Self Careapist Therapist: Expert Insights & Practical Therapy Skills

What would it look like if we actually asked suicidal clients what was making them suicidal and then treated that? Dr. David Jobes, professor of psychology at The Catholic University of America, director of the CUA Suicide Prevention Lab, and developer of the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS), joins the podcast to challenge the dominant medical model response to suicidality and make the case for a better way. This conversation covers the history and structure of CAMS, the evidence behind it, how it compares to the safety plan, why the research on hospitalization should change how clinicians think about least-restrictive care, how CAMS works with adolescents, and the full range of training options available today, including the brief intervention model for inpatient and emergency settings.

0:00 - Intro and Dr. Jobes's background

0:57 - How a philosophy background led to 43 years in suicide research

3:09 - What came before modern suicide prevention

4:00 - The medical model problem and why hospitalization often increases risk

7:01 - Autonomy, agency, and why containment tends to backfire

9:38 - How CAMS works: the Suicide Status Form and the collaborative assessment

11:36 - Identifying drivers and building a treatment plan around them

15:50 - The relationship between CAMS and DBT

19:48 - Safety planning vs. the Crisis Response Plan: what the research actually shows

23:04 - The marketing problem and how DBT became world famous while better-evidenced tools stayed obscure

24:03 - Types of drivers: relational, vocational, and self-related

27:23 - Suicidal ideation rates post-COVID and what the data shows

30:12 - CAMS is effective at any level of ideation, not only crisis presentations

33:07 - How to get started: the Guilford Press book, CAMS Care training, and consultation

38:47 - The CAMS Brief Intervention model for inpatient and emergency settings

39:49 - Empath units as a model for humane emergency psychiatric care

41:21 - Training for teams, systems of care, and discounts for training programs

45:07 - Fidelity, training hubs, and the international reach of CAMS

48:12 - What CAMS adds that individual clinicians may not be getting in their training

51:09 - CAMS with adolescents: autonomy, existential drivers, and the Stabilization Support Plan for parents

55:16 - Grant support, funding shifts, and how to reach CAMS Care

56:32 - Dr. Jobes on self-care and consultation as an ethical and clinical requirement

Episode Highlights:

CAMS is a framework, not a new psychotherapy. Clinicians of any theoretical orientation can use it without abandoning their existing approach.

The core of CAMS is a collaborative therapeutic assessment in which the clinician takes a figurative seat next to the client to complete the Suicide Status Form together, with the client as the primary author.

The framework asks the client directly what makes them suicidal, then treats those drivers rather than treating a diagnosis or assuming depression is the primary target.

The most common drivers identified through CAMS are relational and vocational, not diagnostic. Research on suicidality from people with lived experience confirms that the drivers are rarely the diagnosis itself.

CAMS has seven randomized controlled trials supporting its effectiveness for reducing suicidal ideation, making it one of the most evidenced interventions in the field.

The research on hospitalization consistently shows that coming out of inpatient care is a high-risk period, and involuntary commitment does not improve outcomes specific to suicide risk. It may incr

Not sure where you're stuck clinically? Take the free Stuck Point Quiz at lorainmoorehead.com/quiz and get resources matched to your answers.

Self Careapist Therapist Podcast is a biweekly, therapist-to-therapist conversation hosted by Lorain Moorehead, LCSW, PMH-C, EMDRIA Approved Consultant. Guests include psychologists, researchers, and the developers of the clinical models they teach, with practical takeaways for every level, from intern to clinical supervisor. Many episodes offer a free CEU for Arizona licensure through the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners.

New episodes every other Wednesday. If this episode was useful, leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps other therapists find the show.

What if the key to understanding your mental health and relationships lies in how your brain developed from the very beginning? I'm joined by Michelle Maikoetter, LPC from the Neurosequential Network, to demystify the Neurosequential Model developed by Dr. Bruce Perry. We explore how our earliest experiences, from in utero through childhood, shape our capacity for self-regulation, connection, and reasoning in adulthood. This conversation is a deep dive into the 'regulate, relate, reason' framework, revealing why we often struggle with emotional healing and how we can sequence our support for true mental wellness. We also discuss the vital role of rhythm, relational health, and creating healing environments, even in our workplaces. Listen now to explore how this transformative lens can change your understanding of your own healing journey and your approach to therapy.

0:00 - Intro

1:44 - Michelle’s personal journey discovering the Neurosequential Model

4:18 - Why the model is a transformational lens for all of life

5:15 - The core tenets of brain development and early childhood impact

7:48 - How the Neurosequential assessment differs from a standard diagnosis

9:36 - Understanding bottom-up brain development

10:57 - Why we must sequence interventions, starting with sensory activities

13:57 - Breaking down the ‘Regulate, Relate, Reason’ framework

19:15 - The essential self-exploration and personal transformation in learning the model

21:38 - The key components of regulation and creating a balanced system

29:51 - How to create a relational and supportive workplace culture

33:32 - The profound relevance of rhythm to regulation and connection

46:39 - The role of empathy and shared humanity in this work

49:57 - How to learn more about the Neurosequential Model

Episode Highlights:

• The brain develops sequentially, and experiences from in utero to age three have a disproportionate impact on its organization.
• Our capacity for regulation, relationship, and reason is built upon foundational neural pathways laid down in our earliest years.
• To be effective, interventions must be sequenced developmentally, often starting with sensory and regulatory activities before cognitive work.
• The "Regulate, Relate, Reason" framework reflects the biological order in which our brain processes information.
• We cannot be relational or access our reasoning cortex when we are in a dysregulated, reactive state.
• Self-care is about maintaining a consistent baseline of arousal so we aren't overly reactive to daily stressors.
• Rhythm is a powerful and often overlooked regulatory tool, intertwined with our earliest developmental experiences.
• When someone is struggling, the goal should be to increase both structure and relational support, not withdraw connection.
• True empathy requires us to be in a regulated space to imagine another's experience and acknowledge our shared humanity.
• For change to be sustainable in any system, the leadership and environment must be aligned with the relational model being taught.

Resources:

Book: What Happened to You by Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey
Book: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog by Bruce Perry
Book: Born for Love by Bruce Perry
Website: Neurosequential Network (neurosequential.com)
Guest: Michelle Maikoetter, LPC – Director of Special Projects, Neurosequential Network

Continuing Education: Many episodes offer a free CEU for licensure in Arizona through the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners. Content is relevant for continuing education across LCSW, LMHC, LPC, LMFT, NCC, NBCC, and psychol

Not sure where you're stuck clinically? Take the free Stuck Point Quiz at lorainmoorehead.com/quiz and get resources matched to your answers.

Self Careapist Therapist Podcast is a biweekly, therapist-to-therapist conversation hosted by Lorain Moorehead, LCSW, PMH-C, EMDRIA Approved Consultant. Guests include psychologists, researchers, and the developers of the clinical models they teach, with practical takeaways for every level, from intern to clinical supervisor. Many episodes offer a free CEU for Arizona licensure through the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners.

New episodes every other Wednesday. If this episode was useful, leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps other therapists find the show.

In this episode, I sit down with clinical social worker and author Sophia Vale Galano to discuss her newly released book, Calming Teenage Anxiety: A Parent's Guide to Helping Your Teenager Cope with Worry (published by Hatherley Press, distributed by Penguin Random House).

Sophia shares practical tools and strategies for parents navigating teenage anxiety, exploring the unique challenges teens face today including academic stress, social media pressures, and delayed developmental stages post-COVID. We discuss how parents can shift from fixing and controlling to coaching and collaborating, and why curiosity and open-ended questions are a parent's best friend.

In this conversation, we explore:

• How to distinguish between typical teenage behavior and clinical anxiety
• The importance of tracking patterns with curiosity rather than judgment
• Why social media isn't all bad (and how to help teens find the positive)
• Moving from directive parenting to a coaching approach
• The developmental delays we're seeing post-COVID and what that means for families
• How well-intentioned parenting can accidentally push teens away
• Practical phrases and approaches parents can use today

Key takeaway: Sometimes what looks like typical teenage moodiness requires a closer look. By tracking how often and to what extent a teen is struggling, parents can better understand when it's time for additional support.

Sophia also shares her publishing journey, offering insights for aspiring authors on how to navigate the process without a literary agent and turn your message into a book that helps people.

