Therapy Chat

Continuing our exploration of embodiment, healing, spirituality and wisdom, this week I’m joined by Manuela Mischke-Reeds, a somatic psychotherapist who is a senior trainer in the Hakomi Method and co-founder of the Hakomi Institute of California. Manuela has developed her own method as well, called Innate Somatic Trauma Therapy Approach (ISTTA). In this discussion you’ll learn about the Hakomi method and its principles; movement as a healing modality; the importance of embodiment in trauma processing; somatics and psychedelic therapy; deconstructing from our indoctrination in medical models; accessing Flow and tuning into our innate lifeforce while recovering from trauma, and so much more. About this week’s guest:Manuela Mischke-Reeds, MA, MFT, is a somatic trauma psychotherapist, author, international teacher of somatic psychology, and senior Hakomi trainer. She is the founder of Embodywise, an international learning community offering professional training in trauma therapy, somatic psychology, and the Hakomi Method, and is a co-founder of the Hakomi Institute of California. She is the developer of the Innate Somatic Intelligence Trauma Therapy Approach (ISITTA), an integrative somatic psychotherapy framework that supports trauma recovery through nervous system regulation, embodied awareness, movement-based integration, and relational therapeutic processes.With over 25 years of clinical experience, Manuela has taught professional training programs internationally across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. In the field of psychedelic therapy, she offers specialized somatic approaches, including somatic therapy techniques, movement-based integration, and ethical touch practices, to support psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy through a trauma-informed, relational lens.She is the author of several books, including Embodied Psychedelic Therapy: A Somatic Guide (W. W. Norton, with Joshua Sylvae), Somatic Psychotherapy Toolbox (PESI), Trauma-Sensitive Movement (PESI), and 8 Keys to Practicing Mindfulness (W. W. Norton). She is also a contributing author to Hakomi Mindfulness-Centered Somatic Psychotherapy: A Comprehensive Guide to Theory and Practice (W. W. Norton), The Complete Trauma Treatment Guide (PESI), and The Praeger Handbook of Community Mental Health Practice (Praeger), for which she authored the chapter "The Role of Trauma in Community Health: A Somatic Perspective."Find Our Guest online:Manuela Mischke-Reeds’s EmbodyWise website: www.embodywise.comManuela Mischke-Reeds’s website: www.manuelamischkereeds.com Hakomi Method website: www.hakomi.org  Find Laura Onlinehttps://therapychatpodcast.comhttps://traumatherapistnetwork.comSign up to receive the Therapy Chat + TTN Newsletterhttps://go.traumatherapistnetwork.com/updatesSocialshttps://www.youtube.com/c/TherapyChatPodcasthttps://www.facebook.com/therapychatpodhttps://www.instagram.com/therapychatpodTherapy Wisdom Video CourseMy course on therapy skills for work with survivors of sexual violence is available on The Academy of Therapy Wisdom site. Watch a free video and access the course https://therapywisdom.com/what-to-do-when-a-client-discloses-sexual-trauma2026-2027 Retreat Interest FormWe’re planning retreats in 2026 and 2027. Let me know which ones you are interested in - some of the locations we’ll visit include: Spain, North Carolina, Mexico, Portugal, Greece, France and more. Details are being added to the TTN website and sent out via e-mail as they’re finalized.https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVOcuSAc9ehVzdcNXPydpjjciVjCfzoE2jRrVyGcOeZGhZEA/viewformCheck Out These Offers from Our Episode Sponsors:Save $250 on Your First Year of Paubox when you use code HEALING at: paubox.com (link to) https://get.paubox.com/private-practice/therapy-chat Get 2 Free Months of TherapyNotes using code CHAT at https://therapynotes.com Save 15% Off An Annual Plan with Heard at joinheard.com/therapychat (link to this : https://affiliate.joinheard.com/laura Podcast Produced by Vaudeo Productionshttps://vaudeoproductions.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This week we dive deeper into working with Internal Family System and our family of parts with my incredible guest, Tamala Floyd. We discussed Tamala’s book, Listening When Parts Speak, and how her ancestors participated in the process. Our conversation wound back and forth through time and space. You’ll hear us discuss intergenerational trauma, breaking cycles, how healing ourselves heals our ancestors, both those who came before us and those who follow us, inner child work, and so much more!About this week’s guest:Tamala Floyd, LCSW is a psychotherapist, author, consultant, and retreat facilitator with over 30 years of clinical experience. She received a master’s degree in social work from the University of Southern California and an undergraduate degree in psychology from California State University–Long Beach. She served as a lead trainer at the Internal Family Systems Institute. She has taught at the University of Phoenix and the University of Southern California in human services and social work. Tamala has worked in various settings including schools, criminal justice, hospitals, mental health agencies and private practice.She has expertise in childhood sexual abuse, women’s sexual trauma and domestic violence. Her current work focuses on healing inter-generational trauma and increasing access to ancestral lineage gifts. Her newest book releases are Listening When Parts Speak: A Practical Guide to Healing with Internal Family Systems Therapy and Ancestor Wisdom and Healing the Wounded Mother. Tamala has been married to her husband for over 25 years. They are digital nomads traveling internationally since June 2022. They have five adult children between them, three of which are adopted.Find Our Guest online:Tamala Floyd’s retreat: https://www.souliology.com/the-therapists-inheritanceTamala Floyd’s website: https://www.tamalafloyd.com/  Find Laura Onlinehttps://therapychatpodcast.comhttps://traumatherapistnetwork.comSign up to receive the Therapy Chat + TTN Newsletterhttps://go.traumatherapistnetwork.com/updatesSocialshttps://www.youtube.com/c/TherapyChatPodcasthttps://www.facebook.com/therapychatpodhttps://www.instagram.com/therapychatpodTherapy Wisdom Video CourseMy course on therapy skills for work with survivors of sexual violence is available on The Academy of Therapy Wisdom site. Watch a free video and access the course https://therapywisdom.com/what-to-do-when-a-client-discloses-sexual-trauma2026-2027 Retreat Interest FormWe’re planning retreats in 2026 and 2027. Let me know which ones you are interested in - some of the locations we’ll visit include: Spain, North Carolina, Mexico, Portugal, Greece, France and more. Details are being added to the TTN website and sent out via e-mail as they’re finalized.https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVOcuSAc9ehVzdcNXPydpjjciVjCfzoE2jRrVyGcOeZGhZEA/viewformCheck Out These Offers from Our Episode Sponsors:Save $250 on Your First Year of Paubox when you use code HEALING at: paubox.com (link to) https://get.paubox.com/private-practice/therapy-chat Get 2 Free Months of TherapyNotes using code CHAT at https://therapynotes.com Save 15% Off An Annual Plan with Heard at joinheard.com/therapychat (link to this : https://affiliate.joinheard.com/laura Podcast Produced by Vaudeo Productionshttps://vaudeoproductions.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This week, continuing our discussion of psychedelics and therapy, I’m honored to be joined by three amazing guests who are leaders in the IFS and psychedelics worlds. So HOW does a therapist “do” psychedelic assisted psychotherapy? A number of therapists are already using IFS or IFS informed parts work in their practices. Now, we are fortunate to have a clinical manual co-authored by today’s guests, Sunny Strasburg, LMFT; Martha Sweezy, PhD; and David Lovas, MD, together with the founder of IFS, Dick Schwartz, PhD. In our conversation, you’ll hear our guests share their perspectives on the neuroscience involved; how Protector parts can arise in these experiences; ethics and consent in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy; some descriptions of various psychedelic medicines; and the need for additional research in this field. About this week’s guests:Sunny Strasburg, LMFT, a licensed psychotherapist, educator, speaker, and pioneering author, specializes in training clinicians and designing impactful experiences that inspire both creativity and compassion. She is the founder of The Theradelic Approach, equipping clinicians with trauma-informed psychedelic-assisted therapy methods. This unique model blends Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR, archetypal psychology, trauma-informed care, and Strasburg's extensive clinical experience. Her debut book, The Theradelic Approach, elevates therapeutic best practices. Sunny also co-authored the official clinical manual for IFS and Psychedelic Therapy, Psychedelic Medicine & Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy: A Clinical Skills Manual, with Dave Lovas, Martha Sweezy, and Richard Schwartz. Martha Sweezy, PhD, is an Assistant Professor part-time in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, a