Trust and Thrive

Episódios

• 334: Self-Reparenting and Childhood Complex Trauma - with Barlas Günay, Registered Psychologist and Mindfulness Teacher 02.07.2026 55min

  Barlas Günay is a registered psychologist and certified meditation and mindfulness teacher based in the Netherlands, who over the past 13 years has guided thousands of people across the globe through profound journeys of healing and self-discovery. Trained in both the USA and Canada, he is the founder of Accept and Act, a healing platform offering online psychotherapy and a membership-based self-reparenting community with a combined following of over 100,000 across social media. He spec...
• 333: Noticing Urgency and Slowing Down 25.06.2026 37min

  In this solo episode, I share recent life updates and reflect on what I've been noticing come up for me lately. After a few weeks of travel and starting my own practice, I've recognized the ways anxiety has shown up amidst an inconsistent schedule. I talk about the importance of checking in with one's capacity, recognizing urgency and guilt, and practicing slowing down instead of immediately reacting, even if it doesn't come naturally. I explore how anxiety can convince us that everything nee...
• 332: Emotional Intelligence and Navigating Uncomfortable Emotions - with Genny Rumanczik, Creator of The EQ School 11.06.2026 44min

  Genny Rumancik is a mental health advocate and educator, and the creator of The EQ School, which offers courses and online resources to improve self-awareness, navigate emotional self-management, and shift relational patterns for healthier relationships. Her debut book, The Wisdom of Feeling, will be published by Penguin Random House in June 2026. In this episode, we explore the topic of emotional intelligence and discuss why these skills are important, yet often overlooked. we discuss Genny'...
• 331: Real Event OCD and Replaying the Past 04.06.2026 36min

  In this solo episode, I discuss the topic of Real Event OCD, a subtype of OCD that can involve rumination around something that actually happened in the past. This can come with feelings of guilt, shame, and doubt. Real Event OCD can leave one feeling trapped in a cycle of analyzing, replaying, and trying to "figure out" what their past says about them. I share a few examples of how Real Event OCD can show up, including some lighter experiences while also normalizing heavier themes such as pa...
• 330: The Nuance of Mental Health and Showing Up Online 28.05.2026 29min

  In this solo episode, I reflect on a topic that’s been on my mind and explore the complexity and nuance of mental health, especially in online spaces. As someone who shares both personal and professional experiences with OCD and anxiety, I’ve noticed the pressure to reflect so many different experiences within just a few of my posts. I talk about why social media does not capture the complexity of living with OCD and/or anxiety, the limitations of online content and my own personal boundaries...
• 329: Mental Compulsions and the Invisible Side of OCD - with Mary Feldman, OCD and Anxiety Therapist 21.05.2026 51min

  Mary Feldman, A-LPC/MHSP, is an OCD & anxiety therapist, educator, and speaker with lived experience. Mary first encountered OCD in middle school, which became the catalyst for a deep commitment to psychology, leadership, and systemic change in how anxiety and related disorders are understood and treated. While earning her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Mary worked full-time as a behavioral specialist within Rogers Behavioral Health’s Partial Hospitalization Program...
• 328: I'm Officially Licensed! Life Updates, Reflections, and Embracing Uncertainty 14.05.2026 40min

  And we're back! I'm excited to share that I've passed my state licensing exam and am now officially a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist! In this catch-up solo episode, I share some professional and personal updates (including some exciting news!!). I reflect on the journey toward licensure, from grad school and practicum to the associate years. I also share my real-time experience navigating OCD-related thoughts while recording this episode and what it looks like to move through do...
• 327: Authenticity and Social Change in the Mental Health Space - with Shahem McLaurin, Licensed Therapist and Mental Health Educator 30.04.2026 46min

  Shahem McLaurin is a licensed therapist, founder of an independent mental health agency, and public mental health educator whose work bridges clinical expertise with large-scale public engagement. They have led and participated in national mental health awareness campaigns in collaboration with institutions such as Harvard University and the National Ad Agency, and have partnered with brands and organizations to develop ethical, evidence-informed mental health messaging. As the founder...
• 326: Moral OCD and Scrupulosity - The Pressure to Always Be "Good" 23.04.2026 44min

  In this solo episode, I talk about Moral OCD (also known as scrupulosity), a subtype of OCD that can make everyday decisions feel heavy and high-stakes. I discuss how thoughts related to this subtype can show up as intense guilt, fear of being a "bad" person, perfectionism, people pleasing tendencies, and feeling responsible for doing the "right" thing at all times. In addition, I explore examples of compulsions that can show up, including mental reviewing, reassurance seeking, confessing, or...
• 325: EMDR, Social Media, and Humanizing Therapy - with Jennifer Bohle, Trauma-Informed Therapist 16.04.2026 52min

  Jennifer Bohle, MS, LPC, is a trauma-informed therapist, content creator, and high-achieving creative based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She works with perfectionistic women to build self-trust, confidence, and worthiness while learning to relate to perfectionism as a strength. Through content creation, Jennifer blends humor, education, and real life - using creativity as a way to make therapy more human and accessible, and to stay connected to the playful, curious part of herself that stil...
• 324: Relationship OCD and Milestones (Anniversaries, Moving In, Engagement, and More) 09.04.2026 34min

  Milestones like anniversaries, engagements, and other "big" moments can bring up pressure, doubt, and intrusive thoughts for those navigating relationship OCD. When there's a pressure of how a day "should" feel or look like, this can create an extra layer of meaning, making thoughts feel more urgent and significant than they really are. In this episode, I reflect on recently celebrating my wedding anniversary and how my relationship to my intrusive thoughts has shifted over time. I shar...
• 323: Recognizing OCD and Anxiety Patterns in Childhood - with Natasha Daniels, Anxiety and OCD Therapist 02.04.2026 46min

  Natasha Daniels has been an anxiety & OCD therapist for over two decades. She combines both her clinical expertise with her lived experience, raising her own three kids with anxiety and OCD. She is the creator of the website, Child OCD Therapist. She gives in-depth support to parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD through her books, courses in the AT Parenting Survival Online School and in her online membership AT Parenting Community. Her latest books include Crushing OCD Workbook for K...
• 322: Inner Child Work & Caring for Unmet Emotional Needs - with Dr. Kai Qiu, Author & Inner Child Healing Guide 26.03.2026 55min

  Dr. Kai Qiu, MD is an inner child healing guide who traded the path to psychiatry for something he believes the mental health space is missing. He’s the author of Emotionally Immature Parents: A Recovery Workbook and combines psychology, Buddhist practice, and his own lived experience as a second-generation Chinese-Canadian to help successful people heal the patterns they inherited but didn’t choose. His content reaches millions worldwide, and he works closely with high-achievers who lo...
• 321: Identity & Nuance as a Child of Immigrants 19.03.2026 37min

  In this episode, I reflect on my identity as a child of immigrants during the week of Nowruz (Persian New Year). I share the range of emotions that have been coming up during this time, both personally and collectively. I also discuss the pressure that can exist to express or explain every single feeling one may be having, especially on social media. This episode focuses on holding space for nuance, making space for mixed emotions, and trusting your own experience without needing to define it...
• 320: Driving Anxiety, Derealization, & Depersonalization - with Lily Sais, School Psychologist Turned Anxiety Coach 12.03.2026 54min

  Lily was a school psychologist for 12 years and served as the lead school psychologist in her district in Los Angeles. During that time, she also struggled deeply with anxiety, panic, and OCD. In 2018, Lily had a life-changing realization: she wasn’t broken and nothing needed to be fixed. She had been innocently overcomplicating her experience. She discovered it was safe to think less, that thoughts don’t need to be believed, and that feelings naturally settle on their own. In 2020, Lily bega...
• 319: A Discussion on Grief & Loss - with Katie Pankonin, Licensed Clinical Social Worker 05.03.2026 55min

  Katie Pankonin is a mental health therapist out of Phoenix, Arizona specializing in grief and relationships. Katie is passionate about normalizing the grief experience and finding relatable ways to humanize the "grief club" we all inevitably join one day. Katie can be found on social media at @enkindle_mentalhealth where she enjoys creating community for those grieving and posting daily mental health content. In this episode, we explore how grief can be more complex, personal, and nuanced tha...
• 318: When OCD and Anxiety Show Up in Friendships 26.02.2026 37min

  To wrap up this month's focus on relationships and OCD, I dive deep into how OCD and anxiety can show up in platonic relationships. In this solo episode, I talk about common friendship-based compulsions (including reassurance seeking, mental reviewing, confessing, avoidance), the fear of being seen as "too much," recognizing patterns of rumination, and practicing self-compassion instead of self-shame. As a reminder (as with every episode this month), you are deserving of friendship, connectio...
• 317: Supporting a Loved One with OCD - Validation vs. Reassurance 19.02.2026 59min

  Whether it's a partner, family member, or close friend, loving someone with OCD can feel confusing at times, especially when you want to be supportive but aren't sure how to respond to intrusive thoughts, anxiety, or repeated reassurance-seeking. In this solo episode, I talk more about how OCD can show up in relationships, the difference between validating feelings and reinforcing compulsions, why reassurance can keep the cycle going, what supportive language can look like, and how to s...
• 316: Anxiety, OCD, & the Pressure to Feel Certain in Relationships 12.02.2026 53min

  To continue the theme of ROCD this month...in this episode, I talk generally about anxiety and OCD-related thoughts and behaviors in relationships. I lean into the importance of integrating self-compassion for yourself as you may experience these thoughts. I also share your responses from Instagram stories (anonymously, of course) to remind you that you're not alone. I also share some personal examples and experiences related to ROCD and how real these thoughts can feel, and how our bodies ca...
• 315: Relationship OCD and Valentine's Day 05.02.2026 48min

  Valentine's Day is like the Super Bowl for Relationship OCD. It's the perfect opportunity for thoughts to creep in. There's pressure, comparison, thoughts that may feel louder. In this solo episode, I talk about how Valentine's Day, especially social media posts, can amplify ROCD thoughts, even if you're not in a relationship. I dive deep into the importance of slowing down, self-compassion, and noticing thoughts without needing to assign meaning or turn them into answers. If this...