing misinformation, teaches fundamental neuroscience principles, and educates on the importance of scientific research. He also provides guidance to students through a video series called "Scientips"

You can find more from Ben on
TikTok @ dr.brein
Instagram @ doctor.brein
Twitter @ dr_brein
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Books
Traumatized   https://geni.us/Bfak0j  -  0rder Yours Today
Are u ok?    http://bit.ly/2s0mULy  - In Stores Now

Amazon Suggestions
https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton

Online Therapy
I do not currently offer online therapy.  My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati

Patreon
Do you want to help me support the creation of mental health videos? https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/

Opinions That Don't Matter! (my afterhours podcast)
audio: https://opionstdm.buzzsprout.com/

Business Contact  
Linnea Toney  [email protected] 

Mail
1779 Wells Branch Pkwy #110B 
Box #353 Austin, TX 78728

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

Ask Kati Anything! Your mental health podcast with Kati Morton, LMFT episode 102

1. Can you talk about the fear of abandonment vs fear of rejection and how they differ? As a kid, I was left out a lot, felt excluded, and like I didn’t belong. I still feel the effects of those social rejections to the point that...

2. My friend and I both were suicidal in the past, but we were suicidal in completely opposite ways. I thought it was interesting. For her, suicide was a last resort, an escape from painful feelings. Feeling hopeless, like...

3. Why do I feel so empty when sharing traumatic stories with my therapist? I just can’t access those emotions and it makes me wonder if they are even there. It also makes me question the validity of the stories...

4. Are therapists supposed to hide their emotions in response to a story shared? As in, remain calm, soothing or neutral. Recently, I shared with my sister how my therapist shows her anger in session as a response to...

5. How do you deal with a traumatic sexual experience that wasn't rape or abuse? Years ago my last relationship ended after my at the time boyfriend sleeping with me and breaking up right afterwards...

6. What changes do you think could be made to adult psych wards for treatment to be more effective, and for a better experience? I know that sometimes I need the extra support but my times at the psych ward in the...

7. I recently expressed suicidal ideation in therapy and my therapist said to me she isn’t worried about me because i haven’t tried to kill myself to date. I am feeling so hurt and invalidated by this. also, since i am very attached...

8. Thanks for all that you do for us all! My question is: Do some therapists/psychiatrists use proper medical words and lingos? My therapist has told her a few times that I don't know the logical definitions...

9. Can you please talk a little about bpd. I have suffered for many years. I think it is the most misunderstood mental illness. I have therapy weekly and work hard, I have also been in and out of hospital over the years. I’m 53, is there an optimistic future ahead or...

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Books
Traumatized   https://geni.us/Bfak0j  -  0rder Yours Today
Are u ok?    http://bit.ly/2s0mULy  - In Stores Now

Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton

Online Therapy
I do not currently offer online therapy.  My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit https://betterhelp.com/kati

Patreon
Do you want to help me support the creation of mental health videos? https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/

Opinions That Don't Matter! (my afterhours podcast)
https://opionstdm.buzzsprout.com/

Business Contact  
Linnea Toney  [email protected] 

Mail
1779 Wells Branch Pkwy #110B 
Box #353 Austin, TX 78728

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

"Why do narcissistic people believe their past trauma means..." | AKA ep. 99

Guest: Lana Seiler, MSW, LCSW - Primary Therapist at APN Lodge
Lana is a licensed clinical social worker and primary therapist at APN Lodge. Lana places a high value on “holding space” for guests to process their experiences and begin to heal. She is a champion of holistic and scientific mental health and addiction treatment, helping clients fight for their development of a healthier view of themselves, others, and the world. Those hard-won results are her greatest reward.

Addiction & Mental Health Treatment: If you are looking for an in-person treatment center that provides expert help with addiction recovery and mental health, All Points North Lodge is a great option. All Points North Lodge offers evidence-based and holistic treatment in the Colorado mountains. Chat with a member of their team at www.apnlodge.com/kati or call (218) 306-8214

1. Do therapists really not judge their clients? You guys are human too so I can’t see a reality where my therapist wouldn’t judge me in some way (she’s very kind btw, I’m not saying this based on any experience)...

2. Why do narcissistic people believe their past trauma means their abusive patterns/behaviors towards others should be excused? Where do we draw the line between ending stigma and and allowing people to abuse, regardless of trauma/mental illness?

3. What is the difference between empathy and codependency? I’ve been told I have both and was actually diagnosed with codependent personality traits. I know that I have a hard time separating my own emotions from others. I become extremely unsettled if I...

4. How do you get yourself to believe it’s not your fault? I was sexually abused as a child, starting around age 7, and I know I am suppose to say it’s not my fault, my therapist tells me it’s not my fault and so do others but when it comes down to it I still have a hard time believing...

5. Could you please explain the difference between borderline pd and dependent pd? I know both involve a fear of abandonment and attachment issues, but I am having trouble figuring out which disorder resonates with me more. I had an emotionally neglectful mum and...

6. I'm struggling with the reparenting process. I was neglected or emotionally abused when I was a child and I understand that I have to give myself what my child version would have wanted and needed, but I don't feel like that's enough. Doing it myself helps, but I still feel like I want...

#podcast #psychology #katimorton

Journaling
Every Tuesday & Friday Kati posts a journal prompt to help keep you motivated and working on yourself  https://www.youtube.com/katimorton/join 

Books
Traumatized   https://geni.us/Bfak0j  -  0rder Yours Today
Are u ok?    http://bit.ly/2s0mULy  - In Stores Now

Amazon Suggestions
https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton

Online Therapy
I do not currently offer online therapy.  My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati

Patreon
Do you want to help me support the creation of mental health videos? https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/

Opinions That Don't Matter! (my afterhours podcast)
audio: https://opionstdm.buzzsprout.com/

Business Contact  
Linnea Toney  [email protected] 

Mail
1779 Wells Branch Pkwy #110B 
Box #353 Austin, TX 78728

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

Ask Kati Anything! Your mental health podcast with Kati Morton, LMFT episode 100

1. What exactly are body memories? How do I know I have them, what do they feel like and what options are there to treat them? In your last podcast you were talking a lot about body memories and wondered whether you would share some more information about them.

2. I find I tend to wallow in negative thoughts when I am in bed, before I fall asleep. I go over old arguments, think about past events that upset me, and despair over things I dislike about myself. It can spiral into thoughts of suicide or self-harm fantasies. While I’m improving in many areas...

3. Sometimes it seems like you answer the same kind of questions each week so here is a different question. Do you have any ideas why I feel the need to masturbate whenever I feel stressed or sad? I have noticed that I do this often but I never thought much of it until watching...

4. Why do we invalidate ourselves? When talking with my therapist at my last appt she had made the comment when dealing with past trauma and I found my mind instantly putting up a block and wanting to say I don’t have trauma even though I know that’s what it is (CSA). Even with c-ptsd I...

5. Can you talk about ‘Splitting’ in Borderline Personality Disorder vs Trauma Bonds? Is it harder for people with BPD to tell they’re in a trauma bond because they think it’s just their borderline acting up and making them view their partner badly? (Splitting). Are people with BPD...

6. I am curious if having s*x that you don’t want but said yes to can be traumatizing. I have social phobia and was at that point not able to say “no” cause I was so scared. I think I dissociated a little while it happened. I couldn’t move, talk or feel my body while at the same time being in quite bad pain....

7.  My question is related to trauma. Is it possible that my therapist is not having me process being raped because I am in the middle of an ongoing trauma with my daughter? Is it a bad idea to process things while they are still happening?  

8. I’m in my late 20’s and I am just about to start studying in a course on mental health. I’m excited because I love learning and I am passionate about all things involving mental health, but I’m also terrified at the same time and I’m wondering if this is the right fit for me...

9. In what way do you think mental illness affects a marriage most? More specifically, what is the best way to manage depression in a healthy marriage?

Books
Traumatized   https://geni.us/Bfak0j  -  0rder Yours Today
Are u ok?    http://bit.ly/2s0mULy  - In Stores Now

Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton

Online Therapy
I do not currently offer online therapy.  My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit https://betterhelp.com/kati

Patreon
Do you want to help me support the creation of mental health videos? https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/

Opinions That Don't Matter! (my afterhours podcast)
https://opionstdm.buzzsprout.com/

Business Contact  
Linnea Toney  [email protected] 

Mail
1779 Wells Branch Pkwy #110B 
Box #353 Austin, TX 78728

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