Ask Kati Anything

This week Kati talks about child on child abuse, and if being abused as a child means that we will abuse others. She also explains what trauma processing looks like and whether or not talking out our trauma could itself be traumatizing. Finally, she discusses reparenting and what it can look like, why we want to push our therapist away, and how we can process all we have been through. Ask Kati Anything ep. 242 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. Hi Kati, I am wondering if a child who abuses other children will become an adult who abuses children? I ask because my brother (5yrs my senior) molested me from the time I can remember up to about age 5, when his friend took over. He’s since moved far away (we are adults now) but has had access to young children. I worry about the safety of those children. Could he really still be abusing children so many years later? 00:42 2. Could you talk about bit about child on child sexual abuse? When is it considered normal child exploration and when is it abuse? And is 4 years old too young for it to be considered abuse? When I was about 4 years old, a boy in my class (who used to bully/tease me sometimes) (also 4) “touched me” (I won't go into the details). He somehow convinced me to let him and... 04:09 3. Can you talk about trauma and processing it? Why do I feel like I have to talk about events in therapy more than once? I already talked about it, why can’t it just be a one and done? I shared it once, isn't that enough? 12:28 4. I am wondering why after almost a year in therapy and on the cusp of being honest and opening up about my childhood trauma, I am questioning everything my therapist is doing and trying to push her buttons? I seem to want to put conditions on the things I share or do. I don't mean to do this but can't seem to stop. Is this normal or a part of the process? 16:40 5. I was wondering if you can explain how reparenting is supposed to help? I have done it a few times with my therapist or on my own and it just feels like I’m shoving down my feelings and telling myself it’s ok and I’m safe when it’s like the opposite of what I’m feeling. Although, when others do it it’s helpful. it’s just weird because I’m giving myself something that I should or should have gotten from others? Isn’t the point of community to get feel good messages? Like how can I be my own parent? My parent wasn’t the parent I needed and I can’t fill that void. I don’t think one person or thing fills that void. I think it’s multiple things and relationships. Anyway, I couldn’t be my own parent as a kid, so how can I now be one as an adult? I don’t know if that makes sense. 21:07 6. How do I emotionally process a lot stuff that happened this year, example doing splits shifts to getting a new job along with family stuff sprinkled in all within a few months and going to a wedding? I’ve felt like I’ve been on auto pilot and not dealt with it. 29:14 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/askkatianything/support

Compulsions, intrusive thoughts, anxiety, and OCD. This week licensed therapist Kati Morton will discuss what compulsions really are, whether our intrusive thoughts can pop up in our dreams, what causes us to develop OCD, and how to better manage the physical symptoms of OCD and anxiety. Ask Kati Anything ep. 241 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. Is it possible that my self harm and self sabotaging behaviors are compulsions? I usually tell myself I’m not deserving of help or nothing is actually wrong in less I engage in x behavior. So then I engage in the behavior and feel almost like self validated but also I feel too ashamed to talk about it and guilty because if that was my thought then is it even real and can’t I just stop. And then the cycle continues. It’s like I want to stop but I can’t because then I think I’m not worthy of getting help but I can’t even get help because I think I’m making it all up anyway. It doesn’t make any sense but I don’t know why I keep getting stuck in the cycle and I don’t know how to get out. 00:30 2. Can harm / sexual based ocd intrusive thoughts come up in dreams?? I had a very horrible, sexual based dream and now I’m feeling so much shame. Like what if I like that, what if I’m actually a horrible person. (COMMENT: As an add on. Is the same true for agoraphobia? I dream of getting kidnapped if I go outside or when I am too loud at home alone. However I was also diagnosed with OCD and my compulsions of checking locks is also related to the same fear.) 11:25 3. I had really bad and obvious OCD when I was younger, I think roughly from the age of 5 years old. I didn’t have any traumatic event happening to me. Why would a child this young develop OCD? 18:19 4. If you could talk about harm ocd that would be helpful with intrusive thoughts. 25:47 5. Could you talk a bit about physical anxiety? I struggle with anxiety and I feel it super physical, e.g I am dissociating a lot, heart racing, nausea, and my stomach is upset. I’ve learnt coping skills in therapy how to deal with anxiety but I just feel like the physical part of it is not getting better. I also tried more physical exercises and stuff like that to release the physical energy. I feel physically anxious 24/7 even if there’s no reason to be. I am not taking any medication, I tried it in the past but they made me dissociate so much more. Do you have any advice for me? Thank you so much for your help 30:25 #podcast #psychology #katimorton PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPY While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIAL YouTube https://www.youtube.com/katimorton X https://twitter.com/KatiMorton TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimortonInstagram https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/askkatianything/support

This week licensed therapist, Kati Morton talks about therapy and how to get comfortable sharing with our therapist. She also discusses honesty in therapy, its importance, and how we can find the courage to share what we are going through. She then explains how to know when we need to see a therapist versus talking to our friends and family, and finally she digs into therapy ending, why it would happen and how we can cope with it. Ask Kati Anything ep. 240 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. Hi Kati, what can therapists do to try to help their patients get comfortable enough to share about traumas they have never verbalized before to anyone (even themselves)? What tips do you have for therapists and what tips do you have for patients in that situation? 01:01 2. Do you have any advice for someone who is trying to open up/be honest in therapy but genuinely doesn’t know how to say it? 10:45 3. I hope all is well with you. When should we seek support from a friend or family member as opposed to a therapist? I've had a couple of relevant diagnoses. First, I'm autistic, so understanding relationships can already be difficult. Second, I've been treated for borderline PD in the past. I mention this because when I'm in distress, it's often due to feeling abandoned because I haven't heard from my friends in a few days (or even a few hours). It feels inappropriate to reach out when the reason I'm feeling bad is that they've chosen not to reply yet... 12:26 4. How do I find the courage to talk about my OCD intrusive thoughts? The ones that make you question if you’re really a good person or not. I’m really struggling and I want to talk about them but I’m so worried that once she learns about them she’ll see me differently whether she shows it or not. 18:14 5. Hello! I’m currently in Appalachia which is an area most impacted by hurricane Helene. While I and my family are safe with minimal damage, so many people I love have lost so much or even everything. I’ve been in therapy for two years and have made significant progress, but with the recent tragedy, I feel as though I’m back at the beginning of processing trauma. I fear my therapist is going to decide I’m no longer worth the trouble because I’ve backtracked, and I’m afraid sharing that fear will only open the door for her to decide to share that she doesn’t think she’s helping me and we need to stop. For context, I have CPTSD and suffered some pretty significant emotional abuse and neglect as a child. I have a lot of fear of people leaving and often feel as though I’m... 20:40 6. How do I cope with my therapist eventually having to leave me when therapy ends? I feel like there is no way for it to happen without me being retraumatized. It makes me think there is literally no point to any of therapy. I’d rather have not gotten close to my therapist at all and I feel even more skeptical about getting close to other people now. I know there really isn’t a good answer. Living just means constant loss. My mother died when I was a baby My dad didn’t want me. I was taken in by family members and sexually abused throughout my whole childhood by their son. My single best friend of years moved away without a word. My sister moved away. Being born was a joke. Maybe this isn’t really a question. 25:50 #podcast #psychology #katimorton PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPY While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIAL X https://twitter.com/KatiMorton YouTube https://www.youtube.com/katimorton TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimortonInstagram https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/askkatianything/support

This week we are talking about depersonalization, derealization, otherwise known as dissociation. We will also discuss DID or dissociative identity disorder, how we can build our sense of self, if we can love therapy too much, and why we can feel awkward after disclosing our self injury. Finally, we will talk about whether or not we can be so damaged that no amount of therapy can help us. Ask Kati Anything ep.239 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Audience questions: 1. I struggle with persistent depersonalisation and derealisation. I tried a lot of things over the years (therapy, different mindfulness practices, temperature play, full body shakes, yoga, meditation, being aware of my body etc.) and nothing is working. I know it gets worse when I am overwhelmed or tired or hungry, but it’s nearly happening 24/7 even if I am happy and relaxed and on holidays for example. It doesn’t make sense to me. Sometimes it gets really bad, I think when I also start panicking. Then I feel like I can’t see properly and feel so far gone, that it feels super scary. I know dissociation is not scary and it’s my body’s way to protect me, but when it is so severe, it feels absolutely horrible. Do you have any tips for me? 01:14 2. I am a survivor of CSA and have CPTSD. I don’t think I have DID however, why do I have different “voices” that come out at different times in ways I cannot control? My friends say I have 2 different “voices” one is higher pitched and small, and the other is deeper and more grown-up. Some things can for sure trigger it like feeling afraid or ashamed but it doesn’t always trigger it. Sometimes I am... 17:26 3. How to build a sense of self when no sense (or only a weak sense) of self has ever existed. In this scenario there is no "rebuilding" of the self, because it never existed as a whole in the past. There's nothing to be rebuilt because it hasn't been built yet. Is there any relevant research that looks at outcomes for individuals who developed a sense of self for the very first time in adulthood... 21:57 4. I love therapy. I know it’s supposed to be difficult and a lot of people are “scared” to work on themselves in therapy but I absolutely love it. My therapist told me I am very analytical and symptom focused, I constantly analyze every small behavior about myself and I can’t seem to stop. I constantly need to make sense of everything. I also love the attention that she gives me and I love that she cares about me. I wish I could see her all day every day. Is it normal to love therapy this much? 25:41 5. I just recently told a friend about my self-harming and now I feel really awkward. I wanted to know, why do I feel so embarrassed when near this friend now? 30:59 6. I hope this makes sense to you. It is something I've been wondering about. Is it possible to be so severely damaged by your past that no matter how much therapy you got that you never really heal? Because after all the therapy I got I still have so many trigger points. Is it because I've been traumatized over and over? Is it because of all sorts of abuse over and over? Am I not supposed to get over it by now? 33:30 #podcast #psychology #katimorton PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPY While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIAL YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/katimorton X https://twitter.com/KatiMorton TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimortonInstagram https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/askkatianything/support

In this insightful interview, licensed therapist Kati Morton sits down with mental health advocate Kody Green (aka @schizophrenichippie) to discuss living with schizophrenia and the importance of breaking the stigma around mental illness. Kody shares his personal journey, from his diagnosis to becoming an influential voice in the mental health community. Together, they dive into the challenges and misconceptions surrounding schizophrenia, offering practical insights and ways to better understand and support those affected by this condition.Whether you're curious about mental health or want to develop more empathy, this conversation will leave you with a deeper understanding of schizophrenia and the power of advocacy. Key topics covered: Kody’s schizophrenia diagnosis and journeyCommon myths and misconceptions about schizophreniaCoping strategies and daily challengesThe role of advocacy in mental healthHow to support someone with schizophrenia Watch now to learn how to foster empathy and understanding for those living with schizophrenia. #Schizophrenia #MentalHealth #KatiMorton #KodyGreen #SchizophreniaAwareness #MentalHealthAdvocacy #BreakingStigma #SchizophrenicStorytime Ask Kati Anything ep. 238 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Connect with Kody TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@schizophrenichippieInstagram https://www.instagram.com/schizophrenichippieYouTube https://www.youtube.com/ @SchizophrenicHippie  PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPY While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIALSX https://twitter.com/KatiMorton TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/askkatianything/support