About Sophia Vale Galano: Sophia is an LCSW who has been working with teens and their families for nearly 11 years in private practice, residential treatment centers, and school settings. Her book provides a compassionate, practical blueprint for parents who want to support their anxious teens.

Resources mentioned:

• Calming Teenage Anxiety: A Parent's Guide to Helping Your Teenager Cope with Worry by Sophia Vale Galano
• Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart, and local bookstores
• Port Light Books for bulk sales

Continuing Education: Many episodes offer a free CEU for licensure in Arizona through the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners. Content is relevant for continuing education across LCSW, LMHC, LPC, LMFT, NCC, NBCC, and psychology licensure.

Subscribe and leave a review — it helps other therapists find the show.

Not sure where you're stuck clinically? Take the free Stuck Point Quiz at lorainmoorehead.com/quiz and get resources matched to your answers.

Self Careapist Therapist Podcast is a biweekly, therapist-to-therapist conversation hosted by Lorain Moorehead, LCSW, PMH-C, EMDRIA Approved Consultant. Guests include psychologists, researchers, and the developers of the clinical models they teach, with practical takeaways for every level, from intern to clinical supervisor. Many episodes offer a free CEU for Arizona licensure through the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners.

New episodes every other Wednesday. If this episode was useful, leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps other therapists find the show.

Welcome to the final episode of the year! In this solo wrap-up, Lorain revisits the most powerful self-care insights, quotes, and practical strategies shared by the incredible guests who joined The Self Careapist Podcast in 2025. This episode weaves together short audio clips from guests—researchers, clinicians, authors, and innovators—to highlight the patterns, contradictions, and surprising themes that emerged around what real self-care looks like for mental health professionals.

Whether you’re reflecting on the year behind you or preparing intentionally for the one ahead, this episode gives you a grounded, compassionate, evidence-informed way to think about your own self-care plan.

Key Themes Across All Guests

• Self-care is individualized, not prescriptive.
• Movement often regulates faster than stillness.
• Micro-practices matter: two minutes can shift everything.
• Physiological rhythm informs emotional capacity.
• Creativity is deeply restorative for mental health clinicians.
• Self-care is both internal (mindset, skills) and external (hobbies, movement, community).
• Leaders set the tone for collective self-care culture.
• Passion and purpose are protective against burnout.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Self-Care and the Podcast
00:52 Reflections on Self-Care Trends of the Year
02:30 The Importance of Activity in Self-Care
04:25 Mindset and Internal Processes in Self-Care
06:34 Community and Connection in Self-Care
08:44 Quick Self-Care Techniques
09:57 Visualization and Trauma Management
12:24 Mitigating Secondhand Trauma and Burnout
13:52 Nutrition and Self-Care
15:58 Emotion Regulation Skills
17:54 Distress Tolerance Toolkit
19:06 Motivation and Goal Setting for the New Year
19:50 Creative Expression in Work
21:53 Conclusion and Community Engagement

Resources Mentioned

• The Self Careapist Podcast Episode Archive
• Each referenced guest’s full episode 

Want to Share Your Self-Care Values?

Visit LorainMoorehead.com/podcast to submit:

• Self-care strategies that worked for you this year
• Skills you want to practice more often
• Guests you’d like to hear in 2026

Connect with Lorain

Website: LorainMoorehead.com
 Instagram: @lorainmoorehead
 Podcast: The Self Careapist Podcast

Continuing Education: Many episodes offer a free CEU for licensure in Arizona through the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners. Content is relevant for continuing education across LCSW, LMHC, LPC, LMFT, NCC, NBCC, and psychology licensure.

Subscribe and leave a review — it helps other therapists find the show.

Not sure where you're stuck clinically? Take the free Stuck Point Quiz at lorainmoorehead.com/quiz and get resources matched to your answers.

Self Careapist Therapist Podcast is a biweekly, therapist-to-therapist conversation hosted by Lorain Moorehead, LCSW, PMH-C, EMDRIA Approved Consultant. Guests include psychologists, researchers, and the developers of the clinical models they teach, with practical takeaways for every level, from intern to clinical supervisor. Many episodes offer a free CEU for Arizona licensure through the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners.

New episodes every other Wednesday. If this episode was useful, leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps other therapists find the show.

You Are Not Your Trauma: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Healing

In this episode, I'm joined by two remarkable clinicians who together have over 60 years of combined experience working with trauma: Dr. Darrah Westrup and Dr. Robin Walser. These two have been collaborating for nearly two decades and three books. Their latest book, "You Are Not Your Trauma" published by Guilford Press, offers something different from traditional trauma treatments.

While many approaches focus primarily on symptom reduction, Darrah and Robin take us further—into the territory of meaning, values, and vitality. They're not just asking "How do we make the pain go away?" but rather "How do you want to live your life, even while carrying a difficult history?"

In this conversation, we explore:

• What Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is and why it's so effective for trauma work
• The three pillars of ACT: Open, Aware, and Engaged
• The paradox of avoidance—how our natural instinct to run from pain can actually keep us stuck in it
• Why battling trauma is like swatting at a bee—you might survive if you let it pass, but once you engage in battle, things escalate
• The distinction between the self that experiences trauma and the experiences themselves
• How values don't compete and don't depend on history
• Why trauma survivors don't need to wait until symptoms disappear to start living meaningful lives

Powerful stories from this conversation:

• A client who spent 30 years stuck in a trauma story, believing they couldn't move forward until the trauma was "resolved"—and the breakthrough that came from accepting that history only goes in one direction
• A survivor of childhood sexual trauma who discovered that new memories surfacing no longer frightened her because she realized: "I'm larger than that"
• A veteran who learned his values were still available to him, regardless of what he'd seen or done
• Darrah's personal experience with a visualization exercise that changed everything for her

About our guests:

Dr. Darrah Westrup began her career at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, where she was director of a 90-day residential treatment program for military women with trauma and severe PTSD. She has been working with ACT since her dissertation work and brought ACT into residential treatment for the first time in 2000.

Dr. Robin Walser worked at the National Center for PTSD and studied under Dr. Steve Hayes, the developer of ACT, at the University of Washington. She was part of Dr. Marsha Linehan's DBT team during graduate school and has been practicing ACT since 1991.

Resources mentioned:

• You Are Not Your Trauma by Dr. Darrah Westrup and Dr. Robin Walser (Guilford Press)
• Learning ACT, Second Edition by Dr. Robin Walser
• Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS)
• Online mindfulness meditations accompanying the book

Continuing Education: Many episodes offer a free CEU for licensure in Arizona through the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners. Content is relevant for continuing education across LCSW, LMHC, LPC, LMFT, NCC, NBCC, and psychology licensure.

Subscribe and leave a review — it helps other therapists find the show.

Not sure where you're stuck clinically? Take the free Stuck Point Quiz at lorainmoorehead.com/quiz and get resources matched to your answers.

Self Careapist Therapist Podcast is a biweekly, therapist-to-therapist conversation hosted by Lorain Moorehead, LCSW, PMH-C, EMDRIA Approved Consultant. Guests include psychologists, researchers, and the developers of the clinical models they teach, with practical takeaways for every level, from intern to clinical supervisor. Many episodes offer a free CEU for Arizona licensure through the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners.

New episodes every other Wednesday. If this episode was useful, leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps other therapists find the show.

In this insightful conversation, Dr. Hillary Hurst Bush discusses her collaboration with Dr. Ellen Braaten on the Motivation Mindset Workbook, an extension of the book Bright Kids Who Couldn't Care Less. The discussion delves into the concepts of aptitude, pleasure, and practice, exploring how these elements interact to influence motivation in children and teens. Dr. Bush shares personal anecdotes and professional insights, emphasizing the importance of understanding individual motivations and the role of family and societal expectations.

Takeaways

• Motivation is not a fixed trait; it ebbs and flows.
• Aptitude, pleasure, and practice are interconnected.
• The Motivation Mindset Workbook aims to make motivation accessible.
• Understanding individual motivations is crucial for growth.
• Family and societal expectations can impact motivation.
• Pleasure should be genuine and not just an escape.
• Overscheduling can hinder exploration and motivation.
• Mismatch in expectations can be mistaken for lack of motivation.
• Values and gratitude can guide motivation and pleasure.
• Motivation is fluid and can change over time.

Sound bites

Motivation is not a fixed trait. Aptitude is a muscle, not fixed. Pleasure should be genuine. Mismatch, not lack of motivation. Values guide motivation and pleasure. Motivation is fluid and changeable. Family expectations impact motivation. Understanding motivations is crucial. Overscheduling hinders motivation. Motivation Mindset Workbook insights.

