Ask Kati Anything

Have you ever felt ashamed in therapy because your behaviors aren't changing fast enough? In this episode of Ask Kati Anything, licensed marriage and family therapist Kati Morton answers 8 listener questions on eating disorders, therapy, intimacy, ego death, depression, and mental health recovery.

Topics covered include eating disorder recovery, higher levels of care (IOP and PHP), what therapists notice about body language and appearance, caregiver burnout, intimacy struggles after trauma, ego death and psychedelics, DASS questionnaires, and returning depression after remission.

This Week's Sponsors:


Care.com — 20% off a subscription or Senior Care Advisor plan using code KATI at https://www.care.com/


Hero Bread — 10% off your order using code KATI at https://www.hero.co/

MY BOOKS

Why Do I Keep Doing This?
Traumatized
Are u ok?

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

PARTNERSHIPS
Nick Freeman | [email protected]

Disclaimer
The information provided in this video is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or mental health advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problem or disease. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment. Viewing this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship.
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What happens when the life you built online suddenly crashes? In this episode of Ask Kati Anything, I’m joined by "Creators 4 Mental Health" founder Shira Lazar to pull back the curtain on the dark side of the creator economy. Shira opens up about a personal story and feeling like a failure which triggered a decade-long journey of rebuilding her self-worth from the ground up. We discuss the "silent crisis" facing content creators today, including shocking new research that reveals why so many are spiraling behind the scenes. Whether you are struggling with a "public failure" of your own or trying to stop tying your value to external validation, this conversation offers a roadmap for turning your darkest moments into a catalyst for change.

Shopping with our sponsors helps support Ask Kati Anything. Please check out this week's special offers:

Care.com: Get 20% off a subscription or a senior care advisor plan at https://www.care.com/ using code KATI.

Hers: To get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you, visit https://www.forhers.com/kati.

Episode Timestamps:

00:04 – Meeting an "OG": The innocence of the early YouTube community.

07:03 – The "Rug Pull": Surviving a public career split and deep feelings of failure.

13:14 – Digital Rebels: Being the "misfits" in traditional news organizations.

22:31 – Mount Everest: How a life-changing trip led to a new mission in wellness.

29:53 – Advocacy: Why the creator industry needs a "Bill of Rights".

37:51 – The Data: Shocking stats on creator burnout and suicidal ideation.

41:32 – Self-Worth: Why you must stop tying your value to your analytics.

48:31 – Kati’s personal journey from rock bottom to a thriving practice.

Learn more about the Creators 4 Mental Health

https://www.creators4mentalhealth.com/

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

PARTNERSHIPS

Nick Freeman | [email protected]

Disclaimer:

The information provided in this video is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or mental health advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problem or disease. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment. Viewing this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is it freeze or dissociation? Autism or OCD? Can childhood trauma cause physical symptoms doctors can't explain?

In this episode, I answer the questions that keep my community up at night—from understanding confusing trauma responses to the body-trauma connection, overlapping diagnoses, medication decisions, and whether psychedelic therapy actually works for CPTSD.

If you've ever felt misunderstood by your own nervous system, gaslit by medical tests that come back "normal," or exhausted by flashbacks that won't quit—this episode offers validation and clarity.

SPONSORS


Hers - to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you visit https://www.forhers.com/kati


Zocdoc - find and book top-rated doctors, therapists, or mental health providers near you in minutes https://www.zocdoc.com/kati

TOPICS COVERED

00:00:00 - Introduction 00:01:06 - Freeze vs. Dissociation: What's the Difference? 00:09:44 - When Should You Taper Off Medication? 00:16:13 - Navigating Relationships with Insecure Attachment 00:21:47 - Is It Autism or OCD? Understanding Overlapping Symptoms 00:32:43 - Can Trauma Cause Physical Symptoms? 00:40:33 - How Does Talking About Trauma Help CPTSD? 00:45:16 - Psychedelic Therapy: Psilocybin vs. Ketamine 00:56:18 - Dealing with Flashback Exhaustion 01:02:08 - Managing Chronic Flashbacks

Kati Morton, LMFT | Licensed therapist, author, and mental health educator

MY BOOKS

⁠Why Do I Keep Doing This?⁠

⁠Traumatized⁠

⁠Are u ok?⁠

ONLINE THERAPY

BetterHelp connects you with licensed therapists online: https://betterhelp.com/kati

Ask Kati Anything | Your mental health podcast

Disclaimer: Educational content only, not medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional for personal concerns.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why is "kindness" often dismissed as a soft skill when it’s actually a life-saving tool for resilience? In this episode of Ask Kati Anything, licensed therapist Kati Morton is joined by Andra Liemandt, the founder and CEO of The Kindness Campaign.

Andra shares the powerful, heartbreaking story of how a tragic loss in her community became the catalyst for a national movement that reached over 250,000 students last year alone. We explore the science of emotional literacy, the transformative power of "Mirror Work," and practical strategies for parents to help their children feel seen, heard, and understood.

Shopping with our sponsors helps support Ask Kati Anything. Please check out this week's special offers:

• Hungryroot - Get 40% off your first box plus a free item in every box for life at ⁠https://www.hungryroot.com/kati with code KATI
• Care.com - Get 20% off a subscription or a senior care advisor plan at https://www.care.com/ using code KATI

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Intro: Advancing emotional literacy with Andra Liemandt.

02:59 – The tragedy that started The Kindness Campaign.

06:17 – Enoughie Buddy: Helping kids find their words.

14:44 – "See to the other side": Finding light in dark times.

18:11 – Morning Pages vs. Venting: Clearing the brain.

24:18 – How the Magic Mirror builds self-worth.

31:23 – The power of "Mirror Work" and receiving kindness.

38:14 – Secure attachment: The trapeze net of parenting.

45:00 – Kind Leadership: Preparing high schoolers for the real world.

57:11 – The Science of Kindness: From soft skill to survival.

01:02:42 – Superpowers: Identifying your communication style.

01:08:18 – Self-care toolkits: Gratitude, Grounding, and Green.

01:21:19 – "Playing it out": A CBT tool for big decisions

If you’re enjoying these conversations, please take a moment to Follow the show. It’s the easiest way to make sure you never miss an episode.

If this episode on kindness and self-worth resonated with you, leaving a review would mean the world to us. Your ratings help more people discover these tools and join our community.

MY BOOKS

Why Do I Keep Doing This? https://geni.us/XoyLSQ

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

PARTNERSHIPS

Nick Freeman | [email protected]

DISCLAIMER

The information provided in this video is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or mental health advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problem or disease. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment. Viewing this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship.

Ask Kati Anything ep. 305 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT
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Why do we cling to the behaviors that hurt us most? In this episode, Kati Morton, LMFT, dives into the physiological and emotional complexities of eating disorder recovery, trauma responses, and the "why" behind our most difficult survival mechanisms.

We explore the "safety" found in cycles like bulimia or anorexia when living in neglectful environments, and Kati provides actionable tools for those navigating C-PTSD, DID, and intimacy after divorce.


The "Freeze" Response: Understanding "bed-locking" and C-PTSD.


Complicated Grief: Why you might feel numb when an abuser passes away.


The Feelings Wheel: Practical tools for naming emotions when you feel disconnected.


Dissociation & DID: Managing treatment while living in an unsafe home.

Shopping with our sponsors helps support Ask Kati Anything. Please check out this week's special offers:


Get 15% off OneSkin with the code KATI oneskin.co/KATI


Zocdoc: find and book top-rated doctors, therapists, or mental health providers near you in minutes zocdoc.com/kati


Remi: protect your teeth from grinding with a custom-fit night guard. Go to shopremi.com/KATI and use code KATI at checkout for 50% off


Hers: visit forhers.com/kati to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you


00:00 – Intro: Mind-body responses


00:43 – ED cycles in abusive homes & Mandated Reporting


07:02 – Grieving an abuser: Understanding emotional numbness


12:41 – Why we "enjoy" or miss our eating disorders


25:01 – Tools for naming emotions (The Feelings Wheel)


32:27 – Navigating DID treatment in unsafe environments


39:09 – Is "bed-locking" a normal C-PTSD response?


47:09 – Shame and intimacy after divorce


53:03 – When your therapist challenges your recovery


YouTube: youtube.com/@Katimorton


Books: Why Do I Keep Doing This?, Traumatized, and Are u ok?


Online Therapy: Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/kati

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical or mental health advice. Please consult with a qualified professional for diagnosis and treatment.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices