From Both Sides Of The Couch

Dr. Laurie Bruce

I am Dr. Laurie Bruce, a clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach. For the last 25 years, I have had the privilege of providing psychotherapy, consultation and supervision to thousands of clients and students. One of my greatest joys is providing psychological and emotional support to other healers: therapists, physicians, teachers and anyone who finds themselves in the position of caring for others. If you are a health care professional or caregiver, you know how demanding our jobs can be. We carry the weight of all of our clients’ pain, day in and day out. It is essential that caregivers take the time and effort to engage in self-care. Without the proper self-care tools, the chronic exposure to human suffering can be traumatic, impacting us personally and professionally. My greatest form of self-care is to engage in my own personal therapy. I have had the privilege of working with some gifted therapists over the years. My investment in my own therapy has been the single most important gift I have given myself and it helps me to be the best therapist, mother and friend that I can be. This podcast is for you if you are a health care professional, therapist or someone who gives so much to others that you have exhausted yourself. I am here to share wisdom that I have learned over the last two and a half decades from my clients, my supervisors and my own therapists. Join me for discussions on mindfulness, resilience, authenticity, radical acceptance, vulnerability, boundaries and so much more. Visit me at www.drlauriebruce.com read less
Health & FitnessHealth & Fitness
Religion & SpiritualityReligion & Spirituality
Mental HealthMental Health
Alternative HealthAlternative Health
SpiritualitySpirituality

Episodes

Why Asking Why Leads You To Suffer
Jan 27 2024
Why Asking Why Leads You To Suffer
In this episode, Dr. Little delves deep into the habit of asking 'why' — a habit that, while seemingly innocuous, can often lead to an unhealthy spiral of suffering when left unchecked. Discover how introspection can turn into a problematic loop, leading to anxiety and distress when answers remain elusive. Learn about the profound power of radical acceptance, the importance of coping with challenges instead of seeking elusive root causes, and focusing on the 'how' rather than the 'why.' Dr. Little shares valuable insights through patient stories and personal experiences. Suffering is optional. And this episode is all about breaking free from unnecessary suffering fueled by incessant questioning and uncertainty, whether the issues are physical or psychological. Learn the difference between pain and suffering, and how to accept, manage, and live a fulfilling life despite inevitable pain. Be it a physical ailment, a mental health issue, or an emotional crisis, Dr. Little encourages us to shift our perspective and redirect our energy away from the endless search for answers and towards solutions. She encourages us to accept our reality and work with it rather than against it. Discover the long-term healing benefits of radical acceptance - a journey from pain to acceptance to empowerment - and the critical role it plays in easing our suffering. This episode is an invitation to a more powerful, effective approach to mental and physical wellness, making it a must-listen for anyone seeking holistic health and peace of mind. Want to find more ways to reduce stress, anxiety and perfectionism? Want to find more ways to reduce stress, anxiety and perfectionism?  Get my free guide: “Five Steps to Finding Calm in the Chaos” Connect with me at www.drlauriebruce.com       Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
Direction Not Perfection with Dietitian and Accountability Coach Lindsey House, RD
Dec 10 2023
Direction Not Perfection with Dietitian and Accountability Coach Lindsey House, RD
If you enjoyed this episode, it would mean the world to me if you would rate and write a review. How: Scroll down until you see Information: Show and my title Inner Healing Intelligence in purple. Click on that. Scroll all the way down to Ratings and Reviews. You can choose your star and click on Write a Review. In this episode, I visit with my longtime friend and colleague, Lindsey House, RD. Lindsey is a dietitian & Personal Trainer turned accountability coach.  We talk about themes such as balancing acceptance and change, taking risks and facing vulnerability, and the importance of staying focused on our own journeys rather than comparing ourselves to others. Lindsey has been my personal inspiration for giving me the courage to start this podcast so I was very grateful she could be my first interview.  Lindsey's personal mission is to help individuals take action to achieve exciting results, such as: -Letting go of the all-or-nothing mentality (overcoming perfectionism) -Getting off the sidelines in life and feeling energetic enough to participate -Decreasing joint soreness to enjoy something as big as travel and small as playing on the floor with grandkids Want to work with Lindsey? (I know you do!) Here's how to connect: Click HERE to schedule your FREE 1:1 call - Do you ever hear yourself saying “I don’t even know where to start! I get motivated to make health changes and then feel instantly overwhelmed with what to prioritize! “ This is the PURPOSE of this call… you will walk away feeling equipped with the understanding of where to start! (feeling supported in your journey). Click HERE to join our FREE Direction Not Perfection Community: Real Weight Loss for Women After 40 AND… Click HERE Discover 5 Stress Free Meal Planning Tips to Increase Energy & Lose the Fluff -Without Giving Up Everything You Love Or Feeling Deprived Click HERE if you want to be able to watch the podcast on our YouTube Direction Not Perfection Station! Podcast: https://www.healthaccountabilitycoach.com/podcast-1 Website: https://www.healthaccountabilitycoach.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/houselifestyles #directionnotperfection #rewritetherules #healthaccountabilitycoach Want to find more ways to reduce stress, anxiety and perfectionism?  Get my free guide: “Five Steps to Finding Calm in the Chaos” Connect with me at www.drlauriebruce.com   Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
The Endless Ways We Sabotage Ourselves and How to Finally Break the Cycle
Nov 12 2023
The Endless Ways We Sabotage Ourselves and How to Finally Break the Cycle
Episode 4: In this Episode, Dr. Little talks about Self Sabotage: The endless number of ways that we try to solve a problem in the moment but end up wreaking havoc on our long term goals or health. Dr. Little shares two examples of women she has worked with, Mary and Jessica, who engage in emotional eating and online shopping, to help manage their feelings.  Dr. Little shows a 3-step process for breaking the cycle. Step One: Increase awareness through journaling to better understand all of the situations, thoughts and feelings that trigger the urge.Step Two: Look for Patterns. After journaling for a few days or a few weeks, notice what patterns emerge that frequently trigger your urge. The key is to try to notice the thoughts that are triggering the feelings.Step Three: Brainstorm and implement behavior changes to modify the thoughts. Although this may sound simple, it can often be challenging because it is necessary to fully understand all of the variables that are contributing to the thoughts, and this takes mindful awareness and an openness to change.  Dr. Little also shares an important life philosophy, cultivated by DBT, that “Everyone at every moment is doing the best they know how.” She shares why this life philosophy is essential to understanding and making behavioral changes. If you enjoyed this episode, please hit the subscribe button and share with a friend. Want to find more ways to reduce stress, anxiety and perfectionism?  Get my free guide: “Five Steps to Finding Calm in the Chaos” Connect with me at www.drlauriebruce.com   Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
Understanding Invalidation
Nov 12 2023
Understanding Invalidation
Episode 3: In this Episode, Dr. Little describes invalidation and how this is linked to our difficulties listening to and trusting our Inner Healing Intelligence. Invalidation is the experience of someone telling us that we are not feeling or experiencing what we think we are feeling or experiencing, or, that we should not be thinking or feeling a certain way. Invalidation tells us that we are wrong in some way. Validation is the opposite, it is the experience of being heard and understood. Validation is an expression of empathy.  When we are chronically invalidated by others, we begin to invalidate ourselves. We start to lack trust in ourselves and frequently feel like we need to look to others to tell us how we should feel or what we should do.  Dr. Little discusses the signs to look out for when you are invalidating yourself and how to turn your thoughts around so that you can be more validating, kind and compassionate to yourself. She shares how mindfulness is an essential tool to help you get more practiced at self validation. With time and practice, validating yourself will be the first step towards listening to and trusting your own inner wisdom.  If you enjoyed this episode, please hit the subscribe button and share with a friend. Want to find more ways to reduce stress, anxiety and perfectionism?  Get my free guide: “Five Steps to Finding Calm in the Chaos” Connect with me at www.drlauriebruce.com   Music: https://www.purple-planet.com