From Both Sides Of The Couch: Self-Awareness, Psychology & Mindfulness for Women

Are you a parent whose child has shared that they are gay, lesbian, or trans?

Join me, Dr. Laurie Bruce, as I share both clinical insight and my own personal experience as a mom to a trans son. We’ll walk through what LGBTQ means, explore the core elements of the Gender Unicorn, and talk about why moving away from rigid binaries matters. I’ll also share my own Gender Unicorn as part of the conversation.

Most importantly, this episode centers on safety. Our children need to know they are safe with us and that they can tell us their truth. Listening without judgment, allowing space for self-reflection, and validating their experience can make all the difference, for them and for us.

Watch this episode of From Both Sides Of The Couch: When Your Child Comes Out: How Parents Can Respond with Love and Support.

Enjoy this episode? Follow us on your favorite podcast platforms and leave a 5-star review!

Dr. Laurie Bruce is a clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach. She received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2000. Her expertise is in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which is a treatment that combines both traditional cognitive and behavioral strategies with Eastern Mindfulness practices. She is also a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist and completed a year-long intensive training through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute. She’s passionate about the safe, legal, and ethical use of psychedelic medicines to help address trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders and for personal and spiritual development. 

Follow her socials:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555258666969 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauriebruce/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-bruce-psy-d-0201277/ 

Visit her website.

Website: https://www.drlauriebruce.com/ 

#ParentingLGBTQ #SupportingTransKids #LGBTQFamilies

Why does reassurance never seem to last when you have an anxious attachment style?

Hey friends! Join me, Dr. Laurie Bruce, your psychologist and mindfulness coach. In today’s episode, we explore what happens in the brain when attachment wounds get triggered and why reassurance can feel helpful in the moment but fade so quickly.

Anxious attachment is not a character flaw. It’s the brain’s attempt to stay safe and connected. We’ll unpack how reassurance-seeking can turn into a cycle of negative reinforcement, and I’ll share five bottom-up strategies you can use to calm your nervous system and create more lasting regulation.

Healing isn’t about needing less reassurance from others. It’s about learning how to build your own internal sense of safety and stability.

Listen to this week’s episode of From Both Sides Of The Couch: Why Reassurance-Seeking Never Works And How to Calm an Anxious Attachment Nervous System.

Enjoy this episode? Follow us and leave a 5-star review!

Dr. Laurie Bruce is a clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach. She received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2000. Her expertise is in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which is a treatment that combines both traditional cognitive and behavioral strategies with Eastern Mindfulness practices. She is also a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist and completed a year-long intensive training through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute. She’s passionate about the safe, legal, and ethical use of psychedelic medicines to help address trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders and for personal and spiritual development. 

Follow her socials:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555258666969 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauriebruce/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-bruce-psy-d-0201277/ 

Visit her website.

Website: https://www.drlauriebruce.com/ 

#AnxiousAttachment #AttachmentHealing #NervousSystemRegulation

Hey friends! What evidence-based skills can help us change how we relate to ourselves when we’re hurting, struggling, or not at our best?

Join me, Dr. Laurie Bruce, as we walk through the 4 A’s you can start practicing today to strengthen your self-compassion muscle. We’ll also explore why self-compassion can feel so difficult, especially for caregivers, and how it’s different from self-confidence and self-esteem.

This isn’t about lowering your standards or letting yourself off the hook. It’s about replacing your inner critic with a wiser, kinder inner leader. Self-compassion supports healing, growth, and healthier relationships, and it begins right where you are.

Watch the full episode of From Both Sides Of The Couch: Self-Compassion Explained: The Science, Mental Health Benefits & 4 Evidence-Based Tools.

Dr. Laurie Bruce is a clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach. She received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2000. Her expertise is in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which is a treatment that combines both traditional cognitive and behavioral strategies with Eastern Mindfulness practices. She is also a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist and completed a year-long intensive training through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute. She’s passionate about the safe, legal, and ethical use of psychedelic medicines to help address trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders and for personal and spiritual development. 

Follow her socials:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555258666969 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauriebruce/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-bruce-psy-d-0201277/ 

Visit her website.

Website: https://www.drlauriebruce.com/ 

#SelfCompassion #EvidenceBasedTherapy #EmotionalHealing

What is — and isn’t — burnout according to research?

In today’s episode, we explore the clinical definition of burnout, why healthcare professionals are especially vulnerable to it, and the three dimensions of burnout as defined by Dr. Maslach.

Join me, Dr. Laurie Bruce, as we break down how to differentiate burnout from clinical depression, why chronic workplace stress slowly erodes well-being, and the key factors that increase the risk of burnout — along with what you can actually do about it.

Because burnout isn’t a personal failure. It’s a predictable response to prolonged stress, and understanding it clearly is the first step toward meaningful change.

Listen to this week’s episode of From Both Sides Of The Couch: Burnout Explained: 3 Signs You’re Burned Out And What to Do.

Enjoy this episode? Follow us on your favorite podcast platforms and leave a 5-star review!

Dr. Laurie Bruce is a clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach. She received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2000. Her expertise is in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which is a treatment that combines both traditional cognitive and behavioral strategies with Eastern Mindfulness practices. She is also a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist and completed a year-long intensive training through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute. She’s passionate about the safe, legal, and ethical use of psychedelic medicines to help address trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders and for personal and spiritual development. 

Follow her socials:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555258666969 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauriebruce/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-bruce-psy-d-0201277/ 

Visit her website.

Website: https://www.drlauriebruce.com/ 

#BurnoutAwareness #HealthcareBurnout #WorkplaceStress

Hey friends!

Join me, Dr. Laurie Bruce, as we explore why emotions are essential to the human experience, how we should put up boundaries as clinicians, and what happens in the body physiologically when fear is activated. We’ll also talk about the truth about panic attacks, why they happen, and how they can become agoraphobic when they go unsupported.

Fear isn’t always a bad thing. It’s one of the ways our body protects us and helps us survive. The key is becoming aware of what’s driving the fear and developing the self-awareness to understand whether it’s responding to real danger or something else.

Listen to this week’s episode of From Both Sides Of The Couch: Fear Explained: Understanding Our Emotions Series.

Enjoy this episode? Subscribe and leave a 5-star review!

Dr. Laurie Bruce is a clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach. She received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2000. Her expertise is in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which is a treatment that combines both traditional cognitive and behavioral strategies with Eastern Mindfulness practices. She is also a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist and completed a year-long intensive training through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute. She’s passionate about the safe, legal, and ethical use of psychedelic medicines to help address trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders and for personal and spiritual development. 

Follow her socials:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555258666969 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauriebruce/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-bruce-psy-d-0201277/ 

Visit her website.

Website: https://www.drlauriebruce.com/ 

#UnderstandingFear #EmotionalAwareness #MindBodyConnection 

Are you a therapist, coach, or teacher? This episode is for you.

Join me, Dr. Laurie Bruce, your clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach, as we explore why tending to our own emotional needs matters, what drives emotional intensity and behavioral reactions, and how those responses unfold when someone is overwhelmed.

And before you dive in, take a moment to honor yourself. Your work is hard and deeply human, and you show up anyway. Remember, their intensity isn’t personal — it’s a sign of how much they’re carrying.

Enjoy this episode? Follow us on your favorite podcast platforms and leave a 5-star review!

Dr. Laurie Bruce is a clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach. She received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2000. Her expertise is in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which is a treatment that combines both traditional cognitive and behavioral strategies with Eastern Mindfulness practices. She is also a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist and completed a year-long intensive training through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute. She’s passionate about the safe, legal, and ethical use of psychedelic medicines to help address trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders and for personal and spiritual development. 

Follow her socials:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555258666969 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauriebruce/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-bruce-psy-d-0201277/ 

Visit her website.

Website: https://www.drlauriebruce.com/ 

#TherapistLife #MindfulnessCoach #EmotionalRegulation

What are the ways you’re tending to your attachment wounds?

Join me, Dr. Laurie Bruce, as we walk through five strategies you can begin practicing daily: attunement, nervous system soothing, imagery, co-regulation, and validation. Small, repeated steps that gently rewire us toward safety.

Because anxious attachment lives in the nervous system, and creating change takes time, patience, and compassionate work.

Listen to this episode of From Both Sides Of The Couch: Healing Anxious Attachment: 5 Steps to Build a Secure Attachment Style

Enjoy this episode? Follow us on Spotify and leave a 5-star review!

Dr. Laurie Bruce is a clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach. She received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2000. Her expertise is in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which is a treatment that combines both traditional cognitive and behavioral strategies with Eastern Mindfulness practices. She is also a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist and completed a year-long intensive training through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute. She’s passionate about the safe, legal, and ethical use of psychedelic medicines to help address trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders and for personal and spiritual development. 

Follow her socials:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555258666969 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauriebruce/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-bruce-psy-d-0201277/ 

Visit her website.

Website: https://www.drlauriebruce.com/ 

#SecureAttachment #AnxiousAttachment #HealingAttachmentWounds

Hey beloved!

Join me, Dr. Laurie Bruce, clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach, as we look at the early research on attachment and explore real client stories about anxious attachment. We’ll dive into why this pattern develops and the 8 signs that an adult may be experiencing it.

And remember, anxious attachment is not the same as anxiety, and it doesn’t mean you’re flawed or broken. There’s no room for blame or shame here. Naming it is meant to empower you, not label you, so you can create healthier, more supportive changes in your life.

Listen to this week’s episode of From Both Sides Of The Couch: Anxious Attachment Explained: How It Impacts Your Relationships

Enjoy this episode? Follow us on your favorite podcast platforms and leave a 5-star review!

Dr. Laurie Bruce is a clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach. She received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2000. Her expertise is in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which is a treatment that combines both traditional cognitive and behavioral strategies with Eastern Mindfulness practices. She is also a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist and completed a year-long intensive training through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute. She’s passionate about the safe, legal, and ethical use of psychedelic medicines to help address trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders and for personal and spiritual development. 

Follow her socials:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555258666969 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauriebruce/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-bruce-psy-d-0201277/ 

Visit her website.

Website: https://www.drlauriebruce.com/ 

#AttachmentStyles #AnxiousAttachment #PsychologyTalk 

Hi there, friends!

Join me, Dr. Laurie Bruce, your friendly clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach, as we explore the definition of self-sabotage, the ways people unknowingly engage in it, and how these behaviors limit the way we show up in the world.

There’s a fine line between healthily celebrating ourselves and slipping into self-sabotage. When we increase our awareness of the behaviors that work against us, we create more space to shift, grow, and choose differently.

Watch the From Both Sides Of The Couch podcast: Stop Self-Sabotage: Recognize It and Rise Above

Enjoy this episode? Follow us on Spotify and leave a 5-star review!

Dr. Laurie Bruce is a clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach. She received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2000. Her expertise is in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which is a treatment that combines both traditional cognitive and behavioral strategies with Eastern Mindfulness practices. She is also a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist and completed a year-long intensive training through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute. She’s passionate about the safe, legal, and ethical use of psychedelic medicines to help address trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders and for personal and spiritual development. 

Follow her socials:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555258666969 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauriebruce/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-bruce-psy-d-0201277/ 

Visit her website.

Website: https://www.drlauriebruce.com/ 

#SelfSabotage #MindfulnessPractice #EmotionalAwareness 

Hey friends!

Join me, Dr. Laurie Bruce, as we talk through the four DBT modules, how long the process usually takes, and how to know when it’s time to lean on these skills. Building healthy coping skills is a gradual, compassionate process that moves through different stages before you truly start to notice change.

Recognize your progress and remember that everyone’s journey looks different. There’s no right or wrong here—just the commitment to honoring your own process.

Listen to this week’s episode of From Both Sides Of The Couch: How to Manage Your Emotions: Healthy Coping Skills for Anxiety, Anger & Overwhelm

Enjoy this episode? Follow us on your favorite podcast platforms and leave a 5-star review!

Dr. Laurie Bruce is a clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach. She received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2000. Her expertise is in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which is a treatment that combines both traditional cognitive and behavioral strategies with Eastern Mindfulness practices. She is also a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist and completed a year-long intensive training through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute. She’s passionate about the safe, legal, and ethical use of psychedelic medicines to help address trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders and for personal and spiritual development. 

Follow her socials:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555258666969 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauriebruce/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-bruce-psy-d-0201277/ 

Visit her website.

Website: https://www.drlauriebruce.com/ 

#DBTSkills #EmotionalRegulation #CopingSkills