This week Kati talks about healing from trauma and why we can feel childlike afterward. She also discusses why we can struggle to know who we are, offer ourselves compassion and self-worth in the wake of childhood trauma. Kati also explains what a challenging client is and why that’s not a bad thing. She then dives into how we can figure out what help we need from our loved ones, and whether or not trauma therapy can ruin our bodies. This and so much more in this week’s episode.   

Ask Kati Anything ep. 140 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT - Help! I'm 36 and STILL don't feel like an adult   

Audience questions: 

1. When someone has spent almost their whole life being their “trauma self” (e.g. by masking, numbing, isolating etc) how does one cope with...  

2. Why do I still feel like a child? I'm 36 but I don't feel like an adult. I do adult stuff like pay my rent, pay my bills, cook, go grocery shopping...and...  

3. Can you explain why self compassion seems to be so important in healing from trauma? I've been with my therapist for 18 months and she regularly talks about having compassion for myself. I can't feel sorry for...  

4. I’ve finally managed to pluck up the courage and start asking for support when I’m struggling, but the problem is I never know what to say...  

5. Some clients are challenging and I've learned that therapists have coping skills for that ("maybe you should talk to someone", random ig posts). How do you hold unconditional positive regard for these clients?  

6. How do I build inner self-worth?  I don't mean confidence, because I have confidence in some things I do (and working on others). I mean that I'm worthy regardless...  

7. Did trauma therapy ruin my body??? How do I pick up the pieces of my broken life? When do you keep pursuing therapy- and when is it time to just accept a struggle as life long??? (Background: I went...  

8. Is it possible for fatigue or other physical symptoms accompanying mental illness to become permanent if the mental illness lasts too long? Can it permanently "wear out" your body? I have complex ptsd...  

9. How important do you think a diagnosis is? For the past year I have been struggling with low mood, self harm and disordered eating, and I have been seeing a therapist to help with that, but having been diagnosed with anything...

----

KATI'S BOOKS

----

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices