Today, Elizabeth Lowder, MSW, LCSW, Founder + Lead Therapist at Sage Tree Therapy LLC, joins me on the podcast and we discuss the deep topic of family of origin. Elizabeth does an incredible job of breaking down this topic and helping us understand that how we were raised is a huge source of information. As a therapist, understanding a clients childhood gives her insight about how they might react or respond as they are walking through their therapy sessions. Every been told you are just like your mother or done something with your child that reminds you of your childhood, good or bad?  How we were raised is ingrained into our subconscious and under moments of stress and anxiety behaviors will surface that we may not even realize are hidden. There is no shame or blame intended as we reflect over our childhood, but an emphasis on understanding of why we may do certain behaviors and gives us a path for growth and healing.

Elizabeth starts our conversation with sharing the beautiful meaning behind naming her company Sage Tree Therapy and we finish our conversation discussing the facade of perfectionism and the value of being your perfectly imperfect self. This episode is packed with information and gives us pause to reflect and recognized why we made do things a certain way. Please listen and share this episode and help spread awareness of importance of reflecting and understanding your own family of origin.

Ways To Find Elizabeth: 
Home | Sage Tree Therapy
Phone #: 314-485-SAGE
Email: [email protected]
FB: @sagetreetherapy
Instagram: @sagetreetherapy
YouTube: Sage Tree Therapy 

Elizabeth Bio:
Elizabeth Stallone-Lowder founded Sage Tree Therapy, a private therapy practice specializing in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders as well as birth & pregnancy trauma, in 2012 to serve pregnant women on bedrest with individual at-home therapy and has expanded over the years. She has worked in the field of women’s trauma since the late 1990's as the director of a shelter for intimate partner violence, a patient advocate for adults with HIV/AIDS, a trauma therapist for women and girls affected by chronic abuse/neglect and sexual violence, and is DONA Doula trained as well as a Our Whole Lives (O.W.L.) Sexuality Educator. Elizabeth has written original curriculum and facilitated therapy support groups on topics related to PTSD, trauma recovery, visual art exercises, sexuality and motherhood. She started a teen therapy in-school program for Safe Connections in St. Louis, clinically supervises LMSWs working towards licensure. She has served as the Victim Advocate for the Boone County Prosecutor’s office and Columbia Police Department with the DOVE Unit, as a Health Educator at the Saint Louis County Health Department and a Patient Educator at Planned Parenthood.

Elizabeth earned her BSW from the University of Missouri, Columbia and an MSW from Saint Louis University with a specialty in Sexual Health Education. She is trained in EMDR, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, dream interpretation, sex therapy, journal therapy and expressive visual art therapy. She serves as adjunct faculty at the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University and on the Executive Board of the Hyperemesis Education and Research Foundation. Elizabeth has also co-founded a consulting firm, Heartland PMAD, whose mission is to train and educate healthcare providers on perinatal mental health and prevent moms from falling through the cracks and get the support they deserve.

Ways to Find Embrace. Live. Thrive.:
www.embracelivethrive.com
FB: @embracelivethrive
Instagram: @embracelivethrive