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton discusses attachment and how that can show up in therapy, she also digs into emotion regulation and finding healthier ways to do it, and finally she talks about attachment in our romantic relationships and how to better manage it. Audience questions for Ask Kati Anything ep. 237 | Your mental health podcast 1. Hi Kati! I hope you are well, I absolutely love your videos and you are helping me so much. My question is attachment related. I was in therapy for a year and now ended a few months ago and I am really struggling to cope now. I have an anxious attachment style and severe abandonment issues. Since the beginning of therapy I've been super attached to my therapist and feared therapy ending. I told her about everything I was feeling and we worked on therapy ending quite a lot, but we didn't really do any attachment work... 01:38 2. Hey Kati, could you talk about emotional regulation please? I have been talking to a friend about self and co-regulation. Could you possibly explain a bit about how they relate to each other and how to learn how to self regulate? I think it is coming from an anxious attachment style for me and I’m really struggling to self regulate but it’s so difficult to reach out. It’s something I am coming to realize I struggle with and I feel like it will strain my relationship with my best friend because she is dealing with me a lot at the moment. She is amazing and is so understanding but I don’t want to put this on her. We have already talked a bit about it. 14:42 3. I second the idea of emotional regulation. I never learned that skill. All I learned from observation was to not show anyone how I feel. That’s problematic for those of us on the spectrum. I just realized I’ve had meltdowns in the past. I thought that’s what “crying” or “being mad” was. So I want to process and regulate better going forward. 21:07 4. Hi Kati!! Could you talk about why self harm helps relieve our intense emotions in the moment of self harming? Could you also talk about why someone touching where we self harm can be so triggering? My friend grabbed my wrist the other day and I freaked out. 24:48 5. Hi Kati! Whenever I can‘t see my partner for longer periods of time (due to travel for work or holidays), I miss him but simultaneously get a strong urge to pick a fight and break up. I really spiral, feel worthless and unloved and am disgusted with myself. Similarly, as soon as my therapist is away on holiday and I wish I had a session, I freak out and want to quit therapy for good. This seems to be a weird pattern throughout my relationships I can‘t quite get a handle on. Where can this come from and how do I address it? I really struggle to not impulsively act on my feelings. In case that’s important: I have ADHD and suffer from CPTSD due to emotional and physical abuse during childhood. Thanks for everything you do! 28:17 6. Hi. I recently broke up with my long term partner. It was very hard but not dramatic, I just fell out of love, but it triggered many feelings of fear about aging and loneliness. I feel sometimes like I'm a bad person that is not deserving of love and I feel guilt about the breakup. 35:41 #podcast #psychology #katimorton PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPY While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIAL X https://twitter.com/KatiMorton TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton YouTube https://www.youtube.com/katimorton Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com Partnerships: Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/askkatianything/support

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton talks about change and why it can be so difficult. She digs into ways we can stop judging ourselves for overeating, how to put ourselves out there and start living, and ways we can start to feel ready for something. She also explains how to balance prioritizing ourselves without feeling selfish, and what behavioral activation really is and why it’s the best way to combat our depression. Questions for Ask Kati Anything ep. 236 | Your mental health podcast 1. Why do I hate change so much? Change tends to worsen my depression and stress longer than anyone else seems to be affected by it at all. Is that just a personality characteristic, or is it possible that there is a reason? 02:07 2. Hi Kati, how can I stop judging myself for “overreacting” and having trauma responses to things that aren’t “big T”traumas? Other people reasonably might not have a trauma response to those same situations, so that makes me feel like I’m weak and overreacting because it shouldn’t be a big deal. I realize the judgment isn’t helping me, but I don’t know how to stop. It’s keeping me from sharing about those things with my therapist because I’m ashamed and judging myself. What should I do? 14:49 3. I’m often told that I don’t have a life. How do I put myself out there and start living? 24:07 4. Hey Kati, can you please talk about "how to get/feel ready" for something? I read that feeling not ready or simply not being able to do things can be connected to not wanting to feel ready or change. The thing is, I know that I want to have a romantic relationship, but still feel not ready. What can I do here? Thanks for your positive impact that you make 32:32 5. Hi Kati, I have been told multiple times by my therapist that I’m allowed to prioritize myself and stop trying to appease everyone else in my life. However, every time I try my inner voice tells me I’m being selfish and egotistical and shames me for thinking like this. How can I challenge these thoughts and show them they’re wrong? 37:02 6. Hey Kati! Can you talk about behavioral activation? The idea behind behavioral activation is that by deliberately practicing certain behaviors, you can “activate” a positive emotional state. 40:40 #podcast #psychology #katimorton PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPY While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIAL YouTube https://www.youtube.com/katimorton X https://twitter.com/KatiMorton TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/askkatianything/support

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton talks about distinguishing between our core personality and trauma response, how to figure out what our identity is without our mental illness, and dealing with SA online. She then explains how we can know if we are being lazy, how to ask questions in therapy, and if there are any reasons a therapist would lie to a patient. Ask Kati Anything, your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT ep. 235 Audience questions: 1. How do you help clients distinguish between behaviors or reactions that are a direct result of their trauma versus those that are part of their core personality? 01:39 2. What do you tell clients who have been depressed/anxious for so long that they don't really have an identity that excludes their illness? If your illness is part of who you are, how do you grow away from it? Edit for clarification: I'm specifically referring to childhood mental illness that lasts into adulthood 17:18 3. Hi Kati, I hope you are well, I'm feeling really confused,scared and Frankly just sh!t. I've started college this year and we have just had an online safety class as an introduction. This led to me having a panic attack and with pressure from my tutor continuing to ask what's wrong I ended up telling her something now I wish I hadn't. For context earlier this year just before leaving high school I started chatting to a boy online (stupid I know.) I was under the impression that he was just 2 years older than me... 22:52 4. How to know when you're lazy . After therapy, depression might be gone but one is used to doing nothing and getting back on track. 27:48 5. Why am I worried about asking questions in therapy? I have an incredible relationship with my long term therapist, but I cannot bring myself to ask questions. It's not just about her, but about what she thinks about why I do things, her thoughts on my current diagnosis, her advice on what to do etc. I don't have this issue with any other relationship. I suspect I am worried about rejection or maybe her answer not being what I want to hear. I have BPD, OCD, ED and CPTSD - all of which are very well managed and I am high functioning again. 29:48 6. Could you explain if there are any reasons a therapist would lie to a client? Are there any situations that would be acceptable/unacceptable? I recently found out that mine has and its shattered my trust on an emotional level but on a logical level I can understand why they may have lied (would like to think they had my best interest at the forefront and not intentionally want to upset me) - for context we planned a break from therapy for a period of time and the lie meant we ended earlier than expected, very abruptly when I was going through THE worst few months of my life. I now feel so let down and unsupported, and find myself questioning other things. I would love to know your thoughts! 34:16 #podcast #therapist #katimorton #healthy #therapy #therapy 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 Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ Affiliates (commissions earned help us create new episodes) Amazon https://www.amazon.com/shop/katimorton Partnerships Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com 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. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/askkatianything/support