research and training consultant at the Center for Mindfulness and Compassion at the Cambridge Health Alliance, and a psychotherapist in private practice. Martha has a blog on IFS in Psychology Today, and co-hosts a podcast called System Updates: IFS Chitchat. She has authored, co-authored, and co-edited eleven published books on various applications of Internal Family Systems (IFS), including Internal Family Systems Therapy for Shame and Guilt. She teaches IFS therapy nationally and internationally. David Lovas, MD is a psychiatrist, psychotherapist and writer. He recently co-wrote "Psychedelic Medicine and Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy: A Clinical Skills Manual" (2026), with colleagues Martha Sweezy, Richard Schwartz and Sunny Strasburg. They have also taught workshops and co-lead retreats together. Formerly working in academia, Dr Lovas has received awards for his teaching and research at Harvard Medical School and Dalhousie University. Now, along with his private practice, he is focused on translating science, IFS, and depth psychology for a broader audience. Dr Lovas continues to consult and collaborate on IFS and psychedelic research. He speaks and coaches internationally.Find Our Guests online:Sunny Strasburg’s website: http://www.sunnystrasburg.com/Martha Sweezy’s website: https://marthasweezy.comDavid Lovas’s website: https://www.drdavidlovas.comFind Psychedelic Medicine + IFS: A Clinical Skills Manual online here: https://www.amazon.com/Psychedelic-Medicine-Internal-Systems-Therapy/dp/1683739213 Find Laura Onlinehttps://therapychatpodcast.comhttps://traumatherapistnetwork.comSign up to receive the Therapy Chat + TTN Newsletterhttps://go.traumatherapistnetwork.com/updatesSocialshttps://www.youtube.com/c/TherapyChatPodcasthttps://www.facebook.com/therapychatpodhttps://www.instagram.com/therapychatpodTherapy Wisdom Video CourseMy course on therapy skills for work with survivors of sexual violence is available on The Academy of Therapy Wisdom site. Watch a free video and access the course https://therapywisdom.com/what-to-do-when-a-client-discloses-sexual-trauma2026-2027 Retreat Interest FormWe’re planning retreats in 2026 and 2027. Let me know which ones you are interested in - some of the locations we’ll visit include: Spain, North Carolina, Mexico, Portugal, Greece, France and more. Details are being added to the TTN website and sent out via e-mail as they’re finalized.https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVOcuSAc9ehVzdcNXPydpjjciVjCfzoE2jRrVyGcOeZGhZEA/viewformCheck Out These Offers from Our Episode Sponsors:Save $250 on Your First Year of Paubox when you use code HEALING at: paubox.com (link to) https://get.paubox.com/private-practice/therapy-chat Get 2 Free Months of TherapyNotes using code CHAT at https://therapynotes.com Save 15% Off An Annual Plan with Heard at joinheard.com/therapychat (link to this : https://affiliate.joinheard.com/laura Podcast Produced by Vaudeo Productionshttps://vaudeoproductions.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Psychedelics are a hot topic lately. People are seeking healing experiences, with or without the participation of their therapists. Some are finding their journeys to be transformational but struggle to integrate what occurred when they return to their ordinary lives. Others need help integrating traumatic material that arose. Yet many therapists, especially those who are more seasoned in the field, are unaware or suspicious about these medicines.This week’s guest, Erin Atkinson, LCSW-C, is the founder of Prism Wellness, a holistic, somatic, and psychedelic therapy practice with a team of therapists providing this specialized work across multiple states. In addition to her clinical training in this work, Erin weaves somatic trauma therapy with earth-based wisdom and plant medicine traditions. She is an animist minister, rooted in Celtic and European traditions and her own ancestral practice.In our conversation, you’ll hear Erin and I discuss aspects of our own processes of connecting with our European ancestors; how psychedelic work can help us connect with nature and the collective; and the importance of integration, often a missing piece of the healing process in psychedelic work. Erin Atkinson, LCSW-C is licensed in Maryland, Colorado, Texas, and Hawaii, a board-approved clinical supervisor, and a psychedelic-assisted therapist. Alongside her clinical work, Erin mentors, supervises, and trains therapists who want to bring spirituality, earth wisdom, and a liberation focus into their practice. If you’re curious about what psychedelic integration is, and what it can be, you’ll want to listen to this episode!Find Erin Atkinson online:Erin Atkinson’s website for therapy, consultation and training: https://www.prism-wellness.com/for-therapists Instagram: instagram.com/prismwellness.love Find Laura Onlinehttps://therapychatpodcast.comhttps://traumatherapistnetwork.comSign up to receive the Therapy Chat + TTN Newsletterhttps://go.traumatherapistnetwork.com/updatesSocialshttps://www.youtube.com/c/TherapyChatPodcasthttps://www.facebook.com/therapychatpodhttps://www.instagram.com/therapychatpodTherapy Wisdom Video CourseMy course on therapy skills for work with survivors of sexual violence is available on The Academy of Therapy Wisdom site. Watch a free video and access the course https://therapywisdom.com/what-to-do-when-a-client-discloses-sexual-trauma2026-2027 Retreat Interest FormWe’re planning retreats in 2026 and 2027. Let me know which ones you are interested in - some of the locations we’ll visit include: Spain, North Carolina, Mexico, Portugal, Greece, France and more. Details are being added to the TTN website and sent out via e-mail as they’re finalized.https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVOcuSAc9ehVzdcNXPydpjjciVjCfzoE2jRrVyGcOeZGhZEA/viewformCheck Out These Offers from Our Episode Sponsors:Save $250 on Your First Year of Paubox when you use code HEALING at: paubox.com (link to) https://get.paubox.com/private-practice/therapy-chat Get 2 Free Months of TherapyNotes using code CHAT at https://therapynotes.com Save 15% Off An Annual Plan with Heard at joinheard.com/therapychat (link to this : https://affiliate.joinheard.com/laura Podcast Produced by Vaudeo Productionshttps://vaudeoproductions.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Our rapidly changing world is leaving parents needing guidance more than ever. The threats seem to be from everywhere - at school, in the neighborhood, on the internet… How can we help our children become strong and resilient adults who will have the wisdom to lead our world forward? Parents are worried about protecting their daughters from violence and ensuring they grow up feeling confident and empowered. They’re wondering how their sons will be impacted by the loudest voices on the internet teaching them what masculinity should look like through the perspective of “the Manosphere.” And what about porn? I talk to so many parents who are trying to figure out how to keep their kids from being exposed to porn and being utterly confused about what to do next, when they inevitably stumble upon it.In this conversation with parenting expert Dr. Shefali, author of the bestselling book, “The Conscious Parent,” we talk about all of this and much more. Dr. Shefali’s two newest books, Raising Conscious Daughters and Raising Conscious Sons, help parents guide their children’s emotional and physical development toward maturation into well-adjusted adults. Dr. Shefali is a Columbia University-trained psychologist who founded the Conscious Parenting movement. For decades, she’s been guiding families to move beyond patterns of control and fear toward presence and authenticity. Find Dr. Shefali online:Raising Conscious Daughters + Raising Conscious Sons are Found Here. https://www.drshefali.com/raisingconscious-daughters-sons/  Dr. Shefali’s websitehttps://www.drshefali.com/ Find Laura Onlinehttps://therapychatpodcast.comhttps://traumatherapistnetwork.comSign up to receive the Therapy Chat + TTN Newsletterhttps://go.traumatherapistnetwork.com/updatesSocialshttps://www.youtube.com/c/TherapyChatPodcasthttps://www.facebook.com/therapychatpodhttps://www.instagram.com/therapychatpodTherapy Wisdom Video CourseMy course on therapy skills for work with survivors of sexual violence is available on The Academy of Therapy Wisdom site. Watch a free video and access the course https://therapywisdom.com/what-to-do-when-a-client-discloses-sexual-trauma2026-2027 Retreat Interest FormWe’re planning retreats in 2026 and 2027. Let me know which ones you are interested in - some of the locations we’ll visit include: Spain, North Carolina, Mexico, Portugal, Greece, France and more. Details are being added to the TTN website and sent out via e-mail as they’re finalized.https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVOcuSAc9ehVzdcNXPydpjjciVjCfzoE2jRrVyGcOeZGhZEA/viewformCheck Out These Offers from Our Episode Sponsors:Save $250 on Your First Year of Paubox when you use code HEALING at: paubox.comGet 2 Free Months of TherapyNotes using code CHAT at https://therapynotes.com Save 15% Off An Annual Plan with Heard at joinheard.com/therapychatPodcast Produced by Vaudeo Productionshttps://vaudeoproductions.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands