The Affirming Minds Podcast

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** View course information and earn CE/CEUs here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/fb93a29f-c8b3-435f-91a1-eb521f6bbe36 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. What happens when insight becomes another way to stay at a distance from what we feel? In this episode, Shaina is joined by Lorain Moorehead, LCSW, PMH-C, EMDR Approved Consultant, therapist, and clinical supervisor, to explore intellectualization in therapy. They discuss how intellectualization can function as both a sophisticated form of protection and a barrier to emotional processing—particularly for high-achieving and psychologically minded clients. The conversation explores how intellectualization develops, how to distinguish insight from emotional processing, the roles of certainty and overcontrol, and ways therapists can work with this pattern without shaming…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** View course information and earn CE/CEUs here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/c264e836-a6a9-4023-aa2c-bcf465dd8226 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. What happens when childhood looked “fine” on paper, but something still feels missing? In this episode, Shaina Siber, LCSW talks with therapist Carli Kilbourne, LPC about childhood emotional neglect, including how it differs from emotional abuse, why it can be difficult to recognize, and how unmet emotional needs can shape attachment, self-concept, and adult relationships. They discuss people-pleasing, hyper-independence, emotionally immature parenting, achievement-focused families, grief, boundaries, and healing through approaches such as EMDR, parts work, and reparenting. Carli Kilbourne is a licensed therapist, educator, and trauma-informed content creator who…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/0b54bd3e-8449-4113-a495-722f7f5b381e Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. This episode explores opioids through a behavioral health lens, with attention to pain, prescription opioid use, opioid misuse and opioid use disorder, diversion, overdose risk, and recovery. The discussion distinguishes tolerance and physical dependence from addiction, reviews signs of problematic opioid use, and examines how stigma, bias, prescribing practices, and inequities in pain treatment can shape clinical care. The course also addresses the changing opioid landscape, including illicitly manufactured fentanyl, counterfeit pills, polysubstance use, naloxone, fentanyl test strips, and other harm-reduction strategies. Treatment approaches for opioid use…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** View course information and earn CE/CEUs here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/883839f8-bb1a-4dab-97bf-4966b1a7be13 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber, LCSW, is joined by Lou Lasprugato, LMFT, to explore how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can be applied within couples therapy. The conversation focuses on yearnings—deep, enduring psychological longings for experiences such as connection, security, validation, understanding, partnership, and shared meaning—and how they influence relationship patterns. Shaina and Lou discuss how ACT’s psychological flexibility processes can be extended interpersonally, how threat responses and underlying vulnerabilities can contribute to conflict, and how clinicians can help couples move toward greater…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/9c5ad152-0781-4b43-8ec1-77cc4e1be9c0 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. Suicide assessment is only the beginning of suicide care. In this continuing education podcourse, we move beyond identifying risk to explore how clinicians can formulate suicide risk, directly address suicidal thoughts and behaviors, develop collaborative safety plans, reduce access to lethal means, and determine appropriate levels of care. We discuss suicide-specific approaches including CAMS, CBT for Suicide Prevention (CBT-SP), and DBT, as well as the role of psychiatric treatment and interdisciplinary coordination. The course also explores chronic suicidality, medication considerations, hospitalization and alternatives to hospitalization, post-crisis…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/9ca63c70-af79-4f1b-8853-b5efcca3c0f6 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. Suicide is one of the most complex and consequential issues mental health professionals encounter. In this CE-eligible episode of the Affirming Minds Podcast, Shaina Siber, LCSW, explores what we know about why suicidal thoughts develop, what increases the risk that thoughts become actions, and why understanding suicide requires looking beyond diagnosis alone. We explore psychological pain, hopelessness, entrapment, perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, trauma, mental illness, chronic pain, social conditions, minority stress, and access to lethal means. We also examine how human cognition and our capacity to imagine the future may contribute to…

Child sexual abuse prevention is a conversation every therapist should be part of. In this Mental Health Edit episode, Shaina sits down with Chris Yadon of Saprea to discuss child sexual abuse prevention, survivor healing, child-on-child sexual abuse, healthy sexual development, disclosure, the evolving role of technology and AI in exploitation, and practical ways clinicians, parents, and communities can help protect children. Chris also introduces Saprea's incredible free resources, including prevention education, support groups, online learning, and a trauma-informed retreat for adult survivors. Resources: Saprea: https://saprea.org/ If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a colleague. Together, we can help bring these important conversations to more clinicians.

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/9e17027a-8651-4111-b994-8a5bb1a76741 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. How do trauma and attachment shape the way we connect with our closest relationships? In this episode, Shaina speaks with Kathy Gusenkov, LMFT, about how developmental trauma influences adult relationships and explores trauma-informed approaches to fostering safety, co-regulation, and secure functioning in couples therapy.

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/1909ad83-0f64-4ba6-aeef-7ccaeeea044d Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. Psychosis has long been viewed through a medical model focused on symptom reduction—but recovery is about much more than eliminating symptoms. In this episode, Shaina sits down with Maggie Mullen, LCSW, DBT-LBC, to explore recovery-oriented, disability justice-informed approaches to psychosis. Together, they discuss common misconceptions, reducing stigma, person-centered care, and the emerging role of psychotherapy—including DBT—in supporting individuals experiencing psychosis.

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/3aac8a4c-169b-45df-8c69-882ed09bdbd1 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. Demand for mental health care continues to grow while therapists face increasing rates of burnout, workforce shortages, administrative burden, and rapid technological change. In this episode, Shaina sits down with therapist, consultant, and bestselling author Joe Sanok to explore how organizational psychology and intentional work design can help clinicians build more sustainable, fulfilling careers. Together, they discuss the science of productivity, decision fatigue, autonomy, and workplace design, challenging the idea that burnout is simply an individual problem to solve with better self-care. Whether you work in community mental health, hospitals,…

What can a reality television show teach us about trauma, belonging, faith, and identity? In this Mental Health Edit episode, I’m joined by Mellissa Perry Hill, LPC, owner of Inner Compass Counseling & Consulting. Using The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives as a starting point, we explore religious trauma, high-control belief systems, gender roles, childhood trauma, mental health stigma, public shaming, and the challenges of healing while living in the public eye. In This Episode, We Discuss: Religious trauma and faith transitions High-control religious systems Shame, belonging, and community pressure Gender roles and patriarchy Childhood trauma and sexual abuse Mental health stigma Public accountability vs. public shaming Reality TV, social media, and culture Healing and reclaiming personal autonomy About Today's Guest Mellissa Perry Hill, MS, LPC, is the owner of Inner Compass Counseling & Consulting and specializes in religious trauma, spiritual abuse, and faith transitions. She works with individuals,…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/b38c1a67-776b-47e3-a5fb-24250e5cd456 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. Psychologist, author, speaker, and Linehan Board-Certified DBT Expert Dr. Kiki Fehling joins The Affirming Minds Podcast to discuss LGBTQ+ mental health, minority stress, identity invalidation, and the role of Dialectical Behavior Therapy in fostering resilience, self-love, and queer joy. Together, we explore the history of LGBTQ+ mental health care, affirmative practice, and how DBT skills can help individuals navigate shame, stigma, and discrimination while building lives that feel meaningful, authentic, and connected. Dr. Fehling is the author of The LGBTQ+ Mental Health Workbook: Find Emotional Resilience, Self-Love, and Queer Joy with Dialectical…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/b9e9c5e6-8afd-4568-be2b-bde2515290c2 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. What does it mean to be trauma-informed, and how is trauma-informed care different from trauma treatment? In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber-Sanderowitz, LCSW, explores the foundations of trauma-informed care, PTSD, Complex PTSD, post-traumatic growth, and the current landscape of evidence-based trauma treatment. Listeners will learn about SAMHSA's Four R's and Six Guiding Principles, the impact of trauma across the lifespan, and several established and emerging approaches to trauma treatment. Shaina is joined by Mariah Zur, LPC, for a conversation about Internal Family Systems (IFS), including how the model conceptualizes…

In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast: Mental Health Edit, Shaina sits down with Taylor Gilbert, LCSW, and Faith Voss., LCSW, co-hosts of the Social Work to Wealth Podcast, for a candid conversation about money, sustainability, and the hidden financial narratives within helping professions. Together, they explore: The “you’re not in it for the money” culture in social work and mental health Financial shame, burnout, and martyrdom in helping professions Gender, systemic inequities, and compensation disparities Why financial wellness is an ethical issue for clinicians How money impacts career sustainability, burnout, and access to opportunity Private practice, salary transparency, and wealth-building for social workers The role of systemic barriers, financial literacy, and advocacy in mental health professions This episode is part of our Mental Health Edit series — conversational episodes focused on mental health, culture, systems, and professional life. These episodes are not eligible for CE credit.…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/55b39c15-128a-466e-9fcf-4b24a1114dcd Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. What happens when survival mode becomes an identity? In this episode, Shaina sits down with Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist Caleb Chestnutt to explore the mental health impact of chronic stress, trauma exposure, hypervigilance, and emotional suppression within military and law enforcement culture. Drawing from both his clinical work and his lived experience serving in military law enforcement roles in the U.S. Air Force, Caleb offers a grounded and deeply nuanced conversation about the culture of endurance that exists within many first responder spaces — and the ways it can quietly shape relationships, emotional regulation, identity, and…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/56706d88-e210-4af9-a195-c494dca5629c Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. This episode explores the realities of clinical supervision—what it’s meant to do, where it can fall short, and what’s at stake when it does. I’m joined by Amelia Larson, MSW, RCSW, to break down the ethical gray zones clinicians and supervisors navigate every day—from recognizing early “pink flags” to making high-stakes decisions in complex systems. Whether you’re receiving supervision or providing it, this episode offers a grounded look at navigating uncertainty in real-world clinical work.

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/6767e922-98a1-40b2-806d-74619afb4ea5 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, Shaina Siber, LCSW is joined by Kara Lissy, LCSW to explore how dysfunctional family dynamics shape adult relationships, self-worth, and emotional regulation. Grounded in CBT, DBT, and ACT, this conversation offers practical, evidence-based strategies to help clinicians and clients understand—and break—generational patterns.

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** View course information and earn CE/CEUs here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/9efb692d-f428-4a7f-b0e1-08f46a8b775d Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. Leadership often demands sustained performance under pressure—but what is the psychological cost? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Simon Rego and Dr. Julian Barling to explore burnout, stress, and the internal experiences of high-performing leaders. Drawing from CBT, ACT, and related evidence-based approaches, we examine how common traits like perfectionism, over-responsibility, and emotional suppression can both drive success and maintain distress. We also discuss practical strategies to support more sustainable, values-aligned functioning in leadership and high-demand roles.

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** View course information and earn CE/CEUs here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/f0884cb8-0edc-418f-bcb4-29c436c9443d Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. Rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicide among young people have risen dramatically over the past decade. But what if we’re misunderstanding the problem? In this episode, Shaina sits down with Dr. Will Dobud, social worker, researcher, and co-author of Kids These Days, to challenge dominant narratives about youth mental health. Together, they explore how current clinical and cultural frameworks may contribute to over-pathologizing normal development—and what we may be missing when we focus too narrowly on diagnosis, symptom reduction, and control. This conversation invites clinicians, parents, and educators to consider a broader, more contextual lens—one…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** View course information and earn CE/CEUs here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/d0ba57a6-8626-44bf-8142-d4f7f78d2542 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. Therapists are trained to reduce suffering—but what if that’s only part of the work? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Jessica Rabon to explore positive psychology as a scientifically grounded approach to wellbeing. We break down what it is, what it isn’t, and how it moves beyond symptom reduction to help clients build meaningful, engaged lives. We cover the PERMA model, the role of flow and relationships, and how to integrate positive psychology into clinical practice—without slipping into toxic positivity. If you’ve ever felt the gap between helping clients feel less bad and helping them actually feel fulfilled, this conversation will meet you there.

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** View course information and earn CE/CEUs here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/7177c242-769a-4db8-b7f1-21d610a772f5 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. In this episode, I’m joined by Grace Berman, LCSW, to explore evidence-based approaches for treating children with anxiety, ADHD, and behavioral challenges. We break down how therapists can integrate Behavioral Parent Training (BPT) and SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) to reduce parental accommodation, improve child behavior, and build emotional regulation through parent-mediated interventions. This conversation highlights how to move beyond diagnosis and use a functional approach to child behavior, including reinforcement, extinction bursts, natural consequences, and parent consistency to support long-term outcomes.

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** View course information and earn CE/CEUs here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/bf4ab7cf-9249-4a7b-bfe5-4c22f8715fdf Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. In this episode of the Affirming Minds Podcast, Dr. Laurie Gallo interviews host Shaina Siber-Sanderowitz about the ideas behind her new book, Using ACT and CFT for Burnout Recovery: The Beyond Burnout Blueprint. Together they explore how burnout develops in high-demand professions and why many traditional approaches to burnout fall short. The conversation examines how principles from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) can help clinicians support burnout recovery by addressing shame, overcontrol, and chronic occupational stress while cultivating psychological flexibility and self-compassion. Using ACT and CFT for Burnout…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** View course information and earn CE/CEUs here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/67c2d1e2-d8c7-403e-91b8-d9b99a8ed753 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, Dr. Janeé M. Steele joins the conversation to explore social anxiety through a culturally responsive CBT lens. The discussion examines the core mechanisms that maintain social anxiety — including anticipatory processing, safety behaviors, and post-event rumination — and how these patterns intersect with lived experience, systemic bias, and stereotype threat. Dr. Steele outlines practical strategies for differentiating between irrational fear and rational responses to discrimination, adapting exposure hierarchies with attention to real-world risk, using broaching to explore identity within the therapeutic relationship,…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** View course information and earn CE/CEUs here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/5091efde-ee15-40c0-a7e9-51841da856f7 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. Are today’s teens truly more anxious — or are we simply seeing anxiety more clearly? In this episode, we unpack the narrative of “the anxious generation” and explore what current research actually shows about adolescent anxiety. We discuss adolescent brain development and expected shifts in mood, sleep, and emotional intensity, and how to distinguish developmentally expectable distress from clinically impairing anxiety. We also explore how contextual factors — COVID-19 disruption, social media and parasocial relationships, and expanded access to telehealth — shape our understanding of youth anxiety reporting without assuming pathology. Finally, we delve into a…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** View course information and earn CE/CEUs here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/7449633c-6755-491b-affd-39494f0573e3 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. Family estrangement is often portrayed as impulsive, trendy, or selfish. In reality, navigating low contact or no contact with a parent is typically a painful decision — one that is rarely made lightly and almost never without history. As public debate around estrangement has intensified — including criticism directed at therapists — this episode asks an essential question: What is our clinical role in this conversation? Host Shaina Siber, LCSW offers a trauma-informed, ethically grounded framework for clinicians working with adult clients who are considering distance from caregivers. She argues that therapy should not treat reconciliation as morally superior — nor…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** View course information and earn CE/CEUs here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/e98f1baa-b5c7-410e-a837-cc757459da1d Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is one of the most empirically supported treatments in mental health, with strong evidence for reducing suicide risk, self-injury, and other high-risk behaviors. Yet access to full-fidelity DBT remains limited, raising important questions about dissemination, accessibility, and real-world use. In this episode, Shaina Siber is joined by Dr. Shireen L. Rizvi and Dr. Jesse Finkelstein for a thoughtful conversation about DBT dissemination—how evidence-based treatments evolve, travel beyond specialty settings, and become usable tools for real life without losing their integrity. The discussion centers on Real Skills for Real Life: A DBT…

​​Grad school trained us to practice therapy—but not the business of mental health or the range of career possibilities available to clinicians. In this episode of The Mental Health Edit, Shaina speaks with Gabrielle Juliano-Villani and LeNaya Smith Crawford, co-founders of the REIMAGINE Business Summit, about entrepreneurship, burnout, and reimagining careers beyond the therapy room. Join the REIMAGINE Business Summit February 15–20 👉 Free General Admission: https://lenaya-crawford.mykajabi.com/a/2148214964/hNZ7bj8U 👉 VIP Bundle ($97): https://lenaya-crawford.mykajabi.com/offers/QkLmhfbp/checkout?ref=https%3A%2F%2Flenaya-crawford.mykajabi.com%2Fa%2F2148214965%2FhNZ7bj8U The VIP upgrade includes extended access, business intensives, coaching, and a CE Podcast Pass for Affirming Minds (ASWB, NBCC, NYSED).

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/3dd8c00e-970c-4775-b7b6-fa713c0a9a07 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. In this episode of Affirming Minds, we explore foster care and adoption through an attachment-informed lens, focusing on how separation-related grief and loss are often minimized or left unacknowledged. We discuss how separations across infancy, childhood, and adolescence can shape emotional regulation, trust, and behavior—and how clinicians and caregivers can respond with greater accuracy and compassion.

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/9873b6c0-5046-4b28-a9a0-d59f4121ce73 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. At a moment of expanding awareness and increasing constraint, clinicians are more attuned than ever to the potential for harm in the therapy room—yet many feel uncertain about how to respond when identity, power, and politics arise in session. In this episode, we explore cultural humility as a clinical stance, not a buzzword: What it means to practice with ongoing self-reflection, accountability, and repair How to navigate backlash, polarization, and institutional limits How to adapt evidence-based treatments through a culturally humble lens What it looks like to redistribute power, mitigate harm, and stay present when the work feels risky Our guest is Dr.…

In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, Shaina Siber, LCSW sits down with Brandi Herring, LMHC — co-founder and CEO of Cymbiose AI, a culturally responsive, HIPAA-compliant AI assistant built by clinicians, for clinicians. Together, they explore what it looks like when therapists don’t just adapt to systems — but help design them. This conversation covers: Ethical AI in mental health and why clinician leadership matters Bias, cultural responsiveness, and diagnostic clarity Turning documentation into a clinical and professional asset Moving from clinician to founder — even without a tech background If you’ve been curious about AI but cautious about ethics, privacy, or impact on care, this episode offers a grounded, clinician-centered perspective on how technology can support — not replace — human-centered therapy. About Cymbiose AI Cymbiose AI supports clinicians with documentation, cultural and structural insights, supervision tracking, and CE recommendations — all designed to strengthen care quality…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/bef7dce9-2244-44ad-bd43-8014ba89ee86 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. Why is behavior change so hard—even when we genuinely want to change? In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, we explore how survival wiring, unconscious patterns, and longevity science shape habit formation and behavior change. Drawing from behavioral science, psychodynamic psychology, and emerging healthspan research, this conversation examines why willpower alone rarely works—and what supports sustainable, values-aligned change instead. Shaina is joined by Laura Elorza Isaza, Clinical Psychologist, to discuss autopilot living, discipline vs. motivation, shame-free approaches to habit change, and how understanding unconscious processes can help…

Mental Health Edit (Non-CE Episode) 📄 FREE Guide: Podcasting for Therapists https://www.canva.com/design/DAG8ibvnb3k/wc9YVR0csvGvsvDgZRWRaQ/view Thinking about starting a podcast as a therapist or clinician? This episode offers a realistic conversation about podcasting, creativity, sustainability, and lessons learned from building a therapist-led show. 🎙️ Guest: Tobin Richardson, creator of Save the Therapist 🔗 More Resources 🎧 Save the Therapist Podcast & Platform https://savethetherapist.com 🎓 Live Training: Ethical Decision-Making for Public-Facing Therapists Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1977913650974

Perinatal OCD on Screen with Little Disasters Author Sarah Vaughan In this episode of The Mental Health Edit, Shaina Siber, host of The Affirming Minds Podcast, speaks with Sarah Vaughan, bestselling author of Anatomy of a Scandal and Little Disasters, about perinatal obsessive-compulsive disorder, maternal mental health, and why accurate media representation matters far beyond the therapy room. Little Disasters—now a limited series streaming on Little Disasters—offers a rare, thoughtful portrayal of intrusive thoughts, shame, avoidance, and institutional response, and Sarah generously reflects on how her experiences of motherhood informed both the novel and its screen adaptation. Watch: https://www.paramountplus.com Read: Little Disasters: A Novel: Vaughan, Sarah: 9781501172229: Amazon.com: Books (or your preferred bookseller) Learn more about AFFIRM Mental Health: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/7fb731ff-f13a-4fcc-bc18-9fd6730be3e5 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. As mental health knowledge increasingly moves beyond the therapy room and into public-facing spaces—social media, podcasts, blogs, and newsletters—therapists are navigating new ethical terrain. In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber, LCSW is joined by licensed psychologist and DBT expert Dr. Kiki Fehling for a thoughtful conversation about what it means for therapists to show up publicly with integrity, clarity, and ethical care. Together, they explore how public-facing psychoeducation can expand access, reduce stigma, and counter misinformation—while also examining ethical considerations around visibility, self-disclosure,…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/73071727-aaa2-42a5-9b68-2c7b0d9a6ccd Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. Today we explore how Internal Family Systems (IFS) and attachment theory intersect—and why this integration offers such powerful clinical clarity. We discuss how early attachment experiences shape protectors, how authenticity gets exiled in favor of connection, and what it looks like to build a secure internal attachment between Self and parts. If you’d like an IFS foundation first, listen to Episode #35 with Kendall Hart.