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton offers some ways that we can stop comparing ourselves to others, what our dreams are telling us, and how to overcome perfectionism. She then discusses brainwashing and overcoming emotional abuse, why we can get emotional when we think of talking to our therapist, and the reasons we can be attracted to older people.Ask Kati Anything, your mental health podcast episode 234 | Audience questions: 1. How can I stop comparing myself to others? Whenever I socialize with others, I'm reminded of how weak I am for not being able to endure the difficulties of life while others are constantly faced with problems from all aspects of their lives. For context, I'm unemployed but fortunately I still live with my parents and they are still able to provide for me. I know I should be grateful that everything around me seems to be good but I just can't. I feel like I don't deserve this and I should be miserable for being "lazy". I know I'm being hard on myself but that is what's going on in my mind. Any insight would be very helpful. 2. Hi Kati, I have multiple dreams over the night these days. Some are very vivid, which makes me wonder if there are important meanings to those dreams. When would it be appropriate to consider a dream as it is telling you something/giving meaning to your subconscious mind and belief?? 3. I would love a video about overcoming perfectionism. My therapist said it’s pretty common with those of us who have CPTSD. 4. Hi Kati, growing up, I was told by my adoptive parents that I was always so susceptible to brainwashing whenever I had an opinion that didn't align with theirs (meaning others had brainwashed me to think differently from them). I'm now in therapy to try and work through the CPTSD I have due to my abusive upbringing (severe emotional neglect as well as physical and psychological abuse). The problem now is that I can not bring myself to trust what my therapist is telling me because all I hear at the back of my mind is how susceptible I am to brainwashing. It doesn't matter how my therapist words things, it still feels like he is trying to brainwash me. I realize my brain needs rewiring, but how can we go about it when every fiber of my being is resisting it due to what I was told growing up? 5. Why do I get so emotional when I think of talking to my therapist…before I’ve even spoken to her? Just thinking about talking freaks me out. Also, why is it when someone then validates that I’m stressed about talking, do I suddenly feel fine and like I’m being dramatic? Every time I try to talk this happens and I’m not sure what to do because I don’t want to mention it to my counselor because it feels silly. Thanks again6. Hi Kati! This is a really weird one and tbh I feel really embarrassed about it. What is the psychology behind being attracted to older people? I am a girl and am attracted to much older women (even though I don't think I am gay). I mean like in their 30s and I'm under 20. I could see how this sounds attachment related but I have had the best childhood and my relationship with my mom is great. I don't like any girls my own age in that way, only boys. Is this just a kink or something else? ARTICLE CITED Disturbed Dreaming in Medical Conditions PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPY While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIAL X https://twitter.com/KatiMorton TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/askkatianything/support

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton talks about having a dismissive avoidant attachment style and how that can affect our relationship with our therapist. She also discusses how we can tell if we are doing something because of our depression or not, and if being on antidepressants long term can change our brain function. She then talks about alternative treatments for PTSD like magic mushrooms, ketamine, and others. Finally, she explains whether or not our body can recognize our stress before we do, and she digs into how post traumatic growth works. Ask Kati Anything, episode 233 audience questions: 1. Hi Kati! I have a dismissive avoidant attachment style, likely due to childhood emotional neglect, which makes me highly independent and even counter-dependent. I am wondering, what can I do to foster a healthy attachment to my therapist? I have been seeing my therapist for years and she’s great, but I still get nervous to share things with her. I don’t want to get “too” attached, but I think I need my therapist’s help with processing trauma. What should I do? 01:55 2. My psychiatrist tells me I have a strong internal focus of control and that I tend to attribute everything to my own doing. My question is, I'm trying to let myself off the hook sometimes but I have trouble differentiating when I'm NOT doing something because of my depression and when I'm not doing something because I'm just lazy and letting myself off the hook as an excuse. I feel like I may just go to the complete opposite and... 28:35 3. I’ve been on antidepressants since I was 19. I am now 47 and my entire life is completely different as it once was growing up, obviously…Is it possible that staying on antidepressants too long may change your entire brain function? Will I have to depend on them for the rest of my life? I am afraid that I’ve been on them so long that I may not know who I really am and this bothers me! 32:47 4. I recently had a breakthrough with magic mushrooms. It completely stripped away any thoughts I had about myself and I was able to forgive and have self compassion towards myself. It’s been helping me work through my traumas in therapy. I have major depression, CPTSD, and anxiety. Can you please talk about the benefits of ketamine and mushrooms and can you talk about your thoughts on the integration of therapy and psychedelics? 39:57 5. I was wondering if your body could know that you are stressed or anxious before you realized it yourself? These questions come from the last few weeks because I have been having a lot of physical symptoms of stress and anxiety but I don’t usually feel more stressed than usual. I have been picking at my skin, especially on my face which sucks, I have had acid reflux which I should have because I take medication for, my stomach has been upset, I’ve been clenching my jaw, and... 49:30 6. Hi Kati I was wondering if you could talk about post traumatic growth?!? How do I recover from PTSD after years of trauma abuse and neglect?!? 57:07 PUBLISHED BOOKSTraumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPY While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIALX https://twitter.com/KatiMorton TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton YouTube https://www.youtube.com/katimorton Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/askkatianything/support

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton discusses trauma, PTSD and our dreams. She also explains how we can best support our children when we know they are struggling, how to know how much something we experienced affects us today, and why we can overshare with our therapist right away. She then offers some basic anger management tips, and how having a TBI can affect our mental health. Ask Kati Anything, your mental health podcast, episode 232 audience questions: 1. I would be grateful if you would discuss trauma/ptsd dreams... particularly how to decrease them and how to recover after having them. 02:32 2. Hi Kati! I have a teenage daughter who is the light of my life and a great kid - she's incredibly empathetic, kind, creative, and doesn't get up to any real trouble (other than a little attitude with me here and there), but I worry about her mental health. Her dad and I had a difficult separation some years ago, and he drops in and out of her life - also she has struggled with anxiety since childhood, and is very hard on herself. When she was smaller I had her in play, art, and animal therapy to help manage her anxiety, but she'd always be positive for the first month or so then grow to hate going. Now she is... 09:25 3. How do we know if something that we experienced actually affected us and if so, the severity of which it impacted us to make us who we are today? My therapist will be going on maternity leave again for the second time within the last few years and it is expected that she will be away for an extended period of time (potentially up to two years). I'm going through an interesting period... 14:19 4. I was just wondering if this is something that is common or whether I'm weird. When I first met my therapist I had complete verbal diarrhea about a few things that happened as a teen. I apologized and she said it was ok and was very reassuring that I didn’t need to apologize. This was a few months back and we have talked about them in more detail since, I haven’t brought it up with her yet but I think I may have had a light bulb moment as to... 25:24 5. Can you talk about some basic anger management/frustration tolerance tips? I feel like I lose my temper wayyyy too easily, and it's NOT the type of person I want to be. I know you've talked about anger not being a "bad" thing, and that it can teach us something, etc. But I'm talking about the times when I am losing my cool for trivial things, or when I know I'm overreacting (cursing because I caught a red light, being snippy and defensive with people when they don't deserve it). I am getting better at calming myself down after being triggered, which is... 30:55 6. How does a brain injury impact someone who also has CPTSD? I was in 4th grade when I had an accident and received some brain damage on the front of my brain. I also grew up with emotional neglect/abuse, physical abuse, witnessing domestic abuse, bullying, and sexual abuse…I know that is a lot and I know CPTSD takes some rewiring of your brain to overcome. I just wonder if I struggle more than most because I also have that TBI to work with? Are there any tools/tricks to make it easier? I am in talk therapy and EMDR. 38:43 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8849136/ PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPY While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIALX https://twitter.com/KatiMorton TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/katimorton PARTNERSHIPSLinnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/askkatianything/support

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton talks about emotional pain in therapy sessions, how we can stop our hypersexuality, and how far back our body remembers traumatic experiences. She also explains other mental illnesses that could be helped through DBT, and what we can do to stop our doctors from blaming our physical ailments on our mental health. Finally, she discusses memory and trauma processing, and why we can sometimes struggle to recall simple things. Ask Kati Anything, your mental health podcast, episode 231 audience questions: 1. How would you react if a client tried to leave session due to being in emotional pain. And you suspected they would try to harm themselves or even commit suicide? Would you stop them, or is that not your responsibility? Would you ever get in the way of the door and not let them leave? How would you react differently if It was a friend and outside the therapy space? 00:58 2. How can I put an end to my hyper sexuality? I’ve been struggling with it since like, forever. I was SA’d as a kid (COCSA) at the age of 5-6 and I’ve been hypersexual since, I’ve been physically abused by a parent because I was caught touching myself in public, now I more so use it as a coping mechanism, it’s what I’d turn to when I was even ever so slightly irritated... 05:14 3. Do you know how far in the past can the body "remember" potentially traumatic experiences? I was born a preemie at 32w (not too bad for a triplet, but still required weeks of care in NICU). From what I learned and saw in photos, I was the tiniest of the 3 and spent the longest time in hospital. I've been tube fed and covered with IV's. I also went into respiratory arrest at a few months old. Besides that, I haven't grown a sick child at all. We were lucky. I have been struggling with MH since my early teenage years (I am 22 ) Having an ED (among other co-related issues), gaining weight is really hard to cope with. In my case, it is not so much that I... 14:28 4. Hi Kati, is DBT a good fit for illnesses other than BPD? I have anxiety and bipolar II depression and, in the past, have had CBT/ACT therapy. They were pretty successful for anxiety but never touched the depression. Over time, I have developed chronic suicidal thoughts. When I'm well, they scare me. When I'm depressed they are almost like a warm blanket. I can’t stop thinking about it. It's always in the back of my mind. I know I have a way out. Could DBT help with this? 22:01 5. How did you get doctors to stop dismissing physical health issues and blaming it on mental health? I understand they can go hand in hand, but it's not always the case. It feels discriminatory. What's the best way to address this with a doctor? 30:45 6. What is going on with my memory???? I’ve been doing trauma work with my therapist for awhile now and all of the sudden I cannot remember what I have shared with her and what I haven’t. Why is it so hard for me to share new memories of the trauma with my therapist?? I fully trust her and know she is safe. Why do I go into a shame spiral and then push her away after I share something new? Will this go away with time? 35:27 PUBLISHED BOOKSTraumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPY While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIALX https://twitter.com/KatiMorton TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/katimorton PARTNERSHIPSLinnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/askkatianything/support

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton talks about why it can be hard to tell our therapist about a sexual assault, and why the R-word can be so difficult to talk about. She then discusses why it seems to be harder to maintain our mental health post-COVID, how to work through perpetual grief, and how to overcome intense bullying. Finally, she explains how EMDR works, and why we can hold onto our suicidal thoughts and plans. Audience questions from Ask Kati Anything, your mental health podcast episode 230:1. I was wondering why I can’t seem to talk to my therapist about being raped?? Backstory: I was raped twice by a family friend and both times were more than 10+ years ago so I should just be over it by now. I’ve been seeing a therapist for over a year now. I really do like her and I feel comfortable and really connected to her. I can count on one hand the few people who know about both assaults, but I’ve never been able to share with anyone intimate details of it besides the few details that my therapist knows about. However, every time the conversation...2. Is it just me, or is it so much harder to maintain good mental health as compared to pre-COVID times. So much changed during that time and so many of us lost important social connections. I hope this doesn’t sound lame, but… what is your advice for starting over?3. How do we work through perpetual grief? I feel a lot of grief over things that I didn't get to do or experience due to mental health issues over the years. Recognizing that I can't turn back time, and some of the things I missed I will never be able to do or that it will not be the same experience had it happened at the appropriate time. This caused me to have even more grief as I'm going through life knowing I'm not...4. I don’t have any hopes in life because I keep getting bullied and bullied and bullied ever since I was 10 and now I’m 13 I’m in seventh grade now and I’m scared to actually go to school because I keep getting bullied. I don’t tell my parents...5. Can you possibly explain the science behind EMDR in human terms? ;). It is completely fascinating to me how it works, because it does! My mind has started one place and ended up where I never would have expected to. I have had flashes of odd images come into my mind as well that I haven’t mentioned because they are just weird or embarrassing. 6. Even when I was doing a little bit better and wasn’t having too many suicidal thoughts, I’ve always had a plan in place in my head. This seems really messed up to me and now this method isn’t possible to me it feels stressful; like I need an answer again. I don’t understand why it feels necessary to have a definite answer to this again. Or why it was a constant presence in the first place. I’ve had rather complicated mental health issues for years and had lots of treatments and felt pretty hopeless for a long time. I’m guessing this has something to do with it but it just doesn’t sit right with me that it always feels needed in the background. PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPY While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIAL YouTube: https://youtube.com/katimorton X: https://twitter.com/KatiMorton TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ Patreon: https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/askkatianything/support

