Podcasts

Cynthia Price is a body therapy researcher. She studied massage therapy in 1981 and was in private practice for 20 years as a body psychotherapist before pursuing her doctorate to do research in the field. Now an Associate Research Professor at the University of Washington, her research is focused on the study of Mindful Awareness in Body-oriented Therapy (MABT), a body therapy approach developed to teach interoceptive awareness skills for self-care and to facilitate emotion regulation.  This work, while helpful for people from all walks of life, is particularly useful for individuals who are disconnected from their bodies due to trauma, depression, chemical dependency, chronic pain, stress or illness. The Director of the Center for Mindful Body Awareness http://www.cmbaware.org/ in Seattle, Cynthia is committed to increasing health care access to underserved populations and works with local and international programs to provide and improve integrative care through her research, teaching, and service.

Tara is a beginning trauma therapist who works as a private practitioner in Charlotte, NC. She holds a Masters of Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Montreat College and provides evidence based therapies for trauma including EMDR and Cognitive Processing Therapy. Tara specializes in working with women who have been sexually abused. Before becoming a licensed therapist, Tara did direct care work in inpatient and residential settings working with individuals with eating disorders, substance abuse, physical aggression, and suicidality, noting that so often these challenges were rooted in trauma. This set the stage for her specialization in trauma.

Nick Cardone is a Counselling Therapist in private practice living in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. For over 15 years, Nick’s has worked in community-based, not-for-profit, publicly funded, and private practice mental health settings with adolescents and adults. This diverse background has informed his current focus as a therapist, which is that men and boys have unique needs when it comes to mental health and addictions work. He believes that, while stigma is indeed a barrier, more importantly, that the social constructs of masculinity play a deeper role, and the way we offer therapy needs to better align with the unique needs of men. Nick has just completed a 2-year pilot project, funded by the Movember Foundation to address these special mental health needs and the shocking statistics around men and suicide. The T.O.N.E. Project (Therapy Outside Normal Environments) was a 3-month group that used outdoor, adventure and experiential methods combined with expressive modalities like art, music, and writing. Attrition rates in mental health settings (group, individual, etc.) across North America are high (research says between 30 and 60%). The TONE Project had an attrition rate of one, which is pretty staggering (This works out to be 2.9% of total participants). Nick’s primary goal is to share this vital work with clinicians and clients alike - that there are other ways we can work with the men and boys on our caseloads: whether sitting solo by a campfire with a journal, rock climbing, volunteering at a community garden, or creating music - men have other options for how therapy happens or where it takes place.

Originally from New York City, Suzy began her career in television working as a production assistant and segment producer for a variety of programs including, Ryan’s Hope, Good Morning America, The CBS Morning Program and Live! Regis & Kathie Lee. After the birth of her daughter, Suzy earned a Master’s of Education in Parent and Child Development from Bank Street College of Education in New York City. Shortly after moving to Newtown, CT. in 2003, her middle child, seven at the time, suffered a severe and life threatening accident--a trauma that put everything else in their lives on hold for months. Suzy says that While the treatment received for the physical injury was excellent, we were largely unprepared for the residual effects of the stored trauma which we would come to learn, endure on and off indefinitely; yet with the proper help can be substantially mitigated. In 2007, Suzy launched Parenting With New Perspectives, a resource of guidance, support, and coaching for parents. Suzy is a mother to three children: Quincy, 23; Cary, 19 and Barrett, 17.

Malorie Moore is a certified Hatha yoga instructor with over 1000 hours of training both in Montreal and Bombay. She also holds a Master’s in Social Work and has a background in Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and addictions therapy. Malorie combines her experience in mental health with yogic and mindfulness principles to create an integrative therapeutic approach.

Toni Rahman, LCSW is a psychotherapist specializing in trauma and attachment.  She is an author, a mother, a sister, a teacher, a traveler, and a lifelong learner.  Her passions include Eastern and indigenous healing practices, psychology, spirituality and gender issues, as well as issues of social and economic justice. Toni is passionate about exploring ways to support others in making profound shifts in their life experience. She is a Trauma-Informed Care Practitioner, a Certified EMDR Practitioner trained in CranioSacral Therapy & SomatoEmotional Release, Chinese Five Element Theory, Dream Interpretation, Quantum Touch and Energy Balancing.

The individuals that decide to come on this podcast never cease to amaze me with their daringness, compassions, and willingness to share the details of their backgrounds and struggles. And today, as I continue my interview series with members of my online community Trauma Therapist | 2.0, my guest, Eva Eakins, is no exception. Eva, who is a trained grassroots advocate for Domestic Minor Sex trafficking, has been diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder, and in this interview she shares in a detailed and intimate way, the experiences of her life and what it means--and feels like--to live with this disorder. Eva is currently in a professional transition-phase to begin working in the mental health field as a Peer Support Specialist. One of the things that Eva said that really struck me was that when she initially thought about joining Trauma Therapist | 2.0, she didn’t think that it would or could be for her at all. She goes on to talk more about this in the interview, but it really made me think about how I, as the facilitator of the group, have to do more to let others know that, Yes, you are welcome. You don’t have to be a therapist, or a counselor, or a yogi or a trauma worker at all. Whether you’ve experienced trauma or not, if you’re interested in learning more about trauma-informed treatment you are welcome. Therapists and survivors alike.

As a psychologist and survivor of horrific child abuse, Dr. Michelle Stevens is in a unique position to write and speak on the subject of trauma. Her dual roles as therapist and patient allow her to comprehend psychological issues from the inside out and the outside in. This gives her an uncanny ability to explain the complicated nuances of trauma in ways that are accessible to a broad audience. She strives to use this gift to educate others on the effects of abuse and violence while inspiring survivors to overcome their pain After suffering more than ten years of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse at the hands of a sadistic pedophile and the sex ring to which he belonged, Michelle escaped and went on to study writing at New York University. Michelle earned her doctorate in psychology from Saybrook University, where her thesis was honored as the “Dissertation of Distinction.” She has presented her research to the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation and the Los Angeles County Psychological Association, where she also received an award for Outstanding Research. Her writing about trauma has appeared in The New York Times, Time, People, The Huffington Post, Psychology Today, Good Housekeeping, and The Hollywood Reporter.

Karen Carnabucci, MSS, LCSW, TEP, is a licensed clinical social worker and board-certified trainer, educator and practitioner of psychodrama, sociometry and group psychotherapy and certified as a facilitator of Family and Systemic Constellations. She has trained with Zerka Moreno, J.L Moreno's widow and collaborator in psychodrama, and Heinz Stark, a leading trainer in Systemic Constellation Work. A frequent presenter at the annual conference of the American Society of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama and other major U.S. conferences, Karen practices and teaches about psychodrama, Family and Systemic Constellations and other experiential therapies. She is based in Lancaster, Pa., and offers supervision and training in psychodrama and sociometry, personal growth groups and other personal growth events, and a limited number of psychotherapy sessions. She is the author of: · Show and Tell Psychodrama: Skills for Therapists, Coaches, Teachers, Leaders. She is the co-author of: · Integrating Psychodrama and Systemic Constellations Work: New Directions for Action Methods, Mind-Body Therapies and Energy Healing with Ronald Anderson. · Healing Eating Disorders with Psychodrama and Other Action Methods: Beyond the Silence and the Fury with Linda Ciotola. To keep updated on her events, training programs and receive other news of interest about experiential psychotherapies, subscribe to her e-mail newsletter for professionals at www.realtruekaren.com. You may also visit the “calendar” and “training” pages of www.realtruekaren.com for more information.

Fay Keegan is a Clinical Social Worker, writer and an amputee who turned her early experiences of trauma, loss, grief and disability on their head to become a successful therapist, community organiser, businessperson, political spokesperson, co-farmer and mother. Fay has a Master’s Degree in Cultural Psychology, and post-graduate qualifications in Couples and Family Therapy and Mediation. Since 1980 Fay has worked in public and private settings across a range of services including mental health, child and family therapy, relationship counselling, and trauma counselling-including child and adult sexual assault, domestic violence and victims of crime. In 1968 at age eleven, Fay suffered a disabling injury, when she fell from a train and her foot fell into a moving wheel. In 2012, following chronic and severe infections, Fay had a below knee amputation. Now able to walk more than a short distance, she started hiking for the first time in forty four years. Twenty months following surgery, she hiked twenty kilometres in one day. Fay’s completed manuscript, All Stations to Waterfall, begins with the train accident, but the real story is the aftermath in which the initial trauma is overtaken by the much greater tragedy of her traumatised family tearing itself apart. In this interview, Fay lays open the path of her life and shares with us how the experiences of her early childhood influenced her passion for working with individuals who’ve been impacted by trauma, as well as solidified her diehard resilience.