In this special Mental Health Edit episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber, LCSW speaks with the brilliant Megan Gallagher, the Oslo-based, American-born writer behind All Her Fault — the #1 show on Peacock and a breakout hit that blends psychological suspense with piercing social commentary. Megan’s adaptation of Andrea Mara’s novel delivers a propulsive, twist-heavy thriller while unearthing deeper themes: the mental load of parenthood, weaponized incompetence, gendered blame, disability representation, caregiving, and the quiet emotional burdens that shape family life. If you love psychologically rich storytelling — or you’re a therapist who wants to explore how mental health shows up in the stories we consume — this conversation is essential. Megan Gallagher is an acclaimed screenwriter known for bold, emotionally grounded, character-driven thrillers. Her work includes: ALL HER FAULT (Peacock #1 in the U.S.; Sky & NOW TV in the UK), starring Sarah Snook, Dakota Fanning, Michael Peña,…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/e0c9c08f-969f-4f55-9a46-318112be6d8b Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber, LCSW sits down with Dr. Teresa Hsu-Walklet — clinical psychologist, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Founder of S.P.E.A.K. (A Supportive Place for Empowering Asian Americans & Kin) — to explore the growing mental-health crisis among Asian American teens. Dr. Hsu discusses the historical and cultural context that shapes Asian American mental health — from early immigration and Japanese internment to the Vietnam War and the 2020 surge in anti-Asian hate during COVID-19. She shares how these systemic and generational experiences of…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/221c6ae9-7c7e-4e42-a6ef-9143509dbd1c Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. Infertility affects an estimated 1 in 6 people worldwide, yet remains one of the least explored topics in clinical education. In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, Shaina Siber-Sanderowitz, LCSW, sits down with Hilary Hovis, LCSW to unpack the emotional and psychological dimensions of infertility and IVF treatment—and how therapists can offer informed, compassionate care to clients navigating these deeply personal experiences. Hilary brings both professional expertise and lived experience to the conversation. She specializes in helping women and non-binary clients explore the intersections of body image, disordered eating, and reproductive grief,…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/893bf010-c6d9-4161-907f-7f358e7d93fb Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber, LCSW sits down with Alyssa Scarano, LPC, NCC, founder and Clinical Director of The Collective Therapy & Wellness, to explore how family pain and protection get passed down through relationships—and how therapy can interrupt those cycles. Grounded in the frameworks of Bowenian Family Systems Theory and Attachment Theory, the conversation looks at how early family roles like caretaker, peacekeeper, or over-functioner often repeat across generations. Shaina and Alyssa unpack what it means to notice these patterns, develop differentiation, and create new ways of relating that align with our values…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/b0bf46ea-4fd7-46c7-9d35-be0f31ef2edb Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. Music can comfort us, move us, and even help us heal — but for some people, it can also provoke anxiety or fear. In this episode, host Shaina Siber, LCSW, explores the intersection between music therapy, exposure-based interventions, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with guest Desiree Untch, LCSW — an independently licensed clinical social worker with advanced training in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Shaina and Desiree discuss how music — a powerful activator of memory, emotion, and physiology — can become both a trigger and a pathway to healing. Desiree shares how she integrates music into ERP to help…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/9f1d89d0-dae4-44dc-b3c9-2b5caef21b5a Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber-Sanderowitz, LCSW sits down with Shruthi Nair, MHC-LP, a New York–based mental health counselor whose work centers on the experiences of South Asian and other BIPOC individuals navigating identity, family dynamics, and mental health stigma. Together, they unpack the complex layers of shame, guilt, success, and family reputation that shape the mental health journeys of South Asian communities. Shruthi shares how historical and cultural forces—like colonialism, collectivism, and generational trauma—continue to influence help-seeking behaviors today. Whether you’re a therapist seeking to build…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/4ddd4a4e-6eac-4014-9d39-dd25ab2c9ce2 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. Sleep is one of the most fundamental human needs—and yet, so many of us struggle to get enough of it. In this episode, Shaina sits down with Dr. Sarah Silverman, a Stanford-trained sleep psychologist and insomnia expert, to unpack the modern sleep crisis and explore what’s really keeping us awake. Together, they explore the biological, psychological, and cultural factors that shape how—and how well—we sleep, from stress and technology use to our individual chronotypes and nervous system responses. Dr. Silverman shares practical, science-backed tools for improving sleep naturally, including insights from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), the…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/16e2e6c3-df7f-419f-94b2-00f3695b7c18 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber-Sanderowitz, LCSW, sits down with trauma therapist Alyssa Kushner, LCSW, to unpack the complexities of codependency, enmeshment, and parentification—especially as they show up in high-functioning clients. Alyssa shares her expertise in helping over-functioners, anxious perfectionists, and people-pleasers recognize the subtle ways self-abandonment, hypervigilance, and external validation shape their identities. She explores how cultural and systemic messages reinforce patterns of self-sacrifice and people-pleasing, and offers evidence-informed strategies to help clients build boundaries,…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/a229cc00-3924-4152-818e-8410228ed776 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. Eating disorders don’t just affect teens. Midlife is a critical yet often invisible period where disordered eating can emerge, relapse, or persist — complicated by ageism, diet culture, and medical stigma. In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber sits down with Heidi J. Dalzell, PsyD, a psychologist, author, and coach with over 30 years of experience in eating disorders treatment. Together, they unpack the myths, stigma, and evidence-based strategies for supporting adults navigating eating disorders in midlife. Dr. Dalzell brings both professional expertise and lived experience as a clinician in recovery, offering a deeply…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/3dec6c71-7e58-4bf9-a256-4e89c3588206 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. In this CE-eligible episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber sits down with LeNaya Smith Crawford, The Holistic Therapist™, to explore how holistic and integrative practices can transform both client care and therapist well-being. From yoga and breathwork to sound healing and nervous system regulation, LeNaya shares how these embodied practices can ethically and effectively complement traditional psychotherapy. She also highlights the importance of scope of practice, neuroscience research, and her own lived journey of weaving together the five layers of holistic healing: physical, energetic, emotional/mental, spiritual, and communal. Whether…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/18b19755-0ce2-4918-9f0f-6eebb09d8490 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, I sit down with Phil Lane, LCSW—psychotherapist, author, and passionate advocate for the power of storytelling in healing. Phil brings a humanistic perspective to his work, aiming to normalize and de-stigmatize the challenges so many of us face, from anxiety and panic to struggles with self-esteem. Phil is the author of Understanding and Coping with Illness Anxiety, Overcoming Panic and Panic Attacks, and The Narrative Therapy Workbook for Self-Esteem (https://www.newharbinger.com/9781648485312/the-narrative-therapy-workbook-for-self-esteem/?srsltid=AfmBOooPeBwT0rZSmbSN8ywdpbcmGiHCUtHMCYnwmwPjXHJ558JYcHA8).…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/434c00fe-4b91-44de-9c3d-f0bdef3740ee Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. Cults have long been a source of fascination, with high-profile cases like Jonestown, Waco, and NXIVM dominating headlines and documentaries. But beyond the sensational stories, cults and high-control groups are far more prevalent — and often much harder to identify — than most people realize. In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber is joined by Dr. Alisha Powell, PhD, LCSW, a psychotherapist specializing in racial trauma and religiously abusive organizations/cults. Together, they explore the psychological, emotional, and behavioral impacts of cult involvement, the clinical challenges survivors face in leaving, and trauma-informed…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/8629a796-61ec-45c3-a0c7-5383e230b6e8 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. Hoarding disorder doesn’t just affect the individual—it ripples through families & relationships. In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber, LCSW, speaks with Cecilia “Ceci” Garrett, MSW, LICSW, a clinician and national speaker specializing in hoarding disorder, anxiety, and trauma. Together, they explore how hoarding behaviors develop, the difference between clutter, collecting, and hoarding, and why forced cleanouts often cause more harm than good. Listeners will gain insight into the emotional toll on family members, common misconceptions among clinicians, and practical strategies for supporting loved ones while maintaining healthy…

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/4557969a-2c80-46cb-ba0c-ef354d5b6b94 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. Money is woven into nearly every part of life, yet conversations about financial stress are often missing from therapy. In this episode of The Affirming Minds Podcast, host Shaina Siber sits down with Michelle Johnston, MA, Registered Psychologist, to unpack the ways financial anxiety and trauma impact mental health and what therapists can do to help.

**Want CE/CEUs for this episode?** Earn continuing education credit for this episode here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com/courses/0b4ac34f-3aff-48df-9acc-a90c8cc383c0 Looking for more? Explore our convenient, affordable CE bundles or browse our full library of podcast courses, on-demand webinars, and live virtual trainings at affirmmentalhealth.com. Dissociation is often misunderstood—even by clinicians. In this powerful and practical episode, Shaina Siber sits down with trauma and dissociation specialist Katy Kandaris-Weiner, MA, LPC, to unpack the continuum of dissociation and explore how complex trauma, early relational harm, and systemic forces contribute to the development of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). You’ll learn how to recognize dissociation in subtle and not-so-subtle forms, differentiate DID from other diagnoses, and respond with compassion, clarity, and evidence-based stabilization strategies. This episode blends clinical insight with fierce empathy—and invites you to challenge your…