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Content advisory: This episode includes direct conversations about suicide, suicidal thoughts, firearms, substance use, and related mental health concerns. Please listen with care. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911. In the United States, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

What happens psychologically when emotional pain becomes so overwhelming that a person begins to lose hope and how can we respond in a way that helps them feel seen, supported, and less alone?

In this final Finding Your Voice episode dedicated to Suicide Prevention Month, Jason sits down with Dr. Jessica Rabon, a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in pediatric psychology. Dr. Rabon’s clinical and research interests include depression, anxiety, chronic medical conditions, LGBTQ+ health, eating disorders, suicide prevention, self-compassion, gratitude, and forgiveness. She is also the host of the Psych Talk podcast and creates accessible mental-health content designed to reduce stigma and make psychological information easier to understand.

Together, they explore what may be happening internally when someone experiences suicidal thoughts, including the roles of hopelessness, trauma, depression, substance use, loneliness, and major life transitions. They also discuss warning signs that loved ones may overlook, common misconceptions about suicide, and why asking someone directly about suicidal thoughts does not place the idea in their mind.

Dr. Rabon offers compassionate, practical guidance on how to begin these difficult conversations, what to say when someone reveals they are struggling, and which well-intentioned responses can unintentionally create greater shame or disconnection. The conversation also examines safety planning, access to lethal means, protective factors, treatment, follow-up after a suicide attempt, and the importance of continuing to show up for someone after an immediate crisis has passed.

This is a thoughtful and hope centered conversation about recognizing pain, replacing judgment with curiosity, and reminding people that they do not have to carry their darkest moments alone.

This episode discusses suicide, suicidal thoughts, depression, trauma, and other sensitive mental-health topics. Listener discretion is advised.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental-health crisis or having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 in the United States to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If there is an immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.

Disclaimer: Finding Your Voice is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Although the host is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California, this podcast does not provide psychotherapy, diagnosis, treatment, or individualized professional advice. Listening does not establish a therapist-client relationship. Guests’ views are their own and do not necessarily represent the host, the podcast, or the host’s employer. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 or 988 in the United States, or contact your local emergency services.

Finding Dr. Jessica Rabon

Jessica Leigh, PHD - All of her sites are at this link including social media and her podcast PsychTalk

Licensed Clinical Psychologist & Content Creator

https://beacons.ai/jessicaleighphd?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAcGRvZgJzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAacntsWrl6n7oDqWxi1ULQOSE-85Qeh7mJkW4h84H22k_t3-Y15oFA1lMgQZFg_aem_Jkvm2ewcGOeiirXwIlr_bg&utm_content=link_in_bio&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ig

Other Resources

JED High School

https://jedfoundation.org/our-work/jed-high-school/?utm_medium=paid&utm_source=Google&utm_campaign=jed_hs_search_b2s_2026&utm_content=hs_suicide_prevention&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=24139233967&gbraid=0AAAAADnNypOZMKiS35iLTaeQC_FWcRc5D&gclid=CjwKCAjwwfnUBhAtEiwAfQpAYiACbDrWaWQKf4w-IqWI79z66iDiFLBMDxcrmeyvUvNd-GbumcYWdhoCUqgQAvD_BwE

Sources of Strength

https://sourcesofstrength.org/

Signs of Suicide 

https://sossignsofsuicide.org/students/

Workplace Suicide Prevention 

https://workplacesuicideprevention.com/

Project 55

https://project55.org/

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Content advisory: This episode includes direct conversations about suicide, suicidal thoughts, firearms, substance use, and related mental health concerns. Please listen with care. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911. In the United States, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

In this powerful episode of Finding Your Voice, I sit down with internationally recognized suicidologist Dr. Mark S. Kaplan for an honest, compassionate, and research-informed conversation about suicide, prevention, and the human experiences behind the statistics.

Dr. Kaplan is Professor Emeritus of Social Welfare at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and a faculty affiliate of the California Center for Population Research. With advanced training in public health, social work, and preventive medicine, he has devoted much of his distinguished career to understanding suicide, firearm violence, substance use, and the social conditions that influence mental health.

His research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health and has focused extensively on suicide risk among veterans, older adults, men, and other vulnerable populations. Dr. Kaplan has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, contributed to state and federal suicide-prevention initiatives, advised organizations including the Department of Veterans Affairs, the CDC, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and testified before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging regarding veterans’ health. He is also a four-time Fulbright award recipient and received the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Distinguished Investigator Award. Learn more about Dr. Kaplan’s work at UCLA.

During our conversation, Dr. Kaplan helps us better understand the complex relationship between suicide and depression, loneliness, alcohol and substance use, major life transitions, economic hardship, and access to firearms. We examine why certain populations may face greater risk, how social circumstances shape vulnerability, and why suicide prevention requires more than focusing on an individual diagnosis.

We also discuss warning signs that can be overlooked, how to ask someone directly about suicide, the importance of reducing access to lethal means during a crisis, and what families, professionals, and communities can do to strengthen connection, safety, and hope.

This episode is not only about understanding suicide—it is about looking beyond the numbers, challenging stigma, and creating a world in which people feel safe enough to speak honestly about their pain and receive support before a moment of crisis becomes irreversible.

Disclaimer: Finding Your Voice is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Although the host is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California, this podcast does not provide psychotherapy, diagnosis, treatment, or individualized professional advice. Listening does not establish a therapist-client relationship. Guests’ views are their own and do not necessarily represent the host, the podcast, or the host’s employer. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 or 988 in the United States, or contact your local emergency services.

Mark Kaplan Website

https://luskin.ucla.edu/profile/mark-s-kaplan/

988 Lifeline Website 

https://988lifeline.org/

International Association for Suicide Prevention 

https://www.iasp.info/suicidalthoughts/

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Listener discretion is advised. This episode includes mature themes and discussions of violence, abuse, and trauma that some listeners may find distressing. Please take care of yourself while listening.

"Sometimes the first step toward the light is refusing to completely suffer alone."

That's survivor and author Cami Maria Delaluz, on what she tells anyone carrying trauma, shame, or fear in silence: you don't have to tell the whole story. You just have to tell one person you trust that something happened, that you're scared, that you need help.

In this deeply moving episode of Finding Your Voice, Jason Carrasco sits down with author and survivor Cami Maria Delaluz to discuss her book, The Light After: A Journey from Darkness to Light, Hope, and Healing that is being released in October 2026.

Cami courageously shares her journey through profound adversity and the process of reclaiming her voice, rebuilding her life, and discovering hope beyond the darkness. Together, Jason and Cami explore trauma, survival, resilience, forgiveness, and the reality that healing is rarely simple or linear.

This is an honest and inspiring conversation about refusing to be defined by what happened to us, finding strength within our most painful experiences, and believing that transformation remains possible—even when the light feels impossibly far away.

Disclaimer: Finding Your Voice is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Although the host is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California, this podcast does not provide psychotherapy, diagnosis, treatment, or individualized professional advice. Listening does not establish a therapist-client relationship. Guests’ views are their own and do not necessarily represent the host, the podcast, or the host’s employer. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 or 988 in the United States, or contact your local emergency services.

#FindingYourVoicePodcast #CamiMariaDelaluz #TraumaRecovery #TheLightAfter #DomesticAbuseAwareness

Cami Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/cami.davidson76/

National Domestic Violence Hotline

800.799.SAFE

https://www.thehotline.org/

Child Help 

800.422.4453

https://childhelphotline.org/

Send us Fan Mail

Listener discretion is advised. This episode includes mature themes and discussions of violence, abuse, and trauma that some listeners may find distressing. Please take care of yourself while listening.

“Some people need not be in society.”

That’s forensic psychologist Dr. Lina Haji discussing the small number of individuals whose psychopathy she believes makes them truly unable to change. She uses Jeffrey Dahmer as an example of someone she believes should never have been eligible for release.

At the same time, Dr. Haji is deeply committed to rehabilitation, treatment, and criminal-justice reform for those who can change. These two beliefs are not in conflict.

You may recognize Dr. Haji from the true-crime documentary series World’s Most Evil Prisoners, Faces of Evil, and Killer on the Run, available through Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV, where she provides expert analysis of some of the most disturbing and complex criminal cases.

In this episode, we go beyond the true-crime headlines to discuss psychopathy, criminal behavior, and what more than two decades of working inside correctional facilities has taught Dr. Haji about where rehabilitation ends and accountability begins.

Understanding someone’s behavior is not the same as excusing it.

Where do you believe the line should be drawn between rehabilitation and accountability?

The full episode with Dr. Lina Haji is out now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Link in bio.

#FindingYourVoicePodcast #DrLinaHaji #ForensicPsychology #TrueCrime #CriminalPsychology #Psychopathy #CriminalJustice #Rehabilitation #MentalHealth #TrueCrimePodcast

Instagram Account

https://www.instagram.com/dr.lina.haji/

Website

https://www.risepsychological.com/

Television Shows

https://www.risepsychological.com/television/

#FindingYourVoicePodcast #DrLinaHaji #ForensicPsychology #TrueCrime #CriminalPsychology #Psychology #MentalHealth #Psychopathy #CriminalJustice #HumanBehavior #TrueCrimePodcast #MentalHealthPodcast

Disclaimer: Finding Your Voice is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Although the host is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California, this podcast does not provide psychotherapy, diagnosis, treatment, or individualized professional advice. Listening does not establish a therapist-client relationship. Guests’ views are their own and do not necessarily represent the host, the podcast, or the host’s employer. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 or 988 in the United States, or contact your local emergency services.

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In this episode of Finding Your Voice, Jason sits down with bestselling author, celebrated ghostwriter, editor, and writing teacher Andrea Cagan for an intimate conversation about storytelling, vulnerability, and the healing power of putting our experiences into words.

Andrea has helped bring numerous books to bestseller lists including three #1 New York Times bestsellers and has collaborated with extraordinary cultural figures such as Diana Ross, Grace Slick, Pam Grier, Joan Lunden, Marianne Williamson, and many others. Before beginning her remarkable writing career, she traveled the world as a professional ballet dancer, an experience that shaped the discipline, creativity, and emotional sensitivity she later brought to the written page.

Andrea shares what it takes to step inside another person’s life, earn their trust, and capture their authentic voice. She also reflects on the emotional cost of carrying other people’s stories and the importance of finding her way back to herself after spending decades writing behind the scenes.

Together, Jason and Andrea explore writing as a tool for processing grief, navigating trauma, managing the inner critic, and uncovering parts of ourselves that may have been silenced or forgotten. Andrea reminds us that meaningful writing is not about being perfect it is about having the courage to be honest.

This is a powerful conversation about creativity, identity, deep listening, and why every person deserves the opportunity to tell their story in their own voice.

Andrea Cagan Website

https://www.andreacagan.com/

Substack Link for Andrea 

https://andreacagan.substack.com/

Andrea Cagan Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/andrea.cagan/

Disclaimer: Finding Your Voice is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Although the host is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California, this podcast does not provide psychotherapy, diagnosis, treatment, or individualized professional advice. Listening does not establish a therapist-client relationship. Guests’ views are their own and do not necessarily represent the host, the podcast, or the host’s employer. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 or 988 in the United States, or contact your local emergency services.

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In this episode of Finding Your Voice, UCLA Professor Hiroshi Motomura reflects on how immigrating from Japan to the United States at age three shaped his identity and his life’s work in immigration law. Drawing from his book Borders and Belonging, he explores the difference between simply living in a country and genuinely feeling accepted as part of it.

Professor Motomura discusses how language, race, legal status, and public policy can marginalize immigrants even when they have spent years contributing to their communities. He explains why the words used to describe immigrants matter, examines the fear and uncertainty experienced by undocumented and mixed-status families, and calls for immigration laws that recognize people’s lived realities while treating everyone with dignity.

The conversation also considers what meaningful reform could look like: broader lawful pathways, fair and nondiscriminatory enforcement, legalization for long established residents, and policies designed for future generations. Throughout, Professor Motomura grounds these complex issues in personal stories of statelessness, family sacrifice, resilience, and belonging. He closes by distinguishing optimism from hope, describing hope as the choice to act even when a better outcome is not guaranteed and reminding listeners that lasting change grows through community, courage, and everyday acts of care.

UCLA Website for Professor Motomura

https://law.ucla.edu/faculty/faculty-profiles/hiroshi-motomura

Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network 

https://www.rmian.org/about-us

• Books by Professor Motomura
  
  
  • Borders and Belonging: Toward a Fair Immigration Policy. Oxford University Press (2025). Book Info.
  • Immigration and Citizenship: Process and Policy (with M. Fullerton, J. Stumpf, & P. Gulasekaram & R. Cuison-Villazor). 10th ed. West (2026). With Teacher's Manual.
  • Asylum, Refugees, and Other Humanitarian Protections (with M. Fullerton, J. Stumpf, & P. Gulasekaram & R. Cuison-Villazor). West (2026). With Teachers Manual.
  • Immigration Outside the Law. Oxford University Press (2014). Paperback edition: 2017. Abstract
  • Immigration Outside the Law. Oxford University Press (2014). Paperback edition: 2017. Abstract
  • Forced Migration: Law and Policy (with D. Martin, T.A. Aleinikoff, & M. Fullerton). 2d ed. West (2013). With Teachers Manual.
  • Americans In Waiting: The Lost Story of Immigration and Citizenship in the United States. Oxford University Press (2006). Paperback edition: 2007. Abstract
  • Immigration Controls: The Search for Workable Policies in Germany and the United States (edited by Kay Hailbronner, David A. Martin and Hiroshi Motomura). Berghahn Press (1998).
  • Immigration Admissions: The Search for Workable Policies in Germany and the United States (edited by Kay Hailbronner, David A. Martin and Hiroshi Motomura). Berghahn Press (1997).

Disclaimer: Finding Your Voice is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Although the host is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California, this podcast does not provide psychotherapy, diagnosis, treatment, or individualized professional advice. Listening does not establish a therapist-client relationship. Guests’ views are their own and do not necessarily represent the host, the podcast, or the host’s employer. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 or 988 in the United States, or contact your local emergency services.

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Listener discretion is advised. This episode includes mature themes and discussions of violence, abuse, and trauma that some listeners may find distressing. Please take care of yourself while listening.

In this powerful episode of Finding Your Voice, Jason Carrasco sits down with international speaker, advocate, and educator Isami Miyashita to discuss her journey of surviving childhood abuse, familial trafficking, and religious trauma.

Isami courageously shares how abuse, isolation, and spiritual manipulation shaped her childhood and how she began rebuilding her faith, identity, and sense of safety. Together, Jason and Isami explore survivor shame, the importance of healthy boundaries, forgiveness without reconciliation, and what meaningful support can look like for someone healing from trauma.

This conversation is a moving reminder that survivors deserve to be believed, healing does not follow a fixed timeline, and our most painful experiences do not have to define who we become.

Content warning: This episode includes discussions of childhood sexual abuse, familial trafficking, physical abuse, and religious trauma. Please listen with care.

Instagram, Tik Tok accounts for Isami:

isamiinspires

National Human Trafficking Website

https://humantraffickinghotline.org/en

Disclaimer: Finding Your Voice is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Although the host is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California, this podcast does not provide psychotherapy, diagnosis, treatment, or individualized professional advice. Listening does not establish a therapist-client relationship. Guests’ views are their own and do not necessarily represent the host, the podcast, or the host’s employer. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 or 988 in the United States, or contact your local emergency services.

Send us Fan Mail

Listener discretion is advised. This episode includes mature themes. Please take care of yourself while listening.

What if the greatest barrier to intimacy isn't sex itself—but the shame, fear, and unhealed wounds we carry into our relationships?

In this deeply honest episode of Finding Your Voice, host Jason Carrasco, LMFT, sits down with Maren Jorgensen, LMFT, AASECT Certified Sex Therapist and trauma specialist, for a compassionate conversation about the intersection of trauma, intimacy, relationships, and healing.

Together, they explore why so many people struggle to talk openly about sex, how childhood experiences, religious messages, and unresolved trauma can shape our intimate lives, and why healing often begins with vulnerability rather than performance. Maren explains how Internal Family Systems (IFS) helps people understand the different "parts" of themselves, release shame, and build healthier, more authentic relationships.

They also discuss:

• The most common reasons individuals and couples seek sex therapy
• How trauma can quietly influence desire, arousal, and emotional connection
• Why communication is one of the strongest predictors of intimacy
• The role of pornography, stigma, and unrealistic expectations
• Common struggles experienced by both men and women
• The importance of emotional safety, curiosity, and self-compassion in long-term relationships
• How healing our emotional wounds can transform not only our relationshipsbut our relationship with ourselves

Whether you're in a relationship, healing from past experiences, or simply curious about what healthy intimacy truly looks like, this conversation offers practical wisdom, hope, and a reminder that vulnerability is not weakness—it is one of the greatest pathways to connection.

Because finding your voice also means finding the courage to have the conversations we've been taught to avoid.

Maren Jorgensen Website 

https://www.marenjtherapy.com/

Email address: [email protected]

Disclaimer: Finding Your Voice is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Although the host is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California, this podcast does not provide psychotherapy, diagnosis, treatment, or individualized professional advice. Listening does not establish a therapist-client relationship. Guests’ views are their own and do not necessarily represent the host, the podcast, or the host’s employer. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 or 988 in the United States, or contact your local emergency services.

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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is one of the most misunderstood mental health conditions, often reduced to stereotypes about cleanliness or organization. In reality, OCD is a complex disorder marked by distressing intrusive thoughts, overwhelming uncertainty, and compulsive behaviors that can significantly impact a person's daily life. Specific phobias are equally powerful, leading people to avoid situations, places, or objects in ways that can quietly limit their freedom and quality of life.

In this episode of Finding Your Voice, host Jason Carrasco, LMFT, sits down with OCD specialist Erin Smokovich Dorflinger, Clinical Social Worker/Therapist for an in depth conversation about what OCD and specific phobias really look like beyond the myths. Together, they explore the lived experience of intrusive thoughts, compulsions, shame, avoidance, and the emotional toll these conditions can take on individuals and families.

The conversation also examines how OCD and phobias are accurately diagnosed, why they are so often misunderstood, and the evidence-based treatments that have helped countless people reclaim their lives. Erin explains Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), the gold-standard treatment for OCD, as well as exposure therapy for phobias, offering practical insight into how facing fear rather than avoiding it can become the pathway to healing.

Whether you live with OCD or a specific phobia, love someone who does, or simply want to better understand these conditions, this episode offers compassionate education, practical guidance, and hope. Recovery is possible, and with the right support, people can learn to live meaningful, fulfilling lives beyond fear, doubt, and avoidance.

Join us for an honest conversation that challenges stigma, builds understanding, and reminds us that healing begins when we have the courage to face what frightens us and to find our voice.

Disclaimer: Finding Your Voice is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Although the host is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California, this podcast does not provide psychotherapy, diagnosis, treatment, or individualized professional advice. Listening does not establish a therapist-client relationship. Guests’ views are their own and do not necessarily represent the host, the podcast, or the host’s employer. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 or 988 in the United States, or contact your local emergency services.

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In honor of Pride Month, Jason Carrasco sits down with social justice advocate, community leader, and consultant Hector Trinidad Placencia for a thoughtful and deeply human conversation about identity, belonging, resilience, and the power of community.

Drawing from more than 15 years of experience working alongside undocumented Californians, communities of color, and transgender and queer communities, Hector shares their personal journey, the lessons they've learned through advocacy, and the importance of creating spaces where people can live authentically and be seen for who they are.

Together, Jason and Hector explore common misconceptions about transgender and queer communities, the impact of acceptance and rejection on mental health, the role of family and community support, and why healing is never a solo journey. They also discuss the intersection of immigrant rights and LGBTQ+ advocacy, the challenges facing trans communities today, and how everyday people can help create a more compassionate and inclusive world.

This episode is ultimately about something larger than labels—it's about what it means to be human, to understand ourselves, to trust our journey, and to create communities where everyone has the opportunity to find their voice.

In This Episode:

•  Understanding transgender and queer identities 
•  Mental health and belonging 
•  The importance of family and community support 
•  Advocacy, social justice, and systemic change 
•  Moving beyond fear toward understanding 
•  Trust, resilience, and personal growth 
•  What it means to create a more inclusive society 

Whether you're a member of the LGBTQ+ community, a parent, ally, clinician, or simply someone seeking greater understanding, this conversation offers wisdom, compassion, and hope for us all. 

Plascencia Consulting

https://hectorplascencia.com/

Instagram Page

https://www.instagram.com/plascenciaconsulting/

Disclaimer: Finding Your Voice is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Although the host is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California, this podcast does not provide psychotherapy, diagnosis, treatment, or individualized professional advice. Listening does not establish a therapist-client relationship. Guests’ views are their own and do not necessarily represent the host, the podcast, or the host’s employer. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 or 988 in the United States, or contact your local emergency services.