This week we return to the veteran podcast series with Josh Izenberg and his film Resurface which explores the question, How can surfing change the lives of military veterans? I love this series and the individuals who are working to help veterans heal. Josh (along with his colleague Wynn Padula) is a documentary film director based in San Francisco. His most recent film, SLOMO, was featured on the New York Times, was short-listed for an Academy Award, and was the recipient of the prestigious International Documentary Association award for Best Short Documentary, as well as notable awards from SXSW, Sheffield/Docfest and AFI/Docs. Josh has also worked on commercial documentaries for clients on topics covering auto design, green energy, and race car driving. Struggling with trauma and depression after his military service, Iraq war veteran Bobby Lane wanted to cross surfing off his bucket list before taking his life. Resurface tells Bobby's story and explores the question: How can surfing change the lives of military veterans? More and more research has demonstrated the healing effects of surfing on the brain and body. Organizations like the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation, Operation Surf and Surf Action are now acting on this research, turning to ocean therapy to help active duty Marines and vets cope with physical and mental trauma. Resurface focuses on these vets and how surfing and the ocean are helping them heal.

When I invited this week’s guest on to the podcast, he emailed me back and said, Sure, I’d love to. But I have to tell you that my specialty isn’t trauma. I’m not a trauma therapist. I responded and said, Mike, yes, I mostly have individuals who are specializing in the treatment of trauma. But I also have other folks on, as well. I have yogis, and practitioners who focus on mindfulness. Trauma is the commonality, certainly. One of my objectives is to have inspiring people on the podcast, too. And you’re definitely inspiring. So, let me introduce you to Mike Shook. Mike is husband to Becca and father to John. He has lived in China since 2007, where he worked for an NGO caring for children with medical needs before beginning a career in mental health counseling with expatriates living in Beijing. Mike holds an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Palo Alto University and serves on the leadership team of his Chi Sigma Iota chapter. He also serves as a leader and elder in his church, Oasis Christian Fellowship in Beijing. Mike loves Jesus, his family, reading, beer, good food, and the outdoors. Mike is also the host of The Thoughtful Counselor podcast.

In this episode, I continue my interviews with members of my membership community, Trauma Therapist | 2.0, and speak with Jessica Culp. Jessica is a graduate student at Lincoln Christian University in Lincoln, Illinois. As part of the University's Seminary program, she hopes to achieve her Masters in Arts Counseling Degree in 2018. This will be Jessica's second career, after receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Communications in 2003 and working in the marketing and resource development field for three local nonprofit organizations that included a foodbank, a children's home and a crisis nursery. Jessica has been listening to the Trauma Therapist Podcast since she began her studies in counseling in September of 2015, and joined Trauma Therapist 2.0 in December 2016.

This week Kathy Steele returns to The Trauma Therapist | Podcast and I couldn’t be more happy, and honored. Kathy returns with the 2017 ISSTD Pierre Janet Writing Award under her arm she received for her new book, Treating Trauma-Related Dissociation: A Practical, Integrative Approach. Kathy has been offering consultation and training for the past 30 years in the areas of complex trauma, dissociation, and attachment. She is a sought after consultant, supervisor, and international lecturer and trainer. Kathy is a Past President and Fellow of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD), and has served on the Board of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies(ISTSS), as well as served on the International Task Force that developed treatment guidelines for Dissociative Disorders. Currently Kathy is on a Joint Task Force that is developing treatment guidelines for Complex PTSD. Kathy has authored and co-authored numerous book chapters, journal articles, and two award winning books on trauma and dissociation with Dutch colleagues: The Haunted Self: Structural Dissociation and the Treatment of Chronic Traumatization (Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology), and her most recent work, Coping with Trauma Related Dissociation Skills Training for Patients and Therapists. This most recent work just won The Pierre Janet Writing Award from the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation last week. One of her current projects is a third book on treatment of trauma-related dissociation focused on the issues that clinicians often bring to supervision.

Today I’m speaking with Dr. Patricia Sherman. Patricia contacted me several weeks ago to invite me to take part in a telesummit she was putting together. She explained that it was going to be specifically geared to trauma therapists, new and experienced alike. I was honored and jumped at the chance to take part! The list of individuals she’s put together is pretty inspiring, as they cover a wide spectrum of influences and modalities. Dr. Sherman earned an MSW and PhD in social work from Rutgers University. She has been a social work educator for 35 years and has presented numerous workshops on culture, ethics, grieving, and self-care. She also had a private practice for 20 years specializing in the areas of trauma, adoption, and grief. She is President of Healing Is Possible, LLC, an education and training company.

Rachel Goldsmith Turow is a clinical psychologist, research scientist, and adjunct faculty member at Seattle University and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. In her clinical work, she has provided a range of treatments for trauma and related challenges, including “Self-Talk” therapy groups that integrate lovingkindness meditation and cognitive behavioral skills to transform self-criticism into self-encouragement. Dr. Turow’s research program addresses the ways that emotion regulation, self-compassion, trauma appraisals, and social contexts influence trauma recovery. As a faculty member of Rush University Medical Center, Dr. Turow started the hospital’s Dialectical Behavior Therapy-based program, supervised psychology and medical trainees, and trained military medical personnel to manage others’ trauma responses during deployment. Dr. Turow has written dozens of scientific articles and chapters, along with the book Mindfulness Skills for Trauma and PTSD: Practices for Recovery and Resilience (Norton Professional Books). She is a reviewer for several professional journals, and serves on the Scientific Advisory Board for the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation.

In 2007, Rachel Mann left her tenured position as a faculty member and administrator at the University of Virginia to start a private practice working in the fast emerging, alternative field of shamanic energy medicine, a form of treatment in part adapted from the indigenous peoples of the Amazon and Andes. She continues to work in Academia as a faculty member at Atlantic University which offers an online MA in Transpersonal Psychology. Rachel has 2 decades of experience doing anti-racism and anti-violence training and education and was the co-director of The Art of Surviving, a traveling and digital exhibit of art, poetry and personal narratives by survivors of sexual violence sponsored by the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Action Alliance funded by the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities in 2002-03.

Today, The Trauma Therapist | Podcast shifts a bit. Today I’m interviewing world-renowned designer Debbie Millman who shares her story of courage, healing, and hope. I first heard Debbie on Tim Ferriss’ podcast and was struck by her candor, strength, and vulnerability. She was on Tim’s show to speak about her illustrious design career. However, at a specific point in the interview, the tone definitely changed when Debbie began sharing the story of her childhood. It was at that point that I was drawn in by the courage with which Debbie spoke about her past, her journey, and the hope she’s hung on to all these years. My hope is that we all can not only learn from her experience but as trauma workers, be inspired by the strength and hope in her words.

Rachel Grant is the owner and founder of Rachel Grant Coaching and is a Sexual Abuse Recovery Coach. She is also the author of Beyond Surviving: The Final Stage in Recovery from Sexual Abuse. She works with survivors of childhood sexual abuse who are beyond sick and tired of feeling broken, unfixable, and burdened by the past. She helps them let go of the pain of abuse and finally feel normal. Her program, Beyond Surviving, has been specifically designed to change the way we think about and heal from abuse. Based on her educational training, study of neuroscience, and lessons learned from her own journey, she has successfully used this program since 2007 to help her clients break free from the past and move on with their lives.

Robyn Mourning, MS, MFTC holds a Masters of Counseling in Marriage, Family, and Child Therapy and is the founder of Revolution Trauma Recovery Services, LLC in Westminster, CO. She provides holistic and evidenced-based counseling and therapy services to individuals and families experiencing the effects of relationship trauma. Robyn specializes in intimate partner violence/domestic abuse, sexual violation/abuse, emotional abuse/neglect and traumatic family system disruptions. Robyn works from an attachment and social justice lens which allows her to work with clients at the intersection of cultural barriers and their traumatic experiences. She provides therapeutic parent coaching for adult survivors of abuse and neglect and for parents whose children are healing from trauma. Robyn also provides trauma recovery coaching packages for recovery preparation, recovery mindset and thriving after the recovery stage of healing. Through the Creating Safe Communities Initiative, Robyn collaborates with community members and leaders to further enrich the recovery experiences of abuse/neglect survivors."