What happens when two therapists sit down for a candid, impromptu conversation about the personal challenges of working with clients? In this episode, we get a behind-the-scenes look at the world of therapy—where the experts swap stories, share insights, and reflect on their internal lives while supporting others. Expect honest dialogue, relatable humor, and practical wisdom as they discuss the human side of being a therapist. Ruthie Kalai, LCSW has worked for over twenty years with children, adolescents, and adults.Her passion for working with people in their 20s and 30s stems from her years of working with children and adolescents in schools. www.ruthiekalai.com
Jane Epstein is more than a survivor of sibling sexual abuse: she’s a voice for hope, healing, and breaking silence. In this episode, Jane shares her story while turning her pain into purpose. During her empowering stint as an exotic dancer and her marriages, she learns much about her self-esteem and the impact of her earlier experiences on her approach to intimacy. Jane Epstein is a staunch advocate for survivors of Sibling Sexual Abuse and Trauma. Today, Jane is Co-Founder of both IncestAWARE.org and 5WAVES.org, an international 501(c)3 advocacy group that offers information, support, and guidance about Sibling Sexual Abuse and Trauma. She shares her story publicly to give other survivors the courage to speak up and know they are not alone. Through her work, Jane seeks to educate and empower parents on preventing sibling sexual abuse and trauma, aiming to remove the fear of the unknown and make body safety discussions between parents and children an everyday conversation. Her powerful TEDx talk spreads awareness and opens dialogue on this taboo subject. Her story was featured in People Magazine, and she contributed to The Sunday Times Magazine cover story on March 17th, 2024. Her memoir, I Feel Real Guilty, was released in the Fall of 2024 www.jane-epstein.com siblingsexualabusetrauma.com
We’re diving deep into the realities of interracial relationships — the highs, the hurdles, and the healing that can come from love across cultural lines. Meet Dassin and Stephanie Blackwell who are quite reflective on their relationship and the privileges they have and the challenges they have faced as an interracial couple. With genuineness and awareness, they share their obstacles they have navigated within their family system and greater society. Join us as we talk about the beauty of blending different worlds; navigating identity, assumptions, and unconscious bias; what makes these relationships not just possible, but powerful. Whether you're in an interracial relationship, curious about the dynamics, or just open to hearing honest perspectives, you will learn and be inspired to embrace diversity. Dr. Dassin Blackwell, a lifelong educator, coach, and athletics administrator with over 20 years of experience working across NCAA Divisions I, II, and III. Currently, I serve as the Assistant Director of Athletics Compliance and Director of Sprint Football Operations at St. Thomas Aquinas College, where I lead academic support, NCAA eligibility, and holistic development for more than 450 student-athletes. My foundation in athletics began on the field as a student-athlete at Towson University. That moment not only defined my playing career, but also deepened my belief in the transformative power of sport. As a coach for 20 years, I had the privilege of being part of two conference championship teams and coached for a national championship, helping student-athletes achieve success at the highest levels both on and off the field. Throughout my career, I’ve held leadership roles at institutions including Georgetown, Towson, Pace, Hofstra, Frostburg State, Iona University. My work has included everything from managing NCAA compliance and GSR reporting to implementing department-wide systems like SPRY and mentoring first-generation student-athletes. I earned my Ph.D. in Educational Management from Hampton University, and my passion lies in bridging the worlds of athletics and education. Stephanie Blackwell is a dedicated and compassionate Licensed Master Social Worker with a commitment to fostering positive change. Stephanie received her Master’s in Social Work from Fordham University in 2024, along with receiving a Specialized Certificate in Crisis and Resilience and her CASAC-T Certification. She received her Bachelor’s in Social Work at Molloy University in 2023. In 2022, she was awarded BSW Student of the Year by the New York State Social Work Education Association. Stephanie currently serves on the NYSSWEA Board as Vice President. She also serves on the Molloy University Alumni Association Board. Stephanie is the Lead Clinician at Lincoln Hall, where she supports adolescent boys who have crossed U.S. Borders unaccompanied, searching for a better life in the U.S.
Are you effected or not effected by food allergies? Either way you need to become more informed. Food allergies affect much more than what ends up on the plate—they’re deeply woven into the emotional fabric of households, shaping the experiences of kids, parents, adults, and entire families. In this heartfelt, practical episode, we explore those hidden layers from socialization, quality of life and self-esteem. Folks suffer from anxiety, depression, OCD, and trauma. Dr. Dennis educates us all on why we need to become more informed, how we can find resilience, and manage countertransference around the "right" way to intervene. You can learn more about Dr. Dennis at ksdfamilysolutions.com and email her at drdennis@ksdfamilysolutions.com A resource:https://www.foodallergycounseling.org/ Dr. Kelly Sullivan Dennis is a licensed clinical social worker with a PhD and over 30 years of experience working with individuals, families, and groups across the lifespan. She serves as an assistant professor in the Social Work Department at Molloy University, where she teaches both undergraduate students and graduate students through the Fordham-Molloy MSW Collaborative. Her academic work is informed by her clinical expertise and her dedication to fostering inclusive, justice-driven social work practice.In her clinical work, Dr. Dennis supports clients coping with anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, chronic illness, and major life transitions. She has a special interest in working with children and families to help manage complex issues such as food allergies, chronic illness, and family system challenges. Her approach is strengths-based and integrative, drawing on evidence-based modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), trauma-focused intervention, play therapy, narrative therapy, and solution-focused counseling.Throughout her career, Dr. Dennis has worked in a wide range of settings, including schools, mental health centers, community agencies, parent resource centers, libraries, and places of worship in order to bring mental health support into the heart of the community. She is also an active community educator, leading workshops on grief and loss, trauma, crisis response, parenting children with complex needs, and navigating life with food allergies.Dr. Dennis is a proud member of the Academy of Food Allergy Counseling (AFAC) and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). Her work is guided by a strong commitment to social justice, human rights, and the belief that every individual deserves dignity and access to compassionate, competent care.
Do you doubt your abilities? Feel like a fraud? And yet, there isn't evidence that you're a failure? You're struggling with imposter syndrome, a phenomenon affecting up to 70% of adults at some point with 25–30% of high achievers suffering regularly. Imposter syndrome doesn’t just sap confidence—it can fuel burnout, anxiety, and perfectionism that hold you back . If you've ever thought, “Soon they’ll find out I’m not really that good,” this episode is your proof that you’re far from alone—and far more capable than you believe. In this episode, Dr. Meyers shares her own experiences with imposter syndrome and offers guidance on how to manage the feelings. Reclaim your sense of belonging, and celebrate your real accomplishments.
Judith Belmont, MS is a psychotherapist and author who offers practical approaches to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Through examples, she translates CBT principles into user-friendly tools for personal growth, emotional wellness, and mental health education. Her work focuses on helping people identify and challenge negative thought patterns, build healthier habits, and improve self-esteem. With actionable strategies her approach helps to manage anxiety, stress, and everyday challenges. www.belmontwellness.com; amazon.com/author/judithbelmont
Mary Anne Cohen, Director of the New York Center for Eating Disorders, coined the term "emotional eating". In this episode, she offers a nuanced perspective on Ozempic acknowledging its potential to provide relief from compulsive eating yet cautions that this benefit is only part of the story: the need to adress the deep emotional wounds at the heart of many eating disorders. She warns that Ozempic can feed dangerous cultural narratives that equate thinness with moral or emotional worthiness—reinforcing stigma around body diversity and compounding shame. Although we are still learning all of the information around weight-loss drugs, Cohen feels that Ozempic must be paired with a comprehensive personal strategy and invites us to think critically
There's a lot we can understand about the sibling abuse experience and outcome for the survivor through a theoretical lens. Dr. Meyers presents the theories in a digestible manner that helps anyone seeking to learn more about themselves or survivors and how relationships can be challenging. There is a bright side: resiliency is addressed as is therapy as an imperative measure to leading a more satisying life and a sense of self-worth.
One of many anxieties about working with people and their emotional lives is contending with suicidal gestures. This case presentation of a 16 year old with depression and anxiety and a history of child abuse uncovers the importance of accurate diagnoses and highlights the need for collaborative efforts to intervene appropriately. Further, rectifying one's own capabilities as a therapist based on needed expertise with particular populations must be prioritized over the desire to handle all.
<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->After ten years of sexual abuse by her stepfather, Nicole Braddock Bromley found the courage to disclose to her mother at 14 years old. Though she encountered a receptive and supportive response from her mother, the trauma of abuse and subsequent events created deep wounds. Speaker/author/survivor and internationally recognized advocate for sexual abuse and trafficking victims, Nicole shares how she has turned her wounds into scars and became a model for healing, finding forgiveness, and using storytelling to transform lives.
<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->How do we undertand the trauma immigrants have experienced in their home country and now our own? A professor, community social worker, and BSW student share personal and professional experiences that fuel their passion and compassion for the immigrant population. Join us as we dispel the notion that immigration is a new issue and confront this administration's conflation of terrorism and immigration and the need for border security. How do we help navigate the fears of immigrants and citizens? Our guests make a call to challenge dis/misinformation and speak truth to power.
<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->The stigma of mental illness is reflected in Regina, a social worker who contends with her own mental illness diagnosis and its implications for working in the field. Having been let go from a few jobs, she raises the ethical dilemma of disclosure: the pathologizing impact vs. the potential for accomodations. Where is the boundary or adaptation in the social work profession regarding embracing employees who may be struggling with the same disorders as those we treat? Regina shares her personal experience navigating her BiPolar II disorder and calls to action the need for societal awareness and social work advocacy.
<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->Making the move to private practice requires several considerations: When is the right time? Will I be financially stable? What is the cost/benefit ratio? Am I prepared personally and professionally? What is needed to be successful? Barbara Murphy, a seasoned professional, discusses her own trajectory to private practice and along the way, answers some common questions and anxieties about making the transition. She also provides an invaluable resource to support private and agency practitioners.
<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->A sibling sexual abuse survivor and a mother of a SSA survivor and perpetrator share their experiences in the hope of coming to terms with "how did this happen?!". Their stories help each other try to make sense of each other's lens and what evolves is an empathic development for each other's plight. A very enlightening conversation ensues about how to disclose this assault to parents and what victims and survivors want and need.
<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->It may be challenging to consider how there is joy in working with ill youth, and even chronically and terminally medically ill children. To her own surprise, Cloe Southard, LMSW has certainly found that joy. She gives us a new perspective about this work and engages in conversation about ethical dilemmas including the debateable issue of sustaining life vs. quality of life. She also is quite transparent about her countertransferential challenges.
<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->There are many ways to treat trauma from psychotherapy to CBT, Ketamine, and EMDR. Dr. Meyers is interested in exploring it all. This week she is joined by Dr. Kammer, an expert on EMDR who discusses the use of it as a method to reprocess painful memories by reformulationg negative beliefs. She explains how eye movement desensitization and reprocessing works. Both complicated and fascinating, we delve into how trauma is processed by the brain and because it is overwhelming, there can be an inability to process it. As a result, the trauma remains stored in the limbic system. By following the therapist’s hand movements or a moving light, listening to audio stimulation, or tapping on their shoulders, the therapist helps the client reprocess the natural information that occurs during REM sleep. How is this done? Tune in to find out.
Kellyanne Brady, PhD is pregnant. How might this impact her treatment? Transference is likely to occur. How might her clients' feelings be overtly or subtly communicated, or not revealed at all? How does Dr. Brady's countertransference come into play? What happens when a therapist is going through their own major life transition? These are questions anyone can relate to regarding how to remain present and how much to share or self-disclose.
<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->From the last podcast episode on sibling abuse, my guest, Lorene Stanwick wanted to ensure that she communicated specific aspects of her experience. In a follow-up conversation, she focuses on the insidious nature of abuse and her road towards healing. She discusses the catharctic aspect of writing a play on sibling abuse and her desire to be the voice for others. Many folks can relate to feeling you may have left out important things during a conversations. But perhaps for Lorene, the desire to revisit our conversation conveys the deep need to be heard and understood, something a sibling abuse victim never had.
Not being believed when someone has been abused magnifies the experience of trauma. What happens when ones own family doesn't acknowledge the abuse from parents to siblings to perpetrators? Lorene Stanwick, an adult survivor of sibling abuse talks about these implications and the profound impact this has had on her. In this episode, Lorene shares her truth and shares her processing the change speaking out created in her family, and her ultimate decision to choose herself.
Meet Alma, a BSW student who is just beginning her social work education. In spite of how astute, insightful, and self-aware she is, she still contends with feelings of insecurity and finding her voice. Dr. Meyers strives to normalize Alma's feelings and in doing so, addresses areas of anxiety and concerns most practicing professionals grapple with. Along the way, they have some important lessons to ease the discomfort of doing the work.