Connection Therapy

Guest Dr. Patrick Steffen joins the podcast to discuss his important work. Dr. Murrow has studied the many facets of his research and writing, and it is an honor to speak with him directly about it.

In this first of three segments, Dr. Steffen shares his views on how stress can be thought about as something that supports survival. Of course, it needs to be in moderation. Here, he shares his insights on how practicing mental health therapists might integrate this view into their work with patients.

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Guest:

Patrick Steffen, PhD

https://patrick-steffen.byu.edu/

References:

Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback

https://aapb.org/

Moss, D. & Steffen, P. (2024). Integrating Psychotherapy and Psychophysiology: Theory, Assessment, and Practice. Oxford University Press.

In this episode, Dr. Murrow considers a study that reviews a physiological intervention that demonstrates particular support for symptoms of depression. The intervention is heart rate variability biofeedback and it is not tied to any particular theoretical orientation or mode of practice. She reflects on the wide-ranging scope of this intervention and the importance for mental health therapists to be aware of this research and its potential impacts to their practices.

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Reference:

Vann-Adibe, S., Tsui, H. K. H., Zhou, H. Q., Ciren, Z., Li, C., & Cha, S. K. W. (2026). Efficacy and Methodology of Remote Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Interventions for Mental Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Applied Psychophysiology & Biofeedback, 51(3), 441–452. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-025-09750-w

Today’s research discusses experiences when therapists support patients affected by complex trauma. The research analyzed therapists’ own accounts of their work to arrive at themes that support patients best.

And, oh my! How we deal with anger and aggression in the session affects therapy outcomes…quite a bit. Turns out encouraging the working through of that anger (as opposed to deflecting it) is the best for patients’ outcomes.

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We Want to Hear Your Feedback! Please Contribute to the Conversation: Share your thoughts on the podcast and how these concepts work in your practice, or ask a question and I’ll answer it in an upcoming episode: https://connection-therapy.com/contact-us

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Reference:

Parker, E., Mangiorou, L., & Slater, C. (2025). A thematic analysis of the impact of therapist attachment on intersubjectivity when working with clients with complex trauma. Counselling & Psychotherapy Research, 25(2), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12897

As mental health practitioners we have a unique need to be attuned to our patients from session to session, as well as be aware of research and developments in the field that affect our patients’ long-term success.

Today’s journal article highlights the ever-increasing data demonstrating the significant connections between mental and physical health. While interventions are outside the scope of practice for mental health practitioners, the awareness of these connections is increasingly paramount to patient care.

Attend a Course at Connection Therapy:

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We Want to Hear Your Feedback! Please Contribute to the Conversation: Share your thoughts on the podcast and how these concepts work in your practice, or ask a question and I’ll answer it in an upcoming episode: https://connection-therapy.com/contact-us

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Reference:

Chen, M. A., Suchting, R., Thayer, J. F., & Fagundes, C. P. (2023). Resilience to stress across the lifespan: Childhood maltreatment, heart rate variability, and bereavement. Psychology and Aging, 38(3), 247–262. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000738

The research is becoming more and more clear that the line between mental and physical is not so distinct. The practicing mental health practitioner is in a bind though, because our training is only for mental health, and yet we lose a lot of assessment information if we do not observe physical health indicators.

This episode highlights some more reasons why it is imperative for mental health clinicians to be aware of physical health implications. It also provides some guidance on how to collaborate with medical professionals in support of patient overall outcomes.

For more Heart Rate Variability (HRV) Episodes: https://feeds.captivate.fm/connection-therapy/physiology-psychology-heart-rate-variability-affective-systems-and-more/

Attend a Course at Connection Therapy:

https://connection-therapy.com/courses-and-events

We Want to Hear Your Feedback! Please Contribute to the Conversation: Share your thoughts on the podcast and how these concepts work in your practice, or ask a question and I’ll answer it in an upcoming episode: https://connection-therapy.com/contact-us

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References:

Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) Information:

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/research/research-funded-by-nimh/rdoc

Woody, M. L., McGeary, J. E., & Gibb, B. E. (2014). Brooding rumination and heart rate variability in women at high and low risk for depression: Group differences and moderation by COMT genotype. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 123(1), 61–67. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035450

Mental health practitioners need to be aware of patients’ somatic experiences as indicators of their ability to have success in treatment, particularly when the timing of an interventions might be most effective.

Working across disciplines, Dr. Murrow demonstrates how being observant of somatic and nervous system states, and the way they present during session, will support the effectiveness of interventions and treatment overall.

Attend a Course at Connection Therapy:

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We Want to Hear Your Feedback! Please Contribute to the Conversation: Share your thoughts on the podcast and how these concepts work in your practice, or ask a question and I’ll answer it in an upcoming episode: https://connection-therapy.com/contact-us

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Reference:

Peper, E., Yoshino, A., & Harvey, R. (2026). Hope for dry eyes and eye strain: How breathing-blinking patterns influence dry eye experience. Biofeedback, 54(1), 25–30. https://doi.org/10.5298/1081-5937-54.01.25

Did you know there is a scale for Guts, Resilience, Integrity, and Tenacity (GRIT), and there is interest in learning about these factors as they relate to academic potential?

So, what does this have to do with the practice of therapy? Dr. Murrow considers how we see these concepts display in session. She provides ways to utilize the concepts in support of patients, whether or not a practicing clinician explores the GRIT assessments.

Also, the Connection Therapy Podcast is celebrating 3 years of publishing this month! Thank you for your support!

Attend a Course at Connection Therapy:

https://connection-therapy.com/courses-and-events

We Want to Hear Your Feedback! Please Contribute to the Conversation: Share your thoughts on the podcast and how these concepts work in your practice, or ask a question and I’ll answer it in an upcoming episode: https://connection-therapy.com/contact-us

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Enjoying the podcast?

There are now playlists for you to navigate to your favorite topics: https://connection-therapy.com/playlist

References:

American Psychological Association Dictionary

https://dictionary.apa.org/grit

Britto, D. R., Rizvana, A. M. S., George, N., Subramaniyan, D., Narayanan, D., Mani, D. K. R., Annadurai, E., & Prakas, E. J. (2023). Guts, Resilience, Integrity, and Tenacity (GRIT) Among Mid Adolescent School Students in a District of South India: A Cross-Sectional Study. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 45(3), 243–249. https://doi.org/10.1177/02537176231151709

Sanchez, L. L. (2019). The psychology of the colonized mind: The relationship between grit and ethnic identity among among Puerto Ricans [ProQuest Information & Learning]. In Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering (Vol. 80, Issue 8–B(E)).

There are so many terms to describe human experience and by extension ways to describe how to do mental health treatment. The number of terms can be overwhelming, especially to new professionals.

In this episode, Dr. Murrow integrates some of these terms by going back to the original definitions of them in earlier centuries. This translation is offered in order to support both new and experienced psychotherapists in finding resonance with new terms and to re-establish their confidence.

Attend a Course at Connection Therapy:

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We Want to Hear Your Feedback! Please Contribute to the Conversation: Share your thoughts on the podcast and how these concepts work in your practice, or ask a question and I’ll answer it in an upcoming episode: https://connection-therapy.com/contact-us

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References:

Freud, Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis, 1977/1917, p. 443

Freud, The Dynamics of Transference, 1990/1912, p. 8

Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections, 1989/1963, p. 212

Jung, The Practice of psychotherapy, 1985/1929, p. 61

McWilliams, Psychoanalytic Diagnosis, 1999, p. 106

Most therapy is reported as successful when the client feels a relatedness to their therapist. Yet, a lot of talk-therapy interventions are based on insight or the ability to cognitively react, and the relatedness between therapist and client largely goes un-assessed.

In this episode, Dr. Murrow advocates for an increased awareness of non-verbal communication and specifically interpersonal synchrony between clients and therapists. Interpersonal synchrony is the idea that body movements, nervous system dynamics, and more tend to synchronize between beings, often below conscious awareness. She gives some possibilities of how this works and can improve the delivery of mental health services.

Attend a Course at Connection Therapy:

https://connection-therapy.com/courses-and-events

We Want to Hear Your Feedback! Please Contribute to the Conversation: Share your thoughts on the podcast and how these concepts work in your practice, or ask a question and I’ll answer it in an upcoming episode: https://connection-therapy.com/contact-us

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Enjoying the podcast?

There are now playlists for you to navigate to your favorite topics: https://connection-therapy.com/playlist

References:

Embodied Cognition: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embodied_cognition

Tschacher W (2026) Applications of synergetics in psychology: interpersonal synchrony in social systems. Front. Netw. Physiol. 5:1739213. doi: 10.3389/fnetp.2025.1739213

In this episode, Dr. Brenda Murrow shares insights from her own research and experiences that emphasize the reasons to be observant of interpersonal synchrony between mental health providers and their patients.

Yet throughout these examples, she explains her own reflections that there are many times for there not to be synchrony, and that this is just as, and sometimes more helpful. Regardless, the awareness of this phenomenon is increasingly important to our understanding of mental health.

Attend a Course at Connection Therapy:

https://connection-therapy.com/courses-and-events

We Want to Hear Your Feedback! Please Contribute to the Conversation: Share your thoughts on the podcast and how these concepts work in your practice, or ask a question and I’ll answer it in an upcoming episode: https://connection-therapy.com/contact-us

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Enjoying the podcast?

There are now playlists for you to navigate to your favorite topics: https://connection-therapy.com/playlist

Reference:

Brenda Murrow, (2013) A Quantitative exploration into the effects of the human and animal connection. (Doctoral dissertation). Pacifica Graduate Institute.