Ask Kati Anything

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton addresses whether or not our therapist knows when we lie. She also explained why they may call you out on it, and why being honest is important but difficult. She then talks about why therapists are taught to watch body language and notice what their patients do in session or when stressed out. Kati then explores the difference between a body memory and actual physical pain. She also talks about the difference between shock and dissociation and whether or not they can occur at the same time. This and so much more in this week’s episode!Ask Kati Anything ep.179 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Ask Kati Anything ep. 178 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. Do therapists know when their clients are lying, or trying to avoid certain topics? If so, what do you do as a therapist? 2. From your perspective as a therapist, how important is it or, or how much do you pay attention to your clients’ body language during session? I tend to get very anxious and unconsciously begin to fidget or... 3. How do I know if a certain pain is "just" pain or if it is a body memory? What exactly is a body memory when you don't remember anything else and don't have other memories that could explain where it is from? 4. Have you ever had a client who was deaf?!? If they needed an interpreter would the interpreter sign a confidentiality agreement not to disclose any information?!? Have you ever treated someone who was deaf? 5. How does menopause affect your mental health and do you have any tips for how to best deal with all of the changes, physically and emotionally. 6. I am a 54 year old woman diagnosed with anxiety, depression, and ADD. I just recently dislocated my finger, and my question is what is the difference between shock and dissociation? Can you be in shock and dissociate at the same time? 7. Years ago my dad got a new girlfriend after he got separated from my mum. I didn’t have any problem with her other than I didn’t like the fact that she was not my mum. I thought she was actually really nice, but after they got another daughter she started complaining when I... 8. Why do I find it so hard to apologize? For example, when my husband points out a wrong behavior of mine, even if I know he is right, I counter accuse him of something or I get to thinking of everything he has done in the past that hurted me... TIMESTAMPS from @Lemonady :) Q1 - 0:25 Q2 - 16:20 Q3 - 33:00 Q4 - 50:30 Q5 - 55:34 Q6 - 1:03:37 Q7 - 1:09:33 Q8 - 1:14:03 KATI'S BOOKS (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ...MORE YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton explains what body memories are, if pain can be related to trauma, and what the difference is between a flashback and an intrusive thought. She also explains why we may need to stay on medication for a long period of time, and why we may not notice when we are depressed. She also talks about what we can do if we are struggling to stay present in therapy and talk about the hard stuff, and what we can do to heal from codependency. This and so much more in this week’s episode. Ask Kati Anything ep. 178 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. I've heard people say that someone can be unhappy or depressed without realizing it and I've seen it happen. I was wondering if that could happen in the reverse? 2. In one of your videos you mentioned that medication should not be needed forever. How do I know it’s time for me to get off my meds? 3. I’m currently in therapy to process trauma with my ex. My ex was physically, emotionally and sexually abusive, the latter of which has been even more difficult to grapple with due to my faith and perspective on sex... 4. I wondered what your thoughts were on gut feelings about people? I usually get a gut feeling about someone pretty much instantly on meeting them whether they are inherently “good or bad” 5. How do you heal from codependency? 6. I recently started seeing a therapist and I'm starting to develop a crush on him. Is this normal? Should I say something about it? 7. Hi kati, I was just wondering if it's possible to have ptsd from a home invasion/ break in? I talk with my therapist about this but she never says you can have ptsd from it, but when I told her that anytime I hear things that sound like they did that morning it freaks me out and makes me feel like it’s happening again she tells me I’m having a flashback. New Membership Levels Have Opened Up ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@Katimorton/membership⁠ *** NEW MERCH DESIGNS *** ⁠https://spreadshop-admin.spreadshirt.com/katimorton/⁠ My Books (in stores now) ⁠Traumatized⁠ https://geni.us/Bfak0j ⁠Are u ok?⁠ http://bit.ly/2s0mULy Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist, please visit: ⁠https://betterhelp.com/kati⁠ Affiliates (consider shopping with our affiliates, commissions earned help us create new episodes) Instacart ⁠instacart.oloiyb.net/y2j2GB⁠ Amazon ⁠https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton⁠ Partnerships Linnea Toney [email protected] Please Read If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call a local emergency telephone number or go immediately to the nearest emergency room. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton discusses the many reasons we can feel like we are lying when disclosing past trauma in therapy. She explains why our trauma memories aren’t always there or easy to recall, and the reasons we invalidate, and minimize our experiences. She then digs into how to move past being abandoned by your therapist, as well as how to know when you should stop therapy. Kati then talks about what we should focus on first when starting therapy with a limited number of sessions. This and so much more in this week’s episode. Ask Kati Anything ep. 177 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. Why do I feel like I’m lying when thinking about opening up about past trauma? I really want to open up to my therapist about a past memory of me being SA’d by my brother but the problem is I didn’t have that memory until I was SA’d again some years later by someone else... 2. I've been with my therapist for over 2 yrs and despite her being very consistent, reliable and reassuring, I can't move past the feeling that some day she's going to say she's not going to see me anymore. It's not so much a fear of her leaving me but... 3. If you have a limited number of sessions available to you, how can you decide what issues take priority? My university only offers 6 free sessions to students and I don't have the money to pay for therapy, but I have a lot to work on... 4. Can you talk about how to know when to stop therapy? It's been about a year and a half and each week it is always very helpful. I started during a very low, hard, isolated season but am now in a healthier environment now with more... 5. Is healing from SA the same process no matter when it happened (childhood vs adulthood) ? This happened to me as an adult from my partner and I have recurrent nightmares and flashbacks and a lot of shame. I see a lot of information about healing from childhood... 6. Is it possible that all of my struggles and diagnosed conditions, OCD, ADHD and Autism, are in fact just behaviors caused by childhood trauma?... 7. How do you deal with not being open up due to having trust issues? I have been seeing my therapist for a while now and still haven't woken up. She suggested seeing a new therapist, but I had a therapist before her and it was the same... KATI'S BOOKS (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ...MORE YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Kati dives deep into how to come to terms with not having any memory of a childhood trauma. She explains why this can happen, and what we can do to heal anyways. She also offers some ideas on how to deal with a parent who has a mental illness, what to do if we can’t actually talk in therapy, and how to stop thinking we are a burden to those around us. She then talks about the stigma associated with mental illness and sexual kinks as well as how to stop feeling like we are behind in life because of our illnesses. This and so much more in this week’s episode! I'm Kati Morton, a licensed therapist making Mental Health videos! Audience Questions: 1. How do I come to terms with never actually knowing if I was sexually abused? I seem to have all the signs (extremely scared of sex, body memories, don’t like being touched, hypervigilance, etc) but I have no solid memory of an actual incident. 2. How do you handle parents with mental illness? I struggle a lot with my mom being so emotional and irrational. Her mood swings like a rollercoaster and it is really uncomfortable being around her. She has so many bpd traits although being undiagnosed. 3. I am 16. Is it bad that in therapy, I can't talk about anything? I have to write it down and hand it to him? Also my mom wants to talk to me about things but I can't because she shares it with my dad... 4. I know suicide is never the answer, but what if I genuinely am a burden and would be doing everyone a favor? 5. How would someone best deal with mental health problems brought on from kink shaming / fetish stigma? Shaming or ridiculing someone for their kinks is unfortunately common and socially accepted, but there's no information on how it can negatively affect someone's mental health, and if so how someone would deal with this. 6. How do I cope with the feeling of falling behind others because of my illnesses? Trauma, Ptsd and physical pain illnesses have been taken so much from me, especially... 7. I was just curious about how your role as a therapist relates to your family. Does your husband or do other family members ever say or do things that are red flags to you as a therapist? KATI'S BOOKS (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ...MORE YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton talks about the reasons we can be scared to get better, and why having our mental illness be part of our identity is detrimental to our recovery. She also addresses the reasons we should change therapists, how termination should be handled, and what to do if therapy is making us worse. Kati then digs into how to stop comparing ourselves to others, why it’s okay to be behind other people in life, and when she would suggest a higher level of care. Ask Kati Anything ep.175 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: Q1 0:38 I’m terrified of getting better. I’m suffering from gad, social anxiety, depression and self harm. I think the reason I’m afraid of healing is related to why I’m hurting myself... Q2 15:53 I recently terminated with my therapist after two years. I felt that I wasn't making any progress towards my goals and when I asked for feedback (which she has never offered), she responded, "I can't work harder than you are." Q3 30:58 I feel incredibly lonely and behind in life. Every birthday and new year reminds me of that. I struggle so much with birthdays due to having struggled with my mental health for so long... Q4 37:50 How do I get myself to actually try coping mechanisms? I have a list but because they don't always help or I have this magical idea that they will make everything better... Q5 41:26 My question is about when you as a therapist would suggest a higher level of care for a patient with an eating disorder, specifically over exercise as a form of compensatory behavior. Q6 57:55 I have a question about emdr. I'm finally starting in august (yay!) but I'm so scared of actually, really facing my trauma head on in therapy. I don't even know how I will tell/write my therapist... Q7 1:11:03 What if I don’t see a reason to stop self harm this time? Context: I began SH when I was 8. It wasn’t my “go to” coping skill....Q8 1:15:49 Why in therapy do you not want a religious counselor? Have you been harmed by church people or is it a personal decision? I recently went through some personal church trauma... KATI'S BOOKS (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ...MORE YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Kati discusses attachment to our therapist. Why it can happen, what triggers the attachment and what we can do to better handle it. She also talks about suicidal ideation, and why it can sometimes be done to get more attention. Then Kati explains what the ethical implications are when we find out our therapist is seeing our significant other, and what visualizations can mean for our trauma response. This and so much more in this week’s episode! Xoxo Ask Kati Anything ep. 174 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Join Kati in her powerful new Online Workshop all about ATTACHMENT ⁠⁠⁠here Audience questions: 1. I've been in therapy for the last 3 years and I've made some small improvements in myself but there's something I still struggle with and I'm a bit confused. I'm super attached to my therapist, with a big fear of abandonment... 2. I have a question about suicidal ideation. Recently I've been having thoughts that I want to attempt suicide, even though I don't want to actually succeed. I don't understand these thoughts because... 3. Hi Kati, my therapist is mint. I’ve been seeing her for two years but I’ve recently found out that the girl I’m dating also sees her for weekly sessions! 4. A few weeks ago in an AKA episode, you said “our brain doesn’t know the difference between us visualizing it and it really happening” when talking about ways to combat stage fright. I may be taking this out of context but I have a lot of repressed memories... 5. I struggle with dissociation (specifically chronic derealisation) and I’m not sure my therapist knows what this is. When I told her about it she just became obsessed with ‘parts work’ but I don’t have DID, I just feel really spacey. 6. In an old episode and there was a question which mentioned “acting out” a body memory or flashback. The actual question was about something else but I’ve had a similar experience... 7. I am currently in therapy and my therapist whenever I bring something difficult up asks me what it makes me feel and my emotions linked to it and I just don’t know, it’s like I go numb... 8. Can a person have a very low self-esteem and at the same time look down on other people and criticize them? 9. Why might I be having the urge to cut, even though I hate my scars and don't know that deep down I don't want to do it anymore? Timestamps created by: @natalieedelstein Q1 0:37 Q2 18:36 Q3 31:27 Q4 33:57 Q5 45:04 Q6 54:23 Q7 57:19 Q8 1:01:28 Q9 1:03:55 KATI'S BOOKS (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ...MORE YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Kati in her powerful new Online Workshop all about ATTACHMENT ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ This week licensed therapist Kati Morton dives into the reasons it could be hard for us to do the things that are really important to us, and why starting new things can be so difficult. She also dives into why having so much insight into the “whys” behind our behavior can help therapy move along more quickly, but doesn’t mean that we are necessarily doing better. She then walks us through how we can choose what we should work on first in therapy, and how to overcome our emetophobia. She also explains what a disorganized attachment is and the various causes, why we can feel like there’s always a wall between us and those we love, and so much more! Ask Kati Anything ep 173 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. It is so hard for me to do the things that are really important to me. I have ADHD and anxiety, and I get so much anxiety even if I... 0:55 2. A lot of the time, during sessions with my therapist, I will say things like: "I'm restricting my eating. I know it's because I want to feel like I have control over 14:24 3. How do I choose the most important/ urgent issue to work on in therapy? Whenever I start going through one issue with my therapist I start to think about all the others and that maybe we should be working on something else. That's often... 27:20 4. I have crippling emetophobia (fear of vomit) and it is literally ruining my life, help. I suffer from anxiety, depression, and PTSD from abuse, but I also have this crippling fear which is so damn embarrassing... 37:05 5. Could you talk a bit more about disorganized attachment? Does it always root from abuse and fear of your caregiver? 45:53 6. I’ve been feeling like there is a wall between me and others for my whole life, like I am a ghost and nobody can hear me or speak to me and now when I am a teenager, I feel this more than ever... 51:47 7. Do you think clients have a responsibility when it comes to flashbacks? My last therapist told me that I needed to practice self control and use grounding techniques in session. If I had a flashback in session she would end the session when I came back and cancel the next session so... 55:30 8. Do you have some tips for when you're overwhelmed, and it feels like using coping skills are making things worse? I had some very busy weeks, and I need some rest. But my body and mind are still in 'action!'-mode. 'Just doing nothing' is so hard... 1:03:48 KATI'S BOOKS (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ...MORE YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton talks about shame, and how to pull ourselves out of the spiral. She addressed how it can present itself in our anxious thoughts, PTSD symptoms, and also in our depression. She offers insights into ways we can receive therapy if we are battling financial insecurity, and how to do the basic things when we are deep in a depressive episode. She also talks about negative self-talk and why people think it can be motivating, as well as why we have to heal ourselves but also need other people to support us. This and so much more in this week’s episode! Join Kati in her powerful new LIVE Online Workshop on ATTACHMENT - JULY 21st & 28th https://katimorton.com/the-shop Can't make it to the LIVE event? Pre-order your recorded version here Ask Kati Anything ep 172 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFTAudience questions: 1. Why do I constantly feel ashamed of myself or my actions? 2. How does one persist in therapy if they are battling financial insecurity and sometimes poverty? 3. It is often advised that we should fulfill our own needs, so our happiness doesn't depend on other people. But why do we live in a society, among 8 billion people, if we can do everything for ourselves? 4. I was wondering if you could talk about doing the basic stuff when you are in a depressed period… Honestly, it feels like I have been in a constant depressed state for the last 3 and a half years. It embarrasses me so much that I really struggle to shower, do my laundry, brush my teeth and wash my dishes. People don’t know that I... 5. I’ve watched for 9 years! but never asked a question before 😇😂 thank you for all that you do! Especially as a MH professional that is open and honest about her own struggles (gives us in the next gen hope that we too can work in the field irrespective of past problems)... 6. I know that I have negative self-talk but I feel like it motivates me so I am afraid to be nice to myself. I fear that if I stop then I will get nothing accomplished. I feel like my negative self-talk motivates me to be better and try harder. I am afraid if I try to stop or even use bridge statements... 7. How do you overcome a fear of physical intimacy? I spent all my life single as I was working hard to get out of challenges life was throwing at me. I finally finished graduate school and got a job, and then found someone. Every time he... 8. How can I get my husband to stop talking negatively about my family? It is hard because I get offended sometimes by the stuff he says, even though most of it is true. It just bothers me. He doesn't really like my parents or my siblings. I know they've all made some strange decisions and have personality quirks that are hard to deal with. I agree with him on a lot of his criticisms, but... KATI'S BOOKS (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ...MORE YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton talks about the reasons we can pick at our skin, bite our nails, and pull on our hair. She also explains why this can all be driven by OCD or other anxiety disorders. Next, she explains why we push ourselves to remember all of the details surrounding a trauma, and also why some of us don’t want to remember any of it. She also dives into grief, how heavy it can be, and why it can sometimes be traumatizing. Kati also discusses the reasons we may struggle to say what we need to in therapy, and how to have boundaries between our work and home life. This and so much more in this week’s episode! Ask Kati Anything ep.171 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFTAudience questions: 1. What causes people to pick their lips, bite their nails or scratch at their skin? Not only when they are triggered, but at random moments when they’re safe and there’s nothing wrong? I’ve struggled with picking my lips... 2. Thank you so much for your channel, and specifically, for this podcast. Why do I feel the need to remember what happened to me, meaning the specific, during my child sexual abuse... 3. I’m wondering if you could talk about how to process grief? I’m in therapy since 2 years and I was already working on my cptsd with my therapist but this year I’ve been grieving... 4. How can I learn to separate my work from the rest of my life? I am a pediatric oncology nurse. I care about my patients and their families so so much. I find it really challenging to disconnect when... 5. Sometimes when I’m in therapy I have things I want to tell my therapist but I don’t always know how to start the conversation. I worry it’ll be strange or out of context... 6. I struggle with an extreme lack of motivation to do anything that’s not required of me. I have a challenging job that I can do well, but I spend evenings and weekends zoned out in bed, mindlessly scrolling social media or YouTube... 7. I'm about a year away from graduating as a LMHC and your channel and podcast have taught me a lot. I am diagnosed with GAD and depression and go through episodes of self-harm... 8. How do you know if you want to be a therapist? Like how do you figure out if you would be a good one, if it’s the right career for you, or if it’s just something you have an interest in but maybe shouldn’t pursue? KATI'S BOOKS (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton discusses the pluses and minuses of doing intense research about therapy and the process. She also talks about suicide risk and what is considered low, medium, and high risk. She digs into what constitutes eating disorder behavior and her thoughts on using cannabis before therapy. This and so much more in this week’s episode! ATTACHMENT WORKSHOP - We will be exploring the way attachment to our primary caregivers affected us and how it may still be impacting us today. DETAILS: I will be hosting a LIVE workshop on July 21st & July 28th (session 2). Can't make the LIVE Workshop? we are offering a recorded version as well. Got to https://katimorton.com/the-shop to choose the right one for you. If you attend the LIVE workshop, you will have access to the recorded version once it is ready. Ask Kati Anything ep. 170 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. Is it normal for clients to do a lot (and I mean A LOT) of research about therapy? Like the modalities, assessment process, what specifically therapists are trained on etc. I feel like by looking into every single detail I can think of, I know all the therapist's “secrets” and... 1:00 2. Would you be considered low, medium or high risk if you have thoughts, plans and means, but no intent? Or if you had plans and means but no thought or intent? 12:04 3. I struggle with SA in the past from an older sibling when I was 5. I’ve struggled with it my whole life and I tried to go to therapy in high school because I developed anxiety and depression, but I stopped going because I wasn’t ready to deal with it. I am 24... 21:53 4. I’m a full time college student getting my BA in Psychology, married, and living my life the best as I can. I’m diagnosed with CPTSD and generalized anxiety disorder. I am California Sober. I don’t drink or do drugs and my caffeine intake is very low but I do partake in cannabis daily... 36:00 5. I have ASD and depression. I struggle a lot with identifying my own emotions. Nevertheless, I know that there are some very intense and painful emotions buried... 40:07 6. What are the consequences of growing up in an unsafe environment with a narcissistic parent? Is it ever possible to heal completely or will those wounds stay forever even after therapy? 52:29 7. I have a past of sexual trauma/assault that I had repressed since it happened and have started working through it for the first time in therapy this year. I know that my response to that experience was freezing/fawning and I completely dissociated from... 1:05:00 8. I don't know what to call it, maybe transference?? Here is what is happening. I worry about you when a regular video, AKA or OTDM is late or there is not one that week. I worry that something is wrong or you are hurt. When you do the raw videos I worry that you are going to say... 1:12:59 9. How do you know if parental divorce has caused any trauma in someone? 1:19:20 KATI'S BOOKS (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ...MORE YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton talks about the freeze state when making decisions. She explains why this can happen and what we can do to move through it. She also discusses PTSD and why we have the urge to minimize it or even struggle to call what happened trauma. She then digs into when it’s time to end therapy and the red flags we should look out for. She also talks about our fear of doing something wrong and its link to trauma and hypervigilance. Kati explains why we can feel the pull towards relationships with people we know are unavailable or unable to give us what you know you deserve. This and so much more in this week’s episode! Ask Kati Anything ep.169 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: Audience questions: 1. Could you give some strategies for when you go into the freeze state when you have to make decisions? I do this often and sometimes the decisions are simple... 00:31 2. I was recently diagnosed with PTSD. I can't shake the feeling that the abuse I have experienced isn't bad enough to cause PTSD, that I'm weak for reacting this way. It’s hard for me to even call it abuse... 14:18 3. How do you know it’s time to end therapy? I’ve been working with my therapist for a few years now but it feels kinda stagnant at the moment. Is this a sign I need to find a new therapist, end therapy completely or talk with them about... 28:23 4. Can being afraid of doing something wrong be related to trauma? I am so afraid - especially in relationships that mean a lot to me - to do something wrong. And there is a big fear in me of being... 39:52 5. Growing up, it was really hard to talk to my mom about my feelings. She was always stressed and worried about a lot of things. She was also very overprotective. Now I’m 31, and 2 years ago my mom retired, so... 50:52 6. Are there specific ways touch should be approached in therapy? For example someone asked a question about touch in social situations a few weeks ago and you suggested it could be practiced in therapy. But... 1:01:25 7. How might you explain the pull towards relationships with people you know are unavailable or unable to give you what you know you deserve? I have a past of sexual trauma/assault that I know is related, but as I’ve continued to work through this... 1:04:28 8. how might you explain the pull towards relationships with people you know are unavailable or unable to give you what you know you deserve? I have a past of... 1:07:45 KATI'S BOOKS (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ...MORE YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton explains why we can strive for attachment with a figure in our life that we thought was kind and good to us. She also talks about the reason we can have an aversion for people who are the same gender as our abuser. She then discusses why we can be so angry with ourselves, yet forgive people for doing worse things. Kati then talks about stage fright and how to deal with it as well as the differences between being lazy, depressed, and burned out. This and so much more in this week’s episode.I'm hosting a LIVE Healthy Attachment Workshop in July - Find out more details here: https://www.katimorton.com/attachment Tickets will sell out. Reserve your spot today! Ask Kati Anything ep. 168 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. I tend to attach to women teachers, psychologists, doctors (my aunts as well), etc. it always happens when there is even the slightest sign of care or interest in me. It has been happening since I can remember and I don’t understand why. I have both parents and even though... 2. Can you give any advice about being angry at oneself? Lately, I feel angry because, during the past few years, I pressed me too much and neglected my needs. Now I feel that I have wasted too much time and this makes me aggressive towards my... 3. Any tips to help musicians who suffer from stage fright? 4. I hope you’re well! (I asked that question before, but it didn’t get answered so I thought I would just ask it again.) I watched your video "Am I Lazy, Depressed, or Burnt Out?". I know that I’ve always been a lazy person (at least as long as I remember), but I think I’m probably also depressed... 5. At age 14 I found proana sites online and that triggered me to start restricting, as I hated my body then. Over the past 11 years I have gone through phases of restricting, followed by phases of normal eating... 6. Can overeating come from missing life? So that you try to fill a void with food... but actually it is a void of immaterial things you are craving for? Such as healthiness, friendships, lightheartedness, happiness, time, hope,... 7. My sister emotionally abused me and when this came up in therapy with my new therapist she wants me to understand why my sister did it. This feels very invalidating and I feel like my new therapist isn't allowing me to feel my anger towards my sister... 8. Can somatic experiencing work for someone with dissociation? My therapist wants to try somatic therapy and I was/am open to it but I have doubts about knowing how my body feels. I mean, half the time, I can barely feel my body! KATI'S BOOKS (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ...MORE YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Licensed Therapist, Kati Morton, LMFT explains why depression can cause us to feel empty inside, and like we are a burden to everyone around us. She also digs into why COCSA can feel so complicated to process because they were kids too, and it can feel wrong to blame them for the abuse. Kati then explains a therapist's perspective around bridging up new information in each therapy session and feeling like we are just doing it for attention. She also discusses a professional crying in session and that our reaction to it is the most important piece of information. This and so much more this week!! All that and much more in this week’s episode of Ask Kati Anything! Ask Kati Anything ep. 167 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: I've experienced emotional neglect and physical abuse from my parents and family members. I struggle with depression and anxiety right now. Even when I feel quite alright I feel emptiness inside... I was sexually abused by my brother who is 5 years older than me from ages 5-9. I originally went to therapy in an attempt to heal from this trauma but I've pretty much just avoided the subject entirely and focused on... What do you, as a therapist, think if a patient is bringing up completely new information? As a patient/client, I feel very uncomfortable after a therapy session in which I said (again!) new things... My question is about providers crying in session. I was having a bit of a crisis last week, and while explaining the situation & my feelings about it to my dietitian, she started crying. At first, I was so surprised by it that I thought she was... You have talked about how important boundaries are in therapy especially with clients with BPD. Does this mean that your boundaries shift when it comes to clients with BPD? Also, you have mentioned that when a client asks for a hug... Can you tell more about journaling? How do you use it? How do you recommend your clients to use it? It's helpful to me a lot when I feel anxious, getting rid of all thoughts helps. But when it comes to processing different thoughts, beliefs or feelings I feel like I intellectualize... As a child I was totally spoiled and my parents didn't seem to trust in my capabilities to cope with age-appropriate things on my own, due to me having been born way too early. I was emotionally nurtured, maybe even too much... Recently I've been hearing a lot about AI, Chat gpt and all that. I'm curious to hear your take on this subject. Personally I do use chat GPT sometimes, but I don't see it as a therapist or a replacement for one. To me it's more like a journal that talks back... KATI'S BOOKS (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ...MORE YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Licensed Therapist, Kati Morton, LMFT explains why we can forget everything the second we step into our therapy sessions, and what could help us remember what we wanted to say. She also discusses real ways to combat those suicidal thoughts and why depression and suicidality are not always related. Next, Kati talks about the ways we can work to repair our relationships that could have been damaged due to our mental illness, and why a suicide attempt can be a traumatic experience. She also talks about flashbacks and how they can be felt in the body, flashes of memory that we see, smell, or even taste, and we can even have emotional flashbacks. This and so much more this week!! All that and much more in this week’s episode of Ask Kati Anything! Ask Kati Anything ep.166 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions Why is it that my mind goes blank during therapy sessions? Before and after I have a lot of thoughts wandering through my mind, but once I’m in therapy they are all gone... I don’t see the point of living. I really don’t understand why people want to live and especially why people bring kids into this awful world. I don’t see the point of living and I’ve felt this way since I was a teenager... I struggle a lot with guilt and shame due to what I put my family through due to my mental illness. (ie the worry the had, the suicide attempts etc.) I feel like a horrible person due to... My question is about flashbacks. I really didn’t want to write this but I feel a bit stuck. I think I’ve been having flashbacks but I’m too scared to tell my therapist. It feels sooo dramatic... How do you get out of dissociation, when it is always there? Hey Kati and happy Thursday. I have derealization and depersonalization since 2018 and it NEVER goes away. How can I love and respect my body? I was physically punished as a child, and sexually abused by my husband. I can't find the connection to my body... My daughter (9) struggles with emotion regulation. She fidgets a lot when she's angry, nervous or anxious. She's super sensitive e.g. to certain smells and clothing... I have a question regarding childhood sexual abuse. I am in the process of trying to tell my counselor the details of what happened but for some reason I feel like I'm not telling the truth... I’ve been in therapy for a few months now for an eating disorder, focusing specifically on my compulsive exercise. I know that exposure therapy is the only way to get used to the feeling of not exercising... KATI'S BOOKS (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ...MORE YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton talks us through the various causes of dissociation, and child on child sexual abuse. She also explains what natural curiosity is versus something caused by abuse. Next, Kati discusses why we can struggle to see how bad our depression or anxiety has gotten, and why that can impede us getting the help we need. She also offers ways to heal when our “safe person” turns out to be hurtful, and how we can combat our urge to focus on the negative things going on in our world. This and so much more in this week’s episode! Ask Kati Anything ep. 165 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT AUDIENCE QUESTIONS 1. I have a question about dissociation. Does it have to be caused by trauma or are there other things that can cause dissociation? 2. This is something I have never spoken about as I'm so embarrassed. When I was a child (6-8ish), my male friend and I (same age and both consensual, I'm female) would try to have "sex" at sleepovers. It also continued with another female friend. If anyone else said this I'd be very curious about sexual abuse, however that didn't happen to me.... 3. I've been in this weird headspace lately where I'm really confused and frustrated about how I actually feel. My therapist recently suggested I try medication for my depression and anxiety since things haven't really been improving but... 4. How do you cope with finding out that your “safe people” growing up weren’t so safe after all? I experienced a little bit of abuse as a kid (sexual, physical, and emotional). Possibly as a result, I... 5. I try putting this into the right words. This world is a shit show. Most people are selfish, manipulative, mean...I think you get the picture. Most of the time it's really hard living in this world. I often feel like... 6. Can you talk about internal family systems and how all the parts, exiles and other things work? I’m in trauma therapy and have CPTSD, EMDR & IFS has been so helpful but... 7. I wonder what type of questions I’m allowed to ask my therapist? She’s very professional and sometimes when I ask her if she’s... 8. How can I best work with my therapist to reduce the extreme amount of rejection I feel at the end of each session? I think it started off as separation anxiety, but it has developed into a feeling of severe... 9. I was wondering, have you ever had a client lie to you & how did you deal with it? I have noticed myself lying to my therapist often and I want to stop. Any tips on how to do that thanks for all that you do. https://tce.researchinpractice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/children_and_young_people_with_harmful_sexual_behaviours_research_review_2014.pdf DISSOCIATION PLAYLIST https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_loxoCVsWqy8NqveX22SsMKlW5601YvQ Here are some resources that can help: The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 The Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386 The Jed Foundation: https://www.jedfoundation.org/ The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: https://afsp.org/ If you are in immediate danger, please call 911 KATI'S BOOKS (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy MORE YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Kati explains why self harming can actually make us feel better and she even dives into the reasons we can keep coming back to it. She also talks about anxiety and if it will ever go away or if it’s something we have to live with for the rest of our lives. She then discusses physical touch and why some of us might be uncomfortable with it, and she offers ways to overcome it and how to talk with those we love about it. She also gets into some of the ramifications of childhood sexual abuse and neglect, and how we can work through that as well. This and so much more in this week’s episode! Ask Kati Anything ep. 164 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. Can you explain why self harm, in my case cutting, results in me feeling really calm (I suffer with depression and anxiety), and even thinking about doing it calms me down... 2. Will my anxiety ever really go away? I have learned to push through so much of my anxiety using different coping skills I learned in therapy. But... 3. After years of neglect as a kid, I've never learned about physical touch. I don't remember being hugged and such. So now, what seems intuitive for most people feels so confusing... 4. I’m wondering how I can honor and validate my boyfriend's feelings even when they trigger me. I grew up in an emotionally neglectful/abusive environment where I... 5. In one of your episodes you talked about some of your colleagues being judgmental about how you paced yourself getting your credit hours in school and wondering why... 6. Hi Kati. I have asked this question so many times. I really want your advice. I have had anorexia since I was 13, I'm now 40. I have a 7 year old daughter. I never want to have her go through this too and I want to know how I should talk to her about this because, even though she hasn't asked yet, she has seen some ED behaviors before from me and... 7. Is it normal for a child (pre-pubescent) to masturbate while thinking about being punished, or is this related to sexual trauma? I have a history of verbal and emotional abuse and neglect, but... 8. How can you tell if your mum was and still is emotionally neglectful and or abusive? I have watched your videos about childhood emotional neglect extensively... https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/theres-scientific-reason-why-self-harm-makes-some-people-feel-better-180953062/ Here are some resources that can help: The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 The Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386 The Jed Foundation: https://www.jedfoundation.org/ The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: https://afsp.org/ If you are in immediate danger, please call 911 KATI'S BOOKS (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy MORE YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're discussing emotion regulation, feeling anxious and depressed at the same time, and why that can be so uncomfortable and dangerous! Kati also explains why we can feel angry at our abusers, but struggle with this anger because they were abused themselves. Next, we discuss attachment to our therapists and why we can miss them after our sessions have ended. We also talk about trauma, nightmares, and how to heal. Ask Kati Anything | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. My question is about emotion regulation…I think. I have learned to tolerate and move through fairly bad anxiety, and I’m getting better at noticing and stopping depression spirals too, but I still have a big problem: sometimes the depression and anxiety mash together and create this whirlwind of grief, sadness, fear and shame, and I feel like I’m literally exploding inside... 2. I have a history of childhood trauma, and at the moment I feel really torn between feeling angry towards my parents and feeling like I have no right to be angry with them because I am aware that they didn't intentionally hurt me. But... 3. Would it be normal or acceptable to ask my therapist if I can just check in with her every now and then (like maybe every 3 months or so)? Do people do that? I don't have a big need to... 4. My question is also regarding how trauma, in particular childhood trauma, manifests in our bodies. I have a condition called interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome and pelvic floor disorder. After years and years and thousands of dollars seeking medical attention... 5. I want to know why it is so difficult to ask for help? I am so overwhelmed with things to do but won't ask for help. How do I get the courage to ask for... 6. I’m wondering what to do about my intense fear of failure and the need to be perfect. For context, I have a lot of trauma and was emotionally abused/neglected in childhood. Because of this, I have an anxious attachment, OCD, and I spent some time in a mental hospital when I was in college. I also have a history of disordered eating, self harm, generalized anxiety, and ADHD. I am now 23, and... 7. Was just wondering - how to cope with CPTSD nightmares? I've been having them every single night, seeing my triggers everywhere in the dreams and being confronted with my abusers face to face. It's an awful experience... 8. I have a question about trauma and disgust and I am really scared that I might be the only one feeling like that. I recently talked to my best friend about feeling turned on by movie scenes, etc. and I told her that for me that belly tingling... KATI'S BOOKS (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Kati talks about trauma healing, if we can do it without talking through the specifics, and how to untangle our identity from what happened to us. She also discusses attachment in therapy, with our abusers, and its connection to OCD. She explains why we may not have memories of traumatic times, and why we might not be able to recognize ourselves in photos. She also talks about medical trauma, revisiting the places where trauma took place, and whether or not a narcissistic parent can get better as they get older. This and so much more in this trauma pack episode! Ask Kati Anything ep. 162 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. When it comes to trauma therapy, do you actually have to talk about the specific event(s) to be successful with it? Or can you still heal from trauma by working on... 2. I get super easily attached to people and the attachments can be all consuming. I want to find a therapist (not specifically to talk about that but I’m sure it’ll come up) and I’m not sure what... 3. Hi Kati, I'm 25 and I have a chronic illness which is life limiting. In the past year it has become very serious and about 5 months ago, during a long stay in hospital, my doctors told my family and me that we should prepare for the worst. 4. I was wondering where an attachment to a therapist might come from even if I grew up with parents who met my needs? I am almost obsessed with the idea of my therapist, she is someone I... 5. My question has to do with still processing and dealing with trauma you sustained as a child. I grew up with an alcoholic father who eventually passed away due to his addiction to alcohol. But even now, I... 6. I recognize myself when I look at my childhood photos, but still, I don't feel any emotional connection or remember the situation when the photo was taken or the person who took it. Why is that? And how can I help myself remember my childhood? 7. Is there any benefit to revisiting places where you experienced trauma? I'm going to start processing past trauma with my therapist soon, but I don't have a lot of clear memories from that time in my life... 8. Can a narcissistic parent, who has no desire to improve themselves, tone down their narcissistic tendencies simply due to old age? 9. How long does it take for a person to work through trauma? As soon as I started discussing this with my therapist, my sleep and physical health has gone for a toss. My stress levels have... Kati's Books (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Kati talks about recording therapy sessions and if that’s a good idea or even allowed. She also explains why we would be looking for a deeper meaning when our therapist tells us things, and what connection that can have to our attachment style. She also discusses the effects of growing up with an addict in our home, and why being around verbal abuse can be traumatic. This and much more in this week’s episode! Ask Kati Anything ep. 161 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. What are your thoughts on voice recording therapy sessions? I have the past 3 sessions and my therapist doesn’t know. I tend to listen to them multiple times a week and I don’t know why. I also found my therapist on social media and like learning more about her... 2. I tend to ruminate on what my therapist says following our sessions. While doing so I’ll try to look for deeper meaning because I have a hard time taking... 3. I’ve started to be able to open up a bit more in therapy and talk about more difficult things. I don’t want to accept it but I know part of it was sexual abuse... 4. My question is about what affects growing up with parents who argued and did verbal abuse to each other has on a child who had to watch it and live with it? My dad was verbally abusive to my mom and he was... 5. I am 30 years old and still carry my teddy with me everywhere I go. I have an intense fear that if I leave him home alone, my house might burn down, or I will for some reason not be able to... 6. I have a question regarding addictions and addictive behaviors. I have noticed that I have a problem with addictions and addictive behaviors. However, the problem I have is that I... 7. How do you know how you feel for real? I constantly doubt my feelings, and I find it so hard to trust that my feelings are not made-up (particularly sad feelings; I never really doubt happy feelings). There are times that I... 8. I am curious if people could be traumatized by movies? I was really scared once when I watched a movie when I was 13 or 14 and that wasn’t even a scary movie. However, I started to have those imaginations that if I open a door I’ll see a corpse... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton dives into the differences between numbing out and dissociation, and why one can lead to the other sometimes. She also explains why we can get caught up in a cycle of not reaching out because we don’t want to be too much, and then not being able to get help when we are struggling. She also talks about why we can feel like we don’t belong anywhere, and why we can use humor to deal with tough situations. She really challenges us to look into our old familial patterns this week, and see where these sabotaging behaviors are coming from. This and much more in this week’s episode! Ask Kati Anything ep. 160 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. I would love to hear your opinions on the difference between numbing out and dissociation. I have been talking a lot with my therapist about not wanting to be present in my body, but struggling to determine when I am numbing out (phone, sleeping) or truly dissociated... 2. Hope you’re okay. How do you get out of the cycle of not reaching out for help because you think it’ll be too much for people and not feeling safe reaching out? I find myself picking and choosing the exact thing to say rather than letting it... 3. I feel like I don't belong anywhere (family, work/ uni, my flat…). I feel quite lost and lonely and I'm wondering: What can I do to feel a sense of belonging in this world? I’m autistic and have depression, anxiety as well as anorexia... 4. Do you see any issues with using humor to talk about certain things with your therapist? In general I usually try to make people laugh almost as a self defense mechanism and find it sometimes helps when introducing a topic or situation... 5. I was wondering whether it’s better to distract from something like a flashback or panic attack or just let it play out? I sometimes feel the build up to something... 6. My husband and I are both in therapy and seeing different therapists at the same practice. We are both dealing with the same marital issue in our individual therapy sessions. My therapist offered to talk to my husband's therapist... 7. How do you know if you're even doing therapy right? I’ve been in therapy for 9 months and took a couple months break. She knows I was sexually abused and that I used self harm to deal with it. But I don’t know if I’m sharing what I need... 8. Is NPD like a spectrum? I watched your video about 8 signs of narcissistic mom and recognised mostly my father. Not all of these fit with him... Ask Kati Anything | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Kati's Books (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton talks about emotional neglect during our teen years, what it means to have a healthy emotional relationship, and what we can do to be better parents. She also discusses whether or not we can date while still working on our trauma, and why sex can be such a hangup for those of us with abuse in our past. She explains dissociation, DID, and whether or not we can dissociate throughout our entire childhood. This and so much more in this week’s episode of Ask Kati Anything - Your mental health podcast. Audience questions: 1. Can you talk about emotional neglect during the teenage years? This is a time when teens and parents are often at odds and don't necessarily... 2. When is the right time to enter the dating game as opposed to waiting to heal your childhood trauma? It seems to be a popular advice not to date until you healed - to some extent - your trauma and are ready to... 3. So this question is very embarrassing for me. I'm recently divorced and I know sex was a main contributor. I like the idea of sex but the physical act of it makes me cringe and become very uncomfortable. After a long stretch of absolutely no sexual desire... 4. I'm currently working on childhood trauma with my therapist and he's letting me kind of "take the lead" (so I decide the tempo) but I'm just so unsure if what I'm doing is... 5. Last week my therapist said that I have reached a plateau in therapy and that I need to look for another therapist to help me because she has done all that she... 6. Could I have dissociated most of my childhood but still remember some details? I have got childhood trauma and have struggled most of my life now with it. I'm 16. For context, I had a psychology assignment where I had to create a timeline of my childhood and... 7. I was watching my favorite show "Station 19" and I realized that I relate so much with one of the characters: Maya. Maya is someone who has a lot of childhood trauma and the only outlet she knows is... 8. How do you deal with the loss of therapy because you made a horribly wrong decision so the fault is on you? I just got kicked out of an inpatient program because they think I tried to kms. They were wrong and some of them believed me, so I am allowed to come back in... Ask Kati Anything | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Kati's Books (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Kati talks about shame, embarrassment and why those feelings can come up when we try to express ourselves. She also digs into dissociation, what it can feel like, look like, and ways that you can be brought back. She talks about procrastination and its link to trauma, how we can better open up and trust our therapists, and how to get over our fear of not being believed. She also discusses medical trauma, why hospitalizations can be traumatizing, and how to date when you have a mental illness. This and so much more in this week’s episode! Ask Kati Anything ep. 158 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions 1. Would you be able to talk about the feelings of shame and embarrassment that come with talking about how I feel? For about 3 years, I've been struggling with eating disorder behaviors and what might be depression. I'm constantly thinking about food, my body, comparing myself to others, feeling lonely but isolating myself. I find... 2. I'm wondering how dissociation can present itself visually. When I start to become distressed with trauma memories I recently have begun to 'zone out'. I can still technically hear, see and understand where I am, but it's like I can't connect to anything in the room or to any emotions or memories... 3. Can procrastination be related to trauma? I find myself procrastinating a lot, especially when it comes to things that are important for me personally and actually mean a lot to me. It seems as if I am sabotaging myself. Can my ptsd be the root for my procrastination or... 4. How do I open up to my therapist and show emotion? To give a little context, I have been seeing my therapist for two months and she's amazing, she validates my feelings and makes me feel seen. I just can't seem let her in and myself be completely transparent with her, I don't tell her the complete truth or answer her questions with complete honesty... 5. Do you have any advice on how to deal with the fear of not being believed in therapy? I‘m scared to talk about my past/ symptoms etc. because I fear they‘ll think I‘m just making stuff up for attention or making a big deal out of nothing. I have had negative experiences such as being accused of making up my symptoms... 6. I have a question about trauma from psychiatric hospitalizations. when I was 13, I struggled with suicidal thoughts/attempts, self injury, disordered eating, etc. I (unwillingly) went in and out of multiple mental hospitals for months, then went away to a residential treatment center for 3 months. I don’t have super clear memories of this time, but... 7. I'm 37 and due to my CPTSD, ED and OCD I've never been in a relationship. I know you can't tell me if I'll ever have one but maybe you can tell me how to approach this topic when I'm on a date. The last times I went out on a date the guys asked about my last relationship, my job etc. I was... 8. Can you talk about the occurrence of symptoms generally found in OCD versus in other anxiety disorders? 9. I am wondering if you can talk about CPTSD. Trauma is often discussed in the context of childhood trauma. Can you get CPTSD from multiple different types of trauma but not really stemming from childhood? Ask Kati Anything | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Kati's Books (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Licensed therapist Kati Morton discusses childhood trauma, dissociation, and why that can be a helpful coping skill growing up. She also explains the difference between feeling nothing versus having a sense of emptiness. She dives into why those of us with a history of trauma can get overwhelmed more easily than others, and how to push through that weirdness of inner child work. She also gives her thoughts on intermittent fasting, and how we can instill self confidence in teens. Ask Kati Anything ep. 157 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: Due to childhood trauma I've known I dissociated from my problems. What I don't know is, apparently, when I'm triggered. For example with this podcast on occasion a tough topic will come up and... I always hear people talk about the symptoms of depression. And one of them that they always talk about is a feeling of emptiness. What I'm wondering is feeling nothing is the same as feeling empty? Is it common for those of us who experienced trauma to get overwhelmed easily? Why does it happen and how can we deal with it? I'm just wondering how you push through the weirdness, uncomfortableness, and vulnerability of doing inner child work. My therapist has asked me to close my eyes to picture myself at... What is the best way to instill self confidence in tweens so they don’t feel like they have to measure up to what they see on social media and are able to be confident... I'm a manager at my job and one of my employees is dealing with newly worsening panic attacks. She's on medication that doesn't really... I have B.E.D, Diabetes and I live in a bigger body. The meds I'm on cause weight loss and a feeling of not being hungry. My endocrinologist told me that if I'm not hungry, not to eat or intermittent fasting... What are 'affirmations', in the context of therapy? I keep coming across this word and it seems like just saying things to yourself in the mirror? Or is there more to it? Ask Kati Anything | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Kati's Books (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Kati talks about dealing with nightmares, how to know if we have processed our trauma completely, and whether or not we have to tell our therapist about our self injury. She also gives us tips for pushing through mental blocks, ways we can tell our therapist what we need, and she explains confidentiality in therapy. This and so much more in this week’s episode of AKA. xoxo Ask Kati Anything ep. 156 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. I recently read a book called The Choice by Dr Edith Eva Eger. In it she discussed how she often thought she was done processing her trauma only to realize she was wrong later. My question is, how would you know you were no longer being affected by your trauma/had finished processing it? 2. Do u have any coping tips when it comes to struggling with nightmares? A few months ago my therapist retired and I'm in the process of finding someone new... 3. Is it critical to share that you are self-harming with your therapist? If so, why? It is only very minor injuries but I have watched your other videos and you said to always share this information. 4. How can I get from partly better to actually thriving? I was drowning in symptoms of treatment resistant depression for so many years until last autumn, when I started ketamine treatment. I feel like I‘m coming back to life and actually able to start doing... 5. Is it okay to tell my therapist I want her to be more compassionate and empathetic? I fear that I will be asking her to change or be adding unnecessary pressure on her. For context I am doing dbt... 6. Are there any helpful tools to push through mental blocks? I've had an abusive relationship which turned into daily harassment for years, after I broke up. I went to the authorities before and I'm now... 7. Could you talk a little bit about insurance and therapy? I am planning to start therapy soon and I have to go through my insurance otherwise I cannot afford it, however, I am worried about having the diagnosis on my permanent medical record and... 8. Where do I start if I'm so disconnected from myself that I don't even notice when I'm triggered?? Hello, I thought I'd try a new format because my question tends to get lost when I try to ramble for context. I've suffered CSA, as well as emotional neglect and some regular childhood abuse... Ask Kati Anything | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Kati's Books (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ask Kati Anything ep. 155 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT This week licensed therapist Kati Morton talks about why we can bring up a past trauma once and then not be able to speak about it again. She also digs into why we can become angry with our therapist when they haven’t done anything wrong, and why we can find ourselves with a crush on them. She also explains why we need coping skills that require little to no energy, and what those look like. This and so much more in this week’s episode! xox Audience questions: 1. Recently I admitted to my therapist that I was sexually abused as a child, I didn't talk about any details, and since then, I am avoiding this topic with her. She gave me some space and, after some time, tried to bring it back into our session, but the minute she started talking, I wanted to run out of her office.... 2. I have found myself becoming angry with my therapist the last few sessions. She didn’t even do anything. I keep thinking back to the sessions wondering what she had said, but it wasn’t a particular thing that she said. She was just annoying me... 3. I recently realized that I have sexual feelings about my therapist. I have read about transference, the thing is that we are both women. Does this mean that I am not straight? Addressing this to her feels extremely uncomfortable, so I would appreciate some hints on what this... 4. I was wondering if therapists do work for their clients in between sessions? I always assumed that they do, and that that was part of why the fee was so high, because they need to take some time to look things up between sessions... 5. I have a question about coping skills. I have a list of coping skills that can work if I can physically make myself do them. But recently I have been struggling to do them. My therapist never told me what to do when... 6. My mom is a narcissist and last year I went no contact with her for almost 6 months at my therapist’s suggestion... 7. There are these videos about how you now realized that some of the things in your childhood were associated with a person turning out to be gay in adulthood. Nothing in my childhood or being a teenager points to that... 8. You've talked a lot about eating disorders changing the way they show up over time, and I was wondering if trauma can do the same thing. For context, my trauma caused panic attacks and extreme distress for years, but recently those panic attacks stopped... Ask Kati Anything | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Kati's Books (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, licensed therapist Kati Morton delves into the importance of setting boundaries in therapy and what to do if our therapist doesn't respect them. She also tackles the controversial topic of repressed memories and whether we could have fabricated our trauma or simply forgotten about it. Kati explains how physical contact with our therapist could be triggering and why it's important to acknowledge and validate our feelings without necessarily acting on them. She even provides helpful tips on how to respond when someone asks to see our self-harm cuts and we're not ready to talk about it yet. Join Kati Morton as she provides valuable insights and advice on how to navigate through the complex and often challenging terrain of therapy. Don't miss this thought-provoking episode! Audience questions: 1. I have been seeing my therapist for a year and a half now and she is amazing. I’ve made so much progress and she’s been so supportive. However, sometimes her boundaries with me are not very strict... 2. I have a question about repressed memories, flashbacks and body memories. Why would you only begin to have flashbacks and other kinds of reactions once something has been revealed to you (such as a repressed memory). Or something that’s never bothered you until you start to... 3. How common is it to "forget" trauma? I know my brother was sa by my dad. I have no clear memories from 0 - 12. I can give you a detailed description of my elementary school and my high school. But I can't remember what my bedroom looked like when I was... 4. The thought of my therapist having any physical contact with me terrifies me. If she stands too close to me or the chairs are too close together I feel very threatened and panic. I've been with her for almost 2 yrs. She's very kind and patient and I feel I've connected with... 5. Are feelings really always valid? People often say one's feelings shouldn't be judged. I find that weird because if I always took my feelings as valid and acted accordingly, I'd not function in life. My first reaction to quite some things is to avoid them because the first feeling is fear/worry... 6. Why is it so important to me that I am believed??? I recently started again with a new trauma therapist. Going over my story again is harder than I expected it to be. I find myself leaving certain... 