Ask Kati Anything

Have you ever felt completely disconnected from your body, lost hours of time, or wondered why you feel numb when overwhelmed? In this episode, licensed therapist Kati Morton explores dissociation and the full spectrum of dissociative disorders, including depersonalization-derealization (DPDR), dissociative amnesia, and dissociative identity disorder (DID). You'll learn the neuroscience behind why your brain pulls the ripcord to protect you, how to distinguish normal spacing out from trauma responses, and somatic grounding techniques to regulate your nervous system.

To see if specialized trauma therapy with Rebound could be the right next step for you, head to https://hellorebound.com/askkatianything where you can check your insurance, book a free call with one of their care specialists, and find out more.

Timestamps
00:00 What Is Dissociation?
00:55 Spacing Out vs. Dissociating
02:03 How the DSM Defines Dissociative Disorders
03:11 Dissociative Episodes vs. Diagnosable Disorders
06:03 Why Your Brain Pulls the Ripcord (Nervous System Protection)
10:05 Hypoarousal, the Freeze State & Emotional Dampening
12:28 Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder (DPDR) Criteria
14:53 Reality Testing: DPDR vs. Psychosis
21:02 How Common Is Dissociation? Statistics & Comorbidities
25:25 Dissociative Amnesia vs. Normal Everyday Forgetting
30:42 What Is a Dissociative Fugue?
35:07 Localized, Selective & Generalized Amnesia
36:15 Brain Networks & Memory Suppression Mechanisms
40:02 Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) Explained
40:40 Parts Work vs. Alters in DID
46:00 Cultural Context & What DID Is Not (DID vs. Schizophrenia)
47:18 The Dissociation Spectrum: Maladaptive Daydreaming to DID
50:07 Childhood Trauma & The Role of Protector Alters
54:37 How to Tell If You're Dissociating or Just Zoning Out
56:00 Somatic Grounding Techniques for Dissociation
58:45 Nervous System Regulation, Qigong & Calming the Amygdala
60:34 Therapy Approaches for DID: System Cooperation vs. Integration

SOCIAL
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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
If you're looking for a therapist, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed online professional: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month)

This is an affiliate link, which means a portion of your signup helps support the podcast at no extra cost to you.

PARTNERSHIPS
Nick Freeman | nick@biglittlemedia.co

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 is Complex PTSD (CPTSD), and how does it differ from traditional PTSD or Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)? In this episode of Ask Kati Anything (Ep. 328), licensed therapist Kati Morton breaks down the ICD-11 diagnostic criteria for Complex PTSD, the impact of chronic emotional abuse and neglect, emotional flashbacks, and practical treatment modalities like TF-CBT, EMDR, and DBT.

Thank you to OneSkin for sponsoring today’s episode! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code KATI at https://www.oneskin.co/KATI

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Introduction to Complex PTSD & ICD-11 Criteria
01:45 - What Makes PTSD "Complex"? (Judith Herman & Prolonged Trauma)
04:08 - Can Chronic Emotional Abuse, Neglect, or Bullying Cause CPTSD?
12:08 - Big "T" vs. Little "t" Traumas & Resilience
15:15 - Core Differences Between PTSD and Complex PTSD
18:54 - Emotional Dysregulation: Hyper-Arousal vs. Hypo-Arousal
23:20 - Why Trauma Triggers Make You Relive the Past
25:40 - Pete Walker’s Concept of Emotional Flashbacks & Dissociation
29:30 - Negative Self-Concept, Shame & Externalizing Trauma
35:48 - How to Heal When There Was "Never a Before"
41:00 - Childhood Trauma vs. Adult CPTSD
43:30 - How Complex PTSD Affects Relationships & Trust
50:20 - Why We Isolate Even When Craving Connection
54:35 - Complex PTSD vs. Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
01:03:00 - What If Your Childhood Doesn't Feel "Traumatic"?
01:10:30 - Effective Treatments: Trauma-Focused CBT, EMDR & DBT
01:15:50 - What to Do If Trauma Therapy Isn't Working

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katimorton

Ask Kati Anything ep.328 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT

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
If you're looking for a therapist, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed online professional: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month)

This is an affiliate link, which means a portion of your signup helps support the podcast at no extra cost to you.

PARTNERSHIPS
Nick Freeman | nick@biglittlemedia.co

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

Narcissism, narcissistic abuse, and NPD get thrown around constantly online, and most of what circulates is wrong. In this episode, licensed marriage and family therapist Kati Morton walks through what narcissistic personality disorder actually is (all nine DSM criteria, and why five or more are required for a diagnosis), the difference between covert and overt narcissism, and the specific behavior patterns that make a relationship abusive: love bombing, gaslighting, trauma bonding, DARVO, flying monkeys, isolation, and intermittent reinforcement. She also covers the gray rock method, the signs you're walking on eggshells in your own home, and how healing from narcissistic abuse actually works.

