You know what's really having it's moment right now (and I'm LOVING it!)?

Internal Family Systems and "parts" work.

What is Internal Family Systems, and why is this therapeutic approach so helpful when it comes to understanding our triggers and developing a new relationship with our emotions? You're going to leave this episode with the answer.

I invited Vanessa Trine, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor on to the podcast to help me unpack why "parts" work is so powerful in our personal work as parents, breaking cycles, and supporting our children.

To connect with Vanessa:

Website: www.vanessatrine.com

Support Deck: https://odddaughterpaper.com/products/support-deck 

To learn more about Dr. Cassidy's California group private practice, visit www.drcassidymft.com.

Today we are talking about origin wounds, those painful experiences from when you were young that find themselves showing up in present day relationships and patterns.

I invited fellow Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and author of the book Origins of You, Vienna Pharaon, to walk us through understanding how we can begin to understand and heal our origin wounds.

Even if you had a wonderful childhood, we have all experienced disappointment, been hurt, or felt pressure to look or be a certain way. Of course, not everything is experienced as trauma, but that doesn’t make it any less important for us to explore and heal. These wounds can originate in our family systems, but they can also form later on in life through partner relationships, our work environment, friendships, and they can impact our own experience as parents.

In this episode Vienna introduces us to 5 origin wounds: worthiness, prioritization, belonging, safety, and trust. You'll leave the episode with an understanding of your own origin wounds and next steps to start the healing process.

To connect with Vienna follow along @mindfulmft or visit www.newyorkcouplescounseling.com. You can buy her book Origins of You wherever books are sold or by visiting https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/709274/the-origins-of-you-by-vienna-pharaon-lfmt/.

This episode is brought to you by Athletic Greens. To learn more about the AG1 nutritional drink go to www.athleticgreens.com/holdingspace and receive a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 free travel packs with your first purchase.

You're reading the parenting books, following the experts on social media, listening to the podcasts, maybe even buying the courses...and somehow in the tough moment with your child none of the "strategies" feel intuitive...can you relate?

Yea, same, and I'm considered one of those "experts!"

Maybe you relate to trying to hold it all together, but underneath you wonder if something is actually wrong with YOU.

In this episode I invited my good friend and fellow therapist and mom Renata Cameron to unpack these experience with me.

Together we discuss the role of anxiety (and the desire to get it perfect) in these tough parenting moments, understanding why we get stuck, and breaking generational cycles through reparenting. 

Funny enough, the parts of you that struggle the most will help us unlock that maternal intuition you're trying to tap into, and this episode will not only explain why but will help you take the first step.

Renata is one of the amazing therapists for moms in my group practice, and you can connect with us at www.drcassidymft.com!

This episode is brought to you by Cozy Earth. Visit https://cozyearth.com/ and use code DRCASSIDY35 for 35% off your order sitewide. I have their joggers and pull-over crew in Ivory!

In this episode we are shedding light on the often misdiagnosed experience of Postpartum OCD.

I invited Licensed Therapist Jenna Overbaugh to share her professional (and personal!) experience with postpartum OCD. Together we open the door to the internal experience of living with OCD and discuss the symptoms, impact, treatment and how to get the support you need from your healthcare team. Jenna doesn't hold back and you'll leave this episode informed and feeling less alone.

Connect with Jenna:

@jenna.overbaugh on Instagram

All The Hard Things Podcast

Resources mentioned in the episode:

IOCDF.org (International OCD Foundation)
Postpartum.net (Postpartum Support international)
Treatmyocd.com (evidence based treatment in and out of the US)

This episode is brought to you by Cozy Earth. Visit https://cozyearth.com/ and use code DRCASSIDY35 for 35% off your order sitewide. I have their joggers and pull-over crew in Ivory!

To connect with Dr. Cassidy or learn more about her private practice, visit www.drcassidymft.com.

Am I screwing up my kids?

I've laid in bed wondering this and I know I'm not alone.

In this episode I invited Dr. Sumi Raghavan to help us explore the answer to this question.

Together we discuss steps we can take today to begin the work of breaking generational cycles as parents, unhook from unrealistic expectations of perfection, and tap into our own intuition amidst all the noise when it comes to showing up for our kids (and ourselves).

Dr. Sumi Raghavan is a clinical psychologist practicing virtually in Brooklyn, New York. She's also a mom of two and a cross-cultural scholar who has always been interested in the intersection of culture and mental health. In her practice she works with adults coping with a range of factors including trauma, workplace stress and burnout, depression, anxiety, interpersonal and relationship concerns and grief and loss. As a cross-cultural practitioner, she really enjoys working with BIPOC clients and welcomes conversations about our multiple and intersecting identities into our work. You can connect with Dr. Sumi at www.drsumiphd.com.

This episode is brought to you by Cozy Earth. Visit https://cozyearth.com/ and use code DRCASSIDY35 for 35% off your order sitewide. I have their joggers and pull-over crew in Ivory!

To connect with Dr. Cassidy or learn more about her private practice, visit www.drcassidymft.com.

The toddler years...somehow one of my favorite stages and simultaneously so exhausting and triggering.

In this episode I invited my colleague Gayane Aramyan, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and fellow mother to a 2 and half year old, on to the podcast to talk about the challenges of the season and how we can move beyond survival. We discuss tantrums, triggers, self-care and relationships during this cute AND demanding season.

You can learn more about Gayane, her practice, and her motherhood group by visiting her website www.therapywithgayane.com or following along on instagram @therapywithgayane.

This episode is brought to you by Cozy Earth. Visit https://cozyearth.com/ and use code DRCASSIDY35 for 35% off your order sitewide. I have their joggers and pull-over crew in Ivory!

To connect with Dr. Cassidy or learn more about her private practice, visit www.drcassidymft.com.

The coughing, the sneezing, the snot, the sore throats...this viral season has been A LOT.

I invited Dr. Krupa Playforth, board certified pediatrician and mom of 3 back on to the podcast to help us navigate the load of caring for our sick kids while navigating all the stress of being a parent (and possibly sick yourself!)

We discuss:

*Proactive steps we can take to boost immunity and protect our family from all the germs going around

*Caring steps we can take once the illness hits our home, and the data behind some recent trends

*Supporting our children in building a healthy relationship with illness while building connecting rituals around illness within our families

*Navigating the mental, physical, and relational load of parenting with sick kids or while sick yourself

Social media and the internet can be powerful, but they can also be a mine of misinformation. Dr Playforth believes every parent deserves clear, evidence-based, nuanced answers to common child health questions to help them feel empowered and equipped on their parenting journey. You can learn more about Dr. Krupa Playforth at: www.thepediatricianmom.com or on Instagram @thepediatricianmom. 

Related episodes you might find helpful:

Episode 103: The Default Parent

Episode 99: "Balance" and the Working Parent

Episode 94: The Depleted, Distracted, Grumpy, Guilty Parenting Cycle

Episode 91: Daycare, Immunity, and Healthy Habits

To connect with Dr. Cassidy or learn more about her private practice, visit www.drcassidymft.com.

Finally, an episode fully dedicated to EMDR!

In this episode we're taking you behind closed doors to demystify this powerful and evidence-based approach to processing your trauma and triggers.

We walk you through what EMDR is, who it can help, and how to find an EMDR trained therapist.

I'm also thrilled to introduce you to EMDR certified therapist and consultant Sarah Rosney, LCSW. Licensed in New York, New Hampshire and Massachusetts she has a special interest in supporting adults in processing their birth experiences, pregnancy loss, and attachment-based trauma.

If you are based in California and interested in starting your own EMDR work, you can connect with and learn more about our EMDR trained therapists here: www.drcassidymft.com

Resources mentioned in the episode:

Sarah Rosney, LCSW: www.sarahrosneylcsw.com

Find an EMDR therapist: https://www.emdria.org/

Center for Excellence in EMDR Therapy: https://emdrtherapy.com/

Episode 104: Birth Trauma with Dr. Alex Shrake

Episode 101:Pregnancy Loss with Kristin Gallant of Big Little Feelings

This episode has been a long time coming.

I've shared my birth stories on this podcast before, but I've wanted to do a deeper dive into birth trauma for a long time now.

When planning this episode there was no better person to dive deep with than my colleague Dr. Alexandra Shrake. Her own traumatic birth was the muse for her research and her desire to hold space for others who have experienced an intense or traumatic birth, and in this episode we:

*Support you in naming the parts of your birth that were traumatic

*Identify the symptoms and impact of birth trauma for the birth person AND non-birthing support person who was in the room too

*Discuss steps one can take to begin to process and heal from birth trauma

*Explore protective steps one can take as they prepare for birth

Resources mentioned in the episode:

My Birth Stories Podcast Episode

EMDR Mommies Tell All Podcast Episode

Scary Mommy EMDR Article

Postpartum Support International Directory

To learn more about Dr. Alex or connect with her, visit www.drcassidymft.com/meetdralex

You have a million tabs open in your brain, you're the one keeping track of all the family appointments, the school emails, the grocery list, each child's current preferences, and when your kids need something....they come to you first. 

Can you relate? If you can, there's a word that might resonate...the default parent.

In today's episode I invited mental health advocate, cycle breaker, content creator and mother of two Libby Ward (from Diary of an Honest Mom) to unpack this experience.

How did we get here? What's the cost? (hint: burnout, anxiety, health issues, overstimulation, partner resentment, and rage just to name a few). AND how do break the cycles and share the load? We talk about it all in this episode.

To connect with and learn more from Libby check out her website www.diaryofanhonestmom.com and give her a follow on Tik Tok and Instagram @diaryofanhonestmom.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski

Fair Play by Eve Rodsky

Libby's Journal Prompts

The best way to support Holding Space podcast is to subscribe and leave a review! Podcast reviews help us reach those who need it most, and I read each and every one. To connect with Dr. Cassidy or learn more about her private practice, visit www.drcassidymft.com.