7. Today my sister asked me about the self-harm cuts on my legs, and I told her I wasn't sure what happened, and that I've been really clumsy lately. She didn't seem to buy it though. What should I say if people ask about my cuts and I'm not ready to share? Ask Kati Anything | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Kati's Books (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's episode, licensed therapist Kati Morton delves into crucial topics that can transform our mental health. Discover the significance of coping skills and resources to manage the waiting period between therapy appointments. Gain insight into avoidant personality disorder and attachment styles, and learn why therapists might not disclose a BPD diagnosis. Explore the importance of emotional intelligence and the benefits of openly discussing our feelings for personal growth and healthy parenting. Plus, Kati shares her experiences with emotional attachments to patients and the boundaries she maintains in her practice. Don't miss out on this insightful discussion! QUESTIONS: How do you deal with "content" in-between therapy appointments please? I know some techniques, but this time the therapy has opened a can of worms tightly closed for years, and it's all coming out randomly, in between sessions. Flashbacks, hypervigilance, insomnia. If someone has trust issues and shame issues originating from an avoidant personality type, do you have any suggestions on how they can get into psychotherapy to overcome these... I grew up in what I always considered to be a perfectly normal home. We were all well behaved and never complained about anything because basically we had our needs... Would a therapist not tell you if you have BPD? I really connect with the BPD research I see and I recently had the courage to ask my therapist if... Within the past year I've been dealing with eating disorder behaviors. I don't know if it would "count" as an eating disorder as what happens is that I'll spend a few months heavily restricting, and then when external things calm... I was wondering if you’ve ever told a client you loved them? I recently said it somewhat impulsively before leaving a session and she said she cared very much about me but didn’t want to cross her boundaries... How much of a plan is your therapist supposed to have for you? Something I find frustrating lately about therapy is that after several months it doesn't seem to be... Ask Kati Anything | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Kati's Books (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you wondering if you should increase or decrease your therapy sessions? Join licensed therapist Kati Morton as she delves into this topic and explores what could be causing your therapist to space out your sessions. In this video, Kati also addresses bullying, trauma, and the challenges of healing. You'll learn about the similarities and differences between C-PTSD & ASD, the various types of depression, and how to identify what you're experiencing. Kati even explains why some therapists remain neutral and don't show preference or emotion with their patients. This week's episode is packed with valuable insights and information! Don't miss out! Ask Kati Anything ep. 152 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT AUDIENCE QUESTIONS 1. I just started to trust and open up to my therapist, and I recently shared my deepest traumas. I am still not able to speak about them, but I’ve finally “told” someone... 2. Why am I still angry and resentful at the world after being bullied? I'm 21 now and was severely bullied between 11 and 18 and still struggle with anger/trust issues with everybody I... 3. From childhood on, I've been playing fake scenarios in my head before I fall asleep. I can't remember at which age I started this and I'm curious where this behavior could... 4. I’ve been working with my therapist for a few years now (on and off since covid) and I’ve got a topic I need to talk about and work through but I just can’t say what I’m feeling or thinking about... 5. I hope you’re doing well. Is there a name for when someone experiences symptoms of depression for 10-14 days? Occasionally, I will feel unmotivated, exhausted, withdrawn and struggle to enjoy my... 6. Could you possibly talk about the symptom overlap between C-ptsd and ASD? As someone with both diagnoses I wish I could understand the roots of my struggles. Are my... 7. Happy thursday! How do I deal with feeling like I have to start over again and again due to my mental illness? I'm 26 now and still working on getting my bachelors degree. I had to... 8. How can I cope with my therapist being neutral? You know how you sometimes say “I want to punch them [abusers] in the face”? I really wish my therapist was... 9. How important would you say that a feeling of hope is in therapy? What role does it play for recovery and for the therapeutic process in general and in my case in particular? I've been in therapy for C-PTSD since... Kati's Books (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, licensed therapist Kati Morton talks all about anxiety in between therapy sessions. Why it happens, what could trigger it, and what we can do to better manage it. She also explains why it can be easy for us to tell strangers really personal or upsetting things but impossible for us to share it with those closest to us. Kati then jumps into repressed memories and whether or not we can trust them, and how to be more optimistic in light of all that’s going on in our world. This and so much more in this week’s episode! Xoxo Ask Kati Anything ep. 151 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT AUDIENCE QUESTIONS 1. How do you deal with anxiety between therapy sessions? I ruminate about my therapy sessions every week on what we talked about, what I said and shouldn't have... 2. Why do I find it so easy to be open about everything, even the darkest parts of myself in front of strangers, even in public spaces but around my parents I can’t seem to say... 3. I was wondering how trustworthy repressed memories are? I recently had a clear memory pop up that I was sexually abused by a female relative. It all sort of clicked into other realizations and suspicions about 4. Since the pandemic I feel like I’ve turned from an optimist to a pessimist, and just don’t know if I’ll ever be able to be generally optimistic. Especially injustices around the world, be it right wing... 5. How do I stop obsessing over the people I care about getting older? There's just this massive fear of running out of time... 6. hat if therapy just makes you go home and cry too much, and NOT because you were talking about something sad or heavy but because of how the appointment went? 7. Last episode you answered a question about intrusive thoughts, and asked if they were ego dystonic or ego syntonic. The curious part is (I think) they are syntonic. I get excited at the possibilities. I am sometimes attracted to women as well as men. Some emotionally, some physically... 8. Hi Kati! I’ve listened to a few therapist’s podcasts and always come back to you. I’ve never been to therapy before and now I’m certain no one in my rural area will measure up what I’ve taken away from just listening to you. Could this just be another avoidant tactic for me? Kati's Books (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on licensed therapist Kati Morton's podcast, Kati dives into the reasons why we want others to understand our true emotions, even when they may not match our exterior. She also shares her thoughts on ending therapy, when it's the right time, and how to continue healing even when finances may be an issue. Kati also sheds light on the effects of emotional abuse and neglect on an individual's mental health, including PTSD and difficulties with intimacy. Additionally, she discusses dependent personality disorder and the challenges of speaking about traumatic experiences, as well as the ethical considerations for therapists working with both individuals and their families. Join Kati for this informative and compassionate discussion on mental health and self-care. Ask Kati Anything | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT ep. 150 audience questions: 1. Why do I so badly want people to understand what I'm "really" feeling, on the inside? To the outside world I appear confident, successful and organized. But on the inside I actually have super low self esteem, have severe anxiety... 2. My current therapist means a lot to me, and we've been working together for more than a year. Our last session is coming up, and we're leaving on okay terms. I'm wondering what I can do to show her how I feel. Is it too corny to... 3. Could complex ptsd from emotional abuse and neglect result in an absolute fear and aversion of sexual intimacy? The few times I’ve been in a relationship, I’ve felt so excruciatingly uncomfortable when guys... 4. I notice myself “speaking in code” in therapy. I’m currently in trauma therapy dealing with CSA and SA and I think I tend to do this so I don’t have to say certain words out loud... 5. I've been seeing my current therapist for a little over a year now, and things are going great and I feel like she "gets me" a lot more than my previous therapist. The problem is that I constantly feel like I'm lying to... 6. Can you talk about Dependent Personality Disorder? I had never heard of this until my doctor (mental health and eating disorder specialist) diagnosed me with this. From what she told me, it sounds exactly... 7. I've been following you for a while now and I found you very helpful! Before I start I wanted to tell you that I'm not English so I’m sorry for possible grammar mistakes. I wanted to ask you if it’s “normal” for a therapist... 8. I have a question about how you would handle a situation as a therapist. If a spouse of some of your clients emailed you and told you about abuse that was to the point of getting a restraining order would you... Kati's Books (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton talks about overcoming a severe depressive episode and suicide attempt. She discusses OCD and fears of being a parent, and even dives into whether or not it’s sometimes helpful to just ignore symptoms of PTSD and abuse. She also explains why we can want to recover from an eating disorder and still struggle with it. This and so many other topics in this week’s episode! Ask Kati Anything ep. 149 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. I am recovering from a severe depressive episode where I attempted to commit suicide many times. My question is: What happens next? 2. I have OCD and I am terrified of becoming a parent. I imagine that I will be super hard on myself trying to parent “the right way,” and the fact that there are no clear-cut answers to everything will drive me crazy. There are so many disagreements out there about parenting and so much judgment... 3. Something at work regarding sexual abuse brought up memories that I’d always known were there but never thought they’d had an impact on me. I’m now realizing it’s probably had more of an impact that I thought and... 4. My question revolves around sexuality. I strongly resonate with the term "asexual", yet for some reason also long for a relationship. My therapist said that I might not be asexual, but simply feel this way due to fear coming from my past and c-ptsd… 5. I feel like 2023 should or could be the year I finish being in therapy. I will miss my therapist and especially miss having someone like her to talk to. I realize that everyone needs someone in their life that they can talk things... 6. Why can’t I recover from anorexia, even though I want to. I have almost always struggled with food restriction. From as young as I can remember, I’ve put self imposed “limits” on food intake amounts, food groups etc regardless of... 7. I'm in the process of getting diagnosed with ADHD, I'm 35. I've spent a lifetime struggling with depression and social anxiety and I'm hoping that maybe getting help for ADHD will help me with those two as well. I've read that ADHD can make it more difficult to do... 8. As a therapist, if you are seeing a client for a while and could recognise that they had been abused, would you tell the client? Let's say this client is oblivious and doesn't realize that the other person's behavior was abusive towards... Kati's Books (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/@OTDM Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ask Kati Anything ep. 148 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT This week licensed therapist Kati Morton talks extensively about body memories, and how they can be from abuse or assaults we don’t remember. She also explains the connection between self injury and sexual abuse, and how we can later use masterbation as a way to retraumatize or harm ourselves. She also discusses how we can build up trust with our therapist, how to keep motivated when looking for a job, and what to do when you love your parents, but the relationship is toxic. Then she talks us through why it can be hard to make any decisions for ourselves, and offers ways we can mitigate our self injury urges. This and so much more in this week’s episode of AKA! Audience questions 1. Hi Kati, this is a hard and weird question for me to write, but thank you for allowing us to ask these types of questions. Sometimes I experience what might be body memories that suggest a sexual assault (though I have no memory of anything). 2. I’ve been seeing my therapist for almost a year now and I still find it really difficult to fully trust her. I am aware that she has done nothing but show me reasons that I can and should trust her. She has the patience of a saint 3. How do you stay motivated when applying for jobs and get rejection after rejection? 4. How do you find the emotional balance when you truly love your parents, are thankful for everything they've done for you, but at the same time you have to deal with the consequences of their emotional neglect and abuse. 5. Why do I find it so difficult to make decisions? I can support others to make decisions or make simple decisions on behalf of others with no issue, but as soon as it's for myself, I have this internal battle. 6. My question is on ways to mitigate sh. I use sh to cope with panic attacks related to trauma (I have ptsd), and my therapist is aware of it. Both me and my therapist agree that working on the trauma that causes the self harm is better than working on the behavior... Kati's Books (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton discusses whether or not we should continue talking about things our therapist thinks are important, even if we don’t. She also gives honest advice on what to do if our family is toxic, but we also love them and don’t want to cut them off. She also explains what OCD, and intrusive thoughts are, and how it differs from generalized anxiety disorder. She explains why a therapist can’t be our only source of support, and how to get that from other people in our life. She also talks about what is and is not an eating disorder. Finally, she digs into what a trauma bond is and how love bombing and gaslighting can cause us to form one. Ask Kati Anything ep. 147 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. I was wondering about your thoughts on whether it's important to continue to discuss things in therapy that our therapist thinks have meaning but we may think are completely... 2. How do you navigate a loving but toxic relationship with a family member? As a way of dealing with a toxic family member, you said it’s okay to cut them off. But what if you don’t want to... 3. How can I work through my feelings about being unsupported when I needed help? When I think about it, I feel a mixture of hurt/sadness and can become misanthropic, but I want to heal that... 4. (Note: I’m not diagnosed with OCD, but will be seeking help) How important can it be to tell a therapist the content of your intrusive thoughts? I’ll be getting help soon for mine, but I do fear their reaction... 5. My therapist seems to have a similar system to yours regarding contact between sessions when feeling worse. But because I have no other support network, he has said I can't contact him either. My depression has gotten worse lately, and I struggle with ST... 6. I have an eating disorder related question, kind of following up on something I asked a while back where you told me it definitely sounds like I have an eating disorder (being extremely picky, restricting, beginning to calorie count, and struggling with body image a bit)... 7. I have a question about how to get out of what I think is a trauma bond with my adoptive father. He sexually abused me as a preteen/teen. He has done so many things... 8. At what point is alcohol a concern with patients with addictive tendencies. People with addictive tendencies or people who are prone to it, what other areas are you cautious of. Can they become addicted to anything easily? HEALTHY BOUNDARIES WORKSHOP | https://katimorton.com/the-shop/p/healthy-boundaries Kati's Books (in stores now) Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Online Therapy | I do not currently offer online therapy. My sponsor BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online counselor, please visit: https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon | https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Business Contact | Linnea Toney [email protected] If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call a local emergency telephone number or go immediately to the nearest emergency room Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton explains why it can be hard for us to communicate our needs in therapy, and how we can heal from sexual abuse when we can’t cut our abusers off. She also talks about passive self injury, what to do when we have trouble accepting a new diagnosis, and dodging eye contact in therapy. This and so much more in this week’s episode! Ask Kati Anything ep. 146 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. Why is it when my therapist asks me what I need during moments in session, it is as if every option, idea or logic leaves my brain and all I can say is ‘I don’t know’. I’m starting to annoy myself with that answer... 2. This isn’t really a question, but I wanted to ask, if it’s possible, for you to maybe try and do some more videos on sexual abuse( siblings/family members) the trauma, and how to move forward when you don’t really have an option for them to not be... 3. Every time i feel stressed/angry/ embarrassed the first thing i do is that i dig my nails into my hand (my skin) to the point that my hand would turn to red and the marks would stay from the morning till the night.. I don't... 4. How do you accept the fact of when you get told/diagnosed something, such as having trauma or anxiety. I have such an issue playing it off like it hasn't really happened... 