Therapy Chat

Welcome to episode 85 of the Therapy Chat Podcast with host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C. In this week's episode, I’m delighted to welcome back the first ever guest of the podcast; Mercedes Samudio who speaks to me about parent shaming, how culture plays into what we view is ok and not ok and the need to help parents and not label them as bad people.

Mercedes Samudio is a parent coach who supports parents and children to communicate with each other, manage emotional trauma, navigate social media and technology together, and develop healthy parent-child relationships. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a private parent coaching practice, Mercedes has worked with adoptive families, foster families, teen parents, parents navigating the child protective services system, and children living with mental illness. Mercedes seeks to empower parents to believe that they are already great guides for raising healthy and happy children.

Being raised by someone who was not her biological mother (but who she called mom) really shaped how she saw myself, how she saw families, and how she saw parenting. And, it also put her on the path to figuring out how to support and heal families.

Whether you are a biological parent or not, being in a family system is complicated. As she healed her own relationship with her mother (a relationship she talks about in her book), and as she began to work with more and more families professionally, she realized that so many parents crumble under the pressure of being shamed, not knowing if they’re doing this parenting thing right, and struggling to connect with themselves and their children.

Resources

https://shameproofparenting.com

https://shameproofparenting.com/buybook

Visit Therapy Chat website at Http://therapychatpodcast.com and send host Laura Reagan a voice message letting her know what you think of Therapy Chat! Did you like this episode? Did you dislike it? Let her know!

Thank you for listening to Therapy Chat! Please be sure to go to iTunes and leave a rating and review, subscribe and download episodes.

Welcome to episode 84 of the Therapy Chat Podcast with host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C. In this week's episode, I talk about Mother’s Day.

As another Mother's Day approaches, you may be feeling a little less than enthusiastic about the big day. No need to feel guilty if it doesn't feel joyful to you. You're not alone! Most of my clients and a good number of my friends share that they have mixed feelings about Mother's Day too. This post is for all of you out there who hate the second Sunday in May for whatever reason. And there can be lots of reasons!

There are so many reasons why people find negative emotions coming up near Mother's Day. Here are some that I hear frequently, along with a few suggestions for dealing with these feelings. Feel free to share any ideas I missed in the comments below.

4 reasons why people say they hate Mother's Day:

"I hate Mother's Day because my mom's not here. Mother's Day reminds me how much I miss her and makes me wish I could tell her one more time how much I love her."

Maybe you were close with your mom and she passed away. Or maybe you weren't as close as you wanted to be, and her death left a lot of unresolved feelings about the relationship. You might feel the loss even more acutely on Mother's Day, even if her death was a long time ago. Maybe you were adopted and you want to connect with your birth mother. The marketing of Mother's Day means you see and hear commercials which tug at your heartstrings. Be gentle with yourself, knowing that you are sad about her loss. Allow yourself to feel your feelings on this tough day. Ask yourself what you can do in remembrance or to honor her. Think about what would make you feel nurtured, and do that, whether it's lying on the sofa wrapped in a cozy blanket watching Steel Magnolias, or going roller skating with your best friend, or cuddling with a puppy at the local animal shelter. Maybe your most special friends or family are not nearby. Can you call, video chat or text them? I'm sure you know what makes you feel loved and taken care of. Do that!

"Mother's Day is hard for me because I have always wanted to be a mom and I'm dealing with infertility."

Infertility can feel very isolating, especially if your friends and family members are getting pregnant and having babies, and you have miscarried or had trouble conceiving. Even if you have made the decision not to have children, or you have delivered a baby or adopted after experiencing infertility or pregnancy loss, Mother's Day can stir up a lot of mixed feelings. Many people say they feel no one understands what they're going through. It might be helpful to spend this day doing something that feels comforting to you. Don't worry about what other people are posting on social media today. Honor your own experience in a way that feels right to you. Are you part of a support group, in person or online? If not, would you like to find one? The National Infertility Association has a list of helplines and support groups as well as a number of other resources on its website. Through The Heart has ideas for coping on its website.

"I feel sad seeing everyone's Facebook posts saying they love their moms so much, and my mom was never there for me emotionally when I was a child. We still don't have a good relationship. I am mad at her for not taking better care of me."

I specialize in working with people who have experienced some kind of abuse or neglect in childhood. Therefore, many of my clients find Mother's Day triggers their trauma symptoms. Our culture places such importance of the mother role! Many people who are disappointed in their relationships with their moms also feel guilty about having those feelings. It is okay to feel however you feel about your mom. You do not have to pretend your relationship with her is different from how it truly is just because of Mother's Day. Here's a podcast episode I did on being estranged from important loved ones you may find helpful.

This is a good time to do what makes you feel special. If you have a partner, letting that person know this is a tough day for you and asking for extra support can be helpful. You can nurture yourself, even if you were not nurtured as a child. If you need extra support with this, therapy can be helpful. Here's a podcast episode on how childhood emotional neglect can make us feel as if we have a "fatal flaw" making us unlovable.

"I am a single mother and no one supports me on Mother's Day or any other time of the year."

Mother's Day might feel just like any other day if you have little kids and no partner to make sure that you are celebrated on this day. I'll add it might be just like any other day, with an extra dose of resentment about feeling overworked and unappreciated. Once again, I recommend you try to do what you can to take care of you. Your kids will understand everything you do for them when they're older, but for now, they don't get it. Reaching out to a friend who is also a single mom could be helpful. Maybe it would feel nice for you and your kids to get together with a mom friend and her kids. While the kids play you can provide one another with moral support. Or maybe you can take your kids to the park, so they can play while you get a bit of respite. Do you have any family or friends who would be willing to watch the kids so you can do something that makes you feel special on Sunday?

A couple more things that might help:

I have two more recommendations that might make the day easier if you struggle on Mother's Day. First, it might be wise to avoid social media that day and the day after. Just like on Valentine's Day, Mother's Day is a notorious day to catch a bad case of comparison-itis when you see what your friends on social media are posting. There will be "perfect" family photos, flowers, and many photos of the fabulous brunches that someone's wonderful spouse or kids treated them to on Mother's Day. I'm not taking anything away from your friends and the wonderful Mother's Day experience they want to share on social media, but if you know this is going to be tough for you, it might help to just not look that Sunday and Monday.

My second recommendation is to try this meditation if you need a little Loving-Kindness (Metta) in your life.

To begin, sit comfortably on a chair or meditation cushion, with your feet on the floor or legs crossed. Sit up tall and breathe deeply for three inhales and three exhales. Bring your awareness to your heart and try to recall loving feelings from someone who made you feel nurtured. Slowly repeat these words:

Click on the image to visit my website where you can listen to and download two free guided meditations.

Click on the image to visit my website where you can listen to and download two free guided meditations.

May I be safe.

May I be happy.

May I be kind to myself.

May I be free of suffering.

Notice what feelings arise. You may feel the loving kindness spread over your body. You may also notice that sadness or anger are felt. Do not try to push these feelings away, but just notice them. If you can allow yourself to feel them you might find that they pass. Continue taking deep breaths in and out, and just notice how you feel. There is no right or wrong way to feel. This simple practice can be done for a minute or two, or for longer if you wish. It is up to you.

I hope the meditation I have described above will offer some comfort, even if you hate Mother's Day. If you'd like more guided meditations, Here is a link to two free meditations on my website.

If you have a reason for hating Mother's Day that I didn't mention, please comment below! I'd also love to hear of any other ideas you may know of that are helpful in getting through Mother's Day if it's a hard day for you. And please remember that you are not alone.

Find this in blog post format here: https://www.laurareaganlcswc.com/connectwithyourtrueselfblog/2015/5/5/hate-mothers-day-this-ones-for-you

With loving kindness,

Laura Reagan, LCSW-C

Visit Therapy Chat website at Http://therapychatpodcast.com and send host Laura Reagan a voice message letting her know what you think of Therapy Chat! Did you like this episode? Did you dislike it? Let her know!

Thank you for listening to Therapy Chat! Please be sure to go to iTunes and leave a rating and review, subscribe and download episodes.

Welcome to episode 84 of the Therapy Chat Podcast with host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C. In this week's episode, I talk about Mother’s Day.

As another Mother's Day approaches, you may be feeling a little less than enthusiastic about the big day. No need to feel guilty if it doesn't feel joyful to you. You're not alone! Most of my clients and a good number of my friends share that they have mixed feelings about Mother's Day too. This post is for all of you out there who hate the second Sunday in May for whatever reason. And there can be lots of reasons!

There are so many reasons why people find negative emotions coming up near Mother's Day. Here are some that I hear frequently, along with a few suggestions for dealing with these feelings. Feel free to share any ideas I missed in the comments below.

4 reasons why people say they hate Mother's Day:

"I hate Mother's Day because my mom's not here. Mother's Day reminds me how much I miss her and makes me wish I could tell her one more time how much I love her."

Maybe you were close with your mom and she passed away. Or maybe you weren't as close as you wanted to be, and her death left a lot of unresolved feelings about the relationship. You might feel the loss even more acutely on Mother's Day, even if her death was a long time ago. Maybe you were adopted and you want to connect with your birth mother. The marketing of Mother's Day means you see and hear commercials which tug at your heartstrings. Be gentle with yourself, knowing that you are sad about her loss. Allow yourself to feel your feelings on this tough day. Ask yourself what you can do in remembrance or to honor her. Think about what would make you feel nurtured, and do that, whether it's lying on the sofa wrapped in a cozy blanket watching Steel Magnolias, or going roller skating with your best friend, or cuddling with a puppy at the local animal shelter. Maybe your most special friends or family are not nearby. Can you call, video chat or text them? I'm sure you know what makes you feel loved and taken care of. Do that!

"Mother's Day is hard for me because I have always wanted to be a mom and I'm dealing with infertility."

Infertility can feel very isolating, especially if your friends and family members are getting pregnant and having babies, and you have miscarried or had trouble conceiving. Even if you have made the decision not to have children, or you have delivered a baby or adopted after experiencing infertility or pregnancy loss, Mother's Day can stir up a lot of mixed feelings. Many people say they feel no one understands what they're going through. It might be helpful to spend this day doing something that feels comforting to you. Don't worry about what other people are posting on social media today. Honor your own experience in a way that feels right to you. Are you part of a support group, in person or online? If not, would you like to find one? The National Infertility Association has a list of helplines and support groups as well as a number of other resources on its website. Through The Heart has ideas for coping on its website.

"I feel sad seeing everyone's Facebook posts saying they love their moms so much, and my mom was never there for me emotionally when I was a child. We still don't have a good relationship. I am mad at her for not taking better care of me."

I specialize in working with people who have experienced some kind of abuse or neglect in childhood. Therefore, many of my clients find Mother's Day triggers their trauma symptoms. Our culture places such importance of the mother role! Many people who are disappointed in their relationships with their moms also feel guilty about having those feelings. It is okay to feel however you feel about your mom. You do not have to pretend your relationship with her is different from how it truly is just because of Mother's Day. Here's a podcast episode I did on being estranged from important loved ones you may find helpful.

This is a good time to do what makes you feel special. If you have a partner, letting that person know this is a tough day for you and asking for extra support can be helpful. You can nurture yourself, even if you were not nurtured as a child. If you need extra support with this, therapy can be helpful. Here's a podcast episode on how childhood emotional neglect can make us feel as if we have a "fatal flaw" making us unlovable.

"I am a single mother and no one supports me on Mother's Day or any other time of the year."

Mother's Day might feel just like any other day if you have little kids and no partner to make sure that you are celebrated on this day. I'll add it might be just like any other day, with an extra dose of resentment about feeling overworked and unappreciated. Once again, I recommend you try to do what you can to take care of you. Your kids will understand everything you do for them when they're older, but for now, they don't get it. Reaching out to a friend who is also a single mom could be helpful. Maybe it would feel nice for you and your kids to get together with a mom friend and her kids. While the kids play you can provide one another with moral support. Or maybe you can take your kids to the park, so they can play while you get a bit of respite. Do you have any family or friends who would be willing to watch the kids so you can do something that makes you feel special on Sunday?

A couple more things that might help:

I have two more recommendations that might make the day easier if you struggle on Mother's Day. First, it might be wise to avoid social media that day and the day after. Just like on Valentine's Day, Mother's Day is a notorious day to catch a bad case of comparison-itis when you see what your friends on social media are posting. There will be "perfect" family photos, flowers, and many photos of the fabulous brunches that someone's wonderful spouse or kids treated them to on Mother's Day. I'm not taking anything away from your friends and the wonderful Mother's Day experience they want to share on social media, but if you know this is going to be tough for you, it might help to just not look that Sunday and Monday.

My second recommendation is to try this meditation if you need a little Loving-Kindness (Metta) in your life.

To begin, sit comfortably on a chair or meditation cushion, with your feet on the floor or legs crossed. Sit up tall and breathe deeply for three inhales and three exhales. Bring your awareness to your heart and try to recall loving feelings from someone who made you feel nurtured. Slowly repeat these words:
Click on the image to visit my website where you can listen to and download two free guided meditations.
Click on the image to visit my website where you can listen to and download two free guided meditations.

May I be safe.

May I be happy.

May I be kind to myself.

May I be free of suffering.

Notice what feelings arise. You may feel the loving kindness spread over your body. You may also notice that sadness or anger are felt. Do not try to push these feelings away, but just notice them. If you can allow yourself to feel them you might find that they pass. Continue taking deep breaths in and out, and just notice how you feel. There is no right or wrong way to feel. This simple practice can be done for a minute or two, or for longer if you wish. It is up to you.

I hope the meditation I have described above will offer some comfort, even if you hate Mother's Day. If you'd like more guided meditations, Here is a link to two free meditations on my website.

If you have a reason for hating Mother's Day that I didn't mention, please comment below! I'd also love to hear of any other ideas you may know of that are helpful in getting through Mother's Day if it's a hard day for you. And please remember that you are not alone.

Find this in blog post format here: https://www.laurareaganlcswc.com/connectwithyourtrueselfblog/2015/5/5/hate-mothers-day-this-ones-for-you

With loving kindness,

Laura Reagan, LCSW-C

Visit Therapy Chat website at Http://therapychatpodcast.com and send host Laura Reagan a voice message letting her know what you think of Therapy Chat! Did you like this episode? Did you dislike it? Let her know!

Thank you for listening to Therapy Chat! Please be sure to go to iTunes and leave a rating and review, subscribe and download episodes.

Welcome to episode 83 of the Therapy Chat Podcast with host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C. In this week's episode, I speak to Dr. Kat Kaeni about the issue of Maternal Mental Health, which is all about your mental health during conception, pregnancy, miscarriage or loss, birth and postpartum.

Dr. Kat is a psychologist, who helps you find ways out of suffering or confusion and into wellness. People go to her psychotherapy practice when they are struggling with things in their life and want to feel better. Her style of working with people is to be real and keep therapy down to earth. In her sessions, she uses compassion, insight, and empathy in addition to her education and training to guide your healing. Her belief is that therapy should not be a mysterious process. She believes that you have the ability to get better. Sometimes we just need a little help; sometimes we need a lot of help.

You may have heard of postpartum depression already. There are other things that most folks don’t know about…It’s not always rainbows and puppy dogs, like we are meant to think it’s “supposed to be”. For about 20% of women, the transition into parenthood can lead to severe mood changes. There are things that don’t go as planned such as: Pregnancy or postpartum depression, anxiety, trauma, OCD and less frequently, bipolar disorder or psychosis. These are serious, but very treatable conditions.

In this episode, Dr. Kat talks about how this is a more common issue than people realize, how you can identify the symptoms of maternal mental health and ways in which to prevent these disorders.

Resources

https://drkaeni.com

http://momandmind.com

http://www.postpartum.net

http://www.postpartumprogress.com

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ppd-gone/id529141505?mt=8 (PPD Gone App)

Visit Therapy Chat website at Http://therapychatpodcast.com and send host Laura Reagan a voice message letting her know what you think of Therapy Chat! Did you like this episode? Did you dislike it? Let her know!

Thank you for listening to Therapy Chat! Please be sure to go to iTunes and leave a rating and review, subscribe and download episodes.

Welcome to episode 82 of the Therapy Chat Podcast with host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C. In this week's episode, I speak to Carolyn Daitch, Ph.D. who has been a psychologist in private practice for more than 30 years. She is a psychologist, trainer, author and presenter, and the director of the Center for the Treatment of Anxiety Disorders in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

Dr. Daitch is a consultant with the University of Michigan School of Medicine’s Department of Complementary and Alternative Research. She has served three terms on the Executive Council of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH) and as a member-at-large, Psychology. She has also been elected an officer in Division 30, of the American Psychological Association. She was the Educational co-chair of the Society of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis. Dr. Daitch is the recipient of two Presidential awards from the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis for her writing, teaching, and contributions to ASCH. She is also past-president of the Michigan Society of Clinical Hypnosis, from whom she was honored with a lifetime achievement award in 2008.

In 2007, Dr. Daitch published the award-winning Affect Regulation Toolbox: Practical and Effective Hypnotic Interventions for the Over-reactive Client (W.W. Norton), which has received international acclaim. She is a contributing author of Clinical Pearls of Wisdom: Leading Therapists Offer Their Key Insights (W.W. Norton, 2010). Dr. Daitch is also the author of Anxiety Disorders: The Go-To Guide for Clients and Therapists (W.W. Norton, 2011), and co-author of Anxious in Love: How to Manage Your Anxiety, Reduce Conflict and Reconnect with Your Partner (New Harbinger, 2012). Her newest project is The Road to Calm Workbook: Life-Changing Tools to Stop Runaway Emotions (W.W. Norton, In Press).

In this episode, Dr. Daitch talks further about anxiety, how it can affect relationships and ways in which couples can communicate better to overcome this issue.

Resources

http://carolyndaitchphd.com

https://www.amazon.com/Anxious-Love-Anxiety-Conflict-Reconnect/dp/1608822311/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1435380113&sr=1-4&keywords=carolyn+daitch

[email protected]

Visit Therapy Chat website at Http://therapychatpodcast.com and send host Laura Reagan a voice message letting her know what you think of Therapy Chat! Did you like this episode? Did you dislike it? Let her know!

Thank you for listening to Therapy Chat! Please be sure to go to iTunes and leave a rating and review, subscribe and download episodes.

Welcome to episode 82 of the Therapy Chat Podcast with host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C. In this week's episode, I speak to Carolyn Daitch, Ph.D. who has been a psychologist in private practice for more than 30 years. She is a psychologist, trainer, author and presenter, and the director of the Center for the Treatment of Anxiety Disorders in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

Dr. Daitch is a consultant with the University of Michigan School of Medicine’s Department of Complementary and Alternative Research. She has served three terms on the Executive Council of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH) and as a member-at-large, Psychology. She has also been elected an officer in Division 30, of the American Psychological Association. She was the Educational co-chair of the Society of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis. Dr. Daitch is the recipient of two Presidential awards from the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis for her writing, teaching, and contributions to ASCH. She is also past-president of the Michigan Society of Clinical Hypnosis, from whom she was honored with a lifetime achievement award in 2008.

In 2007, Dr. Daitch published the award-winning Affect Regulation Toolbox: Practical and Effective Hypnotic Interventions for the Over-reactive Client (W.W. Norton), which has received international acclaim. She is a contributing author of Clinical Pearls of Wisdom: Leading Therapists Offer Their Key Insights (W.W. Norton, 2010). Dr. Daitch is also the author of Anxiety Disorders: The Go-To Guide for Clients and Therapists (W.W. Norton, 2011), and co-author of Anxious in Love: How to Manage Your Anxiety, Reduce Conflict and Reconnect with Your Partner (New Harbinger, 2012). Her newest project is The Road to Calm Workbook: Life-Changing Tools to Stop Runaway Emotions (W.W. Norton, In Press).

In this episode, Dr. Daitch talks further about anxiety, how it can affect relationships and ways in which couples can communicate better to overcome this issue.

Resources

http://carolyndaitchphd.com

https://www.amazon.com/Anxious-Love-Anxiety-Conflict-Reconnect/dp/1608822311/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1435380113&sr=1-4&keywords=carolyn+daitch

[email protected]

Visit Therapy Chat website at Http://therapychatpodcast.com and send host Laura Reagan a voice message letting her know what you think of Therapy Chat! Did you like this episode? Did you dislike it? Let her know!

Thank you for listening to Therapy Chat! Please be sure to go to iTunes and leave a rating and review, subscribe and download episodes.

Welcome to episode 81 of the Therapy Chat Podcast with host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C. This week's episode is a solo episode with myself expanding more on trauma, what you think it is: and what you can do if you have experienced it.

If you listened to episode 79 with Dr. Gabor Maté, you’ll be interested in this episode, in that episode we defined what trauma was, but there is still confusion around what trauma is, so I hope this episode will help in explaining further what trauma is and the issues around it.

When you hear the word "trauma," what do you think of? If you're like most people, you probably imagine that people experience the effects of trauma after a plane crash, surviving a fire, a major car accident, or participating in military combat. It's true that all of those things can cause someone to experience trauma symptoms, but there are many other traumatic experiences which are more common in the general population that we don't always recognize as being traumatic.

I must point out, though, that I have talked to many people who have survived house fires or military combat. Most often when I describe that these experiences - which you and I can pretty much agree, can we not, are considered by most people to be experiences fitting the definition of trauma - could have been traumatic, the person sitting with me in the therapy room will say, "I don't really think of it as traumatic. I mean, so many people have been through much worse."

There is a reason why that statement is so interesting, which I explain in the podcast… Enjoy!

Resources

Episode 79: Childhood Traumatic Stress: The Mind-Body Connection http://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/show/baltimoreannapolispsychotherapypodcast/id/5241791

Episode 25: What Is Childhood Emotional Neglect? - https://www.laurareaganlcswc.com/connectwithyourtrueselfblog/2016/3/21/therapy-chat-podcast

Visit Therapy Chat website at Http://therapychatpodcast.com and send host Laura Reagan a voice message letting her know what you think of Therapy Chat! Did you like this episode? Did you dislike it? Let her know!

Thank you for listening to Therapy Chat! Please be sure to go to iTunes and leave a rating and review, subscribe and download episodes.

Welcome to episode 80 of the Therapy Chat Podcast with host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C. This week's episode features Amy Sugeno, LCSW, PLLC.

If you listened to episode 79 with Dr. Gabor Maté, you’ll be interested in this interview with Amy Sugeno, LCSW of Marble Falls, Texas, who is a clinical eco-therapist. Amy talks about what Eco Therapy is, the research on its use and effectiveness with depression and anxiety, stress relief, ADHD, grounding and self-regulation for trauma survivors.

Amy explains that Eco Therapy can take many forms, including animal-assisted (for example, canine and equine) therapies, wilderness therapies, walk and talk therapy, horticulture therapy and clinical eco-therapy in an office, as well as many other possibilities. She explains that this is a depth-oriented type of psychotherapy which can be very powerful. Amy describes how she conducts an eco-therapy session what to wear and what a client can expect overall. She and Laura discuss the power dynamics of the therapy relationship and how Eco Therapy can help create a balance.

For the past 10 years, Amy has worked to help people heal from trauma. Most of her work has been with adults and teens affected by interpersonal violence and sexual abuse. Over the years, she has also worked with people struggling with suicidal thoughts, self-harming behaviors, eating disorders, homelessness, chronic mental illness, and substance abuse.

In this episode, you will hear Amy talk about the positive benefits of Eco Therapy, forest bathing and the shared vulnerability Eco Therapy can create between Amy and her client.

Resources

Amy’s website: http://www.amysugenocounseling.com/

The Animas Institute www.animas.org

Episode 78 with Lanie Smith on Eco Art Therapy: http://traffic.libsyn.com/baltimoreannapolispsychotherapypodcast/EP78_LanieSmith.mp3

Episode 79 with Dr. Gabor Maté on the effects of traumatic stress during development:  http://traffic.libsyn.com/baltimoreannapolispsychotherapypodcast/TherapyChat_EP79_GaborMate.mp3

Amy’s previous interview on Therapy Chat on Attachment: http://traffic.libsyn.com/baltimoreannapolispsychotherapypodcast/Amy_Sugeno_final.mp3

Visit Therapy Chat website at Http://therapychatpodcast.com and send host Laura Reagan a voice message letting her know what you think of Therapy Chat! Did you like this episode? Did you dislike it? Let her know!

Thank you for listening to Therapy Chat! Please be sure to go to iTunes and leave a rating and review, subscribe and download episodes.

Welcome to episode 80 of the Therapy Chat Podcast with host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C. This week's episode features Amy Sugeno, LCSW, PLLC.

If you listened to episode 79 with Dr. Gabor Maté, you’ll be interested in this interview with Amy Sugeno, LCSW of Marble Falls, Texas, who is a clinical eco-therapist. Amy talks about what Eco Therapy is, the research on its use and effectiveness with depression and anxiety, stress relief, ADHD, grounding and self-regulation for trauma survivors.

Amy explains that Eco Therapy can take many forms, including animal-assisted (for example, canine and equine) therapies, wilderness therapies, walk and talk therapy, horticulture therapy and clinical eco-therapy in an office, as well as many other possibilities. She explains that this is a depth-oriented type of psychotherapy which can be very powerful. Amy describes how she conducts an eco-therapy session what to wear and what a client can expect overall. She and Laura discuss the power dynamics of the therapy relationship and how Eco Therapy can help create a balance.

For the past 10 years, Amy has worked to help people heal from trauma. Most of her work has been with adults and teens affected by interpersonal violence and sexual abuse. Over the years, she has also worked with people struggling with suicidal thoughts, self-harming behaviors, eating disorders, homelessness, chronic mental illness, and substance abuse.

In this episode, you will hear Amy talk about the positive benefits of Eco Therapy, forest bathing and the shared vulnerability Eco Therapy can create between Amy and her client.

Resources

Amy’s website: http://www.amysugenocounseling.com/

The Animas Institute www.animas.org

Episode 78 with Lanie Smith on Eco Art Therapy: http://traffic.libsyn.com/baltimoreannapolispsychotherapypodcast/EP78_LanieSmith.mp3

Episode 79 with Dr. Gabor Maté on the effects of traumatic stress during development:  http://traffic.libsyn.com/baltimoreannapolispsychotherapypodcast/TherapyChat_EP79_GaborMate.mp3

Amy’s previous interview on Therapy Chat on Attachment: http://traffic.libsyn.com/baltimoreannapolispsychotherapypodcast/Amy_Sugeno_final.mp3

Visit Therapy Chat website at Http://therapychatpodcast.com and send host Laura Reagan a voice message letting her know what you think of Therapy Chat! Did you like this episode? Did you dislike it? Let her know!

Thank you for listening to Therapy Chat! Please be sure to go to iTunes and leave a rating and review, subscribe and download episodes.

Welcome to episode 79 of the Therapy Chat Podcast with host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C. This week's episode features Dr. Gabor Maté. Dr. Maté is the co-founder of Compassion for Addiction, a new non-profit that focuses on addiction. He is also an advisor of Drugs over Dinner.

As an author, Dr. Maté has written several bestselling books including the award-winning In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction; When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress; and Scattered Minds: A New Look at the Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit Disorder, and co-authored Hold on to Your Kids. His works have been published internationally in twenty languages.

For twelve years Dr. Maté worked in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside with patients challenged by hard-core drug addiction, mental illness and HIV, including at Vancouver’s Supervised Injection Site. With over 20 years of family practice and palliative care experience and extensive knowledge of the latest findings of leading-edge research, Dr. Maté is a sought-after speaker and teacher, regularly addressing health professionals, educators, and lay audiences throughout North America.

In the fall of 2017, Dr. Maté will be launching a brand new website offering online courses in his various areas of expertise. The first course will be a training program for health professionals working with people with addiction.

Dr. Maté explains the connection between childhood traumatic stress at any point in development - even in utero - and mental and physical health and well-being. Beyond a discussion of ACES, he describes the causes of illness and how trauma fits in. Did you know that ADD/ADHD, MS, Prostate cancer, ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) and many other diseases, as well as addictions of all kinds are linked to trauma? Gabor's books, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, Scattered, and When the Body Says No go into depth with the research to support his assertions.

Resources

https://drgabormate.com

https://www.compassion4addiction.org

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66cYcSak6nE (Ted Talk)

Article Dr. Maté referenced: "An Integrated Scientific Framework for Child Survival and Early Childhood Development" from Pediatrics, February 2012, Vol 129, Issue 2.

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