Ask Kati Anything

In this episode of Ask Kati Anything, Kati is joined by Jen Birn, editor of Austin Lifestyle magazine. Jen has built a life on her own terms, parlaying her high-octane success in the celebrity journalism scenes of New York and Los Angeles into a career that is currently transforming the landscape of Austin.

Jen’s path was built on pure grit and "fake it 'til you make it" scrappiness. From waitressing in a music bar where she convinced the Gin Blossoms to give her an interview that launched her career, to navigating family crisis, Jen has faced the kind of relatable struggles that define a survivalist spirit.

Along the way she shares stories from a career spent crossing paths with figures like Richard Branson, Johnny Depp & David Arquette, transitioning from the 24/7 hustle to finding balance, biohacking for longevity, and reclaiming your time. Jen Birn is an inspiration who proves that success isn't about having a perfect start—it's about the resilience to keep chasing the sunset until you find home.

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

• Remy - Go to www.shopremi.com/KATI and use code KATI at checkout for 50% off your Custom Night Guards

• Function Health - Get a $25 credit toward your membership at www.functionhealth.com/kati with gift code KATI25

MORE JEN

Chasing Sunsets Down I-80 https://amzn.to/3LHpVgU

https://citylifestyle.com/austin/issues

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]

Ask Kati Anything ep. 298 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT
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Today, we are diving deep into the complexities of trauma, connection, and the healing journey. If you’ve ever felt like your therapy progress is backsliding or that you’re becoming more overwhelmed as you open old wounds, this episode is for you.

Shopping with our sponsors allows us to continue bringing you these important conversations about mental health. Please check out this week's special offers:

• Hungryroot - Get 40% off your first box at https://www.hungryroot.com/kati

• Hers - Start your personalized journey at https://www.forhers.com/kati

00:45 – The Therapy Balance: Why a therapist shouldn't work harder than the patient to maintain a healthy therapeutic space.

03:55 – Therapist Self-Disclosure: When it is ethical for a therapist to share personal information to benefit the patient.

05:30 – Why Healing Feels Worse: Understanding why trauma processing can lead to a temporary increase in symptoms.

11:01 – Building Coping Skills: How to use coping tools and impulse logs to manage the discomfort of change.

15:24 – Therapist Self-Care: Kati shares how she separates her personal and professional life to avoid burnout.

22:05 – Trauma and Disconnection: Why survivors may feel alienated and how finding relatability can break emotional numbness.

32:13 – Empathic Boundaries: How to stop absorbing other people's emotions while still offering support.

39:54 – Parents and Boundaries: What to do when parents ignore boundaries and why a boundary is about your own actions.

42:07 – Love vs. Limerence: The difference between slow-built intimacy and intense, involuntary obsession.

46:50 – Neurodivergent Marriage: Advice for couples with complex PTSD on discussing triggers and expectations before marriageWhether you are struggling with complex PTSD, navigating a new marriage while neurodivergent, or trying to set boundaries with difficult parents, we’re covering it all today.

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. 297 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether you are dealing with childhood trauma and shame, navigating the grief of life transitions after graduation, or learning to trust your instincts after years of self-betrayal, this episode provides practical therapeutic insights for your healing journey. Join us as we explore how to set healthy boundaries, overcome loneliness, and stop the cycle of self-abandonment to build a more authentic relationship with yourself. Kati also discusses the heavy burden of caregiver burnout, the physiological necessity of sleep for mental health, and how to support those struggling with suicidal ideation. In this episode of Ask Kati Anything, licensed marriage and family therapist Kati Morton answers listener questions and takes a deep dive into the true meaning of forgiveness and how it serves as a tool for personal liberation rather than condoning hurtful behavior.

Support the show! Check out our sponsors and exclusive deals:

Hero Bread - get 10% off your order when you visit http://hero.co and use promo code KATI at checkout.• OneSkin - skin health products powered by the OS-01 peptide - get up to 30% off OneSkin with the code KATI at https://www.oneskin.co/KATI

Timestamps

00:57 - Q1: How can I forgive people who have hurt me deeply?

04:47 - Q2: How do we keep going when we’re exhausted (Caregiver burnout & sleep)?

10:04 - Q3: Suicide prevention: How to help and what society can do.

13:22 - Q4: How to open up about trauma without feeling shame.

17:34 - Q5: Dealing with regret and unemployment after quitting a job.

MY BOOKS

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

Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j

Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY

22:30 - Q6: How to trust yourself and manage triggers.

24:06 - Q6 (Continued): Setting boundaries vs. overreacting.