5. Have you ever played "dodge eye contact" with a client before? Whenever I have in person sessions with my therapist I've noticed that it isn't just me. She seemingly has her own awkward moments with eye contact. I'll look at her and... 6. I’m very embarrassed about what I'm doing. I was raped by my brother years ago (had a freeze response) and sexually abused by an extended family member when i was 6/7..I HATE everything about any sexual interaction 7. Please can you talk about recovery from narcissistic abuse, including PTSD symptoms, cognitive dissonance, gaslighting, guilting etc? Specifically talking about steps to recovery would... 8. Hi Kati, during this past week I’ve found myself getting unreasonably annoyed when others (especially family and extended family members) have been sick and it’s definitely not the first time this happens… It wouldn’t be the same if it would... 9. I’ve always had a hard time being vulnerable although for others I’m very soft and understand their deep emotions…since being in therapy I’ve thankfully learnt to be more emotional for myself and express my vulnerability. My question is about going into the real world. I’m sometimes afraid that I’m over-sharing now... KATI'S BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ---- ONLINE THERAPY While Kati does not currently offer online therapy, her sponsor Betterhelp will connect you with a licensed, online counselor. Visit https://betterhelp.com/kati PATREON: this podcast is made possible through the generous support of patrons like you. https://www.patreon.com/katimorton BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Kati discusses if we can ever have a relationship with our therapist outside of therapy, and what that can look like. She also talks about the different treatment styles from EMDR to schema, CBT and DBT, etc. She explains the connection between chronic illness and our mental health, why crying in therapy can be hard but important, and how much we should remember about our childhoods. This and so much more in this week’s episode. Ask Kati Anything ep. 145 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. Does having a relationship with your therapist after therapy ends ever work out? My former therapist (of 3 years) and I found out we were blood relatives through another family member... 2. You’ve been a therapist for a while now, so I just wonder, in what ways have you changed your mind about certain things? What therapeutic methods or different therapies do you look at... 3. Have you ever considered doing a completely random podcast where you randomly pick all your questions instead of going by the most likes? 4. Could you talk a little bit about dealing with a physical chronic illness and how it affects our mental health? I have multiple chronic illnesses and it feels like I'm just constantly getting bad news... 5. When is it ok to take a break from life (in particular, work)? I’ve been in therapy for one year, working through my PTSD/CPTSD symptoms and quite frankly it’s becoming almost impossible to do my job properly. I mostly WFH which has been a blessing, but I work full time in a high stress job and I’m constantly afraid of... 6. I'm relatively new to therapy having only just started about 7 months ago. Due to the pandemic I've only ever been able to do tele-therapy with my therapist so I've never actually met her in person... 7. Is it strange to have only cried a couple of times in therapy over several years? It's been nearly 4 years of twice a week and I just can't cry. Before I started therapy I could cry easily... 8. How much about our childhoods are we supposed to remember? I remember different events that took place growing up, but when I try to think about how things were for me emotionally or... 9. I have a restrictive ED and I am in IOP (3 hrs/day, 3 days/week) and I see my dietitian, ED therapist, and regular therapist weekly. I’ve been doing better overall since starting treatment, but sometimes I want a higher level of care, like PHP (6 hrs/day, 5 days/week) or residential... 10. My therapist allows me to text her when I’m struggling with my ED and need some extra accountability. For example, sending her photos of my meals when I’m having a hard day. My question is, is that something you would allow your clients to do? KATI'S BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ---- ONLINE THERAPY While Kati does not currently offer online therapy, her sponsor Betterhelp will connect you with a licensed, online counselor. Visit https://betterhelp.com/kati PATREON: this podcast is made possible through the generous support of patrons like you. https://www.patreon.com/katimorton BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Kati talks about expressing anger in a healthy way, what childhood emotional neglect is, and our fight / flight / freeze response. She also walks listeners through healing from childhood sexual abuse and going on to have a happy healthy sex life. We also dig into our need for attention, what to do when we miss an old therapist, and the difference between depression with anxiety and bipolar disorder. This and so much more in this week’s episode. Ask Kati Anything ep. 144 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. A few videos back, someone asked a question about anger and how they struggle to express that emotion. Your response to them was something like, 'instead of trying to feel the emotion head on, first try to understand why you have a hard time expressing it, get to the root of it'... 2. I am a little confused about emotional neglect. I am intrigued by what you said that some individuals don't get their emotional needs met and as a result they can become emotionally neglected by parents or caregivers. But how about if we try our best and we think we are still doing... 3. This is a follow up to a questioned asked a while back about sex and dealing with csa. You had said something about discovering what feels right and what maybe feels off. After you had said that I noticed that foreplay seems to be easier to stay present... 4. I’m a CSA survivor and Sa survivor from college. Also, I’ve been sober for 9 years. However, since I got sober I really haven’t been able to be physically intimate with my husband. It’s not that I don’t want to at times, but... 5. I hope you’re well! (I asked that question before, but I think you didn’t answer it so I ask it again). Is there a way to get better if you want to be mentally ill for attention? I don’t think I can stop wanting to be mentally I’ll for attention.... 6. Is it possible to go into the fight/ flight/ freeze response in therapy? Is it possible to be all 3 at once? In my last therapy session I got so angry because I felt my therapist really invalidated me. When I get this angry I... 7. Can you talk about missing a therapist while seeing a new one? I miss my old therapist quite frequently. I'll remember something that we talked about in session and just think man I still wish I saw her... 8. Could I have made up my thoughts and feelings? I'm sure my feelings are real every time I feel sad, but then when I feel okay again I'm convinced that I just made those moments up and they never actually happened... 9. I was wondering if you could talk about the differences between depression with anxious distress and bipolar disorder. I have struggled with depression for several years. The anxiety portion comes in waves but is almost always in response to something very stressful... KATI'S BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ---- ONLINE THERAPY While Kati does not currently offer online therapy, her sponsor Betterhelp will connect you with a licensed, online counselor. Visit https://betterhelp.com/kati PATREON: this podcast is made possible through the generous support of patrons like you. https://www.patreon.com/katimorton BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we discuss how therapists deal with a patient not being able to answer their questions, if they get annoyed, and how they can sit with someone who is crying and hurting. We also talk about wanting to cancel therapy and isolate when struggling, and why we can act childlike in therapy and life. Kati also talks about being traumatized by a mental illness, signing a no harm / no suicide contract, and how we can find the balance between honoring our past and not being overwhelmed by it. Ask Kati Anything ep.143 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. Hi Kati, What is it like as a therapist to sit with someone while they're crying and hurting so much? Do you want to comfort them? Do you feel uneasy? Do you become desensitized to it? I think... 2. Are therapist’s annoyed when clients have a hard time answering their questions? I’m worried that I respond with “I don’t know” too often, and I’m concerned about the possibility of this hindering my progress or making my therapist think... 3. My question is about canceling therapy sessions when I am feeling the worst or get bad news. For example, I got bad news about my husband and his back injury and him not getting back to work anytime soon. I felt so... 4. Why do I behave so child-like when we talk about trauma in session? I don't feel like I have control over it, wasting my time as I cease to function & speak. My therapist said that I'm resistant - but I can't help it! I do struggle with dissociation too and right now it feels like trauma therapy is going... 5. How can you respect/honor your past without being completely engulfed or invalidating? It seems no matter how I look at it, my past was traumatic and at the same time. I don’t know how to admit it was traumatic... 6. My therapist wants me to sign a no suicide/no self harm contract because of how I have been feeling lately. I understand from her perspective why she feels she might need this. But for me since she suggested doing this, it feels like I’m failing... 7. Is it possible to be traumatized by being mentally ill? I've had depression for 4 years before I was diagnosed but shortly before I went to the therapist, I completely hit rock bottom. I couldn't write important emails anymore, I couldn't even read a full sentence and on top of that, I... 8 . My therapist told me that “therapy is not a weight loss program.” What does this mean? I am overweight and I am trying to get help with my habits of overeating/binging and I want to lose weight. Is she saying that therapy can’t help me... 9. I feel like I have so many questions to ask that it’s difficult to pinpoint which one to take the plunge with! Since you’re a marriage and family therapist, I’ll go in the direction of my husband & I’s relationship. We’ve always struggled in the bedroom... KATI'S BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ---- ONLINE THERAPY While Kati does not currently offer online therapy, her sponsor Betterhelp will connect you with a licensed, online counselor. Visit https://betterhelp.com/kati PATREON: this podcast is made possible through the generous support of patrons like you. https://www.patreon.com/katimorton BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Licensed Therapist, Kati Morton, LMFT explains why we can want to do things in life, but struggle to find the motivation. She talks about depression’s role in this behavior, and what we can do to get ourselves back on track. Next, she talks about healing from emotional neglect, why grieving is part of trauma healing, and how we can be diagnosed with PTSD. She also discusses why us being traumatized has more to do with what we experienced, not just what happened. All that and much more in this week’s episode of Ask Kati Anything! Ep.142 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. In my head I always want to do all of these things (like workout, study, clean, etc.) but I can’t get myself to actually do anything. I don’t feel like I’m depressed because I really want to accomplish these things. I just can’t get myself to physically... 2. I grew up with emotionally immature parents who couldn’t tolerate, let alone help me handle, any of my emotions, and instead responded with anger, silent treatment and isolation. I was also groomed as a young teen by a much older, married man. Now, as an adult, I’m finally doing all the “right” things: therapy, journaling, not judging my feelings, daily exercise, meditation, healthy eating, vitamins, so many self-help books... 3. Could you talk more about grief in relation to trauma? I’ve heard that people still essentially go through the stages of grieving when healing from trauma. How important is it to grieve what could have been? 4. I was wondering if it’s possible to be traumatized by something that isn’t actually traumatic? I never had any big T traumas but growing up I struggled with terrible anxiety mostly separation anxiety and social anxiety... 5. How can one be diagnosed with PTSD (noting that C-PTSD isn’t a recognised diagnosis in the DSM5) if they “only” experienced emotional neglect growing up? 6. As a therapist yourself, how do you manage to trust other therapists? And what do you do if you feel like you "know better" / would handle things differently? I'm currently in training, but I'm also in therapy myself... 7. I’ve had the same therapist for about 6 years, but recently I’ve started to consider looking for a new therapist. Not because of anything that went wrong- I just think that it’s time for a change and having a new therapist might help me grow... 8. What is the role of a loved one, parent, spouse, sibling, or child, in the treatment of their mental health? Sometimes I feel the therapists of loved ones are missing a major issue... 9. How did you balance having a relationship now with a parent who was abusive growing up? I believe my dad's intentions were never bad, but he was still very harmful and contributed... KATI'S BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ---- ONLINE THERAPY While Kati does not currently offer online therapy, her sponsor Betterhelp will connect you with a licensed, online counselor. Visit https://betterhelp.com/kati PATREON: this podcast is made possible through the generous support of patrons like you. https://www.patreon.com/katimorton BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Kati talks about the therapy process, relapses, and wanting therapy but also wanting to quit at the same time! She also talks about hospitalization, and the difference between voluntary and involuntary inpatient. Kati also explains alexithymia, feeling our emotions, and how to deal when our therapist is on leave. This and much more in this week’s episode! Questions: 1. I usually have therapy on Wednesdays. My therapist is a great fit for me, she has just the right balance of pushing me but not too hard and she's picked up on my anxiety... 2. My therapist recently pointed out to me that I always seem very tense during our sessions. I've been going for a year but I still feel my heart pounding and as if I'm about to give a presentation or be tested whenever... 3. I wanted to preface this with saying that I'm not in immediate danger. My wife and I have a safety plan in place right now so I'm not really ever alone. I would rather not disclose the specifics of my illness online, but I... ***BOUNDARIES WORKSHOP*** On January 6 and 13, 2023 I'll be doing a live healthy relationships workshop with downloadable worksheets and time for Q&A. https://katimorton.com/the-shop/p/healthy-boundaries The goal of this workshop is to empower you to set the boundaries you need to take back control of your life. 4. I have cptsd & I’ve been seeing my therapist for over a year. A few months ago we started spreading my sessions out from every other week to once a month. We’ve recently started doing every week again because I... 5. Does the concept of letting ourselves feel emotions instead of avoiding them also indicate that we deserve to experience them? Particularly for negative emotions, such as shame and guilt - say we confront whatever... 6. I have a question about alexithymia (not being able to recognize your own emotions). I can only recognize basic emotions like happiness, sadness, and anger, but only if they are very strong... 7. How does one deal without their therapist for a few months while they are on maternity leave? I’ve been in therapy for about 8 months now and am finally starting to be open with her.... 8. I don't know how much this is a question or if it's just ranting but; why do the bullies get so much space when talking about bullying? I am thinking of various educational materials and information on the internet... 9. I am overweight and I think I might have binge eating disorder, but I’m nervous to talk to my therapist about it. I’m scared that anytime someone walks into a therapist’s office saying “I want to lose weight..." Ask Kati Anything ep.141 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT KATI'S BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ---- ONLINE THERAPY While Kati does not currently offer online therapy, her sponsor Betterhelp will connect you with a licensed, online counselor. Visit https://betterhelp.com/kati PATREON: this podcast is made possible through the generous support of patrons like you. https://www.patreon.com/katimorton BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Kati talks about healing from trauma and why we can feel childlike afterward. She also discusses why we can struggle to know who we are, offer ourselves compassion and self-worth in the wake of childhood trauma. Kati also explains what a challenging client is and why that’s not a bad thing. She then dives into how we can figure out what help we need from our loved ones, and whether or not trauma therapy can ruin our bodies. This and so much more in this week’s episode. Ask Kati Anything ep. 140 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT - Help! I'm 36 and STILL don't feel like an adult Audience questions: 1. When someone has spent almost their whole life being their “trauma self” (e.g. by masking, numbing, isolating etc) how does one cope with... 2. Why do I still feel like a child? I'm 36 but I don't feel like an adult. I do adult stuff like pay my rent, pay my bills, cook, go grocery shopping...and... 3. Can you explain why self compassion seems to be so important in healing from trauma? I've been with my therapist for 18 months and she regularly talks about having compassion for myself. I can't feel sorry for... 4. I’ve finally managed to pluck up the courage and start asking for support when I’m struggling, but the problem is I never know what to say... 5. Some clients are challenging and I've learned that therapists have coping skills for that ("maybe you should talk to someone", random ig posts). How do you hold unconditional positive regard for these clients? 6. How do I build inner self-worth? I don't mean confidence, because I have confidence in some things I do (and working on others). I mean that I'm worthy regardless... 7. Did trauma therapy ruin my body??? How do I pick up the pieces of my broken life? When do you keep pursuing therapy- and when is it time to just accept a struggle as life long??? (Background: I went... 8. Is it possible for fatigue or other physical symptoms accompanying mental illness to become permanent if the mental illness lasts too long? Can it permanently "wear out" your body? I have complex ptsd... 9. How important do you think a diagnosis is? For the past year I have been struggling with low mood, self harm and disordered eating, and I have been seeing a therapist to help with that, but having been diagnosed with anything... ---- KATI'S BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ---- ONLINE THERAPY While Kati does not currently offer online therapy, her sponsor Betterhelp will connect you with a licensed, online counselor. Visit https://betterhelp.com/kati PATREON: this podcast is made possible through the generous support of patrons like you. https://www.patreon.com/katimorton BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ask Kati Anything ep. 139 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT This week Kati talks all about attachment, transference, childhood emotional neglect, and how that can affect our relationship with our therapist. She also discusses bipolar disorder, the importance of feeling validated and understood by our therapist, and why certain emotions are harder to feel and express. This and so much more on this week’s episode! AUDIENCE QUESTIONS I’ve noticed a pattern in my life since early childhood where I become emotionally attached in a non-romantic way to certain people and I subconsciously place them in a parental role. I feel dependent on them emotionally and want to feel validated by... I have a question about bipolar disorder, and therapy in general. I take lamictal daily. I was diagnosed with bipolar 2 disorder last year, and I go to therapy every two weeks. Whenever I go to see my therapist, I feel as though she exaggerates my experiences and labels them as episodes... How do you know if its attachment to your therapist is something more? I have noticed that I fear the day that I won’t be in therapy but I don’t know that it is so much that I’m attached to my therapist and don’t want to leave her... I wanted to follow up on a question I asked recently because I don’t think you quite covered what I meant and there has been a lot of discussion in the comments about it. My question was about the phrase “you can’t make someone feel something”. What are some creative ways we can celebrate our mental health wins? I think this may be an overlooked part of our healing journey. I feel silly expressing them because they aren’t always as big as a new job or a degree, etc. and... I find it difficult to express my feelings in other ways than through words alone. I don't want to bother anyone by showing that I feel something or acting irrationally and emotionally. I've always been this way, but after trying DBT it's even harder to feel my... What's your take on "gifted kid burnout" that's talked about pretty often on social media? What do children experience when they don't get supported enough to reach their potential or what does it do to them to be told that they have potential but they don't fully use it? My question is around what feels like extremely intense maternal transference with my therapist. I find it very difficult and extremely humiliating (although I have been able to let her know and she has been excellent about it). I’ve been seeing her for... How do I know the difference between a therapist being too harsh, or just doing her job? ---- KATI'S BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ---- ONLINE THERAPY While Kati does not currently offer online therapy, her sponsor Betterhelp will connect you with a licensed, online counselor. Visit https://betterhelp.com/kati PATREON: this podcast is made possible through the generous support of patrons like you. https://www.patreon.com/katimorton BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ask Kati Anything ep. 138 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Today’s Kati talks about coming to terms with repressed memories and the fact that they may never be complete. She also explains how she works with people who feel like they are behind in life, the importance of eye contact in therapy, and why we can crave negative attention. She also discusses what she does when a client self injures in session, how we can know if it’s safe to start exercising again in ED recovery, and why we can sometimes feel full and sick when we haven’t eaten very much. Finally, she talks about weight gain in ED recovery and how to mentally manage it. Audience questions I have been in therapy for three years now to help me work through CSA and my insane workload from university (I’ll be graduating in a month thankfully). I didn’t know anything like that had happened to me until... I was just wondering as a therapist what approaches you would use when working with clients who feel like they are behind in life due to societal pressures? I ask this as I sometimes feel like I'm somewhat behind compared to people of my age in relation to relationships... Why do I crave negative attention? I have always had a fascination with / get excited about the idea of punishment or “getting into trouble.” I also tend to do things to draw negative attention in therapy. For example, the most recent round of therapy sessions I... Hi Kati and community, How important do you think is eye contact in therapy? Are you 'getting the most out of therapy' even if you never establish eye contact (over a longer period like one or two years)? The sensitive nature of the therapy setting makes me feel rather vulnerable and... My question is, what would you do if a client was self-injuring in session? I have really bad eczema on my hands and if I clench my fists, all the wounds split open. I have found myself doing this in session when we are talking about hard... About ED recovery: when do I know that it's time to exercise again? Are there "signs" I can look out for? Like having a regular period I have an eating disorder, anorexia. The problem is that despite my lack of intake I keep gaining weight. I’m 46 years old and am wondering if that’s why. I have a registered dietitian and an eating disorder therapist and even though I’m trying to work on recovery, this constant weight gain is really distressing for me... Kati, I’m trying to recover from an eating disorder, but it’s really difficult because whenever I eat, I just feel sick and overly full even though there’s no way I could be full because I’m not eating enough to warrant that. Will I ever stop feeling overly full and sick and exhausted after eating? It triggers me to purge not to lose weight, but just because I feel... ---- KATI'S BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ---- ONLINE THERAPY While Kati does not currently offer online therapy, her sponsor Betterhelp will connect you with a licensed, online counselor. Visit https://betterhelp.com/kati PATREON: this podcast is made possible through the generous support of patrons like you. https://www.patreon.com/katimorton BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ask Kati Anything ep. 137 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT This week Kati talks about all things OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). She explains what it is, what Pure O OCD is, and how it links to PTSD, perfectionism, and eating disorders. She also explains how the treatment may differ depending on where our OCD comes from, and why mentally rehearsing things over and over again isn’t healthy for us. She discusses the fact that OCD is an anxiety disorder, and what that means for its symptoms. Finally, she talks about the best ways we can support those in our life with OCD, and why it’s up to them to tell us what’s best for them. This and so much more in this week’s episode. AUDIENCE QUESTIONS Can you talk about how OCD may present itself alongside PTSD? For example, most of my obsessions and compulsions are checking and also trauma-related, ex. "Is the door locked?" "Did somebody text me?" "Is my grandmother breathing?", etc.. I have a tendency to mentally rehearse my day over and over again in my head as if I have a running checklist in my head of everything I need to get done that day until I have accomplished everything. In a way this calms me as I feel... Could intrusive harm thoughts be a sign of OCD? Most of my harmful thoughts are around sharp objects. I experienced these thoughts during a tough time in my life for 3 months and then they went away. They come back every... How best to support someone with OCD? My friend recently told me she has OCD, she’s not yet felt comfortable enough to tell me what her OCD looks like for her which I totally understand, but just wondered how... (How) are OCD and perfectionism intertwined? Could the addictive behavior in eating disorders be a part of OCD? Is OCD all about controlling? And why is it so satisfactory to control? How can you tell the difference between pure O OCD and just anxious thoughts? (COMMENT: And if it is pure O OCD, where do you draw the line between an obsession and a compulsion?) What’s up with needing everything to be right? I am in constant search for the right answers in everything I do. If I feel I didn’t do something right, then I get really down on myself and become very frustrated... My ocd is very much linked to health anxiety (that i started developing around covid). How can we stop our ocd behavior when it actually is something that also helps us feel like we are fighting the risks to catch a disease... How do you know when it’s time to stop ERP (Exposure and response prevention therapy)? When is it time to see if you can just focus on other things for a while? Isn’t the ultimate goal of treatment to get to... ---- KATI'S BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ---- ONLINE THERAPY While Kati does not currently offer online therapy, her sponsor Betterhelp will connect you with a licensed, online counselor. Visit https://betterhelp.com/kati PATREON: this podcast is made possible through the generous support of patrons like you. https://www.patreon.com/katimorton BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ask Kati Anything ep. 136 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT This week Kati talks a lot about building up resilience, emotionally, physically, and in our relationships. She addresses how we can’t MAKE people feel or do anything, but they are still responsible for their actions. She also discusses suicidal ideation and why it can feel like it pops out of nowhere, and how someone with BPD can manage attachment in therapeutic settings. Kati explains the link between childhood trauma or CPTSD and being sensitive to stress as an adult, and why being a parentified child can make us immature in other ways. Finally, she offers advice on how to be more emotionally mature, and whether or not she thinks everyone can change. This and so much more in this week’s episode! Audience questions: I hear a lot about how people are not responsible for the feelings of others, or that you can’t “make” someone feel a certain way. As someone who has grown up in a home with domestic violence and has been emotionally abused and neglected my... As someone with bpd; could you give us some advice on how to find balance in opening up to a therapist/psychiatrist without becoming too attached? Also, is there such a thing as becoming too attached that it'll delay your process... A week or so ago, I experienced SI. No plan or intent, but it scared the shit out of me. Now, I can’t stop thinking about it. I spend most days constantly thinking “what if it happens again? What if next time it’s so bad that I... Can sensitivity to stress in adulthood be affected by repeated childhood trauma? In CPTSD, hypervigilance is part of the diagnosis, but can sensitivity to stress count as part of... How does one become an adult? Or grow up? I've been called mature my whole life, only to be told that I need to "grow up" as an adult. I feel like... How do I improve my resilience? Specifically physical resilience. When I am at my parent’s house I work very hard to use coping skills and step away from triggering situations, so that I can make it through emotionally... I was hoping you could talk about emotional maturity and suggestions for someone who feels emotionally immature. I grew up in a very neglectful house and have been working toward getting better at expressing... Do you think people can truly change? For good or bad? I’ve been with a partner for 5 years and they have changed (in a bad way- towards me and themselves) ... ---- KATI'S BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ---- ONLINE THERAPY While Kati does not currently offer online therapy, her sponsor Betterhelp will connect you with a licensed, online counselor. Visit https://betterhelp.com/kati PATREON: this podcast is made possible through the generous support of patrons like you. https://www.patreon.com/katimorton BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ask Kati Anything ep. 135 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT This week Kati talks about dissociation from memories, emotions, and what structural dissociation is. She also discusses isolation as a result of trauma, why people with mental illness compete with one another, and how to figure out what traits are important to us. Kati also explains the difference between enjoying being busy and running from our problems, and why concentration is affected by mental illness. She talks about the different ways we talk to ourselves, why we can’t cry, and the reasons our body can be aroused when we aren’t actually aroused. This and much more in this week’s episode! Audience questions: 1. Can you talk more about dissociation from memories vs dissociation from emotions? Is that really a thing? I find I use a coping skill to put my trauma memories into these other... 2. My maladaptive response to developmental trauma (abandonment, emotional abuse and neglect) has been to completely isolate myself from everyone to the point where I only feel known by my therapist... 3. Why do people with mental illness sometimes compare their struggles to each other like a competition? I've had conversations in inpatient... 4. I am in counseling and something we have covered is getting a better handle on who I actually am, rather than being defined by my mental illness... 5. Can you elaborate on how one might understand if they are filling their schedule to run from what’s going on in their life vs keeping the calendar full as... 6. I have a question about negative self-talk. I have noticed that most people talk to themselves in the second person.. 7. Why does mental illness make concentration so hard? I’ve been working with a trauma therapist and attempting to be more present only makes me realize how hard it is to pay attention... 8. I'm afraid that I might be the weirdest person ever, I´ve tried to google this but I can't find anyone else experiencing the same thing and this is so shameful. 9. Why can’t I cry? I often tear up about things not closely related to me, like world events or historical events, but when it comes to the things... Kati's Books: Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy Online Therapy While I do not currently offer online therapy, my sponsor Betterhelp will connect you with a licensed, online counselor. VISIT https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon https://www.patreon.com/katimorton Amazon Suggestions https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Contact YouTube https://www.youtube.com/katimorton & https://www.youtube.com/OpinionsThatDontMatter TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Twitter https://twitter.com/KatiMorton Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1 Business Contact Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Kati shares the best way to manage the anxiety that comes around before we begin a new week, why we can have bursts of emotions sometimes, and she also explains why some traumas are easier to acknowledge than others. She talks about the different types of therapy and why we have to find one that works, why it can be hard to focus on what our therapist is saying, and the stigma associated with bulimia nervosa. Finally, she explains why those with BPD can hate boundaries, and what the difference is between hypomania and just plain joy. That and so much more in this week’s episode! Ask Kati Anything ep. 134 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. How does someone actually deal with the “Sunday Scaries”? Every Sunday I get so overwhelmed with anxiety for the upcoming week I just freeze. Even though I have things I need to accomplish (i.e. meal prepping, laundry, etc.) I end up not being able to do any... 2. Why does it seem harder to acknowledge certain traumas versus others? I went to therapy to deal past csa but in doing so learned about emotional neglect. My family life seemed so normal and standard and to believe otherwise is hard to wrap my head around... 3. My question is about bursts of emotions. When something happens that seems to emotionally affect me, I only seem to feel that feeling for a very short time. For example, when I feel sad I cry for ten seconds max, after... 4. Do you think therapy works for everyone? I have alexithymia and I struggle so much with expressing emotions and knowing what I am feeling, I can tell my psychology gets frustrated with me and she said "therapy doesn't work for everyone" Which took... 5. I often lose focus on what my therapist is saying during my therapy sessions. Most often it is because of different thoughts about things that cause me a lot of anxiety. An example: during a session my therapist talked and explained that emotions can be evoked by thoughts... 6. I was wondering if you could talk a bit about bulimia & whether, in your experience, patients are more reluctant to share that they are struggling with it. I find there's a big stigma attached to it & people are disgusted by it - the recovery content online is largely people who struggled.... 7. I'm wondering if you can talk about why, as a borderline, I hate boundaries. I also tend to get overly attached to anyone who I open up to about my personal struggles and then end up obsessing about that person and violating the boundaries of that relationship. Obsessive / intrusive thoughts... 8. Can you tell me the difference between hypomania and plain old joy? I had a week or so where I didn’t sleep much and I had a ton of energy, but I’m 31 and I’ve never been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I had just... ---- KATI'S BOOKS • Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j • Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy ---- ONLINE THERAPY While Kati does not currently offer online therapy, her sponsor Betterhelp will connect you with a licensed, online counselor. Visit https://betterhelp.com/kati PATREON: this podcast is made possible through the generous support of patrons like you. https://www.patreon.com/katimorton BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ask Kati Anything ep. 133 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT This week Kati discusses why we may want to stay in therapy forever, and how to know if that’s unhealthy or not. She also explains some of the reasons we may be repulsed by ourselves, why we might hate hugs, and the effects diet culture has on those with EDs. She explains sandtray therapy, how DBT works, and how to grieve things lost in our lives. Finally, she describes the effects of medical trauma, what leads to CPTSD, how much support is okay to ask for, and how she decides what level of care her ED patients need. This and so much more on today’s episode! Audience questions: 1. I can't imagine ever feeling ready to leave my therapist. I like him so much, even though at times it's painful. The thought of never seeing him again is hugely upsetting and I know I'd be... 2. Could you talk a bit more about reasons why we might be repulsed by our own being? You mentioned in episode 128 that we can be so disgusted with ourselves and this can be a trauma response... 3. I've heard people talk about diet culture - specifically, how it's harmful and can lead to disordered eating/EDs - but I've also heard news about the increasing obesity crisis in the U.S. I'm curious... 4. Does there have to be a reason for hating hugs or can it just be related to who we are as a person? Ever since I can remember even as a young child I've hated hugs, this has continued into adulthood... 5. Can you talk more about sandtray therapy? Like when does a therapist decide to use it for adults? Is it suitable as a form of trauma therapy on its own, or is it... 6. My question is about DBT therapy for CPTSD due to sexual abuse. I am only about 6 weeks into therapy with my new therapist, so I know we are early on in the process. I had told her that I have not done well with therapy in... 7. I was wondering if you could talk about grief. You have mentioned that you don't have to have someone pass away to experience grief and I was wondering about if you can grieve the loss of an opportunity, or a future you thought... 8. I am wondering if you could have CPTSD due to multiple occurrences with Cancer throughout childhood. I have only heard of cptsd coming out of abuse or sexual trauma, but a lot of the symptoms are true for me. I’ve also had other things happen to me that could be considered trauma... 9. I know that mental illness can warp your perception into wrongly believing that you’re a burden if you reach out for support. But it can also legitimately cause strain for the people being reached out to. How do I tell which one is happening? How much support is... Kati's Books • Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j • Are u ok? http://bit.ly/2s0mULy Online Therapy While Kati does not currently offer online therapy, her sponsor Betterhelp will connect you with a licensed, online counselor. Visit https://betterhelp.com/kati Patreon - this podcast is made possible through the generous support of patrons like you. https://www.patreon.com/katimorton BUSINESS INQUIRIES - Linnea Toney [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ask Kati Anything ep.132 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT This week Kati address' the effects of trauma on our self esteem, and how that can lead to us hating ourselves. She also talks about how trauma can change the brain, and how we can get better at opening up and accepting help. Kati explains how a trauma timeline works and shows us what one looks like, and offers other ways to get ourselves out of our freeze response. Finally, Kati differentiates between anxiety disorders and PTSD, explains how to deal with therapist abandonment, and how to cope when an abusive parent is sick or dying. This and much more in this week's episode. Audience questions: 1. Why do I think that I am a bad person, and how do I stop hating myself? Whenever anything remotely bad happens or I "inconvenience" someone the slightest bit (ex. "taking" a doctor's time during my appointment, telling my boss I can't come into work because I am sick, someone giving me a gift, someone holding a door open for me) my brain starts the mantra of... 2. Hi Kati, could you talk about how childhood trauma and ptsd can affect brain structure/function? (COMMENT: Can trauma also result in other mental health disorders like anxiety disorders or eating disorders instead of PTSD? // To add to this, can you talk about how childhood trauma can affect the parents of... 3. I have a really hard time opening up to other people and accepting help. I have worked through old memories and realized I didn't get proper emotional care as a child. I was mostly ignored and left alone with all emotional struggles i faced growing up. As a result I now don't feel worthy to be considered with my emotions. Today i am in a way better spot in life. I have two... 4. I was at your inner child workshop and it was very helpful. I want to create a trauma timeline like you suggested, but I am wondering if you happen to have any visuals for what a trauma timeline could look like? I’m a visual learner and I’m having trouble figuring out how to... 5. How to get out of a freeze response if grounding techniques don’t work? I’ve been sexually abused as a child & S. assaulted once as a teenager and that's when it started. I want to process what I’ve been through but it’s hard since I’m still stuck in that freeze response and don’t... 6. How can you tell the difference between an anxiety disorder, and something like CPTSD? What symptoms would you look out for to differentiate the two? I definitely have social anxiety and have had this since childhood, but I’ve also experienced childhood trauma... 7. I was abandoned by my therapist back in November. Everything had seemed good, I had been with her for a year and a half. I went into crisis and hospitalized myself, at which point she completely cut off contact. I have struggled ever since, I have tried working with 7 different therapists in the past 9 months or so... 8. How do you deal with a sick or dying abusive parent? I started grieving a few years ago when I realized my father won’t change, he said “he was always like this and he is too old to change”, but seeing him sick now make me sad and at the same time I feel relief... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ask Kati Anything ep.131 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT This week Kati talks about how we can move forward if we were abusive to our siblings when we were younger. She also explains why we can fantasize about going missing or wanting to run away from our lives, and why it’s common to have pretend conversations with ourselves and feel like they are real. Kati also shares the best time to journal, how to deal with a push pull urge in therapy, and how to move past denial. She also explains why we can feel the urge to invalidate our little t traumas, how to finally get to the root of our issues, and finally what we can do if it feels like nothing is helping. Audience questions: 1. There are a lot of questions asked by people who were abused by their siblings when they were younger, but what if I was the abuser? It’s been over 15 years since but I was put in charge of watching my special needs little sister (only 16 months apart) a lot of the time and I used violence... 2. For years I’ve had this fantasy of “going missing,” or disappearing intentionally – just getting in my car, driving a thousand miles, leaving it in some parking lot and then just walking away. Over time I learned that this is not actually illegal, as long as you’re an adult and you’re not evading the... 3. This is kind of embarrassing to ask, but surely I’m not the only one who does this. Why do I pretend I’m having conversations with people who aren’t really there? It’s as if I’m actually having a back and forth conversation with another person, but in reality I guess I’m just talking to myself? 4. Why do I have such a strong push pull relationship with therapy? I have seen seven different therapists in the past two years and couldn’t connect with any of them. It’s like the first couple of sessions I want to tell them everything and then on the third and fourth sessions I don’t want to... 5. Regarding journaling, is it more used to just write things down in the moment or is there value in going back and re-reading it at some point? I’ve been journaling pretty regularly for the past year and want to go back through and read it but I’m finding that I’m very hesitant to do so… 6. Is it possible to know you're in denial and yet you still don't want to believe the truth? I am trying to come to terms with being emotionally neglected by my parents but the part I'm struggling with is the acceptance that it happened. I know it sounds like a contradiction because I can name the... 7. How do I stop invalidating my little T traumas as you call them? I had a lot of things happen to me over my lifetime that I would consider smaller traumas if anything. For example, my father was quite abusive, but he left when I was still very young and we didn't see him often. My mother was/is an addict, but she still took care of us quite well... 8. How do I get to the root of my issues? I feel like I'm so caught up in running away by using maladaptive coping strategies (anorexia, over-exercise, suicidality etc) that I don't even know what I'm trying to cope with. I do know that there‘s more emotional pain when I reduce my disordered behaviors... 9. One of your answers prompted me to ask a question. I'm struggling with feeling like I've tried everything and feeling like I have no choice left but to end things. I have been inpatient multiple times, have done multiple IOPs/partials. I have tried so many meds... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Kati talks about binge eating disorder (BED). She discusses the link between BED and childhood trauma, why there’s a connection between a mother’s love and our relationship with food, and the difference between BED and appetite changes associated with other mental illnesses. She also explains why forgetting to eat is not the same as an eating disorder, how we can reduce cravings, and how to get over any guilt associated with a binge. She also shares why parentification can make it hard for us to want to be an adult, why binge eating, food addiction, and overeating are the same thing, and whether or not medications for BED are actually helpful. This and much more in this week’s podcast! Kati Morton is a licensed marriage and family therapist, each week she answers mental health questions from her audience. Ask Kati Anything ep. 130 | Your mental health podcast, with Licensed Therapist, Kati Morton Audience questions: 1. I would like to know more about the connection between (B)ED and childhood trauma, because it seems that that topic isn't talked about enough. Why do we choose to cope with food rather than anything else and is there really a connection between mother's love and our relationship with food throughout our lives? 2. Can you explain the difference(s) between a binge eating disorder and the appetite changes associated with anxiety and depression? Sometimes I skip meals due to my anxiety, either because I get stuck in my head and forget that I need food or I feel too nauseous to eat, but then it usually results in a binge eating session afterwards because I’ve essentially starved myself. I know... 3. I have a question about eating disorders, but not related to body image or calories or anything. It’s more just… disordered eating? I forget to eat a meal, and then my OCD says it’s too late for whatever meal, so then I have to wait for the next meal time. Except this happens every single day. I’m not sure if this counts as an eating disorder? It’s very confusing for me. I want to eat the right amounts per day, I just can’t for some reason... 4. How does one reduce cravings? Also, can one embark on their own treatment for binge eating, as opposed to seeking professional help? If so, where does one start? 5. What is the difference between binge eating and just over eating? I’m pretty sure I struggle with binge eating but my psychiatrist has asked me if I’m binging or just over eating and honestly I don't really know how to tell the difference. Thanks for everything you do. 6. This might not be related to this week's theme but I hope you consider answering it! I feel like I just woke up now and realized that I’ve wasted my childhood/ teenage years by not being a child or a teenager. Now, I’ve reached to the point where I don’t want to grow up and ‘time’ scares me... 7. Hi Kati, I struggle with binge eating. My psychiatrist has recommended a drug that is used for opioid addiction that should take away the pleasure I get from eating. What other options do I have? 8. What is the difference between a binge eating disorder and a food addiction? I feel like sugar is my kryptonite. Also I am picky, lactose intolerant and acidic foods aggravate an overactive bladder condition. So I feel like I can't easily avoid sugar. I suspect I have a binge eating disorder and that it... 9. How can I deal with the guilt that I experience after a binge? I used to purge, (I don’t anymore) and that was usually my unhealthy way of getting rid of the guilt I felt from eating too much. but now when I binge, I’m left feeling terrible and it makes me want to self-harm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices