In this episode of Ask Kati Anything, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Kati Morton tackles the core question: Why Do I Feel So Behind? when it seems Everyone Else Seems to Have It Together. We dive deep into the psychological struggles of comparison, isolation, and overcoming trauma.We also address the debilitating internal experience: Are You Experiencing Complex PTSD? and provide clarity on What to Do When Your Brain Relates Everything to Trauma. Finally, we cover motivation loss, asking: Do You Have Anhedonia? and share strategies for Finding Motivation When Everything Feels Boring.‌

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Audience questions & timestamps:

0:00:39 (Q1) Dealing with Friendship Envy. Kati reframes friendship envy as an indicator of what you truly want in life.

0:06:59 (Q2) Recovering from Burnout. The Effort vs. Reward Strategy The key to recovery is assessing where your time and energy go, and then placing boundaries in areas where...

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0:14:12 (Q3) Moving On After Divorce. Rediscovery of Self Divorce is a huge loss, and therapy is a must. The core focus should be on figuring out who you are again through journaling (like The Artist's Way) and taking solo dates.

0:23:48 (Q4) Ego Death & Transformation. Ego vs. Connection Ego is a protective defense mechanism that, when overactive, can cause resistance, sabotage progress, and impede true connection.

0:30:10 (Q5) Why Everything is a Trigger (Complex PTSD) The listener is triggered by everyday items (like Vaseline) and experiences dissociation due to past sexual abuse by their mother. Kati emphasizes the brain is trying to protect the listener.

0:40:29 (Q6) In Crisis But Don’t Want to 'Bug' Therapist. It's common for crisis feelings and body memories to intensify at night due to fewer distractions. Advice includes using crisis lines (988, 741741)

0:45:34 (Q7) Loss of Motivation (Approaching 70) Anhedonia and Behavioral Activation Lacking enthusiasm (anhedonia) and motivation is a common sign of depression in older adults, often linked to loss of purpose and isolation.

0:50:29 (Q8) Finding the Right Dose The feeling of being "numbed out" or lacking motivation on an SSRI is often due to blunted affect from a dose that is too high, or the wrong medication entirely.

Ask Kati Anything ep. 290 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT

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