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction to Motivation Mindset*

An overview of the Motivation Mindset Workbook

00:03:00 - Aptitude, Pleasure, and Practice

Exploring the core concepts that drive motivation in children and teens.

00:09:00 - Personal Insights and Experiences

Dr. Bush shares personal stories and professional insights on motivation.

00:15:00 - Family and Societal Expectations

Discussing the impact of family and societal pressures on motivation.

00:21:00 - The Fluidity of Motivation

Understanding how motivation can change and adapt over time.

Resources Mentioned:

Range- David Epstein

Bright Kids Who Couldn't Care Less- Ellen Braaten

The Motivation Mindset Workbook- Ellen Braaten & Hillary Hurst Bush

Continuing Education: Many episodes offer a free CEU for licensure in Arizona through the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners. Content is relevant for continuing education across LCSW, LMHC, LPC, LMFT, NCC, NBCC, and psychology licensure.

Subscribe and leave a review — it helps other therapists find the show.

Not sure where you're stuck clinically? Take the free Stuck Point Quiz at lorainmoorehead.com/quiz and get resources matched to your answers.

Self Careapist Therapist Podcast is a biweekly, therapist-to-therapist conversation hosted by Lorain Moorehead, LCSW, PMH-C, EMDRIA Approved Consultant. Guests include psychologists, researchers, and the developers of the clinical models they teach, with practical takeaways for every level, from intern to clinical supervisor. Many episodes offer a free CEU for Arizona licensure through the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners.

New episodes every other Wednesday. If this episode was useful, leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps other therapists find the show.

Dr. Alissa Jerud, clinical psychologist and author of Emotion Savvy Parenting joins us to discuss methods to assist parents with remaining emotionally aware while parenting. Dr. Jerud specializes in helping parents master their emotions during the most challenging moments of parenting.

Discover why focusing on parental emotion regulation (rather than controlling children's behavior) creates better outcomes for the entire family. Dr. Jerud shares her ART framework (Accept, Regulate, Tolerate), adapted from DBT specifically for parents navigating everyday struggles.

What You'll Learn

Learn practical techniques for helping parents master their emotions in real time. Dr. Jerud demonstrates how to apply DBT principles without requiring formal training, making these tools accessible for any therapist working with parents.

Key Topics:

• The ART framework for parents mastering their emotions in heated moments
• CARE skills that reduce heart rate by 50% in 30 seconds
• Chain analysis adapted for parenting reactions (not children's behavior)
• Why forcing apologies backfires and what to do instead
• Inhibitory learning approach for anxious parents
• Opposite action and radical acceptance in parenting contexts
• How to handle public tantrums, sibling conflicts, and teen independence anxiety
• Teaching emotion regulation without full DBT certification

Perfect For

Therapists, counselors, social workers, and mental health professionals working with parents, families, or anyone interested in emotion regulation skills. Especially valuable for clinicians seeking practical, evidence based tools to recommend or teach in session.

Featured Resource

Book: Emotion Savvy Parenting: How to Help Your Kids Cope, Regulate, and Thrive by Developing Your Own Emotional Intelligence by Dr. Alissa Jerud (now available in audiobook format)

About the Guest

Dr. Alissa Jerud is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in anxiety disorders and emotion regulation. She trained under Dr. Marsha Linehan (creator of DBT) at the University of Washington and now helps parents master their emotions through evidence based approaches rooted in DBT and exposure therapy with inhibitory learning.

Episode Highlights

The Grocery Store Scenario: Dr. Jerud walks through a classic parenting challenge (the checkout line candy bar meltdown) demonstrating how parents mastering their emotions changes the entire dynamic. Learn specific tools like slow exhales, opposite action, and reframing thoughts that work in real time.

The Apology Paradox: Discover why demanding apologies from dysregulated children backfires and how modeling genuine apologies leads to children who naturally give heartfelt, handwritten apologies and repair attempts.

Golden Opportunities: Shift perspective from dreaded meltdowns to practice opportunities. When parents view challenging moments as chances to strengthen their emotional mastery, the entire family benefits.

The Heart Rate Demo: Learn about the CARE skills (adapted from DBT's TIP skills) that Dr. Jerud demonstrates in workshops using heart rate monitors, showing dramatic physiological changes in under a minute.

Continuing Education: Many episodes offer a free CEU for licensure in Arizona through the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners. Content is relevant for continuing education across LCSW, LMHC, LPC, LMFT, NCC, NBCC, and psychology licensure.

Subscribe and leave a review — it helps other therapists find the show.

Not sure where you're stuck clinically? Take the free Stuck Point Quiz at lorainmoorehead.com/quiz and get resources matched to your answers.

Self Careapist Therapist Podcast is a biweekly, therapist-to-therapist conversation hosted by Lorain Moorehead, LCSW, PMH-C, EMDRIA Approved Consultant. Guests include psychologists, researchers, and the developers of the clinical models they teach, with practical takeaways for every level, from intern to clinical supervisor. Many episodes offer a free CEU for Arizona licensure through the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners.

New episodes every other Wednesday. If this episode was useful, leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps other therapists find the show.

Join therapist Lorain Moorehead, LCSW, as she interviews Kevin Curtis, LCSW from the Huntsman Mental Health Crisis Care Center about revolutionizing mental health access. Learn how innovative crisis intervention models are transforming care delivery and reducing clinician burnout.

What You'll Learn

Kevin Curtis shares groundbreaking approaches to mental health crisis care that eliminate traditional barriers to treatment. Discover how integrated services—including dental care, legal support, and flexible treatment pathways—create better outcomes for clients while supporting clinician wellbeing.

Key Topics:

• Removing insurance barriers from mental health crisis care
• Implementing the CAMS framework for suicide intervention
• Creating partnerships that bridge gaps between systems
• Integrating dental and legal services into crisis care
• Leveraging peer support specialists effectively
• Designing systems that reduce clinician burnout
• Building flexible care continuums from hours to weeks

Perfect For

Therapists, social workers, mental health counselors, crisis intervention specialists, and behavioral health administrators seeking innovative approaches to reduce barriers, improve client outcomes, and create more sustainable practice environments.

Featured Resources

• CAMS (Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality) Framework
• Certified Crisis Worker Certification
• Book: 4,000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals

About the Guest

Kevin Curtis works in administration at the Huntsman Mental Health Crisis Care Center, where he focuses on creating accessible, barrier-free mental health systems and supporting clinicians to do their best work.

 #MentalHealthCrisisCare #TherapistPodcast #CrisisIntervention #SocialWork #ClinicalInnovation #TherapistBurnout #MentalHealthAccess

Continuing Education: Many episodes offer a free CEU for licensure in Arizona through the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners. Content is relevant for continuing education across LCSW, LMHC, LPC, LMFT, NCC, NBCC, and psychology licensure.

Subscribe and leave a review — it helps other therapists find the show.

Not sure where you're stuck clinically? Take the free Stuck Point Quiz at lorainmoorehead.com/quiz and get resources matched to your answers.

Self Careapist Therapist Podcast is a biweekly, therapist-to-therapist conversation hosted by Lorain Moorehead, LCSW, PMH-C, EMDRIA Approved Consultant. Guests include psychologists, researchers, and the developers of the clinical models they teach, with practical takeaways for every level, from intern to clinical supervisor. Many episodes offer a free CEU for Arizona licensure through the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners.

New episodes every other Wednesday. If this episode was useful, leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps other therapists find the show.

In this insightful episode of The Self-Careapist Podcast, we are joined by world-renowned autism experts Dr. Michelle Garnett and Dr. Tony Attwood of Attwood and Garnett Events to explore the evolving understanding of combined autism and ADHD often referred to as AuDHD. Together, they unpack how the field has shifted from  autism as a standalone, to understanding it as “autism plus,” often intertwined with ADHD, anxiety, mood disorders, BPD, learning disorders, and other experiences of neurodiversity.

The conversation moves from diagnostic history and gender differences to the lived experience of camouflaging, self-identity, and the importance of emotional awareness in therapy. They introduce practical, affirming tools like energy accounting, the spoken social story, and considerations for alexithymia and burnout.

Whether you’re a seasoned clinician looking to update your approach or a new learner, this episode offers compassion, clarity and humor for understanding how to connect and serve our AuDHD clients.

Resources Mentioned

• CAT-Q: Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire
  
  
• Modified Questionnaire for Autism Spectrum Conditions (MQ-ASC)
  
  
• Wheel of Emotion
  
  
• Maja Toudal – Energy Accounting
  
  
• Lawson’s Work on Monotropism
  
  
• Attwood & Garnett’s Library of Trainings
  
  

Episode Chapters

00:00 – Introduction: Autism’s evolution
 02:56 – Personal Journeys into Autism Research
 06:10 – Understanding the Autism Spectrum
 08:58 – Autism Plus: The Intersection with ADHD
 11:58 – Camouflaging and Masking
 15:09 – Gender Differences in Autism
 17:49 – Diagnosis and Self-Identity
 20:46 – Therapeutic Approaches for Neurodivergent Clients
 23:56 – Mindfulness and Emotional Awareness
 26:54 – Creative Therapies and Self-Expression
 30:01 – Energy Accounting and Burnout Prevention
 32:50 – Understanding Neurodiversity
 36:11 – Final Reflections

Continuing Education: Many episodes offer a free CEU for licensure in Arizona through the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners. Content is relevant for continuing education across LCSW, LMHC, LPC, LMFT, NCC, NBCC, and psychology licensure.

Subscribe and leave a review — it helps other therapists find the show.

Not sure where you're stuck clinically? Take the free Stuck Point Quiz at lorainmoorehead.com/quiz and get resources matched to your answers.

Self Careapist Therapist Podcast is a biweekly, therapist-to-therapist conversation hosted by Lorain Moorehead, LCSW, PMH-C, EMDRIA Approved Consultant. Guests include psychologists, researchers, and the developers of the clinical models they teach, with practical takeaways for every level, from intern to clinical supervisor. Many episodes offer a free CEU for Arizona licensure through the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners.

New episodes every other Wednesday. If this episode was useful, leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps other therapists find the show.

Human trafficking is often hidden in plain sight. In this episode of The Self Careapist Podcast,  Dr. Dominique Roe-Sepowitz, professor at Arizona State University and director of multiple anti-trafficking programs, stops by to speak with Lorain about about identification, prevention, and care for sex trafficking victims and survivors.

Content Warning: This episode discusses human trafficking, sexual violence, and exploitation. Please listen with care.

This conversation explores the full arc of identification, prevention, and trauma-informed care for human trafficking victims. From validating survivor experiences and creating prevention programs with law enforcement, to treatment models designed for healing, Dominique shares both research and real-world strategies for working with this population.

You’ll learn:

• How to identify human trafficking victims using accurate, client-driven language
• Prevention strategies involving law enforcement, housing programs, and community partners
• Treatment approaches for sex trafficking victims, including the STAR Group, a CBT-based model for recovery
• Why clinicians should seek expertise beyond client sessions to avoid harm
• Strategies for therapist self-care and managing burnout when working with highly traumatized survivors

Why this matters

Supporting human trafficking survivors requires more than compassion—it demands knowledge, collaboration, and trauma-informed care. By focusing on identification, prevention, and treatment, clinicians and advocates can play a critical role in helping victims reclaim safety and dignity.

Resources:

Gale Dines

Ted Talk

Sex Trafficking Training Materials

Listen now for expert insights on human trafficking identification, prevention, and care plus practical tools you can use to support survivors.

Continuing Education: Many episodes offer a free CEU for licensure in Arizona through the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners. Content is relevant for continuing education across LCSW, LMHC, LPC, LMFT, NCC, NBCC, and psychology licensure.

Subscribe and leave a review — it helps other therapists find the show.

Not sure where you're stuck clinically? Take the free Stuck Point Quiz at lorainmoorehead.com/quiz and get resources matched to your answers.

Self Careapist Therapist Podcast is a biweekly, therapist-to-therapist conversation hosted by Lorain Moorehead, LCSW, PMH-C, EMDRIA Approved Consultant. Guests include psychologists, researchers, and the developers of the clinical models they teach, with practical takeaways for every level, from intern to clinical supervisor. Many episodes offer a free CEU for Arizona licensure through the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners.

New episodes every other Wednesday. If this episode was useful, leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps other therapists find the show.