The Affirming Minds Podcast

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In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, we explore the transformative power of the SPACE model—Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions—an evidence-based, parent-led approach for treating childhood anxiety.

Our guest, Dr. Ivy Ruths, is a licensed psychologist and the founder and Clinical Director of the Houston Anxiety & Wellness Center, where she specializes in treating anxiety, OCD, and related disorders using the SPACE model. With over 15 years of experience and PsyPact certification, Dr. Ruths offers therapy in 40+ states and is a nationally recognized leader in child and adolescent anxiety treatment.

This episode is packed with compassionate, actionable insights for therapists, educators, and caregivers looking to help children, teens, and emerging adults rise to the occasion—even when therapy isn't happening in the therapy room.

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  In this affirming and insightful episode, host Shaina Siber sits down with Kara Cruz, LMFT — a therapist, clinical supervisor, and women's mental health educator — to unpack the often-invisible forces that contribute to burnout: emotional labor and the mental load. Together, they explore how these burdens show up across caregiving roles, relationships, and professional life, particularly for those who are cisgender, femme-presenting, or socially perceived as women.

Kara and Shaina also explore the societal conditioning that encourages self-abandonment, people-pleasing, and perfectionism in caregiving roles, and how these patterns often show up in the therapy room — both for our clients and for us as clinicians. Listeners will gain tools to better identify and validate these experiences, along with practical interventions rooted in Internal Family Systems (IFS), values clarification, and boundary work.

This episode offers both validation and direction — a must-listen for therapists, caregivers, or anyone who’s ever felt overwhelmed by the invisible labor they carry.

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  In this episode, you’ll get a clear, beginner-friendly introduction to Brainspotting—a powerful brain-body therapy that helps clients process trauma stored deep in the nervous system. You’ll hear a thorough overview of Brainspotting's theoretical framework, including the neurobiological mechanisms behind it, the concepts of the Inside Window and Outside Window, and the principle of dual attunement.

Miranda Campbell, LCSW, MSM joins the conversation to share how she’s begun integrating Brainspotting into her clinical work. Miranda brings a relational, attachment-focused lens to her practice and offers honest reflections on what it looks like to begin using Brainspotting in real-world sessions.

Whether you're brand new to Brainspotting or looking for ways to deepen your use of somatic interventions, this episode offers both foundational context and thoughtful clinical insights.

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Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/f1afbafa-5122-4416-a960-fd97b99db8ec   

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  In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber sits down with Dr. Ashley Stevens to explore the transformative power of clinical supervision—not only as a tool for elevating clinical care but also as a strategy for burnout prevention and professional growth. Whether you're supervising in private practice, a group setting, or preparing to step into a supervisory role, this episode offers a deeply insightful and practical conversation.

Dr. Ashley Stevens is a Board-Certified Licensed Clinical Social Work Supervisor, currently licensed in nine states and supervising clinicians in five. She brings a unique interdisciplinary lens to her work, having earned her doctoral degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Grand Canyon University, along with a master’s in social work from East Tennessee State University and a bachelor’s in psychology from UNC Chapel Hill.

Ashley’s experience spans Veterans Affairs, private practice, clinical supervision, and executive consulting. Her focus? Training the next generation of clinicians and leaders with a strong emphasis on sustainability, clinical excellence, and designing a career that supports—not depletes—the therapist. She’s on a mission to help social workers not just survive, but thrive.

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Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/ac791cd8-2f45-4848-a30e-e14d2b755cd4  

Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com.  

  In this insightful episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber welcomes Gabrielle Giuliano-Valli, LCSW, for a deep and accessible dive into Polyvagal Theory and its real-world applications for clinicians. Gabrielle breaks down the core principles of the theory, explains how it maps onto trauma-informed care, and shares practical ways to support client regulation and engagement using body-based interventions.

Learn how to decode your clients' physiological responses, co-regulate in the therapy room, and integrate tools that widen the window of tolerance. This episode is perfect for clinicians who want to enhance their clinical toolkit with neuroscience-informed, compassion-forward techniques.

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?**

Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/a2f94458-6932-4c67-aa52-673c66226e1d    

Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com.  

  In this eye-opening episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, Shaina Siber, LCSW sits down with Sarah Wolfer, LICSW, a therapist and relationship anarchist, to explore the complex, beautiful, and often misunderstood world of non-monogamous relationships—and how therapists can show up ethically, affirmingly, and effectively for clients in these relationship structures.

Whether you’re new to working with polyamorous, open, or relationship-diverse clients—or looking to deepen your practice—this conversation offers a powerful lens on supporting clients without stigma, bias, or pathologization.

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?**

Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/2ab2de61-c500-4d98-9d1d-f27ce2a92df9    

Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com.  

 In this rich and clinically grounded episode, host Shaina Siber, LCSW  is joined by Dr. Brian Chu and Dr. Sandy Pimentel to talk about how CBT can be delivered effectively and flexibly with children and adolescents—especially those managing chronic stress, social exclusion, systemic barriers, and complex family dynamics.

Drawing from their new book, CBT Treatment Plans and Interventions for Depression and Anxiety Disorders in Youth, they offer practical tools and clinical decision-making strategies to maintain CBT fidelity while adjusting to developmental needs and contextual factors. This conversation is designed for therapists seeking to strengthen case conceptualization, intervention planning, and outcome monitoring in real-world clinical settings.

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?**

Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/9a72358a-f788-4361-8dd0-926bae594801    

Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com.  

In this powerful and thought-provoking episode, Shaina sits down with Dr. Ryan DeLapp, a clinical psychologist specializing in racial and cultural stress, to discuss how clinicians can better support young people experiencing racism-related stress and trauma. Dr. DeLapp introduces practical tools and frameworks, including his Empowered Coping Process and the Beat Diagram, to help young people identify, process, and navigate their experiences.

The conversation also delves into:

Whether you're a clinician, educator, or parent, this episode provides evidence-based strategies to help young people process racial stress in a way that fosters self-confidence, emotional regulation, and resilience.

Dr. DeLapp’s newly released book, Empower Yourself Against Racial and Cultural Stress: Using Skills from the REACH Program to Cope, Heal, and Thrive, is an essential resource for youth but also an invaluable adjunctive tool for therapy.

This workbook offers step-by-step strategies and downloadable worksheets to help young people:

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?**

Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/5aaf2756-5e75-4c86-9f35-b636f4a2f866  

Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com.  

  In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber sits down with Destiny Davis, LPC, CRC, to explore the complex psychological and emotional effects of chronic illness. Destiny is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Clinical Rehabilitation Counselor specializing in chronic illness and disability counseling, based in Atlanta, Georgia. With a background as a family liaison in intensive outpatient therapy, she has deep expertise in connecting individuals with their support systems.

Destiny shares insights into how chronic illness impacts identity, relationships, and mental health, and discusses the critical role of disability-affirming and trauma-informed care. She breaks down how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Somatic Experiencing

can be powerful tools for helping clients navigate the challenges of invisible illnesses while fostering resilience, self-compassion, and meaningful engagement in life.

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?**

Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/23976cfb-3744-42c7-a5aa-e501060ab66e 

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 Eating disorders are complex, multifaceted conditions that require equally nuanced and comprehensive treatment. In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, we are joined by Dr. Lauren Yadlosky, Clinical Director of the Eating Disorders Program at Montefiore (EDPM), and Dr. Alexis Richards, Medical Director of EDPM. They bring their expertise on the interdisciplinary approach to eating disorder treatment, the role of Family-Based Treatment (FBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and the systemic barriers preventing marginalized communities from receiving proper diagnoses and care.

We explore the intersectionality of eating disorders, discussing how weight bias, socioeconomic disparities, and structural inequities impact treatment accessibility and outcomes. Our guests also highlight the critical role of integrating medical and psychological care, demonstrating how a multidisciplinary approach enhances patient recovery. Whether you’re a clinician, caregiver, or someone seeking a deeper understanding of eating disorder treatment, this episode is packed with essential insights.