31:12 - Q7: Moving on and finding routine after graduating high school.

43:06 - Q8: How to trust yourself again after years of self-betrayal.

54:07 - Q9: Navigating loneliness and outgrowing old friendships.

Ask Kati Anything ep. 296 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT

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

In this episode, licensed marriage and family therapist Kati Morton dives deep into the complex psychology of eating disorders, the lasting "blueprint" of childhood trauma, and why certain coping mechanisms feel impossible to give up. We explore the often-misunderstood need for validation in recovery, the erratic behavior of some therapists, and why mental health struggles can feel like an addictive cycle. Whether you are navigating your own healing journey or trying to understand a loved one, this episode offers professional insight into breaking cycles of shame and finding a path toward a healthier sense of self.

Support the show! Check out our sponsor Remi: 

Get professional quality custom night guards for 80% less than the dentist. 

Go to https://www.shopremi.com/KATI and use code KATI  at checkout for 50% off

Timestamps

00:00:50 – Kati discusses whether "attention-seeking" in eating disorders is actually a cry for unmet emotional needs from childhood.

00:07:02 q1 – An exploration of why childhood sexual abuse deeply impacts one's psychological foundation and sense of safety.

00:15:54 q2 – Kati explains the addictive nature of self-harm and how to discuss the fear of stopping with a therapist.

00:22:45 q3 – Insight into why a therapist might show inconsistent personalities and how to handle unprofessional boundaries.

00:31:16 q4 – Advice for a student in India facing academic pressure and unsafe living conditions while dependent on family.

00:34:53 q5 – A look at "behavioral activation" and what to do when standard depression treatments and medications haven't worked.

00:39:09 q6 – How OCD can "rob" you of your interests by demanding a level of control that makes joy impossible.

00:44:40 q7 – Why it is common to feel terrified of fully committing to recovery after years of struggling with anorexia.

00:49:09 q8 – A professional breakdown of how therapists ethically intervene when a patient self-harms or dissociates during a session.

MY BOOKS

Why Do I Keep Doing This?  (JUST RELEASED)  https://geni.us/XoyLSQ

Traumatized   https://geni.us/Bfak0j  

Are u ok?    https://geni.us/sva4iUY 

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. 295 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Ask Kati Anything, licensed marriage and family therapist Kati Morton explores a wide range of mental health topics, from the nuances of cognitive distortions to the complexities of healing from long-term trauma. Kati discusses why getting better can feel scary, the realities of psychiatric hospitalizations, and why certain popular therapy modalities like CBT might not be the best fit for everyone.

Support the show! Check out our sponsors and exclusive deals:

• Remi: Get professional quality custom night guards for 80% less than the dentist. Go to https://www.shopremi.com/KATI and use code KATI at checkout for 50% off.

• Aura Frames: Give the gift of memories with unlimited photos and videos. Exclusive $35 off Carver Mat at https://www.on.auraframes.com/KATI. Promo Code KATI

• Fabletics: Premium activewear for a fraction of the price. Sign up as a new VIP at https://www.fabletics.com/kati to get 80% off everything.

Questions:

Q 1: Futurizing vs. Catastrophizing Kati defines futurizing as an unrealistically negative view focused solely on the future , while catastrophizing is taking any small issue and making it a big deal in the moment.

Q 2: Why Breakthroughs Can Feel Empty or Scary A discussion on why making progress in therapy for complex trauma can lead to an "identity crisis"

Q 3: Navigating Higher Levels of Care & Hospitalization Kati explains the difference between voluntary vs. involuntary (5150) holds , what to actually expect inside a psychiatric ward (from "gripper socks" to shared rooms).

Q 4: Healing from Therapist Attachment & Goodbyes How to handle the "heartbreak" of a therapeutic relationship ending.

Q 5: Dealing with Intense Pre-Therapy Anxiety, Kati explores why some people feel terrified before sessions and offers tips like ritualizing your preparation to calm the nervous system.

Q 6: Can You Heal in the Place That Made You Sick? A "tough love" look at why true healing is difficult in an active abusive environment.

Q 7: Emotional Numbness and "Logic Brain" on Meds Addressing emotional numbness on psychiatric medication.

Q 8: Do You Really Need a Specialist for Eating Disorders?

Q 9: Why CBT Often Falls Short for Complex PTSD An explanation of why traditional Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can feel minimizing or invalidating for trauma survivors.

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

MY BOOKS

Why Do I Keep Doing This? (NEW BOOK) https://geni.us/XoyLSQ

Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j

Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY

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