If you've been wondering whether what you experienced counts, or whether the person in your life is a narcissist or simply selfish and hurtful, this one is for you.

Timestamps
0:00 Everyone thinks everyone's a narcissist
1:07 What narcissistic personality disorder actually is: five of nine criteria
3:20 Covert vs. overt narcissism
9:22 What narcissistic abuse means
9:48 Love bombing, and how it differs from someone just being kind
13:49 Gaslighting
19:11 No accountability, no apology, no repair
22:19 Monitoring, isolation, and turning you against the people who love you
24:22 Trauma bonding and the abuse cycle
27:25 DARVO
30:45 The gray rock method
34:30 Flying monkeys
36:57 Why they aren't nasty all the time
40:02 Intermittent reinforcement
40:47 Signs you're living in this dynamic
43:50 How healing actually happens
46:27 Reconnecting with the people you lost touch with
49:16 A better question than "what's wrong with me"
53:33 Afraid you'll end up with another narcissist

This episode is brought to you by Rebound, offering specialized virtual trauma therapy in all 50 states, founded by survivors and psychologists. Head to https://hellorebound.com/askkatianything to learn more and check your insurance.

Using that link is a direct way to support the podcast, so even if you're only curious, take a minute to look.

Ask Kati Anything ep. 327 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT

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
If you're looking for a therapist, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed online professional: https://betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month)

This is an affiliate link, which means a portion of your signup helps support the podcast at no extra cost to you.

PARTNERSHIPS
Nick Freeman | nick@biglittlemedia.co

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

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is deeply misunderstood, heavily stigmatized, and far more complex than just "being emotional". In this episode of Ask Kati Anything, licensed marriage and family therapist Kati Morton breaks down the official BPD diagnostic criteria from the DSM, explaining how BPD symptoms actually present in real life, therapy offices, and everyday relationships. She explores the underlying fear of abandonment, idealization and devaluation (splitting), identity disturbances, and why BPD so frequently overlaps with PTSD, trauma, and ADHD. Plus, discover actionable evidence-based BPD treatment options like Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Schema Therapy, and Mentalization-Based Therapy (MBT) to help manage emotional dysregulation, navigate relationship boundaries, and work toward long-term remission.

Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction to Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
01:00 - Why "Personality Disorder" is a Misleading Term
01:55 - How BPD is Diagnosed: DSM Criteria Overview
02:55 - BPD Symptom 1: Fear of Abandonment & Attachment Styles
04:45 - BPD Symptom 2: Splitting, Idealization & Devaluation
07:25 - BPD Symptom 3: Identity Disturbance & Chronic Emptiness
08:31 - BPD Symptom 4: Impulsivity in Daily Life
12:05 - BPD Symptom 5: Recurrent Suicidal Behavior & Self-Harm
16:05 - BPD Symptom 6: Affective Instability (BPD vs Bipolar Disorder)
18:18 - BPD Symptom 7: Chronic Feelings of Emptiness
19:22 - BPD Symptom 8: Inappropriate, Intense Anger
21:53 - BPD Symptom 9: Stress-Related Paranoia & Dissociation
25:14 - Is it BPD or Just Being Emotional?
26:46 - What Does Having "BPD Traits" Mean?
28:49 - BPD vs. Anxiety, ADHD, and PTSD Overlaps
33:25 - The Deep Link Between Childhood Trauma and BPD
40:21 - Why People with BPD Push Loved Ones Away
41:35 - What is Quiet BPD?
43:33 - Can You Have a Healthy Relationship with BPD?
47:53 - Setting Healthy Boundaries Without Triggering Abandonment
53:05 - Can BPD be Cured? Understanding BPD Remission
56:23 - BPD Treatment: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Explained
01:04:33 - Alternative Therapies: MBT, Schema Therapy, & TFP
01:08:30 - The Role of Medication in BPD Treatment

YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/katimorton?sub_confirmation=1

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
If you're looking for a therapist, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed online professional: https://betterhelp.com/kati This is an affiliate link, which means a portion of your signup helps support the podcast at no extra cost to you.

PARTNERSHIPS
Nick Freeman | nick@biglittlemedia.co

DISCLAIMER
The information provided in this podcast 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.

#mentalhealth #therapist #borderline
Ask Kati Anything ep.326 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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