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton discusses whether or not we can get a past therapist to see us again, if we can move on without having a sense of self, and how often we have to be purging to be diagnosed with an eating disorder. She also gives us some ways we can work up the courage to share something difficult with our therapist, and what to do if we have been the abusive one in our relationship. Finally, she explains the symptoms we can have due to having a mom who is a narcissist. Ask Kati Anything | episode 229 1. Wondering if my therapist will take me back. I'm 21 and have suffered all my life with obsessions with authority figures, usually teachers or bosses. It's gotten very intense in the past and usually I think about them 24/7, though I'm not a stalker or creepy or dangerous. My suspicion is that my complicated relationship with my mom, whom I adore but who has unfortunately admitted to not really ever bonding with me, might be the problem...2. How can I move on without having a sense of self? I had depression for years and I’m working on perfectionism and over-controlling, which are caused by CPTSD, in therapy. I’m now accepting myself more and I want to make good choices for my future, but I can’t make decisions because I have been out of touch with myself for so long. I have a sense of what I like and don’t like in daily life but I don’t know what choices would align with the essence of who I am.3. I had a question about certain ED behavior. I’m wondering how often you have to purge for it to be considered an Eating Disorder. I’m sure you’ve answered this before but I thought I would ask specifically about purging.4. How do I work up the courage to talk to my therapist about something I’ve never talked about before, ever? The thing itself is more of a little t trauma, but it has a weird hold over me and makes me so anxious and has made me avoid things for a decade. I think because I’ve never talked about it and I’ve been avoiding it, it’s made it worse, so I wonder if finally talking about it will help. My therapist is great and I’ve been meeting with her for 5 years, but I get nervous about being vulnerable, especially since I think I’m having a disproportionate reaction. What should I do?5. What do we do if we've been abusive? I feel that I was abusive in a relationship, though my ex and every mental health professional I've met have said that I wasn't. The professionals have said it's just OCD. In any event, people have been trying to convince me I wasn't abusive for eleven years, ever since that relationship...6. I want to know my mom is a narcissist but when I was growing up my mom would wake up at night yells and run away I remember my dad always go after her and brings her back I don't know why she did it but it scared the hell out of me I didn't understand it because I was only a kid. Can it be why I am a light sleeper? And making my anxiety worse? I know it is not the only case I have been through a lot. I never did sleep deep because I was too scared. I felt I always had to protect myself in some way. Can it be why my anxiety is so highly present? I love your podcasts!PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY Join this channel & access more perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzBYOHyEEzlkRdDOSobbpvw/join ONLINE THERAPY (enjoy 10% off your first month) While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati SOCIAL X: https://twitter.com/KatiMorton TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ Patreon: https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/askkatianything/support

This week, licensed therapist Kati Morton offers ways that we can care a little less about what other people think of us, how to stop emotional eating, and the ways we can use somatic responses to release anxiety and stress. She then helps motivate us to keep going when it feels like nothing is working, how we can better deal with having an invisible illness, and how to get unstuck in our life. Ask Kati Anything - episode 228 audience questions: 1. How can I learn to care a little less about what others think of me - specifically, about being liked by *everyone*. It's exhausting. I'm obsessed with making sure that everyone thinks I'm a "nice" person, a "good" person, and the thought of someone being mad at me is really distressing. Worse, I notice that if I even think someone doesn't like me (which might not even be true!), I double stress and try extra hard to win them over... 2. How is it possible to stop emotional eating? I often see myself eating when stressed, for example. And for some reason, if I buy chocolate, I eat the whole thing in a day. Which wouldn't mind me so much if it didn't mean that I have nothing for the next day, additionally to me feeling absolutely sick after. 3. Hi Kati, can you talk about somatic responses to stress/anxiety? How does one manage this? 4. I’ve been made homeless because my relationship has broken down so I’m currently on the streets and charging my phone in McDonald’s. The reason my relationship has broken down is because of my trauma, I’ve had it all. Childhood SA, physical abuse, neglect, a narcissistic parent and a drug addicted parent, emotional abuse, gained an ED as a child from my mom. I can’t be around so many things without being triggered into flashbacks, I can’t have sex because of trauma, I’m too scared of men, I still struggle with eating and I self harm. I have been trying so hard working with my therapist, but recovery seems impossible and I’m wondering if it will ever get better? Will I ever recover? 5. How to deal with an invisible illness? Especially when I'm the invisible child in my family (I'm 40). I have dysautonomia after covid and pneumonia.... tachycardia, POTS, extreme fatigue, heat intolerance, shortness of breath, muscle deterioration, brain fog, costochondritis, among other things. It's been 2.5 years of absolute hell. My family sees me breathing and standing and "I'm not dead", so I must be making it up or exaggerating. Or I'm told constantly to "just calm down" and "it's just anxiety." I've been invisible and unheard in my family my whole life, as the youngest child. I'm never taken seriously, silenced if I offer an opinion, shut down if I offer to help. My family has no compassion for others, always victim blaming. And unfortunately these have been my caretakers, which I am grateful for, but their lack of empathy comes off as cruel. 6. I’m divorced 4 years after a 30 year marriage and now that I’m past the anger and resentment of betrayal we get along, which feels better in my body and is easier on our grown kids and few mutual friends. It was a confusing relationship and even more confusing breakup... PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY Join Kati's PATREON community to access more perks: https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ ONLINE THERAPY While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIAL X: https://twitter.com/KatiMorton TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/askkatianything/support

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton discusses why we can feel overly responsible in life, whether or not dreams can traumatize us, and dealing with constantly thoughts of suicide. She also explains why someone else’s trauma can affect us, what constitutes sexual abuse, and how to overcome nostalgic depression. Audience Questions | Ask Kati Anything episode 227 1. How do we figure out what we're responsible for? Childhood experiences have left me with an over inflated sense of responsibility (or so I'm told). This hyper-responsibility is working with some other beliefs in hindering my ability to process a more recent trauma... 00:55 2. This question has got nothing to do with me, it’s just something that I’m just wondering. People dream horrible things fearing for their own life and safety. As dreams feel absolutely real while you’re dreaming them, I’m just wondering, could you get traumatized by dreams? 05:20 3. This year I have become really suicidal and am struggling with it every single day. My depression is so strong right now I can’t find joy in anything. I also have this feeling like I should be able to do something to make these terrible thoughts go away but there’s nothing. My therapist isn’t super helpful so I was wondering if you had any advice or could just talk about suicidality. 14:10 4. How do you get over trauma that isn’t even yours?! I wasn’t the one abused so why do I feel so bad???? Recently the church/school I grew up in has had a series of sexual abuse cases come out; a good friend of mine being one of them. The school/church was always legalistic and used corporal punishment but these new things are just coming out and being prosecuted. I found out my parents knew about it and blamed my friend/ didn’t believe her and continued to attend and keep us in the school/church for 7 more years. I’m so angry and upset and it didn’t even happen to me! This trauma isn’t mine and I feel like I am overreacting. I want to help my friend and not make it about me, how can I do that when I feel so triggered?? 22:27 5. As a child, I was held down and touched in inappropriate places by an older man (I was in elementary school, and he was about 10 years older). I was not raped and no clothes were removed, but I wonder if that is still sexual abuse? I only recall it happening once. Also, would remembering that experience cause a lot of anxiety and pain behind certain annual female appointments? 25:56 6. Can you talk about Nostalgic Depression? I already have severe depression but this mirrors my current emotions. I know it is perceiving the past as happier than the present, and unhappiness with current circumstances. I have intense grief over losing my dad in recent years. I also cry often over people I will never see again (death and lost friendships). I feel the same for places I will never see again. Songs, movies from when I was little, lost homes I will never be able to spend time in again, and most good memories cause me intense emotions such as regret, anger and loneliness. Those memories were better than anything I have been feeling for years. I feel like I’m constantly in mourning. 30:23 PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY Join Kati's PATREON community to access more perks: https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ ONLINE THERAPY While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIAL X: https://twitter.com/KatiMorton TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/askkatianything/support

On episode 226 of Ask Kati Anything, Kati addresses a range of complex mental health topics, including: The morality of suicide and assisted death for chronic illnessesCoping with anxiety around receiving compliments and kindnessMoral responsibility for actions by individuals with severe mental illnessesUnderstanding and processing trauma and emotionsDeveloping a sense of self after childhood traumaBreaking the cycle of narcissistic abuse and the importance of speaking up Kati is a licensed therapist & provides insights and guidance on these challenging issues, offering a professional perspective while acknowledging the nuances and complexities involved in each situation. Audience Question 1. Do you think suicide is selfish? And any thought on feeling like you're living not for yourself, but so that the people who love you won't be sad? I want to add this: Is it ever okay if you live with an illness like fibromyalgia or any other chronic condition where the symptoms are so unbearable? And is it different with terminal illnesses like cancer? 01:36 2. Sometimes I feel very anxious? Uncomfortable? like not sure what to do with myself when others say something nice to me or do something nice for me, especially for no particular reasons. I feel like I'm not deserving of it or like I have not earned it or that I can reciprocate it. So then I spend a lot of time thinking how... 17:21 3. Can people with severe mental illnesses be held morally responsible for things they did or ways they behave? There's a man on youtube named Daniel Larson, some may heard of him, he was a tik toker/youtube video vlogger who, according to documentation, has schizophrenia, autism, PTSD, and Bipolar. There could be more but I'm not sure. This man has seen a lot of online hate and harassment due to his behavior, which include: apparent attraction to underage people, delusions of fame and grandeur, a large sense of entitlement, and his physical violence towards his mentor when he had some kind of mental breakdown... 23:58 4. This may be an obvious question but what does it mean to 'process' an emotion or a trauma? I feel like this is a term we use a lot but no one really defines what it means. Are there prescribed steps that we need to follow? 30:54 5. Hi Kati I hope this question resonates with others but how do you know ‘who you are’ or have a sense of self if your childhood and adolescence was filled with multiple traumas and as a result the only constant in your adulthood is the side effects of the trauma. How do you become a person once you are already an adult? 40:40 6. My therapist said” By keeping quiet, you are allowing it to continue hurting you.” My mom is a narcissist. What the heck? I’m the “victim”! I don’t control her. I don’t choose anything she does to me. What is he saying? Sounds like he’s blaming me? 44:19 PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY Join Kati's PATREON community to access more perks: https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ ONLINE THERAPY While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIAL X: https://twitter.com/KatiMorton TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/askkatianything/support

This week on Ask Kati Anything (ep. 225) licensed therapist Kati Morton explains how to stop intellectualizing and actually feel our feelings, and she digs into grief and how we can process it. Then she talks about why we can feel like our mental illnesses are made up or exaggerated because we haven’t had a trauma or big event, ways we can healthily express our anger, and how she defines an eating disorder relapse. Finally, she walks us through the ways she decides what’s the human condition and what’s a symptom of a mental illness. 1. How do I stop intellectualizing my feelings and feel them? 01:23 2. Hey Kati! I was curious if you could talk about grief as an emotion, and how to cope with it and ways to help process it. Before therapy, I could not name any emotions, and I’ve gotten so much better at it. In fact, unbeknownst to me, I’ve actually always been quite the adept feeler of emotions— in the sense that I can find them in my body, I can talk about how they feel and the directions they move within me and through me... 08:27 3. Hello Kati, I often feel my MDD and GAD diagnosis is not warranted and it's 'all in my head' because I have not experienced any major negative life events or traumas. This has prevented me from discussing the things that I believe could be contributing to my symptoms because they don't feel important enough... 25:16 4. Hi Kati, I was wondering if you could talk about healthy ways to express anger. I come from a culture where expressing anger is shameful, especially for women. So my anger is as scary as fire flames for me. However, I have noticed my binge eating is fuelled by my unexpressed anger. So, can you please teach me some techniques about handling anger. Thanks for all your amazing work. 34:13 5. Hi Kati! Hope you’re doing well. I am wondering how a relapse in an eating disorder is defined. Is there a clinical-based definition or is it more of a gray area? Does it mean meeting the diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder diagnosis once again... 40:47 6. How do you figure out what's just 'the human condition' or a personality trait and what's an actual symptom? 55:08 PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY Join this channel & access more perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzBYOHyEEzlkRdDOSobbpvw/join ONLINE THERAPY While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIAL X: https://twitter.com/KatiMorton TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ Patreon: https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/askkatianything/support

This week on Ask Kati Anything (ep. 224) licensed therapist Kati Morton talks about how therapists react when clients have breakthroughs, how we can fight hopelessness, and ways that we can more easily talk to a therapist of the opposite sex about sensitive topics. She then dives into why it can be hard for so many of us to feel and process emotions, how to deal with attachment in therapy, and why our attachment styles can vary so much. 1. Hi Kati, I'm interested to know when a client (who struggles to show emotions) starts to get upset, angry, emotional etc.. Do you internally but not visibly celebrate? A lot of people including myself hate seeing someone upset, although I'd never try to stop them expressing what they are feeling. 00:46 2. Hi Kati, How do you fight hopelessness when it feels like mental health has consumed your life. Even though I am not at the very bottom anymore, my psychiatrist told me there's a good chance I'll experience severe depression again and again (have had severe depression on a non-functional level in 2023 and 2014, but I'm improving with medication and back to work at my warehouse job). How do I feel like I am not doomed due to mental illness? 08:03 3. I see a therapist of the opposite gender and some topics are a little sensitive to talk about, any tips on getting started? 13:20 4. Hi Kati! After therapy sessions, I often struggle for days, unable to fully feel or let go of emotions. I intellectualize a lot, but I also have a constant feeling that there is something I’ve missed sharing. Why is it so hard for some of us to just feel and process emotions? Also, do therapists get frustrated when clients reach out outside of sessions but struggle to express themselves during sessions? 18:30 5. My question is about attachment problems starting from early life. I have this problem with my therapist that when he posts about his other clients who are similar age to me (he is a lot older than me) and how proud he is with them, I withdraw and leave. I think I'm so used to people leaving me for the “other” in any condition I have been in. Since I was a child my siblings preferred my cousins visiting us and my coping way was to live my life independently as they were ignoring me. 28:51 6. Hi Kati! I completed your attachment workshop, and it was extremely helpful! I have some relationships with people where I lean towards anxious attachment and others where I lean towards avoidant. More specifically, anyone who I feel is like a motherly figure, I get more anxiously attached, but with my family and friends I am avoidant. Would this still be considered disorganized attachment even though there isn’t necessarily “push and pull” within each relationship, and it’s more just operating in one extreme or the other depending on who it is? What would cause someone to have such different attachment tendencies in different relationships? 34:49 PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPY While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month) SOCIAL X: https://twitter.com/KatiMorton TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ Patreon: https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/askkatianything/support

This week licensed therapist Kati Morton talks about whether or not we can be in therapy for too long, ways we can start seeing ourselves as survivors rather than victims, and when we should use coping skills versus sitting with the uncomfortable feeling. Finally, she discusses the ways we can open up more in therapy, finally share our trauma, and how to become more social and outgoing. AUDIENCE QUESTIONS 1. Hi Kati! I have been in counseling/therapy on and off for the last 7 years. I have always been an advocate of therapy and I encourage other people to do it. However, lately I am feeling an aversion. I think that I am seeing it as a futile exercise. Which is probably due to shame about not breaking some of my self-sabotaging patterns. I have not lost the trust in the process, however, I have probably lost the faith in myself to do the work. How do I overcome that? 01:05 2. Hi Kati, recently I’ve been struggling to cope with having been sexually assaulted and groomed in the past. How do I go from seeing myself as a survivor, rather than a victim? 07:00 3. I’m obsessing over the thought that I’ve been in therapy too long. I started in 2019, and since then many life calamities have happened that greatly complicated the work I was trying to do. Big disruptions such as Covid, and more normal life issues - a spouse retiring, stressful personal health issues, a parent’s health scare, a big move, kids starting a new school, financial instability, essential home renovations while financially struggling, and now living in very close proximity to the family members responsible for the childhood abuse and neglect... 11:54 4. I was wondering when you should use coping skills versus sitting with the uncomfortable feeling. My therapist is using exposure therapy and says part of exposure therapy is not using things to calm my anxiety but rather sit with the feeling. By doing this, my body will learn that I am actually not under threat and the anxiety will decrease on its own. I don't want to be rude and question my therapist but it just doesn't make sense to me. I have been an inpatient, gone through a partial hospitalization program, and seen a few different therapists who have all stressed the importance of knowing and using coping skills. So now I am just confused. Any words of wisdom would be much appreciated. 21:36 5. I have been diagnosed with DID and have been seeing my therapist whom I love the past 2.5 years. Recently, I realized that he still doesn't know a lot of my trauma. My parts are really wanting to come out and tell him their story, but I keep blocking them and intellectualizing the details of the trauma. My parts just want to cry, but I am scared to let them. What can I do? This is really bothering me. 28:41 6. How do I become more social and outgoing? My entire life I’ve been shy and everyone around me has seen it as a huge flaw. Even my mom said to me when I was a kid that she wishes I was more like [insert extroverted friend’s name here]. I just find that my social battery drains so fast and I’m scared my friends are gonna get to the point where they don’t want me around anymore. That’s been happening to me my whole life and it makes me so sad. No matter how lonely I am, I can't seem to change myself. Any help would be so appreciated 36:46 PUBLISHED BOOKS Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPY (enjoy 10% off your first month) While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati SOCIAL X https://twitter.com/KatiMorton TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton Facebook https://www.facebook.com/katimorton1/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katimorton Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/katimorton1/ Patreon https://www.katimorton.com/kati-morton-patreon/ PARTNERSHIPS Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/askkatianything/support