Her Time to Talk: Feminist Counseling for Therapists Who Want to Fight the Patriarchy, One Session at a Time

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As we close out season one of Her Time to Talk, this special end-of-year episode invites you to step into the new year with intention, self-compassion, and clarity rather than pressure, perfectionism, or burnout.

Women are constantly told to do more, be more, and fix themselves through unrealistic New Year’s resolutions. When those expectations inevitably become unsustainable, they often fuel shame, negative self-talk, and a sense of failure. In this episode, we pause that cycle and explore a gentler, more empowering alternative.

As a thank-you for closing out season one with us, this episode includes a free gift. Download Her Time to Heal: A Woman’s Guide to Starting and Succeeding in Therapy, a 30-plus-page guide created by licensed therapists specializing in women’s mental health. This resource is designed to support you whether you are new to therapy or looking to deepen your existing work.

Thank you for being part of this community and for honoring your mental health. Your story matters. Your growth matters. This is your time.

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If this episode moved you, empowered you, or taught you something new—be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share with someone who needs to hear it.

This is your time. Your story matters. Your voice is powerful. And your mental health is worth prioritizing.

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Many women find themselves caught in distressing cycles of overthinking. You replay a moment again and again, searching for clarity or safety, only to feel more overwhelmed and disconnected from yourself. In this episode, we explore why these patterns are so common for women and trauma survivors, how your nervous system confuses past and present threats, and what it truly takes to interrupt the spiral.

You will learn a simple two-step process for moving from rumination into grounded, intentional action. This approach blends nervous system regulation, mindful reframing, and small, compassionate steps that help you reclaim your energy and focus.

If you're ready to shift out of survival mode and into more clarity, calm, and self-trust, this episode offers an accessible way to begin.

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If this episode moved you, empowered you, or taught you something new—be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share with someone who needs to hear it.

This is your time. Your story matters. Your voice is powerful. And your mental health is worth prioritizing.

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In this episode of Her Time To Talk, Megan explores why activism is not only compatible with therapy, but essential to mental health and feminist clinical practice. Drawing from her experience at the October 18th No Kings protest in Savannah, Georgia, she reflects on the emotional complexity of showing up, the power of collective action, and the realities of navigating safety and privilege in today’s political climate.

Megan discusses the growing research that links pro-social behavior, community engagement, and collective action with improved wellbeing. She breaks down accessible forms of activism for listeners who may not feel safe attending protests, including daily conversations, creative expression, financial and resource-based support, civic participation, community building, and rest as resistance. Throughout the episode, she illustrates how small, value-aligned actions can reduce feelings of helplessness and build agency during times of political fear and uncertainty.

This conversation centers the feminist therapy principle that the personal is political and emphasizes why therapists cannot, and should not, pretend to be blank slates when systemic forces shape clients’ lives so directly. Listeners are invited to explore their own relationship with activism and choose one small, meaningful action that feels safe, possible, and restorative.

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This is your time. Your story matters. Your voice is powerful. And your mental health is worth prioritizing.

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This week, Meagan and Sydney take a deep, unflinching look at the New York Times conversation that asked whether liberal feminism has “ruined” the workplace. The original title alone sparked widespread outrage, and the discussion that followed revealed just how pervasive patriarchal logic remains in mainstream discourse.

In this episode, Megan and Sydney unpack the rhetorical moves, logical fallacies, and internalized misogyny embedded in the arguments made by Helen Andrews, Leah Sargeant, and moderator Ross Douthat. Drawing on clinical experience, trauma-informed feminist theory, rhetorical analysis, and the real psychological impact these narratives have on women, they break down why this debate missed the mark—and why it matters.

Together, they explore:

• What “wokeness” actually means, and how awareness of harm has been pathologized
 • The psychological and systemic relevance of the Me Too movement as truth-telling, not overreach
 • How patriarchal systems manufacture women’s dependency and then weaponize it against them
 • The realities of motherhood penalties, economic inequity, and the policing of reproduction
 • The binary thinking underlying claims about “feminized” workplaces and why these binaries harm everyone
 • Evidence that empathy, collaboration, accountability, and psychological safety strengthen institutions
 • Why male loneliness, emotional suppression, and resistance to change are symptoms of patriarchal conditioning
 • The historical and ongoing contributions of women that directly shape modern life and workplace progress

Through rhetorical analysis, clinical insight, and lived experience, Megan and Sydney prove that women have never “ruined” the workplace. Women transformed it.

For listeners who feel the resonance of this conversation—whether anger, validation, or relief—this episode offers grounding, clarity, and an invitation to challenge the narratives that limit all of us.

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• Follow us @HerTimeToTalk and @HerTimeTherapy
  
  
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If this episode moved you, empowered you, or taught you something new—be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share with someone who needs to hear it.

This is your time. Your story matters. Your voice is powerful. And your mental health is worth prioritizing.

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The holidays often highlight the invisible labor women carry—managing everyone’s happiness, absorbing tension, keeping the peace, and pretending everything’s fine. But what if this season could feel lighter, more honest, and less about obligation?

In this episode, Lurah Patrick, a graduate-student therapist at Her Time Therapy, joins Meagan to talk about the deeper emotional weight of the holidays: guilt, grief, boundaries, and the pressure to perform. Together, they explore how to create more ease, authenticity, and freedom during a season that often demands too much.

We cover:

• How the holidays activate every stress point in your nervous system
• Setting boundaries that protect connection instead of cutting it off
• Navigating guilt and learning that “no” can be an act of kindness
• Balancing gratitude with grief—without falling into toxic positivity
• Simple self-care practices for women carrying the emotional load
• Releasing perfection and redefining what peace really means

Lurah also shares details about her free Holiday Stress Workshop, designed to help you build a personalized plan for the season—mapping out boundaries, expectations, and small moments of calm you can actually keep.

Information about the workshop:

Date: Tuesday, November 11th 

Time: 5:30 - 6:30 pm (MT) 

Location: Google Meet 

Drop in—no commitment needed!

This group is offered on a pay-what-you-can basis to keep it accessible for all,

whether that’s $0, $5, $20, or another amount that works for you.

Support the show

Stay Connected + Support the Show

• Follow us @HerTimeToTalk and @HerTimeTherapy
  
  
• Visit our website to connect with a therapist, subscribe to our newsletter, or learn more about feminist mental health counseling 

If this episode moved you, empowered you, or taught you something new—be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share with someone who needs to hear it.

This is your time. Your story matters. Your voice is powerful. And your mental health is worth prioritizing.

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The holidays are supposed to be a time of joy and connection—but for many women, they can also bring body image struggles, food-related anxiety, and emotional overwhelm. Between family dynamics, social expectations, and the pressure to “enjoy every moment,” it’s easy to lose touch with yourself.

In this episode, Chloe St. Pierre, therapist at Her Time Therapy, joins us to explore how you can find calm and self-compassion through the chaos of the season. With her background in trauma and somatic work, Chloe shares how tuning into your body can help you move from burnout to balance.

We discuss:

• Why the holidays often heighten stress, body image concerns, and perfectionism
• The connection between family systems, emotional triggers, and food
• Somatic grounding tools for when you feel disconnected or overstimulated
• How to honor emotions without getting lost in them
• Simple ways to bring comfort and joy back into the holiday season

If you’ve ever found yourself stretched thin by the pressure to make the holidays perfect, this conversation is your reminder: you’re allowed to slow down and take up space.

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• Follow us @HerTimeToTalk and @HerTimeTherapy
  
  
• Visit our website to connect with a therapist, subscribe to our newsletter, or learn more about feminist mental health counseling 

If this episode moved you, empowered you, or taught you something new—be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share with someone who needs to hear it.

This is your time. Your story matters. Your voice is powerful. And your mental health is worth prioritizing.

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In this episode, Meagan sits down with Her Time Therapy clinician Melanie Maldonado to talk about identity, feminism, and what it really means to live the “life of a healing girl.” Drawing inspiration from Taylor Swift’s newest era, The Life of a Showgirl, they explore how women are taught to perform—both in work and relationships—and what it takes to shift from performance to presence.

Melanie shares her own story of pivoting from pre-med to mental health counseling and the identity crisis that followed, offering insight into how self-assessment, boundaries, and emotional regulation can help women reclaim balance and fulfillment. Together, they unpack the pressure to “have it all,” the judgment women face for choosing softness or ambition, and how joy itself can be an act of resistance in a world that profits off burnout.

They also dive into feminism as choice—reminding listeners that empowerment doesn’t come from fitting into one version of womanhood, but from allowing yourself to define what wholeness and success mean for you. Whether you’re in your “showgirl era” or deep in your “healing girl era,” this episode is an invitation to choose yourself, again and again.

Resources Mentioned:

• Values Card Sort
• Self Care Wheel
• Learn more about Melanie

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• Follow us @HerTimeToTalk and @HerTimeTherapy
  
  
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If this episode moved you, empowered you, or taught you something new—be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share with someone who needs to hear it.

This is your time. Your story matters. Your voice is powerful. And your mental health is worth prioritizing.

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In this episode, Sydney opens up about her late ADHD diagnosis and how understanding her neurodivergence completely reshaped the way she approaches work, relationships, and self-compassion. She reflects on her early experiences navigating career burnout, shame, and perfectionism—and how embracing her neurotype led her to a more authentic, sustainable life and career.

Sydney shares her story not just to educate, but to empower other women who are discovering their own neurodivergence later in life. Through honest reflection and lived experience, she invites listeners to consider what thriving can look like outside of societal expectations—and how we can build lives that honor our unique wiring instead of fighting against it.

In This Episode:

• The reality of late ADHD diagnosis in women
• Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria and emotional regulation
• Redefining career success through a neurodivergent lens
• Learning self-compassion and balance in a world that rewards burnout
• Why Sydney started the Unmasking Careers therapy group for neurodivergent women

Want to go deeper?
Sydney is leading a new therapy-infused group designed for neurodivergent women who are ready to understand their brains, find balance, and build careers that actually work for them.

Learn more + sign up for the Unmasking Careers Group

Learn more about Sydney

Book a free consultation

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• Follow us @HerTimeToTalk and @HerTimeTherapy
  
  
• Visit our website to connect with a therapist, subscribe to our newsletter, or learn more about feminist mental health counseling 

If this episode moved you, empowered you, or taught you something new—be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share with someone who needs to hear it.

This is your time. Your story matters. Your voice is powerful. And your mental health is worth prioritizing.

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Sex educator and Her Time Therapy practicum clinician Erin Brandt joins us to talk about what most women were never taught: how to build a shame-free relationship with your body, advocate for your pain, and expand pleasure beyond orgasm-only thinking. We trace Erin’s path from forensic sexology to Planned Parenthood to therapy, unpack how patriarchy and medical dismissal shape women’s sexual health, and explore practical, sex-positive tools you can start using now. If you’ve ever felt disconnected from your body—or unsure what to ask for—this conversation is for you.

We cover

• What sex-positive therapy actually looks like (and why language matters)
• “Body literacy” 101: naming, seeing, and befriending your vulva
• Pleasure beyond goals: reframing intimacy without performance pressure
• Medical gaslighting and self-advocacy when your pain is dismissed
• Why community matters: learning in groups vs. one-to-one support
• How Erin’s upcoming group will pace content gently while still challenging shame

Work with us / Join the group

• Women’s Sexual Pleasure & Intimacy Group – Sign-up form
• Details on all groups
• Learn more about Erin

Not ready for a group? Start with a free consult

Support the show

Stay Connected + Support the Show

• Follow us @HerTimeToTalk and @HerTimeTherapy
  
  
• Visit our website to connect with a therapist, subscribe to our newsletter, or learn more about feminist mental health counseling 

If this episode moved you, empowered you, or taught you something new—be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share with someone who needs to hear it.

This is your time. Your story matters. Your voice is powerful. And your mental health is worth prioritizing.

Send us Fan Mail

What if the mood swings, night sweats, anxiety, and brain fog aren’t “just you”—but a totally normal phase no one taught you to expect? In this candid conversation, Erin Brandt (sex educator turned counseling intern) and Lurah Patrick (graduate counseling intern) name what perimenopause really is, how it shows up from the mid-30s onward, and why so many women get misdiagnosed or dismissed.

We unpack:

• Perimenopause vs. menopause vs. post-menopause (clear definitions and timelines)
• Why labs can be inconclusive—and what to track instead
• The mental health angle: when symptoms mimic anxiety or depression
• Medical advocacy that works when you’re not being heard
• Hormone therapy, non-hormonal options, and informed choice
• Grief, identity shifts, and the surprising upsides (freedom, community, “zero F’s” energy)

Join the group: The Pause (Peri/Menopause Support)

Eight weeks of education, symptom-tracking tools, and real community—led by Erin & Lurah. Start with a free, no-pressure consult.

Explore all Her Time Therapy groups

Short on time or curious about other options? See what’s running now and find your fit.

Work 1:1 with today’s guests

• Meet Lurah Patrick & request a consult
  
  
• Meet Erin Brandt & request a consult

Resources mentioned

• MIDI Health (virtual midlife women’s care)
• Winona (telehealth menopause care)

Support the show

Stay Connected + Support the Show

• Follow us @HerTimeToTalk and @HerTimeTherapy
  
  
• Visit our website to connect with a therapist, subscribe to our newsletter, or learn more about feminist mental health counseling 

If this episode moved you, empowered you, or taught you something new—be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share with someone who needs to hear it.

This is your time. Your story matters. Your voice is powerful. And your mental health is worth prioritizing.