What if healing didn't have to happen on a couch? In this episode of Therapy is Dope with Alicia and Laura, we're joined by guest co-host Kishima Garcia and special guest Matt Sandoval, M.Ed., LMSW — CEO of Art Heals Arizona — for a warm, eye-opening conversation about the power of art to transform trauma into resilience.

Matt shares how Art Heals Arizona uses creative expression and trained volunteer mentors to serve children and teens who have experienced abuse, neglect, and homelessness. We dig into the research behind the program, the profound impact of mentorship on kids in foster care, and the intentionality behind the training of the volunteers.

Whether you're a mental health professional, an artist, or someone who just wants to make a difference — this one is for you.

🎨 Art + Mentors = Resilience

Find out more: https://arthealsaz.org

What happens when you stop living in your head and come back to your body? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Julie Merriman, Ph.D., LPC-S — nervous system expert, burnout specialist, and author — to explore one of the most overlooked paths to healing: getting back into your body.

We dive deep into:

✔️ What it really means to "get in the body" — and why so many high achievers have checked out of theirs

✔️ Grounding techniques rooted in somatic and nervous system science

✔️ How perfectionism keeps you stuck, exhausted, and disconnected from joy

✔️ Letting go of "performing" your life and rediscovering what genuinely lights you up

✔️ Why joy isn't a luxury — it's a nervous system need

Whether you're dissociated, emotionally numb, or just running on fumes, this conversation will give you practical tools to come home to yourself.

🌐 Learn more about Dr. Julie Merriman & take her FREE Somatic Signature Quiz: https://www.juliemerrimanphd.com/

📖 Get her IG: dr.juliemerriman

#MentalHealth #NervousSystemHealing #Grounding #Perfectionism #Joy #SomaticHealing #Burnout #WomensWellness #Podcast #MindBodyConnection #SoulJoy #DrJulieMerriman #CompassionFatigue #Healing #Mindfulness

On this episode of Therapy Is Dope with Alicia & Laura, we sit down with Martyn Williams — author of Sure, Let’s Go, the first person to lead a trek from the South Pole to the North Pole, avid climber, former monk, and lifelong seeker of insight and adventure.

While his outer journey spans the most extreme points on Earth, our conversation dives into something deeper: the inner expedition. Martyn shares what his years as a monk taught him about presence, awareness, and the subtle shifts in mindset that shape a meaningful life. We explore the role of humor in spiritual growth, the power of gratitude as a daily practice, and how intentional routines supported his enlightenment journey — not as rigid discipline, but as conscious choices that cultivate clarity and connection.

This episode is about more than adventure. It’s about living awake. It’s about how mindset becomes medicine. And it’s about remembering that enlightenment isn’t somewhere else — it’s here, in how we show up moment to moment.

Learn more about Martyn and his work at
https://www.enlighteningadventures.com/

In this powerful episode of Therapy Is Dope with Alicia & Laura, we sit down with renowned herbalist and classical Asian medicine expert David Crow, who brings over 40 years of experience in Ayurveda, Tibetan medicine, and Chinese medicine.

Together, we explore the spiritual and cultural foundations of traditional Asian medical systems—and how they differ from (and often expand beyond) Western approaches to health.

David breaks down:

• The shared principles of Ayurveda, Tibetan medicine, and Chinese medicine
• How herbs are used differently across cultures for similar—and sometimes very distinct—purposes
• The critical relationship between diet, gut health, and mental well-being
• Why nutrition advice must be personalized based on age, environment, and constitution
• How to simplify your diet instead of overcomplicating it
• The real purpose of meditation—beyond stress relief
• The difference between mindfulness for relaxation and the deeper spiritual goal of moksha (liberation or enlightenment)

As a mental health counselor committed to integrative, mind-body healing, this conversation was especially meaningful. We discuss how ancient systems understood what modern neuroscience is now confirming: the gut, the mind, and consciousness are deeply interconnected.

David also shares information about his telemedicine consultations and meditation courses available through CrowConsultations.com, where he continues to teach and guide students worldwide.

If you’re curious about herbal medicine, holistic mental health, meditation, or bridging ancient wisdom with modern therapy—this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen now and reimagine what healing really means.

In this episode of Therapy Is Dope with Alicia & Laura, we sit down with M.D. Selig, author of the provocative novel Hush, to explore some of the biggest questions humans have ever asked—about aliens, consciousness, and what it really means to be human.

M.D. Selig is a writer known for blending speculative fiction with deep philosophical and psychological inquiry. In Hush, he challenges readers to look beyond conventional explanations of reality and examine how silence, awareness, and perception shape our understanding of the world—and ourselves. His work sits at the intersection of science fiction, metaphysics, and consciousness studies, inviting curiosity rather than certainty.

Together, we dive into:

• What we mean when we talk about “aliens” and non-human intelligence

• Consciousness as something that may extend beyond the brain

• Why humans are both fascinated and unsettled by the unknown

• How storytelling allows us to safely explore realities we’re not ready to name outright

This conversation moves beyond the sensational and into the reflective—less about belief and more about curiosity, awareness, and the ways our minds try to make meaning of experiences that don’t fit neatly into existing frameworks.

If you’re interested in consciousness, the nature of reality, or why stories about the unknown resonate so deeply with us, this episode will stretch your thinking in all the right ways.✨🎧

Resources:

https://www.mdselig.com/

https://www.gaia.com/series/cosmic-disclosure

https://www.farsightprime.com/

In this episode of Therapy Is Dope with Alicia & Laura, we’re joined by journalist Jacob Ward, author of The Loop: How AI Is Creating a World Without Choices and How to Fight Back, for a timely and thought-provoking conversation about artificial intelligence—and what it’s doing to the human nervous system, attachment, and brain development.

Rather than focusing on dystopian hype or tech worship, this episode explores AI through a relational and psychological lens. We unpack how constant interaction with responsive, emotionally validating technology can subtly shape attachment patterns. What happens when regulation, reassurance, curiosity, or even companionship are increasingly outsourced to machines?

Jacob brings deep insight into how AI is designed to mirror human connection, why that’s so compelling to our brains, and where the ethical fault lines lie. Together, we discuss:

• How AI may influence attachment styles and relational expectations

• The impact of AI engagement on suffering and personal growth

• What nervous systems evolved for human connection do with always-available, non-human “relationships”

• How clinicians, parents, and communities can stay intentional without fear-mongering

This episode isn’t about rejecting technology—it’s about becoming more conscious of how it intersects with our biology, psychology, and need for real connection. If you’re a therapist, parent, educator, or simply someone navigating life in an increasingly AI-mediated world, this conversation invites you to slow down, zoom out, and ask better questions about how we stay human in the process.

If you like this content, like and subscribe! If you want to learn more about Jacob Ward:

• Website: jacobward.com

• Newsletter: Ripples on Substack – in-depth reporting on how technology shapes human systems

• Social Media:

  • X / Twitter: @jacobward

  • LinkedIn: Jacob Ward

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Karen Parker, founder of Quantum Human Design, to talk about what Human Design actually is—and how it can be used as a practical tool for self-understanding rather than another personality label.

We explore how Quantum Human Design blends science, psychology, and energetic awareness to help people understand their decision-making styles, emotional patterns, nervous system responses, and relationship dynamics. Dr. Parker breaks down the system in a way that’s accessible, grounded, and deeply empowering—especially for those who are tired of being told they should function like everyone else.

This conversation is about permission: permission to trust your own design, release shame around how you operate, and stop forcing yourself into boxes that were never made for you. Whether you’re new to Human Design or skeptical but curious, this episode offers a refreshing, non-dogmatic approach to understanding yourself at a deeper level.

In this solo episode of Therapy Is Dope with Alicia & Laura, we’re breaking down one of the most important skills for emotional health and healthy relationships: nervous system regulation.So many conflicts escalate not because of what’s said—but because our nervous system is dysregulated. When we’re activated, we react. When we’re regulated, we respond.In this episode, we talk about:*How to regulate your nervous system so you can respond instead of react*Why difficult conversations feel so overwhelming—and how to prepare for them without spiraling*Practical tools to calm your body before, during, and after hard conversations*Why even healthy communication doesn’t guarantee being understoodHow to emotionally cope with the reality that people will misunderstand you—and that doesn’t mean you’re wrongThis episode is especially helpful if you:*Freeze, people-please, lash out, or shut down in hard conversations*Avoid conversations/confrontation*Feel misunderstood*Want better boundaries without losing emotional controlWhether you’re navigating relationships, family conflict, workplace tension, or internal self-talk—this conversation will help you build emotional regulation, clarity, and confidence.🎧 Listen now and learn how to stay grounded, clear, and regulated—even when conversations get hard.#NervousSystemRegulation #RespondNotReact #DifficultConversations #EmotionalRegulation #TherapyIsDope #MentalHealthPodcast #Boundaries #TraumaInformed #BeingMisunderstood

In this episode of Therapy Is Dope with Alicia & Laura, we welcome Dr. Diane Mueller, also known as The Libido Doc — author of Want to Want It and a leading expert on creating hot, fulfilling, monogamous relationships.🔥

Dr. Diane specializes in helping individuals and couples reignite desire without pressure, shame, or gimmicks — especially in long-term partnerships where attraction, intimacy, and libido can fade under stress, burnout, parenting, trauma, or hormonal shifts.

In this conversation, we bridge mental health, nervous system regulation, and sexual desire, breaking down why wanting sex isn’t about willpower — and how sustainable desire is built through safety, embodiment, and emotional connection.

✨ In this episode, we discuss:

• Why many people want to want sex but feel disconnected from desire

• How long-term monogamy can still be passionate — and why it often isn’t

• The role of stress, trauma, hormones, and mental health in libido

• How to rewire the nervous system to find pleasure again

This episode is for anyone in a committed relationship who wants real intimacy, lasting desire, and a sex life that evolves — not disappears — with time.

🔗 Learn more about Dr. Diane Mueller:
🌐 https://havehotsex.com

🎧 Listen to Therapy Is Dope with Alicia & Laura on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube
📲 Follow for more conversations on relationships, mental health, and the mind-body connection

#TherapyIsDope #WantToWantIt #HotMonogamy #TheLibidoDoc
#LongTermRelationships #LowLibido #SexPositive #Intimacy
#MindBodyConnection #CouplesHealing #MentalHealthPodcast

In this powerful episode, Alicia and Laura sit down with David Olges — therapist, professor, dean, consultant, and one of the leading pioneers of modern mental-health development in Ukraine. David has spent years building trauma-informed systems, training clinicians, and supporting communities on the frontlines of war, displacement, and collective grief.

He shares profound insights on
✨ How War Chages a Country and its Culture
✨ Changes to the Assumptions of Counseling

✨ the resilience and wisdom of Ukrainian people
✨ Changes to Diagnoses - What does healthy look like?

✨ Changes to Treatment Goals

This episode is a masterclass in compassion, courage, and innovation in the field of psychology. Whether you're a clinician, a student, or someone passionate about global mental health, David’s story will expand your understanding of what healing looks like in the most complex environments.

Join us for an inspiring conversation about service, humanity, and what it means to show up for others when the world needs it most.

Website: https://missiontoukraine.org